This looks like the place....

**peering in through the cobwebs and dust bunnies**   I think this is the place?  Looks like it.  Same old blue "wallpaper" and photo of my flowerbed and look there's my list of wonderful followers and my list of favorite bloggers.  Yes, this is my Blog Home!

Ah Puffins... I hope you all found plenty to keep you occupied for the past 10 months while I was off being "too busy!"

I've missed you all so very much, but something had to give in my life and unfortunately it was this special place of writing and musing.  A girl can only do so much without imploding and I did plenty of that anyway.

I won't try to catch you all up on the past months today. Just wanted to come clean up the place a little and let you know I hope to be much more regular in my posting.
Instead I'll close with a note I wrote to my dear friend Terri (of Gentle Living blog fame) just today.  I think it sums up my life right now very well.

"Terri Dear,
I just now had time to read this message (Easter Sunday 2012) and you never cease to amaze me with your wisdom.  Through your revelation of how you had no more dreams anymore, I see myself and I am grieving.  I'm too busy, I'm too tired, somedays I barely am holding on-- it's only through the grace of God & the faith He gives me that I'm not a puddle on the floor.
I am looking ahead to a busy spring/summer/fall and even ahead to the holidays of 2012 and dread each and every "busy moment" that i know is coming.
All I want is time for myself to just 'be' and to recover from a past year of working full-time, peri-menopause, BIG stresses within my life and at work and cracks in my Christian walk.

But I have hope and faith.  I know I am not alone in this journey as a maturing woman.  I have my Heavenly Father and dear lady friends who truly understand.

And just as you saw the wisdom in writing again, I too, in the past few weeks, have missed my blogging days and plan to begin again.
Funny how God works things together like this...."

As always there is coffee in the maker and goodies on the counter.  Pour a cup and make yourself at home.  I hope this will be a cozy place for us all to rest and recharge.

Hugs
Kay~
**"You cannot persevere unless there is a trial in your life.  There can
be no victories without battles; there can be no peaks without valleys.
If you want the blessing, you must be prepared to carry the burden and
fight the battle."
~Warren W. Wiersbe~

10:39 p.m. and all's.... tired

Yes Lucy... it's me... the Blue-eyed Farmer's wife, also known as "Gail" or "Ethel" around my new employment digs.  Obviously I fit in just fine with all those yahoos.  We just laugh at one another and share the banter.  You can find out more about those digs here:  Seward Independent

It's 10:40 p.m.   I've been up since 5:45 a.m.  I am doing my work (aka "good") clothes in the cold water wash.  I have to, or I'll be wearing the Farmer's coveralls and a scarf to work.

I cut up 5 organically raised chickens today.  "How are your chickens?" was the question of the day at the office.  "Dead." was my response.  Well... they were/are.

The garden is growing but needs water.  The 15 drops of rain we got tonight won't cut it, so I'll be up early tomorrow to turn on the sprinkler.  Someone tell me again, WHY I wanted to plant a garden?????   Isn't working fulltime and then helping a Farmer enough for one Prairie Chick????

On a happier note: The pumpkin & gourd seeds the Farmer threw into the bull pen are coming up and liking their swampy/drying-into-concrete-hardness bed.  Who'd a thunk being trampled by a huge ole bull named Amos would cause a seed to sprout and grow?

Other randomness:  My sewing room is languishing in neglect.  After the 19th, I WILL go down and sew stitches on a precious sweetness' quilt.

VBS approaches... June 12-17, with the church program on the 19th (see above)... I'm in charge of the 3year-olds!  Fun Times because I love that age!  I have SillyBands for them and we will have snacks and games and Bible lessons and crafts.  I will have no free time to do laundry or dishes or clean or garden, but the memories and learning about Jesus are more important.

My favorite Brynlie is growing.  My favorite Kendalynn & Kaleigh have a loose tooth each.  My precious ones are 'there' and we are 'here.'  Dislike!

My "baby".... my youngest.... my brown-eyed blond sports-loving, hard-working, handsome, "just like his father" boy turned 27 today.  Yes, I had him when I was 2 years old... why do you ask?  *wink*

The washer & dryer have stopped, and it's 11 p.m.  Time to switch out and fold and get into the shower and fall into bed.  Looking forward to Friday because the weekend is coming and I'm hopeful for either some BFF time or at least some reading on the porch with a nice glass of Riesling.

Be well, be happy, be blessed.
K~

** May you always have work for your hands to do.
May your pockets hold always a coin or two.
May the sun shine bright on your windowpane.
May the rainbow be certain to follow each rain.
May the hand of a friend always be near you.
And may God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you.
~Irish Blessing

Changes that were in the Air....

are becoming reality... commonplace... the usual... nothing new....

Schwoo~~  It's been quite a ride the past... um.... let's see... 4 weeks. 

Change 1:  New Job (or old job updated)

Unexpectedly, I was offered a job at our hometown newspaper, as the receptionist, classified ad salesperson and legal notice person.  5 years ago I was the office manager at the small "sister" paper.  While I was very happy at my job at Green Magazine, this was Father God answering prayers, mightily. We've had other changes around here that I can't really write about, since it doesn't concern only me.  Basically I was feeling like I needed to help out more with our budget and I could only cut so much.  Just as I was planning to do some serious second job searching, God put this full-time position in my lap.

After all the usual meetings and interviews and sad "See you soon"s, I started at the paper on the Tuesday after Easter.   

I'm still learning the software and reacquainting myself with the procedures and meeting new customers.  But it's also like coming "home" again, knowing all but 2 of my co-workers.  

(and oh woe... I have to use a PC... NOT a Mac... It has not been fun.  How do you people -who like PCs- use them every single day without pulling your hair out??  Don't  you know there are easier ways to cut & paste, etc...  LOL )

Change 2:  Resurrection Sunday in Ohio with our first-born, his darling wife (our dear daughter-in-love) and our precious, perfect Grand-girlies.  We finally (stupid cows and their calving schedule), got to meet (snuggle, cuddle, hug, kiss, adore) our newest grand-- Brynlie.

Brynlie & Pappo sharing smiles.

Pappo with his girlies (l to r: Kaleigh, Brynlie & Kendalynn)

Change 3:  Looking at the world, extra-ordinarily.  God is working in my life, in the lives of those special to me and I am constantly amazed at His love and concern and grace and mercy.  And His answer to prayers.  (I believe, please help my unbelief....)
While life has me in it's grips, please remember, I'm around somewhere...  I'll be back.

Hugs

K~

"On my own I am.

Exceedingly plain. Tremendously weak. Ordinary in extra degrees.

Yet through Christ.

I can be.

Exceptionally graced. Completely empowered. Thoroughly gifted.

Extraordinary."  Pastor Aaron Householder, 2009

God's Unrelenting Love

....  Have you heard Him.... Our Heavenly Father, God Almighty... have you heard His still small voice as you went about your week?  What did you do?  Did you stop and argue?  Did you obey?  Did you ignore it.... writing it off as nerves... bad food... your imagination?

 He calls to us.... He loves us....  He loves you...

and them.... those over there....

and He wants to reach them.... using us.  Yes.. You and Me... in our inadequacy and our failings.  

Do you remember when God pursued you?   Or is He still calling to you?  Have you heard His call?  Do you want to know what He wants of you, from you, what He has... For You? 

I can tell you what He has in store for you.... Love.  That's right.... unquestioning, uncompromising, unconditional.... LOVE, never ending.  All you have to do is accept His gift of Love.
You can email me or comment below.  I'd love to tell you about His Love.


He Loves You,
K~

** For God so Loved the world (that's all of us), that He gave His only begotten Son (that's Jesus), that whosoever would believe on Him, will have everlasting Life (that's forever!).  John 3:16

{pretty, happy, funny, real}

I so enjoy the blog "Like Mother, Like Daughter."  A 3-generation family of women who blog and share their wisdom.  I wish I had known Lelia when I was a young mom.  She and I have many of the same goals, ideas and parenting styles.

The button above is their fun way of sharing our lives with one another.
Photos of something "pretty," "happy," "funny" and "real."  Join them/us every Thursday.


Pretty

Beautiful granddaughter #3

happy

Playing in my flowers & herbs makes me "happy."

funny

Watching the calves and their "funny" antics.

real

A "real" un-fixed photo.  Opps!

Hugs,

Kay~

** "The system of nature, of which man is a part, tends to be self-balancing, self-adjusting, self-cleansing.  Not so with technology."  ~E.F. Schumacher

ORGANIC IN ST. LOUIS: A WINDY DAY

ORGANIC IN ST. LOUIS: A WINDY DAY

Oh read this... My friend Glo... she "gets it".... or rather she "gets me." My love of the country, of sewing, of grandkids, of gardening and....

My love of hanging laundry on the clothesline.

(I've been doing it for the past week and my soul is happy and content. )

Hugs

K~

** "The naked earth is warm with Spring,

And with green grass and bursting trees
Leans to the sun's kiss glorying,
And quivers in the sunny breeze."
~Julian Grenfell

Menu April 4-10, 2011

It is time for a spring-time menu.  While we are having a blustery and cool day today, it is supposed to warm back up to the 60s by midweek.  I have some left over chili in the fridge that needs to be frozen for another cool day in the future.  I need to start making meals that can “hold” until the Blue-eyed Farmer gets done with his farm work after sundown.
And I’m still trying to be more low-carb, so you will see some dual meals below.

Monday:  Homemade cheese & veggie pizzas, salad.  I’m going to make the dough early in the day and let it rise slowly, hoping for a more complex favored crust.

Tuesday:  Individual breakfast casseroles: eggs, sausage, biscuits, gravy, vegetables, cheese.  Fruit. 
I plan to double this and make some in muffin cups to flash freeze for quick breakfasts.

Wednesday: Grilled hamburgers, chips, baked beans, cole slaw. Baked Kale Chips for me and grilled veggies.
I may switch Tuesday and Wednesday depending on the weather.  I can’t wait to get the grill fired up again!

Thursday:  Spaghetti with meat sauce, garlic bread, salad.  Spaghetti squash with asparagus, mushrooms and peppers, salad. (brought over from last week)
The forecast is for rain on Thursday, so a favorite comfort meal will warm us.  I want to try making the sauce in the crockpot.  Usually my sauce is made on the stove-top, but I’m looking for some slower cooking/less attention needed meals.  We get so busy in the afternoons and evenings this time of year.

Friday:  Date Night for a good Fish Dinner.
Lent is almost over and the fish fries and specials will soon be over for another year.  We are busy the next two Fridays so I hope we can go out this week to enjoy a typical fish fry.  If we end up staying home, I have shrimp and salmon in the freezer for grilling or broiling.

Saturday: Lunch- Chicken strips and french fries. Cobb salad for me.  
Dinner- Oven-roasted root vegetables, bread sticks, salad.  Oven-roasted low-carb veggies, whole-grain crackers, salad or sauteed spinach.
Farmer will probably be doing farm work all day and will need a heartier lunch and supper.

Sunday:  Lunch will be fast.  We have dress rehearsal for our church’s Easter drama and I’ll need to be back to church quickly to help with the costumes.  Supper is always “catch as you can” on Sunday evenings.


Are you wondering how my Pantry Challenge is going?  Last week, I tried to only purchase dairy and produce.  I stopped at my natural foods store yesterday to get some Farm Eggs and picked up some marked down bakery breads: Jewish Rye, French and Wheat Germ.  I’ll double wrap those today and get them in the freezer.  I’ll serve the French bread with the spaghetti meal and the Jewish Rye if I make our seafood meal at home.  The wheat germ loaf will be an everyday bread for Farmer when we finish the loaves we have now.

Looking over my menu,  I anticipate having to get only loss-leaders and a some produce at the end of the week along with my usual dairy (yogurt and half-n-half.)
I’ll be watching for sales on the good canned baked beans; bbq sauce and the good hot dogs/brats for upcoming spring and summer meals.   I'll be looking for some quick healthy snacks for Farmer.  He takes a few minutes between getting home from the factory and going out to do his farmwork and I like him to recharge by eating something healthy (cheese & crackers, apple, homemade cookies, etc…)

How does your menu change in April?  Have you made out your Easter menu yet?  Drop me a line and let me know what you are cooking these days.

Hugs~
Kay

**  “The day the Lord created hope was probably the same day he created Spring.”  ~Bern Williams