Up over the ridges ran the blue of wild lilac like spreading smoke; manzanita and chaparral put on their creamy blooms; even the redwoods spread fresh fans of green, and far below all over the valley floor the fruit blossoms waved in soft airs. Jays laced the air with blue; quail drummed in the woods; every window of the farmhouse was flung open, and the dooryard table was spread three times a day, with birds to do the sweeping away of crumbs, and oak and pear tree shadows lying green upon the checked red cloth.” –Kathleen Norris, Shining Windows

The above, taken from one of my favorite old-timey authors, makes me want to move outdoors…until I look at the temperature! Doesn’t she paint a portrait of country charm? “Every window of the farmhouse flung open…the dooryard table spread three times a day…”

It heartens a woman’s soul, I think, to create beautiful vistas and welcoming surroundings. Different spaces to vary one’s living hours add excitement to everyday fare. I call it: Making the most of Summertime!

Our home place is abundant with potential. I’m always seeing it, yes, through my rose-colored glasses…because our property is far from *arrived*! But 90% of any project’s enthusiasm is in the planning, right?

I walk out the back porch door, face south–toward the garden and chicken house…and visualize the stone patio I want there under the trees someday, our old rope hammock stretched out at one end and a limestone slab picnic table beckoning us to enjoy the shady western evenings and the sun disappearing behind our big hill.

I see the big gnarly tree overhanging the garden and a “someday” tire swing full of laughing children (future grandkids?) with adults lounging nearby in lawn chairs around a fire pit.

Over behind the deck, between the outdoor corn stove and the sandpile, I want two Adirondack chairs situated around a low table, the perfect place for a husband and wife to meet at day’s end to catch up on each others’ news while the children and pups play. Or likewise, for two moms to sit and chat, little ones at their feet.

To have an old rectangular wooden table, a sturdy one with scads of character, to keep out during the summertime, under the Maple trees, bedecked with homespun and picnic basket and a flurry of mismatched flea market chairs–this has long been a wish of mine. I think we have one such table, maybe not so sturdy, buried in the back of one of the old sheds on this place…

I love outdoor restaurants. Adore picnics. Love finding the perfect park in our travels at which to grill or assemble sandwiches…to be perfect, it must have a pond with ducks to feed–over a bridge, of course. These parks abound, friends. You’d be surprised.

We don’t abound in special outdoor corners at our place yet, other than the “someday” ones painted in my heart. No bridges, ponds or ducks, or arbors or stone patios or Andirondack chairs. *Smile* For now, we spread out the old quilt or dust off the large flat rock uphill…and simple though it may be, the magic happens. A little shade, some freshly stirring air, a basket of treats, good company…good times.

Outdoors…the perfect gathering place. (Weather permitting, that is!)

***Btw, the first picture in this post is of my paternal grandma and her sisters eating apples***

Just a head’s up for all you Veggie Tales fans…over at Veggie Tales Review, Peter Plum is having a contest giveaway for the newest Veggie Tales movie: Tomato Sawyer and Huckleberry Larry’s Big River Rescue!

All you have to do is comment on the post over there…among other things if you so wish! Sounds like a great DVD to own!

Hurry! You only have till Monday, July 14th at midnight!

Fourth of July to me, has historically (boy that makes me sound old!) meant getting together with large groups of people, being surrounded by live patriotic music, American picnic foods…and counting down the hours till the fireworks begin!

Four years ago, however, we started our own tradition here at home. I confess to dragging my feet initially, but I’ve learned to make the best of it, and even, gasp, to enjoy myself!

You see, my husband is happiest at home surrounded by *us*. Isn’t that a novel, small scale way to spend a holiday? (Grins) So he sideswiped my notions of the “perfect 4th”–keep reading to see how tradition spells July 4th at our house these days…

It begins with a cook-out. Hamburgers, hot dogs, watermelon, chips & dip, roasted marshmallows, lemon meringue pie, sugar cookies, and Tampico punch. After eating way too much and feeding the scraps to the chickens and dogs, we progress to fireworks. Finally it’s dark enough to pass out the sparklers. Back to the house to refrigerate all the leftovers, and then the whole family hops on the four-wheeler and zooms to the top of the hill behind our home, where the tent awaits…where the view encompasses several firework shows in neighboring communities…where the stars hang in static brightness begging equal attention. Daddy sets off Roman candles and flower fire gardens, etc and around midnight we troop into the tent, pleasantly satiated on each other’s company. A fitting cap to a festive and memorable evening.

Once in the tent, snugged into our sleeping bags, we all take turns praying aloud, sleepily. Afterwards I mention with regret that the only thing missing in our fun evening was patriotic music. Soon the tent fills with the harmonizing of my two older girls, singing the Star Spangled Banner.

5:30 A.M. arrives, thunder and lightening awakens us adults. Hubby and I drag ourselves off the hard ground and begin rolling up sleeping bags, sure a rainstorm is imminent. And of course we don’t want to be on the highest hill around during t-storms! I run the four-wheeler full of girls down to the house and get them settled before returning to the campsite with 10 yo to help take the tent down. By this time, the occasional lightening barely rivals the early morning sky. I wish we could sit in our camp chairs and watch the sun come up, but the wind is trying to blow our tent away!

Beating the as yet non-existent rain back to the house…I sigh at the tummy rumbles sounding from me and mine. Chilly fresh-air, adrenaline rush morning being the culprit, no doubt. Thirty minutes later we file by the kitchen table, helping ourselves to sausage, scrambled eggs and French toast.

It never rained. Mad dash aside, it was nice to laze the morning away with my oldest daughter, our good reads, and two cups of Earl Gray with cookies.

The Star-Spangled Banner tradition

Now I have a question for you. Our pastor surprised me this morning in church, by bringing to everyone’s attention that anytime the National Anthem is being sung or played, the appropriate custom is for all in attendance to place their right hand over their heart or if wearing hats, to remove them to hold at their left shoulder. I knew this already, having been raised in a highly patriotic home. What surprised me was our pastor’s intimating that he’d not known of it until a military person brought it to his attention. Which explains a lot. I’d thought this courtesy was common knowledge, and confess to thinking badly of people who didn’t show this respect at rodeos and other sporting events I’d attended. Perhaps it’s becoming a forgotten tradition, which saddens me. It’s up to us to teach our children these small offerings of respect and honor to those who have fought, sacrificed and died to keep our country free.

Will you please participate in my fourth of July poll to the right in the sidebar? I’d love to read any further thoughts in the comments as well.

As promised, my gleanings from three days spent with a super-mom of six!

Some may consider a family with six children smallish, especially when contrasted with broods of ten-sixteen…but in my book, six is big. Consider the conversation I had the other night with friends at the pancake feed benefit for my s&bil. I was surprised to hear the husband admit that they were done (and glad to be!) after two children. I kind of gave him a hard time before sharing that I’d really like to have more. This is a Christian couple. I knew this guy in high school and he was ALL gushy over kids and babies. I thought he’d have a passel.

Anyway. *I* have always been somewhat intimidated by the idea of expanding my apron strings times six, so this visit to Jana’s was my chance to see how the pros do it!

First of all, I have to totally commend Jana and her husband for a job well done. Consistent in their expectations? Check! Scheduled? Check! Loving and fair? Check, check! Prayerful and always seeking God’s leading for their family? Definitely, and she’d honestly tell you she’s had to hang on tight to God, it’s been far from easy.

A little background, this lovely Christian couple have four biological children and are adopting two that they’ve fostered for two years. Both of the foster boys are high-maintenance, to say the least. We’re talking fetal alcohol syndrome, attachment disorders, etc. It’s been a long, tough road, and knowing their background, I half expected them to melt-down by the minute, but wow! I have such high admiration and respect for how far they’ve come with my friends’ dedication and persistence in training, and by the Lord’s grace on this special family.

How this family blessed me…

Something blossomed in my heart at each mealtime. There is something about fixing three hearty meals a day for nine children (hers and mine) that makes mothering take on an old-world worthiness again. I cherish my mental inventory of all these beautiful children seated around my friend’s island/bar and her table, waiting, smiling expectantly as Jana and I “dished” their plates up with steaming, rib-sticking fare. Like little birds. Oh the thought and time that went into preparing these three squares. After each meal, the troops would make their way into the kitchen, and file by the dishwasher inserting their plates and silverware into the appropriate racks. We always had one little guy who would gladly finish up anyone else’s scraps, interestingly, this boy was too picky to eat anything when Jana first welcomed him into her home. He’s since learned to be grateful and to branch out. You should hear the stories…can it be the same child? It didn’t happen by magic, people!

If challenging children suffering from neglect and FAS can be retrained this successfully, the rest of us have no excuse to put up with bad behavior from our sons and daughters.

A few of tricks that I learned:

On keeping track of details…

1. Big families need a “cup system”. With that many thirsty kiddos, a dishwasher could get dizzy. My friend solved this problem neatly by giving each child a place on the counter for their cup, with their name neatly labeled on masking tape at the counter’s edge. (See picture, and nope, t hose aren’t her kids’ names) This way they can keep drinks straight and use the same cup all day. Handy, huh? I decided to implement this one, even with my paltry three…mostly because I like the idea of 3 yo learning to recognize her sisters’ names…
2. Each child has different colored socks, for sorting ease at laundry time. I’ve also read about mom’s of many children marking a “dot” on the outsides of their sons’ tube socks with a different colored permanent marker for each boy.
3. Jana keeps a breakfast menu on her refrigerator…they’ve given up breakfast cereals (except for oatmeal) and now everyone knows what to expect Monday-Sunday. And breakfast is at 8:30 am every morning. This keeps her from serving breakfast for two hours as each child wakes up and straggles into the kitchen. She confided in me that she’s recently nixed the morning snack, realizing that a healthy breakfast really will carry a child till lunch. This is true, and I’m going to nip morning snacks in the bud as well. Afternoon snacks are different, the stretch between lunch and supper is quite long and needs broken up, but I’ve found that morning snacks usually work against you when lunch time arrives!
4. At each meal, Jana would have one or two helpers. Patiently she would show them how to chop potatoes or strawberries, or let them mix up ingredients. Likewise, her husband is so good about varying the children he takes with him to check pasture or ride along to a job site. Each of these six are getting quality mom and dad time.

On child training:

1. Jana taught her children the “stop, look, and listen” rule. She says they even had a sign up concerning this for a while–most of this type of training she had to do b/c she was starting from scratch on manners with the two foster boys. Basically, the stop/look/listen goal is to teach awareness of conversations going on, to keep the kids from interrupting when adults are conversing. Occasionally when we were chatting, one of the little ones would interrupt, and she’d remind them “Stop, look and listen!” and they’d place a hand on her arm and wait till she was done to speak. (Btw, having your child place their hand on your arm when you are busy talking to someone is a great way for your child to let you know that they need to tell you something w/o them barging in rudely. In turn, you cover their hand with yours so they are reassured that yes, Mom knows you are there, and she will give you her attention as soon as she is done with that thread of conversation. We learned this trick from Gary Ezzo’s Growing Kid’s God’s Way series)
2. You know how children sometimes chatter non-stop, or keep asking the same question as if they didn’t hear you answer them the first time? Jana has a really unique way of dealing with this, and again, she’s had to figure out ways to crash-train two little boys who had absolutely no training in how to be civilized before they came to live with this family. She has them cover their mouth. For however long it takes for it to sink in that they were running off again. What a concrete way to reinforce self-control that may be lacking in this area.

All in all, I was so impressed at Jana’s training and love for her family. In spite of all her protesting, she and her husband are amazing parents, with incredibly big hearts for God and family. If every child out there had parents half so dedicated and serious about their mission…I only wish we’d had more time there. What I glimpsed was just a drop in the bucket of what this couple’s commitment to the Lord, and to each other is being reflected in each of their children’s lives.

Proof of this? I left there wanting more kiddos. Suddenly everywhere I go I see pregnant women rubbing their bellies or young moms with baby carriers in tow. How can three days spent with a family of eight affect me so strongly? Dimpled, angelic smiles and wholesome happy faces could charm Snow White’s wicked step-mother into changing her M.O. It’s the families with one or two rude, bickering, spoiled children that make so many people want to stop at two. Families like Jana’s are the exception, folks. And I’m convinced with big families, so much more is required of every individual to make things successful, that responsibility, thoughtfulness, and gratitude almost come about naturally.

I want in. How about you?

Nothing says time, love and tradition like a quilt. I’ve heard it said that blankets may wrap one with warmth, but quilts envelop you in love.

I’m in love with quilts. I wish I had a dozen more in my home to cherish and display. Shown here, in my bedroom, are three of mine. The pink postage stamp one at the foot of my bed was quilted by my great-aunts on my mom’s side. Mom will hopefully share more of its history in comments. I was honored to receive it for a wedding gift in 1993.

The blue and cream double wedding ring was a gift from my mom, a wall hanging she worked on while traveling one summer. It’s my keepsake especially associated with the birth of my firstborn. Mom let me pick out all the contrasting fabrics and choose the style. I’ve always loved the double wedding ring pattern, and this one is my absolute favorite. I have it hanging in the living room usually.

The quilt on my bed is simply a Target special…they sure have some pretty ones available, as my 7 yo will attest. She chose a lavender and tan Target quilt with satin ribbon work for her bed last year. Two other heirloom quilts I keep packed away…one is a crazy quilt passed down from my maternal grandma. The satins and velvets are cracking and unraveling, but the overall condition is what you’d expect for it being an early 1900’s quilt. I want to unpack it and take a picture for you guys. It has a “Ladies Aid Society” bookmark embroidered into the rest of the fabrics, kind of adds to its sense of community. My other quilt belonged to dh’s great-grandma. Other than a huge discoloration in one corner, it’s in great shape with whites, tangerine-oranges and light greens blending together.

My own quilting experience has been limited to one autumn leaf wall-hanging (pictured rolled up in a basket in my header) which I LOVED making, and three baby quilts. If I had a sewing room…I’d make more!

I love how women throughout the ages have found ways to meet and share life. Quilting bees, socials, baby showers, Bible studies, coffee at Starbucks and over the kitchen tables across this land, or behind computer screens…blogging. In the quilt of my life, each of you own a special square.

Here are some quotes for the quilters out there, may they brighten your day as they did mine!

• May all of your ups and downs in life be with a needle and thread.
• Friends are like fabric - you can never have enough!
• When life goes to pieces - Try Quilting!
• I am a quilter and my house is in pieces.
• I am a material girl. Wanna see my fabric collection?
• Blessed are the piecemakers.
• Blessed are the children of the piecemakers for they shall inherit the quilts!
  

Sugar cookies and chocolate chip cookies are packed up, ready to go, and I just got all my baking sheets washed and cooling racks in the dishwasher–it’s time to wake up my 3 year old and get a move on. But first, I wanted to get a quick post up to tell you all Happy May Day!

I told my girls a sure fire way to get company to drop in is for me to get outside and make a mess of myself scraping the house! I’m working on the exterior of our back porch and was covered with paint flecks when my sister and her kids showed up yesterday…then this morning, it was a good homeschooling

friend and her family sneaking by to drop off a May Day basket!

What a treat, and it caught on! I’m so ditzy these days that when I flipped the calendar to this new month last night, I actually looked at the date and tried to remember what was special about May 1st. You see, I used to leave baskets at people’s houses every May Day, but kind of lost the tradition. Our Mom’s group even got together on May Day, bringing baskets and any little neat things we had around the house to use as fillers. Stick some home-made cookies or mini-loaves in a small basket lined with a dishtowel or bright tissue paper, tuck a few flowers from the green house in the middle and a devo book or a candle and you’ve got a good excuse to go bless your neighbors! Get your children involved, they can make the Happy May Day cards…

Your neighbors will be astounded, and what a great opportunity it is to reach out to those around us!

It’s not too late in the day, either! I’ve got to get a move on, we’ve got goodies to deliver!

Yesterday evening my two youngest and I met hubby’s truck and horse trailer down on the green across the gravel road and down from our front yard. Ten year old daughter and dh had been working at the ranch all day, whilst we three at home had been lazily grogging around after two of our busiest weeks so far this year. In fact, I’d been salivating over the very dream of having time to waste…and when I finally received an afternoon “off”, I slept it away! Couldn’t keep my eyes open…

Hubby unloaded two horses–Legend, a gray gelding, and Baby Lena, a bay. Both gentle, wonderful stock, still saddled and bridled, so our three girls spent the next half hour riding them around and around, giggling and just hurrahing the stillness of early evening.

For two weeks, we’ve had bursting full afternoons and evenings, places to be and meetings to attend, drop in company. Lots of rushing and late, late bedtimes. To simply stand there, arms wrapped around myself, comfy in my old navy sweatshirt and wind pants, mesmerized by my silly offspring’s love of country life–did you hear that pure sigh of contentment? Exactly what my spirit needed.

Off to the north, dark storm clouds built, heading our way. Lightning flashes and rumbles of thunder promised that the horsing around would soon come to an abrupt, possibly wet end. The trees started shaking their limbs at us, the wind grew cool and fierce. Finally, after putting it off as long as we dared, sporadic wet splats of rain chased us to the barn chores and eventually to the house.

We’re probably headed into the flooding, rainy season but I’m thinking I needed a good excuse to stick close to home (we live in a flood plain). I’m not ecstatic about mud, but the fresh cleansing of air, green grass and the filling up of all our favorite water holes sounds like a fair exchange. Awana is over for another year, we have one last square dancing class and then our homeschooling co-op will call it quits for summer break. One more Bible study session left with our small group. Four more Sunday School classes to teach. Don’t get me wrong, I love all these things, but I’m growing weary of trying to fit all the pieces together with homeschooling, etc. Anyway, I’m looking at a relatively quiet couple of weeks before things start filling up again. Graduations, weddings, Vacation Bible School, and camping trips.

By the way, our chicks are growing! Haven’t lost a one, yet. They are hopping flying out of their box, bad little things, and it’s perpetual springtime here with chirping birdies around every corner. We now have two Aldi boxes in the mud room/back porch, and a dishwasher box (Yes–I got a new dishwasher!) in the laundry room with five new baby Araucanas we just picked up this weekend. Yes, that’s three heat lamps, lots of feeders and waterers and plenty of fluffball handling going on at our house! (follow the Araucana link to see why these birds are called the Easter Egg Chickens!)

Well, anyway, I wish you all plenty of calm and no storms. But if they come anyway, just remember that sunshine is sure to follow…

God bless!

Mary

I was spooning the last of the Swiss Miss cocoa mix into my 7 year old’s mug when we laughed to ourselves that this year rates as a THREE hot chocolate winter. Normally one family-sized cannister of Swiss Miss sees us through the cold months, but we’re on probably the third or fourth cannister–can’t remember.

**

My hubby heard that there was a chance for snow in the forecast last weekend and promptly began fantasizing his revenge. He says he’ll build a huge snowman and take it apart with a baseball bat. Or a stick of dynamite. Or run over it with his truck. And let the neighbors pay to take their own turns…

Oh please be kind. Remember my husband has to work out in the stuff from 6 A.M. on day in, day out. And he does know that God sends the white stuff…he just enjoys shocking me with his dark side.

**

We decided not to buy more corn for our corn stove…after all, spring is coming, right? So we’re burning wood in our fireplace, which has an insert with vents to blow out the heat. The living room temperature went from forty-seven Sunday morning (before wood) to eighty-four degrees Sunday night . Just like summer in here. I’m even wearing shorts.

What are your musings about this past winter?

MInTheGap, most influential to my blogging beginnings, also runs the Weekend Kindness site. I encourage you all to check it out regularly, subscribe to it, etc. He’s recruited many great contributors and during the month of February the topic line-up has included: date ideas, special ways to show love to your spouse, showing love to kids, and passion and purity.

Tomorrow I’ll be posting there, with a post titled, “Ten Easy Ways to Savor Life With Your Kids”.

Hope you stop by and get acquainted with the great folks over there!

Not sure if it was my Texas upbringing that grew me into a Mexican food lover, but this enchilada recipe definitely sprouted from my Austin roots. Every New Year’s Eve our church would have a potluck and pray in the New Year together…and every year we all looked forward to Hugh’s Enchiladas…I’ve still never tasted better, and am so glad he shared the recipe with the church family…

It’s one of those recipes that is just as easy to double (or triple for large groups), it freezes well, and I just finished stashing two 9×13″ panfuls in my refrigerator for tomorrow night! Y’all be sure to try it sometime!

Hugh’s New Year’s Eve Enchiladas

Meat filling:

• 1 lb ground chuck
• 1 tsp cumin, ground
• 2 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tsp salt, if desired
• pepper to taste
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 small tomato, chopped fine
• 2 TB water (to keep meat moist)
• 10 oz grated cheddar cheese

Put the meat, garlic and onion in a skillet with no oil. Cook over high heat till meat loses color…do not brown…Turn heat to low, drain grease. Add remaining seasonings, and tomato and 2 TB water. Cook covered, over very low heat 20 minutes. Be sure meat stays moist. Add more water if needed.

Sauce:

• 4 TB flour
• 1/4 cup cooking oil
• 2 TB chili powder
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 1/4 cups hot water plus one 8 oz can of tomato sauce

Place the flour in a cake pan and brown in a 350*F oven, shaking occasionally, till golden brown.

In large pan, put oil, flour, chili powder, cumin, garlic and salt. Blend well.

On low heat gradually add water and tomato sauce. Stir constantly so it won’t lump. If lumps appear, remove from heat and stir until lumps are gone. Keep stirring. Simmer about an hour.

In a skillet in a tiny amount of oil, heat, one at a time, 10 flour tortillas. Turn and remove and keep warm in a pan. (I skip the “keep warm in a pan” part and work quickly, throwing one tortilla in the pan to heat as I take another and add filling ingredients, roll and place in baking dish)

In each tortilla put: 2 TB meat filling mixture and 2 TB cheese (or just enough to cover the meat, no need to be precise!). Roll and put in baking dish, seam side down. Pour any leftover meat mixture on top along with sauce. Top with more cheese.

Bake at 350*F for 15-20 minutes. Done when sauce starts bubbling all around. Be sure they don’t dry out as they bake. (Generally, if all the tortillas are covered in sauce prior to baking, they don’t dry out.)

Besides enchiladas, we’re sure to have a slew of snack foods handy for the evening’s duration…stuff like puppy chow, poppyseed bread, chips-veggies-dips, jerky etc…

Movie Recommendations

We always spend NYE at my b&sil’s house playing games and watching movies. This year I have three top-notch family movies to recommend…

1. Facing the Giants~This tops the list!  What I took away from this movie is that when our hurts and hardships overwhelm us, if we open our hearts to God, He is free to work amazingly in our lives and in the lives of those around us. We laughed and cried and LOVED this movie–all of us, even 3 year old! It’s been out a long time, and after asking around, we discovered that none of dh’s extended family had even heard of the movie! So don’t be shy about recommending it to people, or loaning out your copy. It’s hugely inspiring!
2. Amazing Grace~The true story of “anti-slavery pioneer” Wilber Wilberforce, the man who took on slavery in England’s House of Commons more than a hundred years before we Americans abolished it on our soil. He was inspired by his contemporary, John Newton (writer of Amazing Grace)…this is a must-see movie, but we chose to watch it without our children, as some of the slavery parts are a bit hard to take. (FYI, we are way more careful than most parents–and I think my 10 yo could have handled it all right, but definitely not my tender-hearted 7 yo)
3. The Christmas Card~I recently watched this Hallmark movie with one of my sisters, and promptly fell in love with the captivating cast, the storyline–and the military theme left me patriotically inspired from beginning to end. A great movie, despite all the kissing! My favorite Hallmark movie ever! (Don’t let the “kissing” comment automatically rate this as a chick flick, I think even my dh might like this one!)
4. The ‘07 Cutting Horse Futurity~my dh stopped by as I was writing this and suggested I add it to the “must-see” family-approved list…I’m telling you, if we had cable and the RFD channel, he’d never leave the house! His dad taped this event for him this year and sent it over…we have definitely NOT been TV or movie free this past week!

What NYE traditions do you embrace? Got any movies to recommend? Don’t forget, wherever you are, to pray the New Year in, something we all should do as we reflect on the blessings of the past year, and open our hearts to God’s will for us in 2008.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!