FF: 6/1/12

While the hubs is working out in west Texas, we are staying in a neat little guest house, with a nice front porch.

Front porch of our little guest house, home owner's cool rockers and table. 

I was planning on bringing my orchids (that sit in the kitchen window planter box at my mom's) because I water them daily and didn't want my mom to have to do it for me. 

Peek-a-boo frog holding mini Sharry Baby orchid in planter box.  Notice the shriveled up orchid to the right of it?  That is my big Sharry Baby orchid that I nearly killed during our move last year. Since the little one bloomed and the big one survived, I really wanted to keep an eye on them
(and daily tell them how much I love them:).

Mini Sharry Baby Orchid re blooming for me!!! The blooms lasted a very long time.  3/12 

Kitchen window sill planter at my mom's 3/12

Mom said to take the whole thing so she wouldn't have to worry about it.  So, I did.:)

Peek-a-boo frog planter that holds mini Sharry Orchid

Behind this planter box is my newest purchase, an perennial  vine, Mexican Flame Vine.

Mexican Flame Vine Senecio confusus, Mormon Tea in front

The orange is amazing.  Nursery guy said it likes water, sun, heat, and is not hardy below 30 degrees. 

I also brought two 'grow boxes' from my uncle's estate.  I just couldn't resist them, then I couldn't resist planting them, knowing I would have to bring them 8 hours on the road to where we are staying.  (I'm on a veggie kick and I can't stand the prices.)  This is my first serious food gardening, and I say it's going well.  I have two more planters to bring next time we come.  Wind whipped, I lost a few leaves, but the blooms are still on the plants.  They are planted with zucchini, summer squash, beans, and greens. 

Silver beacon ground cover and privet from Maryland

Since they are self-watering pots, I decided to try starting some cuttings.  This side has silver beacon vines, and privet my son helped me gather when we went for a walk together in Maryland.
(Yes, I FLEW home with these cuttings in my carry on bag, why wouldn't I?)

thornless locust trees

On this edge are baby Thornless Locust trees from home. I want a grove of these. Love the precious babies leaves. I'm thinking of using bush cuttings to prop up my bush beans. 

I couldn't pass this cutie up. This is my souvenir, meet Sonora, the groovy one. 


Have a groovy Fertilizer Friday.

Cuteness Runamuck: Ms Kenzie is 4 weeks old!!

Kenzie and big sis Kate

Newest Granddarling, Makenzie is 4 weeks old!!  (one month on 6/1/12)

South Beaching, week one, phase one

Decided, with the hubs, to go on a diet and stick with it.
The hubs is a diabetic, and my jeans, which were loose, are now too tight (and it really bugs me, I do NOT want to go up another size).
I've done the first two weeks (detox) of the South Beach diet before and it worked great.
This diet has you cut out all sugar for the first two weeks. 
My plan is to eat about the same thing for breakfast (no brainiers), soup and roll ups for lunch, and meat and two vegs for dinner.
First I plan on cooking a lot of different things so we can create a menu.
Because my in-laws gave us so much produce, I have LOTS to work with. 

These are the recipe books I'm using, and only picking things that go with phase one. 

Sooo...here 'we' go:
B: breakfast, S: snack, L: lunch, D: dinner

5-21 Mon: up later :(
B: milk
L: scrambled eggs w/cheese, bacon, V8
D: pizza (fail ;)
~
5-22 Tues: up late :(
B: milk
L: scrambled eggs w/cheese, bacon, V8,
D: Dijon/ginger chicken, ranch beans, sauteed summer squash w/onion
~
5-23 Wed: up earlier :), took a good walk
B: scrambled eggs w/cheese, bacon, V8, sauteed spinach
L: chock full of veggies chili
S: cucumber/string cheese
D: taco salad
~
5-24 Thurs: up late :(  (bad habit), good walk, moved lumber
B: milk
L: chicken and spinach soup
D: skillet pork chop, Italian garden veggie saute, cucumbers
~
5-25 Fri: moved lumber, loaded truck to go home
B: milk
L: tomato basil Lima bean soup
S: pickle, string cheese
D: curry chicken stir-fry
~
5-26 Sat: mowed
L: brisket, green beans, salad, black eyed peas
D: fried chicken (fail:), deviled eggs
~
5-27 Sun: loaded truck
L: fried chicken (fail:)
D: chicken salad, w/nuts
~
5-26 Mon: sulked ;) (does that eat up calories?)
S: lunch
L: chicken salad, w/ nuts; and tomato basil Lima bean soup
S: seedless sunflower seeds, string cheese
D: Italian oven chicken, broccoli, sauteed squash w/onions

Summary: need to work on actually having snacks.  We have eaten very well, and I still have more recipes to try.  I'll post pictures and reviews of meals later.  Hubs has 'helped' review each dish and so far all are awesome.  You heard me right, Awesome. 

So, off I go to create today's menu and move forward another day:).
Currently I'm doing 'after the fact' menus, but as I compile recipes, I can do 'plan ahead' menus:).

Menu Plan Monday

Isn't this too cute?  Using a spice bottle to hold a small flower arrangement.  Just darling.

Happy Memorial Day 2012

God bless all who died that we may live.  Happy Memorial Day 2012

Son-Day: "Falling Down"

Camper Tales: 5/19/12

Last weekend the hubs had a dentist appt over by our in-laws, so we went and spent the weekend at our camper. Of course we had our 'travel pups' with us.

Ladybelle helping me cook in the camper

The pooches and I mainly chilled at the camper...

Sweet Ladybelle...all ears

I took the opportunity to plan out some menus.

Ladybelle and Lil'dog helping me plan the menu...

Pregnant Onion, ZZ Plant

So nice to be able to check in on my 'camper' plants,  Donut, the camper mascot, is doing great.
I picked sedum because of their low needs (and super coolness) and I can say they are really proving me right. 

Goat plant holder, Donut

Sedum

More sedums

More sedums, small day lily, mini rose

I may bring my planter to west Texas with us, we'll see.

 The view right out our camper is a wonderful large garden, which I really enjoyed harvesting:).

And the lake.  This was taken in the heat of the day, it really is greener. 

Look at them ears!!

Two years of basset awesomeness!!

 Both dogs, basset Ladybelle, and chimix Lil'dog LOVE to travel with us and really keep us company.  

I'm very impressed with how good they behave. 

hot Lil'Dog

We came to the camper, five hours from where the hubs is working, on Thursday, and came back to west Texas on Sunday, I saw a lot of people pulling over and noticed the sun was weird...

I looked it up on the hub's phone and saw it was an annular eclipse going on! 
This is where the moon is too far from the sun to block it out all the way so it makes a ring of fire. 

We had so much fun trying to get a picture of it. 

In this one you can't see how much is covered, I missed that shot, but its in my memory:).

It set before it got to the ring part, according to the web WAY west of us should have got the best view.  Too cool. 

FF: Mormon Tea

For years (15+), I have kept an eye out for this plant

(from web)

Mormon tea, aka Squaw tea, Indian tea

I thought of ordering it online, but not knowing if it will do well in my area of Texas, I didn't want to waste my money.
As of May I am now staying (with the hubs) in a native area of this plant.
We are staying on a VERY large ranch in the hill country of Texas, and as I have been taking the dogs on walks I have been looking for the plant.
I even prayed that if it was around I would be led to it.
Later that same day, on the way back from town, the hubs (who doesn't notice plants-or at least he doesn't with me) pulled over to the shoulder and pointed out this plant he thought was cool.
(the hubs ALSO doesn't just pull off the road and take time out of his work day AND he did NOT know I  was looking for this.)

~3 beautiful babies~

It was my plant!!!
(Thank you Thank you God!!  You heard me, and more important, I heard you:)
Lots of babies for the taking too!!!
Wonderfully it had rained so the long tap root just pulled up.
Gonna take it when we go back home later this year and see how it does!!!

Happy Fertilizer Friday!!!

Info from ehow.com
Mormon tea is prepared using the stems of the plant ephedra nevadensis, which is native to the desert regions of the southwestern United States and parts of Mexico. This herb, which is a relative of the Chinese ephedra known as ma huang, was dried and used by the early American settlers to make herbal tea. It was also used as herbal medicine for headaches, fevers, colds and hay fever. Growing and harvesting the plant for use is not difficult, but requires patience.

In case you feel the need to warn me about ephedra:
{from ephedra.com:

There are currently 32 known species of ephedra, ephedra sinica (Ma Huang) and ephedra viridis (Mormon Tea) being the two most commonly used varieties. Ephedrine, the the most sought-after ingredient in ephedra, is responsible for the majority of ephedra's effects on the body. But not all varieties of ephedra contain it. Ephedra sinica is known for having the strongest concentration of ephedrine while ephedra viridis is known for  not containing any ephedrine alkaloid.}

TT: My Little HUGE Miracle

I am a Mormon, and have been for 16 years.
And for 16 years I have kept a look out for a plant called Mormon Tea that grows wild in the SW America  area.
I thought this would be a cool thing to have.
(I have a thing for plants, they are my love, and my addiction.)
This month we started staying in an area of our state of Texas where this plant grows well (according to the web).

I have been going for morning walks on this large ranch with my pooches.
(this is a gas well ranch, and has so many wonderful coliche roads we use)
I was talking to God, soaking up his wonders, and I asked if it was local please bring me to it.

Later that same day, hubs and I were coming back from an errand in town and he pulls over and wants to show me a plant he thought was cool.
He never does this sort of thing.
Usually when I mention plants he glazes over and just nods.
I had not told him about the plant or the prayer.
He also doesn't stop to "waste time" when he is on the clock.

I knew when we pulled over it was my plant.
I can not explain how special it made me feel that God spoke to me through my hubby.

I have a friend, a dear dear friend, who God uses me to answer her prayers all the time.
Like, a WHOLE lot.
When it happens, I first think, "YEAH I LISTENED!!"
Then I think, "WOW, God really loves you.
A lot."
And, of course, I know he loves me the same.
AND God speaks to me through others...
But not like this.

~3 beautiful  Mormon Tea babies~

I feel noticed...and hugged...from the inside out:)



"When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him? For You have made him a little lower than the angels, and You have crowned him with glory and honor. You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet, all sheep and oxen -- even the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea that pass through the paths of the seas. O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is Your name in all the earth!" Psa 8:3-9

~God bless you~

Thankful Thursday

Son-Day: Who Am I

Who Am I
Casting Crowns

Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth
Would care to know my name
Would care to feel my hurt?
Who am I, that the bright and morning star
Would choose to light the way
For my ever wondering heart?

Not because of who I am
But because of what You've done
Not because of what I've done
But because of who You are

I am a flower quickly fading
Here today and gone tomorrow
A wave tossed in the ocean
A vapor in the wind
Still You hear me when I'm calling
Lord You catch me when I'm falling
And You told me who I am
I am Yours, I am Yours

Who am I, that the eyes that see our sin
Would look on me with love
And watch me rise again?
Who am I, that the voice that calmed the sea
Would call out through the rain
And calm the storm in me?

Not because of who I am
( From: http://www.elyrics.net/read/c/casting-crowns-lyrics/who-am-i-lyrics.html )
But because what of You've done
Not because of what I've done
But because of who You are

I am a flower quickly fading
Here today and gone tomorrow
A wave tossed in the ocean
A vapor in the wind
Still You hear me when I'm calling
Lord You catch me when I'm falling
And You told me who I am
I am Yours

Not because of who I am
But because of what You've done
Not because of what I've done
But because of who You are

I am a flower quickly fading
Here today and gone tomorrow
A wave tossed in the ocean
A vapor in the wind
Still You hear me when I'm calling
Lord You catch me when I'm falling
You told me who I am
I am Yours, I am Yours, I am Yours

Whom shall I fear?
Whom shall I fear?
'Cause I am Yours, I am Yours...


~God Bless You And Keep You And Yours~

TT: Sonora

Where in the world have I been?
Turns out, all over the place.
Mostly I've been at my mom's in East Texas (with no real Internet),
while hubby's been working in West Texas (finishing out a guesthouse so I could join him).
The first of May we flew to Maryland for the birth of our seventh granddarling, Makenzie Lynn.
Then flew back to Dallas, drove three hours east to mom's, loaded up and headed west.

 

Eight hours later we were in Sonora, where hubby is remodeling a house, and the guesthouse awaits me:). 

I come from the piney woods area of Texas, and this is hill country. 

Indian Blankets

First there were lots of Indian Blankets,
and Mexican Hat wildflowers on the roadside...

Then the landscape changed to sparser flowers, and more brush...

This is why they call it hill country, very hilly...

Prickly Pear

One plant that there just became more of was the Prickly Pear cactus in bloom.

Prickly Pear and Yucca

Lots and lots of thorny things.
Cactus, Mesquite, you even have to watch the flowers a lot of them are thorny too. 

The ranch we are on has a lot of similar views, there is a beauty here that is all its own.

Our little guesthouse is surrounded by massive Live Oaks and the views are wonderful.
We have seen a lot of wildlife not common in our East Texas area.

 

Sutton Co. Courthouse and Live Oak Trees

The town is the county seat and is small, but neat.
It has all the necessities, Dollar Store, Sonic, DQ, Pizza Hut, Grocery Store and Alco.
Real stores and church is a hour away.  
The weather here has been wetter and cooler than normal (which I LOVE).
Hubby will be here a while and I am SO THANKFUL (yes I'm shouting) to be with him.
We have a nice, safe place to stay and we are together.
My kids are grown and now he and I can really enjoy this place in life.
And this is a very good place. 
I am very, very thankful. 

{In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 
I Thessalonians 5:18}

Join others for Thankful Thursday

(NONE of these are my photos, my camera battery is dead (taking too many new baby pics I guess), and this little town doesn't carry them...so I guess I can wait til we go to the 'city'.)

Son-Day: Mother I love you

Mother I Love You
Mother, I love you;
Mother, I do.
Father in heaven has sent me to you.
When I am near you,
I love to hear you
Singing so softly that you love me too.

Mother, I love you;
Mother, I do.
I want to help you because I love you.
I want to mind you;
I want to find you
Happy and smiling because I love you.

Mother, I love you;
I love you, I do.

~To my mommy...Happy Mother's Day...God bless~

(these are not my kids, and they sing the song great, but no where near as AWESOME as our little primary sang this today in church!! )

Cuteness Runamuck: Welcome Makenzie!!

 Hubs and I were able to fly from Texas to Maryland for the birth of our newest granddarling.

Ms. Makenzie Lynn was born 5/1/12, at 1:43 pm.  

7 lbs, 6 oz, 20 1/4 in of perfection.  

Mom's doing great, dad's busting his buttons...

and BIG sis, Katherine welcomed her right away.

Congratulations to the whole fam!!!

Son-Day: "Courageous"

Courageous
Casting Crowns

We were made to be courageous
We were made to lead the way
We could be the generation
That finally breaks the chain
We were made to be courageous
We were made to be courageous

We were warriors on the front lines
Standing unafraid
But now we're watchers on the sidelines
While our families slip away

Where are you, men of courage?
You were made for so much more
Let the pounding of our hearts cry
We will serve the Lord

We were made to be courageous
And we're taking back the fight
We were made to be courageous
And it starts with us tonight

The only way we'll ever stand
Is on our knees with lifted hands
Make us courageous
Lord, make us courageous

This is our resolution
Our answer to the call
We will love our wives and children
We refuse to let them fall

We will reignite the passion
That we buried deep inside
May the watchers become warriors
Let the men of God arise

Seek justice
Love mercy
Walk humbly with your God

In the war of the mind
I will make my stand
In the battle of the heart
And the battle of the hand


God bless you and keep you and yours...

Choose being kind

Choose being kind over being right
...and you'll be right every time.  (Richard Carlson)