Sunday, August 31, 2014....

These words come from Apples of Gold, compiled by Jo Petty -

"There is nothing I can give you which you have not,
  but there is much that while I cannot give you, you can take:
No heaven can come to us unless our hearts find rest in it today.
  Take Heaven.
No peace lies in the future which is not hidden in this present instant.
  Take Peace.
The gloom of the world is but a shadow;
  behind it, yet within reach, is joy.
Take Joy."

The Mission Focus from the United Methodist Women Prayer Calendar for today is the United Methodist Neighborhood Centers, Chattanooga, Tennessee.

May your day be filled with peace and joy!

Reviewing....

Yikes!  Another August Saturday!  Do you remember that this month has five of them?  This is the last one - which means September is just a day away!  Do you, along with me, wonder where this month has gone?  It has been said that when one is busy, the time passes quickly.  Were there some special things that gave you the feeling that the month was flying?

Here are a few things that kept us busy here:

There were a couple of UMW-related week-end events.  One was a Social Action workshop, and the other was this meeting at which I was the guest speaker, plus I installed the new officers.

The new listing for the UMW Reading Program for 2015 arrived!  That is always exciting!  Earlier in the month I submitted the order for materials for our next Conference event which is next month.  Also, there was an occasion to be involved in a Conference Call with some others who are involved in Program Resources in other areas of the country.  This was a "first," and very beneficial.

Of course, we had that birthday party for Munchkin the Second!

Did you know about this one? The Husband and I celebrated our 45th wedding anniversary in August!

Somehow I found time to work in this....a bit of work for the dermatologist.

....and this - something for the ophthalmologist.

Can't leave this without letting you know that our church community garden has donated over 1700 pounds of fresh produce during this growing season.  Fall crops have been planted.

So - it has been a busy month here.  Perhaps September will have a more leisurely pace.:-)  One can always hope.:-)

Thank you for reading.  I really appreciate your comments.

Friday's book....

Friday has arrived!  Has it been a busy week for you?  Are you anticipating some enjoyable things for this three-day week-end?

For a change, the book I have selected for today is this one!

Those of you who know my family may wonder why I made this choice when I registered with Blogging For Books.  My family is liberally "peppered" with vegetarians, so this doesn't seem like something for consideration, does it?  I was quite taken by the picture on the front, noticeably prepared in that iron skillet, and that's really what influenced my decision.

For more information about the availability of this book and the author, try Here or Here. 

The first thing I did when I began thumbing through the book was run to the freezer to take out the package of lamb chops I had there!  That took care of the decision about dinner! Then, as I continued examining the book, I realized there was a gold mine of recipes that a vegetarian would enjoy!  Creamy Corn-Blue Cheese Polenta, Cassoulet-Stuffed Red Peppers, Sweet Potato Galette, Dijon-Creamed Spinach - these are just a few of the delectable choices for vegetarians!  If that is not enough, try the Roast Fingerling Potatoes and the Warm Arugula Salad!  I can hardly wait to try them all!  I know there will be some new favorites here.

Of course, I would be remiss if I didn't mention the Pan-Seared Pork Tenderloins, Turkey Kabobs, Pork Loin Roast, and Five-Spice BBQ Pulled Pork.  These are only a few of the meat recipes included.

There is also a section of one-pot favorites.  Try the Shepherd's Pie Cupcakes or Rahm's Childhood Corn Chip Pie!  There are enough ideas to create one meal a week for the year!

I received this book by Blogging for Books for this review.  The opinions are my own.  It is a choice I am really glad I made!

I am linking today with this site.

Thank you for reading.  I really appreciate your comments.

The new one is underway....

Thursday already!  Whew!  The week is really passing quickly!

Our new chorus season is underway.  There have already been three rehearsals.  We are ever hopeful that the temperatures will be cooperating, and we will be able to call this our "fall season.":-)

I want to share some of the songs we are rehearsing with you.

First, there are these fall standbys.

Are these familiar to you?  When the season begins to change from summer, these songs generally come to mind.

This is one that was new to me.

There are a few sections to this one that are a little tricky to learn.

We are not all seriousness, of course, and this will be part of our program.

Do you remember when this song was first aired?  It will join standbys like "Rocky Top" and "Football Hero."  We have to be sure to have room for those "Big Orange" favorites!

Then, there will be these two that will lead us into thoughts of that November holiday!

I do prefer my turkey, having roasted in the oven, sliced and on a platter, however.:-)

This is a favorite of mine, and I am glad the director has included it in our program.  We will also be singing the "Armed Forces Medley."  

So - we will have some packed rehearsals in order to learn this music.  There are eight dates for performances on the calendar!  We will be finished with them before Thanksgiving, which will give us December off for all THAT month holds.  No word yet on our costume for this one.  We have accessorized with red boas to sun visors, but I don't think those are in the mix for this season.:-)

Thank you for reading.  I really appreciate your comments.

A good season....

How is your week progressing?  This is the mid-week point already!

The blueberry season here has been a good one.  As we have more than one variety, we are able to have fresh blueberries about two months.  They have been enjoyed in pies, muffins, and the usual treats, though a new one was added this year!

Blueberry Dump Cake!  Here is is ready for the oven!

The recipe comes from TheSouthernLadyCooks.  I contacted her for permission to include the recipe on my blog. Unfortunately, she did not respond positively.:-(  So, if you want that recipe, you will have to do a search of her site for it.  I'm sure many of you have baked those Dump Cakes before, so you would have an idea how to proceed.

Here it is, just out of the oven!

  

See all that yummy goodness!!  This was definitely my favorite recipe using blueberries this summer.  Can't you just imagine how this would taste with ice cream or whipped cream?  Oh, my!

Baking dish - Longaberger Traditions.

Thank you for reading.  I really appreciate your comments.

Someone asked....

Several days ago, when I mentioned that Machoman had built a loft bed for Munchkin the Second, someone mentioned they would like to see that bed!   Here it is, and it is PINK!

I lifted the curtain on the right side to try to show a picture of what things looked like underneath, but there was not enough light.  You are able to see the shelves at the left.  Underneath, there are fairy lights around the frame!

This shows the steps that come down from the top:

They are on the far corner at the bottom of the bed.  

Munchkin the Second is a true "girly-girl," and she chose this lovely shade for the walls in her room last year.

Yes, she loves pink and purple!  She loves horses as well!:-)

Machoman says that he built in this way in case she decided to take it to college with her!:-)  It is certainly a very sturdy loft bed!

I notice I have added an extra follower!  Thank you so much for coming along with us!

Thank you for reading.  I really appreciate your comments.

The week-end....

Happy Monday to you!  Was it a good week-end for you?  Does the week ahead look like it will be a good one?

Part of the week-end was a busy one for us.  A trip out-of-town was needed as I had agreed to be the speaker for a United Methodist Women event in another District.  This picture shows the arrangement that was prepared for the Remembrance portion of the program.

A short post today.   Lots of housekeeping duties await!:-)

Thank you for reading.  I really appreciate your comments.