so, I sewed!

  I spent the day sewing a new church dress for Melanie. Sewing isn't my favorite thing to do; my mind wanders to other more interesting things I could be doing, my shoulders get sore from hunching over the machine, and my back aches from sitting so long in one place! But everything really went smoothly today (only had to rip out 2 times!) and the miracle of seeing a strip of navy blue cloth become an elegant article of clothing was quite rewarding! So, I sewed, and ended up enjoying it!

every morning mercies new

Yesterday on my way to church, the song on my heart was "every morning mercies new, fall as fresh as morning dew....every morning let us pay, tribute with the early day! For Thy mercies, Lord, are sure; Thy compassion doth endure." (composed by Greville Philimore and Thomas Hastings) And then, what do you know, that exact song is the first one we sang in the service! I like it when that happens! :)

homemade granola

If you think granola from the cereal aisle at the grocery store is good, you should try your hand at making it yourself at home! The recipe Daniel loves for me to make is one my mom created. You simply mix together whatever you feel like, down the line of oats, nuts, coconut, cereal, etc.; cover it with a caramel sauce, and bake it spread thin on a cookie sheet around an hour until it's golden brown and crispy-crunchy! Today, I threw in old-fashioned and regular oats, ground flax seed, wheat germ, coconut, and some Golden Grahams cereal. The maple-y aroma of homemade granola wafting about the kitchen is one of life's simple joys....
I'll post the exact recipe later, if anyone is interested!

Here it is!! :)
Crunchy Granola
recipe created by Marilyn Schneider

Use the following ingredients (or whatever suits your fancy!) to exactly measure 8 cups cereal:
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup chopped pecans
wheat germ (heavy sprinkle)
1 1/2 cups oat flour (put 1 1/2 cups quick oats in blender and blend until very fine.)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup coconut
1 cup Crispix, Quaker Square, or Golden Grahams cereal
quick oatmeal
old-fashioned oatmeal

Caramel Coating
1 cup loose brown sugar
1/4 cup white corn syrup
1/2 cup real butter
4 tsp. water
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. almond extract
1/4 tsp. maple flavoring
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. baking soda

In an 8 cup Pyrex measure, fill with granola ingredients exactly to the 8 cup line. Heat oven to 250. Dived the dry cereal between 2 (15x10 inch) cookie sheets and place in oven while making caramel mixture. For Caramel Coating, cook brown sugar, butter corn syrup, water, and salt just to a boil. Add flavorings and soda. Dump slightly warm cereal mixture into a large bowl and stir until well coated with caramel. Spread evenly on 2 pans and bake at 250 for 50-55 minutes without stirring! Switch pans around halfway through if using one oven. Cool awhile on the pans, then break into clumps. The secret to this ultimate, crunchy, clumpy granola is the oat flour and caramel coating!

Rice Krispy brains

If my skull was split open, I'm quite sure that instead of brains oozing out, Rice Krispies would gush forth!! As much as my ears snap, crackle, and pop all day long, I'm quite convinced that instead of brains I have been blessed with Rice Krispies! And I'm quite ready to be brainy again! This "cereal filling" just doesn't cut it! Any solutions, anyone?!

sweet dreams haiku

oh to fall in bed
I will not need to count sheep
why rings the alarm???!!!


We are on a horrible schedule around here! We go to bed way too late and sleep way longer than we should in the morning! Every night we say, "we'll get up good time in the morning!" But alas, we end up snoozing the alarm for an hour or more! So, since it is now 10:28 pm, I intend to hit the hay and be up to witness the sunrise! Goodnight everyone....

just make the bed

  Making the bed is not my priority. But, I have found that, on the mornings that I just buckle down and make the bed, I am blessed with a certain, small thrill of satisfaction every time I walk by and see all seven pillows proudly standing at attention at the head of the bed, each one in its proper place. And it doesn't even take that long to accomplish, perhaps five minutes! Making the bed gives me a small hope, that someday, maybe, just maybe, I can attain the standard that is 'normal' for most people! But it's on days like today, when the covers lay all day tangled in mad disarray, and the pillows add stately decor only to the corner, that reality hits me and my pitiful glow of hope is smothered by the knowledge that my aspiration to be 'normal' is quite unrealistic. I must embrace my abnormalities and go on with life! Nevertheless, I will try again tomorrow to "JUST MAKE THE BED!"

Hormel Tamales

                                                         I am in love....

word for the day

slimsy \SLIM-zee\ , adjective:
Flimsy; frail.

"Nice girl . . ." he mused, "but sort of thin and slimsy and delicate, not robust and hearty like the kind of girl you ought to have on a farm."
-- Bess Streeter Aldrich, A White Flying Bird

The coat was a slimsy bit of dark silk, with a glister in it; and the hat was the thinnest straw, the brim curling a little in the wind.
-- Max Brand, Storm on the Range

Slimsy is an Americanism that came into common use in the 1830s and early 1840s. It is a combination of slim and flimsy.

I get a  new word each day on my igoogle homepage from dictionary.com. It's my favorite gadget! Today's word, slimsy, is a fun-to-use word; it fits perfectly into sentences like the following!

She is so slimsy; bless her heart, I bet she has never been introduced to Chocolate-Praline Cake!
Those slimsy Steve Madden sandals will be perfect for summer!
Slimsy-framed people usually have a hard time staying warm.

what I love about Sundays

sleeping in
dressing up
lively Sunday school discussions
hearing God's Word
seeing my friends again
cooking lunch with Danl
loafing the afternoon away
quality time
resting
relaxing
napping
walking the dogs
nachos! :)

home sweet home

Daniel is home again at last!!  Twas a long week, that's for sure! But we both were extremely busy, which made the days pass faster. Diesel and Leroy were overjoyed to see him home again too! :) We went out for sushi at Sake Cafe to celebrate. I told Danl we should just move to Japan and he could trim cherry trees (or whatever grows there!) so we could eat Japanese cuisine every day we love it so!!! He didn't just jump at my plan! I'm happy to stay in America though as long as I have him. Being apart makes you realize how much you want to always be together. Like Benjamin Franklin quotes, "Absence sharpens love, presence strengthens it.”

90 years young!

Yesterday, Grandpa Jake Smith turned 90! Anthony, Melanie, and I left for Mississippi around 7:30 to attend the family celebration.  First, we toured the old Southern mansion-style Welcome Center at the Tom Beville Lock and Dam. Chandeliers dangled elegantly from the high ceilings; just my style! Unfortunately, the old steam-powered dredge boat that is dry-docked nearby was closed for maintenance, but we did walk all around it. The river was quite dead also; we were dissapointed that no boats came through the lock and dam while we were there. Nevertheless, it was all quite fascinating, and Grandpa really enjoyed it! We chowed down at Ryan's for a late lunch, then went to Oakwood Cottages, and just hung out for awhile. All too soon, it was time to be back on the road to Florida! Twas a fun, family day; but we spent just as much time in the Duramax as we did celebrating!

today at the thrift store....

Mel and I stopped by the thrift store in Atmore today to see if I had MADE any money! Thrill of all thrills, I had! Seven whole dollars!!! I had consigned all my leftovers after our big yard sale last October. I quite like the concept of going to a store and getting paid instead of me paying them! Nevertheless, I kinda feel "obligated" to browse around a bit while I'm there, just to look you know. So that's what I was doing today when a novel by Padma Venkatraman called Climbing the Stairs called out, "buy me! buy me!" So I quashed the thoughts of clutter and full bookshelves and succumbed to temptation once again!  It appears to be a fascinating story about a girl in India that dares to break the rules of society to educate herself. Can't wait to read it! At least I still walked out of the thrift store with more money than I had going in!

TOMS shoes

Have you seen or heard of TOMS shoes? I think they are the cutest things ever, (so ugly they are cute!) But the best thing about them is that for each pair they sell, they give a pair to a child in need. It's called "One for One". How awesome is that? Just makes you want to buy a pair in every color and style to help out! I don't own a pair yet; it's on my to-do list. My eye is on these adorable black and white ones. Check out all the different styles at www.toms.com. Let me know what you think about these shoes! Will TOMS ever find a resting place in your closet?

some rambling thoughts

1. Birthday cake with hot, strong, black coffee is so perfect!
2. I wish I was more compassionate.
3. I never get as much done in a day as I think I should be able to!!
4. One of my New Year's Resolutions was to read a classic a month; does Alice in Wonderland qualify?I'm currently reading it on my Kindle.
5. Some sushi would be good about now....
6. I miss Daniel; he's up in North AL working for his dad for several days, maybe a week. Help!
7. It's past midnight....I really should be in bed.
8. Will I ever regret taking my holiday lighted houses to the consignment shop?...they just aren't my style anymore.
9. I really, really, should go to bed!!!
10. I'm going, going, gone......zzzzzzzzzzz

the open door

Behold, I have set before thee an open door...
God gives each of us an open door. An open door to forgive, to love, to pray, to show compassion. If we walk through it, we are blessed with freedom, salvation, lightness of heart.
It is a wonderful, everlasting, open door that no man can shut.
Thank you, God, for the open door.

satsuma haiku

juicy orange sphere
my new best friend forever
I daily crave you.



Haiku are fun, short Japanese poems; typically containing three lines of 5-7-5 syllables. This one was inspired from the delicious, fresh-off-the tree satsumas we graciously received from Glendon and Annie. We have been devouring them! One is never enough! Like Lay's potato chips, "you can't eat just one!"

I do not belong in a horse barn!

  Yesterday evening, I decided to be a considerate sister and go along with Melanie to the horse farm where she works, and "help" her muck out stalls. It didn't seem like such a great idea this morning when I woke up, but nonetheless, I decided to go through with it! First we had to scoop all the manure out of each stall, ELEVEN of them in all! That takes quite some finesse to artfully scoop only what needs to be discarded and not the uncontaminated shavings! Next, we had to load and wheel barrows FULL of new shavings to spread in almost every stall. Needless to say, great physical strength is needed for such a feat; in which I am sadly lacking. Then, each stall has not one, but TWO water buckets to be dumped, rinsed, and refilled. Clumsy me, I managed to "rinse" the front of my dress and my boots as well! And, as if all this unusual physical labor wasn't enough, (did I mention there are ELEVEN stalls?!) Mother Nature decided to attack my allergies! The hay made me sneeze,  clouds of dust aggravated my eyes, and mean little pieces of wood shaving snuck down in my gloves and irritated my skin! I decided the shavings must be oak tree shavings as the ENT doctor told me it is quite possible that I am allergic to oak trees! Calm, peaceful OAK TREES! What next?! Melanie was out to make things rough too, as I was at one point completely thrown off the club car near the large mountain of manure shavings! She seemed to think this was enormously hilarious! By the time we were FINALLY finished, the allure of a serene morning working near majestic horses out at the barn was completely ruined for me! It is just not my calling in life. I think I'll stick with being an indoor pansy for now! (still perplexes me though, since I was along to "help", why did it take Mel just as long, if not longer, than usual to do chores?!)

living simply; simply living!

The following quote is my new mantra. I aspire to attain!

Living simply is not about being frugal, living on a tight budget, a minimalist aesthetic or denying pleasure. Rather, living simply is about being fully aware of the choices you make and the life you live. And seeing the relationship between the two. So there is less. Less clutter. Less debt. Less stress. But also more. More joy. More freedom. More of the things that really matter."

-- via One Love Organics*

We NEED a shoe solution!!!

 At this moment, there are a baker's dozen pairs of shoes in the foyer! (excuse me, trailer houses do not have foyers! I meant right inside the living room door!!) Two pairs of cowboy boots, two pairs of flip flops, two pairs of tennis shoes, two pairs of camo hunting boots, one pair of tactical combat boots, one pair of grungy slippers, and three pairs of crocs! Fur-lined crocs, canvas crocs, and regular ole plain crocs! Shoes are taking over the living room! Help! Any solutions, anyone? If I haul them all to the bedroom closet every day, grass and dirt goes along with them. I've thought of a "shoe tree", but somehow it just doesn't seem to have the same decor appeal as coat tree..... Maybe instead of a bookcase, we could have a "shoe-case"! :)

7-up Pound Cake

Jeanne Robertson’s 7-Up Pound Cake

This is what I'm fixin' to get in the kitchen and bake for Sewing Day at church today. I've made it twice now to sell, but have never tried it myself, so it's about time! (thanks to Christy Jordan, I found this recipe on www.southernplate.com)

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter or margarine
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 3 cups sugar
• 1-1/2 teaspoons lemon extract
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract*
• 5 eggs
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 7 fluid ounces 7-Up (Can use diet)
• 1-1/2 cups confectioner's sugar (glaze)
• 2 tablespoons milk (glaze)
• 1/4 tsp lemon extract (glaze)

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, place butter, shortening, and sugar. Beat until it is fluffy and well mixed. Add in lemon extract and vanilla flavoring. Add in all of the eggs and beat again until blended in. Add in all of your flour and then seven up. Mix until smooth and creamy. Pour into greased and floured tube pan (Jeanne just uses Baker's Joy to spray on her pan to make this easier). Bake at 300 for one hour, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Jeanne says to let it sit for thirty minutes before turning out. I let mine sit for ten because that is just what I'm used to but I'll give thirty a try next time!
2. Combine all glaze ingredients and stir until smooth. Add more milk if too thick, more confectioner's sugar if too thin. Pour over cooled cake.
3. *Y'all saw how I do this in my Peanut butter pie tutorial. I just give a pour and leave it to God decide how much vanilla goes in there!
4. **I added the glaze but the original recipe didn't have it on there. If you make these to freeze, don't glaze them first, wait til you thaw 'em!

lil black dress continued....

So I tried the dress on and loved it! But alas, the neckline was quite plunging! I considered buying it and revising it a bit; like using some of the flair of the skirt to fill in the neckhole, but in the end, left it hanging on the rack. What's the use of buying a dress if I have to alter it?!

the little black (polka dot) dress

The other day in Burkes, I spotted a black polka dot dress hanging on the rack that looked quite much Menno-style! I didn't have the time then to try it on, and have been dying to ever since. So here in a bit, I'm running to Atmore on an errand; then I will dash in to try it on.....who knows?! Maybe it will be a winner! How awesome would that be to be able to buy a ready made dress for once! :) I'll post again later to let y'all know the outcome of the lil black dress...

peace in the benches....

I love Sundays; for the mere fact that while you sit in benches, you aren't supposed to be doing anything else...like dishes, cooking, laundry, paying bills....you are supposed to JUST SIT, and relax, and listen. And let God get through to you, and let the peace found in the benches seep into your soul.

So today's spasm was to get this blog going! Definitely something new for me! :) So many options, colors, layouts, etc. to choose from. When in doubt, go with lime green and red!

My life in words.... beginning today! 2012 is still fresh; waiting for things to happen! One ordinary day after another, and soon a whole year has gone by. So to have an extraordinary year, each day must just a bit spectacular!