Garden Tour 2013

I like to take photos every year to document our garden and flowers. 

Just to see what it looks like from year to year.

Join me on the tour...

Window boxes on the deck were an addition this year.

I have enjoyed gardening more than ever this year.

I guess it's 'growing' on me.

The martin houses are an addition as well.

A hobby of the hubby.

My husband's pride and joy. He adores this tree.

The smell reminds him of when he lived in Kentucky.

Knock out roses are great.

They are so giving- they bloom all summer.

Thanks for joining me on the tour.

I wish we could sit down together with a glass of sweet tea.

Blessings,

Hope

A Visitor

I had a tiny visitor the last few days. He had chubby cheeks, blue eyes and dark brown hair. He is a giggle box and loves his aunt Hope. He told me so.

Caleb Paul | Best cheeks ever for pinching.

Not only was Caleb here, his mother happened to come along, too.

Come see me again, I'll give you candy when you are old enough.

Shhhhh... don't tell your mom,

Aunt Hope

Thankful

No it's not Thanksgiving... but I am very thankful today. I'm thankful for my husband and family. 

My cousin, Michael, and his wife, Lynette, recently had a full-term, stillborn baby boy. They have two, precious girls and this was their first boy. My heart aches for them.

Why is it that we hold the ones we love a little more dear when we are faced with death? How can we so quickly forget how fragile life really is?

I'm asking myself these questions.

We get caught up in life, our own lives, not looking at the big picture. Small, trivial matters take over things that we should be doing to build our heavenly home. You can borrow money, but you can't borrow time. So today, I challenge you to enjoy the stage of life you are in- not wishing for this or that. Make the most of what the Lord has given you. Be content.

   

Here is a small glimpse into the mound of things I am thankful for. I snapped these photos when I spent a day at home with my family on Saturday.

"And whatever you do, in word or deed, 

do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, 

giving thanks to God the Father through him."

- Colossians 3:17

I'm thankful for you, too,

Hope

Chickens

I have wanted chickens since we got married. I kept asking for portable chicken coop that we could pull around our field. Josh decided to make a coop for me underneath our barn lean to. A dandy idea indeed. We bought 5 hens on Saturday and put them in their new home. We were hoping to let them roam free through the day but Duke, our dog, and Louise, Mom's dog, seem a little too interested in the chickens. Not sure how we are going to solve that problem.

Meet the girls, Henny, Penny, Hilda, Ethel, and Jane. I just made those names up. ha.

 They wouldn't cooperate for a group photo.

Their cozy home with an automatic door to the left of the big door.

Josh trying to make the dogs understand that chickens are not to eat or chase.

Hilda was a free range chicken before she came to stay with us.

She really enjoys any of the outdoors she can see.

 

The best part. Fresh eggs, five everyday.

The chicken lady,

Hope

Pig Meetn'

We had a butchering day with my family yesterday. I vividly remember

butcher day as a child. I always wanted to take off school for butcher day. One day mom asked if I would rather go somewhere to stay or come with them to butchering day. I told her I'd rather come to the 'pig meetn' with them.
For years it was called the 'pig meetn'.

The older I got I did all I could to miss the 'pig meetn'. The strong smell and cutting up raw meat wasn't a real draw for me. What teenager doesn't

have more important things to do, ha. Now that I'm married I decided I'd participate in 'pig meetn' again so I could reap the benefits of fresh sausage, pon hoss and spending a day with the family. I guess that means I'm growing up.

I will step you through the process with photos. But please don't go by this to butcher a pig. I'm green behind the ears at this. I may have missed some important photos.

The pig was slaughtered by a local man and came to us in halves ready to butcher. Start cutting out the parts of the meat you want to keep- roasts, ribs, bacon and such.

Cut the fat off the meat pieces. Put the red meat in one pan and the fat in another. The red meat is used for sausage and the fat is used to make lard.

Trim the bones down as close as you can and throw them in a pot of boiling water too cook down for meat puddin which is made into pon hoss.

Once you pick the meat off the bones you cooked, run the cooked meat through a sausage grinder to make it fine. Brown the meat in the kettle and remove some meat puddin if you like. As a child I remember eating the meat puddin on cooked hominy with apple butter. Then add the broth that was made when you cooked the meat off the bones. Pour in corn meal, salt and pepper. Stir for 30 minutes with automatic paint stirrer. Of course it was new and just used for butchering. Then pour into loaf pans, once set, slice and fry on a hot griddle until crisp on both sides. We grew up putting King Syrup on our pon hoss, my husband puts mustard on his. What do you put on yours?

In another kettle add the fat you cut off the meat and cook it down until the liquid reaches 375 degrees. Then pour it into jars and once it's cooled you have lard. Some folks use a lard press to press more lard out of the cooked fat but we didn't.

The Grandma's reminiscing on how much work it was to butcher back in their day before freezers. They had to can a lot of the meat after they butchered. 

Mom and Dad butchered the day before so Mom was the cook and babysitter.

What a lovely day with family.

 I'm glad I was a part of the 'pig meetn' this year.

Blessings,

Hope

Homemade Doughnuts

Happy new year to all.

Last week when it snowed I decided

to make homemade doughnuts.

I called my mother for her recipe and

took the plunge of making them alone.

Thank goodness my dear friend, Karana, stopped by 

on her way home from work to help me fry and glaze them.

 Let raise twice. Roll and cut out. Let raise again and fry.

 Fry, glaze and eat.

Homemade Doughnuts

5 cups water

5 Tbsp. dry yeast

1 Tbsp. sugar

 1 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup butter, softened

5 eggs, beaten

4 tsp. salt

1 Tbsp. vanilla

2 tsp. nutmeg

15 cups of flour

Glaze
2 lbs. powdered sugar
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla

Dissolve yeast and sugar in 1 cup of warm water. Set aside.

In a very large bowl: cream sugar and shortening. Add eggs,

salt, vanilla, and nutmeg. Mix until combined then add yeast mixture.

Add flour alternately with remaining 4 cups of water.

I used my small hand mixer for the first few cups of flour- 

then I used a wooden spoon to mix the rest of the flour in.

Cover and let raise double, punch down. Let raise double again.

Mix together glaze ingredients. Set aside.

Half dough and roll out to 1/2 in. thick. Cut circles and lay on a lightly

floured surface. Stretch doughnut centers out as you lay them down.

Let raise double again. Heat lard, canola oil or Crisco to 375 degrees.

It's important to maintain that temperature as at this temperature 

the oil seals the outside of the doughnut so it doesn't soak in. If the 

oil is too hot the doughnut will get too brown and crisp on the outside 

before the inside has time to be cooked through. If the oil is not 

hot enough, the doughnut will absorb too much of the oil and 

the texture will be soggy and greasy.  

Fry until golden brown. Lay on paper towels for a minute or so.

 Place doughnuts in rows on a wooden stick or wooden spoon handle. 

Lay across glaze bowl and pour glaze over doughnuts with a ladle. 

Let drip for a minute and place on trays. Eat as many

as you can fresh because they are the best!

Freeze for another snowy day.

Enjoy,

Hope

It's Christmas!

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

Yesterday morning it started to snow. When I looked

out the window and saw the snow I screamed real loud.

My husband was worried until he looked outside-

then he knew, because I act like this every year about snow.

Even though it was a skiff- it was still fun to watch it come

down and drink hot chocolate. Around here we call that

a Swiss Alps experience.

But we have things more exciting than snow!

We have a Savior who came to save us from our sins-

and he can make our sins as white as snow.

I am just so thankful for Him and His sacrifice

of coming in a manger and then dieing for us

on that wooden cross. Praise be to Him!

Duke in dog heaven. He loves when Josh gets out the four wheeler.

Duke enjoying a drink after chasing Josh on the four wheeler.

 These two are quite a pair.

I just can't help but think of the parents who lost their children

in the school shooting. It makes my heart hurt for them.

Hold the ones you love a little closer this year-

and live life like you mean it. With a purpose.

Because in the end that's all that really matters.

Thanks to all of you who follow me here-

it has been a wonderful journey.

Blessings,

Hope

Cajun Chicken with Avocado

I noticed that avocados were on sale at two 
grocery stores this week so I stocked up. I wanted 

to make chicken with fresh avocado topping
and came up with this. The first time I made this Josh

was concerned that I didn't put it on the blog.

So, this evening I wrote down the recipe

while I made it. When he took his first bite

he said, "this will be a hit on the blog."

Funny he is and sweet, too.

  Sprinkle chicken with seasonings and let set a few minutes.

Heat oil in skillet and fry until done.

 Serve on a bed of cheesy potatoes.

Cajun Chicken with Avocado

10 small chicken breast

2 Tbsp. Cajun seasoning

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

Mix together Cajun, salt and pepper. Sprinkle on both sides

of the chicken and let set a few minutes. Heat a 1/8" canola

oil in a skillet and fry chicken on medium heat until done.

About 4 minutes per side.

3 large avocados, cubed

1/4 onion, diced

1/2 juice of a lemon

salt and pepper to taste

Mix together and put in fridge so flavors can set.

Cook some cubed potatoes in butter, salt and pepper.

When soft add a few slices of white cheese, (provolone or farmers).

Pour in a little half and half. Heat until cheese is melted.

Spoon potatoes on a platter and top with chicken

and avocado mixture.

 A sneak peek of a few Christmas decorations around here.

Fresh greens are my favorite this year.

Enjoy,

Hope

There's Another Boy!

Charity and Wes welcomed a little boy

into this world last evening.

 Caleb Paul Weaver is this handsome

boys name. A gift from God indeed.

We were sure it was a girl-

but we sure were wrong.

Here are some photos for Grandma

and Auntie who live in Indiana.

 Precious little Caleb, I got the chubby cheeks I wished for.

He had a hard day sleeping- hence the yawns.

Proud parents. Charlie is not sure about the new little one.

So much for him being the center of attention. Sorry Charlie.

So this is where all the heart burn came from? 
Your poor mother ate lots of tums for your gorgeous locks.

We love you so much. And we thank God for this answered prayer.

Love,

Auntie

Christmas Wreath Making

Tonight was the annual Christmas wreath making.
Yes, I am the queen of making things annual.

Go here and here for photos of previous years.

Christmas music filled the air while we sipped

coffee and hot coca. There were stories 

to be told, about things of old.

Okay, my corny poem is not making sense.

My husband would say that I'm on a Christmas glitch.

Hannah brought an old wooden cheese box to fill.

What a wonderful idea it was. 

Thank you ladies for the festive evening.

Blessings,

Hope

Christmas Cookie Bake 2012

Today was the 6th annual cookie bake/exchange

with Noel farm ladies and my friend Karana.

It was another wonderful time with

family and friends. It's so nice to have such

a variety of cookies to take home. 

Go here for last years photos.

Here are photos of the cookies and candies from today.

No, I am not telling you where I put them.

It's hard enough to keep my husband out of them.

Blessings,

Hope