What To Do With A Big Box Of Apples....

My friend was given a BIG box of apples and was kind enough to share them with me!
I peeled, cored and sliced, then peeled, cored and sliced, saving all the waste for the composter....remember, waste not, want not, besides, the garden has GOT to be organic!
After rinsing the apples I placed them in a deep stock pot...
and added brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, salt and lemon zest..
...before pouring in the apple cider and turning on the heat.
Oops, someone's at the door! Oh, it's my best buddy Elizabeth! She brought me this sweet little honey pot. I guess she doesn't like that cute little plastic bear my honey is in. Imagine that!
The apples simmered while we visited, and the wonderful fragrance drifted throughout the house, smelling better than any candle I've had in a heck of a long time!
They slowly thickened as they simmered. S - L - O - W - L - Y is the key word here...
Gettin' there...finally, but it still needs to thicken some more. The instructions say it should 'heap' on the spoon, not level out. Better give it a little more time...
...while I wait I think I'll take Jack out of the garage and put him on the porch. Not in honor of Halloween but, rather, to celebrate the harvest and also fall, my absolute favorite time of year. Jack looks pretty happy to be out of that box!Time to bottle up the apple butter and place it in a cool place for a week to let the flavors blend and mellow. Nite-nite. I'll show the finished product in the morning....
Here it is, pure organic apple butter. I'm thinking this may make a nice little gift for someone around the holiday season. Maybe tuck a jar into a pretty raffia filled basket along with a hand crocheted dishcloth and perhaps some other hand made goodies...candy, a crocheted book mark, a nice aroma therapy candle...the ideas are infinite.

A Simple Woman's Day Book

For Monday, October 6, 2008

Outside My Window...It's a beautiful fall morning. The warm colors of fall are showing up everywhere, from the beautiful yellow crysanthamums to the indian corn on the door. A pleasant breeze is gently blowing, and there's no trace of evidence that a hurricane recently passed through.

I am thinking...That it's about time to begin planning holiday menus and start thinking about my gift list. I've waited a little too late to make many gifts, but maybe there's still enough time to create a few.

I am thankful for...The Word. True friends. My children. My home. My Source.

From the kitchen...Today I will pan sear the trout that Justin caught yesterday and gave to me. Maybe some roasted new potatoes with olive oil, rosemary and lot of garlic will be go well with it. The remainder of kitchen activity, if any, is still up in the air!

I am wearing...A pair of sky blue scrubs from the hospital, a wonderful stand by to have around for those extra busy days! I'm thinking about painting the entry hall today and this is the perfect outfit for that!

I am creating...Gardening tops my creation list this week. While in Austin I purchased spinach, brussel sprouts (yuk! but Savannah loves them!), brocolli and cabbage to plant in my earth boxes. I also want to plant carrots this year. Home grown carrots are like home grown tomatoes---they don't even compare to the grocery store variety.

I am going... Back to work tomorrow night. After years and years of working the day shift I decided to give nights a try and I absolutely love it! No more day shifts for this girl! Besides, the $1,000 monthly shift differential makes the deal just a little sweeter!

I am reading...Would you believe 'Jerry Baker's Garden Secrets'? This book is chock full of more natural and oragnic methods than you can imagine!

I am hoping...The the market will soon turn around. Reviewing the turn my financial portfolio has taken in the last week is a little unsettling. I must frequently remind myself that the market is not my source but, rather, my source is in the Lord. This morning my broker asked me to pray for him...his stress level right now is greater than any I can imagine. In Jesus name, let it be done. Amen

I am hearing... The morning show discussing, of all things, what color bra to wear under a white shirt. Duh. I thought that was a no brainer but, apparently I'm 'old school.' Somehow, I never thought of wearing a leopard print or hot pink bra under white. What a dummy I must be!

Around the house...The fragrance of 'cinnamon-vanilla' permeates the air. What a comforting, cozy fragrance this is!

One of my favorite things is...The art of creating, especially creating a cozy and inviting home. Whether it be a culinary creation or something created with paint, needle and thread, any art of creating, I love.

A few plans for the rest of the week...Many tasks fell behind during the time of 'power deprivation', but near the top of my list is taking the time to catch up on blogging and maybe spend a little time perusing the aisles of barnes and Noble, my favorite book store.

An easy and good recipe...

Garlic Bread

Ingredients
1 16-ounce loaf of Italian bread or French bread
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
2 large cloves of garlic, smashed and minced
1 heaping tablespoon of freshly chopped parsley
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)


Method 1 - Toasted

1 Preheat oven to 350°F.

2 Cut the bread in half, horizontally. Mix the butter, garlic, and parsley together in a small bowl. Spread butter mixture over the the two bread halves. Place on a sturdy baking pan (one that can handle high temperatures, not a cookie sheet) and heat in the oven for 10 minutes.

3 Remove pan from oven. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over bread if you want. Return to oven on the highest rack. Broil on high heat for 2-3 minutes until the edges of the bread begin to toast and the cheese (if you are using cheese) bubbles. Watch very carefully while broiling. The bread can easily go from un-toasted to burnt.

4 Remove from oven, let cool a minute. Remove from pan and make 1-inch thick slices. Serve immediately.

Method 2, soft

Preheat oven to 350°F. Make the butter, garlic, parsley mixture as above. Make 1-inch thick slices into the bread, but do not go all the way through, just to the bottom crust. Put a teaspoon or two of the butter mixture between each slice. Wrap the bread in aluminum foil and heat for 15 minutes in the oven.


A picture to share...I LOVE ALL THINGS AUTUMN!

Caution: Lots of Pictures!

After two weeks without power, cable or internet, I was ready to get the heck out of southeast Texas for some serious 'dehurricanizing.' Nothing seemed more enticing than a solo trip along the backroads of Texas, with the gentle fall breeze blowing through my hair and some great music to remind me of better times...not to mention no one nearby wanting to discuss Obamo or Palin or inclement weather!
There are a lot of beautiful and serene settings along the backroads of the hill country...
First stop: Round Top, Texas, where twice yearly the farmers rent out their pastures and fields to antique dealers from all over the U.S. for the gigantic Round Top Antique Faire, a wonderful week long event. For miles and miles all you see are tents and booths and barns and lofts filled with spectacular goodies mixed with a little junque. I suppose you could compare this event to Woodstock, except it's for serious antiquers.

Lots and lots of good junk!
There were leggy ladies...
and some hot men!

Lots of stuff from yester-year...
and some pretty cool primitives.
I always spot the beautiful flowers!

A whimsical little coffee shop on wheels!
This vintage truck is now a planter!
On the road again....a beautiful Texas pasture. See the horns behind the bail of hay?
'For Sale...as is'
After passing through little communities with names such as Dime Box and Zionsville, I reached the big city...Austin, Texas. This is a birdseye view of the fabulous Driskill Hotel, where the President as well as all dignitaries stay while in the capital city.
My youngest son, Jarad, craving some Red Velvet from 'Hey, Cupcake!' This is a multi-million dollar business which operates out of an Airstream trailer. The key? Location, location, location!
Another view of the beautiful state capital.
Jarad took me to 'The Great Outdoors'--a garden center unlike any I've ever seen. There were roosters made from old recycled metal...
...and goats!
...a little peek at the skyline.
Art, Austin style. Maybe this is why the city is dotted with 'Keep Austin Wierd' bumper stickers!
On the road again. Only the sign remains...another business is on the property.
Another wonderful garden center is discovered, and this one has tons of statuary!
Maybe this guy could guard the cottage...
On second thought, this creature may be more intimidating!
It was great to get away but as always, it was great to get back home, too... energized and refreshed and ready to plan my next little road trip!

About Ike

He came in like a lion and went out like, well, a smaller lion, I guess, but thank God, Ike has come and gone and all is well. I feel as though I'm learning to blog all over again since I was without power for 2 weeks and without cable and internet until 3 days ago. I've spent a lot of time over the last couple of days reading and catching up on all my regulars, so anxious to move on and read more that I haven't stopped long enough to comment! It's true, you don't really, really miss it until it's gone. A few pictures from Ike's short visit:

...one of the medical transport planes which transferred the patients out of the area. It took lots of medical staff and lots of time to perform this huge task smoothly. .
Much of the Texas coast is now destroyed. My brother's primary residence (built in 2005) was on Crystal Beach and, unless you know a specific landmark, you can hardly find his neighborhood amongst the rubble. It may be many months before there is power, phone service, potable water or gasoline available in the beach area. The roads are washed out and most of the homes are merely 'heaps' in the sand. This pictures was taken about 18 hours before the storm made landfall in Texas. The water was already ferocious.
Scene from Bridge City, Texas, home of my late grandmother...
...then the caravans rolled in, 14,000 electricians from every state you can think of. What a welcoming sight it was!
A huge 'THANK YOU' to this crew from Pennsylvania Cable!
It was a huge effort, performed by thousands who arrived from near and far, but on this beautiful Sunday morning one would be find it difficult to believe what this area looked like 3 short weeks ago.

The scripture that gave me strength in the midst of this raging storm: 'For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off.' Proverbs 23:18

Just Checking In....

Thanks to Ike, I still have no internet service at home! I'm in Austin for a few days visiting my son, so I thought I would check in for a minute or two. I can't even describe how much I miss not having a computer! My land line, internet and cable are combined in one package, and all are down, but the internet is the only thing I really miss. Time Warner has promised that all service would be fully restored by tomorrow and I can hardly wait. I've got lots of pictures and tale to share! My fingers are crossed in hopes that I can get online when I return.

The Word

I dropped in on someones blog this afternoon and the first thing I saw was this:

"For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

I'm so very thankful that such a fitting word was sent my way at such a tense and uncertain time, as we await the arrival Hurricane Ike tonight. I don't believe it was by accident that I dropped in on this site. I believe my steps were ordered by God as an avenue for me to find peace and assurance. Yes, it's true, He even works through cyber-space. God is always right on time and He has never failed me yet, therefore, I have no doubt He will come through again. He's a big, big God! In Jesus name.

'Hunkering Down'

I mopped and dusted and scrubbed the bathrooms (and Andi) and changed the bedding. I double checked that all the dishes, as well as the laundry, are clean and put away. The plants are all moved in to assure that the pots will not fly through the wind like torpedo's and cause damage to persons or property. The generator is charged and there are 20 gallons of gas nearby which, hopefully, I will not need. I've got 5 bags of ice in the garage freezer and I grilled some shrimp, chicken and boudain to have on hand for upcoming days. The sun is not out today and there is a perpetual cool and, strangely enough, very pleasant breeze which serves to remind me of who's traveling this way. Ike. I'm all stocked up and ready for the visitor.

Oddly, these unwelcome visits always seem to come in the night, much like a thief, robbing you of not only your personal possessions, but also robbing you of your security and peace of mind. But I'm ready. Ready and waiting. Waiting and trusting and believing and thanking God that I know a name that is much, much bigger than this massive monster, the size of Texas, which is expected to make landfall about 80 miles away. Unless He speaks "peace" to the water, we're certain to be affected. Again, I'm glad to know THAT name. Jesus...Jesus...Jesus. Bigger than Ike, bigger than anybody, bigger than anything. I'm blessed to know all I have to do is whisper that marvelous name and He will be quick to protect me and supply my needs...no matter what the weather channel says.

The cell phone towers were never impaired during Hurricane Rita and I'm hoping they will withstand Ike also. If and when the power fails, I will at that time lose my computer service as well as my land line, as it is part of the package through Time Warner Cable. So there is a chance that I will---to a degree---be cut off from most of the world for a little while. The last hurricane left me with no utilities for 12 days then came back on October 5th, my 50th birthday. What a wonderful gift that was! I do still have an unused land line oulet downstairs and hopefully that will remain intact. I hope. Going through this again in just three short years has given me much to think about and I feel sure that I will soon make a big decision regarding where I want to live. And it won't be Texas. That's a guarantee.

The Word says there is strength in agreement when calling upon the name of the Lord and I really need all the unity I can scrape up right now. Until we talk again, hopefully soon ;) have a blessed weekend.

Wasilla and Green Thumb Sunday...

I noticed I had a visitor this morning from Wasilla, Alaska! It couldn't have been...well, I guess it may have been...I mean, I wonder if it really could have been HER?

One can only speculate and hope, but, I guess there's always the chance it could have been this wonderful powerhouse of a lady. Gee, what an incredible honor that would be!

Shifting gears...I used to participate in a project called 'Green Thumb Sunday' which was simply a group whose members would, each Sunday, post something on their blogs which was growing in their gardens. Well, life being what it is, that little effort sort of got lost by the wayside, but, today I am back at it!

A month or so ago I stumbled across a package of zinnia seeds in a cabinet which had been there for no telling how long. Not having a lot of hope for this little pinch of nothing, I simply tossed them in a front flower bed, never bothering to sow or tend them. As I recall, a fairly heavy downpour fell shortly thereafter, leaving me with even less hope that the seed would survive, much less prosper. I was pleasantly surprised when, last week, I noticed there were probably a couple dozen zinnia's sprouting up here and there, and I was even more elated this morning when I saw many of them blooming and, right smack in the middle of the multiple shades of pink and lavender blooms is one of the peppermint variety!



I'm utterly amazed at the will of these outdated and neglected seed which narrowly escaped the trash can, and their wonderful outcome has caused me to acknowledge just how much strength and determination is within us, those created after God's own image, we must simply draw from the well within.

The McDonalds Diet and Taco Trucks

Although I've never been a fan of the golden arches, when I first heard about the man who lost 80 pounds on the 'McDonald's diet' I thought, "Gee, I think I could tolerate McD for that!" Now I certainly don't need to lose 80 pounds, but I would be absolutely delighted and jumping for joy if I lost 15, so I decided to check this dude out! As I began to read, I quickly discovered that it wasn't the real McDonald's fare that he lost the weight with but, rather, salads and apples from Micky D's along with an occasional wrap from the menu. No Big Mac's, no Quarter Pounder's with cheese, no Filet of Fish and no hot apple pies. Not even a rare Happy Meal was mentioned. Well, duh, who wouldn't lose on that diet? Only a rabbit, I suppose. Here's the story:

AP) A Virginia man lost about 80 pounds in six months by eating nearly every meal at McDonald's. Not Big Macs, french fries and chocolate shakes. Mostly salads, wraps and apple dippers without the caramel sauce. Chris Coleson tipped the scales at 278 pounds in December. The 5-foot-8 Coleson now weighs 199 pounds and his waist size has dropped from 50 to 36. The 42-year-old businessman from Quinton says he chose McDonald's because it's convenient. His inspiration came from his two children and from the story of a blind war veteran who rode a tandem bicycle cross-country. Coleson says his goal is to get back to the 185 pounds he weighed when he married Tricia Summer. Their 10th anniversary is Saturday.

His success set the wheels in motion in my excessively creative mind, and I began to wonder, just how much weight I could lose if all my meals came off the taco truck?



Now, I seriously love me some taco truck fare and, to me, the best part of going to Hobby Airport (Houston) is choosing which of the countless taco trucks will get my peso's. The food is truly second to none, not the county fair quality one would expect for dinner coming from a kitchen on wheels. The menu, spanish words which don't mean a flippin' thing to me, usually scrawled in magic marker in uphill fashion on a poster board, leaves me clueless. I simply don't know the lingo. But the aroma of onions and peppers on the griddle, fresh homemade flour tortilla's, chicken and steak grilling on an open pit outside the back door, well, it gets my attention everytime. And I've had some pretty exquisite, delectable meals in my day, many from '5 star's' such as the Ritz Carlton Resort and the Silverado Country Club in Napa Valley to name a couple. But looking back, I can truly say they didn't beat the taco truck, where neither a wine list is available nor attire is suggested.


Fresh from the truck! No, the brewsky is not mine, I'm a Dr. Pepper girl! Jarad usually orders a beer and $10.00 worth of 'whatever's cooking.' He's never been disapppointed with his luck of the draw.

As far as the taco truck diet goes, I guess they would have to remove everything from the plate but the onions and radishes for me to lose any weight, and, I guess maybe a little cilantro on the side would be okay too...