SOME BUNNY'S HUNGRY

"Please to insert carrot."

DOES THIS COUNT?

"For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." (Matthew 18:20)

THE BEAUTY OF THE EARTH

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

"Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow.  For what is your life?  It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away."  (James 4:14)

EH, WHAT DO WE KNOW?

• WE SAY: It's impossible.  GOD SAYS: All things are possible.  (Luke 18:27) 
• WE SAY: I'm too tired.  GOD SAYS: I will give you rest.  (Matthew 11:28-30)
• WE SAY: Nobody really loves me.  GOD SAYS: I love you.  (John 3:16 and John 3:34)
• WE SAY: I can't go on.  GOD SAYS:  My grace is sufficient. (2 Corinthians 12:9 and Psalm 91:15)
• WE SAY: I can't figure things out.  GOD SAYS: I will direct your steps. (Proverbs 3:5,6)
• WE SAY: I can't do it.  GOD SAYS: You can do all things.  (Philippians 4:13)
• WE SAY: I'm not able.  GOD SAYS: I am able.  (2 Corinthians 9:8)
• WE SAY: It's not worth it.  GOD SAYS: It will be worth it.  (Romans 8:28)
• WE SAY: I can't forgive myself.  GOD SAYS: I forgive you.  (I John 1:9 and Romans 8:1)
• WE SAY: I can't manage.  GOD SAYS: I will supply all your needs.  (Philippians 4:19)
• WE SAY: I'm afraid.  GOD SAYS: I have not given you the spirit of fear.  (2 Timothy 1:7)
• WE SAY: I'm always worried and frustrated.  GOD SAYS: Cast all your cares on ME.  (1 Peter 5:7)
• WE SAY: I'm not smart enough.  GOD SAYS: I give you wisdom.  (1 Corinthians 1:30)
• WE SAY: I feel all alone.  GODS SAYS: I will never leave you nor forsake you. (Hebrews 13:5)

God always has a positive thought for us.

I NEVER . . . I DIDN'T . . . I HADN'T . . . HOW ABOUT YOU?

Before I was a Mom -

I never tripped over toys or forgot words to a lullaby.

I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous.

I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom -

I had never been puked on.

Pooped on.

Chewed on.

Peed on.

I had complete control of my mind and my thoughts.

I slept all night.

Before I was a Mom -

I never held down a screaming child so doctors could do tests.

Or give shots.

I never looked into teary eyes and cried.

I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.

I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a Mom -

I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put him down.

I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn't stop the hurt.

I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much.

I never knew that I could love someone so much.

I never knew I would love being a Mom.

Before I was a Mom -

I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body.

I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby.

I didn't know that bond between a mother and her child.

I didn't know that something so small could make me feel so important and happy.

Before I was a Mom -

I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay.

I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache,

the wonderment or the satisfaction of being a Mom.

I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much, before I was a Mom.

PECANS-A-PLENTY CAKE

Hey, y'all! I recently came across this old recipe when I was decluttering. I use to make it when I was a young wife and mother. (It's been that long?) 

So now I'll make it as an old wife and mother. Haha!

"Beauty" and I baked this cake yesterday. We followed the recipe to the "T," except we forgot to use Self-Rising flour. Eh, the cake came out heavy, but edible. Kind of like Pecans-a-Plenty bars instead of cake. It wasn't as delicious as I remembered.  We are going to make it again, only next time we'll remember to use the right flour.

The recipe calls for baking in two 8 or 9-inch cake pans, and it actually looks a lot prettier if you bake it in the round.  We decided to take the easy route for time's sake, and we just put it in a 9x13 pan. (The recipe explains how to adjust the ingredients for a 9x13 pan.)

I encourage you to try it if you like pecans and cake. Just remember to use Self-Rising flour. ;)

(As always, you can find the directions in my RECIPES page near the top of my blog.)

CAN YOU READ THIS?

This is one of the many tricks to speed reading.

They teach you to look at the frsit and lsat letetr of a word and your brain will fill in the rest. Pretty cool.

If you can read this, you have a strange mind too.

Can you raed tihs? Olny 808 plepoe can to this point. i cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno't mtaetr in waht oerdr the ltteres in a word are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whotuit a pboerlm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.

Azanmig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt!

SQUARE WATERMELONS

[The following information was taken from CNN.com/WORLD entitled, "Japan Corners the Market on Square Fruit" dated June 15, 2001 by Thom Patterson (CNN.com writer)]

Farmers in the southern Japanese town of Zentsuji have figured out how to grow their watermelons so they turn out square. It's not a fad. The technique actually has practical applications. "The reason they're doing this in Japan is because of lack of space," said Samantha Winters of the National Watermelon Promotion Board in Orlando, Florida.


A fat, round watermelon can take up a lot of room in a refrigerator, and the usually round fruit often sits awkwardly on refrigerator shelves. But clever Japanese farmers have solved this dilemma by forcing their watermelons to grow into a square shape. Farmers insert the melons into square, tempered glass cases while the fruit is still growing on the vine.


The square boxes are the exact dimensions of Japanese refrigerators, allowing full-grown watermelons to fit conveniently and precisely onto refrigerator shelves. But cubic fruit comes with a caveat:  Each square watermelon costs 10,000 yen, the equivalent of about $82.  Regular watermelons in Japan cost from $15 to $25 each.


Check out the video below to for directions on how to grow your own square watermelon.

A CHUCKLE 4U - "Good Eats"

A CHUCKLE 4U - "Brains"

MY PC AND ME

Ummm. . . yes, is this Desktop Support?? . . . Uh, yeah, my PC just crashed about 3 seconds ago . . . No, it is not running right now . . . Ummm, no I can not boot DOS . . . It probably will take awhile to bring it back up . . . Yep, it's down allright . . .

A CHUCKLE 4U - "Stick 'Em Up"

Snowman Stick UP

A REQUEST FROM SNOOPY

A BOOK REVIEW

Hey, y'all! Here's a good book if you like to be organized, which I do.  I can't think when there's a lot of clutter around me.  My brain gets foggy, and I just wanna sleep.  Anyone else feel like that?  Well, here are a few gems I gleaned from reading this book.

"Emmett's Basic Clutter Fact:  If you plan to get organized tomorrow, you've got to de-clutter today.  Getting organized when you're surrounded by clutter is so difficult, it's almost impossible.  But getting organized once your clutter is gone is almost effortless."  (p. 4)

Charlie used to think that if he spent a lot of money for an item, he'd better keep it forever -- whether it worked or not.  Then one day his wife said something to him that changed his attitude toward clutter.  "My wife wanted to throw out a computer that I bought long ago," he said, "and I didn't want to because it was so expensive when we bought it.  She said that whether we got it for free or paid a million dollars for it, it is still useless.  Keeping it for another century will not make it useful again." (p. 168)

If you wear it, hang it up.

If you drop it, pick it up.

If you eat out of it, wash it.

If you spill it, wipe it up.

If you turn it on, turn it off.

If you open it, close it.

If you move it, put it back.

If you break it, repair it.

If you empty it, fill it.

If it rings, answer it.

If it howls, feed it.

If it cries, love it.

(p, 95)

And finally, on p. 92, I discovered . . . How to Pack a Rummage-Proof Suitcase: 

[Kort] developed a packing system that works like a charm and completely eliminates all rummaging.  It requires a suitcase with a loop for hanging clothes.  When she packs the suitcase, she puts whatever she can on hangers - even her nightgown and her swimsuit coverup - and places other items in one-gallon plastic storage bags (for example, socks in one, underwear in another, panty hose in another).  When she gets to the hotel, it takes less than a half a minute to swoop all the hanging clothes into the closet and sweep all the plastic bags into a drawer.  Packing to go home is equally simple and quick.

 

You can be sure that the next time I'm out of town I'll be doing some "swooping" and "sweeping."  ;)

I enjoyed reading this book.  It was a very easy and short read.  Be sure to check out my review on my REVIEW page located near the top of this page.  Maybe you'll even get the book and read it for yourself.  I'm sure your local library will have it.  If not, they can usually special order it for you through the Inter-Library Loan (ILL) system. 

ARE YOU A GOOD PERSON?

  

MOMENTS

Happy moments, praise God.

Difficult moments, seek God.

Quiet moments, worship God.

Painful moments, trust God.

Every moment, thank God.

                                 (~Shelby Eborn)

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

One Sunday morning, an old cowboy entered a church just before services were to begin. Although the old man and his clothes were spotlessly clean, he wore jeans, a denim shirt and boots that were worn and ragged. In his hand he carried a worn-out old hat and an equally worn, dog-eared Bible.

The church he entered was in a very upscale and exclusive part of the city. It was the largest and most beautiful church the old cowboy had ever seen. The people of the congregation were all dressed with expensive clothes and fine jewelry. As the cowboy took a seat, the others moved away from him. No one greeted, spoke to, or welcomed him. They were all appalled by his appearance and did not attempt to hide it.

As the old cowboy was leaving the church, the preacher approached him and asked the cowboy to do him a favor. "Before you come back in here again, have a talk with God and ask him what he thinks would be appropriate attire for worship in church." The old cowboy assured the preacher he would.

The next Sunday, he showed back up for the services wearing the same ragged jeans, shirt, boots, and hat. Once again he was completely shunned and ignored. The preacher approached the cowboy and said, "I thought I asked you to speak to God before you came back to our church."

"I did," replied the old cowboy.

"And what was his reply?" asked the preacher.

"Well, sir, God told me that he didn't have a clue what I should wear. He said he'd never been in this church."

FAMILY

PICS

THREE AMIGOS

I wanted to show y'all a picture of the Goya brand seasonings I use (in my Lasagna, Fried Rice, and Egg Drop Soup recipes - just to name a few) Sofrito (sew-frito), Recaito (wreck-I-E-toe), and Sazon (sass-sewn).

I have found that our local HEB keeps these in stock along with a host of other delicious Goya products. These three are all under $3.oo. Do refrigerate the jars after opening and be careful to look for mold if you don't use them up, say, within a month. The mold in the red jar will be a creamy rose color, and you'll see little greenish white moldy spots in the green jar. I use ours up fairly quickly, so I've only ever seen the mold TWICE in my years of using it. It's important to always use a clean spoon when removing the paste from the jars. Don't stick your spoon in the spaghetti sauce and then into the jar without rinsing the spoon or you will contaminate what's in the jar.

My mother-in-law and sisters-in-law taught me how to use these three wonderful little seasonings on meats, and in beans and soups, too. My friend gave me a fabulous Jambalaya recipe and I used the green jar in it. It was SOOOOO GOOD! Our imagination is the only thing that limits us when it comes to adding flavor with these stellar seasonings. They are all great for marinating pork, chicken, shrimp, and beef with a little lime, lemon, or orange juice and oregano. Try some in your next pot of rice along with a cube of chicken, beef, or vegetable bouillon and some Rotel. A little goes a long way, and will really make the difference! I hope you will try them out.

 Hey, let me know if you try them and how you liked the results. It's okay if you don't like them, too. Tell me about it. My feelings won't be hurt. Promise! =)

YUM-O, LA-ZAG-NA

Okay, folks, yesterday it was Bratwurst and Cabbage with Sopapilla Cheesecake Pie and today it's Lasagna. Our son, Tallman, is home this week and I just might post our menu for the entire week. I've been known to do KrAZieR things than that, believe you me. Haha! We'll be having Dump Cake for dessert.

If you're interested you can find these recipes in my RECIPES page under my Stick Family.  =)

EVERYTHING NEW FOR THOSE WHO BELIEVE

In the King James 1611 Bible, Revelation chapter 21 verses 1-5 says, "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful."

"He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him."
(John 3:36 KJV)

LATE BLOG ENTRY

I have been meaning to blog about our new refrigerator since I got it. (I say "our" but all you ladies know I mean "MY." Haha! ;)

We've known for about 2 years that we were going to have to do the nasty job of buying another refrigerator. We have also been dreading it all that time saying, "We can get by with this one a little longer, right?" And that was truly fine until we pulled out the milk one morning and discovered we had the beginnings of a well-cultured bowl of cottage cheese starting in that jug. Yum-O!

Shortly, and I mean VERY shortly thereafter, hubby took me on a drive six days before my birthday. He pulled in to a Scratch and Dent store hiding in a corner. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd be coming home with the sweet lil beauty you see below! =)

The ladybug magnets are covering the few dings she has. Other than those minor dents and a few scratches she is PERFECT - just like brand new! My hubby is quite the bargain hunter and haggler extraordinaire. He managed to get her for only a smidge more than we had budgeted for a much smaller (and less fabulous, might I say) fridge. We just tightened up the proverbial belt strings and "voila" - paid in full by the end of the month.
Now we have trouble keeping her stocked. There are always two or three empty shelves even after the groceries are put up. That works out just fine, however, because now I always have room for the leftovers after dinner. Haha! No more cramming and piling things in on top of each other 'til they holler.

I like being able to keep a whole gallon of milk in the door and I absolutely LOVE the deli meat keeper under the two crispers. It's neat having the freezer on the bottom, too.

Oh, and did I mention that her temperature controls are digital? She beeps when the door is left open. I'm convinced a woman thought of that feature. ;)

James 1:17 says, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning."

ALL IN A DAY'S WORK

Well, today I made two gallons of tea and two gallons of lemonade. I also cooked my Pappy's tasty Bratwurst and cabbage, and I baked a delicious dessert called Sopapilla Cheesecake Pie.
We are TOTALLY stuffed now.

Here's a few pics for your tummy's enjoyment.

(tea and lemonade not pictured. :)

Check out my RECIPES page (located under my Stick Family at the top of my blog) for these two wonderful recipes. I do hope you will try them out because they are simple and delish.

FAIR WARNING

Ok, world, I am trying to grow a plant. Yes, you heard correctly. The woman who can kill a plant by simply trying to water it, prune it, and/or plant its seed is stepping out of her comfort zone.

Two weeks ago a friend gave me an actual clipping of her Coleus plant. I brought it home and dutifully placed it in a small glass of water hoping for roots. Guess what? It sprouted roots! Oodles of 'em, to be sure.

Yesterday I bought a nice olive green pot from Walmart. Didn't sink too much money into it because, well, just in case it doesn't survive . . .

Next step? Call in a professional. That would be our son, O'Man. He dumped some of our home-spun compost into that pot o' mine, and then he settled little "Claudia" the Coleus into her new home. He wet her feet a little and then handed her over to me. (Next time I'LL do my own dirty work.) *blushing*

I did a bit of research and found out she is a shade loving plant. That's good to know because I was ready to take her out into the sizzling sun. Now she silently sits on my kitchen windowsill looking outside. Ain't she a cutie?

* Check out my CRAFTS/HOBBIES page under my guest book for some helpful info on how to care for a Coleus plant.

WORDS OF WISDOM

Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.

Marry someone you love to talk to. As you get older, their conversational skills will be as important as any other.

When you say, "I love you," mean it.

Believe in love at first sight.

Never laugh at anyone's dreams. People without dreams don't have much vision.

Love deeply and passionately. You might get hurt, but it's the only way to live life completely.

In disagreements, fight fairly. No name calling.

Talk slowly, but think quickly.

When someone asks you a question you don't want to answer, smile and ask, "Why do you want to know?"

When you lose, don't lose the lesson.

Remember the three R's: Respect for self; Respect for others; and Responsibility for all your actions.

Don't let a little dispute ruin a great friendship.

When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.

Spend some time alone.

Smile when picking up the phone. The caller will hear it in your voice.

Don't judge people by their relatives.

When you say, "I'm sorry," look the person in the eye.

Don't believe all you hear, spend all you have, or sleep all you want.

DON'T WORRY . . . BE HAPPY

Here's a little song I wrote

You might want to sing it note for note
Don't worry - Be happy!
In every life we have some trouble
When you worry you make it double
Don't worry - Be happy!
Don't worry - Be happy now!

Oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo
Don't worry
oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo
Be happy
oo-oo-oo-oo-oo
Don't worry - Be happy!

Oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo
Don't worry
oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo
Be happy
oo-oo-oo-oo-oo
Don't worry - Be happy!

Ain't got no place to lay your head
Somebody came and took your bed
Don't worry - Be happy!
The landlord say your rent is late
He may have to litigate
Don't worry (ha ha ha ha ha ha ha)- Be happy!
Look at me - I'm happy!

Oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo
Don't worry
oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo
Be happy
oo-oo-oo-oo-oo
Here I give you my phone number
When you worry call me
I make you happy

Oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo
Don't worry
oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo
Be happy
oo-oo-oo-oo-oo

Ain't got no cash, ain't got no style
Ain't got no gal to make you smile
But don't worry - Be happy!
Cause when you worry Your face will frown
And that will bring everybody down
So don't worry - Be happy!
Don't worry - Be happy now.

Oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo
Don't worry
oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo
Be happy
oo-oo-oo-oo-oo
Don't worry - Be happy!

Oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo
Don't worry
oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo
Be happy
oo-oo-oo-oo-oo
Don't worry - Be happy!

Oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo
Don't worry - don't worry - don't do it - be happy!
00-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo
Put a smile on your face
Don't bring everybody down like this
Oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo
Don't worry,
00-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo
It will soon pass whatever it is
00-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo
Don't worry - Be happy!
Oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo

[Lyrics by: Bobby McFerrin]

MOM'S MEDAL OF HONOR

The chain is connected to a double stem referred to as the "Stem of Life". One stem represents the physical connection - the umbilical cord. The other stem represents the spiritual connection between mother and child that lasts a lifetime.

The diamond is the purest of all minerals; furthermore, the diamond is the hardest substance in the known universe. Therefore, the diamond was chosen for the centerpiece not only to represent the balance that mothers bring to the family, but also as an international symbol of strength, purity, and admiration.

Six hearts represent the six letters in the word MOTHER. All of the hearts point toward the diamond and form a star around the diamond. Just as the stars have guided the travelers for centuries, so have mothers guided their children.

The lines that radiate from the center are referred to as "rays of sacrifice" and symbolize the 365 days per year that mothers make sacrifices both large and small for the benefit of their children.

Finally, on the back are four simple but powerful words that sum up a child's sincere appreciation for a lifetime of love and guidance . . . "To Mother with Love".

A CHUCKLE 4U - "Universal Symbol for Marriage"

I saw this symbol on a cup insulator and it struck me as funny. Thought I'd share it with y'all.