The Flavors of Summer - Bruschetta

Get you some vine ripened tomatoes...

Fresh tomatoes, three cloves garlic, a few tablespoons olive oil, some coarse salt, and some basil...and a baguette, to put it all on, later.

dice your tomatoes, mince your garlic, pour a few tablespoons of olive oil over it, sprinkle with your coarse salt, chiffinade your basil and toss that in...

mix well.

Slice your baguette, brush each slice generously with olive oil, sprinkle with garlic salt, and broil it until barely golden and crispy. Put the tomato mixture in little individual bowls, like salsa.

Top each. and. every. bite. of bread with the heavenly concoction in your own little personal bowl.

If you are me....make a meal out of it.

end of story

Oh For a Thousand Tongues To Sing!

O, for a thousand tongues to sing
My great Redeemer’s praise!
The glories of my God and King
The triumphs of His grace !
My gracious Master and my God
Assist me to proclaimTo spread through all the earth abroad
The honors of Thy name!

Jesus, the name that charms our fears
That bids our sorrows cease‘Tis music in the sinner’s ears
‘Tis life and health and peace!

He breaks the power of cancelled sinHe sets the prisoners free
His blood can make the foulest clean
His blood availed for me!

He speaks and listening to His voice
New life the dead receive
The mournful broken hearts rejoice
The humble poor believe!

Girls' Day Out

(left to right: Christina, me, and Lisa...picture taken this morning!)

I don't remember exactly what was being said when this picture was taken, but I can promise you...it was funny. Harvest women make me laugh so, so much.

If estrogen is your thing...if decadent French toast is your thing...or virgin Mimosas...or rich quiche or various fruits or girl talk or lots of laughter or cute babies or scratching the creative itch...if ANY of that is your thing, then Harvest is your church and we are your women.

I drove home today, feeling very poignant. I reflected on the whole morning (well into the afternoon) spent with lotsa girlfriends, of all ages - my own mother included. It had been so long, between grandson being born, our son's basketball, our other Marine son and his various weekend leaves home....between all that, and sickness, and other family celebrations, it felt like a mighty long time since I'd hung out with all the girls.

As I made my way home, I reflected on the fact - the pure fact - that most women don't have what I have. Many women long for a group of girlfriends with whom they can let their hair down, be real, laugh or cry till it hurts, or just sit and smile and knit.

(I tend to be a stoic...so I am the "smile and knit" type...with the occasional very loud laugh.)

Some women only experience this sort of female support system on television or in the movies - they think it can't exist in real life.

I'm the first to tell you that my gender can be mean, petty, petulant, competitive, dramatic, and bitter. But a safe community of women exists, I know because I am part of one. These women are W.E.L.L. (Women Equipped to Love and Lead) and their WELLness will bless and comfort and deeply impact your life and your day.

My home-girls. I love them. They are SO worth all the stickin' and the stayin' and the buildin' and the plantin'.

Star Gazing

He counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by name. (Psalm 147:4)

I'm star gazing tonight...a decades-old, but recently neglected hobby of mine . I located several constellations and planets, as I sat on my back deck - some are my old favorites, others were much more obscure to me. Google Sky rocks.

Absolutely breathtaking beauty, seen in my own backyard. The same stars that any country person, or palace or mansion dweller might see...the same stars are all mine, too. I don't need the rural address or the large income to be smitten by Canis Minor, Polaris, the moon, Saturn, and Orion's belt...and that is just a few of the sparkley sights I've seen tonight. I know all about light pollution, ambient light in the city, blah blah blah.

All I can tell you is...I'm seeing stars.

Beautiful stars. From my back yard. Proverbs says wisdom is "before" him (or her) who has understanding. Meaning: it is accessible...always right in front of you, IF you are wise. I promise you, the stars are mysterious and miraculous when gazed upon, no matter where you live.

You don't have to move to the country, own an expensive telescope, or view stars from a fancy "verandah".

You can enjoy them laying on a blanket, on the grass, in your back yard, wherever you are. Ask me how I know.

The wisdom of God is on display....right before your eyes....accessible....free.

Care to join me?

Try Google Sky Map, if you have a smart phone.

Or, type in your zip code here.

And now, even as I type, Tim and I are propped up on pillows in our room, watching IMAX Hubble on our television. So....I really like you....but....I'll see you later.

I'm just sayin'.

A Wordless Thursday (Almost)

Sweet, sweet, sweet. A precious benediction to a busy day spent out and about, a long meeting with a young friend, antique shopping (not buying...just shopping), and babysitting the grandson.

...And I'm officially a crackhead when it comes to the FX camera app on my phone. Addicted to it. Didn't pay a thing to get it. Free app. Life is good.

Underlined Bits -Give Them Grace by Elyse Fitzpatrick

(I get so many lovely comments about the above image. It is a necklace you can buy ~and oh, how I want one! ~ from Lisa Leonard Designs...)

Some underlined bits (more underlined bits) from the incredible book "Give Them Grace", but first a tiny bit of setting the stage for you...

These bits are about where the Holy Spirit through Paul said, "Bring up children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord..."

"Of the Lord", meaning: the nurture and admonition of Jesus Christ. Paul couldn't have meant anything or anyone else. And trust me, it was a radical statement! Now, for the underlined bits:

"The Jews knew what the discipline and instruction of the rabbis looked like. The Greeks understood the dicipline and instruction of the philosophers. But the discipline and instruction of the Lord? Of JESUS? What was that?

To help you get a better handle on what this "of the Lord" parenting entails, let's imagine for a moment that Paul had penned this phrase instead: Parents, "bring up your children in the discipline and instruction of the law." How would those three words, "Of the law" change the focus and method of your parenting?

...Or would they?"

"He was telling them to tether every aspect of their parenting to the gospel message.

Because the Bible is not primarily a manual on childrearing, but a proclamation of the good news..."

"Distinctly Christian parenting must be accomplished in the environment of the good news about Jesus Christ, or it is not Christian parenting. It may work for a while, it may make your life manageable, and God may use it, but it is not "of the Lord"..."

Recipe for Chicken Leg Quarters - Inexpensive, Can Feed a Crowd

Whenever I post about inexpensive (but delicious) recipes, I always get great response. The women in my church, all of them great cooks, are searching for ways to economize, and I promised them as many e-mails and blog posts as I could do on the subject.

Chicken leg quarters are the most inexpensive protein you can buy, other than probably eggs. My project this week was to create a recipe that utilized them, and actually tastes good...

...mission accomplished.

Here are your ingredients:

chicken leg quarters (it was only Tim and I for dinner tonight, that is why you see just three pieces...)

red potatoes

six ounces cream cheese

(I ended up with plenty left over)

fresh rosemary

fresh chives (all the herbs came from my garden - further savings)

Italian dressing

coarse salt

fresh cracked pepper

red pepper flakes (feel free to omit this, if you don't want the kick in the pants. We like our pants kicked.)

chop your herbs...


combine herbs, salt (a couple pinches), pepper (about 60 "grinds" with the grinder), cream cheese, and a teaspoon red pepper flakes


separate the skin from the meat, creating a little "pouch"...then gross out from handling a dead bird...note that your hands look exactly like your mother's...try not to think about how gooey this job is...


stuff the pouch with cream cheese mixture, use your fingers (gah) to moosh and spread it around...

brush Italian dressing (about 2 TB) on the skin, then salt generously with coarse salt...

toss your quartered potatoes with 3 TB Italian dressing, salt, pepper, and any chopped herbs you have left...

...toss the chicken on top...bake at 400 degrees for at least an hour and 20 minutes, maybe an hour and a half, or until...

...a thermometer reads 180, when inserted in the thigh...

plate these birdies and taters up and eat!

The leg quarters were .59 cents a pound, the potatoes were $2.50 for a 3 lb. bag.

A very, very inexpensive, but truly good meal. Tim gave it two thumbs up.