Animal, Vegetable, Miracle

While on vacation earlier this month, I purchased a book for the plane ride home.

I'd been eyeing this book on the shelves of the bookstore for several months. I finally decided it was time to buy it.

Although I had looked at it many times, I had never bought it because I thought it was probably too far left or too far right. I think it's great to grow your own but I figured she (Barbara Kingsolver) was probably a fanatic about living off the land and I wasn't sure that I wanted to go down that road. Now I can say that I'm glad I read it. I found it very interesting and very informative.

I think it's great that Barbara and her family made this journey and the fact that she did it with everyone on board is amazing considering she had two girls (a teen and a 10 year old) who were ready to make this move as well. Obviously there had been much preparation as a family for this journey (which she briefly discusses in the book). I'm not sure that my girls (15 and 12) would be so willing to give up their favorite snack foods (yes, some happen to be processed - don't shoot me). Nor do I think that Lawman and I are willing to work the land (a full-time job, especially in the summer months) to stock the pantry. If we didn't have to work a full-time job in addition to working the land in order to keep a roof over our heads then it might be more appealing.

It did provide food for thought and reflection though.

Food for thought -- Yes, I'm well aware that I'm not always playing my "A" game when I do my grocery shopping. I'll even admit that our family has traveled that drive-thru lane more than one or two times. I would also venture to tell you that as a whole we eat rather well. I don't always buy organic (sometimes it's price prohibitive and honestly, I can't always tell the difference). I do try to purchase seasonal produce from our local farmer's market(s). I love the freshness of the vegetables and fruits when they're in season. We've had fresh peaches this summer and biting into the juicy, sweet flesh is better than any piece of candy I could get out of a candy jar. We'll still be eating bananas (unlike the Kingsolver family); I'm not willing to give that up in order to become a 'locavore'. Could I do better? Sure and somedays I do. I'm a firm believer though of everything in moderation. Since reading this book, I've tried to pay more attention about where our food comes from, distance, traveled, etc.

Reflection -- Reading about life on the Kingsolver farm provided opportunities for much reflection on my childhood. I grew up on a farm. Until I was six we lived out in the midst of the Flint Hills. Way out...I rode the bus an hour to school and an hour home. That's a really long ride when you're in kindergarden. We had a lot of livestock -- pigs, cows, horses. I had pets too; a dog, a bottle-fed lamb and a horse named Kitty. [Kitty was always saddled up and waiting for me when I got home from school. She was my means of transportation to my friend's house. I'd tie her up to their flagpole where she'd munch on grass while I played until it was time to head home for dinner. Sorry about the digression there.] Eventually a couple pieces of that livestock would find it's way into our freezer and no, it wasn't my pet lamb, but the pork and beef sure tasted good. I've had some people ask me if I found it traumatic to think that the pigs and cows I saw daily eventually ended up on my dinner plate. In a word, No. Honestly, it never crossed my mind. I'm sure that's because it was our way of life; I didn't know any different.

We had fruits and vegetables too. We had a big pear tree near the pig barn. Those pears were so good and juicy. We would eat them straight off the tree. Mom would make batch after batch of pear honey to get us through the winter. I remember eating it on toast just like it was yesterday. The sad news is that she never had a recipe for it and she can't remember how she made it. Even the older grandkids remember eating it and they've asked time and time again how to make it so they could recreate it for their own family. I also remember harvesting asparagus with Mom. It grew on another property my folks owned and we'd go over there nearly every day in the spring to bring it home for dinner. To this day, asparagus is one of my absolute favorite vegetables.

Then we moved to town. Not literally but compared to where we had lived, it was town. We were now only 1.5 miles away from town. That's a 10 minute bus ride to school. Big difference.

We were still on a farm. We still had cows and horses. Our freezer was always stocked with a side of beef. Now we had an orchard with apple and cherry trees which meant homemade applesauce, applebutter, cherry jam and plenty of apple and cherry pies. The orchard also had a large sunny spot just perfect for a garden. A big garden. Mom planted everything -- peppers, potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, onions, lettuce, carrots. You get the idea. We were never hungry. I was Mom's helper. I learned how to prepare the soil for planting, how to plant the seeds/plants, how to harvest the fruits of our labor, and I also learned how to prepare it for eating. I'm sure at the time I groaned and complained about having to dig potatoes or climb the trees to pick the fruit (sorry Mom). I don't think I probably ever complained about eating a tomoato fresh from the vine or still warm from the sun. Nor did I complain about our favorite family meals, many of which included the staples that we had grown and prepared ourselves.

For more information on Barbara Kingsolver and her food journey, visit http://www.animalvegetablemiracle.com/.

Menu Plan Monday #26

Last week I was gone every night until at least 9:15 due to VBS at church and our last swim meet. To eliminate the stress of trying to prepare a meal during the 15 minutes I had between work and VBS, I cooked meals ahead last weekend and they kept in the fridge during the week. It worked out great except that by Friday everyone was sick of what was in the fridge and refused to eat it AGAIN. As much as I hate to admit, I did throw food out Saturday morning. Not all that much (about 3 servings worth) but none-the-less, I hate wasting food like that.

This week we'll get back on track again. I will be working later than usual this week as I have to cover for a co-worker that's on vacation this week and half of next. That just means that I'll arrive home later than usual but I'll still be able to cook dinner.

And speaking of cooking, I'm tired of the heat. I'm running out of ideas for quick & easy meals that don't heat up the kitchen. It's affecting all of us. Some of us are feeling like we're caged animals because it's just too blasted hot to be outside unless you're at the pool. We're ready to be able to sit on the deck again in the evenings.

I went grocery shopping today but I feel like it was a wasted effort. I spent yesterday trying to catch up around the house. I had promised B3 that we'd do school shopping today after church. Big sis is gone this weekend so it allowed me the opportunity to focus completely on her; good for both of us. Given that, it meant that I would be in town so I may as well get groceries. I didn't have my menu planned before hand so I wasn't nearly as prepared as I like to be. I spent the same amount of money as usual but I'm not sure that I've got everything I will need for the next 2 weeks. I hate it when this happens.

Here's what we'll be having this week --

Monday - Fried Chicken Salad (our version of the Applebee's salad), Watermelon

Tuesday - Homemade Mac & Cheese, Steamed Brussel Sprouts

Wednesday -Taco Salad

Thursday - Breakfast Burritos (Scrambled eggs with sausage & cheese wrapped in a tortilla), Cantalope

Friday -Red Beans & Rice (Zatarain's mix)

Thinking Ahead

I've been giving some thought to what lies ahead. (Rachel prompted me to do this.) It appears, from looking at my calendar, that I need to begin preparing. Preparing for back-to-school.



And specifically, in looking at today's appointments, it appears that I've already started. B2 & B3 have dr. appointments today for shots and a sports physical. However, don't let this fool you. I'm not that organized. Yet. Oh, but I will be.



I need to make a list. And check it twice. (I do realize it's not Christmas but I need to be doubley sure I don't leave anything undone.) There's much to do -- buy school supplies, complete enrollment forms, purchase sports shoes, practice gear, and of course my girls will tell you the-ever-so-important-first-day-of-school-outfit. (A good first impression is a MUST for teenage girls!)



I probably better go through a couple of closets too. Especially the coat closet. I realize we don't need jackets just yet but if I don't do this now the first cool morning will arrive and no one will have a jacket to wear. Same thing happens with jeans. That first cold snap shows up at our door and my girls have nothing but shorts and capris that fit. Is there any other mother that suffers from this?? Please tell me that I'm not alone.

So what will you be preparing for in the coming days?

The Sweetest Package Arrived Today

Her name is Londyn Amelia and I'm her great aunt. Congratulations to her proud parents, Isaac and Melissa. She makes my brother, Stuart, a Grandpa. He's going to enjoy that and so will she.

A (Long) Day at the Pool

The swim season is coming to a close. With that is a league meet with all of the teams in our league; there are nine. This means hundreds of swimmers, 66 events and a very long day at the pool.


When I woke up I wasn't sure that we'd actually get to have this meet. It was raining. Made me wonder why I was even bothering to get out of bed before 6am. None the less, we rallied the troops, packed the cooler and loaded the truck. We were at the pool at 7:20 am and the kids were in the water for warm-ups by 7:40. Luck was on our side. The rain stopped, the clouds stayed and the meet got underway at 9:00. We were exiting the park at 3:30. None the less it was a long day--lots of waiting between swim events. Here's how you pass the time.

Menu Plan Monday #25

I wish I could tell you that I've got a wonderful week planned with lots of exotic, or at least delicious, dishes. That's not the case this week. It's VBS week at our church and the girls and I will be helping in crafts. A couple of years ago some of the church ladies (sounds like a SNL skit) decided it would be nice to feed dinner to the workers and their families so that those who work outside of the home wouldn't have to rush home, try to feed everyone and still make it to the church on time. So, the girls and I will be eating at the church each evening but I still have to have dinner for Lawman on the nights he's on duty. I made a couple of dishes today so the plan is that he can have leftovers or sandwiches for dinner.

The girls have their last swim meet on Wednesday and it's out of town. It's in an indoor facility that won't allow you to take in a cooler so I'm going to treat us to dinner out at our favorite hamburger joint after the meet. Let's just say it will be a celebration meal.

The dishes that I made today are all pasta dishes. I didn't plan it that way, it just worked out that the ingredients I had on hand were for 3 pasta dishes. Lawman won't mind. He's kind of like Mikey....he'll eat anything. Here's his choices for the week.

Chicken Cacciatore, Pizza Pasta Salad (carryover from last week) and Skillet Macaroni and Beef.

I did the Chicken Cacciatore in the crock pot. It was one that I "winged".

3# boneless chicken

1 small onion, chopped

1/2 tsp. salt

lemon pepper, about 1 tsp.

Italian seasoning, about 1 tsp.

1/2 of a bag of frozen pepper strips

1 tsp. sugar

1-14oz can diced tomatoes

Place all ingredients in the crock pot. Cook on low 8 hours. Serve over cooked pasta (I used spaghetti noodles) with shredded Parmesan cheese.

Hope you all have a good week. For more menu ideas, please visit Laura's site here.

Queen for a Day

This lady got the royal treatment on Sunday.

She's my mom and she celebrated a birthday. Her 80th! That's a milestone.

She got to play the part of Queen for the day. We had a party for her. She will tell you that she doesn't like all the fuss but I do believe she enjoyed herself that day.

She had the majority of her family with her -- husband, kids, grandchildren and greats. She was also lucky enough to have her sister and two of her brothers there to celebrate with her. We had four generations representated that day, aged 6 mos. to 81 years.

A Strange Thing Happened (on vacation)

Lawman and I did what some might consider a strange thing on our vacation. However, we do this just about every time we're in this particular place.

We went to a grocery store.

Yes, you read that right. A grocery store. And, not just one but two. Yes, here and here.

However, they're not your typical grocery stores. Ok, maybe it is for some of you depending upon where you live but compared to what we have available for food shopping, it's anything but typical.

As a matter of fact, in my opinion, it's out of this world! If I had access to this kind of place, our grocery budget would have to grow. There was so many unusual things available.

You see, my grocery stores have the standard mix of food -- dairy, produce, meat counter, deli counter and rows and rows of boxed and canned items. And a small, teeny, tiny section of organic products. Huckleberry's and The Rocket had a multitude of products I'd never seen. Kefir - I'd read about it on several blogs but had never seen it. Some I'd never heard of - black bean flakes. What do you do with them? (If you know, please tell me.) And talk about gourmet spreads and ready-made salads. I could have had a feast right there in the aisle.

There were so many varieties of beans, grains and spices available in bulk. I probably looked like a kid in a candy store as I walked up and down the aisles.

If there's anyone out there reading this that has access to such stores on a regular basis I'd love to hear from you. Do you do all of your shopping at such stores? Purchase only select items there?

Now that I've returned home and had to go to my ever-so-mundane grocery store to gather food for my family, I've decided that next time I visit I will pack an extra carry-on bag that I will fill to the brim with these unique food items and bring them home with me.

Menu Plan Monday #24

We were on vacation last week and we ate like it too. Everyone fed us well. Too well. We had steak, ice cream (on multiple occasions), apple pie, cheesecake, waffles & bacon....need I go on? All I can say is that we need to be aware of what we are eating this week.

Today was my mother's 80th birthday and we had a party for her. There were plenty of leftovers, many of which found their way to my home. Not all bad though as I won't need to cook dinner on Monday night, there's a lot of bread in the freezer and my Uncle Dave brought homegrown onions & apples for us. I do believe I'll be making an apple pie this week. Not sure that fits into our conscious eating efforts but I couldn't pass up fresh apples. Could I?

Here's our dinner menu plan to get us back on track.

Monday - Lasagna (brought home from Mom's), Salad, Fresh Peaches

Tuesday - Asian Chicken (from the freezer) with Wild Rice Salad, Broiled Asparagus

Wednesday - Skillet Macaroni & Beef (recipe follows), Cantaloupe

Thursday - Vegetable Tacos (black beans, zucchini, onions, mushrooms), Tortilla Chips & Salsa

Friday - Pizza Pasta Salad (this may be pushed to Saturday night; we have an all-day swim meet so we'll see what time we get home)

Skillet Macaroni & Beef
3/4 lb. ground beef
1 small zucchini, coarsely chopped
1 small yellow onion, chopped
8 oz. elbow macaroni, uncooked
2-8oz cans tomato sauce
1 tsp salt
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
3/4 t. dried basil, crumbled
3/4 t. dried oregano, crumbled
1 to 1 1/2 c. water

Brown ground beef in a skillet. Drain beef and set aside. Add the zucchini, onion and macaroni to the skillet and cook, uncovered, for 3 minutes. Return the beef to the skillet. Add the tomato sauce, salt, Worcestershire sauce, basil, oregano, and enough water to cover the macaroni and beef. Cover the skillet, reduce the heat, and simmer for 13 to 15 minutes, or until the macaroni is tender. Stir occasionally.

For more menu ideas, visit Organizing Junkie.

Home Again

All good things must come to an end, right? We did have us some fun though. The photo above is from an indoor waterpark in Idaho. We all had a great time. Nothing like cuttin' loose in a swimsuit and barreling down darkened tubes at high rates of speed only to be dumped out into a large pool of water!

Lawman returned to work today and I will too if working on the homefront counts. I'll be using my day to do laundry, put away the suitcases and do some food prep for the coming week. I'll be returning to the office on Monday.

Gotta run. Duty calls.

Unplugged.

Yep. It's time for a vacation from all things -- work, the daily routine, and yes, blogging. See you in a week.

I'm Red, White & Blue.

I think it's fair to say that I've always been proud to be an American. As an elementary school student we used to say the Pledge of Allegiance every morning. My daddy taught me that you cover your heart and stand up when the flag passes by.

My daddy was a soldier in WWII.

My brother, Stuart, served in Vietnam. In high school I used to wear his BDU shirt because I thought it was cool that our last name was above the pocket.

Then I married a soldier. And being a proud American took on a whole new meaning.

My soldier husband served in Dessert Storm. I learned first-hand what it was to "make a sacrifice" for your country. Fortunately, my soldier came home safely.

In 1996 he left active duty and signed up with the National Guard.

Then 9-11 happened. My soldier got orders for active duty and was sent to Germany. Now our children learned what it meant to be a proud American. They learned about sacrifices. That's hard at any age but especially when you're 8 and 5. Not an easy thing. For any of us.

Tomorrow many of us will be attending parades, watching fireworks and hearing patriotic songs. Please take a moment to be thankful for your freedoms. Your blessings. They are abundant in the USA. Take a moment to thank a soldier, a veteran and their families for their service and sacrifice.

Wishing you all a safe and happy 4th! God Bless the USA.

Random Thoughts

Just sharing some random thoughts with you today.

Could you limit your expenditures for a month? Check out what Rachel and her family are doing.

Since it's nearly July 4th, it's about time to start cranking out the homemade ice cream. I think this Chocolate Toffee Crunch sounds good.

And with July 4th nearing, take a moment to reflect upon your independence. There is much that we, as Americans, have to be thankful for. Here's Amanda's list.

Meg's wondering how to deal with an empty fridge, not to mention those who think they need to be fed every single day. Any other mothers having problems keeping plenty of food around to feed the hordes (I mean, children) during the summer? I'm hoping my fridge looks like this by the end of the week as we're leaving town and I want to be able to give it a good cleaning before it's time to fill it again.