The "SALAD A DAY KEEPS THE FAT WAIST AWAY" challenge

savvycityfarmer.blogspot.com has issued a "Salad a Day" challenge, and I am SO ready for it!
Actually, for me it's not much of a challenge, as I manage to get in a salad or two nearly every day anyway!
Just readin' about the challenge a bit ago got me cravin' one, so I whipped up this pretty little number. To the left of said salad, you will see a large glass with a small amount of a red zinfandel.
I personally believe a red zin goes with just about everything!
Red zin is a 3rd cousin, twice removed, to the dreadful white zin we all remember from the 80's.
Don't ever, and I mean ever, get the two confused!
But, I digress.
What this lovely salad photo fails to show you is that moments after creating this masterpiece, daughter Avery spotted me grazing on it.
And the salad goes to....AVERY!
For some crazy reason, a salad made by mom, FOR mom, is far more appealing than the same, exact salad, thrown together by said child!
Do I care???
Not in the least. I am just thankful she finds salads such as this so darn appealing!
Now...to the secrets of my salad making.

ORGANIC (if at all possible)
romaine
spring mix
english cucumber
diced tomatoes
fresh, shaved parmigiano reggiano
dried cranberries

Take your lettuce, place in large bowl, and cut with kitchen scissors till finely chopped.
When ready to eat, this salad will be best consumed by using a large spoon instead of a fork.
You will be amazed at how much more salad you will eat, when everything is being scooped up with a spoon, and not being chased around your salad bowl with the fork! I got this idea from MaryJane Butters book, "MARYJANE'S IDEABOOK-COOKBOOK-LIFEBOOK...for the farmgirl in all of us"
Add the cukes and tomatoes, also diced in small bits
Toss in the extras, such as the cranberries and cheese
Top with fleur de sal and fresh cracked pepper

DRESSING
My all time favorite is a basic vinaigrette from Julia Child

3 teas finely minced shallots
3 teas Dijon style mustard
3 teas fresh lemon juice
here is where Julia and I differ...
I add perhaps 2/3 c white wine vinegar, and she says to add 3 teas.
1/2 c extra virgin olive oil

She says add the oil in a steady stream to the rest of the ingr., but I never do. I toss it all in an old Good Seasons vinaigrette bottle with a plastic lid, and shake it all up.
Refrigerate...but mine rarely lasts more than a couple of days anyway.

Let us know if your up to the challenge! And what a perfect time of year for this! Lettuce, tomatoes and cukes just beggin' to be purchased at your local farmers market!
You can bet that is where I will be come this Saturday morning!

PRESTO CHANGO---IT'S PESTO!!

FROM THIS:

TO THIS!!!

This spring I put in 3 itty, bitty basil plants.
Today I cut one of the plants down, and washed it gently.
Then...the magic begins.

4 c (crammed in) basil leaves
6 gi-normous cloves garlic
2/3 c pine nuts
12 TBL. parmesan cheese
Finely chop together in food processor

Gradually add while food processor is running to make a thick paste:
1/2 to 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

I put it in those teeny, 6 oz. or so, jam jars, and freeze for months.
Wonderful as a Christmas gift.
Oh my goodness....did I say CHRISTMAS???

Pesto is good on a Boboli pizza crust, alone, or in addition to your pizza sauce
Yummy tossed with hot pasta, with a few chunks of fresh tomatoes thrown in
On sliced tomatoes with a dribble of aged balsamic
I could go on and on and on...

I should get at least 3 more batches of this yummy stuff from the basil still left in the garden!

THE FAT OF THE LAND

An apron full of yesterdays tomato gatherings.
The yellow heirloom tomato is called "Great White', the cherry tomatoes are "sweet 100's, and the rest are heirloom "Brandywine Pink's.
The Brandywine is an Amish tomato dating back to the 1800's, with a distinctive spicy taste.
The cherry tomatoes, for the most part, do not make it into the house. They are for poppin' and eatin'. The "Great White" is best simply with a bit of fleur de sal and fresh cracked pepper. The Brandywine are nearly indescribable with a smidge of gosts cheese, a dribble of olive oil, a teeny bit of homemade pesto, and quite possibly, a couple drops of aged balsamic.
I could, and have, made a complete meal of these.
Who needs chocolate, when there are tomatoes in the garden?

HAPPY CHICKENS?

You bet they are happy. And "why", you might ask?
Look below to see the treats they get nearly every day.

JAPANESE BEETLES!
Yes, every day I go collect dozens of beetles off my roses, and feed them to the girls.
It's the least I can do.
They DO love them, and I DO hate them!
A perfect balance.

A PEACH OF A DAY!!!

Kelly and I worked on canning peaches this afternoon. I say "afternoon", because all morning is how long it takes to get this kitchen ready to can ANYTHING! Snackin dishes from the night before. Breakfast dishes from this morning. Had to start the makings for supper. You all know the routine!
Sadly, 1/2 bushel of peaches yielded only 12 quarts of canned peaches.
Could this be because the peaches were so darn sweet we could not keep our grubby little paws off of them????
Perhaps.
ps by the time we were ready to take this photo, Kelly was up taking a rest. Well deserved, I might add.

As a side note: all our jars were purchased at either Goodwill, or another local thrift store, LOVE IN THE NAME OF CHRIST. For a measly nickel a piece!!!!

FAIR DAY!

Hudsonville Community Fair
Just a few miles down the road, this small town fair is the place to be whether young or old.
I love the Ladies Barn, where all things "lady" are!
Antiques, handmades, crafties, produce, canned, and baked goodies!

Here I am with my sis in law, Kelly, rabble rousin' at the fair!
Cowgirl hat was founds moments before getting to the fair at an estate sale right next door!
$2, plus it has 2 silver bands with bits of turquoise embedded in them!

Every year I see these, and every year I say, "I am going to grow pumpkins next year!."
Haven't done it yet, but I think maybe next year is THE year!

My next favorite spots at the fair: anything to do with food. The greasier the better!
Now, anyone who knows me can attest to the fact that 95% of the time we eat very healthy food. So a little indulgence now and again can hardly be blamed, right??
French fries with malt vinegar.
Chicken, onions and peppers, with a fresh cucumber sauce on a pita.
YUMMY!

Maybe next year I will enter some of my "spicy canned green peppers"!

Here is the winner of the "most original filled basket"
How clever is that?

CANNIN' DAYS ARE HERE AGAIN!

What you see here is the result of hours, yes, I say, hours, of prep and canning time. We, my sis in law Kelly and I, canned 38 quarts of dill pickles between 4pm yesterday, and 6 pm today. (the gal at the farmers market said a bushel would yield about 24 quarts...)

And here are 14 quarts of spicy, pickled, green peppers.(the heat comes from 3/4 of a sliced halapeno). So yummy, alongside almost any meal. I hadn't canned these in probably 20 years, and my original recipe actually had me put the jars in the oven for 20 min, instead of water bath! Not this time!

Do we look HAPPY????
WE ARE DONE FOR THE DAY!

more to follow, as we have BIG plans
peaches
peach jam
applesauce (recipe from savvycityfarmer.blogspot.com)
tomatoes
salsa
etc.
etc.

SIGNS

Sign outside a local church:

Overseas or over the fence: YOU are God's missionary.

I just thought, that was so awesome. You see, I know will never be more than an ordinary wife, mother, friend....but....I can still be used by God! Wherever I am, I can show His mercy, His grace, His compassion, His love, His redemption. At the grocers, at the local Goodwill, the Dairy Queen, the gas station, the doctor's office...they are ALL my mission field. I may not go into the deepest parts of Africa, I may not go in the war-torn middle east, I may never see France, BUT...I can shine the light that I have before all that I come into contact with.

"YOU are the light of the world.....Let your light so shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven." Matt. 5:14, 15

CHICKEN COOP :MAKE-OVER

I've had the right French words and their meaning for several weeks now, just waiting for Joy to put brush to paint and work her magic.

Here is the finished product. Took her about 15 minutes, total.
Dang!!
I wish I could do that!

Frnch words and their meanings:
Le Poulailler--The Hen House
mon poussin--my chick
construit en 2006--established (constructed) in 2006
merde de poulet--s__t of chicken(had to do it!)

Thanks Joy!

CARABBA'S.....HERE WE COME!

The"FANTASTIC FOUR", on our way out to dinner Thursday. Carabba's Italian has wonderful entrees, and their house red wine is fruity, and not too dry. Kind of like a nice red Zinfandel.

We were SO ready to go and enjoy an evening "out". Not that we had been cooped up in the house all week, but, Joy and I like to dress up a bit and go out with our men on occasion.
And who knows when we will have this chance again?
We love these guys!

DO YOU LIKE MY NEW "DRESS"?

Yup, FarmgirlCyn got a pretty, new Tiffany blue dress! savvycityfarmer.blogspot.com
and her hubby, Don, spent the past 7 days with us, and since Don is a computer tech, and I needed some computer teching, he graciously spent several hours giving my blog a whole new look! I happened to have a Tiffany's box from a bracelet given to me by my dear friend, Darlene, for my 50th birthday, 3 years ago. Don matched it up perfectly for the new background color! Then he took the Rhode Island Red photo, taken at my Memere's and Pepere's small farm in Pawtucket, R.I., sized it up, added pretty letters and a border, and...
VOILA!!!

p.s.
check out savvycityfarmer.blogspot.com
Don was able to work on some SWEET changes for her, also!

Friends from the Burbs

Don and Pete, enjoying a game of horseshoes.

My Heirloom "Great White" tomatoes. I will definitely grow these again! The description on the tag said: large, flattened, meaty fruit with a creamy texture. Pineapple colored flesh has a sweet taste due to it's sugar content." I sprinkled it with some fresh basil, cracked pepper, and fleur de sal, and enjoyed every bite!

Joy, from savvycityfarmer.blogspot.com
brought me this sweet apron as part of my birthday package.
We have so enjoyed their company, and have loved the extra time this visit has allowed. With a family wedding this weekend, they had extra time to just sit around the farm and just chill. We can always count on some deep conversations concerning the Lord and our own relationships. "Iron sharpens iron", takes on new meaning when we are together.

almost...HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!

My birthday lunch...
Yesterday I spent the afternoon with 4 of my favorite gals...my daughters. They brought all the fixins for a lovely lunch....hummus (from the Pita House), crackers, cheese, veggies and dip, grilled chicken breasts and a huge tossed salad. From left to right:Krystal, Giselle, Cyn, Gina, and Avery. We got together on Thursday, as Saturday, my REAL birthday, will be spent waiting for savvycityfarmer.blogspot.com
Joy and hubby, Don, will be spending the next 6 days with us. We get there in the Chicago burbs once or twice a year, and they get here once a year. We spend months waiting for those few days together, then poof, they're gone. We can never believe how time flies when we are together. Can't wait for the fun and fellowship.

While we were enjoying our lunch, Beau, and one of Gina's boys, Dozer, played tug of war. When the girls leave, Beau is out like a light. Those dogs play rough, and he is just plum wore out by the time they are gone!

TAG....I'M IT!!!

I've been tagged by Mindy, over at peacefulcorner.blogspot.com
Thanks Mindy! (I think!!!!)

5 things in my freezer: chicken breasts, hamburger, bread, homemade pesto, tuna steaks

5 things in my closet: summer skirts, running bra, tylenol pm, nightie, slippers

5 things in my car: bible, bible notebook, orange scented air freshener, water bottle, city map for garage sales

5 things in my purse: lip balm, wallet, cell phone, hankie, comb

5 things in my wallet: spare truck key (don't ask), change, grocery receipt, library card, debit card

I don't think there are 5 people who read my blog, but if you do, THEN YOU'RE IT!

I COULD HAVE DANCED ALL NIGHT

I was 2 years behind Pete in school, so by the time we were dating, he had just graduated. He was happy to oblige when I wanted to go to my high school dances, tho. Here we are, going to Homecoming 1969.

I believe this was Sweetheart Swirl, 1971

Sweetheart Swirl, 1970

It's fun, once in a while, to walk down memory lane. I'm just glad I don't live there!
Life really began for us when we got born again, then filled with the Holy Ghost in 1978. First me, in Feb., then Pete in May.
I will always be grateful to the Lord for bringing Pete into the Kingdom so quickly after me. He knew I would need him!

BABY CYN

I look to be about maybe 1 year here. Geez Louise, I'm gonna be 53 next week, but I get to live forever! Thank God I have eternal life!
Have I done everything I'd hoped to do, back when I was much younger? Probably not.
Did I do "important" things? Not so much.
Do these things matter? Not in the scheme of things.
What really counts?
It's who I know!
My Father is THE King
My older brother is Jesus.
And the Holy Spirit and I hang out daily!
Now THAT'S a family tree!!!!

A CHICK CHICK HERE, AND A CHICK CHICK THERE...

I've been letting the girls out in the early evening, for a couple of hours. They forage around in the yard, get startled, race back to the safety of the hen house, then venture out again! Last evening, we had a bit of a rain shower start after they had been out for a while....they ran like crazy to safety, then as soon as the rain stopped, right back out.

Here is Ruby, peering between the Dutch couple.

Albie and ?, neck and neck.

I swear, these girls are more fun than TV. (unless you're comparing them to "The Office"....then it's a toss-up!)

IT'S HOT, HOT, HOT!!!!

SO hot here, as is most of the rest of the country. We all gathered at my stepdad's pool yesterday for some cooling off. Here is Krystal, Avery, and grandson, Austin.

Beau likes the pool too.

Keep away, played by all the kids and Pete.

Giselle, just enjoying the cool.

PECKING ORDER

Here is Lady Hawk, one of 3 Aracaunas we have. She is at the bottom of the pecking order. If there are Japanese Beetles being thrown in for the girls, she is the last one to get any. If there are scraps in the pie tin, she is the last to find out about it. She is either blind, or just mentally slow.

This is Albie (short for "Albino", which she is not, but she IS all white). She is at the head of the pecking order. When Lady Hawk gets too close, she will just give her a swift peck on the head. I feel very sorry for Lady Hawk. Even tho she is the largest of the girls, she definitely has an inferiority complex. I am thinking that Albie is a "first-born". She just has that bossy nature found in most first borns. You know who I'm talkin about!!!!