Weekends are for harvesting lavender

Lavender smells remind me of freshly cleaned linens blowing in the breeze on the clothesline.  It's the scent that I turn to everytime I want to relax and unwind from the day.  It's the scent that I frequently put in sachets that are secretly tucked away into all of our drawers.

In a small corner of our front garden, our lavender bush sits quietly and blooms beautifully every year producing a beautiful aroma of fragrant buds.

May all your wanderings this weekend be a sweet aroma to Him who created us. . .

Ephesians 5:2     
     Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.   

Celebrating Life

She and her brother wait anxiously on the front porch as the gentlemen set up this monsterous slide for our celebration of their lives.  "Can we keep the slide forever," she asks.  "No, honey," I reply, "the men have to take it back at the end of the day so that someone else can receive the joy you'll get from it today."  The wheels in her little braining turning - I could see that she was figuring out how many times she could slide during the day before the men returned.  The child-like simplicity of life at four!

All of our precious peas due a celebration of their lives, but this year we only have five remaining at home to enjoy this celebration.  Not only do they glorify God in all they do, but they bless their parents every day of their lives.  So we enjoy celebrating once a year with so many wonderful friends.

Secretly a thrill for the General Manager, making his famous ribs and chicken drumsticks are a highlight of the party.  No one leaves hungry and all family members from youngest to oldest get in on the fun.

We pray to thank God for our blessings, not only family, but friends, our home, our food and the beautiful day that we were given.  We find that we simply cannot pray enough thanksgiving for the gifts that we have been blessed with.

Relatively warm days are a rarity here in Northern California, so to watch sunscreen being applied was quite a surprise.

At the end of the day, the gentlemen return to take down the slide, sighs of disappointment murmur in the breeze that has blown in from the ocean nearby.  The clouds are beginning to roll in, letting us know the day is coming to a close.  As some large tears are shed, I wonder, "will Tractor Boy be able to wait until next year for another slide? "

I'm not sure, but I know that the memories that God gave us today will be remembered forever.

Praise his glorious name forever!Let the whole earth be filled with his glory.  Amen and amen  Psalm 72:19

Road trips are for spending time with family

Our trip to Sparks, Nevada was filled with moments of memories for all.  The sun was shining, the wind was blowing, the heat was just right and the mountain peaks above us still had a rather large patch of snow remaining.

It was wonderful finally getting to meet "Uncle Tom" or "UT" as most call him around those parts. We'll have to make sure it's not another 17 years before we see him again.  Everyone enjoyed Uncle Steve's pool.   The ride home was filled with talk of how we could get a pool at our house so that they could keep swimming.  They keep forgetting that our 60 degree weather makes for very cold swimming water.

Our nephew's Eagle Court Ceremony

Grandma with her grandkids

We got home in one piece and everything was well taken care of - even our chickens were excited to see us!

Weekends are for road trips . . . .

We are headed to Sparks, Nevada this weekend to partake in our nephew's Eagle Scout Court Ceremony.  We'll also be able to catch up with our second oldest daughter who recently moved out there to live with her grandparents. 

Everyone here is a little excited to go, even the littles who thought they'd be helpful by getting themselves packed.   We are looking forward to the time spent together as a family as we haven't taken a trip all together for two years now.

Have a blessed weekend!

Hold the Mayo Please

Soon potatoes will be harvested here in Northern California; providing a wonderfully tasty staple throughout the winter months.  We as a family love to make some very yummy recipes with potatoes such as Corn and Red Pepper Kielbasa Soup, Pot Roast with roasted potatoes, Beef Stew and Chicken and Dumplings.  But it was this recipe that stole the hearts and stomachs of everyone who attended our 5th Annual Bibby Birthday Bash this last weekend .

French Potato Salad

2 lbs Small Red Potatoes

2 TBSP Dry White Wine

3 TBSP Champagne Vinegar

2 TBSP Chicken Stock/Broth

1/2 tsp. Dijon Mustard

2 tsp. Salt

1/2 tsp. Pepper

6 TBSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/4 c Green Onions

1 TBSP Fresh Dill, minced

1 TBSP Parsley, minced

2 tsp. Basil

Boil a large pot of water; cook potatoes until cooked through - about 20 minutes.

Let cool and cut potatoe in half into a large bowl.  Add wine and chicken stock; let the liquids absorb after tossing.

Meanwhile combine vinegar, mustard, salt, pepper, and olive oil while wisking.  Add the vinegar mix, onions, herbs and toss well.

I'm looking forward to trying this over the winter months.  I especially like that it doesn't contain mayonnaise - - the majority of our family balks at the thought of mayonnaise in a recipe.  Be sure to let me know if you enjoy this recipe.