Visitors!

Hello All! What an amazing weekend!

We had two wonderful friends come to stay with us this weekend. Sweet Emily is came up from Des Moines area for Homecoming weekend. Isabel and Emily had quite a time. Isabel was excited about their adventures: first to the farmer’s market, then to the park, off to ‘the games’ (a Homecoming event for kids on the campus green). Isabel delighted in face painting, petting zoo, huge slide, candy, and stickers all while holding the hand of a dear friend.

In the evening, Eric took the kids on an old fashioned horse drawn carriage. We took pictures as they rode past our house!

We had another visitor as well, Eric’s friend Brian. They’ve been friends for 14 years. He is moving cross country, stopping to stay with us for a few days on his journey, he brought old stories of old girlfriends. Lots of laughter as we stroll down memory lane!

Yay for visitors!


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See Jane Work... See Me Drool

My Mom sent me a link to See Jane Work about two years ago and since then I’ve been an obsessive window shopper over at her site.


Then, this week on design*sponge sneak peeked the house of Kelli Osborn (of See-Jane-Work fame)!

Ah, I officially have a full on bloging crush on the house, design*sponge, see jane work… the whole shebang.

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I’m also making this Roasted Tomato Soup for dinner sometime this week!

First Day of Autumn

What is it about the start of fall that makes you want to create, cook from scratch, can a bunch of tomatoes, make pumpkin pie…. and on and on?


I’ve been trying to figure out some ways to save money, use up all of our delicious fresh eggs and eat less chemicals. What could be better than fresh mayonnaise? I hear its way better than store bought and think of all the ways you can customize it! Wasabi, chipotle, horseradish, chili and lime… o the possibilities are endless.

Wouldn’t that bread taste amazing with hearty artisan meats and homemade mayonnaise? Yum!

I made lots of pesto this last week, and so much more to make. I stopped when I ran out of pine nuts. Off to the market to pick up more, and then were back on track!

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We had the most lovely weekend, documented by my usually faithful Olympus E500. However, my 2 GB card had a hiccup and the new photos of my sweet ones are now just a recent memory.

Here’s a recap of the most relaxing family day we’ve had in a long time.

Izzo went to the Zoo in the morning with her best friend.
If you ask her how her day was she’ll say something like:
“I went to the zoo with Me and Lance and Wendy and Livy and Izzo.” (if you didn’t catch that she went, she’ll inform you twice).
“We saw big cats and a TIGER, there aren’t Lions there, Mom.”
“I wanted to ride on the monkey’s but Miss Wendy said no.”
“We got to ride on a panda!”



We went down to Oak Grove, a state park not to far from us. We skipped rocks and took a walk. The trees were just starting to change and the fields are all now a wonderful golden color. We counted cows and sang silly songs on the way home. We did a few other things, got fast food and had a picnic at a ‘NEW PARK’ that was half way home then headed to pumpkin land for a few minutes to see if we could pick a few, I think we’ll have to wait another week or two.

This week was a wonderful success! Sunday was very restful, just a few tacos for dinner, a trip to the park with Grandma Bonnie and Tammy, followed by snacks and book reading, ending with everyone in bed early.


Adventure for next weekend? Apple picking! Stay tuned!

Sneak Peek

An in-progress birthday treat for someone very sweet!

Autumn Road Trip

Dear Friends, this road trip is not mine, but I wish I could claim these amazing photos. My friend, co-worker and crafty cohort, Ann, took these on a Mom-Daughter road trip to North/Central, Iowa.

I wish I could take all of these gorgeous photos and turn them into water color paintings. I doubt I would do them justice!


This sign says what should be our motto for life.

All have been loaned to us,
Man did not create
Protect & Preserve.

Doesn't this make you want to take the road less traveled?

THE ROAD NOT TAKEN
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveller, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference

--Robert Frost

Whole Grain Bread

{No picture... it didn't stick around long enough}

You’ve never had bread like this… unless you hand grind your own wheat berries (no motors just muscle-power here friends) or you know someone who does. We met the most lovely family at the Orange City Farmer’s Market who bakes this amazing Sourdough bread from a long-standing starter made with organic, fresh ground whole wheat and other grains. I think I’m in love with this loaf of bread. AND to top it all off they have a bread delivery service. I could bake my own bread, but I could it can never touch the wheat flavor.

How is appeared in my house in the last 2 days:
Smothered with Cranberry Jalapeño Pepper Jelly
An accompaniment to chicken tortellini Soup
Thin sliced crostini served with bruchetta and chicken/pesto dip
Thick toast with sharp cheddar and poached eggs… and a touch of salt

Yum… the more details I get about this bread, the more I’ll share (details not bread… you’ve got to order your own)!

Miss Mary Pancakes

I made my original post about these super wonderful pancakes a few weeks ago. And I was reminded of it today, when I went home for lunch. Upon request, Aimee made ‘Miss Mary Pancakes’ for the kids.

Yogurt Pancakes
1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 1/4 cups vanilla yogurt
1/4 cup milk
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon cinnamon

In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients. Mix wet ingredients and pour into the dry ingredients and mix until smooth.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle or fry pan. Brown on both sides and serve hot. The yogurt makes the batter thicker and it takes a little longer to cook, but makes the best pancakes!

Raspberry Chcolate Muffins

This recipe is usually a farmer's market staple and a beloved home recipe. They don't last long! The batch doubles well and makes one dozen per batch.

Raspberry Chocolate Muffins

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup quick-cooking oats
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup canola oil (you can replace with apple sauce, but watch closer as they tend to get darker faster)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup fresh or frozen unsweetened raspberries (do not thaw berries if frozen)
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks

In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients. Combine the wet ingredients, I start with the eggs first, gently beaten then I mix into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in raspberries and chocolate chips. Fill paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full.

Bake at 375 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack.

Note, these muffins take on a dark golden brown from the oats, brown sugar and raspberries.
DO NOT substitute with blackberries, the baking powder and the blackberries makes for odd tasting muffins.

Pastor Larry Doughan

Most exciting news, our friend Larry Doughan published a new book Emails to Rail and will be doing a book signing at Butlers Cafe and Coffee on Friday, Sept 12 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and on Saturday, Sept 13 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. If your in Sioux Center, Iowa, come on by! 

Adventures in Pumpkin Land

Life has been so busy, but so good, refreshing.

My parents came to visit from California for a long weekend. There was much laughter, coffee and dessert, playing, book-reading, walk-taking, cake-baking. O yeah, and the short drive to the hospital that interrupted our morning at Pumpkin Land.


The morning started out just wonderful, if not a bit chilly at the Farmer's Market. The gang was all there; Tammy rode along with Grandmommy and Papa, Eric came with the Kiddo's. Aimee and Christian came to visit, so did Wendy, Lance and sweet Olivia. Izzo went to play at their house to warm up and wait until we all loaded up for Pumpkin Land.



Once there we took lots of nice photos and were busy picking out pumpkins. Isabel fell out of a wheel barrow—sparing details—had a big goose egg. She is just fine, I just needed someone in a white coat to tell me she would be okay.

We went back after lunch at the Blue Mountain Lodge and naptime. She had to see the animals and pick out the pumpkins we left from earlier in the day.

So many fun photos were taken this weekend, not near enough of Grandmommy and Papa.


Truman loved the pumpkins, Izzo loved the kitties.

Yay for Holidays!

We had a productive but lazy day. Puttered all day long, but got a lot of projects accomplished. Izzo helped me mop. She wanted the ‘floppy mop,’ filled it up with water, and proceeded to soak the kitchen floor. I followed with the spongy mop and soaked up most of the water. It was really fun. I took triple the time it would have taken by myself, but we spent a lot of one-on-one time together. She also helped me wash all the cupboards and oven. Everything from 2 feet down is washed in the kitchen. In honor of floor care, check out this crash course from Martha.

Truman started saying (yelling) HELLL-LLOOO! It’s the funniest thing I’ve ever heard.

While Isabel and I were mopping Eric put together our new grill. And it’s a propane grill! We’ve had charcoal for all of our married life. I agree that hardwood lump charcoal does have a better flavor but what if I just want chicken made??? Needless to say my voice was heard during the grill getting experience (the sale tag helped too)! The turkey burgers tasted just fine, thank you.

I tackled our neighbor’s rhubarb patch yesterday. Out of two plants we have four bags of rhubarb for freezing. She spent half of her summer in India so—with permission-- I made sure the Rhubarb didn’t succumb to the first frost. She’s grateful it’s done and I’m grateful for a fuller freezer. This also ensures in January, I could make these delicious looking hand-pies from angrychicken and dream of warm summer days.