Tuesday, October 31, 2023

{ Rain, freezing weather, and slow moments }

 

“Look deep into nature and then you will understand everything better.”

— Albert Einstein

 
 
The rain steadily came down, for the whole of last week, there wasn't a day, or night, where the rain was not present.  Sometimes loud and thunderous, and at other times slow, steady drizzle.
 
Windows were open, cool breezes wafted in filling the house with the scent of wet earth.  Candles were lit, blankets were pulled out of storage and soups and stews started appearing at the dinner table. 
 
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I made the best soup the other day, filled with veggies, some ground beef and macaroni noodles.  It was jam packed with nutrients, filling and warming.  In a sense, it kicked off this cold season.....and cold is definitely the key word.
 
I don't think I've seen such cold weather, this early on in October, and although that is good in a way because it's knocked off the insane heat from summer, it also makes me weary about the impending winter season.
 
The past two days we've had a freeze warning, and this morning, woke up to a sea of white icy grass and ice on the windshields of our vehicles.  Yes, cold weather is definitely here.  I think even the morning coffees taste better, when it's blistering cold outside. 

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There's something magical about dark rainy days.  The whole mood seems to be somber, but in a good way, or maybe that's just the way I like to see it.  It does provide quite beautiful photos.
 
Speaking of photos, I've been grabbing my camera and making sure to snap more tidbits of my day, the property and nature in general.  I almost forgot just how much I enjoyed photography. 

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As the rain continued outside, I focused on the chores inside.  Taking care of a home is not an easy task, it requires discipline to continually do the same thing, over and over, repeating and repeating, without losing steam.  
 
I find that for me the easiest way to do that is to, either play some worship music while I work, or pop on a documentary or podcast that I can mindlessly listen to, without having to pay attention to the screen.  Before I know it, everything is done, and the rest of the day (afternoon), is spent doing whatever I want, which usually includes Bible reading, devotional, Instagram, watching a Turkish show, or baking.

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Since I'm home now full time, without having to drive anyone around, my days have become all about homemaking full time, cooking meals, blogging and those things that I enjoyed so much, but had felt I had neglected for so long.

I've been getting immense pleasure out of cooking our family dinners, or baking a special cake or dessert, also looking for new recipes, and even writing them down, sometimes scribbled really fast, on a notebook I have.  At first I thought about writing it all neatly and trying somehow to separate them into sections, but I quickly realized that is just too much work and I would much rather have a notebook like my great grandmother did.

No doubt you all remember your mother's or grandmother's recipes, scribbled on random pieces of paper or notebooks, filled with little notes on the side, and splattered food stains.  What treasures they are, in this day and age.

I still have some of my grandmother's recipes, written by her, and I often look at the handwriting and reminisce about the moments we spent together.  It's hard to imagine that the handwriting on that paper is from someone who has already passed on.

My hope is that one day, my daughter or son, will want to keep my recipe notebook.  Hopefully I will have more than one, so they won't fight about it.  

Anyway, I am going to go and finish off my chores real quick, and take the chickens some snacks.  
 
See you all soon.
♥♥♥♥

{ Fixed Template }


 
 
I have to apologize for the previous template.  I didn't realize that it would be difficult to comment, or to figure out how to comment.  Thank you to Jean, for bringing it to my attention.

Sometimes we want to do something different, but as always, it's best to stick with what works.  

So, I've removed the other template and just went back to the simple, easy theme I had previously, and now everyone can comment again.  Truth be told, when Jean told me she took a while to figure out how to comment, I went to immediate check it out, and guess what?

I couldn't figure out how to comment either. *facepalm*

Anyway, it's all fixed.  Sorry again about that.

Monday, October 30, 2023

{ Happy Homemaker Monday - 10/30/2023 }


 
 
Good morning everyone, come on in out of the cold.  
 
I can hardly believe this is the last Happy Homemaker Monday, of October.  What?!?!?
 
May as well be middle of winter, as we're seeing very cold temperature, in the 20s and have a freeze warning in place.  I have a feeling we're heading for a very cold winter again.  
 
Anyway, come in, I'll pour you a cup of coffee, or tea, and we can have a chat.  As I'm sure you've noticed, the template has changed.  It's been a bit of pain in the you know what, but seems to be behaving at the moment, so we will leave it as is.
 
I'm going to try and get this post up as quick as I can, earlier than usual, because my allergies have been so bad the past week, that I woke up with itchy eyes, sneezing and a runny congested nose.  So I had to take my allergy meds which usually knock me out within 20 minutes.

If for some reason I disappear, that's what happened, I'm probably face down on the keyboard.  *Just kidding*  🤣

Have a blessed week friends!



*** The Weather ***
I can say, it is cold.  My goodness it's cold.  I'm glad to see the heat waves behind us, but I wasn't quite prepared to go from one extreme to the other.  Good ol' Texas though.
 
We've had some glorious rain the past week, which I really enjoyed, and I think there may be some more, but not sure.  Let's check our weather. 
 
Monday - Sunny, 47
Tuesday - Sunny, 53
Wednesday - Sunny, 59
Thursday - Sunny, 63
Friday - Sunny, 70
Saturday - Mostly sunny, 75
Sunday - Sunny, 76


*** Right now I am ***
Trying to get this post up as quick as possible. 
 

*** Thinking and pondering ***
My brain has shifted to Thanksgiving and Christmas.  I think Christmas this year is going to be very laid back, times are hard, things are so expensive.  I want to go back to the basics and either make most of the gifts, or keep it very low key. 
 

*** How I am feeling ***
Pretty cruddy with the allergies.  I'm tired of sneezing, tired of rubbing my nose, tired of blowing my nose, tired of scratching my eyes.  Ugh!!!
 

*** On the breakfast plate ***
I've had a cup of coffee, and will have some Instant Pot Oatmeal for breakfast, in about an hour or so.  
 
Instant Pot Oatmeal


*** On the lunch plate ***
We had some Subway for dinner last night, and I only ate half my sandwich, I'll have the other half for lunch. 
 

*** On the dinner plate ***
Febras no tacho com cerveja (Pork Chops in Beer Sauce), Mashed Potatoes and Carrots, Salad
 
 

*** On the menu ***
 
Monday - Febras no tacho com cerveja (Pork Chops in Beer Sauce), Mashed Potatoes and Carrots, Salad
Tuesday - Spaghetti Nests with Sausage and Spinach, Cheesy Garlic Monkey Bread
Wednesday - Crispy Tacos, Mexican Rice, Salad
Thursday - Frango na cebola (Chicken with onions), Macaroni Salad, Broccoli
Friday - Brazilian Hotdogs
Saturday - Kibbeh, Homemade Fries, Salad
Sunday - Onion and Potato Soup, Grilled Cheese and Tomato
 
 
 
*** What I am wearing ***
It's pretty early, so still in my pajamas, winter pajamas of course.  Will throw on some leggings and a long sleeve sweatshirt later. 
 

*** On my reading pile ***
Finished 1 Peter, moving on to 2 Peter.
Also started Francine River's, A Lineage of Grace.
 



*** On my TV this week ***
Youtube - Brazilian Homemaking Vlogs, Expedition Bible
Turkish shows - Bambaska Biri, Dizik Talesi, Hudutsuz Sevda
Rumble - Christian podcasts
 

*** Looking around the house ***
I need to carpet clean the living room and dining room.  We've had rain for a week, non stop, which means anytime Kaia goes out to potty, she comes back in with wet muddy paws.  I spot clean immediately, but I like to give the whole carpet a good clean after a few days. 
 

*** To do list ***
Carpet clean
Put away clean laundry
Take out meat for dinner and marinate
Make Pumpkin Bagels
Make yogurt lemon cake, for this week (I like to make a dessert each week, something we usually enjoy after dinner, as a family, while we play games)

 

*** From the camera ***
If a picture could show you, our past week, it would be this.  Absolutely love it when it rains.  I love how dark it gets, love the sound, the smell of the wet earth, and love seeing the rain drops hanging from flowers, branches and leaves.  




*** Something to share ***
I've mentioned Giselle's channel before, but just wanted to mention her again, in case you missed it.  Giselle Waldner is a Hutterite, living in a colony in Canada.  She shares her life and we get a special glimpse inside the Hutterite life.  
 
Giselle like many other girls, have chores and a routine they need to follow.  Each week, the older girls are tasked with cooking for the 100 plus colony members.  She takes us along and show us what she does, as well as the food, and even shares some recipes.   Hope you enjoy watching, as much as I do. 
 



*** Devotional, Bible Verses ***
I was listening to a Pastor/Prophet yesterday, and he said something that really stuck with me.  He was explaining why a lot of times we pray, then wonder why it doesn't come true.  What are we doing wrong?

He explained that we have a covenant with God, and we are to speak on that covenant when we are in prayer or asking for something.  We can't just ask God, because He knows what we need.  He wants us to stand on the covenant, stand on His word (the Bible) and invoke that.  

What he said was, we need to have Faith like God, or Godly faith.  What does that mean?

Well when God says something, He doesn't think about whether it will happen, because He knows it will happen.  So we are to believe it in our hearts, speak it out through our mouth, and it comes to pass.  

That may not mean anything to you, but it hit me like a ton of bricks.  I'm still learning so much, but one thing I've been focused on, is speaking His word back to Him when in prayer.  In other words, "Lord you SAID in your word that.......I speak so and so........"  I hope that makes sense.

But, my faith is something I still struggle with, and that revelation hit me so hard, and changed the way I pray going forth.  Hope it helps you too. 
 


Monday, October 23, 2023

{ Happy Homemaker Monday - 10/23/2023 }


 
Good morning ♥

I hope this Monday finds you all doing well, and that your weekend was relaxing, and well spent with family.  
 
I am preparing for a week of cooler temperatures and lots of rain.  No doubt, my favorite kind of weeks, raining, soups, candles.
 
We had a wonderful slow weekend, you can read all about it in my previous post, and I find that weekends like that help set the tone for the rest of the days that follow.  
 
I'm going to get this post up for you all, then I am thinking of changing my template again.  I've been having some issues with the html code on this one, and can get quite frustrating at times.  So if you see craziness within the next few hours, or if you come in and everything looks out of order, please bear with me and check again later.  I'll try to get it up and running as fast as I can.
 
With that said, let's get on with our Happy Homemaker Monday.  Wishing you all a blessed homemaking week. ♥


Sunday, October 22, 2023

{ A Typical Weekend }

 


Some weekends fly by, and seem to be a continuation from the week.  You know what I mean?

As in, you can't really distinguish between a week day or a weekend, because you're so busy, you don't get to rest and take it slow.  

I have to admit that I have far more of those, than actual weekend days where I get up slowly, potter around, and relax all day.  But, when those days come around, I take full advantage.

This weekend has been one of those......slow mornings, cups of coffee, homemade bread with yummy butter, family meals eating through bouts of laughter, games, tv shows, naps and some normal daily homemaking sprinkled in between.

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Wednesday, October 18, 2023

{ Wednesday catch up }

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It's been a while.  It feels almost awkward sitting down to compose a post, but in a way it feels familiar too.

Well, here I am, on this beautiful Wednesday morning.  I just finished my coffee, my second cup of coffee that is, and I'm sitting on my bed with my furry babies.  

I was just about to get up and get ready for the day, but felt like I needed to come in and say hi.  

I tried last week to put up a post, multiple times, but it felt like I had hit a wall.  Where I used to come in, sit down and the words would just flow through me onto the keyboard, I felt like I didn't know how to even start a blog post.  How strange is that?

When I grabbed my laptop this morning, I had the same initial feeling, and then it washed over me, this feeling of "it's your journal, you don't need to say anything profound, just speak from the heart, talk about your day or whatever else comes to mind."  Like I used to.....obviously!

So, no trying to figure out what I'm going to talk about, I'm just going to let it go and see which direction it leads me.
 

Monday, October 16, 2023

{ Happy Homemaker Monday - 10/16/2023 }

 
Good morning everyone, welcome back.  
 
Come on in out of the cold, and sit a little, with a cup of coffee or tea.  The weather has cooled down, a lot, and mornings we are seeing low 40s, which feels amazing.  I'm very happy to know that we're past the horrid heat.
 
So let's sit a little, gather our thoughts, get ready for the week ahead, and pray for each other.
 
Sandra 
♥♥♥♥♥♥ 

Monday, October 09, 2023

{ Happy Homemaker Monday - 10/09/2023 }

 
Good morning everyone.It is a cool Fall morning, here in Texas. 
 
The windows and doors are open, letting in fresh air, it feels so good to have lower temperatures, and to be able to feel the cool air in the early morning. 
 
Before we get started, I just want to send out prayers to Israel. Over the weekend, we have seen horrible footage and heard devastating news. My heart has been so heavy not only for the innocent lives lost in Israel but also the innocent lives that will be impacted in Palestine too. 
 
War is never a good thing, it is horrifying and even though we know that casualties are expected, it still hurts our souls.  
 
I hope you all have a peaceful and restful week. Remember how blessed we are to live in this wonderful country. 
 
Sandra 
♥♥♥♥♥♥ 
 

Thursday, October 05, 2023

{ Cooking Thursday - Turkish Flatbread Pizza Pide }

Good morning, welcome back to our Cooking Thursday.  

I've missed sharing recipes with you all, and I have quite a few new ones to bring and introduce to you.  I think you will enjoy them, as much as my family has.

The first one I'm sharing with you today, is for these delicious Turkish Pizzas, they are a very common street food.  They are a flatbread pizza that come stuffed with a variety of fillings.  The Pide originated in the city of Samsun,  in the Turkish Black Sea region, and has been a favorite since 1725.  The flatbread is shaped into a boat, or a flat American football, if that helps you visualize it.
 
 
 
This was my first attempt at making these, so although they were absolutely delicious, I wasn't thrilled with the final look.  It takes a bit of practice to make sure the Pide doesn't open up, and stays flat around the edges.

Anyway, I hope you will enjoy this recipe, it is a great alternative to your usual Friday night pizza.  

The recipe I'm sharing with you, is from one of my favorite Turkish channels on Youtube.  I just love Aysenur, she is such a sweet lady and shares so many wonderful recipes.  Be sure to give her a follow.

Wednesday, October 04, 2023

{ Hello October, I am back }

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The temperatures have dropped, days are getting shorter, and there is a feeling of coziness and warmth, that is slowly spreading across my home.

My favorite time of year, has descended upon us, and with it, it has brought a slowness that I was desperately needing.  I have been waiting with baited breath.  I sometimes feel that I hold my breath during summer, because instead of it being a lazy, relaxing time, it usually is a terribly busy, chaotic, constant on the go time of year.  At least for me and my family.

So here I am.....I am back!  Back where I belong, back where I want to be and so incredibly thankful and grateful, to be sitting with at this computer, and typing up a blog post.

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Monday, October 02, 2023

{ Happy Homemaker Monday - 10/02/2023 }

 
 
Good morning friends, come on in and sit with me a little.  
 
It is officially October, which makes me soooooo happy.  I can say that we are now entering my favorite time of year, although we still have some hot weather looming over us.  Ready for that to go.
 
So, October is here, and I can say that with it, I am back as well.  It's been a back and forth, for a while.  Me wanting to return full time to blogging, but life holding me back and not allowing.  As frustrating as that was, I have learned to go with the flow, and not force things to happen when they are not ready to.  All in good time, right?
 
Yesterday, I finally felt it was the right moment, so I'm quite excited to jump right back in, and to be here, more present, during this wonderful time of year.  I can't wait.
 
If you've noticed (and I'm sure you already did), I also cleaned up the blog a little, changed the header and the background, just to make it more Fall like.  
 
So, without further ado, let's jump right into our post for today.  I wish you all a very blessed week ahead, may you be blessed, may you receive good news, may you feel rested and happy and healthy.  
 
Sandra

 


♥♥ The Weather ♥♥
Still seeing temperatures close to 100.  But, we did have some rain that brought in the green grass again, so that makes me smile.  I know soon it will all go brown again, so I'll just enjoy it for the time being.
 
 
Monday - Sunshine and a few clouds, 94
Tuesday - Partly cloudy, 93
Wednesday - Thunderstorms, 90
Thursday - Partly cloudy, 82
Friday - Mostly sunny, 78
Saturday - Partly cloudy, 73  
Sunday - Mostly sunny, 77


♥♥ As I look outside my window ♥♥

It is still early morning, so it's dark outside, the sun hasn't yet made it's appearance.  Our back porch light is on, and I can see some moths fluttering around by the lamp. 


♥♥ Right now I am ♥♥
Still sitting in bed, in the dark, with Elliott sleeping next to me.      


♥♥ Thinking and pondering ♥♥

I will talk more about this in an upcoming post, but yesterday I did something that was completely out of my comfort zone.  I was obedient to God, and went where He told me to.  It was scary, but very rewarding, so that is on my mind.
 

♥♥ How am I feeling ♥♥
My lower back is absolutely killing me.  The older I get, the more it bothers me, but I've been to the doctor and everything is fine.  Just takes me a while to get going in the mornings with this stiff back.     


♥♥ On the breakfast plate ♥♥
I've just finished my first cup of coffee.  When I start my day, in about an hour, I will have another, and for breakfast I am in the mood for oatmeal, so that is what I'll have.                     
 

♥♥ On the lunch plate ♥♥
Probably a sandwich, I'm not sure.         
 
 
♥♥ On the dinner plate ♥♥
Pasta alla Norma, Salad          
 
 
♥♥ What I'm wearing ♥♥
Black maxi dress.        
 

♥♥ On my reading pile ♥♥
My Bible.
 
 
♥♥ On my TV this week ♥♥
Bambaska Biri
Cukur
Homemaking vlogs 


♥♥ On the menu ♥♥

Monday - Pasta alla Norma, Salad   
Tuesday - Baked Fish in Tomato and Onion sauce, Curried rice
Wednesday - Chicken Cacciatore, Orzo, Salad
Thursday -   Spaghetti Bolognese, Garlic Foccaccia
Friday - Chicken Shawarma, Garlic Fries
Saturday - Leftovers, Sandwiches, whatever is on hand
Sunday - Roast Chicken, Potato Onion Bake


♥♥ Looking around the house ♥♥

I still haven't put out the Fall decorations, so today is the day.     


♥♥ To Do List ♥♥
- House - usual home daily chores
- Kitchen - Prep for the week, make sandwich bread, wash and cut up veggies for freezer, cut up fruit for fridge

 
♥♥ From the camera ♥♥
This beautiful plant that I have been tending to.  I don't know what kind of plant it is, it was gifted to us by our cousin's husband.  If you know, please tell me it's name.  
 

 

♥♥ Devotional ♥♥ 
Today I want to share with you, a video from The Bible Project.  I just recently learned about this wonderful website, and have been fascinated by the videos.  It makes understanding the Bible, so much easier.  I thought I would share with you today, this short video on the Tabernacle.  I think you will enjoy it.