Stuffed Banana Peppers…oh yeah

I thought I wasn't hungry.

I spent today canning pickles, weeding the garden, running around gathering herbs from both garden and store. My kitchen was scented with fresh dill (Thank You Felicia!) and vinegar brine.

But, I had a nagging headache most of the day and I just wasn't hungry.

Then I started making stuffed peppers using banana peppers (even if they were still a little on the smaller side) and a few green bell peppers supplied by the garden. I searched Pinterest until I found a recipe that looked easy, appealing and one I could use to put the extras into the freezer.

There may not be any extras to freeze.

These Stuffed Banana Peppers are quite tasty and after eating four of them, I decided that maybe I had been hungry. A little. But now, not at all. I am feeling quite satisfied.

Here's where I got the recipe in case you were wondering:

 http://www.grit.com/food/recipe-for-stuffed-banana-peppers.aspx

We added mozzarella, cheddar, feta and Parmesan cheeses. Oh yeaaaaaahhhh.
There is nothing like using ingredients from your own garden.
Tomatoes and peppers, mmm-mmm good.

Love,
Dianne

Crossing the Road

Why did the chicken(s) cross the road? 

You want to know, you know you do.

I wish I knew. I really do, but they won't tell. 

Actually I was just glad they kept their distance. 

The big guy likes to give chase to unsuspecting pedestrians.

He has a very large personal space and always thinks we are in it. 

So, giving Mr. Rooster a wide berth,

Adrienne and I went out the lane. 

We knew why we were crossing the road. 

"Why?" you ask.

To get to Whispering Pines of course. 

I used to have a hardware store at the end of my lane. 

Tempting for Leo perhaps, but not so much for me although it did come in quite handy on occasion.

Okay, many occasions. 

But then, it was gone and Whispering Pines moved in. 

You could say that my decorating style is W.P. 

You could say that maybe, just maybe, if I let it grow, I could have an obsession. 

Crossing the road, we went shopping for wedding gifts. 

See how convenient. 

See how much I saved on gas.

See how I got my exercise in while doing something productive.

Then we walked to the Crossroads and back home again,

Jiggity-jig.

Don't these trees remind you of "The Sound of Music"?

When the children are in the trees,while wearing curtains? 

It's what I always think of. 

We crossed the road again and went down the lane.

The chickens never did cross the road. 

Go figure. 

Love,

Dianne

A Hair-raising Recipe

Take one almost 10 year old boy with a comb.

Add in his mother. 

Toss in a few hair ties 

and a pinch of creativity.

Pull gently, so as to not scalp the mother.

Occasionally yank the hair tie out and start over.

Do this for about 30 minutes until you reach the desired result. 

Just follow the steps, in order, as shown below: 

The final result. 

A little 80's perhaps.

A little Punky Brewster perhaps.

A lot of fun with my boy.

Not a perhaps, but a definitely. 

Love,

Dianne

Big as Sky, Small as Bugs

Evening has drawn to a close and nighttime is upon us once again. This is one of those nights where I find myself already stressing about tomorrow and don't really have a reason why. I think about what I want to get accomplished and already am feeling that I won't get any of it done. Negative thinking only gives a negative outcome.

I need to just put the brakes on that way of thinking. Not only the brakes, but I need to put it entirely out of commission before it even takes hold. But how? I put my head into my hand, adopting a Winnie-The-Pooh posture, saying "Think, think, think".

Hmmm, nothing.

I better drink some coffee. With caramel drizzled on top.

But it's nighttime and caffeine is not the wisest of choices. Now, chocolate on the other hand, in small quantity, is perfectly acceptable. I think I have a jar of caramel in the fridge just perfect for dipping.

Okay, back to "think, think, thinking."
And then I decide to do some walk, walk, walking. Dusk was almost complete, the moon was midway in it's ascent to its peak in the night sky, and the sky was giving one final nod to the day nearly done.

What is it about the sounds that fill the evening, the cadence of crickets, the hum and whir of a multitude of other bugs that make me feel even smaller than they are? Not small in a bad way, but small in comparison to the God who created all of this.

What is it about the sheer vastness of the sky that makes me want to soar? To face tomorrow with determination (defined as "a firmness of purpose"~wow, I like that!) not a defeatist mentality.

In my own strength, I am weak. But I am thankful that God, being the creator of crickets and skies, is my strength. I can't explain it. I can't define it. It just is. He just is. I am most likely not going to get everything accomplished tomorrow that I would like, but I can decide to quit being so ridiculously negative about it.

Remind me tomorrow, okay? Keep me accountable. I don't want to write one thing and do another, but boy-oh-boy is it ever difficult sometimes. I think that's another reason I blog; I want to be real and I don't want to present as a "perfect, have-it-all together" woman in public but then struggle and fail in private. When I put the struggles out there, I don't have to hide behind a facade. And it gives me incentive to try, to put my best foot forward, one step at a time, one day at a time.

Psalm 59:16
But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.

Habakkuk 3:19
The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights.

Love,

Dianne

Threads of Dreams

When I dream, I often have recurring themes, or ideas. Like…

…tornadoes, which I dreamt about today while I slept. Usually more than one happens at time and I see them form and circle around where I am. I am not always at my house, but in the dream today, I was home and I made sure I got the kids to the basement, grabbed blankets and my scrapbooks, praying that the rest of the photos would be fine. I am usually near a house or barn in these dreams or I am on a road, walking, always just out of reach.

…middle school. These must've have really been impressionable years for the feelings to still show up years later. Often, these dreams involve my locker; I can't remember the combination or I simply can't remember which one is mine. I am always running late. I always have a pile of books. I am always wearing a dress. I am usually feeling anxious.

…my parent's house. When I dream about my home place, it is never about the house as it is now, it is always as it was when I lived there. We lived in the basement, with the upstairs partially complete until the year I got married. So in these dreams, I am always in the basement. I am usually trying to get ready for school or work and I am focusing on combing my hair, which of course, is never right. I do and re-do my style and I just can't get it right. I usually miss the bus.

…the barn at my grandparents. Usually occurring in the hayloft, I just dream that I am playing there. There is a ledge at the one end where you would throw hay down and when I am dreaming, I usually either jump or fall over that ledge to the hayloft below. I am always barefooted.

…work. I don't like dreaming about work and I usually do the night before I have to actually go to work. These dreams involve forgetting about patients, leaving isolette doors open, occasionally a baby falling to the floor, and falling asleep while working. Stressful dreams and I usually wake up, very relieved that it was just a dream.

…walking in high heels.  I can't. I just can't make my feet go, one in front of the other. They hit it each, one ankle leaning awkwardly to the side. Or my feet are so heavy, that I can barely lift them to take a step. Going up steps is nearly impossible. It usually feels so real and there is always a part of me that always wonders if I really dreamt it or has that ever happened.

Dreams. Weird stuff sometimes that comes out of the subconscious. Whether the threads that run through are actual memories, feelings or just random happenings of a day, it is amazing how the mind puts it together. How it makes perfect, logical sense in a dream, but when you awaken and think about it, it really makes no sense at all.

Dreams. Something to think about. But not too much or I might dream about dreaming and who knows where that would take me.

Love,
Dianne

Favorite Things Today

A Few of My Favorite Things on August 12, 2013

Raindrops on Roses (if I had any blooming)

Downpours and downspouts 

that keep my blossoms from drooping

Two lovely daughters that help with the beans…..

These are a few of my favorite things.

Lots of fresh produce

from my own garden,

green beans 

and squashes 

and lovely bell peppers,

Don't forget the cucumbers

climbing on vines…

these are a few of my favorite things. 

My first gladiola

pink as can be.

Words aren't really necessary 

as you can see. 

This is one of my favorite things. 

Then there's the zinnias,

all so very snappy

making me smile 

and feeling so happy.

And last but not least

are my $2 bottles,

bought at a rainy day auction.

Lined up in rows 

on my kitchen windowsill,

awaiting a project or two or three. 

And these are a few of my favorite things….

to keep my mind in a happy frame of thought 

as I go off to work….

Love,

Dianne

A Peek Into My Sunday

And this, my friends, is how to spend a Sunday afternoon...

Relaxing at Deep Creek Lake…

with the two youngest kids wishing their mom would stop taking pictures.

Relaxing and reading a Duck Dynasty book in the shade…

Leo doesn't like the sun much. 

Poor guy. 

I, on the other hand, enjoyed soaking up the rays of sunshine,

which have been in short supply as of late. 

Ah yes, me and a Kate Morton novel. 

The little guy got into it, literally. 

Heather buried him and he stayed put for all of 7.8 seconds. 

Though it took him a while to get into the water (which was cold!),

he finally did and worked on a castle and moat. 

Then it was time to head out towards home,

but not before the car swung into Katie's for Ice-Cream.

Oh Sum-sum-summertime, 

I love summertime. 

A pumpkin pie flurry…

First time having one, but not the last. 

Mmmmmmm……

(See Heather, I posted one of me too!)

Detour on the way home at my parents.

Fun with a cousin is on the menu. 

Bubbles...

…and hide-and-go-seek.

Gotcha!

Sam's turn to hide as Ryan seeks.

 Sam, hiding in plain sight, exclaiming, "Here I am!"

when Ryan just couldn't seem to find him. 

And this is just because everyone needs a little silly face to end their day with:

Really, I just don't know where they get this from. 

Love and Happy Sunday!

Dianne