The smell of wet pine needles mixed with a potpourri of wild flowers, ferns, mountain meadow grasses and mud produced a heady fragrance beyond anything one could find bottled on a store shelf. I inhaled the aroma deeply, stirring imaginations of cozy winter cabins warmed by fireplaces ablaze with crackling wood. White tennis shoes contrasted with deep dark brown dirt as we trod up the gentle slope. A neatly manicured trail led us along this sky-high peak at … Continue reading →
I missed catching the oldest son in the act of wrapping up the food The sound of aluminum foil being tugged is heard upstairs as he pulls the shining covering across the plate. It crinkles quietly as he folds the foil around the edges. The refrigerator door opens gently and the dish of left overs from dinner clinks against the shelf. Quietly, the door closes as he picks up Corning Ware baking dish in which the chicken was … Continue reading →
Crown of the Barrel Cactus~flower and fruit~bloom in the summer Summer in the Desert where pavement sizzles, rivulets of water trickle down the back, the thick air squeezes breath from lungs, and parched lips thirst for a drop of water . Where and when will relief come from the searing heat? The dark clouds roll in, lightning sparks the sky and thunder cracks the muggy silence. Buckets of rain pour from the heavens, temperatures drop 20 degrees, … Continue reading →
Papers multiplied on the kitchen table. Bills, ads, magazines, coupons, articles from the newspaper, a birthday card, that sweet note from a friend, teetered in stacks, and somewhere buried in the piles was a tuition check. I screeched when Hubby announced he was picking up the mail. “No,” I cried. I could not possibly stand another piece of paper in our home. Each night at dinner, the stacks were gathered up neatly and placed on empty chairs, … Continue reading →
In the wee hours of this morning, I recall the blessed weekend spent with family. It’s the first Sunday in a couple of months that we have been together the whole day. It’s the little things that bless our days abundantly. Little things like: 174) the early morning sunlight glinting off the open blinds its welcome to the new day 175) for a friend and sister-in-the-Lord helping with my back at Bible Study, even though I looked silly … Continue reading →
Are you looking for a quick meal that will please the whole family and keep it light for summer? Here’s a salad with some meat in it to make it a hearty meal that even my big guys like. Just remember that if you are making this recipe for man-sized appetites, you will need to at least double it for 4 servings. It’s chock full of yummy veggies–green pepper, tomatoes, green chilies, onions, and lettuce heaped with ground … Continue reading →
Negative thoughts assailed my mind from every angle. At first I did not realize I was under attack because the thoughts made sense. As I pressed my hand on the rug to boost myself up to my feet, I heard the first punch thrown, “Look at how the rug is matted down. You need to be a better housekeeper. What a mess this house is.” “Boy! Was that ever the truth,” I thought. Then the next one … Continue reading →
