Menu Plan Monday for June 29

A dark, rainy, coolish day [again!] here in northern New England. Lately we have had far more rain than sun. In fact, our newspaper reported that we had (I may have these reversed, but it's still a lot of rain!) twice as much rain as is normal for the month of June, and five times as much rain as last June. Here's my menu plan, including, as it often does, meals that didn't get used last week:

MONDAY: Hot Turkey Sandwiches, Stuffing, Squash, Cranberry Sauce

TUESDAY: Turkey Soup, Cranberry Oat Bread

WEDNESDAY: Pizza, Pasta Salad or Soup

THURSDAY: Mt. Cube Hash (a baked casserole -- layers of carrots, potatoes, ground beef, onions, tomato soup), Baking Powder Biscuits

FRIDAY: Greek Spinach Pie, 3-Bean Salad

SATURDAY: Hot Dogs, French Fries, Coleslaw

SUNDAY: (cookout after church) I am signed up to bring hamburger patties and a dessert. Not sure yet what it will be, probably something patriotic-looking.

If you would like to see menus which others have shared, head over to I'm an Organizing Junkie and check out the links. Often, well over 300 people share links to their weekly menus. You'll find some great ideas and often recipes too.

Show & Tell Friday for June 26

Here are a few more strawberry items from my collection. It's strawberry season here in northern New England, so I guess it's appropriate.

This is my most recent acquisition... a gift from my lovely friend Gail. She saw it and thought of me. Isn't it beautiful? I didn't have a strawberry clock -- or any clock, other than the ones on appliances -- in my kitchen, so this will be most useful.

Another friend made me some cute fabric-covered binder clips. Two of them had a strawberry theme. These are handy in the kitchen for closing bags of chips, cereal, etc.

This blurry photo (the best of two I took) depicts a strawberry-themed magnet on my fridge.

These strawberry teas were all gifts over the years. One of them is packaged in a tin and one in a wooden box.

I've had this strawberry hot mat for years. It's looking a bit shabby but I still love it.

These crocheted potholders were made by my friend Lorraine. They are done in the afghan stitch with the strawberries cross-stitched on.

Aren't these strawberry bugs the cutest things? They were a gift from my sister-in-law Betty.

This is one of my very favorite strawberry items. It's a tart warmer for wax tarts. A Yankee Candle lemon tart is in place. My daughter and son-in-law gave me this some years ago, and I decided to use it on my porch table this summer. The runner beneath it is a strawberry print linen towel.

That is my simple Show & Tell for today. To see what others have shared for Show & Tell Friday, head on over to There is No Place Like Home.

Happy Show & Tell Friday!

Derailed!

Well, my back-on-track challenge has completely fizzled out. It's not that every day has been a total loss, but there have been very few days where I felt "on track" in every area.

Again, I've kept up with my daily devotions and with basic homekeeping tasks. I do want to do a major cleaning and decluttering of my house. I've managed to fit in a little exercise most every day and have eaten well most of the time. I've done well at making routines and scheduling on some days, and completely ignored them on other days. I'm still not back to where I want to be with Bible study and Scripture memory(other than to prepare my Sunday School lessons), and time for creativity has been nearly nonexistent.

So I'm trying again, working on the theory that it takes 21 days to build a habit, with the goal of being completely back on track by July 15.

As before, here are the areas I'll be working on:

* Health & energy

* Devotional life

* Homemaking

* Creativity

I will try and check in every day and post about how I'm doing.

If anyone else is still feeling as sidetracked as I am, feel free to join me in this challenge!

Menu Plan Monday for June 22

A dark, drizzly, cool morning [again!] here in northern New England. Lately we have had far more rain than sun. Here's my menu plan, including, as it often does, meals that didn't get used last week:

MONDAY: Roast Turkey, Mashed Potatoes, Squash, Cranberry Sauce (I am roasting a turkey we bought and froze right after Thanksgiving, with the idea of producing lunch meat for the week.)

TUESDAY: Greek Spinach Pie, 3-Bean Salad

WEDNESDAY: Calzone, Pasta Salad

THURSDAY: Mt. Cube Hash (a baked casserole -- layers of carrots, potatoes, ground beef, onions, tomato soup), Baking Powder Biscuits

FRIDAY: Sliced Turkey, Potato Salad, Cranberry Jello Salad, Biscuits

SATURDAY: Hot Dogs, Homemade Baked Beans, Coleslaw (This has become our standard Saturday night meal; I sometimes make a simple macaroni salad rather than coleslaw.)

SUNDAY: Italian Wedding Soup, Focaccia Bread

If you would like to see menus which others have shared, head over to I'm an Organizing Junkie and check out the links. Often, well over 300 people share links to their weekly menus. You'll find some great ideas and often recipes too.

Show & Tell Friday for June 19

For show and tell today, here are a few more strawberry items from my collection.

This is my kitchen wallpaper. Old, but I still love it.

I think I showed this before in a different context, but this is a tea towel wall hanging I made with a strawberry theme. This is such a fun project that I want to make more with different recipes. I've made several of them, but the strawberry one is the only one I kept for myself.

This strawberry glass and plate were a gift from one of my granddaughters.

Here is a vintage Strawberry Shortcake juice glass and a strawberry mug someone gave me.

This clear glass strawberry dish was a gift also.

This strawberry tray is probably from the 1970s.

I have 2 of these strawberry potholders and use them all the time.

I absolutely love this beautiful strawberry plate. It is one of the few items in my collection that I actually bought for myself.

That is my simple Show & Tell for today. To see what others have shared for Show & Tell Friday, head on over to There is No Place Like Home.

Happy Show & Tell Friday!

From a scrap of yellow paper...

I'm facing something potentially quite difficult today. As I often do, I picked up the classic devotional Streams in the Desert to begin my quiet time. Of course, my time will also include Bible reading and study, and a time of prayer. But sometimes I pick up this little book to begin the time.

The reading for today was encouraging, but here's the neat thing that happened: As I opened to the page for June 16, there was a small piece of yellow paper torn from a little loose-leaf notebook. Written on it was a quote from John Donne, the English clergyman and poet who wrote in the 1600s. These words are his thoughts on Psalm 62. He wrote:

"He is my rock, and my salvation, and my defense, and my refuge and my glory.

If my refuge, what enemy can pursue me?

If my defense, what temptation shall wound me?

If my rock, what storm shall shake me?

If my salvation, what melancholy shall deject me?

If my glory, what calumny shall defame me?"

Psalm 62:5-8 says:

"My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from Him.
"He only is my rock and my salvation: He is my defense; I shall not be moved.
"In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.
"Trust in Him at all times: ye people, pour out your heart before Him: God is a refuge for us."

I hope that these verses and the thought from a little scrap of yellow paper are an encouragement to you today as they were to me.

A Homemade Life

Recently I came across a recipe for a skillet meal that called for fajita seasoning mix. Every now and then I do see a recipe that calls for a packet of this mix, and I knew there had to be a homemade substitute out there. I did a little looking and found this one. I always like it when a taco seasoning mix calls for some cornstarch, because it does thicken somewhat as the store-bought taco seasoning does. So, when I saw this recipe, I knew it was the one I wanted to try. I was very, very pleased with the result in my pork skillet meal with southwestern flavors.

FAJITA SEASONING MIX

3 Tblsp. cornstarch
2 Tblsp. chili powder
1 Tblsp. sugar
1 Tblsp. paprika
1 Tblsp. chicken bouillon granules
2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. onion powder
3/4 tsp. garlic powder
3/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
3/4 tsp. cumin

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Mix thoroughly to be sure all cornstarch lumps are blended in. Transfer to a small jar or tin and use as needed in recipes which call for fajita seasoning. 2 Tablespoons mix approximates to one store-bought package of fajita seasoning mix.

If you would like to see other homemade ideas, be sure and check out Life on a Back Road. You will find lots of inspiration there!

Menu Plan Monday for June 15

A dark, drizzly, cool morning here in northern New England. Here's my menu plan:

MONDAY: Antipasto Salad ( a main-dish pasta salad leftover from Sunday's potluck at church), Focaccia Bread

TUESDAY: Basque Soup, Cheddar Cheese Bread

WEDNESDAY: Calzone, Pasta Salad

THURSDAY: Mt. Cube Hash (a baked casserole -- layers of carrots, potatoes, ground beef, onions, tomato soup), Baking Powder Biscuits

FRIDAY: Greek Spinach Pie, 3-Bean Salad

SATURDAY: Hot Dogs, Homemade Baked Beans, Coleslaw

SUNDAY: Beef Barley Soup, Oatmeal Bread

If you would like to see menus which others have shared, head over to I'm an Organizing Junkie and check out the links. Often, well over 300 people share links to their weekly menus. You'll find some great ideas and often recipes too.

Show & Tell Friday for June 12

I had a lovely morning with my friend Lynne and so did not get a show & tell posted yet. For today, though, I decided to share some interesting prints from my fabric stash.

Here is the oldest one (in this group). I think my great-aunt gave me this. The print is vintage red and green, but is not in the least Christmasy. In fact, the motifs are rather summery.

This flocked daisy print was a remnant, I think, from something one of my daughters made. I love the fuzzy daisies.

I used this fabric for a cookbook cover one time, and made a neat hot mat from it more recently.

My daughter gave me this fabric with a French street scene. Sorry I got the fabric in the scanner a bit crooked. There is much more to the scene, but this gives you an idea.

This Alexander Henry print reminds me of the illustrations in Dick & Jane books. I purchased this at Keepsake Quilting.

This woodsy, wintry fabric is one I've had for a long time. Each little vignette (cabin, skis, deer, snowflakes, etc.) is framed in birch twigs. I hope to use this fabric in some way when we redo our living room.

This nifty soda pop-bottle print was one I recently found at a local thrift store. There's only a small amount of it, and I think I will eventually make some cloth napkins from it.

That is my simple Show & Tell for today. To see what others have shared for Show & Tell Friday, head on over to There is No Place Like Home.

Happy Show & Tell Friday!

Menu Plan Monday for June 8

A bright sunny morning here in northern New England, though rain is predicted for the rest of the week. Here's my menu plan:

MONDAY: Greek Pasta Salad with Chicken, Italian Sweet Bread (leftover from Sunday's potluck at church)

TUESDAY: Oven-Barbecued Ribs, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans

WEDNESDAY: Calzone, Pasta Salad

THURSDAY: Macaroni & Cheese, Peas, Coleslaw

FRIDAY: Greek Spinach Pie, 3-Bean Salad

SATURDAY: Hot Dogs, Homemade Baked Beans, Coleslaw

SUNDAY: (potluck at church -- these are my tentative thoughts) Antipasto Salad, Focaccia Bread, Cookie Dough Brownies

If you would like to see menus which others have shared, head over to I'm an Organizing Junkie and check out the links. Often, well over 300 people share links to their weekly menus. You'll find some great ideas and often recipes too.

Back-on-Track Challenge, Days 13-17

My, my, I have fallen down on even posting my progress on the back-on-track challenge. Life has taken a busy turn, and will be even busier as we move farther into the month of June. But here's how it's been going, as best I can remember.

Day 13 (Monday):

* Health & energy: ate healthy all day, exercised, drank plenty of water, kept up with BCI

* Devotional life: good quiet time, worked on Bible study for Sunday School lesson

* Homemaking: wrote out a schedule, did many weekly home blessing tasks, did lots of laundry, worked in zone 1

* Creativity -- worked in my journal

Day 14 (Tuesday):

About as far off track as a day can get. 'Nuff said.

Day 15 (Wednesday):

* Health & energy: ate healthy all day, drank plenty of water, kept up with BCI

* Devotional life: good quiet time, worked on Bible study for Sunday School lesson

* Homemaking: wrote out a schedule, pretty much stuck with routines

* Creativity: worked in my journal and also on the "Grammy Gazette", a little newsletter I write to stay in touch with our grandkids

Day 16 (Thursday):

* Health & energy: ate healthy all day, exercised, drank plenty of water, kept up with BCI

* Devotional life: good quiet time, worked on Bible study for Sunday School lesson

* Homemaking: wrote out a schedule, pretty much stuck with routines

* Creativity -- worked on the Grammy Gazette

Day 17 (Friday):

* Health & energy: went for both a morning and evening walk, ate healthy all day, exercised, drank plenty of water, kept up with BCI

* Devotional life: good quiet time, worked on Bible study for Sunday School lesson, started memorizing a scripture passage

* Homemaking: wrote out a schedule, pretty much stuck with routines

* Creativity -- worked in my journal, spent some time cross-stitching on a Christmas ornament

As is obvious, I'm not doing too well with this challenge. I've decided to extend it to the end of June and see if I can't get truly back on track.

Quote for today

A happy life is not built up of tours abroad and pleasant holidays, but of little clumps of violets noticed by the roadside, hidden away almost so that only those can see them who have God's peace and love in their hearts; in one long continuous chain of little joys, little whispers from the spiritual world, little gleams of sunshine on our daily walk." ~ Edward Wilson

A Homemade Life ~ June 6

Here are a couple of homemade items I keep on hand all the time. When we run out, I always make more so we will have these things on hand.

Homemade Italian Dressing

1/2 cup vinegar
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup oil
1 Tblsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. sweet pepper flakes

Combine all in a 2-cup measure or in a small bowl. Use a funnel to transfer to a salad dressing bottle or cruet. (I use a cool-looking recycled Star vinegar bottle.) Shake well before using. Makes just over 1 cup.

Homemade Instant Oatmeal

6 cups quick-cooking oats
1 1/3 cups nonfat dry milk powder
1 cup dried apples, snipped in small pieces with scissors (or use about 1 cup raisins)
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 Tblsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground cloves

In a large bowl, combine all and stir well. Transfer to an airtight container -- I use a recycled 3-lb. potato salad container. Store in a cool dry place for up to 6 months. Makes 8 cups -- 16 (1/2 cup) servings.

To use, combine 1/2 cup mix and 3/4 cup water in a deep, 2-cup capacity microwave-safe bowl. Microwave 1 minute on High. Stir, and microwave 45-60 more seconds on High. Let stand 30 seconds or so, then serve.

If you would like to see other homemade ideas, be sure and check out Life on a Back Road. You will find lots of inspiration there!

Show & Tell Friday for June 5

For show & tell today, I thought I would show some more items from my strawberry collection. Some of them are used each and every day in our home!

This utensil crock, for example. My mother-in-law found it in the recycling area of her town dump. I cleaned it up well and have used it ever since. It's perfect in my kitchen.

This mug full of pencils and pens is useful too. The unusual handle on this mug means it is not easy to drink from, but it works fine as a pen/pencil holder.

I usually use these strawberry glasses for company. They look pretty with my old red-rimmed restaurant dinner plates.

These pretty coasters are useful also. They were a gift from one of my daughters, I think. There are four of them, but only the two designs.

I apologize for how dark this photo is. It's a basket of strawberries that's actually a salt & pepper set. The "berries" lift off and are a shaker in themselves.

This strawberry plate is very old. It was given to me by a friend years ago. She said the plate had belonged to her mother, who often used it to serve cookies.

Isn't this little berry dish cute? It too was a gift. You can just see that the sides of the dish are a basket-weave pattern.

This decorative plate is on the wall in my dining room. It was a gift from my daughter and son-in-law. I simply love it.

My in-laws gave me this strawberry dish many years ago. The top is a cover which lifts off. I suppose it would work well for serving jam.

Another dark picture; sorry. I tried three different times to get a photo of this dear little tea set. This is the clearest picture I could get. This was a gift from one of my daughters who bought it at her college bookstore as a Mother's Day gift for me. It's just adorable.

Last but not least, the top part of my baker's rack. I shared the top shelf of this before, but wanted to show the mugs just below it, as two of them have a strawberry theme.

There will be more to come, as I still have quite a few more strawberry items. But that is my simple Show & Tell for today. To see what others have shared for Show & Tell Friday, head on over to There is No Place Like Home.

Happy Show & Tell Friday!

Menu Plan Monday for June 1

A cool sunny morning here in northern New England. As usual, some meals I planned didn't get used last week, so will be carried over for this week. Here's my menu plan:

MONDAY: Crabmeat Quiche, French Fries, Asparagus Stir-fry Vegetables

TUESDAY: Meat Loaf, Potato Salad, Green Beans

WEDNESDAY: Italian Wedding Soup, Bread or Rolls

THURSDAY: Pork Stir-Fry, Hot Rice, Fruit Salad

FRIDAY: Calzone, Pasta Salad

SATURDAY: Hot Dogs, Homemade Baked Beans, Coleslaw

SUNDAY: (potluck at church -- these are my tentative thoughts) Greek Pasta Salad, Focaccia Bread, Four-Fruit Crumble

If you would like to see menus which others have shared, head over to I'm an Organizing Junkie and check out the links. Often, well over 300 people share links to their weekly menus. You'll find some great ideas and often recipes too.