Another sensational main-dish salad for those hot days

(Photo above is from Taste of Home.  My salad was not as pretty as theirs but it sure tasted good.)

Things continue hot, humid and showery in the Granite State.  Cool main-dish salads are the order of the day at our house.  We have old favorites but are always happy to try out a new salad recipe.

I tried this recipe Friday night: Cobb Salad with Chili Lime Dressing.  I found it while browsing through a 2009 summer issue of Simple and Delicious magazine and decided to try it, since I had everything on hand that I needed (other than salad greens, and I was grocery shopping that day).

I did change up a few things.  I left out the raw onion as we just don't enjoy them in salads.  I left out the shredded cheese also, since chicken and beans provided plenty of protein.

Some reviewers on the Taste of Home site said that they swapped out black beans for the kidney beans.  I just used the light red kidney beans and they were delicious in the salad.  I would think just about any type of bean would be good in this.

The chili lime dressing is fantastic.  I changed a few things there too.  Didn't have quite enough sour cream, so added a few tablespoons of mayo to make up the difference.  I didn't want to mess about with a blender, so I left out the canned green chiles and substituted an equivalent amount of salsa verde.  And I used the squeezable cilantro paste from Gourmet Garden -- always my go-to when recipes call for fresh cilantro.  I find that the fresh stuff goes bad far too quickly.

We loved this salad.  My hubby declared it "one of those meals that I could eat and eat."  This will definitely be going into our rotation of main-dish summer salads!

Desperate times call for desperate measures ... like iced tea

And the times lately have certainly been desperate as far as heat and humidity are concerned.

As a rule at our house, we no longer drink sweetened beverages.  Mr. T does use a little stevia in his coffee.  But for cold beverages, our first choice is always nice cold water.  Sometimes we will have kombucha.  I enjoy unsweetened iced tea with lemon, but my hubby does not, so I don't usually bother making it just for me.  Usually, water is the most refreshing and most usual cold drink for us.

However.  There are times when a lightly sweetened iced tea is just the ticket.  We've had an unusually long spell of heat and humidity and I have found myself making a jug of iced tea twice during it.

I do use my daughter's recipe,  which is a good bit healthier than my mother usually made iced tea.  (She used a can of lemonade concentrate, replete with high fructose corn syrup I am sure.  Though, in her defense, I do remember many, many years ago when she used lemons and sugar instead.)

I have copied and pasted Carrie's recipe just as I wrote it in a 2007 blog post.  When I've made this during those desperate times this summer, I've made half a batch.  And I've used brown sugar, which feels just a tiny bit healthier and adds a bit more depth to the flavor.

CARRIE’S ICED TEA

12 cups boiling water
12 green tea bags
1 cup sugar
4 Tblsp. orange juice
4 Tblsp. lemon juice

Pour the boiling water over the tea bags in a large bowl. Let steep 5 to 7 minutes only. Stir in sugar and juices. Stir well; let cool. Transfer to a pitcher and let chill in refrigerator. Serve over ice.

This recipe may easily be halved and is very adaptable. I often add in some lime juice along with the other citrus juices, and usually when I halve the recipe I still use the full amount of fruit juice. Sometimes I use regular tea in place of the green tea -- just as tasty! Sometimes I use 11 regular tea bags and 1 flavored one such as mint, raspberry, or peach. Gives a nice, different flavor.

If heat and humidity have you desperate, too,  you might like to give Carrie's recipe a try!

Whirlwind weekend

 The weekend of July 13-14 was a busy, but wonderful whirlwind.  I alluded to it a bit in my Hodgepodge post,  but wanted to expand on it somewhat so I don't forget the details.

 Mr. T and I were invited to attend a wedding in Maine on the Saturday, on behalf of our daughter and son-in-law who live in Nevada.  It was their former pastor's son who was getting married, and the whole church from Elko was invited provided they could get to Maine.  Our daughter asked if we could attend in their place, and the answer was a gracious yes.

When she broached the idea to me, our daughter also suggested, "I know it's a ways up in Maine, so I thought you and Dad might turn your trip north into a getaway."  Of course she had barely suggested the idea when we began to run with it.  We love getaways!

(This makes it sound as if we are taking getaways very frequently indeed.  Not really ... the last one -- to Stowe, Vermont -- was in May!  And these are overnight getaways, just long enough to get a bit refreshed.)

So we headed out early Friday afternoon, knowing it would take us at least 5 hours to get to Brewer, where we had a room reservation here:

It was a little amusing that my hubby had two work-related phone calls (which he had to pull over for), before we even left New Hampshire!  We made a quick stop at a post office to mail some things along the way, but otherwise did not stop until we reached Cornish, Maine and a favorite road trip break:

A frozen strawberry lemonade for Mr. T; iced coffee for me.

Sadly, they were out of donuts, but we made do with a box of Munchkins:

From there, we headed north and arrived at our hotel a few minutes after 6 pm.

This hotel has two buildings, the Maine Woods building, with an outdoorsy lodgy theme as in the lobby photo below, and the Maine Coast building, with a pretty coastal theme.

We were in the Maine Coast building.  I failed to get photos of our room, but it had a nice coastal decor.   After settling in a bit our first order of business was to find some supper.

We ended up having fish and chips at a nearby restaurant.  Although not as scrumptious as the fish we would enjoy the next day, it was good, and the price and location (walking distance!) were right.

After a wonderful night's rest we ventured to the Breakfast Room at the Inn for a nice continental breakfast, made even nicer by the homemade waffles with Maine wild blueberry sauce.  Using pre-measured portions of homemade batter, diners bake their own waffles in one of three waffle irons, which are kept constantly busy.  Bowls of blueberry and strawberry sauce await, along with syrup dispensers.

If you look at the small photo to the right of "Free Deluxe Breakfast" on the business card above, that is one area of the breakfast room.  One really neat feature of that room is the old cookstove (not in use as a stove) just to the left of the woman in the photo.  We sat in the second area.

Sign on the wall above our table

Another part of the breakfast area -- the "windows" here are mirrors.

 Returning to our room, we took good time over our Bible reading and prayer before checking out and heading for our wedding destination.  I will share just a few general photos from the wedding.  I did not try to get photos of people or of the ceremony.  These were taken with my Kindle, so are not the very best quality.

 The front of the sanctuary before anyone came in.  I love the lights draped inside the swags of tulle. 

A glimpse of the table centerpieces and the favors -- tiny jugs of maple syrup!

 The centerpieces were so simple but so pretty -- just slices of wood with a paper doily and mason jar atop each one.  Jars were filled with roses and baby's breath, then an engagement photo was propped against each one.  A few dark blue silk rose petals were scattered about.  (Wedding colors were orange and navy.)

I loved how they combined these gorgeous colored roses with the rustic look of old wood.  Touches of both were everywhere throughout the decorating.

After saying our goodbyes to the bride and groom and our friends (the groom's parents and grandparents), we headed south on I-95 en route to a meet-up with my blog friend Vee.  We were a tad early, which was a good thing,  because we drove right by the rendezvous at the first pass.

We had made arrangements to meet at one of Vee's favorite places and we very much enjoyed the delicious seafood and the wonderful fellowship.   We are kindred spirits in many ways and it truly was just like meeting up with an old friend.  Vee is warm and genuine, a delight to spend time with.

You can just catch a glimpse of the deck (look for the umbrellas) at the upper right.

 (The mosquitoes drove us off the deck -- which had a water view and would certainly have been a delightful place to eat on a sunnier day -- and inside, which could have been far more delightful without a particular inebriated patron.  But no matter.  Food and fellowship still wonderful.)

Vee had also told us about an ice cream place not far away ... so we all drove there for dessert.  It has mini golf and a driving range with a view of Mt. Washington.  And delicious ice cream.  The veranda had plenty of seating and no mosquitoes, so we continued to chat as we enjoyed dessert -- Campfire S'mores ice cream for Mr. T and myself (it's our new favorite) and Maine Deer Tracks for Vee. 
Curious about the flavors?  Campfire S'mores is described as graham ice cream oozing with marshmallow ripple and crunchy chocolate chips. Maine Deer Tracks is described as "rich espresso ice cream with crunchy toffee pieces and tracks of thick chocolate fudge."  Now I wish I'd had that one!

To learn more about the flavors of Gifford's Ice Cream, go here: Gifford’s Ice Cream and click on "Flavors".  Although Gifford's is a Maine company, several of our favorite ice cream places in New Hampshire serve their ice cream.

Before leaving the grounds, we brought out the gifts we had for one another and opened them at a nearby picnic table. Vee was far too generous ... besides the squash referenced in a previous post, there were books, including one from her beloved John's library.  What a treasure!

Another book was a recipe binder, to write my own recipes in.   I'm planning to use this to copy down all of those random, often-used recipes that are floating around my kitchen on scraps of paper or on recipe cards so stained they can barely be read.   It has a number of cute divider pages to divide the various sections of recipes.  One of them is pictured below.  How true it is!

And to top it all off, she brought us a tin full of her marvelous Rhubarb Custard Pie, cut in neat pieces.  I was tickled to see that Vee packs things in tins lined with waxed paper just as I do.  I guess it's the New England girl in us!

Meeting Vee was something I'd wanted to do for a long time.  Now that we've done that, Mr. T and I are hoping we can get together with this dear friend again at some point.  We don't live that far away, and we do travel to Maine occasionally.

The whirlwind weekend held even more fun and surprises, including the hike pictured at the top of this post.  But the post is getting rather long and unwieldy, and besides, the hike deserves its own post.  So that will have to wait for another day!

Recent simple crafting

I do love making things, but life is too busy right now to do much of any crafting on a regular basis.  I have a number of UFOs to finish, and I want to try my hand at some cushion covers for the patio chairs.  Maybe next week ... possibly even Saturday.  We will see!

In the meantime, here are just a very few small projects I've completed lately:

Above, two more crocheted hot mats  -- from this pattern -- some have asked about it, so here's the link again -- Scalloped Potholder --in the Fruit Punch ombre.  I'm pretty much addicted to making these.  I love seeing how they turn out in the various colors of ombre and whatever accompanying colors I choose.

Then I completed a bit of sewing:

 The doll t-shirts were some I found at a bargain several years ago.  I used fabric to coordinate with them to make this simple reversible wrap skirt.  You can find the free and easy pattern here: You Can Make This.  I chose fabrics that would work with both the blue and red t-shirts and my granddaughter liked the outfits very much.

Later, when I had a few minutes, I made a second skirt -- again, planned to go with both t-shirts for maximum versatility.  I'm pleased with how they came out!

And finally, some embroidery:

 This is the same dish towel as at top.  I purchased the embroidery pattern from an Etsy shop called Lova Revolutionary.  The design is intended to be used in a hoop, but I thought it would look nice on a dish towel, so I used some dollar store dish towels from my stash.  The one I just completed has a red border, and the one  I finished last fall has a tan border.

The red one has been languishing around half finished, so I finished it up this summer.

Lastly, I've been making a few handmade mailing envelopes from old calendars.  These are to use in mailing certain sizes of vintage sewing patterns from my Etsy shop.

Still working on this project, but you can see a finished envelope above.  See the fold at the top?  That's the flap to fold down and seal.

There you have it, short and simple, but I am so pleased to have created a few projects lately!

When Vee hands you a squash ...

[a little spin off "when life hands you lemons ... make lemonade"].

Vee actually did hand me a squash a week ago Saturday (along with many other lovely gifts which will be discussed in an as-yet-unfinished post).  I believe she said that her neighbor had given it to her and so she was passing it along to me.

The other night I needed a side dish with some BBQ chicken and potato salad for supper, so I decided to cook the gifted (or should I say re-gifted?😀) squash.  The side I ended up with was a little bit different and very easy, so I thought I would share how I did it.  I'm sure this would work with green zucchini as well, but it was so pretty with the yellow zucchini.  As per usual with food, I completely forgot to take a photo, so Pixabay comes to my rescue again.

So, here's the recipe:

A SIMPLE SQUASH SIDE DISH
 1 yellow zucchini or summer squash, sliced -- I cut the larger slices, from the middle, in quarters
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 tomato, chopped
Italian seasoning or basil to taste

Heat some olive oil (I think I used a couple of tablespoons) in a saucepan.  Add the sliced squash to the hot oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste, and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes.  Cover the saucepan and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for another 5 minutes or so, until the zucchini is nearly as tender as you like it.  Stir in the chopped tomato and the seasoning, cover and cook for another minute or two until the tomato is heated through.

Makes 2-4 servings.

I added the tomato for color, but it contributed nice flavor as well.  I wish I had thought to use my fresh basil in this!  I'm sure there will be other opportunities throughout the summer, as zucchini and tomatoes will no doubt continue to be abundant.

And there you have one idea for what to do when Vee (or anyone else) hands you a squash.

Hodgepodge for July 18

The Wednesdays just keep on coming around, don't they? Yes, it's Wednesday again: time for the Hodgepodge with Joyce and friends at From This Side of the Pond. 

Why not join in this week? Just head on over, copy the questions, then paste and answer them on your own blog.  Go back over to Joyce's to link up, and you're done!   Here are this week's questions: 

1. I feel most energized when I _______________________.

Hmm... how to fill that in?  Probably when I return from a getaway of several days in which I had lots of recharging time.

2. Where were you ten years ago?

Between a rock and a hard place ... probably the hardest trial I have ever faced.  Although I didn't really want to, I looked back at my archives for July of that year to see how I was faring.  What I found was encouraging: I kept on crafting, I kept on planning menus; I blogged faithfully; and I shared many lessons and relevant quotes concerning what God was teaching me.  This post:A Thought on Trials sort of sums it up.

 
3. July 17th is World Emoji Day. Do you use emojis? Which one's your favorite? Your most used? 

 I mostly use them only for Instagram.  My favorites/most often used are smiley faces of one sort or another.  Sometimes I use flowers, foods, or hearts.
                                                            😀    😃    😉
4. What song would you put on a wedding DO NOT PLAY list?

There are probably a lot of songs I would put on that list.  We were at a wedding this past weekend and all of the reception music was lovely instrumentals.  That's more to my taste.

5. What deserves less of your attention? More of your attention?

This is going to take some thought.  I think that my Etsy shop and my blogs both need more of my attention right now.  People also need more of my attention, whether in person or in prayer.  My home needs much more of my attention.  I'm sure there are things that deserve less of my attention but I'm at a loss to think of one right now.  No doubt I will see the exact right answer to that on someone else's Hodgepodge!

6.  Insert your own random thought here. 

We did have a lovely weekend!  It was filled with people and wonderful activities.  Friday night and Saturday morning we were in getaway mode, which is always nice.  Then we attended a beautiful, meaningful wedding where we reconnected with dear Christian friends from Nevada.  Late afternoon, we met up with fellow blogger Vee for a delicious supper out and even ice cream!  What a treat that was!

Sunday was a great day in church, a time of seeing answered prayer and some delightful visitors.  Sunday evening and afternoon we enjoyed a hike with friends and grandkids, then celebrated National Ice Cream day by going out for cones. 

We hiked to this spot, but it had much less water.  It's been dry here.

So ends another Hodgepodge ... Happy Wednesday, all!

A favorite summer supper -- Chef's Salad

Photo is from Pixabay.  You don't really think I'd remember to take a photo, do you?

 Last night we had one of our favorite summer meals -- a nice chef's salad.  During the dog days of summer, it's one of the best suppers I can think of, and my hubby is always happy to see it on the menu.  I did a search here and discovered I've apparently never posted this recipe ... which is really more of a formula, I guess.  So here goes:

CHEF'S SALAD

*Leafy greens enough to feed however many folks are at your table -- I like the baby leaf lettuces from Little Leaf Farms
*Chopped green, red, or yellow peppers to taste, if you like
*Tomatoes, cut in wedges, or grape or cherry tomatoes, halved, to taste
*Thin sliced swiss or provolone cheese, cut in strips, to taste
*Thin sliced deli ham, cut in strips, to taste
*Thin sliced deli chicken or turkey, cut in strips, to taste

And you could certainly add other things like olives, chopped green onion, avocado cubes, sliced hard-cooked eggs, or whatever you might like in a salad like this.

Layer the ingredients in a large salad bowl.  I like to make two layers so that the ingredients are well distributed when the salad is tossed.

I always use a thousand island type dressing with this salad, as it's what was suggested with the recipe I found years ago.  Here is what I combined to make last night's dressing:

DRESSING FOR CHEF'S SALAD

*3/4 cup mayonnaise
*1/2 cup barbecue sauce
*1 Tablespoon sweet pickle relish
*2 Tablespoons milk, to thin the dressing to your taste

Serve in a bowl alongside the salad, so diners may add dressing to their personal taste.

July 11 Hodgepodge

Lovely Scripture graphic by Abby at Little Birdie Blessings

 Yes, it's Wednesday again, so it's time for the Hodgepodge with Joyce and friends at From This Side of the Pond. 

Why not join in this week? Just head on over, copy the questions, then paste and answer them on your own blog.  Go back over to Joyce's to link up, and you're done!   Here are this week's questions: 

1. What's something in your house you'd like to get rid of but can't?

The awful musty odor that our old furniture takes on only when it's hot and humid outside.

2. When is the last time you experienced a sense of nostalgia? Elaborate.

Every day this week as I've been working on Christmas in July posts for my Christmas blog, I've found myself wallowing in nostalgia for the 1950s and 1960s.  Several of the posts have to do with memorabilia I've been finding as I sort and sell items from my childhood home.

3. You're only allowed three apps on your smart phone or tablet...which three do you keep?

I don't have a smart phone and have only a very few apps on my tablet.   There are really only two apps I would not want to be without: Pinterest and Instagram.  I use my jigsaw puzzles app often, too, but I could do without it.

4. July 11th is National Blueberry Muffin Day. Who knew? Do you like blueberry muffins? If you were going to have a muffin would blueberry be your choice? What's the last thing you baked?

I do like blueberry muffins (especially made with fresh blueberries and warm from the oven) but they are not my top favorite.  

If I were going to buy a muffin I would choose the raisin bran or the gingerbread variety from our local supermarket bakery. 

If I were baking muffins I might choose a banana muffin with chocolate chips, an almond joy muffin, or a raspberry almond muffin.  Here's the link for the first one: Gluten free chocolate chip banana muffins.  You can find the others in this post, along with a bunch of my other favorite breakfast recipes.

The last thing I baked was a pan of brownies last Thursday morning, to take to an event at church that evening.

Almond Joy Muffins

5. What's the biggest way you've changed since you were a child? In what way are you still the same?

Biggest and most complete way I've changed: becoming a different person since trusting Jesus as Savior.   A few of the smaller ways: I can eat eggs now (though the whites need to be mixed in); I can deal with bullies without crying; I can't walk on hot asphalt in bare feet as I used to then; I still like to read but my nose is not always in a book.

How I'm still the same -- I know I'll forget many ways, but here are a few: I still love color and beauty and nature -- only now I know Whom to thank.  I still love Christmas (only now I understand what it's all about!) and family traditions.  I still love lakes and still wish I had a cottage on a lake shore.  I still love long walks, music, wildflowers, cooking and baking. 

6. Insert your own random thought here.

If you haven't visited my Christmas blog this month,  you might like to visit for Christmas in July.  I've been busily writing and scheduling posts, and just barely staying ahead of the game.  There are all sorts of ideas that might interest you.  Later in the month I'll be announcing a Christmas in July sale at my Etsy shop, too.

So ends another Hodgepodge.  Happy Wednesday!

A delicious and easy summer side dish

I've been meaning to share this one for a few  weeks: Summer Squash and Potato Saute.  I may have blogged about this recipe in a previous summer.  It's a good summer side dish to know about -- great with fish, chicken, or even a grilled burger or steak.

Recently, though, I tried a spin on this recipe that makes it even easier.  I had purchased some yellow summer squash and zucchini, and had thought to make this side dish with them.  But I also had on hand some microwave-ready potatoes in the Savory Herb flavor from the Little Potato Company.  So I decided to incorporate them into the saute.

I just sauteed the sliced squash in olive oil until crisp-tender, then microwaved the potatoes according to package directions.  When the standing time had elapsed, I stirred the potatoes into the skillet with the squash and heated the mixture through quickly.

It turned out to be quite an inspired idea.  I liked the saute even better with the small whole potatoes than with the sliced red potatoes which the recipe calls for.  And the savory herb flavor was wonderful with the squash.   I have since tried the Garlic Parsley flavor in this recipe and it is also delicious.

Have you tried the products from Little Potato Company?  I had actually never heard of them until a few years ago when I won a giveaway featuring them.  I haven't tried all of the available products, but I can say that the microwave-ready potatoes with seasoning pack are absolutely wonderful. 

Of course, you can make this recipe as originally published.  But if you want a quick and easy side dish that will use up some of that zucchini and summer squash, you may like to try this variation as well.  I don't think you will be disappointed.

A blessed and glorious Fourth of July to you!

Lovely photo and graphic by Abby at Little Birdie Blessings

Wishing all of you a most blessed and glorious Fourth of July!

May we all take time to thank the Lord today for the blessings that are ours living in a free country, and to pray for those brave and committed men and women who are serving right now to protect our land and keep our nation free.  May we take a moment to pray for our country, so deeply divided and so much in need of the healing that only God can truly bring.

Do you pray for our nation regularly?  I take some time every Thursday to pray for some specific requests.  (Of course, I pray for America on other days too when the news is particularly bad or there is an urgent need.)

I begin by thanking God for the blessing of living in a free country.  I thank Him for the freedom to worship, the freedom to share my faith with others, the privilege of voting, and the privilege of living in a country with so many natural resources and such natural beauty.    I then pray for our president and other leaders, our men and women in the military, our judges and courts, and my state and governor.

The printed page you see across the bottom of my prayer journal is from a pdf titled How to Pray for America.  It's a free download at Revive Our Hearts, and I have found it very helpful in praying for our country as a whole.  If you are not in the habit of praying for America, may I encourage you to do so?

Later today we will be attending a Fourth of July gathering at the home of friends.  There will be food, fellowship, and very likely fireworks as well.  Hope all of you will also enjoy a blessed day celebrating with family or friends!  Happy Fourth of July!

July goals

In Elko, NV last summer

So it's a new month, and time to set some goals for July:

* Continue with my Bible study of Colossians
* Memorize at least 4 Bible verses and review some older ones.
* Add 4 to 8 pages to my "What Do I Know About My God?" Scripture notebook
* Continue study for Sunday School -- A Woman Who Reflects the Heart of Jesus
* Get to bed by 9 pm each night  
* Limit sugar and red meat.
* Drink enough water each day.
* Walk and/or exercise each day.
* Keep up with Flylady's homemaking zones of the week.
* Do something creative each day
* Post in my Christmas blog daily this month for Christmas in July
* Post in this blog at least twice weekly if possible
* Continue working on several UFO craft projects
* Continue planning for family birthday gifts and crafting any handmade ones
* Continue stocking my Etsy shop and continue selling vintage items
* Write at least 4 encouraging notes to friends and family
* Send lengthy email to a friend
* Call faraway friends to chat
* Learn more about cultured foods and begin making more of them
* Declutter and reorganize my closet
* Declutter and revamp computer room
* Help and encourage my local daughter as I'm able
* Continue to encourage and support my hubby as he works through a pastoral search for our church
* Clean church and set up for fellowship time
* Help with a meal for a college music team at our church for a concert
* Attend a wedding in Maine
* Hopefully meet up with a blog friend while in Maine
* Spend time with faraway friends who are in our state for a few weeks
* Sort out and declutter my dad's house; work on estate
* Possibly plan an overnight with my hubby
* Plan meals with a greater emphasis on healthy eating

JULY'S HEALTHY HABITS:  Drink enough water/exercise/eat healthfully
WORD FOR 2018: Settled

 🍓    🍒     🍉     🍃      🌻     🎈      🍓     🍒     🍉     🍃    🌻    

And here is how June went:
* Continue with my Bible study of Colossians -- done!
* Memorize at least 4 Bible verses and review some older ones -- done!
* Add 4 to 8 pages to my "What Do I Know About My God?" Scripture notebook -- done!
* Continue study for Sunday School -- A Woman Who Reflects the Heart of Jesus -- done!
* Get to bed by 9 pm each night -- not done
* Limit sugar and red meat -- not done consistently
* Drink enough water each day -- not done consistently
* Walk and/or exercise each day -- think I managed about 20-24 times
* Keep up with Flylady's homemaking zones of the week -- not done
* Do something creative each day -- done!
* Post in my Christmas blog at least once or twice this month -- done!
* Work on posts for Christmas in July -- -- done!
* Post in this blog most weekdays if possible -- not done
* Continue working on several UFO craft projects -- done!
* Continue planning for family birthday gifts and crafting any handmade ones -- done!
* Continue stocking my Etsy shop and continue selling vintage items -- done!
* Write at least 4 encouraging notes to friends and family -- done!
* Send lengthy email to a friend -- done!
* Call faraway friends to chat -- done!
* Learn more about cultured foods and begin making more of them -- not done
* Declutter and reorganize my closet -- not done
* Declutter and revamp computer room -- not done
* Help and encourage my local daughter as I'm able -- done!
* Continue to encourage and support my hubby as he works through a pastoral search for our church -- done!
* Clean church and set up for fellowship -- done!
* Sort out and declutter my dad's house; work on estate -- not done consistently
* Possibly plan an overnight with my hubby -- not done
* Plan meals with a greater emphasis on healthy eating -- done!

JUNE'S HEALTHY HABITS:  Drink enough water/exercise/eat healthfully
WORD FOR 2018: Settled