A Word for 2013

Since 2011, I've begun each new year with a word choice -- a word that would become a point of meditation and even decision throughout the year ahead.

My first word, 'OPEN,' became a password, causing hinges on closed vaults to budge, inviting me to consider, probe and try things I would have ignored before "open" presided over my decisions.

The logo for 2012 was 'STEP,' a logical word to follow open. Step invited more adventuresome decisions and even ended up in the title for another blog: Step into Our Garden.

However, with 'step' and 'open' as influence peddlers, I noticed that life became cluttered with a few chotchkies with no clear purpose.  Thus, my word for 2013: Intention.

The mantra for 2013 reflects my desire to become more aware of what lies behind my choices.  I plan to study my intent and I intend to pay close attention to how it lines up with my desire to be time-wise and purpose-wise.

I'm certain 'intention' will inspire editing of the hubbub created by the previous words.  But more importantly, I hope this word will rejuvenate the connection between the intentions of my Father-God and my own, as His indwelling Spirit gives me the wisdom and power to choose and do his will, performing His intention in my life.

I'm linking this post with the lovely Farmgirl Friday Blog Hop at Deborah Jean's Dandelion House.

*****Wondrous Love *****

 The babe born in the stable grew up and said:

“Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” Luke 18:16-17

And how does a child receive love?

Easily
Playfully
Hopefully
Gleefully
Trustingly
Greedily
Immediately
Unreservedly

"Forever" Cookie Ornaments

I have cookies in my house that are 20 years old. And they don't look a day older than Monday. Here is one of them.

  

Here is another one.

 

These 20-year-old cookies are made from gingerbread. I have dozens of them hanging on our tree and a garland in our kitchen.  If you want to make some, simply make the cookie recipe on the box and then let them dry out.  Don't forget to punch a few holes for hanging. 

We also have cinnamon ornaments that are decades old. This year I decided to make more. So I invited a few of the peeps who helped me make the first ones, plus a new generation, to a luncheon of cucumber sandwiches, pears, and coffee stirred with candy canes. Before I share the recipe for cinnamon ornaments, I thought I'd give you the recipe for cucumber sandwiches.

All you need is one cucumber to one package cream cheese and 3 cloves (more or less) of garlic.

Peel the cucumber and remove the seeds like this:

Blend the cream cheese. I use a small food processor. Grate and drain the cucumber and add it a little bit at a time to the cream cheese, Then add the garlic. I use my garlic press. Now you are ready to serve. Cucumber spread is great on croissants or crackers; but I served it on thin, everything bagels.

Then we got busy on our cinnamon ornaments.

They are easy to make, and only require two ingredients.

Cinnamon and applesauce. That's it!

The recipe I used called for a 4 oz jar of cinnamon and 3/4 cup of applesauce. We doubled it, so we used 2 cups of cinnamon and enough applesauce to make a stiff, and fairly dry dough, making 3 dozen "cookies."

Roll it out to about 1/4 inch thick and make your shapes with cookie cutters. Sprinkle cinnamon on your rolling surface just like you would use flour with a pie crust. We used straws and toothpicks to make holes for hanging. Then bake them in an oven at 150 degrees until dry, turning once, about an hour on each side.

I have to say...warn... proclaim that when you bake them, your entire house will smell like CINNAMON!

Once they are dry, it is time to decorate.  I used paints and glitters from Michael's and made the ties with raffia and jute.  I've only done a few so far..

They looked so pretty on the paper plate, waiting to be painted.

They inspired photo art.

Cinnamon ornaments are fun, easy, rustic, and they make great package tags. And, as I already pointed out, they last "forever." 

Don't forget to date the back!

Look at how my 4-year-old granddaughter decorated this generation of gingerbread men!  Sooooo adorable!  

I have another treat for you.  

At Farm Chick Chit Chat, my friends and I are having a virtual Christmas Cookie Swap.  Click on the link and you will find many wonderful recipes, starting 12-15-12.

Blessings to you and yours this holiday season. May God fill your home and your heart with the sweet aroma of love and memories that last forever! 

Nothing Wasted : How I Used 100 Percent of our Thanksgiving Turkey

Four days after Thanksgiving, our turkey was entirely utilized-- every bit of it, bones and all.

Here's how:

First, I bought a 21 lb, fresh, free range turkey at Sprouts Market and soaked it in brine. I cooked the giblets and the neck in a small crock pot overnight, feeding the meat to my dog and to our chickens over the next several days.

Next,  I roasted the bird in our new electric roaster at 450 for 30 minutes, then another 3 1/2 hours at 325 degrees. I was able to roast the turkey in our laundry room, leaving the oven available to warm our side dishes.

I wish I had taken photos of the bird on a platter, but we were too busy getting everything else ready.

As soon as the table was cleared, and before pie, I put the turkey carcass into our large crock pot, covered it with water, and set it on low.  I kept it on low for a day and a half.  Then I strained the broth into a bowl and divided the bones, meat and skin into bags for the freezer.  I will serve this to our chickens, about one bag per week.

Even though our turkey was well built -- due to his "free range life" -- a day and a half in the crock brought his stalwart bones to the point where I could crush them easily between my fingers, exposing  the marrow, which my chickens love; actually, the hens eat every single bone, but not all at once.

(We ate our share of the leftovers too.)

I poured the strained broth back into the crock pot, along with three of the biggest bones, an onion, 2 carrots, a stalk of celery, and 3 cloves of garlic, a bay leaf and a stray pepper top from someones's lunch.

Then I cooked the broth for another a couple of days, adding water a few times. In this way, I was able to pull all the nutrition from the combined elements. Then I strained the stock, adding the vegetables to my compost bin.

Four days after eating our turkey, I made soup:

Creamed Turkey Soup and Dumplings.
~Saute 1 diced onion, one stalk celery and 2 cloves chopped garlic in 2 tbsp butter. Add 3 cups turkey stock (you could use chicken stock) and 3 cups water. 
~Pour into crock pot. 
~Add 1-2 sliced carrots and bits of turkey, about 2 cups I slightly shredded it with my fingers (after removing any 'surprises', because I don't like 'surprises.'
~Salt and pepper and do something else for a couple of hours. ( I went to yoga class.)
~Ladle about a cup of broth into a separate container and add 2 tbs cornstarch, mixing well and return to pot.
~Add some whole milk, cream or half and half, slowly, while stirring until it looks right.
~Turn up the heat and bring to a simmer.
~Add one pinch of love ( I add this to everything I make.)

 I found the dumpling recipe on the internet and cut it in half, because I was only serving 3 people but here is the uncut version.

Homemade Dumplings 
(Click here for a wheat free dumpling recipe)

Ingredients  

~2 cups of all-purpose flour
~2 teaspoons of baking powder
~3/4 teaspoon of salt
~4 tablespoons margarine
~¾ - 1 cup water, or milk if preferred

Directions~~~~Mix flour, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Cut in 4 tablespoons of margarine. Add ¾ cup of water or milk and stir well. Add additional liquid as needed to form a soft dough that can be dropped by a large spoon into the soup.

~Using a large spoon, drop the dumpling dough into simmering Homemade Chicken Soup.
~Cover kettle{ I used my crock-pot} and simmer for 15 minutes. Do not remove the cover to check for doneness before the allotted time. This will cause the dumplings to "fall" and Instead of light fluffy dumplings, you will get dense dumplings. It is possible to cook the dumplings without a cover, but the results are better if they are covered. (Recipe found Here)

In conclusion: I learned how to use 100 per cent of a 20 lb turkey.

1. Neck, Giblets to pets
2. Dinner for 10
3. Sent leftovers home with 3 families
4. Made bone broth with carcass
5. Leftover meal for 2
6. Lunches for 2 days
7. Bones cooked to crushing stage and divided into bags for chickens throughout the month.
8. Creamed turkey soup.
9. Leftover soup
10. 1 quart stock to be used in stew 
11. 2 trays broth ice cubes
12. 2 cups turkey bits in lunch bags for dog's food.

Can you tell I'm pleased?

~Blessings

Linking this post with:
Tuesdays with a Twist
Farm Girl Friday Blog Fest
The Thankful HomeAcre Hop

Five Kernels of Corn

Imagine with me, will you?
Embark upon a crude vessel
To a place far away,
Journeying toward a better way.

Photo Source Link

Behold the land! It is beautiful, is it not?
Wild, no houses, no barns, no crops,
No turning back,
Hoping for a better day.

Photo Source

Can we endure this?
Half of our number is dead.
Praying for an answer,
Praying for a better day.

Photo Source

Who is this native, speaking English?
Squanto, a mentor, a savior with seeds.
Three sisters to fill our empty bellies,
Trusting in another way.

The three sisters: Squash, corn and beans

Can you believe the harvest?
Our bounty is great.
We celebrate with ninety uninvited guests,
Thankful for this day.

Photo source Link

What! More have arrived?
They have nothing!
We fall to our knees and pray,
Hoping to make it through the day.

Photo Source Link

Five kernels of corn apiece?
Divided equally among the living.
We make it through the winter,
Hoping for abundant days.

Photo Source Link

Are we not a beacon of hope?
Built on the rock of our ancestor's dreams.
The memory of five kernels of corn,
Making us thankful for today.

Photo Source link

Can we plant double the crop of thankfulness?
Let us never forget starvation and rescue.
Let us never lose sight of freedom's shores,
Thankful we made it through today.

Photo Credit Link

Thank you, Pilgrims !

Thank you, Veterans! 

Thank you , God!

Land That I Love

"God Bless America,
Land that I love.
Stand beside her, and guide her
Thru the night with a light from above.
From the mountains, to the prairies,
To the oceans, white with foam
God bless America, My home sweet home."
~Irving Berlin

The Object of My Boast

The title for my blog...I know...it is puzzlingly long and odd to some; to others, it may appear a boast. 

~

My birth father was a public figure. He appeared on TV and Radio, daily; he narrated films that I would watch in school; he authored a book. Everyone in town knew his name, his face, and his voice.

When I was 10, he walked out on my mom, two sons and two daughters.  I only saw him in person three times after that.  But still, whenever I was introduced to someone for the first time, they would hear my name, they would look at me and ask:

 “Is so-and-so your father?”  What do you say to that?  What would YOU say? I even looked like him.

I said yes, always wondering if they were going to ask me about him...things I couldn't answer.

I didn't know him.  Sure, he could be seen on the TV and heard on the radio every day!  But I didn't know him.

Looking back, I can see the void he left in my life.

When I was 30, I met the King of Heaven and was adopted into his family. A few years later, while driving my car -- just a regular kind of day -- He spoke to my heart, saying,

 "Do you know that you trust those strangers coming at you in those cars, more than you trust me?"   

I didn't know it then, but He was about to teach me to trust Him in a way I would never have chosen. My prince would be out of work for one long year. The cupboards would be bare, and then filled full and overflowing. The house would be almost lost, then saved at a reduced payment. The mail would bring perfectly timed gifts. Oh, I could tell stories of that year!

Like my real father, my adoptive Father is a public figure -- almost everybody knows who He is. Everyone on earth has viewed His gallery of artwork. Some know His voice. He authored 66 books. But, unlike my earthly father, He has promised never to leave me, never to leave a void.  All I have to do is Trust and Obey Him. And He has shown himself to be trustworthy.

When asked, I can tell LOTS and LOTS about my adoptive Father! And the older I get, the more I trust him; and the more I trust, the more I follow his instructions; and the more I follow his lead, the more I look like Him and the less I look like my other dad. 

Does the title make sense now?

I admit -- it IS a boast! (I could never boast about the other dad.  He wasn't worthy of my boast.) My adoptive father wants me to boast about His deeds, His love, His faithfulness! He is boastworthy! ( new word!)

“...but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the LORD.” Jeremiah 9:24

On this first day of the month of Thanks-Giving, I give thanks to God for the Grace he has shown me, the Faithfulness he has proven, the Love he bestows. 

Thank you, Father!

I Believe God Is Belly-laughing with Me

A fun fun prayer!

On this final day of my 31 Days Seeking Inspiration, I want to share a video that my 86 year old mom sent me.  No, she isn't the woman in the video, but she very easily could be.

~Enjoy!

Yes, I Can

I have several friends who are sharing this week from their wealth of knowledge

... about the ancient art of canning.  

At first, I didn't think I had anything to say about canning.  Then I decided to hunt down my canning jars.

But they were almost all busy.

That's when I realized that I've been 

"canning" for many years.  

...in a way.  

In my quest to use less plastic, I started using canning jars for storage of items I buy in bulk, like nuts and seeds... 

...teas and tablets..

...and things I make in the kitchen, like bone broth

... plant fertilizer and latex gloves in the laundry...

....and in the garden window...

Q-tips, cotton balls and Epsom salts...

...extra toothbrushes in the guest bathroom.

From a purist's perspective, this isn't REAL canning; real canning is STORING today's abundance --produce, meats, jellies -- for another time. 

From a recycle enthusiast's perspective, however, my version of canning is SAVING and USING today's resources over and over in beautiful glass jars, rather than disposable plastic.

I don't have bushels of apples, tomatoes and squash. I can't can what I don't have.

Now, what should I do with the only empty one I found?

What would you do?

_________________________________

Day 25