I constructed this little swing thing ... kind-of hammock inspired ... last week. It really needs stronger ropes though ... so I only left it up for a few days. The kids loved it {too much!} while it lasted :)
Friday, June 6, 2014
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
a little rabbit stew
What was for supper on Friday night??? Rabbit stew ... and leftover chili :)
How did we cook the rabbit??? Mr. T. plopped the bunny in the crockpot which I had first rubbed with olive oil. Then, I asked Halo if she wanted to photograph the before picture or if she wanted to salt and pepper the meat. She said she didn't want to look at it so she wasn't going to be able to take any pictures. So ... she salted and peppered from a backwards position -- and hoped it was landing on the meat -- while I took some photos. After a few hours some potatoes and onions were tossed in the pot ... carrots would have been nice too, but we didn't have any.
Mr. T. was the first one to sample the entree and his first three words were ... "Wow. Wow. Wow." Buddy quickly tasted some too and seemed to like it. Foofie, not wanting to miss out, requested some rabbit and promptly raved about it. "It's so good. I want some more, please! It's GOOD!" These three ate all of it except for two bites -- Halo and I each tried a little. There wasn't enough rabbit stew to fill our whole family anyway ... and Halo and Ezzie and I were perfectly content eating chili with cheese and chips. I thought the rabbit was pretty good ... better than I expected actually ... but I've never really liked game meat all that much. Mr. T. and Buddy, however, concluded it was equivalent to really good {dark meat} chicken ... and they would happily eat rabbit again :)
Wednesday, May 14, 2014
a little measuring and a dove
This morning Ezzie asked me if anyone had ever measured around the whole earth ...
"Did they use 50 tape measures all lined up?"
"No. It would take more than 50 tape measures to measure the earth."
"Did they use 79?"
"No. I don't know exactly how it was measured ... but if it had been done with tape measures ... it would take even more than 79. The earth is pretty big."
"Maybe it took 82 tape measures."
And this one is from last week ...
It was storming when we woke up and the morning was really dark and rainy. Later in the morning ... closer to noontime ... it started to clear up and Ezzie spotted a dove as he was looking out the window. Then Ezzie (or maybe I should call him Noah???) announced, "I see a dove so we can go outside now!"
"Did they use 50 tape measures all lined up?"
"No. It would take more than 50 tape measures to measure the earth."
"Did they use 79?"
"No. I don't know exactly how it was measured ... but if it had been done with tape measures ... it would take even more than 79. The earth is pretty big."
"Maybe it took 82 tape measures."
And this one is from last week ...
It was storming when we woke up and the morning was really dark and rainy. Later in the morning ... closer to noontime ... it started to clear up and Ezzie spotted a dove as he was looking out the window. Then Ezzie (or maybe I should call him Noah???) announced, "I see a dove so we can go outside now!"
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
a little rabbit
Buddy got his turkey license a couple weeks ago. His first ever hunting license ... his first license of any sort ... and he's been hoping and trying to nab a turkey ... but we haven't seen any toms around (must be a tom in the spring) since he became an official bow hunter.
Today ... Buddy was out in the yard ... practicing ... waiting for a turkey ... when he spotted a bunny. He aimed and hit his mark. "I killed a bunny!" He called jubilantly. I quickly told him it would be more appropriate to call it a rabbit now.
He was thrilled. He called some friends to share the news. I was not so terribly excited.
Shortly thereafter ... my husband (to my surprise!) watched some youtube videos on how to skin/gut/whatever a rabbit ... and then they did the messy deed. I thought they would just bury the poor creature.
This really isn't my thing. Bloody patio tables??? No thanks. In fact, I prefer to bring my chicken home from the store already cooked :) Kowalski's has the best rotisserie chickens by the way ... they're even amish ;)
Then ... my husband requested a container to store the rabbit in the fridge so we can eat it tomorrow. I think it was at this point that my husband enlightened all of us about the value and specialness of rabbit cuisine and also suggested that maybe we should start raising rabbits ...
Totally not liking this. I didn't want to look at the rabbit and I didn't want to think about eating it. All of this was making me lose my appetite for tonight's supper ...
Anyway ... the rabbit eventually made its way into our fridge ... but only into our little fridge in the garage ... and my husband suggested I cook some rabbit stew in the crockpot tomorrow night ... or have rabbit and rice??? But I really didn't even want it in the house ... in the kitchen. I'm a wimp. So ... I suggested he could cook IT over a fire ... or wrap IT in foil in a fire ... like one of those camping "hobo meals". Anything involving a backyard fire instead of the kitchen would be wonderful.
And I just might be eating something other than rabbit tomorrow night :)
Today ... Buddy was out in the yard ... practicing ... waiting for a turkey ... when he spotted a bunny. He aimed and hit his mark. "I killed a bunny!" He called jubilantly. I quickly told him it would be more appropriate to call it a rabbit now.
He was thrilled. He called some friends to share the news. I was not so terribly excited.
Shortly thereafter ... my husband (to my surprise!) watched some youtube videos on how to skin/gut/whatever a rabbit ... and then they did the messy deed. I thought they would just bury the poor creature.
This really isn't my thing. Bloody patio tables??? No thanks. In fact, I prefer to bring my chicken home from the store already cooked :) Kowalski's has the best rotisserie chickens by the way ... they're even amish ;)
Then ... my husband requested a container to store the rabbit in the fridge so we can eat it tomorrow. I think it was at this point that my husband enlightened all of us about the value and specialness of rabbit cuisine and also suggested that maybe we should start raising rabbits ...
Totally not liking this. I didn't want to look at the rabbit and I didn't want to think about eating it. All of this was making me lose my appetite for tonight's supper ...
Anyway ... the rabbit eventually made its way into our fridge ... but only into our little fridge in the garage ... and my husband suggested I cook some rabbit stew in the crockpot tomorrow night ... or have rabbit and rice??? But I really didn't even want it in the house ... in the kitchen. I'm a wimp. So ... I suggested he could cook IT over a fire ... or wrap IT in foil in a fire ... like one of those camping "hobo meals". Anything involving a backyard fire instead of the kitchen would be wonderful.
And I just might be eating something other than rabbit tomorrow night :)
Saturday, April 19, 2014
a little conversing
Yesterday ... I had a rare and amusing half hour with my precious Ezzie. We were on a little drive and I only had the youngest two. Honeygun was sleeping and Ezzie and I had quite a conversation ...
Ezzie's words are in red :)
First, he was asking a few questions about Good Friday. And I explained that Jesus only died once ... but we stop and pay special attention to remember it on the Friday before Resurrection Day every year ... like a birthday. Or ... like an anniversary ... which I said is like a birthday for a wedding.
"How come we never have any weddings??? We never go to a wedding!"
"Is smoking illegal?"
"No."
"Are cigarettes illegal?"
"No ... and it's almost the same thing. When we talk about smoking ... we are usually referring to people smoking cigarettes. It isn't illegal and it isn't a sin ... but it really isn't a very wise choice. Next week ... remind me to show you some pictures of healthy lungs and the lungs of a smoker."
"Okay ... but I don't smoke cigarettes and I have healthy lungs."
"Do robbers wear black hats ... and gray grayish pants ... and shirts with black and white stripes on them?"
"No. Is that how the Lego robber is dressed?"
"Yes."
"Well ... I suppose they could be dressed like that ... but they wear all sorts of clothes. Criminals often do their criminal deeds at night though so they might wear black and dark colors so they aren't as likely to be seen."
"I bet criminals wear air-colored clothes in the day so people can't see them ... otherwise they hide behind big rocks. Are there guards at jails so the robbers don't get out?"
"Yes ... but occasionally someone does get out and escape ... however they usually get caught."
"Or they go hide behind a rock."
We were almost to our destination when I noticed a church that I hadn't seen the other time we'd been up this way ...
"Hey! There's an Evangelical Free church," I called out.
"And it doesn't cost any money!"
Ezzie's words are in red :)
First, he was asking a few questions about Good Friday. And I explained that Jesus only died once ... but we stop and pay special attention to remember it on the Friday before Resurrection Day every year ... like a birthday. Or ... like an anniversary ... which I said is like a birthday for a wedding.
"How come we never have any weddings??? We never go to a wedding!"
"Is smoking illegal?"
"No."
"Are cigarettes illegal?"
"No ... and it's almost the same thing. When we talk about smoking ... we are usually referring to people smoking cigarettes. It isn't illegal and it isn't a sin ... but it really isn't a very wise choice. Next week ... remind me to show you some pictures of healthy lungs and the lungs of a smoker."
"Okay ... but I don't smoke cigarettes and I have healthy lungs."
"Do robbers wear black hats ... and gray grayish pants ... and shirts with black and white stripes on them?"
"No. Is that how the Lego robber is dressed?"
"Yes."
"Well ... I suppose they could be dressed like that ... but they wear all sorts of clothes. Criminals often do their criminal deeds at night though so they might wear black and dark colors so they aren't as likely to be seen."
"I bet criminals wear air-colored clothes in the day so people can't see them ... otherwise they hide behind big rocks. Are there guards at jails so the robbers don't get out?"
"Yes ... but occasionally someone does get out and escape ... however they usually get caught."
"Or they go hide behind a rock."
We were almost to our destination when I noticed a church that I hadn't seen the other time we'd been up this way ...
"Hey! There's an Evangelical Free church," I called out.
"And it doesn't cost any money!"
Monday, April 7, 2014
a little startled
I was startled twice today. I'm a pretty jumpy gal. My husband often startles me in our home and he always responds with, "I live here too!" Haha :)
Today was a glorious, springlike day ... the curse of winter has finally lifted ... and it was the kind of day where you feel compelled to raise your arms toward the heavens to soak in the loveliness of it all. Anyway ... I was attempting to do a little spring cleaning of our van which is lacking in loveliness ... which is still the old van and NOT the new van. So ... I was in and out and in and out of the van and the garage and so on. At one point, I was standing near the hood and I could sense something largish on the hood. I turned my head there was a dove walking around on the van. It startled me and I screamed ... but I didn't scare it away. Then, the bird hung out with me and my two little boys for several more minutes.
Later, while I was stopped at a red light on the way to pick up some kids ... a woman came and slapped on my window. She was holding Halo's heavy purple backpack which I had forgotten on our little trailer-dealie. This here was my second startle and I had to recover quickly as I was at the intersection of 96 and 61. I thanked her profusely!!! In hindsight, however, I think I was so thankful simply because she wasn't a policeman or some threatening person ... the backpack would likely have made the journey unscathed. Oh well. I think this woman and I might have been friends if we met under normal circumstances :)
Today was a glorious, springlike day ... the curse of winter has finally lifted ... and it was the kind of day where you feel compelled to raise your arms toward the heavens to soak in the loveliness of it all. Anyway ... I was attempting to do a little spring cleaning of our van which is lacking in loveliness ... which is still the old van and NOT the new van. So ... I was in and out and in and out of the van and the garage and so on. At one point, I was standing near the hood and I could sense something largish on the hood. I turned my head there was a dove walking around on the van. It startled me and I screamed ... but I didn't scare it away. Then, the bird hung out with me and my two little boys for several more minutes.
Later, while I was stopped at a red light on the way to pick up some kids ... a woman came and slapped on my window. She was holding Halo's heavy purple backpack which I had forgotten on our little trailer-dealie. This here was my second startle and I had to recover quickly as I was at the intersection of 96 and 61. I thanked her profusely!!! In hindsight, however, I think I was so thankful simply because she wasn't a policeman or some threatening person ... the backpack would likely have made the journey unscathed. Oh well. I think this woman and I might have been friends if we met under normal circumstances :)
Thursday, April 3, 2014
a little nourishment
This little turkey tore a page out of my small Bible this morning and he ate half of it! A fourth of it was gone before I even noticed ... and then he was chewing the second fourth like gum. I tried to get it out but without success ...
I guess this qualifies as a spiritually nourishing breakfast ;)
Monday, March 31, 2014
a little acceptance
Sometimes it's helpful to accept the fact that there are certain things one is never going to do ... or probably never going to do.
So ... that quilt that I've been setting scraps of fabric aside for??? I don't think it's going to happen ... in this life anyway. And once upon a time ... I had actually thought I might knit a badminton net someday. That's not going to happen either ...
Is there anything you're never going to get around to???
So ... that quilt that I've been setting scraps of fabric aside for??? I don't think it's going to happen ... in this life anyway. And once upon a time ... I had actually thought I might knit a badminton net someday. That's not going to happen either ...
Is there anything you're never going to get around to???
Monday, March 24, 2014
a little gray
Tonight I was talking about how Honeygun's hair is starting to have some reddish tints like Foofie's {especially when she was a baby} ...
and one thing about Ezzie is that he is always paying attention to what is being said ... and he always seems to have a contribution to any discussion. Today was no exception ...
"And Daddy's hair is gray!" Ezzie chimed in.
"No-oo," said Daddy.
"Daddy's hair is kinda gray!"
"No."
He tried again :) "Blackish gray???"
and one thing about Ezzie is that he is always paying attention to what is being said ... and he always seems to have a contribution to any discussion. Today was no exception ...
"And Daddy's hair is gray!" Ezzie chimed in.
"No-oo," said Daddy.
"Daddy's hair is kinda gray!"
"No."
He tried again :) "Blackish gray???"
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
a little un-classic
I don't think anyone reads this little blog anymore ... but I'm back anyway :) I have a few other posts brewing in my brain ... so we'll see ...
Disclaimer :) I feel a little hesitant sharing my opinions with you as Anne Frank is one of those people who seem to be up on an untippable pedestal ... but with the hope that I can benefit at least one family ... I'm setting my hesitations aside.
My 14 year-old daughter requested to read The Diary of Anne Frank and I told her I needed to preview it first. I'm so glad I did; it was not what I expected it to be. Why Eleanor Roosevelt called it a "moving war commentary" is beyond me. A friend of mine read my notes and she called it "soft porn for children". I would guess that less than 5% of the book pertains to anything of national or international interest. The bulk of the book is merely a teenage girl's diary.
And what information do most teenage girls fill the pages of their diaries with (and this girl in particular)??? Politics and current news events? Of course not. Anne wrote about people that bug her, friends, boys, issues with her family, books she is reading, activities and relationships concerning the 8 people in the building (especially their quirks and quarrels), food, schoolwork/studies, illnesses, birthdays/holidays, aspirations of being a writer (she will never be just a housewife!), her body/puberty.
Although Anne made a few observations which seem pretty poignant for a teenage girl to make ...
"What is done cannot be undone, but one can prevent it happening again." (p. 227)
"Stupid people usually can't take it if others do better than they do." (p. 249)
at the end of the day ... Anne said it best herself when she called her ramblings nonsense. "Sometimes I very much doubt whether in the future anyone will be interested in all my tosh. 'The unbosomings of an ugly duckling' will be the title of all this nonsense." (p. 209)
So ... did I hand it over to my daughter after I finished it??? Absolutely not. There are a few things in it that are completely inappropriate; I wouldn't even consider putting them in this post. {If you want to see my notes ... let me know.} She isn't a great role model. The book begins with her and an older boy figuring out when they can see each other without his grandparents (who disapprove of the relationship) knowing about it. She isn't respectful towards adults ... especially her mother. "Aren't the grown-ups idiotic and stupid?" (p. 163) AND "I don't feel in the least bit responsible to any of you." (p. 224) MANY pages are devoted to musings about a present infatuation Anne is cherishing and nurturing. Lastly, and not surprisingly, she has bad theology. "A religion, it doesn't matter which, keeps a person on the right path." (p. 256) "I don't have to give an account of my deeds to anyone but myself." (p. 225) And ... "Why shouldn't I follow the way my heart leads me, if it makes [me] happy?" (p. 212) BECAUSE "The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked; who can understand it?" (Jeremiah 17:9)
So what did I tell my daughter??? I told Halo she COULD read it when SHE is a mother in her thirties and SHE has a young daughter asking to read it :) And ... IF she does decide to read it at this point in the future ... then she would understand why I didn't feel it was best for her to read it as a young woman ... and that I said no because I love her. Although ... even as a thirty-something ... I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone or laud it as a classic. If "classic" means "to be judged over a period of time to be of highest quality and outstanding" ... and you want to read a classic from the times of World War II ... then The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom is a far superior option.
Disclaimer :) I feel a little hesitant sharing my opinions with you as Anne Frank is one of those people who seem to be up on an untippable pedestal ... but with the hope that I can benefit at least one family ... I'm setting my hesitations aside.
My 14 year-old daughter requested to read The Diary of Anne Frank and I told her I needed to preview it first. I'm so glad I did; it was not what I expected it to be. Why Eleanor Roosevelt called it a "moving war commentary" is beyond me. A friend of mine read my notes and she called it "soft porn for children". I would guess that less than 5% of the book pertains to anything of national or international interest. The bulk of the book is merely a teenage girl's diary.
And what information do most teenage girls fill the pages of their diaries with (and this girl in particular)??? Politics and current news events? Of course not. Anne wrote about people that bug her, friends, boys, issues with her family, books she is reading, activities and relationships concerning the 8 people in the building (especially their quirks and quarrels), food, schoolwork/studies, illnesses, birthdays/holidays, aspirations of being a writer (she will never be just a housewife!), her body/puberty.
Although Anne made a few observations which seem pretty poignant for a teenage girl to make ...
"What is done cannot be undone, but one can prevent it happening again." (p. 227)
"Stupid people usually can't take it if others do better than they do." (p. 249)
at the end of the day ... Anne said it best herself when she called her ramblings nonsense. "Sometimes I very much doubt whether in the future anyone will be interested in all my tosh. 'The unbosomings of an ugly duckling' will be the title of all this nonsense." (p. 209)
So ... did I hand it over to my daughter after I finished it??? Absolutely not. There are a few things in it that are completely inappropriate; I wouldn't even consider putting them in this post. {If you want to see my notes ... let me know.} She isn't a great role model. The book begins with her and an older boy figuring out when they can see each other without his grandparents (who disapprove of the relationship) knowing about it. She isn't respectful towards adults ... especially her mother. "Aren't the grown-ups idiotic and stupid?" (p. 163) AND "I don't feel in the least bit responsible to any of you." (p. 224) MANY pages are devoted to musings about a present infatuation Anne is cherishing and nurturing. Lastly, and not surprisingly, she has bad theology. "A religion, it doesn't matter which, keeps a person on the right path." (p. 256) "I don't have to give an account of my deeds to anyone but myself." (p. 225) And ... "Why shouldn't I follow the way my heart leads me, if it makes [me] happy?" (p. 212) BECAUSE "The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked; who can understand it?" (Jeremiah 17:9)
So what did I tell my daughter??? I told Halo she COULD read it when SHE is a mother in her thirties and SHE has a young daughter asking to read it :) And ... IF she does decide to read it at this point in the future ... then she would understand why I didn't feel it was best for her to read it as a young woman ... and that I said no because I love her. Although ... even as a thirty-something ... I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone or laud it as a classic. If "classic" means "to be judged over a period of time to be of highest quality and outstanding" ... and you want to read a classic from the times of World War II ... then The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom is a far superior option.
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