IT'S AS EASY AS APPLE PIE

It's that time of year again...time for an All-American favorite--Apple Pie!

This particular pie is a "Dutch Apple." My daughter said she was hungry for one and we happened to have a bushel and a half of apples on hand for making sauce. So....I threw this together one morning and oh, wow!!! If I do say so myself, it was GOOD. The recipe will go in the cookbook I am writing. Yes, I know...I don't really like to cook, but I'm compiling a family history/recipe type of cookbook and have been working on it for several months, adding in recipes of my own as well as favorites from both sides of the family tree.

 

I was pretty excited because I've only made Dutch Apple once or twice in my life--you see, we are cream pie fans in this house. But I just made up a recipe (I did use the measurements for a favorite crumb topping) and was very happy with the results. So happy, in fact, that I ate a slice before I remembered to take this picture! The pie didn't last long and Clint doesn't even care for this kind of pie so he didn't have any. Guess who finished it off?

In answer to the question posed in last post: The tractor was older by 10 years! However, it's not going gray and someone has done very well in giving it all the facelifts it's needed over the years! Blessings, Lori

Weedin' With The Chickens!

The weather has been so warm! I took the opportunity after work tonight to do some more raking and weeding. Three hens joined me! My chickens are very personable. They are almost like pets!

Hoping to get a picture ready soon of my newest book--it is finally in print! THE CALL FROM A DISTANT FIELD is ready after a couple years of work. It is the third in my courtship fiction series. I wanted to get some copies in time for our church sale on March 25--a benefit sale for our missions in Uganda. It seemed an appropriate way to announce the book since the story takes place in Africa and the mission described in the book is involved in farming to feed the people. Our church has a similar mission in Uganda. I didn't know this when I wrote the book, since I was not attending this church at the time. It is such an amazing thing to me that I want to donate a book for the sale. The proof copy came through in an amazing 5 days--never before happened in my publisher's experience! It was a blessed effort, I am sure, since I found out about the benefit sale only days before the book was in the final stage of corrections. I am thanking the Lord for the results! Blessings, LORI

FARMING AROUND HERE!

SOME PRETTY DILL WEED FROM MY GARDEN DRAPED WITH THE MORNING DEW! I thought you'd enjoy this picture and a bit about our farm country!

On the last post I re-commented about our farms here in St. Joseph County, Michigan, but I suspect many of my readers don't re-read the comments, so here's a bit of info.

Our field behind our house, approximately ten acres, is planted in no-till soybeans this year. My daughter told me she thinks it will take about a half hour to pick the beans. The farmers have big combines to do the work. We rent them the ground and they have grown several different crops over the years--corn, beans, alfalfa.

Here in St. Joseph County they say we are a seed corn capital. We have several major seed corn companies located in the surrounding towns and we are said to be the most irrigated county east of the Mississippi--largely due to the seed corn industry.

Rhiannon has worked for one of the companies for years. She is an inspector and inspects about a hundred acres a day this time of year (mostly on foot) checking for all kinds of things--bugs, weed problems, rogue corn, etc., etc. It's a fascinating, scientific system that produces this incredible corn. Lots of money is involved in one single field and the farmers and the seed corn companies take the job of raising it very seriously. Lots of people are employed in the business of seed corn in one way or another around here.

In addition to seed corn, we have several farms that raise vegetables for commercial use. Such crops as green beans, carrots, and potatoes are among the variety of things grown in St. Joseph County. On a smaller scale, many people have little home garden plots and fruit and vegetable stands and co-op style garden businesses are springing up lately. This is a large garden operation where people can buy shares and then get an allotment of vegetables, etc. each week during the season without ever lifting a finger to do their own gardening! Most Amish families also raise most of their home fruits and vegetables in their gardens as well. Our county is home to several Old Order Amish.

The picture above is my little patch of dill in one of my raised beds. I plant it because I always think I will use it and never do! Well, once in a while I make "floating vegetables" with it--sliced tomatoes, onions, and peppers, floating in vinegar/sugar water with various spices. I like to eat this fresh.

I hope you enjoyed the little bit of farming education. Sooooo.......This seemed like an appropriate time to announce our big news--WE WERE ABLE TO BUY 13.75 MORE ACRES TO ADD TO OUR NEW LAND! We are just thrilled! For a short while--until we sell our house and adjoining acreage, we own almost 47 acres. This is something we only dreamed of in our wildest dreams! This has been a big blessing the Lord has given us and we are encouraged unbelievably by being able to realize this dream. We now own just shy of 29 acres all in one plot over near our old hometown! It's not exactly farm ground. It's more wooded and rolling hills, but beauitful and we hope to build on it soon. We feel so blessed and as soon as I have a nice picture, I will post it, but I couldn't wait to share this blessing with you!

My third book was finished yesterday and will be going to the publisher early next week! There's one big summer goal accomplished! Blessings, LORI

BACK TO THE OLD WAYS

I decided to title this post, "Back to the Old Ways," in honor of not having a picture to post! I used to post long articles in the old days, with no pictures.

I've been so busy I haven't had time to do much but work. Last evening I picked a good bunch of wild black raspberries in the fencerows of our farm! I thank the Lord for those each year. They make the best jelly ever! It was peaceful out there and I got a good extended time of prayer in while I worked. However, the garb I had to don for that work is interesting indeed. Long pants, long shirt, bandana (I want to avoid ticks!), straw hat (same reason), bug spray, and boots. Why do the berries always ripen in the hottest part of the summer so you can be so comfortable in that get-up?

The brambles and bugs are both very thick. But last evening I had an easier time that usual. My hands were barely even stained and I came out of the patches relatively unscathed--until I turned across our field and headed toward the beautiful patches at the east side of our woods. The sun had already dipped behind the front of the trees and the mosquitoes literally chased me. I couldn't get back out into the field and into the sun fast enough. It was awful. We've had a lot of rain and I suppose that accounts for the onslaught!

Getting very close to the publication of my third book, "The Call From a Distant Field." I am excited, of course. I have a small amount of re-reading to do then it goes to the publisher who is currently working on the cover. I hope it is out by September. I will be speaking for a ladies' prayer group later this month and had originally hoped to have it by then--my own fault!

Will try to post pictures again soon. I have lots of projects going on. We are very busy right now and I've been putting in more hours at work. I love my job and so that's ok. I welcomed four new chickens to the farm last week and they are growing fast. Our barn sale was a huge success and we're glad to have everything cleaned out! Blessings, LORI

NEW OLD PICTURES AND EXPLANATIONS

THANKS FOR THE INQUIRY INTO WHAT'S IN THE BACKGROUND OF THE SECOND PICTURE ON THE LAST POST!

SINCE THE GARDEN IS NOWHERE NEAR AS NEAT AND PRETTY AS IN OTHER YEARS, I DECIDED TO DO WHAT I DID TWO POSTS AGO AND RUN MORE PICTURES FROM LAST YEAR FOR ALL YOU WHO ARE NEW TO FOLLOWING MY BLOG. IF YOU DIDN'T SEE THE POST BEFORE LAST, PLEASE TAKE A LOOK FOR ANOTHER VIEW OF A CORNER OF THE GARDEN AND MY FAVORITE LITTLE GIRLS.

WHAT YOU WERE SEEING ON THE LAST POST IS AN OLD QUEEN SIZED IRON BED FRAME. I BOUGHT IT AT A GARAGE SALE AND USUALLY HANG A LACE TABLECLOTH OVER THE TOP AND CURTAINS AT THE CORNERS. THIS GIVES DIFFUSED LIGHT FOR READING OUT THERE. THE BED FRAME IS BURIED PART WAY IN THE SOIL AND HAS BEEN THERE FOR 5 YEARS OR SO NOW. IT'S LIKE A LITTLE GARDEN ROOM WITH CHAIRS AND A TABLE INSIDE!

AS FOR THE BOTTLE VASES, I SAW THE IDEA AND LOVED IT. I TOOK WIRE AND TWISTED IT AROUND THE NECK AS TIGHTLY AS I COULD--NOT AS EASY AS IT SOUNDS--AND THEN AROUND THE POSTS. HOPE YOU ENJOYED TOURING MY LAST YEAR'S GARDEN!

I'VE BEEN 'CLOSING IN' ON BOOK THREE IN MY SERIES--I REALLY AM FINALLY ALMOST READY TO GO TO PRINT! PRAY FOR ME ON THIS! Blessings, LORI

FINISHED DOILIES

I'm pretty excited to share these pictures with you. This is what I've been doing during the cold winter evenings. The doily with the rounded edges is an original design and the one with pointed edges is the same one that I labeled as a "ruined" project a few posts ago! I fixed it!

I've gotten a part time job at a nearby library--a job I've dreamed of having for years! This was a real blessing of God at just the right time since I had actually applied over a year ago! This is like a dream come true for me! Instead of going to work, I feel like I'm going to FUN! I love being there.

Thanks for all of you that have been praying for us. We have the next four Sundays booked with preaching and teaching at various churches. God is really opening doors for us it seems and we are praising Him. Today we began gathering a prayer team of dedicated people who will pray for us as we are out ministering. This weekend we travel clear down to the Ohio/WV line to minister in a church there. EXCITING! In additiont to that, I am in the final stages before publication of my third book--I welcome the prayers for that project! Blessings, LORI

WEATHERING THE STORM

I SOMETIMES DO GET BORED STAYING HOME, BUT I ALSO CAN'T UNDERSTAND PEOPLE THAT CAN'T FIND ENOUGH TO DO! THE BIG BLIZZARD OF 2011 BEGAN TO HIT US YESTERDAY AFTERNOON ABOUT 4:30. I DON'T MIND A GOOD BLIZZARD AS LONG AS NO ONE GETS HURT. IT GIVES YOU EXTRA TIME TO ACCOMPLISH AND TO US CLASSIC "TYPE-A-ER'S" THAT'S A GIFT!

Our list of accomplishments since the storm hit:

Made pizza
Made econo-potato soup out of leftovers
Watched Jane Eyre
Read Bible
Vacuumed
Fed Birds
Cut out a new skirt
Knitted on a sweater
Plowed out driveway
Read books
Worked on proofreading third book
Prayed
Exercised on treadmill
Spun some Icelandic wool into laceweight
Emailed friends
Battled my way out behind the barn to dump peelings into the compost


What does your list look like? I feel like we're just getting started and actually haven't accomplished much yet. It will be fun to see what all we get done while "snowed in." Let me know what you are planning to do during this confinement! Blessings, LORI