Enjoying Our Vacation

Hey there! I'm writing this to you all from a new state today. Guess I'm not quite as technically challenged as I thought. One of these days I'll get a laptop and it won't be an issue. Anyway, I didn't forget my menus even though I'm away. Although I figured you'd all be doing the cookout thing for Memorial Day and didn't include one for that.

Tuesday--All-American Chicken and Vegetables, Cheddar Biscuits
Wednesday--Bacon Cheeseburger Pasta, Carrots, Salad
Thursday--Maple Roasted Pork and Potatoes, Green Bean Casserole, Sliced Tomatoes
Friday--Taco Night
Saturday--Homemade Pizza
Sunday--leftovers

On the Bookshelf

It's the last of the photos I've taken in the yard for the week. I'll try to have something different than flowers for next time, but they were just so pretty I couldn't help but share. This clematis is from the trellis in the front of my house. Poor little thing, I nearly killed it last year. I got a little "prune happy" and thought I'd lop off all the dead looking parts. Apparently this clematis turns woody on the old growth. The whole thing came off. There was just a nub left. It decided to give me another chance and I promised it I would leave the pruning shears for the roses.

Today I thought I'd take a minute to share a few books that I refer to over and over. They help keep me organized, grounded, and sane. Maybe you can sneak a little information into your summer reading. They're all oldies, but they're oh so goodies.

* Disciplines of a Beautiful Woman, Ann Ortlund (getting yourself together)
* Simply Organized, Emilie Barnes (getting your home together)
* Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy, Sarah Ban Breathnach (I don't agree with everything she has to say, but there's some great stuff in there, and wonderful quotes)

Thankful Thursday

Today I thought we'd do something a little different. It just felt like a day to count my blessings. The list could be so very long, but I'll limit it to five.

1. I'm thankful that this photo reminds me of how I've learned to bloom where I've been planted.

2. I'm thankful that so far today no one else is sick.

3. I'm thankful that I live in a place where a doctor visit is just a phone call away and medicine for my children is readily available.

4. I'm thankful to realize that stuff is just stuff, pretty as it is.

5. I'm thankful that this is my 50th post, it's gotten here so quickly. And, I'm thankful for you who have shared this journey with me. You are a sweet, dear friend.


What about you? What are you thankful for today? Leave me a comment to let me know.

There Goes Another One

Why is it when you're trying to get ready to go on vacation, that everyone gets sick? I had to take another child to the doctor today. That wasn't in my plans at all. And no, they aren't even sick with the same thing. Jack's got the beginnings of strep or the flu, they're not sure which it is yet. The crazy thing is that this happens every single time. I don't think we've ever gone on vacation that I didn't end up with someone at the doctor the week before.

Don't think I've lost my mind (yet). The menu for last night was for london broil and that's what we had. I just used the recipe below and substituted london broil for the brisket. It smelled so good cooking we could hardly stand it, and it was very tender. It was a nice change to the usual way we cook it.

Home-Style Beef Brisket

1 env. onion soup mix
3/4 c. water
1.2 c. ketchup
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. dried parsley
1/2 tsp. black pepper
3 lb. boneless brisket (or london broil)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. In 13x9 pan, add soup mix blended with water, ketchup, garlic powder, parsley, and pepper. Add meat and turn to coat. Loosely cover with aluminum foil and bake 3 hours. Serves 8

Here's a picture of one of my crepe myrtle trees. We have several. The pink ones aren't blooming yet. The white ones are full of blooms though. I've got a different garden picture to share with you for the rest of the week.

Stay well!

Black-Eyed Susan and a Recipe I'm Usin'

How do you like my black-eyed susans? I've tried to grow them for years with no success. Finally this is my year. I've got lots of them everywhere. They are so pretty, like little bits of sunshine in the yard. This is the one flower that my husband had requested for the yard and I'm glad they're making it.


Sorry I had to cut it short yesterday. Riley came running in with a terrible earache. We ended up going to the doctor and he had to have antibiotics. Poor fella, he had infection in his throat, tonsils, and both ears. He's feeling much better now, so I'm back at it.

I guess it's a good thing I had to wait because it gave me a chance to try out the onion ring recipe last night. I'm getting lots of onions from the garden and I thought onion rings would be a fun way to use them. The recipe was wonderful! Anytime you have kids saying, "I love onions", you know it must be good. They remind me of some onion straws we had at a seafood restaurant in Myrtle Beach while on vacation one year. The other recipe for today is peach cobbler. It's the one I got from my mom. I've just adapted it to my needs, doubling the recipe and using all-purpose flour instead. You could use self-rising if you leave out the baking powder. You know we Georgia girls know a thing or two about peach cobbler. Let me know how you like them.

Fried Onion Rings with Dipping Sauce
I think I cut this recipe out of a Quick Cooking magazine that my mother-in-law passed on to me. It is sooooo worth a try. I didn't have lime juice, just lemon, and it worked fine. Yumalicious--so good it deserved its own word.

1 large Vidalia or sweet onion
3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. cornmeal
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 baking soda
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 egg
1 c. buttermilk
oil for frying

Lime Dipping Sauce--
2/3 c. mayonnaise
3 tbsp. honey
2 tbsp. lime juice
2 tbsp. spicy brown mustard
1 tsp. prepared horseradish

Cut onion into 1/2 inch slices; separate into rings. In a bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and cayenne. Combine the egg and buttermilk; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. In an electric skillet or deep fryer, heat 1 inch of oil to 375 degrees. Dip onion rings in batter. Fry a few at a time for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes on each side until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Keep warm in 300 degree oven. In a small bowl, combine sauce ingredients. Serve with onion rings.


Simple Southern Peach Cobbler
A definite summertime requirement. Take it to your Memorial Day picnic if you've got fresh peaches nearby. Cut up your peaches over the bowl so that the juice goes in, keeps it extra yummy.

1 stick butter
2 c. sugar
2 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
2 c. milk
3 c. peaches, cut up

Place butter in 13x9 pan; place in oven as it heats to 350 degrees. Combine sugar, flour, and baking powder; add milk and stir to moisten. When butter has melted, remove from oven. Pour batter in pan. DO NOT STIR. Add peaches and juice evenly in dish. Bake 40-45 minutes until golden brown.

Summer Time and the Livin' is Easy

School's out. Everyone slept later, they've watched cartoons, played together. We've had lunch with Granny and Grandaddy. They've played with the neighbors in their kiddie pool and slip'n'slide. What a great way to spend the day.

I hope you're enjoying your day, whether your little ones (and big ones) are out of school yet or you're all by yourself. Here's what's cookin' at my house this week.

Monday--Grilled sausage, buttered corn, homemade onion rings, peach cobbler
Tuesday--London broil, green beans, au gratin potatoes, rolls
Wednesday--Chicken salad, rolls, chips, fruit
Thursday--Orange Glazed Pork Chops, rice, squash
Friday--Hot dogs, fries, peaches

I've got to run right now, but I'll get back to you with the recipes for the cobbler and onion rings.

Eat That Ice Cream, Baby!

I don't know what made me remember this when I was getting my shower this morning, it's something that happened long ago, but I thought you'd enjoy it just the same. It's one of those things that we could file under "Nobody but Kelly...", like that post when I told y'all about making the wall hairy. At least life's never boring.

Here goes. Many, many years ago when I was but a teenager my mom and I were driving down a four lane road. I was in the passenger seat and looked over to see two older gentlemen riding along in an old Ford Ranger eating ice cream cones. I don't know what struck me as being so funny about that or what made me blurt out the words, but I giggled and said, "Eat that ice cream, baby." Now in my defense, I didn't yell it and I guess I wasn't thinking about the window being cracked. They weren't even looking my way when I said it.

My mom had asked me what was so funny and I was telling her when we heard the honking. We looked in the truck's direction and there they were, leaning over at us just a smilin' and lickin' their cones in an exaggerated way. They'd heard me! It was the funniest sight, not just because they'd heard me, but when the driver had turned to face me, he had a patch on one eye! Oh the trouble I can get into.

I guess the moral of this story is: When you come across an elderly ice cream eating pirate, remember to keep your mouth shut.