Thursday, September 17, 2020

Teleidoscope Thursday - September 17, 2020

Life's been in such a whirlwind lately that I've had quite a time trying to keep up with everything. Here are some of the things that have been going on in my world this week...

- I worked on Monday. It was a beautiful late-summer day and I started my morning with a hike out on the prairie. Here are a few of the things  that I observed along the way...

As late summer fades into fall the prairie takes on a unique 
beauty all its own. Here asters and bur marigolds play amongst 
the native tall grasses of their southwest Missouri home.

On cool and misty prairie morns tiny droplets of dew outline
every spider web like fine pearls strung on gossamer string.

Here a garden spider makes a tasty meal
out of a captured prairie cicada.

In late summer and early fall sumac makes a fine display
as its leaves turn from dark green to a fiery red.

An open milkweed pod reveals wispy, parachute-like seed that is 
ready to disperse with the first prairie wind that blows their way.

Boneset, bur marigolds, and blackberry 
stand tall against a prairie landscape.

- My cousin came over for supper Monday evening and we had a good time catching up. Breakfast for supper was on the menu so I made homemade biscuits, ham, eggs, and hot tea. It was an enjoyable evening but I stayed up way too late! 😴

- Tuesday morning I met our oldest granddaughter for breakfast at the local cafe. She works, has a boyfriend, and is in nursing school, so that doesn't leave her much time to socialize. It's nice on those rare occasions, that we do get together, to catch up with another and visit. It's hard to believe, but she's celebrating her 22nd birthday today. 

- Yesterday we rode with our oldest daughter and grands up to  Kansas City to spend our second scheduled work day at our youngest daughter's home. Work projects included a few indoor chores, as well as, power-washing the deck, weed-eating, and tree-trimming outside. It was a lot of fun and didn't take too long as many hands make light work!

- After the work was done at dd's yesterday, she did all us girls' nails with the new dip powder nail set that she got. It was her first time of doing it and, with each set of nails, she got better and better. She is coming down in three weeks to spend the night and plans on redoing our nails then. 

Granddaughter, Mercy, Getting Her 
Nails Done By Aunt Amanda

Mercy Chose To Get Her Nails Done In Her
Favorite Color - Purple

- On the way home from Kansas City yesterday we decided to take a side trip and view the newly discovered (to us) lake at Butler. It was beautiful! There were a couple of fishermen in a boat silhouetted against the setting sun and a nice dock. We observed a great blue heron fishing along the shoreline and great rings in the water where schools of fish were feeding before dark. I can't wait to go back and explore the area more fully and soon!

The Lake At Butler Near Sunset

The Dock

The Grands

- Today I'm sorting through things and clearing them out. My car is packed full of stuff to be donated and I've got several smaller piles of stuff that needs to be redirected back to their rightful owners. When I get done with that I'm pulling everything out of the closet in the Van Gogh room and will start sorting and organizing all my books, program materials, craft supplies, and Christmas stuff. It's going to be a big job! 

I plan on delivering the carload of stuff to be donated to the places they're going tomorrow and will probably turn it into a date day with dh. 

(Note - "date day" = "lunch out and a trip to Walmart") 😆

- Thank you to all who have been praying over Pat. She is doing well after hip surgery. She did take a fall yesterday, but, praise God, there are no injuries. Yesterday was her last day in quarantine and, after two weeks, I was finally able to speak with her on the phone this morning. She knew who I was and was glad to hear my voice, but, other than that, the conversation didn't make much sense. Please continue to remember her in your prayers. 

Well...that's it for this time. Break time is over and it's time to get back to work! You all have a great day and I'll be with you again soon!

All My Love,
~Rebecca

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Monday, September 14, 2020

Master List and Menu Planning Monday - September 14, 2020

Greetings, Dear One! 💗

How are you? How was your week and weekend? Our week here was good...busy...but good! 



Sawtooth Sunflowers

Labor Day was spent working at home. I worked inside while dh fixed a fence post and cleaned out a fence-row. We ordered a pizza for supper and took a walk in the evening. It was a nice day.

On Tuesday our youngest son and his family came to visit. They've been looking to move for a while now and have been actively looking at places in and out of the area. We, on the other hand, with winter coming, have been in a quandary about what to do with the place across the street. We knew we'd have a hard time keeping up with utilities for another winter and, with no one in it, the place is deteriorating quickly. After much discussion, it was decided that our son and his family would rent the place and stay in it until spring, at least. The rest of the week was spent getting things ready and getting them moved in.

I dropped my car off to the mechanic in Lamar on Tuesday afternoon. He performed general maintenance (checked the fluids, did an oil change, checked the tires, etc.), did a transmission flush, and checked a couple of other things that needed done before winter. He had the car done and ready to be picked up on Friday.

Also on Tuesday the leaky kitchen sink hose and a broken light switch got replaced. It feels good to have all that stuff done.

My friend, Carla, and I didn't make it to the Amish store last week, but we have rescheduled. We did get together Thursday afternoon, though, and enjoyed some much needed chocolate; the kids spent their first night in the new place Thursday night.

I worked on Saturday, did a few projects around the house after church on Sunday, and did what I could to relax Sunday evening. It was a busy week and, to be honest, I'm tired. I'm looking forward to getting through work today and just chilling this evening.

Okay...enough rambling! Let's get on with this week's master to-do list and menu plan, shall we?


This Week's Master To-Do List...

- work
- complete my weekly "home blessing" 🏡
- figure the mid-month budget 💲
- go to the bank
- spend another scheduled work day with my girls at youngest daughter's 
- wish our oldest granddaughter a happy birthday 🎂
- spend some time with my cousin 
- do laundry 👚
- continue to work on the Van Gogh room (in my spare time) 🎨
- continue to work towards decluttering and dejunking 😒
- make bread 🍞
- walk daily 👟
- do some planning 📔
- check a few more things off my summer bucket list 🏊
- make an Amazon order (foodstuffs, household and office supplies, and hair dye)
- do a little geocaching (if we get time and opportunity) 🧭
- read 📖
- write a few blog posts 💻


Butterfly on White Crownbeard

This Week's Menus...

Monday - Breakfast for supper 🥓
Tuesday - Turkey burgers and oven fries 🦃
Wednesday - Tuna and noodles 🐟
Thursday - Chicken a la King over rice 🐔
Friday - Broiled salmon with oven-roasted vegetables 🐟
Saturday - Pasta, sauce, and homemade bread 🍝
Sunday - Leftovers

Well, Ladies, that's it for this time! I pray that all is well with you and yours and that you have a blessed week ahead!

Until next time...
~Rebecca

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Wednesday, September 9, 2020

(Not Quite) Wordless Wednesday - September 9, 2020

 

The last time I looked it was 57 degrees and fog still hangs over the field across from us. I'm on my second cup of tea for the morning, chili is cooking on top of the stove, and bread is baking in the oven.

It's snowing at my cousin's house in Colorado.

What's the weather like where you're at? And how are you spending this lovely September morn?

Until next time...

~Rebecca

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Master List and Menu Monday - September 7, 2020




Monday, September 7, 2020

Master List and Menu Monday - September 7, 2020

Greetings, Dear One! 💗 

I trust that you and yours are doing well and that you are enjoying this last official holiday weekend of summer! Happy Labor Day! 💓🤍💙 

Are you doing anything special in celebration? I didn't have to work today, so we're just relaxing here and working around the place. 

I did work Saturday. My co-worker and I started the morning off by going out on the prairie in search of the bison and, of course, we found them. They were grazing out on the high prairie northeast of the nature center.














We were able to observe them for quite some time before moving on, which was great! I never ever get tired of watching them! 

After church and lunch on Sunday my husband and I decided to do a little geocaching, but, for the most part, it turned out to be a waste of time, energy, and gasoline. Out of five geocache sites listed (all of them way out in the middle of nowhere to the north of us), we were only able to locate and log one of them; the rest of them appeared to be missing. The log book in the cache that we did find was full and the paper was wet. Geocaching is great fun as long as the people that hide them maintain them, but, when they don't, it sure makes it rough on the ones looking for them. 😢

Thank you to those of you who offered up prayers on behalf of Pat and our granddaughter, Esther, last week. Both are doing well at this point. Pat is still in the middle of a 14-day quarantine following her hospital stay and surgery, but is healing well and doing okay physically according to her nurses. Esther has been fever-free now for several days and is back to her normal self. Praise the Lord! 💗

Well...enough rambling! Let's get on with this week's master to-do list and menu plan, shall we?


This Week's Master To-Do List...

- my weekly "home blessing" 🏡
- work towards finishing up the carport (which we've been working towards for going on four years now!) 🙄
- get my car to the mechanic at the Lamar Vo-Tech (which has finally reopened after being shut down due to COVID for months...YEAH!!!!! ) 🚗 
- do laundry 👚
- continue to work on the Van Gogh room (have made progress, but am still at it...am trying to reorganize and thin stuff out) 🎨
- make bread 🥖
- walk daily 👟
- do some planning 📔
- check a few more things off my summer bucket list 🏊
- work on my autumn bucket list 🍁
- go to the Amish store with a friend 
- read 📖
- write a few blog posts 💻
- do a little geocaching 🧭


This Week's Menus...

Monday - Taco salad 🥗
Tuesday - Broccoli, rice, and cheese casserole 🥦🌾🧀
Wednesday - Chili and crackers 🐮
Thursday - Chicken and noodles 🥣
Friday - Broiled salmon with buttered rice and oven-roasted vegetables 🐟
Saturday - Pasta, sauce, sauteed zucchini, and homemade bread 🍝
Sunday - Leftovers

Well, Ladies, that's it for this time! I pray that all is well with you and yours and that you have a blessed week ahead!

Until next time...
~Rebecca

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Thursday, September 3, 2020

Teleidoscope Thursday - September 3, 2020

So far, it's been an interesting week. Here's a hodge-podge of what's been going on here...

- Our six-year-old granddaughter has been sick for over a week now with fever. She's been to the doctor twice and has been tested for all kinds of things, including COVID-19, for which she tested negative; they are awaiting lab results now on the latest tests. Please join us in prayer over her and stand with us in agreement for a good report on her behalf. Thank you! 🙏

- I only worked a half day on Monday. I had to await test results on our granddaughter before I could head to Joplin to be with our friend, Pat, who was hospitalized after falling and breaking a hip at the nursing home. 😥

- Pat had surgery Monday evening and, physically, considering her age and heart condition, she is doing relatively well. The beauty part of this whole thing is that, due to COVID rules, we had not been able to visit with Pat at the nursing home since March. We have been extremely grateful for this unexpected opportunity to spend time with her at the hospital. 💓

- I finally made the oven-baked onion rings last night that I've been trying to get to for two weeks. They were very good, but they were also very crisp and my husband and I kept choking on the coating...which is NOT good! I probably won't make them again. We seem to do better if I just cut the onions into strips, roll them in flour, salt, and pepper, drizzle them with olive oil, and bake them in a hot oven until browned and tender. We get the onion ring flavor without a lot of fancy hoopla and we don't get choked on them. 😆 

- We also grilled burgers on the hibachi last night. I don't know why we don't grill out more often. I really enjoy that! 🤔

- We logged a few more geocache finds this week and shared the fun with family. Now they are geocaching, too! 🧭

- I had to make up more hummingbird food this morning. We've had a lot of hummingbirds and they're emptying the feeders every couple of days. 



Well, I think that's about it. 
I hope that you things are going well with you and that you and yours are having a great week. I will talk to you again soon!

Until next time...

~Rebecca

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Wordless Wednesday