Monday, October 18, 2021

Master To-Do List and Menu Plan Monday - October 18, 2021/Trip to Stockton Photos

Good morning, Dear One! It's Monday! 💗

And what a beautiful Monday morning it is, too! Right now it's  55 degrees, the sun is shining, and a high of 74 is expected. The ten day forecast promises more of the same...which is great! No a/c and no heat equals money saved! Yeah!

We found ourselves right smack-dab in the middle of the
monarch migration fly-zone last week and was blessed
enough to witness, literally, hundreds of monarch butterflies
flying and feeding among asters growing near the lake.

How was your week and weekend?

My week here was good. I spent several days away with a couple of the kids and their families at the lake. We got a cabin in Stockton and enjoyed three nights and four days of fellowship, food, fun, and fishing. I will share photos throughout this post.

View From the Deck


My Room



I dropped my car off at the shop on our way to Stockton and got it back by week's end. The speed sensor is fixed and for less money than first quoted. So glad to finally have that done!

Hiking

Exploring

Fishing

My Big Catch of the Day

The Pretties Little Bluegill I've Ever Seen

After we got home I picked up more pecans. I have already harvested more than I expected to and have started cracking them and picking out the nut meats. I have about a quart of nut meats in the deep-freeze, thus far, and have probably got enough pecans picked up to put up two to three times that amount more.

Speaking of pecans...the squirrels at Stockton were super
busy preparing for winter. This fellow had, not one, but TWO
pecans in his mouth at the same time! So stinkin' cute! 💓

I didn't get to the weed-eating and yard clean-up that I had planned to over the weekend. I ended up pulling a rib and spent the weekend nursing that instead. Am missing work today because of it, too. So painful! 😭

Evenings in the cabin were spent reading...

...preparing the tackle boxes for the next day's adventure...

...discussing favorite fishing equipment used...

...playing...

...doing handcrafts...

...or sitting around the campfire...

...visiting and relaxing.

Let's get on with this week's post...shall we?

Boats at the Marina

Feeding the Fish at the Marina

Seven of our Twenty Grands

This week's master to-do list...

- clean house
- do laundry 
- prepare a food and financial plan for the coming winter
- weed-eat
- get flower gardens put to bed (all but the zinnias and marigolds...am leaving them for any stray hummers that might be passing through)
- trim trees (bought myself a battery-powered pruning saw) 
- get together with family and friends

The grands had never seen a bullfrog before. This big fellow
showed up near a pool of water in the backyard after a morning
rainstorm. Granddaughter, Essie, who isn't afraid of anything,
chased the frog down and posed for a photo before releasing it.

A Fine Figure of a Bullfrog

This week's menu plan...

Monday - Broiled salmon with baked sweet potato and sauteed spinach
Tuesday - Pizza dippin' sticks and sauce with pineapple upside down cake and apple cider for dessert
Wednesday - White Chicken Enchiladas with black beans
Thursday - Stuffed banana peppers in sauce over spaghetti squash (freezer) with oven-roasted carrots and green beans
Friday - Oven-roasted chicken breasts with macaroni and cheese and green beans
Saturday - Chili with cornbread (freezer)
Sunday - leftovers

Leaves in Water
One of my favorite things in autumn! 🍁

That's it for this time! Have a wonderful week ahead and may the Lord's richest blessings be yours!

Until next time...
~Rebecca

Recent and related posts that you might enjoy reading...

Recipe For A Fall Favorite - Apple Cake

Wisdom Wednesday - Proverbs 6:6-8


Don't forget to enter the drawing for the Sue Hooley 2022 Daily Planner giveaway! A winner will be picked THIS WEEKEND, so there's only a few more days left to enter! For details click HERE.

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Monday, October 11, 2021

Master To-Do List and Menu Plan Monday - October 11, 2021

Greetings, Dear One! Happy Monday! 💓 

I hope that you and yours had a nice weekend and that your week is off to a great start!

It's a windy morning here on the tallgrass prairies of southwest Missouri. Storms rolled through last night bringing in cooler temperatures. At the moment it's 59 degrees and rainy. Tornado sirens were going off at 5:00 this morning and we are under a wind advisory through late morning. According to the ten-day forecast the cooler weather is here to stay. Good thing I got the heating stove cleaned and ready to go last night. I will probably be firing it up by the end of the week.

The pecans are finally starting to fall in abundance. I check on them a couple of times a day. At first I was only finding one or two nuts under each tree (I have four). Yesterday, I was picking up three or four handfuls every time I went out. After last night's storms I'm sure that the majority of them are down now. I will go out and check on them again a little later this morning. I'm thrilled with having my own nut trees right here in my own backyard. I'm hoping to get enough pecans stashed to last throughout the coming year for snacking and baking. If I run across any black walnuts I may harvest some of those to add to the freezer, too.


Over the weekend I went to a corn maze and enjoyed a hayride and other activities (pumpkin painting, tiny tot cow train, corn hole tournament, duck races, and more) with three of my children and their families. We had an absolute ball! I will post pictures throughout this post.


Yesterday was the three-month anniversary of my husband's death. It's hard to believe that he's been gone that long already. Here he and I are at one of our many backyard bonfires several years ago...


He so would have enjoyed Saturday's activities with the children and grands. 



He used to hate fall and winter, but, in recent years, he would often comment on the fact that he was finally starting to see why I enjoyed those particular seasons so much and was finding the beauty in them for himself. I love and miss him so much! 🧡


Well...I'm running a bit behind this morning and need to get on with my day, so let's get started on this week's post...shall we?

This week's master to-do list...

- clean house
- do laundry
- drop car off at shop to finally get that speed sensor fixed (it's been acting up for two or three years now - will be so glad to finally get that done)
- go on a little adventure with family (more about that later)
- hopefully do some geocaching
- celebrate son-in-law, Patrick's, birthday
- wish son, Buddy, and daughter-in-law, Christy, a Happy Anniversary
- celebrate grandson, T.J.'s, birthday
- weed-eat 
- get flower gardens put to bed
- start weatherizing
 



This week's menu plan...

Monday - Chicken chowder and homemade rolls
Tuesday - Grill out (burgers and dogs), chips, and s'mores
Wednesday - Rachel sandwich (kind of like a Rueben but different) with jalapeno poppers and fries
Thursday - Broiled salmon, baked sweet potato, and steamed broccoli topped with a wedge of Laughing Cow light cheese
Friday - Stuffed pepper casserole (freezer) and oven-roasted carrots
Saturday - McGregor stew (freezer) with homemade bread or biscuits (freezer) 
Sunday - Leftovers




That's it for this week, Dear One! I hope you and yours have a lovely week ahead! God bless one and all!

Until next time...
~Rebecca

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Friday, October 8, 2021

Recipe For A Fall Favorite - Apple Cake

I had several fresh apples that needed used up in a hurry, so, this afternoon, I'm making a fall family favorite...apple cake! This time, though, I'm experimenting with cutting the amount of sugar called for in the recipe in half. Instead of using the two cups of sugar called for, I'm using one-cup of crystalized cane sugar and a half-cup of THM Super Sweet. I'll let you know how it turns out. If that works I will cut it by even more next time. 

Apple Cake

APPLE CAKE

4 cups peeled, finely chopped apples
2 cups sugar (I generally use 6 tablespoons of THM Super Sweet now instead of sugar, but either will work)
1 cup oil (I use olive)
2 eggs, well beaten
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
3 cups flour (I use half unbleached white/half wheat)
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9 x 13 inch baking pan with non-stick cookingspray. In bowl stir together apples and sugar; let stand for 20 minutes, stirring often, to allow moisture to make juice. Add oil, eggs and vanilla to apples. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt; add to apple mixture. Stir in nuts. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 45 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Top with sifted
powdered sugar.

Apples @ Stoplight Market in Butler, Missouri

Until next time...
~Rebecca

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Wednesday, October 6, 2021

Wisdom Wednesday - Proverbs 6:6-8

 

"Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest." (Proverbs 6:6-8)

In the midst of tough economic times and rising food costs what steps are you and yours taking to prepare for the coming winter?

Until next time...
~Rebecca

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Tuesday, October 5, 2021

Instant Pot Cooking

 


I received an Instant Pot Duo for Christmas last year, but hadn't been brave enough (or desperate enough) to try it out until last night and ohmygoodness! What a neat piece of kitchen equipment!!! I cooked partially frozen chicken in no time and it was perfect!

My questions are these...

1) Who here has an Instant Pot? 

2) If you have one, what is your favorite way to use it or favorite thing to cook in it? 

3) What tips and tricks have you learned along the way in the time you've had it?

I can't wait to learn more. I have a feeling that I'm going to be experimenting with and using my Instant Pot Duo a lot!

Until next time...
~Rebecca

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Monday, October 4, 2021

Master To-Do List and Menu Plan Monday - October 4, 2021

Good morning! It's the first Monday of October 2021 and what a beautiful Monday morning it is, too! 



It's a cool 51degrees and a bit foggy, but the sun is shining and burning it off rapidly. It's shaping up to be an absolutely gorgous fall day!

How was your week and weekend?

I 🧡 Pumpkins

My week here was good! I got to get out of town and spend a couple of days with Amanda and her family. I left Tuesday morning and came home Thursday afternoon. On Wednesday we enjoyed a great day of sightseeing and visiting Civil War and family history sites. 

Lafayette County Courthouse
Lexington, Missouri

Battle of Lexington
Lafayette County, Missouri

The Anderson House
Lexington, Missouri
(My grandmother's aunt and uncle were caretakers here at one time.)

Confederate Memorial State Historic Site
Higginsville, Missouri
(My 3rd great-grandfather lived in the facility that was built
here for Confederate veterans. In fact, he died here.)

The Chapel on the Grounds
on the Confederate Memorial State Historic Site
Higginsville, Missouri

Confederate Veterans in Front of the Chapel

We visited several cemeteries and graves including the graves of the unknown soldiers at Lexington, the Confederate and National Cemeteries at Higginsville, and the graves of family members, including my 3rd great-grandfather. He actually died at the home for Confederate veterans that was on the grounds of, what is now, the state historic site at Higginsville.

Monument Commemorating the Graves of Five Unknown 
Union Soldiers That Fell During the Battle of Lexington

The Graves of the Unknown Soldiers

The Monument at the Confederate Cemetery
Confederate Memorial State Historic Site
Higginsville, Missouri

Grave Markers in the Confederate Cemetery

The National Cemetery
Higginsville, Missouri

My 3rd Great-Grandfather, Jonas J. Lewis
Private, 5th Missouri Calvary, Company B, C.S.A.
Under Major General J.O. Shelby and General Stirling Price
Alma, Missouri

Got to visit with a few friend and relatives along the way, including my girlhood friend and first-cousin, Teresa, and her husband, Gary...

Cousin Teresa and I

...and this dear lady, Charlene...

Charlene and I

Charlene is actually my cousin's aunt, but she was more like an aunt to me, than not, when I was growing up so I'm claiming her! She is a very precious soul and she's always been good to me and my family. I love her with all my heart!

Madonna of the Trail
Lexington, Missouri

This trip was a lot of fun and educational, and it's something that we plan to continue as time, money, and opportunity permits.

Canadian Geese
Confederate Memorial State Historic Site
Higginsville, Missouri

Okay...enough about that! Let's get on with today's post...shall we?

This week's master to-do list...

- work 💲
- clean house 🏡
- do laundry 👕
- go to the doctor 😷
- check on propane (have already received a letter that the supplies are low) 🚚
- take apart and clean the heating stove 🔥
- pick up a few groceries 🛒
- enjoy a game night with family 🎲
- visit a corn maze 🌽
- plan and prepare for the next adventure 🚗

John and I got married on Valentine's Day and I collected hearts. We were always looking for hearts in nature. As we were leaving the Confederate Memorial State Historic Site, I spotted this cut tree stump near the parking lot where we were parked. I had to take a picture of it. He so would have enjoyed this trip. 😢

This week's menu plan...

Monday -  Chicken ranch salad w/ homemade French bread 🐔
Tuesday - Turkey burgers and oven fries with no-bake cookies for dessert 🦃
Wednesday - Ham slices with cheesy zucchini, baked sweet potato, and sautéed spinach 🐷
Thursday - THM Hearty Green Soup with Ezekiel Bread toast 🍞
Friday - Stuffed pepper casserole with oven-roasted carrots🥕
Saturday - Out 🚗
Sunday - Leftovers

Well...that's it for this time. You all have a great day and a wonderful week ahead! 

And while you're here...



...don't forget to enter the drawing for the Sue Hooley 2022 Daily Planner giveaway! For more details click HERE or on the link below. 

Until next time...
~Rebecca

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