Saturday November 7 2015  AND THAT WHICH HE GIVES HE GIVE FREE

It is dark and it is late (8:13 p.m.) and my arm worked too hard today so I don’t have much oomph left in me for blog writing.  I did want to come and say hello and let you know I am still kicking.  I worked in the kitchen doing one of my favorite things and I am ready for the bed.  But, I do want to tell you that the soup I made today (from an actual recipe) turned out unbelievably delicious!   With most soups I just make up the recipe and sometimes have somewhat varying results.  This recipe was easy and quick to cook.  Once it came to a simmer it took only 1 hour for everything to be ready.  It is called summer vegetable stew.  All the vegetables are still available from the market and perhaps even from some gardens if you live in the right clime.  If anyone would like to have the recipe just let me know and I’ll publish it in a later blog.  VERY, VERY DELICIOUS!  Even if I do say so myself.

I also have a crustless apple pie baking in the oven.  I just followed my regular recipe (made up) and put it in a baking dish, covered it with a glass lid and will wait and see how it tastes without the crust.  Probably will taste more like a lumpy, sweet applesauce.  I used honey crisp apples right from the farm down the road.

This morning as I drove to the end of the street at the top of the hill from our house I saw a beautiful sight.  I always love the view I see as I come to the stop sign to turn onto the road that takes me to the apple farm and the gym where I work out.  Every year there are rotating crops planted that change week by week.  This year corn was planted.  Last year it was soybeans.  The corn was in the process of being harvested.  The machines are huge and seriously scary looking.  Standing in the field by the side of the road a truck patiently waited to be filled with the harvested corn.  The harvester goes down the long rows of corn stalks, picks the corn, shucks it, and takes the kernels off the cob, all in one fell swoop.  As the corn is processed through the harvester it comes out a shoot and fills up a large compartment.  When the compartment gets full, the harvester comes over to the waiting trailers and transfers the corn.  Well, as I approached it I could see one trailer was already full and I had the advantage of being higher than the truck as the field was below the road.  I only had my cell phone with me but I couldn’t let the beautiful sight of the corn being harvested left uncaptured.  Besides, my first thought was that I wanted to share the picture on my blog.  I’ll post it below.  I just love all the beautiful sights I see every day and wish I could share them with the world.  The camera never does them justice. 

The leaves have finally fallen from the great oak tree outside our living room window.  It was dusk when I looked outside and I could actually see the backyard area behind our house because the leaves no longer covered the view.  I’ll post that picture so you can see the abundance of leaves strewn over the yard and terrace below.  Every season here has such a unique beauty all its own.  I never cease to be amazed.  I wonder sometimes if others see the beauty as I see it.  If so, I never hear people speak of it.  It is such a shame when we take the beauty of even one day for granted.  To have eyes to see is enough reason to revel in all that can be enjoyed.  Look around you and find things to look at that you pass every day and never take time to really focus on.  You may surprise yourself with all the beauty that is in your world wherever you live.  I just happen to think that I live in one of the most beautiful places on earth.  I have never regretted moving to Wisconsin from California 29 years ago.  It gets cold, that is true, but even the stark white of winter is pleasing to my eye.  Another thing I love about country life are the fragrance of life around me.  Unless it is freezing I usually have my car window rolled down and just inhale all that I pass.  However, there is one farm down the road that I usually roll my window up before I pass when I have to go by it.  It is a very large dairy farm.  Need I say more?  There is one other oder that catches me unaware when I wish my window was up and that is the smell of a skunk, of which we seem to have a plethora.

AND THAT WHICH HE GIVES HE GIVES FREE

By Kathleen Martens

November 7, 2015

Stop and enjoy your day,

Look around and view sights unseen,

Let your EYES speak and say,

What your busy thoughts screen.

Instead of thinking of tomorrow

Be aware of the presence of now.

From the future do not borrow

When there is so much today allows.

Let your eyes gaze in shadow and mist

To see all that there is to see.

God displays such beautiful gifts

And that which He gives He gives free.

Do not be in such a haste

That you miss the glory that abounds.

What you don’t see is such a waste

For tomorrow it may not be around.

So many things are once in a lifetime,

Like the miracle of an individual flower

Enjoy the moments of the warm sunshine

And the miracles in every hour.

The baked apples with cranberries turned out delicious!  It would be great over ice cream!

Enjoy your moments because they are when you live.

Good Night.