SOME OF MY FAVORITE THINGS; LEMON CHICKEN; SALADS; AND WALKING TO THE GARDEN

I THINK MY LEMON OR LIME CHICKEN HAVE BEEN
STAPLES IN MY HOME THIS SUMMER.....HERE I HAVE
TOPPED IT WITH FRESH BANANA PEPPERS; ONIONS
AND THE WARM LEMON SAUCE............
I MADE LEMON CHICKEN AGAIN AND THIS TIME
PUT IT ON A BED OF LETTUCE; WITH ENGLISH CUCUMBERS,
BEETS; GREEN ONIONS; DRIED CRANBERRIES; TOASTED
WALNUTS ( THESE CAME IN A PACKAGE MARKED DOWN
TO .99.....AND A ROMANO BASIL DRESSING............
I FOUND THIS RECIPE ON "NO PLACE LIKE HOME" BLOG
( FOUND ON MY SIDEBAR). IT WAS A DELICIOUS
SALAD MY HUSBAND LOVED. IT HAD ROMAINE, GREEN
ONIONS; RED AND GREEN PEPPERS; CHERRY TOMATOES;
AND ROMANO BASIL DRESSING AND FETA CHEESE........
MY SISTER IS GOING TO USE THIS SALAD AS PART OF
A BRIDAL SHOWER SHE IS HOSTING.....
THIS IS ONE MORE "LEMON CHICKEN" DISH WITH
ROMAINE; ONION; SOME LIGHT CHEESE; AND
THE ROMANO DRESSING. THE SAUCE THAT THE
CHICKEN COOKS IN DRIZZLES THROUGHOUT THIS
SALAD AND MAKES IT TASTE SOOOO GOOD!
SOME BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS MY SISTER GAVE TO
ME WHILE SHE WAS UP VISITING AND CARING FOR
ME....THE GREENS WERE SO BEAUTIFUL......
A STROLL BACK TO GRANDMA AND GRANDPA'S GARDEN.
GATHERING STICKS IS SO FUN AND THE GRASS MAKES
MY TOES TICKLE!!! PSALM 37:4 "DELIGHT THYSELF
IN THE LORD; AND HE SHALL GIVE THEE THE
DESIRES OF THINE HEART."

'YOU ARE MY SUNSHINE"...................

I saw this beautiful picture that caught my eye...........
THERE IS SUNSHINE AFTER RAIN...........
As my life is trying to get back to a "new normal" I find
myself still struggling physically. BUT........ I see
" HIS SUNSHINE"
keeping me going throughout my day...........
This is a photo of a "bleeding heart" flower. What a strange
name for a flower so tender and full of beauty!! My "heart"
sees so much more when I see through Gods eyes. It doesnt
see "its always my way" but its what He wants to show in
His beauty............
And..........life can be fresh and new with NEW BEGINNINGS
starting anew each and every day...........
There may be times of struggle; and it may take "help" from
prayer and from God but if we try we can push through.......
Then......BURST Forth with His joy and beauty............
I will continue to sing to my little granddaughter about
His sunshine........and His goodness to us all!

You Are My Sunshine
My only sunshine.
You make me happy
When skies are grey.
You'll never know, dear,
How much I love you.
Please don't take my sunshine away

THE FARMERS MARKET AND OUR FIRST TOMATOES.....

Each week our little town closes off a couple of the downtown
streets and makes room for the "Farmers Market".....
The old brick church on the corner opens their little resale
shop as well where you can get all sorts of treasures for
a couple of dollars.................
This year the market has fresh vegetables; homemade breads
and goodies; some crafts; and some older gentlemen playing
music from 1940's era.......................
Grandpa treated our granddaughter to a HUGE oatmeal
cookie!! What fun he is!!....................
I took our fresh green beans home and sat on my front porch
( as my mom did) and snapped the beans; then washed them
added some lean ham; diced onion; a few cut up potatoes;
a large pot of water and let them simmer all day long.........
Oh did the house smell good and my husband loved them!!
We also bought 5lbs of Blueberries. I took them home and
just filled my freezer bags and lined them up in the freezer
for us to enjoy all winter long.................
Fresh peppers; cucumbers and such to later use in a salad
and combined with sliced onion; butter and placed upon
"Lemon Chicken".................
Our first red tomato!! We LOVE the smell of the leaves and
the freshness of a garden tomato! We plan on making
several batches of " Dads Salsa"...........
The garden is doing so well this year! I am
very pleased and thankful!! Praying your
enjoying your summertime!!!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS.....

I am home now and thank you for your prayers........Wed afternoon I had to go
to the Emergency Room ( Dr recommended). We were there until around 10:00
PM and then I got moved to a room. After having blood drawn; IV's put in ( and
one backing up ha) I settled to sleep around 1:00 am until the nurse came in to
bring me some brochures on my "angioplasty" and wanted to know if I cared to
watch a video on it as well. I ( snickered inside) and thought to myself its 1:00 am
in the morning. No thank you but I might try to get some rest.....
Back to try and get comfortable with an IV; heart machine; and not moving too much.
The lights went on again at 4:45 for more blood test. My husband and sister had
stayed with me until I was settled about 11:30 for that I was thankful.

I had taken my Bible and when I couldnt sleep and the lights were too low for me
to read I took my Bible and cuddled it right next to me. I felt as if Jesus himself
was sitting in the chair watching over me.......
At 5:00 am a nurse came in to check things and she saw my Bible. She was like a burst of sunshine telling me "the ole Black Book " would get me though anything as it had her in her life and we chatted for awhile.

At 8:00 am they came to tell me they would be preparing me for my procedure soon
and my hubby and sister came shortly afterward.

I ( knowing I would feel anxious) felt this great peace.... As each step went by that
morning I knew He was with me. As preparations went by and my husband held
my hand I knew God needed me to go through this time for Him and His purpose.

Remember the cardiologist had seen a "shadow" over my heart. He had shown my
husband and i where the blood was NOT flowing through the front of my heart.
My husband and I were both looking for at least a "stint" or two to be done.
I had just read in my Bible in Psalms ( I wish I had the verse at this moment but
I would have to go find it and I am abit weary today. But.......I had looked at this verse
that caught my attention of the "shadow" and the heart!! I asked God >>>Is there anything
in MY heart that I am not letting go of ?? That was for me........

The "surgery " was done and there were No main blockages! They found a thickening of the wall of something but that can be taken care of with the medicine I am now taking
and exercise.......I am SOOO thankful for this time and His will. Would I be unhappy if
that would not be the case? No I am still thankful that He has allowed me to go through
this time and these events for what He wanted.

I am weary and physically tired today and must go rest for a short time but Thankful
for His glory and for others prayers....

HEALTH UPDATE............

My "stress test" Dr called yesterday and asked if I could
come meet with him today because he saw a "shadow" over my heart. Hmm. ha
My husband and I went today and the Dr explained that the "dye" they had used before was now showing
it was coming through at "rest times but then at "physical" times it was not flowing through properly. There was probably some kind of blockage. He then explained some other things to us and settled on an "angiogram". ( I must learn how to spell this someday ha) for this Thursday with the thought of angioplasty.

I am very much at peace with this decision . I have been having these "dull pains" for sometime and they seem to be increasing but even as of Sunday I felt they were just my bodys way of reacting to stress or something else.

As a woman the signs are not always the same. I am so grateful for the way the Lord has led and the Drs he has used along the way. I will tell of that sometime but I am tired
today. My sweet husband took me to Panara Bread for a nice lunch where we laughed
and laughed about "fitting me in" for the surgery Thursday. I am so glad I have a family
that laughs. ** PS The picture of the tree is from a walk in the park my
hubby and I took last weekend in the park....it was sooo pretty!


Gods always knows what we need and for that I am thankful.

HOMEMADE SUGAR-FREE STRAWBERRY JAM FOR MY HUBBY.....

YEARS AGO I ENJOYED PICKING BERRIES AND MAKING HOMEMADE JAMS WITH
MY GIRLS WHEN THEY WERE YOUNG...BUT AS LIFE
HAS MADE SOME CHANGES FOR US; FULL SUGAR JAM JUST
WASNT THAT GOOD FOR US....UNTIL I SAW AN EASY
RECIPE TO MAKE A SMALL AMOUNT OF JAM JUST
FOR A "SURPRISE BREAKFAST " TREAT FOR MY HUBBY...
I "TWEAKED" THE RECIPE BY ADDING "SPLENDA" FOR
THE SUGAR ; THEN USED ONLY A LARGE LEMON;
1 LB OF STRAWBERRIES AND SOME SMALL JARS...
I BEGAN BY RINSING THE STRAWBERRIES....
I THEN CUT THEM IN HALF... AND JUICED AND ZESTED
A LARGE LEMON......
I THEN COOKED THE LEMON MIXTURE...FOR ABOUT
10 MINUTES THEN ADDED THE FRESH STRAWBERRIES
AND COOKED THESE FOR ABOUT 20-30 MINUTES ON LOW..
NEXT I PLACED THEM IN HOT JARS ( I HAD IN A SINK OF
VERY HOT WATER) AND SEALED THEM. LATER,
I PLACED THEM IN THE FRIDGE. I ALSO PUT HIS
NAME ON ONE.....


THE NEXT MORNING ....I TOLD HIM I HAD A "SURPRISE" FOR HIM FOR
BREAKFAST AND I PRESENTED THE LITTLE "JAM".....ALONGSIDE TURKEY
SAUSAGE LINKS; AND SOME SCRAMBLED EGGS AND ENGLISH MUFFINS.....
I SAW HIM SMOTHER THOSE "ENGLISH MUFFINS" WITH THE JAM AND HE
TOLD ME A COUPLE OF TIMES " I LOVE IT" I JUST LOVE IT"!!!!.............

LITTLE THINGS CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO SAY YOU CARE!!!!!!!!

I AM ON THE LOOKOUT FOR A DELICIOUS SUGAR-FREE BLUEBERRY PIE?????

IN THESE DAYS OF TALKING ABOUT GETTING HEALTHY; I AM THINKING ABOUT PIES.........SUMMERTIME PIES; LITTLE TINY PIES; CHOCOLATE CREAMY PIES..... WHY?? DO YOU ASK? MY HUSBAND TOLD ME ABOUT A SUGAR-FREE BLUEBERRY PIE HE ENJOYED AT A RESTAURANT UP NORTH A BUSINESSMAN TOOK HIM TO.... SINCE HE IS A DIABETIC HE RARELY (IF EVER) EATS ANY KIND OF SWEETS....BUT THIS ONE HE SEEMED TO REALLY ENJOY SO I AM LOOKING FOR A SPECIAL RECIPE TO MAKE FOR HIM FOR A SURPRISE....
I LOVE "SURPRISES" AND I STILL LOVE PIES.....THEY ARE SUCH A COMFORT FILLED WITH LOVE..........
IN KEEPING UP WITH OUR NEW "HEART HEALTHY LIFE"...I CAN ENJOY A SLIVER OF ONE OF THESE ONCE IN A WHILE................
I REMEMBER AS A YOUNG GIRL MY MOTHER TEACHING ME TO MEASURE; SIFT; AND ROLL OUT THE DOUGH; THEN.....WE WOULD "PINCH THE SIDES" ALL AROUND TO MAKE IT PRETTY...... THEN.......WE WOULD TAKE THE "LEFTOVER" PIECES AND CUT THEM INTO LONG STRIPS; THEN SPRINKLE THEM WITH CINNAMON AND SUGAR AND BAKE THEM UNTIL CRISPY AND BROWN.......UMMM SUCH A TREAT!!

JUST THE "AROMAS' COMING FROM THE OVEN WERE ENOUGH TO BRING YOU INTO THE KITCHEN LOOKING FOR A ICE COLD GLASS OF MILK TO ENJOY WITH HOT OUT OF THE OVEN PIE...........

This is Blueberry Season in our area so blueberry's are everywhere. One town nearby even holds a "Blueberry Festival" with hundreds of "blueberry" crafts; jams; and fun.. I would love have a great "sugar-free" blueberry pie or any other pie recipe posted. Thank you.

FRIED GREEN TOMATOES ....MOMS COOKING

I JUST "LOVE" FRIED GREEN TOMATOES.........MY MOTHER
COOKED PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH STYLE WHEN I WAS
GROWING UP AND "FRIED GREEN TOMATOES" WERE A STAPLE
FOR SURE. THE REST OF THE DINNER MIGHT HAVE BEEN CORN ON THE COB; HOMEMADE POTATO SALAD AND FRIED CHICKEN...........
I STILL ENJOY THE "COMFORT FOODS" I ENJOYED AS
A YOUNG GIRL BUT TRY TO ENJOY THEM IN A HEALTHIER
WAY..........I WENT TO THE GARDEN LAST EVENING AND FOUND A LARGE
GREEN TOMATO..........
THIS MORNING I THOUGHT I WOULD SURPRISE MY
HUBBY WITH THIS YUMMY TREAT ON A BREAKFAST
SANDWICH CONSISTING OF TURKEY SAUSAGE
EGG WHITE; AND A YUMMY FRIED GREEN TOMATO.
I KNOW THIS SOUNDS CRAZY.......BUT I JUST LOVE
DIPPING MY FRESH CUT TOMATOES IN MILK AND
THEN A LITTLE CORNMEAL AND THEN........THE
FRESH; CRISPY; SLIVERS THEY BECOME...


I THEN: PLACED MY "CREATION" ON MY FAVORITE "THIN WHEAT BUNS" ; ADDED
MY EGG WHITE; THIN SLICED TURKEY SAUSAGE AND MADE THE SANDWICH....
HE SAID " HONEY THIS IS DELICIOUS"!! ( THATS ALL I NEEDED) AND OUT THE DOOR
HE FLEW.........

SIMPLE FOODS MADE WITH LOVE..........

ITS NOT ALL ABOUT ME...........

I am so glad to finally have gotten my "tests" done today. Last weeks "stress test" was incomplete because the cardiologist needed pictures. So today my good husband took me again and we were there for 4 1/2 hours for me to complete my test. ... We will know in 3-5 days if there is a need for further things to be done..........
My granddaughter and I were sitting out on my rockers
just having a "grand ole time" when I noticed she would
get down; run over to the flowerbed and laugh and I would
then laugh at her. She would then run back and get into
the rocker and rock and make sure I was looking at her
and break into laughter again.......I loved this!! But...when
it was time for us to go in and do something else she became
(lets say) very distraught.........She wanted HER way and it
to be all about her and her needs...Now I know she is the
sweetest girl but I gently led her to go with me and follow
my way..................
These past few weeks as I have woken each day the "thoughts"
quickly became about me and my "heart" and how I felt each
day........There were those that advised me to "get away" from
it all at a bed and breakfast or elsewhere. Good advise but
not always feasible.........
I had time to rest ( which was good) but also more
time to think of myself.............
I know God took these times to show me lessons
and things of the heart........but I had to be careful
to "think it was all about me"..................That may
sound kind of cruel when your ill but its true....
Its about God and His ways and his path He has
chosen....I have observed several different people
lately with terminal illnesses. They cant think about
themselves all the time...They have OTHERS...



God has put into our paths our husbands; children; family;
and others that need our love; encouragement; or listening
ear....But you say " What about me and my needs?" ...
My God is big enough to know all my needs. He knows
my heart; my life and His path. Do I love when others
care about me with prayer; cards; or gifts of love? Oh
yes I really love that But.........thats not my purpose here.
Its to take what HE gives me and give out to others no
matter what I think I need or what I receive...........
In fact, when I think about others; I tend to forget about
all my cares............

God wants His best for me.................I want the best for my sweet granddaughter.
God gives to me to give to others.............I want to take what I was taught and teach to her.
God has given me a life for Him............God has given my granddaughter a life and and purpose to do great things . She has already blessed her grandpa and I.


I want to try ( and it isnt easy) to remember "its not all about me" but about Him

who has given this wonderful life.........

A LESSON SENT BY GOD...........

A few weeks ago my husband bought me a "new bird feeder" . We were both so excited to enjoy the little birds that would come and go. One day my husband came home so excited that he had purchased some "deluxe" feed for the birds......

"Honey" this is like "lobster and steak" only for the birds. Well we loaded it up and then sat back and waited. We waited............. We waited!!! NO BIRDS! We couldn't believe it. Why wouldn't they want this delicious gourmet food we had purchased for them!!!.............Everyday I would
look out at that feeder and wait for "my birds" . Since I was not feeling physically well I really wanted to SEE those little birds!! My husband talked about getting more feed but we again just
waited and waited.....

Finally one late evening I see my husband come in toting this little bag from the grocery.
NEW SEED!!! How sweet of him to bring the new food. I know that "wasting"the other was not in his nature but He dumped the other out onto the ground. My daughter and I then filled the feeder with the new food and guess what???? The birds came............THE BIRDS ARE BACK!!

As I was sitting on my front porch rocker I began to watch and watch those little birds. I thought to myself " God were you trying to show me a lesson" in all this??

A lesson indeed: Sometimes we sit and wait and wait on things to be different in our lives. Maybe if I go on this diet I will loose my weight or my health will get better; Maybe someone will appear and give us a new car instead of the one that keeps having problems; Maybe this or that will change if I keep thinking it will....................

OR sometimes we just have to pour out the "OLD SEE" and fill it in with "NEW" and think differently......... That diet will not work unless you work at it; be thankful for the "car" or things God has given and enjoy them ; change your attitude in your own life and see that God has
allowed them along "your" path for a reason..............

God is so good at taking something and making it "anew"! ........Meanwhile "our gray squirrel"
is enjoying the bounty he has found on the ground and I am enjoying all the "new little birds" that have come my way............

WHAT TO DO WHILE WAITING.ON??..................

These past few weeks I feel as I have been
put on hold on many things of my life.....
I am not ungrateful; in fact; I know this is all
in my Heavenly Fathers Plans...........But......I
have to admit some days I had begun to feel
like a caged bird................I had a "small pity
party complete with tears and balloons and
then went to His Word...........
Psalm 91:1 " He that dwelleth in the secret place
of the most High shall abide under the shadow
of the Almighty.......... That secret place that
not everyone see's ....The place of the unknown;
the place of doubt; the place of uncertainty.....
I picked "myself" up as they say and "did the next thing"...
I made myself a medical journal of my events for the Dr.
I got out my notebooks ( almost full ha) and filled them with
Bible verses; names of those who needed a card; lists of
menu ideas and lunch ideas for my husband to eat healthy on
the road; and any other ideas that were floating around in
my mind..................
I picked a few favorite books to read and enjoy.............Relaxing....
I enjoyed the holiday with friends and family
and made them the focus not myself.......

I had to rest (Dr's orders) for a time and there
I was ( gray hair showing up quickly; nails needing
cared for; disheveled) So............I sprayed on
my pretty vanilla spray; had my daughter color my hair; and added some
nice make up . (This helps me as well as others! ha)
I have taken time out to sit with my hubby and
enjoy some morning coffee or watch my little
granddaughter play up and down the sidewalk....
I have "settled" myself in His Arms of love
and peace..................
I have enjoyed the beauty of His nature and
each little thing.......................


Maybe you are going through some "little bumps" along lifes road.... and you must either
WAIT........... or change the way you see this time in your life.........Know that God is by your
side holding your hand and walking with you each step.............Enjoy where and what God has
placed you in and RELAX in His love.......................

*My test was incomplete for the Dr so He has asked me to do it again this time with a "dye"
soon..