Praying For...Quinn, our clever court jester. May he choose the way home to God. I also pray the same for other little boys to recognized Jesus and choose His easy and light way. Praying that the leaders of our nation and the world will walk in Jesus' way and exercise public/private virtue.
Meditations on Jesus' Word..."Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30 After some experimenting, I've come to know the truthfulness of this promise. In this world, His ways seem odd and hard but are ever so much easier than sin.
Bibliophilia...I sent Quinn Three Tales of My Father's Dragon, My Father's Dragon trilogy put into one book, along with a Kumon and an Explode the Code book. My boys absolutely loved these books between the ages of 4 and 8. I also sent Right Start Corners to both siblings in that house. Personally, I read Wild About Greens by Nava Atlas and can't wait to try out some of her recipes.
Cucina Fresca...Lately, with my heavy work schedule, I have new goals: quick, no-added-fat, plant-only, pantry meals. This would qualify, if I left out the fresh veg, which would be fine because of the dehydrated veg. Thankfully, I didn't need to do that. I've tried to make quinoa tacos before, but somehow they just weren't that great. After reading how to make taco shells at Engine 2, I gave it another try. It was given a 9, which is pretty high in the ratings and makes it a repeater. Quinoa is not expensive in the big Costco bags.
20 Minute Quinoa Tacos for Two
1/4 c. quinoa
1/2 c. water
pinch smoked paprika
pinch paprika
1/2 t. ancho chili
pinch dehydrated mixed hot chilies
1/2 t. onion powder
1/4 t. garlic powder
1 T. dehydrated veggie powder
2 T. dehydrated spinach
1 red or yellow bell pepper, sliced
1 Anaheim pepper, sliced
20 cherry tomatoes, halved
handful cilantro, minced
1 handful baby lettuce mix, minced
1 handful finely sliced purple cabbage (fermented is yummy here)
1/2 c. salsa
6 corn tortillas
Preheat oven to 350F. While waiting for water to boil, put spices in water. Add quinoa to boiling water turn down heat to low, cover, and put a timer on for 10-15 min. After oven is heated, drape corn tortillas over two bars of the metal baking rack; bake at 400F for 6-8 minutes. Over medium high heat, dry saute bell and Anaheim pepper strips until small brown spots appear on skin. Meanwhile, prep tomatoes, cilantro, lettuce, and cabbage. Every thing should be ready at this point. Assemble tacos. Eat with quick chopped seasonal fruit salad.
Duds...Last week one of the leaders of the youth that visited here commented on my skirts. She said, I could never serve a mission, because you have to wear skirts all the time. I told her I'd been wearing only skirts for years and why. She seemed fascinated with the idea. My weirdness with skirts has drawn a lot of attention on this weird island. Many women have commented how cute my usual farm combo looks: denim skirt, blouse, sweater, denim jacket, tights, and lacer boots. I don't have any trouble working dressed this way just as women for all time before the 1920s didn't.
Sound of Music...We found a place on the property with awesome acoustics. It's an old training corral with solid sides. Because nobody can hear me except God, I stand on a mound in the middle playing and singing hymns to my heart's content. This week the corral was full of forget-me-nots. Hi Katie!
Garden Gate...learned how to graft apple trees. It was so excitingly fun. We are reclaiming a several acre section of land that hasn't been mowed for a couple years. Not only do we contend with thick grass but small shrubs such as Scottish broom and ferns.
Pen and Brush...God is blessing my service by improving my energy levels. Even after 60-70 hour weeks, I still have time and energy to paint. However, since my mac doesn't work, I cannot put them in this journal. I painted in my journal nearly every day and made three cards.
And Finally...
