A Creative Swap with Missy

What fun to do a creative swap with Missy. I was so delighted with the stuffed love bird and sweet little doty doll she made me. She included a decorated valentine she created, filled with heart doves. What fun! In return I baked her a loaf of cheesy french bread with a tiny jar of fruit jam from England (World Market) wrapped in a yard of quilting fabric, and made a sachet out of a vintage doily, filled with lavender from my garden and decorated with silk roses and a tiny purchased humingbird. Thank you Missy for helping me to feel creative and loved!

Stone Soup

It was a delight to enjoy "stone soup" with a yummy chicken soup and a fun play performed by Allyson and Samantha and the other children of their Montessori School. Unfortunately, the pictures of the play did not turn out. Allyson was a narrator and Samantha was a cowgirl. Hopefully Missy has some pictures on her blog. The Hollenbeck cousins Sarah and Felicity

Sunset in Gilbert on April Fool's Day

I glanced out my balcony window and noticed a breathtaking moment. I barely had time to grab my camera and capture the drama before the image faded. As I was reading my grandmother's journal this evening I realized that all our moments are really breathtaking and usually fade before we can capture the moment.

Happy Birthday Jared Leonard

Happy Birthday to Jared Leonard Bielefeldt Incredibly talented, imaginative and gifted! Looked up to and adored by his nieces and nephews, So willing to help those who are in need. His smile spreads warmth to all - his laughter is contagious, A leader of righteousness, a man of integrity. You are loved and treasured by friends and family!

Imagination awakens creativity - Perspiration actually creates

Marty's beautiful creative project! He spent the day beautifying the yard and working with Jared on the garden. This delectable veggie dish was prepared by Jared for supper tonight from his own home grown garden harvest of carrots, broccoli and jalapenos.

Sweet carrots harvested by my sweet son.

Wild man with wild carrots! Herb garden Jared's strawberry patch

Fleeting Moments

Just as I turned off my lights and started to go to bed I looked out the window and saw the abundance of beauty that took my breath away. I am reminded that God is in the Heavens and the details of our lives, though seemingly insignificant, are miraculous.

closeups

It's the season for planting a garden again, but Jared says we already have a garden so full that he doesn't want to turn it under and replant. Let's take a vote. Do you think it needs replanting or shall we just keep enjoying. Scroll down and see our prizes and then give us your opinion. This tomato plant gave us fruit last July. Jared transplanted it to a pot on our patio in October. Finally, the straggly little bush has given us 4 small tomatoes this week. Somewhere up there is the start of a bird nest - a favorite tree for our neighborhood birds. This little orange tree is making big promises. This very small 6 month old Mexican oregano plant actually provides very yummy fresh spices for our soups and beans. This year old basil plant just keeps on growing. We have big hopes that our tiny little lime tree will bear fruit this year. What a surprise to find this fresh head of lettuce hiding in the garden in the middle of the carrot patch. Oh yes, Jared and I compete to see who can eat the most jalapenos. Nothing like having a couple every day from the garden. They are a carry over from our summer/fall garden. This tomato plant came up volunteer last summer and gave us a few ripe tomatoes. It has survived the winter and is blossoming. We've had as much broccoli as we could eat for more than a month. It just keeps on producing. And yes, you really can eat broccoli that has flowered.

Tutorial on crockpot pinto beans - yummy

I seem to be famous for my beans and am often asked how I make them. Here is a tutorial - step by step. #1 I always choose the best quality pinto beans. (I never, never, never use old beans that are dark brown!) I do use beans from the cannery - they seem to stay fresh pretty well - but they do have to be thoroughly washed as they are not very clean. Mostly, I prefer to purchase from Walmart (not Sam's) as they are fresher or from Sprout's in a 25# or 50# bag. Beans are not very expensive, so splurge and use the best! I fix beans once a week, even now that I only have 2 at home. They freeze well, though we usually eat them up too fast to make that practical. My mother still cooks hers from the dry stage, just a small amount. I start with a colander filled half full for a large group or maybe a third full for a small group. My daughter noticed I wash and wash and wash them, swishing them around with my hand. I place the colander in a larger bowl (which you cannot see in this picture) so they are very well cleaned. If you use the triple cleaned beans you don't usually have to sort them out by hand to make sure there are no rocks or yucky stuff in them. My mother always sorts them by hand first - spreading them out on the counter to make sure no rocks are in them. I'm lazy and only do that if they look dirty. Sometimes I soak the beans overnight. A couple of years ago, Hanne told me I don't need to, so now I usually don't. Typically I put the beans in the crockpot after I have washed them, and fill the pot with water up to about 3 inches from the top. Then I chunk up an onion and throw it in the pot with some sprinkles of red chili pepper (about a tablespoon). Since my cooking class I took in Santa Fe I now add a spice called "Epazote". Native to Central America, especially Mexico and Guatemala, epazote is common to those cuisines. It is most often used fresh in these regions to flavor beans, corn and fish. The strongly scented herb is said to help avoid the gastric discomfort that sometimes occurs after eating beans. Ancient Aztecs used epazote both medicinally and as a culinary herb. I decided to copy the definition for your information. This is a great help and helps us enjoy beans without intestinal problems. Sometimes when I'm done I throw in Mexican Oregano from my little pot I have growing outside. I never, never salt at this stage. Ready to cook! I usually start about 10 or 11:00 when I don't presoak. When the beans are done (about 5:00) I add the salt and fresh Mexican Oregano. The beans will always be tender if salt is added at the end rather than at the beginning. I don't know why - that's just how it is. (Grandma Sevey always adds fresh chili peppers and fresh cayenne peppers at the end. When Beth was little she loved eating them with vinegar like Grandma did.)

Party Time

More cute pictures from the birthday celebration for Marty and Sarah - birthday twins!

A decision must be made - who will blow out which candles??!!

So whose turn is it to open the next present? - why aren't you all looking at the most important people here?!

Well, is that all there is?

Marty actually grilled the chicken himself with his famous mango/ pineapple sauce - made with fresh mangos - so delicious!

I really only have eyes for Alice. She was full of sweetness and laughter and I was full of love.

Uncle Frank was the most popular guy there with a crowd of children surrounding him and wanting his attention. Felicity found a "quiet" moment to get all the attention herself. Elsa was loving to visit with Aunt Annethel and Oma when Uncle Frank was busy with one of the other kids.