The Heart of a Child

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The Heart of a Child

Whatever you write

on the heart of a child,

No water can wash away.

The sand may be shifted

when billows are wild,

And efforts of time may decay. 

Some stories may perish,

Some songs be forgot;

But this graven record....

Time changes not.

Whatever you write

on the heart of a child,

A story of gladness or care,

That Heaven has blessed,

or earth has defiled,

Will linger unchangeable there.

Proverbs 22:6

Train up a child in the way he should go,

and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

A blessed Sunday to you all.

Jesus loves you. 

happyone : )

Home, Happy Trails, and Baking

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This morning the temperature was 68 degrees when I left on my walk and cloudy.

I little bit of a breeze but not much.  After about a mile I felt a couple drops of rain but that was it, it never did rain while I walked.

Walked the Farm Loop.

The goats weren't on the porch at the dairy farm but just walking around in the front yard.  They seem to stay around the house.  I would have thought they would wander off just left on their own, but then I don't know a thing about goats.

On the way back home I walked around the parking lot of the Dollar General but didn't find any coins.  Made a loop around the ball park and around town before going back home.  Ken was sitting on front porch when I walked up the driveway and we both sat there a little while before I went in and made pancakes.

Walked 6.2 miles.

Sunrise 6:15

Sunset 8:32

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Did a few things around the house in the morning.
Then after lunch I went up to Happy Trails with Ken.  We were just going to pick up some rocks that Ken put aside but we ended up staying there until the rain sent us home at 3:30.
We got a fire barrel started and burned a good deal of scrap wood that was just laying around.  We have a lot of tidying up to do.
Ken worked on a stone wall up there too.

When we got back home I baked some zucchini bread.
I've eaten it before but have never made any.
I can't tell you if it is good or not because you are supposed to wrap it and put it in the refrigerator and not slice it till the next day.  I'll have to tell you tomorrow how we liked it.
Here is the Recipe.

I didn't have walnuts so I used pecans instead.

Also baked some Rhubarb Cake.  This too was a new recipe for me.

1  3/4 cups sugar
4 Tablespoons butter
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1  1/4 cups flour
1  1/4 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups rhubarb (1/4 inch pieces)
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Beat butter and sugar.

Add egg, milk, flour, baking powder, nutmeg and cinnamon, beat till blended.

Fold in rhubarb.

Pour into greased 9" square pan.

Bake in a 350 oven for 40-45 minutes.

I  ate a little tiny piece of this while it was warm and it was very good.  I'll have a piece tonight with ice cream. : )

Rhubarb Cake and Zucchini Bread

And so another day winds down and we'll enjoy a nice evening at home.

Hope your day was a happy one.

happyone : )

"God gives every bird its food,

but He does not throw it into its nest."

~ J G Holland

From the garden

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70 degrees again this morning but it was cooler and there was a breeze.  The rain from yesterday cooled it down.  The rain gauge out front said 2 inches.

Walked down the main road in town but went away from HT this time.  Then around in the industrial park, back through town, around one of the cemeteries and the ball park loop.

The rabbits are still multiplying because I saw 3 baby ones.

Stopped to chat with George and I saw Kathy walking.
I'm just getting back home here.

Walked 6.4 miles.

Sunrise 6:14

Sunset 8:33

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My Sunflowers are growing tall.

Ken was supposed to go and finally get the trees cut for the slab wood with the farmer who has the sawmill but because of all the rain yesterday everything is too soggy there today.

He went instead up to Happy Trails for a couple of hours.  I chose to stay home and have a relaxing day.

I walked around my garden and came inside with an arm full of good eating stuff. : )
Another bunch of rhubarb, a few cucumbers and a few zucchini.

I made a sweat and sour cucumber salad.

Sweet-Sour Cucumber Salad

• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 1/3 cup salad oil
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon oregano
• 3 medium to large cucumbers thinly sliced

Combine all ingredients
Cover and refrigerate at least 45 minutes to blend flavors
Makes about 12 servings and about 70 calories
I think I'm going to make some bread with the zucchini and found a recipe for Rhubarb cake that I'm going to try.

It was nice to have a relaxing day and I got some reading in too. : )

Ken went out to a friends house this evening.  I really didn't feel like going out so I'm at home.  I haven't spent much time reading lately and I have quite a few books piled up so I'll do some more reading while he's gone.

Hope you had a good day and spent part of it doing something fun!
happyone : )

"God is in the hearts of all,
and they that seek Him surely will find Him
when they need Him most."
~ Louisa May Alcott

Mr Fox

Didn't take any good pictures this morning so posting an old one 

of Mr Fox from a few years ago. 

One of my favorites.

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70 degrees once again this morning with no breeze and it was cloudy.  

I walked up the hills behind my house, then through town, up Barn Sale and down toward HT.  Back to town, around the cemeteries and the ball park.  The same route as yesterday.  

Not much activity around this morning.  No others out walking and no animals around either.  Just a few birds and the geese over by the pond.

I had about a mile left on my walk when I felt a couple of raindrops and before long there was a very light drizzle and a breeze.  Since I was hot the rain felt wonderful.  : )

Walking down toward HT

Walked 6.4 miles.

Sunrise 6:13

Sunset 8:34

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 We went to church today for few hours to work on the Fingerprint Ministry.  Back in Feb. I did a post on Fingerprints and if you don't know what it is about you can read about it HERE.

We worked from 10 to 2:30 and there were about 20 people who where there for some of the time.  Always enjoy doing this.  Not just putting the books together but talking and laughing with all the others there too.  I was one of the staplers again which is my favorite part.

Worked a while, had a break for lunch of chicken, beans and coleslaw then back to work.

When we got home both Ken and I sat in our chairs and before long both of us had fallen asleep!!  I guess we needed a nap. : )

Enjoying a nice evening at home.  

Hope your day was a happy one.

happyone  : )

"when it's a glorious day 

I pray

and

it's a glorious day

when I 

pray"

~ Terri Guillemets

Wednesday

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 70 degrees again this morning and it was cloudy and felt like rain but it never did.   Not much of a breeze either but still not as humid as the last two days.

I started out walking up the two hills behind my house and then walked through town, up Barn Sale a little ways and then down toward HT.  Continued back to town, and around the cemeteries and the ball park loop and then home.

Didn't see any people out walking, but saw a bunch of rabbits, a couple of deer and lots of geese down by the town pond.

Walking down a road where there are pine trees along it,  there was a squirrel up in one of the trees and it sure seemed like it was throwing pine cones at me. : )

Walked 6.4 miles.

Sunrise 6:12

Sunset 8:35

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Ken left in the morning to help a friend with his tractor.  While he was gone I did a couple of things inside and then went outside to do a little work.
As you can see in the picture we started to put some crushed rock around the area by the heat pump.  I've never liked those 5 bushes by the railing which have stickers.

So I decided to dig them up and throw them away.  They all came up pretty easy and I felt so good that I was able to do it by myself.  I went up to HT with Ken in the afternoon and we got some more crushed rock.  Not enough to finish the job but we have a good start. 
I am going to plant some kind of flowers along the railing.  This is what it looks like now with the sticker bushes gone.

 I was sitting up at the back of our property cooling off in the shade and snapped a picture from where I was sitting.

Off I go now to get supper started, spaghetti and salad, and then we are off to mid week service at church.
Then later I'll be having some more of that ice cream. : )

Hope your day was a happy one.
happyone : )

Here's some daisies to brighten your day.

Stone Patio Pictures

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It was another morning like yesterday, 70 degrees, a bit humid and the only breeze I had was made by me as I walked. : )

Walked the Farm Loop.  The goats weren't on the porch this time by the dairy farm but there were lots of chickens roaming around the front yard.

There was also an all white calf running around in the front pasture having a fine time.  The word that came to my mind was frolicking.  : )

Back in town, I walked a loop around the ball park and a loop around town before heading home.

Passed these pretty black eyed Susan's in a yard.  They are the state flower in MD.  I don't have any in my yard but I'd like to get some.



Walked 6.2 miles.

Sunrise 6:12

Sunset 8:35

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Started cleaning up around the patio for a while till it was time to go bowling.  Everyone had things to do today so it was just Ken and I bowling.  It was kind of nice with just the two of us for a change.  Ken had an off day but I did quite well.  My average is 131 and I bowled a 142, 145 and 162 in that order.  A lucky day for me. : )
We finished bowling pretty quickly with just the two of us so we went back home and got more yard work done.

I mowed the lawn and Ken did all the weed wacking.   I did more weeding and we put up the umbrella on the patio.  We don't really like the umbrella and Ken wants to build a pergola.  That will be another time though, maybe NEXT year.   We have too many projects going on right now!!
Yesterday I said I'd post pictures of our finished stone patio and here  are five of them from different angles.

Turkey Hill ice cream was on sale so we stopped on the way home from bowling to get in a new supply.  Picked up a new flavor and I'm looking forward to trying it later this evening.  It is called Red Velvet Cake.  On the container it says, red velvet cake ice cream with red velvet cake bits and a crunchy chocolate cake swirl.  Yummy doesn't that sound good!?

Now it's time to get in a little reading before a little television and that ice cream.
Hope your day was a happy one.
happyone : )

Treat everyone with politeness,

even those who are rude to you.

Not because they are nice,

but because you are.

~ Unknown

Today is my mom's birthday.  She is 86 years old.  16 months ago when she had her temporary heart fix so she could have her broken hip operated on the doctors said it would probably only last a month.  Well thanks to lots of prayers her heart is still going strong. : )  You can't tell me prayer doesn't work!!! : )
Happy Birthday Mommy.  : )

A good days work

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70 degrees this morning with patches of fog which gave way to sunshine later during my walk.  It was on the humid side too without any breeze.  It was the first morning that I was really hot.  We don't get many warm mornings like that.

I didn't walk any of my mapped out routes but just walked all over the place with no idea where I was going till I got there.

Saw a big black snake on the side of the road but it was dead.  I know most people don't like snakes but this one is a good one and eats all mice that we don't like in our houses.

This is a field of soy beans that I walked past as I walked around one of the cemeteries.

Walked 6.4 miles.
Great morning for finding coins.   Found THREE quarters.

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When I got back from walking, Ken was in the back yard already hard at work on the stone patio and by lunch time he had the patio finished.  I love the way it turned out and think he did a wonderful job with it.  We need to do a bit of clean up around it and hopefully we will do that tomorrow and if we do I'll post pictures of the finished project tomorrow.

After lunch we headed up to Happy Trails and got to work crushing rocks. These rocks will be used for the next phase of back yard work which I'll tell you about as we do it.  As I crush the rocks Ken shovels them into buckets.  Here is the truck with a load ready to bring home.

The cucumber and zucchini plants in my garden are growing very well and going all over the place.  No zucchinis yet but there are blossoms.  Cucumbers have started but haven't picked any yet. 

We've had a couple of brief thunder storms this afternoon and the clothes that I had drying on the line got soaked from one storm, but then they dried and I saved them from the next one. : )

It's been a good day and we got some good work done.
Hope your day has been a happy one.
happyone : )

 "Establishing goals is all right

if you don't let them

deprive you of interesting detours."

~ Doug Larson

Shuffleboard and Thank You

Take a close look to spot the butterfly.  

Doesn't it blend in well?

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68 degrees this morning under cloudy skies with light patches of fog. 

I walked all around town, down the road toward HT, up Sale Barn a ways, and around both cemeteries and the ball park loop.

Today in my town is yard sale day and as I walked around I saw at least a dozen yards getting set up for the sale.  I just walked right by without even looking.  I already have too much stuff.

Walked 6.3 miles.

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Ken wanted to have a yard sale but I don't like having them.  So he decided to have one on his own and he did quite well.  Lots of people stopped by and actually bought stuff.  I poked my head out the door every so often to see how things were going.

I got some more cleaning done and also baked some cookies.

Ken packed up the yard sale items that didn't sell and in the afternoon we went to our friends, Chester and Linda's house for an afternoon of shuffleboard playing.  I took along some cookies that I baked this morning.  Chester asked me if I'd bake cookies with peanut butter chips in them so I did.  I used the chocolate chippers recipe and just used the peanut butter chips in stead of the chocolate ones.  I'm not that crazy about them but Chester liked them.
We all had fun playing shuffleboard, eating and just enjoyed the afternoon.  Ken and I lost both games we played.  We do better at bowling. : )

I did a little research on line and found out that those pretty yellow flowers in my garden from yesterdays post are Sundrops Evening Primrose.  They are perennials so will be coming back each yard and spreading their beauty around my garden.  : )

Last week I told you about Jodie, a friend from church whose baby was breech and asked for prayers for the baby to turn and get in the right position for being born.  I want to THANK YOU for your prayers. The baby has turned and she is now in the right position.  : )  Jodie is due next week. 

Hope your day was a happy one.
happyone : )

"Attitudes are contagious.

Are yours worth catching?"

~ Dennis and Wendy Mannering

Friday

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Though it is by no means dark when I leave for my walk the sun no longer wakes my up shining in the window.  I do get to see the sunrise though and I took the above picture at the end of my driveway this morning.

Walked first to public works and dropped the water bill down the slot.  Then continued on my walk and walked around the Farm Loop.






I take a lot of pictures of this barn as I walk past but today took a close up of two of its doors.

Then walked up to the open door and took a picture of the inside. 










 The corn is quite tall now and is taller than me.  I noticed some ears of corn starting to grow now.  Most of the corn grown around here are feed for the animals.






Walked a little way up Spear Rd which is off of the FL.  Some cows were in the pasture there and walked along the fence as I did.  Then all of sudden they all turned and ran up the hill.  I guess it was something I said. : )

Once back to town I made a loop around town and walked around the ball park loop and then home.

Didn't see anyone else out today.

Walked 6.4 miles.
Found 2 pennies.

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Stopped at the post office this morning first to mail off a package and card to my mom.

Then went to the library, but not to the one in town.  I decided to take my car for a little ride up to Grantsville and went to one there for a change.  I got there a little early before it opened at 11:00 and sat on the bench watching the ducks in the pond for a while.

A few of them came out of the water looking for something to eat.  When they saw I had nothing for them most of them went back in the water.  These two settle down near me.




I checked two books out of the library and put another two on hold.

This is the celery I've been growing.  It is doing well planted outside in soil now.






I finally got some house cleaning done this afternoon.  I'd put it off long enough.
Then it was nice to sit out on the front porch and Ken brought out a couple of ice cream cones for us.  : )

This pretty little yellow flower came up in my garden and I even don't remember planting it.  Does anyone know what it is?

               Edit:
 Found out that they are
Sundrops Evening Primrose.

Well it's just about time for supper which tonight will be salads.  I made macaroni salad earlier.  No recipe for that either.  It is always just a little bit different each time. This time I used ditalini pasta mixed with mayonnaise, celery, dill weed, sage, apple vinegar and a little bit of sugar.
I am going to make a salad of mixed greens, with dried cranberries, pecans, croutons,  and strawberries.  Topped off with Ken's Steak House lite Raspberry Walnut Vinaigrette dressing.  A couple of salads make a nice summer supper.

It's been a good day.
Hope your day was a happy one.
happyone : )

"Time is the coin of your life.

It is the only coin you have,

and only you can determine how it will be spent.

Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you."

~ Carl Sandburg

No walk for me today

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I missed my walk this morning - no time.  Ken had an eye doctor appointment and we had to leave early before I could walk.  We still go to the doctor where we used to live so it takes most of the day.  All went as good as expected at the doctors, his eyes are little bit worse but not bad.

Thought about walking this evening but it is just not the same and I'll just wait and walk in the morning.  I guess I can miss a day here and there.

I planted the celery in the raised garden with with lettuce. Took a picture but it didn't come out so I'll take another one tomorrow and post it.  The lettuce picture came out though.  I'm pretty sure it is green leaf lettuce but the package blew away so I can't be positive.  The lettuce looks nice but it is very bitter.  I don't know if it is just too early to eat it.  I've never grown lettuce before.

Lisa asked about the Bean and Spinach soup that I made yesterday that we had for supper this evening.  Didn't take a picture because though it tastes good the picture is not very appetizing.  I don't have a recipe so don't have exact measurements but this is how I make it.
Heat a little olive oil in large pot.
Add some crushed garlic and cook just for a bit.  We like garlic so I had about 5 or 6 cloves of it.
Add pepperoni.  The kind I buy looks like a sausage and I slice it thinly.
Add 2 cans cannellini beans undrained.  Add 2 cans of water.
Add 4 bags of baby spinach or enough to fill the pot.  It cooks down so it is heaping out of the top of the pot. 
I'm not even sure how long I cook it but when the spinach turns a dark green color and is very soft it is done.
We eat it with a nice soft roll.
It is one of Ken's favorite meals.

Not much to write about today because we spent most of the day in the car.
Hope your day was a happy one.
Looking forward to my walk tomorrow. : )
Happyone : )

Scarecrow

Mr Scarecrow has a smile for all who pass by.

: )

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55 degrees this morning.  A few low hanging clouds around but they soon blew off and it was a beautiful sunny morning.

Walked the Farm Loop today and it was as nice as it always is.  : )

As I was walking a baby deer come running out of the corn field on one side of the road, ran across the road and into the corn field on the other side. It all happened in a few seconds. At first I thought it was a dog because it was so small.  Never did see the mother or the little one again.

Back in town I walked around the ball park and a loop around town.
Once again I saw Kathy and the man walking his big white dog.

Walked 6.2 miles.

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Ken worked out back on the stone patio in the morning when the shade was there.  I did a couple loads of laundry and made a couple of things in the kitchen.  I got a meatloaf for supper into the slow cooker.  Nice to make it that way so I don't have to turn on the oven.  Also made some spinach and bean soup for tomorrow.

Kim, and anyone else who is interested, here's the recipe for the Three Bean Salad I made yesterday.

Three Bean Salad

Can cut green beans

Can cut wax yellow beans

Can dark red kidney beans

1/2 cup chopped green pepper

1/2 cup sugar

2/3 cup vinegar

1/3 cup salad oil

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Drain all cans of beans and combine beans.

Add green pepper.

Combine sugar, vinegar, and salad oil.

Pour over vegetables.

Add salt and pepper, toss.

Chill for a least a few hours.

I was planning on staying home this afternoon and getting some house cleaning done but Ken was going up to Happy Trails and I really wanted to go with him.  So he said, "Come on with me, do the cleaning another day."  So I went up to HP too. : )

We crushed more rock and then went looking for some more nice flat rocks for the patio.  There is just a little bit more of the patio to do now.  Maybe with these rocks we found today, we will have enough.

Some bee balm up at HT.

When we got home I made some mashed potatoes to go with the meatloaf and some beets too.  

 

So that's been my day so far.

Hope your day was a happy one.

happyone : )

"A rock pile ceases to be a rock pile the moment

a single man contemplates it,

bearing within him the image of a cathedral."

~ Antoine de Saint-Exupery

The first blooming sunflower : )

Cone flowers along my front walk.

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It rained last night and this morning it started drying out.  When I walked it was just cloudy and the temperature was 64 degrees.

After a while the sun broke through the clouds.

Good Morning : )

Walked around both cemeteries and the ball park loop and up and down the streets in town.

Kathy was out walking again and I saw Peggy too.  The man with the big white dog was walking as well as another man with his two dogs.  A woman was in front of her house  picking up garbage.  It is garbage day and she put it out the night before in just plastic bags and this morning the birds got to it and made quite a mess.  Another woman sitting on her porch watched me walk by and then said, "I see you walking often, that is what I should do."   A lot of people have said that to me and my answer is, "Get your walking shoes and come on."  : )  No one has taken me up on it yet.

Walked 6 miles.
Found two pennies. : )

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The first of my sunflowers to bloom.They are small compared to other years, but they are pretty all the same.

This morning I made a three bean salad to go along with supper tonight.  You have to make that early to let the flavors blend. Got a couple other things done and then it was time to leave for bowling.
Pretty good bowling scores this week.  No record breaking scores but decent.

After bowling we went to Walmart and did our food shopping.  We have shopped at other places that I like better but the prices are better a Walmart and seem to always end up there.

We sat on the front porch and ate hot dogs and three bean salad for supper.  It was sunny with a nice cool breeze.  We spend a lot of time out there and I am so happy to have a front porch. : )

It's been good day and I still have my ice cream to look forward too.

A happy day to you.
happyone : )

"The willingness to accept responsibility for one's own life

is the source from which self-respect springs."

~ Joan Didion