FOR TODAY
Outside my window... it is early evening and the crickets are singing to me. The outdoor temperature is a comfortable 75 degrees, so I have brought my laptop out to the back deck to write to you.
I am thinking... how last week when I was writing the post for Simple Woman's Daybook I was sitting on my sister's wraparound porch in Small Town America. The City Mouse was visiting the Country Mouse. By writing on my deck this evening I am duplicating the experience at Sister's home as much as I can. The houses here on Snow Bunny Blvd are much closer together, and there is definitely more traffic noise in my neighborhood.
I am thankful... to have had the opportunity to visit a lot of family this summer, in spite of the fact that we have to drive a minimum of 15 hours to see any of them (with the exception of two who live about an hour away).
In the kitchen... the dishwasher servant girl is busy with our supper dishes. We had hamburgers, oven fries, and a carrot-apple slaw salad.
Do you make oven fries? I didn't know about them when my children were growing up, but these days Beloved and I have them about once every week or two.
For just the two of us, I wash one large baking potato and then cut it in half crosswise. Then I cut each of the halves into thick slices. In a large mixing bowl I combine the potato with some Lawry's Seasoned Salt and about 1 Tablespoon of Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Mix this up with a spoon (or your clean hands) so that the oil covers the potatoes. Place the potatoes on a metal baking sheet, skin sides down. Bake at 425 degrees for 25-30 minutes. I like this recipe because it tastes good and after it's in the oven, I can forget about it while tending to the hamburger patties. One potato shared by two people is a size when we want to keep the carbs and calories at a minimum.
I am wearing... jeans(!), a pink-and-white plaid camp shirt, white enamel hoopy earrings, and sandals. I love it when the high temperature is cool enough that I can wear long jeans with sandals.
I am creating... greeting cards with a pumpkin stamp and water colors purchased at Walmart. I suppose my talent for painting within the lines came from Kindergarten. It's relaxing.
I am wondering... why the cricket that is hiding somewhere on this deck is noisy for a few minutes and then grows silent. It's like he's contemplating something. What in the world would a cricket have to think about?!
I am reading... The Excellent Wife by Martha Peace. Not a novel, this book has been in my personal library for months, but I have yet to finish it. It's got thought-provoking chapters that cause me to put the book down and just think about what I've read. I'm getting ready to read Chapter Seventeen: "Conflict, Quietness of the Wife's Spirit." The book is a helpful resource for Christian wives, but has good information for anybody who wants to live in submission to God's purposes for their life.
I am hoping... I have the enthusiasm and dexterity of physical body to do some baseboard painting tomorrow. Crawling on the hard floor with a paint brush in hand is something I have to talk myself into doing. If I don't do it now, the mood may leave and it won't get done until ???
I am looking forward to... getting the aforementioned job done and then going on to much easier pursuits (laundry, dusting, cleaning bathrooms -- just about anything besides painting). Beloved's knee replacement surgery is scheduled for later this month, so this is a good time for me to do a thorough cleaning of the house.
I am hearing... (besides the crickets and some traffic) the football game on TV. Beloved has a ball cap he wears that has lights that flash on and off when our team makes a touchdown. He's wearing the appropriate team shirt, too. We never go to games in person, preferring the convenience of the kitchen and rest room over crowds and traffic.
Around the house... actually, outside of the house: The extensive street work ("infrastructure", I guess I should call it) in our immediate neighborhood appears to be finally finally finally over! That has been going on for well over a month. Yes, I am thankful for good roads and that people are getting paychecks for the work. But avoiding the orange-and-white cones and barrels, not to mention the gigantic tractor equipment -- all that gets wearisome.... quickly.
One of my favorite things... is a simple daily schedule carried out with self-discipline, resulting in a clean house, laundered clothes, and uncomplicated food on the table.
A few plans for the rest of the week: Today I had lunch with my cropping buddy (we made handmade greeting cards); there's that painting to do; lunch with Milk Maid; I'd love to get to sew on Thursday; grocery shopping on Friday and dinner with friends that evening; Saturday we intend to visit those family members who live an hour away; and church on Sunday.
Here is picture I am sharing... (actually, 2 pictures)
 |
| This is what the deck looked like when I began this post (about 45 minutes ago). That's Silver Lace growing on the lattice on the right; and Virginia Creeper is growing on the left. The Virginia Creeper is doing a better job of covering the lattice. |
 |
| This is what the deck looks like now, after the sun has set. I love the "magic" look of tiny white Christmas lights. I think the people who jog and drive on the street behind our house probably like the lights, too. |
The Simple Woman’s Daybook is a weekly habit enjoyed by many bloggers. It is a pleasant and effective way to bring more traffic to your blog. For more information about the woman who came up with this idea, go to
If this link doesn’t work for you, copy-and-paste it into your browser.
No comments:
Post a Comment