It is Friday...

and we are taking time to rest, check on things around the house, talk on the phone, listen to cooking shows, wash dishes...

water the garden, check on the pool, clean up puppy messes, wash bedding...

and nap...because someone thinks getting up at 5:30am with Dad is too important of an event to miss!  She has been sleepy ever since.

 

I love sitting at the table for time in His Word in the morning!

The sun shines in and makes everything bright and cheerful.  My coffee cup, a candle, music, my Bible...that is a good start to the day!

 

August...2026

Zinnias are blooming everywhere!  I love the happy colors.

I enjoyed time with friends for the monthly Bible study.  Pam always makes the time special with unique touches.  We started studying Psalm 119.

It started pouring rain on my way home.  I stopped at the BBQ truck to bring a treat to Ted for lunch/supper.

Sweet tea, smoked pulled pork, and a mac and cheese dish.  Comfort food for a rainy day.

Between rains...we got the solar cover roller installed.  Some nights get cooler, so we pull the cover on to keep the warmth.

We ate the BBQ treat with some other leftovers for supper.  It was yummy!  Now I am ready to smoke some meat.  I think ours has more flavor!

 

6:20am is early!

We left for the plant the other day and the full moon was still shining brightly over the rolling hills.  I appreciate the quiet of the morning drive to go teach the ESL class.  I enjoy my cup of coffee and listening to good music on the way.

We are wrapping up the 12 weeks of ESL class!  I wanted to show my friends how much was shared with them. They have learned over 1,000 new words.

Oakley hangs out with Ted in his office during our class time.  She is quite the celebrity and has lots of visitors during that time.  He brings her down right before his morning meeting.

I have so enjoyed time each week with the three groups of people.

Ted shared some of his thoughts about words we were using.  He is quite the entertainer!  I am so proud to call him my husband.  He works tirelessly to fight for the good of these people on many levels.

We like to be a help and encouragement to him however we can!

Since I had Oakley with me, I took time to make a couple needed stops.  But first...a sausage biscuit and sweet tea from Pal's.  OH YUM!   I stopped at the post office, UPS store, and farm stand.

We got home and took care of the garden and pool.  A green hornworm was on the tomatoes again!

We picked a few things and scampered around chasing bees and different smells.

The corn looks so good!

Oh...Hello, little slug!  He hitched a ride on one of the squash.

I am ready for a nap!

 

Another day...another batch

More cucumbers!  But this time...bread and butter pickles.  I used the mandolin to get thinner slices.  I remember Mom letting us turn the Magic Chef (?) stand up slicer.

These two were napping and playing while I sliced.  I offered them the ends so I wouldn't slice my fingers.  They gobbled them up!  See the seed on Oakley's nose?!?  So funny.

I got going and then counted out the four hours for fridge time...EEK!...right at supper time.  Oh well...I am committed now!

Soaking...then draining and rinsing twice.  Take a break to make supper while the brine comes to a boil.

Smells good!  I never knew bread and butter pickles had cinnamon, clove, and all spice!  The yellow color comes from the tumeric!  Which also stains the spoon, hands, towels, and...oops...spot on the counter.  Also...why have two pots of boiling hot water for jars and lids?  I did that yesterday.  Stupid.  It was hot and more clean up.  One pan is just fine!

Filling and spilling...and I removed the cinnamon stick!

It's bubbling again!  And...another round of appreciation for all the time Mom spent as I spent the morning and afternoon in the kitchen between phones calls and computer time.  My back and neck hurt...but success!  I heard all four jars "POP"!  And...I have two jars of left over brine...to dump over a chicken!  We are eating good at the house on the hill.  When Ted is able to do what he wants to do...soon...we will have chickens to eat that we raised.  

And that will be another lesson for another day!  Stay tuned!

 

Things we notice from the hill

EVERYTHING runs down hill!  When we have big rains...

the water cuts through the driveway like butter!

I am fascinated by the power the water has as it starts at the top of our hill and heads down to the road.  We have been watching the effects.

We have also watched the end of the driveway wash away into the road.  The county came by and scooped our driveway back onto our driveway and packed it down.

I first heard something and then saw what was happening.  I had been waved around this crew on my way home from my early morning class.  I walked down to talk to the man and he told me they start at the county line and work back to clean up gravel off the roads after heavy rains.  They want to keep drivers safe from loose gravel.  He was kind and explained that eventually we will get a letter from the county.  I told him we were new to the area and asked for recommendations for someone to fix this.  He shared a contact and the guy came out to give an estimate.  "We are from Michigan...we are flat landers...this is all new to us...and it is hard trying to find reputable people to do a complete job..."

What do we do?  Grading...asphalt...concrete...rock...sloping...ditches...it is all a new game for us in hill country!  And it is an expensive project!  Yikes!  For now...things are back in place and smoothed out...till the next big rains.  Maybe for now it will be cheaper for Ted to get a tractor and teach me how to drive it and I can learn excavating?  HMMM?!  He lets me drive the lawn mower and wagon!

 

Doing things a little differently

With a new baby, we decided to do some things differently this time.  We are using real food to feed the dogs.  We started doing more with Velle and Chica off and on.  When we look at the ingredients for dog food, there is alot of filler in it.  So I have done some reading and questioning.  

Every week, I am making some sort of meat with some rice and portioning it out.  They LOVE it!  Oakley is funny...she picks out the meat (chicken and lamb) first and leaves the veggies (green beans and peas) for last.  For breakfast, they get an egg.  I am adding different things here and there to see if they like it.  We will use up the kibble that I bought but drizzled with homemade bone broth...that is out for just in case they need a snack.  They like carrots, sweet potato, cucumbers, watermelon, Greek yogurt, cheese, and apples.

Our messy eater gives it four paws up!  She barks and runs in circles waiting for her bowl...then goes to Velle's bowl to see if it is the same and then I re-direct her back to her bowl.  The issue now...patrolling Velle who goes to Oakley's bowl to eat hers too!  Oakley is a distracted eater and sometimes walks away and then comes back.  If I am not right there to supervise, there is nothing to come back to!  I am curious to try squash on them...we have an over abundance of that from the garden right now.

She is happy and her tummy is full!  At her last vet visit on July 15, she weighed 3.6 pounds.  

 

Friday date is poolside!

It was a beautiful day for outside!

Oakley is finding her sunbathing position...in the shade!

Waiting for Ted to join me!

The dogs and I walked up to check the garden...the squash are going crazy!

Our side for our supper of grilled steak...

Supper on the deck was delicious!

Worn out...but ready to chase after Dad when he walks to his garage/barn.

Thanking the Lord for such a restful setting to call home!  We have a list of projects...but for now...we will set that aside and just be grateful in the rest that the weekend gives.