Fancy Handkerchiefs

How about dressing up a simple cotton handkerchief? We found a package of cotton handkerchiefs at our local Walmart store and decided to add a fancy feminine border. You can use a border from some crochet patterns you have on hand or use our simple pattern as follows.

Using a very fine crochet hook (size 10 or 1.3mm) and cotton crochet thread stick the hook firmly into the fabric and work around the handkerchief in single crochet stitches. This will be your foundation row. The next time around we made a shell stitch- skip stitch, slip stitch, *3 dc in the same stitch, skip stitch, skip stitch, repeat from * until the corner sc . On the corner single crochet we worked 3 double crochet, chain 3, 3 double crochet in the same stitch.

Don't worry you can't mess it up and this project is a wonderful opportunity for beginners to practice easy stitches. You can place the handkerchief, ball of thread, and needle in a zip lock bag and its perfect for time in the car or waits in the doctor's office.

If you have trouble getting your crochet needle to poke through the cotton fabric machine baste in large stitches around the handkerchief and then pull the thread out. The machine needle will have made the hole for you. Start your single crochets about 1/4 inch inside the edge of your handkerchief. It'll be pretty!!

Easy Breezy Squash Casserole

Yes, here it is the first squash casserole of the season- and I have a feeling not the last!

Easy Squash Casserole

6-8 good size yellow squash
1 large videlia onion
butter
bread crumbs
salt
pepper
sage
cheddar cheese

Slice squash and thickly dice onion. Boil until tender and drain. Pour squash and onion into a large casserole dish and dot generously with butter. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and sage. Top with bread crumbs and cheddar cheese. Bake until bubbly.

What are you doing with your squash? Send ideas soon I'm drowning in squash!

Monday Meditations

Now is the time to get things done...
wade in the water,
sit in the sun,
squish my toes
in the mud by the door,
explore the world in a boy just four.

Now is the time to study books,
flowers,
snails,
how a cloud looks;
to ponder "up,"
where God sleeps nights,
why mosquitoes take such big bites.

Later there'll be time
to sew and clean,
paint the hall
that soft new green,
to make new drapes,
refinish the floor-
Later on..when he's not just four.

Irene Foster
"Time Is of the Essence"

Simple Summer Menu

Homemade Tuna Salad-
in a tomato flower

Sauteed Green Beans

Whole Wheat Parmesan Cheese Toast

Tip-for a heartier tuna salad add finely chopped: celery, green pepper, purple onion, boiled egg, and walnuts.

Yum, yum- easy and cool!

Happy 4th of July Whole Wheat Sugar Cookies

Whole Wheat Sugar Cookies

2 sticks butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla or almond flavoring
3 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt

Beat softened butter with sugar until very creamy. Add egg and flour mixed with baking power and salt. Mix briefly and then add the vanilla. Beat one final time. At this point you can either drop the cookies onto a baking sheet or put them through a cookie press. If you would like to roll them and cut them into shapes they need to be refrigerated for several hours.

Bake at 350-375 degrees for about 10 minutes or until light brown.
Decorate if desired and enjoy!

We love to make these cookies because not only are they very versatile and easy to make- we always have the ingredients on hand- they are only slightly sweet. If you like a really sweet cookie you can decorate these with icing or sugars to your hearts content or you can leave them plain and they still taste good. We've also been know to add chocolate chips:).

Coming soon- tips on baking with whole wheat flour.

The Other Side of The Story

"Martha takes a most prosaic view of this proceeding, in which she detects malice prepense on my part. She says I shall now have one mouth the more to fill and two feet the more to shoe, more disturbed nights, more laborious days, and less leisure or visiting, reading , music and drawing.

Well! This is one side of the story,to be sure, but I look at the other. Here is a sweet mouth to kiss; here are two more feet to make music with their pattering about my nursery. Here is a soul to train for God; and the body in which it dwells is worthy all it will cost, since it is the abode of a kingly tenant. I may see less of friends, but I have gained one dearer than them all, to whom, while I minister in Christ's name, I make a willing sacrifice of what little leisure for my own recreation my other darlings had left me. Yes, my precious baby, you are welcome to your mother's heart, welcome to her time, her strength, her health, her tenderest cares, to her lifelong prayers! Oh, how rich I am, how truly how wondrously blest!
excerpted from Stepping Heavenward by Mrs. Elizabeth Prentiss

Necessary Business

Yes, this is a picture of our front yard. This was not an easy way to learn that a septic tank should be pumped out about every 3-5 years. Ours had never been pumped out and consequently the field lines had to be replaced- ouch!

Anyone have any good suggestions for natural additives to keep septic systems healthy? It was recommended that we give our system a good dose of Ridex every month. I'm sure there has to be a more natural cheaper solution.

What a mess, but what a lesson in gratefulness- for indoor plumbing that works!!