Simple Woman's Daybook

For today Monday, September 13, 2010

Outside my window...autumn is slowing creeping into the neighborhood with it's cooler weather revitalizing both plants and their caretakers.

From the garden...tiny seedlings our sprouting in out debut fall garden. And I am praying I don't kill them. Nearby three watermelons linger from the summer and I hope the will be able to ripen this late.

One of my favorite things...is family. I love family reunions, casual get togethers, sister shopping days, mother-daughter-granddaughter time, family dinners, and any other excuse you can think of to see each other. No matter where we are when we all get together we are home.

From the kitchen...red beans are soaking on the counter in preparation of Jamaican Beans and Rice for tomorrow's dinner. This recipe becomes a favorite of anyone who makes it. The coconut milk sets it apart from all other bean and rice dishes. Man is it awesome. Beside the beans freshly ground flour is soaking in homemade kefir for making banana bread tomorrow. A bowl of pecans and another bowl of almonds are both soaking in salt water and will be dried tomorrow. And 2 one gallon containers of kombucha are fermenting away on the counter. Basically I am fermenting everything in the house but the cats! Tomorrow is my cooking day. Can you tell?

I am thankful for...this wonderful life I have been given. It's as if I woke up one day and suddenly had been given everything I have ever dreamed of. When did all this happen?

Around the house... things are picked up and tidy with the exception of a basket of folded clothes in need of a home. One baby lies sleeping and one little girl chatters endlessly in the next room with her dad.

I am creating...my first ever quilt! I'm starting small with a baby quilt for Archer's room. The pieces have all been cut and I am blessed to have my grandmother heading this way sometime this week to help me put it all together. She can quilt by hand in her sleep. No machine has ever touched on of her creations. My creation may have to touch a machine ;)
I have also made a candlelit chandelier out of a lamp shade to hang over our dining table in the back yard. I think all it needs are a couple of finishing touches and then I will post a pic.

I am reading...more Beverly Lewis. For some reason I crave christian Amish fiction in the fall(not that it's actually fall yet). Anybody else a fan of hers? I cannot get enough. Her books make we want to bake someone bread, help them plant a garden, and then host a canning party (and keep having babies but don't tell Mark that part or he will start hiding my books from me!). They are full of beautiful imagery of friends sipping tea together on crisp fall days while toddlers sweetly play at their feet. Just for the record I have a lot of friends with kids and this is not what our days look like as stay at home mom's! Maybe they should.

Here is a picture I am sharing with you...




It's just about the time of night that I adjourn to my favorite spot with a cup of tea and a book.

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