gee whiz, it sure looked like broccoli!

One evening last week, I saw a zip loc bag of frozen broccoli in my freezer. Hmmm, I thought, I think I'll make chicken divan for dinner tomorrow night. I prepared the chicken and planned to put it all together when I got home from work the next day. So, as soon as I got home, I put the broccoli on to boil, chopped up the chicken and mixed the soup and mayo. Then, I took the pot from the burner and starting pouring the boiling greens into the strainer. That's when I realized....that's not broccoli, it's SPINACH! Well, it was too late then to do anything except.....Go Out To Eat! Just kidding......I decided how bad could it be? And proceeded to assemble it, bake it and serve it! To my surprise, I think I liked it better with the spinach. I was happy that an"Oops!" turned into a "delicious" and I plan to make it again soon..... and with the spinach! :-)

Here's the recipe, if you are interested:

3-4 chicken breast, boiled and cubed
1 16 0z bag frozen chopped broccoli (or spinach!), boiled and drained
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup mayo
1/2 tsp lemon juice
8oz grated cheddar cheese

Spray 9x13 baking dish with Pam. Spread broccoli in dish, top with chicken. Mix soup, mayo, and lemon juice. Spread on top of chicken. Top with cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 mins.

an all american weekend

Here we are at Cedar Creek...about three hours
northwest of us in the foothills
of the Appalachian Mountains.
Our campsite was about 50 ft from the creek....
so this was the view looking east....

...and this was the view looking west!

As soon as the camper was set up
and we finished lunch, it was time to "wet a worm"
except it was crickets he was fishing with!

This was his first catch...a whopper, huh?
They did get bigger and they kept him busy.
There were bream and bass and.....

...this guy! He's a water moccasin and he came up
twice hanging on to a fish with all his might!
It only took about two minutes and we had a crowd...
everyone wanted to see the snake...
from a distance! :-)

And I was there (trying!) to read my book,
in the midst of the excitement, and taking pictures!

Saturday morning, our son from Tenn
came to join us us. He loves to fish, so ......

On Sunday, we drove a few miles to watch
a Braves minor league game.
We got a great deal on a Sunday Family Package...
tickets, hot dogs, popcorn, and drinks for all of us for $25!

If you've never been to a minor league game,
the tickets are cheaper and there are no bad seats.
The stadiums are smaller and
you are very close to the field.

If you want to sit on the grass, it only costs $4!

We saw more tent campers
than we've seen in a long time.
They were all shapes and sizes
and a rainbow of colors.
It reminded me of all those years
we were tent campers with our kids!
Great memories but I'll take the pop-up
any day!


Took this shot early this morning.
I love the way the light
is filtering through the trees.
I was only brave enough to wade in the water....
it was icy cold!

One posed picture.... by a huge tree that was
uprooted by a storm.

Then, it was time to pack up!

So, I gathered up the games,
unloaded the fridge, stripped the beds,
put everything in it's place inside the camper....
and then watched while the guys did the rest!
It was an "All American" way to celebrate the holiday......
fishing, hot dogs, and baseball.....
with people you love!

interesting thing about fireflies.....

This is our last night by the creek. We will be headed home in the morning.It has been a fun time and we have enjoyed the opportunity to get away. Friday night, we were sitting outside enjoying the pleasant night and the sounds of nature......crickets chirping, frogs croaking, and the creek rippling over the rocks....when we noticed the fireflies. We watched them and talked about catching them in a jar when we were young. Then we wondered how they light up. I said, "We will have to "google" that sometime." No time like the present, the Hubby thought, so he stepped into the camper to get his laptop. While he was gone, I was thinking...."This would make a good blog post. I could compare it to us letting our light shine...hmmm, that might work." So, he looks it up and it seems they light up to attract mates!!! OKAY, well, I guess that analogy didn't quite follow through! :-)

Anyway, I will have more to share when I get home and download my pictures. Hope tomorrow is a great day for all of you.

Thanks for dropping by!

down by the old creek side

We are headed to the "creek side" (not the creek side pictured---it is from google images!)) to camp for the long weekend. It will be an adventure because we are going to a campground we have never been to before. All we know is what we have seen on their web site. Since it is just the Hubby and I, we decided we would give it a try! Our site is on the creek and in the shade, so it sounds pretty good to me!
It seems there are various activities to enjoy and there is a minor league baseball game close by on Sunday if we decide to go.
So, for those of you who will be celebrating Memorial Day this weekend, I hope you have a wonderful weekend doing the things you enjoy....and taking some time to remember those we honor
on this day! :-)

anchors

The hubby went fishing last week. The next day he was telling me how grateful he was to have good anchors in his boat. They lower easily and they are quiet.....that is important when you are trying to sneak up on the fish! :-) He also said they are heavy enough to hold the boat in place.....which is important when you are trying to be still! :-)
Sunday, our Sunday School teacher talked about Jesus being our Anchor. He keeps us still when the storms of life come. Comforting to know that Anchor always holds!

Seeking Him

A long time friend and I started this bible study today. The sub-title is "experiencing the joy of personal revival". I can see from day one that if this is going to be meaningful and effective, if this is going to be a life-changing experience....... I am going to have to dig deep into His Word and look deep into my heart. I will need to be honest with myself and allow God to do some long needed housekeeping. Would you pray for me that I would allow Him to do just that?

name above all names

You wrote Your glorious name
across the heavens and it read
Elohim-The Creator.

You pronounced Your holy name
to your people and it was
Yahweh-Lord of Relationship.

You posted Your powerful name
at life's valleys and dead-ends and it was
El-Shaddai-All Sufficient God.

You spoke Your lovely name
into fears and conflicts and it was
Jehovah-Shalom-The Lord Our Peace.

You whispered Your compassionate name
into sorrow and brokenness and it was
Jehovah Jireh-The Lord Provides.

You signed Your most beautiful name
in blood upon our hearts and it was
Jesus-Jehovah is Salvation.

Author:
Susan Lenzkes

Just a reminder that He is all we need!
Have a blessed Sunday!

who's name came out of the hat?

It was
Pam
of Hummingbirds and Lace!
She started blogging in January,
so I guess this is a
"Welcome" to blogland gift!
Congrats to her and special thanks
to everyone who visits my little place!
Like Judy said,
"Your comments are like
letters in my mailbox!"

Thanks for playing along with my celebration. Hope you all have a wonderful day! The birds are singing outside my window. That's a beautiful way to start my day! :-)

what's in your backyard?

In my backyard, there are things
that are growing...

...things that are blooming....

...a nice place to sit...


...and a pond that is being fixed!!

The lining was leaking, so Hubby took it out to replace it. When he did, he saw the wood was rotted, so he replaced everything but the posts, which were still in good shape. Classic case of a simple task getting complicated! Tomorrow the lining, plants, and fish should be back in place.

Hope you all are having a sweet week....and a reminder
that tomorrow, Wednesday, is the last day
to leave a comment to be eligible for the give away.

it's raining!

I know many of you have had more rain...
much more rain than you need,
but we haven't had rain for weeks.
Today we got several short showers.....

We need more, but we are thankful
for the refreshment
God sent us today!

".....and He gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons,
filling our hearts with food and gladness."
Acts 14:17

~Remember to post a comment to be eligible for give away May 18!~

we are happy campers!

Just got back from a camping trip this afternoon. I was happy to see Blogger was working again. It was frustrating not bring able to post or visit you on Thursday for Friday!

So, getting back to the camping trip.......it was an impromptu trip We decided Tuesday night to go. Our younger son, daughter-in-law, and grandboy went with us to a state park on a lake about an hour from here. We got there Friday morning and were able to "score"(as our son said) a great site right on the water! You can reserve a site...but not a specific one so it is a "first come, first serve" basis. We saw some folks leaving a site that was on the water, spacious, and a little shady so we waited for them to leave to "move in". (Funny, some people did the same thing to us this afternoon as we were packing up to leave! Campers know a prime spot when they see one!) This picture is part of the view from our picnic table.

The guys (all 3 of them!) spent a lot of time in the boat fishing.
They had a big time catching and releasing....
the big guys did the catching and
the little guy did the releasing! :-)

Here is our son enjoying the view.
He doesn't like having his picture made
so I had to sneak up on him! :-)

Our sweet daughter-in -law enjoying some relaxation.

This was her first time camping!

The Hubby catching up on the news !

The grandboy fishing off the bank...

with his mom....

and with his dad!

The campfire was nice and the marshmallows were tasty.
The little guy wanted his "cold"!

It was a beautiful clear night with twinkling stars
and an "almost full" moon!

Just before we left, there was an opportunity to make friends with a goose.
As you can see, they are accustomed to people.....this one ate bread
right out of their hands!

It was a very nice weekend. I slept late both mornings, started a new book, had lots of time with my daughter-in-law, went for walks, took the boy to the playground, read him to sleep each night, and......took pictures! It was relaxing and refreshing....and I am worn out! ha! ha! So glad we went....it was a nice change of pace and a fun time together. My daughter-in-law says she is ready to go again....that made me happy 'cause not everyone says that after their first time camping!

Remember to leave a comment between now and May 18 to be eligible for the give away!

hey, hey...how about a give away?!?!

Well, my 2ooth post came and went without fanfare, so I want to make up for that now! Can you guess how? That's right ...a give away!! Nothing huge....just three little things I think anyone would enjoy......


.... notepads, a journal, and a sweet book with beautiful illustrations and text that will bless, encourage and inspire you to "Savor The Moment"! I like to keep thing simple and easy.....so, just leave a comment here or on any post between now and next Wed, May 18th. I will announce the winner on Thurs, May 19th.

Hope all of you are having a blessed week! It is too hot here for May....and very dry, but the flowers are blooming (with TLC and the water hose!). So, I am happy about that!

fiddling around

The spring musical for one of our local high schools was "Fiddler on the Roof". The daughter of the doctor that I work for was one of the main characters. She played the role of Tzeitel, the oldest daughter of Tevye, the central character in the story. My daughter and I went to the final performance Sat. night. The students did an amazing job! The singing was professional and the acting was very believable...I actually teared up a couple of times!
If you aren't familiar with the story, it is about the traditions of a Jewish family and the village in Russia where they live. Well, actually, it is about the breaking of those traditions! In a short period of time, three of Tevye's daughters choose their own husbands.....unheard of in a 1905 Jewish home where arranged marriages were the norm. Because the first two chose Jewish men (and because he could see their love for each other), he gave his permission and blessing. But when the third daughter chose a gentile, he would not accept it.....he could not. A marriage outside of the faith....that he could not bless. That tradition was too deeply embedded in his heart and mind and soul. In one song he said something like this...."When I compromised with Tzeitel, I pulled one thread from the tapestry of this family, now it is unraveling....coming apart."

It reminded me of what can happen if we let a"little bit" of untruth into our hearts and minds. It clouds our judgment and then, we can be more easily deceived. We start to make excuses for our choices and defend our sin. The "tapestry" of our lives starts to unravel and come apart. There are those who attempt to draw us in with their false teaching. We need always to be on guard...to have our "armor" on and to judge any teaching by God's Word. It is the truth and our plumb line....if a teaching does not line up with the Word of God, it is not true and we should reject it.

Col 3: 16 says,
" Let the word of God dwell (be at home)
in you richly (abundantly, extravagantly)
teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom...."

If our minds and hearts are saturated with the truth of God's Word, we will recognize a lie when we hear it. And as a result, the beautiful threads that God has chosen for the "tapestry" of our lives will remain strong and tightly woven!

my "crowning" embarassment!

Today, I was thinking about Mother's Day
coming this Sunday and I remembered one
that I will never forget.I thought I would
share it with you... in hopes that it will
give you a reason to smile
or
maybe even laugh out loud! :-)

One Mother's Day a long time ago, when our children were young, our church honored and recognized mothers by giving them golden paper crowns. As our two pastors placed each crown, they spoke a word of blessing on each of us. It was a very sweet and meaningful service.

After church, our family went to Taco Bell for lunch...... a place that everyone liked and one that wouldn't be crowded. Everyone being happy would make my day nicer! Anyway, we ordered, got our food, and were eating, when our daughter said. "Mom, you must really like your crown since you're still wearing it!" I was mortified! I jerked it off and said. "Why didn't one of you tell me I still had it on?" (It was so light, I didn't even realize it was still on my head!) My Hubby said, "I thought you liked it and wanted to keep it on." I was so embarrassed.....what did the employees and other customers think? About that time, our oldest son said (teasingly), "I bet when the people who work here saw you, they thought...'She must be really special!' " As they all began to giggle, I wanted to just slide under the table! But, I didn't. Instead, I went boldly to the counter, ignored their grins, and ordered a Choco Taco....surely chocolate would make me feel better! :-) Afterward, I was so glad we went there and not some nice restaurant. It was bad enough...that would have been much worse!

That's my funny Mother's Day story?
Do you have one?

storm travelers

All of you have heard about, read about, and seen the damage and destruction our neighbors here in the south have experienced. It is massive and far reaching. If you are a regular here, you know that our oldest son lives in TN. His home was one street away from harm! Huge trees were uprooted and houses were damaged about 50 yards from his back fence. He heard the tornado coming about 8:45 Wed night. He grabbed the girls and they jumped into the hall closet where they stayed until it passed. He said they weren't afraid. I believe I know why....they knew God was going to take care of them AND their Daddy was there! We are so very grateful !

They did lose power and there was talk of it taking two weeks to get it restored. (PTL! He had power again on Sat!) Schools were closed Thurs and Fri and then they announced that they would be closed this next week. So, the Hubby and I met our son half-way Fri night and brought the girls home with us. They stayed until their Mom picked them up this afternoon. We had a good time playing, planting flowers, watching movies, and snuggling! I didn't take many pictures, but here are a few......

Playing with Play Doh...

Watching a DVD about John Bunyan before going to bed.....

A silly picture before leaving for church.....

And a sweet one.....

One with Gran.....

And one with Chief!

So, the storm that brought so much heartache also brought two little girls to visit
and that was a happy thing!

We continue to pray for all those that are suffering. I can't even begin to imagine what it would be like to lose everything...even your loved ones....in a manner of seconds. I know God has a purpose in all of this and He will do great and mighty things to show Himself strong in the lives of many during the recovery. In times like these, we have to go back to the basic truth that He loves us, He is good, and He is trustworthy. That is the only way we can stand in the midst of this kind of trouble.

"For the Lord is good, His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations."
Psalm 100:5