A $10 TOMATO

The tomato plant that was purchased and planted produced 3 tomatoes.  Period.  

This one in this image split at the top.  My Grandma always covered her tomato plants before the heat of the day.  Hers didn't split.  They were delightfully good.  She was a HOMEGROWN GARDENER herself.    

Note to self:  Try again next year, but cover in the heat of the day with a tea towel like Grandma did way back when.

Note to self:  Don't forget to stomp on Tomato plants before they produce tomatoes or knock the plants silly with a broom.

Ending with this.  Hubby knew a guy that had the most prolific garden around with the most beautiful tomatoes.  His secret that he was willing to share was that he stomped his tomato plants before they starting producing the fruit.  Because Tomatoes have seeds they are considered a fruit.  They'd come back with a vengeance.  Big beautiful Tomatoes to enjoy. 

Blessings to you,

d

PIE CRUST RECIPE

DAUGHTER'S PIE CRUST RECIPE

With her permission I'm sharing.  

Her Grandma's wonderful pie crust recipe 

makes a crust that just about melts in your mouth.

Pie Crust Recipe

1 cup flour
3 heaping tablespoons of shortening
A dash of salt
a tiny bit of ice cold water

Mix ingredients together well. 
Roll out on wax paper.
Assemble pie.
Spread a little milk on top of crust before baking.

Simply delicious,

d

SEEING COMO RED

FOR MY JULY BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION

LAST YEAR

I was blessed with this galvanized tub 

which we used for icing down sodas 

when we had company.

The tub fixture remained in the KITCHEN through out the year collecting bags of potato chips, potatoes and just a little of this 'n that.  Instead of putting it in storage and not using it very often, 

I thought it would make a cute planter.  

We moved it outside to the KITCHEN PORCH.

I wanted to be the one to drill holes in the tub for drainage. 

Asked HUSBAND if he would show me how to use his handheld power drill.  He did and I felt powerful using it.  4 holes later, I wiped the tub out and we dumped nutritious potting soil in.  Placed the mum in and patted her down.  Watered and admired the lovely BELGIAN MUM in the tub.

Two other MUMS will be planted in the large round containers that sit on the patio.  

All the same color called COMO RED.

~BEFORE~

~AFTER~

Glad we did this simple little chore.

Makes me HAPPY.

We should get hours of pleasure when looking at the flowers in tub. 

AUTUMN is in about 43 days starting on September 22nd.

Pumpkins will join the encore soon.

Temps need to cool off 

and the evening shade start earlier.

Thinking about wreaths for the front doors.

Autumn colors.

Blessings to you,

d

FRIDAY NIGHT SPECIAL

We used CURBSIDE PICK-UP from Aldi's.  Liked doing this.  Ordered a PIZZA for our Friday Night Special along with a movie.  Did a double feature.  No soda.  Iced Tea.

I needed to dry freshly washed towels over at the COTTAGE and pick up a load of undies. Their little Dollar Store is a favorite of mine.  It's tidy and cleaner than the one here in my small town America.  I prefer shopping there than here.  

I wanted to get a snap on lidded sweater box to store foot health supplies in it.  Quick trip inside wearing a mask and quickly out to the car.  We buzzed over to Manhattan's Aldi's where our online order was ready for us.  I liked this so much I screamed like a little girl.

Drove HOME seeing the landscape as a beautiful place.  Hubby wiped down our order and carried it inside.  

We had pizza and watched a double feature.  SEVEN DAYS IN UTOPIA and COUNTY LINE.  I'd seen UTOPIA before and couldn't remember the movie at all.  Like a new flick.

I know that in the movies the actors are performing.  They have real lives away from the camera.  Dukes of Hazzard's star Tom Woput was decent in COUNTY LINE, but in real life he has his own drama going on with cocaine and women.  I hope he straightens out before it is too late for him.  On probation...

I am who I am and I like watching movies in the evening.  Popcorn is a plus for fiber intake.

Our PIZZA had Philly Steak meat on it.  This was a first for me.  Philly Steak?  It was alright.  Not sure I will get use to it. 

Blessings,

d 

SUNDAY SERMONETTE: Thou Shalt Not Dilly-Dally

SUNDAY IS HERE.  Hopefully a day of rest.  No church service today for me.  On line is available.  So are a multitude of programs that can be watched anytime of the day or night.  This is one element that is really nice about the internet and having a home computer.  Still can listen to a recording, listen to the radio or watch the tele, but the internet can far reach for me.  

Some places of worship are returning to gathering together as a body.  Outdoor services are a plenty.  Tents available much like the tent meetings of old.  When indoors, there is concern of sitting too close to one another.  

Our neighboring community ignored social distancing during Fair Time.  I was surprised they had their Fair this year.  Word is out the virus struck and today the sheeple are ill.  Developing into what is called community spread.  

It will get worse before it gets better.  Numbers are climbing.  When living in small communities when the word gets out that there is community spread, you usually know the people it has made ill so you know the stats are true and not made up.   

If people choose to ignore the warnings they may get ill.  Not until it happens to them will they believe?  You know that saying you can lead a horse to water but you cannot force them to drink. It applies to humans as well.  Sometimes humans are more like donkeys.  Stubborn and mule headed.  Some will not heed the warnings and they do not take cover to protect themselves which leads to not so nice consequences.
      

                                                                    Proverbs 22:3 KJV

A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: 

but the simple pass on, and are punished.

In HOPES of a Blue Ribbon is not worth getting sick over.

Getting ready for the week to come.  Stepping outside one is quickly engulfed by humidity and heat.  It feels more like HOUSTON HEAT than Kansas weather.  I remember when I did live in Houston that some Summer months it was as hot at 3 in the morning as it were 3 in the afternoon.  During the Summer months, there was no cooling off during the evening and early hours of the day.  This was hot.  

I missed how Kansas cooled off during the night and it was bliss to open the windows or have electric fans suck the cooler air into the house to cool things off.   Bliss.

Standing on the Kitchen porch today is like entering a sauna.  No breeze.  Stuffy and difficult to breathe.  Back inside, the fans are running helping to circulate air which helps keep the body comfortable.

The Weatherman is predicting RAIN on Monday.  Welcomed rain.  This Summer has had it's fair share of rainstorms.  A wonderful phenomenon to have on the Prairie.  The scent of Kansas rain is sometimes unique having a pleasant aroma to breathe in.  Refreshing.

This past week I went inside Walmart to buy bluejeans.  Having much on clearance, I quickly shopped and did not dilly-dally.  It's been a while since I had been in the Walmart store.  Months.  One of the main door entrances were locked as to encourage shoppers to all enter on the other side of the store.  When at that entrance, security was monitoring shoppers to enter through one door as those exiting came out of the same entrance just a different door.

I saw no rioting or protesters.  

Inside on the floor were decals of traffic flow arrows pointing the way to go.  When I did get to the blue jean section, the dressing rooms were off limits due to COVID.  I purchased two pair of jeans and will use my home as the fitting room.  If needed I can return items which means an additional visit.    

Shopping for about 30 minutes was too long.  Twas hot inside with no air moving.  The inside of the car was a retreat for an old woman like me.  Mask off and air on.  The drive HOME couldn't have come quick enough.

The rest of AUGUST will have a concentrated effort to dust the inside of each room of our HOME.  The Kansas dust is everywhere causing frequent dustings.  Making headway on filing paperwork.  I pray that I can get to the bottom of this burdensome task.  Inching along on the new TV room.  Bills taken care of.  Hubby continues to work at rebuilding the screened in porch as it was falling a part.  Will plant some Mums.

    
We'll drill some holes in this galvanized tub, adding healthy soil to plant mums in.  Autumn is just around the corner and MUMS add some FALL CHARM when decorating.

We purchased some mums and they are about to open up with flowers.

This week the laundry will get attention.  The rooms tidied.  Time to think and meditate.  Some do not need QUIET TIME.  I crave it.

QUIET MOMENTS in the Dining room....

God bless and all the best,

d      

OUT THE KITCHEN WINDOW

A nice view from my KITCHEN SINK.  Outside the window is a mature Maple tree by the fence.  Flower beds are on both sides of the tree.  Lush greens make for a happy heart.    

Years ago I had wished that I had a GARDEN WINDOW in my kitchen.  This present house we live in had a 'not so fast' forward that took 30 years to provide a GARDEN WINDOW.  
I sure like it.  

May you have a blessed day and a HAPPY HOME.

All the best and God bless,

d

Job 38:36

“Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? or who hath given understanding to the heart?” 

DINING ON THE PRAIRIE: Penne

Dining On The Prairie included Penne Pasta.  Liking pasta dishes.  This one is colorful, easy to fix and full of flavor.

Next to Spaghetti, I really like pasta.

A very hardy meal that's inexpensive and filling.  

Just one of those things.

Blessings,

d  

DINING ON THE PRAIRIE: Chicken Nuggets with Lemon Dipping Sauce, Mixed Veggies and Rice

We've been dining at HOME a great deal since mid March.  Haven't starved.  Our local Chinese Restaurant shut her doors and I haven't bought from McDonalds as well so the chicken nuggets are fixed at HOME.  

Rice with mixed veggies goes along ways with the nuggets.

Blessings to you,

d

DINING ON THE PRAIRIE: BBQ Chicken, Broccoli and Baby Potatoes

BAKED CHICKEN AGAIN except with Bar-B-Que sauce,   

Baby Potatoes and Broccoli.  Bake Chicken Breasts covered in sauce for an hour at 350 degrees and if breasts are frozen an hour and a half.  

I usually aim for at least three categories on the plate to complete the meal.   Dining on the Prairie in 3 steps.   

1) Meat

2) Skinny Veggie

3) Starchy Veggie

Delicious Prairie Meal,

d

DINING ON THE PRAIRIE: Baked Italian Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, and Green Beans

BAKED CHICKEN is one of my favorites to prepare in the oven.  So simple and fast.

Bake frozen Chicken Breast covered in Italian Dressing at 325 for an hour and a half.  While it's baking prepare mashed potatoes then onto green beans. Serve with a beverage.  The run off from the dressing serves as a gravy for potatoes.  Delicious.

Blessings,

d

DINING ON THE PRAIRIE: Potatoes and Italian Sausage

We dined on this dish and finished satisfied.  Economical and tasty at the same TIME.

Potatoes, Carrots and Green Peppers with Sausage.

If you haven't guessed by now I LOVE KETCHUP then I'll just let you know first hand that I LOVE KETCHUP.  Trying to use more organic things especially in the Ketchup department.

When I started to withdraw from High Fructose Corn Syrup (which is used in many food products) I turned to ORGANIC.  Sometimes the stores do not carry such a luxury as ORGANIC CATSUP.

It is amazing how many types of Ketchup are in some grocery stores.

Truly, I need to keep a stash in the pantry 

as I use so much of it on a variety of foods.

Just one of those things.

Here's to more ORGANIC FOODS 

and better HEALTH,

d

DINING ON THE PRAIRIE: Chili Dogs

SOMETIMES I CRAVE A HOT DOG!

All BEEF Hot Dog.

Hubby loves chili on his, so I must comply.

The cheese makes it.

Always good.

Pleasant Sunday to you and God Bless,

d