Alabama Adventures 3

There was a balloon festival in town and this is what we saw out my parent's house on Sunday morning.

We followed one landing and got this close.

Deflating...

Sunday morning we went to Flintville First Baptist Church.  This is the church I grew up in, came to know the Lord in, and have many childhood memories in.  I saw one of my childhood friends there, Liza.  She is the same funny and zany person she always was and I am the same goofy kid I always was.

Our kids.

I laughed when I took the kids to the park today and this house was for sale across the road.  I guess this is for sale by owner?

Alabama never disappoints me really.  Always a wonderful supply of strange sights and very talkative people.  Today at the gas pump a guy stopped me and said "good thing you are getting gas in the morning before it gets too hot.  You get more gas that way."  I got back in the car and asked mom "was that a Southern exchange or did he want something?"  She laughed and said "yes, that was a Southern exchange."
Here's a dandy of a sign made from old siding that reads "take time to stop and smell the roses."  I can't make this stuff up people.

Old Photos

My dad is doing ancestry and here are some interesting photos.  This first one is of my Great Grandmother on my dad's side... Corny Causey.  And yes, they called her Corny and it didn't stand for Cornelia.  I'm convinced that people back then gave birth and looked at their babies and said the first word that came to mind.

My Grandmother on my dad's side.  Beulah Morris.

My Grandmother on my mom's side.  Lillian Harris.

My Grandmother and my Grandfather.  Lillian and Leland or Buster as they called him.

Bama Adventures Part 2

We got many toys from Aunt Stephanie to play with.  Gwen asked me to take a picture of her holding this ball.

No, he's not in pain... that's a smile.

Building castles, schools and whatnot.

Nature walk at Wheeler Wildlife Preserve.  Notice the money plants?  I find this place lovely.  I could go there everyday I think.  We saw an endangered crane there today cooling himself off.

Farmer's market.  Look at these cabbages!

We brought home a siamese twin cucumber.  Interesting....

My parents don't like squash, but I bought some and had it for my lunch today.  What a wonderful God to give us such pretty vegetables!

Look out!

Bama Adventures

This is Zeke dressing up like a superhero before we left for Alabama.

It was a very long trip.  We stopped for lunch in a town called Hurculaneum.  We thought it was funny that they had fake palm trees at the Dairy Queen.

Gwen and Zeke talking with Papaw.

My sister is a home health nurse and someone gave her some eggs.  See the green egg?

I took a bike ride this morning on mom's bike.  Here it is.  I had two people talk to me while on my bike ride.  One asked me where I got the bike, the other asked me when the trash guys were coming.  Southerners... they talk to everyone.

Look at this monstrous seat!

My parents have this rock lamp that glows and purifies the air.  Um... I told them they are getting stranger by the minute.

The kids enjoyed running in the sprinklers this afternoon.

Broccoli Bounty

Today I harvested our first bunch of broccoli from the garden.  So exciting!

I washed and washed it because I found several caterpillars hanging out in there.

Steaming up for our lunch.

Steamed and ready for some cheese!

Look how it retained it's green color.  It was SO GOOD and so rewarding!  Thank you Lord for a good harvest!

Hearty Chicken and Vegetable Stew

I made this last night and I'm now eating leftovers of it.  I thought I'd share the recipe with you in case you want to try out some vegetables you normally don't cook in a sure fire winner of a recipe.  I normally do not feel like soup in the summer, but this is the exception.  I love all the veggies and I love the leftovers even better!  If you have a summer cold you simply HAVE to try this chicken soup on for size.

2 medium leeks (I used three cause mine were sold in groups of three)
1 fennel bulb (don't skip the fennel... it is deeelicious in this)
2 T olive oil
2 T butter
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into pieces
8 oz mushrooms, sliced (I omitted these cause I don't like them)
3 medium carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces (I used more cause I like them)
12 oz red potatoes, cut into 1 inch pieces (I used less cause I wanted to)
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp dried tarragon leaves
1/2 C dry white wine (this gives a whole lotta flavor, but if you are anti-alcohol, then make this chicken broth)
1 Can (14 1/2 oz) chicken broth
1/4 C water
3/4 half and half or light cream (I used 2 % milk)
3 T all-purpose flour
1 C frozen peas
3/4 tsp salt

1.  Cut off roots and trim leaf ends of leeks to use just the white bulb and just a little of the green.  Cut it lengthwise and separate leaves to wash.  Cut into pieces.
2.  Cut root ends and stalks from fennel bulb, discard.  Cut the fennel bulb lengthwise into thin wedges.
3.  in Dutch oven or stock pot, heat 1 T oil and 1 T butter, melt.  Add chicken and cook until not pink anymore.  Remove with slotted spoon and put aside.
4.  Put in another T of olive oil, and 1 T of butter and put in all those veggies and cook down. 10-15 min occasionally stirring.
5.  Add wine, cook 2 minutes and then add broth and water.  Turn down heat to simmer and cover it for 20 min or until veggies are tender.
6.  mix flour and milk together and then add to the veggie pot.  Turn heat up and boil for a couple of minutes to thicken.  Stir in chicken, peas and salt.  Heat through.  and ENJOY!

Fishing and Yard Sales

The kids got their very own fishing poles lately and we used them for the first time yesterday.  We caught nothing but seaweed/pond scum, but they had fun trying.  

We saw a blue heron at the pond.

Today I went to a neighborhood garage sale and snagged this bike for $5.  This is her birthday present.  She will turn 4 on June 17th.

Zeke got this ball game thing for free.

Ice Block and Graduation

I saw this idea on Pinterest (do any of us have any original thoughts anymore) and thought I'd give it a try.  I let the kids pick some small toys and put them in a pyrex casserole pan with water and froze it.  Then we got out our plastic hammers and I ran water on the bottom side of the casserole pan and out the block of ice came.  It kept them busy for oh, 30 minutes and I enjoyed watching them problem solve.  

Zeke gave up after 5 minutes, but when Gwen got a toy out he was interested again.

She enjoyed it until she hit her finger with the hammer.

Oh, and Cinderella lost her head in this adventure.

Gwen getting Barbie out.

Zeke warming Barbie up.

Last night Melody, my future sister-in-law, graduated with an RN degree.  We are so proud.