Market

We had a very good market this last weekend. Hats off to our new market manager who has got it goin' on, if you know what I mean. I think we all pretty much were busy. I'm very grateful.

I need to get a ton of product made not only for market, but for some other orders. Chop chop, nashbabe, keep workin'...gives me something to do instead of thinking about kiddo's situation. That's not all bad.

Whoa, spud

4100 hits in five months? From 45 states and 21 countries? Whoa. I had no idea. Thanks is the least I can say. Thanks for reading my musings. I'll try to keep up the cooking, crafty, creative part. Thanks a lot for checking up on my blog now and again. :-)

A flashback

Kiddo was around ten when I was telling them that they could do anything if they set their mind to it.

They said, "That's not true. I can't fly! I can't shoot fire out of my eyes!"

Interesting thing from my friend christy

I guess these are called memes. My friend Christy has this on her blog at present. So I gave it a whirl. If you're a blogger, perhaps you'll want to tag some folks with it, or write it yourself. Very stream-of-conciousness.

i am: complicated
i think: and then long to not think for a while
i know: there’s only one solution—God.
i want: to be obedient, and have health and peace.
i have: everything I need, even if it doesn’t seem that I do
i wish: I could truly help kiddo
i hate: indifference
i miss: my career
i fear: decline
i feel: sorrow
i hear: cats meowing
i smell: something in the oven
i crave: healing for myself and for others
i search: for meaning, and understanding
i wonder: how God is really in control at present
i regret: not saving more money earlier in life
i love: a few, very strongly
i ache: sin stinks
i care: about what God cares about, at least sometimes, certainly not always
i am always: trying too hard
i am not: indifferent
I believe: help my unbelief
i dance: at stop lights in the car while taking kiddo to school
i sing: a lot
i don't always: pay attention to what my body or my feelings are trying to tell me
i fight: for things I truly care about
i write: because I have to. I can’t not write.
i win: not as much lately
i lose: stuff
i never: want to be like those who hurt me
i confuse: my worth and my productivity
i listen: to a lot of stuff and try to winnow out useful things.
i can usually be found: trying to encourage and help
i am scared: of those who rage
i need: God's mercy and love. Friends. Help.
i am happy about: being able to put it in God’s capable hands, even though I’d like to deck him sometimes, maybe even now.

you?

Easy gifty baking on a budget

It's the end of the school year and that brings a need or desire to thank teachers and school personnel for all their help this year. But your funds are tight, you say? How about bringing them a few mini loaves of delectable homemade treats.

I don't particularly like to make cupcakes or even muffins. All that individual portioning crap, and frosting (at least the cupcakes). So a while back I bought some mini loaf pans. They were not only sturdy and teflon, they were on super closeout for some ridiculous price...79 cents each.

I take muffin recipes and nut/fruit/quick bread recipes and put them in mini loaf pans instead. When the loaves are finished and have been cooled on a rack, they fit just perfectly into ziplock sandwich size bags...so no big expense to package either.

They are always appreciated as a little gift, whether a thank you, encouragement, or as a little "I'm not going to tell you who left this on your doorstep" gift. I've been known to do the latter, so if you're a friend of mine I will neither confirm nor deny whether I was the one that did it to you. ;-)

Baking time is the thing to take into consideration, of course. With a muffin recipe, I find that about double the time stated on the recipe is about right for a mini loaf size. With nut/fruit/quick bread recipes, it will probably take almost as long as the original timing, but do check it after about half the stated time and see how it's going. I wouldn't bake it for as long as the large loaf, but you'll probably have to bake it 2/3 to 3/4 the time as the original quick bread recipe. Use a toothpick or skewer to ensure it comes out clean, so everything's baked through.

Be sure to spray all your pans with pam, and to remove the loaves after about five or ten min to cool on a rack for the nicest texture. Sometimes there are mini-loaf sized muffin paper cups available to fit in the mini loaves. Usually that would be from a place like one that sells Wilton-type cake supplies.

I find that most muffin or quick bread recipes make about three mini loaves, so I usually double the batch and make six. This time of year, that's a good little gift or snack anyone will enjoy.

If you want something other than muffin or quick bread recipes, a quick google search on the phrase "mini loaf" brings up all kinds of interesting recipes.

The other good thing for me personally about mini loaves is that I can give all but one away, and that one loaf will not destroy all I've been working for with eating right and working out lately. :-)

Have fun! They'll like it. I can (just about) guarantee it.

Quote of the day

People who make babies surrender their right to behave like them.
--Carolyn Hax

It's been a helluva last 24 hours

Insanity. True insanity.

Can't post about it on a public blog other than to say "you have GOT to be kidding" mixed with "yep, I should have expected that outta them."

God's still got a plan in the midst of all this crap.

Truly overwhelming, to be honest. Almost three years of praying brings us to this stop in the mess. The good thing is that an unlikely person is saying "don't worry nashbabe, we will make it through all this crap, we will make it through." I'm impressed by their faith and so thankful for their encouragement. I have shed many tears in the last day, unfortunately.

The limbo it puts us in, or should I say KEEPS us in, is so grueling to live through. If it had to do with me, hey, I could bear it. But to see someone else suffer so much just cuts my heart in pieces.

In the midst of this, here in the interest of balance, I'll post stuff I like...

*the middle school teachers at the track where I work out...they continue to be encouraging and put up with me walking on the track as waves of middle schoolers alternate between running and sauntering around the track, talking about all kinds of interesting stuff...hmmm...

*my old, crappy looking car gets around 30 miles per gallon! Good thing since I am having to put $60 to $70 of gas in it each week at least. Ugh.

*might not put as many miles on the car in a few days when school is out.

*working out is working for me! I can feel that I am a little smaller, and I feel better. and my bottom bp number is usually in the 60s and sometimes the high 50s. Yee haw. that's kewl.

*I do feel better overall. the grief is doing a number on me, but physically and emotionally I am stronger. God is working on me through a lot of different avenues.

*I get the chance to bless others with encouragement. I have even received some encouragement myself...kind of a new development, and greatly needed right now.

This list of good stuff is perspective but also bravado, I suppose. The big thing isn't getting worked out. It STILL isn't getting worked out. My grief is deep. Can't give up now, although options are unclear. Lord, show us what to do and, equally important, what NOT to do. Amen.

So ya proud of me for not just whining? Trust me, it's a really good reason to whine. But at least I have a little perspective. It doesn't blot out the gut kick, but it helps anyhow.

Record my lament;
list my tears on your scroll~~
are they not in your record?
--from Psalm 56

Psalm 63
A psalm of David. When he was in the Desert of Judah.
1 O God, you are my God,
earnestly I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you,
my body longs for you,
in a dry and weary land
where there is no water.
2 I have seen you in the sanctuary
and beheld your power and your glory.

3 Because your love is better than life,
my lips will glorify you.

4 I will praise you as long as I live,
and in your name I will lift up my hands.

5 My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods;
with singing lips my mouth will praise you.

6 On my bed I remember you;
I think of you through the watches of the night.

7 Because you are my help,
I sing in the shadow of your wings.

8 My soul clings to you;
your right hand upholds me.

9 They who seek my life will be destroyed;
they will go down to the depths of the earth.

10 They will be given over to the sword
and become food for jackals.

11 But the king will rejoice in God;
all who swear by God's name will praise him,
while the mouths of liars will be silenced.

Rollercoaster has ended up on another good note

So my hubs said, "You need to get that checked out at the doctor."

I'm like...hey dude, I just had an MRI...back off.

He doesn't let up.

So I go to the nurse practitioner at the doc's ofc, just to get him off my back.

She says "your husband has good assessment skills, I want the surgeon to look at this."

Crap. Now I have to admit my husband was right, and I was wrong. We can't let that happen, eh?

After most of a couple days at the doc and having tests, I am once again on the good side of this all. Just precautionary. All is well.

But I still have to admit hubs was right. Yikes. ;-)

Way past time for a MJF giveaway...

Okay, all you Mary Jane's Farm farmgirls...(and if you're not one, why haven't you headed over there yet?) ;-)

It's time to return the favor. We've gone through a tough, stressful time, and continue to do so, and your kindnesses, giveaways, aprons, and lots of attagirls have helped me along the way.

So it's time for my FIRST giveaway. Yep, there's more stuff to give away and it will be on tap probably next month.

First up...from my MIL's stash, for bakers or those who want to be, a lovely cookbook called "A Loaf of Bread". Even if you don't bake, you'll probably like the beautiful pictures and load of different bread recipes. Everything from bread machines, to old-time bread making, to breads of various countries, to flatbreads, focaccias, and everything inbetween is found within.

Also, a very lovely, never used, "Bavaria" bundt pan from those fabulous Scandinavians at Nordicware. This in and of itself is quite a lovely giveaway.

Hey, even if you don't bake and don't want to, these would be fabulous gifts for someone you know that does.

I will ship these probably a slow method because of the weight. The wait should be well worth it. :-)

Just leave a comment in this post, and I will either number all the posts and draw from a hat, or if the lovely Bonne will help me find the random number generator on the internet (perhaps a Google search first is in order...;-) ) I will use that.

Giveaway drawing will be end of the day May 30th. So be there or be square. Good luck all! :-)

This is a day that I'm always glad when it's over.

Mother's Day. Yikes. Not my favorite day. I prayed that somehow God would send some encouragement my way this weekend. Mother's Day always falls on a Sunday, so I have to watch the moms get recognized and appreciated. Glad for them, sad for me. It's stressful and grief-laden on several levels and my husband hung out with me all afternoon and evening just to lend some extra, much-needed love and support. I certainly am grateful for the companionship on a day like today.

Yesterday, completely unprompted, some friends and fellow vendors at market came to me and told me they wanted me to select a flowering plant (all so nice, large, and beautiful...where does one begin?) because they thought I really deserved a Mother's Day present. They knew enough about me to understand, and frankly, I shed a few tears when they made their wonderful offer. You know who you are, and you know I appreciate you.

Then when I returned home this afternoon, there were two lovely hanging baskets on the front doorstep. Neither hubs or I know from whence they appeared, or at least hubs isn't letting on. I'm very grateful, again, for the loving thought.

Why haven't I actively been seeking encouragement? Because it looks weak and needy, and stupid, and groveling. But I prayed, and my prayers were answered. Lord, I could use some more encouragement. Please, I'm not trying to be greedy here...but Mother's Day always saps the life and peace from my soul for a while.

Rants and raves

Raves: the middle school teachers at the school where I walk on the track most days. They are very encouraging of my walking habit. Even the kids get in the act--one of them high-fived me the other day. :-)

Rants: doing all the work for kiddo and seeing someone else who is undeserving get the credit today. Oh, well, I would do it anyway and I know that the important people, and God, know who really did the labor.

Wow

What a kid. We're feeling like pretty good ersatz parents right now. Kiddo just got their college entrance exam scores back--they decided to take the test as a sophomore.

Kiddo's score ranks them in the top 10% of all students of any age that took the test.

Pretty good for a kid that Metro said would never learn to read. (How I would enjoy thrusting these results in their faces about now.)

All the going without, worrying about the leaky roof (it's pouring outside right now, so that comes to mind), driving ancient cars, driving well over 100,000 miles by now, wearing crappy old clothes, etc., seems to be put into an excellent perspective about now.

Who the heck cares about all that crap. Kiddo is who's important, not the stuff. Their many attributes, including generosity, interest in spiritual things, wit, and helpfulness are a few of the many other attributes kiddo possesses. It's not all about the test.

But like I told the person at school, "well, kiddo's poor, and smart, so that oughta be worth some scholarship money." The person just grinned.

As did I.

I told kiddo "do you have a big cardboard box?" Kiddo said "why?" I told them that they'd need it soon, because a sophomore with that kind of score was going to get a lot of mailings from a lot of colleges, trying to vie for their attention. :-)