Everything coming up roses

It's been a rough few months, stuff happening, life bumping along in ways I hadn't planned or necessarily wanted. Spring is here with warmer weather, abundant rain and suddenly my roses are blooming. I realize "it's not so bad - life always changes". Often it changes for the better, but it definitely changes. Resisting change is futile (that sounds SO Borg - google if you don't know Borg). Rose blooms and a sunny day - it is well with my soul here in Buhlaland. Hope the spring is rosy for you also.

Buttery Goodness

We bought a panini press (you know I use the term "we" quite loosely since DH only said well if you want it). For Sunday morning breakfast I thought I'd lose my mind oops should have read get creative. From a plain, storebought croissant (Albertson's on sale, Golden Harvest which means a teaspoon of whole wheat flour to give it color!) to toasty gooey deliciousness in less than 15 minutes.
Gather up 4 tablespoons cream cheese, three croissants each split in half, 2 tablespoons sweet orange marmalade, and soft salted butter - seriously only 4 ingredients. Preheat your silly extravagance Panini Press or a waffle iron might work too. Mush up the cream cheese and orange marmalade with a fork (we're talking low tech here ) it's good if there are little lumps of cream cheese. Just mush it together to make a spread. Butter the outsides of a croissant - I used Light Butter which has some canola to appease my inner food police. Spread about one third of the cream cheese mixture on half the croissant and reacquaint the top and bottom croissant halves. Put the totally reunited croissant in your hot panini press (or aforementioned waffle iron) for about 2 minutes. Should be rather flattened, quite crusty golden. If you are making several (easy to double recipe so simple) put the crispy goodies on a rack so they won't give off moisture and become soggy. The finished product was dusted with a bit of powdered sugar. Add some big sweet strawberries with only a touch of sweeter on them - either equal or real sugar - just don't go crazy with the sugar or your berries will be runny. Absolutely delish - all 3 members of the household rolled their eyes and made yummy noises. If you can't stand one of the mere four ingredients - you can use some other marmalade/preserves but I'd be cautious with jelly or jams - too runny. Blueberries or the berry or banana or sliced peach or whatever fruit of your choice would be grand. I wanted to do something simple, fast and guaranteed to look as if you were a Martha Stewart ( or in my case probably Paula Deen!) of your neighborhood. If you need to get really jazzed - garnish with a sprig of mint or flowers.
Now I won't tell you about the panini with chocolate and fresh berries - that would be too much - y'all enjoy - we are wearing loose waistbands and big smiles in Buhlaland. Oh yeah - and just a touch of powdered sugar on our chins! To quote a friend's blog"taste and see that the Lord is good"Psalm 34:8 Oh yes He is!

Peace in Buhlaland

The name of this rose is Rosa 'Madame A. Meilland' but known since 1945 as the Peace rose. I have one in our little side garden in memory of my father. His air force career was primarily spent in the Strategic Air Command (SAC) and their slogan was "peace is our profession". I love the scent and delicate coloring of this rose, the picture shows a slightly tattered bloom since some big spring hail storms.
Seems there are a million tv shows touting books and programs and authors and relaxation techniques to gain inner peace. I know only one route "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid". John 14:27
The world simply can't give anything resembling true peace, I am grateful I possess a guarantee - if I ask, He'll provide. There is peace in Buhlaland - I pray you have peace also - not just the roses.

I'm no Alex Trebek or Ken Jennings

Alex, the question is Why do you click on this link and spend $10? Jeopardy answers could be: because you love them, because God tells us to , because you feel guilty sometimes about all you have and how little they have, because it is the right thing, because you can.
Aiding children in poverty might not be a great category for a TV game show. Compassion International is giving us all an opportunity to help children in countries with serious malaria problems. Try it - you'll be blessed and what is ten dollars? It coud be a life - Please watch the video at Bite Back and your heart will grow.Would have been a lot more effective if I'd put in the link to Bite Back Sorry -

Blog insecurity

I'm supposed to be blogging for mental discipline (yeah right?!) and to keep a record of my life so I don't forget how wonderful, challenging, blessed I am in my life every day. BUT I started reading all these other blogs like this or we could consider this and for interesting perspective there is this then of course there is this and realized I am BORING! Creative, Christ glorifying, interesting people are out there blogging. They pay attention to statistics of linkage, create videos, meet fascinating people and write about it. I take pictures of a goat nibbling my finger and hail falling in my backyard. Big whoop huh? So I'm suffering big time blog insecurity - this is NOT a plea for the loyal and wonderful souls who come by here to shore my ego by posting nice comments. I need to work through this myself because I'm allowing my purpose to be diluting, or polluted or convoluted or patooted! SO - visit those big time bloggers to be blogosized or blogenchanced or perhaps even blogrevitalized but drop back by soon and I'll post about going to Walmart or clearing weeds out of the garden.
That's just how we roll here in Buhlaland. (in terms of truth - my next post will be about malaria and Compassion so it will be of significance - not like my foolishness)

Try this WIDGET

Please try the new widget on my blog - you will fall in love with the concept. A clever man wanted to improve his son's vocabulary and help with the world hunger problem all at one time. For each correct response to a multiple choice vocabulary word - you donate 20 grains of rice. The whole thing is quite legit. Each time you get a word incorrect you'll have a chance (if you keep playing) to answer it again - so learn from a mistake! Another of those simple things we can do to help someone - costs us NOTHING and blesses someone else. Such a deal! We love some Free Rice Good Vocabulary .

Crybaby as Ballerina

Crybaby was doing her barre work this morning and I caught her stretching out backwards to get that long line a good ballerina must have.

And here is what she was really doing - using the fence as a prop so she could latch onto a branch of succulent, tasty new oak leaves. She pulls the limber branch down(because she is not at all limber) and proceeds to snack as if she is at the all you can eat buffet!

We may not have the smartest animals on Buhlaland but they do like to eat! It's good.

Surprise Visitor

We were working in the shop two days ago with the big doors open . We noticed an unfamiliar color on the pegboard DH uses for tool storage. On closer inspection we found a luna moth. God created beauty even in the smallest things. We appreciated our beautiful visitor to Buhlaland. Someone already told me it was the kind of moth in a sleeping medication commercial - not exactly the image which came to mind but everyone sees what they are tuned to look for. I think we see what we seek- don't you?

Promises

"Our troubles are slight and short-lived, and their outcome an eternal glory which outweighs them far. Meanwhile our eyes are fixed, not on the things that are seen, but on the things that are unseen" (2 Cor 4:17, 18 NEB).
A rosebud is the promise of a beautiful blossom. God's word is the promise of unending love. I'm going through a time of standing on those promises. Not much blogging going on, I continue to be astonished at how my prayers are answered. Instead of getting what I "want" I'm learning to want what I'm getting. I think this might be getting my heart's desire - once my heart wants what God has for me.
If you are an older rock fan you might recognize the lyric, it is bizarre to quote a Rolling Stones lyric when I'm learning fom God. Part of my recent comprehension is God uses absolutely everything, the ugly, broken, disappointing stuff I didn't want in my life, it is here because it has been part of my life. He makes use of it and I don't necessarily get to know WHY?
Looks like the Stones are right.:
You can't always get what you want

You can't always get what you want

You can't always get what you want

But if you try sometimes you just might find

You just might find

You get what you need

Appearances are deceiving

What is your guess :a. goat back massage
b. paying homage to alpha goat
c. defensive maneuver?


I downloaded my camera and I see a surprise. I often take pictures quickly and as you can see not always in perfect focus. Really expected to see a shot of Flip (alpha female - tan and white) knocking Blackie off her perch. My laughter at what I got - well it was worth posting for y'all. Nothing earthshaking - just a little caprine humor on Buhlaland.

No eggs, no milk, no butter - is this a cake?

I make one cake in which there is no egg, no butter, no milk or cream in cake or frosting. Last week we took a cake like this to a friend who cannot eat dairy or soy and doesn't like chocolate - she ate two pieces. It really is that good. Wacky cake does NOT make a good layer cake, it is a pan cake or a messy cake, consider yourself warned. Recipe can be doubled for a 9 X 13 inch baking pan. Double the frosting too - if you are decadent - double the frosting and use that much on the 8 inch square cake. OH and the coffee thing - I mean a liquid you might drink - not the grounds. My clarification comes from a story I do not have permission to put into print. You don't have to use Honduran vanilla or sea salt or organic flour or vinegar from a gallon jug- you are seeing ingredients I actually used, but you can use what is in YOUR pantry. I'm nice that way.

Wacky Cake

1 1/2 cups sifted flour,
3 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa ,
1 teaspoon baking soda,
1 cup granulated sugar,
1 teaspoon salt ,
6 tablespoons vegetable oil ,
1 tablespoon plain white vinegar ,
1 teaspoons vanilla,
1 cup cold (brewed!) coffee,
Sift dry ingredients(or at the very least dump them all into the pan and use a whisk to combine them very well) into 8 inch cake pan. Mix with a fork. Form 3 wells in the flour mixture. Into one pour the oil, into another the vinegar and into the last the vanilla. Pour cold coffee over all and stir with a fork until well mixed. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Double Boiler Frosting

1 egg white,
3/4 cup granulated sugar,
1 tablespoon karo syrup OR 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar,
3 tablespoons of water,
1 teaspoon vanilla ,

Mix all ingredients except vanilla in top of a double boiler. Place over boiling water; beat with rotary beater until stiff peaks form. Scrape bottom and sides of pan occasionally. Remove from heat - stir in vanilla (don't overbeat at this point). Spread on cooled cake. Don't mock my improvised double boiler - it works.

Get a fork and eat this cake - right away - if you don't someone else in your house will.

Decay or beauty

" Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:19-21

When we drove past an old farm house walls falling down with a yard of beautiful iris blooming, my initial reaction was sadness. But perhaps the people who built the house and planted the iris had a wonderful life and are now enjoying treasures they stored up where walls don't collapse and ironwork doesn't rust. One of those perspective things, if you believe we are eternal beings this picture isn't sad.