Happy New Year

Thought I was through blogging for 2009 but tonight reading another blogger's New Year's musings - I remembered something special I like to share with you - we all hear the first part frequently - but the complete prayer means so much more. I have posted this before, too many people only associate it with Alcoholics Anonymous. The Serenity Prayer is appropriate for us ending 2009 and looking to the future - walking one day at a time in our challenges but knowing - there will be storms but the same God who controls the storms is our refuge from them. Bless y'all - it is good on Buhlaland and we trust you receive serenity this year also.

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen.

--Reinhold Niebuhr

Ending up 2009

In case you haven't noticed - I don't blog regularly - I may need some blogamucil. We've had a roller coaster year - and I throw up on roller coasters. BUT - Christmas Day came to Buhlaland - we had guests with us for brunch in our breakfast room rather than our dining area. That comment was a segue - not the thing with two wheels Mall cops use - but a method of getting from one topic to another - obviously in this case not seamlessly. I digress---

Boxes of hardwood flooring for master bedroom renovation are stacked behind the big dining table! I'm keeping it real here folks - the flooring is behind big table, right next to the oxygen concentrator - I'm just a decorating fool.

Although not frugal - fresh flowers make me feel the house is more festive.

This year we put a Christmas swag on our office doors - you can see through the door to my computer desk - DH's desk is to the right.
Now you have a visual for the scene of the crime.

The day before Christmas DH finished redoing our little bathroom - color I bought believing it would be a dusty rose is more of a terra cotta rose' - not as orangey as in the photo but intense. Yes that's me taking the picture.

We got a pair of coasters from a sweet couple - we loved the verse and look of them so much we made one into a wall hanging for new bath decor.

North Texas has had an unusual amount of snow - don't care much for it but complaining has yet to change the weather so we trudge through and feed the goats a lot of extra grain/alfalfa. Picture is our neighbor's biggest longhorned steer - LHB - he looked almost majestic in the snow.

We were visited by a doe and her fawn who have been around here since early summer. Doe had a badly sprained or broken left front leg when she first showed up. Hoping to keep her quiet and avoid more damage - we kept the goats out of the pasture she settled in. DH threw hay and grain in for her and there was a trough for water. As summer went on - we saw a little speckled fawn with her. Now she is still appearing here regularly- we know it's her because she limps when she tries to run. A blog friend named the doe Prince - my friends name things strangely (witness my favorite goat - a doe named Norman).

We have officially been here ten years - moved onto this land December 13th, 2000. Unbelievable to me a decade has passed. DH and I were married on January 1,2000 (I was his Y2K Bug). We'll be celebrating our Tin/ aluminum anniversary - somehow that doesn't sound as romantic as Silver or Gold but makes picking a gift a lot cheaper - here you are my beloved- a roll of aluminum foil to acknowledge our love and commitment! Oh goodness. Now you know why I'm not blogging - my mind is skittering around like water drops on a hot griddle.

Wind made quite a sculpture of the snow -- Buhlaland can change so much from day to day. Our personal challenges are temporary --life is but a mist and gone. Enjoying the misty world this week - it is good on Buhlaland and I pray it is for you also. Happy New Year -

Question 1: What is the chief and highest end of man?
Answer: Man's chief and highest end is to glorify God, and fully to enjoy him forever.
From the Westminster Catechism

John 1:1-5 NIV

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.

In a dark room - it is totally dark - but light one candle and the darkness no longer covers the light has pushed darkness back. I pray you seek the light and shun the darkness.

Bless y'all - may God

Bless you, your loved ones, and may God Bless America.

Good Intentions Poor Results

First - merry Christmas Eve morning (such a confusing concept - I'm told by my European blog pals they have different words for these days leading up to Christmas, sounds good to me - simpler is better even if it takes more words and y'all know I like my words in quantity!)

The picture is yesterday morning here on Buhlaland - clouds,humidity and temperatures in the 70's . Today's picture would be rainy, turning to snow with a predicted accumulation of 2 inches ! Texas weather - ya gotta love it.

I know I promised recipes - actually made a new one and took pictures - then tasted it and went BLAH! so I thought you probably didn't want a BAD recipe. Have some cooking to do today - a Tres Leches Cake for our BFF's and dinner rolls for neighbors. Not so much cooking for the two of us - going to be a joyously quiet Christmas. Our lives are blessed with the continuing providence and mercy of our Lord. Rather than Jingle Bells this year - we are more in the mood of Mark Lowrey's Mary Did You Know?




If I manage to make something special you can bet I'll be back to post a picture and recipe - there are so many wonderful resources on the internet for good recipes yet I find myself digging in a couple of old cookbooks (how old you ask? one was an award for being president of my 9th grade home ec. club! that is a LONG time ago) and a little box of recipes written (scribbled?) on 3 x 5 notecards. Comfort in what is familiar in a world which at times feels so alien. It is good on Buhland - being content in one's circumstances has become a mission for us - knowing when enough really is enough.

I believe I have posted a short reminder from Chuck Swindoll before but it still touches me - we pray we will have an opportunity to reach out to a sparrow or two - bless y'all
Wishing you a Warm and sharing Christmas
Linda Sue and Skip

"So, this Christmas season I pray that the warmth of the Savior's love will spread itself over you as never before. And that whenever and however possible, you will keep reminding yourself that there are still tiny, shivering sparrows who are too terrified to come in from the cold. Maybe, just maybe, this Christmas, because of something you do or say . . . they will. "Chuck Swindoll

Gear up for Grits!

Grits are not a gelatinous slab of pale goo on your plate - only the worst of southern cooks make grits which are not a tasty, basic corn dish adaptable in SO many ways.
I'm showing a spoon of freshly baked cheese and jalapeno grits. Wonderful side dish for brunch or supper. For a bit fancier presentation - bake in individual ramekins (also know as those little baking dishes).


1 cup quick cooking grits

2 cups water

2 cups milk

1 lb. Breakfast sausage – cooked and fat drained off

2 teaspoons Lawry’s season salt

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 15 ounce can cream style corn

¼ cup butter

3 beaten eggs


Preheat over to 375. Grease or spray with Pam a 13X9 inch baking dish. Bring milk, water and salt to boil and stir in grits. Cook grits over lowered flame stirring occasionally – until thickened but not stiff. Turn off heat, whisk in cheese, butter ,cooked sausage( and/or chopped jalapenos), cream style corn, then add beaten eggs. Bake in prepared baking dish for 45 minutes or until slightly puffed and browned on top.

NOTE: use “quick cooking” grits – not instant and whatever cooking directions are given on the box - use half water and half milk. For a kickier taste - add finely chopped jalapenos - I used about a tablespoon of dried jalapeno but you can add minced fresh or pickled jalapenos to your taste. Be careful - easy to get carried away and need a fire extinguisher at the table.

Try it - let me know if you like them. Highly adaptable dish - use chorizo instead of sausage or your favorite easily crumbled up meat (cooked bacon, venison sausage - almost anything goes)

We began making this dish while we owned a Bed and Breakfast in Colorado - because so many people have negative ideas of grits -we would tell them it is a ground corn dish! - worked because we had people from all over the world eat grits and love 'em.
It is comfort food on Buhlaland. I'll be back with more Christmasy cooking but have been wanting "real food" lately - sweets are coming soon!
Still cold here - ready for a burst of warm weather so we can do some fencing - goats got out last week and we've had to close off one of the pastures until the fencing can be done. Goats don't mind too much - they are getting extra rations of alfalfa to make up for less grazing area!
It is good on Buhlaland, the Lord provides such a bounty - for our eyes, stomach and heart!
From David Jeremiah “He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus” (2 Corinthians 4:14). Our future is filled with optimism and hope because we know that someday we will be like Him. We cannot lose heart and settle for a bag-lunch life when a heavenly feast beyond all imagination awaits us!"
Now THAT is a feast worth celebrating - May your Advent days build anticipation for the coming of the King.

Coziness Rulz

We live in Texas because we don't mind hot weather - we very much love mild weather. DH and I like to wear shorts and sweatshirts in the fall and warm winter days. I don't own woolen sweaters or dresses - we buy cotton.
All those statements lead up to the unpleasant truth ---we don't like cold weather! Instead of gritching about our unseasonably cold weather--we have worked hard on being cozy, comfy, snuggly as a buggly in a ruggly (whoa - getting far too cutesy here). Ahem - I mean - we are appreciating the beauty of a wood fire, wonderful bright Christmas flowers, sunshine coming in our big windows and warming the couch for napping. All that rambling done with - I am posting because it is pleasantly warm in our office, dogs are wrestling on the rug, hubs is talking on his cell phone - it may be 36 degrees outside but Buhlaland is both inside and outside. Inside we are comfortably warm - enjoying a quiet day and knowing all is good on Buhlaland.
I promise to be back with a recipe or two - wouldn't be Christmas without cooking!