Surprised? Me too!

I don't often post two days in a row - but today was such a nice surprise. Out in the pasture with a couple of the goatzees - white bodied one is Norman, our dearest and best natured doe. Norman was walking around with me, staying close by my side and apparently fooling the deer into thinking I was one of the goats! Had the pleasant surprise of coming upon our resident deer with her twin fawns. Norman by my side seemed to calm down the situation until I pushed too close and the little ones skedaddled over to mom for some security. It was so much fun this morning on a short walk on Buhlaland. Hope you have a pleasant surprise today also.

Goat Joy

Won't be jabbering much here - this morning I got a lesson in unadulterated havin' fun from the goatzees - took almost 100 pictures just to get a few good ones of the romp. It was wild and crazy fun on Buhlaland today - hope you have a little wild and crazy wherever you are today.

Malachi 4:2 (NIV)
2 But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall.

Good to have a Friend

I've been a little tired - for what seems a long while but tired distorts my sense of time and probably proportion. This morning -this glorious summery SonDay morning - the gifts of rest, restoration and worship are mine to enjoy. While shooting a picture directly at a light source isn't "right" - I loved the effect of pure light breaking through. The light breaks through both visually and emotionally - and yes spiritually. I do have a friend - who will be with me to the end. Life is blessed on Buhlaland with productive work, times of tiredness leading to surrendering to rest. Bless y'all - sit a while and think of how the light reaches you. It is good on Buhlaland - and restful

Where oh where could she be?

Jungles, far off places with strange sounding names?

Where is the world is Linda Sue of Buhlaland? Hard as it is to believe - I took this photograph today - July 9,2010 right here on our property. We are having a wave of tropical moisture and unlike a normal Texas summer (hot, dry and windy)- we have had foggy mornings and afternoon downpours!Pastures and garden have greened up but tomato plants are producing zero!

Flowers - gaudy beauty of a canna and my beloved constantly covered with blackspot and bugs Peace Rose as well as foliage like our big fern are dazzling with raindrops.

No complaints here - we are enjoying the sound of thunder and fragrance of clean air - courtesy of the Lord -

Acts 14:6In the past, he let all nations go their own way. 17Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy."

Rainy, muddy and oh so blessed - it is good on Buhlaland - even with a few bumps and bruises from our week of intensive remodeling - will be putting up pictures soon of the renovated master bedroom suite.

Post Holiday Sleep In

Crybaby and her twins were still sleeping when I went out to open pasture gates this morning. She has claimed the old door from a fiberglass shelter as her bed. It was much later than normal when I went out - yet the twins, Lantana and Fantana were reluctant to wake up.
Slowly and surely they began the process - these two sleep all snuggled up and have figured a way to do a morning stretch while still snuggled! It is the little things on Buhlaland which keep us amused. It is good - 'cause we are not much fans of excessive noise and rowdiness (unlike most of the celebrating world this past weekend)!

Independence Day

Our small town's courthouse square (which is actually a circle) decorated with flags for the holiday weekend.

Happy Independence Day - the quintessential (I love that word) American summer holiday. All about enjoying the warm season, cooking outdoors and remembering how immensely valuable is our unique form of government. Here on Buhlaland it was both a blessed SonDay and July 4th/Independence Day - we celebrated both with worship and relaxing. Hubby and I had a craving for real hot dogs - not the low fat low whatevers we eat most of the time but nice big juicy Hebrew National (we answer to a higher power) franks. In true American style - I made a run to WalMart - golly it was crowded apparently everyone waits until 9:30 in the morning to buy their supplies. Purchased salad makings, hot dogs and buns then hustled home to get pie made.

We had fun getting the grill cleaned up (what happens to that resolution we make each time we buy a nice new grill - "we'll clean it as soon as we take food off it so it'll be ready to use the next time" ? - hmmm), then timing the side dishes to coincide with the perfectly grilled franks and toasted buns (bread kind not burnt backsides!) Not too much extra on the hot dogs - mine was grainy mustard and chopped onions.

For a change I've included real recipes and pictures of the food. We like the cauliflower salad and change it up according to what is in our pantry. Used a shortbread crust for the pie and although it tastes out of this world delicious - didn't give recipe because it absolutely wouldn't release from the pan. Will try making it again and grease the pan - perhaps use a metal pie plate instead of my ceramic one and see if it will release. Picture of pie isn't perfection but taste was astounding! Hope each and every person gave thanks for the blessing of being in a free nation - we can all complain and point out flaws but we still have far more freedom than most people in the world. Please give thanks for those giving their services to keep us free -whether military or civilian service - God Bless them all and God Bless America. It is a time for gratitude on Buhlaland - hope it was for you also. Just realized the irony of juxtaposition of a blog post about eating lots for a holiday and our new widget about world hunger - it isn't right or fair we have so much and they have so little - and doesn't take much to help - click through on the widget and at least donate the cost of a package of hot dogs and buns - at our stores that was over $8 and would really help someone else. Back to our holiday blog post.

Cauliflower Salad

1 medium head of cauliflower - barely cooked (put into boiling water for maybe 4 minutes then removed and either dunk into ice water or spray cold water over it to stop cooking process) Break cauliflower into small florets/pieces.

While cauliflower is chilling make dressing

1/4 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons sugar or two packets splenda if you need to use artificial sweeteners

1/2 teaspoon dried mustard

1/2 teaspoon Morton's Nature's Seasons seasoning blend

Whisk together in a medium sized bowl (you'll add the cauliflower and other vegetables to the dressing so need room to mix it)

3 green onions, chopped finely

1 very finely minced fresh jalapeno pepper or 2 tablespoons sweet green pepper for less heat.

3 or 4 stalks of celery chopped

In the mixing bowl with dressing, add cooled and drained cauliflower, pepper, celery and onions. Stir thoroughly - tastes best if made a little ahead of time and chilled.

Optional changes - add chopped hard boiled eggs. Add a finely chopped can of water chestnuts. Add a small jar of diced pimento. For those with a sweeter preference - add some pickle relish or diced sweet pickles instead of the peppers.

Berry Pie

1 quart fresh strawberries

1/2 pint blueberries

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

3 tablespoons pomegranate liqueur or pomegranate juice

- pour into 1/2 cup measure and then carefully fill rest of the half cup measure with water to get a total of 1/2 cup liquid

1 Baked and cooled 9 inch pie crust

Rinse berries and drain thoroughly. Remove stems and any blemished spots from strawberries. 1/4 of the quart of strawberries should be mashed up in a saucepan with the 3/4 cup granulated sugar. Place the other 3/4 quart strawberries and 1/2 pint blueberries into baked pie crust.

In a small bowl - whisk together cornstarch,1/2 cup liquid - set aside.

Bring the mashed berries and sugar to a boil stirring frequently. When they look a little like cooked up preserves - stir in the liquid and cornstarch. Reduce the heat to a simmer and stir constantly 2-3 minutes until it thickens. Cool mixture for a few minutes and pour over berries in pie crust. Cover and set in refrigerator at least one hour. Serve with sweetened whipping cream or vanilla ice cream.

Tasted great on Buhlaland today and hope it does at your house also. Thank you all for the great suggestions on our trellis issue - still working on exactly how much work and money we are ready to expend but love the ideas!