Peace to You

We continue to work as strength and finances allow - not moved yet - no date set but we have peace. It is good on Buhlaland and at this time in our lives we see so many deprived of peace - not willing to lay down the stresses of daily life and striving toward goals which are not eternal. Peace HE gives to us - accept it and we'll all rejoice together for eternity. I'll back with my normal silliness over decorating choices, colors and textures - but for today I give you peace.

1 Peter 3:8
[ Suffering for Doing Good ] Summing up: Be agreeable, be sympathetic, be loving, be compassionate, be humble. That goes for all of you, no exceptions. No retaliation. No sharp-tongued sarcasm. Instead, bless—that's your job, to bless. You'll be a blessing and also get a blessing. Whoever wants to embrace life and see the day fill up with good, Here's what you do: Say nothing evil or hurtful; Snub evil and cultivate good; run after peace for all you're worth. God looks on all this with approval, listening and responding well to what he's asked; But he turns his back on those who do evil things.
1 Peter 3:7-9 (in Context) 1 Peter 3 (Whole Chapter)

What DO you see?

Looking out toward the front of our property from our house porch. Definitely a summer afternoon - temperatures in the low 90's and a little breeze but plenty hot.










We are hoping this little one was just "parked" here by it's mom. It is less than 50 feet from our front door so I'm not taking my evening walk until it is gone - don't want to spook mama from picking her baby back up. I love being here on Buhlaland and it is peaceful enough in our front yard this deer feels safe in our yard. Cool huh?

What it looks like on a Sunday in March

Welcome my friends to Buhlaland - a small bit of Texas and on days like this a preview of how heaven would be (for me at least). The wildflower is called a breadroot - apparently used by native peoples as a food source. The steers are in one of the pastures adjoining our property. The pansy basket is flowering with plants from last fall - enjoying the cold morning we had!

First rose of 2009 in our yard - a tiny blossom of our Jacob's Coat climber rose. Our silly Ellie goat - stuck in the fence - the goats do that a lot during the spring, things just look so tasty on the other side of a fence.

You didn't think I'd fail to put up some peeps pics - the one I'm holding already has wing feathers showing up - ah the babies grow up quickly. The peeps are out in their coop and I'm SOOOO glad. It was a good day on Buhlaland - fine worship at church today, delicious pancakes and sausage, some work completed around here and a very quiet day.

An apocryphal story (and a recipe)

Apocryphal stories are often used to make a point when either documented, provable stories aren't available or so many exist that we make up one combining aspects of all the others - still to make a point much as a parable was designed to do. That said (and begging the pardon of the eleventy-seven thousand bloggers out there who have already used this story):


A young woman had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and given a very short time to live. She was getting her personal business 'in order' so she contacted her Pastor and had him come to her house to discuss certain aspects of her final wishes. She gave to him a list of songs she wanted sung at the service, what scriptures she would like read, and what outfit to have the funeral home use to dress her in for burial. Everything was in order and the Pastor was preparing to leave when the young woman said there was one more important detail for her funeral service.
'There's one more thing and this is very important, ' the young woman continued. At the funeral home be sure they know I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand.' The Pastor stood looking at the young woman, not knowing quite what to say. ' Odd request isn't it?' the young woman asked. 'Well, to be honest, yes,' said the Pastor.
The young woman explained. 'My grandmother once told me this story, and from that time on I have always tried to pass along its message to those I love who are in need of encouragement. She said 'in all my years of attending socials and dinners, I happily remembered when the dishes of the main course was cleared, someone would inevitably lean over and say, 'Keep your fork.' It was my favorite part of the event because I knew that meant something special was coming...like velvety chocolate cake or deep-dish apple pie. Something wonderful, and with substance!' In my life I found my grandmother's story to be very true - when you keep your fork - something wonderful is coming.
So, I want people to see me there in that casket with a fork in my hand and I want them to ask 'What's with the fork?' Then I want you to tell them: 'Keep your fork, the best is yet to come.' The Pastor's eyes welled up with tears of joy as he hugged the young woman good-bye. He knew this might be the last time he would see her before her death. He also knew the young woman had a better understanding of heaven than he did. She had a better grasp of what heaven would be like than most people with twice as much experience and knowledge. She KNEW something better was coming. At the funeral home, people were walking by the young woman's casket and they saw the fork placed in her right hand. Over and over, the Pastor heard the question, 'What's with the fork?' During his message, Pastor told the people of the conversation he had with the young woman shortly before she died. He told them about the fork and about what it symbolized to her. He told the people how he could not stop thinking about a fork and told them that they probably would not be able to forget about it either. He was right. The next time you reach down for your fork let it remind you, the best is yet to come.



Amen - no eye has seen nor mind has conceived what the Lord has prepared for those who believe.



On this side of heaven - grab a fork - actually first bake this coffeecake - then grab a fork.


Almond Buttermilk Coffeecake
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Grease and flour 8 or 9-inch square baking pan (or cake pan) I use a 9 inch heart shaped pan

1 ½ cups whole-wheat flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1-teaspoon cinnamon
1-teaspoon nutmeg (freshly grated is BEST)
½ cup (one stick) slightly softened butter
(now remove about 1/3 cup of this mixture for the topping)
1 teaspoon almond extract
1-cup buttermilk
1-teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 egg
¾ cup sliced almonds

Stir together flour, sugar and spices. Cut in the butter. Set aside 1/3 cup of this mixture to be used later. Add buttermilk, baking soda, salt, egg and almond extract to the remaining flour mixture and blend well. Pour into prepared pan. Mix the sliced almonds with the reserved sugar mixture. Sprinkle on top of the batter.
Bake at 350 for 35 minutes. Remove from oven and place on cooling rack. Let cool about 15 minutes before serving. Wonderful with fresh berries or whipped cream also.

Here on Buhlaland we have plastic forks, stainless steel forks, dinner forks, salad forks and meat forks- we are ready for all the wonderful things to come - it is GOOD.

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.

Dog days of winter

Conan the Destroyer is the smaller of our two rat terrorists. Corazon is going to be 10 years old this year. A perfect day includes laying in the sun on carpet where they can watch whatever is happening in the house. Then going for a long walk with DH - wandering all over the pasture checking on smells. Aha - Corey thinks she's found something special - oh dear - get away from that Corey. (she tends to find vile, dead type things).

While dog days of summer are in August - dog days of Buhlaland are every day - lots to smell, plenty to eat, a warm spot for a nap, stuff to bark about and most of all people to love. Sounds like a good life doesn't it? Proverbs 17:22 (the Message paraphrase)"A cheerful disposition is good for your health; gloom and doom leave you bone-tired"Our dogs are tirelessly cheerful - and good for everyone's health on Buhlaland.

Chicken Soup for the body and soul

Feliz Ano Nuevo and or Happy New Year y'all! Tomorrow is our 8th wedding anniversary , amazing.

It is a little cool today so I decided to experiment with chicken soup recipes. Easy to make and you could freeze individual servings and microwave them for lunch this month.

Ingredients are in bold type

In a LARGE skillet heat two tablespoons olive oil,

1 cup of onion coarsely chopped

1 cup of diced carrot

1.5 pounds or two whole chicken breasts cut into small cubes

Add the onion, carrot and chicken to heated skillet and cook, stirring occasionally for about 8 minutes until lightly browned. Add 2 teaspoons finely minced garlic, then 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano leaves. Stir until the spices and garlic are mixed in with the chicken - keep heat fairly high so chicken will continue to cook.

Add:

one 15.8 ounce can Great Northern Beans - drained and rinsed

one 15 ounce can Black Beans - also drained and rinsed

2 cans (4.5 ounce each) chopped green chiles (about one cup)

4 cups of high quality chicken broth

Allow this all to reach full boil, stir in 1/4 cup of ground yellow corn meal and stir briskly to avoid lumps. Keep temp up , the corn meal will begin to thicken the soup slightly. Add sea salt to taste and I added a teaspoon and a half of white pepper - you could use black pepper to taste also.

We served this with a dollop of sour cream on top - DH and I each added several shakes of hot pepper sauce but we made the soup NOT spicy on purpose so it could be jazzed up if desired. Would be tasty to add some corn and/or a handful of chopped parsley. Quick soup to make and flavorful, smells great. The 3 of us had a bowl which holds about a cup and there is enough left for almost that again. So I'm guessing 5 - 6 servings.

There is something elemental about making soup for yourself and people you love - feels like nourishing instead of feeding. We finished reading the bible today (DH and I have a discipline of reading the bible through each year - starting anew on the 1st ). I depend on that time each day to open the eyes of my heart - to see the world in a different way. If you show up here (and few do!) I pray that you will be nourished in some way - making a recipe, enjoying pictures or connecting to one of the books,blogs or resources available here. Feliz Ano Nuevo y'all - it is almost a new year and I'm grateful for the blessings of our life - the fun, peaceful times, and I'm beginning to understand about thanking the Lord for the trials. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (the Message paraphrase)"Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time;thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live." If you don't follow Jesus - I hope you will consider where you want to be when you leave (as C.S. Lewis called earth) The Shadowlands. I'm not a gifted evangelist - I only know what a change has occurred in my life and that it definitely was NOT me who changed - I'm still Linda Sue though not a beta version anymore - the real Linda 2.0

Here's to food, friendships, faith and faithfulness - and you are always welcome to visit Buhlaland.

Can't get enough of the morning light

The white fence in the background is our house - I am entranced with the golden light this fall. Rarely have such warm weather this late in the year and never have had all this grass. Supposed to get a cold spell Wednesday so it will all change. I promise to post some recipes and pictures of the finished product - just not today - today I'm praising God for letting us be in this place at this time. Am praying for some sick people and a couple of dying children - The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, Blessed be the name of the Lord. Amen. That's the update from Buhlaland - where the sun shines and flowers bloom and our hearts are grateful.

Stormy weather

Early yesterday morning these rain heavy clouds were coming in from the southwest. I took a picture of the windmill and pasture located next to our back pasture and thought of one of my favorite songs "How Great Thou Art" written by Carl Boberg and R.J. Hughes . The lyrics:
"O Lord my God, When I in awesome wonder, consider all the worlds Thy Hand have made; I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder, Thy power throughout the universe displayed."
We are still having waves of storms through here today. After 2 years of severe drought - this year's rainfall is such a blessing for the land. The thunder does roll, echoing off the buildings. The trees are stretching up to the sky and sinking their roots so deep to drink in the water.
Nothing of great import to share with any possible readers today-feeling quiet and blessed and would love for you to feel the same. Shalom.