We have acquired Spring’s daddy, a retired stud cat. He’s settling in well. Spring and Stretch are getting used to Goliath, too. A lot of tip-toe-ing going on, but I’m confident they’ll work it out. No blood yet!! 
I love the summer-time. Last night I turned off the a/c and opened the windows wide. Mmmm. Great sleeping! This morning, close the windows again and turn on the a/c. However, only the upstairs (bedrooms & baths) have central air, so to enjoy the summertime, all I have to do is walk downstairs and take a deep breath of warm, moist air. This afternoon, I spent some time sitting in the shade on the back porch, brushing the dog, drinking some cool juice, and watching the cat roll in the dirt. The unidentified red bird hung around in the shrubbery around our back garden & pond, periodically flying from one bush to another, or to a low branch of the pecan tree.
Yes, a nice, lazy, hazy day of summer!
I don’t get to go this year, and yes, I’m sad. But I think I’m supposed to stay home this year. Here are “my” girls I made friends with last summer, Delka & Fonka. The more I look at their photos, the more I want to go back! Lord, please bless and keep Delka & Fonka. They are precious in Your sight and mine.
Richard and I were introduced to this recipe when Beth’s mom fixed it for us back when she & Bob lived in the beach house at Sandbridge. I got a fresh chicken on sale the other day, so I fixed this for Richard and myself today. Ahhhhh….
Wear an apron as this is an especially messy marinade and may stain clothing.
Mix all ingredients together and put in large bowl. Add frozen (or thawed) chicken and let sit overnight in refrigerator.
Note: c = cup, Tbsp = tablespoon
1/4 c dark brown sugar
1/4 c soy sauce
1/4 c molasses
2 Tbsp sesame oil (I used safflower, as I had no sesame on hand)
2 Tbsp vinegar
1 Tbsp sweet basil (I used “Mediterranean Basil” which smelled light & sweet)
1 Tbsp ground ginger
4 cloves minced or pressed garlic
3 c water
Before roasting, stuff chicken with a raw onion. Tie legs, wings and neck flap closed.
Put in a shallow roasting pan and bake uncovered at 400º for 1 3/4 to 2 1/2 hours (for 4-5 lb. bird).
Baste occasionally with marinade or with pan drippings.
About 3/4 of the way through baking, clip ties, baste, and continue cooking until bird is completely done. Chicken is done when legs move freely.
Remove chicken from roasting pan and place on platter to cool about 1/2 hour before slicing.
Here are some happy faces! Julia, Andrew and Jesse were playing outside, the water was available as was the dirt… you guessed it!
Not long ago, Andy celebrated his 5th birthday. Here’s the cowboy hat we got him and his nearly-bursting-with-joy face with it!!
I’m reading John Eldredge’s book, “Waking the Dead“. You can’t read this book too quickly. You have to take it slowly and let God talk to you. You have to soak it up in His Presence. It is a warm and lovely book. It is not sappy or trite or a quick-fix book. It is encouraging and full of hope.
This is not a book about raising the dead. It is about letting ourselves awaken from the dead, finding our whole heart, fully alive. It is worth the time and quietness needed to read it slowly.
Here is the ISBNumber: 978-0-7852-8829-9 (paperback). List price is $14.99. I got it on sale at Harvest Company for $10.99.
What a good time we had yesterday when Sean & Amy’s children came over for a little “Grandpa & Grandma Time”!! It was especially fun because I had not seen much of them since coming home from Israel, three weeks ago. Now, everyone is well and ready for family-time again!
Of course we had Signing Time, and Climbing Time, “Fighting” Time and Exploring Time! Why yes, I do have pictures!! I’m glad you asked!!
Jesse, as usual, asked to watch the Signing Time videos. Julia joined him… for a while. Then they both joined Andrew, who was climbing a crépe myrtle tree in the back yard.
When our grandkids come over, one thing they like to do is constant… “Signing Time”. “Can we watch ‘Signing Time’?” Who am I to say no to them? I do limit them, though, as playing and reading are also great activities. Here are a few photos from today’s “Signing Time”.
I baked a small frozen cobbler for the meeting this evening, but then realized it would not be enough to serve the adults AND the three healthy young boys! So, since I’ve been meaning to make them, and I had everything on hand to make them, I made up my personal favorite of some 50-60 years, Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies! Yeah!!!!!
