blogging

Ah, the struggles with keeping up….

When I started this blog I had (and have) so many great ideas for blogging. I kept thinking, once I graduate and finish school I’ll have time to do it all! But even without doing school I’m not posting as much as I’d like.  I’m doing all sorts of things I’ve put off – decluttering, getting re-involved in Toastmasters, plus a few other projects.

Ideally, I’ll post once a day. It will help a great deal when I finally get a smart phone (next year) and can post during the day, at lunch or right after work.

Cooking · hostess with the mostess

Scenes at a Dinner Party

Last night’s dinner party was a success!

Menu:

  • Chicken chili
  • Ratatouille
  • Braised Butternut Squash with Indian spices
  • Cream Biscuits
  • Lemon Curd Mousse served as a pie in a gingersnap crumb crust
  • Watermelon (light dessert option)

Guests

  • Mom and Dad
  • My neighbor Mary Alice
  • My friend Jill

The timing was just great for a celebration. Originally it was planned for 6:30 p.m. Oct. 9. But as the USC-Alabama game kept going, I called everybody and said don’t even think about coming over until the game is done!

I don’t think they were planning on leaving their TVs anyway until it was over.

We all celebrated, except Jill. She’s an Alabama fan. Bless her heart.

Oddly enough she came over early, with five minutes left in the game. “I  just couldn’t watch it any more,” she said.

The dinner was the first time I’d had guests over to try out the new dining room table. Please note the beautiful tablecloth and cloth napkins.

 

Dining room table
The table is set - hey, there's Mom! Sorry so fuzzy - the camera wanted to look at Mom.

 

We started with a chicken, bean and hominy chili. Hominy is good – it’s where we get grits.

 

Chicken chili
Seven hours in a slow cooker and voila, chicken chili

 

Then we added the butternut squash and ratatouille to our plates. You can see the butternut squash in the photo below. Never got a shot of the ratatouille. The only sad note was the biscuits. Turns out you can’t use double-acting baking powder that is several years old.  Doesn’t work. Nope. Ah, well. Actually, they were tasty, just not fluffy. Sigh.

The piece de resistance was the pie – a Lemon Curd Mousse heaped in a cookie crumb crust made of gingersnaps. Nine tablespoons of butter went into the crust. Two cups of cream went into the pie. Lord, have mercy.

 

The table
The groaning board: butternut squash, unfortunate biscuits, delicious lemon curd mousse pie

 

I sent what was left of the pie home with Dad. It was evil and could not stay in my house.

By the end of the evening my feet were killing me and my back hurt – I’d been standing all day making goodies.  Next time I don’t think I’ll try to make every dish from scratch. But for the first event, it was a success.

holiday · retreat

Scenes from Lake Junaluska

Two weeks ago our class at church went on retreat to Lake Junaluska, N.C.

 

The cross at Lake Junaluska
Sunday morning at Junaluska was misty and cool.

 

In addition to the retreat, led by our senior pastor, Dr. Carney, we had a lot of free time. Some folks went into Asheville. I stayed at Junaluska to walk around the lake.

 

Lake Junaluska
Looking at the Lambuth Inn across Lake Junaluska

 

Many people own cottages around the lake and rent them out.

 

Puppy topiary at Lake Junaluska
This puppy topiary cracks me up every time I see it.

 

 

Another view of the lake
Saturday morning the lake at Junaluska was like a mirror. And I got the geese in the shot!

 

The labryinth beside Memorial Chapel was a good place to meditate.

 

Labryinth, Memorial Chape, Lake Junaluska
A quiet moment by the labryinth

 

Sunday lesson

Sunday lesson (on time for studying this week)

Series:                            What’s The Plan?
Lesson Title:             God’s Power Strengthens
Date:                               Week of October 10
Lesson Passages:   Ephesians 3:14-21


Through this scripture Paul’s shares his prayer for us. He prays that Christ will dwell at home in our hearts permanently and completely so that we may comprehend the fullness of His love for us. It is wide, long, high and deep. Continue reading “Sunday lesson (on time for studying this week)”