Good Morning from East Texas!!
Where the grass is still green and the sun is shining Bright ....
It is hard to believe that we have reached this milestone, and we are so excited to watch him step into this new chapter of life.
A surprise and a Virtual Appt. 🎉🖥
Tomorrow is already looking full. A big Surprise....a special delivery arrives in the morning...our new mattress! Woo hoo - goodbye, lumpy nights and hello sweet dreams. Then, tomorrow afternoon, Sam has a virtual appointment with his transplant doctor, so prayers needed for a smooth visit. When it comes to the virtual appointments, I tend to get a little nervous. Technology has its own way of working and you never know if the connections will all work properly.
A week in Flowers: 🌼🍃🌸
Later in the week, I'll be elbow deep in fresh blooms as I work on flower arrangements for Friday's rehearsal dinner. I've always preferred fresh flowers over faux and when working with fresh flowers, the fragrance of the blooms makes the work peaceful and joyful for me. 🌸🌹🌺🍃
In the Kitchen Today:🍲
But for today....I'm starting the week in the kitchen with some good ol' comfort food. Beans simmering with "Eckert" sausage (one of our family favorites). Maybe some creamed potatoes and fresh sliced tomatoes to make the meal complete.
Weekend Reflections 🏈
Our weekend was very calm. Soft and Slow, with a little football, a trip to town with our daughter and the sweet surprise of Sam joining us for lunch on Saturday. This was a big blessing for the day.
So, this week will hold flowers, love, family and a whole lot of hustle for me....but I would not trade a minute of it!! 🌼 💗 💟
I thanked God this morning for our friendships.
Shug...💛
Can you believe that it is already September 14th? This month seems to be stretching her arms wide and it is sure reminding me that September is a month full of traditions and flavors. In just a few days, the East Texas State Fair will roll into town and we will soon be enjoying the unmistakable mix of cotton candy and fried food smells in the air. And I must not leave out the delightful smell of funnel cakes and corn dogs.
Another great thing I love about September is that my desire to begin baking suddenly re-appears. Yesterday, I pulled out the mixing bowls and baked up several loaves of banana nut bread....comfort food at it's best!!! I even experimented with a chocolate-chip version. Confession time.....I'm not sure the chocolate chips won me over. They seemed to cover up the delicate balance of the bananas and the nuts. You know me...Chocolate has never been my first love!!
I actually tripled the recipe. My recipe for a triple batch included 6 cups of sugar!! Yep...you read this right...6 cups of sugar!! Is this bread fattening?? Sure it is!!
The single recipe calls for 2 cups of sugar, 2 cups of flour, 1/2 cup of butter, 2 eggs, 3 or 4 mashed up bananas. 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp vanilla and as many Pecans as your heart desires.
My family loves the taste of warm banana nut bread and I can testify that it disappears faster than the first cool front in East Texas....this means FAST!
Speaking of fleeting bread...another thing that quickly disappears is the bloom of the dragon fruit. After a little research, we found that each bloom only graces us with its presence for one single day. One day!! This is sad and it is marvelous as well. Just being able to see the beautiful bloom for even one day is so sweet. I would say this is a reminder to slow down and soak up the beauty right in front of us. Some gifts are meant to be admired in the moment aren't they? Now, we wait for the fruit which is another lesson in patience and hope.
Oh sweet September...the month that brings us the best smells, the month that you can hear the exciting sounds of carnival rides and a month to savor the little things. Little things like the aroma of homemade breads or the beauty of a one-day bloom or the humorous laughter of kids waiting in line at the fair.....it truly is the little things...
Keep your eyes focused on promises that this month holds. Listen for the whispers that September hums each day!!
BIG HUGS this early morning..
Shug..
Yesterday turned out to be a sweet little day 🌸🌸. I met up with my dear friends for lunch and the fellowship sure filled my cup. We each enjoyed a delicious chicken salad sandwich, sweet tea, and a side dish as well.
Afterwards, we treated ourselves to the movie "Downton Abbey." I have watched all of the series of this show and so enjoyed each episode... Seeing the Crawley family and their crew on the big screen felt like a long awaited reunion with old friends... I love the British accents and the fine living....from the dishes set out in grand style to the gorgeous dresses floating through each scene. It's elegance wrapped in a story, and it just simply made me smile.
Somewhere between our lunch and the credits rolling, we even squeezed in a little planning for our Branson trip later this year. Just the thought of it has me excited. We will be going to the Sight and Sound theater to watch "David" ... shopping...riding golf carts through nature...and the best part is that there will be plenty of memories to be made.
Skipping to another topic....Back at home, Sam had a little excitement of his own. For two years now, he's been tending to his dragon fruit plant. And guess what? It is finally showing off with it's first bloom. This one bloom means that a fruit is on the way. Watching him beam over his favorite plant is like watching a kid at Christmas. Who knew that a simple plant and bloom could bring such joy? (And bragging rights?)
The day was wonderful and now I am very behind on reading each of your post. I have a lot of catching up to do today...
Wishing you all a wonderful day....I am asking God to be your steady rock during these unpredictable times... Love to all..
Shug...
This little cartoon made me laugh this morning.. So True!! This describes us Texans to a capital T. First sign of Spring and out comes th...
