Unexpected Blessings from the Ugly Garden

Because we live on a shady city lot, I have to claim every little patch of sunshine and call it garden space.  I have one section of the yard with some garden boxes that my kind father made for me.  It is an orderly space...well planned and well kept.  And then I have the section of the yard that I call The Ugly Garden.  I had to just stick seedlings in the ground where ever there was adequate sun.  The area behind this garden patch boasts of an overgrown lot and a neighbor's broken down fence. There are no tidy boarders outlining what is yard and what is garden; it just all kind of runs together in chaotic fashion. None of it is very impressive looking.  However, an abundant harvest came from my Ugly Garden this year.  It isn't pretty, but it has good soil and needed sun, is well watered, and has lots of visiting bees.  God blessed this little patch with fruitfulness in spite of its aesthetic limitations.

At the end of the gardening season a wind storm blew down my last two tomato plants in the Ugly Garden. I just left them there to decay naturally, figuring that I would pile some leaves on top of them this fall and let them enrich the soil a bit this winter. You can imagine my surprise when, in the early weeks of fall, I noticed dozens of ripening tomatoes!  Although the plants had blown down, the roots were still in the ground and each branch had grown vertically towards the sunlight. The plants had kept right on blossoming and producing fruit, even though the main stalks were horizontal against the ground! In the few weeks just before our first fall frost, forty-one additional tomatoes came from my two blown-down-given-up-for-dead plants! What a lovely set of reminders this gave me: 1.) Keep your roots growing in the Lord and His Word--even if you get knocked over, you can keep on being fruitful if your roots are in place; 2.) Be careful not to give up on things and people too quickly--looks can be deceiving; new growth can come when least expected;God can use anyone and any situation to bear fruit for His glory!   3.) There is great benefit in giving things a little time; wait, pray and see what the Lord does. 4.) It is the Lord's blessing that brings the increase, not the labor of our hands. He may use our hands, but He may choose to work in other ways as well!
Be encouraged if you find yourself blown over by life these days.  Rest in Him, and let Him produce fruit in you for His glory!

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.   ---John 15:5

Warm Breakfast Ideas ( Allergy-Friendly)

Fall is a super busy time at our house. I try to get up a full hour before the rest of our family so that I have ample time for Bible reading and prayer, along with some time to organize the day ahead while I clutch my steaming cup of coffee. This jump-start on the day makes all the difference. In spite of the urge to accomplish a few extra tasks in the morning hours, I love being able to offer a warm breakfast as chilly, groggy loved ones tumble out of bed. ( And there is also the added benefit of the stove heating up the kitchen a bit!) It doesn't happen everyday, but here are some time efficient, budget-friendly fall breakfast dishes that help us ease into chilly mornings. They can all be quickly modified for GF/CF diets.

* Baked Oatmeal: This is one of my favorites because it is very economical and the left overs make great afternoon snacks.  I really like this recipe, although I have one child who prefers that I leave out the baking powder, making a more crunchy oatmeal bar.  Other favorite flavor variations include drizzling pure maple syrup or honey over the top of the bars, mixing in bits of fresh apple instead of cranberries, and spreading a thin layer of  jam on top of the bars.  To make this recipe GF/CF I simply use GF oats, GF vanilla and soy/rice milk.

*Baked French Toast:  Here is a recipe for Baked Orange French Toast...yummmmm!  GF bread, or even GF Udi hot dog buns, can be substituted for french bread.

*Muffins:  I usually just make the normal muffins and then pull some GF muffins out of the freezer. This is a great homemade muffin mix to keep on hand.    For the GF freezer muffins I usually use a GF mix, Namaste being my favorite for our CF/CF/Nut free/Corn free needs.

*Homemade Applesauce, straight from the crock pot: This is especially wonderful if you have freshly picked apples! I get it started before going to bed in my Smart Pot crock pot that automatically shifts to the "warm" setting when the cooking time is complete. The apple-vanilla-cinnamon smell alone is enough to coax tired teenagers ( and parents!) out of bed! 

In addition to the main dish, a pot of hot tea, cider, or hot chocolate is always appreciated first thing in the morning.  Enjoy making fall mornings warm and memorable for your family!

Pleasant Projects: Jeweled Pumpkins

I have a fabulous mother-in-law.  Always dressed to perfection, she is one of those ladies who can pull off large clunky jewelry and wild handbags, all with out looking the slightest bit tacky!  She is just that kind of lady. And she is always coming up with unique ways to decorate her home as well.  Her ideas not only work, they look great!

Last year, she shared these little jeweled pumpkins with me. (This photo was taken on a really old camera and it doesn't do these glistening beauties justice...trust me !)  If you are looking for a really simple craft that will add a touch of sparkle to your fall decor, this project is for you.  You need to purchase a few sheets of stick-on jewels from your local craft store and collect a variety pumpkins. You attach the jewels to your pumpkins and that is that! This is great project to do with the little ones in your home...quick, easy,and hardly any clean up!   My mother-in-law had  several of her jeweled pumpkins in a pretty blue and white china bowl,  along with several non-jeweled gourds of various shapes and colors. The effect on her glass-topped antique table  was lovely.  I placed a couple of the pumpkins on our fireplace mantle and also put a few more on the table with our candles.  I think a large jeweled pumpkin would be a unique addition to a front porch or window display, especially if you also were using some colored fall lights. Something unique, with just a bit of sparkle....never a bad thing! Happy  fall crafting!

Fall Break...

"Then came October, full of merry glee."  ~Spenser

We have been enjoying a bit of a fall break...apple picking,  household chore day, time with friends and relatives. Be back soon!

Country Porch Blog Party

Today Pleasantburg is participating in the Country Porch Blog Party. Different bloggers have been introducing themselves this week and we encourage you to come on over ...just click the blog party button above and pull up a chair!    

And now, I will tell you a bit about Pleasantburg Blog...

When did you begin Pleasantburg Blog?

I began Pleasantburg blog last spring. After several years of building my

 "blogging confidence" with our private family blog, some friends encouraged me to branch out into the wider blogging world.  

What is the purpose of Pleasantburg Blog?  

My prayer is that this blog will inspire women of all walks of life to make their homes a pleasant place to live and visit.  Pleasantburg is not about perfection, and it is not about a pie-in-the-sky approach to life...it is about creating a haven of rest in the midst of a world that has many trials and troubles.  Topics include everything from practical homemaking subjects ( including dealing with food allergies) to spiritual encouragement for the Christian homemaker. 

Who is doing the writing here?

Mrs T. ! I am married to the wonderful Mr. T. and we have five children, ranging in age from 17 to 4 years. I spend my days homeschooling our children and working to make our home a pleasant place. I love to read and garden, and I am in the over 40 crowd.  I am saved by God's grace and grow more thankful each day for His work in my life and heart.  

What are a few facts your blog readers might not know about you?

I am an adoptee and have been reunited with my birth mother. Our youngest child was premature and spent  his first few months in the hospital. I love good guacamole :).

I hope you enjoyed visiting Pleasantburg Blog...please come back again!

Plan It, Don't Panic Menu Challenge : Week 3

Well, it is Week 3 of the Plan It, Don't Panic Menu Challenge. I neglected to post my menu for week 2, but here's what's cookin' in my kitchen this week! All dishes are gluten free and dairy free.  The Lemon Honey Chicken was a new recipe this week. I served it tonight and it was a huge hit!

Monday:  Crock Pot Cranberry Pork, rice, peas

Tuesday:  Lemon Honey Chicken ( also in the crock pot!), green beans, mashed potatoes

Wednesday:  Lentils and Rice, roasted sweet potatoes, kale

Thursday:  Chili, cornbread ( for those who can eat it), salad

Friday:  Baked potatoes with leftover chili, cheese, and broccoli for toppings; green salad

Enjoy feeding your family this week and check out Plan it, Don't Panic for other great menu ideas!

Gluten Free/Egg Free/Dairy Free Oatmeal Cookies

There is nothing quite like a warm cookie and a hot cup of tea on a fall afternoon! This oatmeal cookie recipe has become one of our favorite gluten-free cookie options.  It is also egg, nut, and dairy free! The recipe is one I modified to suit our food allergies. The original  recipe is for Oatmeal Crispies and is found in  the Aurora Mennonite Church cookbook entitled Our Treasured Recipes. You can read about this cook book and how to order one at the end of this post. 

GF Oatmeal Crispies

1 c. margarine (or butter)
1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp. GF vanilla
1 c. GF flour mix ( I have used GF baking mix in a pinch and they turned out ok...just a bit more like scones than cookies...and they were a bit hard when they cooled!)
1 1/2 c. GF oatmeal
a few handfulls of dried cranberries ( I think nuts would also be very good if you do not have nut allergies in your family)

Cream butter, sugar, and vanilla.  Add flour and oatmeal.  Chill dough in refrigerator for 1 hour. Spoon dough onto greased cookie sheets and press with a fork. Bake at 350 for around 15 minutes.

They, like all cookies, are best warm. Light your favorite fall candle, brew a cup of tea, and enjoy a pleasant, allergy-free cookie break this afternoon!

*Looking for gluten free flour and baking mixes?Amazon sells all our favorites!  Although Pamela' s is probably my most favorite, it is not a good choice if you have tree nut allergies in the family.  I have found that all of these brands work very well for times when I am not able to put together my own GF flour mix.  Buying them in bulk from Amazon is both handy and cost effective.( And there are even more options on Amazon that I haven't tried yet...check out the Amazon search box in my side bar and enjoy browsing through the entire gluten free section!)  Happy Baking!

From Duty to Joy

...not our clothes line... we don't have any adorable bunnies in our area, but isn't he cute!

One of the best things that about living in an older home is that things are (as a rule)  family size and built to last.  The dining room?  Large enough for a crowd. The bath tub?  Still in great shape, and I bet a young mom could bathe at least four small children at a time! The bedrooms?  Designed to house more than one child. The clothesline?  Ah.... steel poles, 45 feet apart, and four wonderful rows of clothes drying goodness. I love it.

I didn't start out loving the idea of hanging out our wash to dry, but with a vintage clothes line beckoning to me, I felt I didn't have a choice. It was something I felt was my duty...saving our family money and using what the Lord has placed right there in our back yard to meet our needs. But now, hanging out the wash is one of the best parts of my day.  It is the semicolon between history and math...a pause between two related sections of my day. It is an import break in ideas that causes the latter subject to begin with a peaceful lowercase letter. It is a bit of fresh air in the middle of the morning, and a time for the little boy of the house to run outside and  help mom by carrying out the empty basket and handing her the clothes pins. In the afternoon there is another load to go out on the line....an opportunity to listen to the children enjoying their time outside without hovering over them, and the chance to see if the red-tailed hawk will be back. It is time for me to realize that my small amount of time and energy, combined with God's sunshine, are enabling our clothes to dry free of charge, while others are paying their machines to do this work for them. And later in the evening, with the last load in hand, it is a time for me to go out into the dusk alone. I often jokingly sing, " I Go to the Clothesline Alone" (to the tune of  " I Go to The Garden Alone"), because don't we moms cherish those few moments of alone time when the Lord gives them to us!

I once heard a home school mom say that she punctuated her day with her own little "happiness islands".  It sounded a little fruity to me at the time, and it still does.  I don't want to be running off doing my own thing in the midst of the day, focusing on my happiness when I should be focusing on the Lord and on my family. But I do need some semi colons in the midst of my daily paragraphs. Just a "slow" task now and then, preferably one that takes me outdoors and gives me time with an individual child or alone.  The Lord is good to turn our duties into joys!

Servanthood

     "Could it be right," Amy had asked, "to turn from so much that might be of profit and become just nursemaids?"  The answer was yes.  It is not the business of the servant to decide which work is great, which is small, which is important or unimportant--he is not greater than his master. 
     "If by doing some work which the undiscerning consider 'not spiritual work' I can best help others, and I inwardly rebel, thinking it is the spiritual for which I crave, when in truth it is the interesting and exciting, then I know nothing of Calvary love," Amy wrote after many years of such "unspiritual" work.  


               ~ from A Chance to Die: The Life and Legacy of Amy Carmichael, by Elisabeth Elliot