Impartation: the ability to give unto others that which God has given to us … either sovereignly, or through other anointed vessels (messengers) of God.
Author: Timelesslady
Married with children and grandchildren. Reader, writer, painter - maybe a bit of an artist. Gardener... Led by the Spirit.
Photograph – Sabbath Day Snapdragons
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Photo Challenge – Summer Sky Symbolism
In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “Symbol.”
“This week, share a symbol with us, and tell us what it means to you.”
In my area of the world most of us who live within a hundred miles or closer to the coastline visit the local beaches at least once a season. My family is able to go quite frequently “down the shore.” Very symbolic of the season, and our summer skies, are the banner planes advertising anything and everything. Several flew by today, in fact at least a dozen or more, but one caught my eye…advertising for the Philadelphia Museum of Art: Discovering the Impressionists. Hmmm….that might be a banner plane that reels me in.
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Prompt – The Daily Prompt/Memory on the Menu
In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “Memory on the Menu.”
“Which good memories are better — the recent and vivid ones, or those that time has covered in a sweet haze?”
A Sweet Memory: In the 1960’s, my sister and I were blessed to spend several weeks each summer in Hampton, Virginia, with my grandparents. One year, my amazing grandmother allowed us to have ice cream sundaes and watermelon every day for lunch. It sounds outrageous, but was really very nutritious, and it forged a love in me for watermelon and ice cream sundaes that will never wane. My grandmother told me when I reached adulthood that she gained ten pounds during the weeks we stayed with her that summer. Recently I’ve relived those moments and indulged in ice cream sundaes and watermelon for lunch. Oh my sweet Granny Davis…how I miss you!
This memory is forty-five years old, but it has not dimmed, nor needed to be covered in a sweet haze…it is as precious as those moments were so long ago, when I sat in my grandmother’s kitchen.
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Person & Quote – Peter Marshall
“Peter Marshall (May 27, 1902 – January 26, 1949[1]) was a Scots-American preacher, pastor of the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in Washington, DC and twice appointed as Chaplain of the United States Senate.”
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Pots & Pans – Soup in Summertime/Italian Pasta & Bean
Even though it’s summertime, when the air conditioner cools the house to Autumn-like temperatures, I will get a hankering for soup. This was the case last night. I found a recipe for ‘Italian Pasta & Bean Soup’ tucked away in a stash of recipes. I have dozens upon dozens of these clipped out recipes in various places in my home. Every now and then I will pull one out and give it a try. I changed the recipe up a bit when the jar of chicken stock I was planning to use lost it’s bottom. (Don’t ask…a bit of broth leaked out, but it could’ve been much worse.) I had to choose between running to the store or making a broth of my own without any chicken thawed out. I decided to use some scraps of onion I had in the freezer, and a few stalks of fresh celery and carrots. I threw in a bouillon cube and ‘Voila,” I had a broth.
You can find the Woman’s Day recipe here: Woman’s Day Italian Pasta & Bean Soup
Here’s a photograph of mine and the changes I made to the recipe.
6 Cups of cold water
Onion, Celery and Carrot Scraps
1 -2 Beef or Chicken Bouillon Cubes
1 1/2 Cups Bowtie Pasta
1 15 oz can cannellini beans (drained and rinsed)
1 14.5 can diced tomatoes (I used Hunt’s Basil, Garlic & Oregano)
Several leaves of fresh parsley chopped/you can use a bit of dried if you don’t have fresh
Salt and Pepper to taste
Bring water and vegetable scraps to a boil. Simmer for about a 1/2 – 1 hour. Strain away all solids and discard. Add a bouillon cube/cubes to broth.
Bring broth to a boil once more, add bowtie pasta and simmer at medium until cooked al dente, about 8 minutes. Add beans, tomatoes and parsley. Heat through for about two minutes and serve. I sprinkled my soup with packaged grated 4 cheese pizza cheese. It was so delicious, I added a bit more cheese halfway through my meal.
QUICK TIP – The Woman’s Day recipe calls for cooking onion and garlic to add to the soup. I was able to skip that step by adding tomatoes flavored with herbs. This soup was light and had a bright flavor. Next time I might add a squeeze of lemon for an even brighter tasting broth.
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Quote – Matthew 24:42
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Pleasures – Silent Saturday/Enjoy Your Day
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Plants – Spearmint
My spearmint patch has spread around the borders of my Square Foot Gardens. I love the fragrance the plants release as I work in the raised beds. It’s impossible to dislike weeding when a cloud of spearmint-scented air wells up around me as I pull out crabgrass and other persistent weeds.
I’ve posted in the past on making delicious teas with fresh spearmint leaves. Place a few sprigs in a teacup, add boiling water and a bit of honey, and you have an invigorating cup of tea. Seriously though, I have to be aware of the time of day when I drink Spearmint tea. The herb is a stimulant and can keep me awake if I drink it too late in the day.
My spearmint reached the flowering stage this week. To enable the plants to branch out I harvested the tops of the tallest stems. I decided it was the perfect time to try a new idea I recently stumbled across: making my own herbal extracts.
The first step is to buy a good vodka. I was thrilled to find an organic variety.
After a gentle rinse and drying time, chop the spearmint leaves (or whatever herb you are using) into small pieces, place in a glass jar, and cover with the vodka. I found a great tip that advised on putting a plastic bag between the lid and jar. If rust forms on the lid it can contaminate the extract. The plastic keeps this from happening. Let the jar sit in a dark place, shake it every now and then, for four to six weeks. Strain off the herbs and place the finished spearmint extract into dark bottles. The extract will keep for three to five years.
Terrific directions and information can be found at this site: Mountain Rose Herbs: How to make your own liquid herbal extract.
I had quite a few sprigs of the spearmint left over. I removed the leaves from the stems and placed them on a parchment-covered drying rack in my turkey roaster. I set the temperature on the warm and let the herbs sit for twenty-four hours. This is a quick way to start the drying process. You can read about other techniques for drying fresh herbs at: Mother Earth News – Six Ways to Dry Fresh Herbs.
The leaves dried nicely, most retaining an appealing green color.
I put the leaves in a brown paper bag. A good place to continue the drying process is in a dark closet. When completely dry, I can store the spearmint in glass jars until I am ready to use it.
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Pride – You’re a Grand Old Flag
You’re a grand old flag,
You’re a high-flying flag,
And forever in peace may you wave.
You’re the emblem of the land I love,
The home of the free and the brave.
Ev’ry heart beats true’Neath the Red, White and Blue,
Where there’s never a boast or brag.
But should auld acquaintance be forgot,
Keep your eye on the grand old flag.
~ George M. Cohan
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Place – Delaware Bay Part II/Bivalve, New Jersey
“New Jersey and oysters. It’s not widely known now, but in the first half of the 20th century, Delaware Bay was home to an abundant oyster population and a significant fishing industry to capitalize on it. A vibrant business community settled in Shellpile and Bivalve to harvest and process oysters, shipping them in long freight trains to markets in New York and Philadelphia.” ~ Hidden New Jersey Blog – Find more on the blogspot: Hidden New Jersey
We recently revisited the town of Bivalve, just a mile or two from the center of Port Norris, New Jersey. The museum surprised us, we had no idea Bivalve had a museum dedicated to the history of the Oyster Industry.
We enjoyed the displays. My two favorites were the old gallon-sized oyster cans and a natural weaving on the dock walls.
I fell in love with the swallows swooping among the rafters of the docks.
I just happened to take a lucky shot of one swallow at the same moment a Coast Guard boat passed by the docks.
If you are in Southern New Jersey, along the Delaware Bay, visit the town of Bivalve.
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Place – Delaware Bay Part I/Fortescue, New Jersey & The Landing Cafe
Fortescue, New Jersey is one of our favorite local destinations to visit in warmer weather. The beaches are a terrific place to fish. While we were there the couple we were watching caught a Croaker.
Croakers are a good fish for eating. My husband and I have a goal this year to go fishing a few times along the Delaware Bay.
Lunch at the nearby Landing Cafe at Sundog Marina in Newport, NJ was our next stop. We love their delicious crab bisque soup.
We enjoy our weekend outings alongside the beautiful Delaware Bay.
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Quotes – Rotten at the Heart
“Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil;
Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness;
Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes,
And prudent in their own sight!”~ Isaiah 5:20-21
“The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose.
An evil soul producing holy witness
Is like a villain with a smiling cheek,
A goodly apple rotten at the heart.
O, what a goodly outside falsehood hath!”― William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice
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Pheathers & Phun – Birdy, Birdy In the Tree
Sometimes I am in the exact right place, at the exact right time, with camera in hand. This is the second brood of sparrow nestlings raised in our birdhouse this year. I have enjoyed watching the parents flit back and forth feeding the voracious young ones.
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Quote – Happy Father’s Day
“Any man can be a father. It takes someone special to be a dad.”
— Author Unknown
To My Wonderful Dad: “HAPPY FATHER’S DAY!”
Four Paternal Generations: Clockwise from Top Left – My Father, Grandmother, Great-Grandmother and myself as an infant/My Grandfather and Grandmother/My Great-Grandfather and Great-Grandmother/My Great, Great-Grandfather.
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Quote & Photograph – A Wish, A Prayer and Two Shoes
“The greatest form of praise is the sound of consecrated feet seeking out the lost and helpless.” ~ Billy Graham
One Wish & One Prayer to spread the GOOD NEWS = Two Shoes
How long has it been since you dusted off your witnessing shoes?
“Last of all I want to remind you that your strength must come from the Lord’s mighty power within you. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand safe against all strategies and tricks of Satan. For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against persons without bodies—the evil rulers of the unseen world, those mighty satanic beings and great evil princes of darkness who rule this world; and against huge numbers of wicked spirits in the spirit world.
So use every piece of God’s armor to resist the enemy whenever he attacks, and when it is all over, you will still be standing up. But to do this, you will need the strong belt of truth and the breastplate of God’s approval. Wear shoes that are able to speed you on as you preach the Good News of peace with God. In every battle you will need faith as your shield to stop the fiery arrows aimed at you by Satan. And you will need the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit—which is the Word of God. Pray all the time. Ask God for anything in line with the Holy Spirit’s wishes. Plead with him, reminding him of your needs, and keep praying earnestly for all Christians everywhere.” Ephesians 6:10-18
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Plants – Nasturtium
The Nasturtium in my photograph was not only beautiful, but tasted yummy too! Nasturtium flowers and leaves can be used in salads and as edible garnishes. The leaves and flowers have a peppery taste, and blend beautifully with other fresh greens for a spectacular salad. The flowers when newly blossomed and small, can be frozen in ice cube trays. The leaves resemble small lily pads and work as pressed foliage for those who enjoy pressing flowers.
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Quick Tip – Removing and Using Volunteers
Over the years of blog posting, I’ve written many times of “volunteer” seedlings, small plants that spring up in early summer, self-sown by the previous year’s garden vegetables or flowers.
“Produce from volunteer plants is often bigger and tastier than are intentionally cultivated crops. After all, the plants have sprouted where they want to grow, as opposed to where you want them to. Like wildflowers, unbidden edibles usually appear wherever they’ll have the best chance to survive and reproduce . . . that is, where the soil has the necessary nutrients, the proper pH balance, and just the right amount of drainage to satisfy the needs of the plant in question.”
~ Mother Earth News
The warm temperatures of June have been a blessing, and volunteer seedlings are sprouting. Many are a perfect solution for the empty spaces in my flower beds. Unfortunately, the best sprouts seem to grow between the bricks and walkways, nurtured by the heat generated in the cement. I have found a way to get these small plantlets out and grow them on into full-sized plants. Pulling them, even very gently, never works; the roots will break away. Instead I slip a putty knife (or any type of slim metal) into the soil alongside the plant, keeping the blade pressed firmly against the cement. I do this on each side then carefully pull the plant out of its nesting spot. In most cases this technique works and the sprout can be removed with root and dirt intact.
I immediately place the sprouts in garden beds or holding pots and drench them with water. Over the course of a week or more I will water these new plants every day. Look carefully amongst the weeds in your garden beds before you begin pulling them out. You might have a treasure lurking there that will grow into a beautiful plant before summer’s end..
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Quote – Silence
“We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature – trees, flowers, grass- grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence… We need silence to be able to touch souls.” ~ Mother Teresa
