View From My Window

Now, don't forget to wash behind your ears, kids!

Hey, who invited the big kid?

Man, he's emptying the pool.

Do you mind? A little privacy while I bathe, please?

Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

~Hebrews 10:22 NKJV

Wyoming Breezes, Happy Birthday!

I just learned that today is Nancy's birthday, at Wyoming Breezes. I discovered Nancy's blog a few months ago and have been a regular reader ever since. Nancy's devotion to knitting for charity has been a great source of inspiration to me. To see just how tireless her efforts are, one has only to look at the "Finished in 2008" list of projects in the sidebar of her blog. She has blessed so many!

Happy Birthday, Nancy!

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Commit your works to the LORD, and your thoughts will be established.
~Proverbs 16:3

Birthday cake courtesy of http://www.clipartguide.com.

Quilt Giveaway at Old Red Barn Co!

Dana at Old Red Barn Co is having another quilt giveaway at her blog! I have been reading Dana's blog ever since her last quilt giveaway contest. I went there because someone posted on their blog about her contest. I fell in love with her site and have been a regular reader ever since.

You can get all the details for entering her contest here. When you click on the link, you will see how GORGEOUS the quilt is. Dana likes it so much, she almost backed out of having the contest. ;-Þ

We've been dealing with some health concerns with Mr.Studley the past few days or I'd have posted about this sooner!

I hope you enter and win...or that I win..or...well...I hope one of us wins! ;-)

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[Let your] love be sincere (a real thing); hate what is evil [loathe all ungodliness, turn in horror from wickedness], but hold fast to that which is good.
Love one another with brotherly affection [as members of one family], giving precedence and showing honor to one another.

~Romans 12:9-10

Update on Rich

Just a quick note:Rich's blood pressure is still running high, but the nurse assured Mandi that it's "acceptable" and is high due to his medications, some of which are only temporary following transplant surgery. Thank you so much for the prayers you have prayed!

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A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.
~Proverbs 11:25 NIV

Walter, the One Legged Robin...and more Dishcloths

Or as Elmer Fudd would say, Walter, the One Wegged Wobbin.

Mr.Studley noticed Walter outside our window a few weeks ago. He called me to come look at the one legged bird in our yard. The poor thing was hopping along rather clumsily. Each time he leaned forward to peck at the ground, he'd stumble. Hubby being the tenderhearted soul he is spoke a prayer out loud that God would watch over this little bird, just as His Word says He sees the sparrow. I was very moved by his prayer and agreed with an amen.

A few days later, our next door neighbors asked if we'd seen the one legged Robin. They'd noticed it on their back fence a few times. Since then, not a day has gone by that we haven't seen Walter fumbling around in the yard. I can always tell it's him by how he gets around, even before I see his legs...er..leg. He spends long periods of time perched in the neighbor's magnolia tree. I know he doesn't spend as much time foraging for food as other birds do, and truthfully, he looks a little thin to me, but I trust God is making the necessary provisions for Walter.

I dubbed him Walter because my dad, a stepdad in legal terms, but a dad in every sense of the word, was named Walter. He also had one leg. He lost a leg in an industrial on-the-job accident in his early 20's. If he was ever bitter over the accident, he never showed it. He never once displayed a 'poor me' attitude. In fact, most people were shocked to learn that he had an artificial leg. His gait didn't reveal it, at least not until he was in his 70's and began slowing down due to illness.

Though he'd never water skiied a day in his life, he taught all us kids to water ski. He also taught us all to drive, and the grandkids as well. He continued to work for that same company for nearly 40 years, moving his way up the ranks of administrative positions despite the lack of a college degree, and retired from a respectable position after nearly 40 years with them.

Walter (dad, not the bird) was known by just about everyone who knew him as someone who could do, or fix, just about anything. I remember when my son was small and his daddy and I were having trouble making something work. His suggestion was to take it to Pappa, "Pappa can do anything". He darn near could, too. So, each time I see Walter perservering in the yard, I am reminded of the perserverance of my dad, Walter, and how gumption and a "can do" attitude can take you far, despite the handicaps life may throw your way.

Now, on a less serious note, I'm still knitting dishcloths. After seeing the pretty Chinese Waves dishcloth at kaity knits...a lot this week, I was inspired to knit the pattern myself. I really liked Kaity's pretty striped one, but I didn't have the necessary colors to duplicate it. I think a few varying solid colored ones folded and stacked together and tied with a raffia bow will make a nice little gift.

• Chinese Waves Dishcloth pattern
• Lily Sugar'n'Cream yarn
• Denise's size 6 interchangeable circular
• Cast on 39 sts.

***Update on Rich. Mandi sent me an e-mail this afternoon that she had a call in to the doctor. Rich's blood pressure has not been below 170/100 since he came home from the hospital. She's concerned that they may want to admit him again.

If you don't mind continuing to pray for him, please pray that his bp will come down to an acceptable level and stay there. Thank you so much! Seriously, it means the world to me (and Mandi & Rich!) that you guys are praying for Rich.

So get rid of all uncleanness and the rampant outgrowth of wickedness, and in a humble (gentle, modest) spirit receive and welcome the Word which implanted and rooted [in your hearts] contains the power to save your souls.

~James 1:21 Amplified Bible

Update on Rich (kidney transplant)

Battle of Pea Ridge~Pea Ridge Military Park, AR

Just a quick post to update on my niece's fiancee', Rich, who underwent kidney transplant surgery last week. I received a short e-mail from Mandi, last night. It read "we're home!". Praise God, he was recovered enough to be released from the hospital! I truly appreciate your continued prayers, as do Mandi & Rich.

If you keep My commandments [if you continue to obey My instructions], you will abide in My love and live on in it, just as I have obeyed My Father's commandments and live on in His love.

~John 15:10 Amplified Bible

Summer Knitting~Dishcloths

I find dishcloths to be a perfect summer knit. They're small and cotton, so I don't have alot of hot wool on my lap. They're also easily portable any time of the year. I love the Waffle Knit Dishcloth pattern that I found at Homespun Living. In fact, I loved the ones in her photograph so well that I chose the same colors for the first ones that I knit. There's something so homey about red and natural colored yarn. I haven't decided whether to keep them or gift them, but if I do keep them, the bright red will be perfect for my kitchen which is accented in red.

She has more at Homespun Living in a variety of colors. I want to knit some in every color she's done. They say imitation is the highest form of flattery, so I hope she feels flattered, and not 'copycatted' (is that a word?).

My pictures were a little too dark, but as I'd lighten them, the red turned to an orangish red (which they're not). I was reminded of Wool Winder's efforts at photographing a pair of red socks, and wishing I had an old yellow, weathered bench, like the one she found to use as a prop for her sock.

PS-No further updates on Rich yet. I believe Mandi spends the day at the hospital with her cell phone off, but will likely e-mail me tonight. Again, your prayers are so very appreciated!

Alas, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! There is nothing too hard or too wonderful for You--

~Jeremiah 32:17 Amplified Bible

Update on Transplant Patient

Thank you so much to those of you who prayed for my niece's fiancee, Rich, today. Both boys came through the surgery well, though Rich (kidney recipient) is still very out of it.

Mandi asked me to keep praying, as the next few days are actually more critical for Rich than was the surgery itself. I told her I had friends praying with me, and to have faith in God.

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But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our guilt and iniquities; the chastisement [needful to obtain] peace and well-being for us was upon Him, and with the stripes [that wounded] Him we are healed and made whole.
~Isaiah 53:5 Amplified Bible

No Knead, No Excuses Bread!

Do you like homemade bread, but you don't like to knead? Or maybe, like me, you have arthritis in your hands, and it's simply too painful for you to knead. You can use a bread machine, of course, but maybe you don't have one.

If you fit into the category above, but you still want to enjoy the taste of bakery style bread, check out the No Knead video (short commercial at the beginning), which I just read about on Windansea's Dropped A Stitch blog. I have no picture to show, as I've not tried this yet myself, though I am going to right away. Windansea does have a picture on her blog, and her bread looks delicious, like something from the window of a fancy schmancy bakery!

If you try it, I'd love to know how it works for you. :-)

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A quick prayer request-My neice, Mandi, is engaged to a really neat young man by the name of Rich. Rich lost his eyesight a few years ago as a result of juvenile diabetes. His kidneys have also begun to fail.
TODAY, he is undergoing kidney transplant surgery!
Rich's very good friend is donating a kidney. Now, that is a true friend!
I don't know the particulars of the time of the operation, but if you feel inclined, please lift both Rich and his friend up before the Lord today. I'm sorry, I don't know the name of Rich's friend.
Also, Mandi was very fearful on Rich's behalf. Please pray for her to have peace as she commits Rich to God.
Thank you so very much!

*****

Jesus replied, I am the Bread of Life. He who comes to Me will never be hungry, and he who believes in and cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Me will never thirst any more (at any time).

~John 6:35 Amplified Bible

Guess What's Up

My mother and my brother have both required blood pressure meds for much of their adult lives, whereas, I have not. I've always found this fact surprising, considering they are each naturally slender people, and I am fat not. Secretly, to me, it was a small sliver of justice. They've gone through life thin, and with perfect eyesight. I've gone through life fat struggling with my weight, and Mr.Magoo eyes (I wear contacts). My biological dad died in his early 40's. I'm not sure if he had to take blood pressure medicine or not. I do know he wore glasses, though they were not of the Mr.Magoo sort.

Reality came and bit me in the keister this week. I was in Wal-Mart pharmacy the other night and decided, on a whim, to check my blood pressure. First try equalled shocking (to me) results. Second try, numbers came down only slightly. Third try, no difference. My top number put me in the stage 2 hypertension category, and my bottom number put me in stage 1 hypertension.

So much for justice!

I have not gone to the doctor. Not having medical insurance, I don't tend to go there often. The first thing I did was to quit eating Doritoes Chipotle Ranch flavored chips. I knew better, but they are just so good. All the watermelon, tomatoes, and canteloupe that I've been eating doused with salt? Screeching halt! No, I've not given up those goodies, but I did give up the salt shaker. Really, I knew better. They're so incredibly tasty, it's not like I even needed the salt to enjoy them. Another treat I've all but eliminated from my diet is roasted peanuts in the shell. We keep them on hand and snack on them nightly. I only ever eat a small handful at a time, but they are loaded in salt.

I am also cutting back on red meat. Eating it as often as we now do is a habit we've gotten into in recent years, since a wonderful little meat market opened up near our house. Again, I knew better.

I've also upped my walking. I walk two dogs a day, mine and a shut-in neighbor's. I'd recently shortened those walks due to the heat and humidity. I hate getting all sweaty and icky feeling. Now I just shower more frequently. My water bill may go up, but hopefully my blood pressure is coming down some.

I'll go back to Wal-Mart in a few days, one week after the disastrous readings. If it's still in the danger zone, I'll consider a doctor's visit. I know I need to lose weight. Not to sound cliche', but that is so much easier said than done. I am open to suggsestions of natural means of lowering my bp.

Meanwhile, I hear spending time with pets is supposed to lower your bp, so I'll spend some time cuddling this...

*****Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.
~III John 1:2 NIV

Peaches'n'Cream

On this (cup of leftover homemade ice-cream)....

Do I want this?

Or this?

Or these? (have I got you ready to make a freezer run yet?)

Peach, you knew it was you all along, didn't you? Mmm...

For those who inquired about my mom's Coca Cola cake recipe, I'll get it from her and post it later this week.

For those who wanted to know if the "yellow meater" tasted like a red meat watermelon, yes and no. I thought it was a little different, and yet I'm not sure as I'd have noticed it had I been blindfolded for a taste test. Either way, it was sweet, and it was good!

We still have a little of the homemade ice-cream left. I do the same thing my dad always did, which is to scoop the leftover ice-cream into individual styrofoam coffee cups, then cover the tops with saran wrap. I stacked them side by side in a lasagna pan and put the pan in the freezer. Once they're frozen, you can remove the pan if you wish.

Forty-five seconds in the microwave at 30% power loosens the ice-cream from the cup ever so slightly, just enough so that you can scrape it out into a bowl. Or if you're concerned about nuking styrofoam, just set the cup on the counter for a few minutes, and you'll get the same effect (if you can wait that long). It tastes like it came straight from the ice-cream freezer!

As for God, His way is perfect! The word of the Lord is tested and tried; He is a shield to all those who take refuge and put their trust in Him.

~Psalm 18:30

Red, White & Blue ...and YELLOW?

Mr.Studley and I went to the local farmer's market this week for fresh fruit and veggies. A friend at church gave us a bag full of huge onions from his garden. Plus, Yankee Neighbor gave us a bag full of big tomatoes from his garden. I tell you, we've been eatin' gooood in the neighborhood!

Yankee Neighbor isn't a derogatory term. I have nothing against Yankees. Some of my relatives are Yanks. I can just never remember the guy's name. His northern accent really stands out among those of us with an east Texas twang to our talk. That, and the colorful expletives he often uses to pepper his speech. Sheesh! The guy could make a sailor blush. He is a nice guy, though, and he grows a great garden every year, and often shares the bounty with our family and others in the 'hood.

The "yellow meater" watermelon above, or rather what's left of it, was one Mr.Studley picked out at the farmer's market. Since I'd never eaten yellow watermelon before, he'd suggested last week that we should get one soon. Only he didn't call it a 'yellow watermelon', he referred to it as a 'yellow meater', or truth be told, it came out sounding more like "yella meater". I've been teasing him about that, assuring him no one calls them that. Lo and behold, as we were paying for our purchases at the market, the lady taking our money asked "you do know that's a yeller meater, don't you?".

I stand corrected.

That's my son flipping burgers for our cookout last night. The weiners were to follow. I love eating food that someone else cooks. I love eating food cooked outdoors because there's so little clean up involved in the kitchen. For that matter, I love food. I love eating. My mirror mocks me with that fact each time I look it's way. Stupid mirror.

While dinner was being cooked, I called my mom to get my dad's homemade ice-cream recipe. I'm sure I could've found one to use, but I wanted it to be his. I mixed it up, then Hubs froze it in the ice-cream maker. It turned out delicious, just like my dad's. As I was eating it last night, I thought about him and how much he'd enjoy being here partaking, which made me a bit sad. Then, it was as if I saw him sitting there in Heaven, eating a huge bowl of the stuff (and not having to worry about what it was doing to his blood sugar), and he tipped his bowl to me, as if to say "cheers". He was smiling and laughing and the image of it made me cry and smile all at the same time.

I know what the meaning behind July 4th is and I don't mean to take away from that at all. For me, at this age and stage of my life, it was about memories. All day long yesterday, I found myself looking back on various July 4th activities I spent as a child. I remember many summers that our family spent at the lake. My mom and dad made it such a fun time. Mom would fry up at least three or four chickens ahead of time, which she'd bring in the cooler along with a huge bowl of her potato salad. Oh, and there was her famous Coke-A-Cola cake. My mouth is watering just thinking of it.We'd have coolers of drinks, cold watermelons, ice-cream freezers full of ice-cream, and family and friends. It all just seemed ordinary to me as a kid. I didn't have a clue how much work my folks put into making those fun times happen. I guess that's because they didn't make it look like work. It was fun. Good family fun...which I thought would go on forever.

The Recipe Box Swap~Cucumbers in Sour Cream

Time is whizzing on by. It seems like just last week was The Recipe Box Swap. If you've been reading my blog awhile, you know the drill. If you are new to my blog, here's the scoop. On the first Thursday of every month, Randi, at i have to say..., hosts The Recipe Box Swap on her blog. She puts up a Mr.Linky which everyone participating can sign, adding their own blog to the list. It's a great way to share recipes, and to see new blogs!

The theme this month is bbq'ing. We're sharing recipes of something served at a bbq.

As a young newlywed, I purchased a small spiral bound cookbook titled Miriam B. Loo's Family Favorites Cookbook. I have been preparing dishes from this book for thirty years. The cover, as well as the pages, is indicative of what a messy cook I am.

I was working at Frito Lay in Dallas at the time, in their accounts payables department. I tell you, women in offices are easy targets when you have something to sell. Someone was always bringing in some colorful brochure of goodies their kid was selling for school or Scouts. As I recall, that's how I came to purchase my little Miriam B. Loo book. It has served me well over the years. I hope you try the recipe I'm sharing!

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Cucumbers In Sour Cream

• 1 large cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced


• 3/4 tsp salt


• 1/2 cup sour cream


• 1 Tbsp lemon juice


• 1/2 Tbsp finely chopped onion


• 1/4 tsp sugar


• 1/8 tsp white pepper (black will do as well)


• Minced parsley

Toss cucumbers with salt; cover and refrigerate until well chilled.

Combine sour cream, lemon juice, onion, sugar and pepper; blend well.

Reserve 1/4 cup of mixture for garnish.

Combine cucumbers with remaining sour cream mixture.

Refrigerate until well chilled or about 2 hours.

To serve: Arrage cucumber slices on bed of salad greens; top with small mound of reserved sour cream mixture and sprinkle with minced parsley.

Serves 4

The internet is a great source for finding new recipes, but there's something special about a well worn cookbook, passed down through the family. I'll likely pass this one down to my daughter someday. I can hear her now,

"Ooh, Mom. It's got gross stuff stuck on the cover! ".

***

The righteous man walks in his integrity; blessed (happy, fortunate, enviable) are his children after him.

~Proverbs 20:7 Amplified Bible

Pictures of My Blessings

Notice the name on the return section of the envelope? That's right. Vicki Howell. I got a package from Miss Vicki, herself. Well, okay, I think her personal assistant may have actually mailed it, but still.

VICKI HOWELL, Y'ALL!

You non-knitters are probably wondering who on earth Vicki Howell is, but the knitters know, at least those who watch DIY do. She was the adorable redhead with the funky haircut who hosted DIY's television show, Knitty Gritty. She offered a prize of her label yarn (by SWTC) to the first 50 people who posted a link on their blog to her podcast, "Craft.Rock.Listen." Just call me speedy.

Next up is this BEAUTIFUL handspun by that awesome knitwear designer, Kristin, over at Through the Loops. She designed a pair of "fraternal" socks. If you read her blog, you know she has fraternal twins. Her children, who model much of her knitwear, are drop dead gorgeous, by the way. The socks she designed and knit were very much alike, and yet different. She sent out the call for name suggestions for the socks. I, along with four other people, suggested Apollo & Artemis. That's right, Miss Monk. I was paying attention in your senior Greek Mythology class!

Along with some of her lovely handspun, Kristen awarded to the winners (including moi') the pattern for the Apollo & Artemis socks, along with our choice of two other of her purchasable patterns (she also has great free patterns available on her blog). This yarn is soft & luscious.

Last, but definitely not least, take a gander below. Is that cute, or WHAT? I not only won a blog contest, but I made a new friend. Kat, over at Katerpillars No More, is a gem. She is one of the nicest and sweetest people I've ever met online. To see how brilliantly creative she is, one only has to see the pictures on her blog. She turns out adorable primitives. Each of her dolls has a personality that just shows in their picture.

Not only did she send me the darling garden angel, but look at the goodies she included with it! Along with the sweet card, the gardening gloves and seeds, is a cute little flower magnet. That Kat, she just blessed my socks off! Another thing that blessed my socks off was reading her awesome testimony. It will give you chills what the Lord has done in her life. Read it, you'll be blessed!

Blessed shall you be when you come in and blessed shall you be when you go out.

~Deuteronomy 28:6

Not Lucky, Blessed!

My stepson's oldest, posing for me last fall. A real cutie, huh?

I hope when I post about my winnings, you don't think I'm bragging. I even hope you don't think of me as lucky, per se. I'm not. I spent much of my life thinking I was an unlucky person. I never won anything. Not anything. It wasn't just in not winning contests that I felt unlucky, either.

These days I seem to be having what gamblers might term as a "winning streak". I prefer to think of my winnings as blessings. I no longer even believe in luck, or it's opposite. I have won alot of blog contests this past year. I have been greatly blessed!

As believers, I think we stay in God's favor as we walk with Him, but what I've been experiencing lately feels different. I feel like I'm in a 'season of blessing'. I don't even know if such a thing is scriptural or not, but I just 'feel' it. I'm not saying Mr.Studley and I aren't facing tough economic challenges right now (we are), but blessings seem to be coming from so many different directions these days, not just in winning blog contests.

I don't expect to always be the one winning things. I'm enjoying it while it lasts. I even teased Mr.Studley that maybe this would be a good time for us to go to Vegas. I'm kidding....I think....yes, I am. I'm kidding.


Lately I've been feeling I need to offer a contest of my own. Start paying some of it forward, you know? I'm not a wealthy woman, so offering some high dollar prize simply isn't doable for me at this time. I'm milling it over, praying about it, to come up with something I could offer that would appeal to a varied group of readers.

Well, that's enough yacking for one post. This is sort of long (brief, I'm not), so I'll show you my most recent blessings in a separate post.

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Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He has chosen as His heritage.

~Psalm 33:12 Amplified Bible