Recipe Box Swap~Homemade Ice-Cream

The first Thursday of the month is set aside for the Recipe Box Swap. Randi, at i have to say... hosts this each month and posts a Mr.Linky for bloggers who wish to participate in sharing their favorite recipes. This month's theme is "Garden Fresh". Some of you are probably wondering about now what ice-cream has to do with garden fresh. The answer is, absolutely nothing. ;-Þ

I'm preoccupied with visiting family right now, and the Recipe Box Swap sort of snuck up on me. I'm replaying a picture (down below) which I've already shared on my blog in the past, and posting a recipe which has nothing to do with garden fresh food. I'm holding my breath that the Recipe Box Swap Police doesn't come and take away my recipe book, or at the least throw garden fresh rotten tomatoes at me. Wait, fresh and rotten would be an oxymoron, wouldn't it? Sheesh, I'm getting sillier and sillier, so I'll get on with it before my subscribers drop me like a garden fresh hot potato. Oh, I know, that was one too many garden fresh comments, so without further ado, I'll post my recipe for homemade ice-cream, which you can top with a peeled and choppped garden fresh peach, just as I did. Enjoy!

Homemade Ice-Cream

whole Milk

1 can evaporated milk

1 pint whipping cream

2 /12 cups sugar

5 med-large eggs, or 4 x-large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla (or to taste)

1 4oz box Junket Vanilla Ice-Cream mix ( in most grocery stores for a little over a dollar)

rock salt

In a large bowl (I use my really big tupperware bowl), starting with 4 cups of whole milk, add all the ingredients and beat very well with an electric hand mixer.

Pour the mixture into your ice-cream freezer's cannister, then finish filling it up to the fill line with whole milk. Stir with a long spoon. Put the lid on the cannister then follow your freezer's directions to freeze.

The milk part of it is really a matter of preference. If I only have whole milk on hand, I just fill the cannister with it. Or you can use a quart of whipping cream and skip the evaporated. The more whipping cream you use, the creamier your ice-cream will be. It really depends on how much 'fat' you want in your ice-cream. You can also chop fresh fruit such as bananas, peaches, or strawberries and add to the mixture before freezing.

This makes enough for a 1 gallon electric ice-cream freezer.

If you're worried about the raw eggs, all I can say is, I've been eating it this way for right at 50 years, and have never once gotten sick from it. Neither has anyone in my family.

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice-cream!

Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man who makes the Lord his refuge and trust, and turns not to the proud or to followers of false gods.
Many, O Lord my God, are the wonderful works which You have done, and Your thoughts toward us; no one can compare with You! If I should declare and speak of them, they are too many to be numbered.

~Psalm 40:4-5 Amplified Bible

Me & My Peep!

Is that not the cutest little thing? It was made by Blair at wise craft. She makes and sells them in her etsy store, wisecraft handmade goods by Blair Stocker. I've been admiring them for a really long time, being the bird nut you all know me to be. Guess who had a contest on her blog to give one away, and guess who entered and won said contest. That's right, moi'!

The contest was for the Peep, but would you look at all the goodies Blair included in my package! My picture doesn't do the pretty skein of yarn justice. There were some darling little stitchmarkers in that envelope, which I forgot to include in the picture. See the picture of whales on the left? That is a stack of post/note cards handmade by her. I am totally enamored by them. Even the pencils were an added bonus, as I can never find one when I need it. And did you notice that "Thank you, Renna" on the envelope? She's thanking me? She blessed my socks off!

If you're a crafty sort, check out Blair's blog, wise craft. She really is a wise crafter. You will be inspired. She's a wise mother, too. Check out her remedy for bored, bickering kids. Now, that's a creative mamma!

I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions.

~Proverbs 8:12 King James Version

Keeping Cool

This was in the late afernoon, after the temperature had dropped.

This was in the yard mere inches from my feet, letting out not a peep. It's a miracle I didn't step on him. It could have been a 'her', but since I'm unsure, I'll call it a 'he'.

Here he is again, having hopped up to the porch when I attempted to pick him up. I was going to tuck him safely in a nearby tree until 'Mom' returned with breakfast, but I didn't catch him. Notice the little "gift" he left me. Yep, it was bound to be a 'he'.

Just a shot of the ivy in our backyard, gradually taking over our backyard.

I've been busy preparing for company this week. My mom and her husband arrive on Monday, for an extended visit. My daughter, Nikki, is driving down from Minneapolis this week. She'll stop over at her stepbrother's around the Arkansas/Missoure border to spend a night or two there before continuing on here. She said her length of stay there will be determined by whether or not she can sleep on the blow up air bed on the floor. Their apartment is small and they don't have an extra bed. She's young, and can probably handle it. I, on the other hand could not.

As you can imagine, I am very excited to see my daughter. She'll be here much of the month of August. She'll be off seeing friends some while here, and she and her brother are planning a trip to the DFW area to go to 6-Flags and Hurricane Harbor and spending a night or two over there. Still, I'll get plenty of time with her while she's here.

She's got a busy summer planned. After she leaves here toward the end of August, she's flying to DC to spend a few days with a friend from Germany who's living in the states now. After a few days there, she'll take the train to her cousin, Mandi, in Virginia (who's fiancee' Rich had the recent kidney transplant) to visit for a few days. After that it's another flight to Orlando to spend a week or so with her best friend, then it's off to Dublin, Ireland. From there, she'll catch a plane on to Leeds, England, where she'll meet back up with her boyfriend. Phew! It all makes me tired just thinking of it! She leads a much busier life than her mamma ever did.

When angry, do not sin; do not ever let your wrath (your exasperation, your fury or indignation) last until the sun goes down.
~Ephesians 4:26 Amplified Bible

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