It's Rhubarb Season!!

Our rhubarb plants have been taken over by the wild black raspberry vines here this year ... I love BOTH!  But am sorry that we weren't able to harvest more rhubarb. 

This was all I could find so far under the sharp vines ...

After I washed them off and chopped them up... this is all I ended up with to put in the freezer ... unfortunately, they will be used up in the cakes we love to make with them in less than two months!

Here is the great recipe I call "John's Mom's Rhubarb Cake Recipe", but it is actually great with many kinds of fruit.  If you use a fruit other than rhubarb, you have to be careful and experiment with how much water to add in the final stage before baking, so it doesn't overflow...some fruits are juicier than others I guess?

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John's Mom's Rhubarb Cake

Put 2 cups (or a little more) chopped fresh rhubarb
(or you can use frozen too) on the bottom of a baking dish or pan.

Mix together in a separate bowl:
3/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons of shortening (Crisco)
1 cup of flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup of milk (add a little more if the batter seems too dry)

Spread the above mixture over the top of the rhubarb in the baking dish.

Top the batter and rhubarb with a mixture (mixed in a separate bowl) of:
1 cup of sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon cinnamin

Pour carefully over the top of it all,  1 cup of boiling water.
(if it looks like the 1 cup of water is going to overflow a pan
then just use enough to not overflow the pan or baking dish -
it's a real mess in your oven if it does drip over -
use tin foil on the bottom of a baking sheet to prevent spills).

Bake for approx. 45-50 minutes at 375 degrees (a little longer if you double the recipe

for a larger baking dish).

The hardest part of all this is waiting for it to cool so you can eat it!

This is what the finished cakes should look like... yummmmm! 

Giving Thanks on Memorial Day ...

Thankful for all the men and women who have served in the armed forces! 

Two shown here especially, my Father-in-law and my Dad.

The view from Dad's chair....

View looking up from the recliner

I spent the night with Mom last night, and usually after dinner, we watch TV and talk... Mom in her recliner, and me in Dad's chair.  Memories of Dad are all around with all his "treasures" nearby.  Many small gifts from kids and grandkids that he displayed in various ways. 

Fireplace View From Dad's
Recliner

View next to Dad's chair
One of Mom's cabinets, and
Dad's arrow.

And then there is the view of MORE SQUIRRELS! ... Dad was always trying to find ways to thwart the squirrels from getting into his bird feeders... (and we've found that Mom was feeding those squirrels all this time too..*L*).  Here are a few of them still hanging around...

Dad would be up in arms over this one!

Pentecost - Come Holy Spirit!

The Day of Pentecost (50 days after Easter), is the day that God, the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples in mighty ways (Read Acts 2) and they became great warriors of the faith! And it continues today, celebrating Pentecost is the great day of realization that God has given us ALL, life and power to be different and empowers us to ministry ... to the care, concern and love of all of God's creation.  New life in the Spirit, the releasing of God's Holy Spirit, is something that can happen to all believers.

"Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of the faithful and enkindle in us the fire of Your love."

Today, at Christ Church, we celebrated Pentecost with worship, praise, and the releasing of butterflies (symbolic of new life and the releasing of the Holy Spirit in our lives).  We also had a fellowship coffee time following.  The butterflies I had been "nursing" for the last month were released, and it was just a fun time to be at Church and worship and share together this celebration and season of the Church year.



Some of the Chapel Group.



It is also called "the birth-day" of the Christian Church because so many were filled with the Holy Spirit and baptised on that day centuries ago.  So our coffee and fellowship time included cake and ice cream too!

Trying to get the butterflies out.

Here are some photos from the butterfly release at the end of both services.



Jan caught one!



 

All ages had fun trying to capture a butterfly to give to the kids.





Father John was getting "netted" in the process too...*LOL*


Late Church Butterfly Catchers!



Father John trying to get the
butterflies to come out.

Seems that the butterflies liked their netted habitat and had to be coaxed out of it.

The kids with their captured butterflies.

The cake, ice cream and treats were a big hit too! 

A great Pentecost Celebration!

Transferring Butterflies to get ready for Pentecost Release...



They sure like melons and sugar water!



Transferred the butterflies from the big net to the smaller net habitats so we can release them tomorrow at the Pentecost Services.

About 20 - 22 painted lady butterflies are set for the early Chapel service release.

And about 70 - 75 are ready to go into the Church for the later service on Sunday. 

Also the nets and containers for the kids to use to catch one to take home.

I'll soon be an "empty nester" butterfly Mom... how's that saying go?

"The two most important things you can give your kids are first roots, and then wings!" 

Soon my "kids" will be flying off to who knows where? *lol*

Junk In Your Trunk - Rummage Sale

We've been finding some fun ways to use our Church parking lot and as an outreach to those who may make extra money by selling some of their junk, and treasures, as well as a way to reach out to the community and be seen.

Mom, Aunt Shirley & niece Claudia

So last year, we started having "Junk In Your Trunk" rummage sales.   Sellers can donate $15 to Christ Church, which goes toward Youth Ministry Events we do for the community, and, in turn, they get a parking space in our lot.  We do advertising, and also offer hotdogs, soda and chips for sale during the event for vendors and buyers.

This is our first one this year, and it turned out pretty great!  The weather was perfect, and we had a large, steady crowd throughout most of the time!

Nephew Cody, and Aunt Shirley helped me sell hotdogs, chips and soda too!

Deb and Father Bill did pretty well with their huge rummage sale next door too!

Deb's rich! *lol*

Thanks to all who participated!  Look for our next one on August 10th...it will be a Junk in Your Trunk Rummage Sale, as well as a Bake Sale too!

Granddaughter Weekend!

I left early this morning to pick up Jorden ... sure is great to have her visit! 

She couldn't wait to get on her glittery blue shoes and her crown, even wearing it to work to help me for awhile... such a silly girl..gotta love her!

She found one of the giant tissue paper flowers as well... fits her outfit! *lol*

Tonight we made our own deluxe pizzas, and Jorden made one for herself too.

Cheese Pizza!

Kasey made hers with a pepperoni smiley face on it.. *l*

Ready to bake!

While they were baking, Jorden did a costume change into her ballerina outfit.  And a little dancing with Grandpa John too!

A fun filled day, and night!

Art Reach & Mission - A Spiritual Journey

Thanks to the ladies of Creek Road Community Church, Delavan, for inviting me to be your presenter at your wonderful Women's Salad Dinner Event, and Art Show!

I took some of my assemblage art, set it up in the afternoon, and then enjoyed a wonderful salad dinner, served by the men of their Church.  My Mom, and daughter, and Aunt Shirley, and a friend Pat, came along to it as well.  There were many familiar faces there as well. 

It was probably the biggest group I'd ever presented to ...about 90+ women stayed for the program, which was just me telling about how I did my "art", and what inspired me, explaining some of the pieces, and then the ladies going around viewing others and reading the meditations by each one.

 I was a bit nervous doing this presentation, and afterward could think of all kinds of things I should have said, or could have said, better... remembering that for hopefully, another time.  *S*

Thank you Creek Road Community, and Bonnie, who had the idea to bring my art presentations to you!

Butterflies Hatching Like Crazy!!

The butterflies I've been raising at Church (80 - 90 of them for Pentecost release), since April 22nd, started hatching late last week, but by today, almost ALL of them are out now!!

I had set up the bigger net for them to be in, in Father John's office...thankfully he was okay with that!

And here are some of the butterflies feasting on cantalopes (they like the juice), and also some sugar water sprinkled carnations.

They also like to congregate in the corner of the net closest to the window, and the sun.

So, now I just need to keep them alive for a week until we release them on Pentecost Sunday, May 19th!

Happy Birthday Party for Jake, Josh & Jeff!

Not only did we celebrate Mother's Day today, but later in the day, we went over to John and Janel's and celebrated a joint birthday party for the grandsons, Jake, Josh and Jeff.  They have their birthdays within a few weeks of each other, so often there is a mass birthday party celebration.

Can't believe they are growing up so fast!  John and Janel had set up tables in their garage for both sides of the family to congregate in.  After a picnic dinner, the boys opened their gifts from everyone.

One of the things the grandsons found they liked to eat, being at our house once when we had them, were crab claws.  So for part of their gift from us, we gave each of them 4 crab claws, and told them directions in cooking them.  (Especially since some asked to have them on various overnight visits often!)   But, I think they liked the cash gifts they got in their cards better.. *L*

Happy Birthday dear Grandsons!!  We love YOU!!!

xoxoxo