On The Road Again

We've left the farm for parts south. Sometime last fall, I decided that we would take this week off, and head out for camping. Well, pardon me for assuming the weather would cooperate. Our intended destination to the north is expecting thunderstorms all this week, so we headed south, to Bloomington, IN, where John's parents live. We're being pampered by Grandma and Grandpa for a couple of days, and forgot our cameras, so we can't even document what we're doing. I guess I'll plan to not blog, so there ya go. Try to continue your life without me. C'mon, you can do it. Yes, you CAN!

Pachelbel? Or Paganini?

Yes, I do know which.

We are not big on Praise and Worship services, and our congregation was having one this morning. We also had a friend riding at the Fair, so, between the two, we had a Perfect Storm that, yes, tempted us away from worship to the Fairgrounds instead.

I headed home when the rain started (another storm, a not-so-perfect one, this time) and was reading some e-mail. This song was played at our wedding, 29 years ago on the 22nd of this month. I saw this version this morning, thanks to a friend from Iowa, and had to share. My favorite part, if you'd like to know, comes at about the 4 minute mark.

I will apologize in advance, as some of what Ethan calls The Dark Language Which Must Not Be Spoken Here is used in the introduction. But it's a fun video, anyway! Enjoy!

Saturday Farm Report

Much, much news, here at the Farm.

Firstly, if you take a look at my Profile, you will see a slight change. Matthew has left the Army, and is driving home to Illinois today. Last we heard, about an hour ago, he had gotten himself into Missouri. We expect him home sometime tomorrow morning. Keri, who has been here for about a month, is thrilled to have him getting closer! He's not leaving military service, however. He's joined the Illinois National Guard, and will be reporting there in about a month.

Yesterday was our 4H Fair. Mary showed her horse, Wakiya, and her friend, Lindsay, showed my horse, Hope. Several ribbons were earned, some fun was had, and we have many stories to tell. We came home exhausted and overwhelmed, but it was a good experience overall. I'll be sharing some of it over the next few days.

Wisdom

Wisdom comes in many forms, and comes to us through many avenues. This morning, while checking my usual webpages, I checked out the latest cartoon at DBS. Well, he's also got a Facebook page, where, this morning, his wife was asking,"We all like a good motto, right? Do you have a personal motto?" Some of the wisest words I ever read are in those mottoes that were posted. Most, I am guessing, were posted by active or former members of the US military. We hope those guys and girls are using their noggins out there.

The greatest risk is not taking one.

The worst thing you can do is fail miserably and become the laughingstock of the entire free world.

If we're facing in the right direction, all we have to do is keep walking.

If you fall down 10 times, stand up 11.

It is better to beg forgiveness than to ask permission. (My personal permutation of this is It saves more time to beg forgiveness than to ask permission.)

If the enemy is in range, then so are you! (Of course, many of these have military significance. But I can also see civilian applications in them, even this one!)

When in doubt, get a bigger hammer.

Pain is good. It means you're still alive.

Smart people know the answers. Geniuses know where to find them.

When going through Hell, DON'T STOP, keep going.

If you can't duck it, well, you're supposed to do something to it that rhymes with duck. You can figure it out.

Illegitimus non carborundum. (Modern street Latin for don't let the...bad guys...make it hard for you. People in the military often use colorful metaphors. We call it Military Mouth at our house.)

Love many, trust few, and ALWAYS cut the cards.

Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig.

A cadet will not lie, cheat, steal or tolerate those who do. (Someone was thinking seriously.)

Deeds, not words.

If Engineers were supposed to be sociable, the Army wouldn't have given us concertina wire.

I set out to save the world, but I saw something shiny. (That one's for Mary.)

Trust, but verify. (One of my favorites; I've used it since I was pretty young.)

Does it affect the fate of the free world? (When my kids would argue or bicker over some petty thing, I would ask them something like this.)

Find anything in there you'd like to make your own? Have one to add? I'd love to see them! Use the Comments page.

I've Heard Enough

I've heard enough about President Obama's birth certificate. It seems there are some who can't let this drop. Here's my take on it. I'll pretend you care.

His citizenship is cloudy. He should clear it up. He won't. We have two choices.

Obsess about it and divide those whose principles, united, could effect some real change, as soon as this fall.

Let it go and get on with the work of restoring what has been degraded in the past two years.

Seems simple to me. I'm letting it go. Not forgetting, but letting it go.

Birchermuesli

It means stew, or pottage, and it's derived from an Old English word meaning moose. (Go figure.) In Switzerland, it's a popular breakfast cereal based on uncooked rolled oats, fruit and nuts. My friend's mother, who was from Switzerland, introduced me to this yummy stuff when I was about 11. I found a recipe about 2 years ago, and make it often.

You need rolled oats, (I used the old-fashioned kind that take 5 minutes to cook) milk, yogurt, raisins, apples, bananas, blueberries (or three other fruits; I use these three) and nuts. Oh, and a little citrus juice and maple syrup or honey.

3 cups of oats go into a bowl, and you pour 1 1/2 cups of milk over them.



They sit for about half an hour; usually enough time to start the coffee, start a load of wash, let the dogs out, then back in, feed them, let them out again, and put 1/4 c of raisins in 1/4 c of hot water. They sit for 15 minutes. (Kind of a psychedelic photo, doncha think?)




While the oats and raisins are soaking, cut up a banana; I usually cut it in half lengthwise, and then slice it into 1/4 inch slices.



Grate three apples; the original recipe calls for them to be peeled, but, I figure, the more fiber the merrier.



Pour 1/4 c orange juice and 2T lemon juice over the bananas and apples.



I have used all orange or all lemon, but the mixture of the two seems "brighter," if that makes sense. Mix the fruit with the juices; the juices will slow down the process of the fruit turning brown, while it gives it that nice flavor.

When the oats are done soaking, pour in 1/4 c honey or maple syrup; I use the syrup.



It's not as sweet, if you can imagine that, and has a more mellow taste. I tried to get by with just 2T today, but I had to use the full amount. I'm such a conformist! This is also the time to add 6T plain yogurt.



I use Greek yogurt; this container is just 6 ounces, or 6 T, so, in it went. It isn't my favorite brand; this one is, but the one in my hand is the one I had available. Stir this all together.

Drain the raisins. Toss them into the mix. Add 1 c blueberries and 1/2 cup chopped nuts (any kind; I like almonds.) Stir gently together. I like this best with hot coffee, in my chair out on the deck, while listening to the birds sing. Your mileage may vary!

Pro-Life Corner

The Good News of a crucified and living Savior does not trivialize human struggles--the struggles of women, of problem pregnancies, of difficult situations. It speaks to them! The Good News defeated death and brings real love and compassion and neighborliness to bear in dealing with human struggles in very personal and practical ways. Life, not death, is our source of help and hope.

Lutherans For Life