Her Eye is on Me

This is our dear little dog, Gracie...part poodle and part Italian Greyhound.  She has been teaching me some life lessons lately.  I love how God takes everyday things, and teaches us about ourselves and Himself.

Gracie was a little rescue dog...she was found abandoned on the streets of Chicago by a P.A.W.S. Dog Rescue organization.  She was so neglected.  Her hair was long and so matted she couldn't turn her neck, nor could she see very well.  We found her on their internet site and went to visit her the next day.  Even after a trim and bath she looked pretty bad, until she got a real grooming!

She's now been a part of our family for nearly 4 years.  And I'm her Mama.  She's bonded herself to me, especially.

Her heart and eyes are always on me.  When I get up and leave the room, her eyes open and she watches me.  If I'm gone for more than a moment, she'll probably pick herself up from her cozy napping spot and come to be where I am.  If I leave the house, she waits by a window and watches for my return.  If I lay on the sofa, she wants to join me for a snuggle.  

And that has made me think about something...this is how I need to be with my Lord and Savior, Jesus.  My eye needs to be on Him.  My mind, on Him.  I need to be watching for where He is at work, and join Him.  I need to listen and watch for what He is doing, and follow Him.

Gracie has a little sin nature...or more accurately, she was abused in her former life.  So she is suspicious, nervous, and easily feels threatened.  Therefore, even though I would NEVER hurt her on purpose and mine are the hands that feed her, pet her, take care of her, and love her, she doesn't even completely trust me.  And if she feels threatened by a sudden movement or me trying to remove a tangle in her hair, she'll snarl at me.  Me!  The one upon whom her very well-being is dependent.  The one who rescued her from abandonment and has given her such a great home!

And so, I also sometimes snarl at my Father.  I trust God completely with my mind.  I absolutely believe and know that He is GOD and He is all-wise and loves me and my  loved ones more than anyone else does.  But in practice,  I get fearful, feel threatened, and sometimes don't act like a grace-filled child of God.  I trust Him completely with my eternity.  But with some of the storms of life, I get fearful.  Like my dog.

As I notice Gracie's devotion to me and to being in my presence, I am going to remind myself to long for God's presence in my hour-by-hour day.  To stay close to Him.  To talk to Him all throughout the day.  And listen to Him through His Spirit and the Bible.  Obeying what He wants me to do and focus on each day.

And when I get frustrated that Gracie sometimes doesn't trust me completely and  doesn't yield to my ministrations, even though I have ONLY her best in mind, I shall remember that I need to trust my Father and what He allows.  Completely.

Simple Table Treasure

This is the story of my beloved Goodwill table.  :)  It was exactly what I was wishing for, a wooden table with a removable glass top.

I brought her home, sanded her a bit, then primed and spray painted her black.

It was so fun to put some travel memorabilia under the glass.

And here she is!  The little dried flower at the bottom is a momento from our 25th anniversary trip to Santa Barbara, CA.  Sweet!  This is linked to Tip Junkie

Simply Delicious Chocolate Surprise Cake

Who doesn't LOVE chocolate cake? And cheesecake too?! Surprise Cake has a bit of both! So easy to make...here's how: Stir up a chocolate cake from any mix, following the package directions.


In a separate bowl, cream together: 8 oz. cream cheese, softened (I used low fat,) 1/2 cup sugar, and 1 egg.


Fill greased cake pans with 2/3 of the cake batter (I used 2 round ones to make 2 one layer cakes...a nice way to have one cake for home, and one to share with a friend). Spoon the cream cheese mixture over the batter in a random way, for a pretty pattern. Then spoon the remainder of the cake batter over the cheese filling. Bake at 350 til the top springs back when poked and a toothpick inserted near the middle comes out clean.


After a bit of cooling and removing from cake pan onto a pretty plate, serve slightly warm with a shake of powdered sugar over the cake and plate. Also great with a dollop of whipped cream. Must refrigerate remaining cake.


This cake was so easy, makes a pretty presentation, and is so so good. Very moist and not sickeningly sweet. Simply delicious! Enjoy.

I am linked to Tip Junkie

Eastery Eggs...(...as Tigger would say...)

I had the B.E.S.T. time today, making 'Eastery Eggs,' (as Tigger calls them!)

I started with raw eggs, made little holes in each end, and just about killed my cheeks/jaw blowing out the egg contents into the sink.

Yes.  Amen!

These were my tools of choice.  I made a hole in each end with the corsage pin, then gently twisted the little Philips head screwdriver in the holes.  Worked GREAT!  You use the pin, again, to 'stir' the yolk, making it more cooperative in coming out.

My neighbor friend, Carrie, came over and like little girls, we had fun coloring the eggs and then copying some fun ideas online to decorate them! 

Meet Chicken Little, Dotty, 70's Flower Child, the Bluebirds of Happiness, the Carrot Twins, and little Flower Power.

For some reason, Flower Power is one of my very favorites, altho I also love the birds, carrots, and chick.

Are you ready to have fun like you did when you were a girl?  Give these babies a try.  Come up with your own ideas or copy some online.  It didn't take long and doesn't have to be perfect.  And I now feel like Easter is around the corner.  On a more serious note...our family is reading about Jesus' last week of life before his crucifixion and resurrection from The Message each night after supper.  I can't wait to sing the powerful hymns and worship songs Sunday morning at church.  Easter is truly the most joyous holiday there is!!  He is risen!  He is risen, indeed.

Linked to Tip Junkie...my favorite blog!

Garden Giddiness : )

Our first Southern Indiana spring is making me very happy...planting veggies in April is a wonderful new blessing down here!  In Chicago I needed to wait til mid May for most things.

Our Square Foot Garden...I love the tidiness of it.  Tiny Bibb lettuce plants in the first 2 squares, radishes in squares 3 and  5.  Onions with a few stray radishes in square 4...don't ask!  Beets are coming up in square 6, and squares 7&8 have okra seeds in them.  Hurry okra...I'm worrying about you!

After a cold, rainy Saturday we are having a warm, sunny Sunday.  So today I planted these three beauties, plus a red pepper plant and 3 yellow pepper plants.

Ok, so my favorite gardening tool right now...is an iced tea spoon! The soil is lightweight and loose, so this spoon is perfect for planting seeds.  :)

Green beans!  Our married daughter thinks fresh green beans are yucky and hairy.  John and I think they are heavenly.  :)

My fun new venture...cinder block gardening!  Learned this from a friend in Florida who's growing tomatoes this way, due to their poor soil.  These blocks were already a part of this flower bed, holding the dirt off the fence.  So we filled their holes with dirt and now they are the cozy new homes of some gladioli bulbs, morning glory seeds, African daisies, wildflowers, and aster seeds.  I can hardly wait to see how this goes!  Super easy to plant...no digging!

Bleeding Hearts beginning to bloom, Basket of Gold, Zinnias coming up, and my first pink Cala Lily bulb has poked through!

 

 I truly do have some Garden Giddiness going on.  I love to go out 3 times a day to see what new seeds have emerged and to admire the tidiness of it all.  Do you have things growing now too?  Would love to hear about it!

Spring Blessings!

Donna
I am linked to Tip Junkie

Puff Pastries with Creme

I recently made this light dessert for my mother's 70th B-day lunch.  They couldn't have been easier!  And were soooo tasty, it took self control to only eat one or two.  Here's how to make them.

1 sheet of thawed Puff Pastry
3 ounces of softened cream cheese
1-2 T. powdered sugar (to taste)
splash of milk
fresh strawberries

Let your sheet of puff pastry dough thaw according to the package instructions.  I believe it says to thaw it on the counter for 40 minutes.

Unfold the pastry onto pastry cloth or piece of waxed paper.  Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut the dough into 9 squares.  Place the squares on a baking sheet or baking stone, pierce with a fork, and bake according to the package directions.

When they are cooled, mix the softened cream cheese with 2T of powdered sugar, to taste.  Add a splash of milk to make it a nice spreadable consistency.  Spread each square with a dollop of the sweetened cream cheese.  Garnish with a clean, sliced strawberry (or wouldn't blueberries be good on this too?!)  

For presentation, I placed them on a serving plate and sprinkled powdered sugar over and around them.  These were light as a feather, not too sweet or rich, and the leftovers (stored in the refrigerator) made a perfect treat to go with my morning coffee for the next several mornings!  :)

I plan to make these again soon.  Let me know if you give them a try!

Spring Blessings!
Donna

I am linked to http://www.tipjunkie.com

~ Asparagus Tart ~

I've had some requests for the recipe of the Asparagus Tart that I made for my mother's b-day luncheon.  It was soooo easy, different, and tasty!  So here you go: 1 pie crust (I used a Pillsbury one this time), 2 eggs, 2/3 cup heavy whipping cream (I used 2/3 cup evaporated milk to save on fat/calories), 1/8 tsp. salt, 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

I used the pie crust in its round shape, and just rolled up an edge all the way around.  The actual recipe (from Sandra Lee) says to roll it into a rectangle before creating an edge all around.  Or even better, put it in a tart pan if you have one.  Next, pierce the dough every few inches with a fork and bake at 450 for 8 minutes or until lightly browned.

Cut washed/trimmed asparagus pieces into thirds.  Arrange asparagus in rows on the crust.  Reduce oven temp to 375.  In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream or milk, and salt.  pour over asparagus.  Sprinkle with the cheese and pepper.  Bake for 23-25 minutes or until lightly browned and set.  Remove from baking sheet.  Cool completely on a wire rack about an hour.  Cut into 2 inch serving pieces, and serve!

This is perfect for a brunch, lunch, or appetizer.  Very springy and colorful.  I think it would be tasty, also, to add bacon.

Enjoy!
Blessings,
Donna ~@~

Linked to http://www.dontwasteyourhomemaking.com/