feeling domestic.

these past 24 hours have been quite productive, in a rather domestic sort of way. good thing mum and i are p-31s.
in addition to working 3-4 hours/day at the restaurant, and doing massive laundry folding, bathroom cleaning, and nephew-watching [more like nephew-chasing these days], i've spent the past 6 hours in the kitchen!

this afternoon made biscotti- plain, cranberry-almond, and chocolate, with melted chocolate chips on top, mmm.
then assisted with the potato soup making, dishwashing, and table-setting.

then the real fun began! as the days are consecutively and increasingly insane, the decision was made to prepare all our evening meals [Supper, to midwesterners; Dinner to the rest of the american-english-speaking world] ahead of time, and freeze them.

so in the past 3 hours we've accomplished, cleaned up after, labeled, and stowed away neatly in the freezer:
enchiladas
cheese manicotti
swedish meatballs
chicken and rice hotdish [oh yes, that's minnesotan too]
seafood chowder
meatloaf
tomorrow we do the bean and ham soup, as well as the pre-baked pizza crusts.

we are "absolutely covered in flour" and many other things.

the manicotti stuffing session incurred mild hysterics in all involved, and a few quizzical looks from passersby.
once i got past the texture, it was pretty amusing to have cold, lumpy, cheese mixture filling not only the noodles, but also my sleeves, and the kitchen in general.

and so, i am [not for the first time] of the unmitigated conviction that housewifery is a supremely high calling, and into it is poured much more effort than meets the eye. my feet would heartily agree.

so give your mother a hug!

behold,

children are an heritage from the Lord. Psalm 127:3

this entire day was completely overrun by children. running, screaming, yelling, crying, laughing, hollering children, of every imaginable age and size.
following several hours with them after church, i expected to have a quiet day at home. but my hopes were in vain, for our house was overrun with big, running, stomping, excitable, rubber-band-gun-shooting boys.
said boys were joined by three more children overtaking my house, and last but not least, demanding my utmost attention for the remainder of the evening.

it's been kids, and hardly anything else, since i woke up.

but you know, after i got over the desperate urge to flee for my sanity, i was completely captivated by two small souls, each talking several miles per minute, seeking my attention and approval while parents talked in other rooms.

it was all worth it, and i knew it to be true, as i watched a tenderhearted little boy pour out all his love for his new friend- 'the yiddo bear'.
how little it required of me, besides encouraging words and smiles, and how content he was.

indeed, children are an immeasurable heritage from the Lord.

wunderschön!

two of the most beautiful things:

#1- reconcilation/restoration!

#2- homemade applesauce! [with lovely honeycrisp apples]


[obviously they aren't particularly related, but both have struck me today with their inherent loveliness! but i suppose if a connection must be made, both are a little unpleasing on first observance, but so beautiful when made your own.]

flax.

i learned a new trick from my mum this weekend.
i was making a cake for the church potluck, but alas! we had no eggs. however, we had plenty of flaxseed in the cupboard. so we made a flaxseed egg substitute, put it in the cake, and my, was that cake delicious! it was super moist too. so, just in case you ever run out of eggs, or want to try something new, here's how to do flax. [plus, flax is really good for you!]

1/2 cup flax seed- blend on high in the blender [or food processor] for 1 minute.
add 2 cups water- blend on high for 2 minutes. it will become thick and frothy.
that's it! 1/4 cup of the mixture equals 1 egg. i use the 1/4c. measuring cup to scoop it right out.
any leftovers can be kept in the fridge for a few days.

i know this works wonderfully in cakes, and i'd like experiment with it in cookies, french toast, as "scrambled eggs," etc.
i'll let you know what works.

enjoy!

cookery.

this evening i attended the Taste of Home cooking school in my very own hometown. i was accompanied by my lovely somewhat-sister-in-law [just not by law], mary buckwheat. CAN you imagine a better last name than that? i think not.
we suffocated along through the mobs of hungry and talkative olderish women, had a few bites of goodies from display tables, and paid an arm and a leg to quench our thirst [which, by this time, had grown to be quite fearsome], with bottled water from source Less-Than-Mediocre.
then we settled into our excellent fifth-row seats and watched the cookery begin. everything was made with severely processed and highly convenient foods, and served up and raffled off in very stylish cookware. on the whole, it was quite educational.
upon leaving, i spied another girl from church, and we decided that we'd probably end up bringing the exact same dish to the potluck on sunday! [since we, obviously, have been culinary De-Challenged having taken in such an event.]
and so i blast off for dreamland with visions of cool-whip-filled and maxwell house-soaked-nilla wafer Tiramisu, and your awestruck face upon tasting the delightful fruits of my newfound kitchen aptitude, dexterity, and adroitness.
[as well as my skillful thesaurus usage capabilities. on that note, you really ought to look up "fruit" in the online thesaurus- you'll find it quite helpful when looking for new ingredients for your jello salads! pass the buffaloberries.]

endeavor.

my attempts at creating a heartfelt, personal post this evening have been disastrous.
consequently, i shall forbear.

it is c-o-l-d! not long now till the crispening leaves transform from commonplace to exquisitely ablaze!

favourite artist of the art show attended today:
jean haefele [hay-flee], for her magnificent collages!

tomorrow we shall have an orchard romp, and lovely carameled apples.

at right:
Colour-Striped Bag hot off the press [for sister-in-law],
and its predecessor, Green Pumpkin-Lantern Bag.
[they're actually rather large]

hoorah!