This came from Mighty Mom  who asked me to do it and pass it along.  It’s quick!  You’ll be grateful for that.

Six quirky, yet boring, unspectacular details about myself.  So doesn’t that sound exciting?

1. I never leave the house without earrings.
2. If something is not where it “should” be, I will probably not see it, even if it’s right in my face.
3. I absolutely cannot stand a drawer or closet door open; even just barely open.
4. I used to practice the harmonica in bed before I went to sleep when my husband was out of town.
5. I have played the tuba and enjoyed it.
6. I often crave peanut butter.

I don’t know how quirky those are, but they are absolute gospel truth.  And they are pretty boring.  I guess that’s what counts.

I am Tagging
Diana

Jaqi

Diane

Lizi

Jessica

Arlene

Remember, we are Blogging Without Obligation.  So feel free to accept or decline the offer!  The rules for those who are tagged and wish to participate are as follows:
Link to the person who tagged me.
Mention the rules.
Tell six quirky yet boring, unspectacular details about myself.
Tag six other bloggers by linking to them.
Go to each person’s blog and leave a comment that lets them know they’ve been tagged.

Our government is fully capable of finding and implementing actions to relieve the energy crisis.

Not only is our gasoline high at the pump, if you’ve bought anything lately, even a can of beans, you’ve seen that prices are not creeping up, they are leaping.  Our goods must rely on fuel to get to us, so that everything we use is affected.  This trend is crippling to American families and can be stopped if our lawmakers will do their job.

I am a proponent of utilizing our American natural resources, of which we have plenty.  Billions of barrels of oil lie waiting - not only offshore - but in remote areas of our country, such as ANWR in Alaska. They are blocked by environmentalists empty rhetoric.  If you would care to help spread the word, copy and paste this article below into an email and pass it along to your friends,  or share the link to American Solutions.   We must put pressure on the governing bodies of America to serve us properly.

American Solutions is leading a grassroots fight to help.  CLICK HERE TO KEEP INFORMED   as to what is being done and how you can help.  There is a petition you can sign and other suggestions for the average citizen to implement change.  I’d suggest copying this banner to place on your blogsite, for starters.  For our children’s sake, we have to do something.

The democratic Party has refused to address this issue in a timely fashion.  Hey, they are on vacation!  See the brief article below to find out more, and let your representatives know how you want them to vote.  This is pretty appalling!

The American Energy Revolt: DAY 3  

It’s Day 3 of the American Energy Revolt, and Speaker Nancy Pelosi is digging in her heels!

Stephanopoulos: “If [Republicans] want to offer a drilling proposal, why can’t they have a vote?”

Pelosi: “They, they, they, they’ll have to use their imaginations as to how they can get a vote.”

 

 

Translation: NO VOTE TO INCREASE AMERICAN OIL

 

 

“We think it is unconscionable that Congress has gone on vacation before we have addressed the high gas prices that are crippling our economy and hurting millions of families. We are asking that you reconvene the House from your five-week vacation and schedule a vote on legislation to increase American energy production. Let us be clear, we are not asking for a guaranteed outcome, just the chance to vote.”

Ever since the music provider I was using shut down, I have so missed it.  I gotta have it!  So I’m searching the YouTube to find uplifting and worshipful music to share.  Hope you’ll take the time to stop, lift your heart and your hands to the Lord and join me in worship.

And hey, I’m coming out of the desert!  Hallelujiah!

Nancy

I think I check my email before I’ve even finished my first cup of coffee — every single day.  I love to hear from my friends (you) and have a few subscriptions and lists that I like to hear from.   One of my very favorite things  –  which encourages me, makes me think, and sometimes even gives me direction for prayer, is this one… (click to enlarge it)….

HEAVENLY PERSPECTIVES…

From Kenn and Lori Stilger.

Kenn and Lori are both professional photographers and dedicated Christians.  They freely share their amazing, original  photos and include encouraging, challenging and comforting thoughts and scriptures along with them.

You can join the ranks of their subscribers, free, simply by contacting them at

HeavnlyPhotos@aol.com

The photo above came today.

Welcome to Show and Tell Friday!  My post is on my art blog, in case you missed it.  

Please click here to see it.

Nancy

Go to Kelli’s House for More!

 Skywatch!   My how you’ve grown!  Congratulations to Tom and the team for the great success of a wonderful photo blog. 

 Click above to see all the entries.

Here’s my entry for this week.  Pre-sunset conditions created this amazing  display for us one evening recently.  Taken from my front yard.

Faith is the substance of things hoped for,

the evidence of things not seen.  Hebrews 11:1.

This chapter in Hebrews is called the “faith” chapter by many.  I urge you to read through it.  It tells about great feats accomplished by peope whose faith enabled them to find substance in the “hope” we have in God. 

 A test of faith says:  “Do you really believe that…?”  Fill in the blank.  It’s exactly what the serpent said to Eve in so many words.  “Did God really say “… and then he misquoted God and she didn’t even catch it.  Sometimes I don’t catch it either.

“If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.”  I Corinthians 15:19

How far and how wide is the hope we have?  To what boundaries does it extend?  At what point does it stop?  The above passage is part of a persuasive argument given by Paul to refute the rumor that there is no resurrection,  a common belief among certain sects in those days.   But does our hope stop with disappointment, grief, trouble, or death?

Some things never change.  It is still a very common belief in our modern society that there is no resurrection.  I meet so many people who really think this is it.  “Stuff happens and then you die”.  How very horrible.  “Of all men most miserable” certainly applies.  What a cold and empty reality to embrace. 

I’m searching my own heart about the depth of my faith, and the availability of my own witness to the reality of life in Christ.  I’m confessing and repenting of my failing in this regard.

“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and [be] ready always to [give] an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:”  I Peter 3:15. 

My friends, I’m not always ready.  I’m not in my Bible enough, or in communion with Him enough.

And that has to change!

I suffered bitter disappointment when my pastor and my church let me down.  I’m still reeling from it.  but I have to get past it so I can touch people again as God has prepared me to do. 

To my Christian friends, I ask for your prayers.    Those of you who have gotten to know me have seen the change in me.  I know you will pray now that you understand the need.  And I thank you from the bottom of my heart. 

  Nancy

I seldom share recipes, but after we went to a local cafeteria style restaurant and had such a wonderful chicken dinner,  I attempted to duplicate it at home, with success!  This one I wanted to share.  It may be nothing new to you, but it was to our family.  Even “picky Lizi” said, “Mammy you can make this all the time.”  (She doesn’t like anything!)

Does this look good to you?  Mmmmm…

This is really just baked, stuffed chicken breasts and thighs, with a crubly topping.  And this is not a ‘real’ recipe, I’m just telling you what I did.

I bought boneless, skinless breasts and thighs.  The thighs are all ready for stuffing, but you must slice the chicken breasts almost all the way through, horizontally so you can “butterfly” them.  I seasoned them with a salt mixture that is made by a friend of ours (something like Lawry’s), browned the outer sides of the chicken by opening them up and placing them in a medium-hot  iron skillet with about a tablespoon of olive oil, browning those outer sides.  It took about 3-4 minutes for each. 

Lifting them out of the skillet one at a time, I placed each in a Pam-coated baking dish, filled each one with a big ice cream scoop of Stove Top Chicken stuffing and folded them over, adding extra stuffing at the open edges before placing the next one in line.  Each one gets pushed back into the one behind it.  Placing them flush against each other, I continued to the other end of the pan until the back row  was packed in.  Then the same with the front row.

Covering with foil, tightly, I baked them at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.  My stuffing was still pretty hot, so this time would vary if your stuffing was cool.  I tested them later, for doneness, with a meat thermometer.

I made the gravy by adding flour to the pan, enough to soak up the drippings, scraping the skillet to get all the browned parts, then added salt, pepper, a pinch of sage and canned chicken broth until it was the right thickness.  That simmered for about a half hour, in a saucepan.

Meanwhile, I prepared a topping.  1 cup of Progresso bread crumbs and 2/3 of a roll of Ritz crackers in a large freezer bag, I rolled with the rolling pin until it was fine.  Then I place them into the cleaned skillet, with a half stick of butter.  As the butter melted, I stirred and stirred over a low-medium heat until every crumb was buttered.  That was about 10 -15 minutes of stirring constantly.

So after the chicken had baked for 50 minutes, I checked it for doneness and it was about 140 degrees.  I turned the oven up to 400 degrees, covered the top of everything with the topping and let it brown for 10 minutes.  And that was it.  Fresh green beans, gravy, and we were all set.

I hope you will try it, if you haven’t before.  It is a real winner.

Nancy

   UPDATE:  THURSDAY, JULY 17.  Thank you all!  The situation has been successfully resolved.  Thanks to all for your prayers and your messages.  See Cookies post  HERE.

And here is a copy of the email I received from her.  To all of you:

Dear Nancy,
Our prayers have been answered.  Thank you SO much for all that you have done
for my Mother today.  Thank you seems lame but I don’t know how to find bigger
words. At 5:30 this afternoon I received a call from Sheila Hay, one of the directors
of Arbor Hospice.  Mother is being given a room as of tomorrow.  She will be
moved in on Friday!  They are going to honor their promise.  We are so very
thankful. Thank you for helping today.  I strongly believe that our army of girlfriends
had a very strong impact on this sudden change.  
I will always be so appreciative of my dear blogging friends. 
Thank you again 
Hugs and Love.  I will write more soon. 
Cookie

Many of you are already familiar with ‘Cookie Sunshine’ (aka Donna Gotlib).  She is a multi-media artist and has been a blessing in connecting and networking artists online and many have much to be grateful for, due to her efforts in the artistic community.  She has become a kind and caring friend to many of us who blog in this community of women.  There is a situation now, concerning her mother who is an altzheimer patient, and Cookie is asking for help from us.  I hope you will go to her blog and read this post.

I have already sent the email she has included, and hope you will join me.

Nancy

Go to Kelli’s House for more Show and Tell fun.

We are a family of porch-sitters.  I find that -in that- we are unique.  As I walk through our neighborhood, I see very very few.  But I grew up on porches.  Seems like I spent entire summers on porches.  Well, porches were different then.  Huge, on the old houses I love.  Ours is a ’60’s house and, it seems, someone thought porches were no longer necessary — or something.  Ours is smaller than I’d like it, but we make the most of it.

We have lots of impatiens out here, both in the hanging pots and in various others scattered around.  The little palm tree and the asparagus fern on the right - live inside in the fall and winter.

It’s pretty small, but we need lots of plants, don’t we?  It’s a jungle out there!  Sometimes we have 5 or 6 people trying to find space to pull up a chair.  They might even have to bring their own!

At night we light the copper oil lamp and it is a real flame thrower.  It’s installed into the center of the little table and puts out lots of light.  But it keeps the bugs away!  On the left by the door is a pot with three lemon trees which I’ve raised from seeds out of store-bought lemons.  They’ve been growing now for 3 years and no flowers yet.  They also winter indoors.

This is my little corner.  My favorite spot to sit, sort of tucked in behind the green things.  See my coffee cup?  It’s the biggest one in the house.  I need lots of coffee when I’m porch sitting, waving and saying hello to dog walkers as they pass by. 

Won’t you come “set a spell”?

Thanks for looking at my little Show and Tell.

Nancy

I’m sure you ‘ve all been waiting with bated breath (I hope not - you would surely have expired by now) for my next herbal article.  Whew.  Here it is!  Just click here for the latest on cleaning and sanitzing using herbal essential oils.  As always, I’ve included how-to’s and photos to help.  Sorry it’s been so long, but I think you will find it helpful.  If you have any questions or if I have not been clear, please let me know.  I love to share about herbs and essential oils.  They are precious gifts from God.
So Click Here

Psalm 104:14

He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth;

This lovely journaling format comes from Peggy’s Blog.  Click to participate and view others’ entries.

Outside my Window…is a bright haze; that kind that says “It’s hot”. 

I am thinking…I hope I can find what I’m looking for at the resale shop today; some older books I’ve been seeking.

I am thankful for…the time on my hands this summer, and an abundance of interesting things to do in it.

From the kitchen… fresh herbs are hung up to dry; dill, parsley, and cilantro just harvested.

I am creating…watercolor patches of overlapping colors, to see how they look in layers.

I am going…to visit Cookie later this summer.  I’ve sure been thinking a lot about that.

I am wearing…A long summer dress, smocked in the bodice with a full, flowing skirt.  It is cool and comfortable.

I am reading…a book by Patricia Cornwell.  Hers are a little grisly because the main character is a forensic doctor and she solves mysteries through her scientific means. 

I am hoping…the new farmers market, starting in our town this Thursday, will have some great bargains on fruits and vegetables. 

I am hearing…kids in the pool, having fun.

Around the house…quiet inside, except for the soft snores of my pup.

One of my favorite things…is watermelon.  We have half of one left from the 4th and I’m about to go for it.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week…one dentist appointment and swimming every day.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you…

The Crab Nebula