Solitude on the Rocks of Life

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We've all been there...things aren't quite moving along the way we had hoped and we feel motionless and maybe alone. This summer has been a time of solitude on the rocks of life. Our plans for our Homesteading Cottage have taken some unsuspecting turns. Things are moving...I know they are...but it doesn't feel like it. I know God is organizing my world in a way I never imagined, but this place of getting used to new ropes feels awkward...like a baby taking her first steps.

Be prepared when you ask God to rock your world (; Over the last year, almost two, I've asked for a great deal from Him. A change of heart, mind, focus...these things do not align themselves lightly especially when hurt is involved. It usually requires giving ourselves over to something greater instead of giving in to our first instincts.

I'm a warrior and don't like it when wrongs are played out. It's even harder when ones I love are hurt. But life isn't always pretty. Bad things happen...and sometimes to us. People hurt us...some are even set out on doing us harm. People we love may be hurt by others who can't seem to remove themselves from their "me-centric" worlds to notice. Even when confronted with the reality of what they are doing, they still don't see it. And so we grieve. We grieve for those who have been hurt...and we grieve for ourselves. Mostly we grieve for what could have been...that unattainable "what-if" that we use as persistent torture.

But that "what-if" or "what could be" isn't here now, nor will it ever be and so we must strengthen our souls with the beauty that is already here. I've found that these seemingly motionless times of solitude is where our greatest work is done. It causes us to press into something that we never imagined before. It's during these times when we find ourselves walking on water and doing the unimaginable...but it requires the awkwardness of those first few steps of faith.

If you're experiencing a time of transition, great change or loneliness, just know that something greater is right around the corner. Maybe your world has been totally turned upside down and you can't see anything but destruction. Grieve and mourn, but warm yourself by the fires of hope.  This warmth allows an open door for miracles to move.  It may seem impossible, but just know that something beautiful can rise from those ashes if you let it...

"To those who have sorrow in Zion I will give them a crown of beauty instead of ashes. I will give them the oil of joy instead of sorrow, and a spirit of praise instead of a spirit of no hope. Then they will be called oaks that are right with God, planted by the Lord, that He may be honored." Isaiah 61:3

With Gratitude,

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Prep Ahead with Easy Summer Salads

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I don't know about you, but summers around here are a bit slower than the rest of the year. Warm days filled with gardening, bike rides and picnics allow us to relax and seek a different pace. Even in this extra relaxed state of being, for some reason I find myself wanting to stay out of the kitchen. I love to cook, create and blend new concoctions, but during the warmer season I hibernate...go figure! It's all about the grab and go options for this gal.

{Source: Southern Living}

An idea I love is prepping ahead by creating different meals in mason jars...preferably salads. We've been eating and drinking out of mason jars for YEARS and it's quite funny how this "new idea" has caught on. But don't all good ideas come around again...just look at fashion. Give it about 20 years and the style will come back with an added twist (;

{Source: Country Living}

First, we love glass for food storage. You don't have to worry about the toxins, it keeps the food fresh and mason jars are spill proof. Who knew putting salads in them would catch on and become hot!! They store easily in the fridge and many of these jar combos can be made ahead for those days when there isn't a lot time to hang out in the kitchen.

{Source: Fat Girl Trapped in a Skinny Body}

The key to easy grab and go salads is keeping the dressing on the bottom. I usually like a vinaigrette style dressing and make sure to place hearty veggies in the bottom...ones that will marinate when in contact with the dressing. Things like onions, carrots, tomatoes, peppers, corn, olives, cucumbers, etc. More fragile veggies like lettuces and herbs go on top to prevent wilting.

{Source: The Decorated Cookie}

Once you're ready to eat, either shake to get things mixed and eat right out of the jar or simply dump everything out in a bowl. Make different variations and keep several in the fridge so you can grab and go! Simplicity at its best. If you're new to eating in mason jars, Rich Mackey has a great step-by-step approach to get you started.

{Source: Rich Mackey}

Do you use mason jars? What are your favorite grab and go jar meals?

With Gratitude,

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How to Get Rid of Pests Naturally with Mint Tea

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Bugs. Yuck. I'm a girl when it comes to pesky critters that are arthropodic in nature. I love the outdoors and don't mind getting my hands dirty, but I LOVE to come inside where it's critter free (; Don't get me wrong...I'm not one of those squealers who gets woozy at the sight of bugs, I just do an icky dance for a second and then take care of business.

Our previous apartment had roaches twice a year, only during the times when our complex would put down new mulch in the beddings. These weren't the little creepy, scurrying kind you see on those bug extermination commercials...these were the big kahunas resembling something created by the Syfy channel. Well...maybe not THAT bad, but they were big!

Only one roach would infiltrate our compound each fall and spring season, but one was enough for me! Other than those two times, we would be bug free for the rest of the year. The good thing is that we knew when and where to expect them. Our deck was on the first floor and surrounded by mulch...no doubt why we had a visitor twice a year. Each time we saw the gardening crew putting down new mulch, we knew to be on the lookout. I was tired of lying in wait and decided to take a proactive approach.

After studying aromatherapy for several years, I knew that mint essential oil could be used as a roach deterrent and that it's a primary ingredient in several non-toxic roach sprays. The roaches avoid it and when coated with it, they suffocate. I also knew that ants stay away from the stuff too which is why we never had ants in our pantry (we always had a large paper bag filled with dried mint that we used in recipes, to make teas and bath soaks).

I didn't have any mint essential oil, but decided to get creative with the dried mint on hand.

Here are the steps I took...

1. I filled several cotton muslin bags with the dried mint - using one bag to make a strong mint tea and setting the others aside.

2. A tea was brewed by steeping one of the stuffed muslin bags for 30 minutes.

3. After the tea was made, it was cooled and then poured into a spray bottle full strength.

4. Dry mint leaves were generously sprinkled all over the cement deck floor and the mint tea spray was used to liberally coat the door frame (I even sprayed the outside of the door for good measure).

5. Once that was done, the remaining muslin bags were placed along the threshold for added mint fragrance inside the home. Curtains covered this area, so it wasn't noticeable at all.

I thought this might work, but wasn't totally convinced.  And wouldn't you know it...we never had roaches again! Yes!!! So, if you're having roach or ant issues, turn to a natural option instead of a chemical one. The solution could be as close as brewing a cup of tea (;

Do you have any natural solutions for controlling pests that have worked for you?

{This post shared at The Chicken Chick}

With Gratitude,

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Summer is Hot - Bring the Picnic Indoors

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I love a good picnic. It's the kind of meal that's relaxed, fun and intimate.  They can be simple, frugal and thrifty, or elaborate, elegant and flamboyant.  The options are endless!  With the heat being so brutal this summer, picnicking outdoors has been a bit of a downer. Instead of forgoing the fun, why not bring the picnic indoors!

My mother always threw indoor picnic parties for us. Sometimes we'd have our own individual baskets, other times we'd have one large basket filled with a stash of yummy surprises and then there were the times when we'd pack our own brown paper sacks with items beginning only with the letter "S" (sandwiches, sticks of carrots and celery, sliced pickles, etc).

We would spread out blankets and pillows and chat the afternoon away. When done, naps quickly ensued as we stared up at the ceiling envisioning bright blue skies filled with fluffy white clouds. No matter what the weather was like outside, we could enjoy the summer tradition of picnics.

Tips for Having an Indoor Picnic

• Fill unconventional packaging with lunchable goodies (ex: mason jars or chinese take out boxes)
• Wrap each item with love, even attaching a tag or note of gratitude (what I love about you, I'm thankful for _____ about you, etc)
• Think about making individual baskets for each person including drinks, utensils, napkins, wet wipes for tidying, etc
• If the picnic is for children, allow the kiddos to pack their own lunches and hunt for items that begin with a specific letter
• Think out of season - if it's a winter picnic, prepare goodies normally eaten during the summer

Bringing the picnics indoors means they aren't just for the summer months anymore.  We still have indoor picnics to this day. One Valentine's Day it was too cold to celebrate outdoors, so we had a snowy picnic by the lake in the car.

Get creative and establish out of the box traditions that your loved ones will cherish for a lifetime. Doing something unconventional will make memories that last.  It's the perfect time to have some indoor fun right before the school season starts! Do you have indoor picnics? If so, what are some of your indoor picnic ideas?

With Gratitude,

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Healthy Oven Fried Okra

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Along with french fries, fried okra is a favorite side dish at our homestead. If you've never fried okra in coconut oil, then you're missing something fabulous!! Frying in coconut oil is a great way to have that fried treat, but in a healthy way. Well, one day that okra craving hit and we were out of coconut oil. What to do? Not long ago we learned that baked fries can be awesome and we wondered if there might be a way to get the same great results with baked okra.

After a little online searching, sure enough there is! Here are the steps that have worked the best for us...

Ingredients:

• 16 oz. bag of frozen okra
• 2-4 tablespoons of corn meal
• 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste (we also like a tad of cayenne pepper for a kick)

1. Add one 16 oz. bag of frozen okra to a ziploc bag with few pinches of salt

Let the bag sit for about 10-30 minutes (If you don't have the time to wait, I've let the bag sit for a minimum of 10 minutes with good results). This gives the salt time to extract the juices from the okra.

2. Add 2-4 tablespoons of corn meal, 1-2 tablespoons olive oil and spices of your choosing
Add the olive oil first, then the corn meal with the spices on top. Zip it closed and "flip" the bag over again and again until the okra if fully coated. If you see that the okra isn't coated enough to your liking, then add more cornmeal.

We use 4 tablespoons, but it really just depends on your coating preference. (We also used self-rising corn meal because that's what we had in the pantry. Since salt is already in the self-rising corn meal, we didn't add more during the spice stage. If you're using plain corn meal, then you'll want to add salt to taste).

TIP: Different recipes suggested using oil spray to coat the okra before baking to help create that crispy crust. We don't use canned sprays, but found that adding olive oil in the bag with the cornmeal and spices did the trick!

3. Let the coated okra rest for 10-30 minutes
I usually let it rest for 20 minutes, but have also had great success with a 10 minute set. You just want to give enough time for the juices in the okra and the coating to meld so the coating won't fall off. We used to dip okra in eggs or soaked flaxseed meal before dipping the okra into the corn meal. This new "bag method" saves so much time and you're using less items to make the same great treat!!

4. Pour Okra onto a Baking Sheet
You can grease the sheet if you like, but we never have and the okra comes right off. (Much like our oven baked fries, sometimes the okra may need a little coaxing, but then they pop right up.)

5. Bake at 400° for 30 minutes
After 30 minutes you'll have the most delicious baked okra! It's not as crunchy as okra fried in coconut oil, but it's darn close. We haven't gone back to frying yet!

The summer isn't quite the same without having at least one meal of tomato sandwiches, corn on the cob, fried okra and watermelon. There are those moments when the okra and french fry cravings hit at the same time, so we've been known to bake a pan filled with half fries and half okra! Each recipe calls for the same baking time and temperature so it makes the perfect batch on those days when you just can't decide (; Enjoy!

With Gratitude,

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