Holy Strawboly!

Yes, that handsome man of mine helps in the garden every once in awhile.  Thanks Jimmy!

Holy cow!! I have had strawberries coming out of my ears for the past few weeks.  My garden is such a miracle!  Every time I'm out there I am amazed at what has grown.  It seems crazy to me that these little dried seeds actually grow into something we can eat, and that I actually did it.  Truth be told I don't really have a green thumb.  My thumb is just short and stubby and really couldn't grow anything if my life depended on it.  I do believe that a little prayer for the desires of my heart can do great things for my garden.  It's true, and I'm not trying to get preachy or anything, but dang you've got to try the "prayer road"  for great gardens.

Last year I had a record breaking cherry tomato that I prayed over everyday.  I also stroked it and talked sweet little words of love to it and boy did it produce.  That tomato was at least 10 ft. in diameter.  We were eating cherry tomatoes way into Oct.  This year I've prayed for my garden every night and boy has it done well.  My mom taught me when I was 8 or so how much prayer helps when you need something.  I had lost a favorite something and she encouraged me to pray for help.  I trusted everything she said and did exactly as she asked.  I found the treasure moments later in a spot I had already looked in.  I knew then and there that my prayer was answered.  Pray for your garden if you need a little extra help.  Trees do really well too if they are prayed over.  James thought I was a little strange at first when I'd pray for my garden, but I think he's a believer now.

The strawberry patch is producing tons and tons of berries.  I've probably picked about 12 ice cream buckets full of berries.  My patch is only 15 ft. by 10 ft.  It is wonderful.  I've made jam, and pies, and my favorite.........strawberries and cream.  We'll be having smoothies from now until next July.  I've got one more picking and I think I'm going to make Strawberry Rhubarb pie.  Lot's of them and then freeze them.  Just as the strawberries are finishing the raspberries are starting.  What a treat a garden is.  Blackberries will be next and then some beans, corn, tomatoes...................I love this time of year.  So pray for your garden.  It compensates for any lack of green thumbness you may have.  Trust me on this one!! I'm starting to learn prayer can do great things for 15 year olds too!!

My Comfort Food

This is the meal that I associate with home.  My mom made tons of good food.  Every night to be exact.  She is a good mother.  The house was always spotless, and the food was plentiful, and delicious.  I'm going to grow up to be like her one day.  I just keep wondering when that day will come.  I'm sure many of you have had this meal.  At our home it was called Scooble Scauble.  Doesn't that just sound delish!  I'm not sure those two words conjure up happy thoughts for a few of my brothers, but for me baby, that meal was my favorite.  My mom would usually make homemade wheat bread that day as well and we'd have a dinner full of tomato-y macaroni goodness with hearty slices of hot bread dripping with butter and honey.  I loved it!!  My kids love it now too.  You know me, I try all sorts of new things, and I actually don't cook a whole lot of things I grew up with as a kid.  I've noticed my cooking style has changed a lot the last 10 or so years.  Instead of tacos once a week, we have Carne Asada or fish tacos.  Not a huge change, but different.  One thing that hasn't changed over the last 37 years (or is it 29?) is Scooble Scauble.  It's a staple.

A few years ago James and I went through the hardest struggle in our married life.  We bought our partner out of the bakery, bought a really expensive building, remodeled it, and moved our bakery 100 ft. West into the new bakery.  We had visions and images of what this new place would do for our bakery.  We were going to expand and have sales increase 10-20 percent, and add a line of sandwiches.  Oh our vision was so Pollyanna-ish.  It would be so simple.  Little did we know what we were getting in to.     Funny thing too, was that all 3 members of our Stake Presidency started dropping by to see how things were going at the bakery.  A lot.  Like, at least one of them a day.  They were praying for us I'm sure.  Actually they later told us that they were praying for us.  Praying if James was really supposed to be the new bishop of the Paradise 1st Ward.  They had a few concerns.  I don't blame them:)  We must have looked like we were in a little over our heads.  We were, but at least we didn't know it:)

One day I came home late and completely exhausted.  I had a wonderful visiting teacher who showed up at the door with an ice cream bucket full of Scooble Scauble.  Her family called it Cowboy Delight, but I didn't care what it was called.  It was Manna from heaven.  I have never received a meal more meaningful to me than that simple ice cream bucket full of goodness.  Kris Howell, bless her heart, didn't have a clue what was going on in our lives at the moment, but she thought I could use a dinner that night.  I will love her forever.  Not just for the dinner, but for listening to a prompting.  I love her stinking guts!!   Actually there were a lot of people who listened to prompting that week.  Old friends just showed up, brothers took days off of work to paint and frame windows out, mom's and dad's stopped by out of the blue, and even the Logan High Seminary teachers stopped by for cookies at just the right moment.  Little did they know they were going to help dismantle an oven the size of a kids bedroom.  We were blessed that's all there is to it.

So I guess the moral of this story is to listen to that little voice.  I hear it all the time.  Daily!   I don't act on it enough though.  I'm going to do better.  Just think what the world would be like if we all acted on those little thoughts and impressions.  Thanks to all those I love who have listened.  I will love you forever and ever.

Scooble Scauble

1 lb. hamburger fried with an onion and drained or rinsed

1 lb. of elbow macaroni cooked

2 qts. tomatoes blended up

1 can corn or green beans

5-6 beef bouillon cubes

a little sugar

Tabasco

In a big pot add the cooked hamburger, cooked noodles and everything else.  Bring to a boil and serve with hot bread.  Simple, but pure deliciousness. 

What A Little Prayer Can Do

Standing at attention.

Last May my sister and I were having a conversation about gardening.  Gardening tomatoes in particular.  We were discussing how to grow the best tomatoes, and the many different secrets we've heard from gardeners over the years.  I have to admit, my neck of the woods has not achieved very good tomato results over the years.  Late frosts in June, and early frosts in Sept. aren't the best conditions for tomatoes.  I was determined this year to get a good crop of those round red beauties, and I would do whatever it took.

H, suggested that talking to, and stroking my tomato plants might do something.  I knew if I prayed hard enough for them that might work too.  We laughed about it, but I decided it was well worth a try.  I also decided to plant a few plants around the house in my flower beds.  That should give them just a little edge on the frost I thought.  Everyday there was one tomato plant that I especially stroked and loved.  It was a cute little cherry tomato right by my front door and as I walked in and out I could run my hands on it and talk a little baby loving talk to it.  J, caught me doing this a time or two, but he only smiled.  He didn't tease or taunt me, he just smiled.  Deep down inside I think he knew that all anything needs is a little sweet talking and caressing.  (He will do anything for me when I caress and sweet talk him.  Why wouldn't the tomatoes! :) 

Well it worked.   I have had the best crop of tomatoes ever.  My little cherry tomato plant that I stroked and loved, grew to be about 10 ft in diameter.  It was amazing.  Little yellow cherry tomatoes everywhere.  I loved having them there.  It was always fun to see who would stop to eat a handful.  One of our employees wives stopped one night and parked her little behind right next to the tomatoes and ate every ripe one there was.  I loved it!  It's kind of like someone stuffing an extra treat in a napkin and taking it home.  If they feel comfortable enough to eat your cherry tomatoes then they are friends indeed.   Even our stake president stopped by the other night and absently grabbed a handful while he and J were talking.  That's the best.

Even with an early frost two weeks ago, I have more tomatoes than ever before.   I have learned a good lesson this summer.  All we need in our lives is a little love, care, talking to, and prayer and the lord will bless us..........and our tomatoes:)  I know I'm going to enjoy the bounty of this last summer for months to come.  Thanks to a good momma who taught me how to bottle and preserve, and thanks to the lord for a fabulous crop this year!