I Saw the Signs

 

 

Amazing Vegan Loaf!

I have 3 daughters that are vegan and one vegetarian (that's about half my tribe) and finding great recipes is always exciting to me (us). 

I stumbled across Vegan Dad's blog the other day and found this recipe for Vegan Loaf, well he calls it Veggie Lunch Meat.  No matter how you slice it, it's good. 

It's a great alternative to putting out the money for the expensive vegan patties and tofurkeys, and in the form of this loaf, there are so many different ways my daughter can incorporate it into her meals. 

I followed his recipe with two small differences, I didn't have any ground fennel so I went without that, and instead of garlic powder I added chopped fresh garlic.  And we don't have a regular steamer, so I set it on a metal rack inside my dutch oven and steamed it in there for about an hour.  You can find the recipe here.

Again, we are very happy with the results.  I will definitely be using this recipe again.  Thanks again Vegan Dad!!  You Rock!

Meatball Dinner

Meatballs, gravy, carrots and broccoli, and bread and butter.  This was dinner tonight.

It seemed like I spent a lot of time in the kitchen today, cooking, cleaning, doing something...piddling around.  So, when I got that food on the plate it made me happy to think that it was the last meal of the day and I sighed a little sigh, thinking I was glad to get it done.  (I currently have beans cooking on the stove for tomorrow - so, I'm not completely done in the kitchen)

I don't know what it is but it there is always something going on in our kitchen.  Whether it's cooking, cleaning, preparing, baking, making food for the dogs, whatever, there is a constant flow of activity in there and it just never quite gets completely cleaned up and put away. 

I found this button awhile ago and I absolutely love it.  It really could be me on that button, although, I must admit I don't look that put together when I go to bed.  :)

It says, "I dreamed my whole house was clean..."

...and what a beautiful dream that was.  :)

Strange How My Brain Works

     I have been sitting up reading and doing some writing.  Everyone else has gone to bed and it just dawned on me that, somewhere in the back of my mind, I have been waiting for my 18yr. old daughter to call me to tell me she's on her way home or ask me to pick her up - and that's not going to happen.  It's strange how I know she's moved but part of me is still thinking that she's here.  We are such creatures of habit.  I wish I had more good habits programmed into me than I do.  Ah, well....  :)

Love, Love, Love

---

"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." ~John 15:13

Loving Wishes To All

     Early this morning, my 18yr. old daughter hopped on a plane and headed southwest where she'll be living, (for who knows how long) at least for the time being.  So, that makes 3 daughters now living out of state.  I miss them immensely.  But, I'm thankful that they are all happy and healthy and they have always been beautiful blessings to me. 

      I don't know if it's just my imagination, but candy hearts don't seem to be what they used to...I couldn't find one "Be Mine" or an "XOXO" or even just a plain old "Love" in the whole bag.  Call me old fashioned, but it seemed kinda strange to see "LOL" and "eMail Me" stamped on those little colored hearts.  And seriously, "Hey You" ?  We don't say "Hey, you!" to each other, seems a little rude.  :)

      I crocheted a few little red hearts for the kids.  I found a pattern at julie-k's blog.  Mine look basically the same as hers, but for some reason when I followed her pattern they came out almost round, so I changed it just a wee bit to make it more heart shaped.  I added a couple double crochets and an extra chain stitch.  They worked up so quick and easy and were fun to make.  :)  I am really enjoying crocheting.

Early Valentine

   One of my daughters is moving out of state soon and so she gave me an early Valentine that she made for me.  It was so sweet and so beautiful. 

The lighting in this photo doesn't do it justice. 

    I remember my Dad always saying when I was young that anything I made for him was so much better than anything I could buy for him.  And this always made me feel better because I never had any money to buy him anything anyway.  But, there was always part of me that thought he would just say this to make me feel better.  

    One year, when I was in grammar school, I hand sewed him a tie.  I had absolutely no idea what I was doing.  He always wore clip-on ties and I thought that was because he didn't have the money to buy a "real" tie.  I can't even remember where I got the material from, I just remember that it was blue.  I'm sure I recycled some other piece of clothing that I found that was no longer in use.  Since I didn't have another tie to copy or even look at for reference, I just dove in and cut it up and started sewing, making it look like what I thought a tie should look like.  Ha!  He "ooh'd" and "ahh'd" over it and went on about how great it was and then put it on and tied it around his collar and wore it the rest of the day.  At night, he didn't untie it but just loosened it and then hung it over a hanger in his closet.  I'm not even sure that he ever wore it out anywhere, but just seeing that big loop hanging on his hanger and  thinking about how excited he seemed when he unwrapped it, made me feel so good.  (I'm smiling now and still feeling good)

     Well, now that I'm an adult and a mother, I totally understand and completely agree with my father's sentiment.  As far as I'm concerned, there is nothing in the stores that can compare with something that one of my children have taken the time to make me with their own hearts and hands. (and apparently, it will continue to bring them some joy, as well.)

    I love my kids, they are so wonderful and such a blessing to me every day.  :)

Crocheted Soap Saver

Again, I followed one of traceyishh's tutorials posted on her YouTube channel.  It was for a Spa Loofah Soap Saver.  It was very easy to follow and it worked up pretty quickly.  I'm pretty much a new crocheter and I consider myself on the slow side, so I can only imagine how quick and easy this would be for someone who is experienced.

Making some as gifts for my daughters and sending them with a few bars of natural organic soap.

  I was happy with how it turned out, and I just love this Moss Stitch.  I've already started a washcloth using this same stitch and I'm really excited about how it's turning out.