Catching Up

WORDS TO LIVE BY

The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forever more.

Psalm 121:8

TODAY'S QUOTE

People see God every day, they just don't recognize Him. ~ Pearl Bailey

YARD AND GARDEN

The last week or so has been crazy busy and this is part of the reason why. I canned 49 quarts of green beans last week. The kids helped pick and clean and put them in jars.

We also pulled and cleaned another bucket of turnips and stored them in the basement. 

And today Austin and I cut three buckets full of kale before I started getting sick from the heat and had to go in. I got one bucket of it washed and blanched and put in the freezer and plan to do the other two buckets full tomorow.

WORKING, LEARNING, AND PLAYING TOGETHER

OUT AND ABOUT

We've been out and about quite a bit this past week. Doug worked several evenings on moving some things for my dad and one of those evenings the whole family helped. 

Friday evening we had a birthday party for my cousin and then went up on the mountain. 

Saturday we went to the Antique Mall and then took the kids for ice cream. 

Sunday after church and a late lunch we went to McCormick's Farm for the afternoon/evening. It was so beautiful and peaceful there and the kids loved playing.

DAILY DEALS

This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a small compensation if you make a purchase using these links.

WHY I WRITE THE WALNUT ACRE CHRONICLES

LINKING HERE

TUESDAY - Titus 2 Tuesday WEDNESDAY - Wake Up Wednesday, Homemaking Linkup THURSDAY - From House to Home

An Evening in the Mountains, Green Beans and Kittens

WORDS TO LIVE BY

Be still and rest in the Lord.
Wait for Him and patiently lean yourself upon Him. 
Psalm 37:7 

TODAY'S QUOTE

Fear has a large shadow, but he himself is small. ~ Ruth Gendler

ANIMAL UPDATES

All six kittens are now living together in the woodpile and both mamma cats take care of them all. The kittens are getting playful now and the kids love playing with them. Five of the kittens have ribbons because they look almost identical and Amanda wanted to be able to tell them apart. She keeps check on them to make sure they aren't getting too tight as they grow.

YARD AND GARDEN

I picked a four gallon bucket full of green beans today and that is only a small part of what's in the garden. I cleaned and snapped them this evening and will process them tomorrow as well as pick more. 

This tree in our back yard is LOADED with little apples this year. Last year there were hardly any. 

OUT AND ABOUT

Yesterday after church, lunch, and naps for the little ones, we went up on the mountain with my sister and her kids and my cousin. Doug and Austin grilled hotdogs and we also had chips, several kinds of fruit, cookies and drinks. It was such a fun evening. 

This evening in the mountains was such a refreshing way to end the weekend and head into a new week.

READING AROUND THE WEB

She Put On a Lot of Weight at Running Through Shades of Blue

DAILY DEALS

This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a small compensation if you make a purchase using these links.

WHY I WRITE THE WALNUT ACRE CHRONICLES

LINKING HERE
TUESDAY - Titus 2 Tuesday WEDNESDAY - Wake Up Wednesday, Homemaking Linkup THURSDAY - From House to Home

Blueberry Banana Bread and More - The Walnut Acre Daily Monday August 5, 2013

WORDS TO LIVE BY

You are righteous, Lord,
    and your laws are right.

 The statutes you have laid down are righteous;
    they are fully trustworthy.

Psalm 119:137-138

WORKING, LEARNING AND PLAYING TOGETHER

The next few picture collages are from yesterday but I didn't get a post done yesterday so I thought I'd share them today. We decided to go up to the Humpback Picnic Grounds after church yesterday after church. CJ was at his parent's and Amanda didn't want to go so it was just Doug, Austin, Michael and me. We walked to one of the overlooks and then the boys wanted to go climb around on the rocks and explore a little. Austin, who always has an eye open for wildlife spotted a chipmunk, a lizard, a snake and a millipede. I thought Michael would be a little more cautious since he is usually a little afraid of heights but he was pretty adventurous and kept us a little nervous. 

We are on vacation (stay-cation) this week so Doug was home all day and got to work on one of his projects. He's putting a winch on the trailer and had lot's of help and supervision. 

Michael found a woodworking kit that he asked Doug to help him put together. It's some time of little wooden game. I winced when I saw how close Doug's fingers were to that hammer but I think he got by without getting his fingers hit. 

IN THE KITCHEN

I had some bananas that were getting overripe so I decided to make some Banana Blueberry Bread. I made two loaves this afternoon and the last I checked there was half of one loaf left. So I guess my family liked it. 

Blueberry Banana Bread

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup white sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 ripe bananas, mashed

1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

Mix white flour, whole wheat flour, salt and baking soda together in a bowl. Grease 2 loaf pans.

Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add 1 egg and allow to blend into the butter mixture before adding second egg and vanilla extract. Beat mashed bananas into the mixture. Add flour mixture in small amounts while beating until just combined into a thick batter. Fold blueberries into the batter; pour into prepared pans. 

Bake in preheated over for 30-35 minutes, until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes before removing onto wire rack to cool completely. 

Hmmm, I think I know where some of that bread went!

 FEATHERED FRIENDS

Our chickens keep managing to get out of their coop and fence so today we just let them free range. These were some happy chickens. I think we'll let them do this more often. They go right back to the coop when it starts to get dark. 

READING AROUND THE WEB

Whole Wheat Blueberry Pancakes at Big Doll's Boomtown

Doing What I Was Made To Do at Hope in Every Season

Free Back to School Printables at Some of the Best Things in Life are Mistakes

What to Do When Life Changes at Delora

Stop Playing It Safe at Recipes for a Joy-filled Life

Baked Dorito Fingers at Mommy Envy

Squeezing Your Budget at Brown Thumb Mama

TODAY'S QUOTE

Kindness, like a boomerang, always returns. ~ Author Unknown

~ Linking Here ~
Mums Make Lists
Monday - I Made It, More the Merrier Monday, The Better Mom,  Make It Pretty Monday,  Living Proverbs 31, Market Yourself Monday, Tuesday - Domestically Divine, Titus 2sday, One Project at a Time,  Tweak It Tuesday, Heart + Home Link Up, Tuesday's Treasures Wednesday - Cast Party Wednesday, Adorned From Above,  Walking Redeemed,  Wow Us Wednesday, Made By Me, Living Well Wednesday, A Little R and R, Whole Hearted Home, Homemaking Link-Up Thursday - Creative Thursday,  The Homeacre Hop, Weekly Homemaking Party, Home and Garden Thursday, It's a Party Friday - From the Farm Blog Hop,