The West Ladies.

This mother and three daughters are known as "The West Ladies". Years ago they moved to Tennessee and chose to live off the grid (no electricity). Their neighbors taught them, plus they have learned many of the old basic ways of life and homemaking. They share these skills in their DVDs on Bread Making, Candle Making, Soap Making, Gardening, Canning, Herbs, Dairy Delights, Sewing and Quilting. As I watch the DVDs, I get the feeling they are old friends and would love to go back and visit with them.
A West Ladies recipe I found online is -
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Poor Man's "Zucchini" Crab Cakes

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1 1/2 C. shredded zucchini, patted dry.

1 C. bread crumbs

2 Tbsp. grated onion

2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

1 Tbsp. mayonnaise

1 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning

2 eggs slightly beaten

oil for frying

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Combine all ingredients. Heat oil for frying and drop by rounded spoonful into oil and fry until crisp brown on both sides.

Serve with Tartar Sauce.

A Bright Friendly Gift.

My good friend and neighbor Gwen brought this beautiful, brighten your day arrangement as a celebration for Pioneer Day and thanked me for being her good friend and neighbor. All three kinds of flowers came from her yard. When the weather cools a little she is going to give me a start of each one. Then I can brighten someone elses day with a beautiful, bright, friendly bouquet.

Honor the Farmers.

A few verses of a song in

the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers songbook.

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The Man Behind the Plow.

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'Tis very nice to go to school to learn to read and write,

'Tis nicer still to dress up fine, and sport around at night,

Your music, painting, poetry may all be hard to beat.

But tell me what you're going to do for something good to eat.

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I like your great inventions, and I'm glad you're gettin smart,

I like to hear your music for it kind a stirs my heart.

But 'twill never touch the stomach of a real hungry man.

And so I call attention to a kind a thing I can.

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But if you pay attention. I have just a word to say,

About a great mistake you make and do it every day.

In dealing out your praises, and I want to tell you now

The greatest of the great men is the man behind the plow.

"Mount Up with Wings as Eagles."

A favorite scripture, that we (Julie's family)

read and talked about last night

before family prayer.

But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength;

they shall mount up with wings as eagles;

they shall run, and not be weary;

and they shall walk, and not faint.

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Isaiah 40:31

The Pee Little Thrigs - Spoonerisms

Once upon a time there were pee little thrigs.

Each pittle lig wanted to hild a bouse.

The pirst little fig made a strouse of haw.

The pecond little sig made a stouse of hicks.


The pird little thig made a brouse of hicks.
~ ~ ~
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This Summer I am working with the same materials.


Straw to mulch the garden to
keep moisture in and weeds out.



Hauling sticks and branches away.

Determined to move the bricks

and

clean up the yard.

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Believe me, this work is no "Fairy Tale".

Nope,

"not by the chair of my hinny hin hin"!

Sweet Picture.

This picture is on the cover of "The Friend" magazine.

Special Friends.

We enjoyed a three hour meal Tuesday night at Outback Steakhouse with special friends Bonnie and Gary from Nebraska. We caught up on each others life happenings during the years and laughed. Oh, how we laughed. We really need to see them more often.

Gardening.

Gardening is a yearly learning experience.

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I have spent many hours in the yard and garden this summer and am thoroughly enjoying it. I wasn't going to plant a garden , because I didn't fertilize the ground in the Fall or Spring. Plus, the Spring was rainy, long, cold and excellent for growing healthy, strong weeds. After roto-tilling twice, some parts three times, I knew I would be fighting weeds all the growing season, but as I heard everyone talking about their gardens and after visiting a nursery, I caught garden fever and set out some of my old grow boxes which are easier to control and work with. I fertilized with Nutra-mulch ( turkey manure) and started planting squash, cucumbers, tomatoes, and peppers. I've mulched with straw to keep the plants from drying out and having to water so often. I added Azomite around the plants, which is volcanic rock powder. It adds minerals (no chemicals) and is suppose to be very beneficial to garden plants and fruit trees. More grow boxes are being put together. It would be interesting and again a learning experience to plant a Fall garden.

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The biggest part of the garden is having a rest this year covered in black plastic, which will kill those ever striving to survive noxious weeds.

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The plants are beautiful and starting to produce. Now I check every morning for bugs. I've covered the peppers and tomatoes. Bambi started munching on them.

Zucchini -I've enjoyed 3 already.

Crookneck squash - 2 growing and 6 blossoms.

It is a blessing to work with the land and become more self sufficient.

Our Founding Fathers Sought Help from God in the Dark Hours of the Struggle for this Nation's Liberty.

Prayer at Valley Forge

by Arnold Friberg

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If my people, which are called by my name,

shall humble themselves, and pray,

and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways;

then will I hear from heaven,

and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

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2 Chronicles 7:14