Zuchinni Chocolate Cake

We had such great plans for using zuchinni this year - planted twelve hills, but have not found one on our lush vines. The vine borer has now attacked several, so don't think this will be our year. However, for those who have many zuchinni, this is one of the best chocolate cakes I have had.

Zuchinni Chocolate Cake

Beat together 1/2 cup butter or margarine, 2 eggs, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, and 1-3/4 cups sugar.

Add: 1 tsp vanilla, 1/2 cup sour milk, and 2 cups finely diced or grated zuchinni

Beat in dry ingredients: 2-1/2 cups sifted flour, 4 Tbsp dry cocoa, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp cloves, and 1/2 tsp cinnamon.

Spoon into a greased and floured 9 x 13 pan. Sprinkle 1/2 cup chocolate chips on top. Bake at 325 degrees until firm in the middle. Can be frosted, if desired, but good without frosting. It is very moist and tasty.

My Purpose

Why was I created? Why did God put me on this earth in this time? A message by John Piper answers this question with Romans 8:29 - to conform, transform, change me into the likeness of his Son, Jesus Christ. He wants me to think the way He thinks, see the way He sees, feel the way He feels, and respond to others the way He would respond. Where does it start? With Romans 12:1-2 - with the renewing of my mind by the power of the Holy Spirit. The renewing of my mind results in a new me, a holier me. One way to be transformed is to focus on the glory of God (2 Corinthians 3:18). I can find His glory in the Scriptures. Another is to pray for it (Luke 11:13). I can pray the prayers of Philipians 1:9-10 and Colossians 1:9 for myself and others.

He ends the study with a very good thought: "You are what you behold!" I need to think about what I behold - is it the futility of the world, or the abundant life offered in Jesus? For more John Piper's Bible studies, see desiringgod.com.

How Time Flies

Another week has flown by, and it was a busy one. Tuesday's storm left us without electricity for several hours. The neighbor's tree fell across the alley pulling down the electric line, which in turn snapped the highline pole at the end of the alley. It awoke me at 4:00, but I could not see what had happened until it began to get light. I had to leave that morning before power was back on to be with my sister who was undergoing chemo. I had to drive about a block through water over the road on Hiway 400 east of Parsons.

Wednesday, I joined a local bus tour to K.C. to the New Dinner Theater to see "Sound of Music" (the play is 50 years old this year). It was an awesome production.

I am working on my grandkid's bedroom. I visited "Wally World" in a nearby town where they still have fabric. I was able to get fabric for curtains for $26 to cover five big windows. I love a bargain! My problem now is finding the time to make them. I will post some photos when I get them finished and hung.

I have also created a pattern for an apron that my mother and grandmothers wore. I used to make them for my mother. I have looked for a pattern on the internet, but can find none like them. I will share a photo of the finished product when I get it sewn together.

I guess I had better quit "ramblin" and get to work!

Deer and Tomatoes

We have little tomatoes setting on our plants again. I browsed the internet for a solution to the problem of the deer feasting on the green tomatoes. One solution is the use of human hair. Since my beautician grew up with my daughter (they were like sisters), she agreed to save hair for us. Yesterday, we tied human hair in little pantyhose bags around the garden, then scattered the remainder in the area where we believe they enter. We will let you know how it worked in a few weeks.

Our other problem is that we have beautiful squash plants, but no squash. I talked to another gardener this week and they have the same problem. We will see if this cooler spell of weather helps them set on. So far we have reaped one cucumber and about 10 green beans from our nice big garden. Not much for all the work we put into it.

Best Laid Plans...

One of my hobbies is following other blogs. I find such interesting ideas that I would like to try ... someday. So there are several projects that I hope to try this winter. I thought I would share them on my blog. A couple of these were from Tipnut.com.

The first is etched glass storage jars - instructions can be found at http://www.marthastewart.com/goodthings/etched-glass-storage-jars. I already have some etching cream that I purchased several years ago for another project (?) which I cannot now recall. Just need to get some glass jars on which to practice.

Another was a good recycling use for tin cans. I think these would be great at Halloween: http://www.finegardening.com/how-to/articles/garden-lanterns.aspx Maybe I can interest some others and we could have a craft day.

The last one is from the This Old House website. I have a staircase that very few ever see. However, my daughter's staircase is visible from her front foyer. I think this would really dress it up. http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/article/0,,20281590,00.html?xid=hinewsletter-070709-paint-stair-runner. Is that not an awesome stair-runner?


If and when I get around to these, I promise some photos of my results.

Don't Waste Your Cancer

After my earlier post regarding the cancer that has afflicted my sister, a friend shared an article by one of my favorite pastors, John Piper. He shares in his posting on DesiringGod.org, his thoughts as he prepared for surgery the next day for his cancer. He seeks to not waste this experience in his journey to grow in his knowledge of who God is. I find it very comforting and shared it with my sister. She also found it to be helpful. My prayer is that God will use this in the lives of others who need hope in the midst of of their dark times. http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/TasteAndSee/ByDate/2006/1776_Dont_Waste_Your_Cancer/

I Love to Cook

I love to cook. I came across a blog, Southern Plate.com. She shares some great recipes. The latest one that I hope to try is called Chocolate Sundae Cake. It makes my mouth water just to look at the photo. Take a look and see what you think? http://www.southernplate.com/2009/06/chocolate-sundae-cakesinfully-good-sinfully-easy.html

God is Good!

While driving home from being with my sister today, I was considering the issue of our "good" God. The results of her latest PET scan for cancer was much improved, so it is easy to write "God is good". However, three months ago, when the PET scan showed cancer matastisized throughout her body, God was still "good". We cannot decide his attributes by how the tests come back, because his attributes never change. Only our circumstances change. And most often those change because of the curse that the "god of this world" (Satan) has put upon this earth. John tells us he came to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10a), and until Christ returns to establish his kingdom, Satan will continue his mission of afflicting believers and non-believers.
We do not know the cause of cancer. We do know the terror it brings to those afflicted. Overcoming that fear and terror requires knowing a God who is good, and to whom we can hand the whole burden. We ask for His help, His comfort, His healing, and as we yield ourselves, our disease, and our loved ones, we experience His peace and His goodness (John 10:10b).
All praise goes to God for his great goodness and his faithfulness.

Gardening

My daughter and I decided to try our hand at a small garden this year. Since she has a large area, we placed it there. I go visit several times a week to hoe, check for bugs, etc. We have beautiful big tomato plants, but hardly any tomatoes. We did have four fairly large ones that we were watching with great anticipation. Since we had a nice gentle rain over the weekend, I stopped by yesterday afternoon to check things out. To my great disappointment, everyone of our four tomatoes are gone. They were still very green, so I do not believe the culprit was human. What I did see were deer tracks in the rows. Do deer eat green tomatoes? I am going to do some inquiries on the internet today.

We have discussed this morning how we might solve this problem. We may have nothing left for human consumption. We are thinking that we might move her dog to the area where we believe the deer enter her yard. After lots of hard work and our initial investment in seeds and plants, we just hate to give up.

Happy Birthday, America

How blessed to live in the USA! Even with all of our problems of recent months, I would not want to be anywhere else.

I can worship freely, pray whenever and with whomever I choose, and even write whatever I decide to share.

Join me in praying that all of our freedoms will be protected in the months ahead of us. Certainly, there are those who would deprive us of the very things we cherish. My desire is that my grandchildren will live under the same blessings of freedom that we have experienced.

God bless America!

Grandbabies

I got a "Granny fix" today. No, I am not broken. I was just in need of unconditional love and devotion of two of the sweetest little girls that has been gifted to our family. (Of course, I have thought that about each of the other five when they were little tykes.)

I usually plop down on the floor and each comes and stradles a leg and snuggles up close. We play with toys, read books, and sing songs. And in turn, I get hugs, and kisses, and sometimes a little nip on the shoulder if teeth are hurting.

I remember when the first ones came along, I felt some regret and guilt that I did not spend the quality time with my own children when they were little. But by now, I have worked all of that out of my system, and try to enjoy every minute together. How quickly they grow (and outgrow Grandma & Grandpa).

I think it is interesting that my sister and I both had a girl and a boy (in that order). We each now have seven grandchildren - four girls and three boys. We both have twin granddaughters. We are so blessed!