THE Best BLT Ever

If you want to make and eat the very best BLT ever, go read, my husband, Lowell's recipe for onion aioli sauce and how to cook and assemble the BLT.

THE VERY BEST BLT EVER 

 

An Autumn Weekend

 

Graphic by Twin Creek Primitives

Good weekend to you!

I am very happy to be spending my Saturday at home this week. I'm just plugging away at some things on my to do list that really must get to done. ~ smile ~ It's a chilly day, just 62°. It's not cool enough for the heater; but, truthfully, I would put my sweater on if it weren't at the other end of the house. I know that if I get up from this computer, I won't get back to it for awhile. In fact, I have just five minutes before I need to help my husband with a project for awhile. 

Some of the things that I'm doing today:

~ A little housework and laundry

~ Some reviews on Amazon. Here's my public profile if you'd like to see some items that I've reviewed. 

~ A little writing including this blog post

~ I'm making a pot of black beans and smoked pork for supper. I'm sure I'll make a pan of cornbread to eat with it. 

~ I'm going to spend a bit of time cleaning and organizing my workroom. I'm tempted to take before and after photos, but I might be too scared to show them. ~ giggle ~

~ A little time in the dungeon—I mean garage. I'm tackling it one item at a time. 

This evening, we're going to watch The Christmas Charade on the Hallmark Channel on the Frndly TV app. Frndly doesn't work on our LG tv, so we'll have to either cast it from my husband's IPhone or watch it on the computer. 

Well, I've spent a bit more than my five minutes, so I'm off to help Lowell with a bit of a project first. 

Have a fabulous fall weekend!

Laura

Very happy to be home!

A Little Randomness ~ 1972

 Last summer, I began using a random number generator to choose a year between 1969, when I have my first memories, to 2024.  So far, I've written about 1996, 1998, 1978, 2004, and 1973. 

 Wow! I had no idea that this was going to set off a chain reaction of others' memories of the same years. 

 This time the random number generator chose 1972. I was a little girl then. We lived in Westland, Michigan. It's a suburb of Detroit. We lived in a ranch style house in a neighborhood that backed up to a large wooded lot. To me, it was a forest! The elementary school was at the opposite side of the block. I'll be honest. I was very young. I remember where we lived and things that happened when we lived there, but I went to first grade and part of second grade while we lived there. I could be mixing it up a bit. 

Here are some random memories in no particular order:

~ Early in the morning, before school, we had to stand in lines outside the school. We were waiting for our teachers to come and get us. One morning, a teacher asked for a volunteer to sharpen pencils. My hand shot up since I enjoyed using the pencil sharpener. This made me late to class, and I got in trouble with my teacher. How could I have known that would happen?

~ Once a week, after school, they had a Bible club. I enjoyed it very much. There were flannel graph stories, songs, and snacks. This is where I asked Jesus into my heart. I asked Jesus to forgive me for hitting my brother, John. Each week, we had a memory verse. Of all the verses I memorized, only John 3:16 stayed with me. Thank you, Jesus! Later, after years of being unchurched and sinned, I would remember that verse. It was one thing God used to bring me to salvation on January 1, 1980. More on that when I randomly get to 1980. 

~ On the playground, boys chased girls one day, and girls chased boys on other days. 

~ I loved swinging. They had a big swingset. I remember we'd swing as high as we could, pumping our legs, and leaning backward. One time, when I leaned backward, I remember falling off the swing and hitting my head. Ouch! I lived to tell about it; but, when I think about it, that might explain some things. Giggle. 

~ I remember being deep in conversation with my mom while I was breaking up a Gainesburger for our Dachshund Greta. Absentmindedly, I put a piece in my mouth. YUCK!

~ I attended a Halloween party and bobbed for apples. I put my head clear into the water, but I couldn't catch one of those little bobbing gems. 

~ I was in a school play. My mom sewed a tiger costume for me. 

~ We made crepe paper flowers for the same play. Funny thing, I have no idea what the play was about.

~ Gunsmoke was a favorite t.v. show.

~ A favorite party game was to drop clothespins into a canning jar from a standing position. The winner was the one who got the most pins in the jar. 

~ I had a crush on David Cassidy of the Partridge Family.

~ Mom and Grandma Mamie recorded cassette tapes and sent them back and forth through the mail. John and I would talk to Grandma on them. Oh, what I wouldn't give to have some of those tapes! Back then, it was a way to avoid the very high cost of long-distance phone calls. That was back before unlimited cell phone calls. When we received a tape, we'd listen, then record over it, and send it back. 

~ My mom was room mother in my class.

~ Mom dressed up in my Dad's baseball uniform for Halloween.

~ We moved to Topeka, Kansas, somewhere in Indian Territory, at Christmas time during 2nd grade. When we arrived, I fully expected to see cowboys and Indians everywhere!

~ I played Barbie dolls on the sidewalk in the neighborhood with other girls.

~ We had a lot of fun flying the helicopters from the maple trees.

~ I loved riding my bike. 

~ Grandma and Grandpa gave me a Sleeping Beauty watch. It was my first watch.

~ My favorite song was American Pie.

~ I remember writing back and forth to Grandma Bern. I also remember her and Aunt JoAnn coming for a visit.

~ My brother John and I took turns having little Greta sleep with us. 

~ I had metal roller skates to wear over my shoes. They came with a key to lock them in place to the right size. I thought that this song was about my roller skates! 

~ I got my first transistor radio and listened all the time. Thus began my love of music.

Well, that's all for now. 

Please share what you remember... if you're old enough!

Autumn is...

I love Autumn. It has long been my favorite time of year. We live in Carthage, the Maple Leaf City.

Fall means the Maple Leaf Festival and the biggest parade in the four states.

Fall means pumpkins! A few years ago, my family lived in the country and had a pumpkin patch. I loved everything about it. I loved seeing the baby pumpkins as they formed and grew. I loved harvesting them. I loved selling them and the craft items I'd made. The name Harvest Lane came from our farm, Harvest Lane Farm. I'd been Laura of Harvest Lane online for awhile; so, when we moved to town, we called our home Harvest Lane Cottage.

Autumn is fresh apple cider with mulling spices, chai latte tea, homemade cocoa, soup simmering on the stove, bread baking in the oven, the smells of pumpkin and cinnamon coming from my oven or my favorite candles.

Autumn is snuggling up with a good book while I listen to the rain falling outside.

Autumn is knitting a wheat gold sweater for my grandson.

Autumn means reading a few Christmas books before the Christmas rush begins.

Fall means planning for Christmas gifts, sneaking in a little Christmas music while I'm working, and 

creating for for friends and family.

What is fall to you?

Laura of Harvest Lane Cottage

Enjoying my favorite season

God Kept Us Warm... He'll Do It Again

 We live in southern Missouri. While not as cold as Vermont, it still gets quite cold here. A furnace or woodstove is necessary. Well, this past year, we didn't have that luxury. Our furnace broke at the end of the previous winter, and we were unable to get it fixed. God was good to us. The insulation that we were blessed with last summer helped keep us warm without the furnace.

 We used space heaters, more clothes, baked and sometimes just sat in blankets next to the heaters. I'm so glad we had more than one. Somehow, God took care of us, even during the sub zero temperatures and wind chills. You do what you have to do, but I must admit, I do hope to get it fixed for this winter.

 Whatever comes, God's already there in the situation helping us every step of the way.

Laura

Trusting God in All Situations

Homemade Vanilla Creamer

 Hello!

    I love fall! It's absolutely my favorite time of year. We had an unexpected 93° yesterday, but we should have cool weather coming in this week. Cool is what I want, not cold! That will come soon enough. 

    It's time for warm drinks again. That means we use creamer, half and half and cream more often. Dairy's gotten a bit expensive here in Missouri, so I recently found a recipe that makes a delicious, homemade creamer.

     My husband likes this creamer in his coffee. I like it in my cappucino (powdered) or my chai latte. I'm not a full-fledged coffee girl... yet. I need lots of sweet and creamy to make it palatable. ~ smile ~

    This is so easy to make. You might even have the ingredients on hand. I did.  First, I measured 1 1/2 cups of whole milk into a quart jar. 

Next, I added a full can of sweetened condensed milk. 

    Lastly, I added a tablespoon of vanilla.

    Time to put the lid on and shake shake shake!

It's ready to serve! If you try it, let me know what you think. 

Homemade Vanilla Creamer

1 1/2 c whole milk (or milk of your choice)

1 can of sweetened condensed milk

1 tablespoon of vanilla extract

Measure into a jar, combine by shaking.

This lasts us about a week. It all depends on how fast your brand of milk sours.

We like this so much better than the artificial coffee creamers we were buying. It costs far less as well. Do you make any creamers? I'd love it if you'd share your recipes in the comments for us all.

I do hope that you are enjoying early autumn. This week we're having the Maple Leaf Festival in Carthage, Missouri. There's something new every day. If you're in the area, we will have a fabulous parade starting at the square.  Small town fun!

Blessings from Harvest Lane Cottage,

Laura

It's time to start saving your pennies
and your nickles and your rocks for Christmas!

You may enjoy:

Cocoa from Scratch

Candycane Cocoa Mix

The Golden Days of Autumn... Laura Ingalls Wilder

"All those golden autumn days the sky was full of wings.
Wings beating low over the blue water of Silver Lake,
wings beating high in the blue air far above it . . .
bearing them all away to the green fields in the South."

- Laura Ingalls Wilder

By the Shores of Silver Lake

Home is Right Where You Are by Ruth Chou Simons~ A Review

 

I'd like to introduce you to a marvelous new book by Ruth Chou Simons:  HOME is RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE, Inspired by Psalm 23. I read Mrs. Simons' introduction, A Word from the Author. It touched my heart. She wrote this for her six sons, some of whom are now adults, to help them remember "that the love and faithfulness of God is incomparable." It's written for adults who may be launching their beloved children into the adult world. It's written for children who are learning the love and faithfulness of God. It is written for me as a reminder of the goodness of the LORD. 

The overwhelming feeling that came over me as I read was calmness and peace. The book is written in a poetry format with couplets and rhymes, but I was so enthralled by the author's illustrations, it all just flowed together to form a composite of the love and care of our Heavenly Father. Rather than illustrate the 23rd Psalm, this book brings the principles to a beautiful fruition in the retelling and paintings.

 

This book is for my grandson, B, who is just over a year old. He's too young yet to understand, but I hope that Mommy will read it to him as he grows with it. We never are never too young or too old for the Word of God. The Psalm is written in its entirety at the back of the book. 

I highly recommend this book. It's one that will grow with your children, plant the concepts of God's love and faithfulness in their hearts, and touch your heart as well. 

From the Publisher

This enchanting book is inspired by Psalm 23 and delivers a profound message of comfort and peace, reminding us that with God, home is always right where you are.

In Home Is Right Where You Are, Ruth Chou Simons combines her lyrical text with whimsical illustrations to take readers on a comforting journey. Drawing from the words she has shared with her own six children, Ruth’s tender narrative and captivating art reassure families that no matter where life leads, the Lord keeps us close and provides for all our needs.

 Why You’ll Love This Book:

• Comforting Assurance: Reassures children with the truth that God is always with them, guiding and providing.
• Joyful Learning: Teaches that God is the source of joy, blessings, and adventure.
• Beautiful Art: Delights with captivating illustrations that bring the message to life.
• Soothe Anxious Minds: Offers comfort through the assurance of God’s presence and provision.

 This beautiful children’s book is Ruth Chou Simons’ first foray into children’s literature and combines her moving art with God’s promises to create a treasure that families will cherish.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 Ruth Chou Simons is a Wall Street Journal bestselling and award-winning author of several books and Bible studies, including GraceLaced, Beholding and Becoming, and When Strivings Cease. She is an artist, entrepreneur, podcaster, and speaker, using each of these platforms to sow the Word of God into people's hearts. Through her online shoppe at GraceLaced.com and her social media community, Simons shares her journey of God's grace intersecting daily life with word and art. Ruth and her husband, Troy, are grateful parents to six boys—their greatest adventure.

PURCHASE

#ruthchousimons #homeisrightwhereyouare #psalm23 @tommynelsonbooks @ruthchousimons

Thank you FrontGate for this review copy.