Memorial Day

This post is in honor of my Sunday school teacher Ferne. She was a secretary in the Women’s Army Corps during World War II and past away when I was in graduate school.  She was a truly amazing woman with great faith and she definitely reached for the stars.  With Ferne nothing was impossible and she loved everyone she met.   She was a member of the local Legion and was extremely proud of her country and the freedom that so many died for.  Every year on Memorial Day Sunday she would make sure that “In Flanders Fields” was read during the church service of our small country church. 

So Ferne this is for you:

In Flanders Fields

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead.  Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.

John McCrae, 1872-1918

So on Memorial Day we honor the dead, those whom have fought for freedom, those whom have worn the armor of God, and those whom we have loved so dear.  Remember your heritage, remember your roots, remember!

Princess & Pumpkin helping to decorate graves

Rhubarb . . . Oh, How I Love Thee!

Spring means fresh rhubarb and oh it is so delicious!  

I absolutely love my grandma's rhubarb crisp recipe.  

I obtained some fresh rhubarb last week from "my supplier," a very nice retired gentleman that we know.  I cleaned, cut and sugared it last night.  So when we got home this evening it was time to make this fabulous recipe!  

Rhubarb Crisp

If time permits, clean and cut rhubarb into 1" sections. Add 1 cup sugar. Refrigerate overnight.  Drain liquid into saucepan add 1/4 cup cornstarch and heat to boil (stirring all the time).  Add 3 to 4 cup rhubarb to hot sauce.  Put into 9 X 13 dish (greased).  Prepare topping -> 1 cup brown sugar, 1 cup flour, 1 cup oatmeal, 1/2 cup melted shortening (oleo).  Stir with fork and pour over rhubarb. Bake in 350 degree oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until rhubarb is done.

 

My hubby and I both had two helpings.  

Now to coax the children into trying this delicious treat!

Another spring recipe that we love is my grandma's strawberry pie recipe (click on this -> Spring Is In The Air to view the blog post that lists this recipe).

If You Give A Child Pudding . . .

If you give a child pudding, what will they do?

Pumpkin slowly & carefully eats his chocolate pudding.  

It really bothers him if it gets all over his hands and face.

He has always been this way with his food.

Princess on the other hand really enjoys getting her 

food everywhere!  Thankfully this evening I took her 

church dress off, as to spare it from the carnage of meal time.  By the time she was done, chocolate pudding was 

all across her face, arms, hands, chest and even in her 

hair.  She decorated the highchair tray with chocolate pudding, then decorate the toilet with her grubby 

chocolate laced hands before splashing into the 

toddler tub for a good cleaning.

Hmmmmm . . . . maybe she will eventually 

outgrow this, but maybe not time will tell.

Glorious Beads

Last weekend Pumpkin and Princess dove into our bead stash and had some fun.  Pumpkin delighted in dumping them out and looking for the animal beads.  Princess was remarkably neater (which usually she is the messy one) and picked out just the star beads.

 

Fun was had by all!

Nature Notebook

Here are some shots from our yard this evening.

Just a handful of the different irises we have. 

We still have quite a few yet to bloom!

My favorite ones!

Other fun nature in our yard!

Columbine

Robin's nest in the yew bush

Ant on the peony

Peony bloom