Memorial Day Weekend 2010

Allan Pinkerton of the secret service, President Lincoln, and Major General John McClernand, 1862


Abraham Lincoln
The Gettysburg Address
November 19, 1863

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth, upon this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived, and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met here on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of it as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But in a larger sense we can not dedicate - we can not consecrate - we can not hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled, here, have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember, what we say here, but can never forget what they did here.

It is for us, the living, rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they have, thus far, so nobly carried on. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us - that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they here gave the last full measure of devotion - that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain; that this nation shall have a new birth of freedom; and that this government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

God Bless our Troops and God Bless America.

I am thankful to be an American today and always,

Garlic Roasted Green Beans with Shallots and Hazelnuts

Summer officially arrives this weekend. This is one of my favorite side dishes to serve at dinner parties on the patio. The original recipe belongs to Bobby Flay, the great master griller. You can be sure this one is absolutely a winner!

Garlic Roasted Green Beans with Shallots and Hazelnuts

What you will need:

1 pound green beans, trimmed
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 shallots, thinly sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup hazelnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped lemon zest
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Toss the green beans in a large baking dish with the oil and shallots and season with salt and pepper. Roast until just cooked through and golden brown, about 15 to 18 minutes. Combine the hazelnuts, zest, and parsley in a small bowl. Transfer green beans to a platter and sprinkle with the hazelnut mixture.

Note from Michelle: If you don't have hazelnuts on hand, use slivered almonds instead.

Enjoy!

Stop and Smell the Roses

Well, yesterday started as another Tuesday Morning and ended as a Wonderful Wednesday. An impromptu get together with two of my sisters-in-love and their kiddos made for an all around great day. I forced myself to come inside around 10 o'clock last night. I didn't get a single thing done I had planned on doing and, you know what, it was great. I love it when fun stuff pushes away the mundane!

This morning we headed out for a family hike along the beautiful towpath. I decided I would try and capture every single wild flower I walked by. I am not going to take the time to look-up all of their names in my handy wildflower book, but it's easy to use one's imagination.

Here's to another stunningly beautiful day...enjoy the flowers!


This is how the trail begins...

You could smell the rushing water in the air

This was a strange sight...perhaps some kind of fungus

These little flowers are the size of a pencil eraser

It took several photos before I captured this little butterfly with open wings

Wild roses...you could smell their fragrance all along the trail

Stop and smell the roses today,

Tuesday Morning

The view from my chair this morning


Snow Mound Spirea...I love this beautiful flower that looks like thousands of stars


White Rhododendrons with a gorgeous hint of yellow and fuchsia

I thought I'd share with you how my day started early this morning. I suspected it might be this way last night and warned Mr. Wonderful to be ready first thing.

Well, this morning we shared our first cups of coffee together outside on the patio. It's been too long in coming, that's for sure. But the weather just hasn't cooperated until now. So we found ourselves lingering over our cups of coffee, listening to all the birds greet the morning. A beautiful Baltimore Oriole was checking out a basket of flowers I have hanging near the woods (and he's been back several times since this morning). You can't see it, but there's a water feature made out of big river rocks just left of the stairs. The trickling water makes everything so peaceful.

Oh, it's such a great way to start the morning. I wish it could be this way every day. I love the quietness we get to share together as we sit in our chairs, rocking and sipping, and talking, and rocking and sipping. The sun finally peeks through the canopy of the tall shaggy bark hickory trees mingled between maple and beech trees. It's all so beautiful. I found myself wanting to stay in that spot forever.

Alas, the laundry was calling to be collected and I still had a flat of flowers to finish planting sometime later in the day. Even still, we enjoyed the beauty of a new morning together.

Psalm 5
For the director of music. For flutes. A psalm of David.

1 Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my sighing.

2 Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray.

3 In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.

4 You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil; with you the wicked cannot dwell.

5 The arrogant cannot stand in your presence; you hate all who do wrong.

6 You destroy those who tell lies; bloodthirsty and deceitful men the LORD abhors.

7 But I, by your great mercy, will come into your house; in reverence will I bow down toward your holy temple.

8 Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness because of my enemies—make straight your way before me.

9 Not a word from their mouth can be trusted; their heart is filled with destruction. Their throat is an open grave; with their tongue they speak deceit.

10 Declare them guilty, O God! Let their intrigues be their downfall. Banish them for their many sins, for they have rebelled against you.

11 But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you.

12 For surely, O LORD, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield.


Hoping Wednesday will be another Tuesday morning,

The Screwtape Letters (Product Review)

C.S. Lewis’ The Screwtape Letters
Focus on the Family Radio Theatre
Collector’s Edition

Our family is bringing our school year to a close by reading and listening to The Screwtape Letters. One word used on the cover of the packaging says, “Diabolical.” And buddy they aren’t kidding. Get ready to hear the voice of Andy Serkis (Gollum of “The Lord of the Rings” as Screwtape) as it drips pure evil. His cackling laugh and sarcastic thoughts and accusations against The Enemy are enough to send chills down your spine. After all, he is an accomplished demon serving His Father Below.

Here’s an excerpt from the Classified Materials:

While C.S. Lewis was writing “The Screwtape Letters”, he read them out loud to some of his friends. This group of writers and thinkers, which included J.R.R. Tolkien, was informally known as The Inklings. They greatly admired the “Letters,” so Lewis published them in weekly installments in “The Guardian” newspaper during the dark days of World War II. In 1942, the “Letters” were published in book form in England—dedicated to Tolkien. The following year, the book appeared in America to great acclaim, and Lewis appeared on the front cover of “Time” magazine in September 1947. The book has remained in print ever since.

Sixty-three years ago Lewis appeared on the front cover of “Time” magazine? Imagine what an oddity that would be today! Nevertheless, it is an important piece of literature which, I think, speaks even louder to a generation of Christians who find themselves living in a hostile world. Loud voices are everywhere we turn. In the Letters, we find it’s the whispering voices in the recesses of our minds we need to fear.

I wonder what Mr. Lewis would think if he could hear the dramatization of his Letters. I imagine his glasses would be pulled down on the bridge of his nose, and his famous cigar would be perched between his fingers. I think he would smile and then laugh and then say, “Exactly!”

The Preface of The Screwtape Letters begins like this:

I have no intention of explaining how the correspondence which I now offer to the public fell into my hands.

There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is the disbelief in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them….

Readers are advised to remember that the devil is a liar. Not everything that Screwtape says should be assumed to be true even from his own angle. …There is wishful thinking in Hell as well as on Earth.

Screwtape, that worldly-wise old devil, gives ageless advice to his nephew, Wormwood, a young, inexperienced demon, who is charged with securing the damnation of an ordinary young man. Do you know any ordinary young men or women? The likes of Wormwood are not too far off from them.

This full-cast dramatization of The Screwtape Letters is a masterpiece which draws in its listeners from the very moment the first letter begins. One can easily imagine smoke curling from the nostrils of Screwtape. The background sounds mixed in with the words of the Letter bring flat pages in a classic book to life. Be prepared to feel the heat!

I highly recommend this audio dramatization which also includes a bonus DVD of behind-the-scenes video featurettes as well as 5.1 surround sound mix of the entire program. The recommended age is 12+. I absolutely agree. This certainly isn’t for the younger crowd.

Lunch anyone?

P.S. You have just read the mock product review I submitted for consideration to The Old Schoolhouse Magazine. I found out on Friday I was selected and am now officially a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew for 2010-2011. Starting in July, I will begin writing and posting product reviews 3 to 4 times a month. This should be an exciting adventure!

Those Potatoes

I came across a recipe a number of years ago while looking through the pages of a magazine. The recipe itself came as an advertisement for Grey Poupon mustard. I didn't write down the recipe, but got the general idea and have been making it ever since.

This is a family favorite and they always work well with a party on the patio! I've never given this recipe a name, but whenever they're requested it's usually, "Can we have 'those potatoes'?"

Those Potatoes

What you will need:

1 1/2 pounds small red skinned potatoes
3 tablespoons of olive oil
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
2 tablespoons Grey Poupon Country Dijon mustard

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees*

Cut the potatoes in half or quarters and place in a bowl with the olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic and mustard; toss until the potatoes are well coated. Dump the potatoes on a baking sheet* and spread out into 1 layer; roast in the oven for at least 1 hour, or until browned and crisp. Flip twice with a spatula during cooking to ensure even browning.

Remove the potatoes from the oven and serve immediately.

Note from Michelle: *When the oven is turned on, place an ungreased baking sheet in the lower rack until the oven comes to temperature; when the potatoes are ready to be baked, carefully remove the baking sheet and quickly pour the potatoes onto the hot surface. This little preheating of the baking sheet will keep the potatoes from sticking and make clean-up much easier.

Enjoy!

God's Magnifying Glass

Raindrops are...


...God's Magnifying Glass

We are busy getting ready for Rachel's birthday party tomorrow. We usually have her party later in May with hopes of warm weather. It has warmed-up and the sun finally came out yesterday. It's still shining today and we are all very happy about that.

I took these pictures yesterday before the sun came out. Isn't it amazing how each individual raindrop holds on to its assigned position? Each one disappears in due time. It made me think of this saying by Longfellow:

Be still sad heart and cease repining;
Behind the clouds the sun is shining,
Thy fate is the common fate of all,
Into each life a little rain must fall,
Some days must be dark and dreary.

And then I couldn't help but notice how those raindrops magnify the veins on the leaves and the peony bud. Aren't they just beautiful?

God sometimes uses raindrops in our own lives to magnify Himself.

Pondering,