What A Week!

We had some beautiful sunrises this week! It is worth getting up a little early to watch them.

We also had a real surprise this morning!





Yes! That is snow! My poor flowers won't make it I am afraid. We are expecting a freeze tonight.



All I had left were a few cosmos, marigolds, purple salvia. I have been gathering seeds for next years garden. We did an experiment with the cosmos this year. We put a tomato cage around one of the plants. It worked so well, that I will do more of them next year. It fills out around the cage so well you can hardly see the cage there.

I did so want to paint our fence this year. Would love to replace it, but that is on the back burner for now.

High School Reunion

I relived my past and survived! We were just a small class in a small town. Twelve girls and twenty boys made up our class 35 years ago. I recognized all but one of the 16 members of our class that made it to this reunion. It was fun to see them again. Some of them I hadn't seen since we graduated on that Friday night of May so long ago. I do wish more had been able to come. We invited all that had attended classes with us during our twelve years in school. Some we had lost touch with completely, and some just weren't interested in coming as they live in our hometown still and see a lot of the classmates everyday almost. I wish more had brought pictures of their kids and grand kids. How fun to talk with them and remember all the silly things we did. How serious we were back then and how silly it all seems now. We had some good laughs. The school building we attended school in is no more. They finally burnt the building and dozed what was left down. I would have liked to walk the halls again. It was a rock building with a slate roof. All twelve grades were in the same building. I attended all 12 years of school there. ( I did have one semester of Kindergarten in OK.) My mom attended the same school. She will have her 60th reunion next year. How time flies! I always thought "old" people were crazy when they said time flew. I must be really old now as I say the same thing. Time has flown! Somehow, I changed from a teenager to an old grandmother. I still can't believe it has been 35 years since high school! I have been married 36 years. Figure that one out! I told you it was a small town!

Our high school principal and one of our junior high teachers came to be with us. We gave them every gray hair they have! And to think, they still like us!

Back In A Bit

Gone for a while. Reliving my past at my 35th high school reunion.

Cool Weather Stew Favorite

When the temperature begins to cool, my husbands wants either chili, soup, or stew. One of our favorites is "Mexican Stew".

It is not your regular beef stew. Cumin and green chilies give it a different taste. We love it so much that we make it every couple of weeks! I thought you might like to try this recipe too. It is a little spicy. (Depending on the green chilies and variety of taco sauce you use, that is.)

Hot Mexican Stew

1 large onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced ( We love garlic. I put about 1 heaping tsp. of minced garlic.)
2 Tbs. veg. oil
1 1/2 lbs. round steak, cut into bite size pieces
1 1/2 cups water
4 oz. taco sauce
4 oz. can chopped green chilies, do not drain.
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. onion salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

4 med. potatoes, peeled and cubed

Saute onion and garlic in oil in a large 4 quart pot until tender. Add steak. Cook over med. heat stirring often until meat is browned on all sides. Add water, taco sauce, green chilies, and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer with lid on pot for 30 minutes. Add potatoes. Cover and simmer until potatoes are tender. Stir often.

NOTE:
My husband likes a more soupy stew, so I add twice the amount of water and taco sauce. I don't add additional seasonings, but you may if you want it very spicy.

We serve it with crackers or cornbread and, of course, a BIG glass of sweet tea!



Hope you enjoy this favorite recipe!