Just Peachy

We are blessed to have friends with a peach and apple orchard close by, and I love getting their peaches each year.  Peaches are just so much better picked ripe off the tree, rather than what you get at the grocery store.  So when you have a bunch of peaches, what can you do but make some Peach Cobbler and have a little tea party?

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 15:13

I used my "Hope" tea cup, by Sandy Clough.  Without the hope I have in Jesus, my life would be a train wreck by now, I'm sure.

Miss E used my favorite demitasse size teacup, it is the pattern Castleton Manor.

Here is my Peach Cobbler recipe, if you'd like to try it---

4 cups sliced and peeled fresh peaches

1 1/4 c. sugar, divided

1/2 c. butter, melted

3/4 c. flour

2 tsp. baking powder

pinch salt

3/4 c. milk

In a bowl gently toss peaches and 3/4 c. sugar, set aside. Pour butter into 2 qt. baking dish. In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and remaining sugar, stir in milk.  Mix well. Pour evenly over butter (do not stir). Top with peach mixture. Bake at 350 for 50-55 minutes or till golden brown.  Serve with ice cream if desired.

I'm joining Tea time Tuesday again today.

Rag Quilts

So what do you do when you see this beautiful rag quilt on Pinterest...

...and your scrap drawers are overflowing...

...and it's way too hot to do anything outside?

You dream of fall and get started on a rag quilt of your own, that's what!

This will probably take me months to finish, but I am determined to get it done!  Most of my scraps are from the 80's and 90's, so they're not the most current colors, but the material is free which my Mennonite nature appreciates, plus each one is a memory of a dress or project from the past.  One thing I like about rag quilts is you don't have to be real particular, which is nice.

A little C.S. Lewis

I have been working my way through the book "Mere Christianity" by C.S. Lewis the last few weeks.  Although it was written back in 1943 it is still relevant as ever, because Christianity is always relevant, no matter what age we live in.  No matter if you are a peasant girl living in 17th century Europe, a tribesman living in 8th century Africa, or a stay at home mom living in 21st century America, you have to wonder at some point, "what is my purpose on this earth?"

C.S. Lewis does a great job of explaining Christianity in this book.  He explains hard subjects in a very down to earth way that makes sense.  I would highly recommend it. The following is a quote from the book that I really liked--

"I think all Christians would agree with me if I said that though Christianity seems at first to be all about morality, all about duties and rules and guilt and virtue, yet it leads you on, out of all that, into something beyond.  One has a glimpse of a country where they do not talk of those things, except perhaps as a joke.  Everyone there is filled full with what we should call goodness as a mirror is filled with light.  But they do not call it goodness.  They do not call it anything.  They are not thinking of it.  They are too busy looking at the source from which it comes.  But this is near the stage where the road passes over the rim of our world.  No one's eyes can see very far beyond that: lots of people's eyes can see farther than mine."

Sweet teatimes with Miss E

 

Sometimes you just need to stop and have a little quiet tea time

with your daughter, you know?

 

 

I found these matching pink rose tea cups at an estate sale

a few weeks ago.  I have a weakness for pink rose china,

so that was the theme of our tea party today.

 

I also wanted to show you this sweet little toy kitchen cupboard.

My mom received it from a friend at an auction, and she

gave it to Miss E for her room.  I'm not sure how old it might

be, but it's made of cardboard.  The little tea set was

mine when I was little.  Miss E loves to look at it

and talk about her teddy bears drinking tea!

 

 

I'm joining Tea Time Tuesday again!

Summertime

 

Summertime is pretty great in many ways,

and one of my favorites is vacation time!

Over the 4th of July weekend we went down

to the Ponca City, Oklahoma area and had

some good family times together.

 

 

I had heard about this waterfall at a small fishing lake

so we went to check it out, unfortunately it was just

a small trickle of water coming down.  I'm sure it would

be prettier after a lot of rain.  But the kids still had fun

playing in the little pools of water below the waterfall,

finding crawdads, minnows, and snakes!

 

Ponca City has their city fireworks over this lake,

so the three youngest had fun swimming while

we waited for the fireworks to start.

 

In other news, DJ made this bench and Adirondack chair

(with a little help) this spring and we just got them all painted

a couple weeks ago.  I especially like the bench he made out

of our old dining room chairs, he came up with it all on his own!

 

 

And here's an extra of our little princess...

 

 

Praise awaits you, O God, in Zion;

to you our vows will be fulfilled.

O you who hear prayer,

to you all men will come.

When we were overwhelmed by sins,

you forgave our transgressions.

Blessed are those you choose and bring near to live in your courts!

We are filled with the good things of your house,

of your holy temple.

Psalm 65:1-4