Seed: The Untold Story,  Documentary Film. This is a trailer of a film in the making. It's a good reminder to keep our seeds pure and continue to save them and more importantly to pass them along to others.

http://kck.st/UCmDGx

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.Each autumn brings its harvest, yet it never leaves you with a thought of finality. there will always be a new planting, new blossoms and new fruit, new seed times and new harvest. It makes no difference what your harvest may have been last year, today you can create a new future if you have the faith to believe that you can. Plant, then, new hopes and aspirations. The Lord of the harvest will permit you to reap what you have sown.      Earnest Holmes

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We can look at this picture with eyes of decay OR we can look at this picture with  the eyes of resurrection  knowing that what is buried will come forth alive and new again!

“At present we are on the outside of the world, the wrong side of the door. We discern the freshness and purity of morning, but they do not make us fresh and pure. We cannot mingle with the splendours we see. But all the leaves of the New Testament are rustling with the rumour that it will not always be so. Some day, God willing, we shall get in."           c.s. Lewis

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Friendship doubles our joy and divides our grief.-- Swedish proverb .

This photo was taken by Kara our granddaughter this morning at daylight....God's blessings are new every morning!

"If you have good thoughts they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely.

Roald Dahl

"

The man who has God for his treasure has all things in One. Many ordinary treasures may be denied him, or if he is allowed to have them, the enjoyment of them will be so tempered that they will never be necessary to his happiness. Or if he must see them go, one after one, he will scarcely feel a sense of loss, for having the Source of all things he has in One all satisfaction, all pleasure, all delight.

Tozer, A. W. (Aiden Wilson) (2011-03-24). The Pursuit of God (pp. 16-17). Kindle Edition.

Here is a true friend who happens to be crazy about chasing squirrels! His name is Rocky.

 The best kind of friend is the kind you can sit on a
porch swing with, never say a word, and then walk away
feeling like it was the best conversation you've ever had.

"Big Beef", "Big Sugar", "Big Dairy",have all  been successful in convincing the public that what they have to sell; will in fact, make you healthy and  your food choices can only be satisfied by eating from these three groups.

 Well I am here to tell you that what has been proposed as healthy could in fact be a death sentence, especially if the majority of your diet is comprised of meat, dairy and sweeties.

God has given us the power of reason and if we use it to the fullest we will begin to see why a diet largely comprised of the "Big 3's" is causing much of our misery. Billions have been poured into research to find the "cure" for  obesity, cancer, diabetes and a host of other diseases that have only increased over the past 30 years or more.  Seemingly the only solution they can come up with is more pharmaceuticals. 

If we continue to put our trust in men instead of the One who created us in His image we will suffer from our own ignorance. 

The perfect diet has been given to us and it doesn't include foods that have chemical residue or that have been  genetically modified!

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." Paul, Ephesians 3:16-19 

Butternut Squash Cake

1/2 c. raw sugar

1/2 c. coconut oil

1/2 c. maple syrup

1 1/4 c. whole wheat flour

1 1/4 c. unbleached flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. cinnamon powder

1/2 ground cloves

2 cups of squash puree (butternut, pumpkin, or hubbard)

1 tsp. maple flavoring (opt)

1/2 tsp. salt

Glaze: 1/8 c. maple syrup

1/8 c. organic powder sugar

Preheat oven 375 degrees

• 
  
• Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl and set aside.
• Mix together oil, 1/2 c. maple syrup
• 1/2 c. raw sugar until mixed well.
• Add pumpkin and dry ingredients a little at a time, alternating each. 
• Add maple flavoring while mixing.
• Lightly oil and dust with flour your cake pan of choose.
• Pour batter in a 8x11 pan if you want a thin  cake or you can bake it in a 8x8 cake pan.
• Baking time will vary depending on what type pan you choose to use.
•  Bake in a 375 degree oven for approximately 20-25 minutes.
• While cake is baking mix together the glaze and when cake is almost done pour glaze over cake and continue to bake until completely done.

Rosemary Bread Loaf

1 Tlb dry yeast

1 Tlb honey

1 c. warm water

2 1/2 cups of flour(I use half whole wheat and the other half unbleached)

1 tsp mineral salt

2 Tlb fresh rosemary, chopped

1 Tlb olive oil

2 Tlb of earth balance (opt) 

I use my bread machine whenever possible and with this recipe I did just that.

 Place 1 cup of warm water in the bread machine along with the 1 Tlb. honey and 1 Tlb. dry yeast. Allow yeast to dissolve and form bubbles.

 Add flour, salt and 1 1/2 Tlb of fresh chopped rosemary and 1 Tlb. olive oil. Turn machine on homemade and allow to mix and knead for 20 minutes.

 Allow bread to raise to double in size and then punch down and divide in half. Shape each piece into a disk shape and at least 1 inch think. Sprinkle on the top of the disk the remaining chopped rosemary and press gently into the bread. Place on a parchment lined pan and cover with a light cloth and allow to double in size once again. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and bake for approximately 20-25 minutes until light golden brown. Cool on a bread or cookie rack.

One way to boost the nutritional value of any recipe is to use organic ingredients.

Simple Butternut Squash Soup

1 small butternut squash

1 large onion

4-6 garlic cloves

2 Tlb olive oil

1 quart of vegetable broth or chicken broth(I use vegan type)

salt/pepper to taste

Peel and dice onion and garlic.

Place olive oil in a stew pot with the diced onion and cook until tender, then add garlic and cook being careful not to brown garlic.  Set aside.

You can peel and diced squash , but you can also cut the squash in halve, remove the seeds and place in a baking dish with a half cup of water and cover. Bake at 400 degrees for approx 40 minutes. Squash will be tender when pierced with a fork. Allow to cool and scrap out of shells if baking.

If you are peeling the squash and cooking on top of the stove it is a good idea to steam it to help maintain the nutrients.Steam cook until fork tender. Usually it takes about 20- 25 minutes to steam cook. 

Add squash to the garlic/onion mixture with the broth and blend together until smooth and creamy. You may need to add additional liquid to make the soup to your desired consistency.

The beauty of this soup is that it is so easy to adapt to your taste. You can add different herbs/herb blends,coconut milk or other nut milks. You can also add additional vegetables to your liking  Salt/ pepper to taste.  Enjoy!

Butternut Squash

cucurbita morschata

Rich source of dietary fiber and phyto-nutrients

Recommended by dietitians in cholesterol controlling and weight reduction programs.

Vitamin A-a powerful antioxidant

Has plenty of poly-phenolic flavonoid compounds like A-B carotenes, cryptoxanthin-B, and lutein.

It is rich in B-complex group of vitamins like folates, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B-6, thiamin, and pantothenic acid.

It has a similar mineral profile as that in pumpkin--iron, zinc, copper, calcium, potassium, and phosphorus.

My focus is on seasonal, vegetarian cooking that everyone can enjoy and is easy to prepare.

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"Think of all the beauty still left around you and be happy."-Anne Frank

"A woman's heart should be so close to God that a man must seek Him to find her." #CSLewis

http://youtu.be/ENmc9kHnvbo

Above is an interview with Dr. Huber by Dr. Mercola. It is powerful! Dr. Huber is an expert in the scientific field on GMO's .

“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” Benjamin Franklin.

http://youtu.be/owtF2nt2VX4 This documentary is call Sweet Misery

"It's A Keeper" Nutritional Bars

1 cup pumpkin seeds ground
1 cup ground flax seed
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup wheat germ
2 cups oatmeal(rolled)
Place ingredients on a parchment lined baking sheet and place into a 350 degree oven for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and place in a large bowl.

Next combine 3/4 cup of maple syrup, 3/4 cup of honey in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add 1 cup of almond butter or peanut butter and blend well. Return sauce pan to heat and bring back to a boil. Remove from heat and blend well again and set aside.

Add 1 1/4 cup of dried fruit, a blend of various kind is good such as: dried apricots, dried cranberries, or raisins or any other dried fruit you enjoy.

Pour syrup mixture over the dry ingredients and blend thoroughly. Place on a parchment lined cookies sheet and pat down to desired thickness and shape into a rectangle to make ease of cutting into bars. It helps to wet your knife when you are cutting the bars.

Wrap each bar with plastic wrap to preserve freshness. You can put the bars in the refrigerator to keep fresh. I haven't frozen any for long term storage, but I believe it would work well. Enjoy!

For a less sweet variation reduce the maple syrup and honey to 1/2 cup each and increase the nut butter to 1 1/2 cup.

Recipe for the day!

Green Onion Patties

2 1/2 cup green onions, cut 1" long(or shorter)

1/2 cup unbleached white flour

1 T. wheat germ

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 1/2 Tlb. nutritional yeast flakes

1/2 cup water

Mix ingredient in a bowl. In an oiled heated skillet, scoop 1/4 cup portion and flatten. Cook until golden brown on both sides. Yummy!

Taste of Heaven Patties, show #96, Kyong Weatherby

http://drmcdougall.com/video/mcdougalls_moments_dietary_treatment_of_cancer.html
The is a video lesson from Dr. John McDougall, M.D.

http://geneticroulettemovie.com/
Above is Genetic Roulette documentary by Jeffrey Smith and is available for viewing for a few days for free. If you wanted to know more about the bio-tech world and how it is effecting every aspect of our lives...well then, this video is one you won't want to miss.

Recipe for the Day!

Fresh Tomato and Basil Pasta

4 large cloves garlic (minced)

2lbs. tomatoes (chopped) I like to use Roma tomatoes

1/2 cup fresh basil (chopped)

1/4 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

Combine and let stand at room temperature 1-2 hours

1 lb whole wheat  pasta (or pasta of your choice)

Cook according to package directions.

Combine hot pasta and sauce. Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese or feta cheese(Vegan )

Mint variation: Replace basil with 1/3 cup chopped fresh mint plus the juice and grated rind of 1 lemon.

Recipes for vegan or plant-based feta and parmesan cheese will be posted at a later date.

http://youtu.be/w437uQf_A7c

This documentary  is named "A Silent Forest", and is very informative about what is going on in the bio tech world. It amazes me that so much wonderful God given intelligence is being wasted on such monstrous deeds.

Here is a recipe for "Delightful Morning Juice".

1 mango(peeled and seeded)
1 orange(peeled)
1/4 lemon(with peel on)
4 collard green leaves or any type of greens such as: spinach, kale swiss chard
1 cucumber
handful of alfalfa sprouts(optional)
wheatgrass(optional)
4 stalks celery
1 apple

I chopped all the produce to fit into my juicer and juiced them and was "delighted" with the result. Hope you try it for a nice alternative for breakfast. As you can tell by the choice of produce that it is packed full of healthy goodness!
You can substitute the mango with 2 peaches.

http://www.trueactivist.com/why-in-the-world-are-they-spraying-full-length-documentary/

I am still pondering what I heard in the film and may be doing so for some time. It's so disturbing to me to think that one human being or a group of people would desire that much control. Only God knows what the future will hold for mankind!

http://ct-n.com/video_flash_od.asp?odID=8056

More information on GMO's on CTN.

Below is a link to a youtube video based on  Isaiah 58  and is well done.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aCATrRLrQ4&feature=youtube_gdata_player

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2012/08/12/is-your-food-fake/
Above is another good article written by John Robbins about food labeling. Hope you take the time to read and learn about more of the deceptive techniques foisted on us by the food industry.

. "While we have the opportunity, let us do good to all." Galatians 6:10 

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http://vimeo.com/43879272
Above is a video of the Seeds of Freedom. Knowing what we know about GMO's it is important to continue to educate ourselves and be mindful of what it means to keep our seed supply pure. Seeds are Life!

"Jesus, the express image of the Father’s person, the effulgence of His glory; the self-denying Redeemer, throughout His pilgrimage of love on earth, was a living representation of the character of the law of God. In His life it is made manifest that heaven-born love, Christlike principles, underlie the laws of eternal rectitude.

White, Ellen G. (2010-12-05). Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing (Kindle Locations 676-678). Copyright © 2010, Ellen G. White Estate, Inc.. Kindle Edition. 

http://vimeo.com/28055108
Above is a documentary that has changed the way I'm gardening. I have already seen good results this summer with just adding copious amounts of mulch. We have had an extremely dry summer with daytime temperatures well above a 100 in June. Take time to view this video if you like to garden and looking for ways to enjoy gardening as well as less "toiling" to achieve good results. Enjoy!

"Life At Its Best" Crackers

3 cups flour (you can use whole wheat or a combination of flours)

6 tablespoons of earth balance margarine

4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

Mix dry ingredients together;

Mix separately 1 tablespoon of ground flax with 3 tablespoons of water and mix thoroughly. To the flax mixture add 1 teaspoon of balsamic vinegar, plus 2 teaspoons sugar. Set aside while rolling out the dough.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degree. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly with oil.
2. In a medium bowl, cut margarine into dry mix.
3. Add 3/4 cup of water plus 2 tablespoons to the dry  mixture and stir until mixture forms a dough. Divide dough in half and wrap with parchment paper or waxed paper and chill for 10 minutes
4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll out very thinly(or desired thickness) Brush with flax mixture and sprinkle with sesame seeds, flax, chia seeds or any other type of seasoning you might enjoy,(I used sesame, flax, chia seeds and also onion flakes).
5. You can cut into strips or form any cracker shape you may like. Have fun!
6. Transfer crackers to baking sheet
7. Bake for 15-18 minutes for crispy crackers. Transfer to racks for cooling.

Whole Wheat Pizza Crust

Ingredients:

1/2 teaspoons sugar or honey 

3/4 cup warm water

1 teaspoons instant yeast

1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil

2 cups whole wheat flour

1/2 teaspoons salt

Directions: 

Place all ingredients into a bread maker machine and mix for at least 10 minutes to help develop the gluten. Put in oiled bowl and cover with a cloth towel and  let rise to double in a warm place. Punch down and let rise again if desired or top and bake immediately at 425 degrees on a pizza stone.

"The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." --Winston Churchil

http://vimeo.com/27278058


http://vimeo.com/27610549

Above are 2 links to a documentary "Simply Raw" which is about a group of people who decided to try a different approach to reversing  their diabetes.

http://www.on2url.com/lnk?Z6414SH0a18%3D
  Here is a link to an article written by John Robbins that is very informative about why health care cost so much.

"Maybe a person's time would be as well spent raising food as raising money to buy food. "-- Frank A. Clark

This past Monday I had the privilege of doing a cooking demo on Whole-Foods, Plant-Based  at Alternative Remedies Plus and it was well attended and much participation, which was very encouraging! I only handed out one recipe with the promise of making available more on this blog... so here goes:

Pineapple Cream Pudding

1 cup Millet
4 cups Pineapple Juice (can use canned or frozen)
1/2 cup Water
2/3 cup Raw Cashews
1/2 tsp Lemon Flavoring (I use a bit more)
1 tsp Salt
4 Tbsp Lemon Juice
1/3 cup Honey
1-20 oz can, crushed or chunk Pineapple or fresh pineapple
1 Tbsp. Vanilla

Equipment needed: Saucepan, blender and stirring spoon.

1. Simmer millet, water, pineapple juice in covered sauce pan on low heat until well cooked, usually 1 hour.
2. Stir occasionally.
3. When cooked, add remaining ingredients, stirring well.
4. Blend, 2 cups at a time, until thoroughly creamy.
5. Pour into pre-baked pie shells or into glass serving dish
6. Top with coconut, granola, carob chips, cut fresh fruit or fruit jam.

This recipe is from Guiltless Gourmet pg. 5

Remember, that by using organic products whenever possible you are limiting the chemical load placed on your body.

Read more: http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/systemic-pesticides-zm0z10zrog.aspx#ixzz1wNr13Fgb

Please take the time to read this article and be mindful of all that is going in and on our food supply. Growing your own food is the safest way to assure that your food is wholesome and nutritious.

These fellows were the precision cutters!

Here is another picture of the day the raised beds for "Share The Harvest" were built . We ended up with 12-4x8 beds, 4-4x4 beds and 3-2x8 beds. The 4x8 will be for various summer crops and the 4x4 will be for herbs and leafy greens and the 2x8 beds for flowers to attract pollinators. It is exciting to be part of this project.

Here is Larry standing by the first bed completed.

Here is one of the workers who was singing, "If I had a hammer", he is holding a drill!! Funny!

This picture is of the work day at Share The Harvest. Robert Olms is in the foreground and Gage, my nephew, is walking between the beds(he can walk the rim of the boxes too!). Share The Harvest provides over 60,000 lbs of food per month for over 700 families in Camden county. This was an amazing project to witness and be part of. We started at 9am and by 11:15 all the raised beds were completed. Tuesday of this coming week we will fill the boxes with soil and begin the planting. All the produce raised from these beds will be donated back to the pantry and distributed to the families who receive assistance.

Here is a picture of some of our gardens in the front of the house.Batman our ole' cat is taking it all in. This was taken several weeks ago and many things have changed in that short space of time in the garden. I am thankful that I can work and "toil" in the garden. I have learned many valuable lessons in the garden and continue to use the time spent there to be open to the spirit of God and be inspired.

Below is a link to an article that Nathan Bechtold wrote about the Osage Beach Farmers Market. Nathan is one of two managers of the market.  I hope our community is open to this whole concept of buying locally and supporting local farmers and eating food that is not only more nutritious, but has delicious, fresh flavor as well.

http://lakeexpo.com/news/lake_news/article_57c9b0e4-9f53-11e1-acf1-001a4bcf887a.html

Here are some beautiful  breads baked by Kate.

This  is a view of the different vendors that attended the opening of the market.There was a variety of market goods such as: Baked goods, fresh organic produce, honey, fresh organic eggs and meats, garden trellises and handcrafted baskets. I was excited to say the least and look forward to the next market day.

This past Thursday  I had the privledge of attending the "Grand Opening" of the Osage Beach Farmers Market as a vendor. I am so hopeful that this will be a success and provide the local community with quality produce and fresh homemade baked goods as well as local arts and crafts. It will open each Thur. from 4-8 pm thru the growing season.

Here is a website: http://www.nongmoshoppingguide.com/  I hope this is helpful in making good choices in your selections of foods to buy for your family.  Be of good health!

Here is a brief video on rbGH that is given to cows to increase milk production.    www.YourMilkOnDrugs.com       It is a genetically engineered growth hormone. There are alternatives to drinking milk polluted with this hormone and I know that Wal-Mart sells products that don't have this dangerous chemical in it.  Better yet, learn to drink milk made from nuts, rice or soy, all plant sources to replace  the revered cows milk.

The earth is covered in beauty, some things are so beautiful that words cannot adequately describe. God has filled the earth with amazing things to fill our hearts with joy, but we must take the time to see them! Goodness and mercy are just 2 of the many attributes of our Creator. This picture shows too me his goodness.......in the creation of the world one of the creative days vegetation was brought forth: "plants yielding seed and fruit trees yielding fruit whose seed is in itself, each according to its kind, upon the earth. And it was so"

http://foodrevolution.org/ Starting today, the Food Revolution Summit will be available and I am excited about it! It is a week long event with over 22 different speakers throughout the week. Dr. T. Colin Campbell, Dr. Dean Ornish and Dr. Joel Furman are 3 of over 22 who will be speaking on living a healthy life. It is easy to access and sign up for, free of charge. What are you waiting for?

It's never too Late.............

• ........ to make the choice to live a healthy life.
• ......... to choose to lead a joy-filled life.
• ........ to choose to follow the Way of Truth.
• .............. to turn away from harmful practices.
• ............to turn away from darkness and turn towards the Light.
• .......... to live a purpose- filled life.
• ...........to make a difference in someones life for good.
• .........to say yes to Jesus.
• ........... to search for truths.
• ............. to establish good moral character.
• Is it ever too late??

"For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities-his eternal power and divine nature-have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." Holy Scriptures--Romans 1:20

Dr. Mercola has once again made available a  documentary and it is on the Colony Collapse Disorder(CCD) with the Honey Bees. It is very important in my opinion and hopefully will make you think about the choices you have to make to insure that future generations will have a healthy food supply. Here is the link:

https://rdt.mercola.com/view.aspx?&ReturnURL=http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/04/21/vanishing-bees-film.aspx?e_cid=20120421_DNL_art_1

Here is a colorful salad and its packed with nutrition. We had a "Sweet Garlic" dressing with it and I am sure I will make this often when the garden greens are ready. We have had a lot of rain the last couple of days and with a few warm days the garden will grow leaps and bounds, which means we will have our own garden greens. It is a joyous time of year here in the Ozarks!
The recipe for this salad is simple:
1 package of spinach greens (washed and spun dry) or your own homegrown greens.
1/4 cup or less of finely cut red onion
2 medium size carrots peeled with a vegetable peeler in strips
1 orange cut into sections or chunks of pineapple would be a good variation.
1/4 cup of dried blueberries or any other type of dried fruit such as: dried cranberries, raisins, dried cherries.
The dressing I used was a Sweet Garlic dressing. Here is the recipe:

2 Heads of garlic placed in a baking dish and drizzle a little olive oil over the tops and bake at 400 degrees for approx 20 minutes. Allow to cool. When cool, squeeze the pulp out of the cloves of garlic being careful to not get the papery husk . Place in a blender with 2 Tablespoons of honey
2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
3 Tablespoons of lemon juice or white balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup of pineapple juice or orange juice or even water is fine
1/4 teaspoon salt
pinch of black pepper or red pepper
You can add a couple Tablespoons of olive oil if you like, but its just added fat. The flavor is just perfect without the oil.
Blend until smooth and creamy. This dressing keeps very well in the refrigerator up to 3 weeks.
When the garden is producing lots of greens, I usually double this recipe.

Here is a picture of the Kindle Fire case I made for my sister, Susan. I think this one has "Mary Jane" style,(it has a garden theme,lots of flowers) and  it is bright and cheery like my sister! The flower rose was made as well and has an ole' world charm to it, but made with a bright green fabric.

I mentioned when I began doing this blog that I would from time to time have a craft project to show and here is one that I made for Eric for his Lenovo Idea Pad. I used a pair of his ole' jeans and made it into a tri-fold, thinking that would protect it better than a bi-fold. "Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without". I love it when I can re-use something and make something else useful out of it!

This picture was taken today of 5 raised beds that have been made for the purpose of raising fresh garden vegetables for the residence of the Laurie Care Center and the Laurie Knolls. All the building material, soil, compost and the plantings of seeds, and plants were donated, as well as the time. for planting the garden.  It is so encouraging to see people helping one another with one common goal in mind. I hope this garden does exceptionally well this year! What a great project Nikki!!

The Dogwood tree is one of the" harbingers of spring" and this year they have held their blossoms for an unusually long time. We are surrounded by mainly oak and hickory forest and the dogwood seem to thrive in that environment. After the blooms have dropped it will begin to develop berries that will ripen in the fall and are bright crimson in color. Birds are attracted to the berries for a source of food.



We just arrived at Bakersville just outside of Mansfield, Mo at their monthly Heritage Days. Susan and Oleta are giggling and ready to stock up on plants, seeds and rare finds! Tara is out of view and this was her first time at Bakersville...boy is she in for a treat!! Check out their website: www.rareseeds.com

This picture was taken  looking towards the Bakery Shop and I am standing just below the Apothecary shop/Herb garden .

We are looking out from the Bakery Shop  while  enjoying Cinnamon rolls fresh out of the oven!

Now here is a view of a good days find at Bakersville! Susan (my sister) has a double tier in her vehicle and the top tier is full of plants and there is another space below that you cannot  see that is full to the brim! It was a beautiful sunshiny day and it was special  to be able to  spend it with friends/ family.

"ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL THE LORD GOD MADE THEM ALL" This little cutie is an American Toad. We have what is known as the Toad invasion each spring and they come at times by the dozens to meet their mates and lay eyes in a couple of small ponds we have inserted in our gardens. One pond is no bigger than an old fashion washtub and it will be full of tadpoles before long. When the Toads call to one another it is a very high pitch shrill that is almost deafening, but it thrills me to have them come year after year to our home to mate and lay eggs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=qjRRz-SsmpYj  Here is a overview of the China Study by Dr. T. Colin Campbell and  his discovery of the realtionship between a high protein diet and cancer. I am thankful for his years of study and his willingness to share his discoveries  in the face of opposition. I am confident that many who adhere to his recommendation of a low protein, whole-foods, plant-based diet will in fact reverse many chronic diseases.

 www.hungryforchange.tv/   Here is the correct link to the "Hungry for Change" video that is for viewing for a limited time. You will need to copy and paste it into your search engine to view. It is very informative and inspiring in that you can take control over your health and not let it be left up to chance!

We have been blessed with much needed rain and everything is well watered now! It's exciting to see the earth come to life and plants that lie dormant all winter begin to emerge. What is so striking is each plant is unique in how it emerges. Our Creator loves diversity and the evidence is in everything we see around us in nature, including one another. There is so much beauty that surrounds us...I am reminded to slow down and take notice! This picture that was taken in our yard. Look at the simple, elegant design.

A picture of "Hens and Chicks." When I view what God  has created I am struck with the thought that there isn't anything in ALL of creation that was left to chance. Look at the intricate details of this simple plant! Amazing!

Recipe for the day:

Baked Oatmeal

3 cups of organic rolled oats

1/2 cup raisins or dried cranberries

1/2 cup coconut, unsweetened

1/4 teaspoon of salt

41/2 cups water

1. Mix all ingredients in oil-sprayed 13x9-inch pan.
2. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes.

This recipe can be made the night before and stored in the refrigerator and baked while you are getting ready for the day...easy! I like to add blueberries for a nutritious boost. Honestly, this is like eating dessert for breakfast! Enjoy!

Peaches or fresh strawberries is also a nice addition when you serve it up.

Per 1/2 cup:

   Calories 171

   Protein 4.2 g

   Carbohydrates 24g

   Fiber 4 g

   Fat 7.4 g

   Sodium 52 mg

A day in the Garden

Today was one of those days that one could call perfect....well almost perfect, I will save perfection for the paradise to come. It was a perfect day for planting and planting I did. Here is a list of  vegetables that was planted:

1. Lacinato (aka Dinosaur, Nero do Toscana) It's an Italian heirloom that dates back to the eighteenth century. The leaves are 10-18" long and the flavor is said to be excellent. Looking forward to seeing how this Kale performs.
2. Yugoslavian Red Butterhead(lettuce)
3. Asparagus Pea (aka Winged Pea) It is said to have been mentioned as early as 1734 by botanist Philip Miller. The flowers are red and its a low growing plant. The pods are suppose to be unique and are best steamed whole. It will be fun and interesting to see how this plant grows.
4. Collards which is a hardy biennial and grows to 3ft. Remember that greens are full of vitamins and antioxidants.
5. Rocky Top lettuce mix
6. White Onion sets
7. Red Pontiac Potato sets

Tomorrow is suppose to be a repeat of today, weather wise, and its also preparation day, so I hope to include some more planting in the day and if you couldn't have guessed it, I will be planting more greens.  Greens are high in fiber, low in calories and very satisfying, not to mention how nutrient-dense they are. Did you know that Leafy greens are higher in calcium than any other whole-plant food?
One good way to get plenty of greens is to add them to a fruit smoothie for breakfast.