BLESSINGS!

   I ASK FOR URGENT PRAYER FOR HOMESTEADBLOGGERS COUNTRYMOUSE (SISTER CARRIE). SHE WAS INVOLVED IN A CAR WRECK YESTERDAY WHERE HER VEHICLE WAS T-BONED. SHE WAS LIFE FLIGHTED TO A HOSPITAL, TREATED AND RELEASED TO HOME.

   HER HUSBAND CONTACTED US AND TOLD US THAT ONLY GOD IS RESPONSIBLE FOR HER LIVING THROUGH THE CRASH AND ASIDE FROM SOME INTERNAL BRUISING, CUTS AND SCRAPES SHE SUFFERED NO BROKEN BONES!! GOD'S HAND IS ALL OVER IT.

   AS I ALWAYS TELL FOLKS, GOD IS NOT SILENT AND YES HE STILL PERFORMS MIRACLES. THANK YOU JESUS!!!

   PLEASE LIFT SISTER CARRIE AND HER FAMILY IN YOUR FERVENT PRAYERS BOTH IN SUPPLICATION AND PRAISE. SHE IS GOING TO HAVE A TIME OF IT AS SHE HEALS FROM THIS. PRAY FOR HIS HEALING HAND. AND FOR THEIR COSTS TO BE COVERED AS THIS CAME AT A TIME WHEN THERE WAS A LAG IN THEIR INSURANCE.

   I KNOW YOU ARE ALL SUCH WONDERFUL PRAYER WARRIORS AND KNOW THAT GOD WILL HEAR!

GOD BE WITH THEE!

SISTER LORI

I would like to wish you all a happy 4th and for those that will have bbq and have family and friends over have a great day of fellowship.

And for those that will be home have a happy day...

Have a happy weekend for those on the road drive careful.. There are a lot of folks on the road this weekend..

Have a weekend everyone..

My plans I'm having my brother and family and my parents? we are having a bbq with lots of outside games with prizes.It will be a good day  with fellowship..

Blessings Sister Brenda

Good morning from another rainy day in Maine the start of July isn't so good.. Just about he whole month of June it rained. Farmers are having a hard time with crops . The fields are filled with water tractors can't get on its a mess. We have such a short growing season too begin with. The hay crop some don't even have first crop in yet do to rain.

Here at the farm My garden not doing so good have replanted cucumbers again. Also have pumpkins -squash-cukes started over in the greenhouse.. I have to grow them enough so the rain and beetles do destroy them.

Ray has put new fencing up for the goats Mike and Blarney are doing just fine. Mike just got banded a few days ago he is doing fine. And Blarney lost his band a few days ago and he is doing great.

Ive been keeping myself busy trying to mow and garden and yard work between rain .. I've also doing some craft work.

Today I have a busy day we are having my brother and family and maybe my parents over for a bbq tomorrow. I have baking and cleaning  to do. I have my first load of laundry in the washer and the dishwasher is humming away.

I would like to wish every one a Happy 4th and drive safely if your on the road and enjoy the week with family and friends all that fellowship is good..

Blessings Sister Brenda

Blessings!

   Well, it's that time of year again...time for CANNING!!!

   I didn't take any pictures of our Strawberry and Strawbluey adventure (that was last week) but I DID take pictures of todays Cherry-ganza!:P

   First we have 67.8 lbs of cherries (yep you read that right:P)After washing them they are pitted. Here is Miss Mary-Ann taking care of that sticky chore:PLove my cherry pitter:)Once pitted they are put into a large bowl and sent to the cutting stationI had a little help from Miss Sarah (she did a little cutting but mostly did the cooking part)All cut and measured to send to the cooking stationThen the sugar needs to be measured out.

Miss Sarah mixes in the pectin and sugarThe jars are heated up while the fruit is cooking down

Time to fill the jars (me giving "the look":P)Not sure it will fill the last jarYay! it fits!!So pretty:)

Needless to say we are exhausted! But wow what yummy stuff this will be in the winter months when we begin yearning for spring once again:)

A bounty of provision. A blessing from the Heavenly Father. Thank you Jesus!

God be with thee!

Sister Lori

When Ike was so sick with pneumonia I brought him and Mike in the basement we put down carpet and hay and clean it twice a day it didn't smell bad..But now it smells terrible.. The floor is concrete and there was some boards where we fenced them in..

I have bleached with a bush and I've also used pine sol and it still smells..Today I've opened up the windows.. I have put baking soda down on the floor and left it now for many days..

We have had rain for many days and its damp.. could that bring the smell out??? I'm lost..

Help I don't know what to do..

Thanks Blessings Sister Brenda

now this has to be the cutest cupcake I've ever seen with so much detail.. I wish I didn't have dial up..

If anyone makes these please let me know and post a picture.

No BBQ is complete without hot dogs and burgers. No grilling necessary!


Watch a step-by-step video demonstration of this recipe.

RECIPE INGREDIENTS:
	Hamburger Cupcakes
	2 vanilla wafer cookies
	1 Keebler Grasshopper cookie
	Yellow and red icing in tubes
	Green tinted coconut
	Slices of green gumdrop (optional)
	Orange juice or lemonade concentrate
	Sesame seeds
	1 baked cupcake
	White icing
	Multicolored nonpareils
	Hot Dog Cupcakes
	1 circus peanut
	1 caramel square
	Yellow icing in a tube
	Green tinted coconut
	Cut-up green gumdrop (optional)
	Orange juice or lemonade concentrate
	1 baked cupcake
	White icing

1. For Hamburger: To build the hamburger, start with an upside-down vanilla wafer. Add a dab of icing to attach the Grasshopper cookie, then a squirt of yellow icing, a squirt of red icing, a sprinkle of tinted coconut, and 2 thin slices of a green gumdrop for pickles (optional).

2. Top with the second vanilla wafer cookie, right side up (glue on with icing if needed). Rub the top "bun" with juice concentrate, then sprinkle with sesame seeds. Frost the cupcake with white icing, place the "burger" on top, and sprinkle on nonpareils.

3. For Hotdog: For the bun, cut a wedge in the circus peanut. If the caramel is soft, roll it into a hot dog shape. If it's hard, first soften it in your hand or in a microwave for a few seconds.

4. Caution: the caramel can get hot! Place the "hot dog" in the bun and squirt on a squiggly line of yellow icing.

5. Garnish with green gumdrop "relish," if you wish. Frost the cupcake with white icing, place the hot dog on top, and sprinkle on nonpareils.

Now this looks really good and very simple to make..

Packed with kid appeal, this culinary nod to Old Glory, from cookbook author and FamilyFun contributor Ken Haedrich, is made by layering strawberry sorbet and vanilla and blueberry-flavored ice cream in a loaf pan, chilling each layer until it's firm. Served with homemade blueberry sauce and fresh fruit, it's a sweet, summery ending to any Independence Day meal.

Got the link here:

Blessings Sister Brenda

http://jas.familyfun.go.com/recipefinder/display?id=52181&CMP=NLC-NL_Wkdr_0701_red_white_and_blue_delight

INGREDIENTS:
	For the blueberry sauce:
	1 pint fresh blueberries, rinsed
	1 tablespoon water
	1/2 cup sugar
	1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
	1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch For the dessert:
	1 pint strawberry sorbet
	1 container (1 1/2 quarts) vanilla ice cream
	Fresh blueberries and strawberries for garnish

1. Combine the blueberries and the water in a medium-size saucepan. Partially cover the pan, then bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Continue simmering the berries until they begin to break down, about 2 minutes. Stir in the sugar and cook the berries until they become soft, about 1 to 2 minutes more.

2. Stir together the lemon juice and cornstarch in a small bowl until evenly blended. Stir the mixture into the berries, then cook them at a low boil, stirring constantly, for 1 1/2 minutes. Remove the sauce from the heat and transfer it to a medium-size bowl. When the sauce is cooled, cover it and place it in the refrigerator to chill.

3. Line a 9- by 5-inch metal loaf pan with two sheets of crisscrossed plastic wrap, leaving a 3-inch overhang on all sides, then chill the pan in the freezer for 10 minutes.

4. Place the container of sorbet in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to soften, then spoon the sorbet into the pan and mold it, using a sheet of plastic wrap to smooth the top as needed. Cover it with foil and freeze it for 2 hours. The last 30 minutes, soften the vanilla ice cream in the refrigerator. Remove the pan from the freezer, add half the vanilla ice cream, mold it, cover it with foil, and freeze it and the remaining ice cream for 30 minutes. For the third layer, mix the remaining ice cream with 3/4 cup of the blueberry sauce, and add it to the pan. Freeze the dessert for one more hour.

5. Chill a platter in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Right before serving, thin the remaining blueberry sauce with a spoonful of water or orange juice. Invert the dessert onto the platter, unwrap it, and garnish it with fresh berries. Use a sharp knife to slice the dessert, and serve it with the sauce. Serves 10.

Nutritional Information
Per serving (1 slice, 10 servings per recipe, with 2 tablespoons of blueberry sauce):
Calories 277
Total Fat 10 g (15% DV)
Saturated Fat 5 g (27% DV)
Cholesterol 54 mg (18% DV)
Sodium 58 mg (2% DV)
Total Carbohydrate 46 g (15% DV)
Fiber 0.9 g (4% DV)
Sugars 43 g
Protein 4 g (8% DV)

(Percent daily values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.)

A movie night just isn't complete without popcorn. Single-serving paper cones and a popcorn seasonings bar allow viewers to customize their snacks.

To make your family movie night picture-perfect, check out our printables for a classic popcorn holder, tickets to the festivities, and a decorative wrap for your favorite drink.

Got the link here:

Blessings Sister Brenda

http://jas.familyfun.go.com/crafts?page=CraftDisplay&craftid=12201&CMP=NLC-NL_Wkdr_0701_popcorn_cones

CRAFT MATERIALS:
	Scrapbook paper
	Tape
	Scissors
	Popcorn
	Butter
	Jars with shaker lids
	Popcorn toppings:
	Paprika
	Garlic powder
	Onion powder
	Dried thume
	Chili powder
	Salt
	Sugar
	Cinnamon
	Dried parsley
	Grated Parmesan
	Dried oregano
	Dried basil
	Dried rosemary
Time needed: Under 1 Hour

1. To make one cone, roll a piece of 12-inch-square scrapbook paper into a cone and secure it with tape. Trim the top to make it flat. Bend the cone's tip up about an inch and tape it in place. For a lid, make a second cone using a piece of 11- or 10-inch paper; after sprinkling seasonings on the popcorn, fit the mouth of the smaller cone over the larger one and shake the popcorn to distribute the toppings.

2. TOPPINGS: For epic amounts of flavor, pop up a big batch of popcorn, toss it with a bit of melted butter, and put out a spread of jars with shaker lids containing these mixtures:

Cajun: Combine 1 teaspoon each of paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder; 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, 1/4 teaspoon chili powder, and salt to taste.

Cinnamon and Sugar: Mix 2 tablespoons sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Italian: Combine 1 teaspoon dried parsley and 2/3 cup grated Parmesan with 1/2 teaspoon each of dried oregano, dried basil, dried thyme, and dried rosemary. Add salt to taste.

This is such a cute idea..I'm going to make some of these up for this weekend..

You can make a patriotic place setting for each of your guests using this simple technique.

Got the link here:

Blessings Sister Brenda

http://jas.familyfun.go.com/crafts?page=CraftDisplay&craftid=12179&CMP=NLC-NL_Wkdr_0701_star_spangled_napkin_rings

CRAFT MATERIALS:
	Tape or glue
	White poster board or heavy paper
	Starlight mint candies
	Double-sided tape
	Blue napkins
Time needed: Under 1 Hour

1. Tape or glue a strip of white poster board or heavy paper (ours was 1 inch wide and about 7 inches long) into a ring.

2. Fix a row of Starlight mint candies (in their wrappers) to the ring with double-sided tape.

3. Stuff the ring with a blue napkin and one set of utensils.