Menu Plan For The Week Of February 28 Thru March 6, 2022

Good morning! Happy Last Day of February! 💗 Tomorrow is the First of March, and the official First Day of Spring is not far behind! I am more than ready for it! 💚

Mockingbird

I would love to visit with you this morning, but am headed to work shortly, so am just going to post this week's menu plan for now.

Have a great Monday and I'll be with you again soon!

This week's menu plan...

Monday - Turkey burger and oven fries 🍔

Tuesday - Chicken ranch salad with French bread 🥗

Wednesday - Butter and garlic pasta, peas, French bread, and salad 🥖

Thursday - Taco salad 🥗

Friday - Broiled salmon, baked potato, steamed broccoli, and salad 🐟

Saturday - Breakfast for supper 🥓

Sunday - Leftovers

Until next time...

~Rebecca

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Good morning! Happy Monday! And Happy President's Day! 💗🤍💙

Valentine/Anniversary Flowers

From My Girls

How was your week and weekend? My week here was good. I finally made it through the last tote of stuff that was in the house (mostly Mom and Dad's stuff) and have the solar room, sunroom, and livingroom done. Now I'll be moving back into the Van Gogh room to start the process of fine-tuning what's left. I've got books to sort, program tubs that need reorganized, and a variety of things that just need put away now. Little by little I'm getting there. This has been a huge project, but one that has needed done for many years. I'm thankful to have finally had the time, opportunity, and the ability to focus to do it justice. My next project will be to deep-clean the entire house room by room and thin things out even more.

Female House Finch @ Feeder

I met a friend for lunch on Wednesday and we had a good visit. Before meeting with her, I got new wiper blades put on my car and, afterwards, I ran out to work to receive training on our new RS2 system. 

Goldfinch @ Feeder

Friday night I joined my friend, Mary, for supper at Tractor's BBQ and Grill in Lamar. We stopped by Walmart on the way back and enjoyed a great visit.

I worked on Saturday. I had bison coming, going, and even in between. I saw them on the west side of the park on my way in...

Grazing on the West Side

"Betcha can't see me now!"

...they came past the nature center around 10:30 a.m...

Looking Through the Diorama and Out the East 

Window of the Nature Center

...and, then, I saw them on the south end of the park on my way home...

Grazing on the South Side

It was great!!! It's been twenty-six years since first discovering the bison at Prairie State Park, going on eight years of working with them, and I never ever get tired of seeing them!

Creek @ the Low-Water Bridge on Saturday

It's a beautiful Monday here in southwest Missouri. At the moment, it's mostly sunny, windy, and 56 degrees, but a high of 72 is expected. After that, we go back in the deep-freeze. Tuesday is supposed to be cold and rainy. Then, another snowstorm is expected mid-week. I plan to enjoy today while we've got it! 

Okay...that's enough rambling for today! Let's get started on this week's post...shall we?

Morning Sun @ the Picnic Area on Saturday

This week's master to-do list...

- work

- clean house

- do laundry

- count calories (it's working!!!)

- walk daily

- make bread

- get together with my friend, Carla

- sort and list a few items for sale online

- figure cost of first canvases printed and get them up for sale

- wish son, Bud, an early birthday

Beaver Activity @ the Creek

This week's menu plan...

Monday - Broiled salmon, baked sweet potato, asparagus and sautéed celery (very small leftover amounts of both), and a side salad

Tuesday - Oven-roasted chicken with baked potato, oven-roasted carrots, and a side salad

Wednesday - Bison chili with crackers

Thursday - Turkey burger with sweet potato fries

Friday - Soup, salad, and bread

Saturday - Homemade pizza

Sunday - Leftovers

Yellow Crocus

Well, that's it for today! I hope that this post finds you and yours healthy, happy, and serving the Lord with gladness and that your week is off to a great start!

Until next time...

~Rebecca

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Getting Ready For Gardening Season

We may be in the middle of another winter storm outdoors, but, indoors, I'm getting ready for garden season!

Yesterday I made inquiries into getting a garden spot tilled up as soon as possible; today I'm starting seed in my Jiffy Seed Starting Greenhouse. 

I planted tomatoes (Roma), bell peppers (Sweet Cal Wonder), squash (Early Golden Summer Crookneck, Black Beauty Zucchini,  Burpee's Butterbush Butternut, White Scallop), and pumpkin (New England Sugar Pie).

I can't wait to see those first tiny green sprouts popping up through the dirt!

What about you? Are you looking forward to gardening season? What gardening dreams are you dreaming right now?

Until next time...

~Rebecca

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They say that we're in for another winter storm come Thursday, but, whether it happens or not, Old Man Winter can't hang around for too much longer. Proof that spring is on its way is everywhere! 

Here are a few of the things that I've observed around the yard this afternoon...

Purple Crocus

 Bluet

Dandelion

A starling taking on its summer plumage and yellow beak.

Henbit

A pretty kitty that decided to join me this afternoon.

What signs of spring are you witnessing in your area?

Until next time...

~Rebecca

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Good morning! Happy Monday and Happy Valentine's Day! 💘

Were he still here, John and I would be celebrating our 34th wedding anniversary today. I sure do love and miss him, and am so very thankful for the many years that we had together. Cherish your husbands, Ladies. Every day is a gift. 

Flowers From Our 30th Anniversary Party

My week and weekend here were productive. In the process of cleaning, sorting, and organizing I have gotten rid of a ton of stuff. I filled two trash bins full of trash and donated, literally, a carload of stuff to a local thrift store. Some stuff I've sorted out to pass on to other people that might want it and the rest I am still trying to figure out what to do with. Some of it I will keep; some of it I won't. Unwanted books will be donated to the local library. 

Friday evening I rode to Nevada with my friend, Carla. She had to pick up a few things for her father-in-law and I did my grocery shopping while we were there. Being as we hardly ever get a chance to get together anymore, it was nice to get out and do something together.

We celebrated three birthdays this past week. Grandson, Dante, requested a harpy eagle theme for his birthday.

Harpy Birthday, Dante! 🦅

His sister, Kira, chose a rainbow and 'hoonicorn' (unicorn) theme for hers.

Happy Birthday, Kira! 🌈

Their mom made the cakes and Aunt Amber decorated them. She had never seen a harpy eagle before, so Dante helped by directing her as to details and color. I think they both did a great job!

Saturday was Jed's birthday. I went over and visited with him and his family for awhile Saturday afternoon. While there, even though it was freezing cold and extremely windy, we took a trip down to the creek and did a little exploring. It was fun! 

Happy Birthday, Jed!

Well, I'm heading to work shortly, so I better get started. Let's get on with this week's post, shall we?

Male Cardinal @ Son and Daughter-in-Law's Bird Feeder

This week's to-do list...

- work

- clean house

- do laundry

- continue sorting and organizing stuff that has been packed away

- get together with friends and family

- figure the mid-month budget

- go to the bank

Granddaughter Audrey's Cat, Sanford

This week's menu plan... 

Monday - Bison tenderloin with baked potato, fresh asparagus, and salad 

Tuesday - Broiled salmon, baked sweet potato, sautéed spinach and fresh asparagus

Wednesday - Chicken ranch salad with homemade French bread

Thursday - Oven-roasted turkey, boiled buttered potatoes, peas, and salad

Friday - Out

Saturday - Breakfast sausage with potatoes, peppers, and onions

Sunday - Leftovers or something out of the freezer

From My Button Collection

That's it for today. You have a nice day, a Happy Valentine's Day, and a great week ahead!

Until next time...

~Rebecca

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Taking An Afternoon Break

It's Wednesday afternoon and we're already halfway through the week. 

It's a beautiful day...60 degrees and sunny...and the snow is all but gone. The only place it remains is in the shade of structures and other things that have a north-facing side that shields it from the direct sun. Give it another day and, most likely, that will be melted away, too. I won't be sorry to see it go.

I got started early this morning with a variety of projects. I'm still working on cleaning, sorting, and organizing. At the moment I'm going through stuff of my mom and dad's that has been stored away since Dad passed away nearly six years ago. I'm determined to get through it all and have done with it before spring. At the end of it the whole house will have, finally, been gone through. Then, all I will have left are two sheds and the garage.

Another thing I'm working on is trying to use up fresh things in the fridge. I had a variety of fresh vegetables that needed used up, so I shredded, diced, sliced, and cut them up and mixed them altogether to make another big salad. I plan on having a big salad for lunch each day and side salads with suppers until it's gone. I will be ready to go grocery shopping by the weekend.

I had four small bananas that needed used, too. I turned them into a double batch of banana oat-bran muffins, bagged them up, and popped them in the freezer to be doled out over time. I have got to learn to shop and cook for one. It's hard. 

We've got a lot of celebrating going on in the family this week. Grandson, Dante, is celebrating his seventh birthday today, granddaughter, Kira, will celebrate her fourth on Friday, and grandson, Jed, will celebrate his ninth on Saturday. 

It's amazing how fast the grandlittles are growing up and some of them aren't so little anymore. Our oldest granddaughter is getting married in September and "the Big Three" all turn 17 this summer. Two new babies will be born this summer, as well. God has truly blessed our family!

Speaking of blessings...I went out this afternoon and discovered this blooming on the south lawn...

It's always been a race to see which would come first...my mother's birthday or the harbinger of spring...the first bloom of the little purple crocus. Mom's birthday won out this year (it was yesterday), but the blooming of the first crocus was hot on its heels, following just hours behind. It made me quite happy to see it!

Well, break time is over and I need to get back to work. I hope your Wednesday is going well and that you and your family are healthy and happy. 

Until next time...

~Rebecca

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Celebrating My Mother's "29th" Birthday

February 8th has always been a special day for me. It was my mother's birthday. Had she lived, today would have been her 81st. THAT is hard to imagine! My mother passed away on June 26, 2005.

I can remember doing some pretty outlandish things over the years in order to celebrate a day that I think meant more to me than it did to her. The one that sticks out the most to me today was my mother's 27th birthday. For heaven's sake! 27 was only three years away from 30 and, in my young mind, turning 30 must have been a devastating thing! It meant somehow passing from youth and vitality into old age oblivion overnight! (Now I have a children who have long crossed that threshold from youth into "old age", and oh! How I long to be there again myself! The 30-somethings were actually some of the best years of my life!)

Anyway, in order to help my mother jump this hurdle and somehow make it easier on her, in my 7-year-old mind I had to find some spectacular way to mark it's passage! Never being one to shy away from talking about my feeling when my passions run high, I went to the only person that I felt could help...my second-grade schoolteacher! She was old (much older than my mother)! She would understand! And she did!

My wonderful, old teacher asked me kindly, "What's something that your mother would really like?" That was easy! My mother loved birds! That wonderful old teacher (if I remember correctly her name was Mrs. Strubbar), called a halt to our regular class activities that day and for an impromptu art project had everyone in the class make "Mrs. Brown" a bird for her birthday! I got to take the packet home with me that night and present it to my mother in honor of her birthday upon arrival...along with a solemn promise that "no matter how old she got" in my mind I'd never let her get past the age of 29!

That 53-year-old packet of bird cut-outs and drawings still lay in the bottom of my mother's trunk and those precious memories of that wonderful old teacher and a room full of classmates working together to make my mother's birthday special still remains fresh in my heart and mind.

Here's to you, Mom! Happy 29th (81st) Birthday! I love and miss you, but we will all be together again soon! 

My Mom and I Many Years Ago

Until next time...

~Rebecca

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Good morning! It's the first Monday of February and I hope that your week (and month) is off to a great start! 

We've still got quite a bit of snow on the ground here, but, little by little it's melting away. Right now it's 39 degrees and sunny with a high of 48 expected; high temps throughout the week are supposed to be in the mid-to upper-50's and even some 60's. Beautiful!

At Creek's Edge

The garden seed that I ordered from Baker Creek arrived last week. I was very pleased with the selections made and printed off little envelopes so I could divide the seeds to share.

Garden Seed From Baker Creek

There have been a lot of birds at the feeders this week. Here are a few of the pictures that I've taken of them...

Goldfinch

Male Cardinal

Female Cardinal

House Finch

Birds At The Feeder

I saw this gorgeous coyote on my way to work Saturday morning. I was super excited to get a photo! He was so pretty! 

Well, the morning is getting away from me. Let's get started on this week's post, shall we?

Snowflakes on My Jacket

This week's master to-do list...

- work

- clean house

- do laundry

- get together with family and friends

- celebrate birthdays with three of the grands

- write and send a few letters and cards

- deliver Valentine treats to the grands

It's hard to believe that, as of Thursday, my husband will have been gone seven months. I love and miss him so much! Had he still been here we would be getting ready to celebrate our 34th wedding anniversary on Valentine's Day. 

February 14, 1988

This week's menu plan...

Monday - Turkey burger with brown rice, black beans, and cheese

Tuesday - Butter and garlic pasta with salad and homemade French bread

Wednesday - Broiled salmon, baked sweet potato, and green beans 

Thursday - Out

Friday - Oven-roasted turkey, mashed potatoes, and mixed vegetables

Saturday - Tuna and noodles with peas

Sunday - Leftovers

Well, I guess that's it for this week. It seems that I really don't have a lot to share these days...at least nothing new or exciting. Every day is pretty much the same anymore. 

I do plan on trying to share more of my animal photos and stuff on my Life on the Tallgrass Prairie site, rather than here. I hadn't been over there in ages. Finally went over there yesterday and explained my absence. It seems more fitting that much of the stuff I share here should be posted there instead. We'll see how it goes.

Blessings to all! Have a great week ahead!  

Until next time...

~Rebecca

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It's a cold and snowy day here on the tallgrass prairie of southwest Missouri. 

View Across The Road

There have been a lot of birds at the feeders this morning. In fact, I just went out a few minutes ago to refill them.

Goldfinch At Feeder

Anyone interested in making snow ice cream? Here's a recipe that is very similar, if not the same one, that we've always used. I'm half-tempted to go out, gather some snow, and make some myself!

Who's making soup today? And what kind? For supper tonight I'm going to have a bowl of that good Wintery Day Bean Soup. It's so yummy! 

Wintery Day Bean Soup

Until next time...

~Rebecca

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