Swiss Steak

2 1/2 pounds beef, cut into 1" cubes
1 tablespoon bacon grease, or coconut oil
1 large onion, sliced
1 large bell pepper, sliced, optional
2 cups beef stock
2 cloves garlic, minced
32 ounces crushed tomatoes
32 ounces diced tomatoes, petit
3 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1. In a dutch oven or large pan, sear the beef in the oil in batches.  Do not over crowd the pan.  Set                   aside.

2. Saute the onion and pepper in the same pan for a couple of minutes.  Set aside.

3. Pour stock into pan to deglaze, stirring bottom.  Simmer a few minutes to reduce.

4. Add, garlic, tomatoes, vegetables, Worcestershire sauce, seasonings, and beef.

5. At this point, There are several ways to finish the dish.  You can simmer on low on the stove top till the         meat is tender, bake in a low oven for a couple of hours, or plop it all into the slow cooker on low for           4-6 hours.

Servings: 8

Notes:
Chuck or sirloin for this dish is best, but other cuts will work.  I use up to 3 1/2 lbs of meat for this recipe.

Sometimes I cut up an entire arm roast or anything that can be used as "stew meat."  You can certainly use venison.

Traditionally, this is thickened with a dusting of flour on the beef, but I do not use it.  We've found it is just fine as it is, but it could be thickened with an alternative thickener if desired.

This is great served over baked spaghetti squash or sweet potatoes.

Spicy Parsnip Fries

1 pound parsnips
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
1 tablespoon arrowroot powder, starch
1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted

1. Preheat oven to 425.

2. Peel the parsnips and trim the ends. Cut in half, then into quarters. Cut the quarters lengthwise into thin           shoestring-style fries.

3. Add the parsnips to a large bowl with the arrowroot starch, seasoning and coconut oil. Toss to coat             evenly.

4. Line a baking sheet and spread the parsnips out evenly. I use a silicone mat. 

5. Bake for 20 minutes, then flip the parsnips over. Continue to bake for another 10 minutes, or until the           edges have begun to brown / caramelize.

Notes:  

Watch them carefully.  They burn easily in the last few minutes. 

I made these without the arrow root powder.  They were not very crispy.  We loved them anyway. 

Pork Breakfast Sausage

1 pound ground pork
1 tablespoon coconut sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons dried sage
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 pinch ground cloves
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dried parsley

1. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl with clean hands.

2. Form into patties and cook in a large skillet about 5-6 minutes per side.

3. Or cook crumbled till no longer pink.

Notes:
Original recipe calls for 1 teaspoon fennel.  I don't use it because I don't like it.

Original recipe calls for 1 tablespoon sugar, rather than coconut sugar, but we don't used refined sugar so I make that substitution.

Since I love my sausage dipped in syrup, I plan to try this next time with pure maple syrup added instead of coconut sugar.  I'll let you know how it turns out!

Hamburger Patties Plus

3 or 4 pounds ground beef, or venison or mixed
1 small onion, diced
1 small bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small carrot, grated (optional)
1 - 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or a diced jalapeno
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/2 tablespoon butter, bacon grease, lard or coconut oil
1 dash liquid smoke flavoring, optional

1. Saute all the vegetables in a skillet in fat till very soft.

2. Transfer them to a food processor or blender and puree into a smooth paste.

3. Put all ingredients into a large bowl and mix with your hands to combine very well.

4. Shape meat mixture into 5 oz patties.

5. Grill patties till just seared well on each side, but still well pink in the middle if you are making them for           the freezer.

6. Grill to desired doneness if eating right away.

Notes: 

The point of these patties is to boost the nutrition with vegetables and other healthy additions but keep it palatable for picky kids.  That's why I puree the veggies. I make up a batch of these patties weekly and freeze individually for lunches or a last minute dinner.  If you don't over grill them, they are juicy and delicious, even heated in the microwave. 

Change up the amounts of black pepper and red pepper flakes according to personal preference.  

Add any other favorite seasonings or left over veggies from the fridge.  I've added green beans, ground flax seeds and even quinoa.

I make this with pork also, but cook a little more fully, even for the freezer, but don't dry them out.

A grill adds the best flavor.  On my electric griddle, I cook these on 400 degrees for 4 minutes on first side, then 3 minutes on the second side, if I'm cooking them for the freezer. 

Guacomole

2 whole avocados, smashed
1/4 cup onion, diced fine (optional)
1 whole jalapeno , minced fine
1 roma tomato, diced fine
Salt to taste
1 lime, juiced

Smash avocados, dice vegetables, juice the lime and mix it all together.

Egg Bake

14 large eggs
1 cup full fat cottage cheese
1/4 cup heavy cream (optional)
1 small onion, chopped
1 small bell pepper, any color, chopped
10 ounces (or so) fresh spinach, chopped
2 cups broccoli florets, optional
1 or 2 very thinly sliced tomatoes
2 tablespoons golden flax seed, ground, optional for added nutrition
8 ounces cheese, grated
1 tablespoon butter, or coconut oil

1. Pre-heat oven to 350.

2. Butter a 9 X 13 glass baking dish.

3. Saute chopped onions and bell pepper till translucent and tender.

4. Steam broccoli till just barely tender.

5. Mix together eggs, cottage cheese and cream and blend.  (I use a stick blender.)

6. Place cooked onions & peppers, broccoli and then raw spinach into the bottom of the glass baking dish.

8. Slowly pour egg mixture over top. (I pour it over the back of a wooden spoon.)

9. Salt and pepper the eggs, then sprinkle with ground flax seed.

10. Lay sliced tomatoes over top.

11. Sprinkle with shredded cheese.

12. Bake for 45 minutes.

Just before going into the oven. 

Hot out of the oven! 

12. Cut into 8 - 10 pieces.

So delicious!! So nutritious! 

My egg bakes always vary somewhat.
This one is made with onions, red bell pepper, grated broccoli stalk,
 roma tomatoes, fresh spinach and Munster cheese. 

Servings: 10

Notes:
If I am not using broccoli, I'll grate the broccoli stems I've saved and cook them with the onions and peppers.

I also sometimes grate up a carrot and cook it with the onions and peppers.

Use any kind of cheese you like!

Bacon or sausage can be added to this for a special weekend treat!

These can be cooled, wrapped in plastic wrap in individual pieces and frozen.

Deer Cabbage

2 pounds venison, tenderloin or round steak, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 medium onion, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
32 ounces crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 small cabbage, chopped
2 Tablespoons bacon grease, or coconut oil
salt
ground black pepper

1. Brown venison pieces in bacon grease in batches in a large skillet.  Do not over crowd pan.   Set                   aside. 

2. In the same skillet, saute onions and garlic till translucent.  

3. Add tomatoes to pan and stir to deglaze. 

4. Return venison to pan and add remaining ingredients.  

5. Simmer till cabbage is tender.  

6. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 

Servings: 6

Notes: 

You can certainly make this with beef. 

We eat this all by itself out of a bowl, but it is also delicious served over brown rice or a baked potato.  

Cheese Sauce

1 whole egg, beaten
1/4 cup butter
1/2 to 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
2 1/2 cups whole milk, or half and half
2 teaspoons dry mustard, heaping
1 pound cheese, grated
1/2 teaspoon salt, or more if needed
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt, or more if needed
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
cayenne pepper, optional
paprika, optional
dash hot sauce, optional

1. In a large pot, melt butter and pour in milk or half and half.  Whisk.

2. Add mustard and whisk as the milk comes up to a simmer.

3. Add zanthan gum, one pinch at a time as you whisk continuously.  Hold your "pinch" over the post as you rub your fingers back and forth slowly to cause tiny grains of gum to fall into the milk.

4. Take 1/4 cup of the thickened milk and add it to the beaten egg slowly, whisking constantly to avoid cooking the eggs.  Whisk till smooth.

5. Pour egg mixture into sauce, whisking constantly till smooth.

6. If sauce gets too think, you can always add a little more milk.

7. Add grated cheese bit by bit as you whisk till all the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth and                 shiny.

8. Add salt and pepper. Taste for seasoning and add more if needed.  Do not under salt!

9. Serve over cooked whole grain pasta, rice, chicken or vegetables.


Notes:
This makes a LOT of sauce.  Cut in half if you need less.  (Just beat an egg and use half of it.)
You can pour this over whole grain pasta, put it into a baking dish with additional grated cheese on top and bake for 25 minutes at 350 for baked macaroni and cheese.
Recipe adapted from The Pioneer Woman's Macaroni and Cheese

Baked Spaghetti Squash

1 whole spaghetti squash

1/2 cup water

1. Preheat oven to 375.

2. Cut squash in half lengthwise.  

3. Scoop out seeds with a spoon

4. Place squash halves in pan, cut side down. 

5. Pour 1/2 cup water into bottom of pan. 

6. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until squash is tender. 

7. Use a fork to rake the flesh back and forth, creating strands of squash like spaghetti. 

Servings: 4

Notes: Serve alone with salt, pepper and butter, or as a base for sauces or other dishes.

Chili Seasoning Mix

4 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon red cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground oregano
2 teaspoons paprika
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon sea salt
4 teaspoons ground black pepper

1. MIx all ingredients in a bowl.

2. Store in an air tight container.

3. Use to taste to season chili.

Notes:

Use instead of McCormick Chili Seasoning Packet 

Peanut Butter Banana Brownies (Grain Free, Refined Sugar Free)

1 banana, mashed
1 cup natural peanut butter, or almond butter, or a mixture of the two
2/3 cup raw honey
1 cup applesauce, unsweetened
3 eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons ground flax seed, optional for nutrition
1/2 cup unsweetened flaked coconut, optional
1 cup chopped walnuts, or pecans or almonds, optional

1. Mix wet ingredients together.

2. Mix dry ingredients together.

3. Add dry ingredients to wet.

4. Butter 9X13 glass pan.

5. Pour batter into pan and spread out evenly.

6. Sprinkle with nuts.

7. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

8. Let cool and cut into bars.

Notes:
Cut in half and use an 8X8 inch glass pan. These brownies are not low calorie or low carb, but they do not contain any grains, dairy or processed sugar and they are delicious!

If you like a banana flavor, you can use two bananas and 1/2 cup applesauce.

Braised Rabbit Legs (Or Chicken Breasts)

8 rabbit hind legs (or 4 bone-in chicken breasts)
salt
pepper
2 tablespoons bacon grease, or coconut oil
4 large shallots, thinly sliced
1/3 cup white wine vinegar
3 cups chicken stock, or rabbit, preferably home made bone broth
4 tablespoons butter, cut up
1/3 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.  

2. Pat the rabbit legs dry and season with salt and pepper. 

3. Heat bacon grease in a large dutch oven on high heat.  

4. Sear the legs until browned on both sides.  Transfer to plate. 

5. Reduce the heat to medium low, add the shallots to the pan and saute until tender but not browned,               about 2-3 minutes. 

6. Add vinegar to deglaze the pan.  

7. Return legs to pan with any accumulated juices and add enough chicken stock to come to within about           1/2 inch of covering the legs.  

8. Bring to a boil, then remove from head, cover pan and bake until the rabbit is tender and leg joint bends         easily, about 45 mintues. 

9. Transfer legs to a plate to keep warm.  Remove shallots with a slotted spoon. 

10. Return pan to medium high heat, and boil until sauce is reduce by about half. 

11. Whisk in butter one piece at a time.  

12. Check sauce for salt and pepper and adjust if needed. 

13. Return rabbit and shallots to pan until just reheated.  Stir in parsley. 

14. Serve with 2 legs on each plate, topped with shallots and sauce. 

Serves 4

Italian Chicken Breast with Spinach and Peppers

2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, sliced horizontally to thin them
10 ounces spinach leaves, whole
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced thin
4 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated
1 cup marinara sauce, jarred, sugar free, made with EVOO, or homemade
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
2 teaspoons butter, or coconut oil

1. Saute spinach in butter for a few minutes till mostly tender.  Add peppers and continue sauteing till                 peppers are tender crisp. 

2. Place spinach and peppers in 10X10 baking dish.

3. Sprinkle chicken breasts with salt and italian seasoning.  

4. Saute chicken breasts in butter to brown on both sides till 50% done.  (Will finish cooking in oven.)

5. Place chicken breasts over spinach in baking dish. 

6. Spoon marinara sauce over breasts.  

7. Sprinkle cheeses over sauce. 

8. Bake for 15-20 minutes till chicken breasts are done.  

Servings: 4

Notes: Onions and/ or mushrooms would be good added to this. 

Chicken Guacomole

2 avocados
1 small jalapeno Chile pepper, diced fine
1 small roma tomato, diced fine
1/4 cup onion, diced fine, optional
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 boneless skinless chicken breast, or rabbit, grilled and shredded
4 large romaine lettuce leaves

1. Smash the avocado, dice the vegetables and make the guacamole. 

2. Shred the chicken or rabbit meat and add to the guacamole.  

3. Serve on romaine lettuce leaves if desired or eat just as it is. 

Serves 2

Notes:
I like this best when the whole thing is cold, including the chicken.
You can also use shredded rabbit meat. 

Bacon Wrapped Baked Rabbit (Or Chicken)

1 pound rabbit (4 hind legs) (Can be made with 4 bone-in chicken breasts.)
4 slices bacon
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon coconut oil, or bacon grease
1- 2 cups stock, rabbit or chicken, homemade bone stock is best
2 tablespoons butter

1. Heat coconut oil or bacon grease in large skillet on stove top.

2. Season rabbit legs with salt and pepper and brown on both sides in the oil.

3. Transfer legs to broiler pan.

4. Wrap 1 slice of bacon around each leg and secure with toothpicks.

5. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until legs no longer pink in center.

6. While legs are baking, heat cup of stock in same skillet and deglaze.

7. Simmer stock to reduce slightly.

8.     Whisk the butter into the stock to complete the sauce.  

9.      Season sauce with salt and pepper.

10.    Serve rabbit leg with sauce drizzled over top.

Serves 4

Chicken or Rabbit Vegetable Soup

2 - 3 cups boneless skinless chicken breast, or dark chicken meat, or rabbit meat, cooked and cut up
4 - 6 cups chicken stock, or rabbit stock, homemade bone broth is best
1 Tablespoon butter
1 medium onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
1 can diced tomatoes, petit diced
1 cup green beans
1 cup corn, organic, non GMO
1 cup carrots, diced small
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup sweet potato, cooked and mashed, optional

1.     Cook chicken or rabbit meat with bones in slow cooker the night before.
        (Save the broth for the soup.)

2. In a dutch oven, saute onions and garlic in butter till translucent.

3. Add stock, and all remaining ingredients except sweet potato.

4. Simmer till vegetables are tender.

5. Boil, bake or microwave a small sweet potato.  Peel it and mash it.

6. Add some broth to the mashed sweet potato to thin it and then add that mixture back into the pot and           whisk to incorporate.

7.     Taste and add additional salt or pepper if needed.

Servings: 8

Notes:
Any beans or other vegetables can be added to this for variety.
Cooked barley, rice, quinoa or buckwheat could be added.  (1 cup)
The sweet potato is optional as a thickener for heartiness.
Ted adds dashes of hot sauce to his bowl.
I usually make this the day after serving a whole rabbit or chicken for dinner with what ever meat is left over and the stock from the slow cooker.  I slow cook the bones and broth over night.

ClaireAnna

I wrote this poem many years ago, for Claire, soon after she was born.

I waited for you

Ten years wishing

Hoping

And then one day I knew

You were coming

Growing

Round and hard as a basketball 

My belly became 

Under my pink sweater set

I made a room for you

Pink and peaceful

I sang songs to you

Soft and lovely

I prayed for you

Be healthy, happy

And finally you came

Out of your hiding place 

And into my arms

No more waiting

Only singing

Rocking

Loving

This is the pink sweater set and the basketball belly. 

I Cried Today

For my oldest......


I cried today

When I thought of you

I was driving into town

Mind blank

Rotely bored

And then

I pictured your face

And your beautiful smile

And I smiled

I pictured that curly wild hair

Your sharp humor

And I grinned

I swelled

Proud of your accomplishments

Your hard work

Your high standards

And thanked God

For letting me be

Your mom

I thought about the baby you

The toddler you

The teenage you

And my eyes started to well

What a blessing

For all these years

So much joy

But then I thought about

The future you

And all the fun

And friendship

And love

We have yet to share

And I cried

A deep and joyful cry

So grateful

So happy

To have you

For a daughter

And a friend

For the rest of my life

I love you

So much

My Jes

Low Carb, Gluten Free Broccoli Cheese Soup

8 ounces broccoli florets, chopped small
4 ounces cauliflower florets
1 medium carrot, grated
1 large onion
1 tablespoon butter
2 cups chicken stock, homemade bone stock is best
2 cups half and half, or cream, whole milk or a mix
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 teaspoon salt
1 pinch nutmeg, optional
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, or too taste, lots is better
1 dash hot sauce, optional

1.     Melt butter in a large pot.

2. Saute onions till translucent.

3. Add stock, black pepper,  broccoli and carrots to pot and simmer covered, till just tender.

4. In the mean time, steam cauliflower.

5. Once Cauliflower is tender, process in food processor or blender with 2 tablespoons of the cream till consistency of mashed potatoes.

6. Heat remaining cream in a separate sauce pan.

7. Once it's hot, slowly add grated cheddar as you whisk the cream.

8. Add all the cheddar till it is all melted and you have a nice cheese sauce.

9. When broccoli is tender, combine cheese sauce with stock and vegetables.

10. Add the mashed cauliflower and nutmeg (if using) and whisk to combine.

11. Lastly, salt to taste.

Serves 6

Split Pea Soup

This is one of the flavors of my childhood.  I have added a spicy kick to my mom's recipe and no longer eat it with the delicious croutons she would make, but it still reminds me of her excellent cooking.  Delicious!

Ingredients:

1 pound split peas
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, sliced very thin, I use the slicing side of my grater
4 cups chicken stock
4 cups water (or 8 cups stock)
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes according to taste (I use 1/2)
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon thyme
1 or 2 good meaty smoked ham hocks (or left over ham cut into chunks)

Directions:

1.Rinse and sort split peas.  Discard bad peas.  Plop into the slow cooker.

2. Saute onion and garlic for 5 minutes just to get them started.

3. Add onions, garlic and all remaining ingredients to slow cooker.

4. Cook on high for about 6 hours or low 8 or more hours.

5. Remove hocks from soup onto a plate and let cool enough to handle.

6. Pick meat off hocks, break into bite sized pieces and return to soup.

7. Salt to taste and serve.

Notes:

I also make this on the stove top or in the oven.  It is easy by any method.

You can use any kind of smoked pork in this soup.  Hocks are just perfect, but ham works well also.  You want about 1 lb of meat after bones are discarded.

Because the saltiness of ham or smoked meat is such a variable, I never add salt to this soup until it is finished and I taste it.

I've started adding pureed kale to my soups, stews and casseroles in order to boost nutrition.  It works perfectly in this soup.  I just puree the fresh, raw kale in my food processor and add about 1 cup along with all the other ingredients.  It cooks down into tiny chunks of green that look like herbs flecks.

Turtle Dissection

ClaireAnna is studying Physical Science this year, not biology. But she has been begging to dissect a turtle for almost a year now, so here we go!  I purchased a turtle prepared for dissection and a guide manual at Home Science Tools.  

The candle was a necessity. 

I Want To Live

I haven’t ridden my horse in three months. 

Not since the heart attack. 

Those of you who know me know that this is not good.  It must mean something is seriously out of whack with my life.  Yes, I have been busy with many things.  But the main reason I have not found the time to fit in a ride is that I’ve been cooking instead.  And washing dishes.  And researching nutrition.  And looking up new recipes.  And washing dishes.  And cooking.  And washing dishes. 

I’ve never enjoyed cooking.  I definitely hate washing dishes.  (I have no automatic dishwasher.) I’ve thought a few times, while washing and cooking, about being resentful or even just irritated about having to suddenly do so much of something I don’t enjoy.  I’ve definitely thought about that a few times over the last three rideless months. 

The truth is that eating healthy takes time.  Eating healthy generates a LOT of dishes.  Eating healthy is neither easy nor convenient.  I love convenient.  I love easy.  Eating healthy food is annoying to say the least.

 

Really, who has the time to eat healthy anymore anyway?  Life is so busy!  We’ve got appointments and meetings.  Church, school and work.  Chores, clubs, exercise and hobbies.  It’s so much easier to drive through, grab and go.  So much more convenient to open a can, box, bottle or the freezer.  Who has the time to wash, peel, cut, chop, grill, roast, bake, sauté, blend and puree?  Three times a day?  Every.  Single.  Day!?  Who even wants to do that?

Definitely not me.

Eating out is fun!  I think it is my second favorite activity next to riding!  Can’t do that anymore either.  Well, not very often.  Turns out, most restaurant food is not healthy.  Drats.

So, this need to eat healthy is ruining my life…….

Or is it?

Maybe things were out of whack before the heart attack. 

Since my husband’s heart attack, I’ve learned a few things. 

I’ve learned that nearly all the food that comes out of a box, bottle or can is not only not good for you, but actually harmful to your body. 

I’ve learned that fresh whole food made by God and the earth is not only good for you, but can actually heal your body, prevent disease, and enable you to live longer.

I’ve learned that there are few short cuts when eating fresh, whole, unprocessed, good-for-you food.

I’ve learned that heart disease, and many other diseases are almost 100% preventable through diet and exercise. 

I've learned that you can’t trust the government or the media, or even your doctors to tell you what food is and is not healthy.  You must do the research for yourself.  You will be shocked when you learn the truth about food.

I've learned that our modern American culture and lifestyle is killing us. 

I've learned that most people have an attitude of complacency and denial about nutrition and health. 

I've learned that having the right priorities can be a matter of life and death. 

I've learned that for 29 years, as a wife and mother, I did NOT have the right priorities. 

Above and beyond any other responsibilities I may have here on earth, it is first, my job to take care of my family.  One of the most important aspects of caring for them is feeding them.  It is my responsibility to feed them healthy food that nourishes their bodies.  Convenient and easy have nothing to do with it.  For way, way too long, nutrition was not a priority in my mind or life.

No more. 

Sadly, I don’t get a redo.  I can’t go back in time and feed my family healthy food or prevent my husband’s heart attack and take the stents out of his body.  It is too late for me to feed my older three kids properly.  They no longer live with me.  It is too late to feed my husband food that does not cause inflammation in his body leading to plaque buildup in his arteries.  The plaque is there. 

Don’t get me wrong.  It’s not like we ate nothing but junk for 29 years.  We ate vegetables.  We bought what we thought were healthier options. We tried to limit the “bad” stuff.   I tried.  I think my family would agree that we ate “better” than most of the people in our social circles.  But unfortunately, it turns out that most of those “healthier” or "better" foods were actually not either. It turns out that just eating some good food is not enough.  You have to keep foods that damage your body out of your body! And like I said before, and could never repeat too many times, you can’t trust the government, the media or even your doctors to tell you what those foods are.  They have motives other than your health.  You have to do the research for yourself. 

I’ve turned over a new leaf.

I’ve reset my priorities. 

Some things on my personal agenda will have to be set aside.  We may not make that 4H meeting next week.  Claireanna may have to quit a club or skip an activity.  I may not even be able to keep as many animals as I’d like anymore.  Sure, I’ll ride my horses, but I may not be able to ride as often as I’d like.  Or keep the house as clean as I used to.  (There’s a little comic relief for you, kids!)  Our other goals for the future may have to change. 

We are slowing down. 

And realizing, deep down in our gut, (and in our hearts!)  that our modern culture and lifestyle really is killing us.

And it’s up to us to reject it.

The fact is that if life is just too busy and nobody has the time to actually take care of their bodies anymore, then something really is out of whack.

So here is my challenge to you.  Learn from my mistakes.  Maybe it’s not too late for you to prevent plaque in your arteries or in those of someone you love.  It’s definitely not too late for you to realize that we should all consider our health to be a top priority.  We should all know that good nutrition is the only way to a truly healthy body.  (Good nutrition is much more important to your health than exercise.) Stop and question whether you are letting the pressures of our modern life and culture knock your priorities out of whack.  What good is all the rest of it if you lose your heath or the health of someone you love in a way that could have been prevented? What good is a spotless house today (or whatever you spend your time on), if your productivity and quality of life is diminished tomorrow by disability or death?

What good is all the rest if you lose the love of your life way too soon in a way that could have been prevented? 

So dishes I will do.  And shopping and planning and chopping and cooking and all of it.  And no resentment or irritations will be found.  

Because I want to live.

And I want my family to live.

And because I would rather have one extra day on this earth with Ted Harmon than a clean house, or a perfect image, or the envy of my neighbors, or a hundred thousand rides on a horse. 

Romans 12: 1-2
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.  Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. 

Missy, A Diamond in the Rough

Well, we did it!  They all said we were crazy.  But we did it anyway!  We sold our house in the city and moved from Wisconsin to Arkansas and bought a farm!  My husband and son had already left for our new home to start the new job and the new school.  The youngest two girls, both home schooled, and I were left behind to finish up selling the old house, packing up the old life and saying goodbye to the old friends.   We all hoped to make many new ones soon!

Some of the new friends we were looking forward to getting to know were the four legged kind.  My husband and I had both always dreamed of country life, but had never been able to afford it.  Now, after 20 years of marriage and city life, we were going to be farmers!  No one was more excited about this then our middle daughter, who, at age 13, was going to get her first horse.  Our oldest was off to college.  Our son, a high school junior, had no interest in animals at all, and our youngest was only two.  But our middle girl was going to get the horse of her dreams.  At least that was the plan!

I had had horses as a teenager, but left them behind when I got married at age 20.  I hadn't ridden since.  I was beyond excited that soon, I would be teaching my daughter, who had only ridden a horse twice in her life, about the joys of owning one of her own.   And so, I set out to find her dream horse - that first best equine friend, that Misty, Justin, Black Beauty of a long flowing mane and tail horse for my little girl.  And while I was at it, I certainly planned on finding one of those for me too!

I started searching the internet and since I was still in Wisconsin, packing up the old house, I looked at horses for sale in both states.  Besides, my sister was there and she had a great eye for horses and I trusted her judgment.   So together, we checked out several nice prospects.  We even went through with a few failed pre-purchase exams.  Eventually, I found a horse for myself and had her shipped to Arkansas. 

While sitting up late, searching the horse classifieds one particularly cold January night, I found an interesting AQHA mare located a couple of hours north of me.  I called the owner but things didn’t sound too promising.  The mare was a former show horse the woman had bought as a new trail riding prospect only weeks before but was now too afraid to ride.  I really liked this mare’s pedigree though, and since this new owner had very little experience with this particular horse, I asked for the name and number of the previous owner, which she happily gave me.  After speaking with the mare’s previous owner, who happened to be a professional horse trainer and riding instructor, I started thinking I might be on to something.  The previous owner made it clear to me that this mare was well trained and suitable for my beginner daughter and that the problems her current owner had with her were the current owner’s problems, not the horse’s.   It was a bit of an odd situation, but I decided to make the drive and go see the horse for myself.  

Well, they say timing is everything and in this situation it turned out to be a wrench in our plans.  As my sister and I headed north, the snow started to fall.  An hour later and we were in a white out blizzard.  The two hour drive turned into three.  By the time we arrived at our destination the snow was a foot deep, the wind was blowing viciously, and the cold had set in.  I’m sure the mare’s owner must have thought we were nuts to come see a horse in those conditions, but it was our last chance.  I would be leaving just days later for an extended stay in Arkansas. 

Bracing against the wind and clutching our parkas tight around us, the owner, my sister and I trudged through the snow down the driveway to her barn.  We opened the barn door and then slammed it shut again as quickly as we could.  I looked up and noticed two creatures in the run-in area, a small pinto gelding and a woolly mammoth.   My eyes scanned the rest of the barn area looking for the beautiful mare I imagined must be the owner of that superstar pedigree I had seen on the internet, but I didn't see any other horses.  Hmmmm.  “What’s going on here,” I thought, as our host walked up to that woolly mammoth and started putting a halter on it.  Surely this was not the mare I was here to see!  I’d never seen more hair on an equine before in my life!  And she was huge!  She seemed nothing short of gigantic standing next to the 14.1 hand, slightly built gelding.  No wonder this lady didn't want her.  She was hideous!

Well, we’d come this far, and through a blizzard no less, so I made the best of it.  Yes, I rode that horse, in a blinding snow storm, in the freezing cold, on the icy driveway.   After about 20 trepidatious steps, (the horse clearly realized the conditions were unsafe) I dismounted and walked back to the barn.  We spent a little more time fiddling with the mammoth, checking her teeth, picking up her feet, marveling at how long and thick her beard was, and then my sister and I left.  Another 4 hours in deadly conditions and we were home.  Safe.  Thank God.

Over the next few days, I couldn't stop thinking about the mare.  Missy was her name and yes, she was hairy and huge.  But she was also gentle.  Her owner had finally explained to us that it was Missy’s size that intimidated her and that she had bought that slight little gelding for herself instead.  She’d only trail ridden Missy once when she realized the she was not the horse for her.   I had a big long list of reasons why I should pass on this horse but the biggest one was that I just had not had a chance to properly ride her.  She wasn't cheep either.  This was before the horse market took a nose dive and Missy’s asking price was…ahem…a lot!  But the words of her previous owner/ trainer kept coming back to me.  This woman had no motive to steer me wrong and I believed her when she said that Missy would make the perfect horse for a beginning rider.   My sister liked her too.  After much hemming and hawing, we decided to take a chance. 

So we ordered the vet check and when Missy passed, we purchased her and had her shipped to our farm in AR.  I kept telling Ted and Katelynn what a great horse I’d found, but the look on their faces when Missy finally walked off the transport truck ensured me that I still had some convincing to do.  It turns out though, that Missy did all that convincing for me.  Over the next few months, in the warmer climate, she lost all her woolly mammoth hair and revealed her true beauty.  That first summer, my daughter won 1^st place stock horse mare at halter with Missy at the county fair and over the next couple of years went on to win many other ribbons on that big, surprisingly beautiful, gentle mare. 

Beautiful Missy in the spring.

But that’s just the beginning of Missy’s story as a member of our family.  We've owned her for almost 8 years now and she has certainly earned a permanent place in our pastures. Eventually, Katelynn moved on to another horse and now is off to college.  Our youngest took her turn learning on Missy and is also now riding other horses.   Missy has taught both of my daughters and several of their friends and even Daddy, how to ride.   She’s had a couple of beautiful foals for us.   She’s been in parades and given “pony” rides at petting zoos.  She’s been climbed on and doubled on and taken swimming.   She’s gone camping with us and taken all of us on many wonderful trail rides.  And you know, she never did grow back her woolly mammoth coat of hair.  I guess in the mild Arkansas winters, she just doesn’t need it.   She was big and ugly the day we got her but her true beauty, both inside and out, was just waiting to be discovered.   She was a diamond in the rough that turned into a gem - a shining jewel of a perfect first horse.   I can’t count the number of times people have said to us, “That horse is worth her weight in gold!”  And we all agree wholeheartedly!  Thank you, Missy, for just being you.   No other horse will shine so bright in our memories for years to come.

  

Kate and Missy at their first horse show, the 2004 Pope County Fair

Kate and Bailey Miller riding Missy at a Wrangler's 4H Club playday. 

Kate on Missy at the County Fair. 

Missy, standing perfectly square and perfectly still while six year old
 ClaireAnna dismounts for the Goat Undecorating class at the county fair. 

Missy and ClaireAnna a few years later at a barrel clinic.
Missy wasn't very bendy, but she tried her best!

I wrote this essay about Missy a couple of years ago, but never published it.  Today, we are laying Missy to rest, after three years of COPD.  She's come to a point where her quality of life is low and we don't want her to suffer any longer.  We are so sad to say goodbye to her.  And so grateful to have been blessed by her for so many years.  
Run free, dear Missy!  
We will always love you.  

Church in the River

We missed church this morning.  Ted needed to get some bush hogging done before the storm came in and I had goats to milk and extra chores to do before out of town guests come to stay for a week.   After a quick breakfast of nothing but string cheese, we both headed out the door to our respective assignments.  A couple three hours, two quarts of milk, and lots of filled and dumped wheel barrows later, I was ready to call it quits so I took the 4-Wheeler out to see what Ted was up to.

He was still on his tractor, bumping along in one of the cow pastures.  I checked in with him and then sped off to the “bootleg”; a narrow section of land we own along the river, to see how it looked after Ted mowed it.  I always get excited when he mows the bootleg, since it is one of my favorite places to ride.  There’s nothing better than riding my horse along the cliff and looking down at the rapids and swirling pools of the Illinois Bayou, flowing right through our farm. 

After my inspection, I could not help but head over to the path Ted cut the other day through the woods to the river’s edge.  For the first time ever, the path is wide enough and clear enough to ride our 4-wheeler right up to the rocky area we call our “beach.”  Once I was at the “beach” of course, I was simply compelled into the water, clothes and all.  How could I resist the gentle sound of flowing water calling out my name? 

I waded for a few feet till it was deep enough and then just dove right in.  Ahhhh…..What a cool, fresh and wonderful feeling.  I looked about me and marveled at how I was completely and totally alone in the middle of nowhere, deep in the woods, in a river.  “There’s no one here but me,” I thought.  And then a smile crossed my face as I finished the sentence, “And You.”  So there, in the river, I spent some time with my Lord.  And there, in the river, every single part of me was ministered to. 

The moment I dove in, my skin was cooled and refreshed by the rain-swollen river’s flowing water. I swam for a while, the breast stroke and the elementary back stroke.  My relaxed pace was barely enough to give me an edge over the current.   My muscles were stretched, invigorated and strengthened.   My own, God-made endless pool!

Then I let the river carry me downstream as I floated on my back and closed my eyes.  I prayed for my youngest daughter who is away at Church Camp.  I thought about some friends who are struggling and asked the Lord to show me ways I could bless and encourage them.   I floated silently in the dark, in total relaxation and praised God for the pleasant feeling of physical weightlessness the river was giving me. .  In those still, quite moments, the words, “Peace like a river,” flowed through my mind and flooded my entire being.

When I opened my eyes, I marveled at the pure loveliness of the woods and the river.  I looked at all the details of the stream, from pebbles and rocks to boulders and limestone slabs, a bank of clay, and another bank of sand, the reeds and grasses, so many kinds of trees, their tangled roots, the cliffs and ledges, the sky filled with white clouds.  Then I thought about all the wildlife I knew was surrounding me.  Hundreds of birds, fish, deer, squirrels and rabbits, turtles, fox, raccoons, muskrats, beaver, otter, coyotes, snakes!!  They are all there, most hidden from me, just feet away.  “This is amazing!” I tell Him.    I can barely believe how perfect it all is.  My mind is filled with awe and wonder. 

How do I deserve to be here and receive the blessing of this river?  As a matter of fact, how do I deserve anything that I have?  How do I deserve my very life?  I surely know that I don’t.  And my heart is filled with thanksgiving so much that I think it may burst.  I am thankful for this river.  I am thankful for the man on the tractor two hay fields away.  I am thankful for all the people I love and who love me.  I am thankful for all my animals and my home and food to eat.  I am thankful for fresh air to breath and all of nature to marvel at. I am thankful for a life that brings me joy… and so many other things.  So many things.  But more than anything, more then everything combined, I am thankful for His love for me.  The love that overflows into Mercy.  The love that gives me hope of a future in His presence.   The love that promises me that future. 

My soul was quenched in God’s river today.  For God made the river and God made me and He was there with me in the river.   He used the river to tell me who he is.  He used the river to encourage me to talk to him.  He used the river to refresh my body and stimulate my mind.  He used the river to fill my heart with gratitude and drown my soul in His peace and serenity.   The river was my church today, and even now, many hours later, it is still washing over me.  Reminding me.  I close my eyes and can't help but smile.    Peace like a river is mine.