Shadow Boy...

This is Shadow's big day...


we'll tell you more later

May the Lord bless your day, or night with His grace.

Seaside Sunset...

on our little island...
with a tiny half moon high above



this is why...
I cannot believe in the "big bang" theory

Someone had to be there to bring it all into being

We all know that God alone can work such things as these

Of old hast Thou laid the foundation of the earth:
and the heavens are the work of Thy hands.
Psalm 102:25

May you find grace in the Lord.

Future Chocolate...

That hard working husband of mine...


packed in pounds and pounds of cacao


hauling each heavy bucket up the hill


this work has put muscles into those biceps...


his former life of professional work never did


and I can tell you...
office work is not nearly as exciting...
as hauling cacao to the market from your own cocoa orchard


this haul is about 335 pounds
not bad for a day's work

here's looking at chocolate lovers everywhere

May your day, or night be blessed with God's grace.

Underneath My Cottage Stairs...

are some of the Lord's loveliest creations


3 months ago, I planted a second rose bush to keep company with my first bush


these are the first roses my newest bush has put out


they first bud in deeper pink...


and as they bloom...


the deeper pink fades to a paler shade...
and the roses become dressed in soft pink petals...
as if ready for the flower show ball


lovely in their young state...


the pale pink fading...


aging with beautiful grace...
as they become a creamy white...
before they drop their pretty petals...
one by one

let me leave you with a creature just as lovely...
a sweet dove who let me come so close...
I could reach out and touch her...if I had dared
isn't she gorgeous?!


May your day, or night be graced with the loveliness of our Lord Jesus Christ.

To Market, to Market...



But, not to buy a fat hog...
no, we are thinking...
green bananas

with all the bananas growing on the farm...


there are only so many we can eat


so, it's off to the market they go

by the way...
we call these "green figs" here on this island

green bananas are used as a vegetable...
soups, stews, curries and such
and that is why we pick these bananas green
I like to eat them mashed with sea salt and butter


May you have a most pleasant day, or night.

In Sweet Delight...



This is the result of hard working bees...
taught of God to give us a sweet gift


we harvested 21 pounds of raw honey from one hive...
and found it a beautiful pale, golden color...
a contrast to the dark amber of our last harvest

with all the blossoming trees on Pilgrim's Farm...
the bees have kept close to home...
busying themselves high in the cassia trees with yellow flowers...
just yards away from the hives


giving this honey a delicate, flowery taste

I love how the sunlight shines through the honey


May your day, or night be sweet as honey in God's grace.

A Moment in Time...

because a moment does not last for long


And it shall come to pass in that day,
that the mountains shall drop down new wine,
and the hills shall flow with milk,
and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters,
and a fountain shall come forth out of the house of the Lord,
and shall water the valley of Shittim.
Joel 3:18

and Jesus said,

Say not ye,
There are yet four months,
and then cometh harvest?
behold, I say unto you,
Lift up your eyes,
and look on the fields;
for they are white already to harvest.
John 4:35

May you know the grace of God in His harvest time.

Green, and yet, Gray....



Although, it is green outside...
yet, the day has started in gray


and while the rains are blurring the blooms on the Gloria Cedar tree...
the garden is wet with with the teardrops of the clouds


no...
I do not feel tempted to go out from the shelter of the cottage


for the tropical breeze is brushing down from the rainforest...
a little too cool...
while the comfort of the cottage beckons me to stay


my dog knows...
so while she is doing the comfort thing...


I talk to you from my blog...
and wish you

a day, or night of God's gracious comfort in His love

Revamping...

the old into something new


I have not been satisfied with my kitchen garden

there isn't as much room as I'd like for both vegetables and herbs, so...

while it still has a few things in it...
my husband and farm hand are going ahead at getting the revamping done

I will harvest the last of the few crops left while...
the guys are taking everything out

our big garden facing the front of the cottage will be the potager garden so that...
I can turn my present potager into a "medicine" cabinet...
or, herb garden

the new herb garden will be re-designed and have a "roof" over it...
to give gentler sunshine and rains

May your day, or night be filled with God's grace.


Bathing Doves


Bird watching is easy around here...
we have plenty to watch

so, I thought maybe...
you might enjoy a little bathing party being given by the doves


Enjoy your day, or night.

Look How God Paints...!


Have you ever noticed how well our Lord paints?

and do you know what He has painted on our farm today?


if you guessed a pineapple...
you are right


really...
God thought it all up before any human artist came along...
He is the Initiator, the Creator of all things beautiful...
all the colors we can possibly come up with...
He brought them all into being

and, if you have artistic talent...
you have the Lord, the First and Last Artist...
to thank for it


this pineapple is our very first grown here on the farm...
still just a baby, but...
isn't it lovely?

and that reminds me...

"in that day shall the Lord of hosts be for a crown of glory,
and for a diadem of beauty,
unto the residue of His people"
Isaiah 28:5

May the Lord color your day, or night with His beautiful grace.

Appreciation...


Just a little thanks...


to all my followers, visitors, commentaters

I read every comment and appreciate you letting me know you were here


May God bless you with His precious grace

A Songbird to Sing for Me...

A much sought after little song bird on my part...
and, alas, I have no idea what the name of this pretty one is


he came with a song in the air...
and sat on the papaya tree...
just long enough to catch him on camera

often heard, rarely seen...
except for blurry glimpses through tree branches

but, you ought to hear the song from this sweet beak
from head to toe, about 7 inches long

this one is a male...
and doesn't he wear yellow and gray beautifully?
with a white "bowtie" at his neck
and feathers on his head that looks like he forgot to comb down


do you know what little bird he is?
please, do tell me!

Update!
Islandgirl informed in her comment that the bird looked to be the Great Crested Flycatcher
Her info sent me looking it up on the web and I believe she is right
thank you! islandgirl

Have a day, or night filled with songs

The Beauty of Red Onions...

Two foods I like for my "medicine" garden are garlic and onions

when the Lord made onions...


He built these following properties into them:
prebiotic
anti-bacterial
anti-fungal
anti-viral
anti-inflammatory
and packed in a whollop of vitamins and minerals

this red onion is going into my garden

May the Lord grace your day, or night with His mercies.


Oodles of Noodles for the Gluten Free...

Chicken noodle soup

Sometimes, I just get hungry for oodles of noodles in my chicken soup
and it's got to be homemade soup

The problem is...
I can't get really good gluten-free noodles here

As the dust from the holiday frenzy was kicking up...
I decided during these cooler tropical days and nights
I must have some old fashion chicken noodle soup
with oodles of homemade noodles

I dillied in the kitchen and came up with what seems like a fairly decent, easy recipe
for, yes...
oodles of noodles

The dough rolls out nice, it's easy to work with and needs very few ingredients...
and best of all, doesn't fall apart


Please let me share it with you...
especially if you are gluten-free and in need of a homemade noodle recipe

this recipe makes enough to feed 4 to 6 people
just depends how hungry everyone is

too many "gluten-free" products have made me sick and I can only surmise that...
the products are not made in dedicated facilities and some companies tend to take liberties with lax regulations concerning labeling their products gluten-free

so, with that in mind...
because Bob's Red Mill gluten-free products are processed in a dedicated facility...
this is what I use when needing flour for my kitchen

Ingredients

1/4 cup brown rice flour
1/4 cup white or sweet rice flour
1/4 cup sorghum flour
2 TBsp ground flax seed
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 eggs
enough water to be able to roll the dough in your hands


mix all the dry ingredients together
add the eggs and stir them in thoroughly
mix in enough water to make the dough come together
roll the dough into a ball


put the dough on wax paper and roll it into a log, dusting it to avoid stickiness


take the wax paper and start rolling it with the dough until it's wrapped up
put it into the refrigerator for about an hour


when the dough is firm, take it back out and unwrap it from the paper
onto a well dusted surface
dust the dough with some GF flour
start your broth (8 cups in a large pot) to heat up to a good hot simmer


and gently start rolling the dough out in one direction
dust with flour as needed as you roll along


then, the other direction until you have a rectangular or square piece


roll it until it's longer then the rolling pin


and about 2/3 as wide as the pin
this should make the dough just thin enough


take a pizza cutter or knife and carefully cut the dough into strips


cut the noodles as wide and as long as you like them
I cut mine about 1/4 inch wide by 2 inches long


use a thin spatula to pick up the noodles


carefully slide them into the hot chicken broth
I make my own chicken broth with the works...
chicken, onions, carrots with their green tops, celery with their tops, garlic, bok choy 


stir carefully to incorporate the noodles fully into the broth


and simmer for about 15 minutes...
test a noodle and cook further if needed


add the cooked chicken


simmer just for a few minutes more to bring the flavors altogether


and enjoy!

May you have a good day, or night