For Monday, June 17th, 2013

ON THE BRIGHT SIDE

MONDAY, JUNE 17th, 2013

4 DAYS TILL SUMMER

If you can't see the Bright Side, polish the dull side

In the United States, June is National Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Month. And, right in the middle of the merry month, June 17th is Eat Your Vegetables Day.

From crunchy cut carrots to crisp celery, and from bunches of broccoli to corn on the cob, Eat Your Vegetables Day offers a wonderful occasion for dipping and munching on healthy fresh veggies.

In many regions, gardens and patio pots are beginning to sprout vegetable harvests for the home table.

How about tossing a giant salad, whipping up a stir-fry or organizing a delicious vegetable omelet on June 17th for Eat Your Vegetables Day?

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

Down South, even our vegetables have some pig hidden somewhere in it. A vegetable isn't a vegetable without a little ham hock.

Paula Deen

I do love vegetables especially fresh ones.  Nothing tastes better than anything fresh from the garden!  I don't grow a vegetable garden anymore and haven't for a long time, but I will go out to a roadside stand and buy some from those that do.

Of course the grocery stores all offer a wide variety, but the taste is so much better if you can buy locally grown things fresh from the garden.  From green beans to cucumbers I can make a meal on vegetables alone.  No meat is needed when you have a good variety.  I remember the days when I'd visit my grand parents on the farm, the only meal that included meat was usually Sunday dinner.  Except for bacon for breakfast or pieces cooked in with the beans for flavor, the meals were mostly vegetables.  They always had a huge garden.

Of course there were always freshly made biscuits served with every meal too.  Store bought bread was a rarity.  My grandmother taught me a lot of things and one of those things was how to make biscuits.  So today I thought I'd share a recipe for homemade buttermilk biscuits.

Buttermilk Biscuits

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

4 tsp baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/3 cup melted shortening

3/4 cup buttermilk

Mix all ingredients together and knead about 20 times on a floured surface. Cut out biscuits, place in a baking pan and bake in a 450 degree oven for about 12 minutes or until golden brown.  Makes 12-16 biscuits.  My grandmother would heat the shortening in the pan used for baking the biscuits, thus coating the pan with it and then poured it into the biscuit dough mixture.

I hope you all have a great start to the new week ahead!  Happy Monday!

COUNTING MY GIFTS

Let my words, like vegetables, be tender and sweet, for tomorrow I may have to eat them.

Author Unknown

I am trying to count at least 3 things I'm thankful for each day and then in 1 year's time I'll have counted 1000 gifts. I’ll be sharing them and giving thanks to God for these gifts each day.   

679. for vegetables, especially those fresh from the garden

680. for memories of my grandmothers biscuits

681. for buttermilk, which makes for some very good baked goods

Enter into His courts with thanksgiving — and in His presence is fullness of Joy!

PRAYER FOR OUR TROOPS

 

Please pray for God's protection of

our troops and HIS wisdom for their

commanders.

 

Lord, hold our troops in

your loving hands.

Protect them as they protect us.

Bless them and their families for the

selfless acts they perform for us

in our time of need. I ask this in the

name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior.

AND bless our Police Officers, Firefighters

and Paramedics and EMT's

GOD BLESS YOU ALL !

Vegetables are a must on a diet.  I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie.  

Jim Davis

A little smile, a word of cheer, 

A bit of love from someone dear…

 

Love,

ma