squash soup recipe

Squash Soup

serves 4 - 6

takes 30 minutes or so to prepare

saute these 4 ingredients:
3 T butter
1 medium onion chopped fine, about 3/4 cup to taste
2 ribs celery, chopped fine. Include the leaves if they're on there
2 medium carrots, chopped fine
1 t parsley
1/2 t salt
1/2 t garlic
1 t savory if you have it

1, 2-3 lb winter type squash. I like the orange ones.
meanwhile: prepare squash by cutting in half, gut out the seeds. Slice in 1 - 1 1/2 inch slices and steam on the stovetop for 15 minutes or until fork tender.

add prepared squash to vegies and mash with potato masher : )
add 1 box chicken broth.
add 1 can white beans with liquid
add 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed!!!
if you have 1 cup or so of leftover mashed potatoes, its a nice addition.

let simmer for 1/2 hour or put in crock pot until dinner time.
serve with sour cream to top it, maybe some leftover ham, a bit of grated cheese.
Also good with corn bread.

I hope you like it !!!

squash soup

Yesterday I had squash soup on the menu, so began early with hopes of actually getting it done before going to the kids' soccer game after school. Well, sometimes my idea of fun contradicts my toddler sons' ideas : ) So he was tired of the whole indoor idea just about when the squash was cooked. So I barely got it peeled. How was I going to cube it up ??? An ah-ha moment, I grabbed the potato masher and simply mashed them in the soup pot withh one hand while holding The Kid with the other. A simple thing, but a victory nonetheless.

Garden pickings

Monday looked like nearly the end of our growing season here. My toddler son and I were out in the garden picking peas and an idea came to mind !!! While he was engaged with eating peas one by one, I could do some harvesting. So I grabbed a nearby flowerpot, thankfully had my scissors in my pocket, and began picking broccoli, then trimmed all the flowers off a tall sunflower that tipped over in the wind on Saturday night. He was still munching so I scooped up some baby potatoes that got left behind, then picked peas until he was ready to go swing. I got quite a bit harvested. Plus I learned something, it might be a good idea to leave a few empty flowerpots or buckets around the garden for when the harvesting moment presents itself

!!!

chokecherries

On Thursday I had a chance to pick some chokecherries at last. The season is about over for them, I think. Usually the bears and birds have gotten them all by Labor Day. This year must be a bumper crop. It was interesting to observe the bushes where I was picking. The first bush was along my friends driveway, in a sort of windbreak of many different bushes. The berries were pretty ripe, not real full along the branch though. And the strands were only about 2 berries thick.

Then this huge propane truck started up her driveway, so I had to move the van so it could get by. I picked a while more, then the propane truck came by again on its way out. So I just drove down the road a bit to a big shed on their ranch. Right along the fence was a lone chokecherry bush. It was loaded beyond normal loading with chokecherries ! Each strand of berries was a huge handful. In no time my bucket was full enough and I headed home.

This made me think about how us people are. How much we often struggle against loneliness and want to be with our friends. The bush that grew in a group was way less productive than the loner. Plus the lone bush had a stronger trunk from weathering the weather (so profound !!) than the one in the windbreak. I was encouraged to think about gathering strength during alone times, instead of struggling against loneliness. I think there is a difference between loneliness and being alone.

I usually like being out by myself with the critters, rubbing my sheepies chins, watching the piglets play, harvesting the garden and such. The times I struggle with loneliness are usually when self pity is knocking at my door. Thankfully at times like this, I can remember my friend Jesus, who sticks closer than a brother. Not that i always remember, sigh.

wow, finally did it

Well, here is my first blog. Hmmm, hope to write about our sheep adventures, family escapades, possibly some thoughts. Hoping to find ways to connect to family and other folks of like interests.

We have Shetland sheep, plus one BFL ram for crossbreeding. Plus a big garden, 3 kids, hubby's ranch. I am working on establishing priorities and picking one art type activity between quilting, spinning, dying wool / yarn, knitting and painting. I'd much rather do the extra curricular activities than the core ones !!!!

Tuning in, Jean P.