Rainy Day!

Hey All,

We are finally getting some much needed rain. They say it's to rain most of today and tomorrow so yesterday I went out and bought a garbage can to collect rain water in. It's already more than half full maybe I should have bought two. On the backside we don't have anyplace to hook up a water hose and that becomes a pain going in and out taking water out. Not to mention here in the past couple of years that we have worried about our well because of the lack of rain. I've been wanting to give the deck a good scrubbing and thought you need to collect rain water for this. I don't think Tony is working today because all their jobs are outside so maybe I can talk him into going to Walmart and picking up another trash can.

It's been hard getting back into a routine with school starting back. Dale doesn't like any of his teachers, Jene` likes a couple, Colin likes his teacher. Dale and Jene` were loaded down with homework over the weekend. Jene` also started working and she likes it right now and can't wait to get her first paycheck. She was talking about all this stuff she was going to buy with it and I said remember that half has to go into your savings. Yep I bursted that bubble and brought her back to reality.

Sunday I made up two different soups. I was wanting French Onion and Jene` and I are the only ones who like it so I also made up potato soup for the others. It was so good!


French Onion Soup

6 large onions, chopped
1/2 cup butter
6 (10 1/2 ounce) cans condensed beef broth, undiluted
1 1/2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
3 bay leaves
10 slices French bread, toasted
shredded parmesan cheese
shredded mozzarella cheese

In a large skillet, sauté onions in butter until crisp-tender.

Transfer to an ungreased 5-quart slow cooker/crock pot.

Add the broth, Worcestershire sauce, and bay leaves.

Cover and cook on low for 5 to 7 hours or until the onions are tender.

Discard bay leaves.

Top each serving with french bread and cheeses.

Serves 10

**** most of the time I cut this recipe in half. I also like to add beef base to it for a beefy flavor. 2 teaspoons of beef base added to two cups of boiling water and stir then add to soup. We also like provolone cheese every so often and normally we eat it with croutons.

Potato Soup

6-8 medium potatoes
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
6 cups milk
2 teaspoons chicken bouillon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 lb cheddar cheese

Peel, cube, boil, and drain

In separate pan, melt butter, add flour and cook while stirring for about a minute or so.

Add half the milk and stir until lumps are out of flour mixture.

Add remaining milk and on med-high heat, heat to a boil.

Stir almost constantly or it will scorch.

After boiling, turn heat off and add remaining ingredients.

Serves 6

****I love this recipe because I alter it. I had some leftover smoked ham and added it and also a package of frozen veggies (corn, peas, green beans). Other times I have added bacon and frozen asparagus.

Since typing this all out Tony has left for work he said maybe a half day of inside work. And my garbage can is almost full. Yep I should have bought two of those cans so I know I would have enough water to do the whole deck. Good thing we have this new Walmart close to home now I'll have to make a trip and pick another one up sometime today.

Sitting here and reflecting on how much I have changed over the past year thinking more of the environment than my convience. I cancelled our garbage pickup because they didn't offer recycling. I started composting and now collecting rain water. I've bought the canvas bags and use those instead of getting paper or plastic from stores. And I don't care if they have a different store name on them because I feel they shouldn't complain. I try to get my errands organized and do in one trip instead of making several trips. I've started freezing more and plan on getting back into canning. I got a clothesline and started hanging out and ignore the complaints from the kids. It's just the little things but if everyone would do one little thing it would add up. I really wish all these stores would do away with paper and plastic and more people would use the canvas bags. I find it so much easier to carry than those flimsy plastic bags. And not to mention those bags have come in handy for other things as well.

My times up it's starting to thunder so I'll have to finish my reflecting another time.

Take Care :)