A vistit to Kew Gardens- England

Go down to Kew in lilac-time, in lilac-time, in lilac-time
Go down to Kew in lilac-time (it isn't far from London)
And you shall wander hand in hand
with love in summerland's wonderland;
Go down to Kew in lilac-time (it isn't far from London)
From 'The Barrel- Organ' by Alfred Noyes

Kew Gardens for Science and Pleasure. There are 288 acres of different gardens. With over 40,000 different kinds of plants, the Kew Gardens is known to be the finest botanical garden in the world.
One of the principal roles of this botanical garden is public education. Kew has been described as "a university whose texts are flowers." This sounds like a very interesting study to me. See the link down below for interesting things for kids.

Visit on line at: www.kew.org/kids/index.html

Herb Ravioli Soup

This soup is delicious! Quick! Easy!

2 Tbls Olive oil
1 med yellow onion, chopped
1 cup diced carrots
Freshly ground pepper
6 cups chicken broth
1 lb chicken ravioli]
1 cup fresh or frozen peas
2 tsp thyme
2 tsp oregano
1 Tbls flat-leafed parsley
1-2 Tbl grated parmesan cheese

Heat oil, medium heat add onion & carrots about 7 min. season with pepper.
Add chicken broth, bring to boil. Add ravioli, return to boiling (follow directions on ravioli pkg)
Cook until tender.
During last4 to 5 min. add fresh peas. If using frozen peas add at very end with oregano, thyme and parsley.
Sprinkle with cheese. (If you do not use the cheese be sure and add salt to your soup)

This soup was actually better the next day! We ate it with a side of olives, orange bell pepper, and marinated garlic. French bread would be good too.

Dale's Pups

About 3 weeks old, Their eyes are beginning to open.

Two Boys

And Two Girls!

Yes they are cute! Soon they will be alot of FUN!

Mankind Enters a New Era

Genesis Chapters 8 & 9

After about a year in the ark, Noah and his Family come out onto an earth washed clean. Noah appreciates Jehovah's mercy and protective hand in saving his family through the flood. So, the first thing Noah does is to build an altar and offer up a sacrifice to Jehovah, leading his family in the pure worship of the Most High.
Jehovah was pleased and revealed that the earth would no longer be cursed, there would always be "seed sowing and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night." Gen 8:22.

And Jehovah blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, "Be fruitful and become many and fill the earth." Also, Jehovah gave them new laws for their welfare. He allowed them to add meat to their diet, but since the soul or life was in the blood, the blood was not to be eaten; capital punishment was put into place, but only by assigned authority. These laws were to be binding on all mankind, as children of Noah's three sons. -Gen 9:1-7

After this Jehovah made a promise to Noah saying, "And as for me, here I am establishing my covenant with you men and with your offspring after you, and with every living soul that is with you, among fowls, among beasts and among all living creatures of the earth with you... Yes, I do establish my covenant with you: No more will all flesh be cut off by waters of a deluge, and no more will there occur a deluge to bring the earth to ruin... This is the sign of the covenant that I am giving between me and you and every living soul that is with you, for generations to time indefinite. My rainbow I do give in the cloud, and it must serve as a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. .. And I shall certainly remember my covenant which is between me and you and every living soul among all flesh; and no more will the waters become a deluge to bring all flesh to ruin. And the rainbow must occur in the cloud, and I shall certainly see it to remember the covenant to time indefinite between God and every living soul among all flesh that is upon the earth."

So when we see the rainbow in the heavens after a storm we do not need to be in morbid fear, but rather, we remember that Jehovah does not destroy the righteous along with the wicked, but He always provides a means of escape for those that love Him.

How would you like to grow a Chair?

Or how about a PLAY GROUND!

Maybe a nice relaxing place away from the rat race!

This is Arthur Wiechula, a tree shaper from 1919
See a sample of his work on my side bar.

Invigorating Chicken Soup

This is good when you are just starting to feel like you may be coming down with a cold or flu.


1 Chicken rinsed
1 Onion, thinly sliced
3 stalks of celery, sliced
3 carrots, sliced
3 cloves of garlic
4 sprigs of parsley
2 bay leaves
2 tsp thyme
salt
1 tsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp black peppercorns
1/2 tsp whole allspice
1 16oz can Roma Tomatoes
1 tsp tumeric
1 tsp fresh ginger root, minced
2 potatoes, cubed
3-6 cups basmati rice, cooked and hot
fresh cilantro

Place chicken in a 6 to 8quart pan. Add onion, celery, carrots, garlic, parsley, bay leaves, thyme, coriander, pepper, allspice, tomatoes, tumeric, ginger and 2 quarts water. Cover, and bring to boiling over high heat; reduce heat and simmer gently until chicken is no longer pink at bone in thigh, about 1 hour total. Remove pan from heat ; lift out chicken and set on a plate. Discard parsley. When chicken is cool, pull meat from bone. Discard bones and any skin. tear meat into bite-sized pieces. Cover soup, and bring to a boil on high heat. Add potatoes; cook until tender to bite, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in chicken and heat through, 3 to 4 min. Accompany soup with hot cooked rice spooned equally into bowls. Garnish with cilantro.

Hope you will enjoy this one! I love it!

Yes, We made Tamales!

We made Pork and Chicken, with green and red sauce. Black olives and green olives!
Also, sweet Tamales, pineapple and raisins, pineapple with coconut, and cinnamon raisin.
MMMM MMM good. For those who missed it this time, we will do it again.
Note to Joey, "I can't just send the recipe, I have to show you.

I very much enjoyed seeing Sid the Kid! meet sweet lil

Next time we will put "Builder Bob" on for the "screaming cousin"
Think of the movie "Elizabeth Town"

Noah walks with the true God

In speaking about the time of Noah, the Bible explains, "every inclination of the thoughts of man's heart was only bad all the time" and the earth became "ruined, because all flesh had ruined its way on the earth." -Gen 6:5, 11, 12.

From the time that gross wickedness began, God set a time when he would bring an end to the wickedness on earth, 120 years according to Gen 6:3. In setting a specific time, Jehovah took into consideration more than the destruction of the wicked. Jehovah's timetable provided for the preservation of the righteous.

Noah avoided the world's corruption and is described by God's word as a righteous man.

Noah proved himself faultless amoung his contemporaries.

Noah walked with the true God.- Gen 6:8,9

Jehovah gave detailed information to Noah, to build an ark "for the saving of his household" Compare: Gen 6:13, 14, 18, 19

Consider this assignment from Noah's viewpoint. Noah understood that before God would destroy the ungodly, there was work to be done-a work that would require faith. The construction of the ark would be a colossal project. The dimensions God gave, meant the ark would be longer than some modern-day sports fields and as high as a five-story building. (Gen 6:15) On top of that, the builders, Noah and his sons, were inexperienced and few. They would not have the tools and equipment we have today. No lumber yards, no hardware stores! And this work would not be in secret, Noah would explain to his neighbors why he using his time, yes, his life to build this ark. They no doubt would oppose him.

Jehovah assured Noah that he and his family would enter a completed ark and be preserved alive through the global Flood. God even underscored the certainty of that with a solemn promise and brought Noah into a covenant agreement with Him. -Gen 6:18,19.

So with full confidence, "that what God had promised he was also able to do" Noah assisted by his family, set to work on this huge God-given assignment. As the years passed, the ark took shape. Construction problems were resolved. Trials were overcome. No opposition could halt the work. Noah's family experienced Jehovah's support and protection. Their faith was fortified. As Noah pressed on, 'the tested quality of his faith worked out endurance' (Compare James 1:2-4) Noah did "according to all that God had commanded. He did just so". -Gen 6:22.

Finally, the ark was completed, the Flood came, Noah and his family survived. Noah experienced the fulfillment of God's promises. We too are blessed from Noah's faith in action. Not only was human and animal life allowed to continue on the earth, but through Noah, true worship was also preserved, along with the history of creation. For this we may be thankful.

More Fun than A Barrel of Monkeys!

"This is more fun than Jr. Monopoly!"