The lovliness of this weekend

This is a bouquet that Miss Z picked up for me during her Sunday hike with Daddy. As you can see, it is on the large side. Not so much in girth, but in horizontal length. It was difficult to find a place of honor for the bouquet. And Miss Z swears it is growing.

Close up on bouquet.

I took the now tried and true whole wheat graham cracker recipe and made lemon cookies this week. They are yummy!


Just so you know, I substituted lemon juice for the 1/4 cup water, omitted the cinnamon and added the zest of 2 lemons. I also sprinkled sugar on top.

Below is a yummy recipe if you like cabbage. If you think cabbage is an evil, stinky vegetable, then you will have to agree to disagree.

You start by sauteeing apples and onions until soft. I eyeball the amount in relation to the amount of cabbage I am making but this was 2 apples and 1 onion. The kind of apple doesn't so much matter, but I never use Red Delicious for anything cuz I think they are too mealy.




Once the apples and onions have reached your desired tenderness, add in sliced cabbage. This is two heads of sliced cabbage. When the cabbage has cooked down, add in cider vineagar to taste and pepper (I don't find that I need to salt this because of the cured meat that is coming next).




I usually add in kielbasa at this point, but we had hotdogs, so that is what I added here. And it was DELICIOUS all the same. Who doesn't love a hotdog? Then you are done...enjoy!

Next, I did something that I can now cross of "the list". I made my own laundry detergent. This replaced drink a Manhattan because I am taking some medicine which has made me unable to get my drink on. But I have always wanted to do this. I like knowing what is in the stuff in my house.



This is a picture of Miss Z helping me grate bar soap for the detergent. It was great fun.




You need the seventy-something ounce box of Borax, the fifty-something ounce box of washing soda, a 2lb box of baking soda and 12 ounces of grated bar soap. Mix it all together. I just shook it up in the giant plastic pretzel bottle you can see here (recycled that from work). You are supposed to use 2 TBLSP for a regular load and up to 1/4 cup if it is a really dirty load. CAUTION: Apparently Borax can bleach stuff if used in warm water so wash darks and colors in cold with this detergent (you probably are doing that anyway). I got this recipe out of Maryjane's Farm Magazine.

I have only done one load with this (which has not made it out of the dryer yet- projects like this keep me from doing my actual chores). I will let you know what I think.

And here it is (drumroll please.....bah dah bah dah bah dah bah dah).

MISS Z EATING VEGETABLES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!




While I am not the kind of mother that encourages "see food", it is momentous that Miss Z has decided to start eating some veggies. I display her bad manners and good eating with pride.

more soon,

me