Thoughts from May 23

     Dear readers:



   


     Well, quite enough has happened in this past week to tell you about! (It seems I may be doing more like weekly posts than daily posts this summer -- I'm busy!) For starters, Mom, Ms. J, and I kind of walked through some poison ivy on Sunday. Thankfully though, we immediately washed it off when we got home and I don't think any harm was done; it was low to the ground, so probably wouldn't have touched our feet a ton, more our sandals. One day this week we saw a huge, beautiful rainbow. One evening, AJ, Ms. J, and I were playing an animal-themed board game on our dining table, we looked out the window, and there was a RACCOON under our bird feeders! That was exciting! It was reminiscent of the Sam Campbell books with Rack and Ruin being the featured raccoons early in the first book, and Loony Coon and tribe in later stories. Let's see now, does he want watermelon or peanuts? We all visited a Georgia botanical garden, and AJ let me use his camera to take some photos of him and Ms. J, he took some photos of Ms. J and me, Ms. J took some photos of AJ and me, and Dad took some photos of the three of us.

     Ms. J, AJ, and I have been playing in the kitchen! We made three fruit-based dessert recipes. Two of them we've already tried, and they were scrumptious! The third, I have the same expectations for. Here are links to the recipes:

• We made the apricot bars. https://24carrotlife.com/2015/03/18/dried-fruit-bars-and-bites/
• We made this one with 1 cup pumpkin seeds instead of the nuts. We want to make a variation, with dates instead of figs, and can add in peppermint for a chocolate-peppermint flavor, and we also can try using part millet flour and part pumpkin seeds for fewer calories, and to not use up our pumpkin seeds so fast. Also with this variation, we could whip up some millet cream and pour it over the top of the balls, then stick them in the freezer for the cream to harden into a glaze -- and them serve with fresh strawberries! https://frommybowl.com/cacao-fig-bliss-balls/
• This one we ate for dessert for lunch today. MIND-BOGGLINGLY DELICIOUS!!!!!! It really feels like apple pie! Again, we used 1 cup pumpkin seeds instead of 2 cups nuts, and again I think we could use at least part millet flour (though we'll have to try it to see if the millet flour gives it a bitter taste). We also used water instead of oil, and we ended up using two apples rather than one (which was definitely not too much apple). https://minimalistbaker.com/apple-pie-date-bars-free-detox-guide-ebook/

     In our Bible study today, Lani and I went through the book of Jonah. Fascinating story! One neat thing we noticed was that there are four things that God specifically provides for Jonah (or appoints, depending on your version; the word is the same that applies in all four of these instances) -- a fish, a plant, a worm, and an east wind.

     I could maybe write more but need to hurry up and go, so here's a parting thought that I included in a card I wrote to someone today: "The Lord is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation; He is my God, and I will praise Him; My father's God, and I will exalt Him" (Exodus 15:2, NKJV). Have a joyful day in Him!

     Bye,

     Christina Austine

P.S.: Sir Bentley the cabbit turned 10 months old today!

Thoughts from May 16

     Dear readers:

     We've had company the past week (and will for another month and a half or so), so I have been way too busy to write (and probably will be for the rest of the summer!). Anyway this blog should be a fun thing, not a burden, so I'll write when I have time if I want to. I just now finished catching up on  reading Lani's blog.

     My friend Ms. J has been showing me how to braid my hair, and she has been doing all sorts of beautiful things on my hair, and braiding ribbons into it! I am finding that it is a lot of fun to play with my hair, and as I have hair past waist length, there is a lot that can be done with it.

     The other day, Ms. J and I recorded a violin duet of "All Creatures of Our God and King" to send in for special music for my church next Sabbath. That is such a pretty tune! The arrangement we played was in Bb major, which sounds really solid and grounded on my violin.

     The current homeschooler thing we are doing is watching ladybugs and caterpillars grow up (doesn't everyone have plastic containers with bugs in them sitting on their kitchen counter? ;D) Here's a pic of each:

These (above) are the baby ladybugs. If they were about a million times larger, they would be terrifying!

And these are the caterpillars. I think they are painted lady butterflies or something.

     Last night after supper Mom and I went experimenting in the kitchen! In a cookbook I gave her for Christmas, there is a recipe for fruit salad with a lime-maple cream drizzled over the fruit. The recipe used cashews for the creaminess. Well, we thought we could use millet as a substitute for the nuts. So we blended up some cooked millet we had in the fridge, and added flavoring according to the recipe. 4 tablespoons of lime juice was a little strong! Plus, the mixture was hot because the millet blends easier that way, plus both Mom and I had just brushed our teeth! All that combined made it absolutely gross! We kept adding a little more honey, and then tasted again, then added a little more honey, and so on. We did successfully get a perfectly smooth texture, though. Finally we just stuck it in the fridge and decided to finish it today before lunch. Mom said it solidified in the fridge, so we'll probably be adding a bit more water as well as more honey. But, it definitely has potential, and we think we can get it tasting good by the time we eat it for dessert after lunch today!

     Surely God laughs along with His children as they live life with Him and make funny mistakes! And when we make the not-so-funny mistakes, He is right there beside us, ready and waiting to help us return to walking in His way. Micah 7:19 says, "You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea." (NIV) I love those words: "You will again have compassion on us;" as He forgives us again and again when we truly repent, and this one here too: "and hurl all our iniquities" as He throws them away never to be seen again! Another version puts the verse this way: "he shall turn again, and have mercy on us. He shall put down our wickednesses, and shall cast far into deepness of the sea all our sins. (he shall return, and have mercy upon us. He shall put down our wickednesses, and shall throw down all our sins into the depths of the sea.)" (WYC) Isn't that just beautiful? Meditate on His beauty and have a glorious day with Him!

     Bye,

     Christina Austine

Thoughts from May 9

     Dear readers:

     I know, I know, I don't have any pet photos for you in celebration of National Pet Week. But, I did pretty good this week, right?

     Today Mom and I made card bases. We cut a bunch of pieces of paper to fit the envelopes, and we also cut out various shapes to decorate the fronts of them. That was fun!

     I just finished making breakfast for Mom and me for tomorrow breakfast. Here's the recipe:

French Toast Overnight Oats

> 1/2 cup dry rolled oats

> 3/4 cup soy or nut milk

> 1/2 mashed banana

> 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

> 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

> 2 teaspoons maple syrup (I cut it to 1 teaspoon)

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a small jar, such as a pint-size canning jar or an empty peanut butter jar. Stir together, then place in the fridge overnight. In the morning, take out and enjoy a yummy breakfast. You can make several on the same day and eat them throughout the week. You can also eat this for a light supper if you are a breakfast-for-dinner kind of person!

     You might enjoy trying this recipe. There's also an Almond Joy chocolate-flavored recipe that I might share at some point. "Your words were found and I ate them, And Your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart; For I have been called by Your name, O LORD God of hosts." Jeremiah 15:16, NASB Remember, feed your body good food and feed your soul on God's words. :D

     Bye,

     Christina Austine

Thoughts from May 7

     Dear readers:

     Now presenting, Holland II!

     So, our cat has a new hobby -- shell collecting! We have a bowl on our table filled with shells from various beaches we've gone to. Bentley carried a small shell all the way down the hall to the other end of the house to one of the bedroom! A bit later, when I was doing my piano practice, I heard this sound on the table. Bentley was sitting by the bowl of shells, playing with it. I turned around in a moment and he was on the floor behind the piano bench, playing with this large shell!

     "Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus." 1 Thess. 5:16-18, NLT.


     Bye,
     Christina Austine

Thoughts from May 5

     Dear readers:

     I'm still typing "April" when I try to title my posts! Here's your National Pet Week photos:

     Pardon me while I try to remember just what I actually did yesterday . . . ;)

     Well, this morning I gave Mrs. M her weekly violin lesson. She is progressing very nicely! It is exciting for me to watch her improve, as she is the first person I started on violin.



     Yesterday I took a few photos of our garden:


     This rose (left) has descended from a rose that went across the country in a covered wagon!

     The rose covering our arbor came from a rose that survived being covered by 20 ft of water after hurricane Katrina. When Mom got it, part of the profit went to help rebuild after the hurricane.

     I enjoyed taking photos of our David Austin roses, and playing with some special effects that my camera does. I
just love this rose shown above, with its peachy pink
and subtle yellow! We also have some
strawberries coming ripe.

     "Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus." Phil. 4:6-7, NLT

     Live this out, and bask in His peace!

     Bye, 

     Christina Austine

  

Thoughts from May 4

     Dear readers:

     Yesterday we all worked in our garden and I got some weeding done. I finished the last few problems in my math book for this year. Just this morning, we saw the grosbeak again!

     Here's your National Pet Week celebration for the day (after I followed him out of the shopping bags, by the window, onto the table, back to the window, trying to get a clear photo of him in a split second when he wasn't moving ;D ) --

     Also, I chatted with my Grandpa yesterday. He's the greatest! I am so excited that he and Grandma will be visiting us in a few weeks.

     "So Judah defeated Israel on that occasion because they trusted in the LORD, the God of their ancestors." (2 Chron. 13:18, NLT) Trust in God, and He will help you defeat your challenges, too!

     Bye,
     Christina Austine

Thoughts from May 3

     Dear readers:

     Happy National Pet Week! At least that's what my calendar says, so I will be celebrating by, each time I post this week, trying to include a picture of our cat and/or our dog. So here we go!

     This is our yellow Labrador retriever (who does not retrieve), Holland II -- but we just call her Holly. :) She is super loving and friendly, with those big brown eyes and a tail that is always wagging.

     And this is our part-Manx 9-month-old kitten, Sir Bentley. I have a whole post about him when he was younger here: https://cabinintheclearing.blogspot.com/search/label/Sir%20Bentley%20the%20Cabbit He is extremely sweet, fast, vigorous, playful, and energetic. He also loves water! And, he hates closed doors.

     Mom made waffles for Friday night supper. YUM! And, pizza for lunch this past week. YUM again!

     Not much else to say, as I just wrote last night.

     "Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the ocean depths. You care for people and animals alike, O LORD." Psalm 36:6, NLT

     Bye,

     Christina Austine

Thoughts from May 2

     Dear readers:

     Can you believe it's May already? Exciting things have been happening in my family!

     We've seen Rose-breasted Grosbeaks before at our bird feeders. I think they migrate and stop over at our place or something. We saw them this week! The males are so beautiful, and so differently colored than the other seed-eating birds we have.

     I finally finished all the recordings of music pieces I was doing for various things (whew!). But it was fun.

     This week, I have been pretty much either without something I wanted to write, or too busy to write! That's ok though, because when I do write, it is fun.

     Today I made a drawing of a moose.

     My friend Lani (at https://wereallinthistogether279395205.wordpress.com) and I had another Bible study today. We've finished going through James, and started 1 John. 1 John is so beautiful, all about God's love, and loving others! It is almost poetic in language, and appeals to my imagination and my heart. "We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning, whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the Word of life. . . . This is the message we heard from Jesus, and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. . . . But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness" (1 John 1:1, 5, 9).

     Have a beautiful week!

     Bye,

     Christina Austine