This Week In My Home: Homemaking Never Stops


I slipped out on the porch Thursday morning to feed the animals and revelled in the cool, fresh air.  It was lovely.  I felt autumn in that morning air and I mean it sincerely.  Two hours later it was humid and warming rapidly butI think this year the season ending is nearer than in years past.  I say this because I've found golden rod blooming here in our neighborhood, along the roadways.  It's unusual to have it bloom so early.  


The week ahead has it's share of busy days.  Nothing odd about that.  John has a project he wants to work on which involves the 18 year old dryer.  I'm still plugging away at that front porch task.  I'd hoped to finish it up this past week but it was more work than I'd anticipated and I had only one good morning of work (and two days of very tired muscles to follow...age!).  I have been pouring energy (and less muscle) into the back porch which just needed a freshening up, not a complete facelift as the front porch does.

I seem to have found a great balance at last in my eating habits and the result is more stable blood sugar.  I've promised myself to begin to learn to count calories, now that I have some idea about carb counts.   I continue to 'collect' recipes online on the Hearty Healthy Soul board on Pinterest.  I thought I ought to try some of those recipes this week.  And heads up for those of you who like Asian inspired dishes but like myself find that even brown rice swings the pendulum too far...I read a hint earlier this week to serve the entree over a bed of Bok Choy instead of rice.  I could do that!  


Any of the recipes below which seem an odd choice will be altered to suit my diet.  Sugar free items substituted for regular items, the breads are all 15gm carb servings or less, of whole grain breads.  I'm using what has worked for me thus far as ingredients.  Additions to our diet include the 1 ounce bags of chips which I figure into the carb/calorie count of a meal.  You'll note we don't have those often.

Breakfasts:  Ginger Peach Muffin, Boiled Egg, Cantaloupe
Whole Wheat Bagel, Peanut Butter, Banana
Sausage Biscuits, Berries
Applesauce Pancake, Pan Fried Turkey Spam, Orange
Peach Smoothe, Toast 
Scrambled Eggs with Cream Cheese and Chives, Sliced Tomatoes, Toast

Dinners:  Tuscan Garlic Chicken, Whole Wheat Pasta, Italian Green Beans, Tiramisu
Zucchini Boats, Tossed Salad, Garlic Toast, Fresh Peaches and Cream
Southern Cobb Salad, Baked Apples with walnut filling
Chili, Cornbread, Salad with Orange and Red Onions
Lemon Parmesan Fish, Steamed Broccoli, Oven Roasted Potatoes, Lemon Pudding
BBQ Chicken, Cauliflower au Gratin, Butter Beans, Summer Fruits Cup
Italian Beef Stew, Mashed Potatoes, Wedge Salads, Fresh Peaches

Suppers:  Quesadillas with Salsa, Watermelon slices
Turkey Swiss Sandwiches, Apple Wedges with Caramel Sauce
Taco Soup, Crackers, Banana Pops
BBQ Chicken Sliders, Slaw, Pickles
Corn Chowder, Crackers with Cream Cheese, Grapes
BLT's, Chips, Banana Split
PBJ, Vegetable Soup, Apple Wedges


Job This Week


We've had some very humid and warm days lately, with thunder showers.  Too wet to paint, too wet to do yard work, too wet to work on porch projects.  So every job listed last week is waiting to be done.  I could list a half dozen more jobs outdoors, but I won't.  I've plenty to do with the work written out last week.  This week I also have to:

Go to the doctor

Make out a serious grocery list and hone it down to fit the budget, too.

Grocery shop.

Dust.  I normally do this first of the month...Of course, I could wait two weeks and just do it in September, lol.

Wash the quilt on our bed if weather allows.


11 comments:

Sossity said...

I just love reading your blog,I learn so much! Thanx for sharing your life.

Lana said...

LOL! I'm for putting off the dusting. It is my most hated chore!

Fall is definitely coming here, too. We are feeling it and seeing signs everywhere.

Louise said...

Yes! the geese are flocking as are the little sparrows... leaves are turning quickly and that is sad in my part of the country because I know that snow will soon be on its way and that has to be shoveled. Not looking forward to it.

Unknown said...

I read in the Farmer's Almanac that this winter is going to be a cold one. After such a hot summer, I don't know if this is good news or bad!

terricheney said...

I read in an excerpt of the Farmer's Alamanac that most of the US will get snow, even parts unaccustomed to it. The report said most especially in the northwest.

Leigh said...

I think it's really neat that you've figured out how to manage your illness and diet so well, so quickly, that you can work in treats like chips. I'll look forward to your suggestions on managing calories. Thanks for sharing your experiences!

susie @ persimmon moon cottage said...

I never thought of using Bok Choi in place of rice. Excellent low carb idea. Thanks! I love cooked Bok Choi and my husband likes it, too. After 39 years of trying to convince him that cooked cabbage is good, last year I finally tried cooked Bok Choi and he really likes it. It sounds like something we will both like as a rice replacement.

I am ready for some cooler summer weather, but not for summer to be over yet. It feels like a lot of summer passed me by this year. The end of May until the middle of June went by in such a blur with the health issue I was dealing with. Too bad I (and you, too) can't get some kind of a "rain check" or "re-take" for that part of this summer. I have often found myself trying to make every minute count during the rest of this summer. There have been days where I have overdone it so much that I ended up having to rest my knees most of the next day.

If we end up having a cold, snowy winter I can only hope that it will go by as quickly as this summer seemed to.

Susie Donahue

Vickie @Vickie's Kitchen and Garden said...

I believe your right Fall is coming fast even though it will be in the 90's today here in Michigan. So many things to do. I'm so glad you are adapting to your new way of eating, How is your husband taking the change in the way you cook?

Karla said...

It is unusually cool here in Oklahoma this week too. I hope it's here to stay but I must admit I'm not looking forward to the winter predicted by Farmer's Almanac. EEK!

I love the idea of serving Bok Choy instead of Rice! I need to find an alternative for Tex-Mex Rice Bowls. I'll have to put my thinking cap on.

Anonymous said...

In California thy said we are supposed to have a very bad El Nino winter. Rain rain and more rain. Sounds good for us since we have had so much drought. Yet with the drought comes very dry cracked earth that if we get sudden heavy rain will not accept it. Then too we have had so many fires. Many areas here are sandy or partially. Some though are clay with it's own problems. With less vegetation due to drought and then fires many places will have flooding and mud slides. It's always something,...as Gilda Radnar used to say. Our weather men are saying even with a very rainy winter it will not get us out of the drought. But any water has to help I would think.
Boy Choy... I used to grow that and maybe should again! We are all gaining a bit of knowledge from you on so many things!
My trees are loosing leaves faster this time of year than normal. I don't know if it is a change in the weather or the drought and less water that is making this happen. They told us to cut back so much but we are all trying to save our mature trees. No easy task.
I am looking forward to fall for a couple reasons. Change from the heat and humidity and fall decorating!
Fall ushers in many family holidays and sweet times. I think God giving us humans seasonal weather changes was an extra bonus. He knew we get tired and grumpy over the same things day after day maybe! :-) In summer we want fall, in winter we want the spring...you know how it goes!! :-))) Aa usual He knows us better than we know ourselves! Sarah

Anonymous said...

The sign that fall is coming here are the bugs singing late afternoon and evening, which I love; the smell of stinkweed, which I also love; and the little spiders that want to nest in my house. I kill three and 10 come to their funeral. We also are having lovely cool weather this week although it is going to get hot again soon, but the promise is there. Love the cool. The grandkids and daughter are home this week so the house is kind of a pit, okay, not kind of, but the cuddles are worth the mess. Smile. This will soon pass ... Too quickly. Pam