Weekend Wrap Up

 

Hello there friends and family. Thought I'd share this past weekend with you....

Saturday I spent much of the morning in the garden checking things watering things, harvesting things as you can see from the photo above I harvested a good amount of romaine lettuce, kale and snap peas. By the time I got done working in the garden, cleaning up the house washing laundry and putting laundry away my body was pretty much done for the day. 

We were going to go to the Blue Crab Fest in Little River last night but I heard it was insanely packed with people more than any other year, probably because it was cancelled last year because of Covid and this year my state, South Carolina is wide open for business. I live on the coast and the tourist industry needs the people because last year businesses got killed with the shut downs and in this area, hospitality is where the jobs are and I can tell you people have been coming in droves. Not just for the many festival's we have in my area but for the beaches, then there was spring break and this week is the Blue Crab Fest and Bike Week and Memorial Day.

I've never been one for enormously large crowds. I can handle a smallish crowd but if it's too much I'd rather not go and besides, I was very tired after working inside and outside yesterday so instead I put up all the lettuce and kale and for dinner last night I made Cod fish marinated in lemon juice and zest and I took those snap peas and sautéed them in olive oil, parmesan cheese and lemon zest. Hubby said they were delicious. So that was a win. I have one of the typical traits that always seem to be attributed to Italians which, I am one. I show my love through cooking. Kind of ironic for a woman who can't swallow 98% of solid foods but, I like to see others enjoy my cooking. 

As for Sunday, today... the plan, there's always a plan. Which for me, most of the time doesn't go as I wish. I wanted to do only the minimum of what I absolutely had to do like cooking because after all it is the Lords day.. I also wanted to attend the Divine Liturgy at the Greek Orthodox Church but by the time I took my shower and was done with that I felt very tired and run down so plan B was to just hang out, study scripture, listen to a Messianic Rabbi online and do nothing else. Well, we called Walgreens about my husbands medications which he told me needed to picked up this morning and they were having a hard time getting it through the insurance which never happened before. So there I was at eight thirty am on Sunday on the phone with Blue Cross Blue Shield trying to figure out what the problem was. 

Turns out it was on the pharmacy's end so the BCBS called them and got it straightened out and off I went to pick up hubbys medications. When I came home, I reheated my coffee, my husband went outside and started working on the chicken coop again as you can see in the photo above, I took the new towels I bought and put them in the washer, I haven't bought new towels in almost seventeen years, I know, it's embarrassing but it's just not something I think about until they get to the point they are almost thread bare and, we were there. Changed the bed sheets and then I grabbed my coffee, my Bible, my study guides and sat out on the deck and spent some time with the Lord which I hope to do more of later on today.....

For lunch I will make hubby an egg salad sandwich on flax bread with a couple of oranges and dinner tonight is steak on the grill with a veggie and a salad..

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend...!

 

Friday Happenings

 

Hello friends and family! I thought I'd share with you what is going on at Robyns Simple Life this Friday... As a side note I've been thinking maybe I need to change the name of this blog to Robyns NOT SO Simple Life because my life is anything but simple but then again, I do try, and live my life as simply as I know how. Hmm, on second thought maybe I should just leave things alone. You know the old saying, if ain't broke don't fix it.. moving on..

This morning I left the house about two hours after the butt crack of dawn and ran to the local Food Lion as I needed to get some chicken, some cheese, green onions, and coffee creamer for my Mr.

After that I came home and headed into the garden. I haven't been out there in like four days because I was sick . Shame on me. You need to be in your garden every single day checking on things. As I expected, the tomato plants are growing  a little wild so I pruned them and put some more ties onto the stakes as they are getting taller now. We have two baby tomatoes coming out and more on the way!

 

Then I weeded the garden beds and picked some romaine and red leaf lettuce. 

Next I turned my eyes to the snap peas that seem to have grown over night!

I will cook theses beauties up tonight for my Mr to go with his fish.

Then I took a boneless, skinless chicken breast and fileted it and put it on the grill with some BBQ sauce for my Mr.'s lunch.

He's been working so hard on building the chicken coop so I wanted to make him something filling for lunch but also healthy. The salad has romaine and red leaf lettuce, tomatoes, grilled BBQ chicken breast and feta cheese. Then I just sprinkled some olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Healthy Lunch!

As for the rest of the day, I need to wash and put up the lettuce and peas I picked this morning, load the dishwasher, put away some laundry and boy, I could use a nap. I sleep between hot flashes so sleep is hard to come by these days. 

Later on I will cook dinner for my husband, tonight is Fish night so I am making pan seared Cod, the peas from the garden and probably another vegetable.

What are your plans for today?

What's Your Opinion?

 

Hello friends and family! Today I would like to get your opinion on something..

 Have you ever heard of Messianic Christians? I had heard the name before but never really looked into it and then last week a friend shared a video and the pastor I guess you would call him was a Jewish man who believes in Jesus Christ..

I found his talk very interesting. It was over an hour long, and he spoke about the Jewishness of Jesus and the Apostles. I listened to the whole thing. I was actually pretty enamored at what I was hearing. From what I think I understand, we Christians should still celebrate the Jewish feast and Holy Days because Jesus did also. Jesus in his humanity was a devout Jew as were the Apostles and first "Christians".. 

This man also talked about how Jesus tells us in Scripture, which he does, that He did not come to change a letter of the Law and the Law and the prophets would not pass away until Heaven and Earth passes away...

I know a few people who are Christians but also celebrate the Jewish seasons as well. I am also learning in my bible study, we are in the book of Numbers right now that God the Father when he was giving the Laws to the People of Isra'el that even the foreigners among them were too follow the laws also.

This man also was saying how the Sabbath etc was always a Saturday even for the first "Christians" because they were Jews, not Sundays. He was talking about how when you walk into Christian churches whatever sect they may be you see nothing Jewish about them at all. That got me to thinking.. He's right.. there is nothing Jewish about a Christian Church that I have ever seen and I wondered why not?

I remember years ago wondering to myself the things this man was saying. Specifically, why we didn't celebrate Passover etc as well, why there is nothing to be seen Jewish about us yet Jesus was a Jew, Jesus practiced Judaism so why don't we? I have been told over the years by Catholic Priests that we don't do these things because we are not under the Law because of Jesus but so far everything I've read in Scripture doesn't say we aren't.. Just as Jesus said he did not come to change one letter of the Law..

What are your thoughts and opinions on this? 

 

I've been sick

 

Hi Friends and Family!

Please forgive me for not being on my blog or reading your blogs in the past week but, I've been sick.

I started not to feel well last Monday and in my usual fashion I just ignored it. I know, it's a bad habit but, when you've been chronically ill for as many years as I have you tend to do this a lot.

Well by Thursday morning I was sick both literally and figuratively and I"ll get to the figuratively part in a moment. I was unsure if I had a sinus infection or something seriously wrong with my stomach because the stomach pain was almost unbearable. Again, I'm used to stomach pain as I've had it everyday for over 22 years but this, this was beginning to tip the scales a bit. I also was getting serious pounding sinus headaches and doing a ton of sneezing. I have chronic sinusitis and then I remembered that when I get sick sick, it usually hits the weakest part of my body and for me thats my stomach.

I was laid out flat in bed for Thursday, Friday and most of Saturday. I began taking antibiotics I have here at home and started feeling much better. I can eat again, no nausea, no stomach pain or sinus pain and today I am feeling much much better. So, I am pretty sure its just an intense sinus infection I let get away from me which will make you pretty sick pretty quick.

Now as for the figuratively part. We have a tree in the front of our house smack in the middle of the lawn. It's a beautiful tree. Sixty foot bradford pear tree and tons of birds. But, it was also leaning because it grew crooked towards the house. Last Tuesday we had a wicked storm rip through the area and it literally ripped our peach tree in the back yard out of the ground. I decided it would be best to have the big tree in the front at least trimmed incase it ever does fall it doesn't fall on the house, my bedroom specifically because you know, those things tend to always happen in the dead of night. 

The tree guy comes Thursday morning and he tells me its better to take it out because while it's a strong tree some of the root ball is growing up out of the ground and he can't not say if a heavy storm would knock it over or not. Let me just say, this kid was a good salesman, there's a sucker born every minute and last Thursday that sucker was me. He charged me $650 to take it out but umm, it actually didn't need to come out! I was not and am not happy about how this went down.

The roots of this tree were so deeply embedded into the ground and had spread so far out under the lawn it took them three HOURS to get it out trying everything including a backhoe! So much for a tree that he couldn't guarantee me wasn't going to fall!

Meanwhile, as they were destroying my lawn trying to get the roots out with the backhoe they also ripped all those bushes around that tree out because they came up with the roots! Now I am left with nothing but a mud pit. I was sick over it all... 

Now that I have accepted that I spent $650 that I didn't have to spend, that I was pretty much swindled, and my beautiful tree is gone, next month I am going to buy a Kwanzan Cherry Blossom Tree and plant it there in honor of my mom, my dad, myself and my childhood because we had a cherry blossom tree in my backyard that would bloom every year on my birthday in my childhood home. Every year my parents would wake me up on my birthday morning and tell me to go look out my bedroom window because my birthday tree had bloomed for me..

So that's all why I haven't been around much. I hope to be back this week to reading your blogs and seeing what you've all been up too!

They're Here !

 

Hello dear friends and family. I am so excited to share this with you today! 

I FINALLY got my blueberry bushes!.. I've been wanting to get some for the last few years but every time I would go out on the hunt for them they are always sold out. But this year, I finally got them. I was out at Lowes last week to pick up something for my husband and I thought, "let me go into the garden center just to see if they have any" and sure enough they did! They are small but that's okay with me. They will grow. My husband, God love him, he planted these for me this past Saturday in the yard near the fence so that we can make sort of like a netted cage over them to keep the birds out. We will have to do the same with the tomatoes as I refuse to fight the mocking birds this year for my tomatoes or anything else! 

This guy here is kind of tall, not producing anything yet but I have faith he will.

Then we have this little guy here who is already producing! 

This little guy has two or three of these clusters of berries on him already. These are Emerald Blueberries so they should get nice and big. I can't wait to eat them! 

As you can see I am very excited about these two small blueberry bushes. It may not seem like much to most but to me it's a lot...Im pretty easy to please.. Thank goodness for my husband I am. *laughs*

And So It Begins

 

Hello dear friends and family.

Well, we are taking the leap one more time only this time will be different from the last.

Yup, we are getting chickens again. We had some years ago but we had too many. My husband, I love him but when he does something he likes to do it big.. Doesn't matter what it is he goes full hog and sometimes, well, a lot of times, that's not such a good thing. At one point we ended up with sixteen chickens and more eggs than we knew what to do with. Now for some sixteen chickens isn't a lot but for just the two of us it's way more then we would ever need. I was boiling eggs, making egg salad, soft boiled eggs, hard boiled eggs, scrambled eggs, frittata's, giving eggs away. You name it. if it had eggs in it I was making it.

So, when the husband mentioned he'd like to have chickens again and, I would also I said okay but this time only two or three. That's all we need. He agreed and so he has begun building the chicken coop.

As a side note, I'm so glad I married a man who is incredibly handy and has a lot of carpentry knowledge with the tools to go along with it. 

And this here is the foundation. I will update as the process moves along. 

My only request with this coop was that it would be as easy as possible to get into and to clean. My husband is going to put this up on sturdy legs about waist high for me and then he will have it where the whole front and top of the coop will open up towards the back so I can just reach in with ease and a clear view and reach of everything inside. 

Getting chickens again is a good thing for us now because with my swallowing disorder I am able to eat eggs and I do eat a lot of them and I also give my dogs soft boiled eggs about two times a week as a soft boiled egg is a super food for them but they must be soft boiled to get the most nutrition so I make them four minute eggs. And I'm tired of paying expensive prices for the organic cage free pasture raised eggs at Costco for the dogs. I know, it may seem insane to spend that kind of money on your dogs eggs but they are our family and if I wouldn't eat it they don't eat it. Having chickens again will provide a great source of food for us and them and save us a bit of money as well.

Do you have any chickens? If so, have any advice for me?

Garden Update

 

Hello friends and family....

Today I thought I'd share an update on all the happenings in this years garden with you. Things are beginning to grow! All the plants in the garden beds are growing well. We have a few tomato plants in here along with a few Brussel Sprout plants that aren't doing very well and I'm not sure why. The pepper plants are standing up strong and tall and so far the lettuce I thought wasn't going to make it is doing well although I think we will have to pick whatever is there this coming week as temps are supposed to get into the lower 80's and lettuce won't survive that heat, I don't think.

The tomato and basil companion planting seems to be going well also.

The two round pots in the front here have spaghetti squash in them and the climbers  you see there are called crunchy peas. The other pots have more tomatoes and basil in them. Yesterday I went out and put stakes in everything for support. I am trying to prune my tomatoes and train them to grow up instead of out. We already had some blossoms on some of the tomato plants but I took those off so that the plant can put all it's energy into growing large and producing large tomatoes instead of producing small tomatoes right away.

My brussel sprout plants are just booming in these pots and the kale in these pots seem to be recovering from the cabbage worm disaster. I will put more Neem Oil on them this week.

This pot of Kale here in the superstar of the garden right now. I planted two kale plants in each pot and they are just beautiful!! I'm going to be picking some of these beauties this week!

That's it folks. The garden so far is thriving. I am learning and watching a lot of gardening videos on YouTube by much more seasoned gardeners than myself. We shall see what the hot weather brings. 

My Bible Study Sources

 

Hello friends and family.

I have had many people ask me what materials I use to study the Scriptures and today I thought I would share with you what I am currently using each or at least I try every day study. 

As most of you know I am a Roman Catholic Christian so the first source I use and begin with each day is the Roman Catholic Missal. In here are all the readings for each day of the year that the entire Church reads every day. It also includes many many prayers and devotions as well as the Mass it self. 

Then after I read the readings for the day I move onto the Bible Recap which I am REALLY enjoying!  It's a one year guide to the entire bible and I love how the author Tara- Leigh Cobble has put this all together and her commentary. it's very easy to understand and answers many questions I have about certain scriptures. 

And of course I couldn't have any Scripture reading or study without a bible right? I own many bibles but currently I am using the New Revised Standard Version. In truth I don't always like the updated language it uses but I do find it is a very easy bible to understand. 

Do you have any special materials you use for your Scripture study? If you do will you please share them in the comments for myself and others?

Do You Love Correctly ?

 

Hello friends and family...

I'm back again today to share with you yet another Scripture that I am currently studying that made me stop and think and I am hoping it will do the same for you....

In Leviticus 25 :35 God talks about our family members or even friends who fall into difficulty and what we are to do with them. God says, " If any of your kin fall into difficulty and become dependent on you, you shall support them ; they shall live with you as though resident aliens. Do not take interest in advance  or otherwise make a profit from them but fear your God; let them live with you. You shall not lend them money at interest taken in advance, or provide them food at a profit."

God tells us in no uncertain terms we are to care for our loved ones and to do whatever it takes to make that happen.. Sadly, in todays societies we ignore them. We don't help them even if we have an abundance to do so and we do not make the sacrifices we should to help others. We here in the west have become so complacent and spoiled in our abundance. God is telling us that we are to provide for those in need out of what we already have because what we already have does not belong to us. it belongs to God. Be it food, money, a home, clothing, cars etc. All we have comes from God. Some will say, "but I worked hard for those things". Yes. Yes you did but, God is the one who gave you the ability to work hard for those things so no, these things do not belong to you they belong to God and whatever he has freely given you, you are to freely give to those in need. See how that works?

So many times I have seen people say they can't help a family or friend in need because after all they don't have much. Oh but you do. You have more than those in need. So you provide what little you can and leave the rest to God to provide for them AND for you.. There are times I see some say, "Well I don't have the time to care for my parents because of my job, or children to care for, or my husband, or my wife etc etc. And it truly breaks my heart. I know there are some situations where it is completely impossible to care for another but those are few and far between. We ALWAYS have something to give.

I was raised in a time where family and friends were the upmost important, after God. And when it came to family and friends you did whatever you had to, to care for them even if it meant quitting a job or relocating. You took care of your own. Tragically it seems so many no longer live by this. We as a society have become so self consumed with ourselves and "self love" we have forgotten that is not what we were put here for.

God teaches us all we need to know to live this life and to have eternal life with Him and His Son . Most importantly he teaches us how to love one another. 

Do You Have Enough?

 

Hello friends and family....

Today I want to talk to you about being prepared. No this is not some crazy fear mongering the worlds going to end be prepared kind of post. There's enough of those nuts out there for you to read somewhere else.

No, this about a scripture I am currently reading in my daily bible study and it stood out to me. In Leviticus 25 The Lord God is telling Moses about the Sabbatical Year. The Israelite's are to plant and harvest their fields for six years but not in the seventh year. In that seventh year they are to not plant a thing to eat nor are they to eat from whatever is left over in the fields from the year before.

Of course, God also covers the question some will ask about what happens if they do not have enough for a full year to sustain them and as always, our loving, perfect God provides. He tells them that He will make the harvest so abundant in their sixth year that it will last for THREE years!.. So as always he provides but that doesn't mean he doesn't expect the Israelite's to also do what they can to store up their grains etc.

And it means the same for us. In the world we live in today I don't think it's ever been more important to make sure we have the things we need verses the things we want. Society as a whole and around the world, things are on shaky ground in almost every area you can think of. Politically, racially, financially, religiously and although God will provide for those who love him we also must do our part.

Would you be able to survive for one year if say the grocery stores ran out of food or food became so expensive it would cost a days wages for a loaf of bread? I am not saying this will happen but if the last year and a half has taught us anything, we should have learned to have enough of all that we need on hand for as long as we can and once we have done all we can to learn to ask and trust that God will provide the rest. 

This year I plan on learning to do canning. This is something I have wanted to learn for a long time but was always afraid but I"m going to take the deep dive this year. I already know how to freeze food well but what if the electric was down for any long period of time, I"m talking like months? All my frozen food would go bad. I also already know how to dehydrate somewhat but I will be learning more about this also.

What about you? What skills do you have or want to learn this year to make your life and maybe the lives of those you love livable should there be an incident that you were left to your own devices ?

Do You Suffer Well?

 

Blessed Sunday friends and family.....

Todays Gospel reading from 1 Peter struck a cord within me. It's about suffering well.

Peter says that if we are patient in suffering for doing what is good, it is a grace from God and what we are called for because Christ suffered for us.

As Christians, especially in the society we live in today we are and will surely suffer for doing what is good in a world where we are told good is bad and bad is good but you? You keep doing good and when that suffering comes, and it will, try best you can to handle it well, offer it to God, unite it to His sons suffering on the cross and you will receive whatever grace the good Lord feels is necessary for you.

Peter also tells us that the Lord Jesus Christ left us an example on how to suffer well for doing good and we are to "follow in His footsteps". This can be hard to do in our world today but with Gods help and provision it is very possible because all things are possible with God.

So, do you suffer well? Do you try and suffer well? Remember, in your suffering, "By his wounds we are healed".

Birthday Presents

 

Hello friends and family,

My birthday was on April 18th and I turned........fifty-one.... *cough* that was a tough one to swallow. Where do the years go? Just yesterday I was eighteen wasn't I?

I thought I would share with you what I picked out for my birthday this year. I had some things I thought I wanted but then I decided to get something or somethings that last so I chose to go to our local nursery and get the one thing I have wanted for quite a few years and one surprise item I didn't know I wanted until I saw it...

This is my mimosa tree! Yes I know, everyone says, 'they're so pretty but they're so messy!".. I don't care how messy they are. I think they are incredibly beautiful from the way God designed the leaves to the flowers He put on them. So I could give a hoot about any mess. The beauty and aroma outweighs it..

Right now he's a little guy but in a couple seasons he will be big and beautiful. I can't wait! 

Then, as we were walking out this plant I had never seen before caught my eye. It was the only one there and I knew I had to have it. You know, kinna like the last little puppy in a cage at the shelter and the last thing you need is another dog but you take it home anyway?Yeah, kinna like that.. It's called a Pink Polka Dot Plant or so I am told and it must be female because it's temperamental. *laughs* It doesn't like sun or cold. So it's an indoor plant. Isn't she a beauty! 

I don't know what kind of pot to get her though nor how big it should be. Any gardeners out there? Can you give me some advice please? 

Here's a close up of one of the leaves. I just think she's beautiful.

 I have to come up with a name for her. Yes I name my plants. Hey, don't knock it. I've had a spider plant alive for over twenty five years, his name is King Arthur and yes I talk to him. *laughs*

Any suggestions on a name for her?

Mid Week Wrap Up

 

Hello friends and family!

Today in South Carolina we woke up to thirty-nine degrees and wind! Yes, baby it's cold outside and it's unusual for this time of  year here in my part of South Carolina. We almost always get our last cold snap the first week in April and we did as well this year and then of course everyone knows it's okay to plant their gardens, which we did. Well now we are having two freakish day of colder than normal temps and high 30's at night. So far, the garden is doing alright.

On Tuesday I had to go to UPS and return two rather large boxes back to Amazon. It was warm out so I had on my Clarks Sandals. My favorite brand because they are so comfy. I have plantar fasciitis and they make walking for long periods tolerable.  Anywho, I have no idea how I did this but as I was walking into the UPS store I open the metal and glass door and somehow, it went right across the top of my foot, slicing open the top of my toe and as of last night this lovely bruise popped out and yes, it sure does hurt.

Wednesday I had an appointment with a dermatologist. In 2018 I had a rather large skin cancer removed from the back of my leg, it was in a weird spot and had been there for months and I thought it was nothing until it started to bleed so I went in. Now every year I get the once over. I felt a small spot on the back of my shoulder last week and hubby said it was raised so I made an appointment right away. Well, turns out it's nothing, comes with age and it's the same thing I have on my hand. Its raised and it can get quite itchy so I was offered the chance the have the one on my hand burned off right then and there and I took it. Im told it will take about 10 days and it should be gone.. Its a little annoying as I am a constant hand cream user so Im changing a lot of bandaids.

As for today, it's too cold to do much outside. I wanted to replant my pink polka dot plant in a nice new planter I bought for it yesterday but being it's so cold out our soil pile is also cold and this plant hates the cold so I was afraid to do it until the soil warms a little I don't want to shock it and have it die. So instead I am kicking back with a book and resting today which, isn't a bad thing considering I haven't felt well all week.

Im finding this book to be very compelling and if you'd like to know my thoughts just let me know..

How about you? What's on your docket for this Thursday?