Photo Editing

I spent the last hour working with my Adobe Elements 6 to create that photo at the top. 2 weeks ago when I did the original one, I could change the background colors behind the butterflies. Today, for the middle one, the background was white. I wanted something different, but for the life of me, I could not remember how to do it! So, I decided it could be white for now and when I uploaded it it, it is light gray. That works! Whew! I could have stopped 45 minutes ago! Computing just boggles my brain. I think because I do too many different things with it, I can't remember all of all. And then, I learn something, and don't come back to it for several weeks or months, and I have trouble figuring it out again.
It is the same with making pie crusts for me, so I guess I can't blame it on the computer. ha!

Blackberry Picking

Last year, when we moved into our home on the property we bought about 8 years ago, I told my husband that we should do something with the property out back. Something to make good use of it. The next day, I went walking and noticed that the back field was full of blackberry plants! Now, I like blackberries so told him that we had us a crop also! I enjoyed picking the berries, sharing the berries and making jelly and cobbler, etc.
I wrote an article about it for a blog of a friend of mine. That was before I knew what blogging was and it was all mysterious. I have the post for it here so you can read it.

Article on Laura's Blog

Biscuits

I make biscuits from the Betty Crocker recipe in her cookbook. But, being it is just the 2 of us, I half the recipe and come up with 4 biscuits. Today, I could not decide on biscuits or cornbread, so I made them with half of each meal! A little grainy for biscuits, but good, all the same ... especially with that veggie soup. :)

Vegetable Soup

When I make Veggie soup, I use a little beef stock with small pieces of meat. Then I add vegetable broth I have saved and frozen from left-overs of previous meals, onion, green pepper, celery and a little spaghetti sauce, mixed veggies and whatever vegetables I want to add from the refrigerator. Season and cook until done.

Eat Your Vegetables & Fruit

We returned from vacation last night. I never realize how many vegetables and fruit we eat until we go on vacation. I don't know why I am surprised how few vegetables we Americans eat. Unless you order a salad at a fast food, there are no vegetable choices there. Most American meals focus on meat and starch. I don't consider potatoes, rice, and macaroni and cheese as vegetables, as many restaurants do. Vegetables that are included are so cooked, I wonder if they are any good for us anymore. My husband and I are not vegetarians, but compared to what we had this week (which was very good, mind you!) we are close to it. Anyway, it is good to be back home and I plan to make a big pot of vegetable soup for supper! Then, after a trip to the store, we go back to a raw vegetable with each meal and fresh fruit for snacks.

A Smile

Brightens days
Cheers others
Refreshes spirits
Lightens burdens
Gives joy
Pleases God

© Belinda Jo Adams

The first time I told our daughters we would write a 2-word poem, one of them said, "That should be easy! I just have to think of 2 words."

Crafts

I wrote the article below several years ago. Recently, we went to a meeting and a woman spoke about how to recycle items that would be thrown away into beautiful items for decorating the home. That is what we did in the 60s-70s. I am glad it is being revived.

Decorating like Granny

I get tickled when I see items in stores for sale that look old fashioned. Don’t get me wrong, I like what they call country decorations. But, my granny decorated with what she had. She did not go out and buy things to try to look old fashioned! She used tin cans for flower pots, not flower pots that looked like tin cans! She used calendars from funeral homes or other places where they gave them away as their advertisement, not calendars that were made to look like those and sold at fancy card shops! She made quilts out of scraps of old clothing and left-over sewing, not material bought just for cutting up to make quilts to look old fashioned!
When I was young married, we made crafts out of left over items that would have been thrown away. Now, you go to a craft store and buy a kit with all the supplies right there in it. And what happens to all those items that we used to use and not throw away? They end up in the landfills! © Belinda Jo Adams

Laundry Detergent

This past October, I made homemade liquid laundry detergent. I made a half-batch and being I only wash 3-4 loads a week, it has lasted me a while. I figured it cost me a penny a load. So far, it is working nicely. Here is the site that I got the know how from.

Update: the link I had here is not good anymore, so I found a new place to go to with many different recipes. I usually go by # 2, but I only do a fourth at a time being I don't nned as much.

Home made laundry detergent recipes

CRA Private School

We called our homeschool CRA Private School because it was our girls' initials and homeschooling is about as private as it gets. We homeschooled for 8 and a half years back in the 80s-90s. We had many blessing and are very glad we chose that route for our children's education. Both have gone on to achieve many goals in their lives. We are proud of them.

Homeschooling

Homeschooling is a great adventure
A challenge and a blessing, too.
Learning comes not just from books.
There are many areas to pursue.

Seeing first hand what happens
By going on field trips galore.
Learning by on-hand experience
When freely allowed to explore.

If children can learn without hurry
And can go at their own pace,
Nothing can quite compare
With the victorious look on each face.

Being taught self-discipline is the answer
In learning to write, to cipher, or to read.
Training them to have concern for others
And helping when there is a need.

Homeschooling is not for everyone
But, for the ones who were willing to try,
God has surely blessed our efforts
And talents we were willing to apply.

© Belinda Jo Adams

Last week, I did not get as much done at home as I wanted to do. For we were out and about doing various 'other things' that needed to be done. I mentioned it to my husband and as I ended the sentence in 'because' and stopped, he added, "Life happened." Yes, life happened. And I am so glad we are capable of doing all the things we did. Now, to play catch-up this week!
We need to be flexible to have time to do all that comes into our lives, either planned or unplanned.

Butterfly Musings

Why Butterfly Musings? I am writing about various subjects ... just fluttering between ideas. I like butterflies and thought the idea fit my style of writing. I sat in a waiting room one day last week. A lady walked across the way, carrying a butterfly purse. As I watched the purse go by, I thought ... Butterflies .... blog .... musing .... Butterfly Musings. That's what I'll call my blog! The photos of butterflies are ones I took.