a quiet sunday

What is it about the solitude of country living? No hussle and bussle of the big cities, or crowded apartments and subdivisions. No hearing everything your neighbors talk about or having cars parked along the street and blocking your driveway...No I don't miss that at all.
 Another benefit is shooting whenever you want to, we have been working on our little range, made some additions and improvements and its all coming along nicely...I am thankful that we no longer have to find a public range to shoot at and can come and go as much as we want on ours...
 This being the last day of our spring break the boys were up early, with BB guns in hand, wanting to get some target practice in. As long as they don't put an eye out they can shoot BBs whenever they like. But, when it comes to their .22s or something of mom and dads...we need to be there with them.
 I made a cup of coffee and sat on the porch watching, and thinking about how carefree they are. Wishing desperately that they did not know of some of the things that are corrupting our world, or the meaning of words that I would have never thought of as a child.

I look at them being so free and smile, but inside I am sad that soon Senior and I will have to turn them loose in this big old world, and I hope we are preparing them well for that day.( sniff sniff..mom gets weepy eyed)

Another good thing about country living and having property?...is getting to have a monster garden. Ours is 99% planted. Only thing left is the okra for Senior and boys. ( ick...i know!...lol )
Jack was being naughty in the house, and so we collectively decided to let him have the great outdoors where I think he is much happier. Today he was helping us out in the garden . He likes coming down there to purr and nuzzle us with his nose. When we pull the hose out, he cracks us up trying to attack it thinking its a big black snake.
Having an out door cat has been an adventure, we look forward to his daily presents he leaves on the porch. Mostly its moles. But Friday he managed a bird. And No, we were not happy because it was a robin.

The day is growing short,  I have noticed several of my favorite bloggers have done posts, so I am off of mine to go check theirs out and say a quick hello. Then its on to answer the demands of the household....you know that dinner thing!  lol

-JUGM

Guess Who's Coming To Dinner...

We are at the Country Estate this weekend. Moo-Moo and my Brother in Law are driving down for dinner.  I have never had the chance to cook for Moo-Moo  so , I am throwing down with a Lasagna.  She tried cooking Italian  before and it was not pretty - when a 5 year old complains about Spaghetti you know its bad!
I am going over the top today. I got up early and to the store for every thing I would need for
my most incredible lasagna and salad dinner.

We hope to have fun with our bows as well. Mine only has a 35# draw on it. Moo-Moo said she would try it.

I promise, more to come on tonight's events later. And just for Rob I will try to snap a pic.

- JUGM

PS:  Thanks again for all the prayers and loving comments this past week on our dear friends passing.... day by day things are getting better.

PSS:  posted this from my phone..forgive any grammer issues or miss-spellings.

Chicken -N- Dumplings

Gravy is an essential item in my house. I use it in recipes at least 2-3 times per week. It is also an essential item for preppers. Dry gravy mix will add flavor to bland boiled rice, or potatoes and It can also be used to marinade meats.

I was never good at making home made gravies, so for years I would buy the packs from the store.Well at a cost of between .33-.78 per pack, the amount can add up.
So, thank heavens for Emergency Essentials. Because they sell the most tasty brown and chicken gravy mix in the # 10 can. It equals out to about 3 lbs of mix for a price of around $11.73 per can.
Each one offers 170 servings, all you do is  add 1 Tbsp per 1/4 cup of warm water, whisk throughly and heat until desired consistancy is reached.

I was never a big fan of Chicken Gravy, but last night I decided to open the top of our recent purchase, and make some Chicken and Dumplings.

I bought Tyson grilled Chicken Chunks, and Mary B Dumplings ( making dumplings is another things I have not mastered). Poured it all in to the pot with the chicken gravy and let it simmer.
The aroma flooded wafted through the house and lingered until the late evening.

I Served it over a bed of rice and a big glass of sweet tea. We ate so much we couldnt move. It was very good, and very filling.

T-Bones

Senior and Pirate Jim made the trip out to the country butcher. We went in together and a had a pig processed in to freezer packs.

Senior wanted another good T-bone steak tonight for dinner: