I Love You More Than My Luggage

Really?  I want to beg incredulously.  It's been over 2 years since I posted all that?  Hmmm.  Seems as though I'm lazy.  Or we had another child.  Or my husband has been working part time - in addition to his full time job.  Or I quit my job and became self employed.  Or a hundred other things probably happened.  What a whiner, I am.  Not really.  It just became not important enough for me.  It was set aside, but not forgotten.  Like those fancy shoes you bought and wore once.  Then you forgot about them until some amazing event was coming about & you had to dig them out of the back of the closet.  So what's the big event?  Why am I digging this blog out from the back of the closet?  I don't really know.  If it's something I can seriously put my nose to the ground.  Maybe.  My life is amazing.  Really.  For me.  I guess I'll share what hilarious/embarrassing/memorable/heartbreaking events I see fit.  So, stay & read.  I'd like this to be the book you pick up every night and then go to bed.  We will see.

Soup Success!

Here it is!  Found a nice recipe, but did have to tweak it a bit.  We live too far from grocery store to run for just one or two things (try heavy cream).  But it turned out great!  The three kiddos gobbled it up, as did I.  The great thing about using homecanned potatoes is that they're already cooked!  Saves a good twenty minutes off your cook time.
Here's the gist of it:

2 Mason Jars of home canned potatoes (about 4 pounds or so) - cubed. 
Some bacon fat leftover from the bacon I cooked last night.  I just used what I had, supplemented with a tablespoon of olive oil.
1 onion, chopped
1 16oz carton of chicken broth
1 stick of butter
1/2 cup of evaporated milk
12 strips or so of bacon

I rinsed the potatoes, then chopped them into bite sized pieces.  I put the bacon fat into the bottom of a large pot, melted it, and added the chopped onion.  Added the potatoes, chicken broth, and heated through.  Roughly mashed the potatoes, and took out about 6 cups to puree.  Added the pureed potatoes back into pot, added the butter, milk and waited till soup was heated though again.  Added the chopped strips of bacon & presto!  Yummy potato soup!  Happy cooking!

Potato Soup Anyone?

Today will be my first attempt at potato soup.  Although quite adept at cooking, baking, canning, etc.  I've yet to make the delicious brew.  I'm searching for a great recipe (anyone have a prize winner?) to try.  I fried up my home grown, home smoked bacon last night - of course I had to sample some (who doesn't like bacon?).  Now off to find a recipe.  I'll be sure to share a picture and recipe once completed.  Fingers crossed and I'm off!

Where's Your Barn?

You know the road. You’ve traveled it many, many times – sometimes faster than others. But it’s the road that you’ve come to know so well, it’s as if you have a kinship with it. You know not just the curves, the stop signs, the passing areas, you’ve become acquainted with the homes along the way as well. Am I the only one who gets this feeling? Traveling with my family the other weekend brought back memories, and passing the homes that I once passed so frequently was almost like visiting an old friend. At first I thought it was just the warm feeling us humans get out of a familiarity with items, with the same routine. But when I saw an old barn crumpled in a massive heap on the very ground in which it stood for so many years, my heart sank. I felt like I should have received a call or a notice that this barn was no longer standing. Didn’t the owners somehow know that I had always glanced at that barn every time I drove by? I loved the look of the vine that had taken years to crawl up the sides and turn it into a lovely, lovely monument to days of back breaking labor and simpler times. My husband was driving, and I didn’t feel the need to share this one sided relationship I have with this dilapidated structure. My mouth just dropped as we drove quickly by, and I was at once sadden with the thought that it was gone. I had no idea. Was it purposefully torn down for safety reasons? Was is just too old, and slowly deteriorated? Perhaps a large spring storm gave it a justified send off. Is it a ‘woman’ thing? Are the ladies the only ones who get attached to such inanimate objects? What was that barn used for primarily in it’s hay day (no pun intended) ? Was there a large group of strong farmers that came together to raise that barn into what is ultimately became? Did any of those same farmers watch the barn slowly makes it way into demise? No, I don’t think that I or anyone could have saved the barn. It does make me wonder - does anyone frequently travel the road in front of our home? Do they try to squeeze a peek up our long, winding driveway and wonder what kind of people live up there? Perhaps an old retired couple, maybe the place is deserted - I know, its haunted. Is someone, someday going to be unpleasantly surprised that we resided the house an unattractive shade of burgundy? Do they approve of our upkeep of the property? This barn, I came to believe meant more to me than I originally thought. Oh how that sagging barn mirrors the reality of human relationship. Most of us are simply driving by too fast. Some of us are doing the speed limit, but have our eyes on the road. Let’s all take a leisurely drive down the road of life, and do more than just ’notice’ people along the way. I don’t want to be surprised by the passing of another barn.

Welcome to HomeRighter!

Hey!  I'm so glad that you've stumbled across my blog!  This blog is for those who enjoy a simplified life, sharing time with family & friends, spending time in the garden or kitchen or enjoying an inspiring and entertaining read.  I'm really looking forward to sharing exciting deals, super delicious recipes and exciting stories whether from the reality I call my life to the depths of my imagination.  I truly hope you find something that will enrich your life and entices you to visit often.