Soup Bowl

Here's a way to get a really cheap meal every now and then that I learned from my mom and have been doing for years.

I keep a container in my freezer, and every time we have leftovers that I won't likely serve at another meal, that would be suitable for soup, I add them to this container. When the container gets full, I just thaw it out, heat it up, and we have soup for dinner! Add some grilled cheese sandwiches or a loaf of bread machine bread and maybe a salad, and you're all set!

These leftovers can include vegetables, pasta, rice, meat, broth, tomato sauce or any number of other things. While some of the finished products have been better than others, I've never had a batch that was too bad. The only bad thing is that if the soup is really good, you'll probably never be able to duplicate it.

A Moral Dilemma

I have been hunting for a part-time job for quite a while now. Not desperately, as I have one that I like well enough, but they have cut my hours down to almost nothing, so I need more income.

One thing on my mental list of ideal jobs would be to work at the Hermitage, the home of President Andrew Jackson. Not only is it within walking distance of my house (I don't enjoy driving), but I love history, and it would be an honor to work at this historical landmark.

I recently saw an ad in the paper that said the Hermitage was looking for someone who loves history to come "tell stories" to visitors there. I was excited and quickly e-mailed my resume with a cover letter. The man e-mailed me back and seemed interested in me, but told me it would sometimes involve working on Sundays.

People have different ideas about the Sabbath day and how it should be observed. It is necessary for some people to work that day (doctors and nurses, pastors, policemen, etc.), but I have always felt God leading me personally to set that day aside for worship, rest and fellowship. I had to tell the man that if Sundays were required, I would not be able to take the job.

There are times when it seems easier to take matters into my own hands than to obey God's word and trust Him to provide for me. This could have been one of them, but in the end I know I made the right decision. I have to believe that there is a job for me out there, and that God will open the door at just the right time.

Steve Green

My mom and I attended a Steve Green concert last night at her church, Judson Baptist. It was wonderful! It was actually more of a worship service than a concert. He sang some old hymns like Holy, Holy, Holy and It is Well (a duet with a man from Judson Baptist), as well as some contemporary favorites. He also did some of the classic songs that he is best known for: For God and God Alone, Enter In, and Household of Faith (a duet with his wife, Marijean), and some of his newer hits.

His piano/keyboard/accordian player was Dick Tunney, who formerly worked with the group "First Call" with his wife Melodie. He played a beautiful piano solo of Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring.

Steve has been doing music for 25 years. He has a very impressive and powerful tenor voice, but he gives God all the glory. After his last song, the audience gave him a standing ovation, but he quickly had us sing a worship chorus, praising God instead of him. He also shared the message of salvation during the concert.

It is so nice to see someone who is a talented musician but also truly has a heart for God. If you ever have a chance to see him in concert, I would highly recommend you go.

Happy Birthday Nash

Our dog Nash is 3 today. After a wild first few months, Nash has become a good dog. He amuses us with his antics and is a great walking partner (except for having to stop at every mailbox, tree, etc. to well, you know).

Happy birthday, Nash. And many, many more.

Salt

The guy who started the band Don is in wanted to write a song about Christians being the salt of the earth, so he asked the band members for ideas. Since I dabble a bit in poetry and lyric-writing, Don mentioned it to me. I wrote out some verses, and Don sent it to him.

Well, he didn't use mine directly but instead combined my ideas with his own and those of another person who gave it a shot and came up with a song. You can hear this song on this website.

Now apparently there are a couple of radio stations who want to play the song, so I have to register as a songwriter with ASCAP so I can collect royalties. I'm not maxing out my credit cards yet, but it is kind of exciting!

This band will be playing again next Saturday night, August 1, at 7:00 p.m. at the Wilson County Fairgrounds. You can get directions on the site above.

If you are on Facebook, you can join the "fan page" for this band: GetCloser2God.

Nashville Then and Now

I think I've mentioned before that I'm very interested in Nashville's history, so this book, by Katrina McDaniel, is COOL! I just happened to come across it at the library.

It shows old pictures of places all over Nashville (mostly downtown) that were made between the Civil War era and the early 1900's, and then shows a photo of the same spot today, describing the changes that have been made. Some of them look very much the same and some are completely different. The front cover shows the then newly-built state capitol with Union troops camped on the grounds during the Civil War.

Don and I took a nice walk downtown Saturday night after we went to Spaghetti Factory, and it meant a lot more to me than it has before, seeing the old buildings and remembering how long some of them have been there, or what the places used to look like. It was interesting to imagine the now-paved roads as once being dirt roads full of horse-and-buggies or having tracks for street cars (maybe that's why downtown has such bad parking!). We walked over the Shelby Street Bridge, which the book shows a picture of shortly after it was finished in 1909. It looks pretty much exactly the same, but is now a pedestrian bridge because a few years ago they decided it wasn't safe for traffic anymore.

If you are at all interested in the history of Nashville, this book is for you. It is 144 pages with lots of photographs. It would also make a good gift or coffee table book.

Spaghetti Factory

Don and I had a date on Saturday night and had dinner at the Spaghetti Factory downtown.

If I were to describe this restaurant in one word, it would be atmosphere. It is in a renovated old building on Second Avenue full of Victorian furniture and beautifully-carved woodwork. There is an antique streetcar right in the middle of the restaurant. If you are lucky enough, you may get seated at a table in it. My first memory of eating there was on my 16th birthday, in 1982, a couple of years after they first opened. My family had arranged it with the waiters and waitresses there to bring me a birthday cake and sing “Happy Birthday” to me. I was totally surprised (not to mention a little embarrassed).

Fast forward to 2009. Despite it being 6:00 on a Saturday evening, we didn’t have to wait for a table at all. It was fairly busy, but the place is big.

The food is good too. The prices are reasonable, around $10 for most entrees, which includes a salad or soup, bread, entrée, drink (coffee, tea or milk) and a little bowl of spumoni ice cream. The portions aren’t huge but are adequate. My favorite entrée is the mizithra cheese spaghetti. It is sort of like pasta with butter and shredded Parmesan cheese on it, but better. They have more traditional sauce choices as well, and you can get a split plate with two different ones on your spaghetti if you can’t decide. They also have a few non-spaghetti choices. Don got grilled chicken with pasta on the side. You can get $1.50 off the price if you choose to skip the drink and ice cream, which we did. Of course, you have to figure in your parking when you count the cost of eating there. Most nearby parking spots are in the $10 and up price range, though if you don’t mind walking a few blocks, you can park for $5.

All in all, I would say this was a good dinner, and I would recommend it for a romantic date, a whole family outing, or just a friendly get-together.

Closure?

As a follow up to this blog, Jerome Barrett was found guilty today of second degree murder in the death of Marcia Trimble in 1975. I wasn't sure I would ever see this day, but I believed if I did, I would have all my questions answered.

Most people thought this conviction would bring "closure," but there are still so many unanswered questions in the case. The only real evidence they have against Barrett is DNA evidence, which is pretty foolproof, but it still doesn't all fit together quite right.

Why did no one notice a black man in this very white neighborhood? Were there other people involved? A neighbor said she saw Marcia standing in a driveway with 2 people, 1 child and 1 adult, neither of which she could identify, just before Marcia disappeared. The DNA evidence also led them to believe there was more than one male involved. Why was her body not found earlier? The garage she was found in had been searched a few days after her disappearance.

I don't know if these questions will ever be answered. Jerome Barrett has yet to confess to the crime, other than to some fellow prisoners who testified against him, and he apparently didn't give them any specifics.

So I would say there is some closure to this case that haunted my childhood as well as all of Nashville, but not as much as I had hoped for. We waited 34 years for this, and we will keep waiting, hoping that maybe some day we will know the whole, sad story.

Happy Birthday to my Blog!

It was one year ago today, 276 blogs ago, 5443+ hits ago (I didn’t start counting right away), that I started blogging. We’ve come a long way, baby! When I started I was clueless. I have always had a passion for writing, though I didn’t think I would have anything to say that anyone would care to read. I still believe that may be true, but at least I’ve had fun and learned a lot about myself. I’ve become quite a photographer too!

I’ve had hits from all over the world. It seems certain entries draw the greatest number (per my Site Meter). Interestingly, my Southern Fried Apples recipe has probably had more hits than any other. Thanks, Google! (They apparently send people my way when they search for certain topics.) Ellington Agricultural Center has had quite a few hits too. There is a fair amount of interest in things like Community Bible Study and Cedar Creek Community Band. I guess people like getting the “inside scoop” on things like that.

Thanks to all my readers, those who read faithfully every day, as well as those who stop in regularly and get caught up! I would also like to thank my “stalkers.” (I heard someone use this term once describing people who read your blog and never tell you.) I don’t mind (better to have an anonymous reader than no reader at all), though I would love to hear from you! ( :

Another year? I hope so. Blogging has been a great experience for me. I have grown as a writer and hope to continue to. Your comments really help me know what people enjoy reading about and what they don’t, so please keep them coming.

Reaping the Harvest

My garden has been keeping me busy lately! I've gotten tons of cucumbers and have made my favorite: bread and butter pickles.

I've got some more cukes ready too so am trying to decide whether to make some more of those or maybe some dills.

I have been plagued by pests. Something is eating my cabbage, probably a rabbit or a squirrel.

I've picked what I could salvage and made some freezer slaw.

I've discovered if I don't pick my tomatoes until they're completely ready, birds begin helping themselves to them.

So I pick them when they're almost ripe and put them in my windowsill to ripen. I'm planning to make some tomato sauce today.

Some kind of beetle is eating my broccoli. I've been spraying it, which I don't like to do, but I really have no choice. Hopefully that will take care of it.

We had a storm Sunday night that knocked down some of my cornstalks. I staked them up like tomatoes yesterday morning. We have several ears of corn that are almost ready, so I'm hoping that will at least keep them going until those ears ripen.

I'm excited that, in spite of some setbacks, I'm getting my freezer and cupboard stocked with goodies. We'll be eating well for a while!

GetCloser2God

Don's concerts went really well this weekend. The band is very evangelism-minded and truly shared the gospel with their music as well as through speaking in between songs.

The crowd was small on Friday night (10-15), but a bit larger on Saturday night (25-30). They will be playing again at the Wilson County Fairgrounds on August 1. I'll post more details as they become available.

Aldi

Someone told me yesterday that Aldi had their fresh pineapples on sale this week for 99 cents. Well, since I am always on the lookout for a bargain these days, and because I love fresh pineapple, and because that is a really good price for one, I decided to check them out. I hadn't been to Aldi in years.

There are several things you need to know if you are going there:

1) You have to pay a quarter to "rent" a shopping cart (you get it back when you turn your cart back in).

2) The don't take checks or credit cards.

3) They charge 5 cents for grocery bags. You can either buy them, bring your own or just carry your stuff.

I had to run to the bank for money when I got there and saw the "No checks or credit cards" sign. When I got back, a nice lady showed me how to get a shopping cart; then she gave me 2 plastic grocery bags. She could tell I was a first-timer.

They have an oddball selection of things; don't plan to do all your grocery shopping there. The prices were good, but not great. (This comes from someone who is a pro at shopping around to find the best prices on things.) I would say they don't have much on Dollar General Store except maybe a slightly better selection of produce, frozen and dairy foods.

All in all, I will probably go back only if I see another good bargain like the pineapple. And I'll be better prepared next time.

Friends at Last

I have recently reached the conclusion that after 2½ years, our dogs, Dasha and Nash, are friends.

For about the first 7 years of Dasha’s life, it was just her and me. She handled it pretty well when Don came into the picture, and enjoyed being doted on by 2 people instead of 1. She was rarely around other dogs and seemed to think of herself as one of us.

But then came Nash. Not only was he a lowly dog to be looked down upon, who somehow managed to rival her lofty position, but he was also an energetic puppy who tormented her endlessly. Granted, we tried to restrain him from completely ruining her life, but she still couldn’t stand him.

When she finally realized he was here to stay, she tried to make the best of it. She pouted, but went on about her business as well as she could. In spite of her ignoring and avoiding him, Nash actually seemed to like her, but, well, the feeling just wasn’t mutual.

But in the last few months, something has happened. Nash has hit a new level in his maturity and isn’t quite so energetic anymore. He still plays, but not incessantly. He tries to pull Dasha into his games, and one day I noticed that she actually seemed to be enjoying it. She would snarl at him and chase him down the hallway, but it would all end amicably. Then I noticed she didn’t seem to mind him snuggling up next to her on the bed. We used to separate them when we left the house, but now if we take him downstairs, she follows us. Then one day I caught her kissing him. In a sisterly sort of way, of course.

Finally, it hit me: she liked him! After 2½ years, they had become friends. Kind of like my little brother and me. Only it took us about 30 years.

Don’s Concerts

My husband Don, a drummer, has recently joined a Christian rock band, currently named after its website, GetCloser2God.com. This band was formed with the purpose of helping people find God and grow in their relationship with Him. They will be playing their first two concerts this weekend, Friday and Saturday night, July 10 and 11, both at approximately 8:00 p.m., at The Ark, a club in Mt. Juliet (13260 Lebanon Rd.). You can find out more details here. (The website says they're at 7:00, but apparently someone else is playing before them, so they'll be playing closer to 8:00.) Hope to see you there!

Hotel for Dogs

Don and I watched this movie recently. It was a comedy at times and a tearjerker at others. The only actor/actress I recognized was Lisa Kudrow, who was in “Friends” and “Mad About You.”

The story line, while a little silly, was also touching. The main characters are two kids, ages 11 and 16. Their parents died several years before, and they have gotten caught up in the foster system. The movie flashes a picture of them with their parents holding a white puppy. Apparently they wanted to keep the dog after their parents died, but were not allowed to, so they proceeded to try to hide him the whole time. This leads to the “dog hotel” concept, which you will understand when you watch the movie.

Rated PG, this movie was pretty clean -- I don’t remember any foul language (but these days mild ones sometimes go right over my head). There weren’t any sexual innuendoes or serious violence. There is a bit of slightly crude “potty” humor involving dogs.

I would recommend this as a lighthearted family movie, especially for dog lovers.

Taking a Break

I've decided that I'm going to "fast" from the Internet on Sundays. Yesterday was my second Sunday to do it. It is challenging! Last week I hardly knew what to do with myself, which showed me how addicted I actually am. Yesterday was a little easier, but I found myself thirsting for knowledge, wanting to look things up every time I had a question about something. I cheated a couple of times and had Don look things up for me.

Hopefully I can keep this up. It's good for me. So, you likely won't be seeing any blogs, Facebook posts or getting any e-mails from me on Sundays. Please don't take it personally.

4th of July Activities

I had a fun 4th of July today. My band played our outdoor concert. It was HOT, but otherwise it went well, and everyone seemed to enjoy it.

Then we went to our church picnic. Click below to see pictures I took there.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

What Really Happened on July 4th?

Independence Day. Why do we call it that? Is that the day we became independent?

Not really. On July 2, 1776, the Second Continental Congress voted to approve a resolution of independence from Great Britain. Thomas Jefferson had drafted the Declaration of Independence in the preceding days. Congress re-worked it and finally approved it on July 4. Most of the delegates didn’t actually sign it until August 2 of that year. But Great Britain still didn’t agree, and the American Revolution went on until 1781. It wasn’t until September 3, 1783, that the Treaty of Paris was signed, and Britain recognized that the 13 colonies were free and independent.

An interesting tidbit -- there were two signers of the Declaration of Independence who later became president: John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. They both died on the same day: July 4, 1826, the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. President James Monroe died exactly five years later, on July 4, 1831.

So what are we celebrating? Our independence from Great Britain, though it didn’t actually happen that day. We celebrate our founding fathers, who had a vision to build a country where people could worship God as they pleased and who were willing to fight for what they believed. They used the Bible as a guideline and sought God’s guidance in writing the Constitution, the law to govern this great land.

May we never forget what our founding fathers fought and died for. May we thank God for the freedom we have and fight for it ourselves, if necessary. May our country’s leaders always seek God’s principles in governing us, and its citizens gladly follow them. I believe these things are what made our country great, and are the reason God has blessed us. I pray that it will always be so.