Lead Me to the Cross

Wishing everyone a blessed Resurrection Sunday!

Apple Crisp!

I've made this recipe several times now and its a winner..very easy to make and good. I made it entirely sugar free but you could change it and use sugar if you prefer.

   Sugar Free Apple Crisp

2 cans no sugar added pie filling

 granola (recipe below)

sugar free ice cream or whipped topping

Granola Topping:

1/3 cup honey (I use agave syrup)

2 T. extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 t. vanilla

1/2 t, cinnamon

1 1/2 c. old fashioned oatmeal

1/2 c. chopped pecans

1/4 c. sliced almonds

Directions:

Combine throughly honey, oil, vanilla and cinnamon. Combine oats and nuts in a mixing bowl; add honey mixture and toss until completely coated. Press mixture into a greased bakingpan. Bake in a preheated 350 oven for 10-15 minutes until lightly browned. Cool and break into pieces.

Assemble crisp by putting apple filling into a pie plate or 8x8 baking pan. Sprinkle  with  cup of topping Bake in 350 oven for 30 minutes. Cool and serve warm with ice cream or topping.

I substitute agave syrup for honey in all recipes. I've found that Costco has it the most reasonably priced.

The peach and nectarine are blooming! just hope we don't get a frost.We've both been working on our backyard, pulling alot of weeds and cultivating. We also weeded the side yard and extended the boysenberry area for more berries this year. The fig tree is getting its first leaves too. Love this time of year!

and finally,

our little grandson being read to by Grandpa...

Thursday Chat

 

Here is a little collage that my DIL made of our grandson, cute little guy..he will be 2 in August.

I especially like the one at the Oceanside pier in the background. Its progression with his newborn photo up to one taken last week. She did it with her phone..these new phones are amazing!

Our weather has really warmed up and we've been working, getting our raised beds planted. Yesterday, we went out to our favorite nursery and got 8 heirloom tomato plants.

We love to go out there, especially now as its the perfect weather, in the high 60s, low 70s. Walking through the different areas, its very soothing and beautiful.

We've been doing ALOT of weeding. With all the rain this winter, the weeds took control. We still have a bit to do but are getting it completely bit by bit. These photos I got from their website, Louies Nursery..

The link goes to their blog which I found really informative for everyone. Lots of good stuff.

Please pray for Nancy. She and her husband are having difficulties right now. I won't get into the details but she needs our prayers. They will be moving this weekend and there are forecasts of snow. She is mostly worried about her dogs getting loose, either on the road or after they get to the motel. Please also pray for Billy as he can get confused driving. You can read a little more about what is going on, on her blog, Inside Nana's Head .

Hot Air Balloons

A few weeks ago now, we noticed a hot air balloon taking off behind our house. It carried 3 skydivers who jumped out but unfortunately I wasn't able to get a photo of them.

Just north of us is a large center for hot air balloons and also sky diving. Its a very popular site with thousands of visitors every year. We often see several hot air balloons at once.

They are alot braver than I am! 

They do have accidents occasionally and one landed on a busy street next to the interstate just this last month. Click on the link for the story.

We've had alot of rain and after a recent storm, I was able to capture this rainbow. As you can see, our town has plenty of open spaces and we like it that way. So much of Southern California has gotten paved over, at least along the coast. I've shared alot of the open spots of the inland which are wonderful in past posts. Traffic is bad also on the coast, even my hometown of Oceanside is total chaos on the roadways. Up where our town is, its still relatively peaceful. Much like it was years ago. Very thankful for small towns.

Our youngest son brought home a wonderful find. He has it on Craigslist as he's trying to save money for his new daughter, Emma Grace.

Its a wonderful Zenith vintage phonograph radio console. The phonograph, and radio work like new and the speakers are fantastic. I just love it. As you can see, the woodwork is in like new condition also with just a couple of very small marks which is remarkable in a 1963 model. I remember my dad having one of these when I was in high school. I think my favorite part of it is the radio itself. It lights up and has great reception. You can see how clean and nice it looks. Whoever had it, must not have used it much or kept it in storage. He also has the original booklets that came with it. This is a wonderful unique collectable.

If you're reading this, live in the Southern California area and are interested. You can find the Craigslist listing here

SOLD!

Emma Grace

We've been fairly busy...what with our business, and doing alot of home clean up and repair.

The raised beds have all been planted. Seeds are coming up and the potatoes I thought the dogs had gotten, are coming up! Would love to share photos but the computer isn't cooperating. Here is a photo of last years crops. This was lettuce. We have radishes, beets, carrots and spinach coming up. Also peas. Just hope we don't get a freeze. It always amazes me to see seeds sprouting from dead little nothings to living plants.

We got a call early Monday morning. Emma Grace  has been born! Our new baby grand daughter, she was born Monday morning, at 4:39, weighing 7 lbs. 7 oz and 21 inches long. Mom and baby doing well.

She has beautiful blue eyes but was sleeping when we took the photo. The  family is so excited to have this beautiful new little girl enter the world and into our lives. God is so good and I know He has a special plan for this sweet little girl.


I don't have anything listed right now on Ebay. But you can find my listings on Etsy. The links are on the side of the blog. I put many of the postcards in my shop as well as lots of glassware, thimbles and such.