Patriotic Breakfast Parfait

A friend recently shared this recipe with me. It's quick to put together and makes a good breakfast, so I thought you may want to try.

In a container, pour 1/4 cup of old fashioned rolled or steel cut oatmeal (not instant oats). Pour just enough milk to barely cover the oats. Sprinkle fresh berries, of your choice,  on top. I used a combination of blueberries and blackberries. Spread a container of yogurt (again, your choice) over all of that. I happened to use strawberry yogurt to achieve a "patriotic" effect! Sprinkle cinnamon on top and, as an option,  drizzle-on a bit of honey (I just used the cinnamon). Put on the lid to the container and pop it in the refrigerator. In the morning, stir and eat. Enjoy!

Eat a good breakfast and have a good day! 🙂

An American Journey (final)

Today is the conclusion to our American Journey. Early in June, we traveled across northern IN (see part 1 and part 2), stopped in OH (see part 3) and ended up in MI. Our final stop of the trip was The Ford Museum and Greenfield Village in Dearborn. The indoor and outdoor museum complex is the largest in the United States and makes an outstanding destination for both young and old. We thoroughly enjoyed our time there!

We saw a few presidential limousines.

Old business buildings and signs are on display in the museum.

Everything there is from Mr. Ford's personal collection and it's extensive! Some of the objects date back to the early 1900s. The Ford site encompasses 12 acres and hosts mostly antique machinery, transportation and pop cultural items.

Rosa Parks' bus is in the collection.

Abraham Lincoln's chair from Ford Theatre is also there.

After enjoying numerous planes, trains and automobiles...

we moved outside to explore Greenfield Village. Set up in village-fashion, old buildings line winding roads in this living history museum. Authentic locomotives chug along tracks cutting through farmlands. I found the village's perfect finishing touch to be the John Philip Sousa music playing over the sound system in the background. 🙂

Thomas Edison's laboratory is authentic and fascinating.

The Wright Brothers' Cycle Company was moved to the village and one of the brothers set-up the shop to perfectly replicate how it appeared for the two of them.

Noah Webster's home sits in the village.

I found the following quote on Wikipedia. It originally appeared on the Ford site in "Explore and Learn, Pic-of-the-Month". Of his museum, Hendry Ford said...

I am collecting the history of our people as written into things their hands made and used.... When we are through, we shall have reproduced American life as lived, and that, I think, is the best way of preserving at least a part of our history and tradition...

What I have shared is just a glimpse of what is there. If you ever happen to be in this region of MI, I would highly recommend a stop at the Ford Museum and Greenfield Village.

It was a super American Journey, but this sign reminds us that it's always nice to go back home.

Succulent DIY

Succulents make good decorating accents and here is a quick and easy project that you may want to try. After a fellow deaconess friend came up with the idea, she and I assembled several for these to be used as centerpieces. When our Deaconess Board has occasion to do tables, we need everything  at the ready.

You just need a few things to assemble. Gather a clear ivy bowl, some pea gravel and a faux succulent. Hobby Lobby and Michaels carry the latter (don't forget your 40% off coupons!) and I have purchased some at Dollar Tree. While they are a great quality at the dollar store, they appear to have been a seasonal purchase as they are no longer in the stores.

Here is a bird's eye view of another one.

Simply add a few scoops of pea gravel to each bowl and insert the succulent pick.

We tied a double strand of raffia around the mouth of each ivy bowl, but you wouldn't need to do so. We will display ours on burlap runners for our purposes, but they would look good on an end table or shelf in your home. As you can see, it's a quick and simple decoration.

May your day be filled with simple pleasures.

Tuesday's Tablescape

It's hard to believe that the 4th of July is a week away.Where has June gone? Today's table, set for our dinner on the patio,  is a nod to Independence Day.

I'm using our lighthouse dishes which we purchased at Cape Hatteras years ago. They're replicas of the dishware issued to lighthouse keepers by the U.S. Lighthouse Service. You may recall the linen red, white and blue napkins I recently acquired at a yard sale.

A lighthouse, cobalt vase of cut flowers and a flag salt and pepper set serve as the centerpiece.

It's perfect weather for dining outdoors and we're enjoying this stretch of unseasonable conditions since it won't last for long.

Happy day!

Yard Sale Haul

I have a few thrifty finds to share with you. As I have mentioned before, I enjoy shopping for children's coats and stuffed animals at yard sales and I recently came home with both.

I love stocking-up on winter coats for charitable contribution. I collect them all summer in anticipation for our autumn coat drive at church. All wraps must be heavy, attractive and in pristine condition for me to consider. These are my three newest finds and they have already been laundered and are ready to go!

This coat, for an older girl, looks like it was never worn. It was $1.

In perfect condition, this one was 50 cents.

This London Fog with "bling" was also 50 cents and is without blemish.

This is interesting fabric because the stripes on the flags have a slight glitter. I thought it would be good for some future project, so I snagged it. How can you beat a yard for fifty cents?!

This was my most exciting find of the day! Again, I will only purchase items in perfect condition (ideally with the tag still intact) and I won't pay more than a quarter. A woman had a box of various stuffed critters for a dime each! What?! As I began digging, she said I could have the entire box for $2. I gave her $3 because there seemed to be so many. It wasn't until I unpacked and counted that I realized I acquired more than 70! All will be donated and just imagine how thrilled the children will be when they get them.

These aren't even all of them!

It was a productive haul!

Have a lovely Monday!

Glazed Pork Chops

We are taking a break from the "travel log" to bring you this week's recipe! 😌 I'm sure you're no different from us when it comes to a busy summer schedule. These pork chops are simple to prepare and provide a quick meal. I obtained this recipe from the current (June/July) issue of Simple and Delicious.

I now realize that I snapped this picture before I added the sauce on top. 🙁

Glazed Pork Chops

4 bone-in pork loin chops (3/4 inches thick)

1/3 cup plus 1 T. cider vinegar, divided

3 T. soy sauce

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 tsp. cornstarch

In a large skillet, brown pork chops over medium heat. Mix 1/3 cup vinegar, soy sauce and garlic; pour over chops. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer (covered) until pork is done and reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees. Mix cornstarch and remaining vinegar until smooth. Stir into pan. Bring to a boil, cook and stir until sauce is thickened.

I served our chops on a bed of pasta. I boiled some spaghetti noodles, drained them and then tossed them in a pat of browned butter. I then sprinkled on parmesan cheese before putting the pork chops on top. I also served a broccoli salad and fresh fruit.

Have a good weekend!

An American Journey (part 3)

Our next stop was in Archbold,  OH to see a living historical pioneer village. Have you heard of Sauder Village?

Erie Sauder, the same man who began Sauder Furniture, had a vision for this village. During the 60s, he started a little museum in his furniture store for the purpose of educating people about the history of woodworking. His intent was to show young children how the trade had changed over time. He had soon acquired so many related pieces, though, that he realized he would be able to take things to the next level. His vision grew and his desire was to provide an opportunity for people to observe and experience the pioneer lifestyle. In 1976, his dream came true when he opened Sauder Village by celebrating the past and inspiring the future.

It's grown over the years and I think there are over 200 acres today. Docents, dressed in period clothing, lead tours and demonstrations. It's both informative and enjoyable! The historic community offers 40 exhibit structures. There is also a pioneer settlement and a farmstead.

Many farm animals (horses, pigs, sheep, poultry, etc.) live on the premises, most of whom are the same breeds popular in that bygone era. While we were there, two 7 week old kids were being socialized and although I tried to take pictures of them, the busy baby goats were too active to be photographed. I did snap a picture of this cutie, though!

This little off-the-beaten-path is a gem and we recommend it to fellow travelers who like this sort of destination. We stayed on the grounds , which we found it to be a peaceful experience.

It's easy to see the impact Mr. Sauder had on his community. We learned that he was a talented, driven man. He exhibited a strong work ethic and was constantly expanding his knowledge, which he shared with others. It seems as though he had a positive balance in his life because he was devoted to his family, rooted in faith and served as a good role model. I found this quote in the museum and it made me smile.

Doesn't that say it all?