The Labor Of Love...

"If more of us valued food and cheer

and song above hoarded gold,

it would be a merrier world."

- J.R.R. Tolkien 

This past weekend... was the FIRST

time I attempted my PRECIOUS... Momma's

FAMOUS soup recipe!

The original recipe reside's on a old piece of wood...

that I've searched high & low for, BUT... know in my heart

that it's inside these walls, JUST where though!  

At the moment I don't know... 

So... I took to a recipe found in Momma's 

recipe's that held the same 

name & ingredients of what's to be found on the 

ole' wood piece.

Prep started on Saturday & then finished on 

Sunday morning... for Sunday's dinner.

To say there were tears would be an understatement...

it was balling tears... knowing how proud Momma 

would be to see that her legacy STILL lives on.

My hubby had longed for THIS soup

since Momma had went on to be with The Lord.

I kept enticing him with other meals & recipes...

knowing my heart wasn't ready to attempt SUCH.

And... NOW, I'm beaming with JOY...

hearing him speak THESE words, 'this soup tastes JUST

like your Momma's'!

I understand... Momma's labor of love... 

the gathering of ingredients & the moments 

spent over the stove were ALL for her family!

The HOMEMADE... potato soup 

brings about a feeling of home... a warmth; 

a feeding of the soul that NO other taste could offer!

Unfortunately at this time I'm unable to share

the recipe... due to it being published.

SO... stay tuned THIS year for recipes...

from Vina B's Collection!

BUT... for now... you're WELCOME

to sit at our table; laugh in our home... & enjoy

a comfort of HOMEMADE goodness!

With My Love... 

JUST In Time 4 Valentine's Day...

But friendship is the 

breathing rose,

with SWEETS in every fold.

- Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.

 When you have LOTS & lots of happenings

throughout each day... it's a BLESSING

to be able to resort to a quick way!

NOT that I prefer the quicker way of

baking; gardening OR creating a home... BUT,

in order to offer a SPECIAL 

treat, sometimes we have to lean 

that direction.

THESE... cherry bites are for instance...

I'm like my PRECIOUS... Momma...

in many ways, especially when it comes

to homesteading duties.

Her go to for any dough rolling 

would be an ole' flour towel, even though

the pastry mat waited inside her stone crocks,

she preferred her way!

Often times... she used the 

vintage, oatmeal glassware to cut her

rolled dough.

Here you find me using an old biscuit/cookie

cutter... BUT, I have been known to follow

her footsteps with the glassware.

I've used both ready made... Pillsbury Pie Crust

& homemade in THIS easy, peasy sweet... due 

to the flakiness of homemade... I choose

the ready made with it's pliable 

consistency & thinness. 

After cutting out all your pastry circles...

spoon in cherry pie filling by ONLY 

using one cherry per shape.

Pinch sides as shown in photos... & tuck

into a glass baking dish... I prefer vintage, 

as always to create more of a HOME feeling.

Right before dish goes into the oven...

I sprinkle granular sugar over the 

cherry pie filling... 

Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes...

give OR take depending on individuals oven.

Remove from the oven... & sprinkle 

with sugar AGAIN to add CHARM & more sweet to the taste!

JOIN me over on the

 Beehind Thyme Farm & Garden FB Page

for a COMPLETE episode of showing

step by step on baking THESE scrumptious bites!

JUST in time for 'Valentine's Day'...

ENJOY... every bite... & PLEASE, do let 

me know if you gave THIS sweet a try!

-Blessings... & Happy Valentine's Day!

Rising UP...

Your life is an occasion.

Rise to it.

- Dustin Hoffman 

It's the beginning of a NEW year...
a moment to reflect on the past year, BUT, not dwell!

It's a RISING UP year for me & I pray for MOST!
THIS... year '2019'... I'm claiming
'RISING UP' as my word/words!
You know... 'the word of the year'
instead of offering resolutions... MANY
have turned toward JUST one word
to embrace the coming months ahead!

What have YOU chosen for '2019'???

'RISING UP' came to mind several days
ago... while I was praying & seeking
for God's hand in what to offer in '2019'.
It's a season... for 'RISING UP' from
being normal; staying comfortable & being
the introvert that I am.  (YES, I truly am)

You see... I've longed to burst out of THIS shell
for many years... BUT, just this last year...
it was almost suffocating to stay
closed up in that tight environment.

And... day by day... The Lord
has been seeing me through... & I
know that YOU can notice
the shell has cracked open & I'm emerging!
The Lord... has seen me through MANY
valley's in my life... & the last one
almost took me out, (the passing of my precious momma)
BUT... GLORY TO GOD
He had other plans in the works!

It's a 'RISING UP' to His calling year!
And... I'm ready for whatever He has
in store for my relationship with Him;
my marriage; my family & career.


O Lord, You have searched me and known me.
You know my sitting down and my rising up;
You understand my thought afar off.
You comprehend my path and my lying down,
And are acquainted with all my ways.
For there is not a word on my tongue,
But behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.
You have hedged me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is high, I cannot attain it.
Psalm 139: 1-6

Whatever... YOU, my friend may be facing
KNOW... that we serve a MIGHTY & faithful
Father... whom NEVER leaves us NOR forsakes us!

Will THIS be your 'RISING UP' year too???


-Sincerely... 

Opportunity...

We will open the book.  Its pages are blank.

We are going to put words on them ourselves.

The book is called Opportunity

and its first chapter is New Year's Day.

- Edith Lovejoy Pierce

Happy New Year...

from my home to YOURS!

It's CAKE Time...

Home is the nicest word there is.

- Laura Ingalls Wilder 

There's NOTHING that screams HOME...

more than HOME COOKED meals; 

HOMEMADE, fluffy cakes & sipping coffee 

around the table!

That's MY experience growing up...

& a tradition that I don't take lightly!

 Throughout the seasons here at the farm...
there's ALWAYS been a staple
that's delighted many!

THE... 'ole' fashion brown sugar cake'

And... I'm here to share ALL the details
in baking THIS scrumptious sweet!

 The possibilities are ENDLESS...
when consider the additions you can
add to THIS cake!

Leave PLAIN with absolutely no glaze
(my preference) BUT, most love the
EXTRA sugar!

Tweak the glaze by adding...
juices from an orange... totally optional,
BUT, adds JUST the right citrus hint!

 When preferring to add the citrus juice...
I love adding some embellishment to the
overall appearance.  The EXTRA...
just adds more BEAUTY, especially when gifting!

When adding the glaze make sure
it's the right consistency... PLEASE...
refer to the REPLAY on the business link BELOW.
Beehind Thyme Farm & Garden FB PAGE

The glaze isn't an icing spread...
it's to be drizzled while the
cake is half cooled!

The appearance of THIS cake...
may look to be overdone... BUT, it's
completely at the SUPERB stage!

This recipe is a heavy one... & with that
the cake needs to have THIS tone of color
to ensure it's completely baked all the way through.

EXCUSE... the excessive worn cake pan...
you can vision it's been WELL loved through the years!

'Ole' Fashion Brown Sugar Cake'

1 box yellow cake mix 

(I prefer... Betty Crocker Cake Mix)

1 box instant vanilla pudding mix

1/2-1 cup brown sugar

4 FARM eggs

1 cup oil

1 cup warm water

1/2 cup chopped walnuts; almonds; pecans (optional)

Mix ALL ingredients... pour into a WELL oiled 

bundt cake pan.

Bake... 350 degrees 

45 minutes to 1 hour depending on oven variations

*GLAZE*

powered sugar

vanilla

milk

(juices from citrus, optional)

NOW... back to the oranges... 

I've had a surplus throughout the Christmas season

& to make sure there's no waste... I dry them

for garlands; outdoor, bird feeding & potpourri.

Of course... the end waste makes it's way 

to the compost tumbler.

Slice the oranges/apples thin...

blot with a paper towel... dry in the oven at

200 degrees for 2-3 hours.

Make YOUR house a home by offering

SIMPLE handmades; homemade & natural pieces!

Hoping THESE words... bring JOY

to your day... ENJOY every scrumptious bite

of THIS homemade cake... &

go dry some citrus!

SWEET... blessings, from the farm!