Sacred Home

"After all, it is those who have a deep and real inner life who are best able to deal with the irritating details of outer life."
--Evelyn Underhill

"'The home is a sacred place where you can communicate with the four elements of the universe: earth, water, air and fire,' says writer and kitchen mystic Laura Esquivel, author of the luminous novel Like Water for Chocolate. 'You mix it with your love and emotions to create magic. Through cooking, you raise your spiritual level and balance yourself in a world that is materialistic.' In a world that is frequently out of kilter, the kitchen is as mystical as a monastery..."

So make a divine dinner. "Call everyone to the table. Stop to give thanks. Offer a toast and a thanksgiving for good health, love, companionship, delicious food, and a moment of contentment. A day fully lived, simply abundant."
--Simple Abundance

Today, we went to church and came home to spend the day cleaning the house and slow-cooking some ribs! We're putting away all the gear and stuff that is sitting around after our quick camping trip - and beginning to prepare for another long week...

But as we clean and put away the remnants of a fun weekend, we enjoy the act of cooking a meal together - slow-cooked, smokey ribs on the grill, roasted corn on the cob, brown beans - and my mom's strawberry rhubarb crisp... A great start to a new week! Good food, good company, a good life!

Things I am thankful for today:

1. My pictures did turn out on our quickly fading camera! Here are some of the pictures from camping:

Pink flowers decorate our site!

Get this - we found a site that was calling us! M loves M - perfect for Mike and Megan , huh?

Here's our humble little set-up. Just enough for the hubby, the dog, and me.

Blue skies through the trees. So pretty.

Not quite dinner time... Cards it is! Man... I got nothing!

Mike's latest gear experiment - making a cat food can and a tiny bit of fuel into a stove for camping... Oh dear.

Here it is - working as planned! I'll be...

2. Our dog, Bailey. She offers fun and laughter everyday. Here's a series of her helping the hubby prepare dinner while camping:

Hmmm... Who's nose would that be?

Oh! It's Bailey - wanting in on the food action.

Gee, Dad, how can I help?

Bailey is obsessed with our Nalgene water bottles - I think she stole a lick out of mine just now. I HATE it when she does that!

What a great buddy. We love her. (And no, she is not usually allowed on counters or tables while cooking...)

3. Church - we had some really neat visitors today. I enjoyed chatting with them.

4. Root beer floats at church - that was a nice surprise!

5. I found pretty African violets to pot and put in our bedroom - I'm so excited!

6. Our dinner tonight is going to be fabulous!

7. Benedryl and Burts Bees outdoor ointment - I've got more bug bites than I know what to do with right now!

8. The smell of lavender.

9. The hubby "getting me" when no one else does. (That's why I married him!)

10. A relaxing evening ahead.