Another blogger I like to read

I have been reading Monica's blog at The Homespun Heart for quite a few years now. In fact I first started reading blogs by her and her sister when they used to have swaps. It was a hard time in my life and it was fun to participate in something light and fun.

She has been writing for quite awhile about the word SLOW. Now she is getting ready to publish a book. I'm sure it will be beautiful. I'm sure it will be inspiring. If you are looking for some inspiration in your life this may just be the book. Check out her blog and watch for the announcement.

The Homespun Heart

Our baby Venus Flytrap

We found this little baby at the greenhouse last month. I am anxious to see what it does.

Staying hydrated~

The temperature is already climbing. I find that if I drink plenty of water before noon that I can manage to stay hydrated and thus cooler through the afternoon and evening hours. 

I have read that if you wait to drink water until you are thirsty then you are already dehydrated.

I don't know it that is true or not, but I do know that I have to be proactive about drinking my water.

First thing in the morning  I fill up a quart jar of water and ice and keep it handy. My goal is to finish two quarts before lunch. Seriously, if I drink my water then I seem to be able to handle the heat much better.

In the afternoon I might get tired of plain water so I add a packet of True Lemon. These are little packets of dehydrated fruit. They also come in Orange, Lime and Grapefruit, which is now probably my favorite. You can purchase them at Walmart or Amazon. These little packets have been a big help in kicking my soda habit. My boys like to mix the lime and orange together.

This is how the rest of our week looks

One year ago today

A year ago we said good-bye to this lovely lady.

She was not rich or famous. She was a quiet keeper at home. She was always busy. She loved us all dearly but told us so by her actions not her words.

She was quick to dispense wisdom to us, even if we didn't want to hear it. :)

I still find myself wishing I could call her. Last month I went home for the first time since her funeral. I wanted to go to her house and visit, but I couldn't.

I take comfort in knowing that she is no longer in pain, that she is reunited with loved ones who went before her and someday I will see her again.

For Today-

For Today

The Simple Woman's Daybook

Looking out my window:

Two growing boys swinging and singing

I am thinking:

about finishing rearranging the items in my kitchen cabinets and how badly do I really want to be more organized?

I am thankful:

for being able to spend time with grandkids yesterday

One of my favorite things:

My "loopy" friends who live in my computer and my phone

I am wearing:

t-shirt and jean shorts, it's a cleaning day here, got to dress for hard work.

I am creating:

This week I am concentrating on creating a cleaner, more streamlined kitchen to make my life less frustrating and that I may more easily serve my family and friends.

I am reading:

From The Deliberate Agrarian

I am listening to:

From Read Aloud Revival

I am hoping:

for some time to relax a bit this afternoon (my goals are pretty small most days)

I am learning:

that life isn't always easy but most of the time it's about the choices we make.

In my kitchen:

I've been making Pulled Pork Runzas

In my schoolroom:

It's summer break so I'm working on cleaning out the books we are done with and getting ready for next years.

In my garden:

Our garden is struggling this year. It was just too cold, too late so things are getting a slow start. I hope to have some pictures soon.

My closing note:

We are busy this month and although school is out for us we try to find ways to keep structure in our days. My youngest boy has special needs and a life without structure creates a life of chaos for him and then for us. I am not a person who needs structure and I really don't like structure but I am learning the importance of structure for other people. This is where life takes us sometimes, following a path we did not choose because we want to help the ones we love. 

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!

The Simple Womans Daybook

Pulled Pork Runzas

Some people might not be familiar with Runzas. Here in Nebraska there is a fast food chain that specializes in them. When I grew up we called them cabbage burgers, and some people call them bierocks. They usually have a filling of cabbage, onions and ground beef.

A few months ago I got a really good deal on pork shoulder roasts and stocked up. I cooked one and shredded it. We ate some and I froze the rest in quart bags that can be easily thawed for future meals.

One day I had a cabbage that needed used and thought I should make Runzas but realized I was out of ground beef. Then the thought occurred to me that I could use the shredded pork. These were the best Runzas I have ever had and will certainly be added to the menu list. The good thing is that I refrigerated the rest and they were great for lunch for a couple of days. My friend makes large batches of these and freezes them for her husband's lunch.

Here is my recipe which is really more of a mix it together and then season until it tastes good to you.

Runza filling:

1 cabbage, chopped

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

Mix all of the ingredients above and saute in a little bit of vegetable broth until everything is soft and cooked down a bit. Now is when you want to taste and see if it needs more seasoning. Some people add other spices but I prefer a basic taste.

Add 2 pounds of cooked meat. If you use the pulled pork, you will want to chop it pretty fine.

Mix well and let cool.

Make your favorite bread dough. I used my sister in laws dinner roll recipe and I will try to post that soon. Some people use the frozen bread dough.

Flatten out some bread dough to make a circle or rectangle. Add about 3/4 to 1 cup of filling then wrap it up and seal all the corners so it doesn't leak out. 

I baked it for about 25 minutes at 350.

NOTE: We served the pulled pork runzas with bbq sauce. Next time I may make a few with bbq sauce mixed into the filling. 

Options: 

Some people add cheese inside.

I made a vegan version with TVP cooked with the filling instead of the meat. No one noticed that it was not ground beef.

Papa spending quality time with some of the grandkids!