Hidden Lake Gardens in Tipton, Michigan

On our 30th year of camping with my sisters we ventured out and went to Hidden Lake Gardens in Tipton Michigan. It is part of MSU and a very inexpensive event to see. If you are in the area go check it out.

In the Hosta garden

Wondered if Eve used elephant ears as clothes

We thought this looked like a tongue being stuck out!

Sister Six

 This post linked to: Macro Flower Saturday

Indiana Creek Campground Tecumseh, Michigan

This is our 30th year for Sister Six to go camping. We are doing it big this year with a mystery train ride on Saturday eve. Indiana Creek Campground is a nice campground with friendly staff and owner.

This is how we look this morning. Have a blessed weekend, we will!

Practiced my Zumba getting in place for the pictures

Hidden Lake Gardens at MSU is an awesome place to visit.

Visiting the Indianapolis Zoo

giraffe

It's nice that big brother helps too.

  












As I was headed to Greenwood to see my daughter and family, it occurred to me they had a yearly pass to the Indianapolis Zoo. Greenwood is just south of Indy and my granddaughter loves the zoo. The last time I was there with them was last fall for Zoo Boo. It rained so we cut our visit short that day. 

Zebra

sharing a kiss

  







When I was there August 9th the baby elephant was the newest attraction and hadn't even been named yet. We were so pleased to actually get to see momma and and the 200 lb. baby. 

Mama Elephant and Baby Elephant

I had never seen the dolphin show so to me that was a nice attraction.

He was told to make a big splash

Rhinos

The rhino's are dad's favorite animal and since he was working while we enjoyed the zoo we stopped to look and take a nice picture for him. While walking around looking at the exhibits we had to stop and smell the flowers.

beautiful flowers

My daughter, granddaughter, grandson and Me!

Of course you can't visit the zoo without taking a picture to remember the day, set the timer and say cheese!

Tomato Basil Soup

Tomatoes and Basil are both high in vitamin K however, for me that isn’t the best part of eating the two. When you combine garden fresh tomatoes and basil, they make a fantastic soup that you will enjoy in the summer months as well as in the winter. Plan on making a large batch of soup and either freezing or canning it.

According to Dr Andrew Weil, “Vitamin K​ is an essential nutrient necessary for blood clotting - it regulates normal blood clotting by helping the body transport calcium. Vitamin K may also be helpful for bone health: it may reduce bone loss, and decrease risk of bone fractures. It also may prevent calcification of arteries and other soft tissue.”

Recipe for tomato basil soup

Naked Lily

Acccording to Wikipedia, "Amaryllis (pronounced/ˌæməˈrɪlɨs/is also known as the belladonna lily, the naked lady, or an amarillo. The genus has two species and the more famous of the two, Amaryllis belladonna, is a native of South Africa, particularly the rocky southwest region near the Cape. It should not be confused with Hippeastrum, a flowering bulb commonly sold in the winter months for its ability to bloom indoors."

Our family loves beautiful flowers and the naked lily produces such awesome foliage in the spring and then beautiful flowers in August. God certainly has given a beautiful array of flowers to enjoy at this year.

This post linked to Macro Flower Saturday
and Macro Monday

Gluten-Free Zucchini Blueberry Bread

Gluten-free zucchini blueberry bread made out of the zucchini plants growing in the garden is fantastic. Zucchini produce many fruit, which are wonderful to use in breads, grill, use in soups or stews. With the health benefits of zucchini as well as blueberries, doesn’t it simply make sense to use them together for a super healthy loaf of gluten-free zucchini blueberry bread?

Read more on Seekyt 
This post linked to:  Sweets for  Saturday
and Simply Delish Saturday

Sunflowers

We love sunflowers and apparently so do the birds and bees.
Sunflowers are one of the easiest flowers to grow. If the seed hits the ground and gets just a bit of moisture it's off. That's why we choose to line our garden with them and if the grow and not in the way of our vegetables we just leave them.

This post linked to Macro Flower Saturday
and Macro Monday

Stromboli Sandwich

As I was driving, I thought of the wonderful Stromboli sandwich we used to get in our local pizza parlor. I liked it so much I figured out how to make my own version of the sandwich. Well now, that pizza place is no longer there, so I am glad I learned make my own Stromboli so I can still enjoy it from time to time. The Stromboli sandwich is a lot like pizza, you can change it up to suit your family.

Ingredients for Stromboli Sandwich:

• 1 or 2 loaves French bread
• 1 pound of turkey sausage
• 8 oz of button mushrooms
• 1 green pepper
• 1 onion
• Pizza sauce, canned or homemade.
• Romano cheese
• Mozzarella cheese

Instructions for making a Stromboli Sandwich:

1. First thing I did was make my own homemade sauce. You can use canned sauce but I still having fresh tomatoes. 5-10 tomatoes, 2 cloves of garlic, (fennel, oregano & Pizza seasoning sprinkled in,) 1 onion, 1 green pepper, stevia to sweeten a bit and little water and vinegar to start it off cooking. Add salt and pepper to taste. Rice your sauce to make it smooth just like you would do if you were making tomato juice.
2. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Brown your ground turkey sausage, add the mushrooms to your sausage and simmer. Add a little of your homemade sauce and let simmer. Use approximately 1/2 of what you made.
4. Add your onions and green peppers and simmer. We like ours on the crunchier side, so make sure not to cook yours to long. 
5. Buy foil, making sure it's long enough to go around your Stromboli sandwich. Cut your bread in 1/2 and put sauce on each side. Sprinkle with Romano Cheese.
6. Put your meat mixture on one side and top with Mozzarella cheese. I only had shredded but slices of Mozzarella cheese would make it easier. 
7. Wrap the Stromboli sandwich up sealing the ends. 
8. Bake in the pre-heated 350-degree Fahrenheit oven for 30 minutes. 
9. Slice it up and enjoy. Keep a fork handy to scrap up what falls off.

Recipe For Making a Wet Burrito

Wet burrito's are like so many of my recipes. I like to use fresh tomatoes, green peppers and onions from my garden. If I can't use fresh I use canned or frozen vegetables that came from my garden and preserved. I understand not everyone lives in the country where that's possible. To me this is a big advantage.

Read more: Authentic Enchilada Sauce ,
 Stuffed Green Peppers and Salsa or Guacamole Recipe without Cilantro

Help Sexual Trafficking Victims with Project Rescue

Attending New Song Community Church brought Project Rescue and the human/sexual trafficking issue to light for me. In 2010, we as a congregation helped raise enough money to finish building a Home of Hope through Project Rescue. In addition, we promised by December 2011 to raise $90,000 it would take to build an additional Home of Hope.
 

Pastor Justin Chambers has been quite transparent with us, as the money is not flowing in as he has hoped. The bad economy in Indiana is crippling many families. 

However, he never lets it stop there we by faith, know the money will be there in December to give to Project Rescue.God is using David and Beth Grant/Project Rescue to help many girls and women get out of the red-light district of India and tell them of God’s love. Giving them hope that they are not out there alone.

You can read such sad stories on either their website or in the book “Beyond the Soiled Curtain” by David and Beth Grant. Here is just one sad example in this letter from Anita, “When I was 12 years old a couple that I trusted promised me a job. They convinced me of a dream opportunity to work as a domestic helper along with the chance to pursue my studies. The idea of a secure job thrilled me, as it would any young girl in Nepal. Believing that I could trust this couple, I left my home in pursuit of a future.After drugging me, the couple took me to a movie theater where a brothel owner met us. Two hundred dollars was the price that sold me into forced prostitution. For the next 18 years I lived and worked in the red light district of Bombay. It was here in the red light district that I first heard the Gospel from those involved with Bombay Teen Challenge. My brothel owner and I had a life changing experience by accepting Jesus into our lives. After this I soon decided to return to my home in Nepal. Ten ladies, including myself, now live at the Kathmandu Home of Hope. God is continuing to work beautifully in each of our lives. I am currently attending literacy classes and sewing classes and hope to one day have a tailoring shop of my own.”

As sad as this letter is, she is not alone nor the youngest to have her body sold, with no choice, into the sexual or prostitution business. Please imagine that this may your daughter, granddaughter or sister. Does it do to you as it does to me? Does it make you get goose bumps and maybe even a little angry? Please consider helping Project Rescue in building and maintaining a Home of Hope. Let us stop the selling of these young women into the human trafficking business and out of the red-light district.


Picture is from Project Rescues website with their permission