Author: amyofhearthridge
Soup
(Chicken & Veggie Soup)
I am always so happy when autumn rolls around. Simply because it is the beginning of three delicious seasons of soup. Here in the Northern Midwest, autumn, winter, and spring are all soup weather. I have such a hard time knowing what to feed my hungry crowd during the summer. My life becomes easier by this humble dish and it is a lovely way to use up what is sitting around my kitchen and stretch what we have on hand. As I’ve been chopping, stirring, and watching this autumn’s batch of soup simmering, something has come to mind over and over again. Of course, the feelings of warmth, home, and family meals, but something deeper even. Our lives are made up of many bits and pieces, simmering and very often tried over fire. My faith challenges me to believe that all of these parts make up a complete whole. Each part of soup and life is important to the finished product. If I just threw one onion into a pot, it would not come out well, if I do not wait patiently for all the ingredients to be added, slowly, and patiently cooked, I would not have a glorious meal worth sharing at the end. The wafting scent lingering in the house and the savoring of soup, crackers or bread in hand, bring to mind all that the Lord desires for our lives to be. One of wholeness in Him. I want to stew 🙂 on this more, but it is an important lesson for me.
Our current favorite soup:
(I adapted this from an online recipe YEARS ago, forgive me for not knowing the original source.)
Rosemary Potato & Ham Soup
(I often make this in a 7 quart crock pot, but it can be done quickly on the stove also)
Favorite potatoes, chopped. I don’t peel the potatoes, but you can if so desired.
Small ham piece, chopped.
Chicken broth to cover, about 6 cups.
A Bay Leaf, or two.
Rosemary.
Salt & pepper to taste.
1/2 stick of butter
Crock pot: Layer alternating chopped potatoes & ham. Sprinkle a little bit of dried rosemary every other layer. Throw in bay leaf. Dot top with butter. Add s & p. Cook on high for 5 hours or till tender.
Stove top: Throw everything together in a pot, simmer.
Serve with crackers or fresh bread.
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Speak to me…
The past summer I moved to a different property. We had been renting it and found ourselves in need a bit more space. My husband was itching to spread out a bit, his love of wide open spaces drawing him. I was really struggling with this plan. Various reasons, really. Hidden Valley Farm had owned a piece of my heart for the last 10 years, so many memories. As we traveled back and forth, readying our new farm, I began to notice the beauty of the drive and the area in which I was going to be living. It was like through my worries about the remodeling, paying bills, house showings, and all the minutiae, the nature, along the way, really began to speak to me. I stopped being frustrated about how far it seemed from our little current city and our life activities. I saw it in a new light. It took me awhile, a really conscious quieting of the litany of voices running through my head. How had I hated this drive? How had I been so frustrated by being removed more? Fast forward to today, November, a few months into our new residence. A few months of a sense of place. There is nothing more lovely then what these vast views say to me. The stream’s meandering, hill’s solid stance, and tree’s dance. It is like a true Church to me. A extension of my faith. I exit my car or return from my walk, inspired and in awe. Seems like a lot from a little bit of nature, huh? The sunsets, slanting light, the quaint, slow simmer of country life, all are a prayer and a song.
And one cried unto another, and said, “Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.” Isaiah 6:3
“But now ask the beasts, and they will teach you;
And the birds of the air, and they will tell you;
Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you;
And the fish of the sea will explain to you.
Who among all these does not know
That the hand of the Lord has done this,
In whose hand is the life of every living thing,
And the breath of all mankind?” Job 12: 7-10
Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad;
Let the sea roar, and all its fullness;
Let the field be joyful, and all that is in it.
Then all the trees of the woods will rejoice before the Lord. Psalm 96:11-12
The heavens declare the glory of God;
And the firmament shows His handiwork. Psalm 19:1
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A Book by Hannah More
I’m a strange contradiction; I’m new and I’m old,
I’m often in tatters, and oft deck’d in gold:
Though I never could read, yet letter’d I’m found;
Though blind, I enlighten; though loose, I am bound –
I am always in black, and I’m always in white;
I am grave and I’m gay, I am heavy and light.
In form too I differ – I’m thick and I’m thin,
I’ve no flesh, and no bones, yet I’m cover’d with skin;
I’ve more points than the compass, more stops than the flute –
I sing without voice, without speaking confute;
I’m English, I’m German, I’m French, and I’m Dutch;
Some love me too fondly; some slight me too much;
I often die soon, though sometimes live ages,
And no monarch alive has so many pages.
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Visiting Here from Blogspot?
I think I’m going to move my blog to WordPress! I think it is purtier! 😉 It’s fun to play with blogs, isn’t it? It will take me awhile to learn the ropes though, so excuse my fumblings. If you enjoy reading my ramblings and nonsense, I now have this new home!! My new blog address is hearthridgereflections.wordpress.com! 🙂 I so appreciate online journals, a space to share thoughts, photos, and meet so many wonderful people.
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To Word Press or Not to Word Press?
I’m playing around with Word Press in attempts to see if I’d like to move over from Blogspot. So far, I haven’t found WP to be as user friendly, yet it seems like it could be more aesthetically pleasing in many ways. I saw that there is a Word Press for Dummies book and I put it on hold at my library. 🙂 My biggest problem is I’m having a horrible time uploading/editing my own photos to fit blog header. Anyway, it’s late and I’m tired. ZZZzzzz.
A.M. Pine - Hearth Ridge Reflections 