Homemade Chicken Soup

 Even though it's Springtime, we've been having lots of cold and windy days.  I made a big pot of this soup recently.  It is so good for the soul and the body!

I bought a small chicken, around 5 lbs and put it in a big pot of water.  I put the flame on high and waited for it to boil.

I also use my crock pot on low for 8 hours to cook the chicken.  The results are the same to get wonderful broth!

While waiting, I chopped 2 medium yellow onions and scrubbed 8 carrots and a head of celery. 

I quartered the carrots lengthwise try to make the cuts as even as possible.

I cut the celery stalks in half lengthwise and chopped.

Once the chicken came to a boil, I lowered the heat and let it boil for 1 to 1.5 hours until the meat was falling apart.

Then I removed the chicken to a platter to cool.

I added my onions to the chicken broth first to boil for about 15 minutes because I like them soft, not crunchy.  I also added 1 teaspoon of salt and some granules of chicken bouillon to taste.

Then I added the carrots and celery.  Once they came to a full boil, I let them go for about 5 minutes before turning off the heat.

Once the meat was cooled, I pulled the meat off the bones.

Then I added the pulled meat to the pot.

We like Basmati rice with our soup, but pastina, orzo, or other small pastas are great too.

Look at this beautiful bowl!!  There's nothing like a bowl of steaming homemade chicken soup on a cold day!

Let me know how yours turns out!

Tried and True Homemade Laundry Detergent

 I've been making my own laundry detergent for over 10 years.  I only wish I had known about this when my boys were little.  Their clothes and cloth diapers (yes, I used them!) would have been so much cleaner!

I found this recipe from Mary Hunt at EC and it's been a staple in our home ever since.  One batch lasts a long time because you only need 2 tablespoons per load.

I pair this with white vinegar as a rinse agent, NO fabric softener needed.  My clothes are clean and soft, no soap residue or waxy build-up.

Ready to give it a try? Here are the 3 ingredients:

These can be found at Wal-Mart, and some grocery stores.

First I measure 1 cup of Borax and 1 cup of Super Washing Soda into a large bowl.

Next I cut the Fels-Naptha soap into 1-inch cubes.

I put them into a small food processor.

I process until the soap is in granules or powder.

Hint: The dryer/older the soap is, the better it breaks down!

Add it to the bowl and mix.  You're ready for the cleanest, softest clothes ever!

I store mine in a plastic container with a lid.

Use 2 tablespoons per load, no more!

It doesn't make bubbles, but it pulls the dirt out of clothes well!

Let me know how you like it!

First Sign of Spring 2025

 It's been a long, cold, windy, snowy winter.

I've been walking around my yard picking up debris, pulling a few dead branches, and looking for signs of life in my beds.

The other day I saw my first bloom!

I think this is a Chiondoxa, one of the earliest spring bloomers.  I don't remember when I planted these bulbs decades ago.  But now they have spread all over my beds, even in the driveway! 

I love how they trumpet the arrival of warmer temperatures and promises of the outdoor activities that I enjoy!

The common name for this beauty is 

"glory in the snow!"

Isn't that lovely??

Isaiah 35 says of the future glory of Zion 

"The wasteland will rejoice and blossom with spring crocuses.  Yes, there will be an abundance of flowers and singing with joy!"

So now I'm looking out my windows and around the yard for any other signs of spring life.  Look what popped up shortly afterward!

These little sweeties never disappoint.

I love how God uses His beautiful creation to bolster my heart with courage for the future!  

Let me know what's popping up in your yard!

A Prayer to Return to the Lord

 This call to Heaven is from one of my favorite writers, Henri Nouwen.  I love how Henri humbly incorporates all the emotions and experiences of our lives on this broken planet into his heart cries.  He fully embraces reality while trusting in Jesus.  I pray that it helps you today.

 It's titled "Call me Back to You."  

I trust in you, Lord, but keep helping me in my many moments of distrust and doubt. They are there and will be every time I turn my eyes, ears, or hands away from you. Please, Lord, keep calling me back to you, by day and by night, in joy and in sadness, during moments of success and moments of failure. Never let me leave you. I know you walk with me. Help me walk with you today, tomorrow and always.

“Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.”   - Joel 2: 12

Homemade Dishwasher Detergent

 Recently I saw that dishwasher detergent was

getting more and more expensive.

I've been making my own laundry detergent for 15 years.

So I started researching how to make my own dishwasher detergent.  I found a good recipe and I've been using it for a couple of months.  I absolutely love it.  The first time I used it my cutlery came out gleaming!!

Here's what I use:

In a large bowl I mix:

2 cups baking soda

1 cup borax

1 / 2 cup super washing soda

1 / 4 cup table salt

1 / 4 cup citric acid

All of these items are available at a grocery store, except citric acid.  I bought mine on Amazon.  Interestingly, unsweetened lemon kool-aid mix is citric acid and can be used!

I store my DW detergent in a rubbermaid half-gallon container.  I add a silica packet to keep it from clumping.

Let me know how you like this, I'm hooked!!

Tucson, Arizona in January 2025

 I recently spent a week in Tucson, Arizona with my son and his family.  It was surreal for me to leave sub-freezing temperatures and snow, and arrive in a sort of Shangri La where the weather was beautiful, sunny, and welcoming.  It makes me look forward to Heaven where all will be perfect and amazing, including the weather!!

Here are some of the beautiful plants and trees that abound!