Minnesota Wild Rice Soup

A friend just asked for this recipe and that brought it to mind. I haven't had this for a couple of years at least but it's so yummy! (Not lo-cal though).

Minnesota Wild Rice Soup

½ cup wild rice, rinsed and drained

¼ cup slivered almonds, lightly roasted

2 2/3 quarts chicken stock

1 1/8 cups diced onion

½ cup diced carrot

½ cup butter

1 cup flour, plus 2 TB

½ cup diced ham

1 tsp salt

¼ teaspoons pepper

2 cups whipping cream

1 1/8 cup chopped parsley

Cook wild rice in chicken stock, covered for 45 min or until tender. Strain rice from stock and save both. Meanwhile, sauté the onion, celery and carrots in butter until onion is transparent. Add the flour into the vegetables. Stir and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add chicken stock slowly, stirring. Cook until slightly thickened. Add ham, salt and pepper. Heat for 10-15 minutes. Add cream, rice and almonds. Heat and sprinkle with parsley.

Heartbroken

I've been making regular visits to a dear friend's house for several years. Until March, these visits were mostly to pick her up or drop her off as we carpooled to work. The friendship and fellowship we've shared has enriched my life so much! Then, because she began to lose her battle with the brain cancer she'd fought against for more than 10 years, my visits became a time to go be with her in her home. It is almost time to say good-bye and I'm heartbroken. However, she continues to be with me as I listen to the music she recorded singing these words, "When money can't buy a solution, and plans can't find a way, when what worked before doesn't work anymore, and words have nothing to say....When tears are flowing like rivers and hearts are breaking in two, if it seems when you pray God is so far away, there's still one thing you can do....rest in the arms of the everlasting one. Rest in the care of God's ever loving son! When all you can do has already been done, rest in the arms of God!" She knew how to do that and is still teaching those of us who love her. Still heartbroken I know I won't need to say good-bye....just see you later!

State Fair

Yesterday, thanks to some generous neighbors who gave us free tickets, we took Morgan & Gracey to the fair. One of the highlights was the dinosaur exhibit! These guys moved and roared and looked real enough to scary Gracey , although she insists she was only scared the first time through! The other shows we watched were free and very good too-the Chinese acrobats and the hypnotist!

Miles and Miles...

The road between here and Spokane seems more familiar than ever! The gorge is beautiful but the miles and miles of desert and sagebrush do get old after a while. However, I discovered while traveling this road alone 5 times this year (counting each direction) that it provides a wonderful reflection and worship session! Singing in the car is like singing in the shower! No one hears the off notes but the Creator and he wants us to "make a joyful noise"! We all need solitude although it's hard to come by in our busy lives. I'm thankful for this unexpected gift. I enjoyed the time with mom & Gil too immensely but am grateful that the 6th time along the road was with my husband, who flew up this weekend to help with the work at mom's place and then drive back with me!

Mini Miracles

Sometimes in the middle of these larger life events small miracles go unnoticed and unappreciated. Yet when we look, they are all around us!

For instance, last night our church was broken into again. Several police responded (including canine officers) and apprehended one suspect. The police were very thorough and remained a few hours fingerprinting, collecting evidence, etc. (My husband was there too to help with information needed about the church contents.) Anyway, Dan came home about 6:30 am and shortly received a call from one officer who was missing his camera and thought it had been left at the church. Dan met him at the church and they scoured it and even the parking lot but found nothing. (The officer thought he might have left it on the trunk of the car while filling out the report). Just before church was to begin that officer called to let us know that after calling his wife and asking for prayer, and being off duty he began heading home and should have gone south on I-5. Instead he found himself heading north and thought-"Boy, am I tired. Why did I take this ramp!" And at that moment spotted his camera along the road! (Ah, so he had left it on the trunk and driven off). We have a God who specializes in finding the lost---He found me when I was lost just like he found this tired officer's camera.

Mini miracles are all around us. Look for one today-ask for one!

Two of a Kind

Grandpa and DJ are quite a pair! I really needed a video camera and not just a phone camera yesterday for their antics. I'm sure there was some telepathy going on! (DJ is almost 5 months old now!)

Grandma's slumber party!

I found PJ's that were pretty close to some Gracey had so we decided to have a little slumber party! Gracey thought it was pretty funny to get to whack me with a pillow!

On another note, I've discovered that I only have the will to either facebook or blog, but not both. Time management isn't my strong point.