A Walk In The Woods

From my back porch, I am only a few yards from a barbed-wire fence that goes
into a deep wooded area. I love just simply looking over toward that area.
To actually take a walk into that wooded area, is always such a treat; very interesting. There are so many different trees and vines and all kinds of undergrowth on the wooded floor.

The way underfoot must be chosen carefully, or you can slip on leaves or fallen branches. Of course, you must keep your eyes wide open for harmful snakes
and insects. It is worth the effort of going into the woods, though. There
are many beautiful discoveries to be found; odd-shaped trees, various birds,
rabbits, squirrels, deer, etc. The coolness of the woods and the scents and sounds are priceless. An awesome pasttime, walking in the woods.

Quiet Time

My quiet time is geared especially for me to just sit and meditate on my life
as it is. No changes are necessary at this point. I deal with things as they are. I'm feeling fine, my spouse and other family members are as well
as can be expected. I give The Supreme One all the glory. I know everything is quite alright.

I sit on my back screened-in porch and look at the trees and the birds. The
squirrels get into the act sometimes, too. They seem to say, "Look at us, we're here, too." The squirrels jump from tree to tree, and chase one another all over the space where they're playing. When Quiet Time is over, I can get back
into the daily routine, abrupt interuptions and all. I appreciate my quiet times. They are 'fuel for my soul'.

A Wee Hint Of Fall Weather!

I know that I am anxious for some pleasantly cool weather after this
excruciatingly hot summer. Maybe I'm rushing things, but I thought I detected
just a hint of coolness to the atmosphere in these parts. When I stepped outside this morning around about 6:00am, I was surprised to feel a temp of
66 degrees F. Nice! An early preview of things to come.

I actually like summertime, but the weather here this summer really has been
extremely hot for an extremely long time. There were many days, and even weeks, when there was nothing to look forward to but three-digit temps for weeks at a time. Much of those times, rain was nowhere in sight. I'm glad many of us made it through this summer. We have a ways to go yet, but we can see some progress, coming toward the end of this summer. Hurray! Yea!

Outdoor Cooking

It is such a pleasure to cook outdoors. The smells seem to blend in with nature in enticing ways. We prepare the food inside, so as not to attract
the bugs and other pests. The heat is then prepared; we almost always cook with charcoal. My husband ocassionally likes to use oak wood. He say the oak wood gives the food that 'pit-cooked' taste.

If meat is being cooked on the grill, keeping it bathed in a light salt and water/vinegar solution lets it keep its moisture. Drying out should not be a problem. The veggies should be included on the last few minutes of cooking.
The sooner the food is served and enjoyed after grilling,the better it will taste. Outdoor cooking is not reserved just for summertime. It can be utilized all year long.