Comparing Organic Butters

He asked water, and she gave him milk; she brought forth butter in a lordly dish. ~Judges 5:25

Mmmmm! I love butter...real butter...organic butter...made from the cream of pasture-fed cows. No hydrogenated oils. Higher in Omega 3 oils. No chemicals. No denaturing processing. In the last few decades, people have been warned about health issues associated with butter, but statistically there is more heart disease since the marketing of butter substitutes. I truly believe real butter is far healthier than any alternative available. (You can read some info on why here.) A recent phone conversation with a friend reminded me that I have not only preferences for butter but between butters as well.

The first time I began to realize the difference in the butters, I made two batches of Snowballs cookies, which actually go by other names like Pecan Sandies, Russian Tea Cookies, Mexican Wedding Cookies, and several others. The first batch came out light colored and held the shape beautifully, but the second one was dark and flattened somewhat. All the ingredients were the same, the oven was the same setting, the cookie pan was the same, and it was placed in the same position in the oven. I had used butter for both batches but different brands. What happened reminded me of the time my mother and I were making these cookies and we planned to double the recipe, but my mother had doubled the butter and none of the other ingredients so the dough flatten quickly in the oven. We rescued that batch by taking out the warm dough and doubling the other ingredients. From that I learned that softer butters required a bit more flour to produce the desired result, but with the right butter, there was no guess work involved.

There are three main companies for organic butters available in my area. They are Horizon, Organic Valley, and Woodstock Farms. The latter two I can purchase from my favorite health food store, but the first is not carried there and I have found it at Kroger. I would rather buy my butter from the local health food store, but there are two reasons that I buy Horizon organic butter from Kroger more than the others.

First is that Horizon butter is the best of the three for baking. As a table butter, it has good flavor and is a bit harder to cut, but this is what makes it an excellent butter for baking. I am against using anything with hydrogenated oils and I do not fear saturated fats. (Actually, I wrote an article on this a few months ago that there is no study able to support the medical mainstream hype that saturated fats are bad. Actually, studies have shown quite the opposite.) My favorite cookies, biscuits, and pie crusts are butter rich, so it does make a huge difference which butter I use!

The other reason I buy Horizon at Kroger is because the store nearest to me usually orders in larger quantities than will be sold before the expiration date. Kroger has a policy to mark down foods three days before the "sell by" date. If I watch the dates, I can buy the butter on a "Manager's Special" at about half off the regular price. I once bought $75 of butter ($150 worth), which was 25 pounds. That may sound crazy to some, but I have two large freezers so I place the butter in freezer bags in one of them and use it as needed--and frozen butter is perfect for making pie crusts! The next expiration date for the salted butter is May 5th at the nearest Kroger, so I will be making a point to shop there on the 2nd or 3rd of May.

Although, Horizon is my favorite overall, Organic Valley is my preference for table butter. It is a softer butter making it easy to cut, it melts at a lower temperature making it easier to spread, and it is a bit sweeter than the others. It has a wonderful melt in your mouth feel too. However, it is also the most expensive of the three, which means I rarely buy it unless on sale and there is a coupon for it at the same time. That has not happened in a very long time.

Woodstock Farms' butter is something in between the two. It is not a good for baking as the Horizon, but better than Organic Valley. It is not as flavorful as Organic Valley for serving at the table either, but easier to cut than Horizon. It also costs less than either one at the suggested retail price, if none are on sale, but I rarely buy butter unless it is on sale.

Organic butters tend to go on sale a few times a year, particularly in November at the beginning of the holiday baking season, but that is not really a factor for me if I have bought bulk quantities of butter at marked down prices. I mean, I just never see butter at half price during a sale, although when combined with a coupon, it could be close and I do like the best butter presented at a holiday feast with my multi-seed whole wheat rolls and flaky biscuits.

~ My Lord, I ask your blessing on the organic farmers who have chosen to use more laborious and time-consuming and more expensive methods of farming while shunning the use of synthetic chemicals. ~

Homemade Yogurt in a Slow Cooker

We are living in a world today where lemonade is made from artificial flavors and furniture polish is made from real lemons. ~Alfred E. Newman

You may be thinking I went off to my "happy place" and forgot about my blog, right? Actually, I am holding off my own answer to my previous post for now. In the meantime, both my favorite aunt (okay, she is my only aunt but I am sure she would be my favorite if I had others) and a friend dear to me asked for me to write it out my secrets for making yogurt in a slow cooker on my blog so here it is.

I just started making yogurt in recent months, which I wrote about previously here. Before my experimentation with yogurt, I would make clabbered milk, which is far less fussing. I think I now have a method of making yogurt for reliable results, at least for me in my own kitchen. The first thing is I use raw milk, because that is the only type I have been buying for last twenty years. However, since the milk must be heated to at least 180°F, just about any kind of milk can be used: whole, low fat, non-fat, even powdered. It also can be pasteurized or not, since you are going to be heating it anyway.

It seems counterproductive to heat raw milk, but if it is not heated to kill back most of the natural cultures, these will be in competition with the desired yogurt cultures when they are added back, so this is not the way to make raw milk yogurt—I am still working on that one. I have made raw milk yogurt a few times, only heating to between 110°-120°F, and the results are not the same consistency as the yogurt bought in stores, something between clabbered milk and yogurt in taste, but it seems a bit thinner than clabbered milk to me. Also, it is less predictable, I think; I had a few batches that separated into something like a soft cheese and whey, which was an edible addition to our salad. The rule with raw milk is that it is always in an edible state, unless contaminated with harmful bacteria, that is. So, if you are of the mind to experiment and share your method, I would be interested.

I pour in one gallon of milk into a six-quart slow cooker with a removable crock. (You can use less milk if you are making a smaller batch.) I set my slow cooker on high and place the probe of a digital cooking thermometer into the milk. Although the milk needs only to be heated to 180°F, the last time I made it I heated it to 185°F and the yogurt came out much thicker than usual, however that could have been due to other factors also. Yogurt making, I have found, is much like sourdough bread making: it is an art and much depends on humidity and other factors within and beyond my control.

One thing I believe works in favor of a thicker yogurt is not using a lid on the slow cooker; I wrap the slow cooker in two heavy bath towels instead. This not only speeds up the heating process, but allows the moisture to escape. Some people suggest venting the lid by using chopsticks, but I have two reasons for not doing this: one, my lid is oval and would not be stable enough, and two, I always see condensation on the inside of the lid, which may be a factor in thickness.

After the milk has been heated to the desired temperature, I usually like it to cool as quickly as possible. I turn off the slow cooker, remove the heavy towels, and immediately remove the crock, placing it on a rack. I place a lighter dish towel over the top to cover it. If it has not already, a skin will develop on the top, which is normal.

When it gets down to under 120°F, I add fresh yogurt, specifically Stonyfield Organic Yogurt, to the milk, although any well-cultured yogurt will do. You can add yogurt from a previous batch, but I have not done this personally as I have read that after two batches fresh cultures should be introduced anyway. (Maybe that is not really necessary? Something to experiment with later on perhaps.) I really don't measure the amount of my yogurt starter, but I probably add between ¼ to ½ cup. I whisk it in, which also breaks up the skin on top. Then I place the crock back into the slow cooker, wrap it up with the two heavy bath towels, and turn it to the "keep warm" setting for a few minutes. This is just because I noticed it cools a few more degrees if the slow cooker is not warm. The temperature of the milk should be between 110°F and 120°F, although I usually like it heated no higher than 110°F because the temperature will continue to rise after I have turned the slow cooker off and 115°F is the highest temperature I prefer. If it gets over 120°F, you can allow it to cool and add more yogurt, but if the temperature goes over 130°F the consistency may not be as smooth regardless—yes, this happened to me once or twice as the beeper is not very loud on my digital thermometer.

You can leave it all wrapped up and turned off overnight. In the morning, the temperature is usually around 90°-95°F for me. If you are making it during the day, you might check the temperature and turn on the slow cooker for a few minutes until it again reaches 110°F. If it is not as thick as you would like, you can continue this process for a few more hours. I have had some batches that were done in just eight hours and others took nearly 24 hours. Again, making yogurt is an art and you can leave it for hours if you must.

If you just cannot seem to get it as thick as you would like, you can add one to four tablespoons of powdered milk and whisk well or use a hand mixer. This is best done when adding the starter, but it can be done at any time and then give it a few hours for the cultures to...uh, cultivate, I guess would be the term.

To finish up, I use a ladle and a funnel to fill up four one-quart canning jars, while the yogurt is still warm. This results in a good seal when placed in the refrigerator. Yogurt lasts weeks that way.

I use yogurt in cooking quite a bit, but the reason that gallon of yogurt only lasts about ten days or less most times is my daughter and I have yogurt and granola with fruit nearly every morning for breakfast. Speaking about granola, I have not seen my favorite granola on sale for sometime and we were nearly out of stock at home so...just this week, I made my first batch of granola also in my slow cooker! It tasted good, but just not quite as flavorful nor did it have the cluster consistency I would like so you will have to wait until I have perfected my granola technique before you will see a post on it here.

~ I am reminded, my Lord, that like yogurt, we have to be cultivated often according to conditions unique to each of us, that for me to become as You wish for me to be is no less due to Your patience and skill, my Master. ~

Snowballs at You, Birbitt!

The aging process has you firmly in its grasp if you never get the urge to throw a snowball. ~Doug Larson

It seems that Birbitt and I share a favorite cookie (she called them by a fancier name), however she has yet to find a recipe that works for her.

I apologize, Birbitt, for taking so long to get this posted, I just have been Internet challenged lately. Here is the recipe for which you asked.

Snowballs

1 cup of butter (Use the real thing!)
½ cup of powdered sugar
1½ teaspoon of vanilla extract
½ teaspoon of almond extract
2 cups of all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped pecans
up to 2 teaspoons of milk, if needed
powdered sugar to coat cookies

Preheat oven at 325°F. Beat butter, sugar, and flavorings together until fluffy. Add milk IF it is a dry day (as it tends to be in the winter). Stir in flour and then stir in pecans. Shape in 1-inch balls. Placed on an ungreased cookie sheet, parchment paper works even better. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the bottoms begin to turn a bit golden. Let them cool to just slightly warm before removing them from the pan. Then roll in powdered sugar. Allow them to cool completely and roll them in powdered sugar again.

Personally, I never have added the milk. I have found that softer butter tends to cause the cookie to flatten more and finish baking darker, but I was using granulated sugar then. Recently I have found that powdered sugar works more predictably in keeping the round shape and light color, but they may be a bit more on the dry side.

I have made these cookies every Christmas for years and they are always a favorite when I give them away. I like to make them because they fit all on one sheet! I hope this recipe works for you, Birbitt.

~ My Lord, thank you for my friends and that I was finally able to fulfill a request. Please let my computer problems be behind me. ~

Holiday Red Cabbage Coleslaw

We are living in a world today where lemonade is made from artificial flavors and furniture polish is made from real lemons. ~Alfred E. Newman

My husband’s family always has coleslaw for the holiday meals, actually at nearly every family get-together. I have always thought of coleslaw as an ordinary summer side dish and one of which was not common nor a favorite with my family. I always enjoy interweaving family traditions from both sides in the making of our own, however this tradition is particularly important to us this year, because of the passing of my husband’s father. Practicing traditions, even in just preparing a simple food dish, have a way of honoring our loved ones through our memories and there are so many good memories of our holiday family gatherings. A few years ago, I began playing around with some ingredients and came up with my very own coleslaw recipe that has, to my surprise, become frequently requested year around.

I originally chose red cabbage because it adds a rich, glistening, jeweled color at the holiday dinner table; however red cabbage has some wonderful health benefits. Cabbage is a unique source of several types of phytonutrients, including polyphenols. The polyphenols in red cabbage include antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds called anthocyanins. Cabbage is also unique for its rich supply of glucosinolates; by slicing, shredding, or chopping, the myrosinase enzymes in its cells can become active in converting the glucosinolates in cabbage into isothiocyanates, which have special detoxification and anti-cancer properties. Raw cabbage has some cholesterol-lowering ability as well.

Each of the ingredients in coleslaw have a number of benefits, but I am going to be focusing on the digestive processes, because even though we all know better and promise ourselves we will not do it this year, everyone tends to overeat at a holiday meal! For this reason alone, the offering of coleslaw is so beneficial.

Cabbage, itself, is high in fiber and a welcomed addition to meals consisting of mostly cooked and rich foods low in fiber. The acids in apple cider vinegar improve digestion and deter the growth of disease-causing bacteria in the digestive tract; malic acid, in particular, is the main digestive acid found in apple cider vinegar as well as in our own body cells, which stimulates the metabolism and increases energy production. Olive oil is easy to digest and aids in the digestion of other fatty substances because it encourages the secretions of the peptic system and stimulates the pancreatic enzyme lipace. Ginger cleanses the palette and aids in digestion by speeding up the movement of food from the stomach into the upper small intestine—this would help rid that discomfort that comes from overeating more quickly. The touch of mustard facilitates digestion by promoting the secretion of gastric juices also.

Coleslaw keeps for weeks and can be made well in advance, which I appreciate because my kitchen is a busy place with baking and meal preparation for the holidays.

Holiday Red Cabbage Coleslaw

1 large head of red cabbage, shredded
1 cup white sugar
1 cup apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon salt (optional)
1 tsp dry mustard
2 tsp dry ginger

1. Place shredded cabbage in a large bowl. Sprinkle with 1 cup sugar, and mix well.
2. In a small saucepan, combine vinegar, oil, salt, dry mustard, and ginger. Bring to a simmering boil.
3. Pour hot dressing over cabbage mixture and mix well.
4. Chill overnight or longer.

At times, just a bit more sugar makes it taste better depending on the sharpness of the apple cider vinegar and you can mix it in after it has chilled, according to your taste. This is best if made a day to two weeks ahead. You also can make it without warming the vinegar–oil mixture, but the olive oil will not emulsify to soak into the cabbage as well and tends to sit on top.

I hope you enjoy good digestion during your holiday feasting and give lots of hugs to your loved ones to let them know how special they are to you. (And, Ganeida, you only need a stove top for this one.)

~ My Lord, thank you for making so many wonderful foods and for ingenuity in all the differing ways of preparing them. ~

White Chocolate Crème de Menthe Cookies

Think what a better world it would be if we all, the whole world, had cookies and milk about three o'clock every afternoon and then lay down on our blankets for a nap. ~Barbara Jordan

Here is a brand spanking new cookie recipe that I am sharing with you. This is a chewy inside, crisp outside cookie with a light minty refreshing taste. The green cookie with creamy white chocolate chips is an interesting contrast that compliments a holiday cookie platter well or stands on its own...and it is absolutely delicious, if you like a bit of mint.

This is one I made up myself so tell me what you think.

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
1-1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar (for that crackled top)
green food coloring
1 cup white chocolate chips

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
2. In a medium bowl mix flour, salt, cream of tartar and baking soda.
3. In a another bowl, cream together the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and peppermint.
4. Mix in flour mixture.
5. Add green food coloring according to how colorful you want it and mix well.
6. Add white chocolate chips.
7. Make 1 inch drops onto cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
8. Bake for about 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until bottom just begins to brown.

Note: This made 48 cookies with a diameter of 2 inches for me. Also, I use food coloring paste so I do not have a set measured amount.

~ My Lord, thank you for yummy cookies and raw milk...and the occasional nap! ~

Clabbered Milk

"Hence I have said to you, 'You are to possess their land, and I Myself will give it to you to possess it, a land flowing with milk and honey' I am the LORD your God, who has separated you from the peoples." ~Leviticus 20:24

My Lord promised to give His people a land flowing with milk and honey. Perhaps a symbolism only, but I am pretty sure what the people envisioned is what we now call unpasteurized or raw milk. Sad it is that today we must make use a word like "raw" to describe milk in its natural form, because before it is sold in stores, milk is cooked--well, that is what pasteurizing really means.

I am an advocate for raw milk with a strong preference for Nubian goat milk. Nubians are known for milk with high butterfat. My aunt in Ohio has had a few Nubian goats for milking, which is how it all started with me. Rich, creamy, and with a taste of liquid butter, I was hooked the moment the first drop touched my tongue. Unfortunately, Ohio is one of the states where it is completely illegal to sell raw milk. It is a wonder to me how people survived through the centuries before pasteurization!--a subject for another time, perhaps.

When I lived in Florida I was delighted to find a little place grandfathered in urban St. Petersburg called Joys Half Acre with about thirty milking goats mostly Nubians. The goats were their source of income due to her husband's disability. Even then, Florida's laws allowed the selling of raw milk for animal consumption only.

When I moved to Georgia, the laws were similar to Florida, but the facility has to be licensed as well. Finding a Nubian goat farm close by was far more difficult. I found one place not too far away, but she was not licensed because she sold so little; that is common with small farms so that did not discourage me. What did deter me from being a patron is she did not let me see her milking facility or her goats. Without seeing for myself how things were handled and the health of the goats, I passed.

For years we just did without milk, using organic yogurt mostly as a substitute. About four years ago we went to a farm with a corn maze on their homeschool day and I found they were selling raw cow milk for "pets," of course. From then on we have been getting several gallons of raw cow's milk per trip, which I freeze until needed.

I could go on and on and on about why I will not drink pasteurized milk at all. I don't have an allergy to it, per se, but then I believe that everyone does have slight allergic reactions to it simply because all the natural cultures in milk that help us to digest it are killed off in the pasteurizing process. I have even personally known many lactose intolerant people found they could drink raw milk without any reaction. Besides that, there are many ways that raw milk clears up certain health problems and the lovely skin of milkmaids was legendary throughout history. (You should see my aunt's skin!)

As to harmful bacteria, that is a concern, but it is quite rare. In all the years I have been drinking raw milk, I have not yet had a problem with it, but ironically the largest outbreak was in pasteurized milk a few years ago, affecting thousands of people in my state. It was only a problem at one particular farm, but since the milk of many farms are combined it took some time to track down the source. At least when buying directly from the farm, there is less concern about tracking down the source.

Because of the concerns about people drinking raw milk, in some states they have required not only labeling against human consumption, but agricultural agencies have made new rules so that a gray dye must be added to the milk. Ridiculous, but it would certainly do the trick in making milk appear unappetizing. We fought this in Georgia and it did not go through the last time, but a neighboring state was not as fortunate.

Raw milk is a bit more expensive and there is only three of us, more often two most weeks, yet not one drop of our raw milk is ever thrown away. It is not because we drink so much of it, even though we do give some to our pets, but rather it is due to the fact that raw milk does not spoil like pasteurized milk does. No, raw milk will clabber, a word from the Irish language, meaning “to thicken.” Other terms for it would be sour or ferment or lopper. Milk cultures turn it into a tangy, rich, and thick substance. It can be a great substitute for yogurt, although not quite as thick and smooth as Americans are used to buying in stores. Off the top, one can collect the clotted cream, a favorite in tea and on scones.

The variety of cultures in milk have certain temperatures that promote them and there are subtle variations of what the milk becomes or is called at each point in different countries. For instance, to make yogurt, the milk should stay at an even temperature between 100 to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. I have not done this. I simply let it clabber at room temperature for about 18 or so hours and add to granola for breakfast.

I have placed some clabbered milk in cheese cloth to hang, separating the whey and make it thicker for a cream cheese substitute or something closer to Greek yogurt which is very thick. I am no expert, so I am not really sure what one would call my experiments with raw milk, but as I said before, it is all edible in any form, even the whey, so there are no rules about how I must use it. Clabbered milk keeps for a very long time also.

Here are some of websites for more information:
Raw Milk Facts
Real Milk

Well, its time for bed and a short glass of real milk. Nighty-night!

~ My Lord, You provided all we need in nature to sustain our physical bodies. Thank you for the wonders of raw milk. ~

Saturated Through to Saturday

To show a child what once delighted you, to find the child's delight added to your own - this is happiness. ~Joseph Priestley

I don't know where to begin! Two weeks ago my husband was working in Orlando, Florida and things were rather complicated, so he offered to stay over last weekend to visit his parents saving the company some money instead of flying him back and forth. During the time he was there, his father ended up being admitted into the hospital, thankfully it was mostly as a precaution and he was there only a few days.

My husband then flew to Cleveland, Ohio on Wednesday and was planning on coming home early Friday, but plans were changed again and he instead drove to Columbus, Ohio on Friday and was planning to fly home that evening. Still another change, he would not be back until Saturday morning, and this caused a bit of a quandary about picking him up at the airport.

Now most weeks, this would not be a problem, but this weekend was Easter.

The week before I had purchased about eighty plastic eggs and filled them with candy. On Tuesday evening, we dropped off about fifty of them at the 4-H Horse and Pony Club meeting place so they would be used for the Spring Fling: 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. was spoken for in our Saturday schedule.

Also, on our schedule for Saturday, was an hour event for children at our church with a story, craft, and egg hunt from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. a bit of a conflict in time there, but we planned to leave the Spring Fling early. I dropped off about thirty eggs at the pastor's home on the preceding Thursday morning at the beginning of our usual errands for that day.

In the meantime, I tried to shop to get some of those special things that magically show up on Easter morning even though the Princess was with me the entire time. Usually, my husband and I play tag team between the responsibilities of taking the child and the holiday shopping, but he had, inconveniently, not been home for two weeks.

I really don't know what I was thinking, perhaps I just look for ways to complicate my life...? I decided to add making cookies when I saw a sweet cookie cutter set with a lamb, bunny, chick, flower, and butterfly earlier in the week while out shopping for the candy to put in the eggs. I decided to make these cookies on Friday, but I also decided that we needed to do a bit of shopping that day. When we came home and had put everything away, I was finally ready to make the cookies that we would bring for the adults at the church and for our neighbor on Easter. It was then that I finally looked at the place where I had left out two sticks of butter to soften to realize they were not there. No wonder, Hanah, our German Shepherd dog (GSD) looked so guilty when we walked in the door. Normally, I would have put the butter in a safer place before we left, but I had completely forgotten about it. Odd thing, I did not find any of the wrapping or even a greasy spot anywhere. At least, she cleaned up everything well.

So, then I needed to wait a bit for the next two sticks of butter to soften. We were doing tender butter cookies as a cut out, which requires the dough to be rolled out between wax paper sheets and then placed in a freezer for about 15 minutes, before the cut out process. This way they hold their shape making them look quite uniformed and they are easier to move to a cookie sheet without tearing and then there is the icing, a high gloss that takes a few hours to completely set. We started before my daughter went to bed, so she could do all the cut out part, which requires to knead the remaining together, rolling out again, and then refreezing. She was in bed while they were baking. After they cooled, I did the icing which used about twice the milk and corn syrup suggested, but they looked very professional and tasted great. The recipes I used are here: Pope's Valentine Cookies and Sugar Cookie Icing. (It takes about 1½ of the icing recipe to do a batch of the cookies and they all fit on two large baking sheets as these cookies do not puff much.)

The unfortunate part is the length of time it took me to make these particularly tasty morsels. Besides cleaning up from the baking, I had two other things I really wanted to clean up before I went to bed for the night, so in FlyLady style, I set a timer for fifteen minutes and went for it. It was then just after 1:00 a.m., but I was not able to just sleep right away, so I read a bit. Right now I am in the middle of Edgar Rice Burroughs' A Princess of Mars, a book I had read when I was a young teenager that I have been wanting to read again for years, particularly after my aunt gave me my grandfather's set of first editions--the same set I read those many years ago.

Of course, it was obvious on Saturday morning that I had not gotten enough sleep. With bags under my eyes, I woke a bit later than I hoped and we hurried out the door after 8:00 a.m. We—mostly me, that is, because the Princess was off doing what I would have been doing if I were her—helped set up for the Spring Fling. The Princess was hanging out, as much as she could, with the horses. Later she did help with the egg hunt inside the store where we were located.

I wish—I so do wish, considering what I had chosen to wear—I could write about how lovely the day was with a warm sun and a gentle cool breeze. It was supposed to be nice just like that, but the weather predictions had changed, I was just too busy to think to check. It was windy and cold and cloudy. Fortunately, the cold does miraculous things with making bags under the eyes disappear. Unfortunately, for a woman with a light sweater over a short sleeve shirt, there was no sunshine showing through at all. Still shivering two hours later, I called my husband to see if he was on the ground yet, in hopes that he would be my knight in shining armor by stopping at home to pick up warm jackets for the Princess and me. Since we had plans when his plane was due to arrive, he arranged to rent a car for the weekend, as he rents cars for work so often that there are weekend discounts and other perks. Not only had his flight arrived, but he was at the office; sadly, I would endure yet another hour.

The turn-out was not what we had hoped at the Spring Fling, but that gave me more opportunity to talk with one woman, Melanie, who was doing face painting, even though she had the busiest booth later on. The Princess was her first customer getting a unicorn on the cheek and then later on we went for scrolls on the other side. Melanie shared how she recently started and the cost involved. She is also a homeschooling mother and was hoping to do face painting as a means to get debt free (another Dave Ramsey fan) and pay for homeschool curriculum. We had many other things in common as well.

My husband finally arrived...with our jackets! My hero! We had not seen him for two weeks and almost all that time we had been keeping a secret. The Princess had lost her top front tooth and he noticed right away. Now, with Daddy in tow, the Princess had some fun jumping in the inflatable and riding Red. I had asked her to wait until he got there so he could see her doing those things.

I enjoy encouraging an artist to be creative, so I decided to have Melanie paint my face as well, before we left when she was not busy. I told her to pick a design that she had been wanting to try, after all it washes off with soap and water. She was tickled saying she would do it for free, but all the money she took in went to the club so I paid. I am thinking that I could do face painting for the upcoming rummage sale at the church with proceeds going to the building fund. The church also does a booth in the fall at a park and other church activities. I have been very excited about the idea ever since! I am sure that the Princess would not mind me practicing on her.

We left the Spring Fling at 1:30 p.m. to get to the church for the activities there. The Princess rode with Daddy—and what a ride! He rented a convertible, so he turned the heat on full and had the top down. She was thrilled! As I said, there are cool perks when you rent cars often. It cost us less for the two days than it would cost others to rent a less flashy car for one day.

At the church, fourteen children, not counting the teens who were helping out, made a craft and hunted eggs. While the children were crafting a bunny on a popsicle stick, I passed around cookies to the parents. The Princess collected many eggs, all with candy, of course.

Afterward, my husband decided to try to fit in a haircut taking the Princess with him. That gave me some time to finally shop alone without the child, if you know what I mean, being that Easter was the next day. Then I spent some time watching the season finale of "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" online that had been preempted due to the tornado warnings in the area the night before. When my husband arrived home, he began his laundry as work would be sending him to New York on Monday.

We all were so tired that we decided to go out for dinner, so we all had sushi with the Princess and I still adorned with painted faces. Then it was bath and bed. All in all a very good day filled with horses, art, and whimsy—such are some of my child's delights and they are still mine as well.

Thank you, my Lord, for giving me the chances You provide to share my delights with my child, who finds them them delightful as well.