Energizing Spinach Salad

I love my spinach salad and many others have asked for the recipe.  Because it is so easy to put together, it makes a perfect item to take to a fellowship meal or potluck gathering.   

Buy a package of pre-washed baby spinach.  Unless you garden and grow your own, it isn't worth your time to wash your spinach leaves multiple times, so make it easier and grab a bag from the produce section. 
 

What you need:

Bagged Baby Spinach Leaves

Mandarine Oranges, drained
Walnut Pieces
Bacon Bits

Splurge on a really good berry vinaigrette, my favorite is raspberry.

In a large bowl, put your spinach leaves, and add the bacon bits and walnuts.  Drain your oranges (or use sliced strawberries!) and add these.  Carefully - lightly toss.  Add a couple tablespoons of dressing and easy does it as you incorporate it - immediately before serving.  Because it is easy to put together, make only the amount needed.  Dressed spinach doesn't keep well. 


Serve as a meal or add a bowl of flavorful soup!  It's what I had for lunch today.

Rock Island Shawl

I couldn't stand it - I had to make another Rock Island Shawl for myself after the first one found a new home last year while we were at Annual Conference.  This shawl is designed by Jared Flood of Brooklyn Tweed.  The fiber is Lorna's Laces Helen's Lace in the colorway: Grand Street Ink.  It is a color specifically designed to go with this pattern!  It is a blend of 50% silk and 50% wool.  It's soft and lightweight while offering a good deal of warmth, if needed.  The first time I knit this shawl was the first time I knit lace! 

It took me 2 months to complete that first shawl but a mere 9 days to finish the second. Experience makes a lot of difference - just like in life.  Romans 5:3-5 reminds us, "And not only this, but we also exault in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us."

When we see a challenge through (regardless of the specifics) we build personal character offering us hope which lifts us up as we experience God's love. 

Wildflowers # 3

Well, I hope you aren't tired of Texas wildflower photos because I've got one more!  These photos were taken when my hubby and I took an early April retreat to the Texas Hill Country.  I love that you can find wildflowers most anywhere in this part of Texas.  Along side the road, or smack dab in the middle of a dirt drive.  By a windmill, a small stream, or hugging rocks and cactus. We see them standing with singular strength and clustered in numbers to great to count. God has blessed us with amazing beauty and it is all around us.  We only have to open our eyes to witness to the testimony of His grace.  I hope that you enjoy these photos, but please remember that I share them for your personal enjoyment and that the photos are not to be shared, reproduced or republished without my permission as the photographer. 

Wildflowers #2

This is part 2 of wildflower photos from my hubby and I's recent trip to the Hill Country of Texas. Texas wildflower's are much more than our beloved blue bonnets. There is the beautiful poppy, paintbrush, black-eyed Susan, Indian blanket, and so many more - the names of which fill many a book.  I know, because I have a couple!  Enjoy the photos, but please remember that they are for your personal enjoyment and not to be copied or shared without my permission as the photographer.

It is a bit unusual to find a field of widely mixed wildflowers, but I was fortunate to find a few!

Wildflowers #1

On our early April retreat to the Texas Hill Country, I took LOTS of photos of God's beautiful gift to this great state.  So as not to overwhelm our computers, I will break the sharing of some of my favs into a few different blogs.  These are all bluebonnets - closeup, further away, covering entire fields, hugging a tree, rock or fence.  No matter where they are found, these wildflowers are glorious! Please remember that these are for your enjoyment and are not to be shared without my permission as the photographer.

A New Appointment

I am married to a Methodist minister. This means that he serves communities and churches in locations where we are appointed by the Bishop and Cabinet. Like many clergy families at this time of year, we find ourselves with mixed feelings as we pack up our parsonage (home provided by the churches served) and make plans to depart our current church families.  We have been blessed to serve 2 wonderful churches in Northeast Texas, about an hour outside of Dallas, for the past 5 years.  Around Easter, we learned that Kelly has been appointed to serve 2 churches much closer to Houston. We are excited to share that beginning in July, Kelly has been appointed to Anahuac United Methodist Church and Wallisville's Middleton Memorial UMC.

Anahuac, as the sign notes, is the Alligator capital of Texas.  We have learned that alligators outnumber people 3-to-1!

 

The church in Wallisville has a long history as a memorial to members of the Middleton family.

 

After we move, we will be less than an hour's drive from the coast at Galveston! We have also learned that we are only minutes from the unofficial oyster capital of Texas. Now, I'm not a fan of any seafood, but my daughter always wants raw oysters for special occasion celebrations.

 This will be our new home come July, the Anahuac parsonage.