A view from the hammock...

 As I sat in my hammock today, I was asking God what He wanted me to do. Lately I have been very involved in starting a ministry to organize the churches in the area to meet needs that are not being met and coordinating our resources.

While doing that He has brought me into a lot of churches and introduced me to new people. I can only fathom that this means I am about to enter the next step of my faith walk with Him.

As I questioned what all this means, I was heard His voice (internally, not audibly) say look out there. What do you see?

I answered, "I see your beautiful creation. I see the field, the trees the mountains. I see the birds flying through and chipmunks running around. I see your provision for them."

"Look closer, and tell me again. What do you see?"

So I stared out across the field, over the beautiful high grasses blowing in the wind. The trees with their green leaves were fluttering in the breezes and occasionally bending with the more forceful gusts.

"What am I supposed to see?" I asked myself. I had the impression I was missing something. Something I that was so obvious it would have bit me if it had teeth (as my dad used to say.)

"I have created most of the world like this." I heard the Lord say. "You will see it repeated in many areas of my creation, in life, in the spiritual and the natural. Keep looking."

Then it hit me. I was looking at various stages of life in the grass, the field, the trees and the mountains in the distance.

Just as there were levels to the grass, height to the trees and mountains, so are their various levels and heights to the things around us.

 Looking closely at the grass, I saw many different varieties of growth. Clover, rye grass, weeds, blue grass, and more. These gasses grew daily, were cut down weekly, dried out from time to time, and sometimes died off for a period or forever.

Then I looked at the field and saw the higher growth that was some of the very same grasses we had in the lawn, but were allowed to grow to their full potential. To bud and flower and go to seed. Occasionally they to may be cut or dryout or died off.

I noticed the trees on the edge of the field, standing proud and graceful watching over the grasses of the field and reaching higher to the heavens. Some would flower, some would change color, and some would die off if not cut down by men or lightning.

Then there were the mountains in the distance, made up of trees and grasses and having their own purpose in breaking the winds that blew through the valleys and redirecting it. By causing changes in elevations that brought temperature changes and caused storms to escalate or dispel their violence around them.

I noticed that all these parts of nature while rooted in the same earth, did not move about as the animals and people. They were stuck in their places just doing their best to be who they were. Never once moving under their own power. Just stuck.

"That's what some people are too," I heard the Lord say, "they don't care to grow closer to me. They allow others to cut them down and make decisions for them. Then there are some that grow for a while and get stuck at one level in life. Others grow to a point they feel they can point the way for those behind or below them. But they are all stuck. They are all part of my creation, but they are stuck. Look again." He said.

So I looked up over the field and at this precise moment I saw a flock of birds in perfect unison, swoop into the field, down into the grasses and then in one graceful movement, fly across the field happily chirping and enjoying their freedom.

"Now what do you choose to be?" he asked.

"Oh, this is easy! I want to be as the birds!" And then I thought how the birds never has to worry about a home, it's food, or fear the weather. The only thing the bird has to fear is it's enemy. The thief who tries to steal their eggs or babies possibly destroying it's home in the process. But even then while they do make a racket if they are aware of the thief in their midst, once the crisis is over, they don't fret about it. They rebuild and move on.

Freedom I have through Christ. Provision I have through God. Direction I have through the Holy Spirit. If I trust in these three, I have nothing to fear. Fear comes from not trusting. Fear comes from trusting in the thief and giving him more power than he deserves. Fear is why we get stuck.

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint.        Isaiah 40:31

Grandma Faye's Lasagna Recipe

This was a favorite dish my mom used to make when I was growing up. After sitting down with her as she made it to get the recipe, I enjoyed making for my own family. It became a favorite for them as well. Everyone raves over how delicious it is and I have never seen one with these ingredients.

So for my niece and nephew and three sons and their families...Mangia!

Serve with garlic bread and salad for a delicious meal!

Allow plenty of time to let the sauce and meats cook down.(3 hrs. at least)
Baking time, once assembled, is another hour.

2  T Olive oil (1 for sauce, 1 for noodle water)
3  lbs. chuck steak
3  lbs. pork loin ends or country ribs
1  lbs lamb loin end can take the place of 1 lb. of pork loin end (lamb adds flavor)
1  lg onion
3  cloves fresh garlic
1  T garlic salt
1  T Italian Seasoning
1  T crushed basil (dry)
1  T  Oregano (dry)
3  28 oz cans of crushed tomatoes
3  small cans tomato paste
3  lbs. lasagna noodles (regular, not the no-cook kind)
3  lbs. of ricotta cheese (low-fat or regular)
2  lbs. mozzarella cheese, 1/4" sliced or shredded* (lowfat and low salt if you can get it)
   *Don't buy shredded, it's coated with stuff to keep it from sticking together.
Cooking spray

In a large saucepan add olive oil and heat to brown meats. Remove browned meats from pan and slightly brown the onions. Add garlic - cook 1-2 minutes, but don't burn. Stir constantly. Add back the meats and add tomatoes and tomato paste and all seasonings. Stir. Bring to boil and then simmer for three hours or until meat fall off the bones.

Remove meat from sauce to a large bowl and allow to cool.
In the meantime, start a large pot of water to cook the lasagna noodles.

In a separate bowl put in the ricotta cheese and stir in a small amount of sauce (no meat) to make a smooth consistency - Not too much! You don't want runny cheese. Set aside.

Remove the bones and fat from the meat and discard. Break up all the meats into small pieces (they should just pull apart) and put back in the bowl.

Add the other tablespoon of olive oil to the water for the noodles. (You can add 1 tsp. of salt to the water if desired.) Bring water to a boil and add noodles one pound a time...Reduce heat to a slow boil. (Cook one pound then remove to colander carefully with tongs. Use the same water to cook the next pound and repeat.) This keeps the noodles from over-cooking and sticking together. As one pound cooks you can start assembling the lasagna.

As the noodles finish cooking and cool enough to handle, start to assemble the lasagna.
Use a large roasting pan or two 13" x 9" pans.

Add a small amount of sauce on the bottom of the pan to give the noodles a base to sit in.
Layer each item in the pan in this order:
Noodles, overlapping the sides a very small amount.
Meat - 1/2 the amount
Ricotta - 1/2 the amount
Mozzarella less than 1/2 as you need some for the top
Sauce divide for three layers
Repeat these layers
Top with noodles, cover with sauce and add mozzarella on top of the sauce.
Spray aluminum foil with cooking spray so cheese doesn't stick.
Carefully cover with aluminum foil but don't let the foil sit on the sauce or it will corrode!
Try to make a cover with the aluminum foil so it doesn't touch the cheese or the sauce and you will be golden!


Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
Remove foil and cook an additional 20 minutes.**
Let it set for about 15 minutes before cutting and serving.
(Good time to heat up some garlic bread!)
** For day ahead. You can cool and refrigerate overnight.
Reheat at 250 degrees for one hour.

Finally Found It!

When working at the Omega Institute, someone told me about the Stissing Mountain hiking trail.



Jim and I made it a goal of ours to find it and climb it.

After many years of driving around trying to find the trail head we finally located it today, hiked the trail and climbed the fire tower.

 We suggest taking the right hand trail and coming down the very steep left-side trail, but only if you have good knees. The climb up was steep at first, then gradual. The other way is steep and steep...no breaks.

          The views were worth it.

The tower is in need of some repairs, but still safe to climb...Wish some previous guests had taken their garbage with them...Not nice to find empty water bottles and plastic wrapping from candy bars and chips. UGH!

Then we had to climb down the fire tower and down the trail. My knees are not happy.


















 We discovered the old remains of the old cabin.

We came and we conquered!

Some pretty flowers (can you identify them?) and slinky friends we met along the way...actually three of them! All harmless Ribbon snakes.

After a hot shower and a nap. I feel normal again.All in all a great way to kick off the summer! Now on to that next bucket list item.

Puzzled?

During a strange expedition to seek photographs for my daughter-in-law, Corinn's Christmas gift, I stumbled across this barn at the end of the cemetery where my parents are buried.

It was a beautiful fall day and I captured many photos that turned out to be very nostalgic, educational and satisfying to my creative side.

When I posted this particular one on FaceBook, many suggested it looked like a puzzle. I researched to see what would be the cost to make a puzzle for Corinn who also has a passion for puzzles. The ones I could afford were cheaply made or too small. The larger ones that compared to the quality and size of what she likes, were cost prohibitive.

I wonder how one goes about getting their pictures used for puzzles? That is a research project for another day.

Wow, it has been a long time since I blogged. I communicate so much on Facebook, it really deters me from sharing here.

So many interesting things going on. At the beginning of a new year, we stand a precipice of a new adventure that we wouldn't have put in our life, but did watch for none-the-less.

As Jim's dad died of bladder cancer, we feel due to his exposure to asbestos in his car repair business and his poor diet, AND the fact JIm's grandfather died of prostate cancer, we have always been on the lookout for an symptoms of the disease.

Interestingly enough, it was a kidney stone that pointed us in that direction rather than rising PSAs.

So long story short, in November, Jim was diagnosed with prostate cancer. The family kicked into gear, researching through the internet, books, friends, extended family, and every medical professional or prostate cancer survivor we came in contact with.

The GREAT news:  Prostate has one of the BEST cure rates, BEST survivor rates if caught early. While most men don't contact it until they are much older, most never die from the disease.

Though Jim's is an aggressive  form of prostate cancer (hence getting it so young), it is only at Stage 2, so we need to treat it and not ignore as is the offering for others.

After two months of research, we have been fortunate enough to find a urological surgeon who has been performing robotic surgery for more than 20 years and has perfected the process beyond what we were reading.

So in February, Jim will have surgery with Dr. Perrotti of Albany Urologic Oncology.

The actual surgery can be seen here...pretty interesting to say the least:
Nerve Sparing Prostatectomy

Jim & JoAnn  - St. Augustine

The family -- Our wonderful sons in particular -- really kicked it up a notch by contributing toward funds to have us share Christmas with them!


We basically repeated the trip we did in September...starting with going to Jim's sister's home, where we enjoyed some Mexican food and hospitality with Christina; then moved on to Dan and Theresa's for a couple days and got to see St. Augustine at Christmas. Then we went on to Aaron and Corinn's where Dan and Theresa joined us and we exchanged gifts.

Dan & Theresa

Aaron

Corinn

Asher & Friend with Grandpa

Trying out Elijah's new gift

Christmas Eve we had dinner with Corinn's parents and Christmas Day were at Bryan and Jess' to celebrate with them and our GRAND sons!!!

Perfect holiday, Perfect Gift, Perfect time of celebration!

Asher's picture of Mom (Jessica)

Heading out to rollerskate.

Jim with Aunt Sylvia

This GrandMA went rollerskating with the boys and even learned that she like inline skates much better than the traditional roller skates! (I secretly expected this all along, but was afraid to try it.)

Jim and I took Asher with us on a visit to Lake Arrowhead to check out possible retirement locales. Beautiful place!

Asher delighted us with conversation, drawings and encouragement, shouting "Go for it Grandpa!" when teetered on the edge of a roller-coaster-like road wondering if our little Focus could make it up the steep hills.



Upon leaving the grandboys we drove on to visit Jim's Aunt Sylvia  and cousins Carol and Jeff, before heading home through the snowstorm (Go for it Grandpa???) and safely arriving home.

Sated and Grateful for all that we had seen, experienced and accomplished.

Now on to a new year with new experiences and new blessings!

A trip down memory lane...the fast lane!

Took a little ride yesterday to see the leaves and Jim took a way back that took us past one of his old hangouts.

 When I met Jim he was always spending his free time working on his drag car.

We eventually  ended up rebuilding the engine in my '65 Chevy Chevelle. So I always tell people, "I had to marry him to pay off the debt!" I will have to dig out pictures of our old cars.

Another fun story - I was taking business courses at OCS when we rebuilt the engine. One of my teachers, Mr. Stahl didn't believe me when I told him I was up late working on the engine of my car and asked to see my hands. He shuddered when he saw them and said something to the effect, "You better get those fingernails clean before going on a job interview. No one wants a secretary with THOSE!" lol 

Another business teacher, Mr. Gregor, kept teasing me every time I came to class..."Jo, ever since you got that car, I have noticed your not taking care of yourself. You NEED sleep! Did you set your hair with milk bottles or something?"







Back to our recent trip:


There were a few changes at the old raceway since we were their in the 70's. One was these cute little mini cars for what looked like a go-kart track.









Ah, the memories of loud cars, burning tires, and smoke!

You would think they would update things a bit...but not sure how many racers there are any more. Who out there remembers Lebanon Valley Speedway?

Memories gone awry...

A couple weeks ago, Jim and I decided to take advantage of the low humidity and bright sunshine to go check out our old campgrounds. The trip over the river and up the turnpike brought back memories of earlier days and we looked forward to the memories that would come rushing back.

We were prepared for some changes and updates. After all it had been a good 20 plus years since we had been to this particular state park. The first change we noticed was the sign...They renamed the park, Lake Taghkanic, back a few years. We did remember reading something about that in the news. The name we were familiar with was, Lake Taconic, like the parkway. But history shows that the place was originally named the Indian name for the area by the people who donated the property to the state.

As we passed the first entrance off the parkway, it was shut down. So we drove on to the more familiar second entrance and the memories started to flood back in. Just inside the gate one has to make a decision of going to the East (smaller) beach with camping area or the West beach. I had read on-line that the East beach was currently closed, so I directed Jim to the West beach. We pulled in and it was as if we stepped back in time...

There was the 'new' beach house that had been built in between the seasons in years past. The picnic grounds, the beach, the cabins were all as we remembered. We took out our camping chairs, our snacks and sat down to enjoy the view and the excitement of the families on the beach and reminisce of our times there. The smell of barbequed chicken was welcoming and memorable.

As we sat, I mentioned to Jim the changes I noticed:  kayaks on the water along with the rowboats and canoes we remembered; the variety of languages spoken -- or yelled in by the beach goers; and the tattoos -- on women and young people! Other than those reminders of the age we now live in...things were still the same.

Eventually, we put our chairs back in the car and walked the trail along the picnic area and cabins. We found a nice dirt road that went around the lake and walked it for about a half mile before turning back.

Before heading out of the park, we decided to drive down to see the old campgrounds and the closed beach. What awaited us was a depressing sight to behold.




Boarded up buildings, crumbling walls of stone, weed strewn beaches and nothing of what our 'fond' memories held.

Sadly the only things recognizable were the parking lot and the platforms for camping. The platform unfortunately did not hold a fond memory as it was where our oldest son fell and broke a rib when he was just a tyke...

They did have a new playground to one side of the now deserted beach.

It looked woefully out of place among the ruins.

As we pulled out of the park, we were greeted with a beautiful sunset. I couldn't help but feel God was showing us there is still beauty that cannot be destroyed by wear and tear or by abandonment.

It also put a nice close on a fading memory.