Manitoba Sky Monday, January 16/17

Another week of Manitoba skies...one sunrise among the sunsets.

Another January sunset

I love the pink skies in the morning, and the moon just made this one better.

I was trying to get a picture of the bird against the sunset

More birds in the sunset

This sunset was beautiful...and just got better as we were driving later!

Scripture Picture Sunday # 23 Isaiah 1:18

Saturday Snapshot, Sweet Surprise!

Breakfast is always better when my husband makes it!

Puzzle In a Minute

  If you had a choice between a 3,000 piece puzzle with a picture of animals in a jungle, and a 1,500 piece Cottage Garden puzzle, which would you choose?  Earlier this month, I asked readers on my FB page to help me decide which puzzle I should work on. Guess which one I chose?

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I think everyone picked the cottage garden, and since I don't have any real garden tours to post, I decided that was the best choice.

The fact that the 3,000 piece puzzle measured 48 inches wide may have a had a little to do with my decision too.....The only place I could work on it would be our basement family room...which is lovely and sunny...but I didn't want to spend what might end up being a week IN the basement...alone!

The cottage garden fit on a piece of cardboad that could be moved from the dining room table to the coffee table, if needed. I even got some help from Brian and Danica!


Much like a real cottage garden, it was a process that took a lot of patience...sorting out colours...deciding where each flower, tree, or shrub fit...working a little here, a little there, realizing something needed to be moved...stepping back to admire our work....watching a beautiful garden and cottage take shape. 

I decided that if I was going to do all this work, I should make it worthwhile and take photos as we went along. When it was all finished, Danica made it into a slideshow. (Thanks Danica!) She got it down to as close to 1 minute as she could....not easy, when your mom takes a gazillion pictures!

ENJOY!

 

Bean Soup Recipe

  Looking for a hearty and filling soup to warm you up on these cold winter days? I've heard that January is national soup month, so what better time to share this bean soup recipe? 

 You can use any beans you like...I wouldn't normally have this many varieties of beans in my pantry, but my son worked for a bean co op, where farmers brought in truck loads of beans to ship. One of the perks of his job was cheap beans, so he brought me home several bags!

  This is the recipe I used for bean soup gift jars, so I've made it simple, with a small spice pack included, and with ingredients most people will have on hand. Of course it can be adjusted to your own taste, by adding whatever spices you like, and fresh garlic could be used instead of garlic powder.

You can also prepare this soup with or without meat, but we prefer it with pork.

Soup Ingredients & Directions

1.Wash beans and soak overnight

2. Drain and rinse

3. Place beans in slow cooker
    Add
    6 cups water, 
    1 28 oz can diced tomatoes, 
    1/2 c chopped onions
    1/2 c chopped celery
    2 tbs onion soup mix
    1 tsp garlic powder
    *optional seasonings

    *Bacon/pork if desired

4. Cook 7-8 hrs on high

And enjoy!