Do Hard Things. Then Eat Oatmeal.

Near the end of the school year, Cman (age 14) said to me "I'm reading a book, and I'm wondering if you would be willing to read it too, so you know where I'm coming from."

You know it's going to be good, when the foreward is written by Chuck Norris.

"Sure!"  I said.

He then went on to say, "The book is called Do Hard Things.  It talks about how society believes that teenagers are lazy and irresponsible and that we should live up to a higher level of expectation.  So, I'd like to take on more responsibility, this summer."

?!?!?!

Inwardly, I shouted "HALLELUJAH!!!" and did a "Praise Jesus!!" dance.

Outwardly, I simply said "OK."


And thus began our summer of doing hard things.

Our Summer Projects List

Our Daily To-Do List

Garden work is a daily task.  (compost area shown)

We built a mini stone wall, together.  :)  (I love me some stone walls.)

 We started organizing a pantry.  (Yay!!)

 He cleaned out the refrigerator, for the first time, ever.

And he helped carry food to the attic, then waited without complaint, in the 90+ degree heat, while I photographed the shot, below.

Blueberry Topped Baked Oatmeal w/Quinoa & Coconut Milk

And those are only a few of the things he's done!

Cman's work ethic has increased and the complaining has decreased.   And might I add, what a swell time for this to happen!  He's man-sized now, so he is truly a BIG help to us.  Thank you, Alex & Brett (and Chuck) for such a perfectly timed message!  And thank you Cman, for rising WELL above our expectations!

For all you foodies, the recipe for the Oatmeal/Quinoa dish can be found here.  I substituted blueberries, omitted the coconut and added walnuts.  Oh, and we lightly whipped the leftover coconut milk (with a wee bit o' raw sugar) and poured it over the top.  It was fantastic!!

For Kristen B. Because I don't want to get yelled at again, for not posting enough! ;)

A taste of things to come!

Learning and Yearning {food!}

Shortly after I decided to dabble in food photography, I was contacted by Susan V, of Learning and Yearning.  (Some of you may recognize her as my gardening mentor!)  She wanted to chat about, of all things... a food photo that she had taken. 

Woah!  I thought.  This is certainly a God-coordinated thing!



Not long after, I found myself in her cozy home, with the two of us laughing and winging our way through my first food photoshoot.  (Yes... first.  I'm just a wee bit behind, with posting the photos!!)

Food photography is quite a departure from my normal genre (people!) and I'm not sure that I could do it full time.  But it's been an interesting and sometimes challenging exploration, these last few months, to say the least!

Thank you to Susan and the other generous foodies who have given me the chance to play!  It's been a blast!!

Cloe N Company!

Conversations struck up with the lovely Donna, from Cloe N Company, in Clarks Summit, lead to some fun, with food photography!

Granola gets fancy.

 

Chunk O Chocolate & Real Vanilla with Nuts Granola.  Yes, please!!

Organic Chocolate Chip Cookies! (Made with cacao chips.)

 

I am excited to tell you that they TASTE GOOD!!

Barn Chicks Brand Granola "Fruits N Berries" Limited Edition.  Get it while you can!

This one was extra fun.  Donna trusted me to bake something with her bread flour.  (No pressure!!)

Phew! It turned out well!

Recipe can be found in "The Weekend Homesteader A Twelve-Month Guide to Self-Sufficiency"

Tough job, this food photography thing. "Must take a bite, to make it look authentic!"

If you're in the Clarks Summit area, be sure to stop in at Cloe N Company- "A tiny brick and mortar shoppe located in a quaint little town ... An ecclectic place where you will come upon a beautiful selection of American made & locally handcrafted items ... A place where you may enjoy a cup of hand blended tea ... and perhaps meet your favorite local artist .... Come on in and sit a spell !!"

*410 S State Street, Clarks Summit, Pa 18411

And a special "Thank you!" to Donna, for letting me play with her yummlies!!

What the FORK Truck!

Shortly after I decided to dabble in food photography for the season, I discovered "What the FORK Truck" (thank you, Facebook!).

 

 

 

Having met Mario, when I photographed his sister Marisa's wedding, I knew he was a good guy and had a hankering that the food & feel of the truck would be pretty fantastic too. Boy, was I right!! 

 

 

Once again... I am cursing the limitations of the internet and wishing that I could give you all a taste of the yummly. 

 

 

To track down the truck's daily where-abouts & unique menu, be sure to "like" their page. Then, think of me, as you gobble up some Truffle Fries... Cajun Lobster Mac N' Cheese... Grain Fed Beef Sliders w/Pepper Jack & Baconjam... mmm... 

 

 

My only complaint is that they don't have a stop in Lancaster County. Yet. ;) 

 

http://www.facebook.com/WTForktruck?fref=ts

 

To view more What the FORK Truck photos, visit here!

 

*Did you know?  What the FORK Truck uses grass fed beef and recycled/biodegradable containers?*