Lately...

There have been so many thoughts going on in my head lately....maybe...just maybe...I'll write them here soon...but here are a few pictures of things from my life lately....and a recipe....

Byron knocked on the door and I answered to find him standing there holding a very agitated rooster.  I looked at him inquiringly.....He just wanted to show me how pretty the rooster was getting....Byron loves animals and that makes me happy...

....a close up of Mr. Rooster...

Byron bought me an easel for Christmas....I think he's not so subtly urging me to start painting again!!!  I do believe I will....and soon....I propped up a sketch I quickly did recently on it....Talia informed me, "I Luuuoove it!", and "Please!!! Can I have it!!!!"  That makes me smile. 

Yes, I am going to start painting and drawing again.  Really, I can't help but draw...I can no more resist a piece of paper and pencil or pen placed in front of me than....well....I don't know...No more than something anyway!

Seleste noticed some of the potatoes sprouting, so I told her how when we were kids we used to prop them up above water using toothpicks and let them grow in a window....I returned to find....Not one, but this.....

It's planting time here.  I just finished planting eight varieties of tomatoes, eight varieties of peppers, and four varieties of eggplant.  Byron and I planted the Irish potatoes outside as well.

These are the varieties we planted.  Really, It's planting time here!

This morning Byron made these yummy bagel sandwiches for breakfast.  See those beautiful navel oranges in the background?  I must say these are the juiciest sweetest oranges I've ever had, and they're right off our tree!

...Anyway....I want to give you the recipe for this breakfast sausage.  It's yummier and less greasy than other sausages and you can make it a lot cheaper.  I used pork rump roast.  I think it's also called Boston butt...anyway you use ground pork.  I ground the pork myself.  The meat cost $1.89 a pound and that's not on sale.  When our local store puts it on sale it's around $1.29 a pound.  Jimmy Dean at our local stores cost anywhere from $2.98 a pound to almost $4.00 a pound. 

Making this yourself and freezing it in 1 pound packages can save you quite a bit.  It you buy the meat on sale you can save anywhere from $1.69 to $2.69 or so a pound....hmmm....pretty significant.  I got the recipe off of the Internet somewhere and just jotted it down instead of printing, so I'm not really sure where I found it.  Here it is anyway....

Yummy Breakfast Sausage

2 lbs ground pork (you can use 1/2 venison or wild pig as well)

2 tsp Dried Sage

2 tsp. Salt

1 tsp. Ground Black Pepper

1/4 tsp Marjoram

1 tblsp Brown Sugar

1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (I more than double this because we like spicy!)

1 pinch Ground Cloves

Mix it all up real good.  Use what you want and freeze the rest.

We like to use it in breakfast sandwiches, breakfast burritos, white gravy, and dressings.  You can use it anyway you use a Jimmy Dean type sausage.  Try it.  I know you'll be surprised.