Country Evenings

I just love coming home to the country after a long day at work - nothing soothes better.  Sure, the commute is long and there is always a list of things to do when I get home.  But the open, fresh, calming feeling is always there.  Here's a peek at my typical Monday night at home after a day at work and kids at daycare/summer camp:






A lot of my blog recipes are really just chronicling the way we really live - I mean, no offense, but I don't greatly alter my life for the sake of blogging.  :)  Often early in the week I will make one meal that I know I can turn the leftovers into multiple meals throughout the week.  Especially now that the kids have skating right after work on Tuesday's and I know we will be starving by the time we get home late in the evening so it helps to have something that will just require a quick reheat.  A blogger friend is taking a well-deserved vacation and I am excited to say I am guest blogging (first time ever!) for her so I wanted to do something really special.  I decided to start working on a 1 meat/multiple meals recipe but I worked it in to the weekly menu.  Not to give it away but here are a couple shots of parts of the guest post - you'll have to visit Michelle's Tasty Creations on the special day to find out more!

The hubster had to run past his folks house so that gave me some extra time to work on food prep.  His parents, bless them, make regular runs to their former neighborhood to get "real" Polish sausages and perogies (yes, those awesomely famous little church-lady kind!) and bring them back for all their kids' families to enjoy - we'll be doing that on Wednesday.  When he got home he pointed out that it had started raining.  Its been so long since we've enjoyed a good rain shower (plus the sun was shining through the rain) so we all got excited and went out under the Ash tree to enjoy the rain and look for rainbows.  No rainbows in sight but I did get some neat shots.

After dinner, cleanup, a load of laundry and ironing shirts, I headed out for a walk around the yard and chores at the barn while the kids got their jammies on and snuggled dad for a few minutes.  This doe (see her in the center?) watched me intently but wasn't too worried.  They get fairly used to me working along this edge of the property and will sometimes come right up to the back of the horse pen.  As long as we are respectful they don't usually take off in too much of a hurry.

Hay field starting to perk back up after the rain.

Banana peppers.

First of the Okra.

Apollo taking a stretch. Artemis has to come see
what's going on too.  Don't mind those shrub
trimmings in the background I didn't clean up yet...

Michigan drought - that's normally the lawn...

A lone Stargazer.

Then in to tuck the monkeys in to bed (and hope they stay put...), setting the coffee pot for the morning, and finishing up in time for our favorite shows.  Then to bed to get up and do it all over again...