I will rejoice and be glad in it!  We have been very busy these days working on our farm.  It is that time of year when we are working in the garden, planting flowers, and cutting down trees and clearing brush.  In addition, we are trying to get our pasture re-planted with a good pasture mix, but it has been so dry, nothing has come up yet.  We are still waiting on a good rain.

Yesterday, my husband and I decided we would burn the brush pile from last week's clearing, and cut down some more trees in the orchard area.  So after a quick breakfast of cinnamon toast, and after the middlin's did their seatwork, I nursed baby Ben and put him down in his play pen, and left Rachel to wash some pots and pans and look after the little ones.  Amanda was doing chicken chores, so someone had to stay inside to watch Ben and Beth.  Everyone else went outside to work.

We thought we were going to get some thunderstorms in the afternoon, so we worked and worked.  I don't know how long we worked, (atleast a few hours), but after a couple of water breaks, the tired children finally got the OK to go swimming.  When we bought our place almost two years ago, it came with a pool.  My husband has become quite a pool-care expert, so when he decided to take the cover off last weekend, it took him a few days to get it "swimable."  But now it is sparkling clear, and the children are delighted to get their "physical education" time in the pool.

On days like this, I am usually working outside until dark.  When I think ahead, I usually have something cooking in the oven or in the crockpot.  Sometimes Amanda and Rachel fix supper so I can work longer in the garden, but this night Bryan had a meeting at 6pm, and the children were still in the pool, so I just let the big girls keep working on their projects and I thought we would have something simple and quick, and just eat later when Bryan got home.  I decided we would have Cowboy beans, Coleslaw and Corn.  Usually we would have homemade bread with it, but we were out of it (will make some tomorrow).  Cowboy beans go really well with "Texas toast" which is buttered bread gently broiled to a light toast in the oven, or lightly toasted in a pan on the stove.  Anyway I will share these simple recipes:

COWBOY BEANS:  Brown 2 or 2 and 1/2 pounds of ground beef or venison with a chopped onion and drain.  Add a large can of baked beans, 3 good squirts of ketchup and mustard, a 1/4 cup of sucanat with honey or maple syrup or sugar, and garlic salt and pepper to taste.  Let simmer on low for 10 minutes or so. Yum.

COLESLAW:  The quickest recipe is to take 2 bags of the shredded cabbage and put in a large bowl.  Add a chopped onion, 3 tablespoons of mayonaise, 1 and 1/2 tablespoons raw apple cider vinegar (or regular vinegar if that is what you have),  and garlic salt, celery salt, dill weed, chives, and pepper to taste.  Stir and mix well.  Delicious.

CORN:  I just bring water to a boil on the stove and add a bag or two of frozen corn.  Let the corn come to a boil, then turn off the heat.  Drain and add butter.  My children love this.

This simple meal satisfied my family of 10.  Of course, some of us had ice cream for dessert, but we definitely burned off the energy today!