Portugese Kidney Bean Soup
Barbara Leal Peugh

My mom made the best portuges soups... this one I've learned to ACE thanks to her skillfull teaching and the fact that she had it published  in her church cookbook.   Whenever I miss my mom sometimes I will make her soup. Comfort food for sure. Served with sweet bread ( aka Kings Hawaiin Bread) .


Serves 6 to 8

1 Medium onion
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
7 Cups Water
1 pound cooked smoked ham or 1 ham bone
1 large Linguicia sliced
1 bay leaf
1 tsp allspice
1.2 Cup tomato sauce
1 can/jar Marinara sauce
3-1/2 Cups red kidney beans or pink beans ( cooked or canned)
1 Cup sliced carrots
3 Cups peeled and diced potatoes
salt and pepper to taste

In large soup kettle cook onions with garlic powder in oil until lightley browned, add and brown linguicia . Add water and the ham bone. Bring to Boil. Reduce heat, simmer about 30 minutes.Add bay leaf, allspice, tomato sauce and Marinara sauce, beans and potatoes and carrots, simmer covered for one hour. Remove hambone and cut up the meat and return it to the soup.


In memory of my mom. One proud Portugese woman!

Farmgirl Sisterhood Fall ATC Swap

Well, Being a member of the MaryJane Butters Farmgirl sisterhood gives one a opportunity to reach out and meet online and in person  with like minded women.   Women that have things in common and perhaps share ideas, recipes, hobbies,  laughs and tears.  One of the things we do a lot of is Swaps of all kinds.... ( no husbands, boyfriends or significant others involved here!) I just finished and have ready to send out Artist Trading Cards... all a little different from eachother but with the same theme and charistics.  This Theme is What does Thanksgiving mean to me.... and this year, we have lots of changes in our Family.  Husband retiring, moving, baby boy of 5 kids is Graduating from High School.  So, I chose... the Season of Change, Family and falling leaves in a fall color theme with leaves and of course a bird... ( I love birds). These little babies took a while as there was a collage in each piece... frames with copper tape.  Cant wait to see what comes back to me... I love these Farmgirl Sisterhood Swaps.        

Family, Falling Leaves its a Season of Change. 

Front view...

Well, weve talked about moving to Idaho for 5 years now.  or maybe even longer. My wonderful husband fell in love with Idaho on several camping trips we've taken here over the years with our kids.  He has allways wanted to have a farm/ranch out somewhere in Idaho.  So, now that he is retiring next month... we brought ourselves out on a little trip for 5 days.  We had a realtor show us about 22 homes on different size acerage... and today. He put in a bid for a house that he loved.  Im leaving the decision up to him mostley the only thing I care about is that we are together, happy and able to go on adventures.. and I have a sewing, crafting room.  I am excited that the place he picked has acerage and the house is not some old broken down farm house that will be in need of a lot of repairs.  Yes, we will be building fences, putting in fruit trees and painting the interior... but in the mean time we will live our next 9 months in California.  We will focus on what we need to do there at home before we even worry about the Idaho house.. and we know that the seller accepted the offer, now we need to wait to see if the lender on the house will accept the bid as it is a short sale offer.   wish us luck. Hopefully, Idaho here we come.   2 acres. Near town, but in farmlands... Nampa outskirts.

Room for livestock, chicken coop, large garden and fruit trees. Back View

Phil Vassar and I on my Birthday.

I got to Meet PHIL VASSAR on my Birthday, and I diddn't have a camera... but this nice lady whom I've never met before captured the moment and emailed me the pictures.   Sometimes a stranger can be nicer than anyone you know.... The lesson I learned in this is NEVER GO TO A SMALL VENUE CONCERT AND FORGET YOUR CAMERA.... YOU NEVER KNOW WHO YOU'LL MEET!

I'm glad to meet you Phil, No, I'm glad to meet you... Thank you for coming
No, Phil... Im glad to meet you. Its my Birthday... Well, have a fun night, and really I'm glad I got to meet you!
He was funny!

My Homage to Gardening... Collage art

I just turned 52. Its a tough pill to swallow, but I have two choices. Celebrate, or crumble.  I decided to celebrate.   I have so many blessings. Nothing is perfect and There are a lot of things I wish I could change... the things I can change... I will. But more than anything my 52nd birthday is a huge milestone for me.  I know from this point on that every day is a gift, a diamond... and a celebration.  My happiness is dependent on my attitude.  One of the things I love is doing my art work. So on my birthday I decided to make something and I wanted it to reflect something I love. I found a paper mache dress form.  Layers and layers and layers I have my HOMAGE to GARDENING.  Now I want to make a HOMAGE to sewing, and one for chickens and farm life, one for photography, and so on and so on... you get the idea.   
This was fun making... and very relaxing and inspiring.  

On my birthday I got to meet PHIL VASSAR and he sang " my next 30 years" ... and when I listened to those lyrics... I realize... this may be all there is for me now... I need to make the best of them. I need to not worry about the small stuff and be happy. 

     My homage to gardening.


Side View and Front - Dream

Back view.... BLOOM. I love the butterfly and the leaf vine ribbon accent.

Front view... The skirt is made from pages of the shakespear classic

Midsummers Night Dream.   This was a fun project. Looking foward to my next one.