Over the last week we have had a lot on our plate…………we’ve been working at our new rental next door, we’ve had various people over for meals, a potluck, a huge Barbecue and Shower (59 people for dinner!) for Pete and Heather’s new baby (due the end of September),   and gotten five chickens…..that are laying!  At least three of them are.  And we are TIRED, so we are taking a much needed rest for a few days.

We celebrate our 37th (WHAT?!) wedding anniversary tomorrow on the 21st, and we are happy to say that we are still glad we got married so many years ago.  “We make a good team”, Doyle told me this last week and those words were some of the sweetest  I’ve heard from him!    That’s because I am a huge believer in  “teamwork” and when you can team up with a spouse to make something good and beautiful, then it’s all the better!  Yes, I do believe over the  years we’ve been a good team.  We’ve been through hard times, good times, thick times, thin times (many ways to take that!) and we’ve raised our family, started several businesses, been involved in numerous ministries, had too many people live with us over the years to count (although my kids  have tried!) and mentored and loved, fed and cried with people, people, people.  Because when it’s all said and done, the most important thing in life is that we’ve loved, uplifted, encouraged and worked with people.  Thank you Doyle for 37 years of never being bored!  Thirty-seven wonderful, years!  And thanks to my friends and family for “being” there, helping us be the people God intended for us to be!  Here’s to many, many more years together!

Our summer took a quick turn in the road, when my husband told me a couple of weeks ago that the property next to us was up for sale.  It included three acres of irrigated pasture land and a doublewide on a permanent foundation.  Should we buy it?  We thought about it and prayed about it alot.  And then Doyle made an offer on it.  The offers were bids, in that we had no idea how much anyone else was bidding.  We did however, know how much it sold for a few years ago (a steal, not to be repeated) and how much we were willing to pay for it, knowing how much irrigated land goes for in New Mexico.  So, we made an offer and waited.  The investors counter offered and so did we, and a week or so later we were told we had the best bid and they would sell to us.  So, last week, we got the keys to the home and inspected it.  What a mess!  The place needs a lot of work, punched holes in the walls, broken trim and missing trim, burned carpet (how in the world did the home not burn down?!), cat pee stain, etc. etc.  The weeds outside the home were so high you could hardly see the house in places!  You can just imagine!  The stove was so filthy, it took Lucy six hours of solid cleaning, and she still isn’t satisfied with it (I told her it would do!  .   But, Doyle and I have worked on places like this all our lives and we knew we could make it presentable and hopefully rent it out.  I told him to put an ad on Craigslist and see if we got any nibbles before we made an offer on the place, and we got a lot of nibbles!  So, we figured we could rent it without too much trouble.  So…..with Doyle and Elrond working last Thursday tearing out carpet and who knows what all, and then on Friday and Saturday, Pete, Doyle, Lucy, Junior and I working 8-10 hour days, we got a lot done.  Monday and Tuesday, Lucy, Junior and Doyle and I worked another 8-10 hour days and today, we started moving tools out, finishing up the painting, hanging mini-blinds, etc .  In between all of this, Heather fed us on Friday and Saturday and canned at my house, (the garden waits for no one, as we all say), and we interviewed a few prospective renters.  It looks like we have a young couple, to rent it, if they show up on Friday with some money, it’s theirs.  Did, I say, I’m tired, and I’ve painted enough these last few days to have a very achy back?  Are we crazy?  Maybe!  Are we insane?  Probably!  Is it scary?  Absolutely!  But, in the Meyer family, I’m afraid “risk” and hard work are two things that go hand in hand!

About this time of the summer, when I’m knee deep in cucumbers, green beans, Swiss Chard and zucchini (and patty pan squash), I start wanting Spiced Chocolate Zucchini Cake.  This recipe came from from a friend of mine, and elderly widow who lived up the road from us for years.  When I had little kids and I needed a break, I’d walk the kids up to visit Mrs. Strobel.  She was such a lovely woman and I think of her every summer when the Zucchini is coming out our ears, and I need something chocolatey.  So, today, being one of those days, when I’m knee deep in pickles and zucchini, I couldn’t resist and I made this cake.  It is very extravagant of me….I have no reason to make it, no one is coming to dinner, the grandkids aren’t even around….but…. I’ve made the cake, and here is the recipe.  You might enjoy making it with all your zucchini (or if you don’t have tons, find a neighbor with a garden or go to your local Farmer’s market).  From Mrs. Strobel to me, from me to you.  Here is a scrumptious yummy cake from years ago.

Spiced Chocolate Zucchini Cake

From Mrs. Strobel

2 ½ Cups flour
½ cup unsweetened cocoa
2 ½ tsp. baking powder
1 ½ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
¾ cup butter softened
2 Tsps. Ground cinnamon
 ¾ tsps. Ground nutmeg
3 eggs
2 cups grated unpeeled zucchini (about ½ lb. )
2 tsps. Vanilla extract
½ cup milk
Cinnamon Cream

Preheat oven to 350* F. Grease and lightly flour two 9-inch round cake pans, set aside.Mix flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt, setaside.   In a large bowl using electricmixer, cream butter, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg until light and fluffy.  Add eggs; mix well.Stir in zucchini and vanilla extract; mix well.  Alternately add dry ingredients with milk,beginning and ending with flour using one third of the milk at a time.  Beat until well blended after each addition.Pour batter into prepared pans.  Bake until a cake tester inserted into thecenter comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes.  Turnonto wire racks to cool.  Fill and frosttop with cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting.

 Cinnamon Cream cheese Frosting

1 pkg. (3 ozs) cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup butter softened

¾ tsp. ground cinnamon

4 cups confectioner’s sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 ½ -2 tbls. Milk or water. 

In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and cinnamonuntil well blended. Gradually add confectioner’s sugar mixing untilcombined.  Stir in vanilla extract.  Gradually add milk, beating at medium speedafter each addition until frosting is of spreading consistency.