A Strawberry Flavored Medley

Welcome to the last week of February.....really??

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So it finally stopped raining...

...these flowers sure have helped brighten up things around here this past week.

Like so many other areas, we've had enough rain here to last us for a very long time.

The sun finally came out on Sunday afternoon and the last couple of days have been lovely!

Even I, the lover of rainy days, was getting my fill.

I guess I better soak up all the sunshine I can since more is on the way.
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As you may remember, I underwent my third biopsy last week.
This time, I had the report in just two days and the results were very encouraging.
The doctor who did my procedure said she didn't think it looked like cancer, but inflammation,
and the report below came from the cytologist who tested the samples.

Of course were very relieved to get these result, still being a bit cautiously optimistic.
Dr. Allen still believes this is most likely a malignancy, not wanting to give false hope.
He also told us that he wants to be proven wrong.
And if you are relying on statistics, it is the most probable diagnosis.

BUT...my God is bigger and smarter than statistics!
.
One more biopsy (a different approach this time) will be scheduled very soon.
If this one doesn't prove cancer, I will likely begin a short course of steroids.
If the "tumor" shrinks with the steroids, then inflammation will be proven as well.
Autoimmune pancreatitis is when your body, for reasons unknown, attack it's own pancreas.
It's quite rare and often disguises itself as a malignant tumor, appearing as such on CT and MRI.
It is also very difficult to diagnose...thus the many biopsies.
So I say biopsy the heck out of me...as long as they don't miss any cancer!

I saw this meme on Facebook and immediately related it to what's going on in my life. 

In order for the Lord to give us the desires of our heart, we need to be willing to wait on them.

Therefore the LORD waits to be gracious to you,and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you.

For the LORD is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him.

Isaiah 30:18

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So I was all prepared to put out a plea to help our dear friend, Diane of Lavender Dreams.

Most of you already know that her lovely blog was removed for reasons unknown...

...but the good news is SHE GOT IT BACK, praise the Lord!

It's quite a mystery as to why this happened but the important thing is that she has her blog back!

I had not backed up my blog since I've been blogging...nearly six years.

Well, guess who's blog is all backed up now??

So today on the Wednesday Medley, Terri tells us that it is...

NATIONAL STRAWBERRY DAY

Hop on over to the Medley, copy and paste her questions to your own blog, 

plug in your answers, and link up!

You just might find out something you didn't know before. 😉

Terri writes...

We continue with February’s heart-shaped and red theme by observing National Strawberry Day on February 27. These juicy, sweet berries can brighten up any dish and are delicious all on their own.

There are a few different stories behind the origin of the name. The more widely accepted version is that the berries would drop off the leaves and become “strewn” about the plant. Overtime “strewn-berries” became “strawberries”. There was a time (and some gardeners still do this today) when strawberry beds were mulched with straw, insulating the plants over the winter, keeping weeds at bay during the growing season and making them easier to harvest. Another sweet story tells of English children stringing the berries on grass straws and selling the “straw berries” in their neighborhoods.

Not only are they delicious, but they are also fragrant. One of the more aromatic fruits, they belong to the rose family.

Strawberries are grown in nearly every corner of the Earth (if the Earth had corners) except for her most frozen southern and northern reaches. Along with all these possible locations, there are over 600 varieties of strawberries as well.

An excellent source of Vitamin C, strawberries are also a good source of folic acid, potassium and fiber. At 55 calories and zero fat in 1 cup, these sweet things hit the spot when a snack time is calling!

HOW TO OBSERVE

While the best season for strawberries is from late April to August, now might be a good time to scout out strawberry festivals and pick-your-own farms or plan to plant your own strawberry patch. Imagine sitting in your very own patch eating sun-warmed, sweet berries you picked or even grew yourself under clear blue skies.

BERRY PICKING TIPS:

• Pick fully ripe berries. Strawberries don’t continue to ripen if picked too early like bananas or pears.
• Don’t overfill your container. Berries are tender and can bruise easily.
• Don’t wash the fruit until you are ready to eat. Strawberries are susceptible to mold and washing will speed up spoilage.
• The best time to pick strawberries is on cool, cloudy days, but if they will be eaten right away, any time is perfect!
• If you pick more than you can eat before they spoil, strawberries freeze very well. Pluck off the green caps and toss into a freezer bag. Use for smoothies, ice cream or cake toppings.

HISTORY

Within our research, we were unable to identify the creator of National Strawberry Day. It is listed as an American Food Holiday.

1.  Given all that information on this 🍓National Strawberry Day🍓, do you have a favorite recipe for strawberries?  Would you share it with us?

Who needs a recipe? I like mine just like this...  

 

...that's a real humdinger, isn't it? Or how about this one? 

No real recipe here...if I remember correctly, this was my red, white and blue dessert last July 4th.

Again, no recipe needed...

...but since you asked for one...

Strawberry-Pretzel Salad

(click here for recipe)

2.  Some people think the smaller, northern varieties are sweeter than the larger berries that grow in the south and in California.  What are your thoughts on that?

I agree, the strawberries that you buy in the stores usually don't even compare to the locally grown ones. "Bigger is better" is usually not the case when it comes to strawberries. Every now and then you can get lucky but if they look white inside, you can pretty much count on them tasting like mushy cardboard... no thank you.

3.  There is a Strawberry Festival right here in Plant City, Florida (next town over from Lakeland) and it is a huge event that lasts 11 days with headliner acts each day.  Have you ever been to a Strawberry Festival?

There are many cities who have their own brand of Strawberry Festivals, one being in a town close to where I grew up in Troy, Ohio. I know it lasts for several days but I don't have any memories of attending it. My sister still lives there and I'm pretty sure she has been to a few of them over the years.

4.  Strawberries are grown in every US state.  Have you ever grown them in your garden?

I have never attempted to grow them in a garden of my own but I'd like to give it a try one day.

5.  Strawberry is the only fruit that has seeds on the outside, and technically it is not a berry but rather a fruit, and would you be surprised to learn that strawberries belong to the rose family?  Do you have any strawberry trivia to share with us?

Well, it seems I learn something new every day...I did not know that the strawberry belonged to the rose family! Did you know that folklore states that if you split a double strawberry in half and share it with the opposite sex, you'll soon fall in love? I didn't either...thanks, Google! 😉

6.  Tell us something random about your week!!

I am looking forward to getting into this book that I received in the mail yesterday. My pastor's wife will be leading a ladies small group starting this Sunday afternoon and this is the subject of our study. I took one look at the title and knew I was all in. Did I ever tell you that I don't believe in coincidences?

I know I keep saying this but I'll say it again...

thank you SO MUCH for your prayers!

Much love,