5 Steps to a Better Burger

 

HI!

*waves wildly*

GUYS I'M SITTING DOWN TO WRITE A POST. (I see you giving me that look, Chowboy. Hush.)

Lots of life has been going on but blogging hasn't (obviously, duh) so I should probably do a life update at some point (if people even read those anymore...I like instagram, y'all, but it's just not the same as reading a blog post.)(not that I actually read any blog posts anymore #unfortunate)(but does anyone else get really nostalgic whenever they read an old blog post? Or like when you see an old blogger friend on some other kind of social media and go "awwww I remember when we both posted weekly and commented on each other's stuff and had insanely long email threads about our favorite books"??)

Wowwww I'm feeling sentimental just writing this.

Anyway. All that to say, if y'all think a life update is overdue, then I might try to get one up within the next 6 months...maybe.

SO. That was a bunny trail. *cough* Anyway. Burgers.

A lot of my life revolves around food. I do a lot of cooking. I don't love cooking (though I like it more than I used to) but I do love eating so I feel like it balances itself out well. And one of my favorite foods to eat (besides tacos) is burgers. And while I'm definitely not an expert (I still procrastinate so long that I end up charring my burgers to get them done on time sometimes) I have found a few tips to just making that burger m e l t in your mouth.

I didn't take the time to actually take pictures of all of these steps, so if you're here for the aesthetically-pleasing-food-blogger-photos, there's the door. No pictures, just text (so if my brothers actually made it this far, congratulations, but I'm sorry, it's going to remain boring). (but it's food so it can't really be boring, can it?)

Five Steps for Making the Perfect Burger:

1. Thicker is better

We used to make 1/4lb burgers, but when the boys got big and two of those didn't fill 'em up, we started going bigger, and by that I mean 1/3lb burgers. That's a big hunk of meat right there, y'all, so don't be stingy when you shape your patty. It'll look HUGE (and if you're someone who doesn't eat much, disregard this point completely) but meat cooks down, don't worry. (and if you're like my brother and you like paper-thin burgers that are practically skillet scrapings, then...you have no clue what you're missing)(he loves Freddy's, in case you were wondering)

2. DON'T SMASH THAT PATTY

This is, quite possibly, my biggest tip. The urge is to smash the patty with your spatula to get it nice and flat and get it cooking faster—and the flatter the burger, the easier to know when to flip (and to make sure the middle doesn't stay raw). Don't do it. I repeat: don't do it. Smashing the patty squeezes all the juices out and you're left with a dry burger. SAVE THAT JUICE! I used to smash my burgers. But then my dad taught me the trick to knowing when to flip a burger: the juice! When you don't squeeze the juice out, it'll tell you when it's time! When the juice starts running out the top of the burger, that basically means (I guess?? I'm just basically giving an educated guess at this point) that the bottom is sealed off and it's time to flip it! And then you'll pretty much know when the burger is done when the color on the bottom matches the top. (kinda. You just basically get a feel for it.)

3. Low & slow

Don't rush the burgers (remember when I said that I often end up searing my burgers to get them done on time? Don't be like me. It tastes better that way). I know that all stovetops are different, so I'll just say to figure out a good temperature that allows your burgers to cook slowly and stew in their juices. (I'll often take 30 minutes or more, depending on how many patties I've got on my griddle...but our stove is over 30 years old, soooo it's got *personality*)

4. Lawry's seasoned salt

This isn't sponsored (me? Sponsored? That's a funny one). I just love Lawry's seasoned salt. My grandma swears by it, and y'all know that if your grandma says a certain food brand is the best...it just is. Because grandmas are legends in the kitchen and they're just superior. Lawry's seasoned salt just...tastes better. I've used other salt, but it's just not the same. So. Grind some pepper on that patty and sprinkle on some Lawry's and you're good to go!

5. Paper towels

Trust me on this one. Once you have your burger assembled (burger, bun, cheese, ketchup, whatever you put on it), wrap that baby in a paper towel. No joke, I'm pretty sure my family's favorite thing about summer is that we start taking burgers to the field, because we wrap the burgers in paper towels. I don't know exactly what it is, but something about the way it locks in all the moisture and mixes all of the flavors together just...*chef's kiss* No joke. We literally get excited about it (because who wants to waste money on paper towels if you're just gonna eat in the house anyway??)

So there you have it! Five steps to a perfect burger. If you already implement these tips, I'M SO PROUD OF YOU. If you have other tips, PLEASE LET ME KNOW because I'm always happy to improve my skills.

Okay, I'm probably gonna just hit that post button without editing this post because honestly y'all, I'm tired of typing. Peace out, kids! *flashes the peace sign and exits the chat*

10 Tips for a Good Day, Part 2 {A Guest Post by Brooklyne}

Aaaaaaand we're back with part 2 of Brooklyne's 10 tips for a good day! (if you missed part one last week, you can find it here)

Number Six // Make a Manageable List

I like lists. I like making them. I like crossing them off. I’m the kind of person that when I’m in the grocery store and put sometime in the cart that was not on the list, will write it on the list just so I can have the satisfaction of crossing it off. XD

Call me weird, but lists rock! Although I will admit, to-do lists are kinda overwhelming at times. That’s why it’s best if we can keep our to-do lists manageable. Don't put something on the list if you know it’s unrealistic. Make your list, and if you feel it is too long for that day then only pick a few things on the list to do. If you try to do it all, you will be running around like a chicken with its head cut off. We’ve all been there, and it’s not a good feeling.

Number Seven // Conquer Procrastinating and be Intentional 

So you know that thing people call Social Media? Oh… Yeah… that. Sometimes we’d rather be procrastinating online or whatever than to be intentional about what we really need to have happen that day. We are all guilty in this area. We get sidetracked. Then, before you know it, we’re scrolling through Instagram or Facebook or pinning something to Pinterest, or catching up with blog posts or texting a friend. 

It’s hard. To be intentional and to stay focused. But it’s truly worth it. Finding moderation and balance is so important to having a good day.

Number Eight // Don’t Forget to Celebrate

Let’s not call it a bribe… let’s call it celebrating! When you’ve got a lot done on your list and you feel like you’ve been productive, give yourself some free time. Get outside for a walk (or a four wheeler ride!) Have a snack. Watch a short YouTube. Give yourself something to look forward too. Like a mini prize after you’ve worked hard.

Number Nine // Read That Book

Work hard, but never forget to take time to have fun and do something that brings you joy. Many times, when life gets busy, we can so easily edge these things farther and farther out of our days. So make sure to leave room in your day to read that book, watch that movie, create that diy project, take a bath, bake those cookies, etc. 

Give yourself a little bit more than just free time. Do something that gives you joy and fills you with contentment.

Number Ten // Journal and Pray

I love having a journal. I don’t write in it every day, but I love documenting parts of my day, events that are taking place, or just my thoughts. Journaling is something that is meaningful. 

Prayer is so important, and sadly it’s one of the things that I often forget to do. I’m talking about praying more than just before every meal. It’s important to talk to God throughout the day just like we would a friend. Just knowing God has a special plan for each of your days is reason enough to have a good day! So let’s take each day as it comes, and try our best to live in the moment so we can have days that are more than just “good.”

And there we go! Thank you so much for guest posting, Brooklyne!

(And y'all, if you don't already follow her blog, what are you doing?!)

10 Tips for a Good Day, Part 1 {A Guest Post by Brooklyne}

Today I have a special treat for y'all! I asked Brooklyne from Showers of Blessings (her blog is fantastic and why aren't you following her??) to do a guest post, and she graciously agreed—so, without further interruptions (interruptions = me talking), let's get right to Brooklyne's post: 10 Tips for a Good Day. (I'm splitting this into two posts, so double the fabulousness!)

(One fun tidbit: I met Brooklyne in person last November, and it was amazing!!)

Hey everyone! My name is Brooklyne and I am honored to be guest posting here on Twin Thoughts! First, to tell you a little bit about myself… I am a homeschool graduate with a passion for writing the words God has placed on my heart. I live on a farm with some of the most amazing people who I am blessed to call my family. Some would call me a Jane Of All Trades because I have many hobbies and interests, a few of those would be the following: woodworking, soap making, painting, gardening, spending time with our animals, etc. I am currently a aspiring indie author and graphic designer. I’m learning all sorts of things while I build my brand as a small business owner selling handmade items. I blog over at Showers of Blessings, and I love “meeting” new blogger friends. My favorite color is blue, nature is my happy place, and frozen hot chocolate drinks are da bomb! 

But enough about me, lets get into this post shall we?

Ten Tips for a Good Day. First off, we all have different definitions of a “good” day. To me, a good day looks like being productive, working hard, having fun, and finding time for not only the things on our mile long to-do lists but also things that bring us joy. Yeah, that’s all great, but lets face it, not all days are as picture perfect as the one I just described up above. So how do we turn our mundane, normal days into good days? I’m happy to be sharing some tips that seem to help me have better days and I hope you can gain something from them too! 

Number One // Choosing an Attitude of Gratitude 

It might sound cheesy, but it’s true. Every good day starts with a good attitude and a positive mindset. So when we make that choice to have an attitude of gratitude (choosing joy, if you will) then we are already setting ourselves up for success and half the battle for a good day is already won.

Some ways to start off with the right attitude are the following: making a list of what your thankful for, take a walk, pray, write a favorite Bible verse on a 3x5 card and stick it in your pocket as a reminder, etc.

Number Two // Prioritizing What’s Most Important 

Decide what’s most important to you and make that your top priority. Whether it be family, your writing, your job, what you’re passionate about, a project you are working on, etc. Find what matters most and don't hesitate to make time for it, even if that means saying “no” to something or someone. Trust me, as a people pleaser myself, I know how hard it is to say that you’ll pass on something in order to keep time open for something more important. But in order to feel productive at the end of your day, you have to prioritize, because you can’t do everything all at once.

Number Three // Stop Tearing Yourself Down

How can we have a good day when we are constantly tearing ourselves down? Both physicality (by overworking ourselves) or mentally. Sometimes we are so hard on ourselves that it just ruins the rest of our day. 

The truth is, you're not perfect. You make mistakes. You sleep in. You have a cheat meal. You are late to the meeting. You mess up that painting. You have an awkward introduction. You forgot to do your morning devotion. Whatever the case may be… 

So stop tearing yourself (and others) down and start building yourself up. You make mistakes, but you’re not giving up. You slept in, but you still got up and around so you could tackle your day. You had a cheat meal, but are determined not to make it a cheat week. You were late to that meeting, but you learned for next time to plan ahead. You messed up that painting, but was able to fix it with some creative problem solving. You had an awkward introduction, but it was much more awkward in your head that in reality. You forgot your morning devotion, but decided tomorrow you would try harder. You get the picture!

Stop tearing yourself down, because once you show yourself some grace, your day is going to look a whole lot brighter. 

Number Four // When You Hit the Snooze, A Good Morning You’ll Loose 

I can’t stress enough that mornings are when I feel the most productive. It may just be me, but when I get up with my alarm (and not the annoying snooze that is really just a tease) then I can have a satisfying morning. Morning routines are gold. When you get up, you should know the plan and start your morning. If you don’t know the plan, you’re liable to stay in your pajamas all day… 

In the mornings, I like to workout. When I get a workout in, I feel—well, tired and sore— but also ready and productive. After my workout, I do animal chores and have breakfast. Then I get started on the agenda for the day.

When our mornings are filled with things that will give us energy for the rest of the day, then we will feel so much more productive by the time 3:00 o’clock rolls around and we are starting to slow down and feel less motivated.

Number Five // Block out your time

This one is similar to Number Two. But the cool thing is, you get to decide what you do in a day (well, for the most part.) So take advantage of that and block out your time so you know what needs to be done and when. 

If you need to write but find yourself caught up in other things, block out time for writing. Set a goal that you will write for one hour at 5:00PM. Then when 5:00 o’clock comes around, go sit down and set your timer. 

Blocking time like this can be super helpful for some people, but for others, it doesn’t work as well. Some need more of a flexible schedule. But give it a try and see if it works for you!

Such great tips! Thank you so much, Brooklyne!! (also that bit about not hitting your snooze button—I'm COMPLETELY with you on that one! It makes such, such a difference!) (unless you're like me and sometimes to go back to sleep once you move from the bed to the chair...)

Come back next week for five more tips for a good day!

Diy Scrunchies {A Guest Post by Kara}

Hey Y'all! Since Kaitlyn has been so busy getting ready for her blog tour, I decided to take it upon myself to revive the blog. That way you guys won't get bored not having anything new to look at on here!;P So, without further explanation, SCRUNCHIES!!!!!!

For this project you'll need: fabric, a needle and thread, scissors, fabric chalk, a safety pin, elastic, and a ruler.

To start out, use your ruler and chalk to measure out fabric 17 inches long and 3 to 4 inches wide. Cut  out your rectangle.

Fold your fabric inside-out and sew along the edge, longways. I used a sewing machine but you can always hand sew it. (To keep it from coming apart, knot it securely every time you sew it.)You should now have a 17 inch long, inside-out tube.

Flip it so it is right-side out. Take a length of elastic, (about the size of your wrist or a little smaller) attach it to the safety pin and thread it through the tube. The safety pin makes it easier to slip the elastic through the cloth.

Sew the ends of the elastic together. Okay, here comes the tricky part--match up the seam on each end of the tube, and stick your needle out from the inside so your knot is on the inside of your tube. Sew directly across to the other end. Staying on the same end make a stitch to the side, and sew back to the other end of the cloth. It should look something like this:

 Once you've done that all the way around the tube, pull it so you can't see the thread. (If any fray pieces are sticking out just tuck them in best you can.)

And there ya go, you've got an adorable scrunchy! The first time or two making them they might turn out a little messy or harder than you thought, but after a few tries, you'll be making them like a pro!

Have any questions? Do you love scrunchies? What's your favorite? Tell me in the comments!

Totally adorable pic Kait!:P Nice pose without your face... again. ;D

In my defense, you told me to pose, and I did. I happened to be reading.

As usual.... :D

Hope y'all enjoyed!

~Kara

Field Meals + Blog Updates

Wheat harvest is in full swing! I don't know about you, but I'm kinda in denial that summer is officially here already, and that the longest day of the year is past. I mean, seriously, didn't we just have Easter? And Mother's Day? Like, yesterday?

Okay, I'll stop talking about how time has flown. One of these days, I'll cut it out of my posts completely.

Eventually.

ANYWAY. If your family is like mine, meals eaten in the house occur less and less frequently. With the guys constantly outside, more and more of the meals we make need to be taken outside. If the guys were to come in for every meal, it would cut quite a bit of time out of their work schedule. So pretty much every day during the summer, we pack their suppers, and during harvest, we pack lunches as well.

It can be super hard to take meals to the field; the guys eat on the go, so we can't exactly throw some spaghetti into a container, hand them a fork, and send them on their way, can we?

So if you're ever in this predicament, never fear! Here's some short tips that can go a long way when it comes to packing meals to eat on the go.

Pockets. Probably nearly half of the meals we take to the field are pockets. Cross Schwan's hot pockets with bierocks, and you've got pockets! Make bread dough, roll it out on your countertop (or cutting mat, in my case . . . ), cut it into squares, add the stuffing you like, fold the corners together, and bake! These are perfect because not only are they one-handed and practically mess-free, but you can add so many combinations of stuffings! BBQ, pizza, Alfredo, etc., with any kind of meat you like—just don't forget the cheese. Cheese really makes these babies amazing.

Pizza. Now, this isn't ideal. But if you're desperate for something different, take two pieces of pizza and put them together in a baggie, topsides together. This tends to be a bit messier, but making a sandwich out of it helps.

Wraps. No, don't just slap some cheese & ham on a slab of bread. I mean, you could. We've done it ourselves. But you want some really good wraps? Cheese, cream cheese, ham, lettuce, onion (bleck—I'm the only one in our family that doesn't like onions), and tomato. Can't forget the tomato—just ask my brothers. But you don't only have to use ham! Turkey, chicken and roast beef work great too. Or, if you wanted a variation of wraps (because, c'mon, wraps can get really old really fast), make quesadillas! If you make them with two whole tortillas and cut them into quarters, they fit into sandwich baggies really well.

Burgers. There's . . . nothing special that you can really do with these, I guess . . . but I thought they were worth mentioning. Because, I mean, burgerssssss. What's not to like?? (One thing that we tried though that was a smashing success with the guys was to caramelize the onions with barbecue sauce before putting them on the burgers. They loved it.) I will say, though, that wrapping them in paper towels makes them taste better. I'm not kidding. It's weird, but true! Maybe just the way it keeps the moisture inside.

Leftovers. If we have enough meat, we like to make extras of ^^aforementioned stuff. Pockets, especially. They freeze epically and are so easy to take out of the freezer and pop in the oven if you're ever short on time.

If you've got hungry guys in the field, or your summer is just super busy and you have to eat on the run, I hope this is a help to you!

Now, for the blog updates.

I've created an author blog! You can find it here. If you're following me because of all my bookish posts and writing updates, you'll want to follow me there. Why? Well, after much thought, I've decided to make my new blog my book blog, and Twin Thoughts will remain solely a lifestyle blog. (But, I mean, books are a huge part of my life, so that might bleed into these posts a liiiiiitle bit . . . ) So if you're following me for the posts other than the bookish stuff, then you'll want to stay here. ;) So, yeah, no more updates here for Beloved. If you want to continue following my publishing journey, follow my author blog.

I'm excited to see where this leads! Thank you, my loyal followers, for all your support!

7 Tips for New Bloggers

If you're new to the blogosphere, and if you're like me, you're jumping into it headfirst without doing your research. Because I'm one of those people who likes to figure things out as I go along—for me, blogging has basically been a trial-and-error process. And now, after blogging for nearly three years, do I regret that? Yes. One of the things that really turned me away from research was that I was so overwhelmed with where to start. My amazing sister-in-law gave me a book about blogging, and amazing points for starting my own blog, but in typical fashion, I didn't want to read through an entire book in order to learn how to blog.

So if this is you, let me give you some advice, blogger to blogger, so maybe you can learn from my mistakes.

1. Take your time in naming your blog.

If you suddenly decide to create a blog and just make up a random name so you can get started, you're more than likely to change the name later, causing a lot of confusion. Be patient, make a list of options, brainstorm with your bestie. But be careful and choose a name you know you'll be happy with for a long time. I've thought about changing the name of Twin Thoughts several times; I honestly don't know if it's as catchy as I'd first thought, or if I even like it that much anymore. but the more I think about it, the more I realize that I shouldn't. Because Twin Thoughts has been Twin Thoughts for nearly 3 years. If I wrote an entire blog post explaining why I changed it, that post would just get buried beneath all the dozens of other posts I'd write later, and I'd probably lose some followers over it simply because they don't recognize the blog name and think that they followed the wrong blog by mistake.

So, stick with your title and set your mind on it, or create a new blog. But don't go make a new blog. Because if you don't like the title you have, there's a good chance you won't like your new one a few years down the road. (plus the aforementioned confusion.)

A tip for coming up with your blog's title, though—don't make it long. Twin Thoughts actually started out as Twin Thoughts: The Ramblings of a Country Twin. Catchy, huh? 

Eh, no.

Wayyyy too long. And fortunately, I realized that early on and simply shortened the title to Twin Thoughts, having The Ramblings of a Country Twin as the subtitle . . . tagline . . . whatever you want to call it. Then, of course, I became discontent with that tagline and it eventually evolved into The Writing & Rambling of a Farmer's Daughter. It sums up both who I am, and what the blog is mostly about.

2. Pick a theme and stick with it. When I started, like I said, I had no idea what I was doing. I created a cute-looking blog that I was thrilled with, and it looked much like this one:

But I was so excited about blogging that I wanted to have fun and change my blog's look. So I changed it. And I changed it again, and again. It was so much fun! But the problem is, I kept changing my blog's look a lot. Is this a bad thing? Not necessarily, but you really need a look that captures the heart of your blog, not just what looks cool. A fresh look is nice every once in awhile, but don't overwhelm your followers with an overload of new designs! They might think they followed the wrong blog if you suddenly changed it! ;) Plus, if you're concentrated too much on what your blog looks like, you tend not to pay as much attention to the quality of the content.

So what I'm saying is, no, changing your blog's look isn't bad. But don't make a habit of it.

Speaking of content, if you decide to change that, that's a whole other ball game. Going with the previous point of keeping your title, if you want to change your entire blog—both content and title—then I would say, by all means, make the new blog.

But for Pete's sake, don't be fickle, people!

3. Keep it uniform.

If you're constantly changing the format of the posts, or have different fonts for everything, it tends to give the appearance of a lack of organization, and who wants to read a disorganized blog? That's something I've struggled a lot with on my blog. My header was one font, my gadget titles another, my post titles another, my graphic fonts another. Now, here is where I give you just my personal preference. You don't have to have the same fonts for everything. No, really, you don't! Do I think you should? To some extent, yes. You want your blog to look as neat as possible, right? (if that's not the case, then maybe you should stop reading this post . . . ) If so, then yes, using similar fonts is my recommendation. Do you have to use similar fonts for everything? Well, no, I mean, like I said, this is just my personal preference. Maybe it's just the graphic designer coming out in me, but when I check out a new blog, I like it to look like the blogger has her mind all made up on what her blog is: fonts matching, graphics similar (but I mean, if you make gorgeous graphics, you might persuade me otherwise, like this young lady right here), text breaks the same (if you're gonna use asterisks, great, if you're gonna use an image, great—just don't use both), font sizes the same, etc.

One thing about graphics, though—I wouldn't recommend what I did. I started out with no graphics, then random graphics, then uniform graphics, then a different kind of uniform graphics. My point? I changed my mind. A lot. Not recommended, peeps. Like I said, it tends to show a lack of organization—or at least, in my case, it did. ;)

4. Make your blog reader-friendly.

Imagine if you were a visitor to your blog. What would you want to see? People may want to get to know you a bit better before following you—put up an 'about me' page ASAP. Don't have time to write up an entire page? Simply make sure your profile, or a short bio, is on the sidebar! I would actually recommend doing both, as some people want to know the general idea before taking the time to read an entire page about a person whose blog they may or may not follow. Have a picture with your bio—it doesn't have to be of your face, but simply a photo that gives your viewers something with which they can connect you. A picture is worth a thousand words, and people like visual aids with what they're reading.

(Ha, listen to me, talking about visual aids while having a measly handful of pictures in the middle of my post . . . )

Seriously, though. Imagine what you'd want to see, then apply it to your own blog! Dark colors may look cool to you, and that's great—if you like it, go for it! However, it's a natural tendency for people to be more attracted to bright, cheery blogs rather than dark ones. If it reflects what your blog is about, then by all means, do it! But which are you more drawn to out of these two?

5. Create and stick to a schedule.

There are two main benefits to keeping a schedule. First, it keeps you accountable. If you have a deadline, you're much more likely to keep posting than if you simply post when you feel like it. Keeping a schedule is hard. Very hard. Goodness gracious, I know it—that explains my unexplained hiatuses throughout my blogging life. But keeping a schedule helps you develop self-discipline, as well as forces you to actually be punctual (unlike this person *points to self*). 

The second reason is that people like someone who actually has order in their life—or, at least, looks like they have order in their life. They like to know what they're getting, and when to expect it. Honestly, if a blog doesn't post regularly, I'll sometimes unfollow it, depending on the content.

6. Don't overdo on the labels.

Honestly, I feel like that's one of the biggest mistakes I've made with my blog. I've made so many labels when all I needed was a few—rather than 'About Me, My Family, My Twin, Ramblings,' etc., all I need is 'My Life.' People would get the point instead of trying to wad (or maybe even drowning) through all the labels I have. It keeps things organized, you might say—well, let me say that if there's a whole bunch of labels on a blog, there's no way I'm going through them all. And please, people, don't use Cloud format! I understand that some of you like it, and that's fine. If you think it looks good, go for it. But look at this:

Compared to this:

And you tell me which Label gadget is easier to read.

(but seriously, folks, don't use that many labels.)

7. Participate in the blogosphere.

I can't stress enough how important this is. Sure, you'll gain followers as you go along by yourself in your own little corner. But to really become established in the blogging world, follow other blogs. Comment on them. Make your presence known. A lot of bloggers will check out the people that comment on their posts! Not only will this give you traffic to your blog, but it will also introduce you to people that you can relate to. Getting to know other bloggers is so much fun, and reading others' posts will help you develop your own voice in the community in which you're trying to establish yourself. You want followers? Good, but it goes both ways. If you're participating in any form of social media, you know that the best way to gain followers is to go find others with blogs/accounts similar to yours, and follow them. Now, with blogging, you don't necessarily have to follow as much as comment and interact.

Does it seem like I'm repeating myself? I feel like I keep repeating myself. But seriously, it's true. Ask other bloggers. You don't get followers by doing nothing.

Are you a new blogger or a veteran?

What are your tips on blogging?

Things to Understand About Introverts

Sometimes, introverts come across as rude or condescending. Sometimes even boring or stuck up. But the truth? Well . . . let's explore some things, shall we? Being an introvert myself, I can assure you that sometimes even just the thought of talking to people can make introverts shake in their boots.

So first of all, when we stare at the floor or keep quiet during a group's conversation, there's probably one of four things going through our heads: 1) we don't feel like we have anything intelligent to add to the conversation and we just feel stupid if we open our mouths, 2) we feel rude if we butt into the conversation, 3) we don't want attention, or 4) we're tired and want to go home.

If an introvert acts like they want to go home, do not take it personally. It's not that they don't like you—it's just because introverts get utterly exhausted by people, and in order to keep from becoming grumpy and trollish, we have to go home and sit in silence for about 18028 hours (sliiiight exaggeration, I guess. Maybe.) to recharge and be ready to face the world once more. Again, it's not personal. Sometimes we even get tired of ourselves.

If an introvert stiffens when you give them a hug, again, do not take it personally. Well, I mean, if they just don't like you, that could be the case, but sometimes introverts just really, really like their personal space, and they don't like it invaded. I personally love hugs (not sure if I'm in the minority here), but some people don't. And getting hug after hug from someone I don't know well? Ehh . . .

If you meet an introvert online before you meet them in person, you may be kinda shocked at how quiet they can be in person as opposed to online. Do they have two personalities? No! Now, I can't speak for all introverts, obviously, but in my personal experience, if an introvert acts like an extrovert online, it's because we really feel more comfortable being ourselves when people aren't right there staring at us.

*gasp* Introverts are bubbly on the inside?

Actually, sometimes, yes. It's just a lot harder for us to open up and be ourselves face-to-face with real people. So when we act bubbly online as opposed to in person, it's often because we feel so much more confident when people can't actually see us. If that even makes sense.

So, sometimes when we seem to be super stuck-up or condescending, it's not because we actually are (I mean, sometimes, maybe, I guess, but everyone has their moments . . . ). We just feel really uncomfortable and out of our comfort zones, and don't know what to say, do or act. We feel conspicuous just by sneezing in a crowd. So next time you spend time with an introvert . . . be patient, 'kay?

Well, I hope that gave you a bit of insight into why we introverts are the way we are. Introverts: can you relate? Extroverts: does this help you understand us a bit more? ;)

How to Find Post Ideas When You're Uninspired {and How to Prevent it in the Future}

You ever have those moments when you're thinking like, all day, about what to post about and you still haven't come up with a good idea?

Yeah, me too.

So, I'm here with some solutions for you, and how to (hopefully) (somehow) (maybe) prevent this problem from occurring again.

First of all, ask yourself some questions: what's a category I haven't talked about in awhile? What are some things that I'm currently extra-passionate about? What has God been teaching me about lately? What are some questions that I've been asked recently that I can answer/explore?

Once you've narrowed it down to a generalization, it's time to pick a specific topic to ramble about. Sometimes, if the topic is big enough (or if you just have too many words to say about the subject than will fit in a nice-sized post), you can turn it into a series, not only writing a post for your current needs, but also having your next post planned out—and possibly even written—ahead of schedule! Then you can congratulate yourself on being a wonderful time manager.

Until your second post is past and you realize that you let time get away with you, and you're back to your old dilemma.

So then, you pick another topic.  How to find the best topics? Well, for one, you can dig into your blog's stats and check out your most-viewed posts. But if you're like me, even this could be a problem. See, my father learned that every time he reloads the page (he's got this down pat—something like 20 times a minute), it puts another view on that post. So yeah, now his favorite post has over a thousand more views than any of my other posts.

Anyway, you could also visit other blogs to see what posts have the most comments, or maybe even ask some people you trust what their most popular posts are, or what they'd like to read.

Or, even better, you could write that post that you've been wanting to read/write. What's that little idea that's been stuck in the back of your head for awhile? (Orrrrrr if you're like me, you basically never have a little idea stuck in the back of your head and you improvise at the last minute.)

What are some more specific ideas? Let's brainstorm, shall we?

-Elaborate one a subject you're currently studying, whether you're actually in school or not.

-Share some thoughts about your daily devotional.

-Get political if you like; rant about something controversial if you want a lot of traffic.

-Share some photography.

-Host a guest.

-Compile a list of common myths and bust them.

-Give a demonstration of one of your hobbies and video it, or do a step-by-step photo tutorial.

-Ramble about a random topic like nicknames or bed bugs.

-Have a sense of humor? Do a comedic post!

-Share some favorites, whether it be music or movies or books or YouTube channels.

-Review a book or movie.

-Give some advice on a subject you know well.

-Post a poll on whatever you think needs it, such as where you should take your next vacation, what posts people like to read, or whether or not you should redesign your blog (I'm actually toying around with the idea of redesigning . . . any recs on a color scheme? Or should the blog stay the way it is?).

Annnnnd there's thirteen post topics for you to choose from!

How can you keep from scrambling to find a post idea at the last minute? The answer is simple, really: schedule ahead. But, I know better than anyone that it's super hard. There's so many other things I'd like to do rather than write blog posts in my spare time. But you really have to just do it. They won't write themselves. Something to keep you accountable is to have a blogging buddy to give you a prod in the right direction, and vice versa.

Another way to (kinda) stay on top of things is to make a post draft with the title of a random idea you come up with. Then, when you have time to actually write a post, just sift through your drafts and see if one of the titles catches your fancy. Then, viola! You're good to go.

I hope this whole post helps you . . . and if it doesn't, well, come back next week, and I'll (hopefully) have a special post for you. ;)
(No, Chow, you probably won't be interested.)

Five Tips For Every Vegetable Gardener

Living on a farm, we naturally grow a lot of food.  I mean, farmers feed the world, right?

We also feed ourselves (imagine that!).  But we don't eat the heads of wheat or ears of field corn (field corn is field corn, not the kind of corn you eat at a barbecue) often associated with farmers.  We grow gardens.

Of course, this is more of the ladies' project at our house while the guys work on the farming on a larger scale, but it's the produce that we eat as opposed to the stuff that comes out of a combine.
For as long as I can remember, my mom has annually grown a garden, and I've slowly begun to take over more and more in that aspect—I'd much rather be outside in the garden than cooking supper!
While I know that growing a vegetable garden is a different experience for everyone, I've got five things that everyone can practice and benefit from.
Especially people that live in 'deserts' like Kansas.

1. Water.

This is a no-brainer, I know, but keeping your garden watered is crucial to a healthy supply of produce.  "I know," you might be saying.  "That's obvious."
Actually, it's not as obvious as you think.
Unless you live in North Carolina or Ohio or some other such rainy state that requires you to water your garden just once a week or less, it's difficult to keep your garden watered.  I don't know how much produce we've lost just because we didn't realize just how much water the plants need.
Then again, if you water it too much, you can either drown the poor things or rot their roots.
Don't worry, I've never done either of those.  It's kind of hard to in Kansas.
We have two gardens—a big one and a smaller one.  While watering them both, I'll often spend four hours or more out there.
"I don't have time to water everything that much," you might say, or "it's to tedious."  Well, that's where soaker hoses and sprinklers come in.  Set them going and then go enjoy your air conditioning, congratulating yourself on the genius-ness of your watering system.
Which brings me to my next point.

2. Trenches.

So this is kinda pointless if you have a sprinkler or soaker hose, but DUDE IT'S A LIFE-SAVER.  If, for some reason, you don't have any soaker hoses or sprinklers, stick the corner of your hoe into the dirt and dig a trench directly beside the row you're wanting watered.  Or, if you're wanting to water a single plant, just dig a trench in a circle around it.  This keeps the water at the base of the plant instead of running everywhere and watering weeds instead.
In order to really soak the row (see above reason), have the water running slow.  I don't mean less-than-fire-hydrant slow.  I mean barely-above-a-trickle slow, depending on how large the plants are.  This allows the water to soak into the ground, reaching the roots of the plants.  This works especially good with corn, which needs a lot of water to produce well.
The downside to all of this, though, is that sometimes the water will find a breach in the dam and run everywhere.  Or rain will come and wash most of the trench away.
Just roll with it, you'll be fine.

3. Plant your vines in circles.
Confused?  First of all, when I say vines, I don't mean cute little sweet pea vines or any of those fancy vines climbing a trellis.
I mean any vegetable (or fruit, for that matter) that grows on a vine—cucumbers, squash, pumpkins, watermelon, cantaloupe, etc.
Because, dear peoples, not only will this cause the vines to grow outward in a circle (I don't know if that's even a legitimate reason or not but oh well), when they're big enough you can dig a hole in the middle of the circle and fill it with water, thus watering all the plants at once.  Once again, a time-saver.

4. Always carry a hoe.

I don't know how many times I've found myself in a predicament in which I needed a hoe but didn't have one closer than across the yard.  Granted, almost every time it's because water leaked out of a trench that I dug, but the principle is still there: always have a hoe nearby.  You never know when a trench needs repaired.  Or a weed needs killed.
Just be careful not to whack yourself, okay?

5. Freeze.

So, after taking all of my lovely gardening advice, you're bound to be overflowing with produce, right?  Think positive!
And what are you gonna do with all of this produce that you're overrun with?  Sure, you could sell it at your local farmer's market, or set yourself up on the tailgate of your truck on the side of the highway with a sign that says "COME GET YOUR VEGGIES."
Or, you could slave over a hot stove canning.
Orrrrr, you could freeze it all.  Honestly, I don't think I've ever canned once in my life.  We've always either eaten all the produce, or frozen it.  Not only does it keep you from heating your house about a million times warmer, but it keeps the food.  We've eaten frozen produce over a year old.
Of course, the food doesn't have the shelf life that canned food does, and takes up freezer space, but if you're anything like us, you'll be using it up pretty much as fast as you're stocking it.
One thing that has really come in handy for us is tomato juice.  Or is it sauce?  Whatever you want to call it.  Just grind your whole tomatoes up in a blender, pour it into freezer baggies (don't forget to put the year on the bag—might be kinda important), then stick it in the freezer!  We'll use this all year long for spaghetti sauce, tomato soup, enchiladas... pretty much anything that requires tomatoes.  And it's healthier than store-bought!
Onions also freeze super well.  Once again, grind them up (just don't puree them like tomatoes; that's kinda gross) and put them in the freezer, and whenever you need to cook with an onion yet don't have any fresh ones around, break off a chunk and throw it in the pot.  Works like a charm.
However, I definitely wouldn't recommend freezing green beans.  Yeah, we tried that once.

Well, have you done any of these?  Or all?  Great minds think alike!