Hardin County Courthouse

The Hardin County Courthouse in Eldora, Iowa is a particularly special courthouse to me because William Lockard and his wife Elizabeth Steinbarger Lockard, my great great great great grandparents, moved to Hardin County in 1852.  They came from Ohio in a covered wagon, bought land from Greenberry Haggin (the first white man to settle in Hardin County, in 1849), and broke up the virgin soil.  

They lived in a log cabin, where, as Mrs. Lockard reported, they could not stand up straight, and where she did her cooking for eight to ten years in an old-fashioned fireplace.

Thai Basil Chicken

At the risk of this becoming a food blog (considering six of the eight posts this past month directly involve food), I'd like to share one of my grandmother's wonderful recipes, Thai Basil Chicken.

Can you guys imagine how heavenly it has been to eat authentic Thai food on a regular basis for the past couple months?  I asked Yai to show me (and my readers) how to make one of my favorites of her delicious dishes.  She graciously obliged.

The Journeys of Faith

I'd like to take a moment to introduce you to the writings of my youngest sister at The Journeys of Faith.  

An excerpt from her latest post:

One girl whispered, "I'm terrified!" The pilot took his seat. "Any questions?" he asked. From the back came a reply, "Are we all going to die?" "No!" the pilot answered reassuringly...

Suddenly I realized I really didn't know how to fly. For a moment I just held the plane steady, and we enjoyed the flight. But, then I guess unconsciously I decided it was too boring! Before we knew it we were in a steep climb headed straight toward a cloud formation.

Will they survive?  Read the rest of the story at The Journeys of Faith!