Ants,Ants & More Ants!

 Good Afternoon Family & Friends!  Okay, it's 4:30 p.m. and I am ready for bed. I was up at 5:30 this morning dealing with a very pesky problem. ANTS! I mean ants everywhere. 

I started fixing breakfast for hubby and went over to the cabinet to get the bread. I picked up a basket and felt something bite me. I looked down and noticed ants all over the kitchen counter, on the floor and in the breadbox. Those little buggers were everywhere!

I picked up the basket and took it outside to shake and empty. I left it outside, came back in and checked to make sure that the ants had not gotten into the new loaf of bread in the bread box. They didn't make it in but they sure were trying. I proceeded to clear the cabinets and wash them down after wiping the ants onto the floor. I then went looked into the cabinets to make sure that they had not gotten into them, they hadn't (yet.)

I decided to go ahead and put somethings from the cabinets into the fridge. I am glad that I did. We went out this afternoon and when I got home, guess who was back? This time in the cabinets. Thank goodness I put the sugar, flour, cocoa, grits, and the other opened items in the fridge. Had I not, I am sure that they would have been feasting.

I went ahead and pulled EVERYTHING out of the cabinets wiped them down. I then put the items back. Since I was already cleaning, I decided to take stock of what I had on hand. Good thing too. I didn't realize that I was running out of quite a few things. That's the GOOD thing that came from those ants. That and a better organized pantry.

Now, we live in a hurricane prone area. And whenever we start to see ants in the house, there is a hurricane not so far behind. That's what hubby says and it wouldn't surprise me one bit because its been too long since the last one. Let's just pray its a wrong prediction.

Have a blessed day in The Lord and praise Him always!

Amanda <><
II Corinthians 5:7

Sweet Summer.......

Nothing like sitting on the front Porch enjoying the serenity of a cool summer morning.... ah, the pleasures of country living..... I love to sit out here on my rocker, enjoying some quiet time with my Lord....... and listening to His creatures greet me with songs of delight.......my porch overlooks our fields and rolling hills of the surrounding countryside........ simple pleasures.....

Great is THY faithfulness!

We awoke to much cooler weather this morning on the farm....... Thank goodness! I really must admit that I do not enjoy the stifling hot & humid heat of the Midwest!  I much prefer cooler temperatures! I am so grateful for modern conveniences like A/C! 

This morning I have had a lovely hymn on my heart and I have been singing it all day...

                                      " Great is Thy Faithfulness"

   " If it is the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Thy faithfulness" ~ Lamentations 3: 22 & 23

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father, there is no shadown of turning with Thee;

Thou changest not, Thy compassions fail not; as Thou has been Thou forever forever wilt be.

Chorus:

Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy Faithfulness!  Morning by morning new mercies I see; all I have needed Thy hand hath provided; great is Thy faithfulness, Lord unto me!

Words: Thomas Chisholm, 1923

Music: William Marion Runyan, 1923

  One of the challenges we have been expierencing since our move to the homestead is less financial security for my husband's work. Basically carpenters are a "dime and dozen" here in this part of the country.  Thus, we have struggled to make ends meet.

But, with that said ~~ God has truly been faithful! Oh, my has He ever been! Whenever I begin to fret a bit about being able to make ends meet or whenever I feel like I can't engage in any "splurges" for the family ( that is the non essentials), God faithfully provides there too!

This past week we have been richly blessed ~~ a friend blessed us with a bushel of beautiful peaches...our pastor's wife gave us a HUGE bag of brown rice ....... our farmer friend gave us a few acres worth of corn to pick ~~ for free ~~ and my husband came home yesterday with a cooler full of baking goods, chocalates, etc that his customer had given him that he no longer was in need of!! Things I certainly could not have afforded at this time in our lives.

Isn't the Lord faithful??!

Now you see "why" I have been singing " Great is Thy Faithfulness" ........ He is so faithful, He takes care of the essentials, but often times He throws in some of the "extras" of life too!

We serve an awesome God ~~ I hope you all realize that today and may you also sing with your hearts and soul ~ "Great is HIS faithfulness!"

May you be blessed!

~ gloria~

PS. Update to my original post today!! I just received a call from my husband -- one of his clients is gifting us with a freezer!!! PTL!! I have been wanting to put up more food, but my freezer space was maxed and we needed a freezer!! Thank you , Lord!

Homemade Fabric Softener-Frugal Ideas & Grandma's Rosie's Blog

http://frugalliving.about.com/od/clothingcare/qt/Fabric_Softener.htm- I haven't tried this yet, but it sounds really good. There are even more frugal ideas at About.com/Frugal Ideas.

Check out Grandma Rosie's blog today. She posted a place to go to get a printable list on foods to be stocked up on for the pantry. (Thank you Grandma Rosie for that info.)

Bless all who pass this way!

Amanda <><
II Corinthians 5:7

A Price Book & The Dollar Stretcher- Great Information

http://www.stretcher.com/stories/05/05mar14c.cfm- This is a great site to go to to learn about price books and how to make one of your own. There are also ALOT of blogs here on Homesteader that deal with the subject too.

Bless all who pass this way!

Amanda <><
II Corinthians 5:7

Grocery Stockpile List

Check out this great article. It has a printable list and a pdf file you can download.

Grocery Stockpile List: Non-perishables

By Erin Huffstetler, About.com

Ready to start stockpiling groceries and other household essentials, but not sure what to include in your stash? Then, refer to this list of non-perishables for help. Just cross out the things that you don't need, and add the things that you do. Let the stockpiling games begin!

Scripture Study

The Scriptures are so important in my life, I am so grateful for them. As I read I jot down things that touch me and that I think I need to be more aware of in my life.  Isn't it wonderful how the scriptures speak to us individually.

My scripture gleanings for today.

Rejoice in the Lord

Search the scriptures

The Lords infinite atonement

The ressurection of the Lord

I will be judged by the holy judgement of God

The Greatness and Justice of God

His law must be fulfilled

Endure the crosses of the world

The Greatness of the Mercy of God

The Greatness of the Holiness of God

Hearken unto His voice

He commands all to:

1. Repent

2. Be baptised

3. Have faith in Jesus

4. Endure to the end

Do not wast the days of my probation

Remember the greatness of the Holy One of Israel.

Love truth

Be humble

 Pray continually

Give thanks continually

Let my heart rejoice.

busy day

Today was a busy day and a sad day.  My grandson left for home today.  Some 800 miles away.  I already miss him.  Here is a picture of him standing in front of the grapes and under my clothes line.

Lots of grapes.  I make grape juice each year.

Some how my pictures got mixed up Above is what was on my agenda for today.  I bottled 14 quarts of tomatoes, 4 pints of beets, 6loaves of bread, and yes those are purple potatoes.  We planted red and purple potatoes. Fun. Also a picture on one row of my grapes. I have 3 rows.  I bottle grape juice each year, yummmm.

I am having so much fun taking pictures and posting them.  I hope you don't get tired of this.  I want to show you my bathroom that I remodled last year.  Rustic is the word for the way we have been remodeling.  Hence a rustic bathroom.

I goofed again in spacing the pictures.  I made this holder from pruned branches from my fruit trees. Boy do I have a lot to learn about posting pictures.  I'm going to quit for now.  I have already lost the entire post once

Lemon Coffee Cake ........by Hexagon House Bed & Breakfast

Lemon Coffee Cake presented

1 ¼ cups sugar, divided
¾ cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 can (15 oz) lemon pie filling
1 ½ tsp cinnamon

In a mixing bowl combine 1 cup sugar and oil; mix well. Add eggs and
beat until light and lemon colored. Combine flour, baking powder, and
salt. Add to the egg mixture and mix well. Pour half the batter into a
greased 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking dish. Spread pie filling over batter.
Top with remaining batter. Combine the cinnamon and remaining ¼ cup
sugar. Sprinkle sugar mixture over top of batter. Bake at 350 degrees
for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.



Recipe source: http://www.bbonline.com/recipe/hexagon_mi_recipe2.html

Weekly Budget Blog & Adulthood

Good Morning Family & Friends! It's Wednesday, so that means its time to calculate this weeks budget to see how far I can make it go. 

The circulars for this week are pathetic again. What they call  a sale, is really what the original price was only a month or two ago. Every time I go to the grocery store, I cringe. One thing gets marked down (so you think) only to have something else rise in its place. I tell you what, having a price book is a good thing to have around now and days. It makes me SEE that the so called "sales" that they are having are not really sales after all.

That being said, I had $50 for last weeks groceries. I spent $65 on groceries (mainly stock ups.) That's what I call being in the RED. I ended up using some of the money I had saved for another purchase to cover the deficit.

I did really welll with the gas. For the past several weeks,I have only used $25 per week for gas (half tank.) Being a Homebody does have its advantages.

 Now the kids will tell you something different all together. My oldest DD says the walls are closing in on her. I keep telling her that she has a vehicle and a license, USE IT! She took my advice today and went out to do some of her own shopping. She keeps complaining that she NEVER goes anywhere other than work, or church. I tell her, welcome to adulthood!  

I know, everyone needs a little diversion now and then. I just think that this weather makes things worse. Heat has a way of making one cranky. Not that DD has been cranky, just a good change in the air would do her some good (as well as myself.)

Well, time to go. Have a blessed day in The Lord and remember to give Him thanks in ALL! It's the best way I know how to keep my sanity!

Bless all who pass this way!

Amanda <><
II Corinthians 5:7