Wishful Homesteader

***Our Small Garden***

What your seeing is a Lasagne Garden made with Newspapers over grass, then petemoss, directly topped with manuere and soil, THEN repeated again with petemoss, manure and soil until I got the desired height.

Sweet 100's are producing 100's of little tomatoes now while our peppers are coming along nicely.  Cuces are growing up the vine like mad ...but the ONE issue we're having.  See the bald spot in the center of the garden?...that's SUPPOSED to be all my different kinds of lettuce.  WELL, Edward, the cute but pesky woodchuck (groundhog) has eaten them to stubs.  I have NO LETTUCE.

SO, I'm trying to figure out how to deal with this critter.  He's SMART.  We put a plastic bag over them one night and Edward (the woodchuck) pulled it off.  I can't believe I've named him, I'm not close to him now that he's wripped my dream of making a FULL SALAD directly from my garden.  Now I have to depend on the local farmers market, which isn't so bad because we're supporting them, but I wanted the good feeling of having grown my own lettuce.

So I'm trying to figure out what to do for next years gardening season. Nip this situation in the bud.

Daily Devotion 207

How did you meet?

Ok, I borrowed this from  mvose1051 blog.. Thanks Miki this was fun!

1. Who is your love? My husband, John

2. How long have you been together? over 32 years with 31 of them being married/

3. How long did you two date? 11 months before we got married

4. How old is your love? 48

6. Who said “I love you” first? John did

7. Who is taller? ME.. by 1 inch...

8. Who sings better? I do, I have been married 31 years and NEVER heard him sing even in church, he hums

9. Who is smarter?  He would say I am, I am book smart he is "technically smarter, he can build, re-wire, plumbing, anything to fix up the house he can do.. he amazes me in that aspect sometimes..

10. Whose temper is worse?  Mine,  he is very even tempered.

11. Who does the laundry? I do

12. Who takes out the garbage? The kids!

13. Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? Depends what you mean, if you are looking the bed I do, if your laying the the bed he does...

14. Who pays the bills?  I pay the bills, but he makes the money.

15. Who is better with the computer?  I use it more, but he does maintanance etc on it..

16. Who mows the lawn? John our son, Anthony trims

17. Who cooks dinner? I do, but he always makes the fish for some reason

18. Who drives when you are together? He does.

19. Who pays when you go out?  Again, he is the only one making any money so I guess he does.

20. Who is most stubborn? ME by a long shot

21. Who is the first to admit when they are wrong? Both of us

22. Whose parents do you see the most? Mine, his have passed away.

23. Who kissed who first?  He kissed me of course

24. Who asked who out? HMM, I guess he did

25. Who proposed? He did!

26. Who is more sensitive?  Well we both tear up at sad movies, but I think I am

27. Who has more friends?  We have the same friends. 

28. Who has more siblings? He does 2 sisters 1 brother, I have one sister and one brother, I am the oldest

29. Who wears the pants in the family? He does

30. How did you meet?  In high school he was my in my Science class, but it took me 2 years before I would give him the time of day.  And i am glad I did.

VBS is Super Fun...

Hello Dear Ones... I hope your week has been especially sweet.  Lately things have been a bit crazy, but last night as I was teaching my class at Vacation Bible School I was just overwhelmed with God's goodness and mercy.  I love teaching children about our Lord.  VBS is super fun... here are a few pics from this week and the great thing is, we still have tonight and tomorrow!!!
Our theme is Outrigger Island.  And the motto is~
Know the Truth
Speak the Truth
Live the Truth
So we are all dressed in Hawaiian clothes... Last night was Mu-mu night.  I felt like Mrs. Roper... remember?
I didn't get a full body shot, but you can kinda get an idea from this picture Cameo and I took before we left...
Here are some pictures from the first night...

Here is my Carlie Jean and Logan...
Here are the girls in my class... My Cameo is there on the far right.       I am excited for tonight and tomorrow and hopefully will have a bunch more pictures.  Have a great Friday!
My Cup Runneth Over...Chas

Win a great gift from Homestead Originals!

Win a bar of our FANTASTIC Farm Fresh Oatmeal Soap and our signature slotted hardwood soap shelf!

How do you win? Leave a comment with your first name and email addy, so I can contact you–that simple.  Want 2 chances to win? Post this contest on YOUR blog too….and comment with the link, your name and email addy.

We’ll draw the winners name outta ye’ ol’ hat July 31st!  To Enter , you must leave your comment over here at this link....CLICK HERE :)

Lisa 

STOP THAT THIEF!

This couldn’t be my precious children doing this! *gasp!* nah….I thought this was a husband move for sure….alas, I caught the little thief, red handed!! 

I was close, not my husband, but his son! Okay, my son…..but I couldn’t believe it! My husband says to take it as a compliment, he loves your homemade bread….just to prove he loves it….he did it again the next time I made bread, he knocked over the 25# bag of spuds I had there as a deterent, and used them as a step!

He’s so darned cute, it’s hard to get mad….lol!  Guess if I want prefect loaves I’d best find a new place to cool them……up much higher!

Nah….I’ll just leave ‘em low….gives  a good feeling that even the 1.5yo appreciates Mamas homemade bread, even if he is running thru the kitchen grabbing hunks and running away….giggling all the way

Homemade Bread anyone?

Lisa

Middle daughter is debating job? school? both????

Our middle daughter is debating over a job offer and college or just straight college.   For all our girls we offer them a full ride to college , books , all cost, a car, gas, medical & car insurance , spending money , we do it all like we do now.  The only difference is they have to live at home while they go to school, or board at a far school.  They car work part time where dad and I agree they can for mad money, but they are just to focus on school.   Well, Shayna has a great job offer starting off at $10 -$12 an hour with insurance, 401k, retirement and more.  She will still live at home and we will support her still, minus medical insurance ( she has to be in school for 12 units for ours to cover her) and she can go to college at night.

Shayna wants to open a cafe.  So she would be going to school for that and her art as well as her veterinary.  So now she has a choice to make this job where she could just keep advancing year after year and school or just straight school and open her cafe and sell her art there.  The veterinary is just because she is good at it and loves it(she already has college classes in this from high school) , and well it is good to fall back on if she ever needed to.

We tell her what ever she decides is fine, we will support her 100%.

We are praying over this to see what God has to say.

P.s. the joke on dad went good I will tell you all about Mr. Grump Gills (the fish's name)and dad later , also about his wife they are trying to talk us into buying!!!  Some times I wonder if they are Moses, every needs a mate!     LOL.  Help me!!!

God Bless all, mj

I think I am burning the candles at both ends today......

                Gee Wiz!  Today was even busier than yesterday!

   Let me see---what was accomplished at the Beale Bungalow today.  My dress for the wedding hemmed; one pair of khaki pants and two pair of jeans were also hemmed; more laundry done; my tomatoes restaked (they were blown over from the storms we had yesterday); clothes "sort of" ironed (the reason for "sort of" comes next); new iron bought; clothes re-ironed; suitcases packed; picked up a GPS from Natasha; while I bought my iron-I also bought a little pair of white sandals to match my dress; canned six pints of Sweet Pickle Relish; put up some peppers; fed Marianne's cat; vacuumed the front of the house and cleaned the bathroom!

   Yeppers!  It was a busy one!  I had everything planned and things were progressing quite smoothly until a Heron decided to perch on the electrical transformer across our street.  I was sitting at our diningroom table going over one of my lists when I saw a huge flash and heard a simultaneous kaboom!!---then the lights went out!  I was so glad that I had my relish all done when this occurred.  We were without any power for about three or four hours.  That is when I did my errands and shopping.  This outage did bring on compassion from my husband--he bought us some supper.    So, I could continue with the preparations for our trip tomorrow, and not worry about fixing supper!  Yipee for meeee.......

     Below are some pictures of my relish--

Lovely colors all soaking in some kosher salt and water...

All ready for some Memorial Day hotdogs!....

   I am hoping that my tomatoes really come in so I can the many recipes that I love.  I think they will do okay-if I can keep them from being blown over every other day!    I had to do some surgery on my cucumber vines.  There were a few dying vines, so I cut them off-composted the remaining vines and they are looking a great deal better!  I think I even saw some more little ones on the vines already!  Anyway, I am glad they are, hopefully, going to produce.  I harvested several peppers-which I promptly washed, cut and cleaned and froze.  The squash is about done I think.  When we get back I want to tear out the squash plants and prepare the soil for some beets!  Maybe! ............

     Seth is very excited about going and seeing his sister.

     He actually decided to pack himself--and I mean himself!

     Yeah!  He is my tough guy!  (Only in pictures!  Seth is a Mercy, therefore he wears his emotions and sympathy on his sleeve!  Believe me--he is only tough in pictures!)

     Well, I will not be blogging from New Jersey, so I will be back on Monday with lots to blog about.  Have a great weekend and God Bless!

Taking a bloggy break

This blog has been a real God send to me. I love each and every one of you  that visit me. I feel as though we are good friends that I can share anything with. With that said, I must confess that I am having some personal issues in my life right now. My mom is haivng her good days and her bad days. I have hospice coming in several days each week now. All the court issues have been taken care of as of last Wednesday, so now I have full power of attorney over her, I guess you can say, Life.  Now I have to make some serious decissions that I really don't think I'm ready to make. And to top all of this off, my dh tells me that he is no longer happy and is thinking along the lines of divorce.

   I try to post uplifting, helpful, and homesteady post, but I can honestly say that I feel as though I am a fake here.  I don't like being  the type to bring others down with my problems so I tend to keep alot locked inside, which isn't really good for your health. This is probably why a couple of weeks ago when I went for my 6 month checkup the doctor had to put me on high blood presure meds. Hummm wonder why, LOL.

   So now that you know I'm a big faker, and that my life is not as shiney as I tend to lead on, I feel I need to take a little break for now. I'm not sure how long, I may  post more often than I think I will  right now, but just in case, I  wanted to let you all know that if I don't blog for a while, it's cuz I'm off  dealin with "Life".         Love you all........God bless

A Hubby Tag

As you all know, one of my most favoritest subjects to blog about is my Honey. Well, I found this hubby tag over at Jen Ig's blog

Here goes....

1. Who is your man? Tobias aka Toby aka My Honey

2. How long have you been together? First date- 12 days shy of 19 years. Married, 17 years, 6 months and 20 days (yep, we still say Happy Anniversary every month on the 5th)

3. How long dated? 1 year, 5 months (we married on the same date as our first date, the 5th)

4. How old is your man? 47 (9 years older than me)...but in my eyes, 28

5. Who eats more? I'd like to say him...but lately, he's not had too much of an appetite...

6. Who said "I love you" first? ME...I was in love the first time I saw him...even moreso the first time we talked...and oh my, the first time we kissed, well let's just say, I knew it!

7. Who is taller? Definitely him....poor guy has to bend over to kiss me..and let me tell you, he spends a good deal of time bent over doing just that ...or I find a stool and he doesn't have to do that...

8. Who sings better? Again, definitely him. Love his voice!!!!

9. Who is smarter? Once again, definitely him. He's the most well read person I know.

10. Whose temper is worse? Depends on the situation.

11. Who does the laundry? Since I'm the wife, ME!

12. Who takes out the garbage? That's a man's job (unless, of course, your Honey works till early morning and you are letting him sleep in)

13. Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? I never know which way you'd be looking...from the end of the bed...Honey.

14. Who pays the bills?  Well, he makes the money, I send it off to pay the bills

15. Who is better with the computer? Depends on what we are doing....some things, me, other things him.

16. Who mows the lawn? Again, this is a man's job..and my man just happens to love to cut grass. Or he weedeats while Thomas mows.

17. Who cooks dinner? Hmmm....why are these jobs not easily defined? Me, of course, I'm the wife, remember?!

18. Who drives when you are together? Honey mostly. Unless he's tired or just wants to take in the scenery.

19. Who pays when you go out? Well, again, he makes the money, I spend it.

20. Who is most stubborn? Depends on the topic

21. Who is the first to admit when they are wrong? Most definitely Honey. He's so quick to apologize it's not even funny.

22. Whose parents do you see the most? Mine..they like to come live in our front yard. We LOVE it when they do that!!!

23. Who kissed who first? In my dreams, me....in reality, him.

24. Who asked who out? Well, our first date started out as just two friends going to a new mall together...then we went to lunch together. Then we went back to get his truck...and the most awesomest kiss ever took place...then he asked me out to the movies... So officially, Honey.

25. Who proposed? I would have proposed a month after our first date, if not sooner. But, that's the man's job (again with the not knowing of the jobs...), so I patiently waited for him to do so.

26. Who is more sensitive? Depends on the subject. Overall, me, but there's such a sensitive soul inside my Honey that most people have no clue is there.

27. Who has more friends? Me, only because I have more time and don't have a job to go every day. My favoritest friend is my Honey.

28. Who has more siblings? Tie...I have two brothers, he has a sister and a  step brother

29. Who wears the pants in the family? We both wear pants...but the "pants of the family" goes to Honey, as it should!

30. How did you meet? On the phone first...I worked at a Firestone store, he worked at a parts store. I loved talking to him on the phone. Once I found out he wasn't already taken, I was quite excited to meet him in person at the store one day. Then we spent time together at church. So, we always say we met at work and church. Isn't God great?!

Well, that was fun!!!