TNMomof3 | |
Thinking about the Fall GardenI know, Summer just started, and I'm talking about Fall already! But, in order to have a Fall garden, some things should be done now- planning, ordering seed, planting seeds to transplant into the garden when it is time, adding compost or any other needed soil builders, etc. In my area, July 1 was the suggested date for planting tomato, pepper, and eggplant seed. I'm a few days behind schedule, mainly because I'm trying to keep up with harvesting the tomatoes that are ripening like crazy right now! Most of the Fall planting for my area comes a little later, since July and August are always HOT Many of the same vegetables that grow in the Spring garden can be replanted for Fall, they like the cool weather and will do well if they have time to mature before a frost gets them. You can probably get a list of what grows well in your area in the Fall either online, from a local nursery, or from your County Extension Agent. Here's a little chart to show when the first predicted Fall frost date is: Zone 3 - Sept 1st - 30th If you aren't sure what zone you live in, here's a map that will show you. With that information you can see how long it takes a particular crop to mature and then count backwards to get an estimated planting date. Of course, it all depends on the weather, and it is good to give your plants at least a week or two of a head-start if your area often has early frosts. I live in Zone 8, and sometimes we don't even have a frost until close to Thanksgiving. Fall is a great time for growing here. Please share what you grow in your Fall garden and any tips you have. Those of you who live in colder climates, please share your wisdom, as this Texas gardener has never had to garden where it really gets cold
Hope you have a great holiday weekend, and maybe next week, spend some time planning (and perhaps planting) for the Fall garden!
Blessings, Simple Hospitality......It really can be simple!!Simple Hospitality......It really can be simple!! I have been reading the book written by Jane Jarrell, titled, "Simple Hospitality". I thought I might share a little of it with you. I really enjoyed reading this one thing that she wrote about using the letters that spell out the word "hospitality". So today we look at the H. H--Hospital for the Soul Why does one go to the hospital? To visit, maybe, or to welcome a new person into the world. But oftentimes it's because our bodies are broken. A hospital can be a place to go for healing and repair. So the word hospitable is taken from the word hospital, which means a charitable institution, a repair shop, a hospice, or a shelter. Hospitality is a shelter for the soul, healing for the spirit. So when we open our home in the true spirit of hospitality or when we bring our gifts of hospitality outside of our homes, we are offering hospitality!! The Bible states it this way: Romans 12:9-13, "Let love be without dissimulation.....v10, Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;. .vs12, Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; vs13, Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality." So real Christian hospitality isn't an option, it is what God commands. O-Obedience Some may think focusing on hospitality is frivolous or a waste of time. But in reality it is nothing less than obeying God's clear command in Scripture. Hospitality was not Martha Stewart's invention; it was God's!! Romans 12 paints an incredible picture of what it means to truly give our lives to God......In these selfless acts, we serve not only those in need but Christ Himself. Hospitality is obeying God by cheerfully serving others. S-Simplicity If we don't approach hospitality simply, most of us won't do it at all. When we exchange the harried hoopla for the heartfelt, everyone is blessed. Can we be comfortable when everything is not perfect, or do we always need to put on a show for people? As one lady states "I don't want to buy your house, I just want to visit." Simplicity brings us closer to having authentic relationships. Our focus is on our guests, not on the "stuff" that surrounds us. P--Prayer Hospitality involves prayer. Ask God to show you who and how to show hospitality to. God will show you the when, the how, and what that someone might need. I may not know what a person needs at the time but God knows!! You should always ask God for His blessing on the gathering you are about to have with someone, no matter how small or large the number will be. I--Intimacy Intimacy is sharing who you are and what you are to others. You need this type of relationship with your husband, your family and your friends, but nurturing genuine intimacy takes time and effort. Cell phones and emails are nice, but we need to take time to sit quietly with a friend sometimes. You never know where they are at or what they may need.. Time plus realness plus genuine caring equals intimacy.
T--To Go Are you ready to take your kindness on the road? Do you have a plan or list of ideas that will work in a hurry? Keep a few recipes with the ingredients on hand so that you can prepare a meal or a welcoming treat for someone in need. There is something extra-special about busy people who take the time to reach out and help others. A--Acknowledge and Appreciate We all have our own gifts, but what about those who are known for the hospitality? They also need a "dose" of hospitality sometimes. They need to be acknowledged for their kindness, appreciated for the efforts and recipients of the hospitality of others. Most of us are "takers' by nature and unless we make a conscious effort, we’ll always take and forget to give back. Those who are more "givers", either by nature or intent, often get taken for granted. In our busy lives, gratitude is often felt yet not expressed. L--Lifestyle Hospitality is a lifestyle, a ministry lifestyle. God weaves it into our hearts. We all need each other to make the body of Christ its best. You are making the commitment to a lifestyle of opening up your heart to others on a regular basis. You will need to start small, perhaps by committing to one act of hospitality each month. Gradually you will see how easy it is and move towards once a week and before you know it you will be asking God to show you someone in need every day!! Take time to ask God to show you how He might use you today, this week or this month. You are allowing God to work through you and when He is working, we cannot fail. I--Ideas When looking for ideas for hospitality, scan your favorite magazines, talk with your friends or keep a simple notebook or card file with your favorite recipes, holiday decorating ideas, party themes, or anything else that spurs your hospitality thinking. Just keep it simple, and honest. Let God's love show through you and that will be all that you need to make any time a good time to visit. T--Time We are all short on time for the things that we want to do or need to do. That is why hospitality is such a valuable gift to others. It means we gave them our most precious resource: our time. Think of things to do for hospitality for others when you are doing for your family. Double a casserole for dinner one night and freeze the one for a family that may be in need, or a mother who may be sick at the time. When baking cookies for your family, bake a few more to brighten someone's day. Out buying groceries? Cut back on one thing or two for snacks and make up a meal for a new mom. If your time is limited, begin your quest to hospitality with small things and think about other ways that you will want to show it when your time allows for it. Y--You To show hospitality to others, you must first love yourself so that you are capable of loving others. This means taking care of yourself so that you are able to take care of others. When we've taken the time to put our own hearts in order, we are freed to reach beyond ourselves to meet others where they are. Excellent Home Making ArticleWhen I read the following excerpt from Managing A Home by Crystal Miller in the Homestead Happenings newsletter this morning, I just had to e-mail her and ask permission to post it here on the Front Porch. Some of our new bloggers may not be familiar with Crystal's newletter or her Country Store, and I don't want anyone to miss out on the blessing of what she has to offer! The article spoke to my home-maker's heart and was both an encouragement and a reminder that I need to be diligent in caring for my home and family. Hope you enjoy the article as much as I did. Blessings,
Home Management and Making a Home
Vanilla Ice CreamI recently made vanilla ice cream and it was delicious!! I wanted to share my recipe with you. You can now find all my ice cream recipes (eggless recipes and non dairy too) and ice cream making directions here: http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/makinghomemadeicecream.htm If I have more recipes to post I will be adding them to that page. Vanilla Ice Cream
6 eggs In a big mixer (like a Kitchen Aid or Bosch) mix together (with the wire whip) the eggs and cane juice crystals until light and lemony colored. Add vanilla and mix again. Add cream and arrowroot powder (if using). When all of this has mixed together completely pour it into your 1 gallon ice cream maker container. Add whole milk until you reach the "fill line" on your ice cream maker container. Follow the instructions that came with your ice cream maker or click on the above link for general instructions. Bulk Taco Seasoning MixWe are having taco salad for dinner tonight. I always cook up my hamburger and add taco seasonings to it before adding it to my salad. I realized this morning I was out of taco seasoning and it was time to make more. This is another product that I make myself now. We are not real big fans of the taste of the taco seasonings I use to buy from my health food co-op and I wonder about MSG in it as well (the grocery store stuff definitely is full of yucky things typically). I recently was reading an article (wish I could remember where now.. maybe Dr. Taco mix is so easy to make. It takes less than 15 minutes to make up a batch, the recipe doubles easily. I usually make a double batch but today I did not have enough dried onion, so I settled for a single batch. Bulk Taco Seasoning Mix
¾ c dried onions Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Store in plastic or glass container with a lid. It takes approx. 3T of this mix to equal one packet that you would buy in the store. This recipe makes about 2 cups. I store it in a canning jar in my cupboard.
Featured Blogger~Mama HenWelcome to this weeks Featured Blogger!
Help me congratulate Mama Hen! Great posts Lots of neat ideas Pretty pictures Very nice little home on the web Go by and let her know you enjoy her blog This Weeks Menu![]() Monday:
Leftovers
Salad
Tuesday:
Taco salad
Chips and homemade salsa
Homemade vanilla ice cream (I will post the recipe soon.. :)
Wednesday:
Our 25th wedding anniversary!!
![]() (we are going out.. kids are handling the kitchen on their own)
Thursday (our holiday bbq):
Burgers on the grill
On homemade buns
Watermelon
Homemade ice cream (vanilla if there is any left.. if not we will make something else!)
Friday:
Baked chicken legs
Baked potatoes
Salad
Saturday:
Tobin works so no holiday bbq for us.. already had it!
![]() Chips and homemade salsa
Salad
Sunday:
Macaroni and Cheese w/ham
Salad
Fresh fruit
More on Fermenting FoodsI found some information on fermenting and a few recipes in a book I discovered at the library this weekend- Fresh Food From Small Spaces- The Square Inch Gardener's Guide to Year-Round Growing, Fermenting, and Sprouting by R.J. Ruppenthal. The directions for making Kimchi say to cover the jar loosely with the lid or a cloth for 2 days, or until you get that "fermenting" smell; then, cap it tightly and put in the refrigerator. Maybe that is what I've been doing wrong. I put the lid on at the beginning; perhaps it needs to "breathe" a bit first??? The author recommends Wild Fermentation by Sandor Ellix Katz, which sounds like a very interesting book on the subject. I plan to look into reading this one, too; and am going to make another attempt at kimchi soon. Wildfermentation.com was created by the book's author, and if you click on the resources button, you can find his recipe for sourkraut and pickles, plus a troubleshooting area. Hope this info. helps some of you who are having the same struggles as I am in learning the art of fermenting food! Blessings,
A Time to Rest
This is good advice for a summer's day, I do believe. Take some time today to rest, relax, and enjoy the garden. Listen to the song of nature, give thanks for the beauty around you, plan for next season. If you've had some trouble with the garden this year, remember these wise words: "There are no gardening mistakes, only experiments." ~Janet Kilburn Phillips I have done lots of experiments in the garden Now that you've had a nice time of rest and reflection...Get back out there and get busy because- "Gardens are not made by sitting in the shade." ~Rudyard Kipling Blessings, New: "Managing a Home" eBook from The Family HomesteadNew eBook From The Family Homestead! This 60+ page eBook is packed with helpful information laid out in an organized manner on how to manage and organize your home. Click HERE
The cost of this ebook is $12.00 and is an automatic download.
{ Last Page } { Page 1 of 5 } { Next Page } |
About MeMy Profile Archives Friends My Photo Album LinksCountry Clip ArtFamily Homestead Hillbilly Housewife Amish Friendship Cake Homemakers- R- Us Country & Southern Recipes Preschool Express First-School Preschool 4 Moms at Home Flylady Biblical Womanhood CategoriesRecent EntriesUntitledGood Morning Lord.. Morning Mission!! Hi Friendspatintennquiverfull HSBFrontPorch texasflute |