Abundant Springs

We have had a lot of loss of livestock and pets on our farm in the past 3 years.  We were finally able to see one of them come full circle to fulfill their purpose to us. We bought a young steer 2 1/2 years ago, and raised him up. Named him Brutus and he was a gentle hereford steer.

1250 lbs after  we raised him up on hay, corn and grass. He produced 660 lbs of beef for our family. Our upright freezer is stuffed full and our chest freezer has a lot in it as well.

Seems strange to name your cows, but we really don't feel sad as he did what he was suppossed to do. He was a nice cow, but we are carnivores and let me tell you.. he has provided well. We are truly blessed.

Melanie

We are living here in Linden, or should I say south of Linden.  Its beautiful here in fall but boy it sure feels more like winter already. Tonights low is 15 and we have been 2 weeks with no furnace due to the electrical fire in it .  We have rented a 14x60 2 bedroom 2 bath.  Now imagine me trying to sort through all the stuff that we brought with us from our 2200 sq ft house, after getting rid of half of it.  We only brought our beds and  my sewing stuff and my soap stuff and my homeschool stuff, crib, changing table, porta crib, high chair, fold up tables and 2 folding chairs, 2 bins of toys that were left of the girls ( baby dolls and tea set, little people house and farm, noahs ark and play set.)  All the bathroom, kithen stuff and what food I could bring with us.  I am sorta set on baking supplies for a month maybe less and it seems that I only run low on milk and meat, potatoes and those things that come from a garden. Since we were moving we didnt really plant a huge garden as we wouldnt be there to can things.  We left for TN Aug. 2nd.  I did have meat in the freezer but it was not able to travel down with us , what I tried to bring spoiled on the way down though packed good.  Yes I brought my electric sewing machine and serger and vacume and our computers. ( 2 desktops and one laptop with wifi capabilities)

Well the point is we thought we were coming down with less and yet in the RV and in this smaller home it seems like alot of stuff.  So what is really needed anyways ?  Well as I sort through it all much is going in boxes to be sold.  To raise money for other needed things.  ie. land, cabin or small home, wood cookstove.  After all that was the idea, to move here and eventually get land and homestead more then we had been in NY. Somehow living the countrylife no longer seems like homesteading once you have visited many here that life off the grid and have built their own home, rustic as they are, they are home and boy they seem nice to me. What is life all about anyways ?  Was it about nice rooms with painted and papered walls ? Was it about having a nice bathroom with all the fixtures and such ?    No, it is nice to see an outhouse now with paper holder, a light in there and ya know what ? copies of countryside and a real toiet seat !!!! Fancy huh !!!!

Some here have solar, some are living no electric substitute at all and each encourages us to strive toward whatever the Lord tells us is for us to do and each gives "My use to be DH who said we will never go non-electric and we will never live like the Amish"  A new vision for our lives.   The first goal was to live on what money we do have or can make and live on less or with less.   Unless it can make you more money or serves a purpose that is useful, it has no real value here.  ( I will admit I have my country tins, crock, and rooster things with me, but they serve a purpose too. My rose bowl and pitcher and my tea set will be used not just sit on a shelf for looks anylonger.  Here DH has a shed to keep his tools in and we can keep our goats here.  All the new ways are blessings and those we meet are the best blessings in our new life here in Linden TN.  The likemindedness is in the fact that Jesus died for each of us and though we  are each different in our degree of living the life of plain and simple living, we are all sharing the fact that Jesus died for us to save our souls.

Wensday night we attended a local sing, the glorious sound of our blended voices while we blend our lives in friendship I am sure is the most wonderful thing to the Lord God.

Blessed to be in His Child

Love

Linda

Faithful Acres Homestead

Recipe Hit List: 12 Homemade Bread Recipes

Remember when I said my menu plan was more of a set of guidelines?
We didn’t have the monkey bread on Monday as some family members were having issues at the dinner table and we decided it would be best to all go to bed early.
Yesterday evening we had an impromptu trip to Menards for some replacement pipes and fittings for the kitchen sink.
I should probably add here that yesterday, on my list of Things I Hadn’t Planned On Doing (remember this?) was scrubbing ¾ of the kitchen floor.
On my hands and knees.
Why only ¾? Because Flylady says that housework- even when done incorrectly (or in my case not completely) still blesses your family.
Huh?
Well, we’ve got skiffs of snow, layers of mud and leaves and 3 kids who are constantly tramping in afore mentioned bits of nature. And with more snow on the way- I quickly decided that the high traffic door to door path in the kitchen could stay as is.  My wrists and knees muttering protests helped to ease my conscience greatly.
Anyhoo, I quickly decided to make the most of trip by trying to do next week’s shopping since Aldi’s is just down the road. This is still a pantry week but being ever frugal-minded . . . . not to mention I’ve now checked off something from next week’s To Do List . . . .
This of course would all be taking place during evening dining time. No quick Mickey-D’s stop for us though- I’m sticking to my pantry budget week.
I quickly put together mini-sandwiches with leftover chicken salad and other lunch meats we always keep on hand, tossed some Clementine oranges in the bag, napkins, plates (just in case) and a still-warm-just-sliced loaf of chocolate cherry friendship bread. Voila.
Light dinner on the road.
I also grabbed the current family read-aloud: The Fighting Ground by Avi- very intense and riveting.
We whipped through Aldi’s in record time- the kids have the loading and unloading and packaging routine down pat. It was fun to watch Mr. Steady marvel at them. As for Menards, Mr. Steady looked for the things on his list- when a man goes to a store like that- he’s always got more things on his list than the thing that necessitated the going to the store in the first place—anyway- the kiddos and I enjoyed the Christmas displays- the trees plus the little ceramic villages.
This then lead to the kidlets asking for a Christmas movie for watching after we got home. Mickey’s Christmas Carol.
And so while it wasn’t the dinner or the evening I had envisioned for us- it was still quality family time.
And that’s what matters most.
Well, that and sticking to the pantry budget.

Tackiness vs. simplicity
poor etiquette vs. saving $$ and a tree or two
We send out quite a few Christmas cards each year. Last year I was able to save some pennies by making Christmas postcards to send out- saved by making them myself and saved on postage.
This year the budget is even tighter.
So------ I’m thinking of sending Christmas greetings via e-cards through Dayspring.
I must ask- Is this a big no-no on the etiquette scale?
Will I be vilified?
Of course, I can’t do all my cards this way as there are still some people on my list that don’t have email but I could cut my list way down.
By my calculations, I could save myself $20 easily.
I don’t know about you but $20 is a lot of cash here—in fact, that’s half the weekly grocery budget!

photo- last year's postcard Christmas cards.

I got my bottom braces on yesterday afternoon and so im in pain plus this weather is making my sinues act up and is making me plain miserable please have a blessed day

Alyssa

1.) Wrapping paper or gift bags?  I try to find different and unique ways to wrap, but otherwise paper.

2.) Real tree or artificial? Real!

3.) When do you put up the tree? Some time after thanksgiving.

4.)When do you take the tree down? Day after christmas.

5.) Do you like eggnog? Yes

6.) Favorite gift recieved as a child? Most of them...walking doll, hot wheels, 22rifle, John Schnieder record.LOL

7.)Hardest person to buy for? Parents...they buy what they want all year long so it is hard to come up with something new.

8.)Easiest person to buy for? Jackson my dog, he loves everything I get for him! LOL

9.)Do you have a nativity scene? Yes

10.) Mail or e-mail christmas cards? Mail

11.) Worst christmas gift you ever recieved? From a lady at work(we drew names) it was a jumbo size lotion....I get headaches from the smell of most lotions they are so strong and this was one of them.

12.) Favorite christmas movie? A Christmas Story

13.) When do you start shopping for christmas? November

14.) Have you ever recycled a christmas present? No

15.) Favorite thing to eat at christmas? Green bean casserole

16.) Lights on the tree? Yes sometimes, other times I go old fashioned and only use handmade ornaments.

17.) Favorite christmas song? Mary Did You Know?

18.) Travel at christmas or stay home? Mostly stay home.

19.) Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Yep!

20.) Angel on top of tree or star? Angel, star, bow, whatever the theme calls for.

21.) Open presents christmas eve or morning? Both, visit family on christmas eve...our own on christmas morning.

22.) Most annoying thing about this time of year? Every place I go is CROWDED! LOL

23.) Favorite thing about this time of year? Baking while listening to christmas music.

24.) Favorite ornament theme or color? Homemade, old fashioned.

25.) Favorite food for christmas dinner? Brown sugar/honey ham. green bean casserole, candied yams, cranberry sauce(from the can.LOL)

26.) Favorite christmas tradition? Getting the tree.

27.) What do you want for christmas this year. My daddy back...he passed away on april 1st and this christmas is gonna be hard on us all.

28.) Who is most likely to respond to this? Kitty

Thanks to all and Happy Holidays!

Nancy