Saturday at Moss Pots

Posted on Saturday, January 26, 2008 at 08:59

Hey Ya'll!  I spent much of the afternoon cleaning the house, and it smells so nice!  I use a special orange cleaning agent that I find at the Green Clean website.  It is called Oxy Orange, and I love the way it smells!  So, I have all of the housework done for the week, and now, it is my down-time. 

I have been reading over the websites, and as usual, I enjoyed myself immensely!  There are so many talented ladies here, and the ideas they share are awesome.  I have to wonder where they get all of their energy!  Some days, I feel like I am slogging uphill, and not very gracefully, either, lol! 

Hubby is very pleased with the changes to the house.  Since beginning the pare-down, the whole house seems to be easier to clean, and the hubby has begun to  express more interest in doing some needed handi-work to a few things.  I think the attitude is becoming contagious!

Denise is planning to go through her sewing supplies, and whittle them down.  So far, she has gotten three large boxes of fabric scraps together.  For her, this is an absolute miracle, LOL!  She is very protective of her fabric scraps.  Todd, following her lead, has gathered a couple of boxes of his own. The grand total of our cleaning and reorganizing is eleven boxes of various household goods, and other items that will soon find new homes! 

 I am putting the hints I am finding here to good use!   

Following the example of my HSB friend Tricia, I am posting my dinner menu for the next week,and here it is!

1. Sunday:  Pot roast with grilled veggies, lemon pound cake
2. Monday: Chicken and dumplings, garden peas (save half of stewed chicken for Thursday
3. Tuesday: Crockpot meatloaf woth carrots and potatoes
4. Wendsday: Grilled ham and cheese panini with sliced crudite' veggies and tomato soup
5. Thursday:  Chicken with gravy, steamed rice and green beans
6. Friday: Hamburgers and hot dogs on the grill, potato salad, baked beans
7. Saturday: Veal chops, squash casserole, and mashed taters.                                                                    

Night Musings

Posted on Sunday, January 20, 2008 at 10:38

One of the greatest treasures I have found in living in the country, is the quietness of the night.  I love to come home, and sit in my comfy old chair, curl my feet under, and read a book, or watch a good movie with my family. There is a calm in the air here.  A sort of peace that pulls you in, and invites introspection. It has always been at night that I seem to be able to relax, and really think about those things which are heavy on my heart.

Tonight, my thoughts turn to the upcoming Presidential election, and how it will effect our country.  While I am not a political person, and I do not propose political debate with this post, I do wonder how the election of each candidate would change our nation.  Would there be real change, as each of them promise?  Or would there only be the status quo, the same old rhetoric, dressed in an new package?  To be honest, I have yet to make up my mind for whom I will vote.

The purpose of this post is not to elicit any political promptings, but, rather to invite others to join in my prayers that the Lord will protect this country, and its citizens. 

I hope you will join me in prayer for this nation, for the political system, and those who hold Government posts.  While there are many things that need to change in America today, it is still the most wonderful country on Earth, in my humble opinion.  I want it to stay that way, and with God's intervention, it will.

Country Neighbors

Posted on Sunday, January 20, 2008 at 08:38

Country folk are the best neighbors in the world!  I can't imagine what life would be like without our good friends and church family.  Though our community is small, and we don't often get to visit, when they are needed, our neighbors rally around and give a hand. 

We have had a few things happen in our community lately, that have brought that wonderful giving spirit  out in the open, for all to see.  It makes me think back to years ago, when this country was young, how everyone pitched to help new families build their homesteads and barns, and teach them how to work the land, and bring in the harvest.  It was an amazing mix of give and take, blessed with true friendship and loving hearts.

I wonder what would happen if neighbors, whether city or country, begin to practice that same spirit today?  Do you think that offers of help and friendship would be rebuffed, or accepted and cherished?  It seems to me that the simple act of a kind word and an honest offer of friendship, never go out of style.  I know for our little family, the welcome, and the genuine care and concern, from the gift of friendship our neighbors have offered, made a lasting impression.

Our little "homestead" would never be what it is today, without the help of our neighbors.  They have watched out for us and become like family.  A gentle lady who lives about a half a mile from us has offered to help me redo the flower beds, which I truly wish to make over into a larger and simpler display of nature's bounty  Another neighbor recently came and cut back one of our trees which was so huge, it was about to overshadow the back side of our roof.  He did it for nothing, and would not even take the firewood we offered to try and offset the cost of running his equipment!  What a wonderful blessing!

When I was sick last year, and barely able to move, a kind lady who is friends with one of our neighbors, cooked a five course dinner for my family, and then served us all, and cleaned the kitchen!  We hardly knew this lovely lady, yet she graced our home with a lovely home-made meal, and made sure we knew she would be glad to help, if we had need of her again.  Now that is a neighbor!!!

I have come to cherish my neighbors, and realize some very important truths about being one as well.  It is not the act itself that makes what a person does valuable.  It is the spirit in which the act is done, that makes the thing worth doing.  So, when the young family that is moving to an old farmhouse about three miles to the east of us, move in next week, I will be there.   To help unpack, or do whatever needs doing, with a smile on my face, and welcome in my heart.  It is the least I can do, to be the kind of neighbor mine have been to me.

Thankful Thursday Thoughts: I Love Homesteader!

Posted on Thursday, January 10, 2008 at 01:24

Today, I am spending a few moments in thankful thoughts of the wonderful friends that God has given me.  I am grateful for their kindness, their compassion, and their love.  They brighten my day, and give my heart a boost of sheer joy, when I think of them.

I thank the Lord for the greatest Friend of all, most of all.  The Bible says, "No greater love hath a man than this, that he should lay down His life for a friend."  So, in my thanksgiving, I am so very humbled, and over-joyed for the One who did just that. 

Thank you Lord, for Your blessings on me!

I wanted to take a moment to thank all of my friends at Homesteadblogger.com too, because you all have made my days brighter.  Each of you has contributed to a love for this blog, and I am learning so much, each time I visit here.  It is like opening a window to a world filled with positive and loving thoughts.  Thank you so much for all you do, and sharing your stories.  You may never know the difference you make, when someone drops by!

God bless you all!  Mistypearl 

Sunday Fun...Simplicity Is the Key

Posted on Sunday, January 6, 2008 at 08:04

Don't you just love Sundays?  I sure do! 

I remember when I was a young girl, Sundays were a time to visit, eat together, and, most importantly to me at the time, play!  I got to thinking about that some today, and I wondered when we forgot how really necessary quiet time can be.  We all need some time to just let go, and have fun!  So, today, my family decided to do just that. No real plans, and no set destination, just drive and discover where we wound up. First, because it was a lovely day here, in the low sixties, we decided to have a picnic, instead of going out to dinner, after church services.  We came home, packed up ham sandwiches, some potato salad left over from Friday night, and a few brownies I had fixed yesterday.  We all piled inthe old Ford, and off we went.

We set no agenda, and we just drove 'til we found a likely looking spot.  Off the blacktop a ways, on an old dirt road, way on the backside of the county, we found an old farm house that was abandoned and pulled off the road to admire the graceful branches of the elm and oak trees that surrounded the place.  We didn't venture too close to the house though, because we didn't want to trespass.  Yet, sitting in the car, and eating, and talking, we all wondered who had once lived there, and where they had all gone.  There was no TV to distract us, and no radio.  We didn't have the cell phone on, and we sure didn't take the laptop.  We just sat there, and soaked up the ambiance of the place.  The old house was delapidated.  The paint was so weathered and worn, you couldn't tell for sure what color it has once been,  The shutters that were still hanging on, were doning so by sheer willpower.  Yet, that old house had a certain tattered dignity to it.  The lawn wasn't overgrown, and there was nothing that disturbed the quiet peacefulness of the place.  It made me think of the days when, on Sunday, at least, quiet was the order of the day.  Except for the children playing, that is!  But somehow, even that was done with a sense of simplicity.  There were no video games, unless you count "Pong" and the most elaborate outside toy was a three speed bike.  Or roller skates.

I asked Pumpkin who she thought might have lived there, once upon a time.  She spun me a marvelous tale of two little girls and a Mama who liked to bake cookies and garden.  She also talked about an old Granny, who made the children ice cream and told fantastic bedtime stories.  (Isn't it wonderful how your children draw from stories you have told them, and elaborate with their exquisite imagination!) She said Daddy was out in the fields, tending to his cows, and feeding the horses. It made me think of all the Sunday afternnons we had spent running around down on my grandmother's farm, and what those days meant to me.  I remembered my grandmother Mama Connie, and how she always stressed to the "yungins" to keep it quiet, when we played in the Sunday afternoon sun.  "This is Lord's day ya'll.  Now remember it, and be good boys and girls."  We got that same speech every time!  But no one ever minded, and we did try to rein in our enthusiasm once in a while, because we knew that if Mama Connie came back into that yard, and had to call us down, somebody was going to get it!  While she never really spanked any of us, we had enough good sense to stay out of the way of that old hickory switch that hung just inside the pantry door.  Just the threat of it, and that stern cobalt blue stare were plenty of warning, let me tell you!

As we contiunued on our little jaunt, we came to a fork in the road.  One side had a sign that read there was a Revolutionary War site not too far away, and the other, a State park about ten miles down the road.  We opted to go the Revolutionary War site.  After we had parked, we strolled through a field, now filled with pine trees, and some stuggling oaks.  Pumpkin ran ahead and called back to the Hubby and I once in a while.  There were a few markers commorating the brave men who had died at this place, and as we waked, DH and I discussed the state of Sunday afternnons in our nation today.  We talked of stores that never close, and all the things that vie for our attention.  We wondered how anyone ever felt rested, or refreshed, when so few make the Sabbath a day of rest, as we are commanded to do.

Now, I know there are many who must work on the Lord's day.  Thank God for the nurses, doctors, and all the others who give up their Sundays to keep us safe!  I am just saying for me, and my family, we want Sundays to be quiet, with play time for our little one, and a few hours of complete peace for us.  Tomorrow, we'll go back to our busy schedules. I'll teach Pumpkin, and cook, clean, and get a bit of work done late in the evening.  Hubby will be off, bright and early, for his job, too.  But for today, at least, we just celebrated being together as a family, and having some fun.

I hope you all had a blessed and joy-filled Sabbath, too!

Mistypearl

New Year's Musings

Posted on Saturday, December 29, 2007 at 10:38

The New Year is fast approaching, isn't it?  What plans do you have?  Have you made a list of resolutions that you plan to make?  Are you focusing on the possibilities that you are hoping will become realities?

This year, I plan to make only two resolutions.  I pray that the Lord will give me the strength and wisdom  to keep them both...and keep them well.

1.  Allow God to make the changes in me that are needed.

2.  Use those changes to enhance the areas of my life that most need improvement.

I think everyone grows a bit restive this time of year.  The long winter months, with frigid temperatures, and swirling snow, give us some much needed time to think.  Although we have had no snow, and really very little cold weather here in the deep South, still the early darkening skys, and cooler nights are much more inducisive to sipping hot cocoa in front of the fire, than finding some outdoor activity to keep us busy.

For me, the last few weeks have been very hectic.  Christmas gifts to make and buy, cards to write, and Christmas plays, church activities, and holiday festivities, have all taken a toll on my energy reserves.  I love all of the hustle and bustle, but I have to confess, I am tired!  I guess many wives and mothers feel the same!  Yet, it is all worth it, when we see the smiles of family and friends, as they open gifts, and share our tables.  Somehow, the tiredness melts into happiness, and we know we will do it all again next year...but, in my case, hopefully a bit better organized!

I am looking forward to a few nights snuggled up with hubby on the couch, pouring over the garden journals that will soon start peppering the mailbox.  I am also exited about the wonderful chickens which are soon to arrive!  Ten hens and two roosters will soon grace a chicken coop in our side yard, and I can't wait to hear the first cock-a-doodle-doo! that will pierce the early morning air, after their arrival.

Not to be outdone, Pumpkin is making a few plans of her own.  She has just turned nine, and she is starting to feel like a "young lady."  She has requested that she be allowed to learn how to cook some simple dishes, so in the next few weeks, we will be working together in our country kitchen, learning the mechanics of omelets, and flatbreads, (one of our family favorites, see the recipe section of my blog, and enjoy!)

All in all, I am so happy that I have another year to look forward to, to grow in, and to hopefully, to become a better Christain, wife, and mother.  I thank the Lord for 2007, and I give Him all honor and glory for His mercy and grace in 2008!  God bless you, and Happy New Year, Ya'll!

Finding Freedom in A Simpler Life

Posted on Saturday, December 22, 2007 at 08:47

Hey Ya'll!  I have taken a couple of days off from everything to just sit back, relax, and get my thoughts together for the coming year.  I know Christmas hasn't even come yet, but still, I needed this time to reflect.

I don't know how many others are feeling this way, but I think it is time for some major changes in my life.  I am thinkijng of my excesses, and my need to have "things"  For years now, I have said that I wanted a simpler life, but I have come to one major conclusion...I sure haven't been living like it!  I took a good long look at myself, and I realized that at heart, I am a really selfish person.  So, I asked myself...how do I change this?  After several days of prayer, and some honest soul searching, I know I can't change anything.  But God can!

All of my good intentions come to nothing, if I don't actually give it to God, and let Him have control over my desires.  So, today, I am doing that.  In the next few weeks, I am trusting God to help me clean out the stuff I don't need, and find those with whom He would have me to bless with things I no longer need.  I mean, why do I need thirteen pairs of jeans, or thirty tops, and even more dresses, and shoes?  Why do I need seventeen sets of matching towels, or six sets of placemats?

I do not think I had ever thought of these things as excess, until I understood that I spent more time cleaning things that I don't need, than using them!  What a terrible waste of time and energy.  Time I could be spending with my children, or my husband.  Energy that I needed to acheive my dreams of being self-sufficient.  Instead of new clothes, I really didn't need,  I should have been investing in my church family...maybe there was a need I didn't know about, that the money could have made a difference.

The truth is, I have a long way to go, to get to where I need to be to be the kind of person I should be.  I am not advocating a spartan lifestyle.  I like nice things!  I just think I need to spend less time accumilating stuff, and more time being a woman who works with purpose.  In order to do that, I need to let go of my desire to have things, and replace it with a desire to DO something that will make a difference. 

I believe the benefit will last a lifetime!

Homestead Plans

Posted on Saturday, December 15, 2007 at 02:06

It is a cool Saturday afternoon here, but it is tolerable, as I relax in this old rocker, feet propped on an old hassock. I have my laptop resting securely on my knees, and a warm fire burning cheerily in the free standing fireplace we have for the front porch.  It is a warm and cozy spot to sit and think about our plans for the coming year.  Hubby and the darlings are doing their own things, and these few moments are mine, to think of the future, and dream of the day when we are a family of true homesteaders.

We have a lovely old home, and we like where we live.  Our neighbors aren't too close, and yet are still near enough that we don't feel totally isolated.  As I muse over plans I have documented in our files, I am grateful for them.  They are good people who love God, and us.  The best part of all, is that they understand our desire for privacy, and respect that.  But, if we have need of them, they come running, with hearts full, and hands ready and willing to help.  We do the same for them.  It is a relationship forged over time, and in the spirit of Christion love, that blesses each of us.

Today, I am spending my quiet time reflecting the hopes that our family have written for becoming more self-sufficient.  In the months of January and February, we plan to start work on a small chicken coop, that will house ten new hens, and two fiesty roosters.  It is our hope that we will have eggs enough in the months that follow to feed our brood, and as time progresses, allow us to bless some of our friends as well.  We want to share our bounty with those who are precious to us, and pray that one day soon, we will be able to do just that. I am also looking into raising a couple of cows, so that we might be able to have a ready source of milk and cheese.  I am very fortunate, because when I was little, my wonderful grandmother took many hours of time to teach me that art of churning butter, and making fresh cheese, so I am one up on those thoughts!

I have plans to attend a weaving class starting in March of 2008.  I will have to drive about thirty miles each way to attend, but Hubby and I both feel it wil be a wonderful experience, and a lovely heirloom craft that I will one day be able to pass on to our two daughters.  I already have some small talent in making dresses and skirts, and simple flannel shirts for the hubby and our son, so learning to weave will give me a chance to expand on that skill.  Unfortunately denims are beyond my level.  The last pair I tried to make, wound up being turned into jean purses, lol!

Hubby has his own thoughts for the new year.  He is already a very skilled carpenter, but his ability is limited, because he has taught hinself everthing he knows, and he hasn't had the time to dedicate to his craft, until now.  He makes beautiful bread bowls and picture frames. He has also made kitchen cabinets that turned out wonderfully.  Yet, he wants to learn more.  So this year, he will be investing in some new carpentry books, and he and our son will be trying their hands at some new projects.  I think I am as exited as he, because I will be the blessed recipient of a new hutch and dresser for our bedroom, if all goes according to plan.

We have plans to expand our garden space as well, to include a new cold frame to raise lettuce and a few other cold weather crops.  And the spring and summer are full of the promise of a new herb garden and a bumper crop of heirloom vegitables grown from seeds our friends in California have sent us.

The most important plan of all, however, has much less to do with our home here, as it does with the one to come.  We are searching for a new church.  Not because we are unsatisfied with the one we now attend.  Far from it!  It is just that we feel that we are being led in a different direction.  And that is fine with us, because we have already been taught that our plans, our dreams, are nothing, if Christ is not at the heart of them.

All in all, I am truly looking forward to 2008.  I believe that the Lord will bless this endeavor, as we seek to serve Him, and pattern our lives after a simpler time. I hope you will also have a lovely afternoon, and muse a little about some hopes and dreams He has given you!

                             Mistypearl