Homestead Haven Beginnings

Ugh picture

{ Posted by Amy W }
{ 9:38 AM, 2008-Oct-13 } { Posted in Everyday Things } { 1 comments } { Link }

I am having serious issues with updating my Avatar. Frustrated by my lack of knowledge. I couldn’t even upload the previous avatar after I started messing with it.
I am not happy with it as it is not as big as my other one was. Every time I try to increase it's size a wee bit it won't allow it.
Oh well.
Moving on.
This is me:

10 Tips for Saving on Your Heating Bills

{ Posted by Kitty }
{ 10:23 AM, Monday, October 13, 2008 } { Posted in Helpful Hints and Tips } { 3 comments } { Link }

This was in my inbox this morning and I thought it was worth sharing these good tips for saving money....Kitty

Saving on Your Heating Bill
by Justin Ripley
You don't have much choice. You must heat your home.

With gas, heating fuel, and electric prices rising more and
more every day, many people are finding that the cost of
heating their homes is reaching astronomical proportions.
Unlike other monthly expenses that can be cut out of a
person's budget, home heating expenses are not an area where
we have much choice. We have to heat our homes during the cold
winter months just in order to survive. It's a simple as that.

Despite the fact that this is an expense we can not remove
from our budgets, there are a number of things that can be
done to trim those heating costs throughout the winter. Many
articles point to expensive remedies, such as installing
energy efficient windows or installing new insulation. While
these solutions work, it can take years to realize the savings
in lower heating costs. Conversely, most of these ten tips are
cheap, easy, and quick to implement. I hope they will save you
some money while keeping you warm throughout those cold winter
months!

1. Install a "smart" thermostat. While it may cost you
somewhere in the neighborhood of $100 to purchase a
programmable thermostat, it should pay for itself within a
year. Personally, I bought a 7-day programmable thermostat as
soon as I moved into my new house and I love it. It was
relatively easy to install myself and now the temperature in
my home fluctuates throughout the day per my plan. The heat
drops down to 62 during the day when I'm not home (why keep
the place warm when nobody is home!) then charges back up to
70 degrees shortly before I get back from work. At bedtime, it
drops down to 62 again, and then it heads back up to 70
shortly before I need to get out of bed in the morning. It's
great!

2. Throw some extra blankets on the bed. Following the thought
from above, I sleep in a relatively cold environment. I find
it to be better for my lungs, and frankly, once you're nestled
under a bunch of warm blankets, it's quite enjoyable. Not
heating the house to 70 degrees throughout the night will save
a bunch of money on those heating bills.

3. Consider buying a humidifier. Moist air feels warmer than
dry air, and it's better for your skin and lungs, too.

4. Wear wool socks in the house. The floors in your house get
cold in the winter as heat rises and colder air moves down.
Cold feet make cold people. Wool socks are cheap, comfortable,
and will keep you and your feet warm.

5. Wear a sweater. Like the socks, this is a cheap and easy
way to stay warm throughout the winter and allows you to set
the thermostat at a lower temperature. I've noticed that in
today's modern world people seem to think they should be able
to wear shorts and t-shirts in their homes throughout the
winter. This is fine if you want to pay for it. I'll take a
lesson from my ancestors and just bundle up a little bit.

6. Let the light in. Be sure to open the window shades and
blinds during the day. Sunlight coming in will act as passive
solar heat and can make a significant difference in the
temperature of your home.

7. Turn the ceiling fans on. This one may sound a little
crazy, but it works. Most ceiling fans have a switch on them
that allows them to run in reverse. By running the fan in
reverse at a low speed, it will actually help circulate warm
air throughout the house.

8. Seal the leaks. At the beginning of winter, go around your
home and seal up any potential air leaks with caulk or weather
stripping. Most of the heat that leaves your home escapes
through cracks around the windows and doors. To the extent
possible, seal these up!

9. Service your furnace and/or heaters. A dirty furnace or heater is not efficient and
will cost more money to run than one that receives
annual cleaning from a professional. In addition to periodic
servicing, be sure to replace those air filters if needed.

10. Cook a big Sunday roast. Mom
always cooked a Sunday roast. Pork or beef with carrots,
potatoes, gravy, and all the other good stuff. It was a great
tradition to bring the family together at least one day a
week, and of course, the food was great, too. Cooking a
roast meant having the oven on for a few hours, and all that
heat definitely escapes into the house. It doesn't cost much
to run the oven, and it's also a nice way to spend a quiet
Sunday in the winter with family.

I hope these simple tips prove useful and help you save some
of your hard-earned cash this winter!

Meet our new farm animals..We are proud parents

{ Posted by haflinger }
{ 10:10, Monday, October 13, 2008 } { Posted in Farm Animals } { 3 comments } { Link }

We got two pygmies on fri they were born in the spring. This picture is bringing them home they are in my car. They didn't mind riding at all..

The buff color one is name butterscotch and the tri color one is called pudding.

They are in one side of the horse stall and seem to like it ok. They have been in the barn since they were born so they really didn't know what it was like in the sun light.

They have been alot of company we have been holding them and loving them up. They love to eat leaves so we are going to rake and bag them up for treats this winter.

We are also looking for a good goat company to buy supplies like worming meds and I need another bell I have one.. Our local farm store doesn't carry anything for goats..

Here they are butterscotch and pudding.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Daybook Entry #13

{ Posted by Amy W }
{ 9:12 AM, 2008-Oct-13 } { Posted in Everyday Things } { 2 comments } { Link }

The Simple Woman’s Daybook

FOR TODAY~ October 13^th

Outside my Window... The trees are changing color- yellow, red and brown leaves dot the yard. I figure there must be about 500 or so walnuts littering the ground too. [A job for the Kiddie Pirates today.] It’s a relatively cool morning.

I am thinking... that God is in control- No matter what and I need to be patient for His perfect timing.

From the learning room... today is our Explorers & Pirates Celebration! We have successfully completed 6 weeks of school. We will continue with our regular schedule today and have a family celebration this evening with special food and games. Oh, the joys of Homeschooling! Oh and I should mention that we will be talking like pirates today. Argh!

I am thankful for… family connections and the actual connecting. And friendship connections that grow into the feeling of family connections.

From the kitchen... Today is a very special day. With it being our Explorers & Pirates Celebration we are going all out today. Breakfast is Captain’s Eggs & toast, lunch will be Shipwreck Stew and supper is Bubble & Squeak, Spanish Rice, peas, hardtack biscuits and apple tarts (not to mention Limey Punch). We had fun with breakfast and lunch and tried to pick foods that represented countries and staples from that time for supper. [Go here for the whole week’s menu]

I am creating... Pirate-games, helping finish up painting doubloons and more!

I am going... to purchase a couple of straw bales later today. We also may squeeze in a trip to the library.

I am wearing... 6-7 year old blue jeans (ah, broke in at last), brown T, silver heart shaped prayer box necklace. And a pirate bandana (because I don’t have a captain’s fancy hat).

I am reading... Whirlwind by can’trememberwhorightnow and a book by Dr. Kevin Lehman.

I am hoping... for a spectacular and very Pirate-y day.

I am hearing... the girls cleaning up breakfast dishes in the kitchen, Mr. Conductor whistling while he plays with our Frigate.

Around the house... we’re doing pirate-y things! Like swabbing the deck and cleaning the slop buckets! Oh, yes, I’m milking this- cleaning can be more fun (for awhile at least) when given new names and talking like pirates. “Argh, swab harder you filthy sea rat.” It also helps to be sporting bandanas, fake pirate tattoos and having a mock sword fight with the dusters.

One of my favorite things... making school work so fun you don’t realize you are “doing” school.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week... MOPS tomorrow morning (kids have a fire safety class) and computer class in the afternoon, “regular” schooling the rest of the week, plus visiting a friend’s horse farm and (drum roll please) a double DATE NITE- Mr. Steady and I with two of our very bestest friends.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you... Saturday we went to a Civil War Reenactment- here are the Confederate soldiers hiding and waiting behind the mill. They will soon march over the covered bridge and attack the Union forces. It will be a hard fought battle- close combat but the Yankees will push back the Johnny Rebs and take the high ground.

Please visit Peggy, the host of the Simple Woman’s Daybook and others here.

menu plan monday

{ Posted by joyful-homemaker }
{ 09:02, Monday, October 13, 2008 } { 0 comments } { Link }

We have really needed to reduce the grocery budget lately and menu planning is one thing that helps alot. I find we spend alot less if we dont just go to the grocery and buy whatever sounds good that day. We have also been shopping every other week (with dh picking up milk on the way home from work a few times each week). We have been averaging 75 - 100 dollars every other week. This includes all pet food, diapers, toiletries and cleaning supplies. Here is this weeks menu plan:

Monday - navy bean and ham soup with fresh bread

Tuesday - Sloppy joe sandwiches and carrots

Wednesday - Scalloped potatoes with ham and green beans

Thursday - Apple cinamon oatmeal (crock pot) and scrambled eggs

Friday - Hamburger helper and peas

Saturday - vegetarian chilli and fresh rolls

Sunday - dd's birthday at the bowling alley Pizza!

joyful homemaker

Menu & Pirate Twist on Monday

{ Posted by Amy W }
{ 8:23 AM, 2008-Oct-13 } { Posted in Menus } { 0 comments } { Link }

Notes: We continue to stop at a local orchard/farmer’s stand for tomatoes, potatoes and apples.

Monday -Explorers & Pirates Celebration Day
B: Captain’s Eggs, toast
L: Shipwreck Stew, hardtack
D: Bubble & Squeak, hardtack, peas, Spanish Rice
Dessert: Apple Tarts
Daily Cost: $11.77
Tuesday
B: Baked Oatmeal, apple sauce
L: Homeschool group lunch: Book-it Pizzas (give $2 for Mom pizzas)
D: Crockpot: Layered dinner (steak, potatoes & veggies)
Dessert: Leftover tarts
Daily Cost: $9.04
Wednesday
B: Baked Oatmeal & sliced bananas
L: corn dog muffins & cottage cheese
D: One Dish Chicken Bake, salad
Dessert: none
Daily Cost: $7.97
Thursday
B: Choice: yogurt or cereal
L: Turkey Ranch wraps, chips & pickles
D: Sausage, egg & cheese biscuit sandwiches
Dessert: fruit cocktail
Daily Cost: $7.75
Friday
B: Berry Muffin Squares
L: Diner Dinner
D: Pizza
Dessert: none
Daily Cost: $11.77
Saturday
B: Daddy Cook (eggs, toast, bacon etc)
L: Leftover Smorgasbord
D: Leftover Smorgasbord
Daily Cost: $3.00
Sunday
B: Cocoa Wheats, toast
L: Crockpot: Chicken in mushroom sauce, homemade bread, veggies
D: Lunch Leftovers
Daily Cost: $6.21
Weekly Total: $57.51
~~ Don’t forget to check out the yummy menu ideas every Monday over at The Organizing Junkie’s blog. You just might find your next favorite family recipe!

Big plans, Big ambitions!

{ Posted by gokings13 }
{ 07:55, Monday, October 13, 2008 } { Posted in OH! THE GARDEN } { 0 comments } { Link }

Have you ever "bit off more than you can chew"?

I had a great quote come into my inbox this morning..........

"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in
a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside,
thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "WOW...what a ride!"

This is what it's like when you bite off more than you can chew! HA HA

I have the next two days off work, so I am really going to focus on the side flower gardens, and the fruit trees. Also canning up the 60+ pounds of tomatoes that I picked!!
If I listed all the things going thru my head that I want to do / get done / start / finish / accomplish / and try.............someone would commit me!! HA HA

I need to focus.
You musta focus............

Gardens today and tomorrow......

Don't Pull My Leg !!

{ Posted by GrannyG }
{ 08:49, 2008-Oct-12 } { 2 comments } { Link }

This has been one of those weeks...I get myself into the oddest situations. Years ago, my daughter Karen tiled a beautiful, large table. I have used it for years as my crafting table, and since I am fixing the new building into my craft area, I decided to move the table there as well. I can tell I am getting older, I get tired of hauling out boxes of rubber stamps, inks, tons of paper, punches of all kinds, I enjoy looking at them as they go up on the walls and into standing cabinets for me to look at, and count my blessings that I can do this. I had moved everything off the table, it is in my house next to the portable building. It is a very, very heavy table, and I managed to get it all the way to the door, but could go no farther with it...and I hate to ask Benny for help, but I had to....so he came out to help me move the table. I do not know HOW I got it in the house, but it would NOT go through the door. I finally decided we would have to take off the legs to get it out...this was a bigger chore than I expected. Needless to say, five HOURS later, after screws had been DRILLED OUT, and I hammered on the legs, we finally had them off...next job, get the tiled top out of the house in one piece. We strugged and managed to use the wagon with wheels to move it, then turned it upside down, tile side on the bottom, so we could shove it inside with it on a carpet. Oh My Goodness !!! It is finally in the building, and tomorrow, new bolts will have to be put in the legs to help it stand in one piece. I love this table, it has always been one of my favorite pieces of furniture, and because of all the work Karen put into the beautiful tiles on top, I love to work at it, so maybe, this week, I can begin to get things straightened up...hope so...still have half a house of crafting supplies to move out...then comes all the stained glass stuff from another place....I need to be home playing...not working....maybe someday....

Cardamom Coffee Zucchini Bread

{ Posted by ~Rebekah~ }
{ 06:11, Sunday, October 12, 2008 } { Posted in Recipes From the Kitchen } { 0 comments } { Link }

I just found this recipe and I absolutely HAD to share it. I think I'm going to start making them and freezing them. What an AWESOME combination. Something that not everyone has had. I pray that you enjoy it. Take a look at the website I found it at. You'll find a plethora of Recipes worth trying.

Cardamom Coffee Zucchini Bread

3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon table salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 tablespoon finely ground coffee beans
3 eggs
1 cup canola oil
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 cups shredded zucchini
One 8.5oz can crushed pineapple

Preheat your oven to 350F.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, ground cardamom and espresso.

In your mixer, beat the eggs with the canola oil, sugar and the brown sugar. Add the zucchini and crushed pineapple. Turn the mixer to low and add in the flour mixture, half at a time, letting it mix in between. Do not over mix.

Spray 2 loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray. Divide the batter in half and fill. Bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Photo's From The Pumpkin Patch

{ Posted by HandsNHearts }
{ 10:43, Sunday, October 12, 2008 } { Posted in Around the Homestead } { 4 comments } { Link }

Ok...there are alot of photo's in this one, so bear with me if they load slow. We have an ancient dial-up connection here and trust me...they might load slowly for you, but that's nothing compared to uploading them on my end!

First off, Saturday we visited a pumpkin patch with the handful of children from our church. No, we don't do the whole halloween thing at all. Honestly, you can dress a pig in pretty clothes and take him to church, but it's still just a pig and he simply doesn't belong there....still, we went. I'm a hypocrit, I guess.

The 'patch' was a large farm with several fields of pumpkins you could select from yourself (do you know how long it takes children to select their own pumpkin???? It's a loonnggg time, trust me!)
They had a large, inflatible slide thing, a race track set up with peddle cars and tricycles and such, a ring for pony rides, a few animals for the petting zoo and a hay bale maze in a small barn.
We played a short while, then took the hay wagon out to the fields and everyone got a pumpkin to bring home -- we'll be canning ours this week.

I'll just share the pictures and you can look around with our family...

Here's my group...sitting on top inside the inflatible bouncer slide...they are trying to decide who gets to be the brave one and head out first. There's Jacob, David, Matthew turned around backwards and Miss KatiAnne (and Hunter, our Pastor's grandson). I noticed that most of the 'city kids' waited very patiently while the strange "amish" children tested themselves here. LOL...what those poor folks must have been thinking! I know...we do need to get out and about more, don't we?
The first ones out? Wild Child, of course...and Miss KatiAnne...

It was David's birthday and he was convinced the whole day was for him. The inflatible slide posed some issues for him, though. He simply doesn't have the weight to keep him on it -- he would bound over the top and begin to slide down, just to bounce most of the way down because it was more 'springy' than he was 'weighty'

And what happens when, as D at As Simply As We Can mentioned on her blog, when country goes to town?

The poor country children are duped by the city folk into milking a wooden cow....yes, apparently my children need to get out a bit more. I said that, didn't I? These are those moments when you do need a bit more of being 'of' the world and not just 'in' it I think ;o)

Here is eldest and youngest daughters, Miss Jennifer and Miss Emily. They look so impressed with the converted cotton wagon ride to the field, don't they? Honestly, Miss Emily about fell asleep with the motion of the wagon across those fields -- both on the way out and coming back in! It is a good picture of the two of them, though, even if Miss Jennifer didn't want her's taken.

And poor Miss Emily in the field...she was looking at me as though I had abandoned her to carry her pumpkin alone so I could take pictures of her misery. Note to other parents: Ok, I sort of did...but *Dad* wanted to see lots of pictures of the day...I had to be just a by-stander! He made me do it. It's all Dad's fault :o) Besides, doesn't carrying your own pumpkin, by yourself, across the whole field, promote character or something?
She made it about 5 steps toting that pumpkin before she put it back down and said she was too heavy to carry it.

But, along came David to encourage her...he took a few steps with his pumpkin, then came back and carried hers...back and forth like that all the way out of the field (yes, so Mom could take pictures...LOL)

Here is KatiAnne with her pumpkin, Johanna with her choice, and way out there is Matthew, trying to help Miss Ashley from church select hers so he can help her carry it back to the wagon. Now, Miss Ashley comes from rather stout farm raised Southern stock...she really didn't need help carrying a pumpkin, but Matthew, well...always the gentleman :o)

After the pumpkin field, we stopped back at the farm kitchen and got some drinks before heading home. The children all played in the race track section. They had several different bicycles and tricycles and such.
Miss KatiAnne grabbed one of the large tricycles and took off -- with Abigail behind her telling her she needed to pick a different racer so her peddling wouldn't lift her skirt above her knees! She was right -- KatiAnne made about half a round on that track, with constant pulling on her skirt and apron, and chose a different ride. No one listens when Mom says to wear their bloomers.....

That was about it for the day. They had some huge, nice looking mum plants set out for sale...bright yellows, deep reds, oranges and some purple-shades. I almost bought a couple, but then I remembered the dogs...who would waste little time in dragging them off the porch; And the cats...who would waste little time in using them for a new litter box out there. They were better left where they were.

All in all, the day was fun for everyone. And I put gas in the van before heading out and paid $3.05 a gallon. Not a bad price, considering, but we get over to Blue Mountain and their gas was already down to $2.52 a gallon!!! I could have gotten 15 gallons instead of the 12 gallons I got for my $40. Ugh, ugh and ugh!!!! Still...all considered, the $3.05 was better than the $3.18 it was on Thursday, so I didn't suffer too terribly much. And those little 12 gallons was far more gas than my van has seen in a good 3 months now, so all was well.

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