We have had warmer weather and the kids have enjoyed it.  They spend their days outside and can hardly believe that I would ask them to come in.   Our backyard gets quite a bit of shade and this helps them to enjoy their play time.  Our trampoline broke, so they have ventured into the land of roller-skates, creating gardens for me,  and squirt guns.  They planted a flat of pansies for me underneath our pine tree.  It was supposed to be a surprise, but then they got distracted and forgot to tell me.  So, I had to peek so I could water them.  I appreciate the thought.  I just hope that the flowers flourish.  It will be lovely to have pansies growing in a patch of dirt that is barren of any life due to being under a huge tree.  We'll pray that the Lord blesses their efforts.

We went camping this weekend.  We got to the campground late Wed. evening just as the sun was setting.  The people kept coming and the campground was almost full by Thurs. morning.  If we had waited until Thurs. as we had planned, I don't think we would have gotten a spot.  The kids loved being next to a shallow creek.  It was quite hot, so we spent quite a bit of time splashing around.  Even Gideon got in on the act.  He loves getting wet and didn't hesitate to imitate his older siblings by sitting in the cold mountain water.  We had some "how long" competitions for who could sit in the water the longest.  Jael demolished Keren's record by sheer will power while sitting in the icy cold water.  Of course, the oldest can not handle defeat, so she too had to try and set a new record.   We shared our campsite with a mouse and a rabbit.  The mouse was quite brave and would come out and scour our campsite as soon as the children were tucked away for the night.  We did pack it in a bit early though and decided to come home and enjoy the 4th at home where it wasn't quite so hot.  Hubby is already planning another trip in two weeks. 

Already starting to plan for school next year.  The younger kids are really looking forward to starting up again.  I look forward to seeing their growth and hope that their excitement continues. 

No fancy firework displays near our town or closest city, so we will be spending a quite evening at home watching a movie with the kids.  Quiet is of course a relative term on the fourth because many of our neighbors have backyard fireworks.  The kids are excited about what they might see.  Maybe next year we can plan to travel to some place that has a display.  I think , no I know, the kids would enjoy it. 

I'm starting to look at paint chips for the different rooms in the house.  I need to take advantage of the warmer weather because fall will set in before we know it.  I look forward to refreshing the rooms.

We continue to enjoy going to our new church.  They have been extremely friendly and the kids are enjoying their time there.  The messages have been sound and biblical and the pastor has a sense of humor, which we enjoy.  They have many ministries that we can get involved in, even a quilting one.  So, we are hopeful that we have finally found our church home. 

The chickens continue to grow and we all enjoy watching them.  I chuckle when they try to jump over the few blades of grass left in their yard.  We are looking forward to their laying eggs, even though it is quite a ways off. 

Have a blessed day and enjoy this special time with family and friends. 

God bless,

Denisa

I 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.   The bulk of  planting comes from September to November.  But, if I don't at least make a plan now and make sure I have seeds ready, I may miss my planting date when it arrives. 

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
Zone 4 - Sept 1st - 30th
Zone 5 - Sept 30th - Oct 30th
Zone 6 - Sept 30th - Oct 30th
Zone 7 - Oct 15th - Nov 15th
Zone 8 - Oct 30th - Nov 30th
Zone 9 - Nov 30th - Dec 30th
Zone 10 - Nov 30th - Dec 30th
Zone 11 - Frost Free

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,

Catherine

When 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,

Catherine

Home Management and Making a Home
By Crystal Miller

When I think of the word “Homemaking” I think of the word as “Making a Home”. Homemaking is all that goes into making my house a home. Due to my home being a priority to me and perhaps because I have a large family I feel like much of homemaking is good home management. I have felt that it takes a well functioning home to feel like a comfortable home. A home where your family enjoys the time spent and others like to come to your home for refreshment and encouragement. I personally feel like it is hard for me to nurture my family and reach out to others if my life and home are not functioning as they should.

In order to manage a home you have to have a plan. You have to have a basic daily plan on how to keep the home flowing and the work done. A plan consists of routines, good time management, chores maintained, systems of organization, and tools to help you keep it all in order and keep the wheels moving forward in your home. Remember that one of the most important aspects of being a homemaker is creating a loving and peaceful environment for your family.

The housekeeping plan you use needs to be one that works for you and your life. I have read lots of books and read many ideas and used different plans, but ultimately these plans and ideas were not the end in themselves, they were the means to creating my own plan. My home is unique and so is yours. I don’t believe we could follow someone else’s plan exactly and have it work for us. We will tweak it and modify and then find something else and say, “Oh that might work” and try it and tweak that, etc., until after a time what you have is “your” plan.

Obstacles to Planning

Our Attitude
There are obstacles that can make a home management plan difficult. One is our attitude about cleaning a house. Being a homemaker is hard work and it takes a positive attitude and a lot of energy and determination each day. The beauty of it all is that with the right attitude caring for our home can be one of those areas in life where we can learn to get into the rhythm of the tasks and learn to appreciate things like warm soapy dishwater on our cold winter-time hands, the soothing hum of a washing machine going, the smell of dinner wafting through the home, the beauty of a shiny clean kitchen floor, the peace that comes from a home where all is clean and in order.

Any woman can choose to believe that their job is drudgery or they can choose to view it as a service to Christ. I believe that being a homemaker is a ministry of service and love unto Christ to those the Lord has given me to love, nurture and care for. My husband and family are the ones that mean the most to me; they are the closest to my heart. They are the first and foremost ministry in my life. If I begin to think of other things I would rather be doing then laundry, cooking, cleaning, etc., I realize that I have neglected to view my role from God’s perspective and that is as His servant. There is something humbling about serving others, washing the feet of our loved ones in these tasks; something that can, if we allow it, help to put our heart and attitudes in the right place. It can change our view of the work we do each day. If Jesus walked into your home you would do everything possible to serve Him while He was in your home. Well ladies, He IS in your home and you are serving Him each day as you go about your task of raising up godly children and caring for and keeping a home for you husband and family (Matt. 25:40 And the King will answer and say to them, ”Assuredly, I say to you inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me”).

Busyness
Many years ago when I began my quest to manage my home better I evaluated all the busyness in my life and looked at what things might be preventing me from managing my home better. I decided that if I am not able to take care of my home in such a way that shows that I have control over my domain then I may need to lessen what I currently have going on and not add any more to my schedule.

I have always been a person who would bite off more than I could chew so to speak. I don’t think I am alone with this either, as I talk to other women who deal with the same issue. I would take on more projects than I could handle, I volunteered for more than I should have, and I made plans that were beyond my abilities or time. The end result was always the same; something would suffer.

When I am too busy the first thing to suffer is always my home. It becomes a mess, laundry backs up, and clutter is a big problem. Then my children are next; attitude problems, discipline issues not being handled well, little ones not getting enough mommy time. Of course meals suffer; boxed cereal, instant, expensive and typically unhealthy food is served. All for the sake of not having my home under control.

The dividing line for outside busyness and effectively managing a home will be drawn in a different place for each of us. I am not saying that all outside activity needs to stop, that would be unrealistic. But rather when life has too much going on, it is much more difficult to manage a home as it should be managed. I had to make very different choices in my life in order to achieve my goals.

Time Management
Problems in good home management can also come from our time not being used as efficiently as possible. I know that it can be somewhat depressing for someone to look around and see that they don’t have control over their home or don’t have as much control as they feel they should and think it is hopeless, I might as well just continue on because I can’t ever get it under control. But let me encourage you that my experience is that as I have worked to organize, deal with clutter, create and implement systems of operation in my home and learn to use my time wisely that my skill level in these areas has increased, my efficiency has increased and I am able to train my children to work along side me and eventually move beyond the basics and accomplish other things in my life.

The first thing to remember is that there are only 24 hours in a day. We can’t expect to find anymore time available than this! We need to sleep a certain amount of those hours; we need wake up time and unwinding time and personal time. That calculates into only so many available hours to do all the other things we would like. These available hours should be viewed as precious time to accomplish the work the Lord has given us!

Be realistic about what you can do with the hours you have. Know your limits, your strengths and your weaknesses. I remember planting a huge garden one year. That was great except for the fact that I was due to have my 5th baby at the beginning of September. The same time all my tomatoes were ripe and ready. I personally did not have the energy to go from birth to canning in the same week! I was still struggling to care for my new baby (which was the 3rd baby in less in than 3 years) and recover and regain some energy. I was not very realistic about what I could accomplish. I wanted to do it all and I physically could not.

Recognize the things in our life that rob time from us. Over commitment, the telephone, the computer, laziness, hobbies that need to put off until the house is in order. Once you have a good handle on time management you will find it much simpler to accomplish the basic priorities.

In Summary
Time spent making and managing a home for my family will be a value passed on not only to my children but to future generations too. I think of the legacy left to me by my hard working, home loving, dedicated grandmothers and I know I can leave this same legacy for my grandchildren.

Managing my home is a mission that the Lord has given me. I always want to remember that homemaking is not a job to be avoided but a job to embrace and live to its’ full potential. This is one major area that is so easy to run from. It can be hard work to run a well managed home. This is a challenge that we as homemakers can embrace and be successful. It requires a determination to succeed and a plan. I don’t mind hard work and I don’t mind working towards these goals when I know that my hard work and my goals are for the purpose of something worthy. And certainly raising a family in such a way as to honor Christ is a worthy purpose.

An excerpt from:
Managing a Home: Tips, Organizational Advice and Practical
How-To’s from a Mother of 8
A new eBook from The Family Homestead

I 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,

Catherine

Well it's a rainy day today so me and the boy's are home while dh is at church....Look's like it might be rain for the next few day's, I sure hope not...I have too get out and get Jarreds new bed next week, He's supper excited!

It's been getting hot around here thank goodness for A/C and a couple fan's in the house....I just can not belive it's almost July, If summer go's by as fast as it did last year it will be like boom it's fall..I dont mind that too much sence I dont do too well in the heat, I know I will have too go too the Doctures office in Aug but hopeing too have some cab money buy then so I wount have too walk in the heat :)

Jarred is still working on the potty training it's going good so far and we have been working on our letter's trying too lurn how too write, So far that has been hard with in it's self but we will get threw it I'm sure.

Our cat Zoey got out a few week's ago and we havent seen her sence, Jarred took it hard at frist sence she was his cat but I think he is starting too forget about her now, He just tell's me....Mommy Zoeys not comeing home and I tell him I dont think so and he go's on his way.

So not too much too write about today, Just so over tired have been haveing some ruff day's but I wount get into that, But Im sure I will be ok in a couple day's or so :)

Blessings to you all!

Ruth

Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass on a summer day listening to the murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is hardly a waste of time.  ~John Lubbock

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,

Catherine

The kids and the chicks, that is.  I must say that chickens are never boring.  Today, three flew the coop.  We had put up a gate to keep them in the hen house with the door open so they could get enough sunshine when they were inside the coop.  They were so young that we didn't want to leave them outside all day, especially with the cooler weather we have been experiencing.  Well, a few of them "believed they could fly and tried to touch the sky" and almost succeeded.  So, the big door is to remain closed and they are restricted to using their own on suite door.  They are able to go in and out on their own now, so they can seek shelter or food and water as they so desire.  We are really looking forward to having some eggs.

Gideon finally did it.  This morning, he was overcome with moosh love and was not able to control himself.  He was sitting on my lap and said "Mamamamamamamamamam" as he gave me kisses.  Oh, what a sweet moment.  I shall never forget it.  He still tries to be coy, but today seemed to be a break through for him and it was unsolicited, which makes it even sweeter.

We finally had a full day of sunshine and it was really nice. We had gone camping this last weekend, but came home early because we were soaked.  The heavens opened up Fri, night and didn't stop.  It is nearly impossible to keep children dry and we were out of dry clothes for them with no sunshine to dry them out.  Mommy was also tired of freezing at night.  So, we came home early and will try again really soon. 

Keren, Gabe and Lydia are at art camp this week.  In three weeks, Keren and Makayla will go to a water fun camp.  Of course the younger kids are a bit bummed, but they will get their turn soon enough. 

We have finally found a church that we really like and the kids seem to like it too.  We have only gone a couple of times but our desire is to continue going.  There are lots of opportunities for our family to fellowship and we are looking forward to hopefully making some friends.

Hubby had a Tim Taylor moment last night.   Our gutter was clogged with pine needles and the ground was puddling right outside one of the windows.  We needed to do something fast.  So, he unscrews the elbow on the downspout to try and remove it in order to clean it.  Did I mention that he is afraid of being on a ladder?  Well, the clog dislodged and a huge waterfall cascaded down my husband.  I couldn't help but laugh.  The water was cold too and he had to keep standing underneath it in order to keep working on the clog.  Of course, his fear got the best of him when he had to replace the screws because he wouldn't climb high enough on the ladder to see where the holes were.  So, Dear and Devoted Wife had to finish the job.  I'm sure we were a site to be seen but at least the gutter is clean.

Have a blessed day, Denisa