You guys are the best... I mean Really!
500 of you came by my site yesterday.  That is amazing... and let me tell you I KNOW that there were prayers going up. Not only for me, but for my family. I have chills thinking about what happens when we obey and pray!

Dearest Readers,

I have missed you so very much over these past days.  Please forgive my lack of posting....there is much work here at Honey Hill Farm.  We have begun the gentle task of making our dear home and farm snug in anticipation of the coming colder weather.

Garden tools have been cleaned and put away after a day spent re-organizing the garden shed.  We continue to add fallen leaves to our compost pile and look forward to the "brown gold" that will be forthcoming.

I like to go from room to room in the house and make sure each room is in the best possible shape before the first flakes fall.  First, all the curtains are washed and re-hung or, if they are summer-weight, they are carefully tucked away and the heavier curtains are brought out.  While the wash is churning, each window is cleaned and then caulked and painted (if need be).  Second, closets are straightened, with any outgrown clothing given to charity.  Next, it is time to dress the beds in flannel sheets and warm coverlets. Afterwards, a thorough dusting and vacuuming render the rooms sparkling clean.  Any painting, carpet cleaning or re-organization is completed and the house feels orderly and ready for a long winter.  

Dearest and I also take the time to inspect the outside of our 100 year-old home and make sure that it is up to the challenge of howling winds and blowing snow.  We have several outbuildings that need to be snuggled up for winter as well.  All in all, this can take several weeks of work, but it makes for a lovely winter as we watch the snow swirl about while we are cozy inside!

Now don't let all this talk of swirling snow and howling winds fool you, dear reader, as it has been quite warm here lately.  I soooo want to curl up in a nice warm sweater with a hot Pumpkin Spice Tea before a roaring fire...but alas, we are still wearing short sleeves and drinking iced tea next to the grill.  But now that it is October, we can pretty much count on snow by the end of the month! 

I still want to purchase long underwear and a burgundy turtleneck in order to round out my winter wardrobe.  I also hope to finish a skirt and a few jumpers, as well as a fleece vest and a new robe.  I have everything stacked in a neat pile in my sewing room...reminding me to get busy! 

So, with that in mind, I am off to do a little hand sewing......

Yours kindredly,

Shan

The photo was taken in my kitchen...my little towel rack...and a few cherished towels.

It seems like every post I write lately has been health related...but I wanted to give you my latest update.  The neurologist had wanted me to go to a cardiologist, so I had mentioned that I had a heart procedure done by a rhythm specialist about 11 years ago.  He thought I should go back to him since he is already familiar w/my health history.  SO...I saw my heart doctor last monday and he does think that my weak spells (last about 30 min at a time and generally never have much energy) are related to low blood pressure.  I generally have low BP anyway, so with all the meds I have to take for the fibromyalgia and related pain, it is evidently causing BP to go even lower...BUT he is still ordering echocardiogram and holtor monitor (2 wk) just to cover all scenarios. 

FORTUNATELY, someone here on the blog had suggested this to me a few months ago and I have since then been taking my BP and I did have that to show him to help confirm how low it seems to be running in general  these days and just after the spells. 

This just reminds me AGAIN how greatful I am to my blogging friends I've met here and for your advice and support.  We do all seem to have similar struggles at one time or another and can lean on each other when needed.  God knew we would be like this, now did he not???  I suppose that's why He invented blogging!  lol

NOW...my heart doctor encouraged me to reschedule my dr appointments and take a month off to go see my hubby...he said to just mail the holtor monitor to him when the two weeks were over and he'd call me after he got the results of everything.  Is that a great doctor, or is that a great doctor???  SO  I took his advice and I am going to see hubby this weekend...AND STAY A WHOLE MONTH! 

Have a great day and as always, I look forward to reading your posts!

Yes, I believe that is the perfect term... overwhelmed...
Just a bit of insight... we had to go to the doctor for Shannon yesterday.  He has a swollen, red, hot forearm.  A bad infection, from who knows where has set up in his arm, from his wrist to his elbow.  He was given a shot and two prescriptions.  If the infection does not go down, he has to go to the ER.  All of this with no insurance, no job, no income... all on top of the list of things that already has happened.
I am not trying to be a whiner.  I am just a bit overwhelmed at the moment.  I'll be alright... I just need to have a little time to pray and maybe cry too.  Love to you, friends.

Well, it is getting colder in our parts.  I got up this morning and wasn't so sure I wanted to walk outside.  Dh looked at me and KNOWS what a sissy I am with the cold and says... that wind is going to chill you to the bone.  But, I was determined to go.  I want to keep up the walking outdoors as long as I am able.  I don't want to give up before even trying to walk.  I got the girls ready and they walked with me today.  We walked 2.5 miles at a brisk pace on a very windy day.  IT was cold.  I had gloves on; my little Paige had a blanket to cuddle into in the stroller and the older girls had coats on.  Once we got to the top of the hill however, we found that just moving kept us warm enough and I smiled that I didn't let myself skirt my walking appointment because of the cold. 

Once home, I got out the pears in the fridge and made some pear honey.  This was our second batch and I chopped it in the food processor before cooking and it turned out much nicer... I also cooked the pears down before adding the sugar, which seemed to keep the color more golden rather than browning from the sugar that began to burn after such a long cook-down of the pears.  It was quite nummy and the last of the pears made 6 more jars of pear honey. 

Then I decided to cook down the tomatoes that were in the fridge.  We had peeled two days earlier and the girls canned the tomatoes, but had a bowl left over.  I didn't really want to can these after setting so long, but I decided to cook them into sauce and let them cook down and figured the cooking time would cook out what germs may be brewing in the batch of tomatoes.  It is still on the stove as I type, and I am nearly ready to can those jars of sauce. 

We've been trying to go dairy free for a week now.  The trial is for me and my youngest daughter.  My husband and other kids are supporting me, but they are still eating milk and cheese.  Today my little one wanted hot chocolate cuz Daddy was having some.  My husband says... I'm all right for seeing if dairy is causing her problems, but what are we going to do when she's 5yo, 10yo, 15yo?  Keep telling her she can't eat milk or soy or food colorings because they bother her... I'm thinking... YES... but in his mind it is cruel punishment for a kid not to have dairy or soy or food colorings.  He thinks we should just put up with the multiple wets that she does because she cannot HOLD it.... that she'll likely grow out of it eventually.  He doesn't expect her to wet until she is 10yo, but I recall my second daughter wetting for about 8 years before she stopped and the nightly changes of the bed were so hard on me and diapers work ok for a 3yo, but an 8yo doesn't like to put on diapers!  

I think if I had a wonderful plan of going dairy free and knew that I had foods my family enjoyed it would be so much easier... but even on the meals I eat without cheese, my crew adds cheese to theirs.  Cheese is hard to hide from a 3yo as well, so the girls and Dh aren't so thrilled with some meals.  Dh doesn't like to tell the 3yo that she can't have certain foods either. 

Tonight I asked what is for supper... My menu plan ran out the night before and I need to shop and I was really scrounging to find something good to eat.  Dh says, I want food.  Then he says... I want good food.  I want milk and cheese and chocolate... my daughter adds... some red coloring number 40 would be good as well.  Oh, I know they are teasing, but I don't want this trial to be a "for nothing".  Even if it works and it helps me and my daughter feel better... I still wouldn't have the support of the rest of the crew to continue unless I find something FAST that seems to fill them up and satisfy their tastebuds. 

Please pray for us if you think about it.  This is going much harder than I thought and while I am glad that everyone is being supportive (they all said they are willing to lose a few pounds this month)... : (.  ...I so wish that I could find something that satisfied the entire family.... something that everyone can eat and something that is healthy for us all. 

Warmly, ~Melissa

ps, if you have a favorite dairy free, food coloring free, soy free, chocolate free menu item that you really like... please share if you can.  Thanks!

I got up & read my devotion this morning & thought I'd share a piece of it.  The main story is about how in life people will disappoint & betray us and it may seem like no one understands.  This has happened to me in my life a couple of times.  Where I've been truly hurt.  I sometimes want to jump up and shout the truth about things or go "out" lies of a certain person (s), but I know in my heart that is not the best way to really handle the situation.  I have to know in my heart that God knows the truth.  One day they will be held accountable for their actions as well as I will for mine. 

Here is the song in the book:

No one understands like Jesus.  He's a friend beyond compare; meet him at the throne of mercy; He is waiting for you there.

No one understands like Jesus; ev'ry woe He sees and feels; tenderly He whispers comfort, and the broken heart He heals.

No one understands like Jesus when the foes of life assail; you should never be discouraged; Jesus cares will not fail.

No one understands like Jesus when you falter on the way; tho you fail Him, He will pardon you today.

Refrain:  No one understands like Jesus when the days are dark & grim; no one is so near, so dear as Jesus--Cast your ev'ry care on Him.

Prayer-

Fater God, You truly are the one who understands when I feel hurt and defeated. 

Where others have been cruel or unkind, You intended it for good to bring about this present result.

Help me take today's trials and disappiointments and make victories out of them.   ~Amen

This weekend we had a really nice one.  Saturday we did our erronds & then on Sunday I got up early with my husband to go run the beagles.  I normally do not go & Tyler does. (I'm not a super-early riser & when I am, I really don't want to rush outside & run around watching dogs)  Anyway, Tyler opted to stay home so I got up & went.  

For our dinner yesterday we had grilled T-bone steak, baked sweet potatoes, corn & homemade wheat bread!   I was worried that perhaps the meat would taste "funny" but to my happiness it tasted great!

Here is the run-down on our 1/2 steer we bought:

Cow price to Carl--$282 For our half---live weight 565 lbs total

Butcher price--$106 For our half -----  carcass weight 327 lbs total

Total paid: $388 (for our half)

Recieved 163.5 lbs of beef (this was half)

T-Bones--7 pkg

Round-- 12 pkg

stew-- 10 lbs

cube--7 pkg

ribeye--5 pkg

sirloin--6 pkg

shoulder roast--2

Rump roast--2

Burger 1.5lb packages--31

soup bones--6 pkg

$2.37lb average

Reusable Shopping Bags, Quilt Squares, Baby Bibs, Ribbon Tails

Homemade Honey Peach Jam... mmmm!

Pretty Autumn Set up going into our booth.
In other news, Shannon has a meeting with a former employer.  One thing is it is just a couple of minutes away from home... LESS GAS! :) It has fairly good benefits, health, vacation, sick time.  The bad... well, we are not going to look at the bad right now.  We are just going to wait and see what happens. 
I appreciate all your prayers and support through all our trials.  It is so incredibly nice to know that they're are people whom you have never 'met' that are praying for you and your family.  You guys are a tremendous blessing to me!
Love to you all!

My husband has been gone for several days.  He went on a trip to Maryland to a Katahdin Hair Sheep International  Convention.  He went with a friend and they were splitting travelling costs.  He hauled sheep out for North Dakota State University, some cows to someone in New York State, and a couple sheep him and his friend were selling.  One ram of ours went to Canada.  On the way home, Dh was asked to transport some more sheep closer towards home (from the sale at the convention).  He agreed and found all his expenses paid, plus the cost of his new ram he purchased, plus the cost of a bale feeder.  He was quite pleased.  But in all of that... HE is coming home today!  We are all so excited.

My sister stopped by to say hello.  My nephew had a football game today in a town nearby and they swung by to say hello.  My little Paige was screaming... He's home, he's all done driving, Daddy's home... and as she drove up, she says... Oh it's Aunt Chrissy, she's here, she's here!  Her excitement still ran high, she just changed names.  LOL.  Dh said he might not be home until late this evening.  I hope he makes it home before Paige falls asleep.  She is getting tired already, but she is so looking forward to seeing Daddy.  These fall nights with the darkness moving in earlier each night has got her confused, but in her mind it is time for bed.  Bedtime is usually 9pm, but she went and got pajamas on at 7:00 because the sky was getting "blue-dark". 

We've been busy while Dh was away.  We tried to get much accomplished and hoped to have a bit more taken care of than I could actually manage, but I am still pleased with what we got done.  The garage was cleaned out.  The outdoor mudroom was half-cleaned out... the items that would freeze from the fire storage were put away.  We got about 1/3 of our outdoor porch/deck stained.  We would have finished today, if there wasn't rain in the forecast, but we are expecting rain over the next day or two, so didn't get it finished.  We have the railings, the lower outer boards, and the south section of the floor left to do.  I got the area around the wood stove cleaned out  (I had fire storage there as well, and that is put away!  WOO HOO!).  I then treated myself by rearranging the living room for winter's use.  The girls put up the rest of the curtains that were off from the fire in the downstairs.  (I will be resewing curtains for the kitchen when it is finished, and curtains for the front porch/laundry room. )  I found homes for the linen that has been washed... got all the storage area washed out so I was able to replace them to the linen closet in the bathroom.  It is no longer sitting on top of the entertainment center and my coffee tables in my living room!!  We took out the leaf from the dining room table and are settled back into our 6 seated family table.  I went through my clothing and sorted it by color and got three large bags of clothing to give away.  I put that out into the car for the next trip to town with two boxes of books, CD's, and toys to unload as well.  I got the camper winterized!  The tupperware was sorted!  My room was slightly rearranged to make room for the health rider and the grandfather clock that doesn't fit in our living room.  And (yes there is more!  Woo HOO!)  I went through 3 boxes in the upstairs storage area and got them sorted and put away.  And I also sorted the SS materials for the primary class that I teach so that I know what is available for me to use.  It is sorted in boxes and ready to return to the church.  WHEW! 

The girls helped by canning more tomatoes for me while I was doing much of the cleaning.  They washed the outdoor porch/deck before the staining, and started the staining.  Kate did about 1/3 of the flooring that was done and Megan did the front steps.  I finished off the rest of the gallon on the flooring, so the north west part of the porch is sealed, short of the railings.  I didn't want to do railings with my skirt  and new shirt on... I knew it would spray me and I didn't want to change my clothes!  LOL  Poor excuse, but progress was made.  I finished up the gallon just about 15 minutes before sundown on Friday evening, so I was tired.  The girls prepared our Sabbath meal while I stained the deck.   It looks so much nicer!  And the water beads up on the wood, now... it so needed a new seal; it was quite weathered! 

Anyways, I better go spiff up what fell apart during the day today so it is ready for Dh's arrival home.  I am hoping to clean out the mudroom before he arrives home, but I'll need to get busy to get that done. 

Warmly, ~Melissa

Hi Folks!

I have not written in awhile because I went to West Virginia with my In-Laws to see my hubby for 4 days.  As I had mentioned before, he is currently working in WV.  He is at the John Amos Power Plant.  We missed him and I have not been able to stay out there because of my health problems.  I cannot seem to get my doctor appointments scheduled far enough apart to give me some time to see him for even a few weeks at a time. 

My MIL, FIL and I all cleaned up the little 1 bedroom apartment he just moved into that was unfurnished and so we tried to make it more like a home.  It was like stepping back into the seventies when we stepped in the door of that place!  LOL...EXCEPT for the MOTORCYCLE in the living room!  YES, that is correct, your eyes are not deceiving you!  My silly hubby and his boy toys!  I was able to find a room rug on sale that was the same color as the bike, so I put it on the floor where he parks the bike!  SO now it "kinda" blends into the decor!  The bike is not a HUGE bike at all.  It is basically a street legal dirt bike, with VERY good gas mileage, so this is definitely a big PLUS, at least until winter approaches.

My sister and BIL had GIVEN us a beautiful QUEEN sleigh bed, so that took care of the bedroom.  I was amazed at her generosity.  The size was perfect for the space. 

Needless to say, all that cleaning put me into an awful flareup and I have not felt up to blogging until now.  My MIL has been sick from the new carpet that was in the apartment.  I am thankful we have new carpet there, but sad that it is making us sick b/c of the fumes that come w/new carpet! 

I found a few good deals at Walmart near the apartment, so I bought a Black and Decker Toaster Oven for only $19.95!!!!  I also found a cute little Bissell vacuum cleaner for $39 that is the PERFECT size for the little apartment.  We did not want to clutter up the place since it is so tiny, so we just put a futon in the living room, along w/the tiny 13 inch tv that had been in my sewing room :o(...we also found some really nice floor lamps on sale at Walmart.  I think my MIL and I ended up with a total of 4 floor lamps this past week!  lol...only 1 of them actually made it to the apartment!!!  One went to my MIL's house and two went to my house!  lol.  I think the best transformation was the bathroom.  It was a hideous looking little bathroom.  Would you believe that they actually used STAPLES to put the lineoleum together behind the toilet???  ANYWAY, my MIL and I seem to work very well together in picking out accessories and were very pleased when we put down the dark gray rugs, very modern looking shower curtain w/various sized circles of dark brownish gray/light gray and white, with a white liner...along w/dark towel and smaller white towel folded for decoration on the wall...and clear accessories on the counter that is also a really old countertop in the same colors as the shower curtain.  I also loved the little shower curtain hooks I found to match, but difficult to describe.  ANYWAY, I wish I'd taken some before and after shots, but now that I'm back home and have taken 2 and a half days to recooperate, I realize I never even took my camera out of its case the entire trip!  OH WELL!!!  We had WAY TOO MANY destractions.  I used Black/White accents in the kitchen even though the kitchen appliances were primarily off-white (VERY OLD) and everything seemed to be particle board.  My favorite feature of the apartment was the utility room.  This room is HUGE and there are washer/dryer hook-ups, but we did not purchase additional sets at this time.  SO I just purchased a utility shelf w/5 shelves and put it in there for extra storage for the kitchen.  This made everything just right!  NOW I have a TOTALLY NEW perspective for the apartment.  I look forward to spending ALOT of time there now as soon as I see my heart rhythm specialist next week, dependent on what tests he orders, I might even get to go back up there for an ENTIRE MONTH!!!!!!  That would be so nice to spend the whole month with my hubby.  We really need the time together.  I could really tell he is starting to get homesick.  He never actually said those words, but I know him pretty well and I could just tell.

PRAY FOR THIS MAN'S FAMILY:

I also have some sad news.  A man at the John Amos Power Plant died this week while working night shift.  He was 62 years old, married with kids.  He apparently had a heart attack and possibly fell from a scaffold.  I'm not sure of the exact details.  My hubby had left for work tuesday morning only to return an hour later because all workers were sent home for the entire day while OSHA investigated the NC man's death.  Apparently there are MANY travelers working there right now during this outage.  I think the paper said 3,000 folks are working the outage.  The man was a pipefitter.  ANYWAY, I do not have many details, just please PRAY FOR HIS FAMILY. 

I was glad we were there with my hubby this particular day as we did not know yet what had caused the accident, so it was a particularly upsetting day.  I KNOW my hubby's job as an industrial electrician can be dangerous as they work w/extremely high voltage and often climb VERY high.  They must be safety conscious all the time...BUT hearing that someone actually has died on the same job my hubby works is a real wake up call to me as to how dangerous it can be to have to work so high up all the time.  I recall before Jamey was put on high blood pressure meds, he nearly passed out while working up high and the guys had to help him down to the ground...his foreman drove him to our family doctor and b/c he knew I'd freak out, he called his mom to come get him.  This was when he was first diagnosed w/high BP and he was only in his mid 20s!  SO all it takes is one swoon like that!  If the guys hadn't been there to catch him, I shudder to think what might have happened to my hubby that day! 

We spent the day going to the New River Gorge Bridge as we had never seen it before.  This is one of the tallest arched bridges in western hemisphere from what I understand.  I actually slept most of the day, but I did go see the bridge.  Jamey and his dad took the steps down to get a better view and once Jamey emails the pics to me, I will post them for you.  My MIL and I were not able to go down the steps due to her bad knees and my bad feet!  BUT we were perfectly happy enjoying the breeze and resting at the top!  We enjoyed some BEAUTIFUL scenery on the drive back to Georgia and I plan to take pics on my next journey.  Hopefully the leaves will be turning alot more by then!  I love it when the leaves turn! 

May God Bless You and I hope my blog was not too lengthy for you!

Teresa