Homestead Happenings

still here!

I haven't posted lately. It's the story of my life; I have been waiting for Liv to download pics & life got really busy all of a sudden. It went of cold very rainy Spring to Summer, right now! Animals, garden out of control, flowers being too wet now drying up, laundry, my oldest daughter's wedding in Colorado, kids summer camp, local parade & family day in the park where we took our goat milk soap & sold it, and on & on ...... I don't like CRAZY BUSY! I heard someone say once that B.U.S.Y. was an acronym for:

B-being

U-under

S-Satan's

Y-yoke

while that sounds a little strong to me at times, sometimes life just "get's busy"with 13 kids & a farm but, I do try to remind my self & evaluate the things I'm doing. Do they bring honor to God? Are they REALLY blessing my family? Alot of times I have to say No. So as I type I am evaluating some things and revamping my schedule. I want to be sure my farm living doesn't take all the carefreeness of summer out of my life the  life of my kids. I want to enjoy my flowers & grass not just worry about the watering & up keep, if you know what I mean. It is late & we have company coming for a visit thru the 4th of July so better go for now. I will post hopefully soon with news of our farm & family happens as well as PICTURES! lol

The old farmhouse

I don't think I have ever taken a photo of the old homestead from this angle..... I was on my mower today and I had my camera in my apron.... this is being taken looking west from our garden area...... I wish I had a photo of what this looked like " before".. oh my! It was so delapitated!  The building next to the house is our "schoolhouse" or aka: "smoke house".... it was built as a smoke house and was in such bad shape when we moved here. Many told us to tear it down. My husband decided to make something of the old structure and completely remodeled it from floor to roof... and made our schoolhouse! We spend a great deal of time here... this is where we do all our schooling. As you can tell it's close enough to the house, that I can run in and check on things.   This November it will be 3 yrs since we moved to Missouri. This place has seen many changes - it's really not the same place we drove up to!  Wow.  Still have things to renovate still, but most of the stuff is done! Praise God for that!

Beating the heat with a different kind of popsicle

I got this from my Living on a Dime (linked) newsletter today and thought I'd share it. Any way of beating the heat is a good thing.

For non-traditional popsicles:

• Freeze applesauce in popsicle molds.
  
  
• Mix fruit or jam into yogurt. Freeze in small, snack sized Ziploc bags for frozen yogurt on the go. Cut a hole in the end of the bag for easy access/eating.
  
  
• Mix gelatin and freeze. Add gummie fish or worms before freezing for added fun.
  
  
• Freeze syrup from canned fruit.
  
  
• Add food coloring or sprinkles to yogurt or softened ice cream for added pizzazz. Then freeze in popsicle molds.
  
  
• When you have leftover jam or jelly, put 1/4 cup of hot water in the jar and shake well. Pour into popsicle molds and freeze.
  
  
• If jelly or jam doesn't set up well, use for popsicles or add more water, boil and make syrup.
  
  
• Make a batch of pudding. Add coconut, nuts, marshmallows, crushed cookies or sprinkles if desired. Pour into molds. Freeze several hours until firm.
  
  
• Stick a toothpick in the center of blackberries, strawberries, raspberries or sliced bananas.
  Dip in chocolate if desired. Freeze on a tray. Once frozen, store in freezer bags.
  
  
• For easy snow cones, freeze orange juice (or any other flavored juice) in ice cube trays. Store frozen juice cubes in a plastic bag. Blend 5 cubes in the blender until they have a shaved ice consistency. The shaved ice will keep its consistency if kept frozen in a container.
  
  
• For watermelon popsicles, blend one cup each watermelon chunks (seeds removed), orange juice and water. Blend well. Then pour and freeze into molds.
  
  
• For strawberry popsicles, blend 2 cups strawberries, 1 cup vanilla ice cream or yogurt, 4 cups orange juice and 2 tablespoons sugar. Blend smooth. Pour into molds and freeze.
  
  
• For banana popsicles, dissolve one 3 oz. package strawberry gelatin with one cup boiling water. In a blender, mix gelatin, 1 banana and 1 cup yogurt or ice cream. Blend well and pour into molds.

What we've been up to

 I thought I would share some pics of some of the projects we have been busy with here on the homestead.

First of all, we have so enjoyed all the wildlflowers that have bloomed! I love bachelor buttons & black eyed susans!  We took an old hand pump that had been on the old cistern that we took out ..... and repainted it and used it for landscape decor!

This area had once held a cistern and hand pump and we tore that out and made a flower bed.....

 We had a big problem in this area.... the previous owner had laid brick pavers and they had cracked and the weeds were coming thru and muck..... my 16 yr old son tore the whole thing out, leveled the dirt, laid down black landscape tarp and then put down pond rocks and some stone...... turned out nice, eh?  I was so suprised when I was done and so happy! No more mucky wet ground!!

 It sure is handy to have a teen age boy around!  He helps me a great deal with household projects! Great job, Jacob!

Dru has been busy working on refinishing all the outside doors. Stripping, sanding, re-staining and then finishing...... he even took the old door hardware and cleaned them up with an oil rubbed bronze spray paint! It turned out great! 

We took the old screen doors, stripped them, repainted and cleaned up the old hinges.... we rescreened them with a tough pet resistant screen..... it sure comes in handy to have screen doors durring bug season!

Finally, I have really been enjoying working in our garden and flower beds..... the roses are blooming and beautiful... and the wildflowers are attracting the butterflies and hummingbirds and bees...... one of my favorite spots in the warmer months is my front porch.... I love to sit out there on my rocker and look around at the surrounding countryside.... it's where I go in the early morning hours.... I love to sit out here and listen to the birds chirp and sing praises to my Lord...

Home sweet home.......

Lots of other projects we are working on..... hope to share more later next week!

Until then, God bless!

gloria

Fill in the blanks

Rain Finally

Hi Everyone,  We finally had our second day of rain this month.  Yipppeee.   lol   We really need it.  My flowers, bushes and trees and the food i'm growing is really pleased.  When it rains i try and save water.  I have  buckets outside that can hold almost 5 gallons of water and so far i have 4 of them filled and I have another bucket I bought for a fish pond and  it holds appr. 20 gallons of water and thats half full.  I think this will last me for a little while.  I would rather use rain instead of water from the faucet.  The sun is really hot during the day and every night I water everything but finally I dont have to.  We also use our underground sprinkler system every other day morning. 

I'm slowing getting our house ready before my surgery Thursday.  I have to be at outpatient 6:30 am.  Looks like I will be the first.  I'm having a ligament reconstruction in my ankle.  Sure hope everything goes  find and I'll be able to walk normal again.  Hubby bought a glass door for the front of our house and installed it today.  We decided not to use a screen door.  I really like it.  I'll close for not since it's late.  I'll talk to ya soon.   Jeanne

Pina Colada Yogurt

Chelsea, My Angel

Happy 16th Birthday

My Precious Little Angel

Chelsea Melissa

June 24, 1993 - June 26, 1993

I will hold you, again, in Heaven my beautiful baby girl.

I Love You!

*********************************************

I thought of you with love today

but that is nothing new

I thought about you yesterday

and days before that, too

I think of you in silence

I often speak your name

All I have are memories,

your picture in a frame

Your memory is my keepsake

with which I'll never part

God has you in His keep,

I have you in my heart

It broke my heart to lose you

but you didn't go alone

For a part of me went with you

the day God took you home.

(Author Unknown)

Busy... busy... life is busy

It seems like since I started Facebook, I have little time for blogging! On top of that, life has been busy here this summer.... with all the outside chores and yard work, and household projects we are working on... life is just plain busy! 

Sorry about neglecting this blog. It's not my intention, just too much to do and not enough time!

Hope you are all enjoying a lovely summer,

gloria

FOR SALE: Wondermill Grain Mill, used less then 20 times

(stock photo- the one for sale is exactly the same, except the Wondermill Label is green)

STILL UP FOR GRABS!!! 6-30-09

Reduced to $175.00 plus UPS ground shipping.

I have a Wondermill Grain Mill for sale.  It has been used less then 20 times.

This was originally purchased from BreadBeckers in Woodstock, Ga.  Warranty sticker still in tact and valid- this was NOT a refurbished model.

This is a GREAT deal for someone who wants to save about $75.00+ bucks for a brand new one.

My price: $185.00. plus actual shipping. I would prefer shipping via UPS ground, which is very affordable, as well as safe.

Please send me your zip so I can figure shipping.

I would prefer paypal.