Homesteading: A Woman's Journey

Nursing Shawl / Poncho

Have any of you ever made a nursing shawl or poncho for discreet nursing in public?  I am trying to find a pattern for something lightweight enough to be used on a hot summer day, yet discreet enough that I would be able to nurse the baby in public without anyone noticing.

In teh meantime, I an trying to come up with something myself.  I will post here when I find a solution.  Until then, and suggestions would be appreciated.

Lost Art of Letter Writing?

Let's face it, the world today is becoming very technology oriented.  With the advent of email, telephones and text messaging has letter writing taken such a back burner position that it is becoming a lost art?  It seems that when you go to your mail box today, you find bills or advertisements.  How long has it been since you received an actual handwritten letter or a card with a note tucked inside?

When I was young, I loved having pen pals and going to the mailbox to see what letters were there.  It was a joy to have these little notes and letters that I could save to read over and over again.  Some of the most precious were letters and cards that I received as a young adult from my Grandmother and my Father. 

Over the past couple of years, I have been taking part in circle letters with a group of Christian women from across USA and also a few overseas in Canada, New Zealand and Australia.  What a blessing it is to share stories and experiences with these women.  Sometimes the cicle letters are specific to a topic, other times they are simple "general chat" type letters talking about our families.  I am blessed also to have made friendships through these letters with many of the women.  As we get to know each other, we share our lives with one another, encouraging and praying for each others' families.

I love the quiet time I spend with the letters.  When Abigail is sleeping, I take the letters out to read & reply to.  There is such a peaceful tone to the day when I take the moments to read these letters.  I find in writing my replies that I am also at peace in a way that email and phone calls just cannot compare to.  There is a gentleness of spirit, a chance to slow your day down to a restful pace as you write.  The words used to express your thoughts are more fluid and descriptive than a computer can provide.  There is a "personal" feeling to the letters and an appreciation to the author of the letters I receive that they took the time out of their day to actually sit down and put pen to paper, writing a letter or note to me.

Is letter writing a lost art?  I hope not, though it seems less often people are willing to do it.  As our children grow up in an age of computers and the instant gratification of email & text messaging, we can instill in them the trait of hospitality in personal letters.  Starting with a simple "thank you" note for a birthday gift or other kindness shown to them or getting them involved in a penpal exchange through a reputable source.  One of the greatest methods to teach children to love writing letters is to show them by example.  Maybe write little notes to them and tuck in their school backpack for them to find later in the day.  Simple notes of love and encouragement to brighten their day and let them know how proud you are of them.

Stationary doesn't have to be fancy.  You can easily dress up the most plain of papers with rubber stamps or stickers.  If you are artistic, try designing your own line art design for your letters then make photocopies or have the line art design made into a rubber stamp.  There are many pretty papers available today at the craft stores.  You can purchase decorative papers in the scrapbooking section and make your own blank notecards.  While there, you can also purchase some beautiful colors of ink pens.  For the really adventurous souls, try your hand at using the calligraphy pens to make your letterheads & note cards.

Whatever style of stationary you choose, fancy or plain, have fun with the letter writing.  You may even try writing "letters" to your children in the form of a journal.  It would give them a keepsake to read through and learn more about your thoughts and ideas.  What a blessing it would be for them one day to share the journals with their own children! 

I pray that this has inspired you to remember letters or notes that you may have received in the past that had left an impression on you, maybe even inspired you to consider the art of letter writing again.

Canning: Cream of Tomato Soup

This is one of my Beloved's favorite soups.  It is very inexpensive to make, yet tastes better than the major brands at the store.

Pregnancy Update & More

I am now at 34 weeks, only 6 weeks to go.  It seems that now that time is running closer, I am getting nervous about getting all the preparations made.

The baby is moving alot, even rotated into what I am hoping is a heads-down position Monday night.  Unfortunately, the position change brought on more labor again that luckily stopped on its own after just over an hour this time.  The last time I had labor pains, they lasted 17.5 hours and had to be stopped at the hospital.  The doctor had said that my stomach was very sensitive to my activity levels, but I hadn't thought about it being sensitive to the baby's movements also.  We have chosen the name already, Micah Nathaniel.  We are thrilled to be having a boy this time around.  Joe and I have both wanted to have 1 of each, now we will.

Joe left out for work yesterday.  It was hard on him to leave as he knows how much help I am needing at home right now.  I thik in many ways this time is hardest on him.  I may be going through the physical part, but he worries about me when he is gone and wishes that he were home.

Abbie is so cute about the pregnancy.  Up until we knew the gender, we have been referring to the baby as "Jellybean".  It is the same nickname we used for Abbie before we knew we were having a girl.  Now, Abbie comes up to me and points at my belly and says "Jellybean".  She also has taken a liking to rubbing my belly and poking it to get Micah to kick and move around.  Poor baby is not even born yet and Abbie is eager to play with him.

Long Overdue Update

Hello to all.  I apologise for all the long delay in any updates to my blog.  Last September, we had a lightning storm during the night.  A lightning strike near the house burned up our computer's power supply and motherboard, so we have been without a computer for 5 months.  Today is the first day we have had internet access again.

Things are going well.  Abigail is nearly 2 yrs old now.  Her birthday is 2 weeks before the baby's due date.  She is such a precious blessing.  Very chatty and curious about everything around her.  She has taken alot of interest in my growing stomach and pats my belly to get the baby to kick.

The pregnancy has been abit eventful.  Last October, I had to go to the ER because of contractions. I was told to take it easy and was not allowed to drive unless absolutely necessary.  Then, in late January, I was at the ER again with contractions.  That time the contractions lasted a total of 17.5 hours before they finally stopped.  The doctor says that my stomach is very sensitive to my activity level and I should avoid any activity that sets the contractions into motion.  Luckily, I have only 6 weeks to go yet before the due date.

The ultrasound last Tuesday shows that we are having a baby boy.  We are so thrilled!  We would have loved another girl, who would have made a good playmate for Abbie.  Having a boy however is also a joy in that this will likely be our last baby.

Our homestead is coming along and we have alot of changes that will be taking place over the coming year.  I will post more about them in a later blog.

God Bless.

Home Pastuerizing Milk

I have had questions lately from people wondering how I pastuerize raw milk at home.  First, I want to clarify that Pastuerizing removes alot of the active bacteria.  There are varying views on whether or not pastuerizing is necessary.  Some feel that killing all bacteria can be bad.  Personally, we see the pastuerizing process as necessary for our toddler's needs.  Homogenized milk, often confused with pastuerizing, is the process of treating the milk so that the cream does not separate from the milk.

I found my information for home pastuerizing milk through the internet.  The Minnesota Cooperative Extension Service had an article on the topic.  It also confirmed what I had been taught to do years ago.

Here is the process:

Start with sterilized containers.  I use a large enamel kettle that fits into my canner so that the handles of the kettle rest on the canner - in effect it acts as a double boiler.  I heat the milk in the double boiler method as this prevents the "cooked" flavor that many people complain about.  It also prevents scorching.

Heat the milk to 165*F. and let it rest at that temperature for 15 minutes (according to Canadian resources, they recommend keeping the milk at temperature for 30 minutes).  Next, place the kettle into a sink with cold ice water to quickly cool the milk.  Stirring the milk every few minutes will help to cool it faster.  When it is cool enough to put into jars or other containers, do so & place into the refrigerator.

Hope this helps!

Cooler Days......at last

I enjoy summer, but the heat is something that I have always struggled with.  What a blessing that the past couple of days have been cooler temps!  I have ben able to do without the air conditioner in the bedrooms for 2 days now.  Just using the fans have provided plently of cool air.

Today, I am making more laundry soap.  I still have to buy the Arm & Hammer type soap for Abigail's cloth diapers.  I found that using other soap gave her a diaper rash.  Poor girl had a bad rash for the first time in months.  The last time she had it was with a cheap brand of disposible diapers that I had bought to wear on her until I could get more cloth diapers after she had out-grown her other ones. 

With the cooler days arriving, I am working on the beginnings of the fall preparations for winter.  When Joe is home, he is going to be moving the heavier things from the front porch so that we can prepare it for storing our winter firewood supply.  Last year, the ice storm got the firewood wet and made it difficult to keep the house warm.  The front porch wraps around part of the south side of the house.  We are putting up tarps on that side to prevent the firewood from getting wet.  On the smaller porch behind the kitchen on the north side of the house, we will place wood pallets & make a box-type frame to store the kitchen cookstove's wood in.  It will make it more convenient for me and give more space to store the wood.  The wood boxes will be covered in tarps also.

I have been taking down the drapes and cleaning them.  I am also preparing the windows for putting up window quilts.  These will help tremendously in keeping the house warmer.  We already have the blankets up in the doorways as they have helped to keep the main areas of the house cooler. 

It is amazing how many times the topic of holiday preparations has come up already.   I am so grateful that we don't get all caught up in the insanity of holiday excess.  Joe and I do believe in celebrating Christmas, but we keep the celebration focused on the birth of our Lord.   We usually have just a couple of gifts, mostly homemade.  We have the holiday decorations, but most are Nativity themed.  Last month, I found a pretty printed panel of pieces to make a Nativity set.  The manger & stable are made like a little quilt, with batting inside to help them to stand up when put together.  The figures are all made like little stuffed dolls.  It is great for little hands to play with!  I have been wanting a Nativity set for Abigail.  This one will work beautifully.  As we read her stories about the birth of our Lord, she can play with the set. 

I am working right now to start getting my autumn linens made.  I bought fabric last year when it went on clearance and have been saving it until now.  I am making quilted placemats with coordinating cloth napkins.  I have found a cute little wall quilt to make & hang up.  It is a turkey.  The pattern is at:  http://craftandfabriclinks.com .  In their quilting area, they have many other great ideas for the holidays.   Another favorite website for quilting is:  http://www.quilterscache.com .  Quilters Cache has both patterns that you can purchase and a database of well over 1000 free quilt block patterns.  You can find free patterns by searching either the quilt block size or alphabetically.  It is amazing the variety that she has put onto that site.  The website also has tutorials available that you can print out.   One of the quick items that you can make from these blocks is to choose one block pattern and make it into a potholder.  You can take the smaller blocks and put together 6 of them to make a nice quilted placemat.

I hope that you all are enjoying your Labor Day holiday and the beginnings of autumn.

Proteins & Morning Sickness

Did you know that there is a connection between morning sickness and protein deficiency?  I recently found this out and was amazed.

I have been very sick with the morning sickness for several days in a row of not being able to hold anything, including water, in my stomach.  I spoke with my midwife and was surprised to hear that if you have a protein defeciency, it can cause your morning sicknes to get worse.  She recommended that I start drinking some of the Atkins Protein shakes as a suppliment.  I didn't have the extra money right now to buy it, so I cooked up alittle of the organic grass-fed beef each day as a part of one meal.  I have also started eating more eggs.  Either having eggs for breakfast or making egg salad for a sandwich later in the day.  A friend also suggested that when she was pregnant, a half of a peanut butter sandwich would ease the nausea if she ate it as soon as she started feeling the nausea begin.

It is amazing to me how something so simple can ease my morning sickness.  I am still going to get a protein shake powder to keep on hand.  Also a package of the ready to use cans of the shakes.  The cans of premixed will be great for times when I am out running errands all day.  I can keep it in a cooler along with healthy snacks and such for Abigail & I.

When I was pregnant with Abigail, I had a bad few months of morning sickness.  I was truck driving with Joe at the time and it was hard to eat a healthy diet.  I was on a prescription for the morning sickness for nearly 3 months.  I wonder, looking back, if I had eaten more protein if I could have avoided having the prescription. 

One thing that my midwife mentioned was that something they have seen is that protein deficiency can lead to diabetic issues.  People not eating enough meat, but eating alot of carbs & starches such as pasta, breads, and potatoes.  These foods can raise your blood sugar levels.  Having several close relatives (grandparents, aunt, uncles, etc.) who are/were diabetic, I am very interested in this finding.

I don't know if this will work for everyone, but I wanted to share the information that I learned.

Interesting Sermon I Listened to

Recently, I have been listening to sermons that I ordered through the Charity Gospel Tape Ministry (http://www.charityministries.org).  It is an Anabaptist Ministry that provides sermons on various topics in both tape & CD format.  The sermons are free.  If you are able to send a donation, they are very grateful. A donation is not required though.  They also have a free publication, The Remnant, that you can subscribe to.

The sermon I listened to last night, I ended up listening to again today.  It really has touched my heart.  The sermon is titled:  "The Hidden Woman" presented by Brother Denny Kenaston.  The sermon taught things that many modern churches no longer address.  The focus being on the role of the woman in the home.

There were several points made that touched my heart.  The first being the importance of the woman's role as wife & mother.  Many look upon the women who live the principle of submission as being weak or oppressed.  That is probably one of the greatest false teaching that society has been promoting.  Anyone who has read Proverbs 31 can see that the woman has much strength and importance in the family.  She looked after the running of the home, raised the children, and saw to the needs of her husband.  As her husband's helpmeet, a wife encourages him, prays for him, supports him, and honors him. 

Brother Kenaston gave many examples of how a woman gives help and blesses those around her --- most of the time in a way that is unknown to those around them.  They are quiet and humble in their service, never boasting about the things that they have done. 

Another area he spoke of is the great need of a wife to show reverence for her husband.  Husbands work hard to provide for the family.  Many times, they can become weary in that responsibility.  Women have complained long and loud over the years of feeling unappreciated by their husbands in the home.  Think of hte number of times a woman has complained of a husband who takes no notice of the efforts she has made to care for the children, the home, make meals, and the other many household tasks.  We have all heard at least once in our lives a woman complain about this.  Maybe at some point in our lives, we have been guilty of this ourselves.  Do we treat our husbands the same way?  Do we allow them to go about their work without us ever telling him how proud of him we are?  How much we appreciate the way he provides for the family? Or do we focus on only the things we see lacking?  Maybe complain about the lack of money instead of being appreciative and doing all we can to live within the means of the income our husband provides?  How frustrating would it be to a husband to work as hard as he can - doing his best - and have a wife who only complains that the husband is not making enough money?  Our husbands NEED to feel that we see their efforts and appreciate what they do. 

Another point that Brother Kenaston spoke of was the affect it has on a husband when a wife honors him.  The more a wife encourages and shows appreciation to her husband, the more the husband will try to be the Godly husband that he was intended to be.  Think of how you have felt in your life when others built up your self-esteem and showed how much they believed in you.  When someone praised you for the efforts you made in an area of your life.  What about the teacher in school who saw you struggling & told you how much they believed in your ability to learn and excel in teh areas you struggled with?  Didn't those situations bring about a conviction in you to try harder to become the person they believed you to be?  Being praised over your acheivements brought about the drive to continue to press forward and become ever better.  It didn't matter if it was a class in school, a sport, a job you struggled with, a new lesson that you were trying to learn.  Whatever it was, the belief of others and their faith in you would give you strength.  How much would this affect a husband who had a difficult job? 

One of the simple ways that a wife can honor and revere her husband is to take care in the keeping of the home.  It is an outward symbol of your appreciation for what your husband provides - that it has meaning to you.  A home is a haven to the family from the influences of the outside world.  Turn it into a place where your family can relax and feel peace.  Show reverence to your husband.  Think of how important your husband would feel he is to you if you were to show him respect and honor him!  How many times does your husband talk to you and you have tuned him out?  Show him the same respect that you would have him give to you. 

In some cultures, a wife shows her appreciation and respect to her husband by preparing herself (and the children) before he comes home.  Some women will take a quick shower, put on clean clothing & fix their hair so that when their husband comes home, they can greet him at the door.  Instead of greeting him looking frazzled and worn out, greet him as you would have when you were dating and you were excited to see him!  I know life can get in the way and make this hard to do at times.  But make the effort whenever possible.   Take interest in his day.  Greet him as if he were the most precious person to grace your home.  Do this with an honest and humble heart.  It has such a positive affect on your husband.  Just like us, husbands are not perfect.  They have bad moods and can make mistakes.  They can say hurtful things.  But if you continue to love them, pray for them, encourage them, honor & revere them, it can bring about such a wonderful blessing to your family.  It will lighten his load.  Uplift him.  Bless him.  Give him the strength he needs to meet the responsibilities and demands of his Godly role as husband, father, provider & protector of the family.  Showing him unconditional love and reverence, praying for him, will bless your family & marriage.  If you treat him as a king in your home, he will in turn treat you as his queen.

You don't do these things to change him or to manipulate him into becoming what YOU want him to be.  You do these things because you have a true and deep love & reverence for him. 

A change can come about in your own life as you do this.  If you only see the faults in your husband, you can become bitter towards him.  Your love that you had on your wedding day can sour.  But, if you focus on how much you love and appreciate him - praising his strengths, praying for him, and doing what you can to show your love for him - you will find that any faults that he may have are unimportant.  You only will see the good in him.  What blessing would this be to your marriage if you only focused on the positive attributes? 

There is much more in "The Hidden Woman" sermon.  This is only a portion of what I learned through listening to it.  I am so grateful that I have received and listened to this sermon. It is such a blessing to me and has taught me much. 

I pray that you are encouraged by this blog.  May the Lord bless each of you.

Getting into the Sewing Groove

With the summer's heat, I find myself going through alot of changes.  One being the shifting of the types of work that I am doing.  In part, this is because of the pregnancy.  I can't work outdoors in the heat & I am having to slow down abit.  The timing is wonderful though.  The summer garden is nearing it's end.  The plants are wilting and not producing as much harvest.  I am letting the last of the harvest dry on the vine so that I can collect their seed for next year.  The temperatures are starting to ease enough that I can put the fall garden plants into the garden.   I have a sprinkler in the garden now that I can use to water each morning and late afternoon.

In the hot part of the day, as Abbie is napping, I am getting back into my sewing routine.  I am starting to get more orders as people learn that I sew from home.  I have finally come into a routine that makes the work much faster & more efficient.  Typically, I am washing & ironing all fabrics on Monday in preparation for the week's orders.  On Tuesdays, I cut out all the orders.  On Wednesday, Abbie is visiting her Grandparents all day.  This gives me the uninterrupted time to get most, if not all, my sewing done.  Thursday, I finish up any remaining sewing.  Friday, I mail all finished orders out.  Using this schedule, I am going to be able to get most orders out in a fast amount of time.

I have been working on designing and choosing clothing items that are one size fits most so that I am able to make up a ready-made supply.  Many of my home sewns however, are items for the home. 

Over the weekend, I drafted a pattern for Joe's Mom.  She needed a smock-type apron that provided more coverage than the ones found in the store.  I was able to draft the pattern and make her one.  It works great!  She was very happy with the finished apron.  I am going to be adding that to my offerings.  The smock is a front & back panel that has ties on the sides and generously sided pockets in the front.  I made it so that the panels wrap around the sides more to give much more coverage to your clothing.  I am now working on making a child sized one for Abbie.  My idea is to have matching Mother/Daughter aprons.

I am so excited about the sewing.  It is such a blessing to be able to work from home to help earn more income for our family.  It is moving us closer to our goal of supporting ourselves from the homestead.  The goal of Joe being able to come home and not have to be gone for a month at a time is becoming a reality.  Though we are not ready for him to do so yet, I can see that this goal can be met. 

I am so grateful to the Lord for His guidance and direction in our lives.  He has blessed us so much.  I pray that His spirit be with each of you.  And am so grateful to Him for leading those to me that have helped me to make the home sewing work as a way to provide some income.  Thank you to everyone who has ordered from me.  I pray that the home sewns are a blessing to you as your friendship and support has been for us.

Abbie Update!

Abbie has been making alot of growth in her development.  After a few months of her cruising around furniture & wanting to walk only when holding onto someone's hands or onto furniture, she finally got brave.

She waited until the morning after Joe got home from the truck.  That morning, Joe was sitting in the front room with Abbie standing in front of him.  She saw her toys on the opposite side of the room and wanted to go to them.  She started walking, taking small steps, towards the toys.  As she walked, she held onto Joe's leg as long as possible until her fingertips were sliding across his knee.  Then she took the brave steps into the center of the room.  She turned around and looked at Joe, then walked in a little circle pattern before returning to Joe.  She was so excited.  I was thrilled.  Joe misses so much of Abbie's developments while he is gone.  To watch him as he watched Abbie take those first steps was so exciting to me.  In the 2 weeks since that happened, Abbie has been getting more and more brave.  She actually will walk faster now to where it looks as though she is trying to run alittle. 

This morning, she made another development.  I had put her in her playpen so that I could do something real quick.  When I came back into the room a few minutes later, she had climbed out of the playpen!  The little monkey!!!  So today, I am going to put the playpen away to store until the new baby is able to use it.  In place of hte playpen, I will put a folded comforter on the floor for Abbie to lay on when she is drinking her bottle or having a little snack.

I am so proud of our daughter.  She is such a delight.  Her giggling and fun attitude makes the time that Joe is gone go by so much faster and easier.  I love watching her as she tries to figure things out.  Joe's Mom has some magnet puzzles on her refrigerator.  Each 2-piece puzzle is a 4 inch square piece with a second geometric shape inside.  Abbie loves playing with magnets.  She started playing with these, at first with Grandma's help, then on her own.  She now, at 16 months of age, is able to sort the shapes out and put the pieces together on her own & rather quickly.  I guess you could say that through her play, her home preschooling has begun.

At home, we get out the finger paints and I let her play with them.  She was very delicate with it at first, but then got it figured out and has enjoyed it.  Now, she will go to where I keep the fingerpaints and fuss alittle to let me know she wants to play with them.

My little baby girl is growing so fast.  We are enjoying every minute of it though.

Weekend Update

This weekend has been pretty productive.  Friday, I drove to Oklahoma City to pick up Joe from the terminal early in the morning.  Unfortuntely, I only had about 3 hours of sleep the night before.  I got there okay.  I guess the excitement of bringing Joe home for the week over rode any tiredness.  We had to wait for awhile before leaving.  Joe had to go through the processes of signing off a student.  It was abit more complicated this time as the student failed his post-training driving test.  He was assigned another trainer for 2 more weeks of training to see  if he can improve.  By the time we left the terminal it was after 12noon.  By the time we got all our running round and shopping done at the health food store, it was late afternoon before we were heading home. 

Saturday, I was pretty worn out still from being out in the heat so much on Friday.  I ended up taking a nap while Joe and Abbie used the riding mower to mow part of the field.  Joe likes to mow a path that we can take walks on and have access to berry patches and such.  Later in the late afternoon, we dropped Abbie off at his parents to go and visit with the couple we buy goat milk from.  We are wanting to buy a couple of goats from them in the early spring.  We ended up staying there for awhile longer than expected, then had to go and get some wasp traps to try and get rid of some of the red wasps.  By the time we picked up Abbie and drove home, it was after dark.

As we approached our driveway, we saw a very large animal in our headlights.  It looked our way and we saw the eye shine.  We suspect it was one of the large cats (cougars) in our area that has been attacking and killing neighbors' goats and turkeys.  It was coming from our property.  Joe and I were concerned because the ewe and goat were still out in the yard grazing.  We got home, half expecting to find one of them killed.  When we arrived, I heard both of them vocalizing.  Cloe, our dwarf nubian goat came up to the house and tried to come in the front door.  We got Abbie settled in bed for the night and then took the girls, with some feed, up to their stable.  Joe and I went together as now that we know the cougar is this close to our home, we don't deem it safe to go outside away from the house at night.  What a blessing that the Lord watched over our animals while we were gone.

After getting the girls settled in the stable & us getting back in the house, we found a couple of phone messages from a driver wanting to be Joe's co-driver.  Joe called him right away and made arrangements to bring him out to our home for a BBQ so that we all had the afternoon to talk and get to know one another.  This driver is fairly new to trucking.  He has had a co-driver before but had problems getting along together after some time.  He needs help with his backing to a dock and the paperwork (trip planning), but he is otherwise competent to drive without alot of help.  One of the things that I like is that he is 50 yrs old, old enough to not be too arrogant to ask for help if he needs it.  He knows his limitations and is wanting Joe's help in overcoming them.

Joe and I both feel good about him being Joe's co-driver.  So, when Joe goes back on the truck Friday, he will have someone to start driving with.  We are hoping that it works out well.  If this guy is being up front with us, it should work out.  He seems to have a great attitude and a wonderful sense of humor.  Both are things that Joe finds important since they will spend so much time together in the truck. 

We found out that the guy is wanting to homestead, taking it a step further than us and living off-grid.  He is a "city boy" so was asking alot of questions.  He is genuinely interested in learning about the benefits and also to challenges of homesteading.

All in all, we feel the weekend was productive.  Having found Joe a co-driver so soon means that he won't have to be worrying about it the rest of his time home.  I am thrilled to have met the new co-driver.  I feel good about it.  I trust that he will be safe and not be one to take risks with his driving that could put Joe's (and his own) safety at risk.   

In other news, the garden is still producing, though the squash production is starting to taper off.  I am going to finish up this week in getting the fall plants in the ground.  If we havea mild autumn, I should be able to grow quite a bit of vegetables.  I am planting  green beans, green peas, wax beans, pumpkin, cucumbers, beets, carrots, brussel sprouts, and more acorn squash.  I am also starting a small indoor herb garden in my kitchen window.  In the winter, I will start herb seeds indoors and plant them in the garden in the spring.

We are thinking of combining gardens with Joe's parents.  I talked to Mom about it.  Since we are expanding our garden to triple the space used this year, there will be more than enough space to grow for both us amd Joe's parents.  Also, will have produce to sell is all goes well.

Red Wasps

I think they are in for the long battle.  The wasps have had a large nest in the attic crawl space for years.  We have used foggers and just about everything we can think of to rid ourselves of these pests.  Thank heavens, they don't get into the house except on the rare occassion.

There is one nest under the eaves in the front of the house.  We have sprayed it often.  Each time, some of the wasps are killed but not all.  We managed to rid ourselves of all the bluish-black wasps.  These red ones, however, are a real pain..........literally.

Three days ago, I was coming home from running a couple of errands and parked in front of the house as I always do.  There were a couple of red wasps buzzing around, but being used to seeing them around, I thought nothing of it.  I opened the passenger side door to take Abbie from her carseat.  As I started to unhook the clasps, I felt a quick, sharp burning pain.  Instantly, my arm felt as though it was on fire.  Sure enough, one of the red wasps had chosen to land on my arm & sting me without provocation.

When I was a child, I was highly allergic to insect bites & stings.  Many times, I would have to go to the ER after a sting to receive antibiotic shots.   I got back into the truck & drove to a neighbor's home just incase I had a bad reaction to the sting.  They treated it with Benadryl gel, which took out the sting.  The area swelled up and was bright red & painful.  After I was sure that I wasn't going to have a reaction that would need a hospital visit, I went to my in-laws' home for awhile.  I wanted to wait until the sun was going down so the wasps would no longer be active.

Today, I still have alot of swelling & pain, but the redness is going away.  Joe's Mom says that it takes a week or so for a wasp sting to heal.  I have been taking Benadryl and Tylenol to control the pain & itching.  Also using Benadryl gel on the affected area.  Poor Joe.  He has already said that had he been home, I would have gone to the hospital right away.  The area is healing very slowly, but it is healing.

On a happier note, Abbie had her usual "Wednesday at Grandma & Grandpa's house" today.  While there, when no one looked like they were paying attention, she took 8 steps without holding onto anything!!!!  Major event!!!!  She is getting more and more brave.  I am really excited over this as Joe is due to get home on Friday.  He will be home for 7 days this time since he was out on the truck for 5 weeks.   With Abbie getting this brave about walking, she is sure to do it while her Daddy is home.

Today, we were very blessed also.  On a local AM radio show called "Tradio", people call in to mention items that they have for sale or are looking for.  It is kindof like a classified ads, but on the radio instead of in the paper.   When I was at Mom & Dad's, Dad heard a guy call in with a great deal.  He was selling 300 lbs. of chicken feed, poultry feeders and waterers for $50.  Dad told me about it and I happened to have the extra cash in my wallet to pay for it.  I called him right away and was able to go to his home to pick up the stuff.  I am amazed!  I have 2 drums (50 gallon each) with the grain in them.  I also got 4 waterers (just one costs $35 new), and 4-5 of the large feeders.  In talking with him, he asked if we were going to have chicks.  When I said that we would be having some, he also gave us 8 of the long chick feeders.  In all, the supplies and feed would have cost us about $250-$300 if I bought it new.   I have enough feed for the poultry to last us for several months.  The 300 lbs. of grain alone would have cost me $48 at the feed store, if I bought the cheap stuff.  This feed is a mixture of cracked corn and a premium quality scratch feed.

What a blessing!  I am so grateful to the Lord for making this available to us and also for having the money needed to get it.  The Lord has helped us so much in our lives.  He continually showers blessings on us.  Many times, the blessings may not be easily recognised.  The blessings are always there though.  Blessings of opportunities to stretch and grow in our faith.  Blessings of health.  Blessings of family & friends.  And the greatest blessing of all..........the blessing of His unchanging LOVE for each of us.

Tuesday Update

Today is overcast after last night's rains.  We may be getting more later on.  This morning, Mom & Dad stopped by so that Dad could unload the feed and shelves off the pickup truck for me.  Mom helped me with the animals.  I am so blessed to have them stopping by & I appreciate their help alot.  They asked if there was anything else that I needed done, but I let them know that what they are doing already - helping with the animals and such - is the main thing I can use help with.

It is hard to believe, but even though I have lost 7 pounds, I am showing already.  Mom noticed it the other day when I took Abbie to their house to play in their pool.  I still had alittle bit of the belly left from when I had Abbie, but not this much of it!  Joe gets home the end of this week.  It will be fun to see his reaction as he always seemed to enjoy seeing my pregnant belly with Abbie.  I was showing early with her also, needing maternity clothes by the beginning of my 3rd month.  This time, I am needing them about a month earlier.  With Abbie, I carried her totally out in the front, looking like a fully popped Jiffy Pop.  LOL

I am canning nearly every day now.  Lots of squash.  Also making meals to can both for Joe to have on the truck but also for Abbie and I.  There are alot of times when the morning sickness is bad enough that I can't stand being around food that is cooking.  Those are the times when having the home canned meals will be helpful.  Also, I am building up a stock of meals so that when winter comes along, we will have plenty in the pantry.  December and January are tough months in the trucking industry as there are not as many good long runs.  So, I want to have as much as possible stocked for when that time comes around. 

Today, I am washing fabric that I am using for quilts and a new sunbonnet for Abbie.  I am finishing up a little outfit for her to wear when we pick up Joe from the terminal.  I am also finishing up a shawl that I am making for an exchange, in between loading & unloading the canner.  Once the pressure canning is finished, I will do some jelly.

This is such a blessed time of year.  Going out to the garden each day and seeing what vegetables are ready to be picked.  Yesterday, I found an eggplant that is about the size of a tennis ball.  My first!  I can't wait until the other ones are developing and growing.  I love eggplant and eat 1-2 of them each week.  This year, growing them has been a bit of an experiment as I have not grown them here before.  Next year, I will plant alot more of them.

I have my pumpkins planted.  I can't wait to have them growing & producing.  Planting them this time of year is another experiment.  According to the OK Cooperative Extension Service, they can be grown from seed this late in the summer.  So, if that is true, we should have fresh picked pumpkin to use for our pies this Thanksgiving.  I plan on canning alot of pie fillings of various types this year.  Pumpkin, Mince Meat, Apple, and whatever else that I can find at a good price.

Abigail Update

I realised tonight that though I write about Abigail in my blogs, I haven't dedicated one just about her for quite awhile.

It is amazing how much she has grown.  Even though she is 16 months old, I am having to make her clothing about size 3T to be sure they last through more than one growth spurt.

Abbie has developed quite a sweet personality.  In the mornings, I hear her wake up and she starts playing with a large pink monkey that Joe got in a crane game.  When I pick her up out of the crib, she always rests her head of my shoulder for a hug.  I usually snuggle her abit and tell her "I love you", to which she replies "I love". 

She has been trying to walk for awhile now.  She knows how, just is gaining the courage to just "take off" on her own without holding onto someone or something.  It will happen soon though.  I can see a steady progress being made.  It just has to take place in her time frame.

Abbie has been enjoying the animals.  She loved watching the chickens when they were in the house in early spring.  Now, I hold her up so she can see over the top of their enclosure and watch them.  Sometimes, I have some cracked corn with us and she helps me to scatter it in to them.  When I get the ewe and goat out of their stable to come out and graze, I have her with me.  She laughs and has fun with them.  I am looking forward to the day when she is old enough and big enough to walk out there to help.  Right now, the ewe and goat are too big and could easily knock her over.  She will have fun with the chickens though, scattering feed or helping to look for eggs.

I have started making little burgers for Abbie that I can cook up while Joe is gone.  Like Joe, she really enjoys eating meat.  Last time Joe was home, we stopped at Fire Mountain Grill.  It is a buffet that has plenty of selection that I can eat vegetarian, while Joe and Abbie have their meat.  The prices there are really good also.  When we last went, Joe shared alittle of his steak with Abbie.  She loved it so much, we got her another one which she ate all by herself.  Ever since then, I have made an extra effort to have meat for her.  Especially since she seems to want it so much when we are out.

Abbie's vocabulary is growing.  She has trouble saying alot of the words clearly, but says then clearly enough that we are understanding much of what she says.  It is cute to watch.  She has such an expressive face.  It will be interesting when her vocabulary is better and she is truly talking and having conversations.  I wonder sometimes as she talks to us, just what thougts are in her mind.

Today, as she was playing with her toys, she heard the ewe and goat outside in the yard as they were grazing.  The ewe would say "maa" and Abbie would say it back as she continued playing. The ewe and Abbie kept doing that back & forth for quite a little while. 

I love playing with Abbie and watching her grow.  She is such a joy in my life.  I usually wake early enough in the morning to have the morning chores done before she awakens, which gives me more time to spend with Abbie.   When she plays, she seems to enjoy playing with toys that have moveable parts or make noises.  She studies them and works it out how to play with them.  

On Wednesdays, she spends the day with Grandma & Grandpa.  We have also gone up there to visit or swim in the afternoons.  Abbie loves the pool.  We got her a little floating raft for babies.  It has a mesh seat that she sits in, with a large colorful raft surrounding her.  She plays and splashes around, enjoying the water.  It will be fun when Joe is home and can go there with us.  He has been looking forward to taking her swimming at the lake.  The pool will be a good option.

Canning: Apple Butter

One of my favorite memories growing up was a day when I had walked down to our Amish neighbor's home to buy eggs.  It was a crisp fall day and Katie (the Mom) was making Apple Butter.  I remember the smell of those apples and spices she had simmering on the cookstove.  There was also the scent of bread baking in the oven.  I love making apple butter.  It has always been hard though to find a recipe that resembled Katie's.  I finally found one quite a few years ago, recently found it again.  It is a "southern" style recipe, but the flavor is wonderful!  Best part is, if you are short on time (or fresh apples), you can make the apple butter using applesauce & simmer it in the slow cooker.

Here is the recipe:

Apple Butter Recipe (I double the recipe if I am making it on the stove.)  

7 cups applesauce, natural
2 cups apple cider
1 1/2 cups honey
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp allspice

In a slow cooker, combine all ingredients. Cover and cook on LOW for 14 to 15 hours or until mixture is a deep brown. If using the stove, simmer at a low temperature being sure to stir it from time to time to prevent it from scorching.

Spoon hot apple butter into hot sterilized jars and seal, then process half-pints or pints 10 minutes in a boiling water bath. Make 4 pints or 8 half-pints.

I can't wait until Joe is home.  I plan to make this while he is here, complete with some fresh baked bread to serve it with.  There are many other fruit butters that you can make.  Check online and see what may interest you.  I know that many people enjoy Pear Butter, though I have never tried it.

Enjoy!

Fall Gardening

This year, the gardens in our area have been challenging.  With too much rain, many gardens were devastated.  In speaking to Joe about it on the phone, he asked if I knew what vegetables, if any, could be grown in our area for a late fall harvest.  I haven't planted a fall garden in Oklahoma before, so I did a search on the internet.   I used the search terms of "fall vegetable garden Oklahoma".   I found that   Oklahoma's Cooperative Extension Service has a wonderful, detailed paper called "Fall Gardening (#HLA-6009).   Their fact sheets are available at: http://osufacts.okstate.edu

In reading the paper, I found that most every vegetable that you would plant in the early spring can also be grown for a late fall harvest.  There were charts which give planting dates, instructions on how to plant, and estimated number of days until harvest.  The varieties were also separated by the "tender" crops which need protection from frost, and the "semi-hardy" crops that can handle a few frosts.

What a blessing!  I am now ordering more organic seed since all of my other seeds were drowned in the rains.  It is a shame that I cannot just buy the seed at a store this time of year.  It is humbling to realise that had I known to plant again in early July, I could have started another complete garden.  Now that I have the information, I will be better prepared next year.  I will buy enough seed for 2 plantings.  This will double our harvest on the good years.  On the wet years like this one, it will give us a good fall harvest to make up for the loss of any plants the spring storms may have damaged.

I printed out the paper, also one for spring gardens, and added them to my Gardening Notebook.  I may also check to see if they have any papers on "over wintering".  Over wintering is planting specific crops late in the season that will be ready to harvest in spring.  Garlic, Leeks, & Onions are among the things you can plant in late fall.  As soon as the ground is warm enough in the spring, the plants will grow and give you a jump-start on your gardening season.

I encourage you to check and see if there is information available for your areas.  You may be surprised to find tips on how to extend your gardening season or how to get 2 full plantings like we can do here.  For those with large families, who preserve their harvest through canning, freezing or dehydrating, this can really increase your pantry stores.  It can also be a income source for those who wish to sell the surplus that they don't need.

God's Blessings be with you.

Finally done!!!

Well, it is finally done!  After weeks of decluttering the house, it is finished now.  Yesterday, a guy came by and got a washing machine & 3 twin beds that we didn't need.  Just removing those things alone emptied out alot of space in the storage room.  There are still things in there that Joe will need to sort through with me.  Things that he may want to keep.  The house looks so much better.  Lots more room for Abbie to play and less for her to get into!  It has been such a blessing and so freeing.  The only things remaining in the home are the actual things we use and need. 

It is surprising how much stuff people can accumulate, thinking that they need the items or need to hang on to them.  Not realising that you don't really have to "have it all".  I usually go by a general rule:  Unless it is a seasonal item, such as winter clothing, if it isn't needed in 6 months, then you don't really need to keep it.  Seasonal items also get sorted through as their usefulness changes over time.

Now, as I look around the house, instead of seeing the clutter and feeling over-whelmed, I feel at peace.   I am the type of person who just doesn't function well in clutter.  I can handle the little things like  afew toys laid about, but a lack of organization and order in the home just sets me on edge.

I am thinking ahead.  With the house organized and easy to maintain, I will have alot more time to spend playing with Abbie and also for other pleasant activities.  Now, when Abbie is napping, I am able to sew or crochet.  I am building up a supply of headcoverings and other items that I am going to be selling.  Also some items that I am exchanging in swaps.

I love participating in exchanges with other Sisters.  Having the house organized is making it easier to find time to work on them.  This is such a blessing as I find alot of relaxation in creating new things through sewing & crochet.

There is much to be gained through the pursuit of a simple life.  The greatest of them being peace in your heart & the precious increase in time to devote to your family.

Trying Something New

Today, I am doing something new.  I am using some homemade laundry soap.  When I was at the store recently, I saw the price of laundry soap and just couldn't bring myself to buy it.  I just can't bring myself to pay nearly $12 for a large bottle of liquid laundry detergent.

So, I thought about the recipe that I saw on Quiverfull's, a fellow blogger here, website (http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com).  The recipe is extremely easy to make.  I am thrilled with the results also.  I really doubt that you can make a mistake in making it.  Her directions are very detailed and eaasy to follow.

Today, I am using the laundry soap.  I didn't have any essential oil on hand, so I haven't scented the soap.  I happen to have some dryer sheets, so that is the only scent they will have.  As for the soap getting the laundry clean, it works great.  It takes getting used to not having alot of suds in the washer, but that is a blessing too as you don't have to worry about getting all the soap suds rinsed out of the clothing.

I will be using this recipe from now on.  The recipe's ingredients for one batch (2 gallons) cost less than a dollar.  I have enough Washing Soda & Borax powder left over to make nearly a year's supply of this soap!  I also am thrilled to know exactly what is in the soap.  Seeing the ingredients used, I will be able to use it on baby clothing without concern of the soap being too harsh on the baby's skin.

Check out her website.  She has alot of great ideas and recipes for homemade cleaners.

By the way, once I get some essential oil, I will be making my own dryer sachets.  Using a large round cookie cutter or wide mouth canning ring for a template, cut out 2-3 cicles of fabric.  To prevent fraying, you can either stitch the edge or cut them out with pinking shears.  Next, using a good, heavy thread or DMC floss stitch a basting stitch about 1/2 inch from the edge.  Place a couple of cotton balls into the center and draw the thread to gather up the fabric around the cotton balls.  Secure the thread.  I usually take a couple of stitches, then tightly wrap the thread around the gather a couple of time, then take another stitch to secure, then tie the knot off.  Place a couple of drops of essential oil onto the sachet and let dry.  If you place of these into the dryer with your laundry, the scent of the essential oil will be left on your clothing.

Enjoy!

Loving our Brethren

This topic is one that is very close to my heart and weighs on it as I see the way society is going.  I pray that the Lord give me the words to express what needs to be said in a way that will touch your hearts. 

One of the many lessons that you learn through out your life is that just as Christ loved the church, we are to love one another.  We are also taught that we are not to be a stumbling block to our brethren.  If you love your brethren, you won't want to do anything that can cause them to stumble in their spiritual growth.

One of the ways that women can easily make men struggle, many times without realising it, is in the way we dress and present ourselves.   Often, I have noticed the fashions of today and I just cringe.  As I look, even in the baby/toddler area, I see clothing that is very inappropriate and immodest.  It is at times like these that I am so grateful that I know how to sew. 

We, as women, must be so very careful.  Even if the length of our dress is modest, if the fabric is too thin so as the slip is seen through it, or the dress style is too "form fitting", it can turn even the most modest of clothing into something immodest.  Imagine that you are looking at pictures taken when you were on an outing.  You are dressed modestly, standing out there in the beautiful sunshine with your family, when the picture was taken.  Later, when looking at the picture, you notice that in the sunlight, you can see the outline of your legs or underpinnings through your clothing.  How would you feel, knowing that while you were out and about that day (and every other day that you wore that outfit), men were able to see your shape through your dress?  Would you shrug this off or would you be embarrassed?   While your clothing at first appearance is modest in style, it still can be a distraction and stumbling block to our brethren.  

What about clothing that is fitting abit too snug?  Again, you can be fully covered, but your shape is still very revealed.  Often, I have seen women & girls wearing clothing that you could see the lines of their underclothes through the fabric because of the tight fit.  Many today try to avoid those lines by wearing underclothing that is even skimpier.  If you are wearing a top with a modest neckline & long enough to properly cover the stomach, yet it is so tight that the fabric literally hugs your chest, wouldn't that also draw the lustful thoughts of your brethren?  In theory, everything is covered with fabric, but is your shape concealed enough to be truly modest?

Just as wearing a fabric that is thick enough to conceal what we are wearing underneath is a help towards modesty, so is wearing clothing that is loose enough.  If you wear a snug fitted skirt/dress for example, when you bend over to pick something up, the hemline rises much more than a loose fitting one.  Also, a skirt too loose fitting can be immodest on a windy day if the breeze catches the hem.

Ladies, we have so much responsibility in how we dress.  The decision of what is modest is different from one person to the next.  Each must be prayerful in how to address the topic.  As wives, we need to seek the counsel of our husbands.  They are the spiritual leader of the home, and out of respect for them we should include them in our decision making process.

I am very blessed in that Joe fully supports my choice to convert my wardrobe to wearing Cape Dresses only.  From what I have studied, and through much discussion with Joe, and much prayer, this is the choice that we are led to.   This is not the choice of all women.  How you are led to dress is a very personal thing.  Maybe you work a job that requires a specific type of dress.  For example, if you work with children in a teaching or preschool position, modest slacks may be the best choice do to the types of activities that you are doing.  Each must choose for themselves.

It is hard to help young girls/women learn modest dress when their peers at school are dressing in the trendy & many times, immodest, styles of today.  Be prayerful and seek the Lord's guidance.  Take a hard look at your wardrobe & that of your daughters.  Is it a wardrobe that shows your love & caring for your brethren in their walk with the Lord? 

Girls & women are not the only ones.  Trends in some of the clothing that men wear is also very immodest.  Tight fitting jeans, for example.  I will admit that when I met my Beloved, Joe, I noticed how his pants fit his body.  I also noticed the buttons he left open at the neck of his shirt.  I was very drawn to the way he looked.  Praise the Lord, I also fell very much in love and have a great respect for Joe.  I see the deep faith he has in the Lord.  Since we married, I have noticed that the jeans he wears now are fitting bit more loosely than what he used to wear.  I am thrilled with it.  I may not mind the tight jeans at home, but I wouldn't like other women to be lusting after him for wearing tight jeans any more than he would want other men lusting after me because of immodest clothing.  Is this unreasonable?  Not to us.  We honor our commitment to each other through modest dress, by not drawing the unwanted lustful looks from others.  Let's face it, how loving are you being to your husband if you dress in a way that brings another man's lustful attention to you?  Are not women offended when their spouse notices & watches a skimpy dressed woman? 

I pray that you receive these words in the manner in which they were intended.  I say them in love & concern.  May the Lord bless each of you in your walk with Him.