Homesteading: A Woman's Journey

I am so sorry that I have not been on here in a month or close to it! I have been so busy I can't even begin to tell you all that I have been doing. My garden has been taking alot of my time. I haven't been going anywhere or on vacations like most people do. I did that in my younger years, and for now, I just want to be home. If it was up to me......I'd never leave. We have been having cooler temperatures for summer weather here in upstate New York. Not that I am complaining! I actually like it, even though I grew up in the hot state of Florida.

Since it is so muddy, one of my little girls, Georgie Girl, my beautiful horse, is stressed over the mud she has to walk through in her paddock. She hates mud more than anything. I think she is counting the days to the first snowfall as that is her favorite time of the year. I don't mind it so much, but do for her and for my son who has taken over the job of cleaning my horses' barn.

I have also been very busy doing a web design job for a solar equipment intaller and distributor. It is very interesting since I live with this kind of stuff every day. Makes me really appreciate our equipment and how amazing it truly is! To think those simple flat panels are powering my computer right now while I am writing this. If I see some good deals I will tell you about them in case anyone here wants to get started generating their own power.

I have decided to save every $5. bill I get. I read about doing this somewhere recently and it sounded like a good idea. Trouble with that though is that I usually just use a debit card and do not carry cash too much. Maybe I will pick up $20. a week from the credit union and take it from there. Sometimes, I need some cash for something. Especially if I splurge and buy Chinese food (my favorite!) as they never take cards or checks.......just cash.

Yesterday, we ate fresh green beans from our garden for the first time this year. They were so great! I hope I have enough planted to eat all summer and to can at least 40 quarts. We eat them alot and never have any left over for spring. So I think I have planted enough to give us extra. Hopefully, this rain will let up a bit and give us some sunshine. I know I am also going to be having a awesome potato crop also.

I will get back with some good recipes in a couple of days. For now, I will just give you an update on our life here.

Zucchini Recipe ( Creamy Mustard zucchini slaw)

I know its that time of year where we all have zucchini ..I've had a few folks ask for recipes and I got thinking..I have a cookbook its name is The Classic Zucchini Cookbook..By Nancy C Ralston, Marynor Jordan,Andrea Chesman..

My plans is to start listing recipes here to share..Now I haven't made any of these myself ..But I plan too..I will share a recipe now ..And plan to do more tomorrow.. Enjoy..

1~In a colander,combine the zucchini and carrots with 1teaspoon salt.Mix well. Set aside to drain for about 30 minutes.

2~Squeeeze out as much moisture as possible from the vegetables.Transfer to a medium sized mixing bowl.

4~ Add the mayonnaise mixture to the vegetables.Mix in the sunflower seeds. Taste and add plenty of pepper. It probably won't need additional salt.

5~Let stand for about 30 minutes before serving or refrigerate for up to 4 hours and mix well before serving.

The sunflower seeds add the crunch the grated zucchini lacks. This slaw is particularly good on sandwiches..

Daily Devotion 205

July 23

Five Steps to Repentance

Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance.

Matthew 3:8

I have often wondered how we can apologize for something like getting angry at someone, and then turn around and do it again only a short time later. We try ever so hard to conquer a habit, but we seem to find no victory. Maybe it is because we do not really understand repentance. How do we find real victory over sin?

1. Acknowledgment. Psalm 51:3. The first thing we must do is acknowledge that we have sinned. If we do not acknowledge that we have wronged a brother when we became angry at him (or whatever else we have done) then we have missed the first step.

2. Godly sorrow. 2 Corinthians 7:10. Many times we are sorrowful simply because others have discovered our sin. “What will others think if they hear that I’m a bitter person?” Godly sorrow means we are remorseful that our sins have hurt our Lord.

3. Confession. 1 John 1:9. We may reason that we have said we are sorry, so what more is needed? Or, if ours is a private sin, we may have only confessed it to God, thinking that is enough. But it is not. I remember a time when I did something wrong that involved no one else but myself. One day I became convicted of my wrong and repented of it. Yet I did not find peace until I confessed it to a responsible person. “Confess your faults one to another.”

4. Restitution. Matthew 5:24. We must also be willing to make wrongs right at any cost. Some relationships cannot be restored, but we need to be willing to do our part.

5. Forsaking it. Proverbs 28:13. If we truly repent, we will want to quit sinning. These five steps must be complete before we have really repented from sin. This does not mean we can escape the consequences for sin, but we can accept God’s grace as sufficient for us and begin to overcome our sin.

James Miller, Evart, MI

It takes humility to admit we are wrong; none to insist we are right.

Bible Reading: Matthew 3:1–12

One Year Bible Reading Plan:

Acts 23:12–35

Psalms 38—40

Used by Permission of Vision Publishers

PO Box 190, Harrisonburg, VA 22803

Phone: 877-488-0901

E-Mail: [cs@vision-publishers.com]

Tomatoes, Cucumbers and Squinni, Oh my

The saddest conversations.........

Organized Mom Super Set!!!

I just got an email from my friend, Cindy Rushton. She has just introduced a wonderful new set for those who want (or need) real help getting organized for the new school year. The best part is that this week she is offering two bonuses when you purchase her Organized Mom Super Set:

1. Her entire Organization 911 Seminar Set
2. Her NEW Virtual Seminar Set, Let's Get Organized for the New School Year.

To celebrate, Cindy just sent me permission to give you a sampler of one of her free gifts just for you. I am so excited to give it to you! Here is the link:

Let Cindy take you by the hand and show you secrets to
developing a schedule that works for you and your family!

Georgeously Green: Beauty

I mentioned yesterday that I am reading Gorgeously Green by Sophie Uliano. I am half-way through this book and find it so fascinating. Most people believe that to go "green" you have to wear birkenstocks, grow your underarm hair, and eat twigs. Mrs. Uliano proves this theory wrong. She has 8 steps to living an Earth-Friendly (hate that word) life. I'm going to go through a few steps. The first is just becoming aware that everything you do impacts our environment in some way. Boring. The 2nd step is to use healthy, environmental/organic beauty products. Fun.

First of all, pull out your make-up, shampoos, conditioners, body lotion, baby supplies, anything that you smooth on your body. Look on the packages for these ingredients that The Environmental Working Group says is dangerous:

1. Coal tar: Used in dandruff shampoos and anti-itch creams, coal tar is a known carcinogen. Coal tar-based dyes such as FD&C Blue 1, which are used in toothpastes, and FD&C Green3, which is used in mouthwash, should be avoided.

2. Fragrance: This ubiquitous term is used to mask hundreds of ingredients, including phthalates, which disrupt the endocrine system and could cause reporductive and developmental harm.

3. Hydroquinone: Commonly found in skin lighteners and facial moisturizers, it is a neurotoxin and is allergenic.

4. Aluminum: Often used in eye shadow as a color additive and also used in deodorants, it is listed as a carcinognic, toxic, and mutagenic.

5. Triclosan: This chimical is used in almost all antibacterial products, including soap, toothpaste, and cosmetics. Triclosan is often contaminated with dioxins, which are highly carcinogenic and can also weaken your immune system, decrease fertility, and cause birth defects.

6. P-Phenylenediamine: This is the chemical that has given a bad name to regular hair dye. It can damage your nervous system, cause lung irritation, and cause severe allergic reactions. It's also listed as ,4-Benzenediamine; p-Phenyldiamine and 4-Phenylenediamine.

7. Lead and Mercury: Lead could appear in toothpaste as a naturally occurring contaminant of hydrated silica. It is a neurotoxin that also appears as lead acetate in men's hair dye. Mercury is found in a cosmetic (and vaccine) called thimerosol.

Parabens, Phthalates, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Polyethylene Glycol, Formaldehyde Producing Preservatives, Talc, Acrylates and Methacrylates, Alcohol, Isopropyl, Tocopherol Acetate, Phenonip, Quaternary Ammonium Compounds, Cationic Surfectants, Benzyl Alcohol, Silicone Derived Emollients, Carbomber 934, 940, 941, 960, 961C

To find out if a certain cosmetic is safe go onto www.safecosmetics.org. For a list of Gorgeously Green approved products go onto www.gorgeouslygreen.com/cheatsheet. I will have more information in the days to come on living a gorgeous lifestyle "green".

Daily Devotion 204

You caught a glimpse of God’s plan. You said, “Yes, Lord, I will follow wherever You lead. Give me grace to follow.” Remember how excited you were when you caught that flash of destiny? A straight shot, and you expected to arrive at your grand destination.

But something has happened. God led you away from that mountain into a series of valleys. At first the way was still clear. Confidently you walked along.

Suddenly you came to a fork in the road. Two paths were well trodden and appealing. You had to strain to see the third path. Theovergrowth fairly swallowed it.

“Lord, which way?” your voice trembled. (You almost knew that He would choose the jungled path.)

He continues to lead you on the overgrown path today. You thrash through the brush. Branches of doubt slap your face. Impatient thorns tear into your flesh.

You are faint, yet pursuing. You still remember the goal, now seemingly so far away. A dream. You can barely discern your Lord through the brush.

You cry, “Lord! Where are you? I cannot see—I am confused. I—I thought you had a great plan. But this . . . ! I . . . I can’t . . . go . . .on.”

Everything becomes blurry, and you crash headlong down the path. A moan. You are too weak to call out.

But He hears! He picks you up. From somewhere the Lord produces water and bread. Groggily you eat. Revived by the water, you partake of the Bread of Life. Your body is strengthened, and soon you feel ready to resume the journey.

Freedom of Speech or Freedom of Singing National Songs??

Have you heard about this in my own State of California. The aboved videos are a group of students who were attending a leadership camp that ended with a tour of the State Capitol. While in the Rotunda, the group spontaneously decided to sing these to songs... and then they were reprimanded. Here is the story from One News Now:

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

Officials at the California State Capitol are under fire for stopping a student tour group from singing the national anthem in the capitol rotunda.

Launch into an a cappella version of the Star Spangled Banner in the California State Capitol and a group could find themselves facing Capitol Security and officers of the California Highway Patrol. And that is what happened, says Brad Dacus, president of the Pacific Justice Institute, when a group of students touring the capitol, as part of the "City on a Hill" education program, spontaneously began to sing the national anthem.

"Upon hearing the students, a security guard there silenced them and said that they could not sing the national anthem unless they had a special permit to do so," explains Dacus. "This was an egregious abuse of discretion and a violation of the First Amendment rights of these students to be able to express patriotism and their love for their country."

Dacus adds the singing was not planned in advance and was not, in any sense of the word, a protest. "These students were not being disruptive in any way of anything that was taking place. There was no other event going on. There was no function of government that was being interrupted," he contends.

He argues that "such spontaneous expression of love for...country should never, ever be stifled by government when it's in no way creating a disturbance of any kind...."

Pacific Justice Institute sent a letter to the Chief Sergeant at Arms for the Capitol informing him that citizens have a First Amendment right to express themselves in the capitol rotunda as long as they are not being disruptive, and that any future attempt to interfere with that right will result in appropriate legal action.

My Skirts

Q. If you don't mind me asking, which pattern do you use for your skirts? I really like them.

Blessings, sara

A. The pattern I use is Simplicity #6730. I also use this pattern to make skorts for my girls. I use the pattern for the pants (making them into long shorts) and then I use the pattern for the straight skirt to go over top of the shorts to make skorts. You could also use the A-line skirt pattern for the skirt that goes over top the shorts.

Homesteading: A Woman's Journey

Here I am! I am back!

Zucchini Recipe ( Creamy Mustard zucchini slaw)

Daily Devotion 205

Tomatoes, Cucumbers and Squinni, Oh my

The saddest conversations.........

Organized Mom Super Set!!!

Georgeously Green: Beauty

Daily Devotion 204

Freedom of Speech or Freedom of Singing National Songs??

My Skirts

About Me

Links

Categories

Recent Entries

Friends