Family & Friends!
Wow! Over a week since I last blogged. (not counting adding links that is.) There is a lot I want to say, I just haven't *felt* like sitting here and typing. There seems to be a lot that I haven't *felt* like doing lately though. I do keep going along though and remembering that no matter what I am dealing with, my Lord is right there with me.
Anyway, the past few days have been really warm here in my part of the world. Warm enough to keep the windows opened in the day (which I LOVE to do,) not today however. It's back to *the chill of the 50's today. ( I know, to those of you who live north of here, I imagine being in the 50's is a warm front in your area.) I must admit that as much as I would like to have colder weather, well, let me take that back. I like the weather I have in my part of the world. (would LOVE to see a bit of snow though.)
Hubby got the piece of land seeded that he cleared a few weeks ago. I am glad that we got a bit of rain yesterday to soak it down. I was afraid that with the amount of wind we had going yesterday, that it would all be blown away. It looks good and it looks HUGE!
It is a little over a 1/2 an acre. It would make a great pasture or a great piece of land for a garden. The idea is for a future pasture. We will plant some field corn on it this year just to see if it will grow anything. I am almost afraid that all of the chemicals that the electric company sprayed on it over the years has ruined the soil. (I pray that it hasn't.) It has been about 4-5 years since the last spray. I again have to praise God for letting hubby be home the day they came to spray again(this past October). He told them NO! It was only God's timing that allowed him to be home. Thank you Sweet Jesus!
I saw a promise of spring yesterday. A single buttercup on a vine. It was as if The Lord put it there to remind me that He is still in control of my life when I put Him first. I saw it just as I having to explain a situation to my DD (15) about a personal situation going on in my life. It was like a ray of hope saying, "I am still here Amanda. I will never leave nor forsake you as the world may." I picked it and it smelled so sweet. God is so good and ever to be praised!
Well, I need to get off here and get moving. I need to get to the store today. I haven't done any major grocery shipping for 2 weeks now. I am out of the basics such as tylenol and cold medications. Dd (18) is sick and needs that tylenol.
Have a blessed day in The Lord of Glory, now and forever! Amen!
Amanda <><
Matthew 6:33
Another good site!
http://www.handmilking.com/BIZyCart.asp?ACTION=Home&CLIENT=HandMilk&ACCOUNT=17496-
Amanda <><
Matthew 6:33
A wee bit more expensive, but looks good anyway!
http://www.wisementrading.com/butterchurns.htm-
Amanda <><
Matthew 6:33
Looks like its butter making time!
http://www.wisementrading.com/butterchurns.htm-
Amanda <><
Matthew 6:33
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/02/business/02dairy.html?_r=2-
Amanda <><
Matthew 6:33
http://www.real-food.com/heifer_diary_2008.htm#December_21,_2008_Sunday-
An interesting blog.
Amanda <><
Matthew 6:33
DD (15) was in Sunday school class this past week. They were discussing friendships. One of the verses she was to look up was in Pslam 27. After reading the verse her teacher told her to, she let her eyes wander a bit further down. Here is what she read:
(he has a serious aversion to goats.) Oh, well!II Corinthians 5:7
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/dec/29/witnesses-to-the-great-depression-remember/-
Happy Reading!
Amanda <><
II Corinthians 5:7
Great blog to read! http://community.stretcher.com/blogs/homesteadmindset/default.aspx?PageIndex=1
Amanda <><
II Corinthians 5:7
Good Sunday Afternoon Family & Friends! It is such a beautiful, sunny, and warm Sunday afternoon here in NC. It's about 75* right now. I even saw a yellow butterfly in the yard. I guess it just had to come out and enjoy the beautiful weather too.
Hubby has been off of work since Christmas Eve. The children and I have really enjoyed his being at home with us. He has spent the week working on the dirt road with a grater he was allowed to borrow from work (another blessing from God. Hubby has been trying for the past several years to borrow that piece of machinery and wasn't able to until now). The road has been needing some serious attention paid to it. So he ended up clearing and smoothing all of the pot holes out of it. It makes for a smoother ride.
He was also (by the blessing of God) able to clear a piece of our land that has been needing it. We haven't decided to use it for a pasture yet or a huge garden. This year it will probably be used for a garden. They maybe by the Fall of the year a pasture (Lord willing.)
It really was a work of God that we got that piece of land cleared the way we did. The land stands between 2 utility poles. The power company has been maintaining it by spraying chemicals (poison) on it for the past several years.
This year they came around to spray and only by the grace of God hubby was actually home and outside that early morning. He saw that they were about to "poison" the land again for maintaining. He put an immediate stop to it. (there was actually grass starting to grow on it.) Thank you Jesus! Otherwise we wouldn't have been able to use that sizeable piece of land again for another 7-8 years. God is so good! He knows that we have been wanting to use that piece of land and He made provisions for us to so.
Hubby was aslo able to use the grater from work to turn over the land and dig up the roots and such. It was so wonderful being able to go outside and see that piece of land turned and to smell that fresh earth. Just knowing that God has provided us with a way to use His creation for His glory! And knowing that He had it all planned to begin with. He is So GOOD!
God is ALWAYS so good!
Well, I need to go and gt the pizza made up for dinner. Bless all who pass this way!
Amanda <><
II Corinthians 5:7
http://worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=84602-
There is ALOT to be said of this article. Lord forgive me!
Amanda <><
II Corinthians 5:7
http://worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=84594-
Amanda <><
II Corinthians 5:7
Good Evening Family & Friends! I can't believe that it is the last Friday of December! Where did 2008 go? I must be getting old to say that but it is the truth.
Dd (18) and I went to WallyWorld this morning. We wanted to see if we could get in on any of the 50% off deals. We got there at 10:30 and were very surprised to see that they still had TONS of stuff marked off and there were not many people buying it either. That was a surprise.
We also saw a first today. The day after Christmas at Wally World is usually busy with returns. They are usually wrapped around the registers. It was not so today. I saw NO ONE in line waiting to make returns. That is the first time I haven't seen that since I started shopping the day after Christmas. I was talking to the cashier and the lady behind me too. They were also very surprised to see no one in the return line. I guess people really liked what they got this year or they didn't get much. Not sure what to make of that.
Anyway, I got home and cleaned the house. I then decided that I need to get some butter made from some cream that I had. I took two mason jars and split the cream in half to both jars. I gave DS (9) one and I took the other. We then commenced to shaking for about 20 minutes until the cream turned into nice balls of butter. DS kept saying, " is it ever gonna work?"
I then drained the buttermilk off (will use that tomorrow for biscuits) added a tad bit of salt, rinsed in cold water and then put it into an old cool whip dish. It was VERY GOOD! (Thank you dear friend for the fresh cream!) I can't wait to get my own cow so I can get a generous supply of hormone free butter and milk for my family. Still praying in that department!
Here is an online tutortorial to making fresh butter the way I did today. All you have to do is get some heavy cream and a jar and start shaking. Raw milk cream would be best but I have also used cream from WallyWorld.
Here's the link:
http://www.nickleplated.com/butter.html
Happy Shaking!
Bless all who pas this way!
Amanda <><
II Corinthians 5:7
From The ScareCrow Chronicles Blog- I like this! Merry Christmas!
http://countrysidemag.com/blog/cook/-
On the first day of Christmas, my homestead gave to me:
A windchill of of minus thirty-three.
On the second day of Christmas, my homestead gave to me:
Two pipes a freezing and a windchill of minus thirty-three.
On the third day of Christmas, my homestead gave to me:
Three cows a calving,
Two pipes a freezing and a windchill of minus thirty-three.
On the fourth day of Christmas, my homestead gave to me:
Four barn brooms breaking,
Three cows a calving,
Two pipes a freezing and a windchill of minus thirty-three.
On the fifth day of Christmas, my homestead gave to me:
Five frozen toes,
Four barn brooms breaking,
Three cows a calving,
Two pipes a freezing and a windchill of minus thirty-three.
On the sixth day of Christmas, my homestead gave to me:
Snow, six inches blowing,
Five frozen toes,
Four barn brooms breaking,
Three cows a calving,
Two pipes a freezing and a windchill of minus thirty-three.
On the seventh day of Christmas, my homestead gave to me:
Seven cows a bawling
Snow, six-inches blowing,
Five frozen toes,
Four barn brooms breaking,
Three cows a calving,
Two pipes a freezing and a windchill of minus thirty-three.
On the eight day of Christmas my, homestead gave to me:
Eight relatives feasting,
Seven cows a bawling
Snow, six-inches blowing,
Five frozen toes,
Four barn brooms breaking,
Three cows a calving,
Two pipes a freezing and a windchill of minus thirty-three.
On the ninth day of Christmas, my homestead gave to me,
Nine strays a barking
Eight relatives feasting,
Seven cows a bawling
Snow, six-inches blowing,
Five frozen toes,
Four barn brooms breaking,
Three cows a calving,
Two pipes a freezing and a windchill of minus thirty-three.
On the tenth day of Christmas, my homestead gave to me:
Ten trees a falling,
Nine strays a barking
Eight relatives feasting,
Seven cows a bawling
Snow, six-inches blowing,
Five frozen toes,
Four barn brooms breaking,
Three cows a calving,
Two pipes a freezing and a windchill of minus thirty-three.
On the eleventh day of Christmas, my homestead gave to me:
Eleven chainsaws buzzing,
Ten trees a falling,
Nine strays a barking
Eight relatives feasting,
Seven cows a bawling
Snow, six-inches blowing,
Five frozen toes,
Four barn brooms breaking,
Three cows a calving,
Two pipes a freezing and a windchill of minus thirty-three.
On the twelfth day of Christmas, my homestead gave to me:
Twelve dozen cookies baking,
Eleven chainsaws buzzing,
Ten trees a falling,
Nine strays a barking
Eight relatives feasting,
Seven cows a bawling
Snow, six-inches blowing,
Five frozen toes,
Four barn brooms breaking,
Three cows a calving,
Two pipes a freezing and a windchill of minus thirty-three.
Amanda <><
II Corinthians 5:7
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdLxMKuxyr4&eurl=&feature=player_embedded- Go here to watch.
http://worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=83865- Go here to read.
This is absolutely uncalled for! Please let others know about this. This is what you get for HELPING your neighbor?
Amanda <><
II Corinthians 5:7
( I found these books while researching. These books sound like they would have a lot of information on old homesteading skills. There are some subjects, as a Christian, that I have no interest in. Such as the faith healing, haints, ghosts, snake handling etc. Just the practical old fashioned skills that were practiced long ago.)
They have these books on Amazon.com for as low as $3. You may even find some of these titles in your local library.
Happy reading!
| The Foxfire Books |
| With nearly 9 million copies in print, The Foxfire Book series stands memorial to the people and the vanishing culture of the Southern Appalachian Mountains, brought to life for readers through the words of those who were born, lived their lives, and passed away there—words collected by high school students who wanted to be a part of their community and preserve their heritage. All 12 volumes in the regular series are anthologies of Foxfire Magazine articles written by Rabun County high school students over the Magazine's 40-year history, usually expanded through follow-up interviews and other research. |
The Foxfire Book - This volume, the original anthology, celebrates the home life and creative history of Appalachia, featuring sections on hog dressing, log cabin building, soap making, basket weaving, planting by the signs, preserving foods, making butter, snake lore, hunting tales, faith healing, and moonshining.
Foxfire 2 - This second volume celebrates the rites and customs of Appalachia, featuring sections on ghost stories, spring wild plant foods, corn shuckins, spinning and weaving, midwives, granny women, old-time burial customs, witches and haints, and wagon making.
Foxfire 3 - This third volume celebrates the lively and homespun heritage of Appalachia, featuring sections on animal care, banjos & dulcimers, hide tanning, summer and fall wild plant foods, cornshuck mops, butter churns, apple butter, building a lumber kiln, and ginseng.
Foxfire 4 - This fourth volume celebrates the home life and creative heritage of Appalachia, featuring sections on fiddle making, springhouses, horse trading, sassafras tea, berry buckets, knife making, wood carving, logging, cheese making, and gardening .
Foxfire 5 - This fifth volume celebrates the survival techniques and resourceful heritage of Appalachia, featuring sections on ironmaking, blacksmithing, horseshoes, cowbells, shovels, bellows, barrells, furnaces, flintlock rifles, and bear hunting.
Foxfire 6 - This sixth volume celebrates the playful and innovative heritage of Appalachia, featuring 100 toys and games, from bow and arrows to merry-go-rounds, flying jennys to puzzles, cornstalk fiddles to gourd banjos and song bows, and cucumber dolls, as well as wooden locks, shoemaking, and a water-powered sawmill.
Foxfire 7 - This seventh volume celebrates the spiritual heritage of Appalachia, featuring sections on ministers and church members, from Baptists to Methodists to Pentecostals to Presbyterians, as well as revivals, baptisms, shaped-note and gospel singing, faith healing, camp meetings, foot washing, and snake handling.
Foxfire 8 - This eighth volume celebrates the artistic and skillful heritage of Appalachia, featuring sections on Southern folk pottery, from glazed snake jars to swirlware to flowerpots, pug mills, ash glazes, groundhog kilns, face jugs, churns, and roosters, as well as mule swapping and chicken fighting, breeding, and conditioning.
Foxfire 9 - This ninth volume celebrates the crafts and heritage of Appalachia, featuring sections on the Judd Nelson wagon, crazy quilting, general stores, herbal remedies and home cures, herb doctors and healers, a praying rock, a Catawban Indian Potter, witchy and ghostly haint tales, and the log cabin revisited.
Foxfire 10 - This tenth volume celebrates the heritage and history of Appalachia, featuring sections on old folklore, the role of railroads in Appalachian communities, boarding houses, building and technology from the Depression to the present, chairmaking, whirligigs, snake canes, and gourd art.
Foxfire 11 - This eleventh volume celebrates the rituals and recipes of Appalachia, featuring sections on the old homeplace, wild plant uses, planting and growing a garden, preserving food - pickling, smoking, and salting, as well as beekeeping and making honey, hunting stories, fishing, and more affairs of plain living.
Foxfire 12 - Reminiscences about square dancing and tales about traditional craftsmen who created useful items in the old-time ways. There are lessons on how to make rose beads and wooden caskets, and on how to find turtles in your local pond. Hear the voices of descendants of the Cherokee who lived in the region, and learn about what summer camp was like for generations of youngsters. Meet a rich assortment of Appalachian characters and listen to veterans recount their war experiences. Illustrated with photographs and drawings, Foxfire 12 is a rich trove of information and stories from the Southern Appalachian culture.
Bless all who pass this way!
Amanda <><
II Corinthians 5:7