Little House in the Village
The longing of a sacred place called "HOME"I rarely get the chance to post here anymore but love to visit and read all of my old stomping grounds. I found this poem recently and even placed it in my sidebar at my other blog. I love it and find it very profound and even though the words were written in the 1800's, they still apply to my life today.
By: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882)
Blessings, Trixi
A nice walk around our yard...We had to get up early this morning so we finished school early Yeah! When we finished school I went out to put some bird seed and decided to take a nice walk around the yard. I love the winter monthes! We have finally put our garden to bed. We did have lettuce, brocolli and cabbages a few weeks ago, but now everything that is left is for the compost bin.
You are going to think I am strange but one reason that I enjoy the winter monthes is the leaves are now gone and I can actually see what is around me. I knew our one neighbor had chickens and a rooster and now I can finally see them. They have a small back yard but keep alot in it...a few chickens, a rooster or two, and two miniture horses/ponies. I love it when people actually use their yards. You can tell they like their yard.
We are hoping to add to our gardenbeds this coming year. We might add to the greenhouse to? We have thought about moving to a few more acres but then we see we can barely manage what we have. We also don't want to add any debt at all and lots of times when you move you can add debt. Unless we come into some big money we will be in this home for a while:) We want to honor God. I am not sure it would be honoring God by adding more debt?
As I walked around our yard I could see us adding more garden space and maybe some animals someday. (a small hobbie farm?) We only have about an acre and I hope we are using it wisely. We are hoping to plant extra this coming year. I would like to be able to go to the farmersmarket a few times.
Now that it is cold outside it is time to work on a few home improvement projects. If we don't get them done soon spring will be here and then it will be planting season:)
We are working on a place to put our shoes in our kitchen. There was a set of drawers that we removed and we are going to wall that place in to make a cubbie of sorts. We also would like to paint this spring but we will have to wait and see about that. I would like to paint my kitchen cabinets but again that might be a mess so we are just putting that on our to do list:) We are also working in our garage we are adding some cabinets to put somethings away for storage. I would like to add some cabinets in there for some stock-piling:) We have been going to a new grocery store and they always have 10 for $10.00 If I had a place to store some can goods and such I wouldn't have to go to the store as often:)
Well I have written to much and my tea is about to get cold. Many Blessings to you and yours, Ma
Pictures, Pictures and more Pictures { Posted by
HandsNHearts
}
Nothing special about the pictures...just things around the homestead lately :o) Enjoy!{ 01:42 , Tuesday, December 2, 2008 } { Posted in Around the Homestead } { 1 comments } { Link } Some of the property over the weekend. This is the back clearing where we want to build. If we don't build here, I want to put our schoolhouse up back here anyway (just to the right of that center pine tree...that's where the trail heads back to the pond. The next is the logging road they used a few years back to get to the neighbors property...and where they come up with the 4-wheelers. The bottom of that range there is the end of our property. Next two are of the pond, coming in from that logging road, through the trees. It's just seasonal and lately, that has meant no real water to speak of. The first year it had maybe 2 foot of water. This year, maybe the same. The 2 years in the middle, it was just about bone dry and useless with the drought. We'd like to dig it out more and shore it up to try to keep water in it. We know there's a decent aquifer running through this part of the mountain, down about 150 here at the house end of the property. Would be nice to have some water for the animals if nothing else.     Thanksgiving weekend work on the homestead...Finally getting the holes dug out for the posts for the back porch area. Most likely, it will never make it as a porch and will be enclosed for living space...maybe that outdoor kitchen ;o) I tried to get the holes started but it's all clay...and really thick nasty stuff at that. I just can't do it. I'm a wimp. I admit it. So, as Drew was over for dinner, we put him to work with Dewey :o) The goofy pup there is the beagles basset mutt mix we have...brains of a stuffed animal, but lovable. He chases rabbits and such all night. Pinned a coyote down in the timber last year so we could shoot it. He's a good dog...just goofy. Notice Miss Abigail's bare feet...this was the day after Thanksgiving. Sure wouldn't be out running the countryside like that back North this time of year!    Thanksgiving fixins' on the homestead...We spent all day Wednesday baking...2 pecan pies, 2 apple, 2 chocolate (that's the empty crust with the tin foil in it) and 2 9x13 pumpkin cobblers. And the yummiest yeast rolls :o) It's a mix we do up and keep in the pantry --delicious. And, yes, I'll add the recipe soon! The full menu ended up looking like this...deep-fried turkey, a huge (h-u-g-e) smoked ham from the butcher (stupid me didn't ask about size, just got the one that looked so good...it didn't fit inside the 18qt Nesco roaster we have...had to sit cockeyed until it cooked down some and slide into the pan the right way!). Dressing, green bean casserole, baked corn, potatoes/gravy, sweet potatoes, then the list of desserts. We made honey nut crunch and ranch/dill crackers for snacking all weekend. This was the first year our eldest wasn't at the table. He rode up with Dewey to pick up Hope's car and drive it back. He wanted it to be their first Thanksgiving, and he was frying his first turkey solo...    The 20 quart mixer...yes, that's a make-do kitchen sink set up there. We pulled out the cupboard a while back. I have a very nice, new countertop sitting out in the building, but until I know for sure what we are doing (building or simply remodelling) I don't want to use it yet ;o) And, yes, those are cinder blocks under the mixer -- it sits too low to the floor for comfortable use. I know it looks rather hillbilly-ish, but it works ;o)   The meat, part 1/Day 1...still partially frozen, even after 2 days of thawing in the cooler bag. Guess that cooler bag works far better than I thought it did! We cut up most of the chunks to more suitable pieces and readied them for the canning jars.   
Back Online again....several updates here { Posted by
HandsNHearts
}
First off -- Ron & Jo...if you visit and read this, do email me! We've been worried about how you both are doing!{ 11:29 , Monday, December 1, 2008 } { Posted in Around the Homestead } { 1 comments } { Link } The computer went down again. Apparently, the first computer geek didn't do any sort of system diagnostics and simply wasted 3 days or so re0installing my modem driver. Well, it went down on me again, 2 weeks ago now. Not that it didn't make for a quiet and peaceful Thanksgiving, and we did get many things accomplished, but still.... This time, I went to the original geek I had planned on using last time. They did a full system whatever and ran several diagnostics. They think the main issue I was having is that my BIOS system was rather outdated. There were 5 newer updates than I had, and they don't simply install with the regular system update stuff this thing does on it's own every so often. He updated me that way, installed another antivirus program then downloaded a new modem driver and viola...we have internet again. And life picks up with hectic busy-ness, of course. Just to note: If you sent me an email over the past couple of weeks and haven't heard from me...don't expect to. Just email me again. I had a million emails in my inbox and they are all being deleted as I write here. Please, email again if you need me! I have all 300# of meat in the freezer...well, minus the 50# of stewing chunks sitting in the kitchen waiting its turn in the canner. My pressure seems a bit off today -- it's taking forever to get up to pressure for some reason. But, it's all cut up, the packing juice blend prepared and jars scalded and waiting. I am going to get very tired of looking at meat, I can tell that already, and it's just Day 1 of a long line of days to come! We may well turn vegetarian for a couple months once it's all said and done! We have, aside from meat meat and more meat in the works here, fencing outside we are dealing with. Seems we are being over-run with wayward hunters. We knew they had been around the property, but they have found several signs of them running 4-wheelers clear up to the back of my barn! They are using our deer stands, running their dogs all over and apparently using our private property as their own personal hunting grounds. That will come to a stop this week. We are getting the signs up so we are more properly POSTED everywhere, and I am setting up some wire along the back access where we know for a fact they are coming and going. If they damage a 4-wheeler with a slightly hidden barb wire fence, serves them right. It will be well inside the perimeter of my property line, where they don't belong. That and some bird shot peppering their hunting expedition should do the trick. Before anyone takes issue to our methods here, we have a very good idea as to who the culprits are, and they know we don't want hunters here. They know we have young children who enjoy our property, and as they hunt with high powered rifles, they are definitely not welcome here. My own dogs stay on our property, and they are being annoyed with the constant traffic as well. I don't need the aggravation, or the worry of my children being shot while playing on their own land. To give you some idea of the genius we are dealing with out here, this group was shooting targets last year in their own cleared plot just down from our line. It's their property, I have no concern there whatsoever. It's a free country. However, they use high powered, long range shot guns/rifles whatever you call them. Where they were shooting from/at, in virtually every direction on the compas, they had nothing but timber land. Literally hundreds upon hundreds of acres going out in every direction. Nothing in line for miles and then some. Every direction, that is, but they one they chose to shoot in. They set up just the other side of the creek and were shooting directly toward my house. Literally peppering my roof with their shot. Branches and leaves were falling after every shot. Genius, pure genius. In any other direction, they would have had nothing but trees for miles and miles, yet they picked the direction that went through my property straight to my house and animals....and children. Running a 4-wheeler across a low-lying wire fence is going to be the least of their concerns if we actually catch them on the property hunting, instead of their leftovers and signs. We also have a lengthy sewing list, as usual. And school work to catch back up on. We are having reading issues it seems. I need to determine where my cut-off needs to be. There is a point where not reading well is a problem, and I think we might be there. I know we took more time with our first reader learning, but I've 3 in the works now and they simply aren't coming along very quicky. I know, homeschooling certainly affords my time in that respect, no hard-lined schedules to adhere to and all, but still...we have been at this enough now there should be a bit more progress I think. Time to re-evaluate The Plan here. As to the olders, Jennifer finished a decent amount while gone with Dewey the past couple weeks. And Johanna, well, she has her own agenda. She is set on graduating when she turns 15 years old...about 2 years or so from now. She blew right through one grade level already and is just about finished with the next set of math, language and science I bought a couple weeks ago. She definitely needs some more indepth work to keep her coccupied. She easily completes 4 or more lessons a day. Like I said, a girl with her own agenda. I have a Christmas gift...yes, I know what I said about Christmas and all, but this is different, sort of. I came across a bargain and couldn't pass it up. Dewey said birthday and Christmas gift and I jumped on it! (my birthday is Christmas Eve...I tend to get those 'combined' gifts quite often!). I have a 20 quart Welbilt Varimixer sitting in my kitchen :o) It's huge. It's sitting on the floor right now -- there's no way my counters, besides being far too tall, would accommodate this machine. I'll have to build some sort of stand for it, but for now, it's just sitting there, waiting to be used. We will start selling bread and such soon, and much easier. The man we bought it from buys out various businesses and such and resells the equipment. He thinks he knows of a commercial oven and stove and is checking on that for me. Dewey wasn't really in the mood to drag along with me to pick it up, but he wanted to check it out first. Well, he has found his new dream shopping warehouse now. This man has virtually everything. If he doesn't have it and doesn't know where to find it, you simply don't need it. He has all sorts of building materials and so on. Dewey enjoyed his trip more than I did I think! I will get some pictures up this week, but today, the meat is calling! Black Friday Sale at The Old Schoolhouse Store !! You don't want to miss this! { Posted by
In His Hands
}
{ 05:10 , 2008-Nov-26 } { Posted in Family Life } { 0 comments } { Link }
The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine is having an amazing sale on subscriptions during their annual Black Friday Sale November 26 – 30. For those 5 days only, they are actually lowering their new one-year U.S. subscription price to $7.95! That's the price you would usually pay for just one issue at a bookstore! This is their lowest price ever on the magazine and they want all of you to take advantage of this offer and share the info with your friends. Please don't miss out. Your one-year subscription will pay for itself time and time again as you receive practical tips and Biblical encouragement to keep going strong in your commitment to homeschooling and to the Lord. Since it's a quarterly magazine, they even have a monthly subscriber's only E-Newsletter called Teacher's Toolbox that will give you seasonal teaching ideas and a free E-Book download! It's like joining a unit study of the month club! The free E-Books alone are valued at almost $250/year. It's really perfect for people who are homeschooling on a shoestring or just wanting to add in some little extras to your teaching. Plus during the Black Friday Sale, they have all kind of bonus gifts when you spend $50, $75, $100, or $150. Some are electronic downloads that you can download immediately, while other are physical products mailed from various vendors directly to your home. Visit The Old Schoolhouse store at: www.TheOldSchoolhouseStore.com Order Yours Today! And don’t miss out on this great price!!! The Lost Art Of Saying Thank YouGoing through some previous posts that I had written, I came across this one and decided to re-post. I remember reading an article from ”The Daily Telegraph” newspaper a few months ago that prompted me to write today’s posting. This article was about a mother who was standing over her children watching them painstakingly writing “thank you” letters and complaining that they had to do and the fact they had missed their television programme. Does this ring any bells! I remember from a very early age having to write “thank you” letters from presents received at Birthdays, Easter and Christmas and getting so stroppy as I had to write these letters. I was not allowed to do anything else until these were done and trust me if my handwriting wasn’t perfect then my parents made me do them all over again - boy how I hated doing this and resented this every time. Now I am so pleased that my parents made me do this “resentful” task. Now it is much easier, as there is the telephone, internet cards and packs of “thank you” cards that you can buy in the stores. I do still think though that writing your own “thank you” cards/notes adds a much more personal touch………though I have to say that I am guilty of not doing this nearly as often as I should and I tend to pick up the phone as it is so much easier nowadays to do this but I do intend in getting back to the art of saying thank you properly. I have also noticed that children especially growing up in today’s world do not have the same values installed in them that our parents installed in us - and it is such a shame. This is particularly relevant in today’s secular world. We (myself included here) need to get back to the art of saying “Thank You” properly and installing this lost art back into our children’s lives too. My Latest News { Posted by
Song of Joy
}
{ 10:45 , Thursday, November 20, 2008 } { Posted in A Day in My Life } { 1 comments } { Link } So much has been happening around here that I don't even know where to start. Last Monday, we received a call from my cousin that my aunt wasn't expected to live very long. Now, Aunt Bea had diabetes, dementia and a touch of Alzheimer's, but this was shocking news. She had come down with a very bad urinary tract infection that would not heal in spite of some very strong antibiotics - I believe there were three different kinds that they tried. She was in a nursing home in Fort Worth and they admitted her to the hospital. She was doing pretty well at the hospital, but when she went back to the nursing home she started going down. She forgot how to swallow and could not eat or drink and was put on hospice when my cousin called. Mom and I went out on Tuesday while Hannah babysat my great-niece, Faith, for Mom. Aunt Bea had been given morphine and was out of it the whole time we were there until right before we left. She roused a little as we were leaving and actually said something but no one really could understand what she said. My brother went out Wednesday night but she was not conscious at all, and remained that way the rest of the week. Mom and I went back out Thursday and stayed most of the day. We weren't going to go back on Friday but decided at the last moment to go ahead. My niece, Charity, called her grandparents-in-law to watch Faith for Mom so we could go on out there. I am so glad we went! We could tell it wouldn't be too long, and we were there, along with my two cousins, when she went Home. We left this Monday to go to Arkansas where she was buried, and came back Tuesday after her funeral. I'm still tired from all the travel. While we were there we learned that it is only a matter of time for another cousin, who is battling a brain tumor. Please keep her and her family in your prayers - Missy is only in her late thirties. On a happy note,Tuesday was mine and Keith's 19th anniversary! On Wednesday, my niece Charity found out she was going to have another little girl - now we will have a Faith, Hope, and Charity, and the greatest (oldest) of these is Charity. Is that cute or what?!!! Today the kids and I picked up my Mom and went to church to pack shoeboxes for Samaritan's Purse Operation Christmas Child. That was our Awana mission for this month and in all our church donated 62 boxes. Awana is a new program for our church that just started this year. I'm so proud of my family - we are all involved in it in some way or other. My husband is a Cubbie Leader, Shera is a Leader in Training in Cubbies, I am the Secretary, Hannah helps out where ever she's needed, my niece Charity is the Cubbie Director, my brother is a T & T Leader, and Luke, my niece Jenna and my great-niece Faith are in the program itself. I really love this ministry! Anyway, while we were at church today, Shera started getting a sore throat and headache with chills. She's had a fever and has slept most of the afternoon and evening. Poor baby! School has pretty much been on hold for the past couple of weeks and now that Shera is sick, it's going to be hard to get much done before Thanksgiving. Well, that's been my last couple of weeks. It's been hard, but God is always so good! Blessings, Carol Some daysmy son just test my patience. He can be so hurtful and mean in what he says to me.....I just want to be just as hurtful back. But I know it's his age 11, and I'm in the middle of a divorce and his dad is bribing him to come live with him by promising to buy him video games (M rated, at that), just buying him whatever he wants to try to win him over to his side. I hoping this divorce will be over soon. Went to my attorney's yesterday, after nearly a year negotiating with him to try to keep costs down and being civil about the whole matter he just keeps wanting more, well my attorney is MAD and sent his attorney a fax telling him all negotions are done, we'll be going to medation. So please keep my son and me in your prayers and that soon this will be over. By the way my son just came in an apologized to me for hurting my feelings. I do feel better. ****Update On Morley****Please check out Forward To The Past for previous post. The note below is from Morley's wife Esther and this couple & their family still need your prayers please - but it would be so good if this wasn't cancer but just inflammation: The note below was posted from Esther yesterday. Thank you for praying :) "Update on Morley
--- Esther ****Eyes Of Wonder****I have just come across the most incredible blog - to be honest in some ways visiting this blog is like travelling back in time to the “Little House On The Prairie” Era. This blog is about a family of twelve (ten children - nine children still living at home). With the vast amount of photos included - this author makes you feel as if you are actually there with them. I am just overawed to be honest. This family’s lifestyle is very simple, the clothes I just absolutely adore. Reading through this blog - you can just feel the presence of The Lord very strongly. I thoroughly recommend you go and visit Eyes Of Wonder. I just love the simplicity of this family as I said earlier in this post. I have also come across other families who lead very simple lifestyles, lifestyles that they feel led to live by Our Precious Father - one of these families are very special friends of mine. I have to say that I have learn’t so much through their obedience and selfless living, to live a life that they have been called to live through The Lord. Yes, I am still learning through them and other’s too. Too me and I am sure to many others, it is obvious that they are different. This shows not only from the inside but from the outside too. Their way of living & how they dress etc shines through big time & reflects the fact that they are in this world but not part of it. Please note: I am not saying that we should all live our lives this way as we are all different and serve Our Father as we feel led too - I just needed to say this in case my post was taken the wrong way { Last Page } { Page 1 of 5 } { Next Page } |
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