The Simple Woman's Daybook

The Simple Woman's Daybook

September 8, 2008

Outside my window...the sun is coming up around the side of the

house. The sun is in a different spot now that fall has arrived.

I am thinking... how nice it was to go down to Kentucky over the

Labor Day weekend. We had a great time looking around at property

and visiting with family.

I am thankful... God gave us an opportunity to be with my family

and spend quality time with my husband.

From the kitchen...there are bowls of tomatoes, cucumbers,

peppers on the counter waiting to be put away. Dinner will be light

tonight as my daughter and I will have a quiet night.

I am creating... a bouquet of flowers to sit on the table. Sunflowers

and Russian Sage will adorn us with their beauty.

I am going...to be home today as I will need to get ready for

my Bible study this evening. We are on day 47 of the David study.

I am wearing... a green top with my jean skirt.

I am reading...Psalms right now along with IF What do I know of

Calvary Love? By Amy Carmichael. Along with The Self Sufficient

Life and How to Live it by John Seymour. My husband and also like

to read from Small Farmer's Journal. It is a great magazine for

farmers using horses to farm with.

I am hoping... to work in the garden this week.

I am hearing... my daughter flip pages in the other room.

I am smelling... the scent of lavender coming through my window.

When there is a breeze outside I put Lavender essential oil on a

saucer and place it in the window.

A few plans for the rest of the week... Well I am not sure what but

the School is in session so the mornings are dedicated to learning.

The afternoons are for gardening, cooking, or sewing. Not quite sure as of yet.

Here is a picture thought...

This is a picture of an interesting place we passed by

while driving around in Kentucky. My idea of a nice

homestead.

Growing Corn

Growing Corn

Friday September 5, 2008

In the winter I love to pull corn out of my freezer. When I was a kid

my mom and my siblings would spend a lot of time gathering and

freezing corn. This year I was delighted to have 8 rows of corn. The

picture above is the final growing stage of growing the corn. It is sad

to say I did not have a good harvest. Most of the corn was small but

it was tasty.

I do buy produce from a local Organic Farm called Silverton Farms.

Over the past 5 years my husband and I have gotten to know the

farmer. Sometime this month I will be getting a bushel of corn

from him. I will freeze this for my family for the winter.

One day I hope to grow corn as a crop, but until that day I will

continue to learn the art of growing vegetables on a small scale.

Below is a picture of a field of corn like the one I used to pick from in

Kansas as a child. We were lucky enough to have relatives who let us

pick as much as we wanted.

Vase of Flowers, 1887

Friday August 29, 2008

You are responsible to do the best

you can with what you've got

for as long as you're able

Charles Swindoll

This is today's reading from a little calender that

sits on my window sill in the kitchen. It is such

a refreshing reading while your standing at

the sink doing your morning dishes.

REFRESH Your Soul daily meditations of peace and renewal

Simple Woman's Daybook

The Simple Woman's Daybook

August 18, 2008

Outside my window... I can see the tips of the corn stalks.

This year we planted 12 rows of corn. I say we because in

June when it was time to plant corn, I broke my thumb. I

did not know how I was going to plant my corn. After

pondering about my problem I began praying. Asking my

Lord how he was going to solve this problem. Well, a friend

from my church came over and planted 4 rows of corn, while

I sat there with my broken thumb. What a blessing. Then

my son finished planting the rest of the rows.

I am thinking...about all the ways the Lord has blessed me

this summer. It is truly amazing that He has taken me off

seizure medicine and I am able to live fully again. This was

my first summer in over 10 years that medicine has not

controled my mind.

I am thankful... for my life. I can breathe, and walk and love.

The Lord showed me LOVE.

From the kitchen...there are no pots on the stove and no dishes

in the sink. On Saturday my daughter and I made waffles.

That gave us breakfast for 3 days.

I am creating...a curriculum for the school year 2008-09.

I am wearing... a green skirt with a beige sweater.

I am reading...Isaiah 8

I am hoping... for a great school year with my daughter.

I am hearing...the quietness of the day.

One of my favorite things...is finding rest.

A few plans for the rest of the week... there are poems to be

read and music to be played and a mind to be educated. I am

so glad I am able to home educate my daughter.

It was a wonderful thing, this plant of mine.

I did not know its name, and the plant did not bloom.

All I know is that I planted something apparently as

lifeless as a grain of sand and there came forth a green and

living thing unlike the see, unlike the soil in which it stood,

unlike the air into which it grew.

No one could tell me why it grew, nor how.

It had secrets all its own, secrets that baffle the wisest men;

yet this plant was my friend.

It faded when I withheld the light, it wilted when I neglected

to give it water, it flourished when I supplied its simple needs.

One week I went away on a vacation, and when I returned the

plant was dead; and I missed it.

Although, my little plant had died so soon, it had taught me a

lesson;

and the lesson is worth while to have a plant.

"The Nature Study Idea,"

L.H. Bailey

Here is a picture thought...

These are four o' clock marbles I planted from seed.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes






Tomatoes are a fruit I grow in our garden here in New Jersey. We begin our plants from seeds that we purchase from http://www.seedsavers.org/, or http://www.seedsofchange.com/. In January we are spending time looking over our catalogs for our prized fruit. I only buy from companies that have heirloom varieties. Heirloom seeds are seeds that are handed down from one person to another. You might just be growing a plant that your great grandfather grew.





By May we are putting our first tomatoes in the ground. We try to get them in as early as we can. This year we were harvesting our first tomato by the tenth of July. The total tomato plants we put in for the year of 2008 is 150 plants.


This year I have choose to keep track of my harvest. Here is the tally so far.


Paste Tomatoes 460


Regular Tomatoes 60





We have canned 13 jars of paste tomatoes so far.

Happy Harvesting!

The Simple Woman's Daybook

August 11, 2008

Outside my window... it has gotten quite sunny since this morning. When we

got up today it was cloudy and looked like it would rain. It did rain for about

five minutes and now it is sunny and humid.

I am thinking...it will be quiet for the next couple of days as my

dearest sweetheart will be in Texas.

I am thankful... the weekend is over, as I did a lot of entertaining this past week.

It is always great to be with people, but you know when you need some down

time.

From the kitchen...the kitchen is closed today.

I am wearing... my favorite jean skirt and a striped blue and white top. My hair is

pinned up today.

I am reading...Psalms 67 thru 77 as we are studying David in my study.

I am still reading Abigail Adams as she inspires me everyday. The

Flower Farmer is another book I have been reading through.

I am hoping...for some time to write my thoughts this week. I did

not get time to write last week and I sure did miss it.

I am hearing...it is very quiet in the house as my daughter is doing her math.

Around the house... the books are still on the table as we have started

doing school work again.

One of my favorite things...is reading as it uses my brain.

A few plans for this week...Bible study is tonight, processing peaches into

preserves, Dentist appointments on Thursday, continue to harvest tomatoes.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

These are my peaches that my daughter and I went to pick

on Friday.

The Simple Woman's Daybook

Monday July 28, 2008

Outside my window..the leaves on the trees are so still this afternoon.

I am thinking... how nice it is we have trees to shade us from the hot sun.

I am thankful...for the rest I had this morning, just sitting on the deck reading.

From the kitchen...my daughter is making zucchini fritters as the

garden is producing plenty of good vegetables.

I am creating...a nice flower arrangement with the cosmos from the garden.

I am going... to have a busy week. My Welcome Home meeting is

this Thursday. I will be spending time getting ready for that. This is a

woman outreach the Lord has chosen me to run.

I am wearing... my blue jean skirt and a light weight blue sweater. My hair is pinned up as it keeps me cool in the hot summer.

I am reading... through Psalms and I am still reading Abigail Adams.

I did pick up a new book from the library this past week, The Flower Farmer. Which I have been enjoying and learning from, as this year I have planted lots of flowers from seed. I thought it would be good for me to grow more cut flowers. Then, I will have plenty of choices to bring into the house.

I am hoping... I will get a hoop house up this fall. This something my

husband and I are trying to extend the growing season here in New Jersey.

I am hearing... my daughter is talking to me as I write.

Around the house...there are books lying about as we are readers here in this house.

One of my favorite things... is growing beautiful flowers and vegetables.

A few plans for the rest of the week... I will be out a lot this week.

I am going to a Beth Moore Simulcast this weekend.

I won't be working in the garden much this week. I will catch up on

some things in the house. Maybe, I will get my soap made, this week.

Here is a picture thought.. this is my garden on the right side of the

yard. Enjoy.

The Simple Woman's Daybook

The Simple Woman's Daybook

Monday July 21, 2008

Outside my window...All the geraniums are blooming in different shades of pink.

There are scented geraniums like Rose Geranium so when you walk by you get a

fragrance of rose. Gardners Joy is one of my favorite scented geraniums. It has

nice leaves and has a two toned bloom.

I am thinking...What a blessing it is that God gives us beautiful flowers to admire.

I am thankful...that I have a wonderful husband. He will be returning from Atlanta on
Tuesday.

From the kitchen... there are plum tomatoes on the counter that I brought in from the garden. It is wonderful to see that red color in the kitchen once again. I told my family no tomatoes
out of season in this house. We can our tomatoes for the winter months ahead.

I am creating... a tea from my lavender plants today to use in my soap recipes. The extracts
from the plant add properties to the soap. Which in turn will nourish your skin.

I am going...spend time indoors today planning my my menu for the week.

I am wearing... my jean skirt and my black sweater.

I am reading...studying Psalms for my Bible study as we are learning about David's character.

I am hoping...to have a restful day.

I am hearing...the kids chatter in the background.

Around the house...the summer colors are all around us. The pink roses I brought in from the
garden in the front foyer. The bouquet of Russian sage purple flowers are in the family room.

One of my favorite things...is creating something from nothing.

A few plans for the rest of the week... getting ready for my daughters pool party on Thursday.


Here is a picture thought...Flowers on the deck right outside my window, what a joy.

Simplifying Life

Simplifying Life is what I strive for this year. When you simplify your

life you have time for the desires of your heart. Learning to get rid

of activities and stuff in your life can be hard to do in the beginning.

After, you evaluate whats in your life and is it worthy of your time.

Fruits of the Earth

Getting rid of stress is one way to put order in your life.

Doctors always tell their patients get rid of stress. Easier

to say then to actually put into action. It has almost been one

year since my husband and I choose to have only one car. The one

car is for my son to take to college. You can bacically say we have

choosen to cut back on expenses to loose stress in our lives.

We have been blessed with having a company car for my husband to

use. Fruits of the Earth, this picture touches my heart. I feel as the

Lord has given me a gift of growing fruit. I seem to just strive on

growing and tending to fruits of the field. Simplifying my life in the

house allows me to work in the garden more.

I believe it is my job as a home keeper to provide nourishing

meals for my family. What better way then to grow it yourself. God

has given us the hands to work with.

In the rose garden

Tuesday July 15, 2008

In the rose garden I go to visit with my Lord.

Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders you have done.

The things you planned for us no one can recount to you;

were I to speak and tell of them they would to many to declare.

Sacrifice and offerings you did not desire, but my ears you have

pierced burnt offerings and sin offferings you did not require.

Then I said, "Here I am , I have come

it is written about me in the scroll. Psalm 40:5-7

Studying through the bible study David written by Beth Moore,

has been a great eye opener to my Lords heart.

The picture depicts a women going to meet with her Lord. She is

dressed in a beautiful dress to go before her God. That is how

I want to go to the garden. The Lord gets to be with us at our best.

The Simple Woman's Daybook

The Simple Woman's Daybook

Monday July 14, 2008

Outside my window... the rain is splattering on the deck. I am

admiring the bubbles the rain is making on the deck. I find it

amazing today how the rain just comes flowing down from the

sky.

I am thinking... what a great love Jesus has shown us. In

yesterday's sermon, the youth pastor spoke. God was just

speaking through this man's mouth. I just kept hearing him

say "Do you really love me?" It occurred to me Jesus said

those same words to Peter. Do you love me?

I am thankful... for my life with my family, as a young women

that is all I wanted. The Lord so graciously gave it to me.

From the kitchen...my son and I shared breakfast together

this morning. We maid omletes and fried bacon over conversation.

I am creating...my daughter and I are making a tiered skirt for her. These

seem to be in style this summer.

I am going... to start planting my fall garden and envisioning

the winter garden.

I am wearing... my brown flowing skirt with a beige sweater.

I am reading... From 1 Peter this morning and doing a little studying as

I will be teaching Bible study this evening on David. I am also reading

Abigail Adams a book I got from the library.

I am hoping... for a peaceful day.

I am hearing... a song playing called Grace Flows Down.

Around the house... it is quiet this morning.

One of my favorite things... is looking at old women praire pictures.

A few plans for the rest of the week...getting my husband ready for his

business trip to Atlanta on Thursday. Making time for sewing, and working

on the strawberry bed this week.

Here is a picture thought...

My first tomato of the season. It was a great joy to pick your very first
tomato.

The Simple Woman http://www.thesimplewoman.blogspot.com/

The Simple Woman' s Daybook

Monday July 7, 2008

Outside my window... I am watching the little wren's come up on the

deck and get a drop of water for a drink. Have ever watched a bird

get a drink, they look so dainty. They dip thier beak into the water and

push back their necks.

I am thinking... What shall my husband and I do today as he is on vacation.

I am thankful... We are Americans in this great country. My family had just

watched the John Adams film the HBO mini series. What great timing as

it so wonderful we can learn from our Founding Fathers.

From the kitchen... I am freezing my rasberries as I pick them.

I am creating...a new flower arrangement to bring into the house. I love

having flowers at the front door. I sometimes like to walk in the front

to see what has come in from the garden. Today the Lavender plant and

roses will dazzle us with their splendor.

I am reading... Psalms from the Bible with my daughter. If is a little book written by

Amy Carmichal I like to read a few lines a day. Revoulutionary Mothers by Carol Berkin

what an inspiration of what we can do. I have picked up my Small Farmer's Journal

from the book shelf. It continues to inspire me.

I am wearing... my favorite long blue jean skirt, with a black shirt.

I am hoping...for some time for sewing today. Now, that I have caught up

with weeding in the garden.

One of my favorite things...is being able to grow vegetables and be able to

store things up for the winter months.

A few plans for the rest of the week...is just spending time with my dear husband.

Here is a picture thought...This is my Dahlia, that I happy to present.

I planted these from seed and they are just now starting to bloom.

This one sits right in front of the large strawberry bed. When you

look outside the kitchen window you can see this little flower. God has

given us great beauty to look at. Flowers add such delight to our lives.

Here is the link for this project

The Simple Woman http://www.thesimplewoman.blogspot.com/

Seeking His Face

Sunday July 6, 2008

I am seeking my Lord.

Oh where I go He will show up.

In the kitchen, he sits with me, and talks with me.

As I do the dishes he comforts me.

When, I am sweeping the floor he sings to me.

Oh where I go He will show up.

Out to the garden to tend to His world.

The flowers are showing their colors,

He surrounds us with His love.

Oh where I go He will show up.

In the sewing room with my daughter,

I help her learn an art of stiching,

she has a willing heart that the Lord

gave her, bless her soul.

Oh where I go He will show up.

As I prepare dinner he comes to sit.

While, I set the table he blesses my time.

The family comes in and fills the house.

How precious this time to have while

the boys are still amungst us.

My daughter fills my days as I train her

up to be a lady.

The Lord is always with us wherever we go.

The Simple Woman's Daybook

The Simple Woman's Day Book

Monday June 30, 2008

For Today

Outside my window... The birds are singing as if they are

as happy as I am that we had rain last night. The leaves on

the Dogwood tree are still wet this morning. There is a small

cool breeze coming in through the window. God is good, he

takes care of the plants growing outside.

I am thinking...how happy I will be in a few days when my

husband returns to us after being away for 8 days.

I am thankful...for the gift from God of being homekeeper in

this modern world.

From the kitchen... I am baking cornbread and coffee cake

muffins. Cornbread for dinner and coffee cake for Bible study

this evening. Potato salad and barbeque chicken for dinner with

my cornbread.

I am creating... a bedspread for the winter months.

I am going...to teach my daughter how to sew her own jean

skirt today. As she is now 12 and it is time for her to begin

sewing her own things. We will have to begin making items for

her Hope Chest soon.

I am wearing... a long beige skirt with a black short sleeve

sweater, and my hair is extra curly today.

I am reading... The Daily Bible with my daughter along with

Psalms, I read 1 Corinthians chapters 3-5. Rose From

Brier by Amy Carmichael, is a little read for the rest I

need in the afternoon. The Four Season Harvest by

Elliot Coleman which helps me stay on schedule for

planting in the garden.

I am hoping...to listen for Gods guidance through my day.

One of my favorite things...is remembering my visit with my family in Kentucky. As I cherish those visits so close to my heart. Being away from them most of the year. It is so nice that my brother and I were able to go fishing together with our girls. My Aunt and Mom were able to have girl talks this visit.

A few plans for the rest of the week...I would like to accomplish getting some progress done on my bedspread. Getting my daughter to finish her paper she has been working on, continueing organzing papers.

Here is a picture thought...

These are my prized strawberries this year. I grew ten rows

about 15 feet long the past two years. I made sure and cut off all

the runners to get good quality fruit. It shows when you really

take the time for something. My harvest this year gave me about

6 quarts of strawberries . I am very pleased with the size

of the strawberries, there were some that were quite large. Now I will have

to plant a cover crop as I sure don't want to pull weeds in this plot

the rest of the summer.

To go to the originator of this cooperative daybook: http://www.thesimplewoman.blogspot.com/

Growing Potatoes

Saturday June 28, 2008

Growing Potatoes

This year we planted 15 lbs of potatoes. Our plan is to grow
enough potatoes to get us through till next season. I figured
every one loves potatoes, so why not grow them. All summer
my family loves eating potato salad. It is one of those staple
foods I grew up with and my children also have grown up with.

I started out by placing an order with Seed Savers Exchange.
The potatoes arrived at my door right on time to plant. We set
the potato seeds out in the sunlight for the eyes to form. After the
eyes formed I cut them up as you only need two or three eyes per
potato seed. Then, we began marking our rows with a stake and
string. I then took a bulb planter and marked my holes and plop
the potato went in. Cover with a soil.

My husband and have read Elliot Colemans books for many years.
First, The New Organic Grower and then Four Season Harvest. In
his books he talks about adding soil amendments or feeding the soil.
This year we took his advice and added peatmoss, bloodmeal and
bonemeal to the potato bed. The last step to our potato planting is
putting down mulch to keep in the moisture. This is where the reading
of these books came in handy. For the past two years we would take
our leaves from our yard and composted them. This year we had all
the mulch we wanted. Piling the mulch on the potato rows as they grow.
Now stand back and let God do the rest.

Digging in the Garden

Tuesday June 24, 2008

Digging in the garden is a true work of art. Looking at

this picture is how I see a women ,a home keeper raising food

for her family. It shows how she spends her summer hours.

What can you grow in your garden this year? Corn is always

a common staple as after its done growing you can freeze it or

eat it fresh.

I look to the Lord for the strength I need to carry out my

daily tasks.

A Season of Rest

Friday June 20, 2008

Sitting on the porch relaxing.

Hodgenville, Kentucky

Home away from home.

A season of rest.

My Spring Garden

Wednesday May 14, 2008

What is growing in your garden?

Grow some beautiful flowers this spring .

After the Tulips have finished blooming the

Iris will be blooming. The Iris has been

around for a long time. The great thing about

plants is you can share with someone.

Maybe, you can share your joy of gardening

with someone today.

There may be someone who needs your

encouragement.

Sewing Simply

Sewing simple clothes is part of my life. A keeper at home with childen growing up. Although, it was not something that happened over night. Sewing is an ongoing learning process. It seems you try one pattern and learn how to accomplish making it. Then, you try something new and there you are learning a new technique. This is just one more way you can use your creativity and be frugal at the same time.

Straight skirts is a great way to start sewing items for yourself. I started with a simple straight skirts with a draw string. We used jean material from the store as it matches with everything. After, this I began doing the same for my daughter who is 12. She encourages me and loves whereing femine clothes as much as I do. She also wears a simple straight skirt in different colors of jean material. One of the skirts has a nice outside pocket on it with embroidery. I did the embroidery on my machine it adds a nice touch. After I made two of the same style skirts it gave me confidence to try something new.

God gave me a daughter in my later years to train up in his ways.

Planting potatoes

Planting Potatoes

Planting potatoes this year is has brought wonderful excitement.
For the past couple of weeks I have been working hard getting a new
bed ready for planting potatoes. This will be my first year of having a real
potatao crop. In the past I have grown potatoes in small quanties.
My new bed will be 20 ft by 40 ft. I am very excited about this as I love
to grow things myself.

In scripture my heavenly Father talks about using your hands.

1 Thessalonians 4:11 and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life:

You should mind your own business and work with your hands

This will be the year we will store our own potatoes.

Habakuk 3:19 The Soverign Lord is my strength; he makes
my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights.

There are many types of potatoes to grow. When you buy from the grocery
store you will only see a few types. There are so many more varieties to choose from.
We choose German Butterball, Yukon Gold, Fingerlings potatoes to grow.

The nice thing about planting your own is you know what is on them.

Happy planting!

Spring Has Arrived

How do we spend our time?

A pioneer woman in the spring would be getting a spring planting in. This would give her family nourishing food after the long winter. The gloomy months of winter would be a time of rest. Planning her garden would take a good deal of time. Getting the garden ready as soon as the soil is workable. Sometimes this can be done as early as mid to late Febraury. Seeds can go into the ground as early as the beginning of March in New Jersey.

Everything has a season!

We can learn from this woman, her hands were not idle. Up early, getting breakfast

ready for her family. Planning the rest of her day.

Planning meals took a good amount of time.

Just imagine how hard it was for the Pioneer woman.

Can I do what she did in her time?

That depends on my question.

How do we spend our time?

She had no choice of food. Her carefull attention of what was in her

pantry was so very important. She planned her meals by what

she had, sometimes it was not much.

What's in your pantry?

Can you fix all the food that's in your pantry for all the food your

family will need?

Can you grow the food you will eat?

Today I will ask God to give me the strength to provide food for

my family.

Show me how I have the time to grow a garden full of vegetables.

I pray for the wisdom to carry out this task of raising nourishing food.

The European Starling

Hello everyone Rachel again. We have some Starlings in two of our bird houses. one is red, the other is just plain ply wood. as you can see, starlings are really nice looking, but if you've ever had them in a tree in your backyard, you can know what a din they can make.Also, starlings will stand in groups on the little grass things on the side of the road walking with a jerky movement.

They do that because they are looking for bugs in the ground. I hope you found this both interesting and helpful.Rachel

Lettuce

Lettuce

Growing lettuce is one of the first items I begin to grow in the early spring. There are so many varieties on the market today. If you like the mixes you buy in the grocery store consider a Mesculan mix. It is one of the easiest to grow and it is not hard to germinate.

After the seedling begin to look like a real plant it is time to move them. You can use

plastic containers, peat pot containers or any small container.

I try not to pick anything to big, since you will fill it up with your soil. After, you

transfer you seedlings make sure and give them a week does of fish emulsion.

It is also vital that you water from the bottom. Just fill a tray of any sort with

your fish emulsion liquid and

then put plant containers an to soak up the liquid.

.

In a few weeks you seedlings will begin to look like lettuce.

Just imagine the tasty salads you will be making.

Your salads will be full of flavor.

The Wren

The winter wren is a cute little bird, they always love to go and see what's happening . For
instance,
We have wrens that love to fly in and out of a pile of pine tree branches in our backyard. They
also like to fly up on our deck. They are also very brave. Flying here, flying there, I love wrens,
and I think they are very nice little birds. Rachel Bunk

Nature Study

Nature Study of a Bird

Home educating with nature. My daughter and I like to watch the birds from our window. We have these little birds that like to come up to the windows. They are some of the smallest birds we see in the winter season. The wren is what they are called.

In the afternoon, can be a time to go walking in the woods. What is nice about doing this is we can come back into the warm house and have some hot tea. Luckily, in the summer months I collected some flowers from my camomile plants. I cut the flowers off and dryed them. The flavor is intense when you collect them from your garden.

I found this poem which I thought went along with our nature study today.

A Little Bird Song

Once I heard

A little bird

Singing very clearly;

And the bird

That I heard

Sang:"God loves me dearly

Please stay now

And tell me how,

Little Bird, you know it

"Everyday,

Come what may,

Many kind things show it.

"Sun and rain,

Ripening grain,

Food and water given,

Leafy trees...

All one sees

Under the blue heaven."

Then the bird

That I heard

Sang it very clearly:

"God loves you"(off it flew)

"Loves you very dearly."

Taken from The Collected Poems of Amy Carmichael Mountain Breezes

Planting

Planting

Planting is just the process of your getting your seeds to germinate. Now, that you have gotten your lettuce seeds lets get them in moisten soil. This is how they will germinate and become plants.

To moisten the soil I will start by using concentrated fish emulsion. If you take a 1/2 gallon of tap water or rain water and add it 1/2 tablespoon of fish emulsion. Take your soil that you have prepared and moisten it with your water.

After the soil is in your planting trays add your seeds. Only lightly cover your seeds with soil. Next, place your lid on the top of your seed tray. If you place your seeds on top of your refrigerator it will give your seeds a jump start. Now, we will check back on the tray in a couple of days.

Growing Lettuce

Growing Lettuce

Growing lettuce will be the first crop I will grow. It is easy to start and it has a short growing time. Since my husband and enjoy eating salads it will be easy to start with. I have a catalog from the Seed Savers Exchange that I choose to order from. While I am waiting for my order to come in the mail I will get soil ready and the container set up.


First, I bring the pots inside as we are having freezing temperatures in New Jersey. It will take overnight temperatures in the house to thaw the soil.

I use last years soil from my pots. There is no reason to throw the soil out. You get rid of any pathogens and bacteria from the soil by placing it in your oven for 2 hours at 200 degress. To do this I take a flat cookie sheet and place aluminum foil on the baking sheet. Then, I place the soil on the aluminum foil. Place it in the oven.


Now, you are ready to start planting. While, waiting for the seeds to come in the mail I choose to educate myself.

Here are a few books I found to be inspirational at my local library.

Storey's Gardening Skills Illustrated Seed Sowing and Saving by Carlole B. Turner

Growing Herbs and Vegetables from Seed to Harvest by Jerry and Mark Silber

The Four Season Harvest by Eliot Coleman.

Setting Goals

Frugal Living

January is great month for setting up your goals. It is a great time to look at things you would like to accomplish. Wouldn't it be great if everyone tried to grow some of thier own food. Bring back the family farm, when all families were growing thier own food. It can begin with growing one crop this spring. If you live on a large area of land or just a small piece you too can grow something. Now is the time to open up those seed catalogs and find something you always buy at the grocery store.

Make it your goal to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands, just as we instructed you before. 1 Thessalonians 4:11

I love this verse as it helps me to go on living closer and closer to my goal of frugal living. God gave me hands to use for his glory. Growing my own food has been on my heart for a long time and every year I strive to become closer to this goal.

The change of season

The change of the season is the title that I choose today. Often we look at seasons of the weather changing. September seems to be the most likely times when we notice the weather changing. School begins after the hot summer months, and the cool air comes in. Our lives are always changing, the seasons we walk through will come and go. We raise our little boys to grow up and to be God fearing men. The Lord seems to always have the answers we may have. Following his lead is the way I want to go.

Psalm 37:1-6 Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away. Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the disires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.

I was a young mother in a earlier season of my life, raising two young boys. Going to and fro doing lots of active things as you do with boys. Today those two boys, are young men going their own way. The season has changed as you can see, I am not a young mother anymore. God has made me wiser and gave me a daughter to raise. I am thankful I have learned a few things, since the boys were young. Raising a young maiden will be quite a different challenge. Another season has come upon us.

Spring Has arrived

Spring has arrived and of course the spring planting has begun. The robins are here to give us a new song to listen to. The temperatures are nice and cool here in the northeast. Great for the early planting for the spring. The new beginnings, what a great time to start new. Just as the rising of our Lord. Looking at spring and Easter as the beginning of something new.
I am doing things and completing tasks I thought could not be done before. That only shows you what you can do through Gods power. He is such an awesome God. Sometimes, we feel we can only ask God for big things. I threw that thought out of my mind and began praying for little things. My Lord can direct my day and the things that I need to get done. As long as I don't try to take control and go off on my own wants and desires. If you keep your selfish ways out of your mind and think how will this benefit the family. This is the same as trying to raise vegetables for the family table. Using my energy to create food for the family is one of those concerns . Now this will benefit the whole family along with teaching my young maiden a tool for life. My grandmother was taught to raise vegetables on the farm. She then taught my mother about gardening as a child. My mother then gave me crops to grow in her garden. Now, in my garden I am teaching my daughter the same tool of raising vegetables. God plants things in our hearts to carry them to the next generation of mothers.

Raising young maidens to be ladies is another generational carrier that my grandmother wanted me to have. She taught my mother look at yourself before you leave the house. Don't leave the house if you don't feel put together. Are you dressing for your king, has he made you a woman. In the victorian days women never left thier homes unless they were fully dressed. Women of today can look as women and know the difference.

Raising maidens

Raising Maidens, is something God placed on my heart. A mother nourishes her baby and now that she is a young girl a mother must also nourish her into womanhood. As a young girl matures we want them to have God charcteristics not world charcteristics. Mothers need to take this thought into consideration as our daughters mature. We must teach them about Gods word and His ways or the world will teach them instead. Raising my daughter to be a lady and to be busy at home is what God commands. Titus 2:4-5

One hundred years ago raising our daughters was something mothers took seriously. Girls by the age of thirteen would be taught how to sew, cook and carry herself like a lady. Through the years I loved carrying on old fashion ideas. Before I was a christian I would tell people I was born in the wrong time. Now I understand that I was not born in the wrong time , God has placed me right where he wanted me. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2. According to the Bible we are to be set apart.
A book I bought last year through Vision Forum was a real eye operner, Raising Maidens of Virtue helped me see things more clearly.

The Freezing Temperatures

Freezing temperatures came upon us right after the Snow. Now it seems the deep freeze of winter has come upon us. My winter garden is as hard as rock. My first thought was why did it freeze? The thin sheet of plastic is not enough when your having 10 degrees temperatures. You could say that in the raw cold we need extra care. This means ourselves our animals and yes our winter gardens.

My inside garden is soaking up all the sun that February brings. My lettuce plants are in the windows upstairs. I didn't feel they were getting enough sun. Putting up a white poster board on the window has given them extra light. The plastic greenhouse in the kitchen has most of the plants. Putting the white poster board in there also has produced heat. Do you know whats so amazing, its the simple things that create.

My little mother sheep is also in need of care in these freezing temperatures. One day my mother sheep, Lila did not stand. That was the most upsetting sight, anguish came over me. This time I called the vet right away, a nutrient lacking in her diet is the problem. Plus she was cold, her temperature showed this. Pulling my trailer I went and got 10 bales of straw. Surrounding her with straw to keep her warmer, I only hoped this would help.

Winter Garden

It is the end of January or the beginning of 2007. Winter Gardening is a topic I felt was worth researching. How to produce cold season vegetables in the winter months. I always preached eat whats in season.
Different vegetables grow well at certain times of the year. Here on the eastern coast of the United States we always have some sort of sun. Why not use this to our advantage in growing vegetables? New Jersey got its first real snow which accumulated to 3 inches. Snow can help when trying to conduct solar energy. The Four Season Harvest by Eliot Coleman is a book which helped to begin acting out a winter garden. We had just experienced a period of tempertures well below freezing. Now, I needed to figure out how to defrost the frozen soil. For a week, placing blankets and a tarp over the soil did the trick. Last week before the snow came uncovering the blankets proved defrosted soil. Placing fencing wire over the raised beds to make a tunnel with plastic covering made a winter garden. The next step will be putting the plants in their winter garden.

The Return

The Lord Will Do Amazing Things Tomorrow, Joshua 4:6. I have been saying that scripture for a long time now. God has been walking me through a difficult time in my life. Sometimes He wants us to be alone with him. Growing in the Lord and showing us what He wants us to see.
The return is the title, someone coming back. I am truly glad God has walked with me. Back in Feburary I wrote about closing a chapter and opening a chapter. Opening my eyes fully is what I needed to do. Faith can help you believe the impossible, Believing God Can Do What He Says He Can Do.
Psalm 103:1-5, Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
Praise the Lord , O my soul, and forget not all his benefits-
who forgives all your sins, and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
Answered prays is an amazing thing to see happen.

Life moves on

Your whole life you spend getting your kids ready for college. It always seems so far away when they are little. My second son is a junior in high school this year. Computer programming is where he thought he was going. He has played games for many years and then started to want to develop them. He began training himself how to program, which was not as easy as he thought. We bought this book for him called
C++ Primer and worked through about 4 chapters and then got stuck. Thats when I said I think we need to find someone with more training than myself. There is a computer programming course we are going to let him take with Keystone High School, it is distant learning programming for high school students. What he has decided this will be a side hobby as God has called him to do his word.
Visiting Washington College this weekend I think will be an eye opener. It really is only a year and half before going to college. Oh, where have the years gone...
Recently visiting in California with my cousins. One of them has a son that is also into computers and programming games. I was able to have conversation with this young man. It is amazing you can have two people within the same family so much alike. I am sure not in everything they do is the same, but there are a lot of similarities. In time I hope the two of them can get together and share what they each know.

This is a quote from my Bible:
In my opinion, there are no coincidences. When we make Jesus Christ the Lord of our lives, the Lord orders everything that happens to us. Psalm 37:23-24 says, that when the Lord approves of a persons path, he makes that persons steps firm; even if the person stumbles, he won't fall because the Lord upholds him.
Quoted by Thelma Wells

The chapter has closed

The chapter has closed in this part of the book. Since, I have been home I have been going through pictures of the last 20 years. Lots of pictures and different phases in my families life. Returning to taking care of putting scrapbooks of life together. God has given me the courage to close a chapter but to open my to a new chapter. Its funny thinking of closing a chapter in your life. I have had a medical condition since I was about 15 years old. I did not allow this to give me an excuse to do less in life. Through the years and through my ups and downs I had people in my life who helped me through it. In the end God was the one who helped close that part of my life. To me it seems as though my eyes are fully open now. I now have to live fully for God, and what does he want from me in my life.
I am thankful for some people who have helped me in ways they don't even realize. Starting a blog and then slowly I began getting to know other people in the blog world. The Homesteader Life was the beginning and then I read his wifes blog and she opened up things.
http://reformedfarmerswife.blogspot.com/ The Reformed Farmers Wife shared a website sometime ago. www.visionforum.com I then placed an order for this womens ministry bible study called Spiritual Rest In the Life of a Woman by Yvonne Welch. The order did not come in before I left for California but was waiting for me when I returned home. What an eye opener, she talked about bitterness in her life and how it effected her. God used this ministry to get to me, what a blessing. Due to bad circumstances, bad things can happen to people. Having a seizure disorder all these years helped me see I too had to let go of ALL bitterness. Not some, but all. Then, when I saw this my eyes were opened, Thank You God. I came across this scripture the other morning, Psalm 40:1-4
I waited patiently for the Lord;
he turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand.
He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear
and put their trust in the Lord.
Blessed is the man
who makes the Lord his trust,
who does not look to the proud,
to those who turn aside to false gods.

My Grandma

A garden is where we will go. Grandma had stones in the garden to
place your feet. A little yellow Iris poking its ways through
the soil. Around to the front all the roses were blooming some
red, some yellow, and OH some the scent. My grandma and I would
love to go to the garden. Titi, come over here and smell this
one, I'm coming Grandma. Oh what a beautiful smell, the color
is so red. In the house to have lunch, Grandma stop, take a
sniff. What is that smell? Wisteria is its name;look at its
delicate purple color. In the day, of sharing a day with Grandma,
oh where have the years gone... Thank you for being you, goodbye
till we meet again.

My grandma was a special person to me, as I am sure thats the way it was intended. She called me Titi, as when my brother and I were small he couldn't say my name. When I was a teenager I would sigh when she called me Titi. She would reply that is what I will always call you. Today I am happy she had a special name for me. At times sitting in her room I felt like that little girl again. Then, God revealed to me she helped form and shape you in more ways then you know.
The morning of Saturday, I chose to walk where she shopped. I came back to her room to show her the flowers I got for her. Purple Iris's those were my favorite, Yellow roses were her favorite and the love of the outdoors. My grandma and I love to work in the Garden and put our fingers in the soil. She had lots of different types of roses in her front yard that she shared with me. I was able to be with her right up till the end. I was chosen to be with her, I had opened the window so she could smell the air one last time, then God took her into heaven. I was able to be part of things from her past, that is one way I felt special. Isn't it amazing how God allows certain people to be part of your life.
When I would visit her we both loved Norman Rockwell portraits. So, we would sit for hours looking through all the different ones she collected. Through the years I chose to cherish those plates as something we shared. Its not the meaning of dollars but the stories of how we looked at those plates. She will always be with me where ever I go, God has chosen that. After I came home I noticed something about the plates I own, they are grandparent plates. Its amazing how things work out, and you don't really notice.
I read these scriptures below at her funeral service.

Scripture taken from John 17

They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed
that you sent me. I pray for them. I am not praying for the world,
but for those you have for those you have given me, for they are
yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through
them. I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in
the world, and I am coming to you.

I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in
the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within
them.

My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you
protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as
I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth;your word is truth. As
you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For
them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.

My Hearts Desire

My hearts desire is what came to my mind after reading a blog, A. Victoria. Check her out if you have never read her blog. For the Christian it can be very inspiring. My hearts desire is for my family to run a farm. My husband and I have visited many places we would like to call our own. This past October we went up to Ithaca, New York. We have fallen in love with this area. Here in New Jersey, there is building going on all around us. The horse farm by our home has sold to a developer and so more houses will be built. We have often thought of moving to Kentucky to be by my family. God has not led my family to do this though. Coming closer to being the Godly woman that is another hearts desire. It probably will help me to live out my hearts desire in the Lord. There is a book on the market which I found very helpful to being a help meet to my husband, Created To Be His Help Meet by Debi Pearl. This book has helped me in many ways this year due to the world we live in. If I had a recommended list of books for the Godly Woman this book would be on it. I am your servant; give me discernment that I may understand your statues. Psalm 119:125. God has surrounded me with Godly Sisters which have incouraged me, I am very thankful for this. Here in New Jersey and through the blog world.

Medicinal herbs

Today as I went out to feed animals and care for them I put my rain coat on. The temperature is still mild here, so I don't need my hat and gloves. Mr. Homesteader said to me this morning" Some people get depressed in the winter but you get sad when there is no winter." I am planning on being in the basement cleaning up and making soap. It has been awhile since I did this, but it won't be cold downstairs today. No working outside today as it is going to rain all day. That is okay with me, since shoveling the chicken yard this past week.
As we go into the winter season this is when I start making herbal medicines. A couple of years ago I found some recipes for lotions. I began making all different types of lotions for my family to try. I do have a favorite I even make today, Rose Geranium Lotion. This lotion has very good products in it such as aloe vera and rose water. The rose comes from the rose water and Geranium from the essential oil. This year I started thinking you should make your own rose water. I bought a book called The Herbal Medicine-Makers Handbook. It has showed me how to get started in making my own Rose Water or hydrosol.

Since, I began making soap so many years ago to relieve some skin problems. The learning did not stop at soap making it went on to other things. My interests were in essential oils and how they can help us in everyday life. This is when I stumbled on a book called Clean, Naturally recipes for body, home, and spirit by Sandy Maine. This book opened a whole new world. In this book she uses essential oils for thier different properties, for different products. I began making cleaning products and removing manufactured cleaning products one by one. Today, I only use products that are made in our home.

The New Beginning

The new year of 2006 has come. I found myself asking, what does God have in store for my family. I am so thankful for the Lord bringing me closer to him. My life is changing right in front of me. My boys are not baby's anymore. There is a certain change a mother goes through when she gives God her son. My son was a gift, but God only lends children to you. Then one day you have to let God lead their life.
I had my boys 3 years apart, back then I thought that was the perfect space. My oldest is so full of energy always on the go. He always wanted to be the good guy when playing. Even when I said no guns in the house, he would make a stick a gun. Now he is going into Criminal Justice, guns will be part of his life. My second son is going to be driving in the spring. Then, he will graduate high school next summer. Why is it when they get to this age time is going to fast. He has gone through so many changes, its amazing to watch. I use to think he was going to be a scientist. A couple of weeks ago he told me God wants him to be a Pastor. Its a amazing how changes happen so quickly. Now, their ages seem to close.