Showing posts with label encouragements. Show all posts
Showing posts with label encouragements. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

ABC's of housework


Aprons – Yes or No? 
Yes, full body, old fashioned style aprons are my favorite. Though  I too often forget to put one on until I am in the middle of a messy cooking adventure.
Bathrooms – How many do you have?
Two indoor and one outhouse.
Clothesline – Do you have one?
Yes, we use it often but not exclusively.
Dusting – How often?
Three times per week is our goal in different areas of the house each time with our Norwex dusting mitt.
Everyday – One housekeeping task you do everyday?
Make lunch.
Family – Does your family help with household chores?
Yes, most definitely.
Garbage Disposal – Do you have one?
No.  We have a compost-type area out back.
Home Management Notebook – Do you use one? What’s in it?
I have tried that,.. but on my own can't make them work for me.
Ironing – Love it or hate it?
I am thankful that I can still do it.  Though, I am glad that I don't have to iron everything like the old days.
Junk Drawer – Where is it?
In the kitchen/computer area of our house.
Kitchen – Design and decor?
50's/French eclectic style.
Love – What is your favorite part of homemaking?
Around 4 or 5 pm when we are all working on the evening meal either washing up piles of prep.items or setting the table or chopping up an ingredient for the main course....all sorts of activities happening together along with visiting or listening to some inspiring music together as we work.
Mopping – How often does it get done?
Maybe once a week.
Natural Cleaning Products– Do you use them?
Yes. Yes!  We use Norwex cleaning products.  They clean without chemicals..just the cloths and water.
Overwhelmed – What part of homemaking stresses you out the most?
Clutter.
Pets – Do you have any mess-making critters in the house?
Yes a small dog.
Quiet – What do you enjoy doing when you get a quiet moment?
Sitting on the glider in the living room with a recent magazine like Victoria or Tea Time; my mini-vacation.
Recipes – How do you organize them?
Three-ring binders.
Style of House – What kind of home do you live in?
One level, rambler type.
Tablecloth – Do you use one on a regular basis?
We usually have woven place mats on the table instead.
Under the Kitchen Sink – What do you have under there?
Vases, soaps and misc. cleaning stuff.
Vacuuming – How many times a week does it get done?
Three.
Washing Clothes – How many loads do you do a week?
Three to five.
X’s – Do you keep a to-do list and cross the tasks off?
No, but I should.
Yard Work – Who does what?
We all do.
ZZZ’s – What is your last housekeeping task of the day?
Getting the kitchen tidied up and some prep for breakfast.

Monday, March 11, 2013

March Merry-ness

This picture was taken just before Sunday evening hymn singing.  
There were several other folks who attend - though it doesn't look that way.
~We had a very nice time.~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 Our driveway to the road. This was a cold but sunshiny morning. 
We are heading to a meeting at Christian Woman's Connection 
at the Thumper Pond resort  in Ottertail.

A small country cemetery along our road.

 The girls - while stopping for a stop sign.

The speaker showing the 'sconchos' that she makes and sells. 

One of the ladys modeling one of the 'sconchos'.

The lady sharing how she was drawn to Jesus Christ.

Some of the jewels she brings to sell when she speaks.

The 'sconchos'!

The girls by the necklaces.
 
~Back home~

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

A January day at the Bay Window Quilt Shop in Perham!







Several ladies car pooled about an hour north to this creative and fun quilter's dream store.  It was a cold winter day outside but inside it was warm, colorful and inspiring.  Needless to say we had a lovely time.

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Christmas Gathering of Area Quilters

On the way to the quilt meeting......a barn catches the morning sun.
Our quilt group showing the pillow cases they sewed and donated to a children's  hospital.
After the meeting we were invited to one of the ladies' home for a Christmas luncheon.
Dishing up..a large pot of soup with other tasty foods. 
 
A decoration on the wall behind the oven

A big stuffed lion guarded the family gifts.
The sweet ladies.
Two of the happy ladies.
More of the ladies... getting their gifts.
Amy, Ana, and Alyssa on the stairs leading  to the second level.
Investigating the "Owl Babies" children's book.
In the car...I caught a picture of the home as we left.
 

Friday, June 15, 2012

An Early Morning Thought


I know it sounds fantastic; but think it over. It seems to me that we often, almost sulkily, reject the good that God offers us because, at that moment, we expected some other good . . . On every level of our life . . . we are always harking back to some occasion which seemed to us to reach perfection, setting that up as a norm, and depreciating all other occasions by comparison. But these occasions, I now suspect, are often full of their own new blessing, if only we would lay ourselves open to it. God shows us a new facet of the glory, and we refuse to look at it because we’re still looking for the old one. 
. . . And the joke, or tragedy, of it all is that these golden moments in the past, which are so tormenting if we erect them into a norm, are entirely nourishing, wholesome, and enchanting if we are content to accept them for what they are, for memories. Properly bedded down in a past which we do not miserably try to conjure back, they will send up exquisite growths. Leave the bulbs alone, and the new flowers will come up. Grub them up and hope, by fondling and sniffing, to get last year’s blooms, and you will get nothing.”
from Letters to Malcolm, Chiefly on Prayer, by C. S. Lewis.

Sunday, January 29, 2012

From The Past

This was taken several years ago before we moved to Vermont. It was maybe 16 years ago.
There sure were a lot of smiles.
Happy times!

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

CHRISTmas 2011

This is a Christmas tree decoration that I found in a second-hand store or a garage sale a year or two ago. 

 Someone made it and enjoyed it for a time and now we are
glad to have it among our ornaments.

The creativeness of mankind - God's creation - makes
me step back and marvel. 

 I love works of art such as this!

I love the idea of re-using Christmas cards
that are going to be discarded!


Saturday, December 3, 2011

Thanksgiving All Year Long

“Christian thanksgiving is the life of Christ in the heart —  transforming the disposition and the whole character.
Thanksgiving must be wrought into the life as a habit—before it can become a fixed and permanent quality.
An occasional burst of praise, in the midst of years of complaining, is not what is required. Songs on rare, sunshiny days; and no songs when skies are cloudy—will not make a life of gratitude. The heart must learn to sing always.
This lesson is learned only when it becomes a habit which nothing can weaken. We must persist in being thankful.
When we can see no reason for praise—we must believe in the divine love and goodness, and sing in the darkness.
Thanksgiving has attained its rightful place in us, only when it is part of all our days and dominates all our experiences.”
J. R. Miller, 1912

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Growing or declining??


Alyssa reading in our front yard.
Every individual is growing, changing, developing,
or declining—intellectually, emotionally, spiritually,
physically, and psychologically.
A family is a grouping of individuals who are affecting
each other intellectually, emotionally, spiritually,
physically, psychologically.
~ Edith Schaeffer, What Is a Family?

Monday, November 28, 2011

Fragile Humility

"Humility is timid. Write about it, talk about it, and it flees."  
                                                                        -Ann Voskamp

Saturday, November 26, 2011

The valuable, the beautiful, and the noble

Much is required of us. Our days are filled with many tasks that can sometimes seem mundane and of little worth, but if we can grasp the incredible truth of what sacrificial service really means, then our entire outlook will be transformed. When done for the Lord, the commonplace will become noble, the prosaic will become beautiful, and the unimportant will become valuable."
~Jennifer McBride

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Real Life


The great thing, if one can,
 is to stop regarding all the unpleasant
 things as interruptions of one’s own or real life.
The truth is of course that what one calls the interruptions are precisely one’s real life – the life God is sending day by day. ~C.S. Lewis

Thursday, October 13, 2011

The Importance of Our Choices Each Day

A lovely wedding we recently attended!

 The setting..

 Quiet wonder..

  
Ready and waiting..

The joining...


 Afterwards...
.......................................
There are a good many things which would not be worth bothering about
if I were going to live only 70 years,
but which I had better bother about very seriously
 if I am going to live forever. 
~ C. S. Lewis
MERE CHRISTIANITY

Saturday, August 13, 2011

A thought for today...

A woman feels most uniquely feminine when she enjoys her capacity
 to strengthen relationships
and to encourage others
by inviting them
to enjoy the blessings of relationship.
~ LARRY CRABB, Men & Women: Enjoying the Difference

Monday, July 18, 2011

Family Religion

"We must have a special eye upon families,
to see that they are well-ordered,
 and the duties of each relation performed.
 The life of religion,
and the welfare and glory of both
the Church and the State,
depend much on family government and duty.
 If we suffer the neglect of this,
we shall undo all.
I beseech you, therefore,
if you desire the reformation and welfare of your people do all you can to promote family religion."
 --Richard Baxter

Monday, June 13, 2011

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

An Outing

 Rich and I went on an outing last week.  We traveled to the Buckwheat Growers mill to purchase organic grain for our small goat herd. After that was accomplished, we traveled to the village of Ottertail.  The main reason for coming here was to have lunch and enjoy The Williams Company Store. While there I asked the pleasant clerk for permission to take a few pictures.  
                                                                                                       
So here they are...pictures of a very favorite store in our area.

A front shot of The Williams Company Store...very inviting!

We ordered lunch:  a sandwich and a wrap. This was taken from our table which was located in the far corner of the shop.


..a large cup of freshly made coffee...it was very flavorful!
Rich's plate..the other part of the sandwich was being eaten as I took this!

...another quick picture.(the front door is to the left.) The case to the right has jewelery and misc small items..

..standing toward the back of the store facing the front door.. are soaps, candles, lotions, cards, journals, and many  unique decorative and bathroom  items.
Rich..paying for our lunch..This lady was most diligent in her work and very gracious in serving us.

 The lunch was delicious! This store enhances my homey creative focus. Now we will be heading back home.  One last picture in front of our pickup and a couple of other nice shops near The Williams Company Store are behind the pickup.
This was a most enjoyable little day trip...why go across the country for a respite.  It was like a breath of fresh air!

Friday, May 20, 2011

Fun new favorites

Ana added this sweet liquid hand soap and moisturizer set to our kitchen sink line-up. I am enjoying it!  It is so much fun to use and looks so neat and tidy setting near the water spigot.  Many times I have stopped to wash my hands here and because the moisturizer is very close by, I now stop to put that on as well.  My hands are the better for it!