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~

Saturday, February 23, 2013

Unusual critter in our kitchen..

The model for a requested little boy's birthday cake.

The formed reptile..

The crumb-coat to hold it all together...

The fondant covered critter; scary teeth and spiny back and tail and all.
A little boy's dream cake..  

~He really liked it a lot!~

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

A wintry-weather visit from the North Carolinian - Young family.

Our cold snowy winter weather. 


The Youngs working on their inventory of conference materials in our living room.

                   Learning how to sled the proper north country way..
         downhill - rather than being pulled.

           Here they are ..last ones getting in...ready to leave for Canada. It was well below zero while they were here. 
(It is good to remember - they are from North Carolina.) 

~They are great folks!~

Sunday, January 20, 2013

Amy on her Birthday!


 She is a sweetheart of a daughter...who always seems to have an optimistic 
view of life. 
A quote she has in her room reveals
 her thoughts well..
"Its a wonderful life"!

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.

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Early January Pincushion Embellishing

The felt wool base all shaped and dry.

Some of my decorating options.
Tools  for  decorating

Starting the embroidery work with the pearl cotton.
 
One of the finished pincushions.

This is the one my friend in Vermont picked for a
bridal shower gift
.

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.
 

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Alyssa's Birthday

Her Rose.
Cashew Chicken..her meal pick.
Her birthday candles smoking.
Amy and Ana  with the birthday girl.

Sunday, November 4, 2012

Autumn ..Warm Memories..Aglow

This photo was taken a year ago in the home of Texas friends. They have many guests in their home and we were blessed to be able to stay with them more than once last year. They shine with hospitality much like this glowing candle captured one evening in their home.!

Today, we are enjoying the warmth and beauty of a blazing fire on a quiet Sunday afternoon with family, good books, and hot chocolate ( homemade marshmallow atop). 

Both thoughts, past and present, are shining pleasures this autumn season. 


Thursday, November 1, 2012

Fall At Our Place

 This is a picture taken in October at our place in mid-western MN. The leaves are on the ground and the produce has been taken in for the year.  The goats are producing very well and we are looking forward to the advancing season of less daylight with cold temperatures and white sparkly snow!
There is a light dusting of snow mixed in with the fallen leaves in this photo of the morning sun shining on our  pump house "hill".  It is a quaint little building standing like a sentinel over our place.

*Sentinel - [French sentinelle, from Italian sentinella, probably from Old Italian sentinavigilance, from sentireto watch, from Latin sentreto feel; see sent- in Indo-European roots.]

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.