Friday's Favorite Fives hosted by Living to Tell The Story

Here are my favourites for the week:

1.  Christmas Eve is always my favourite day of the year.  We had a busy day with my three stepsons and their families over .  It was fun to get together and see the grandkids.  But I really enjoyed the evening when it was just my husband and I alone for a quiet Christmas Eve.  The tree lights were on and many candles lit.  We watched my favourite Christmas movie of all time, "The Homecoming" , which is the movie that inspired the Walton series in the 1970's.  I watch this movie every Christmas Eve.

2.  Christmas Day, is , of course, another fave from this past week.  This was the first Christmas of my life that I didn't spend it with my parents and siblings.  I had decided earlier this fall that I wanted to spend Christmas Day in my own home for once.  It was a lovely day.  I thought of my family, but knew that they were well and happy, and really not that far away.  All my family is within an hour and a half from me.  I will be seeing them all this weekend.  So that makes for an extended Christmas!  It was wonderful to stay at home on Christmas Day.  We had a nice quiet Christmas.

3.  My husband and I both had the day after Christmas off.  We spent a lazy day at home.  I stayed in my pajamas the entire day.  Don't know when I have ever done that!  And we watched another all-time favourite Christmas movie:  "White Christmas."

4.  This next fave has nothing to do with Christmas.  Our hen's egg production has been way down due to the fact that they have been molting.  We were down from 9 eggs a day to one, two, and sometimes no eggs.  Well, this week we have finally seen an increase again.  And our new hens that were born last spring have started laying.  We are up to 5, 6, and 7 eggs a day. 

5.  This week a braided rug that I ordered came in.  It gives my kitchen a nice , cozy, warm feeling.  I am loving it!

                                

Friday's Favorite Fives hosted by Living to Tell The Story

Here are my faves from this week:

1.  Sunday was my husband's and my anniversary.  We had a great church service that morning and thought what a great way to spend an anniversary - worshipping God!  We went out for lunch after church, and it was such an enjoyable afternoon.

2.  I worked a few night shifts this week to help out a coworker.  Not too many people are willing to cover for her because of the hours. One morning I came home to crawl into bed after working all night.  My two dogs both hopped up on the bed and slept with me the entire morning.  When I woke up and saw them still on the bed with me, it was such a warm and cozy feeling!   

3.  I spent a good part of Wednesday and today cooking and baking.  Am getting ready for a dinner party here tonight with friends of ours, and then a get-together with my stepsons and their families tomorrow.  I love preparing food for people I care about.

4.  I've been listening to Christmas music quite a bit this week.  It's been so wonderful listening to familiar songs that we don't hear the rest of the year.  Listening to the words has reminded me of the true meaning of the season.  For this I am so greatful. 

5.  My husband and I decorated our Christmas tree a couple nights ago.  That is always fun.  So relaxing to enjoy the lights in the evening.

Christmas in the Country

Gather  your friends and family together and go caroling at a nursing home.  It will be such a blessing!

                                                                                   

Christmas in the Country

Don't forget our feathered friends at Christmas!  Decorate an outdoor tree with suet blocks, birdseed bells, and hollowed-out orange halves filled with birdseed.  The squirrels and chipmunks will love them, too!

Christmas in the Country

Do you have a tea lover on your Christmas gift list?  Tuck some bags of herbal and flavored tea inside a pretty little teapot or a delicate teacup.  Add a muffin mix as a special bonus.

                                                                                     

Christmas in the Country

Cover a buffet table with wrapping paper.  What a festive tablecloth!

Christmas in the Country

      There's nothing like a cup of hot cocoa on a cold winter day.  To make a simple gourmet cocoa, add a few drops of mint, cinnamon, or orange extract and stir well.  Yummy!!                                                                 

Christmas in the Country

Give the gift of .....SOUP!  Fill an enamel soup pot with all the fixings for a cozy supper.  Add soup mixes, hot roll mixes, crackers.  Don't forget to add some soup spoons or some country soup bowls or a vintage soup ladle!  What a wonderful gift for a cold , wintry evening.
                          


                                                                                                                                 

Friday's Favorite Fives hosted by Living to Tell The Story

       Here are my 5 favorites from the past week:

1.  Over the weekend we picked out our Christmas tree.  Our little granddaughter came with us.  She
      picked her own out!

         2.  On Monday I had lunch with a long-time friend.  We spent the afternoon browsing in some local specialty shops.  What a wonderful , relaxing time we had.  It was a great day.  Already looking forward to the next time!

3.  This same friend gave me a huge bag of sweaters.  I kept all but two.  They are beautiful!  It was like getting a brand new wardrobe for free!  Some of them were colors I was needing to go with certain skirts.  It was like a special Christmas present from God.

4.  Received a refund check in the mail from our car insurance company.  They had overcharged us.  How often does that happen?!!  Another Christmas gift from the Lord!

5.  Last evening as I was driving home from work after doing errands, I drove through a nearby small city and saw a  nativity scene right in the middle of the park on Main Street.  So glad Christ is still in Christmas in our smaller towns and cities!                                                        

Christmas in the Country

Cookies in a jar or soups in a jar make great gifts that are inexpensive and fun and easy to assemble.  Here are some that I did this week for some of the girls I work with.  Most of them work full-time and will appreciate a gift they can use that will save them time in the kitchen.  I added a pretty checked cloth and a ribbon that says "Merry Christmas" for a touch of country!
  

                                                                                

Christmas in the Country

Fill a pail with cocoa mixes, microwave popcorn, cheese and crackers, and a holiday video.  What a great gift for someone who needs to relax during the holiday rush!

Christmas in the Country

Line a vintage tin pail with a pretty tea towel and tuck in some fudge.  What a lovely gift!

                                                                                  

Christmas in the Country

Toasted nuts give cookies a better flavour.  Spread nuts on a cookie sheet or baking pan and bake for 5 - 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

Christmas in the Country

Fill a mason jar with some hot soup, wrap with a woolly scarf, and give to your mailman.  What a wonderful surprise on a frosty day.

Friday's Favorite Fives hosted by Living to Tell The Story

1.  My husband and I had a movie night in bed this week.  It was so warm and cozy.  We watched an old
     World War II classic, "Mrs. Miniver."  We hadn't ever seen it before.  It was very good.  And it was
     quite fitting with the 70th anniversary of Pearl Harbor upon us this week.

2.  I have been having a very bad flare-up of my Acid Reflux this week.  No, that isn't one of my faves.
     What is a favorite, is that my husband came into the room where I was resting and laid his hands on
     me to pray for my healing.  I love that I have a godly husband.  I am so blessed!

3.  My kitchen window has never looked too good.  Yesterday I came home from work to find that my
     husband surprised me with a new look for my window.  He built this wood frame and shelf arount
     it.  I absolutely love it!  He got the wood right off our property that he cut and sanded himself.
     

     4.  After coming home from work yesterday I was very tired and still not feeling
          well.  I didn't have to worry about supper though.  I had some homemade soup
          in the freezer so just pulled that out and heated it up with some garlic bread.  I
          love keeping my freezer stocked.

5.    Tonight we are having a movie night with good friends of ours.  We are looking 
       forward to his homemade pizzas and a relaxing time.  We are also having a
       prayer time together before the movie.                              

Christmas in the Country

           

Take time out for yourself during this busy time.  Sit with a favourite cup of tea or coffee in a pretty cup and read a Christmas poem.  Or read the story of Jesus's birth from the Bible.  Or just sit quietly and look at your Christmas tree lights and remember past Christmases.  Lay your stresses aside and renew yourself.                                                                             

Christmas in the Country

Here's a great little idea for a refreshing tabletop.  Cut a grapefruit or orange in half and scoop out the fruit.  Tuck a votive candle inside and surround with cranberries.  What a nice fresh scent!

Christmas in the Country

     Stockings aren't just for the mantle.  Well, we don't have a fireplace, so I have to create a different spot.  But, I like to hang other stockings around in various places.  I hang them on doors.  You can also put them on bedposts, doorknobs , or on the backs of chairs.  They are a nice splash of Christmas color !  Have fun hanging!

Bathroom door    




And on the bedroom door        

                                                                   
                                                                             

Christmas in the Country

Here is a recipe for a flavored creamer for coffee or cocoa.  Fill a vintage milk bottle with it, and it makes a neat little gift or stocking stuffer!

Pepperminty Creamer Mix

1/4 cup non-dairy coffee creamer
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup instant coffee granules
2 T baking cocoa
2 hard peppermint candies, crushed

Combine all ingredients in a blender.  Process until well blended.  Store in an airtight container. 

This recipe came from a wonderful book I have called "Christmas in the Country", by Gooseberry Patch.

Christmas in the Country

Place some candy canes in a Mason jar and tie with a pretty bow.  What a simple, country touch of Christmas!

Christmas in the Country

Place silverware inside pretty winter mittens for a whimsical look.  Add a scarf as a table runner.  What a cozy tablesetting for  breakfast on a frosty morning.

Christmas in the Country

Want to create a fun, simple tabletop decoration?  Place a vintage ornament atop  a candlestick. 

                                                                            

Friday's Fave Five hosted by Living to Tell the Story

Every Friday I will be posting my five favourite things about the current week.  This is a fun thing hosted by the blog "Living to Tell the Story."  Here are my five faves from this week:

1.  I learned how to can apples and canned 12 quarts.  What a great feeling of accomplishment and
     security!

2.  We had some wonderfully warm weather on Tuesday, and I spent a great deal of time outside.  I
     raked   some leaves to put in the chicken coop later this winter.  The chickens will love digging
     through that this winter when there's nothing but snow outside.

3.  I decorated the house for Christmas!  I LOVE my Christmas village even more than having a tree. 
     And pulling all those decorations out is like meeting old friends again every year.

4.  I also got out my Christmas music and started playing it.  I often wonder why we only listen to it
     this time of year.

5.  Along the same lines, I baked Christmas cookies yesterday.  My husband enjoyed those last night.

Christmas in the Country

Today is December 1st and the Christmas season is upon us.  What a wonderful time of year.  We try to keep Christmas simple so that we can remember the true meaning of the season.  We thank God for sending His Son Jesus to us.  When I decorate, I tell the Lord that this is for His birthday.  It helps keep the focus on Him.  Every day from now until Christmas I will read a passage of Scripture from the Christmas Story, or sing a Christmas carol, or read a poem having to do with His birth.  Remember the Christmas Ideals books?  I have several, and they are a wonderful source of Christian inspiration. 

 In this post I am going to give simple Christmas tips/ideas for making the season special.  Choose whichever ones you think you'd enjoy.  Post your own ideas to share.  I am going to do this daily right up until Christmas Day.  Enjoy your holiday season!!

I keep all of my Christmas books and movies in a wicker basket by a cozy chair.   Set aside one night a week, or however many nights you have time for, to read or watch a favourite.                                                                  

Canning Apples

Earlier this fall I bought some apples at a local orchard.  A small bag cost $7.95, which I thought was high.  But, I figured the price for local food is going to be higher but worth it.  Then I found a local Amish store.  This week I paid $8.50  for a bushel of apples.  Do you have any idea how many apples are in a bushel?  A LOT!!  A bushel of apples is four huge grocery bags stuffed full.  So today I decided to can some of them.  It was my first time for canning anything except for the pickles I did this past summer.  I got directions from a website and simply followed it.  It was so easy.  The most time-consuming part of it was preparing the apples.  That's a lot of peeling, coring, cutting, and slicing.  I canned six quarts and am quite proud of my efforts.  And that was only one bag of apples.  I have three bags left and am thinking of making and canning or freezing some homemade applesauce this week.  Will also get some baked goods made and in the freezer.  I love having things on hand in the freezer for when company comes.  Here is a picture of my quarts all ready to be processed in the canner:  

And here is the finished product:

Home Remedies and Alternative Medicines

In trying to get back to basics and live more sustainably,  one of the things I've been doing is trying to depend on doctors and medicine less.  Don't misunderstand me - I'm NOT saying I don't think we should go to the doctor or take medicine.  I do think, however, that in general, people depend on them too much.  I have been doing a  lot of reading on home remedies, and have decided to occasionaly post some here. 
One of my favourite home remedies for headaches is lavender oil and peppermint oil.  You must make sure you buy the 100% pure, or Grade A.  It is best to buy these at a good health store.   When I get one of my bad headaches, I put a few drops of lavender oil on my forehead and temples.  Don't overdo it, because it may not work .   More isn't always better.  I also put peppermint oil on my neck and temples when I feel a tension headache coming on.  It really works!

The Ragbag

When I was growing up, my mother always had a ragbag.  I don't know the origin of this, but I imagine they kept rags in pioneer days as they didn't have papertowels or handiwipes : )  I have always kept up the tradition of having a ragbag since I got my first apartment.  Rags are great for dusting or washing walls.  I don't own a mop as I don't like them.  I mop my floors on my hands and knees.  And yes, I use a rag to mop with.  Whenever an article of clothing no longer fits or is stained and isn't fit to give away, it goes into the ragbag.  I cut it into various sized squares.  I like my rags on the small side.  I cut larger rags for my husband to use in his workshop and on vehicles.  Not all material is suitable for rags.  I don't cut up anything silky because it just isn't good to clean with.  Cotton and denim are great.  And flannel is wonderful for dusting.  I used to keep my rags in a grocery bag in the closet.  However, I recently bought one of those thingies that holds plastic grocery bags, and I filled it with my rags  and keep it in my kitchen.  It is much handier.

Apples, Apples, Apples!

This is the time of year for apples!  Saturday I baked two apple pies with apples from a local orchard.  One pie went in the freezer.  The other, my husband and I enjoyed!  I recently read an article in "Countryside Magazine" about how to use the apple peels and cores.  Usually my peels and cores go to the chickens, but this article intrigued me.  It was written by a woman who grew up during the 1940's .  Her mother was very thrifty.  By the way, anyone who wants to do homesteading or just live the rural life should get their hands on "Countryside Magazine."  We have learned so much from it in the year and a half that we have gotten it. 

Well, after I peeled and cored my apples for the pies,  I put the peels and cores in a large pot and added about one inch of water.  Then I simmered it on the stove until it all boiled down to applesauce.  Then I put it through a strainer to catch what was left of the peels and cores.  What remained was delicious applesauce.  I added sugar and cinnamon until it suited my taste.  I had never heard of making applesauce without using the entire apple!!  What a thrifty thing to do!  My chickens got the leftover peels and cores after it all boiled down.  Oh how they loved that!

I then put the applesauce in a Mason jar.  It only made one pint, so obviously I didn't go through the canning process just for that.  But isn't so much prettier in a Mason jar than in a Tupperware bowl?  What are you all doing with apples this fall?

                                                             

A Full Freezer

Well, I haven't posted in quite a while.  Have been busy.  My garden was a bit of a disappointment this year.  We have many tomatoes, but they are getting moldy on the top very quickly.  I am told this is because of so much rain.  I had visions of making jars and jars of homemade tomato sauce and stocking up my pantry.  It has been very hard to get the tomatoes to ripen all at once.  Last week I stopped at an Amish farm and found a wonderful treasure -  a whole big box of roma tomatoes - all for just $4.00!!  I quickly grabbed that box.  Saturday found me literally up to my elbows in tomatoes.  This was my first experience with both making homemade sauce right from tomatoes, and with canning them.  What a long process, and what a mess I made of my kitchen!!  After boiling down all those tomatoes I ended up with only three quarts of sauce.  I decided that it wasn't worth canning them.  Canning takes about two hours and a lot of cooking fuel.  Too much for just three quarts.   So, I decided to simply freeze the sauce.  It sure smelled good, even if it didn't look as pretty as it would have in mason jars. 

Our carrots didn't get too big, but I picked and froze those, too.  Our green beans did great, and those are all in the freezer.  I am still a bit intimidated by the canner.  We didn't have the variety of vegetables I had dreamed about having last winter.  The garden just wasn't big enough.  But I still wanted to have fresh vegetables without chemicals and pesticides.  So, I am doing the next best thing.  I am buying in bulk at farmer's markets and roadside stands and freezing the veggies.  I bought some really nice cauliflower for $2.00 apiece as well as some broccoli for $1.00 a bunch.  Also, zucchini and yellow squash.  My freezer is getting full.  My goal is to not have to buy any vegetables from the stores this entire winter.  I have a great start so far!!

Chickens and God

If you want to start a homestead or just start living more self-sustainably, a great place to start is by keeping some chickens.  They are the easiest livestock to care for and are relatively inexpensive.  Just feed and water them and you will be entertained for hours!  Our chickens are free-range, meaning they are allowed to roam freely on the property.  Chickens won't stray.  They stay close by and go right back into their coop on their own when it gets dark.  I believe that free-range chickens are the healthiest.  They were made to scratch in the dirt and peck at leaves and bugs.  We had one rooster that ate a frog and another that ate a mouse!

We have butchered three roosters so far.  It was the best tasting meat we ever had!  I felt some guilt over having them killed, but I try to remember that we are maintaining a working mini-farm, not a zoo.  It can be hard though, but I try not to get too attached.  Some of the egg layers we know will be around as long as they are laying eggs.  They lay eggs regularly for about two years.  Once they stop, some may end up in the freezer.  After two years they are probably only good for soup.  A few of the hens will live their entire life here even after their egg-laying years are over.  I have a few favourites. 

This Spring we acquired a funny little chicken.  She appeared to be a cross between a cochin and a Polish crested.  She was low on the pecking order and was often picked on by the older hens.  For this reason, I kind of took her under my wing, so to speak.  I gave her the name Fifi.  She had a fluff ball on top of her head which reminded me of a poodle, so I thought she should have a poodle name.  Because I carried her around a lot, she got quite used to me and would let me pick her up whenever I wanted. 

One day last week I went out in the yard and discovered Fifi's little body laying limply next to the new dog.  This was the eighth chicken the dog killed.  I felt bad about the first seven, but cried and mourned for this one.  "Why Fifi?!", I yelled to God.  There were 23 other chickens the dog could have got.  Why my beautiful Fifi?  The Lord knew that little chicken was special to me, and I couldn't help but think that He could have intervened and kept her out of the dog's reach. 

Throughout my spiritual journey, this thought has always haunted me.  Why do sad things that can be prevented have to happen?  Why doesn't He stop it from happening?  It has always seemed mean to me when He has the power to do anything. 

I know I must be growing because I didn't stay angry and question God for days like I would have in the past.  He simply says to trust Him.  I believe when He takes something or withholds something, he will give us something back.  Maybe something better.  Something that will help our hearts to heal.  I don't know just what He's goint to do, or when, but I do know He's going to give me a special gift to help replace the loss I feel regarding Fifi.  Isn't God good?

A Button Jar

I remember my mother always having a jar full of buttons.  Actually it was a coffee can which she had decorated.  I can still see it in my mind's eye.  For some reason I loved that jar and all the many different shapes, sizes, and colors of the buttons in it.  As an adult, I have always saved buttons.  Sometimes an article of clothing comes with an extra button in case you lose one.  I always kept those and put them in my jewelry box.  Recently I decided that I needed a button jar of my own.  I had bought a set of glass canisters at a thrift shop last winter.  I needed them to hold mixes for cookies in a jar that I was giving as gifts.  I kept a couple of the canisters for myself and decided that the smallest one would be perfect to use as my button jar.  I don't know why I feel the need for one.  Maybe as a connection to my childhood.  Maybe to continue a tradition; something from a simpler time.  I like the way it looks on my dresser.  Aren't the buttons pretty in their jar?

Simple Country Pleasures

A garden           

A Crick

  Flowers

Clotheslines

Simple living should include having a clothesline.  When was the last time you saw clothes flapping in the breeze on the line?  When was the last time you hung clothes on a line?  I know of neighborhoods that do not allow clotheslines for one reason or another.  Oh my goodness.  They don't know what they're missing.  There is nothing quite like the smell of air-dried sheets on a warm summer night. 

Clotheslines should also be a part of self-sustaining living because of how much money they save.  Last summer I started using a clothesline again after many years without one.  We saved over $30 on our electric bill each month I used the clothesline.  Winter came,  and I went back to the dryer.  At a friend's suggestion, I hung a clothesrack in my bedroom to hang the heaviest towels and clothes on.  Again, I noticed a tremendous difference in the electric bill.  I don't know about you, but I am tired of giving my money to utility companies.

Do yourself a favour and hang a load of wash out on the line.  You will be glad you did!

What we've done so far

Well, I have entered the world of  blogging.  This will mostly be about our life on a mini-farm and what we are doing toward self-sustainability.  We moved out here to the woods almost three years ago.  We began our homesteading adventure in May of 2010.  So far we have planted about 15 raspberry bushes and  3 blueberry bushes.  We are blessed to have many, many wild blackberries on the property.  Our garden this summer includes tomato plants, peppers, green beans, carrots, and onions. 

Last May we got 12 chickens and have added more this past Spring for a total of 24.  Keeping chickens is a great way to start toward self-sustainability.  They are easy to keep and to care for.  This past June we added two dairy goats into the mix.  We will be breeding them to get milk.  Then we can stop buying milk and cheese at the store.  And I want to be able to make and sell goat's milk soap. 

So, I guess this is a good start to life on a mini-farm.