sacred work, indeed

Holy Week. Even as I read the extra Scriptures and daily devotionals, and even as I meditate on this week and the historical and spiritual happenings that occurred  over 2,000 years ago... remembering the time my  Lord Christ Jesus went to the cross... I also continue on with the spring cleaning of my home that this time of year demands.  Deep cleaning the home and mindful of His redemptive work, a sinner saved by His grace. I worship and I discover immense sacredness in the spring cleaning. 

Since family and friends will gather here to celebrate this weekend, the screened porch needed to be cleaned. Look at the pollen! It coated everything with a thick layer. What a mess.

I removed the wicker furniture and hosed it all down. All this was done all by myself...solomente. I was very tired by the end of the day with all the furniture hauling and scrubbing and such.

The sitting/eating side of the porch was cleaned the next day. Of course, the pollen is still with us, but not to the point it has been thankfully .

I set up a little table..tea for two. Just because it invites.

noteworthy

noteworthy: worthy of or attracting attention especially because of some special excellence.

If this definition can be applied in regard to my own prosaically lived life then it is equally acknowledged that what I might consider noteworthy might seem rather dull to others. Nonetheless, there are many reasons for noting  distinct happenings and going-ons in one's life. Warning: What I might consider noteworthy might totally creep you out!😊

 Snakes, if you live in the south you learn to look out for them in the warm weather months, beginning around late March/ early April until right before the first frost. As I walk in warm weather my eyes are glancing all around and usually I am praying I will see any snakes if they are near enough to frighten or harm. We also have a couple of venomous snakes, mainly the Copperhead, which are also seen every summer. I have some answers to prayers on seeing these dangerous snakes.

 One evening right at dusk my husband and I were out walking the ridge, quick as lightening a Black Racer literally raced across our path coming from the field. It was fast and noteworthy as we saw the speed of it whipping less than three feet from us. It is much more common to see the slower slithering Black Rat snake, never missing a summer of having one of them in our yard or surrounding areas, but I had yet to see the  Black Racer until now.

And I must also say, we never, never go into the woods in the summer. One reason the ticks and chiggers, the other the snakes. We keep grass and fields mowed and also realize snakes help keep the rat and mouse population down. I must see some form of silver lining in such things.

the spirit of youth

"April has put a spirit of youth in everything.

                                                      ~William Shakespeare

 And with this "spirit of youth" birthing in my heart, my sixty plus bones longed to get outside to delve into the inviting soil as I planted lettuce, beet, pea, and bunching onion seeds as well as gathering the ordinary mop, vacuum, and old clean rags to begin the room by room spring cleaning inside.

But there is also the continual habit of observing, listening, smelling, and feeling the change of the season...new beginnings.

The celebration of His Resurrection is rousing in my heart too. The daily devotional readings, the vivid images imparted in my mind from the famous paintings of artists I've studied over the years, and the familiar hymns I find myself singing throughout the day.

And I've also completed a winter project, this pair of socks  began in 2019. But finally by sheer force of will I am happy to report they are finished! I did not appreciate knitting with the wool, though it is a lovely yarn with pleasing colors, nor did I like the *Signature needles that I used for knitting them. These two things evidently made it easy for me to slip them into a basket until I happened upon them this winter and realized I must, yes must, finish them. I am inserting a photo of the heel, each sock heel was knitted differently. I did the one on the left and maybe I was not wearing my reading glasses or I did not read the directions closely enough, whatever, by the time I got to the other sock I realized I was supposed to do the heel with ribbing. It is intended to be more "wear-worthy". Rather than redo the first one I decided no one will notice and I did actually want to knit the heel with the ribbing. That is my sock knitting mismatch tale. But they are finished and very comfortably wearable.

 One of the books I am currently reading along.

Embroidering is the current gentle art that is stirring my spirit. My sewing group met at my home Saturday before last and I was able to begin a new project from this book, my third creation.

I enjoyed listening to this podcast one evening as I was cleaning up the supper dishes. Hannah Anderson was the guest sharing one of her books, Turning of Days: Lessons from Nature, Season and Spirit. It is on my list of books to read.

How has the "spirit of youth" engaged you?

be my guest

"I am excessively fond of a cottage; there is always so much comfort, so much elegance about them".   ~ Jane Austen

"The ornament of a house is the friends who frequent it."

 ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

"Please come in to Good Drop Cottage and make yourself right at home," this she spoke with as much warmth and grace in her voice as she genuinely felt. ~Me 

Because the living room is longer than it is wide, I wanted to  provide a division of sorts. I call this space the "Reading Nook".  It still could have a small bookcase in the corner which I hope to add when I find the perfect one. It is a sunny spot to sit, read, sip a cup of tea, and dream. There is also a turntable record player with some old albums. One guest reported she and her husband put on a record of the Carpenters and danced. Isn't that lovely?

"There is room in the smallest cottage for a happy loving pair".    ~Friedrich Schiller

The Grandfather clock was in my childhood home. My brother wanted it when my parents passed away and then when he died back in the summer of 2023, my sister-in-law gave it to me. This is a Ridgeway Clock  which was originally manufactured very close to where I now live. These clocks were popular in their day.  

See the little mouse?

 

"Hickory Dickory Dock, the mouse ran up the clock..."

When we got the clock home we decided to put it in the cottage and we hired our clock keeper friend to get it working again. When Ridgeway Clocks were being sold as a small USA business locally, they would give their customers a little mouse to sit on the weights. Our friend was happy to have received a supply when they sold out to  a company in Michigan, that was in 2004. He gifted us with this little fellow! Herman rides the weights down daily, then we make sure he "holds on tight" as he rides up when winding the clock.

 

This is the "Queen's Room" named so because it has a queen-sized mattress on the bed.  No magic in that. The names of the rooms are not significant other than what we initially called them as we were furnishing the rooms. This southwest bedroom is full of sunshine.

My son lived for a couple of months in the other bedroom. He was nicknamed "the Professor" by my late father-in-law years ago. That name has stuck, since he stayed there the "Professor's Room" seemed to stick. I hope to stitch up the names of the rooms, frame them and  attach to the bedroom doors one day.

I even embroidered a set of pillowcases in the "Professors's Room".  My plan is to stitch Good Drop Cottage in the blank spaces, but the spacing is tricky and I just need to sit down with my needle and embroidery threads and do it.

If you forget anything we try to have a simple supply of items on the bathroom shelf.

When we were ripping out the kitchen, I convinced my husband to take the ceiling clear to the beaded board and please at least one wall I begged? I would have loved to have had the entire kitchen with the original beaded board, but I am thankful for what I did get!

"I had rather be shut up in a very modest cottage, with my books, my family, and a few old friends, dining on simple bacon, and letting the world roll on as it liked, than to occupy the most splendid post which any human power can give." ~ Thomas Jefferson

The kitchen is completely supplied with anything you would need for cooking and baking. Though I am still on the look out for pretty casserole dishes to add to the cupboard.

My grandchildren go into the dining room and the first thing they observe is the candy on the buffet, "Grandma, why is there candy on the table?" They know they are not allowed candy so I try to remember to put it up high when I know we will be over there. Their father helps with with certain things that need to be done at the cottage when he comes.  But my other guests are always welcome to enjoy as much sweet candy as they like.

There are still things that need to be added to the cottage, it is an ongoing process, but hopefully our guests can come here and always feel comfortable and welcomed.

For now it is only for friends and family...or if friends or family know someone that need a getaway. It is our pleasure to be able provide this cottage.

And do not forget to sign the Guestbook!

There are plans in the making to create an inviting and enjoyable place outside too. I am presently planting a flower garden and establishing garden beds, the roofed open area above will be a lighted arbor to dine under during mild days and evenings.

The view from the front porch and the arbor.

For the Christ-child that comes is the Master of all; No palace too great no cottage too small.  ~Phillips Brooks

come along inside...

 Today I arose from my bed while it was still dark. The very first morning I managed to get out of my bed before seven o'clock since the time change. Despite my silent protest, this bi-annual event continues to throw off my rhythm seeming to askew it a wee bit and it actually takes me  a couple of weeks to get it back on track. How about you?

Today I pick up the tree limbs, branches, and sticks blanketing the areas of my yard from all the winds of late.

And with a little foot shovel I dug up the copious supply of wild onions that have popped up all through my flower garden and around the hydrangea bushes. It was just as someone came along and planted them! It is approaching the time to plant soon and any prepping such as this helps.

I hosted a Tea for four friends this past Saturday afternoon.

 Grace, truth and beauty feeds a soul of any age, I know this full well. These ladies were part of a prayer group reaching back thirty years until two of us moved away. 

"Come along inside... and we'll see if tea and buns can make the world a better place."

                               

Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the Willows

gifts

Today I am sharing a treat for any of you who might enjoy reading the classic books of Grace Livingston Hill. And that reminds me I failed to add a book of her writing to my posted 2025  Reading List. Actually, I read it back in early January, The Blue Ruin, (I will go back and update the recent post). Other similar authors are found on this site 

 Isabella Alden, 

Marcia Livingston, 

Faye Huntington,

  Margaret Sidney

 Isabella Alden was the aunt of Grace Livingston Hill. You can read several selections of their novels FREE on your browser and you have the capability to store them in your own personal library for later reading.

On a totally different matter altogether, I hosted a couple from my church for Sunday Dinner this past weekend. I have assuredly known for years how much invitations for sharing a meal together will bless people. The act of selecting a menu, preparing the food, setting a table, and then inviting friends or acquaintances to your home makes hosting a reality, and yes it will take time and energy, but the rewards are priceless. Then all that is left to do is serve your guests with love and  the chosen food around your table. Conversation bubbles up as closer and newer friendships are formed.

If the people I invite are fellow believers it seems as if I am experiencing a touch of eternity.

For those of you who might be curious to what I served:

Cream of Broccoli Soup

A Beef Chuck Roast with Carrots/Potatoes/Gravy

Green Beans

Deviled Eggs/ Pickles

Tea and Water

Lemon Drizzle Cake/Coffee

"Dining with one's friends and beloved family is certainly one of life's most primal and innocent delights,  one that is both soul-satisfying and eternal."   ~Julia Child

2025 reading list

 (This post was written during the first weeks of January. I wanted to come as close to completely composing  the 2025 Reading Challenge as I could, so I delayed posting by a bit.)

A new calendar and a new reading list. These are a few of my favorite January things.

                                 What a blessing that I love books.

                                                             ~Elizabeth von Arnim

It is no secret that I love reading good books. Since I love books and reading it is with alacrity that I prepare an annual reading list. Part of the enjoyment is making the decisions of what books I will spend time reading throughout the year. So many books...

 1. 19th Century Classic

              Madame Bovary   Gustav Flaubert

       This could also count as a book in translation.

A note on this novel. I have in the past shied away from reading Madame Bovary due to it's notoriety in the literature world.  It's a fact that  Flaubert went to trial in 1857 on obscenity charges from French public prosecutors. However, he was acquitted from the charges and the novel went on to become even more popular. I certainly will not fail to lay aside this book if I find it obscene in any shape or form. There are way too many great classics worth reading to waste time on a novel that offends or is uninteresting.

2. 20th Century Classic

              The Return of the Soldier  Rebecca West

3.  Dickens Classic

                David Copperfield

4. Children's Classic

                Anne of Ingleside     Lucy M. Montgomery

5. Abandoned(Second Chance) Classic

    A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court  Mark Twain

6. Perennial (Re-read) 

      Christy      Catherine Marshall

7. Modern Fiction by a man

                Nathan Coulter     Wendell Berry

8. Modern Fiction by a woman

     The Pilgrim's Inn     Elizabeth Goudge

9. Biography or autobiography

      St. Simon's Memoir Eugenia Price

10. Mystery

          The ABC Murders     Agatha Christie

11. Christian Non-Fiction 

     A Grief Observed    C.S. Lewis

12. Self-help, craft, or cookbook, etc.

       Nature Drawing and Journaling  John Muir Lewis

13. Classic in Translation

      Babette's Feast    Isak Dineson

14. Non-Fiction

     The Backyard Bird Chronicles  Amy Tan

15. Grace Livingston Hill novel

                   The Blue Ruin

This is my definite list thus far, though there are some other genres I am seriously considering adding, for example: Classic with a Season in the Title, Classic with a Place in its title, Classic with an animal in the title, and even a Classic Play, perhaps. And then I will continue reading several other books not listed on my 2025 list.

Any suggestions?

Update:

I have finished reading: 

The Backyard Bird Chronicles

The Return of the Soldier

St. Simon's Memoir

A Grief Observed

ABC Murders

I am presently reading David Copperfield, which I am supremely enjoying.

wisdom that fits my season of life

"The years between fifty and seventy are the hardest. You are always being asked to do more, and you are not yet decrepit enough to turn them down." 

-T.S. Eliot

"People have to know what relaxes them, and not feel guilty about using a piece of time when it is necessary for them, or when they do not use it exactly as somebody else would."

-Edith Schaeffer

I have been outside more this week because of the lovely spring-like weather...before the cold arrives again this weekend. It is that time of "spring tickling".

Anyway, just like Andrea I have been pruning back bushes in my yard, especially the hydrangea and butterfly bushes. My Lenton Roses are blooming, fuchsia and white lovelies. 

Also, since I am such of fan of healthy eating, I am enjoying Andrea's food buying reports on her blog.

Home front News: 

*I finished sewing Breanna's dress. Good thing since the dance is this Saturday night.

*I am beginning my thorough "spring" cleaning of room by room. Usually this will take me several weeks to complete. Fun fact, I enjoy housecleaning. But these days of all the children being out of the home I now do all housecleaning alone, especially the deeper cleanings, therefore, I take my time and do not stress it.

*My own book reading challenge of 2025 has kept me reading at random times during the day. David Copperfield is a wonderful novel; I know why Dickens deemed it "his favorite child" and "best" of his novels. I am also reading ABC Murders by Agatha Christie and as my local  library only had the large print version, I believe I might be enjoying reading this mystery even more so!

at home on Thursday

Early morning walk in the swirling snow down to the creek bed. This American Beech tree  rightfully observed, glorious in its sober cinnamon shade. The direct contrast is hard to miss with the beauty of the bare trees and snow. I have grown to love these trees, especially the young ones that draw our attention  in the winter month's woodsy walks. Show-offs in quietness.

Bacon baked in the oven I have found is the best and easiest way to cook bacon, crispy and delicious. with little effort. Place slices on a racked baking sheet in a 400 degree oven, 8 minutes, flip pan around, 6 minutes, turn bacon over,  cook another 6 minutes (your timing might vary slightly). Since my hens are now giving me eggs on a regular basis we can resume having eggs every day if we would like. And  homemade toast with pear preserves for breakfast.

The day continued with the wind-blowing cold all throughout the day. I was the keeper of the flame in the living room, thankful for all the firewood my husband has cut from our property.

I cut out quilt squares for a quilt my husband has requested for himself. Something he does not usually do so I felt as if I wanted to give this to him. This quilt will be what I refer to as a napping quilt, not big enough for a bed, but bigger than just a throw. 

I guess he is anticipating taking more naps in the future😊. 

the humble and hardy turnip

 I walked out to the garden after the past days of snow and all the heavy rains of late, the sun was radiantly shining and the temps were unseasonably warmer. I was intending to make sure my garlic bed had proper hay mulch coverage, but as I glanced over to the turnip patch this is what I saw!

Turnips literally growing out of the ground! This was not the patch planted for harvesting turnips, but only for the picking of greens. The turnips roots a few rows back had already been harvested around Christmas. 

(Louie, who I am convinced has a tad of dementia, loves to come to the garden with me.)

These turnips were still unbelievable tasty and good.

                               "I was raised almost entirely on turnips and potatoes,

                                     but I think that the turnips had more to do 

                                            with the effect than the potatoes."

                                                                                 ~Marlene Dietrich

                     Do any of you enjoy eating turnips? Our most favorite way to eat them is to gently boil peeled and cubed pieces. Drain, add butter, salt and pepper. 

milky white sky, raindrops, and sewing on violet silk

I am spending these days of rain and cold sewing by the window. This lovely shade of violet silk is Breanna's dress for the English Garden Dance to be held on March 1. I have sewn silk ribbon flowers on the sleeves and the covered buttons. Handmade buttonholes were sewn yesterday while listening to Miss Marple Mysteries on Great Radio Drama .

I am attempting to match a thread color with the ribbon that will be attached to the seam connecting the bodice and skirt.  This is the chart I am using to find the closest color match thread from my large stash of DMC colors.

Sewing brings Sunshine to cloudy days.