Glorious ... Happy Homemaker Monday

Holy Week is emerging into full bloom with the day showing forth His glory in great display. I have always been especially delighted when the days before Resurrection Sunday are glorious in sunshine and warm temperatures.

The old routines of daily household duties continue on as any homemaker knows, but it appears I am developing other routines too by posting on Happy Homemaker Monday,though today is looking quite different around my house. We met up with Rose at a rest stop in the next state (yes, the rest stops are still open) and we enjoyed a quick picnic together. Ivy is now with us for the entire week.

Weather:  Perfect. Yes, we could do with some rain and the week's forecast (which is ever changing) predicts that it will rain on Resurrection Sunday, but today is sunny and warm which allows us to be outside and to sleep under opened windows, and later in the week to garden and lay mulch. Every day a springtime gift!

This Morning: After our trip to pick up Ivy, I was tired. Riding in a car seems to do that to me. I was sleeping rather soundly when into my consciousness I heard my husband say,"Cathy, Ivy has come downstairs and she is standing by your side of the bed". It was dark and it was early, but not too early to get up. So you could say I was abruptly awakened and my day began immediately with a talkative four year old. Now I remember why I purposely chose to get up by five o'clock when my children were younger in order to get some quiet time. 

I am thinking: About buying shoes for Ivy in spite of not being able to go to the store and have her growing feet fitted. I used this site for fitting her here at home. I plan to order her shoes online from local the Target and stop by to pick them up later today.

On My Breakfast Plate: I began with coffee, hot and strong! Ivy was given two sweet dried plums( yes, prunes... but we call them sweet plums because doesn't it sound much more lovely?) sprinkled with powdered sugar and a small glass of almond milk. When husband got up I prepared a breakfast of toast with butter and honey with fried eggs.

On My Reading Pile: When my boys were growing up evening Read Alouds were the norm. We read through so much great literature. There were times that we would be so absorbed in the chapter books and if I even seemed to suggest stopping until the next time, my eldest son would exclaim,"Please don't stop Mama, I will rub your head!"
We finished reading The Hiding Place the other day; I literally wept as I read the last chapter. Now we are onto reading the Little Britches books by Ralph Moody. So good!
My own personal reading is the same as last week. Other than this book, which I read every morning, another excellent group of devotional readings for this season.

Menu Planning: These weekly menus are subject to change and usually do take a bit of a turn and curve.
Monday- Chicken and Dumplings and green salad
Tuesday-  Lemon Tuscan Chicken on the grill
Wednesday-Hamburgers
Thursday-Mac and Cheese and Salad
Friday-
Saturday-
Sunday- Usually we have lamb, but this year we might have turkey since I am cooking the foods in my freezer and there is a turkey breast needing to be roasted.

On My Camera: In the playhouse...where little girls play.

Around the House: I am now remembering what it was like to live with a preschooler!  My days are completely, but satisfyingly aroused with activity of a disparate sort. But I am enjoying having her help me fold the laundry, and  I am managing to get a few things done here and there while always being engaged with her. Right now I am in the guest bedroom while she is napping. I am having a quiet moment too😊.

Devotional: "Then they spit in His face and struck him" Matthew 26:67
Charles Surgeon uses this verse for a sermon and  I am sharing just a briefest truth here, "There are two thoughts that come to my mind when I think that these wicked men did actually spit in Christ's face-in that face which is the light of heaven, the joy of angels, the bliss of saints, and the very brightness of the Father's glory. This spitting shows us first, how far sin will go. If we want proof of the depravity of the heart of man, I will not point you to the stews of Sodom and Gomorrah, not will I take you to the places where blood is shed in streams by wretches like to Herod and men of that sort. No, the clearest proof that man is utterly fallen, and that the natural heart is enmity against God, is seen in the act that they did spit in Chris't face, did falsely accuse him, and condemn him, and lead him out as a malefactor, and hang him up as a felon that he might die upon the cross. What evil had he done?"

April Yarn Along

I had designed plans to throw the completed alpaca wrap across my shoulders and photograph in order to make record of the finished project, but alas, I procrastinated in getting on with the blocking of this rather huge wrap.  But it is now in the process of being blocked, taking days because of its size and the limitations of space.  

As do most knitters, I try to always keep a simple carry-along project. Back in January I was in need of casting on a simple stockinette "mindless" knitting project. This Folded Poncho by Churchmouse Classics was faultless for such knitting, and will be fun to wear during the cooler months. I am knitting it in Melbourne Woolens Scout yarn, having chosen the Moss Heather color way. The green displayed in the photo is rather accurate in catching its true color.

My son, Alan, gave me this copy of St. Augustine's, The Confessions several years ago. It was chosen as part of my 2020 Reading Challenge;  I highly recommend this translation by Maria Boulding. I read a section of this book daily appreciating the richness of this spiritual classic, a fascinating autobiography of St. Augustine of Hippo.

I am a few days late in joining with Ginny's Yarn Along, as things might run  aberrant these days, we can also be thankful we are knitters and readers.

my day recorded on Happy Homemaker Monday

To purpose to blog on a more regular basis, I am happy for the inspiration that comes from participating in things such as Sandra's Happy Homemaker Monday. 

When you are a homemaker, Mondays  are not blue or hateful, they are welcomed as a wonderful beginning of a week of homemaking.

🌷The weather...

After two days of temperatures suited more for summer than late March,

          today spring is shouting in all her glory with 75 degrees, sunny with a soft breeze.

Rain is coming tomorrow with cooler temps back into the 50's. 

🌷My morning's feeling...

Back to lightweight robes in the morning, and bare feet. I wanted to open the windows in the kitchen first thing,  but the temps had cooled down during the night so there was still a spring-like chill in the air. 

🌷On the breakfast plate...

   * 1/2 of a grapefruit

   * a slice of buttered sourdough toast

    *1 butter-fried egg

🌷On the reading pile...

     I finished reading One of Ours by Willa Cather. I have yet to read anything by Cather that I have not enjoyed reading. I gave this novel a five-star on Goodreads.

     Daily I read several chapters of The Confession by St. Augustine, and I do believe this particular translation is an excellent one.

The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom is our present family read- aloud book. 

And I have just begun reading The Fountain Overflows by Rebecca West.

🌷On TV...

Sadly, the All Creatures Great and Small DVD's came to and end, and while I still hum the music in my mind from time to time, we we are on to the John Adams videos put out by HBO several years back. Reliving a part of our country's history.

🌷This Weeks Menu Plans...

Monday- Meat loaf/potatoes/peas 

Tuesday-Fish with slaw

Wednesday-Chicken/Rice/Broccoli Casserole

Thursday-Pasta dish of some sort

Friday-Homemade Pizza

🌷On my Camera...

I made this gardening apron many years ago and it works great when I am working in the garden. See the plaid binding around the pocket?  It's the simple things!

🌷 Today's Chores...

         *Vacuuming the kitchen

         *Two loads of Laundry, washed, folded and put away

🌷Around the House...

Two things I want to mention here. Firstly, I cut up raw whole chicken for preparing certain dishes.  I remember my mother doing this when I was a child (back in the "olden days" when one did not have the choice of buying chickens any other way but whole). I still buy boneless skinless chicken breasts for some of my meals, however.

And secondly, I do not use paper napkins. I have cloth napkins that we use for every meal. Usually,  the napkins...one for each person... are good for the day. We just fold them neatly and put them on the back of our chairs.  If company is coming I removed the napkins. They are tossed into the dirty laundry at the end of supper every evening.

🌷In my Potager...

* A few small pansies  planted in the fairy garden

*Weeding some of the beds that are flourishing with chickweed and garlic chives!

*Pulling out the wintering baskets of potted plants

*Turning the compost

🌷Relaxing...

          I took a 45 minute walk this morning.

"Her pleasure in the walk must arise from the exercise and the day..."

~Jane Austen

🌷Prayers/ Devotions...

This morning I prayed  a prayer understanding fully He will answer it according to His will, yet He does tell us to ask...Resurrection Sunday is less than two weeks away, and with the social distancing and the closing of  most church gatherings, I am praying specifically that the weather will be wonderfully warm and sunny so we can meet outside with fellow church members that are willing on that day.

My Resurrection Season Reading was about Christ Jesus drinking the full cup of God's wrath that I might drink the full cup of His salvation. 

"O my Father, if this cup cannot pass from me, but that I must drink it, Thy will be done."

Matthew 26:42

I

prayers for health care workers

An extra dose of graced is indeed needed in my heart now as dear daughter, Rose, is working in the health care system. Her eyes are smiling behind the medical mask in this photo since she sent it to me to show me what is becoming her daily normal. But I love seeing those smiling eyes. If you were sick and scared wouldn't you want a healthcare worker with genuine concern, one with smiling eyes to help and possibly alleviate parts of a very real fear?

                                                     
                                              Please pray for the protection of all health care workers.

a changing world

The bird's calls can be heard through the glass window panes in the sunroom at dawn their sweet singing and chirping reminding me. The gradually lengthening light reveals the blooming redbuds, the lacy cherry trees, the colorful azaleas bushes, and the verdant carpeted grass outside the windows.

"Behold the birds of the air; 

they do not sow or reap or store away in barns,

 and yet your Heavenly Father feeds them.

Are you not much more valuable than they?

See how the lilies o f the feed grow...

Matthew 6:26

When things are changing in our world we can trust His promises. 

Though we are doing things differently these days.

ZOOM has become a huge hit for violin lessons, orchestra practices, and ballet bar work.

FaceTime piano lessons are  now the norm as well.
But of course, school is the same.
We do try to get outside for exercise every day we can.

smug

Can it be a positive thing to use the word smug when referring to a particular feeling you have about something? Because to be perfectly honest that is exactly the word that came into my mind this afternoon. After pondering what to do with the leftover einkorn bread and then experimenting with a few simple ingredients, a most delicious dish of apple bread pudding was the result.

Yes, I felt smug.

Thankful for food, family and health.

a monday in march

"Monday, Monday so good to me..."

Perhaps you are familiar with the words of the song sang by the Mamas and the Papas in the 1960s?

 Mondays bring another opportunity to join up with with some of you wonderful homemakers on Sandra's Happy Homemaker Monday.

*The Weather...☁️
Today the sky is pearly white, no sun but plenty of light. Thankful I am for my warm house slippers today since the day is cooler and as I am here at home doing my Monday things.

*How I am feeling...
It is actually afternoon now, Monday morning has long gone.  I do not turn on my computer until later in the day, never first thing in the morning. Today has been one of those days of conversations, mostly through the telephone, but also conversations with visitors stopping by for one thing or another. And the conversations always managed to give the reaction everyone is having in regard to the Coronavirus. Not one of us is short on opinions concerning all the closings.

*On my mind...
The Ladies Tea my church is hosting which is scheduled for this Saturday afternoon. I am
 " in charge" so the little details are pressing on my mind here and there.

*In my handiwork basket...
I completed my cross stitch sampler on the 32 count linen fabric I began back in the fall. I must confess I had to wear reading glasses to see the small fabric squares.

*Around the house...
...Fermenting cabbage and carrots
... Several loads of laundry, since it is Monday
...Vacuuming cat hair from the cushions in the sun room

*This week's menu plans...
Monday-Sausage/onions with polenta and green salad
Tuesday- Chicken Saltimbocca with green salad
Wednesday-Pork Chop, potatoes, and broccoli
Thursday-
Friday-

*On my camera...

Preparation for fermenting cabbage

 Jumping outside at the Art Museum last week.  Our train of thought ran something like this, if our teenage daughters could do it, than why not us?

*Praying...
In the book, A Praying Life, by Paul Miller, praying with the use of prayer cards is discussed in a simple, laid out manner. I have incorporated my own form of these cards into my early morning prayer time and have found it an extremely helpful method.

*Bible...
Joshua  Precept Bible Study for the week is in Joshua 19 and 20, the land allotments. I am finding the book of Joshua filled with life applications.

Wash your hands and carry on...

Happy Homemaker Monday

It looks like spring, it feels like spring, and it sounds like spring...is it spring? No, my dears, not yet. But today I went outside and certainly hugged some spring!

Homemaking is something near and dear to my heart, so it only stands to reason I highly appreciate women that have embraced the lifestyle of full-time homemaking, women of all ages. So I thought I would try something new this week by linking up with Sandra at

The weather:
69 degrees, sunny, not a cloud to observe in a gorgeous blue sky. But rain is coming later in the week along with even warmer temperatures, so they say. Daylight savings time is making itself known a bit, dark in the mornings once again when I arise, but oh, let's concentrate on the longer light evenings shall we?

Right now I am:
Sitting in my sun-infused parlor. We always eat dinner early on Monday nights because Charlotte has dance class at 6:00. The dishwasher is waiting to be loaded,  supper pans to be scrubbed,  and counters to be washed before I can call it a night.

I am thinking:
About  our little venture tomorrow to our state's Art Museum about an hours drive away. This semester Charlotte has been doing an art survey class, therefore, viewing works of art close up seemed a good thing.

On my reading pile:
Only two books are currently being read from my self-imposed 2020 Reading Challenge.

The Confessions by St. Augustine

One of Ours by Willa Cather

On the TV:
 Truly, there is little I enjoy watching on the television. But since my husband does enjoy a good movie now and then, I will spend some evenings watching the telly with him. Plus, it is an excellent time to knit!😊
Lately, we are watching All Creatures Great and Small. This series is entertainment at its best. If you have not been introduced to this series your are missing a treat. The first time we watched them was in 2014 on Netflix, and since we enjoyed them so much then I purchased them for my husband that Christmas.

Menu Planning:
 Monday...BBQ chicken, Dirty Rice, sautéed kale, and a fresh green salad with raw vegetables
Tuesday...Chili and green salad
Wednesday... Fish,???
Thursday...Macaroni and Cheese and salad
Friday...Hamburgers, Sweet Potato fries
This is a tentative plan. Rose and Ivy are arriving  onThursday and on Friday we are having the family over for hamburgers and a birthday party.

Looking forward this week:
 To Rose and Ivy coming and celebrating Ivy's fourth birthday.  I have not  put my arms around and kissed these girls since Christmas!

Around the house today:
Chicken stock simmering...I like to simmer mine for 24 hours.
Two loves of bread baked
Chili cooked and is in the refrigerator for tomorrow night's dinner since we will be out all day tomorrow.
Three loads of laundry, washed, dried, folded and put away.
Kitchen floor vacuumed
Kitchen cabinets washed

From my camera:

From my walk this morning, a forest of bamboo...

A few of the things included on my Prayer List:
*My sweet mother-in law who fell and broke her right wrist and had to have shoulder replacement surgery. We wished we lived closer to her.
*Our nation and our President
*Israel

"I pray because I can't help myself. I pray because I am helpless. I pray because the need flows out of me all the time, waking and sleeping. It doesn't change God, it changes me."

~C.S. Lewis

Charlotte and I spend the time after breakfast reading the Bible with a plan that enables you to read the entire Bible in a year, today's reading was from Numbers 15 and 16, and Acts 18. My daily devotional reading was in I Kings this morning.

my morning as a chaperone

So what does one do when they are a die hard early riser and they find themselves in a room with three sleeping teenagers? 

I had spent considerable time thinking about this beforehand and this is what I decided would probably work the best.  I planned to set out as much as possible the night before the things that would be needed.  

Upon waking the next morning, with the light of my phone, I was able to rustle through gathering my clothes and toiletry bag as I quietly slipped  into the bathroom. Then I unabashedly exited from the room and headed to the lobby.

Sally, the Inn's resident cat greeted me. Not exactly the same as my own three cats morning's greetings, but I definitely saw some common ties here. And there was plenty of hot coffee offered along with the glow of an electric fireplace that radiated warmth, and since snow flakes were spinning lightly outside on this cold morning a certain ambience was secured. Important when one is away from home.

Eventually everyone awakened and came downstairs for breakfast. It was to be a another full day of dancing, and then a ballet to attend that evening.

extra February snippets

A medium-sized fuchsia suitcase is laying on my bed as I am in the process of packing for a weekend trip with Charlotte, we leave first thing in the morning. Her dance company is attending a dance weekend with the School of the Arts here in my state, it is a treat that I get to go along too.

 Earlier this week...

Enjoying: One of the perks of Charlotte being in the Youth Orchestra is we are allowed a certain amount of tickets to attend the local Symphony. We go as often as we can and enjoy superb programs every time. Last Saturday it was a bone-chilling walk back to our car after the concert, thankfully our souls were still warm from the music of Puccini, Hayden's Farewell Symphony, and the orchestra performing Mario Caselnuovo-Tedesco's work alongside guest artist Artyom Dervoed, a renowned classical guitarist. 

Nature Walks: The Common Grackles have appeared once again in the neighborhood. The last time they traveled through it was fall. It is the most eerie feeling to be out walking and observe the large numbers congregating in the tops of the trees, and to watch them constantly swooping across the treetops with their loud incessant chatter. Too close to Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds for my taste.

And  the adoption is final!!!!
Vivid memories of that evening over two years ago when Witt and Claire came straight from the hospital carrying this three day old little one. We wanted him from the beginning, but it took a long drawn-out process and ceaseless prayer to make it to this happy moment.

winter knitting

"After supper they went into the sitting-room. It was warm enough to do without a fire and they settled themselves in the bay window, with a table between them for Lutkin's knitting..."

Landscape inn Sunlight

Elizabeth Fair

Back in early October I began a knitting project with the zeal that any new pattern and yarn summons after a planned visit to a yarn store.  The weather was graciously moderate as Octobers always are in our southern climate and winter calling as only a future impression of mindful preparedness. There were several things that drew me to choosing this pattern,  a simple enough pattern yet  including a 38 stitch cable band with a 32 row repeat.

For me this translates into a project that doesn't work as as carry-along project, but instead it requires having a pattern board at hand, and close attention to my knitting. This makes for a perfect match as my husband and I decided to pull out our BBC DVD's of All Creatures Great and Small.  The last time we watched this wonderful series was during the winter of 2014, and these absolutely well-done movies (1980 TV series) have proven as delightful as always. The wrap has been growing alarmingly long, it blankets my legs as I knit which is certainly an added bonus on cool evenings. I've knitted the (76 1/2  inch) length and now all that is needed is the addition of the side band.

I certainly am not a fair predictor of the spring weather, yet I do know there have been wintry March days, and with the hope of wearing this wrap in 2020 I can hold onto the remembrance of another  knitting project that allowed a late winter/early spring adornment. Joy!