at home, this week

Continuing on being in the home remaining busy truly looks no different to me on any given day. I have been doing the same things I always do without any hardship on my part, whatsoever.

READING:
Glad to report I did finish another novel on my 2020 Reading Challenge. With several books being read at the same time I must admit it gives a little high to have one I can check off the list. I did do a brief review on this book on Goodreads if you are interested. I first heard of this book from Gretchen.

FERMENTING:
I have blogged previously on how how I brew  kombucha. I have been doing it long enough to have preferences of how I like to drink it that ring strong. I have discovered I prefer my kombucha ice cold, which is a little bit off the scale from my usual beverage choice. I like to drink most things either hot, such as my morning coffee and teas throughout the day, or I drink everything else room temperature. In the cold winter months I do not drink kombucha. But come summer there is nothing quite like coming in from outside and pouring a large glass of ice cold Kombucha to quench your thirst. This huge scoby was way overdue to make a fresh batch. Most of this scoby was tossed onto the compost pile.

GARDENING:
I spent many hours saving and picking through my zinnia seeds to sow into the garden this year. Perhaps I am impatient, but I could not get rid of a niggling thought, "What if they do not come up?" So I went to the store and bought a few more packs to plant. It will be a zinnia feast or famine!

DANCING:
Breanna is enrolled in the classical ballet school that Charlotte has attended since she was five years old. Younger students definitely get the short end of the stick when it comes to Zoom classes, so Charlotte has taken on two students from one of the younger classes to do a weekly workout with a bit of a combination across the grass.

NATURE STUDYING:
Inviting Breanna to see the loveliness of nature, as if she needed to be invited, has been so much fun. I never want to stop having eyes of wonder to observe all I can and then to encourage and share this love. This particular afternoon we spotted a friendly Skipper flitting in the garden and we even had the extra joy of  moments of it landing on us! I believe this one is a Red Admiral...

GRANDMOTHERING:
One of the bonuses of the closing of schools has been having Breanna stay with me one full day a week. She attends a Christian school which has been sending schoolwork and I assist her with completing the daily lesson. But one of our most favorite times is curling on the sofa together, where Breanna makes sure she does not fall in the cracks between the cushions, and reading this book together. It is marvelous!

the last day of April

It is green and it is chilly today in comparison to what we have experienced for the past few days. The soaring winds had joined in with the incoming storm during those wee hours of the early morning, I'd snuggled down deeper under the covers. 

All is cozy and calm in the brick house this morning. After breakfast,I prepared a spicy chicken soup and put it on to simmer and mixed the ingredients for a boule of einkorn bread, the levain having been made last night. And since I was on a cooking roll, I continued on with a spaghetti sauce to which I will add meatballs for our evening's meal.

 I keep an active sourdough starter. I love it. Yes, you heard me right I love my sourdough starter. 

And apparently since active dry yeast has been added to the list of things that are no longer on the grocery store shelves or even online shopping, then my sourdough starter had become still more precious to this bread baker.

Here is some good reading explaining leavens and starters if you are interested. Enjoy!

Please allow me the curtesy of explaining about this totally unrelated photo as I did not really have an very good picture to share. I was going through some of my photos and I found this one of George sitting on our back stairs that we were in the process of painting. I can see Charlotte's pencil marks and a blue sticker of where her and her friend Eli were adding the bees with their flying pathways.

Sunday Dinner

"One of the most amazing revelations of God comes when we learn that it is in the commonplace things that the Deity of Jesus Christ is realized.

~Oswald Chambers

After church service our family partakes in what we call Sunday Dinner at my house. Yes, the numbers are smaller these days as just the three of us are gathered at one end of the dining room table, but when eating a meal in the more formal dining room a  special touch is added to this very significant day, the LORD's Day. Today, a Sunday in late April, we did not pull out the best china or crystal as we do on some Sundays. But we did light the candles and this beautiful music was playing in the background.

And it is surely time to expand the numbers around my table and share memorable times with others...soon, very soon!

War time Kitchen and Garden

If you are looking for something to give perspective of tough times while also learning about a particular time in history, may I give a hearty recommendation for BBC's Wartime Kitchen and Garden. We watched a daily episode during lunch as part of Charlotte's history study of WWII. These eight episodes enact cooking, preserving, and rationing as well as the huge task of providing food through gardening for the citizens and the military forces in Great Britain from the onset of the war in September 1939 to May 1945. This was told from two people whom actually lived during that time, Ruth Mott, the cook, and Harry Dobson, the gardener. There are also live clips of the war and you even hear Winston Churchill on the radio. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

One of the things I learned from this series is that the government introduced a bread called the National Loaf in 1942 due to white flour shortages. Today I baked a loaf of Spelt flour loaf bread which is a very delicious bread loaf for sandwiches and toast.

the eyes to see wild treasures

There was a time, surely not that long ago, that one of my children would burst  through the back door, leaving it wide opened in a flurry of excitement, in their little clinched fist would be a small bunch of clover heads, buttercups and dandelion flowers. With beaming faces of joy I was handed these wild treasures. 

On this April day I did not have little hands to gather these wild treasures and bring them to me, so I picked my own. 

Relaxing

I drank a cup of ginger tea while on the glider, the old glider we found out in the woods years ago and dragged back to paint. It has been returned to gliding ever since, what it was created to do.The afternoon's sun was as a balm, affecting me in soul and body with its gift. Reminding me once again how each and every day is a gift to be enjoyed in its uniqueness.

 I have received many magazine subscriptions through the years and I have several containers of magazines to prove it. Let's just say I have a difficult time trashing old magazines. Currently, we receive magazine subscriptions to World, Our State, and Bee Culture; I have all but stopped the others except for one particular magazine, my personal favorite, Piecework. I love reading its informative articles  about the art and history of handiwork around the world.  

So on this day after my long walk, I was overjoyed to see the newest issue had been delivered right to my mailbox, and I had a moment to relax before beginning dinner.

An article on buttonholes especially piqued my interest since I actually do make my own buttonholes by hand and I would very much like to master this skill. This issue includes a buttonhole sampler you can make yourself. I am thinking perhaps I can convince my sewing group to take this on for a future project...

"I was thinking my stars that I'd learned to make nice buttonholes"

L. M.Alcott, Little Women

HHM

 It is past 8 o'clock on this Monday evening and I am just now sitting down to post on

Sandra's Happy Homemaker Monday. What with Ivy being here all week and the Holy Days celebration there was much to get caught up on this day.

The Weather : This morning while it was still dark, I heard the Warning Alerts go off on our phones...I must confess I did not immediately get up and check what was going on, I could hear the strong winds and heavy rains so I knew it was a rather vigorous storm. But what I did discover when I finally got up was a Tornado warning alert for my area, saying we were to take cover. Vigorous winds blew throughout the morning hours bringing warmth and clear skies creating a very pleasant day.

This Morning: I was missing Ivy. Every time I heard even a whisper of noise, I thought it was her coming down the stairs as she did each morning. I had to get out of bed early if I was to have any time alone before she would join me with her sleepy hair.  Most mornings I would get up around 5, so I was sleeping at least one hour less every night.

On my Mind: Older children. As hard as it during those busy, tiring days of infancy, toddlerhood, childhood and teenage years, there is a definite distinction that plays out with children that have grown up and left your home. It can be difficult and very straining to a mama's heart at times.

Breakfast: Served later than normal. My husband slept through the storm evidently and I did not waken him. But we did decide to prepare a full breakfast of sausage, eggs, grits and sourdough pancakes.

From my camera:  While I was putting the finishing touches on our Sunday Dinner yesterday, being Resurrection Day, Charlotte hid some plastic eggs allowing Ivy delight in finding them scattered throughout the green grass and gardens. 

Around the House: Quite a bit of putting up, especially all the books I pulled out from shelves and storage containers this week to read to Ivy. So much fun to read to children...of all ages!

Chores of the Week:  I am putting up my heavier sweaters and wool clothes. That means I am at the same time pulling out my warm weather seasonal clothes. Plans are to give a thorough cleaning to the cabinet under my kitchen sink this week too. 

To relax this week:

 🦋Baths, actually I came home from traveling to meet up with Rose last night and took a rather soothing one.

 🦋Drink tea. 

🦋Write and draw in one of my Notebooks. This particular one being a combination of a Calendar of Firsts, Commonplace, and Nature Study book.

🦋Long Walks

His Word: We are reading Joshua 24 as we are coming to the close of the Precepts study of Joshua and I continue to ponder how much we have learned in this study.

"Now fear the LORD and serve Him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve...

But as for me and my house we will serve the LORD." (v. 14-15)

This is the fourth year Charlotte along with four of her friends have gotten together weekly during the school year to complete a Precept Bible Study.

Celebrating the Resurrection of Christ

"For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures..."
                                   1 Corinthians 15:3

                             

"He is not here; He has risen". Luke 24:6

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