Joyful House Farms

Want to win a Happy Scrappy Quilt?

2009-11-30T16:58:00.002-05:00

Me, too!
I've long been contemplating reviving this old blog, and these ladies knew just the trick to entice me. The Long Ladies over at Marie-Madeline Studio have managed to pull me out of my long blog abandonment just because I'd love to win one of their quilts. Aren't they both lovely? Darla, by Tanya Whelan, is one of my favorite fabric lines of all times, and is full of the cheerful colors in our home. That's the fabric in the quilt on the left.
I have ordered fabric more than once from these lovely ladies. Their sweet spirit carries over into all they do, including their service and packaging. Visit their store and shop around. You'll find their prices to be very competitive for top-quality designer fabric lines. Be sure to follow their blog to find out about their frequent sales and giveaways, not to mention eye candy and inspiration. :)
And if I SHOULD be so fortunate as to win, you betcha I'll be showing you the sweetness here!

Red sky at morning

2008-11-14T07:59:00.006-05:00

Sailors take warning.
Red sky at night
Sailor's delight.

Well, I don't know much about sailors, but I enjoy a red sky in the morning just as much in the evening. This morning's was spectacular. It began low and deep, a dark band of burgundy just over the horizon, turning scarlet and magenta, flaming into crimson and orange, spilling through the window bathing my kitchen and sitting room with a tangerine hue. It blazed hot and pink, then just as quickly faded into the gray - a commonplace winter day with a magnificent introduction. What a fiery show - so easy to miss in it's brevity, but dazzling nonetheless.

As I enjoyed the salmon blush throughout my home, I pondered on the night it was chasing away with it's splendor. A restless one, for sure. Spent wondering what it was like for my grandma to be spending her first night face to face with her Savior. Spent wondering what it was like for my mother and grandpa to be spending their first night without Grandma.

I thought more on sunrises and sunsets - how we love to see them, even pursue them. Remembering evenings spent shivering on the beach, waiting, just so we could be there for the blazing display of the sunset. Seeing the flaming pinkness at dawn and being unable to hold back a "Hey, come look! Quick!"

What is it that makes them speak to us, beckon to us to watch, observe, until the last gleaming bits are gone? Is it not a foretaste, a little hint, a sweet taste of the glory of our precious Lord? A reminder of His majesty?

Of course I'm not the first one to think so. A quick search in my concordance produced others.

2 Samuel 23:4
he is like the light of morning at sunrise
on a cloudless morning,
like the brightness after rain
that brings the grass from the earth.

Habakkuk 3:4
His splendor was like the sunrise;
rays flashed from his hand,
where his power was hidden.

Is not Grandma now surrounded by His splendor? The eternal sunrise and sunset? The Alpha and Omega?

When we're dragged down by dreary gray days, or overcome by the darkness of night, God provides a beautiful reminder of His resplendent glory, and provides a precious hope of our future eternal home in brief moments - by the red and golden glow of sunrises and sunsets.

Oh, God, thank you that Grandma is with you. Thank you for the continual reminders of your goodness throughout nature. May I always have eyes to see the little glimpses of glory in the commonplace everyday.

Psalm 113:3
From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets,
the name of the LORD is to be praised.

Popcorn Balls

2008-11-12T09:17:00.003-05:00

Shortly before our marriage, I came across this recipe for popcorn balls in an old cookbook. Since then, it has provided many hours of fun memories with many different people. I remember as a child lingering by the gourmet popcorn stand in our mall longing after the enormous variety of flavors in enticing colors - and priced outstandingly beyond our frugal budget. Occasionally, a friend would share a bite or two with me. So you see why I was so delighted to find such a simple recipe. I could finally make my own - whatever flavor I desired, and eat to my heart's content! :)
Especially nice for making with a group of people you love, it's easy to turn out loads of balls with plenty to share for everyone - and with a very affordable price tag! In addition, these do make fun gifts wrapped up in a bit of wax paper and tied with ribbon. Plastic wrap may show off the colors better, but it also tears open more easily. They also make an appealing addition to a bake sale, particularly when made in team colors.

Popcorn Balls

16-18 cups of popped popcorn
1 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup sugar
1 pkg. gelatin (4 oz. size) any flavor

Put popcorn in large bowl or pan.
Mix corn syrup and sugar in saucepan; bring to boil.
Boil one minute. Remove from heat.
Stir in gelatin powder until disolved.
Pour over popcorn, stirring to coat popcorn.
Grease hands well.
As soon as it is cool enough to handle, form balls.

Tips:
* When making these with a group, we find it easier to designate jobs. Someone pops the corn, someone mixes the syrup, someone prepares the table and greases little hands, someone stirs the mixture, etc.
* The amount of popped corn you use is adjustable, depending on how heavily coated you like your popcorn.
* Before pouring on hot syrup, remove as many unpopped kernels as you can from your popped corn - makes for a nicer ball without hard kernels to break your teeth. :)
* Use a wooden spoon or utensil with a stiff handle to stir - and someone with muscles.
* We spread a couple of large sheets of wax paper on the table to place our shaped balls on where they continue cooling and hardening.
* We do not like to pack our balls too tightly. It's easier for little teeth to eat them if they are packed gently.
* One batch is not enough. :>

Bugs with long legs

2008-10-17T08:48:00.002-04:00

What is it with my fascination with bugs that have long legs? Perhaps it stems back to my childhood when I was taunted by the meanies. They called me Grasshopper, and if I happened to be wearing black tights under my dress, it was even worse - Spider. (At least they could have called me Cricket. They make beautiful music with their long legs.) There were other flattering names, as well. Like Skeleton. And Chicken Legs. But I digress. Back to bugs.
This long-legged beauty spent the better part of a day lurking in the morning glories on our front porch railing a couple of weeks ago. She patiently tolerated my intrusiveness, even turning to face the camera several times.

Fireproof

2008-09-26T12:42:00.002-04:00

Are you going to see it?

I am.

In preparation

2008-09-25T13:46:00.004-04:00

for shed moving day tomorrow, we've torn down more of the fence to allow the truck and trailer to maneuver the shed over it's new home. This morning, the kids and I worked more on leveling the site, rototilling it up, raking it, and then driving the van back and forth over top to pack it down. Earl and Isaiah took turns helping me "drive" the van, thrilled to learn how to shift from drive to reverse.

You can see the shed on the trailer in the driveway in this photo Isaiah took. A week and a half or so ago, Marty and a few other fun-loving men worked all day in the POURING rain to jack the shed up from it's former home, get it loaded and steady on the trailer, and pull it slowly down the road to our driveway - in the POURING rain. It was an adventure, I tell you.
The window you see on the back of the house there is the one above my kitchen sink. I love being able to look out and see where the kids are, and watch all our animals.

*An update on Marty's burns....He had another appt. this morning. Two fingers are doing well, and are slowly seeping the fluid from the blisters, which is good. It's better than bursting open which would increase chances of infection. The other two still have enormous blisters. We have to change the dressings on them twice a day, which Emma has enjoyed greatly.
Unfortunately, they are 3rd degree burns, which means more than likely he will never have feeling in the burned places. However, that does mean he has not had much pain since the evening he was burned. We are praising the Lord that the burns aren't directly on his fingertips or palms and that they are progressing nicely.

One year ago today

2008-09-24T14:29:00.006-04:00

Moments after birth.

A wonderful daddy.

Exquisite. A half hour old.

Joyful mama. Inquisitive siblings. An hour after birth.

That afternoon. Enjoying being together.

Happy birthday, Solly. We are dearly blessed to have you.

Branded

2008-09-23T07:06:00.003-04:00

Determined to STILL accomplish something yesterday while home sick from school, Marty planned his day with the kiddos.

1. Do animal chores.

2. Watch The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course with the kids. (Since everyone was sick, we actually brought our little tv out of the laundry room pantry shelf, and rented a few videos.) This one was rated 5*'s by our young'uns - a rare thing in this household! Since used ones are SO cheap, I'm pretty certain we will be owning this one soon.

3. Nicely stack the piles of boards from the chicken coop we tore down last week against the back of the barn. This was to be a special "training" session for the kids. Each one would be instructed on their particular aspect of the job, evaluated by Marty as to their willingness and diligence, and would be compensated accordingly. Emma had to sort the boards into like-size piles. Isaiah had to carry and stack the larger boards. Eli and Earl carried and stacked the smaller ones. It was an effective lesson, because a couple of the children were good hard workers and a couple were more lackadaisica l , and everyone saw that when Marty parceled out what they had earned.

4. Take it easy.

Later in the afternoon, Marty decided to burn a few of the useless boards. Unfortunately, he grabbed the wrong end of his metal poking stick. Knowing immediately it was not just a simple burn, he raced to the hose to douse his hand in water. The hose water was warm from lying in the sun, but he did manage to get cold water on it. I arrived home from the grocery store shortly after the injury. He came to the car and showed me, and I immediately had him go back to the sink and hold his hand under water. The main parts of the burn are across the insides of his first three fingers, and his thumb. I think his thumb actually has some charred skin. It's blistered pretty badly, and burned deeply. The pain was pretty intense if he tried to remove it from the water, so off to urgent care he went holding a bag of frozen peas. Emma and Isaiah went with him to help, and to learn about first aid for burns. Hey, if ya' gotta go, ya' might as well make it a field trip, right?
Afterwords, he called to let me know they were on their way to Kroger to pick up his prescriptions. He had turned down the injection for immediate pain relief they had offered him their at the clinic. If he had gotten it, he would have had to stay for observation, and I would have to come pick him up as he wouldn't have been allowed to drive. Naturally, that seemed like more of a hassle than it was worth, so he decided to wait until his prescription kicked in.
His wounds had been tended to and dressed, each digit's bandages covered with a stretchy sock to hold the bandages in place and provide further protection. Strict instructions were given to go to a burn clinic in less than 24 hours - either the one in Toledo, or the one in Detroit. His burns are significant enough, coupled with the location (his right hand), to require further care. I guess the concerns are with nerve damage, loss of sensation, and scarring closed.
Additionally, while driving to the pharmacy, he called to say he didn't think the car was running correctly. Yep, then he called me again, saying it wouldn't run, they were stranded at the pharmacy, can I please come pick them up, and to find the number for the towing place. So I ended up having to pick him up anyway!
Today we will find out more information when he visits the Henry Ford burn clinic in Detroit. It isn't too far from his school, and is also where he had his reconstructive face/head surgery after his accident in July.

Psalm 68:19 "Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens."

Philippians 4:19 "And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus."

Hebrews 10:23 "Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful."

Without great fanfare

2008-09-15T11:26:00.004-04:00

Here I am in this space again. I've been wanting to be here all along - taking photos I thought would be especially nice to share, composing post upon post upon post in my head, etc.
So I'm letting go of my perfectionistic tendencies. I don't have to have an exquisitely beautiful layout. I don't have to have perfectly photoshopped photos. I don't have to have the most riveting stories, nor the most facinating writing. Nor do I have to post EVERY single day. There can even be a grammatical error here and there. Right?!
I've always been slightly awed and intimidated by those bloggers that start out writing with a purpose statement for their blog and always stay within those parameters. Yikes! But upon more consideration, I've realized that my desire to blog can be broken down into 4 different reasons. Since I love lists, here you have it:

1. To capture the precious, oh, so fleeting moments of my days with my children. (Certainly a blog can't take nearly as much time or expense as a scrapbook for 5 children!)

2. To allow family and friends to keep up and stay connected to all the ins and outs of daily life here at Joyful House Farms.

3. To share the abundant blessings the Lord has bestowed upon me and the occasional thoughts of my heart regarding the life lessons I am learning along the way.

4. To have an outlet to share my creative endeavors and curious passions. (Cause, really, I just don't know too many people locally that get all giddy over the granny chic nature girl stuff I love so much. But I DO know that some family and friends new and old will, or at very least find it amusing.)

I've gone back through all my old posts from long ago, leaving only the ones I felt worth saving. If you happen to go back and read what I've left, you're bound to happen across some dead or broken links. Sorry 'bout that.

So, with that little bit of housekeeping, and this intro, I begin again.

P.S. That photo above is our home late Saturday afternoon as the rain began lifting.

The thing about blogging...

2007-03-29T08:02:00.000-04:00

...for me, at least, is that I seldom get to write about what matters most to me - my Savior, my family, homeschooling, Liberia, my abundance, and so on.

And that can be decieving.

I'm uncomfortable with the thought of somebody dropping in here and summing me up by the content of my blog, which for the most part, I consider rather superficial. I want my life to be a living testimony of the grace and love of Jesus Christ. And as I've said before, "I want what I write to be worth taking the time to read it - to be meaningful - to have some substance - to be interesting, entertaining, informative, convicting, inspiring, heartwrending, uplifting, encouraging."

Somehow, the posts that share my real heart are the ones that take the most time and energy to compose. It's easy to shoot off a post about something creative I've made, or show some lovely pictures. But, the posts that share my real heart are more likely the ones that would encourage, inspire, and minister to others. And, by writing my heart, it helps me solidify and organize my thoughts, and keep my focus on what's really important.
So, what I'm saying is that I'd really like to share more of my passions, my convictions, my dreams. I've been jotting lots of notes in my freedom journal. We'll see how it goes. I only have agonizingly and incredibly irrating slow dial up, and I'm only willing to take away a limited amount of time from "real life" to blog, if you know what I mean. :)
Any thoughts? Do you relate?

Homemaking Meme

2007-03-28T13:28:00.000-04:00

I've seen this on a couple of my favorite blogs, and traced it back to Sallie. Most of the time memes don't really thrill my soul, but this isn't your average meme - it's about homemaking, one of my favorite things!
And to be honest, it's got an idea brewing in the back of my mind for a meme of my own to create. Just what the world needs, right? Another meme!

Aprons – Y/N? If Y, what does your favorite look like?
YES! I love aprons. My favorite is vintage and handmade out of a red calico with white flowers. I took it from my home when I left to get married.

Baking – Favorite thing to bake
Bread. Nothing smells quite like freshly baked bread. And the satisfaction of knowing that you made it yourself with freshly ground whole wheat flour – unbeatable! Hmm....I’m getting the urge right now.

Clothesline – Y/N?
Yes, oh yes. But I go in spurts on how much I use it.

Donuts – Have you ever made them?
Yes! From scratch are wonderful, and also from refrigerator biscuits for a quick treat.

Every day – One homemaking thing you do every day
Dishes – Praise the Lord for my Grandmother! She arrived at my home just hours after the birth of my fourth baby, noticed the lack of a dishwasher, and decided to take matters into her own hands. Very shortly, she had purchased for me a portable dishwasher at a garage sale – my very favorite present ever!

Freezer – Do you have a separate deep freeze?
:( No. And I do miss it SO much. At this house we have no garage, basement, or electric in the barn. If I wanted to have one, it would have to be in my living room, unfortunately, and that just doesn’t work so well.

Garbage Disposal – Y/N?
Yes. I hate it, though. They are terrible for septics, which we have, and happen to scare the heebie jeebies out of me.

Handbook – What is your favorite homemaking resource?
Umm....that would be the internet, I suppose. I have a mennonite cookbook I refer to and of course the lovely red and white Betty Crocker cookbook. But mostly it’s the net for me!

Ironing – Love it or hate it? Or hate it but love the results?
Ironing? What’s ironing?
No, really. I only iron when I sew.

Junk drawer – Y/N? Where is it?
Yeah, a corner of the drawer that holds the ziplock baggies, plastic wrap, and wax paper.

Kitchen – Color and decorating scheme
Walls are a sage/spring green. Above the cabinets are an assortment of mostly red willow pieces and some red glassware pieces. Basically, it’s a cheery green and red and white.

Love – What is your favorite part of homemaking?
Using my creativity to make things pretty – adding my personality and uniqueness to my home. For example – having my collection of bird nests all over the place. Some people would think that messy and unsanitary. But, I LOVE it.

Mop – Y/N?
Mop? Rarely. Mostly spot clean on my hands and knees with a rag. Works better on our awfully cheap, white, and installed before we bought the home linoleum. But the kids think it’s great fun to take a spray bottle and rag to the floor. They do that for me occasionally.

Nylons – Wash by hand or in the washing machine?
Never wear them. Okay, MAYBE once a year. And I can’t remember washing them. I know it’s not by hand, so it must be in the machine.

Oven – Do you use the window or open the oven to check?
Door, definitely. My oven window is tinted and effectually useless.

Pizza – What do you put on yours?
Were I to make a pizza JUST FOR ME – it would probably have toppings like basil pesto, grilled chicken, and fresh tomatoes, or maybe alfredo sauce, spinach, grilled chicken, and fresh tomatoes. Gourmet all the way for me, please. Usually, I don’t care to eat much of traditional pizza – just occasionally.

Quiet – What do you do during the day when you get a quiet moment?
Sometimes read books, sometimes read blogs, sometimes catch a cat nap on the couch, maybe write some ideas into my freedom journal, sometimes catch up on housework. Quiet moments are infrequent and don't last too long around here. :)

Recipe card box – Y/N? What does it look like?
Nope. I use memory, creativity, a couple of cookbooks occasionally, and the net.

Style of house – What style is your house?
Small ranch. Taupe siding, small wooden front and back porches.

Tablecloths and napkins – Y/N?
No, I would enjoy using them more, but since we have a custom made table out of a door, most tablecloths don’t fit. But the primary reason is we use our table for everything – eating, school, playdough, making snacks, and so on. I like my wipe – off table for now. :)

Under the kitchen sink – Organized or toxic wasteland?
Organized, but definitely needs to be swept/wiped out.

Vacuum – How many times per week?
At least once, sometimes daily. Again, it seems to go in spurts about how frequently I do this. Shedding season does seem to influence it somewhat. Hee hee.

Wash – How many loads of laundry do you do per week?
Seems like a lot. I’ve never kept track of the weekly loads. But with 4 children under 8, you can imagine.

X’s – Do you keep a daily list of things to do that you cross off?
Yes, usually, especially if they are out of the ordinary things I generally do. I don't list everything - just the most important things so I don’t get sidetracked as easily.

Yard – Y/N? Who does what?
Yes, 5 wonderful acres. Marty does the mowing – he loves it. Occasionally, he’ll let me do it. It’s a rider, after all. We both garden (vegetable and flower) together, with the children. Planning the gardens is my specialty, and Marty helps with the muscle work and upkeep. We both love to be outdoors.

Zzz’s – What is your last homemaking task for the day before going to bed?
Preparing the kitchen table for my morning Bible reading time. That means I clean off the table, wipe it down, and set out my Bible, freedom journal, and My Utmost For His Highest devotional book, a cup for tea, and a candle and matches.
Then, I turn on the stove hood light – our night light for the house, lock the doors, prepare our bed, and make sure my water cup is filled on my nightstand. However, my 4 year old has taken over filling my water cup for me lately without me asking. Isn't that sweet?

First official Nature Study Walk

2007-03-13T14:21:00.000-04:00

Today is a smashingly gorgeous day with a targeted high of 68 degrees. (Can anyone tell me how to get the actual degree sign - the little circle?) And as rain is forecasted for tomorrow, we are definitely taking advantage of today. Chores and homeschooling were done in short order, aided by the fact that we've finished up one history section and I'm still figuring out what we're doing next.
The nature journals I promised the kids had been waiting on my craft table until the opportune moment.

I called them all back indoors and parceled out their new possessions. The three oldest received a sketchbook, a package of 24 watercolor pencils, and additional peach colored pencil (necessary if drawing Caucasian flesh tones), and a flat paint brush.

The youngest (poor kid) got an old notebook, some old colored pencils and crayons, and an old paintbrush. He was tickled. All these precious things were tucked into their own small backpacks, along with a plastic trash bag. We used the bags to sit on since the ground is quite wet.

I gave some minimal instructions:

"We'll go for a short walk and sit down somewhere. Each of us will look at the ground around us very carefully and choose something to draw. Then we'll draw it. If you wish to watercolor it, we'll paint over it with water when we come back inside. How grand our sketch is is not what's most important. What is most important is that we learn to observe what is around us."

And we traipsed off!

We ended up in the far corner of our pasture where the kids have used some old fencing and a tire to build a fort. Each did as instructed.

Emma chose to sketch a bush with old rose hips.

Isaiah worked intently on his drawing of leaves.

Eli happily drew a fish (?!) and a monster. Hmmm... Gotta work on this NATURE STUDY thing a little bit!

Earl scribbled for all of 12 seconds, then ran back to the trampoline. :) Hey, he's 2.

I won't show you my sketch for today cause it was lousy, but I will show you my sketch of our barn looking from the kitchen window on Saturday. I'm happy with it.

Nature Study: Keeping a Nature Journal

2007-03-07T13:50:00.001-05:00

This has long been a facinating topic for me. With the certainity of the approach of spring, the the motivation of this post, and my recent contemplation of what new supplies to purchase for our homeschool, I've pulled all our books pertaining to this subject off our library shelves, and have again become inspired to keep a nature journal.

I started browsing through them again and left them lying around in places where it would be easy for the little eyes in my house to spot them. The other day, my son was looking for something to occupy him during rest time that didn't involve a sword or hammer, so I handed him Keeping a Nature Journal by Clare Leslie/Charles Roth. Right away he asked for paper and crayons, and began to draw, copying illustrations from the book and adding his own elements. Soon, the two oldest were quarreling over the book, so I pulled out the entire stack of books and my watercolor pencils, and a stack of clean copy paper. They, on their own, got out a few of our field guides, and have been happily occupied at rest time for several days.

This morning, I shared with them the Secret of the Pencils - that they really are WATERCOLOR pencils. With them, you can achieve a watercolor painted look by brushing over your drawing with a lightly dampened pencil. Oh, my! The lightbulbs went on! "So that's how their pictures look all painterly!" exclaimed the six year old. We discussed the most frequently used different tools - pens, pencils, watercolors, colored pencils, and watercolor pencils.

So, for about 45 minutes this morning, we sat together on the living room floor drawing/painting butterflies and flowers from our field guide. (Did I mention that we woke up to a fresh, 4-5 inch layer of snow this morning?)

I have planned this week a trip to our favorite arts/crafts supply store to purchase 4 sketchbooks and a few decent paintbrushes. I've been looking online at purchasing some good quality colored pencils, and a set of watercolor paints because I think I can get better prices online.

My goal is to have at least one entry a week - that would be 4 per month. Then we could look back on an entire year of seasons and see how our entries have progressed. This compliments my decision to Celebrate a Year of Abundance. By observing more carefully the abundant, beautiful creation God has given us here on the abundance of land He has given us (5 acres) and by recording it into a nature journal, I hope to foster in my heart (and my children's) more gratitude, more worship, more joy towards my Saviour.

Here is the marvelous abundance of books I am delighted to call our own that pertain to the subject of nature study/keeping a nature journal.

1. Wild Days; Creating Discovery Journals by Karen Skidmore Rackliffe - a how-to book discussing the Charlotte Mason approach to nature notebooks by an author who homeschools her 7 children. Very practical suggestions for families beginning the joy of keeping a nature study journal.

2. In and Out of the Garden by Sara Midda - an inspirational example- "...garden lore painted in minute, jewel-like detail...Every page, including the text, has been hand painted...Dip into it for recipes, poems, proverbs, and garden thoughts..." (quote from dustjacket)

3. The County Diary of an Edwardian Lady by Edith Holden - an outstanding inspirational example of a nature journal kept over the course of a year, including magnificent watercolor paintings, poetry, folklore, and journaling. My favorite - incredibly inspiring. I want another copy to frame individual pages. Eventually, each of my children will own their own copy.

4. Sunflower Houses by Sharon Lovejoy (What a delicious last name, btw!) - an inspirational example - "A fetching primer on gardening for children, chockablock with botanical lore.." (quote by The Smithsonian) Illustrated throughout with the author's own simple and beautiful watercolors.

5. Pocketful of Pinecones by Karen Andreola - a how-to AND inspirational example - "..a teacher's guide to nature study cleverly disguised as a heartwarming story written in the form of a mother's diary. Woven into the story are more than 50 examples of what to look for on a nature walk, Latin names for the living things observed by the characters, study questions, nature poems and verses," and lovely illustrations. (Quote from back cover)

6. Keeping a Nature Journal by Clare Walker Leslie - a how-to AND inspirational example - "using the simple techniques in this book, anyone can learn how to start and keep and ongoing nature journal. Along the way you'll develop skills in observing, sketching, appreciating, and writing about life's beauty and mysteries." (Quote from back cover) - I like this one for it's how-to information, sketching exercises, and suggestions of what to include in a journal.

7. Mary Anne's Garden by Mary Anne McLean - an inspirational example - I'm shocked that Amazon does not contain really any info on this book - ?!?! - copyright 1987 - "From first bud to last bloom, all manner of growth is faithfully recorded in these poetic drawings. (70 full color pastel and 28 black and white drawings)" Included are her own handwritten "marginal notes, ideas born of the moment- part self-discovery, occasional ruminations on our role in nature, or whimsy." (quote from dustjacket)

Celebrating a Year of Abundance

2007-03-06T12:42:00.000-05:00

Funny how reading something someone else has written suddenly puts actual words to the thoughts that have been resonating around in your head.

Sallie over at A Gracious Home has written a little about Celebrating a Year of Abundance. (You have to scroll waaaaay down to read her entries plus there are links to others who are discussing the same thing.)
As you may have guessed, I’ve decided to do my own little focus on Celebrating a Year of Abundance. I’ll be sharing some posts in the spirit of the old quote,

“Use it up,

wear it out,

make it do,

or do without.”

With minimal brainstorming, these are some ways I plan to focus on the abundance I’ve been blessed with:

1. Listing my blessings - the abundance the Lord has given me
2. Enjoying, appreciating, and using what I already have
3. Remembering what others do NOT have
4. Sharing my abundance
5. Being a good steward of/not wasting my abundance
6. Exploring what the Bible has to say about abundance

Altered Ugly Picture

2007-02-06T16:39:00.000-05:00

This is my altered "ugly" picture.

(Why, oh, WHY didn't I take pictures of this process?)

For quite some time, I had an arty project idea in my head for a piece I wanted to hang above our kitchen table. I wanted a large, ornate, white frame to match the cottagy look we've got going. I set about pricing custom frames, and came back reeling. Gack! Have you priced frames lately? Well, it was WAAAAY outta my budget, so I used my 50% of coupon for an ugly piece of pre-framed artwork. The frame was an equally ugly gold, but had good bones and potential to be lovely spray painted white.

After taking it apart, both frames got their white bath. The matte was covered in pieces with a dotty scrapbook paper, and some floral bouquets from another paper were clipped out to put in the corners. I covered the artwork itself with a paper of fine stripes, and added the floral borders down the sides. The text was printed out on my hand-dyed paper, of which I never seem to have enough. I tore out the individual words, and glued them down. The red letters are chipboard letters intended for scrapbooking, and add an element of dimension. Putting it all together was somewhat tricky. In the original artwork, the inner frame went UNDER the matte. I wanted it to go over top in mine. It made it a bit bulky, but it worked. It now hangs over our kitchen table.

The cast iron scroll work piece hanging above was a multiple hook thingy in it's former life. I took a drill to the hooks, removed them, (If you look closely, you can see the screw holes at the bottom) spray painted it to match, and presto - a wonderful art topper!

The lovely little couple are our salt and pepper shakers. They kept my picture company as it sat on the table prior to being hung.

At first, I wasn't sure what I thought of the finished piece. I gave it a little time to grow on me, and now I'm rather fond of it. Definitely adds a great deal of cheerfulness to the room. :)

I AM CARA

2007-01-28T15:17:00.000-05:00

Although the construction dust is still flying about my blog, I just have to share this with you right away. One of my very favorite blog authors, Mary, (who will be listed in my links as soon as I get to it) is hosting a writing contest again. I immediately knew I had to participate, and this is my entry for the I AM poem. For the last three months, I have been working on the I AM FROM poem. When I put my perfectionism aside (see below) and finish it up, I will give both poems as gifts to my parents. (I am proud to say that this I AM poem only took me 2 days!)
I know my readership is probably down to 1 (my husband) since I haven't been posting, but if you do happen to stop in, please let me know you were here, and also - would you be so kind to visit Mary's fabulous blog and let her know in her comments that I sent you? She's awarding BOOKS as prizes and your comment could help me win one!!

If you'd like to write your own "I AM....." poem, the template I used can be found HERE.

I AM CARA

I am the long awaited first child born in Kosciusko to a missionary kid turned professor and his student turned professor who’s earliest recollection is the face of my father peeking tearfully through the window of the X-ray room because it was his fault my ankle was crushed in the spokes of the bicycle we were riding together.

I am the child who played Authors and Rook and pretended the crumbly, sparkly shale in the backyard was pixie dust and enabled me, the “maiden in distress,” to fly away from the boys of the neighborhood who were the “evil kidnappers.”
Who loved reading and crafting and all the little bits of nature – nests, snails, tadpoles, stones, and such.
Who stored in my treasure box many lost teeth, the little bits of nature, and a prized gift from a young girl visiting from China – a teeny, hand-woven basket.
Who dreamed of having horses, was crushed to discover a horrible allergy to them, and was surprised and delighted to find I would completely love owning a small flock of sheep.

I am the teenager who spent my idyllic summers splashing about in the creek and visiting my missionary relatives in Brazil.
Who wore skirts and no shoes and loved singing and hated the trumpet.
Who picked armloads of peonies and mulberries from the college and then proudly walked home carrying them in my arms.
Who dreamed of serving in third-world countries and knew I would experience a great loss someday.
I am the young lady who “stole” my mother’s vintage, handmade, red apron, and grammar handbooks and my father’s field guides, poetry books, and dictionary when I left to make my own home and library.

I am the woman who suddenly felt experienced beyond my years at 24 years old while picking flowers to put on the grave of my beautiful, stillborn daughter.
Who loves my Savior, my husband, and my children more than the mere tools of words could ever communicate.
I am the mother who loves nursing and would be heartbroken were I unable to do so and whose moments of perfect bliss come when I can be close enough to smell the sweet, milky breath of my perfectly satiated, yawning babe.
I am the Homeschooling Momma of 8 children – 4 on earth, 3 in Heaven, and 1 in the womb, who has far more ideas for artistic and creative projects that can ever humanly be completed, avoids cleaning the floors around the toilets, and who makes lists to keep track of my lists.

I am the woman who is traditional, yet unconventional, extroverted, but shy, visionary while reflective, intellectually curious, passionate, and complex.
I am the woman who yearns for discipline and routine and then decides to throw a perfectly planned schedule to the wind and do something spontaneous – for better or worse. I am the woman who is learning to not let perfectionism steal the joy of completing or attempting a project. I am the Writer who writes pages upon pages in my head, but never seems to get them down on the keyboard. I am the woman who STILL loves bare feet, creek splashing, and all the little bits of nature, and never feels the need to iron any clothes – only sewing projects.
Who still longs to learn sign language, to play the piano, and to become fluent in another language.
Who still dreams of serving in a third-world country.
I am the person who dreams of dark-skinned, curly haired youngsters – my children across the sea – not of my womb, but of my heart - and adoption and oodles of children and is oh, so grateful for a husband who shares the same dreams and who hopes to fill the remaining spots in our 15 passenger van as quickly as the Lord provides.
I am the Lady yearning to be filled with the fruits of the Spirit and to live a life that reflects the Love of the One who gave His life for me.

edited 2-12-07

Kind of Special

2006-11-13T10:46:00.000-05:00

This was interesting. There are lots of people with my first name, and lots of people with my last name, but it seems that I am the ONLY one with the combination of my first and last name. Hmmm....

HowManyOfMe.com

There is:
1
person with my name
in the U.S.A.

How many have your name?

Are you right or left brained?

2006-10-17T11:21:00.000-04:00

You Are 40% Left Brained, 60% Right Brained

The left side of your brain controls verbal ability, attention to detail, and reasoning.
Left brained people are good at communication and persuading others.
If you're left brained, you are likely good at math and logic.
Your left brain prefers dogs, reading, and quiet.

The right side of your brain is all about creativity and flexibility.
Daring and intuitive, right brained people see the world in their unique way.
If you're right brained, you likely have a talent for creative writing and art.
Your right brain prefers day dreaming, philosophy, and sports.

Are You Right or Left Brained?

A walk in the meadow

2006-10-11T12:38:00.000-04:00

Monday, my children and I enjoyed a walk in the meadow. Here is a sampling of what a careful observer could experience. I am grateful for the great beauty the Lord has given our family to enjoy.

The fuzzy leaves of a mullein basal rosette.

The faded petals of Queen Anne's Lace fold up to form a cup shape, hence earning its lesser known name, Bird's Nest.

These berry branches keep the birds busy well into winter.

A fuzzy stem of grass.

A perfect dandelion.

A Mexican sunflower

The pollen-laden legs of a busy honeybee.

A sunflower head heavy with seeds.

A glimpse of a portion of our changing meadow.

Potato, Leek, and Kale soup

2006-10-11T10:21:00.000-04:00

Perfect for sharing around the table on a dreary evening, this soup is thick, hearty, easy, and absolutely scrumptious. Trust me, you need to try it.
Although we LOVE bacon, we rarely indulge in it. This recipe we can eat without guilt, however. HOW can you feel guilty when eating KALE?!
Make sure you make enough for leftovers. They are even better. Oh, be sure to use your largest skillet, too.

- 8 potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 3 leeks, thinly sliced
- 1 bunch kale, ribs removed, and cut into bite size pieces (I do this by cutting out the ribs with kitchen scissors, taking a large handful, and snipping off little bits into a bowl)
- 1 pound bacon
- 5 cups chicken broth

In a large stockpot, boil cubed potatoes in chicken broth until tender.
Meanwhile, cook bacon in your largest skillet over medium high heat until crispy.
Remove bacon, reserving 3 Tablespoons grease, and set aside.
Sautee the chopped kale and leeks in the bacon grease for 8-10 minutes. Your skillet will be VERY full, but it will reduce in size after a few minutes.
Mash a few potato chunks against the side of the pan with your spoon to thicken the broth.
Crunch bacon into small pieces between 2 paper towels. (Or you could snip into small pieces before cooking.)
Stir bacon, kale, and leeks into potato/broth mixture.
Serve piping hot with crusty rolls, and a delicious salad.

Optional: If you happen to have heavy cream on hand, adding up to one cup at the very end makes it deliciously creamy. If you do not have it, do not fret! It is scrumptious either way!

Sunday School Chair

2006-10-07T15:36:00.000-04:00

This little chair is the most used piece of furniture in our home, I think. It is dragged everywhere by everybody and used for most any purpose. Frequently, it helps little ones reach the chocolate chip cookie dough on the counter. Sometimes, it attends tea parties. On more than one occasion, it has been the host of a great and mighty hunter lying wait in his deer stand.
Last week, it received a new coat of paint.

Marty's grandfather was given all the old and broken Sunday School chairs when his church purchased new furniture. He combined the broken pieces into "new" chairs and gave one to all his grandchildren. How we love it!

Queen Anne's lace

2006-10-07T15:25:00.000-04:00

We're still enjoying the very last blossoms from the meadow behind our home.

Stick bug

2006-10-06T20:14:00.000-04:00

Last Wednesday night as I was leaving worship team practice, a fellow team member brought me this stick bug he found on his car. Somehow, my reputation must have preceded me, and he knew my children and I would enjoy studying it a bit. It rode home with me in Marty's lunchbox, and spent the night on the counter in a canning jar.

The next morning, after the kids awoke and noticed the jar, we released it on our deck, took many photos, and watched a while. I realize that not many are nearly as interested in bugs as we are, but bear with us.

As we were watching our photos as a slide show on our computer, Isaiah, my tender 6 year old, didn't like this one. He said it was "too scary."

I was trying to take these super close-up shots while it was walking on my deck. Plus, it was chilly and I was shivering, so unfortunately, this last photo is not really in focus. However, it does show how the little thingies underneath it's chin open up and move around - kind of like fingers.

You know, some people keep these "Walking Stick Bugs" as pets. No, we didn't keep it. It stayed on our deck railing 'till midafternoon, then disappeared. But if YOU are curious, click the title of this post to take you to a page full of interesting tidbits about stick bugs.

So proud

2006-10-06T15:56:00.000-04:00

is what I am of my 6 year old son. And what he is of the little "shed" he built last week with scraps of his daddy's lumber.

He gathered various scrap pieces, put them in their places, and nailed them all together. Then he added some scrap shingles.

After gathering just the right board and hinges for the door, he begged a bit of help from Daddy, and then proudly posed for picture of the finished building.

Sitting here with his own little shed in front of the latest shed my husband built is our little carpenter in the making.

Mmmm, he is a lovely gift from Heaven.

Pokers

2006-09-28T09:07:00.000-04:00

These are NOT pretty little things.

Nope, these monstrous looking things are a frequent affliction to our family. Roughly the size of a very plump pea, they reside in our yard, especially in areas that were alfalfa fields long before we lived here.
Our poor, sweet dog brings them in on her coat, and unbeknownst to us, pull them off and leaves them on the carpet - just waiting for our footsies.
This particular one I pulled out of the bottom of my foot - you know that soft spot between the ball of your foot and heel? Yeah, right there. Ouch. They stick in and you literally have to PULL them out - and hopefully not have it stick in your fingers as you're pulling. Pliers and tweezers are our friends.
We thought when we first moved here we would eventually get rid of them by mowing regularly. No such luck. Tenacious little weeds, they decided just to hunker down and grow low along the ground instead of the high leggy plants they formerly were.
I do not know their technical name, nor do I really care to know.
"Pokers" suffices for us.
My two year old has learned to wear his shoes EVERY time he goes outside, though. Pokers have been much more successful at teaching him that than I ever could!

Earl at lunch

2006-09-27T07:43:00.000-04:00

One of the reasons this picture warms my heart so much is because of how rascally this sweet little boy of mine is. :)

On my window sill

2006-09-26T15:56:00.000-04:00

I love this tiny bottle that holds the precious flowers my children bring me. We are savoring every last one of the season.

I have the most wonderful family in the world - a personal post

2006-06-20T08:17:00.000-04:00

So I had that tooth surgery yesterday morning, remember? Well, yesterday evening, I decided to go watch my husband's softball game like I usually do. Well, although I felt fine at the game, I think it was too much activity and talking, cause I felt AWFUL on the way home. I walked in the house and went straight to bed. My daughter, Emma, held my hand on the way home to help me feel better, and came in the house hot on my heels - all concerned, giving me lots of hugs and kisses, and asking how she could help me. She got me all tucked into bed, heated up my hotsock for me (a long tube sock filled with flax seeds that we heat in the microwave and use like a heating pad - I LOVE IT) since I strangely had the shivers, even though it was nearly 80 degrees. Then she and Marty helped the boys get their evening snacks/supper since I hadn't really fixed supper. In a while, she came in with a very soft snack for me to eat because it was time to take my medicine again and it makes me really queasy. What a dear.
My one and a half year old, Earl, was happy as a clam and went around the house singing at the top of his lungs in his own little baby language. It is SO precious when he does that - justs puts his head back and lets it all flow out. He sang ALL evening.
Marty helped Isaiah, my 5 year old, look up jack knives on ebay, and just browsing through the listings entertained him for quite a while, and boy, did he have a lot to tell me about them later! :) Isaiah LOVES to learn, and he studies things very intently. Just by looking at the pictures he learned a lot.
And sweet Eli, my 3 year old, just played happily, laughed along with a Little Bear video (which he pronounces Yiddle Bear), and cuddled with Earl and Daddy in the lazyboy.
Marty just was a super daddy, like he always is. He got everybody fed, diapers changed, washed, and ready for bed, and played, and laughed, and loved on everyone.
I just lay in my bed listening to the happy, sweet sounds of my family, my heart full of love and joy, praising the Lord for the enormous blessings He has given me - FAR above what I deserve.
PS - I had a good night, slept well, and feel okay right now. Haven't even had my medicine yet - trying to hold off since it makes me feel very strange, queasy, and drowsy.

Completed charm

2006-06-15T14:14:00.000-04:00

Last night I finished soldering my anniversary charm and took some pics this morning to share with you.

In honor of my 10th anniversary

2006-06-14T13:38:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow, my husband, Marty, and I will celebrate 10 years of marriage! Gasp! It doesn't seem possible that time could have passed so quickly. He is my dear, true love, and our love is stronger and sweeter than ever. What a tremendous blessing the Lord has given me in him!
In honor of this event, I created two little pieces of art with a dual purpose in mind. I scanned them into my computer, reduced them, and am in the process of creating a little charm for a necklace for myself. I also plan to mount the original works on an ATC blank, and give them to Marty. He has several times dropped hints that he'd like me to make some ATC's for him, so here are the first two.

I plan to eventually make 9 cards for him so he can have an entire page full. When the charm and ATC's are completed, I'll post them. :)
Cara

Landscaping - one of my favorite art forms

2006-06-12T08:00:00.000-04:00

I spent nearly the entire last week out of state (in Ohio) helping my brother with a big landscaping job he had to do -quite a change from my stay-at-home-mom life. My children played with their cousins while I was working as the official "plant lady".
How I LOVE to "paint" with plants!
A yard is such a wonderful canvas! The dirt is the the base for the artwork. It can be pepared by removing sod, adding compost/manure to enrich and soften the soil. Oh, the delicious smell of good, fresh dirt - I love it!
Now, the great fun begins - the planning, shopping, and adding the lovely colors, textures, shapes, and bloom seasons of a variety of plants. Then, add an embellishment or two, or three, or more (a boulder, a statue, a sculpture, an edging, a trellis), and you have a lovely, ever changing work of art!
With plants I can express so many moods - here a bright, bold, and splashy corner, there a quiet, subdued, gentle, and contemplative little grove, here a stark, rigid space, there a soft, sweet, secluded romantic spot, etc.

I think landscaping is one of my most favorite art forms - certainly one of the ones I feel most comfortable with!
Oh, yeah, these photos are from my perennial beds.

Cara

Camera

2006-05-16T11:18:00.000-04:00

Unfortunately, our old camera went for an unexpected swim in a local marsh as we were feeding and photographing the swans. What an awful feeling to watch it sink and see the bubbles coming up - bloop, bloop, bloop. Groan.
After the initial horror, we took some time to think about how to replace it. Ebay, of course!
With a bit of patience, we were able to find a great deal on a camera exactly like the one we lost. Perfect! I know how to use it, it has all the features I want, and I didn't have to break my budget by spending money on features I don't really need/want. Finally, it arrived in the mail yesterday. Now I can get back to listing some things on ebay, take photos of my growing children, and gets lots of pics this weekend at my workshops!