Media and My Home Making

Today I am linking to Women Living Well and her article series entitled Media Monday.  Today's topic is Media and My Home Making.  Times have changed over the years.  Today women have so much more time to do things other than the cooking and cleaning it took our grandmothers all week to do.  But in these times that are saturated with media and technology, we often feel we don't have enough time!  Where does all the time we save with new inventions go? 

Some people may not make good use of their time.  They may spend to much of their days and nights involved in social media and blogging on the Internet, email, etc.  Maybe they like video games.  But there are many useful activities involving the Internet and technology that can save time and give you more time in your day if used wisely.

One item that comes to mind is price comparison.  We can all look at the sales papers on line to make our grocery lists and see who has bread the cheapest this week.  There are also blogs set up that even email the best deals of the week to your computer.  This beats going store to store or calling to check prices as my mother did in the past.  If I want, I can even order and have the groceries and other items delivered to my door.  Gas prices can be checked this way as well.  There are Internet sites that list the cheapest place to buy gas in your town.  That is one I need to start using!

News papers and magazines can be read on line, saving money and time.  Baby pictures can be viewed on your hospital's website.  If you are a parent, and are worried about your late teen or adult child who is not answering their cell phone at 2:00 am, in my town you can check the jail roll to see if by chance they were arrested (Heaven forbid!). 

As far as Home Making goes, menus can be planned on line, shopping lists printed out, and recipes searched out in short time.  E Books telling the quickest way to clean your home are available for your encouragement.  I can even sign up for emails to remind my to polish my sink!

One of my favorite home making tasks to do on line would be to plan vacations and Christmas shopping.  Both can be done with little or no effort.  Trips can be map-quested, cars or reservations made, restaurants picked, without leaving your desk chair.  Christmas gifts can be ordered without leaving your home.  Avoid the black Friday crowd and enjoy time with your family!

I get a lot of prayer requests on line in my email each day.  These come from several different groups or individuals.  If prayer is needed, it is so much easier today to reach many for prayer.  I think this is one of the best things the Internet can be used for.  I think that if the Proverbs woman were alive today, she would definitely use Internet prayer requests.

I will be the first to admit that I have to be careful not to get caught up in what the media has to offer, and lose track of time.  But there are many ways, if we are smart, that we can save time, and make more time for our families. 

Thanks for stopping by.  Honey

Saturday: Library Book Sale, Rain, and Errands

Today is Saturday, and it was pretty quiet around here.  Daughter #1 went to the rental trailer we purchased, and was laying tile on the floors.  It was her off day from the retail store she works at while going to college.  Daughter #2 was studying for her college finals next week with a study group.  Daughter #3 came over to help her Dad with some chores here at the farm.  The also went to the rental trailer to move some furniture.  We brought home two long credenzas, a wooden three shelf storage unit for our bathroom, and a glass hutch.  Still to come is an antique chest of drawers.  The previous owner went into a nursing home, and we bought the trailer "as is", previous owner's belongings, and all.

Grandboy is at the beach.  He called, but I wasn't home, so he spoke to Pappy.  He went to a dolphin show and told Pappy all about it.  He will be home Monday I think.  We miss him.

Our library has a book sale twice a year.  It is one of my favorite things to do.  There are thousands of books on tables, and you walk around the room in a line, one person behind the other.  You have to bring shopping bags to put your treasures in while you look.  All the books are a quarter!  The last sale I went to, I bought $25 worth of books.  When I got home, Pappy said, "Do you know that is 100 books?  What are you going to do with 100 books?"  I said, "I don't know.  I think I'll read them.  Maybe put them under the bed?"  We have books in every room in our house.  EVERY room.  Two years ago, when we finished homeschooling, I decided to list a lot of them on paperback swap.  That went well, I thought at first.  I had over 1,000 books listed.  And that was not including the ones I intended to keep.  I would mail out about 30 books a week.  But then I had all these credits, and I needed to pick more books, and it really didn't help much.  So I quit.  But I need to cull a few, and find a means to re-home them.  Today I only spent $5 at the library sale.  It probably helped that I waited till after lunch.  I missed the crowds and most of the books, I'm sure.

Today, while I was out running errands, it began to rain.  We need rain, so that was a blessing.  It helped cool things off a little bit too. 

Tomorrow our ad starts in the paper for the rental.  Pappy and the girls have been hard at work on it for a few weeks.  I hope the home  goes fast.  They usually aren't empty long.  But school starts here in two weeks, and that would really be a blessing for some one to take it the first weekend it is ready.  After school starts, I'm afraid the rental market is going to die down a little bit. 

Well, that about covers the excitement here today.  Hope your day was relaxing and Blessed!  Honey

This is the first view of our home as you come down our half mile long driveway.  Pappy is building a greenhouse.  You can see one of our clotheslines on the right.  The deck on the front of the house faces a 2 acre pond and a pasture.

Declutter of the Master Bedroom, Take 1

Before:  My room is the drop off point for all items unclaimed, broken, misplaced, etc.  If someone doesn't want it or need it, it ends up in front of my closet.  If we are having company, the "quick pick up" items are thrown in there too.

I had planned to clean out our master bedroom in January.  Well, I just got a minute to breath, looked at the calendar, and it is July!  I guess I'm a little late with this goal. 

So, last week end, I got up on Saturday, and decided "today is the day"  I planned to work about an hour, then come back another day.  But things really came together, and I made a lot of progress.  I worked about three hours, and cleared out the following:  3 bags of trash, two empty boxes, 20 pairs of shoes, two bags of donations, and some large baby items to go to the consignment sale. 

My Grandboy came in my room Sunday, looked around for his Papa, and said, "Look Honey, you cleaned up your mess!"  So sweet that he noticed!  Everyone else thought it was hilarious!  Here is the after shot.

I know I'm not completely there yet, but you can see a lot of progress was made.  Grandboy appreciates me and my hard work.  But I think he was really excited because now he can get to my shoes to try on the high heels!

Maybe by Christmas, my room will look like a magazine photo, and my husband and I will enjoy being able to spend more time in here.  At least we don't have to tiptoe around in the dark, hoping we don't step on something.  We are possibly having company this week, so now the push is on!  I'll keep you posted.  Thanks for stopping by!  Honey

I linked my post to A Slob Comes Clean

Frumpy to Fabulous

At The Modest Mom, this week she has been writing daily about "Frumpy to Fabulous".  Going from frumpy to fabulous for our husbands.  One thing I did this week was color my hair.  I am 47 years old.  I have very dark, long hair.  My husband has been wishing for the last year or two that I would start coloring my hair to hide the "gray".  Women would tell me they loved my hair, that the gray was only in front, like highlights.  But to Pappy, it was a reminder that we are getting older, I guess.  So I colored my hair last weekend.

I liked how it turned out.  The color was not noticeably different from my own color.  It went really well, and I'll definitely do it again.

I have, this year, gone completely to wearing skirts or dresses.  So I have made a big effort to try to look nice and put together for my husband.  I was afraid he would not like this change, but he has not complained a bit.  As a matter of fact, he has told me several times how nice I look.  Maybe soon I will share pictures.  But today is not a good day for that. The picture below is from Easter Sunday.  Grandboy was so happy to have a photo with his Honey.  I have on my purple gingham apron and a white skirt.  Grandboy has my skirt bunched up, so you'll have to overlook that! 

Thanks, Modest Mom, for encouraging us to take a closer look at our outer appearance, the one we put on for our husbands. 

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Our Pear Harvest

Pears.  I just love pears.  I never actually ate a fresh pear till I was in high school.  But I remember loving them.  In the yard of the house we used to live in, that we still rent out, there is a huge pear tree.  It has the best pears.  Some years there are lots, and some years not so many.  But each year we pick them, and "put them up" to eat the rest of  the year.  I can pears, make pear preserves, and have even tried some pear sauce. 

So Pappy has been keeping an eye on the pears for me.  We used to pick them in September, but it seems like the last few years, it is closer to August when we pick them.  Pappy brought me a small berry bucket of pears last week so I could see how they were coming along.  He said they would be ready this week.  Today Pappy went by the rent house to pick pears.  You should understand that we only rent the house out at that location, the pasture and rest of the yard are fenced, and do not belong to the tenant for use.  So Pappy went today prepared to pick pears.  But they were all gone.  Every last one of them.  So this is all the pear harvest this year. 

We are sad about the loss of our pears.  Even the years that the pears have bugs or are not real big, we pick them and give them to the goats and cows.  We always pick the pears.  But this year someone beat us there. 

Open Heart Open Home - Chapters 9 and 10

I was unable to post yesterday because I had to be with one of my daughters away from home during an emergency.  So I am going to link to this post at The Common Room today.  Chapter 9 is about making your church family feel like "family".  We have always been close to others in the congregations we attended.  At the church we attend now, we usually have several children who come to church without adult family.They often sit with us in our pew.  When I was a child, I went to church on a bus, and sat with other people's families.  So I guess it is important to me that children in a similar situation feel invited, included, wanted, and important.  One little girl always sits with us, because she loves my Daughter #1.  The other children come and go, week to week.  One of the girls sits between my husband and I quite a bit! 

When there are covered dish meals, we always try to take plenty to share, and invite others to stay and eat with us.  We also bring dishes to share with older members during the holidays.

When my girls were small, I had a card ministry of sorts.  I sent greeting cards to everyone who needed one.  Birthdays, anniversaries, visitors, get well, etc.  People commented that they always knew they would get a card from us.  This was something that I could do at home with three babies. That and pray.  When the girls were a little older, I would let them decorate the cards, and I would do the writing inside.  This was pretty popular with everyone.  We kept a white board in our kitchen.  If the girls heard of someone who needed prayer, they would tell me and we would write them on our white board prayer list.  The girls were very good about remember people who needed prayers.

Once a year or so, we would have a prayer night at our home for teens, or a picnic in the fall on our farm.  I tried to do "social" type events at our home, because Pappy isn't a believer, and I didn't want him to be uncomfortable.  He has met a lot of our church members this way over the years.

We have taken meals to sick and shut- ins, driven people to doctor appointments, visited the elderly, changed surgical dressings, taken people to the grocery store, sung at funerals, and I'm sure there are other ways we have let the members of our church congregation know we view them as family. 

Now my girls are grown, and my Grandboy goes with us to serve others. 

The question I always wonder about is, do the church members view us as "family"?

Our Pigeons Come Home to Roost

When we first moved to the farm, my husband LOVED it.  Each day I would go to work, and when I got home, my husband would have a new farm animal to show me.  The very first thing we got was ducks.  My husband told me to buy a pair of ducks.  Well, someone at church had a pair they said I could pick up.  So I went to get them.  These ducks were called Muscoveys.  They are large ducks, very friendly, and quiet.  I brought them home, and my husband said they were the ugliest ducks he'd ever seen!  They were large and black.  Not your typical fairy tale duck.  They have read warts on their beaks.  Any way, that was a funny story that we remember still.  From then on, he picked out his own animals. 

Now he is experimenting with pigeons.  We go to lots of trade days, or flea markets.  The last one we went to, we got baby ducks, a turkey I think, some silkies, and two sets of pigeons.  My husband put each pair in a separate cage in different areas of the yard.  He feeds them each day and speaks to them.  He did this about a month.  This week he let one set go.  At dark, they came back to their little cage!  Each morning he lets the pigeons out.  They fly around the yard, darting up and down happily.  Most of the day, they roost in a pine tree in our yard.  At dark they fly into their cage and roost for the night.  Now we are waiting for them to start sitting their eggs so we can have baby pigeons.

Bible in 90 Days - Check-in 3

Tonight was our third Bible in 90 Days check in.  About half my group have checked in , and I am so grateful for their continued reading and support.  I have had 5 withdraw at this time.  For what ever reason, this program was not working for them at this point in their life.  Maybe the next time we start it will be right for them.  Or maybe they wish to read at a slower pace.  We don't all have to do everything the same, as long as we are all headed to the same goal.  I hope that goal is a closer walk with our Lord. 

It means so much to me to see so many women, from different walks and stages of life, come together to read God's word and to praise Him.  To support each other, pray for each other, offer what ever they can to help another toward this shared goal.  That is as life should be.

But during the days we are not involved in Bible in 90 Days, do we notice when someone needs an encouraging word or prayer?  Do we look for ways to mentor and lead others to Christ?  I know I am no different than anyone else.  But maybe these are things we should look at and ponder in our hearts.

I am really enjoying this time with the other ladies (and some gentlemen).  But I know before we know it will be over again.  Another successful group of women now familiar with the complete Bible.  So I guess all I can do is enjoy this time we have together, and savor what this session has to teach me!  Honey

Media and Our Parenting

Hi!  Welcome to my blog where today I am linking to Women Living Well for Media Monday.  Today we are discussing Media and Our Parenting.  This is such a big topic in today's life.  I know twenty years ago when my husband and I started parenting, many things were not even an item that are SO important now.  My children are all adults now.  When they were little I didn't have an IPad.  But I do have a Blackberry now.  We text and stay in contact a lot with tweets, emails and photos going back and forth.

Cell phones are probably one of the biggest concerns under this topic.  Kids start carrying cell phones at very young ages now.  I know children who have had them at 8!  I know and understand that it is very important to be able to reach your children, and for them to be able to reach you.  I think it would be wonderful to be able to get a phone where the only number that could be called were ones that were programmed in.  That way your child could only dial a parent, or someone else you authorized.  This probably already exists, and I am unaware because I don't have that need anymore.  But I think that would be a good tool to control cell phone use in small children.  Back before all cell phones could get free texting, our daughter was being "bullied" by some other girls through cell phone usage.  They texted her line so many times, our cell phone bill was Fed Xed to us in a box, and was over $1,800 for the month!  The company understood that we did not use texting before that bill, and numerous people were texting each an every minute for a couple of days.  The bill was reduced and our children lost their cell phones. 

I feel that children should not have Myspace or Facebook accounts.  But many will any way.  My daughter, today is 22 years old.  So the story I am going to share is not about keeping young children away from technology.  This is about not realizing that something can happen in your family.  Our daughter befriended a male on Facebook.  She did not know him, but he was already friends with her cousin and her twin sister.  None of the three girls actually knew him, it just appeared someone knew him.   He was from out of town, actually out of state.  He never said much on my daughter's page, occasionally commenting on a photo, etc.  She never commented back to him.  In April, where we live in Alabama experienced tornadoes.  Our whole county was without electricity for over a week.  This young man did not see my daughter on the Internet for over a week.  We did not know that he thought he and my daughter had a relationship of some sort.  He got in his car, and drove 16 hours to get to the town my daughter works in.  She had on her facebook page the name of the business where she works, and he was able to guess what town she was in from googling her name.  He rented a motel room for a week and made plans to see my daughter and see what developed from there.  He walked in my daughter's place of business and introduced himself.  He said he could tell the future and he knew she would not be in Alabama much longer.  She called me, I called the police, and the story goes on.  He was in town for a week.  Any time he made physical contact with my daughter the police were called and reports were made.  When she started avoiding him, he started contacting other family members and voicing concern over not being able to get in touch with our daughter.  He was so nice people were answering him!  I had to ask everyone not to answer him because he was a stalker.  What if my daughter had not had family to support her?  What if he had been able to make his first contact with her when she was alone?  The outcome may not have been what we would want.  I hate to think about it.  We never think these things will happen to our family.  My daughter was certainly old enough to chose to be on Facebook.  She didn't think she put enough person information on the Internet for there to be a problem, but she was wrong.  Check what your children are doing and be aware.

I found out when my daughters went to a Private/Home school, that there are Christian social pages available.  A couple I remember were Christian.org, and Lifespace.  I sure there are others, and this might be something you'd like to look at closer.

One other thing I would like to share from past history.  I had a reason once to "google" my child's name.  I was surprised at what showed up posted on another child's social page about my daughter (different daughter).  So sometime try that.  It may not be your child doing the posting, but the information could still lead down a dangerous path.

Computers take a lot of time away from our families.  Whether it is the parent or child using them.  I think families that I have know who were most successful in controlling what there children did on the computer, kept the computers in a public place in their home.  We never had more that one when our children were small, but today, I think I would do that.

I think limits on TV time as well as video games should control any problems or abuse of these items.  What your child watches should also be open to discussion and review.  Just this weekend some children from church stayed overnight.  The 9 year old girl kept talking about and wanting to watch 16 and Pregnant and Teen Moms.  I said the girl was too young to watch such a show and we didn't watch those at our house.  She said, "why not?"  I said it was a trashy show and she didn't need to spend time watching something like that.  I felt like I was putting my foot in my mouth, and should really not be having this discussion.  Later she and her 11 year old sister came into the room my husband and I were in.  The History Channel was on that television.  Her sister said, "Ya'll watch shows like that?"  and her younger sister said "yes, they are Christians".  I don't know what they watch at home.  It was a very odd conversation, and very unsettling to me.

It might be a good idea to have your child's email passwords so you can check their account usage.  I do think that being able to email and text your child could lead to discussing things the child may not want to talk to you about face to face. 

It is obvious Media will only become a bigger problem in the future.  This is a subject we need to stay aware of and continue to monitor to protect our families. 

Thanks for stopping by! 

Honey

Open Heart Open Home - Chapters 7 and 8

I'm sorry I am so late getting caught up on my reading.  Just been a busy week in my family, I guess.  In Karen Mains book Open Heart Open Home, Chapter 7 is entitled Tell Tale Marks.  I believe this chapter is mainly about being hospitable to those in our family, our children's friends, etc.  Although I believe we should treat our family as well as we do guests, I don't really consider this hospitality.  I also agree with her that sometimes we overlook opportunities to be hospitable to those we see often.  Such as neighborhood children.  When my girls were little, say 5 and 6, we carried an older neighborhood girl to church with us for a long time.  She was probably about 10.  I remember one Sunday she wouldn't behave in church.  I turned to her and whispered harshly, "do you want to go outside?"  Mind you, this in not my child, but someone else's.  I don't know what I thought I was going to do to her in the parking lot, but she was horrified.  She said "NO, NO!".  I was so embarrassed that I forgot who she was, and who I was more importantly.  But she settled down and everything was fine.  I guess I didn't treat her much like a guest.  But what she really wanted was to be treated like a member of our family.  So maybe it all worked out OK. 

Chapter 8 is entitled Welcome.  In this chapter it is discussed that life doesn't wait to start until you get married.  This is a good lesson.   We have opportunities to show hospitality at all stages in life.  I know where I used to go to church for many years, an elderly couple would have a fish fry each fall for the "widow women".  I thought it kind of odd at first, since they were still married.  But now I see what an honor and treat this was for all involved.  We should all look for opportunities that may easily be overlooked by the majorities.

Now I am caught up and ready to move on this week to chapters 9 and 10.  See you soon.

Honey

Spring Cleaning -- A Little Late

Today I worked in our master bedroom.  I don't know about everyone else's house, but in ours, it is the catch all.  If we are expecting company, things gets "stored" in Mom's room.  If you don't know what to do with something or where it goes, put it in Mom's room.  So today I had some time, and worked in there a couple of hours.  I will post photos soon and give details, but today I just want to share another cute story about Grandboy. 

Grandboy came over this afternoon.  He was looking for Papa and went into our bedroom.  He turned to me and said, "Aw, Honey!  You cleaned up your mess!"  At least he noticed.

A Kiss from the Grandboy

Grandboy spent the night with us Monday night.  When I was getting ready to go to work, he ran up to me and said, "I give you a kiss, Honey!"  He never kisses me goodbye, so I was surprised.  I bent down to his level, he took his paci out of his mounth, and gave me a big sloppy, wet kiss on the month.  I was trying not to be rude by wiping it off in his presence, when he said "Don't kiss Papa, Kay Honey?".   Cute!  That's my boy!

Can Someone Cut on The Lights?

Today I got off work, and knew that I had to pick up the Grandboy to take him to daycare.  I know it seems silly to make him go to daycare at 3:00 in the afternoon, but that is where his Mom wants to pick him up.  He knows when he stays with us he doesn't have to go to daycare.  So he loves to be on the farm.  Anyway, I was rushing to get home to do this, because I get off at 2:00.  (Until Monday, then my hours get cut, and I will get off at 12 noon.  But that is another story).  I stopped and met one of our tenants in a gas station parking lot to pick up her rent.  I had just started on my trip home, when Pappy called.  He said he would meet me at the hardware store with Grandboy.  So I adjusted my path, and headed that way.  When I got to the hardware store, I saw Grandboy and Pappy.  Grandboy got a Popsicle and we walked around while Pappy shopped.  Next, I took him to daycare.  Grandboy was not very happy, and wouldn't talk to me at the daycare.  I hope he is not still mad at me.  We'll see Sunday, I guess.

After I left the daycare and started running my usual errands, Pappy called.  He said our utilities were off.  We didn't have a good connection, so that was really all we said, but I pretty much panicked.  It was about 4 in the afternoon.  I didn't want us to be without electricity all night.  The heat index here is 105 degrees!

We live in the country, way off the road.  Our driveway is a half mile long!  If our electricity ever goes off we have to call and report it immediately because it may only be us that gets knocked out, and the utility company may not notice.  So I called to report the outage.  Sure enough it was just us. There had been lightening in the area, the electric company told me.  There was a truck in route.  So I, too,started to the farm.  If the truck got there before I did, and the problem was in our pasture, someone would have to help with directing repair men and cows.  This had happened before, at about 11:00 at night.  Most utility workers don't want to be that close to a bull in the dark!

After I got to the farm, we waited an hour for the repairmen.  The temperature rose 3 degrees, to 81.  When you live with well water, if the electricity is out, you don't have water.  So I was hoping the lights would be back on shortly.  In my head, I was thinking that I hadn't been to Lowe's to replace the water bottle in our kitchen dispenser since the tornadoes in April,  that we use for times like this.  I was thinking about what we would eat for dinner.  Would anyone notice if I didn't show up on the Internet tonight? 

The truck drove up.  Pappy heard it before it got to the house.  They brought the big truck, that is like standing next to an elephant or something.  They rolled down our long driveway, and came to a stop at the house.  The driver yelled out the window that we would have lights in just a few minutes.  I asked what happened, and they said lightening definitely hit the pole at the road, but they road back here to check for down lines before fixing it.  None were found, so they would make the repair.  In just a few minutes, the lights were back on, just as promised.  We had Jack's carryout for supper.  And I still got computer time!  What a day!

Cleaning out a Rental Home

Today I am going to tell you a little about the rental home business.  Pappy and I have had rental property for about 20 years.  When we first started we had three babies in diapers!  It's been a long time.  Recently we bought a mobile home from the gentleman I work for.  We will redo it, then sell it owner financed.  We bought it "as is"  and Pappy is in the process of reworking it.  Today I went by for a minute and it was largely improved.  It looks really nice.  I will try to have pictures this weekend.  In the kitchen, he painted the cabinets doors pale yellow.  Really lightened up the place.  I can tell he and our daughters have done a lot of work in there. 

We also have to "unload" the home.  Take out all the personal belongings that were left in the house by the previous tenant.  A couple of the items were things I had recently decided to look for.  I only shop second hand for the most part, and with a list.  So it takes a while sometimes to find what I am looking for.  When two items I was looking for show up "free"  I believe it is a God moment!  One of the items was a piano bench.  My husband brought it home to see if I wanted it, and it was perfect as a little desk or table for the Grandboy.  He can use it to eat in the office, or draw, etc.  We spend a lot of time in the office, and where we are, he is also.  So I was really pleased about this.  The second item was a floor lamp.  It is very nice, made from wrought iron.  I wanted it to go by my den chair and footstool.  I thought I'd like to start trying to do my Bible readings in there, but I knew the light wasn't good.  I also brought home a stacked set of white baskets that I put in our bathroom for storage, two sets of wind chimes, and shoots from a ground cover plant.  My daughter #1 brought me home a box of books.  Oh, I forgot.  I also brought home a china clock that worked when I changed the battery.  It stands about 8 inches tall.  It is pretty.

All in all, it was a nice afternoon treasure hunting, and I didn't spend a cent!  Well, unless you count what we paid for the trailer!

BIble in 90 Days - Check-in 2

This Bible in 90 Days session is going great!  This is the third time I've participated in B90 Days, and the second year I have mentored.  I am amazed at the comradery and excitement of this group of participants.  Everyone jumping in, giving advise and encouragement to each other.  It is a great environment and is encouraging to say the least.  There have been times in years past when I felt like a misfit.  When I felt close or noticed by only a few.  But this year is special.  I feel that there is a plan set in place by God, and we are all here to be a part of it, and see what great things are ahead.  I hope you are seeing this too, and feeling the same thing. 

More importantly, its not how close we become, but how close to God we end up!  God does want us to have Christ-like friends for encouragement and companionship.  Give this group of readers a chance.  You'll be surprised at what you may find.  But most important, just keep reading. 

If there is anyway I can help you, if you need prayer, encouragement, or advice.  Please let me know.  I'm a great prayer partner.  I talk to God so often He knows my voice!  Have a great week and keep reading. 

Selling Peacocks and Hair Cuts

Today was a busy day, and very very HOT!  This wasn't even one of the hottest days we've had so far, but it seemed so hot, all day long.  I feel like I'm melting.  But, this too shall pass!

Today we sold two baby peacocks.  The lady came from Cullman, an hour away, to pick them up.  We talked for a while, and I may get some guinea babies from her soon.  Our second pea hen lost all her babies.  These were her first ones, and she just didn't watch them and keep up with them. 

Got a call from daughter #3 tonight, and Grandboy cut his own hair.  Oh, dear,  Everyone seemed to be yelling and crying.  I guess we'll see the results tomorrow when I pick him up for church.  At least hair Does grow back! 

Tonight for dinner we had home made and canned spaghetti sauce with noodles, home canned peaches, garlic bread, and iced tea.  Daughter #2 came in from work, and opened a jar of Ragu she had stashed in her room.  She says Ragu is sweeter.  Then she adds more sugar.  She says it is her secret ingredient.  You just can't control these adult kids. 

Grandboy at the rodeo last summer.

The Cow Sale (And Other Things That Amuse Little Boys"

Today Pappy and the Grandboy loaded up cows and calves and went to the to sale. You know kids. They are easily amused.  Grandboy saw baby chickens, and lots of calves.  He saw the dog that chases cows into

the sale.  Grandboy had a hotdog and chips and coke for lunch.  Grandboy was very good yesterday.   Grandboy was a big help!

BIble in 90 Days - Check-in 2

Hi!  Welcome to our farm.  It was said on the Mom's Toolbox website that we will have the opportunity to post about the Bible in 90 Days experience.  I'm not sure how this will go, but I think it is a great thing.  Reading the Bible in 90 Days program is wonderful.  This will be the fourth time I have read the Bible through, and each time I learn new things and notice things I've never seen before.

I think one of the best parts of the program is getting to witness so many other women with like minds getting together to read the Bible and give Glory to God.  It is eye opening to see so many others from different backgrounds together for the same reason.

This time I made up my mind I was going to read The Message version of the Bible.  I wanted to see if I noticed more things I hadn't before in a more modern translation.  That did not work out well.  This version had twice as many pages than my B90 Days version.  It did not occur to me this would make a difference until I got behind early.  Then I started trying to find out why.  The same readings in The Message were many pages longer.  The book was so large it didn't fit easily in my purse, so I couldn't carry it with me.  I have since switched back to my old B90 Days version that is duct taped together since I carry it everywhere I go.  But it has served me well, and will continue to do so!

If you get behind, don't worry.  Just don't stop reading.  If you don't stop, you can't lose!

Thanks for stopping by.  Come back by to see us soon.

Honey

Media and My Marriage

Today electronics and media in various forms are a part of all areas of our life.  There are very few places anymore, in the US, that you can get away from cell phones.  These electronic devices are attached to us, and we are expected to be accessable 24 hours a day. 

How does all this affect our marriage?  My husband and I are not the most technical people you've met.  We are probably the last people to update or get new devices.  We have a desk computer that we share which is on line for Internet.  My husband has a laptop that is Internet accessible, but he does not connect to the Internet.  We do not email each other, because Pappy doesn't have email.

I have a Blackberry, which Pappy bought for me so that when we travel so I could access Internet and email.  My husband has a basic cell phone.  I text because I have to.  Our tenants will do practically anything to avoid talking to me when they owe rent.  But Pappy doesn't like to text.  He worked third shift for years, and we would talk to each other every night at 10:00 when I would call him; and then he would call me in the morning if he wasn't going to be in before I left.  Now that he is retired, I do text him through out the day, mostly about our properties or the kids, and he will text a short answer if needed.  Usually he just reads what I have to say. 

So Media has not affected my marriage a great deal, accept that we are available to each other at all times.  Every once in a while my husband will text me a sweet message, and I know it is a big deal, and he made a special effort to let me know how much he thinks of me.  And I want to melt, and be certain I am being the wife he deserves.

Currently we are struggling a little with media and our marriage.  Since Pappy doesn't use the Internet, he doesn't understand a lot about it.  Lately I have been spending a lot of time online, trying to develop a blog, mentoring a B90 Days group, etc.  Yesterday he told me he wished the computer would blow up.  So I need to get a better schedule going so I can get what I need to do, done.  And still be sure that I am able to take care of my family, my home, and make certain my husband realizes how important he is to me.

Sunday - A Day of Rest?

Sunday is suppose to be a day of rest.  We don't get many days of rest around here.  Got up, and checked the computer.  Daughter #3 called to verify I was meeting her to pick up Grandboy.  We met at McDonalds at 9:30, and then were on our way to church.  Daughter #2 and her male friend, and Daughter #1 were in church also.  Our pew was pretty full.  After church, we came home for lunch.  Then back to church for a bridal shower.  Tried to get Grandboy to take a nap, but that didn't work, so he came with me to the shower.  Now we are home.  I think spaghetti is on the menu for dinner.  A lot to do today, and this week as well.  Tonight I still need to write two posts for this week that I want to link to other blogs.  I need to get caught up on my Bible in 90 Days.  I need to make a schedule for this week.  And I need to work on the FEMA papers that are due tomorrow.  I didn't find time to located a fan for the kitchen.  Oh well, it is cooler outside today anyway.

Pappy froze some eggs for me, and made peach juice for wine.  Wine making will wait for a cooler day. When you make wine at home, I don't think it ends up being that alcoholic.  But it tastes good, and uses up the fruit juice.  This will be our third year to make wine. Tomorrow Pappy and Grandboy are taking cows to the sale.  I believe we are suppose to be cutting hay this week also.

Pappy told me he wished the computer would blow up.  He doesn't understand how this could possibly be a future source of income for me.  I'm not certain how to feel about that.  I'm trying very hard to let my husband be the leader of our family.  Since he retired he has a lot more time to be involved in things he was never involved in before.  Maybe we are having growing pains!  We are probably just having a bad day.  Hope you're week is blessed, and I get on a better schedule.  One that does not annoy my husband!  Thanks for stopping by!  Honey

Saturday Happenings on the Farm

Hi! Welcome to our home.  We are so glad you stopped by.  Saturdays are always busy here on the Farm.  Friday night, Pappy's niece and great niece stopped in for a visit on their was to Texas.  We had a nice visit, and the Great Niece was so taken with Mikey the kitten and the baby rabbits.  Her Mom said she talked about the animals all evening! 

Other visitors were some children from church.  A brother and sister group came to spend the night.  We had a "staycation".  I think they had a nice time.  They roamed the farm, looking at all the animals.  The Boy kept catching ducks!  They helped fix dinner, and watched TV.  This morning after breakfast, daughter #1 and I took them to the thrift store for half price day.  They enjoyed the bargain hunt!  After the shopping, daughter #1 took the kids out for lunch.  When they returned home, daughter #1 highlighted the girl's hair.  She got permission from their Dad first.  The girl was so happy with the results.  While the girl was getting her hair done, the boy was picking up peacock feathers.  He then proceeded to decorate Grandboy's tractor.  I've never seen such a festive tractor.  Have you?  Then they had a snack and went home.  We had a nice visit, and I hope they enjoyed it as well as we did.

Pappy is putting up the last of the goat milk to make cheese.  The goats are drying up early this year.  I guess it may be the heat.  I've been experimenting with freezing eggs for the winter.  In the winter our hens don't lay, but during the summer we have plenty.  So I hope to be able to get through the winter without having to buy eggs.

Stop back by tomorrow.  We look forward to seeing you then.  Honey

HOT! Hanging Out the Laundry and Cooking Outside

                                             (One of our two clothes lines here on the farm)

Good Morning friends,

Welcome back to the farm.  We are so glad you stopped by, and look forward to spending some time with you!  Yesterday it was so HOT here!  It was 92 degrees with 100% humidity.  The heat index was around 105.  I was melting most of the afternoon!  That's why the first thing I do each afternoon when I come in is to make a gallon of sweet tea.  You know how southerners are about their tea!  Also, to keep the house from being so hot, I hung out the Grandboy's clothes on one of our clothesline, which I usually do; and cooked dinner outside.  This I do occasionally, but not everyday.  If it stays this hot, I will start! 

Yesterday was the most unusual day.  I got a text from Daughter #3 at 5:30 that morning saying the Grandboy needed to go to daycare.  Usually when he is here he stays all day.  What almost-three-year-old boy wouldn't want to be on a farm?  But yesterday she decided she wanted him to go to daycare.  Pappy wasn't feeling well, so I didn't argue.  I had to get Grandboy some clothes out, pack his "pack pack" as he calls it, and fix his snack.  I asked Daughter #2 to take him to daycare, since she didn't have to be in class till 10:00.  She agreed, because Grandboy was asleep when she got home and she wanted to spend time with him.  I was running about 10 minutes late, so I called my boss and said I would be a few minutes late.  I was about 10 miles from home, almost at the interstate, when Daughter #1 called.  She had a fender bender, and was upset.  So I called the office, checked in again, and turned around to see about Daughter #1.  Then Daughter #3 called to say her teeth hurt and she needed to see the dentist.  I wondered if the day would ever end?  I got to work about an hour late, but all was well at home. 

I left work early to go the the FEMA event I mentioned yesterday.  I thought it was a lecture, but it was a "stop in and chat" kind of thing.  So I missed a little more work (when I really could have waited till I got off), only stayed at FEMA about 20 minutes, then was on my way home to check on the family again.  Not my run-of-the-mill day.

When I cooked dinner, I set up a single electric eye on the carport.  I got everything ready and started a pot of potato soup out there.  The soup was made of potatoes, onion, water, milk, butter, and velveta.  It turned out really good, and the kitchen didn't turn into a steam bath!  Pappy thought this soup would taste good to him since he was under the weather.  We also had cornbread (from scratch, my suggestion) and dumplings (his request, again).  This weekend I'm going to poke around the farm, and find a fan for the kitchen.  Hopefully I won't have to steal it from the rabbit house.  Pappy wouldn't like that because the male rabbits won't breed if they are too hot! 

It was raining and thundering outside last night.  Maybe it will be cooler today.  Stop back by when you're in the neighborhood!  Honey

Bible in 90 Days - Day 3 - And Farm Living

Hello friends! Welcome back to the Farm. We are so glad you came. Not a whole lot going on here today. Blackberries are about gone. Grapes are coming a long, but still green. The plums are done. We still have green beans, squash, and cucumbers in the garden. I'll be working on that this weekend. Along with our FEMA package. Since we were in the tornado in April, we are eligible to apply for loans and grants. The deadline for turn in is Monday. I'm going to a FEMA workshop tomorrow.

Today the Grandboy came for church and to spend the night. His mom, daughter #3, got a second job, and she is working tonight. He is very taken with popcorn, the Happy Birthday song, and asking "Why". The last item is very annoying. He doesn't just ask one time. No, it is always three times. Why that is, I don't know. I don't remember this so much with our girls. Tonight Grandboy let the rabbits loose. The dachshund and kitten hunted one down and made a meal of it. That was not pleasant. I hope that doesn't happen again!

When I got off work at 2:00 today, I had a 2:30 appointment to pick up rent. I met with two tenants, in total. And got one rent envelope in the post office box. The I picked up Grandboy and came home.

He is conked out now. I hope he sleeps till about 5:00.

Hope everyone has a blessed week! Come again soon! Honey

Open Heart Open Home - Chapters 5 and 6

Welcome to our home! I'm so glad you could come, and I hope you are able to stay and visit with us awhile! Today I am going to talk to you about the book Open Heart Open Home by Karen Mains. This book is being discussed over at The Common Room. You may want to stop by and check out what everyone has to say.

Chapter 5 is about being a Servant. What stood out to me in this chapter is the story that tells of a Ladies group working on a big project. One of the members was in need. She stated to the group she was in need. And not one lady helped her. Sometimes it is easy to do good deeds for those we don't know. It is harder if it is a person standing beside us, someone we know. Some people want to think the receiving person will be embarrassed if we reach out. But I think really, the giver may be embarrassed. They may be afraid of not doing enough, or just simply may not know what to do. But if this happens, we should pray that we respond as God would have us to. We should give what we have, and give it cheerfully.

Chapter 6 is called On Serving and Being Served. I remember when my children were little, we went to a small church and every Christmas season the church went caroling and then went to one of the Elder's home for hot chocolate and finger foods. My girls were probably 3, 4, and 4. Maybe younger. But I remember we got there, and the his wife had a beautiful spread in her dining room. She wanted everyone to be in the dining room together, on her White Carpet! I remember panicking. I asked her could I have some towels, and let my children and I eat in the kitchen. She was mortified. I tried to explain to her that the girls would make an awful mess on her white carpet. She kept telling me she didn't mind, she didn't think ahead about this. I knew she was very particular, and I just couldn't deal with it. My girls and I ate in the kitchen, sitting on the floor, and then joined everyone else. Looking back, maybe I didn't handle the situation correctly. I should have gone along with her plan, and prayed hard! Maybe I should have let her "serve us". But I was young, and so worried about what others thought of my gang of girls. Probably no one remembers this instance except me. I hope not any way.

But back to serving others. I have offered to help people in need before, and rarely do they accept my offer. About the only time I can think of someone accepting are for meals to be brought in. Also one other time a young husband in our church passed away suddenly. I called the mother and offered to keep their two daughters, about 5 and 8. The girls came, and stayed several days. It was a surprise, but they were no trouble at all. I felt at that time that I was really able to help the family in a difficult time.

Come back tomorrow. We'll be here! Honey

Media Monday: Media and Our Walk with God

I am following a new series at Women Living Well called Media Monday. This series is about how the social media and Internet type activities in general affect our lives today. The age we live in has appliances and apps to perform just about any duty or action we need. We can hire people to do what ever we want. Accountants, lawn services, house keepers, you name it. But still we are rushed. We live in one of the most stressful times ever. With all the time saving devices we have today, we have trouble fitting in the things in our lives that are most important. Quality time with our children, alone time with our husbands, worship time with our Lord. The easier our life is supposed to be, the harder it seems it is to make time for the important things.

With progress, comes distraction. Computers allow us to talk to friends and relatives far away in a second, but we forget to spend time with the people in the same room with us. We can schedule a trip on line, but we forget to spend real time in The Word.

The Internet has really opened my eyes spiritually. I never knew that Christianity could look so different, and have so many different beliefs until I started spending time with others in blogland. I have an access to meet like-minded women who share my beliefs and feel the same way I do about important things. That is hard to do in real life sometimes. The Internet makes comparing several versions of scripture so much easier than it would have been just a few years ago. But sometimes we get distracted too easily by what our friends posted they are having for dinner, or by playing the latest video game.

Phones buzz and ring anywhere and everywhere, even church! I feel drawn to check my texts in church, because I have young adult children, and I think "what if they are hurt and need me?" But for eons of time, people have been able to sit through an hour service without being in touch with the outside world. I need to work on this distraction in my own life.

My husband and I make a conscious effort to limit our time on the Internet. My husband would laugh at that statement, because he never gets on the Internet. But we have boundaries to protect our family and our marriage from the distractions found in this world bombarded with media and the like. I think we all need to be extra careful to "Seek first the kingdom of God" and the put our families next. I plan to think about this over the next coming weeks. Maybe you will decide to, too.

Open Heart, Open Home: Chapters 3 and 4

I'm sorry, but I am very late in taking part in this post. We had company for the 4Th. ALOT of company! But it was a lot of fun. It seems the older I get, the longer it takes to recover from things like that. But that is OK. I believe that I relaxed and enjoyed this more than I usually do. I tend to fret a lot and want everything to be perfect. But this time I let some things go, and it all worked out OK.

Over at the Common Room, the Head Mistress posted some questions we could use if we chose. I'm going to use them, because I feel like I tend to not comment on the chapter so much if I just ramble.

Question 1. What does the Holy Spirit have to do with your hospitality? I pray each day that I will recognize the opportunities the the Lord and the Holy Spirit put before me. Too often, too many people confuse "entertaining" with "hospitality". I think entertaining should be a part of hospitality, but hospitality is done because we recognize a need in some one's life. Even if it is inconvenient, hospitality should still be offered. There is always need, and opportunities will become apparent to us if we are open to them.

Question 2. Is, "I don't have the gift of hospitality" a valid reason for a Christian not to practice hospitality? No. Many times in the Bible God has put tasks before someone that they did not want to do. But they still had to do it, and God showed them a way. God sees in us talents that we don't realize we have. But regardless, if the need of hospitality is there, the recipient will not care if you are not "good" at it. They will just be glad you offered and shared what you have.

This just happened in my own kitchen, just this afternoon. I heard knocking, and a neighbor couple was knocking on my door. The next thing I know my husband was leading them inside to sit in my kitchen because it was too hot to visit outside. I looked at them before they even got inside and said "I'm glad you came by. Please have a seat, just don't look at my dirty house!" They laughed and acted as if I were joking. But I proceeded to pick up, rearrange, and wash dishes the whole time they were here. We had a big gathering at our home on the 4Th of July. We are still putting up platters and large bowls we only use for times like that. Plus, even thought dishes had been done that night and the next day, we are still gathering bowls, and glasses, etc, to be washed and put away. I had it on my list today to work on the kitchen, but the neighbors arrived just as I was getting in from church. My husband apologized later, and explained to me what had happened. I told him that it was perfectly fine. I would rather the kitchen been neat, but I was doing a Bible study on hospitality and I could not allow my pride to keep me from offering to share with our neighbors. My husband is not a believer (Christian) yet. I think he was impressed that I would swallow my pride in the middle of a kitchen of dirty dishes and make these friends feel welcome. Maybe this was one of the days that the "Lord worked in mysterious ways" in my home.

I think the older I get it is easier to offer hospitality to others. I don't know if it is because we have more to offer, we have more room now, I have no small children, or because I'm just more comfortable with who I am. But what ever the reason, I find it easier at this stage of my life.

Question 3: How do you develop the gift of hospitality? The only way I know to develop the gift of hospitality is to be hospitable. Practice makes perfect, I always told my children. It will get easier the more we do it. As my children got older, they sometimes would be quicker to notice a hospitality need. When they would ask me about it, I never wanted to discourage this action in my children, so I always tried to make an effort to offer hospitality, even if I wouldn't have on my own. I wanted my children to know that with God, we can do anything!

Before you have people in your home, it would be a good idea to pray about the evening and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you and show you how to proceed. I think wonderful things will happen if this path is taken.

If something comes up and you feel led to ask someone to dinner, do it. Don't worry if you haven't cooked enough. I'm sure there is something you can add to make enough for dinner, Everything will work out fine. Recently I asked some children what they were doing after Easter service. They said "nothing - there is nothing to do!". I said go ask your Grandma if you can come home with me. So they did, and our egg hunt for one Grandboy stretched easily for four other children. They didn't care what we ate. Regardless it was festive, and something they weren't going to do at home. So I felt glad I could share with them, and wished I had planned it from the start.

I look forward to the next chapters in this book, and will try to be more prompt in the future!

Please come back to see us. Love, Honey