The Needle in a Haystack

A Busy Day @ End of the Road

Chris gave the chickens some extra room...

..and with that task complete we went to pick up our chick order.

The one in the bowl is Sue and the one directly in front is Dan.  The others are in various states of naming... 

  Here is a picture of part of the seedlings I transplanted into larger cups.  I am not thrilled with the foam cups but seedling pots are on the list for the fall purchase.

WWe have 37 of the 38 Roma tomato seedlings that were hardy enough for transfer.  Today we started cucumbers , greenpeppers and cayennes  We have started weathering off the seedlings and they will hit the ground the week after Easter.

I had to do a bit of weeding in the sugar snaps... easy to do witht he mulch

Dinner tonight was Farmers Breakfast; sausage, potatoes and eggs...

Tonight I am working on a Babushka to wear in the garden  it works up quickly...

he LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. Isaiah 58:11

have a fine day..all day long

I Bet You've Wonder WHere I've been...

Weeeeeelllll, its this

Not the dead mouse, although that is disturbing.... but the pollen....I went back over my blog since 2007 and every year in either March or April I have had ear infections, bronchitis, pnemonia or at least a bad cold. This year is no different.... bronchitis again.... and it makes me angry...

  So last night I had to rally myself in one of these coughing fits and just realize that if I cough, then there must be a reason God wants me to cough.... or I wouldn't cough... a tough thing to think about when your sick, but true...... its really about trust you know...

  This is a week when I should be transplanting veggies and building chicken coops... but Chris is picking up the slack wonderfully... and I have nothing to do but get well ( and laundry)...

  Our fig tree and apple trees are blooming .... we stuck them in the ground as twigs and waited so many months to trust these sticks would be trees!

.... now I just hope I like figs ;)

  I did have a bit of down time to crochet some little bunnies for a nursing home...

These from Whiskers and Wool are precious and easy to work up

 

  Leaving you with a song today.. that really blessed my socks off... have a fine day...all day long!

 

I

March 21st, 2012

We decided we needed to celebrate the return of Spring in a big way!  So Chris, Christopher, Daniel, Taylor , Kristy and I decided a weenie roast was in order. 

  The weather was perfect hovering in the 70s with sunshine ( after just the right amount of rainy starts to water the plants)...

  Taylor's job was to find everyone just the right roasting stick for the hotdogs...

  After filling up on hotdogs, slaw, and chips, Taylor raided MeME's craft basket for some feathers and rubberbands to turn his roasting stick into a spear.  Pop just happened to have some targets around for him to practice on!

 We are firm believers in making young men to be warriors, protectors of women, self sufficient and independant..... never too young to start.

  Taylor had a blast....and after getting tired of climbing trees and throwing spears, Uncle Christopher made ice cream cones!  A wonderful way to usher in Spring!

All your sons will be taught by the LORD, and great will be your children's peace. Isaiah 54:13

Have a fine day... all day long!

 

Because he can......

  We are very blessed in our  bread labors these days to have time to explore things we are interested in  pursuing. I happen to be plunged into sewing, seedlings and perfecting baked beans ( yes my dear Mom in law... no more cans!!)... Chris has been planting, mulching..... and making charcoal... Why?  His answer " beacuse I can".

  Blacksmithing is something he has been reading up on for a few years since we went to an Ag fair with some friend sof ours and saw a demo.  He is now taking the steps to set up a forge  over the next year, study with some local smiths and try his hand at some iron works himself.  I am excited for him!  such a useful skill to have!

  The above picture is simply a large pot with oak pieces in and rocks on top with a hot fire underneath. For a first try the out come was great! 

   Our goals for this week:

   1. Make a video  on constructing a hndmade pvc water pump.

   2. start pepper seedlings ( tomatoes are doing great and should be moved to bigger pots next week!)

   3. Dehydrate carrots  to add to soups etc this year.

   4.  I got an order for 8 custom napkins with a strawberry design on them... I am very excited about this project.

   5.  mulch the onions

   6.  try adding dandelion greens to a stir fry

    7.  Continue crocheting bunnies for nursing home bingo

    8.   attempt first baked bean recipe

     9.  Weenie Roast teaching Taylor how to use a flint and steel.. ( yes I will take pictures!!)

    10.  Begin a couple potato towers....

  Hands to work...hearts to God...and have a fine day...all day long!

When will our death be avenged....

When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained.

They called out in a loud voice, "How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?" Revelation 6:9,10

 News is Youcef Nadarkhani has been executed for refusing to denounce Christianity,, thank you Brother for being a witness to us...

 

 

The Weekend March 9-11

 Besides spending the whole weekend working at the shoppe... here are the other things that filled in the blanks

1. Received the book " Our Sun Heated Green House by Helen and Scott Nearing ( began reading)

2. started a batch of keifer grains ( milk)
3. Continued burning down a brush pile for ash for the garden
4. Made pizza in the outdoor pizza oven again
5. Bought seeds for this week's planting
6. Constructed a pvc hand pump for the well  to use in the event power goes out
7. Bought 2 bamboo fishing poles with bobbers , line and hooks
8. Placed the order for 6 lbs of homemade sausage to be delivered next week

9.  Dinner with Mom and dad in law... always fun!

10. Continued work on an afghan I am making for a couple special someones.

Now those who are that way, we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ,
that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread. 2 Thess 3:   12

Hand to work... hearts to God... and have a fine day...all day long!

March 6, 2012 Giving to Others...

Our neighbor had a mass in her kidney resulting in the removal of the kidney last week. She was doing so well she came home from the hospital today and Chris and I really wanted to bless her family with a meal.

 A few years back we really made hte decision to try and let folks know we were thinking of them with small tokens such as a meal during illness, perhaps some cookies for an accomplishment ( like when one of our " adopted children got a new job", new babies, funerals..... muffins for a mother of littles who is plum wore out...

   and it also seemed we were buying lots of tin foil pans and plastic plates to make these deliveries in...

   Lightbulb moment... thrift stores..

  for a buck or less you can buy casseroles, plates, bowls, small pieces of glassware... how much nicer is it to have cookies on a pretty plate instead of paper, or having to wonder who the casserole or dish goes back to.  By purchasing  odds and end casseroles and plates you can simply tell the recipient to 'play it forward".. using the odd piece the next time THEY give a meal.

Tonight was a Chicken Casserole... easy to make and easy to freeze

Chicken Casserole

2 large chicken breast cooked and shredded

1 small bag of frozen broccoli thawed and drained

1 can cream of chicken soup

1/2 milk

1/2 cup shredded cheese

1 box of Stove Top stuffing ( prepared according to directions)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

place chicken and broccoli in a casserole dish

combine soup, milk and cheese and pour over chicken and broccoli

top with prepared stuffing and bake for 30 minutes..

For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.  James 5:26

...and have a fine day... all day long

 

Happy Birthday Josh

 Busting in 2 1/2 weeks past his due date at a big 10lbs. 1 oz.  My 3rd son hasn't stopped since...

Happy Birthday to the best L.E.O. on the planet.  Love you Sweetie!

Feb 29,2012

 My heart just breaks for the victims of today's tornados .   We just never know do we?  For those of us wiht roofs over our heads tonight and our loved ones safe our thoughts need to turn to how we can help our neighbors.... and prayers.. lots of prayers

  Chris and I have been busy gettign the garden in tip top shape for the summer and planting a few things.. cbbage, broccoli, onions, carrots and lettuce are in with more carrots, broccoli and spianch to follow in the morning.

  With gas and oil prices sky rocketing, food prices are quickly following ( have you priced mayo lately???) so it becomes more important for our healthy diets to come from our own soil

By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return." Genesis 3:19

 
  This was our tiller this year.....they work for food...

  Today Bella( Josh's dog) had to make a trip to the state vet school for surgery on her ACL....

  We went through pre-op and Bellzie should be home on Friday.... 2 months before she will be back to her old self/

  I had the privledge of riding in the back with her on the way to the vet

 If you know Josh, then you know he may or may not have been driving while this picture was taken...

  ..and if you're thirsty... have a drink

  After dropping off Bella we were able to meet with my inlaws for an early birthday lunch for Josh

 Josh was tired and a bit down in the dumps... but he loves spending time with his Grammy Sue and Grandpa Dan.  with his work schedule it is hard to do sometimes.... He did say it cheered him up!

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

   Keep focused ont eh prize and have a fine day..all day long

Feb 21, 2012... Date night

We got lots of small projects done around here today, spent a bit of time on auctions for the business...and some times getting dinner and snacks planned for our date night ( which we did at home).

 Chris tried his meat searing techniques on a chuck roast.... I would call that a fail... chucks require a slow cooking to tenderize and lossen the fibers... disappointing with a 12.00 piece of meat.

  I tried this  Soft Pretzel Bites recipe from Making Memories for us it was fail . The baking soda taste was really strong...AND I learned a very hard lesson  about baking soda and aluminum pans, I might have ruined this one.. I am not sure... but I do know I am going to start collecting stainless pieces... I know of two folks who have tried this recipe and loved it, so I am not sure if it was the pan..or some other operator error... I ended up tossing them and making chex mix instead.

   Despite our cooking failures, the movie we had picked was awesome!  You can stream it for free off the internet or buy the DVD...  We watched it off the internet projected on the TV.... both of us enjoyed it so much.  Back to Eden , is a true story of gardening God's way, quick, easy sustainable. We had studied this method for a few months now and this movie pushed us over the top to give it a try. We will certainly be keeping you up to date on the " no till " method of gardening.

   Matthew 6:19-20

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven . . .

..makes you wonder how much "stuff' we really need..

  Think about it...and have a fine day...all day long!