To all who see this post, please do not just pass this by but take time to read the links to this post. 

My eyes have been opened big time to the plight of a mother and daughter who were evicted from their apartment and were living in their car and all this happened just before Christmas.  Homelessness is everywhere and sometimes it is not evident to the eyes.  How often do we pass by people on the streets asking for monies for food and shelter?

The plight of this mother and her daughter and the severity of homelessness in general has been brought to the public eye not only in America but overseas too through Brandilynn Collins - A Christian Author. She made an urgent prayer appeal last week and has since opened up her paypal account to receive donations for this (widowed) mother and daughter. Help has been pouring in whereby they have been able to stay in motels and people have opened up their homes temporarily for them to stay. 

Through this author's connections, the media have become involved. Liz and Katy have both been interviewed by ABC and NBC. CNN has also picked up on their story and Liz and Katy are being interviewed in the very near future by Good Morning America.

Letters of Love has been set up whereby you can help Liz and Kate either and/or financially and by writing and praying for them - Thanks to Liz and Katies plight, the issue of homelessness has been raised yet again.  In these times of financial uncertainty, there are going to be sadly, more and more people/families  who are going to be made homeless and who wil be on the brink of homelessness.  We need to do all we can to help in whichever way you feel led.  Even if you can't help financially, letters of encouragement will help boost their morale big time and certainly your prayers are much needed.

Liz and Katy will eventually be housed and their situation will be turned around thanks to the blessings and awareness of Brandilynn Collins. 

Homelessness is a big issue, but I don't think many of us realise how big an issue this is.  Thankfully, in the town where I live we dont really see people on the streets but in the bigger towns and cities, this is a major issue. Not only do you see individuals but famfilies and mothers with babies on the streets too - the question for you to think on - is what can you and I do to help?  Do you know of any homeless shelters that you can involved in?

If you are in the U.K, you could also help by getting as many people as you can to sign pertitions to take to your local councillor - (especially in the larger areas), so that this issue can be highlighted and stressed that help is needed. We are blessed enough to have a benefits system over here and a housing system that does house homeless people but that is not enough and there is not enough accommodation to go around.............................

To help Liz and her daughter Katy, you can help, by any of the following:

 You can write them "A Letter Of Love" by going to the link at the bottom of the picture above and/or:

Well the last three days or so must have been the coldest it has been in awhile.  When DH went to work this morning it was -7 or 8.  I took some photos over the last couple of days especially when we had a bit of snow - I guess a light dusting really but still enough to affect public transport etc. 

There is a large pond next to my next door neighbour and this has been frozen over for a few days. 

Here are a couple of photos of our back garden and you can just about see the frozen pond to the right of the pictures.

I really do need to go and purchase a pair of gloves and a hat :lol.

Talking of purchases, I was really pleased today, I managed to pick up some gifts that were on sale in one of the stores I visited this morning.  I couldn't believe how low the cost was - these will be perfect for birthday presents etc for family/freinds throughout this year.  My gift shelf in my office is becoming quite full :).

It's early here on our farm and still quite dark and still. My feet were warm until they hit the cool wood floor, so instead of just staying under the covers (as I considered) I put on a thick pair of wool socks and loaded the stove with wood. The house will be toasty when the boys wake. I pulled back the curtains and peeked out the windows. We're expecting some very nasty weather today and from what I can see, it's already starting. Ice and snow are on the agenda. I'm not surprised; today is my middle son's birthday and he almost never has nice weather for it.

Bless his heart, he was born in a blizzard thirteen years ago! Getting to the hospital during a Level 3 Snow Emergency (and being pulled over  and quickly let go by a police officer) makes for a very interesting birth story, don't you think? That being said, he was my easiest delivery. I barely felt a pain or broke a sweat. In the words of my great-aunt, "It was so easy I wondered if I deserved him." :-)  That tiny baby with thick black hair and huge dark eyes now towers over me and is still growing!

Because of the weather, our celebration with family and friends will have to wait, but I'm still baking the cake he requested, a Raspberry Lemon Cake. (Yes, much more suited for an Easter dinner, but it's his favorite nonetheless.) Let's just pray that the power stays on so it can bake! Our newest teen wants/needs a new pair of  insulated Carhartt overalls for his birthday, so we'll go shopping later this week when the road clears. We'll just spend the day where it's warm and plan a BIG birthday celebration for him... in July!

and a good book or two!  That's what I'd like to curl up with today.  It is yucky outside, though we did get some much needed rain.  Posting about seed catalogs on the Front Porch has made me anxious to sit down with my own stack of catalogs and do a little list making.  But first, I have some much needed homekeeping to finish up...

dishes

laundry

baking

and can't leave out the home education part ...

reading

writing

math

But, once those are done or "doing", then I'll get a chance to have some fun and do a little dreaming! 

I'm planning to bake some bread today and put on a big pot of soup for dinner.  I'm having to make some serious adjustments to my cooking as this house has a teeny tiny kitchen.  I can quite quickly create a state of chaos in there if I'm not careful .  My biggest challenges are lack of counter space and cabinet space.  There's nothing like taking a HOT pan out of the oven and realizing there is not a single empty space to sit it down on....  It's happened more than once, too. 

The sun is trying to peek out now, I may have to pop outside and check on my garden and pick some broccoli and carrots.  This broccoli soup recipe sounds very tempting today!