Welcome Dearest Friends to Little Glorieta

A sanctuary from the world

Posted by blessed mom
03:24, Tuesday, December 2, 2008 .. Posted in Family Meal Table .. 3 comments .. Link

" The family meal table is a sanctuary. It is a secret place from the daily word of strife. On of the Hebrew words for "secret" is sod which comes from the word "yasad". It means to "sit down together , a talk session, an intimate friendly convesation or a serious consultation, a company of persons in close secret talks. " Families can enjoy this special time together at each evening meal.

Psalm 23:5 " You prepare a table before me in the presense of mine enemies."

Mothers we can prepare a table that is a sanctuary from the filthiness of the world. Our husband and grown children may spend their day out in the work place. More often than not they are surrounded by filthy talk, jesting, immodesty an humanistic reasoning. If they come home and turn on the TV, this conatimination of the world will only sink deeper into their spirits. But if they arrive home to a waiting table -- a table that welcomes them with good food, love, and fellowship, the filth of the day washes away. As you communicate and talk about the things of the Lord, their souls and spirits are washed clean. " ~ Nancy Campbell, The Family Meal Table & Hospitatlity Study guide, pg. 20

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I was blessed to grow up in a home where the family gathered each day for dinner together. It was not just a " Sunday meal" that we enjoyed once a week, but each night we would set the table and sit around as a family and share our day. I remember when I got old enough to have friends and eat at the homes of other families, I took notice that many did not eat together as a family. Kids grabbed something on their own, or families would sit in front of the TV. I didn't appreciate the family meal table when I was a child in my family home, but now years later I look back upon that time as a treasured time in my life.

In talking to my 88 yr old father about the meal table he shared that he felt very strongly that it was so important for mother & father to sit down with the children and share a meal each day. He told me that is where values are passed down and where parents can get a feel for what their children are thinking and feeling. I am grateful to my parents who in wisdom, chose to follow the "old paths" and held family dinner each day of the week.

Today, statistics show that families eat only a few days a week together.

What has happened to the family meal table?

I am currently leading a study of Nancy's book on the Family Meal table and I have been blessed to read her thoughts on this special time of day.

I have chosen to follow the tradition my parents gave me and we do eat together each night. I too agree with Nancy and my dad that it is a wonderful time . It is a sanctuary for us! It is a time to share our hearts and thoughts, and to put aside the world.

I do hope many of you are blessed with special moments around the meal table.

~ gloria ~

Looking for?

Posted by haflinger
03:31, Tuesday, December 2, 2008 .. Posted in day to day .. 1 comments .. Link

I'm looking for used ma&pa kettle movies used..Does anybody out there have any they would like to sell?

Brenda

Lavender Mint Goat Milk Soap is Ready!!!

Posted by OklahomaJamie
03:03, Tuesday, December 2, 2008 .. 0 comments .. Link

Lavender Mint Goat Milk Soap

Visit Jamie's Country Soaps at www.jamiescountrysoaps.com to order your bar before they're all gone!

A nice walk around our yard...

Posted by LittleHouse
02:30, Tuesday, December 2, 2008 .. 0 comments .. Link

We had to get up early this morning so we finished school early Yeah! When we finished school I went out to put some bird seed and decided to take a nice walk around the yard. I love the winter monthes! We have finally put our garden to bed. We did have lettuce, brocolli and cabbages a few weeks ago, but now everything that is left is for the compost bin.

You are going to think I am strange but one reason that I enjoy the winter monthes is the leaves are now gone and I can actually see what is around me. I knew our one neighbor had chickens and a rooster and now I can finally see them. They have a small back yard but keep alot in it...a few chickens, a rooster or two, and two miniture horses/ponies. I love it when people actually use their yards. You can tell they like their yard.

We are hoping to add to our gardenbeds this coming year. We might add to the greenhouse to? We have thought about moving to a few more acres but then we see we can barely manage what we have. We also don't want to add any debt at all and lots of times when you move you can add debt. Unless we come into some big money we will be in this home for a while:) We want to honor God. I am not sure it would be honoring God by adding more debt?

As I walked around our yard I could see us adding more garden space and maybe some animals someday. (a small hobbie farm?) We only have about an acre and I hope we are using it wisely. We are hoping to plant extra this coming year. I would like to be able to go to the farmersmarket a few times.

Now that it is cold outside it is time to work on a few home improvement projects. If we don't get them done soon spring will be here and then it will be planting season:)

We are working on a place to put our shoes in our kitchen. There was a set of drawers that we removed and we are going to wall that place in to make a cubbie of sorts. We also would like to paint this spring but we will have to wait and see about that. I would like to paint my kitchen cabinets but again that might be a mess so we are just putting that on our to do list:) We are also working in our garage we are adding some cabinets to put somethings away for storage. I would like to add some cabinets in there for some stock-piling:) We have been going to a new grocery store and they always have 10 for $10.00 If I had a place to store some can goods and such I wouldn't have to go to the store as often:)

Well I have written to much and my tea is about to get cold.

Many Blessings to you and yours,

Out with the bad, in with the good...

Posted by Chas
02:47, Tuesday, December 2, 2008 .. Posted in Time with God .. 1 comments .. Link

I have been pondering and praying over today's post all day, I mean for real! Here it is almost 4 pm and I still have not posted, very unusual for me. :)
I have had something pretty heavy on my mind. What I have decided is that I am going to rid myself of a few things... things that have been weighing my spirit down... things that are of a constant bother to me. I have a life to lead, I have a family to care for, a husband to serve and Savior to worship. And that is what I am going to do. :)
May your light so shine for HIM! :)
Truly, My Cup Runneth Over...

How to Make Cottage Cheese...

Posted by Gretchen
02:05 PM, Tuesday, December 2, 2008 .. 0 comments .. Link

I got the recipe from Countryside Magazine and it is de-lish!

No-rennet Cottage Cheese

1 gallon milk (I use raw)

1 cup cultured buttermilk

Warm the milk to about 95 degrees F. Stir in buttermilk and allow to set at room temperature for 12-18 hours. The milk will clabber, or become thick.

Cut the curds into 1/2 inch cubes and let rest for 10 minutes. Place the pot into a double boiler-type potand heat at a very low setting until the curd reaches 115 degrees F (I didn't use a double boiler, I just kept it on low for a little over an hour). Stir often to keep the curds from matting together. This will take an hour or more.

The curd is ready when it is somewhat firm on the interior of the cheese. Cook longer if necessary. Some whey will rise to the top. Let the curd settle to the bottom of the pot, drain off the whey and place the curds in a cloth-lined colander to drain. Be gentle, as the curds are rather fragile.

Allow the cheese to drain until it stops dripping (I let mine hang overnight). Place in a bowl and add salt to taste. I usually use about one teaspoon of kosher or canning salt per pound. Stir in about four ounces of half-and-half or cream ( I used cream off the top of our raw milk) per pound if you like a creamed cottage cheese.

I had some for breakfast this morning and it was the best. Hope it turns out as well everytime I make it.

I have been fighting a cold since Saturday. I have been consuming a lot of Vitamin C poweder and Echinacea/Goldenseal along with Throat Coat Tea. I prefer Gypsy Cold Care, but I drank what we had on-hand.

I want to make my own by buying my herbs from Mountain Rose Herbs, but I just haven't gotten around to it.

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Refreshing the wood stove...

Posted by ~Melissa
12:32 PM, December 2, 2008 .. Posted in Our Place .. 1 comments .. Link

Today I spent a couple hours cleaning and working on the wood stove. The fire was still burning, so I did not clean the window as of yet, but you can see what was done today. The stove was all rusted from the wet moist weather we had this summer, you know, when Iowa had all that flooding. Well, I took a toothbrush and scrubbed all of the cast iron details. I also cleaned up the cast iron pot on top of the stove. After that, I took some vegetable shortening and a clean toothbrush and wiped down the entire stove. I had only intended to do the cast iron, but the splatters ended up getting onto the soapstone so I just oiled them completely down.

It looks nice, now. The oiled stone brings out it's details... with our home being so dry, the stone had almost turned... flakey white. You can notice that a bit on the top of the stove by the pot, where the oil has already seasoned into the stone... it is still a bit white. However, I am still quite pleased with the results as the stone looks better than it has in years and the cast iron is nice and black again. Along the top edge the cast iron looks a shiny brown color, but that is an error from the flash... it all looks nice and black. I was a bit concerned about getting the oil onto the stone, but it has not appeared to have altered the stone color.

Now, I need to get back down there and clean up the tiled areas. I told the girls before I put up the tree, the fire area is getting a good cleaning and a good spiffing. We need to redo the tile, you may have noticed the missing tiles in front of the stove. Hopefully that will get done next summer. It looks like the stove pipe could use a bit of oil as well! LOL... too bad my toothbrush has melted into a hard piece of plastic from doing the door of the stove... that was quite warm and melted it very quick.

Well, I've delayed long enough...

Warmly, ~Melissa

Pictures, Pictures and more Pictures

Posted by HandsNHearts
12:42, Tuesday, December 2, 2008 .. Posted in Around the Homestead .. 0 comments .. Link

Nothing special about the pictures...just things around the homestead lately :o) Enjoy!

Some of the property over the weekend. This is the back clearing where we want to build. If we don't build here, I want to put our schoolhouse up back here anyway (just to the right of that center pine tree...that's where the trail heads back to the pond.
The next is the logging road they used a few years back to get to the neighbors property...and where they come up with the 4-wheelers. The bottom of that range there is the end of our property.
Next two are of the pond, coming in from that logging road, through the trees. It's just seasonal and lately, that has meant no real water to speak of. The first year it had maybe 2 foot of water. This year, maybe the same. The 2 years in the middle, it was just about bone dry and useless with the drought. We'd like to dig it out more and shore it up to try to keep water in it. We know there's a decent aquifer running through this part of the mountain, down about 150 here at the house end of the property. Would be nice to have some water for the animals if nothing else.

Thanksgiving weekend work on the homestead...Finally getting the holes dug out for the posts for the back porch area. Most likely, it will never make it as a porch and will be enclosed for living space...maybe that outdoor kitchen ;o) I tried to get the holes started but it's all clay...and really thick nasty stuff at that. I just can't do it. I'm a wimp. I admit it. So, as Drew was over for dinner, we put him to work with Dewey :o)
The goofy pup there is the beagles basset mutt mix we have...brains of a stuffed animal, but lovable. He chases rabbits and such all night. Pinned a coyote down in the timber last year so we could shoot it. He's a good dog...just goofy. Notice Miss Abigail's bare feet...this was the day after Thanksgiving. Sure wouldn't be out running the countryside like that back North this time of year!

Thanksgiving fixins' on the homestead...We spent all day Wednesday baking...2 pecan pies, 2 apple, 2 chocolate (that's the empty crust with the tin foil in it) and 2 9x13 pumpkin cobblers. And the yummiest yeast rolls :o) It's a mix we do up and keep in the pantry --delicious. And, yes, I'll add the recipe soon!
The full menu ended up looking like this...deep-fried turkey, a huge (h-u-g-e) smoked ham from the butcher (stupid me didn't ask about size, just got the one that looked so good...it didn't fit inside the 18qt Nesco roaster we have...had to sit cockeyed until it cooked down some and slide into the pan the right way!). Dressing, green bean casserole, baked corn, potatoes/gravy, sweet potatoes, then the list of desserts. We made honey nut crunch and ranch/dill crackers for snacking all weekend.
This was the first year our eldest wasn't at the table. He rode up with Dewey to pick up Hope's car and drive it back. He wanted it to be their first Thanksgiving, and he was frying his first turkey solo...

The 20 quart mixer...yes, that's a make-do kitchen sink set up there. We pulled out the cupboard a while back. I have a very nice, new countertop sitting out in the building, but until I know for sure what we are doing (building or simply remodelling) I don't want to use it yet ;o) And, yes, those are cinder blocks under the mixer -- it sits too low to the floor for comfortable use. I know it looks rather hillbilly-ish, but it works ;o)

The meat, part 1/Day 1...still partially frozen, even after 2 days of thawing in the cooler bag. Guess that cooler bag works far better than I thought it did! We cut up most of the chunks to more suitable pieces and readied them for the canning jars.

Funny!

Posted by ~Melissa
12:17 PM, December 2, 2008 .. Posted in Kids on the Farm .. 0 comments .. Link

My 3yo likes to sing along with the older girls. They like the song Emmanuel... the refrain goes like this... Rejoice, rejoice, emmanuel, shall come to .....

My little one starts the refrain... Be Joyed! Be Joyed!

Too cute!

Warmly, ~Melissa

Thanksgiving Tales...

Posted by Mrs. Joseph Wood
10:41, Tuesday, December 2, 2008 .. Posted in Front Porch Chat .. 2 comments .. Link

Hello Friends!
Wow! It is already the second of December! November just flew by with all the activity of moving and our Thanksgiving celebration! On behalf of the entire Wood family we want to thank each of you that shared your favorite recipes and especially all of you that had to resend them when my emails went missing!

The day before Thanksgiving the children joined me in the kitchen and delighted in helping me with all the preparations. Each child took a dish and made it while praying for the family that had sent it to us and giggled while sharing fun stories of friendship memories. As a mommy I delighted in overseeing all the baking and cooking that was warming the home. My cup truly runneth over with blessings dear friends!

The day of Thanksgiving was peaceful and filled with laughter! Children played games with daddy as I finished up the last minute tasks. Our table was lovingly graced with delicious dishes from friends and family. Turkey, cooked in a brown paper bag, just like aunt Lori taught daddy many years ago, mashed potatoes, corn casserole (from our Trevino Friends! *One of my favorite flavors this year!!), grandmas green beans, yams (from our Bug family friends- My Joe and children loved these!), apple pie, pumpkin pie (from our Jones family friends!), and banana pudding (from our Callis Family Friends) was the menu. We had enjoyed a pumpkin role from our Beckham family friends earlier in the morning with coffee and teas. We had many dishes submitted that we hope to enjoy as we enter the Winter Season. I think we will have plenty of yummy dishes for each Fall that we take time to celebrate friendships! I am excited about adding new friends dishes to our November menu and remember how God has used friends throughout our journey to Him! I have some photos of the children working in the kitchen- I hope you enjoy them!

I have to share a funny moment with you from our Thanksgiving table. I love making things lovely for my family and had asked my Joe for some help getting the Turkey on my grandmothers serving plate. This plate has been glued back together after a little one dropped it one year however, because of the plates age and condition my Joe didn't want to use it and asked me to simply use a cookie sheet instead. "Okay, I will do as you ask and not be disappointed but let us carefully put it on the tray so we can have a pretty picture of the table." He agreed and we began trying to hoist the Turkey out of the pan onto the tray. I was working ever so carefully and having a challenging time. My Joe wanted to come to my rescue and simply grabbed the legs and pulled..... well, you can guess what happened! The legs pulled right off! He had wide eyes and giggled knowing he was in the dog house now! "Dog gone it Joe!" as I slapped at his arm..." you were suppose to be gentle so we could have a pretty picture of our table!" Giggling he says... "Don't worry Sunshine, I'll fix it for you!" pretty soon he returned with black thread and started tying my turkey legs back onto the body!!! We all were laughing as daddy gave Sarah the thread with instructions on how to hold it so that the turkey looked pretty for Momma. Sarah decided to get funny and started making the turkey "dance" with the pulling of the thread! In fact, when I caught her doing it we all burst out laughing to the point of tears. It was a fun time- memories were made and my children will forever remember the year that the turkey danced on the table!~

Each of us shared of our thanks to the Father while the thought occurred to me that we have spent many Thanksgivings with very little and yet we always have abounded in blessings and hearts filled with Thanks. Being thankful has nothing to do with our circumstances does it friends? Thanksgiving is an attitude. May we each live "giving thanks continually" because we have been bought with a precious price... the price of our Sweet Savours Blood.

The next night, we enjoyed fellowship with families here. My Joe was able to attend and agreed with the children and I- these friends, that the Lord has directed us to, are just preicous!! The girls enjoyed dancing with daddy as did I. I also enjoyed the friendship visits with the women and getting to know others more. Each of the children had a delightful time! We are blessed!!! I posted photos for you to enjoy of Beth Joy and daddy.

Dear friends, this update has been long. Thank you for your patience with me! Please know that we love each of you! I will share next week, Lord willing, as we complete the arrival of all the farm animals!

With much love,
Mrs. Joseph Wood

Children in the Kitchen