Forget-Me-Not Homestead

Give Thanks

I really enjoy working on little handicraft projects during the long, chilly evenings of fall and winter.  I just finished this cute little 7"x7" primitive-style counted cross stitch just in time for Thanksgiving.

This coming Thanksgiving day, and every day, I give thanks for all my blessings, especially my precious family.  They are truly a blessed gift from God.

Thanksgiving is the holiday of peace, the celebration of work and the simple life . . . a true folk-festival that speaks the poetry of the turn of the seasons, the beauty of seedtime and harvest, the ripe product of the year - and the deep, deep connection of all these things with God. ~ Ray Stannard Baker

The Daily Plate

The Daily Plate is a free online weight management tool that I discovered a while ago.  I have noticed that a few ladies on HSB are trying to lose some weight, and I'd like to recommend and share this website with you.

At The Daily Plate you can journal the foods you're eating daily, count calories, watch nutrients,  and record and track your weight and weight loss goals.  It's a great tool for weight loss, and weight maintenance.  The Daily Plate can also figure out how many calories you should consume daily for the amount of weekly weight you'd like to lose based on your age, activity levels, sex, and height.  As you lose weight, your calories needed are adjusted automatically.

I try to use The Daily Plate almost every day, mostly to maintain the 20+ pounds I lost earlier this year, and to be more aware of what I am eating, especially during this comfort food/holiday season.  I think there's just about every food listed in their calorie food list.  All of the dinners I make are from scratch, which can be difficult to count calories per serving, so I choose the generic item on the list with the most calories per serving, because I tend to cook with heavy, rich ingredients and probably too much salt. That seems to be the simplest solution, and works for me.

Let me know what you think.  I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Walk Cheerfully

"Be patterns, be examples, in all countries, places, islands, nations, wherever you come, that your carriage and life may preach among all sorts of people and to them: then you will come to walk cheerfully over the world, answering that of God in every one."

~ George Fox (from prison, Journal, 1656)

This beautiful quote by George Fox, founder of The Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), has been on my heart lately, and I wanted to share it with you today.

Scrappy Quilt Project

My home has been so quiet during the day since my dear sons went back to public school.  I've kept myself busy doing a little extra cleaning, a little clearing out, and a little creating.

While going through and organizing my fabric stash, I had a little spark of inspiration to make a scrappy quilt out of some of my favorite old fabrics.  I have lots of little floral and star prints to work with; and lots of pretty country colors too.  So this season, my big pine kitchen/school table has been transformed into a kitchen/sewing table a few quiet hours a week.

I do miss my boys at home, but it's been nice to sit quietly with a sewing machine and create something pretty . . . and soft.  I'm sure mothers of only teenage sons at home can understand.  It's been especially nice when warm autumn sunlight falls just right on the table - glorious!

May you also be blessed with warm sunlight, inspiration, but especially Love around your kitchen table this beautiful autumn season.  

Antique Oak Wardrobe

I'd like to share a photo of an antique oak Tudor wardrobe that my dear husband and I just purchased for our home.  This is the ebay seller's picture.

We purchased this piece because we live in a cute little old cottage with some charming old features; but it lacks a single closet in the entire house.  We have managed clothing storage pretty well; using dressers for most clothing items, under beds for shoes, pegs and hooks on walls with dress clothes hung on hangers, and sons' sports equipment and winter clothing kept in an outbuilding until needed.  But, dear hubby and I have always felt we needed something more for our bedroom to neatly contain our things.  We have been looking for some kind of armoire or wardrobe for several years now; but everything we looked at was either too big, too small, too expensive, or too, well, ugly.  This wardrobe is just right.

"Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."  ~ William Morris

Broccoli Puff

Broccoli Puff is a delicious fall or winter dish to serve at dinner time; it's also a good potluck dish.  Even broccoli haters like it!

Broccoli Puff (Serves 8-10)

• 20oz Frozen Chopped Broccoli
• 1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
• 1 1/2 cups Grated Cheddar Cheese
• 1/2 cup Mayonnaise
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 tsp Minced Onion
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Cook the broccoli according to pkg directions. Drain.  Combine all the ingredients and pour into an 8"x8" or 9"x9" baking dish.  Bake 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Season of Change

After a summer of thoughtful family discussions and prayerful consideration, my two youngest sons have gone back to our town's small public school instead of homeschooling.  We will try public school for a year and see how it goes.

I plan to leave my Home Education Category on my blog because there are some skills my husband and I will continue to teach our sons at home that I may want to write about in the future, such as blacksmithing and carpentry with my husband, and guitar and music with me.  Also, next year my youngest son might be home again, we will just have to see and evaluate as the year goes by.  My middle son is a high school senior and will be graduating this year.  My oldest son is in college and is studying abroad for a semester.

This year will be very different from previous years, but I am hopeful and optimistic it will be a great year!

There is a time for everything,

And a season for every purpose under heaven.

~ Ecclesiastes 3:1  

Thank You

Life has been so full to overflowing this month here at Forget-Me-Not Homestead; with routine chores, gardening, canning, home improvement projects, friend and family gatherings, and homeschool planning.  But, I wanted to be sure to pop into my blog today, because it is my one-year anniversary with HomesteadBlogger!  And I'd like to thank each of you who have visited my blog, read my posts, and left nice comments.  Your kindness has meant so much to this newbie blogger.  I'd also like to thank all of you for your lovely, thoughtful blogs - each one is so unique.  I've learned much from many of them, and many have touched my heart.

Thank you dear blogging friends.  I'm looking forward to another year of lovely blogs and blogging.

Peace and blessings, Kim

I wanted to share a photo of what are, I think, the last of my summer flowers.  This is a bouquet of monkshood, foxglove, and lupines in my favorite blue Ball jar.

Amazing Duck Story

Wild Berries and Jam

I just finished making my first batch of jam this year, picked from wild berries growing on our homestead - eight 1/2 pints of salmonberry jam.  This first batch turned out a little runny, and the fruit is floating on the top, but it tastes delicious all the same on a warm, buttered slice of homemade bread.

A salmonberry looks like a large raspberry, but tastes more tart.  Its color is either orange or red.

PickYourOwn.org has a very helpful page about canning, as well as lists of pick your own farms, festivals, and events around the U.S. and other countries.

Tip: When making jelly or jam it is helpful to use a large pot because the liquid increases greatly in bulk as it boils.  It may boil over and create a huge mess if the saucepan is too small.