At Home on this Mountain
Friday, June 27, 2008
Simple Woman's Daybook
Posted in Being
Outside my window...
the magnolias have been blooming for over 2 weeks now and I have been in the throes of a particularly heinous allergy attack for about 2 weeks; ya think there's any correlation? It's cool out there, for now, and the sun is shining (again, for now) It makes me want to go work in the garden.
I am thinking...
about writing, of all things. I have always been more of a reader than a writer. I think I have addressed that here before. Lately I have been reading essays, which I never realized existed as a genre, outside of high school English classes, and I am really intrigued by them. I think I would like to try my hand at writing something other than a grocery list or an inane blog post. We'll see.
I am also thinking about how much time I spend on the computer and how it affects the way I spend the rest of my time. There is much to be found online that is lovely and good, and I enjoy the time spent being inspired and refreshed by other homemakers and their endeavors. But I also can relate to what's being discussed in this blog post and I don't want to fall prey to that. So I have taken my nightly computer shut down one step further (the lady at Apple Care told me a few months ago that turning my computer off at night, rather than putting it to sleep, would help keep it in tip-top shape, and it has!) and actually started shutting it down during the day. Granted, it only takes 2 minutes to boot it all up, but that's about 1 minute and 55 seconds longer than waking it up, and sometimes that's all my laziness needs to just go do something else.
I am thankful...
for interlibrary loan. A little prosaic, I know, but I really am. I borrow so many books this way and even when I don't get them read through, I can get a feel for whether it's a book I'd like to buy and I get to know the author's name and the physical feel of the book. Then when I am browsing through piles at thrift stores I am more likely to notice that book and buy it, if our visit together was a positive one.
In the sewing room...
more peace than in the whole rest of the house combined. My decluttering efforts have been especially strong there and it shows. Now I can go in and immediately start accomplishing things instead of spending half an hour clearing a space in which to work. So this week I made a quilt top for my sister's soon-to-arrive baby boy. I am really pleased with it and today I will get it basted together and maybe start quilting. I have several other projects in the planning stages, so I have lots to choose from once this has been finished.
From the kitchen...
wafts the scent of nearly overripe peaches. I am making more jam today. I even bought new jars yesterday since last weekend I had to empty out 4 jars of last year's apple butter to make room for peach-strawberry jam. Not coincidentally, I also have nearly 4 laoves of apple butter bread in the freezer.
I am wearing...
a gianormous gray tee-shirt nighty, covered in ice skating penguins, which belonged to my Grandma Joyce who passed away more than 5 years ago. I wore it a lot during my last pregnancy and I unearthed it yesterday in one of my decluttering forays.
I am reading...
Anne Fadiman's At Large and at Small, Job, Acts, The Last Battle (aloud with kids) and several goat care books
I am hoping...
that I can withstand the heat today and leave the AC off. Not likely with jam-making in the works, but a girl can dream, no?
I am hearing...
the 3 rooster-boys are crowing for all they're worth, letting the other neighborhood roosters know they're back here and they're not taking any bull. Also Pokemon on the tv. Early mornings are tv time here. It helps me to distract the children while I drink my coffee and wake up a bit, so that I am less grouchy once we turn it off. 15 more minutes until that happens.
One of my favorite things...
is hearing my husband drive up and sneaking outside before anyone else realizes he is here, so that I can get a kiss before anyone else.
A few plans for the rest of the week...
include killing the last 25 chickens tomorrow and going to church on Sunday. We will probably go to the Farmer's Market after church; I think I'll pack a picnic lunch to eat in the car on the way to that. I've been saving up our "eating out" money each week to go to the drive-in when something we want to see is playing. Eating out money because the drive-in has the best junk food in 3 states. Even though they're an hour behind us, we wait until we get there to eat supper (usually around 8 pm our time) and Honey has fries with his burger and later on, more fries. Yes, they're that good.
A picture thought to share with you...
this is the sort of thing you can expect when you turn a 7 year-old loose with a camera of his own. That's our chicken coop out there beyond the window screen. I love to see what he finds snap-worthy. A lot of things fall into that category.
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{ Last Page } { Page 24 of 93 } { Next Page }Friday, June 27, 2008 - Thinking
Posted by Chas
I have been thinking about doing one of those day book entries also, but I haven't yet.
Yes, I can see that someone besides you took the picture haha! ;)
Usually if any of mine take a picture, it is a LESS than lovely picture of me that I delete instantly! :)
I hope you have a beautiful day making jam my friend, I need to do something productive as well... so I guess I will get off here and find that something productive to pursue. :)
Love you,
Chas
Friday, June 27, 2008 - Good to see you back
Posted by HopefulHeart77
It is good to see you back! I will have to check out the new daybook thing. If you do write an essay, maybe you could post it on your blog. I used to write some when I was much younger.(a long time ago) Both of my daughters write. I think it is a worthy pursuit.
Also, would you please post your recipe for apple butter and for apple butter bread. You may have already done that as I am new around here. I have really enjoyed finding so many likeminded ladies with which share things. What a blessing you all are to me!
Monday, June 30, 2008 - writing
Posted by Mommy:)
I know, I know, I'm your Mom so of course I'm gonna say it. You would be a terrific writer. I've known that since you were published way back when...in the 3rd or 4th grade was it? Maybe earlier. Anyway, I've always known you should write, so do us all a favor will ya! You beautiful, talented, hilarious girl. Share it with the rest of us. I love you!!!!!!!!
Mom<><
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Preserving the Harvest 2008
~June 22nd~
*11 half-pints
honey-sweetened peach-strawberry jam
~June 27th~
*7 half-pints and 2 pints
honey-sweetened peach jam
~June 28th~
*24 home-grown chickens in the freezer
(7 whole, 17 cut up
plus feet and backs for stock!!)
~July 6th~
*8 pints and 14 half-pints
honey-sweetened peach jam
~July 16th~
*18 cups fresh green beans,
blanched and frozen (a gift from the boss)
*12 pounds ripe bananas,
cut into 1 inch chunks and frozen for smoothies
~July 22nd~
*32 ears home-grown corn
blanched and frozen in meal-sized packages
~July 27th~
*8 pints cream-style corn
(home grown)
~July~
about *8 cups blackberries
and *5 cups wild blueberries
from around our property,
in the freezer
~August 4th~
14 pints
4 half-pints
and 1 quart
hot and spicy tomato salsa
(that's 18 cups altogether)
~October29th~
13 quarts chunky applesauce
5 quart jars dried apple rings
What I'm reading
The Bible- currently in the books of Ezekial and 1 Corinithians
Heidi by Johanna Spyri
My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George
The Hobbit (on CD) by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Bondwoman's Tale by Hannah Crafts
What I've Read Recently
One Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
At Large and At Small by Anne FadimanHow To Be Good by Nick Hornby
The Book of Joby by Mark FerrariThe Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
World Without End by Ken FollettAnne of the Island by L.M. Montgomery (for the 12th time or so)
The Water Babies by Charles Kingsley
What I Watch
The Office
30 RockDoctor Who
HeroesEureka
Scrubs2008 Crafty Stats
Yardage In:
13.5 yardsYardage Out:
3 yardsItems Made: 2
Money Spent:
$58.06
Recent Entries
Giveaway at Teresa's!!
Romance?
Pop Dickens
No real theme..
Election- Shmelection!
Blogs I Read (almost)Daily
Money Spent:
$58.06Recent Entries
Giveaway at Teresa's!!Romance?
Pop Dickens
No real theme..
Election- Shmelection!