Joyfully Home

A New Year

A new year is just what i need. As i reflect over the past year, the heart ache, the lost feeling, the longing to speak to my mom one more time, then losing my grand ma too. I thought i would only see the pain in this reflective time, but although the pain is there i see more the blessings from a truly Faithfull Father. He has not only been my buckler and strength but He has blessed me beyond anything i would have expected. I hope this year to be able to give back to Him in a stronger way.

God bless you

Jeri

Good Monday morning

Well a new day has dawned and with it more work. Here is what i need to get done today.

Bake bread

fall cleaning in the entry way

get the rest of the pumpkin in the freezer

finish up sons sock

work on reading with DD

get some sewing done

Dinner tonight

homemade noodles with sauce

salad

homemade bread

Pumpkin tarts.

Off to work

Jeri

Pumpkin Tarts recipe

Where has this year gone

Although i would not like to repeat it, it has rushed past in a blur. A lot has happened sence the last time i was on here.

ON September 8 my Grandma passed away. it was a very hard thing to have to go through and she will be greatly missed. I really did not think she would live long abter my mom died. She was very close to my mon and she had already buried 3 sons, and her beloved husband. She had just turned 90 in july and i am sure she was just tired.

On the home front things are getting colder that is for sure, 16 deg. this AM. very unseasonal for us. We usually have our first snow on the 31st of this month but it is always too warm for it to stick. Now if it snows we will have snow for a while. AHHH highmountian desert living!!!

We have bucthered all the chickens we are going to. The freezer is full of chicken, lots of yummy dinners there!!!!!!!!!!!! i have canned all the apples we got, and most of the potatoes. i have 3 hugh pumpkins on the table to process, i told John they where my fall decoration, he said it was a bit of over kill. LOL

We butchered one of the goats, we have one more to go. We think all the does are bred, PTL. We have 3 to sell, one buck and 2 does. Three more rabbits to butcher. I will be glad when this is all done.

 We now have a horse!! My hubby and son are training him to drive. He is a very calm sweet horse. What a blessing.

We have most of the fire wood we will need for the winter.(Lord willing) The gardens are just about put to bed.

I have been doing a great deal of knitting, son was in need of more socks, and i am about done with a sweater for me.

Well i guess this is enough for now.

Laundry awaits.

Jeri

New harddrive

Well my nephew got my new hard drive put inlast friday. I have been having issues for about a year but just kept running disk dr. and praying. But now i hava a new hard drive and my PC is running better than ever.

I have been reading the Psalms (this is the first book og the Bible i read as a new beliver and go back to it when ever i need refreshment) anyway and this is one of my favorite.

Psalm 103:1-5 A Psalm of David. Bless the LORD, O my soul: and

                        all that is within me, bless his holy name.

                      Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:

                 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;

                         Who redeemeth thy life from destruction;

                     who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;

       Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.

           The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.

                                        [emph. minw]

These are things i need to remember about my heavenly Father

He forgives

He heals

He redeems

He crowns with lovingkindness and His mercies are tender

He satisfies

He is a rightous judge

Oh how i praise Him.

Walking in Son light

Jeri

Monday

First of all thank you Busymumof3boys and Trixi for your prayers. I am doing better today Praise The Lord.

We are painting the floors and they look so nice. I will be glad when they are done.

Trixi here is my shampoo bar recipe, i got it off the net years ago and do not remember where so am unable to give credit for it.

Pure Soap Shampoo

16 oz weight coconut oil

1/2 cup mink oil or (4 T. Castor oil (this is what i use) )

2.9 oz lye

1 cup water (8 fluid oz)

Oil room temperature. Mix and use lye when the water turns clear. Put all ingredients in a  glass bowl, annd mix well until all streaks of oil are gone, but do not trace. (at this time i add Tea Tree oil ) Pour into mold and leave for 2 days. Freeze soap 3 hours to release from molds. Age 3 weeks.

That is it, very easy. i use a plastic cheese container as a mold and i get 7 large bars. This is a very good lathering shampoo and we do not use conditioner with it. I have hair to my waist that is thin fine but very curly, and this does wonders for my hair.

Have a great day

Jeri

right before my eyes

The summer is speeding away right before my eyes. We are very busy with the chickens and goats and garden. Also trying to get some things done in the house. We are painting walls and floors, i am decluttering and cleaning.

I have been dealing with depression the last couple of weeks. this is new to me my DH says it is part of the grieving process, but i can tell you i do not like it. I am trying to lean on the Lord and work through it. I am in need of many prayers.

On the list of work for today

( ) 2 loads of laundry

( ) mop floors

( ) make shampoo bars

( ) make cheese

( ) Plan food for this weekend(we are painting the kitchen floor saturday)

( ) clean our bedroom.

I had to order a new hard drive for the computer, so my nephew the computer geek will be putting it in and coping this hard drive before it dies. on Monday i think.

Today id my grandmothers 90th birthday. i need to call her. they are having a family party for her on saturday, we will not be able to go.  But such is the live of farmers!!!

Well have a wonderfilled day!!!

Isa 49:13

Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the LORD hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted.( thank you Marilyn)

July Already

Well i am back from staying with my Grandma, i was gone longer than i expected to be. It was a good visit overall. Not as hard as i thought it would be. Praise the Lord.

I am so excited, after my mom died, we took a rose bush that i had brouhgt for her years ago and brought it to our house. I did not think it was going to make it because it got water stress from the transplant. Well i am happy to say that it is in bloom right now and doing well. It is a lovely yellow and there are 7 blossoms on it. This is such a blessing to me.

The Lord has been so faithful to care for the needs of my heart. He is teaching me compassion and mercy. Contentment and Joy. He is a good Father. We live a very simple live, with few (from the worlds point of view) luxuries. The Lord thru the Spirit has taught me to be content in this life, and has supplied many of my hearts desires over the years. All this to say i am so thankful to the Lord for His loving kindness.

Well i need to get off to start my homekeeping. i have much to do today.

Blessings to your day

Jeri

wowBusy month

It has been a very busy month. 2 birthdays, father's day, our last goat to kid did. 250 crazy little chicks running around. my head is spinning!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have not had much time to post but i do come and read some of the blogs from time to time.

I have been steadly decluttering and deep cleanning the house! i am down to only 2 rooms that need a great deal of work. the wash/trow all the junk in here room! and our sewing room, which seems to be another catch all room. i am working on them this week. i may not get them done this month as i will be leaving on Saturday to go stay with my grandmother for a week. So that my aunt that she lives with can get away for a much needed rest. My grandmother is 90years old and was very close to my mom she is very depressed. I am so praying that this will not be a really hard time for me.

I just wanted to update on the happenings here in The WAY of live Farm.

Jeri

Saturday

well i did not fininsh the sock last night  i was really tired.

but it will be done today.

List for today.

take son to water for friends that are out of town.

go to wally world

2 loads of laundry

finish sewing aprons

finish dad's socks

make yogurt

one batch of cheese

that should do it fo today

getting things done, organize, accountability

I am having such a hard time getting things done. It seems all i want to do is sit and veg out. this does not make me happy let along my family!!!!!!

SOOOOOOO i am trying to get things organized and for my own accountibility am putting a list of todos here. Then this evening i will check back and see my progress.

Bake bread a

finish cleaning kitchen a

bible study with the Mariannos a

make pasta and sauce for dinner(bible study ran too late quick tacos)

2 loads of laundry a

finish last 20 rows of FIL's sock(father's day gift) (off to work on them now)

I think i can manage that list.

well off to get done, have a blessed day

Jeri

Thursday

We have a beautiful clear day today. I have been praising the Lord all morning. It has been a long time with no relaxed time with the Lord. i feel my joy returning and some of the heaviness of mourning lifting off of me. God is so faithfull!!!!

Today i have laundry to do and some work in the yard and sewing. But not a  really busy day.

Have a wonderful day.

New kids

We had a set of quads born this AM, well at 3am to be exact. 3 bucks and 1 sweet little doeling. We have the doeling and one of the bucks in the house. We will hand raise them, the other 2 are on their mom. Mom is a black and brown nubian, the buck is a white and gray alpine cross, 2 of the bucks are the most beautiful black and white we have ever seen. Just striking. i will try to see if i can figure out how to put pictures on aand show you.

Jeri

Good Morning

Well we are off and running again, John wants to go to the nursery, to get pepper plants. Then he and Charles will spend the day planting. and i think Amanda and i will sew. If i can keep her in the house, that is. She is an outside girl and loves to plant and garden so i will more than likely sew by my self.

I am fixing rabbit in the slowcooker for dinner. Not sure if i will like it as i have never eaten it, but we will see.

We had good fellowship last night what a blessing.

My brother's wife called and they want us to come to a cookout at thier house Sunday, not sure i want to just too hard right now. I really am missing my mom, more than i realize i guess.

Any way i am off to get plants..................................

Here i am again waiting for the guys to get ready to go.  and looking for a recipe for Parsnips. another thing i have never eaten but some friends brought them to us and hubby wants to try them. So if any one reads this and has any ideas for me i would love to hear them.

Another week gone

Wow i am not too good at this am i. And i do not even havee the excuse of being busy. Just too distracted i guess. i am having a hard time with Sunday being Mother's day and having  just lost my mom. Too much dwelling on poor me and nnit enough getting life taken care of. KWIM?

We are having bible study and fellowship in a few minutes, everything is ready for that, PTL.

We have a goat ready to deliever anytime and we have 3 bucks to sell this weekend. Our 240 chicks should be here next friday. Yes i did say two hundredand forty. We have 4 families (including ours) that go in together to raise meat birds. We raise them as we  are the only ones with land. 200 are for meat and the other 40 are laying hens and a couple of breeding rosters.

We will butcher the meat birds at about 9 to 12 weeks, thenn in July we will order 200 more. This way we all have organic chicken to eat all winter. But getting ready for them and the first couple of weeks is hard work. We love it. We are looking at raising rabbit for meat. so we really have alot going on.

Well on with the day................................

Friday

Time does fly. I am not sure where this week went, but here it is Friday again. I did manage to get a few things done this week.  Let me see i made cheese everyday. Tried some new seasonings Basil and sun dried tomato, garlic and basil, and dill and sun dries tomato. yummy yummy. I made bread every day. And the house stayed clean!!!!!!!!!!!  We got the laundry all done and sewing done. OKAY i know where the week went LOL!!!!!

Today we have bible fellowship this evening and homemade pizza after, so i have to get the ingredents ready before hand.

Johns birthday is tomorrow, i have about 25 rows of his socks left to do  but i hope to get them done today. He wants tamales for dinner, so i will be  making them in the morning. and amanda will bake him a cake. I cannot believe he will be 50 LOL. I tease him and tell him you asked me to come grow old with you but you did not say it would happen so guick. LOL

Well i am off to make pizza crust, put a pork roast in the crock for tamales, make sasuage for pizzas. and on and on and on LOLOLOLOLOL

Beautiful Saturday

I woke to a wonderful sunrise this morning, and it promises to be a warm and sunny spring day. we plan Lord willing to set in new raised beds in the front of the  house, so i will be moving my mint and sage to these single beds. Which will make room for the big bed that runs along the porch.

I also will be finishing the cuff on John's sock, and hope to cast on the 2nd one today. His birthday is next saturday. So i should have time to get it done. It is a bit hard when he is in and out all day LOL.

I also need to make cheese as we have milk coming out our ears LOL. So caraway and sage are on the list. Yogurt too.

I plan to have chicken salad, and fresh from the green house salad for dinner today.

Well i do not hear anyone up so i guess i best get some feet on the floor, to get the morning stuff done(a bit late today)

Have a wonderful day!!!!!!!!!!!

Busy and productive days

We have been getting so much done the last 2 days. John and Charles went to Colo. Wednesday for another load of fire wood(i cook on a wood burning cookstove so we get fire wood year round) Amanda and i stayed home and cleaned and sewed.

Yesterday I tackled the bathroom and den they are sparkling now. !!!!!!!!!!! Amanda worked on the kitchen it looks great.

Today we have bible study which last most of the day. We meet with 2 other families and we have study and fellowship, most times we have a meal. We sing and it is a wonderful time of sweet worship. We start around 10am and are done  most Friday's by 6pm. we have been doing this for a few years and we love it.

I am really enjoying the blogs here. i want to try to do some work on my blog to add pictures and things like that but am very new to all this so i will have to figure it out.

Tomarrow we will spend the day in the garden. Lord willing! We have a lot to do.

Have a good day in the Lord!

Tuesday

Today is laundry day and the Lord has blessed us with a beautiful warm day. The lines are full of  bright clean fresh cloths. it is like a breath of fresh air.

I got the wool for John's socks for his birthday yesterday and have half a sock done on the needles now. I am trying to make these a surprise which is hard when he works form home. But they will  be in Colo. tomorrow.

Amanda and i are working on some tote bags and knitting bags, purses to sell. John and Charles want to take a driving (horse) class this summer and we are trying to sell some thinge to help pay for it. So we are busy sewing away.

i guess i need to get the kitchen floor mopped and the bathrooom clean before i hed upstairs so i better go.

Ps 147:1

Praise ye the LORD: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely.

Missing my mom

i am really missing my mom today. It has been a month since she passed away, and i feel very sad today. The Lord keeps bring to my mind this scripture.

Ps 147:3

He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.

So i am trying to rest in the shadow of HIS wing today, and let Him heal my broken heart.

We have a busy day today, two people are coming to get their kid goats. We have two garden beds to build. The guys are getting ready to go to Colorado Wednesday for another load of wood. I need to go to town for wool for socks for John's birthday. and i need to bake bread.

So i should have enough to keep me busy, LOL

Hi Anne!!!!!! i will email you.