A Corner Pillar

Thoughts for this Lord's Day [thirteen]

2012-02-12T18:01:00.000-05:00

"Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might;
for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom,
in the grave, whither thou goest."

-Ecclesiastes 9:10

How often we slip into apathy.

How often we forget that the world is sick and dying.

How often we neglect the duties that the Lord has set before us.

"God has work to do in this world;

and to desert it because of its difficulties and

entanglements, is to cast off His authority.

It is not enough that we be just, that we be righteous,

and walk with God in holiness; but we must also serve our generation,

as David did before he fell asleep. God has a work to do;

and not to help Him is to oppose Him."

-John Owen

I sometimes wonder what would happen if we, as Christians, were more giving of ourselves. What would happen if we poured more of Christ's love into those around us? How deeply would we impact the world for the glory of God?

You and I have been called to love and serve with glad hearts. We must not grudgingly give of ourselves, but must labor with fervent love and zeal, going about our days with a song in our hearts and a smile our lips. There is so much to be done! We cannot afford to waste our days on ourselves. If we are not faithful in the little things, we will be unable to be fruitful with much. Change must begin in the simple goings on of day-to-day life.

This has been my prayer of late, for I struggle with so much and fail so often.

Our highest aim must be to glorify the Lord in each and every area of our lives, but it will be impossible to do so if we are not seeking God regularly.

"He who runs from God in the morning

will scarcely find Him the rest of the day."

-John Bunyan

If we are not actively seeking the Lord, we will become discouraged, frustrated, and bitter. We must be in the Word daily, not weekly. We must pray without ceasing, as 1 Thessalonians 5:17 commands. We must chiefly be about the Lord's work, not our own. Our Savior deserves nothing less, and so much more.

Many, I fear, would like glory,

who have no wish for grace.

They would [want to] have the wages, but not the work;

the harvest, but not the labor; the reaping, but not the sowing;

the reward, but not the battle.

But it may not be.

-J.C. Ryle

I apologize if this seems somewhat disjointed! I have had many different thoughts floating around in my mind.

Do you have any thoughts to add? I would love to hear them! :D

Back to Eden and A Quick eBook Update

2012-02-11T10:10:00.000-05:00

Good morning, readers!

I hope this February day finds you well. It is a bright, beautiful Florida morning here. The temperature is in the high 50's and low 60's. The air is much cooler than our recent days have been. I am most definitely going to be taking advantage of the freshness in the air today. Gardening and running are at the top of today's list! Our weather will be turning hot and humid before you know it.

Speaking of gardening... Last evening, my family and I watched an incredible documentary called Back to Eden. We began the movie thinking that we would watch about thirty minutes of it, but were so enraptured with Paul Gautschi's gardening methods that we ended up watching the entire hour and forty-three minutes of it! We might even watch it again.

Mr. Gautschi's methods are incredibly simple and completely organic. The only tool he uses is a rake. We were amazed at the beautiful produce he is able to grow.

Back to Eden was made only last year, so it is relatively new. Here is the film synopsis from their website...

After years of back-breaking toil in ground ravaged by the effects of man-made growing systems, Paul Gautschi has discovered a taste of what God intended for mankind in the garden of Eden. Some of the vital issues facing agriculture today include soil preparation, fertilization, irrigation, weed control, pest control, crop rotation, and PH issues. None of these issues exist in the unaltered state of nature or in Paul’s gardens and orchards.

“Back to Eden” invites you to take a walk with Paul as he teaches you sustainable organic growing methods that are capable of being implemented in diverse climates around the world.

The best part? You can watch it online for free! That's right! I'm thankful for the filmmakers' generosity; we learned quite a lot from the film. I would certainly recommend it to you and your family. Click here to visit the Back to Eden website and view the documentary.

Now for my eBook update... Unfortunately, I will be pushing the release date of A Beginner's Guide to Portrait Photography back one week to February 22nd. It was a decision that I had hoped to avoid, but one that needed to be made in the end.

I want this eBook to benefit its readers as much as possible, and I am just going to need a few more days to finish writing, editing, tweaking, and publishing it. The extra time will also keep me from neglecting family and home responsibilities, something that should not happen for the sake of a project (however worthy). ;)

Thank you all so very much for your encouragement and prayers; they are much appreciated. I am so looking forward to releasing this eBook! :)

What are your plans for today?

The Hoffman's Visit [and a quick photoshoot]

2012-02-09T10:51:00.002-05:00

I know that things have been quiet around here of late, but I promise that will change soon! My eBook is coming along well, though time is running very short and I still have a long way to go. I have been trying to balance my writing time with everything else that needs to be done, and it has not been the easiest thing to do. If you think of it, I would appreciate prayer; I am praying that I will be able to meet my deadline that is now less than a week away! :)

- - -

Ever since my cousin, Ashley, and her family visited a couple of months ago, I have been wanting to post a few pictures from the day they spent at our house! We certainly don't get to see them as often as we would like, but always thoroughly enjoy the time we do get to spend together. Alabama is a long way away, so getting to see them is a real treat!

This is Emma, who is three! (Is she really going to be four this fall!? wow.)

Emma, Ashley, and Mike... I think little Clay was napping. :)

We pulled out Joseph's old train set and put it together for Emma to play with. I enjoyed watching her play with it.

This is Clay, who is one year and a few months old. He loves cars and things that roll! Isn't he adorable? He has the best laugh! <3

I'm very fond of Emma's pigtails. <3

We went out to our front yard and took a few quick pictures for the Hoffman family's Christmas card. (I love them!)

Since their visit was in late November, our flowers were still blooming beautifully.

Emma girl. She has the best expressions!

Cutie!

(She's such a ham sometimes! haha)

Emma had gotten something stuck on her foot, so we went and washed it off with hose. She was loving running through the puddles!

He has such long eyelashes!

Emma started picking flowers...

...and then she would examine them and pick some more. I couldn't get over how perfectly they matched her dress!

Always inquisitive and curious...

Isn't she beautiful? I love her to pieces. She is a joy to be around.

These pictures make me miss them all even more than before!

At the end of the day, Molly was thoroughly worn out from all of the excitement. :)

Have a fantastic day!

"I will bless the LORD at all times:

His praise shall continually be in my mouth."

-Psalm 34:1

Thoughts for this Lord's Day [twelve]

2012-02-05T21:02:00.000-05:00

I am so thankful for the blessing of rest on Sabbath days! What a delight it is to break from work and other pursuits to worship the Lord and enjoy the benefits of His day.

I have decided that I really like to wear myself out on Saturdays so that I am even more able to appreciate Sundays. Besides cleaning, baking, and running yesterday, I spent some time tending the garden. I have been amazed at how many lessons one can learn from gardening. Contemplation out in the open air works wonders on the soul.

For instance... In December, I planted baby greens. They sprouted very quickly and began to grow. I was thrilled at how well they appeared to be doing. A couple of weeks later, however, the greens began to look peaked. They had mostly stopped growing and some of them had begun to wilt. Then, after a heavy rain watered the garden, most of my greens were no more. There were only a few left that actually seemed to be doing well, and they weren't enough to fill even the smallest salad bowl.

I was so frustrated! What had happened to my little greens? They had looked so healthy on the surface. I just couldn't figure it out. It wasn't until a couple of weeks later that I understood. While I was harvesting the remaining greens to make room for something else, it hit me: the root structure was minuscule! I had sown the seeds much too near the surface. No wonder they had not been able to withstand much of anything. The poor little seedlings had nothing grounding them.

As I started tilling the soil where the greens had been, something struck me; I began thinking about how a similar principle applies in the life of a Christian. If we do not allow the Word of God to deeply take root in our hearts, then we will be tossed to and fro by false doctrine, diverted by the pleasures of the world, and captivated by a host of other snares that are ready to pull us away from our duties and distract us at every turn.

"That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive..."

-Ephesians 4:14

How interesting it is to read the parables Jesus preached pertaining to sowing, growing, and reaping. Clearly, there is much to be learned gardening and farming. I do not claim to be a good gardener, but that is certainly something I hope to change in the future (though I'm sure it will take years). I am thankful to the Lord for giving me a little plot to tend, however poorly. I have planted lettuce again, and this time took care to plant the seeds deeply.

Growing a garden also takes a good deal of patience at times, especially when you're excited for plants to begin budding and flowering. You have to wait for the seeds to sprout, for the rain to fall, for the plants to grow, for buds to flower, for fruit to form, and for vegetables to ripen. All that waiting does wonders for increasing my patience! :) You must also exercise patience when pests like squirrels, rabbits, deer, insects, and the like wreak havoc on your plants.

When you think about it, we are continually waiting on something, aren't we? That something may change, but it always seems to be there, nonetheless. Often, it is multiple somethings. When we are unmarried, we wait on the Lord to bring us a spouse. When we are engaged, we wait for our wedding day to arrive. We wait for the Lord to bless us with a baby. When we are expecting a child, we wait quite a few months for that little one to make his appearance. We wait for all sorts of other events to take place; an attempt at listing them all would be futile. We wait for the Lord's direction. We wait for His timing.

But, as Christians, we are not passively waiting, are we? We actively waiting, trusting in the sovereign will of our perfect God. We are preparing. We are working hard to complete the tasks that have been set before us. We are growing in grace of our good God. We sometimes wonder why we must wait on the Lord, but knowing that His plan is perfect makes all the difference. We rest in that.

My friend blogging Bethany recently posted a link to a sermon that Joel Beeke preached, titled, How Do You Wait on God? I would really encourage you to take some time to listen to it. (You can click here to find it.) It is only 44 minutes long, and is definitely worth your time. If you don't think that you have the time, then I recommend that you download it and try listening to it as you do some cleaning, laundry, or driving. I listened to it while running and gardening. Dr. Beeke's insight is wonderful, and his message is firmly grounded in Scripture. You will be blessed, I am sure of it. :)

"I had fainted, unless I had believed

to see the goodness of the LORD

in the land of the living.

Wait on the LORD: be of good courage,

and he shall strengthen thine heart:

wait, I say, on the LORD."

-Psalm 27:13-14

The Last Day [and a quick february update]

2012-02-01T12:20:00.004-05:00

February! You've come so soon?

What a full month January was! It seemed to come and go so very quickly, leaving me to think of how each day can be spent to the very fullest.

This week, I reached 300 followers (and 428 subscribers)! Those numbers are always subject to change, but wow y'all. You bless me so much. I'm going to have to have a giveaway soon. Maybe in two weeks on February 15th, when I release my eBook! What do you think? ;)

Our winter weather has been mild and not incredibly cold. It seems as though most everyone else can relate to that. It hasn't been at all like last year's frigidness! My little garden has been loving this weather, though. The absence of much mugginess and too many pests has been nice for it. I snapped a few pictures on Monday to share with you to keep you updated on its progress.

I'll begin with my little cabbage plants. Remember these guys?

Well, they've been doing a little growing! All except for one of them, that is. He just didn't make it for some reason. I think some creeping insect got him... It's too bad, because he was pretty cute.

The other three continue to get larger, though worms seem to find the outer leaves quite tasty. I might cut them off, as one farmer we know suggested. He said that partially eaten leaves attract the pests.

Remember the purple cabbage seedlings?

They've turned much more of a purple color over the past weeks and the leaves have gotten much bigger!

This is the only surviving broccoli plant. I don't think we get enough sun for broccoli. I have decided to leave it for now, just in case.

The mini carrot patch! The first (and only other) time I tried growing carrots, it was a disaster. I didn't thin them out at all and they were scrawny and bitter. These seem to be doing well, though, and they look healthy!

We have English sugar snap peas! I haven't tasted any yet, but I'm hoping to harvest a few of the larger ones in the next day or so. I can't wait! :)

A little bitty pod and a papery white blossom...

This reminds me of Jack's bean stalk, except smaller, climbing to the heavens. I just can't get enough of those beautiful white blossoms! They have such a sweet air of elegance to them.

I'm already beginning to plan and plant the spring garden! The weather has been so mild that I'm going to take a chance and pray that it doesn't frost again this season. As it stands, we have only had one frost thus far.

How are your garden plans coming along? Tell me about them!

In other news, today was my 52nd post on Six Angles! I can hardly believe its been a year since we began. There were a couple of other pictures in the running, this being one of them...

Mom thought I looked too dramatic. I guess she's right. haha ;) Anyway, you can head on over to Six Angles to see the other photographers' end-of-the-year posts.

I think that's all for now, friends! Thanks for stopping by!

Thoughts for this Lord's Day [eleven]

2012-01-29T17:43:00.003-05:00

I recently picked up my copy of Large Family Logistics again, this time planning to make it to the end of the book. I had read the first few chapters a little while ago, but they were so wonderful that I thought it would be helpful to go back and read them all over again! :)

The subtitle of the book is, "The Art and Science of Managing the Large Family." I obviously don't have a large family to manage. In fact, I'm not even a member of a large family! Some would ask, "Why bother reading a book that really doesn't apply to you?" I would reply, "For the future!" In my opinion, books like the afore mentioned read are profitable on many levels. They help in preparing for the future, but also cause one to reevaluate the present.

Reading Large Family Logistics has been teaching me a lot about myself. It has made me realize even more fully that raising a large family to the glory of God is a massive, though achievable, undertaking. Thinking about the future has caused me to consider my current life. There are habits that need to be formed and broken now. There are attitudes and thought patterns that I need to be cultivating in the present, for the future. I have a mind, heart, and soul that need to be nurtured by the Word of God today.

I may get married in 10 months or in 10 years. Only the One who holds the future knows for sure, but that is all the more reason to be diligent right now. We don't know what our future days will be like, which is why it is so incredibly important to focus on the here and now.

Ladies, what we do right now matters for the future. Right now counts forever. Our thoughts, our actions, and our deeds are building blocks for the future. I have often heard girls say, "When I get married and have my own home, I'm going to do this, that, and the other differently. Things will change." I have, in fact, fallen into this horrible trap myself, and I don't doubt that you have as well; I fear that we would all like to think that we are much better than we truly are. In all honesty, this sort of thinking is a train-wreck waiting to happen! It is a mindset that we all need to fight against.

Perhaps there are things that will be done differently in our "own" homes. But let us remember something. Our future homes will really not belong to us- they will belong to the Lord. And if this is true, then it behooves us to consider our current homes.

Do true love and the joy of the Lord abound? Is there an air of peace and harmony or one of bitterness and discord? Are our homes centers of hospitality? Are they places of industry? Are meals prepared with love and shared with encouraging conversation? Are conflicts resolved in a Biblical manner, with grace and humility? Is Christ the obvious focus of the home?

We must realize that the way we behave now will not suddenly change once we marry. Our character does not magically transform once we become one with our spouse. If we respond to our parents' instruction with a defensive spirit, we will not respond to our husband's with grace and humility. If we cannot even keep our rooms clean now, what makes us think that our future houses will be tidy and in order? If we cannot handle hard work at present, do we honestly believe that our future homes will be hubs of productivity? If we are fond of eating the bread of idleness whenever we can snitch a bite, do we think that our married days will be well-ordered and full of blessing? I could go on with a list that would span the globe, but I think that you see what I mean. We must change now.

Seek the Lord first. Nothing good will be accomplished apart from His strength and mercy.

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God,

and his righteousness;

and all these things

shall be added unto you."

-Matthew 6:33

Resolve to change. Do not merely talk about wanting to be different. Write down the ways that your character, abilities, and habits need to change or improve and work at them. If you want your future home to be beautiful, work at making your current home thus today.

"I can do all things through Christ

which strengtheneth me."

-Philippians 4:13

As daughters, we can do much for the Lord and for our families; our influence is great. I think that we sometimes forget these important truths. We can use our influence for good or for evil; let it not be said that we tore down the homes the Lord so graciously blessed us with. May we use each day for the glory of God as we obey His Word.

"Who can find a virtuous woman?

For her price is far above rubies."

-Proverbs 31:10

Do you have anything to add?

Featured on Raising Homemakers...

2012-01-26T09:20:00.001-05:00

Today I have been featured on Raising Homemakers!

Click here to head on over and check it out!

An Exciting Announcement!

2012-01-25T12:27:00.000-05:00

Today, I have something exciting to share!

Over the past weeks, I have been been getting up before the sun. While the world is still dark, I silently slip out of bed, trying not to wake my snoring little dog. I tip-toe across the house and over the creaking wood floor. I reach our workroom, where my computer rests, and quietly shut the door behind me. And then I write.

I write, I edit, and I rewrite... and then I write some more. I have been diligently working on a project that has become very dear to me. I have poured many hours into it and have become more and more excited about it as time has gone on! Though it is not finished quite yet, it gets closer to being completed with each passing day.

In three short weeks, I will release my first eBook, A Beginner's Guide to Portrait Photography!

Over the years, I have received an abundance of questions and emails about photography. The topics range from the practical to the technical, but there is a common thread that runs through them all: each individual has expressed a desire to improve their photography. Sometimes this desire is stated, and sometimes it is merely implied, but it is expressed nonetheless.

I have incorporated the chapters with plenty of images to help illustrate the subjects I am writing about. This morning, for instance, Joseph and I traveled over to the beach together to watch the sunrise and to collect a couple of photos for the chapter on silhouettes.

It has been a joy to watch each page come together. All in all, I am incredibly excited with how well it is turning out! I cannot wait to share it with you all. The Lord has been very gracious to give me the opportunity to write this. I am so thankful for His everlasting mercy and His sustaining grace. All glory goes to God for any ability I have been blessed with.

Today I launched the preliminary website: www.portraitphotographyebook.com

I just have a short synopsis about the eBook for now, so the site will be far more complete when the release date is nearer.

And now, I have a question for you, my readers! What topics would you most like to see addressed in A Beginner's Guide to Portrait Photography? I still have time to add in some of your more pressing questions, so please leave me a comment below, or send me an email at: portraitphotographyebook@gmail.com

I can't wait to hear from you!

"O give thanks unto the LORD;

for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever."

-Psalm 118:1

Beautiful Modesty

2012-01-23T13:14:00.001-05:00

I'm guest posting today over at Blessings Every Minute of My Life!

Be sure to head on over and check it out! I'd love to hear any thoughts you'd care to add...

Thoughts for this Lord's Day [ten]

2012-01-22T15:06:00.002-05:00

"Use hospitality one to another without grudging.

As every man hath received the gift,

even so minister the same one to another,

as good stewards of the manifold grace of God."

-1 Peter 4:9-10

Our feasting table on Christmas Eve

Today I would like to share an excerpt with you from a book I began reading this morning, Building Her House, by Nancy Wilson. I am already about halfway through the book and have been blessed by Mrs. Wilson's insight and desire to uphold Biblical truth. The excerpt quoted below is from the chapter "Loving Labor." It was a lot to type up, but I think you will be blessed by the wisdom she shares. :)

"In the last chapter of Romans, Paul mentions all the people he wants to greet, and he commends some of those by name who have been of particular help to him. Early in this list, Paul mentions Mary: 'Greet Mary, who bestowed much labour on us' (Rom. 16:6).

This woman apparently ministered to Paul and his coworkers in a wonderful way. We can only imagine the sort of needs Paul and his entourage had as they traveled. The obvious of course would be food and a place to sleep. But Paul would also probably attract crowds of people who would want to listen to him teach. So Mary's hospitality may have extended beyond just Paul and those traveling with him. Whatever the case, it is obvious that Paul took special not of Mary's hospitality, for it was a blessing to him.

Notice that Mary bestowed her labor. What a lovely word. It suggests the image of a gift. This means her hospitality was not given grudgingly or sparingly. It is as though all her labor was wrapped up, tied with a ribbon, and given with the anticipation of delighting and pleasing. Hospitality that is bestowed is the sort the Scripture exhorts us to practice: 'Use hospitality one to another without grudging' (1 Peter 4:9). Grudging hospitality is not a joy to receive.

Mary bestowed much labor, not a little labor. And it was labor- real labor. Anyone who doesn't think hospitality is work has much to learn about giving. Mary's work probably included anticipating and preparing, organizing and directing, as well as spending hours in the kitchen and cleaning up. Though hospitality is a joy, it is labor-intensive. Paul was wise enough to know that Mary was working hard to provide for his needs. Hospitality is a precious gift, for it is the sacrifice of someone's time and energy.

So what can we learn from Mary's example? First, we must learn to bestow our gifts and services on our fellow saints. When God in his kindness establishes a loving, healthy Christian community, much hard work of serving one another is required among the saints. This may include putting people up, feeding them, loaning them cars, driving them to the airport, visiting them when they are sick, taking them meals, babysitting their children, buying them shower gifts, or shoveling their walks. Not only is a thriving church community dependent upon the labors of the saints to maintain it, but its very existence speaks of years of labor and self-sacrifice that have gone into merely establishing it. Communities do not just spring up out of thin air; they are always the result of hard work over many years. Great blessings always require careful stewardship, and this necessarily mandates much labor- a good deal of which may be completed behind the scenes.

Scripture teaches that it is more blessed to give than receive. If you have ever been on the receiving end, as Paul was, you know how much of a blessing the labors of others can be."

The chapter goes on to give more rich wisdom, but I will stop there for fear of copyright infringement. ;)

(You can find the book here if you'd like a copy of your own.)

I pray that your Sabbath day is blessed of God.

Baby News and The Settlers of Catan

2012-01-21T16:58:00.001-05:00

Last night, we had some friends over to play The Settlers of Catan. Among them were Ben and Emily who surprised us with some absolutely, positively wonderful news!

Emily is expecting her first baby!

We have been filled with joy for them ever since they walked into the kitchen last night, adorned with those cute little numbers. I'll never forget Jean's reaction as she looked at them, laughing heartily, and then gasped mid-laugh when she realized what the numbers were for! It was priceless. We asked Emily a hundred and one questions over the course of the night, all of which she answered graciously and excitedly. ;)

Their news gave the evening an extra measure of glee.

Ben and Emily gave us six coasters for when we play Catan. Aren't they neat?

We played two games that evening (after a few rounds of Dutch Blitz while we waited for Ben and Emily). Jean won the first, and I won the second! It was my very first time winning The Settlers of Catan. If you've never played, you should definitely give it a try! Once you learn the rules, the game is a blast! :)

I love the varied expressions!

Joseph grilled bratwurst to go in hoagie rolls and I caramelized onions to go with them and also made big bowls of coleslaw and potato salad. Jean brought Lemon Bars (which I begged her for) and Chocolate Chess Pie (which is chocolate to the max) for dessert and Gabe brought some soda (which none of us needed, but most of us drank ;)! All in all, it was a lovely evening.

Molly's favorite place during the winter months... She watched us (dozing and snoring occasionally) from the big comfy chair.

The grill-master himself.

This is what the game board looked like after I won. My pieces were the orange-ish ones to the left.

What a night! We played into the morning hours and all enjoyed ourselves immensely. How good God is to give us friends! :)

A Homemaker is Worth How Much?!

2012-01-18T18:11:00.000-05:00

Have you ever paused and wondered how much homemakers would be worth if all of their work was equated to a dollar value? I came across an interesting read on two of my sweet friends' blogs today (you can visit their blogs here and here). I have added some thoughts of my own at the end. :)

How Much is a Homemaker Worth?

"The life of a homemaker is one that includes an endless amount of demands and to-dos. Depending on the size of the home and family, the position of homemaker can go well beyond the usual nine to five. We examined some of the tasks that a homemaker might do to find out how much his or her services would net as individual professional careers. We only take into consideration tasks which have monetary values and use the lowest value for each calculation.

Private Chef - Meal preparation is one of the major tasks of most homemakers. From breakfast to dinner, there is plenty of meal planning and cooking to be done. The American Personal Chef Association reports that its personal chefs make $200 to $500 a day. Grocery shopping is another chore that needs to be factored in. A homemaker must drive to the supermarket, purchase the food and deliver it to the home. Grocery delivery services charge a delivery fee of $5 to $10.

Total cost for services: $1,005 per five day work week x 52 weeks = $52,260 per year.

House Cleaner - A clean and tidy home is the foundation of an efficient household. Typical cleaning duties include vacuuming, dusting, sweeping, scrubbing sinks as well as loading the dishwasher and making beds. Professional maids or house cleaning service providers will charge by the hour, number of rooms or square footage of the home. For example, bi-weekly cleaning of a 900-square-foot, two-bedroom apartment with five rooms, costs $59-$124 . A 1,300 square-foot, single-story home with seven rooms runs $79-$150 . A 2,200 two-story, three-bedroom home with nine rooms averages $104-$180 . Additional tasks such as oven or refrigerator cleaning and dusting mini blinds can run an extra $20-$25.

Total cost for services: $118 per week X 52 Weeks = $6,136 per year.

Child Care - Homemakers provide full-time, live-in child care. This type of service from a professional provider would usually come with a host of perks including health insurance, paid vacation and sick days, federal holidays off, dental and vision coverage, and bonuses. The International Nanny Association's 2011 survey found that nannies make $600 to $950 per week in gross wages, on average.

Total cost for services: $600 a week plus perks/benefits x 52 Weeks = $31,200 per year.

Driver - A private car service might seem like a high-end luxury to most, but the beneficiaries of a homemaker get this service on a daily basis. Companies like Red Cap, which provides personal drivers that use the client's own car as the means of transportation, offer a glimpse into the cost of this homemaker task. An elite membership which includes 365 days of unlimited, round-trip service is $1,000 a year plus 33 cents - $2.03 per minute.

Total cost for services: $1,000 per year + [(estimated miles driven 8000 miles / 50 MPH) x 60 min/hr x $0.33 per minute] = $4,168 total per year.

Laundry Service - Clean clothes come at a cost when you have to pay for the service that most homemakers do for free. Professional laundry services charge by the pound. For instance, Susie's Suds Home Laundry Service, Inc. in Texas charges 90 cents to $1.00 a pound to wash, dry, fold, hang and steam your clothes. Items that take longer to dry such as comforters, blankets, rugs and winter clothes are assessed at a price of $12-$15 each.

Total cost for services: $0.90 per pound x 4 pounds of clothes per day x 5 days per weeks x 52 weeks = $936 total per year.

Lawn Maintenance - Basic maintenance of the exterior property is a less common, but possible duty of a homemaker.This could include things such as mowing, debris removal, edging and trimming the lawn. These services cost about $30 a week on average.

Total cost for services: $30 per week x 52 weeks = $1,560 total per year.

The Bottom Line - Total for a year of all services is: $52,260 + $6,137 + $31,200 + $4,168 + $936 + $1,560 = $96,261 per year.

The daily work of a homemaker can sometimes be taken for granted by his or her family members. However, these services could earn a homemaker a considerable wage if he or she took those skills to the marketplace. Homemakers in general contribute a lot more to the home in addition to these tasks, and no amount of money can fill those needs."

(The article's source is found here.)

I found that article to be a very interesting read. Though a little flawed for some (my mother never drove 8,000 miles herself in the course of a year) and politically correct (referring to homemakers as both men and women), the ideas communicated are worth noting. The industrious homemaking woman is of great value to her household.

In addition, a mother who educates her own children would be worth either a tutor or a teacher's salary. One who grows her own produce, raises animals, and sews clothing also adds to the family income. As you can see, the article really just scratches the surface!

Stepping away from the monetary aspect of it reminds us of a homemaker's greatest contributions, namely the tender love, Godly wisdom, and careful nurture she imparts to her husband and children (if the Lord has blessed her thus). This is worth far more to the Kingdom of God than we could ever put a dollar amount on. It makes one think, when considering the value of what we do. What am I pouring my energy into? What is really important? What will last eternally?

Being a chef is of little value if we do not demonstrate hospitality and nourish souls.

Taxiing across town is a worthless effort if we do not drive others to Christ.

Washing clothes only helps to clean up the outward appearance; we must be about washing with the Word.

The bottom line is this: Only God can place a real value on homemaking. Proverbs 31 makes that infinitely clear. A Christ-honoring homemaker who is industrious and is about the business of serving her King is worth far more than money can buy. Her worth is far above rubies. She is working to build Christ's Kingdom! When done unto the Lord, wiping noses, cleaning up spilled milk, and speaking wisdom into the lives of children is the kind of work that lasts forever and ever. That is one thing the world will never understand, try as they might; you just can't place a dollar value on something as noble and beautiful as homemaking.

"Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies."

-Proverbs 31:10

Do you have anything to add?

52 Weeks | 52 Verses Challenge

2012-01-16T17:31:00.002-05:00

Toward the end of last year, I began thinking about how I had been lax in my memorization of Scripture. It began eating away at me. How could I have let something of such importance get pushed to the back burner? The Lord was working in my heart and convicting me about my priorities.

No sooner had I resolved to amend the problem than I discovered a timely email invitation in my inbox. A group of young women were getting together via the blog-world to hold each other accountable. They would be committing to memorize 52 verses in 52 weeks. I immediately knew that I wanted to join them. Accountability is such a blessing!

It wasn't until I sat down to select those few verses that I realized how difficult the task was going to be. As I turned the pages of my Bible, the richness of Scripture seemed to hit me in a new way. Only 52? How could I choose only 52 verses? I glanced at my list and decided to double it.

Maybe that's breaking the rules a bit, but I've been feeling very convicted about neglecting something so important. God's Word is precious and I need to be hiding His wisdom in my heart. I'm sure I'll be able to at least manage two verses each week.

Here are the passages I've chosen to commit to memory this year, probably in this order:

Psalm 1
Proverbs 4
James 1:2-7
Ephesians 5:10-19
1 Corinthians 13:1-6
Psalm 100
Deuteronomy 5:6-21
Matthew 5:3-20
Philippians 4:4-13

Will you join me and many others this year as we place a priority on memorizing God's Word? You couldn't make a better investment.

Visit the 52 Weeks | 52 Verses blog to learn more.

Thoughts for this Lord's Day [nine]

2012-01-15T17:25:00.000-05:00

This glorious afternoon, I am sharing a few excellent paragraphs from Thomas Brooks (1669). I found his words to be an immensely edifying, and I pray that they will encourage and challenge you in your walk...

"The laurel keeps its freshness and greenness in the winter season; a gracious soul is semper idem—'always the same'. Let the wind, and the world, and the times turn which way they will, a gracious soul for the main will still be the same; he is "like mount Zion, which cannot be moved," Psalm 125:1.

Job 27:5-6, "Until I die, I will not remove my integrity from me. My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go; my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live." A gracious heart is, in some measure, like the heart of God— without variableness or shadow of changing. That Christian that is not for substance the same that once he was— was never what he ought to be (James 1:17).

A gracious heart is firm and fixed for God and godliness, both in prosperity and in adversity. Take him among the godly or among the wicked; take him in storms or calms; in winter nights or in summer days; take him among friends or foes; take him at bed or board; take him in health or sickness; take him in an ordinance or out of an ordinance; take him in his work or take him at his recreations; take him in his commerce or in his converse; take him living or take him dying— and you shall still find that the bias of his soul is still God-wards, Christ-wards, holiness-wards, and heaven-wards.

A gracious man will stand his ground, and hold his own in all changes— his heart being fixed upon an unchangeable God."

"For I am the LORD, I change not..."

-Malachi 3:6

Thriving Thriftily [Thai-Inspired Sweet Pea Chicken Soup]

2012-01-14T21:43:00.001-05:00

Good evening!

This is the first blog post in a new series I'll be writing about frugal living. I've decided to call it Thriving Thriftily because, contrary to what many believe, it is possible to live superbly well on less! There will be many posts to follow, Lord willing, but I created a recipe today to get us started. I will be aiming to keep the meal costs under $1.50 per serving, when possible. (A big thank you to those of you who were kind enough to leave me comments with your targeted meal costs!)

We try to use a lot of organic foods when possible, so my cost will probably reflect that. I wrote in which items were organic to give you a better idea of why certain foods cost what they did. Cost totals will vary from person to person, depending on your ingredients, if you shop sales, if you grow or raise certain foods, etc.

This fresh-tasting soup has both sweet and spicy flavors, inspired by Thai cuisine. So, without further ado....

Thai-Inspired Sweet Pea Chicken Soup

$0.79 per serving | Serves 14-16

We also added 2 small Homemade Whole Wheat Rolls per person for $0.11

That comes to $0.90 per person.

Ingredients:

3 ½ quarts Homemade Chicken Stock
4 T. organic Butter
3 cloves fresh Garlic, minced
1 lb. frozen Peas
5 medium organic Carrots, chopped
4 organic med/large Potatoes, diced into small pieces
1 large Purple Onion, diced
1 tsp. Ground Ginger
1 ½ tsp. Redmond's Real Salt
½ tsp. Black Pepper
1 tsp. dried Basil
1 tsp. dried Parsley
1 T. raw Honey
1 lb. organic Chicken Breast, diced
1 can Coconut Milk
12 T. Sour Cream

To start out, I made my own chicken stock. It's better tasting than store bought broth, and also much more nourishing. Plus, it's super easy and doesn't take much of your time to put together.

[As a side note, the carcass I used was from a baked chicken we had just eaten. You could also use a raw chicken instead and use some of its meat in place of the chicken breast. That's even better for you! I recommend Sally Fallon's Nourishing Traditions for more information about nourishing broths.]

Homemade Chicken Stock

Makes 3½ Quarts

Organic Chicken Carcass
4 quarts cold, Filtered Water
2 T. raw organic Apple Cider Vinegar
½ cup organic Alfalfa Sprouts
2-3 organic Carrots
3 ribs organic Celery
1 organic Jalapeño Pepper
(use ½ if your family does not have an affinity for spicy food)

Place all ingredients in a big pot and cover with cold water. Stir in vinegar. Let sit for 30 minutes, and then bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 8 hours, stirring occasionally. Strain broth and throw away vegetable and chicken remains.

[I recommend starting the broth in the morning so that it will be ready by dinnertime. Broth can also be cooled and refrigerated for a later use.]

Instructions:

1. When broth is finished (or heated), heat a saute pan and melt 3 T. butter until it begins to bubble. Add garlic, potatoes, carrots, and onions and saute until halfway cooked. Add peas and finish cooking.

2. While vegetables are cooking, stir ginger, salt, pepper, basil, parsley, and honey into the chicken broth.

3. Ladle 3 cups chicken broth into the blender along with half of the vegetable mixture and puree with the coconut milk until smooth. Pour back into soup.

4. Spoon the rest of the vegetable mixture into the soup and heat 1 T. butter in the emptied pan. Saute diced chicken breast until cooked and add to soup. Heat through.

5. Ladle soup into bowls and top with a dollop of sour cream.

Bon Appetit!

Click here to see more frugal recipes at The Pennywise Platter!

The Tardy Arrival of Our Autumn

2012-01-13T18:18:00.001-05:00

Our autumn splendor has finally begun to arrive! Granted, we're ~~a bit~~ several months behind the rest of the country here in the sunshine state, but I'm not complaining.

The leaves on one of the trees up the street recently began turning this incredibly rich shade of gold. (Forgive my ignorance, but I haven't the slightest idea what kind of tree it is.) The vibrance of the yellow contrasted with the darkness of the blackish-brown give it such a neat look.

While I was walking the other day, I didn't even notice the tree until I was directly under it! I spontaneously looked up and couldn't help but smile at the beauty of the canopy above my head.

Clusters of Spanish moss hang from the branches and were fiercely blowing in the breeze that day.

This is one of the last Camellia flowers on our many Camellia bushes; they're my favorite flowers in our yard. The softness of the papery, scalloped petals is just lovely.

Bloom Beautifully.

"He shall be like a tree

Planted by the rivers of water,

That brings forth its fruit in its season,

Whose leaf also shall not wither;

And whatever he does shall prosper."

-Psalm 1:3

By the way, the first post in my frugal living series will hopefully be up by tomorrow night! Check back then to see the first installment. :)

The Sound of Smacking

2012-01-09T22:33:00.001-05:00

If you were a guest in our house today, you would have heard a lot of smacking. and banging. and thudding. The laundry room rang with the sound of our hands whacking the walls as we sent dozens of mosquitoes whirling to their doom. Because of our warm winter, these pests have been multiplying like crazy outside of our house, and more than a few have maneuvered their way inside. I was really hoping for a lot of cold days, but we've only had one frost thus far, so I've been trying to be content with our mild winter. I can remember some winters here when you didn't even need to pull a sweater out of your closet! Winter isn't over yet, though, so maybe God will send us a cold snap after all to kill off a good portion of those pesky bugs.

We all had a good laugh at the dinner table- right after we had talked about mosquitoes, and right before we gave thanks for our meal. Out of the quiet burst the loud whirring of the mosquito truck as it drove down our street. I'm not one for chemicals, but I confess we all cheered and laughed at the timing. Hopefully there will be a few less mosquitoes beating against our doors tomorrow.

One positive thing about this warmer weather is that my garden has been able to grow more quickly. Speaking of which, I think it's past time for a winter garden update! (You can see the garden's layout here.) These pictures were taken a couple of weeks ago, but not too much has changed since then.

Here are some of the last peppers from the summer garden. Yesterday, Dad went out into the garden and clipped off the last of them. I'll probably pull out what's left of the plants in the coming days. Jalapeño peppers are one thing we've been able to grow a nice little crop of. I assume they're a bit spicy for most bugs' liking. ;)

The baby greens sprang up quickly, as they usually do, though some of them didn't survive a heavy rain we had. I don't think their roots ran deep enough.

Cabbage! We bought these as seedlings, so they had a bit of a head start on some of the plants we started from seed. The plant on the top left is not doing so well... It looks much worse now. I'm hoping for at least two heads of cabbage from these, but we shall see. I've never actually managed to grow a head of cabbage before.

Tender leaves and water droplets... I love the look of cabbage plants. The contrasting veins are so intricately beautiful.

Purple cabbage! These are not quite as far along as the regular variety, but were also purchased as seedlings.

Little carrot shoots that were started from seed. Right before this picture was taken, I went and thinned them out in hopes that the remaining plants would grow bigger and stronger.

And lastly, we have the Sugar Snap Peas. Aren't they darling with their tiny vines? They've grown a lot since this photo, and some of them have begun to climb the fence. The ones that have something to climb on seem to grow even faster than the ones that don't. Dad said he even saw a few blossoms yesterday!

The yellow and evergreen bunching onions are coming along slowly... Only one broccoli plant survived the squirrels, and it's terribly lanky... A single okra seed sprouted (and promptly wilted), so I'm guessing the months listed on the seed packet were ~~somewhat~~ completely off.

I'll try to update you again soon. If you have been blessed with some cold weather, enjoy it for me! :)

Thoughts for this Lord's Day [eight]

2012-01-08T18:12:00.000-05:00

I have missed doing these Lord's Day posts! I am planning to do them more regularly now that the new year has come.

The subject of contentment has been on my heart lately. How grateful I am for the daily bread that the Lord so faithfully provides for us. He is good to sustain us; He is all we really need.

the richness of golden daily bread

I would like to encourage you to take a few minutes to read this excellent piece by Thomas Watson. God gifted him with an incredible mind, and I'm sure these words of his will bless and encourage you...

"Give us this day our daily bread." Matthew 6:11

To make us content with "daily bread," though God
straitens us in our allowance, think seriously of the
danger there is in a high, prosperous condition.

Some are not content with "daily bread," but desire
to have their barns filled, and heap up silver as dust;
which proves a snare to them. "Those who will be rich
fall into a snare." 1 Tim 6:9. Pride, idleness, and lust—
are three worms which often breed in prosperity.

Prosperity often deafens the ear against God. "I spoke
unto you in your prosperity, but you said—I will not hear."
Jeremiah 22:21. Soft pleasures harden the heart. In the body,
the more fat—the less vitality. Just so, the more outward
plenty—often the less piety.

Prosperity has its honey—and also its sting! Anxious care
is the evil spirit which haunts the rich man—and will not
let him rest. When his chests are full of money—his heart
is full of care, either how to manage or how to increase,
or how to secure what he has gotten.

Should this not make us content with that allowance which
God gives us—if we have daily bread, though not dainties?
Think of the danger of prosperity! The spreading of a full
table may be the spreading of a snare! Many have been
sunk to hell, with golden weights!

"People who want to get rich fall into temptation and
a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that
plunge men into ruin and destruction!" 1 Timothy 6:9.

The world's golden sands are quicksands, which should
make us take our daily bread, though it be but coarse,
contentedly. If we have less prosperity—we have less
snare. As we lack the rich provisions of the world—so
we lack their temptations. "If we have food and clothing,
we will be content with that." 1 Timothy 6:8.

If God keeps us to a spare diet—if He gives us less of
temporal things—He has made it up in spiritual things.
He has given us the Pearl of great price—the Lord Jesus,
who is the quintessence of all good things. To give us
Christ, is more than if God had given us all the world.
He can make more worlds—but He has no more Christs
to bestow. Christ is such a golden mine, that the angels
cannot dig to the bottom! His riches are unsearchable!
Ephesians 3:8. From Christ we have justification, adoption
and glorification!

Consider that it is not having an abundance, which makes
us content. It is not a fancy cage which will make the bird
sing. Having an abundance may make one less content.
One staff may help the traveler—but a bundle of staffs
will be a burden to him. A great estate may be like a
long trailing garment—more burdensome than useful.

He who can say, "My God," has enough to rock his
heart quiet in the lowest condition. What can he lack
—who has the all-sufficient God for his portion!

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be
content with what you have, because God has said,
Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you. Hebrews 13:5.

A photo of Dad's amazing bread creation. Daily bread comes in all shapes and sizes, doesn't it? :)

Blueberry World ["the little things" photo challenge]

2012-01-05T23:20:00.002-05:00

Blueberries are one of those things I dream about in the winter months. The juicy melt-in-your-mouth sweetness with the occasional tang... I love going blueberry picking in May, even if it means getting sticky and mosquito-bitten in the process. It's so satisfying coming home with buckets of sweet and tangy berries to munch on for days. We enjoy making blueberry pies and lots of jars of blueberry jam, too, not surprisingly. :)

My mini, vintage-inspired tea set from Williamsburg was the perfect little showcase for a small handful of roly-poly blueberries. The little things in life are some of my favorite things in life. yum.

"The earth is the LORD's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. "

-Psalm 24:1

Dollars and Cents... I Need Your Help!

2012-01-02T20:09:00.001-05:00

I have been doing some planning for the new series I'll be starting soon about frugality and saving money. However, I've come to a point where I need your help! Would you help me? Pretty please? :) Here's the question I have for you...

At what cost, per serving, does your family consider a meal to be economical?

Leave me a comment with a dollar and cents amount (down to the last penny ;) and let me know!

If you're not sure, ask your mom or the person who does the food budgeting in your family. Knowing what other families are shooting for will help me to determine the price per serving in the meals I present, so the more comments I get the better. You can even leave it anonymously if you'd like! ;)

I'm looking forward to hearing your responses!

The New Year is Coming!

2011-12-30T17:18:00.007-05:00

Can you believe that 2011 is coming to a close? It was a wonderful year in many ways, replete with its own joys, challenges, sorrows, and (numerous) blessings. I am humbly grateful to the Lord for giving me another year to serve Him. I am also incredibly thankful for the guidance and instruction the Lord bestowed on me as He patiently grew and stretched me.

I've been doing a lot of thinking about the things I would like to do in the year 2012, if the Lord wills. I've been wondering what the year will look like. What will change? What will stay the same? How will I change? The beginning of a new year is an especially good time to reflect on the past and plan for the future. Setting goals and writing them down helps me to accomplish far more than I otherwise would. There's something about writing things down that makes them much more likely to be accomplished; if I write down a task that needs to be taken care of, it almost always gets done. The new year is also a good time to reevaluate habits and priorities; it can be easy to lose focus or fall into a rut- especially when we take our eyes off of the Lord and off of what really matters. We also like setting goals as a family so that we're all working toward a common end. Teamwork is exponentially powerful! :)

I have also been thinking about blogging. I've had different requests for a range of subjects, but one thing I definitely would like to blog about (paritally due to many requests) is a series on frugal living. I will mainly be covering topics such as cleaning and meals, but I might occasionally branch out into other areas as well. I have also been working on a couple of projects that I hope to share with you all before long.

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope."

-Jeremiah 29:11

Do you remember the other day when I showed you the family photo I was hoping to use for this year's pictre? Well, in the end, everyone else decided that it was much too nice (joyful/fun/insert your adjective of choice) to pass up- so we picked it! :)

This is the other picture we were heavily considering... ^

...and this is the one we chose. ^

I'm looking forward to spending this weekend with friends and brothers and sisters in the Lord. What better way to begin a new year, than by celebrating, encouraging, and praying with people you love! I am grateful for friends who take the things of God seriously. What are your plans for this weekend? I'd love to hear them...

See you in 2012! :D

Good Christian Men, Rejoice!

2011-12-25T15:32:00.000-05:00

I love the words to this hymn and also the music that was written for it. Both are so joyous and triumphant. What a merciful God we serve! Rejoice today (and every day) in our Savior's precious blood and in His glorious resurrection!

"Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot."

-1 Peter 1:18-19

Hope you all have a wonderfully blessed day!

Good Christian Men Rejoice

Good Christian men rejoice

With heart and soul and voice!

Give ye heed to what we say

News! News!

Jesus Christ is born today!

Ox and ass before Him bow

And He is in the manger now

Christ is born today!

Good Christian men, rejoice

With heart and soul and voice!

Now ye hear of endless bliss

Joy! Joy!

Jesus Christ was born for this

He hath ope'd the heav'nly door

And man is blessed evermore

Christ was born for this!

Good Christian men, rejoice

With heart and soul and voice!

Now ye need not fear the grave:

Peace! Peace!

Jesus Christ was born to save

Calls you one and calls you all

To gain His everlasting hall

Christ was born to save!

Of Twinkling Lights and Truffles

2011-12-23T12:05:00.016-05:00

Due to being out of town and other varying circumstances, we were were a bit late in decorating this year. However, the lights have been strung, the greenery cut, and the finishing touches have been made to the house.

I sometimes wish that we could leave the lights up all year long. They make the house feel even more bright and cozy in the evenings...

Plus, they always make for some lovely bokeh...

Dad and Joseph strung lights all the way up our columns.

Wrapping them in the dark makes it extra nice, don't you think? ;)

Round and round they go...

Until they untangle all the lights and reach the ceiling!

I've always loved having real Christmas trees inside the house; they smell so fresh and wintery. But then, I just love real trees and plants inside to begin with- so maybe that's it. This year, we didn't get a tree, but we did find a nice Christmas tree lot that was giving away their extra branches.

They had some gorgeous (read expensive) trees for sale, and the lady running the lot had already made up her wreaths. We had checked two other places, but both stores only had pieces that were way past their prime. God was gracious in letting us find such fresh greenery!

I love being able to decorate the house with "real" flowers, berries, greenery, etc. There's nothing as beautiful as God's creation. Silk is nice too, but just not quite the same. ;)

Pinecones.
<3

Part of the decorating crew... Somebody got worn out early. ;)

I can smell it from here!

Earlier this week I received a beautiful package in the mail from one of my blogging friends that I sent some sugar scrubs to. (You can find her here.) She is starting a business selling truffles, decorating cakes, etc. and wanted to know how well her products would ship. I gladly said I would let her know, so she sent me a lovely box (that arrived in great shape) of the most amazing truffles I've ever had!

They were really that good.

She has flavors like Blackberry, Raspberry, Almond, Mint (my favorite so far), Peanut Butter, Mocha, and Irish Cream....

Aren't they just beautiful? Trust me, they taste even better than they look. wow.

Today we will be cleaning up the house, dipping pretzels, almonds, and pecans in chocolate, wrapping a few gifts, and preparing food for tomorrow evening. I'm looking forward to a peaceful and productive Friday...

What have you been up to these past few days? What are your plans for this weekend?

"I will sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever:
with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations."

-Psalm 89:1

My Pick for Our 2011 Family Photo

2011-12-20T19:16:00.000-05:00

It's that time of year again!

Today we spent some time picking out the family picture we'll be sending with our end-of-the-year letter.

Unfortunately, the picture I wanted to send out didn't make the cut. I suppose I like it so much because it's very "us" (if that makes any sense at all). What do you think? :)

[At the Kendall/Morton/Allen weddings... Thanks again for taking those, Abbi!]

Don't worry... I'll post the "real" one next week sometime. ;)

My First Winter Garden Plan

2011-12-17T22:57:00.003-05:00

Good evening! Before I dive into tonight's post, I wanted to remind any of you who were interested in ordering some Sugar Scrubs that there is still time to do so before Christmas! (Priority Mail only takes 2-3 days.)

I had a wonderful response from many of you, so I am beginning to run low on my inventory. I updated the remaining quantities on my previous post to give you an idea of how many are left (only a couple dozen total). Don't wait too long, or I might sell out! You can click here to read the details if you're not sure what I'm referring to. ;)

Now.....

Since I recently spent a good deal of time planning my first winter garden, picking out seeds and seedlings, tilling and preparing our garden's soil, planting, weeding, watering, and weeding some more- I thought it would be a good idea to share my garden plan with you!

I'm not sure how well some of these plant types are going to grow during these colder months, but I decided to try a variety of things to see how different plants would do in this weather and climate. If nothing else, I got some good exercise. :) This weather of ours has been a dream to work in.

Our Jalapeno Pepper plants are leftover from this summer, and we're still getting peppers from them! The Sugar Snap Peas, Baby Greens, Purple Cabbage, and Early Cabbage seem to be doing the best thus far. Our pesky little squirrels keep digging holes in the garden and uprooting my seedlings! They're fortunate I've never caught them in the act. They'd better watch out, because one of these days.....

There is a fence completely surrounding the garden to keep the deer and other large critters away. The opening would be on the bottom right corner if you were looking at our garden. We just unhook the fence from the corner metal post and re-hook it when we're finished. Between the Early Cabbage and the Carrots and Herbs, there are a couple of stepping stones we put down so that we don't squish any little plants while trying to reach the other side of the garden. ;)

If you were looking to the left of our garden, you would find our compost pile. I recently spent several days reworking it, which was no easy task. We had the pile spread out over a very large area, due to lots of raked leaves, huge plants growing in it from the summer months, etc. (Keep in mind, our summer ends around mid-October.) I spent quite a bit of time in the company of rakes and shovels, flattening out the earth, digging out tons of roots, and turning the pile into a far more manageable size. I daresay that my back is the better for it!

Now that I think about it, before and after pictures would have been a good idea. Oh well. Next year! One day soon I will post pictures of the little garden's progress.

Am I the only one who is trying a winter garden? :)