A Life Of Contentment

Chicken Basics - Tidbits of Wisdom

noreply@blogger.com (Barb J.) — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 01:35:00 +0000

One of my previous Buff Orpingtons, named Ash.

Yesterday I was talking with someone I know who is considering getting a couple of chickens. In talking about it, I was surprised with the number of misconceptions and misinformation that is out there about raising chickens. With that in mind, here are a few basic tidbits of wisdom for the novice chicken parent:

Hens do not need a rooster in order to lay eggs.
Chickens do not have to be brought inside for the winter.
Chickens have to a have a coop... you cannot get by with only having a run.
The coop and run needs to be predator proof. Predators can come under, through, or over the top of a coop and/run (think everything from raccoons to hawks).
You will need to buy feed for chickens that are kept in a coop and run. They can only forage and feed themselves if they free range (wander around in a very big yard) all day.
Different breeds of chickens have different temperaments, laying abilities, etc.
If you keep chickens in a run, you will not have grass there. The chickens will scratch it into a tiny dirt lot.
Chickens poop.... a lot.
Chickens can make wonderful pets.
Free range chickens will keep the bugs in your yard at a minimum, but are open to being snatched by predators.
Chickens can fly over small fences (about five feet or less - we learned this the hard way when one of our chickens flew into the dog pen).
Chickens will put themselves to bed at night... heading to the roost in their coop.
Hens are not silent. Besides low clucking they give loud cackles when they lay an egg.
You can't just throw baby chicks into a coop. They have to be in a brooder, have a heat lamp, have special chick feed, etc.
Roosters don't just crow at dawn... they can crow all day long... and they can be loud.

There is probably a lot more I could say, but I hope this gives you a start. Keeping chickens is one of the most rewarding things I have ever done. They are fascinating and lovable, and it is easy to become addicted to these beauties!

Strawberry Banana Smoothie

noreply@blogger.com (Barb J.) — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 03:33:00 +0000

One of my goals for this year was to gain control of my weight. I am doing this in the hopes that I will be in better health and more active, and therefore, better able to achieve my hopes and dreams for my little homestead. I have lost 14 pounds since January 1!

Years ago I had great success with Weight Watchers. Since it worked before I went for it again but with a few differences this time. Instead of attending weekly meetings, I am logging in to Weight Watchers Online, which is less than half the price. I am also doing my food a little differently. Last time, I lost weight by purchasing processed single serve frozen dinners, meats made of soy, and other "fat free" items.

This time, I want to be a little more deliberate about what I eat. Although I'm not in a place to go on a raw foods diet, I am trying to incorporate more vegetables and fruits. I am still eating real meat, but I am doing it much smaller portions. The farther along I get in this weight loss journey, the more lessons I am learning and the more I am becoming "in touch" with my food. I plan to haunt my local farmers' markets and my own gardens this year.

This way of losing weight has made me lose slower, so hopefully I will be able to keep it off this time. I am enjoying trying to find new recipes that fit with my healthier eating status. One of my favorite new snacks is an ice-based (as opposed to milk or yogurt based) smoothie. This recipe was given to me by a co-worker, and I thought I would share it with you.

Strawberry Banana Smoothie

2 cups frozen or fresh strawberries
1 banana
1 tablespoon honey (try to use local honey if you can find it!)
2-4 tablespoons of turbinado sugar
1 cup orange juice
2 cups ice

Pulse ice in blender until it looks like snow. Add all other ingredients and blend until smooth. I have a Ninja blender (blades at three levels) so this only takes minutes. But in my old blender it took 15 minutes or so. Pour into a cup and sip with a wide straw.

* If you are watching your weight you can take out the honey, use only two tablespoons of turbinado sugar, and use Trop 50 or fresh squeezed orange juice.

Chicken Coop: It's DIY beginnings

noreply@blogger.com (Barb J.) — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 23:00:00 +0000

Scrap wood in the back, brand new lumber under the plastic.

What is this, you ask? Well, that's me showing off my new drill that I bought on a Black Friday deal, but more importantly, that is a pile of lumber... carefully covered with plastic to ward off the rain and ice.

That pile, folks, is the beginning of my chicken coop! If there is one thing I miss most about our old homestead, it's the chickens.

Yesterday I placed an order with a friend (since we both needed to order enough chickens to keep them warm during transit). Which means I need to get the brooder and coop built soon! The chicks are due to arrive the last week of March. Sounds like plenty of time to build a coop, right? The problem is that a) I am building this completely on my own and b) we are having cold, rainy, and/or icy weather every weekend.

Ronnie shows me how to use my circular saw.

Two weeks ago I started the coop. I asked a neighbor to come over to show me how to safely use my circular saw, and then I got to work. I worked all day Saturday to build the frame. After cutting numerous studs and nailing about 75 nails into 2x4s, my arm was in pain. So were my thighs from crouching to do all the nailing.

The next day, I leveled the frame onto a cement block foundation. I couldn't quite get the hang of this and ended up having to ask my neighbor to come help. Then I nailed down the plywood floor. So basically, it took me all weekend just to build the floor. It doesn't look that impressive, does it?

I used new lumber for the joists and scrap lumber for the inside braces to save money.

And then the bad weather started. In the last week and half we have had snow, ice, and a lot of cold temperatures. Not huge amounts, but enough to keep me from working outside.

See the ice on the clothesline? And the ground?

Let's hope the weather gets better soon or my poor little chicks won't have anywhere to stay!

The smallest tools

noreply@blogger.com (Barb J.) — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 16:02:00 +0000

One thing I've learned on the homestead is that sometimes the smallest, most unassuming tools can be a great help. Case in point: this metal tray with two huge magnets on the bottom (upside down in this photo).

When you are constantly working on new DIY projects - especially if you are using old scrap wood full of old nails - your yard sometimes ends up full of sharp, metal things that can cause a flat tire on a lawn mower in no time.

This thing only cost about $5, and it has proved invaluable. I simply go over spots in the yard where I have been working and it picks up metal objects. (This is a good job for a small boy, too!) Recently, I burned a small pile of scrap wood that had rotted and couldn't be used. Then I took this little guy and went over the spot. See what came up?

I ended up with a whole bag of rusty nails that could have otherwise been embedded in a tire!

Book Review: Daybreak

noreply@blogger.com (Barb J.) — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 22:50:00 +0000

Daybreak Avon Inspire; Original edition (February 12, 2013)
by Shelley Shepard Gray

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Since 2000, Shelley Sabga has sold over thirty novels to numerous publishers, including HarperCollins, Harlequin, Abingdon Press, and Avon Inspire. She has been interviewed by NPR, and her books have been highlighted in numerous publications, including USA Today and The Wall Street Journal.

Under the name Shelley Shepard Gray, Shelley writes Amish romances for HarperCollins’ inspirational line, Avon Inspire. Her recent novel, The Protector, the final book in her “Families of Honor” series, hit the New York Times List, and her previous novel in the same series, The Survivor, appeared on the USA Today bestseller list. Shelley has won the prestigious Holt Medallion for her books, Forgiven and Grace, and her novels have been chosen as Alternate Selections for the Doubleday/Literary Guild Book Club. Her first novel with Avon Inspire, Hidden, was an Inspirational Reader’s Choice finalist.

Before writing romances, Shelley lived in Texas and Colorado, where she taught school and earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education. She now lives in southern Ohio and writes full time. Shelley is married, the mother of two children in college, and is an active member of her church. She serves on committees, volunteers in the church office, and currently leads a Bible study group, and she looks forward to the opportunity to continue to write novels that showcase her Christian ideals.

When she’s not writing, Shelley often attends conferences and reader retreats in order to give workshops and publicize her work. She’s attended RWA’s national conference six times, the ACFW conference and Romantic Times Magazine’s annual conference as well as traveled to New Jersey, Birmingham, and Tennessee to attend local conferences.

Check out Shelley's Facebook Fan page

ABOUT THE BOOK:

When Viola Keim starts working at a nearby Mennonite retirement home, she strikes up an unlikely friendship with resident Atle, whose only living relative, son Edward, is living as a missionary in Nicaragua. Viola understands the importance of mission work, but she can’t imagine leaving her father in the hands of strangers. Even though her family is New Order Amish, it’s not the Amish way, and though she doesn’t know Ed, she judges him for abandoning his father.

But when Ed surprises his father with a visit, Viola and Ed both discover an attraction they never expected. Despite her feelings, choosing Ed would mean moving to a far-off country and leaving her family behind. She can’t do that. Her twin sister, Elsie, is going blind and will need someone to care for her all her life. Her family is reeling with the recent discovery that her grandmother hid her past as an Englischer. Her father seems forgetful and distracted—and to be harboring some secrets of his own.

Does Viola dare leave them all behind and forge her own life? Or will family ties mean her one chance at love slips away?

If you would like to read a first Chapter excerpt from Daybreak,go HERE.

Book Review: Saving Gideon

noreply@blogger.com (Barb J.) — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 00:22:00 +0000

Saving Gideon B&H Books (October 1, 2012) by Amy Lillard
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

A Word from Amy:I’m a wife, mother, and bona fide Southern belle. Published author, expert corn bread maker, and Squirrel Princess.

I live in Tulsa, though I was born in Mississippi. I moved to the Sooner State when I was seventeen and met my soul mate and best friend not long after. I’ve retained a little of my Mississippi accent though most people think I’m from Texas. (?) Rob and I have been married for over twenty years and have a son–a mom proclaimed prodigy, of course!

I love homemade tacos, shoes, and romance novels–not necessarily in that order. I’m a big fan of country music, a staunch proponent of saving the Oxford comma, and I’m shamefully obsessed with all things Harry Potter.

I believe that God is love. I guess that’s why I adore romances.

I have always been intrigued with the Amish culture, their gentle ways and slower-paced lifestyle. (And I love, love, love the fact that they stay married for their lifetime.) But until recently I never thought to blend this interest with my penchant for romance. Okay, okay, I’m a bit old-fashioned and even enjoy the gender roles that are present in this culture. I love to cook and take care of my family. Yes, that’s me June Cleaver with a laptop.

I dislike people trying to convince me to read the Twlight series (I’ll get to it or I won’t, either way I’m good with it), gratuitous violence, and strawberry ice cream. (I know I’m alone on this last one, and again, I’m good with it.)

Favorite movies–(besides HP) French Kiss, Maid of Honor, A Lot Like Love, Just Married, and Sweet Home Alabama. Oh, and Miss Congeniality, Sabrina (both versions) and a 1940′s movie called Dear Ruth. If you haven’t seen it, you should! A-dorable. Anything with Doris Day and most all of Marilyn’s and Audrey’s.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Gideon Fisher wants one thing out of life -- to be left alone. This is not the Amish way, but he’s devastated after the death of his wife and son to the point of losing his faith. He buys a farm on the outskirts of the district and pulls away from his community. But when a freak spring snowstorm brings a beautiful Englisher to his farm, what choice does Gideon have but to let her in?

Dallas socialite Avery Ann Hamilton is intrigued by the Amish farmer who pulls her out of the snow and into his austere lifestyle. Poor little rich girl, Avery has just gone through (yet another) bad breakup. Every man she meets only wants her for her father’s money. All she has ever wanted is to be loved for herself. Avery soon discovers the Oklahoma Amish country is the perfect place to hide out and heal her broken heart.

But she finds a peace in those back roads that she’s never felt before. Now her life has purpose and meaning as she connects with God and those around her. And there’s something more as she begins to care for this man who needs both love and forgiveness.

Gideon never wanted to live again much less fall in love, but Avery finds her way into his heart, showing him the beauty of life and God’s greatness. Yet as the feelings between Avery and Gideon grow, can they overcome their dissimilar lifestyles, or will their sheer differences pull them apart?

If you would like to read the first chapter of Saving Gideon, go HERE

Carolina Renaissance Festival

noreply@blogger.com (Barb J.) — Sun, 14 Oct 2012 14:52:00 +0000

Adam loved watching the knights unseat each other during the joust!

Many years ago, my brother and I started attending the Carolina Renaissance Festival every year. We were both skeptical at first, but loved it! The more than 500 costumed characters that interact with festival goers and the 11 stages for music and comedy shows, all of which are free with admission, really make this festival great.A few years I talked my hubby into going and from then on he and I went every year. Well, it's been a few years since I had been, but this year my oldest begged to go. My youngest have never been, and my oldest has only been once that I can remember, so I decided it would be a good day trip.

Unfortunately, I forgot my camera, so all these photos were taken with my cell phone. It was okay, but not nearly as good as my "good" camera.

Adam with a knight in shining armor.

Nancy's son, Mitchell, decided to join us. So I drove the two hours up there, and we were joined at the last minute by another relative. We had fun, although it was very different than in previous years. It wasn't that the festival was different, it was that we were. It was the first time I had ever been without my brother and/or husband. It was the first time I had a young child with me.

Justin tried to get up Jacob's ladder. Although the person administering the game demonstrated it himself, none of the festival goers could get to the top.

Adam loved this guy, Gypsy Geoff. He was good, clean, fun with a lot of juggling and balancing acts. Adam, 9, has been trying to balance things on the tip of his finger ever since he saw him.

I love the shows, which are free with admission. But nearly all the shows are geared toward adults. Even though I purposely steered away from the ones that were rated for more mature audiences, Adam quickly became bored with the other ones. All the jokes were way over his head and he didn't understand why they were funny. So we ended up spending the whole day walking around.... which meant my feet were hurting at the end of the day, lol!

Adam rode a camel with some other festival goers.

Mannequins who were "hung" in the dungeon.

But we had a good time, and young Adam, who really didn't want to go in the first place, loved it and decided he wants to go back next year. He did, however, say that next year he would NOT go in the dungeon again. It was a little too scary for a very sensitive child like him.

This freaky girl played music all day long.

Book Review: All Things New

noreply@blogger.com (Barb J.) — Sat, 13 Oct 2012 01:33:00 +0000

All Things New Bethany House Publishers (October 1, 2012) by Lynn Austin
MY REVIEW: I grew up out west, but have lived in the south for several years. And, let me tell you, even 147 years later, the Civil War can still be a bit of a touchy subject with die-hard southerners. So I was a bit apprehensive about how Lynn Austin's book on the Reconstruction period would turn out.

I'm happy to say I think she did an awesome job capturing the thoughts and feelings of the former slaves right along with the southern plantation owners. In "All Things New," Austin explores the difficulties faced by everybody who was left behind. It was not only a matter of physical, emotional, and financial hardships, but one of no longer knowing who you were and what your future held.

Austin explores some really tough relationships... between former slaves and their former owners, between veterans from the north and south, and between those women who were left behind to fend for themselves and then had to pick up the pieces of their families.

I would love to see a sequel to this book. I want to know how the characters lives' progressed and where they ended up. Lynn Austin did a great job with this one!

ABOUT THE BOOK:

In the aftermath of the Civil War, Josephine Weatherly and her mother, Eugenia, struggle to pick up the pieces of their lives when they return to their Virginia plantation. But the bitter realities of life after the war cannot be denied: their home and land are but shells of their previous grandeur; death has claimed her father and brother; and her remaining brother, Daniel, has returned home bitter and broken. The privileged childhood Josephine enjoyed now seems like a long-ago dream. And the God who failed to answer any of her prayers during the war is lost to her as well.

Josephine soon realizes that life is now a matter of daily survival--and recognizes that Lizzie, as one of the few remaining servants, is the one she must rely on to teach her all she needs to know. Josephine's mother, too, vows to rebuild White Oak...but a bitter hatred fuels her.

With skill and emotion, Lynn Austin brings to life the difficult years of the Reconstruction era by interweaving the stories of three women--daughter, mother, and freed slave--in a riveting tale.

If you would like to read the first chapter of All Things New, go HERE.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

For many years, Lynn Austin nurtured a desire to write but frequent travels and the demands of her growing family postponed her career. When her husband's work took Lynn to Bogota, Colombia, for two years, she used the B.A. she'd earned at Southern Connecticut State University to become a teacher. After returning to the U.S., the Austins moved to Anderson, Indiana, Thunder Bay, Ontario, and later to Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Lynn resigned from teaching to write full-time in 1992. Since then she has published twelve novels. Five of her historical novels, Hidden Places, Candle in the Darkness, Fire by Night, A Proper Pursuit, and Until We Reach Home have won Christy Awards in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2008, and 2009 for excellence in Christian Fiction. Fire by Night was also one of only five inspirational fiction books chosen by Library Journal for their top picks of 2003, and All She Ever Wanted was chosen as one of the five inspirational top picks of 2005. Lynn's novel Hidden Places has been made into a movie for the Hallmark Channel, starring actress Shirley Jones. Ms Jones received a 2006 Emmy Award nomination for her portrayal of Aunt Batty in the film.

Bye-bye summer storms!

noreply@blogger.com (Barb J.) — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 00:31:00 +0000

It was a doozy of a summer. Rain, rain, and more rain. Like the storm above. I had to sit behind that truck while that little bulldozer thing in front of it moved a downed tree out of the road.

How about this storm, that blew my neighbor's barn clear to the ground? This piece of tin off his barn was stopped by that tree only feet from my home. The wind was so high it wrapped the tin around the tree. We were picking up pieces of his barn for days, and he had to call on his insurance company.

During another storm, this tree down the road was split by lightning.

The heat and the summer storms are over and an autumn nip is in the air. This week I'll be vacuuming out the heating vents, starting the pilot light on the furnace and getting ready to use up all the propane.

Somebody remind me to save $500 to fill that thing up mid-winter. This will be my first winter heating with propane, so let's keep our fingers crossed!

Wildlife bed or nest?

noreply@blogger.com (Barb J.) — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 23:13:00 +0000

Any ideas as to what made this bed to rest on? It's at the edge of the woods on my property, although it could very well be an old nest. It's mostly pine needles. I have no idea what made it, but I am curious. What do you think?

Some minor finished projects

noreply@blogger.com (Barb J.) — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 23:59:00 +0000

Some of you are probably thinking that the projects I listed yesterday aren't very... homesteady. I have the longest list of projects ever, but sometimes the not so fun projects have to take priority over the fun ones. I would love to be building the new chicken coop so I can start raising chickens again, but first there are other things to be done.

So I haven't took pictures of everything we did yet, but here are some updates.

We burned the big pile of mostly wood building materials we ripped out of the house. I know that wasn't the most environmentally friendly thing to do, but there was a reason. More on that in a future post.

This is what's left of the burn pile. It started to rain so the fire put itself out before it was quite done, but I think we're going to call it quits. Next weekend we'll shovel up all the ashes, go over the pile with a big magnet to pick up any nails, and then mow down the weeds.

Someone had given me some flower pots and trellises that were scattered behind the tiny shed. We dumped the dirt out in the woods and stacked them upside down so they wouldn't hold water.

We also moved a bunch of cement blocks and bricks and stacked them neatly. Then I mowed down all the weeds. Now we have a mostly dirt spot but it will fill up with grass next spring.

Justin hammered down some loose nails on the porch, and I purchased a couple of pumpkins and a bale of hay at the local farm stand. The mums I purchased on clearance at Wal-Mart (less than $2 each... most were $1.23). They still look great, although I need to repot them soon. I love this display, but it can all be repurposed when I switch over to winter decorations. I'll plant the mums in my fall garden and they will come back next year. The pumpkins can be baked and canned or turned into pies. And the straw will be used as mulch in my garden. So everything will be doing double duty!

First Step Projects

noreply@blogger.com (Barb J.) — Sun, 30 Sep 2012 15:03:00 +0000

On a homestead, especially a brand new, starting over from scratch one, there are always a hundred things that need to be done. Never have I felt as overwhelmed as I have this summer, our first few months in the new place. It's just me and the boys, I'm working two jobs, and I never have time to get stuff done around the homestead. When I do have a couple of hours, I am exhausted and don't want to do much.

Whine, whine, whine. Those are just excuses, right? The truth is, I can do anything if I really put my mind to it and ask for God's help. A couple of weeks ago I took some photos of projects that needed to be finished outside. The hope is that sharing my shame with you will inspire me to get busy. Truthfully, the list could be a mile long. But I am going to share those things that should be done first.

Tomorrow I will share with you how far I have gotten in the two weeks since I took these photos. But for today... here it is, in all its glory. The projects awaiting my immediate attention.

Putting up the fence will get rid of three big "weed piles," where I have fencing material on the ground and can't mow.

The only garden I managed to plant needs to be cleaned out for fall. It's looking quite scraggly.

Someone gave me a bunch of old flower pots... and they turned into yet another weed pile that I can't mow. Plus, some of them are holding water, which is a breeding ground for mosquitoes.

To the right of this weed pile is the site for the shed I am going to build... and should have started on already.

This is a bunch of molding that should have been put back on and never was... it's been outside for months now so I don't even know if it's still any good.

This is what we call the wood pile. Tons of scrap wood that come in handy for all kinds of projects. At one time I had the pile neat and organized and up on risers. But while we had people helping us with the house, they would make a mess looking for that perfect piece of wood (I didn't care, I was just happy to have them helping). It needs to be reorganized so I can mow down these weeds.

The roof leak finally got fixed, but I really need to put another coat of this stuff on there to make sure it gets us through the winter with no more problems.

This tiny garden is one I planted last fall in front of my tiny shed... way before we ever moved in. It needs to be cleaned up so the fall plants in it can bloom.

See all those weeds in the front of The Manor? I outlined a flower bed with bricks... and then never planted anything in it. The weeds took over, of course, and my weedeater was stolen. Need I say more? The other project this picture represents, and probably the biggest one of all... is that The Manor desperately needs painting. I dread that one.

Stay tuned to find out what I managed to accomplish in one Saturday (yesterday).

Tablet cake and gift

noreply@blogger.com (Barb J.) — Fri, 24 Aug 2012 01:35:00 +0000

This week my baby turned 17! I can hardly believe it. I just want to squish him back down into a toddler. This year I was able to do something I haven't been able to do for him in years.... get a great gift that was a total surprise! Somehow he always ends up knowing what his birthday gift is going to be.... but not this year!

I surprised him first with this cake I made, and then with the gift. Can you tell from the cake what it was? I couldn't afford an actual iPad but I was able to get him a decent tablet with a bonus I recently received at work. He was thrilled!

I had to bake and decorate the cake at a friend's house so Justin wouldn't see it and know what he was getting, so I just decided to give it to him there. We also grilled hot dogs and Justin's favorite rainbow sherbet.

Woman vs. leaky mobile home roof

noreply@blogger.com (Barb J.) — Sun, 05 Aug 2012 14:16:00 +0000

Several weeks ago I noticed a leak in the living room ceiling. It started out small and I mentioned it to three or four different men at church. Unfortunately, everybody is trying to find time to tend to their own lives right now and nobody offered to help fix it.

It had been raining at least every other day this summer and the pop-up storms have been harsh. By a couple of weeks later, the leak was really large, and water started streaming into the house. At this point, one man said he would help fix it whenever he got done doing everything he had to do at his own place... well, you know how that goes. By the next Saturday, it couldn't wait any longer, or I feared the whole ceiling was going to come down.

Trying to seal a leak in the roof.

So I borrowed a ladder and set out to try and fix the roof myself. Unfortunately, neither I nor the son of the man I borrowed the ladder from could get the thing to go higher, so the very top of the ladder was still a couple of feet shy of the roof. This meant I had stand the ladder almost straight up, stand on the very top rung, and hoist myself onto the roof. I was scared to death, and the metal roof is not very sturdy at all. It kept denting in and giving beneath my weight, so I ended up laying on my stomach and stretching as far as possible to get to where I thought the leak was located. The temperature was in the 90s that day, and the metal was hot, hot, hot.

Coming down from the roof was the scariest thing of all. Since the ladder didn't come all the way up I had to dangle off the roof while screaming in terror for my son to reach up and guide my feet to the ladder. Why is coming down always way scarier than going up?

Trying to slide off the roof onto the ladder. Yes, I know the siding is filthy, but hey, the home was a free gift from God. Hiring someone to power wash it (I don't own a power washer) and then painting it myself is on my list of things to do.

Could I have made my 16-year-old son do this? Probably. But it was dangerous enough and he is very afraid of heights and so never wants to get on even the sturdiest of roofs. He gladly held the ladder and handed things up to me without compliant since he didn't actually have to go on the roof, though.

The bad news is that, apparently, I didn't get it fixed well enough, as the roof continued to leak. The good news is, the man I borrowed the ladder from came and extended it for me so that this weekend when I had to go up there alone to try to fix the roof once again, the height and angle of the ladder was correct. We'll have to wait until the next rain (which should come in a day or two) to see if I fixed it correctly this time.

The one bright spot to all this? I loved the view from the top of the roof. Nothing but blue skies, puffy, white clouds, and treetops!

Teens on a mission trip!

noreply@blogger.com (Barb J.) — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 00:55:00 +0000

Last week several of the youth and a couple of the men from my church joined about 20 other people on a mission trip to a small town to help repair homes for low income people. They did everything from fix leaky roofs to put in new bathrooms.

For my teenage son, Justin, it was the first time away from home for more than one night. I missed him so much! With the boys' dad gone, I have really come to rely on Justin to be my right-hand man. I missed having someone to take out the trash, and I missed just talking with him!

Justin said the trip was good and bad. There were a lot of cliques and not all the kids acted in a loving way toward each other, but he made some great new friends. In fact, he's been e-mailing back and forth constantly with his new friends since his return three days ago.

Justin and his best friend, Mitchell (left) pack up to leave for their mission trip.

Justin also found a great new friend in the homeowner of the house he was working on, a elderly lady who told him stories about tying strings on the legs of June bugs when she was little. She cut watermelon for him and he kicked the June bugs away when they pestered her. She was very grandmotherly toward the kids, who painted her house and built her a ramp. Justin couldn't stop talking about her on the way home. I love it when young people and elderly people develop a connection. I think that's one of the things our youth of today are really missing out on!

I missed Justin so much that it kind of hurt, but I'm also very proud of him for working hard to help others. He came back with blisters on his hands and feet, but also with that great feeling that comes from being a servant of God.

No more wild plum bushes!

noreply@blogger.com (Barb J.) — Sun, 15 Jul 2012 00:51:00 +0000

At the front of my property, by the road, there sat a big stand of wild plum bushes. You may think this is good for a homesteader, but I had other ideas. The wild plums are very small and not hardly worth pitting to eat. The bushes were interespersed with some very thorny vines, and the wild plums were invasive, popping up everywhere all over the yard.

So when Nancy's husband, Ronnie, borrowed a Bobcat with a bush hogger attachement from work, I asked him to take down those pesky plum bushes. No more scraggly, thorny, bushes to mow around!

Next spring, I plan to put up split rail fencing along the road and line it three deep with various fruit trees. A mini orchard! Taking the plum bushes down gives me more room to plant some fruit I will actually eat! Eventually, I want the entire (nearly two acres) that does not have a building on it to be edible, but I need to start with a blank slate.

And Ronnie let Adam check out the Bobcat. By the way, because it had treads instead of tires, it didn't leave ruts in my yard, which I really appreciated. I still have trouble mowing through all the ruts the power company left with their trucks when they put in the underground power lines.

My growing little boy

noreply@blogger.com (Barb J.) — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 01:12:00 +0000

Some of Adam's friends from church and school.

I can't believe my baby boy turned 9-years-old last week! My boys are great and I am so blessed to have them!

He was excited to see all his new Legos!

His gift from his grandmother - a basketball hoop that will adjust with him!

The cake! He wanted a camo theme, and I was originally going to make him a cake. But the day before his party he saw this cake in a book at the Piggly Wiggly bakery counter and really like it, so we splurged and got it instead - which saved a lot of time.

Book Review: Missing

noreply@blogger.com (Barb J.) — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 01:28:00 +0000

Missing Avon Inspire; Original edition (March 20, 2012) by Shelley Shepard Gray

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

In the first book in her new Secrets of Crittenden County series, Shelley Shepard Gray delivers another page-turning romance set in Amish country

Perry Borntrager had been missing from the quiet Amish community of Crittenden, Kentucky, for months when his body was discovered at the bottom of an abandoned well. Everyone had assumed Perry left Crittenden on his own, seduced by the wider world he discovered during his rumspringa, but now the truth has thrown this once-peaceful town into chaos. The first death from mysterious circumstances in Crittenden in more than two decades has invited the scrutiny of the outside world: a police detective arrives to help their local sheriff with the investigation. His questioning begins with Lydia Plank, Perry’s former girlfriend, and Perry’s best friend, the Englisher Walker Anderson.

Lydia and Walker know they didn’t have anything to do with Perry’s death, but they both hold secrets about his final days. Do they dare to open up about the kind of man Perry had become? In the oppressive shadow of these dark times, they discover strength in a most unlikely companionship that offers solace, understanding, and the promise of something more.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Missing, go HERE.

MY REVIEW: I think this series has some real potential. The storyline itself was exciting and the book was well written. The problem is the same one I find with a lot of books that are part of a series... there is no ending! Nothing wraps up in this book, which drives me nuts. The book was good enough to make me want to read the next one in the series, though, which I guess is the point. I love Gray's books and they usually have an ending. I hope her next one will leave me satisfied instead of wanting.

A family photo

noreply@blogger.com (Barb J.) — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 03:37:00 +0000

So I wanted to get a family photo in front of "the manor" a couple of days after we moved in. I asked Nancy to take the photos for us, and she tried her hardest. But let's face it... it's hard to get a good photo with a pouting teenager and an antsy little boy.

I don't remember exactly what we talking about here, but I'm pretty sure it had something to do with Justin having much better things to do than stand on a porch and have his photo taken.


I have no idea... maybe we were all doing the funky chicken?

Adam had no problem getting his photo taken.

From our manor to yours.

Book Review: Before the Scarlet Dawn

noreply@blogger.com (Barb J.) — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 01:34:00 +0000

Before The Scarlet Dawn Abingdon Press (February 2012) by Rita Gerlach

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Rita Gerlach lives with her husband and two sons in a historical town nestled along the Catoctin Mountains, amid Civil War battlefields and Revolutionary War outposts in central Maryland.

"Romantic historical fiction that has an inspirational bent, is one way people can escape the cares of life and be transported back to a time of raw courage and ideal love," she says. "The goal of my writing is to give readers a respite, and inspire them to live fully and gratefully."

In many of her stories, she writes about the struggles endured by early colonists, with a sprinkling of both American and English history. Currently she is writing a new historical series for Abingdon Press entitled 'Daughters of the Potomac'. See her 'Novels In Progress' page on her website to learn more.

There are other novels on her list to be published, and a proposal for another book series.

She was born in Washington D.C. and grew up in a large family in the Maryland suburbs. Her family claims that storytelling is their blood, handed down from centuries of Irish storytellers. Rita believes there just may be something to that theory.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

In 1775, Hayward Morgan, a young gentleman destined to inherit his father’s estate in Derbyshire, England, captures the heart of the local vicar’s daughter,

Eliza Bloome. Her dark beauty and spirited ways are not enough to win him, due to her station in life.

Circumstances throw Eliza in Hayward’s path, and they flee to America to escape the family conflicts. But as war looms, it's a temporary reprieve. Hayward joins the revolutionary forces and what follows is a struggle for survival, a test of faith, and the quest to find lasting love in an unforgiving wilderness.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Before The Scarlet Dawn, go HERE.

Watch the book video:

MY REVIEW: You know, everything did not turn out happy and perfect at the end of this novel, and surprisingly... I liked it. I always want my books to make me happy, which usually means everything turns out perfect in the end. But the heroine of this book was more like myself in one aspect - things aren't perfect, and probably never will be... but it wasn't for lack of trying. And in the end, it is faith in God that will make our lives perfect - not a human relationship.

A Multitude of Answered Prayers

noreply@blogger.com (Barb J.) — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 00:46:00 +0000

Hello bloggy friends,

Bet you were wondering where I was and why I haven't blogged for the past month, huh? I'm sorry I've been gone... but it's only because good things have been happening!

All those prayers we've been praying for months and months? They have finally been answered! God does everything in His own time, and that includes answering our prayers. And, in my case, He chose to do it in a very big way. He answered several prayers all at one time... which means I have been very busy!

But hopefully, things will start slowing down a little bit now, so I can come back to my wonderful blog friends - who keep me company when nobody else will :)

For now, I'm just going to quickly tell you about my answered prayers, but I'll go into greater details in future posts.

My niece in her new town in the mountains.

1. My 20-year-old niece, who has been living with us, was finally accepted into the particular job training program she wanted. She is now living in the beautiful smokey mountains while taking a nursing program.

2. I found and accepted a second job, also in the healthcare industry. This will provide a bit of the extra money needed to pay our bills on The Manor.

3. And last, but certainly not least, we have moved into The Manor! Finally, the boys and I are living as a family again. I was very blessed that Nancy and her husband provided us with a roof over our heads when we needed it, but I am even more blessed to have a (mobile) home and piece of land that is completely free of all mortgages. It doesn't matter that it's only a little more than 700 square feet and is only a year younger than I am... the bank will never be able to take this from us!

I admit to being a little stressed with working at the old job and the new job while trying to unpack, etc., but if I have to have stress, what great reasons to have it! I don't know if that even makes sense... but I don't even care!

Book Review: Prize of My Heart

noreply@blogger.com (Barb J.) — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 00:07:00 +0000

Prize of My Heart

Bethany House Publishers (March 1, 2012) by Lisa Norato

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

A life-long New Englander, Lisa Norato lives in a historic village with homes and churches dating as far back as the eighteenth century. She was born into a close-knit Italian family that hungered as much for the things of God as they did for lasagna. After church, the family spent Sunday afternoons gathered in fellowship around a never-ending feast that featured her grandmother's homemade spaghetti and pizza.

From the time she learned to read, her mother impressed her with the joy of getting lost in a good book. She passed novels along to her as early as age thirteen, but it wasn't until many years later that Lisa felt compelled to write one herself.

She first discovered a love of writing when assigned to write and illustrate a children's book at the art college she attended. She balances writing with a career as a legal assistant specializing in corporate law. When not creating stories, she enjoys domestic pursuits like precious time with her dog and family, cooking, baking and eating vegan, reading, her Bible, her favorite television shows and crocheting.

Lisa is a member of the Romance Writers of America (RWA), American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), Rhode Island Romance Writers (RIRW) and American Colonial Christian Writers.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

An unsolved mystery separates ex-privateersman Captain Brogan Talvis from his lost son--his only living relation, his only family. Shortly before her tragic demise, his wife abandoned their infant to strangers, refusing to reveal the child's whereabouts. Now, three years later, Brogan has discovered the boy at the home of a shipbuilder's daughter, Lorena Huntley.

Lorena guards a dark secret about her young charge. She finds herself falling for the heroic captain who has come to claim his newly built ship, unaware his motive for wooing her is to befriend the boy he plans on reclaiming as his own--until the day anothers evil deceit leaves her helplessly shipbound, heading toward England.

As the perfect opportunity to reclaim his son unfolds, Brogan is haunted by thoughts of Lorena in her dire circumstance, and he is forced to make a heartrending choice between his child and the woman who has begun to capture his heart. But only his unselfish sacrifice can win him the greatest prize of all--love.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Prize of My Heart, go HERE.

Book Review: The Messenger

noreply@blogger.com (Barb J.) — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 01:04:00 +0000

The Messenger Bethany House Publishers (March 1, 2012) by Siri Mitchell

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Siri Mitchell graduated from the University of Washington with a business degree and worked in various levels of government. As a military spouse, she has lived all over the world, including Paris and Tokyo. Siri enjoys observing and learning from different cultures. She is fluent in French and loves sushi.

But she is also a member of a strange breed of people called novelists. When they’re listening to a speaker and taking notes, chances are, they’ve just had a great idea for a plot or a dialogue. If they nod in response to a really profound statement, they’re probably thinking, “Yes. Right. That’s exactly what my character needs to hear.” When they edit their manuscripts, they laugh at the funny parts. And cry at the sad parts. Sometimes they even talk to their characters.

Siri wrote 4 books and accumulated 153 rejections before signing with a publisher. In the process, she saw the bottoms of more pints of Ben & Jerry’s than she cares to admit. At various times she has vowed never to write another word again. Ever. She has gone on writing strikes and even stooped to threatening her manuscripts with the shredder.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Hannah Sunderland felt content in her embrace of the Quaker faith... until her twin brother ran off and joined the army and ended up captured and in jail. Suddenly Hannah's world turns on end. She longs to bring her brother some measure of comfort in the squalid, frigid prison where he remains. But the Quakers believe they are not to take sides, not to take up arms. Can she sit by and do nothing while he suffers?

Jeremiah Jones has an enormous task before him. Responsibility for a spy ring is now his, and he desperately needs access to the men in prison, whom they are seeking to free. A possible solution is to garner a pass for Hannah. But while she is fine to the eye, she holds only disdain for him--and agreeing would mean disobeying those she loves and abandoning a bedrock of her faith.

With skill and sensitivity, Mitchell tells a story of two unlikely heroes seeking God's voice, finding the courage to act, and discovering the powerful embrace of love.

If you would like to read the first chapter of The Messenger, go HERE.

Book Review: Chasing the Sun

noreply@blogger.com (Barb J.) — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 01:02:00 +0000

Chasing The Sun Bethany House Publishers (March 1, 2012) by Tracie Peterson

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Tracie Peterson is the bestselling, award-winning author of more than 85 novels.

She received her first book contract in November, 1992 and saw A Place To Belong published in February 1993 with Barbour Publishings' Heartsong Presents. She wrote exclusively with Heartsong for the next two years, receiving their readership's vote for Favorite Author of the Year for three years in a row.

In December, 1995 she signed a contract with Bethany House Publishers to co-write a series with author Judith Pella. Tracie now writes exclusively for Bethany House Publishers.

She teaches writing workshops at a variety of conferences on subjects such as inspirational romance and historical research.

Tracie was awarded the Romantic Times Career Achievement Award for 2007 Inspirational Fiction and her books have won numerous awards for favorite books in a variety of contests.

Making her home in Montana, this Kansas native enjoys spending time with family--especially her three grandchildren--Rainy, Fox and Max. She's active in her church as the Director of Women's Ministries, coordinates a yearly writer's retreat for published authors, and travels, as time permits, to research her books.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

When her father disappears in war-torn Mississippi, Hannah Dandridge finds herself responsible not only for her younger siblings but for the ranch her father recently acquired on the Texas plains. Though a marriage of convenience could ease her predicament, she determines to trust God for direction.

Wounded soldier William Barnett returns to his home only to discover that his family's ranch has been seized. Though angry and bitter at this turn of events, he's surprised to discover that it is a beautiful young woman with amazing fortitude who is struggling to keep the place running.

Hannah, desperate for help, and William, desperate to regain his family's land, form an uneasy truce. But nearby Comanche tribes, the arrival of Confederate soldiers, and a persistent suitor all threaten the growing attraction that builds between them. Will they be able to set aside their own dreams and embrace the promise of a future together?

If you would like to read the first chapter of Chasing The Sun, go HERE.

$25 Sam's Club Gift Card Giveaway!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Barb J.) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:56:00 +0000

With Adam in school now, I have been trying to think of ways I can help his classroom and school. One thing that immediately pops into mind is collecting box tops. Anyone who has a child in school is probably familiar with box tops. The school gets money for the box tops that are returned.

I've always enjoyed Sam's Club because of its prices on bulk items. I usually get items like sugar, flour and produce, but My Blog Spark and Sam's Club offered me a $25 gift certificate to spend on box tops items, which will also help out Adam's new school!

I was able to get Hamburger Helper, Fruit Roll-Ups for Adam's lunch box, and my favorite boxed brownies. Honesty people, these Betty Crocker Hershey's brownies are the best in the world! They are gooey and chocolately. But I'm getting off subject, aren't I?

Anyway, you can find out my about box tops at the box top Web site. And for more information on Sam's Club memberships, go here.

a Rafflecopter giveaway