Winter Happenings

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O taste and see that the Lord is good;

How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!

O fear the Lord, you His saints;

For to those who fear Him there is no want.

Psalm 34:8-9

We've been enjoying lots of winter time teas since we've been dealing with a lot of sickness (like the rest of the US it seems!!).

And enjoying some wintery holiday baking :)

Working with dough is one of my faaaavorite things :) :)

And so is making cinnamon rolls, hah ;)

We tried our hand at making homemade vaseline and lotion bars! This was so much fun and the lotion bars work SO well, I never want to go back to store-bought chapstick!! ;) We used Melissa K. Norris's lotion bar formula HERE, and Homestead Corner's 2-ingredient vaseline recipe HERE. Highly recommended!! :o)

The deer have been out foraging ...

... and the winter sunsets have been breathtakingly lovely. :)

I hope you are having a blessed beginning to your year my friends! :)

♥

C.S. Lewis and a Homespun Tree

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 I do not know why there is this difference, but I am sure that God keeps no one waiting unless He sees that it is good for him to wait. When you do enter your room, you will find that the long wait has done you some kind of good which you would not have had otherwise. But you must regard it as waiting, not as camping. You must keep on praying for light: and of course, even in the hall, you must begin trying to obey the rules which are common to the whole house. And above all you must be asking which door is the true one; not which pleases you best by its paint and paneling.

Mere Christianity, C. S. Lewis

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♥

Small Endings and Beginnings

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Summer is coming to a close ... and with it, blackberry season.

This is the signal that it's time to get a pie on. :)

Smoke from the wildfires this year has been the worst I can remember. 

Thankfully, the rain has finally come again and the air has been washed clean!

With the rainfall, a hint of coolness has suddenly appeared, which for Kinsi = HAPPINESS. ;)

And Lightning is as excited as we are ...

... to light up the first fire of fall. :)

It's a beautiful sign of the changing season ...

And just like that ... it is Autumn again.

♥♥♥♥♥

I don't know what to title this ...

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Introducing a prestigious guest blogger *drumroll* ……

My sister! The following are some daily family interactions from her point of view.* Enjoy!

*The following views are specifically those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the blog editor. Believe at your own discretion.

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me: "for some reason my toe is itching."

sis: "you probably have athlete's foot."

me: "...and it's super awkward because it's hard to scratch there …."

sis: "athlete's foot. it's what you have. just sayin."

me: "...ANYway…"

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sister: "but see i'm showing you the way to become a good healthy woman by letting you wash the dishes. you'll thank me one day."

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me to my 3 year old nephew: "ok let's talk nicely to each other."

3 year old nephew: "but i can't!!!"

me: 0_0

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sister: "UGHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THERE'S NO MORE OATMEAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

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mom: "ok i wrote down dad's number and my number and your sister's number and your sister's work number and dad's work number. if you need anything you can call me or dad or your sister. if the house burns down call 911 and then call your sister."

me: "so you ARE planning on coming back tomorrow, right?" 

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dad; *in the highest voice possible* "oh the lil coochie woochie Lightning Bolt!" (Lightning's our dog ehehe)

me: "singing opera over there, dad?"

sister: *chokes*

……..

sister: "i'm going to be a dried up moldy spinster."

me: "no worries! i'll find prince charming for you!!"

sister: "no thank you."

me: "do you really not trust my judgement??"

sister: "no."

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The Saturday Evening Post | Life Pictures and How to Make Beef Stock

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I currently have a cauldron of beef stock simmering away (for the second day) on the stove top. It's looking loooovely! Stock is SO good for gut health and general wellness and it's the very best when homemade. I've been researching where to find grass-fed beef bones, and finally found a farm where I picked up four packages on Wednesday morning! Hence the title … How to Make Beef Stock. Be prepared for a very exciting post. ;o)

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Gather whatever leftover veggies you may have saved up for stock and pop them into a large stock pot. A whole onion (including the washed skin, if you buy organic), celery (including the leafy tops), some coarsely chopped carrots, etc. We keep a bag in the freezer and add to it as we have opportunity. It all adds goodness. :)

 

Toss the beef bones in coconut oil and place them in a single layer on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Roast them for at least one hour at 425* F. Add them to your ever-growing pot of stock ingredients. ;)

Next, add a good tablespoon of raw ACV. This helps to release the nutrients from the bones.

Add a healthy number of garlic cloves - garlic adds loads of flavor, of course, but it is amazing for the immune system as well - lots and lots of antioxidants. 

Finally, add enough water to cover everything …

… and several bay leaves. Oh, and a few sprigs of fresh rosemary. If you don't have fresh, dried should do as well.

Simmer well for at least a couple days to make sure you get every last bit of nutrients and goodness from all the bones and veggies! 

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And now for a few life pictures …

Garden produce.

My sweet nephew was helping … :o)

Is there anything prettier than that?

Avocados on the windowsill.

Sunshine on the school bookshelves.

The first pumpkins! :)

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Have a happy, happy weekend!!