My how time flies!

How in the fig is it already July?? How did we already have July 4th? Did you enjoy yours as much as we did? We are super low-key and do things at home with a simple cookout. We hang out in the backyard or driveway and watch the neighbors burn their hard earned cash.

We had hamburgers with fresh baked hamburger buns, homemade coleslaw and potato salad, deviled eggs, a red white and blue salad (strawberries, fresh-picked blueberries, feta, and greens), potato chips, homemade blueberry lavender lemonade, and fresh homemade no-churn strawberry ice cream for dessert. Now, if you’ve known me for any length of time, you know summer isn’t my jam, but I do love it for gardens and cookouts!

Speaking of gardens, I haven’t taken a pic but we finally got ours put in mid-June. Super late, but better than never. Lots of squash (hopefully the evil squash bugs don’t annihilate them), green beans, carrot…literally one carrot is coming up, tomatoes, potatoes, pumpkin, green peppers, herbs: mint, lemon balm, chamomile, sage, and whatever else. I had planted them in my wheelbarrow and apparently it was under the gutter during a downpour and it dumped all down in the wheelbarrow, washing things amiss. So it will be interesting to see what grows where. I did have to reseed several things in both places because I think I had some duds. This garden will be super interesting for sure. We also have 4 elderberry shrubs and a blackberry bush growing and doing well. I’m already planning ahead for my fall garden. I did have some luck with our ‘salad bar’ and hope to replant some for the fall. There are some things I will need to start planting in a few weeks! Eek! One of these days I’ll get the hang of it.

And with July starting off a bang, that also means it’s time to start prepping for fall/holiday markets! Specifically, the craft show we have at our church. Not to mention, gifts! It’s also time to start planning fall/holiday bakes for the bakery. Oh man. It’s almost the Most Wonderful Time of the Year! Who else is watching Christmas in July on GAC? No? Just me? DOUBTFUL. Tee hee.

Things to note:

I want a blueberry farm. We went to one a few weeks ago and picked blueberries and had the best time. I learned that I never had blueberries until I picked them and ate them fresh off the bush. UNREAL. Add a lavender field, too. It was a whole experience. I want to offer that.

I still very much can’t wait for our future homestead property. I will keep asking the Lord. 😉

I’ve found that this new endeavor with the Wellness Store is so up my alley and I’m super happy to have taken the leap. You can learn more about it on my Insta!

And as of last night, I am an official Ambassador for Ever.American apparel. You can shop and save 10% with that link. I do earn commissions, but I would (and have) share this shop anyway. I just love their tees! Below is my first tee. I wear it pretty much all the time.

¹⁴ For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” Esther 4:14

Perhaps YOU were made for such a time as this?

THIS SONG is probably my new favorite. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

New Recipe Alert!

Where are my Ranch dressing loving people at? Have I got a goodie for you!

If you’re like me, you’ve been looking for healthier alternatives for your family. In every way! Well today I am going to share with you a healthier alternative to an American favorite, ranch dressing. You’re most welcome!

Let’s get started!

You could do this a couple ways, but here is what I did. I took my two cup Pyrex measuring glass and added in:

• 4 Tbsp of sour cream (I used Daisy, full fat!)
• 4 Tbsp of mayonnaise (best if you make your own!)
• 6 Tbsp of Buttermilk
• 2 tsp of dried minced onion
• 2 tsp dried parsley
• 1 tsp dried chives
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp dried dill
• about 1/2 tsp each of salt and pepper (to taste)

Mix all of these together with a whisk until well incorporated. Put in a mason jar and place in the fridge for about an hour for all of the flavors to work together and get awesome for you! Enjoy! Keeps about a week in the fridge. That is, if you don’t eat it all before then! It’s so yummy! Now I didn’t have dried chives on hand, but it’s still super yummy without! It would only be yummier with!

This will be on the thicker side, so if you want a thinner dressing, add a bit of milk until you are happy with it. But definitely wait until after it’s had time to chill out to assess.

If you have these herbs fresh, go for it. Chop them up really fine. Fresh garlic will also work, just know that the flavor ramps up the longer it sits in the fridge. Like a lot! Dried is better here. You can certainly sub lower fat things, but it won’t be as creamy and flavorful. We tend to stay away from the ‘free’ (fat-free, sugar-free, etc.) foods and stick with the more natural, full ‘editions’. The original medium is just better for you, nutritionally speaking. But I digress.

This recipe makes about 2/3 of a cup, or so. You can easily double this recipe or even triple it. Just know that because it is thicker, a little goes a long way and you can add milk to thin it out for more. Only make as much as you will consume before it goes south!

Enjoy!

Be a Good Steward

Anyone else looking for other shopping alternatives? No? Just me? 👀

Over the last few years, things have shifted, in a big way, for me.

I’ve been more conscious of what we consume, in every way. I’m having to make my dollars stretch a LOT farther. I’ve had to let go a lot of things. I’m reusing and repurposing anything I can. I’m cooking and baking from scratch, gardening, getting chickens, etc. It’s a whole thing! 🌱🐓💐

Since I’m an America First 🇺🇸 kind of girl, I’ve been really conscious of spending my dollars with like minded shops/stores/people, as well as local.

It’s super important to me. God has bestowed upon me blessing after blessing and I must be a good steward of those blessings.

Thankfully, I’ve found one such place that checks many of my boxes.

• Made in the USA
• Clean & non-toxic
• Affordable
  …just to name a few

I am now working to swap all the gross toxic crap with healthier options. Under my kitchen and bathroom sink, in my medicine cabinet, including supplements! I’m really excited to get everything swapped over and share with you my thoughts on it. It’s all part of our journey in going from cottage to farmhouse!

Garden Update! 🌱

Garden update!

Brought the babies out to harden them off and give them some suns and some warms. My gifted basil along with the seeds I started indoors. 3-4 of which are lavender! There are tiny little growths in there! I hope they keep growing. My lavender didn’t make it back for a 3rd year, unfortunately. Tomatoes, green beans (‼️), green peppers, sage, savory, dill, chamomile, and parsley.

My ‘salad bar’ is growing nicely! I wasn’t sure the red lettuce made it, but it’s growing! And I have baby spinaches!

My gifted elderberry are starting to leaf out!

Elderberry row & ‘salad bar’ (far left(

My gifted oregano in the large pot on the table will much enjoy this. It can probably stay out there since it’s already a fairly established

And this week we will be out there foraging in our own backyard for dandelion, violet, clover, and purple nettle (the good kind).

There is a lot of work to be done, but it’s finally warming up enough to be able to get out and get busy. After Easter, though.

This week I will be a busy baker as I prepare 5 cakes (plus our own!) and 4 dozen bunny buns (bunny shaped rolls.) plus our own!) for Easter orders. Plus I have a crochet order to get finished before Easter.

It’s fine! I’m fine! Everything is just fine! Because I GET to do what I love!

Plus, it’s Holy Week! 🙌🏻🌿✝️

So thankful for His amazing grace!

So You Want to Homestead, eh?

Homesteading. It’s quite the buzzword these days, isn’t it? But what exactly is homesteading?

Never mind what Merriam-Webster says. Of course, that’s a true definition of the word. But let’s look at it in the 21st century’s lens.

Homesteading today is as much a way of life as it is a place. Homesteading is more about becoming self-sustaining and self-reliant. Learning ‘old timey’ skills, going back to our roots and living a more peaceful life.

Here is what homesteading means to this nostalgic old soul:

*Learning skills that seem to have died with our grandmothers: crocheting, knitting, quilting, embroidery, sewing, cooking and baking everything from scratch, re-using and re-purposing everything –yes, maybe even cleaning off the perfectly good piece of tinfoil, because waste not want not, amiright? Growing and raising our own food, and on and on.

*Homeschooling our kids. I’m done having small children, but my young adult son is already on board with homeschooling his children–good Lord willing he should be so blessed.

*Trading and bartering with neighbors and brothers and sisters in Christ. You know how to do something they don’t and they know how to do something you don’t, so do what you know how to do well and share the love, mmkay? Yes. Let’s do that.

*Keeping money local. Buy, sell, trade in your own community, amongst like-minded folks. Keeping money in your own community is the best way to ensure stability in your community.

*Teach others how to do what you know how to do. Share the wealth and the love.

*Bring back ‘barn raisings”. The Amish still do it to this day. It’s economical and often faster than hiring out help. It also builds community.

*Bring back Sunday/family dinners. Ideally, you’re already eating together as a family at the table, but if your work schedule doesn’t allow for that, at least make sure you can gather for a family meal at the end of the week.

*Plant a garden and have chickens. Planting a garden is soooo therapeutic and rewarding. Raising chickens for fresh eggs should be on your list, too. Check with your local ordinances to see if that is allowable for you before you run off and build your coop and get your chicks. 😉 Plant some herbs especially for your chickens. It will help them stay healthy and enrich your eggs!

*Learn to bake fresh bread. I promise, it’s not as a hard as it looks and it is so cathartic and therapeutic. Also rewarding. And, bonus feature, it’s a natural room freshener. You’ll thank me later.

Live in an apartment? No sweat. You can do a small container garden on your patio or balcony, or even in a sunny kitchen window. You can grow tomatoes, green beans, herbs, and yes, even a dwarf lemon tree! Pinterest is a gold mine for how to start a container garden.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. As I learn more about how I can homestead where I am, I will share with you on how you can homestead where YOU are. It can be done anywhere! It’s more of a way of living than a physical place.

Stay tuned for more homesteading posts, tips, and ideas!

Out of Touch

This past Friday my phone just up and died. Out of nowhere, zero warning. It just so happens that it was the same day a big white balloon was spotted floating over our state. Coincidence? Who knows. But I digress. At first, I thought it was the battery, so I took it in to have the battery replaced. That wasn’t it. So that was a waste of fifty bucks. So I ordered a ‘new’ one and it should be here by Thursday. Let me just tell you it’s been a really long 3 days already. I am not ok. 

What this period of darkness has taught me is that we have become grossly dependent upon our devices. I can do NOTHING without my phone. I don’t wear a watch, so unless I’m home or in my car I have no idea what time it is. I can’t just shoot a text to let so and so I’m on my way or look up an address. I can’t look up that recipe I saved for dinner or research that thing I thought of the other day. I can’t just check my email or see how my friends are doing on the socials or watch TV on my Amazon FireTV. Because not only is that thing glued to my hand, it is the source of internet for my entire household when we are home. I have also realized that I can’t even listen to music because my iTunes library hasn’t been synced properly and all I have access to is Christmas music. I can’t even write a blog post! I’m currently using the TextEdit ‘app’ on my MacBook Air. And let’s not even get started on trying to get into websites and apps on your computer because they need to confirm your identity by sending you a code on, you guessed it, your phone. So I can’t even check my bank accounts. That’s pretty scary. Of course, I could call, but…. I don’t have a phone. 

Yes, of course, I could go to the library, my mom’s, or a handful of other places to use their Wi-Fi, but that’s not always convenient when you have other things to do at home, like testing some recipes or working on crochet orders. It’s in between batches or hand/wrist breaks that I catch up on emails, socials, etc.  Quite the conundrum.

I feel like the Lord allowed this to happen for me to come to a deeper realization of the deception and dependency to help encourage others to maybe step back and take a look and see just how dependent they are on their devices and to encourage everyone to take some time unplugged as often as possible.

It’s time to get back to basics, friends. Remember those? Many of you reading this will not. But people my age and older will remember the days of going to the library to research all the things, going to the video store to rent a movie (sadly those are gone, but save a few), calling your friend on the phone to catch up (which sounds really weird going from an introvert who would much rather just send a text), sending a handwritten letter, going out to the movies, reading physical books, taking classes for painting, pottery, knitting or crochet, etc. Meeting friends face to face for lunch or dinner, or even just a coffee. Have people over in your homes to enjoy each other’s company.

We really don’t need ALL the apps and to have the news smack us in the face every time we open it up. There is so much more joy and peace to be had without it. The enemy wants us to be dependent upon these things, upon him. He prowls around looking for whom he can kill and destroy (John 10:10). He has a done a splendid job thus far. Just look around you! 

Perhaps I will only use my cell phone as a modem for the internet for business purposes and remove all social media apps and other time wasters from the device and leave them strictly desktop access only. I don’t know. But I do know that something has to change and I am mad as hell about how dependent they have made us on these things.  

My advice to you: 

Unplug. Often. 

Read The Word. Daily.

Buy chickens. 

Plant a garden.

Buy local, USA made. 

Support your local farmers. 

Avoid big box stores. 

Buy & read out of print history books. 😉 

**Update: I have my ‘new’ phone and am back online. It was a long week!

Thoughtful Thursday

Just a few thoughts this Thursday:

•I am too blessed to be stressed. Repeat.

•I get to bake cupcakes today. Something I LOVE to do.

•The Lord is my Great Provider and will provide ALL my NEEDS according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. (and some of my wants, too!)

•I have some of the best and sweetest friends in the world.

•I want a dog. And a cow. And a donkey. And chickens. And ducks. And 20 acres.

•I have a new dream on my heart and mind. More research is needed. And prayer. It may help get the previous bullet point.

•I have a good life. It’s far from perfect, it can be messy, but it’s mine. And I’m thankful for it.

Blessed Thursday, friends. I want to hear what’s on your mind. Share with me in the comments below!

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

The Waiting Game

Hurry up and wait. Society today knows no patience. Everything is sped up and hurried. Instantaneous. At your fingertips.

Microwaves | Drive thrus | Delivery | Fast food | Instacart | Amazon | Next day shipping | pre-packaged meals | The list goes on and on.

No one has to wait for anything these days. And that has done us a huge disservice.

We need to rely on God’s timing. Because His timing is sheer perfection. I have never been a patient person. God knows this. Therefore, He ensured that my life be a waiting period. And yours, too.

You know how they say, “Good things come to those who wait”? We have been conditioned to bypass that. Instead, these days it’s, “Good things come to those who hustle”. I used to believe that. The last few years have changed my thoughts on the matter. They have taught me to slow down and appreciate things more. Enjoy the process more. And you know what? I rather like it and prefer it. I’ve learned to make things from scratch. To grow things. I’m discovering skills and arts that have gotten lost in the hustle.

It’s been a long time since I’ve wanted the ‘next best thing’, but even in the last few years, the desires of my heart have drastically changed. I no longer seek wealth, I seek joy and peace. I no longer seek the recognition, I seek the fellowship and connection of family, friends, and neighbors.

Do I still have material wants? Of course. Hello farm life! Donkeys, cows, and chickens…Oh my! But they aren’t just things to HAVE. They are a way of life and each serves a purpose.

I’ve gotten a bit off track. Waiting. We were never meant to have ALL THE THINGS RIGHT MEOW. Hello? Moses. Israelites. Wilderness. 40 years. Going in circles because they couldn’t quit complaining and being grateful for what the Lord gave them? Sound familiar? It sure does to me. I have been in my own wilderness for the last 17 years. Because I haven’t been content and thankful for what I have been given. Including the struggles. This isn’t a post about contentment, though we need to have it in the waiting. The last few years the Lord has shown me to be content in the waiting. It wasn’t until today during my devotional reading that it hit me that the waiting is preparing my heart and mind for what He has in store for me.

I know what I think I want and need. But God knows better than I. And I can’t WAIT to see what He has in store for me. Because what I want sounds pretty amazing. A loving godly husband, a farm life, taking care of the family with the things we have grown and raised together. It sounds downright heavenly. But only if it’s the Lord’s will. Naturally, I hope it is. But I will learn to be content in whatever situation He places me. And in HIS time. Not mine.

What are you waiting for God to do in your life? While you wait, prepare for what He has coming, dive into His Word, ask Him boldly and specifically, pray for wisdom and discernment, and wait on the Lord.

Dirt Therapy

Spent about an hour today digging in the dirt and loving on my little plant friends. Harvested some lemon balm and chocolate mint leaves and am having myself a delicious little cuppa. With just a splash of honey.

This would be so good as an iced tea, too! Doesn’t look like much, I know. But the flavor packs just the right wallop!

Holy, holy, holy

“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD God Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.”

Holy crow. This passage below left me undone.

This is just after Isaiah has come face to face with God in the temple. The seraphim is about to touch his lips with a white hot coal. (Isaiah 6:6-7)

Put yourself in Isaiah’s sandals for a moment. I did. 😳 And it tore me to shreds.

Even though I know I am forgiven by His mercy and grace thanks to His One and Only Son, I can’t help but think I would behave as Isaiah did. To know that I am a sinner in the presence of the Holy Trinity? I am so not worthy!

We are used to being able to hide our shame and unworthiness from one another, but there is NO hiding it from the LORD God Almighty!

LORD, thank You for sending Your Son to die for my sins! 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻

The Holiness of God by R. C. Sproul, Tyndale Publishing