Saturday, 14 November 2009
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Our Home
We moved into our home in March, 1998. We were blessed beyond belief that the Lord provided this home and these 5 1/2 acres for us when He did. We were blessed even more when we heard from neighbors and other folks in the community and learned how His providence played out in our ability to purchase this place.
I am blessed to call this home still.
One thing, though, that I did not anticipate was the amount of work this home would take to maintain and improve. Though the home was custom built for a local pastor, he never lived in it. Instead, he took advantage of California's booming real estate market of the early 1990's, and flipped the house as soon as it was completed. I'm not sure at what point in time he made that decision, but the craftsmanship that went into the completion of the house was pretty poor.
We have fought battles with dry rot and peeling paint our entire time here because of the poor construction used. Most of our home improvement money, not to mention my husband's time, have been spent preserving the exterior of our home and doing what we could to improve its function. Roofs that don't leak. Replacing rotting porches. Installing windows that actually keep the wind out when they are closed. An HVAC system that works. That sort of thing. Practical. Necessary. Expensive!
Don't get me wrong, I still LOVE this house and I thank the Lord often for His provision.
Still, God created women with a desire for beautifying our homes as one way we tend and care for our families. So, as we've done what we can to keep, literally, a roof over our heads, we've learned to overlook the interior walls that need paint, the sinks that are chipped and peeling and the carpets that will no longer yield their stains to the steam cleaner. Landscaping? Forget about it. Country grass (aka the common weed) has its own charm, anyway.
I still dream, though, and plan how I will decorate or make over a room when the funds become available. I just don't hold the time table for the completion of those plans tightly. We still have folks over, and hope they overlook the imperfections. We hope they overlook *our* imperfections, too!
This home has done much for teaching me patience and appreciation for what I have. It's also given me a whole new heart of thankfulness for when a redecorating project is brought to completion.
Who says a house is just a house?God bless you as you look well to the ways of your household!
Proverbs 31:27
Thursday, 05 November 2009
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Enjoying
I'm enjoying some down time. I slept until 9:30 and then had a two hour nap. I've caught up on all of my blog reading. Aaron and Will have brewed, sweetened and served cup after cup of tea to me, without my having to move a muscle. Dani has done a lot of cooking, making lots of homey, comfort foods. I've curled up on the couch and on my bed with stacks of books. The vaporizer is running all day, positioned on the hearth, with an aromatic, healing blend of essential oilsto keep congestion at a minimum. The kids are all feeling better, even Dani who was the sickest of the three still at home. It's my turn now to enjoy some down time, courtesy of the flu.
Back soon with those Thanksgiving books I promised."Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!"
Phil. 4:4 NASBGod bless you as you look well to the ways of your household!
Proverbs 31:27
Tuesday, 03 November 2009
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What Copperswife Has Been Pondering
I mentioned recently that I've been pondering and praying over quite a few things. The Lord has been so faithful in leading me in several areas by lovingly and tenderly shepherding. I'm so thankful for His tenderness and kindness to me, all the more because they are so undeserved.
One thing that has been in the forefront of my pondering is the idea of "engaging the culture" and how the Lord would have me respond in this season of my life. Close friends know the history from an experience within my extended family that began this adventure for me a couple of years ago. It's been so amazing seeing how the Lord has orchestrated events in my life as I've chewed on this issue. Circumstances of everyday life. Conversations. Blog posts from folks I know and respect. Stories like this one (Hat Tip to Fletch for the link)
So how do I respond? Do I follow the lead of the gal in the story? How far do I go in reaching out to those around me? I live in California, so the sky is rather the limit when it comes to how far a gal might go in reaching out, in love, to those around her. Tattoos and piercings of all sorts are the norm here.
No, I didn't really have my nose pierced! The kids and grandbabies were working on a craft the other day and I glued a pretty jewel onto my nose just for the fun of it. However, this idea of trying to reach out to a world that I'm in, though not of, is a serious pursuit.
Tim Challies is a blogger that I follow regularly. I love his insight, am inspired by the incredible number of books he reads, and am appreciative of his many book reviews. I was so pleased this week to see that he is starting a second blog.
Mr. Challies plans to read every non-fiction, hard cover book that reaches the New York Times best seller list during the year 2010. He's actually already begun! His purpose in this undertaking is what caught my interest. He realizes that by reading the books from this list, he will be given "a snapshot of the people, of what they are thinking about, of what they are learning, of whom they are learning it from." Culture. Worldview. Understanding!
I'm realistic enough to know that I will never be able to keep up with Mr. Challies incredible reading lists, but I will be following along as he reviews each of these books at 10 Million Words; and I'll certainly be picking up titles to read myself from time to time, too.
My friend Kendra often mentions "tomato staking" her younger ones, keeping them close by during times of intense child training. I used to call this shortening the reins, but the principle is the same. While this is a great principle for younger children, and one I heartily endorse, I've been thinking lately about the application with older kids, too.
Think about it more in terms of young trees. We stake our newly planted trees, giving their roots an opportunity to sink in deep and protecting them from the strong winds that might blow them over before their root system is well established. However, once the roots are deep enough, keeping that tree staked might cause it to become weak, relying too much on the stake for its support. But.....you knew there would be a "but", didn't you? Of course!
Sometimes a young tree becomes weakened and needs a little help to recover. Maybe that tree has undergone a season of phenomenal growth above ground, but its root system has not quite kept up, and it is in danger of being damaged by high winds. Are you following me here?
In those situations, giving that tree......not quite a sapling, but not yet a mature oak......a bit of extra support by staking it for a season is the very best thing you can do as you continue to nurture, prune and otherwise encourage it to full maturity. My tall, growing oak and I are enjoying spending a lot of time together every day staked at the dining room table. He with his school work, and me with whatever is at hand. Areas of weakness are being strengthened. Roots are being encouraged to grow and deepen. Bad fruit and ill-placed shoots can be nipped before they have the chance to grow and drain the tree of too much energy. It's hard work, but it's rewarding!
A few of you have asked for recommendations for Thanksgiving books. I posted this list a couple of years ago. I may have a book or two to add to that list, in the next day or two; but I wanted to give you the link to the old list now so that you could order them from your public library or purchase them, if you are so inclined, in time for Thanksgiving.
It's a busy time here as I continue homeschooling my two youngest, keeping my home and enjoying time with Corin and the grandbabies as often as we can. Busy yes, but blessedly so!
Oh! Just one more thing. Mentioning the grandbabies made me think of it! We were quite a sight as both sets of grandparents joined Rob and Corin and the grandbabies at the pumpkin farm a couple of weeks ago. The picture is all five of my grandbabies, with Grandma Pam (my dear friend and my grandbabies' other grandma) holding the two year old. There were fifteen of us making our way from attraction to attraction - wee little ones; children, big and small; young adults, and four "old" folks. We were three families, and yet one, having the time of our lives! We always have such a grand time together!
God bless you as you look well to the ways of your household!
Proverbs 31:27
Thursday, 15 October 2009
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Slow, Plodding and Pondering
I've not been around much, either here in my own little online home, nor visiting with many of you. My days are blessedly full. Brim full. Spilling over full. It's not a hurried, busy-work kind of thing, either; but rather it's a slow, plodding pace. It's a pace that might have once frustrated me, but it doesn't now. At least not as much as it once would. There is a benefit to growing older. It's easier to not sweat the small stuff. It's also easier to realize just how much of life really is the small stuff!
I'm slowly, slowly, slowly recapturing some order in my home, though as I type this from the couch of our school room, it does not look like there is much order at all. I sort of like my school room to be cluttered with books and projects and nature finds. The big desk, however, is another thing.
It's also been a season of pondering. The Lord is gently, tenderly, lovingly leading me in several different areas and the slowness of these days has been good for pondering and praying and thinking through all of that.
It's been good for William, too, I think, to have a mama who is not too busy with other things. I've had time to help him slow, and quiet and obtain some self control, and that's a hard thing for him in October every year.
Oh, my, my, my, my.........his compulsion to spin anything that will spin - my school supplies caddy, the desk chair, a pencil lying on the table, HIMSELF. His NEED to repeat movements that make noise - tapping his fingers on the table, tapping his toes on the computer desk, squeaking the desk chair, and pounding the eraser end of his pencil on the table. His vocal tic that is really nothing more than a really loud roar....watching him trying valliantly to suppress the tic, or to at least make it not quite so loud.... but that's really not working for him too well....and then the LOUD roar is out and he smiles with the relief (and I want to cry for loving him so much).
I keep telling myself he's our boy...precious in the sight of the Lord, and made in His image.
Instead, I emailed Corin and asked her if she wanted to swap ticing, compelled, loud boys for the day. She just laughed. So did I!
If I owe you an email or have failed to respond to a private message, please forgive me. You've not been forgotten! I am catching up there, too, albeit at the slow, plodding pace I mentioned earlier. The Lord has been so very faithful in this season, and I'm pleased to walk the slow, plodding pace set before me.God bless you as you look well to the ways of your household!
Proverbs 31:27
Wednesday, 07 October 2009
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The Truth of the Matter
The truth of the matter is that it is October, and I am very much enjoying our finally-here Autumn weather. The high temperatures this week will struggle into the low 80's. Our mornings and evenings are crisp and cool, and our days are sunny and warm.
October also means that homeschooling is back in full swing. We took several weeks off this last summer, which is out of the norm for us. The truth of the matter is that we have struggled to build a new routine for the year after our lengthy break. I've made changes here and tweaked things there, but I'm not certain that our routine/schedule is quite right yet. I'm watching carefully, day by day, and sometimes hour by hour, for ways to shift things just a bit to make them work for us. It's slow going.
The change of season is always hard for my William, too. I'm not sure if it's the shortened days, the change in the weather or what, but I can count on his having a very hard time every year in early - mid October. Most years it catches me by surprise. This year, however, when he began struggling, I realized that this was part of his seasonal pattern and began helping him work through the various frustrations and issues that make his life so difficult. The truth of the matter is that it is a hard thing to deal with, but the Lord strengthens, encourages and enables me to keep pressing forward, even when I feel I'm at the end of my rope.
In fact, He especially strengthens, encourages and enables me when I've come to the end of myself and have nothing left to give! I should know better than to try to do things on my own strength and wisdom. The truth of the matter is that I'm slow to learn these lessons of life, even though my ever-patient Teacher is always before me showing me His better way.
Copper and I have spent several days in doctors' offices and procedure rooms these last couple of weeks. I'd love to share all of the details, but it would require far too much time. Suffice it to say, the Lord went before us and opened up an appointment time for a diagnostic procedure before our very eyes. Just as the nurse was telling us that the next available date was months out, a cancellation appeared on her screen for the very next day! We were so thankful for that. So, last Wednesday, my husband was sedated and underwent an Endoscopy. Some abnormalities were discovered, and the doctor biopsied some tissue. My husband has been diagnosed with Eosinophilic Esophagitis, and he has been prescribed two medications that he will have to take for the rest of his life. The truth of the matter is that we're still in the research and fact-gathering stage in trying to understand this disease and its implications. A good deal of my time has been spent this week on line, looking at web sites, researching his medications, etc.
I'm beginning to catch up, just a bit, on things around my home. Fall is always such a "nesting" time for many of us. The cooler weather and shorter days draw us inside more and more, and our hearts turn from gardening and outdoor activities to homemaking, baking and sprucing things up. The truth of the matter is that harvest is in full swing all around my home. Field corn is being cut and transported down the road. Hay is being cut, baled and transported down the road. Harvested fields are being plowed in preparation for replanting, and the dust clouds can be quite spectacular as they blow across the roads. There are hundreds of acres of wine grapes grown in vineyards all around us, and the grape harvesting equipment can be heard running all night long as the grapes are shaken from the vines. The truth of the matter that all of that harvesting, cutting, mowing, plowing, transporting and vine shaking covers absolutely everything in dirt. Our cars look horrible, and so does the inside and outside of my home. Within hours, a freshly dusted surface will be dusty again! It's a sign of the season to be sure.
The truth of the matter is that life is just very, very full right now. It's full of struggles and difficulties, but growth comes from trial, and I long for that growth! There is nothing more important for me to do right now than to continue to do what I always do - look well to the ways of my household by:- Working out homeschool and daily routines for my family.
- Helping Will as he struggles through yet another difficult time.
- Researching my husband's illness and educating myself on the disease and its treatments.
- Doing my best to keep the inside of our home as clean and dust free as possible.
- Nesting and baking and sprucing things up in my home as we all begin to spend more time indoors.
- Thanking God for the precious gift and incredible blessing of being able to be the one here, every single day, to take care of all of the above!
God bless you as you look well to the ways of your household!
Proverbs 31:27 - Working out homeschool and daily routines for my family.
Tuesday, 29 September 2009
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Freezer Guacamole
Dani processed the first bunch of avocados into Guacamole, smooshed it into freezer bags and we knew we'd found a way to have yummy guacamole through the winter months without breaking the bank account.
When one of our favorite markets advertised avocados for $.39/each last week, Dani and I knew we had to buy a bunch. We bought a dozen or so on our shopping day, and Copper went back on one of his days off and bought 18 more. We love avocados, and we love guacamole!
Making guacamole for the freezer is just as easy as making a fresh batch. I started this afternoon with those 18 avocados my husband purchased last week. They were all quite hard when he bought them, but today they were just about perfect.
The first step is to peel and pit all of the avocados. I almost always reach for my mom's old "butcher" knife. Truth be told, I own several knives that are much better. My mom worked in a butcher shop for decades and she bought me top quality knives through the butcher supply salesmen when I got married. When she passed away I brought her old, old knife home and it's become my favorite. I love the smooth feel of the handle, and the way the handle's edges have rounded from the handling of two generations of women. The blade still holds its edge well and it sharpens easily.
Next, I grabbed my handy potato masher and got to work smooshing the avocados. If you're having a bad day this part might be quite therapeutic. I've had a great day, though, so the mashing was just good exercise. I like to have a few, small chunks of avocado in my Guacamole so I didn't over labor the mashing. It's a messy job, though. Of course, Dani, who has been away for a week now, called just as I was in the midst of this process. That's okay. She talked to her Dad while I worked and I called her later. I love cell phones and free long distance. 
If you stumble across a great sale on avocados, feel free to use your own Guacamole recipe for the freezer. We all like it a bit differently. Some folks add lemon juice to their Guacamole to keep it from turning brown, but I never do. It never lasts long enough around here to turn brown!! For the freezer, though, you'll want to add a bit of Fruit Fresh. That's the secret ingredient that will allow you to make Freezer Guacamole now and enjoy it in December. I added about a teaspoon per cup of Guacamole. I didn't measure the mashed avocados. I guessed that two of my avocados, which were medium-sized, would be about a cup. Eighteen avocados = 9 teaspoons of Fruit Fresh
I added a splash of salsa to the bowl. I like salsa in my Guacamole. If you don't like it that way, don't add it. I think it gives it a nice kick and I like the bits of onion and peppers in my Guacamole.
I generally prefer Guacamole without sour cream. However, if you use sour cream in your Guacamole, do NOT add it before freezing. Sour cream does not always freeze well. If you prefer sour cream in the Guacamole, I'd suggest you make up your recipe but omit the sour cream. You can add it after you thaw the avocado mixture and just before serving. That should work nicely.
Taste the Guacamole and adjust the seasonings. Taste testing is my favorite part of making Guacamole.
Mark several freezer quality plastic bags with the name of your recipe and the date. I used quart sized bags because that's the smallest I have. Pints would have been better.
Be sure to use the freezer quality bags so that the Guacamole doesn't freezer burn. You'll also want to be sure the bags seal well. Filling the bags with the Guacamole can be a messy undertaking, and I do not own one of those fancy bag fillers that holds the bag open and protects the seal. Instead, I just folded the top part of the bag over to keep the seal clean. That saves the messy job of trying to wipe those little grooves and edges clean later.
Spoon the Guacamole into the bags. Lay each bag flat and carefully begin pressing the air out of the bag. I generally seal the bag leaving just an inch or so open to release the air. The more air you can remove from the bag, the less freezer burn and ice crystals you will end up with.
The flat bags take up much less space in your freezer, too. Scatter them about in the freezer, if you have the room, until they are frozen, and then stack them. They'll freeze faster that way, and the bags won't stick together either.
Call your favorite fifteen year old into the kitchen and allow him to use his fingers to scrape up the last bits of Guacamole to enjoy! Ignore his protests when he discovers that ALL of the Guacamole is headed for the freezer.
When you're ready to enjoy your Freezer Guacamole, thaw the bags in the fridge and use your hands to smoosh the bags from time to time to hasten the thawing and to remix anything that separates a bit in the defrosting process.
Today's yield was six bags of Freezer Guacamole. Prep time, start to finish, including hand washing the bowl, cutting board and utensils I used, was about 30 - 40 minutes.
God bless you as you look well to the ways of your household!
Proverbs 31:27Please note: All original written material, photographs, recipes and tutorials on this blog are the sole property of the author and may not be copied, in whole or in part, or re-printed elsewhere, without the express written permission of the author. Recipes, of course, may be copied for your own personal in-home use!
Monday, 28 September 2009
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Daybook
For today: Monday, September 28, 2009...
Outside my schoolroom window...The sheep are enjoying their breakfast, and a hen is announcing the arrival of her day's egg. The colony of sparrows that reside in the Sycamore just outside the school room window are all busily chattering their plans for the day.
I am thinking...that Dani will be home in two more days, and that makes me smile.
I am thankful for...Sundays!
From the learning rooms...which incorporate almost every room (and outside area) in our home! Our fourth week of the current homeschool year. It's beginning to feel like we're hitting our stride and I know that a rhythm and sweet routine will soon follow.
From the kitchen...making up the last of the freezer guacamole from the avocados bought on sale last week. A local market had lovely Haas avocados on sale for just .39 each. We bought a ton!
I am wearing...jeans, a red & white gingham shirt with black and white embroidery at the hem and pocket, tennis shoes and my standard accessories (watch, and two pairs of gold, hoop earrings).
I am creating...a stack of 100% cotton, hand knit dish cloths.
I am going...to accompany my husband to a consultation with a surgeon this morning. Nothing serious, but something that needs to be dealt with.
I am reading...too many books at the same time. (See my side bar for the full list.) However, I'm almost finished with Teach Them Diligently: How To Use The Scriptures In Child Trainingand Back to Basics: Rediscovering the Richness of the Reformed Faith
.
I am hoping...that fall weather arrives soon! It's been quite hot here, with temperatures flirting with the century mark for the last week. I am ready for cold mornings and evenings and cool days.
I am hearing... my boys talking and laughing.
I am planning.....Menu planning has been on hiatus around here for the summer, but it's time to start thinking ahead. I've been hemming and hawing over menu planning for a week now, but my uber organized friend, Kendra, had a post that gave me the kick start I needed.
Around the house...We finally bought the rest of the paint, hardware, etc. necessary to finish the main bathroom. I'm hoping we can at least get some of the painting done this week!
A few plans for the rest of the week.... I'd like to get my new blouse pattern measured, cut out and altered. Dani agreed to make the "muslin" for me of this new pattern, and I'm anxious to see how the blouse turns out. In typical "me" fashion, my "muslin" is still an appealing, floral print, purchased on sale, that I can wear most anywhere. I'm hoping that it turns out to be a good pattern for me.
Here is a picture thought I am sharing...On the big desk in the school room, a half gallon jar full of vintage marbles. Tucked inside is a note to my youngest son, William, telling him the family history of these beautiful, glassy orbs. I love that he likes to keep them on the desk, amidst the clutter of our homeschool day, where we can all enjoy them.
For more Daybook entries, or to participate yourself, visit The Simple Woman's Daybook.
God bless you as you look well to the ways of your household!
Proverbs 31:27
Saturday, 26 September 2009
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Random Bits and Heart Attitudes
Long time readers here know that my boys find some, ummmm, rather unusual places to read and/or do their school assignments. High up in a tree. Lying out in the pasture. Atop hay bales in the feed barn. These days Aaron, at just over six feet tall, isn't quite so adventurous, but he still likes to be comfy, in that laid back, sprawled out, sort of way teenage boys have.
Will, on the other hand, still finds half the fun of reading in the "where" of the situation.
We're working through a multi-grade level world geography course this year, each boy working at a different level. It's quite a bit different than our normal living books approach to geography. I wanted the boys to have something different this year, something with more intensive map work than we'd normally do, and something requiring the boys to do a bit more research. I'm liking this program so far, and I will review it for you in the coming weeks. I'm growing used to finding the globe and various atlases lying about wherever school is, or has been, happening.
I've enjoyed visiting some of your homes, via your blogs, and so many of you are already enjoying your fall decorations, fall scented candles and even some cool autumn weather. We're still enjoying summer weather, with temperatures reaching or near 100° several times this week. Our pool is still open and flip flops are still my shoe of choice most every day. Fall really and truly is my favorite season, and I'm sure I'll start putting a few fall things out soon. My heart's just not in it when the air conditioner is still running!
On the knitting front, I've always something on the needles, though the summer months have been spent working only on small, cotton projects. Several of our dish cloths have completely worn out, so I've made several to replace them. I found a giant cone of cotton yarn at Wal-Mart the other day for just $6.97. The Peaches & Cream yarn is not quite as nice as the Sugar'n Cream yarn (Lily)or the Lion Cotton
that I normally use, but the fall colors really appealed to me. I thought a few fall dish cloths might be nice in my home in the coming months. I tried the knitted dish cloth pattern on the back of the label the day I bought the yarn. I didn't care for the end product, but I was able to keep what I did like about the pattern and incorporate it into something I do like. I've a few rows done now, and I'm anxious to see the end result!
A sweet blogging friend has commissioned me to make a few new dish cloths for her, as well, and they are underway in some beautiful solids and variegated yarns. I'm hoping to have these finished up in a week or so for her.
My days are oh, so full, but that's a blessing. It's good to have our days filled with the work that the Lord has given us to do. Minding our own hearts. Caring for our families and our homes. Discipling and teaching children. The Lord has worked ever so gently yet firmly on my heart over the summer months, redirecting my steps a bit where homeschooling is concerned, and softening my heart in so very many ways. I'm often reminded of the ways that he has led and taught me thus far. Never once has He complained about reteaching me the same lessons over and over. Never once! He is so loving and awesome and glorious! I stumble and fall, time and again, and He picks me up, dusts me off, forgives the sin and sets me back on my feet. Time and again.
Do I do that with my own children? Do I lovingly approach them when they stumble along, helping them back to their feet and lovingly setting them back on the path? I wish I could say that I was characterized by that sort of behavior, but all too often I fail even there, failing to show Christ to my children. It doesn't matter if it's the first time or the tenth time I've seen them fail, my response should always reflect Christ to them. It doesn't matter if it's a math lesson or a sin issue that I'm explaining for the one hundred and tenth time, my response should always be Christ-like. Patient. Loving. Kind. Forgiving. Firm? Yes!! But loving! I think it's high time for me to dwell on 1 Corinthians 13 a bit more.
It's all a matter of the heart, really, and what we choose to let motivate us. Do we consider it a matter of drudgery to teach and disciple our precious children? Or do we consider it a blessing from the Lord? I loved what Tim Challies had to say the other day about "got to's and get to's". It's funny how changing that one little vowel, the o in got to an e, makes all the difference in the world. I highly recommend that you click over and read the article.
I'm getting things ready in advance of the Lord's Day tomorrow. Preparing food, ironing clothes, packing the church basket, that sort of thing. It's work, sure, but it's a pleasure, too. It's a wonderful thing that I "get" to do today. Have a blessed Lord's Day tomorrow!God bless you as you look well to the ways of your household!
Proverbs 31:27
Friday, 25 September 2009
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Just Sweet Enough Buttermilk Bundt Cake
I like Bundtcakes. They are pretty and decorative and need no fancy adornments. A drizzle of a simple glaze is all that's needed for most Bundt cakes to be company perfect.
I've made this Bundt cake for years. It's not too sweet. In fact, it's just sweet enough to stand on its own legs for a yummy family snack cake or tea cake without any added glaze or icing. Sturdy. Not crumbly. Moist. This keeps well at room temperature, but cover it to keep it from drying out.
Mine is always nice and yellow because I use the eggs from our own free range hens.
If you must have this a bit fancier, you can top it with a lightly sweetened lemon or chocolate glaze. Dani put a lemon glaze on the one I made for our church potluck last Sunday. However, I like it best simply plated, unadorned, and left on the counter for any passing family member to help themselves to a slice.
JUST SWEET ENOUGH BUTTERMILK BUNDT
2 cups sugar
1 cup shortening (Yeah I know, but trust me, don't substitute)
4 eggs
4 Tablespoons Buttermilk powder**
1 cup water**
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3 cups flour (all purpose or whole wheat pastry flour)
1 teaspoon vanilla
Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour Bundt
**You may, of course, substitute one cup of fresh buttermilk for the buttermilk powder and water. The Buttermilk powder
Please note: All original written material, photographs, recipes and tutorials on this blog are the sole property of the author and may not be copied, in whole or in part, or re-printed elsewhere, without the express written permission of the author. Recipes, of course, may be copied for your own personal in-home use!
Thursday, 24 September 2009
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I'm Surrounded
I am surrounded. Not in the bad guys have me cornered and there's no way out sense, but in a far more beautiful, yet just as intense, sense. I'm surrounded by a beautiful, ready for harvest countryside. I can travel in any direction from my home and see feed corn ready for harvest or the stubble-filled field where the corn has already been cut. The roads are littered with the dust and chaff that blows from the open trucks transporting the corn from field to silage heap at the local dairies.
The predominant crop in my immediate vicinity is wine grapes. The giant grape harvesting equipment has begun to roll by at least once every day during the daylight hours, and we can hear the machinery moving along the roads and working in the surrounding vineyards all night. It's loud, but it's pleasant and something I've grown to love about fall.
Within my home, I'm surrounded by all that I hold dear. My family, of course, and what a lovely thing that is to me. One virus or another, or maybe the same virus in various forms, has kept me from seeing Corin and my grandbabies as much as I'd like. My parlor seems lonely. The tea set atop my grandmother's trunk sits idle. The doll Dani crocheted for the girls, named "Sappy" by the four year old, waits patiently for their next visit. The very old, hand painted coal bucket is filled with a few special "girl" books and a hand painted paper parasol for each of my granddaughters. I DELIGHT in having the two old enough to enjoy the parasols bring them to me to be opened and watching as they twirl them about, and I only cringe a little as the lamps teeter and totter as the parasols pass by.
We were all together, though, for Dani's birthday earlier this month. I snapped this picture of her on the afternoon before her 26th birthday, shortly after she came home from having her upper ear pierced - a gift from Copper and I for her birthday.
We were all at an in between stage with the virus that has plagued both households, so we managed to be together for an entire evening on the 11th, the day before Dani's birthday. Family. Dinner. Cake. Ice cream. Presents. And laughing.
I'm blown away sometimes at how much Dani looks like my late mother. This picture, in particular, catches it for me. I've an old picture somewhere of my mom looking down at a cake. The pose and expression are almost identical to Dani's in this photo! What a lovely thing that is, the passing along of physical characteristics from generation to generation. Some of it (like pear shaped bodies) I don't appreciate as much, of course; but what a sweet reminder of our family members and of God's placing us in families.
I'm a bit silly about Dani today, I think, because she's away for a week, traveling with a family from our church. We all miss her when she's away. Will always wants to sleep in her bed when she's gone. He doesn't like being in a room by himself, generally, but I think he likes feeling closer to Dani while she's away. He even did his math there today.
However, most of what I'm surrounded by these days are the trappings of homeschooling. We ramped things up a bit for the fifth grader this year, as well as for the high school junior. Nothing major for Will, but a few more substantial changes for Aaron. The changes have kept me spending the better part of most every day in our schoolroom or wherever else we land for various subjects.
I think that a lot of homeschooling moms make the mistake of not spending nearly enough time with their kids during the "school" portion of the day. Yes, yes, yes, homeschooling really is a 24/7 lifestyle, and I embrace that wholeheartedly. In this instance, though, I'm talking about the actual "lessons" and "bookwork" times of the day. The children need help throughout the day, and even when help isn't needed, an encouraging word or thoughtful act is a help, too.- Small custard cups filled with peanuts for a between meals protein boost.
- A rub on the shoulder of a boy stooped over his Algebra II.
- A smile at another boy who is laboring over prepositional phrases.
- Smiley faces drawn even on the high schooler's assignments.
- Baking a just-sweet-enough Buttermilk Bundt (recipe soon) cake in the middle of the week just because,....
- ..... and then offering slices to just-sweet-enough boys in the afternoons.
All that time spent instructing, correcting, going over assignments and encouraging means that I am also surrounded by way too much dust and a few too many cob webs. That's okay. In reality, the house is clean enough. We are keeping the important stuff clean and sanitary and it would just take us a matter of minutes to make the house company ready. As for the folks we love and know well enough to just stop by without a lot of advance planning, we know that they are coming to see us and not our house and we're happy for their visits and don't make a lot of fuss before they come. We just enjoy THEM and don't worry about the cobwebs. So, ya'll come! No guarantees about the nature of the goofballs that let you in the front door, though.
Looking well to the ways of your household is more than just cleaning anyway. Please don't get the notion that I've let my housecleaning fall completely off the map, though. As I said, the house is clean enough. In fact, I thoroughly dusted and cleaned the master bedroom just yesterday and I hope to get to the living room this afternoon.
Right now, however, I've a ten year old struggling a bit with a new math concept. There have been tears and some unacceptable attitudes. I intend for the day to end well for him, whether or not the living room gets dusted. Mastery of quotients, and winning the battle over sin and against a bad attitude (and not necessarily in that order) beats victory over a dusty tea cart any day in my book.
So, we'll all take a bit of a break and enjoy slices of that Buttermilk Cake with a cup of chocolate milk, served on my mother-in-love's milk glass snack plates, in the middle of the afternoon. Encouragement. A loving kindness. Sharing a laugh over a nonsensical joke told and sharing our favorite lines from a favorite movie. The math will look differently afterward. Our hearts will be quieted and we'll be able to talk about sin and glorifying the Lord in all that we do more easily.
I'm seeking the Lord in the best ways to look well to my own household this homeschool year. Join me?God bless you as you look well to the ways of your household!
Proverbs 31:27 - Small custard cups filled with peanuts for a between meals protein boost.
True
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In the WORD
These are the books and tools that are in my basket for my personal Bible study time in 2009:
The Holy Bible
Reading most days in the Old Testament, New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs.
The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions
Listening on my Zune
Here is what I am currently enjoying on my pretty pink Zune
AUDIO BOOKS:
Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God
PODCASTS:
On Trial - A study of 1 & 2 Peter
MUSIC: The albums I'm listening to most often these days:
In the Hands of God (Newsboys)
Something to Say (Matthew West)
While the Trees Sleep (David Nevue)
Valley of Vision - Songs for Worship Inspired By the Classic Book of Puritan Prayers
Shopping at Amazon?
I will always encourage you to shop wisely and to shop for the best prices. However, if you plan on purchasing any items from Amazon.com, I would very much appreciate your considering clicking through the link below. This blog, as well as my website, are maintained and paid for solely by my wonderful and generous husband. I very much appreciate those of you who have chosen to make purchases at Amazon.com through my blog. Amazon keeps all of your transactions private, and I have no idea who may or may not click through my links to shop there. However, Amazon does pass along a very small percentage of all sales made through my links to me in the form of gift certificates, which I use to purchase books for our homeschool or for our own Heritage Library. My sincere thanks to everyone who blesses my family in this way!Click Here to Shop at Amazon!
Marvelous Monday - Homeschool Review Posts
Links Coming Soon!
This Year's Reading Basket
This year's list started with more than three dozen books, and a few more were added along the way. The list is in random order.
Books marked with ** are currently being read. Books will disappear from this list as I finish them, and will reappear on the Books Completed list in the box just below. I will, generally, post a very brief review of each book as I finish it.
Please remember that I think it is vitally important that your are reading!! The Bible first and foremost, and that daily; but do not underestimate the importance of reading other books.
Please read this post for more information and to understand why I think it is so very important that you have a good book or two to read at all times.
Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist
**Beacon Lights Of History, Volume I
The Quotidian Mysteries: Laundry, Liturgy and "Women's Work"
**Passionate Housewives Desperate for God
Training Children In Godliness
Treasuring God in Our Traditions
How To Get Your Man and Hold Him
Father to Nobody's Children: The Life of Thomas J. Barnardo
A Mother's Heart: A Look at Values, Vision, and Character for the Christian Mother
Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God
True Spirituality, How to Live for Jesus Moment by Moment
We Had Everything But Money: Priceless Memories of the Great Depression
Sanctuary: Creating a Blessed Place to Live and Love
Becoming the Woman God Wants Me to Be: A 90-Day Guide to Living the Proverbs 31 Life
Standing on the Promises: A Handbook of Biblical Childrearing
Front of the Class: How Tourette Syndrome Made Me the Teacher I Never Had
Books Completed in 2009
1. Common Sense Christian Living
4. The Mission of Motherhood: Touching Your Child's Heart for Eternity
5. A Time to Play: Reflections on Childhood and Creativity
6. The Art of Romantic Living: Simple Touches to Enhance Everyday Life
7. The Truelove
8. The Private World of Tasha Tudor
9. Family Driven Faith: Doing What It Takes to Raise Sons and Daughters Who Walk with God
10. Animal Farm
11. The Apron Book: Making, Wearing, and Sharing a Bit of Cloth and Comfort
12. Daniel Deronda
13. (Audio Book) The Mystery of Edwin Drood
14. (Audio Book) Ten P's in a Pod : A Million-Mile Journal of the Arnold Pent Family
15. The Coming Economic Earthquake
16. Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross: Experiencing the Passion and Power of Easter
17. Atlas Shrugged
18. Don't Think About Monkeys. Extraordinary Stories Written by People with Tourette Syndrome
19. Living a Beautiful Life: 500 Ways to Add Elegance, Order, Beauty and Joy to Every Day of Your Life
20. An Excellent Mystery: The Eleventh Chronicle of Brother Cadfael
21. (audio book)Infidel
22. Confessions of a Happily Organized Family
23. French General: Home Sewn: 30 Projects for Every Room in the House
24. The Wine-Dark Sea, #16 (Aubrey/Maturin Series)
25. What to Do on Thursday: A Layman's Guide to the Practical Use of the Scriptures
26. Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God
27. Back to Basics: Rediscovering the Richness of the Reformed Faith
28. Teach Them Diligently: How To Use The Scriptures In Child Training
For a brief review of each of these books click here.
Read Alouds
Here are the books that we are currently reading aloud in our home:
Our September Morning Time Together Reads:
Labor Day ( A Crowell Holiday Book)
The Christian Almanac: A Book Of Days Celebrating History's Most Significant People & Events
Mid-afternoon with Mom (and a cup of tea!) :
100 Cupboards
Recipes
Not to worry, all of the recipe links are safe and sound, but I cannot simply copy and paste them into this new system. Please be patient as I work on importing them to the new format. Thanks!
RECIPES FOR THE HOME
2. Favorite Fall Simmering Potpourri
3. Winter Citrus Simmering Potpourri
OUR TYPICAL SUNDAY MORNING FARE
(Coffee Cakes, Sweet Rolls and the Like)
8. Whole Wheat Apple Cinnamon Rolls
9. Apple Upside Down Coffee Cake
10. South of the Border Coffee Cake
BREADS, MUFFINS & BREAKFAST DISHES
5. Copper's Wife's Health Nut Muffins
BREAD MACHINE RECIPES
1. Whole Wheat Cinnamon Raisin Bread
2. Copperswife's Everyday Whole Wheat Bread
HOMEMADE BUTTERMILK BAKING MIX RECIPES
1. Homemade Buttermilk Baking Mix
APPETIZERS & SNACKS
2. William's Peanut Butter Balls
MAIN DISHES
(including soups, stews, sandwiches & pizza)
3. New Year's Day Bean & Ham Stew
4. Focaccia
6. Double Decker Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
10. Chicken and Dressing Casserole
13. Mexican Corn Bread Casserole
14. Chicken Waldorf Salad Sandwiches
17. Cowboy Casserole
21. Mexican Chicken Corn Chowder
22. Lisa's Stuffed Loaf (Sandwich)
23. Cranberry Glazed Meat Loaf
24. Coke Steak
25. Hamburger Patties with Mushroom Gravy
26. Quick Chicken & Noodle Stew
28. MooBockOink (Rolled Chicken Breasts)
SALADS AND SIDE DISHES
6. My Mom's Scalloped Potatoes
DESSERTS
2. Grandmother's Applesauce Cake
3. Chocolate Crazy Cake (No Eggs)
10. Reverse Chocolate Chip Cookies
11. Thelma's Berry (or any fruit) Cobbler
Special Note
PLEASE BE CONSIDERATE: All original written material, photographs, recipes and tutorials on this blog are the sole property of the author and may not be copied, in whole or in part, or re-printed elsewhere, without the express written permission of the author. If you see something you’d like to share, just ask!
Contact Me
You can reach me by e-mail at: copperswifeATsoftcomDOTnet
(Be sure to replace the words in CAPS with the appropriate symbols)
OR
You can send me a private message, using your Xanga account, by clicking "send me a message" in the "Connect" box below
I would be delighted for you to visit my website, too!
Please know that I read each and every comment, e-mail or message that is sent my way. If you've asked a question, or raised an issue, it is quite likely that I will be able to answer or address your issue in an upcoming blog post. However, in order for me to honestly live the life that I share with you on my Copper's Wife's blog, I must spend my days looking well to the ways of my own household. My days are very full with the things the Lord has so richly blessed me with! Therefore, I may not be able to answer or respond to you personally. Thank you for your understanding.
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