It’s Summertime, folks! Regardless if the calendar hasn’t said so officially, it’s Summertime in our corner of the fields. I think June is one of the most beautiful months of the year! Trees are fully leafed and all nature has that lush, green look. Temperatures are moderate without the oppresive heat of late summer. Flower and vegetable rows stand stately- amidst freshly weeded or mulched pathways. Gardeners’ ambitions have not yet waned. All is fresh with new life and courage. I want to show you a picture of our garden while it looks virtuous, because it will not look like this in August. As ..read more

This post is an account of something that happened to me last year on Mother’s day. That Sunday’s message was on Mothers. I sat attentively and thoroughly soaked up the words. We know Mom’s lives are filled with all manner of sacrifices. When you have a baby on your lap, you know the sacrifice of walking out  be-times in one church service. This Sunday, I was musing how blessed I was, to be able to sit and enjoy this whole Mother’s day message without disturbances. No restless baby needed my attention. (Not that I would mind the sacrifice, coupled with the joy of another baby on my l ..read more

If you love doing laundry, holler “I”!! I don’t know about you,  but I won’t be doing any hollering…… I get enormously weary of washing clothes. That’s why I have certain days of the week to complete the job, so I can have a break on the remaining days.  But then accidents happen, or somebody needs jackets washed or who knows what, and I end up doing 3 loads of laundry when I wasn’t planning to do any! That’s when it really annoys me.  But I’m grateful for raiment and more grateful for my family, so I’ll keep pluggin’ on that laundry.   What I do enjoy is the homey feeling ..read more

Who is ready for summertime cookouts and backyard parties? There is something beautiful about enjoying food and friends in pleasant, outdoor surroundings. We’re looking forward to using our grain bin gazebo before long again! I’m not a green thumb, so I feel rather disqualified to be writing about any sort of green, living plant! Nonetheless, I hope this post can be beneficial to somebody out there. A few years ago, I started planting Kimberly Queen ferns for outdoor potted beauty. This is a lush, green plant with lovely vertical fronds. As with any ferns, they’ll need consistent heat and mois ..read more

A chilled morning calls for warming with a hot cup of tea. I can hear you coffee drinkers disagree. Yes it’s tea for me, is it tea for thee? (Did you know I can rhyme?) This winter I became aware of the potential chemicals and toxins that often come with the packaged deal of teas. I dove into researching typical brands we used and also healthier options to consume. Teas aren’t automatically healthy simply because the box looks bright with herbs and fruits. Looks can be ever so deceiving! I enjoyed the task of trying out a variety of new teas, and I’m happy to share results with you! For an ou ..read more

I’m sorry if you don’t like avocados because avocados are little bundles of healthy happiness! If you’ve not aquired a taste for them, it may be that your taste buds simply need adjustment. Give it a fair try. Get over their texture and color and keep trying until your taste buds say “more please!” Avocados are nutritious gems! Full of healthy fats, vitamin C, vitamin E, magnesium, potassium, B6, folate and more. A single avocado has 975 milligrams of potassium while a banana, which is well known for its potassium, only delivers 487 milligrams per large fruit. I would love to taste avocados g ..read more

One of life’s simple pleasures is lighting a candle, setting it on a cleaned surface and seeing that cozy glow. Part of what makes a house a home is the cozy atmosphere, right? We need a few throws, pillows and candles burning don’t we?  Of course this doesn’t automatically make it a home but it adds to! There’s just something about a burning candle that speaks life, on a damp, dismal night. Unfortunately, that seemingly harmless candle might be filling your home with harmful chemicals. Candles are notorious for triggering headaches for many people. This is because of the high levels of s ..read more

Because it’s January, everyone is in the mood to get their house in order, right?! I know I’m a little late to be getting this out, but we’re not through the winter yet. Cheers to  decluttering and organizing! Did you know the easiest way to organize your stuff is to get rid of most of it? Yes, think about it. How much easier life would be if we didn’t have so much stuff?! The American dream is to purchase all the things you need or want. Unfortunately, this thought pattern has permeated we as Anabaptists. But just because you have the money to buy something doesn’t mean it’s right to buy ..read more

It’s that odd week of the year where everyone is in vacation mode. Children are off school, there’s traveling to see family, Christmas get togethers still going on, New Year’s parties in the planning, reflections on 2022, and aspirations for 2023. There’s so much effort put into all of the goings-on that, ironically, it makes one busy trying to relax!  We traveled to Daviess Co IN. to visit Jerald’s folks for Christmas weekend.  We got in on an enchanting snow fall Monday morning. The children had make shift sled rides with their cousin, via a snow shovel, for lack of sleds. Christma ..read more

First up will be an old, simple recipe. I never heard of it until I became aquainted with my husband’s family. Now It’s my family’s favorite breakfast! I make it nearly every Sunday morning. But it can certainly be served for supper too. I fall back on this when it’s one of those disorganized days when supper ideas elude me. It takes basic ingredients and little skill. Dutch Babies Turn oven to 410*. Put 1/4 C. butter in a 9 x 13 pan and set in oven to melt. By the way, the nuts in the picture have nothing to do with the recipe. In a bowl whisk together 1 1/2 C. flour and 1 1/2 C. milk. Whisk ..read more