I hope you heeded my warnings...

Rising food prices won’t slow down, per USDA

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/nutrition/rising-food-prices-won-t-slow-down-per-usda/ar-AAVH0N5 (copy and paste)

Emily Mountains

Just a guess, but I think this girl is going to need another trip to the mountains.

I'm the Elijah to your Jezebel.

 I love Jesus but don't get it twisted. 
I have a spine.
I'm NO Ahab,
I'm the Elijah to your Jezebel. 

-author unknown

Thank you Virginia Made Products!!

Thank you Virginia Made Products for the soap you sent to our family through Joshua who is a manager at CFA in Glo Co! 

We appreciate the ones you have given to our three CFA workers in the past also. 

I use to make and sell goat's milk soap when my children were younger, so I can appreciate the craftsmanship.

VirginiaMadeProducts.com

will Himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. I Peter 5:6-10

Tree Swings Can Be Dangerous

Last year on this date, a friend's son was at a birthday party swinging on a tree swing. The branch broke, and many lives changed forever. I shared this last year and share it again today:

Because I love you and the children in your life/future: 

I now know three sets of parents whose young children have had a severe brain injury from a swing hung on a tree branch. While it has an idyllic appearance, it can be life-altering/life-ending if the branch breaks. No matter what the tree looks like on the outside, you can not see the inside. My family grows and harvests trees from our own land. I can tell you firsthand that a substantial amount of rot can be hidden from the eye inside of what appears to be a healthy tree. Not only that, but you can not tell how much a tree branch has been stressed (cracked). Swinging subjects the branch to a lot of unusual force. All of the children I know that were injured by tree swings are 6 years old and under (lightweight). Kiln-dried wood in a hardware store can seem very light, but a living tree branch of the same thickness is much heavier. 

PLEASE do not use tree branches for swings. It's not worth the risk. My love to all!

How to Easily & Cheaply Grow Your Tomato, Pepper, & Eggplant Seed Starts...

I am sharing this here for my friends who are new to gardening.
This is a very, very inexpensive way to get started!

Happy Gardening!
Love to all!

Millions of Dollars Worth of Equipment Under Her Management

The math and science I taught her have paid off handsomely in her high-tech job.

We are very proud of her amazing skills!

Thank you, James!

Thank you, James, for the treats and the stories!

I am still laughing over Brandon agreeing with you on the crackers.
:-)

PTL!

Clint received another nice raise. He was told it would be larger, but he is now at the top of his pay scale. That scale will change in the next year or two. 

One of his men put in his two weeks notice so he can focus on his family's tree removal business. That will make them short another man until they can find someone to hire. Brian, we will miss all of the delicious fish you sent our way!

We took a break to do springtime work on our place, but we will soon be returning to work on Project #7. I can not believe we are on NUMBER SEVEN!! PRAISE THE LORD!!! I will try to share more about that in the near future. After #7 is completed, we will take a couple of years off to rest and put some automation into the work at home. Clint and I want to be able to produce more with less work. Then we very well may do a number 8! We will see how the Lord leads!

I know some of you are waiting on plants, trees, grapevines, etc, etc. I have not had time to propagate those yet but will in the next week. I am digging up the Jerusalem artichokes next week also. I will be selling those for $4 a pound. I have about 450 pounds and will sell about 400 pounds of those. I am hardening off another few hundred vegetable seedlings this week. Those go very, very fast, so lmk ahead of time if you want some. I also started about five hundred additional tomato plants and will plant more for sale in early May. Each plant will be $3-5 depending on the variety. These will be individually planted and already hardened off. I will also have some smaller plants in cell packs for $3.50. The incubator has its first round of eggs in it. I will be selling chicks for $4 each. There's much more, but I have to get back to work to keep producing things for you to purchase. Love to all!

So Pretty

I'm in love with her! 

Everyone who knows me knows I love TRUCKS and am very partial to Fords.

On this trip, we had a lot of fun taking Caleb to look at houses.

His Eyes and Ears are on Us

For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, 

and his ears are open unto their prayers: 

but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.

1 Peter 3:12

Nothing happens to you that God does not see or hear.

He is watching over you.

Wendy, Chickens???!!!

My friend asked me for tips on how to cut costs on chickens. Here are some tips as they came to me. (I am very tired.)

If your chicks were vaxxed for coccidiosis, you should use an unmedicated chick starter. If they were not, you should use the medicated or employ natural methods to prevent it. Coccidiosis kills them fast.

In Zone 7, the two months I have to help my flock is January and February. Usually, they are good the rest of the year, but we have acreage to support a large number of birds.

I allow my flock to free-range, and we throw them scraps from the house. 

In spring, we feed them enough egg layer to get them laying good so I will have plenty of eggs for the incubator. 

We also grow native minnows in a kiddie pool. I give them some of those in the winter when natural food is more scarce as a protein boost. 

I also grow and dry mealworms for protein in the winter months when the plants are dormant.

I give them all of the weeds I pull from my gardens too. 

If you know a grocery store produce manager, a convenience store worker, etc, you may be able to get their "throwaway" foods for free.

For calcium, I feed them back some eggshells. I also feed them eggs now and then for a protein boost. You need to crush the shells so they do not look like eggs anymore to discourage them from eating their own eggs.

I dry some wild edibles that I chop and toss to them in the winter months. 

A nice large compost heap can help feed your birds too. They go for the worms and bugs that are attracted to it. There is a man on YT who feeds his chickens solely through his massive compost heaps which he uses to make soil to sell.

You can grow fodder for them as well. 

Research silage. You can take edible plants and ferment them to make feed for winter.

Spring

 "The day the Lord created hope was probably the same day He created spring."

--Bernard Williams

On Her Way to See Grandma Susan

This was taken back in February when she went to see Grandma Susan.

Please pray for Mack

Update: Mack said PT is not going as well as he hoped. His legs are very weak. He's battling depression. Thank you for praying for him.

Our neighbor Mack had a fall during a construction job about a decade ago. He suffered spinal cord injuries and is caught between walking and not walking. The way he walks now puts a great deal of wear and tear on his body. He had to have surgery on his spine again. His incision is from the back of his neck to his tailbone. He is having a great deal of pain from where they took bone from his legs to use in his spine. He started PT today also. He requested prayer as he goes forward. 

Parsnip Success

This picture was taken mid to late February.

I broke the ends off of parsnips I purchased from the grocery store and planted them. These will not grow another large root, but they will bolt and make seeds I can sow in the fall. I am hoping I can get a large bed of these growing.

If you try this, try it while temperatures are cooler. Look for parsnips that have some green on the top. The better the sign of life, the better the results. I read somewhere that you should do these in water, but I do not like having to change the water every so often. That's one more thing to keep up with that I do not need. The soil worked wonderfully for me.

These pictures were taken March 17. See the seed head forming?

Seeds from the Grocery Store aka FREE or CHEAP SEEDS

Can you name these squash varieties? Answer at the bottom of the post.

This is a repost due to so many questions about seed saving and gardening. The yellow highlighted area is new information.

A sweet, young mother of two asked me: 

Can I Save Seeds from Grocery Store Fruits and Vegetables?

We can always find some good in everything. CoVid has certainly brought a lot of suffering and hardship, but it is good to hear from so many who have a new or a renewed interest in gardening, preserving a harvest, and becoming more independent in providing for one's needs. Proverbs 21:20 tells us that the wise store up the good things they need, but the fool uses it up right away. 

The answer is: yes, you can. Somethings will do better than others. Heirloom varieties are best choices. Research the difference between heirloom and hybrid to understand why.

I rinse them off, pick any bits of pulp out, and dry them on a plate for a week. Then, I dry them a little more in my dehydrator making sure they stay lower than 95F. Any higher will kill the seed. Then, I store them in mylar zipper top bags. 

I always save seeds from winter squashes, melons, tomatoes, peppers, and more. 

You can even get mushroom spores to grow. 

You can regrow the ends of celery and lettuces. 

Many grains and legumes will also grow and produce food. I priced seeds at one seed company (FM) and they wanted 1.99 for .7 an ounce of black eye peas. You can get a POUND for 1.48 at Walmart. That is an incredible savings! 

You can regrow the tops of carrots and parsnips too. They will not grow a new root you can eat, but you can get them to produce seeds.

Seeds used for culinary herbs and spices will also grow.

Some fresh herbs are easily rooted to start new plants. 

Tubers like potatoes, sunchokes, horseradish, sweet potatoes, turmeric, jicama, and ginger will also grow. (Whenever my potatoes sprout, I cut them up, let them scab over, and plant them.)

Fruits like apples and pears can grow trees, but the fruit may not be consistent in quality...meaning the fruit may be completely different than the fruit you took the seed from. 

You can harvest blueberry and strawberry seeds too.

Look for organic and grown in the USA when you can. 

Some vegetables, especially potatoes are sprayed with growth inhibitors. I have rinsed off (rubbing the skin with my hands gently under water-avoid knocking off the "eyes") nonorganic potatoes, and they have sprouted for me. Also, some fruits and vegetables that are imported are irradiated and that will affect growth. Some things may take multiple tries, but experimentation is part of the fun in gardening!

I am sure there are more ways you can take advantage of the grocery store offerings to increase your garden, but this is what I could think of off the top of my head. 

Happy Gardening and Mothering!

Answer: green-acorn squash, yellow-spaghetti squash, tan-butternut squash

Another Grand Adventure

"Our life is frittered away by detail. 

Simplify, 

simplify, 

simplify! 

I say, let your affairs be as two or three, and not a hundred or a thousand; 

instead of a million count half a dozen, 

and keep your accounts on your thumb-nail." Henry David Thoreau

simplicity of life and elevation of purpose

Bethany

This is the outfit she wore to the Monster Truck Jam in January.

Baby Belly Laughs Make Him Laugh

This and That

Caleb has been selling used cars on the side.

Brandon has purchased another round of ducklings and a herd of goats for his hobby farm.

Amanda was given another $2 an hour raise!

O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good:
For his mercy endureth forever.
Psalm 107:1

Please pray for our friends in Ukraine and Poland

Ukraine war: 'Sky turned red' as missiles hit Lviv military base

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-60728208

This is five hours from Chris's home where his family and fiance are. 

Please cover them in prayer for safety and provision. 

little moths destroy fine garments

"It is dangerous for an heir of heaven to be a great friend with the heirs of hell. Even small inconsistencies are dangerous. Little thorns make great blisters, little moths destroy fine garments, and a little frivolity and mischief will rob faith of a thousand joys.

O believer, you do not realize what you lose by your conformity to the world. It cuts the tendons of your strength and makes you crawl where you ought to run. For your own comfort’s sake and for the sake of your growth in grace, if you are a Christian, then be a marked and distinct Christian." Spurgeon

Which will you do?

Which will you do, dear reader?

If I look at the world, 

I will conform to the ways of the world. 

If I look at the Word, 

I will conform to the will of God. 

-A. W. Tozer

You yourselves are our letter, 

written on our hearts, 

known and read by everyone. 

2 Corinthians 3:2 

If you love me, keep my commands.
John 14:15

Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do what I command you.
John 15:13-14 

Please pray for Joshua

Please pray very hard for Joshua to find healing. Thank you!

Homeschooling: Grade Levels

"Here’s your friendly reminder that grade levels are an artificial construct. They didn’t exist until 100 years ago. They were designed specifically for mass education in public schools.

It doesn’t matter what grade level of math or grammar or science your kid is in. What matters is that they are always progressing. Checking off boxes like grade levels is a trap full of stress and guilt, yet for some reason, homeschoolers insist on copying the very system they claim to disdain.

When people ask me “what do you recommend for 3rd grade grammar” or “6th grade science” I don’t give them the answer they’re looking for. I don’t know what 3rd grade grammar even is. I just know that my kids start with phonics, then reading, and then learning to spell based on phonics rules, then move on to copy work, and by about middle school they take their first Easy Grammar course. It’s the same with all subjects.

Progression is the goal. Being well-educated is the goal. Not checking off a list. So if my kids take pre-Algebra at age 10 or age 16, it’s not a big deal. What’s important is that they grasp the content and are able to move on to the next level.

It’s like video games. Just keep going until you level up, and if the kids aren’t getting it, stay in that world a little longer. If they are, advance to the next level.

Have confidence in your ability to make decisions for your kids! A curriculum is only a tool; YOU are the one in charge of construction." -Nicky Truesdell

Snacking on microgreens while knocking things off the list

This list is early from February.
I love snacking on my sprouts.

Hannah

We tease her by telling her she like "little old lady clothes."

I'ts not WHAT you do, it's WHY you are doing it that matters.

Work as a chef, own a bakery: Way to go!

Cook for your family: You poor kitchen slave.

Work in fashion or own a clothing store: Slay, Queen!

Mend or make your family's clothes: Are you Amish?

Teach 35 children in a classroom: Such a servant and a gem!

Teach your own child: Backwards weirdo!

Fold men's and children's clothes in a department store: Way to go earning your own money!

Fold your husband's clothes: You poor oppressed woman!

Run a lunch truck: Support women businesses!!

Hand your husband his lovingly packed lunch before he heads out the door: 1950's patriarchy!

Getting paid to push papers isn't better than managing your home budget.

Wiping down counters in your own shop isn't more valuable then quietly cleaning your own bathroom sink.

A paycheck doesn't equal worth.

The world's praises aren't the ones that matter. Achieving personal success isn't the way to glorify God.

Pretty sure the verse doesn't say, "Whatever you do, do it for a paycheck and high esteem in the eyes of the world."

Your work matters.

It is valuable.

It is sacred.

It is important.

It is God-honoring.

Go ahead and study how to slice and dice even if you'll only use the skills within the walls of your home. Go ahead and learn the science behind sourdough, even if you don't plan to start a side hustle.

Learn, grow, serve, give, sweep, teach, love, submit . . .

And do it cheerfully.

Do it to the glory of God.

~ Bloom Wild Schoolhouse

“It matters not if the world has heard or approves or understands...the only applause we're meant to seek is that of nail-scarred hands.” B.J. Hoff

Bethany did it!

Bethany got her driver's license today!!

There were many delays due to the DMVs around us closing. Earlier this month, we thought for sure it was going to happen only to have her appointment canceled at the last minute. There was no one to give her the test. At one point, we tried to sign her up for a company to teach her behind the wheel even though she had already taken it through our homeschool program. The company that does behind the wheel issues the driver's license at the end of the course which would have cut through the DMV craziness. However, they filled up quickly with others trying to do the same thing! What a journey! We just kept trying with a positive attitude...

and she finally has it!

Emily's Cliff Scene

Emily's cliff painting is now hanging in a large regional corporation's office
which is causing her to get some recognition for her artwork.

She has already had one person commission a painting similar to this.
We are very proud of her!

DIY Seed Tape

Some of my friends have been making seed tapes for years. I always wondered if it was worth it time-wise. I read a thread in a group where people were sharing how the tape makes more efficient use of space and seed with much higher germination rates over other sowing methods. I had to at least give it a try. I am happy to report I found it worth my time.

The seed tape is $7 for 15 feet of seed tape. I made the equivalent of 222 feet of seed tape in an hour to an hour and a half. I saved myself a little over $100 which is not bad "pay" for that time. I can't be more precise with the time than that because I had an interruption in the form of an upstairs plumbing leak that was first discovered when it started "waterfalling" down a wall. I got back to work and let Joshua take over the plumbing problem which damaged a small section of ceiling. (I can fix it cheaply myself. I need to paint the room anyway.)

As a mother of many, I have learned to work fast to cover as much ground as I can. Well, I've always been a fast worker. They nicknamed me "Speedy Gonzalez" at a place I use to work and co-workers told me to slow down because I was making them look bad. As a young mother, I read books and learned a lot from efficiency experts because I wanted more time to enjoy my children while they were home.

So, I was rolling quickly along and not worried about neatness picking up and dropping paste with a toothpick. I mean, I AM going to cover this up with dirt. And, it's not about neatness, now, is it? It's about getting the task done reasonably well in an efficient manner. 

About as fast as a hand could speed from bowl to paper towel is how fast I was going with the paste. The little seeder helped with dropping seeds too. Mistakes were "happy little accidents." A dry toothpick helped move seeds that fell outside of the target onto the paste.

The paste is equal parts flour and water. I mixed two tablespoons of each at a time. I had ceiling fans on due to the aforementioned plumbing issue. The moving air dried the paste a little so I added water to thin it again. The fans also helped dry the paste on the paper towels well enough that I was able to stack them on top of each other where they dried without sticking to each other.

The seed I am trying to use up is about 3 years old, so I let a few extra fall into the paste dots to guarantee germination. I really dislike having blank spots in my garden rows. :-)

That time includes some experimentation. Toilet paper did not work well for me. I also tried extra napkins from a restaurant take-out order. They were too thin for my liking. The half-sheet paper towels worked the best. 

I placed the carrot seeds 2" apart. I made the rows about an inch apart on the paper towel. I will layer the paper towels and then cut the rows into strips before I put them in the garden beds. 

Some packets of seeds say to plant the carrots 4" apart. I do not like having extra room in my garden beds. It allows weeds to grow. I REALLY do not like weeds! My thought process is "If a weed will grow here, why not plant something edible?" So intensive planting is what I do. I will do some thinning by using the some of the carrots before the reach maxium size.

I will get to see how these seeds perform against the other sowing methods I've used. Gardening is a fun skill to have because there is always something new to learn and something new to try.

Happy Gardening!

How to have peace in a chaotic world...

Do not be anxious about anything, 

but in every situation, 

by prayer and petition, 

with thanksgiving, 

present your requests to God. 

And the peace of God, 

which transcends all understanding, 

will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 

Philippians 4:6-7

It's inconceivable from our current perspective.

Think of the most beautiful place you know on earth. Think of the most wonderful day you have ever had. Think of the person who loves you more than anybody else loves you. And then multiply that by a million, and maybe that's the tiniest hint of what heaven will be like. -Elizabeth Elliot

But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. I Corinthians 2:9

Snuggle Buddy Makes a Great Pillow

Mercury and Mxxxx*

Both are wearing socks I cut holes in for their legs.
It's inexpensive, very effective, and fits very well.
I prefer my money goes to bigger and better things than clothes for dogs

...and it does. (wink)

*This is one of those cases, so I am being careful. She came here a little over a year ago skin and bones with blood coming from her bowels as well as other health issues. She is healthy as she can be today. The reason she was so skinny is because she was being fed hard and very large dog kibble even though she had very few teeth. (I think she has 4 or 5.) She is extremely attached to me. She does not even like for me to take a shower and will holler and scratch at the door. She goes almost everywhere I go.

What a day in the life looks like...

I did a write-up like this with homeschooling many years ago...

I woke up, paid the bills, and did the grocery shopping. Then I pressure canned hamburger and dehydrated fruit. I cut metal siding and made a roof and sides for each rabbit pen and installed a gravity-fed watering system and homemade #10 can automatic feeders. I moved the rabbits around and got two successful breedings. I'll try again with the third doe tomorrow. I cleared some brush for an area I'm going to put to use soon. I sat quietly with a skittish goat and left her a treat as a first step to tame her down. The cool crop seedlings are on their fourth day of hardening off. I planted 300 tomato seeds and about 50 peppers and about 25 herbs and flowers. I'm waiting on space so I can plant more. I came up with a plan to keep the turkeys from eating plants through the chainlink fence. I moved those supplies into place for tomorrow. Then the normal laundry, dishes, etc. Then I realized I was running a fever. Now, I am watching gardening videos picking up some more tips. Clint's picking up supper and a tool he needs for tomorrow.

No two days look the same, but every day is very full. From starting seeds or hatching chicks in an incubator to making repairs or processing food, I try to be as productive as I can be. One thing I love about the work I do each day is that my work directly benefits my family.

This is how I do "stay at home" wife/mother.

Hen Pecked

This is where the term "henpecked" comes from. As with most animals, there is a hierarchy in chickens. If one steps out of line, the hens and sometimes the rooster will go at them. Sometimes it happens on other parts of the body. It can get much worse than this. Ugly stuff!

She's OK. I have her in with the rabbits for a while to allow her time to rest and heal. Usually that time of separation is enough to stop the problem. If not, I observe the situation and decide on whether to cull the one being pecked (if many hens are pecking) or the one doing the pecking (if it is limited to one hen). Culling can mean removal through a trip to another farm or it can mean a trip to Freezer Camp.

I get to deal with bumblefoot in a turkey very soon. :-P It's gross but necessary. 

Please pray for our friend in Poland

Our Polish "adopted son," Chris who came to visit years ago, asked a Ukrainian girl to marry him. Mary, her sister, and her mother are safely in Poland with Chris. However, Mary's father is still in Ukraine. Please cover him in prayer for safety when you pray for Ukraine.

Chris, we send our love to you and yours. May the Lord keep you and Mary and all of your family safe from all harm and provide abundantly for you.

How I Organize Seeds

 

I am always growing, selling, and giving away plants. I keep a lot of seeds on hand for that reason. This is the way that works the best for me for the organization of the seeds. I have them in two plastic file boxes that I picked up from a big box store for less than $8 each. Note: They have increased in price since I bought them a few months ago. I am using pocket-style folders*. I divided the seeds into cool and warm weather crops into the boxes and then into individual crops in the folders. 

To save space, some crops share folders. Swiss chard is in with the beets because those are closely related. Swiss chard was developed from beets that were selectively bred to have big juicy leaves and stems with smaller roots.

I do not strictly plant by calendar dates. I plant by soil temperature which can vary a few weeks from year to year. I use this thermometer. You can also enter your zip code on this map to find out the soil temperature in your area. This is a safer way to start your garden than going by the calendar. It can make the difference between failure and success. Happy gardening! 

* #amazonaffiliate "As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.”

Welcome VCU!

We hope our friends the group at VCU  have a wonderful experience on Coal Road! Our love to all!

Emily

She's wearing the Mustang items her brothers gave her.

winter

 “You think winter will never end, and then, 

when you don't expect it, 

when you have almost forgotten it, 

warmth comes and a different light.”

-Wendell Berry

Loving that Big Ford Truck!