Back To Business

It's back to work for me around here today.  Good, hard work....the kind that leaves you coming up for a great big breath of fresh air as the July heat pours sweat down your back.  Am I back to 100%????  I suppose that's a rhetorical question as my 100% may be another's 10% it's hard to figure out just exactly what that may be.  So I'm done trying and just back to tending what needs done around here.  In the meantime, I THANK GOD I'm able to 'do' again.  And I will praise Him for the good times and the hard times of the last couple of months.  Thank the Lord He is enough, because I will never be on my own! 


In the meantime around here, I see some readjusting taking place.  Most of the harvest has come to an end.  There's been much learned and the garden served to be plentiful.  I'm on to nurture the tomato plants that are still making, keep some water on the melons, and the rest is over for the summer.  Time to research and plan for my next planting.  I do believe it will be sweet potatoes and cabbage, along with whatever other vegetables I find suitable to thrive and make at this time of the year. 


The chickens...oh the chickens.  I pulled another deceased foul from the chicken house today.  And of course, this happened AFTER my husband left for work, by only about 30 minutes.  Lesson learned....no more Sexlinks around here.  I'm curious to know if it's just a less hardy breed or just not meant to be raised in such a hot climate as ours.  Either way, every chicken we've lost has been of this breed only and the Rhode Island Red's continue to thrive.  I'm excited for them to start laying eggs!  It will be wonderful to have fresh eggs every day!  Just last week I scrambled eggs for the whole family for breakfast.....at the tune of a WHOLE DOZEN!  So yes, it will also be practical as well as enjoyable.


This round of planting, my very first garden, dies down to it's final fruits and I'm left turning the thoughts and lessons learned around in my heart.  That is a post for another day.  Today, I take care of what is mine to care for and I thank God that He's blessed us as He has.....even when I'm unsure of why things happen the way they do.  Thoughts of what is next on the agenda around here are exciting!  I see myself planning for the fall and some of the things I'm most excited to and ready to take on are.....


~Soap making
~Homemade cleaners
~Natural bath and body products
~A fall garden
~Baking our own bread
~A huge harvest of pears from my father in law to preserve
~Grandma's homemade Apple Butter to preserve
~A great big bunch of apples from Pennsylvania to make Apples for pie with Grandma's recipe


And of course and never the least.....loving and raising my children the way the Lord intends.  Like I've said before....not because I'm a great Mom.  But because without His grace, I would never even be good enough to take on such an awesome charge. 

 On another note, our vacation was absolutely amazing.  All of us, from baby Cass to Daddy had the time of our lives!  This was our first ever family vacation and we have memories to cherish forever!  Perhaps the greatest is just being together.  And knowing that we don't need the world's fancies to be complete.  Just each other and most of all, that perfect grace I mentioned before.  I thank God for my husband, these children, our families, and everyone in between.  So let me take a moment to share some pictures of our time in Branson!