Paring down

Just saw a news cast on NBC and Brian Williams was reporting the surge in paring down and living in less space.  They interviewed several people who have chosen to live in "tiny" spaces, about 300 sq ft and less.  It seemed as though Brian could not come to grasp with living in that small a space.  I would love to be in that space right now!  Everywhere we turn there are seductive voices urgin us to overspend. " Buy this!  You won't be complete unless you own this! " We each have to learn when enough is enough and in our own time.  I would rather enjoy what I already own.  Try not to buy anything for a week and see how simple you can make your life.  Take time to enjoy loved ones and God.  Take peace that only He can give.

Don't have time for homemade? You might want to rethink it...

Most days we convince ourselves that we don't have enough "time" to make a meal, bread or alot of different foods from scratch or homemade.  Well, here is some food for thought:  A friend of mine left a new loaf of store bought bread out on the counter for over 6 weeks.  This was a name brand of that white and soft stuff and after 6 weeks there was no sign of any mold at all.  Nadda. Yikes!!  Do you ever stop and wonder WHAT they are putting in that bread to give it such a long shelf life?  She said it was still white and soft!  A loaf of homemade bread will only last a few days on the counter or you can get a couple more if it is refrigerated.  I realize that the majority of women that I know work outside in the real world in full time jobs but what about a bread machine?  Next time you are in the grocery store buy an extra loaf and leave it out on your counter and give it a test.
My Amish friends grow everything organically, no chemicals at all.  Recently they were able to get 50 lb bags of wheat flour that another  Amish farmer ground from wheat he had grown and harvested.  I was surprised that I could tell the difference in taste and texture in bread made from that flour and wheat flour purchased through an English company.  Hope they can continue to get it.  Homemade wheat bread, it's a good thing.

Oh baby....

While I was in Sparks, KS at the flea market these little babies were hatched.  Some might consider it a miraculous birth since we do NOT have a rooster!!!  lol  We had a hen who INSISTED on setting on the eggs in a nest.  Every day I gathered the eggs from under her but she was persistent.  She wouldn't leave the nest even if there were no eggs.  So I took a dozen eggs over to Amish Lillian and traded for a dozen of her eggs.  They have several different breeds of free range chickens AND they have a rooster.  Brought them home and put them under the hen.  No clue what all these are but they are sure cute! 

Sheep Shed