The Big White Farmhouse

intentional living, little by little

Archives for January 2025

No.891: February Little Things Bingo

I had so much fun making January’s bingo board last year that I decided to make another one for February!  Just like before, the board has 24 free or inexpensive tasks that will hopefully bring joy, peace and/or a boost of creativity.  We’ll see how many I can check off the list.  If you need a little something to get you through this month, feel free to play along too!

The tasks are:

  • Go for a 20 minute walk outside. // A prompt from January’s board that is worth repeating!  Breathe deep in the winter air and get that blood flowing.
  • Send someone a valentine. // Some ideas: this garland mailer or this DIY Valentine’s Day in a box looks so fun!  I also loved this envelope decoration.
  • Watch a documentary. // Let’s learn something!  I’m especially interested in choosing something from this world history documentary Youtube channel.
  • Give $5 to a favorite charity or blogger. // Little amounts still matter!
  • Bake cupcakes. // Lots of delicious choices: make a classic flavor like vanilla or chocolate or try something unique like salted caramel or even chocolate chip!
  • Light a new candle. // A similar challenge is to use up a candle you’ve already started burning.
  • Clean unnecessary photos off of the phone. // I desperately need to do this!  So many times I take multiple photos (to get the best one) and then never delete the extras after.
  • Stretch. // As we get older, our mobility becomes more and more important.  A great habit to incorporate to avoid injury.
  • Buy some flowers. // I’m going to be on the lookout for ranunculus.
  • Paint, sketch or draw. // This can be as complicated as completing a watercolor course to just doodling in the margins of your planner.  It all counts!
  • Declutter ten items. // Bonus points if you can declutter more than ten.
  • Make a garden plan. // Even though it doesn’t feel like it, spring planting is right around the corner!  Browse through seed catalogs or websites and choose a few to grow this year.
  • Do a random act of kindness. // The possibilities are endless, but this is a great list to get the ideas flowing.  (I have an old post with some ideas too.)
  • Make a new soup. // Chilly evenings call for something warm in your belly.  This post has a lot of delicious options.
  • Invite someone over. // Consider this a gentle push toward inviting someone over for dinner or even just a play date.
  • Take a nap. // A luxury for most of us!
  • Read a love story. // I’m not a big romance reader, but two books on my TBR are Green Dolphin Street by Elizabeth Goudge and The Good Part by Sophie Cousens.
  • Play a board game. // I’m thinking we need to pull out our Scrabble board.
  • Clean your bedding. // Time to wash those quilts and duvets.  Washing your bed pillows would be an accomplishment too.
  • Order new skincare. // A similar task would be to just start using the skincare you already own!  I definitely need to be better about creating a routine in this area.
  • Wear something pink or red. // I’m not sure I even have clothing in those two colors, but we’ll see.
  • Deep clean the pantry. // A great opportunity to inventory what you own and prioritize food that is about to expire.
  • Feed the birds. // This activity looks easy and fun.
  • Make a homemade pizza. // Yum.

DOWNLOAD YOUR OWN BINGO BOARD HERE!

Help me transition away from “traditional” blogging income streams while still keeping the lights on at the BWF!

No.890: What I Read in January 2025

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission of any sale made at no extra cost to you.

#1. FINLAY DONOVAN IS KILLING IT by Elle Cosimano // ★★★☆☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

This book is about a writer who is overheard discussing the plot of her new suspense novel.  She is mistaken for a contract killer and the shenanigans begin!  A fast, easy, entertaining read to start the new year.  My only critique is that I didn’t really like the romance parts, but that’s just personal preference.  Guess I’m not a fan of the “suspense romance” genre.  3.5 stars.  (And thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book!)

#2. MRS. POLLIFAX AND THE HONG KONG BUDDHA by Dorothy Gilman // ★★★★☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

Number seven in the series!  I liked how characters from previous books made a return appearance.  This book was centered around a terrorist attack and it was interesting to hear perennial thoughts on evil from a book written in 1985.  Like this quote:

“But terrorists–” He shook his head.  “They’re the parasites of the century.  They want to make a statement, they simply toss a bomb or round up innocent people to hold hostage, or kill without compunction, remorse or compassion.  If they need money, they simply rob a bank.  I have to admit not only my contempt for them,” he added, “but my fear, too, because their only passion is to mock and destroy, and that really is frightening.” (p.127)

#3. WITH MALICE TOWARD NONE: A BIOGRAPHY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN by Stephen B. Oates // ★★★★☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

This biography was a highly readable, honest look at Abraham Lincoln: a melancholic, inexperienced man trying to do his best.  Reading about this testy time in American history also made it evident that politics is always the same – so many opinions from a bunch of hotheads!

In 1864, in a biographical assessment published in two Boston journals, [Harriet Beecher Stowe] extolled Lincoln as a man of peculiar strengths, not a strong, aggressive individual so much as a passive one with the durability of an iron cable, swaying back and forth in the tempest of politics, yet tenacious in carrying his “great end.”  “Surrounded by all sorts of conflicting claims, by traitors, by half-hearted, timid men, by Border States men, and Free States men, by radical Abolitionists and Conservatives, he has listened to all, weighed the words of all, waited, observed, yielded now here and now there, but in the main kept one inflexible, honest purpose, and drawn the national ship through.” (p.389)

#4. BLUE SHOES AND HAPPINESS by Alexander McCall Smith // ★★★☆☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

Number seven in the No.1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series!  I haven’t read a book in this series since September 2021 so it was nice to return to Botswana and Mma Ramotswe.  This was a meandering story with no strong plot line, typical of Alexander McCall Smith’s writing.  Cozy, but probably forgettable.

#5. SECRET SOLDIERS by Keely Hutton // ★★★★☆
(amazon // better world books)  

A young adult novel recommended to me by my son.  This was fascinating historical fiction about tunnel warfare during WWI.  I’m interested to learn more about this aspect of war.  I loved the brotherhood theme throughout this book too.

“Bats said after shifts last summer he’d come out here and sit among the poppies to remember that even in the middle of all this fighting and death, beauty still exists and life continues.” (p.144)

#6. NO FEAR SHAKESPEARE: HAMLET by William Shakespeare // ★★★☆☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

I took this “No Fear Shakespeare” version of Hamlet off of our school shelves and it proved helpful.  I also read the play alongside the 1948 rendition starring Laurence Olivier.  I still don’t know if I completely got it, but I did identify it as a tale of failed revenge as Hamlet has an existential crisis of who he is and what he needs to do.  Definitely would like to revisit it with a professional on Shakespeare someday.  (Ellen says Dr. Henry Russell is excellent!)

#7. KENNEDY’S AVENGER: ASSASSINATION, CONSPIRACY, AND THE FORGOTTEN TRIAL OF JACK RUBY by Dan Abrams // ★★★☆☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)  

This book was focused on the JFK assassination and subsequent shenanigans from a new-to-me viewpoint: the court system.  I enjoyed reading what amounted to transcripts rewritten in prose.  It’s really interesting to think that Ruby’s murder of Lee Harvey Oswald was played on television, giving the world access to this information before the trial.  It also highlighted the question of how modern technology impacts the legal system – I can’t imagine how difficult it would be to find truly impartial jurors in the age of social media.  3.5 stars.

MY 2025 UNREAD SHELF PROJECT

Unread Books as of January 1, 2025: 206
Books Finished in January: 7
Books Donated/Sold in January: -0
Books Added: +0
Unread Books Remaining: 202
Current  “Read 100 Books Off My Shelves Project” Total: 11/100 

No.889: Last Week at the Farmhouse // Little Moments of Delight pt.6

“Vase of Peonies and Snowballs” by Henri Fantin-Latour (1878)

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission of any sale made at no extra cost to you.

Bringing back this prompt for the first time in 2025!  (Here’s part one, part two, part three, part four, and part five.)  I needed this intentional practice as our weather was bitterly cold and most of my family battled a nagging illness.

Here are the little moments of delight I found this week: Picking out a few papergoods from my rolling cart to add to my journals every day.  Puzzles with artwork by Charles Wysocki.  Making a fire first thing in the early morning.  Finishing my cross-stitch sampler.  Big plans for my oldest’s future.  A job opportunity for my second oldest.  Paying off a little chunk on our next debt challenge.  A family slowly returning back to health.

Hoping to document 52 weeks of good things!

Five Good Things…

  1. More snow and ice. // Choosing to see this as a good thing even though we’ve had snow and ice on the ground for three weeks now and we are over it.  Definitely not used to this here in the mid-Atlantic!
  2. Our incredibly kind feed provider. // Our feed delivery was supposed to come on Monday but due to our location and the precariousness of the roads, they had to postpone until the next day.  They called twice to apologize and explain and of course, we were completely understanding.
  3. A Youtube feed full of creative endeavors. // So inspiring.  I feed off of their enthusiasm and can’t wait to be more of a creator in 2025.
  4. Burning an entire candle! // It took about a month, but I burned the entirety of this candle.  Next candle on the desk: Battle Cry from CORDA Candles.
  5. A new-to-me book genre. // I’ve been reading Kennedy’s Avenger: Assassination, Conspiracy, and the Forgotten Trial of Jack Ruby all week and I don’t think I’ve ever read anything like it.  I would describe it almost as a courtroom transcript but rewritten in prose, a play-by-play of the trial.  So interesting.  I keep placing myself in the jurors’ shoes and asking if each testimony was believable or would sway me one way or another.

Frugal Accomplishments //

  • avoided the grocery store, only purchasing milk when we ran out
  • cut down two of my husband’s old dress shirts, saving the fabric and buttons
  • visibly mended three small holes in my cotton gloves
  • made chicken broth from frozen chicken backs to bring out to the pigs
  • removed the remaining bit of wax from my finished candle jar to use again as storage

This Week in the Liturgical Year //

January 24 was the Memorial of St. Francis de Sales, Bishop and Doctor.

To Listen: Introduction to the Devout Life audiobook on Catholic Culture

To Pray: Lord, I am yours, and I must belong to no one but you. My soul is yours, and must live only by you. My will is yours, and must love only for you. I must love you as my first cause, since I am from you. I must love you as my end and rest, since I am for you. I must love you more than my own being, since my being subsists by you. I must love you more than myself, since I am all yours and all in you. Amen.

To Add to the Library: St. Francis de Sales: A Biography of the Gentle Saint by Louise Stacpoole-Kenny, A Man of Good Zeal: A Novel Based on the Life of Saint Francis de Sales by John E. Beahn, and The Catholic Controversy: A Defense of the Faith

Reading //

  • The Rules of Discernment: A Practical Guide – Rule 6 from Megan Hjelmstad at Spiritual Direction
  • Shakespeare’s Grief from David Bannon at Front Porch Republic // “Hamlet also offers profound insight into the complex nature of masculine mourning. The obvious similarity of the names Hamlet and Hamnet aside, the play itself is preoccupied with twinning: the act of sublimation; doubling themes; the use of two points to describe a single complex meaning; a play within a play; all are delivered in a masterpiece of lyricism. The title character displays much of the terrifying anxiety and exhausting nature of grief while examining internal struggles that lead ultimately to transformation.”
  • Where Is All the Fiction-Inspired Art? from Jonathan McDonald at Dappled Things

New Additions to The List // 

Watching/Listening //

Loving //

  • this pretzel bites mix from King Arthur // I purchased a handful of mixes for my baking-loving daughter for Christmas.  These were a big hit!
  • this quote from Fulton Sheen: “Because God is full of life, I imagine each morning Almighty God says to the sun, ‘Do it again’; and every evening to the moon and the stars, ‘Do it again’; and every springtime to the daisies, ‘Do it again’; and every time a child is born into the world asking for curtain call, that the heart of the God might once more ring out in the heart of the babe.”

from the archives…

WEEK FOUR 2024 // Brave Knights & Heroic Courage

No.888: A Master List of Frugal Accomplishments to Try in 2025

Just a quick post to share a list of frugal accomplishments I would like to try in 2025.  For me, intentional frugality is addicting – once I really get going, I gain confidence and seek out more and more things to try!  I will probably add to this list throughout the year but this is a good start.

Be sure to check out my “Frugal Accomplishments” Pinterest board for more ideas!

+ make homemade yogurt in the slow cooker

+ dip beeswax taper candles

+ try slow cooker steel cut oatmeal

+ try visible mending

+ make a DIY hardwood floor cleaner

+ repair something broken

+ darn a sock

+ make wool dryer balls

+ upcycle a sweater into mittens

+ make a rag rug

+ learn how to use the pressure canner

+ wash bed pillows

+ make a lavender sachet

+ prep breakfast sandwiches for the freezer

+ sharpen garden tools

+ get oil stains out of clothes

+ whiten dingy socks

+ make compost from leaf piles

No.887: Last Week at the Farmhouse // Pursuing the Intellectual Life

“Les Alpilles, Mountain Landscape near South-Reme” by Vincent van Gogh (1889)

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission of any sale made at no extra cost to you.

Pursuing the intellectual life in three easy steps!

I’ll preface this by saying that I’m fairly new to this endeavor, but I loved this quote from the article I shared last week and want to use it as my guide in 2025: “The true classical scholar is simply an ordinary person who loves truth, beauty, and goodness. He is not puffed up with self-importance, nor does he try to make a show of what he knows. His humility is a beacon of light, allowing him to emanate the true spirit of the classical tradition.”  So with my limited experience, below are the three steps I recommend for a successful reading year.  Hopefully it’s helpful!

  1. Determine what you are curious about. // If you’ve ever looked at my weekly “Additions to The List” books, you know I find recommendations everywhere.  As you go about your daily life, start jotting down topics that interest you.  It may come from something in the news or a list you find online.  It may be something mentioned in a book you’re currently reading.  It may come from an ailment you’re suffering or an activity you enjoy.  It might even come from reflecting on your favorite subjects in school!
  2. Choose your books. // Now that you have a few topics in mind, start collecting the books.  This can look like going on a shopping spree or just jotting down a physical list.  Now is also the time to reflect on how you read.  Do you like to read one book at a time or are you a multiple book kind of person?  (I like to have multiple books going at one time, as long as the subjects are significantly different from one another.)
  3. Find pockets of time to read and make it a habit. //  This step takes a bit of time as you begin, but don’t give up!  I have found that I enjoy nonfiction books in the morning/early afternoon but by bedtime, I’m ready to curl up with a fictional story.  Start with a habit of ten minutes in the morning, half an hour before bed, etc.  Can you replace some scrolling with a book?

One last note: it seems common in today’s society to be ridiculously competitive about reading (ie. I read 250 books in one year, I stayed up for 48 hours to finish 20 books..).  Don’t fall into the trap!  This pursuit is about quality vs. quantity.  It is completely okay to read one single book – maybe just a paragraph or two a day! – as long as you keep going and really ingest the information in a deeper way.  We’re looking for greater wisdom here, not gold stars and accolades.

Happy Reading!

Hoping to document 52 weeks of good things!

Five Good Things…

  1. New scrunchies! // “Making do” project of the week!  I have a bad habit of putting up my wet hair with an elastic and apparently that’s terrible!  Lately, I’ve tried to mitigate the damage by using a scrunchie instead.  I only have one, so was looking into buying more until I realized I could try to make my own!  My daughter and I used this tutorial and it was pretty easy.  We’re hooked and can’t wait to make more.
  2. A less bloated stomach. // Wheat belly is a thing.
  3. Seed catalogs in the mail. // ‘Tis the season!  Thankfully, I have plenty of leftover seeds from last year, so I only need to order a few.  I also found the planting schedule I made a few years back so I’m all ready to go for Growing Season 2025.
  4. A hardwood floor update! // We finally heard back from insurance and the money has been approved to move forward.  We’ve been in a constant state of disarray since mid-October so suuuper excited to get this process going.
  5. My go-to illness arsenal. // By the end of the week, we all got sick with colds and sore throats.  I pulled out all of our favorites: Cold Calm, Vitamin C tea with a spoonful of honey, Emercen-C, and Ricola cough drops.  Add in a lot of rest and we tend to bounce back quickly.

Frugal Accomplishments //

  • cut up an old chambray dress to use as fabric (and saved the buttons too!)
  • listed a few things on ebay/Poshmark
  • altered two dresses that had slits a little too high (now much more appropriate for church, ha)
  • made chicken broth from frozen chicken backs to bring out to the pigs
  • invested in another 50 pounds of flour
  • shredded some unneeded documents/junk mail to add to my compost pile
  • made homemade bacon from sidemeat from our pigs using our meat slicer (delicious!)

This Week in the Liturgical Year //

January 13 was the Optional Memorial of St. Hilary of Poitiers, Bishop and Doctor.

To Listen: Hilary of Poitiers: Exile and Understanding from the Way of the Fathers podcast

To Read: Saint Hilary of Poitiers by Pope Benedict XVI

To Add to the Library: On the Trinity

To Quote: “The privilege of our Church is such that it is never stronger than when it is attacked, never better known than when it is accused, never more powerful than when it appears forsaken.”

Reading //

New Additions to The List // 

Watching/Listening //

from the archives…

WEEK THREE 2024 // The Soul Craves Beauty

No.886: Small Biz Showcase // Winter Treasures

You know how much I love small artisans and I found a new website to share!  The website is called Go Imagine and it’s like etsy, but better.  From their website: “goimagine is dedicated to showcasing handmade goods from sellers who truly love the art of making something with their hands. Building a new handmade marketplace won’t be easy, but the world is ready for a platform that truly celebrates the beauty of handcrafted products.”  They even donate 2% of every purchase to charities focused on helping children in need!  So great.  Check out these winter-related goodies I found:

+ This “Winter Bear” candle from Bear Family Candles smells like strolling through a pine forest on a sunny winter’s day.  Comes in an 8oz. tin, but they also sell wax melts.

+ I love warm socks and this pair from Minnesota Custom Woolens looks super comfy.  The seller says that each pair is one-of-a-kind and made on an antique circular knitting machine.  So cool!

+ If you’re in the market for a new winter hat, be sure to check out the offerings from Milli’s Hook Nook.  Tons of beautiful options for both youth and adults – I love this mountain range one.

+ For another candle option, look no further than the Desert Sun Candle Co!  The description of this Woodland Snow candle sounds intriguing: “Light our candle and breathe in the fragrance of snow-laden branches, ozone, mint, and eucalyptus. Be enchanted by the blend of camphor, cypress, cedar, and sage plus subtle incense and spice.”

+ Add a little winter fun to your refrigerator with these mini snowflake magnets from WeeCraftyCreations.  They come in a set of eight and are only about 1″x1″x1″ – so cute!  (These might also be a fun addition to tuck into snail mail letters.)

+ Coffee, cocoa or tea will taste even better in this salt-fired stoneware mug from Linda Moeser Ceramics.  I love the blue color, but she also has many unique color combinations in the shop.

No.885: Last Week at the Farmhouse // Being Useful

“The Cobbler’s Shop” by Ralph Hedley (1909)

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission of any sale made at no extra cost to you.

A new year always makes me introspective.  What do I want to do with this one, precious life?  How am I serving my family and my community?  What bad habits do I want to leave behind, what good habits do I need to practice and cultivate?  These questions remind me of a book I just finished in December called Shop Class for Soulcraft: An Inquiry into the Value of Work by Matthew B. Crawford, particularly this quote:

We are experiencing a genuine crisis of confidence in our most prestigious institutions and professions.  The question of what a good job looks like – of what sort of work is both secure and worthy of being honored – is more open now than it has been for a long time.  Wall Street in particular has lost its luster as a destination for smart and ambitious young people.  Out of the current confusion of ideals and confounding of career hopes, a calm recognition may yet emerge that productive labor is the foundation of all prosperity.  The meta-work of trafficking in the surplus skimmed from other people’s work suddenly appears as what it is, and it becomes possible once again to think the thought, “Let me make myself useful.” (p.9-10)

Let me make myself useful.

That’s a sentiment I would like to cultivate in my life in 2025.  But how?  Stop wasting time, emotion and energy on things that don’t matter.  Live in the real world not just the virtual one.  Do things that are tangible and have value.  Life a life of love and service.

Hoping to document 52 weeks of good things!

Five Good Things…

  1. Snow! // We woke up to a winter wonderland on Monday.  We got around ten inches of snow, which is both a blessing and a hindrance: lots of fun to play in but not so fun when you have farm chores to do!  Our chicken-tractor-turned-feed-shed’s roof collapsed under the weight of the snow (unfortunately not fixable), but there were good things to be seen too.  For example, our neighbor offered to snow plow our long driveway and accomplished the task in two minutes versus the hours it would have taken to shovel out on our own.  So grateful.
  2. Kids who can put on their own snow gear. // I feel like I was helping to put on pants and gloves and hats and zipping up coats for years and years and years…and then I blinked and they can do it all on their own now.  Bittersweet.
  3. An audio drama of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe // For Christmas, we bought an old-school boombox for my ten-year-old son along with a 19-disc audio drama set of The Chronicles of Narnia (similar to this, but I bought a different, cheaper version on ebay).  We listened to The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe first and thought it was very well done!  (Our only pet peeve was the voice of Aslan was a bit corny.)
  4. Using up supplies. // My “making do” project of the week: I found myself looking at stationery and pens so decided to collect what I already have.  Turns out that I have plenty!  I also have lots of random stickers so I’m using them with wild abandon on my planner and notebooks.  Supplies are meant to be enjoyed, right?
  5. Dark red cardinals on the bright white snow. // So beautiful to see.

This Week in the Liturgical Year //

January 6 was the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord.

To Do: Epiphany Home Blessing

To Read: Benedict XVI’s Homily for Feast of the Epiphany 2011

To Bake: Twelfth Night Cake or this Three Spice Epiphany Cake

 

Frugal Accomplishments //

  • made banana bread
  • added to my newest compost pile: fruit/veggie scraps, egg shells, coffee grounds, toilet paper rolls and dryer lint
  • made homemade brown sugar using white sugar and molasses
  • used pieces of the broken chicken tractor/feed shed to fortify the pig houses
  • accepted leftovers from a catered lunch at my husband’s work
  • listed a few items on ebay/Pango/Poshmark

Reading //

In his book on G.K. Chesterton and the Christian imagination, Thomas Peters writes, “Chesterton insisted that real artists are ordinary people who do art; they are not finely tuned instruments… nor do [they] need to live in trendy places, to possess certain eccentric furnishings, to wear a certain arty kind of clothing, or to eat at certain notorious cafés.” Likewise, the mark of a real classical scholar is not dressing in tweed jackets, smoking pipes, and quoting the Silmarillion while sipping on the latest microbrew (not that there is anything wrong with the Silmarillion or microbrews). The true classical scholar is simply an ordinary person who loves truth, beauty, and goodness. He is not puffed up with self-importance, nor does he try to make a show of what he knows. His humility is a beacon of light, allowing him to emanate the true spirit of the classical tradition.

Caryll Houselander was never rich. She had about three to four dresses. The office where she wrote her books was a freezing little shed behind her friend Iris’s house. And it worked for her. She painted rooms for people’s houses, she carved Stations of the Cross. She wrote and wrote and wrote books. She was never wealthy or established but lived mostly a vagabond life in her leaf patterned overalls and large glasses. She lived among poor people and artists and those who would never be successful in the world’s eyes. Her great call, her reason for being, she discovered, was to simply try to convince each human being she came into contact with that Christ dwelled within them and their worth was unimaginable. She did it in her very small and limited life filled with odd jobs. And here we are today reading and being blessed by her books. God always finds a way to bless our efforts.

New Additions to The List // 

Watching/Listening //

from the archives…

WEEK TWO 2024 // Gentle Defiance

No.884: New Ideas for Mother Academia // Volume 5

“Lisbeth reading” by Carl Larsson (1904)

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission of any sale made at no extra cost to you.

Welcome to another segment of New Ideas for Mother Academia!  The purpose of this series is to share five ideas for women to dig deeper into their continued education.  I especially like to seek out free resources because I want to prove that you can seek out wisdom without having to spend any money.  I hope you’ll share what you’ve been reading and learning too!

1 // THE DAY IS NOW FAR SPENT

Cardinal Robert Sarah is a holy man and an incredibly profound thinker.  (I read and really enjoyed his book, The Power of Silence: Against the Dictatorship of Noise, in 2024.)  The FORMED bookclub has a 14-episode series discussing another of his books, The Day Is Now Far Spent.  In this one, Cardinal Sarah “analyzes the spiritual, moral, and political collapse of the Western world and concludes that ‘the decadence of our time has all the faces of mortal peril.'”

2 // CHARLOTTE MASON

If you’ve ever wanted to dive deeply into Charlotte Mason’s books, check out this schedule at Charlotte Mason Poetry.  It appears that the reading groups have already started and are thus unavailable, but it may be helpful to have the reading schedule for your own enjoyment.

3 // A SYSTEM FOR READING CHESTERTON

Another opportunity for a deep dive!  Is G.K. Chesterton an author on your TBR?  Check out this reading plan from The Society of G.K. Chesterton!  The website divides his works into subsections (like Apologetics, Fiction, Social Commentary, Poetry, etc.), making it really easy to work through the list.

4 // TECHNOLOGY IN AMERICAN HISTORY

Technology in American History is an MIT course originally taught in 2006.  “This class will consider the ways in which technology, broadly defined, has contributed to the building of American society from colonial times to the present. Far from being an ‘add-on’ to political and social events, technology is viewed as a central organizing theme in American history. Indeed, the United States is often referred to as ‘the technological society.’ What does that expression mean? Why did it originate? How and in what ways does technology intersect with society and politics? How has technological progress been construed in America? Does technology mean progress? If so, progress for whom and for what? What is the relationship between technology and democracy in America? How have notions of ‘responsibility’ in engineering and technology development changed over time?”  The two books needed are A Social History of American Technology by Ruth Schwar Cowan and Major Problems in the History of American Technology edited by Merritt Roe Smith and Gregory Clancey.  The website also includes a reading schedule and lecture notes.  Even though this course is almost twenty years old, I bet there is still a lot to glean and compare to our modern times.

5 // PIXAR IN A BOX

This last one is a little out of left-field but may be fun to complete with the kids!  If you’ve ever been curious about storytelling through computing, Pixar in a Box is the course for you!  “Pixar in a Box is a behind-the-scenes look at how Pixar artists do their jobs. You will be able to animate bouncing balls, build a swarm of robots, and make virtual fireworks explode. The subjects you learn in school — math, science, computer science, and humanities — are used every day to create amazing movies at Pixar.”  Super fun.

PREVIOUS IDEAS

Paradise Lost, Memorizing the Presidents, Political Philosophy, Classical Architecture & Wind in the Willows

Nuclear War, Fulton Sheen, the Poetry of Early New England, Mensa Reading Lists & Shakespeare’s Philosophy

Biology Review, Gregorian Chant, Out of the Silent Planet, Faerie and Fantasy & Maternal Attachment

Dracula, a Great Books Reading List, AP Art History, Ancient Greeks & Roman Architecture

No.883: Plan With Me for January 2025

I’m trying something a little different for goal planning this school year.  My new motto: we are not machines, we don’t have infinite energy levels, we can only do so much!  Hopefully this new method will help me reduce my stress and prioritize the right things at the right times.

Well, the month of December was a wonderful blessing.  For maybe the first time ever, I completed my shopping and wrapping before the first Sunday of Advent and we didn’t have many commitments on the calendar.  Incredible.  We’re beginning a season of transition as my oldest kids start to graduate and leave the nest, so I fully embraced this time of rest and lazy family time.  Feeling very rejuvenated and ready for the new year ahead.

Onto the goals!  Let’s review December first:

FIVE TOP PRIORITIES
  1. prep for a December birthday (We have a new 8-year-old in the house!)
  2. use Dom Prosper Gueranger’s Liturgical Year book for Advent as my daily Advent Reading (I loved this.)
  3. thank our mail carrier
  4. organize any remaining Christmas wrapping supplies (I collected all of the ribbons and tags I could and tucked them away for next year!)
  5. embrace this time of rest (Done.)
FIVE “WOULD BE GREAT TO DO” TASKS
  1. set up the kids’ hot cocoa bar
  2. start brainstorming school plans for January (Definitely didn’t think about this until after New Year’s!)
  3. research a source for better bulk compost (I think I found a company not too far from us.)
  4. simmer down on my coffee consumption and wean down to a more reasonable level (Making progress in the right direction!)
  5. bake a new Christmas cookie (Lots of old favorites were made, but nothing new.)
FIVE LITTLE STEPS TO GET AHEAD
  1. debt reduction: earn $50+ to go toward the Car Loan Payoff Plan (Final amount earned = $102.12 and great news!  The car is officially paid off!)
  2. mother academia: read Hamlet (Nope.)
  3. home projects: survive the hardwood flooring repair (We got stuck in the insurance step all month, but hoping for some movement in January!)
  4. hard times prep: organize and inventory the pantry (Nope.)
  5. farm: brainstorm a better way to water the piglets this winter (Still hauling water and trying to keep the rubber pans from freezing for now.)

On to January’s goals!

FIVE TOP PRIORITIES

These tasks tend to have deadlines or really should be completed this month.

  1. commit to Low Spend January (using these worksheets)
  2. get back to carnivore/paleo/keto (basically no sugar or bread)
  3. order a new hot wire energizer for the pigs
  4. brainstorm new chicken tractor construction
  5. finish the house sampler cross-stitch project
FIVE “WOULD BE GREAT TO DO” TASKS

Examples of these tasks would be seasonal goals or things that just generally have less urgency.

  1. embrace the slow cooker/Dutch oven for easy dinners
  2. drop off donations
  3. start making the 2025 garden plan
  4. mend two dresses that have slits a little too high
  5. send at least one piece of snail mail
FIVE LITTLE STEPS TO GET AHEAD

This area is for big, overwhelming goals that can be broken down into bite-sized, attainable steps.

  1. debt reduction: earn $100+ reselling unneeded items around the house
  2. mother academia: read Hamlet
  3. home projects: declutter 30+ things to donate, sell or throw away (using this calendar for direction)
  4. health: schedule bloodwork
  5. farm: inventory remaining seed packets and make a list of what is needed

No.882: Last Week at the Farmhouse // A Restful Winter

“Mother and Child” by Eastman Johnson (1869)

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission of any sale made at no extra cost to you.

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a common ailment for many people this time of year.  I used to mildly suffer but have recently learned to appreciate – and even love! – these cold winter months.  For me, it’s all in the mindset.  For ten months of the year, farming is my primary focus and I work hard.  Winter is a time for me to rest and get rejuvenated for the growing season ahead.  If winter is necessary for the natural world to thrive, I’d say it’s equally important for me!

My little list of things to prioritize this winter:

+ creativity projects (cross stitch, junk journaling, etc.)
+ lots and lots of reading
+ going to bed early
+ puttering around my home, decluttering and organizing and decorating
+ taking vitamin D supplementation (so important!)
+ daily walks

Need a little motivation to enjoy these January days?
Check out my January little things bingo board!

Hoping to document 52 weeks of good things!

Five Good Things…

  1. Burning a candle in the early morning. // Scent of the week: White Pear & Apple
  2. A new compost bin. // My husband helped me construct a third compost “bin” out of pallets.  I now can start a three-bin system – one to build, one to turn, and one to finish off before using in the garden – and I’m so excited.  Squirreling away all the things to build up my new pile!
  3. Returning to healthy eating. // We feasted like kings during Christmastide and I’m ready to take a break from the treats.
  4. A DIY reading journal. // In 2025, I thought it would be a fun challenge to seek out new ways of making do.  (The idea would be that I saw/wanted this item, but I did this instead.)  So for my first week, I made a reading journal!  My Youtube feed has been full of lovely ladies setting up new reading journals and I was thiiis close to buying this or this.  BUT!  In a burst of creativity, I decided I still had enough supplies in my junk journal stash to make my own!  It’s not perfect by any stretch but it will work perfectly for my needs.
  5. Firewood with next day delivery. // We are supposed to get snow/ice/polar vortex temperatures in the next week and one look at our woodpile had us panicking.  Although we hated having to spend the money, the company was able to deliver the seasoned firewood the very next day and we’re ready for whatever winter weather comes our way.

This Week in the Liturgical Year //

January 2 was the Memorial of St. Basil the Great and St. Gregory Nazianzen, Bishops and Doctors.

To Listen: Gregory Nazianzen: Greatness in the Passive Voice from the Way of the Fathers podcast as well as St. Basil the Great—On the Right Use of Greek Literature

To Read: Basil, Gregory, and the Holy Spirit

To Add to the Library: On Christian Doctrine and Practice and On the Holy Spirit

To Bake: Vasilopita (Vasilopitta, honoring Saint Basil, is a Greek New Year’s custom.)

Frugal Accomplishments //

  • stocked up on coffee during a sale at the grocery store
  • listed a few books on Pango
  • gave myself a little hair trim

Reading //

  • The Rules of Discernment: A Practical Guide – Rule 4 from Megan Hjelmstad at Spiritual Direction
  • Goodness, Like Truth and Beauty, is a Powerful Thing from Father John P. Cush at National Catholic Register
  • Life in the Cyborg Age: A Conversation with Josh Pauling from Aaron Weinacht at Front Porch Republic // “Do we want to become the type of people who push a button to listen to Bach, who have a chatbot write them a poem, who have an image generator paint them a picture? Or do we want to become the type of people who can play Bach on the piano (or maybe even be the next Bach!), who can revel in writing a poem, who can create art with their own hands? Learning entails risk, challenge, strain, difficulty, and it is through such things that you build wisdom, virtue, and patience—that you become a better you.”
  • The Measured Morning from Grandma Donna // “This sounds like a lot of effort to keep our usage down, but once we have it figured out and let go of things little by little we will get a routine and it will simply be just the way we live as those before us did…People live much differently today than when I first started housekeeping. We were brainwashed we needed these things that cost us so much today to purchase, to use, to upkeep and to and needed attachments and filters. And then there is the cost to run them whatever that thing may be.”

New Additions to The List // 

Watching/Listening //

Loving //

from the archives…

WEEK ONE 2024 // The Beauty of Hope

No.881: What I Read in December 2024

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission of any sale made at no extra cost to you.

#82. BEFORE THE CHANGE: TAKING CHARGE OF YOUR PERIMENOPAUSE by Ann Louise Gittleman, PhD, CNS // ★★★★☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

I’m so thankful that I found this book!  I need a blood test to officially confirm if I’m actually in this stage yet, but I feel like I have a plan for when the worst of the symptoms come.  I really loved how the author focused on the importance of good nutrition – most of our complaints can be mitigated or reduced simply by making sure our vitamins and minerals are at optimal levels!  A very empowering read.

#83. BAD BLOOD: SECRETS AND LIES IN A SILICON VALLEY STARTUP by John Carreyrou // ★★★★☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

I flew through this book because the story is WILD!  This is about Elizabeth Holmes and her fraudulent company, Theranos.

#84. THE MAN IN THE QUEUE by Josephine Tey // ★★★☆☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

A police procedural with an ending I did not see coming!  It took me a bit to get used to Tey’s writing and her love of looong paragraphs (sometimes filling almost an entire page!), but I enjoyed it.

#85. SHOP CLASS AS SOULCRAFT: AN INQUIRY INTO THE VALUE OF WORK by Matthew B. Crawford // ★★★★☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

Equal parts philosophy and real talk from a motorcycle mechanic.  Really thought-provoking.  (I also read this for my Reading the Alphabet Challenge.)

#86. THE HOUSE OF SILK by Anthony Horowitz // ★★★☆☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

A Sherlock Holmes retelling and definitely a page turner!  Unfortunately, the twist at the end was quite sordid and disturbing, which lowered my overall reading experience.

#87. WHY IS IT ALWAYS ABOUT YOU? THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS OF NARCISSISM by Sandy Hotchkiss, LCSW // ★★★☆☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

This book is an interesting introduction to narcissism, both in individuals and in greater society.  Lots of good tips and coping strategies.

#88. ONCE UPON A RIVER by Diane Setterfield // ★★★☆☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

Diane Setterfield has a way of incorporating magical realism into her stories that just straddle the line between enchanting and unbelievable.  This book revolves around a small child that seems to have died, but then returns to life.  Who is she and how did this happen?  I enjoyed this novel but only really got into the story at around the halfway point.  There is a full cast of characters that I struggled to keep straight!  Still a solid three star read.

MY 2024 UNREAD SHELF PROJECT

Unread Books as of January 1, 2024: 209
Books Finished in December: 7
Books Donated/Sold in December: -3
Books Added: +0
Unread Books Remaining as of December 31, 2024: 206

No.880: My One Little Word and a Few Goals for 2025

{via}

Happy New Year!!  Well, 2024 was one for the books.  It was a hard one: we had a ton of financial catastrophes, experienced significant spiritual warfare, lost important relationships and dealt with some scary health challenges.  BUT.  We made it through.  This quote from Elizabeth Foss really resonated:

I give thanks — not in spite of the hard year, but because of it. I give thanks for the growth it has brought, the ways it has first challenged, and then deepened my faith, and the reminders it has offered about the things that truly matter. The moments of joy are sweeter because they’ve been hard-earned. The love feels deeper because it’s been tested. And the grace? It feels all the more precious because I’ve seen it in the places I least expected.

MY ONE LITTLE WORD FOR 2025

Year 13 for this OLW practice!  (My previous words were Intention, Brave, Thrive, Learn, Slow, Roots, Notice, Gratitude, Light, Simple, Endurance and Abundance.)  Each word has shaped me in its own way and I can’t imagine starting the new year without a guiding theme.  For 2025, I went with a word with many diverse definitions: good.

good [adj] // [good]
morally excellent; virtuous; righteous; pious; of high quality; excellent; honorable or worthy; skillfully or expertly done; sufficient or ample; advantageous; satisfactory for the purpose; fertile; rich

The word actually started out as a joke between me and my husband.  Have you ever seen Jocko Willink’s motivational video called Good?  We started saying it to each other last fall when things would go sideways.  Found a leak in the dining room that destroyed the flooring?  Good.  Had a separate home issue that cost $8,000 to repair?  Good.  Need to put our beloved boar down?  Good.  (Tears streamed down my face for that one.)

Anyway, the more I thought about my one little word, the more I knew this is what I needed in 2025.  I need the re-calibration of my mind and emotions to seek out the good, true and beautiful.  I’m also excited to dive deeply into the philosophical understanding of the word; I’m sure I’ll be sharing what I learn as I go.

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.  Galatians 6:9–10

A FEW GOALS FOR 2025

My goals for the new year ended up being more involved than usual, but I liked the idea of specific goals for the different “plates” in my life.  I am a poor juggler but am hoping this will help me keep the most important things in view.

+ I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. – Psalm 27:13 

+ Virtues to work on:

  1. Fortitude // the willingness to engage the arduous
  2. Perseverance // the virtue by which one persists in the arduous good until the end is achieved
  3. Patience // the ability to suffer evils well or the equanimity in the face of evils
  4. Humility // the willingness to live in accordance with the truth; refraint of the irascible appetite from striving for excellence beyond one’s state; not judging oneself greater than he is
  5. Hope // the virtue by which one awaits beatitude and has confidence in God’s aid

+ Mother Academia // Continue with the practice of pursuing knowledge. 
This will ebb and flow throughout the year (busy times vs. less-busy times) but it’s not about the quantity.  Wrestling with ideas, whether from one book or twenty, is the goal.  On a tangible note: I’d like to continue (and hopefully complete!) my “Read 100 Books Off My Shelves Project.”  So many interesting topics that tend to get buried behind new purchases!

+ Faith // Engage with the liturgical year in a deeper way.
I want to dig deeper into the Church’s feasts and fasts, saints days, novenas and prayers.  Our tradition is rich and vast and I want to enjoy that inheritance in an intentional way.

+ Financial // Pay off that debt!
In the fall of 2020, we reached a significant milestone: minus the mortgage, we were completely debt free!  Sadly, the past two years have been pretty rough financially and we’ve found ourselves back in debt.  It’s been discouraging but if we’ve dug out once before, we can do it again!  This will be another year of frugal living and reselling to get us back to that debt-free goal.

+ Farm // Begin again.
Another hard part of 2024 was the failure of many of our farm endeavors.  We had animal death and crazy predator pressure and the breaking of expensive equipment.  A very discouraging and tear-filled year!  In 2025, we’ll concentrate on rebuilding our systems with a special focus on the garden.

+ Physical // Take care of myself.
I’m getting older and cannot continue to push myself to my absolute limit.  I want to focus on good nutrition, getting regular blood work done and taking daily walks.

+ Home // Continue to cultivate a home we love.
This doesn’t necessarily mean buying more stuff!  I’m thinking monthly declutter challenges will be helpful for this.  I would also like to continue our DIY walls project as we have the time and extra money.

+ Creativity // Make things with my own hands.
I would like to prioritize seeing old projects to completion – I have multiple quilts to finish and supplies ready for projects I haven’t even started!  Maybe I’ll even try a daily challenge?

Amazon Disclosure Policy

The Big White Farmhouse is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Less Materialism, More Intentional Living

Archives

Copyright © 2025 The Big White Farmhouse · Theme by 17th Avenue