No.558: The Wednesday Five #21

Happy Wednesday!

A QUOTE

…Abba Arsenius’s commitment to silence was something that he tried to live out every day, and that when he spoke to those monks, he was inviting them also to make a place in their hearts that belonged only to God.  This advice applies to us as well.  We need to make a place in our hearts, in our day, in our home, in our schedule, in our priorities, where God can come and dwell, a place that belongs only to God.  We need a place where we can silence the movements that distract us from God and listen to his word that leads us to a deeper purity of heart.  – Wisdom of the Desert Fathers and Mothers, p.84

TABS OPEN IN MY BROWSER RIGHT NOW

• this pie pan // I have one of these and love it – thinking of getting another
• this intermittent fasting testimonial // I’m on Week Two of eating this way to help with some of my issues, but weight loss would be an added bonus!
• this new-to-me food blog // everything you need for easy sourdough bread baking
• Fat Brain Toys // birthdays are just around the corner!

A BEAUTIFUL PIECE OF ART

“Battlefield” by Timoléon Lobrichon (found here)

A RECOMMENDATION

If your garden is doing better than mine, be sure to check out Dishing Up the Dirt.  Tons and tons of recipes for using up those delicious home-grown veggies!  (I need to get to my local farm stand so I can try some too.)

HOMEMAKER CHECK-IN

How are you making the budget stretch in these tricky financial times?  Let’s chat and look ahead to fall:

• I’m making a big list of things we’ll need in the cooler months ahead so I can look for sales.  A few things on my list: sneakers for a few of the boys, flannel sheets for my daughter’s bed, and sweater tights for me.
• We’re cutting up a few trees to add to our firewood pile.  I’m curious to see how well our fireplace will heat the first floor and how low I can keep our thermostat.
• Feed prices have gone up over $2 per bag just in the five months we’ve been raising chickens.  The laying hens eat considerably less than the broilers did, but I’m looking into fermenting options to stretch even more.