The Big White Farmhouse

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Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.
― Epicurus

I’ve been interested in economics for a long time.  I wrote a post last August entitled Hard Times Ahead? and my prediction may be coming true.  While layoffs have been occurring for years at this point, it’s currently hitting my area and people are scared and anxious.  May seemed as good a time as ever to focus on our financial goals (we have one last debt to pay off!) and get us better situated to handle whatever may come our way.

My goals for Make It Do May:

• no spending other than a few pre-planned purchases
• grocery shop only once, heavily using the pantry and only purchasing things like milk and produce when we run out
• increased creativity in the kitchen, reinventing leftovers and leaving nothing to waste
• declutter and list on resale sites as much as possible
• look into high-interest savings accounts
• research better rates for car insurance
• and if there’s time! a return to crafting projects

Like I’ve said before, my motto has always been “little by little” – every day, we do one small thing to get us closer to our objective.  The first full week of Make It Do May was a huge success (see below!) and I’m excited to come up with even more creative ways to save our money and live a more content and fulfilling life.  I’d love to hear what tips and tricks you have as well!

Hoping to document 52 weeks of good things!

Five Good Things…

1. RAIN. // It’s putting a damper on my sowing/transplanting plans, but after years of drought, I’ll never say a bad thing about it!
2. How much my daughter has learned in piano so far. // One month in and she’s doing great!  She has a great rapport with her teacher already.
3. A new ornament project. // I found this cute pattern and it’s free, perfect for Make It Do May!  I’m also using a scrap piece of fabric and my DMC floss, so very much a frugal accomplishment.
4. Habemus papam. // He has taken the name Leo XIV.  We pray for him as he begins the daunting task of leading the Catholic Church.
5. Filling up a ThredUp Clean Out bag. // Trying something new!  I have a lot of clothes that have been listed on reselling platforms for awhile and haven’t sold.  I’m giving them one last try through ThredUp.  There is a $14.99 service fee and the payout is significantly smaller than if I sold them myself, but some money is better than no money!  And bonus: it gets a lot of this stuff out of my house, so it’s also a decluttering win.

Frugal Accomplishments //

• used stationery I already owned (random envelopes, old cards) to send snail mail
• used an awkward-sized piece of wrapping paper to package a resale order
• listed a few things on Poshmark/ebay
• sold pork to friends
• air-dried a few loads of laundry on drying racks
• made chicken broth from backs in the freezer
• made pumpkin chocolate chip cookies to use the last half of a can of pumpkin puree
• invested in another 50lb bag of flour
• finally finished one last shampoo that has languished in the shower after I found something better
• transformed honey that had crystallized into creamed honey (delicious!)
• used shredded paper as nesting box filler for the chickens (a tip I learned from the blog, The Bluebirds are Nesting on the Farm)
• sold a science workbook, two teacher’s manuals, a shirt, and a jacket and after fees, made $39.53!

Reading //

• The Most Dangerous Thing in Culture Right Now is Beauty from Ted Gioia at The Honest Broker // Thought provoking.
• Frugal Feasting in the Shire from Alyssa Falkentook at The Hobbit Homemaker // “There’s something deeply satisfying about a well-planned meal, especially when it’s inspired by the hearty, homey fare of the Shire! Hobbits are known for their love of food, but they’re also resourceful, making the most of what they have to create nourishing, comforting meals.”
• this quote from Saint Francis de Sales in Thy Will Be Done: Letters to Persons in the World:

Do not worry yourself; no, believe me, practice serving our Lord with a gentleness full of strength and zeal.  That is the true method of this service.  Wish not to do all, but only something, and without doubt you will do much. (p.153)

New Additions to The List // 

• The Family That Couldn’t Sleep: A Medical Mystery by D.T. Max
• Motherland by Sally Thomas
• Works of Mercy: A Novel by Sally Thomas
• The Blackbird and Other Stories by Sally Thomas

Watching/Listening //

• An Evening of Poetry and Fiction with Sally Thomas from The Thomas More College of Liberal Arts Center for the Restoration of Christian Culture // So good.
• Lectures 2-3 of Introduction to Sacramental Theology from The Pursuit of Wisdom at Ave Maria University

Loving //

• this “Something’s Killing Me” series // This medical mystery series was fascinating.
• this “Make It Do” free cross stitch pattern // From this website.  I may have to stitch this soon!
• this peanut butter chocolate chip granola bar recipe // Big hit with the kids.  I think I’ll some protein powder to the mix next time.

from the archives…

WEEK NINETEEN 2024 // We Are Meant to Be Naturalists

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I see it everywhere, even in myself.  It’s that insatiable need to accumulate things: the latest fashion item, the cool piece of technology, that one piece of home decor.  We buy and buy and buy, fulfilling that hunger for more…only to find ourselves incredibly uncomfortable with the abundance.  So we simplify and declutter and fill our cars with trash bags full of stuff for our local thrift store.  The relief is tangible, but fleeting.  And then we start again.

________

Tolkien once said that fairytales hold up a mirror to man and I’ve recently discovered that to be true.  In The Hobbit, there is one term quickly mentioned but later better explained through image: the dragon sickness.  Smaug the dragon, the main antagonist of the story, rarely leaves his lair and his riches, even sleeping on his treasure in order to guard them.  For me, this dragon and his “sickness” describes man’s propensity for greed, for the desire to accumulate and hoard possessions.  There may be a tinge of a love for comfort in there too.

There is no judgment here and I’ll be the first to say that I’m actively battling this seemingly innate desire to acquire things.  And it’s hard!  Influencers are influencing everywhere and the temptation toward comparison is strong.  Even so, I want to hold my life and possessions with open hands.  I want to give generously.  I want to have a healthy level of detachment from material goods and a comfortable life.  Thankfully, every day is another opportunity to practice.

You were not made for comfort. You were made for greatness.
– Pope John Paul II

Hoping to document 52 weeks of good things!

Five Good Things…

1. Making collages. // A continuation of the “use it up” theme!  I have kept a lot of things for junk journaling over the past year, but stuff without a purpose is just clutter.  To combat this, I’m using up the little bits in my notetaking journal and having so much fun.  This week, I used a piece of wrapping paper, an illustration from an old children’s book, a stamp from a piece of mail, letters cut from a magazine, the inside of a bill envelope and lots of stickers.
2. New healthy habits. // I’ve been experiencing some inflammatory issues so I started a few new habits to hopefully alleviate them.  None of this is revolutionary, but everyday consistency is the key: a 45 minute walk, nutritious meals (no strict rules except no sugar and less gluten) and a lot of water.  One week done!
3. Finding letters in the mailbox. // What a thrill to see a handwritten letter along with all the bills and junk mail!  This week, I received three!
4. More unexpected expenses. // Fortunately, we have a bit of money stashed away; unfortunately, I’m not getting a new couch anytime soon.  (Cue the opening scene from Up!)  Choosing to see this as a good thing because it’s teaching me patience and detachment from material things.
5. The start of Make-It-Do May! // I’m still working out the details, but May seems as good a time as ever to really buckle down and make significant strides on our financial goals.  So far, I know I’ll be spending a lot of time in the kitchen and intentionally practicing frugality in new, creative ways.

Frugal Accomplishments //

• gave my hair a trim
• made vanilla granola to use up some Greek yogurt
• mended a rip in my husband’s jeans (with my go-to patches!) so he could still wear them around the farm
• listed a few things on Pango/Poshmark
• worked on my compost pile, adding new material and turning the entire conglomeration
• found an unused bag of tomato plant food that I purchased last year and can use this spring (saved me $13!)
• paid cash for our pork processing to avoid a 3% credit card fee (saved us $44!)
• made beef broth from bones in the freezer
• planned out a month’s worth of dinners for May
• made a big batch of refried beans in the slow cooker using dried pinto beans

This Week in the Liturgical Year //

May 2 was the Memorial of St. Athanasius, Bishop and Doctor of the Church.

To Listen: Ep. 24—Athanasius against the World from Way of the Fathers podcast

To Watch: Doctors of the Church: St. Athanasius of Alexandria from EWTN

To Add to the Library: On the Incarnation

Reading //

• Cinderella Comes to the Shire from Joseph Pearce at The Imaginative Conservative
• A Tale of Three “Porchers” from Alexandra O. Hudson at Front Porch Republic // “Though originally from the Washington, DC, area, Joanna chose to build a life in Indianapolis with her husband and family. She has used her porch to cultivate community and to provide a haven from the hurriedness of modern life. It is a place to forge new friendships, an incubator of ideas to make the community brighter, a place to encounter and create beauty, a catalyst for further cultural and communal growth, and a venue where those who differ politically, racially, and culturally can form bonds and feel seen, known, and loved.”
• Enough: Seven Suggestions for Thinking About Money & Possessions from April Jaure at Hearth and Field // “I think what I need is detachment, that interior freedom that is enjoyed when one no longer has excessive concern over possessions. I’m reminded of a quote from St. Teresa of Avila: ‘Our body has this defect that, the more it is provided care and comforts, the more needs and desires it finds.’ Intellectually I know that attempting to satisfy every whim will never bring satisfaction, but it seems that living simply, and being truly detached from one’s possessions is easier said than done.”
• Ode to Old Hands from Nicole Berlucchi at More Love, More Life, More Glory to God // “My daughter stretched the skin of the back of my hand so it looked smooth. What my hands used to look like, I thought. And yet, it made me see age spots whose appearance I had somehow missed. She put her young hand next to my old hand–a stark reminder of my age–but as I almost began loathing my old hands, I stopped myself–these old hands have done a lot for me.”

New Additions to The List // 

• The White Plague by Frank Herbert

Watching/Listening //

• Lecture 1 of Introduction to Sacramental Theology from The Pursuit of Wisdom at Ave Maria University
• Euripides “Medea” // Greek tragedy #1 for my mother academia goal of the month.  Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.  Yikes.

Loving //

• this homeopathic allergy relief // ‘Tis the season!
• this Lego neighborhood instruction book // A really cool used bookstore find.
• Mexican bean tostadas // A super easy meal and cheap too.  I’ve been eating them frequently for lunch.

from the archives…

WEEK EIGHTEEN 2024 // Contemplation