The Big White Farmhouse | intentional living, little by little

November 22, 2022

No.707: My Mother Culture Commonplace Book // November 2022

“Landscape with Houses on a Rocky Hill with a View of a Plain Beyond” by Jacob van Ruisdael

As you know, I’m a cheerleader for being an active producer vs. a passive consumer and education definitely falls in that active category. (It takes effort to think/process new information!) I’m bringing back the Mother Culture Commonplace Book series to share some of the things I’ve been learning. Here’s what I’ve been reading/watching/listening to lately…

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What is Truth?

Hannah Arendt, who studied totalitarian regimes, said as much in an interview in 1974: “If everybody always lies to you, the consequence is not that you believe the lies, but rather that nobody believes anything any longer.” But a population that no longer believes anything is robbed of its ability to think and to judge, and ultimately of its capacity to act. As Arendt says, “with such a people, you can then do what you please.” These are the ideal subjects – or the ideal opponents. – We Have Been Harmonized: Life in China’s Surveillance State, p.18

The Consequences of Fast Fashion

I’ve never shopped at this particular store, but this is an issue with lots of fast fashion brands. I also agree that the resale value of these types of clothes is so, so small – no one will pay more than $10 because you can get something brand new for the same price! I have so many thoughts about this topic (remember when I gave myself a summer reading assignment about this here on the blog?), but that’s another post for another day.

Australia’s Most Baffling Missing Persons Case

I’m in the middle of listening to the podcast, The Lady Vanishes. A quick description from the website: “Marion Barter, an Australian mother and teacher, vanished in 1997. She was 51 years old. The ex-wife of Australian Soccer captain Johnny Warren, Marion suddenly quit her job, sold her house and went to England for a year-long holiday. Then she simply vanished. For 25 years her daughter Sally has been searching for her. This is Australia’s most-baffling missing persons case.”

So many questions! How can a person run away from their life, leaving their family wondering if foul play was involved? Does a person have a right to start fresh without telling anyone? How far can an investigation go? Where does it cross the boundaries of privacy?

Sneaky Little Blue Jays

This common songbird sure is beautiful with his blue back and soft white belly. But did you know he has a naughty side? Blue Jays are known to take and eat eggs and tiny chicks of other birds, sometimes even from chickens! I went down a rabbit hole about frustrated homesteaders flabbergasted with the continual issue of pecked eggs. After stakeouts and cameras, they discovered the culprit was none other than a blue jay! So interesting. Another fun blue jay fact: crows are part of the same family (the Corvidae).

November 16, 2022

No.706: 45 Days Left! // A Review of My 2022 Goals

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Can you believe there’s only 45 days left in 2022?! Since we’re on the homestretch, I thought it’s about time I reviewed my goals! This should be interesting…

#1. GET SERIOUS ABOUT NUTRITION.

My original intentions: 2021 was the year where I stopped making excuses and really took my health seriously. I’m keeping that momentum by continuing intermittent fasting, weaning off of almost all processed foods, and giving up sugar for at least six months(!!). I’d also like to focus on nutrient dense foods, with bonus points for food grown and raised by us. My kids will be joining in on this adventure, just maybe a little less extreme.

How it’s going: BUAH HA HA HA. Oh boy…I could not have fallen further from this goal. During planting season, I survived on granola bars and “healthy” white cheddar puff Cheetos. And this fall, my emotional eating habits went berserk as I dealt (poorly) with all of the stressors going on. I’ll give myself a few bonus points for eating things grown by us (thank goodness for healthy meats and veggies!) but I’m a far cry from where I envisioned myself in January.

My plan for the rest of 2022: I’m feeling the effects of a lackluster diet and really need to refocus on nutritionally dense meals. And the sugar…definitely need to rein that back in too. Baby steps.

#2. READ MORE NONFICTION.

My original intentions: One of the cons of my 100 book reading goal was that I prioritized “easier” books that I knew I could breeze through quickly. This year, I’d like to read more nonfiction, even if it takes me awhile to finish. I entertained the idea of a new challenge (something like a 1001 Nonfiction Book Reading Challenge?), but ultimately decided to complete the Alphabet Challenge for Nonfiction first.

How it’s going: As of this writing, I have read 8 nonfiction books, which is 12.5% of my total reading. Not exactly what I had pictured back in January, but not too terrible! The eight books I read were:

Let Them Eat Dirt: Saving Your Child from an Oversanitized World by B. Brett Finlay & Marie-Claire Arrieta PhD || ★★★☆☆
Communism and the Conscience of the West by Fulton J. Sheen || ★★★★☆
Dirt to Soil: One Family’s Journey into Regenerative Agriculture by Gabe Brown || ★★★★☆
Escape from Camp 14: One Man’s Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West by Blaine Harden || ★★★☆☆
The Filter Bubble: What the Internet Is Hiding from You by Eli Pariser || ★★★☆☆
The Good Daughter: A Memoir of My Mother’s Hidden Life by Jasmin Darznik ||
Hidden America: From Coal Miners to Cowboys, an Extraordinary Exploration of the Unseen People Who Make This Country Work by Jeanne Marie Laskas || ★★★★☆
Indestructible: The Unforgettable Memoir of a Marine Hero at the Battle of Iwo Jima by Jack Lucas || ★★★☆☆

My plan for the rest of 2022: I think I can squeeze in at least one more before year’s end!

#3. MAKE SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL WITH MY OWN HANDS AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH.

My original intentions: This is lifegiving in the best way for me.

How it’s going: When I made this goal, I was imagining twelve finished projects that I could share at the end of each month. And as we know…that definitely did not happen! In reflection, though, I realized that I chased beauty in different, sometimes non-traditional ways: expanding my gardens, perfecting my sourdough bread, stitching and quilting and interior design. It didn’t fit nicely in a box, but I think I was successful.

My plan for the rest of 2022: My focus has been on the house lately, so I’m going to keep running in that direction. Maybe I’ll even finish the laundry room!

#4. EXPAND THE HOMESTEAD.

My original intentions: Bigger gardens and more animals! Little by little, we are creating a more self-sufficient way of life.

How it’s going: Big YES for this one! We expanded the gardens, started the construction of the food forest, raised/processed 300 broiler chickens and 15 more hens, raised/processed two pigs and kept two other pigs healthy for breeding. I’ve never worked so hard, but it’s the most satisfying kind of work.

My plan for the rest of 2022: I’m looking forward to doing the bare minimum! I need the rest before hitting the ground running in 2023.

#5. AGGRESSIVELY WORK TOWARD THE GOAL OF PAYING OFF OUR MORTGAGE EARLY.

My original intentions: Lots of thoughts fall under this huge goal. I know my first order of business will be to brainstorm multiple income streams…what I can offer in the state of life I’m currently in? What are my gifts?

How it’s going: This goal has ebbed and flowed throughout the year, but we are still inching closer and closer! Some months we were able to put a big chunk on the principal, some months we could only manage the payment amount. Even so, we’re still passionate about this goal so we’ll keep moving forward. As of this writing, we’ve paid off 13.9% of the loan…only 86.1% to go!

My plan for the rest of 2022: As inflation soars, side hustles are becoming more and more important to keeping this goal alive. 2022 was the year for brainstorming and creation, 2023 will be for a more focused execution. I hope to flesh out some goals before New Year’s Eve.

#6. IMPROVE MY SELF-PROTECTION SKILLS.

My original intentions: The world can be a dangerous place, but knowing you can protect yourself produces confidence and not fear. This is the year I’ll finally finish my self defense course!

How it’s going: Zero progress made in this area. I didn’t even pull the self defense course out of my closet!

My plan for the rest of 2022: This might make a good goal for the winter. I’ll start by finding those DVDs, ha!

November 14, 2022

No.705: Last Week at the Farmhouse // How to Love the House You’re In

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I’ve been thinking a lot about what makes a house a home. So often I look at my house with a critical eye: that needs to be repainted, we’re going to have to get that repaired sometime soon, why did the previous owner pick that?!

During the blog break, I went on a cleaning spree and filled my days with cleaning and tidying, decluttering and straightening. Is it too dramatic to say that I love my home even more now? I don’t have the money for a kitchen renovation or floor refinishing or professionally skim coated walls. But there’s something magical about the power of soap and elbow grease. (Remember this “soap is cheap” article?) There’s something beautiful about rearranging our belongings just so, figuring out ways to make our spaces work best for this specific time in our lives. There’s something freeing to be able to say that while it’s not perfect (and will it ever be?), it’s still good.

A few other highlights from last week:

My Christmas cactus may be a Thanksgiving cactus this year!

Organization project of the week: I worked on my pantry with the addition of these command mop grippers. Now my mop and brooms are up off the floor and out of the way! (And mini frugal accomplishment: I shopped around for a good price for these clips and couldn’t find anything cheaper than $9 for one hook. A quick look on Poshmark and I found someone selling four for $9! Love a good deal, especially these days.)

I worked through The Tenant of Wildfell Hall most of the week for book club. A good story, but whew…a slog to get through the middle!

A further consequence of my blog break cleaning spree was a new aversion for mass-produced decor. I recently read an article that commented on the lure of materialism in social media and how it influenced home decor and design. One woman was lamenting about a gold mirror in her baby’s nursery that was “all the rage” two years ago, but is now basically unnecessary and useless. It’s fascinating how we can be so subconsciously manipulated! Anyway, I’m discovering more and more that I love unique, old things and I want them to be a part of everyday life. Nothing too precious to be kept in a cabinet collecting dust!

Some examples I’ve recently implemented/acquired: I used my grandmother’s china teacups to be “scoopers” for my flour/sugar/oats jars. I pulled out an old dish (also from a grandmother) to hold my everyday jewelry. I purchased a beautiful vintage (supposedly European) soap dish for my kitchen sink. They’re all small little details that create a collected look all my own.

No photographic evidence, but I also:

+ woke up early to see the lunar eclipse and the “blood moon” on Tuesday. Standing outside in the silence with a sky full of stars… it was so incredibly beautiful. What an amazing Creator we serve.
+ did my yearly stripping of the processing clothes as my boys are done with farm work for the season. So gross. So satisfying.
+ continued applying essential oils to my (very large) pig’s hurt leg. Fred’s been limping, so at the advice of a friend, I ordered and started applying Ache Away. I never know what to expect with these homeopathic-type remedies, but it appears to be working! He’s slowly getting the pep back in his step.
+ opened an electric bill informing us of another price increase. I think this is #3 for the year? It goes into effect in January 2023, so we’ll have to be extra careful with our heating. Lots of fires in the fireplace in our future!

November 9, 2022

No.704: Five Good Things // Vol.14

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1 // THESE BLANKETS FOR KIDS

I received a weighted blanket for Christmas a few years ago and it’s a crowd favorite with the entire family. I finally decided to invest in some for the kids (so they’d stop stealing mine!) and eventually landed on WeeSprout weighted blankets. I like that they have choices appropriate for different ages/sizes (I got the 5lb for my youngest and 10lb for my middle kids) and the quilted look distributes the weight evenly. And extra awesome: I think the kids sleep more deeply when they use them. Happy, well-rested kids = a happy mama.

2 // THIS SOUP, PERFECT FOR SORE THROATS AND CHILLY NIGHTS

Back in October, I had some random bits of things in the fridge that would be perfect for a soup. A quick search led me to this chicken noodle soup recipe and it was a big hit. I’m keeping the recipe close by for the inevitable days when we have the sniffles or just need something warm to fill our bellies.

3 // THIS QUOTE

…it occurs to me now, however, that I might work with light itself. It has always captivated me, the way it shifts and alters all that it touches, significant both in presence and in absence.
I am desperate to begin. I have become too mindful of suffering and darkness; they attend to me even when I bid them not to, like scavenger birds perched and waiting for the calf to die. And when I seek a finer grace in the day, some essence of love and life, the light fades beneath my eyes.
I will not abandon the quest before it has truly begun, however. I will let this grief sharpen my gaze, polish and shape it until it becomes a magnifying lens through which I might yet see.
– To the Bright Edge of the World, page 218

4 // THIS POPCORN MAKER

We’ve been without a popcorn maker for quite awhile now. Our previous one broke and every time I tried to reorder another, the shipment was ultimately cancelled. Womp womp. Recently, while on Poshmark for something completely unrelated, I stumbled on a brand new, never removed from the box popcorn maker! (I know I’m a broken record at this point, but I’m loving the “secondhand” market right now.) I’ve never used this type of popper before and I’m loving it. Smaller footprint, no oil needed and cleanup is minimal. So great. I was thinking that when paired with some popcorn kernels and a movie, it would make a really sweet family gift for Christmas. If you can’t find another one on Poshmark, Amazon sells them as well.

5 // THIS TOOL THAT TRANSFORMED MY UGLY COUCH!

Back in December 2020, still on cloud nine from becoming debt free, we finally replaced our beat-up Ikea couch with a more expensive, “grown-up” sectional. I went with a lighter color in a less child-friendly, but allegedly “high performance fabric.” This was it, guys – the start of a new beginning! And very, very quickly…the fabric was covered with pilling. Think of your oldest, most ratty sweater and multiply by 10. I was convinced I had made a wrong fabric selection (you know how some of these places have fabrics that are completely impractical for actual living!) and was so, so embarrassed to have wasted so much money. But whatcha gonna do? I threw some throw pillows and blankets on it and tried to ignore all of its ugly glory. Fast forward to two weeks ago when I randomly stumbled on an article about caring for upholstery. Halfway through, it basically said, “Pilling on couch upholstery is completely normal and you just need a fabric shaver to make it look good as new.” How did I not know this?! I ordered the one they recommended, the Gleener fabric shaver, and my couch is transformed! If you get satisfaction from vacuuming, you’ll love this thing.