The Big White Farmhouse

intentional living, little by little

No.551: The Wednesday Five #20

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Happy Wednesday!

A QUOTE

No matter what’s happening in the world, have your tea, make your list, plan your food preparation, read to your children, wash the clothes, do something creative for everyone and be a light for your home. – Lydia Sherman

I found this quote on Pinterest and it really resonated.  Life seems to be changing minute by minute at this point and when I think too much about the future, I get anxious.  This was the reminder I needed to slow down and focus on my vocation right in front of me.  One day at a time.

TABS OPEN IN MY BROSWER RIGHT NOW
A BEAUTIFUL PIECE OF ART

“Homeward with Mother” by Hugh Cameron (found here)

A RECOMMENDATION

Have you seen this home tour of Rejiv Surendra’s NYC apartment?  His home is filled with handmade things and so inspiring!  Our taste is different, but I immediately starting thinking of projects I could make to add unique beauty to our home.  I feel a new challenge coming on…

A HOMEMAKER CHECK-IN

How are you, my dear reader?  Some of us are struggling with the rising cost of food, uncertain job security, even whispers of another lockdown.  Some of us are working hard toward debt freedom or business creation.  The future has so many unknowns and it’s a lot for anyone, but especially for us as homemakers and caregivers in charge of the purse strings.  I’m brainstorming a way for us to “talk shop” and share tips, recommendations and encouragement as we dive into these challenging economic times – maybe through these Wednesday Five posts? I hope you’ll comment and share your thoughts as well!

  • What do things costs around you right now?  Our gas is $2.95/gallon.  A few grocery staples: a gallon of whole milk is $2.81, a loaf of bread is $2.48, and a dozen eggs are $1.28.
  • I usually make one carb-heavy dinner each week and one we recently tried was this recipe for Chili Mac.  I liked that it only called for one pound of ground beef and the rest of the ingredients were all shelf staples.  Add a big salad and garlic bread on the side and it’s a decently cheap, well-rounded meal.
  • I have been browsing ThredUp every so often for deals on fall/winter wear.  Another website I sometimes browse is called Swap.  It’s a little hit or miss, but there are some great deals to be found if you dig.
  • A tip I just learned and can’t wait to try: You can re-crisp stale cookies, crackers, cereal or chips by placing them in a single layer and dehydrating them at 145° for 1-2 hours.
  • Another new find: this website to create and print your own handwriting practice sheets.  Really easy to do and could help with homeschool costs!

No.550: Five Reasons to Send a Letter in August

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If you’ve read here for any length of time, you know that I am a passionate supporter of keeping snail mail alive!  This is a monthly series that I hope will inspire you to start putting thoughts on paper.  There’s nothing like finding a handwritten note among the piles of bills and junk mail.   

August 1 // Sisters Day

Sisters Day is traditionally celebrated on the first Sunday in August.  This is the time to tell her how much you love and appreciate her.  Don’t forget your sister-in-law, sorority sisters, even the religious nuns you know!  
A few cards created by small businesses:

August 9 // Book Lover’s Day

Book Lovers Day is the perfect day for relaxing in the shade with a good book.  Celebrate with your fellow bibliophiles by passing along a recent read or something on their wish list.  I’m sure a bookstore gift card would be loved too!
A few cards created by small businesses:  

August 16 // National Tell a Joke Day

This one is so fun!  Send a letter filled with your favorite jokes – the cornier, the better!  Kids will love to join in on this one.
A few cards created by small businesses:

August 21 // National Honey Bee Awareness Day

The third Saturday in August is dedicated to the bees!  This day was established in 2009 for beekeepers, as a way to promote honey and to encourage educational programs.  Thankfully, we can participate too.  Send a letter with a few (bee-friendly) flower seeds tucked inside or pass along your favorite jar of local honey.
A few cards created by small businesses:

August 26 // National Dog Day

National Dog Day has two goals: to honor dogs, and to rescue dogs from homelessness and abuse.  Today would be a great day to support your local animal shelter.  
A few cards created by small businesses:

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No.549: Living Intentionally in August

I’ve tried many kinds of goal posts over the years.  Maybe I’m getting older, but I’m seeking more to life than just checking off the tasks on the to-do list!  So for this school year, I’m creating monthly overviews, filled with ideas and possibilities to add to our ordinary days.  (I’ve also included a handful of tasks that I probably should accomplish, especially in the homemaking area.)  Maybe it will give you a few ideas too!

Eating Seasonally 

It’s still summer and blazing hot, yet there’s that tiny hint of a new season just around the corner…  Even though our garden isn’t producing much, I do hope to support our local farm stands and eat something fresh off the vine!  In season in August:

  • blueberries
  • watermelon
  • corn
  • tomatoes
  • cucumbers
  • peppers
  • summer squash
  • zucchini
Celebrating the Liturgical Year

The month of August is dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.  According to my Saintmaker Planner, “Catholics venerate Mary’s heart because it is the seat of her love (especially for Christ), virtue, and inner life.”  I’d also like to celebrate a few saints on their feast days:

Homesteading and Self-Sufficiency 
  • Work on beefing up my pantry using the challenges from A Working Pantry.
  • Process the broiler chickens.
  • Clean and organize all of the chicken raising “stuff” and pack away for next year.
  • Research fermentation.
Homemaking 
  • Plan out the dinner menu for at least two weeks at a time. (maybe the entire month?)
  • Wipe down all of the bathroom cabinets.
  • Wipe out the silverware drawer.
  • Tidy the school room and refresh supplies.
  • Check everyone’s sneaker situation and start making a to-buy list for cool weather clothes.
100 Little Things Revisited

August is the month that I typically release my yearly 100 Little Things list.  This year, I think I’m going to try something a little different.  In the seven years I’ve done this project, I only averaged about a 35-40% completion rate.  Lots of tasks have gone undone due to lack of interest or money or time.  So for 2021-2022, I’m going to sift through the lists and see what I can do!  Here’s what I’ve picked out for August:

  • Complete a new embroidery project. (100LT #37 from Round Seven)
  • Learn how to dehydrate fruit. (100LT #98 from Round Four)
Family Fun
  • Bring back Poetry Tea Time, complete with a special weekly sweet treat.
  • Celebrate some silly holidays:
    • National Fresh Breath Day (6) // maybe I’ll get them all gum!
    • National S’mores Day (10)
    • National Tell a Joke Day (16)
    • National Trail Mix Day (31)

No.548: What I Read in July 2021

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#56. ASHES OF FIERY WEATHER by Kathleen Donohoe
★★★☆☆
This book is a multi-generational story from the point-of-view of the matriarchs of an Irish-American family.  Firefighting is a common link through the generations and the family suffers through heartache, betrayal and family drama.  I found this one well-written, but the flow of narrators and timelines was hard to follow.  Thank goodness for the family tree in the front!  Solid three stars, although I wish Catholicism had been portrayed in a more positive light. 

#57. PROMISE by Minrose Gwin
★★★☆☆
From the author’s note: “A few minutes after 9 P.M. on Palm Sunday, April 5, 1936, a massive funnel cloud flashing a giant fireball and roaring like a runaway train careened into the thriving cotton-mill town of Tupelo, in northeastern Mississippi.  The tornado was measured as an F5, the highest level on the Fujita scale.  Winds were estimated at 261 to 318 miles per hour, leveling 48 city blocks, about half the town.”  This novel is the fictional account of what happens after this devastating event.  I liked this story, but didn’t love it.

#58. FAIR AND TENDER LADIES by Lee Smith
★★★☆☆

For all of a sudden…I said to myself, Ivy, this is your life, this is your real life, and you are living it.  Your life is not going to start later.  This is it, this is now.  It’s funny how a person can be so busy living that they forget this is it.  This is my life. (p.195)

Fair and Tender Ladies is an epistolary novel, told through letters from Ivy Rowe to her family and friends and spanning her lifetime.  I’d describe this one as melancholy in tone.  I felt for Ivy, but also could not understand some of her decisions or her justification of them.  Thought provoking, for sure.  3.5 stars.

#59. THE CATHOLIC GUIDE TO MIRACLES: SEPARATING THE AUTHENTIC FROM THE COUNTERFEIT by Adam Blai
★★★★★
This book was so good.  A quick, interesting read about everything from the stigmata and incorruptibility, to miraculous healings and Marian apparitions.  This is the perfect overview book that can provoke interest in deeper investigation.  I really enjoyed it.  (P.S. How beautiful is the artwork on the cover?  It’s called “Jesus Walking on Water” by Ivan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky and I found a print of it here.)

#60. THE TIMEPIECE AND THE GIRL WHO WENT ASTRAY by O.R. Simmonds
★★☆☆☆
The Timepiece is a mix of history and time travel – a type of genre I don’t think I’ve ever read before!  The story is about an American man who is staying in London with his girlfriend.  She recommends that he find a unique thrift shop that specializes in various watches of all shapes and sizes.  When the shop owner convinces him to buy one particular piece, the adventure and craziness begins.  I think this book had a lot of potential, but got bogged down in the particulars.  The complex time travel system required a lot of explanation, which slowed the pacing of the storyline.  I did appreciate the cliff hanger at the end, which definitely opens this up to becoming a series.  All in all, just an okay read for me.  (Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.  The Timepiece and the Girl Who Went Astray will be published on July 30, 2021!)

Less Materialism, More Intentional Living

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