The Big White Farmhouse

intentional living, little by little

No.515: Every Day in May // Day 4

Day four: a Sunday filled with a Solemn High Mass, lazy family time and lots of chickens!

Look for the Gifts

The Epistle this week included this verse from James: Dearly beloved, every best gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no change nor shadow of alteration. (James 1:17)  One silly, but perfect gift I noticed today is the arrival of these beautiful California poppies in my wildflower garden beds.  I thought they were goners after Lucy plowed through them last spring, but they came back…and with even more blooms than last year! So, so beautiful.  Our God is such a generous Creator.

My April Phenology Wheel (Almost Finished!)

I finished up the last few sections of my phenology wheel for April and love how it turned out.  Look at all of those sunny days!  I have a few sticky note reminders about some of the nature-y things I saw/experienced over the month, so hopefully I’ll be able to draw those in around the edges later this week.  (I used this printable for the phenology wheel, in case you want to make one yourself.)

Four Super Random Decluttered Items

Oh man.  I am loving this daily decluttering so far!  I have definitely gotten out of practice since my challenge ended, but the momentum’s returning.  I can feel it!  Here’s what I found today:

  • An outgrown pair of sneakers // They are still in decent shape, so I’m going to see if I can wash them really well and use a Magic Eraser around the soles to freshen them up.  I’ll then add them to a bunch of Sophie’s outgrown clothes to list on Trash Nothing.
  • A brand new potty seat // We bought this for our youngest, took it out of the packaging, and he never used it!  I may try to sell it on ebay if I can find a big enough box.
  • A tile sample from Sophie’s bathroom renovation  // I hate to toss it, but can’t come up with any other use for it.
  • A really old free sample //  I think I tried this primer once when I received it, but ultimately went back to my preferred makeup.  This is years old, so headed for the trash.

No.514: Every Day in May // Day 3

Day three.  The wind yesterday evening was wild!  Thankfully, we only lost power for a few minutes.  We spent the morning picking up the aftermath: moving back the trampoline, reattaching the fallen squash tunnel (note to self: secure better before planting!), and picking up random sticks and branches all over the yard.

DIY Taco Seasoning

Tacos are on the menu this upcoming week, so I quickly made some homemade taco seasoning.  I used this recipe from Little Spice Jar and it should be enough for about eight pounds of meat.  (If I had had more chili powder, I would have doubled the recipe.)  This led me down the rabbit hole of “Maybe I should start buying my spices in bulk?” and a quick search brought up two options: Olam Spices (which looks to be for commercial use) and Mountain Rose Herbs.  I’m sure there are other options out there – I need some recommendations!

I Made a Sale!

Poshmark has been hit or miss for me lately.  Sometimes I get multiple sales in a row, sometimes I hear crickets for a week.  Today was a good day: I sold a dress that was too big, I made a little bit of money, and there’s one less item taking space in my closet!

#28things7days Challenge, Day Three

Today’s three items: an old Johnny’s catalog from 2020 and two sets of markers that were given to me but I’ve never used.  I tossed the catalog in the recycling bin – easy!  For the markers, I think I’ll put them in a gallon bag and continue to fill it with random craft supplies before donating.

Pizza Night

Another delicious dinner made by my twelve-year-old pizza maker.

No.513: Every Day in May // Day 2

Day Two!  We started our day bright and early with a 7am appointment to the pediatric dentist.  The protocols are still pretty crazy with who/how many can go in at one time, so it’s all hands on deck: I hold down the fort in the car while Mark takes different sets of kids inside.  I’m grateful that the kids easily roll with the punches and extra grateful that they all are cavity free.  A few other highlights:

Little Avocado and Orange Trees

I fertilized my calamondin orange and avocado trees with with a new-to-me fertilizer by Dr. Earth (affiliate link).  If the nighttime temperatures cooperate, I hope to have them finally out of my bedroom and into the garden by next week!  Also on the to-do list is to get some bigger pots to eventually transplant them in.

The Booktube Spin #2

I played along with the first Booktube Spin back in February.  I never got around to the actual book I was supposed to read, but I did manage to knock four others off the list instead!  So for the next round, I replaced those with new choices (more affiliate links ahead):

  1. Better Off: Flipping the Switch on Technology by Eric Brende // When We Were the Kennedys: A Memoir of Mexico, Maine by Monica Wood
  2. The Barefoot Bandit by Bob Friel
  3. My Italian Bulldozer by Alexander McCall Smith
  4. Far from the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy
  5. He Leadeth Me by Walter J. Ciszek
  6. Welcome to Lagos by Chibundu Onuzo
  7. Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie
  8. Complications: A Surgeon’s Notes on an Imperfect Science by Atul Gawande
  9. The Privilege of Being a Woman by Alice von Hildebrand
  10. The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena // Cold Sassy Tree by Olive Ann Burns
  11. The Girl in the Green Raincoat by Laura Lippman // Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
  12. Fatherless by Brian J. Gail
  13. What She Knew by Gilly MacMillan
  14. Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds by David Goggins
  15. My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante
  16. This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald
  17. Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver
  18. Anne of the Island by L. M. Montgomery
  19. Moloka’i by Alan Brennert
  20. An Everlasting Meal: Cooking with Economy and Grace by Tamar Adler // The Widows of Malabar Hill by Sujata Massey

The host of the challenge spun the wheel and the number was…#1!  Here’s hoping I actually read the book this time around.

Declutter Challenge, Day Two

Day two of the #28things7days decluttering challenge, so I chose two items that I’ve kept for a long time.  I originally purchased these vintage baby girl clothes to resell in the Big White Farmhouse shop, but they never made it to the website.  BWF has been closed for almost four years now (time flies…) so it’s definitely time to get them out of my house.  I snapped a few pictures and listed them right away on ebay.  I think they would be beautiful framed or displayed in a baby girl’s nursery!

No.512: Every Day In May // Noticing the Little Things

The past two months have been an absolute whirlwind.  We’ve been in a heads down, go-go-go hustle season and can I just admit that I’m tired?  So content, so happy, but so tired.  I’ve also had terrible writer’s block, unable to come up with anything interesting to write about, but I miss this creative outlet so much!  I’m always inspired by Hilary from Old World Home‘s “VEDA” (Vlog Every Day in April) videos, so I thought maybe I’d go back to the basics and record a few little things that brought me joy or comfort or gratitude each day.  So here goes!

A Productive Laundry Day

Thursday is the day I wash my master bedroom sheets.  Today, I was extra motivated and washed the white quilt too.  Love climbing into clean sheets at the end of a long day.  (And yes, still no headboard.  One of these days…)

Cinnamon Apple Muffins

We had a bunch of apples that were looking a little rough, so the middle kids and I had “Cooking School” and got to work!  We sliced some for apple chips in the dehydrator and used the rest for cinnamon apple muffins.  (I used this recipe from Add a Pinch.)  The kids did most of the work and the result was delicious.

A Mini Decluttering Challenge (#28things7days)

I recently stumbled upon a decluttering challenge where you declutter a number of things based on the day.  So for Day 1, you declutter one item, on Day 2, you find two items, etc.  After one week, you will have decluttered 28 things!  I plan to do this weekly all month long, so that will bring the grand total to 112 items.  I’m anxious for a little less visual clutter and a little more breathing room.

Okay, so Day 1’s item: I picked a scarf that I’ve had forever (since my daughter was a baby) but just don’t reach for anymore.  I guess I wear scarves for warmth instead of fashion now!  It’s still in great condition, so it’s off to the thrift store for someone else to enjoy.

P.S. Hilary mentioned that she had a two-day production schedule for her daily vlogs: she filmed on one day, edited on the next day, and scheduled the final product to go live on the third day.  I’m trying her method, so each post will actually be from two days earlier.  Not that it matters much in the long run!

Less Materialism, More Intentional Living

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