This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission of any sale made at no extra cost to you.

The weather outside is //

As I look outside my window // We’ve had a ton of rain lately.  There’s nothing more uncomfortable than doing morning chores in the cold, pouring rain but I’m also so very grateful.  We had a pretty significant drought this summer and our pastures were bone dry.  So this rain is good!  It’s even better when we can stay warm and dry inside by the fire. 🙂

As I look around the house // it’s beginning to look a teeny bit like Advent!  We decorate slowly throughout December and I love how that simple action increases the Christmas anticipation.  So far, we’ve put up the Nativity scene, window candles and a few twinkle lights.  The tree will go up as soon as we can figure out how to keep Samson away from it!  (He has a tendency to mark his territory on trees…ahem.)

Excited about // some fun surprises up my sleeve for Advent School this year.  I bought this perler bead gingerbread house kit, this Countdown to Christmas advent activity book, and this Christmas watercolor book.  We’ll also be checking out the Advent videos on Formed.

Pondering // this little paragraph from Come, Lord Jesus (this is my fourth year reading this book for Advent, I think?):

I love to recall the word of the poet Sister Madeleva that I find ineffably dear: “In Advent I always feel that I should walk on tiptoe.”  Indeed, in the wonder of Advent, we should spiritually walk on tiptoe, full of expectancy, full of wonder.” (p.22)

Working // on so many creative projects and it feels so good.  I’ve started on my “December Daily” junk journal.  After more than a year (!!), I also pulled out my quilt and my cross-stitch sampler again and have been stitching on both.  (I had not made much progress since I shared them back in this post.)  In other crafty news, I fell down a new Youtube rabbit hole.  Did you know there is such a thing as Flosstube?  What “booktube” is for readers, “flosstube” is for cross-stitchers!  They are arguably the most wholesome, lovely group of women on the Internet.  Their videos are like a grown-up show and tell…I love it.

On this week’s to-do list //
– dry orange slices for decorations
– mail gifts for faraway relatives
– wrap a few presents
– work on Christmas cards
– celebrate St. Nicholas Day and the Feast of the Immaculate Conception

Currently reading // 

• Fiction: Light Changes Everything by Nancy E. Turner
• Nonfiction: Cobalt Red: How the Blood of the Congo Powers Our Lives by Siddharth Kara and The Ditchdigger’s Daughters by Yvonne S. Thornton, MD
• Religious: Come, Lord Jesus: Meditations on the Art of Waiting by Mother Mary Francis, PCC and The Practice of the Presence of God by Bro. Lawrence

On the menu this week //

Monday: hearty slowcooker beef stew
Tuesday: chicken pot pie
Wednesday: pasta with homemade bolognese sauce
Thursday: Refrigerator Clean Out Night
Friday: bean and cheese tostadas

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission of any sale made at no extra cost to you.

The weather outside is //

As I look outside my window // Fall is in full swing.  The morning temperatures are quite crisp now; I’ve had to pull out my big Carhartt for morning chores.  Yellow leaves fall from the trees like confetti.  The garden has been mostly put to bed for the season, just a few more areas to weed and amend.  The pace on the farm is slowing and a winter of rest is on the horizon.  We’re so close!  I think I can, I think I can…

As I look around the house // Four pumpkins picked from a local farm sit in a row on the kitchen table, ripe and waiting to be carved into jack-o’-lanterns.  Our kitchen island is overflowing with eggs.  I have a pile of warm, cozy blankets to wash and pile into the living room baskets.  It’s so trite to say nowadays, but I have always loved this time of year.

Thinking about // this poem from Mary Oliver:

“I Worried” by Mary Oliver

I worried a lot. Will the garden grow, will the rivers
flow in the right direction, will the earth turn
as it was taught, and if not how shall
I correct it?

Was I right, was I wrong, will I be forgiven,
can I do better?

Will I ever be able to sing, even the sparrows
can do it and I am, well,
hopeless.

Is my eyesight fading or am I just imagining it,
am I going to get rheumatism,
lockjaw, dementia?

Finally I saw that worrying had come to nothing.
And gave it up. And took my old body
and went out into the morning,
and sang.

I’m less a worrier and more of an overthinker, a predict-er, a planner, a Plan A/B/C-er.  While that way of thinking is sometimes helpful, it’s also so very exhausting.  Lately, I’ve been practicing the art of going outside with a blank mind.  No lists or plans, just intentionally seeking and naming beauty in my own backyard.  Harder than it sounds (!!) but a good challenge.  I feel a lot of peace when I can accomplish it.

On this week’s to-do list //
– work on refilling/stocking “winter emergency packs” for each vehicle
– start switching out the kids’ wardrobes
– pack away my summer dresses and bring out the sweaters
– move Fred from pasture into the permanent pig paddock
– work on my junk journal
– give the little boys’ haircuts

Currently reading // 

• Fiction: The Day I Died by Lori Rader-Day
• Nonfiction: The LCP Solution: The Remarkable Nutritional Treatment for ADHD, Dyslexia & Dyspraxia by B. Jacqueline Stordy PhD, Enemy: A True Story of Courage, Childhood Trauma and the Cost of War by Ruth Clare and Land of Hope: An Invitation to the Great American Story by Wilfred M. McClay
• Religious: The Catholic Mass: Steps to Restore the Centrality of God in the Liturgy by Bishop Athanasius Schneider

On the menu this week //

Monday: loaded breakfast enchiladas
Tuesday: white chicken chili
Wednesday: meatballs with mashed potatoes
Thursday: Refrigerator Cleanout Night
Friday: tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission of any sale made at no extra cost to you.

The weather outside is //

As I look outside my window // The arrival of autumn is slowly making itself known around here – the leaves on the tulip poplars are falling and the morning air is crisp and cool.  We’ve been chipping away at our farm’s winter prep list and the drop in temperatures is much appreciated!

As I look around the house // I’m excited to try out the FlyLady cleaning routine to see if it will help.  My poor house has been neglected this year due to all of my other commitments and while it’s not a dump, it could definitely use a deep clean and declutter.  I’m hoping FlyLady (in addition to my decluttering list) is the answer!  I downloaded her free app (because I didn’t want the constant emails in my inbox) and love and appreciate the direction.  Bonus points for the ability to check items off of the list.

Learning // a lot about cortisol and why it’s quite a bit more complicated than originally thought:

Our previous, and overly simplistic, view that “more stress = more cortisol = more belly fat” and “less stress = less cortisol = less belly fat” still holds true in some regards – and reminds us that we certainly do not want to have high levels of systemic cortisol.  But our growing understanding of the role of the HSD enzyme in cortisol metabolism within individual cells alerts us to the fact that we really need to be focusing simultaneously on controlling cortisol exposure both outside of cells (blood levels caused by high stress and poor lifestyle) and inside of cells (caused by overactive HSD and suboptimal levels of GH and testosterone). – The Cortisol Connection: Why Stress Makes You Fat and Ruins Your Health – And What You Can Do About It, p.64

I’m not done with the book yet, but this revelation may be one answer to some of my current health issues!  Eating foods rich in flavonoids is a natural way to control HSD activity, so I’m going to try to add more of them into my diet.  I also need to look into a citrus bioflavonoid supplement, since the most potent is polymethoxylated flavonoids (PMFs), which is found in citrus peels.

On this week’s to-do list //
– continue putting the garden “to bed” (pulling out spent plants, weeding, etc)
– order hog panels for new permanent paddocks
– order straw
– wrap birthday presents
– buy cards for fall birthdays/celebrations
– clean and vacuum out the cars
– sell a few things on ebay/Poshmark/Pango

Currently reading // 

• Fiction: Trickster’s Point by William Kent Krueger
• Nonfiction: We Crossed a Bridge and It Trembled: Voices from Syria by Wendy Pearlman,  Cobalt Red: How the Blood of the Congo Powers Our Lives by Siddharth Kara, Land of Hope: An Invitation to the Great American Story by Wilfred M. McClay, and The Cortisol Connection: Why Stress Makes You Fat and Ruins Your Health – And What You Can Do About It by Shawn Talbott, PhD FACSM
• Religious: The Catholic Mass: Steps to Restore the Centrality of God in the Liturgy by Bishop Athanasius Schneider

On the menu this week //

Monday: sheet pan roasted chicken with root vegetables
Tuesday: ground beef and gravy over mashed potatoes
Wednesday: homemade pizza
Thursday: chicken fried rice and egg rolls
Friday: breakfast for dinner TBD

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission of any sale made at no extra cost to you.

The weather outside is //

As I look outside my window // With the start of the school year, I’ve barely been in the garden.  Thankfully, the weed pressure isn’t too terrible and the crops are finishing up.  (Still up to our eyeballs in cherry tomatoes, though!)  We still have quite a few projects to complete before winter, so I’m going to need to figure out how to tuck some work into my weekdays.  There’s just too much to cram into a Saturday!

As I look around the house // One of the last pieces of the homeschooling puzzle is always my cleaning chores.  After a summer off, I’m dipping my toes back into the Weekly Cleaning Routine I created last fall.  I’m starting with really simple tasks because I need some easy wins!

Baby Steps from Burnout Update // While researching elevated cortisol levels, I came across this helpful video which led me to her website and her quick (and free!) Stress Better Starter Kit class.  You never know what “real” information you’re going to get in these freebies (which are always trying to lead you toward the more comprehensive, paid version) but I really did learn a few things!  So last week was all about implementing some small changes: eating a lot more protein in my diet, doing a very gentle stretching routine, starting the process of weaning myself off my second (sometimes third!) cup of coffee, and upping my supplement game.

Laughing // at myself with my early morning stretching routine.  Overtraining can be a cortisol stressor, so I needed to find something that was super easy and gentle…no fast pumping of the heart allowed.  I ended up finding a few Youtube videos directed toward senior citizens that fit the bill; I love them!  (I always say that my “spirit age” is 75, so I fit right in.)  They really make me miss my grandmother – she would have made a great workout partner.

On this week’s to-do list //
– make a batch of chicken salad for lunches
– tidy the linen closet
– pull everything off the kitchen counters and put away unnecessary items
– unclog the shower drain
– work on the Fred the pig’s permanent paddock construction
– research for a chimney cleaning service
– make pop tart cookie bars with the kids
– list a few things on ebay/Poshmark/Pango

Currently reading // 

• Fiction: Blackout by Marc Elsberg
• Nonfiction: We Crossed a Bridge and It Trembled: Voices from Syria by Wendy Pearlman, Land of Hope: An Invitation to the Great American Story by Wilfred M. McClay, Pioneer Priests and Makeshift Altars: A History of Catholicism in the Thirteen Colonies by Fr. Charles Connor and Psychodietetics: Food As the Key to Emotional Health by E. Cheraskin, MD DMD & W.M. Ringsdorf, DMD MS
• Religious: The Secret Diary of Elisabeth Leseur

On the menu this week //

Monday: philly cheese steak sandwiches
Tuesday: chili and cornbread
Wednesday: sheet pan sausage and veggies
Thursday: spatchcock chicken with a side dish TBD
Friday: shrimp fried rice and eggrolls

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission of any sale made at no extra cost to you.

The weather outside is //

As I look outside my window // Our busiest season on the farm is over and this lull is very much appreciated!  No rest for the weary, though: I just wrote out a lengthy “winter prep” task list and want to get most of it accomplished before cold weather hits.  Counting down the days until I can hibernate inside for months.

As I look around the house // The kitchen counter is bursting with fresh produce and I need to decide what to do with it all.  Use it for dinner?  Freeze it?  Can it?  Give some of it to pigs and chickens?  A good problem to have!

Prioritizing my health // The humbling part about keeping a blog is knowing that I’ve written a version of this sentence countless times over the years: I’ve fallen off the horse and have to get back up.  Having a new puppy who wakes up obscenely early (and wants everyone in the house to know it) has really taken a toll on me.  Add that to my already full farming schedule – and soon to be school schedule! – and I’ve been burning the candle at both ends.  Early in July, I told my husband that I felt like I was exhibiting signs of depression, but without being depressed: I felt almost numb, going through the motions but feeling little.  That admission scared both of us and I immediately started to make some changes.  Some of my physical symptoms seemed to match thyroid issues, so I had bloodwork done to check.  All came back normal, praise God!  With further research, it appears that poor sleep, high cortisol levels and stress can also mimic thyroid issues.  Well, check check check.  I’ve put myself on a relatively strict diet, am allowing myself naps/going to bed early as needed, and am trying to reduce stress triggers.  I’m starting to feel a little better, but Rome wasn’t built in a day.  One step at a time.

Thinking // about this post from Michelle, especially this part: “When I’m feeling good, I focus on all the good things I’ve done. When I’m feeling down, I focus on everything I’ve done wrong. Social media, of course, only shows what we want it to show. How many times has a friend posted something, and I’ve thought man, that is nowhere near what they were telling me yesterday. How many times have I done that?”

On this week’s to-do list //
– consider jumping into a “low buy August”, like last year
– finalize preparations for Week 1 of school (we start next week!)
– move wood chips to piglets’ permanent paddock
– pick elderberries and freeze
– can pizza sauce
– mop the kitchen floor
– mail a birthday card & a thank you
– list a few things on ebay/Poshmark/Pango

Currently reading // 

• Fiction: Fatherless by Brian J. Gail & a book for Netgalley
• Nonfiction: The Barefoot Bandit: The True Tale of Colton Harris-Moore, New American Outlaw by Bob Friel
• Religious: Humility of Heart by Fr. Cajetan Mary da Bergamo

On the menu this week //

Monday: chicken with a BLT salad
Tuesday: homemade pizza
Wednesday: sheet pan sausage & veggies over rice
Thursday: loaded nachos
Friday: breakfast for dinner TBD – maybe a frittata?

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission of any sale made at no extra cost to you.

The weather outside is //

As I look outside my window // I’m so grateful for all of the rain we received last week!  (And from the forecast above, it looks like there’s more coming our way.)  My garden and the pastures definitely needed a good soak.  The downside is that the weeds also love the extra moisture and are popping up everywhere!  I’ve gotten in the habit of spending an hour or two every morning trying to tamp down the invasion.  It’s a losing battle, but something’s better than nothing.

As I look around the house // I’m feeling the itch to declutter and organize again.  This spring has been so fast-paced and I’ve just tried to keep my head above water.  But if I say, “I know we have that, but I don’t remember where I put it” one more time…I’m going to go crazy!

On this week’s to-do list //
– finish and mail the 2023-24 homeschool intent package
– figure out how to catch a sneaky fox that’s been eating our chickens (we bought a trap!)
– figure out how to keep pigs inside the permanent paddock (Ethel and the piglets have broken out 3 times in 4 days!)
– start hauling woodchips to the barnyard
– organize the garage
– bake bread

Currently reading // 

• Fiction: Unnatural Ends by Christopher Huang
• Nonfiction: The Politics of Envy by Anne Hendershott
• Religious: Humility of Heart by Fr. Cajetan Mary da Bergamo

On the menu this week //

Monday: chicken caesar wraps
Tuesday: pulled pork
Wednesday: pesto chicken tortellini and veggies
Thursday: leftover pulled pork nachos
Friday: TBD – something with shrimp?

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission of any sale made at no extra cost to you.

The weather outside is //

As I look outside my window // We’re preparing for a big week here on the farm.  The weather looks to be warming back up, so I have lots of transplanting and sowing to do.  Also on the docket: more construction on the duck house, prep work for the second batch of broiler chicks’ arrival next week, and most important….a pig farrowing!

As I look around the house // Time to get to work on my Spring Cleaning list!  The lack of balance between maintaining both the inside and outside of the house has been a major source of stress for me, but I’m trying to give myself grace without giving up.  I’m picking four tasks for the week (see below) and will go from there.  Baby steps!

Brainstorming // for my second annual list for summer projects!  I didn’t finish more than half of my projects in 2022 but I liked putting the goals to paper anyway.  Hope to have something to share soon.

On this week’s to-do list //
– prep for baby piglets!!
– set up water splitters
– clean out junk drawer
– clean/tidy under the kitchen sink
– tidy/vacuum crumbs from the utensil drawers
– wipe down kitchen cabinets

Currently reading // 

Feeling a bit restless with my reading these days, so I have a ton going at the same time:

• Fiction: The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Kishiguro & All the Lonely People by Mike Gayle
• Nonfiction: The Lost Dinosaurs of Egypt by William Nothdurft & The Forever Witness by Edward Humes
• Religious: To Know Christ Jesus by Frank Sheed & The Secret Diary of Elisabeth Leseur

On the menu this week //

Monday: roasted chicken quarters and potatoes
Tuesday: teriyaki beef rice bowls
Wednesday: cajun chicken pasta
Thursday: Refrigerator Cleanout Night
Friday: bean and cheese burritos

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission of any sale made at no extra cost to you.

The weather outside is //

Look at that flip flop weather!  It’s getting hard to know how to dress these days…

As I look outside my window // I can see the first hints of spring!  Even though I love a good winter hibernation season, I am so grateful this year in particular was quite mild.  I was able to get a handful of big garden projects accomplished and I’m so glad I won’t have to juggle those along with the beginning of growing season.  This week really starts the ball rolling: the first batch of broilers and hens are on the way!

As I look around the house // We’re still a hodgepodge of projects and good intentions around here.  So much to do, so little time!  I could definitely afford to do a thorough tidy this week.

Thinking // deep thoughts about farming and raising quality meat.  (You wouldn’t want to be in my head right now, ha!)  It’s really expensive to farm these days: infrastructure is expensive, feed is expensive, supplies are expensive, EVERYTHING is expensive.  When you walk through your local farmer’s market, the farmers aren’t charging high prices for kicks and giggles; they’re just trying to break even and hopefully make a little to support their own families.  But the big question I keep coming back to is: how can we make quality, pasture-raised meat not just a rich man’s luxury?  How can we provide a quality product at a price point most people can afford?  I’m not sure of the answer, but I hope to figure it out.  I passionately believe that everyone should enjoy this.

On this week’s to-do list //
– prep for baby chick arrival
– start more flower and herb seeds
– pot up a bunch of tomato seedlings
– work on the Critterfence
– move Ethel onto pasture
– send birthday cards and order the ones I need for April
– deep clean my closet
– work on Easter basket goodies
– list a few things on ebay/Poshmark/Pango

Currently reading // 

• Fiction: Moloka’i by Alan Brennert
• Nonfiction: The Meat Racket: The Secret Takeover of America’s Food Business by Christopher Leonard
• Religious: To Know Christ Jesus by Frank Sheed & Abandonment to Divine Providence by Jean-Pierre de Caussade
• Read aloud: The Saintly Outlaw by Paul McCusker

On the menu this week //

Monday: Refrigerator Clean Out Night
Tuesday: white chicken chili
Wednesday: philly cheese steak sloppy joes 
Thursday: pork roast and mashed potatoes
Friday: breakfast for dinner TBD

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission of any sale made at no extra cost to you.

The weather outside is //

As I look outside my window // The garden is calling me!  Thank goodness the forecast looks mild.  I have most of the pathway wood chips pulled out and am hoping we can get a gravel delivery late in the week.  Other farm tasks on the docket: organizing the shed to accommodate a big feed order, doing a check for any baby chick products we might need to reorder, and starting to fertilize a few beds for some cool-weather crops.

As I look around the house // We’re currently living in a house with a hundred in-progress projects going on.  I have a new dishwasher in my kitchen waiting to be installed, a box of bookshelf pieces waiting to be assembled, Valentine gifts waiting to be boxed up and sent to far-away family, etc etc.  It’s chaos and while I wish my house looked tidier, I’m trying to lean into this season and take it one task at a time.  It’ll all get done eventually.

Introducing // our new little kitten!  We are quickly reaching zoo status around here.  As someone who never had pets growing up, I still can’t believe this is the life I have now, ha!  He is just the sweetest tiny little thing and we are all in love.

On this week’s to-do list //
– get the dishwasher installed
– mop the kitchen floor
– bake bread
– work on valentines to mail to far away relatives
– finish our taxes
– organize the shed to accommodate a new bulk feed order
– research automatic waterer options for the pigs to use when the temperature warms up
– order dewormer

Currently reading // 

• Fiction: Arsenic and Adobo by Mia P. Manansala
• Nonfiction: Just Send Me Word: A True Story of Love and Survival in the Gulag by Orlando Figes
• Religious: To Know Christ Jesus by Frank Sheed

On the menu this week //

Monday: oven roasted pork loin and TBD side dish
Tuesday: tacos
Wednesday: shepherd’s pie baked potatoes
Thursday: breakfast for dinner
Friday: homemade pizza

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission of any sale made at no extra cost to you.

The first Monday homemaking notes of 2023!

The weather outside is //

As I look outside my window // We have had a relatively mild January so far, which is a bummer for my kids (they desperately want snow!) but great for getting me outside.  This week looks to be in my favor again if I can dodge the rain clouds.

As I look around the house // This is the week I get back to my cleaning routine!  We were pretty loose with our routines during that post-Christmas fog and I still haven’t found my groove in the new year.  Some tasks I’d like to accomplish: scrub down the kitchen cabinets, organize all of the random ribbons/papers from Christmas and pack them away for next year’s packages, and declutter a bit of the schoolroom.

Researching // a better seed starting system.  I need more space and lighting and would love a system like this, but the price!!  Yikes.  I think we can DIY something similar for a fraction of the cost.  A trip to Home Depot is in order!

On this week’s to-do list //
– complete my third annual winter reading challenge
– list a few things on ebay/Poshmark/Pango
– create a rough garden and food forest plan
– start making bread again

Currently reading // 

• Fiction: East of Eden by John Steinbeck & Red Knife by William Kent Krueger
• Nonfiction: Just Send Me Word: A True Story of Love and Survival in the Gulag by Orlando Figes
• Religious: To Know Christ Jesus by Frank Sheed

On the menu this week //

Monday: chicken with cheddar broccoli and rice
Tuesday: pork tenderloin with potatoes
Wednesday: pasta and homemade meatballs
Thursday: chicken noodle soup and crusty bread
Friday: breakfast for dinner TBD

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission of any sale made at no extra cost to you.

One more post before the big day.  We’re hitting Christmas prep crunch time!

The weather outside is //

As I look outside my window // A polar vortex is on the way for the days surrounding Christmas – is it the same where you live?  I have some work to do before the coldest days roll in: topping up the chicken coop shavings, some extra straw for the pigs and stacking logs for the fireplace.  (And pulling out my wool sweaters too!)  Let’s do this, winter!

As I look around the house // Advent/Christmas is such a special time of year.  I have the majority of my decorations up and have loved puttering around, moving things this way and that.  I also did my annual walk around the property for evergreen trimmings.  So fun.

Leaning // into gratitude in a big way.  2022 has had its share of hard things, but as I look around at my home and my family and my animals, I’m feeling triumphant: By the grace of God, we did it!  We persevered!  We have so much to be thankful for and I want to focus on that intentional practice in the new year.

On this week’s to-do list //
– finish wrapping gifts
– finalize outfits for Christmas Mass
– put up stockings on the mantel
– make pretzel bites
– decorate gingerbread men (we missed our Gaudete Sunday tradition because my husband was away on business)
– see if I can fit in a quick trip to Home Depot (a Christmas break DIY is in the works!)

Currently reading // 

• Fiction: True Crime Story by Joseph Knox
• Nonfiction: We Have Been Harmonized: Life in China’s Surveillance State by Kai Strittmatter & Operation Paperclip: The Secret Intelligence Program that Brought Nazi Scientists to America by Annie Jacobsen
• Religious: Come, Lord Jesus: Meditations on the Art of Waiting by Mother Mary Francis P.C.C.

On the menu this week //

Monday: chili and cornbread
Tuesday: chicken quarters and mashed potatoes
Wednesday: chicken tortilla soup
Thursday: Refrigerator Cleanout Night
Friday: Mexican tostadas

Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas! xo

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission of any sale made at no extra cost to you.

The weather outside is //

As I look outside my window //  Today is an exciting day on the farm: we’re moving Fred (our male pig) into the permanent paddock for the winter!  He’ll stay in one spot for the majority of the winter and then head back out to pasture in the spring.  We’re so excited to retire our movable fencing chores for a little while.

As I look around the house // I’m excited to slowly start pulling out the decorations.  Like in year’s past, for the first week of Advent, I focus on light – the bare tree, candles in the windows, etc.  I love the simplicity.

Feeling // like we jumped right from Thanksgiving into Advent!  I believe I have almost everything for the season, but I need to have a date with my planner to jot down all of the plans and activities.

Thinking // about this quote from Padre Pio: “What does it matter to you whether Jesus wishes to guide you to Heaven by way of the desert or by the fields, so long as you get there by one way or the other?  Put away any excessive worrying which results from the trials by which the good God has desired to test you; and if this is not possible, resign yourself to the Divine will.”

On this week’s to-do list //
– start addressing Christmas cards
– collect enough batteries for the window candles
– paint the laundry room
– get everything prepped for Saint Nicholas Day next week
– pack away movable pig paddock materials

Currently reading // 

• Fiction: Unsettled Ground by Claire Fuller
• Nonfiction: We Have Been Harmonized: Life in China’s Surveillance State by Kai Strittmatter & Operation Paperclip: The Secret Intelligence Program that Brought Nazi Scientists to America by Annie Jacobsen
• Religious: Come, Lord Jesus: Meditations on the Art of Waiting by Mother Mary Francis P.C.C.
• School Read Aloud: The Nerviest Girl in the World by Melissa Wiley

On the menu this week //

Monday: turkey pot pie
Tuesday: chili and cornbread
Wednesday: slow cooker beef stew
Thursday: breakfast for dinner TBD
Friday: tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches