Harvest Lane Cottage
Faith in Jesus, Thrifty Homemaking, Knitting, Sewing, Books, and Christian Encouragement.
Thursday, February 12, 2026
Wednesday, February 11, 2026
I LOVE YOU MONTH... Get to Know Me
One of my favorite bloggers is Billie Jo from Afternoon Coffee and Evening Tea. Billie Jo encourages me so much. I love the way she celebrates everything. Yes. Everything. She has great style, but it is her enthusiasm, love of home, family, her doggies, and candles that makes me feel appreciation for her and for my home and family. She's so positive, and Jesus just seeps through her in her zest for life.
She just posted a "Things I Like and Things I Don't" list. She asked us to share, too. So, here's my list in abbreviated form as I think of them this morning.
A Few Things I like:
~ Old-fashioned phone calls from friends and family
~ Learning! I'm taking a free online course from Hillsdale College: Western Heritage from the Book of Genesis to John Locke. It's been challenging, but good.
~ A good balance of time with people and by myself
~ Giving gifts
~ A new type of relaxing music that I've found on YouTube. It has storybook style animals and ambient music. Here's one I listened to yesterday. I find it very nice to play in the background as I'm doing other things.
~ Black and white movies
~ Cozy fall and winter times
~ Knitting— especially socks
~ Candles, candles and more candles
~ Making things from what I have on hand
~ Sewing
~ Cozy mystery books
~ Learning new skills ~ I'm learning to twine weave a rug.
Things I don't like:
Mustard on or in anything but a Schlotzky sandwich
Tight clothes or excess skin showing on anyone
Raspberries and blackberries
Dirty words
Acrylic clothes or yarn
Horror movies
True crime books or movies
So, that's just a few of my likes and dislikes. I'd love you to share some of yours with me as well.
Be blessed,
Laura
Thursday, February 5, 2026
I LOVE YOU MONTH... My Grandson
A Storybook Christmas*
Oh me oh my!
So many friends told me, "Just wait 'til you have grandkids.
They're the best."
Well, my friends were right!
My grandson is the source of so much joy! Gibby is the name I use for my grandson on my blog. Gibby is short for grandbaby. I want to keep his little face and name private as do Mommy and Daddy.
He's 2 1/2 now. He's so much fun to be with. We play cars most of all. Boppop (his name for grandpa) has his old Hot Wheels. We play with them on the coffee table for long stretches. He likes to feed the birds, blow bubbles, and play outside. We also have blocks, spools, Don't Spill the Beans, and dominoes. We don't play the games the right way, but who cares? I got out the dominoes a few weeks ago. He handed one to me, and picked one up himself. He put it to his ear and talked into it like a phone. Oh the times we live in! By the time we finished playing, he was calling me and saying, "Hi Gammy!" I finally had a name! There's nothing sweeter!
He's going to come for a sleep over Saturday evening so Mommy and Daddy can go to a movie and dinner. Boppop and Gammy are going to have lots of fun, but we'll sleep well!
Thank you, Jesus, that you allowed me to live long enough to enjoy my grandson. Life is an incredible gift that I don't take for granted. Thank you for healing me from cancer, Jesus, my LORD and savior!
*AI generated from a photo
Wednesday, February 4, 2026
I LOVE YOU MONTH! I Love My Kids!
Tuesday, February 3, 2026
I LOVE YOU MONTH! I LOVE MY HUSBAND!
I love my Lowell.
He's been my Lowell since November 23, 1981.
That's when he asked me to go steady with him.
That boy had no idea what he was asking!
I had no idea what yes meant!
It's been quite a wild and curving ride together.
~ ♥♥♥~
True committed love always...
4 businesses,
Monday, February 2, 2026
I LOVE MY MOM... and I Miss Her, Too!
![]() |
| Barbara Kay Ramsbottom Conklin Hall 1947-1999 May her name be blessed forever! |
Do you have a loved one who's moved to Heaven? Isn't it a wonderful comfort knowing that if we both love Jesus and have accepted Him as our savior, that we can see each other again?
I believe that Jesus is coming back soon. We'll be caught up with Him, and there will be quite a reunion. Yes. I'm looking forward to that. If you're not absolutely sure that you've given your heart and your life to Jesus, and trusted Him for salvation, please don't wait. Click here to learn more.
~ Music was a big part of my life because of my mom's love of music. She sang a lot! You saw how much music reminds me of her. She sang, she played music in the car, we watched musicals. We bought magazines that had the lyrics to the latest country songs and sat at the table and sang them together. Sometimes we'd record ourselves on a cassette tape player.
~ The song I was named after, Tell Laura I Love Her, always makes me cry. I was also named after the elderly lady, Lori Morrow, from whom my father rented a room in college. I called her Grandma Lori and her husband Grandpa Leland when I was little. Diane was from my mom's best friend in high school.
Jesus, please tell Momma I love her. Tell Momma I need her. Tell Momma not to cry. I know her love for me will never die. Mine will not die for her. I know she's crying no tears in Heaven, but I've cried more than a few tears missing her these past 26 years.
Barbara Kay Ramsbottom Conklin Hall may her name be blessed forever.
Thank you, Jesus, for my momma.
Amen.
Note: My dad is James (Jim) Conklin, her first husband. The photo above is with my step-dad, her second husband, Richard (Rick) Hall. I love them both.
Sunday, February 1, 2026
HAPPY I LOVE YOU MONTH!
Featured
A New Year's Choice
Have you made a new year's resolution or two or ten? I haven't this year. I have thought about what I'd like my life to l...
-
Hello my dear readers and friends, You've no doubt noticed a change in my blog over the last few weeks and seen hints of health ...
-
Just had to share this with you again. My recipe was published in Gooseberry Patch Hometown Christmas! I have to admit, I was truly sur...
-
I'm a big city girl gone small town girl gone country and finally gone back to small town. I live in southern Missouri between Oz a...








