Harvest Lane Cottage

A few of my favorite things... rainy days homemade from scratch cocoa very fine-tipped black pens very fine-tipped red pens hollyberry red yarn from Knit Picks Knit Picks circular needles half-price Diet Cranberry Sprite at Sonic price during Happy Hour roast with mashed potatoes, gravy, carrots, and onions Jim Brickman instrumental piano music phone calls from loved ones the book of Philippians my promise ring that I've worn for about 28 years now listening to the wind blow gently through the trees red maple leaves Worther's Originals hard candies packages in the mail Christmas music from July to January sewing reading writing talking with friends my Lowell, my children my old, full of notes, New King James Bible my Jesus, my God, and my Holy Spirit What are some of your favorite things? Laura Focusing on the Lovely

Amy's my little decorator.  This is her display from last year down by our driveway.  Soon we'll be getting our autumn decorations out.  If I don't hurry, she'll do all the fall decorating before I even get a chance!  We did some shopping yesterday at Hobby Lobby.  They had lovely things; but, my budget just won't go far enough to buy decorations this year.  No worries, God will provide! ~~~~~ May I suggest? Old Houses and Housewives ~~~~~

Just playing around with Taxedo. ~~~~~ May I suggest? What Do You Have in Your Hand? ~~~~~  Fridays Unfolded  -  Sweet & Simple Fridays   -  I'm Lovin' It Party  -  Essential Fridays  -  Faith Filled Fridays  -   Show and Tell Friday

  I've been blogging since December 2007.  I'd been reading blogs for quite awhile.  My husband had been encouraging me to start writing for months.  I told him I had nothing to write.  ~smile~  I now have about 800 posts on this blog alone in addition to the ones at my original blog, Laura of Harvest Lane Cottage.   When we moved to the country back in 2001, we named our place Harvest Lane Farm.  We sold you-pick blackberries and had a pumpkin patch one autumn.  There's nothing so grand as all the pumpkins you could want all piled up and ready to sell.  So pretty.  A couple of years later, we moved into town because of some health problems I was having and some other things.  At that time, we bought a little cottage and fixed it up just like I wanted it.  We dubbed it Harvest Lane Cottage.  I had been on-line as Laura of Harvest Lane Farm for some time.  When we moved to town, I changed it to Laura of...

"After Laura and Mary had washed and wiped the dishes, swept the floor, made their bed, and dusted, they settled down with their books. But the house was so cozy and pretty that Laura kept looking up at it." - Laura Ingalls Wilder The Little House stories had a great influence on me as a child.  I credit my make do attitude and make it myself attitude in part to Laura's stories.  Mrs. Pamela Higgs was my fourth and fifth grade teacher.  She read Little House on the Prairie to my class.  She also taught me embroidery, macrame, a bit of needlepoint and chess among other things.  It all combined to make me an old-fashioned girl. Now, this old-fashioned girl is inspired to cozy things up around here a bit after a long hot summer.  Autumn is just around the corner.  ~~~~~ May I suggest? Starting Our Work Early in the Day Shared with: Tuesday Tuesdays at Our Home  -   Titus 2 Tuesdays   -  ...

I completed my first reading plan with YouVersion!  I started back in January as part of a Professor Horner Bib le reading challenge sent by my friend Deb.  It was intended to be a one year commitment to reading ten chapters a day, one in each of ten locations, alternating between old and new testament.  The whole Bible was covered plus some books were read repeatedly.  I found it too confusing for me to just move my bookmarks along; so, when I found Prof. Horner's Bible Reading System , I jumped at the chance to have a check list on-line.  I combined it with the use of BibleGateway.com's audio Bibles.  Listening really made some of the prophets and more difficult books easier for me to understand.  Covering so much Bible so quickly gave me a great overview of Scripture.  I am usually familiar with whatever passage of the Bible Pastor Dan brings up in his sermons.  I look forward to learning more. I fully recommend YouVersion ...

Things I've done that saved money this week: I made a new dress for myself with fabric and a pattern that were a birthday gift.   New dress: $5.00 Savings $76.00 Cost of fabric if   I'd bought it:  $66.00 My cost $0 Cost of pattern:  $10.00 if I'd bought it.  My cost $0 Cost of thread:   $5.00 Cost of a custom made dress in my own big girl size, priceless. I bought Betty Crocker measuring spoons at Dollar Tree for part of a future gift.  Cost:  $1.00 Amazon Cost:  $4.30 Savings $3.30

Welcome to another week of The Homeschool Mother's Journal.  It's a way for us mommas to jot a few thoughts for remembrance and to share with others.  We welcome you to join us! In my life this week… My oldest son is moving into his own place about a mile down the road.  He decided to stay in Carthage awhile longer. In our homeschool this week… We're still trying to get our act together.  I'm just not organized yet.  That's what I get for starting before I was completely ready.   Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share... Reading... an hour a day every day. My favorite thing this week was… Getting my blog back after it was removed mysteriously. What’s working Curiosity Files for Science Amy really likes the Whirlpool unit she's working on right now. My Review Review Crew Reviews Things I’m working on… Lesson plans Reviews I’m reading…  A Sound Among the Trees: A Novel   Oh, it's so good....

This is my friend Charity.  She's the greatest.  If you've called Joplin Family Worship Center to help with tornado relief in any way, she's the gal you probably talked to.  She's just the sweetest gal you'll ever meet. I don't know what we would have done over this last year, especially right after the tornado, if it hadn't been for Charity.  We joined the church after the tornado to help with the relief and to plant new roots.  Charity was my life-line friend as I tried to get acquainted... making a new friend only to find that she lived in Pennsylvania or New Hampshire or Texas or .... We had volunteers from everywhere help us! Thanks so much for being my friend and for serving Joplin Charity!

Late last night, I discovered something that shocked me. My blog had been removed, lost. Imagined shocked silence as I stare at the message, "This blog has been removed." Deep intake of breath, then panic no, not panic!  I actually did not freak out with worry.  I didn't even drag my computer savy husband out of bed to deal with it.  I prayed, I accepted that the nearly five years of memories, devotions, recipes, encouragements, reviews, and friendly comments were just gone.  Mind you, I was not happy about it, I felt a sense of loss, but I didn't get all upset.  I was calm. First, I thank God that He gave me peace in this situation. Second, I thank God that He helped me to pray, "Thy will be done", and mean it. Third, I thank God that it was a Blogger glitch of some sort. They called me with a code, I put the code in, hit continue, and my  blog was found! This tested me.  I passed the test and did well.  Thank you for changing me,...