Harvest Lane Cottage

Good morning dear ladies, I'm up late tonight, because I was worshiping the Lord Jesus Christ, God the Father, and the Precious Holy Spirit as I observed the Blood Moon. I stayed out watching it for a long long time as it eclipsed, turned red, then went into eclipse again. It's nearly back to a bright white moon. God is so very good, isn't he?  I wish I'd been able to photograph it. I'm sure NASA will have love lovely photos. Be encouraged ladies, your Father God loves you so very much and cares about every single detail  of your life. Seek HIM first, and He WILL take care of you. Tell Him you love Him. Tell Him you trust Him. Then do it. A little preaching to myself tonight! Blessings to you all! Laura 

I love Christmas books all year round.  I start listening to Christmas music in September whenever the mood strikes.  It's great nesting, baking, crafting music.  Christmas novels just make me feel like snuggling under a warm blanket and relaxing.  If it's cold enough for a blanket, it's close enough to Christmas for a good story. Maybe it's a bit early for you, but be on the lookout for some good books to read with your family this year. We add a new picture book every year. My kids at home are 14, 16, and 18. Last year they unanimously agreed to continue this tradition. That's what makes a tradition — the desire to keep it! There are many wonderful Christmas books. Here are a few of the Christmas books our family enjoys: The Advent Book  by Jack and Kathy Stockman One Wintry Night  by Ruth Bell Graham The Very First Christmas  by Paul Maier The Pine Tree Parable  by Liz Curtis Higgs Annika’s Secret Wish  by Beverly Lewis A Christ...

Write my fall bucket list Make some autumn crafts Curl up with a terrific book Roast marshmallows and make S'mores Take a fall foliage ride Make caramel apples Make popcorn balls Drink apple cider Drink eggnog Make chili Carve pumpkins Try a new soup Enjoy candy corn Enjoy candy pumpkins Invite friends for soup and bread Make new fall decorations Go to Farm Girl Fest Collect leaves and acorns Take a walk and enjoy the maple leaves Shop for a new sweater or coat Toast pumpkin seeds Gaze into the fire in the woodstove Maple Leaf Festival Make cocoa Bake pumpkin bread Make Christmas gifts Listen to Christmas music Watch Christmas movies Read Christmas books Burn cinnamony, pumpkiny, spicy fall candles Read by candle light and lamp light Bonfire

Hello Ladies,   So good of you to visit today! It's been a very busy week. We had company, celebrated an 18th birthday, and traveled out-of-state to a funeral. It's been very busy indeed. Here's my rather short list of thrifty things during the last week or so. ~ I finished my dress! ~ We had a homemade, handmade birthday tea party at the restaurant for Emily's eighteenth birthday. She made many Pinterest worthy decorations using things we had around the house, wildflowers, and old lace scraps.  ~I was chosen to review An Endless Christmas by Cynthia Ruchti. ~I read Chivalrous, another review book, by Dina Sleiman during our drive to Topeka. ~I listed some items to sell on Ebay. ~We traveled to Topeka, Kansas for my father-in-law's funeral memorial. We were able to get gas for less than $2 a gallon, stayed with family, and only had to purchase one meal on the road. He's pictured in the center with our family. May God rest his so...

Click for ten posts about hope. I'm away from my computer for a few days.  Please enjoy these posts about hope. Monday Mom's the Word  -  Good Morning Monday  

Hello Everyone, I'm taking a few days away from my computer. I invite you to read some of the eighty-five thrifty and frugal posts as well as many others listed under Writings on the sidebar. I will be back to the computer again this weekend. I'll do my best to catch up on my correspondence with you lovely ladies then.  God bless you all! Laura

Read other daybooks.   My Daybook September 13, 2015 Outside my window... It's dark and cool. I can hear the cicadas and frogs. I am thinking... that it's wonderful to listen to family telling old stories. I am thankful that...   God provides. Emily had a wonderful birthday weekend. It was Pinterest worthy. ~smile~ I'll probably share some photos of her decorations here sometime soon. From the kitchen... I need to make some desserts to take to my father-in-law's memorial service Wednesday night. I am wearing... my cream dress with roses and soft green buttons. I am creating...   I finished my dress! Here I am at my daughter Emily's birthday party Sunday afternoon. Emily's on the left. She's wearing super high heels! We're really all almost the same height. Amy's on the right. She was dressed up for the party. She had a beautiful blue dress under the cape. I am going... to my father-in-law's memorial servi...

Hello Dearies! Time for another thrifty week post.  Sometimes, it's not about what you do. Sometimes it's about what you don't do... or do rarely. For instance... We don't have a big fancy house. We don't have a second car. We don't have a car payment. We don't go shopping for fun. We don't have any credit cards. We don't go out to movies.* We don't buy the latest electronic gadgets. We don't have cable, or any other t.v. We don't have long-distance on our home phone. I rarely buy books for me.* I rarely pay new clothes for the kids except undies, shoes, socks, and my son's jeans. We rarely take our whole family out for dinner. We rarely go to the doctor.  So many of the things that I do that are thrifty are simply second nature.  I've lived this way for so many years, I don't even think about it anymore for the most part.  What kinds of things are second nature to you? ...

Read other daybooks.   My Daybook September 6, 2015 Outside my window... It's dark and sultry. I am thinking...  about how to make life more fun. I am thankful that...   my sons, 24 and 16 are growing to be good friends. From the kitchen... I want to try some new recipes. I am wearing... my black dress. I wore my oatmeal tan sweater over it this morning in church. I get chilly in church. I thank God that they have good air conditioning! I am creating...   Oh, I'm embarrassed to say that I still  need to  hem my new dress. I'm nearly finished after all these weeks! I am going... to sort through clutter this week. I think we're going to try to do a yard sale later this month. Any advice? I am reading... I have started America the Strong and 52 Lessons from A Christmas Carol. I am hoping...  to get lots of laundry and other chores done today. I am hearing...   the air conditioner. Everything else ...

Good day! I went yard saling with my husband this morning—just the two of us. It was like a little mini-date. We stopped at Casey's for drinks and a slice of breakfast pizza. We stopped at a few sales, but nothing caught our eyes. That makes for a thrifty morning. Not buying something is just as thrifty as getting a good bargain. Here's a bit of my thrifty week: I reviewed Nichole Nordeman's new CD The Unmaking. It, like most of my review items were free to me in exchange for the review. If I like something, great. If not, I'll say so, but I also try to point out the positives, especially if it's a good product but a poor fit for me or my family. CONGRATULATIONS AMY!  I received some books in the mail for review. I sold some curriculum on Ebay.  I downloaded some new fall graphics from Twin Creek Primitives. Find free graphics here. I watched a couple of episodes of Israel's Mission by Ray VanderLaan. It's a r...

My first Christmas book has arrived!  A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens is a beloved, enduring classic. I will enjoy reading the wisdom Mr. Bob Welch has gleaned from its pages. Love me some Christmas reading! Wednesday -  Fluster's Creative Muster   -   Wholehearted Wednesdays    -    A Little R & R   Raising Homemakers  -  A Wise Woman Builds Her Home   Monday Mom's the Word    -  Mama Moments Monday The Art of Homemaking       Modest Mondays  -   Living Proverbs 31