Harvest Lane Cottage

     “It is a good idea sometimes to think of the importance and dignity of our every-day duties. It keeps them from being so tiresome; besides, others are apt to take us at our own valuation.” ~ Laura Ingalls Wilder         Have you ever thought about the dignity of our everyday duties? Do you even think about them as duties? I know that that word is not one we use much any more. Perhaps if we did think of the work we do in our home as our duty to God and to our family, it would elevate it in our minds and lift our spirits. After all, no matter who does the housework, the cooking and such, we women are the ones who think about it. We think about all the things that need to be done, when, how, and such.     I want to think differently about my home. One of the duties is being a good steward of the things God has provided. These little loaves of banana nut bread were a bunch of very overripe bananas an hour earlier. They could have been p...

Just a little note to my snail mail friends. I have a nice little stack of letters and cards from my snail mail friends to answer.  Today I wrote six cards. Hopefully, over the next couple of weeks, I will be able to respond to all of you. I love receiving written correspondence. I also love to write. I explained in the last post why I've been so busy. At night, I just haven't felt like writing. Spring has now sprung and with it new energy and motivation. So I hope to write to you soon. If there's anyone else out there who would like to correspond with me, you may write to me at laura@harvestlanecottage.com for my address. I wish you peace, happiness and joy. Please go to my thrifty posts for ideas how to make it through these challenging times.  Be blessed  Laura 

  Just one of many leprechaun traps the kids set this week. Hey y'all, I know I haven't been around much lately. Please forgive me. I started substituting in December. In January, I signed up for a 1-day special ed paraprofessional position. When I showed up on February 16th, they told me it was now for 3 days. I changed my schedule, and on Friday they asked me to come back. I've now been substituting for a month Tuesday through Friday at a elementary school in my town. I'm teaching kindergarten through 3rd grade special ed reading, language arts, writing, and math. I did not my plan to work more than 3 days a week, but I have fallen in love with the kids. Yes they can be naughty like other kids, but they can also be so sweet. I like teaching 1-5 students at a time more than 25-30. The teacher that I am replacing has moved out of town. They are interviewing people now. This next week is spring break. I might come back for a day or two the following week, or I might come...

Enough & More to Spare by Frederick Morgan Advice to a Young Mother Having children is a huge responsibility that never ends just like the work never ends. Please allow me to share a few thoughts. One ~ Try to get to bed at a decent hour, so that you can try to get some good sleep. Two ~ Require everyone to lie down for one hour each afternoon. They may not nap, but they must lie down. Older ones need an hour of reading each day anyway. During this time, you can rest, read, pray, or do a load of laundry, whatever will help you gear up for the second half of the day. Three ~ Make sure you’re eating fruits and vegetables, dairy and meats, not just high carbohydrate foods. You need nutrients. Four ~ If possible, get some time away from the children once in awhile, even if it's only to go to the grocery store by yourself. Five ~ Arrange a date time with your hubby, even if you stay home and put the kids to bed early. Six ~ Invest time in Godly child traini...

Cute, cuddly kittens are so much fun. But scratchy, whiny kittens are a plague. ~smile~ Learn to socialize your kittens to make them good companions for their new owners... or for you! Here's how I do it. One of my favorite things...  Kittens! They're one of the cutest creations God made. I find them irresistible.  A few years ago, we had a momma cat who was quite, shall we say, popular? We kept trying to get her "fixed", but we couldn't get the timing right. So, we had  the opportunity to help a number of  kittens become "value added" kittens. What made them such? Socialization! While I don't believe in socializing children, it's imperative for kittens if you want cuddly, snuggly, friendly kittens who won't make you sing Cat Scratch Fever . ~smile~ Truthfully, I don't remember the song, but the title fit. If you find yourself  with a litter of kittens, please use these tips to help them be good pets for their new owners.  Her...