On My Needles... What I'm Reading August 14, 2019

Dotty Beanie

Hello dear reader,

My Amy and I are away from home this week visiting friends.

Last week, I showed you the pair of socks that I have been knitting for myself. I thought I would show you my progress. I've successfully completed the Fish Lips Kiss heels. Now I must knit round and round until they come up far enough on my legs. 

Vanilla socks with Fish Lips Kiss heels
Froggy marker made by my Emily

The hat at the top of the page is a Dotty Beanie. It's actually a deep dark red by Malabrigo Rios. The lighting in the room I am staying in is for studying not photograpy. ~smile~

I finished Slightly Bad Girls of the Bible by Liz Curtis Higgs. I'm reading It's Not Supposed to Be This Way by Lysa Terkeurst and Beside Still Waters by Tricia Goyer.

I've also started listening to  All the Light We Cannot See for free on Scribd.

Did you know that you can listen to unlimited audiobooks, read unlimited ebooks, and even find sheet music on Scribd? 

If you use my link, you'll get a 2 month free trial, and I will get a free month as well. I'm not an affiliate, it's just a neat perk that they have for their subscribers who tell their friends.

Well, that's all for this week.  Soon I will need to begin making charity hats again. That's another post for another day. 

Have a homemade, handmade, heartmade thrifty week! 

Laura

Laura Lane

on Goodreads

2019 

52 Finished Books

Goal 50 60

HarvestLaneLaura 

on Ravelry

Joining with Yarn Along and Crafting On

Thrifty Things Lately at Harvest Lane Cottage #141

Hey y'all!

I hope you're seizing the day as school time and fall approach. I'm going visiting this next week with dear friends who've moved several hours away. I'll be back here in about a week.

Let's catch up a bit shall we? Here are some of the thrifty things we've done lately.

🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼

~ A friend bought me queso at my knit night. Thanks Missy!

~ I'm knitting socks using the Fish Lips Kiss Heel pattern that I bought for just a $1.00.

~ I'm using sock yarn given to me by my friend Shelly last summer. Thanks Shelly.

~ I've been eating at home nearly all the time.

~ I've been cooking from scratch.

~ We've been harvesting lots and lots of cucumbers from the garden. We froze some in chunks to add to smoothies this fall. Thanks Amy!

~ Our date night consisted of a shared Sobe Life Water, a bag of bbq pork rinds, a couple bags of peanuts, and a nice drive through the countryside. Yep, I was a cheap date.

~ I've been borrowing books I want to read from the library through their inter-library loan program.

~ I used groceries on hand with just a few items to supplement.

~ Free line dancing lessons at church taught by my friend
Regina. Thanks Regina!

~ My daughter, Emily, and I went on a heart-to-heart coffee shop date. I ordered a small iced tea. It was just $1.50 versus $5.00.

~I bought a half price cheeseburger at Sonic on knit night. No bun, extra lettuce, pickles, onions, ketchup and mayonnaise. I ate it with a fork and didn't miss the bun $2.

~I've bought and cooked lots of eggs at fifty-eight cents a dozen.

The biggest money saver has been lots of cooking from scratch as I add more veggies and cut sugar and breads. It's helping me feel better, too.

🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼

As you can see, we've had many blessings lately.
God is so good.

Praise God!

What have you done this week?

Laura

Blessed to be a blessing

On My Needles... What I'm Reading August 7, 2019

Hello, we are having the most beautiful day here at the edge of the Ozarks listening to the rumbly grumbly sounds of a thunder shower. It is not a storm that makes you fearful, just gentle rain. The air has turned cool. It was lovely to take a break and enjoy reading on the porch.

My daughter made cucumber cookies of all things. We've had lots and lots of cucumbers come out of our garden this year. Amy is quite the gardener. We are really enjoying the fruits of her labor.

My two daughters have had friends in and out today to visit. My brother-in-law is also here visiting us. I love having people here.

A few weeks ago, I showed you the toes of a pair of socks that I have been knitting for myself. Well last night, at knitting group, I was able to complete the foot part, and now I am doing the heel of the first sock. I'm using a method that is new to me. It's called Fish Lips Kiss. Crazy name I know. It's become quite popular over the last few years though. It seems to be pretty easy. I'm halfway done. I'll let you know when I get it finished. I'm actually knitting two at a time. That's why my knitting looks kind of funny on my needles.

I've been listening to Slightly Bad Girls of the Bible by Liz Curtis Higgs. I'm also reading Mother Culture by Karen Andreola and It's Not Supposed to Be This Way by Lysa Terkeurst. I didn't realize it, but she was fighting breast cancer at the same time I was. 

Well, I just wanted to drop in and let you know what's on my needles and what I've been reading. I hope you have a beautiful day whether it's raining or sunny hot or cold.

By the way, I'm listening to Slightly Bad Girls of the Bible  by Liz Curtis Higgs for free on Scribd. That makes for thrifty reading.

Have a handmade, thrifty week! 

Laura

Laura Lane

on Goodreads

2019 

51 Finished Books

HarvestLaneLaura 

on Ravelry

Joining with Yarn Along and Crafting On

Summer is Flying By So Quickly!

  Summer is flying by so quickly this year. I don't have as much control over summer's end as I have in years past. Why? Because my youngest, soon to be 18 year old daughter, Amy, is going to take a class at the local community college this year. Wow! Where has the time gone? It seems like I was just making my first tentative steps toward homeschooling. I must write about that sometime soon.

Now, though, it's nearly twenty-five years later, and I'm going to begin my last year with my last child. No, she's not a child anymore. She's a young adult like my other three. 

A few years ago, the girls painted my finger nails and toenails for the Fourth of July.

  School begins August 19th, so for all practical purposes, summer time will be at an end. The weather may not know it, and the calendar won't know it, but the school buses will be rolling, the backpacks will be filled, and the kids will head back to school. It's an odd thing to be 18 your first day of school I'm sure. ~smile~

I cannot remember which of the kids made this out of bean pods a few years ago.
It was most likely Amy. She's my crafty little artist.

  We still have a few more weeks. I need to employ them well. I still have boxes to unpack, and I need to make a final decision about whether to have a yard sale or just give it all away. Sales are so much work, and I don't have the help I used to have. Amy has a couple of trips she's still going to take to visit friends and relatives. I'm going to see my friend Laura in St. Louis. We've been friends since our young adults were very young children. Her youngest is 18, too.

I love it that my children are patriotic. We love our flag, our country, and our God.
But, not in that order! We understand the principles our country was founded on.
Our three youngest have been active in the political process and have had
some great experiences. God bless our President and God bless America.

  

  It's hard to make the transition from mommy of littles to mom of middles to mother of young adults. I didn't think I was an adult until I had my first child at 25! Mine decided they were adults considerably younger. ~smile~ I'm proud of them all. I just feel like I'm trying to finish well with Amy and also redefine who I am as their mom, as my husband's wife, as a breast cancer survivor, and as me. Laura, child of the Most High God. Interestingly, I'm listening to the song "I Am Who You Say I Am" by Hillsong. God will lead me as I listen and follow. He's a good good Father.

  Well, this post took a different direction than I expected, I still have several things on my Summer Bucket List that I want to do. Will I get them all done? I don't know, but I will just go by the calendar and give myself until September 22nd. Then, it's on to the most wonderful season of all—Autumn!

  Blessings to you all. 

Laura

I am who He says I am.
 

A Chatty Little Hello

Hello everyone.

 It's been a really nice week here at the new Harvest Lane Cottage. I've been working on those socks that I started last week. I actually pulled out the stitches and started again, because I have wide feet. I could tell it was not going to fit over my toes. I've spent a little time knitting this week. I think the new, rounded shape of the new sock toe will work better for me. I like to sit on this sofa when I knit.

 I finished a couple of books this week. I usually have six to eight going at once. I am down to four in progress. I think I will finish my list this summer if I can stay focused.

I've also spent some time at the old house cleaning. It looks like I had cancer and didn't give it a good cleaning for two years! Oh yeah, that's what happened. It's taking me awhile., but I hope to finish my part this week with my daughter's help.I'm probably about two-thirds of the way through.

 My daughter's gardening efforts are beginning to pay off. We have eaten several cucumbers out of the garden, and she made some delicious fermented pickles that we have enjoyed as well. She found a video on YouTube from the blog Farmhouse on Boone.

  Time to get ready for church. Have a relaxing evening.

Do say hello. I read every comment. Be blessed!

Laura
Making a Home

Laura Lately ~ July 12, 2019

♥♥♥

Hello again!

 It's been quite a busy time lately, I've been trying to find the right places for everything. We have a nice sunroom with the perfect spot for my desk. Unfortunately, it's been decided that my computer is not going to be able to connect to the internet in its current location. So, for now, until we decide what to do, I'll be borrowing my husband's laptop. 

  I'm sure you're wondering what I've been up to. Here's a little bit of what I've been up to lately. 

• I love homemade Snickerdoodles. This time tea wouldn't do. It had to be a cup of fresh, cold milk.

• I tried a new pattern. It's the baby Barley from Tin Can Knits. It was a great way to use up some leftover yarn. I've not blocked these yet.

• The pink is left over from some hats I made last fall for Operation Shoebox from Samaritan's Purse.

• I bought this yarn when I visited a yarn shop in a nearby city with my friend Laura.

• This little hat is made with some yarn left over from making my husband's Christmas hat last year.

• Now I'm trying to knit a pair of socks that fit me. I have made Christmas stockings, Fuzzy Feet, and a pair of socks that turned out too big. There's some math involved here. Fortunately, my friend Jill is going to help me figure it out. 

• I think that this toe shape may be wrong for me.

• I'm considering ripping it all out and trying the rounder toe below.

• I've found The Help to be very interesting.

• A little blogging to say hello just below bed. 

• Lots of prayer
• Lots of reading

Thanks so much for your patience, y'all. You've all been so good to be patient with me while I'm having computer problems. I hope you each have a wonderful weekend.

Be blessed,

Laura

Happy in my new home

Summer Reading at Harvest Lane Cottage 2019

This post contains affiliate links.

Even with all that I'm doing and want to do in my new home, I make time daily to read or listen to good books. There's nothing that can make work go quicker for me than listening to the Bible or a good book. I especially like to use the the text-to-speech feature on my Kindle Fire 7 Tabletor listen to some audio books on Scribd* while I work or knit.

Here's what's on my book pile, my Scribd app, and in my Kindle for summer reading:

The First Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill George Washington
by Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch
I borrowed this from the library.
I found this fascinating.
Finished.

Agony of the Leaves
by Laura Childs
I borrowed this from the library.
I think I enjoy visiting the Indigo Tea Shop most of all.
Finished 

Enough: Finding More by Living With Less
by Will Davis Jr.
In my Kindle
Finished!

Feathers From My Nest
by Beth Moore
In my Kindle
Finished!

30 Days to Understanding the Bible
by Max Anders
On my bookshelf until 
another time

The Help
by Kathryn Stockett
Borrowed from the library
My book club's selection for July
It's a 400+ page book, but it's going fast.
Finished

Bible Faith Study Course 

by Kenneth Hagin
Finally done!
This is a MUST read. It's the book that helped me
understand faith so that I could go through cancer victoriously.
Finished

Our Lost Declaration:
America's Fight Against Tyranny from King George to the Deep State
by Senator Mike Lee
Just finished this on Scribd.

Sarai
by Jill Eileen Smith
in my Kindle
Reading this slowly since it's not my top priority.
Finished

♥

If you'd like to keep up with my reading progress,

you can follow me on Goodreads. 

I update my progress

regularly.

Laura Lane

*I signed up for a free trial of Scribd in February. It's a service where you can read or listen to books for just $8.99 a month with no limit.  

I kept the plan, because we really use it and like it a lot. My daughter and I are using it for school and for pleasure. We especially like the extensive list of audio books. Take a look. If you sign up from this link, you can get a two free months trial, and I'll get one month free, too.