God Kept Us Warm... He'll Do It Again

 We live in southern Missouri. While not as cold as Vermont, it still gets quite cold here. A furnace or woodstove is necessary. Well, this past year, we didn't have that luxury. Our furnace broke at the end of the previous winter, and we were unable to get it fixed. God was good to us. The insulation that we were blessed with last summer helped keep us warm without the furnace.

 We used space heaters, more clothes, baked and sometimes just sat in blankets next to the heaters. I'm so glad we had more than one. Somehow, God took care of us, even during the sub zero temperatures and wind chills. You do what you have to do, but I must admit, I do hope to get it fixed for this winter.

 Whatever comes, God's already there in the situation helping us every step of the way.

Laura

Trusting God in All Situations

Homemade Vanilla Creamer

 Hello!

    I love fall! It's absolutely my favorite time of year. We had an unexpected 93° yesterday, but we should have cool weather coming in this week. Cool is what I want, not cold! That will come soon enough. 

    It's time for warm drinks again. That means we use creamer, half and half and cream more often. Dairy's gotten a bit expensive here in Missouri, so I recently found a recipe that makes a delicious, homemade creamer.

     My husband likes this creamer in his coffee. I like it in my cappucino (powdered) or my chai latte. I'm not a full-fledged coffee girl... yet. I need lots of sweet and creamy to make it palatable. ~ smile ~

    This is so easy to make. You might even have the ingredients on hand. I did.  First, I measured 1 1/2 cups of whole milk into a quart jar. 

Next, I added a full can of sweetened condensed milk. 

    Lastly, I added a tablespoon of vanilla.

    Time to put the lid on and shake shake shake!

It's ready to serve! If you try it, let me know what you think. 

Homemade Vanilla Creamer

1 1/2 c whole milk (or milk of your choice)

1 can of sweetened condensed milk

1 tablespoon of vanilla extract

Measure into a jar, combine by shaking.

This lasts us about a week. It all depends on how fast your brand of milk sours.

We like this so much better than the artificial coffee creamers we were buying. It costs far less as well. Do you make any creamers? I'd love it if you'd share your recipes in the comments for us all.

I do hope that you are enjoying early autumn. This week we're having the Maple Leaf Festival in Carthage, Missouri. There's something new every day. If you're in the area, we will have a fabulous parade starting at the square.  Small town fun!

Blessings from Harvest Lane Cottage,

Laura

It's time to start saving your pennies
and your nickles and your rocks for Christmas!

You may enjoy:

Cocoa from Scratch

Candycane Cocoa Mix

The Golden Days of Autumn... Laura Ingalls Wilder

"All those golden autumn days the sky was full of wings.
Wings beating low over the blue water of Silver Lake,
wings beating high in the blue air far above it . . .
bearing them all away to the green fields in the South."

- Laura Ingalls Wilder

By the Shores of Silver Lake

Home is Right Where You Are by Ruth Chou Simons~ A Review

 

I'd like to introduce you to a marvelous new book by Ruth Chou Simons:  HOME is RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE, Inspired by Psalm 23. I read Mrs. Simons' introduction, A Word from the Author. It touched my heart. She wrote this for her six sons, some of whom are now adults, to help them remember "that the love and faithfulness of God is incomparable." It's written for adults who may be launching their beloved children into the adult world. It's written for children who are learning the love and faithfulness of God. It is written for me as a reminder of the goodness of the LORD. 

The overwhelming feeling that came over me as I read was calmness and peace. The book is written in a poetry format with couplets and rhymes, but I was so enthralled by the author's illustrations, it all just flowed together to form a composite of the love and care of our Heavenly Father. Rather than illustrate the 23rd Psalm, this book brings the principles to a beautiful fruition in the retelling and paintings.

 

This book is for my grandson, B, who is just over a year old. He's too young yet to understand, but I hope that Mommy will read it to him as he grows with it. We never are never too young or too old for the Word of God. The Psalm is written in its entirety at the back of the book. 

I highly recommend this book. It's one that will grow with your children, plant the concepts of God's love and faithfulness in their hearts, and touch your heart as well. 

From the Publisher

This enchanting book is inspired by Psalm 23 and delivers a profound message of comfort and peace, reminding us that with God, home is always right where you are.

In Home Is Right Where You Are, Ruth Chou Simons combines her lyrical text with whimsical illustrations to take readers on a comforting journey. Drawing from the words she has shared with her own six children, Ruth’s tender narrative and captivating art reassure families that no matter where life leads, the Lord keeps us close and provides for all our needs.

 Why You’ll Love This Book:

• Comforting Assurance: Reassures children with the truth that God is always with them, guiding and providing.
• Joyful Learning: Teaches that God is the source of joy, blessings, and adventure.
• Beautiful Art: Delights with captivating illustrations that bring the message to life.
• Soothe Anxious Minds: Offers comfort through the assurance of God’s presence and provision.

 This beautiful children’s book is Ruth Chou Simons’ first foray into children’s literature and combines her moving art with God’s promises to create a treasure that families will cherish.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 Ruth Chou Simons is a Wall Street Journal bestselling and award-winning author of several books and Bible studies, including GraceLaced, Beholding and Becoming, and When Strivings Cease. She is an artist, entrepreneur, podcaster, and speaker, using each of these platforms to sow the Word of God into people's hearts. Through her online shoppe at GraceLaced.com and her social media community, Simons shares her journey of God's grace intersecting daily life with word and art. Ruth and her husband, Troy, are grateful parents to six boys—their greatest adventure.

PURCHASE

#ruthchousimons #homeisrightwhereyouare #psalm23 @tommynelsonbooks @ruthchousimons

Thank you FrontGate for this review copy.

 

Michael's Gentle Wife by Karen Andreola

 I read Michael's Gentle Wife slowly and savored it. Within a chapter or two, I felt like I was visiting dear friends when I opened the pages. The Weavers live just outside a little town called Appleton. Friends and neighbors play a central part in their lives as does the church.

They live in Blackberry Inn which they run with a widow named Emma who is the perfect grandma figure for the three young children. Guests come and go and add to the storyline.

Chapter after chapter we witness a family who truly loves the LORD and is seeking to serve him and honor him. It was a calming, relaxing read. The scenes brought back happy memories of my youth. The way the gospel and discipleship were woven in gave meaning and purpose to the novel.

Supper was be a bit late tonight. I just had to keep reading! I just finished the last page. Mrs. Andreola left me laughing and happy. 

I highly recommend this true love novel.

Be blessed!

Laura

P.S. Mr. and Mrs. Andreola are the couple who brought Charlotte Mason's writings and methods to the United States. 

Karen's Charlotte Mason Website

Karen on Facebook 

Karen's books 

I highly recommend it!

Laura

My Year in Books 2023 

Goodreads:  Laura Lane 

2024 I have finished 91 books of my 60 book goal.

Ravelry:  HarvestLaneLaura

Facebook:  Harvest Lane Cottage  

Instagram: @lauraofharvestlane 

Email:  laura@harvestlanecottage.com

Mailing address available by email for snail mail lovers like me!

Thrifty Things Lately ~ September 2, 2024

 

Hello Dear Reader! 

   Have you been enjoying these last weeks of summer? I have. Three of my four children, now grown up, have birthdays in August and September. I also have a grandchild who recently turned one. We celebrated Sunday. We had homemade chicken and dumplings. It's what I call a heritage meal. Both my husband and I grew up eating it, though our moms made it a little differently. Over the years, we've compromised and made it our own. We ate it a lot when my kids were little. It was a way to feed a lot of mouths for not much money. We made it with a family package of chicken thighs this time. It's really good with leg quarters or a whole chicken as well. 

     I gave each of the kids hand knit socks and homemade strawberry jam. Both gifts are always received with enthusiasm. I have a box in my closet in which I am collecting gift items that I've made or found at a good price. Some will be for family, some for friends, some will be donations. It's important to start early for fall birthdays and Christmas.

Here's my thrifty week:

~~~~~

♥♥♥

~~~~~

“Beware of the little expenses.

A small leak will sink a great ship.” 

Benjamin Franklin

~~~~~

♥♥♥

~~~~~

• I'm a bit in shock. I was making my Walmart pick-up order. I saw a spot for a promo code; so, I Googled Walmart grocery promo code. I found $20 off a $50 plus order. Much to my surprise, the code worked!  Here's the code. See if it will work for you. Let me know in the comments! TRIPLE20 Double shock! It worked for me a second time!

• I am knitting gift socks for my husband— maybe for his birthday, maybe for Christmas. He selected the yarn when we visited a yarn shop on our anniversary. What a guy! After I was a few inches into knitting the foot, I realized that I'd used the same yarn a few years ago to knit him another pair of socks! Different pattern this time. ~smile~ He wears size 13, so it's nice to be able to customize socks for his feet. I guess he likes Malabrigo sock yarn as much as I do. The color is Mask.

• I downloaded an audiobook from Everand. It's Marilla of Green Gables by Sarah McCoy. 

• We picked up just a few things we needed and skipped the big shopping trip last week.

• Friends gave us green peppers. I chopped them up and put them in the freezer to add to chili or soups in the cooler months.

• I chopped up leftover onion for the freezer.

• Chopped zucchini squash for the freezer.

• I divided a package of chicken thighs into four packages and froze 3. The two biggest thighs will be fried chicken and are labeled as such. I made sheet pan chicken with two thighs, some stir-fry veggies that have been in the freezer too long, and some  odds and ends.  The smallest two thighs will be used in a pot of soup for the two of us. The last two were frozen without a plan. 

• I put a snap on a dress that's been in my mending basket for nearly two years. Gasp! It was such a quick fix to have a new dress. I've only worn it a couple of times.

• A second dress required a bit of darning for a small hole that was just beginning. Fortunately, I had the perfect color of thread. The hole was on the bodice. 

• I read a borrowed a library book through free interlibrary loan. It was a Biblical archiological adventure/mystery similar to Indiana Jones. It was the last in the series, but I'd sure like to read another one!

• I repaired a pair of handknit socks that have been sitting in that same mending basket for unknown months. I used the following YouTube video to learn Swedish darning. Although it isn't as pretty as I'd hoped, and I didn't have the original yarn, it will hide in my husband's shoe.

• Watermelon 🍉 for supper! We found a small one for $3 and ate half. Indulgent and satisfying!

• My husband and I cut each other's hair. 

• I'm slowly learning Spanish with Duolingo. I use the free version. They have lots of languages. It's as easy as a video game. 

• I listened to Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway on YouTube. 

• I saved usable buttons and fabric from a couple of men's shirts that were too worn out to mend.

• I'm listening to Animal Farm by George Orwell on YouTube.

~~~~~

♥♥♥

~~~~~

I'm trying to do what I can between headaches. Every bit counts. Some weeks I do very frugal things. Some weeks I'm good if I don't spend money! Last week, I forgot to even post. Every week is different. Just remember...

~~~~~

♥♥♥

~~~~~

"The heart of man plans his way,

but the LORD establishes his steps."

Proverbs 16:9

~~~~~

♥♥♥

~~~~~

So tell me now, what are you doing in your home?

♥♥♥♥♥

Have a fabulous, frugal week!

Laura

P.S. I keep track of my reading on Goodreads. 

I'm currently reading 8 books including 3 Bible versions.

Since I started keeping track of the books that I've read many years ago, I've read and recorded 983. Since I've surpassed my goal for this year, I am now trying to reach 1000 by the end of the year! If I do meet my new goal, I just might buy myself a new book! 

P.P.S.  Do you have any recommendations for good historical books or clean fiction?

 

Harvest Lane Cottage Summer Bucket List 2024 Updated September 2nd

Hello everyone! It's the third of June and high time I made my bucket list! I'm going to print this out and put it on my refrigerator so that I see it daily. I'll be back with updates. Please share your bucket lists with me, too. You may have an idea that I haven't thought of yet!

Here we go!

♥ Write my summer bucket list 

♥ Write my summer reading list

♥ Spend lots of time with my daughter and grandbaby 

♥ Knit little socks for my grandson

♥ BBQs ~ 1 so far

♥ Knit socks for #summersockcamp2024

♥ Knit soap bags for the rescue mission ~ 1 finished

Sew a new skirt before school starts

Take in the elastic on a couple of skirts

Catch up my mending. Three dresses done, one pair of socks Swedish darned, and two shirts tossed. They were too worn out. 

Sew ten project bags ~ 2 sewn

Picnic in the park

♥ Day trip to northwest Arkansas

♥ Celtic Ladies and Irish Tenors show in Branson

Drive in movie

♥ One City Market yarn shop

♥ Worship Jesus under the stars

♥ Sit by water and worship Jesus

♥ Sit by a fire and worship Jesus

♥ Watch fireworks 

♥ Talk to strangers

♥ Blow bubbles

♥ Eat icy cold watermelon

♥ Eat fresh corn on the cob

♥ Eat fresh tomatoes from our garden

♥ Make strawberry jam

Make blueberry jam

Make a Christmas gift

Make a plan for blog posts

Make a daily and weekly rhythm plan

Make a gift list for birthdays and Christmas

Repot 3 houseplants. 2 done

♥ Take the backroads and put a little gravel in our travel ~ We've done this a lot. We actually escaped the GPS a couple of times! It just showed a grid with no roads.

♥ Company all summer long! 

What's on your summer bucket list friends?

Enjoy!

Laura

Happy for summer at home!

It's the best part of teaching.

You might enjoy:

Rambling Thoughts About a Beach Ball

A Little Randomness ~ 1973 

Something to Think About ~ Listening to Children