Winter Cheer

A recent view of the sunset, here in Vermont.

The cold weather has many of us staying home.  It has been snowing for days. The wind is almost constantly blowing, making the temperature feel like it is below zero.

We have had a few necessary errands and local doctor appointments.  Whenever I get home from these trips, it takes me such a long time to get warmed up.  I keep my coat and gloves on as I sit by the fire.  The wind whistles its warning of cold air as it creeps in through the windows of our 1800's house.  

Yesterday's view of one of our lakes.

Yet, while I am out on these errands, I cannot help but step out into the biting wind and cold air.  I want a picture of the beautiful scenery around me. 

Today's morning view of one of our lakes, covered in snow. 

It is peaceful and serene to see the white landscape. The beauty of creation, in every season, is a gift to see.   

This afternoon, back at home, I have been struggling to get warm. Then I remembered a birthday gift I received several years ago. It is a lovely nightgown from The Vermont Country Store.  I remember that winter was extra cold. I remember feeling discouraged with the struggle to stay warm.  I had been given money for my birthday and thought it would be so nice to finally get a cozy, old fashioned nightgown to keep me warm. It is called "Eileen West Fairy Tale," and is made with 100% cotton flannel. The quality is outstanding.  The one I chose was a pale blue with white trim. The long length is perfect. I am grateful to have it. Someday, over many years, I hope to add more of these to my winter wardrobe with a pink one and a white one. I cannot even describe the relief of feeling warm and cozy in the midst of such freezing weather.

The other day, we were informed a major snow storm was coming.  It was late in the afternoon. Despite being tired, I knew I had to get to the store to stock up on some necessary items.  I had hoped to get back home before dark.  When we arrived at the store, the wind was so cold as we walked into the building. I was grateful to be able to get some things and then push the carriage back to the car.  It was then that I noticed the sunset.  I was struck, in that brief moment, by the beauty of the coming nightfall. It was if there was a message from heaven, a reminder, to keep looking up. All will be well. The Lord is with us! It brought cheer and rest.

In just a few days, we will be going on one of our medical trips. We are looking forward to the hope of a new treatment plan to help our patient.  We are grateful for each day. And while things are often difficult, we do our very best to remain cheerful and content.  Each day is full of wonderful little blessings that bring us such joy and peace. The Lord is so good.

Blessings

Mrs. White

From the Archives -

Finding Genuine Happiness at Home - Peace be Upon This House.  

Precious Homemaking - A Covered Bridge and Graceful Living in Rural Vermont.

Joyful Days (with 4 generations at home) - Gracious Homemaking.

- To find out more about this blog, or Mrs. White, please visit our About page. -

"At Mother's House" by Mrs. White:

  For Encouragement in Homemaking, order Mrs. White's book, from 2016, "At Mother's House: The Blessing of Being a Christian Housewife."

In this book, you will find essays, articles, and diary entries about life in a Christian home.

There are 40 entries which include:  "Poor and Pretty Living;" "A Home Without Clutter;" "The Money Packets;" "A Church Diet for the Family;" "Bringing Home Baby;" "The Children's Prayers;" "The Shabby Garden:" and "Just a Housewife."

Those who are seeking a peaceful home, with the Lord as the foundation, will find encouragement. (Paperback, 122 pages.)

A Year of Blessings - Our New Book

Our newest book. 

The Legacy of Home Presents our newest book as part of our Classic Book reprint collection. It is a daily devotional from the 1800's: "A Year of Blessings and a Blessed Year" by Rose Porter.

How the book was found:

During one of our recent medical trips, in early December, we stopped in an antique shop.  This was on our way through a rural town in Vermont. I wanted to browse around and enjoy looking at all the treasures from long ago. I did not expect to buy anything.

{Inside the antique shop.}

Then we entered a room full of vintage books.  It was a quiet room with many bookcases. There were a great many interesting volumes, but nothing that really caught my attention until I saw a little, faded book. The title simply said: "A Year of Blessings."  It was published in the 1800's by a company with which I was familiar.  After investigating further, it was decided that this book needed to come home with me.  I watched as the store clerk carefully wrapped it in a beautiful bag and then I put it safely aside until we arrived back at home.

My intention was to transcribe the entire contents, reformat, redesign, and bring this book back into print. It took a great many hours of typing and a great deal of work to get this project finished. I wanted to have it ready for the first of the new year. I am now greatly relieved (and exhausted) to have it ready and available!

This book was originally published in 1885.

Our new edition:

I have added some special features to our new edition. These include:

- Photographs of inside the original copy. 

- A preface by Mrs. White

- All Scripture is from the KJV Bible.

- I have added one of four illustrated mottoes at the beginning of each month. These are from the 1800's by Currier and Ives.

Details:

The book contains a devotion for each day in the year. These are focused on blessings.  There is a Scripture and then a quote from a variety of sources, including Spurgeon, Alexander, and Kempis.

There are 220 pages. It is a paperback edition with a beautiful winter scene on the cover from Currier and Ives.

Here is a sample page from inside our edition:

Sample pages from January.

The book is now ready for sale:

~ Daily Devotional ~

"A Year of Blessings and a Blessed Year: The Legacy of Home Press Classic Edition" by Rose Porter.

220 pages, paperback. (5 x 8)

ISBN: 978-1-956616-37-8

I hope you are blessed and inspired by the daily readings!

Any help you can offer with getting the word out about our new book would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

Blessings
Mrs. White

From the Archives - 

God's precious care of our lives (Includes a story about Mrs. Charles Spurgeon) - All of God's Children Have Shoes.

Peaceful old time Living - Quiet Duties of Home.  

Beautiful Summer days at home (and living on a "Walton's Budget") - Old Time Homemaking. 

- To find out more about this blog, or Mrs. White, please visit our About page. -

New Year Direction

Background Photo: Winter Scene near our home in Vermont.

In just a few days we will venture into a new year. It is an exciting time to think about making things better, starting new habits, and looking forward to many days of blessings.

It is common to make resolutions or goals.  We want this year to be the best it can be.  It feels like a fresh start. We may want to save money, organize the house, improve health, or accomplish little things. But most of all, it would be lovely to simply find a way to be a blessing.

We can make our time special by doing something selfless for others.  Remember to do a kind action every day. This will spread blessings!  It will bring the warmth and comfort of goodness to those around us. 

Background Photo: Winter scene at our property here in Vermont. 

I was in an antique shop early this month. I saw a grandfather clock on display.  These clocks announce the time with a beautiful sound of chimes.  It is like a cheerful bell ringing out to remind us that time is passing.  The chimes occur at regular intervals throughout the day and night.   Time is certainly passing. Is our time being used for good things?

Grandfather clock in an antique shop, here in Vermont.

For me, this coming year will be a year of gratefully serving the Lord. I do not have any personal goals. I want to simply be ready to do the work I am given each day.  This gives me a feeling of rest and contentment. There is no sense of hurry or pressure.  There is rest for the soul.  There is peace in the heart. 

As this year comes to an end, we need direction for the coming days. May we remember to continue the daily work of keeping house and taking care of the family.  May we face each day with cheerful courage, in the midst of storms, trials, and obstacles, as we focus on serving others.  This is the mission work of the home.  

Sound the chimes, ring the bell, and get ready to be about the Master's business. It will bring you such joy and happiness! 

Blessings 

Mrs. White

PS: (There is an update) For those who follow our medical trips and have asked for a way to help, we have a page set up here:

https://thelegacyofhome.blogspot.com/p/help-with-our-medical-trips.html

We are so very grateful for your prayers and support! 

From the Archives -

Mother's Life Dedicated to God - The Mission House.

Are You a Member? - Mother's Benevolent Society.

You Can Do It! - Housekeeping with a Will. 

  - To find out more about this blog, or Mrs. White, please visit our About page. -

 

Find Home-keeping Inspiration, in Mrs. White's book - For The Love of Christian Homemaking.  Paperback, 274 pages.

Retired from the World

One of the covered bridges, here in Vermont, Dec. 2024.

The culture around me has changed so much in recent years. Advertising, marketing, and constant news have seeped into almost every aspect of life.  I read that television was not commonly in American homes until the 1950's.  Now we have much more than this with the internet. It is noisy in the world of society.  Our thoughts and spending are affected by the culture. It is difficult to think when we are walking along the glittery road of life. 

In rural New England, we have the opportunity to step away from the hectic pace of life.  Winters are bitterly cold, keeping me indoors. It is the season of rest. It is the time to remember simple days from long ago.  Thinking about the history of family and faith can bring a sense of calm. It reminds one of the beauty in old-fashioned living. 

As this year is coming to an end, we have the opportunity to start fresh in the New Year. I want this to be a peaceful year. It could be a year of contentment and rest regardless of the normal trials and storms that always come along.

We will find joy in simplicity. Stress and pressure will melt away when we are not caught up in the latest message of the social world around us. With each passing day, we can gain a greater sense of purpose in the quiet work of serving in the background. 

The other day, the house was peaceful and quiet.  I went to the window to watch a group of snow-birds playing in the trees.  Red cardinals were in a little nest nearby. Snow was falling heavily making the landscape white and peaceful. This reminded me of the blessing of serenity in home life.  

In the coming months, there may be hardships with health, finances, and much more. These often come throughout each year. I want to face them with grace and patience. I want to be ready for the daily tasks with a cheerful and willing heart. 

 When we realize there are far more important things in our short lives than what is happening in the culture around us, we will experience a sense of relief.  

Serving the Lord each day, as we trust and let go of our fears, is wise.  Remember to give our burdens to our Heavenly Father and find goodness in the daily work at home. To find a way to live in the world, but not of it, is a great accomplishment. I want to learn to do this each day.  My hope is to retire from the world, and settle in to my ordinary life of homemaking.

May your Christmas and New Year bring joy and peace.

Blessings

Mrs. White

From the Archives -

A Simple Life - How to Stop Buying Things that Clutter up the Home. 

Old Time Frugality - Keeping the Family Homestead. 

A Precious Lifetime of Duty at home at - The Mission House.  

 

 - To find out more about this blog, or Mrs. White, please visit our About page. -

 

For happiness and cheer in the kitchen:

Mrs. White's old fashioned cookbook focuses on serving meals and setting the table in a humble home.

"Serving in the Kitchen: Cookbook with Recipes, Advice, and Encouragement for the Christian Home"

152 pages, paperback

Plymouth Cheese in a Historic Vermont Village

Winter scene of "Plymouth Cheese" company from our recent Trip.

The snowy landscape, here in New England, is beautiful to see.  On our recent trip through Plymouth Vermont, we stopped in a historic village. There is a business there, in the midst of museum houses, which is open year-round. It is called "Plymouth Cheese."  This company was started, in the late 1800's, by the father of Calvin Coolidge. He was looking for a way to preserve the extra milk from the cows on his farm. He and some neighbors started the company with a wonderful recipe for cheese, which is still being made today. 

The store offers free samples of cheese at the front desk. There is a museum full of antique equipment and information on the second floor.  It is a great place to stop and visit, after touring the historic 19th century village of Plymouth Notch. 

If you are interested in the homes and businesses in Plymouth Notch, I have a field trip section in my homeschooling book, "Seeking a Thrifty and Simple Life."  

In a recent post, I offered a giveaway of this book. The names of the winners are listed below.

Plymouth Cheese lunch bag next to Mrs. White's books. 

The winners are:

 Mrs. Sabo and Deanna.  They will each receive a paperback copy of "Seeking a Simple and Thrifty Life." 

Thank you to all who entered. I enjoyed reading all the comments and entries! Thank you so much!

I hope to write more soon. . . 

Blessings

Mrs. White

From the Archives -

Old Time Wisdom from Colonial Days - To Earn and Not to Spend.

For The Hard Days - Make the Mess Look Pretty.

The Virtuous Mother - Amazing Dedication.


 - To find out more about this blog, or Mrs. White, please visit our About page. -