Winter Provisions

An early morning view of the grounds at our house.

 

The snow is falling gently nearly every day here in our rural village. It is peaceful and quiet.  I have been thinking about the upcoming spring garden, but do not want to rush the season. I am still so happy with the white landscape all around and how cozy it is to stay indoors by the fire. 

I have to venture out to the shops for provisions.  The little trips make one cold in the icy weather, but it is still so lovely to look at the sky and snow-covered trees this time of year.  I am always trying to find ways to avoid too many errands. It is more restful to stay at home as much as possible. I am able to accomplish wonderful homemaking tasks that keep us comfortable and happy.  But the struggle has always been to make sure there is enough food in the pantry.

Years ago, when I was a young mother, some of us were visiting at one of the family homes. I sat at the dining room table going over my budget. My sister was walking through the rooms. I thought I would seek her advice.  I wondered if there was some easier way to come up with enough money for groceries.  She worked at a bank, and I hoped she would have some new insight. When I asked for advice, she responded with something like, "Oh, that's easy. You just pay all your bills first and then whatever is left over, you buy food."   I sighed.  It didn't sound easy to me, especially when the cost of living seemed to be so high.  But all these years I have tried to remember what she said. 

I believe people can get into a lot of financial trouble when they use their bill money to buy groceries. Soon they are behind on the rent, or there is a shut-off notice from the electric company.  I have learned to budget our income to cover all bills first, and then what is left goes to food and savings.  My food budget is much smaller than I would like. It is not what one would call "generous."  Yet, I try every month to make it last and to stretch so my family feels like they are being taken care of.

Today, as I look through my kitchen to see what we have for provisions, I notice the freezer is nearly empty.  I have ingredients available for baking and such, but not a great deal is available. My modest winter stock-up has not been replenished. Since I must be very careful with all of our resources, particularly when we must come up with hundreds of dollars to pay for heat in the coming weeks, I have to get creative.

 I got up very early this morning and made a batch of brownies. I currently have a pot of homemade vegetable soup simmering on the stove.  This afternoon, after a good rest, I will gather some apples that need to be used up. I searched through one of my old cookbooks.  I will bake a homemade apple pie. 

My old Betty Crocker cookbook. 

Later today, I will get out my little money jar. I will count out the quarters to see if I have enough for some stew meat. Then tomorrow, I hope to go to the grocers and get a small package of meat.   I will then spend part of the day making a batch of homemade beef stew and biscuits. The stew will last a few days and be such a comfort to the household.

Each day I will pray for guidance and direction. Each day the Lord will help me come up with ideas. He will also give the strength and the energy to do the precious work of homemaking.  

As the cold winter days linger on through the season, I will humbly seek the Lord with great faith and trust, asking, "please, dear Lord," I will pray, "send us this day our daily bread."  I know He will take care of us. He always does.

Blessings

Mrs. White

From the Archives -

Some help for those Sad Days  - Domestic Happiness.

Always Remember This - The House Comes First.

What many of us crave - An Ordinary Life at Home.  

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

 

Mrs. White's special book for homemakers:"Introduction to Home Economics:  Gentle Instruction to Find Joy in Christian Homemaking."

Find stories of home life, with photographs of my home, in this encouraging book. 

 Paperback, 200 pages. 

Joy Comes in the Morning

Our table set for a special meal (with mashed potatoes). 

 

The cold weather brings a season of many illnesses. There is much sickness going around.  In the midst of such troubles, I am finding the periods of rest to be helpful.  This time of year reminds me of how very difficult life can be, yet how very blessed we are as we lean on the Lord for help.  As we endure hardships, moments of comfort and warmth are greatly appreciated. 

On a recent medical trip, the weather report was alarming.  We were scheduled to leave early in the morning.  There was snow and ice and freezing rain. We were cautioned on how to travel safely in such dangerous conditions.  I have a good set of winter tires on our car. I knew I would follow the guidelines, driving slowly and keeping a good distance between vehicles.  I expected it to take extra time to reach our destination in a nearby state. We were heading to a hospital for treatment for our patient.  It took a great deal of concentration and care to drive on this trip. It also took prayer. We had a few stops along the way and then we arrived at the hospital. It was so tiring but we felt blessed and encouraged because I knew the Lord was watching over us. 

When it was time to head to the hotel, I was cold and weary. The freezing rain was intent on bringing discouragement. But by the time I walked through the door of the hotel room, I felt the warmth and comfort of the cheerful room. It felt like I was home! I was so relieved and grateful for a good rest after such a challenging day. I knew that after a good night's rest, I would feel refreshed and ready to face another precious day of doing whatever the Lord had in store for me.  

Now that we have been back home for several days, there has been sickness and a time of slowing down to heal and recover my strength.  I have been overly weary today. As I was resting, I was thinking of how much I miss my parents (who lived here with us in this large old house for nearly 10 years).  I remember that whenever I felt very ill and tired, I would get on the telephone and call to the downstairs section to talk to my father. I would say, "Dad? Are you busy?"  He knew I had been sick and was worried about me. He would ask what I needed.  (I thought of the wonderful potatoes he always made, whenever he helped Mom make dinner when I was a child.) I did not have the energy to do very much. I knew he would be happy to help. I answered him by saying, "I would really love some mashed potatoes."  He never hesitated. He would have it ready in about a half hour. I knew Mom would help him. They were always so ready to bring cheer and comfort serving our family with a great sense of love.  I was always so grateful. This bit of homemade nourishment was such a comfort to me and always made me feel better. 

The love of family and home are what holds us together.  Over all of this is prayer from faithful, trusting hearts. The help we give to one another is so important. It brings encouragement and keeps us cheerful. The times we have of peace and rest are so very precious.  There will always be much work to be done. We are needed to take care of the dear family which requires stability and dedication.  But if we do it at our own pace, with our own capabilities in mind - never attempting more than we can realistically handle - we will feel a sense of calmness amid the trials. We must remember that even though the days can be very hard, the Lord is with us. He will provide the rest we need. It is the rest of healing and spiritual refreshment. Then joy will come in the morning. 

Blessings

Mrs. White

From the Archives -

Daily life with 4 generations in the house - In Pursuit of Christian Duty.

Practical Help - The Secret to a Clean House.

As lovely as this - The Cultured Society of Home. 

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

Mrs. White's nostalgic book for Mothers:

"Old Fashioned Motherhood: Baby and Child Care Advice from a New England Housewife." 

62 pages, paperback. 

A Happy and Peaceful New Year

Victorian holiday card from 1890, LOC.

 

A new year is upon us. I am so grateful for every day that we are given. I pray the coming year will be a blessing and a time of joyful service for the dear Lord. Whatever the coming year may hold, the Lord is with us through it all. We have a precious comfort and assurance. All will be well. 

Thank you for being here!

A happy and peaceful New Year to you and your families! 

Blessings

Mrs. White

From the Archives -

Always Remember this - The House Comes First.

Overcoming Worries and Troubles - Reviving the Prayer Journal.

Old Fashioned Living - Retirement Planning for the Poor.

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

Now Available from the Legacy of Home Press:

Household Planner: Perpetual Calendar to Organize Daily Life for the Home and Family by Mrs. White

224 pages, paperback

Includes monthly budgets and financial planning forms, daily calendar for appointments and notes, and much more. 

Encouragement from the 1800's:  

~ 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)

A Classic Reprint, brought to you by The Legacy of Home Press.

An Ordinary Christmas Dinner

Christmas painting by Charles Green, 1896. LOC

 

One of the most difficult things to accomplish in the home is not the cleaning, the cooking, the shopping or even managing the finances. The most difficult thing we must do is to make sure our homes are happy.

A major undertaking is to understand relationships, manners, dealing with moods and trials and how to remain graceful and kind through it all.  Part of this work involves the planning and organizing of birthdays and holidays. These are such special times and can be filled with such warmth and joy. There is effort and work that must be done, with patience and flexibility.  We need to be able to manage the day, knowing (and expecting) there to be distractions and annoyances. If we seek a calm heart focused on the Lord, it is very possible we can cheerfully accomplish the goal without troubled or stormy seas. The goal, of course, is happiness and peace despite any difficultly. This can only come from the source of all peace and that is from the dear Lord.

Christmas is in just a few more days. Some will be travelling. Others are expecting guests. Many will be home alone or with just one or two others. In each case, we can plan to make it pleasant and a special day!  In our house, I am serving an ordinary Christmas dinner. There will be mashed potatoes, peas, rolls, and chicken.  The beauty will be in the way the table is set and how nice the candles will look during the meal.  I will make the day special with little touches of service with an understanding of the need for comfort and rest for those in this household. There will be Christmas music in the background. Later I will play the piano for just a little while, in the downstairs living room. I do not think we will have anyone visiting but I expect to see grown children and grandchildren during the coming week.  I am grateful.

May this wonderful season of home and family be a peaceful time of good memories. May it provide us with a sense of thankfulness for all the Lord does for us this Christmas day and always. 

Blessings

Mrs. White

From the Archives -

One of the greatest joys - Mother's Benevolent Society. 

Peaceful old time Living - Quiet Duties of Home.  

What Many of Us Crave - An Ordinary Life at Home.

- 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

Keeping Warm in New England

Sitting by the fire to conserve fuel oil, 1942. LOC.

 

I was called away from home, early one morning. One of the grandbabies was sick and his mother needed to do a necessary errand. I was happy to stay with the little one, cozy in his home, and take good care of him.  His mother returned in good time, and I was able to go back to the coziness of my own house. 

The weather here has been incredibly cold. There are freezing temperatures near zero and, at times, below zero.  This is uncommon for this time of year.  It does not usually get this cold until January or February. It makes one want to stay home and wait out the winter!

All this cold weather is increasing the cost of heating this place. We have a specific amount available for the season.  With the higher costs, I need to try to make the kerosene last longer.  We are trying to use our wood stove more often. But the fuel supply for this has come from fallen trees on our property, over the previous summer months. It is limited. I have been saving newspapers and scrap paper as a contribution to the warmth of the fireside. 

In my childhood home, here in New England, I remember my mother standing in the hallway. She would quietly adjust the thermostat on the wall to just a touch higher than it was to bring the heat up. She was never one to waste anything. She wanted us to be warm, but she expected us to dress in seasonal clothing, wearing sweaters and such to do our part. The oil had to be conserved so that it was affordable to maintain the household expenses. 

My father often had a fire in the fireplace, especially in the evenings and on weekends throughout the winter months.  It was so cozy and comforting to sit with the family and just talk or read by the warmth of the fire.

The light of home, shining through the window on a snowy night, is a welcoming sight. Inside there is the comfort of family prayer in the evenings. To gather together at day's end in the retreat of one's own home is such a blessing. A peaceful home with good food to eat and a warm hearth is so encouraging when coming in from the cold.  The evening prayers and Bible reading remind us of how very thankful we are for each and every day.

Blessings

Mrs. White

From the Archives -

A Blessing - The Light in a Messy House.

Beautiful Living - Feminine Grace.

What many of us crave - An Ordinary Life at Home.

  - 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