Things are very quiet in rural Vermont. Many of us are getting ready for the coming winter. There are pretty leaves all over the landscape. Raking will soon become a family activity.
There is always so much to do, from sun up to sun down. There are children to care for, meals to cook, and a home to clean. We all enjoy having Grandbaby here for an extended stay, along with his dear mother. They brighten the home and keep the laughter going.
I have been teaching baby how to clean. He just turned a year old. I will give him a damp rag and he loves to clean his own high chair tray. He will laugh with delight when he helps me with the work. Throughout the house, baby's laughter awakens a happiness in every heart. Every home should have a baby.
Our wood pellet stove has been fixed. Mister was able to take care of it. He has been doing test runs for us on these cool September mornings. I love sitting near the fire with a pleasant book.
The other afternoon, I made a double batch of homemade frozen pizza. I neatly wrapped them in wax paper and stacked them in Ziploc freezer bags. I thought how wonderful it would be if my freezer was full of homemade foods, rather than packaged commercial products from the store. A carefully filled freezer of home goods, is something like rows of home canned foods stored away for the coming winter.
I need to set up a little basket near my parlour chair. Socks, in this house, need mending. I haven't mended socks in such a long time, but I know it will be an enjoyable process. Perhaps when Amy (baby's mother) sits with me to chat, she will pick up some of the work, and we can mend while we have our daily visits in the parlour.
One of the greatest things I have learned as a homemaker and mother, is to have incredible patience with life. One must never act on emotion - never in the moment. Time is needed to pray, or to consider. Having simple, quiet days at home, has made this all very clear to me. Through a trusting patience in the Lord, we have a great contentment. Worries tend not to linger. They fade away as quickly as they came.
To keep busy at home, in a slow and simple way, is a wonderful way of life.
Blessings
Mrs. White
From the Archives:
Please don't be one of these - Bossy Wives.
From My Kitchen - Baking Homemade Cinnamon Rolls by Lamplight.
Find Home-keeping Inspiration, in Mrs.White's book - For The Love of Christian Homemaking. Paperback, 274 pages.
An Invitation - Subscribe to The Legacy of Home and have it delivered directly to your email.
Your post reminded me...I once knew a lady who made ahead and kept all sorts of pies in her freezer for really busy days or when unexpected guests pop in. I always thought that was an excellent idea.
ReplyDeleteYour pellet stove sounds nice. We use an old-fashion looking propane stove in our living room that heats our whole house just right. The sitting room stays nice and warm while the bedrooms stay cool for cozy sleepin'. Plus, it's cheaper to burn than running the heat pump.
Have a wonderful day.
That's what I'm working towards...more homemade things in the freezer i/o boxes of corn dogs and Hot Pockets. I'd much rather have a hearty piece of homemade bread that the loaves of air that sometimes come home from the 'supermarket'.
ReplyDeleteThis post has been a breath of fresh air to me. Thank you.
Hello Mrs. White,
ReplyDeleteI like to double recipes and freeze the extra for another night.
Soon, I'll begin making cookie dough, baking a dozen for now, and freezing the balance of the dough for busy November and December days.
I'd love you to do a tutorial on how to mend socks. I've not done it, but I'm sure it would be a very handy skill to have.
I need to work more diligently with my mending basket this autumn as the air cools.
Blessings,
Laura
So thankful to be in the service of my King and my family
Harvest Lane Cottage
Good morning, you are right about having patience and not acting on emotions. The older I get, I don't the energy to get very upset when things go wrong anyway :)
ReplyDeleteHope you have a very nice Tuesday
Patience with life- what a wonderful saying! This is Tami with a new blog :)
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading this post. Like you, I feel slow & mindful life at home is a blessing. Thank you so much for sharing! (visiting from Encourage One Another)
ReplyDelete~Taylor-Made Ranch~
Wolfe City, Texas
Hi Mrs. White! What a beautiful lesson to learn from being a homemaker. Patience is such a hard one to learn, especially for me. Your victory over that is surely an encouragement to me.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your family visit!
Ceil
The last two paragraphs of your post are apples of gold.
ReplyDeleteDear Mrs. White:
ReplyDeleteJust became acquainted with your blog and have so much catching up to do! I can tell, already, that I will be spending lots of time here:-)
I had to chuckle when you stated you had not mended socks in a long time; I just got done with this process, and I too, have not done this in quite a while. My husband put his foot in his shoe, took it out and put it back in (3 times) wondering what was in his shoe causing a "bump." :-) I suppose my mending skills need some brushing-up!
~ Sharon in Michigan
I am a sock mender too. :o) I've had some people chide me for this, though: "Dontcha know you can just go to Wal-Mart & get a 3-pack really cheap?" Yes, I do know that, but it's beside the point, & anyway, I don't really mind doing it. And, if I've knitted the socks myself, then mending them is an absolute must! :o)
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you address patience so often in your posts. I'm not a patient person by nature, but God has taught me much over the years, & I'm grateful for the patience I've slowly acquired, as well as the appreciation for slow things.
A very fine post. Thank you.
Brenda
I've made waffles in large batches, then froze them for a later time. Its like having your own homemade eggos! Always encouraging words her. I'm thankful for your ministry.
ReplyDeleteJennifer
The Focused Homemaker
Thank you again for another peaceful post. I shared the paragraph about patience from this post on my blog. If you object please let me know and I will remove it.
ReplyDelete