The Seasons – They are a-changin’

“There isn't enough room in your mind for both worry and faith. You must decide which one will live there.”

This quote was recently posted to Facebook by a friend of mine, and it pierced my heart. While it certainly wasn't a conscious decision, worry has won the battle in me for months.  Personal challenges and concerns have consumed my mind.  And when that happens, faith loses, crowded out by anxious thoughts.

What's crazy is that often the things we worry about never materialize! So the worry is for nothing.  And in the meantime, it saps energy, motivation and focus...which is why I haven't posted anything on this blog for more than a year!

So, while I'm not a big fan of New Year's resolutions, this January is a new start - a new season.  It's time for faith to once again take up residence in my mind, NOT worry.

Smells Good! Tastes Even Better!!

 

It's been quite awhile since I posted.

Decided if I'm going to jump back on here, I'm going to post something that makes me smile.  How about a homemade hawaiian personal pan pizza?!  YUM!!  This was not only yummy, it made the house smell good.  I love a warm toasty oven on a chilly Sunday!! :-)

TEST POST

Testing new Blogger design.  

Crockpot Apple Butter

One of the mainstays in my fridge is apple butter.  Since I was a little girl, there has always been a jar of apple butter in the fridge.  There is nothing like warm toast or a bagel spread with fresh apple butter.  My comfort food.  :-) 

My grandma's recipe is a crockpot version, which is yummy and easy to make.  I cooked up a batch this past weekend, enough to share a taste with coworkers.
 

Here's the recipe:

12-15 apples (peeled, cored, diced) 
2 c. sugar 
4 t. cinnamon 
1 t. ground cloves 
Cook in covered crockpot on high for 6-7 hours; remove cover and cook an hour and a half; stir occasionally.  Mash while warm (hand mixer, blender or processor).  Makes 4-5 small jars.

Goodbye to Old Friends

Time to say goodbye to this ragged old pair of work boots.  WAY past time to get rid of them, actually.

A good friend of mine (who happens to be a farm girl like me!) has been encouraging me to get a pair of "Ariats."  It's the top name in equestrian boots... riding boots, fashion boots and work boots.  However, frugal as I am, I couldn't imagine spending $100 on a pair of boots.

Enter ebay!!!
 

I found a beautiful new pair of Ariats for less than half price. 

The crazy thing is that I'm having a hard time parting with the old ragged pair!  Funny how it is with something familiar.  You get so comfortable that you don't want to let go.  I moved the old pair to the porch for a few days and, finally, this morning, carried them out to the trash.  Silly.  Why would I want to hold on when I have this beautiful new pair of boots.  Some lesson there, I'm sure.

Homemade Laundry Detergent

The ladies in my bible study have been raving about a new recipe for homemade laundry detergent.  Easy to make, economical, "green," and a little goes a long way. So....I finally gathered the ingredients and made a batch this afternoon.  
 

• 1 cup Borax
• 1 cup Washing Soda
• 1 bar Laundry Soap (I used Fels Naptha)

The most difficult task was grating the bar soap. It was time consuming and a little more work than I expected.  AND, I was surprised at how fragrant the Fels Naptha was. Overwhelmingly fragrant, actually.

Once finished, the bar soap ended up looking a bit like grated cheddar cheese. Kinda strange when you put it all together, as the consistency is so different. 

In any case, because the fragrance was so strong, I decided to start with one load of towels.  If the perfumey smell was too much, at least I wouldn't have to wear it!

So, I just pulled the towels out of the dryer and there is no perfumey smell at all!  As a matter of fact, I wonder if I should go back and add the optional essential oil for fragrance.  All in all, it made nearly 4 cups of detergent and it only takes 2 TBSP for a standard load.   Looks like I'm in business with my own homemade laundry detergent!! 

Thanks to Savvy Brown for the recipe and instructions!  Click here for more info:  Savvy Brown's homemade laundry detergent

Winter

It's been a delightfully mild winter in NE Ohio, just a couple of dustings so far.  And we're almost through January!!  Here's hoping it continues...only 61 days til Spring!!