Raw Milk Uproar

Another unbelievable move by the Federal government:  A sting operation to crack down on Amish farmers selling raw milk.  A stink operation?!?  It is the Amish!  This is, yet again, another example of government overreaching and waste.  What did our ancestors do before pasteurization??  From what I am finding, pasteurization did not begin in the US until 1947.  Not that long ago.  

From this report, the customers are very pleased with their product and are up in arms with this government intrusion.

Our children were raised on raw milk.  They all now lead productive, healthy adult lives.  (I like to think that raw milk is not the only reason.)  Once you've tasted fresh, raw milk the other stuff tastes like there has been water added to it. 

With everything else going on in this country, why does the government feel the need to "control" raw milk to such an extreme?  Big Food?  Big Milk?

It is Ready for Ada...finally

Ada is now over a year old. 

Since my only daughter was expecting her first child, I wanted to make a special quilt.  Emily loves the reproduction 30s and 40s fabrics.  So I chose some of those.  Em also likes "random".  This means that, unlike her mother, she prefers the abstract.  She does not like the standard quilt block designs.  Being someone who needs a pattern for any project no matter the difficulty, this presented some problems for me.  The first was working outside my comfort zone for most of the piecing of this project.  Triangles are easy, right??  RIGHT??  Well, not for me, it seems.

It wasn't long into my quilting career that I discovered that my piecing abilities were shabby at best.  But give me a piece of plain muslin marked with a beautiful design, and I'm in my element.

This project was begun not long after we heard about the upcoming blessed event.   Once I came up with a pattern, I was able to get the thing pieced.  I really thought it would be easy enough.  So much went wrong and I nearly threw the thing away twice.  Then came summer and garden and outside chores.  It is rather uncomfortable to quilt in the summer...so warm with all that fabric in your lap.  Hence, the delay.

It was my hope to have it done by Christmas, but that didn't quite happen.  But, today it is done!!

Here are some pictures of my progress:

Since this is just a small quilt, I like to do it in a big hoop.  The pins are basting pins that hold the whole thing together while it is being quilted.  Here I'm working on the outside border, which is a Celtic braid.  Emily and her husband had been to Ireland, so I thought the border would be appropriate.

Here is a view of the "random" triangles and leaf design down the center panels.  The hoop needed to be moved to work on another area.

This is the binding that is being pinned on to the edges.

 Sewing the binding to the edge.

Now the binding is turned to the back side to be sewn by hand.  (The corner really is quilted.  It just didn't show up on the picture.)

Done!

I hope that Ada enjoys her quilt.  It was certainly a joy to stitch for her.  One blessing about quilting is that it is easy to pray for the person receiving the quilt.  My stitches were made with prayers that Ada will come to know Christ at an early age.  

Emily's next baby is on the way, so I need to get to work.  The next quilt will not have this much quilting.  At least I don't think so.  It doesn't look like it will be done before the big arrival in July.  I have started marking it, though.  At least that is a start. 

Let those that are united to me in tender ties

   be precious in thy sight and devoted to thy glory.

Let not those of my family who are amiable, moral, attractive,

   fall short of heaven at last;

Grant that the promising appearances of a tender conscience,

   soft heart, the alarms and delights of thy Word,

   be not finally blotted out,

   but bring forth judgment unto victory in all whom I love.

--an excerpt from The Family in The Valley of Vision

Signs of Spring

It seems spring is slow in arriving this year...or is it just me feeling a bit elderly?

On a walk around the garden lately, I did see some signs of spring...

 
Yep!  That is rhubarb making it's appearance.  Not real impressive, I know, but still ya have to take what you can get.  Can't wait for rhubarb crisp!!

Some of my bulbs are up and the croci have bloomed adding some much desired color.

 There is our little bit of color. 

It is obvious that this winter has left quite a bit of tree shrapnel in the yard.  There are pine cones, branches and bark all over the yard.  Going to be quite a bit of work this spring cleaning up.

Blessed Creator,
Thou hast promised thy beloved sleep;
Give me restoring rest needful for tomorrow's toil.
If dreams be mine, let them not be tinged with evil.
Let thy Spirit make my time of repose a blessed temple of his holy presence.

Help me when I helpless lie,
   when my conscience accuses me of sin,
   when my mind is harassed by foreboding thoughts,
   when my eyes are held awake by personal anxieties.

Show thyself to me as the God of all grace, love and power;
   thou hast a balm for every wound,
     a solace for all anguish,
     a remedy for every pain,
     a peace for all disquietude.
Permit me to commit myself to thee awake or asleep.

~ an excerpt from "Sleep" from The Valley of Vision

The King's Speech

As usual, I stumble on things.  Not only around the house, but on the Internet. 

Here is a delightful and insightful piece by William H. Willimon entitled, Voice Lessons.  It is written as he reflects on the movie, The King's Speech.

The Lost Tools of Learning

This piece written by Dorothy L. Sayers was found by way of The White Horse Inn.  You are invited to learn and enjoy, as I did.


I long to fill all my time for thee,
   whether at home or in the way;
   to place all my concerns in thy hands;
   to be entirely at thy disposal,
   having no will or interest of my own.
Help me to live to thee for ever,
   to make thee my last and only end,
   so that I may never more in one instance love my sinful self.

--an excerpt from, Devotion,  in The Valley of Vision

Seed Ordering

Color has been arriving by mail over the past couple of weeks by way of seed catalogs.  These bright and cheerful  items come during the bleekest days of winter.  Not only do they arrouse interest in the planning of the garden for the coming year, but they are a delight to they eyes.

Inside these pages are all sorts of new varities that, while they may not tempt me, are amusing to read about. 

I'm just not in to purple vegetables that really weren't made to be purple, if you know what I mean.  Purple peppers??  I'm just not interested. 

The "Flower Section" of these booklets are bursting with color and are a delight to the eyes.  While I enjoy growing a few flowers, I don't have the time and engergy to give them the attention the poor things deserve.  I have a few favorites that are low maintenance.  These tend to be my go-to staples.  Maybe I'm in a flower rut.

Our garden is divided into two sections.  The first section will have been in use for seven years, so we are giving it a "rest".  We are still not sure what that is going to look like.  We have been counciled by friends to plant a green manure on this section.  Which is all well and good, but I don't want to plant something that will reseed itself and become an invasive weed that drives me nuts the next year.  My husband and I still need to do some other checking, but we would like to plant something and then till in under before it becomes a problem.

This also presents the issue of trust.  This will mean that our garden will be cut in half.  Some things that take up a large amount of space will have to take a break for the year.  Vegies such as sweet potatoes and perhaps corn will be purchased at our local farmer's market.  With the economic situation looming, we are considering making the garden section that we will be working this coming season a bit larger.  Our kids laugh that the garden keeps getting larger and it is just the two of us!  We do want to plant, not only for ourselves, but to share with others as well.  Trust comes in knowing that we need to do our part in planting and caring for our crops and that God is resposible for the outcome.  (Of course, that is the case every season, but with a smaller area, it will be more of a test.)

So, until the ground is ready, I need to sort through my seed box to see what I need to order for the spring planting.  Who knows what new thing will strike my fancy to try...if we have room!



"Sow your seed in the morning,

   and at evening let not your hands be idle,

 for you do not know which will

   succeed,

whether this or that,

or whether both will do equally well." 

--Ecclesiastes 11:6  (NIV)



There Is Much To Learn

It seems I don't get out much.  Not only does that apply to my physical body, especially in the winter, but to my spiritual mind as well.  I fear being swept up in bad doctrine.  I may hear something that may delight my ears, but is not True.  My concerns come from a fear of not knowing what I believe in a well-grounded way that I can communicate it properly and that do not discern truth from error correctly.  I have my "go-to" guys, R.C. Sproul, T. David Gordon, and others.  No doubt there are many sound men of God of which I am unaware.

While contemplating a couple of books for a book club, my friend suggested a book, Christless Christianity, by Michael Horton.  I have heard of Michael Horton.  I've even heard of the White Horse Inn.  I do believe I may have listened to it in the car at one time.  (CAUTION:  CONFESSION OF EMBARRASSING IGNORANCE ALERT!!)  I had no idea what the history of the White Horse Inn was, what these guys were about or even who they were or what their backgrounds were.  Alas, The White Horse Inn website complete with audio.  There is opportunity to have all questions about The White Horse Inn answered.

The first broadcast that I listened to was, "The Great Commission Survey".  (Check out the upper right hand side--if you scroll down it was the last one.)  For this survey, one of the producers of the show asked some folks at a Christian convention some interesting questions.  The answers are remarkable in that they display the mindset and ignorance of the average Christian today.  Some of my answers surprised me.  It is amazing how one can be sucked into the catch phrases of the day.

The broadcast was thought provoking and has given me cause to repent and desire to know more about how I can effectively communicate my faith.  I have much to learn and it looks as if this is another place to satisfy my weak knowledge.

May I be daily more and more conformed to thee,
   with the meekness and calmness of the Lamb in my soul,
   and a feeling sense of the felicity of heaven,
   where I long to join angels free from imperfections,
   where in me the image of my adored Saviour
      will be completely restored,
   so that I may be fit for his enjoyments and employments.
--an excerpt from Retrospect and Prospect from the Valley of Vision