Money-saving Ideas in the Laundry Department

What a delightful, sunny day. Cool, crisp air and not a cloud in the sky! My clothesline is full and the neighbor's fireplace is not in use this morning.

Even in the cold winter I hang my clothes out as much as possible. The winter air gives the clothes a different scent, which is a wonderful benefit. It may take an earlier start to your laundry day to get things dry, but, to me, it is worth the effort. I try and wash clothes in order of their time required to dry. Towels - first, then on to the lighter things. Some girls have a clothes line on their porch (I have a short one) that you can keep things out of the wet weather and still get dry, eventually. I use it to keep the sun off certain clothes that may fade.

In the winter your clothes will "freeze dry". My towels will look like boards swinging in the breeze, which is rather comical to see. Sometimes things don't get dry in time before you need to bring them in. You can pop them in the dryer and it won't take long to finish. However, it seems to take the scent away. One girl I know strings a line in her dining room and, not only do her clothes get dry, but it helps to add moisture to the house. I'm not there yet. My basement has several lines that I use in the winter if it is to snowy or raining. When there is snow piled up high from plowing the driveway, I can't get to the clothesline and resort to the dryer and basement clothesline.

I've found that I can also get several uses out of one dryer sheet. If I feel that there is still some stiffness in the sheet, I'll use it over again. I've been able to use them twice at least.

As you can tell, I love hanging clothes out. It is a simple way for me to help on the energy cost in the home. Some girls make an art of it...hanging clothes in order of size...shortest to longest or graduating colors. So have fun with it. However, a word of caution. Make sure that your neighbor's fireplace smoke is blowing the other way or your clothes will smell like smoke. I hung my bed clothes out one day. Left for some errands and came home to put them back on the bed. We crawled into a bed that wreaked of smoke. We could hardly sleep it was so strong...and the neighbors are not that close! I had to rewash them in the morning.

So, find a pair of gloves that allow you to operate clothes pins, bundle up and enjoy!

I hope this fall day is enjoyable for you.

"The Holy Spirit does not come on methods but men...especially men of prayer." E. M. Bounds

"Almighty God, I am loved with everlasting love, clothed in eteranl righteousness, my peace flowing like a river, my comforts many and large, my joy and triumph unutterable, my soul lively with a knowledge of salvation, my sense of justification unclouded....All the treasures of a million worlds could not make me richer, happier, more contented, for his unsearchable riches are mine." Valley of Vision, excerpts from "Assurance"

Snow

Well we did wake up to a beautiful snow-covered lawn. Not much, but just enough. The roads were just wet, though.

My sister-in-law and I were busy again today packing and cleaning at my in-laws place. There is just so much that needs to be pitched. It is so frustrating for me. Their new place is so much smaller, but their Depression mentality is overwhelming. I just have no idea how they are going to handle so much in their new place. It is just not healthy for them. My mom-in-law is not handling the stress well. She should not be doing all that she is doing. If she would only let us just do it and relax. I am concerned for her. It makes me want to make sure that I don't leave that kind of mess for my kids.

Keeping so many things is a sickness, I think. If you are not enjoying them, what good are they when they are packed away in boxes. Let someone else enjoy it, if you are not. Live simply.

"From Calvary's cross wave upon wave of grace reaches me, deals with my sin, washes me clean, renews my heart and strengthens my will, draws out my affection, kindles a flame in my soul...consecrates my every thought, word, work and teaches me thy immeasurable love." Valley of Vision, Privileges

First Snow

Today was a picture-perfect Autumn Day--cold, blustery--sometimes it rained, then sleet, then the sun would come out. This afternoon, though, the snow came. Just briefly, then the sun came out--that's Western PA in the fall. The forcast is for enough snow to cover the grass during the night, we'll see what happens.

Daniel got to hang out with his grandma this afternoon. What a delight! It's great to watch him learning to walk. So fun!

Winter has become more difficult for me as I get a bit older. My body craves the sunshine and around here in the winter, sun is hard to come by. I have found that taking Cod Liver Oil has helped. With vitamins A & D, I find that I don't get as depressed and I usually don't get colds. However, I can't say that about this fall with the colds.

I'm beginning to slip into 'hibernation mode'. I just want to stay at home and bake cookies and quilt. It won't be long now till most everyone around here is settled in for the winter. We rarely see any of our neighbors during the winter except during snow removal times. Those almost are almost happy occasions to see that everyone is doing well. Spring will come and everyone crawls out and we visit. The rhythm of life around here.

With the first snow, I thought I would 'celebrate' with the season's first making of Apple Crisp. My Grandma Blair first told me about this and it's the only recipe I have from her. I was surprised to find a recipe that was about the same in our church cookbook. Dad told me that Grandma was quite a great cook and baker in her day. I wonder if her recipes were all in her head. My dad told me she used to bake the family's bread and have all the loaves sitting out on the table when he came home from school. The house smelled great I'm sure. Anyway, back to Apple Crisp. I had some Stayman apples that were HUGE and it only took three to fill a 8 in. square pan. Here's the recipe:

Apple Crisp

1 stick soft butter
-3/4 C. sugar
1/2 C. flour
Cinnamon

Grease 8 inch square baking dish. Peal and slice your favorite baking-type apple in to the baking dish. (I've used Cortland and Macintosh a lot. Most any variety will do. Some of the more sturdy types that don't lose their shape when they are cooked quite as quickly, just need to bake a bit longer). Fill about 3/4 full. Sprinkle with your family's favorite amount of cinnamon. In medium sized mixing bowl, add sugar and flour; cut in butter. Sprinkle sugar mixture over apples. Add more cinnamon to the top.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 1/2 hour. Softer apples will only need about 20-25 minutes. Should be bubbly. May be enjoyed with Cool-whip or ice cream. Great for cold winter nights or as a general prescription for a bad day.

From my Respectable Sins reading: "So the question is, Are we to give God thanks when the circumstances do not turn out as we had hoped? The answer is yes, but for a different reason, In 1 Thess. 5:18, Paul writes, "Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."...[Romans 8:28] tells us that for those who love God, all things work together for good...The 'good' however, is defined in verse 29 as being conformed to the image of God's Son. In other words, Paul is telling us that God intends all our circumstances, both good and bad (but in the context Paul has in mind; especially the bad ones), to be intruments of sanctification, of growing us more and more into the likeness of Jesus." from Respectable Sins, by Jerry Bridges. How important it is to learn that God is in control of each circumstance in our life and each one is for our good--being made into His likeness....even things that can be called a 'dark providence'. It seems to me that 'bad' things only seem bad to us. God is using them and he calls them 'good'. We'll see how I'm doing with this the day after the election. Or when God wants to grow me during a time of dark providence.

Growing in Christ together~

Repetance and that 'Respectable Sins' Class

It seems that God needs to teach our church family a great deal about sin--it seems we have heard sermons on the subject for the past several weeks and then there's THAT CLASS!! My 'Respectable Sins' class is revealing more and more of my yucky stuff.

We are in the midst of moving my in-laws, again...which is a long and detailed story. Suffice it to say, it has only been a year since we moved them out of their last place. They are both suffering from a depression mentality, which means they find it difficult to throw anything away. Keith and I talked about going down today to help to some things(Acts of mercy on Sunday are a good thing-WCF) and I was fine with that until I found out that he wanted to be there till late in the day. Being a Steeler fan--one who has not watched a complete game yet this season!--I was hoping to be home to watch most of the game today. Needless to say, that didn't go over very well. While getting dressed for church, I was faced with the realization of my selfishness. Keith has done some much for my family, my mom especially, and I wanted to do my own thing and relax.

On the way into church, I confessed my crappy attitude. He had talked with him mom before we left and they were only going for a short trip to the condo today and they wanted to relax. So, it looked like I was going to be able to sit and relax and watch the game afterall...well, no. The game was on a channel that we cannot get. Maybe next Monday night I'll try again.

All that to say that it seem that God is really using this class and teaching from the pulpit to convict me of a ton of stuff. We want to grow and change and become more Christ-like. In my case, it's not always pretty. Thank goodness for forgiveness; for Christ and his dying on the cross.

"Oh Lord, No day of my life has passed that has not proved me guilty in thy sight. Prayers have been uttered from a prayerless heart; ...Blessed Jesus, let me find a covert in thy appeasing wounds, Though my sins rise to heaven thy merits soar above them...Give me perpetual broken-heartedness, Keep me clinging to thy cross, flood me every moment with descending grace. Open to me the springs of divine knowledge, sparkling like crystal, flowing clear and unsullied through my wilderness of life." Valley of Vision excerpts from The Broken Heart

Cold Remedy

Thanks to my best friend, Laura, who is always looking out for me for this information. I am coughing...AGAIN! For the past two years I have been cold-free and this season I've already had two! So, Laura gave me this recipe that is cooking as I type...

Garlic, Honey & Lemon Tea

3 C. water
3 cloves garlic, cut in half

bring the above just to a boil. Turn off heat and add:

1/2 C honey
1/2 C fresh lemon juice
Strain
sip 1/2 c of warm tea 3 times a day.

Keep it in the frig and heat it up as you need it.

Laura says the taste is not bad either!

Thanks a ton, Laura. I'm anxious to try it.


"I will Strenthen You." Isaiah 41:10
"When called to serve or to suffer, we take inventory of our strength and find it to be less than we thought and less than we need. Do not let your heart fail when you have this promise to fall back on, for it guarantees all that you can possibly need. God has strength omnipotent, and He can communicate that strength to you, and His promise is that He will do so....My own weakness makes me shrink, but God's promise makes me brave. Lord, strengthen me according to Your Word." Charles Spurgeon, Beside Still Waters, Roy Clarke, Editor

Hazel's Last Ride...of this season

This was a beautiful Fall day. The air was crisp, but the sun was bright and the sky was clear and blue.

Since it was beautiful, I hurried to strip the bed and get things washed to hang outside, all the while praying that the wind was still coming from the east and keep the neighbor's chimney smoke away...thankfully, it was.

One day last winter, the bedclothes smelled so bad of smoke, that I could hardly sleep!! Today, however, we were spared.

After taking Keith to work, I set out to finish cutting the grass, no doubt for the season. The last two years, I was still cutting parts of the yard in November! We've had several heavy frosts, so I think I'm safe. Hazel, my John Deere, can take off her mower deck and mount up her blade for the front to be ready for snow removal.

Cutting grass has become so relaxing for me. Didn't used to be, but now that I'm used to how this yard lays, I can let my mind wander and do my praying.

Betty's yard is difficult to mow and I grumble about it each time I do it. But, I love her to death and after I'm done, I'm always glad that I've done it. She's the best neighbor!

The applesauce is put away. Every inch of space on my canning shelves is full--a happy thought. My OCD kicks in when each fruit or veggie does not have it's own space or lined up in nice rows...I have applesauce squeezed in any empty place...oh well. The shelves are full and I am sure I'll find what I need when I need to find it.


The dead or almost dead flowers were taken to the compost today, too. How sad to see the colors go. I picked more rose hips today, too.

It was a good day for getting ready for Fall.


"Sanctify and prosper my domestic devotion, instruction, discipline, example, that my house may be a nursery for heaven, my church the garden of the Lord, enriched with trees of righteousness of they planting, for thy glory." The Valley of Visions, The Family

Applesauce Day--a Reprise

Whew!! Nine hours, two bushels and 36 quarts and 1 pint and a half jars later the kitchen is clean, but full of applesauce. A happy sight. This is the most I've tried to tackle myself in one day. I'm tired, but it is a good tired. A good day's work with so much to show for it. My heart is so grateful for the ability and the "stuff" to be able to can for the family. Since I don't work outside the home, this is my job. The place has a great view, the hours are a bit odd, the pay, as in dollars, may not be much, but there is a satisfaction in the soul. Satisfaction in knowing that I am doing what God has best suited me to do.

This may sound weird, but the other day when I was using the neighbor's tiller in the garden, I had this realization. That what I am doing pleases God. In the movie, Chariots of Fire, when Eric Liddell says to his sister, "When I run, I feel His pleasure", that's the kind of moment I had. The pleasure of knowing that the King of Creation is pleased with what I am doing. It may not be some great thing, that men would consider 'great', but it is helping my husband as we take care of the family, keep order in our home and our corner of the community, doing our best to be good stewards of what has given us--being thankful and sharing His goodness.

One of the reasons I like applesauce making so much is that nothing is wasted. The skins and seeds and any other remains are put in the compost. The glorious fragrance fills the house, at least for the day, and quarts of beautiful rose-colored applesauce add a new color to my canning shelves.

Thanks to Becky at Becky's Farm I was able to can some chicken broth yesterday! She knows so much and I am very grateful.

With a thankful heart~

Recipes

It is a windy, chilly day here and days like these have my heart...and tummy looking for comfort food.

While many of us are trying to cut costs and look for ways to save in this stressful time, I thought I would post some recipes that you might find helpful as well as economical.

The first is a friend's recipe that I've modified a bit. As you can see you can pick and choose ingredients to suit your budget and tastes.

Great Granola

2 C. oats
1/2 C. wheat germ (optional)
3/4 C. raisins
3/4 C. coconut
1/2 C. dates (optional)
1/2 C. sunflower seeds (optional)
1/2 C. slivered almonds
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
Combine the above in a large bowl.

In a small bowl add:

1/3 C. oil--I used vegetable oil
1/4 c. frozen orange juice, thawed enough to pour
1/2 tsp. vanilla
Pour into large bowl. Stir into dry mixture. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 300 degrees for 30 minutes, stirring at 10-15 minute intervals. Cool on wax paper. After cooled, put into storage container.

This is great dry, with milk or yogurt.

Leftover mashed potatoes?? Our family loves these on a cold morning. It really fill and warms you up. This was my great-grandmother's recipe and I understand it is from Ireland. We've spiced it up a bit.

Potato Pancakes

For about 1 1/2 C. cold mashed potatoes, add:
1/2 C. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
onions, garlic powder and grated cheese (we like sharp cheddar) to taste
Add 1 beaten egg.
Fry skillet in 1/2 stick of butter until brown and crispy, flip and brown on the other side. Sometimes I need to add more butter.

Yes, I know there is butter and it is probably not the best for those who are watching certain things, but it is good ole fashioned eatin'.

If you are looking for more ideas on storing food and cutting costs, I invite you to check out Becky's Farm Life. She's amazing!

Trusting God together~

Applesauce Day with Laura!

Yeah!! It's applesauce time!! This is my favorite time of year! Even though I am a bit behind on the applesauce, it is always very rewarding.

There are two bushels of apples in the kitchen and the house smells wonderful. Of course, it will only get better when they get cookin'.

Today was my annual applesauce day with my best friend, Laura. We get together at her home ( she has a great kitchen !) and spend the day visiting and doing apples. Her beautiful children are homeschooled, so they are ready and willing to help when it is time to squeeze the cooked apples. It has been a delight for me to watch them grow and to see that it's still a fun day for them, too.

Laura got an early start on getting things set up and she even had some cut when I arrived. My sister asked if I would can a dozen jars for her family, so we were able to do that, too. We had 28 jars done by 2 pm, with only one disaster--a jar broke in the canner. What a mess. I'm not sure what happened, but we had to clean that up and start heating water all over again. We had just enough left in the big pot to send a jar home with her folks, who stopped by, and a jar for each of us for supper.

We were able to clean up and admire a dining room table covered with beautiful applesauce. We celebrated with sitting down to a well-earned cup of tea. Applesauce can wear you out! God is good to us!

There is nothing better than spending the day canning with friends.


"O Lord God, who inhabitest eternity,
The heavens declare thy glory, the earth thy riches, the universe is thy temple;
thy presence fills immensity, Yet thou has of thy pleasure created life, and communicated happiness;
Thou has made me what I am, and given me what I have; in thee I live and move and have my being; Thy providence has set the bounds of my habitation, and wisely administers all my affairs....Subdue in me the love of sin, Let me know the need of renovation as well as of forgiveness, in order to serve and enjoy thee for ever." from the Valley of Vision, selections from "God the Source of All Good"

Blessings~

Drying Rose Hips

I thought I would share how I dried my rose hips.

First, sort them and pick out ones that are not nice and red or are withered. then pick them off of their stems and lay them out on a cookie sheet or jelly roll pan. Dry in your oven at 150-170 degrees until they are hard and brittle. Then I ran mine through my blender until they were just coursely ground. Then I poured them into an empty jelly jar and put a lid on.
Add one tablespoonful for for each cup of tea. The longer you steep your tea, the stronger in will be. Strain or use in a tea ball. Sweeten if desired.

My first cup, I mixed the rose hips with a cup of another kind of tea. It was great! And so much vitamin C.

I love Wednesdays and Saturdays because it's Farmer's Market Day! During the growing season there are a delightful group of people who bring their fresh fruits and veggies and baked goods and flowers. It is a step back into a simpler time for me just to mill around and feel connected to a community. There were not many folks there today. The 'Apple Guy' is the main attraction now. I bought pears and some apples and CIDER. He makes great, real cider. Not the pasturized stuff. The apples are neatly displayed in graduated sized red baskets with the names of the apple variety in the front. It is a colorful display of a still life piece of art of country living.

Things are a bit slower today...thank goodness. I was able to gather rose hips and they are in the oven drying now. When they are dry, I'll crunch them up and use them in tea (thank you, Carla Emery and your Old Fashioned Recipe Book). The are chalk full of Vitamin C. I did leave some for the animals. It looks like there is a bumper crop this year. I may get a few more to decorate. They are a beautiful red.

Keith has a long weekend and is busy putting the finishing touches on the furnace (we hope). The rest of the week looks busy. I hope to get the shopping done tomorrow and cook Friday for the weekend!!!

Friday is the church's Fall Harvest Party. Since we are Presbyterians, there will be more food than people. :-) There will be square dancing and good friends and fellowship. It's always a grand time.

I finished an apron!! I haven't made one since 7th grade! It's a 40s-50s type fabric with little cherries on it. The idea came from reading Kris Ante's blog. She sells cute aprons. Hopefully, I won't be afraid to get it dirty, but I really like it...It has pockets!!!

If you are reading Respectable Sins, and have read Chapter 7, ...what can I say...I'm a horrible sinner and there appears to be no end to it. Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift.

"O God of the Highest Heaven, occupy the throne of my heart, take full possession and reign supreme, lay low every rebel lust, let no vile passion resist thy holy war; manifest thy mighty power, and make me thine for ever." Valley of Vision, Regeneration

Pray for our country to repent and be wise in what you choose to do.

Blessings,

Our birthday party was a grand time! We enjoyed a picture perfect October day. I am so very grateful that the sun warmed the house for everyone to be comfortable. My dear sister was a great help, as always! Just her presence is a comfort. It is always good to be surrounded by family. Every opportunity for me to see my kids is great.



While I continue to be concerned about our economy, the elections and the future, I want to recommend a book for you. Carla Emery's Old Fashioned Recipe Book. It has a wealth of knowledge about everything!! Baking bread, making soap, root cellars, gardening, canning and so much more. Her stories are entertaining as well. I heartly recommend it. It can be found on Amazon.



The day started out beautifully. While the days continue to be nice I am racing around trying to get things ready for winter. I emptied the compost on the garden...it was heavy and smelly. Hopefully, it will help the garden in the spring. The garlic is planted. A new variety from Johnny's Selected Seeds as well as some from this year's crop. My newest green grocer at the farmer's market said that garlic should be planted on Columbus Day...close enough. The clouds have gathered and I had to get the clothes off the line sooner. A couple things were still damp, but I have them hanging on the line on the porch. The forcast is for rain tomorrow or some time soon.



Things are so busy with lots of meetings.



I'm looking forward to a great weekend already!

Some of you are called to some extraordinary duty and do not feel strong enough. Follow that call for surely the Lord is in that place. He will help you. C. H. Spurgeon

Blessings,

Another beautiful day in Western PA!

We celebrated our grandson's first birthday here today. The other grandparents, great-grandparents and other family will arrive for dinner and good family time.

Our dear neighbor, Dick, lent me his big tiller for the garden and dropped it off today. While I still remembered how he showed me to start it, I figured I better get at it. It is old, but did a great job and it was a delight to be preparing the soil, for next spring's planting. The plan is to put the garlic in on Monday. So that will be a jump on the first things that are planted! It feels good to get in the dirt again.

My devos from Tabletalk today included an article by Joel Beeke. At the end he talked of the sin of pride (which fits in with our Sunday School study). He says, "Learn to say every day: 'I am a sinner, a servant, a small one, and a saint.'" Sounds like a great weapon against pride.

Along with that was my reading from The Valley of Vision, Lord's Day Eve. There was a short paragraph that I thought was relavant: "In what condition would secret reviews of my life leave me were it not for the assurance that with thee there is plenteous redemption, that thou art a forgiving God, that thou mayest be feared!"

It's nice to take a break from the onslaught of news about the economy. I feel better just NOT thinking about it....must have been the Snickers bar.

Blessings.
Linda

Another beautiful day here. We are eagerly getting ready for our grandson's first birthday party to be held here! So the day has been full of cleaning and other preparations.

I have bread in the bread machine, even at this late hour, because the house is finally warm enough. Poor Keith has been working so hard on repairing the furnace, but the pipes to the boiler keep leaking. We are thankful that the days have been warmer. One good thing is that our gas bill won't be big this month :-)!

Since I wrote about 'worry' yesterday, I have been a mess today. With all the scary news of soup lines to come and "worse than the great depression", it has been a rough day. While at the store, I picked up more flour. My gut tells me that this is bad and that I need to prepare in so many ways. My gut told me to prepare for Y2K, too, well...so much for my gut. Our house is big so it had hold folks if they need to come here. Staying calm and knowing that God is in control of everything is what is most important. It is still wise to prepare.

This situation may call for Christians to shine their light even more. We may be called upon to be giving, loving and patient in a crisis. We must be strong in the Lord and remember that we are His. Who knows what great things God is going to do...I need to preach this to myself today.

If all the economic news isn't wild enough, I broke the glass decanter to my brand-new coffee maker. I was sick. Some days it just seems like the little things are what breaks ya. Good ole Walmart had a replacement, though. Needless to say, the day called for a Snickers bar. It didn't quite rank as a Cherry Crisp day, although that may be consumed for any occasion. :-)

With God on our side,
Linda J.

Today is my first day as a blogger. The kids will think I've lost it.

My title comes from "The Valley of Vision" a collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions...plus we live in a valley.

What a beautiful day here! The sky is a beautiful, clear blue and the leaves are becoming glorious. The clothes line was full today, so we will sleep well on clean, sweet-smelling sheets. I asked our neighbor if I could borrow his tiller to take care of our garden for the fall. He'll drop it by some time soon. In anticipation of that event, I got busy and pulled out the rest of the dead tomatoes and poor zucchini. I still have some lettuce and spinich and parsley! I would have thought that our two frosts would have taken care of everything!

Since we are studing "Respectable Sins", by Jerry Bridges in Sunday School, of course God is using this study to work on my "worry" in light of the economic issues of the day. In my devotions today I read this by C. H. Spurgeon: "The glory of God's faithfulness is that no sin of ours has ever made Him unfaithful....God is faithful. His children might rebel. They might wander far from His statues and be chastened with many stripes. Nevertheless, He says, "My loveingkindness I will not utterly take from him, nor allow My faithfulness to fail. (Ps. 89:33) He says, "I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; and I will not remember your sins" (Is. 43:25)

God is faithful when I am not. But I continue to need to work out my salvation with fear and trembling.