Favorite Poems

To Stay At Home Is Best

Stay, stay at home, my heart, and rest;
Home-keeping hearts are happiest,
For those that wander they know not where
Are full of trouble and full of care;
To stay at home is best.

Weary and homesick and distressed,
They wander east, they wander west,
And are baffled and beaten and blown about
By the winds of the wilderness of doubt;
To stay at home is best.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Tea Thyme Music

There are so many lovely things that we can do to make our tea times cozy and relaxing. One of my favorite is the addition of calming music. The following list is a few of our favorite teatimes selections.
Carolan's Cup
Music of Turlough O'Carolan on the hammered dulicmer by Joemy Wilson Produced by Dargason Music
Winter in New England
Unison Music Produced by Daniel Fulton
Sense and Sensibility (Original Music Soundtrack)
Music by Patrick Doyle
Little Women (Original Music Soundtrack)
Music by Thomas Newman

Let's Have Tea Together Book Review

I love sweet little books and this is one that I think both mothers and daughters will enjoy. Let's Have Tea Together text by Paul Kortepeter is a collection of recipes and celebrations for every season of the year. I am sure you have all seen many tea books but this one is really special because of the illustrations that are done by Susan Wheeler. The watercolors of little rabbits having tea at Holly Pond Hill are a treasure. However, the information is truly wonderful too! And who can resist reading the little Holy Hill Gazette pages where intriguing questions about tea and manners have been answered by Primrose Lapin. I honestly feel this book is a must have for all young and older daughters. It will be a real help to them when they began homemaking in their own homes.

Spicy Autumn Beef Stew

I like to put one onion chopped fine and one pound of beef stew meat into my crockpot with one can of chicken broth and cook till falling apart. I take ithe meat out and chop it fine, remove any fat and return it to the pot. I then cut and peel patatoes and cook them on my stovetop until they are just the right texture and then add them to the pot. I use the leftover hot water from the potatoes to defrost a cup of frozen corn, peas and carrots. These are then added to the pot. Now to spice it all up I add three or four beef bouillon cubes, one half a bottle of catsup, and one teaspoon of minced garlic. I also like to add Chef Paul Prudhomme's blackened steak magic and pepper. I usually throw in a little of any spice that happens to "smell" good to me that day. I sometimes will add 2 cups of water and a little cornstarch to get the thickness that I like with my stews. I cook a little longer and then serve. It does not usually last long. I hope your family will enjoy it.

Ye Olde Stomach Virus

Well......It hit! On the morning of Tuesday, January something or other my dear sweetie came down with it. He was at work and remained so for the day. He felt so bad when he arrived home that he went straight to bed and lo and behold called into work the next morning (rarely if ever been done before). He remained in bed all that day and proceeded to go to work the next morning. That's when it hit me! It is a doozie! I will not describe it for I know there are many with weak stomachs (and mine is still weak) but let us just say that being the weaker of the two I am just today managing to get out of bed and do something other than sleep. And I was very thankful for sleep...without it...I dare not think. Anyway we are now waiting to see if our three little darlings will join us in our affliction. I pray not! Needless to say I am very thankful that God has brought us through to this point and I so hope that the children will not have a turn. Still tired.....

A Mommy at Home

I love being at home and taking care of my family. I will admit that in the beginning (some 17 years ago) that it was hard to adjust to being at home. I had been brought up as most women in our time to get an education and go to work. A home and a family was just something that just went along with that... a few months off to have the baby and then find a daycare for the baby and back to work. Praise the Lord He had other plans for me. I was laid off from work while expecting and never went back. Actually I was educated in a field that paid so little that to go back to work would cause our family to use more money for me to work and put the children in daycare than I earned. Praise God! I would have never known the joys of being at home. Those times of snuggling with my little ones while we read a book, watching them do all their many firsts, their smiles and laughter, I would have missed these if I had worked outside the home. I would not trade any amount of money for the joy of being at home and taking care of my family. I hope you have found this happiness too!
Ginger

A New Year

I have been thinking about new plans for this new year. What would I like to accomplish? Well, more time spent in God's Word, more time spent encouraging my family and others, more time spent taking care of myself are my top goals. I neglect each of these areas when all are so important. I know it may seem a little silly to say that I need to spend more time taking care of myself but the sad fact is that I have simply but aside the care of myself. I do not take enough time to spend in God's Word. This will enable me to have a positive outlook and feed my soul. I do not take the time that I need to encourage my husband and we all know how important that is. I have not taken care of my body as I should so now the extra pounds are making it hard for me to enjoy the activities that I once loved. I need good books, new projects, time to think to encourage me and help me to encourage others. I hope that you are also thinking about what new plans that you need to make so that you can continue to work in your home and encourage your family and serve our Lord through your work as a homemaker. God Bless You!