Silly Young Men

The boys and their Dad generally go to youth group each Friday evening at a nearby church.  (Boys' night out...)  We don't attend the church, but they open up the group to any youth from all over the area and it is well attended by young people from a variety of faiths.  (We still hold our Quaker meeting each Sunday in our own home.)  

Yesterday evening, Isaac (age 12) and Thomas (age 16) came downstairs showing off their matching outfits to wear for their night out.

Also, our family's business is featured in a nice write up  here. 

and

There is a giveaway for some hand dyed fabric here.

Warm wishes for a productive and peaceful Saturday,

 Tonya

Rainy Days and Mail Treats

This is what our pond looks like right now with the water swirling around and pouring in one end and out the other.

I had a sweet package arrive from a barter.  These are things that are not normally in our budget but are so special and to know that they are homemade by a sweet mama, owner of Lana Bella.  She had contacted me asking if I could knit her some waldorf math gnomes and when I saw what she made I just knew a trade would be wonderful.

Elderberry Immune Support, Carrots and Honey Soap, Salve, and Stressed, Exhausted Mama Tea

Warm wishes, Tonya

A Two Minute Walk Around this Morning

Finds ~

Mike just returning from down the road, to add even more compost to spread over new garden areas.

Our paper wasp nest now with a background of reds.

Some more autumn hues around back....

Goldenrod against the "to-be-split" wood pile....

Thomas playing his key board while enjoying the unusually warm autumn morning air.

Thank you for sharing all the potato ideas yesterday - lots of fun!

Warm wishes, Tonya

Potatoes

Our homesteading neighbors offered us their still to be harvested, three rows of surplus potatoes for just 

$30.00.

Michael (dear husband) went over with the little ones and dug them all up, brought them home, and lay them out on our porch to dry out for two days.  I am now picking through them, sorting them out - keepers to be stored in our basement in boxes and feedbags, a basket for us to keep in our pantry, and a box of small ones to save for seed potatoes for next spring. 

We harvested about 30 pounds of potatoes ourselves this year from our own small garden area.  We have been busy increasing our garden over the past two months and we hope to harvest close to 100 pounds next year from our own land.

However, we are so grateful for the well over 100 pounds from our neighbors and I am hopeful that they will keep well in our basement which should stay about 40 degrees all winter.

So far I have been making mashed potatoes and oven baked potatoes.  The children all love the oven baked.  I peel, cut into chunks and then mix in a large bowl with olive oil and spices and then bake at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes.

What are your favorite potato recipes?

Warm wishes, Tonya

Handmade Holiday

A great post from Honor Crowned Crafts regarding her search for the "perfect" knitting pattern and her decision to make a shoulderette.


From  A Little Crafty Nest comes the idea of a knit headband. A quick gift to make that is very practical.


Here are some links to patterns I have shared on this blog in the past -

A crocheted mason jar cozy - great for carrying water, ice tea, etc...

A Knitting pattern for little gnomes (so simple - a wonderful little stocking stuffer)

Happy Autumn everyone!  Can you believe October 1st is this Friday already?  The season for cozying up inside is nearly here!  Pefect for handwork projects.

Please keep sharing your ideas and thoughts and let me know if you would like to be added to the

 Handmade Holiday page.

Warm wishes,

Tonya

Family Learning is Fun

It was with much joy  that I observed our five oldest children sitting around the table together writing limericks.

They were inspired by Isaac's language lesson for the day which asked him to make up some of his own limericks.  They all joined him on their own and each wrote several.  Sarah just observed and listened and laughed as some of them became sillier and sillier with each recitation (you know, farts and so on).  There would be about 20 minutes of near silence as each of the four would create their next poem and then they took turns sharing.  Each created about four original limericks.

I thought I would share a few.
From Thomas - age 16
There once was an old man from York
Who went to the pond to catch a stork.
No bird did he find there
Instead a great black bear
Which ate the old man with a fork.

From Isaac - age 12
I saw a bird in a tree
I looked at it and it looked back at me.
I started to say,
"What a beautiful day!"
When it started to fly to the sea.

From Abby - age 10
I want to be in the cast
But the play was real fast.
It was pretty boring
when it was time for showing,
but overall the show was a blast.

(The language homeschool books we use for the elementary years  is the Language Lessons series by Sandi Queen which has a Charlotte Mason flavor.)

Warm wishes,
Tonya

Autumn Issue Is Printed

The Autumn Issue of Plain and Joyful Issue is copied and we are folding, punching holes and stringing each with a wool yarn tie and mailing will begin tomorrow.

This issue includes two letters from readers sharing their journeys, a first time in print children's story about a chicken, an article about making your own home cleaners, a butternut squash recipe, and another project in the hope chest series.

Information about subscribing or requesting a sample issue can be found here.  All new subscribers receive a handmade little something with their first issue.

Many thanks for all of the support and kind words.  It is something that I feel God has put on my heart and each issue is truly a joy to put together.

Warm wishes, Tonya