February 2022

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#8. A LANTERN IN HER HAND by Bess Streeter Aldrich // ★★★★★
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

I think that love is more like a light that you carry. At first childish happiness keeps it lighted and after that romance. Then motherhood lights it and then duty . . . and maybe after that sorrow. You wouldn’t think that sorrow could be a light would you, dearie? But it can. And then after that, service lights it. Yes. . . . I think that is what love is to a woman . . . a lantern in her hand. (83%)

I love books like this one: a story about hope and hard work and perseverance. It’s also a beautiful story about motherhood and had so many little bits of wisdom sprinkled throughout. I originally read this on Kindle, but immediately ordered a physical copy when I was done. So good. (This was also my 1928 pick for the 20th Century in Literature challenge.)

#9. LET THEM EAT DIRT: SAVING YOUR CHILD FROM AN OVERSANITIZED WORLD by B. Brett Finlay, PhD and Marie-Claire Arrieta, PhD // ★★★☆☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

This was an interesting book! Some of my takeaways: + Antibiotics, while a great medical achievement, have been overused in a variety of ways (prescriptions for bacterial infections, being used liberally on the animals we consume, etc.) and have since caused antibiotic-resistant strains of viruses to emerge. + The microbiota is an important part of the body and still has so many unknowns! I have heard the term “leaky gut” often in recent years, but now see the importance of healing and treating your gut well. Since finishing this book, I started a few of us on probiotics and am learning how to include more fermented foods into our daily life.

+ While the research is still new and needs considerable study, I’m especially interested in the possible connection between the microbiota and anxiety/depression.

#10. A DAY LIKE THIS by Kelley McNeil // ★★★☆☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

How to describe this one? The story opens with the main character waking from a car accident only to discover that her daughter never existed and the past few years are completely different than she remembers. Family members think she’s gone crazy, but she’s convinced that there has to be another explanation. The book went down some trails that I had a hard time following, but the writing was good. One of the reviewers on Goodreads described this as a cross between a sci-fi movie and a Lifetime movie and I’d say that’s about right.

#11. THE SCHOOL FOR GOOD MOTHERS by Jessamine Chan // ★★☆☆☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

This book was CRAZY and nothing like I was expecting. The story explores a future where mothers who aren’t exemplary are taken to a “school” for a year to learn the skills to be a good one. The stakes are high because if they fail, they never get to see their children again. Even though the premise sounds awesome, I found the execution slow moving and confusing. Just an okay read for me. (The School for Good Mothers was published in January 2022. Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book!)

#12. ANNE OF GREEN GABLES by L.M. Montgomery // ★★★★★
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

One of my favorite books of all time. I want to see the world like Anne does.

#13. COMMUNISM AND THE CONSCIENCE OF THE WEST by Fulton J. Sheen // ★★★★☆
(amazon)

Christianity agrees with Communists when they point out the need of a revolution, but Christianity places the blame not on institutions but on men; not on legislation but on legislators; not on politics but on politicians; not on property but on man. Our Lord would never have been crucified had He put the blame on things. The Physician was killed because He found the source of the disease in the person. Save man and you save the world; dehumanize man and you wreck the world. (p.92-93)

…the Christian position steers a middle course between extremes. Freedom for Christianity means neither the right to do what you please, nor the right to do what you must, but rather the right to do whatever you ought. Ought implies order, law and justice. Liberty by definition is an attribute which belongs only to a person. It cannot be attributed to a collectivity or totality whether it be a nation, a state, a race or a class. The basic fallacy of communism on this point is the transfer of freedom from the person to the collectivity. (p.102)

An incredibly important read. Sheen’s writing was dense but informative and I learned so much about the Catholic understanding of freedom, private property and work. My book has about a dozen sticky notes in it!

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February was a welcome relief from January’s bitterly cold temperatures and we were able to check off quite a few pressing tasks. Still not where I’d like us to be, but progress! Here’s what we accomplished around the homestead during the second month of 2022:

+ Fred had to be separated from the ladies, so Mark and the boys built him a new little A-frame house. I was worried sick that he would be lonely, but he seems to love his bachelor life. On the first day, he cozied right up and slept the entire afternoon! I think he also appreciates that he doesn’t have to share his meals anymore, ha!

+ I made another few batches of fodder for the chickens.

+ On one beautiful spring-like day, I put together a new chicken tractor for the broilers. We’ve had this run since last summer’s hawk attacks, but ended up never putting it together. This works to our benefit because with a few tweaks, it will be perfect for our dudes. (Ours is similar to this one, but yikes – inflation has even hit chicken runs!)

+ I finally tested my garden soil with this kit. Our pH was around 6-6.5, so great for vegetables. Unfortunately, the soil was very deficient in nitrogen and phosphorus, so I will have to add some amendments before planting.

+ I pruned some of the fruit trees.

+ We measured the pigs for a rough weight estimate using this calculator. The ladies that will be going to the butcher in June are roughly 115-130 pounds, which seems about right for pasture raised Berkshire/Tamworth pigs in the winter. I’m sure they’ll pack on the pounds quickly as the weather gets warmer.

+ We’re running out of room! We definitely could use a barn, but since that’s $$$ we don’t have, we’re making do with what we have. On one of the warmer weekend days, we rearranged and organized and moved things around our shed and garage. It’s amazing what a good cleanout can do!

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A QUOTE

There is a stubbornness about me that never can bear to be frightened at the will of others. My courage always rises at every attempt to intimidate me. ― Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice

TABS OPEN IN MY BROWSER RIGHT NOW

A COOL VINTAGE PHOTOGRAPH

{Farm Girl Feeding Chickens, 1936. Found here}

AN INSPIRATIONAL VIDEO

I don’t know the first thing about sewing your own clothing, but this video was incredible and so inspiring. Definitely something I would like to dabble in someday.

AN UPDATE ON MY 2022 GOALS

+ Get serious about nutrition. // Welp, I fell off the wagon in a big way. When I strained my neck and was in so much pain, I definitely ate my feelings in chocolate and cookies. Not my proudest moment, but I’m ready to get back on the horse.
+ Read more nonfiction. // I’m more than halfway through Communism and the Conscience of the West and I just started Dirt to Soil: One Family’s Journey into Regenerative Agriculture and We Have Been Harmonized: Life in China’s Surveillance State.
+ Make something beautiful with my own hands. // A bit of a stretch, but I made blueberry butter with my own hands! I’m also back to working on my cross-stitch pillow project for the kids and am slowly hand-quilting a quilt top I started years ago.
+ Expand the homestead. // We’re still primarily in the planning stage, but looking forward to really kicking things off in March.
+ Aggressively work toward the goal of paying off our mortgage early. // Reselling has been super slow this month, but I’m grateful for any sale that comes through. I’ve also been brainstorming little ways I can use this blog to further my goals without making it materialistic and salesy (two things I personally dislike). We’ll see.
+ Improve my self-protection skills. // Nothing yet.

There are projects upon projects in process everywhere at the farmhouse! This hand-sewn quilt is a true labor of love and I can’t wait to share the story about it someday soon. Right now, I’m in the process of quilting it by hand, working on it little by little. I also pulled out a cross-stitch project and have worked on that as well. Feeling really motivated to finish what I’ve started…this may be a new goal for 2022!

Skim coating in the laundry room has begun! It’s back breaking work, but working beautifully and I couldn’t be happier.

We’re reading Anne of Green Gables for book club this month – one of my favorites! There’s something so soothing about L.M. Montgomery’s writing that puts me right to sleep. I only get through a few chapters before my eyes start drooping at night.

Our first attempt at cast iron deep dish pizza!

Our oven has been on its way out and has been extra wonky this week; sometimes it overcooks and sometimes it barely browns at all! We knew that with the current supply chain issues, we might have problems buying a replacement…and oh man, were we right. After calling around, we discovered that there were no ovens available in the size we needed. None! I was having a minor panic attack, brainstorming all the alternative ways I could cook meals and bread and all the things, when nothing short of a God moment occurred! Mark spoke to an appliance associate at Home Depot who casually mentioned that he had this “really old” model that was brand new but way in the back of the warehouse and it wasn’t even in the system and should he check and see if it might work? Of course we said yes and miracles of all miracles, IT WAS PERFECT. He gave us $100 off because it was an “older” model and while it still cost a pretty penny, I am so grateful we were able to find one at all in these crazy times. Now to figure out how to remove and install an oven…

Since choosing my one little word for 2022, I’ve been trying to flesh out what I really want that to mean in my life. Simple is actually a surprisingly vast, subjective type of word! As I’ve browsed the Internet for inspiration, I’ve seen so many themes: some focus on minimalism, some on reducing their overscheduling, some even see simple as going completely off the grid. While I appreciate parts of each, none of these themes seem exactly right. I’m still brainstorming, but below are three thoughts I’ve made so far:

1 // Less clutter and more visual peace

I am not a minimalist and probably never will be. I love being surrounded by books and photos and beautiful things. But there’s a balance, you know? At some point, that comfortable, cozy feeling can become claustrophobic. The piles of stuff can quickly become overwhelming. The line is completely subjective and different for everyone and I want to explore that for myself this year. I want to find the balance between just enough and too much. I want to teach my children that while it’s just stuff, we also have a responsibility to take good care of our things. I want more visual peace in our everyday life.

2 // Less distractions and more time looking up

My oldest son is a freshman in high school. No event has been more motivating to me to get my Internet use under control than handing him his first cell phone last summer! He is watching his parents and our relationship with our phones. He’s watching whether we’re using it as constant entertainment or as a tool. He’s watching our manners: are we distracted and “just checking one thing” while someone is speaking to us or do we give the person our full attention? Our habits matter! It’s humbling. For me, a simple life definitely means less social media, less phone use in general and more time looking up at my real, everyday life.

3 // Less doing all the things and more slowing down

I used to buy into the idea that if you hustled hard enough, you’d be able to do it all. For years and years, I tried to juggle so many things…and didn’t do a great job at any of them! Now that I’m a little older and wiser, I know the truth is that yes, you can do it all…but not all at the same time. It’s time for a refresher from this post I wrote a few years ago. Constantly feeling like I’m behind is a choice. It’s okay to focus on one thing at a time, even if I don’t get to it “all” each day.

FEBRUARY’S FRUGAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS

My Goal: Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.
And if you have to spend money, do it with intention.

+ I bought a merino wool sweater for $4, but one of the leather elbow patches was coming undone. My son didn’t care for the patches anyway, so I pulled the stitches out of both and the sweater is good as new!

+ Our hens have been laying regularly all winter, which has been a huge blessing. We average 9-11 eggs a day.

+ I made fodder for the chickens. With all of the snow and mud, they seem desperate for anything green and it was a welcomed treat! It also helps a tiny bit with feed costs.

+ I gave my hair a trim. In other hair news, I am trying to train my hair to shampoo less often. If I can deal with greasy hair for a little bit, I think I’ll have healthier hair and save some money on shampoo too!

+ I made chicken stock from a roasted chicken carcass and a bunch of vegetable odds and ends that I keep in the freezer. Still using my favorite Souper Cubes (affiliate link).

+ We keep the thermostat relatively low and are just piling on the sweaters and quilts. I seem to feel the cold more than any other family member; I have teenage boys happily walking around in shorts and t-shirts!

+ I used up a big bag of frozen blueberries and made a batch of blueberry butter. I used the recipe from this book (affiliate link), but didn’t end up canning them. A lot of work and my kitchen looked like a blueberry blood bath (hands dyed blue! dishcloths dyed blue! everything blue!) but the end result was delicious. We have used it as a spread for toast as well as swirled into oatmeal and plain Greek yogurt. We’re planning to top our pancakes with it next.

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Welcome to the next installment of the Alphabet Tag! (See this post for the introduction to the series and the questions for letter A.)

B is for Bildungsroman. Do you have a favorite bildungsroman (or coming of age story)?

The first book that came to mind was Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger. Krueger’s writing is so beautiful. My friend Tabitha also recently reminded me of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith. While it’s been years and years since I’ve read it, I think it could be considered a coming of age story too? I need to reread that one soon!

B is for Beach. What would you recommend for a beach read?

What would you consider the go-to genre for beach reads? Chick lit? A page turning thriller? Here’s one of each that I’ve read and enjoyed:

+ My Not So Perfect Life by Sophie Kinsella
+ Hostage by Clare Mackintosh

B is for Best. What is the best book you have read this year so far?

I just finished the 1928 novel called A Lantern in Her Hand by Bess Streeter Aldrich and it was my first five star read of the year!

B is for Bookshop or Bookstore. Do you have a favorite bookstore?

My first stop is always Better World Books. (If you click that link, you’ll get $5 off of your first purchase of $30 or more.) They often have great sales, always have free shipping and the prices are great. If I need to buy a book brand new, I’ll look at Bookshop first before heading to Amazon.

B is for Bookshelf. Show me your bookshelf/bookshelves.

This isn’t exactly representative of my collection because I have books everywhere. But here’s a peek! The first two photos are some of my TBR books that I keep in my bedroom. When I run out of room on the nightstand, they get stacked on the windowsill. (It’s a bit of a problem.) The last photo is one of two Ikea bookshelves that hold all of the ones I’ve read and were worth keeping. I organized the spines by color with this one, but the other is more of a hodgepodge.

B is for Brazil. Paolo Coelho’s The Alchemist has been translated into 70 languages. Have you read any Paolo Coelho and if so, what did you think of his book(s)?

I have never read any Paolo Coelho, have you?

What about you? How would you answer these questions?

Pictures from a little 40th birthday celebration for our favorite guy! This post also contains affiliate links.

The weather outside is //

As I look outside my window // I can see bare ground again! We’ve had a handful of sunny days (in a row!) and even though the temperatures are still chilly outside, I’m so happy to get out there and feel that sun on my face. This upcoming week looks promising too!

As I look around the house // I removed the last of the more “wintery” Christmas decorations on Candlemas and now my house looks both bigger and a little bit bare. It’s the perfect time for a home improvement project: we’re finally getting to the laundry room and along with adding cabinets, I’ll also be experimenting with skim coating the walls. (We have textured walls everywhere on the first floor and I hate them.) If I can achieve the smooth look I want, I’m going to be a crazy lady this spring/summer and will be doing the whole house, ha!

Healing // from a gnarly neck strain. I’m pretty sure I tweaked my neck when feeding the pigs (I “farmer’s carry” the feed and water buckets into the pasture) last Monday and whew…SO painful. The pain radiated from the side of my neck down my shoulder, which made normal movement practically impossible. I’ve been walking around like a robot! Thankfully, the pain has moved from excruciating to more of a dull ache, so yay for improvement. (Also: as I researched ideas for some relief, I stumbled upon a tip about magnesium supplementation. Thankfully, I still had a free sample of this and it was the best night of sleep I had all week! Coincidence? Maybe, but I’m a believer!)

On this week’s to-do list //

– finish up our taxes – order chick feed in bulk – test the soil for deficiencies – buy all the supplies needed for skim coating – start emptying the laundry room

– make a batch of granola

Currently reading //

On the menu this week //
Monday: fajita beef skillet with homemade tortillas
Tuesday: cornbread casserole (I’ll make homemade cornbread for the topping instead of a box mix)
Wednesday: breakfast for dinner
Thursday: chicken diane with mashed potatoes and a green vegetable
Friday: tomato basil parmesan soup and grilled cheese sandwiches

January and its freezing, snowy weather really shook up most of our plans, but it also forced us to have some much needed rest. Here’s hoping February isn’t quite so brutal; we have some homestead chores that definitely need to be completed soon! First, a few highlights from last month: We celebrated Epiphany with our sixth annual dinner and a new book tradition. We ordered a bunch of things for the homestead and did lots and lots of planning. I also ordered most of the supplies needed to make my own kombucha. Lastly, I started deep cleaning/organizing the pantry, but didn’t get to the fridge and definitely not the deep freezer!

Eating Seasonally

citrus fruit
Brussels sprouts
kale
broccoli
winter squash

Celebrating the Liturgical Year

The month of February is dedicated to the Holy Family.

Feast of Presentation of the Lord/Candlemas (2)
Blaise (3)
Agatha (5)
Paul Miki and Companions (6)
Josephine Bakhita (8)
Our Lady of Lourdes (11)
Peter Damian (21)

Homesteading and Self-Sufficiency

Move Fred to his own area away from the ladies.
Try to measure the pigs for an approximate weight update.
Start brassicas under grow lights.
Grow another few batches of fodder for the chickens.
Test the garden soil and figure out needed amendments.

Homemaking

Start my first batch of kombucha.
Organize the garage.
Focus on fire safety: buy a few more extinguishers, fire blankets and change all of the batteries in the smoke detectors.
Continue decluttering and deep cleaning the kitchen.
Find at least 20 items to declutter and donate/sell.

Family Fun

Celebrate a big 40th birthday!
Celebrate some silly holidays:
- Feed the Birds Day (3)
- Thank a Mailman Day (4)
- Eat Ice Cream for Breakfast Day (5)
- National Pizza Day (9)
- Tell a Fairy Tale Day (26)

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What a way to enter in the new year! Snow upon snow upon snow…

TEN THINGS I LOVED IN JANUARY

my Christmas Cactus still blooming into January
kombucha (my favorite flavor is passionfruit + tangerine)
a warm church on a bitterly cold winter day
the anticipation for the growing season ahead
how peaceful the world feels the morning after a snow storm
kids big enough to dress themselves in gear and help shovel the driveway
the Novena of Abandonment
seeing the sunset as I close up the chicken coop at night
big bowls of chili and homemade tortilla chips
new friendships

THREE LESSONS I LEARNED

Farm animals are incredibly resilient. // January has been so cold and I’ve been a complete worry wart over the warmth of my animals. Turns out they don’t need much! The hens have a coop full of fluffy pine shavings and the pigs all cuddle together, completely buried in straw. Despite the chill, they all seem happy and healthy!
I don’t miss Facebook. Like at all. // Late in December, I made the decision to permanently delete my Facebook account. I only logged in sporadically, but kept my account “just in case” and because I had special pictures saved. For whatever reason, I got a wild hair in December and decided to take the plunge, even though I had doubts just like with I did with Amazon Prime. (I mean…talk about a first world problem.) I was able to easily download all of my photos and they even gave me 30 days in case I changed my mind. (I didn’t.) In the weeks since, I have felt great. There is no temptation to “check in” and see what’s new. No watching dumpster fires of friends completely destroying each other due to different beliefs. No ads bombarding me with stuff. One more step toward a more intentional life right here in the real world. (P.S. I also haven’t been on Instagram in months and once I figure out how to save those photos, I’m making the jump there too.)
“Hearing trains” is actually tinnitus. // When I was a kid, I would occasionally complain of “hearing trains” in my ears. It’s so hard to describe without sounding crazy, but it’s continued off and on, even into adulthood. Anyway, I was listening to a personal testimony from a woman with some health issues and one of her symptoms included hearing trains. The doctor she was speaking with casually answered, “Ahh yes, that’s typical of tinnitus.” I was floored and so happy to hear that it’s an actual thing!

A SIDE HUSTLE/MORTGAGE REDUCTION UPDATE

After the success of my 30 day super mega declutter/resale challenge last year, I really wanted to incorporate the process more regularly. I have a goal of earning $5,000 through various side hustles in 2022, which will go toward our mortgage principal. Reselling our outgrown/unneeded items is one avenue I’m using to get to that goal.

+ I rebooted my old Kidizen account and cross-posted some of my children’s outgrown clothing there. I watched this video from Ginger Marvin on Youtube that was so helpful. It’s been years since I’ve been on the app and since I’ve been gone, they’ve also added a “Mama” section, so I tried a few adult pieces as well. Only two sales so far, but I’ll take it!

What I found and sold in January:

+ 2 ornaments + a sweatshirt, sweater, shirt and puffer vest from my closet + 4 books + a kneading blade from a broken bread machine + a pair of football cleats + a preschool math curriculum + 2 dresses, 3 shirts, a bathing suit and 3 pajamas from the kids’ unneeded/outgrown bins + a preschool backpack + a potty training seat + an Ikea pillow sham + a Flipbelt running belt and a running compression calf sleeve + a pair of snowboots + an XBox game

+ a set of mini spreaders

Number sold: 28
Total amount earned after fees: $227.57