March 2021

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#22. PRETENDING TO DANCE by Diane Chamberlain
★★☆☆☆
I’ve had my Goodreads account since 2011 and for the past year, I have been trying to go back and actually read some books from my “to be read” shelf. This has become a bit of an experiment because I no longer have any memory of where I heard about them or why I wanted to read them in the first place, ha! Pretending to Dance is one of those books and I went into it completely blind. The story alternates between the present, with the main character and her husband going through the adoption process, and flashbacks to the past, during the summer when she was fourteen. This is a hard book to describe since the focus was heavily on her coming-of-age summer and filled with sexual escapades that I had to skim past. Top that off with a morally questionable ending and this book was definitely just not for me.

#23. BETTER OFF: FLIPPING THE SWITCH ON TECHNOLOGY by Eric Brende
★★★☆☆
I always like to read these types of books, where people do something extreme and then share what they learned. Better Off is the story of one such couple who go to live with a “Minimite” community (not quite Mennonites, but they have many of the same attributes) for 18 months. They are searching for an answer to “How much technology is too much?” This book was written in 2004 and I often caught myself thinking that I would love to know what he’s thought of technology in the years since: social media, Iphones, Alexa, even cars that do the driving for you! This book gave me a lot to think about.

#24. BLUEBIRD, BLUEBIRD by Attica Locke
★★★☆☆
This novel is a police procedural about a black Texas Ranger who is investigating two possibly race-motivated murders. It is definitely more literary in tone and a slow burn – not a bad thing at all! – but I struggled to get through chapters each night. They put me right to sleep! The ending was really good and perfectly set up a possibility of a series. (Update: I just checked and there’s a sequel! It’s called Heaven, My Home.)

#25. OUR TOWN: A PLAY IN THREE ACTS by Thornton Wilder
★★★★☆

EMILY: Good-by, world. Good by, Grover’s Corners…Mama and Papa. Good-by to clocks ticking…and Mama’s sunflowers. And food and coffee. And new-ironed dresses and hot baths…and sleeping and waking up. Oh, earth, you’re too wonderful for anybody to realize you.
Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it? – every, every minute? (Act III)

Switching things up with a play! I actually found this rendition on Youtube and read along at the same time. (I think my understanding is much richer because of it.) I wasn’t sure about the concept during Act I, but enjoyed it more and more in Acts II and III. Set in small town USA, this drama takes a look at the human condition: we live, we love, and we eventually die. I loved the reminder to pay attention because life really does go by so quickly. (This was my 1938 pick for the 20th Century in Books Challenge.)

#26. SEARCHING FOR SYLVIE LEE by Jean Kwok
★★☆☆☆
I had a hard time with this one. It begins with a mystery: a woman goes missing while visiting her dying grandmother in the Netherlands and her family back at home in the US tries to find out what happened. There’s an immigrant aspect that I found interesting, but there were too many sideplots that had me scratching my head. (Like, Is this detail really necessary to further the story?) Devastatingly sad from beginning to end.

#27. AMERICAN ROYALS by Katharine McGee
★★☆☆☆
After reading one too many heavy, depressing novels, I decided to take a stab at reading something outside of my comfort zone. This book is Chick Lit, Young Adult, and a Romance…all genres I tend to avoid, ha! American Royals asks the question, What if America had a royal family? Told in multiple perspectives and definitely light and fluffy, but I am clearly not the target audience for this type of book. So many love triangles and catty teenage girl behavior! I left that drama back in high school for a reason.

#28. THE OTHER PEOPLE by C.J. Tudor
★★★★☆
This was a crazy book! Plenty of twists and turns, with a supernatural element that was a little bit creepy. I went into it only knowing that it was a thriller about a missing girl and her father who is obsessed with finding her. I think going in blind is probably the best way to go with this one. I flew through it in two days.

#29. THEOLOGY OF HOME II: THE SPIRITUAL ART OF HOMEMAKING by Carrie Gress and Noelle Mering
★★★★☆

…it doesn’t take a tragedy for the devil to confuse us. Even in our daily lives, even during our best moments, he can wreak havoc. He knows precisely which direction to push us, either toward self-glorification if we are prone to vanity or toward despair if we are prone to scrupulosity. As the father of lies, he sows confusion, leaving us stunted. To move forward in hope, the best thing we can do is begin and end with what we know to be true: we are loved by a God who is love. He is with us. We can run to him. His providence is beyond our comprehension. And when we falter, we can return to him with simplicity, confident that he makes all things new. (p.158)

I think I enjoyed this beautiful book even more than the first one! Thought-provoking and inspiring.

#30. LITTLE HEATHENS: HARD TIMES AND HIGH SPIRITS ON AN IOWA FARM DURING THE GREAT DEPRESSION by Mildred Armstrong Kalish
★★★☆☆
This is Mildred’s childhood story, growing up on her grandparents’ farm during the Great Depression. I enjoyed her stories and recipes and general nostalgia – what a hard-working family! A solid three star read.

New to the Homemaker Diaries series? Find January’s post here and February’s post here.

March’s lesson could be summarized as finding contentment in the ordinary tasks of everyday life. This is something I think most of us have had to learn (for better or worse!) as we’ve navigated the past year. I know for me, if I give in to bitter or resentful thoughts, I’m just a miserable person! I’m thankful for yet another reminder to focus on today and what’s right in front of me.

The Lifegiving Home

On the level of home life, beauty is the order and grace we bring to the waiting hours and spaces of our lives, the celebrations we choose, the rituals we make, the gardens we plant, the care we give with as much attention as we can muster.
Such beauty speaks of our belief in a God of the details, a God aware of each sparrow, each tear, each heart. Our creativity affirms His care and presence in every aspect of our lives. Such beauty is also a shelter; it makes home one of the primary places where we can step back from the impersonal, deadening craze of life in order to encounter the life of God in the midst of a fallen world. (p.82)

Another beautiful quote and my new vision for my home: “This is the atmosphere I want those who come into my sphere to taste – the goodness of God made tangible in food, in pictures, in music, in the way they are served. I want my home to reflect the deepest affirmation of my heart that God is with me, that He has given me every good thing.” (p.83)

Another topic Clarkson touched upon in this month’s chapter was wonder: “Wonder helps us to notice with quiet, focused attention that helps us perceive the inherent, unique beauty of the people and the world around us.” (p.86) Children are the best teachers, especially in this area, so I watched mine for inspiration. A few highlights: I watched my oldest son quietly step outside to the front porch to take a photograph of the blazing orange sunset. I noticed my youngest sitting all by himself, staring intently at a picture book filled with vibrant illustrations. I witnessed the spur-of-the-moment learning about how to identify fraudulent money, three heads bent together around a ten dollar bill.

Mrs. Dunwoody’s Excellent Instructions for Homekeeping

“Every home should have a sewing basket.” My homemaking project this month was to start a good old-fashioned sewing basket! I found a little wicker basket on Poshmark – this one or this one or this one would work great too (affiliate links) – and started filling it up with odds and ends that I’ve collected over the years. She recommends the following supplies (I put the ones I have so far in bold):

Sewing needles in assorted sizes
Thread in light and dark colors
A very sharp pair of scissors
Straight pins kept in a pincushion
Assorted buttons (I have these in a separate container)
Assorted snaps, hooks, and eyes
A thimble
A magnifying glass
A tape measure
A seam ripper
A needle threader
Safety pins
Dressmaker chalk

I also added denim iron-on patches and denim thread (affiliate links) to help prolong some of the little boys’ jeans. What am I missing?

Linking up with Rosie!

A QUOTE

We were taught that if you bought something it should last forever – or as close to forever as we could contrive. I think one of the cleverest tricks was how we extended the lives of socks. When the socks of the biggest child developed hole in the toes, Grandma, using her dressmaker’s shears, would cut off the end, sew it closed on the sewing machine, and pass the socks down to the child next in size. When the socks developed holes again, she would repeat this until the sock had been passed down to the child with the smallest foot. You think that was the end of those socks? “Not on your tintype!” as she would have put it. She cut the ribbed tops off of those socks and they did duty sewn into the ends of sleeves of fall and winter jackets and coats to keep out the bitter cold. – Little Heathens: Hard Times and High Spirits on an Iowa Farm During the Great Depression, p.86

Can you imagine? I’m a little embarrassed by how quickly I chuck our worn-out socks around here…

A BOOK

I’m so excited about this latest find for the kids: William Shakespeare’s Star Wars series! We started with Verily, A New Hope (affiliate link) and my very picky middle school reader flew through it in days. I struggle reading Shakespeare myself, so this seems like a fun way to get used to the style and wording.

A BIT OF NATURE

Probably one of the ugliest pictures ever, but look! Daffodils will be blooming soon.

A RECOMMENDATION

Katherine’s post, What I Learned Wearing the Same Dress 100 Days in a Row, was so interesting and inspiring! I am definitely not someone who finds creativity in the art of getting dressed (read: most boring wardrobe ever and I like it that way!), so her experience felt like permission to continue on this self-imposed simplicity path. Who cares if I only own one pair of jeans? If they fit well and are neat/clean, no one will give me a second glance.

A MOMENT OF HAPPINESS

We have this little bunny statue (shown above) that I tucked in with the wildflowers last season. My four-year-old LOVES this thing and has now officially adopted it. Every day when he goes out to play, he seems to find a new place to stash it. I’ve seen it everywhere from the porch to the side of the driveway to the trampoline. You never know where Mr. Bunny will show up next!

Today seems like a big accomplishment: this is my 500th post written since we moved to the farmhouse! It seems fitting, then, that this post is about us embarking on another new adventure. After years of talking and planning, dipping our toes in here and there, we’re finally pressing the gas on our little homestead! Creating something from nothing is exciting, but also completely overwhelming. Where do you even begin?! There are so many things we’d like to do, but here are seven goals we’re prioritizing in 2021:

1 // RAISE CHICKENS, BOTH FOR EGGS AND MEAT

Chickens are the gateway animal of farming, right? We currently have 16 hens and 49 broilers (we sadly lost two during the first few days) in our garage and are feverishly working to prepare the moveable tractors and coop outside!

2 // EXPAND THE GARDEN TO INCLUDE IN-GROUND BEDS

Last year, we built our fenced-in garden with thirteen 4’x4′ raised beds inside. Lots of room for a variety of fruits and vegetables, but I quickly realized that I needed even more space. So we’re in the process of creating two in-ground beds that are approximately 8’x18′. We have deer all over our property, so this will be an experiment – will they eat everything that grows outside the fence?

3 // PLANT ENOUGH FOOD TO BE ABLE TO CAN/PUT AWAY FOR WINTER

This goal fits in with #2 above. I grew so much last summer, but it ended up only being enough to feed us daily without anything extra. This year, I’m hoping to be more creative with my planning in order to get maximum yields. One example: I invested in a squash tunnel to try to grow them vertically! Where one plant would take up almost an entire 4’x4′ bed, the tunnel will allow me to plant four on each side. That’s huge.

4 // START THE COTTAGE GARDEN

One of the more frivolous farm goals is to begin to fill up the beds surrounding the garden with flowers. I’m going for a cottage look, lots of color, a little wild and collected over time. I won’t have a lot of time to dedicate to this project, but am hoping to get at least a few perennials in.

5 // START THE ORCHARD GUILD

Another little side project is to plant some things around our apple trees to encourage growth, add helpful nutrients to the soil and attract insects to help with pollination. This permaculture concept is so cool – I can’t wait to learn more and pick some beautiful plants.

6 // SHEEP?

We considered starting with pigs, but after some research and hearing personal stories, we think we’ll need something more structurally permanent before we add them to the farm. Sheep, on the other hand, seem much easier and considerably cheaper! We’re still very much in the research phase, but this may be where we’re headed next.

7 // START SAVING FOR BIGGER PURCHASES

We would love to eventually build some sort of barn structure and some permanent fencing, but both of those are $$$. In the mean time, we plan to start a separate “Farm” savings account and add little bits as we can.

This post contains affiliate links.

It’s been an entire year since I last linked up with Top Ten Tuesday! Today’s prompt is to share the books on my Spring TBR and here are ten that are on my radar:

1 // My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante
This was the book chosen for The Booktube Spin Challenge back in February and I still haven’t gotten to it!

2 // The Wilder Life: My Adventures in the Lost World of Little House on the Prairie by Wendy McClure
From the summary: “For anyone who has ever wanted to step into the world of a favorite book, here is a pioneer pilgrimage, a tribute to Laura Ingalls Wilder, and a hilarious account of butter-churning obsession.” Sounds interesting and possibly right up my alley!

3 // The Dearly Beloved by Cara Wall
My mom passed this one on to me months ago and it somehow got lost in my stacks. I don’t know much about it (something about marriage and religion?) , but many people I know have given it really high marks.

4 // Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver
This memoir, about a family who challenged themselves to eat locally for a year, sounds like a great motivator as we put in our spring garden. I may be one of the only people left who haven’t read it – so many people rave about this book!

5 // Little Heathens: Hard Times and High Spirits on an Iowa Farm During the Great Depression by Mildred Armstrong Kalish
From the dustjacket: “I tell of a time, a place, and a way of life long gone. For many years I have had the urge to describe that treasure trove, lest it vanish forever. So, partly in response to the basic human instinct to share feelings and experiences, and partly for the sheer joy and excitement of it all, I report on my early life. It was quite a romp.” This is Mildred’s childhood story, growing up on her grandparents’ farm during the Great Depression. There are stories and recipes and how-tos…I can’t wait to read this one.

6 // An Everlasting Meal: Cooking with Economy and Grace by Tamar Adler
I started reading this book back in 2018, but somehow along the way, I put it down and never finished it! It looks like I’m about halfway through, so it won’t take me long to finish. I remember feeling very inspired to get to work in the kitchen, so hopefully it will have the same effect.

7 // The Dirty Life: A Memoir of Farming, Food and Love by Kristin Kimball
Another memoir about farming! This is another one with rave reviews.

8 // A Place on Earth by Wendell Berry
Even though I’ve only read a few of his works, Wendell Berry is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. I picked this book up for cheap on Better World Books to add to my collection.

9 // The Glovemaker by Ann Weisgarber
Last month, I read another book by Weisgarber called The Personal History of Rachel DuPree and I enjoyed her writing enough that I picked up her latest. I don’t know much about it other than it’s historical fiction set in 1880’s Utah. Excited to read something different and new.

10 // The Lightkeeper’s Wife by Sarah Anne Johnson
This was a complete impulse buy when I was on Better World Books! I don’t know anything about this one either, except that there are shipwrecks and pirates…could be interesting, so sign me up!

The weather outside is //Last week was such a tease with beautiful spring-like weather! Looks like this will be a week to get a bunch of indoor tasks accomplished.

As I look outside my window // The trees are still bare and brown, but the grass has just a tad more green to it. My daffodils have burst through the ground, but still haven’t bloomed. The birds are coming back and I’m starting to wake up to their calls. All signs that spring is on its way!

As I look around the house // I can’t find half of my kids, so I assume they are in the garage with the chickens. One of them said to me yesterday, “Chicks are like fireplaces. You can just stare at them for hours.”

On this week’s to-do list //

– paint touchups on the garden fence
– go through P’s clothes and pull out everything he’s outgrown – list a few books on ebay – begin looking for a First Communion dress (!!)

– start some flower seeds under the grow light

Reflecting on // the idea of legacy. I recently stumbled on a homesteading blog where she mentioned that they were creating an “agricultural legacy” for their children and grandchildren. I’ve pondered that phrase ever since.

Laughing about // the crazy way the kids seem to outgrow everything all at the same time. I’ve been buying new sneakers, new undies and socks. Filling in holes in their spring/summer wardrobe will be coming next!

Currently reading // I’m behind on my Lenten reading plan for The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and have been reading in fits and spurts. It’s beautiful and interesting, but also so incredibly heartbreaking (as the story of the Passion should be.) My fiction book for bedtime is American Royals by Katharine McGee. Completely out of my comfort zone and not something I would typically read, but I was craving something light and silly. I also picked up The Art of Loading Brush by Wendell Berry again after stalling during a slow section. If I can push through this boring essay, I’ll get to a few of his short stories at the end!

On the menu this week //
Monday: Refrigerator Clean-Out Night
Tuesday: slow cooker beef stew
Wednesday: Feast of Saint Patrick! takeout from the local volunteer fire department’s fundraiser dinner
Thursday: homemade pizza
Friday: Feast of Saint Joseph! TBD: something festive but still Lent appropriate

{linking up with Rosie}

In 2021, I’m working through many of the recipes in the Farm Journal’s Country Cookbook (a vintage cookbook from 1959 and revised in 1972) and sharing the ones I make on the blog. (The first recipe I made is here.)

This time, I decided to try a new bread! I loved this introductory quote from Chapter 9:

“When a child walks into a country kitchen after school and confronts the tantalizing fragrance of homemade bread cooling on the counter top he knows he is lucky. And when he spreads butter on a faintly warm slice of bread and tastes, he knows the true meaning of good eating. More children today are enjoying this experience in the revival of baking yeast breads. Young women who are rather new in this culinary art crave the satisfaction of creating something special with their hands. And they are finding, as did their grandmothers, that kneading dough relieves frustration – and is good therapy as well! (p.230)

It’s always amazing to me that something so delicious can be made from such simple ingredients. It’s been awhile since I’ve made any bread other than my white sandwich go-to, so I was excited to challenge myself with this more complicated oatmeal version. A little more time intensive, but everyone found it delicious, so definitely worth the effort.

Print Recipe taken from Farm Journal’s Country Cookbook

2 cups milk
2 cups quick-cooking rolled oats
¼ cup brown sugar firmly packed
1 tbsp salt
2 tbsp butter
1 pkg active dry yeast
½ cup warm water 110 to 115°
5 cups flour sifted
1 egg white
1 tbsp water
rolled oats

Scald the milk. Stir in 2 cups rolled oats, brown sugar, salt and butter. Remove from the heat and cool to lukewarm.
Sprinkle yeast on the warm water; stir to dissolve.
Add the milk mixture and 2 cups flour to the yeast. Beat with a mixer on medium speed, scraping the bowl occasionally, for about 2 minutes. (You can also beat with a spoon until the batter is smooth.)
Add enough remaining flour, a little at a time, first with a spoon and then with your hands, to make a soft dough that leaves the sides of the bowl. Turn onto a floured surface and knead until dough is smooth and elastic, about 8-10 minutes. Place in a lightly greased bowl; turn dough over to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 to 1½ hours. Punch down and let rise again until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes.
Turn onto a floured surface and divide in half. Round up to make 2 balls. Cover and let rest 10 minutes. Shape into loaves and place in greased 9x5x3″ loaf pans. Let rise until almost doubled, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Brush the tops of the loaves with egg white beaten with water and sprinkle with rolled oats.
Bake in a 375° oven for about 40 minutes. (If the bread starts to brown too much, cover loosely with a sheet of aluminum foil after baking 15 minutes.)

It was chilly again, but we’re setting our eyes on spring anyway! Lots of new experiences are headed our way. For one, I just started my first attempt at starting seeds under the grow light. I’ve been checking in daily, testing water levels, turning the container so each side gets light evenly, and saying “I have no idea what I’m doing!” a ton. There’s only so much reading you can do before you probably should just dive right in. I’m praying for at least moderate success, but we’ll see. The other big news is that we made final preparations for the 65 baby chicks that will be arriving by the end of the week. I’m excited and terrified at all the unknowns, but I figure common sense and quick searches on homestead blogs will keep us afloat in the weeks to come.

My 12-year-old wanted to make something special for dinner. After browsing the cookbooks and the refrigerator, he settled on stuffed peppers!

I’ve started collecting old Landmark Books from the 1950s. I’m trying to spend around $5-6 per book and have been pretty successful so far. (I’ve had good luck on Better World Books and ebay.) I wasn’t sure if the kids would find them at all interesting, but we’ve actually had some fun discussions while browsing through the Secret Service book. Lots of talk about fraudulent currency and then checking out the little details on dollar bills.

I love the shadow that the little orange tree makes at dinnertime.

Don’t you just love a book that has a map inside? I finished Better Off: Flipping the Switch on Technology on Friday night. I’ll have a better review at the end of the month, but it definitely had me questioning the idea of how much technology is too much. Where is the line where technology stops working for us and we become slaves to technology? Everyone will have a different answer for that, I’m sure, but it’s an interesting thought experiment. I’ve also been pondering this quote from the Epilogue: “The main three ingredients of technological liberation are a pinch of muscle, a sprinkle of wits, and a dash of willingness.” (p.228)

No photographic evidence, but I also…
+ made a decent dent in my green decluttering bin. I posted a ton of Sophie’s spring/summer clothes from last year, along with a few doll toys that she’s outgrown. They were snatched up on Trash Nothing in hours!
+ made a batch of granola. It was gone in two days. + will be forever grateful for the new trampoline the kids got for Christmas – thanks Mom & Dad! My four youngest will happily play out there for hours, even in the cold.

+ ordered a ThredUp Cleanout Kit as an alternative way to get rid of some of my reselling stock. I know that I won’t get nearly the amount that I would on Poshmark or ebay, but I’m ready to get these clothes out of my closet and move to a new entrepreneurial direction.

+ watched a turkey vulture sit pompously on the top of our basketball hoop. I don’t think I’ve ever seen an uglier bird.

+ dealt with water dripping from a recessed light in our basement. So random and puzzling! Thankfully, we know a guy who knows a guy (gotta love small towns!) who came out to help us figure out the problem. He ripped up a piece of the ceiling and found the leak and it seems to be a pretty easy fix. Ahh home ownership…there’s always something.

{Linking up with Rosie}

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February was an awesome reading month for me (I blame it on the relentlessly bad winter weather) and I read 11 books! Here are a few things I learned about myself during that time:

I can only read so much about World War II at one time. In all, I read four books centered around that time period and it was too much. By the end of February, I was even starting to have strange, slightly disturbing dreams at night! I think these historical books are important and necessary, but I’ll probably go a good stretch before picking one up again.
This makes me sound like a weirdo, but suspense thrillers are great palate cleansers to read in between heavy books. They’re generally fast-paced and all relatively the same, but entertaining and fun.
Reading about a deadly pandemic had me taking all the prepper notes. Lots of “What would we do if..?” questions while I read.

I read most of the books I had picked out for the readathons, but I also allowed myself some random choices throughout the month. It was a good mix of structure and mood reading.

With spring on the horizon, bringing my focus and time to things outside, I know my reading will soon slow down considerably. But you know me – I still couldn’t help browsing around for some reading inspiration! I’m sure I won’t get to all of these, here’s what I found for March:

March Mystery Madness

The prompts for this challenge are “Single, Number, Person, Place, Weather, Color, Time and Space” plus a bonus. I found four books from my shelf that fit:

The Irish Readathon

I admit that my knowledge of Irish literature/authors is quite limited, so I’m looking forward to diving into both of these highly recommended works:

Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt
Light a Penny Candle by Maeve Binchy

Middle Grade March

Except for school read alouds, I don’t read a lot of middle grade, so this wasn’t a challenge immediately on my radar. There are a few exceptions that I’ve had tucked away and maybe this is the time to actually read them? Hoping to read at least one of these:

The Booktube Spin

I still need to read the book from Round One: My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante, but positive news: I also picked up and read two other books I had on the list.

The Buzzword Readathon

The word for March is “time” so I think I’m going to choose The Time in Between by Maria Duenas. It’s a little intimidating at over 600 pages!

Your turn! I’d love to hear what book is on your nightstand.

{Linking up again with Rosie}