Category: General

What a treat to have Pennsylvania relatives come up to visit. It had been 6 years since we were last together! Seemed like we picked up right where we left off. Funny to see that the photos of 6 years ago show us playing with bows and arrows and being handed weapons by Uncle Ben! 😀

Here we are in 2017.

And in 2023. 🙂

A nice visit full of outdoor exploring, games, skits, eating, talking, and shooting each other with arrows! 😛

We’ve been enjoying our first tiny garden this year. Cukes, bush beans, carrots and potatoes!

We have actually have harvested a nice bunch of beans. And tonight’s little variety plate gave us joy, even if it was a tiny sampling. 🙂

We were pleased by this variety pack. Checked on the carrots and ‘taters, they need more time. Pretty much like Jeffy from Family Circus. 😀

And this bonus mushroom was not in our garden, but I found on the side of the road. Big guy! See my foot for size. Anyone able to tell us about it?

I’ve been enjoying this read: The Shaping of the Christian Family – How My Parents Nurtured My Faith, by Elisabeth Elliot. She mentions this poem that her mother had, called “Doe the Nexte Thynge”. Maybe someone can explain the extra silent E…. meanwhile please enjoy the poem! Elliot described it as a poem that ” Mother found greatly comforting and fortifying in all kinds of circumstances, especially the kind that would tend toward the paralysis that self-pity brings”.

From an old English parsonage down by the sea
There came in the twilight a message to me;
Its quaint Saxon legend, deeply engraven,
Hath, it seems to me, teaching from Heaven.
And on through the doors the quiet words ring
Like a low inspiration: “DOE THE NEXTE THYNGE.”

Many a questioning, many a fear,
Many a doubt, hath its quieting here.
Moment by moment, let down from Heaven,
Time, opportunity, and guidance are given.
Fear not tomorrows, child of the King,
Trust them with Jesus, doe the nexte thynge.

Do it immediately, do it with prayer;
Do it reliantly, casting all care;
Do it with reverence, tracing His hand
Who placed it before thee with earnest command.
Stayed on Omnipotence, safe ‘neath His wing,
Leave all results, doe the nexte thynge

Looking for Jesus, ever serener,
Working or suffering, be thy demeanor;
In His dear presence, the rest of His calm,
The light of His countenance be thy psalm,
Strong in His faithfulness, praise and sing.
Then, as He beckons thee, doe the nexte thynge.

After some trial and error, I’ve made three different candles!

Left: Roughly half bacon fat, half soy wax (you can also use beeswax). Alice and I made this together. I tried 100% bacon grease, but it’s just too soft at room temperature and doesn’t hold up the wick as it burns. This and the middle candle both use wooden wicks, they are from a cheap bag of fondue sticks and work great. Does it smell like bacon? Not really, if it does it’s very subtle.

Middle: 100% butter! Just melted and poured. The simplest to make. The wooden wick makes it crackle and pop as it burns, which is nice. Another way to make a wick is a small wooden skewer wrapped in a bit of paper towel, shoved into the butter.

Right: Thick cotton wick + hole cut in mason jar lid + cute jam jar = olive oil lamp! Took a bit of tweaking because it would not wick the oil up all the way from the bottom. In the end I added a bunch of water, which is heavier than the oil and settles on the bottom. This keeps the oil near the top and wicking into the flame. This is my favorite because olive oil burns clean and lasts a long time. You can adjust the height of the wick/flame, and you can refill it just by unscrewing the lid!

All of these use common household fuels you have lying around, are easy to make, and end up being much cheaper than buying candles or lamps + paraffin. You can add scent with essential oils. All of them burn very clean, no black smoke.

Finding it fun to dig up old pictures. 😛

Here is 2013, a bike trip down to our “Catfish Pond”. I guess it was a warm spring day! Today is cold and rainy. But maybe the catfish are thriving again.

And 2003, Ben playing mandolin at UML. Looks like it was a performance requirement. 🙂

Just for fun I wanted to see if I had pictures from 20 years ago and 10 years ago today.

Here’s what we got! 😛

Highlight of last week was probably the “Grand Prix” at AWANA. Like Pinewood Derby. Ben and Alice had worked on this car and it brought home a 3rd place trophy. They were pleased!

And I guess we’ve been pleased with our gluten this week. 😛

Stacked pancakes were a nice start to the day.

Then I’ve been working on my 2 breads, one ‘Beautiful Bread’ and our Sourdough. Anyone have tips on how to make the sour taste even MORE sour? That is what we are aiming for. I’ve just been keeping it in the fridge for an extra long ferment.

And the staple tortilla chips! The guys meet here tonight so we try to keep them stocked. 🙂

Nice job Alice getting the Granny Square down this week!