Our Deck
A few years ago my handy husband built a deck that sits in our front yard made from wood he salvaged from a new neighborhood that was being built down the road from us. An amazing thing happened after the deck was finished. As bizarre as it sounds, it has made being outdoors more interesting. Our BBQ pit (doesn’t every Texas home have one) sits right beside the deck. My homemade (from freecycle remnants) bench sits on the end closest to the BBQ pit (for chillin’ out while your BB-quin’). And, we’ve placed a few potted fruit trees on the corners along with some roses.
It’s absolutely wonderful for laying on your back and watching shooting stars or jumping off of in pursuit of fireflies. My in-laws come up on their way to feed the chickens and sit down for a spell on our deck. It’s the meeting spot for our family. My son and his grandparents use it as the airplane when they play army and it’s base when we play tag. And now our above-ground pool resides on it for the summer. Despite having a porch, which we merely use for relaxing, our deck is the launching pad for our outdoor entertainment.
I hope this summer that your family finds their own “deck’ and happy place outside – the place where you gather to enjoy each other and the nature that surrounds you – whether you’re in the country or in your own backyard in a neighborhood.
Fungus Fighter
Molasses is great for fighting fungus and disease in your garden. At the first sign of trouble, mix up this recipe:
Fungus Fighter
1/2 cup of molasses
1/2 cup of powdered milk
1 tsp. baking soda
1 gallon warm water
Mix the molasses, powdered milk, and baking soda into a paste. Place the mixture into the toe of an old nylon stocking, and let it steep in a gallon of water for several hours. Then strain, and use the liquid as a spray for your garden every two weeks throughout the growing season.
Source: Great Green Book of Garden Secrets by Jerry Baker
Gangly Seedlings
If the annual seedlings you started indoors begin to look weak and gangly before it is time to set them out, try making a cold frame or window greenhouse to give them sunshine and fresh air.
Source: Great Green Book of Garden Secrets by Jerry Baker
Mulching Peas
When you mow your lawn, save the grass clippings and use them to mulch around your sweet peas. Doing so will keep the roots moist and prevent mildew from occurring.
Source: Great Green Book of Garden Secrets by Jerry Baker
Rejoice! For He is Risen!
As Easter or (as I prefer to call it) Resurrection Day approaches, I thought it would be fun to share some great resources with you that you can use this Spring to celebrate all that He has done for us.
Read the Easter Story
1In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.
2And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.
3His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:
4And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.
5And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.
6He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
7And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.
8And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.
9And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.
10Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me.
11Now when they were going, behold, some of the watch came into the city, and shewed unto the chief priests all the things that were done.
12And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers,
13Saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept.
14And if this come to the governor’s ears, we will persuade him, and secure you.
15So they took the money, and did as they were taught: and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.
16Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.
17And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.
18And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Matthew 28, King James Version)
A Year of Family Worship
- Memory Verse: “He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.” Matthew 28:6
- Resurrection Cookies
- Resurrection Eggs
In the Kitchen
- Resurrection Rolls
- Parmesan Popovers
- Lemon Pie Bars
- Lemon Snowball Cookies
- Lemon Chess Pie
- Easter Recipes
- Passover Recipes
- Bunny Cupcakes
- Jelly Bean Carrots
- Sheep Cake
In the Garden
- Free Milkweed Seeds – Help the Monarch Butterflies
- Free Seed Exchange
- How to Make a Newspaper Pot – video
Everyday Crafts
Home Education
- Easter Lapbook
- Clouds Art Show
- Watercolor Lilypads Lesson
- Easter Math Drills
- Make Your Own Easter Worksheets
- Easter Resources for Teachers
Nature Study
Around My Garden in April
I love spring time. I love watching as my flowers bloom. Here are a some photos from around our yard I took this weekend that I want to share with you.
I was so excited when I saw the above photo of the bee – notice he is in flight!! What a perfect photo!
Square Foot Garden Planner
Are you planning your garden? This morning as I was thinking about planning the “grid” for my Square Foot Garden and decided to create some planner pages to help me in my nearly overwhelming task. I created two different pages, so whether you have 4 x 4 or 4 x 8 raised beds, you will find a grid to help you plan.
My Square Foot Garden Planner – 4 x 4
My Square Foot Garden Planner – 4 x 8
And if you haven’t read the book All New Square Foot Gardening, you really should order your copy or check it out from the library!
I hope you enjoy these planner pages!
Newspaper Pots
I wish I had seen this before I started my seedlings. Well, actually, I am pretty happy with my egg cartons for starting the seeds. But, I am definitely going to make a bunch of these! Some of my seedlings will be outgrowing their egg carton cups soon.
How to Create Seed-Starting Pots From Newspapers — powered by eHow.com
Stocking Up
I have mixed feelings about stocking up on food and supplies for the time of trouble. I believe that God will take care of my family and even send us food to eat if we were hungry. He did it for Elijah. He can do it for us as well. I think that if we stock up on food and other supplies that we will risk having others take the supplies from us by force.
On the other hand, we have no way of predicting when the “great time of trouble” will actually begin. There could be a depression like the Great Depression before the real “time of trouble” begins. We just don’t know. I have been praying about it and asking God what I should do to prepare for my family.
I feel strongly that I need to do what I can to prepare for an uncertain future. My first priority is to prepare my heart and the hearts of my children for the return of Jesus. They are ready! I praise God for this. My five year old loves to pray at meal time and during family worship. She always ask Jesus to come back soon. I am so thankful for my children who love the Lord and are anxious for His return!
So, what am I doing to prepare our home? In order to come to terms with my trust in God – believing that He will take care of us, I know I cannot rely on my own means to care for my family. I have to do what I can in the here and now to make sure that we have the supplies we need, but also be prepared and prepare my family with the knowledge that our home, our food, our belongings do not really matter. We need to be ready to walk away a moment’s notice and leave all of our earthly possessions behind. I actually cannot wait to see Jesus, so I am definitely ready! How exciting this time we live in is! Like the great hymn… It’s a Grand and Awful Time.
So here is a list of things that might be important to have. This is my own list, you might find a better one some where else. You might want to add to it, or take away from it.
1. Water. They say 1 gallon of water per person per day. We don’t have that much – there are a lot of people in our family and keeping 20 gallons of water per day for even a month would be too much space – that would be 500 gallons a month! We get our water free from springs here in Harlan County. The spring we get our water from is about 30 miles from here, though, so we would need another water source.
2. Rain Barrels. If you are not able to store enough water, rain barrels are a viable option – if you live in an area where it rains on a regular basis. This water will not be pure so you will need to have some way to purify the water. Boiling, bleach, or filters will work. In the event of an emergency, you can rig a tarp to catch water and drain into a barrel or large bucket. For every inch of rain, 1 square foot of space on your tarp or roof will yield about 1/2 gallon water. So, a 10 x 10 tarp could produce about 50 gallons of water for every inch of rain. That’s a lot of water!
3. Activated Charcoal. We use activated charcoal on a regular basis in our home. We use it mostly for stomach/ intestinal upsets. Once I drank some water that was contaminated (I didn’t realize it until after I drank it) and I took charcoal then. Activated charcoal can be used to purify your water if you need to. You can actually just stir in a teaspoon into your water and drink. Activated charcoal is tasteless and odorless. You can mix the powder into your water and drink or you can fill gelatin capsules with the powder, or you can buy it in tablet form. I prefer the powder. We use the Millard & Wilson Brand of charcoal. You can probably find this in your local health food store.
4. Toiletries. Think about the basics: toilet paper, feminine products, soap. You might want to invest in cloth feminine napkins, or have supplies on hand to make your own. Cleanliness would also be an issue – how would you wash cloth napkins if there was no pure water source? If there is no water running in your house, toilets would not be operating. They teach us in Pathfinders to dig a hole and bury it and to not “go to the bathroom” within 100 feet of a water source. If you have a baby in the house… what about diapers? You should have a stock of cloth diapers (about three dozen) on hand – and not the really nice thick ones. If you are needing to wash diapers out by hand, thin birdseye cloth diapers would be ideal – and they dry quickly. These are available at any Wal-Mart.
5. Cleaning Agents. In this country we are so used to having running water (in most places – here in Harlan County where I live, 1/3 of the county still does not have running water!) that we have no real idea about what it means to have to haul water from the nearest source in order to clean ourselves and our homes. A large pot that would be suitable for a fire pit would be good to have on hand. And some of the basics – vinegar, baking soda, borax, plain soap, bleach, and a wash board. I have a large sink in my basement that has a washboard on it.
6. Medicines and More. What would happen if the economy collapsed and you had no way to get your medicines? And then there are the basics: Tylenol, aspirin, cough syrup. If you had an injury you might need: hand sanitizer, rubbing alcohol, peroxide, bandages, bandage tape, guaze, burn ointment, calamine lotion. In our house we rely often on herbal medicines. We make our own tinctures and ointments. I recommend that everyone have on hand: Cayenne Tincture, Dried Ginger Root, Lobelia Tincture, Garlic.
7. Food. We can’t live without food, right? I suggest you stock up on things that will last. Dried beans, grains such as rice, oats and wheat, cornmeal, sugar, TVP, popcorn kernels, powdered milk, canned foods. There are some great websites about food storage that I have recently found. One of my favorites is the Food Storage Made Easy. This group of ladies teaches you how to store what you eat and eat what you store. Maybe I am the only one, but I didn’t know that the Mormons have always stored up food for the time of trouble! On Food Storage Made Easy, these ladies have even provided a handy worksheet for helping you plan a 3 month supply of food for your family. Again, remember that if you have a baby and you do not breastfeed, you need to stock up on formula. Food grade buckets with gamma seals are ideal for storing food. If you do decide to stock up on a large amount of food, you need to rotate your food and keep your supply updated regularly. Eat it or by the time you need it, it may be no good.
8. Lighting. If we have no electricity, candles and solar lanterns would be really good to have on hand. My son has a neat flashlight that you can shake and it recharges itself.
Like I said before, I am preparing for the worst with the idea that if/when I need to “flee into the wilderness” that my heart is also prepared for that. I am going to get a topographical map so that we can learn more about our area.
Jesus said, “But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains: And let him that is on the housetop not go down into the house, neither enter therein, to take any thing out of his house: And let him that is in the field not turn back again for to take up his garment. But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter.
“For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be. And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect’s sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days. And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or, lo, he is there; believe him not: For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect. But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things.” Mark 13: 14-23 (emphasis mine)
Seed Planting Chart…
for the Lazy Gardener. How cool is that???
I just found this wonderful automatic seed planting chart at You Grow Girl! You just input your last frost date and it calculates it all for you! Such as 20-MAR-09 – if you don’t use that format then it won’t work. I figured that out the hard way. I hope you have as much fun with this as I did!
: Download the Spring 2010 Issue :
