A reflective week.

On the bookshelf...

The chilly weather has inspired a marathon of warm sweaters, soups, tea & books. Quiet activities fill our days...the record player is always in use--the vintage melodies brightening our afternoons.

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A corner of the parlour...

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I take delight in the simple things.

Morning light shining through the parlour window.

Interior surroundings--cozy chairs, warm blankets, good books.

The texture of the cottage walls.

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Frost covered Garlic sprouts

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A feather light sprinkling of ice crystals, being warmed by the morning sun.
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A border of wild grasses leading up the path...

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"God gave us our memories so that we might have roses in December."

-J. M. Barrie

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Making my way back down to the Cottage...
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*.*The frost-covered driveway*.*
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"Then, no matter how plain, simple or old-fashioned your home may be, the sacred friendships beneath its roof will transfigure it all." J.R. Miller

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I'm so thankful for the dear, dear friendship I have with my sister. We're constantly making each other laugh!!Our family has gone through alot of transition in the past 2 years, and it truly has drawn us all closer together as a household.

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Wild Petunias against the porch

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We've been feeding the chickens raw oats lately (mixed in with household scraps/mash) and it has boosted their egg production! I can't understand why that is, but we're enjoying the benefits :)

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~Rosemary~

I love this evergreen herb! I use it for so many things:

Fresh in cooking, As a hair oil {for hair growth}, steeped as a hair rinse {gives shine to dark hair}, repelling Mosquito's {from yard area}, Steam treatment {to open up/relieve common symptoms of cold/flu/bronchitis}
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Feeding Chickens at Tuskegee University
"We must not only become reliable, progressive, skillful and intelligent, but we must keep the idea constantly before our youths that all forms of labor, whether with the hand or head, are honorable."

~Booker T. Washington

With every generation, it seems a few more old-fashioned skills are slowly becoming obsolete. I'm so glad I'm not trying to go with the flow of society anymore! There's so much freedom being able to step back and pursue what you really want to do, no matter how "outdated" it may seem to some.

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Students taking courses in Home Economics

I've volunteered to teach classes on canning next year for the ladies & girls in our church. I'm not an expert, but I'd just love to share this joy with others, especially younger girls. I feel this is just one (of many) rewarding avenues of home productivity.

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Our refrigerator recently stopped cooling! So for a few days we were able to make do without it-- I just baked more (breads, muffins, crackers etc) and we ate soups, root vegetables, fresh greens & homemade canned goods. It really wasn't too different from our normal menu, however, it was a good lesson not to rely/take for granted our appliances ;)

(And for my brother to start digging the root cellar!)

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"Frugality is one of the most beautiful and joyful words in the English language, and yet one that we are culturally cut off from understanding and enjoying. The consumption society has made us feel that happiness lies in having things, and has failed to teach us the happiness of not having things." ~Elise Boulding
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::A day of re-enacting::

Yesterday I traveled down to the coast for an event. It was a rainy & chilly day, so the ladies stayed inside the farmhouse... It was fun to be able to get to know everyone better, since we weren't in strict first person/character roles.

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The fresh-churned butter turned out so light and delicious!

I brought homemade bread, so we were able to have a nice snack while the stew cooked over the fire...

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Knitting and sewing as we talked.

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What a lovely combination: A rocking chair, dress & apron.

~ Near the hearth, preparation of the evening meal begins
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Learning the art of basket weaving
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That evening, all the re-enactors gathered at the farmhouse to partake in the meal.

It was a nice event, and as always, a rewarding experience.

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Hope you have a great week!