Enjoying All Weather and a Start to Our Next Project

 Country living has made me who I am in so many ways. 

I have stepped on every bit of this land. 

I know these trails by heart.

 I have put seeds in the ground with full faith that they will grow.

A serene moment here, in silence, except for the restorative sound of birds and crickets, is my cure for almost anything!

I didn't want to leave the city, but now that I've been out here (this is the longest I've lived in one spot!) I can't imagine life any other way.

One valuable lesson it's taught me is how to enjoy all weather.

I don't like to hear people complain about weather. I tend to think, if someone will complain about something as far out of our control as weather, there's probably no end to what they'll complain about!

We are just coming down off of 90 degree heat. I enjoyed it very much. It felt luxurious to spend our days down at the pond, playing music and relaxing in the water.

But this morning we awoke to a refreshing 57 degrees. A welcomed change.

I opened the windows to air out the house.

The cool breeze on my afternoon walk was lovely.

In the fall these trails crunch under our feet, and we gather fire orange leaves to take home for a bouquet.

Winter walks feel stone quiet and frigid, and we gather pinecones to take home, along with berries to place in the bird feeder.

A mid-summer walk is a different event. We watch the bugs and squirrels scamper about in warm sunshine, and we gather wildflowers.

A few sights around my home this summer...

(As long as my Christmas poinsettia is still doing well, I see no reason why I should pitch it.)

All lovely sights until this one...

My kitchen pantry had to be completely emptied the other day for the plumber to get in there to work.

We are having a half-bath put in upstairs that I'm very excited about!

The new pipes run down the inside of my pantry. The plumber was very careful, tucked the new pipe discreetly in the corner, then vacuumed up the mess before he left. I was very pleased with him.

After he left I took the opportunity to clean out the pantry before I moved everything back.

Even though the pantry looks the same as it did before I emptied it, it still is satisfying to know the shelves have been scrubbed down, expired food has been pitched, and everything is placed back in a tidy way.

This year our home is 110 years old! 

Priorities were different in those days. When taking on an old house one must realize there will be tiny closets, and even tinier bathrooms!

We've made do just fine with our two little bathrooms, but installing a half-bath upstairs is something we've wanted to do for a while now, so it feels great to finally start on the project.

I will certainly be back here to document the progress.

In the meantime, I plan to enjoy this glorious summer.

- 👒 ~ 🌳 ~ 👒 -

~ Courtney 

Travel to Enrich Your Home Life

I have a confession to make...

I don't have a desire to travel.

I don't feel the urge to get out of the house, or out of town.

I suppose that is what happens when the homelife you've created is more comfortable and relaxing than anything out in the world.

But I understand that traveling is a part of a well-rounded life. And since it is giving my children fun memories, I am happy to do it.

 With that said, we are freshly back from a family road trip.

It was exhausting but so wonderful and fun!

We got to see so much and were in so many new-to-us places.

After battling traffic, road construction, 90 degree heat, multiple hotels and Airbnb's, and a total of ten states in all, I am thankful the Lord kept our family safe and I am thrilled to be home.

The greatest benefit of traveling (for me!) is to gain a new appreciation for home sweet home.

Experiencing new places always makes me grateful to live where we live.

There is no church like our church. There is no town like our town. Coming home after a trip always makes me realize how lucky we are.

It's great to visit various places, but I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.

So if I'm going to travel I like to make it meaningful by finding ways it can benefit my home life. Like being mindful of little take-a-ways that will give me a fresh idea or a new perspective to help me with my homemaking once I get home. That way the trip seems to have more of a purpose long term than to just be viewed as a temporary vacation.

Sometimes it's an inspiring thought.

For example, we toured a stunning historic house in Savannah, Georgia called The Davenport House. Mrs. Davenport raised six boys in that house. When the Civil War broke out the brothers split up- half went to fight for the Union, the other half for the Confederacy. Our tour guide told us we don't know why it happened that way because there is no written record of this chapter of the family's story. 

The thought bolted through me- No one bothered to write anything down about it! 

As a renewed motivation for blogging swelled up within me, I fumbled around in my purse for a slip of paper and a pen. I wanted to jot that down! 

I've had this blog for nearly seven years and even though I have written fairly consistently on it, there have been times where I've lost my motivation or have even contemplated quitting.

But then I remembered, what if something happened to me? I want to leave behind a written record of my beliefs and values, how I homeschooled, and our family stories. 

Other times it's a meaningful item I wish to bring home as a souvenir. 

Some of the most commented on items I have around my house are mementos I have brought back from my travels...

A dark green piece of pottery that sits on a shelf in my kitchen that came home with me from Costa Rica...

A collection of shells I set out in the summer from various visits over the years to Mexico and Florida...

A glass buffalo from the Black Hills of South Dakota, as well as a small vial of gold flakes we panned ourselves while we were there...

etc. 

So when we visited the Penn Center, in St. Helena Island's historical district, and found this original oil on canvas painting, it jumped out at me and begged me to bring it home.

I just knew the colorful scene would always remind me of the beaches we visited and enjoyed while in South Carolina.

I get a kick out of knowing no one can go to Hobby Lobby and "copy" my look. It's one of a kind. Original. There isn't another one anywhere in the world exactly like it.

(I think it's so dramatic how the Spanish moss drips from the trees...)

So when you travel this summer, keep your home in mind. Don't view the vacation as an escape but rather as a way to enrich your home life.

Bring a notepad and pen along to jot down inspiring ideas to take home with you.

So when you learn that fresh pineapple at the door is an old-fashioned, southern symbol for Welcome Friends, or that old houses had east-facing sitting rooms called Morning rooms, you have new ideas to take home.

(I also appreciated staying in a state that had 10% sales tax and garbage in the streets, because it reminded me that there is no place like home.)

"A man travels the world over in search of what he needs and returns home to find it." -George Moore

💐

~ Courtney 

Opening My Home

 We have found ourselves in a season of ministry at the moment.

I understand that for the homemaker, every ordinary day in her home is a ministry. But we have the unique privilege of hosting out of state missionaries for the time being.

I want our family to be able to say, as Job did, "My door was always open to the traveler." (Job 31:32)

It has been nothing but sheer delight.

What a fun honor it's been to provide a safe haven for these two ladies in my home.

My job is to make sure they are comfortable, loved, and well-fed. They work hard each day preparing and teaching lessons, and ministering at church in other various ways, that when they come home I want them to feel they can relax, rest, and just be.

I prepared Elsa's room for them to share while they're here...

(Elsa didn't mind giving up her room. She has been sleeping in bed with me, and it's going just fine. She is a very still and quiet sleeper. I don't even know she's next to me most of the time.)

😊

It can be overwhelming in the days leading up to guests' arrival. But I did my best to prioritize and not worry about the rest. For example, the priority for me was making sure they had extremely clean bedding.

I spent two days washing literally everything, right down the the pillows themselves and the mattress covers.

I washed the sheets and blankets in yummy smelling detergent, with a few drops of bleach, so everything would seem very fresh to them.

I also had fun assembling welcome baskets to greet them on their first night with us.

I filled the baskets with cozy, useful items like soft slippers, body lotion, chocolate, a journal, etc...

I've learned that traveling missionaries are great at settling right in and making themselves at home. They are used to a "life on the road." The adjustment is on the host's part. 

I had a little anxiety at the very beginning - just fear of the unknown. But we have now settled nicely into a routine, which has helped me relax very much.

The key is to pay close attention to their likes and needs within the first 24 hours (like how much they eat, what time they wake up, and their bathroom routines for example) so that the host can alter her family and her routine to cater to them.

They have been so sweet and appreciative of everything I've done for them, that it's been a blessing to serve them in these ways.

Booker T. Washington inspired me in his autobiography when he wrote, "In my contact with people I find that, as a rule, it is only the little, narrow people who live for themselves, who never read good books, who do not travel, who never open up their souls in a way to permit them to come into contact with other souls- the great outside world. I have found that the happiest people are those who do the most for others; the most miserable are those who do the least."

For me, if I open my home to you I have opened myself to you, because my home is an extension of my heart. I would be happy to do anything for these girls while they're here with me, and I've made sure to tell them that several times. 

My goal is to serve them and provide for their needs, but I also have another goal in mind, and that is to be a good example to them. They are young adults just starting out in a world that bombards them with messages like, chase your dreams, pursue higher education, and nothing is more important than a career.

Without ever actually saying a word to them about any of these things, I just simply wish to show them, through my actions and my homelife, a good example of a mother who is content and of a homeschool family who is doing well.

Who knows how far that could go? 

"Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home...." (Titus 2:4-5)

"Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:16)

Keep me in your prayers, as I continue in my effort to provide for my guests as lavishly and joyfully as possible. And as I always say on my blog, to cast a positive light onto homemaking.

💐

~ Courtney 

Enchant the Ordinary

 It always feels so luxurious to open a fresh page in Blogger and begin to write something new.

In my dream life I would have a standing appointment with my computer each day.

I would sit down with a cup of steaming hot coffee, and a head swimming with ideas, to write something beautiful and reflective.

Not that I feel any need for attention or followers, but just for the fun of taking the various thoughts that bounce around in my mind and see what I can create with them.

But ever since I've had this blog, I've had to be content with snagging rare moments here and there to write.

My housekeeping and homeschooling duties must always come first.

So blogging is viewed as a treat, and that's always been enough.

"This will be your land with its boundaries on every side." ( Numbers 34:12 )

Christians know how to keep everything in its proper place, and our priorities are often in sharp contrast with the world's.

I have learned to lean in and embrace a lifestyle that is meaningful, yet filled with very mundane, ordinary tasks.

I have no interest in the "have it all" or the "go big or go home" life. I just want a cozy, anonymous life, serving the Lord in the tiny ways that I can.

Like Paul said, "I consider my life worth nothing to me." ( Acts 20:24 )

How do I find the balance between "carrying my cross daily" and a beautiful, purposeful life?

A mindset I've been pondering lately is, Enchant the Ordinary.

I love the way that sounds, don't you?

For me it means, give where I can give, do what I can do, teach where I can teach, grow where I can grow... not looking around at what others are doing. Just doing what matters to me.

(My garden this morning...)

This past school year I had the privilege to teach several courses at church.

I was worried, when I agreed to take the classes, that I might be biting off more than I could chew. But as these classes are ending for the summer, and I reflect back over the year, I realize it was all so rewarding and fun! I never felt burdened. I actually enjoyed it all very much!

"Freely you have received, freely give." 

( Matthew 10:8 )

We also enjoyed a very successful and peaceful homeschool year, as well. 

Roman and Nola are both done with their studies for the year, and Elsa and Soren will officially finish this week.

With all my "students" at home and at church completing their courses with me, I've decided I will put myself through a few courses. 

Why not? 

There's always room for betterment, and I should always be open to grow.

I ordered these books to get me started...

Both of these authors are from blogs I read and love.

These ladies are quite different from each other, (and quite different from me!) but have useful ideas to share with the world.

Because I felt I needed a fresh perspective on my wardrobe, I began with The Chic Closet.

She has little writing assignments at the end of each chapter that have been eye-opening and really fun!

One was, "When you are drawn to someone, pick apart just why. Is it their softness? Their strength? The colors they wear? They look like they're having fun with their wardrobe? Just what appeals? Dig down and write out everything you can think of, then look back at your findings."

I have lately become intrigued by a lady lawyer I've seen on TV. Since the inspiration I felt from her was fresh on my mind, I wrote down the vibe she gives off...

Simple

Stunning

Classic

High heels

Hot-rolled hair

Simple, expensive jewelry

Clean, bright, natural face

Genuine smile

Warm glow

Nurturing

Comforting

Calm

See? Fun! You should try this assignment.

Reading The Chic Closet is what stimulated me to ask for real pearl stud earrings for Mother's Day...

(Am I too easily persuaded?)

When I am not a student of my self-prescribed courses, I have been deep cleaning around the house, planting my containers, and puttering around in the yard. It's all been very satisfying.

Spring finally arrived after a long, cold winter, but she came in all hot and bothered for some reason. So we've been cooling off down at our pond each afternoon, which has been delightful.

Lazy summer afternoons, we have missed you!

👒

Keeping up with my daily table settings for cheerful family meals has been my go-to way for "enchanting the ordinary" over the years.

It's so easy to do, yet can infuse the home with a stable, loving vibe.

This one is set with root beer as a special treat.

I also made lemon bars to match the forthysia that had just bloomed. My first yard clipping of the year!

The lilacs will be next. Maybe white cupcakes with light purple frosting?

😉

We have some unique opportunities in the coming weeks.

I will be busy getting ready for those.

When the dust settles I'd like to share more about it here on the blog.

As for today, I just had a few ideas bopping around, so I just sat and wrote for fun.

And it was fun. I should do it more often.

The ongoing goal for this blog is to shine a positive light on homeliving and record our family stories.

"At the Lord's command Moses recorded the stages in their journey."

( Numbers 33:2 )

Thanks for reading.

I look forward to being back here soon.

In the meantime, maybe you can look for ways to Enchant the Ordinary, too?

💐

~ Courtney 

Earth Day Celebration

 Today is Earth Day.

🌎

"The earth is the Lord's and all that is in it..."  - Psalm 24:1

We're honoring Mother Nature by celebrating!

"Let the heavens be glad, let the earth rejoice..."  - Psalm 96:11

I got the idea for an "Earth Day Celebration" several weeks ago and jotted down my inspiration...

I thought it'd be fun to frost and decorate cookies, plant flowers, and go on a nature walk.

We invited a few friends who were happy to play along, and had a lovely time together.

We started the day with a poetry recitation...

Homeschoolers always seem to have large amounts of poetry and Bible verses memorized, so it was no extra hassle. Just a fun time of sharing with others what we've been learning this year.

"See! The winter is past;

the rains are over and gone.

Flowers appear on the earth;

the season of singing has come.

The cooing of doves is heard in our land."

- Song of Songs 2:11-12

🌷

The value of reciting poetry is that we can share emotions and perspectives that are meaningful, even if they are not ours.

But there were a few original poems recited today that were creative and fun!

Next, we moved into the kitchen for a festive time of cookie decorating.

The kids seemed to really enjoy it!

Lunch in the dining room was next...

The menu was simple:

-Egg salad on croissants

-Crustless peanut butter sandwiches

-Fresh fruit

-Pickles and chips

-Lemonade and chocolate milk

-Our freshly frosted cookies for dessert

The kids colored their Earth Day coloring pages while I read to them a quick science lesson.

(It was still a school day, after all.)

We learned about negative ions in nature.

Ions are molecules created from how sunlight reacts to moving air and water.

Negative ions create positive vibes in humans. They boost our mood!

Since they are far more prevalent in outdoor air than indoor air, we were anxious to get outside for our mood-lifting air bath of negative ions!

(I prayed the Lord would hold the rain back for us and He did!)

There is probably no better way to spend Earth Day than to plant a tree or flower...

Everyone got to plant a flower to take home.

These sweet girls are dear friends, and their mamas are such good friends to me, that we all feel so blessed.

We finished our celebration with a brisk walk on our trails, stopping to ooh and ahh over the tiny buds on the trees.

We thank the Lord for springtime and friendships.

And all the mamas said, "The kids will sleep good tonight!"

🌱 🌎 🌱

Happy Earth Day!

~ Courtney