Monday, April 28, 2025

Happy Homemaker Monday - 04/28/2025

 
 
Good morning everyone, welcome back to my blog and to another Happy Homemaker Monday.  It is a beautiful morning, cool temperatures, overcast and just the kind of day that makes me want to stay in, potter around the house and do homemaking jobs here and there.  
 
I'm just coming off a busy month of April with both kid's birthdays, so am looking forward to a week or two of a more quiet and laid back month.  I hope you all had a wonderful Easter with your families.  
 
Let's get going with our look at the week ahead.  I wish you all a wonderful, blessed week, full of joy, health and happiness.
 

The weather in my neck of the woods:::
We've entered Tornado season, so the rains have been constant the past week, and we have another week of rain ahead.  I love rain, you know that, but the severe storms and tornado warnings always put me on edge.       

Monday - Overcast with risk of severe weather, 83
Tuesday - Thunderstorms, 72
Wednesday - Thunderstorms, 72
Thursday - Sunny, 82
Friday - Thunderstorms, 77
Saturday - Thunderstorms, 76
Sunday - Thunderstorms, 76


As I look outside my window:::
I have my bedroom window open to let in the fresh crisp air.  I can hear my chickens clucking about, the birds chirping, and some morning traffic in the distance.  It is grey and dark and moody, just how I like it.  
   

Right now I am:::
Working on this post and watching a youtube vlog.

 
Something fun to share (a blog, a video, a tip):::
One of my favorite channels on YouTube is the Royalty Now Studios.  I love the husband and wife team that run this channel.  Becca is in front of the cameras and her husband does most of the video work.  They work together to bring us a glimpse into history and what some of the most well known figures, really looked like, by doing facial reconstructions.  It's a must if you're a history buff like I am.
 
In this newest video, we get to learn about Catherine the Great, and see what she actually would have looked like.  Hope you enjoy as much as I did!
 
 
 
Thinking and pondering:::
About books, books and more books.  I have so many wonderful new reads that I can't wait to get my hands into.  We went back to Entertainmart on Saturday, for the last time, because they're closing permanently soon.
 
The books were all still 99c, and I ended up leaving with 40 books.  Lots of new amazing finds, a whole 8 book series that I had been looking for, some authors I knew, and some new ones to explore.  All these books will be read, and then posted on my Paperbackswap account, to share with others.  

On my bedside table:::
My phone, a bottle of water, my current read and my lotion.  

On my tv:::
Homemaking vlogs
Book vlogs
Emily of New Moon
I am really, really missing period dramas, so today I'll be diving back into some of my fave websites, in search of new period dramas to watch.  It's been a long time since I've shared new ones with you, so hoping to find some good ones to watch and share.


Listening to:::
The YouTube video on the telly.
Baby chicks in the office.
Birds outside the window.
A squirrel running back and forth between my two bedroom windows.

On the menu for this week:::

Monday - Shrimp Curry and Rice
Tuesday - Greek Moussaka, Salad     
Wednesday - Pork Kebabs, Couscous, Cucumber and Tomato Salad
Thursday -  Garlic Chicken Bites, Potato Salad, Crunchy Chickpea Salad
Friday - Chili Dogs and Fries
Saturday - Fend for yourself
Sunday - Slow Cooked French Dip Sandwiches


On my to do list:::
Change Bed linens
Water plants
Daily Bible reading and daily decree
Carpet Clean
Daily 10k steps
 
 
What I am sewing, crocheting, knitting or creating:::
Last week I made the sweetest little Deer.  Not for any specific reason, but I had been wanting to make one for a while.  Here is Jasper the Deer ♥
 

  

My simple pleasure::: 
Cooking for my family.  I understand that not everyone likes cooking, many actually despise it, but I have loved being in the kitchen since I was 5 years old, and still love it to this day.  


Looking around the house:::
The back french doors are open with just the screen closed, letting in the fresh morning air and a very slight breeze.  With all the rain we've been getting, I am once again battling carpets, I can not wait until the day they are gone, it just can't come soon enough for me.  The house is tidy and clean, for the most part, aside from the daily chores that need doing, like tidying pillows, folding blankets on the couches and getting the kitchen in order, which seems to be an ongoing chore, 24/7.
 
 
From the camera:::
Every spring, we get a flock of ducks that come and hang out in our front yard, for a month or so.  In total there are usually 9 of them, coming in sporadically throughout the day.  Sometimes all at once, sometimes just 2, at other times 4 or 5.  I quite enjoy watching them.  These are Black-Bellied Whistling Ducks and you can learn more about them here.
 

 
Bible verse, Devotional::: 
Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.  -Hebrews 11:1 
 


Thursday, April 24, 2025

Cooking Thursday - Amish Chicken Casserole

 
Easy Chicken Casserole

Easy, quick weekday dinner.

When I want something simple that I know my family will rave about, I turn to my Amish cookbooks. Usually will find loads of casseroles and simple dishes.

This one got the thumbs up from hubby and both kids, they even asked for the leftovers for the following day's lunch.

Easy Chicken Casserole

Amish Easy Chicken Casserole

8 oz. noodles, cooked
2 c. cooked chicken, cubed
2 c. chicken broth (can used canned)
1 c. milk
1 can mushrooms
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 c. margarine
1/3 c. flour
1/3 c. grated Parmesan cheese (I used shredded Colby Jack)

Melt margarine, then add flour and stir until smooth. Gradually add milk and broth, then seasonings and mushrooms. Combine chicken, cooked noodles, and prepared sauce. Put in ungreased 9 inch x 13 inch x 2 inch baking pan and top with Parmesan cheese.

Easy Chicken Casserole

Wednesday, April 23, 2025

Wordless Wednesday

April 22, 2025

A trip to a local store, and a book haul

April 22, 2025


We have a couple stores in town that remind me of Hastings. Do you remember Hastings? The really super cool store that sold music, books and videos?  Used to be one of our favorites anytime we visited my in laws in Lawton, Oklahoma.  
 
Well Entertainmart is a similar store, that also sells comic books, Funko Pops and tons of retro things.  It's just a neat store to walk around and browse.
 
We went there on Saturday to find some things for Jasmine, and were met with the news that it is permanently closing in May.  What a bummer!
 
With that said, all their books are on sale for 99c.  I couldn't pass up that opportunity, of course, so I grabbed 10 and do plan on heading back this weekend to find some more.  Let me show you what I got, including the surprise of author signed books that I was not expecting to see, when I brought the books home.
 
In the first picture above:
 
On her last escapade, Charlotte unintentionally witnessed a murder and found herself embroiled in a dangerous chain of events. Now, Charlotte returns in a stunning sequel that takes the reader into the most sinister institution in London: Bedlam. With the death of her siblings and far from home, Charlotte has few people to trust. Struggling with romantic entanglements and her stressful rise to prominence on the literary scene, she is more alone than ever. On a visit to London, Charlotte goes on a tour of London¹s most famous hospital for the mad, Bedlam. She is sure she recognizes a struggling Mr. Slade, her long-missing ex-lover, strapped to one of the stretchers. Charlotte starts digging, and soon finds herself trying to reveal a secret that high-powered men would (and do) kill to protect. It is up to Charlotte to find the truth and expose a plot of global proportion. But what if the conspirators get to her first?
 
Strasbourg, 1518. In the midst of a blisteringly hot summer, a lone woman begins to dance in the city square. She dances for days without pause or rest, and when hundreds of other women join her, the men running the city declare a state of emergency and hire musicians to play the Devil out of the mob. Outside the city, pregnant Lisbet lives with her husband and mother-in-law, tending the bees that are the family’s livelihood. Though Lisbet is removed from the frenzy of the dancing plague afflicting the city’s women, her own quiet life is upended by the arrival of her sister-in-law. Nethe has been away for seven years, serving a penance in the mountains for a crime no one will name.

It is a secret Lisbet is determined to uncover. As the city buckles under the beat of a thousand feet, Lisbet becomes caught in a dangerous web of deceit and clandestine passion. Like the women of Strasbourg, she too, is dancing to a dangerous tune. . . .

Set in an era of superstition, hysteria, and extraordinary change, and inspired by true events, The Dance Tree is an impassioned story of family secrets, forbidden love, and women pushed to the edge.

 
 April 22, 2025

Frances Pierce is a simple, plain country girl who enters Lady Anne Boleyn’s circle after shielding her from an angry mob. Anne is beloved by King Henry VIII, and queen in all but name. And Henry is determined to put aside his wife Catherine, marry Anne, and mak her his lawful queen—no matter the consequences.
 
Frances delights Anne with her poetry and her forthright ways, and soon becomes a favorite. Dazzled by her new life and the glamour of the court, and besotted with Anne’s brother George, she pays scant attention to the intrigues that swirl around her mistress. But when the king’s favor shifts, Frances will learn just how quickly those who rise far and fast can meet their downfall.  
 
Convinced that his stepmother and half brothers have been wrongfully evicted by cattle king Eli Dearing, Asher Ellis uses the cover of an extravagant ball to break into the Three Cedars' ranch house to search for proof. On the verge of discovery, he flees, but a boy's cry compels him to make a daring rescue.

Spunky and independent Samantha Dearing balks when she learns the ball her father is hosting is nothing more than a matrimonial ambush. Taking a break from unwanted suitors, Samantha spots a thief fleeing her home. When the stranger ends up saving her brother's life, she hides the only clue to his identity left behind--his boot--and resolves to find him herself.

When Samantha encounters the older brother of a student she tutors, all thoughts of the bootless mystery man vanish. Asher values family above wealth, a rare trait that opens her heart. Afraid she will discover his past misconduct, Asher tries to keep his distance, but when a series of suspicious accidents befall her, he vows to protect her, even though saving her life could mean losing her love.
 

April 22, 2025

Present day: Emma Lovett, who has dedicated her career to breathing new life into long-neglected gardens, has just been given the opportunity of a lifetime: to restore the gardens of the famed Highbury House estate, designed in 1907 by her hero Venetia Smith. But as Emma dives deeper into the gardens’ past, she begins to uncover secrets that have long lain hidden.

1907: A talented artist with a growing reputation for her work, Venetia Smith has carved out a niche for herself as a garden designer to industrialists, solicitors, and bankers looking to show off their wealth with sumptuous country houses. When she is hired to design the gardens of Highbury House, she is determined to make them a triumph, but the gardens—and the people she meets—promise to change her life forever.

1944: When land girl Beth Pedley arrives at a farm on the outskirts of the village of Highbury, all she wants is to find a place she can call home. Cook Stella Adderton, on the other hand, is desperate to leave Highbury House to pursue her own dreams. And widow Diana Symonds, the mistress of the grand house, is anxiously trying to cling to her pre-war life now that her home has been requisitioned and transformed into a convalescent hospital for wounded soldiers. But when war threatens Highbury House’s treasured gardens, these three very different women are drawn together by a secret that will last for decades.
 
An Echo in the Darkness by Francine Rivers (Book 2  in the Mark of the Lion Series)
Believed dead, Hadassah finds employment helping a doctor in the poor section of first-century Rome and discovers an ability to heal others through the power of her faith. When Julia falls ill, Hadassah is forced to confront a difficult decision: should she return to the Valerian household, risking exposure and death, to help her former tormentor in the Christian tradition?

Continuing to search for meaning and faith, Marcus turns away from the opulence of Rome, led by a whispering voice from the past into a journey that could set him free from the darkness of his soul.

 

April 22, 2025

A.D. 69. The Roman Empire is up for the taking. Everything will change—especially the lives of two sisters with a very personal stake in the outcome.

Elegant and ambitious, Cornelia embodies the essence of the perfect Roman wife. She lives to one day see her loyal husband as Emperor. Her sister Marcella is more aloof, content to witness history rather than make it. But when a bloody coup turns their world upside-down, both women must maneuver carefully just to stay alive. As Cornelia tries to pick up the pieces of her shattered dreams, Marcella discovers a hidden talent for influencing the most powerful men in Rome. In the end, though, there can only be one Emperor...and one Empress.
 

April 22, 2025

These 3 books are all signed by the author.  I got such a surprise when I opened the first page and saw the signature.  How neat!
 
They are part of a 4 book series, and I only managed to find books 1, 2 and 4.  But I went to Paperbackswap and immediately found the missing #3, so that one is on the way.  Yay!
 
By the way, all 3 of these are available for free through Kindle Unlimited, so if you have it on Amazon and want to give them a read, go on over and grab them while they're available.
 
 
Salina Hastings’ sixteenth birthday came on the heels of Jeremy Barnes’ return from California in August 1862. It was the summer Ethan, Salina’s older brother, asked Taylor Sue Carey to be his bride—not long before the day the Rebels and Yankees clashed at the Battle of Chantilly.

Salina inherited a keen sense of adventure from her father, a Confederate captain and spy. As the war drags on, loyalty and survival draw Salina into risking her life in service of Captain Hastings’ “Network.” In spite of mounting danger, Salina gathers her courage, determined to do what she can to restore the days she loved—precious time with her family, her friends, and Jeremy—Virginia as it was prior to secession and invasion.

Captain Duncan Grant, a Union secret agent, has orders to stop the flow of information to the South. His assignment takes him on a search for the leader of this circle of Southern civilian spies. Captain Grant’s persistent search is not only for information, but also for anyone who might lead him to the stolen documents he must recover for the North.
 
The War Between the States has created a stage where true character will be tried and revealed. In this unfolding drama of conflict, the Hastings family contends with life and death, loyalty and disloyalty, and hope for a future tinged with the knowledge nothing will never be the same. Each decision will bring honor or dishonor, trust or distrust, truth or deception.

Risking her life, Salina Hastings kept her word of honor to her father and to a struggling Confederacy by delivering secret documents to a Rebel contact in San Francisco. Following the darkness of Alcatraz and a treacherous journey back to her beloved Virginia, Salina faces the threat of execution as a Confederate spy for her refusal to abandon the deep-seated loyalty to all she holds dear.

Reunited, Salina and Jeremy’s relationship is sorely tried by questionable allegiances, doubt, miscommunication, and deliberate lies as they weather the ongoing war. Their trust in God and in one another is the only way they can withstand the turmoil which besets them.
 
The fighting between the Confederacy and the Union evolved from a “gentlemanly conflict” to indiscriminate treachery. Measured in terms of human life, costly battles, lightning-quick raids, and secret missions effect the inevitable end of the War Between the States as President Lincoln has a commander in Ulysses S. Grant who will fight Robert E. Lee without mercy.

Returning to Virginia a young wife and expectant mother, homecoming at Shadowcreek is not what Salina Rose Hastings Barnes imagined. Yankee Major John Barnes—corrupted by a decades-old vendetta—has sworn to annihilate not only the Hastings family and the land they hold dear, but also Salina’s husband, Captain Jeremy Barnes. The love Jeremy and Salina share, combined with their faith in the Almighty, produces the strength required to endure perilous trials.

Unable to serve as an active operative in her late father’s spy ring, Salina’s war contributions seem limited to knitting socks for Southern soldiers and nursing in a Richmond hospital. As anticipated victory eludes the defiant Confederacy, Salina dreams of life beyond the conflict and harbors hopes of solving the mystery surrounding the identity of Jeremy’s natural father. The fall of Richmond and the Army of Northern Virginia’s eventual surrender exact a heavy toll, but Jeremy and Salina continue to acknowledge God alone is worthy of the glory and honor for the great things He has done.
 

Monday, April 21, 2025

Happy Homemaker Monday - 04/21/2025

 
 
Good morning ladies, welcome back to my blog.  How was your Easter weekend?  I sure hope you had a blessed, wonderful time with your family.
 
My weekend was good but very busy, and as I sit here this early morning, I can't help but think that I am already exhausted going into the new week, and kind of wish my weekend had been slower, but it's ok.  We make do, right?
 
Coming up this week, I have Jasmine's birthday on Friday.  She is turning 26.  My word, if you've been following me since the beginning, you will remember a little red haired girl full of energy and beans as we like to say Hahahah   
How can she be turning 26?  It's crazy!
 
Anyway, so coming up this week, a birthday, grocery shopping, more spring cleaning and more crocheting.  I can't wait to show you what I've been working on, hopefully it will be finished today.
 
So, that's basically it, let's move on with our post for today.
 
Have a blessed week friends ♥ 

 

The weather in my neck of the woods:::
We had some strong storms this weekend and the first Tornado watch of the year.  It's that time again.  Looking forward to a beautiful Spring day today, followed by a week of storms and more rain.     

Monday - Sunny, 81
Tuesday - Sunny, 85
Wednesday - Scattered thunderstorms, 79
Thursday - Thunderstorms, 78
Friday - Thunderstorms, 77
Saturday - Thunderstorms, 71
Sunday - Scattered Thunderstorms, 79


As I look outside my window:::
The big soapberry tree is right outside my bedroom window.  Right now, the sun is shining so brightly on it's new, green leaves, that it has turned them a golden color.  It looks absolutely stunning!      
   

Right now I am:::
Working on this post, while still sitting in bed.  It is that time of the month, and the first day is usually the roughest for me, I have cramps, lower back pain and a slight headache, which means my morning is just very slowly inching by.  I'm enjoying the warmth of my covers as long as I possibly can, while Kaia and Elliott sleep next to me.        
 
 
Something fun to share (a blog, a video, a tip):::
We have a store in town called Entertainmart.  It's one of those fun places filled with movies, cds, books, games, retro figures and such.  One of the favorite places for people like us who enjoy games and old things etc.  They are unfortunately closing for good in May, so they're having a huge sale.
 
We happened upon the news of the closure, by accident, as we were looking for some comic books for Jasmine's birthday, which she had requested.  Every single book in the store is on sale for 99c.  Of course I left with 10 books in hand, and do plan on going back soon to see what else I can grab.  But while we were there, Curt walked up to me with something in hand and said "Here, I saw this and immediately thought you would want it."  
 
And oh my word, I let out a squeal.  It's something I have been wanting for a while and could not believe that he had found it.  A Jane Austen Puzzle, or more specifically The World of Jane Austen in puzzle form.      
 

 
Thinking and pondering:::
Nothing in particular.  Just some crocheting projects, lots of crochet on my brain lately.           
 

On my bedside table:::
My empty cup of coffee, a wonderful mist spray that Jasmine got me, and a bottle of water.   
 

On my tv:::
Homemaking vlogs
Book vlogs


Listening to:::
A squirrel running back and forth between my two bedroom windows.
Baby chicks chirping in the office
Bedroom window is open so at the moment there are birds chirping, a car off in the distance, my roosters crowing at the same time and the squeals of the squirrel.
 

On the menu for this week:::
New meal plan will go into effect on Wednesday.

Monday - Chicken Fricassee, Basmati Rice, Roasted Acorn Squash
Tuesday - Pesto Shrimp Pasta, Salad     
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday


On my to do list:::
Change Bed linens
Water plants
Daily Bible reading and daily decree
Finish my crochet project and start another
 
 
What I am sewing, crocheting, knitting or creating:::
I set the Cosmic Blanket aside.  I can't work on a huge blanket constantly because I start getting bored.  So my big blankets sometimes take me a while to complete.  This one is being set aside for now.  I've reached for a smaller project which I saw the other day and just knew I had to make.   I will share with you in tomorrow's post.       


My simple pleasure:::
Looking through books at stores.  Whether it's a library, a used book store, or whatever store it may be that has a shelf or shelves lined with books, you'll find me there.  I could stay for hours and just go through them all. 


Looking around the house:::
At the moment, it is fully awakening.  The sun is out, the windows are all open  and curtains have been pulled back.  It needs a little TLC this morning, after our family Easter dinner yesterday, and of course my nieces's littles were here, and when you put a 2 year old and a 6 year old together, throw in some Easter baskets with fake grass and eggs, you end up with a fun but messy aftermath.  hahahha         
 
 
From the camera:::
I have quite a collection of blue and white Pyrex dishes.  Some may not give much importance to these, but I just love them, and will hold on to them as long as I can.  They're also super expensive if you find them in antique or thrift stores, so to me, it makes them even more special. 
 

 
Bible verse, Devotional::: 
Psalms 16: 9-10 
 


Friday, April 18, 2025

Friday's Letters

 

Dear Spring...You've finally come to stay and I couldn't be happier.  Everything about you makes me smile.  The temperatures, the greenery, the new life whether in animal or plant form.  Just everything about you screams love.  

Dear Period Dramas....Don't ever change.  Continue as you are.  Please don't fall into the trap of being political or pushing certain things.  Stick to what you do best, show us history, show us the days gone by as they were.  Don't change history, we need to learn from it.  
 
Dear Great Grandma Ema....I've been missing you so much lately.  I wish you were still here, though if you were, you would be well over 100 years old, not that I would be complaining, just saying.  I miss your stories, your knowledge, you smile, the shared cups of tea and cream crackers while laughing together at the kitchen table.  I just miss you. 


Thursday, April 17, 2025

Cooking Thursday - Iced Mint Tea

 Iced Mint Tea

Iced Mint Tea


4 cups of water
1 cup of sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice (I use fresh lemons)
4 tea bags
About a cup of loosely packed mint leaves (I use a mix of spearmint and peppermint)
4 cups of cold water

 

You can do it on the stove, but I make mine in the microwave just to be quicker.

Iced Mint Tea

Using my Pampered Chef mixing bowl, I add the first 4 cups of water, pop it in the microwave for about 6 minutes or until boiling hot. Remove, and add in the cup of sugar. Stir it up until the sugar is dissolved.

Then add the tea bags, lemon juice and mint leaves.

Iced Mint Tea

Pop the lid on and let it sit for an hour.

Remove the tea bags from the water and discard. Strain the tea mixture into a 2 Quart pitcher. Stir in the 4 cups of cold water, then cover and refrigerate for another hour or so.

Pour into mason jars and add in a few ice cubes and a small leaf of peppermint, if you wish :) Enjoy!!!

Tuesday, April 15, 2025

Tackle it Tuesday

IMG_8876

Today, Curt and I tackled the little chicken area.  We recently got 10 more baby chicks, or pullets, and we had forgotten how quickly they grow.  The blue tub that we were using to house them in, quickly started being outgrown.
 
So, since Curt had the day off yesterday, we headed to Lowe's, picked up some wood and a few materials and came back home to build a bigger area for them.  Something that will become a part of their new coop when they're ready to head outside in a month or two.
 
It is not perfect, it is not exactly what we want, but as I said above, it will be part of the new coop we will be building in a few weeks for them.  For the moment, we just desperately needed a bigger area for the girls because they're needing space to grow and play.  
 
Without further ado, meet our newest babies, we have 10 White Leghorn pullets.  They are adorable and will be such a fun addition to our flock.

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IMG_8881

IMG_8886

IMG_8883

IMG_8882

Monday, April 14, 2025

Happy Homemaker Monday - 04/14/2025

 
 
Good morning everyone, welcome to my little corner of the world and to another Happy Homemaker Monday.  This little Monday feature has been such a huge part of our lives, for many years, it brings comfort in a way doesn't it?
 
I can't tell you just how much I appreciate this Monday morning feature.  I feel like no matter what is going on around us, or in this insane world, the comfort of this post at the start of each week, brings me peace.    

I sure hope that this morning finds you well, spiritually, mentally and physically.  If not, then remember that with God all things are possible, and if things aren't well at the moment, they WILL be.  
 
I wish you all a very blessed and wonderful, productive week, and without further ado, let's get right on with today's Happy Homemaker Monday.  
 

The weather in my neck of the woods:::
It is a gorgeous Spring morning, with 71 degrees already.  It feels amazing.  The only thing about the weather that I particularly do not like, is the wind.  I really could do without that annoyance.    

Monday - Windy and cloudy, 74
Tuesday - Partly cloudy, 74
Wednesday - Sunny and windy, 87
Thursday - Mostly sunny, 90
Friday - Mostly cloudy, 83
Saturday - Thunderstorms, 71
Sunday - Scattered Thunderstorms, 72


As I look outside my window:::
My bedroom window is open and I can hear the birds chirping and flying back and forth between the trees.  It is a beautiful weather, 71 degrees with the slightest of breezes, just barely moving the curtains.  The sun is just starting to rise, so it's still dark but the horizon is painted a pale pink and orange hue.  Beautiful!     
   

Right now I am:::
Typing up this post, and listening to a video on YouTube about all things Bronte.      
 
 
Something fun to share (a blog, a video, a tip):::
I have always been a huge Jane Austen fan, but I also love the Brontes.  I am actually currently reading a book about Charlotte Bronte, so at the moment, I am very much into all things about not only her, her sister and the family in general.  One of the best places to find out more about the Bronte family, is through the Bronte website in England.  
 
If you're interested and curious, go on over and read about The Lives of the Brontes.  It's fascinating!    
 

 
Thinking and pondering:::
I have always been a person that loves the simple life, cottages, England, thatched roofs, small villages and sheep and beautiful gardens filled with roses of every size and color.  I was just thinking yesterday about how I would be so happy in small thatched cottage in a picturesque village in England.  But, that is not something that is going to happen, so I've been thinking and pondering and wondering, how I can maybe bring that whole feel into the house I live in now, in the area that we live in now.  I mean, Texas is far from being England, but I could always turn the gardens, and the inside rooms into cottage themed rooms.  I don't know, just thinking out loud.           
 

On my bedside table:::
A vase of beautiful pastel colored flowers, not real, artificial but still beautiful.  My empty cup of coffee, my phone and a bottle of water. 
 

On my tv:::
Homemaking vlogs
Book vlogs
Beatrix Potter inspired documentaries, vlogs


Listening to:::
Birds outside
Baby chicks chirping in the office
Book TBR video on TV
 

On the menu for this week:::

Monday - Za'atar Chicken and rice, Cucumber, tomato and chickpea salad
Tuesday - Smothered Pork Schnitzel, Roast Potatoes, Steamed Broccoli     
Wednesday - Spinach Alfredo Turkey Meatballs, Wholewheat pasta, Roasted Veggies
Thursday - Air Fried Chicken Wings, Oven Fries and Breaded Okra 
Friday - Homemade Pizza
Saturday - Leftovers, Fend for yourself
Sunday - Easter (Ham, potato casserole, greek salad, deviled eggs, hot cross buns, strawberry pretzel dessert


On my to do list:::
Change Bed linens
Water plants
Daily Bible reading and daily decree
Vacuum and carpet clean
Start my flower planting (I really want a ton of flowers in the garden this year)
 
 
What I am sewing, crocheting, knitting or creating:::
Still working on the Cosmic CAL.     


My simple pleasure:::
Watching videos of English villages, just walking the tiny streets and taking in all the gorgeous cottages.  


Looking around the house:::
It is quiet but so pretty right now.  I love the early morning hours when the sun first starts streaming in through the windows.  It makes everything look so magical.        
 
 
From the camera:::
It has been years since I've had yarn dryer balls, but I was looking back through my blog, and saw this photo I took back in 2012 of some I had made.  And now, I really want to make more, so may just give it a go today.
 
 Homemade Wool Dryer Balls

 
Bible verse, Devotional::: 
We have entered the week leading up to Easter and the resurrection of our Lord and Savior.  So I hope you take some time to reflect each day on how important these days are.  
 
Today is Holy Monday or also known as Maudy Monday, where we celebrate the cleansing of the Temple, Matthew 21:12-19.