In fiction I'm reading my way through the Anne of Green Gables series for the first time this year, and somewhere over the 20th time since the first time I read them. It's still my all time favorite series, and it's feeling lovely spending time with Anne again.
In nonfiction I have several books going at the moment. The Gift of Fear by Gavin de Becker is somewhat of a heavy read, but the information it provides is valuable, and so I'm slowly making my way through it. Me, Myself, and Pie by Sherry Gore is a delightful cookbook about pie. Not only do I want to bake almost all of them, I have also been enjoying the little stories she has scattered throughout the book.
On Steven's and my pile of bedtime books we are gradually transitioning from the fun picture books to chapter books. Nathan T. Riggins has been a hit so far, and we have also been enjoying the Life with Lily series. I've been surprised how much I've been enjoying reading something I wrote, to him. It helps that he loves the books.
Listening ... to Rabbi Schneider on Youtube. His messages are a short 20 minutes, and I've been really encouraged by listening to them. I haven't listened to nearly all of them yet, but so far everything I have listened to I have come away inspired, encouraged, and ready to tackle life.
Cooking ... I have chicken in the slow cooker that I have plans to use to make a Mexican themed supper.
Cleaning ... windows. I don't know what it is about our old farmhouse, but during the summer months spiders absolutely love building their webs at the windows. They get swept away daily, but they get rebuilt fast ... and what ever they do they manage to get "dirt" on the windows which means that they have to be washed at least once a week, sometimes more if I can't stand seeing the dirt any longer before Saturday rolls around.
And speaking of cleaning windows I have discovered, thanks to a Facebook friend, the best window cleaner. I'll plop down a link to it here if you want to check it out. Which reminds me, I have to place an order for some later this week.
Later today ... we'll be doing a variety of things. Including but not limited to working on the chairs we're refinishing, baking some kind of dessert ... I'm thinking pie, doing our school work, tending the flowerbed, taking care of the daily dozen, and going on a short walk.
Yesterday ... we attended church where a young man delivered a good message. It made me feel old seeing him in front of the church calmly and confidently delivering a well spoken message. He was only a little boy the first time I met him!
After church LV and Steven went to the lake for a few hours to fish. They didn't catch anything other than the happy memories they made.
Wearing ... my favorite purple dress and a fluffy robe. It's a bit on the chilly side this morning so it was robe to the rescue until it warms up a bit.
Disliking ... our rose garden. I don't dislike roses, in fact I'm really quite fond of seeing them in full bloom. Right now though seeing our rose garden makes me feel sad. On Thursday the crew who is roaming the area and cutting trees close to power lines drove in here. First they trimmed our giant maple tree in front of the house. They actually did a good job of it, so I won't complain too much about that, but what they did next ... they drove their behemoth machine across the yard, smack dab in the middle of our rose garden smashing the bushes to where I can't see them ever recovering. They proceeded to cut down trees and then left, never mentioning the destruction they had caused to our roses.
Playing ... we've been having a daily game time. I won't go into detail today how it came about that we were blessed to acquire a LOT of board games, but we've really been enjoying playing them.
That's the window cleaner that I use! When I became officially old, my husband hired a cleaning crew to do the outside of our windows, but I'm still the cleaner of the interior. I have been trying to move to more natural products but I keep going back to the tried and true. Guess I'm in good company.
ReplyDeleteI also like using natural and green products for almost everything, but this window cleaner does a better job than anything else I have ever used so I'm sticking to it. :)
DeleteI do not see a link at all!
ReplyDeleteIf you notice a word that is a different color, it's a link you can click on.
DeleteFor the window cleaner I linked to the word "here"
Sounds like a busy , but good life.
ReplyDeleteNathen T Riggens was a favorite here too. Glad you all are enjoying them.
ReplyDeleteI've read 3 of Gavin de Becker's books. They can really make you think about what you fear, and whether those fears even make sense. I can't remember the book where he talks about a study done of what words set off the most fear in people - it turned out to be "shark." De Becker says, look, if you're afraid of sharks, I have a simple solution: Stay out of the ocean. The fact is, we live our lives every day surrounded by creatures that are far more dangerous than sharks.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you have loads of great things going on right now.
ReplyDeletePlowed through your rose garden?! Aaargh! I'd be on the phone to - somebody! The county, the company that hired them, SOME body. That's simply inexcusable; they could have gone around and gotten where they needed to be just as easily.
ReplyDeleteLove the board games. They bring a family together for some fun time together.
ReplyDeleteSo sad about your roses. Through the years, we've had similar "disasters" with plants. You may be surprised, after a good pruning, they may just survive. Thx for the window cleaner link. With 5 cats in the house, we have lots of "nose art!!!
ReplyDeletei am a want to be reader, i enjoyed reading your book review!! i enjoy cooking in my slow cooker and i have used it a bit this summer. that and the grill!!
ReplyDeletei have a huge problem with cob webs in my home. i go upstairs to bed, come down in the morning, and they hit me in the face...it is so annoying!!!
i am in love with board games, even just the hubs and i will play when no one else is around!!!
I know what you mean about those spiders! We live in the woods and there are tons and tons of webs and spiders. The pressure washing that we're preparing to do this weekend should take care of them for a little while. The pie cookbook sounds absolutely heavenly! Now I need to go check out that window cleaner!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment on my blog and just dropping by. I dislike, STRONGLY dislike spiders! Noticed they are preparing for cooler weather with moving in to the house more, they don't last long in there if I see them and the webs are close to the ground and really thick. Not sure what that mean. When my kids were young we had game night once a week. It was so much fun. Windows, you would think I would not have a problem doing them since my fold in but, they still don't get done often. PURPLE, my all time fave color! Can't say I ever wore a robe over my dress but hey, you might start a new style! LOL
ReplyDeleteHi there, thanks for visiting my blog! I am interested in your spiritual journey away from being Amish. How long ago did you leave? We are Mennonite, I am a Deacon and Prayer Line Lady, and my husband the administrator, Deacon and teacher. Our area has many old order Mennonites, and Amish. Those workmen should pay for your poor roses!
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting my blog. Hope you enjoy the Sausage, biscuit, gravy casserole.
ReplyDeleteOh my, I'd be so devastated if I had my roses destroyed. The workers had to have known they were there. Maybe the roses will surprise you and bounce back better than ever. ~ FlowerLady
Thanks for stopping by my blog today. I enjoyed reading your post. I would never be able to read that many books at one time. I have a hard enough time with just one sometimes.
ReplyDeleteI used my slow cooker the other day to cook a beef roast. I love being able to throw all the ingredients in and just leave it go.
Joyful - thank you so much for your recent visit to my blog. I am impressed that you can have that many books on the go at the same time - I am lucky to get through one book in a month … I am heartbroken for you about your rose garden. How could they possibly be so thoughtless? I hope the rest of your week is better!
ReplyDeleteHow rude and wrong for those tree trimmers to crush your roses!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your list of little things. I read your stories on Amish Wisdom occasionally. Best to you.
I can understand if you wouldn't want to get those men in trouble, but it seems likely this carelessness will be repeated. Between farmers who don't seem to understand the importance of the eco-system and mow or poison along the field & public ditches and the county highway folks chopping and poisoning under and around lines it is a wonder have any flowers, birds or so many other creatures left. They are poisoning a lot of places not near a line and it looks horrible, all Summer. Brown, orange dead plants. Used to be such a variety of wildfloweres we used to drive around and admire ( and pick a few occasionally).
ReplyDelete