MerryHeartCrafts.comMountain Momma… Country Living

Hello ladies.  I had intention of having pictures to go along with this post but somehow managed to completely forget to take any.  Sorry.  Anyway, yesterday the girls and I attempted something new for us.  We rendered fat into lard.  What I thought would be fairly easy, of course, WAS NOT.  Things are usually more difficult the first time you try to do it so we are hoping-if- we try it again it will go smoother.  First off, we tried to do it on the propane burner we use for canning.  We couldn’t turn it down low enough without it going out.  Then we put it into the crockpots.  That went better.  We have 3 crockpots.  We filled them up and let them simmer for about 5 hours.  Then we strained the fat through a colendar and a cheesecloth.  We then had enough to fill 2 crockpots with fat and start the process again.  We finished last night about 8:00 P.M.  Long day.  I’m not really positive we did it right though.  I was probably about 14 the last time we butchered a hog and my Mom was in charge of rendering the fat.  I think I should have paid more attention. 

Then today we went to Jessica’s and attempted to make soap.  Key work, attempted.  We have made soap before with lard purchased from the store but not rendered lard.  For some reason, we could not get the soap to trace.  We finally just poured it into the molds and said a prayer.  We’ll see how it turns out.  We made regular lye soap and a laundry soap bar.  Even if it doesn’t turn out, we sure had a lot of fun doing it.  I’ll keep you all posted on the outcome.

Well, it’s been a long two days and I am tired.  I hope you all have a great evening.  God bless.

Daniel is SO into Star Wars right now.  He has a light saber and everything.  He earned his light saber.    He has just recently been promoted to a booster seat and was having trouble getting his seat belt to buckle.  His mom told him if he could buckle himself in 10 times on his own, they would buy him a light saber.  Motivation, you know.  Well, it took him a while but he has it down pat now.   He was super excited because when they went to purchase his light saber, they found a place on line where they could get 3 light sabers for the same price as one at Wal-Mart.  Daniel says he got himself one, Daddy one, and Sam one so they can all be Jedi.  Way to go, Daniel.

Today is a BEAUTIFUL day here in Floyd.  The sun is shining and the temperature is already 40 degrees.  We have gotten a great start on our day.  The house chores are done and we even have a few minutes of relaxation before school starts.  I was wondering if any of you ladies make kefir and if you do, do you use the powdered starter or the grains?  I have made it a lot using the powdered starter but am wondering if the grains would be better.  Any opinions?

I hope you all have a wonderful day and God bless.

I am a keeper of old things.    This canister set belonged to my mom.   It is the only set I can remember her owning.  I love them.  When I open the lid to get flour, sugar, or whatever I am getting, it gives me much pleasure  to know she used it before me.  I have my mom’s cast iron skillet, my grandmother’s bread bowl and many more things that have been handed down.  They don’t have to have belonged in the family.  I just like old things.  I am always on the lookout at thrift stores or yard sales for things with character (older). 

Today has been windy and fairly chilly here in Floyd.  Without the wind, it would have been kinda nice.  We have sunshine and that is always good.  We did school as usual.  I did two loads of laundry.  One is drying on the front porch.  I don’t like to hang clothes on the line when we have a fire.  It always makes the clothes smell like smoke.  The other load I will put on the drying rack tonight and it will be dry in the morning.  I really enjoy using it. 

Time for me to get busy cooking supper.  We are trying a new recipe tonight.  I’ll let you all know if it is a keeper.  Enjoy your day and God bless.

Today has been a good day here in Floyd.   The girls and I decided it was definitely time to put up the Christmas tree.  We had lots of fun.   We put on some Christmas music and got busy.   They decorated the gingerbread house.  Then we put up the tree, the nativity, and a few other decorations.   Simple, nothing too complex.  Temperatures here have been much warmer than normal.  I like that. 

Our van is fixed.  YEAH!  Dave, Jess and the kids came up Sunday so Dave could help Hubby work on it.  Thanks so much, Dave!  Hubby finished getting it all put back together Monday.  Monday evening we rode it to the feed store to get chicken feed and everything worked fine.  Yesterday, the girls and I rode it to Sam’s.  No problems!!  I am so glad.

Yesterday, the boys had a terrible stomach virus.  They were both very sick.  Daniel was hit especially hard.  He told his mom he felt like he was living in a bad dream.  Today they both seem on the mend.  We are all praying no one else gets it.  Jess said that baby Sam was calling for his “Maw” when he was sick in the night.  You know that just touches my heart.  We are hoping to go down Saturday to do Christmas with them.  Lots of good food planned. 

Well, I guess that’s about all that has been going on here.  Enjoy your day and God bless.

Here are a few more pictures from our trip Sunday.  This little waterfall was very pretty.

See all the cracks in the rocks.

And last, just a little stream to listen to.  So relaxing.

The girls and I went to Roanoke yesterday.  They had a dentist appointment.  After the appointment, we did a few things they enjoy doing.  We went to Books-A-Million, which is one of their favorite places to go.  We went to Sam’s Club to pick up a few things we needed.  We then walked around a little bit in the mall.  Joann’s Fabric had fleece on sale so we wanted to go by there.  Grace will be making a top with it for her next sewing project with Mrs. Sally.  We discovered that Joann’s was no longer there.  We were very disappointed.  We wanted to stop at Fresh Market to get some pumpkin spice coffee.  It is a specialty coffee they only have in the fall.  Well, we were pulling into the shopping center and one of the girls said, “Mom, look, there’s Joann’s.”  Yea!  So, Grace got her fleece and Mom got her coffee.  Grace chose a red with white snowflakes on it.  I think it will look very good.

I hope you all have a great evening and God bless.

The hummingbirds are really enjoying the feeders.  We have this feeder at the old building and another one at the green swing.  I think hummers are so much fun to watch. 

Today, Hubby and I decided to put an outside faucet on the side of the new room.  When we built the new room we had to take the old outside faucet off.  Well, plumbing never seems to go as you think it will.  We run the pipe and got everything connected, turned the water back on and amazingly, no leaks.  Then we go outside, turn the faucet on and amazingly, no leaks.  Well, of course, we are patting ourselves on the back now thinking wow, that was easy.  Hubby turns the outside faucet off and guess what-it won’t turn off.  It was a brand new faucet so we’re not sure what was wrong with it.  Of course, we have no cut off valve in our collection of plumbing supplies so we have to shut the water off again, drive 30 minutes to the local hardware, get a cut off valve and a new outside faucet.   When we get home, he put the cut off valve on so we could turn the water back on.  He had to go look at a job possibility so the other faucet will have to wait.  He will have to take  the one that doesn’t work back out of the wall so he can put the other one in.  Hopefully this one will work. 

Well, that’s  our day.  Temperatures here today have been wonderful.  Low 80′s.  It is now almost 6:00 p.m. and the temperature is 75 degrees with a great breeze.  Thank you, Lord.  Tomorrow we will be going down to Jessica’s.  She has a doctors appointment.  We will be watching the boys and then going over to David’s mom’s to pick some apples.  Remember last year, she gave us those pink apples.  Well, they are ready to pick.  They make such pretty applesauce. 

Enjoy your day and God bless.

Wineberries are starting to get ripe here in our area.  They grow wild however we are hoping to get a start of them this fall. 

I think they look a lot like red raspberries (maybe they are but folks here call them wineberries).  They have a tart taste.

Grace and I picking berries.

Julie picking.  We all wore our rubber boots in case we came across any unwanted critters.  Next time we will wear long pants as well.  We took some down to Sam when we went and he dearly loved them.  Daniel would not even try them.  As I have mentioned before, he is not a fruit eater.  Hubby is gone today with his brother down to Grundy.   His Mom has a couple of apple trees that need to be cut.  She was afraid they were going to fall on the power line.  

I plan on working on a few aprons today and maybe going back to pick a few wineberries.  I did make the pickles the other day but I didn’t add the squash.  I had enough cucmbers to do one batch so I just made them using all cucumbers.  I got 8 pts though instead of 6 as the recipe said.  They seem very similar to bread and butter pickles.  I think they will be very good.

Enjoy your day and God bless.

Yesterday, I decided I just could not fix my machine.  We decided we should not be having all that trouble with a new machine so we took the machine back to Wal-Mart where we had purchased it.  As you all recall, I had not had the machine very long at all and it has always given me trouble.  Anyway, Wal-Mart took it back and we exchanged it for this machine.  As soon as I started sewing on it, it was obvious this is a better machine.  I have never used a Singer before but I definitely pray we will be getting better service from this one than from the Brother.  I finished the sewing project that I had previously started.

This is for my little man, Daniel, who loves, loves, loves to help his mom in the kitchen.  I hope it looks like a little boy apron.  I wanted something with tractors on it but blue jean material was all I had that looked boyish.  Weather permitted they will be coming up Sunday.  Chuck and his family may come also.  This would be a first-all my grandkids in the house at the same time.  WOW!  They are calling for some snow to hit here tomorrow and Sunday so we’ll just have to wait and see.

We will be having our candlelight service at church tonight.  This is such a beautiful service.  We have these little shelves on the walls and on top of the shelves we have oil lamps.  All the oil lamps are lit and the electric lights are turned off.  It is absolutely beautiful.  We have communion and the pastor has a message.  Then we all light our individual candles, gather around in a circle and sing Christmas hymms.  It is such a special time and we all look forward to it.  I pray you will all have a wonderfully blessed Christmas Eve as well. 

Celebrate the birth of our Savior.  May He bless each of you with a special portion of His presence on this wonderful day-Christ’s birthday.   God bless.

Yesterday was such a fun day for us.  We decided to take the girls to the movies as part of their Christmas gift.  As we very seldom go to the movies, this was a big treat.  We found (thanks to our friends, the Horns) a movie theater that is affordable and family friendly.  We watched The Chronicles of Narnia-Voyage of the Dawn Treader.  It was a very good movie and we all had a great time.  Grace has read the book and Julie is in process now of reading it. 

Also, as my aprons are now being sold in a local store, I thought it would be nice to try out some different patterns.  I had been told it would be nice if I could do matching aprons.  One for Mom (or MawMaw)and one for a little girl.  I found a pattern I like pretty well.  Here is a picture of it.

Not exactly what I was looking for but a good place to start.

This is the material I picked out.  The floral will be the main material and the striped will be the contrasting material.  What do you all think?   I am having difficulties with my sewing maching, so pray I can get it up and running soon.  (Could be the operator, who knows!)  Anyway, I am excited to start a new project and upping my abilities.  I have not made many things from a real pattern.  Usually, its something I just figure out on my own or I alter the pattern so that it fits my abilities.  Sally, our pastor’s wife, has agreed to help me if I get in over my head.  I don’t think I will though.  It looks pretty easy on paper.  I will show you the finished results when done. 

I think I’ll go check out my machine.  Take care and God bless.

This is our first decoration of the season.  I like to use decoration that will work for all winter, not just for Christmas.  This is due to laziness on my part.  I so enjoy putting them up but not so much taking them down.  This way I get to leave them up longer.   Both my girls are sick, so today has been a rather slow day for us.  We only did what we call “half school” which was bible, math and language.  Then we took a break, went up to the building and found our little village.   This village sets every year on this table.  When the girls were younger, it was continuously getting rearranged.  They would play with the houses and the people for hours.   My dad built this table for my mom when they first got married.  There is a shelf underneath and when I was a little girl, my golden book collection sat on the lower shelf.  Funny, the things we remember.   After decorating, we enjoyed a game of cards and now they are upstairs playing a board game.  I so enjoy days like today-just sorry my girls don’t feel well.

 It is chilly here with rain moving in.  A good day for enjoying the fire and each other.  I pray your day has been as enjoyable as mine.  God bless.