Duck eggs, Worm farms, Aquaponics, Baby chicks

Mar17

Yesterday we collected another duck egg and moved the duck tractor to the right side of the property where the tool shed and pear tree could shade it and the ducks could eat the weeds growing beside the new compost bin. Duck Tractor Moved

We also went by Tractor supply and purchased seven red pullets. Actually two of the chicks are black and five are yellow. There appear to be three breeds as you might be able to tell from the pictures. We also got one bag of Dumore Chick Starter Grower 20%, the same unmedicated feed we bought for the ducks last year. Seven Chicks

We stopped by Mama’s house before church so we could show her the chicks. She had been to get the worms and gave me the worms and the worm farm filled with worm castings so I could divide them and make more worm farms. Worm Farm

Although I purchased a four outlet air pump and six air stones, that is as far as I’ve gotten on the aquaponics until we find barrels and get money for pvc fittings. I’m really looking forward to getting that going so I can have a tomatoes and lettuce shelf as I love salads.

Homesteading has been added as a category to my blog so I can tell you what’s going on with our sustainibilty efforts.

Sustainability is defined by the online Meriam Webster Dictionary as



 
  1: capable of being sustained
2a : of, relating to, or being a method of harvesting or using a resource so that the resource is not depleted or permanently damaged
b : of or relating to a lifestyle involving the use of sustainable methods

So our goal is to be able to harvest or use the resources our Heavenly Father has given us in such a way so that they are not depleted or permanently damaged. We want to make this a lifestyle choice and not just a hobby or amusement.

Crawfish Soup Supper Tomorrow

Feb17

Crawfish Soup Ingredients

1 stick margarine
2 TBS flour
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 small yellow onion, diced

Melt the margarine in a large skillet.
Add flour and whisk constantly over meidum high heat until lightly brown, for a medium roux.
Add onions and cook 2-3 minutes, until the yellow onion pieces are clear and very lightly browned.

1 quart half and half
2 15 ounce cans cream style corn
1 15 ounce can whole kernel corn
2 cans Cream of Potato soup

Add half and half, corn and potato soup.

Zatarains Concentrated Shrimp and Crab Boil (liquid)
Tony Chacheres Original Creole Seasoning
2 12 ounce bags Crawfish Tail Meats (Please use Louisiana products.)

Add crawfish tail meats, crab boil and Tony Chacheres  and simmer 30 minutes.

Serve inside nice big bread bowls, over rice, or, my favorite way, over boiled potatoes.

This is 100% better if made 24-48 hours before serving but it never lasts that long at my house unless I make it when absolutely no one is here (including me) and HIDE  it! ROFLOL

To my non-resident sons and daughters: I’d save you a bowl but… you know!

Love Letter

Feb15

Some people call their Bible a sword, and it is. To me, it is also a Love Letter. So open your love letter to Jeremiah 31:3.

The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love, therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee.

Jeremiah 31:3

In 1984 when I was nine months pregnant with my second daughter and we were living in a tiny little trailer outside Kileen, TX, near Ft. Hood, two deputies arrived to arrest me for a bounced check I had written to a grocery store. The check had been redeemed and I had the receipt so the deputies did not take me with them but the incident made me realize that I couldn’t go on as I had been going.

My mom had come to Texas to visit me and I begged her to tell me how to have the faith that she had. Mama never doubted God’s existence or that He would take care of her and I wanted that unfeigned faith, the faith of my Mama. Mama prayed for me as I stood crying beneath a tree beside the tiny trailer.

It has always been my belief that my daughter, Holly, was annointed with that same faith, my Mama’s faith, right there– before she was even born, at the moment my Mama prayed. Holly has always believed that God exists and that He cares for her.

This is my love story. God loved me and He willing chased me down. I turned around (repented of my sins) and began to chase Him.

Quite a few years later, I was still chasing God and someone gave me a well-known book to read that had helped them. When I opened the book to the first chapter, I read, “It’s not about you.” I closed the book and put it on the shelf.

In 1 John 4, my Love Letter says, “We love him, because he first loved us.” It is about me and it is about you. God loved us so much that He is willing to chase us down.

How did God show us that He loved us? John 3:16-17 says,

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

God is not willing that anyone should perish but not everyone accepts God’s love and God gave each one of us the freedom to choose life or death. He will not go against my will.

So how can I receive the life and love that God is willing to give me? Romans 10:10 tells me,

For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

So what is God’s love like? First Corinthians 13, verses 4-8 tells us how God defines love:

Love is patient,
Love is kind.

It does not envy,
It does not boast,

It is not proud.
It is not rude,
It is not self-seeking,
It is not easily angered.

It keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

It always protects,
   always trusts,
   always hopes,
   always perseveres.

Love never fails.

But, What if I can’t hold onto that love that God is giving me? Romans 8: 35, 38-39 says,

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The Song of Solomon, a love letter within a love letter, says in chapter eight, verse 7, “Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it.”

As I began to believe that God loves me, I wanted to show God that I accepted His love. So, What does God want from me? John 15: 9-12 says,

9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. 10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. 11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

Now when I read these verses I was concerned and you might be too. Uh-Oh, So here’s the catch. IF I can obey His commandments He will love me. Or IF I can obey His commandments He will abide with me and give me joy.

The devil, that thief and murderer, shouts immediately, You’ll never be able to do it! HaHa, you God-chaser, you FAILURE. You will NEVER be able to keep the commandments. Thou SHALT, Thou SHALT NOT! Haha. You will FAIL.

But then the very next verse tells me what Jesus commands me to do:

12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

In Matthew 22, Jesus was asked by an expert on the Law (the law of Moses) what was THE GREATEST COMMANDMENT:
36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

37 Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

So the commandment of Jesus is to LOVE.

Now as I began to ponder this commandment, I was still a little concerned.

Could I love as God loved? As I have stated above, God has defined love in my Love Letter. Here is that definition again, paraphrased in light of Jesus’ commandment:

I am patient,
I am kind.

I do not envy,
I do not boast,

I am not proud.
I am not rude,
I am not self-seeking,
I am not easily angered.

I keep no record of wrongs.

I do not delight in evil but I rejoice with the truth.

I always protect,
always trust,
always hope,
always persevere.

The best part is the very last four words:

I will never fail.

Bless the LORD, oh my soul, and ALL that is within me bless HIS HOLY NAME!

God loves you and I love you. If you want to know more about God’s love, you can email me:
Write to Julie

de-cluttering, books, providential giving

Feb8

It is time to de-clutter our home and get out of C.H.A.O.S. Yes, that is a (FlyLady reference.) There are boxes in every room containing a variety of unused and unusable items. So I just need to dispose of this stuff so I can go on with life!

It is difficult for me to dispose of books. They become “friends” to me and I find it hard to say good-bye. Some books are beyond use or not fit to give away (due to dirt, grime, age) so I am re-cycling them into “Book Hill”—literally burying them in the back yard in a low spot to build it up.

Some of the still useable books could be passed on to local homeschoolers*. Here is a link to a list of these books. I’ll put them in a plastic grocery sack and if you are interested, email me. Absolutely no returns! haha

Bye Bye Books List  PLEASE put Bye Bye Books in the SUBJECT or your email will probably be deleted as Spam.

Write Me 

* Local means we must be able to meet with you or leave them somewhere in the Sterlington, Farmerville, or Monroe, Louisiana region to give you the books UNLESS you are willing to pay postage. AGAIN… no returns! haha

Providential

Jan5

Dictionary-Reference.com says:

Origin:
Providential derives from Latin providentia , from providens , provident- , present participle of providere , literally, “to see ahead,” from pro- , “forward” + videre , “to see.”

Providence is defined by the same website as:

( often initial capital letter ) the foreseeing care and guidance of god or nature over the creatures of the earth.
2. ( initial capital letter ) God, esp. when conceived as omnisciently directing the universe and the affairs of humankind with wise benevolence.
3. a manifestation of divine care or direction.
4. provident or prudent management of resources; prudence.
5. foresight; provident care.

Verses to study and meditate:

http://scripturetext.com/philippians/4-19.htm

Matthew 6:24-34 24“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.

The Cure for Anxiety

25“For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26“Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? 27“And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? 28“And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, 29yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. 30“But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! 31“Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ 32“For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

34“So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

red birds and choices

Dec3
Red Bird

Red Bird

Years ago, after a fire had done damage to our house, I decided that every time I saw a red bird to remind myself out loud that God knew where I was and that He had a plan for me. Later after we’d gotten back into our house, I decided to plant some pretty bushes and hang out some feeders… thus INCREASING my opportunities to SEE the red birds. My children blessed me with pictures of red birds and even a button I could snap on my blue jean jacket. So I have reminders everywhere to MAKE THE CHOICE to believe that God knows where I am and that He has a plan for me.

But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD. -Joshua 24:15

a new direction, an old focus

Dec2

Although I have a bachelor’s degree in Computer Information Systems and started a business ( Julie’s Simple Web Solutions ), I find myself going in a new direction. One day I stood in front of my book case, it was filled with expensive computer books. I asked the Lord to give me direction. What was I to do with all these expensive books now that I was again a SAHM?

My time at CenturyLink allowed me to meet some really good programmers and see what it would take to be one. I knew that I would NOT have the time to devote to studying the skills I would need to do that. But here I am with this expensive education and in need of provision.

The Lord brought back to my remembrance the original vision for Moms’ Survival Guide: Providential Homemaking. So I will study and pray and allow the Lord to direct me as I seek to do His Will with the resources He has given me.

And the Lord said to him, What is that in your hand? -Exodus 4:2

A new sink and a new morning!

Oct31

Thanks to my very wonderful husband for putting in my garage sale find, a stainless steel kitchen sink. He put it in as soon as we got home and you have NO IDEA how much it means to me to have a sink that works better!

Thank you, Allen Ashley, Sr.! I love you and appreciate you.

A Broom of One’s Own by Nancy Peacock

Oct20

Last night I read A Broom of One’s Own by Nancy Peacock in one sitting. I almost never do this – mainly because I still have six children and one very rambunctious puppy at home.

But this book resonated with the me as I believe it will with many other authors, published and unpublished. In it you can feel the hope and frustrations of Nancy’s spirit as she struggles to live in the real world while she also struggles with her literary worlds.

The essays are so matter of fact and yet so meditative. I love the way that Nancy was able to bring me along with her as she cleans, muses, fumes.

Although I know that Nancy would approve hardily of the fact that I found her book while browsing the shelves of my small local library, I fully intend to buy a copy of this book as soon as I can so that I can drag out my yellow crayon and favorite black pen and put sticky note book marks all the way through it.

In Between Shopping

Oct20

There are grocery shopping trips and In-between shopping trips. In-between shopping trips always seem to be waaaaaay more expensive and have too many splurge or impulse buying. There are alone trips and together trips. The together trips always seem to be waaaaaaay more expensive. I’m not sure of the psychology that makes this true but I know it is true.

Yesterday Allen did an alone trip and came home with exactly what I asked him to buy. This seems to point the finger of splurging and impulse directly at me. Just thought I’d record this information so that I could re-read it later to myself and hopefully improve my performance in this area.

Anyway, he bought:

(for Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato Sandwiches)

shredded lettuce
3 tomatoes

(for Broccoli Chicken Casserole)
2 cans of cream of chicken soup

(for Staples that had run out)

2 loaves of white bread
1 gallon of milk

Total Cost: $16.45

Today I am going to Re-start with FLY-Lady. Thanks to my very good friend, Sandy Schwoebel Brown, who said on Facebook: Sandy Schwoebel Brown “wants you to know that although you can’t go back and make a brand new start, you can start now and make a brand new end! To begin, PRAY.”