Our Family Summer Picnic...

 

This family picnic only took place about 100 years ago...

See the covered wagon in the background?

That is my Great Grandmother on the right;

The one laughing!!

I guess I come from a long line of those that know how to laugh,

And knows how to enjoy a good picnic.

In this case a day at the lake!

I just love that picnic basket that is sitting next to her.

I like to use my imagination as to what this picnic basket just might hold for lunch!

The lady on the left is wearing a full length apron over her skirt;

I just love seeing the ladies wearing aprons!

Also the swim suit that my Great grandmother is wearing looks

very modest and of course the nautical design.

Having a lovely day has always been the summer thing to do!

As a child, I have so many wonderful memories of being on the lake.

We went fishing and swimming and of course a picnic.

Being a woman that is not afraid to enjoy oneself is very becoming!

Not being overly loud and drawing attention to one's self;

But rather a person with a personality that others enjoy being around!

I have learned to laugh at myself and am not a spoil sport!

I enjoy making my husband laugh and smile;

Not a joker, but a good sense of humor!

I want to enjoy a few special days that come with every season!

Let us get outside and enjoy the simple things!

Sometimes by just being outside and filling your birdbath with fresh water,

Or watering your vegetable gardens and flower beds can refresh oneself!

In the very hot weather we like to be out very early

 And the latter part of the evening!

Why is it that a picture like this can evoke such a happy feeling?

I think that we must always look well to the way of our households!

~ And to remember to have fun ~

Our days are all numbered and so we can enjoy a restful and peaceful

Day of fun and family and friends...

Do you try to take and make regular days of rest a part of your life?

Just think that your very next outing could be a blog post a 100 years from now!

(I am so funny)

Garlic Wonders And Ways To Use It...

 

Garlic Wonders...

Garlic is a very interesting food wonder and also a medicinal treasure.

After many years of enjoying garlic and preparing it by crushing or slicing it up,

I have found a way to enjoy it in so many different ways.

Simply by cooking it slightly;

So once again, I  have been newly reminded of its value.

Of course we all have added fresh garlic to a spaghetti sauce,

But now I can use it in so many more things.

But to eat it with other dishes as a health benefit is what I am talking about.

I have been taking a few whole bulbs of garlic and I cut off the end of the root,

 And then I place them in aluminum foil, then I drizzle them with olive oil,

Wrap it up and bake them in the oven or;

You can even use your toaster oven on the toast setting and they cook up great!

But it is best to only cook it for a short amount of time or until just tender.

Garlic Benefits

Garlic has so many benefits;

Garlic contains a compound called Allicin

Garlic has an anti-inflammatory properties in it.

Also, it has an antiviral action that helps fight infection and fungus.

Garlic may also improve our metabolism of iron.

I like to make a bunch of it up at a time and then I can use a cooked clove in many things.

Scrambled eggs or an omelet. Add it to soups and sauces!

If you ever make up your own hummus spread it taste so much better 

if you use the lightly cooked cloves instead of it being raw.

We have been eating hummus for a great healthy snack

So Add some cooked garlic cloves to it, and spread it on some crackers!

Also try adding it to egg salad it just makes it delicious!

You can use it in so many different foods when it is lightly cooked!

So Yummy!

I guess the key is to incorporate it into your daily meals, just not spaghetti sauce.

Be adventurous...

                                      The garlic has been referred to as the stinking rose!

I think our bodies adapt to the strong smell of garlic;

And we will not be so sensitive to the fragrance of it if we all eat it!

So you must share your garlic with those you love.

Do you have any ways that you enjoy using garlic?

Please share them with me...

Why Praying And Asking To Be The Kind Of Wife Your Husband Needs, Is The Most Important Prayer...

 

My Most Important Prayer...

Being a wife for many years has taught me a very important prayer factor!

Yes, over all these years I have prayed many prayers;

But the one thing the Lord has showed me many times is this;

I want to be the women and the wife and housewife that 

My Husband needs me to be!

Bingo

Eureka

Holy Smokes

I GOT IT

We all have many needs and desires for living the good life

But as a wife we are called to be set apart for one man!

His needs and how he would like things to be...

Is that really asking too much?

Remember the world teaches we are our own person!

But a great marriage is one where we become the helpmate

That woman does not come a dime a dozen...

I want to be the ONLY women who can meet His needs the way

He wants them done or met.

Ask yourself;

Are your Husband's needs so hard and demanding that you cannot meet them?

Usually No, not at all,

Really most men just want a home that is clean and tidy

Clean socks and jeans and shirts

A meal that is being prepared or some good sandwich fixings in the refrigerator!

A wife that looks kind and a smile on her face!

A place that he feels welcomed in and where he belongs!

A room to have a chair where he can put his feet up!

And having a wife that is not always too tired!

And having a home where the people in it thinks he is special!

"What if you became

 The Woman and Wife, that your Husband was praying for?"

Believe me, things would change!

God has been very gracious to me in my marriage!

But I will say that praying to become the wife HE NEEDS is very important!

Some women have it in their head on how everything needs to be;

But sometimes it is the very small changes that can change a marriage

For the better...

Women must be the kind of wife he needs;

Sometimes we have our heads and thoughts in so many tails spins we miss,

The little things that he might need or require in any given day or a moment!

When our little ones cried, we went running, to meet their needs!

But no, our husbands are grown men and should be able to take care of themselves!

I see marriages and hear how they say things like;

They never pay me any attention any more

They never make me feel that it is important in what I say about anything

They never care about me...

Really, this is so heartbreaking!

Wake up ladies; marriage is the one thing God has given in this world

To be a picture of how He deals with us as His Bride...

"What kind of Bride are You to Your Husband?

Okay, here is the challenge;

No matter how long you have been married;

Start praying and asking the Lord to help you become;

"The wife your husband needs you to be!"

The Frugal Benefits Of Finding Just The Right Pattern For Sewing A Skirt...

 

I So Enjoyed Sewing This Skirt...

Sewing can be very rewarding and so good for your wardrobe!

Once you find a pattern that fits well you can make so many

different skirts of many different pretty fabrics.

Finding a pattern that fits well and looks pretty is no easy task!

And once you get the pattern pieces cut out, that is half the work.

It is a pattern that requires a knit fabric, which is a favorite of mine;

Easy care and requires no ironing!

It has an easy fit and does not cling tightly.
The pattern that I am using is by NEWLOOK 6108
It only has 3 pieces and an elastic band for the waist!

Finding a nice blouse or top to go with each one is

sometimes a bit of a challenge.

So if I have a pattern skirt and then I need a solid top.

And finding fabric that is reasonable is all part of the journey.

This is where sewing a simple skirt can be a very frugal way to add

A very nice piece of clothing to your wardrobe!

I am no way a seamstress. But I am always learning.

I did find a real treasure while out antiquing today;

I found a look alike vintage dress for a few dollars!

So soft and feminine looking!

I am always buying fabric for aprons which is my weak spot,

And they only require a yard of material.

But, I did find a full fitted very old apron that is just beautiful!

But it is paper thin and I will need to cut out a pattern from it!
It has very petite tiny purple flowers and a beige background,
And the bias tape is the thinnest I have ever seen.
 Which is a deep purple!

I always wonder where the days go...
If an apron could talk and the stories they would tell!

In my sewing room, I have;

~Drawers of material that long to be cut out and sewed up as pretty aprons~

I did buy some very pretty yellow curtains for my living room today!

I was shocked at how bright the living room seemed!

Sunshine and Sunflowers...

I wish you all a lovely and creative season...

What are you all up to in these HOT dog days of summer?

Sunflowers Make Us Smile And Yellow Pops...

Sunshine Came Softly Through My Window Today...

~Sunflowers in all their glory~

There is just something about sunflowers that they just make us smile

 and they really do make you feel happy.

 Sunflowers are flowers that make you think of summer

 and being a bright yellow in color is very cheering! 

I found this picture of sunflowers  at an antique store last week.

 And so now it has found a home over my mantel.

I added some very pretty yellow  flowers in my white pitcher.

 I do love seeing the brightness  that it brings into my living room!

 I also found one single giant size sunflower for the metal vase that sits on the floor.

I believe God wants us to make our homes lovely and cheerful.

 It is so important to not be afraid of making small changes

 that can give a room a whole new look.

 Let the sun shine in!

I have never really liked a home that was dreary!

All the window shades and curtains always drawn tight!

I do love my privacy and close things up in the evenings.

But a home that is dark can be very depressing.

In the very hot weather we open it all in the early morning,

Then we close it up to stop the hot sun from coming in.

But the winter months when the days are very short;

All the sunshine and light is very welcoming!

I also enjoy fresh air and I almost always have a window cracked!

I know that having a home that is open and filled with natural

light and items of decor that bring color into a room is just becoming!

What is your color that you are using that a few years back

 you would not of even considered using in your home?

Remember to always keep your eyes on the SON...

Blessings, Living From Glory To Glory

Hugs, Roxy

How The Fine Art Of Being Quiet Will Allow You To Hear The Lord...

How Being Alone Can Be A Gift...

The loneliness is as thick as fog at times;

But alas, this is not loneliness but rather being alone.

We live in a culture and an era where there is hardly ever real quietness!

We have background music, even while in an elevator.

When we become so uncomfortable with quiet, we miss something...

With all the noise and activity that goes on around us, we truly do not

know what real quiet really sounds like.

Quiet can be in the wind, and in the rustling of the leaves.

I believe I even heard the stars twinkle once.

We want to hear something...

Only those that can handle a bit of quiet will be able to hear that still small voice!

When we will finally learn the fine art of quiet;
We then will have a place or space that is not filled with noise or just busy!

Giving heed to the small things that do come from the Lord;
I would call these promptings...

I feel bad when a woman who has a heart to stay at home and she
is belittled for not wanting more...
More WHAT!

I understand the great demands on us all!
Overwhelming at times...

But when and if you are offered the gift of staying home;
Maybe just for a day or to come home to raise your little ones!
Give it as much thought as possible!
Money comes and goes!
Homes grow and feel welcoming when someone is in residence.
Children grow and leave quicker than anything!
Age comes and settles no matter how you think you have the fountain of youth!

We all have a very small window to catch the whisper of God's voice.
Quiet your hearts for a moment every day;
I promise He will speak to you!

(Just a note to say I was not referring to meditation as in yoga)
But rather...
Meditating on the Word Of God

When and where is your most quiet time to hear the Lord?

How To Make The Kitchen Table The Center Of Your Home...

The Kitchen Table Is Key...

I find great joy in simple pleasures;

The other day I cleaned off my kitchen table and then polished it till it shined!

 Then I put on a fresh table cloth and a lace topper over the tablecloth.

It feels really good to see it all cleaned off and ready for another week
of meals being served. Or a cup of coffee being enjoyed with a loved one.
Place a bowl of fruit or a snack to draw them to the table!
A plate of cookies;
Cheese and crackers
Serving a meal cooked with love at your own hearth...

When the children were little we did our school work on our kitchen table.
Now I even do a little bit of studying myself.
We might read the paper through the week there also.
We pray often at our kitchen table!
Memories are made in this very place!

Your Kitchen and Table should be the welcoming spot in your home!
Keep it clean and tidy and always pleasing to the eye.
Keep napkins in the center with some fresh spices for any dish.
Sea salt, pepper, cayenne powder and hot sauce.

There is something so comforting about a kitchen!
It Is The Heart Of The Home...

Making your home cozy and welcoming is an art!
If you can keep only one spot in your home orderly and clean;
The kitchen and kitchen table is what I would suggest to you.

You can take a very worn table and chairs and paint them and recover the chairs,
To give them a new fresh appeal!
You can find table coverings for very cheap and some great linen finds also.
Check out your thrift stores.
 Also, you can find wooden table centerpieces and spray paint them.
I did this a few years ago and it was so lovely.
Everything can be an added pretty!
You can find very inexpensive place mats in a thrift store.
 Or look at your store clearance sections for seasonal items.

 I would watch using a plastic cloth with those backings as they can stick to your wood table tops. But if it is a glass or Formica then it would be okay.

It is also very nice to change out the colors and decor for the holidays.

Sometimes when I am not even sure what I am making for dinner,
I will set the table to get myself inspired.

Please encourage yourself today and get inspired!
Look in your drawers and find what you might have to use!

Practice serving your meals and snacks at the table.
Get into the habit of keeping it clean and welcoming!

Use what God has given you!
Keep your heart alive with simple home, keeping routines!

Every meal can be a time to come together as a family
Breakfast, Lunch And Dinner...

This was my table this last fall!

Chips and salsa served!

I Am Doing A Great Work...

Being prepared for the unexpected...

Just a little reminder to you dear ladies, all Preppers are not crazy people!

I have been reading what some of these women have been posting!

They all seem to know something that I don't;

Or have ever experienced!

We sure have seen some wild weather in some parts of the country.

So much talk surrounding September 13...

What's the BUZZ tell me what's a happening??

I believe we all have been learning something about something...

I like to keep my eye on the weather we have had storms blow in quite

quickly on the plains, I have stuck my finger up to see which way the

wind is a blowing. We like to have a heads up for what is coming!

Did I mention that I got some new glasses from a new prescription?

Well, I can't see a thing!

Now, I will need to have another exam----

Which is better?

One Or Two?

Is 3 or 4 better?

Really, can I try a five or six??

Somebody needs to adjust their glasses or maybe have their vision checked!

We have enjoyed such an amazing green summer and looking

forward some canning from the farms this year!

We will not get much from our gardens from after the hail storms.

Do any of you have a better sense of what is going on in our world today?

As I refuse to be moved by hype;

But I do worry that we may all just be hitting the snooze button!

Remember Y2K

But 9/11 really did happen!

Do any of you have true family stories of the great depression?

Now what will we do if the grid ever really did go down;

(It would be the worlds worst hair day ever!)

I do so love my modern conveniences!

I read a good post the other day on Beautiful Womanhood, titled

I am doing a great work... A must read!

I Am Doing A Great Work

Well, I have learned this one thing;

Carry a big purse and have everything that you might ever need in it!

Bug Spray\Sunscreen/ Glass Cleaner/Tums/Hairspray/

Bullet proof vest

Extra Pair of Glasses

Bobby Pin (Ever see McGuyver)

Duct Tape

Cookies

Bread Crumbs to leave a trail

A Dictionary

A Lighter

A Toothbrush

OHHH An extra Key to your house
(This is my silly list)

Really, I have to get a much bigger purse!

Happy Day To All Of You Ladies

OHHH I also had a man posing as a lady emailing me!

Beware...

Scammer I tell you!

I am sewing some new aprons for myself, and eating rice crispy treats!

Hugs to all...