How to make bone broth and yogurt: a helpful combination

   Today, I want to share how I make bone broth and yogurt in my kitchen. I have been making both of these for quite a while, and have found some techniques that have made the process easier. 

Bone Broth
Why bone broth? It is one of the healthiest substances you could consume. It is essential for healthy tissue and strong bones. Some of the healthiest cultures in the world consume broth daily. Store bought broth is not a substitute, it cannot even be compared to homemade broth in health or taste.

What do you need?
A crock pot
bones
filtered water

 Here is my pot with the bones in it. You can do any amount of bones, I always scrape any leftover juice or fat in from the cooking pan. I have a large crock pot and there are two carcasses in here(one duck, one chicken). This will make me about 4 quarts of stock. Stock can be made with any type of animals bones. The ones I like the best are chicken, pork, and beef.

What if I don't have many bones? Save them in a freezer bag till you have enough from several meals. Waste not, want not, right?

Cost of this- nothing but the energy to make it. You already ate the meat, and just added water. The product you will get is, amazing and delicious!

Cover bones as best you can about 1 inch over the bones. Using filtered water is preferred if you have town water. The chlorine can keep your stock from gelling.






Now turn on high. (If you are leaving for the day or think you might forget to turn it down, just put it on low.) Leave on high for about 2-3 hours. Then turn to low.

Yogurt, a cultured milk product good for your tummy and tasty too.

What do you need?

2-3 glass quart jars with lids

1/4 cup measuring device

yogurt starter

milk

This is the starter I like to use, and this is what I would recommend if you where to buy yogurt in the store for consumption. Carried by our local White Market store. You will quickly see how easy, and cheap it is to make your own. It costs about $5 to buy a quart of yogurt in the store.

Put 1/4 cup of starter in each jar. That's only .31 cents per quart.

The average gallon of whole milk costs $5.
$1.25 per quart of milk, with a grand total of....

 $1.56 per quart of yogurt!

Top off with milk* and stir. Put on the lids and your done.

*I have only made this with raw milk, but don't see why this wouldn't work with store bought. Of course, I can only recommend drinking/using raw milk, but I am a bit of a food snob :-)






The helpful combination: producing yogurt by indirect heat from your crock pot. This is what I do, and what it looks like. This is really important if using raw milk. You are keeping that delicate bacteria and structure of the milk the same and are allowing the new bacterial cultures to multiply.

It goes between the wall and the crock pot. Periodically I will turn the jars, maybe once or twice during the process, and yes, my crock pot is very dirty :-) 

Now all your stock and yogurt needs is time. This process is flexible to your lifestyle and time availability. I generally let both the yogurt and the stock go at least 12 hours It is possible the yogurt will not be ready until 14 hours. You can check the yogurt by turning the jar and see if it looks gelled. The stock can go as long as 24 hours(or longer).

 It's up to you and how strong a flavor you want from it. 

The results

 This yogurt probably could have gone slightly longer, it isn't a super thick yogurt, but the recipe always gels. Our favorite way to have yogurt is with berries in it. We like the small frozen blueberries you can get at the White Market. Make a great snack or breakfast. 

Look how beautiful this broth is! This broth was cooking for something like 32 hours. No need to go that long, but that is what worked with my schedule yesterday :-) 

I use a funnel, and ladle the stock into quart jars, cover and put in the fridge. It will keep at least a month. 

This is a wonderful health food and would be excellent warmed in a mug with some sea salt, you could add a little turmeric, or curry. It gives you the option for homemade gravy with any meal. Soup is my fast food around here. Saute your veggies till soft, add stock and bring to a boil, season to taste. 

If you don't want to make stock, you can still make yogurt this way, just put water in your crock pot and everything else is the same. 

These might seem time consuming, but they really only take several minutes of your time to make. The waiting is the hard part :-) 

Enjoy!

Beauty in pain~

What an odd title, but appropriate, for each time I go through something hard in my life I am learning to see the beauty in my pain. When my eyes want to focus on the immediate and the future all at the same time, and when I "must" know everything that will happen in my life, I am being stripped and molded to conform to another image, the image of Christ. The study of 1John has been a meaningful one to me, and a timely one as the year started with a call to repentance and forsaking sinful habits and attitudes. How my life, if truly in Christ, should reflect Him. This last week I was studying 1John 2:15-17.

¹⁵ Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. ¹⁶ For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. ¹⁷ And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

The thought that struck me as I studied the meanings of the words in the Greek, was that it wasn't just this super sinful worldly stuff that I wasn't supposed to love, but it was more than that.

The lust of the flesh-It is the inner sin, any sin, that is leading me away from God. My desire to be independent from Him.  Am I saying the same thing as God does about sin in my life? Am I being honest about who I really am?

The lust of the eyes(literally the eyes of the mind)- The sin that leads me away from knowing God and what He wants me to do. Do I really think I know what is best for my life, or does God? Am I conforming to the knowledge of this world?

The pride of life-Am I trying to be independent from God physically? Am I thinking of myself in such high esteem as to hurt those around me? I was blown away by this definition of pride by BLB
"an insolent and empty assurance, which trusts in its own power and resources and shamefully despises and violates divine laws and human rights"

Not only do I do all these things, it is truly the struggle we have between the spirit and the flesh. John's call to a life in Christ is more than just avoiding the "bad" stuff of the world, it is avoiding the thinking and independent spirit of the world. It gets right down to the nitty gritty of surrendering our every desire and thought to Christ. John's words are not easy, in fact, he is quite stern as he says that God's love is not in us if we love the world. This message was so timely as I had a choice to conform to the thinking of the world, or the thinking of my Heavenly Father.

In the midst of renovating the 2nd floor of our house, I have had to restore different objects, and I was cleaning the hardware to the doors the other night, and I was seeing God speak to me during my work. I would take a rusty hinge, caked with old paint and it looked ugly, and possibly useless, but as I started scraping away the surface and letting the water wash over the hinge something started to appear, a beauty, a design, scrolls and pictures in the metal, something that was hidden by rust and paint, had suddenly come to light, it was being restored to reflect it's original design. I couldn't help but see the perfect analogy in my life. Christ scrapes away the sin, the mire, the things we have clung to in our lives. His goal is not for our comfort, but for our redemption. The water of His word washes me clean, the painful things He allows in my life are revealing who I was meant to be, and slowly I should start reflecting the design, beauty, and functionality of who God desires for me to be.


When it comes down to the moment of decision, if He is in us, then we will choose that which abides forever- a life in Christ. It doesn't all happen in a moment, no, it takes our whole earthly life to learn, but what a joy the process is, when our eyes are fixed on the unchangeable, the best, the most beautiful, and the most wonderful, the one who created the universe- God.

A Skunk, a Kitchen and the Roosters

How are skunks, a kitchen, and roosters connected? Well, let me explain…

It all started out like a normal evening, crawling in bed around 10:30 and falling in a deep sleep from the busyness of the day. All to be awakened at 12:30 in the morning by the most ghastly choking smell of a skunk. I think my face turned red and horns came out of my head as I swore to kill the skunk with my bare hands, or a pitchfork, or make Seth shoot it. I was convinced it had got in the basement again, the smell was so strong. We lit some candles and sprinkled essential oils on the bed (Ylang Ylang, what was I thinking?) It just smelled like stinky skunk perfume in our room. After 10 minutes of failed sleep I went to the couch, but the smell wasn’t much better there either. So, we moved the mattress into the kitchen at 1am. It was cooler in the kitchen so we grabbed another blanket, so far it wasn’t too bad, we at least could breath. We got about an hour or so of sleep after almost crying, and hysterically laughing about the whole thing. Seth said he needed to smell something good like peanut butter, and I suggested he give himself a peanut butter mustache so he could smell and lick some off when he so desired. We finally settled down, and then around 4am the crowing started. Our roosters crow all the time, the barn is just on the other side of the kitchen, yeah, so we moved the bed back to the bedroom at 4:30am. The skunk smell had dissipated by that point and the candles were still going. I cracked the window just to keep some fresh air coming in. We awoke around 8am feeling exhausted and bewildered by the whole thing. For some unknown reason we have a local skunk who likes to spray just outside our bedroom every few months. Someday if you come up to me and I smell like a skunk, it’s because I killed it with my bare hands. Here’s to a good night sleep for everyone tonight!

How do we die?

This is the sort of week I dread. Old evils that come back to haunt me and my family. It isn’t fair I keep screaming inside, but Satan never is. He wants to burden us just when we feel life is heavy enough. I really just want to shrink, pretend I don’t exist. I know it is no use hiding, no use pretending the looming problems are not there. Yet I wish they weren’t there. I don’t feel strong enough to do battle, nor do I want to. This is the place we are allowed to go, because we have no other option but to lean on God through the storm and come through the other side stronger and more resilient. I know what the storms are like, and they always hurt, always bring pain, and are often uncomfortable and inconvenient. Yet, maybe I can keep my eyes on the eternal. The end has been foretold and in that I can rejoice. I know the war will be won, and I am on the right side. Isn’t it more about trusting the God knows what you are going through, and that He is actually bringing you through it. He doesn’t look down on us in helplessness and watch what we go through. He is there with us, guiding us, ministering to us, and always interceding for us!

 It seems easier to ignore a problem, maybe it will go away, maybe something will change, and sometimes it does seem to go away for a time, but it comes back to you and is glaring you in the face, demanding to be dealt with. These evils I have been through before, the victory has been so small, so seemingly insignificant that they seem just as large as ever, perhaps even larger because of their history. Will I fail again in battle, will those doing battle with me fail again. My experience says yes. I complain to God and ask, Why? It shouldn’t be this way. Don’t you want something better for me? I don’t want to admit that maybe He is perfectly content with the place I am in, and even desires me to be there. He wants all of me, and all my sustenance to come from Him, and all my needs to be met by Him. We want to protect ourselves to survive, yet Christ demands we die, we lay down our lives. I cry inwardly. I don’t want to die, dying isn’t pleasant, it isn’t lovely, it hurts. I know I will be brought through the fire, it will refine me, but it will kill me. Am I willing to die? That is the question in my mind today. I am prayerfully trying to trust God, and that it will work to some end that is not in my mind, trusting that He can transform clay pots to glorious treasure.

Hope Springs Eternal

Well, my lovely sisters wrote such inspiring blog posts this week, though truthfully I had been thinking of writing one before that, so here's mine.
I am happy! I love spring, it is my favorite time of year. I get sunshine and dirty hands :-) I am happy spiritually too. God's been working on me, I just had a big test this weekend, and I passed. I made the choice to trust Him by faith. I don't know what my future holds, or if it will "physically" look as lovely as mine is now, but somehow that doesn't matter, because I know who He is, and He only wants the best for me. I am happy that I can look beyond the immediate and my own desires and just be quiet and trusting in Him.

Our house is making quite a bit of progress this year. We have begun to sheet rock the second floor- yay! Finally done with lead paint! The barn is slowly getting cleaned out, but we have expanded our animal pens to house more ducks and chickens. We planted more trees/bushes, and the veggie garden will be bigger than ever. The somewhat dangerous, water filled, hole in the back yard is getting filled, and our fencing is about 3/4 done. It has been exciting to cross so many things off of our list this Spring.

Other lessons learned lately:
Quiet- be quite in my soul. I cannot hear that still small voice if my inward parts are so consumed with my own thoughts, agenda, and outside influences. I have been practicing quietness even in the busyness. What a freeing thing to have busy hands and busy days, but a quiet spirit. I am so thankful and it is much better than an anxious, worn out heart. Abiding in Him is where our momentary strength comes, and it is how we make wise choices in the disruptive moments of the day.

Big picture- it's so not about me! It's about Him! Only one fills the void, brings peace, offers life, security, thankfulness...It all goes back to Him. Fear is a funny thing, our fear often holds us back from the thing that would free us. Too many "what ifs". The beauty of knowing God, is that there is no need for fear. He has promised to provide for us, watch over us, sustain us, guide us etc. There is no area in life that God has not spoken and that he does not touch with his presence. When we begin to step out in faith and trust Him- not just SAY we trust, but ACT on that trust, that we being to experience freedom. We don't care what other's think of us, because God's opinion is the one that matters. We don't need certain things to be happy, because God is our true source of joy. We don't have to be treated a certain way by others, because God's everlasting love touches our lives. We don't need to fear situations or the future, because God is in control, nothing will happen that He does not allow. I find security and freedom in these promises of God, and they give me a boldness that I could never muster myself. If we really believe what God says and in who He says He is, then we will be contagious Christians.

It is neat to be on the other side of some of those pains previously during the year. I can see the hand of God, and it has built my trust in Him. I could not see any good in some of those situations. I can now see that good, and I am thankful for all I went through. God doesn't "waste" a moment in time. It is all in His plan. How we ultimately respond to that plan determines if we experience joy or sorrow. I don't know about you, but I definitely want the joy. That doesn't mean every moment of our lives is joyful, nope, but it does mean that our spirits are in a state of trust that brings a peace even through hurt or hardship. Joy comes in the morning, after the darkness.

My reptilian body is freezing sitting here by the computer- off to soak in the sun :-)
Grace and peace to you! Grow closer to Him- you will never regret it.
Anna

Too many thoughts for such a fragile brain

Where to start... this year, though not over, has been one of the hardest of my life. There have been just as many good things in it as well. I must confess, I often get caught up in the whirlwind, wondering how I will survive the current trial or test. A week later I am saying, wow, that wasn't so bad, and the "new" trial seems so much harder. The Lord certainly gives us what we ask for, "Lord, grow me, prepare us for the ministry, let me glorify You!" Wow, if we continually submit, the next thing comes and we continue to grow, but, baby, those growing pains hurt!

Some of the things I have learned this year are:
strengthening relationships, getting things right, confessing sin, forgiving, letting go of hurt, taking a chance, caring for others more than myself, to love my enemy, care for the lost.
How is it my thoughts are SO selfish! Lost in my mind, my own cares, forgetting that others bear heavy burdens too. "Lord, help me to see others like you do!"

There are so many questions that have been going through my mind, and they still are, the Lord has not answered, and I am trying to patiently wait. There are times when the deceiver speaks into my mind and makes me question the goodness of God, that His plan must have gone off course. How silly of me to think God's plan would be my plan :-) Ideally it would match up, but in my humanity, I think my desires and thoughts are what God wants for me. I am more focused on myself than the "big picture".

I am so thankful for the Lord's everlasting love, never ending love, sheltering love. "O, Jesus, help me to see through your eyes! If I did, I would not act the way that I do." What does it take for us to stay in His spirit? Do not forsake your brothers and sisters in Christ( there have been so many words spoken to me from the Lord through another believer) Do not forsake His word( He has given us all we need to follow him. Are we even trying to learn it?) Do not forsake fellowship with Him(worship and prayer connect us to him in a powerful way!) Do not run from rebuke(The Lord is chastening us to make us like Himself, not to hurt us. If we submit we grow, if we rebel we drift away.) They say pride is the root of all sin. I think it must be true. Humility is so crushing, so against who I want to be. God won't use the person who says "my way", He uses the person who says "Your way".

Some books that have been influencing me lately on my spiritual journey:
http://www.amazon.com/Unstuff-Making-Room-Really-Matters/dp/1414334788/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1350070512&sr=8-1&keywords=unstuffed

so good! Wow, my heart is way too wrapped up in stuff!

http://www.amazon.com/Three-Free-Sins-Gods-Not/dp/1451612265/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1350070583&sr=1-1&keywords=three+free+sins

Wow, I read this book, and felt as free as a bird! Does God really forgive me and love me no matter what I do. That is what I say I believe, but do I live that way? I found myself saying "no"! I only wish I could keep these concept alive in my mind all the time- it totally transformed my life.

http://www.amazon.com/Financial-Peace-Revisited-Dave-Ramsey/dp/0670032085/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1350070783&sr=1-1&keywords=financial+peace+university

I love this guy! What an energized man on a mission! So grateful for his wisdom with finances. We are still in the process, but team Powers is on the way to the finish line! I have learned that some of my thinking about stuff, money, our future, has been wrong, and unbiblical. May the Lord take us to the next step financially as we seek to honor Him in every area of life!

http://www.amazon.com/Focus-Familys-Truth-Project-DVD/dp/B008VPDL1G/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1350070956&sr=1-4&keywords=the+truth+project+focus+on+the+family

What a great DVD series, if you ever get the chance to go through it, do so! It is so amazing how God has spoken into every area of life! The order and design that He created is self-evident and a reflection of who He is. Our Christianity touches all areas of life!

What are some of the good things: It would take pages... the Lord has blessed us beyond words! From wild geese in the freezer, to yummy food, clothing, workers, healing. We never feel a lack of care from our Father. He has blessed us with wonderful friends committed to His truth. Children who continually make us laugh and wonder. A car that has saved us lots on fuel! Good fellowship with family...

We trust that He will continue to lead us to do His will. To open the door for us to serve Him in a full-time capacity.

I would appreciate your prayers as I seek to follow the Lord.

I want to be a lovely, attentive wife.
A mother who cares more about spending time with her loves, than cleaning her house.
Thinking of others before myself in conversation, becoming a good questioner.
Trusting the Lord's plan for us, that His timing is perfect.
Becoming a better pray-er. For my family, for others, for my church, and nation.
To have a song in my heart. I often let the dark thoughts loom to heavily in my mind.
Living in the grace of Jesus and the work He has done on the cross, and to share that passion with those who do not know it!

Death by Chocolate

Chocolate lovers come nigh!
I have made a chocolate recipe that I LOVE! 

 It's rich, dark, and decadent, and you won't believe it's good for you!

Raw cocoa butter
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004GPB8SI/ref=oh_details_o01_s00_i00

I really like this cocoa butter. It is good quality and will make your chocolate SO good! A little goes a long way, so don't be scared by the price. I would keep it in the freezer for long storage.


Coconut oil

I did not put this in the recipe before, but I now believe it is necessary for a smoother chocolate. If you like your chocolate a little harder just stick with the cocoa butter. Amazon is a great resource for coconut oil. Health food stores always have it on hand as well.


Cocoa powder

Buy something good quality. I would recommend an organic variety and something that is free trade. Amazon is another great resource for this. I bought mine through a local food coop.

Raw honey

I sweetened my chocolate with raw honey. Filtered or unfiltered will work. Make sure it is raw for max nutritional benefits. Usually found at a local grocery store or health food store. Local honey is great for allergy suffers. What better way to have some, then through chocolate!

Vanilla( optional)

Just make sure it isn't that awful imitation stuff. We are going for superior flavor in our chocolate!

Essential oils (optional) or other natural flavorings

This is for different flavors. The oil distributes beautifully because you are mixing it into an oil.
Only a few drops are needed. I would recommend Nature's Alchemy as a good resource for quality oil. You want something pure and not diluted.
Try- Orange, lemon, peppermint, or lavender

Toppings( optional)

Nuts
Chopped dried fruit
Chopped herb


Let's get started.

What you need
Pot
Whisk
Measuring devices
Parchment paper/wax paper
Cookie sheet or other shape for molding

Recipe- this makes quite a bit. It will last you for a while, or maybe it won't ;-)
1 cup cocoa butter
1-3 T of coconut oil(makes a creamier/smoother chocolate)
1 1/2 cups cocoa powder ( I would start with 1 1/4 cups and work up, you don't want it too thick)
2/3 cup raw honey
1/2- 1 tsp of vanilla

Take parchment paper and line a small to medium sized cookie sheet(with edges) It is best if the paper goes up on the sides. You could use a bread pan to make a thick bar, or use candy molds for small shapes.(no paper needed for the molds)

Melt cocoa butter in small- medium sized pot. Use low to medium-low heat so the cocoa butter is not damaged. ( if adding coconut oil do it now)
Once melted remove from heat. Whisk in cocoa powder. Once incorporated add honey and vanilla. Keep whisking till it slightly thickens and becomes shiny.

At this time you could flavor your chocolate with essential oil of choice or extract of choice.
I decided to pour half of my mixture and then do a different flavor for the second half.

Poor chocolate onto cookie sheet and add any toppings at this time. Put in the fridge for about 30mins to 1 hour. Take your chocolate out and snap into pieces or release from mold. In the summer it should be stored in the fridge to keep firm. The cocoa butter will become soft at warmer temperatures.

ENJOY! You will be so glad you made this. It's as simple as 123! Super healthy, and super good!

Please share any flavor combos you come up with!!

note: Stevia extract can be used. The proportions would need to be changed( something I have not yet tried)

Food for thought

Rethinking how we eat Part 1

Inspired by reading- Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life

Is it possible as Christians we have been sucked into the worldly way of eating? Have we forsaken simplicity and nature for the latest thing?

As I think about these sorts of questions I can’t help but think about God’s word. We are supposed to be “in the world, but not of the world” what does that mean for us. It is not just our clothing, or media choices that might separate us from the world’s likeness. Could it be the way we eat? How we buy our food and where we buy our food?

We know that the Lord wants us to take care of our “temple”. We should be taking care of our bodies from the stewardship point of view so we are better able to serve the Lord. We will spend less time “sick” and have the energy and vitality to invest in the lives of others. That, after all, is what we were called to do in the great commission.

So, what about how we buy our food, what could the Bible have to say about that? There are several things that come to mind. The bible talks about the “laborer being worthy of his hire” , is our local farmer worthy of his hire? Should be buy food from them instead of Walmart? Something in me says yes for several reasons. Stewardship comes to mind again. It takes less energy to buy local food than it does to have it brought from Mexico. From a different stewardship angle you are getting fresher and better food, and will be healthier. The great commission comes to mind again as we build relationships with people around us like our farmers. We will have opportunities to witness, not only through our actions of supporting them, but through our constant contact in their lives.

What if we are feeding our worldly habits? Have we forgotten self-control when it comes to eating?

There is something to be said about eating what is in season. We will be grateful for when “new things” come into season, like a ripe tomato! Oh the joy and extravagance from waiting all winter to bite into a juicy tomato, but when winter rolls around again, we can look forward to “new” crops. Perhaps we have become a little too accustomed to having everything NOW. Has the world crept in with out us noticing? Have we said no to God's best for us? Choosing to eat lousy, tasteless produce when it is out of season. Maybe it is better for our character to wait for the foods that each season brings. To have a celebration at each season, because there will actually be something to celebrate. We will have different weather, but different foods as well. We will have something to look forward to and something to be thankful for. When we get too far removed from the dirt and the animals we forget the miracle process that God made it. We forget the work, the toil, the waiting and watching, but the reward is amazing! We harvest, we store, we eat. The blessing is greater and we are happier.

I believe when we slow down and see the world around us, nature working and us taking our part, God will speak to us, and we will respond with thankfulness and joy. He will grow our character as he grows his world!

I know this is a very controversial subject, and my own household isn't ready to give up those special treats like chocolate and bananas, but I can't help thinking that hard times are coming our way and we might have to live seasonally anyway. Let me know your thoughts and what your view on food is.

Rainy day thoughts

Spring is here. It has rained the last two days. The world is wet and brimming with life. Our apple blossoms are ready to burst open, the peas are growing great guns, and bird songs fill the air. The hill behind our house is shrouded in a heavy mist. The leaves are bringing their color to the landscape. There is an eerie, peaceful sort of feeling that comes from looking at the mist. It reminds me of "Much Afraid" as she is climbing the mountain. She is nearing her journey's end. Like "Much Afraid" I too am on a journey. I want to be shrouded by the mist of God. Not to act like a Christian, but be one. Letting Jesus live through me, obeying His spirit, listening for that still small voice and acting upon what I hear.

The battle for our lives seems to be raging hotter as we seek to obey the Lord and forsake our own agenda. The misty hill brings a sense of calm, coolness, refreshing. Sleepless nights, financial stress, and growing children stretch us, weaken us. Yet God is pleased, for we are where we are supposed to be- in our weakest state. Through our weakness He is made strong. When we run to Him and give Him our weakness he is whispering "Yes, this is what I have meant for you to do all along. Let me live through you." Why is it we think being a Christian makes our life easy? That if we manage our lives properly everything will turn out okay? "If I could just get enough sleep I would be cheerful" or "when I have enough money I will give". This is the way we think, but not what God thinks. He says "let me turn this impossible situation into something beautiful and let me work through you. Would you be my broken vessel?" The Lord will use anything to draw us to Himself. When we see the Lord work through our weakness, when we know it was not our own doing, but His alone, then there is a refreshing of the spirit, a joy that lifts the heavy heart. We have been emptied and Christ is living through us. That is what being a Christian is all about, our hearts desiring to live for Him, to be like Him. To let Him live through us.

Through trials, the Lord is opening our eyes to give thanks in ALL things. Though we do not often see the purpose or plan of God, we know what He has said to us, and we know that He is good. Nothing is wasted with God! Let our eyes continually be opened to the work He is doing in us and around us.

What will be, will be

Spring has come and we are so... busy! Some happenings around the Powers' house are:

Dirt successfully brought to the back yard. Our rake broke, so we are sill smoothing and not quite ready for grass yet.

One of our hens is sitting on about 18 eggs. Her nest has so much down on it.

I can't wait for the little ones!

 We have continued to plant and dig and dig some more. Here are some of our "guilds".

 We are creating a self sustaining habitat around our trees.

Different kinds of plants are added that perform different functions.

I have been cleaning and organizing up a storm. It feels good!

Here are a few of the wonderful books I am reading right now.

Can I just say how wonderful "Large Family Logistics" is! It would be a wonderful read for any mother, or mother to be. I would go as far to say for anyone who wants to run their household efficiently.  I was so encouraged by this book written by a mother with 9 children and who has a solid biblical perspective on what that means.

"Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" lets just say there will be a post in the future about how that book is changing the way I think about food! A real joy to read!

Last, but not least, is our new car!

Let me just say that this has been a.....trial....yes. Ugh. After seeking the Lord's guidance to buy this car we went ahead and bought what seemed the best choice for us.  



We are still getting it fixed(need I say more) . Our "new" car didn't come with all the wonderful expectations we thought it would.

Somehow it seemed more magnified because of our previous year long car trial(that is still in limbo).

At the end of it all, we still praise God and thank Him for his provision, and we hope to enjoy our car for many years to come!

Dirt and Ducks

Jules and Emily, you have inspired me to make my blog a reflection of what is happening in life, not just tidbits of information. Thanks for sharing so intimately the happenings of your life!

What have we been up to? Well, allot :-)
Dirt, trees, ducks, life, life, life!

Soggy back yard.

Some new developments on the Powers estate (hehe). Two dump truck loads of dirt that are raising our soggy back yard. Seth has been working tirelessly to bring the dirt to our back yard from the front yard. Our very generous neighbor has let us use his tractor to do so(wow, what a blessing) We have trees coming this week and we have to have our dirt project mostly done... We feel so blessed to have been able to take this step to heal our land and get it done so early this Spring.

This is where 3 of our pear trees will go.

We have 3 new ducks. They are Muscovy ducks. They are going to be good mothers and raise their own ducklings. We plan to have a nice flock of ducks to use for meat and eggs this year. Muscovy ducks are wonderfully large meat birds and they are wonderful at foraging for their food. Our other ducks are Khaki Campbell ducks and they are good foragers too, but they are mostly for egg production as they are much smaller than the Muscovy. We were thankful to find a good deal on Craigslist, and they were not too far away either. Praise God for another provision this Spring!

Muscovy ducks.

Ducks enjoying the water.

Are your ducks in a row?

Poor ducks, they thought it was dinner time because I went to the pen :-)

Those are just a few of the busy things going on these days. God has been showing us so much from His word. I don't even know where to start, but He continually woos us to Himself and is showing us the delights of trusting in Him and allowing Him to change us from the inside out. I have been continually struck by the Pharisees in the gospels. (I am reading a chronological Bible, and I highly recommend trying one)They think they have it all together, that they are even doing things the best and right way, yet their hearts were so far from God. It has been my hearts cry to keep from being like that, to love God so much that He pours out and effects all of my life, not because of a bunch of rules, but because of love.

Raising children continues to be one of the hardest endeavours of my life. There is never a dull moment. If only there would be one once in a while ;-) Somebody is crying, or fussing, or needs something. Sacrifice and growth are the name of the game as God stretches me and teaches me about relationships mattering more than the externals and every day responsibilities of cooking and cleaning. My task oriented nature says, torture, but it is so rewarding to have a sweet smile or a hug from one of my children because I spent time with them. They love it, and what good have I done if I loose their souls and gain the world. I have been so blessed by these two little people, I couldn't imagine life without them. Their personalities already shine so brightly. God has good things for them, and I hope to be a part of that!

Speaking of kids.. I guess they need some dinner :-) A woman's work it never done they say. Humn, I think it's true :-)

DIY canvas print

I had a lot of fun making this simple distressed canvas print for my living room.

Here's how:
8x10 artists canvas or larger if you have the printing capability
http://graphicsfairy.blogspot.com/ This website to find your print
Figure out your printing options and size it properly to your regular 8x10 printing paper
I then water colored my prints. You could skip this step and get a different look.
Then make a paste of flour and water(not too thick or too thin)
Use a medium size paint brush and coat the canvas, then lay your dried print onto the sticky surface. There might be some creasing(I thought it added character)
Then do a coat of the flour/water mixture on the top and edges till it seems really well adhered.
The flour will mute your picture and give it more texture, if you were looking for a cleaner look, modge podge could be used.
When it is damp rip the edges off to create a greater distressed look.
While drying take some plain black tea bags and put a little warm/hot water on them.
Dab/rub/paint on your canvas, this will give it that lovely old look.
Completely dry and then hang on the wall!
I seriously did 6 of these in an evening. The possibilities are endless!

Back to eden film

What a neat video to watch about gardening. 
http://backtoedenfilm.com/
I love this man's enthusiasm for God.
There is nothing like working outside and being close to the Lord.

How to make cream cheese

How to make cream cheese

I recently made my own cream cheese! You will not believe how easy this is.

Take a medium size bowl

A flour sack type cloth or cheese cloth(a couple layers thick)

Lay the cloth over the bowl and then pour at least a pint of yogurt in it.

Collect the edges and tie a rubber band around it several times to keep it closed.

Here comes the fun part :-) Now hang your little bundle by the rubber band on one of your cabinet hinges or knobs over the bowl. The whey will start to drip out.

Let your yogurt continue to drip until it drips no longer(usually a couple of hours).

Then take down your bundle and open it up. You have cream cheese! If you want, add a little finely ground sea salt and put in a sealed container in the fridge. Super creamy and delicious!

Save your whey- it is so nutritious for you, and you could try your hand at some lacto-fermented veggies :-)

Wheat Belly: Lose the Wheat, Lose the Weight, and Find Your Path Back to Health by William Davis

This is a great book. This will awaken your brain to the nitty gritty details about our food(primarily wheat). Unfortunately in this day and age we have to investigate everything. Science is revealing shocking results about how our food is effecting us. It is time to rethink the American diet and embrace food that nourishes and protects our bodies.

New bread recipe

I love this new bread recipe for several reasons. It has simple ingredients, is no knead,and only takes one rise!

There are several variations to this recipe- both result with good bread for slicing.

If you are using pre- ground flour heat oven to 250 degrees
When oven is heated put your 5 cups of flour* in to warm for 20 mins
I have found when grinding my own grain this step is not necessary,
for the flour comes out warm from the grinder.

Now preheat oven to 400 degrees

Seperately mix 4tsp yeast w/ 2/3 cup of warm water and 2 tsp of honey

After flour is warmed and yeast is proofed,
mix the 2/3 cup of water/yeast mixture with 1 1/3 cup of warm milk
(I have had good results just using water)
add 3 T molasses(sweet)
2 tsp of salt
1/3 cup of ground flax seed
1 cup of oats(optional)

Greese 9x5 loaf pan and one mini loaf or use a larger pan than stated.
I don't fill my dishes anymore than 3/4 full.
I successfully made rolls in muffin tins and used the same ratio of filling the tins.

Smooth top of dough with a spoon and let rise till close to the top.

Bake in 400 degree oven for 35-40 mins.
The orginal recipe does call for 25-30 mins,so I would check it then.


Our bread does not quite last a week, it will either go moldy if it was slightly undercooked, or get very dry if slightly overcooked.


*Recipe calls for 5 cups whole wheat flour
One variation that I have found that works is to:
grind 1 cup of millet 1 cup of rice(long grain brown rice) 2 cups of wheat
That yeilds enough flour to make the bread.

natural souces of calcium

Green leafy vegetables
Beans- navy, white, and garbanzo
Oatmeal
Sesame seeds with hull on
Sardines/mackerel
Yogurt
Blackstrap molasses
Goats/cows milk unpasteurized or homogenized
Chia seeds
Red raspberry leaves(taken by capsule or tea)
Rich bone broths from healthy animals
Egg shells dissolved in apple cider vinegar
Kelp
Healthy raised eggs
Nuts(excluding peanuts)
Dandelion(greens eaten, or tea)
Herbs in general

The beauty of getting your calcium naturally is that

your body is getting the supporting minerals and vitamins it needs

to assimilate calcium.

Recent studies are showing supplements are more harmful than helpful. Bone
loss and bone spurs are becoming more common despite the suggested use

of supplements and increased dairy intake.

Another avenue to consider is foods that strip calcium from the bones,

which would be highly processed foods, sugar, and the like.

Lime and Curry Chicken

Seth loved this the other night and I liked it too!

Servings: 3-4 adults
Time: about 30 mins

1 very large red onion chopped into chunks
1/4 cup of butter for sauteing
1 cup of frozen french cut green beans.
1 1/2 cups of cubed chicken
1 1/2 tsp curry powder
2 tsp of cilantro or parsley (fresh or dried)
salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup of fresh lime juice (one whole lime)

Start sauteing onion in butter. When onions are close to being done add green beans. Then after a few minutes add chicken. When chicken is just about done add curry powder and other seasonings. When it is done add the lime juice and stir together.
Serve over hot rice.

Sunscreen

This year I was determined to find a healthy but effective sunscreen.
My choice: Badger Sunscreen for Face and Body, SPF 30 Lightly Scented
It isn't the cheapest thing out there, but I think the benefits outweigh the price.
The EWG rated it a 1. I love being able to see the ingredients and know what they mean.
http://www.ewg.org/2010sunscreen/finding-the-best-sunscreens/320521/Badger-Sunscreen-for-Face-and-Body-SPF--Lightly-Scented/

Here's to a safe and chemical free summer!

E-cloth

I have E-cloth finally! Ever since my mom used E-cloth on my windows I have wanted to get some. Well, they perform as well as they boast. Here are some facts that might make you interested in buying E-cloth.

You only need water
Removes dirt and grease
They are washable and dryable
The process is a time saver

These little cloths are made of tiny fibers that are 1/1oo smaller than a human hair. This ensures the removal of everything on your windows, even germs. Wash or spray with water and wipe clean with the glass and polishing cloth- streak free and perfect!
What a great idea to reduce waste and reduce the use of chemicals in our homes.