2nd Sunday of Lent - service to others(we got the help), sewing and dinner...oh and what is on the bookshelf this week.

Last week was extremely rough and I am happy to begin a whole new week!

The kitchen remodel and lighting is still coming along. That's the thing about homesteading, you do things when you can. This is where it was this morning. 

Dude began trimming all the frame.  We left some of it to build a shelf. 

His son drove the almost two hour trip to help us with the lighting. It was so wonderful to get the help. Dude says he wouldn't have been able to do all the options that were done without him. We are lucky, one son is a plumber and  another is an electrician. All six of the kids are extremely talented...

Even our granddaughter jumped in and began to work putting in the cans for the lighting. 

What a difference!  It is sure nice to have light in the kitchen.  They are adjusted by two switches. One can go on alone, or six or all of them at once.  I love it!

I knew there would be no chance to get dinner ready and the kitchen would be a mess. So I put roast beef in the crockpot in another room this morning with this  phenomenal recipe! So easy and actually good. I don't usually like beef because I don't like the way it tastes.  This was awesome. 

My granddaughter did get time to ride the horse.  So, keeping tally, she helped put in the lighting, she rode the horse for a good while and she made a wall hanging from start to finish in one day. 

Tracing the pattern onto applique paper. 

I started one too. 

I introduced her to musicals while we sew! Plus Fiddler on the Roof is a good Lenten movie. Check out how many times there is prayer in the movie then think about how many times a day you pray. (I am severely lacking!) Or how do you treat others who may not be like you?

It definitely helps the time fly by. 

Working hard. 

....and Wa-la!  Finished.

 Books for reading during Lent.  A little of everything but not near all the books we have to study our faith. 

A few of the books we have been referencing this week for the homestead.  Soon they will be swapped out with other we have, probably about gardening.

OH and Norman ended up in the ER for animals. Seems he ate twine and hay he found out by the barn.  All is well though... $250 later but it is always well worth the peace of mind. 

Something about Norman... he LOVES the vet and at eight months he is now 60 pounds.

Back to Normal Norman (as wacky as ever)

peace

Fun with old books, Valentine project day 11, kitchen bar and dinner

A friend of mine brought in an old cooking book from the early 1940's.  It was so much fun to browse through and look up a few recipes.

Today, I move a clever little dresser to the kitchen to set up a coffee bar and free up room on the kitchen counters.  I like it. 

Day 11 for Valentine projects.  This one is for bird lovers. I saw this idea on Graphic Fairy and just elaborated on it. I know someone who likes to watch birds and may like to have this gift. It is a canning jar filled with bird seed and decorated with a bird from the Dollar Store. 

Pork Shoulder was for dinner. I rubbed all sides with Pink Himalaya Salt, pepper, and rosemary I grew last year. In a Dutch Oven I browned all sides with a tablespoon of oil. 

Popped it in a heated 400* oven for 20 mins. Then lowered to 300* and headed for mass. 

Two hours later we had this beauty.  This was from a pig we traded for two milk goats. 

Dinner was all homegrown except the potatoes. Pork, pickled beans, green beans and potatoes. 

Tender and perfect. 

It is suppose to snow tonight and lightly in the morning. It has been so extremely warm (we broke a record yesterday at 80* and grass fires are sprouting up due to a flicked cigarette in the dry grasslands. Snow will be welcome relief. 

peace