Making yogurt in a crock pot

Happy Anniversary Jeff

Today is our wedding anniversary. I am so happy to be married to Jeff. I hope we have loads more years together.

One of my goals this year is to make as much of our bread as I can. I am interested to find out how much flour and yeast this will entail for a years worth of bread. I make pretty good bread but its not outstanding. Maybe if I made it all the time I would get really good at it. We will see.

This morning Jeff made oatmeal for breakfast and flushed the black and gray tanks. He has to flush the tanks about twice a week. I am so thankful that he does that for us.

He is also doing the laundry. Upon further discussion we are not absolutely sure we will be able to move the washer because of where water and electricity is located by our rv. We will have to wait and see if it works out. If it doesn't work out I will just have to start hauling hot water to the washer. Ick

Monday I want to make a batch of grape jelly. My family sure loves grape jelly and we go through it quite fast. I am sure its cheaper to make it than to buy it so I will have to start making that more often as well as bread.

Its a beautiful day once again and we have the door open to the fresh air. People told me I would like the winters here and now I know why they said that.

On a sad note: This week two saints have gone home to be with Jesus. I guess its only sad for us and a great joy to them. On Wednesday one of Joy's bible college professors finished his fight against cancer and went home and then on Thursday a dear friend from the Hardesty church went home after a long and fulfilling life. I will sure miss brother Buford. He had the most beautiful blue eyes I have ever seen. I know his family will be in deep pain and I pray that God will ease their hearts. Life rushes on doesn't it?

Joy and Mollie are sure liking their jobs. The only problem is, is that there are not enough trustworthy workers and so they end up working quite a lot. The boss is great but she can only work so much too. I guess I didn't realize how few people there are out there who know how to work and can be trusted. I praise God that he led us to raise our girls to be workers and to be honest. Now if Hannah could find a job that is very part time she could earn some money. With her being 15 its harder for her to find work. She doesn't turn 16 until August.

Oh it looks like my bread dough is ready to be punched down and formed into loaves so I better get to it. Have a great day.

Make a pot holder in minutes

Pillowcase Tutorial

Amount of fabric needed for project.
For a standard size pillow case you need:
27 in. of the main fabric (King size use : 36 in.)
9 in. of border fabric
3 in. accent piece

Moving the washer

After writing about washing in cold water and Yolanda's comment and Jeff and I talking, we decided to move the location of our washer. Right now its beside the girls camper and their camper dosent have an outdoor shower but ours does. We talked about it and decided to move the washer to the side of our camper so we can just use the hose from that to get hot water. We will have to walk about 10 more feet to get to the clothes line but it will be worth it.

Sometimes it just takes me a long time to figure out simple things.

It was a beautiful 74 degrees out today and even at 6pm I have the door and window open and the fan blowing in fresh air. I love living in this warmer climate, now if I can just get the planting thing figured out.

Today I was able to sew two feed sack tote bags and make a new apron for myself. I got the fabric on clearance so the apron cost me $1.22. I also made myself a pattern for my aprons so that each time I want to make a new one I can now use the paper pattern instead of using my old apron for a pattern. I am moving on up baby, newspaper pattern, hot water to wash clothes and all.

One of the girls said except for the clothes I am practically Amish. They are so silly.

Tomorrow is our anniversary. Jeff wants to go to Victoria to look for new shoes for him. He likes Roper shoes. They seem to fit him the best so once or twice a year we get him a pair and he hasn't had a new pair for almost a year so he is due for one.

We also got a gift card that we are going to spend on a meal at a restaurant. Maybe Olive Garden.

May your weekend be full and fun and may God bless you and your family.

Counterfit Christianity

Decanting Vanilla

Its been a good and busy morning for me.

I got a load of laundry washed and hung.

One feed sack tote bag made.

I was also able to decant the vanilla that I made about a year and a half ago. I have decanted some before but today I decanted all that was left. I got 4 large glass lemonade bottles from what was left. Today I will go buy some more vodka so I can use the vanilla beans one more time. If I don't think it is working as good as I want it to I do have more vanilla I can use. If these beans are not good enough to use to make vanilla again I will dry them and make vanilla sugar. That stuff is really good in tea and I am not a sweet tea drinker but I do like vanilla sugar in my tea.

Since I was all our clothes outside using only cold water the whites look pretty bad. They are gray and yellow, ick. Today I put a few white (or used to be white) items in a big pot and put it on to boil with vinegar and dawn dish soap. I am going to let this soak overnight and wash them tomorrow and see if it helped any.

Do you have any hints for getting whites back to at least them a little more white?

Start seeds with Jell=O

Hello Jell-O Seed Starter

To get flower and vegetable seeds off to a disease-free start, try a sweet approach.

Sprinkle the seeds with Jell-O powder. You can also feed young plants with Jell-O

as they grow.

Peat pots

Potting soil

Seeds

1 package of Jell-O powder,

any flavor with sugar

Powdered skim milk, in amount

equal to Jell-O (optional)

Saltshaker or other sprinkling device

Newspaper

1. Fill the peat pots with potting soil, and

place two seeds in each pot.

2. Fill the saltshaker with the Jell-O powder

(and powdered skim milk, if desired, for extra calcium), and sprinkle

lightly on top. Gently press down the powder, and cover lightly with soil.

3. Moisten the soil, and cover it with damp newspaper.

4. After 4 days, remove the newspaper, and keep the seeds in a warm area with

temperatures of 55° to 65°F.

source: http://forums.about.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?tsn=1&nav=messages&webtag=ab-gardening&tid=9540&nl=1

I object

Give me Jesus

Concealed carry permits~Read This~

Carry Permits! - ! IMPORTANT! . . . . .
I didn't have this happen, but then I wasn't at a VA doctor's office. I did run into a little of this when I had to visit a doctor other than my regular doctor when my doctor was on vacation. One of the questions on the form I had to fill out was:
... Do you have any guns in your house?? My answer was "None of your damn business!!" So it is out there! It is either an insurance issue or government intervention. Either way, it is out there and the second the government gets into your medical records (as they
want you under Obamacare) it will become a major issue and will ultimately result in lock and load!!

Please pass this on to all the other retired guys and gun owners...Thanks

I had a doctor's appointment at the local VA clinic yesterday and found out something very interesting that I would like to pass along.
While going through triage before seeing the doctor, I was asked at the end of the exam, three questions:

1. Did I feel stressed?

2. Did I feel threatened?

3. Did I feel like doing harm to someone?

The nurse then informed me, that if I had answered yes to any of the questions, I would have lost my concealed carry permit as it would have gone into my medical records and the VA would have reported it to Homeland Security.

It looks like they are going after the vets first. Other gun people like retired law enforcement will probably be next. Then when they go after the civilians, what argument will they have?

Be forewarned and be aware!!!!!

The Obama administration has gone on record as considering veterans and gun owner's potential terrorists.

Whether you are a gun owner veteran or not, YOU'VE BEEN WARNED!

If you know veterans and gun owners, please pass this on to them. Be very cautious about what you say and to whom.

Homemade Anitbacterial Cleaner

In a lab test, 14 oils were evaluated against Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Streptococcus pyogenes and Staphylococcus aureus. For most essential oils examined, H. influenzae was most susceptible, followed by S. pneumoniae and S. pyogenes, and then S. aureus. Penicillin-susceptible and -resistant S. pneumoniae were comparable in susceptibility. Escherichia coli, which was used as a control, showed least susceptibility. (source: http://jac.oxfordjournals.org/content/47/5/565.full)

Anti-bacterial:


Cinnamon
Lemongrass
Perilla
Wild Thyme
Red Thyme
Geraniol Thyme
Peppermint
Tea Tree
Spike Lavender
True Lavender
Rosemary
Eucalyptus
Citron
Anti-fungal:
Lavender
Tea hierarchy
Myrrh
Anti-microbial:
Lemongrass
Oregano
Thyme
Vetiver

Homemade AntiBac Cleaner

You will need:
a clean spray bottle
essential oils of choice (I use at least 2, usually lavender and eucalyptus or lemongrass)
1 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup hydrogen peroxide 3%
10-20 drops essential oils
water to fill your bottle

source: http://homesteadinintheburbs.blogspot.com/2012/01/homemade-anitbacterial-cleaner.html

Friends

Good Kimchi making video

missionary update

From: "Brenda Lange"
Date: January 1, 2012 9:16:30 AM CST
Subject: Blog, Jan. 1, 2012

First, I want to say that ALL OF YOU are very precious to me, or staff, and to our children.
We pray for all of you to have a blessed and prosperous 2012.
Your love gifts this year allowed our pastors to lead over 252 people to Christ and to rescue over 175 malnourished orphans.

Testimony of what your Love Gifts did this week:
Last week a young man, Estifon, used the last of his strength to walk to our Rovuma Church.
He told Carlitos, the Youth Pastor, that he heard people talking about a man named “Jesus” who healed sick people.
He knew he was near death, and wanted to know if Jesus would heal him.
Carlitos explained who Jesus is, and prayed with him to receive Jesus as his Savior and then for healing.
Carlitos then called to say he was bringing a young man to me who had no blood.
Estifon was badly malnourished and so weak from anemia that Carlitos had to tie the young man to him on the motorbike to keep him from falling off!
I explained to Carlitos the danger this was to both of them, but his heart was in the right place and the angels kept them safe, as his only concern was for this man’s safety over his own.
We fixed him up with prayer, vitamins, a high protein diet of beans and canned fish, as well as treatment for intestinal worms.
Yesterday, this young man’s mother told Carlitos that after 5 days her son is like a “new man”.
There is no way our earthly food caused such a fast recovery. (normally takes 30 days for reverse anemia with diet)
This young man’s faith in Jesus sparked the release of Jesus’ healing power giving him NEW LIFE.
2000 years ago a woman with an issue of blood received her healing when she reached and touched Jesus’ robe.
This young man “reached out in faith” and found out Jesus still heals the same today as He did then.

God gave me the heart of a rescuer when I was born.
Then God gave me the desire of my heart, by allowing me to rescue and evangelize orphans in Mozambique.
It’s my favorite thing to do!
The Lord Jesus and I thank you for your faithfulness as many of you have walked with me through the entire Twenty one years I’ve been in Africa.

Billy Graham once said exactly what I’m feeling now:

“There is no better place to be, than in the “WILL OF GOD”, unless it is “IN HIS PRESENCE”.

Many of you know what God has called you to do, and you are doing it.
For those who are uncertain, you just need to ask, and then listen for His instructions.
He’ll show you His plan for your life, and if you chose to follow it, you’ll find true happiness.

Each of you is a “rescuer” when you bless our children with your prayers and love gifts.
THANK YOU to all of you who helped us save lives in 2011!
FYI: For those who gave specifically to our Wish List :
1. 5 goats and 12 ducks will join our family in 2012 and
2. $14,410 has been donated towards the $25,000 needed for the 5 children’s houses. (construction starts in April)

TOGETHER, WE ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN 1000’S OF LIVES IN NORTHERN MOZAMBIQUE.
THANK YOU for sharing your love with our children in 2011.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!
BBB AND THE BALAMA STAFF

LOVE GIFTS TO:
ORPHANS UNLIMITED, INC.
11152 WESTHEIMER RD., PMB 391
HOUSTON, TX 77042

LOVE GIFT TO: ORPHANS UNLIMITED in RSA
Standard Bank-Hatfield
(branch code) 011-54515
Name: Orphans Unlimited
Acct. # 017743036

PERSONAL NOTES TO BRENDA
brenda@orphansunlimited.org
ALL OTHER INQUIRIES:
LINDA FERGUSON
linda@orphansunlimited.org
phone: 979-234-3422 or 713-854-9197
Brenda’s Blog is Posted at:
www.orphansunlimited.org/blog
or SUBSCRIBE to receive the blog by e-mail.