My most recent First Friday Freebie went to a familiar face! Let’s take a look at the winner –
Donna
from Bunceton, Missouri!
Donna has won once before and her name popped up again this time when Smuffy did his duty, following my instructions to and “picked a card – any card”.
Congratulations, Donna! I hope you enjoy your “Love Deeply” word art plaque from Hobby Lobby, not just as Valentine décor, but all year round!
Here’s
another view of Donna’s gift.
If you’d like to see the original freebie offer, click here.
A freebie offer appears the first Friday of every month. Check out the freebie page to see what people have been winning here at Midwest Storyteller.
Subscribe now and you’ll be notified via email
of March’s drawing. You never know what
it might be.
The
next First Friday Freebie drawing will be on Friday, March 1, 2019 and only
SUBSCRIBERS can win!
A
winner will be chosen at random from those subscribers who enter before
midnight on the day of the drawing by leaving a comment as instructed in
the post. See the recently revised rules
below.
And now, here are the Freebie Rules.
These
four simple steps will have you ready to enter to win on March 1st.
“Share”,
“like” and “pin” this post! You’re friends will want to enter to win,
too!
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I find that books are like potato chips – you can’t seem to stop with just one. I feel the same way about their authors. If you’re longing to add spice to life, ask someone where the writers meet! Not every chip in the bag will suit your taste, but you’ll definitely experience a variety of flavors. I’ve savored every moment I’ve spent with author Diane Yates.
I met Diane through a series of coincidences. I believe that’s what I’ve heard it called when God chooses to remain anonymous. Smuffy happened to do some work for a friend of mine whom I hadn’t seen in years and happened to mention that I’d been writing a novel and my friend happened to mention that she had a writer friend who might be able to provide me with some good resources when it came time to publish and that friend just happened to be Diane Yates, author of “Pathways of the Heart”.
Diane’s
name didn’t ring a bell, but the captivating book title somehow did. I suppose it had already been calling to me
from bookstore shelves. Let me introduce
you to both of them.
Gracious to her core, Diane took me under her wing, listening to my ramblings and assuring me that my story was worthy of being told. Honest as well, she told me I needed to edit, edit, edit and polish, polish, polish. Little did I know what that entailed when she said it. She’s helped me more than I can express and I am grateful for it. I went home from our first meeting with a copy of her book.
“Pathways
of the Heart” is the story of Diane’s mother, Clella. For all of us, life takes twists and turns,
leading us at times into pleasant places and at others into frightening
scenarios from which we long to escape or worse – a never-ending drudgery that
leaves us feeling that it’s all for nothing.
Cella’s
story is a memoir written as a novel and it couldn’t be more real or, shall we
say, just plain human. It’s as frustrating as it is touching with
its genuine love story that keeps you hoping for the best and fearing the worst
as you walk through life with this strong-willed woman in a time when women
weren’t supposed to be.
Although
there were ways that Clella’s story didn’t mirror my own mother’s story at all, there were certain strong similarities,
including the time frame and general locale, that had me rooting for her,
nudging her forward and shedding a tear for her as if she’d been my own mom,
making it an emotional read.
I
appreciated the way in which Diane related the story just as it was, piecing
her own experiences together with accounts shared by her parents and other
family members.
The
common thread of “Pathways of the Heart” speaks to all of us that we all have hopes and dreams, we all fall far short of the ideal, we are all disappointed by those we love most
and by ourselves and we all must find
our way back to the right path.
Diane’s
careful, yet candid, re-telling of real people making real mistakes is done in
a way that makes “Pathways of the Heart” something that you can share with your
teens without concern that it might be too graphic.
All in
all, this story of a woman and her family, beginning in the Ozark hills of the
1920’s and leading you through the Great Depression, love, betrayal and on into
new locations, joys, desperation and relationships, left me wanting to know
more.
Diane is happy to oblige with the sequel, “All That Matters”, a book that takes us on a journey through the remainder of Clella’s life.
And
now, a little about Clella’s daughter, Diane:
Diane Yates is a
published author who lives in Fayette, Missouri with her husband, Rick, of
forty-seven years. She has three children and eight grandchildren.
Her first published works, “Pathways of the Heart” and its sequel, “All
That Matters” are published by W&B Publishers. Both these memoirs
serve as tributes to her mother and touch the reader with the joys, struggles,
heartbreaks and new beginnings. You can look forward to Diane’s upcoming
works of fiction. “Melissa’s Fate” is now being considered for publication
while she continues work on “My Brother’s Eyes”.
Diane is semi-retired from a career in medical clinic practice management and is a past president of Ozarks Writers League. She is an active member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Ozarks Writers League, Columbia Writers Guild, Boonslick Creative Writers, and Clean Fiction Writers.
I asked Diane several questions so we could get to know her better.
Barb: Many things compel us as authors to write. Why do you write, Diane?
Diane: My answer to this question remains consistent no matter how many times I answer it. I write to be read. I want my readers to laugh, cry, and rally for my heroes and heroines, and when they read the words “The End” and close the cover, nothing would please me more than if the book they’d finished would inspire them to be an even better person.
Barb: Did you write stories or create characters as a child? When and how did you begin?
Diane:From the sixth grade, I wrote stories and skits that we acted out in school and the neighborhood.
Barb: Do you believe that, for you, writing is a gift or a calling? What is your source of inspiration?
Diane:Writing is both a gift and a calling for me. I pray about my work and God uses various avenues to inspire me.
Barb: Do you have other creative outlets besides writing?
Diane:I don’t draw or paint or sew. I have done crafty things, but I wouldn’t call them talented!
Barb: Do you remember the first thing you wrote “just for fun”?
Diane:In the second grade I wrote a story about my big brother. I drew a picture of him flexing his bicep, showing me how strong he was.
Barb: Why did you decide to write Clella’s story as a memoir and not fiction?
Diane: “Pathways of the Heart” is a tribute to an amazing woman, and it needed to be accurate with real names of family members. This story takes place about twelve miles from the home of an elderly Laura Ingalls Wilder where she read her stories to my siblings.
Barb: Most of this story takes place before you were born. Do you feel like you were able to tell it factually?
Diane: My mother and siblings told me all these stories over and over. They were corroborated by my aunts, uncles, and cousins. Other facts and details were verified by county records and historical societies.
Barb: How did you fairly examine both of the main characters without apparent judgment?
Diane:Mine is not to judge Kenneth or Clella. It’s easy to walk down the aisle and say “I do.” But then, life happens, and in their case, that life included the Great Depression. Their relationship is the picture of what can happen as a result of neglect. Marriage takes work. Don’t let the love you found slip away in the hustle and weariness of everyday life.
Barb: Clella’s story covers a whole lifetime! How did you choose what details to put in and what to leave out?
Diane: I didn’t exactly outline, but I did make a list of all the stories I felt needed to be included; the adventures, mishaps, tragedies, and heart-wrenching events that were pivotal to the pathways they chose.
Barb: “All That Matters” is the continuing story. Why was it not part of the first book?
Diane: I only ever intended to write Clella’s story from 1928 through 1957, which is the time era at the end of Pathways. After it released, I started hearing from readers that they wanted to know the rest of the story. I prayed and eventually decided to write “All That Matters”, which continues Clella’s story as well as my own. Both books span an era of almost a hundred years and are a testament to the strength, courage, and character of the people whose lives touched one another.
Barb: I know as soon as I closed the last page on “Pathways…”, my first thought was, “and then what happened?” How is the sequel different and how is it the same as the first?
Diane: The first book is a little bit of Little House on the Prairie meets The Bridges of Madison County. Clella’s true grit and resourcefulness help her provide for her family during difficult times. She struggles to remain faithful after being abandoned by her husband, but a chance meeting with a younger man complicates her life in ways she never imagined. It is a book of choices and speaks to the importance of marriage and family. “All That Matters” is a book about consequences. It begins amid the craze of Rock’ n’ Roll and travels through many destinations and problematic events. We all have things that are important to us, but in the end, these characters must examine the reality of what really matters.
Barb: Since then, you’ve written a novel. Tease us with the plot!
Diane:My first two books are memoir, but my passion is fiction. “Melissa’s Fate: The Untold Story” is my third work and is currently being considered for publication. When Beth, an accounting assistant, discovers that Phil Davis is actually Phil Drake, the president of the company where she works, and he is in love with someone else, she flees New York City without telling anyone she’s pregnant. Two years later, she must return and recruit his help to rescue their little girl whom she had placed for adoption. Sparks fly as Phil will not forgive Beth, but he’ll do anything to save his little girl. They must both put aside their own feelings and marry in order to win custody of Melissa. Danger lurks as they fight each other, the difference between their two worlds, and a love long denied. While Beth knows that success and wealth are measured by more than material things and money, Phil is learning that he can’t always be in control despite his position and wealth. New York City and rural Connecticut are the setting of this story. My husband and I flew into LaGuardia and visited New York before driving on to Connecticut and the covered bridge at West Cornwall. I couldn’t have picked a more idyllic setting for this book.
Barb: I love the story line! Tell us about your current work-in-progress.
Diane: I’m working on “My Brother’s Eyes”, which is set in the Minnesota Territory in the middle of the nineteenth century. Maggie and her father nurse back to health a wounded Indian brave they found in the field. Only after Maggie falls in love with the Indian brave, Nahkeetah, does she realize that their relationship is plagued by more than cultural differences. It is surrounded by danger and evil. Maggie’s father is the country doctor; Nahkeetah’s father is the chief of the Chippewa tribe. Nahkeetah is next in line to be chief. Can their love survive the prejudice of his people and a hatred that boils beneath the surface?
Barb: Ooh! Love versus hate – now that’s drama! I can tell you keep busy. Are your family/friends supportive of your writing and do they ever fear being “put in a book”?
Diane:I’ve already put my family and friends in my books! I love all of them. My husband’s support and encouragement are endless and a tremendous blessing to me.
Barb: Have you ever found yourself falling in love with or being frightened/shocked/surprised by a character you’ve created?
Diane:I love my protagonists – all of them! They are each different. Beth from “Melissa’s Fate” is down-to-earth, loves a simpler way of life, despises money and those that are driven by it, including Phil, the man she inadvertently falls in love with. Maggie, in “My Brother’s Eyes”, is gutsy, smart, willing to take on difficult tasks and face odds that are seemingly unsurpassable in the Minnesota Territory of 1857. She must fight like crazy to overcome the hate that is in her native brother’s eyes, but she will prevail because of the love she has for the son of a Chippewa tribal chief. But, the character I love most of all is my first character ever – my mother, Clella, in “Pathways of the Heart” and “All That Matters”. None of us are perfect, but in real life she was a picture to me of the Proverbs 31 woman. Also, it surprised me that when I wrote about the men in her life, Kenneth and Francis, I was able to empathize and see things from their perspective, which of course was what needed to happen.
Barb: What would you say to someone who wants to write, but either doesn’t know where to start or perhaps thinks no one would want to read what they’ve written?
Diane: It’s rare that a writer knows where to start. You just have to start. You can go back later and rearrange or revise the writing. Some people write and don’t want anyone to read it. I write to be read. Will others want to read what you write? There’s no way to know until you first write it, so get started!
Barb: So, a person says, “OK, I’ve written it – now what?” What are the first steps they should take if they want to be published?
Diane:Take your writing seriously. Join with other writers in groups to get connected and network. Let your manuscript rest and then go back and edit, edit, edit. Then, consider hiring a professional editor. It’s money well spent.
Barb: Have you ever dealt with rejection or delays with publishers and how do you handle it (or how have you learned to handle it)?
Diane:So, after all the edits, you’re ready to submit to agents or publishers. Prepare yourself for rejections. You will get them, lots of them. Everyone does. There are many reasons why your writing might be rejected and it may not mean that your writing is bad. You may have submitted to an agent that doesn’t represent the type of story you’ve written. If you’ve written a romance and that agent is having more success with mysteries, then the agent might not choose your romance at that time. Remember, publishing is about business and money; what is selling, what is not, the current trends, etc.
Barb: How do you connect with other writers? How vital is that? Would you recommend beginners join writers groups and/or attend writing conferences? Give the wannabes your best advice!
Diane:Yes, yes, yes! It is extremely vital. Whatever stage your writing is at, there is always something else to learn. Writers groups and attending conferences are a necessity, not only for education but for networking, and opportunities to meet industry professionals like literary agents and publishing editors.
Barb: You’re talking about literary agents and publishing editors. These are the people writers have to face in order to “pitch” or promote the idea of their book for publication. For most people, the very idea brings them closer to pitching their lunch than their book! Give us a glimpse of what that was like for you when you started out.
Diane:I remember the first time I pitched to an agent. He was from the William Morris Agency in New York and was the agent for a published author in a writers’ group I had joined. I was so nervous I couldn’t complete a coherent sentence! Heat rose in my face and my palms were sweating. What saved me was he had asked for ten manuscript pages to be sent to him before he arrived. According to the published author, when the agent got off the plane, he had my pages in his hand. “I want to meet this lady,” he told him. So, after my interview and me fumbling my words, he asked for my complete manuscript and told me what he liked was that I hooked him from the first paragraph.
The
second time I pitched a manuscript. I was at a writers’ conference and I had
several appointments to pitch to literary agents and publishers. I had heard
that I needed to be able to explain my book in one to two short paragraphs,
called an elevator pitch. That’s easier said than done! I hadn’t been able to
figure them out. My first appointment time arrived and I met with a publisher.
I couldn’t talk, couldn’t complete a coherent sentence, but I tried to explain
my book. My palms were sweating and my heart was pounding. He didn’t seem
interested, so I finished with, “but, it’s a really good book!” I think he felt
so sorry for me because he gave me his card and asked for the first three
chapters. That was my only interview that night. I knew before I went into the
next one tomorrow, I needed to have my elevator pitch down. I went back to my
room by myself and worked until four in the morning. I finally gave up, prayed
and told God I was leaving it to him, and went to sleep. At six o’clock I awoke
with the words flooding into my mind. I knew I needed to get up and write those
words down right then. I did and the rest of my appointments went much better
with several requests for the manuscript.
Barb: Thanks so much for giving us a glimpse into your life and your books! How can readers contact you?
Diane:I love to hear from readers. My email is Diane@DianeYates.com. They can visit my website at www.DianeYates.com and go to the contact page. I, also, welcome readers to follow me on my social media sites:
I hope you enjoyed getting to know Diane and I hope that her thoughts and experiences inspire any of you who have a story burning within you that is waiting to be told.
To purchase books by Diane Yates, simply click “BUY NOW” on her website and you’ll be taken directly to Amazon. They are also available from Barnes & Noble here.
As winter lifts her white robes and moves around the
stage prior to her big exit, the audience here in the Midwest is waving the
back of its hand at her to shoo her behind the curtain and out the stage door
before they give way to applause.
Nevertheless, we cannot deny her beauty at times. She does put on some stunning performances to help us tolerate the bleak tragedies that seem to play out day after frozen, cold day.
When a heavy snow falls, creating an etching from the usual blur of the woods behind our house, we do have to stop and view it as a winter paradise.
Branches laden with heavy snow droop down to display their beauty right at eye level, begging us to take a few moments to notice that they’ve turned to lace.
I hate winter. My preference would be to have beautiful fall colors and jacket weather right up until dusk on Christmas Eve, at which time around two inches of snowfall would blanket the earth, bringing a respectful hush over all creation. Then, just to be fair, I’d allow it to do it’s thing right up until January 2nd and then we’d all go back to sunshine and jackets again.
Though we long for outdoor activities and that roasty-toasty feeling of the sun warming our backs as we bend over new growth in flower beds, our last round of snow reminded us that we will be waiting a little while for those joys.
It’s difficult for me to feel like I’m thriving in
winter. At times, it takes its
toll. There are only so many gray days I
can take in a row before a gloomy mood sets in.
Phoebe June’s antics keep me cheery, along with outings for lunch with
friends or Smuffy on decent days and a stack of giggle-inducing P. G. Wodehouse
books.
There have been winters that left me feeling like I’ve taken a hit – a bit like our big pine tree is feeling right now.
Like the tree, I suppose it might do me good to have some weak areas fall away to allow light and air enter and new growth to fill in the empty places when spring arrives.
Even now, as I conclude these observations, I realize what a terrific writer I must be, because if I can romanticize this awful stuff, I can romanticize anything! I’ve spent this afternoon writing, ignoring the fact that there is an ice storm warning going on out there!
Upon hearing Smuffy’s truck in the driveway just now, I left my lair to greet him. He entered the back door, telling me he’d just had a bit of excitement. He’d parked the truck at the top of our driveway’s hill in hopes of being able to leave for work in the morning and while moving the car out of range of an ice-laden tree limb that made him a little nervous, he heard a scrunching sound.
We’re blessed that he’d parked the truck with the wheels turned, because it missed the car, three trees and Smuffy as it slid all the way down the driveway and into the neighbors’ yard. If a fallen limb left over from the last round of nasty weather hadn’t stopped it, who knows where it might have ended up! I could use another chapter of Wodehouse after that.
My little afternoon romantic fling with winter’s beauty
is over now. It’s lost its appeal again
and it’s time for a break-up! It’s time
for SPRING!
To all my readers who live in winter’s grip – hang in
there! Try to think of March as only
days away.
To all my hyacinths – you should have listened last week when I told you to pull your heads back below ground because those two sixty degree days were just a cruel joke!
Need a spring preview to chase away the gray? Take a tour through my garden in full bloomhere!
If the gloom requires a good laugh, make a cup of tea and settle down with the stories on my “Life With Smuffy” page. You’ll feel better in no time. He isn’t the only one who’s here to entertain – the “Laugh” page has more!
Questions? Comments? Click on “Leave a comment”. I’d love to hear your thoughts on winter, wherever you live!
Welcome to
February! I love gift-giving and I wish
I could send this First Friday Freebie out to all my subscribers as my Valentine to you. Ah, if only…
But, I can send it
out, as always, to the winner of the February drawing!
Let’s take a look –
During this month when we celebrate love and take special time out to tell people how much they mean to us, this wooden plaque serves as a great reminder. It measures 5.91”X7.87” and has a hinged easel attached so you’ll be able to tuck it in amongst the décor on your mantle or anywhere else you choose.
I love that it is
not “seasonal”. After all, love never
goes out of style or out of season, does it? You can display it year round and it will add
a great “farmhouse touch” to your home’s décor.
Roaming through aisles of home décor never goes out of style either and I hope you enjoy this Hobby Lobby find.
To enter to win
the “Love Deeply” plaque, all you need to do is “Leave a Comment” on
this post, saying, “I LOVE First Friday Freebies!” You’ll need to do that before midnight
TONIGHT, February 1st, 2019!
First Friday
Freebies are for email SUBSCRIBERS ONLY, so if you’ve not become a subscriber
to Midwest Storyteller yet, give yourself a little love gift by heading over to
the right sidebar or using the menu to get to the “Contact Me” page
and subscribe if you haven’t done so already.
Share Midwest
Storyteller with all your friends and family through Facebook, Instagram,
Twitter and Pinterest so they can enter to win and begin enjoying all the great
stories, recipes, tips for healthy living, product reviews and more!
Subscribers win every single month! Visit the “Freebies”page to see what they’ve been winning.
Once again, a
winner will be chosen at random from those subscribers who enter before
midnight tonight by leaving a comment which says, “I LOVE First
Friday Freebies!”
And now, here are
the complete rules:
Four simple steps!
The clock is
ticking! Subscribe if you haven’t
already, confirm in your email and comment to enter before midnight tonight,
February 1st!
Enjoy this
sparkling winter month by letting those you love know just how special they are
to you. Hint: This First Friday Freebie
would make a great gift for your Valentine!
I’ll be honest. If the super bowl failed to take place, I probably wouldn’t know it until I got out and about and some grief-stricken fan informed me and even at that, I’d give it a shrug, try my best to register sympathy and concern and force myself to say, “Really? Oh, my!”
But they had better not cancel National Hot Chocolate Day! I’m into this one – big time! I can hear your shouts of “Amen!” to that. It gives us all permission to stop, smell the cocoa and just be still for a bit while we enjoy that mug (or, in my case, tankard, says Smuffy) of smooth chocolate wonderfulness.
But what about those of us who are watching the waistline or those who have come to the realization that, if we care about our health, sugar has got to go?
Speaking of love, within that post is a great recipe for Eat ‘Em All Chocolate Covered Strawberries – another way to indulge without the sugar and without sacrificing yummy flavor. This recipe will carry you through Valentine’s Day without the guilt.
Click on the FREE PRINTABLE banner at the bottom of the original post and you’ll be able to easily print those out to add to your recipe collection.
I’m off now to find my tankard and indulge. In case you’re a little foggy on where to begin, let me show you the ingredients that will help you get the most out of National Hot Chocolate Day –
That’s right! All you need to make your day complete:
Cozy Chair
Furry Throw
One Tankard (or maybe two) Not Apologizin’ Hot Chocolate
One Sleepy Kitten
Gather your supplies and enjoy!
SUBSCRIBE NOW – First Friday Freebie Day is on the way for subscribers only!
READERS TAKE NOTE: This soup recipe was posted prior to my eating according to the Trim Healthy Mama plan or becoming a THM Certified Lifestyle Coach. It would qualify as an “S Helper” or a “Crossover” depending on the amount of sweet potatoes you add or the amount of soup you consume. Keep that in mind when planning your meal. This one is WORTH IT, so at least have it for special occasions!
For those of you who read my earlier post about this fabulous soup but never took the time to stir up a batch – this is for you!
Each year for the last six years, I enter a soup in a contest that our church sponsors for the benefit of the area food bank. Soups – LOTS of soups – are judged (rather scientifically, I must say) on taste/flavor/texture, appearance, Originality/Creativity, Appeal (Would a wide variety of the general population want to try this soup?) and Aroma. “Golden” (but most certainly not food safe) ladles are awarded to the top five soups. Then, the soups are served to the throng of two hundred or so salivating soup lovers at $5 per cup for the winners and $1 per cup for all the others. I’ve taken home five golden ladles so far.
So, what can I say? I am some sort of Soup Queen, I suppose. Just don’t ask me to make gravy. I mean that – never let me make the gravy!
This year, I decided to re-enter my soup that won five years ago. I invented this soup just after I made changes to my eating plan that included getting all sugars and grains out of my diet, so if you are looking for gluten-free recipes that won’t make you feel that you are missing out on a thing – this one’s for you! It’s a winner twice over for a very good reason. It is fabulous!
The original post gives detailed instructions on how to make Creamy Leek Soup with Chicken and Sweet Potato here, and it also offers a free printable recipe so check it out and, by all means, make a batch!
I did have a friend tell me that she used a substitute for the cream to accommodate her dairy-free diet and still her husband said it was the best soup he’d ever eaten in his life!
Here I am, honored to stand with the other winners (minus Larry, who somehow wandered off just before the announcement).
All the great recipes on my Food Freedom page come with free printables, so you can put them all in a notebook and try them out soon. I do my best to offer you healthy recipes that won’t make you feel deprived or overworked.
We are due to have a high temperature here tomorrow of 4 degrees. Sounds like soup weather to me!
NOTE TO READERS: These recipes are old family favorites that appeared here on my blog prior to myeating according to the Trim Healthy Mama plan or becoming a THM Certified Lifestyle Coach. While they taste fabulous, I cannot recommend them for healthy lifestyle or blood sugar control. However, I am working on adapting them to the plan so watch for future posts!
I promised to share this “award winning” recipe. I believe it was back when the trees were shedding their leaves of red and gold. Lately they’ve been laden with heavy snow – perfect weather to cozy up with some real comfort food and a bean story!
This recipe is an old favorite for my family. I found the original in one of those tiny booklets that came with the old-style Crock-pots. You know the kind I mean – the tall, skinny crock that did not lift away from the heating base, making it very difficult to clean. Their thermostats seemed to come with unexplained variances. My mom’s didn’t seem to have a LOW setting. It just boiled away no matter how you adjusted the knob while mine, on the same setting, would make you wait a couple of days for your dinner.
That little book
contained an entry that did little to tempt the imagination or the palate. It offered up, simply, the “One Pot
Dinner”. I’d never tried the recipe
because, frankly, it just didn’t strike a chord within my romantic nature. I’m the “Anne of Green Gables” type and am
inclined to agree with her theories on naming things. (Example: Why call it Barry’s Pond when you can call it
The Lake of Shining Waters?)
I have always been
this way.
Anyhow, a dear
friend of mine, upon hearing me say that I’d been in one of those moods that
leaves me only two options – escape for a change of pace or give in to a crying
jag – took pity on me and offered the use of her cabin in the woods. It may not have been a villa perched on the
Italian coastline, but it had three gleaming attractions. It was free.
It had indoor plumbing. It wasn’t
my house. I jumped at the offer.
I got excited. I wanted to crawl into Timber Hill and forget about the rest of the world. Our daughter would take a friend. There would be no TV and one emergency cell phone. We’d play a few board games. Smuffy would fish, explore and read books. I would read and take naps.
Ahh! Thanks, DeDe, for the memories (and the sanity check).
The last thing I wanted was to make endless trips to town for restaurant meals or supplies. I started charting meals like a paid planner. I wanted everything we ate to fit in with that log cabin feel. We would make homemade pancakes. I’d take homemade cinnamon rolls along to warm. Cornbread sounded good. For a main dish that would leave us lots of great-tasting leftovers, I wanted something special – something new. Research led me back to the lack-luster little Crock-pot book.
If these beans,
which sounded like they had possibilities, were going along on my grand
adventure, they simply couldn’t go as the “One Pot Dinner”. I re-named them “Timber Hill Beans” and they
were a huge hit, especially with Smuffy.
In all the years we were graciously invited to spend our fall retreat at
Timber Hill, we never left home without the namesake beans.
When our church
began to sponsor an annual “Souper Bowl of Caring” as a benefit for the area
food bank, they asked for soup – a lot
of soup. People brought in slow-cookers full
of deliciousness in hopes of taking home a golden ladle in a contest for top
soups.
Smuffy gave me a
meaningful look and prophesied, “If you take Timber Hill Beans, you’ll win!”
“You think
so?” I hadn’t given much thought to
entering the contest and I’d never really thought of those thick, hearty Timber
Hill Beans as “soup”.
“I know so!” He seemed certain of it.
I did come home with a golden ladle,
thanks to Timber Hill Beans and Smuffy’s encouragement!
I can’t help but wonder,
though, if “One Pot Dinner” would have ranked a little lower with the judges.
You may remember our educational and slightly embarrassing discussion on the subject of beans. You can refresh your memory here. Along with tips on cooking beans and avoiding their after-effects, I shared my own recipe for “Hearty, Healthy, Homemade Pork and Beans”. You’ll find a free printable recipe in the post. I now use these in my Timber Hill Beans to avoid the mushiness that usually results from overcooking canned beans, not to mention all the sugar and other nonsense that the canned versions contain. You can prepare these and the bacon a day or two before assembling this recipe. If you choose not to follow this simple, from-scratch step, you’ll need to substitute 4 (14 ounce) cans of pork ‘n beans and use care to avoid over-cooking them.
The other beans in this recipe are also not of the canned variety. If you absolutely do not want to rinse and soak your beans, you can use one can of kidney beans and one can of butter beans (drained and rinsed), but – I promise – you’ll be happier with the end results if you avoid the cans.
If you’re planning meals and feeding supper to hungry people, the best way is to brown the meat, prep the bacon and pork and beans a day or two before. Then, soak the beans overnight, get up in the morning dump everything into theCrock-pot, set it on LOW and don’t give it another thought until supper other than checking it when you get home to see if you need to adjust it to the WARM setting.
Let’s get cooking!
Timber Hill Beans
Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef or venison
1/2 pound uncured bacon, baked on a broiler pan in a 200-250
degree oven for about an hour. (Should
not be crispy, but have the better portion of the fat cooked out.)
3/4 cup red kidney beans, rinsed and soaked overnight
3/4 cup butter beans, rinsed and soaked overnight
1 cup catsup
1/4 cup palm sugar or raw honey
1 Tablespoon liquid smoke (or to taste)
1/4 cup white vinegar
1 Tablespoon Celtic sea salt
Instructions:
Drain beans and rinse well. Brown ground meat and onion in skillet. Drain off fat. Cut bacon into one inch pieces. Place all ingredients in slow cooker. Stir well.
Cover and cook on LOW for 5-9 hours or on HIGH for 3 hours.
LOW is best in order to avoid sticking.
Makes 14 cups.
Over the years, I’ve
tweaked this recipe to take out refined sugars, avoid mushy canned beans and bring
it to “golden ladle standards”, so please comment and let me know how you like
it.
Normally, I steer away from adding corn to our diets anymore, mostly for the reasons given in this article by Dr. Axe and at the advice of my holistic M.D. Once in a while, however, Smuffy says the occasion calls for cornbread, I give in and we cheat. I’m giving you my Gluten-free cornbread recipe which includes a dry mix that you can whip up in a “jiffy”, if you get my drift. (Perhaps you don’t if that little item is available only here in the Midwest.) I hate having my cupboards full of endless little boxes and packets and feeling like I have to run to the store for something as simple as cornbread mix. Years ago, I figured out the secret to that little box mix everyone uses and I’m sharing it with you today.
A word about buttermilk: Smuffy and I often have differences of opinion on foods, but on buttermilk, we agree. We hate the stuff! It does make a fabulous batch of pancakes or cornbread, but we always had to throw out the leftovers. Keeping a dry buttermilk mix on hand solves the problem beautifully. Grocery stores will most likely have Saco“ Buttermilk Blend” in their baking section and if you can find a way to order in bulk, you can get a great price on a one-pound bag of buttermilk powder from Frontier Co-op Wholesale Store, where they have member and non/member pricing. They both keep well on the back bottom shelf of the refrigerator for what seems like forever.
Gluten-Free Cornbread or
Corn Muffins
(You may use all-purpose wheat flour rather than corn flour in
these recipes. If so, omit the xanthan gum and one of the eggs.
This option will, of course, not be gluten-free.)
Ingredients:
1 cup yellow organic, non-GMO cornmeal
1 cup organic, non-GMO corn flour
1/4 cup dry buttermilk powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup water
1/4 cup raw honey
2 tablespoons melted butter
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Mix dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. Stir in the
beaten eggs, water, honey and melted butter, mixing just until there are no dry
areas.
Pour into greased
muffin tins or a 9″X9″ baking pan. Bake at 375 degrees for
about 25 minutes. Remove from pan immediately.
Now for that mix to
keep help you whip up things in a “jiffy”.
Cornbread Mix for Recipes in a “Jiffy”
Mix the following ingredients together and in a “jiffy”,you’ll have the equivalent of the commonly used boxed mix.
1/2 cup yellow organic, non-GMO cornmeal
1/2 cup organic, non-GMO corn flour
2 Tablespoons dry buttermilk powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
Add 2 Tablespoons raw
honey to the recipe’s wet ingredients.
Thanks to the great folks at Crock-Pot.com for the original “One Pot Dinner” recipe and for all the improvements to the Crock-pot over the years. The newer versions, with their removable crockery, warming features, digital settings and – best of all – those clamp-on lids that put an end to nasty spills in the car have made life so much easier. Check out their latest products here. Hey there, sports fans! They even have NFL logo pots!
I confess to having four slow-cookers. My new favorite is this in-between size I found one day out flea-marketing. I like to think of it as a casserole. I find myself using it all the time.
Click below for your
free printable for Timber Hill Beans and Gluten-free Cornbread!
If you prefer biscuits over cornbread, check out my Zesty Pumpkin Soupwhich comes with a bonus recipe for Billy’s Biscuits. This savory soup is not what you’re expecting!
Questions? Comments?
“Leave a Comment”. And why not
SUBSCRIBE, so you’ll receive an email reminder each time Midwest Storyteller
has something new.
Sometimes
it pays to speak up! The squeaky wheel
gets the grease – right?
That’s
how this month’s First Friday Freebie winner managed to enter the drawing!
Let’s meet –
Carol
from Boonville, Missouri!
Carol
contacted me to say that she’d been having trouble trying to subscribe to the
blog. She’d wanted to enter the drawing
for the freebie, but hadn’t been able to get her subscription to go through,
receive her confirmation email, confirm through the email and so on.
I
told her to fear not, give it another try, and if for some reason I still didn’t
see her pop up as a subscriber, I would be sure to put her name into the
drawing along with everyone else who entered.
I’m
not going to exclude anyone who’s trying on account of a technicality.
Technology
– marvelous when it’s working – maddening when it’s not!
This
has happened to a couple of other people and I only know this, of course,
because they contacted me and let me know.
I have no way of knowing how many others may have had the same
experience but didn’t speak up, so if this has happened to you, please email me
at barb@midweststoryteller.com
and let me know.
It all paid off in the end for Carol, because when Smuffy reached in, he plucked her name out of all the others! I can also see now that her subscription went through as it should.
Congratulations,
Carol! I hope you enjoy your necklace!
Here’s a close-up view of the handmade paper necklace Carol won.
I know it looks like metal under glass, but it’s not! “Paper Jewelry” is a unique creation of mine. If you’d like to see the original freebie offer and get a better description, click here.
I’ve given away lots of great gifts, so check out the freebie page to see what people have been winning here.
Subscribe now so you can be ready for February’s drawing. It’ll be a freebie you’ll love!
The
next First Friday Freebie drawing will be on Friday, February 1, 2019 and only
SUBSCRIBERS can win (and, of course, those who are trying their doggoned-est)!
A
winner will be chosen at random from those subscribers who enter before
midnight on the day of the drawing by leaving a comment as instructed in
the post. See the recently revised rules
below.
And now, here are the Freebie Rules.
Follow
these four simple steps and subscribe now.
Then, you’ll be ready for February 1st.
“Share”,
“like” and “pin” this post! You’re friends will want to enter to win,
too!
Have
an opinion on the Freebies? Leave a
comment! If you’re on your computer,
scroll back up under the title of this post and let me know what you’re
thinking. On various devices, you may
find “Leave a Comment” at the bottom of the post.
My cogs have been turning. My creativity seems to kick in and do double-time over the holidays and for my January First Friday Freebie, I wanted to offer you one of my recent works of art.
Not every creative idea of mine is a hit, as they say, “first crack out of the box”. There are days when I feel like the Queen of the Do-overs. This one, however, turned out great the first time! So, (…drumroll…) I now present my latest invention –
Paper
Jewelry!
I know, I know – you’re thinking, “Paper? No Way!” I’ve been brooding on this idea for months and I’ve searched online many times, thinking that some pioneer must have already blazed the trail, but I found absolutely nothing, even on Pinterest, that resembled the materials, techniques or results I was hoping would give me the type of thing I envisioned.
There are two reasons for my vision in the first place. One is that I compulsively invent things in my head all the time and then can’t resist piddling with them. The other is that I hate heavy jewelry, especially earrings, but I love big jewelry.
Finally, I had to
ask myself one of those questions like, “If I were paper jewelry, how would I
be made?”
The results are these beautiful cut-out pieces, specially treated so that you’ll never believe they are made of paper. The appearance is more like metal or wood under glass. Their featherweight quality is only discovered when you reach out and touch!
Are they durable, you ask? I’ve been pleased with how sturdy my technique has made the end product. I wouldn’t recommend sleeping in this type of jewelry, but I think it will do as well as much of the other costume jewelry found in stores (some of which I could crush in my bare hands even though they were metal or plastic).
I couldn’t wait to
give this one to you as January’s First Friday Freebie! This pendant is around 1 ¾ inches with a
16-18 inch chain. I know you’re going to
love the patina that gives it the somewhat the look of aged copper under
glass. Though the cut-out areas may look
open in the photo, they are not. They
are filled, yet crystal clear!
To enter to win
the paper pendant, all you need to do is “Leave a Comment” on this
post, saying, “I’m ready for a brand new freebie!” You’ll need to do that before midnight
TONIGHT, January 4th, 2019!
First Friday
Freebies are for email SUBSCRIBERS ONLY, so if you’ve not become a subscriber
to Midwest Storyteller yet, give yourself a another free gift by heading over
to the right sidebar or using the menu to get to the “Contact Me”
page and subscribe if you haven’t done so already.
Share this blog
with all your friends and family through Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest
or by copying the link into an email so they can enter to win and begin
enjoying everything else on the blog as well!
Subscribers win every single month! Take a look at past freebies on the “Freebies”page to see what they’ve been winning.
If you’d like to take a look at some of the other creative ideas here on my blog, check out my“Create!” page!
Once again, a
winner will be chosen at random from those subscribers who enter before
midnight tonight by leaving a comment which says, “I’m ready for a
brand new freebie!”
And now, here are the complete rules:
Four simple steps!
Don’t delay! Time is running out! Subscribe if you haven’t already, confirm in
your email and comment to enter before midnight tonight, December 7th!
I pray you have a
marvelous, fabulous, bright, happy and prosperous New Year! And for one of you, may it start off with a
First Friday Freebie!
Ever wondered what sort of vibes your pets pick up on during the holidays? At times, they seem to know that something’s up – something’s different. Well, wonder no longer – Phoebe June’s diary has the blow-by-blow.
She’s now experienced her second Christmas and as I peek into her ponderings, see that she finds the holiday season full of ups and downs regardless of whether she’s a tiny puff-ball or a full grown epitome of feline perfection. Shortly after her adoption, she became aware of a certain something special in the air. Here are a few of her thoughts along with some photo art you and the kiddos might enjoy.
Friday, December 8, 2017
Mommy and I played so many games and toys when I got ‘dopted that I had to take naps and naps so I could grow fine and fancy.
She told me that Jesus was having a birthday and she had to do sneaky stuff so after she’d snuggle me to sleep, I’d finish my naps on the furry thing. I hoped I wouldn’t miss the big day, but Mommy said I’d get a special feeling and know when it happened because He was the one who made me so furry and cute and made sure I didn’t turn out to be a dog. I’m already liking this holiday.
Tuesday, December 12, 2017:
Yesterday, Mommy left me all alone and I cried. I cried a lot until I fell asleep. When she came home, she said I had accessories. Whatever they are, they had a funny smell so I sat on them and today she got me all accessorized and ready for the road. I thought we were going Christmas shopping.
We didn’t. We visited a man called Doctor Fray. He was nice and thought I was ‘dorable, but he smelled like all kinds of critters. It worried me at first but after a little bit I got bored and konked out on his table – most boring place ever and no special Christmas feeling here. Before I knew what was happening he gave me a pill and did a bad thing he called taking my temperature. It didn’t give me a warm and cozy Christmas feeling and next year I think I’ll give it a miss.
Thursday, December 14, 2017:
It got all snowy and blowy out the windows today and cold air whooshed my nose when Daddy came in and went out. Mommy calls it winter weather, but I don’t think it’s for kittens. Giving this part of Christmas a miss.
Friday, December 15, 2017:
Mommy says if you don’t work out you’ll get a Christmas pudge so I went along to visit Gym. Since Dr. Fray says I only weigh a couple of pounds myself, I don’t know what she expected me to do with Gym’s toys, so I think I’ll settle for the pudge. All Gym’s people thought I was cute as a button and gave me treats, so it was a hit after all.
After Gym, we picked up lunch for Daddy from some nice people who just hand the smelly stuff out in bags if you ask them nice. It was a hit with me and I gave the lady my best Christmas smile. She seemed surprised. I don’t know why – I smile at everybody.
Saturday, December 16, 2017:
We went to a birthday party – not Jesus’ party – one for Mommy’s and Daddy’s other sweetie-pie. They had a nice furry thing and that was a hit, but they told me afterward that they set their treats on fire before they ate them and if they do that again next year, I’m giving it a miss.
Monday, December 18, 2017:
Time (whatever that is) is running out, Mommy says, and that’s why we couldn’t snuggle much today. A kitten has to do what a kitten has to do. I’d rather have Mommy and give this new kid a miss.
When I woke up Mommy was wrapping boxes. That crinkly stuff is a hit with me! I tried to get onto the table where the action was, but for some reason I got in trouble with Mommy.
Wednesday, December 20, 2017:
Whatever hustle and bustle means, it keeps Mommy hopping. It’s a hit with me, though, ‘cause new stuff happens every minute, like boxes just my size, runs for the border and baskets of warm laundry.
Sunday, December 24, 2017
You never know about Daddy. He says it’s Christmas Eve and that’s special. One minute, we’re snuggling in the chair with our feet up. A kitten could get a cramp doing it like he does. The next minute he’s plunking me right into the cold, white stuff. There are some days I’m not sure Mommy should let him watch me!
Monday, December 25, 2017:
Christmas came today and Mommy was right – I could feel it.
I sniffed specialness (and a roast duck) in the air all day! I got toys and treats and that was a hit. I heard people say that that when there was no room for Jesus He got to have His birthday in a stable with all the animals and that they all got to talk that day and tell Him how special He was. The stable cat must have been what they call an ancestor of mine because I come from a long line of talkers who put the Mew in Mewey Christmas!
In the last year, Phoebe June has grown into a shining and
elegant example of cathood. Her
catitudes fluctuate wildly between those of that small kitten of a year ago to
those of a demanding adolescent who’s convinced that parental standards are
archaic and unnecessary.
She had, of course, strong opinions during the 2018 Christmas season and they mirror, to a degree, those of the previous year. I managed to snatch three snippets from her diary.
Thursday, November 29, 2018:
Mommy has ignored me off and on since Thanksgiving, but I’m forgiving her because she’s filled the whole place with wiggly, crinkly, rustly toys and the best one is this thing she thinks is a real tree but it’s not. She even put a special blanky under it for me to nap on so all I have to do is reach up and pull off the pretties I want! This thing is a HIT! Why they distract me with that stupid squirt bottle is a mystery, but you never can tell with Mommy and Daddy. Wish they’d give that thing a miss – it’s messing up my whole holiday season.
Monday, December 14, 2018:
Awesomeness popped out of a big box today and I got one of my Christmas presents early. It almost makes me want to forgive them for the squirt bottle. A jungle gym, scratcher-upper, flying mouse-birds, all combined with a napping cubby – this thing is better than Mommy’s tree – almost. Anyway, it’s a big hit!
Tuesday,December 25, 2018:
I had that warm and special feeling all day that you get just thinking about how Jesus came to live with us. They hand out treats and gifts because He is such a Gift, so I figured I may as well snooze until we got to that part. I wonder about Mommy sometimes. She gets tired getting ready for the big day and it makes her do the strangest things.
She dangled a sock for me – just one, mind you – not two or four. I guess the poor thing misplaced the others. It’s just as well. I wouldn’t have wanted to be seen wearing the gaudy things in public. Anyone could tell just by looking that she bought the wrong size. Later we peeked inside it and out popped a very interesting rodent. I ignored it just for show. That’s what I do.
I played in tissue and crawled in and out of boxes and bags for hours and not one squirt from that stupid water bottle! Ah, THIS is Christmas! Later, I found my new toy, named her Rhoda and gave her the bath she needed if she’s going to be living here.
People keep talking about coming up with resolutions for 2019. I have one. Somehow, before the next time the tree goes up, I’m going to track down that squirt bottle and give it a miss! I wonder how much litter it will take to bury that thing.
Loud-mouthed, opinionated and completely loveable – that’s
our Phoebe June! “Share”, “Like” and
“Pin” her thoughts and adventures with the cat-lovers in your life and stick
around – she’ll have more to say soon!
If you missed the first installment of “The Phoebe June Diaries”, you can catch up by clicking here. See how she celebrated National Cat Day here, and learn about how we became her forever family here!
I’d love to hear from you and so would Phoebe June so please LEAVE A COMMENT!
I’m thinking of moving the first of the year to a whole new date. Winter never makes me feel like starting over fresh and new. Perhaps we can take a poll here at Midwest Storyteller and decide when we all would prefer to have the calendar flip over. In the meantime…
To all my readers, I want to bless you with one of my favorite promises. It’s one of those promises that can’t be broken – because of the One who made it!
“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.'” Jeremiah 29:11 (The Holy Scriptures, NIV)
This is my blessing and my hope for you and your family for 2019!
Feel free to leave a comment and let me know when we can re-schedule this holiday! Brrrr….. Zzzzz....
Amid the rush of preparations for Christmas there are just some things that can’t be ignored. One has to make time to take a deep breath, listen to some Christmas music, spend quality time with friends and, oh, yes – have Smuffy draw out a winner for December’s First Friday Freebie!
We have another repeat winner. The winner of the lovely watch set is –
Ruby from Boonville, Missouri!
Ruby says she’d been watch shopping and when December’s freebie offer appeared in her email. The watch and its six coordinating bracelets seemed to be the perfect solution. All she had to do was to comment as directed in the post and then – just as if she and Smuffy had been of one mind – her name was drawn!
It’s great to know that my freebie winners are pleased with their gifts. Enjoy your watch, Ruby, and keep entering!
Subscribe now, if you haven’t already, because December is slipping away and with the hustle and bustle of the season, you’ll want to check that simple item off your list so that you won’t miss anything from Midwest Storyteller in 2019.
To see the original freebie offer, click here. The next First Friday Freebie drawing will be on Friday, January 4, 2019 and only SUBSCRIBERS can win! A winner will be chosen at random from those subscribers who enter before midnight on the day of the drawing by leaving a comment as instructed in the post. See the recently revised rules below.
And now, here are the Freebie Rules.
Follow these four simple steps and subscribe now. Then, you’ll be ready for January 4th.“Share”, “like” and “pin” this post! You’re friends will want to enter to win, too! Click here to go to my “Freebies” page and see what types of gifts my subscribers have been winning.
Have an opinion on the Freebies? Leave a comment! If you’re on your computer, scroll back up under the title of this post and let me know what you’re thinking. On various devices, you may find “Leave a Comment” at the bottom of the post.
Today marks the one-year anniversary of the day Phoebe June bounced into our lives, electrifying every nook and cranny of our world. And then there’s the noise. There’s a lot of that. As I shared earlier here, it would be no surprise to discover that Phoebe June kept a diary, as she’s as full of opinions as a stage director with a headache. I thought it fitting to start with her earliest musings. Please don’t tell her I snooped. I’ll never hear the end of it.
Wednesday, December 6, 2017
I played and napped in the mudroom with my sissy today. Sissy’s fun, but not as much fun as me! Mommy Blair got grouchy again when we tried to have some milk, but Joy-lady fed us at the bowl and then let us run all over the house! Sissy’s a little scared of the Christmas tree, but not me! We heard the door and that dumb dog yelling. A lady came. Sissy peeked around the corner. I bounced around it. People need fun and I’m full of the stuff. The new lady smiled and scooped up Sissy. I watched.
No time for scooping – I zoomed under the Christmas tree – the sparkly-est, rustly-est, dangly-est thing ever! Joy-lady scooped me in the middle of a zoom and put me in the new lady’s lap. She likes me! I could tell by the way she …Zzzzzz….
Then, Sissy got scooped again. She didn’t say a word. I had to do all the talking as usual. The lady talked about Sissy’s pretty eyes and my pretty nose. She talked about it a lot. She called me “brave”. I think that means I like to zoom, zoom…zzzzz…
Anyway, she kissed us and promised to come back.
Thursday, December 7, 2017
Joy-lady says it’s a special day. One of us is getting ‘dopted. Whatever that is, it’s already happened to Charlie and the others and I’m blaming the dog for it.
The nice lady came back with a man. She asked him over and over whether he liked shy Sissy’s sweet eyes or my beautiful velvet nose and my zoominess. I showed both of them what awesome cats are made of and zoomed and zoomed until I got tired and she scooped me again.
I guess getting ‘dopted means someone tucks your whole self inside their coat and makes you ride in a noise-box. I didn’t like the noise-box, but inside the coat, I felt the lady’s warm heart. She told me over and over and over that she was my new mommy. Every time I asked for Sissy and Mommy Blair, she just kept giving me more kisses. Silly thing! When the noise-box stopped, we got out and went into a new place. I got about a hundred more snuggles from my new mommy. Then, she put me down and started following me everywhere! I didn’t mind much – I had a grand explore – sniffed till my sniffer ached and told them what I thought of the place. It had a nice potty pan, some tasty food, feathery toys and about a million hidey-holes.
I checked for bedbugs and took a bath and then explored some more till my zoomer was all zoomed out. The lady put me in the man’s lap. I was all ready for a nice nap until he started barking.
The lady called him “Daddy” and said he had a nasty cough, but I know a bark when I hear one. It took me twenty minutes to settle my tail hairs down.
I may have a brain the size of a walnut, but I know a thing or two and this new mommy’s got what it takes! Her food is yummy, her robe is furry, she plays games and toys like a pro and I’m starting to get used to all the kissing. If she would only stop interrupting me when I’m talking! She calls me Phoebe June and I think I’ll let her ‘cause it sounds just right.
Each time I woke in the nighttime, all I had to do was reach up and pat my new mommy’s cheek and tell her about how I felt lost and how I couldn’t find Sissy or Mommy Blair. She’d snuzzle me close and promise to take care of me and be my Forever Mommy. When her eyes got all drippy, I knew she meant it.
I didn’t know how much I needed Phoebe June until I got her. She lives life large, intent on letting us know that she is a mighty huntress, has no intention of being left alone and would prefer that we pay close attention to her running commentary. Phoebe has two settings: “Park” and “Autobahn”. Smuffy and I are learning to live with her effusiveness and the high-speed zooming. It’s a little like having an emotionally needy child who is always following you everywhere, asking what you are doing now, insisting that you play games and that you sit down and pay attention to the umpteenth “show and tell” presentation – especially the “telling”.
I’ll have to be careful about it, but I’ll try to sneak another page of her diary and share it with you soon.
The clock has been ticking away all year and once again we find ourselves in the full rush of the holiday season. For our family, that means time together, feasting, gift-giving – all things we are so blessed we could do any time of the year if we chose to do so, but things we do now with extra joy in our hearts as we celebrate the birth of our Messiah.
I’ve always loved gift-giving! I love packages and bows and surprises and keeping secrets. I love decorating and food traditions and dressing up and …well, you get the idea.
I’m tempted to wrap this up and make it a holiday “mystery freebie”, but there are enough secrets this time of the year, right? Let’s take a peek –
This beautiful watch set will have your (or someone special) looking stylish at this year’s holiday gatherings. I’m loving this latest trend in rose gold. I think it’s so flattering to all skin tones. The watch has raised markers for each numeral and a second hand. The faux leather band is rose gold as well. Six bracelets are included – four bangles and two beaded. You can split them up or wear them all together. (You know me – I’m wearing them all at the same time!)
To enter to win the watch set, all you need to do is “Leave a Comment” on this post, saying, “It’s time for me to win!” You’ll need to do that before midnight TONIGHT, December 7th, 2018!
First Friday Freebies are for email SUBSCRIBERS ONLY, so if you’ve not become a subscriber to Midwest Storyteller yet, give yourself a another free gift by heading over to the right sidebar or using the menu to get to the “Contact Me” page and subscribe if you haven’t done so already.
Share this blog with all your friends and family through Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest or by copying the link into an email so they can enter to win and begin enjoying everything else on the blog as well!
Subscribers win every single month! Take a look at past freebies on the “Freebies” page to see what they’ve been winning.
Once again, a winner will be chosen at random from those subscribers who enter before midnight tonight by leaving a comment which says, “It’s time for me to win!”And now, here are the complete rules:
Four simple steps!
What are you waiting for? Time is running out! Subscribe if you haven’t already, confirm in your email and comment to enter before midnight tonight, December 7th!
Enjoy all the celebrations and those around you this holiday season. Years from now, you won’t remember any of those bargains you chased or a fraction of the presents you got or gave, but you’ll never forget the laughter, sweet tears and loving arms that made this Christmas a precious memory.
Due to circumstances that burned my candle at both ends and in the middle, I’m announcing November’s freebie winner in December. Welcome to my world. I am so thankful for all my readers and all the wonderful feedback I receive from you, whether in comments on the blog or on social media. Soon I’ll be giving you a glimpse into what has been taking up all my time lately – and Smuffy’s – I have him hard at work.
You may recognize this face. The winner of the Thanksgiving Hostess Set was –
Kathy from Prairie Home, Missouri!
Kathy, a guest here at Midwest Storyteller a few months back, inspired us all to test our woodburning skills. You’ll want to check out our efforts and meet Kathy here. After watching Kathy add some awesomeness to a set of wooden kitchen utensils, I was able to put my newfound talent to work and create yet another freebie for you, which you can see here, along with its winner, here.
I know Kathy will put the items in the hostess set to good use as she is always trying new recipes and loves blessing others with her amazing hostess ideas. She’ll be back here again on the blog sometime soon, I hope, to share what she’s been creating lately.
Take another look at the Thanksgiving Hostess Set. (I realize the above photo is a little blurry.)
All Kathy had to do to enter the First Friday Freebie drawing was to subscribe, read the blog post on the first Friday of the month and comment as directed in the post. Subscribe now, if you haven’t already, because December’s freebie is only days away!
The next First Friday Freebie drawing will be on Friday, December 2, 2018 and only SUBSCRIBERS can win!
A winner will be chosen at random from those subscribers who enter before midnight on the day of the drawing by leaving a comment as instructed in the post. See the recently revised rules below.
And now, here are the Freebie Rules.
Follow these four simple steps and subscribe now. Then, you’ll be ready for December 7th.“Share”, “like” and “pin” this post! You’re friends will want to enter to win, too! Have an opinion on the Freebies? Leave a comment! If you’re on your computer, scroll back up under the title of this post and let me know what you’re thinking. On various devices, you may find “Leave a Comment” at the bottom of the post.
Welcome to November! How did that ever happen? Soon the hustle and bustle begins as we prepare to gather our families and friends together for Thanksgiving.
Food begins to play an even more important role in our lives and I’m here to help you be the hostess with the mostess this Thanksgiving with November’s freebie.
This set will spruce up your kitchen, give you a head start on baking cookies to celebrate the season and help you set a great display for your guests. The oven mitt lets you pull all those cookies out of the oven in style. The set of three cookie cutters offers a turkey, a pilgrim hat and a pumpkin and I know you’ll come up with great ideas for decorating those. Also included is a set of three spreaders with pumpkin and leaf handles to make those yummy spreads and dips even more appetizing.
If you’d like to enter to win this Thanksgiving hostess set, you’ll need to “Leave a Comment” on this post, saying, “Thank Goodness for Freebies!” and you’ll need to do that before midnight TONIGHT, November 2nd, 2018!
Remember, you must be a subscriber to Midwest Storyteller in order for your comment to be entered into the drawing. Head over to the right sidebar or use the menu to get to the “Contact Me” page and subscribe if you haven’t done so already.
I’ll be thankful if you’ll help Midwest Storyteller reach your friends and family by SHARING this post through Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest or by copying the link into an email so they can enter to win and begin enjoying everything else on the blog as well!
Subscribers win every single month! Take a look at past freebies on the “Freebies” page to see what they’ve been winning.
Once again, a winner will be chosen at random from those subscribers who enter before midnight tonight by leaving a comment which says, “Thank Goodness for Freebies!”
And now, here are the complete rules:
Four simple steps!
What are you waiting for? Go! Go! Go! Subscribe if you haven’t already, confirm in your email and comment to enter before midnight tonight, November 2nd! Coming up next – Comfort food is where it’s at this time of year! One of my family’s slow-cooker favorites is bound to become a favorite with your family as well.
My little owl has been flying across the country, but he’s finally ended up here –
He’s made his new home with Jan in Greeley, Colorado!
Jan tells me that she sometimes forgets to enter to win my freebie on the first Friday of the month, but this time she remembered. Good for you, Jan!
October marked the first time that I’ve had to do the drawing twice. That is because our first winner did not respond to the email notice and provide me with contact information so that I could send out the gift. After waiting a week, we conducted the drawing again from those who had previously entered.
Jan tells me that she’s already named her new little friend “Ollie”. I hope the two of you will be very happy together, Jan! When you introduce Ollie to your friends, I’m sure he’ll be happy to have you tell them that he came all the way from Midwest Storyteller so they can subscribe and enter to win also.
If you haven’t subscribed, you’ll want to do that now.
To see the original freebie offer for this adorable owl from Hobby Lobby, click here. I know there’s a store near you with more awesome fall décor. Or, you can order online here.
The next First Friday Freebie drawing will be on Friday, November 2, 2018 and only SUBSCRIBERS can win!
A winner will be chosen at random from those subscribers who enter before midnight on the day of the drawing by leaving a comment as instructed in the post. See the revised rules below – I am trying to make certain that I do my best to make contact with the winners.
And now, here are the Freebie Rules.
First Friday Freebies are available to SUBSCRIBERS ONLY. That means if you come to the post through social media or someone has emailed you a link to it and you haven’t become a subscriber yet, you’ll need to hop on over to the right sidebar and do that really quick. If you are on a phone or tablet, the easiest way is to go to the “About Me” page. All it means to be a subscriber is that you’ll receive an email each time Midwest Storyteller has something new, which won’t likely be more than once or twice a week. It keeps you from missing out on all the fun and FREE STUFF! And, I’m not sharing your emails with anybody.
IMPORTANT: After subscribing, you MUST check your email to confirm the subscription or it will not appear. Then, sadly, you won’t be eligible to enter.
To enter the drawing, scroll back up to the top of this post and under the title, click on “Leave a Comment”. Subscribers who comment as directed before midnight on the first Friday of the month will enter the drawing, provided they are already on the subscribers list and live within the continental United States.
The drawing will be conducted the weekend after Friday’s freebie offer. The winner will receive an email at the address they’ve provided in order to subscribe. ENTRANTS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR CHECKING THEIR EMAIL so they can receive notification. If the winner does not respond within a week of the original contest date to provide name and mailing address, they will forfeit the freebie and another winner will be selected from those who have already entered according to the rules. Follow these four simple steps and subscribe now. Then, you’ll be ready for November 2nd.“Share”, “like” and “pin” this post! You’re friends will want to enter to win, too!
Have an opinion on the Freebies? Leave a comment! If you’re on your computer, scroll back up under the title of this post and let me know what you’re thinking. On various devices, you may find “Leave a Comment” at the bottom of the post.
If it hadn’t been for Martha Stewart, it would have slipped right past us.
I happened to see Martha on social media this morning posing with her felines. I knew I couldn’t let myself be outdone by Martha. What she had to offer in numbers (not to mention fluff), we completely make up for by the fact that we have the one and only Phoebe June.
Since today is a rare and glorious autumn day, we celebrated National Cat Day with a trip to the cemetery just down the street. This old cemetery, designed by an architect long ago, offers a great place to get away for a peaceful stroll.
Phoebe enjoyed the autumn splendor as much as I did.
The perfect afternoon held one spot of rare excitement for both of us. As we strolled down one of the long avenues between the towering cypress trees, we heard a loud pop and turned to see what caused the noise. There on the paved lane in front of us lay a squirrel, flat on his back, motionless. I surveyed my surroundings to make certain that someone with a BB gun hadn’t shot the squirrel and might perhaps take another shot and hit Phoebe June or me. (Small town in the Midwest – that sort of thing happens here.)
We crept toward Mr. Squirrel with caution and with Phoebe’s tail bushed out and the fur along her spine doing its imitation of a razor-backed hog. As we approached, the squirrel stretched his back legs out as far has he could as though he’d forgotten his morning exercises. He gave them a few jerks as if to see if they’d been stretched to their absolute limits and relaxed again, ignoring the stick under his back. I knelt before him, trying to get my camera in place. It isn’t every day you get to hold your lens ten inches from a squirrel’s nose, which I now noticed was just a bit bloody.
Phoebe June sat two or three feet from the marvel, trying to decide if it was a gift from above or something that warranted caution. Like me, she’d never seen a squirrel with a concussion before.
After a slow roll, the squirrel sat up and studied us, weaving back and forth as though his eyes lacked focus and his head throbbed. I took aim, but before I could press the camera shutter, he staggered toward me, slipped under my left thigh and tottered off through the gravestones. Phoebe June flew after him like the mighty huntress she knows she is, but I reigned her in, reluctant to put the poor little fellow through any more trauma. Also, they bite.
Having danced out onto the tip of a fragile branch of one of the tallest trees in the cemetery, it had snapped, the squirrel had plunged to the pavement below and had been knocked senseless. After all that and wakening to find himself up close and personal with a human and a cat, this squirrel had had enough for one day.
I got no photo, but Phoebe had just about all the excitement she could stand for National Cat Day. That is, until somebody came walking through with their dog. Body language says it all. She disapproved.
Happy National Cat Day! Hug your kitty! Hand out a couple of extra treats. Have a cozy sit filled with chin scratches and neck massages.
Phoebe June recommends that you get into the spirit of National Cat Day and adopt a kitty if you don’t have one, because, as we all know, they are therapeutic. Food, litter, catnip toys and a few vet visits can run into money, but they are much cheaper than a psychiatrist!
Questions? Phoebe June is on hand to answer. Caution: She can be brutally honest. She’s excited to read your comments but her replies may reveal just a touch of high-mindedness.
I have a great recipe to share today. It’s revised. Yes, I am confessing here and now that I have a past. It’s my “Middle-of-the-road Past”. That makes it not quite so bad as my “Deep Dark Past”, but nowhere near as sparkling as my “Practically Pristine Present”.
You, see, I didn’t always eat healthy. The Trim Healthy Mama eating plan wasn’t always a part of my life and I certainly wasn’t always a certified lifestyle coach who helped people get their health on the right track.
In the really olden days, it was donuts (lots of donuts), coffee (by the pot full, day and night), big block candy bars, bags of chips, soda, giant chocolate malts. And I should perhaps mention that I could have been crowned the Bread and Pasta Queen – hands down. Mysteriously, and for a long time, I never gained an ounce. Little did I know, however, that there were wheels within wheels and not all bad eating habits turn into fat. I was not making the gut happy. The hormones were cruel, nasty things and as far as pain and energy levels, I was too tired to cry. No, wait! The hideous allergies were taking up all my tears.
After I’d switched it all up and moved on to natural sweeteners (honey, agave, palm sugar) and whole grains and become a walking herbal concoction, I felt like I’d taken a giant step, only to find out later that it was a baby step with good intentions.
Then came my whole episode with a cancer diagnosis, which you can learn a little about here.
A high-quality whole food supplement helped immensely, but I really can’t think of a greater hormone disrupter than chemotherapy. Then came the poundage.
Now, with Trim Healthy Mama, I eat lots of yummy food and keep my goal weight without starving myself all the time or just being plain cranky.
This recipe came about in a search for healthier, better tasting version of a canned “old stand-by”. If ever a side dish needed to be re-thought, “pork ‘n beans” is at the top of the list. The canned version focuses on the sauce, leaving us all short on beans and almost devoid of all pork as we try to keep everything else on our plates out of the path of the runny mess and avoid the two little squiggly, fatty pieces of pork that seem to have been dropped in just for show. Finding pork and beans lacking, we often give them a miss, considering them a mere ingredient in other recipes which they also succeed in making way too runny.
Beans play an important role in our diets, but to be honest, most of us have a love-hate relationship with them.
What summer barbecue is complete without a huge casserole dish brimming with baked beans? What fall camp-out or retreat has ever been planned that excluded a pot of beans?
As members of the legume family, beans are cousins to lentils, peas and the like. Loaded with nutrients, we can count on them as a valuable source of protein, fiber, magnesium, iron and zinc. That means they can help us with fatigue, weakness, heart palpitations, loss of appetite and irritability. Beans are a healthy carb and those make our hormones happy – oh, yes, they do! The sugar in canned pork ‘n beans, however, makes our hormones very, very unhappy.
Beans have been found to contain anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory properties and in certain studies have clearly been shown to have a positive effect on those with coronary heart disease and to lower cholesterol.
Now, if we must, we’ll discuss the down-side of beans. Must we, really? Their reputation has been wrecked by the endless jokes directed at the poor, humiliated souls who succumb to digestive discomfort because of them.
Why, we all ask! Why? It’s like this: Beans contain their own natural sugars – stachyose, raffinose and verbascose – and we cannot digest those due to the fact that we are missing an enzyme that is required to break them down. Therefore, when beans reach the colon, the bacteria there ferments those sugars and need I tell you what fermenting substances do? They give off gas. That, dear readers, is the awful truth in a nutshell.
Beans have never really bothered me much. This mystifies Smuffy, who fluctuates between begging me to make beany recipes and then begging me to never do it again. I’ve always figured there must be some way to make it easier for him to eat his favorite foods.
The answer always eluded his mother. I remember sitting in her living room once after a meal. Smuffy, after offering to help his dad with a project in the yard, exited through the back door as though carried along by sheer self-propulsion. She turned to me, sighing. “I tell you what,” she muttered with a shake of her head, “I’ve raised five of the beaniest boys there ever was!”
I challenged myself to eliminate (if you’ll pardon my expression) the bean predicament or at least get to the bottom (goodness – there I go again!) of the problem.
I tried to convince Smuffy that one of the main issues lay in the fact that I’m a fabulous cook. I suggested that he limit his portions rather than eating four bowls at a sitting. This remedy brought about no results other than an eye-roll directed at me.
Then, of course, succumbing to advertising, we tried the tiny bottles of drops that you were supposed to add to beans upon consumption. No measurable results there – not that we were measuring! Is this blog post over yet?
Then, I had a revelation. My mother had seven children. She spent decades feeding us beans – lots of beans. I couldn’t remember any real issues with beans, but then she had always used dry beans, soaking them overnight. Another flash of the obvious came to mind. Each time I opened a can of beans for a recipe that called for draining and rinsing them, there were bubbles galore! Perhaps we’d been ingesting all those bubbles! Then, another realization hit me. The beans with the worst effects seemed to be “pork ‘n beans” – that meant they were not only canned, but never rinsed!
Here are my conclusions after much research and experimentation.
Never use canned beans! What could be more simple that measuring dry beans into a bowl and adding filtered water? Soak 8 hours or overnight, then POUR THE SOAKING WATER OFF, add fresh water and salt and simmer the beans until desired tenderness. The added advantage to this is that you’ll have control over the doneness. Canned beans are always extremely overcooked and by the time we get them into our soups or casseroles and cook them even longer, we tend to end up with mush.
Need “pork ‘n beans”? No problem! I’m giving you the super easy recipe today. The canned version is loaded with syrupy goo that your doctor and your body would rather you didn’t have anyway, so just stir up a batch of your own!
Watch what you eat with beans. Do eat lots of greens, making your insides a happy place. Don’t eat sugars or things that turn to sugar such as bread or white potatoes. Use high-quality stevia (at least 95% pure) and other natural sweeteners in bean recipes. If you want a great bean recipe that needs no sweeteners at all, you can make a big skillet full of my fabulous chili con carne (recipe coming soon.)
Since digestion starts in the mouth, savor your beans by chewing them well. This is also a little easier to do when you start from scratch as we are today because your beans won’t be overcooked and mushy like canned beans are.
Rinse. Rinse. Rinse! Never cook beans in the water you soaked them in. Wash them, rinse them, soak them, rinse them again, add fresh water and salt, then cook your beans according to package directions and your personal preference as to doneness.
Forgot to soak your beans the night before or before you left in the morning? There is usually a quick-soak method on the package, that will work if your schedule permits.
Use fresh beans. Their effects increase along with their shelf life, so buy them when you need them from a store that keeps its inventory moving. I know it’s tempting to keep dried foods around forever, but it’s not a great idea if you’re trying to lower the risk of after-effects.
Let’s get started with easy homemade Pork ‘n Beans:
After doing lots of research, I began with a “clone” recipe fromwww.palatablepastime.com for Campbell’s Pork and Beans, but it changed drastically as I went along! Theirs was designed to remove high-fructose corn syrup. Mine is designed to be less “beany” and healthier all around. Thanks to Sue Lau for getting me off to a great start!
This recipe is equivalent to a little over four cans (11-15 ounces each) of beans. You can cut the recipe in half if you like, but they are super easy to divide into containers and freeze. Since they are way yummier than the canned version, your family will probably eat more than you expect.
You can use chunks of pork, but I prefer bacon. Who doesn’t? I always bake my bacon – no mess in the kitchen and it turns out perfect every time. I fix the whole package and layer it between paper towels to freeze. I recommend baking it slightly less crispy than you normally enjoy it. Then, when you use it in this recipe or heat it in the microwave to enjoy with breakfast, it will come out perfect! Keep in mind that adding lots of bacon straight into the recipe will make it a crossover (XO), but adding one slice of chopped bacon to your own serving will keep this an “E” for you to enjoy.
Everybody’s busy! The bacon and the beans can be prepared a day or two ahead of time, making this a “throw-together” recipe!
Hearty, Healthy Homemade Pork ‘n Beans
Ingredients:
8 slices uncured bacon, baked on a broiler pan in a 200-250 degree oven for about an hour.
1 pound navy beans, rinsed, soaked 8 hours or overnight, rinsed again and cooked in salted water until tender. Drain and rinse again in warm water.
1 – 2 cups water
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
3 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup molasses
¼ cup raw honey
1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
1 ½ teaspoons onion powder
1 ½ teaspoons sweet or smoked paprika
1 ½ teaspoons Celtic sea salt
3 Tablespoons arrowroot powder shaken in ¼ cup cold water
Prepare the bacon and beans as directed.
Mix all ingredients in a large saucepan and simmer until flavors are blended (5-10 minutes). Add arrowroot and water mixture and return to a soft boil, stirring constantly until sauce reaches desired thickness (1-2 minutes).
Makes 8-12 servings or the equivalent of about 4 (11-15 ounce cans).
Enjoy! But if you eat them all, you’ll need to be prepared to make another batch, because we’re about to take those Pork ‘n Beans and create a slow-cooker masterpiece!
Click below for your free printable of the recipe and bean tips!
Searching for luscious fall soups? I have two ultra-simple recipes you’ll love! Try Creamy Leek Soup with Chicken and Sweet Potatoes, a “Golden Ladle Winner” and if you’re like me and can’t get enough pumpkin right now, check out my Zesty Pumpkin Soupwhich comes with a bonus recipe forBilly’s Biscuitsthat is guaranteed to please.
Questions? Comments? If you make the soup and/or the biscuits, let me know how you liked it! Scroll back up to the title of this post and “Leave a Comment”. And why not SUBSCRIBE, so you’ll receive an email reminder each time Midwest Storyteller has something new.
Yes, Jamie – where are you? Normally, I do love a mystery, but…
The winner of October’s First Friday Freebie is “Jamie E.” Jamie has been notified with a reply to a comment on the blog post as well as through a personal email. However, Jamie has not responded to me with contact information to claim the free gift. It’s been over a week.
So sad.
Since I have no way of knowing whether Jamie is male or female or whether Jamie lives in my own hometown or anywhere else in the continental United States, it makes it impossible for me to send out the free home décor from Hobby Lobby.
So, my dear readers, please help! Share this post and if you have any idea who Jamie might be, please contact this person and let them know they’ve won. I’ll give it a few more days. If I do not hear from “Jamie E.” by Friday, October 19th, I’ll have Smuffy choose another name from among others who have entered.
Check out what Jamie is missing out onhere. This owl is wondering “whoo” will give him/her a new home!
Thanks for sleuthing with me! Leave a comment, but be sure not to share any personal information. If you have any such details to share, please email me at barb@midweststoryteller.com.
On October 10, 2017, a kindle of kittens arrived, filling the mud room of the country home with tiny mews, squeaks and squirms. We didn’t have a clue.
Not until almost two months later did Smuffy hand me a gift bag for our anniversary. It contained, mysteriously, a can of kitten food. Since we had no cat and hadn’t had one for a decade, I stared at Smuffy, speechless.
“You don’t want a cat,” I finally managed to utter after he asked me if I intended to say anything.
“But you do,” he smiled. “And life is short, and I’m ready, and you need to get a kitty. That is, if you want one.”
I lapsed into another stunned silence for a bit and then a conversation started that lasted for the rest of the day. Here we are enjoying our anniversary dinner and still talking about it.
My main concern was that Smuffy might not be ready to become a kitty-daddy – heart and soul, that is. The last thing I wanted was to end up in a situation where he put up with a cat around the house for my sake while secretly hating every minute of it.
Once he assured me that he’d been thinking about it for months and was fully ready to commit, I got downright giddy at the thought. Since December isn’t really the season around here for “please, please, pleeeeeease take one of these kittens off my hands”, my word of mouth efforts yielded no leads.
I made a bold move and tried social media, hoping that I wouldn’t be swamped with 150 offers to wade through as I tried to make a decision.
Oddly, just one prospect appeared who had two kittens ready for a home. They both happened to be females, which I wanted, and the photos were adorable. On December 7th, a mere five days after Smuffy lost his marbles and made the offer, we adopted Phoebe June and it’s been nothing but fun, games and squirt-bottle discipline around here ever since.
And Smuffy, you ask? His heart melted and within the first week she’d become his little “Junebug”. When it comes to kitty discipline, he dreads nothing more than having to be the bad guy. Let’s just call him Mr. Marshamallow.
As for myself, I didn’t know how much I needed Phoebe June until I got her. We romp and play as though she’s four weeks old and I’m four years old. Well, I haven’t dressed her up in doll clothes or anything, but I’ve come pretty close. I determined to keep her from being fearful of every little thing by harness “training” (and I use that word loosely because, she is, after all, a cat) her and taking her everywhere. Now, she’s a social butterfly and is not neurotic, but everybody thinks I am!
We’re celebrating around here today with a couple of extra toys from the dollar store, some “big girl” food and a trip to the vet to weigh in. You might think the latter would be enough to ruin a birthday for most cats, but Phoebe takes the kitty doctor in stride, along with her trips to see Amy Egglady, window shopping or popping in to see friends.
Happy 1st Birthday, Phoebe June! You’ve come a long way from the little powder puff nestled in the palm of my hand.
Cat years are calculated differently than dog years. It proceeds faster at first and then slows down to a ratio of Human: 1 = Cat: 3. Right now, Phoebe is supposed to be the equivalent of a twelve-year-old. We might just be moving into more exciting times. Hmmm…
I keep this Shakespearean quote above Phoebe’s playhouse –
As you can see, it suited her from the start. Born to leap, Phoebe June flies through the air with the greatest of ease all without the need for a trapeze. Add to that the fact that she is emotionally clingy, loudmouthed and opinionated and you’ll have but a mere hint as to how our “empty nest” household has changed.
In fact, Phoebe June talks non-stop! It should have been no surprise to discover that she’s been keeping a diary. I’ll be sharing some of her thoughts and experiences with you whenever I can manage to sneak a peek without getting caught.
I’d love to hear from you, so leave a comment!
Coming up Next: I’m finally getting around to those hearty fall recipes I promised. You’ll get FREE PRINTABLES, too!
Here I am, in turmoil again, as the First Friday Freebie takes flight. If there had been two of these in the store, there would have been no problem, but I’m mustering up my courage to part with this one, because it is meant for you!
It’s October and most of us are in the mood to decorate for fall. This adorable owl wall plaque from Hobby Lobbyjust begs for a place among your fall leaves, candles and other autumn décor.
Here it is, propped up on my mantle where it sat begging me to give it a forever home.
My personal preference would be to have him sitting and not hanging, but there’s a hanger on the back so you can do whichever you like. Did I say “he”? I suppose it could be a “she” or, as they say in “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers”, a “little gal owl fowl”.
The owl measures just under eight inches tall and is seven inches wide, so it’s just the right size to slip in with your other decorations and set things off really well.
If you’d like to enter to win the owl plaque, you’ll need to “Leave a Comment” on this post, saying, “I’m the one WHO wants to win!” and you’ll need to do that before midnight TONIGHT, October 5th, 2018!
Remember, you must be a subscriber to Midwest Storyteller in order for your comment to be entered into the drawing. Therefore, it would be WISE to head over to the right sidebar or use the menu to get to the “About Me” page and do that if you haven’t already.
Help Midwest Storyteller reach your friends and family by SHARING this post through Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest or by copying the link into an email so they can enter to win and begin enjoying everything else on the blog as well!
Take a look at past freebies on the “Freebies” where you can see the gifts subscribers have been winning.
Once again, a winner will be chosen at random from those subscribers who enter before midnight tonight by leaving a comment which says, “I’m the one WHO wants to win!”
And now, here are the complete rules:
Three simple steps!
What are you waiting for? Go! Go! Go! Subscribe if you haven’t already, confirm in your email and comment to enter before midnight tonight, October 5th!
Coming up next – It’s that time of the year for hot and hearty comfort foods. I’ll take you on my journey through the wonderful world of that delicious (albeit embarrassing) and nutritious topic – BEANS – and you’ll get two great from-scratch recipes to please your whole family!
By commenting on my last First Friday Freebie, someone got to “tie one on”!
On September 7th, I asked my readers to leave a comment, saying, “I’m ready to tie one on!” in order to enter the drawing for this beautiful scarf. And the winner is…
Liz from Boonville, Missouri!
Liz is another one of my repeat winners. She’s sure to put her name in almost every single month and it’s paying off!
Soon it will be time for October’s freebie! If you haven’t subscribed, you’ll want to do that now because First Friday Freebies are for SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.
Check out the “Freebies” page! After seeing some of the gifts other subscribers have won, you’ll want to be sure you enter to win and SHARE so your friends can do the same.
Congratulations, Liz! The scarf looks great on you and I know you’ll like wearing it now that we are having cooler days.
This beautiful scarf is by MIXIT. You’ll find more great styles in scarves, other accessories and clothing at JCPenney.
The next First Friday Freebie drawing will be on Friday, October 5, 2018. Why not follow Liz’s example and become a SUBSCRIBER so you can win!
A winner will be chosen at random from those subscribers who enter before midnight on the day of the drawing by leaving a comment as instructed in the post.
And now, here are the Freebie Rules.
First Friday Freebies are available to SUBSCRIBERS ONLY. That means if you come to the post through social media or someone has emailed you a link to it and you haven’t become a subscriber yet, you’ll need to hop on over to the right sidebar and do that really quick. If you are on a phone or tablet, the easiest way is to go to the “About Me” page. All it means to be a subscriber is that you’ll receive an email each time Midwest Storyteller has something new, which won’t likely be more than once or twice a week. It keeps you from missing out on all the fun and FREE STUFF! And, I’m not sharing your emails with anybody.
IMPORTANT: After subscribing, you MUST check your email to confirm the subscription or it will not appear. Then, sadly, you won’t be eligible to enter.
To enter the drawing, scroll back up to the top of this post and under the title, click on “Leave a Comment”. Subscribers who comment as directed before midnight on the first Friday of the month will enter the drawing, provided they are already on the subscribers list and live within the continental United States. .Follow these three simple steps and subscribe now. Then, you’ll be ready for October. .“Share”, “like” and “pin” this post! You’re friends will want to enter to win, too! Have an opinion on the Freebies? Leave a comment! If you’re on your computer, scroll back up under the title of this post and let me know what you’re thinking. On various devices, you may find “Leave a Comment” at the bottom of the post.
Leave a comment today and let me know how you are liking the freebies!
Praying that each of you have many opportunities to enjoy the glories of the season! The trees will soon be singing!
“…let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them. Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy;” -Psalm 96:12
I took this photo in my yard last fall. A free printable of the word art above is available upon request to subscribers. Click here to subscribe and send me an email or leave a comment with your request.
Now that I have taken you into my confidence with “Confessions of a Curly Girl” and have embarrassed myself beyond measure by releasing photos that probably ought to have been burned, let’s tackle the real dilemma. What’s a girl to do without spending a fortune on products that end up in the trash because they make you look like a Kansas tumbleweed?
Who is this mysterious, wild-haired woman from my past? She still haunts me.
I’ve done it all. Moan with me if you’ve ever slept on juice cans or cut-up potato chip cans. Ever wrapped your wet hair around your head, securing it with long clips only to wake up in the morning with your hair still wet and creases to mark the placement of every clip? Ever had Big Sister or a friend comb segments of hair over the ironing board and smooth each one with a steam iron? A few tips on this: Choose a steady-handed operator, sit still, and make sure the iron is on a low setting!
I shy away from salon-trained personnel. Too many have sent me home in tears. Two objects, if wielded in my presence, still send me into fight or flight mode – thinning scissors and razors. Curly Girls – don’t go there!
Stylists with straight hair don’t understand the “spring factor” or the fact that different areas of your scalp are producing different degrees of curl. The top of my hair is curlier than the rest. If the top isn’t left longer, the spring factor goes into effect and I come off as Eunice, as played by Carol Burnett here.
Hair products pose another problem. I tried everything to tame and condition my dry and brittle hair, the result of endless efforts to get it to behave using dryers, irons, hot rollers – you name it. My attempts left me bearing a marked resemblance to the poor soul in Shakespeare’s Hamlet who, should he hear the frightful tale, find that his once knotted and combined locks were to part and each particular hair to stand on end like quills upon the fretful porpentine. I’ve had my share of porpentine days.
Around ten years ago, I spotted a woman across a crowded room who changed my life. We Curly Girls can tell the difference between a perm and natural curl in a nanosecond and hers was the real deal. However, each curl, smooth and defined, remained separated from its neighbor in a way that I can only describe as a masterpiece of style. I decided she would be my friend whether she liked it or not.
She knew the struggle. We dove into a hair discussion as though we were veterans sharing war stories. She made two recommendations. I pass them on to you now with alll the urgency I can muster.
Firstly, order the “Curly Girl Handbook” from Amazon. No kidding. This is a guide you need. It’s written by Lorraine Massey, whose hair is curlier than mine. Her chain of salons in New York cater to Curly Girls and she’s developed a line of products that do what we’ve all been longing for – tame, de-frizz, and define those curls.
Inside, you’ll find a DVD that is a must-watch in order for you to get a grasp on the instructions outlined in the book. It’s difficult for most of us to wrap our brains around leaving a lot of product in our hair. Didn’t our mothers tell us to rinse all that stuff out? This technique may not work with other products, but it works with her line.
Here are the products I’ve been using for years now. You can find them at Ulta or at a Deva Hair Salon near you.
Secondly (and this is so important), find an actual, for-real, bona fide Deva salon and get your hair cut there by a stylist who has been trained by the Deva professionals.
Deva haircuts are a whole new ballgame. Rather than having your hair combed out and cut while stretched, each individual curl is cut while curly. The cuts I got at Frontenac Salonin St. Louis not only changed the whole look of my hair, but they also trained me in using the products as well. You’re thinking this sounds expensive, but it isn’t. The cost covers cut, No-Poo (because there’s no poo in theirs), style and cut (yes, they always cut it twice before you leave). I found it to be a bargain considering that you’ll only be going three times a year. Yep! They train you in how to maintain your cut in between times!
Deva also makes a nice travel set so that you can try the products. The bottles sizes comply with TSA regulations and a microfiber hair towel is included because you’ll discover that you’ll never want another terry cloth towel to touch your head again. An old T-shirt also works well to keep from ruffling up your “do”.
I’m sure your travel set will look a little spiffier than the one in the photo. Mine has accompanied me on many a journey.
IMPORTANT NOTE: I’m about to share with you some issues that I’ve had with hair loss. Though I have always been an extreme “shedder” and I haven’t noticed an increase with the use of Deva products, I have done an online search and have found several folks who feel it has been an issue for them. I may take a brief hiatus (though I hate to do so) just to see if I notice any differences. Do your own experimenting and research – you’ll know best what works for you.
Concerning hair loss, let me just say that to minimize this problem is just plain wrong. Much of our identity and self-worth is tied to how we feel about our face and hair. One survey showed that when people were asked what they noticed first when meeting a new person, it was a toss-up between hair and shoes!
As I shared in“It’s Not the Heat, It’s the Humidity: Confessions of a Curly Girl”, I had to deal with hair loss through chemo years ago. It was no badge of courage for me. I had recurrent dreams about hair the whole time. I dreamed about my hair and everybody else’s for months. It returned in time, curls and all, and I’ve never wished my curls away since.
There are other things besides chemo, however, that can take away your hair. A few years ago, after burning my candle at both ends for too long a time, I fell into Stage 3 Adrenal Fatigue. When my body ran out of its much needed cortisol, everything else crashed along with it – thyroid and just about every hormone on the list.
I am not your doctor and cannot advise you, but I will tell you from personal experience that adrenal fatigue is real, there are lab tests for it, I have faithfully followed my doctor’s treatment and it has worked!
I lost a lot of hair. Since I’d already been there, done that and gotten my T-shirt at the Relay for Life, I had no intention of letting this get to the point of no return. Curls became a blessing as their fluff enabled me to hide how much hair I’d lost. There were tears – lots of them!
If you have hair loss, stop attributing it to age or other factors that you think are just part of life. Something can be done. See a doctor specializing in functional medicine who knows how to check your blood work, thyroid, adrenals and hormones in ways that “regular” doctors do not. Get some answers because the answers are out there! Don’t be afraid to ask what else can be done.
When my adrenals, thyroid and other hormones began to return to normal levels, I told my doctor that I wanted to get more aggressive in speeding up the return of my hair. She recommended these supplements from Elon Essentialsand I can’t say enough good things about them.
I take a capsule daily and apply the serum every morning to the areas where I’ve noticed the most thinning. This is a slow process as you wait through several shedding cycles, but I’ve gotten a lot of hair back throughout the two years I’ve been using it.
Curly Girls, may your days be filled with low humidity, definition and zero-frizz! May you have glorious curls and plenty of them! My former tumbleweed now looks healthy and defined while I’m waiting for more of my volume to return.
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Ah, September! Everyone has their own reasons for loving this transitional month, but the first thing that comes to my mind is the joy of having a passable hair-do again.
I have no idea what month of the year my Scotch and Irish ancestors arrived here, but it must have been in autumn or at the first greening of spring. They gazed at the rolling hills, lush foliage, sighed with relief and exclaimed, “Ah! Just like the old country!” I’m convinced if they’d arrived during one of our ice-encrusted winters or during a summer such as we’ve just had they would have kept right on moving. They’d have been justified in doing so if only to spare their children and grandchildren endless bad hair days.
One of the great mysteries of the universe is humidity. Hanging at one hundred percent day after day and holding moisture so thick you can feel it part like the Red Sea as you pass through, it does not nourish the clouds. It may not rain for weeks at a time. Anything that heavy and oppressive ought to give way to sheer gravity, wouldn’t you think?
All the straight-haired girls complain about the humidity’s affects, but I caution you – don’t do it in front of us Curly Girls. It’s the equivalent of hearing a guy say that his pain is worse than being in labor. On a good day, we Curly Girls will offer a weak, indulgent smile and keep our mouths shut, but once we’re about three weeks into Bad Hair Season, we are no longer responsible for our actions.
Some of us were blessed with curls from the get-go. For others, like me, it comes upon a person suddenly and without warning. There I was, going along through grade school, minding my own business, when the sudden change blindsided me.
It had never been perfectly straight. My mom or big sisters could wind my wet locks around their fingers and get it to turn up or under on the ends. My bangs, cut straight across my forehead, lay in an even line, behaving as bangs should.
Then, it happened. Within a matter of months, things spiraled (literally) out of control, resulting in a series of school photos unfit for the human eye. My parents and siblings, who may have shared a dozen or so waves amongst themselves, had no idea what to do about the walking bush they used to call little sister. I still remember being perched on a stool, surrounded my multiple siblings all offering advice to my scissor-wielding sister as she stood beside me trying to figure out where to start. Their hand gestures scared me to pieces.
If your hair is straight, humidity will reduce the volume and relax the curl. You may even get a frizz or two on top. My advice – take it and be grateful. I, on the other hand, can gauge the relative humidity by consulting my bangsometer. It’s readings fluctuate all the way from winter’s “sprayed-and-stayed” to spring’s “why-are-you-pointing-over-there?” to mid-summer’s “oh-for-cryin’-out-loud-I-used-a-ton-of-spray-and-they’re-actually-curling-FORWARD!”
When that happens, we Curly Girls bear it as best we can, along with life’s other injustices. However, it does provoke nasty looks when someone approaches with a camera.
I know what you’re thinking. I can hear you saying, “Silly girl, when it’s humid outside, just let it do its own thing!” Ah! Again, let me enlighten you. Curly bangs must be inches longer than straight bangs. Otherwise, they will bunch up next to the hairline in a wad. I refuse to post a picture of that sort of disaster here. Ever.
There are times when you just pretend that voluminous is glorious and smile anyway.
The squiggles you see in my little blondie’s hair were but a foreshadowing. She grew up to have some pretty sassy curls, too, and yes, they brought with them the trauma I’d expected they would.
Once a year, on my birthday, I throw caution to the wind and actually approach open flame with “the hair”.
You’re probably assuming that Smuffy is off-camera, stage left, holding a fire extinguisher, but no, I do it like Evel Knievel.
The nineties offered an opportunity to express myself. I loaded up on styling gel and while everybody else turned upside down to blow dry and spent a fortune on perms and hours achieving volume, I just air-dried and walked through doors sideways.
It balances out the shoulder pads and the wallpaper really well, don’t you think?
On really bad hair days, I could shove in a few pins and contain the mess on top (if you call this look “contained”).
A friend told me that this attempt at a “glamour shot” succeeded in making me look like Miss Kitty Russell, owner and proprietor of the Long Branch Saloon in Dodge City, Kansas. I took no offense. (I still have a crush on Marshall Matt Dillon.)
Photographic evidence does not lie.
Taken just one day apart, these photos show that just when you think you’ve got a grip on things, humidity and humility arrive hand-in-hand, causing your smile lose its natural ease and become strained. Please, someone tell me that I did not leave the house on Day 2! (These are not mug shots. We were testing lipstick shades, just in case you’re thinking I got arrested for that hair.)
Over the years, I stopped moaning, “I hate my hair!” Parts of God’s plan will always remain a mystery to mere mortals and He certainly performed a mysterious work on my head. I made peace with the fact that He knew what He was doing, especially after reading the words of the ardent lover in Song of Solomon. Remember him – the one who bounds over the hills like a young stag, pleading, “Arise, come, my darling, my beautiful one…”? One of the physical qualities that had him so worked up was the fact that his beloved possessed hair “like a flock of goats”.
I think I’ve offered enough evidence here to prove that this man would go wild over me! If there’s ever been a woman with hair like a flock of goats…I’m just sayin’.
Smuffy has embraced my curly look as though he’s Solomon himself and has come to the point where, if a wild notion strikes me to straighten it, he gives me the thumbs-down.
The struggle to come to the place where I could shout from the rooftops, “I love my hair!” came almost nineteen years ago when I walked into the chemo room knowing we would soon say good-bye.
Since then, all I can say is , “Love it! Love it! Can’t get enough of it!” But, golly, I’m glad it’s September!
If you’re struggling to embrace your curls, I hope my story has helped you appreciate them or, at the very least, smile a little and lighten up! Need a stronger remedy? You’ll find more on my “Laugh” page. enjoy Life, Laughter and Lemons here and, by all means, catch up on my exciting “Life With Smuffy”!
My little goats have been corralled and now behave themselves to a much greater degree. A lifelong search has brought me, at last, fabulous products that separate the curls and define them, making all the difference. Coming up: A review of my all-time favorite Curly Girl arsenal of products!
Subscribe so you don’t miss it! Leave a comment – I’d love to hear from you!
Today I am linking up with Anna Nutthall. For more inspiring posts, click here.
Go ahead. Sniff the air. Is that an autumn breeze passing by?
Well, no, not really. It’s hot. But it’s September and that brings hope that the worst is over.
We find ourselves directly in the path of Hurricane Gordon’s “leftovers”, which are due to bring us several inches of rain this weekend and perhaps some cooler temperatures. Highs in the 70’s and 80’s are better than the highs in the 90’s that we’ve been having ever since May.
I have just the thing to put you in the mood for cooler, crisper days. Take a look at September’s First Friday Freebie.
This beautiful scarf by MIXIT is just the remedy for that first urge one gets this time of the year to run out and tie one on! Get it? Tie. One. On. Oh, never mind. I am sometimes overwhelmed by my lightning wit.
As you can see in the photos above, the rose pattern speaks of summer’s end with soft ivory and brown tones to usher in cooler days. Subtle touches of metallic gold highlight the leaves and petals. The woven fabric is thin enough to wear at the first hint of cooler weather.
At 73 inches long and 26 inches wide, you’ll have plenty of room for tying it into multiple styles. Take a look at some of the ways my model wore it.
Of course, there are all sorts of unique and stylish ways to tie scarves, from twisting them into rosettes to leaving them untied and just letting then ends hang down straight.
To enter to win the MIXIT scarf, “Leave a Comment” on this post, saying, “I’m ready to tie one on!” (I know, I know – but humor me.) You’ll need to do that before midnight TONIGHT, September 7th, 2018!
Remember, you must be a subscriber to Midwest Storyteller in order for your comment to be entered into the drawing.
JCPenney carries a wide selection of MIXIT accessories and you can check out more styles from MIXIT here.
SHARE this post through Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest or send the link in an email to all your friends so they can enter to win!
Take a look at past freebies on the “Freebies” where you can see the gifts subscribers have been winning.
Once again, a winner will be chosen at random from those subscribers who enter before midnight tonight by leaving a comment which says, “I’m ready to tie one on!”
And now, here are the complete rules:
First Friday Freebies are available to SUBSCRIBERS ONLY. That means if you have come to this post through social media or someone has emailed you a link to it and you haven’t become a subscriber yet, you’ll need to hop on over to the right sidebar and do that really quick. If you are on a phone or tablet, the easiest way is to go to the “About Me” page. All it means to be a subscriber is that you’ll receive an email each time Midwest Storyteller has something new, which won’t likely be more than once or twice a week. It keeps you from missing out on all the fun and FREE STUFF! And, I’m not sharing your emails with anybody.
IMPORTANT: After subscribing, you MUST check your email to confirm the subscription or it will not appear. Then, sadly, you won’t be eligible to enter.
To enter the drawing, scroll back up to the top of this post (or all the way to the bottom, depending on your device) and click on “Leave a Comment”. Subscribers who comment as directed before midnight on Friday will enter the drawing, provided they are already on the subscribers list and live within the continental United States.
Three simple steps!
What are you waiting for? Go! Go! Go! Subscribe if you haven’t already, confirm in your email and comment to enter before midnight tonight, September 7th!
Announcing the August Freebie winner! Let’s see who won the free gift –
Ruth from St. Louis, Missouri!
Ruth not only received the free cupcake kit, but also an “E” for effort! I think she’s entered almost every Midwest Storyteller drawing for months now and is finally a winner! All she had to do was comment on the August 3rd post, saying, “Come on, let’s party!” Her name went into the drawing for the adorable cupcake kit by MeriMeri. Smuffy chose a name from those who entered and there you have it
I’ve had a little delay in making this announcement, so it won’t be long until time rolls around for September’s freebie! If you haven’t subscribed, you’ll want to do that now because First Friday Freebies are for SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.
Take a look at our “Freebies” pagewhere you’ll see some of the other gifts subscribers have been winning.
Congratulations, Ruth! I know you’ll have fun making your favorite cupcake recipe cute with all the items in this kit.
You can check out more items from Meri Meri at www.merimeri.comwhere they have coordinating items for all your celebrations, including, baby, wedding, anniversary and more. Words cannot express how much I adore their Peter Rabbit themed party items!
The next First Friday Freebie drawing will be on Friday, September 7, 2018. As Ruth can testify, it pays to be a SUBSCRIBER.
Share this post with all your friends so they can SUSCRIBE and enter to win. A winner will be chosen at random from those subscribers who enter before midnight on the day of the drawing by leaving a comment as instructed in the post.
And now, here are the Freebie Rules.
First Friday Freebies are available to SUBSCRIBERS ONLY. That means if you come to the post through social media or someone has emailed you a link to it and you haven’t become a subscriber yet, you’ll need to hop on over to the right sidebar and do that really quick. If you are on a phone or tablet, the easiest way is to go to the “About Me” page. All it means to be a subscriber is that you’ll receive an email each time Midwest Storyteller has something new, which won’t likely be more than once or twice a week. It keeps you from missing out on all the fun and FREE STUFF! And, I’m not sharing your emails with anybody.
IMPORTANT: After subscribing, you MUST check your email to confirm the subscription or it will not appear. Then, sadly, you won’t be eligible to enter.
To enter the drawing, scroll back up to the top of this post and under the title, click on “Leave a Comment”. Subscribers who comment as directed before midnight on the first Friday of the month will enter the drawing, provided they are already on the subscribers list and live within the continental United States. Follow these three simple steps and subscribe now. Then, you’ll be ready for September. “Share”, “like” and “pin” this post! You’re friends will want to enter to win, too! Have an opinion on the Freebies? Leave a comment! If you’re on your computer, scroll back up under the title of this post and let me know what you’re thinking. On various devices, you may find “Leave a Comment” at the bottom of the post.
Smuffy returns soon: Need I remind you that I am not responsible for this man’s actions? Another landmark moment for the books is coming up! If you’ve not let Smuffy entertain you, click here.
Last time, we discussed how much our lives have changed over the centuries and took a fun, but realistic, look at a day in the life of pioneer women in the 1800’s. If you missed it, you may want to check it out here. We’ve acquired many modern conveniences and long with them a sense of guilt that haunts us if we aren’t constantly on the job or flitting to or from one.
While we long for the simplicity that comes with our ancestors’ uncomplicated lifestyle, few of us would return to it once we considered the hardships that went hand-in-hand with that simplicity.
We came home the other day from a writers’ conference to discover that our central air conditioning had gone out. It’s August. Though we did receive a refreshing rain and the weather cooled down, fixing the A/C moved to the top of our priority list. Another modern convenience, the weather app, tells us it will be 97 degrees this weekend. No pioneering spirit here, folks!
My faith governs my life and my world-view. I know that as a human being, I am designed for Garden of Eden living. That means that I am not wired for stress. Yet, due to the gift of free will, “stuff” happens. Just living on this earth means we need a break. We need restoration! People are imperfect – doggonit – and they’re everywhere! Situations, as science confirms, go from order to chaos – not the other way around. I’m not going to notice, for instance, that although I haven’t mopped the floor in weeks, my floors just keep getting cleaner and shinier. A farmer isn’t going to drive by his long-neglected field and discover that time has turned the tangled mass of weeds into neat rows of corn. Again – doggonit!
So, with everything cascading into a mess all around us and folks misbehaving left and right, it’s no wonder we need restorative rest.
In my last post, I suggested that each time you feel guilty for being “so far behind”, that you grab the timer and see just how long your tasks really take to complete. Did you discover that they all take longer than the few minutes you’ve allotted them in your mind?
I feel it’s necessary to mention the fellas as we look at how life has changed. Along with awareness that domestic chores have become much easier over the centuries, we must also acknowledge that men do help out more than ever before. The first time I saw a daddy wearing a cuddle sack with his tiny infant snuggled against his chest, going about his business like it was an easy-breezy part of life, my heart melted. I remember the day when such a thing would have been unheard of.
More and more men are involved with household chores and caring for their children’s basic needs without falling apart at the seams with a bad case of martyr syndrome because someone asked them for a little help. It’s a change that’s been a long time coming and, I believe, has not come about by any natural evolutionary processes, guilty consciences or increased introspection and self-awareness on their part. It took push and I’m proud of every woman who pushed.
My advice to all of you who are frustrated, stressed out and guilt-ridden was to fire yourself, re-hire yourself and give yourself a break! Emily Post gave me some perspective on this and I hope it helps you as much as it did me.
I know what you’re thinking. You’ve immediately lumped Emily into the same domestic category as Martha Stewart, Mary Poppins and June Cleaver. Believe it or not, I’ve had friends good-naturedly call me all those names over the years. I’m one of those people who likes to make everything “special”. Surprisingly, Emily helped to ease the strain because “special” takes time, effort and lots of clean-up.
I stumbled across an old volume of Emily Post’s “Etiquette” (1942, to be exact) at a yard sale, took it home and dove in. After all, inquiring minds want to know if they’re doing everything wrong. Right? Smuffy looked over at me one evening as we both reclined in bed with our books and said, “I’d be willing to bet money that right now, in this entire town, there is not one other person curled up in bed reading a two-inch thick 1942 Emily Post book of etiquette.” It probably would have been a safe bet.
What can I say?
I found it fascinating. Emily will teach you how to do everything. You’ll learn how to meet government officials (foreign and domestic), how to deal with your child’s clothing choices, how to set a perfect table, and write the proper invitations and other correspondence. Though you may not need the section on “Do’s and Don’ts for Debutantes”, you will learn how to teach your children not to be…well…mannerless, awkward clods.
The wonderful thing about it? It all made sense. She designs a world in which you make other people feel comfortable in any situation.
Hoity-toity, you say? Only in spots. Emily understands. She had a name for those of us who don’t have minions at our beck and call or a stack of engraved invitations waiting for our RSVP. She refers us as “Mrs. Three-in-One”. She acknowledges that this means most of us. Like it or not, most of us are cook, maid and hostess.
I fantasized my way through her chapter on “The Well-Appointed House”, giving myself a tongue-in-cheek reminder that I mustn’t forget “What the Butler Wears”. When I came to the section on the “House Run by One Maid”, I gave it a little more attention due to the fact that my house has one maid and I am she. That’s when I fired myself. Or did I quit? Anyhow, I knew it was time to start over with a new set of expectations.
I decided that, as Mrs. Three-in-One, I needed to re-hire the maid (me) using Emily’s job description. I surrendered all guilt, knowing that it would be unreasonable to expect more of myself than I would of the hired help.
This maid’s work “must be adjusted not only to the needs of the particular family by whom she is employed, but also to her own capability”. Understanding and flexibility are built into that statement. I realized that when I can’t – I can’t.
Emily states that, allowing for sleeping and eating, the maid has a remaining fourteen hours left in her day, “out of which she must find the time for recreation as well as for work”. Don’t be a tyrant, Mrs. Three-in-One! Do a little recreating.
The maid’s hours for housework should run from ten to twelve hours a day, perhaps more on special occasions. “From these hours there must, however be taken certain regular hours of time out.” Regular hours of time out during her ten to twelve hour day! Are you starting to think you’ve been a little hard on yourself? Career women, you can’t do it all. Stay-at-home moms, you might do it all, but you still need a cup of tea and time to put your feet up!
Then, Emily really starts speaking my language. “Normally every maid has her specified afternoons and evenings out.” Let me get my hat and coat! She goes on to say that if household requirements are unusually hard or confining, compensate for this as best you can. Women have used their creativity in dealing with this for centuries. I imagine this is how quilting bees came about.
The next section in the book provided a “Working Schedule for a One-Maid House”. I studied it, asking myself if I should expect any more of myself than I would of this woman I’d hired. Hypothetically, she is in charge of a seven-room house which includes a living room, dining room, porch, kitchen, maid’s room and bath, three bedrooms and two baths.
I balked at the first item, which suggested that I wash and dress at 6:45 a.m. OK, I’m open to it.
The second item felt more like my usual routine, which is to be downstairs by 7:00 a.m. to put the kettle on, start cereal and set the breakfast table. I’ve seen my mother “start cereal”. It involved the stove, a pan and such. For me, starting cereal consists of putting the box on the counter and parking a gallon of milk next to it. The “breakfast table”? My family has never known the table to be in any way connected with breakfast and I’m not letting the cat out of the bag at this stage of the game.
At 7:30 a.m., the maid is to cook breakfast, then eat her own breakfast. I’m just fine with the second half of that. Cooking breakfast is a term reserved for Saturdays only when, and if, all parties and circumstances are aligned and in agreement.
The family is to be served breakfast at 8:00 a.m. I can’t remember the last time this happened, but there may have been a high chair involved. Everyone around here is capable. That gives this maid a little more time to linger over her own breakfast and cup of tea.
At 8:30 a.m., the job description calls for the maid to clear the table, wash the dishes, pick up the living room, sweep the dining room, kitchen and halls. The mistress (also me) is to plan meals for the day and “order marketing”. There is an hour and a half allotted for this. I’d have no problem with this if I had gotten washed and dressed at 6:45 as directed, but…
Heading upstairs at 10:00, the maid makes beds, cleans bathrooms, sweeps, dusts and empties wastebaskets. Apparently this does not include the bedrooms. (See daily schedule below.)
Special work for the day is done at 11:00 and takes and hour and a half. One room from the list below is cleaned thoroughly. If it doesn’t take that long, the maid is to do whatever else needs to be done such as polish silver, make a cake or dessert or dinner or prepare vegetables. I can see a lot of us dispensing with that first item., though I do pull out all the stops when I’m feeling “fancy”.
At 12:30, Luncheon is prepared and the table is set so that lunch can be served at 1:00. This sounds like a real time crunch for someone as slow as my maid, if you get my drift.
I’m sure Emily is counting on luncheon being a very simple meal and these people saving their appetites for a more elaborate evening meal, for she suggests clearing the table at 1:30 and washing the dishes, I suppose whether they have finished eating or not.
After this, the maid has free time until 3:00 p.m. Yes, indeed, plum spang in the middle of the day, there she is, doing nothing. Well, it does suggest that she rest, bathe and change her dress.
Back on duty at 3:00, apparently all she does is hang around the kitchen as she is “on duty” there and be ready to answer the door. I don’t know who answered up until now. Perhaps there is a section on how it is rude to go visiting before 3:00 p.m.?
At 5:00 p.m., she rolls up her sleeves and prepares meat, vegetables, etc., for dinner. Of course, she sets a nice table.
Now, with the prep work done, the maid is ready to cook, which she does at 5:30.
At 6:30 p.m., dinner is served.
Apparently, this family doesn’t linger long, for at 7:00, she is washing dishes, putting the dining room and kitchen in order for the night.
By 8:00, this maid is finished. Nothing more to be done. Her plans for the evening “will be adapted to the household needs.” This is where it gets scary, don’t you think?
I’m sure you’re still wondering about that “Special Work for the Day” that occurs at 11:00 a.m. Here it is:
Monday – Clean the three bedrooms.
Tuesday – Clean dining room and polish silver.
Wednesday – Clean sun porch and do extra baking.
Thursday – Clean kitchen and maid’s room.
Friday – Clean living room.
Saturday – Polish brass, silver, furniture, etc. Bake cake for Sunday.
I don’t know about you, but this cleaning schedule doesn’t sound half bad. Clean the bedrooms – no problem. Not many of us are polishing silver anymore, so cleaning the dining room or area shouldn’t be overwhelming. Having a sun porch to clean is on my bucket list! With clean eating going on, the only extra baking involves some sourdough bread or maybe a lasagna to freeze. There is no maid’s room to clean, so I’m off the hook there. The living room always needs a going over. That leaves Saturdays to do something more interesting (unless I do decide to clean the furniture) because I rarely polish brash and I don’t bake cakes for Sunday.
Now let’s all pause and breathe! Are you like me? When I studied this job description, all I could think was, “I’m not sure I could do all this even if I got paid for it!” Yet, I saw that this maid got time off in the middle of the day, plus specified afternoons and evenings out. I’d been expecting myself to get all these things done and more.
I needed to be at Smuffy’s beck and call because his constant immersion in some project (or body of water). I needed to be sure my mom got to the store and to her appointments and got out and had a little fun. Nowhere on the list of maid’s duties did I find any mention of children and their schoolwork, scraped knees or need to play. Laundry didn’t seem to enter into this maid’s duties at all! I didn’t see any time allotted for being a good neighbor, volunteering at church, helping with community projects or taking the cat to the vet. I love making handmade gifts. Where’s the time for that? I’ve written three novels and have a blog to keep up with! All this and we, as women, are supposed make time to exercise and keep fit as well?
If I added all these things to the paid maid’s schedule, I wouldn’t even get to sleep! It’s tempting to give up.
Emily Post has set me free! I now know that I can’t do it all. I have to pick from the list and put things off until I can get around to them. You’ll have to do that, too, if you don’t want to lose your marbles, drain your body of cortisol and put your family through the ordeal of living with someone who is on stress overload. It’s true what they say, “If mama ain’t happy…”
We thrive when we live a balanced life. Honey, fire yourself! Re-hire yourself and give yourself a break! Let’s all make peace with the fact that we are Mrs. Three-in-One. That lady needs love, understanding and a nap!
Emily Post is not a thing of the past. She’s still got us covered. She answers all your questions about navigating life in today’s world with the lost arts – consideration, respect, honesty and etiquette atemilypost.com
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I dedicate this to all the women out there – wives, moms, grandmas, the ones taking care of aging parents and the ones who will be, the young women who are working away at jobs or studying day and night. I dedicate it to those who barely have enough domestic skills to make their own beds – those who’d stare at a steam iron or a potato peeler with their heads at a tilt before texting out photos to multiple people asking for help with identification. I can see their internet search box now – “antique hand-held sharp spinning thing” or “not quite triangular metal plate attached to handle with electrical cord”.
Let’s talk about guilt. I hate the stuff. I refuse to believe that I’m created to wallow in such muck. No one can thrive while in that pit. Guilt messes with my mind, making it more of an obstacle course than it already is.
The fact is, ladies – we’ve got it pretty cushy and we still need a break! And we feel guilty for it. I can’t tell you how that simple truth makes my head spin. I fight guilt when I take a break. I’m getting better, though. Several years back, I began asking myself, “If I were my own employee, what kind of breaks would I think I deserved?” Also, “If I were hiring someone to do what I do, what kind of schedule would I consider reasonable for her?”
I thought it would do me good to pretend I’d hired me, then fire myself for not taking the allotted time off, nodding off while on duty and rarely getting things done on time. Then, since no one else would likely apply for the job, I could re-hire myself, issue myself a new list of reasonable expectations and treat myself as I would any other woman I truly respected.
Hearken back to Mother’s Day. If you’re a mom, did you get a break? If you have a mom, did you give her a break? My daughter did. We were long overdue for a trip to the city to eat, shop and piddle. It was great. I was pooped! (I can’t say enough good things about the brunch at Lidia’s! Let’s just say that I skipped in and waddled out. Delightful!)
Then, things returned to “normal”. But, normal makes me tired. I get so behind at normal.
Someone once said, “Nobody fills out your calendar but you,” in an attempt to drive home the point that we all need to say “no” to some things and plan some margins into our lives.
I don’t know about you, but other people seem to be shoving the pen into my hand and making me write stuff all over my calendar pages.
Still, the modern woman, if she’s honest, must admit she has it pretty cushy. It helps to look at things from a different perspective. Over the course of human history, we have less work to do and a more comfortable environment in which to accomplish it than ever before.
Almost all of us now have a dishwasher. Even though we may opt to do the dishes by hand and say we don’t mind it a bit, most of us have lost contact with the idea of cooking three meals a day from scratch for a house full of people and then doing all those dishes by hand after each and every meal. I can still see Smuffy’s mom standing where she spent most of her time after feeding the husband and five growing boys.
I’ve had a copy of an old newspaper clipping for years and years. A Kansas pioneer mother had given written instructions to her daughter when she began running her own household. The family hung on to it. The El Dorado Times printed it in 1968 during their centennial to remind folks what life had been like one hundred years before. (Notes in parentheses are mine.)
How to Wash Clothes
Build a fire in the back yard to set kettle of rain water. (So, did you have to wait for a good rain before you could have laundry day? ‘Cause, I don’t think she means kettle – I think she means cauldron.)
Set tubs so smoke won’t blow in eyes if wind is pert. (Gee, thanks, Ma! You could have told me that before I filled them full of water! And…if the wind changes? How many of us have even considered smoke being a problem in getting the laundry done?)
Shave 1 hole cake lie sope in biling water. (So, I take a knife, stand over a giant “biling” cauldron and try not to cut my hand off as the cake of “sope” gets smaller and smaller and slicker and slicker? Sounds like a job for Smuffy. Oh, wait! He’s probably out somewhere behind the plow.)
Sort things. Make 3 piles. 1 pile white, 1 pile cullord, 1 pile britches and rags. (Britches=diapers? Guess so. What else would go in with the rags? Which reminds me – we’re doing up a whole batch of bad cloth diapers and other disgusting stuff here. I can smell this biling pot already. There are bound to be lots of rags while I’m waiting for paper towels and tissues to be invented.)
Stir flour in cold water to smooth, then thin down with biling water. (Flour? Huh? Oh, right! Almost forgot – if we don’t starch ourselves stiff, our Sunday-go-to-meetin’ clothes will be all limp and we’ll look bedraggled on the one day this week we get to see another living soul. Um…how much flour…water?)
Rub dirty spots on bord, then bile. Rub cullord, but don’t bile, Just rench and starch. (So much to remember? I guess this requires another, smaller tub, another cake of soap and the wash bord so I can sit down on a stump and pre-treat. I have a feeling that the ‘dirty spots” acquired out here on the prairie are more than just a few. My poor knuckles! Hope the fire doesn’t go out before I get all this done. Come to think of it, I don’t even know how to build a fire! Should have had Smuffy do that before he hitched Old Ruth to the plow and headed for the south forty.)
Take white things out with broom handle, then rench, blew and starch. (Now I’m losing track of the quantity of tubs. I hope we had a dandy rain! One for biling that I can allow to cool down before I drop in the cullords, one for rinse water, one with bluing added and one with starch added? There’s got to be a system for this to keep me from starching Smuffy’s union suit! Ma!”)
Spread tee towels on grass. (Now I’ve got to catch the cow and tie her up.)
Hang old rags on fense. (Easiest part of the whole day so far. Wait! Is there a clothesline in this picture at all?)
Pour rench water in flower bed. (When did I have time to plant all these flowers?)
Scrub porch with soapy water. (I knew I should have put those tubs closer to the house. I’m not saying the porch doesn’t need it, but is there any way this could wait till tomorrow?)
Turn tubs upside down. (If I must, I must. I’m tempted to take a refreshing dip in that rench water first. What time is it anyway? There seem to have been endless delays – milking the cow, stopping to catch lunch, cook lunch, nurse the baby and so on…)
Go put on a clean dress. Smooth hair with side combs. Brew cup of tea, set and rest and count your blessins. (That is, if those little blessins behave themselves.)
I read this and my heart goes out to all the women in history who had to do this (and so much more) the hard way. Even my own mom and Smuffy’s spent years doing their laundry with a wringer washing machine and large tubs. All the wringer machines really did was eliminate the washboard and some of the cramps in your arms.
That’s my Grandpa Albert helping my dad fix the washer. I wonder what Mom’s laundry pile looked like by the time they got it running again. If it broke down somewhere between the biling and the renching…Oh, dear! We really can count our blessings each time we walk up to that washer or dryer, plop the clothes in, push a few buttons and walk away.
Yet, the stress in our lives continues to grow. We get anxious and frustrated after we’ve driven to three or four stores that are miles apart, trying to find the bulb that fits in the refrigerator. We have this anxiety only because we’re blessed with a refrigerator and a car!
I will never cease to wonder how my mom did it! Yet, she did it – the house, the meals, the garden and all the canning that went with it, the chickens, the cows to milk and, oh, yes – the blessins! Take a look at her first three little helpers. With these underfoot, not to mention the other four that followed, you might think she couldn’t have done it with a sweet nature and a sense of humor, but she did – while making all their clothes and those cute little bonnets from scratch!
I suppose she lined them (and the puppies) up under a shade tree and hoped for the best while she turned her back on them long enough to hang the wash on the line.
So, how do we step back from our modern-day stress and at the same time ease the guilt?
I suggest you consider all your failures and fire yourself. Then, since the applicant pool is likely nil, re-hire yourself. Call yourself into your office and give yourself a realistic job description because, yes, ladies, our lives are cushy-er than ever but we still need realistic expectations of ourselves. It’s the first step in a guilt-free life!
I’m issuing a challenge. This week, each time you feel frustrated because you are “so far behind”, grab the timer. Actually time yourself completing a task from start to finish. Begin a realistic list of how long it really takes to clean the kitchen, prepare a meal, fold the laundry and put it away or make a “quick trip” to the store. If you feel the same level of stress at work, you can try this there also, but generally, I feel that though we may feel pressure at work, we feel less guilt when we are on someone else’s clock. Once you’ve accumulated a list of timed tasks, you may be able to lower your expectations of getting them all finished in half the time it really takes! There are, after all, only so many hours in a day and days in the 1800’s had the same number of hours as they do today, although sometimes I find myself questioning whether that can possible be true.
Here’s Smuffy’s great-grandma Margaret, after she’d put on a clean dress and smoothed her hair with side combs. She probably sat down in that chair and counted her blessins because at least she had the well and could draw her wash water up out of it in buckets instead of lugging it from the creek or waiting for it to rain. If she took a little rest, I doubt she felt an ounce of guilt.
Next up? A job description you can live with! Don’t forget to “like”, pin and “share” with all the women in your life who need a new perspective so they can join me here for Part 2 of “I Surrender All – Guilt”!
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