Log Home Tour, Part 1: Entry

We just passed the 3rd anniversary of living in the
log home
 our family hand built over a period of 6 years.

I think it takes me at least two years to really settle into a home, 

so after three years,
I can confidently say that all things are as they should be- where they need to be. 

 It has been and whole lot of fun decorating the lodge,

 and there are so many things to show ya all, that we will take it in turns.

 For starters, the porch and entry way.

Winter porch

The front porch is our outdoor living room in the summer,
a work area and wood storage in the winter.

 We built it in scale to the lodge, which is 36x36,
so the porch is 12x36, which seems real big!

  I had defended the idea of a 12' porch by saying that nearly all porches are too small,

 and I desired this porch to accommodate all the seasons with all our family, so 12' it is.

  When we first began designing the house plans, we wanted to take into account the pattern of the sun in each season and arrange the position of the lodge accordingly. 

 The porch gets morning sun, and by noon is in shade for the rest of the day,

 staying cool in the heat of summer.  

It is also on the opposite side of the house as the weather hits,

 so in winter, ice and snow do not blow into it.

  I love our porch.
This is where we park first thing in the morning come a fine summer day.
The summer porch is a great place to take in the sunrise with Bible and coffee.

Summer porch

This too, is where we find ourselves for breakfast, lunch, and dinner a good portion of the warm season.

The rocking chairs are the perfect place to wait out a terrific summer thunderstorm,

 read to the children, or visit with a friend.

The entry is 12x12.  

The coat closet on the right side and the bathroom door on the left side,

 there is enough room for us all to enter the house and take off our boots and coats 

(which are generally worn 7 or 8 months a year).  

One coat closet is never enough in a big family,

 and this is one area I would do differently in hindsight, and may actually be having some changes in the near future to accommodate a more farm like lifestyle.  

The oak dresser (left) was my grandma's 

and is the general dump off place when we come in the door for keys, sunglasses and such. 

 The bathroom adjacent houses a three drawer dresser that holds all the hats, mittens, boot socks,

 and littles shoes and slippers.

Many of the doors, lights, cabinets, and bathroom fixtures throughout the lodge came from salvage stores.  We were able to save a great deal of money when building by purchasing such things when we saw them, not necessarily when we were ready to install them.
 Our kitchen cabinets, and some of the lights, for example.
 sat in storage for a few years (after purchase) before installation.
The front door, bathroom door, and closet doors are all salvaged.

r
So here we are at the end of this tour.

Welcome to Providence Lodge!

Next time I will take you through the kitchen.
See you there!

Triplets!

We went out to check the goats yesterday and low and behold.....

All three babies were dry and up on their teeny tiny feet. 

 Mama goat is doing great,

 as are the kids 

and had to have no help from their people.

  

They are so cute and snugly!

This little girl tried to suckle on Rose's chin. 

(chuckle)

   

With all this cuteness out in the barn, I do believe it will be hours before I see the children again..

 they are quite taken with the babies.

Who can blame them?

We still have two does yet to kid, 

so the fun has just begun!

Adding Quinoa to Granola and other healthy habits

I might be categorized by saying that I am a 

Christian,

  Romantic, 

Hippie,

  Redneck. 

 What I think that looks like is:

 living beautifully and for God's glory is important to me, 

living "green" for the sake of health is also important to me, 

and whatever I can do with my bare hands ( homemade) is my means of success.

  For example,

This morning, I can be found in my usual uniform - a long skirt, 3/4 sleeve shirt, 

sipping an herbal tea (we mix ourselves) from a chinz tea cup while reading my Bible.  

Next on my schedule is making a new batch of granola,

 and since I am on a spurt of healthier food, 

I am going to add a super food to my already healthy homemade granola. 

 So, washing my hands first with a handmade soap (no toxins) 

I head for the kitchen and grab up my apron and turn on some classical piano music. 

 I have changed my granola recipe to using honey and brown sugar 

instead of the maple syrup it had called for. 

 I just leave that out, so the overall effect is less sweet.

  I also am staying away from wheat, which has been a long time food allergy for me,

 so I am using rolled oats and oat bran. 

 To this, I am introducing quinoa for added protein, 

as some of us need protein first thing in the morning. 

 Therefore, I reduced the amount of rolled oats,

 so that my dry mixture and liquid mixture ratio will still hold well.

The results are fantastic. 

The recipe is simple. 

The ingredients also simple. 

 Every once in a while I add dried fruit and nuts after the granola is baked,

 but mostly we eat it plain and love it.

Quinoa Oat Granola

In a large bowl, mix together
6 cups rolled oats
1 1/2 cups oat bran
 2 cups quinoa
1 1/2 tsp salt- I use sea salt

(if you have never used sea salt, I highly recommend you try it.  Take a taste of your iodized salt.  Then take a taste of sea salt.  You will find a big difference).

In a saucepan, bring 1 cup olive oil,
1 cup honey,
1/2 cup brown sugar to near a boil.
 Remove from heat and add 1 Tbsp vanilla extract.

Pour this mixture over the oat mixture and stir well, until all dry ingredients are coated.
Spread evenly in a large cookie sheet.
Bake at 325 for 20 minutes.
Let cool. Add fruit and nuts now.  Store in airtight container.

I always make two double batches of this at once, which you can do if you have a commercial oven.

 I use an enamel roasting pan or a cheap dish pan to mix these big batches in.

At the moment, we are using Almond milk until our goats are freshened. 

 That way we can avoid the processed dairy that so many of us cannot tolerate,

 as well as the hormones associated with soy products. 

Now that breakfast is complete,

 I send the children off to do their chores while I wash the breakfast dishes with my littlest helper. 

She is very enthusiastic about dish washing. 

 I find that plunging my hands into the hot water very soothing. 

To add to the experience, 

Jim and I both like to add a few drops of lavender essential oil to the water,

 creating a lovely fragrance, known for its soothing capabilities.

I also like using crochet dish clothes.

  They are very inexpensive to make with cotton yarn, 

and are so much safer than kitchen sponges, which harbor salmonella. 

 Keeping the kitchen clean goes a long way toward keeping my family healthy. 

 The common household kitchen can be a breeding ground for mold and bacteria. 

  A book I just read said that the average kitchen sponge or dish cloth has more bacteria than your toilet!   Rinse your dish cloth out with soap and hot water every time you use it,

 and change the cloth daily.

The sun is shining now, motivating the children to race to get their work done in record time.

They are already out and about in the woods.  

Olivia and I are pulling on our boots and headed out to our little barn to watch the goats for a bit,

 looking for signs of labor.  

This we do twice a day now.

Then I will be on down the road for a good long walk -

about two miles through the beautiful woods.
 The solace and time to talk to God makes this my favorite part of the day.
  I also know that I have so much more vitality

when I am faithful to exercise and eat healthfully...
and with all these exuberant children to raise, I 'll need every bit  of it.

  

All the News

Words simply are not enough. 

 I cannot, in any way, communicate how deeply touched and thankful we have been by all the emails,

 cards, messages, and prayers of people far and near, known and even unknown,

 which we have received this last month since our news of cancer. 

 We have been enfolded in a cloud of grace, 

living our beautiful little life here in the woods,

 and learning, researching, moving forward toward natural treatment.

  In this, making many many changes for our household,
(healthier foods and household products)
all for the good, 

but all in all, I have found these additions plus our "normal" life

 to be very, very full and often times, down right overwhelming.

Kind of like drinking from a fire hydrant.

It is a good thing to stop and count the blessings.

The children are by are unaffected by the "C" word and the direction we are headed, 

they have taken it right in stride, not questioning the new weird toothpaste in the bathroom,

 the alternative shampoo in the shower

 and the lack of sugary confections from the kitchen.

Gabe did, however, beg me with those big eyes of his one day,

 batting long lashes at me, 

his little face upturned looking me right int he eye.

  "Pleeeeease make me cookies, mama?" 

 Looking for a sweet 4 yr old kiss, I replied, "What will you give me if I make you cookies?" 

 To which he smiled ever so sweetly and answered, 

"One of Ben's pennies."  

Well, he got his cookies, to say the least. 

 I'm dreading him growing up, this, the sweetest, almost last little one of ours. 

The other children have been largely off adventuring in the woods each day
 now that most of the snow is gone and the sun has been warming up the last of the winter chill.

They can be found by following a ribbon of smoke which makes its way up through the tall pine trees,

 for they are big into building up a camp fire to warm themselves 

while about their play and make believe black op adventures.

(smile)

Our three milk goats are looking very fat and will soon be kidding.  

We have the shed all ready for them and are looking forward to the kids being on the ground 

and the fresh milk soon to come.

I am guessing we will have twins out of the two older does, for they are huge,

 and the younger doe about half as round.  

Could be any day now!

Rose just celebrated a birthday, and will be graduating soon.  

We are praying and planning for what is in store for her next year.
I hope ya all have been over to visit her blog ( "Set Apart"on the side bar)
and see what God is doing in her heart,
 as well as more of her beautiful photography. 

 She and Gabe will be trekking south to visit Anna and Scott in a few weeks.

John and Michelle are making wedding plans for August. 

 They are just so cute together!

They are looking for a home here locally. 

 With just over 4 months till the wedding,

 we are praying hard and looking forward to seeing what God will provide.

Brian is feeling good, eating no sugar or carbs, not even fruit.

  He is sleeping better and losing weight, and so having more energy and clearer thinking. 

 It has been a good move for us. 

 We are so very thankful for the people that God has put in our lives to help us with natural treatment,

 friends who have been there for us all along, whom we trust.

God is so good.

Brian has just kept agoin',
with that big smile on his face..
the one that makes those handsome crinkles near his eyes...
 trusting the Lord with his cancer, and being about His work.
 He hasn't complained, or whined, or even had a moment of weakness or self pity.
 He is a big guy with a big heart, everyone who knows him will say,
now it is very evident,
 he has a big faith too.