COUNTRY LIVING
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What to Wear for Gardening in the Summer
Country women & gardeners have style essentials too Ladies, have you ever noticed how fashion magazines assume we all live in the city and work in offices? Their recommendations never seem to take into account the one who spends her days outdoors, among dirt, plants, animals, even children, working for her own family or a paid job that is grittier. What does a woman wear for her day working at home, working outdoors, surrounded by life, sticky hands, dirty paws, dough flinging off her beaters, flour in her hair, and insects buzzing all around her? I don’t think the fashion industry touted white button-down blouse fits anywhere into this kind…
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The Lord Jesus Lives
Happy Resurrection weekend. There are no words to praise Jesus enough. There are no words. I was outside one day and looked up and saw the clouds in a cross and took this photo. We all need to look up more. “The LORD lives, and blessed be my rock, and exalted be the God of my salvation” Psalm 18:46
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Finding the Dream Property : Country Life & Style
Not all of us are born and raised in the country but we get there as fast as we can. If you, like me, spent years or decades of your life dreaming and trying to move to the country, you may have some solid ideas of what you want. Here are some things that I learned along the way that helped me to edit and curate the dream so that I could buy the right property….and I’m still shopping for it. But I have been renting in the countryside for some time now and have a lot of first hand experience on what to be aware of and the nuances…
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A Peaceful Christ Centered Christmas Season in the Countryside
There is a special beauty about Christmas in the countryside at my home. But Christmas everywhere else feels pretty stressful to me. Do you feel uneasy with society’s version of Christmas? I find pop Christmas music played in stores to be extremely unpleasant as well as the stress of shopping and crowds. Here are my 5 ways to create a peaceful Christ centered Christmas season and how you can too even if you don’t live in the country. 1) Shop online instead of big box stores or shop local small businesses. The hyper environment of big box stores with loud pop music, stuff overwhelm and unfriendly crowds can be stressful…
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5 Boots for the Country Woman’s Wardrobe
Ladies, If you are a country woman, you know what it is to live closer to God’s green earth. We aren’t teetering around on spikes out here. We are free range women, breathing wide open air into our lungs and hopefully you will join me in praising God to be surrounded by His creation. So, the fact is, we need real boots. Not fashion boots that shred easily on rocks and can’t protect us from uneven ground. We need a comfortable sole and weatherproof options. I keep a few of these boots in my wardrobe and I wear them back into dust. But real boots can take it. So here’s…
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Dressing for the Home and the Homestead
I rarely leave my home. My shopping takes me to town once a month. We fellowship with the church twice per week. My outings must seem very limited to people who wake up to leave the house every day. Yet I do not see myself as having “no where to go” or being “stuck at home”. Dressing for the day is as doing the dishes and preparing dinner. None of this feels trite because this is nourishment to a day lived with joy and purpose. This is dignity that I am responsible to provide my household and that we are blessed to experience and it is done out of thanksgiving…
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Shopping for Your Homestead 10 Tips to Buying Land
This article will cover the most vital ten items to question about potential properties. If you are purchasing an existing house check out Top 10 Tips for buying a Country House click here. 1. Road access. You drove up to the property listing. Is the road to access to the property maintained by the buyer, the county, a neighbor? Is it level or steep? Is it narrow or wide? Will this road be dangerous in the winter? Consider the vehicles and the size of any loads you will need to drive down the road to the property and make sure it suits those needs. I caution to not get involved…
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10 Tips for buying a House in the Country
These are the ten most important questions to ask when buying a house in the country. To see the 10 Tips for Buying Land click here. 1. Water. Is it well or city water? What is the age and condition of the well equipment? What is the well water pressure like? 2. Test your water. Test for bacteria, chemicals, minerals, etc. 3. Septic system. Where is the drain field on the property? This would be an area that you cannot plant or build anything. Or park on. How close to the water well is the drain field? What type of plumbing pipes were used? Ceramic, metal, pvc? 4. Zoning. Can…
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Why I Love Country Life & Why You Might too! A Dreamy Home Retreat
In the morning, I get dressed on my way out of bed and I head outdoors with a hot coffee. The scenery is full of the news of my surroundings and the headlines are joyful: “Sunlight peers through the trees”, “Fog blankets dew kissed pasture”, While the world rushes by distracted…. “The birds sing”. The moments of the morning suspend in the very air I inhale. Droplets of mist and pollen glisten as they ballet dance in the sun rays. Out here the land seems to exist with no time, it just is. The pastel soft colors awaken slowly into day light. Every morning a gift, each morning unique. There…