Meanwhile, Down At Hobbit Cottage ...

"... she can laugh at the days to come."   ---From Proverbs 31

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Most mornings I carry a yellow Fiestaware mug of hot chocolate upstairs here to my computer and watch Tessie at Youtube.

(If you hate Youtube, you're not doing it right.) ツ

Tessie gives us tours through her acre of PA;  we step down rows of her huge green garden, then up to the deck after we visit her chickens. Then inside her 1963 mobile home, Tessie whips up dinner in the crockpot if it isn't already simmering over a fire outside.

Tessie's bedroom-sized pantry makes my prepper-loving heart beat harder. Wow, all those beautiful jars of food she's canned within her hutches!

And more. Tessie shares so much more: life lessons, homemaking knowledge, wisdom.

And you know? These past what-the-heck? months, she's kept me balanced. God's used her inspiration to stop me from permanently camping out in a 2020 spiritual battlefield, 24/7, fighting the good fight of faith amongst all the crazies out there.

Now, what's wrong with that? The 24/7 part. Face it, God's way too wise to wreck our health with a wildly-out-of-balance purpose/gift/calling. People do that to themselves: God does not.

So with a thankful nod to Tessie, here's a tad of what's kept me joyfully balanced since March when many of us were shooed inside our houses lest covid-19 find us and make us sick. Or afraid.

Yet there's been no fear here at Hobbit Cottage, nor will there be. Mostly, I'm having the time of my life.

But then, I've always lived upon the opposite track. Always.

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An early photo of my farm garden.

Some cucumbers were born there so I'm hoping to use them for Aunt April's Refrigerator Pickles. (My friend, Connie's, Aunt April, not mine. heh.)  I'll include the recipe, below.

Of course I still feed the birds. Sometimes they sit on our porch railing and stare inside the house, willing me to remember to feed them. (Kinda eerie.)

Lots of salad-making this year. 

Now, my own little hutch of canned foods, though in the basement, always makes me smile and feel fine about the days ahead. Oh, and it's fuller now. (Forgive the darkness which is our basement.)

Oh, and weekly I check my itemized stock-up list to see if I'm short on anything for our 6-month supply.

When we all 'got sent to our rooms', that was my birthday week and guess how I spent my birthday money? On more stock-up groceries. Alas. So finally last week I bought something for myself: two original Nancy Drew books. They're awesome.  ツ

Here are a couple I bought later (long story).

Oh, and did you know that when the first 34 Nancy Drew books were edited more PC in the 60's, they also removed 5 chapters from each? What the--? Can you imagine your own favorite book having 5 chapters taken away? Gracious. 

I own perhaps 9 originals with all 25 chapters and prefer each non-PC, old-fashioned one over the updated rest. Deal with it. 😉

Oh, and I'm still shining 'this little light of mine'. heh.

And I'll end with this: Color me grateful for God's warnings, instructions and love. He brings me much joy in the midst of battle.

"Put on the full armor of God..... fight the good fight of faith."  --- Ephesians 6:11, 1 Timothy 6:12

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Here's a favorite Tessie video.

Here's another.

And in this one, Tessie speaks of her life story. She also speaks to the importance of learning skills and living prepared for the future.

There are many more!

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Aunt April's Refrigerator Pickles:

Place in 1/2 gallon jar:

6 cups sliced cucumbers

1 cup sliced onion

Mix cold and pour over cucumbers:

1 3/4 cup sugar

1 cup vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

Let stand in refrigerator 3 days. 

Oh! And again, if you want to leave a comment, but can't for whatever reason(s), you can always email me at the address near the top of my blog: GladOne4@yahoo.com

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"For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." ... Matthew 6:14,15