Weekend Links & Updates

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In which I share my favorite posts from this blog's Facebook page.
Our house and the outbuildings were bursting with - stuff - when we moved in. Most of it, frankly, is only good for the garbage dump. But once in a while, I find something like this little table. It's not in perfect condition, but I think it's nifty. (And yes, that is my ancient cell phone charging.)

"Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

John 4:13-14



* Preserving our apples has been a bit of a challenge, since my canners and most of my jars are still packed. Thank goodness my mom-in-law lets me take over her kitchen and canner once in a while. However, her immersion blender broke, so a few days ago, I canned a large laundry basket full of apples using the really old fashioned method: a chinois. Can't wait to get my immersion blender back! (Check out my easy applesauce recipe, here.)

* So thankful our water problems seem to be over now. First, our well went dry. Then the plumbing in the house is so fragile, it sprung leaks, which meant going periods with the water turned off. And since we've moved in, the exterior filter has leaked on and off. Last week, water was pouring from the filter! My poor hubby tried to fix it, but the darn thing is defective. Since it was put on right before we moved in, we called the installers. It took them a while, but they finally showed up and replaced it. It was painful to see all that water go to waste! (Buckets filled up instantly, or I'd have tried to capture it.)

* I am sitting here laughing because one popular search on the blog is "cook time rooster soup." If you want to know how long to cook a rooster (or an older laying hen), go here.
* Ground beef, veal, and bison recall due to possible E. Coli contamination.

* How to make fruit trees thrive, even in a small garden.

* There are now three types of GMO apples approved by the FDA. Buy organic or from a farmer you trust!

* According to this, there is a cheaper alternative to outrageously expensive EpiPens.


Christmas Countdown

See last week's Weekend Links for more information about my Christmas Countdown.

Christmas Countdown Gift #7: Family Movie Night. There are so many variations on this gift and you can spend very little to make it happen! Start by either purchasing a good, old fashioned family movie...OR buy some Redbox codes so your gift recipients can get free movie rentals! (In fact, a nice card with coupon codes in it makes a perfect neighbor gift!) Now add a big bowl, some popcorn, maybe some candy...Viola! Instant family movie night!

Christmas Countdown Gift #8: Date Night at the Movies. This is similar to gift #7, except it's just
for married couples. Begin by purchasing movie passes for two. Throw in an all-important, homemade coupon for free babysitting. Add cash for popcorn and drinks.

Christmas Countdown Gift #9: Build Your Own Puppet. Finding good, creative play toys can be a challenge, but these build your own monster puppets are terrific. You get one puppet base, plus a variety of features (eyes, hands, etc.) that come on and off with Velcro. Both my children are older than the target age for this toy (7 and 11), but they still love this thing!

Christmas Countdown Gift #10: Snap Circuits. If I could only give my children one toy, it would be this one. Using the special circuits and the project-packed books (yes, there's more than one!) that come with this set, kids can build a lie detector, a doorbell, a fan, and hundreds of other the separate book that explains the science behind the circuitry.
things. It's easy - the pieces snap together and apart. I even love the box, which makes it easy to organize all the parts. A terrific add on is

Christmas Countdown Gift #11: Egg Basket. Confession: I've always wanted an egg basket. Chances are, if your recipient has chickens (and doesn't already have an egg basket), she wants one, too! They are not only great for gathering eggs, but for storing them, too.

Oldies But Goodies:

* Organic Gardening Isn't Just About Ditching Chemicals
* The Easy Way to Remove Grease from Fabric
* Helping Dawdlers Notice Time Pass


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