Free ebook: Homestead Simplicity: A Primer

Homestead Simplicity: A Primer –Learn about natural cleaning, cooking from scratch, planning and stocking your pantry, and easy ways to provide loving care for your homestead and those in it.

HT to Pawpaw Holler

Printable Cupid Paper Chain

Right click and save, or for a larger version click on image.

Vintage St. Valentine's Day Children's Stories, Cards, and Lesson Plans

Click here. Free to download or print.

Printing tips: Make sure that the pages are set to HTML mode. Look to the bottom of the sidebar at the page(s) you want to print. Also make sure you right click on the actual page you have selected, otherwise you'll get a print of the entire Google page.

Bumped up from 2008.

Family Movie Night: Flywheel

Flywheel (Director's Cut)
Synopsis:
Jay Austin (Alex Kendrick) wants to sell you a used car, but watch out! Many victims have fallen prey to his smiling face and hasty promises. Austin does everything his way until his dishonesty and manipulation are repeatedly exposed. Like many men, the masks he wears and the lies he tells disgust him. While having a classic convertible repaired, Austin begins a humorous and powerful journey to win back the hearts of his wife (Janet Lee Dapper), his son (Richie Hunnewill) and his community. In every man's life, there can be a turning point. Jay Austin takes it, and he never looks back. ~ ChristianCinema.com

Inspiring Christian movie by the folks who brought us the movie, Fireproof. We watched it this past weekend via Netflix.

Moist Banana Cake Recipe

Putting some brown bananas to good use(giggle). My daughter has been asking for cake all week.


Ingredients:
* 1 1/4 cups white sugar
* 1/2 cup butter
* 2 eggs, beaten
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 cup sour cream
* 1 cup mashed bananas
* 1 1/2 cups cake flour
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

See here for remaining recipe. I substituted yogurt for the sour cream, and oil for the butter. A very moist and delicious cake!

Homemade Pancake Syrup

I ran out of syrup today, but no worries, I used Hillbilly Housewife's Pancake Syrup recipe. I've made this recipe before to extend my all natural(expensivo) maple syrup. It's surprisingly good.

Homeschool Freebie: Marie Antoinette Paper Doll

Part of an 1890's queen series issued by McLaughlin Coffee " featuring Martha Washington, Isabella of Spain, Mary Queen of Scots, Crown Princess of Sweden, Marguerite of Italy, Czarina of Russia, Elizabeth of England and Marie Antoinette of France." See here for more. Graciously made available free to download and print.

Unusual in that it shows the queen bound for execution. This would be great for a time line, notebooking, or just something a little extra(enrichment) for history studies.

Frugal Quick Potato Turnip Casserole

We had this easy casserole a few nights ago.

Prepare potatoes and turnips as you would a chunky mashed potato.

Line the bottom of a pan with some frozen mixed veggies, season with seasoning salt, layer on top sliced sausage, and then mashed potato/turnip. Sprinkle Parmesan on top and cook in oven for 30 minutes at 400 degrees. A little broiler time gives it a nice browned top.

Have a little extra time? For a stronger flavor, cook the veggies on the stove top first in some butter and seasoning salt . If you use a cast iron pan, this extra step can be done in one pan from stove top to oven.

Ham and Beans Tonight

I use a version of this recipe for Ham and Beans at Allrecipes.com. Read the comments at the link for other versions and tips - very helpful. I serve this over rice with a side of veggies. Sometimes I'll toss canned and seasoned collard greens into the ham and beans. And of course, you don't need to use ham, any meat will do, but pork tastes best. I'll be using up some German sausage that my mother-in-law left behind during her last visit.

Image from allrecipes.com

DIY: Vintage Tins & Free Labels

see here

Heavy Rains, Flooding, and More Snow

I haven't seen our backyard this flooded since Hurricane Isabel. Thankfully, our power has held, and we are not in the dark and without heat. If it gets much colder, we may have a skating rink tomorrow!

Free Japanese Paper Craft for Spring

PDF download here for Japanese plum blossoms and bush warbler. There is also a goldfish.

Homeschool Freebie: Hopi Indians

Kwahu, the Hopi Indian boy
Author George Newell Moran
Publisher American Book Company, 1913
Length 237 pages(color illustrations)
Download or read online here. Free and in public domain. Reading level about middle school and up.

Hopi paper dolls(1922) here.

For younger children, The Indian Primer, 1906. Readable online and downloadable.

Salad Bunny Cut-Out Paper Doll Freebie

Download here.

Homeschool Freebie: Canterbury Tales for Children

Canterbury chimes, or Chaucer tales retold for children
Authors Francis Storr, Hawes Turner, Geoffrey Chaucer
Publisher Roberts, 1896
Overview

Readable online and available for download as an e-book, free and in public domain.

Printable Chaucer paper doll here.

Kale-Squash Gratin Recipe

This recipe turned out so delicious and was quick and easy. Click on the recipe card to see the recipe. I picked up this free recipe card in the veggie isle of Walmart today, and had it for dinner tonight. Gratin recipes can be used for any veggie, but sometimes I need inspiration on veggie combinations. This was a nice mix of flavors.

I picked up a few other recipe cards as well. I don't usually shop Walmart for food, preferring Food Lion and Save-A-Lot, but today I am glad I did.

Reposting from last year for the kale fans...I need to make this again.

Homeschool Freebie: Rimbles: a Book of Children's Classic Games

Games and the history of those games written for children. I had no idea Hopscotch had Greek origins.

Rimbles: a book of children's classic games, rhymes, songs, and sayings
Author Patricia Evans
Publisher Doubleday, 1961
Length 157 pages

Free and in public domain. Available to read online or download.