Happy Tuesday, friends!
Today I am sharing Part Two of the May Cozy Life Photo Club that I am hosting. These photos and words are from my Instagram page, so that's why they read more like captions and not a usual blog post. Honestly, some of the things written won't make sense unless you're on Instagram. But I wanted to document this photo challenge here, too, so please bear with the bits of confusion. I hope you enjoy this fun little challenge!
May your week be an absolute delight! See you next week for Part Three!
♥
Day 10...Homemaking Books/Quotes
I shared my favorite homemaking books a few weeks ago, so today I'll share just a few of my favorite quotes on homemaking. I have so many and it was so hard to pick just a handful, but here they are...may they encourage your heart.
"Each of us is charged to build a haven for the people with whom we live. In this place, we prepare for one another a sanctuary of peace and comfort to shelter in a world where the culture clashes and clangs against Christian values. Whether our house is a dorm room, a third floor walk-up in the city, or a sprawling suburban ranch with every bedroom filled with beds and children to sleep in them, we are homemakers. I firmly believe that it is homemaking that empowers all else. We all need home. Without it, we are both unmoored and rudderless." (Elizabeth Foss)
"The work you do within your homes and heart has value no man can fathom. You are worth more than rubies or pearls and the greatest legacy you leave will be through the example shown each day behind your front door or around the dining table, by the listening and encouraging ear you offer those who need to be heard, by the kindness of a gifted meal or a handful of wildflowers, by the willingness to forgive and comfort, by the lovingly folded washing, by the aroma of nourishing soup simmering on the stove top, by the hug that makes your loved one's troubles ease awhile. These simple acts from you, a blessed homemaker, will be spoken of for generations to come." (Jennifer Reynolds)
How can anyone dare to suggest or say that working at the huge task of making a home and carrying on through the years and years of ups and downs is not one of the few truly worthwhile ways to spend our energies and gifts in human life? (Susan S. Macaulay)
What is home? It is a safe place, a place where one experiences secure relationships, and affirmation. It's a place where people share and understand each other. Its relationships are nurturing. The people in it do not need to be perfect, instead, they need to be honest, loving, supportive, recognizing a common humanity that makes all of us vulnerable. (Gladys M. Hunt)
I shared my favorite homemaking books a few weeks ago, so today I'll share just a few of my favorite quotes on homemaking. I have so many and it was so hard to pick just a handful, but here they are...may they encourage your heart.
"Each of us is charged to build a haven for the people with whom we live. In this place, we prepare for one another a sanctuary of peace and comfort to shelter in a world where the culture clashes and clangs against Christian values. Whether our house is a dorm room, a third floor walk-up in the city, or a sprawling suburban ranch with every bedroom filled with beds and children to sleep in them, we are homemakers. I firmly believe that it is homemaking that empowers all else. We all need home. Without it, we are both unmoored and rudderless." (Elizabeth Foss)
"The work you do within your homes and heart has value no man can fathom. You are worth more than rubies or pearls and the greatest legacy you leave will be through the example shown each day behind your front door or around the dining table, by the listening and encouraging ear you offer those who need to be heard, by the kindness of a gifted meal or a handful of wildflowers, by the willingness to forgive and comfort, by the lovingly folded washing, by the aroma of nourishing soup simmering on the stove top, by the hug that makes your loved one's troubles ease awhile. These simple acts from you, a blessed homemaker, will be spoken of for generations to come." (Jennifer Reynolds)
How can anyone dare to suggest or say that working at the huge task of making a home and carrying on through the years and years of ups and downs is not one of the few truly worthwhile ways to spend our energies and gifts in human life? (Susan S. Macaulay)
What is home? It is a safe place, a place where one experiences secure relationships, and affirmation. It's a place where people share and understand each other. Its relationships are nurturing. The people in it do not need to be perfect, instead, they need to be honest, loving, supportive, recognizing a common humanity that makes all of us vulnerable. (Gladys M. Hunt)
Day 11...Apron Wearing
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“There is something so sacred about taking the time to prepare the food and making a whole ceremony out of it. There is this notion that we have to constantly be on the go, always busy, chasing this or that all the time, but we can't realize or appreciate the simplicity of just simple, everyday living. And then making that simple, everyday living quite unique and special."
(Niamh at Fairyland Cottage)
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Aprons are one of the things I love to collect. They are useful, practical, and pretty. I also love the old-fashioned feel they have. I love how putting one on sort of transports me to a different time and allows me to embrace the simplicity and beauty of a time gone by...and bring those things to my current day and moment.
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Aprons are also pretty...whether they are hanging on a peg or being worn. I love collecting aprons with lovely patterns and different styles. This one here is one of my favorites, from the Cath Kidston outlet shop in Ireland. I am slightly obsessed with Cath Kidston and would totally have my entire house decked out in the designs and patterns from that shop if I could.
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If there ever was something that spoke in a visible way the beauty of homemaking, it would be an apron...a pretty, comfortable, well-loved apron.
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“There is something so sacred about taking the time to prepare the food and making a whole ceremony out of it. There is this notion that we have to constantly be on the go, always busy, chasing this or that all the time, but we can't realize or appreciate the simplicity of just simple, everyday living. And then making that simple, everyday living quite unique and special."
(Niamh at Fairyland Cottage)
.
Aprons are one of the things I love to collect. They are useful, practical, and pretty. I also love the old-fashioned feel they have. I love how putting one on sort of transports me to a different time and allows me to embrace the simplicity and beauty of a time gone by...and bring those things to my current day and moment.
.
Aprons are also pretty...whether they are hanging on a peg or being worn. I love collecting aprons with lovely patterns and different styles. This one here is one of my favorites, from the Cath Kidston outlet shop in Ireland. I am slightly obsessed with Cath Kidston and would totally have my entire house decked out in the designs and patterns from that shop if I could.
.
If there ever was something that spoke in a visible way the beauty of homemaking, it would be an apron...a pretty, comfortable, well-loved apron.
Day 12...Candlelight
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Today is a bit different. The prompt is “candlelight” and because of a family’s story that I’ve been following for several weeks now (lots of you have been too!), I felt that these candles needed to be lit for a special purpose...so today we light a candle for a precious little boy and his family as they are walking a hard, hard road. Our hearts are with Beckett and the Weinert family. May they be surrounded by peace, strength and comfort.
.
Today is a bit different. The prompt is “candlelight” and because of a family’s story that I’ve been following for several weeks now (lots of you have been too!), I felt that these candles needed to be lit for a special purpose...so today we light a candle for a precious little boy and his family as they are walking a hard, hard road. Our hearts are with Beckett and the Weinert family. May they be surrounded by peace, strength and comfort.
Day 13...Hobby I Love
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I have countless hobbies...cooking, baking, photography, blogging, writing, journaling, collecting different things, simple sewing, knitting, embroidery, etc. The list goes on. So it was a bit difficult to pick just one to share.
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Reading is a hobby I’ve loved since I was six years old. I devoured Junie B. Jones books when I was in first grade. Then for about six years, I hated books and reading, thanks to the public school system and their required reading that just didn’t interest me at all. Thankfully, during our homeschool years, my mom was a firm believer in letting my sister and I read what interested us. And that changed everything!
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Up until last year, I read all the time. And usually two or three books at once. But overwhelming anxiety from the world’s events last year changed all that. I barely read in 2020 and vowed to make a change this year. Reading is good for me and I’ve missed it something terrible. I’ve already found some new favorites this year and read more in 2021 than I did all last year. Slowly and gently I am returning to my bibliophile ways...back to me.
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“The reading life is, I'm convinced, a form of love, a way of encountering the world in its splendour and drama. The reading life comes to us as a gift and, as it fills us, drives us to fresh generosity.”
(Sarah Clarkson)
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How I long for the reading life to embrace every part of me! And how glad I am that there are so many wonder-filled stories just waiting to be read!
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Currently reading: “The Penderwicks” and “The Fiddler”...and very much delighting in both!
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I have countless hobbies...cooking, baking, photography, blogging, writing, journaling, collecting different things, simple sewing, knitting, embroidery, etc. The list goes on. So it was a bit difficult to pick just one to share.
.
Reading is a hobby I’ve loved since I was six years old. I devoured Junie B. Jones books when I was in first grade. Then for about six years, I hated books and reading, thanks to the public school system and their required reading that just didn’t interest me at all. Thankfully, during our homeschool years, my mom was a firm believer in letting my sister and I read what interested us. And that changed everything!
.
Up until last year, I read all the time. And usually two or three books at once. But overwhelming anxiety from the world’s events last year changed all that. I barely read in 2020 and vowed to make a change this year. Reading is good for me and I’ve missed it something terrible. I’ve already found some new favorites this year and read more in 2021 than I did all last year. Slowly and gently I am returning to my bibliophile ways...back to me.
.
“The reading life is, I'm convinced, a form of love, a way of encountering the world in its splendour and drama. The reading life comes to us as a gift and, as it fills us, drives us to fresh generosity.”
(Sarah Clarkson)
.
How I long for the reading life to embrace every part of me! And how glad I am that there are so many wonder-filled stories just waiting to be read!
.
Currently reading: “The Penderwicks” and “The Fiddler”...and very much delighting in both!
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“I'm a quiet person, and I live a quiet, pleasant, ordinary, simple life.”
-Mary McGarry Morris
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This was a hard prompt to narrow it down to just one of my collections to share. I have so many, but the one that I’m sharing with you today is my teacup collection. Or my teacup family as I often refer to them.
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I’ve loved anything tea related since I was a little girl, but during my preteen and early teen years, thanks to comments from peers, I thought it was babyish or old ladyish to be into such things. Crazy I know, to be on two completely different spectrums, but that’s how my friends made me feel about so many things. Like a baby and an old lady all at the same time.
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As I neared twenty, I slowly began finding my way back to my true self. And that self loves teacups, teapots and everything related to tea. I also fell into a rabbit hole of returning to a love of old-fashioned things. Of course, watching Downton Abbey and Anne of Green Gables for the first time surely helped my obsession grow. And thus, my teacup collection was born.
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That was six years ago and now I have over 35 teacups from a variety of places...thrift or antique shops, international holidays, birthdays and Christmas and Easter gifts, yard sales, a delightful teacup exchange and others were bought on the spot whilst perusing favorite shops. I’m a firm believer that one can never have too many teacups! Therefore, my collection is always growing...whenever a cup calls out to me.
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Strangely enough I know the story of where and when I got each and every teacup. But I often wonder about their history...where they are from, who loved them before me, what their journey was to get to me. Every teacup tells a story and I get to be a small part of it. Teacups are like holding history in your hands and I love that!
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The ones in these photos are just a peek into my collection. Perhaps I’ll share a peek inside my entire collection sometime, but that would best be done with a video. Would you be interested in that?
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Tell me...what do you love collecting?
Day 16...Tea Time
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Today’s photo is actually an old one. It’s from a tea party my mom, sister and I had at home last summer. Being in the south, as soon as warm weather hits, we go for the iced tea. And in our home, we love flavored varieties.
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Over the years, we’ve slowly grown our collection of iced tea recipes that aren’t loaded with sugar. The traditional southern sweet tea is deadly in the amount of sugar it has in it and it tastes so sweet you feel sick. It’s just not for us. But one of our favorites is this minty fruit tea, which is what is in this photo. It can be made with black or green tea bags (decaf in our home) and just a few teaspoons of truvia for sweetness, though we sometimes leave it out. We make the entire gallon at once and it lasts several days for us. And it is oh so refreshing, especially on those hot and humid summer days.
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Other favorites we enjoy are simply green iced tea, raspberry leaf, a passion tea lemonade combination and a few other fruity blends. It’s lots of fun making these drinks at home and trying new recipes and flavor combinations. Sort of a home cafe!
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What is your favorite iced tea flavor?
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Today’s photo is actually an old one. It’s from a tea party my mom, sister and I had at home last summer. Being in the south, as soon as warm weather hits, we go for the iced tea. And in our home, we love flavored varieties.
.
Over the years, we’ve slowly grown our collection of iced tea recipes that aren’t loaded with sugar. The traditional southern sweet tea is deadly in the amount of sugar it has in it and it tastes so sweet you feel sick. It’s just not for us. But one of our favorites is this minty fruit tea, which is what is in this photo. It can be made with black or green tea bags (decaf in our home) and just a few teaspoons of truvia for sweetness, though we sometimes leave it out. We make the entire gallon at once and it lasts several days for us. And it is oh so refreshing, especially on those hot and humid summer days.
.
Other favorites we enjoy are simply green iced tea, raspberry leaf, a passion tea lemonade combination and a few other fruity blends. It’s lots of fun making these drinks at home and trying new recipes and flavor combinations. Sort of a home cafe!
.
What is your favorite iced tea flavor?
Day 17...Baking Goodness
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“Baking is my superpower and my apron is my cape.”
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For Mother’s Day last weekend, my mom requested our family’s favorite cheesecake. After searching high and lo for so long, playing with recipes and much trial and error, I finally found a winning recipe last year.
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The best things about this cheesecake are the chocolate crust, no eggs which were always the problem in the past, and whipped cream in the batter. It’s seriously the best and we love making it several times a year. It’s a special treat in our home on holidays or birthdays, depending on each person’s request. The hardest part is having to let it set in the fridge overnight after baking to get chilled and perfect.
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Aside from bread baking and things of that sort, we don’t bake too often. Usually just holidays, birthdays, special occasions and sometimes if we get a craving. When we do, though, we all get excited for the home baked treat!
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What have you baked lately?
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“Baking is my superpower and my apron is my cape.”
.
For Mother’s Day last weekend, my mom requested our family’s favorite cheesecake. After searching high and lo for so long, playing with recipes and much trial and error, I finally found a winning recipe last year.
.
The best things about this cheesecake are the chocolate crust, no eggs which were always the problem in the past, and whipped cream in the batter. It’s seriously the best and we love making it several times a year. It’s a special treat in our home on holidays or birthdays, depending on each person’s request. The hardest part is having to let it set in the fridge overnight after baking to get chilled and perfect.
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Aside from bread baking and things of that sort, we don’t bake too often. Usually just holidays, birthdays, special occasions and sometimes if we get a craving. When we do, though, we all get excited for the home baked treat!
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What have you baked lately?
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A quick note:
Blogger is making some changes over the summer. The email subscription service, FeedBurner, will no longer be available for use. So, if you would like to receive new blog posts in your email inbox, I have added a new subscription form to the sidebar. It's called BlogLovin', which you may have heard of. If you simply submit your email into the form, whenever I share a new post, it will be sent directly to your email inbox.
If you would like to follow via Blogger, you can simply "follow" under the "Kindred Spirits" title on the sidebar. All new posts will be on your Blogger feed and it's a really nice and easy way to keep up with your favorite blogs.
I'm really disappointed that FeedBurner is no longer going to be available for use because it's what I always use to follow my favorite blogs. But these two ways are easy as well and super simple to navigate and use. If you do have any questions, though, let me know and I'll help as best I can!