Hymn: In Times Like These

I keep hearing this phrase bantered lately, "....in times like these,..." Every time I hear the phrase this hymn goes through my mind. I hope you enjoy reading it. Go ahead and lift up your voice and sing along!

1. In times like these you need a Saviour,
In times like these you need an anchor;
Be very sure, be very sure,
Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock.

Refrain
This Rock is Jesus, Yes, He's the One;
This Rock is Jesus, the only One!
Be very sure, Be very sure,
Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock.

2. In times like these you need the Bible;
In times like these O be not idle.
Be very sure, Be very sure,
Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!

Refrain

3. In times like these I have a Saviour;
In times like these I have an anchor.
I'm very sure, I'm very sure,
My anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!

Refrain

Psalms 18:2
The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.

Homemade Carrot Food Coloring For Icing

Three years ago when I wrote a post on natural food coloring (Here) Mary from The Cotton Apron suggested trying carrots for food coloring. Thank you for the suggestion, Mary! I finally gave it a try! I was pleased with the resulting color. I, also, used the grated carrots to make a carrot jam filling between the cake layers. I'll be sharing how that turned out in a future post.

Carrot Food Coloring For Icing

1. Peel and grate a pound of carrots.

2. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of sugar over the grated carrots. Mix well and let rest 10 minutes.

3.Pour the carrots onto a clean flour sack towel or cheese cloth.

4. Gather up the corners of the towel or cheese cloth, and squeeze out the juice from the grated carrots.

I got 1/3 cup of juice.

5.In a small sauce pan boil the carrot juice, stirring frequently, until juice has reduced to about a tablespoon of liquid.

6. Mix carrot food coloring into icing and stir until completely incorporated.

Before mixing

After mixing

8. Ice the cake!

Psalm 19:7-11

This portion of scripture is so poetic! It is reassuring of the confidence that we have in God's word. 

The law of the LORD is perfect,

converting the soul:

The testimony of the LORD is sure,

making wise the simple.

The statutes of the LORD are right,

rejoicing the heart:

The commandment of the LORD is pure,

enlightening the eyes.

The fear of the LORD is clean,

enduring forever:

The judgements of the LORD are true

and righteous altogether.

More to be desired are they than gold,

yea, than much fine gold:

Sweeter also than honey a

the honeycomb.

Moreover by them is thy

 servant warned:

And in keeping of them

 there is great reward.

This webpage has music to sing these verses with, verbatim. I am going to learn this song with our children this week! I am excited to have found this song!

P.S. Apparently, I grew up under a rock! This seems to be a fairly common song for children who grew up in Christian homes to have learned in their youth. Since writing this post I found a recording of the song that I really enjoyed. I'll share it here for your enjoyment, as well! :)

I hope you have a good week! Do you like to sing scripture songs? Do you have any resources that you would like to share? Do you make up your own tunes? I'd love to hear about it in the comments section!

Book Report: Lessons From Madame Chic

Lessons From Madame Chic

By Jennifer Scott

Lessons From Madame Chic is a compilation of 20 lessons that Jennifer Scott learned during her stay if Paris while she was an exchange student. The family she stayed with she loving refers to as the Chic Family, and the woman of the household is therefore, Madame Chic. Madame Chic made a big impact on Mrs. Scott. In Lessons From Madame Chic Jennifer Scott shares some of the ways Madame Chic stayed so distinguished and, well, chic. 

I walked away from this book intrigued. I definitely could use some lessons on being chic and polished. One thing that Mrs. Scott says is emphasized in the French culture is living life well. Enjoy the little things. For example, don't mindlessly snack on garbage. Allow yourself to become hungry between meals and then thoroughly enjoy your food. Don't let repetetive tasks become mundane. Take pleasure in your work, even when you have to do the same jobs everyday. Don't become slovenly or lazy. Be poised and always ready to do your best. 

Mrs. Scott relates that the French culture focuses on quality over quantity. Quality in every area of your life. Put quality foods in your mouth, quality perfumes on your body, quality information in your mind. Purchase home goods that are made to last. Buy things that will become heirlooms. Don't throw away your money on fad decor that you replace every season. Buy the best that you can afford in every area.

Mrs. Scott talks a lot about being presentable all the time. She says from your inner most garments to your outer most garments to wear nice things. Not only will it effect how others perceive you, but it will effect the way you feel and carry yourself. 

I found many elements of this book to be positive. On the other hand, I felt like some of the ideas are little frivolous and quiet high maintenance. Mrs. Scott tends to idealize the French culture. If the French are doing it, then whatever 'it' is, is wonderful. I have never had a positive impression of French culture. I had to open my mind a little and see if the French had anything to offer that would enrich my life.

One thing I would like to implement is treating everyday special. I want to abolish the notion of saving nice things for "later." As if it has to be a special occasion to use nice dishes or wear nice clothes. If I have clothes that make me feel pretty, than I should wear them. If I have a fancy tea cup or breakfast bowl that makes me feel special than I should use it. The same goes for my family. I can plate up our meals on a pretty serving platter. I can set the table every supper. I can use nice cloth napkins. We can light candles. I can do a spa day with the children. I can give Mr. In the Mid-west a back rub. I want my family to feel special everyday. I want to enjoy the small things in life and live well.

Another piece of advice I want to take away from Lessons From Madame Chic is, to cultivate my mind. I have been working towards this goal for around a year. I want to learn things on purpose. I don't want my brain to go to mush. Mrs. Scott, also, emphasizes seeking out the arts. If you are able, attend a live performance, visit a museum, take a class, learn how to play an instrument, volunteer at a local playhouse, or host a poetry reading. These suggestions sound a little out of my comfort zone, but I, also, think I would enjoy them. I want to try new things, and expand my horizons.

If you feel like your life has become dull and you would like some inspiration, or you feel sloppy and want a nudge in the right direction, I think you would enjoy reading Lessons From Madame Chic by Jennifer Scott.*

Ecclesiastes 5:18
 Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion.

What have you been reading? Tell in the comments section!

* Do I really have to write a disclaimer to say that I don't agree with everything that Jennifer Scott says? Okay, well here it is: I don't agree with all of Mrs. Scott's views or recommendations. :)

Cream of Mushroom Soup Recipe

This is a really good Cream of Mushroom Soup. In tastes just like the canned stuff. Isn't that awful, I just made a canned product the standard. But, come on, doesn't everyone like canned Cream of Mushroom soup? (Except my sister, but she doesn't like mushrooms.) So, for this recipe to be as good as canned soup without adding any MSG I was impressed.

We like this soup on Sunday evenings when we want something light yet comfort.

Cream of Mushroom Soup

5 cups fresh mushrooms, sliced

1/2 cup onion, chopped

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

1/8 tsp. ground thyme

3 TBS. butter

3 TBS. flour

1 cup half-n-half (or 1/2 cup heavy cream and 1/2 cup milk.)

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

1 TBS. Sherry (or 1/2 TBS. lemon juice

1. In a large heavy saucepan, cook mushrooms in the broth with onion and thyme until tender, about 10 to 15 minutes.
2. In blender or food processor, puree the mixture, leaving some chunks of vegetable in it. Set aside.
3. In the saucepan, melt the butter, whisk in the flour until smooth. Add the salt, pepper, half and half and vegetable puree. Stirring constantly, bring soup to a boil and cook until thickened. Adjust seasonings to taste, and add sherry or lemon juice 

Book Reports January/February 2020

This January I read  Keeping Bees With A Smile. In February I read The Richest Man In Babylon. These are my overviews.

Keeping Bees With A Smile by Fedor Lazutin. 

I read this book because I wanted to learn about horizontal beehives. Fedor Lazutin relates his experience keeping bees in horizontal hives and what practices have yielded success over the years in his apiary. He also refrences many historical publications to learn about different methods that worked to control pests before the modern chemicals were available. This book was my introduction to learning about honey bees. I found this book to be very interesting and the concepts easy to grasp. I like his philosophy. He wants to keep bees in such a way as to allow the bees to arrange their hive as they see best and in a way that requires very little maintenance. Almost letting the bees keep themselves. Fedor Lazutin finds that horizontal hives don't need as much rearranging or heavy lifting as vertical hives. Another thing he talks about extensively in the book is different bee races. He keeps bees at a very high northern latitude in Russia. (He is as far north as Canada.) His bees have to stay in the hive for up to six months with no potty breaks. Not all races of honey bees have an intestinal tract that can go six months without a cleansing flight. He recommends that you keep bees that are native to your locale. They are more likely to survive your conditions. The book also has detailed diagrams for building his hive design and diagrams of frame configurations. I would like to try this type of bee keeping in the future, hopefully near future.

The Richest Man In Babylon by George Clason.

This is a book of parables set in ancient Babylon that illustrate sound financial principles. At first I thought this book could not possibly have good advice, because, Babylon. Hello! Babylon symbolizes everything wicked! But nothing about these principles make them Babylonian. They are just common sense ideas. They were not found in ancient Babylonian writings. The author must have thought ancient Babylon would make an interesting backdrop. I learned a few things from the stories.  I think this book is really well written. While reading you feel as though you have been transported through time, and are sitting in the scene with the characters. I really enjoyed the ancient historic setting. One lesson that is stressed throughout the book is: make your money make money. Don't hoard your gold or be a miser. Work hard. Live on less than you make. Invest what money you have extra. Only invest in areas you have experience. Only take advise from those who have experience in the field of which they are offering advice. Don't procrastinate once you have come to a decision about an action. Many opportunities are wasted by delay. Don't live an extravagant or lavish lifestyle no matter how much money you have. I found this book to be inspiring and motivating. It was easy to read and pretty short. The copy I read is 144 pages.

What have you been reading lately? Do you have any reading goals for this year? Tell me about them in the comments!

Creation Close-Up: Large Blue Butterfly

Maculinea arion

Are butterflies Parasites? Not typically, but in today's post we are going to learn about  a butterfly that requires a relationship with red ants to complete their lifecycle. And, the ants are not the beneficiaries.

The Large Blue butterfly, Maculinea arion, is native in South England, Europe, and parts of Asia. The Large Blue is not a very common butterfly and populations have been declining for quiet some time. It still survives in pockets here and there. Due to its threatened status it has been studied a great deal, and some very interesting things have been discovered about the Large Blue butterfly.

In depth study of the Large Blue goes back to the early 1900's. When entomology hobbyists tried to raise Large Blue butterflies to produce specimens for their display cases. They ran into a troubling problem: the caterpillar always died after the third instar. Why?

Large Blue Caterpillar

Large Blue butterflies live in open fields where the vegetation is short, sheltering in hedge rows and small bushes. Large Blue butterflies lay their eggs on Wild Thyme. Once the caterpillars emerge they eat Wild Thyme blossoms and any other caterpillars that are on the same flower. (Parasites and cannibals!) After the caterpillar reaches the third instar it falls to the ground and waits for red ants to come carry it to their nest. Not any ol' red ants, the Myrmica sabuleti species of red ant. The caterpillar entices the ants to take it back to their nest by secreting a sweet liquid from it's 'honey gland.' Once in the ants nest the Large Blue caterpillar makes it's diet of baby ant larve!  The caterpillar lives in the ant colony for ten months, dining on ant grubs, at which point it makes a crysallis and pupates. The butterfly must crawl out of ant nest to inflate and dry it's new wings.

Isn't that fascinating!

As the twentieth century progressed the Large Blue's population dwindled. It was declared extinct in England in 1979. Some things that diminished the Large Blue's habitat was lack of grazing on pastures and afforestation. With proper management of fields the Large Blue butterfly has been successfully reintroduced in England and there are several healthy populations.

Genesis 1:28  And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

Humans play an important part in the "natural" world. In this tale it was the lack of people raising livestock and allowing these farm animals to graze on pastures that harmed the Eco system for the Large Blue. As well, as planting trees, ironically. Don't get fooled into believing this planet would be a better place without humans on it. God gave us a role of subduing and having dominion over the beast of the field and over the fowl of the air. He made our planet and He knows what is best for it. My point is that we should be raising and domesticating creatures for our own uses.

If you are interested in reading further about the Large Blue butterfly here are the articles that I read and used as sources;
UK Centre For Ecology And Hydrology- The Large Blue Butterfly
Butterfly Conservation-Large Blue 
Wikipedia- Large Blue Butterfly
Entomology Today- The Curious Case Of The Large Blue Butterfly

Needle Book Project

Mr. In The Mid-west bought some boxes of miscellaneous odds and ends at an auction a few years ago. Most of the stuff was junk. While I was going through a box I came across this little Dutch girl. It appeared to be made from woolen felt. There were a few moth nibbles here and there.

I thought it must have been some girls play thing in the past. But no, it had a couple of needles inside. So this little felt Dutch girl was a needle book. "Aww, that's cute," I thought.

Wait, what's this in the bonnet? A thimble! How clever! "I must make some of these!" I said to myself.

I had a nice piece of remnant wool felt. It was a small enough piece that I had not been sure I would be able to use it for a project. It was perfect for this needle book project. I thought the original Dutch Girl was cute, but I added some decorative lazy daisy flowers to my versions to spice them up a little.

Aren't these darling!

I am still using the bedraggled, junk box needle book. She serves my purposes well. (And I do use her a lot!) It would be a shame to retire her now. But when she does wear out I'll have a new, flowery needle book to take her place. :)

If you are interested in having one of the Dutch Girl Needle Books that I have made you can purchase them on QuietStandards, my Etsy shop. :)