The Deliberate Agrarian: New! Deliberate Agrarian eBook99-Cents

The Deliberate Agrarian: New!My Deliberate Agrarian eBook99-Cents(For Only ...:

The link above is for Herrick Kimball's new offering for Kindles.  I read his blog and really enjoy his world view and his style of writing.  For 99 cents you can't go wrong.  Check it out.

Friday Read and Write: Baker Book House

Since I had some extra gas in my car today I went and took a trip to a local Christian book store.  I was specifically excited to go there because I had read online that they had an actual Teen/YA section in the store and I wanted to check it out.

I was a little disappointed upon arrival.  The YA (fiction) section was only 4 x 8.  But still it is a young adult section in a Christian book store.  Some of the titles did look good and it was refreshing not to have to look at a bunch of covers with Amish or Pioneer Women on them.  I haven't read a lot of Christian fiction as of late because nothing ever looked interesting... just the same ol', same ol'. But even the Adult fiction looked like it had some options. (Though Amish and 1800's romance abound.) Perhaps Christian publishing is finally maturing like the music scene has.

If I would have had the $$ to purchase a book, I would have chosen Aquifer by Jonathan Friesen. It is dystopian and I think I've mention that is my current reading trend.  The Lost Books series by Ted Dekker also sounded good as well as the River of Time series by Lisa T. Bergren.  It definitely pays to go to a Christian Books store for a bit more variety then the Christian section in Barnes and Noble.

Let's hope the Christian Publishing Industry (and typical reader) is finally branching out and wanting a bit more.

Curious what do you read?  What genres and do you read Christian, secular or a mix?  YA or adult?

Friday's Read & Write

So tired from yesterday's mondo weeding stint so this will be short. I'm still working through some books and mags that I already posted about because I've been writing more than reading.

My daughter also wants me to read Divergent by Veronica Roth so that is my new read for this week. I guess there is a movie based on the book coming out soon.  It was one of many books used for examples in Kidlit so I expect it to be good.  It is also Dystopian which is my favorite genre as of late.

Current favorite writing quotes:

Rick Riordan when asked via twitter, "How are you sure your ideas will come out good?"- "You accept that they won't on the first draft. That's okay. Revise, revise!

"Take out all the parts that suck and make the rest sound natural." - Laurie Halse Anderson

I love these quotes because they remind me that I don't have to be genius just tenacious! Writing well takes work.

Happy reading and writing!

Friday Read & Write

Recently I invested in the most wonderful book on writing.  If you are even thinking of entering the Middle Grade (MG) or Young Adult (YA) market then this is a must read.  I feel like I've gotten a full college course for the $20 price tag.  Writing Irresistible Kidlit by Mary Kole is the real deal.  The subtitle is The Ultimate Guide to Crafting Fiction for Young Adult and Middle Grade Readers and I would say this is not an exaggerated claim.

Ms. Cole is not only an author with a MFA in Creative Writing, but she is also a literary agent at Movable Type Management (MovableTM.com). This positions her to not only teach you how to write but what to write if you're looking for the best chance of publication.  I'm only half-way through the book and I've learned so much.

She gives you a market overview, a MG/YA mindset, story building ideas, storytelling foundations, character development, plot development, advanced kidlit info and career advice.  There are writing exercises throughout the book to give you an opportunity to put what you're learning into action. It is published by Writer's Digest Books which I have found to put out superior products.

Another equally valuable book by Writer's Digest Books is Writer Mama, How to Raise a Writing Career Alongside Your Kids, by Christina Katz.  I originally checked this book out of the library and knew I had to purchase it because it is just that good.  She leads you through; finding the easiest routes to publication, networking, writing cover letters and queries, choosing your writing speciality, creating web presence, setting up office, and making time for everything.  It is all from the viewpoint of a mom for moms.  This book too has lots of practical exercises for you to work on.  It retails for $15.

I've read a lot of books about the craft of writing but these two are tops!

UPDATE: Just found out that as of 7/31/13 Mary Kole has left Moveable Type Management and is no longer a literary agent.  She is however opening her own freelance editing biz and is still blogging at kidlit.com.  You can read about these changes HERE.

Friday Read & Write

I've been feeling pretty darn tired this week.  It's eight at night and I could lay down and go right to sleep.  Still, I have a new pile of books and magazines courtesy of the local library system.

 

 

 

For more writing education I picked up The Everything Get Published Book by Meg Schneider and Barbara Doyen.  It was published in 2006 but the info still seems quite relevant. I'm enjoying it a lot.

 

I also picked up Blogging  All-In-One For Dummies by Susan Gunelius.  I would like to make my blog a little more interesting and noteworthy so I'm hoping to garner some tips and inspiration.  We're talking a platform blog. (Wanna-be published authors will know what I mean.) It was published in 2010 so the info should be pretty up to date but I'm not sure it will have what I'm looking for. 

 

  On the homesteading front... I found Pay Dirt How To Make $10,000 A Year From Your Backyard Garden by John Tullock.  It looks interesting. Published in 2010 it should have lots of good tips for earning some money from homesteading ventures.  $10,000 seems like a feasible number if I could just keep my gardens weeded!

The newest issue of Hobby Farm Home is also out.  I especially liked the article on working goats, the article on pickling and the article on cooking on the hearth.

 

With regards to homeschooling, I picked up The Successful Homeschool Family Handbook by Raymond and Dorothy Moore.  It claims "A creative and stress-free approach to homeschooling".  I found this in what I thought was the library's new section but when I got it home and checked the published date I was disappointed to see it was published in 1994.  That's pretty old and homeschooling has come a long way since then. I could appreciate the content but there is nothing new to me since I've been homeschooling since 2001.  If you have never home-schooled before I would suggest it but remember it is almost 20 years old.

Lastly, if you are in the Grand Rapids area and are looking for an affordable writer's conference to go to check out the Breathe Writer's Conference.  I can't afford to go but have put an essay in to be considered for a scholarship to attend and have a friend who is registered as well.  From all the online info it looks like a really good and fairly priced conference.  It doesn't have all the bells and whistles of bigger conventions but I don't really need bells and whistles.

That's all from the reading front.  I'm still trying to carve out time daily to work on my YA novel and made some good progress this week.  How about you all?

Friday Read & Write

Just a short note for today's read and write.  The new Writer's Digest is out.  I have perused it but have yet to read it in depth. I am looking forward to finding time to sit down with it soon. But probably not tomorrow.  The heat wave we've been having is supposed to break and that means that I have weeding and harvesting and preserving to catch up on.   Lots of beans to "dilly", zukes to shred, kale to blanch, basil to cube and blueberries to pick. 

What are you reading?  Writing? Harvesting? Preserving?

1/2 Duggar For A Day (Friday's Read & Write)

Well, I apologize for not getting Friday's Read & Write up yesterday (on Friday... what a concept!) But I was busy experiencing what it would be like if our family was 1/2 the size of the Duggar Family instead of 1/4.

I had a total of 10 children for 24 hours to celebrate my son's 13th birthday and to help good friends celebrate their 21st anniversary.  Wow... ten kids consume a lot of food and create a lot of dishes.  But it was a lot of fun and the Kooshian family is wonderful.

I had three 16 year-olds, two fifteen year-olds, two thirteen year-olds, two eight year-olds and one four year-old.  Needless to say I crashed out on the couch about 9:30 last night after all was said and done.  I was trying to watch a PBS documentary, Eating Alabama, (about eating locally) and 1/2 way through had to mumble at my son, "Don't delete it when it's done." Then I was out until 11:00 when I moved to my bed.  Sleep is truly a wonderful blessing from the Lord.

So for yesterdays Read & Write...

Two new magazines: The newest issue of The Costco Connection (Free at the warehouse.) and the newest issue of Hobby Farm.  The Connection usually has good info on books that are coming out for release and didn't disappoint.  They had a nice little write up on Carol Rifka Brunt's debut novel Tell The Wolves I'm Home and an interview with journalist/writer Tom Wolfe.

Hobby Farm has a great article on grafting tomatoes but I think I stick with just trying to grow them before I get all fancy.  It also had a blurb (answering a reader's question) about showing chickens.  I think I don't want to get into that either as you have to bathe the chickens and I can't see any of mine submitting to that.  But they had an article on Herbs to sell at farmer's markets that was quite intriguing and I can see myself growing some of the varieties mentioned.  I love herbs!

This week, at the library, I picked up two books: The Duck Commander Family (Duck Dynasty Fare) by Willie & Korie Robertson (with Mark Schlabach).  It is a delightful little read with a look into the inner workings of the Robertson family and some unique recipes- Fried Bologna anyone?  The best part is the pictures of pre-bearded Robertson men!

The second book is The Weekend Homesteader- A Twelve-Month Guide to Self Sufficiency by Anna Hess.  This books contains easy weekend projects for all months of the year for those of us working to provide for ourselves and lead a different type of life than mainstream. Some of the things are for beginners and some are for more advanced practitioners. The July topics are Fall Planting, Freezing Food, Hanging Clothes Out To Dry, and Budget.  I need to start thinking about fall, I have plenty of food to freeze and put up, I desperately want a clothes line and budgeting advice is always welcome. Can't wait for reading time tonight.

Okay, well I have kiddoes that want to be fed, farmer's market shopping to do, weeding, harvesting and two roosters to butcher today as well as dinner out at Red Robin. (My parents are taking the whole family out- yeah!)  I think I must get started!

Have a great weekend!

Friday Read & Write!

This week on the reading list is: The Millionaire Dropout by Vince Stanzione. I would classify it as a motivational or self-help book.  It's full of "love yourself" and other humanistic ideas but there is some good information on priorities and finding time and some good ideas on building a home-based business.  The premise is working from home/having your own business will make you happier, healthier and more financially sound than merely working for someone else.  I found some good ideas to run past farmer John to help us earn a little more income.  It is a fairly new book published sometime earlier this year.  I found it in my library's New Book section.

 

 Also at the library was the newest edition of Country Woman.  I'm particularly interested in the article on Author/illustrator Jan Brett.  She is a lover of chickens and uses her hens for story ideas to write about in her children's books. Hmmm.... Mrs. P and Mrs. Q approve of this idea!

I also picked up the next Cappers.  Great articles this month, especially the article on deep litter management with chickens.

 

Have a great day! Go read and write!

Friday Read & Write: The Budget Is Tight!

This week I picked up a couple of new books at the library because we are kicking the credit card habit and living within our means and our means are pretty small.  One income and seven people is a practice in severe dollar stretching. Yet, it can be done because we are doing it!

The first pick is Making It: Radical Home Ec. For A Post-Consumer World by Kelly Coyne and Erik Knutzen. The book is divided up into sections; daily needs, weekly needs, monthly needs , seasonal needs and infrastructure (solar cookers, dry toliets, honey extractors).  I'm hoping to find ways to reduce expenditures and if an alternative to shampoo does the job then I'm sold.

My next pick is The Key: How To Write Da** Good Fiction Using The Power Of Myth by James N. Frey.  As we need money, I need to start producing writing that provides income. My first love is fiction so why not harness the power of myth in my novel?

My third pick is a book I already own.  The 2013 Writer's Market Guide.  I am using it to find and enter writing contests and to get my articles, poetry and short stories to the right people and hopefully published.

Of course my writing has to come after everything and everyone else on the homestead so it is a challenge.  But of course, one I welcome. Why not throw one more plate up in the air.

On an ending note... my daughter found out that it costs $175 to participate in our local Homeschool Performing Arts play this year.  Our funds are too tight to contribute to this but she has started a fundraising campaign using Go Fund Me.  If you feel led to help her out you can go here and contribute.  Every dollar helps.

Have an awesome day!

Read and Write Fridays: Herbs, Strawberries and a Book or Two

I had such glorious plans for yesterday. Plan number one was to pick strawberries and make jam.  Well you would have thought I was the wicked witch.  The looks my family gave me when I showed off my bounty of fresh picked gems and told them it was time to be jammin'... you would have thought I was going to make liver and onions.  I was quickly put in my place and told that a better use would be strawberry shortcake.  My daughter even volunteered to bake the angel food cake.  Okay, fine.  The season did just start. 

Plan number two was to harvest some of my plethora of plantain for use in an herbal salve.  But my day ran amuck and I ran out of time.  (Good thing I didn't try to make jam.)  So today I made it a point to make sure to harvest plantain. Which brings me to my read and write subject:  My current reading and reason why I'm learning that what my husband considers a blight on his lawn is indeed a blessing.

The new copy of Mother Earth Living (Natural Home and Healthy Life) hit the shelves of my local library and I quickly snatched it up. It's a good read but by far the best article in the July/August 2013 issue is Backyard Bounty: 8 Healing Weeds. Dandelion, Chickweed, Sheep Sorrel, Yellow Dock, Plantain (not the banana) Chicory, Burdock and Clover are all covered in the article along with pictures.  It was this article that made me realize all of our "fat grass" as my four year-old calls it is actually plantain and plantain is useful! Score! I also realized that a "grass", for lack of a better word, that I and the kids had noticed was sheep sorrel, also useful.  Of course we have dandelions and clover but we also have chicory in the "back 40".  The only things missing, or I haven't found yet, are burdock and yellow dock.

I also obtained the latest issue of Mary Jane's Farm at the library as well as two books.  One on the writing life called Pen on Fire.  And the newly released 1st novel of Bee Ridgway called The River of No Return.

What are you reading?  What are you writing? What is growing wild on your little piece of the planet?

My harvested plantain

 

 One of many plantain plants growing on our property. 

 My plantain drying overnight

 Chickweed

 

Sheep Sorel

Friday Read and Write

Yesterday's post was about cooking from scratch and not using processed foods, so I thought it might be appropriate to suggest some reading material for those of you who haven't quite got on the whole/local/organic/non-processed food boat or even if you have they are just great inspirational reads.

In defense of Food, Michael Pollan - Written in a evolutionary world view but still enlightening!

The Vintage Remedies Guide to Real Food. Jesse Hawkins is a whole living expert.  I recommend anything by her and her company Vintage Remedies.

Don Colbert, Eat This and Live!  Simple to follow.

 

The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver

Folks, This Ain't Normal by Joel Salatin

Both Pollan and Kingsolver subscribe to evolution but Salatin presents a Christian World view.

 

Do you have any favorites to recommend?

 

 

 

Friday's Read and Write on Saturday

Yesterday was a crazy day for me.  Not only did I have to take my son to guitar class and then grocery shop but yesterday was the day my bum knee decided to balloon up to softball size and ache.  So needless to say, I sat on my backside the rest of the day.  This post did not happen.  But here it is this morning.

 

Mostly magazines in this weeks material.  I found a bundle of Hobby Farm Home magazines (last year's copies) for sale for $1 at the library.  I snatched those puppies up and also checked out two issues of Mother Earth Living, one of Do It Yourself and the new issue of Hobby Farms.

 

While shopping at Costco on Friday I found they had a paperback version of a book I've been wanting to read: Wild by Cheryl Strayed.  I also snatched that little baby up.  It is a memoir of hiking the Pacific Crest Trail (California, Oregon, Washington) alone.  I grew up in the burbs of Seattle so I know the Cascade Mountains well and can't wait to read her account.  Also I must confess that the Trail she hiked comes into play in my YA book, The Follower so I must read for that as well.

 

Also out this week is a new book by Martha Stewart: Living The Good Long Life!  I love Martha.  I have for years.  This new book aims for the 40+ crowd and focuses on wellness issues.  It has gone on my list of books to purchase.  Hmmm... Mother's Day is coming up.  I think I will ask for that.

 

Soon to be out and another book to put on my list is Growing Up Duggar by the four eldest Duggar girls; Jana, Jill, Jessa and Jinger.  I love this family and can't wait to read the girl's thoughts on their famous family.

 

Okay, I'm off to read, write, study, clean and plant... everything I should have done yesterday!  Enjoy your Saturday.

Mom's Day recap!

My DH and children made sure my Mother's Day was a good one. Above are my gifts (of which I didn't expect). A wonderful drink dispenser, lots of Lipton tea and green tea, three homemade cards and a photo album with the children's baby pictures put in it. Plus... I didn't have to cook.

My oldest made me "breakfast at table". She sprained her ankle the day before and couldn't move around too much but still managed to scramble eggs and pour milk. The rest of the family either took care of their own breakfasts or I poured cereal and milk. For lunch and dinner my DH cooked and the kids helped. Garlic chicken, salad, fresh lemonade and baked potato for lunch and steak, sun tea and salad for dinner. Since DH is losing weight we had no formal dessert (sigh) but I whipped out the hidden Nutter Butters for me and the kids. (Yes, I'm a bad mother/wife- I hide cookies.)

I also took the time to listen to a download of Victoria Botkin's Curriculum Advice Volume 1 and read more of Steve and Terri Maxwell's Keeping Our Children's Hearts. Though I did feel guilty about this. I listened to the download out on our picnic table so I could hear and concentrate on it without interruption and read on our deck in a lounge chair with the slider closed and my 1 1/2 year old tapping the glass and smiling at me every few seconds. We also spent part of the day watching TLC's 19 Kids and Counting marathon as well as the new 1 hour special they had on the Duggars. The Amazing Race finale was also on so that was watched as well. Our favorites, "The Cowboys", came in second. (My niece Katie and I plan on applying to be on The Amazing Race. The experience would be great!)

All in all a very nice day.

My wonderful drink dispenser sitting out on the deck working on heating up that sun tea! Yum!

Book Review: When Love Blooms

I am very super stoked to announce that I get to be a blog book reviewer for Zondervan! Some women go gaga over shoes or clothes or make-up... for me... it's books. I can spend a better part of a day in any bookstore and I'd survive just fine on a desserted island with food, water, shelter and books. No volleyball needed.

My first set of books Zondervan sent me consisted of a romance novel, a suspense novel and non-fiction book. Hmmmm... what did the hopeless romantic pick up first, yup that's right- the suspen... oh, wait! HaHa, just kidding. It was the romance novel When Love Blooms by prolific writer, Robin Lee Hatcher. (One of my favorite authors.)

The premise for the book: The main character, Miss Harris, takes a job as a governess for two little girls in the remote Stanley Basin of Idaho in the late 1800's. Unbeknowst to her, the girls mother, Dru, is dying and is desperately hoping that Miss Harris and Dru's husband, Gavin, will fall in love so that her girls have a new mother in place when she is gone.

If you are looking for a light read and don't want to dwell in deep thought then this is a very enjoyable book. However, I felt the characters were flat and underdeveloped, the story line too entirely predictable, and some of the situations forced upon the characters by the author. This is not Hatcher's best book. I will say, spending two years living in Boise, Idaho, that the author caught the magic of the Stanley Basin, which truly is one of the most beautiful (and harsh in winter) places in the world. Putting me into the late 1800's Stanley Basin made the read entirely worthwhile. On a scale of one to ten, I would rate it a 5 and given Hatcher's track record I wouldn't hesitate to pick up another of her novels.

My current reading and new stuff

A trip to the library yesterday garnered two books on gardening, one on raising chickens and other livestock and one on making my own baby food. I wear my life on my coffee table. LOL!
It's almost time to start my vege garden, Taylor is already eating rice cereal and ready to move on to more options and I have set my goal to start raising chickens next spring. (I'd do it this year but I think my plate is full.) I'm also reading The City People's Book of Raising Food by Helga & William Olkowski. (I'm on the edge of suburbia- not city but not fully country either.)

I have also joined up with Newbaby.com to start learning to shoot video for my blog and I joined Twitter but I don't know how much I'll tweet. It's hard enough to find time to blog. Thanks to Jendi over at Jendi's Journal for pushing me in that direction.

Current Reading

Slow Cooker Classics (Reader's Digest)- to save time and money and beat the eating out or prepared food habit.

The Bread Bible (Rose Levy Beranbaum)- to master the art and eventually make saleable loaves.

Candymaking (Kendrick & Atkinson)- to master the art and eventually make saleable products.

Total Money Make Over (Dave Ramsey)- to GET OUT AND STAY OUT OF DEBT! Whoo... this is a whole other post.

Happy Valentine's Day! I'm off to bake bread and make some heart shaped sugar cookies for my kids to frost and contemplate what lucious dinner to cook the DH. We're sending the kids downstairs early tonight and having a date/movie night. (Watching Fireproof- for the second time.)

Does Your Bookcase Look Like This?

Overflowing with school books...

Overflowing with regular books...

Overflowing with more school books and supplies...

The catch-all for shells, Star Wars cards, Bakagan, Legos, beads, various jewelry, pennies and dimes, game pieces, Barbie shoes and one baking soda and vinegar volcano (not to mention too many books)...

And overflowing with even more books, plus a couple of wallets containing library cards?

It is this evening's project. I hope I can whittle down the books that I want and need out and can either put some in storage or better yet delegate some to the yard sale bin for this spring's annual event. Wish me luck! I love books and getting rid of them is hard. I would just purchase a second bookcase but funds are tight and so is space. Purging is a must.

Resources For Homesteading and Country Life

We've made some programming changes with our cable subscription to save some $$. We have dropped the movie channels (Showtime, HBO etc.) because we just don't watch them all that much. Instead we added a different tier with the DIY network on it. Imagine my surprise to find out there is a cable channel for rural living- and we have it now! I love it. My favorite show thus far is Living The Country Life. If you go to the show's website you can subscribe to a free year of their magazine. Check it out at http://www.livingthecountrylife.com/ .

Another source in the past I have turned to and loved is Mother Earth News. I have ignored the title in favor of the good info the magazine provides. I have picked up issues here and there for the past few years and have never subcribed. Well, I won't be subscribing or picking up any more issues. In the News From Mother Column of the December '08/January '09 issue (Front of the magazine, Pg. 6) the article titled Three Mountains We Must Climb gave me a shock. They support population control and suggest that each adult only be allowed one child. (That would be two per couple- one for the man and one for the woman.) Oh, my goodness! Now if a couple chooses to have 0, 1 or 2 children that is their choice and that's fine as well as the choice to have more. But please don't tell me that the government needs to make that choice for me. I like the freedom the U.S. constitution gives me and I plan to fight tooth and nail to keep it. Mother needs to talk to the people of China- the people not the government- and find out how they like population control laws. I will not be a supporter of this publication until they change their stance on this issue.

I love our library!

Today we went and signed up the kids for our library's summer reading program. For every three hours they read they get a prize, cummulating in a free book. They also get to participate in planned library programs through out the summer, free of charge. But that's not all.

The children's librarian also has other reading programs available. We signed up for the City of Hudsonville's reading program that the yearly Hudsonville Fair offers. For every one and a half hours of reading the kids do, they get a free ride coupon. They can earn up to five tickets and redeem them on a special fair day where all the rides only take one coupon. That's five rides for free!

We also signed up for Barnes and Noble's summer reading program. If your child reads eight books over the summer they earn a free book. I like FREE! FREE is good! All of thee above just for reading. You gotta love it.

Show and Tell Friday

Yesterday we cleaned out our garage! I found treasures I hadn't seen for three years. (Since we moved from Texas to Michigan). Two of my favorite quilt books. One big (see above).

One small!

Both are filled with beautiful pictures of quilts, as well as quotes about quilts and quilting history. I'm glad to have re-discovered these treasures.

For more Show and Tell Fridays go to http://kellishouse.blogspot.com