Simpler Living in Small Town America

All Blog Posts (56)

Looking Forward to Getting to Know Everyone!

I joined last year but just got away from being on the computor very often. I am looking forward to seeing what everyone creates and what is going on out in the world again. You all are so talented!!!! I lost my german shepherd, Meadow, last spring to cancer and I had a very hard time dealing with it. She became my very best friend during the time I was sick. I still have her buddy, Soprano, and now a minature huskey/border collie mix. If I believed in reincarnation, I would believe Meadow has… Continue

Added by Mary on October 14, 2009 at 7:55am — 1 Comment

First Post :)

We've had a real cold snap here in northwest missouri over the past week; hopefully it will warm up a bit; actually had a fire going for the first time a few nights ago...i think we even had some snow flurries...yikes! The trees are just starting to turn and it really is pretty...though I hate to see the warm weather end; we had a really great summer, not too hot at all and lots of rain... Continue

Added by Sandi on October 12, 2009 at 10:38pm — 2 Comments

A Toe in the Water

So, I just discovered I can have a blog here. I have blogged before and have a current blog elsewhere on line. I don't think I have time to blog anywhere right now since I am working full-time and attending school full-time. Still, I wanted to try out the blogging feature here. Maybe someday there will be time for more. Continue

Added by Dean Abbott on October 6, 2009 at 6:53pm — 1 Comment

New Issue of Magazine Online

Just a note to let you all know that the new issue of the e-zine is available on the website. www.stliving.net Enjoy! Continue

Added by Tina Wilson on October 5, 2009 at 1:25am — No Comments

Lovely Fall Weather...and a little Visitor

I absolutely love this time of year. A time when the seasons once again turn, and the land gets a bit of rest and renewal.When the sap of the trees begin to head towards the roots for a winter sleep, and the leaves start to change. The air gets crisper, and cool breezes float across what was once summers hot abode.Summer has fled and Fall has arrived. With it comes the time that we start nesting a bit more, we start thinking about bringing out our favorite soup recipes. We start cranking out our… Continue

Added by Tina Wilson on October 2, 2009 at 10:37pm — 1 Comment

Farming Is Like A Disney Movie

Farming is a metaphor for life. Everything that happens on a farm – birth, growth, harvest, successes, failures, and eventually death – happens in real life as well. In most jobs, we expect to have things go well. And when they don’t – we have a bad day. We’re disappointed and hope the next day goes better. The same thing happens on a farm, but in more of a Man vs. Nat… Continue

Added by Katy Spears on September 2, 2009 at 8:29pm — 1 Comment

Rib Eye Steak

Hi, it's Jeff. Does anybody have a good pan fry (cast iron) way to cook some ribeye steaks. Grill is not an option tonight. I have always grilled them but am at a friends house tonight and we have to cook 4 in the next 2 hours. The steaks are about 1/2 inch thick bought from Publix. I have read about frying for a few minutes then putting in the oven. Is this a good idea? Please let me know?? Continue

Added by Jeff Weeks on August 18, 2009 at 9:26pm — 4 Comments

Too #&$%#@% HOT!

I am sorry that the weather decided to make up for the cool and damp of early summer and give Maine (and indeed, it seems, much of the east and north eastern US) the entire summers worth of heat in a week. If you have read my blogs for long, you know my opinion is that 80 degrees is as hot as it needs to get. And that by that, I do NOT mean "mid-80s" or gawd forbid the "high 80s" to 90+ degree temps that are forecast for today. [metric translation: My opinion is that 27 degrees is as hot as it n… Continue

Added by Starwalker on August 18, 2009 at 12:22pm — 2 Comments

August September 2009 Issue

I'm so excited about the Slow Cooking for Busy Days article with wonderful looking recipes!! It's currently in the 90's here, so I won't be making the yummy recipes just yet, but I now can't wait for the weather to turn cooler so I can try these recipes. Thank you so much for putting them in this issue!! I really can't tell you how very excited I am to try them!! Continue

Added by Cindy Nichols on August 11, 2009 at 5:21pm — No Comments

Green Pages -Idea

I'm in the middle of mixing soap and bath teas and I have a salve in the cooker, but I had a great idea this morning and wanted to pass it along incase others could also put it to use. Yesterday I ran into this old family friend who started out as a band teacher (back when I was in high school) but has just in the last month or so changed careers and is now doing something called soda blasting. He explained how it works and I thought it was one of the most ingenious ideas. So, I haven't quite… Continue

Added by Babs on August 2, 2009 at 9:00am — No Comments

Sorry to be away .

Where does the time go ? here it is , fair time again ! jena & I have been looking through our projects from the last year and choosing which to take. So far she has her crochetted mittens.. and hat, a painting,, and hopefully a photo . I have hot pads and bath mitts & I think I will also take the dress / jacket I made for her last summer.. SO many things to consider. Wish now we hadn't eatten ALL the relishes.. I could have entered those also ! oh.. well, they WERE good :-) God Bless… Continue

Added by gracielynn on July 20, 2009 at 8:46am — 4 Comments

Oh this is fun!

Tina invited me to her forum here, and I haven't been able to get back to it until tonight and wow I can make my page all pretty and this is just fun... I'll have to spend some time updating and loading pictures this week. Today was my daughter's 16th birthday. It's hard to believe she started out as a 6 pound baby. She's taller than me now. We took her out to dinner and followed that up with the new Harry Potter movie. We only just got home and it's well past midnight. One of these Fridays I… Continue

Added by Babs on July 18, 2009 at 1:45am — 1 Comment

I'm turning into a Smurf

Well I'm finally done with picking and canning cherries. Yeah! I have canned 41 pints and 14 quarts of cherries in the following ways: jelly, jam, syrup, pie filling, and even dehydrated a batch. I have an antique cherry stoner that I bought years ago at an antique store in IL or WI just to hang on the wall as decoration. This is the first time I've used it, and let me tell you this, that was the best $25.00 I've ever spent!! I zipped through those cherries at lightening speed compaired to the h… Continue

Added by Cindy Nichols on July 14, 2009 at 5:51pm — 10 Comments

picture explanation

The pic of hubby , me and grandson Max,our youngest dd , Jena and our oldest dd Daisha . was taken at our church's 125th anniv. service. Many dressed in period costume.. we had a great time sewing the clothes & all to make us look 'old time' . Lisa Continue

Added by gracielynn on June 23, 2009 at 8:16am — 2 Comments

garden

I think we have finally got this garden thing down !:-) This year we used grass clippings around the plants and made paths with it also. It is SO Nice to go out and ck things.. w/o all those nasty weeds. We certainly have had enough rain of late to last a few weeks..… Continue

Added by gracielynn on June 19, 2009 at 9:52pm — 4 Comments

KEEPER OF THE COOP

Raising chickens for an amateur "Chicken Farmerette" (like me) can be stinky-icky business since the little critters absolutely do not give a .......well....hoot... where they decide to do their business! Everyone I've talked to has figured out their own little tricks to keeping thin… Continue

Added by Carol W. on June 12, 2009 at 8:39pm — 1 Comment

Recreate The White House Victory Garden In Your Yard!

I had been wondering about what items were being grown in the new White House "Victory Garden" by the gardeners there, and recently came across this list of items that are/will be grown. I thought it would be nice to share with you all, for those that may wish to recreate a "White Hou… Continue

Added by Tina Wilson on June 12, 2009 at 7:00pm — No Comments

SISTER MERCY'S FOUNDLIN' HOME FOR RAG CHILLUN

Sister Frances Catherine is the "MOMMA SUPERIOR" at the Orphanage .. and when she finds a little rag chile sittin' in the garden .. or tentatively hanging over the gate .. or wandering down the hill .. she greets them with cookies and milk and invites them in and listens gently as they tell her their 'stories' .. how it is that they became orphans .. or a little memory they have from their homes. Sister then attempts to find loving new mommas for each little 'rag chile'. Their photos, names (an… Continue

Added by Frannie Meshorer on May 29, 2009 at 11:49am — 1 Comment