Spiral Hope Quilt is Finished!!

I can't believe I finally finished this quilt! I started it several years ago for someone special to me and I had a whole plan for it's creation. Something happened, as things just seem to, so I shelved it. Last year I took it back out with a new plan. Now countless hours, tears and prayers later, it is finished.

Next stop? 

The county Fair to see if I can win a ribbon . . 

🍳Omelettes!! 🍳

Diced steak, summer squash and green peppers slowly browned in garlic-infused honey.

Then add eggs, mix thoroughly. 

Top with your favorite cheese. 

When it's time to flip, turn off the heat so it stays moist as it finishes cooking.

Enjoy!! 🍳

Couponless Haul at Kroger!

I just bought all of this for $44+ change!! Seriously .. 

Bread $0.84 each 

Salami 4/$1 

Oikos 10/$10 

Lala $3.99

Bagged produce was from discount shelf $0.99/bag 

Flavored seltzer water $0.19 each 

Welch's juice $1.99 each 

Seasoned chicken $0.99/lb ($3.61 total) 

Braunschweiger $2.50 

There are definitely some deals to be had if you know where to look!! 

Can We Adapt/Change to Keep up with Planet Changes??!

Our world is changing.
Did you see where a huge fissure is splitting Africa and so part will be drifting away? Remember how we were all one continent before EQs etc split us into what we have now? Our continents are "mobile" so can/will continue drifting as the earth changes.
How wow is that?!!
For the US there is an old Navy map and a new Navy map. Both are well worth studying and cross referencing. In comparing these with IMHO a well researched article on the effects of plate shifting I feel 100% confident with their accuracy.
From there check out the flood maps Thor News produces on YouTube. How are the flooding rivers so consistently concentrated in the new ocean in the middle of the US as seen on the Navy maps?!?!!!?
 Do you live in those areas? What is your plan for the next big overdue 9.0+ EQ at the New Madrid fault?? That EQ is supposed to trigger major changes.
How do you see that all playing out? In looking at that last huge EQ at that site I can say it was a violent EQ in a fairly unpopulated area. The Mississippi ran backwards and changed it's course! As the majority of Illinois and some of Indiana is sitting on limestone, which disintegrates over time to sand, this next Huge New Madrid EQ will in effect finish off the process thereby causing that entire area to become one massive spontaneous sinkhole. Instantly the ocean will rush up from the Gulf of Mexico and Lake Michigan will rush down. A new ocean will be formed. The US will become two (2) continents. Countless lives lives lost in split seconds. Absolutely nowhere to run for safety. Nowhere. If you're there you're dead. I really did sit in Joliet and try to figure out how we could buy a boat and live there . . but it just seems to me that a boat would be tossed, flipped, swallowed up. . . it wouldn't have a chance.
Why isn't our government preparing to move those people? We could make a swap~ turn the area to become sea back over to nature and move all those people to the National Parks out west. Yes, this is huge and radical. So is the coming 50+ years overdue 9.0+ EQ at the New Madrid!! It would be a huge prospect to build so many new homes, relocate major corporations and relocate huge numbers of people and wildlife.
It would both save lives and create such a huge bumper crop of jobs as to completely change the economy!!
Add to all this the sea level rise, which, for now, is worrisome. I say "for now" because this is a cycle and the ice caps will refreeze eventually.
As sea level rises, are people/cities/governments inland ready to evacuate shorelines as needed? Rather I see governments trying to find ways to keep out the inevitably rising waters. Hasn't Hurricane Katrina proven you cannot barricade out the sea??! IMHO this is simply putting lives at risk . . especially since the risk of hurricanes to areas like New York City seem to be rising.

I am way more aware of changes in the US as I live there~ please check out info for your own area so you can also prepare! 

Great Northern Beans

Slow simmered  . . I didn't have any ham so I cut up chopped steak and browned that first, then added beans, seasonings and simmered slowly .. 

So Yummy!! 

Domestic Violence Awareness

Avon has a cute domestic violence bracelet! If you, like myself, are a survivor of domestic violence . . or if your simply want to support survivors . . this is the bracelet for you.

Stop by www.youravon.com/karenjoyce and get one for yourself and one for a friend!! 

Free Hydroelectric Power!!

Have you ever noticed how many places there is moving water? 

*Streams

*Rivers

*Downspouts 

*Household drains 

That, my friend, is potential electricity! Each if those, if outfitted with a simple hydroelectric generator, could help cut your electric bills! 

Here is a basic unit for $15.50 plus shipping: 

https://www.amazon.com/SAVEMORE4U18-Generator-Hydroelectric-Micro-Hydro-Charging/dp/B07DP5HZNQ/ref=asc_df_B07DP5HZNQ/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=241942867107&hvpos=1o3&hvnetw=g&hvrand=15348792266956256483&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9015121&hvtargid=aud-836408683912:pla-476294066109&psc=1 

Imagine hooking that up to your main household drain! It could aid considerably in keeping a battery panel charged. Then, add one as water is drawn into the house so the same water consumption powers your battery bank twice!! 

Down My Rabbit Hole . .

Sometimes I want to hide in my rabbit hole . . like burry my head in the snow. . you know, out in that hole that goes to the cavern under the parking lot . . you know, the cavern we're all pretending isn't there . . 

But, let me tell you, although camping out deep in a cavern can be a nice break for a while, eventually we all have to resurface and engage in some human contact. 

So, I've been thinking about my lists . . even created a new way to do my lists ..  too exciting! 

But .. 

This morning, as my client snoozed, it dawned on me that I had four (4) solid lists for hard items [ministry, finances, housing, homesteading] but I was totally missing a soft list!! 🙄 

There was no list of comfy happy fun things ..  

That's not good . . so I need to rethink things. .  Yes, some items in my other lists fall under the soft list, 

But . . 

I really do feel that the soft list should create the other lists. 

The things I love and long for should dictate where I live and how I make enough money to survive. 

So, I will do a bit of a rewrite . . 

Then I'll share .. . 

First on Patreon then here .. . 

Stay tuned!!! 

🙏📖👵🏖️🍝🐈🐇🐔🏕️⛵

Tbt~ "The New Mower"

How kool to be able to look back at Matt 9 years ago. Where has the time gone?

Funny how we have been talking about getting a new rotary mower . . life works like that sometimes. 

🍶Water Gallon Challenge vs Fluid Gallon Challenge ☕🥛🍹

Water

Yes, it's important 

We each critically need a certain amount of water to stay optimally healthy. 

I won't argue that 

However . . 

For many of us, myself included, a gallon in and of itself is more fluid than we normally consume in an entire day! 

So trying to still sip our truly beloved coffee ☕ seriously cuts into that gallon of water. 

What if we compromised? 

What if we did a 

"Fluid Gallon Challenge"?? 

I propose we simply count the total fluids we consume each day 

I am thinking I'll write mine down so that I have a visual hard copy tally to look back on 

This way I can see not only how many total ounces I'm drinking 

{Need 128oz/day} 

I can also see where those ounce are coming from

How many are actually water 

Tap 😝

Bottled 🤔 

Rain 😊  

How many are other options 

Soda ☣️ 

Coffee ☕ 

Milk 🥛 

Juice 🍹  

This, rather than force-feeding myself water, will give me a clearer picture of my real fluid intake, it's impact on my health and any changes I'd like to make

Rather than a fad challenge 

This becomes a personal journey to better health 

🌱

😋Supper

Streak with green beans, hominy, celery and green onions.

All topped with shredded cheese . . 

Ah, delicious!! 

🎉Joy Dare 🤗 March 19-31, 2019🎊

🐇19th~ 3 gifts eaten ..
☕coffee
🍔cheeseburger
🥛sweet tea

🐇20th~ 3 gifts that made you laugh. .
👴🏾fun client
👨chatting with Matt
🙏prayers answered

🐇21st~ a gift salty, sweet, just right . .
👵 caramel yogurt from Mom
☕fresh hot coffee
🌃evening at home

🐇22nd~ 3 gifts found in His word . .
📖life lessons
📖His rules
📖comfort

🐇23rd~ 3 gifts found in women today ..
👵strength
🙏prayerful
📖well read

🐇24th~ 3 gifts spoken . .
👨soft voices of 3 polite young men
👨hearing their plans/hopes
👨soft evening chat with Matt

🐇25th~ a gift sung, written, painted  . .
🎶"Thy will be done . ."
📱blogs
🚃bright future

🐇26th~ 3 gifts almost gone . .
🏢time there/lessons learned
👩‍🎓time till I go back to school
⏳time for getting right with God

🐇27th~ 3 gifts redeemed ..
😣my bad attitude for His loving attitude 😊
🚃blessings for obedience
🙌hooe for fear🤔

🐇28th~ 3 gifts entwined .  .
✝️trusting Him
🙏prayers
📖His promises

🐇29th~ 3 gifts of His promises . .
✝️salvation
📖 safety
🙏grace

🐇30th~ 3 gifts uncovered .  . .
😊 trust
🌱new Avon client
⏳time

🐇31st~ a gift heard, held, hoped for . .
🗨️her answers
🤗His plan
🍹new patron

New Patron!! 🤗

I am so excited!! I have a new patron at my other blog on Patreon. Bee is the first patron of my Patreon restart so very special to me. A lot of the posts you see here she sees 1+ days before. She also sees some content not available here and only available at the $1 pledge level there.

Stop by www.patreon.com/karenjoyce and see the rest of my story!! 

When You Can't Get a Doctor Appointment . . .

You're sick, really sick this time ..  and your doctor's office has no available appointments . . 

Or your doctor won't listen . . won't acknowledge the symptoms you're describing . . 

Inevitably the ER becomes the only option. 

But, does it have to? 

Isn't it possible for us to keep a stocked medicine cabinet and first aid kit to handle all but major surgery? 

I, myself, would like to have a better first aid kit. We have several we put together while Matt was in scouts. I'd like to see these sorted and recombined/consolidated. . . 

I'd also like to have a way way more extensive set of first aid skills. It seems like I've been taking some sort of classes in this forever . . babysitting class in 1976 . . Girl Scouts . . Then, years and years later, I began prepping and needed to brush up on skills . . Matt joined Cub Scouts then Boy Scouts and I sat through multiple first aid lessons . . Zoom ahead again to my current job with Visiting Angels and so so many classes including first aid, nutrition, etcetera . . 
And I seriously crave more .  . . 
Okay, so I have to admit I LOVE learning .   . . Can't deny that . .  
Don't want to become a nurse . . I don't think so anyways . . Not right now . . Too many hours away from home . . Yeah, okay, maybe I'll just check into that a bit more . .  
But meanwhile . . 
IMHO, we each need to be able to be responsible for the majority of our own healthcare needs. Yes, there will always be some things we'll absolutely have to rely on a doctor for . . 
But . . 
Times are changing. 
This is not the world we grew up in or our parents grew up in. 
🌀Remember Katrina?!?! 🌊 
Remember how badly our government failed us? And what about the most recent failure after Maria hit Puerto Rico?!?! 
As we sit here and now we should not by any means be relying on others for our own survival. 
We need to look back at how self-reliant pioneers were. Take a couple first aid and CPR classes. Restock our first aid kits. Learn some herbal medicine then plant a nice herb garden. 
One step at time . . 
Learn a skill and put it to use . . 
Then learn another. 
Be prepared to be self-sufficient!! 

In a disaster there may not be a doctor nearby for months. 

Cleaning

This evening I am cleaning my apartment ..  scrubbing walls and baseboards . . Scrubbing plastic bins . .  Sweeping then vacuuming then steaming floors . . and praying for my family . . 

I am on a mission!! 

💰 Need Extra Cash? 💰

Hi! Could you use extra income on your own terms? Need to set your own hours? Not a big fan of a micromanaging boss breathing down your neck? 

For as little as $25 you can set up your own business selling Avon. 

Not door to door . . 

Sell to people in places you already visit . .

Set your own goals . . 

Enjoy life while building a profitable business! 

To sign up visit www.youravon.com/karenjoyce 

🥜Tbt~ "Peanut Butter Crisis"

Hi there! How are you doing on prepping? I have to admit we only have 3-7 days of food on hand. This is mostly because our kitchen is so incredibly tiny so there's no where to store preps. And rotating preps would be completely out of the question! I am starting to buy a few extras each week but that is making life more challenging. . . 

🌳#whatif Prompt for 3.2.19 🔫

Today's prompt:

      Perimeter Check 

   

Feel free to respond in your favorite way whether it be a poem, short story, photo, video . . however you best relate to the prompt. Simply post your ideas, create a ping-back and use the hashtag #whatif.

*How to link* 

Copy url from this post. 

Paste it on your post. 

*Easy-Beasy*

Spiral Hope Quilt Top

I'm hurrying to finish so I can tie on the back and begin adding the binding!! 

Tbt~ "Less Soap Scum in Your Laundry"

I had completely forgotten about this little trick!!