Bessie’s Kitchen Reborn.

In this post, I showed the before pictures of our kitchen.

Here are the afters:

I painted the sheet metal below the bar and above the sink the same Snowbound as the kitchen cabinets.

 

We hired our friend’s son to tear out the old ones and use them as templates to create new countertops with pine 2 by 8’s . He planed them, gave soft corners to the island, biscuited and glued them. He affixed an under mount sink we had purchased.

Then he brought them here, installed them, stained them. He & his wife used Minwax English Chestnut 233 to stain them. (I held their adorable baby outside while they did this)

I am so pleased with his work!

I then sealed them three times with Watco Butcher Block Oil and Finish.

Water beads up on the surface. I do not plan on cutting on the boards themselves. I also have some teak rounds that I can set hot items on to protect the finish from the heat.

 

 

Subway tile backsplash by the Mr. and I.  We are so pleased with how it turned out. (Basket on clearance at Michaels.)

My friend gave me the wire basket as part of a thank you gift for helping at her daughter’s wedding. I have always used it for my dish towels.

The glass dish is from Good Will: 3 dollars. The paper towel holder an older marble one that my sister has the twin of, they were our grandmothers. Mine is cracked, taped together. The working scale another gift, this one from my mother-in-law, I have used it often.

Gifts fill my kitchen with every turn of the head, every flutter of the eye. “Life is Good” from one in the trenches with me, in this battle for joy as we walk with firm step toward a Risen Savior. The ring holder from Japan, friends from church just back after encouraging dear missionaries there.

 

A photo of one of my dear daughters. My favorite photo of her. Her beginning a dream of becoming a midwife, wrestling through paper work, reference requests, classes needed. Fourth arrow on the bow, where will He send her?

 

Banner from oldest & her hubby. Photo of my children, gifts all, every single one. Gifts I have never deserved but that I am truly so thankful for. 

Wee vase of flowers from my mom, them transplanted from our school room.

Pendant light Kerr Jars to fit my farm kitchen better.

Bessie’s kitchen has grown up, dressed for the hospitality we have often had the opportunity to extend…to our family, to our friends.

There needs to be a homemaker exercising some measure of skill, imagination, creativity, desire to fulfill needs and give pleasure to others in the family.

Edith Schaeffer in her book What is a Family?

That’s me; homemaker. It gives me such pleasure to equip our children for their futures. To spy out their gifts and help them to grow. To make our home a pleasant place to live. A quiet haven for my husband after a long day of work.

 

It’s time.

My kitchen countertops are finally being replaced.

Nothing like a wedding at your place to spur the creative juices and get work accomplished!

Here’s our before:

Ancient laminate, it’s going!

I do LOVE a good project!

Home.

I haven’t had anything to say here for awhile.  We have been walking along, enjoying the seasons.  The years they pass, children keep graduating, moving forward with their lives.

And I have friends question my ability to move to a mobile home.  Especially after living in a permanent home.  Some saying they could never do it.  It would be a step backwards, a step down.

And I’ve been thinking about that.  Why was I able to make this leap?  Why was I okay with it?  And I know the answer is grace.  It is always grace.  Do I make it look simple and easy?  Is my grace cape made of a finer filament than the one He offers to you?

I wrestle.  With the desire to have a garage.  I wrestle with desire.

But…my home isn’t here.

This temporary structure is not built as well as a normal brick or stick home.  It doesn’t have quality materials in the kitchen.  The cabinets are flimsy, the plumbing rattles, and that first winter before we put up some insulated panels around the base of the house we about froze.

But…my home isn’t here.

And yet, the grace is, I like it.  No dwelling here is permanent and it doesn’t define who I am.  I’m a blood bought daughter of the King through the salvation offered to me in Christ and this colors my entire world.  This cape of grace He has clothed me with.

My home is Him.  My home is now His will.

“And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.”  1 John 2:17

I want His blessing.  In Christ, I receive it.

And the beauty of it is, you can to.

April thoughts.

When I go into the garden with a spade,

and dig a bed,

I feel such an exhilaration

and health that I discover that I have been defrauding myself

all this time

in letting others do for me

what I should have done with my own hands.

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Last year, no mulberries, this year, a full load.

I heart this little tree, it is full, full..of…

love.

Last year, no peaches, this year, a tree full.

And another day tucks itself in at Bessie.

 

More around Bessie…

Finished back deck.

Sweet Quarter Horse, Blitzen.

Bucket.

Grace is thinking of changing his name to Boothe.

Around Bessie…

Blitzen in his new home.

Azaleas springing back to life.

 

Hens growing.

Rosie content.  Loyal.

Old horseshoe on stump.

Wildflowers.

Progress.

Houston, we have the beginnings of a deck

I repeat, the beginnings of a deck! 😀

 

Thank You, Lord.  For Your provision and for our abilities, we praise You!

Tiny House Dreams. For guests.

http://tinyhomebuilders.com/Blog/

They are hosting a build along beginning March 1st.  Whee!  No, I am not doing it, but I would love to at some point.  It would be a nice guest quarters, or place for people to come unwind.

http://www.ourtinyweekender.blogspot.com/

And check out this little number here!  We may have to borrow how he built this porch overhang for our back deck ( you know, the one we are starting on soon ;D )

http://www.parkmodelsdirect.com/AT/index.asp

Squawk!  How cute.  But I like the whole craftsmanship behind homemade and home designed models.

So much fun on a sleepy Sunday.

Finished!

Being

faithful over all He has placed in our hands!

Rinnah stained our little bluebird house!

 

His Eye Is On the Sparrow

---

Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,
Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heaven and home,
When Jesus is my portion? My constant friend is He:
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

Refrain

I sing because I’m happy,
I sing because I’m free,
For His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.

“Let not your heart be troubled,” His tender word I hear,
And resting on His goodness, I lose my doubts and fears;
Though by the path He leadeth, but one step I may see;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

Refrain

Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise,
When songs give place to sighing, when hope within me dies,
I draw the closer to Him, from care He sets me free;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

Refrain

From Wikipedia:

The theme of the song is inspired by the words of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew in the Bible, as referenced by Mrs. Doolittle in Elmira, New York: “Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” (Matthew 6:26) and “Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows” (Matthew 10:29-31).

Civilla Martin, who wrote the lyrics, said this about her inspiration to write the song based in the scriptures outlined above,

Early in the spring of 1905, my husband and I were sojourning in Elmira, New York. We contracted a deep friendship for a couple by the name of Mr. and Mrs. Doolittle—true saints of God. Mrs. Doolittle had been bedridden for nigh twenty years. Her husband was an incurable cripple who had to propel himself to and from his business in a wheel chair. Despite their afflictions, they lived happy Christian lives, bringing inspiration and comfort to all who knew them. One day while we were visiting with the Doolittles, my husband commented on their bright hopefulness and asked them for the secret of it. Mrs. Doolittle’s reply was simple: “His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.” The beauty of this simple expression of boundless faith gripped the hearts and fired the imagination of Dr. Martin and me. The hymn “His Eye Is on the Sparrow” was the outcome of that experience.

—Civilla Martin

Almost there.

Everyone can eat in peace.  And the hay rack I purchased at the feed store holds three leafs of hay!

We have some old decking that we are going to take apart and use for the kick area, to protect the exterior siding from the animals. It goes on the inside of the shed.  Everyone seems to add this, so I am sure it is needed!

And since the weather is supposed to be 58 today, Grace and I will be waterproof staining the exterior of the shed today!  I am loving this weather.

Superbowl game last night?  Me?  If you know me at all you know I don’t watch football so much, but this commercial is awesome!

Have a blessed Monday!