Still Woods Farmhouse

The LIGHT shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:5 A candle in the window originated in the 1600’s. Irish Catholics were not allowed to say mass and priests were persecuted. A light left in a window of a home signified to traveling priests that it was a Catholic home and they were safe and welcome there. A candle in the window has been a beacon of hope from that  time on. Did you know that the word LIGHT is mentioned 272 times in the King James Bible? There are so many beautiful verses about light. I bet you are thinking of one now. Last night I decided to place candles in our windows as a visible reminder that our hope is in the Lord. That even though these are scary times, we do not need to fear. Let His word wash over your worried soul and give you peace. The Lord is my LIGHT and my salvation- whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life-of whom shall I be afraid? Psalm 27:1 We live in the middle of the woods, so only...

I began writing this post several weeks ago.  Before the world seemed to go topsy-turvy.  Before social distancing.  Before we had to search for basics such as bread and milk. Before all the other changes that have occurred to keep us safe and healthy. I know many of you are like me.  We draw comfort from our Heavenly Father, our friends, loved ones and things from the past. I watched The Quiet Man the other night and one of my favorite lines in the movie occurs when Mary Kate Danaher explains to Sean Thornton the importance of things. "Ever since I was a little girl, I've dreamed of having my own things about me", said Mary Kate Danaher.  I can relate to Mary Kate. There is something so comforting about having our things about us, especially during uncertain times. I find there is a calmness to mixing up pie crust in one of my mother's cast off bowls or sitting at my grandmother's dining room table working on my Bible study. Her table serves as a writing de...

Rest easy friends. Draw comfort and hope knowing that our God sits on the throne and He knows your fears. Dwell in Him and sleep well. 

Are you looking for a fabulous ice cream recipe for a 4th of July celebration? Luckily, your search is over! I shared this ice cream recipe several years ago and it is a perfect time to share again. This is a traditional cooked custard recipe my dad has made for years.  It makes the most creamy, deliciousness that you will ever put in your mouth.  You can really taste the difference between a cooked ice cream and a non-cooked ice cream.  It doesn't take long to prepare this recipe and it is worth the little bit of effort you will put into it. In fact, I have all the ingredients sitting on the counter ready to make the custard.  I have to tell you that we often fight over who gets to lick the spoon and clean out the bowl! Let's look at the Starting Line-Up.  Just a few basic ingredients.   Please note that the ice cream salt in the picture is only for my ice cream freezer and not for the recipe!! If you are like me, I like the recipe all at once and...

I've Been Thinking...those three words bring a look of terror to my husband's eyes.  He usually bows his head and rubs his forehead.  That's his signal for "Lord help me"! My hubby says that those three words always mean work for him! Guess what? He is completely correct! I'm sure I'm not the only one who utters those words. How about any of you? I love to move things around...usually big things.  We have a farmhouse (like you couldn't figure that out with my blog title 😏), which has two rooms on the right of a center hall and two rooms on the left. I have swapped my dining room for the reading room and back again too many times to count.  I am a little ashamed to say that not only does this involve moving furniture, but it also involves moving a chandelier.  I didn't realize how heavy the chandelier was until I had to help hold it! Yikes! So, I've been thinking again. This time my vision involves our living room and our reading room.  You...

I have to share this delicious salad with you.  It has been so hot here in Mississippi..and its barely June!  One evening all I wanted was a quick, refreshing salad for dinner.  I had watermelon and Feta cheese in the fridge and wanted a salad which combined both.  After a quick look through the internet, I found Ina Garten's recipe.  I was excited to see that her recipe also included fresh mint and I have a caboodle of mint growing in the garden.  It looked like a win, win recipe! I didn't have arugula, so I substituted crispy Romaine.  I also left out the shallot.  The salad was absolutely wonderful!  The mint added another level of freshness and the citrus vinaigrette was delicious.  I enjoyed the sweetness from the melon and the salty from the Feta.  Yummy!  I can't wait to make it again!   Forgive my fancy, blurry photo!  I wasn't planning on blogging about it, but did snap a s...

Hi friends! Is your home already decorated for Christmas or are you a die hard after Thanksgiving decorator? I admit that my home is almost Christmas ready.  My boys will be in Sunday evening and they once mentioned that they would rather enjoy our Christmas décor as opposed to fall leaves and pumpkins.  Well you know that's all it took, so I have been a little elf and have been in a decorating frenzy.  I'll share my Christmas décor with you later.  For now, we have one of my favorite holidays right around the corner...Thanksgiving! I am hosting Thanksgiving dinner, so my dining room is everything Thanksgiving.  If you are hosting Thanksgiving dinner, I imagine that you want your entryway to look festive and welcoming.  I love the colors of harvest time.  There is such warmth and beauty in the hues of fall.  There is still time to jazz up your front door before your guests arrive! There is an old English proverb based on Matthew 6:22 which...