Just popping in to say hello

I just wanted to pop in before my blog became too neglected again. I am working on my first edition of Domestic Delights, and it will be out sometime in January. I contemplated starting it this month, but this wonderful month is full enough, and I want my first edition to be well rounded, and not rushed. We have been enjoying a lovely holiday season. Thanksgiving was wonderful and blessed, food, fellowship with family, and just a nice quiet day. My grandmother came out for a visit for two weeks, and went home yesterday. Pictures of the past few weeks are up on my picasa web album for any that are interested. We have been loving beautiful cold weather, and the hope of snow the past few days. We saw a bit of snow on the roads on the way to Tucson yesterday, and it snowed up at the mine where my dad works, and we are still hoping for some down here soon! We have also been greatly enjoying our family advent devotions. It is such a special time of worship gathered around the kitchen table, warm candles glowing, watching the story of God's plan of redemption unfold before our eyes, starting in Genesis and working our way towards the cross.

Hopefully I'll be able to post here and there throughout the month, if not, I will take the time now to wish you all a very blessed Christmas season, and always remember the reason why we celebrate.


~Elissa

Hello bloggy friends. If indeed I still have any bloggy friends left.
I know I have neglected my blog shamefully the past year and a half, but it's been a hard year and a half, Four surgeries (and another one on the way) in under two years kind of makes one's life turn topsy-turvy. Funny how that is. Not that I'm complaining. I have grown, and learned many lessons during this rough patch.

All this to say that I am going to try and post more regularly (I know, I know, I've said it before...). I've come up with a blog series, and I am promising here to post at least once a month with this blog series, and I expect you all to keep me to my word! ;) The other day as a was browsing a lovely book, The Gentle Art of Domesticity I remarked to my mom that I wished someone would write a similar book from a Christian's perspective. While I enjoyed the book, there were some very worldly aspects that I did not enjoy. That comment to my mother got the wheels in my head turning. I wouldn't want to write a book, but I have a great way to share my thoughts - my blog!
So, This to say, I am introducing a new series here at Striving to be a Proverbs 31 Maiden, to be called Domestic Delights. Under this head, I will be writing monthly posts dedicated the the beauty of domesticity. I have lots of ideas tumbling about in my head, but I would love to hear your thoughts, what kind of subjects would you be interested in reading about? Would you like vlogs as well as blogs on the subject? Recipes and tutorials, or just discussion of the subject?

I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Stay tuned for the first edition of Domestic Delights!

~Elissa

Orchard visit

The Apple Tree

When an apple tree is ready for the world to
come and eat,
There isn't any structure in the land that's
"got it beat."
There's nothing man has builded with the
beauty or the charm
That can touch the simple grandeur of the
monarch of the farm.
There's never any picture from a human
being's brush
That has ever caught the redness of a single apple's blush.

When an apple tree's in blossom it is glorious
to see,
But that's just a hint, at springtime, of the
better things to be;
That is just a fairy promise from the Great
Magician's wand
Of the wonders and the splendors that are
waiting just beyond
The distant edge of summer; just a forecast
of the treat
When the apple tree is ready for the world
to come and eat.

Architects of splendid vision long have labored
on the earth,
And have raised their dreams in marble and
we've marveled at their worth;
Long the spires of costly churches have looked
upward at the sky;
Rich in promise and in the beauty, they have
cheered the passer-by.
But I'm sure there's nothing finer for the eye
of man to meet
Than an apple tree that's ready for the world
to come and eat.

There's the promise of the apples, red and
gleaming in the sun,
Like the medals worn by mortals as rewards
for labors done;
And the big arms stretched wide open, with a
welcome warm and true
In a way that sets you thinking it's intended
just for you.
There is nothing with a beauty so entrancing,
so complete,
As an apple tree that's ready for the world to
come and eat.

Edgar A. Guest


We just came home from a visit to the orchard, and I thought I should blog about it now or else I'd never get around to it.

Our homeschool group scheduled a field trip to Apple Annie's our favorite you-pick orchard, so we thought it would a good opportunity to go get some apples. Although we couldn't stay long out in the orchard because of an impending storm,

we all got all the apples we could possible squeeze in our 1/4 peck bags (the bags we were supplied with as a part of the field trip)
Thankfully the storm held off for a while longer, and we didn't see the first raindrops until we were in the truck on the way home. I really can't believe the weather lately, mom and I have said to each other many times this week and last "Is this Arizona?" Usually this time of year it's insufferably hot and painfully sunny. The past week or so it's been "cool" (for Arizona) and rainy almost every day.
But, I digress, back to the apple orchard. We all met and ate a picnic lunch together, and then there was a little talk for the young children about apple farming.
We all got a 21st century hay-ride (a tractor-pulled trailer with hay bales to sit on)
out to the orchard, for which I was quite thankful because the roads out the orchard were impossibly muddy, and usually you would have to walk.

The rows between the trees weren't muddy which was a blessing and we all were able to pick without getting stuck. :)


We ate apples straight from the tree, which were delicious!

We had never done this before, because we assume that they used pesticides, and wouldn't eat them without washing, but we were thankful to discover that they use no pesticides on their farm!


When we got back we had to get traditional pictures to see how much Seth had grown since our last visit.
Then we all got delicious squares of fudge at the amazing fudge kitchen,

and some apple bread and cider to have at home.



We're hoping to go back in a week or two to get some more apples, because we only got 3 of the 1/4 peck bags full, which isn't enough to make apple butter and applesauce as I had hoped too, though there is plenty for apple pie and slices for dipping in homemade caramel sauce! yum!

I'll leave y'all for now but hopefully I'll be back soon. I'd love to hear comments from y'all on what kind of blog posts you'd like to see.

Have a fantastic evening,
~Elissa

Good morning everyone. If you are still reading my blog, I thank you humbly. I don't deserve you. Really.
But you know, when life is crazy, or stressful, or even just pleasantly busy or full, blogs just are not a priority. I am trying to figure out a way to schedule in blogging time into my weeks so hopefully I'll make time to blog! It is just kind of hard, like right now I'm blogging, and I have bread to make for the freezer, dishes to wash, lunch to make, a bathroom to clean, my room to clean, and I'm blogging. If I try to wait til after work is done, I feel braindead, and only in the mood for reading a book or browsing pinterest. But I really really am going to make time to start blogging regularly again. For right now I just wanted to post and let y'all know I'm alive and kicking. Our family has experience a loooot of sickness this year, which just kind of throws everything out of kilter. Since my last blog in June we have had lots of little adventures, struggles, good times and just everydays. We went to Oklahoma for the 4th of July, and to Texas afterward. I celebrated my 19th birthday mid July, and Seth celebrated his 7th year at the end of August. Dad had bronchitis (among other things) for 2 months, seth got sick twice, and mom and I have both been either sick or on the verge several times. Seth is enjoying school and learning to work around the house, I am still trying to find my way through post graduation. I have been enjoying spending lots of time in the kitchen with Artisan Bread in five Minutes a Day and doing lots of dishes - we decided to give up our dishwasher and hand wash everything, and I actually rather like it. I know I'm strange. But I think it's a good kind of strange, that will really come in handy in the future. I am also still enjoying my herbal studies. I'm still furthering my education, I'll never stop learning! I'm hoping to take some online theological courses, and taking more math, writing and such.

We've been pulling out autumn decorations this week, and have already started making fall goodies. I'm making these tonight for mom's ladies' night

photo courtesy of thegirlwhoateeverything.com

I know most of you don't know this about me - but I L.O.V.E. Autumn. Shocking? I can't believe I never told you that. Well maybe I might of mentioned it once or so, but I'm sure most of you didn't know it.
We're going to apple annie's next week, and I can't wait! We haven't gone in a few years, and I am really looking forward to orchard-fresh apples and all the apple goodies!
It looks as if maybe-just-maybe we actually might have a mildish-almost-fallish-type-fall this year. A few of our leaves are changing and falling, which is unusual, they usually stay a sickly green until the first hard frost and then all fall off at once. And we actually can sit out on the porch in the mornings without roasting. It was 103 yesterday though, so I don't think our dream of wearing sweaters in September will come true. It usually doesn't get cold until October 30th around here, hopefully it will prover different this year!
Okay, well I'm going to sign off and go get my work done and hopefully actually *post* this. I have about 5 posts in draft that I've been meaning to post, but they become outdated before I post them.

Sorry for rambling, hopefully I'll have some nicer posts up soon!

~Elissa