A Sunny Childhood

 

“Whatever parents may do for their children,
they should at least make their childhood sunny and tender.
Their young lives are so delicate that harshness may mar their beauty forever,
and so sensitive that every influence that falls upon them leaves a trace,
which grows into the character as a grace or blemish.
A happy childhood stores away sunshine in the chambers of the heart
which brightens the life to its close. ”
J.R. Miller – Home-Making

 

When all the children are out playing on the green grass, the goats are not being naughty and eating my prized plants, the happy hens are laying lovely eggs …

the load of laundry, freshly washed and dried on the outdoor line, has been folded and tucked away …


… when the dinner is simmering in the crockpot and the apple pie and fresh baked bread is cooling on the Hoosier …

 


{pie made by our 11 year old}

 … when the girls help me plant a few tiny lilac trees around our dinner patio and Peaceful Porch (I will explain this one later) …

 

 

when my baby boy gives me sloppy kisses and clings to me like a little leech …

 

when the girls come up muddy from their adventure in a nearby creek (ew, we now know what a drowned muskrat looks like – ugh!) and when the sunkissed little ones find crystal droplets of water absolutely fascinating …

… all is right in my world.

 

May 25, 2018 - 5:47 am

Gigi No, we don’t have a book, but I wish we did!

May 23, 2018 - 2:12 pm

Maike Do you have a book that teaches about observing ways to tell the weather, like birds, flowers, and all those other things? I think that’s quite a good thing to know about.

May 21, 2018 - 2:38 pm

Monica Thanks for commenting back, I appreciate it! We eat very similar, right down to the raw milk (goat), but I’m pretty sure our metabolisms have been altered through years of dieting/not. My husband is a big man so some of my children have inherited his bone structure so will probably never look skinny, per se, but that’s ok too. But on the flip side are always doing without breads/sweets to lose a few pounds. One thing we succumb to is not always eating one piece or one serving because we don’t feel full right away (slow digestion). That being said I do so love to bake and cook the old fashioned way!

May 21, 2018 - 10:39 am

Sarah I always enjoy your posts! The pictures of Lavender and Lazarus are adorable! I love their hats. The pie your daughter baked is lovely. She did a great job, especially considering her age. Spring is my favorite season, and this spring has been wonderful here. So many flowers and birds! : )

May 21, 2018 - 7:20 am

Katy Such a sweet, sweet post! Enjoy your week with your lovely family! 🙂

May 21, 2018 - 5:33 am

Gigi Monica, I envy your sewing abilities! I am not very good with the sewing machine. 🙁
Regarding baking and staying healthy, I have to credit to a few things … my metabolism is just that way … my weight has never flucuated. I was never one to eat healthy when I was younger and even in my college days, I ate very poorly. Now, I am eating the healthiest I have ever eaten and am teaching the children to eat the same way. We rarely, rarely, rarely eat out, I haven’t touched junk food in years (I don’t even miss it!), everything we eat as sweets {ie. cookies, etc.} we pretty much make ourselves, we drink raw milk and water, no juice, oh, there’s so much more, but it would take a long time to write out … I once heard someone suggest that you can eat that pie, cookie or dessert – just make sure you make everything from scratch. You will most likely eat less of it and when you do eat it, you will have 1) worked hard to earn it and 2) know the ingredients and will hopefully have healthy ingredients! Yesterday, we had homemade pie, however, we also spent the entire afternoon in the garden, digging, hoeing, raking, and then spent the rest of the day chasing chickens (to get them in their new pen). I believe we all worked off that pie!

May 20, 2018 - 5:50 pm

Monica I love, love the picture of the clothes hanging on the line! It reminds me of an Amish clothesline with all of the handmade dresses! Love it! I’ve been sewing my girls dresses and also looking for hand sewn ones at thrift stores and they love them!
I notice you do a lot of yummy baking but keep slim. What is your secret? 🙂 I don’t mean that as an uncooth comment but I love, love the breads, pies, muffins, but find that we “chunk up” after eating so much flour products (ie baked goodies!) and once we stop eating them I miss fresh baking so much! I’m sad that our family can’t seem to cook the old fashioned style and stay slim. :/ Anyway, I love all of the springy pictures on the post! ❤️

May 20, 2018 - 5:27 am

Gigi Amen!

May 20, 2018 - 5:27 am

Gigi Thank you, Linda!
And yes, overalls are the cutest, aren’t they?

May 20, 2018 - 5:12 am

Linda Hi Gigi,
I am a fairly new follower of your blog, but I must say that such a peaceful light fills me whenever I stop by. Your photography is just beautiful and your little boy in those overalls – so sweet !!! – thank you for all your lovely posts 🙂
~ Linda

May 19, 2018 - 7:13 pm

Sue Ahh, this is so sweet and so precious. Its a good reminder to slow down and savour the small miracles in every day!;)