Vintage Homemaking Advice

Dear Friends, 

I would like to share with you a little prayer that my elderly neighbor had hanging up in her kitchen. It goes perfectly with the dish towels that I just found at the antique store (for less than what Walmart charges!).  I hope you enjoy it~

MONDAY: WASHDAY

Help me, my God, to wash away all my selfishness and vanity, 
that I may serve Thee with perfect humility through the week ahead.

TUESDAY: IRONING DAY

Dear Lord, help me to iron out all the wrinkles of prejudice I have
accumulated through the years so that I may see the beauty in others.

WEDNESDAY: MENDING DAY

O God, help me to mend my ways so that I will not set a bad example for others.

THURSDAY: CLEANING DAY

Lord Jesus, help me to reach the dust of all the many faults I
have been hiding in the secret corners of my heart all these years.

FRIDAY: SHOPPING DAY

O God, give me the grace to be a wise and prudent shopper that I may purchase
 eternal happiness for myself and my family and all who are in need of Thy love.

 

SATURDAY: COOKING DAY

Help me, my Saviour, to brew up a huge kettle of brotherly love, 
and serve it with the clean, sweet bread of human kindness.

SUNDAY: THE LORD'S DAY

O God, since I have now prepared my house for Thee, please come into my
heart as my honoured Guest, so that I may spend the day in Thy presence.

Amen.

Love,

Marqueta

"Learn a Little Every Day"

Dear Friends,

A happy day to all of you, and welcome to our newest followers. We hope that you find something to inspire you here!

We are enjoying a beautiful, sunny day, after a blustery, cloudy one. It's a perfect day to hang out the wash, and air the bedding outside. The children spent the night at their grandparents' house on Sunday, so we're a little late in celebrating President's Day (although Grandpa did make sure that we saluted the flag at their place).

Frankie looks like he's all ready to recite "The Gettysburg Address!"

We participated in the Great Backyard Bird Count, and were hoping to see something really exciting,

Like a great-crested fly catcher, or a bald eagle~

 

But we did see lots of fellows this like, singing their hearts out in the treetops!

Evangeline was so inspired by the roses that Mr. Graham gave us,

That she decided to paint their portrait!

While we were close to the Kansas border yesterday, a few us (my mother-in-law included), decided to visit the Victorian Trading Company "Catalog Boutique," but our dismay, discovered that the store had closed! We had to console ourselves by visiting one of the largest antique malls in America, and oohing and aahing our way through it (Have I mentioned how much I love my antique-loving mother-in-law?)~

Don't you love the creative use of a wedding dress train for a table cover?

This bonnet was made in England in the late 1800s, and was only $50 dollars! We may have to make a return visit when the tax return comes (Are you reading this,Mr. Graham?)!

While looking for a thought to leave you with, we found this little gem from one of my grandmother's poetry scrapbooks. May it bless you today, dear friends!

Love,

Marqueta

************************

Learn a Little Every Day

Little rills make wider streamlets,

Streamlets swell, the rivers flow;

Rivers join the mountain billows,

Onward as they go!

Life is made of smaller fragments,

Shade and sunshine, work or play;

So we may with greater profit,

Learn a little every day. 

Tiny seeds make boundless harvests,

Drops of rain compose the showers,

Seconds make the flying minutes,

And the minutes make the hours.

Let us hasten them and catch them,

As they pass us on the way,

And with honest true endeavor,

Learn a little every day.

Let us read some striking passage,

Cull a verse from every page,

Here a line and there a sentence,

'Gainst the lonely time of age.

At our work, or by the wayside,

While the sun is making hay,

Thus we may by help of study,

Learn a little every day.

~~~~

A Visit to the Antique Mall

Dear Friends,

Last week we decided to go into the antique mall located right across from our favorite thrift store. It was such a delightful place, we wish that we had gone in sooner! Instead of being accosted by the scent of 100 different perfumes, we were instead greeted with the gentle mustiness that says, "Grandmother's House."

We brought Mr. Graham along so we could point out things we like (our birthday IS coming up, after all, along with Valentine's Day!).

There were so many sweet old things that have borne the passage of time~

Things once used and loved, and then passed along~

Even the little boy in the funny hat was intrigued by the wide array of items!

We literally could have stayed all day, savoring the spirit of Days Gone by,

and imagining how big of a home we would have to have to put all of the things we like. . .

. . . Like this cabinet, whose drawers would be perfect for a nature collection,

. . .And this library card catalog, which would be fun to use to organize our books,

. . .And this sweet nine-patch quilt,

. . .And this desk that was made in the 1770s (Wouldn't it be fun to have a Colonial Corner, complete with a painting of the singing of the Declaration of Independence?),

. . . But some members of the party were not as enthusiastic at the prospect as the lady in the big blue coat!

So we picked out the sweetest post card we could find (along with a copy of "The Harvesters" by Gene Stratton Porter, and a biography of Queen Victoria), and promised the clerks running the mall that we would be back soon.

We hope you enjoyed walking along with us and sharing in our dreams. Little by little, we will collect all the bits and pieces that will add up to a real "Grandmother's House" someday!

Love,

Marqueta