Prairie Oak Homestead

As I sit here and write this, there is a chicken "knocking" on the back door.  They have tricked me a few times....lol. I just thought I'd share that with you. ;) It was finally a nice day here in central Illinois.  I was able to get out and mow the yard and now it looks nice again. :)  The smell of the grass always makes me smile.  The swallows aren't out yet to flutter back and forth in front of me while I mow...they will be soon. :) I made some more soap this morning.  I am trying to get ready for the Produce Market that is coming up starting in June.  I will be there one or two times a month until October...come visit me if you are local. :) This weather, when it's nice, causes me to ponder family.  Spending time together outside, taking walks, having picnics, going on vacation somewhere, etc.  There are some family members that I just miss so much.  I'd love to talk to them again.  I hate missing out on their life... Well, I'd...

 Head on over to my facebook page and "like" it for updated information about my soap, sale announcements, and information on the benefits of herbs! www.facebook.com/WiseleyUsedHerbs Come see what's going on at Wiseley Used Herbs. :)

  I wanted to show you a bit of how I make my old fashioned cold process soap. Today I am doing my Double Chocolate Bliss Soap.  Follow me as I show you some of the steps in how to make soap. :) First, you need to get all your supplies ready.  Make sure you have your mould ready to go and all your oils and lye ready.  You will be pouring immediately, so you don't want to be scrambling to find your mould. This is the lye water.  You want to mix this very carefully.  Lye is caustic.  I add the measured water to the pot and then I add the measured lye.  You want to do all your measuring on a digital scale.  It must be precise.  When adding lye, always add the lye to the water and not the water to the lye.  Remember "snow on the lake"  If you add it backwards you will have a lye volcano...No heat is put on this pot.  The lye creates it's own heat when it reacts with the water. :) Next, while the lye is doing it's thi...

I am so thankful that my migraine that I have had for about a week is finally gone! I feel like I can think again and focus.  It is no fun to have constant excruciating pain in your head.  You can't rub it down like a leg muscle...it's out of your hands.  I am grateful that the migraine is gone as I have to teach at a local college tonight about spring herbs.  I am looking forward to sharing my passion for herbs and their benefits. :) More classes to come in June and July. :)  I am also thankful for the blogs I follow.  There is so much good information out there.  I love Biblical Counseling for Women.  She has great insight and I love being able to fill my mind with things to ponder.  The homesteading blogs help me with new ideas and just plain being able to relate to people that are like-minded.  We all need encouragement in this cold world.  We need each other, we are better together. :)  I could live in the quiet mounta...

Happy Resurrection Sunday! I pray everyone ponders on the resurrection and what it means for us.  He is risen and we are forgiven!  What a mighty and powerful God we serve!  Oh how much He loves us! Continue to be in prayer for my migraine...it continues.  It has for 7 days with one day break in between.  If it keeps up, I will see a doctor this week. :(

Got my eye tests done and got my results. He said he has never seen anyone with the amount of damage I have and still have my peripheral vision. He also said I have the most cupping of my disc that he has ever seen in his career. He said I was very unique. ;) No change with the damage! :) I am thanking God. :) I have to be checked every year to watch if there is progression. Unfortunately, I have yet another migraine today...it hurts soooo bad. :(  Nothing helps.  Praying it doesn't stay for 3 days like the last one.... Sorry for the short post...

A flower shop in town has approached me about purchasing some of my soap and also having a display in their store.  I sold them some soap today and they are going to make gift baskets up with them.  I will also have a display up on May 16th.  She said a lot of people were talking about my soap. :)  It's nice to know so many people are enjoying it. :)  If you haven't tried it yet, head on over to my website and order ya some! :)  http://wiseleyusedherbs.weebly.com/ It would make a great Mother's Day gift! :)

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;    I will be exalted among the nations,    I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10 Too often we allow the voices of the world to distract us and keep us off focus of the things that truly matter. We need to be aware of that with all the busyness and comforts that we have today we can easily crowd out God's voice. We need to away from those things that can distract and carve out time to just be quiet and still. (yes, even with a busy schedule or a full household!) If we constantly have noise all around us or are busy doing, doing, doing, we can lose something very precious a treasure that was meant for us alone. Go ahead--turn off the music, the TV, the computer... Drown out all the voices, the heartache, the pain Embrace and cherish the time you get with Him. Speak to the Lord and lift up your fears. Meditate on His Word. Connect with Him. Let Him comfort you and reach the deepest pla...

It's been chilly and windy here the last few days. :(  We have the woodstove going AGAIN and had us a bowl of chili and cornbread for supper last night.  It hit the spot.  Yesterday was so windy, it ripped the door to the chicken coop off...the captain went out there and fixed it right up.  He made it better than before. :) I had a seminar here yesterday and it went well.  Met some new friends and gained another customer. :) I enjoy sharing my passion. :) This morning, we are heading out to Good Samaritan to serve a meal.  Tonight we have a meeting for my mission trip coming up in June to Tennessee. I am looking forward to serving there.  The captain is going to Venezuela in October for a week.  That should be an interesting trip for him.  Keep those trips in your prayers. :) I had another store approach me about having my soap in their shop.  I am going in tomorrow to speak to them.  I haven't made a decision about that yet. ...

For two months now I have been hoping to come across someone to know if they are still around or not.  Well, today was that day. :)  I was pleased to see them as we drove by each other.  I was pleased to wave thanking God for crossing our paths. :)  I hope he is well... I had some tests done at the eye doctor yesterday.  I have to go back next Friday for more tests and results.  I am praying that the damage in the back of my eyes has not progressed. I am wishing the blurred vision in the mornings would go away...makes it hard to blog early like I used to. ;) I made some more soap today (Lemon Poppy Seed).  I have sold $100 worth of soap in 2 days. :)  I kinda like that! I am excited about the feedback I am getting from my customers. I am glad they get to enjoy a natural product I created and is good for their body. :) I am getting things ready for tomorrows seminar.  I think I have everything in order.  Now, I just need to get some...

I don't know if you've seen it or not, but there is a school in Chicago that has banned bringing your lunch to school.  They are forcing kids to eat at their cafeteria.  What!?  So now moms are not allowed to pack their kids lunch with healthy choices such as dye free foods, homemade bread and jams, homemade cookies, fruit, etc...I just can't believe it.  This is all because of the fear of peanut allergies!  I understand having that fear, but come on.  What did people do years ago?  It's just one more thing the government wants to control and it torks me off.  Can you tell? ;)  We have homeschooled our son (he is in 7th grade now) his whole life with the exception of 2 months when he was in 2nd grade and I had to have major surgery and didn't want him to miss anything.  It was only 2 months, because we pulled him back out and brought him home to do even a little school.  The first day in public school here in central Illinois, he ...

This post comes from A Wise Woman Builds Her Home. :) While it is not uncommon for the role of homemaker to be devalued in sociey today, we know that all that is done in our home is holy work, a sacrifice to Him who watches over us day and night. We do not take our work lightly and seek to glorify Him in all that we attempt to do. I am not speaking of perfection here, instead a willing, persevering heart. Here are some quotes to encourage you: No ordinary work done by a man is either as hard or as responsible as the work of a woman who is bringing up a family of small children; for upon her time and strength demands are made not only every hour of the day but often every hour of the night. She may have to get up night after night to take care of a sick child, and yet must by day continue to do all her household duties well; and if the family means are scant she must usually enjoy even her rare holidays taking her whole brood of children with her. The bir...

We had a pretty good storm here last night.  Our chickens decided they didn't want to get in their coop for bed and instead chose to roost in the tree next to it.  Woke up this morning to a ton of white feathers scattered throughout the yard.  Our neighbor called and asked if we were missing a chicken...I said yes.  He said it was in his pasture. Dead. They were vulnerable because they weren't protected in the coop. Something attacked during the storm. Tonight they are all tucked safely away in the coop.  It made me think about how vulnerable we are when we are in a storm and don't seek shelter in the Lord.  We are more vulnerable to attack.  Things are chaotic during a storm and sometimes you don't see the predator until it's too late...Seek shelter during the storms of life and you will find safety for your soul.

God guides our lives. It is not enough to have an impelling force--we need just as much a repelling force, and so He holds us back by the testing ordeals of life, by the pressure of temptation and trial, by the things that seem against us, but really are furthering our way and establishing our goings. Let us thank Him for both, let us take the weights as well as the wings, and thus divinely impelled, let us press on with faith and patience in our high and heavenly calling. --A. B. Simpson

Bergamot Grapefruit Soap...smells citrusy, very uplifting. :) I will be having a fantastic giveaway once I reach 200 page "likes" on my Wiseley Used Herbs facebook page.  We are at 176 likes.  Head on over and "like" the page to be kept up-to-date on soaps and lip balms and also to learn more about herbs.  You can get to my facebook page from the sidebar.  Just click on it and it will take you there! :)  You will find great gifts for Mother's Day and Father's Day.  I am coming out with another men's soap in a month.  Keep an eye out for that one! Hope you all are having a great day...I'm trying to despite another day of no sunshine. Oh how I can't wait for a full week of sun. :)  I need consistency lol.

The chickens have enjoyed the warmer air and sunshine. :)  Apparently, one of my Cinnamon Queens decided she liked the hood of my car. :) I am so glad to see the grass getting greener.  I actually have to mow this weekend! (if it doesn't rain)  First mow of many I know. ;)   In other news, I will be co-teaching a class at the college this month on the 25th. Looking forward to meeting people who want to learn more about herbs. :)  I am teaching another shooting class tonight to the 4-H kids.  They will be learning to kneel and shoot tonight.  Should be interesting. :) Hope everyone is well and enjoying the warmth if they have it.  I know some areas are still getting snow...I am enjoying the sound of frogs and the sweet sounds of the wrens. :)

I really encourage you to make these!  They are VERY good and so easy! 1 pound turkey 1/8 c buffalo sauce 1/2 T italian seasoning 1/2 t salt 1/2 t pepper 1/4 c shredded parmesan cheese (not powdered) Mix and fry up! That's it! You can serve them on a bun with a slice of cheddar cheese if you'd like. :)

Orange Creamsicle Rough and Rugged You can check these out and more at my website... http://wiseleyusedherbs.weebly.com/

 This post comes from Biblical Counseling for Women.  I found it to be just what I needed today and wanted to share it with you.  If you haven't visited her site yet, get over there! :)  You can get to it on my sidebar under "blogs I follow" "Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am meek and humble in heart; and you will find rest for your souls." Matthew 11:29. Meekness is often misunderstood as weakness. It is represented as being something women do not want to "be" because those who portray meekness do so poorly. A meek woman is actually very strong, and knows what she is about. She understands her position in Christ and her place in the Body. Meekness is strength under the submitted control of the Holy Spirit. I find meekness to be lacking in many women these days. We seem to have become argumentative, spiteful, and vengeful. Many women are this way in the home and workplace and even in the church. We tend to show o...

"They looked and behold, the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud" (Exod. 16:10). Get into the habit of looking for the silver lining of the cloud and when you have found it, continue to look at it, rather than at the leaden gray in the middle. Do not yield to discouragement no matter how sorely pressed or beset you may be. A discouraged soul is helpless. He can neither resist the wiles of the enemy himself, while in this state, nor can he prevail in prayer for others. Flee from every symptom of this deadly foe as you would flee from a viper. And be not slow in turning your back on it, unless you want to bite the dust in bitter defeat. Search out God's promises and say aloud of each one: "This promise is mine." If you still experience a feeling of doubt and discouragement, pour out your heart to God and ask Him to rebuke the adversary who is so mercilessly nagging you. The very instant you whole...

I made some pure glycerin Easter soaps for kids.  Each soap has an Easter/spring eraser in them and have a light orange scent made with orange essential oil.  These are dye free.  Check them out on my website.  You can get to it from the sidebar. :)