Of Cranberries, Books And The Packing Away of Christmas

One of my goals for the year is to expand my homesteading skill set, and today I checked off the first thing on my list, home canned cranberry juice.  I am making small batches, 4 pints of regular and 2 pints of cran-grape (my favorite!). I decided on pints, which may not seem like much, but when I tell you that we typically pour out at least half of a bottle or more of the store bought stuff, I am not exagerrating! It's not that we don't like it, I think it has more to do with the events taking place in life when we do drink it, virus, uti, etc. It would seem that once the symptoms subside what is left goes to waste. With that, I'm thinking maybe a pint is just about right? I followed the instructions found here, and as soon as the jars finish completely cooling I'll put them in the pantry to steep for a couple of weeks and then I'll test out a jar. Fingers crossed! If it turns out good I may make this part of my Christmas gift giving this year.

Other than that, I did a couple of loads of laundry and managed to get my snowmen packed. I had planned on bringing all the totes down and doing some much needed purging and organization of our Christmas decorations, but with my back still iffy, I've decided to just pack it away and then come some warm Spring day I'll have Bill bring them all down to the porch and I'll sort through them then. Just getting it taken down and put away is a s-l-o-w moving process right now, so I decided now was not the time for such a project.

I've really been enoying the books I'm currently reading, and the need to take it a little easier has allowed for more time for that. Right now I'm reading;

In Search of Guidance: Developing a Conversational Relationship with God by Dallas Willard which I just discovered was re-released under a different title Hearing God. My original plan was to read The Spirit of the Disciplines, until I happened across an article that suggested reading the books in sequential order, and Hearing God is considered to be the first in that order. I am taking my time with these, because I find almost everything Dallas wrote so philosophical and contemplative that I don't want to skim over and miss anything. Thankfully I've been able to locate most of these on Internet Archives and Hoopla, because they prices they are asking for some of these is outlandish! However much I love anything by Dallas Willard, he is out of my budget.

Another book I like equally as well but am finding a little easier to read is Beholding: Deeping Our Experience in God by Strahan Coleman (AFFILIATE LINK). Do you see a theme here?

I started out the year reading Placemaker: Cultivating Places of Comfort, Beauty and Peace by Christie Purifoy (AFFILIATE LINK), but I've put it down for now, not because I wasn't enjoying it, it just feels like the time isn't right. I'm thinking maybe early spring?

In its place I've decided to re-read an old favorite, The Cloister Walk by Kathleen Norris (AFFILIATE LINK).  I've been blessed with the opportunity to spend the weekend in a monestary coming up at the end of the month, a dream I've held ever since I read this book the first time, so now seems like a good time to revisit it.

And then of course, I have plans to re-read the entire Betsy Tacy series this year, so I'm going to sit down with the first book in that series this coming weekend.

And with that, I think I'll try to take in a chapter or two before dinner duties beckon! What are you reading, friends? Drop a few titles in the comments. :)

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