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Hello, folks, and happy fall! I have been greatly enjoying a northern fall, when it actually feels like fall in September! (Previous experiences were South Carolina and Louisiana.) This is my absolute favorite time of year, probably because I’m not a summer person and the relief from heat is sweet. (Not that it ever gets all that hot here in Ohio, comparatively, although the locals start sweltering at 80 degrees.)
I’ve been enjoying hot Vanilla Chai with a squirt of liquid stevia the last few mornings, so that’s what I’ll be having while we chat and update each other on life and what’s interesting. My windows are open, the breeze is tousling the curtains, Hadassah is sleeping, and the flowerbeds are calling for attention before snow falls (but I’m ignoring them until this afternoon).
Hadassah’s first birthday was a sweet finale to summer, especially since Ryan’s parents and sister could be here from Canada to celebrate with us! A few weeks later, some more Canadian relatives were here, including Hadassah’s little cousin who is 6 months older than she is. They’ll be best friends someday – at least that’s what their mothers like to think.
RMHA International Show 2021
More recently Hadassah and I were able to meet up with my family at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY, for the annual RMHA (Rocky Mountain Horse Association) International Show! This has been a family tradition of ours for years – one that I have missed out on since getting married. But this year, since Ohio is much closer to Kentucky than Louisiana is, I was bound and determined to go. 😛 So go we did, and what a good time we had!
Previous years at the Internationals (way back in the day):
Looking back at old pictures and videos and realizing how green we were is highly amusing (and slightly cringeworthy). I am happy to report that my sister Katelyn has taken the horse training thing farther than I ever did, and she has educated herself in the ins and outs of show things like attire and grooming and etiquette. We were absolutely ecstatic when she won first place in a huge class of 20+ horses, then placed second in a grand championship class. Definitely made my week. 😉
What is a Rocky Mountain Horse?
The Rocky Mountain breed originated fairly recently in Kentucky. They are known for their gentle disposition and smooth, four-beat gait (instead of a bouncy trot). Their signature color is chocolate, with a flaxen mane and tail, although they can be any solid color. You can read more about the history of the breed here.
Hadassah enjoyed all the activity! She loves animals, especially horses and dogs, so she was in her element.
She also got lots of Grandma time.
“Just trying to keep my balance!”
Recent family picture from a visit to Penn’s Cave:
In other news, Hadassah is walking! She still loses her balance sometimes, and walking with shoes is out of the question, but she does laps around the house for fun and her favorite pastime is walking while drinking a bottle to demonstrate her superior balance skills.
I think she’s getting her one year molars, so that’s fun….
Recent recipe experiments:
- Candy Bar Granola (chocolate and coconut)
- Caprese Salad (all summer long with my fresh basil!)
- Low Carb Poppy Seed Ham & Cheese “Slider” Wraps
- Sugar Free Lemonade
- Tomato Basil Soup
- Updating a lot of old recipes (new pictures and maybe some recipe tweaks)
- Kheer (Indian rice pudding – still working on this one)
You’ll be seeing all of these at some point, although when is hard to say. I have a backlog of about 100 recipes to post right now, and my goal is one blog post per week. 😛 I love creating new recipes, but it’s hard to find time to edit pictures, make graphics, type up the chicken scratch from a piece of paper into the computer, turn it into a readable recipe, answer all the questions people will ask, write the blog post, and share it so people can see it. I’m trying to find solutions for how to make this easier, but in this season of life it’s hard. And I don’t want to focus on the wrong things and have regrets later.
That being said, you can follow along via email to make sure you see when these new recipes are released! Social media is hit and miss about showing my posts to the people who follow me.
Fuel Type Index for Convenient Food!
Necessary Food has a fuel type index built into it (check the very back of the book), but I didn’t include one in Convenient Food due to space issues. I finally got one typed up though, and you can click here to download and print it!
For future reference, you can find this fuel type index on the Convenient Food Resources page, which is located in the menu bar under the “Shop Cookbooks” tab.
What I’m Reading
- Recently finished Peanut Butter and Dragon Wings: A Mother’s Search for Grace by Shari Zook. Highly recommend!
- Also just finished an audiobook of Redwall, the first book in a long series. It’s geared towards grades 5-12 but I found it enjoyable for something light.
- Recently finished Irena’s Children (young readers edition), the story of a Polish woman who orchestrated the rescue of thousands of Jewish children from the Warsaw Ghetto in WW2. Very good, sobering read. Thrift store find that I wanted to read before putting on my shelf.
- Recently finished A Biography of Laura Ingalls Wilder. This is a young adult book and most of the information will be familiar to those who have read the Little House series, but I found it an interesting chronological read of the life of Laura Ingalls Wilder. Another thrift store find that I wanted to read before putting on my shelf.
- 1 Kings
- The Father Brown Mysteries by G.K. Chesterton. Not Sherlock Holmes’ level, but they usually involve some pleasant surprises.
- The Beast that Crouches at the Door by Rabbi David Fohrman. Asking and answering some interesting questions about Genesis. I really enjoy Fohrman.
Haven’t read but want to
M is for Mama: A Rebellion Against Mediocre Motherhood
Seasonal recipe recommendations:
Try this Crustless Pumpkin Pie in a Bowl!
This has been going through my head lately…
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder’s in the shock,
And you hear the kyouck and gobble of the struttin’ turkey-cock,
And the clackin’ of the guineys, and the cluckin’ of the hens,
And the rooster’s hallylooyer as he tiptoes on the fence;
O, it’s then’s the times a feller is a-feelin’ at his best,
With the risin’ sun to greet him from a night of peaceful rest,
As he leaves the house, bareheaded, and goes out to feed the stock,
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder’s in the shock.James Whitcomb Riley
CLICK HERE to read the whole poem!
An excellent article on fast fashion
Dead white man’s clothes: How fast fashion is turning parts of Ghana into a toxic landfill.
Beautiful music
Some of Ryan’s cousins:
Conversation Starters
I want to hear from YOU! This is a chat over tea/coffee, after all. Here are some questions to get you going. Pick one, or answer several – your choice!
- Have you read or listened to anything good lately?
- What is your opinion on fast fashion, and how do you try to help solve the problem, or at least not add to it?
- If you’re a stay at home mom, how do you keep yourself mentally sharp/stimulated? (For me that’s currently reading or listening to thought provoking books, sermons, and/or podcasts and trying to cut back on screen time.)
- Do you have any use for easy, cheap, and delicious THM Crossover recipes, for yourself or for your family?
- What’s interesting in your life right now?
- What activities do you want to do this fall?
Charlotte Appleby says
One activity that is must for me this fall is to take the girls to the pumpkin patch. I love that we can grab yummy donuts and enjoy the outside air while we do it. Also, I’m really looking forward to Thanksgiving – it’s always a fun time figuring out of the Turkey I roast will turn out just right or too dry. It’s always one or the other and I never remember exactly how I do it from year to year so that makes it exciting. Haha! I’m hoping to recruit my preteen and teenage daughters to help me make everything this year. Any Turkey roasting tips are greatly appreciated, by the way! I enjoy reading your blog and making your recipes!
Briana Thomas Burkholder says
I’m afraid I’m not very technical with the turkey roasting. I usually just plop it in a roaster and bake until done. 😛 The white meat tends to be a bit dry but it works out perfectly because I like the dark meat and my husband likes white meat (and he prefers it to be on the dry side). If you want a good spice mix for the turkey, this is excellent: https://www.briana-thomas.com/deviled-turkey-stuffing/
Jennifer Stovern says
Hi Briana! I’m a stay at home mom of two. 🙂
If you liked the book on Laura Ingalls Wilder, you might want to check out the book Prairie Fires by Carolyn Fraser, which is very detailed and discusses not only Laura’s life, but the life of her family and history of where the they were located. It is fascinating and also enormous.
As for fast fashion, there are a lot of aspects I don’t like. When I was growing up, there were new items available in the store seasonally, maybe twice a season. The only fortunate thing is that modest fashion does not move as fast and I live in the country where people tend to wear mossy oak more than what is fashionable. I try not to continue to fast fashion by sewing a lot of clothes for my daughter (age 3) and thrifting for the rest. My hope By the time that she is a teen is that we choose and sew her wardrobe and mine too!!
We do have an interest in crossover recipes. My husband has almost reached his lowest comfortable weight and XOs are most welcome especially if they are low cost. I think a lot of people have a desire for low cost recipes right now with current rising food prices. Also, teaching people how to shop smart and make good choices as far as THM ingredients would be great 🙂
Briana Thomas Burkholder says
Hi Jennifer! Thanks for the book recommendation. It does sound fascinating. Added to my book list!
I second you on sewing my own clothing + thrifting. That’s my strategy as well.
Kristin says
I always enjoy your posts! I am also enjoying the cool Ohio fall and making some things with pumpkin. “The frost on the pumpkin” is also a poem I like. Reminded me of when I was younger I would say it over and over in a funny voice just to annoy my brother 🙂
DIana says
I love hearing about your life! Thank you for the pictures!
Great books lately:
Live Not By Lies: A Manual for Christian Dissidents (Dreher)
Fault Lines (Baucham)
The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self (Truman)
Keeping myself sharp/stimulated as a homeschool mom: Well, the answer that I remember from a similar stage in my life would be (1) non-stop reading, (2) listening to podcasts (I like Amy Roberts at Raising Arrows for homemaking, Albert Mohler’s Thinking in Public for politics/history, Eric Conn at Hard Men for church issues, various pastors for sermons, etc.), (3) talking to my husband, (4) reading blogs, and (5) meeting with other mamas.
However, as the children grow in age and number, this honestly stops being a problem. I currently have six children and teach grades 9, 3, 1, and pre-K, and it seems that I never stop reading or talking. It’s now more of a longing for quiet than it is for thought and discussion, LOL! So honestly, a few years will take care of the need for stimulation, because once the kids get older it never stops!
Thank you for your work on the blog!
Briana Thomas Burkholder says
Good to hear from you, Diana! Thank you for your thoughtful comment – I appreciate the book and podcast suggestions and getting a window into the future. It’s always neat to see moms in stages ahead of mine and try to imagine what that will look like in our home.
Natalie says
Hi Briana, it’s so fun to hear what’s going on in your life.
I’m a young mom with 3 children. We’re homeschooling. Our oldest is in 1st, second is in kindergarten and youngest is 18 mo. So my mornings are filled with homeschooling and juggling a toddler. Then nap for the toddler and getting the housework done before husband comes home. We have a small hobby farm and it keeps us busy.
This fall I’m trying to get back onto the thm plan again. I did it for 2 years before my last pregnancy and we loved it. I’m excited about getting back on plan and sticking through it, in the future pregnancies. We’re 1 week into it and feeling so good! That’s kind of what’s interesting/new in our life right now.
Staying spiritually nourished has really helped me keep the home running smooth. I read the Bible, a devotional, If a verse or thought impacted me I will write it down in my journal. Writing verses down has really been encouraging to me.
I also listen to the Revive Our Hearts podcast almost daily. It has really helped me grow spiritually.
Getting together with other like minded mom’s at a park or inviting into my home has also been a big encouragement. For a few months we did a Bible study together (Seeking Him from Revive Our Heart’s) and it’s was so good for all of us.
Recently I listened to Call The Midwife. Very interesting but the language is sometimes bad.
I enjoy listening or reading books meant for young children also. Have you heard of Librivox? You can listen to books there for free. They are all older books I think 100 years or older. My favorite is by Isabella Macdonald Alden – the Esther Reid series and Horatio Alger Jr.- Ragged Dick series.
Isabella’s niece, Grace Livingston Hill has some good books but some have too much romance that I didn’t listen too. I liked, The Daily Rate and Aunt Crete’s Emancipation. You can also read and download books for free from Project Gutenberg. We have Scribd, so some of these I listened too were from there.
What’s fast fashion? Like stuff that comes in and out quickly? I avoid stuff like that. My dad was good at helping us be confident and not run after every fad. I don’t have social media so I probably don’t know what all goes on.
Briana Thomas Burkholder says
I concur with writing down verses! Something about that physical act helps print them in my mind and heart.
Thank you for the book ideas! I will write those down. I think I’ve heard of Librivox but my library actually has a lot of digital audiobooks so I’ve been making use of those.
You’re not missing anything by not being on social media. 😉 From Wikipedia: “Fast fashion is a term used to describe a highly profitable and exploitative business model based on replicating catwalk trends and high-fashion designs, and mass-producing them at low cost.” Basically, stores like Walmart that produce cheap, low quality items that wear out quickly at the expense of the workers making the clothes. Environmental impact is also a factor to consider.
Erica Kennedy says
Thank you for sharing your musical links. My soul is rejoicing. I love GOOD music that draws me to my Lord. It helps me to push the intruding world back for awhile. Your growing family reminds me of my own, now grown, family and the many years of homeschooling. My children became my best friends (aside from my husband, of course) and they still are. May you be so blessed. My interests are in finding ways to serve Jesus’ purpose at this stage in my life. My children are all in other states, so obviously are my grandchildren. We have been blessed with visits by those who are nearest, throughout the year. Those who are more distant are only seen more rarely, years between visits, but digital media, for all of its evils, makes it possible for us to stay in touch, including pictures and occasionally videos. Thank you, Lord, for your mercies. I can really feel the loneliness of other generations who did not have such conveniences. But they may have had advantages to balance…Our modern culture is so intrusive to family and biblical values.
Briana Thomas Burkholder says
A very insightful comment. So true.
Kristi says
Hi Briana, I just wanted to say that I made your sugar free lemonade, and it is DELICIOUS! I am not a huge lemonade person, but it sounded so refreshing so I had to try it. I think what makes it so good is the oils that are released from the lemon rind when making it. I don’t have any Super Sweet, so I used 1 cup of Monkfruit sweetener instead, and it was perfect. Thanks again for all your recipes!
P.S. For my daily devotional, I use the Bible Recap plan on YouVersion which has a podcast by Tara Leigh Cobble to go along with it. It takes you through the Bible in chronological order, book by book, and has been very insightful.
Briana Thomas Burkholder says
I’m so glad you liked the lemonade! Thanks for sharing how much sweetener you used.
That Bible reading plan sounds great. I think there’s so much value in reading straight through in chronological order like a story. Because it is a story!
Virgy says
Thanks for the updates, books recommendations etc. I really like this website and their podcast that I’m listening often https://findingjoyinyourhome.com/category/podcast/
They also have a FREE App with lots on informations, groups, communities. It’s clean one also – no advertising or things like this.
Briana Thomas Burkholder says
Thanks for the recommendation!
Angela Jean Ortiz says
I always enjoy reading your blog and the pics of your family are so sweet. 🙂
I especially enjoyed the choir/singing videos you shared. So peaceful and full of worship.
I enjoyed just playing them and listening.
Sheila says
I love high quality ensemble/chorale musical work! The link to the “Burkholder Boys” song was welcome. We really enjoy Oasis, Tapestry, Laudate etc. Got to hear both Laudate & Tapestry in person recently.
I want to host at least 2 morning coffee breaks out on our patio,( surrounded by the summer flowers) yet this fall.
How goes the sour dough journey? I never got a good load of bread accomplished. Mine were too sour.
Blessings.
Briana Thomas Burkholder says
“Got to hear both Laudate & Tapestry in person recently.” Same! I greatly enjoyed the live, in person music.
I haven’t been making a lot of sourdough bread lately because we just don’t go through bread that fast, but sourdough pancakes are my go to when we have company. 🙂 I keep feeding my starter and dabbling with yummy results. Perhaps you could try to get ahold of a different starter? I’ve heard that they each have their own flavor.
Melinda Kornelsen says
Crossover recipes- bring them on! Actually, just today I was wishing you’d post more of them, especially dairy free ones. I’m trying to go dairy, gluten, and sugar free for the kids for a few weeks and I’m so hoping it won’t be dairy that’s messing with their digestion but I’m afraid it might be…:(
I just listened to Words in the Dust by Trent Reedy. It’s about Afghanistan so it’s kinda revelant.
I’m currently doing the Get It All Done Club to get me more focused. Like actually a course I spent money on.
Briana Thomas Burkholder says
Thanks for the feedback! I’ve been doing a lot of crossovers since getting pregnant with Hadassah, and they’re often easier for family friendly foods. I’ve developed some favorite recipes that happen to be crossovers so I’ll probably share some of those! Good luck with the dairy free journey…that would be difficult! Check out MamaShire – she has DF recipes. She used to be THM so has lots of those, but her more recent recipes aren’t necessarily THM.
Melinda Kornelsen says
Thanks for that info! I’m more into the health part of THM not weight loss so her recipes might be what I’m looking for.
Janelle Burkholder says
I’ll be looking forward to reading your review on M is for Mama’s book!
Briana Thomas Burkholder says
I don’t have it yet but it’s on my list!
Pam Pearson says
I’m beginning a Bible Study this Thursday and looking forward to it! My husband attends one on Tuesdays and I will get to attend my own on Thursdays.
I have signed up for a THM Coach (Becky Yoder) I’m pretty sure that might be a Mennonite name! lol We are currently doing a 2 week fuel cycle and we are mid-week of the 2nd week. I’m really going to enjoy my freestyling!
Since I live in Ohio, I occasionally wonder where you are in Ohio!
I do enjoy your blog and cookbooks!
Briana Thomas Burkholder says
How exciting that you get to be part of a Bible study! I hope it’s a blessing for all involved.
Janelle Burkholder says
I can’t say I’ve given much thought to fast fashion, but I did enjoy reading the article, although my curiosity was piqued more by the fact that it pertained to Ghana. I have traveled through Accra when visiting our daughter who teaches school for missionaries’ children in Ghana. As always, I enjoyed hearing from you!
Denise says
So nice to catch up with you again! Hadassah is so precious!
I wanted to tell you that I have your cookbook Necessary Food and my 12 year old granddaughter loves it. When she comes to my house, she grabs it to look at all the great recipes. I’ve started working with her in the kitchen a little so I think we should start trying some of those great recipes!
Briana Thomas Burkholder says
That’s great that she’s interested in cooking! And what a blessing to have a grandma like you who is willing to teach her.
Marla says
Thank you for sharing your life with me! I look forward to your updates (and your recipes, of course!)
I’m currently reading: “I Hear You”, by Michael S. Sorensen, which is a four-step approach to strengthening communication, “A Course in Self-Care” by Ankita S., which is a 12-week series of challenges, and “Mexico” by James Michener, a loooonnnnng and at times gory novel based on the history of Mexico.
When I’m not reading or cooking, I’m decluttering and organizing – today, my project was the ensuite bathroom. Two bags are now sitting at the door waiting to go to charity!,
Briana Thomas Burkholder says
Thank you for the book suggestions! My ears perked up when you said “Michener.” I read his very long and at times gory novel of the history of Israel and found it very interesting and well written. Unfortunately history *is* gory, and I think he does well with an accurate and sobering portrayal of the truth.
I hear you with the decluttering and organizing. I have some of that to do this week too.