How to Hand-Wash a Crocheted Blanket (in an RV)

Today is laundry day.  (Oh, joy. Right?) We don't have a washer and/or dryer in the RV.  I hope to one day have an outdoor washing area to do the bulk by hand (I dream of having this wringer), but that is not our situation at this time.  So I go to a local laundromat.  The cost for a "regular" load is $3.50 to wash and $1.00 to $1.50 to dry.  Since there's just two of us, we can usually get away with just one load a week for our everyday clothes, but anything such as sheets and bed quilts require an additional load (and an additional $5).

I'm pretty diligent with the bed sheets and top quilts, but have to admit the other blankets aren't getting the attention they deserve.  One of my crocheted blankets is now crying for that attention.  It's pretty dingy and smells a lot like dog.

Here's where I interrupt the flow and share about my heirloom crocheted blankets:  I have six of them, all handmade for me by my grandmother.  The first one I remember receiving was very frilly and girly – light and bright pastel colors with one whole side being tasseled.  I still adore it.  It's in my mother's storage right now, and unfortunately does have a small hole in it.  I might have gotten that one while in elementary school; can't quite remember.

The next one is the one I washed today – a simple purple and white.  She made that one for me when purple was my favorite color.  It's easily over 25 years old, maybe even well over.  I know that, because the one I consider most elegant is the rose and white squared one she made for my high school graduation (25 years ago).  Since then, she has made me a Christmas red and green, and a Denver Broncos white-orange-blue (about 17 years ago).  She also made my guy one for his Tampa Bay Buccaneers obsession. (Are you ready for some football?)

Here's a few stuffed in the linen storage area.  Not the best picture, but I was too lazy to get them all out.

Back to the hand-washing a crocheted blanket exercise.  It's a good idea to know what kind of yarn was used before washing.  Using hot water can cause shrinkage in some materials.  The common acrylic yarn can be machine washed on a gentle cycle and tumble dried with low heat.  (I used to do that before we shrunk our living space down to an RV.) If you have no idea the yarn make-up, use cold water.

But let me add, in my humble opinion, I think crocheted items should always be hand-washed if at all possible.  You can tell a noticeable difference in the yarn -- a weakening -- after agitation.  (Maybe a front load machine wouldn't be as bad?)

Decide what (clean) basin you want to use and put your blanket in it.  A bathtub would be great.  I used the RV shower / tiny tub.  Fill with water at the proper temperature until the blanket is submerged.  Add mild detergent.  (I used dish liquid – not a lot is required.)

Agitate the blanket for a bit – swish it around, turn it over – and let it soak for 15 to 30 minutes.  Today, I soaked mine for 25 minutes because I got sidetracked with something else.  The following image is embarrassing, but I'll share anyway – I call it "time + grime + dog."

After the swishing and soaking, you'll be ready to rinse.  Drain, refill with cold water, and repeat at least a couple of times.  I did that three times today, making sure no dirty soapy water was left attached to the blanket.  I don't know if you can see it here, but there was a noticeable difference when done.  I am very pleased with the results!

After the washing and rinsing is complete, the best way to dry is with the blanket laying flat.  [Note:  if hand-washing and drying crocheted clothing, always lay it flat.  You'll want to re-shape it and leave it in that position until dry.  Hanging is a no-no.]

This particular blanket is approximately 5 feet wide and 6 feet long.  I do not have a suitable place to lay it flat until dry.  So I'm breaking the rules and hanging it.  Regardless of to where you move it, be prepared.  Your crocheted blanket is going to be super-heavy.  I gathered mine up, hugged it to my chest – soaking my shirt – and yelled at the dogs to get out of the way, as I ran the 20 feet -- drip, drip, dripping -- to the outdoors and a towel I placed on a table.  Never you mind the fact that I had an empty laundry basket sitting right there (from the laundry I did earlier) I could have used.  Hopefully you'll have more sense than I.

Expect drying time to be at least 24 hours.  Mine has been hanging for a couple of hours and is still dripping.  But I think it's definitely worth the time (and mere pennies) to do it yourself and preserve your handmade item.  If you follow these simple steps, I think you'll be pleased with your freshly cleaned crocheted blanket.

Shared at Making a Home Linky, This is How We Roll, and Happiness is Homemade.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a very small commission if you click a link and buy something. This helps pay for the RV, supports our mountain homestead dream of owning land, as well as my blogging activities, and makes the dogs' tails wag.  Hopefully, the purchase benefits you, too!  The price you pay will be no different than if you arrived at the same destination through any other link. My opinions are my own, to be sure. If I link to a product and say I like it -- I truly like it! Thanks for reading, following, and supporting Stephlin's Mountain.

From my (rule-breaker) mountaintop to yours!

The More of Less: A Book Review

I'd say we joined the minimalist movement (without the label) some time in 2014.  We went hardcore February 2015 when we got rid of 80% of what we owned and moved into a pop-up camper.  A few months later, we increased our living space to a whopping 250 square feet and got rid of 10% more.

So you might say I was already a convert before I started reading The More of Less by Joshua Becker.  Even so, not far into the book, I was still a bit surprised at some of the stats he threw at me:

In America, we consume twice as many material goods as we did fifty years ago.  Over the same period, the size of the average American home has nearly tripled, and today that average home contains about three hundred thousand items.  On average, our homes contain more televisions than people.  And the US Department of Energy reports that, due to clutter, 25 percent of people with two-car garages don't have room to park cars inside and another 32 percent have room for only one vehicle.  Home organization, the service that's trying to find places for all our clutter, is now an $8 billion industry, growing at a rate of 10 percent each year.  And still one out of every ten American households rents off-site storage – the fastest growing segment of the commercial real-estate industry over the past four decades.

And the more I read, the more I realized I was not a minimalist.  I say that because -- even though we got rid of so. much. stuff. – it was fairly easy.  I wanted to downsize, get my bills lowered as much as possible, and move to the mountains.  So I did.  (Thank-you, God, for making my dream come true.)

But after living this way for more than a year, I realize there are still things I held on to that haven't been touched in months.  I still own clothes I haven't worn.  Originally, my end goal was to make a move, not intentionally live with less.  Does that make sense?

"If we want to recalibrate to a lower level of accumulation and stay there,
we need to replace our culturally inspired greed with self-cultivated gratitude
about what we have." – Joshua Becker

This book has given me a renewed sense of purpose in getting rid of the unnecessary extras.  Mr. Becker, who also created the Becoming Minimalist blog, does not simply share his experiences in living the minimalist lifestyle.  He also shares why minimalism might be right for you, and how to go about your journey toward your version.  He doesn't shy away from sharing how his faith plays a role, and he even offers troubleshooting and maintenance tips to help power through the process.

If you're looking for clarity in deciding if the minimalist life is for you, or if you just need some help getting rid of those last ten items, I recommend reading The More of Less.  Even if you come out the other end thinking minimalism is a bit extreme and not for you, I'll bet you'll also have a greater sense of intention when deciding on what things to bring into your home.  And consciousness is a good thing.

Psst…It's available on Kindle, if you'd rather not lug about another physical book. ;-)

More about The More of Less from the publisher.
More about the author Joshua Becker.
I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.  The words and opinions here are all my own.
Shared at Making a Home and Tuesdays with a Twist.

Use Peppermint Essential Oil to Relieve Allergy Symptoms

I am a firm believer in essential oils and aromatherapy.  And peppermint essential oil is one of my favorites.  I diffuse it to promote alertness and clarity.  I use it in my homemade bug spray, and I swish it daily with my homemade mouthwash.

I've also read peppermint essential oil (links to where I get mine) is great for dealing with nausea or other digestive troubles.  Thankfully, I don't often have problems in that area.

Other generalized areas that one might find relief from with the use of peppermint essential oil is stress, headache, and eye strain.

And I can now personally attest to the notion that peppermint essential oil works in relieving allergy symptoms.

Something I haven't had to deal with much in the past is allergies.  But this year has been different.

Maybe it's because I'm another year older.  I've been told more than once allergies get worse with age.  Or maybe it's because I recently moved, and am now exposed to different types of pollen.  Or maybe it's because the woods are right outside my door – closer than they have ever been.

(Not kidding.  Here's a view of my warmer / diffuser sitting on a small table in front of my picture window…and the woods not far behind.)

I don't know for sure why I am suffering more this year from allergy symptoms.  But the watery, grit filled eyes, the sometimes runny nose, and the scratchy throat with a slight headache are real.

I read a short article by Josh Axe at Rodale's Organic Life called 3 Essential Oils that Can Ease Your Allergies.  This quote is what prompted me to try diffusing peppermint essential oil to help with my allergy symptoms:

"For adults, inhaling diffused peppermint oil can immediately unclog the sinuses and offer relief to scratchy throats."

So I did just that.  And it worked.  My eyes felt clear, and my sinuses were unclogged.  My throat was not scratchy, and I had no headache.  This all with the diffuser approximately twelve feet away.

I can see the diffusing of peppermint essential oil becoming a regular occurrence in my home as long as I'm dealing with these allergy symptoms! If you suffer, too, you might want to give it a try.

Shared at From the Farm, Happiness is Homemade, and Simple Saturdays.

Obligatory disclaimers:  (1) I am not a doctor, and statements here have not been evaluated -- nor approved -- by the FDA. This post is meant for educational and informational purposes only. Please conduct your own research and make your own decisions regarding the use of essential oils.  (2) This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a very small commission if you click a link and buy something. This helps pay for the RV, supports our mountain homestead dream of owning land, as well as my blogging activities, and makes the dogs happy.  Hopefully, the purchase benefits you, too! The price you pay will be no different than if you arrived at the same destination through any other link. My opinions are my own, to be sure. If I link to a product and say I like it -- I truly like it! Thanks for reading, following, and supporting Stephlin's Mountain.

From my pollen-filled mountaintop to yours!

Don't Fret! says Psalms 37 (Finding Faith Friday)

Life for me is pretty peaceful right now.  I am happy and content.  Yet, I know at times I can be a worrier.  Even though I've been telling myself to "give it to God" for years (and years), some days are better than others.  So this morning's devotional spoke strongly to me.  Strongly enough I knew almost immediately this post would be written.

I suppose worrying is not all bad.  If it gets you and me up off our respective rear ends to correct something that is within our control, good.  But I think we all know that's not what I'm writing about.

Before I go further, it should be noted that making the decision not to fret, does not mean those (some valid, some probably not) concerns magically disappear.  If I were to allow myself, I could list numerous worries, and get myself all wound up, in under 30 seconds.  Unfortunately, I cannot turn off that woe is me feeling in the same 30 seconds.  So I try not to go there.  Not fretting is a choice.

The devotional I was reading this morning is part of a short series called "Fully Satisfied In His Love" by Thistlebend Ministries.  A portion of it was focused on the promises made in Psalms 37:3-7.  An oft quoted verse is found in this passage (verse 4, KJV):

Delight thyself also in the Lord; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

Without typing out each verse, you can see the kinds of promises being made in this passage of Psalms.  What my attention was drawn to is found as verse 7:

Rest in (be silent to) the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.

This one sparked me to go back and read the whole chapter, so I put down the kindle and opened up the Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible (NKJV), as well as the almost-as-old-as-I-am King James Bible given to me by my grandparents.  (Can you tell I was a highlighting junkie when I was younger?)

Some preacher teachers (not intended to be a derogatory term) use this passage to speak on jealousy.  In general.  Like, you shouldn't be upset when your neighbor gets a new car.  As Charles Stanley wrote,

Jealousy…can poison good relationships, ruin our witness, and keep us from experiencing God's blessings.

And I believe he's right.  I also think Psalms 37 is more than that.  Just look at verses 1 and 2 (emphasis mine):

1. Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.
2. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.

More than the jealousy you might have toward your neighbor and his/her new car, right? I love what Matthew Henry had to say.  Bear with me, as he's a bit wordy.

We are here cautioned against discontent at the prosperity and success of evil-doers… Now, 1. When we look abroad we see the world full of evil-doers and workers of iniquity, that flourish and prosper, that have what they will and do what they will, that live in ease and pomp themselves and have power in their hands to do mischief to those about them. So it was in David’s time; and therefore, if it is so still, let us not marvel at the matter, as though it were some new or strange thing. 2. When we look within we find ourselves tempted to fret at this, and to be envious against these scandals and burdens, these blemishes and common nuisances, of this earth. We are apt to fret at God, as if he were unkind to the world and unkind to his church in permitting such men to live, and prosper, and prevail, as they do. We are apt to fret ourselves with vexation at their success in their evil projects. We are apt to envy them the liberty they take in getting wealth, and perhaps by unlawful means, and in the indulgence of their lusts, and to wish that we could shake off the restraints of conscience and do so too… Yet that is not all; for, 3. When we look forward with an eye of faith we shall see no reason to envy wicked people their prosperity, for their ruin is at the door and they are ripening apace for it… The flourishing of a godly man is like that of a fruitful tree, but that of the wicked man is like grass and herbs, which are very short-lived.  They will soon wither of themselves. Outward prosperity is a fading thing, and so is the life itself to which it is confined.  They will sooner be cut down by the judgments of God. Their triumphing is short, but their weeping and wailing will be everlasting.

To be honest, I really don't like the terms envious and/or jealous in this context.  How dare anyone say I am envious of the drug dealers (illegal or "legal") that conduct an immoral, crime-filled business! Right? But don't get hung up on that.  Have you ever thought it unfair these people profit (greatly!) from their deeds? And wondered why they profit (greatly!) while the God-fearing, law abiding citizens struggle to make ends meet? That is the area where we are being told to fret not.

And I dare say this can be applied on any scale.  Going back to the seemingly mundane, mentioned earlier, of course.  And all the way to the terrorism that threatens and desires to take over the world today.  Again, we would never say we are envious of them.  Yet, it's not "fair" the power they seem to hold.  And, it's not "fair" the millions of dollars funneled into their cause from outside sources.

But fret not.

12. The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.

13. The Lord shall laugh at him: for He seeth that his day is coming.

Fret not.

14. The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation.

15.  Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.

Fret not.

35.  I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree.

36.  Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.

The loss of life is gut wrenching and heart breaking.  I do not think we should live in la-la land, waiting on God to rid the world of evil.  I believe we are to stand with Him and confront it.  I believe we should be mindful and watchful, protecting our physical selves.  And I also believe we should guard our hearts.  It is in this vein, where I will decide to fret not.

Shared at Faith Filled Friday, Chain Linky Climb, and Tuesdays with a Twist.

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Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a very small commission if you click a link and buy something. This helps pay for the RV, supports our mountain homestead dream of owning land, as well as my blogging activities, and makes the dogs happy.  Hopefully, the purchase benefits you, too!  The price you pay will be no different than if you arrived at the same destination through any other link. My opinions are my own, to be sure. If I link to a product and say I like it -- I truly like it! Thanks for reading, following, and supporting Stephlin's Mountain.

Snake! And it's Almost Spring. (Homesteading Newbie Diary)

Are you ready? Tomorrow is the first day of Spring.  And the weather people are calling for lows of 38, 29, and 33 degrees over the next 72 hours.  Go figure.

Did you know this is the earliest arrival of Spring since 1896? Me either.  File that under things that make you go hmmm…

Well, I think I had a pretty productive week.  I had two big items to get going.  One was completed, and the other has been started.  Yay, me!

I've been reading through the Old Testament.  All told, I read chapters 21-32 in the Book of Numbers this past week.  Two quick thoughts:  those wilderness wanderers whined a lot, and sometimes I find the Old Testament disturbing.

We were able to go on long walks with the dogs a couple days.  Once along a creek by our place, and once around the lake just a few miles away.  Our youngest, Kody, dove in the lake without a thought all the way up to his chest.  Then quickly decided it was too cold and got out just as fast.  The older one, Bear, who is more cautious and measured in his decision making, decided not to go in at all.  It was beautiful scenery, and we all had a good time.  So much so, one of us was all tuckered out afterward.

Think I mentioned this in the Cabbage Rolls Deconstructed post.  I'll pop it in here, too, since it is part of the weekly recap.  I created a facebook page for Stephlin's Mountain.  If you like to follow blogs there, stop by and give the page a like.  'Preciate it!

So! Sowed any seeds lately? I did! Rosa Bianca eggplant, small cherry tomatoes, chocolate bell peppers, Poblano peppers, Fresno chili peppers, Thai basil, and Tom Thumb lettuce.  I have more to do, but that's a start! B also got the small greenhouse put together for me, and all the pots are out.  Ready and waiting! I was going to sow some rainbow swiss chard seeds, but thought I'd wait until after the possible freeze over the next few days.  I also read that cilantro doesn't like to be transplanted.  That right?

It took three more days' work, but I finally finished the women's history post I mentioned to you last week.  The subject is Myrtle Terry Lawrence, organizer for the Southern Tenant Farmers Union.  It's here at the Southern Graves blog, if you're interested.

One of my big goals for next week is to get some water kefir started.  Anyone else made it before? Any tips?

Made a loaf of sweet Mountain Dew bread.  Not a good step forward in healthy eating, per se, but it's a recipe I'm comfortable with.  And I did have to make some adjustments in the actual baking process.  This is my first experience with baking bread in a gas oven.  Plus, said oven is smaller than a usual one.  So even though I made my regular loaf size, I couldn't proof it as long as I would normally, or it would have hit the top of the oven.  I double panned it, but the bottom heat was still too much for my liking.  And lastly, I needed an egg wash for it to brown…It was still yummy, though!

We might have discovered a wild blueberry bush in the back corner of our lot.  Fingers crossed!

Made iced sugar cookie bars and watched In the Heart of the Sea.  Good dessert.  Good movie.

Last, but not least by any stretch of the imagination…SNAKE! Bear saw it first.  I walked by it at least twice before turning around to see Bear on his hind legs sniffing the air.  Then he dropped back to all fours and backed up a bit.  I followed his gaze to see a nice creepy black (rat?) snake slithering in between the railroad ties bordering our lot.  By the time I got the dogs inside and grabbed the camera, it was out of sight.  Even if I'm not exactly right in my naming of the type of snake, I'm still fairly confident it was not a poisonous one.  But still! This is the one thing I've been fearful of since moving.  I stress so much over my dogs, and it's not like I'm ever excited to see a snake.  Ugh.  Know of any natural snake repellant? (I'm only half kidding.)

Well, you're all caught up! What homestead happenings went on at your place last week?

Shared at Freedom Fridays, Simple Saturdays, Happiness is Homemade, and The Homemaking Party.

From my mountaintop to yours,

Feeling Overwhelmed? Make Your Own Mouthwash!

It happened again. It crept up on me, but still. It happened. That feeling of being overwhelmed. It overtook me. Had me almost paralyzed!

There's so much to do. And so much I want to do, but can't yet afford, whether it be for lack of time or money. But it's all still in the forefront of my brain.

And it doesn't help to be planning a move around the first of the year. Because there are some things that are just not feasible to be doing right now. But that doesn't take the project(s) off my to-do list, necessarily.

I've tried making separate lists. Dividing things up into different time-frames. The problem is the "master" list remains in my head.

When I get that feeling of being overwhelmed, I tend to turn to information. Books, blogs, YouTube videos. I rationalize that I am researching and learning -- and that is a valid truth -- but for me it's just procrastinating. Because I don't know where to begin. Or maybe because I don't know exactly how I should approach a certain project. An overwhelmed perfectionist rarely accomplishes anything, I say. And that would be me of late.

Then I came across something that helped me a lot. It got me off my butt. I read it on the Art of Simple blog. (Which proves researching and learning from books, blogs, and YouTube is worthwhile, but I digress.)

A quote from Christian missionary, author, and speaker Elisabeth Elliot:

I read the quote and thought, "Wow. That simple idea makes so much sense."

While still pondering the quote, I walked into the bathroom and (eventually) opened a cabinet to stare at an empty mouthwash bottle. Something I've been meaning to make for myself for a time. But instead of adding the task to a mental to-do list, it became the thing in front of me. So I did it. (I know you're proud, but no applause is necessary.)

How simple and sweet is that? I knocked something off my to-do list, and made chemical free mouthwash for pennies.

It took such little time and only three ingredients.  The recipe I used came from Frugally Sustainable. (Score another one for blogs.) She had a few to choose from, and this was a basic: One cup filtered water, one teaspoon baking soda, and 3 drops organic peppermint essential oil. Throw it all in a half-pint mason jar, apply lid, and give it a shake. Thirty minutes after swishing some around my mouth, I still feel fresh.

Think you might want to give it a try? Well, "do the thing in front of you"...or pin it for later! ;-)

P.S. I did not know of Elisabeth Elliot before reading the quote attributed to her. I have since learned she passed away a little over a month ago, at the age of 88. May she rest in peace.


Shared at The {Not Just} Homemaking Party, Making a Home - Homemaking Linky, Big Family Frugal Weekend Link-Up, Wildcrafting Wednesday, Simple Life Sunday, and Simply Natural Saturday.

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Disclosure: This post contains an affiliate link, which means I may receive a very small commission if you click the link and buy something. This helps support my mountain homestead dream as well as my blogging activities, and the price you pay will be no different than if you arrived at the same destination through any other link. My opinions are my own, to be sure. If I link to a product and say I like it -- I truly like it! :-) Thanks for reading, following, and supporting Stephlin's Mountain.

Thyme Oil Testimonial (and an Invitation!)

I know the value of essential oils, but I'm still learning all they can do for me and my family. Reading how others use them helps me with learning specific uses for each oil, as well as gives me ideas of what to use when a specific need arises. It is in this vein that I am writing here about my experience with Thyme 100% Pure Therapeutic Grade Essential Oil.

I had an issue in my mouth. It wasn't a toothache, nor a sore. It was some sort of an infection that caused some swelling and tenderness around the gum line at the base of one of my teeth. I wasn't overly concerned about it, but I hate the dentist and didn't want it to grow into something that required an antibiotic, so I looked to my essential oils.

Lavender, Lemongrass, and Thyme are three that I had on hand that, after doing a bit of reading, I decided were good ones to use in this instance.

Lavender is one of the most useful essential oils for therapeutic purposes. It's commonly associated with the healing of the skin.

Lemongrass is known for its antiseptic and astringent properties.

Thyme is considered to have very powerful and penetrating antiseptic properties.

I continued reading and discovered Thyme Oil contains Thymol, which is used as a germ-killer in mouthwash and helps prevent tooth decay.

Needless to say, I went with the Thyme Essential Oil. I could have mixed a few drops with a carrier oil, but went a bit simpler. I took one drop. Literally! One. Drop. Put it on my finger and dabbed the sore spot. The heat was amazing and felt powerful (if that makes sense). The relief from soreness was immediate. And the swelling went down quickly enough that I felt no need for a second application. The single annoyance was my saliva glands went into overdrive.

Even though I know their strength, essential oils continue to impress me. I don't pretend that this was some miraculous cure of a horrible condition. But if one drop of Thyme oil prevents a dental and / or doctor visit, I am all for it!

OK. There's my thyme oil testimonial. And don't forget about how I used it in my wonderful, comfortable to wear, homemade bug repellent!

On to the invitation! I would like to cordially encourage you to attend the Essential Oils Revolution summit. It's free and brand-neutral! [No debates about whose oils are "best!"]



Why Attend?

With 31 presentations containing relevant evidence and practical advice from the experts, The Essential Oils Revolution will help you use essential oils effectively and confidently. This event is the first-ever, online, brand-generic event to include experts from every field, including aromatherapy, direct sales, medicine and research.

You can register (it's free!) by clicking here.

Important Things You’ll Learn About Essential Oils:

- Understand what essential oils are and why they are popular today
- Why essential oils are nature’s BEST medicine
- How to use essential oils safely and effectively
- Tips for regaining control of your health with essential oils
- Pain and stress remedies using essential oils
- Culinary uses for essential oils
- How to use essential oils for high performance health
- Essential oils for animal aromatherapy
- And so much more!

If you register today, you'll receive 5 free gifts. That's in addition to all the free information you can glean from the summit presenters May 11-18.

I hope to see you there!


Shared at HomeAcre Hop, Thrifty Thursday, Fluster's Creative Muster, Wake Up Wednesday, Wildcrafting Wednesday, Wonderful Wednesday, Simple Life Sunday, and Simply Natural Saturdays.

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Disclosure: This post contains an affiliate link, which means I may receive a very small commission if you click the link and buy something. This helps support my mountain homestead dream as well as my blogging activities, and the price you pay will be no different than if you arrived at the same destination through any other link. My opinions are my own, to be sure. If I link to a product and say I like it -- I truly like it! :-) Thanks for reading, following, and supporting Stephlin's Mountain.

Life is Good! -- So What am I Afraid Of?

Ever been going along in your day-to-day life and think, "Wow. Life is pretty good right now!"

I'll bet, if you're like me and so many others, your very next thought is, "I wonder what's going to come along and ruin it?"

Or maybe you don't necessarily have those specific thoughts course through your mind. You just have a sense of something's coming. Life is too good right now.

I think you know what I mean. We rarely feel pure, unadulterated joy. Once we realize we're happy, we follow said realization up with wondering when the happiness is going to end.

It seems I've lately been doing that a lot. I know I'm on the right path in God's will for my life. Is everything perfect? Um. No. But I walk outside, look up at the trees, and smile. I'm happy...Then a "Why Me?" thought pops in my head.

I've struggled for so long to find this space, this peace, this wisdom. I feel it -- almost tangibly -- in my hands. Who am I to deserve this?

I'm a child of the most high God. That's who.

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. - James 1:17
God is good. His gifts are good. And He's not gonna change. Nor are His gifts.

Charles Stanley mentions this notion of unworthiness in his book Handle with Prayer:

...the basis of all God's answered prayer is His love for us...According to His love, we are worthy of the greatest gift He had to give -- His Son. After that, anything else we ask for is secondary.

Why do we have so much trouble believing God for the minor things in life? It is [the enemy] who says, "Who do you think you are,...?

To this question there is only one answer: "I am a child of the King. I am so worthy in the eyes of God, He sent His only begotten Son to die for me...

He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed,
shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him. - Psalms 126:6
There's a time for sowing, and there's a time for reaping. When it's reapin' time, rejoice!

Shared at April 2015 Chain "Linky" Climb, Freedom Fridays, Friday Favorites, Front Porch Friday, Faith Filled Friday, and Simple Life Sunday.

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Disclosure: This post contains an affiliate link, which means I may receive a very small commission if you click the link and buy something. This helps support my mountain homestead dream as well as my blogging activities, and the price you pay will be no different than if you arrived at the same destination through any other link. My opinions are my own, to be sure. If I link to a product and say I like it -- I truly like it! :-) Thanks for reading and following Stephlin's Mountain.

Sweeten the Sleep Space in Your Camper with Thermal Blackout Curtains (How to Pimp Your Pop-Up #2)

Too much light when trying to sleep. That's a conundrum. And it applies in my current situation of living full-time (albeit temporarily) in a RV. I cannot complain about our lot in the park. When the sun goes down, it's pretty difficult to see your hand in front of your face. But! My work schedule requires me to sleep some during the daylight hours. And the number of those hours increases with the coming of long summer days.

Just today, I took a nap from 2 - 3:30 p.m. in full 80° sun. No worries, though. I was in comfortably cool semi-darkness. (We were having highs in the fifties just a couple of days ago. Is this not the weirdest transition into spring ever?)

My solution? Thermal blackout curtains. To be more specific, a set of these solid thermal insulated blackout curtains in navy. Each panel is 84 inches long and 52 inches wide -- a perfect fit for each side of the queen-size bunk end of the camper.

Here's a before pic of one side:

And here are a couple with the thermal blackout curtains up. (Taken before the back was covered to compare and show how no light is getting through the curtain.)

Please forgive the mismatched pillows and such in this one! I won't be winning any prizes for interior decorating anytime soon.

The best thing about this idea is it's not permanent. We tucked one end of each panel behind the bunk end braces, and the other ends were simply clipped in place with 2 in. spring clamps like these, described as having "strong gripping, spring-action jaws".

I got the curtains at more than 50% off retail, and the clips I already had. Minimal expense for a sweeter sleep space!

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Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a very small commission if you click the link and buy something. This helps support my mountain homestead dream as well as my blogging activities, and the price you pay will be no different than if you arrived at the same destination through any other link. My opinions are my own, to be sure. If I link to a product and say I like it -- I truly like it! :-) Thanks for reading and following Stephlin's Mountain.

Shared at The {Not Just} Homemaking Party, the Making a Home - Homemaking Linky, Teach Me Tuesday, Tuesdays with a Twist, and some of these fine hops.

We Got Blinds! (How to Pimp Your Pop-Up #1)

When we first got Destiny, I started scouring the 'net for ideas on little cheap improvements I could make to spiff her up a bit. But the first idea was all my own (though I'm certainly not the first to have it): I wanted to treat the "windows" with blinds.

I chose to leave the curtains up just for added insulation, though it's obviously quite minimal. They also provide a nice pop of color behind (or beside) the blinds. I could have opted for colored blinds, but, well, they cost more so I didn't.

I think the blinds made a nice, inexpensive upgrade. It's a cleaner look inside and out. I also have more control over the light coming in, as well as how much someone (from the outside) can see. The black screens are neat in that you cannot see in from the outside at an angle. With the blinds, we are controlling what can be seen straight on. (I hope that makes sense.)

B simply attached the blinds to the same rail that holds the curtains.  (And I helped!)

Cool, huh? Do you have any camper hacks to share?

Shared at Homemade Mondays, Monday Funday, and some of these fine hops.