T'was the Night Before Mother's Day

 It was the night before Mother's day.
And All through the home,
Children were stirring,
making cards out of foam.

Mother was sleeping, waiting to be fed.
while visions of burned toast
danced in her head.

The special day was coming
Where Mother would be
happy and humming, as glad as could be.

The sense of excitement
was too much to bear,
Mother rose from her sleep to listen and hear.

But the children had already fallen asleep
Leaving mother to wonder, what they made her to keep.

Then what to her wandering eyes did appear?
A Table with roses, and thorns on the side.
Left there by Father with a note far and wide.

Large hearts in crayons soon graced her vision.
With misspelled words made with a mission.

Mother sighed with delight
While sampling some chocolates
In the quaint little room with the bright, pretty light.

Her work for the year
was now being praised.
What fell from her eyes, was more than one little tear.

But soon all the children
grew up and away.
Leaving Mother alone
with her hair turning gray.

And now all we see
is her looking through glass
of a Motherhood praised
by childhoods past.

- by Mrs. White, May 2012






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Technical Difficulties

Dear Friends,

For the past several days, there have been some problems. My computer has been slow, making it very difficult for me to write. On late afternoons, as I worked in my dimly lit kitchen, listening to old gospel music, I have wanted to share, but wasn't able to.

My house has also been chilly as our heating system is not working. This makes rainy Vermont Spring days quite difficult to endure.

I hope to write again soon. Thank you so much for your comments and emails! I appreciate it very much and am grateful for you!

Blessings Mrs. White

A Formal Dinner

The Dinner hour is one of the most happiest times for the family. They eagerly look forward to homemade cooking and spending time with everyone. Many linger over rolls and mashed potatoes while chatting.

Mother tidies up the dining room, or kitchen table, and makes it look pleasant.   Children help set the table and start serving.  Dinner preparations were often begun a few hours before the meal. Cleaning and cooking and baking were a pleasant process for the proud housewife. She wanted the evening meal to be a lovely family gathering.  

 It was common for every member of the family to have assigned seating. This was expected and familiar. Father was at the head of the table, and led the prayer.

The formal dinner at home, was where many learned their manners. They "passed the salt," or the butter, to the person beside them. Someone might get up to get that second platter of bread for the center of the table.  But one of the nicest things about dinner is that it was formal. No one grabbed a plate to eat in front of the television. They wanted to be with the family and loved the special food.

Like many Mothers of today, I have been slacking in this area.  I have forgotten how precious a formal dinner can be.   I will start cooking and cleaning around 3 p.m. this afternoon. I will take my time and enjoy the process. I will not wear myself out all morning doing other things.  There will be no rushing about at the last minute.  There will be no quick trip to the grocery store for a forgotten item. I will be unhurried and peaceful. I will set the table and get out my serving bowls for a simple meal of baked ziti with bread and butter. We will have glasses of iced lemonade and have a precious time.

Right after dinner, I will rush out the door to take the children to youth group. But at least we will enjoy the leisure pace, of a lovely dinner time.

blessings
Mrs. White

Cheer up! When you are - Despairing over the Household Allowance.

If only they understood - No one Respects Homemaking Anymore.

The Virtuous woman - A Wife Who Does Not Complain.

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Lilla Rose Giveaway

Etched Tiger Lily Amethyst

Lilla Rose offers lovely hair clips and accessories.   These help provide an elegant look for Mothers and Daughters. 

I have a great offer for you today. Jennifer, a Consultant, is sponsoring a giveaway for my readers. The winner will receive one certificate, redeemable for a flexi-clip, or any Lilla Rose item of the winner's choice, valued up to $15. (Open to those in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.)

Jennifer, a homeschooling Mother of three, blogs at A Glimpse of Our Life. She and her daughters  have a great time working together in this business. They love the products and find the flexi to be comfortable, and a wonderful alternative to pony tails.

A Little Info about the Flexi Clips:

1. Works on all hair types (from baby-fine to super-thick).
2. Takes a few seconds to fix the hair in a beautiful way.
3. Comes in a variety of sizes, from very small (mini) to very large (mega).
4. The company has sizing and styling videos which will help you decide the correct size for your hair type, and also give you a fabulous variety of hair styles. [Watching the sizing video is highly recommended because it helps you understand which size flexi is right for you.]

The package I received included a small brochure with step-by-step hair style ideas. I tried a few of these with my new flexi-clip and loved the results!  It was very easy and fast!

Necklaces

Scrollwork Heart Necklace from Lilla Rose

Lilla Rose also has a pretty selection of necklaces. Jennifer sent me an Etched Lily Necklace to match my flexi clip.  These are both very pretty!

The Giveaway


Enter for a chance to win a certificate for any Lilla Rose Product valued up to $15.  Here is what I need you to do:

Register as a Customer through Jennifer's business page - http://www.lillarose.biz/prettyhair/ (if it doesn't say welcome to Jennifer's website, look at the top of the page, where it will say something like "looking for Jennifer's website?"  Click on that to get to her page.)

 Once you register, please come back here and leave me a comment, telling me you registered and which item you would most likely choose.

For additional Entries:

1. Post about this on Facebook.

2. Choose to "like" The Legacy of Home on Facebook.

3. Post about this on Twitter.

4. Follow me on Twitter.

4. Write a post, linking to this giveaway, on your own Blog. (This is worth 3 entries. Please leave 3 separate comments.)

6. Choose to "like" Jennifer's Lilla Rose page on Facebook.  This is where you will see the latest specials, extra photos, and any giveaways Jennifer is sponsoring.

*Please leave a separate comment for each entry.*

One random winner we be selected on Thursday, May 10, 2012. (Open to those in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.) If I am unable to reach the winner within 48 hours, an alternate winner will be selected. Your entry is only valid if you include a way for me to contact you. 

This contest is closed. The original winner did not responed. So the new winner is:
Sarah

*Disclosure - I received items for review purposes.*

To find out more about my commercial breaks, please see my disclosure page.

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The Gentle Art of Home Keeping

A new day has started and it is a lovely time to start tending the home.  We need to make sure we are awake early enough to start working in an unhurried, peaceful way.

There is often some kind of uniform to wear. This signifies our station in life. What makes you proud to be a housewife? Does it show in your clothes? In the way you style your hair? In your choice of jewelry? Getting dressed in something suitable for homemaking is a good start for the day. It's your choice if you want to make it classy, professional, or something more casual. I remember watching an old episode of The Donna Reed Show. The Mother was doing some heavy cleaning around the house. She had a kerchief in her hair and was wearing "trousers." Her daughter was appalled at how her mother looked and asked her not to wear those slacks if she went to the market. It would have embarrassed her to have her friends see her mother like that.  Can you imagine how much times have changed? 

Sometimes housewives would shop in the store with curlers in their hair. They were getting ready for an evening event, or a dinner party, but would be in public like that.  In our area, I occasionally see someone in a "housecoat" (or bathrobe) while running in to buy a loaf of bread and a gallon of milk.  It is sweet and nostalgic to see it because we know they are doing errands "for the home" and it is precious. But for the most part, we housewives will want to dress for the job, signifying to our children and those around us what we do.

There is so much to do in the home. We can have projects - like gardens (or even a small indoor flower pot); decorating, organizing, polishing and entertaining. Home is the center of our social life. It is here we interact with family and friends. Sometimes I think about a grand hotel lobby in all its elegance.  We can have something like this, on a humbler scale in our parlour (or living room). Adding a few touches like a candle, decorative pillow, or some classical music can create a similar ambiance in the most sparsely furnished room.

We all have busy days and errands and such to keep us occupied. But perhaps we can slow it down a little. Instead of rushing through it all, for the sake of getting it done and over with, maybe we can enjoy each item on our to-do list. Maybe we can make it more fun by adding grace and beauty to our  tasks. 

Yesterday afternoon, I rushed through making a quick lunch because we had an appointment. I was flustered and harried.  This is not the kind of thing I want to remember with joy.  We have to fight against this each moment of our lives. There should be a gentleness to Mother's life. This is one of the reasons Motherhood is such a precious word. Each day, we must fight against taking on so much that it makes us abrasive.  We need to have more patience, and this comes with daily practice, and accepting failure. Over time it will come, if we keep at it.

One of my favorite things to do is listen to one of four things while I am working around the home:

1. Old Time Gospel Music (Like Ralph Stanley or Roy Acuff).
2. Sermon on CD.
3. Classical Music.
4. The wind blowing and birds chirping out the window.


We can make home a very precious place, with our gentle actions and attitude. We re-new our minds each morning with the motivation and excitement of the job of housewifery. It is an honored profession to be a keeper of the greatest place this side of Heaven - HOME!

Blessings
From a Home Keeper
Mrs. White


Finances - How The Old Time Mothers Survived Poverty.

Bring Back Selfless Etiquette - Just for Company.

This place has a trusted - Housewife on Duty.


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The Home Road To Heaven

Last night, as I cleaned the kitchen in the late hours of the day, I listened to a sermon on CD. It was a loud, old time preacher, and his words were encouraging and inspiring.  The echo of his voice went throughout the rooms and we all heard as we worked.

One of my teens asked me a question about what the preacher was saying. I answered quickly and then was silent. We were all fairly silent as we went about our evening routine.

This morning, as I did my exercises, I listened to old southern, Classic Gospel Music, and it comforted me.  This kind of "good propaganda" goes on in our home frequently, and it is necessary to keep us on a straight path despite a maze of choices in this life.

We read our Bibles, but not as often as we should. We sing hymns, but not like we should.  Our daily failures only make us realize how very fragile we are, and how much we need the Lord each and every day.

This early morning, before my family wakes up, I am preparing my mood and my mind for the labor before me. It is more than just a mother's hospitality of cooking and serving. It is about ministering and encouraging them all toward heaven. For Home is my duty. But mostly, Home, for us all, is the road to Heaven.

blessings
Mrs. White

The Lessons - What I Learned from my Husband's Weariness.

The Blessing of a Life-Long Marriage - Are You Still Tricking Your Wife?

Peace in the Home - Homemaking with Frank Sinatra.







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Money Can't Fix Everything

It has been very cold in this house the last few days. We have been supplementing our heat with a small portable electric heater. I move it from room to room to take the chill off. Our wood pellet stove is broken again. This puts me into survival mode. But Money can't fix my problem. For the next few days, while we wait for repairs, we have to find ways to keep warm and productive in this frigid house.

This morning, I read a little from We Had Everything But Money. This kind of literature cheers me up and inspires me when hardship comes. One section of the book was written by an author who grew up here in Vermont. She talked about the food stamp program. In those days (the 1930's), going to the town for assistance was something to be avoided unless there was no alternative. The town would write down all the food money that was given to an individual and then publish it in the annual report for all to see. But here is the most interesting part - every single penny that was given, was really a loan and had to be repaid!

She also said the staple diet for most people in those days was - "bread, milk, pea soup, johnnycake and oatmeal."   In another section of the book, they talked about eating hot biscuits for lunch.  There was certainly very basic eating going on compared to today.

Our health can also affect our ability to survive. About a week ago, I had a minor household accident. While I was cleaning one evening, I slammed into a corner of a piece of furniture. This left a miserable bruise and made it difficult for me to walk for several days. Mother is now incapable of doing very much. The house is going to suffer. Can money fix that?   Can money make the pain go away or make me well? Of course not. This is a temporary hardship, like the broken stove, and we must have patience to survive this with grace and dignity.

When we are cold, perhaps we will bake something, or light a candle (for some kind of substitute for the idea of warmth). We will layer our clothing and sip on hot tea or hot chocolate. This is part of surviving. Living here in New England for my entire  life, I am used to the frigid temperatures. It doesn't mean I always like it, but it is something I have learned to endure.  Struggling with cold winters makes us stronger and more creative.

Physical ailments are also the thorn of my life.  But these things can't get us down.  We have to realize that bad things have always happened. They are happening now, and they will always happen. We can't dwell on them. We can't gripe about them. We have to find a way to be happy despite the hardship.  This has nothing whatsoever to do with money. It has to do with the will of the mind!

Blessings
Mrs. White

Such Fun to Watch - Home Economics Television - 1949.

Have You Ever Been Late for your Housework?  - What Time Does Your Shift Start?

Financial Trials - Mothers with Christmas Courage.


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