• Skip to main content
  • Skip to after header navigation
  • Skip to site footer

A Quiet Simple Life

Sallie Schaaf Borrink

  • Home
  • Start Here
  • Subscribe
  • Categories
    • Christian Faith
    • Comfort Food Recipes
    • Gracious Christian Parenting
      • Gifted/2e Parenting For Christians
    • Homemaking
      • Free Homemaking Printables
      • The Prudent & Prepared Homemaker
    • Homeschooling
      • Relaxed Homeschooling
      • Homeschooling a Creative Child
      • Homeschool Mom Encouragement
      • Homeschool Planning
      • Gifted/2e Homeschooling
    • The Library
    • Our Cozy Family Life
    • Simple Living
    • Unit Studies & Resources
      • Unit Studies
      • Unit Study Printables & Worksheets
      • Unit Study Books
      • Unit Study Activities
  • The Shop
    • Explore The Shop By Category
      • All Products For Women
      • All Products For Children
      • Clip Art & Digital Papers
      • A Quiet Simple Life Series
      • Poetry
      • Editable Homeschool Planners
      • A Full Year Shopping Pass
    • Cart
    • Digital Products Terms of Use
    • Your Account Details
      • View Your Orders
      • Go To Your Downloads
      • My Account
    • Lost Password Help
  • More
    • Tags
    • Donate
    • Recommendations
  • Go To: SRA
You are here: Home / Our Cozy Family Life / In Our Cozy Home This Week / In Our Cozy Home This Week – No. 80 – Cracking Mikasa English Countryside, Growing Russets In Buckets, Putting Away Winter Clothes In May




Post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure statement.

In Our Cozy Home This Week – No. 80 – Cracking Mikasa English Countryside, Growing Russets In Buckets, Putting Away Winter Clothes In May

May 6, 2022 by Sallie Borrink
7 Comments
          

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Last August I decided to stop writing these Simple Living This Week posts. I had been doing them for a long time (for me). It was taking time to source the artwork. With Caroline starting high school and such, I was feeling the need to reduce what was on my plate.

I decided last week I wanted to start writing these again. In the interim, I’ve found more sources for artwork which helps. It was also interesting to go back through the previous weekly posts. In some ways, these are the most “bloggy” posts I write now, something I wish I had kept up all through the past seventeen years of blogging. Oh well. I can’t go back, but I can go forward.




Originally this was meant to be a weekly way for you and I to share what we did in our homes that week. I invite you to leave a comment if you would like, but I’m going to write even if no one else chimes in. I hope you will, but that’s beyond my control.

So here’s what I’m working on around my home.

I have Mikasa English Countryside dishes which are pretty and go with almost any color of table linens. However, they have a cracking problem. The glaze cracks and then it creates this circular patterns in the glaze that compromises the dishes and leaves dark marks. Mikasa replaced four dinner plates for me about a year ago, but now I have more of them cracking. I’ve read in various places this is a known problem. I’m not going to buy more of them and I really don’t want to buy all new dishes right now.

So for now I think I’m going to pull out the china I inherited from my paternal grandmother (Petite Bouquet). I’ve had it for many years and it’s mostly been packed away all that time because I have minimal daily storage space in my kitchen and none in my dining “room” area. I believe I have 10-12 place settings so my plan is to pull out a bunch to use, but keep back 2 (or 4) complete place settings. 

I know once we start using them, they will chip and get worn. I looked them up on the Replacements website and they aren’t expensive china so it makes sense to use them and enjoy them rather than buying something else.

The downside is they are much more limited in what I can use them with in terms of linens. But for now we’ll use them and enjoy them. Eventually I hope to purchase something else that will work with all my various linens, but this is a good solution for now.

Use it up, wear it out, make it do, do without.




We decided to try growing russet potatoes in buckets this year. We had an elevated square foot garden many years ago, but haven’t done much vegetable growing since then other than cucumbers on the deck. The weather this spring has been cold, cloudy, and rainy. I hope our first batch we planted is okay. We should see sprouts in about another week so then we’ll know. We’re also going to do bush beans and bush cucumbers when it is warm enough to plant them. 

This has been a really slow spring to arrive. Usually our leaves are out by Mother’s Day weekend and we look to be weeks behind. There has been a noticeable change in our weather patterns the past three years in terms of the lengths of spring and autumn, but this is by far the most pronounced we’ve experienced. (Grand Solar Minimum, anyone?)

I had David bring up the off-season clothes bins from the basement two days ago to switch out our winter and summer clothes. Yes, it is May and I am just now doing this. Last week I was still wearing winter clothes because it was still in the 40s outside. I’ve never switched out our clothes this late, especially in May. Hopefully I can get that task taken care of this weekend. I wash everything when I pack it away, but I also wash it when I get it out again. I like everything to smell fresh so I take the extra step. 

I have many other things on my to do list, but seem to be slow to get to them. I’ve been suffering from decision fatigue for several weeks (at least). Anything that requires much of a decision keeps getting put off. I need to tackle at least a few of them today as some of them are actually quite important. I keep reminding myself that these are difficult times we’re we’re living through and it’s normal to be mentally weary. In the meantime, I keep doing what I can and making wise choices as best as I can. 

Use it up, wear it out, make it do, do without.

What are you doing around your home right now?




Artist: Hermann Seeger


          
Category: In Our Cozy Home This Week

More Inspiration For You

In Our Cozy Home This Week No. 45 – Being Self-Employed, Mother Culture, Grand Solar Minimum

In Our Cozy Home This Week – No. 103

In Our Cozy Home This Week – No. 60 – Putting Family Needs First, Prioritizing

In Our Cozy Home This Week No. 49 – Christmas Planning, Books, Home Business, Homemaking

Previous Post:Morning Hope – Psalm 127
Next Post:How Much My Chicken Eggs Cost Now

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kathryn

    May 6, 2022 at 10:13 am

    I work full time outside of the home however am very much the homemaker. We have planted a very large garden and purchased several blackberry and blueberry bushes as well as fruit trees. My husband has built several shelves to increase our food storage and I have been purchasing more canned vegetables when they are on sale. My focus at this time is expanding our food pantry due to inflation and possible food shortages. I am not living in fear but more of an awareness of the times we live in. God bless you Sallie.

    Reply
  2. Bonny Velasquez

    May 6, 2022 at 12:05 pm

    My potatoes in a bucket met the dreaded late frost which ruined their leafing out but left the starts undamaged. I moved them into the garden proper. We put in drip irrigation in the garden. To provide more consistent watering. Waiting for final late frost to direct plant.
    We have chickens and they are unhappy with new garden fencing 😉
    I also just changed out winter clothes for summer. I don’t wash before storing but after storage.
    Putting up bird feeders and generally getting ready for summer.

    Reply
  3. Marilyn

    May 6, 2022 at 3:28 pm

    Hi Sallie, We are in the process of changing the curtains. They must be washed and ironed before we can put them up. Joan does the ironing. Marilyn cut the grass last week and Marion swept up. We have gladiola bulbs, Lilly Of The Valley seeds, Marigold seeds and a few other flower seeds to plant. We purchased Pansies and Geraniums. They are thriving and so bursting with color. We like to change the dinnerware according to the season or time of the year. We only use a few pieces of the sets. Wishing you a Blessed Mother’s Day. God Bless.
    HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY
    Joan,Marion and Marilyn

    Reply
  4. Peggy

    May 6, 2022 at 5:16 pm

    I’ve been sorting out things from the last move, or two, or three, despite the toddler skipping some naps, and a stomach flu circulating through the family.

    Reply
  5. Melinda Dunn

    May 6, 2022 at 5:40 pm

    Hi Sallie, So glad that you are writing your newsy letters again. I love to hear from you and each person who replies. I also have decision-making frustration. But, yesterday after berating myself, I sat down and listed some of the tasks I have accomplished and realized I was making some headway. I am constantly organizing and reorganizing my pantry and have added shelves in the laundry room to store more comestibles. I am an inexperienced gardener but hope to plant tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and radishes as well as lettuce. I stay in a constant state of worry about what to do and when to do it. The Lord reminds me that He has not given us a spirit of fear, so I lean on Him at every turn. Keep sharing. I look forward to your correspondence daily.

    Reply
  6. Amanda

    May 6, 2022 at 10:31 pm

    Hi Sallie!
    We are still settling into our new home in our new state. Getting all the doctors transferred over to new doctors for my parents has been a full time job for the last couple months. Each new doctor wants a visit, wants to do all new testing, then follow-up visits and whatever procedures they deem necessary. We have not had a weekday without at least 1 appointment for someone since recovering from COVID in January! 🙂

    I have decided to put in a garden this year. I have had small patches with a couple tomatoes, cucumber and zucchini plants before in our previous home. This new house has lots of yard, so my garden plan has expanded considerably! I have built 5 raised beds, 1 potato crate, and quite a few raised rows. I started some seeds this spring and have had pretty good success, so I hope that continues once I get them transplanted. So far, I have planted 75 strawberry plants, 8 asparagus crowns, and a dozen potatoes. The strawberries and asparagus won’t produce this year, but I love them both, so I look forward to the future! 🙂 I’ve got seed starts for cucumbers, zucchini, watermelon, cantaloupe, basil, and lettuce. The tomato plants, and some more herbs will arrive soon. This week I had 5 yards of dirt/compost mix delivered to our driveway, so E and I have been carting it back to the garden area by the wheelbarrow full. I am not a natural born gardener, so I hope to have some success just because of the quantities of plants I have planted. LOL There has already been much blood, sweat, and pennies invested, so hopefully something will actually grow!

    We continue to take our time with school. E is still not interested in graduating, but I think I am going to have to push the chick out of the school “nest” here soon. 🙂 She has been walking the dog and exploring our new small town, and has been mentioning places she might like to work, so that’s a good step in the right direction. I continue to trust that God has a terrific plan for her life and am just waiting patiently to see what that may be. Because my husband works at the university, she can take undergrad classes there at no charge, so it would be foolish to not take advantage of that opportunity. She gets nervous and overwhelmed at the thought, but maybe if we start out with some classes like art where she would have some success off the bat, she would warm up to the idea. She is still very resistant to the idea of learning to drive. 😉

    I continue to enjoy all your posts and your Telegram feeds, but rarely have time to sit down and write a comment. Please know that it’s not because I’m not interested! 🙂 I pray for you and your family often.

    Reply
  7. Ticia

    May 29, 2022 at 4:34 pm

    We had a strange spring, as in there was no spring weather really and then suddenly it was summer weather.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

 

Thank you for your comment. I read and appreciate each one even if I am unable to respond.

Sidebar

I’m Sallie, Christian wife, mother, homeschooler, and homebody. Do you desire to create a quiet simple life for your family? If so, I invite you to explore my helpful content about the faith-filled and home-centered life. Please start here. Welcome! ♥ 

Categories

Find It Here

My Other Website: Sallie’s Rebuilding America

Popular Right Now

  • The Ultimate List of AIP Comfort Food RecipesThe Ultimate List of AIP Comfort Food Recipes
  • Why I Reject MinimalismWhy I Reject Minimalism
  • The Ginghams Paper Dolls (Free!)The Ginghams Paper Dolls (Free!)
  • How To Grow Planters Full Of PansiesHow To Grow Planters Full Of Pansies
  • Cozy Blogs I'm ReadingCozy Blogs I’m Reading
  • 100 Field Trip Ideas for Homeschoolers {Free Printable}100 Field Trip Ideas for Homeschoolers {Free Printable}
  • Why I Homeschool In The Afternoon and Not The MorningWhy I Homeschool In The Afternoon and Not The Morning
  • Happy Birthday To Me!Happy Birthday To Me!
  • How To Talk With Your Daughter About PubertyHow To Talk With Your Daughter About Puberty
  • Parenting & Enjoying Your High Need BabyParenting & Enjoying Your High Need Baby
  • Decluttering 1,000 ThingsDecluttering 1,000 Things
  • He Drew Me Aside - "I Needed the Quiet" by Alice Hansche MortensonHe Drew Me Aside – “I Needed the Quiet” by Alice Hansche Mortenson
Receive new post notifications from A Quiet Simple Life

Powered by follow.it

Popular Today In The Shop

  • Rhyming Words ActivityRhyming Words Activity
  • Picnic Printable Activity PackPicnic Printable Activity Pack
  • Beach Fun Memory Game PrintableBeach Fun Memory Game Printable
  • Inauguration Day 2021 Printables Activity PackInauguration Day 2021 Printables Activity Pack
  • A Quiet Simple Life Planner & Guidebook (January 2022 - December 2023)A Quiet Simple Life Planner & Guidebook (January 2022 – December 2023)
  • Shapes and Colors Bingo Game Printable Cards 5x5Shapes and Colors Bingo Game Printable Cards 5×5
  • Trees Fun Facts CardsTrees Fun Facts Cards
  • Women's History Month Fun Facts CardsWomen’s History Month Fun Facts Cards
  • Flowers and Plants Fun Fact CardsFlowers and Plants Fun Fact Cards
  • Apple Writing Prompts and PapersApple Writing Prompts and Papers

Join The Conversation

  • Mrs. White on Happy Birthday To Me!
  • Pam on Happy Birthday To Me!
  • Cheryl on Happy Birthday To Me!
  • Lauren on Happy Birthday To Me!
  • Amanda on Happy Birthday To Me!
  • Marilyn on Happy Birthday To Me!
  • Sue Elvis on Happy Birthday To Me!
  • Peggy on Late Winter Days at Home
  • Marilyn on Late Winter Days at Home
  • MERRILYN 9 MERRI0 on Late Winter Days at Home
  • Etti on Breaking Our Bonds: Wokeness Will Destroy National Panhellenic Conference Sororities
  • Mrs. White on A Little Update

Blogging Is Better With Blinkies!

My Blogroll

  • Adventures In Keeping House
  • The Blessed Hearth
  • The Bluebirds Are Nesting On The Farm
  • By Sun and Candlelight 
  • Coffee Tea Books and Me
  • Creekside Cottage
  • Elefantz
  • Exquisitely Unremarkable
  • Generations Before Us
  • Heavenstretch
  • Homemakers Thoughts
  • Hope and Thrift 
  • A Housewife Writes
  • Jane Austen's World
  • The Legacy of Home
  • Like Mother, Like Daughter
  • Love My Life
  • Mama's Learning Corner
  • Mountain Housewife
  • The 1940s Experiment
  • North Ridge Farm
  • Rural Revolution
  • Something From Almost Nothing
  • Strangers and Pilgrims on Earth
  • Stories of an Unschooling Family
  • Sugar Pie Cottage
  • Thinking About Home
  • Thrive On One Income
  • Upon Hope
  • Vox Popoli
  • A Working Pantry 

Lifetime Visits

17,543,852

Archives

Contact Me • Privacy Policy • Disclaimers & Affiliates

Copyright © 2023 · A Quiet Simple Life · All Rights Reserved · Powered by Mai Theme

Scroll Up