Miscellaneous in March

Spring is time of re-birth and beginnings. In Florida, it's a time to watch closely the comings and goings of the Mockingbird. They'll often build nests within shrubs. Be careful not to prune branches or trim hedges without first looking for nests. 

I discovered this nest, while walking to my front door. The small shrub is in a bed right off the front porch. As I unknowingly approached, a mommy or daddy Mockingbird flew at me from within its branches. They're fiercely protective birds. Unfortunately for this mommy and daddy, it drew my attention to the nest. I say unfortunately only because I'm a very nosy neighbor! I never, never, never touch, but I am a bit of a lookie loo! 

I enjoyed watching a nest of eggs two years ago hatch into four adorable baby Mockingbirds. I can't want till these hatch and watch them grow. 

Mockingbird nest hidden in the branches of a small shrub.

Mockingbird nest with four eggs.

Mommy or Daddy Mockingbird keeping a close eye on my every move!

(c) Folding the Fitted Sheets 2017

Housekeeper's Alphabet

APPLES -- Keep in dry place, as cool as possible without freezing.
BROOMS -- Hang in the cellar-way to keep soft and pliant.
CRANBERRIES -- Keep under water, in cellar; change water monthly.
DISH of hot water set in oven prevents cakes, etc. from scorching.
ECONOMIZE time, health, and means, and you will never beg.
FLOUR -- Keep cool, dry, and securely covered.
GLASS -- Clean with a quart of water mixed with table-spoon of ammonia.
HERBS -- Gather when beginning to blossom; keep in paper sacks.
INK STAINS -- Wet with spirits turpentine; after three hours, rub well.
JARS -- To prevent, coax husband to buy our Cook-Book.
KEEP an account of all supplies, with cost and date when purchased.
LOVE lightens labor.
MONEY -- Count carefully when you receive change.
NUTMEGS -- Prick with a pin, and if good, oil will run out.
ORANGE and Lemon Peel -- Dry, pound, and keep in corked bottles.
PARSNIPS -- Keep in ground until spring.
QUICKSILVER and white of an egg destroys bedbugs.
RICE -- Select large, with a clear, fresh look; old rice may have insects.
SUGAR -- For general family use, the granulated is best.
TEA -- Equal parts of Japan and green are as good as English breakfast.
USE a cement made of ashes, salt, and water for cracks in stove.
VARIETY is the best culinary spice.
WATCH your back yard for dirt and bones.
XANTIPPE was a scold. Don't imitate her.
YOUTH is best preserved by a cheerful temper.
ZINC-LINED sinks are better than wooden ones.
& regulate the clock by your husband's watch, and in all apportionment of time remember the Giver.

Source: Practical Housekeeping: A Careful Compilation, Estelle Woods Wilcox and Bertha Clow, 1883

Time to wake

What is an appropriate time for a homemaker to wake from sleep, rise from her bed, and start her day? It seems a peculiar question, when I stopped to think about it. Do birds, bears, lions, or llamas wonder about such a thing? Probably not. I suspect they instinctively know when to go to bed and when to rise, each according to its needs.

Early rising is one of the most essential qualities which enter into good Household Management, as it is not only the parent of health, but of innumerable other advantages. Indeed, when a mistress is an early riser, it is almost certain that her house will be orderly and well-managed... The great Lord Chatham thus gave his advice in reference to this subject:—“I would have inscribed on the curtains of your bed, and the walls of your chamber, ‘If you do not rise early, you can make progress in nothing.’” - Mrs. Beeton's Book of Household Management by Isabella Beeton, 1861

Throughout the millennia, rising early was recommended. Since people aren't naturally equipped to see in the dark, working during the day and sleeping during the night seems appropriate. Is it less advantageous for present-day people to rely on alarm clocks and electric lights rather than the sun and the moon? If I wake two hours after the sun rises, am I doomed to be bone idle the remainder of the day?

I suppose, whether I'm a porcupine or a person, the key bit of wisdom I'm choosing to walk away with is consistency. Every animal has physical needs. Acting in accordance with those needs seems to yield the best results. Thomas Jefferson and Aristotle were early birds. I'm sure history is home to plenty of accomplished night owls, too.

I can't claim to truly be a morning or night person. I'm very inconsistently both. When set in a routine, I do tend to wake without trouble. I may not be singing and dancing first thing in the morning, but I don't require an intravenous coffee drip. If eight hours of sleep is my goal and I retire at midnight, I should rise at eight o'clock in the morning.     

Inspirational & Motivational Quotes:

• "Whether I retire to bed early or late, I rise with the sun."
  Thomas Jefferson (1743 – 1826, third president of the United States) told of a fifty-year period in which the sun had never caught him in bed; he rose as soon as he could read the hands of the clock kept directly opposite his bed. Source: Monticello.org 

• "It is well to be up before daybreak, for such habits contribute to health, wealth, and wisdom."
  Aristotle (384 BCE – 322 BCE, Greek philosopher, student of Plato)

• "My future starts when I wake up every morning. Every day I find something creative to do with my life."
  Miles Davis (1926 – 1991, American jazz musician, trumpeter, bandleader, and composer) 

• "Each morning when I awake, I experience again a supreme pleasure - that of being Salvador Dali."
  Salvador Dali (1904 – 1989, Spanish surrealist painter)

(c) 2015 Folding The Fitted Sheets
For personal use only. Not for redistribution. All rights reserved. 

Welcome To My Home

To be a homemaker, one first has to have a home. My home is a house; it was built in the early 1970s. Like many mid-century, Florida homes, my house is concrete block construction with a shingled roof.

Ranch Style houses have many of these features:

• Single story
• Low pitched gable roof
• Deep-set eaves close to the wall
• Horizontal, rambling layout: Long, narrow, and low to the ground
• Rectangular, L-shaped, or U-shaped design
• Large windows: double-hung, sliding, and picture
• Sliding glass doors leading out to patio
• Attached garage
• Simple floor plans
• Emphasis on openness (few interior walls) and efficient use of space
• Built from natural materials: Oak floors, wood or brick exterior
• Lack decorative detailing, aside from decorative shutters