I write you sitting comfortably in my home - although that may not sound surprising - I have been without use of my pc/internet access for what seems like forever.  But tonight, it is working again, and I am sitting on my couch with my laptop, watching The Sound of Music with my family at the same time.  I do hope to visit with all my friends, but before I go around and visit, I wanted to at least finish my post of Biltmore Estate.

Have you ever visited the Biltmore Estate in Ashville, North Carolina?  If not, it is worth the effort if ever given the chance to visit it.    The house covers 4 acres, totaling 175,000 square feet. It consists of 250 rooms and  includes 35 guest and family rooms, 43 bathrooms, 65 fireplaces, and three kitchens.  The old fashioned kitchens are my favorite rooms in the house.  In fact, I love everything in the basement - the 70,00 gallon indoor pool, the old fashioned laundry rooms, and the multiple pantrys.  I wish I had pictures to share of all this, but you are not allowed to take pictures once in the house.  Also in the basement is a gymnsasium and a bowling alley. 

.A favorite room of my children and husband is the two story library.  This is an amazing room filled with old books and beautiful woodwork.   

Upstairs on the third floor, in addition to more bedrooms, are areas where guests once
played parlor games and took afternoon tea, as well as rooms formerly occupied by ladies’
maidservants.

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Fully electric and centrally heated, Biltmore House, at the time of its completion, was
considered one of the most technologically advanced structures ever built.  It used some of Thomas Edison’s first lightbulbs, elaborate indoor plumbing for all 34 bedrooms and even had several elevators (that still work today.)

So that's it - now I'm going to see if I can come by and visit and say hi!

It is cloudy, cold, and damp outside today.  But inside, it is bright, cheerful, and warm.             

The fireplace is roaring, taking the cold and dampness out of the air.  There is contentment within our family, although going nowhere today, and just staying inside.

We started our morning with my usual Sabbath breakfast recipe – a dozen eggs, some whole wheat bread, a cup or two of cheese, and about four turkey patties (pre-cooked) crumbled. I mix all of this together and then sprinkle the egg dish with more cheese, and then bake at 350 for 45 minutes.  This gives us a protein rich egg dish to start our day, without all the usual mess and hassle of an egg, sausage, and toast breakfast. We had bought cinnamon rolls the day before to have as our breakfast dessert.

So far today, we have read a chapter in Psalms, Proverbs, and a portion in I Samuel 13, 14, 15 and I Chronicles 5 and 9 -this is the story of the reign of Saul.  Besides having generous portions of Bible reading as a family, we have played a game of Scrabble, watched the movie, Toy Story, a board game of Monopoly, and read from our  historical novel   ( a   G..A. Henty book) while many of the children colored pictures with fine art- grade precision pencils.

My niece was with us this weekend.  She arrived Friday evening, as we were preparing our pizzas and breadsticks.  We sat at the table together, and before eating, we had prayer, and sought forgiveness from one another for any transgressions against each other in the past week.  We remembered as a family how Jesus died and paid the penalty for our sins against Him.  His blood was poured out and His body was given up for us.  After pizza, we read a portion in the Bible, played a game of Scrabble, and hung out in the family room around the cozy and warm fireplace.

I am still having an internet connection problem – therefore – my lack of posts.  I have a lot to share and find myself seriously behind in things I’d like to share, such as –

Our trip to Biltmore Estate and our tea time with Grandma in August

Our first visit to Ruth’s farm in Tennessee in August

Our Family Camp here at Ranch Shekinah in October

Our second visit to Ruth’s farm in Tennessee in October

Our week of celebrating the Biblical Holiday, Tabernacle of Booths, in Tennessee with Ruth and her fellowship group

Ruthie’s 11^th birthday party – A Victorian Tea party that we hosted 17 little girls and some of the mom’s

Add to all of that, I still haven’t posted on the foaling of Hot Shot and Willow!

Although I am way behind in posting, I have been enjoying my family thoroughly.  As I mentioned above, we took another trip to Tennessee just a few weeks ago.  Just as soon as we got home from that (we were away nine days) it was Ruthie’s birthday – we took all week getting ready for her Victorian Tea Party.

There have been a lot of changes within our family since our summer trip to the Bill Gothard Institute of Basic Life Principles seminar, followed up with two inspirational visits to Ruth’s wonderful family in Tennessee.   I'm looking forward to sharing what's new with our family, and also to visit with you.  See you soon (I hope!)

Antoinette

 What’s been happening around here since I wrote last….

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Given it’s been almost two weeks since I posted, a lot has happened.  My internet connection has not been working, so therefore, I have been unable to check my emails or my blog.  Although I’ve missed both of those things, I have been very busy enjoying my family, our friends, and the fall season.  

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I’ve been enjoying…

This autumn season.  We have a lot of apple trees here at Shekinah Ranch.  In past years, I was too busy “doing school” to go out and harvest the apples .  But, this year, I’ve taken the time  () to go out with my children to pick the apples, freeze them, and even make some of my first apple pies.  I had fun with Ruthie and Jacob collecting them, and enjoyed my time with Rachel in the kitchen getting them ready for the freezer and making the pies. 

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I went riding with Rachel and her friends through the trails here at Ranch Shekinah last Saturday afternoon and into the evening.  This was the first time I’ve gone riding since early summer.  I rode Maria – and although I rode Western (English is my preferred mode of riding), she was perfectly behaved and did everything I asked.  She was like riding a “button horse” – this is what I call a horse that does everything you want it to do.  She stopped immediately when asked; slowed down when I indicated that’s what I wanted, and went fast when I desired. It was like she had a gas and a brake pedal.  We rode for hours.

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Rachel and I went to a “flea market” (my first ever) in Shipshewana, Indiana, with some friends.  I bought a bushel of green peppers for $5.00; and two bushels of peaches for $26.00.  We brought them home and froze them for the winter.

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 Here's something else that's been going on here at Ranch Shekinah.  We gutted our barn - it's our autumn project.  We've had lots of help from our good friends, the Vales.

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The most recent is the family camp we just had. We had approximately fifty people attend.  Boat rides, horseback riding, good food, and lots of fellowship.    But, that's another post for another day!