By Holly Giles | Simple Living , southern homestead
Can I really raise chickens? Yes, you can really raise chickens at home. For twelve years our family has had a blast with a small backyard flock in our suburban neighborhood. Knowing a few things in advance will help you be successful from the start. Let’s start with the coop. Is a homemade chicken coop […]
Continue reading
By Holly Giles | Simple Living , southern homestead
How to start seeds indoors in 7 easy steps Starting vegetable seeds indoors is a great way to extend your gardening budget and growing season. However, starting vegetables from seed can be tricky for many novice gardeners. Fortunately, the seven simple steps outlined below simplify this process and make it much more fun and easy. […]
Continue reading
By Holly Giles | Recipes , Simple Living , southern homestead
Dry Canning Flour Dry canning flour has been around since my grandmother’s time. I read up on canning flour when I got a 50-pound bag. At the time, flour was hard to come by due to a shortage, and I needed to bake bread for our family because it was not available in our grocery […]
Continue reading
By Holly Giles | Florida , Great Outdoors
De Leon Springs State Park De Leon Springs is a must on a family vacation to Florida. There is something for all ages in the family, especially kids. Planning ahead will help you enjoy your day of beauty, history, and a natural Florida paradise. Located in Volusia County, not far from historic Deland. Upon arrival, […]
Continue reading
By Holly Giles | Florida , florida vacations
Nine Best Summer Activities for Families on a Budget The summer vacation in America is usually about 12 weeks long, which can really be a challenge for busy parents. Finding the best summer activities for families can take time. In particular, working parents can really struggle if they have only limited vacation time. Weekends are […]
Continue reading
By Holly Giles | Florida , Great Outdoors
Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Historic State Park Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings made her home in Cross Creek, Florida. This historic state park homestead has been preserved just as it was when she was living there in the 1930s. Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings lived at Cross Creek for 25 years and wrote many of her award-winning literature pieces while […]
Continue reading
By Holly Giles | Family , homeschooling
5 best adventure audiobooks for boys Audiobooks for boys are a great way to bring learning to life. Many boys enjoy listening to books to enjoy the stories fully. This allows boys to do other quiet activities while enjoying an adventurous tale. What books should a 9 year-old boy be reading? The books listed below […]
Continue reading
By Holly Giles | Family , Florida , florida vacations
How to Save Money for Summer Vacation What should I do for summer vacation? Summer vacation savings. Planning can save you regardless of whether you travel or have a staycation. Summer vacations when the children are out of school can be very expensive if you don’t plan ahead and look for as many ways to […]
Continue reading
By Holly Giles | Recipes
Honey whole wheat bread Honey whole wheat bread is a staple in our house. Baking bread has been around for thousands of years in many forms. Bread means life and love for many cultures. Many generations survived on bread and little else when times were lean and crops were poor. Is wheat bread with honey […]
Continue reading
By Holly Giles | Great Outdoors , Recipes
How to make the best s’mores Our family loves smores all year long, in small doses. There is something magical about a fire in a fireplace or in your backyard that beckons the squishy marshmallow to be plunged into it. I classify s’mores as a life skill for several reasons. No matter where you live, […]
Continue reading