Home Fires

Episodes

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  Embracing New Roles in Middle Age 28.07.2026 53m

  IT'S HERE! Pre-Order the 4th installment of the Ashtown Burial Series at ashtownburials.com.Abigail and Tilly talk about the new roles that come with middle age and how to swap hats or add new ones gracefully. They also discuss the importance of family stories and sharing our history with our children, among other sundry topics.
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  Female Friendship in Books We Love 29.06.2026 1h 24m

  IT'S HERE! Pre-Order the 4th installment of the Ashtown Burial Series at ashtownburials.com.In this episode, Abigail and Tilly discuss female friendship, using characters from well loved books as a jumping off point. They pull lessons from the friendships of Maryanne and Elinor from Sense and Sensibility, Molly and Cynthia from Wives and Daughters, Orual and and Psyche from Till we Have Faces, Anne and Diana from Anne of Green Gables, Ruth and Naomi from the book of Ruth, Bathsheba and Liddy from Far from the Madding Crowd, and more. They talk through the pitfalls of oversharing, avoiding accountability, and the necessity of active love in any relationship.
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  The Media Found Tilly's 'Wife School' 18.05.2026 58m

  IT'S HERE! Pre-Order the 4th installment of the Ashtown Burial Series at ashtownburials.com.Tilly was the subject of an article by The Guardian on the rise of online wife schools. We take some time to respond and note the ways it was framed to denigrate the goodness of Christian marriage. We expound on how older women really can help younger women navigate the seasons of life--particularly the transition from college and all its inherent reading and study to marriage and motherhood. Furthermore, don't expect the gardening talk to slow down anytime soon! Happy Spring!
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  On TradWifery 21.04.2026 1h 12m

  IT'S HERE! Pre-Order the 4th installment of the Ashtown Burial Series at ashtownburials.com.It's finally time to weigh in on the trad wife movement. Is it heading in the right direction? Is it a trap to avoid? Is it even one thing or is it several different things under one label? But before we get there, we get updates on coyote attacks, the persistent widower, dahlia trends, and more.
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  Healthy Morbidity and Spring Rhythms 03.04.2026 1h 6m

  IT'S HERE! Pre-Order the 4th installment of the Ashtown Burial Series at ashtownburials.com.Sometimes a little morbidity is just what we need to live well. Abigail and Tilly discuss notes to their children in the event that either would face an untimely demise. Then they turn their attention to gardens, spring cleaning, and making sure your hospitality level is within the range of the actual life you're living everyday.
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  Shepherding Your Small Child with Picture Books 11.03.2026 1h 8m

  IT'S HERE! Pre-Order the 4th installment of the Ashtown Burial Series at ashtownburials.com.Shepherding Your Small Child with Picture Books   In this episode, Reading Rainbow meets Home fires as Tilly and Abigail each collect stacks of favorite picture books and talk through what they love about them. They also discuss abridgements, history reading, and the criteria they use for children's literature. Also, how Tilly accidentally took her husband's middle name, and why Abigail's grandmother was the coolest woman ever.   Favorite books discussed (and not discussed):   Abigail Finn MacCoul and His Fearless Wife: A Giant of a Tale from Ireland by Robert Byrd James Herriot's Treasury for Children, Illustrations by Ruth Brown and Peter Barrett One Dog Canoe by Mary Casanova, illustrated by Ard Hoyt The Story of Ping by Marjorie Flack and Kurt Wiese Night of the Moonjellies by Mark Shasha Katy and the Big Snow by Virginia Lee Burton Mike Mulligan and the Steam Shovel by Viriginia Lee Burton Annie and the Wild Animals by Jan Brett The Wild Christmas Reindeer by Jan Brett Gilgamesh the King, by Ludmila Zeman The Revenge of Ishtar, by Ludmila Zeman The Last Quest of Gilgamesh, by Ludmila Zeman The Story of Robin Hood, illustrated by Alan Marks Seven Ways to Trick a Troll by Lise Lunge Larsen, illustrated by Kari Vick Caedmon's Song by Ruth Ashby, illustrated by Bill Slavin How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World by Marjorie Priceman The Bravest Dog Ever: The True Story of Balto by Natalie Standiford, illustrated by Donald Cook The Napping House by Audrey Wood, illustrated by Don Wood The Priest with Dirty Clothes by RC Sproul, illustrated by Justin Gerard The Barber Who Wanted to Pray by RC Sproul, illustrated by Lively Fluharty Patrick Patron Saint of Ireland by Tomie dePaola Room for a LIttle One: a Christmas Tale by Martin Waddell and Jason Cockcroft Martin Luther: A Man who Changed the World by Paul L Maier, illustrated by Greg Copeland Little Pilgrim's Big Journey by Tyler Van Halteren   Tilly Fables by Arnold Lobel Frog and Toad series by Arnold Lobel Owl at Home by Lobel Grasshopper on the Road by Lobel Mouse Tales by Lobel Mouse Soup by Lobel Aesop's Fables illustrated by Charles Santore The Velveteen Rabbit The Princess and the Goblin by MacDonald, illustrated by Alan Parry Many Moons by Thurber Illustrated My First Little House Books Billy and Blaze series by C.W. Anderson Blueberries for Sal by McLoskey Make Way for Ducklings by McLoskey One Morning in Maine by McLoskey Homer (not a picture book exactly) by McCloskey Paul Galdone books (Three Three Bears, The Three Billy Goats Gruff, etc.) Ox-Cart Man by Hall/Cooney The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig by Trivizas/Oxenbury Anatole by Eve Titus Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina The Francis books by Hoban/Hoban (esp A Bargain for Francis, Bread and Jam, Best Friends for Francis) Yellow and Pink by Steig Doctor DeSoto by steig Chanticleer and the Fox by Chaucer/Cooney Amelia Bedelia books Stellaluna by Cannon Miss Fannie's Hat by Karon The Very Hungry Caterpillar The Grouchy Ladybug The Singing Ringing Tree by Hastings/Brierley Least of All by Purdy Saint George and the Dragon Ill. by Hyman Ferdinand by Leaf/Lawson Roxaboxen by McLerran/Cooney Adventures of Little Bear by Minarik/Sendak Stone Soup by McGovern/Pels If I Built a Car by Van Dusen A Time to Keep by Tasha Tudor Imogene's Antlers by David Small Hello Ninja by N.D. Wilson Arlo and the Great Big Cover-Up by Betsy Childs Howard Anything by Beatrix Potter
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  A BBC Writer Walks Into a Church 09.02.2026 1h 18m

  IT'S HERE! Pre-Order the 4th installment of the Ashtown Burial Series at ashtownburials.com.In this episode, Tilly talks to James Cary, BBC sitcom writer, author, podcaster, YouTuber and stand-up theologian. They talk about what it was like for Cary to work in British television as a conservative Christian white male, as well as the writing process, shows and books that influenced each of them, and Cary's decision to homeschool in the UK of all places. It is clear from this episode that James has spaghetti brain, which we always thought was a woman thing. ... James Cary writes a funny headlines about the Bible and Church history every Thursday at The Wycliffe Papers., hosts The Standup Theologian Podcast , and tours his one man show God, the Bible & Everything in 60 Minutes. He's the author of The Gospel According to a Sitcom Writer and The Sacred Art of Joking.   ... Other books referenced in the episode (among many): Three Men in a Boat  Just William Anything by PG Wodehouse The Oxford Anthology of Humorous Prose
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  Is my child reading too much? Audience Q&A 03.02.2026 58m

  IT'S HERE! Pre-Order the 4th installment of the Ashtown Burial Series at ashtownburials.com.In this episode, Abigail and Tilly jump into a grab bag of questions recently discovered in Spotify. They discuss the latest developments in Minneapolis, handling winter storms with joy, Tilly's father's gumbo recipe, critical mothers-in-law, questions to for dads to ask potential suitors, different approaches to homeschooling, and more. 
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  ICE Raids, Cross Con, and Self-Control 20.01.2026 55m

  IT'S HERE! Pre-Order the 4th installment of the Ashtown Burial Series at ashtownburials.com.In this first episode of the new year, Tilly and Abigail mainly just catch up. Some big things happening in Abigail's world (we won't spoil it!) and Tilly's recent experience with the young folks at Cross Con. Also a goodish amount of talk about rivers, old buildings, and the ICE Troubles in Minneapolis.
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  Better Systems For Managing Your Home / Katie Voetburg | (S5 E28) 02.12.2025 56m

  IT'S HERE! Pre-Order the 4th installment of the Ashtown Burial Series at ashtownburials.com.In this super practical conversation, Tilly interviews Katie Voetburg from Now That We're a Family Podcast and The Get It All Done Club. They talk about meal prepping, the 80/20 rule, to-do lists, three kinds of work/rest days, identifying "prime movers" in your home, eliminating friction around small tasks, and how Katie organizes clothing and socks/shoes with six children 8 and under.
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  Holiday Survival Tips | (S5 E27) 25.11.2025 54m

  IT'S HERE! Pre-Order the 4th installment of the Ashtown Burial Series at ashtownburials.com.From the wonder of children's joy in the season to stockings, stuffing, turkeys, and spreadsheets, Tilly and Abigail talk about all things holiday prep. Listen along for hosting tips and reminders of how we can grow young and new inwardly, even as we get older. Link to recipe:  https://www.simplyscratch.com/simple-herb-sourdough-dressing/
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  How to Build a Story / Christine Cohen | (S5 E26) 18.11.2025 1h 1m

  IT'S HERE! Pre-Order the 4th installment of the Ashtown Burial Series at ashtownburials.com.In this episode, author and Camperdown MFA Director Christine Cohen comes on to talk about story--writing it, watching it, and reading it. Tilly and Christine take a deep dive into story structure and some of the challenges of bringing a character to life. What are some of the differences between writing for the screen and writing for print? Does a basic knowledge of basic story structure help us to be more appreciative and aware as consumers of story?
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  Order vs. Chaos in Homemaking | (S5 E25) 04.11.2025 56m

  IT'S HERE! Pre-Order the 4th installment of the Ashtown Burial Series at ashtownburials.com.Bringing order   Today, Abigail and Tilly talked about order vs chaos in homemaking. They jump off with a discussion on the "order" of a fir tree branch vs. the "chaos" of that branch deconstructed into neat little piles. What is the purpose of the items we use every day, and what does it look like to put those things into order, as a service to the people we live with? What does sloth look like when we are faced with homemaking tasks that are particularly difficult for us?
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  The Secret to Great Hospitality / Jenni Naselli | (S5 E24) 21.10.2025 43m

  IT'S HERE! Pre-Order the 4th installment of the Ashtown Burial Series at ashtownburials.com.Jenni Naselli is back on Home Fires! After a brief update on her past year of life and the many changes it has brought, she and Abigail spend some time talking about the benefits of collaborative hospitality. How can you partner with others in order to accomplish more than you could alone? What resources can you bring to the table to share with others—whether your hard work, your support, your home, your expertise, your service? God has good work for us all and boy is it fun to work together!
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  Are You a Smothering Mother? | (S5 E23) 15.10.2025 59m

  IT'S HERE! Pre-Order the 4th installment of the Ashtown Burial Series at ashtownburials.com.Are you a smothering mother? Tilly and Abigail use an article by Michael Clary to jumpstart their conversation on overprotective mothers. What are the root causes of overprotectiveness? How does it look as your children grow older? How might overprotectiveness harm daughters, not just sons? The good news is, there is grace ready to help us walk by faith as moms and act toward our children as free women raising confident, free, Christian people.
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  Encouraging Your Husband in the Fight | (S5 E22) 30.09.2025 46m

  IT'S HERE! Pre-Order the 4th installment of the Ashtown Burial Series at ashtownburials.com.This past month has put believers in contact with the death of several saints. Tilly and Abigail talk about how to respond to the news of these deaths, particularly Charlie Kirk's assassination. They discuss Erika Kirk's example of godly womanhood, why we're prone to grab at the arms of our men when they're entering the arena, and the mercy poured out on our country through God's word being proclaimed in the public square. How can we evaluate our lives in light of our mortality? What do we want to do differently as wives and mothers and Christian women? How is God humbling us through these events? And most importantly, if your life were to end soon, are you eager and ready to be in the presence of the Lord?
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  Friendships and Secrets | (S5 E21) 16.09.2025 59m

  IT'S HERE! Pre-Order the 4th installment of the Ashtown Burial Series at ashtownburials.com.Secrets can be tasty, delicious, and enticing. Knowing other people's secrets can give us social standing and make us feel important. Spilling the tea can give us a form of exaltation in the moment. But how do we rightly discern when to keep a secret and when to bring something to the light? How do we grow as women of discretion? Are we good 'secret-aries' for our husband, our friends, our children? Tilly and Abigail talk all about secrets and the temptations that come with them.
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  Wearing Clothes 101 | (S5 E20) 02.09.2025 57m

  IT'S HERE! Pre-Order the 4th installment of the Ashtown Burial Series at ashtownburials.com.Abigail and Tilly talk about immodesty, particularly the attitude of heart that is loud and shouts, "Look at me!" What is the connection between a sinful fearfulness and immodesty? In our current cultural moment, there is no opting out of battle over how women should dress and present ourselves. Our clothing, hair, and presentation has become a war of ideologies, so that even a discreet woman will be noticed because she is set against the zeitgeist of cross-dressing and gaudiness. Yet God still sees the quiet heart and regards it as very precious.
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  Women and The Perverse Desire | (S5 E19) 19.08.2025 48m

  IT'S HERE! Pre-Order the 4th installment of the Ashtown Burial Series at ashtownburials.com.In this episode, Abigail and Tilly talk about the perverse desire--the desire for the impossible. Do women have a unique ability to desire and even demand things that are logically incompatible? What does this look like on the ground? How does it affect marriage, spiritual life, and vocation? What does Scripture have to say about desire?
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  Should Women Work Outside Of The Home? | (S5 E18) 05.08.2025 58m

  IT'S HERE! Pre-Order the 4th installment of the Ashtown Burial Series at ashtownburials.com.Tilly Dillehay and Abigail Dodds, in this episode of Home Fires, answer Micheal Foster's question: Should women work outside of the home? The two give their thoughts on what true biblical and feminine work looks like inside the home and outside of the home. And what that means for women who are searching for careers.