Homemaking Mondays: Winter's Coming

 

Hello!

Welcome to Homemaking Monday! 

Sorry I'm a touch late today.  

I have been busy this week stashing food for the winter. 

I feel like a squirrel sometimes...for winter is coming! 

We've had a good frost already, and the mornings are so chilly 

that I wait a long time in the morning before uncovering my plants outside. 

The wood stove is lit to take the chill out of the air in the house.

The extra lap blankets are pulled out of their basket and snuggled under. 

I have been freezing a lot of things. 

I like to do this with most of my veggies at this time. 

Some day I'll learn to pressure can some of them, but for now frozen is great!

I learned to use a carrot peeler to peal butternut squash and then I cubed it and froze it

along with zucchini.  Then there were more herbs from the garden 

that got cleaned, chopped, and bagged. 

I had bought a large amount of bananas on sale last week. 

Some have gone into banana bread (some of which is in the freezer) and then the extra

bananas are frozen in portion sizes for making more bread with them. 

I have also been puttering about the yard picking up the odd pieces of wood for kindling.

Sawing up smaller branches/ sticks for the stove.

Then there is the spending time outdoors....while it's still nice! 

While indoors I've been crocheting more on that blanket I shared that I'd started.

It's coming along nicely...but I admit it's very warm to have it on my lap as it gets bigger. 

I'm working to use up all the sourdough starter discard that has been in the kitchen. 

I'm getting better at making bread with it.  

Last week our children began their school lessons again.  

It's hard to start so early...but we did end early last year and it's good to 

get back into the swing of things again.  

I was able to also go to a class on backyard remedies

held just up the road from me.  

It was a great class on making tinctures and salves, and 

looking for plants around us. 

Through the whole class, I couldn't help but think on how

God has put them there for our use. 

Genesis 1:29

 “And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.” 

 Genesis 9:3

 “Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.”

I thank the Lord for all that He brings into our lives and all that He teaches us. 

Oh, and the cake in the first picture was my youngest son's birthday cake.  

He requested a cheesecake...it was a chocolate orange swirl.

To make that, just add a touch of orange extract to the chocolate portion. 

My son picked the flowers from the garden for the top.

Then he asked for shepherd's pie for supper. 

I forgot to cook the corn to put in it....so it was served on the side.

Still very good. :) 

Homemaking can be wonderful...but there are times it just isn't picture perfect.

 

Thanks so much for dropping by!  

Praying you have a beautiful day!

Love and Prayers,

Jennifer