Monday, 30 September 2019

Homemaking Mondays: Out My Window


Hello!
What do you see out your window? 
The Lord has made so much beauty all around us that often gets overlooked. 
Do you sometimes get stopped in your tracks to just gaze at what you see out the window?

I just wanted to share with you some of the views from my windows. 
Above is a picture of some swans and ducks that I actually took 
through a pair of binoculars. 
We live in a swampy/marshy area and there are lots of birds.
Especially at this time of year there are many varieties.  
My daughter has made note of about 40 different varieties of birds
that she's seen around our home this past summer/fall.  

Sometimes we just see them from our window...
and sometimes we go out to get closer and take pictures. 
In the picture below my girls canoed out 
a bit closer and were able to see them closer and watch them as they took flight.


I often love to just sit with a cup of tea and watch out the window. 
It is good to have times were we are just still. 
Where we can enjoy all that God has created, and to meditate on His Word.


As I sit in my chair by the window I can also  look about the main part of my home.
There are also some lovely blossoms on my spider plant at the moment.
I love tNhe intricate detail that God spoke into existence. 


I've also been enjoying this sweet lemon oregano plant.
I don't know much about it...but it grows fast, and has the loveliest 
smell when you brush against it. 


It is fall and the colours are almost gone.  
There are still little stands of trees here and there, but most have lost their leaves
and the colours are fading as they mulch down to protect the forest floor from the cold.


There are still beautiful moments of God's promises to out our windows.
I love the comfort in God's promise not to flood the whole earth again.
He keeps His promises!


Thank you for taking the time to stop in to visit me! 
Praying you have a lovely day and stop and take a thoughtful gander 
out your window to see 
what the Lord has created around you! 

Love and Prayers,
Jennifer

Monday, 16 September 2019

Homemaking Mondays: Blessing of Family and Being Together


Hello!
The past few days I've truly enjoyed the blessing of family.
My parents were able to visit with us for almost three weeks.
When you don't see each other for long periods of time...each day is precious! 


They came for the time of year that we could pick cranberries. 
We went for a drive to see the scenery...
then got caught up when we found an amazing cranberry patch. 
First we started picking using our hats to hold the berries..
then my dad found a clean pail that we almost filled up with berries!  
We made some lovely cranberry sauce and juice with them. 
My mom has a steamer/juicer and wow...it's so handy!  
Then we put the berries through her strainer and it was great to see the 
pulp come out one end and the peels out the other.  
Saved so much time... and quickly we had jars of jam with lids pinging.


I love this picture of my kids with their grandparents on one of our stops. 


It was so nice to be able to do odd jobs and preserving together.
Working together makes things more fun.
 We moved my greenhouse to a new location and they helped us put some new plastic on the roof. 
They helped us waterproof the roof of our woodshed...that was an important job. 
We had some new wires run for our phone line...in a trench and we got that all filled in 
once the line was in place. 
Then we had found some wonderful orchard run apples and made some delicious applesauce. 
Some with a touch of sugar and others with just some cinnamon. 

Today I opened up our first quart of applesauce to make an apple crisp. 
Yes....we had whipped cream on top. :) 

Of course our time wasn't all work.  
We had some lovely visits, canoe paddles, bike rides, walks and games around the kitchen table. 
Tea times and many many laughs.  
Great memories!


Earlier I shared some of these lovely flowers with you...as it's been in the window 
the flowers have exploded and they are so cheerful!  
I'm so very thankful my mom prompted me to bring them inside.


I also bought this lovely windchime for 75% off from a store that was closing out. 
I used some of my birthday money from my parents. 
So thanks Mom and Dad for the sweet wind-chime music we get to hear now.


Thanks for dropping by! 

Love and Prayers,
Jennifer

Monday, 9 September 2019

Homemaking Mondays: Sourdough Bread and Ice Flowers


 Hello!
I'd love to share with you some amazing sourdough bread. 
I found this recipe off the internet ages ago and I'm not sure where from. 
It's just 2 cups sourdough starter, 2 cups warm water, & 2 liters of flower. 
Mix up well and knead until smooth and elastic.
Bake 320F for 50-60 minutes. 

I was given this amazing new dutch oven for my birthday, 
and I thought sourdough bread was a great way to kick off it's life in our family.
The bread was so nice and soft with a chewy crust.


I also have been enjoying these amazing ice flowers inside. 
I had them planted in a pot outside, but sadly the cold weather had them 
thinking they shouldn't grow anymore.  

My mom said to bring them in, so I did. 
The very next day the buds started to come out and then wow....
these amazing blossoms burst forth! 
They just keep coming and coming and the burst of colour is 
so cheerful! 


One treasure from our summer garden was these teenie tiny  melons. 
The larger of the two was only about 4 inches across.
I sliced it up thin and we all got to enjoy a little slice. 
The taste was so very delicious...too bad we couldn't grow them bigger.


There have also been some wonderful peaceful mornings here at our home.
The sun just coming up and the mist on the lake gently wafting upwards.
The ducks diving or going bottoms up to find their breakfast.
My Bible on my lap as I read from God's precious word. 
Food for my soul. 


It has been a fantastic week.  
Cranberry picking....outings at our community centre. 
Stacking wood in preparation for winter. 
I have been blessed to have my parents visiting for the past couple weeks.
Soon they will be going back to their home and we'll miss them terribly. 

The Lord is good in all the details.
In all the time he gives us with those we love.
May your day be blessed.

Love and Prayers,
Jennifer
 

Monday, 2 September 2019

Homemaking Mondays: A Taste of History


Hello!
Do you like things with a bit of history behind them? 
Above is a rocking chair that I was just given by my parents.  
It's had five generations sit and rock in it. 
It's not pristine...but well loved and it tells stories of 
those that have taken the time to use it.  

It now sits in my living room where I can sit and rock wrapped in my woolen blanket.
More stories to come in that sweet old rocking chair.


These are some sweet little flowers that cheer me when I go outside.  
Not sure what they're called, but they never cease to make me smile. 
It's colder outside but they still seem to keep flowering.


This past week my parents have been visiting with us.
They brought the fixings to make green tomato mincemeat.
It's my grandmother's recipe and it tastes oh so good! 
Our favourite way to eat this is in cookies! 
You can find the recipe HERE!


This week there was a little birdie that flew into one of our windows.  
Then it flew over and sat on the railing until it was feeling well enough
to fly off.  
Sweet little thing.


Thanks for dropping by! 
What homemaking have you been doing this week? 

Love and Prayers,
Jennifer