Monday 27 July 2020

Homemaking Mondays: A Pretty Hutch


Hello! 
Today I'd love to share with you my hutch.  
My husband bought this for me years ago and I really love it. 
When we moved this last time I decided to 
do something different with it. 

I started with my ivy plant and then my 
caribou antler that my parents gave me years ago. 
Then I added my blue tea set called Country Lane
by Wood & Sons - England.

I love using this set and I'm just a fan of blue and white dishes. 


I added my little dolls that used to sit by my 
grandmother's clock in her living-room. 
I also found that little wheelbarrow and it seems to be just right there. 
I also added one of my favourite Bible verses.


Here is a closer look at the Country Lane....
one could imagine how lovely it would be to walk down it. 


I also have this sweet tea light lamp my husband 
gave me and it's so nice! 


Then I also added this sweet little bear.  
The only thing that I remember being given 
by my one grandfather.  It was actually for my 
first daughter.  She sits out to be enjoyed. 
I also found that little broom at the free store and 
it needed to come home with me. :) 


I'd found that sweet little rocker and added a little 
stuffed bear I've had since college.  
It used to smell like cinnamon.  
Then a little canister with a tea light. 
I also found that lovely blue and cream plate at 
Home Hardware and had to get just one. 
I'm going to use it for a serving dish. 


This plate was a wedding gift to my husband and I almost 24 years ago. 


I love the mix of colours on the top shelf...and 
the outdoorsy feel it has. 
I love to have scripture displayed.  
For comfort and for witness. 
What an unending truth we find in God's Word!


Thanks for dropping by!  

I'm starting to really enjoy being able to find things again. 
Things have a place now and it's starting to become comfortable. 

Today I'm canning some tomato soup. 
Then I'm dehydrating the skins to use for tomato paste 
in soups or stew.  I put the extra juice in the fridge
and will use that in soup this week.  
I hate wasting anything. 
It's not that we don't like the canned tomato soup 
from the store.
It's just something that I've always wanted to do.  
It does taste pretty amazing as well. 

I've also been dehydrating fireweed leaves and 
calendula petals and yarrow blossoms
for tea.

It's just lovely to be able to put some things by for 
use in the winter months. 



Hope you're having a lovely day! 
Love and Prayers,
Jennifer

Monday 20 July 2020

Homemaking Mondays: My New Kitchen Window


Hello! 
Today I would like to show you one of my new kitchen windows. 
The kitchen has two; 
one over the kitchen sink and one over the working counter.
It is a delightful window and it's bright and cheerful to work here. 
It looks out onto the front yard/ driveway. 
I can see people come and go,
I can see the birds and squirrels in the feeder below the window,
I can look out onto part of the garden,
and just enjoy the changes in the sky. 


On this window sill I put the gold pan my daughter painted for our family.
Then some little jars with flowers that I used in my wedding.
Added to this I found a couple pretty little blue and white pots. 
I clipped some spearmint and lemon balm to root and make new plants.


I love the two white pitchers we have and I use them to hold
out utensils that we use often.
I like to keep these close at hand by the stove. 
I also found this delightful plate. 

My Kitchen Prayer

 Bless my little kitchen, Lord.
I love it's every nook.
And bless me as I do my work,
Wash my pots and pans and cook.

May the meals that I prepare,
Be seasoned from above,
With Thy blessing and Thy grace,
But most of all Thy love.

As we partake of earthly food,
The table Thou hast spread.
We'll not forget to thank Thee Lord,
For all our daily bread.

So bless my little kitchen, Lord, 
And those who inter in;
May they find naught but joy and peace,
And happiness therein. 
Amen


I recently got this beautiful tea cup and saucer set.
It has a lovely handle and holds just the right amount of tea
for a quick tea break during the day.


I think it's so nice to have some bone china from England. 
Another something special to add to my tea cup collection.


I also put up my kitchen curtains that I had stashed away. 
Our last home it wasn't conducive to put them up and 
I'm happy to have them out again.


I have a my little pie hung, 
and a basket for my garlic and tomatoes.
These are the tomatoes that are left from when I made 
a batch of salsa. 
I learned to leave tomatoes out and not put them in the fridge.
They taste so much better that way!


We are settling into our new home nicely. 
Part of that settling process is to find just the right place for all the little things.
The pretty things and the practical.
I am in the process of setting up my sewing/craft area.
I'll share that with you all in a bit.

Thank you for joining me in the tour of my kitchen window. 
Praying you have a blessed day!

Love and Prayers,
Jennifer

Tuesday 14 July 2020

Enjoying Wild Harvesting


Hello! 
Today I would like to share with you some of the 
wild harvesting I've been doing. 

Above, there is yarrow..
I like to dry it for hot tea, 
but it is really good just steeped in water overnight 
with other herbs. 

Below are a bunch of rose petals.  
They smell so amazing!  
I've dried them for tea and 
also in hopes of adding some to 
some handmade soap.  


Then there is one of my favourites.
Red Raspberry Leaves 
I dry these to add to tea all through the winter.
It's great a balancing hormones and is very soothing. 


I gathered a bunch of chive blossoms from our old home's yard. 
I put it in some vinegar and it's steeping nicely.  
It's so nice on summer salad. 


Then lastly I have some fresh arnica flowers steeping 
in some olive oil.  
I will use this infused oil 
in salve for the winter. 
It's wonderful for aches and pains.


We are slowly getting settled into our new place. 
It seems that there are so many things that need attending to. 
Doing a little bit of wild harvesting 
brings a smile to my heart. 

Praying you have a lovely day! 
Jennifer