Homemaking Mondays: Delights of Early Summer Homemaking

 

Hello! 
How are your early summer days going?

I think it's a delightful time of year.

The flowers outside are starting to really 

burst and flourish.

The fresh summer rains come and refresh

the dry ground

and brings a bright flush of green.

I've been enjoying the windows being open.

Then I finally took the plastic off the back screen door.

Now there is better airflow since the 

temperatures outside are more consistently warm.

I made a batch of strawberry jam 

this week that will be saved for the summer markets.

Summer is the perfect time to make jams

as they don't take a huge amount of time 

and are wonderful to enjoy fresh...you know that little

bit that doesn't fit in the canning jars.

As I was waiting in the kitchen for the canner I thought about 

this empty space on the wall by the canisters.

I had a beautiful calendar picture by Thomas Kinkade 

so I cut it down and framed it. 

There is a lot of glare on the glass,

but keeps it safe from splatters that do happen 

in my kitchen----a lot. 

The wild roses are starting to bloom outside

and it's nice to pick a couple here and there

to put in my rose bowl on the windowsill.

Soon we can pick petals to dry for tea.

As the roses are starting to come into bloom

the last of the may tree blooms are being enjoyed.

I put out a new table cloth on the kitchen table.

It's plastic so it is easy to wash but it also

has a lot of seams that have yet to be flattened out.

Then I thought I'd freshen up the spot on my counter/island

that is always getting cluttered.

I stashed my jar of muffin cups and the peace lily 

in my planter box. 

Then I cleared the board behind 

and put up an old calendar picture.

I stowed the bowls under the riser some and then have 

a nice basket of towels 

which has since become the stowaway 

for our potholders instead.

Things are functioning nicely again.

I do love these lovely summer days that are beginning

where we can hang out laundry on the line

and it actually gets dry. 

Longer periods without rain or temperatures

so cool that it takes forever to dry.

That fresh air scent then permeates the linen closet

and our rooms as the sheets are snuggled into.

Do you hang your laundry to dry?

What to you use to store your clothespins?

I have had this little basket for ages 

and I find it just perfect for the amount 

of clothespins I use for a full line of laundry.

I wanted to share with you this cute little book

that I found at our used book store.

It's a reader and is super old.

As our homeschool lessons have come to a close

for the summer months

we still have interesting little things 

that we put some time into. 

Even though it's for a young reading level we all

have a gander just to learn something new.

Different vintage books have different 

perspectives on history.

Thank you for dropping by!

I hope you are enjoying your summertime.

Love and Prayers,

Jennifer

Homemaking Mondays: A Love for the Wild and Wildflowers

 

Hello!
How is your Monday?

It's a lovely partly sunny day here at the moment.

It's been getting cold again at night but everything 

has fared alright in the garden.

This week I've been spending more time

out in the forest.

The lupins are out in force

and are blanketing the forest floor.

The smell is amazing and the colour is so beautiful!

I love how the Lord colours this time of year.

I love all flowers, but wildflowers are my favourites.

We have an old hammock hanging in the yard 

and it's surrounded by the lupins

now that the crocus have finished up for the season.

It is wonderful to be able to enjoy them outside

and also to pick some to bring in for the kitchen window.

There are wild roses blooming in the greenhouse so it won't be long 

before they are blooming about the yard as well.

Out on one of our walks

my daughter caught this beautiful little moth.

There have been swallowtail butterflies and these other

little bright blue butterflies fluttering about.

My daughter and I have been harvesting spruce tips

for tea along with coltsfoot and some horsetail.

It's nice to know that we've got these 

special plants close at hand.

It is amazing how God has created these plants

to give us healing and health when we need it.

On our walk I found this fun stump in the forest.

I find it so interesting how things age.

With the moss, lichen, and spruce cone debris.  

The interesting canopy of trees that lay 

across the trails 

bring an interest element that I often like

to stop and investigate more. 

Some a bit hazardous and some that is sturdy as the 

branches have interlinked in a more 

permanent way.

The spruce tips are out in force now

and it's the perfect time to harvest some.

We use them for tea, but many use them for 

other culinary delicacies.

This past weekend my husband 

drove my boys and I up to nearby town

where the aviation group was giving rides to kids. 

It was a tad windy but otherwise beautiful day!

The wind just gave them a more exciting ride. 

It's nice to try something new and it was my boys

first time in the air.

Our homeschool season is ending this week 

and it's great time of wrapping up projects.

Then the joy of summer days to follow.

We have some special ideas for spending our summer

and we shall see how it all unfolds.

Lots of time outside: in the wild.

Thank you for dropping by!

Love and Prayers,

Jennifer

Homemaking Mondays: A New Egg Basket and Jerky Jar

 

Hello!
I hope you are having an egg-celent day!

We've been having lots of sunshine 

and then last night some rain came. 

We've been quite dry so that is a blessing.

This past weekend I scored this brand new wire basket

from the free store. It was intended for washing veggies

from the garden but it's sturdy enough for eggs.

My old basket was starting to fall apart in places so this was just right.

One part of buying farm fresh eggs is 

that they can just sit out on the counter.

They look pretty and it saves space in the fridge.

One other new thing on our counter

is that I've switched out a couple of the canisters.

I took the sugar and put that away in another cupboard

as I'm not going to be using it much for now.

I thought it would be better used for 

homemade jerky and electrolytes this summer.

The jerky jar was full...but we all knew

it wouldn't be like that for long.

Homemade jerky is so easy to make if you 

don't already make it.

Just slice up some meat thin,

put on skewers and hang in your oven on a rack

at 270F with the door ajar for a day.

(I use a wooden spoon to keep it ajar)

I turn my oven off at night and then back on in the morning

if it's still not quite ready.

Being homemade you can make it whatever flavour 

you want. I usually just at salt now.

A money saver when you eat a lot of it. 

My youngest son and I made some fun willow

supports for some of the delphiniums 

at the community garden. 

We're going to make some for ours at home as well.

With some of the sunshine we've had

the bumble bees have been coming out more.

They love the petunias up by the front step.

Below you can just see one tucked into a blossom.

I was gifted some Moroccan mint

since I'd sadly killed the plant I had before.

It smells wonderful and makes such good tea.

I have it in the house for now 

until the major risk of frost is gone.

Then I might just put it in the greenhouse. 

The pansies are growing well. 

We bought them when they were pretty tiny.

It's nice to see their cheerful little faces as we take 

the frost blankets off in the morning.

Our rosewood is blooming beautifully.

It's so hearty and doesn't mind the frosts at all.

Under a porch we have I pounded in a nail

so we could hang up the sitting hammock there.

Out of the rain but close to the flowers. 

It will make a great place to enjoy 

the shade this summer.

It's lovely to be able to enjoy being outside.

Making for days of picnics 

and dirty feet. 

We're almost finished up our yearly lessons

so summer break will be greatly enjoyed.

I hope you have a beautiful day!

Love and Prayers,

Jennifer