Homemaking Mondays: Winter Thoughts

 

Hello!
The winter has been so warm here this year

with the temperatures going up around the freezing mark often.

It makes it nice to be outside...although 

it has been darker with more cloud cover and the ground

being so slippery.  

Roads are harder to navigate and takes more caution.

Especially for my son who is learning to drive.

I often will drive the first part of a trip out 

to see how the roads are before handing over the keys to him.

He is a very good driver...but you know...I'm a nervous mom.

With the darkness, I love the moments 

where the sun bursts through the clouds and fills the sky

with golden light.

Sometimes I will find myself at the window just soaking up

the rays of sunshine. It never lasts long.

I love how the sunshine brings a warmth to a room or outdoor space.

Inviting.

It has been making me think about how we make our homes inviting.

How can we be the sunshine for our family?

Do we greet our family with a smile and a kind word?

This month is my younger daughter's birthday.

It has been a blessing to be apart of her life as she grows

in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus

as well as in beauty.

I've not been making as many cards lately

but whenever I sit down to make one it is special 

because of who I'm making one for.

 I've been doing more knitting but haven't gotten 

those projects completed yet.  

It's good to have a full work basket

with new projects and mending. 

One part of making wool socks is darning the holes.

I've been still enjoying the carnivore way of eating.

I'm feeling stronger and the scale has started moving down again.

I have tried a new meal.

It's sardines/ eggs/ parmesan cheese 

mixed up and cooked in my waffle iron.

Slather some butter on top and yum! 

Strange how I can now admit I like sardines. 

My children and I last night went to our community centre

for their yearly sparkler skate. 

It was fun to be out and enjoy the company of my kids on the ice

and of friends and community members.

Young and old alike out on the ice.

Great skaters and those who needed to be careful and go slow.

I actually love these kinds of events because of what it teaches my kids.

People worry about socialization with homeschoolers.

The truth is that when your children engage in activities with 

people of all ages they learn so much more then being with 

people their own age more. 

Yes, it's great to have friends your age as you can relate to them 

in the stages of your life.

The lessons and understanding you learn from older people 

or lessons you can share with younger ones.

It's special to watch my children come alongside young children

voluntarily helping them and bringing smiles to their faces

just because.

Then to watch them sit down with men and women much older

asking them questions and listening to their lives.

We all need all of these relationships. 

Our community centre has a wonderful

Olympic size rink as well as a tennis court next to it.

This year our "ice man" has created this serpentine track to enjoy.

One fun thing with sparklers...they are more fun in the dark!

 

Thanks for dropping by today.

I pray you have a wonderful week! 

Thank you for all of you that leave comments

and share a piece of your lives with me.

Love and Prayers,

Jennifer

Homemaking Mondays: Washing Woollens and Greenhouse Maintenance

 

Hello! 
With the ups and downs of March

bring us the hope of spring and the still reality

of winter in all it's glory.

The need for our warm clothes 

but also the transitional time of layering.

This week I tried a new thing. 

I found this delightful wool sweater at our free store.

It needed a good wash but I've not ever washed anything 

quite like it. Our wool socks 

have some nylon so they just go in the washer

and then are hung to dry.

So my daughter picked up this SOAK from the yarn store.

I was so incredibly amazed at how it cleaned out 

so much dirt and smell without scrubbing.

It's almost dry enough for her to wear now.

I have found I do need to get a special dryer

that I can lay things flat on.

With the ups and downs of March 

the sunlight has started to become warmer

and last longer.

So...seeds are now planted in their trays,

set out in front of the windows to catch the warm rays.

I have a hard time waiting for germination

and the Lord is gracious and gives me a few little seedlings 

that pop up within a day or two to ease my tension. :) 

There are little chamomile, calendula, and comfrey seedlings.

The tomatoes and herbs will take a bit longer. 

This year I discovered some lovely new tomato seeds!

Sunrise Bumble Bee

Who could resist planting some of these?

Yes, I also bought a bunch more seeds. 

We'll have four different varieties of kale

and some more beans this year. 

I'm also trying to start some onions from seed

just to see how that goes.

So like every year--- some old, some new.

I discovered this beautiful painting by Chuck Black 

on his Facebook page.

He is one of my favourite artists 

and this painting reminds me of our little lake.

Serene and vibrant.

Dreaming of spring when the wildflowers

come out in full bloom and the water shimmers in the sunlight.

Well...because by that time there will be no moonlight.

I've been doing a bit of greenhouse maintenance.

There is a ton of snow on the roof.

The support beams we put up last fall are doing a good job

and I don't think we have anything to fear.

I still wanted to get a bit of the snow load off so that it'll melt faster 

and allow more light in so that I can start 

some gardening projects earlier.

This year I want to try growing peas and spinach in the greenhouse.

I saw in a gardening video where someone 

used bubble wrap to help insulate the plants from the cold

in little hoops. That I'd like to try.

For now there are millions of little frozen water droplets

that glisten on the ceiling. 

There is now less snow on the roof...

and I'll be getting a longer shovel handle to get more off.

Spring outdoor jobs.  

Soon snow needs to be moved away from the house 

to protect foundations as well.

Snow amazes me in how it can accumulate from such 

small perches. 

The little puff ball on the greenhouse door had

just a half inch of space from the door being just a tad ajar.

Then the moose antlers had it stretching out beyond the eves

as iff it was reaching for the light.

There are always good treats to eat

when coming in from the cold.

This past week there were carrot cake muffins.

SO yummy with or without icing.

So what keeps you busy in March? 

What kinds of things do you as we come to  this transition period?

I pray you have a blessed day! 

Love and Prayers,

Jennifer

Homemaking Mondays: For the Family to Enjoy

 

Hello! 
It's a fine frigid day here. 

Sitting at -44C at noon.

The sun came up over the mountain 

and the light filtered through the fog 

in beautiful golden rays. 

It's like it turns the winter world aglow.

I am enjoying the warmth of being inside.

A good hot cup of tea while working in the kitchen 

is always welcome on days like today.

There is something special about hot drinks on cold days.

They do more then just warm our insides,

they bring a touch of gentle comfort that sinks deeper still.

I had some baking to do today for my daughter.

We enjoyed her birthday today she was home from work.

So a day early but still special. 

Chocolate wacky cake with peppermint chocolate frosting.

Then some grated chocolate and sprinkles of course.

This past week I also did a fun rosemary bread

on one of my bread making days.

I love focaccia bread but I'm terrible at following recipes.

So I just added some rosemary to the last bit of dough

then some extra olive oil to the flattened out dough.

I let it rise in a cast iron skillet.  

Punched down the dough some and baked in the skillet

for a lovely crispy crust.

It's a nice side for a meal.

I served it up with some of our regular bread

for not all the family enjoys the rosemary.

One part of homemaking that can be a challenge

but also a joy 

is finding things for all the family to enjoy.

Food is only one of those aspects of our homemaking

that takes some creativity.

When it's super cold out I find that my mind turns to the kitchen

more then when it's warmer out. 

Perhaps it's the added warmth of the oven

or the fact that food helps our bodies keep warm.

On days like these I enjoy puttering about the kitchen

although it doesn't take much for me

to find myself gravitating to that room. 

I hope you are all staying warm and cozy in your homes.

Enjoying creating those special spaces.

Love and Prayers,

Jennifer

Homemaking Mondays: Sourdough and Sunshine

 

Hello! 
It's a lovely winter's day here.  

The sky is getting brighter and the blue grey hues

are lovely to watch as they change with the light.

As it's cold outside, it's warm inside,

especially in the kitchen.

This morning I baked some sourdough bread.

Just one loaf this time along with some crusty buns.

I baked two sourdough loaves yesterday.

Then there was just a touch of dough left so I made some 

cinnamon buns to munch on later today.

I like to do a big bake with sourdough and then tuck 

the starter back to bed in the fridge.

I also baked some buttery sourdough crackers. 

You can find the recipe over at Reformation Acres Blog.

They are a wonderful treat to munch on.

With or without cheese these crackers are delicious!

What do you like on your crackers?

This week I also wanted to have something 

different for supper. 

Do you get into ruts of making the same things over and over?

I do, so I looked at the store 

for something out of the ordinary.

I found some spring roll wrappers and thought

that could be interesting.  

I've made something with them in the past but it had been a long time.

I made a filling of rice, spinach, and then 

either diced chicken or ground pork.

I rolled them up and fried them in a bit of olive oil.

This way there were two options for the family to try.

I am pleased to say that they were enjoyed by all!

Along with the ups and downs of weather

we have gotten some heavy fog. 

Which I love...aside from the dangerous driving conditions.

It coats the trees and really any outside object with frost

including people and animals.

Even the spider webs on the railings get their fair share

of pretty frost to decorate them. 

The sun comes out but it doesn't go above the trees

where we are at. 

SO we get lovely slanted light through the trees.

Even on frosty days

our friendly squirrels come out

to raid the feeders for sunflower seeds.

They get all fluffed up like the birds to stay warm.

I made a plushy baby blanket 

for a sweet little boy this past week.

It was a Caron Cake yarn and it was "furry".

At first I was thinking it was kinda odd...but it turned

out to be so soft and warm. 

I did a granny square pattern as I find it easier to make

not knowing how far the yarn will go.

Plus I think the pattern is pretty.

I hope you are enjoying your day 

and your homemaking tasks. 

It is good to just 

take a few minutes each day to pause

and think about the simple pleasures the Lord 

has given us through homemaking.

Love and Prayers,

Jennifer

Homemaking Mondays: Frost and Touches of Light

 

Hello! 
How is your Monday? 

It's a cool -15C and windy here 

and there is light gentle snow falling. 

The fresh snow is blown up in big swirling gusts

 across the lake and through the trees.

Quite entertaining to just sit at the window 

with a cup of tea just watching.

It's calling for much colder for Monday

so feeling like hibernating.

Today I discovered some new pretty patterns 

in the frost in our sunroom. 

Do you like frost patterns?

I find them as interesting as watching the clouds

shift and change in the summer sky. 

Another aspect of winter that I love. 

As the cold and darkness of winter envelopes us.

It's lovely to add little touches of light

in amongst our daily life.

So, like a candle on the stove in the mornings

or a candle or lantern on a table. 

Scented or not it doesn't matter. 

What we are after is that gentle touch of light. 

As the sun rises later in the day

those little touches of light from candles or lamps

give a gentle rise to the day 

while we wait for the sun to shine.

One aspect of light that for Christians 

is that of the Word of God.

It is nice to rise in the morning to ponder on the 

things of the Lord.

To let His light shine on the path of our days. 

"Thy word is lamp unto my feet, 

and a light unto my path. "

-Psalm 119:105

"Neither do men light a candle,

and put it under a bushel,

but on a candlestick;

and it giveth light unto all 

that are in the house. "

-Matthew 5:15

A fun little project I'm about to embark on is to clean up 

this sweet set of girl lamp and music box.

They were my mother's and I have very fond memories 

of listening to the music and enjoying the lamp

on dark winter days. 

I've never seen anything else like them 

anywhere but they are kinda a fun childhood

memory to keep...and listen to if I'm puttering about 

my room. 

This week I also pulled out this globe 

that goes on top of a plant pot. 

I've not done well with growing plants in it

so I thought it might be 

better used as a candle globe instead. 

I have it sitting on my kitchen island counter

between the kitchen and dining area.

It provides a nice bit of light in the mornings 

or evenings as you pass by.

What do you like to do 

to add some extra touches of light to your home?

Thanks for dropping by! 

Love and Prayers,

Jennifer

Homemaking Mondays: Treats and Cold Days

 

Hello! 
Fun things to do on cold days! 

It's been down in the -40's C and we needed something sweet! 

Of course there is always hot chocolate....

but cookies...yes please! 

I made some short breads and used a rubber stamp to add some

designs to it. 

Then I made some cookie dough and cooked it in 

mini muffin tins. 

Then as they came out of the oven I pushed a mini aero 

chocolate into the top to melt.  Yum! 

Then there are the brave kids out doing 

tea throws as the sun hovered over the trees.

The one back door we have was covered in lovely frost

and we covered the door with a wool blanket to help keep the cold out. 

I found a couple new rugs at the Dollorama in town. 

These are a bit more like the colours in my kitchen and

add a nice fresh feel to the room. 

I really like braided rugs and they make it so much 

nicer to stand in the kitchen while doing

cooking and washing dishes.

Plus the dog loves to lay on one while supervising 

the making of dinner. :) 

Thank you for dropping by! 

I hope you are staying warm this winter. 

Love and Prayers,

Jennifer

Homemaking Mondays: Snacks and Snow

 

Hello! 
It's a cold winter's day and the temperature

is dropping. 

Strange...but I'm looking forward to it for one reason.

The sun should shine!  Oh I miss the sunshine at this 

time of year. 

I made some delicious hummus recently and I must 

say that it's delicious without tahini.  

For some reason I can't eat tahini anymore but this recipe 

doesn't include it and is wonderful! 

It's great to have this as a snack or a light meal with bread 

or tortilla chips.

Do you eat hummus?  What do you like to eat it with?

I learned that if you take the skins off the chickpeas

then it makes a much smoother hummus.  Yum! 

One can chickpeas

1 large garlic clove

1/4 cup olive oil

3 Tbs lemon juice

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cumin

Then I added extra olive oil to the top

along with a sprinkle of cumin and dried parsley.

I use an immersion blender, but any blender will do.

With the cold and snow the birds haven't been 

going far from the feeders. 

They are so fun to watch as they eat and fly about. 

There is a record amount of snow thus far this year.

It seems that we've been shovelling snow almost every day. 

Sadly our greenhouse roof collapsed from the weight of the snow.

We had tried to clear some but it was just not possible to do.  

So...springtime will entail some reconstruction. 

The snow is so beautiful but there is just so much of it. 

If you go off into the bush it's almost to my waist. 

With the winter darkness I did do some shopping therapy. ha! 

A new store in town had some lovely 

craft papers and chipboard butterflies that 

were just too hard to pass up.  

I hope to make some lovely cards

with these papers soon.

Something to do as the temps drop to the -40C at night this week.

Thank you for dropping by! 

Praying you are enjoying your wintertime.

Love and Prayers,

Jennifer

Homemaking Mondays: Local Tea and Winter Days

 

Hello! 
Deep in winter and the days are darker

and the cold is settling lower.

It's nice to hunker down and enjoy some times just 

watching winter from the inside 

of the windows.

The birds have been a source

of wonderful entertainment as they

gather round the feeder and perch up in the trees.

We have lots of chickadees, pine grosbeaks, and 

also some regular grey jays.

My younger daughter is especially friends with them 

and they come and eat from her hands

and will perch on her hat or shoulders.

When the weather turns a bit colder

or the the winds pick up they come to the feeder

more often and the flocks of "regulars" gets bigger.

The resident squirrel at this feeder is often chasing 

the birds away for her chance to snag some seeds.

She's one tough squirrel and has lived through visits by 

a weasel that comes around.

Fry bread/ bannock is a great quick bread to make

when I don't feel like baking.

Below this one turned out like a heart 

and my son says he can see the word love 

written in it.

For the comfort of tea

it's nice when you can enjoy some local 

blessings with it.

I have some wonderful fireweed tea that I bought from a local lady 

with some added rose and calendula petals.

Can't just have one cup so you need to make a pot.

Stir in some local honey and it is a wonderful treat on a cold day!

My daughter has been making some of these beautiful snowflakes.

They are crocheted and she says they are 

very easy even though they appear quite intricate.

With the cold we've been using up a lot of our canned chicken.

So when I found some chicken breasts on sale, 

I bought a bunch and canned up some more. 

The jars are wonderful to have on hand for quick meals.

Here is a sunrise we saw this past week.  

The light is precious at this time of year and when

the sky starts to glow I find myself at the window just watching.

Well today is my daughter's birthday 

so I'm off to put some chilli on and ice a cake. 

Praying you have a beautiful day!

Love and Prayers,

Jennifer