Homemaking Mondays: Spread Your Roots

 

Hello!

Happy Monday to you!

This past week I've been working to divide and re-pot some of my plants.

They are getting root bound and need some new space to

spread their roots. 

First up was my chocolate mint.

I didn't go too crazy like I usually would in springtime. 

I just cut it in half and found a pot that would still fit the root ball with some 

extra space for it to grow.

 

One of the halves I potted into a pot that I've been saving for a bit.  

The lid got damaged so that I can't use it to cook in.  

So...I thought it would made a lovely planter.

 

I also cut back my morrocan mint plant drastically. 

It was very root bound and I had a hard time keeping it watered enough.

So now I will have enough springs once rooted to start a couple more plants.

 

I up potted the original plant and it's growing lots of new little shoots. 

Once it starts to spread it's roots out more it's going to take off and 

we'll have to be drinking a lot more of this in our tea. :) 
I have found that plain black tea with a big sprig of mint makes a nice 

flavorful drink that is perfect for mid morning.

 

The sun rises have been so pretty lately.  

A few days ago I captured this one with the peachy clouds as 

the sun started to lighten the sky.

  

There is definitely less daylight as we near the end of the year. 

These moments of colour sure bring joy! 

The temperatures have been dropping again after another 

week of a chinook. 

The lake has been making all sorts of noises. 

Some very loud and wake us up at night.  

Some are cracking, some sound like thunder rolling,

and some even sounds like bullfrogs under the ice.

Our family has been ill this past week.

So we've been eating less and find that cold foods are best at times.

My daughter cooked up a big pot of boiled eggs.

These I pulled from the fridge today to have for lunch.

 

Along with cutting up the leftover pizza.

This was so strange...we had leftover pizza to eat. 

That hardly ever happens in my house.  

Appetites are at a minimum right now. 

Thanks for dropping by!  

I hope you have a beautiful day!

Love and Prayers,

Jennifer

Homemaking Mondays: Making Homemaking Interesting

 

Hello! 

Today it's been moist and foggy.  

It has left some lovely frost on the trees and bushes.

I've been watching it all from the inside of my home...as it's windy and quite chilly out. 

Yes, some days I do stay next to the fire and busy myself inside. 

 One thing that makes homemaking interesting is

trying new things and then also enjoying the usual.  

It doesn't need to be in the kitchen, you can find new things to do in any part of your home. 

Like moving furniture around...adding a plant or picture 

someplace new to freshen things up.

Really the possibilities are endless if you take the time to think about it. 

This week I decided to try something new.  

I've been wanting to do this for awhile, but hadn't worked up the courage to do it. 

Yes...I'm talking about pressure canning.  

Funny thing is... it wasn't so scary once I got into it. 

Now I have a couple jars of wonderful chicken bone stock in my pantry for soup. 

I also have ideas for what to can next.  If it were you....what would you can?

 

Then I made some sourdough bread. 

It is such a nice comfort food with butter slathered on it while it's warm. 

 

Another new thing for me this year is making socks.

I'm not the best knitter, but I sure do enjoy it.  

I am also happy about learning to make socks for they 

are so practical and warm.

Even if you get your feet wet, the wool keeps them warm

 until you can get home and dry out.

 

Then I tried something new for dinner. 

I made some skillet buns.  

I don't remember ever doing this. 

They were so nice and fluffy, with a lovely browned top 

and crispy bottom.

 

I also added a couple eggs and some milk... 

which I rarely do. 

They were great for dinner.

 

I have heard many say that homemaking is boring and monotonous. 

Yes, it can be monotonous for there are the same 

needs of cooking, cleaning, and childcare. Add homeschooling to that for some of us. 

BUT! boring does not need to be a part of that equation.  

To be bored or find it uninteresting is all on our own shoulders.  

We can make it interesting if we just give it a bit of effort.

Are you finding homemaking to get a bit boring?

Just try some new things and I'm sure that you will find that 

things can get pretty interesting. 

Love and Prayers,

Jennifer

Homemaking Mondays: Pausing to Take Notice

 

Hello! 

What makes you pause to take notice? 

There are many things that stop me in my tracks.

Things that make me pause in my daily routine.

As I made my bed and opened up my curtains,

the view from my bedroom window had me stopping.

Just to stare in wonder as the sun was coming up and lighting 

the tops of the mountains.  The ice cloud hovering below the 

summits and the stillness that we were experienceing. 

It was -30C and the wind that brought it in the night before had 

blown itself out. 

At times like these all I can do is thank the Lord for his great creation,

and for allowing me to see it.

Praising the Lord is just giving glory due His name. 

We can praise him anywhere at anytime.

 

This week the kids and I have started another celery plant in a jar on the windowsill. 

It will be interesting to see just how big we can get it to grow. 

This week I also made some cards after a long time.

It was nice to play with the paper and lace.  

I was given some pretty brads for my birthday and I used the first one on a card for my Aunt.

For me to be able to send a card in the mail to someone is such a treasure.  

Like sending a piece of myself. 

Cards give me pause...because of the pause I get full of delight when 

I get one in the mail.  To know that someone was thinking of me. :)

 

One other thing that gives me pause is finding a special place in the woods. 

Below is a log that my son thought was a great place to sit while gazing out on the cove. 

It's in the new picnic spot that we found while we were tromping about in the woods.

Those places that make you just look around, staring up at the sky through the branches, 

taking in the other things growing about, listening for the sounds of the birds and little creatures. 

As cool as it would be to see a big creature (as a moose or bear) I would rather not be in 

their habitat when that happens. 

I know some people like to take their music with them to the woods...
I cannot fathom why? 

Just listen to the music that is around you. 

The trees and the breeze, the birds signing, the squirrels chattering.

Then you can add your part with your boots crunching the snow underfoot. 

It's all about how you listen...it really is music.

 

Thank you for taking the time to visit me today! 

When those times of pause come...thank the Lord for things.

Praise His name for the things that he brings into your life. 

Psalm 107:8

" Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!"

Love and Prayers,
Jennifer

Homemaking Mondays: Puttering In the Kitchen

 

Hello! Thanks for dropping by!

Do you love to get in the kitchen and just putter about?

I'm not talking about the necessary meals, but 

just spending time there because you like to?

 I sure do...it's a fun place to be. 

This week while puttering in the kitchen, feeding my sourdough starter...

I got to wondering what to do with the discard this time round. 

Then I remembered a recipe from a new cookbook I have for 

sourdough crackers.  (The Prairie Homestead Cookbook)

I happened to need some crackers so...

time to get a bit dirty! hehehe

I made my crackers a bit thick, but they were so very delicious!

I cooked them in the wood cookstove oven and they came out so nice.

Even my son who isn't fond of anything sourdough liked them.

They are light and flaky and perfect in soup. 

That is what we used them for first.

 

Next we needed a quick snack so out came the 

crackers, peanut butter, and marshmallows. 

Yum...cookies! 

 

Usually I use soda crackers, but these were so much better! 

 

Another puttering I did in the kitchen this week was to separate up 

a ham that I got on discount at the grocery store. 

 I don't have a meat slicer...just a knife and my not so great slicing skills.

I think we're set for ham for quite a while.

For sandwiches, soup, and omelettes. 

 

This soup is creamy ham and potato.  

I added onions, peppers, carrots and parsley in a bit of butter. 

Then the potatoes and water with some salt and pepper.

At the end I added some flour mixed with sweet buttermilk to thicken it.

Sometimes just puttering about the kitchen is making a lovely cup of tea.

Straightening up a few things or wiping up some stray crumbs. 

One thing I need to get better at is sweeping more through the day.

Do you putter in your kitchen just because? 

What do you like to do/make?

Love and Prayers,

Jennifer