Monday 19 September 2022

Homemaking Mondays: Preserving and Keeping our Home


Hello! 
It's been a really nice day 
of preserving food for winter here. 
The fall colours are all a glow and the ducks are 
starting to congregate on our lake in larger numbers. 

One other getting ready for winter activity 
that our family did this past week 
was to join our community centre in some tasks. 
There were door prizes this year for people that came out
and our family won a mix for chocolate chip cookies
from a local company. 
I don't buy mixes, but this one was a real treat!
It was made with barley flour.

As the days are growing darker I have decided
to take on a habit that I've seen others do.
Lighting a candle in the dark of the morning as 
I prepare for the day.
It really is a gentle comfort 
that is added to the kitchen.


I had found this pottery at the free store
and bought a nice small pillar candle that 
fits in it perfectly. 
I got an unscented candle as I didn't want anything
mixing with the smells of what I was cooking.


This week we also picked all of our carrots.
Well what was left after snitching for the past month. 
Most were very small I realize
but that doesn't stem our excitement
as they taste so much better then what the store provides.
The flavour of food keeps me gardening.
Each year I try new things and I'm always learning.
These will stay in the fridge until they're eaten.


One thing I did for decorating in the home recently 
was this basket that is hanging in the bathroom. 
There has been this empty space for the past couple years
that has been needing something. 
I wanted something practical and pretty.
At a garage sale this summer I found this lovely basket
and it hung there empty for a bit. 
Then I started adding soaps to it for it's usefulness.
Then came some silk flowers...yes something I don't usually go for
but in truth I've not been able to keep plants alive in the bathroom.
Then came the doily
and finally some eucalyptus that I dried.
So a bit old fashioned in style...but it suits the space 
and the peach roses compliment the roses 
that are on the shower curtain. 


I do love flowers and the geraniums on the heater
are in all their glory this fall.
It seems as soon as some flower heads fade
that new ones spring up to take their place.
For me it's special to have these plants as they are 
all taken from slips that my dear friend now gone had given me.


Today was a busy day of canning. 
It was actually our homeschool activity.
The boys helped me peel, chop, and fill jars.
We talked about the math of how many pounds of 
potatoes it takes to fill just a single jar. 
We talked about preservation and the blessing 
of having extra food to set aside for those times 
when it's not as plenty. 
Even if they never in their adult lives use this skill 
I want them to know the value of it.
The next step will be to use the canned 
potatoes in a recipe.


There is just some kale left in the garden and a few 
springs of broccoli.
Then the garden will be put to bed.
We will add compost to the top of the garden space 
to help protect the microbes and to
add fertilizer to the soil for the next season.

This week I made some 
and it was delicious!
It was a great way to use up 
some of those little bitty leaves
that are left at this time of year.
A new recipe to store away 
in my homemaking binder.

Time to start turning to other things 
to occupy our time. 
More exploring and last of the season canoeing.
It's fun to see the birds that come to our little lake 
preparing to head south. 
There are those two otters that we saw 
while cranberry picking 
that swim by as well.

Thank you so much for dropping by 
to visit me! 
Praying you have a beautiful day 
keeping your home! 

Love and Prayers,
Jennifer

3 comments:

Sister in the Mid-west said...

The silk flowers in your basket walk hanging look really pretty. They are surprisingly realistic in the picture.
I really like the candle light in the morning idea. I will try that when our mornings are dark here.

June Pettit said...

Nice posting Jennifer. I like the candle in the morning idea too. I loved your recreation of a photo last week also. You are very creative.

Sunshine Country said...

Your post reminded me that I had some carrots out in my garden that I had forgotten about! I went out and pulled some of those today. I was glad for the reminder. :)

I agree with the others who have commented - I like the candle idea too. I immediately thought when I read that, that I should make better use of some of my candles - I don't light them often.

I am interested in trying that sausage kale soup recipe. I have some kale that could be out to good use out in our garden. Thank you for all the thoughts you shared in this post!