Monday 31 July 2023

Homemaking Mondays: Spread Your Wings

 


Hello!
I hope you are enjoying your day.
It's another lovely summer day here
beginning cool and warming to uncomfortable temps.
It's nothing like the southern people get
but the heat is not our usual so we feel out of place
and often hide in the shade. 

Things are changing like the seasons in our home.
Another season in our home is beginning as our daughters
step out on their own.
It's a beautiful time
as we watch them take the lessons learned at home
and apply them to theirs.
There will be flowers in their garden
and homemade items in their kitchen.
Above all the Lord will be the one building their home.

The snapdragons we planted by seed 
in the end of winter indoors have begun to bloom.
They are a lovely late summer flower that
continues into the cool of early winter.
It lives through some tough frosts 
and adds come colour to the yard as the other 
flowers have faded.


I found this delightful little hand basket 
at the free store.
What would you use it for?
Yarn, books, or shopping the farmer's market?


I'm still enjoying bacon for breakfast. 
I saw that if you twist up your bacon 
to bake in the oven you can get a lot more on the pan.
Yup...works and it's fun to eat to. 


The clouds have been just glorious
as of late.
The Lord has been sending rain to our part of the world.
I could sit and watch these clouds for hours.
One thing I love about the mountains 
when you get higher up you can see for miles.
The expanse of the heaven stretching out before you.


One of my fun garden experiments this year
was growing sunrise bumble bee tomatoes.
They are very fun and delicious!


The delphiniums are blooming
but are also starting to wane
just as the fireweed....and that is an indication
that fall is not too far off.
With August up here comes the first frosts
and the burst of fall colour creeping in.
I do love fall
so that is not disappointing to me.


For me I struggle to enjoy change.
As all things change
our families,
our flowers,
our homes,
one thing stays the same.
The Lord's presence in our lives.
In Him I find that stability and comfort.
Even when change is good and beneficial,
I hold to those memories of sameness.
Treasured memories of those things I love.

Thanks for dropping by!
Love and Prayers,
Jennifer

Monday 17 July 2023

Homemaking Mondays: Time to Fly the Nest

 


Hello!
How are your July days going?
Here we are preparing to move 
with all that goes with it. 
My girls are preparing to fly the nest as well
and have been preparing along with us.
It is a bitter sweet time.
I will greatly miss them being home
but I'm so happy and excited for them
as they go and prepare a home for themselves.
It is a pleasure to watch them prepare
as I see and hear of all the things
they are considering.
They have been listening and learning
about homemaking as they grew up.
Now they can put all of that into practice
in their own home.
Above is a few of the things I put 
together to help them in their home.


We've been having some darker cooler days
with some much needed rain.
Sometimes a candle just needs to be lit 
to help dispel the drab darkness of those days.

The garden has been giving lots of beautiful
greens and veggies for the family.


This week I had the pleasure of helping a friend
decorate a wedding cake with some fresh flowers.
It was so lovely and I heard they enjoyed it.


So this past week has been filled with sorting and packing.
Re-homing items no longer needed 
and boxing up those things we want to keep. 
We have a few weeks left before we must be moved
but it's good to be prepared.

The community market we attend
has begun again and we have a table there. 
I love going as it's so much more then just selling some things.
It's a time to enjoy each other's company in the community.

Thanks for dropping by! 
Love and Prayers,
Jennifer

Monday 10 July 2023

Homemaking Mondays: Summer Flowers and Time To Breath


Hello!
I love summer for the flowers.
Flowers to make you smile, to pick for tea, 
& to pick for vases through the house.

This week the roses were on the end 
so I picked a bunch to dry the petals for tea.
Then the calendula is coming
into full bloom and so I'm snitching blossoms
to dry the petals for tea.
The chamomile is still going strong as well.
I am so blessed to have been given this little
dehydrator that I sit on a stool outside.


Up next to the house I have some flowers and mint growing.
It is growing well and I'm keeping it trimmed down 
as I'm using quite a bit lately.


As the wild lupins and roses are coming to an end 
for the season
it's time for the next round of wildflowers.
Bedstraw...smells so good and it keeps for a long time
in a vase in the house.
The gentle aroma filling the cool of the house in the evening.


As we trek back and forth to the greenhouse to water
there is this special space waiting partway.
The hammock is so inviting on hot days 
as the shade from the evergreens invites us
to sit awhile and breathe
and enjoy the clear blue of the sky
through the branches.
Little breaks through the day are so important.


The mint is used for tea
and also to make mint water that is cold in the fridge.
I've put a few little shoots in some water to root
because well....can you have too much mint?
Don't answer that if you live in a warm climate! 
Here in the Yukon it'll never become invasive.


The final radishes are coming out of the garden
as the heat is sending them bolting.
The zucchini is starting to come out of the greenhouse
and that is nice to add to the menu.
Then of course....more mint. 


Thanks for dropping by! 

Love and Prayers,
Jennifer

Monday 3 July 2023

Homemaking Mondays: Summer Foods and Flowers

 


Hello! 
Summer is upon us now and with it brings 
so much beauty and delicious treats.
Yesterday I picked our very first ripe strawberry 
from the greenhouse.
The chamomile and lemon balm are growing nicely.
I've started picking them for tea.
Do you have a tea garden?
This is one thing I really enjoy.
I don't have a lot of variety but each year I plant
chamomile, calendula, mint, & lemon balm.
Then there are the wonderful local tea items that can be foraged
like spruce tips, rose petals, rose hips, coltsfoot, yarrow, & horsetail.
There are more but those are the ones I usually go for.

With the lovely days I long to have meals outside.
I do love picnics, but just even taking our food out to the picnic table
is something I enjoy very much.
This year the bugs haven't been bad so it makes it even more pleasant. 
Do you have a place to eat outside in your yard...or a favourite
place to go to enjoy your summer meals?


As the garden is growing 
the calendula are erupting in blooms.
Right now the bright orange is close the bright
pink of the wild roses and it's beautiful 
to see from the kitchen window.


The chamomile brings it's cheerful little blossoms
to cheer the garden and the little bees.


With the flowers in full bloom 
I like to take my little basket out to collect
what I can find to harvest.


Right now I am enjoying adding 
roses to my grandmother's rose bowl.
They float in a little bit of water
and the beautiful scent of the roses
floats out and freshens the space about it.


This week I tried something new in the kitchen.
I've been wanting to do this for a long time 
but I've just not gotten around to doing it.
So...I made some mayo! 
Yes, it's super easy and this version is carnivore diet
compliant as I made it with melted butter instead of a plant oil.
It needed to sit for awhile before it thickened, 
but wow! It's so good!
Creamy and full of flavour 
so devilled eggs were on the menu.


I dehydrated some apples and strawberries.
At first I was going to save them for tea....but well,
the kids seemed to enjoy them so much 
it's all gone so I shall make more. 


I've been making bacon and eggs for breakfast.
I saw someone who doubled up the bacon on the pan
when cooking it in the oven and thought
I need to try that. 
I can now make so much more at the same time
and if I pour the bacon fat off partway
through the cook time it crisps up much nicer.
I'm going to be trying to cook up big batches 
that can just be stashed in the fridge for snacks
or when we go out and can't cook. 


This past weekend my children went camping all together.
It was so much fun for them and then for my husband and I it was
the first time since before we had kids we were home alone.
So it was really nice all around.


As the kids grow up and are off on their own more
it's a new time for my husband and I to re-connect 
in a new way. Another chapter in our marriage.

Thanks for dropping by!

Love and Prayers,
Jennifer