Homemaking Mondays: Gardens and Adventures

Hello! 

This week has been full of harvesting the garden.  

Fall is upon us and the garden is finishing up. 

We have been pulling carrots and a few potatoes

along with most of the rest of our greens aside from the kale. 

It likes the cold and it's growing amazing this year. 

Some of the root veggies are hardening off in the soil for a week or two more.  

Then they'll store better.  

I don't have a lot as my garden wasn't too big but it's 

nice to have some healthy organic food for my family. 

Below I have my mint bed.  

This is the first year that I've planted mint outside and it seems to like it. 

Not sure how it will overwinter 

so I did take a few cuttings and started them indoors.

We have lots of resident squirrels about our place and this one likes to hang out by the front door.  This day our dog chased it up on the side of the house. 

His name is Little Red and he lives in the trees by the garage we think.

There was one day that the rain stopped for a bit and I

took a couple of my kids and we went on a picnic. 

It wasn't far, just across the lake. 

We climbed out into some mud flats by the springs that feed the lake.

It was very wet with little tufts of grass that we hopped around on. 

Up further we had mounts where grew some 

Labrador tea, small evergreens, scrub birch, willows, and blueberry bushes. 

The fall colours are erupting and it's so beautiful! 

There were little pools coming down from the springs in places. 

I liked this section with which looked like little stepping stones in it. 

There were multiple  places where springs came out of the hill and made their way 

down to the water's edge.  Some were running, and other's seeping.

The clouds were beautiful over the mountain.  

That is the shore we explored. 

It may not look like much...

but it held some very interesting little finds. 

There is beauty in every place. 

This week I've been making more jam. 

Making room in the freezer for other things. 

Lessons are going well with the children and it is good 

to have new things to learn. 

We've been scouting the cranberry patches. 

They are low bush cranberries.

Soon...very soon they'll be ready to pick and then there will be a feast of them.

This year they have grown so well. Yum! 

Dehydrating the last of the herbs and flowers. 

There is a lovely stash of tea for this coming winter. 

Below are the ones that I collected myself. 

There are calendula petals, spruce tips, red raspberry leaves,

fireweed leaves, rose petals, yarrow flowers, chamomile flowers, and mint.

I am not drying most of my mint as I like it fresh better. 

I like herbal teas on their own, but sometimes mix them with some 

black (orange pekoe) tea. 

Thank you for dropping by!  

Love and Prayers,

Jennifer

 

Homemaking Mondays: The Joy of New Things

Hello! 

As spring is now upon us in the Yukon it cheers me 

with the joy of new things. 

Inside we've been starting new plants...

and more to be planted this week.

Our local community is planning for a bedding plant market,

and we're going to be starting some more plants for that. 

Above my daughter noticed today that there are little flowers starting

on our tomatoes.

Below we have some sunflowers starting to create flowers as well. 

Puts a smile on my face! 

With the snow starting to melt and the ground starting to show in spots

I feel a joy.  

One that is a promise of new things. 

Soon the pussy willows will start to bloom and 

the grass start to show green shoots amongst the open patches of ground. 

I do love winter... but I'm happy for spring!

With ever spring there is the sense of cleaning that has always 

come to me.  

Not just the washing of the house, but also of the purging. 

Of things that are no longer needful. 

I went through my yarn stash and pulled out some odd things 

that I no longer need or want.  

In the process I found some more cotton yarn. 

Some that had already been started into a washcloth...

and I finished up some. 

Then there is a stack of them that we're working on (the ladies and I)

for when we move.  

Sometimes it takes some planning to 

have the joy of something new. 

Praying you are all well and enjoying some of the 

joys of new things! 

Love and Prayers,

Jennifer

A Delightful Week

Hello Friends!  Today I'd like to share some things with you from my delightful week!  The Lord has been so good to my family and I am so very thankful!

Above is a project that I'm beginning.  It's a baby blanket that I'm making with some very fine soft yarn that I came across.  I'm using the moss stitch and it's super easy and I love the effect it gives the blanket.  With using a small hook (4mm) it is going to take some time but it'll be worth it in the end.

A couple weeks ago the lady that we had been buying eggs from needed to find a new home for her chickens.  No I couldn't give the a home (but would have loved to!).  I was in need of finding someone that I could buy eggs locally from and the Lord provided my next door neighbour!  :)  She has lots of other egg customers but could take us on to!  When we got the eggs I opened them up, and to my delight there were these lovely green eggs in the cartons! How splendid!

Then as spring is coming in the next couple months.  For us in the Yukon the snow starts really melting in April.  Then the grass starts growing in May.  For those of you who love growing things, it helps to start plants to get through the rest of the winter.  So my boys have kicked off the growing things this year with a science project.  A dear friend of ours gave my son a kit with huge test tubes that he can watch the roots growing to! It's really cool and since planting a bit ago, the radish is up and it's inspiring!  He planted a carrot, a radish and then started an green onion from a scrap from the kitchen.  Next is the pot that my son planted lima beans and nasturtium in.  They've been placed in their sunny window in their room.  

Next I need to pull out my shelving and trays to begin my seedlings for the garden.  It is one of the things I really enjoy!  How amazing to see the little plants grow and how wonderful to see the plan of the Lord God in his creation!

So just a few little tidbits of my week. I pray that you are also finding pleasure in the simple things of life!

Sharing with The Art of Homemaking Mondays.

The Promise of New Life

Hello Friends!  Thought I'd take a pic of my hyacinth bulb that is starting to grow.  I just love the new life that springs forth from bulbs. :)  I watch with anticipation for each new development.
It's that way spiritually to.  As I read more of God's Word (KJV) then I find that I am growing along with it.  I'm always excited to see what the Lord has for me and even though much of it challenges me, that's what makes me grow.  To turn from evil and do what is good.  To become more and more like my Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ.  Precious are all the little developments that come.

I have also been making mittens.  These are from a new pattern and I really love it! I made two sets for my boys even though there's a bit of purple in them.  So not totally boyish, but I thought they'd pass.  Then I sewed in some fleece liners to keep them toasty while out playing in the snow.
So Just a couple of thins I've been doing.  It's super warm today as we're having a chinook here in the Yukon.  So the snow is melting and dripping from the trees.  
Have a beautiful day!