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

Homemaking Mondays: Socks Were Made for Walking

Hello! 
How was your week? 

This week with me it's been nice and varied. 

I finished up a pair of socks for my daughter.  I loved the self-striping yarn 

and they came together easily. 

She really enjoys them and said they're good for walking.

I made some butter since the store was out if it.  

I love that there is the option of making your own when that happens.

I used two litres of cream this time so I have lots of butter to use.

The buttermilk is great in so many things, and even in tea!

I started making another baby blanket this week to. 

I chose these three colours: Flannel, Fern, & Teal.

I'm using a chevron pattern and will post it once I am finished. 

My kids and I went for a cool walk around a little lake by our place.  

The ice was thick enough for us to walk around the edges and we found

 lots of interesting things to see and explore. 

We had fun sliding along on the ice...we don't have snow on the lake yet 

so it's all shiny and slippery.

We found puffball mushrooms...yes we stepped on them. 

Just doing our part to help them propagate. :) 

We have been learning about habitats and how the forest is full of these

incredible relationships between plants and fungi.

Isn't it just astounding how God created everything with such attention to detail! 

It leaves me in awe at how He created everything to work together in just 

the right ways so it all flourishes.

There was a section of another lake that had thinner ice and you could see the 

freshwater prawns flourishing.  

There were also areas of bubbles and pressure ridges where we could see 

the water boatmen bugs coming up for air.

There was a tiny wasp nest and some frozen squirrel footprints in the ice that we saw.

There were scores of dead trees from where the water had flooded the forest. 

It was interesting to see how time and the creatures had changed things.

 In many of the trees you could see the holes from the wood peckers that live around here. 

Many a day you'll hear them out there in the trees. 

Peck Peck Peck 

I found it interesting how the bark was peeling off the trees to.

Then of course one needs a good cup of tea to help relax and warm up.

Thank you so much for dropping by!

Love and Prayers,
Jennifer

Homemaking Mondays: Made for You

 

Hello!  

Don't you just love when there are things that are made just for you? 

That is one of the beauties of handmade things...

they can be tailor made.   

I was able to finish this blanket and then I added a sweet tag on it.

A dear friend of mine gave me a few of these tags and this is the 

first one that I've sewn on.  

They are nice and sturdy and will be good and durable.

Baby blankets often get lots of washing.

My husband bought me this wonderful thoughtful gift. 

It is a fan for our wood cookstove!!! 

It doesn't require electricity and it does work quite well to help 

disperse the heat from the stove to other parts of the room.

It really gets to going when the stove is hot.

I'm so glad that we have this!

As the stove was hot this week we slipped in a sheet of pumpkin seeds to roast.

I learned that if you wash them, boil them for a bit,

and then roast them they turn out much crispier. 

I tried it this year and yup...they are super crispy and delicious.  

They don't last long...too bad that there aren't more in the pumpkins.

Today I also pulled out my spices and mixed up some

Pumpkin Pie Spice. 

I roasted the pumpkin in my crockpot and it's all ready to go into 

a pumpkin pie.  

 I hope to get to that soon.

I like my crockpot for cooking the pumpkin for I can stick it in 

and then walk away for a bit. 

I thought all the spices layered in the jar were pretty...

and then I shook it up.

I also labeled it...very important!!!

Do you ever use odd things in the kitchen as serving bowls?  

I have come to like my pie plates to serve fruit and veggies in when needed. 

It's also kinda fun. 

Today we had peaches and apples with our snack.

Thanks for dropping by to see what I've been up to.  

Praying you have a beautiful day!

Love and Prayers,

Jennifer

Homemaking Mondays: Change of Seasons

Hello! 
Thanks for dropping by!  

Do you love the change of seasons?

We've had a beautiful fall here in the Yukon and it's been so nice to enjoy 

all the lovely frosty plants and flowers.

As well as the frost that covers the trees and trucks and buildings.

Now scraping frost off the windshield isn't my favourite thing to do, it does look beautiful!

 

The ice started to gradually form on the edges of the water and I thought 

maybe it'll freeze nice and smooth to build a skating rink?  

Well, that wasn't meant to be for....

 Then we had a huge blizzard and the deep slush froze across the water. 

We got about 8 inches of snow...which is a lot for us here

in the semi arid boreal forest.

Makes me think of the wonderous works of the Lord Jesus! 

Psalm 147: 16-18

	"He giveth snow like wool: he scattereth the hoarfrost like ashes.
	He casteth forth his ice like morsels: who can stand before his cold?
	He sendeth out his word, and melteth them: he causeth his wind to blow, and the waters flow."

 

I pulled all the winter things out of the closet and then put all the fall things in the closet.

Part of the change of seasons is the outerwear the family needs. 

Do you do this for your family or is it each for themselves?

As we were shovelling we would toss some onto the slush ice...

and it would giggle like jello. 

Made shoveling a bit more fun for the kids.

The start of the winter shoveling times...and I'm so very thankful for my 

strong children to help with it.

The temps were warm and the snow wet...we had quite a time of shoveling our drive close to our home.  Then the Lord provided a wonderful neighour to plow the rest our driveway for us. 

It's a longer driveway that we could never shovel it all by hand.

Now it feels like it's time to sit in my chair by the window and crochet something.  

There is a need for a couple baby blankets to be made so I've started this one.

It's a motif style with a variegated blue by Red Heart called True Blue. 

Just two alternating rows in the pattern but it comes out with such 

an elegant look to it.

Do you like to take the time in the cooler days to sit and crochet or knit?

My chair is in the dinning room and close to the kitchen stove...

so a lovely toasty warm place to be.

The weather isn't quite cold enough to keep all the snow and ice. 

The slush has melted all the fallen snow.

The patterns in the ice as it circles around the brush and trees is so pretty. 

It's been fun to watch little birds skitter about on the fresh ice.

So light they have no worries.

Although we had some swans come back to the lake,

walk around on the ice that was thin farther out and break through a spot

for them to feed and clean up. 

Most of the birds are gone now that were here...we see or hear them occasionally as they 

fly by on their way south.

It's been freezing and melting through the last few days.

As the snow melts off the roof it's sliding over the eves and comes crashing to the ground. 

Something new for us as this is the first place we've lived in that 

has a metal roof.

I never get tired of the view, or the way that the clouds move over the mountains.

The reflections in the melted lake capture the stillness of the moment.

 

Last night I was thinking about what to do for breakfast the next day.

I thought pancakes would be nice....and then thought

buttermilk pancakes would be just the thing.

I didn't have any buttermilk in the fridge so I made some 

with the buttermilk starter that I received free when I got Jill Winger's new cookbook. 

The instructions went with my father who I shared some of the starter with, 

but in the book there were instructions for me to follow. 

Simple...take a quart of milk, add the starter and then wait a few hours.

The pancakes tasted so good with the fresh buttermilk!

I didn't have anything fancy to cover it with.

I just took a piece of an old sheet and a jar ring...worked perfectly.

 

 So how are things going with you during this change of seasons?

I think that each has it's own beauty that the Lord intentionally created.

There is a freshness and excitement to each new change...like another adventure beginning.

We have plans for snowshoe trails and putting up our bird feeders. 

(Which we do after the bears are asleep...and that's not quite yet)

There are some winter birds coming around. 

My daughter made friends with a chickadee and its family group at the last place we lived just a couple kilometers away. It  has discovered that she has moved, but not far away.  

It was fun for her to see it again and I hope it comes to visit her often.

How do things in your home change with the seasons? 

Thanks for dropping by!

Love and Prayers,

Jennifer

My Organized Greenhouse

 

Getting ready for the winter here. 

We all moved the greenhouse to a more stable spot. 

Put some new plastic over the roof so it won't leak anymore.

Then my husband gave me a couple shelf units to help me organize 

all the things that were stashed in there. 

Below I used my water barrel in the back to hold shovels and rakes.

Then I also have another blue barrel with a locking lid.

This is important, for it holds the birdseed and needs to keep 

the squirrels  and mice out.

 

I took the one shelf unit apart and made a longer unit instead of a taller one. 

This holds most of my pots and containers...and some odd things.

The tomato cages, bamboo stakes, and wire hoops in the corner.

 

I used the second tall shelf to put up my frost blankets, watering cans,

hand tools/ working things, and my bird/ bee houses. 

I put my soil up on a bench just to keep it from freezing to the ground. 

So if...I need to move it I can. 

In the top right corner you can see some plastic missing...I found it

in the pile of things and it's now back in place. 

 

It is now a joy to walk in and get what we need instead of wading through the clutter.  

Thanks for dropping by! 

Love and Prayers,

Jennifer