Homemaking Mondays: Summer is Bringing Blessings

 

Hello! 
Summer here has been quite lovely with some sunshine

and some rain to help things grow and 

avert the dangerous fire season. 

There are flowers bursting forth all over the landscape. 

The pollen has been easing some and we are breathing easier.

The new gutter on the greenhouse has been helping a lot

in keeping the greenhouse watered 

without too many trips to the lake. 

The greenhouse is really coming to life in the last week. 

There are some flowers on the squash. 

Plus the wild roses that I didn't cut down are starting to bloom. 

Then yesterday I picked our very first tomatoes! 

Oh did they taste amazing and I had a line up of kids to get one. 

We've been harvesting some of our first herbs as well 

and they are wonderful to add to our meals

or just snack on whilst out in the yard. 

Below the chives and parsley made it into a pork chop dish.

Along with the herbs by the front steps I have 

some lovely pansies that are blooming.  

I have to remind myself that it's still June and things take time.

Out in the forest God has created carpets of beautiful flowers.

Here close to the greenhouse we have 

beautiful lupin blooming.

The roses in the greenhouse greet us with their gentle scent

as we open the door in the morning.

This week we had a bit of excitement with one of the young squirrels. 

It had come up close to the feeder to look for seeds that had fallen. 

It can't make it into the feeder like it's mother. 

Our dog found it and chased it into this little birdhouse below.  

I noticed our dog Sophie sniffing around the house and thought

I should investigate.  

I peeked in to see the little squirrel staring back at me with huge eyes.

I picked up the house and moved it to the spot below close to the building 

it lives in with it's mother.  

Poor thing took about an hour to come out and run home. 

At first I thought perhaps it was injured but no...just terrified! 

I saw it out running about today so all is fine. 

Funny thing that I had pulled this birdhouse out of the shed and set 

it down by the house to remind myself to paint it. 

Never thinking that it would become a refuge for a little squirrel.

I put it back so if needs be it can be used again as a safe house. 

I have been baking some sourdough bread this week. 

I really like the recipe from Farmhouse on Boone. 

I slathered this loaf with butter as I'd let it get a bit too 

crispy in the oven. Yeah...I am easily distracted. 

Along with doing more prep for the market next week.  

I canned some banana jam and more relish. 

It is nice that the market is just every two weeks so it gives lots 

of time to prepare. 
Next I need to make some bumbleberry jam. 

I have also finished the baby blanket I was making. 

Just sewing in the ends and it's ready to go to it's new home.

My boys are done with their school lessons at this point. 

I have some summer projects in the planning but they are enjoying

a break from book work. 

Our riding on bikes and enjoying time in the woods.

I pray that your week is a blessed and productive one. 

Love and Prayers,

Jennifer

Homemaking Mondays: The Work Of Your Hands

 

Hello! 
It's a drizzly day out and a good day 

to think on the past week.

Little bits of pleasant things 

smattered through out days. 

Last week my sons and I enjoyed a quick lunch outdoors.

We took a break from our gardening work

and eat at the picnic table. 

I have this wonderful wooden tray 

that I put some food on to carry outside. 

It's been quite nice weather up until the last couple days.

Now it's been raining...which we do need.

I just wish it interspersed with sunshine so I can work outside.

So indoors my thought turn on rainy days.

I found this candle at the free store and as I looked around

I also spotted this cute little bowl all on it's own. 

It's got a stamp on the bottom that says

Cream Petal from Grindley England.

I thought they went together nicely and so I have another

cute candle piece to put in the house.

There are some larger wildlife that is emerging to where

we see them more. 

The bears have come to the roadsides to enjoy

the fresh spring dandelions.

Below is one of the bears we saw this week 

the other was a momma grizzly and her two cubs.

Under the row covers at home we  have some 

wonderful things growing for us to eat.

This coming week the community market begins again.

We'll be there selling jam and other odds and ends.

It is one of my favourite events. 

Great place to buy local food and also to enjoy

the local conversations with friends new and old.

With the rainy days it's getting me working on

my crocheting projects more. 

I always have more in my head then gets through my fingers.

The geraniums in the kitchen are still giving us

lovely blooms to enjoy. 
The herbs are getting big enough to snitch from

and that is a real treat.

I have peppermint floating in my water bottle right now.

Another treat is what my husband brought me home

from a garage sale this week. 

He finds some of the best things! 

I've been wanting a matching dish set.

He found this white dish set for just $10! 

There are 11 cups with the set..I'll never need them all

so they are tucked away but still accessible 

if something comes up.

In our home we all have our own mugs that we love.

SO these would be just for company.

I love them as they have

 a wonderful classic look and will go

with anything we use or table cloth we have.

Colossians 3:23-24

"And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;     Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance:  for ye serve the Lord Christ." 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 "And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;     That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing." ~Thank you for dropping by!  Love and Prayers, Jennifer

Homemaking Mondays: I've Been Outdoors

 

Hello! 
I've been outside quite a bit lately.

The warmer weather and gardening is beaconing me

to the outdoors. 

I've been doing some small hikes with my daughter 

around the lake. 

It's so nice and if we go early enough the 

mosquitos are still asleep. 

There is often no real wind and the lake is 

smooth as glass!

We've done a bit of wading and my kids in the afternoons

have gone swimming some. 

We are finishing up lessons for the year in the next little bit.

The boys will be happy to have more free time.

Some places on the trail are

a bit of a challenge to traverse.

Makes for an adventure at times. 

We find lots of these little rock treasures 

along the trail. 

Along with lots of spider webs.

I think I should have collected enough

web to create a sweater! Ha! 

The birds are so pretty in the morning

singing away and fluttering about in the trees overhead. 

I made a delicious streusel for the first time.

The dough was actually really easy to make 

then I filled it with apples, hascaps, and cream cheese.

My boys went to a glass blowing workshop

and made this cool bird and paperweight. 

Then my older son bought me this cute paperweight. 

In the garden I've been busy. 

I've not taken any pictures of the progress yet.
In the greenhouse the tomatoes, cucumbers, and squash are 

in their permanent pots. 

I planted beans both in pots and in the ground.  

This year I'm trying pole beans in the greenhouse for the first time.

There are peas in the greenhouse and strawberries to. 

Things are starting to flower and it is a very cheerful sight 

when I open up the door. 

In the garden things are starting to grow nicely.

The greens are up and thus far

the squirrel hasn't eaten all of my peas.

I am keeping my two raised beds covered with row covers.

That is giving them a bit of a boost.

Soon I'll have to uncover the one side so the

garlic and chives can have some more space as they are getting tall.

We were gifted some more delphiniums and a lilac tree.

Those are planted out near the house now. 

We had our first thunderstorm of the season and it was 

very welcome!  It helped to clear the air of some of the pollen

we've been struggling with.  Just brushing up against the

evergreens sends showers of pollen into the air. 

I still have raking to do in some parts of the yard. 

Very thankful to now have all garden things planted.

Now to wait until we can eat something. :) 

I hope you are having a wonderful day! 

Love and Prayers,

Jennifer

Homemaking Mondays: Crocus and Gardening Experiments

 

Hello! 
It is a lovely spring day here again. 

No sunshine today but things are starting to sprout more. 

The trees are starting to bud and the crocus are out.

Just this week they have begun to emerge and 

they are just gorgeous!

I do love the feathered stems and how they cradle that

lovely yellow centre from the cold each night.

The Lord is awakening the sleeping plants now.

Inside there are sunflowers blooming in the windowsills.

Their cheerful colour brings smiles to our faces each day.

This year I'm trying another experiment in the garden.

I've been seeing in gardening blogs and pictures for a few years

how people use these old rain gutters.

So....I have been wanting to try it. 

I was gifted with a bunch of old gutters from a friend.

So...this year is the year to try it out. 

I have taken these smaller ones and screwed them up to 

the side of the greenhouse wall. 

They have strawberries in them and will have some pansies soon.

I also thought of herbs...but don't know what might

compliment strawberries?

Then I have also planted a couple nice long pieces with peas.

These peas are the shelling kind as the snap peas are planted in the 

outside garden.  

I'm going to grow them in the gutters until I have the soil 

under them prepared to slide them into. 

It will buy me some good time. 

The mice have already discovered the peas so I had to put them up on top

of the rain barrels in the greenhouse for now.  

Soon I'll have a bench in there to deter the mice.  

I don't mind sharing some but they seem to take more then their share 

if left unchecked. 

A new addition to the perennial bed is this cute dwarf columbine.

I purchased it from a local lady at our bedding plant sale

that was held at our community centre.

It's so cute and I've never had one like it before. 

My daughter also from the same lady 

bought this cute little larch tree. 

It is one of her favourite kinds of trees. 

It will be interesting to see where it finds a new home

in this yard of ours.

Spring is a season for new things. 

It will be interesting to see how things progress. 

There are already little seedlings pushing through the soil.

I look forward to the first tastes from the garden.

Praying you have a beautiful day! 

Love and Prayers,

Jennifer

Homemaking Mondays: Things Are Changing

 

Hello! 
It's a cool rainy day again here today. 

It seems we get a sunny warm day and then 

a couple cloudy rainy ones.

My daughter had bought me these lovely pansies above.

So I planted them into some tins I've been collecting.

A cheerful space above the kitchen sink.

Things here are changing more and more.

The rain is helping melt the rest of the snow.  

Yes....we can still have snowball fights in the yard 

in the middle of May! Yup...unseasonable for sure.

There are large open patches of ground now.

The garden beds that are raised are all thawed out now.

Below my roseroot perennial is up

along with some delphiniums and fireweed. 

They're just tiny but the signs of life are encouraging. 

Inside the sunflowers are bursting into bloom.

Their cheerful faces can be seen inside and outside.

We have 13 of them in the house. 

Once it's warm enough out they will go out to the flower beds. 

More homemade cheese buns. 

They are so good on cool days.

I also bought some herb starters.

The ones I started haven't done well so I 

went to my favourite local garden centre for some. 

Rosemary, peppermint, summer savoury, & lemon thyme. 

I potted them up in little pots for the window space.

Of course they will share with the existing window plants.

It makes for a crowded counter space...but I kinda like it that way.

One thing new I tried this week was overnight oats.

I've been thinking about it for a long time....and finally did it.

I have to say I really like them! 

This recipe was milk, yogurt, thick oats, chia seeds, & maple syrup.

I topped it with strawberries in the morning and yum! 

I was the only one that would eat it in the morning so I'm glad 

that I can just make it in a mason jar for me. 

Yesterday I took my morning tea outside 

to see about the greenhouse.

It was a black/peppermint mix this time.

I do love my black tea with cream and sugar/honey.

Here is my greenhouse! 

This past weekend I had a lovely couple from our community

come and help us put a new roof on it. 

It was an interesting project and didn't cost us a penny. 

We used the broken boards...piecing them together.

Then we cut down some trees - we have lots!

We had saved all the nails from the boards....pounded them straight 

and used them to nail the structure back into place. 

We had a couple new 2x4's and a couple spikes in the toolbox for the trees.

Then the next day a couple of my children helped me 

put up the plastic to cover the roof and voila!  

It's ready for planting!!!!

I'm going to get started on my rain gutter pea project. 

Then get some other little starters going.

Too cold at night to put out the plants from the house though.

Need to haul some water for the rain barrels. 

Well I also have a plan to attach a rain gutter to the greenhouse

to collect rain water.  

Too bad I didn't have time to do that yesterday as today 

it is pouring rain.  

I do have a feeling there will be plenty of rain this year.

Thank you for dropping by! 

I hope if you are gardening this year 

that it's going well for you.

The changing of the seasons is lovely

and at times we just need to step back from the 

everyday hopes of warmth

to just enjoy the details it brings.

Yesterday I meandered through the trees. 

Taking in the new smells

listening to the new raucous of bird calls

watching the squirrels dashing about

hearing the wind in the trees. 

I do love the trees! 

Their smells change in the spring.

The evergreens seem more pungent and fresh

while the aspens are still awaiting buds.

I did bring some broken may tree branches in the house.

They are starting to grow leaves.

I thought that would be better then just leaving them outside to die. 

I've never done that before...so we shall see how long they last.

I do hope they might root and I can grow them out again.

Praying you have a beautiful day! 
Love and Prayers,

Jennifer

Homemaking Mondays: The Things That Make Us Smile

 

Hello! 
It's a fine spring day here.

The sun is shining and the snow is melting.

The wind is blowing and the wind chimes are 

giving us their beautiful music.

The warmth is slow in coming to the north this year

although the tendrils are starting to reach 

our further and further.

Yesterday I enjoyed some tea out in the yard 

up against the house in the sunshine. 

It was so warm I could even take my shoes off 

and feel the sun on my feet. 

One reason for tea trays is to be able to 

have tea in various places. 

Sometimes I just take a cup with me outside,

but I love how I have the option to have more 

then just one cup.

My family isn't big on observing days.

Although my sweet family did give me some 

lovely gifts this past weekend. 

I've been inspired to use cloth napkins more 

by Jes over at Strangers & Pilgrims on Earth. 

Then a scented candle in a tea cup...what could be so 

delicate and sweet as that? 

I also was given a beautiful new shirt that I'm wearing today.

Lastly a gift card from all my men to go to a my 

favourite garden centre. 

It is always wonderful to be able to stroll through 

the garden centres and find items you couldn't grow yourself. 

There is a new flower on our hydrangea and it's beautiful! 

It was a blue plant when we first got it but

I'm sure with the different water and such that it will

continue to have blossoms of different colours.

All beautiful and special!

Another flower gracing our home this week is the tomato flower.

It always excites me to see them emerging.

Looking forward to the tasty sweet tomatoes that will come.

Another sweet in our home this week are these chocolate

Rice Krispie treats.  

I just melted a few bags of the Hershey mini-kisses 

from the baking isle and then mixed in

some Rice Krispie cereal. 

It all took just a few minutes and after sitting in the 

fridge to cool, we cut into it. 

Having a cup of tea in the sun.

Listening to the birds and the windchimes.

Feeling the ground under my feet.

Just enjoying the beautiful day that the Lord has given.

I of course had some company. 

Our dog just loves it outside and will 

often be found laying out in the warmest part 

of the yard she can find. 

It is so easy to get stuck into the mentality of only going outside 

when there is something to be done. 

It is a special thing to just go out and breathe.

Just listen and observe.

Praying you have a blessed day!

Thank you for dropping by.

Love and Prayers,

Jennifer

Homemaking Mondays: Awkward Spots

Hello! 
It's a beautiful spring morning here 

and there is some sunshine and lots of gusting winds. 

The birds are singing their cheerful tunes 

and the squirrels are running about all over searching

through the spots of ground that are showing under the trees. 

Today I wanted to share with you an awkward spot in my home. 

There is a place where there used to be a stove and so the 

built up area is still there.  

What to do with that space as you can't really put much there.

I've wondered about what to do with that space for some time. 

We can't put a stove there anymore 

so there is a cabinet where my daughter keeps her

leopard gecko mealworm farm and other supplies out of the way.

Then there is a small table added with a basket of blankets 

so they are easy to grab when one needs a bit more warmth.  
I just re-arranged some pictures and plants for the space and it seems

to be much better.  
Do you have a place in your home that kinda 

muddles you with it's awkwardness?

The geraniums in the window are starting to bloom more 

and it's lovely to see their cheerful colours.  

They will go out into the garden once it's warm enough. 

Though as you can see in the picture we still

have a lot of snow to melt away before that will be happening. 

With the cheerful spring feeling

I've been having more tea times.

I often just grab a quick cup of tea as I do things 

about the house.

Although making a small pot of tea helps

to make me sit down and enjoy it more.

I have a small camping table that is easy to set up and gives

me a place to set my tea tray.

My boys have been enjoying this new kit 

that we've gotten for homeschool.

It's helping them as they study electricity. 

It's a great kit that has lots of different components 

that are re-usable as they just click into the 

circuit boards. If they were soldered then it would 

just be a one time activity.  

Come summer we'll do some soldering outside.

It has a dreadful smell so best done outdoors if possible.

I've made a couple of cheesecakes this week for birthdays.

For some reason I've never been able to get the cakes 

not to crack.  Good thing that they are still delicious regardless. 

This week I also made up a big batch of bone broth.  

I love it when it's all nicely gelled. 

It's good to add to soup and rice. 

I know some people who just drink it straight 

but that is not for me. 

I do hope you are enjoying a beautiful day! 

Sometimes it's beautiful in the sunshine or in the fresh rain.

Each day is such a lovely gift from the Lord Jesus. 

Love and Prayers,

Jennifer