January days...

Hello everyone.. 

Welcome to the Blessed Hearth today.. 

For the last while every Monday morning I post pics from the web to help start our week on a note of inspiration.. smile.. 

Today I am just doing a regular post.. 

When I started the blog I said that it would just be about the happenings in our daily lives.. 

Nothing marvellous... Just the ordinary... 

Boring a lot of the times but hopefully it will sometimes touch you in some way... 

So here we go with what we have been doing.. 

A few afternoons last week I sat at the kitchen table and did a bit of crafting.. 

I burnt my new Patchouli candle that our son sent me from out west and played my new CD ... 

I love Gospel music but sometimes I enjoy a bit of something else.. 

Norah Jones was introduced to me by my sweet friend and I really enjoy the two CDs I have of her.. I ordered it from Amazon and I think the name is... Feels like Home.. 

The wind was howling outside and I could see the trees swaying outside the window.. 

It was nice and cozy inside, though..  

This is not finished yet but hopefully this week it will get done.. 

It is an owl bunting.. 

Picture button eyes, embroidered nose and it all sewed together and hung on a rope.. smile.. 

I did get my new 2018 calendar seen to... 

Remember how I love the British Country Living calendars but feel like I don't want to pay so much for one.  So, I just cut out the pics from their magazines and make one of my own.. 

I posted about making it HERE..

Someday they are going to hear about my thrift and send me one.. grin.. 

As you know I love herbs and still grow them through the Winter.. 

I just love seeing them growing on the kitchen window sill and snip a piece of them here and there to use.. 

I have 5 herbs but didn't have matching pots.. 

I use a lot of copper here in the kitchen.. I found these hard plastic pots at the dollar store and Terry is going to spray them with copper paint this week, I hope.. 

Then I will replant them all... 

What are some things you do for projects through the Winter months? 

And of course I read... 

Everyday.. 

All different types of literature.. 

These came from Amazon along with my CD.. 

I hope to do a couple of the projects in the Homesteading book and Forsaking All Others is a second book in a series .. 

I loved the first one and found it so interesting.. I could not find the second at the store so ordered it on line.. 

And the other is A Lantern in Her Hand and is an old book but a lovely one.. 

What are you all reading?  

I love cookbooks, too and find them almost as fascinating as anything else.. 

We took a drive out to the farm on the rainy day as we thought we could get down the lane... 

The snow was almost gone and we got right up to the door.. 

I dug around in the cookbooks and brought home one on Wood Stove cooking.. 

We don't have a wood stove here but still great recipes.. 

We do have a wood furnace, though.. 

That night it just poured rain so when we got up Saturday morning we decided to go for a drive and see a bit of the flooding..

We bought our coffee first, of course.. smile..

This is the Petitcodiac River. 

Crazy, eh?  

It has flooded all over New Brunswick and then last night there was a flash freeze.. 

Normally, we would call this a January thaw as there is not a speck of snow left and it was so mild for a day but the damage it caused is a shame.. 

We are on high ground here and not near any body of water so we were fine.. 

Praying for all those people who had to leave their homes... 

Every winter I grow sprouts as you probably remember.. 

I think I post the same stuff every year.. 

Sorry... 

But the sandwich is new.. grin.. 

Naan bread for sandwiches.. 

This one has Arugula,  Onion Sprouts, a slice of ham, shaved cucumbers and Aioli 

I love the Naan bread in the sandwich size.. 

Do you like Aioli?  

We love it and use it often on sandwiches.. 

Even Terry likes this ... 

Here is the recipe.. 

Aioli 

2 garlic cloves, pressed 

1/4 tsp. kosher salt.

1/2 cup of mayonnaise

2 T. olive oil or Canola

1 T. fresh lemon juice

freshly ground pepper

Mash garlic and salt in a small bowl until a paste forms. Whisk in mayo, oil, lemon juice and pepper.. 

Cover and chill.. 

 alemon juice. Season with salt and peppe

I also brought this little copper lamp from the farm and put it on my kitchen hutch.. 

I find lamp light so cozy these long evenings so I am digging a few out and placing them here and there.. 

As I was taking a pic of my books I noticed this sitting on the table.. 

It is hard to tell what it is from the pic but there is a little story here that I will tell you.. (excuse my sentimental mind) smile.. 

Anyway... 

About three years ago on Mother's Day our youngest son came to visit us.. 

He gave me a card and asked his Dad where the hammer was.. 

Then he went outside for a bit while I was cooking his favourite fried rice.. 

Later when he hugged me good bye he said I would find my Mother's Day gift later.. 

I just smiled and wondered what he meant.. 

Later on I went into our room and I heard a wind chime jangle.. 

Looking outside of our bedroom window I saw a hook with a wind chime hanging from it..  

He had hung it there for me to listen to when I am in bed.. 

How sweet is that, eh? 

I am a bit weird in that I do not like music chimes like everyone else but the clunky sound kind of ones.. 

It was perfect and every time I would go to our room and hear it I would smile .. 

Sometimes if I can't sleep I will ask the Lord if he would please send a little wind from his storehouse and then when I hear a little jangle I know He heard me...

No joke.. grin.. 

I know I am weird... 

Anyway..  

This is it's third winter ... 

I mentioned to Terry the other day that I thought it might be broke or the wind took it.. 

That afternoon it was storming and I heard him go outside.. 

Then when he came in I heard a little bit of a jingle.. 

The dear man had gone out and brought what was left of it in.. 

Remember that it is the little things!! Right?  

Anyway, we have unwound it and hopefully can add a few bits and get it working again.. 

With Dustin away now it makes it a bit more precious.. 

Yes, I am one of those sentimental old fools.. grin.. 

Today we went to church and enjoyed the presence of the Lord in worship.. 

God is so faithful! 

Thank you so much for dropping by.. 

Loved having you and look forward to hearing from you either here or on Face Book.. 

God bless you all..