A Friday Night Post..

Happy Friday Evening to you all.. 

Another rainy day here in New Brunswick and warm.. 

We have been having glorious weather on the East coast of Canada.. 

Someone said it was 20 degrees Celsius today.. 

I had hung a few things on the line early this morning as it was so windy.. They didn't dry really but I took them off before the rain started.. 

Falls like this one are such a blessing because the snow will come I am sure.. 

Right now the rain is pouring and hitting the windows.. 

My husband and two sons are out there hunting.. 

They will be wet by the time they get home.. smile.. 

There is usually a pot of soup on the go here once again.. 

Soup season for this soup junkie.. 

Enjoying the Vegetarian Magazines I picked up at a yard sale a few weeks ago.. 

Dustin always called me an almost vegetarian.. 

grin.. 

Last weekend we woke on Saturday morning and Terry suggested we take a little trip to Bangor.. 

Of course, I was up for that so it didn't take us long to get going.. 

We drove down the back way to Sussex and we noticed this fog bank.. 

So beautiful with the farm silos in the distance..

We had a good time but I am so disappointed!  

One of the things I love to do when we go to Bangor or even around here shopping has been going to the Thrift and Antique stores.. eh?  

Well.. 

Since we sold our cottages and brought home so much stuff I don't even want to go in to the stores and all I bought were a few books.. 

Oh and the dearest little petit point needleworked change purse.. 

Black with wee roses and only four dollars.. 

I should have taken a pic.. sorry.. 

But I did enjoy visiting this shop so much.. 

We always stay in Brewer and this is on Main, I believe.. 

It is a hippie- want- to- be's idea of a great grocery store.. 

There are organic everything to start with.. 

An organic coffee bar and such.. 

Homemade Laundry soaps that you turn on a tap and fill glass bottles and buy it that way.. Homemade stain remover soap sticks. 

An old laundry tub is part of the decor.. 

Then there is an area with fermenting supplies... 

Dried veggies and fruits.. Homemade soap, candles, soy tarts and toiletries and so on and so on.. 

Dear Terry just waits in the car.. 

Not really his cup of tea.. I had fun, though.. 

Anyway we had a lovely meal and an early night.. 

The wind was blowing.. smile.. 

Then the next day we took our time coming home.. 

A ship was in at the St. John harbour.. 

Home again.. 

Monday I had a big bowl of ripe tomatoes to do up.. 

I really am getting tired of preserving stuff.. 

Pico de Gallo and Spaghetti Sauce... 

More of Carman's Soup Flavouring preserved.. 

Parsley Root is still out at the farm growing.. 

This is the first time we have planted it and though we were late getting it in I have still enough to use..

It looks like parsnips and tastes like parsley.. 

I did buy a couple of new kitchen tools.. 

Mine were old and took a lot of space.. 

These were on sale and really quite small but efficient.. 

Then yesterday our youngest son and I had a town day together.. 

We had a good time.. 

Shopping and out for lunch... 

Reading this you would think that I love to shop.. 

I don't usually... smile.. 

We visited one of my fave markets and bought a big bag of apples to make our favourite apple sauce.. 

For you new followers of the blog here is the recipe.. 

I use either apples or pears.. 

Roasted Pear Sauce

enough pears to fill a large baking pan w/ a lid (I used about a dozen) I like anjou

2 cinnamon sticks

2 vanilla beans, cut in half

4 whole anise

2 large slices of candied ginger or fresh ginger, cut into wide strips

½ cup sugar (I use coconut sugar), see notes

1 cup water

Pre-heat oven 250°F

Do not peel or core the pears. I cut pears into 1/4, leaving seeds, skin and all. I only remove the stem. Fill pan two thirds of the way and tuck whole spices in/around the pears. Then top with more pears. As many that will fin in your baking pan. Sprinkle sugar on top and then water. Cover with a heavy lid or foil. Roast one hour. Pull the pan put of the oven.Let the pears sit, covered for one hour.

Strain pears into a large bowl. Set the juice aside for caramel pear sauce. Remove all the whole spices except the candied ginger ad one vanilla bean for the caramel sauce. The ginger gets soft and mushy like the pears, so it can be run through the food mill. Process the pears through a food mill. I fill glass canning jars with a 2" header at the top (so when the sauce expands while it freezes, you have room and the jar will not break). Store jars in freezer. Since the sauce has almost no sugar, I am not sure if it would can well.

Caramel Pear Sauce

usally makes about 1/2 cup

juice from the pear sauce

vanilla bean from the pear sauce, cut open and scrap out the inside, add that to the pear juice. Discard the pod.

1-2 TBL butter

Set juice in a heavy sauce pan. Boil juice over high heat until it reduces by two thirds. Keep an eye on it. The sauce should be thicker and look for it to start smelling caramelly. Pull off heat and add 1 TBL of butter. If you want the sauce more buttery, add another TBL. Fill one or two small jars. Store in the refrigerator or freezer. Warm sauce berfore serving.

Here is the link, too.. 

HERE..

Meanwhile, here at home again things are getting back to normal.. 

I have most of my plants back from the farm and a few more things.. 

My sewing machine and salve making supplies and it will be done for another year.. 

A bit late due to the selling of the cottage and shop but we are home.. 

And I am so happy to be here.. 

I hope you have a great weekend.. 

We are having a family supper tomorrow night in Sussex so am looking forward to that.. 

Family.. 

One of God's greatest blessings.. 

He thought it was so important it was His priority in His creation.. 

Thank you, Lord.. 

God bless, dear hearts.. 

Thanks for stopping by and I love your dear notes.. 

I enjoy every one of them.. 

xo 

Random Saturday..

Hello everyone.. 

So glad you dropped by tonight.. 

 This is just another post of random everyday and it is once again a Saturday.. smile.. 

The weeks are flying, eh? 

Spring is coming along fine here in Eastern Canada.. 

Slow compared to some perhaps but what we here are used to.. 

Terry and I went to Bangor for a couple of days this week.. 

Just a little getaway and a bit of retail.. 

Not that Terry does much shopping but he is a patient man.. 

I love going to places like Mardens, Goodwill and Between Friends.. 

I am not a mall nor clothes shopper.. 

But I do love fabrics, old dishes and such.. 

Oh and the Christmas Tree Shoppe of course.. 

Love the books at Goodwill and the fabrics and yarns at Mardens.. 

Look what I found at Between Friends.. 

This wonderful cast iron dish??? 

Mom said it probably belonged in an old stove.. 

I will be seasoning it as soon as we go to the farm.. 

What would you use it for?  

Found this sweet apron.

Nice an big... smile.. 

And.. 

I love these.. 

A package of Eco napkins for the farm and a big box of large brown bread bags.. 

So great to gift bread in or anything really... 

I know.. 

I like the weirdest thing.. 

They will come in handy quite often, I think... 

Made a little Stir Fry... 

I could put Bok Choy in everything.. 

Does your family like it?  

Terry... not so much.. 

Oh and I made Dustin some cookies.. smile.. 

Took a drive up to the farm to check things out ... 

I can feel the place calling my name.. 

As soon as it gets a bit warmer we will be there for the day and getting the house in order again.. 

It won't be long... 

I am trying to get rid of some things and this is one.. 

A tea set... 

I have to get it put on Kijiji or something.. 

I love the set but there are just so many dishes a person needs.. smile.. 

And speaking of selling.. 

Our old cottage in St. Martins... 

I am trying my best to persuade Terry to get with it and put it on the market.. 

We can't be in two places in the Summer and we seem to be going into a new phase of our lives and enjoying the farm more.. 

So.. 

If any of you readers know of anyone who would like an old house by the sea let us know.. 

You can see the Bay and hear it but we are not on the beach.. 

Well, dear hearts this is all for tonight.. 

Tomorrow is once again the Lord's Day... 

I came across this ...

One of my favourites.. 

Because he loves me, says the Lord... 

This Psalm touches my heart every time I read it.. 

So blessed to have experienced a genuine relationship with the God of the universe and because I love Him then He is always available to me..

For whatever.. 

Do you know Him as your own? 

John 3:16

He loves you... 

I hope you all have a good evening and thanks so much for visiting and I look forward to your sweet notes..

God bless ... 

Hugs.. 

Just a little trip...

Hello my dears.. 

Welcome to the Blessed Hearth on this lovely Friday evening..

We have been away for a few days and had a good time.. 

We just went down to Bangor, Maine and then came back via the coast road.. 

A beautiful drive.. 

I love seeing how people decorate their homes.. 

The pic above was of a day care that I thought someone might be interested in.. smile.. 

We stopped by a little goat farm to see if they were selling any of their soaps but the signs were down.. 

The goats were adorable as always, though.. 

Drove down to Bucksport and saw the bridge and Fort Knox.. 

We did a lot of shopping.. 

Then before we headed home we decided to go to St. Martins to check on the heat at the cottage and leave some stuff for the shop..

I took a few pics of my poor herb beds.. 

The Comfrey is up and doing great.. 

I brought some home to make my gardener's salve ... 

But the yard needs work as do the beds... 

I really do have to get busy... 

Yes, the panic is on.. 

While we were driving through the village I noticed how busy everyone was... 

Mowing their lawns, cleaning and remodeling... 

Getting their businesses up and ready for the season.. 

Then we ran into some friends who own the wonderful Bed and Breakfast up the street with the Mexican food .. 

They were wondering when we were opening the shop.. 

Gulp.. 

The rooms are not even finished let alone the shop ready to open.. 

Oh well.. 

Besides my heart rate rather high and running out of paper bags for me to breathe into we are doing fine... grin.. 

Just kidding.. 

This is when I do my best work.. smile.. 

So.. 

Next week we will be there for several days trying to get caught up.. 

I always dread getting the phone hooked up down there as they always mess up my Internet.. Dread.... 

I think I will wait until we are really there ... 

I did find a few lovely old and prim things while we were away.

I love the old Chicken Barn for finding some neat stuff..

Lots of antiques and books.. 

Two of my fave things.. 

We ate at some lovely places and just had fun, too.. 

Of course, we (Terry) did not miss the hockey games.. 

Little cousin (Brad Marchand) does pretty good most of the time.. smile.. 

Hope the Bruins win... 

I made a Shepherd's Pie for supper.. 

Different from my usual so here is the LINK..

I did not add the cheese as we do not need it and added a bit of garlic and herb to the hamburger.. 

Yes, Terry loved it..

He prefers simple food and this was simple but good.. 

That's me.. 

Simple.. 

Well, sweet ladies that is all for tonight.  

This time of year our kids start their travelling.. 

I know that is so nice and all but they are on my mind.. 

One is on his way to Old Quebec City tonight.. 

Praying that they get there and back safely.. 

At least she speaks French.. grin.. 

Thanks so much for your visit and I am glad you came.

Welcome to the new followers, too..

Love having you.. 

Take care my friends..