Life Is What We Make It...❤❤

Good Afternoon dear hearts...

Can you believe it?  

Here I am again!  

I just wanted to finish up about our Valentine's Dinner which is also this month's 50th Wedding Celebration... 

I was thinking that perhaps this will seem a bit ?? whatever to anyone but ourselves .. 

But you girls who have been reading my blog for aeons would probably be interested .. 

So here we are once again... 

I thought I would start at the beginning of our little dinner bit because it did take a little time and effort.. 

I wanted to have the dinner in front of our fireplace in the Livingroom.. 

There is a nice rug there and the room is kind of a romantic place with the antiques and such.. 

And I love the colour that I am introducing there... touch by touch.. 

Shonda calls it Rose Gold I think... (not sure) lol.. 

But to me it is a peachy rose... 

I so love it!  

All week in my mind and in my notebook I am writing notes and thinking about that room.. 

I started making a pillow for the sofa.. 

I just drew a little design on a piece of felted wool and did some needle felting.. 

By the way to the dear girl who was asking about my patterns ... 

I just draw them on... perse...smile.. 

Then we had our town day and Terry wanted me to pick out my flowers as he didn't know what the colour was... 

Can you imagine!  A man not knowing what peachy rose is!  😁

So.. 

I found a rose plant that I have always loved since you can plant it outdoors and it lasts.... (not like fresh flowers ) 

And they were the perfect colour... 

Am I boring you all yet?  

So... 

We are doing fine.. 

I mention that the table I wanted to use was on the deck and perhaps it would be good to bring it in as it was raining and easy to get to.. 

Sure... he would do that..  sometime..... 🤔

Meanwhile the week is passing.. 

I am working on the pillows and other valentine things.. 

I love heart day as I call it as hearts are my fave craft.. 

You might notice that in my Pinterest account.. lol.. 

We had to go to Sussex as I was getting a thing taken off of my forehead.. 

Nothing serious but it ended up taking another day of the week.. 

And the table is still outside.. 

The chairs in the basement... 

And yup.. 

On Thursday we got snow...   

Quite a bit.. actually.. 

I made the cookies from the last post and such and enjoyed a lovely Ladies Bible Study in the afternoon.. 

Then on Friday.. 

Valentine's Day ... 

He ended up having to shovel his way to the table and then it had to go to the basement to dry off.. 😕

I wanted to treat him with homemade bread for our dinner so I made that on Friday morning along with Cherry Cheese Desert which is our families' favourite.. 

He had to go somewhere and by the time he got back neither of us was up to finishing it all... 

So.. 

We decided to celebrate in another way and do the dinner on Saturday.. 

(We had homemade Mac and Cheese with bacon and he had some of the homemade bread.. )

We watched a movie and that was our Valentine's .... 

Really nice actually... 

You know the old saying.. 

Life is what you make it!  

That is my favourite quote, I think.. 

One of our previous pastor's told the story of an old sister in the church who was in her nineties and she said that every time he visited her.. I have loved it ever since!   

So we made that night a bit special too.. smile..

Then that evening he mentions that he would bring up the table in the morning by the family room fireplace and I could get it all together.. 

Be easier for me... 

But it was up to me.. 

He would have to clean out the living room fireplace as we hadn't used it for a bit and  so on.

But it was up to me..  

OK.... 

I would just change things.. 

The colour scheme  would have to be red... hmmm... 

I was going to use my china which is pinky... 

Hmmmm... 

Well life is what you make it.. 

I wanted this to be nice so I would work towards that.. 

I kind of worked it out in my head that night after I went to bed.. 

(I am beginning to bore myself!) 

I will hurry along here.. 

The next day he brought up the table and chairs and I mentioned perhaps he should go to the farm for water.. 

We love our spring water there and he loves to go and make a fire and putter around.. 

I get twice as much done when he is gone.. 

Do you find it that way, too?  

Especially us retired couples! smile.. 

After he left for the farm I dug out some fabric and made a few things.. 

I love this fabric... 

I made a couple of napkins and tied a piece on my silver spoon holder .. 

Then covered the candles with it... 

I was so thrilled to find two Depression Glass goblets at a thrift store awhile ago and now I could use them.. 

The two old glasses are ancient!  

Blown glass and hand painted.. 

There are only two of them.. 

Terry found them at a yard sale many years ago.. 

One of my special treasures.. 

And the candle holders that go on the Charger plates are from my shop .... I kept a few for myself..  

And my great Aunt Emily's Sunday dishes...

Old silver salt and peppers from my Mother... 

A candle from my daughter... 

I do buy new stuff once in awhile.. grin.. 

Well.... 

It is all together now.. 

I made the heart bunting and pillow last year.. 

And the country wood heart which is a bit small but a heart non the less was in the hall...

I spent the rest of the day making the food.. 

It was not too difficult as I had planned it earlier in the week..

Terry came home and we changed our clothes and he lit the fire...  

I lit the candles.. 

Poured our drinks and mentioned we should take a couple of pics before we ate... 

Sure... 

That will only take a minute.... 

And it did for me to take his pic.. 

The first one is perfect... 

Him and Shonda are so photogenic.... 

Not me or my boys.. 

It takes work.. 

He must have taken a hundred pics..

I couldn't stop laughing...   

Forget it... 

I have a big bandage on my head anyway... lol.. 

Oh my!  

Oh well.. 

Life is what you make it!   

And a good pic of me is hard to make.. 

It will do.. 

I want them for our 50 year scrapbook thingie I am doing.. 

See.. 

The fire is burned down.. 

He stirred it up and I got the food going... 

Tossed Salad... 

Homemade bread with Seed Topping.. 

Tuna steaks, Roasted herbal baby Potatoes and Green Beans.. 

Then dessert Cherry Cheese and tea.. 

Very good.. 

The recipe for the Tuna Steaks and Potatoes are HERE..

All in all ... 

Another memory in the pages of our hearts... 

So many Valentine Days we have had together!  

But really... 

They only get sweeter.. 

The young love is wonderful but there is something to be said when you know he still loves you and you still love him after all this time..  

It is different but steady... true... and on course.. 

The Lord is our North Star and we let Him guide us through this life... 

Life is what you make it... 

So sometimes it takes a bit of effort and compromise on our parts and leaning on the Lord Jesus ... 

It is worth it... 

Right.. 

Well thank you my dears for wandering here to the Blessed Hearth today.. 

I know this was long but just skip it or come back another time and I will be shorter.. smile.. 

So happy to share with you all.. 

May God bless and keep you this week... 

xoxo

Oh and I love your notes and welcome to the new comers to the blog.. So glad to have you...  

A Sunday in March

Good Evening everyone.. 

And what a lovely one it is here in New Brunswick.. 

It is the kind of day that lets you know winter may still be here but Spring is just around the corner.. 

The sun shone all day but there was a bit of a bite in the air with the wind.. 

That is all right though as we know that the worst is over, eh! 

A few days ago we had some rain and the wind was blowing... 

If you have been following the blog for awhile you know that I am a stormy weather type of person.. 

Especially the wind! 

Anyway... 

The rain was hitting the windows and I could hear the wind whirling around the fireplace chimney.. 

The furnace was on and it was all so cozy.. 

I turned on some lamps and lit my fave incense stick.. 

Sandalwood.. 

And put in an old CD that is so lovely.. 

I love Gospel music but I like other kinds, too.. 

Several years ago when I had my wee shop in St. Martins I used to be on the lookout for shop music, perse...

Well, I was in a store in Bangor when I heard this beautiful old style music playing ...  

It reminded me of when I was a kid.. 

I ran up to the clerk and asked where the music was from.. 

She said it was a store CD and they sold it there.. 

Needless to say, I bought one and occasionally played it in the shop or here at home.. 

I still do.. 

Anyway...

The music was playing, the incense was burning and I needed to put a kettle of soup on to simmer.. 

I had some homemade chicken broth, a can of tomatoes, carrots, celery, peppers, onions and a couple of handfuls of wild rice and mixed grains .... 

All I needed was some herbs.. 

Last Fall when I was cleaning up the herb bed I gathered little bundles of mixed herbs and tied them with kitchen twine and put them in individual little freezer bags.. 

They are lovely for a pot of soup.. 

I must remember to do it again this Fall, Lord willing.. 

Parsley, sage, thyme, rosemary and perhaps summer savory.. 

Oh yes and some garlic.. 

Don't forget the garlic.. smile.. 

So with that all going on I pulled out my sewing machine..

Just pottering about, you know.. 

I had bought this pretty tea towel at the dollar store and decided to turn it into a dish rug or whatever you call them.. 

I love them beside the sink.. 

It is thick and gathers the moisture from wet dishes or washed veggies.. 

It can hold a hot pot that has been drained and so on.. 

I did get it finished but forgot to take a pic.. (as usual)  

Sometimes I wonder why you girls read this stuff but you do.. 

So... 

Onward I go.. grin.. 

I have been buying some plants here and there... 

I may of mentioned this last time but here are a few more.. 

Moses in the Bulrushes, Ivy and a Cast Iron plant.. 

Oh and Purple Passion.. 

I love this plant and have not had one since the 70s..   

Shonda thought that was funny for some reason..  grin.. 

For some reason I think plants and books enhance a home.. 

What do you think?   

Here is a book I picked up at the Thrift and am enjoying.. 

Love reading about this beautiful country and love the followers here on the blog from that place...

Here is a new recipe that I tried out on dear Terry... 

Baked stuffed potatoes.. 

Only the stuffing is potatoes mixed with cooked flaked white fish and a bit of cheese on top.. 

Of course, I loved it and he liked it... smile.. 

I will keep trying.. 

Perhaps with something from this book.. 

She is lovely.. 

From England.... 

Her recipes are lovely, too.. 

Another soup from this soup junkie...

Chicken Noodle.. 

He did like this one.. 

And another Australian book..  

I ordered this one from Thrift Books.com.. 

It is a very interesting book.. 

It is just coincidence that I have so many Australian ones though..

I love love books... Do you? 

I read all year through.. Not just the Winter.. 

How about you?  Are you readers?  

Well dear hearts I am almost finished.. 

Our youngest son just called and said it is ten degrees out in Alberta... 

I am missing him quite a bit these days... 

Bless his heart... 

Anyway.... 

We took a wee drive up to the farm this afternoon.. 

Still a bit of snow up there but the brooks are open... 

We will soon be able to go up and spend some time... 

Have to get ready for the summer.. 

I expect to be there this year although it was lovely being home last summer ... 

Time flies and it will soon be June.... 

This is a little needle felting project I am trying to do... 

I don't know if it actually looks like lavender or not.. grin.. 

I am going to try another one till I get it to suit me then I want to make some lavender sachets... 

So I guess I am finished for today.. 

So happy you stopped by.. 

Another beautiful Sabbath is almost over..

We were so blessed this morning in service.. 

God's Presence was so real.. 

So happy to have a daily relationship with Him.. 

He surely enhances our lives.. 

And gives us a hope of an eternal life with Him... 

An old song we sing sometimes says it all.. 

Just to walk with Him means everything to me.. 

Just to know He cares and His hand is leading me. 

Though the world pass me by

Go their way 

Let me be.. 

Just to walk with Him means everything to me.. 

Take care sweet friends and don't forget to leave me a note.. 

Hugs... 

Saturday Night Ramble and Roll.. ...

Well hello there dear hearts.. 

It has been awhile since I have been here.. 

Face Book informed me today that it has been 28 days since I had posted.. 

I could hardly imagine how fast the time has flown.. 

I have shared with a few friends something I had read in a book the other day.. 

The author wrote that time had just flown by while she had been  busy doing something else.. 

So true.. 

But anyway welcome to the Blessed Hearth tonight.. 

So happy to have you and thank you for being so patient with me when I seem to disappear at times.. 

Hope you are all well and enjoying the passing of the season.. 

Another little ramble and roll for you on this Saturday...

So to ramble on here a bit.. 

 Just when I think my preserving chores are through along comes another one.. smile.. 

We bought a fifty pound bag of lovely carrots last week.. 

So... 

Peeling, chopping and canning have been going on.. 

Such a satisfying bit of work.. 

I did a batch of Mexican Pickled Carrots just to see if we would like them.. 

Terry approved so I may do one more batch.. 

Link Here 

Our days are busy just like everyone else but we still have time for a bowl of homemade soup for lunch.. 

This is an Acadian Recipe called Chicken Fricot.. 

HERE

I put a teaspoon of summer savory in the dumplings, also.. 

I even made bread and apple turnovers one day.. 

I posted it on Instagram and explained how it takes me all day to complete something that should only take a couple of hours.. 

Awww ... the life of a senior .... grin.. 

We also bought a fifty pound bag of apples and squash.. 

The apples unlike the carrots are only half finished but they will keep for awhile.. 

A batch of apple butter is finished..

And... 

Our favourite roasted apple sauce... 

Thanks to Storybook Woods blog recipe.. 

This was the Apple Butter... 

It is an old recipe where you make jelly and then make butter from the puree..

I did not want to make jelly that day so just put the peelings in a cheesecloth and simmered them together.. 

Turned out pretty good..  

On another day I spent time with a sweet kindred spirit... 

It was such a lovely day.. 

She is so talented and taught me to do Needle Felting.. 

I so loved doing it.. 

This will be a sock with a snowman felted on it.. 

I just have to blanket stitch it and it will be finished.. 

Barb is an antique dealer with a darling shoppe in Sussex.. 

She is also a lovely cook and we had a delicious lunch together.. 

So thankful for such dear friends.. 

Then Mom and my Step Father were over for supper.. 

I so love making a meal for them.. 

Mom loves to come here for supper... 

She was craving a turkey meal and I had cooked one of our large home grown turkeys last week... 

She taught me years ago to freeze turkey or chicken in portions that are wrapped first in the skin of the bird and then put in freezer bags and freeze.. 

When you reheat in the over be sure to add some broth and cover.. 

It was very moist..

We still have zucchini so I am trying to make more breads like I posted a time or two ago.. 

I keep giving them away.. smile..  

I love making that recipe because you can do 2 breads each with chocolate chips, nuts or raisins..

Terry keeps encouraging me to make more.. grin.. 

This is what we woke up to this morning.. 

Very slushy snow.. 

And tonight the wind is whistling for sure.. 

Last weekend our province was hit with a huge wind storm and some people went for days without hydro.. 

We were fortunate that ours was only off for 3 hours.. 

Winter is on it's way here in Eastern Canada.. 

Not my favourite season for sure.. 

Rolling along... 

Enjoying my geraniums from Summer ... 

Do you bring your's in for the winter?  

Another little fall chore was drying a few pears... 

We will eat some of them but really I dry them for crafts.. 

I get about 3 slices per pear for crafts and then we enjoy the rest for a treat.... 

This was some packages I made a few years ago.. 

I have these ones glued on tea dyed luggage tags but I couldn't find my spray glue or glitter.. sigh.. 

Must be down in my workshop... 

I will try to finish them next week.. 

Rambline along here.. 

This is a bit of a page from a book I was reading.. 

I sent it to Shonda.. 

She is thinking of putting a tall tree in her vestibule as it reaches to the second floor... 

Isn't the author's description just so lovely and old fashioned  Christmas like?  

The author's name is Rosemunde Pilcher and she is one of my go to authors that I sometimes just need to read.. 

She is not a spiritual writer but she is an old fashioned home like author that I love.. 

I do not agree with everything she writes but love her descriptions of home and family.. 

Do you read any of her books?  

I love her short stories best.. 

The Blue Bedroom for example.. 

The one above is Coming Home..

Christmas is not too far away so am trying to get some ideas together.. 

Terry bought me a lovely thick steno pad from Staples.. 

It is so thick.. 

I love it.. 

You know me and my notebooks.. 

I decided to put a pretty cover on it.. 

Just glued a pretty page from Country Living UK on the cover with a glue stick then a swipe of sealer with a sponge brush... 

I am making a few journals for gifts which I will share when they come together.. 

Love paper crafting.. 

We are still rolling along.. grin.. 

I was tidying up the fridge yesterday and found a jar of green beans that I had fermented... 

Oh my goodness!!!  

Are they delicious or what?? 

Oh I wish I had done a lot of them but was not sure of the recipe.. 

Will be doing many more next summer, Lord willing.. 

Oh and one more food idea.. 

Sorry about so many ... smile.. 

But you will love me for this one.. 

Terry does.. lol.. 

Just looks like a pan of Rice Crispy Squares, eh?  

Wrong... 

These are the best Rice Crispy Square you will ever eat.. 

The difference is browned butter and salt.. 

Yup!  

Makes all the difference!  

Thanks to Smitten Kitchen for the recipe.. 

Salted Brown Butter Rice Crispy Squares

Perhaps you have been making them for ages but I just found the recipe.. 

Well, my dears I guess this is it for this time.. 

Hopefully, I will start posting some Christmas stuff.. 

Trying to get inspired so I can really enjoy the season.. 

I am not a person who puts the decor up before the first of December but I love making and doing for it all..

What are your plans.. Anything exciting?  

Would love to hear from you all.. 

Tomorrow is the Lord's Day once again.. 

Last week the hydro was out in Salisbury so church was cancelled.. 

There is a wind tonight but nothing like last week.. 

Looking forward to the service.. 

This is a pic I posted on Instagram last week..  

Romans 16:1 - 2

 16 Phoebe, a dear Christian woman from the town of Cenchreae, will be coming to see you soon. She has worked hard in the church there. Receive her as your sister in the Lord, giving her a warm Christian welcome. Help her in every way you can, for she has helped many in their needs, including me. 3 Tell Priscilla and Aquila hello. They have been my fellow workers in the affairs of Christ Jesus. 4 In fact, they risked their lives for me, and I am not the only one who is thankful to them; so are all the Gentile churches.

Can you imagine being referred to in the Bible as a "dear Christian woman".... She must have been a wonderful soul.... 

Thank you so much for visiting and I look forward to reading your sweet notes.. 

Welcome to the new followers of the blog here and on Face Book.. 

So glad to have you.. 

Also for  the sweet emails... 

I am wondering if some of you are having problems getting your email post? 

Please let me know if you are ... 

Thanks and God bless..