September Ramble and Roll

Hello there my dear hearts... 

So happy to finally sit down and chat with you all for awhile.. 

I hope that everything in your world is fine and you are keeping strong and are enjoying this season that the Lord has blessed us with.

September is here and almost past... 

Time slips away as we all know..

 I honestly wanted to get back here to you all but just couldn't seem to make it...  

diningroom 

Until today... 

Here we are together again.. 

Before I start rambling on I will just get this bit out of the way and then we can get on with our ordinary roll on.. . 

We have had quite a troublesome summer.. 

But all is well... 

As I mentioned in the last post Terry had been sick.. 

He picked up for a bit and then relapsed into the same infection..  

It took several weeks but now he feels better then he has since his first operation last fall.. 

And I have had a bit but that too is getting better..  

And now our province is going through a virus spread that is not good but we know that this too shall pass..

Aren't you so glad you know the Lord God?  

I was thinking during the night that I am so glad that I accepted Jesus into my heart when I was a young girl.. 

He has always been with me.. 

 

You may find me a bit emotional today.. 

I am an emotional person.. smile. 

And you dear girls are a lot like family and so I am sharing this with you all. 

I will just say that I am so glad that He is as close as the mention of his Name.. Jesus... 

Now on with the everyday of Home ramble and roll ..

Have you been preserving and getting ready for Winter?  

I did not do nearly even half what I usually do because our garden didn't get the attention and there was just too much going on.. 

 But we have lots left over from last year... 

I did some mustard, sweet dill, pickled corn, sweet green beans and lots of jams early on in the summer.. 

I still want to make more mustard as that is our main one.. 

What have you been doing up and putting away...   

Some everyday meals here... 

My version of Taco Salad...

Greek salad and homemade dressing.. 

Fresh veggies from the garden and pork chops.. 

Just needed a chocolate chip cookie and Terry felt like Chocolate Cake one day but only had a couple of pieces.. 

One thing that really grew in the garden this summer was Dill.  

So it is drying everywhere... smile.. 

Love dried and put in salads, dressings and dips all winter..

 

And another lovely recipe for you from Kings Landing Heritage Village.. 

Rolling on... 

There is nothing like everyday chores to calm your soul... 

When you are in a tempest the simplest of chores just gives a homemaker a sense of peace... 

All is well.. 

In between Terry's bouts we took a little get away.. 

His wonderful brother thought we might enjoy a few nights at their cottage on the Bay.... 

And of course you know me and my love for the Bay of Fundy... 

So we headed out.. 

It was a beautiful day and such a lovely sleep.. smile.. 

Woke up to this beauty..

On one day we took a ferry over to a beautiful island..

T'was gorgeous!

Then came back over and had supper.. 

Went for a wee drive... 

We were driving by and I saw these sunflowers growing 

beside this old building.. 

It was so quaint I asked him to turn around so I could take a couple of pics.. 

He doesn't like doing that by the way.. 

Honestly, he thinks I am being a nuisance to people if I take pics without permission.. 

But.. 

He turned around and had to go past the place again and turn back the way we were going.. 

I thought he would just stop by the side of the road and I would take a quick picture or two.. 

But no.. 

He turns up the curved driveway and kept going to the house beside it..  

I am ... like .. what??? 

where are you going? 

He said the lady was outside and for me to ask her permission...

I rolled my eyes .... grin..  

Well, she is on her step saying good bye to some company.. 

So I rolled down my window and just said.. 

"I am sorry ma'am but my husband is crazy!" 

"Now why would you think that?" she says smiling.. 

"Because he wants me to get your permission to take a few pics of your sunflowers and your old building!"

She just laughed said to go right ahead..

Terry said some smart remark that we can't remember..(old age)

I told her we had been married 51 years and she said "Well you must know if he is crazy or not!"

We all had a great laugh.. 

What a dear lady!!

And I took a few pics..  

Then we went into St. Andrews.. 

And enjoyed a couple of hours there.. 

When we went back to the cottage he was not feeling well.. 

It was a beautiful evening but the next day we ended up coming home early as he was ill again.. 

It was a lovely time though and we really enjoyed it and appreciated our stay there... 

After a few weeks he came around again.. 

Thank the Lord.. 

So we have done a few things..

He picked me some elderberries and I dehydrated them for tea this winter.. 

And somewhere along there he picked beans and peas.. 

I did them up and have them put in the cold room.. 

Thankful for that.. 

Have lots of herbs dried and we were out to the farm and enjoyed a meal there.  

We had not planned to stay so just had some spaghetti .

He likes his one way and I like mine another.. grin..  

We had a few garlic.. 

Nothing like usual as we didn't get it planted last fall.. 

Some were still in the ground from last year and we did do some spring garlic.. 

And bushels of onions.. 

Rambling on... 

We also had a happy day celebrating a shower for our oldest grandson and his fiancé 

It was in the park.. 

What a lovely day... 

God is so good... 

And just last week our sweet daughter came and did a few chores for her Momma.. 

I will show you more next time when I have it all put back together and finish updating a few things.. 

So appreciate our dear family.. 

The pumpkins are ready..

Those are not ours.. 

Just a pic I took.. lol.. 

We did get quite a few from our garden.

They don't mind the weeds... 

So rolling on.. 

Fall will soon be here.. 

Twill soon be time to be nesting, eh? 

Choosing joy this day.. 

Thankful for his healing power and blessings he bestows.. 

All is well.. 

I appreciate your thoughts, emails and sweet encouragements.. 

You are all dear.. 

Join me on Instagram (blessedhearth) if you like.. 

Or on the facebook page... 

Welcome to all the new followers.. 

I am sorry to be so slack... 

Up and onward... smile. 

God bless you sweet friends and I do love to hear from you.. 

Stay safe and turn to the Lord for He is near... 

Hugs.. 

 

Farm Journal 2020 Number 4

Hello my friends.. 

How are you all doing?  

I wonder if you are having a heat wave as we are here in Maritime Canada!  

Oh my!  

After a couple or so weeks of this we find it quite a challenge!  

One good thing is that we will be happy for the season change.. 

Generally, I just dread the end of Summer here in New Brunswick but perhaps this year I won't... smile.. 

 Our nights are cool though so that is a help.. 

Anyway.. 

Enough of Canadian weather..

 That is what we chat about the most.. smile.. 

Welcome to another farm post.. 

We head up there quite early in the mornings lately to beat the heat! grin.. 

The cows are waiting for us and even stand up as we drive by.. 

Aren't they lovely!  

They are not ours for anyone new to the blog.. 

A nice farmer leases our pastures perse.... 

We love having them out there.. 

I am getting side tracked here.. 

On with the story.. 

When we were out one day I was so happy to be able to potter about the house.. 

Usually, I have had to be outside in the gardens but now it is mostly Terry's doing out there and mine inside except to do my herbs.. 

I worked in my pantry and changed some things about and did some cleaning.. 

The first pic on the post today was from a previous year..

I decided to change the curtain.. 

The one you see there on the bottom cupboard is a lovely piece of fabric I bought when we went on the 70 mile yard sale in P. E. I..a couple of years ago..  

I had some left and decided to use the bottom of the piece left over for the window instead of the lace.. 

It is not as pretty but it makes it easier to look out and see Terry working and the gardens and cows and such.. smile.. 

I put the my measuring cup collection on the sill. 

I was at a garage sale the other day and in a box I bought was the a tiny wee measure.. 

It is the smallest one on the sill .. 

This was the view when I finished putting it up.. smile.. 

And this is what he was picking.. 

Lots of green beans and our first cucumber ... 

When I set the table for dinner that day I used my new plates.. 

I know.. 

Like I needed more old dishes.. grin.. 

These though are special to me.. 

When we moved here about 35 years ago we met the nicest neighbors.. 

They were older then us but so kind... 

We went to a garage sale their children had of some of their household goods and I wanted something that belonged to her.. 

I saw a box of these lovely old dishes and her son told me they were her good ones.. 

It had to be a special occasion for her to use them.. smile.. 

I think they are sweet in this old kitchen at the farm .. 

Don't you?  

And the old crochet underneath were a treasure too.. 

I have been looking for some for awhile and knew I would come across some one day.. smile.. 

They just go ....  

I can't help myself.. grin.. 

We have been eating Hodge Podge.. 

I do not know if this is just a Maritime Dish or if everyone everywhere makes it.. 

I do know we all have a different recipe for it here in New Brunswick.. 

My mother-in-law used carrots, peas, green beans and new potatoes with cream in her recipe but I grew up with just new green beans and potatoes in cream... 

I do the cooking here.. grin..

We cooks seem to like the best the recipe we grew up with.. 

Right??  

Here are a few pics from the living room... 

homemade cushions from our old cottage and shop.. 

A craft I unearthed in one of the packing boxes.. 

I couldn't part with it when we were selling out.. 

It is an old book and a mouse I made from muslin and painted.. 

The book is ancient.. 

And an old tattered quilt I repurposed as throws on the sofas... 

and another old pillow that I couldn't part with.. smile.. 

Anyway.. 

At the end of that first day he had 2 buckets of green beans and one of peas.. 

So love this time of year.. 

Do you enjoy putting up the harvest?  

I hope I can do it for many more years.. 

My mom is 86 and she is doing up Chow Chow and such.. 

On with the show.. 

Here is a bit of making and doing I like to share with you all.. 

 A new centrepiece for the table here at home.. 

A dear girl that I follow on Instagram creates the most beautiful table settings.. 

She has a gorgeous centrepiece .. 

It is long wire box with vases ... 

I love it and tried to find one on Amazon.

She provides such inspiration!! 

I could not find one exactly like her's but the ones I did find were very expensive.. 

I thought I would do without but figured I might be able to make one.. 

Ta da... 

I found boxes with drawers at the dollar store and a they had sets of milk bottles ...
Removed the drawers and painted and sanded and sealed and here we are.. 

I still intend to connect the two together but Terry needs to cut me out a piece of wood.. 

But this will do for now.. 

Lisa fills her's with the most glorious flowers.. 

Her IG account is called Frenchhandcraft... 

I just want to give her credit for the idea.. smile.. 

I filled it with Queen Anne's Lace as I was making jelly.. 

I like making wild flower jellies for my gift pantry and decorating the jars when I can.. 

an old lace curtain provided the covers this time. smile.. 

The rose petals I have been drying have not all been purposed yet.. 

But potpourris and powder are on the go... 

Here is the recipe I shared several years ago..  

Rose Powder Recipe

In a container with a lid add the following:

1 cup of baking powder 

1 cup of arrowroot 

Whisk together well and then add some rose petals.. 

Place your cover back on and then each day give it a shake.. 

You can double or triple this recipe if you like (gift pantry idea)

In a couple of weeks sieve out the rose petals and add several drops of rose essential oil (this is expensive so you can replace with rosemary or use a even a fragrance from Michael's) 

Rub each drop in until well distributed.. 

Put your lid back on and keep covered .. 

A lovely idea for your gift pantry if you place it in an antique shaker or an old china dish with a puff or whatever.. 

The pic above is of some powder I made when I had my wee shop in St. Martins.. 

I used wide mouthed mason jar and pasted rose papers from the dollar store on the lid..

I will probably do something different with this batch.. 

Will share it with you later.. 

I am really trying to get my gift pantry built up for Christmas... 

I know.. 

It really will get here before we know it.. 

And.. 

I want this Christmas to be really special.. 

I hope I will keep focused on preparing for it and not leave it all to the end.. 

The world is so topsy turvey that I think we as homemakers need to do all we can to make special efforts to celebrate whenever we can.. 

And Christmas.. 

Well.... Christmas is special.. Right? 

This kitchen here at home has been a busy place since the harvest has begun... 

Pickling  ....

Bread and Butters with red onions for a change.. 

And canning and more canning.. 

A new green bean pickle recipe to me.. 

You put them in tomato or clamato juice and such... 

They are a bit hot and I can't wait to try them.. 

I canned them for 10 minutes as the recipe said but you have to wait a couple of weeks.. 

I have canned yellow beans, green beans, peas, tomatoes, mixed green and yellow beans and pickles thus far.. 

This was my kitchen counter this morning when  I came out... 

they have to go to the cold room tomorrow... 

I am not a prophetess but most people expect groceries and everything else to really rise in price.. 

When we go for drives we find it amazing at the number of gardens growing everywhere.. 

The stores have run out of freezers, canning jars and all sorts of preserving stuff ... 

Pickling salt and cider vinegar are even hard to find.. 

We always do this anyway but this year we have doubled up on it all.

Or trying to.. 

Are you doing more this year? 

I am closing after another long post but here are a couple of pics of a beautiful country drive...   

I have added more on Instagram.. 

If you follow my account you may have noticed that someone has hacked or cloned my account.. 

They are messaging the followers and then trying to get them to buy a face book lottery... 

Whatever!!!

I have been trying my best to get it fixed but I am not sure what to do except to report it... 

Oh to be a tecky girl but I am an old gal.. grin.. 

I changed my pass word and profile and all.. 

So here is hoping..

I finally got to visit my sweet sister.. 

We exchanged parcels and she gave me this book.. 

Such a wonderful read.. 

I love love this author...  

And notebook.. 

And chocolate and so on.. 

I love notebooks and this nice orange one is for my harvest record and such.. 

Thank you dear sister... 

I have posted this clip before but worth the repeat.. eh!

Thank you dear hearts for dropping by and reading these long journals.. 

Or not.. grin.. 

Take care of yourselves and your sweet families and trust the Lord with your daily routines.. 

He will bless the work of your hands.. 

I look forward so to hearing from you here and on face book and Instagram.. 

Just make sure it is me.. lol... 

God bless....