Days of July...

Hello everyone.. 

Welcome to the Blessed Hearth this lovely evening.. 

It is another weekend and the summer is lovely.. 

So much to love with this season of the year.. 

Here in Eastern Canada the winter can be long and dreary so we appreciate these long glorious days of summer.. 

Some times we have heat and lots of it and on others we cool down with thunder storms and rain... 

We were headed to the farm the other day and it was raining very hard!  Raining cats and dogs as we used to say.. 

Terry was filling up the truck with gas and there were so many doing the same.. 

The Tim's coffee always starts our little trip out there.. 

Charlie was watching all the busyness and trying to spy the cats.. grin.. 

Summer also brings our delicious crops of strawberries.. 

I dehydrated these this morning... 

I love them to put in pitchers or glasses of water.. 

So tasty but you can use them in granola, in desserts or to make an instant jam for your ice cream.. 

I also read in the preserving book that the stems make an excellent tea on a winter's day.. 

I did half a rack just to see.. smile.. 

I found this recipe on Instagram.. 

Pickled Strawberries.. 

They are different but good.. 

Are you on Instagram?  

I love it and enjoy my time there.. 

So much inspiration!

Just follow the ones that interest you.. 

Terry and I took last Sunday afternoon and did a nice little field trip.. 

We went to church and then bought a coffee and headed for Cambridge Narrows and the lakes area... 

Down around Wickham and Hampstead.. 

Beautiful old farms..

\They have their haying done and their wood cut... 

The flowers are everywhere and so beautiful...

We went to the Washademoak Lake where his brother has a cottage..

No one was home but we had our picnic alongside the lake..

I love our picnics.. 

Everything seems to taste better, eh?  

And we went through the Belleisle Bay area... 

Summer people everywhere.. 

Really enjoyed visiting a sweet antiques shop and had ice cream from an old general store in Wickham.. 

Terry visited a friend he had not seen for about twenty years.. 

Made his day... 

You can tell by the fields that summer is winding down.. 

Hurts my heart to think about it... 

So enthralled by the wild flowers.. 

Always have been.. 

We were also at the farm for a two or three days last week.. 

Last summer a young couple who live near us had a crop of potatoes in the spot above  where all the daisies are growing.. 

Isn't that neat? 

It all filled in perfectly with wild daisies this year.. 

As neat as can be.. 

We are enjoying the company of the cows once again.. 

They always greet us when we get there.. 

We still are not staying overnite a lot.. 

Must say I am enjoying being home this summer much more.. 

Once we get a few yard sales organized we will feel more like staying perhaps.. 

Trying not to let it stress me.. 

Terry says it will get done when it gets done.. smile.. 

Made some flatbreads this week.. 

They only take two ingredients and are fun to make and taste delicious.. 

RECIPE HERE..

There is also a recipe for the self rising flour. 

I make a container full and have it for when it is called for in a recipe.. 

This was breakfast one morning.
Monterrey Jack with Pimentos Cheese and lots of olives on top of a flat bread.. 

Grated the cheese, cut up some olives and put it in the microwave for a couple of minutes.. 

I am not a breakfast person and find it hard to enjoy eggs or cereal.. 

Would rather have soup.. grin.. 

Then I am drying roses and such for potpourries.. 

So pretty ....

Well dear hearts this is another post ...

The sun goes right around the house.. 

Begins here in the early morning and goes all the way around and ends up here again in the evening... 

Tomorrow is another Lord's Day.. 

He has been faithful this week as always.. 

I really can't imagine my life without the Lord.. 

Things come up where I wouldn't know where to turn if I didn't have Jesus... 

When we have a need or there is a problem then He is there.. 

In the nighttime hours when your mind is looking for answers then He is always there.. 

An old old chorus we used to sing at church says it all.. 

Standing somewhere in the shadows you will find Jesus.. 

He is the only one who cares and understands.. 

Standing somewhere in the shadows you will find Him 

And you will know Him by the nail scars in His hands...

  YOU CAN LISTEN TO IT HERE..

Trusting you will have a great day tomorrow.. 

Putting Him first in our lives is what counts especially in the day we are living in... 

God bless sweet friends.. 

xo

An old fashioned recipe...

Hello dear ladies... 

It is very windy and cool here on the Bay of Fundy tonight..

St. Martins is looking forward to Old Home Week starting tomorrow.. Everyone comes back home for this.. 

My favorite day is Saturday when we have a village wide yard sale...

Terry and I get up early and go and buy our coffee and start crusin'  the street and try to catch the early tables.. 

The street is usually so packed that you can hardly drive down through.. I will try and get some pics for you.. 

Today, I was trying to get the shop ready for next week... 

I  made a very old recipe this morning and finished it tonight.  I forgot that I used to make it about 30 years ago... grin..

 No wonder I didn't remember...

I thought maybe you girls would like to try it.. 

When we were wee and used to come down here to visit our grandmother she would serve them.  Hers were made with wild berries and probably tasted better.. 

Gram always served this in her little preserve dishes.. 

Some people call them fruit nappies.. 

She would also have slices of homemade bread and butter and white cake with white icing.. 

Anyway...

Here is my version... 

STRAWBERRY PRESERVES.. 

2 quarts of whole strawberries.. 

Wash and mash good with a potato masher.

Place in a large pot and add 3 cups of sugar and 2 T. lemon juice.

Stir well and bring to a boil for 3 minutes.. 

Add 2 more cups of sugar and boil for 5 more minutes.. 

Skim all of the foam off the top and let sit overnight or all day.. 

Then reheat to boiling and bottle in sterilized jars.. 

 

As you can see you get 3 1/2 pints...

They taste so fresh... This is not jam and is not thick... Kind of runny but so good on bread or toast...

Also..

I wanted to show you the wonderful bowl that I found at the thrift shop last week when our son took me shopping..

Isn't it lovely?  And only 8 dollars...

Wonderful for mixing up a batch of bread..

And it has a pour spout...

Thank you, Lord.. smile..

And this sweet little sachet to put lavender in my linen closet..

I love birds..

Well, that is all for today my dears..

Have a wonderful weekend and I hope to hear from you..

God Bless...

VISIT THESE FUN BLOG HOPS..

FARMGIRL FRIDAY BLOG HOP  FEATURED HERE...

FINDING FABULOUS FRIDAY

THRIFTY THINGS FRIDAY