A lovely meeting and some news..

Hello sweet ladies.. 

How are you all doing? 

Giving you a kind of mishmash of a post this evening.. 

I am way behind in my blogging and have not been visiting or such lately but will explain why here in a bit.. 

First of all I wanted to tell you about a lovely Saturday morning we had a couple of weeks ago.. 

Our Keepers of the Home group were invited to visit our daughter's church ladies group... They are named R.E.A. L. 

I just had to call Shonda to see what this stood for.. I forgot.. smile..

R- Relationships

E-Encouragement

A-Apostolic Living

L-Laughter.. 

Nice, eh? 

We had a great day... 

It started off with all of our group driving to St. John to the Mission Point Church ... 

When we arrived we were made to feel welcome with delicious Tim Horton coffees, fruit trays, muffins and such.. 

It was a great time to catch up with friends and get situated.. smile.. 

Then Shonda shared a devotional with us which was so encouraging.. 

She talked about how we all go through Winter time in our lives .. 

Not only weather wise but also we are sometimes assailed with trials and tests and makes us feel as though the frigid winds of fear and doubt are filling our lives...

She mentioned how on those cold Winter days when it seems as though Spring is a long ways off that she loves to stop by a flower shop and pick up a lovely bouquet of tulips.. 

Tulips hold such a promise of Spring and brightens up a dark February day... 

Putting them in a vase and placing them on a table gives you joy knowing that Spring is just around the corner.. 

She demonstrated how each tulip represented a promise from our God ... 

When we are in the midst of a storm we can open the Word of God and pick up a promise.. 

The promise holds the inspiring truth that Christ is there with us in the midst of the storm and He holds us in the palm of His hand and all will be well... 

Spring is just ahead and He will do more then we ask or think.. 

The promise strengthens us and gives us peace ... 

It was wonderful devotional and blessed our hearts..  

Thank you, dear..  

Then after refilling our coffee cups ...

She turned it over to me to demonstrate how to make some home made green and frugal house hold cleaners... 

Home made Lemon Dust Cloths from pieces of flannel and a real lemon... 

Lavender Beeswax Furniture Polish....

Orange Vinegar and Orange Household Cleaner

and a Air Freshener .. 

The recipes were all printed and passed out.. 

Shonda did a lot of work for this meeting and we appreciate it... 

Here are the links to my blog where you can find the recipes, too.. 

theblessedhearth.blogspot.com/2016/03/a-ramble-and-roll.html

heblessedhearth.blogspot.com/.../green-housekeeping-cleaner-recipes

theblessedhearth.blogspot.com/2012/01/scents-of-home.html

..

theblessedhearth.blogspot.com/.../want-to-name-5-simple-pleasures.html

We all had a great time and then we went shopping.. smile.. 

Thank you, dear ladies for being so kind .. 

We appreciate it... 

Hopefully, you will come and visit us some day... 

Now... 

On with the story.. 

I thought I would let you in on our plans.. 

Terry and I as you readers know generally head off to St. Martins to our cottage beside the Bay of Fundy usually starting about this time of year.. 

Well.... 

We have decided not to this year... 

Instead.. 

We are getting ready to go to the farm for the summer... 

I am quite excited as we are hoping to have chickens, ducks, a few geese, rabbits and such... 

Also another garden and herb bed there.. 

I know.... Isn't that great ! 

I will miss being by the Bay every night but our youngest son and grandsons have volunteered to animal sit while we visit the cottage here and there... 

So that should be fine.. 

Not only that.... 

Even though we are an hour and a half from the cottage here at home; we are only a half an hour from the Bay when we are at the farm.. Not where the cottage is but a bit further this way... 

That is where some of my father's side of the family dwell.. 

If it is a hot day then we will just head out across Caledonia Mountain and drive to the waves.. 

Get cooled off and head home again.. 

No big deal.. right?  grin.. 

I have wanted to do this for ages and as I told Terry.. 

We are not getting any younger... 

We must do it while we can.. 

Really, I did not have to coax him at all.. grin... 

I had to convince myself that that is really what I wanted to do and I think it will be fun.. 

Time will tell... 

The thing I wonder about is the heat.. 

That is why I love St. Martins (besides loving my cousins) is that it is cool....

smile.. 

There is no internet at the farm at all or even cell phones... We have been spending a lot of time trying to get things in order to go and that is why I have not been very blog faithful.. 

Sorry about that.. 

As you probably noticed the comments are very minimal lately because of I haven't been visiting but I will try to get to it when I can.. 

I noticed the readers are still visiting, though.. Thank you. 

I will hopefully take lots of pics of the birds and the herbs and such  and keep you informed as we will be coming home to do laundry and we have another garden here ... 

While Terry is catching up on the garden and I am waiting for a load of laundry then I will get on here and give you the low down.. 

OK? 

A little supper when we were last out to the farm.. 

Some sweet dear friends gifted us with some organic meat.... 

My... it was so tender and good and the gravy divine !! 

Thank you dear friends.. 

The porch-back room-whatever floor is done.. 

I need to come up with a name for this area.. 

It is at the back door and that is where you walk in.. 

This room has taken so much work as he pulled down the ceiling and put a new one much higher up.. 

It is all finished except for painting and putting up the boards... 

And the end pieces and back door need replaced but that will hopefully get done bit by bit over the summer.. 

Oh and a bench built behind the door .. 

And an area over the steps for baskets.. 

And.. 

No.. just kidding.. grin. 

At least it is now liveable.. 

The pantry is practically done except for the sink so we will be fine.. 

So nice to turn on the hot water tap for dishes.. 

Now we can have hot showers and everything.. grin..

I had a lovely Mothers Day.. 

Our family all went to our church together and it blessed my heart to see our 5 grandsons sitting in the front together.. 

Loving the Lord.. 

My Mom was there too and we had 4 generations.. smile.. 

Thanking God for my dear family.. 

I received wonderful presents but this blessed me the most.. 

So thankful that my Dad found God all those years ago and how it has changed all of our lives.. 

Well, dear hearts this is all for tonight.. 

Hope you are having a great week and I truly do hope you have time to leave a note although I am not doing a good job at that myself.. smile.. 

Take care and here are a few promises from the Lord.. 

Philippians 4:13

Psalms 37:23-24

Isaiah 40:31

Proverbs 22:6

Hebrews 4:16

Oh and the tulips were gifted to me.. 

They have brightened my days,,

Thanks..  xo

Here and There ...

 

 

Greetings my dears.. 

Hope you all had a great weekend.. 

We have been running to and fro... smile.. 

A day at the farm ... 

Making dinner as usual... 

Terry's favourite meal.. 

Hamburger Gravy, mashed, cabbage, carrots and using up last years preserves.. Mennonite Bean Salad.. 

I felt he deserved a special meal as he had been working hard at getting the back room finished at the farm.. 

The floor is now stained and has 2 coats of varnish.. 

One or two more coats and we can almost put it back to rights.. 

He has to paint the ceiling and put up some boards..

I will be so happy when it is done.. 

He bought me a new tool bag when we went to Calais and I love it.. 

Whenever we go up there I am pushing my glue gun and such into whatever bag or box that is going.  There is always something that I need to do.  smile.. 

 Now all I have to do is grab my tool bag.. smile.. 

It was at Mardens for only a couple of bucks.. 

I love it.. 

Like Terry says... He is just a nice guy.. lol.. 

There is also a picture of Shonda and I along with her friends at Ladies Retreat... 

Such dear girls.. 

And... 

A few kitchen pictures from home here.. 

Made my Lebanese Lentil Soup.. 

I included a pic of a great hint I found along the way.. 

Drain your veggies.. carrots, green beans, potatoes or whatever and freeze the stock in ice cube trays.. (I love these ones that Dustin and Veronique gave me for Christmas from Epicure.. They are huge and makes lovely big cubes).. 

You can use them all at once or just add one if you need more broth or just need a bit of stock for gravies and such.. 

Veggie stock is very good, actually.. 

This past Saturday our Keepers of the Home visited the R.E.A.L. Ladies Group in St. John.. 

We had a wonderful time and I will show more pics on my next post.

 My camera is missing at the moment .. It must be in the car.. 

Anyway, they gave me the lovely tulips and my friend Faye gave me the delicious free range eggs .. 

Don't you love those blue ones?  

When we were thrifting I found these great magazines.. 

Five for four dollars.. 

They are full of wonderful tips.. 

Anyway, this is all for this evening.. 

Are you ladies busy doing Spring things? 

I have been housecleaning here and there.. 

Not too organized but accomplishing a bit..

Thank you so much for visiting here.. 

I meant to thank you dears for following the Face Book page.. 

I am having a bit of problem as several readers are not receiving the notifications when I post.. 

My sister said she just went in and clicked on default and signed on again and it worked.. 

I tried everything to see what is wrong but I cannot figure it out.. 

Sorry about that.. 

It is a rainy night here in New Brunswick and I am heading off to bed.. 

Take care and God bless.. xo

And the Winter Goes On..

Hello everyone.. 

Just a little posting here on the Lord's Day.. 

We are having some typical Winter weather in Eastern Canada.. 

As you know we are retired so our days are not as exciting as yours.. 

I find my posts during this season are a bit blah .. 

We get up in the mornings and just do what the day brings forth.. smile.. 

Usually a few household chores and such.. 

Some days we go shopping or visiting.. 

Or perhaps we will have friends or family over.. 

As you can see that includes food... 

You all must think that is all I blog about.. 

Food and recipes.. 

I must admit that I love to cook and Winter brings out the inclination to try new recipes and such.. 

I even try them out on our friends with limited success sometimes.. grin.. 

Remind me to tell you about the Chicken Chow Mein recipe that I tried out on some friends the other night.. 

They brought a wonderful delicious cheesecake, though.. 

A couple of exciting things did happen, I think.. 

I saw a robin!!

We do not see many of them and it was a little thrill to see the dear thing eating it's dinner of berries growing in the Library parking lot.. 

Then I bought a pot of tulips.. 

Both things brought me the promise of Spring here in my Winter kitchen... smile.. 

I am not putting down Winter or trying to hurry my days but here in New Brunswick this year has been a bit trying as far as the weather goes.. 

For some reason the storms seem to come on Sundays and Bible Study nights.. 

Or if it is not bad roads then it has been the flu... 

Oh well.. 

Spring will come... 

I just want to enjoy these family times and long cozy evenings.. 

I do need to start thinking about some housecleaning and such.. 

But for now I will just dream about it and make my lists.. 

Drink my tea and enjoy the season.. 

How about you girls... 

Are you enjoying this season?

I made a fish chowder and the recipe was requested.. 

So instead of just emailing it I thought I would share it with you all.. 

I know.. 

Another recipe.. 

I am planning on doing a craft soon.. 

I promise.. 

Here you go.. Veronique.. 

My version of a Simple Fish Chowder.. 

In a soup pot put tablespoon or so of oil.. 

Then add a chopped (quite small) carrot, half of an onion and a stick or two of celery.. 

Saute for a few minutes then add a couple of diced potatoes and enough chicken broth to barely cover.. 

Simmer very slowly until almost tender then add a can of drained clams and a pound of haddock or white fillets of fish.. 

Sprinkle on some salt.. 

When the fish is almost tender then add some scallops and a package of chopped crab... 

Make sure your heat is low and just cook very slowly.. 

This only takes a few minutes as scallops cook very quickly.. 

When everything is cooked and flaky add coffee cream to make a nice chowder.. 

Sometimes I will just add milk but cream is much better.. 

Finish off with a spoon of butter and some chopped fresh parsley.. 

Taste for flavor and add sea salt and freshly ground pepper..

This is a very flexible recipe and you can add or change the fish or veggies to your taste..  

Thank you so much for your visit and for your comments last post on the soup debate..

Terry and I both enjoyed your comments and of course homemade soup won hands down.. grin.. 

Here is a little soup hint for you.. 

I forgot to mention it on the last post.. 

But if you have a tomato base soup you can add a few chopped dried tomatoes in oil and it adds wonderful flavor.. 

Looking forward to hearing from you faithful dears once again.. 

God bless.. 

“Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem! Praise your God, O Zion!… He gives snow like wool; He scatters the frost like ashes. He casts forth His ice as fragments, Who can stand before His cold? He sends forth His word and melts them. He causes His wind to blow and the waters to flow.” ~Psalm 147:12-18

“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth And making it bear and sprout, And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire. And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it. For you will go out with joy and be led forth with peace; The mountains and the hills will break forth into shouts of joy before you, And all the trees of the field will clap their hands.” ~Isaiah 55:10-12

Sending hugs your way..