Farm Post number 5/2021

Hello everyone... 

Here I am finally... 

It has been over a month and I am sorry for that.. 

I guess life happens to us and sometimes we are waylaid!

I am so happy you dropped by though.. 

Hope all is well with you in whatever part of the world you are in.. 

As you know it is summer here in Canada and we  have been blessed with a pretty good one! 

Lots of rain which I think is much better then last year when it was so dry... 

Well, we could chat about the weather all day but I had best get on with this post.. 

This is a farm post perse so we will go to that.. 

My Lavender came back for the fourth year and I was so happy that my Chamomile came back for the second year and has spread here and there through out the bed.. 

This was my first picking!  

It is tied up in bunches and hanging from the old beams in the porch.. 

Hopefully, I will get a few things made with it this year.. 

I am really wanting to make some soaps... 

Time will tell.. 

The thing about being our age is that the wonderful hopes and dreams you have for projects and such just do not always materialize as you hoped they would.. 

smile.. 

Nevertheless, we do what we do.. 

The cows are doing wonderful as you can see... 

We were pretty happy being able to pick some lettuce and such.. 

Making salads with buttermilk dressing for lunch.. 

When we arrived on this particular day I checked the freezer and found a lovely ham bone and ham that needed used up.. 

It tasted rather good with the salad... 

This post is actually for the month of July.. 

I took lots of pics but just couldn't seem to get a post put up.. 

So these pics are kind of a hodge podge of our days up there..

Usually on the way to the farm I am scouting the ditches and such for a fresh bouquet or two for the farm table.. 

Terry told the grandsons one day at a gathering that the worst thing about Grandma getting here cataracts removed is that she could spy way too many flowers in the ditches now!  😏 

One of the loveliest things of summer are the fresh flowers.. 

I think on this day it was raining or something so I was happy to find them growing against the house.. 

I was not sure if I had posted this pic here.. 

I do try to change the curtains and such each summer but it did not get done thus far..  

Actually, I think I did post it perhaps because I did put that little piece of border in.. And there are my pickles.. grin.. 

Oh well.. 

Terry was weeding the garden and picked a pail of weeds for dinner.. 

Lamb's Quarters..  

And I made a batch of new rolls from a recipe that my sweet sister

had given me..  

Here is the recipe.. 

Just a screen shot from my phone but you can google it.. 

They are delicious and so easy to make.. 

You do not taste the banana very much but I think it keeps them nice and soft longer then regular ones... 

Another farm meal.. 

For some reason when we are at the farm we eat the comfort foods that Terry loves.. 

I love them too but you know me and my love of creating something a bit different.. 

I am sure I have told you about Dustin and Terry saying ... 

Oh, she ruined the chicken again!!  

A standing joke with them two.. 

I told them they just didn't appreciate the finer things of life.. 😀

This is Terry's favourite meal of all time, I think.. 

Hamburger Gravy and Mashed.. 

Our grandsons love this too.. 

We don't have it only about once a month but it is good when we do.. 

Actually, Shonda is the only one with similar tastes in food as her mother.. The boys are like their Dad and like ordinary but delicious food... 

Here is the recipes I promised you from Shonda's visit.. 

Sorry about the messy page.. I used it often, I guess.  

Please note the added and very important ingredient handwritten of 4 cups of spinach.. Baby spinach is nicer.. 

This is from a cookbook I put together quite a few years ago to raise money for missions..

And here is the link for the tenderloin from Kraft.. 

OUR FAVE PORK TENDERLOIN RECIPE HERE...   

Hope you enjoy... 

We took a few drives as always.. 

These were a bunch of moss roses growing up by the windmills.. 

Aren't they simply glorious.. 

I dried a lot of blossoms.. 

And this is my sweet husband doing my bidding.. grin.. 

This was a flower gathering day.. 

He has always been so dear about picking them for me.. 

He didn't think I should be on the rough ground with my foot condition and now he says he does a better job.. 

Which he does.. 😙

Here they are all tied up and drying.. 

Hope to make a potpourri and really they just pretty up a rather shabby space.. 

A few flowers on the deck but we haven't been there enough this past while to do much.. 

Feel kind of bad about that but you can only do what you can do, right!!

I have a story to tell you about this pic.. 

I probably should have taken one of the apple tree but nevertheless I will share it with you.. 

He (the dear man) just finished doing some pruning and such.. 

There are two wild apple trees out back quite close together and I had found at the end of someone's driveway and nice old wicker seat for two.. 

It was put between the trees and would have been sweet if he had got around to tying it down with a couple of sticks stuck in the ground and tied to the bench.. 

Well, he didn't get to it and the winds up there can be fierce and almost every time we got there the bench was upside down.. 

He would get to it in time, you know!  Yup! 

Well, I happened to look out the back door after we had been there awhile and thought I was seeing things.. 

In that short time he had pruned those precious old trees.. 

They were just wild ones that had come up there and really of no value except that they were so lovely to look at.. 

One tree was not so bad but the other one!!!!

It looks exactly like a "V"! 

I kid you not!! 

The beautiful little shapes that they were had disappeared and all that was left on one was this V shape.. 

I went to the door and screeched (yes, I did) at him what was he doing?? 

Just pruning!! 

I yelled that he might as well cut it down.. 😒 

Before you judge me too harshly let me tell you that this was not our first rodeo with this type of thing ..but I digress... 

He came in finally and I told him it looked just like a V!! 

I know he says... I did it for you because you are always making the peace sign!! 

Soooo... what is a girl supposed to do.. 

It wasn't the first time he has cut something down he wasn't supposed to .. Like the roses but never mind.. 

It won't be the last time! 

It is not to my credit that we have laughed about it a dozen times!! 

As I said we have had a lot of rain and not been out to the farm enough and the gardens are not his usual pride and joy.. 

But we will get what we get and really I did way too much last year and have lots left over... 

I do want to can some beans and peas and a few pickles, though.. 

How are your gardens doing?  

You girls down south have been canning for a month or more now..

 

I did do up a bunch of strawberry jam as ours were pretty well depleted.. 

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As always here are some things I cooked or baked.. 

Banana Blondies from @thekitchette on Instagram.. 

I boiled the icing too long but they were so moist and delicious! 

A Sunday afternoon treat one Sunday.. 

Greek salad which I didn't make but was served at The Diplomat in Fredericton on anther day trip we took.. 

Then my all time loved Sampfire Greens.. 

We only had this one batch of them as we missed them, I think.. 

I stopped by the Green Pig again this morning but they didn't have any.. At least we had a taste.. 

Soooo.. 

this is the reason I have not been able to get on here to chat with you.. 

He was sick for several weeks without actually telling me that he had a problem.. 

I knew he wasn't feeling well as he was not himself . 

Then when he got so sick I had to take him to Emergency the infection he was suffering silently with went to his blood stream.. 

He was doing much better but he is not back to normal.. 

We would be thankful for your prayers.. 

He will probably not appreciate me on here saying anything but you girls have been with me a long time.. 

So, of course I am sharing this with you.. 

We go to the doctor again tomorrow but we know the Great Physician!  So we are trusting in Him.. 

He has met our needs many times as you know... 

You know it is amazing how we prove that God 's promises are true.. 

He said he would be us in the storm.. And he is.. 

He said to lean on Him and we do and he supports us.

He said he would give us peace and he always keeps his word..

He said that joy cometh in the morning and it does...

He said he would never leave us or forsake us and we are counting on that... 

 

So thankful for our faithful and true God!! 

Our Healer and Deliverer!

Right?? 

So dear girls.. Thanks so much for reading this or skipping the words and looking at the pics.. 

Just whatever!

Thank you for your prayers that I know you will give.. 

We are mostly here at home and our summer plans are not what we hoped but all is well..

We get there some anyway.. 

There is already a change in the air.. 

Fall is coming too soon for me but whatever.. 

I hope I get a note from you.. 

Here, Facebook or Instagram is lovely.. 

Take care of yourselves.. 

God bless you.. 

Hugs... 

from Faye... 

 

The Middle of August at the farm...

Hello everyone.. 

Welcome to the Blessed Hearth blog on this lovely Sunday in the middle of August.. 

The days are a wee bit shorter then when I posted just a couple of weeks ago.  The raspberries have ripened, the Sampfire greens are at the market and the beautiful Queen Anne's Lace are flourishing on every roadside... 

Summer is winding down.. 

For some that is a happy dance sort of thing but for me it is more of a side of melancholy! 

I do love all the seasons but for some reason when Summer makes her debut I feel so uplifted but then it sets me down slowly.... 

I can see the signs everywhere that she is going to leave ... 

The flowers and leaves that were alive and beautiful are changing their colours, the gardens are ready for harvest, the garlics are hung, the nights are cooler and there is a nip in the air when you open the kitchen door in the mornings.. 

Fall is in the air even if it has not arrived yet.. 

It is coming and we will bid farewell to another Summer.. 

I really don't like to say good-bye to her.. 

So... 

I am going to enjoy every enchanting moment left in her company! I will drink coffee in the mornings without a fire on and sit on the deck and breath the evening air!  Terry and I will do the picnic thing a few more times and go to the beach again.. I will sit on my swing and thank God for all of his blessings..

How about you? How do you look at it?  

Just wondering... smile.. 

We stayed overnight at the farm finally and it was fine..

  

A beautiful place to wake up in...  

The cows have been visiting in the pasture by the house and we love that.. 

Terry worked in the gardens a lot and I am still doing my thing..

Making simple meals.. 

Lots of veggies are available now.. 

Made batches of pesto and made a few salads with the basil.. 

This is one of our favourites.. 

Tomatoes and onions chopped and lots of basil and garlic.. 

Squeeze on some fresh lemon juice and a bit of olive or canola oil.. 

Let it sit at room temp for an hour or so.. 

It is delicious with banquette or fresh bread or just as an added salad or with some pasta... 

Yeah!

So enjoying our garlic harvest.. 

Our gardens are doing great.. 

This is one you can see out of the pantry window..

Love our farmer's cows..

Aren't they lovely?  

We go for country drives quite often as always.. 

Terry is a darling and picks me any flowers I need.. 

Or wild medicines.. 

This is actually Milkweed... 

He was telling the grandsons that the negative thing about Grandma getting her cataracts removed was that she could see every flower in the ditch now!  lol... 

Yup... 

And the poor dear has to pick them.. 

I do offer but I think it is easier for him to pick them then to have to call a crane to get me out of the ditch... grin..

On with the story.. smile.. 

Last Monday he decided it was time to go to the woodlot and chop down more fire wood.. 

All by himself.. 

As he knows that is not going to happen ... 

I would not accomplish anything for wondering if he was all right.. 

So ... I pack up some coffee, hard boiled eggs and a cucumber salad and away we go.. 

I had a project I wanted to work on so along it came ...  

I had picked this up at the thrift store for a couple of dollars.. 

I just needed it and a pair of scissors and a glue stick.. 

It provided lots of tags that I can use for gifts.. 

Not just kids but ladies, too!  

I am not the only Beatrix Potter fan.. smile..

The wee cutouts will be stickers.. 

The larger will get a hole punched and a pretty string for a tag or just a bookmark or such..

And.. 

Several little envelopes that will hold a gift card or a bit of lavender or even some seeds.... 

I think I will distress ink on a few... 

My gift pantry is starting to come together again.. 

I built it up in the Spring but it does not last long.. 

What do you have in yours?  

I hope to make Queen Anne's Lace jelly this week.. 

Saturday morning we woke early and went to breakfast at the Big Stop and then did some yard sales in Salisbury.. 

It was yard sale day.. 

I was so excited as we bought a really good vacuum for the farm.. 

It works perfect.. 

A Filter Queen.. 

And a food processor!  

Both for only fifteen dollars with several really good books added in.. 

Then we headed for the farm and these were in the pasture in front of the house..  

Just enjoying the summer breezes... 

They are so friendly.. 

Terry laughs when I yell hello ladies!  

They moo right back.. lol....

I set to work in the living room.. 

The dear man had hung my shelf that I found at a yard sale for only five dollars.. 

I love it.. 

Terry has collected platters in the past and it was somewhere to display a few.. 

I took the lace panels down and washed them and hung them on the line... 

They blew out lovely like.. 

Hope to hang them back up next time up there.. 

I know I have lots of stuff..

Sorry to you minimalists!! 

My grandson was telling me about that this morning after church.. 

I think he still has hope for me.. grin.. 

Some everlastings drying.. 

And the Tansy is out.. 

Already.. 

That is what I mean by Summer passing us by... 

When the Tansy is blossoming then it is almost over.. 

Terry picked a ton of green beans.. 

Five pails full.. 

We gave 2 pails away but the rest I canned..

Or we ate.. smile.. 

These ones I cut in the french cut but I should have put them in litre bottles as they are jammed in there.. 

But.. they will taste the same.. 

I like these for a change.. 

Sometimes I make a Mennonite Salad with them.. 

Just drain and add chopped onion and make a dressing of sour cream and a speck of sugar, salt and pepper.. 

We bought too many bananas!

But my sweet friend on Instagram.. 

Remembering the Old Ways had posted a delicious new banana bread recipe.. 

Banana Bread
3 large ripe bananas 
1 cup of sugar
1 egg 
1 1/2 cups flour
1/8 cup of melted butter
1 tsp. soda 
1/2 tsp salt 
1/2 cup walnuts  
Oven 350 degrees F. 
45 to 50 minutes .. 
You can make small ones or 1 big one.  
I tripled the recipe and there were 5 as you can see.. 
You just mix this up like always... 
It is a very good recipe.. I think she said it was Amish.. 

Well my dears I guess this is all for today.. 

So happy to have you visit.. 

Really enjoy your comments and notes.. 

Here or Face Book or on Instagram... 

Where ever you may be.. 

Just know that I appreciate you all and feel that you are my friends.. 

 and that God loves us so much that our mundane every day matters to Him... 

God bless..