A week in October

Good Evening everyone.. 

Thanks for dropping by the Blessed Hearth today.. 

Hope you are all well.

We had our first snow today.  

Very messy!  Slush but it didn't last long!

  Thank heavens!

The wind has been blowing the last few days and nights.. 

Makes for very cozy sleeps.. 

The curtains billow and we snuggle under the duvet.. 

Just love those kind of nights.. 

I did put an extra thick old quilt on top of the duvet last night..  

Terry warned me it was going to be be freezing so I tried to be helpful...  

But the window stayed open.. grin... 

This is just a short post tonight.. 

I have been doing but have not been very vigilant with my camera.. 

Sorry..  

I don't know if I mentioned on here that I was pressing leaves between waxed paper to make a table runner... 

I forget if it was here or on Instagram.. 

But here it is.. 

Terry and I went to Calais last week for the day.. 

I bought some lovely fabrics (they are so much cheaper in the States)

I have some dish cloths to make and such..  

And I had them cut me a long table runner of clear table topper to put over the leaves with a crochet runner on the bottom.. 

My friend Dawn shared her recipe for 2 ingredient Bagels.. 

We loved how they turned out..
You can find the recipe on Weight Watchers site.. 

HERE

We had Chinese one night.. 

Sweet and Sour Chicken and Chinese Pasta.. 

My Mom worked for years in a Chinese restaurant and this is a recipe the owners used to make for their family.. 

They didn't serve it in the restaurant but she used to make it for them and we like it every once in awhile.. 

Stir fry whatever veggies you like in a bit of oil and garlic.. 

Some onions, peppers, celery, mushrooms, onions and carrots in this one.. 

Add a bit of shredded fresh ginger and 5spice... 

Cook your pasta.. You can use spaghetti or even rice noodles.. 

Drain and add to veggies.. 

Add soy sauce to taste... 

Easy...

Charlie seems to enjoy looking at the view.. 

We have deer come out often to feed on the apples... 

It is deer season here once again.. 

I bought a new cookbook on Saturday from our community.. 

It is a reprint of 1972... 

I loved looking through it and the recipes are lovely.. 

Well, except for those jellied salads.. 

Do you remember when they were served at every fancy dinner and not so fancy.. smile.. 

I just never took to them except for Tomato Aspic.. 

We learned to make that in Home Economics and I still like that one.. 

The food world has changed but one thing that hasn't is CAKE... 

It is still delicious.. 

Have you ever felt like a piece of cake and cup of tea would make everything better?  

Well, last night that is how I felt even though we have been trying not to eat sugar.. 

I noticed this recipe in the new cookbook and as it was so simple I thought I would give it a try.. 

It is lovely! 

We only ate one piece each but each bite was so good!  

Here is the recipe.. 

Very simple.. 

Nut Cake.. 

1 3/4 cup of flour

2 1/2 tsp. of baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup of shortening

1 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla 

2 eggs

1 c. milk 

1/2 cup chopped walnuts.. 

Mix all together and place in greased pan.. 

350 degrees F. for 35 minutes or more.. 

Till firm in the middle.. 

8 x 8 square or round pan..

I didn't bother to frost the cake.. 

It is just so moist..  

Well dear girls so happy to have you.. 

Hope your Fall is going well ..

Looking forward to the weekend as Shonda and I are taking a little shopping trip... 

Take care and God bless... 

The week of Thanksgiving..

Good Evening Everyone.. 

So happy to have you visiting.. 

Hope you are all having a great fall season.. 

It certainly is gorgeous here in New Brunswick .. 

Eastern Canada is well known for the beautiful fall foliage and this year Mother Nature has outdone herself... 

Just going to keep you up with our doings the last few days here in the post tonight.. 

Terry was a dear and collected some Sumac leaves for me.. 

These bushes just crown the countryside in their glory.. 

Lovely, eh! 

Everywhere you look there are pumpkins.. 

and more pumpkins.. 

This is a market over in Salisbury.. 

They have lots of fresh veggies, homemade crafts and antiques.. 

All kinds of stuff but in the fall they have a corn maize .. 

It is hard to believe how many people show up there on the weekends.. 

Amaizing!!  lol..

Did you have a happy Thanksgiving?  

We had a lovely one.. 

Headed down to our daughter's this year... 

The drive was beautiful... 

She always decorates so sweet... 

Makes almost all of her own decor.. 

And the table is so beautifully set... 

Everyone has a great time catching up and then the food was delicious!

The grand finale is her famous apple pie.. 

There were other desserts of course but this one holds a place in my heart... smile.. 

Grandpa is always the star of the show... 

Those boys love to tease him.. 

Believe me they get it right back.. grin.. 

We had an extra reason to be thankful on this Monday of Thanksgiving... 

This dear guy (our oldest son) Trevor works at the Irving Oil Refinery.. 

He worked all night and left his shift and went home.. 

At around 10 am there was a horrific explosion there.. 

What a terrible experience for the Irvings and their employees and the city of St. John.. 

It has been deemed a complete miracle that there were not even one major injury.. 

Not one... 

The God we serve was once again faithful... 

I honestly believe that with all the prayers that go up daily for so many people working there by their families that God has angels round about that vast refinery.. 

The largest in Canada.. 

So we are so thankful! 

Thank you dear Lord.. 

We had a blessed day with our precious family!  

Missed our youngest son, Dustin though.. 

Not there in body but in spirit I am sure.. 

So glad he is doing well out west, though.. 

This mama misses him at times terribly but I know he is God's hand... 

Trusting in that.... 

Anyway we had fun with everyone.. 

Mom and Gerald drove down and Dave's mom, Vivian and his niece Victoria were there along with a couple of sweet girls... 

Later on in the day we left them to it and went for a long way around drive back home.. 

Took a country ferry across the St. John River and drove through the Kingston Peninsula ...

Beautiful art work by the Master's hand... 

Hope you all enjoyed the weekend.. 

The weather here was awesome and all is well.. 

If you can believe it ... I am still doing tomatoes.. 

Oven dried those above and made a delicious soup today... 

Out of the Three Ingredient Cookbook.. 

Cabbage and Barley Soup... 

Here is the recipe although it is my version.. 

Chop up an onion and a head of cabbage and a minced clove of garlic... 

Put in a large pot along with 2 T. olive oil.. 

Cook this on low for several minutes until the cabbage wilts.. 

Add a can of tomato juice and 1/2 cup of pearl barley.. 

A large can .. 48 ounces..

Let this simmer away and add vegetable stock (I save this from our supper veggies) or you can add chicken or whatever stock you have on hand.. 

Just a cup at a time...

After awhile add another just so it does not get too thick.. 

I also added a large tablespoon of powdered chicken broth stuff, salt and pepper, hot chili flakes and a large tablespoon of my soup base that we made last fall.. 

Just add the herbs and seasonings to your taste...

I have read many times that the best soup is one that simmers a long time.. 

I just put it on and left it for a couple of hours except for adding broth now and then.. 

Sprinkle some chopped bacon or parsley on top to serve...

This made enough for a couple of meals easily... 

Here are a few vinegars that I flavoured.. 

Well dear hearts this is all for today... 

Sorry I have such long times in between.. 

This computer is a pain so I kind of put off posting at times... 

Praying for you all and thanks so much for visiting and I love your dear notes.. 

Before I go I want to share a bit of scripture that has blessed my heart so much this week.. 

I am memorizing  it... 

It so gives me joy... 

Remember that old old hymn of the church.. 

When the Redeemed of the Lord come gathering in.....

Isaiah 35: 9-10

But only the redeemed will walk there,
10     and those the Lord has ransomed will return.
They will enter Zion with singing;
    everlasting joy will crown their heads.
Gladness and joy will overtake them,
    and sorrow and sighing will flee away.

xo

A lovely trip to Kings Landing..

Good Evening everyone.. 

Welcome to the Blessed Hearth tonight.. 

I have been pretty slow getting back to you but I do have a little bit of a special post for you.. 

Terry and I took a little day trip up to my very favourite village on Thursday.. 

Just to warn you this is a bit of picture heavy post but there is just so much to grab one's imagination ... 

So many beautiful scenes, lovely vignettes, homes and gardens to capture with the camera... 

I am no professional for sure but what a lovely place.. 

Kings Landing... 

The most lovely of New Brunswick's tourist attractions in my humble opinion.. 

A little historical village on the banks of the beautiful St. John River... 

A place and time where my heart belongs... 

Come along... 

Wait up Terry... 

I have to get my camera ready.. 

We are on our way to the Killeen Cabin... 

But the farmer boy has to admire the livestock... 

Cute, eh!  

Terry, I mean.. lol... 

There is the St. John River... 

We went into the dear little church... 

I remember pews like this.. 

Do you?  

And here we are at the Killeen place.. 

The lady of the house had just made an apple crisp.. 

It smelled lovely!  

She also gave a little lesson on making beeswax candles.. 

She used equal amounts of beef tallow and beeswax and dipped the candle wicking into lukewarm wax and kept dipping until they were large enough to hang.. 

She had an open fire, a table and chairs and a bench in her cabin.. 

Also their big bed and a trundle bed for the baby.. 

A lovely visit with lots of home schoolers visiting and learning to make candles... 

The village was lovely on this sunny warm day.. 

We will head over to the store.. 

Terry noticed the geese over across the way.. 

Such a nice walk.. 

Here is the store.. 

Lots of beautiful dishes and antiques to see and drool over.. grin.. 

Outside is where the horses trough is.. 

Here are some pics from inside the houses.. 

A quilt on the go.. 

I so love all of their plants.. 

They are in every house and window sill.  

I believe this is a Maple Plant.. 

My Dad used to have one.. 

All kinds of wonderful handiwork going on in each house.. 

And cooking of course.  

This looks like a bowl that I keep on my counter.. 

Garlic, shallots, herbs.... 

New potatoes ....

Homemade Vinegar

The lady of the house invited me to smell them.. 

Chive, real cider vinegar from their own apple press, rose vinegar and herb... 

I have been busy making mine, too.. 

I have rose, different herb ones, lavender and hot pepper.. 

Oh and chive, too... 

They always inspire me to make and do.. 

Tea towels on the clothes line.. 

So homely... Is that a word?  grin.. home like... 

At another the lady was putting together a bouquet of dried flowers.. 

So pretty... 

I tried to grow straw flowers this summer but they didn't grow.. 

I so love them.. 

A dear garden...

Every home has a touch of flowers.. 

Beautiful!

I have two favourite houses.. 

This is one.. 

The Morehouse....

I love the summer kitchen.. 

They always seem to have so much going on in this house.. 

One time the Keepers of the Home went up on a cold fall day.. 

They invited all of us to sit down and gave us fresh hot apple pie and a cup of tea.. 

It was so nice!  

Just love seeing all that they dry... 

This is the side porch on the Ingraham house... 

Every home has a Pregnant Onion plant.. 

One time they gave me a slip and I now have several plants.. 

Just grabs your heart all of this simple beauty... 

Well we need to head back up the road.. 

Don't you just love seeing sheep?  

We need to wash up as dinner is on at the Kings Head Inn... 

We always have lunch here before we leave... 

Terry had the Ploughman's Lunch and I had Salmon Cakes and Salad... 

We got to talking to people at the next table and I forgot to take a pic.. sorry.. 

They were from Grand Manan and so interesting.. 

Then a drive back to the car... 

Just a lovely lovely day.. 

My favourite trip all summer..  

Hope you enjoyed our little day trip.. 

Thanks for stopping by.. 

Next time I will share some of our daily doings and I am putting together a post of windows from the village.. 

God bless you dear hearts and I look forward to hearing from you.. 

xo