Loving the month of June...

Hello everyone.. 

How are you?  

Another lovely day here in New Brunswick.. 

I must say I am loving the month of June.. 

I believe May and June are my happy months!  smile.. 

Everything so bright and beautiful!  

Really bright now that I have had my cataracts removed from both eyes!  

I just find the colours so fresh.. 

When I only had one eye fixed I would

cover it and look through the eye that had not been done and you cannot imagine the difference.. 

It was just like a very foggy day.. 

No wonder I couldn't see to type on this computer or anything.. 

I laughed and told our daughter that I was looking at her Dad and thought to myself how many wrinkles he had and then I looked in the mirror!  lol!

That was an eye opener!  grin.. 

No really!  

And the spider webs and such!  

Oh my, I am just so thankful to get it all behind me.. 

Thank you to you dear girls who prayed for me..  

I so appreciate it and for your prayer and comments about us losing our dear dog, Charlie.. 

He is missed!  

Now on with the story.. 

The above pic is from the farm obviously... 

We are slowly getting things in order.. 

We are not sure when we will be moving out for the summer but soon, I hope.. 

Bought a couple of lace table runners that I love for the old table..

So loving lace lately.. 

I always have but tried to do whatever was in fashion until a few years ago when I was finished with the craft business.. 

I decided to do what I love and lace is one of them.. 

Curtains and such... 

Do you like lace and linens and lilacs? smile.. 

 

These lilacs are from my Aunt Eva's lilac tree.. 

She only planted a white one but we now have a new purple one growing there.. 

Hoping to make a Lilac foot soak this week with dried lilacs and Epsom salt, etc.. 

I did get my buntings done for the kitchen and put one up..

Not a very good pic but you get the drift.. 

I ended up cutting up my new tea towel.. smile.. 

I bought a new one though .. 

The herb beds are doing wonderful.. 

Lovage, Tarragon, Compfrey, Chives, Sage and Thyme and new Basil... 

Oh and a Lavender in this bed.. 

This is a bottle of Chive Vinegar.. 

If you have some chives growing just put them in a glass jar and fill with vinegar... 

White wine is the best but quite expensive.. 

You can use just plain white vinegar.. 

I saw this way of doing them on the Tangled Garden article that was published in Victoria Bliss magazine. 

The Tangled Garden is in Nova Scotia and is a place we hope to visit this summer some day... 

It is not necessary to use the stems.. 

Just put the heads in and your vinegar will turn a most lovely pink colour.. 

A friend and I were saying the other day that Chive vinegar is our favourite.. 

Makes a wonderful salad dressing or use on fish or whatever you put vinegar on.. 

After a couple of weeks strain it through cheesecloth or a coffee filter and put in your pantry.. 

I always make extra to give away..

Now is the time to get your gift pantry stocked... 

Gathering some Lovage to dry for seasonings and such.. 

And of course my Tomato Drink that I look forward to.. 

Drinking it from a Lovage straw!  

We have been spending quite a bit of time at the farm and this was one lunch time special.. 

Spaghetti and Meatballs.. 

Flavoured with herbs.. 

Oregano, Parsley and Garlic... 

We don't eat a lot of this but it is so good... 

The kitchen is getting done out there but Terry is so busy with the gardens that I can't get him in the house at all..  

One day I made a batch of jam as you can see on the stove.. 

Love love the stove.. 

There is my new coffee perk my son bought me.. 

It is just like the old fashioned ones and I can use it on the wood stove, too.. 

I have been putting stuff in the cupboard while I wait for Terry to give the doors another coat.. 

Then I will unpack a few boxes from St. Martins.. 

And do it right.. 

Oh my.. 

All in good time.. So I keep telling myself.. smile.. 

This day we had a lovely stew like soup.. 

One of Terry's friends gifted him with a jar of home made stew that they had canned.. 

It was delicious!  

I added a jar of our canned green beans to stretch it but hopefully we will get some stew done up this Fall.. 

Comes in so handy and so quick to heat up.. 

I keep changing things.. grin.. 

Saw a pic on Instagram of little kitchen shelves with old cups on them.. 

Dug out some cups and voila!  

I should have taken a pic of the all the shelves.. 

I will later when I finally get everything done.. 

Well.. 

That about wraps up what we have been doing.. 

Our gardens are mostly planted now so we need to clean up the yard and get our deck and such done.. 

I have been buying a few plants but to be honest I am waiting for sales... 

Surely they will come along soon... 

I thought I would show you this old pic... 

I posted it on Instagram for Father's Day.. 

A long time ago I was his little girl..  

He found the Lord a couple of years after this pic was taken and had a genuine experience that affected our daily lives.. 

What a difference Jesus made.. 

It was the best thing Dad ever did with his whole life.. 

I am so thankful he introduced us to Jesus... 

And that he stayed true... 

Thanks for visiting my luvs and I look forward to your comments. 

Hopefully, we won't be running to the doctors and such and I will answer your notes on Face Book.. 

Welcome to the new followers of the blog and thanks too for sharing my page on FB.. 

I appreciate you all and God bless... 

Acts 2:38  

 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

A lovely June Evening...

Good Evening my dears.. 

So nice to finally get a chance to sit down and chat with you all.. 

It is certainly another lovely Sunday evening here in New Brunswick.. 

I love these days lately.. 

Not too hot and not too cold.. smile.. 

The landscape is lush and beautiful as you can see.. 

This is my favourite view near our home.. 

Yes, we are still home.. 

There has just been so much going on that we can't seem to get to the farm to stay yet but we are there several days a week if we are not running the roads..

Last week we noticed that the cows have been put out to the pasture.. 

So surely summer is arriving, eh!  

Our flower bed here at home has been full of lovely Lily of the Valley.. 

I had to pick a few to put in a vase for the window sill.. 

And for my Mom as she loves them.. 

She tells me they were her my Grandmother's favourite flower.. 

I love them, too.. 

Do you like them.. 

There are lots of forget me nots but they are starting to leave.. 

And of course, the Rhubarb! 

Made a couple of batches of jam... 

Cherry Rhubarb and Strawberry Rhubarb.. 

Froze some and made tons of Rhubarb Sauce which we eat for dessert with added fruit perhaps and a dash of whip cream... 

There have been some rainy days and on those I usually get a soup on the go when we arrive at the farm..  

This was a Barley and Beef one.

Someone mentioned in a comment that they would like to see a better pic of my dish drainer so here it is, dear.. 

Hope that helps.. 

I really like it and it was worth the wait... smile.. 

I am slowly starting on some projects.. 

I work on the house until I get tuckered then sit down and do some stuff.. 

I will be showing you soon.. I hope.. 

Terry is so busy with the gardens that I cannot get him to do the little touch ups so that I can finish things up... 

He needs to finish painting the doors on the cupboard so I can put stuff in there and some trim needs a second coat.. 

Oh well.. 

All in due time.. 

The weather has been great so that he can work outside and keeps telling me that he will get to it on the next rain day ... 

Generally, we have been away those days!  grin.. 

Here is a meal we had last week... 

A steak of beef (I don't eat much beef) but it was good and a few fried potatoes and corn on the cob.. 

And always a salad or two.. 

Tomatoes with basil, garlic, lemon juice and oil.. 

Now that is my kind of food.. 

Hoping to make a tablecloth and a few other things... 

And of course there is always time for a cup of coffee or tea and a little read.. 

This came from Amazon last week and I do love her writing.. 

Terry bought a big bag of ripe bananas so I froze some for smoothies... 

But when evening comes then it is time to head back home.. 

I really don't mind.. 

I so love my water bed and it is hard to get used to the ones we have at the farm.. 

I will though.. No worries..

Each trip we try to take a plant or two..

More farm news next time...  

Well.... 

I have left this for the last.. 

Our dear faithful Charlie has passed  away.. 

It is still such a shock and hard to fathom.. 

I know he was just a dog but he was our dog and we loved him.. 

He honestly was such a good boy.. 

Never had to get upset with him or anything.. 

Dustin just had him trained so well it was amazing!  

We had gone out to the farm last Saturday night just to pick something up.. 

We took the truck and Charlie as always sat between us!  

He loved the farm and knew when it was coming up and would sit right up and watch.. 

As soon as we stopped he would wait for one of us to say to get out and away he would go.. Checking the barn and running to the spring.. 

I went out on the deck to come home and he and Terry were out by the garden.. 

I yelled to him to go get a drink before we left.. 

It was so sweet.. 

He would run to the spring and splash right in.. 

Then he would bend down and drink but keep looking over his shoulder at us to see if we were still watching him.. 

So dear.. 

Anyway, we came home and I fed him .. 

He ate it all and I always said.. 

Goodnite, Charlie... 

He was in his kennel .

I went to bed to read before Terry would come in. 

Terry said he let him out later and he came in and went to his kennel.. 

Terry said he coughed a couple of times so he got up and looked at him but he just turned over and was fine.. 

Later he closed his kennel door for the night.. 

Sunday morning I got up around 7am as usual and when I went to open the French door I noticed I didn't hear him wagging his tail and making a racket waiting for me to open the door.. 

By the time I got to his kennel door I knew something was wrong.. 

He was just lying on his side like he was sleeping but he was gone.. 

We couldn't believe it and still can't.. 

Only dog lovers understand this... 

Anyway.. 

We wrapped him up in a clean quilt I had just washed for him and took him to the farm... 

That is where he loved it so much.. 

Our grandson said to me one day when he was visiting and Charlie was so happy running around that that was Charlie's favourite place on earth!  smile.. 

We put him beneath the Lilac tree... 

The sweetest thing was that I have been looking everywhere for violets and never found any on the farm ever .. 

But there where Terry was digging was 3 little bunches of violets.. 

One for each year he lived with us.. 

He was over 7 years old.. 

He lived with Dustin for four years before he came to us.

Not very old but I googled it and Shar-peis only have a life expectancy of 8 -12 years.. 

He must have had a heart attack because there was no sign in the kennel of distress.. 

I am glad he went easily but sure wish it was later on... 

Dear Dustin was shocked and saddened as well.. 

This was taken one of the first summers we stayed there at the farm.. 

Terry will miss him.. 

As we all will.. 

But that is what happens... 

Life goes on.. 

So happy we had such a great experience owning him for a few years... 

And on that note I guess I will close for tonight.. 

Thank you sweet ladies for all your prayers with my eye.. 

It went great and tomorrow Lord willing I am scheduled to get the other one done.. 

It is so wonderful to be able to see!  

Thanks for reading and thanks for commenting.. 

I love hearing from each one.. 

May God bless and keep you and your sweet families... 

Hugs from me to you.. 

Happy Fathers Day, too.. 

A Sunday Night in June...

Good Evening my dears.. 

So happy to have you visit the blog again on this Sunday Evening  in June... 

My how the time is flying by, eh! 

Soon Summer will be announced and we feel as though it should only be Spring.. 

Or I do at least.. 

Such cool weather but everything is so lush and green which is lovely.. 

The fiddleheads have come and gone and now everywhere is blossomed in Dandelions... 

I canned around 36 jars of Fiddleheads for the coming winter.. 

So happy to have them done and stored away.. 

And I did one batch of Dandelion Jelly.. 

I put it up in these small 125 gram bottles for a change this year.. 

They are a lovely size for gifting as many have not tried it before.. 

It tastes like honey to me and is wonderful in gift baskets .. 

It is nice over cream cheese for crackers or as a glaze on ham or pork.. 

I picked a bunch more this afternoon to dry a bit and then put in olive oil for salves and such.. 

Anyway.. 

We have been visiting the farm the last couple of weeks and slowly getting things done.. 

As I said in the last post Terry has the walls and woodwork all painted in the kitchen .. 

I love the colour of the walls and the woodwork painted white.. 

The new old stove is installed and I love it.. 

Even bought a new dishtowel to hang on the oven door.. smile.. 

There is also a mat to go with it but the floors have not been scrubbed and waxed yet.. 

As you can see the old cupboard is painted but Terry still has to put a second coat on the doors and fix a drawer.. 

Then I will show you it all.. 

You can see the lovely Babbling Brook colour though.. 

It does go well with the fabrics I showed you last post.. 

The sewing projects will have to wait for a bit but soon.. 

We have a few lunches up there but nothing too fance.. 

Veggie Pita Pizza is one that I go to when in a rush... 

Wanted to mention this old book to you book lovers.. 

I really enjoyed this guy's writing.. 

The book was written some time ago before a lot of electricity and such but still very relevant today.. 

It takes place in Maine which is so much like New Brunswick as far as weather and farmlands go... 

The top pic that is above is showing you my new kitchen valance for over the sink.. 

I found it at a Thrift shop.. 

It has daisies and the edging which you can't see is in the Babbling Brook colour, too... 

I also have a new dish drain, dish soap and wood handled scrubbing brush..  

Our sweet son who lives out west and could not be home for Mother's Day sent me dollars... 

He said he wanted his Dad to take me to some really nice place to eat and buy something nice for myself... smile.. 

So .. 

We did go out to eat and these are the something nice I bought myself.. 

I have been looking for a dish drain like this for ages.. 

On Amazon and EBay and such but they were so expensive.. 

I went into Home Sense to buy some Dish Soap because I love lovely dish soaps ... 

This one is Lavender Thyme... Smells delicious!  

I used a whole bottle of regular Dawn doing all the washing up there so now for the Summer I wanted something nice.. 

Well.. 

There was the Drain Board I have been looking for.. 

And a wood handled dish scrubbing brush..

They are so hard to find..  

So dear Dustin this is what your Mom considers something nice for herself... 

Oh and there was enough to buy the fabrics I showed you last post, too.. 

All in all I enjoyed the gift immensely.. 

Our other sweet son, Trevor bought me a gorgeous big patio planter that I love and picked me fiddleheads galore.. 

That was so great and Shonda brought me gifts from Paris... 

Everything French... 

Soap, French Linen, Mustards and such... 

I don't usually go on about my gifts on here but where I was showing you the farm stuff I didn't want not to mention the other gifts... 

You know what I am trying to say.. grin.. 

I stayed home all this week except for a couple of flying visits to the farm as I had so much to do here.. 

Tomorrow morning I am getting my eye surgery done in my right eye and then in a couple of weeks I get my left one done.. 

So I wanted to be caught up here a bit.. 

It means we will be slower getting to the farm then we hoped but all in due time.. 

Terry has been working on the gardens.. 

We have our new raised beds up and ready and guess what? 

All of my Lavender survived and are back.. 

I was so happy about that.. 

It is still too early to plant the garden itself but he does have stuff in the raised beds.. 

He loves gardening much more then painting!  sigh.. grin.. 

I am in the Sun Room here at home writing this post and thought I would show you a couple of my plants in here. 

I will soon be putting them outside on the patio for the summer.. 

I guess this is all for tonight my luvs.. 

I do want to welcome the new followers of the blog and those of you who have liked the Face Book page.. 

This is us! 

Taken a couple of years ago but basically the same.. 

Just two retired folks living a simple life .. 

Thankful to still be together after all these years and able to enjoy it all.. 

God has been good to us!  

Reading this blog you will note that God is our refuge and strength... 

Our lives centre around Him...

Thanks to you dear faithful readers and for your lovely comments.. 

Will check in again soon and hope to hear from you.. 

God bless.... 

Another Farm Post..

Hello... 

So happy to have you drop by the Blessed Hearth tonight.. 

Just another little update on our farm days.. 

How are you all doing? 

I sure hope you are warmer then we are here in the Maritimes of Canada... 

It is cold! 

And frankly, I am a bit tired of it all.. 

Trying so hard not to complain but all winter we so graciously(wink wink) wait for the warm sunny days of Spring but alas they only arrive here now and then just to keep our spirits in an attitude of hope.. grin.. 

Mother Nature is not always kind I am thinking.. 

But.. 

Looking out the window this evening there is sun still shining which showed herself late this afternoon and the weatherman says it will be sunny tomorrow so with hope that springs eternal we are looking forward to a week of much warmer temps.. 

Yes, dear hearts I am Canadian so the weather is the main topic of conversation in these parts.. smile.. 

Anyway... 

On with the show.. 

We have been striving to get to the farm a couple of days each week at least.. 

Terry does better then I do but actually.. If it is very chilly and damp I stay home.. Besides, when he is painting and such I am in the way and there is still lots to do here at home... 

As you can see it is greening up a lot each week.. 

This was taken on Sunday where we went to have lunch and put a fire on for awhile... 

We went to church and Charlie came along with us( he stays in the car) grin....  as we knew we were visiting the farm afterwards and it is his favourite place in the world ... smile.. 

We had to stop by the store for a few minutes and there was another dog in a truck beside us.. 

I guess they were looking each other over.. 

On the way there I mentioned to Terry we should go check a little secret spot we have for picking Daffodils ... 

They grow in a ditch where some home place must have been at one time .. Each Spring they faithfully flourish in their little spot.. 

So we drove by and there they were calling to me.. grin.. 

Terry (the dear man) gets out a picks me a few... 

We also did a little stop at an old cemetery to see if the purple violets had arrived to stay a spell with Mr. Mills and his two Missus... smile.. 

One of his wives must have loved the wild purple violet because their site is the only one that has so many... 

Yes, I am an old romantic... 

There were a few blooming but not very many yet so we did not gather any... 

I love making purple violet salve for burns... 

Later.. smile.. 

When we got to the farm Terry made a fire and I started dinner... 

Of course the Daffodils found a place of honour on the old kitchen table.. 

Terry was craving a pork chop so it was just another simple farm dinner ... 

Pork Chops, fiddleheads (thanks to our sweet son), turnip and carrot mash and he had potatoes.. 

I always have a cucumber salad lately.. 

It is my new favourite for awhile, I guess.. 

The kitchen was still quite a mess so we had to push everything over on the table to set it.. 

But really a lot has been finished.. 

The cupboard there is now all painted along with the walls and woodwork and doors... Yeah!  

That is primer on there but now it is covered a lovely Babbling Brook shade.. 

Appropriate for the brook running behind the old farm, eh!

So, Lord willing and if the sun shines we will be going up there tomorrow as Terry just finished it on Monday and I can get things together again... 

I do have the pantry almost to rights.. 

Dishes have been washed, a new cupboard installed and the hutch all cleaned out.. 

Hopefully, tomorrow he will begin to install an old old kitchen sink.. 

He has to hang my potholder and a few other little chores and we will feel like we are accomplishing something..

But it is not all work up there.. 

This happened one day..  

Not the day it says but a week later our grandson and our son came for the day.. 

We enjoyed lunch... 

Macaroni and Tuna Salad (their favourite) and Fried Potatoes... 

Jordan cooked the hamburgers on the wood stove...

I had also made these hamburgers but we didn't eat them till later.. 

Greek Burgers in Pita Bread with lettuce and Greek Yogurt Sauce.. 

I loved them but you know who didn't... 

Just give him a plain hamburger with cheese any day.. 

Personally, I seldom eat a hamburger but put some cilantro and cumin to one in a pita bread and I think it is delicious!  

Just no accounting for taste as my mother used to say.. smile.. 

We certainly enjoyed their visit...

Jordan visited with us while his Dad went fishing for awhile .. 

He came back with a bunch of pine cones... 

Our sons always think of their mother when they are out in the woods.. 

Always have.. 

I so enjoy a handful of pine cones or an old nest that has fallen or a bouquet of flowers.. 

Don't you?  

Later I tied them on a string and hung them under Tasha Tudor's pic on the hutch door... 

Terry has made two more raised beds... 

I think they are finished now.. 

Will see tomorrow.. 

It is just too cold to do much planting yet but my Lovage and such are up...

Can't wait to have a lovely glass of tomato juice and a lovage straw.. 

Something I look forward to each Spring... 

These are some  new fabrics I bought for the kitchen.. 

Gives you an idea of the colour change.. 

I hope to make a runner, buntings and perhaps a valance.. 

That will be next plus I have to use the electric scrubber for the floor and a coat of wax... 

All in good time, though.. 

This is a Partridge Stew that we had one day.. 

Love the flavour, do you?

Thanks once again to our dear boy.. 

On Monday I canned 22 jars of fiddle heads.. 

We like them canned the best as they don't take up freezer space and are not mushy... 

Do Fiddleheads grow in your area?  

I was reading an old book the other day and the guy was writing that his mother used to can Dandelion Greens.. 

I had not heard of that before.. 

I know people eat them that way but I didn't know they used to can them.. 

I hope to make jelly though and perhaps dry some root for my daily quart next winter... 

I read that you just dry the roots and grind them up and make a tea.. 

Very good for you.. 

The whole Dandelion is so healthy... 

Well dear hearts this all for tonight.. 

I titled this a little farm post.. 

Perhaps I better change it.. grin.. 

Here is a book I just finished... 

It was excellent as was the Apothecary's Daughter and a couple of others of hers that I have read lately... 

Oh.. 

I had to add this sweet pic of our daughter in Paris.. 

I told her it was my favourite.. 

Just so thankful she is now home on Canadian sail ... 

Mothers!! 

Well, lovies have a grand week and will chat again soon.. 

Thanks so much for visiting and your lovely notes and welcome to the new followers.. 

May God richly bless you and your dear families this week... 

I will be praying for you...