Oh These Summer Days

Hello there dear hearts!  

Tis a beautiful day here in Maritime Canada.. 

a lovely summer one with a bit of cloud and shower and then the sun comes out again!  

We are so thankful for these beautiful summer days that the Lord has blessed us with... 

Wondering what is new in your world... 

As crazy as it seems it is possible to find small pieces of joy and stick them in our pocket of life, eh?  

The big news in our world here is that our dear youngest son is coming home... 

We are so excited!  

It has been 2 years and 5 months since I have hugged his neck... 

So looking forward to that!  

God is so good!  

And.... 

We have been up to the farm and actually stayed overnight several times.. 

another first for 2 years!!

There is just so much to do.. 

Poor Terry has been doing gardens and such.. 

I have been airing out comforters and making bread.. 

Love working in the pantry!  

Drinking mint tea... 

Put a plant on my kitchen table... 

Copied an idea from Kings Landing Heritage Village here in New Brunswick.. 

They use old saucers for everything.. 

For pickles, butter and bread...

And plants... smile.. 

Made us a lovely new sandwich idea from store bread.. 

Terry's favourite bread for sandwiches and mine wasn't ready yet.. 

It is mashed hard boiled egg and mashed crab... 

Mayo and salt and pepper.. 

So good... 

Try it .. you will like it.. lol... 

Then of course we have a regular meal here and there... 

Terry would eat Hamburger Gravy as we call it everyday!

So... 

We had boiled potatoes and carrots and hamburger gravy.. 

Lots of pickles and Broccoli Salad... 

T'was good! 

And for dessert... 

an apron full of our very own strawberries.. 

Our brother in law gave Terry a bunch of plants and we are so excited each time we go that we get a box full!!

So blessed to have a sweet girl at a garden centre gift me with all of these cast offs... 

Put them on a screen to dry in the livingroom... 

Hope they turn out so I can make some potpourri... 

and of course our farmer's dear cows... 

They are doing so well. 

Lots of hay this year.  

Thankfully!  

I putter around in my herb beds.. 

This was a bit more then putter day as it had not been worked on for awhile.. 

But they are coming... 

A little story.. 

You know me and my stories.... smile... 

I was so sad when we kept going to visit at the farm and my lavender looked dead.. 

It takes a long time to come back but it was beginning to look hopeless... 

One day I was looking and there was a bit coming on one edge and one edge only... 

Nearly broke my heart.. 

The rest was dead.. 

It had been there for this will be it's fifth year, I think... 

Terry told me just to hang on and not do anything because it takes a long while.. 

Anyway..

We were there and I went out to check and no it wasn't doing a thing.. 

So.. 

I prayed over it in Jesus Name... 

He cares about the little things.. 

What matters to us matters to Him... 

Well.. 

a week or two later I decided I better go chop that dead stuff back.. 

When I was looking to see I saw that all the dead stuff had new coming up from the roots.!!!  

I am just so thankful!!  

I will show you all a pic when it gets blooming... 

Love my bouquets of wild flowers and daisies are gorgeous... 

Right?? 

Remember I told you about the delicious curry angel hair we had at that restaurant in Fredericton... 

I figured it out.. 

Probably not the way they make it but it is good enough for me.. 

I just used a ramen noodle packet... 

Chopped up some veggies and added half the packet of flavouring and curry to taste... 

Delicious!

I know not all that healthy but a nice treat once in awhile.. grin.. 

A pic from a country funeral for my cousin... 

Such a beautiful resting place.. 

My parents are there along with many sets of grandparents... 

One day I made a bulgur salad... 

No, Terry had a hotdog.. lol... 

Then this little exciting thing happened... 

a sweet girl has been following my blog since she was just a teenager, I believe... 

Anyway, I had mentioned on Instagram that I was going to sell my St. Martins cottage dishes.. 

They were brown transferware. 

 She said she might like to buy them..

 

The biggest job I have been working at when we are at the farm is to get these totes from the cottage unpacked after about 5 years... 

I finally came across the transferware... 

I messaged her and the dear girl and her husband and child came to St. John.. 

They came across from Nova Scotia on the Digby ferry.... 😀

We finally got to meet ... 

Isn't she sweet! 

And the baby!! 💓💓

Then here at home... 

Violets, pansies, down pours and my darling Cactus blooming.. 

Thanks to my friends from Hillsbough for the lovely plant.. 

June was such a great month for gatherings ... 

And a most beautiful wedding..

Our dear grandson Jordan and his lovely bride Sarah... 

It was a beautiful day and a wonderful wedding.. 

God has blessed us with another granddaughter-in-law... 

And we are thankful..... 

Love you two and may you have many happy days and years together.... 

There are gorgeous pics which I may share a few another time.. 

This was from my own camera... 

Then another grandson, Carter graduated from UNB and we had a celebration... 

He already has a job in his field and a new apartment.. 

Congratulations, dear.. 

We love our grandsons.... 

Just as you do yours..  smile..

I stole this pic from my cousin.. 

This is our downtown... smile.. 

They are their horses and wagon...

And our neighbors flock.... smile.. 

I love them... 

On July 1st celebrations here they had a fireworks display in our field... 

So we went out and watched from our swing.... 

They were beautiful!  

One of the best we have seen.... 

Don't mind my photo... smile.. 

They were lovely...

Well my lovies... 

This is all for now.. 

I pray you are having a wonderful summer with family and friends.. 

Just trusting Jesus and holding onto His hand.. 

Life is grand.. 

God bless you and thanks for stopping by and your lovely wee notes.. 

So love them.. 

Hugs... 

PS... I just previewed this and realized that it is not a good piece of writing.. 

All chippy dippy!! 

So sorry but I guess I must be tired.. 

Hopefully, I will do better next time.. 

xoxox

 

 

Ramble and Roll for the Month of May....

Good Afternoon everyone.. 

Happy June!! 

I meant to get back to you in May but I woke up this morning in June and realized that it was too late for a May posting.. 

Nevertheless, it is June and so I am early although this post is about  our May days as they flew by .... smile.. 

I hope all is well with you... 

We so love Spring and are enjoying our weather.. 

We have a bit of cool temps and such but no snow... grin.. 

With Spring here we are once again harvesting our Rhubarb.. 

Such a delicious fruit? veggie?  I don't know but we do love it.. 

 Above is my Rhubarb Kimchi that I began making last Spring and couldn't wait to make some more.. 

As you who follow my blog for awhile know that Terry and I have different tastes, shall we say.  

He wouldn't try this on a bet but I decided a long time ago that I could not live on just his kind of food.. grin.. 

Please forgive my writing.. 

Messy!! 

But as you can see it has oranges which really make it tasty.. 

Salty and spicy!  

Hope you make some and enjoy it.. 

I found it on the web but could not find it again this year so I am happy I wrote it down !  

I also made my Fermented Rhubarb Pickles.. 

Actually, I made these this morning... 

I already ate 2 jars in the past few weeks.. 

It was the first thing I did with the rhubarb along with Terry's muffins that he loves..  

I posted that recipe on here before.. 

I just wanted to show you my new treasure!  

I have been looking for just the right old picture for my backsplash for quite awhile..  I have tried several but was not really happy with them..  

Then I was into my Step-father's getting a few more of my Momma's things...

 He has sold the house and moved... And remarried!  At 91!  

Sorry... I digress! grin.. 

Anyway.... 

this was one of my Mom's favourite pics.. 

She had written that on the back.. 

She would write little notes on everything.. 

I so love them! 

I think they are little messages to us! smile.. 

It is perfect there I think... 

Then yesterday (still in May)  smile.. 

I made a couple of batches of Mom's Rhubarb Jam... 

And a Focaccia bread!  

It was so good.. 

It is our favourite jam... 

It is posted on the blog here also.. 

I should have called this a ramble and roll.. 

I may go back and change the title.. smile.. 

It now says... 

May days are past.. 

But rambling along.. 

On Sundays I like to make some special kind of dessert.. 

Not every Sunday but if it works out...  

This was last Sunday's

Rice Custard Pudding and whipped cream.. 

No recipe.. 

Just hit and miss!  smile.. 

And a lovely use of my Lovage Herb plant.. 

Use it as a straw!!

Terry was just here and told me that I had probably told you girls this for the last ten years!! lol!! 

Sorry!! 

Rolling along and changing the subject all the time as I do in person.. lol.. 

I found this on Instagram and shared it with Shonda.. 

She is a lot like her mother in ways and loved it too.. 

Don't you agree?  

It is nice to look at life like that... 

Gives you a different perspective perhaps!  

Rambling along.. 

Our oldest son, Trevor who lives near us did a sweet thing for his Mom on Mother's Day... 

I had told him that when he was picking fiddleheads to look for yellow violets.. 

I had not seen them in forty years.. 

He sent me this pic and wondered if this is what I meant... 

Yes!! 

So I am going to plant them here in the flower bed and next Spring I will have some.. 

I did that when we lived in St. John about 42 years ago... 

So sweet!  

Then when we were down there he picked me these ones.. 

Just a few but enough to press in a book... smile..

 

You know.... 

Our wee boys never grow up in a mother's head, do they? smile.. 

Nor our wee girls.. 

They will always be our babies... 

Rambling or am I rolling along..... lol

Sweet hubby picked these forget- me- nots for me.. 

And a bucket of these... 

So I could make this..

Dandelion Oil... 

To make these salves and such with... 

I didn't make jelly this year.. 

We still have some left from last year.. 

Now this is not a Spring chore but when you get a huge head of cabbage for a couple of dollars!!

You make up a batch of sauerkraut.

Right? 

With dill seed this time... yummy!

I went and stayed over night with our daughter as her church was having a lovely evening! 

It was wonderful and such a blessing! 

 

We had a great time together.. 

Went shopping and out for brunch.. 

And at home she had sourdough that was ready to stretch.. 

So she stretched it.. 

I really don't know what you call this procedure but it looked like stretching it to me... 

She has become quite the sourdough baker!  

Then a wonderful neighbour dropped by with a huge trout for us.. 

It was sooooo good!  

Trevor gave us some fiddleheads too and we had a pure taste of 

Maritime Spring... smile.. 

I have been a bit slack in taking country drive pics.... 

But here is one... 

My favourite view near our home... 

And this one was in our yard.... 

And..

Saw these dear things on one of our town days.. 

Right in the city!!  

We also made a trip to Fredericton on the spur of the moment... 

I had ordered a Vicks Plant from a garden centre there and when they called and had them we decided to go... 

I have wanted this plant for a year.. 

They only start them in the Spring.. 

I was scared they would be gone.. smile.. 

But we had a lovely day.... 

Getting a few other herbs.. 

The pineapple sage is in blossom and the only one they had out!

They said they had not seen it blossom before.. smile.. 

The downtown was gorgeous... 

With it's old houses and blossoms everywhere... 

Terry was so happy to finally get to his favourite buffet... 

We don't eat the same there, either! grin... 

He had lots of Chinese food.. 

And I like other stuff.. 

Cream of Broccoli Soup, Shrimp and more shrimp, Greek Orzo Salad, Garlic stuffed Olives and oh the best Curried Angel Hair Pasta Salad... 

A must try to make recipe for me... smile.. 

Then we have been to the farm here and there.. 

Still a bit damp for this old gal...  

But there have been some lovely warm days so we try and pick those.. 

I am finally after several years unpacking a lot of tote boxes from the cottage and shop.. 

Here is one example.. 

Greenwood China..

A fruit platter and nappies.. 

We will hopefully be having a yard sale before winter to try and get rid of this stuff... 

I really need to get my act together and get it done.. 

I sure don't have the energy level that I had when it arrived there at the farm!

 And with covid and sickness..... 

Well, you know.... 

Life happens! 

But God is always good! 

On Mother's Day Shonda and Dave took us out to dinner at a Inn in St. John... 

It was beautiful and we so enjoyed it!

They took our picture... 

We, like most of you have been blessed with darling children... 

They are so different in a lot of ways except in how they love their parents.. 

Although our youngest is far away he never forgets us.. 

On special days he is always faithful in getting in touch and such.. 

We are so looking forward to seeing him this summer.. 

Prayerfully, it will work out this time.. 

We miss him so much... 

Anyway.. dear hearts.. 

I am glad to finally get it together and chat with you.. 

There is no sense in me making promises to do this more often.. 

It just doesn't seem to work.. 

It is hard to believe that it takes me hours to do.. 

I used to do it practically five times a week but that was a long time ago... 

Thank you so much for visiting.. 

And as always I look forward to hearing from you and reading your sweet comments.. 

Take care of yourselves and your sweet families.. 

Jesus is coming Soon....

James 5-7

 Be patient, therefore, brothers,[a] until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains.