Ice Storm ...

Hello everyone.. 

So glad you dropped by the Blessed Hearth on this Sunday evening.. 

As some of you may know our province of New Brunswick especially the eastern side of which we are a part has suffered a severe ice storm.. 

I thought I would do a little post and take you with me on a little field trip to see the ice.. 

I know I have not done this kind of post for awhile so perhaps you will enjoy it and see how it is here in our little part of the world.. 

As I said in my last post on Tuesday we were in a rather bad storm with freezing rain and wind.. 

Our hydro fluttered on and off through the evening so I ended the post and went to bed.. 

The window was open as usual and the wind was wild.. 

I could hear a snapping every once in awhile and I thought there was something banging against a wall out by the shed somewhere.. smile.. 

In the morning I came out and looked out our front window to this.. 

Wow... 

I hadn't realized just how bad it was.. 

Going over to make a pot of coffee and looking out the kitchen window... 

My little bubble weather forecaster that my Mom gave me was telling the story, I think.. 

Not good with all those bubble things at the top.. 

And then I noticed all the limbs strewed around the yard.. 

Our apple orchard is quite old and the poor things were broken everywhere.. 

The snapping I heard through the night must have been branches breaking!

Someone was up and gone to work and let Charlie out for a few minutes.. 

Wow.... 

This was Wednesday morning and hydro was out over most of the province especially on the Eastern side as I was saying.. 

Then on Thursday we decided to take a drive just to see what it was like.. 

We headed out of our little village and there were hydro trucks everywhere.. 

Bless their hearts.. 

They came from Nova Scotia and other provinces to help us out.. 

Here are some scenes that we saw.. 

I apologise for the picture quality but you get the drift, eh? 

The birches really were just bent over double or broke right off.. 

Terry wanted to see how his wood lot looked.. 

In all the midst of it, though, you have to gasp at the beauty of it all.. 

There are so many photos on the web that are just gorgeous.. 

These will give you an idea of how much ice there was.. 

We have passed huge trees broken right in two and driveways plugged with broken down trees.. 

I imagine it is a lot like when a tornado goes through!

There are folks today still without their electricity.. 

It is times like these that communities band together to help each other.. 

A lot of houses have their generators going out in their garages but I am so thankful for wood heat.. 

Freezers and fridges had to be cleaned out for some folks who had no other recourse... 

We continued on our drive to Salisbury and only the Irving Big Stop was open and it was packed with people wanting a hot meal and such.. 

On Saturday the sun came out and when we were coming home from Sussex there were fields of choppings where the wood had been cut down.. The sun shining on the all of the ice made it look  like a field of diamonds.. 

I did not have my camera but Terry remarked that no camera could capture all that beauty... 

We do not have much snow now..

We had to go check the farm as the hydro was out there for 3 days but it was on when we arrived and all was fine.. 

Oh for you girls who read my blog and I was complaining about Terry chopping down my fave pine tree...... 

Well, he says it is a good thing he did that because that wind would have caused the tree to tear the mast right off of our house.. 

Yup.. 

He was right again!  

LOL... 

We have had a simply wonderful Sunday with our church family today.. 

A special dedication and meeting with old friends and family and worshipping the Lord together was lovely.. 

And a pot luck... 

God is good and we are thankful for his blessings during the storms of our lives.. 

Even ice storms.. 

Take care dear hearts... 

Just another post...

Good Evening everyone.. 

Welcome to the Blessed Hearth ... 

Hope you are all doing well and not in the midst of a storm as we are here in Eastern Canada.. 

Lots of freezing rain and wind and more rain.. 

I am sitting here anxiously waiting for news that our daughter and her husband have landed safely from their trip to the Bahamas.. 

They were supposed to land this morning but the plane had to return to Toronto due to landing conditions here.. 

Then we had a text from Shonda that they would be leaving again at 5 pm but have not heard anything else thus far.. 

I checked with the airport site and it says the flight from Toronto is delayed... sigh... 

I am not worried.... 

I just want them to be safe at home.. 

All you mothers know what I mean.. 

Anyway.. 

The last post I mentioned that we were planning on going to the farm on Saturday and that we did... 

Not as much snow as usual as you can see.. 

Terry and Dustin have lots of wood piled and the dear man went inside and started the fire in the stove and turned on the electric heaters while I read in the car for about 15 minutes.. 

Charlie played around the yard.. 

He loves it up there and just runs and runs.. 

I checked out our flagpole.. 

I think we may have had a bit of wind up there lately, eh? 

You know what that means in the Spring.. 

Another episode in the life of a wife with a husband on a ladder.. lol

You ladies who follow the blog remember my stories about that.. 

I also noticed that my summer bunting is still flying in the breezes.. 

I will need to make a new one also in the Spring when we get back up there.. 

Well.. the sad story is that when Charlie and I went into the house I found that I could not stay.. 

My arthritis has been acting up and I knew if I stayed I would be suffering all week so we just turned off the heats and went back home.. 

I had packed food for our meals but ended up making it here.. 

Oh well.. 

Terry said it is better not to take a chance.. 

Enough about that.. 

We had Sunday supper and I made an apple cobbler.. 

Forgot to take a pic of finished product.. smile.. 

I wish I had a wonderful recipe for that but it was just so so.. 

Do you ladies have one that is awesome?  

Then I made tea and just had a wonderful time looking at books and such.. 

Planning our next Keepers of the Home day.. 

It is to be on February 11, I think... 

Probably going to be a heart day.. 

I will post about it as soon as I know the details.. 

Yesterday and today I made a couple of batches of egg rolls.. 

We learned to make these at Keepers if you recall.. 

So easy to make really.. 

Then this was our Sunday supper.. 

Very boring but comfort food.. 

Salisbury steak, gravy, mashed, carrots and turnip... 

And lots of pickles of course.. 

Really trying to use up preserved and frozen foods this Winter.

I love love the canned beans and such .. 

Really hope to do up a lot more this year... 

And of course my favourite is the soup base that I have posted about so many times.. Thanks to dear Carmen.. 

This is just some vintage fabrics I found in my decluttering process.. 

This morning Terry and I spent over 2 hours in my workshop in the basement.. 

We got through 3 big shelves.. That is all.. 

Oh my !!

Over 20 years in the craft and shop business and I have not been through the stuff since I retired.. lol  

How do I get rid of so much good stuff is beyond me.. 

I can't burn it all and I doubt if any thrift store wants that much so I will have to divvy it up amongst them, I guess.. 

I don't even know if anyone uses that kind of craft supplies anymore.. 

Grapevine wreaths, swags and so on and so on.. grin.. 

Then I still make a few things yet and have our Keepers meetings so I want to keep some of it ... 

But what??? 

I guess we will be going down most days for an couple of hours and hope we get through it by next year.. 

That is all I can do.. 

Our kids will be so relieved to know that I am even trying.. 

Well, dear hearts this has been a long boring story.. 

Once again, I apologize for that.. 

When I first started the blog it was with the warning that it would only be about my daily life.. 

Nothing very outstanding but real anyway, eh? 

Take care of yourselves and thanks so much for your sweet comments.. 

I was going to post a recipe for lemon desert but our hydro is flickering so I had best shut this down.. 

Talk soon and God bless.. xo

These January Days...

Good Evening dear hearts.. 

Just a little post for this Friday evening.. 

Hope you all have a great weekend.. 

We are having pretty good weather here in New Brunswick.. 

It is certainly my kind of winter.. 

Not a lot of snow thus far and many times it is rather mild with rain and wind.. 

I don't think it has even been really cold like it used to be when we were kids.. 

Or perhaps I just forget.. smile.. 

Anyway.. 

Terry and I may be heading for a day at the farm tomorrow.. 

Not sure yet.. 

We don't seem to make plans but just go with the flow.. 

Terry was up today and the driveway is clear. He made a fire and that will make it a bit easier to heat for tomorrow.. 

It will be just for the day but we will see... 

This post has some pics from our week.. 

Doing ordinary things like watering the plants.. 

Did you know that if you save the water that you use to wash your rice then use it for your plants that they thrive on it.. 

I read that somewhere and have been doing it and find the plants do like it.. They told me so.. grin.. 

It doesn't hurt them anyway.. 

Drying out a few more apples and limes slices... 

Making Mojo Sauce and Spaghetti... 

When we go shopping I try to find the bargain fruit and veggies and then dry them.. 

We went to town yesterday and did a bit of shopping.. 

The roads were a bit slick but not too bad.. 

It was a good day.. 

We usually take Charlie with us.. 

He has his blankets and loves just sleeping in the back.. 

We are not in one store for more then an hour and he just sleeps away... 

I visited the thrift store that had a fire and it is lovely and clean and tons of stuff... 

I found some books, a couple of lovely cups and a jean blazer.. smile.. 

Love thrift shopping!  Do you? 

This week has also been spent in our living room decluttering and I am so glad that I have actually finished.. 

Found some lovely treasures.. 

Drawers full of stuff but much less in them now.. 

Came across a picture of my great aunt and uncle whose dining room set I have.. 

They were married in 1934... 

I loved reading the newspaper clipping about their wedding and it was fun to find that I have inherited a few of their wedding gifts.. 

The blue and white china belonged to her.. 

The other beautiful water pitcher and glasses belonged to my maternal grandparents.. 

It was one of their wedding gifts and is over 100 years old.. 

My Mom just gave it to me and I love it.. 

Since my sister and I were wee girls we were told that it and a lovely pink glass basket were to be ours someday.. 

Nadine received the basket.. 

Mom is beginning to try to give us some of her precious things and we cherish them just as we do her.... 

I now have 3 boxes of stuff to give away!! 

Next week, Lord willing I will start another room.. smile.. 

Well, my dears I will go for now.. 

We have been watching the Inaugural proceedings.. 

We pray for the USA and hope that all will go well for them.. 

Thanks so much for stopping by and I look forward to hearing from you sweet friends.. 

God bless... 

ps.. I will try to post the lemon dessert recipe next post... xo

Saturday Night Ramble ...

Good Evening everyone.. 

Welcome to the Blessed Hearth this Saturday night.. 

We had a beautiful sunny day here in New Brunswick and had a few dear friends drop by this afternoon.. 

It was such a nice day for a drive.. 

I had just finished cleaning my pantry.. 

again !

 Perhaps, I am a messy sort.. smile.. 

A bit of painting on the little corner shelves and it will be nice and fresh for a bit.. 

Since it was so tidy I decided to make a lemon dessert.. 

It was a successful new recipe!

Terry didn't think they were lemony enough but I thought they were just right.. 

Not too sweet... 

I think this is going to turn into another Saturday night ramble.. 

Sorry.. 

I am trying to get a bit organised and decluttered this Winter..

It is quite a daunting task in this house which is so full... 

I find it a bit overwhelming so I am trying the strategy of the Fly Lady..(an organizing site) 

It is using a timer and working at two separate chores.. 

It turns out that the timer keeps me focused.. smile.

I am finding that it is taking me awhile to complete the Living Room, though as I am cleaning out each and every drawer, buffet and china cupboard.. 

Plus the Christmas had to be packed up and sorted, too.. 

I am also putting wee notes on special dishes and such so my children will know what is precious and what is not... smile.. 

So.. 

The living room gets a bit of time here and there.. 

Finding a few treasures in there... 

Edgar Guest is a favourite poet... 

Lots of old lace, tablecloths and such.. 

So hard to get rid of stuff when you really like it.. smile.. 

I am managing to do it, though.. 

A couple of big boxes for the thrift stores already... 

My children will be proud of me.. smile..  

Then when you are sure you have most of Christmas packed away....

You find a few more things... 

Hopefully, it will get finished next week.. 

We only ran the roads one day this week.. 

And that was to go once again to St. Martins..

This is the pic of our old cottage that I put on the last post... 

See the little cottage right down at the end with the red roof ... 

Well, on Wednesday our province was hit by a huge wind and rain storm... 

The waves were humongous !!

And my sweet friend's cottage took a beating.. 

Look at the size of that wave.. 

I borrowed this pic from Village of St. Martins Facebook page.. 

So on Thursday we went down to see the damage and I was very curious to see how far the water had actually come up.. 

You could see the line where the seaweed debris stopped and it was much further then usual.. 

This little cottage used to be the train station in St. Martins many years ago..

So sad... 

I hope they can rebuild..  

Met up with some old friends there.. 

It was amazing how much damage the waves did... 

Here is a link to a news broadcast that covers the storm.. 

I thought that some of my far away friends would like to see the video.. 

HERE...

And another little recipe that I tried out for supper tonight.. 

We had them with filet of Salmon..

Vinaigrette Potatoes.. 

Peel and chop up 5 cups of potatoes.. 

Boil in salted water until tender.. 

While they are cooking make up the vinaigrette dressing.. 

Dressing.. 

1/4 cup of olive oil or canola

3 T. of white wine vinegar

1/2 cup of chopped celery

1/4 cup of chopped scallions

Salt and freshly ground pepper 

pinch of red pepper flakes

Whisk well.. 

Drain the potatoes and mash well.. 

Pour in the dressing and stir well..

These really go rather well with fish... 

Nice change, too.. 

Well, my dears this is all for tonight.. 

Tomorrow is the Lord's Day once again.. 

Looking forward to worshipping the God of the universe.. 

Take care and God bless.. 

xo