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... 

Early Farm Days...

Well, hello there dear hearts... 

How are you all on this beautiful Spring evening?  

It is so lovely outside here tonight.. 

So happy Spring has actually arrived here in Maritime Canada.. 

I am so pleased to have you drop by the Blessed Hearth today.. 

This post is farm oriented.. 

I am so excited to say that I am really enjoying getting ready to move out there for the summer.. 

As you could probably tell from my posts I have been wondering if I would want to go for the summer or stay here as we did last year.  

There is just so much work to do there with getting all of our cottage stuff relocated out of the old farm house and such.. 

But.....

Charlie and I have decided we want to go and do what needs done.. grin.. 

No... actually.... 

Terry and I have come up with some plans that are feasible for us so we can enjoy the place once again.. 

It may take all summer to accomplish but steady on as we go... 

This past week we were there a few days because the sun shone!  

Praise the Lord!

Usually the first thing I do when we get there is to prepare something to cook on the wood stove,.. 

It is just a wood stove and not a kitchen one but it cooks a soup or stew really well... 

This one is a tomato base with hamburger, cabbage, onion, celery and carrots... 

Almost a Hamburger soup, I guess.. 

Then I added a bit of rice... 

Lots of parsley and garlic, of course.. 

Anyway.. 

While that is cooking away out in the porch I started washing out kitchen drawers and such.. 

With an old place like this you never know if a mouse might have been about ... 

All the dishes get washed.. 

Some girls will pack up everything in totes but I would just rather spend the day washing up... smile.. 

Love setting the old farmhouse table once again.. 

Some pretty lavender coloured bowls and napkins from the thrift shops... 

The soup was really tasty and even though the sun was shining the house is still taking awhile to warm up.. 

Terry has the stove and heaters and dehumidifier all going full steam.. 

My old Arthur can take a beating if I get too damp.. 

Isn't old age wonderful?  grin.. 

Another reason I am excited to be at the farm is my sweet husband has decided I can use this old stove that I used to have in my shop in St. Martins.. 

Isn't it gorgeous?  

I have wanted to use it for years but he kept saying no that it was practical... (Imagine!)

Well... 

He finally gave in and here it is.. 

And ... 

I have my kitchen cupboard from our old house in St. Martins.. 

You can see a bit of it there.. 

And our new fridge from there, too.. 

And in the pantry through that door there is another old cupboard we brought from the shop.. 

It is perfect for the pantry.. 

Please excuse everything in the background.. 

It will take me a bit to get it all together.. 

Do any of you know what the wide porcelain part of the stove was used for?  

I tried to google it but could not find out.. 

The stove still has the papers it came with and is a 1947 model.. 

Terry put the knob that is missing up so we would not lose it and now can't remember where he put it.. 

He just saw it the other day though... grin.. 

Will be happy to get it all cleaned and going.. 

Meanwhile there are lots of dishes to wash..  

No dishwasher here.. smile.. 

I took my daily quart with me and drank it through the day.. 

It does feel like it might be the Spring tonic the ladies in the 1800s thought it was.. smile.. 

It is Nettles.. 

I hope I can find some growing somewhere this year so I can dry them myself and not have to buy them.. 

While we have been visiting the farm our dear daughter and her friend have been visiting Paris... 

Needless to say they are having a wonderful trip.. 

Shonda is the one with the green scarf.. 

Her and Wanda grew up together and now they attend the same church and their kids have grown up together.. 

So love the family of God.. 

Speaking of which .. 

We had a great service this morning.. 

Love feeling the Presence of our Lord .. 

The pastor taught on reaching our world with the love of Christ.. 

The fields are ripe with harvest.. 

After church we decided to go and have lunch at the farm.. 

I picked out paint colours to paint the kitchen and some old cupboards.. 

Can't wait ... 

This week, hopefully... 

He is patiently waiting... grin.. 

Not very impressive, I am afraid.. 

We don't have a lot of groceries up there yet but some hamburger (again) in the freezer made an oldie we call Hamburger Gravy.. 

It is his favourite... 

Then some french beans I canned last fall and my favourite cucumber salad... 

Do you like my salt and pepper shakers? 

A sweet gift from my sister.. 

Just slice up cucumbers in a bowl and sprinkle some salt and chili flakes.. Then drizzle fresh lemon juice over top.. 

Let it sit for a bit and it is ever so good! 

I make it a lot for a snack, too.. 

Well I guess this about wraps it up again for now.. 

I started out with a much larger post.  

Downloaded all the pics of here and the farm and messed it up and had to start all over again.. 

Brother!  

This time I did half of it but the good thing is that next time won't be so hard.. eh! 

I love this verse.. 

Guess it is my prayer for the next while.. 

I will try to take pics and show you our accomplishments.. 

I was telling Terry we have to get this done before he gets full time on the gardens because that will be the end of inside work.. 

Lots to do but enjoyable for me when it is this kind of stuff.. 

Was so happy to hear from my friend Becky in Arkansas this week.. 

She was anxious to see the stove.. 

Thanks so much for dropping by and love your notes.. 

I answer the Face Book comments most of the time but find the ones on the blog don't get responded to ... 

Hint hint.. 

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Welcome to all the new followers of the blog.. 

So happy to have you.. 

Now have a blessed week and choose joy.. 

Hugs from me to you...