Hello everyone...
Welcome to the Blessed Hearth on this Saturday evening..
A very blustery and cool one here at home..
I am so happy you stopped by..
It takes me awhile to get back but I eventually make it.. smile..
We have been busy doing this and that but there is always some more of this and that to do! grin..
I thought this evening that I would invite you into my kitchen perse! smile..
Have a sit down and we can chat...
It has been few weeks since I have been here so there is a bit of catching up to do...
I expect you all have been busy looking forward to Spring and such...
We have been doing some cleaning up here at home..
Down in the basement in our workshops is the main focus...
So much stuff ..
We had the craft business for over 20 years and have not disposed of all of those supplies ...
Finding some treasures, though.. grin..
Just so many bits and pieces...
Love finding bits of old lace and linens..
They come right upstairs with me! smile..
And it seems I want to just make something with them..
I did make this wool type apron the other day..
I follow a dear girl on Instagram...
1824 Walkers Farm House ...
She had a pic of some woolens hanging and I thought one was an apron but it was actually a petticoat...
Nevertheless, it inspired me to make a wool type apron..
I found an old pillowcase down there with this old lace edging on it and it just fit the bottom of the apron...
I enjoyed making this although I am no seamstress!
I think I need to do this post in sections as there is quite a lot of stuff...
sorry about my messy kitchen.
I have a new bread recipe for you all..
You girls who have been around for a long time have probably at some point made the no-knead bread..
Well, I have tried making sourdough..
I love the look of it and all but it is something that you have to be consistent with and that just is not my middle name..
More like helter skelter.. grin..
Anyway...
I noticed at the Bulk Barn that they have a sourdough mix...
Hmmmm..
Thought I would give it a try but made it according to the no knead bread recipe and the artisan bread way of cooking it..
It is simply lovely..
Here are some pics..
This was todays!
I also made Chili but dear Terry is probably getting into it all by himself as I have been here quite awhile.. grin..
So...
I just use 4 cups of the sourdough bread flour and make the no knead recipe..
Then after it raises I put the cast iron in the oven at 450 degrees F and heat the cast iron with the oven heating up and another additional 10 minutes..
The bread has been punched down and laid on a teatowel with flour ... Patted flat and rolled at each end and over again like you do the NYTimes no knead bread..
Sprinkle a little flour on top and when the cast iron is ready then throw it in..
Bake for 30 minutes with the cover on and 5-10 minutes with the cover off...
Terry loves it..
The funny thing is that he thinks the no knead bread is not light enough and the NYTimes bread is too crusty but this one is perfect..
So..
"c'est la vie" ...
It also makes a huge loaf..
Lasted us 4 or 5 days and stayed fluffy.. smile..
As we are on the baking bit ...
Here some other pics..
saturday morning bake off..
Using up bananas..
Froze most of it..
And made some 2 ingredient dough bagels and apple turnovers..
You can just google the recipe or it is on one of my posts..
if you can find it.. sorry..
This was one of our meals...
We roasted one of our turkeys and it made us many meals..
This is Turkey Shepherds Pie..
I made a few litres of stock, few pints of gravy, turkey for sandwiches, soups, turkey and rice casserole, turkey shepherd's pie and a few turkey dinners..
A big turkey goes a long way with just two people...
So easy though to just pull some out and it is already to go..
This casserole has stuffing in it along with the gravy, veggies and potatoes..
Onto another bit..
Found this sweet book at the Thrift the other day..
My friend from Arkansas had just told me she had read this and the next day or two I found it..
I already have one ..... somewhere..
Do you remember this book?
I love kid's books for some reason..
The old authors..
Do you?
I am still felting hearts..
This was for someone special...
I did several daisy ones and put lavender inside...
I need to sew these up ...
I did a few more but no pics..
I am trying to get better at felting flowers and I had made a basket full of hearts from old sweaters so decided they would make a good addition to my gift pantry..
On to something else..
Oh oh...
I guess this is a Ramble and Roll..
I was wondering what I would title this post.. lol..
Some of these pics have already been on Instagram so sorry to you dear hearts who follow that..
This is a lovely gift from some dear sisters who live in Hillsborough..
A piece of their old cactus that has been in their farmhouse for many many years..
They even put it in that lovely old pottery..
And gave me the old child's chair, too..
So love it..
Also a Christmas Cactus and they are both doing well..
Love my plants..
My White Geranium is blooming..
Imagine..
In the winter...
I think plants help to make a house feel like home..
I know I am so so old fashioned.. smile..
Do you love them too?
Okay...
Rambling along here..
Here are some pics of drives and such that we took..
Checking up on our old farm a couple of weeks ago..
The weather has been so mild here that we are thinking we might get a head start on spending some time there this Spring..
So much we want to do...
As always, eh!
Some of our neighbours here..
This gentleman was so kind to stop and let me take my pic.. smile..
Country byways...
This is a couple of the city of St. John...
Where Terry and I started out 50 years ago this month..
We are still celebrating our big anniversary year..
Will show you pics when we do this special month's celebrating..
This is Terry in a mall there..
There were hundreds and hundreds of ducks..
In the mall parking lot..
It was amazing...
We made several trips to St. John the last couple of weeks as my sweet sister is in the hospital there..
She is doing much better but please say a word for her..
There are only the two of us in our family and she is younger..
Only a year and half so we grew up very closely..
Years come and go and lives take their course but when all is said and done then our families are what is dear to our hearts... smile..
With that being said..
The world is in a panic mode at the moment...
Scary things are taking place and we really don't know the whole story...
It could be worse then the media presents or it could be better..
I will be honest and tell you when it first started raising it's ugly head my heart was pierced with anxiety...
I don't worry about myself..
Like you mothers and wives we think of our husband and children and their children..
What will develop with it all..
We have a son in Alberta who does not have a wife and loved ones living with him.. He lives alone..
He has dear friends who are like family but I would like him closer..
So...
I had to take it to the Lord in prayer..
I do not want to walk this road being fearful and fretting..
I spent an evening..
Listening to old gospel songs that put hope and peace in my soul..
I studied on His promises in His Word..
I called on His Name...
Told Him how I was feeling and repenting of my fear...
And as always...
The Peacemaker touched my heart and spirit and let me know all is well..
No matter what happens..
He is in the midst of this right with us..
Nothing will come to pass that He hasn't allowed..
But best of all I was assured of His love and the sweet peace that only He can gives calmed my fears..
The song..
All my hope is in Jesus is just so true..
So thankful I know Him by Name and he knows me..
Well sweet ladies that is my piece on all of that.. smile..
But with that ..
We are responsible to be sensible and try to be wise..
Take precautions and do what we can to protect ourselves and our loved ones...
We went to the store yesterday thinking to buy some hand sanitizer for when we are shopping and such..
None ...
Every store we went in was out and not expecting any..
But all is not lost.. smile..
We made some in our Keepers meeting a couple of years ago..
So I just bought the stuff required after getting the recipe from sweet Lindsay...
And there are recipes you can google..
Here they are..
Lindsay's Hand Sanitizer..
1/2 cup pure aloe gel
1 1/2 tsp. witch hazel
15 drops of tea tree essential oil
5 drops of lavender essential oil
Add 1/3 cup of H20 to thin it down..
and she mentioned adding some drops of thieves essential oil ..
Stir together and put in a squeeze bottle..
Or..
Well there you go my dears..
Another ramble and roll for you..
Hope it blesses someone..
Love hearing from you all ..
Here or on Face book page..
And welcome to all you new followers..
Love having you..
Have a great week and tomorrow is the Lord's Day..
Take care of yourselves and your sweet families..
God is faithful...
Always a comforting pleasure to visit you...!
ReplyDeleteYou have indeed been busy! I love your hearts. I love roasting a turkey or chicken because it gives us so many different meals... and soup... we love homemade soup! I've not made bread in quite a while, yours looks delicious. Prayers for your sister to have a speedy and full recovery.
ReplyDeleteWonderful post as always!
ReplyDeleteAs always a joy to visit and be uplifted and inspired. Love the hearts and the apron. Panic buying is starting here in the UK in some areas so a wise thing to have the ingredients in to make your own. Wishing your sister a swift recovery.
ReplyDeleteAnother lovely post, thank you. I always enjoy reading your recipes and all the things you have been doing.
ReplyDeletePanic buying in UK is at its worst, sadly. Unscrupulous people are buying up things like hand gel, and then putting it on Ebay for a lot more money.
love the things you do
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely post.
ReplyDeleteCan I just say, I am just not going to worry about this virus. Unfort. I am allergic to those hand sanitizers. I just would like to stand on the proverbial street corner and scream WASH YOU HANDS PEOPLE! I think its just shameful how the media is playing this...just my opinion of course.
Nonetheless, your posts are always uplifting and truly a blessing. Have a lovely week ahead, my friend.
I know what you mean, the world wants us to be anxious and fearful - my hope is in Jesus.
ReplyDeleteHi Faye! I love your post.. How many beautiful moment! Is all very well. Thanks with hearth!
ReplyDeleteHugs,Carmela
Thanks for sharing the idea about the bread. I have never had success with sourdough bread either. It is requires too much attention for me. I have never made bagels. Are they hard to make? They have always intimadated me. I love the picture of Terry with all the ducks! God bless dear friend.
ReplyDeleteI love your rambles and rolls Faye. Thank you for inviting us into your home and sharing all the wonderful things you have been doing. Your photos are simply lovely.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the sanitiser recipe, I will be making some of that this week.
Your sourdough bread looks delicous, and your felted hearts are so pretty.
Wishing you a wonderful week!
xTania
Thank you, Faye;
ReplyDeleteLoved your post, as always! I found a cast iron dutch oven in VV just to make bread. I haven't tried it yet, but you have inspired me.
Showed Bob the picture of Terry in among the ducks and asked him to guess where it was taken. Bob has several pictures he took in the same parking lot while he was waiting for me!
Lovely to hear from you, Faye, as always;
Laurie
Loved your post Faye! I need to make some bread soon, yours looks great! Was so refreshing to hear how you trust in the Lord, I feel the same, we are not to panic and fear is not of God. Trust in him always, Love you Janis
ReplyDeleteThank you Faye for this very interesting and informative post. As always you have been keeping yourself very busy and whenever I read your recieps a;ong with many other happenings of your life it feels so refreshing many a times. It is a panic time not just in UK but many parts of the world too. But this time will also pass soon.
ReplyDeleteI loved this heart-warming post. Love your felted hearts!
ReplyDeleteI would like to know the brand of sourdough flour you use. I went to my health food grocer and they didn't know about it.
Praying Psalm 91 for all your friends and family...