November is almost over .....

Well, hello everyone!  

How are you?  

We are doing fine and realizing that Winter has arrived here in Maritime Canada!

What a fall we have had!  Unbelievable in a way but I always remember my Mom telling me that the Christmas that I arrived there was not a speck of snow and mild.  

So lovely but now that December will be here tomorrow then a little snow is fine.. 😊

Are you all ready for Christmas? 

I have never been in much of a rush until December 1. 

Although, this year I am feeling a bit overwhelmed in November!

It is so hard to realize that I cannot do what I used to and what I do do is slow!

So... 

I have got out my Christmas note tablet and made some notes and plans as to how I can simplify and still make it nice.. 

If you know what I mean.. 

We are excited because the family will be here on January 1.  We will celebrate with them on that day as our grandson does not arrive from the West until the night before.. 

We should all be here except for our youngest son... He is so missed but that is the way it is... 

We will be in contact with him all day though and he will be a part of it... 

He was so happy to have his brother, sister in law and nephew out for a week.. 

They had a wonderful time and fell in love with Alberta... 

Then a few weeks later his sister was out with him for another week or almost... 

They so loved seeing where he lived and spending so much time with them.. 

So thankful for our sweet family and the love the kids all share for each other.. 

God has been good.. 

We hope to see him and Alisha in the new year sometime... 

Anyway... 

Here are a few food pics ... 

I am so sorry but I did not get many pics this time for some reason.. 

Soup season is back and I love that as you know... 

Made a batch of kneaded bread last week and it was so good.. 

I think I will get back to it some.. 

Also tried out a new gingerbread recipe in a silicone cotage pan from Amazon... 

The cake was delicious from Cosby Mollasses but I was not real happy with the shape of the cottage.. 💛

Here are some projects I have pics of.. 

A nativity that has turned out so awesome.. 

I just love it.. 

Will take a pic when it gets hung and such.. 

Terry had to take the fireplace mantel out so it would fit... 😅

Then this one I did for the kitchen to go with the old santas that I have been gifted with over the years.. 

It looks better in real...😏

I will take some pics when it is all said and done.. 

Making homemade tags again this year.. 

I so love doing this.. 

It is so restful an occupation... 

I love paper crafts as you can tell.. 

I found another lovely old Christmas book this year and had two old santa pics in it.. 

I framed one to put under the kitchen counter and made a bag with the other one.. 

And placed some tags in it for my friend, Mary who attended a function with me at Shonda's church.. 

Remember, I told you last time about Mary and I meeting through this blog... 

And finally met each other in person... ❤

This was the event... 

A Christmas gathering for the ladies and the R.E.A.L group... 

So lavely with waffles and fruit and coffee and such.. 

My friend met me there and we had a devotion and beautiful singing.. 

Then some craft making....

Martha made gorgeous arrangements and Shonda shared some gift and gift wrapping ideas.. 

It was a lovely morning!

Thank you Mission Point for inviting us along... 

A few weeks ago our sweet girl took her Momma on a wonderful adventure to Prince Edward Island... 

We went to Charlottetown the first day... 

Found our hotel which was a converted convent... 

So beautifully done and decorated.. 

Visited a wonderful shop owned by a friend... 

Tosh Company Home Store.. 

It was lovely!  And Tosh is so sweet and genuine.. 

I bought a few Christmas things and Shonda had a blast.. 

After we went back and 

she went out and brought back some genuine Italian food.. 

So good and then to bed.. 

The next day she treated me to a visit to a huge Thrift store!  

and lunch and coffee at the Black Kettle..

don't you love that teapot. 

castiron... i could hardly lift it... lol...

I had a spinach soup which was so tasty.. 

I would like to try and make it... 

After that we headed to the east side of Prince Edward Island 

To the Inn at Bay Fortune... 

A five star inn owned by Chef Michael Smith and his wife.. 

I have followed Chef Michael for many years as he is a very famous chef from here in Maritime Canada... 

I loved his cooking show and loved picking up tips and such from him... 

So... 

It was such a pleasure to be there and join in a Culinary Retreat he put on... 

Thank you, Shonda and Dave for such a fun experience!! 

We were booked in one of their beautiful cottages and had so much fun meeting his staff and the other guests.. 

They were actually filming one of his shows during our evening.. 

It was so classy and well done.. 

Forty people attended and ate at a community table and the meal was called... The Seven...... there were seven courses... 

Four chefs shared their dishes with us and then we enjoyed immensely a  spread of Oysters.. 

So delicious!  

Did I say they were delicious?  lol! 

The gentleman in the pic above was Patrick and he was awesome! 

Got us all situated and then shared the oysters and made sure I had my pic taken with Chef Michael himself... 😃

What can I say but that is was a wonderful adventure!

They even awarded us with a poster all signed by the chefs! 

They give it to the couple who seems to be having the best time!

Imagine!  smile...

Shonda is so much fun to go with and spoiled me beyond! 

We had a wonderful windy rainy night to sleep in on top of it all!

You know me and my stormy weather love.. 

The next morning we all gathered for a gourmet breakfast which was simply delicious!

This was mine.. Eggs Benedict!

And lovely coffee!  ❤

The time we spent together as mother and daughter was priceless and will forever be a beautiful memory in my heart! 

❤❤❤

And so... 

Happy December tomorrow!

I am sure we all have tons of plans and ideas to get on with.. 

I need to reorganize some of my plans and make new ones.. 

Way too many projects on the go.... 

Looking forward to spending time celebrating the birth of the Kings of Kings and Lord of Lords... 

And with our family, friends and church family!

I did want to share something I read in a book one day awhile ago.. 

I so loved it... 

It said.... 

It is impossible to live without God!

He's in your every footstep!

Every beat your heart makes!

In the wind and the trees!

In our way of life! 

Take your thoughts out and examine them carefully!

How true is that!

And when we take our thoughts out and honestly examine them we cannot deny the existance of God eternal....  

And the acceptance he grants us on our repentance of our sin is so wonderful! 

Then He continues to lead and guide our lives preparing us for a home forever with Him... 

Isn't Jesus wonderful!

God bless you all tonight and thank you so much for stopping by.. 

I hope to meet up soon and share more Christmas prepartions with you all.. 

I look forward to your notes and please take care.. 

Jesus is the reason for the season as we always say...

 

And when the overwhelming moments come as they do more as we get older then I want to be that person who calms at the Name of Jesus!

Hugs from New Brunswick....

xoxox

 

Celebrating the Autumn Days....

Hello dear ones... 

Welcome today to the Blessed Hearth blog.. 

So very nice to chat with you all again.. 

It has been awhile! 

Such a wonderful summer we had and now a glorious and beautiful Autumn... 

The pic above was taken in Albert County here in New Brunswick.. The county of my birth, so I am a bit biased!  

Our province is called the Picture Province and we love it... 

We live in a beautiful world... 

How have you all been?  

I pray all is well in your part of the world.. 

I know there is so much going on with the storms and tragedies of life these days... 

So glad to know who holds our hand and to know that our future is secure in Him.. 

❤

Fall has arrived since we last chatted and it brings a lot of work.. 

Harvesting and putting away for the winter months is always a happy time in my life.. 

A bit overwhelming a lot of days.. 

This old lady is not what she used to be...😀

Nevertheless, Terry and I just keep on working away at stuff.. 

He gardens and I put it by .... 

Dill pickles, 

Sweet Dills, Garlic Dills and Kosher Dills.. 

Sliced , chunked and whole....

And there were several batches of mustard, dill beans, Prosser Brook Relish, Ripe tomato Relish, canned tomatoes, dried tomatoes and green beans, salsa red and green and so on.. 

So thankful to have our garden and our farmers markets... 

The apples, beets and squash are ready now.. 

I did get a canner of apple pie filling done and dehydrated some..

 

Anyway, this is starting to sound tiresome so let's go on... 

By the way I do love doing this stuff so it is a good thing!

I have been thrifting a bit.. 

I must say that I am curbing my instinct to drop by thrift stores much more then before.. 

But... 

I did get these lovely old old plates.. 

They will be wonderful for our family gatherings... 

LOL

Justifying myself... 

A few food pics...

My new bread recipe...

It is called the world's best bread on the website... 

Kindred Bread

I just had to try it although it took me awhile to get to it.. 

I only baked bread a few times this summer.. We are eating less of it and the summer had hot muggy days... 

But it did get done.. 

I totally loved it and it does make the best toast ever!

The smell of it toasting is so different and delicious! 

You make it in different size rolls or extra large muffin dishes.. 

But you slice it like a loaf of bread.. 

Terry did not like it like a roll but as I told him you are not to eat it like a roll but slice it like bread... Duhhh! 😊❤

Anyway, it was a bit more work but I really love it... 

My friend Deanna's Brown Bread...

Soup days are back again thank heavens... 

I am a soup junkee... Are you?

A little recipe for you although you probably already make these.. 

So good.. 

The dear man of mine turned 75 last month and we had a family outing for supper....

So blessed with a sweet loving family!  

And ..... 

Shonda invited me to chat with her ladies' group...

getting ready... 

Just a few ideas of celebrating October in our homes... 

vignettes, bringing the outside in and such

a wonderful spice potpourri

buntings, homemade tablecloth and napkins without much sewing.. 

shopping your house and using and thrifted finds...

packing up  with these two sweeties... 

Shonda and Nicole..

The high light for me was to meet a lady who started following my blog many years ago..  We found we had so much in common and our husbands grew up a few miles apart.. 

Over the years we have become dear friends.. 

When she read I was to be in the city for this she attended... 

It was just so wonderful to meet face to face.. 

Just like we were the ones who grew up together.. 

eh Mary??  xoxox

I wish we had of had a pic taken together.. Next time... 

Some fall and late summer pics on some of our country drives...

wild turkeys..... aren't they awesome?

Relatively new to our province in these numbers.. love them.. 

My sweet sister sent this to me last night.. 

I remember memorizing this in our little two room school house in Turtle Creek when I was in grade four.. 

Have always loved it and remembered it.. 

Did you learn it in school also?❤

wise words...

I bought this magazine the other day.. 

It is hard to imagine how fast this year has gone and we will soon be celebrating the Christmas season.. 

I love making and doing for my family and friends.. 

This seems to have a lot of ideas I liked so took the splurge.. 

I hardly buy magazines anymore.. 

Our children gifted me the British Country Living last Christmas and that is my fave.. 

I so loved the Simple Things magazine but it was not available much.. 

A sweet Korean couple at my fave book store started ordering it in for me.. 

I was so delighted but just after a few copies I had to ask them not to hold them for me.. 

They changed editors or some such thing and was way too modern for my tastes.. 

I am glad I saved the few old ones I had found.. 

Anyways my dears this is all for today.... 

I hope you have a great fall .. 

I owe you all an apology... 

As I was uploading my pics I noticed that I had forgotten to do our little vacation blog post... sorry.. 

I may get to it but I best not promise.. smile.. 

Take care and look after your wonderful families and I pray you know Jesus... our Saviour......

He is our peace and joy when we decide to give our lives to Him.. 

Acts 2:38 in the Bible tells you in one verse how to be saved.. 

He is coming back soon...

Prepare to meet Him...

It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown.  For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever.  And we who are living will also be trasformed... 

1 Corinthians 15:52

God bless you all today and thanks so much for stopping by... 

I look forward to hearing from you... I love your notes and will be on Instagram some and will check Facebook for them.. 

xoxox