February Days

Hello everyone... 

How are you doing?  A beautiful windy day here in New Brunswick, Canada... 

We still have quite a bit of snow but with this warm wind blowing I expect it will go down a bit.. 

Spring is on her way that is for sure.. 

I have enjoyed my Winter so am not in a huge rush as in other years.. 

We have had a few storms but nothing major.. 

They come and they go.. 

February has always been a good month for me.. 

Hope is around the corner as far as Spring goes and I do love the Heart month.. 

Love making heart stuff and planning our Valentine's Dinner.. 

How about you?  

Do you enjoy February or can't wait for it to be over?  

One of the things I do every winter is to raise crops of sprouts... 

I so love them.. 

Do you grow them on your sill?  

Jut put a tablespoon or two into a jar.. 

Cover with cheese cloth.. 

For the first day you cover them with water.. 

Then the next day drain, rinse, drain a few times a day.. 

Do that for three days or four.. 

Then place in the fridge and eat away.. 

There are more informative sites on Google... 

Or I did do a post on here several years ago if you can find it.. 

I love them in a sandwich.. 

One of my sweet hippie friends, Dawn B.  always made homemade grain bread sandwiches with mayo and just sprouts.. 

I love that too but here I have added tomatoes..  

My breakfast most mornings.. with a cup of coffee.. 

Another little thing I did was to follow a little recipe in my old cookbook that I spoke of last post.. 

It said to put a tablespoon (I think) of cloves into a cup of water and just simmer very low on the stove to make your house smell lovely.. 

It works.. 

Just keep adding a bit of water and I put mine on the warmer plate... 

Love doing smelly things..

Then we had our Heart Day Dinner..  

Not as fancy as some years but still fun.. 

Used my Momma's dishes she gave me..

 They are so pretty...

When I used them at Christmas one of the grandsons asked if anyone's name was on them yet! 

Don't you love it when they want something you treasure?  

Made a rose garland as a centrepiece.. 

Very easy! 

Just pick up a nice bouquet at Walmart or Michaels and wire them together with a thin wire.. 

You can even hang it if you like.. 

I just keep it in the old buffet in the dining room for whenever roses are required.. 

Was worth the bit they cost... 

Oh and I used my new goblets that I bought in Calais when we went down in November...  

My Sweetie is always so patient with this blog stuff.. 

I just tell him... 

Terry! It is for the blog and he will patiently wait till the picture taking is over... lol.. 

Our menu was... 

Ceasar Salad with real bacon and homemade dressing.. 

Mashed Whipped Potatoes with Brown Butter Fried Scallops (from our son)

Mixed veggies

Deep and Delicious Chocolate Cake... 

It was lovely!  

Terry also took me out to eat a few days before ...

Then I always post a bit of home food... 

We have really been enjoying pizza lunches.. 

Using tortillas or pita... 

Just make as usual and only 12 minutes in the oven.. 

Mine has basil oil that I made and olives and mozza and tomatoes, onions and green peppers.. 

Terry has meat (whatever we have), onions, mushrooms, lots of cheese... Basically that is all..

😀 

Had a roast beef dinner..

We grew everything but the beef.. 

Canned peas, frozen squash, mashed potatoes and pickled beets... 

And gravy!

Also, I take the time quite often to make some spice mixes or salts or vinegars just to spice things up a bit.. 

Made from scratch... 

Hot Pepper Vinegar.. 

Place hot peppers in a glass jar.. 

Boil enough vinegar to cover with 1 tsp of salt and 1 tsp of sugar to 1 cup of vinegar... 

While boiling pour over peppers and seal jar.. 

Let sit 24 hours before using..

Wonderful on boiled cabbage, greens or french fries... or fish.. 

And the little jar is Celery Salt.. 

I just use the leaves as we bought several on sale.. 

Put them in my chopper along with kosher salt and spin till fine.. 

Layer on a parchment lined tray and put in the oven after you have finished baking something.. 

Next day crumble it up as store in a jar.. 

So good on so many things.. 

Fried rice, salad dressings, soups and so on.... 

Another day I did my first time noodles.. 

Chicken Noodle Soup.. 

Just a few thighs, water, spices and simmer till you have a nice broth... 

Add carrots, onions and celery.. 

Summer Savory and parsley.. 

add the noodles, cover tightly and cook another 30 minutes... 

And always bread.. 

No knead.. 

I roll parchment paper up to divide the two loaves... 

It does the trick.. lol.. 

Chicken Stir Fry over Rice.. 

Vanilla White Chocolate Cake... Yum... 

Then our country drives.. 

I was just thinking.. 

This is getting a bit boring..

Always the same but different.. 

I think I need to make some little changes... 

Anyway... 

Checking on the old farm... 

Still there.. 

Almost time to start making plans and prayfully this year they will come to pass.. 

Terry is doing so great, thank the sweet Lord.. 

So thankful for answered prayers... 💓

For you precious blog followers from a long ways back you know what this means.. 

Yup... 

Muddy roads and me calling on the Lord.. 

Just something I have to look forward to... lol... 

We went to town on a lovely morning and returned home in this.. 

Yikes! 

But we made it home and all was well.. 

Twill soon be over... 

Last Sunday we had Sunday lunch with this sweet couple... 

Our oldest grandson Jared and his lovely bride, Ashlee... 

They have moved only ten minutes or so away from us so we are very pleased... 

It was a lovely afternoon.. 

So my luvs.... 

This is all for today... 

I pray all is well with you and your sweet families.. 

I am doing a deep clean of my pantry.. 

Started yesterday and only about half finished... 

Hope to get it done tomorrow.. 

Are you thinking of spring cleaning.. 

I guess now a-days everyone just cleans all year round but I am of the old fashioned type and still like doing a bit at least.. 

Thank you so much for dropping by and for your sweet comments here, Instagram or Facebook.. 

Love love them..

So I will be keeping you in my prayers... 

We are living in perilous times as the Bible said we would.. 

We really need to put on the whole armor of God to withstand the perils of this world.. 

Pray for us too.. 

If you don't know Jesus then please reach out and get to know Him while there is still time.. 

He is coming back soon.. 

Stay well and God bless... 

Hugs from our house to yours...

A Bit of a Winter Ramble and Roll for you...

Hello there dear ones... 

I am back!!

A day late and a dollar short as my Dad used to say!  

So glad you dropped by and thank you so much for your sweet messages and comments..  

Isn't it nice to missed every once in awhile?

  

I have been thinking of that a bit lately... 

The older we get the more we realize that hey... this show is almost over.. 

When we rewind and see that the most of it is gone and the end is in sight then we say to ourselves... 

Let's slow this down a bit and enjoy it all! 

I have had that January experience as I call it.. 

The days are cold and long but it is cozy here inside but I get that missing you feeling... 

Especially for my kids and some dear ones gone on... 

I wrote about that feeling in a post awhile back.. 

The Welsh word that means missing people and times that are passed... 

I can't spell the word.. It starts with H... lol.. but I don't want to go look it up right now.. 

The answer to that situation is to enjoy the now..

But I did enjoy my January... 

We were busy.... 

And the weather was typical Winter.. 

Hope you all enjoyed your January!

And now it is a week into February... 

Well... let's get on with this bit of a ramble and roll..

Just some stuff that I spent time or thoughts on last month... 💖

My goal for January was to put a greater effort in putting the Lord first in my life.. 

The verse that I have been trying to apply to myself consistently is this.. 

Psalms 19:14

May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer..

Did you pick out a special scripture or text to work on?

God is good, eh!  

Ok....

I found a new thrift store on one of our town days in January... 

I had been there once long ago when it first opened and then just happened to drop in and found it right up my alley as they say...  

This darling sugar bowl... 

I had just cleaned these old silver teaspoons with kings on them and a set of butter knives that I had in my shop.. 

Thought this was a perfect container for them!

Then lots of January chores as everyone else has... 

I received five more place settings to my china for Christmas so I was excited to get my china cabinet cleaned out and put them all away... 

Oh my but I found so many treasures! 

Aunt Emily's antique goblets, candle holders for our plates, linens and gorgeous napkins... 😀

Yes...my children will be forever grateful that their mother was such a ....... what is the word, I wonder... 😊

Do your children think you have way too much stuff!!??

lol.... 

Rollimg along....

I cleaned out my kitchen hutch because....... 

wait for it..... 😀

I found this gorgeous set of Irish pottery at the thrift store too.. 

Isn't it lovely?  

And it was only 16 dollars for all of it.. 

It does need 2 more cups to make a whole set of four.. 

I found them on Etsy but I have not bought on there before.. 

I need help but there are enough for the two of us.. 

The cups are for coffee or soup.. 

Then I bought a package of flour sacks from  Amazon to go with my unpaper towels. 

I really love the unpaper towels and thankful to JES for the idea.. 

She is on Instagram and a wonderful inspiring Christian homemaker.. 

Another fave on Instagram is Lisa.. 

This was her hair rinse recipe that I made up in the summer ... 

I showed the girls in Shonda's ladies group ... 

You fill a large jar as full of flowers such as roses, lavender and herbs and such then cover with vinegar for several months.. 

In January I got around to finishing it by straining out the flowers and putting it into jars.. 

I buy these plastic squeeze bottles from dollarama and use it in the shower to rinse my hair.. 

You just wash your hair and rinse well then squeeze in some of the rinse.. 

Wrap up in a towel and dry... 

I love it!  

I still have a half a gallon for refills.. 

Rambling along on this long post...

I ran out of my hot pickles so made up another batch.. 

Terry does not like them in which I am hardily glad for.. lol.. 

Some mornings in January and now we wake up to this out of our kitchen window.. 

But all is well!

Making and doing... 

And cooking of course.... 

Just the other day I found a wonderful old cookbook.. 

Like really great!  

They said a good cook knows to put a teaspoon or two of brown sugar sprinkled over their ham when they fry it... 

Yes!   It makes a difference.. 

Tuna Macaroni Salad

Jam Bars from Lisa... 

Peanut Butter Cookies... 

Chicken Soups... 

Broccoli and Cheese Soup

 

Our sweet son out in Alberta ordered us Bay of Fundy Scallops and had them delivered to us.. 

Such a treat! 

Thank you Dustin!  

On a Friday night too.. 

I always love to have something special on Friday nights.. 

Goes back to those old date nights down through the years.. smile.. 

Delicious Spanish Rice.. 

I could eat this almost everyday, I think.. 

Do you like it?

  

Let's roll along her.. 

A little recipe for you for your chicken.. 

So lovely...

Chicken Rub or Marinade Recipe

2 tsp. paprika 

1 tsp. salt 

1 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. black pepper

1 tsp. cayenne pepper 

1 tsp. thyme

3/4 tsp. garlic powder..

I put mine in a mortar and pestle and rubbed it well.. 

Then rubbed it over the chicken.. 

Let it sit for an hour..

Placed an onion in the cavity and baked... 

The gravy was excellent too.. 

January is comfort food month here in the Henry household then in February reality sits back in.. lol.. 

Rambling along... 

Homemade Breads... 

Terry's all time favourite bread.. 

Cinnamon Raisin.. No knead.. 

It is here on the blog if you want the recipe.. 

And then before January was over I had to have one of my Momma's Date Squares... 

Actually, it was my sweet friend from 1971 recipe.. 

But when I gave it to Mom she just claimed it!  lol... 

What a case she was!  

We would laugh about it because my cousin sold them in her bake shop and called them Betty's Date Squares.

Shonda says that I don't make them as good as Gram and I agree.. 

But they are still good and remind me of my sweet mother.. 

How I miss her.. 

okay... 

Rolling along.. 

Sorry!

this is a kind of a January post ..Right? 

 I can cry if I want to.. smile.. 

No.. I am fine... 💗

Now... where were we?

Some country drives and scenes... 

 

My cousin Glenys took this pic up where our parents are resting... 

Been doing a ton of reading.. 

Thrift book finds... 

Enjoying some sweet company here and there... 

Shonda and one of her dearest friends... 

Christine.. 

We love her.. 

You all know Shonda.. 

On the left.. 💕

Well, my dears I guess this is all for today.

 another long post to try and make up for my slowness... 

Thank you so much for dropping by and leaving your sweet notes and comments.. 

So love hearing from you all.. 

Catch me on Instagram or comment on the Facebook page..

If you are so inclined.. smile.. 

Praying God blesses you all with good health and  joy... 

And a deeper closer walk with Him.. 

That is my prayer for you and our dear families.. 

We all need Jesus... 

God bless!  

Hugs from New Brunswick//