march & april & may

 Due to the course of things and the months squeezing in terribly wonderful ways, my own remedy is to create one blog post to embrace the months of March, April and May. Here is my attempt at the highlights keeping in mind I do this as a means for my own form of posterity. And yes, I am posting this the last week of June, of course, though it was began in April!

MARCH

During one of Ivy's spring break days we spent a great deal of time in the woods and then came back to a snack of popcorn, cheese, and warm tea enjoyed outside. She loved borrowing my Canon Rebel camera to take pictures of me😊.

A small gathering of young ladies and mothers for an overnighter beginning with pizza on Friday and ending on Saturday afternoon with a high tea.

Some days in March were unbelievable cold, others were unbelievably warm. On those days of warm temperatures I could not resist taking a little time for tea and stitching on the quilt I began this winter. It is sewn using the fabric of my fathers' pajamas, the ones I inherited when he died in February 2011. During the move I found a bag of his pjs that I intended for creating a lap quilt. This was the winter to make it. I did the piecing on the sewing machine, but the true delight was in the hand stitching on cold winter evenings by the fire.

APRIL

                               Resurrection Sunday gathering

Drying dandelion blossoms for making salve and continuing with  a calendar of firsts journal.

 Embellishing with cast-on flowers and an initial for one of Violet's summer dresses.

And a pair of boots to keep the spring mud off my feet!

Practicality is the key.

MAY

A trip to Louisville to gather Charlotte and her things for coming home during the summer months. This was taken on the walking bridge between Kentucky and Indiana.

A decided place composed in the front lawn to plant a variety of zinnias, calendulas, and sunflowers one bright morning in order that I may enjoy composed moments when they bloom.

An evening watching Breanna dance...oh, how I loved those times of my life with my own children performing, and now I am watching my granddaughter's performance.

Last but not least, on the 29th Charlotte entered into the second decade of her life. Twenty candles were lit with family and friends gathered to celebrate. When she was born I remember thinking how old I would be when she turned twenty. She is twenty...but surely I am not that old!

the garlic harvest

 I sat outside on a little cane -seated blue chair at the edge of the patio preparing my cured garlic for storage. It was early enough in the morning not so hot, a gentle breeze whispering and  the sound of the farmer's tractor cutting his hay field could be heard. A cutting board sat on my lap, a pair of scissors in my hand and a rag to wipe off any excess dirt before laying the bulbs in the basket at my feet, some of which will be placed within a mesh bag and hung in the pantry for future use.

Back late last summer I ordered my garlic from Mad River Garlic Growers in Ohio, deciding on the Italian Purple and Doghouse varieties. I'm now dreaming of the next growing season  and am tentatively deciding on growing some other varieties.  This was a good company, they provided helpful growing tips and mailed the garlic bulbs at the correct planting time within your region.

These particular photos were taken about three weeks ago when I harvesting my garlic and hung it in the shed to cure.

"There is no such thing as a little garlic." 

                                                                             ~Arthur Baer

memories of her

I debated writing this post on Shadow Pearls instead of here since it certainly would be fitting as I recorded those days on that blog when I had full care of her. Those days of grace, those days of hard places, those days that while they were lingeringly long, yet were not long enough.

First thing this morning I sat down with my coffee and wrote the date and the memory of her opened a door wide, it was just as if I had stepped into the "land of OZ". It bursted of color that only a mother can give, her voice was clearly spoken in my ear, and I saw myself as one looking at a photograph book going back years from my childhood right up to that time thirteen years ago. Truthfully, it then occurred to me why she had been so prevalent in my thoughts all week.

     But that tug of missing her grabbed deep too. There is no wonder that I was able to convince my husband to take a drive to a local nursery where the purchase of a lilac bush made the most sense. She died during the days of blooming lilacs so in my way of thinking I should have a blooming lilac in my yard. Isn't it beautiful?

It will be a long time before I am able to forget my mother as she is this summer, and remember her as she used to be.

The Summer of the Great-Grandmother

Madeleine L'Engle

on this day of April 13

     One place suits one person, another

     place suits another person. For my

     part I prefer to live in the country

     like Timmy Willie.

         Beatrix Potter    

        The Tale of Johnny Town-Mouse

A person can stay delightfully busy doing things about the home and garden whether one lives in the country or the city. Every day I wake up with anticipation nudging me as I slip downstairs to fix the morning's coffee. 

     This day a dough was stirred up with my sourdough starter in preparation to bake a batch of cinnamon rolls. These will be carried along to share with the ladies in Bible Study tomorrow. Even though the temperatures have warmed up, still my house remains chillier than outside, so I set it on the porch to rise.

        

Sun Tea brewing on the front side walk.

If you have never made your own baking powder I will share this recipe so you may make your own if you so wish. It is easy and works beautifully in all baking recipes.

1/4 cup cream of tartar

2 tablespoons of baking soda.

Sift three times in sieve and put in air tight jar. This will last for several months with no problem.

I am no longer taking my forest walks now that the snakes, ticks and chiggers have awakened from their winter hibernations. I have returned to the wonderful driveways and country paths, traipsing them several times to get a nice allotted walk. The cottage property across the street gives me even more paths to walk and this is a view that greeted me today. I also was able to dig up some Lily of the Valley plants to transplant to my front yard.

Pollen is very heavy here and will be around for several more weeks, but I just had to come outside on the screened porch and attempt to remove some of it for now. No serious cleaning yet, just some vacuuming and scrubbing a few tables.

We eat most suppers on the screened porch while the weather is balmy, and because last night was so pleasant we dined on the brick patio.

I sit outside here until dusk and read The Wind in The Willows by Kenneth Grahame. The older I get the more I am enjoying children's books. This is a reread from the days I first read it to my children. Enchanting.

love has everything to do with it

                                        "I don't want sunbursts or marble halls. I just want you."

                          ~L.M. Montgomery 

        We might not yet be that advanced in years, but it certainly is true.

                          

And speaking of love, my hens need a rooster.

...and they lived happily ever after...

the drilling of a well and a recipe

 Hello.

 Today we are having a well drilled on a piece of property we purchased back in early December. The house is actually a little low-ceilinged cottage with 3.5 acres located directly across the street from us. We are not sure what we are going to do with it, a guest house? An air bnb? But first we need water and then we can begin making it a place we can perhaps use to serve others.

As I walked over this morning to meet up with the well drillers, I munched on a slice of coconut apricot bread. The recipe will be at the end of the post. If one likes coconut, I recommend it. It is a tasty, not too sweet and simple loaf to whip up in a short period of time. I was in a mindset to bake it this week. It keeps well too.

 And speaking of wells...we were, weren't we?  A list was given to us by the local Health Department when we applied for a well drilling permit. We called around and discovered not only is well drilling very expensive these days, but sometimes  there may be a backload for getting someone to come out in a timely manner. We were thankful today was the day our driller could be at the property to drill and it was a super pleasant "spring-like" day to boot. 

Earplugs, that is what I wish I had while this was going on...so very loud!!!! But quite a thrill to watch. I covered my ears and finally had to go inside the house and watch from the window.

This photo only shows the drill going through the ground until bedrock is hit . After that comes the actual water drilling. All was accomplished  by 2 o'clock in the afternoon, now we wait for the pump and lines to be run to the house.

 Interestingly, in my years of old home living I have owned houses containing a hand dug well (shallow, but a great well nonetheless),  a driven well ( no problems or complaints ), and drilled wells. But this is the first time we have ever had to be involved with actually having a well drilled.  The house does have an original well, but now adequately  cemented and covered, on the premises. But it has not been used since at least the 1970's.  From that time to present it was hooked up to the previous owners personal well house (about an acre or so away).

Coconut Apricot Loaf

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, grease a loaf pan, or you may use parchment paper instead, which is what I like to do with this loaf.

2 1/4 cups unbleached, all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 cup sugar

2 cups dried coconut, I purchase mine here

1 cup dried apricots, diced

2 cups milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Begin by soaking your apricots in 2 cups of milk. Since I use unsulphured apricots, the apricots are harder in texture, so depending on what kind of apricots you are using will depend on how long you must soak them.  No more than 30- 45 minutes should do.

Mix all dry ingredients together, pour the milk into the center and stir until well combined. Ladle into pan and bake 50 -55 minutes.

mid January

The woods were calling me with exceptional clarity today. The day was beautiful, cool yet not cold. But besides this I had something very important on my mind  too that I wanted to do, the writing of a letter to my  dear friend.

I packed a little bag with my stationery, a pen, a hard quote book for a mini "wood desk", binoculars, hot thermos of tea and a cookie. Off I strode on the paths that people and deer share.

Since the rocks at the creek in front of the rock dam were exposed enough, I forded the creek to the other side. A favorite place I do not walk often, but it was lovely to go uphill a bit and find a fallen log to sit atop and pen my letter. The tall stately pine trees were singing as the gentle breeze swayed them back and forth. Back before Charlotte left  for college we took a walk together and the conversation centered on the sounds of nature and how we can understand that everything heaven and nature sings of our great God.

Even though I had carried along some binoculars, no birds were spotted mainly because I was so busy with my letter writing. For a wee bit of time I was transferred into a wide space of forest, blue sky and a leafy carpet  which are perfect backdrops for the mindfulness of writing a letter.

This stationery was found during the move. Now I am talking junior high school days here...Look at the words printed on it.😊

"Pleasure is spread through the earth in stray gifts to be claimed by whoever shall find them."

                                                                                                                       ~Wordsworth

first through the fifth day of Christmas

1) Hurry. Because Christmas was on Sunday that meant we went to church that morning.  Some of my older children are making their own traditions and invited us which was wonderful. Therefore, the day seemed to be more hurried than usual. But we worshipped Jesus and we celebrated His birth and we feasted merrily.

2) Puzzle. This in- between holiday span gives ample time to spend  putting together a puzzle. I was thrilled to find this particular puzzle of hand stitching.

3) Crash. Charlotte was on her way to Pennsylvania to visit her boyfriend and she crashed into the back of another car. Everyone was okay and we are so very thankful!  But sadly her car is not okay and her plans had to change with great disappointment.

4) Abruptly. Our plans changed this day because Charlotte's boyfriend worked it out so she could still go and visit with his family for a few days. This guy is a keeper, always going the extra mile for the girl he cares for and is wooing.We drove through the Shenandoah mountains for several hours to meet up with him in New Market, Virginia. It was our entire day, but we were so happy to do it for them.

 5) Refreshment. The is what it seems I needed after my walk, so I came inside and ate a Christmas cookie alongside a  glass of milk. I might regret it later, but  at the time I did enjoy it. We bake less cookies and sweets every year and sadly I do end up throwing some of the ones we do manage to bake into the trash can, but I also do my fair part in eating those I do eat without guilt.

I would have loved to have continue on with my twelve days of Christmas but the days activities and duties did not give any breaks to do so. But I do hope the entirety of your days of Christmas were full of Christ and His strength though the good and not so good times. 

 

time pieces

 "As with joyous steps they sped

 To that lowly manger bed,

     There to bend the knee before

                                                      Him whom heaven and earth adore;

                                                     So may we with willing feet

                                                     Evermore seek Thy mercy seat."

                     ~As With Gladness Men of Old, second stanza

William C. Dix

As I have set out to create the atmosphere of this home most of the things I had in my previous home have laid the foundations for each room. It is truly amazing how much of my furniture and things fit into this old "new" house. Making this house a home takes greater devotion and purpose and more time in knowing just what things are still needed to give this house what it might still be missing.

For years I've entertained the thought of having a clock of prestige in our home. Of course, we have always had a few necessary clocks such as a bedroom nightstand clock, a battery operated wall clock in my sewing room, and a few digital clocks in the kitchen...one on the stove and one on the coffee maker. Fairly common clocks that certainly did their job of keeping me in the know of the current time.

But I desired a clock that was serious. One that was fashioned by the hand of a clockmaker and would create a statement in the clock world,  not just in its utilitarian essence but also in its aesthetic essence. Years ago I considered a cuckoo clock because some are beautifully crafted and I see them as whimsical thinking children, or an adult for that matter, would find fascination in it.

Then one day in November we met the Clockmaker.  MC does not make clocks per se, but he has collected clocks for over forty years. He works on all clock types and repairs them, even to the point of making pieces that have broken and need replacing to make the antique clocks run again. MC knows the history of many clocks, the countries of origin, the dates and the clockmakers of yore. He is seventy-nine years old and his art is sadly dying out. He has so many calling him for clock repair from all over that he has limited his work only to those who purchase a clock from him.  I am glad we stopped by his antique shop just down the road from us housed in an old log cabin one Saturday. He has made a true clock lover out of me. I am more focused now with an eye of interest longing to know more about various clocks.

This Christmas my husband and I have gifted ourselves ourselves with two of his clocks and they arrived on Tuesday. MC came to hang them and set them to ticking in their designated places. 

Now to my home has been added two new things that I felt have been missing. A handsome gentle  ticking clock in the back hallway from Vienna and a merry click-ticking blue-plated clock from Germany in the kitchen above the doorway entering into the scullery. Both of these clocks were made by men with the first name of Gustav,

 and both are non-strikers.

I have now added the winding of two clocks every eight days to my  home tending.

12-22-22

 O come, O come, thou Lord of might, who to thy tribes, on Sinai's height,

In ancient times didst give the law in cloud and majesty and awe.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

~O Come, O Come Emmanuel, 2nd stanza

John Mason Neale and Henry S. Coffin

 To go outside early this morning and attend my flock of feathered hens was not the most pleasant thing I had to do today, but chores of this type even go beyond that quote about the postmen's rain or shine deliveries! It was so cold and rainy that the hens did not even come outside  to free-range. I was thinking how thankful I was astute enough late yesterday afternoon to throw another layer of bedding into the coop thinking the hens might choose to remain inside with the predicted weather forecast.  We use the deep layering bedding method in the chicken coop and it has been by far the best choice for our coop and our little flock!

I set a pot of natural things in a pot of water to simmer on my stove.

Now my house smells seasonally wonderful! Pine needles, orange pieces and peels, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves and even tiny bits of pines twigs and cones, whatever you forage in wood and home can be used. Just keep adding water throughout the day.

I am fine tuning my menu lists for both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dinner. This year it will be a bit different, Witt and his family, now that there are seven of them, have decided to stay home on Christmas Day and make their own traditions. I think this is a good thing, but I am glad they will be coming for Christmas Eve. On Christmas morning we will go to Rose's house where she will be serving breakfast, then we will attend church. Later that afternoon, around four o'clock, I will be serving Christmas dinner at my house. The beef tenderloin was just purchased and I am making a French Onion soup for an appetizer, using several kinds of onions.

daily bread

All creation, join in praising God the Father, Spirit, Son;

Evermore your voices raising to th' eternal Three in One:

Come and worship, come and worship, worship Christ,

the newborn King.

Angels From the Realms of Glory, fifith stanza

James Montgomery 

Bread is made from three basic ingredients:  flour, salt and water. Four if you choose to use flour and water to make an ongoing live culture of sourdough starter.

My entire family has finally given me the five stars on this recipe of sourdough bread. And the key word here is entire family. I consider myself to have climbed a very steep mountain at last and it makes me happy. Because Charlotte is home from school until mid January and it is the holidays where more are gathered around my table at times, I usually  bake a loaf about every other day. We like toast, we like sandwiches, we like bread for soup soppings, and just general buttered bread for dinner. This bread recipe provides it all. Another thing that makes me happy. I persevered in my sourdough journey using several recipes from various sources, tweaking here and there to make it come together for me. 

I begin the process in the morning and it basically takes all day. Nothing fast or hurried, I like that about bread making. Yesterday we celebrated my husband's birthday so today I am baking another loaf. The process was began this morning and it takes basically all day. Since my kitchen is chillier than the other rooms in my house, the present loaf is rising by the fire on a trivet in the living room.

  I received this tea as a gift form my daughter -in -law and made myself a cup while I was beginning my bread,

and I was listening to a  Christmas CD of Twila Paris. 

At the beginning of each blog post until Christmas I will be sharing a stanza of a Christmas hymn. Many of these stanzas are not as familiar and they are rich.