July Joys

 The joy of sultry lazy summer days ...

Sunning Sully - perfect example!

Sourdough baking

(aka - heating up the kitchen)

Giving an old chair a new wings ...

Easy fix - slip cover ordered online

Yummy summer salads ....

Directly from my sun dappled raised garden ... borage for the win. 

New to me daylilies ... thank you former owner!

Mom's quilt stands coming in handy ...

And "sew/quilt" it begins ...

Striving for smaller stitches - eek! This project might take me another year?

Time spent with this little farmer ...

tractor fixin'

And then, this happened ...

she turned 6!!!!

Love her SO much.

Pictures by her momma

And these ...

The ultimate joy of finally having a summer family gathering

The traditional summer family gathering at the Freeman Farm pond!
It just isn't summer without this.

Celebrating some special twin 65th birthdays, walks down the lane, and so much delicious food!

These are the best of July's Joys.

Hope you are en"joy"ing this renewed spirit of summer 2021.

Sent to us from their vacation at the cottage ... perfection!

Until next time ... love to all and joyful summer days ahead!

Scapes and Such

When life hands you garlic scapes,

you make pesto and whipped garlic scape butter!

A fun mum and daughter project.

Nothing tastes better on grilled cheese sandwiches or scape butter on steak!

We had enough scapes from our patch to make many batches of each.

The scapes are taken from the garlic plants to encourage better garlic bulb growth.

The bulbs will be pulled in a few weeks (as the plants die down a bit and the bulbs 

are fully developed).

Always a lot of work but so worth it for that fresh juicy Ontario grown garlic.

Not too much has happened since my last post, other than more and more

doctoring and treatments for the farmer.

We continue to be so humbled and thankful for all the prayers and love!

We have been making treatment days an excuse for patio dining, now that things

are opening up again.

After treatment treat

The crusty bread dipped in EVO and Balsamic Vinegar, 

disappeared almost immediately as we waited

for the delicious Italian entrees of

stuffed Penne and Lasagna.

I loved their oil and vinegar dispenser and am keeping a look out

for a similar one.

The Balsamic Vinegar inside the oil looks like a clump of grapes!

The waiter told us they were purchased at the Dollar Store.

Our weather has been very hot lately (not as hot tho as

my readers from the West), and the banana's needed attention.

A little hotter in the kitchen that afternoon ...

This is one of my favourite banana bread recipes:

https://www.lecremedelacrumb.com/brown-butter-banana-bread/

I just added some brown sugar icing to the top - so delish. 

Also managed to make a fresh batch of our favourite granola

The peaceful Stratford Festival Gardens deserve an almost weekly Sunday visit.

Soon the "tent" will be lively with some patrons

watching an outdoor production or two. 

This is the second season for the festival being mostly cancelled

due to Covid - as is with all things!

The show must go on ...

Here we are July 1st

and the field corn is definitely knee high ... so much moisture and heat units!

We are blessed.

"knee high by the first of July" - maybe a giant's knee? #little farmers

And, July 1st brings us to Canada Day.

A somber Canada Day this year ...

Till next time .... Happy, Happy 4th of July to all my U.S. of A. friends. Stay well and let there be much

love and light in all your summer days.

P.S. Pardon my "header" picture. Can't figure out why it's so small and what has changed on blogger??? Will try to figure it out.

And then Came June

 June has arrived and here we are already on the eve of the Solstice!

The Spring flowers have bloomed

and I snagged some peony buds from the farm to bloom in July (hopefully).

I did this experiment once before and am trying it again.

Will let you know if this works.

Newspaper wrapped soft buds and then refrigerated 

Farm blooms

Our long awaited bedroom suite arrived and the quilt has found it's home!

This king size bed was worth the wait - who knew we'd ever have such luxury?

Focaccia sourdough bread is my new favourite treat.

Love sharing this with my family and using herbs from my little snipping garden.

Strawberry Season has arrived and these sweet beauties have been

served as fresh pies and on simple bowls of vanilla ice-cream.

What's not to love!

I make these every year and love having

baked pie shells on hand.

This is simply made with crushed fresh strawberries, thickened with instant clear-gel and sugar,

topped with fresh sliced strawberries whipped cream (and a few optional mint leaves).

So easy and always delicious.

48 years was celebrated at a recently opened patio.

It was lovely to have dinner served on plates rather than in a to-go box!

So glad we are slowly reopening over here ... 

We actually "dressed up" for the occasion in clothing that haven't been worn

for many months.

However, this is the only picture I took!

Got a bit of my quilting mojo back by making this simple rag quilt

for a sweet little girl across the street who just recently lost her dad!

It seemed to be the only way I could give her a warm hug ... 

So excited that the "moon flowers" have survived the move and

are starting to bloom.

My snipping garden is growing gang busters and the kale is amazing.

It seems any recent joys have been tempered with the sobering discovery

of the unmarked grave of 215 children at a residential school in our country!

Our patriotic "glowing hearts" are feeling tinged and just a bit dimmer.

So much sadness ...

This is our happy spot as we enjoy the warm weather, watch the life giving rains roll in,

soak up the sunshine, and watch the world go by.

The storms of life are warmed with hope and gratitude as our Lord

watches over us this Father's Day!

We are blessed beyond understanding to have had godly fathers here

on earth who watched over us and loved us.

Till we meet again ...

Till next time - Happy Father's Day and welcome to summer 2021!

Lock Down Days

Not too much happening over here,

Still in Covid lock-down which has just been extended till past May 24!

Seven months and counting since bedroom suite ordered,

Retailers continue to struggle and are trying to "hang on",

Shopping online for essentials and not so essentials,

Wayfair purchase - much assembly was required!

Shepherd's Fashions - Ottawa.
Online shopping distraction - I may need an intervention.

Many rooms and corners still unfurnished,

Screen time is way up,

No visitors nor any visiting - even Zoom visiting is becoming rare,

Unseasonably cool weather with nightly frost warnings,

Gardening mostly on hold.

It all sounds so dismal and depressing.

Well, to be honest, it sometimes is!

In spite of it all - Spring is still springing and the days are longer.

The cool weather has made all the Spring flowers last longer than usual.

Tulips at the farm

The woods are abloom with Trilliums

and the blossoms and leaves are just ready to pop!

Mother's Day brought a special delivery by two of the sweetest little humans.

Blinds have been installed - I love them!

The farmland is being prepared and planted

and my farmer has had a slow start. It's hard to hold him down.

If you have been following, you know that he's had a major set-back.

However, the good news is that he is healing and is getting more and more mobile.

Even to the point that he's been on the tractor the last couple of days.

After many appointments, MRIs, Ultra Sounds, CT and PT scans,

we wait to hear what the next weeks and months hold for his treatment.

We feel all the prayers and good wishes from everyone!

Our hearts are full of love and hope.

We feel held in the hands of God and await His timing and plans for our lives.

Till next time ... keep the faith and stay well my dear readers!

When the Sedum grows into a heart.

Wagons, Wheels, and Monster Trucks

 And now He's Three!!!

And Bouncy Castles

Happy Birthday to our sweet boy!

WE LOVE

 Your kind sweet spirit,

Your warm, heart melting hugs,

Your determination,

Your love of the outdoors,

Your blue, blue eyes,

and everything about YOU!

So glad we could spend a bit of time with you on your special day.

Blessings to you always ...

Our hearts!

The cake:

I think this is the yummiest chocolate cake recipe I've ever made - fudgy and moist!

I baked it in three 6" X 3" round cake pans - saving one of the rounds for

the farmer's upcoming birthday.

The recipe is by "Live Well Bake Often" - a great motto to have.

It was fun to create the Monster Truck Tires (with licorice tread) - or almost anyway.

Till next time .... feeling blessed!