Platz Therapy

I finally made some platz!

The peaches on the back porch were ripening rapidly and needed to be used.

Platz - Peach Platz (I love saying that)

was calling out to me and I've always wanted to try making this.

Of course, the only recipe I needed was Lovella's

and it is a winner!

This recipe was posted 9 years ago, even before I knew about the

Famous Mennonite Girl's Can Cook ladies!!!

I enjoyed reading the comments on this past post.

What a blessing they have been to me on so many levels!

Since my last post on July 13th - SO much has taken place.

Huge Amish Sale

Annual Family Picnic at the Freeman's Pond

A few days of camping with dear friends!

Sunsets at my favourite Lake Huron!

A new baby great niece was born - Maia Star (can't wait to meet her)

A new little neighbour was born - Jack (can't wait to meet him)

Vee, a favourite blogger friend has decided to stop blogging.

I understand her need to do this and sometimes it makes me think this might

be what I should consider as well?

And all the while ...... actually since mid-May

I've been fighting a very nasty virus that just keeps rearing it's ugly head

in different ways.

This includes intense congestion, constant coughing fits, pink eye,

loss of smell and taste senses, angry rashes, fever, low energy levels, and weakness.

In one way my wish to slow down the summer days has been fulfilled,

however, not in quite the way I had expected.

After two visits to the emergency dept. and several doctors appointments I 

feel like I'm finally seeing some improvement.

I am thankful to be feeling a bit better and am determined to regain my health.

Baking a peach platz today gave me some much needed "baking therapy"

and it feels good to once again be inspired to cook and enjoy eating.

Thank you Lovella for this tried and true recipe, one that I hope to make often!

In the meantime, our little love bug turned Two. 

We love her so much ... there are no words!

Papa's little love!

Till next time - August blessings to you all!

My August chalkboard message!

Scents

We all know how important it is to be able to

smell, taste, see, hear, and feel.

Never have I been so thankful for my sense of smell and taste as these past few weeks!

For 8-9 days, while fighting a very nasty virus (that hung on for 3+ weeks)

I had completely lost my sense of smell and taste!!

I have to admit, it scared me and I prayed for healing.

Of course, the more I read about losing ones sense of smell the more worried I became.

It IS possible for a virus to have this happen!

I would rub peppermint oil on my hands and cup them over my nose, only to be 

disappointed day after day with not even a hint of smell.

I stuck my nose right into the lilacs and the lily of the valley - nothing!

I had no idea how much I missed being able to smell these beautiful flowers - even though

they would normally have been a touch too strong for me.

Thankfully, I slowly regained my sense of taste and then smell.

I was so thankful - and savoured every aroma of coffee, bread baking,

and of course the beautiful fragrances of all the flowers around this old farm.

They all seem to be blooming at once during this heat wave we are experiencing.

The Poppies and Bachelor Buttons

The soft scented Iris

The white Peonies that came with this farm - 38 years ago!

The fragrant pink Peonies from my Mother In Law's garden

My little love bug

Oh, how blessed I feel to have regained it all!

Thank you Jesus.

I truly never imagined how devastating this would have been.

This past weekend we had the privilege of attending our former neighbour's 50th

Wedding Anniversary celebration ....

I was so happy to enjoy the taste of these "flowers" made by their daughter.

Aren't they lovely?

Till next time ...... stop and smell the flowers and taste all the goodness this wonderful life has to offer!

Now to work on my slight loss of hearing and my short sightedness - eek!

P.S. - Today, June 13th, my dear Mom would have turned 101 years old. Miss her every day!

Mom with my brother - trying to get the horse to yawn so they could
get the bridal on - smile!!!

From Hawaii via Victoria

It's so exciting to receive a package in the mail ...

this one arrived from Victoria, BC

beautifully wrapped and filled with Hawaiian chocolate,

Murchie's Hot Chocolate and Tea,

chocolate from Roger's (that I immediately regretted sharing with the farmer),

a beautiful Valentine scarf,

a Victoria Sketchbook by Robert Amos from Munro's Book Shop

and a card by the same artist that was hand written by a special blog friend

from Pondside.

If you have never visited this blog - you must!

She writes beautifully and from the heart.

I was picked as the winner of these treats on one of Pondside's

recent posts about her trip to Hawaii

(a someday destination we wish to visit).

So, on this beautiful frosty February morning I am enjoying

a cuppa hot chocolate and the last few of those delicious Hawaiian treats!

Thank you so much for picking me Pondside - what a wonderful surprise!

We are enjoying the sketchbook of Victoria
 and reminiscing about the places we have visited there.
One of the most beautiful places in our country!

Till next time - dreaming of Hawaii .....

Imagine!

.... All the people 
Living life in peace ...

John Lennon's song is going around in my head these days too!

This verse came to me this morning as I walked down our country road.

"He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore."    Isaiah 2:4

Our hearts are broken and deep sadness fills our souls .... let this madness come to an end! Amen.


Praying for the world today!

January Blues (and Whites) Quilt!

January has been a month of chilly weather,

sunny days, clear roads,

and a blue and white quilt!

This Fall, at my workplace - Conrad Grebel University College, plans were underway to make a "community" quilt.

The fabrics in blues and whites were all donated from co-workers and friends stashes!

 By the beginning of November the stripping and piecing

was well underway with our quilt experts, Sara and Mandy, organizing a sewing bee.

There was involvement from students, faculty, staff, Board members, and community

connected workers - what fun!!!

The pattern "Twisted Log Cabin" is a design that I've always admired

and was so happy to learn this technique.

 Many of us took strips and templates home to work on over the holidays.

I was hooked and really enjoyed sewing my blocks!

Fast forward to January .....

The finished blocks were all returned and in a mere 2 hours

one evening after work, they were all sewn together and the quilt top was complete.

Sara and Mandy sewing blocks together

I tried keeping up with the pressing!

The next step was to stretch the quilt top with the batting and backing onto 

the quilt frame. Our new and spacious Library was the perfect spot to set it up.

The antique quilt frames and stands,

made by my Grandfather for my Mom many years ago - worked great!

Many quilts were made on these old frames and I have fond memories of the quilting bees.

I remember my aunties sitting all around the quilts, the interesting chatter, the delicious snacks and meals, and the perfect stitching!

The quilting has begun and we hope to have it completed within the next week or two.

It's been so great to have such a variety of beginner and experienced quilters stop by on a regular basis to put in a few stitches here and there.

This quilt will be donated to the Mennonite Central Committee Relief Sale which is held annually on the last Saturday in May - New Hamburg, Ontario.

Learning to piece this pattern and having the confidence to try my

thimble at quilting has been such a joy.

I think I've caught the quilting bug ....

Till next time ...... do you love quilts???

November?

How can this be mid-November?

It feels like mid-January - eek!

Disclaimer - no people or horses were harmed

while taking these pictures from inside my warm and cozy home......

Yikes!!!!

Till next time .............. staying fireside!

All on a Summer's Eve...

A hot air balloon

gently floating by 

the farm.

Reminding me that

these are the days of Summer.

Sunsets streaming through

the back yard arbour on

freshly mowed grass.

Summer evenings (and 

monster mosquitos).

A garden doing it's 

best to produce

fresh edibles in spite

of a late start and sparse germination.

Summer's promise...

Summer blooms .....

Sweet stir fried snow peas 

from a friend's luscious garden.

Summer's treats.

Happy Summer's Eve to you .................

One of "Those" Days

Do you ever have one of "those" days

when things just aren't going

as planned???

I have my fair share but today

was a corker!

Last week I was at a Norwex Party

where I was reminded that pillows

that haven't been washed for some time hold

up to double their weight in dust mites!!

O.K. this might be too much information

but I have to tell you, I was grossed out.

So, today, I stripped my bed linens,

pulled the "old and stained" etc. etc.

pillows from their cases and decided to go for it.

I've washed them before with good success

and vaguely remember reading somewhere that you

should carefully check all the seams to be sure they are

intact before laundering..... you know where this is going right?

Thank goodness for the old shop vac is all I can say....

My first load of laundry was old cleaning rags and a couple

of car blankets which were on the line to dry.

The skies turned black and the 

rain poured - sigh... for a second rinsing.

Oh, and I was rudely reminded by my machine
that it couldn't drain the next load
due to a clogged filter - go figure.
 (I had to get the manual out for that one)!

On the bright side,

my rain barrel has been refilled,

the hydro has remained on,

and my bread dough rose.

There is a huge spaghetti squash and
a meat loaf in the oven and
fresh bread for supper.
Life is good!

Have you had one of "those" days recently?

Till next time .......... planning a wee trip to the nearest Hutterite Colony for some new feather pillows.

Reconnecting Time

We had such a great week

visiting with our friends from

Kentucky and Millbank!!

Debi and Larry visit each year when

they travel to our area for a week of

theatre at the Stratford Festival.

It's a wonderful time to catch up with 

each other and reconnect.

Our friends Jan and Dave join in 

with the festivities and fun!

Jan, Debi and me

We went broom shopping

in St. Jacobs

Did a bit of Mother

of the Bride shopping for Jan

Enjoyed a delicious

brunch at Schmidtsville

Restaurant

And had a  quick walk down

memory "path" which led us to my

old homestead.

As we stood in front of the 2 story

historic log house where I grew

up - I remembered that today would 

have been my Dad's 97th birthday!

So many wonderful memories

of him, the shop where he did 

his woodworking

and growing up in 

that old house!

It was so nice to revisit, reconnect, and

spend time with wonderful

life-long friends!

Till next time ..... are you enjoying some reconnecting this summer?