Feathered and Furry Friends

Happy Summer! I hope you all have enjoyed a beautiful spring.

This spring we were blessed to add to our flock and I thought I would take some time to share pictures of our feathered and furry friends.

For some time now Adam has been interested in purchasing some geese. He had read articles about the benefits of geese, and that they prove to be a good alarm/guard against predators. After losing all but two of our hens over the past year he had been looking into options on how to better protect our hens. Some recommend geese as they will alert their owners of harm and even scare away predators.

 It wasn't too hard for Adam to convince me that we needed geese. Especially when I met the sweet little gosling above! Adam had ordered two Embden geese, unfortunately when the shipment arrived at the store, one of the goslings had not survived the trip. The store we purchased from had a mix of other goslings to choose from and this little dear caught my eye, she is a White Chinese.

 In just over a month the geese have grown so much! Both geese are loving and enjoy being held. In the evenings Adam and I will sit in our lawn chairs with a goose on each of our laps.

 Adam has named his Embden goose Axel, after the character in Journey to the Center of the Earth. Axel is an impressive goose already, he is twice the size of my goose. I love the picture above, as it looks like he has a crazy tuft of blonde hair! Both geese have lost most of their baby fuzziness and are growing beautiful white feathers.

As I mentioned earlier we lost all but two of our hens to a hawk and possum. We decided to add ten new chickens to our flock. The business we purchased chicks from has an incredible variety to choose from. My daughter and I had a difficult time limiting our selection to only ten birds! Each of the ten chickens is a different variety, many of which we never raised in the past. Some will even lay blue or green eggs.

The chicks are harder to photograph than the geese as they are constantly moving about. They love to flap their wings and "fly" about their pen. We love to watch their adorable antics!

Our two remaining hens have been enjoying the company of a distinguished gentlemen. Our neighbor's rooster comes over every morning to join our ladies on a stroll about the lawn; come evening he escorts the hens to the hen house and returns home. It is truly comical to watch him walk the hens home, cut across the lawn and then pass under the fence to his own yard. We have dubbed him Sir Reginald Rooster, but call him Reggie for short. Reggie is the most conversational chicken I have ever met, he is always clucking away over every inch of lawn and will even crow in Adam's garage to request an ear of dried corn.

We also purchased two turkey chicks this spring. Much to Jemimah's dismay Adam plans to have the turkey butchered come fall. Adam hopes to have a truly home grown Thanksgiving this year.

Since it has been awhile since I last posted you have not yet had the chance to meet our puppy, Darla Mae. She joined our family last summer and has been an absolute delight! Darla Mae is truly the sweetest little dog I've ever met. In the picture above she is wearing a sweater I crocheted.

Since I can't resist cute puppy pictures I had to include a picture of Darla Mae from last summer soon after we brought her home.

Adam has also begun beekeeping. We're all hoping to eventually enjoy a wonderful yield of honey, but in the meantime we are finding pleasure in watching the bees collect pollen from our various flowers. It is beautiful to see the bees return to their hive with their back legs coated in yellow pollen. Bees are such amazing creatures. How good the Lord is to bless us with His incredible creations.

 We were somewhat surprised by a recent visitor to our garden. One evening Adam spotted this enormous snapping turtle in our  vegetable garden. We stood by and watched as the turtle began to burrow down into the tilled soil. We all kept our distance, since snapping turtles can be quite dangerous, but enjoyed an up close observation of a large snapper at work.

I hope you have enjoyed this little update about our animal friends. Hope to chat with you all again soon!

"O Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches." Psalm 104:24

April

Earlier this month we enjoyed the first of our springtime flowers, crocuses. My little girl loves flowers and was excited to pick dainty bouquets for our kitchen table. In the picture above you can see her collection of bouquets in her tiny tea cups.

 Jemimah loves to color, and I am grateful to find a wonderful variety of coloring pages through Pinterest. I am always especially pleased to find scripture verses for her to color. Over the past two months Jemimah has memorized all of the verses comprising the Romans Road. It truly blesses my heart to hear my daughter recite the many scriptures she has memorized over the past year.

 Our new hens have begun egg production! After a long winter of not collecting any eggs it has been wonderful to have an abundance of eggs to share once again. Since we have a variety of breeds this time, it is nice to take note of the variances of the egg shell colors. My sister commented how some of the eggs are almost mauve in their hue.

 Over the winter Jemimah learned to embroider. Embroidery was one of my favorite pastimes when I was a youngster, however I will admit I didn't learn to embroider quite as young as Jemimah has. She spent many painstaking hours creating this precious kitty tea towel for me. I know that I will treasure it forever!

 My most recently completed project is a crocheted afghan. It has been quite a while since I crocheted an afghan. It had been on my mind that I would like to crochet an afghan for our living room.
My grandma was quite prolific in her crocheting of afghans. All three of her children, as well as some grandchildren were gifted with multiple hand crocheted afghans. Growing up I always loved to nap under one of grandma's afghans. I thought of my grandma a lot while crocheting this afghan. It was my grandma who taught me to crochet, and this pattern is very similar to a pattern she crocheted a number of times.

 I am really pleased with the end result! It is super cozy and I love the stitch pattern. It was fun to crochet as it was not overly repetitive, but was simple to memorize.

Did you all have a nice Resurrection Sunday? We did, even if it was quiet and different. One of the special treats we enjoyed this Easter was chocolate cream pie. I thought I would share the recipe today. Over the past few years it has become a family favorite and one of my most requested desserts to bring to family gatherings. In fact my one sister always asks me to make her a chocolate cream pie for her birthday and wedding anniversary. : )

Chocolate Cream Pie

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 tsp. salt

Mix ingredients well in a medium saucepan. Then add:

3 3/4 cups milk (I recommend whole milk)
Cook over medium-high heat. Stir constantly. Mixture will come to a boil. Boil 1 minute or until the pudding is thick. Then add:

3/4 cup chocolate chips
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Mix well. Pour into an already baked pie crust. Chill in refrigerator until completely cool. I typically allow my pie to cool overnight in the refrigerator. Then top with homemade whipped cream, and if you are feeling extra festive maybe some sprinkles.

To close I would like to share a devotional I recently read in David Jeremiah's daily devotional Turning Points.
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 Unwavering

The Lord has promised good things.
Numbers 10:29

In his commentary on the book of Joshua, John Calvin wrote, “Our faith, unless founded solely on [God’s] promise, must be continually wavering…. Faith ought properly to recline on the truth of God alone.”[1]

Are you troubled today? The Bible says, “For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion” (Psalm 27:5).

Do you feel weak? The Lord declares, “My strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Are you anxious about how a situation will work out? Proverbs 3:5-6 says: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”

For every pulsing thought, there is a pulsating Scripture. There’s always a Bible verse waiting to be requisitioned to your need. Search it out and write it on the tablet of your mind. If our faith is founded solely on God’s promises, we’ll be unwavering.

That which God promises to us in word he seals by act.
John Calvin

 

 "Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust."
2 Peter 1:2-4

Baby Chicks and Flowers

 Earlier this month we added seven little hens to our flock. We lost two of our older hens this summer and had only three left. It was depressing to imagine how cold and lonely winter would be with only three hens - but we thought it was too late in the season to purchase baby chicks. 

Much to our surprise Adam discovered that our local Tractor Supply was selling baby chicks earlier this month. What surprised us even more was the selection they had available. Back when we purchase our original seven hens they only had Isa Brown pullets available.

 This time however they had several breeds to choose from, in fact it was little hard to decide, so Adam picked out the seven little beauties we brought home.

Adam chose two Barred Rocks, two Brahmas, two Plymouth Blue Rocks and one Silver Laced Wyandotte. The little cutie in the picture above is one of the Plymouth Blue Rocks. Adam claimed both Blue Plymouth Rocks and named them Callie and Iola after the Hardy Boys' girlfriends. : )

 They are all adorable and such fun to watch. Jemimah is thrilled with the baby chicks. The white Brahmas are her babies. She has been hoping to train them to ride in her bicycle basket.

 Miranda has found the baby chicks quite fascinating. When they were tiny we kept them in a box on the porch with a screen over the top. Miranda watched them all day long! The picture above is of Miranda watching them out of the kitchen window.

 Each August I anticipate the first blossom from my Rose of Sharon bushes.  I love to see each variety blossom. We have three different pinks, a white and a lavender.

 I think the color of this Rose of Sharon is especially pretty.

The cows across the road have been fun to watch all summer. There is nothing quite like waking up to the sound of cows mooing. This year the farmer has had a bull penned up, separate from the other cows. The bull does not moo, I'm not sure what to call the noise, but it sounds a lot like a fog horn on a ship. Thankfully he is quiet most of the time, but when he does sound off, we all have to chuckle over the absurd sound.

"The LORD is good to all: and His tender mercies are over all His works." Psalm 145:9

September

It is hard to believe tomorrow is the last day of September! Where did this month go?! It has been quite a while since I last posted here - the summer months just flew by. Summer is always a busy season for us: working in our garden, canning, picnics by the lake, day trips and just enjoying time outside in our yard. 

 I enjoyed canning a variety of foods this summer. There are so many wonderful recipes on-line, I thought I would share a few of the new recipes I tried this year. The two quart jars contain soup, this was my first time canning soup and I am so pleased to have delicious homemade soup in my pantry! The two recipes I made are French Onion Soup and Tomato Vegetable Beef Soup (if you click on them you will be taken to the recipe). I am also hoping to can chicken soup within the next few weeks, which will be nice to have on hand during the cold season. It had been years since I made pickles and this year we had an abundance of cucumbers, so pickles were a must! I made "The Best Dill Pickles", they are delicious, but be forewarned the red pepper flakes do make for a zippy aftertaste. I also made pizza sauce for the first time, I eliminated the red pepper flakes from this recipe. : ) Two of my favorite recipes from last year that I made again are: Zesty Salsa and Spaghetti Sauce. I made a couple of different jams this year, but the unanimous favorite was Vanilla-Rhubarb Jam!

It feels good to look at my pantry and see so many jars ready for the winter ahead. It is always a treat to enjoy a taste of summer throughout those long cold months.

Over the summer months I completed a project that has long sat in my work basket unfinished. I am so please to have this beautiful design complete and ready to frame! This is my second embroidery project from Clementine Patterns. You can see the first one here.

I did make a few changes in the pattern's colors. I love bluebirds and changed the original robin colors to bluebird colors.

As a side story, we put up our first bluebird box this summer. Within two days of having placed the box in our side yard we discovered a bluebird couple had begun a nest! I was so pleased! They had a successful family of four babies. It was truly a blessing this summer. : )

 Another project I completed over the summer months was this doily. I have enjoyed revisiting this handicraft.

Our garden is pretty much done for the season. The pumpkins were a surprise since we never planted them. We think they must have been in our compost from last fall. Due to the rainy season they never did ripen as they should have, but I rather like the unusual color.

Our hens are spending their days scratching through the newly fallen leaves. They are comical at times! Adam says they make him think of a biker gang. They travel as a group at all times and have poor Winston (our cat) terrified of them!

This week I finished reading "Out of The Storm" by Grace Livingston Hill. It was a wonderful story of two brave young people meeting during a ship wreck. As you may know Grace Livingston Hill is one of my favorite authors. While I peeled vegetables to can this summer, I listened to a couple of her books on Librivox, it really made the time fly! I would highly recommend her Marcia Schuyler trilogy! Here are the links to all three: Marcia Schuyler, Phoebe Deane and Miranda. The series takes place in Upstate New York during the mid-1800's. Each story had me on the edge of my seat, I couldn't wait to see what would unfold next.

With the days growing chiller I have resumed my evening knitting. The scarves shown above are so practical and cozy! They are knit from a variety of lovely fibers, including alpaca, wool, cashmere and silk. You can find them in my Esty shop.

I hope you are all enjoying a lovely start of autumn!

"As for God, His way is perfect:
    The Lord’s word is flawless;
    He shields all who take refuge in him."

Psalm 18:30

"Little House" Birthday

Over the past year and a half Jemimah Rose has discovered the charm of Laura Ingalls Wilder's beautiful "Little House" books. One day while shopping at a local Mennonite store I purchased one of the "Little House" picture books for Jemimah. She was immediately captivated.

Last summer while shopping at a quilting store I found some lovely "Little House" fabric designed by Andover. I purchased it with a special plan in mind. In September Jemimah turned two and my gift to her was her own pioneer dress, bonnet and pinafore. The dress and bonnet were both sewn from the "Little House" fabric I had purchased earlier in the year.

I hand embroidered the pinafore yoke and added purple ric-rac to the collar. I noticed while watching the "Little House" T.V. series that they often used ric-rac.

Jemimah was delighted when she opened up her special outfit and new "Little House" picture book! It gave me such joy to see my little darling run about the yard on her birthday wearing the outfit I had sewn. For many years my mom and I have sewn pioneer outfits for little girls all over the world through our business The Scarlet Thread. It was a wonderful feeling to see my own daughter enjoying something I have enjoyed for so many years.

 I have so many grand memories of my mom reading the "Little House" series to my sisters and me by the warmth of the wood stove on a winter day. One year she made all three of us pioneer dresses when we attended a one room school house for a day. We were so excited to prepare our own "pioneer" lunch of homemade bread, cheese, meat and homemade butter. We took great delight in making the butter. Mom had a cassette tape of "Little House" fiddle music. We filled canning jars with cream, a pinch of salt and a clothes pin. We had such fun dancing around the table shaking our jars of cream to the fiddle music.

I am grateful to share and create such sweet memories with my own little girl. And I am so pleased to have a fellow "Little House" fan! : )

"This is what the Lord says: “Stop at the crossroads and look around. Ask for the old, godly way, and walk in it. Travel its path, and you will find rest for your souls." Jeremiah 6:16a

Springtime and Chickens

 

The past week has been absolutely beautiful here! The flowers are blossoming, as are the lilacs. The air is filled with the fragrances of spring! What a blessing to be able to smell lily of the valleys through my windows when the breeze is just right.

Adam and I have spent our evenings and weekends working in the flower beds and vegetable garden. With the warm weather, sunshine and watering everything is flourishing! I planted hens and chicks last year and they have come back, so I thought I would plant more this year, but in a hen planter.

 Last year my mom gave me some of her forget-me-nots to plant here. They are one of my favorite springtime flowers.

I also planted columbine last year. They didn't blossomed then, but this spring both plants are filled with flowers. My grandma always grew columbines. I remember visiting her on spring evenings when her flowers were beginning to bloom. Grandma would take us to each of her flower beds and point out  her favorite plants to us with great pleasure.

Adam has planted black and red raspberries! His strawberries from last year are looking quite vibrant, so we are hoping we might have enough for strawberry jam. : )

Our little hens have moved out to their coop. It is positioned right under the crab apple tree.

You can't see it in this picture, but the branch right above the coop is home to a robin's nest. Jemimah and I have been scolded by the momma robin a couple times now for coming to close to her nest.

Our happy hens! Haven't they grown a lot?

And springtime wouldn't be complete without rhubarb pie! Adam and I have both agreed rhubarb is one of our favorite pies, if not our favorite. I used the same recipe I tried last year, and it is delicious.

I hope you are all enjoying a lovely springtime where you live too! What special plants have you added to your garden this year? Do you have a favorite springtime flower?

"The heavens declare the glory of God;
And the firmament shows His handiwork."

Psalm 19:1