Two wings lift a person up from earthy concerns: simplicity and purity. Simplicity should be in intention, purity in feelings. Simplicity reaches out after God, purity catches hold and tastes. ~ Thomas A’Kempis

Tuesday 4 July 2017

June in pictures

Hi all :)
I thought I would photo blog June, or otherwise all the pics I took throughout the month were in vain.
June was a month that reminded me that Winter brings with it many challenges: Laundry...cold dreary, dark days (which make me feel a bit blue at times) and flu bugs. Most people I know are sick at the moment..& thankfully after 4 days in bed I am almost over the worst of it. Yes all those things we so quickly forget about once Spring is in the air and Summer well under way. Autumn woos us with its lovely shades and welcomed cooler days and then BAM !! hello Winter is back to stay :)


 The positive aspects of Winter for me: Soup, Wooly's, coats and scarfs, the sound of the fire crackling away and gratitude in my heart for these blessings, as I know many don't have them.

Life slows down somewhat here at The Little Homestead (at least in the soap making side of things), and it gives me time to plan new things...think about what to plant in the garden in Spring, and also time to get around to little jobs I have neglected..cough cough..such as washing a few curtains etc..anyway on with the pics (some are a bit blurry) of what I achieved, surprises etc this month.
 I gathered the last of our apples (Sturmer), cooked and bottled them, to use in crumble puddings. The rest I put in the fridge to use for muffins etc.
 I quite forgot about the beetroot we planted in summer..oops. As I was getting the last jar out of the preserves pantry I remembered it. I thought it might have gone woody, but decided to pick it all and cook it up. It did take over an hour to cook as some of the beets were very big. I canned about 7 x 1 pound/500g jars of pickled beets. 
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 Lovely hubby helping with the dishes after one of my many messes xo

Just another banana cake...we seem to have it quite often :)

 Bread : I spent several hours one day baking a huge batch of bread (3 loaves - that's huge for me)..and I was so proud of myself...wait for it...then at the final stage, what did I do? You guessed it, I overcooked it :(   I didn't even think I could slice it, so left it covered with a tea towel over night and then the next morning I was able to slice it thickly. I just froze the whole lot and we've been gradually making our way through it as toast. It's still delicous..but I was very dissapointed in myself !!
 This is the latest book hubby has been reading me while I cook dinner.
Surprise !!! a big fat cute rabbit appeared in the garden one afternoon. !! I spotted him the next day too, but then he disapeared, just as quickly as he arrived. I almost felt like Alice in Wonderland.

My new soap stamp arrived - that was exciting :) (Heart and Hand)

 I found this lovely poem book that was in the 'Free Box' at a Homeschoolers weekend I attended with my daughter (so I could help with the grand baby). What a lovely weekend it was too. Anyway - the poem book. I loved so many of A.A. Milne's poems as a child, but didn't even realise who the author was. Maybe we read them aloud in the classroom or something. It's a bit vague in my memory, I just know they are familiar and they bring me joy, at their silliness. I've been reading some of them to our grandson Alex and he's enjoyed them too :)
 A book out of the library. Shibori is something I'm interested in. I used to do batik many many moons ago when my children were small, but all the complicated heating of wax, ironing it out of the fabric etc put me off....because I just didn't have the time back then. However Shibori doesn't involve wax, its just sort of tie-dying with Indigo. I love the finished patterns and the bright contrast of deepest navy and white.

This months second hand store find $2.00. Its a ravioli mold, with an enamel base :) I haven't used it yet, but plan too. I do made my own pasta every now and then and even purchased a wooden dowel stand thingy that you drape the pasta over to dry. In the past I've just used my broom handle propped up. Maybe winter might give me a chance to get back to some of those activities and venture into Ravioli making too :)

More baking: Blueberry muffins with Lemon Zest and a little bit of lemon glaze icing drizzled on top.

 My little preserves pantry. I also keep some jars in anther large pantry, as this little one doesn't like too much weight on the legs.

Tasha Tudor Pantry art


and that's all for June, as now we're already into July..phew :) Time for me to go to bed. 
Blessings to anyone who reads this. Please leave a comment if you feel to. I'd love to hear what's happening in your corner of the world :)
 ~ Linda


“What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness.” 
John Steinbeck



11 comments:

  1. Just read the Livingstone book for school this year. Incredible journey. Love the pictures in your post. We are just getting started on summer here in S.California. I love the fall best though and your pictures evoke all that fall encompasses--baking, apples, preserving and the last of the garden harvest. Snuggling up with a cozy fire, knitting and hot tea...ahhh. For now we will have to endure sweating in the heat, frolicking in the ocean, eating the sweet fruits and garden tomatoes that are best homegrown and all the other things we do on a lazy summer afternoon. Thanks for the post. Grateful for all the seasons.

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    1. Thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment :) They always bring me joy and I love hearing what other people are doing in the world !!. My husband just finished reading the book to me tonight, and I must say of Livingstone - what a life well spent !! Blessings to you Lisa, and enjoy your Summer :)

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  2. Loved teading your blog Linda. Well done. Keep going xx

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    1. Thankyou :) and so lovely you stopped by Louise :) xox

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  3. Your muffins look so yummy what recipie do you use . I love your blog such lovely photos and writing

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    1. Hi Cinnamon Sugar,
      Thankyou for your sweet words, they are so encouraging to my heart !!The recipe I use for these and a lot of other muffins is just one I made up myself. It's a base recipe that I can make savoury (by adding chopped herbs - parsley/chives etc, finely diced red onion, grated tasty cheese, or it can be a sweet recipe by adding some sugar to the recipe - 1/3 - 1/2 cup, maybe 1 - 2 T homemade yoghurt, that always helps them rise well and add another spoon of flour. Then frozen berries can be added or fresh. If I add frozen berries I just poke them into the top of the mixture once its poured in the tin, otherwise blueberries will turn the batter grey ..eeee. I also made a drizzle icing, just lemon juice and a little icing sugar. I might do a post on this :) Here is my basic sweet muffin recipe:
      50grams of butter (about 3 Tablespoons melted)
      1 egg - lightly beaten
      1 & 1/4 cups of milk
      1 teaspoon vanilla essence
      1/2 cup castor sugar
      1 x pinch of salt
      2 & 1/4 cups of self-raising flour
      1 teaspoon baking powder.
      Method:
      1. Mix the milk, vanilla and egg together and melt the butter.
      2. Sift all the dry ingredients and add the wet ingredients and butter to this. A tablespoon of plain unsweetened yoghurt added always adds a nice fluffiness to the muffins :)
      Mix well, but gently.
      Bake at 200 degrees celcius for 15 minutes or until cooked.
      Variations: whatever you like :) berries, or savoury etc, or add spices if you choose.

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    2. Oh thanks so much for taking the time to reply its so kind. I can't wait to try the muffins. I am not a overly religious person apart from sunday school as a child and the odd visit to a church but I love your post it somehow ground me and makes me feel happy . have a lovely day x

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    3. Cinnamon Sugar: I think if someone takes the time to comment, plus I don't get that many, then the least I can do is try to at least say thank you. And can I say the Lord is never far from us, He still knows you :)

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  4. Hi Linda I was just looking at your soaps they are amazing how did you learn to make them? I try and make a couple myself but your are amazing . I wish you were my neighbour and I could pop over for tea. Im going to keep trying the soaps I have been following go native recipes but I'm very much a beginner

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    1. Hi Cinnamon Sugar,
      good on you for trying your hand at soap making :) I think it's like everything, if you have a natural flair for it, a bit like baking or any artistic expression, then you will do well. I have endless ideas, so can't see me giving up soap making for many years. I've done endless hours of research, and had many failed attempts. Over the years I have perfected my methods/recipes/formulas and always working on styling etc. Thank you for your kind words about my soap :)

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    2. thanks Linda , I really enjoy it is well its so nice to have something you are passionate about . Have a lovely Tuesday :)

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