October's Adventures

Thanks to all of you who prayed and shared wonderful words for my Gram and Aunt Jenny after a fire destroyed their 103-year-old home on September 27. You can read more about that story here.  

The Lord has been so good and faithful to them!  A modular home was located and will be moved to the home site sometime in the next week or two for them! A basement has been reconstructed as well, and next spring, a new porch will be built for my Gram to enjoy her flowers again.  It is amazing how family, friends, and the community have come together to help them.  Clothing has been provided until my Gram exclaimed "I'll never be able to wear it all!" and she has been overwhelmed and thankful for the outpouring of love.  Thanks to those of you who prayed... your prayers have been felt, and we are so appreciative! I had my aunts read to Gram all your sweet notes that you left on my post, and she was so blessed by them. I am thankful for all of you and your prayers and friendship have meant so very much! 

Oh this beautiful, glorious month of October has been such an incredible month! Fall was decked out in all its glorious splendor, with brilliant colors billowing throughout the hillsides and mountaintops.  So, my husband and I took a Saturday drive to enjoy Fall's feast for the eyes. 

The wilderness with all its intertwined mountain peaks are all aglow in Fall's eclectic adornment. 

Kokanee are a land-locked version of the Pacific sockeye salmon, and they spawn in a local creek bed.  We stopped by the creek to watch them, it was amazing to see! 

We stopped to see Char Falls and hiked around the upper and lower falls. It was such a magnificent sight, although I'm told in spring it is a roaring beauty. 

More exciting things that happened in October included the finalization of a new roof built over our home.  Our roof had suffered under the weight of last winter's snow, and we hope to build a new home soon, but this new roof will keep us safe and dry for the coming winter! 

The last blooms in my garden were enjoyed... just days before a winter storm arrived. 
Oh how I loved their ardent glory on display in my little tea and prayer garden! 

Rose hips gathered from the wild roses, stemmed, and simmered for 15 minutes until a lovely rich tea is created. I then freeze the tea in ice cube trays, and pop into my hot tea or smoothies throughout the winter, for an extra special vitamin C boost! If you want to read more about my rosehip gathering methods, you can read this post here.  

A homegrown meal... it is always a joy at the end of harvest season to sit down to a meal that has mostly been harvested out of my garden.  The potatoes, carrots, green beans and tomatoes came from my garden, our beef was locally grown (we buy a side of beef from a local farmer each fall), and the sourdough bread was freshly made by me that day.  Oh, it is pure delight to know that my hard work throughout the growing season pays off in such a rich bounty of delight :) 

October strawberries! These strawberries are the everbearing variety, and because we had such a lovely run of warm weather in late September, early October, they produced again! Oh the fruit was the sweetest thing!  Outstanding... and hard to only eat just one ... or two... or three!  {smiles} 

My husband reached the half-century mark this October, and I held a big party outside for him.  He requested a German Chocolate cake, which I baked from scratch for him.  The day of the party, we had a cold front blow in, and it was a cold day, but we had a wonderful time under our big new roof!  What a blessing it was to have this roof over us, while it rained. 

I had cooked enough food for a small army, and everyone had a good time together. 

Our rainy weather the day of my husband's 50th birthday party... and it was chilly! 

A neighbor gave me some of her pumpkins, and I set them out as decorations... however my chickens thought they needed a little fine-tunin'... and have created their own fun designs with each little bite! 

I can almost see a happy face smiling at me ... 

I have begun to purchase the Paper Pumpkin kit each month, and I'm having so much fun creating
cards with the kit provided.  Sometimes I stick with the designs they've created, and other times, like this month, I've had fun creating my own.  

Putting the garden to bed for the winter is always a big undertaking.  My dahlias grew by leaps and bounds this year, and I pulled them before the hard freeze hit last weekend, and dried them off in the sun for a couple of hours after washing them off, and now I am storing them in a bed of peat moss in my porch until spring.  

I harvested all of my carrots as well.  They can stay in the ground throughout the winter, but once the ground freezes, you can't get them out, so I went ahead and pulled them.  I was pleased with how well they grew this year.  I will have lots of carrots for winter roasts and soups! 

Preparing the garden for winter, means gathering all my pretties into one rectangular area, and covering them with a tarp to protect them from the snow, ice and winds.  

Usually I have my daughter or husband to help me, but this year, I was working alone.  As I worked away, the thought crossed my mind about how I wished I had some help.  However, not giving it much thought, I continued to work.  Soon afterwards, I saw a vehicle I didn't recognize slow down, and pull into the driveway.  Out stepped a dear neighbor lady who I had waved at many times while on my walks. She saw me working, and asked if I needed any help.  She put on her gloves, and got busy helping me.  We chatted and had a wonderful afternoon together, and I sent her home with some eggs and a bag of freshly pulled carrots.   She no longer has a garden, and enjoyed the opportunity to work in mine.  How like the Lord, to hear a tiny thought passing through my heart, and to bless both of us in this way. Isn't HE WONDERFUL?! Yes, yes, HE is :) 

And the next day, Friday October 23, this is what my garden looked like.  The snow began to fall around 10 a.m. and soon we had 8" of snow on the ground.
How thankful I was that all my preparations for winter had been completed! 

I cannot tell you how grateful I am for this finished roof over our home, for the bountiful year of harvest from the garden, and for the joy in my heart in knowing that even if the Lord sends snow early, He can also send a friend to help you in an hour of need.  Isn't He good like that!  

For my dear Gram and Aunt Jenny, in their terrible season of loss, He has provided them a home, on a lot that can be moved directly to the old homesite, and they will soon be able to move in, before winter arrives!

I am grateful that no matter the need, great or small... it makes no difference to our Lord... He is the supplier of every need we have.  I have learned that it is really in the littlest things that He shows how much He cares, and that gives me faith for the big things that come our way.  

I know that the days ahead look rather discouraging, as the outbreak of the virus seems to be on the news of late.  I can tell you that the virus took its toll on our little community, with many of my friends and acquaintances having it.  However, praise God, they have all recovered.  Our family has stayed healthy through it all, and again, I give the Lord thanksgiving for that.  I know that many others have suffered greatly.  

But my heart is greatly reassured in knowing that whatever the Lord brings to us, He will take us through it.  My Gram and Aunt Jenny are a testimony to that! 

When thou passest through the waters, 

I will be with thee; 

and through the rivers, 

they shall not overflow thee: 

when thou walkest through the fire, 

thou shalt not be burned; 

neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

Isaiah 43:2

My heart's prayer today is that your heart would be encouraged to know that regardless of what life situation you are facing, the Lord is able to supply, protect, heal, comfort, and bring new life even out of the ashes.  With much love to all of you!