Oh what a happy week for mail it was this week! My dear friend Stephanie over at The Enchanting Rose hosted a teacup exchange this past month. Here are her words on how it all began:
I am rather late getting involved with the teacup/mug exchanges as this was my first one (and this is the 7th time the exchange has been held), but you can be sure I will be joining whenever Stephanie does this again! What a joy it was to be able to make not one, but two new friends! You simply join by sharing your email address, and a few small things about yourself, and shortly Stephanie contacts you with your new exchange friend to whom you send a teacup. In return, a different friend receives your name, and you receive a teacup from that friend. So, in the process... you receive a beautiful new teacup (or mug) and two new friends!
I am a tea lover, and drink lots and lots of hot tea, and since a cup of hot tea is always best with a friend, in this tea exchange you are blessed to both send a teacup and receive one. Along with the teacup extra goodies are included, and oh my how fun this was! It was fun to put together my package for dear Kathryn who blogs here. And in return I received my special package from dear Linda who blogs here.
My package arrived on Monday, and it smelled good even from the outside!
Smiles! Oh yes! I was smiling, from ear to ear! Do you see the stitching on the card? Linda is an amazing seamstress, and she "sewed" this card for me, just darling!
The package had each item beautifully wrapped and covered in pastel bubbles, to ensure nothing would get broken. Everything arrived in perfect condition, and oh the joy I had of unwrapping each one!
A handmade teabag holder! Just adorable! Such thoughtfulness and beautiful handiwork - see the lovely stitching, just adorable! Something I will treasure always!
And such a mouth watering collection of tea bags! Honey Lavender Stress Relief, Perfect Peach Herb Tea, Lipton Green Tea, and Twinnings Chai Tea - a fabulous mix for me to enjoy!
And oh.my.goodness! The Teacup. She was beautiful. I love the unique ruffled edges of the cup with the gorgeous rose print and gold edging. I couldn't have chosen a prettier cup if I'd tried! I have no teacup like this in my collection, and what a joy it will be to have!
I couldn't wait to put the tea pot on and enjoy my new teacup right away... but wait... there was more! My goodness!
Oh how could she have known (I never mentioned my love of writing in my little note about myself)... but I have a collection of journals, and I was getting low, and actually was in need of a new one... oh how the Lord provides, without us ever even needing to ask! And the most beautiful handmade bookmark! Oh, what a beautiful gift, and the journal and lovely bookmark will make my quiet time with the Lord even more special!
I wondered what it was that just smelled so divine... apple cinnamon fragrance sachets... oh the aroma was just intoxicating and yummy!
What? I couldn't believe there was more to my package! I already felt like my heart couldn't hold any more... but there it was, one more beautiful package to unwrap. It was a package of John Wm. Macy's SweetSticks "Java Cinnamon". I have never heard of these before, and ooh, they looked so yummy!
Here is the picture of all the precious goodies that were packed into the box so carefully, and with such tender care. What a beautiful gift to open, and how special I felt as I smiled (Linda was right, I was ALL SMILES) as I enjoyed the contents of her beautiful package to me.
Do you see how the entire gift is color coordinated in rose and green, just darling, and I loved every special little touch of love that was put into it!
Oh what fun I will have filling this journal up, sipping hot tea, and enjoying the lovely smells of apple cinnamon while I munch on my java cinnamon SweetSticks. Life doesn't get much better than this!
And hidden within the pages of the journal are these sweet little cards... so fun!
Blessed I am indeed... such a bountiful gift, and so appreciated.
Thank you again, dear Linda for your generous gift.... everything was amazing!!!! .... and those SweetSticks are simply sublime! I've already looked for them online to buy some more! The website to purchase them is htttp://www.cheesesticks.com should any of you be interested... What a delightful teacup package this was, with pure enjoyment for many tea-times to come!
And the tea cup delight has continued! Since receiving my amazing gift from Linda, I sent her a thank you card, and a little handmade bookmark. She blogged about the gift I sent her here. If you'd like to see more of Linda's work, she is a seamstress, and has beautiful creative items in her Etsy shop Eastern Ave Designs which you can see here. I've enjoyed the communication so much with Linda since I received my special gift from her... what a blessing this has been!
And then dear Kathryn sent me the most amazing "thank you"! A beautiful card arrived in the mail, along with two handmade items from her Etsy shop! Isn't she quite the talented lady! I just love the beautiful cameo that comes with a clip so it can be clipped on clothing or hair! And the incredible bookmark! The little saying on it says:
The idea of this exchange formed one day while I was looking at my collection of tea cups and I thought to myself that it would be a joy to bring ladies together over a cup of tea. The first exchange was a success and soon mugs were included
since everyone has different tastes and styles.
I am rather late getting involved with the teacup/mug exchanges as this was my first one (and this is the 7th time the exchange has been held), but you can be sure I will be joining whenever Stephanie does this again! What a joy it was to be able to make not one, but two new friends! You simply join by sharing your email address, and a few small things about yourself, and shortly Stephanie contacts you with your new exchange friend to whom you send a teacup. In return, a different friend receives your name, and you receive a teacup from that friend. So, in the process... you receive a beautiful new teacup (or mug) and two new friends!
I am a tea lover, and drink lots and lots of hot tea, and since a cup of hot tea is always best with a friend, in this tea exchange you are blessed to both send a teacup and receive one. Along with the teacup extra goodies are included, and oh my how fun this was! It was fun to put together my package for dear Kathryn who blogs here. And in return I received my special package from dear Linda who blogs here.
My package arrived on Monday, and it smelled good even from the outside!
Smiles! Oh yes! I was smiling, from ear to ear! Do you see the stitching on the card? Linda is an amazing seamstress, and she "sewed" this card for me, just darling!
The package had each item beautifully wrapped and covered in pastel bubbles, to ensure nothing would get broken. Everything arrived in perfect condition, and oh the joy I had of unwrapping each one!
A handmade teabag holder! Just adorable! Such thoughtfulness and beautiful handiwork - see the lovely stitching, just adorable! Something I will treasure always!
And such a mouth watering collection of tea bags! Honey Lavender Stress Relief, Perfect Peach Herb Tea, Lipton Green Tea, and Twinnings Chai Tea - a fabulous mix for me to enjoy!
And oh.my.goodness! The Teacup. She was beautiful. I love the unique ruffled edges of the cup with the gorgeous rose print and gold edging. I couldn't have chosen a prettier cup if I'd tried! I have no teacup like this in my collection, and what a joy it will be to have!
I couldn't wait to put the tea pot on and enjoy my new teacup right away... but wait... there was more! My goodness!
Oh how could she have known (I never mentioned my love of writing in my little note about myself)... but I have a collection of journals, and I was getting low, and actually was in need of a new one... oh how the Lord provides, without us ever even needing to ask! And the most beautiful handmade bookmark! Oh, what a beautiful gift, and the journal and lovely bookmark will make my quiet time with the Lord even more special!
I wondered what it was that just smelled so divine... apple cinnamon fragrance sachets... oh the aroma was just intoxicating and yummy!
What? I couldn't believe there was more to my package! I already felt like my heart couldn't hold any more... but there it was, one more beautiful package to unwrap. It was a package of John Wm. Macy's SweetSticks "Java Cinnamon". I have never heard of these before, and ooh, they looked so yummy!
Here is the picture of all the precious goodies that were packed into the box so carefully, and with such tender care. What a beautiful gift to open, and how special I felt as I smiled (Linda was right, I was ALL SMILES) as I enjoyed the contents of her beautiful package to me.
Do you see how the entire gift is color coordinated in rose and green, just darling, and I loved every special little touch of love that was put into it!
Oh what fun I will have filling this journal up, sipping hot tea, and enjoying the lovely smells of apple cinnamon while I munch on my java cinnamon SweetSticks. Life doesn't get much better than this!
And hidden within the pages of the journal are these sweet little cards... so fun!
Blessed I am indeed... such a bountiful gift, and so appreciated.
Thank you again, dear Linda for your generous gift.... everything was amazing!!!! .... and those SweetSticks are simply sublime! I've already looked for them online to buy some more! The website to purchase them is htttp://www.cheesesticks.com should any of you be interested... What a delightful teacup package this was, with pure enjoyment for many tea-times to come!
And the tea cup delight has continued! Since receiving my amazing gift from Linda, I sent her a thank you card, and a little handmade bookmark. She blogged about the gift I sent her here. If you'd like to see more of Linda's work, she is a seamstress, and has beautiful creative items in her Etsy shop Eastern Ave Designs which you can see here. I've enjoyed the communication so much with Linda since I received my special gift from her... what a blessing this has been!
And then dear Kathryn sent me the most amazing "thank you"! A beautiful card arrived in the mail, along with two handmade items from her Etsy shop! Isn't she quite the talented lady! I just love the beautiful cameo that comes with a clip so it can be clipped on clothing or hair! And the incredible bookmark! The little saying on it says:
"Be you to others kind and true,
As you'd have others be to you;
And neither do nor say to men,
Whate'er you would not take again."
What a precious quote presented in such a beautiful fashion! I just love the attention to detail wtih the lace, the embellishments and ribbon! I will cherish these little thank-yous so very much! You can find more of Kathryn's work in her Etsy shop here!
What a blessing this has been in so many ways... and the correspondence back and forth with both Kathryn and Linda has been so special to me. Really the friendships made in this tea exchange means as much or more to me than anything, and the special gifts just the icing on the cake! I am so very blessed!
If you would like to see all the teacup exchanges that took place, Stephanie is having the reveal on her blog October 14th for all those who participated. I will be forever grateful to dear Stephanie for opening up this wonderful opportunity for us. :)
Rose hips are in season! I have mentioned them before on my blog, but don't think I have given them their fair share of the spotlight!
Here is a ripe rose hip growing on a wild rose bush. You can see where the wild rose petals fell off, and all that remains is the bud below it. All summer, the bud was green, and in the fall, they begin to turn a bright beautiful red!
The rose hips I found on our property were quite small... but they are a powerhouse packed full of vitamin C, and I collected all I could find!
So I have diligently been collecting rose hips around our property the last few days since most of them began turning red. Here is my small collection after a couple of days of looking! My husband even joined in, bringing me 2 or 3 to add to my collection as he was working out in the yard and came across them.
Somehow a dear friend, RH, found out I was searching for rose hips (and not having much luck), and she gifted me by picking this jar full of rose hips for my birthday! They were in full bloom abundantly all over her property, and what a beautiful gift it was!
Now if you are wondering what all the "hype" is about rose hips, please read on! I would like to share with you a few facts I've learned about rose hips, how to find them, how to store them, and how to enjoy them!
A rose hip is the fruit of the rose that grows underneath the rose after it has bloomed. If the rose was not picked, but allowed to die/dry on the vine, a rose hip will be produced. The rose hips are green throughout the summer, but in about August/September the green rose hip starts to turn into a gorgeous shade of red. Once fully red and soft, the rose hip is ready to be picked. It does help if you wait until after the first frost, because the rose hip will have a sweeter taste then.
Rose hips grow on just about any rose bush, but the kind I am talking about today are the wild roses that grow freely here all over Idaho. However, you can use any rose hip that you are able to find, just make sure that they have not been sprayed, or had chemicals of any kind on them.
The reason rose hips are such a valuable food source is because of the high level of vitamin C (and other vitamins) found in the rose hip. Fresh rose hips contain the most vitamin C. After storing (dried) rose hips, the levels of vitamin C drop. However, if the fresh rose hip is consumed fresh or if it is frozen immediately after picking, it retains much more of the vitamin C content. (See here for more information).
Fresh wild rose hips are rich in vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, flavonoids and other essential fatty acids that help to keep your bones, muscles, and joints working together properly, as well as they help to boost the red blood cells in your body, which works as an immune support system. So you can see what a mighty powerhouse the rose hips are for your body!
After doing some research, it appears that drinking fresh rose hip tea is the best way to enjoy these vitamin C, E, & K packed fruit. Drying/processing causes the rose hips to lose much of their nutritional value. So, the best thing about the method I am going to show you is this - once you brew the tea, it can be frozen, and you will not lose much of the vitamin C content, as opposed to drying and storing the rose hips. This appears to be the best way to retain the nutrient value from the rose hips in the best way possible.
For today's post, I simply used the rose hips that I had gathered on my property. I used about 2 tablespoons of fresh rose hips. I washed them, and cleaned both ends of the hips, and then placed them in about 1 cup of water.
It is necessary to mention here that you do NOT want to work with rose hips using aluminum pans, but to use stainless steel, glass etc. The aluminum pot (and utensils) will react with the precious vitamin C, and cause you to lose precious valuable vitamin C content.
That being said, I brought the cup of water to a boil in a stainless steel pan, and let it simmer gently for 15 minutes.
And then it was time to enjoy my rose hip tea! I poured the tea into my beautiful tea cup and stirred in a dab of honey.
And drank to my health!
Now, if you have collected a lot of rose hips, and want to store them in the best way possible to get all the vitamin C, E and K you can from them, you can use this recipe of approximately 2 tablespoons of fresh rose hips to one cup of water, bring to a boil, and simmer for 10-15 minutes. (If you are using dried rose hips, you can use 2 tsp per 1 cup water).
Once the tea has cooled, you can then pour the rose hip tea into ice cube trays and freeze. Once frozen, remove from ice cube trays and store in a freezer container labeled "rose hips" (so you won't forget what they are!) Then, throughout the winter, whenever you want a boost of fresh vitamin C, you can pull a rose hip tea cube from your freezer, and place it into a cup of hot tea for that added vitamin C boost!
What does vitamin C do, you may ask? That is a good question!
Let me, in my own words, after doing some research, attempt to explain it as simply as possible.
Vitamin C (also known as ascorbic acid) is valuable in preventing and treating cold and flu symptoms. Vitamin C also plays an important role in supporting bones, connective tissues, muscles, and blood vessels. The body needs vitamin C to help absorb iron, and iron is needed for red blood cell production. In a roundabout way, vitamin C boosts your red blood cells, and keeps your immune system healthy and active. If you feel that your immune system is under attack (cold, flu, virus), then you can up your vitamin C intake to 500 mg a day. Some people take up to 2000 mg of vitamin C a day, but this is only in a severe case of a virus or flu attack.
Since vitamin C helps with your connective tissues, it is important to note that taking extra vitamin C as you grow older will help maintain your connective tissues, and may even work to prevent arthritis, or joint problems. If you have a vitamin C deficiency, you may experience loosening of your teeth, bleeding gums, bleeding under your skin, and swelling in your joints.
The FDA recommends that men need 90 mg of vitamin C a day, and women need 75 mg a day.
I wondered how much vitamin C is found in an average rose hip. It was hard to pin down that information, but I did find one website here that says this: Fresh rose hip contains between 0.5-1.7% vitamin C (5, 8) and is estimated to contain 1250 mg vitamin C per 100 grams of rose hip (6). However, much of the vitamin C is destroyed during drying and processing(11), and declines rapidly with storage (2)
I checked another website and found this:
Fresh rose hips contain 0.5 to 1.7% vitamin C. However, the vitamin C content of dried, commercially available rose hips products varies considerably. While some accounts
suggest that rose hips are the richest natural source of vitamin C, a number of more concentrated sources have been identified. Citrus fruits contain approximately 50 mg vitamin C per 100 g; uncooked broccoli, kale, and kiwi fruit, approximately 100 mg; black currants, guavas, and some tropical vegetables, 200 to 300 mg; rose hips (Rosa canina), 1,250 mg; acerola or Barbados cherry (Malpighia punicifolia), 1,000 to 2,330 mg; and Terminalia ferdinandiana, up to 3,150 mg. In addition to vitamin C, rose hips also contain vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, and K. Other ingredients include pectin, tannins, flavonoids, carotenoids, and a variety of minor components.
In simpler form:
Citrus fruit - 50 mg vitamin C per 100 gm
Uncooked broccoli, kale, kiwi - 100 mg per 100 gm
Black currants, guavas, and tropic vegetables - 200-300 mg per 100 gm
Rose hips - 1250 mg per 100 gm
Acerola/Barbados cherry - 1000-2300 mg
Using the gm per gm measurement, fresh rose hips have 25 times more vitamin C in them then an orange! Quite impressive!
You can buy dried rose hips at just about any online herbal store; however, be aware that the quantity and quality of the vitamin C deteriorates with drying and processing. Freezing the tea is your best bet for maximizing the benefits of rose hips!
If you would like to do more research on your own, here are some links that you can visit. Also please leave me a comment to let me know if you have ever made rose hip tea, or other beverages/recipes with rose hips, I would love to hear about it!
https://recipesfromthewild.wordpress.com/rose-hips/
http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/butler95.html
http://wildcraftvita.blogspot.com/2012/10/rosehip-collection-25-things-to-do-with.html
Here is a ripe rose hip growing on a wild rose bush. You can see where the wild rose petals fell off, and all that remains is the bud below it. All summer, the bud was green, and in the fall, they begin to turn a bright beautiful red!
The rose hips I found on our property were quite small... but they are a powerhouse packed full of vitamin C, and I collected all I could find!
So I have diligently been collecting rose hips around our property the last few days since most of them began turning red. Here is my small collection after a couple of days of looking! My husband even joined in, bringing me 2 or 3 to add to my collection as he was working out in the yard and came across them.
Somehow a dear friend, RH, found out I was searching for rose hips (and not having much luck), and she gifted me by picking this jar full of rose hips for my birthday! They were in full bloom abundantly all over her property, and what a beautiful gift it was!
Now if you are wondering what all the "hype" is about rose hips, please read on! I would like to share with you a few facts I've learned about rose hips, how to find them, how to store them, and how to enjoy them!
A rose hip is the fruit of the rose that grows underneath the rose after it has bloomed. If the rose was not picked, but allowed to die/dry on the vine, a rose hip will be produced. The rose hips are green throughout the summer, but in about August/September the green rose hip starts to turn into a gorgeous shade of red. Once fully red and soft, the rose hip is ready to be picked. It does help if you wait until after the first frost, because the rose hip will have a sweeter taste then.
Rose hips grow on just about any rose bush, but the kind I am talking about today are the wild roses that grow freely here all over Idaho. However, you can use any rose hip that you are able to find, just make sure that they have not been sprayed, or had chemicals of any kind on them.
The reason rose hips are such a valuable food source is because of the high level of vitamin C (and other vitamins) found in the rose hip. Fresh rose hips contain the most vitamin C. After storing (dried) rose hips, the levels of vitamin C drop. However, if the fresh rose hip is consumed fresh or if it is frozen immediately after picking, it retains much more of the vitamin C content. (See here for more information).
Fresh wild rose hips are rich in vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, flavonoids and other essential fatty acids that help to keep your bones, muscles, and joints working together properly, as well as they help to boost the red blood cells in your body, which works as an immune support system. So you can see what a mighty powerhouse the rose hips are for your body!
After doing some research, it appears that drinking fresh rose hip tea is the best way to enjoy these vitamin C, E, & K packed fruit. Drying/processing causes the rose hips to lose much of their nutritional value. So, the best thing about the method I am going to show you is this - once you brew the tea, it can be frozen, and you will not lose much of the vitamin C content, as opposed to drying and storing the rose hips. This appears to be the best way to retain the nutrient value from the rose hips in the best way possible.
For today's post, I simply used the rose hips that I had gathered on my property. I used about 2 tablespoons of fresh rose hips. I washed them, and cleaned both ends of the hips, and then placed them in about 1 cup of water.
It is necessary to mention here that you do NOT want to work with rose hips using aluminum pans, but to use stainless steel, glass etc. The aluminum pot (and utensils) will react with the precious vitamin C, and cause you to lose precious valuable vitamin C content.
That being said, I brought the cup of water to a boil in a stainless steel pan, and let it simmer gently for 15 minutes.
And then it was time to enjoy my rose hip tea! I poured the tea into my beautiful tea cup and stirred in a dab of honey.
And drank to my health!
Now, if you have collected a lot of rose hips, and want to store them in the best way possible to get all the vitamin C, E and K you can from them, you can use this recipe of approximately 2 tablespoons of fresh rose hips to one cup of water, bring to a boil, and simmer for 10-15 minutes. (If you are using dried rose hips, you can use 2 tsp per 1 cup water).
Once the tea has cooled, you can then pour the rose hip tea into ice cube trays and freeze. Once frozen, remove from ice cube trays and store in a freezer container labeled "rose hips" (so you won't forget what they are!) Then, throughout the winter, whenever you want a boost of fresh vitamin C, you can pull a rose hip tea cube from your freezer, and place it into a cup of hot tea for that added vitamin C boost!
What does vitamin C do, you may ask? That is a good question!
Let me, in my own words, after doing some research, attempt to explain it as simply as possible.
Vitamin C (also known as ascorbic acid) is valuable in preventing and treating cold and flu symptoms. Vitamin C also plays an important role in supporting bones, connective tissues, muscles, and blood vessels. The body needs vitamin C to help absorb iron, and iron is needed for red blood cell production. In a roundabout way, vitamin C boosts your red blood cells, and keeps your immune system healthy and active. If you feel that your immune system is under attack (cold, flu, virus), then you can up your vitamin C intake to 500 mg a day. Some people take up to 2000 mg of vitamin C a day, but this is only in a severe case of a virus or flu attack.
Since vitamin C helps with your connective tissues, it is important to note that taking extra vitamin C as you grow older will help maintain your connective tissues, and may even work to prevent arthritis, or joint problems. If you have a vitamin C deficiency, you may experience loosening of your teeth, bleeding gums, bleeding under your skin, and swelling in your joints.
The FDA recommends that men need 90 mg of vitamin C a day, and women need 75 mg a day.
I wondered how much vitamin C is found in an average rose hip. It was hard to pin down that information, but I did find one website here that says this: Fresh rose hip contains between 0.5-1.7% vitamin C (5, 8) and is estimated to contain 1250 mg vitamin C per 100 grams of rose hip (6). However, much of the vitamin C is destroyed during drying and processing(11), and declines rapidly with storage (2)
I checked another website and found this:
Fresh rose hips contain 0.5 to 1.7% vitamin C. However, the vitamin C content of dried, commercially available rose hips products varies considerably. While some accounts
suggest that rose hips are the richest natural source of vitamin C, a number of more concentrated sources have been identified. Citrus fruits contain approximately 50 mg vitamin C per 100 g; uncooked broccoli, kale, and kiwi fruit, approximately 100 mg; black currants, guavas, and some tropical vegetables, 200 to 300 mg; rose hips (Rosa canina), 1,250 mg; acerola or Barbados cherry (Malpighia punicifolia), 1,000 to 2,330 mg; and Terminalia ferdinandiana, up to 3,150 mg. In addition to vitamin C, rose hips also contain vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, and K. Other ingredients include pectin, tannins, flavonoids, carotenoids, and a variety of minor components.In simpler form:
Citrus fruit - 50 mg vitamin C per 100 gm
Uncooked broccoli, kale, kiwi - 100 mg per 100 gm
Black currants, guavas, and tropic vegetables - 200-300 mg per 100 gm
Rose hips - 1250 mg per 100 gm
Acerola/Barbados cherry - 1000-2300 mg
Using the gm per gm measurement, fresh rose hips have 25 times more vitamin C in them then an orange! Quite impressive!
You can buy dried rose hips at just about any online herbal store; however, be aware that the quantity and quality of the vitamin C deteriorates with drying and processing. Freezing the tea is your best bet for maximizing the benefits of rose hips!
If you would like to do more research on your own, here are some links that you can visit. Also please leave me a comment to let me know if you have ever made rose hip tea, or other beverages/recipes with rose hips, I would love to hear about it!
https://recipesfromthewild.wordpress.com/rose-hips/
http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/butler95.html
http://wildcraftvita.blogspot.com/2012/10/rosehip-collection-25-things-to-do-with.html
How is it that it is already the middle of September? I don't know the answer to that question... except that it has just flown by!
Progress on our little home has been moving forward! My husband, son, and a friend completed the skirting, which made me very, very happy! And... do you see that hot water heater on the front porch? Well... we had been living without hot water since we moved in, and just to make a very long story short... this hot water heater, while it works, it wasn't propane, and we couldn't get it converted. So we finally found a propane hot water heater for a mobile home... and now have hot water!! Oh happy day! You never truly appreciate something until it is gone... and in our case, no hot water was not a terrible thing - it is a convenience really - but still wonderful to have! We often go bush camping, and having no hot water is not something new for me... but to not have it for weeks on end... well, it just felt like the camping trip went on a little long, lol! But, thankfully we got the new hot water heater installed without any problems, and oh the joy of running hot water again!
Annie wasn't sure what was making me so happy (when I saw the finished skirting)... but she rejoiced with me! I love that about her! She is so sensitive to what is happening around her, and displays that emotion on her face! Don't you just love her one ear up and one ear down face?
In reality, she was probably thinking my joy meant we were going for a walk... haha!
We have beautiful red rose hips that are in season now! Sadly, I was not able to find that many on our place. I have been collecting as many of them as I can find.
My husband and I took a walk through the woods together on a beautiful glorious day. We saw our green mountain ash tree had had a visitor. We found all the the lower hanging fruit to have been eaten, and the rest of the fruit from about 7 feet up intact.
As you can see here, something quite tall reached very high and ate what fruit they could without climbing the tree... we have our suspicions about what it might be... (read on!)
Annie was with us, and sniffed diligently around the tree, and we found a large spot under the tree where a very large animal had evidently spent some time, as all the grass was laid over.
We continued our walk through the woods, and I found more rose hips!
Annie's joy is always contagious when we walk together :)
Not a cloud in the sky!
Uh oh... a chipmunk had to interrupt the fun walk we were having, and insult poor Annie!
The insults got louder and louder, and Annie was quite ready to give the chipmunk a piece of her mind!
... if only I could climb this tree!
.... you wouldn't be saying those things about me!
Ah well Annie... don't you know the old saying... sticks and stones may break your bones, but names will never hurt ... just come along now, and don't listen to anymore of that nonsense from the chipmunk! {smile}
Back in the garden after our walk, we noticed evidence of a large visitor to my garden. Right next to my raspberry bushes the fence appeared as if something very large and heavy climbed over it. Now while I don't have a picture to show you who we believe is responsible... I can tell you what our suspicions are... our son was driving home from work late last week, and about a mile from our house a large black bear crossed the road in front of him. It stopped on the road and looked at him. Finally he lumbered off back into the woods. He said it was about waist high, or approximately 4 feet tall, so it appears it is the yearling that we saw right after we moved into our house (out in our front yard from a distance). We thought it would have probably moved on, but apparently not. It (not sure if it is a he/she) has become a regular visitor, it appears. And, we have found several piles of bear scat scattered around our yard. So, we know it has been back several times to visit.
And just a side note for all of you who worry... I carry bear spray with me now out in the yard or walking! {smile} And of course, our dogs are always with us. More than likely, our visitor is just looking for berries, and we have no reason to worry. If however, we have more problems with it such as trying to get into our trash, or other more ominous things such as getting closer to our house, then we will put in a call to Fish and Game. I did talk to Fish and Game, and they said it appears it is just searching for berries, and as long as that is all it is doing, it is not a threat. :)
... and also in September I celebrated a birthday, and my family took me out to eat at a local Mexican restaurant, and we had a lovely time together.
Later, some friends came over with a fun birthday surprise for me! Our friends wanted to bake me a cake, and so they came in the door with a little cake in a mug with one candle. I was delighted, and they sang a birthday song to me. Then I said, "Oh I feel so bad to eat this cake all by myself".
They said, "Oh, it's OK. Hey, why don't you open your gift now?" So then they carried in this large box for me to open.
Inside the box I found this amazing iron skillet tiered birthday cake! Our friend's boyfriend had designed this iron skillet holder to display three different kinds of birthday cake made in three different sized iron skillets - and all the cakes were completely homemade, with whole wheat flour! They picked the carrots for the carrot cake from their garden that day, and made the awesome carrot cake, vanilla, and chocolate cake.
And let me tell you... I tried to get away with only 29 candles, but someone spilled the exact number of years old I am, and so we almost had to call the fire department, lol! What fun we all had, and this was definitely most unique birthday cake I've ever had... and most delicious too!
Dear Lord have mercy on me, I had a piece of each cake they made! (Annie told me it was okay though... we have plans to walk this week... lol!)
Last but not least,... this morning, after I let the chickens out of their coop, this is what I found on our front steps... well, first I heard what sounded like someone knocking at the door. So when I peeked out the window, this is what I saw... now I'm a country girl at heart, and love my sweet chickens... but we gotta draw a line somewhere folks, and since chickens will never be potty trained... they are not to be allowed on the porch! Annie and Roger happened to be inside, and so the chickens seem to just take over the yard when that happens! I let Roger out, and he shooed them back towards their coop, while Annie just watched them. Roger appears to want to herd the chicken, while Annie watches them and ... licks her chops. Sigh.
Until we get the chicken run built... the chickens and I are going to have to have a talk about coming to visit on our front porch!
That's right. See you later!
And that's my update so far for September.. a bit of this -n- that for you... hope that your September has been wonderful and beautiful! I'll try to get back to posting on a more regular schedule soon... :)
Progress on our little home has been moving forward! My husband, son, and a friend completed the skirting, which made me very, very happy! And... do you see that hot water heater on the front porch? Well... we had been living without hot water since we moved in, and just to make a very long story short... this hot water heater, while it works, it wasn't propane, and we couldn't get it converted. So we finally found a propane hot water heater for a mobile home... and now have hot water!! Oh happy day! You never truly appreciate something until it is gone... and in our case, no hot water was not a terrible thing - it is a convenience really - but still wonderful to have! We often go bush camping, and having no hot water is not something new for me... but to not have it for weeks on end... well, it just felt like the camping trip went on a little long, lol! But, thankfully we got the new hot water heater installed without any problems, and oh the joy of running hot water again!
Annie wasn't sure what was making me so happy (when I saw the finished skirting)... but she rejoiced with me! I love that about her! She is so sensitive to what is happening around her, and displays that emotion on her face! Don't you just love her one ear up and one ear down face?
In reality, she was probably thinking my joy meant we were going for a walk... haha!
We have beautiful red rose hips that are in season now! Sadly, I was not able to find that many on our place. I have been collecting as many of them as I can find.
My husband and I took a walk through the woods together on a beautiful glorious day. We saw our green mountain ash tree had had a visitor. We found all the the lower hanging fruit to have been eaten, and the rest of the fruit from about 7 feet up intact.
As you can see here, something quite tall reached very high and ate what fruit they could without climbing the tree... we have our suspicions about what it might be... (read on!)
Annie was with us, and sniffed diligently around the tree, and we found a large spot under the tree where a very large animal had evidently spent some time, as all the grass was laid over.
We continued our walk through the woods, and I found more rose hips!
Annie's joy is always contagious when we walk together :)
Not a cloud in the sky!
Uh oh... a chipmunk had to interrupt the fun walk we were having, and insult poor Annie!
The insults got louder and louder, and Annie was quite ready to give the chipmunk a piece of her mind!
... if only I could climb this tree!
.... you wouldn't be saying those things about me!
Ah well Annie... don't you know the old saying... sticks and stones may break your bones, but names will never hurt ... just come along now, and don't listen to anymore of that nonsense from the chipmunk! {smile}
Back in the garden after our walk, we noticed evidence of a large visitor to my garden. Right next to my raspberry bushes the fence appeared as if something very large and heavy climbed over it. Now while I don't have a picture to show you who we believe is responsible... I can tell you what our suspicions are... our son was driving home from work late last week, and about a mile from our house a large black bear crossed the road in front of him. It stopped on the road and looked at him. Finally he lumbered off back into the woods. He said it was about waist high, or approximately 4 feet tall, so it appears it is the yearling that we saw right after we moved into our house (out in our front yard from a distance). We thought it would have probably moved on, but apparently not. It (not sure if it is a he/she) has become a regular visitor, it appears. And, we have found several piles of bear scat scattered around our yard. So, we know it has been back several times to visit.
And just a side note for all of you who worry... I carry bear spray with me now out in the yard or walking! {smile} And of course, our dogs are always with us. More than likely, our visitor is just looking for berries, and we have no reason to worry. If however, we have more problems with it such as trying to get into our trash, or other more ominous things such as getting closer to our house, then we will put in a call to Fish and Game. I did talk to Fish and Game, and they said it appears it is just searching for berries, and as long as that is all it is doing, it is not a threat. :)
... and also in September I celebrated a birthday, and my family took me out to eat at a local Mexican restaurant, and we had a lovely time together.
Later, some friends came over with a fun birthday surprise for me! Our friends wanted to bake me a cake, and so they came in the door with a little cake in a mug with one candle. I was delighted, and they sang a birthday song to me. Then I said, "Oh I feel so bad to eat this cake all by myself".
They said, "Oh, it's OK. Hey, why don't you open your gift now?" So then they carried in this large box for me to open.
And let me tell you... I tried to get away with only 29 candles, but someone spilled the exact number of years old I am, and so we almost had to call the fire department, lol! What fun we all had, and this was definitely most unique birthday cake I've ever had... and most delicious too!
Dear Lord have mercy on me, I had a piece of each cake they made! (Annie told me it was okay though... we have plans to walk this week... lol!)
Last but not least,... this morning, after I let the chickens out of their coop, this is what I found on our front steps... well, first I heard what sounded like someone knocking at the door. So when I peeked out the window, this is what I saw... now I'm a country girl at heart, and love my sweet chickens... but we gotta draw a line somewhere folks, and since chickens will never be potty trained... they are not to be allowed on the porch! Annie and Roger happened to be inside, and so the chickens seem to just take over the yard when that happens! I let Roger out, and he shooed them back towards their coop, while Annie just watched them. Roger appears to want to herd the chicken, while Annie watches them and ... licks her chops. Sigh.
Until we get the chicken run built... the chickens and I are going to have to have a talk about coming to visit on our front porch!
That's right. See you later!
And that's my update so far for September.. a bit of this -n- that for you... hope that your September has been wonderful and beautiful! I'll try to get back to posting on a more regular schedule soon... :)
We've often heard the saying... you don't fully appreciate something until it has gone missing. Indeed, I always try to live a very grateful and thankful life, being appreciative for the big and small things, but truly over the last month or two.... that little saying came home to sit with us for a while! I always have loved our beautiful weather here in Idaho, but oh how I missed the horizons during the past month when we had such smoky hazy skies, dust and dirt everywhere!
Praise the Lord, though for an unexpected weather system that passed through our area, and brought relief to the terrible wildfires we were experiencing, and ushered in a change of weather that brought back beautiful bright blue blue! sunny skies! Thank you Lord!
Annie and I took a walk yesterday together, and I can tell you that my neck hurt from .... looking up... {smile} I couldn't help but just look up, and be so THANKFUL for the horizons, the fluffy white clouds, the blue skies, and the sun!
The weather was absolutely glorious and a balm to my soul after the month of dusty smoke filled air and horizons!
Oh!!! Seeing the mountains again... what joy!
The clouds were magnificent! I simply find skies without a few clouds here and there rather ... well... boring!
Clouds add so much character and personality to the moment.. fluffy white clouds... brilliant blue skies... warm sunshine... cool breeze... ahhh!
Annie was enjoying the walk immensely... so many new sights and smells as we walked!
And lots of horses grazing in the fields. There are at least three neighbors who have horses as we walk, and it was a joy to stop and visit with the dears!
She was sad to see us go, and told me so! I told her we'd be back... :)
We are to get more rain this weekend, and then more sunshine... oh happy day! Last night we got a light freeze, but thankfully the garden was covered, and all is well, for now anyway, lol! These freezes can creep up on you unawares, especially now that the days are getting shorter.
Fall is definitely in the air, and I am so glad! I've never been one to dread the changing of the seasons, but look at them as something new on the horizon to enjoy... each season has its joys and wonders, and its downside too, but that's just like life, isn't it! So... I am looking up, craning my neck at the beautiful sky, and thanking the dear Lord for bringing us this cooler beautiful weather... so continue on your march, dear Fall! I am expecting you :)
Praise the Lord, though for an unexpected weather system that passed through our area, and brought relief to the terrible wildfires we were experiencing, and ushered in a change of weather that brought back beautiful bright blue blue! sunny skies! Thank you Lord!
Annie and I took a walk yesterday together, and I can tell you that my neck hurt from .... looking up... {smile} I couldn't help but just look up, and be so THANKFUL for the horizons, the fluffy white clouds, the blue skies, and the sun!
The weather was absolutely glorious and a balm to my soul after the month of dusty smoke filled air and horizons!
Oh!!! Seeing the mountains again... what joy!
The clouds were magnificent! I simply find skies without a few clouds here and there rather ... well... boring!
Clouds add so much character and personality to the moment.. fluffy white clouds... brilliant blue skies... warm sunshine... cool breeze... ahhh!
Annie was enjoying the walk immensely... so many new sights and smells as we walked!
And lots of horses grazing in the fields. There are at least three neighbors who have horses as we walk, and it was a joy to stop and visit with the dears!
She was sad to see us go, and told me so! I told her we'd be back... :)
We are to get more rain this weekend, and then more sunshine... oh happy day! Last night we got a light freeze, but thankfully the garden was covered, and all is well, for now anyway, lol! These freezes can creep up on you unawares, especially now that the days are getting shorter.
Fall is definitely in the air, and I am so glad! I've never been one to dread the changing of the seasons, but look at them as something new on the horizon to enjoy... each season has its joys and wonders, and its downside too, but that's just like life, isn't it! So... I am looking up, craning my neck at the beautiful sky, and thanking the dear Lord for bringing us this cooler beautiful weather... so continue on your march, dear Fall! I am expecting you :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Social Icons