For Just a Little While...

The month of August has projects for me to fulfill...

and because I'd very much like to get them done...

my little friend above, and I are taking a blog break

I may not be on the computer much...

so if you ask a question...

I beg you to have some patience with me

If the Lord is pleased to...

blogging will be part of my schedule again...

September 3...

and truly, I hope you will be back to look me up again

my first post in September will be a short tour by video of our Pilgrim's Cottage...

in the meanwhile...

But God forbid that I should glory,

save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ,

by whom the world is crucified unto me,

and I unto the world.

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing,

nor uncircumcision,

but a new creature.

And as many as walk according to this rule,

peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.

Galatians 6:14-16

I hope and pray that God will show His mercy and grace to you

Green Banana Day...

While we wait for our bite size "baby bananas" to ripen...

my favorite bananas with their sweet, mild apple-like flavor...

our bigger banana species are ready for the market

they are picked while still green, but not too green, and will be used for cooking...

or allowed to ripen for eating as a snack

my husband cuts each hand from off a bunch

being careful not to cut or bruise them

we are picky about selling our bananas and want them in good condition for the customers

once each hand has been separated from the main branch...

they are hosed down to clean debris and any tiny critters hanging around on them

once they are dried, the bananas are then packed into the wagon and taken to market

with all the bananas we have on the farm...

I am thinking of making my own green banana flour

I will need a couple of very sunny days to dry the cooked and sliced green bananas in the sun...

then, ground into a flour with my grinder

hopefully, I can post how it's done at a later date

May the Lord bless your day, or night in His grace.

Old Fashion Laundry Washing...

When my washer broke down...

it wasn't anything to get excited over

after all...

I still have my trusty laundry sink with it's own washboard and running water...

my laundry bar soaps and homemade liquid laundry soap (made from the bar soaps)

and bins large enough to hold bed sheets and towels

I love my washboard...

it works much better than any washing machine I've ever had

the sink is large and deep that gives me room for a bucket of water and...

scrubbing the dirtiest of the laundry on the washboard

it has a faucet for running water inside the sink...

and a hose faucet is connected to the sink pipe for duo work, such as...

filling the bin with soapy wash water...

and the rinse bin

to make the washing and rinsing easier...

I raised the bins on top of buckets, to make bending minimal 

(it works for my height of 5'2") 

it's a makeshift laundry facility...

but, I love to work outside under the cottage, with the cool breezes...

and listening to the chickens and the birds

so far...

I have not missed the modern machine

in fact, just take a look at the difference between these two mate socks

the one on the left was washed in the machine before it broke down...

the one on the right, I took and rewashed, scrubbing it on my washboard

what a difference! a lovely difference

now, that is something to get excited over

and I took notice that just about everything I washed by hand and washboard came much cleaner...

makes me wonder...

just how clean was our laundry from the modern "convenience"?

I told my husband from now on...

even if the machine does get fixed (which won't matter to me)...

only the very large items that don't get so dirty will go in the washer...

everything else will get nice and clean by hand

is it work?

of course...but, that doesn't keep me from enjoying working with my hands

the Lord has given me work to do...

and I hope to be doing it unto His glory

and while working with my hands...

it is a good time to meditate on...

For God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth - Psalm 74:12

and

Unto Thee, O God, do we give thanks, unto Thee do we give thanks:

for that Thy name is near Thy wondrous works declare - Psalm 75:1

May your day or night be graced in the Lord.

A Most Inopportune Time...

While my lizard friend basks near the mussaenda blooms...

and his lizard neighbor does his morning push-ups...

Foxie girl is wondering...

as Shadow anxiously looks on...

at the doves vying for first position...

and Blackbeard, the up and coming young roo, curiously looks on...

and Kimi, our youngest laying hen...

asks for more privacy, please, to lay her morning egg...

as a peeper peeps into the ear of Murdle on the happening...

and the curious chicks wander into the laundry room to see for themselves...

that my electrical laundry washer has taken a vacation without my permission...

at the most inopportune time when the laundry has piled high

the bins have been brought out and the "new" old way of washing on Pilgrim's Farm is...

reserved for the next post

May your day or night be blessed by God's grace.

He Who Upholds...

The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord:

and he delighteth in His way.

Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down:

for the Lord upholdeth him with His hand.

I have been young, and now am old;

yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken,

nor His seed begging bread.

He is ever merciful, and lendeth;

and His seed is blessed.

Psalm 37:23-26

Blessed be the Lord and... 

may He bless your day or night.

A Little is Enough...

When my husband and I downsized to almost bare essentials...

I kept a few things to keep the cottage from looking too bare

after all, I do like my home to be a little cozy...

and I do like pretty things to see when inside the cottage

on our cottage veranda...

we have a small bookcase that houses some favorite books...

like my Jane Austin novels and Little House on the Prairie series

the top of the bookcase is my good excuse for keeping a vase of flowers...

a couple of old books and a nest that once kept a tiny bird that fledged

because I share the cottage with my husband...

frills are not overdone...

but, I love to see a pretty lace covering on the top

my roses are blooming again...

and the pale pink looks awful nice with the color of the terracotta vase

I love colors but...

when it comes to my cottage interior...

the neutrals and the creamy whites with just a splash of green or blue...

do the trick for me

never taking my eyesight for granted...

I thank my God for giving me the blessing of seeing the beautiful things in the world...

such as His nature from the garden

May your day, or night be blessed in God's grace.

Anise Hyssop Tea...

At one time...
I used to peruse the supermarket isles and pick up herb flavored teas
now, I make pitchers of black or green tea and infuse my homegrown herb plants in them

I have seen butterflies, hummingbirds and our honey bees at my anise hyssop flowers

no wonder our Pilgrim's Farm raw honey tastes so good

native to North America, the Cheyenne and Chippewa Indians used it for cold and cough remedies

as a tea, it is good for the digestion

the leaves can be dried and preserved in honey for the treatment of coughs and poultices

both the flowers and chopped leaves make a great garnish topping in salads...

giving the dish a wonderful licorice flavor

the tea made of the anise hyssop can be used for poaching fruit for desserts

when I need to prune down my anise hyssop plant, I use the cuttings and flowers for making my teas...

and drying for the other uses

the plant is easily grown from seed or cuttings and can be potted or put into the ground

does well in sandy, loose soil and...

loving humidity, it's best to keep moist, but not waterlogged

a handful of the leaves and flowers put into a pitcher

about 4 to 6 teaspoons of loose tea or a few teabags...

depending on how strong you like your tea

heat up some filtered water but, not boiling

and pour over the tea and leaves, stirring to crush the leaves and flowers for infusing more flavor

leave to steep for a few hours to get that beautiful licorice flavor

sweeten how you like it...I sweeten mine with raw honey

that is one good tea, and I love it iced on a warm day

somehow, licorice and hot days go well together

May the Lord who blesses us with all these things...

shed His grace on you this day, or night.

Redeemed!...

My husband brought home two more hens...

given to us from an egg farm in a bartering exchange

redeemed from a life of discomfort

meet Mimi...

a pullet who didn't have to spend too much time in a crowded coop

she is not quite at laying stage, yet...

and she is sweet as can be

she follows me and loves to be picked up

meet Lady Jane...

she is laying but, missing feathers from behind

it was only fitting she be given a dignified name...

to compensate for her undignified look

the wee chick below with mama...

for the last few months, grew from this...

to this, the pretty hen on the right

and when she was grown...

Big Red helped Kimie, to find a private place to lay her eggs

he would have to go and choose the space underneath my sewing table in the laundry room : |

never mind the hen coop

he cooed and he clucked...

and she trusted his wooings

Murdle, on the left, thought she would help

and did Kimie lay an egg?

she did!

a wee egg, smaller than a teaspoon...

but, she laid an egg

For I know that my Redeemer liveth,

and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:

and though after my skin worms destroy this body,

yet in my flesh shall I see God

Job 19:25-26

May your day or night be blessed in God's grace and mercies.