Good Morning ! I hope all of you had a great weekend ! Our weather here is cool but sunny …not looking forward to Ontario humidity but a bit warmer would be nice !Our weekend was soooooo much fun! Saturday evening we went to a “goodbye farm party” at a friends …they are leaving country life behind and moving to the city…my youngest daughter spent many summers out there as a riding camp councilor….actually she was the first councilor they had .Such beautiful memories were made there!Sunday was a very exciting day for our family …my oldest daughter graduated with her yoga instructors certification!It has been a dream of hers for a long time and now its here! So proud of her accomplishment…she has 2 beautiful children ages 6 and 17 months, and a very supportive husband ….always continuing training for yoga teachers but the big one is behind her!We had a fun BBQ with them to celebrate …I made pie of course!!This one is gluten free for Amanda …forgot to take a pic of the other pie …but man were they good ! Rhubarb and raspberry….yummm!Last month I was in a watercolour mono print workshop, which was a mandala workshop so I made a yin yang symbol for Amanda to give her on her Graduation…you never know what you will get when you do this type of printing so I was thrilled at what I got …Needless to say ,she loved it !Today was nice and cool so I headed to the garden early ! So much rain equals soooooo many weeds ! Urgh!!!Things are slow to bloom here with the cool weather but here are a few pics of what’s happening outside …Love Allium!Not sure what this shrub is but it’s covered with little pink flowers …pretty!Who doesn’t love Bachelor buttons! An old fashioned flower that comes up wherever it wants ! My Lilac standard in the front garden is finally in full bloom so of course I had to pick a bunch ! The flowere are small and a pinky lavender colour, and the smell has filled the house !I put them in a vase of my Moms’ with 2 Allium from the garden .More in the living room! The peonies are full of buds so they will soon replace the lilacs in the house !I love fresh flowers in the house …peonies, hydrangea , Japanese Iris, lily’s etc. etc. Can’t have too many flowers ….I have an addiction to houseplants but it’s so nice to have fresh flowers in the home and if you can grow a selection yourself all the better!These Alium are such a long lasting cut flower….love them just by themselves here in my bathroom !Well I’m off in a bit to yoga class so have a great day and stop to smell the Spring flowers !!

Happy Tues !

Rainy day here today , but that’s ok ..we will have a chat!

I decided to clean up my pantry cupboard yesterday …well the top was done ..the bottom ….well it got a quick tidy !

I love this cabinet which we think was built probably in the 1920’s. My home was built in 1875 …the panels in the doors are painted in chalkboard paint which is great for grocery lists …honey-do lists…and a spontaneous art board for the Grands!

The lower cabinet is nice and deep ! I use it for storing food as well as bakeware .

Messy but hey, we all need a place to be messy and then close the doors !

I like pretty and organized but not everywhere! In a century home there are few closets and the ones that have been added are SMALL!

One good thing is it keeps you from hoarding too much stuff!

I purge at least twice a year !

Here is the top of my pantry ….love 💖!

My Mom was the Queen of organizing …she taught me to store my dry goods in canisters and glass jars to keep them fresh and bug free !

One of my collections is glass Mason jars , the older the better ! Glass jars with the glass snap lids, I pick up at garage sales.. flea markets..church rummage sales… 50cents to $1.00…..always looking for a bargain ! The large ones, on the top shelf ,I bought at my local bulk store …under $4 each !

I use chalk board labels on some of them …easy to change the words on them ! The small containers have a small sticky label on the lid.

Here is a shot of some of my Antique Mason jars ! I love the turquoise glass with the zinc lids ! They are from the early 20th century …the clear ones are older …late 19th century !

I picked these up over many years mostly at antique/vintage malls.

What do I do with them ??? Well I have 3 of the clear ones in my bathroom with Epsom salts in them …use as a vase …at Christmas I’ll put a couple of inches of salt in the bottom and add a couple of little bottle brush trees ….a grouping of different sizes looks cute !

Put a battery powered candle in them …

The blue ones I use to store dry goods as well …one has quinoa, one had 7 grain porridge.

I love to collect old kitchen tools ….they were utilitarian items but well loved and well made ! I believe in using what I collect….not always for what it was made for…use your imagination !

Pretty sure my Mason jars were only used for preserving food not for decorating !!

Here are some other bits of my collection…the small glass salt shaker I treasure as it was my Maternal Grandmothers . According to my Mom, it was always on the back of the woodstove! The nutmeg grater on the wall was my Moms as well as the milk glass flour shaker, melon baller and the other glass salt shaker …the one I remember always being beside our stove !

The silver pastry crimper, actually made of zinc I believe…used to seal the edges of your piecrust…crimps the edge..it belonged to my first husband’s Grandmother …she taught me to make a really good pie crust ! When she passed her husband gave me quite a few of her kitchen gadgets!

The wood box I keep cracked pepper in , my late Dad made it from Burled Maple …he was an awesome woodworker !

The other items I’ve found here and there …I love the thrill of the hunt !

Just so you know I’m not adding to my Mason jar collection anymore ! Pretty sure I have enough!

My spices are also kept in jars if I buy bulk or in those pesky little plastic bags …which I’m trying not to buy anymore !!

I love the Grand Mamman jam jars with their cute gingham lids !

This little wood cabinet I found at a lavender farm many years ago …cost me $10…I painted it and added chicken wire to the front and use it for smaller spice containers .I did the little painting of one of my Mason jars ….

Ooh and the jugs above are another thing I love to collect…Cornish ware by TG Green of England! Not too easy to find in Canada and can be pricey but one day I’ll find more !

I love to organize and if you can make your cabinets pretty too it makes life so much more enjoyable !

I also love white stoneware pudding bowls …I have about 8, all different sizes…this large one has a small collection of wooden rolling pins….

I use the bowls too …beat up some eggs in a small one or mix up some sandwich filling …one is in the fridge with eggs in it….anything really ! This big one was my Moms and I actually steamed a Christmas pudding in it ..her last Christmas with us .

The wooden spoon which is turned sideways ! …was my Moms first wooden spoon she bought when she moved away from home in her early twenties….early 1940’s…I don’t use it as I’m afraid of it breaking !

Collect what you love and then use and enjoy them !

Well I’m off to decide on lunch ..company coming !

Have a beautiful day friends!

JayeB

Finally it feels like summer is just around the corner! Hot yesterday but the perfect temp today .

Hubby is busy helping my Son in law today so I went to my yoga class then home to putter about !

Needed to make bread so I pulled out my bread machine and set it to work making one of our favorites, Oatmeal Molases bread.

I know …make bread ???? I love it and the machine makes it so easy…I know what ingredients are in it …no preservatives! When I miss the whole experience of kneading and mixing I will make a batch by hand …its very soothing !

But today the bread machine is being put to work !

I really don’t like to bake the bread in the machine so I use the dough setting and then put it in my bread pans and bake in the oven .

Is there anything better then homemade bread ???? Not much…. unless, its rhubarb and strawberry crisp !

I found some of last years frozen rhubarb and had a few organic strawberries left so I pulled out my favorite cookbook…”Schmecks Appeal” by The late Edna Staebler.

She lived near Waterloo Ontario and was friends with many of the Mennonite families in the area. The recipes are her own and the Mennonite ladies that shared with her . Her stories are entertaining to say the least …you can read the cookbooks front to back which I did before making any of the recipes !

It’s good wholesome scratch cooking which I love !

Now I’ll sit outside with my tea and re-read some of her tales!

Here is Edna’s rhubarb recipe and my bread recipe!

Rhubarb Crunch

You need a dish 9×9 or something of similar size …mine is 8×11

Preheat your oven to 350F

4 to 5 cups chopped rhubarb

Place in your baking dish …add some sliced strawberries if you like

Sauce

1 cup white sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 cup of water

1 tsp vanilla (optional)

Measure all ingredients into a small saucepan and heat to boiling ….cornstarch won’t thicken the sauce till it boils..

When thickened remove from heat and pour evenly over your rhubarb.

Crumb mixture

1 cup flour

3/4 cup oatmeal

1 cup brown sugar

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup melted butter

Add everything to a mixing bowl and combine well….spread over the rhubarb…

Into your preheated oven for about 35 to 40 min.

The sauce will be bubbling up over the crumbs and the crumbs will be golden brown !

FYI…you can use this recipe for other fruits as well…apples plums , peaches etc. But these are sweeter fruits so I would reduce the sugar in the sauce to 1/2 to 3/4 of a cup!

Oatmeal Molasses bread

In your bread machine add ingredients in order:

1 1/3 cups lukewarm water

2 tablespoons powdered milk

*I buy a bag of powdered milk and keep it in the freezer!

1 1/4 teaspoons of salt

2 tablespoons of molasses

2 tablespoons of butter softened

3 cups white all purpose or bread flour

1/3 cup of oatmeal…quick cooking not instant !

1 3/4 teaspoons yeast

Place pan in bread machine and turn on to desired setting.

If you use the dough setting. Remove the dough when timer beeps…put dough onto a board or your clean counter, dusted with flour …let rest a few minutes ideally but sometimes I’m in a hurry !

This makes one huge loaf or 2 smaller ones . I’m making 2 so divide dough in half and roll out with a rolling pin into a rectangle …not thin ..we aren’t making pizza about 1/2 in thick.

now roll up from the short end and place in well greased loaf pans .( I use butter to grease them)..cover with a clean tea towel and let rise on top of your stove while you preheat the oven to 350°F

inabout 30 minutes your dough will have doubled in size ! Bake at 350°F for 30 to 35 minutes .

Here they are ready to bake ! They will rise a bit more in the oven so if you not sure you have given then enough time to rise don’t worry !

Wow here they are …sure wish you could smell them !!

If you like a crunchy crust leave as is ..if you like a softer crust like me ..brush some butter over the crust while it’s hot! YUMMMMM!

TIPS FOR BREAD MAKING

The more you do it the better you will be ! Believe me I’ve had some fantastic flops !

Not all recipes are great …I’ve got 3 different bread machine cookbooks and some I really had a hard time with. It’s trial and error …stick with the recipe book from your bread machine manufacturer… until you feel confident to move on.

Also the amount of flour can vary ….some flour has more moisture content than others .

My flour comes from Arva Flour Mill …a 175 + year old mill in my area that still grinds grains from local farms with the original grinding stones!

The four is amazing ..never bleached ….but I find that I have to add up to 1/2 cup more flour to this bread recipe. If u look at the dough a few minutes after it starts mixing( my machine has a fruit signal 10 to 15 min into the cycle …that’s when I check the consistency) if it’s too loose…not a nice ball in the bottom of the pan add flour a tablespoon at a time till it forms a better ball but is still soft . Experience will help and you won’t panic about this . I find grocery store bought flour is dryer so you may be ok .

If you don’t bake often its a good idea to keep your flour in the freezer….put some in an air tight canister and put the rest in the freezer as it can sometimes get little bugs in it ! ….gross I know!

Also your yeast is critical!

All yeast comes with an expiry date on the jar and it is crucial you don’t use expired yeast !

It’s called many things …doesn’t really matter what you use …Bread machine yeast…Quick Rise yeast…

Just make sure its fresh and store it in your refrigerator!

Nothing worse then spending time and money on your baking to have a loaf that doesn’t rise properly!

If that happens don’t throw it out …make croutons or grind up in a food processor for bread crumbs. My Mom didn’t have a food processor when we were little so I remember her cutting up stale bread …putting it in a low oven on a cookie sheet..300° F … let it dry out completely and then she would put the dry bread between two tea towels and crush into crumbs with her rolling pin !

Waste not want not !

If that’s a bit much for you at least compost it !

Alot of people tell me they don’t bake/cook because it’s too time consuming or it’s too hard,personally I find food to be one of life’s greatest pleasures and cooking for family and friends is a joy!

We need it to survive …we need good whole foods to stay healthy so why not learn some basics and have fun ! Feeding people is love and everyone deserves home cooking …its not hard !

If there is anything you would like me to do a tutorial on for you ..let me know !

Next time I think we will look at quick breads …muffins, banana bread , biscuits etc. They are easy as you don’t need yeast but there are some simple tricks you need to know to have success!

Happy baking !

Good day everyone ! I’ve had a busy couple of days so lots on my mind today !

First …look at the beautiful spring flowers that are filling my home with heavenly scent !

My all time favorite..Lily of the Valley…..it fills the back of my yard in the “wild” part of the garden. Sadly my Bleeding Heart did not show up this year !

My lilac is old and nonproductive so I picked these from a public walkway last night on my walk ….I really think I need to buy a new one ! I do have a standard lilac in the front yard that was a gift from my Daughter and family but the blooms are later and tiny . I’ll get to pic those soon !

Soon my peonies will be blooming …can’t wait !!

Soooooo…how do you feel about fermented foods !?

Why ferment foods ?? Well fermenting allows the natural bacteria in the food or the natural yeasts in the air as in sourdough..to grow and create a beautiful healthy food that feeds the microbiome of our guts . We have billions of good bacteria in our gut that keeps us healthy …digests our food,supports our immune system etc. Because, in general, we have diets that don’t support gut health…too much over processed food , too many sugary foods and drinks, eating fermented foods as well as whole grains and fruits and veg can really help to keep you healthy ! Why buy probiotics if you can produce them in your kitchen and eat better at the same time !

I don’t love all things fermented but sourdough and sauerkraut are always in my fridge !

Today I decided to make sauerkraut as I have run out . Believe me when I say it is nothing like the store bought kind which I find too sour !

Its mild and delicious on hot dogs, sausages, or as,a side dish, with anything !

You can stop the fermenting process buy tasting it every few days and then refrigerate when your happy with its sourness !

It takes about 7to 10 days at room temp on your counter !

Now as with all preserving in the kitchen make sure everything is CLEAN!

Your work surfaces …tools ..dish cloths towels etc. Food safety always !

I don’t sterilize my jars just was in hot soapy water ..rinse well and let air dry . Sterilize if you wish though!

Ok so let’s do it …here is what you need:

1to 2 heads of cabbage

1tsp sea salt

Mandoline or sharp chef’s knife

Large mixing bowl or a stand mixer

Mason jars ..clean but not sterilized

Air lock seals …if u don’t have any don’t worry !

Weight that fits in jar…a stone cleaned and wrapped in parchment paper works

Here’s my mandoline set up and my knife as there is always a bit that ,you can’t get through the blade at the end !

WORD OF WARNING !!

MANDOLINES ARE SHARP !

Always use the guard and if you have, to stop and slice the cabbage thinly with a knife!

I have cut myself on this and it’s bad!

Ok …sorry didn’t mean to scare you ! Anyway you want it sliced as thinly as possible !

This is one small head of cabbage …I actually used two !

Now if you have a stand mixer …i love my Vi…my aqua Kitchenaide…named after my late Mom who taught me to love making a house a home ….plop all your cabbage…I could do one head at a time in it….if its half full that’s enough. Add your sea salt …oh, make sure it’s not table salt that has iodine added…I use Celtic salt .

Turn your mixer on low …1 or 2 on my Vi….and let it massage your cabbage for 10 to 15 minutes.

When it’s done the cabbage will have broken down ….a bit translucent and juicey !

Here’s Vi hard at work !

Now …have two or 3 clean jars set out …I have fancy tops for my Mason jars that allow the gas that is produced from the fermenting process to escape and keeps anything undesirable from getting in !

Lee Valley sells the silicone ones that also come with a thick glass weight !

The other airlock …that looks like it came out of a science lab …I bought at a health food store.

No you don’t really need these but they are nice if you really get into this!

Pack your nice soft juicey cabbage into your jars..packing it down firmly…you don’t want any air bubbles…your cabbage should all be under the liquid that will come up as you press down …this is important as it prevents spoilage!

Now take a cabbage leaf that you set aside , fold in half …probably need half of a leaf for this…and push into jar ..make sure you press the leaf out to the edges to seal!

put Your weight on top …rock or smaller jar works . Put your airlock tops on or just cover with a loose lid …leave on your counter. Things will start bubbling in a few days !

…this is how much I got from 2 smallish heads of cabbage. The jar on the left has the lid just sitting on it …not screwed down !

..the gas produced needs to get out !!

I could make a rude joke but I won’t!! 🙂

And there you have it ….yumminess in the making !

Must run …my day to paint with my painting peeps !

Any questions ? Fire away !

Yes I am obsessed with many things …all good I assure you !

Two of them are …ok 3….flowers, antique white stoneware jugs and hand thrown pottery!

This morning my gorgeous Mothers Day bouquet from my Step son and his girlfriend was looking a bit tired and 2 of the spider Mums had wilted so I decided to break it up and give it a second life!

I bought the pottery vase at a church garage sale ( my favorite way to shop!) For 50 cents if you can believe it!

I took out each stem and cut them quite short and filled it with the one good mum and the deep pink daisys …so pretty!

The ferns adds a little swoosh !

The white ironstone jug belonged to my kids Dad’s Grandmother and is what started me on my ironstone collecting ! Honestly they have survived 70 to 100 years and are in fantastic condition!

This one looks so pretty in my livingroom on one of my late Mothers mini quilts..

I will pick flowers all summer as there is something blooming in my garden most of the time !

To keep them fresh I add the food that store bought flowers come with or a little sugar works too.

Some say to add a few drops of bleach to keep the water fresh but I don’t like bleach …just change the water every 2 days and when their tired…trim them down and make some smaller arrangements ..

Even just a piece of greenery looks nice in the right vase and remember just about anything can be a vase! If it holds water your good !

My collection ! I think I’m done unless a really special one shows up!😉

Now I wait for the lilacs and peonies to bloom …the spring has been cold and wet so things are a bit delayed …hurry up I say !

Talk soon friends…have a beautiful day !

Good day ! How was everyone’s weekend ! I had a great one even though I had a bit of a cold !

We spent Saturday at my Daughters farm watching all the men build a huge shop for my Son in laws mechanic business…afterward a fun BBQ …the Grands were so excited to be together!

My veggie Garden got planted thanks to my Grandaughter Clara’s help …she gets so excited to help and had to run and tell Grandpa that she had planted his peas !

She and I like them best raw …eating them as we pick them …hopefully Grandpa gets some !!

It was sourdough waffles for brunch yesterday …oh so good ! Could eat those everyday !

I’ll share how to make ,keep and use sourdough in a future post ! So easy ,delicious and nutritious! My Mom always had some bubbling away when I was a child …now I know why !

Now since my Blog is called my “Little Green Cottage ” let’s get into how I strive to make my home “green” on the inside!

It’s a process…I’m not perfect and nor should you worry about getting it perfect …one step leads to another and soon you are making “green” decisions without having to think too hard !

I started seriously going green when I started living on my own again after a 28 year marriage . I have asthma and new that when I was doing my weekly cleaning with the newest wonder cleaners I bought at the grocery store …I would have problems breathing !
So I switched to natural cleaners like Greenworks brand and others and my issue went away ! I started researching home made cleaners and started making my own…so cheap ! Now I don’t even visit the cleaning aisle at the grocery store except to stock up on borax and big boxes of baking soda !

Her is some of my clean team !

Essential oils are to make my homemade sprays etc smell pretty and they also are natural disinfectants ! My go to are lemon,lavender and thieves oil which is a combo of I believe, five very powerful oils. I put thieves in my diffuser when I feel a cold coming on …really helps !

The cloths in the pic are a few of my favorite helpers….they clean beautifully with just water …nothing else needed! The red one is for stainless steel …you know how a stainless fridge has constant finger mark’s! The white is called a miracle cloth and it is ! Cleans,and polishes pretty much anything ! I keep one in the kitchen ..one in the bathroom to wipe down my shower.

The other 2 are examples of my Enjo collection….developed and made in Austria…the have many different cloths for various uses…use only water and are proven to remove bacteria etc from surfaces…therefore disinfect ! They are avaiable through reps who can sell through home parties or directly to you . Pricey but definitely worth every penny !

I have their duster and floor cleaning pad also that are amazing !

So …if green living is new to you let me say …its easy to switch from chemical laden products that lead you to believe you NEED them in your life…well you don’t and your family will thank you !!

Yes I have collected quite an array of special clothes but the fact is you just need rags really and some natural homemade cleaners.

A great all purpose spray you can use on pretty much anything except unfinished wood is :

Large spray bottle …glass or metal is best but I have used plastic because I already had it …reuse what you have !!

Fill half full with vinegar then top up with water

Add 15 to 20 drops of Essential oil…I like lavender and lemon as a combo …lemon alone or mixed with orange E.O.

Shake well before using!

Toilet Cleaner

Honestly …storebought toilet cleaners make me shudder ! Most have bleach which is HORRIBLE for the environment.. and seriously why are people so paranoid about their toilets ? Do you eat near them ! No …and if you let your dog drink from them then …..don’t!

This is my simple cleaner:

Sprinkle in to toilet 1/2 cup or so of baking soda .

Pour in 1 cup or so ..I don’t measure..of vinegar….watch the reaction ! It’s so satisfying !! Lol

Leave for a few minutes and scrub away with your toilet brush !

If you need a nice smell drop in a few drops of EO …but clean should not have a smell so I’m ok with not doing that !

My goal is to switch to making my own dishwasher powder as soon as my tabs are gone !

Dishwasher powder

1 cup washing soda

1cup baking soda

1 cup citic acid

1/2 cup salt

I’ll let you know how I like it …says to use vinegar as a rinse agent ! Fingers crossed !

My dishwashing liquid is a green one I buy from my local green living store . I take in my glass jars and fill them up . I love their Mango scent !

For clothes washing I found EcoEgg on the shopping channel last year on their Earth day show. It is fantastic !

You fill the egg with the mineral pellets and throw the egg in your load of wash . Good for 700 loads ! You just keep topping up the pellets as they shrink ….it should last 3 yrs or more then you order more pellets ! The tube is an eco friendly stain remover. The kit cost $45.00 on their Earth day special. How much is

spent on store bought detergents in a year??

We are very happy with our Egg but if your buying detergent buy a green one !!

For dusting I use my Enjo but if you don’t have one and like a dusting spray just spritz a little water on your rag (old terry towel makes great dusters!)or if your dusting furniture ,a little of your all purpose spray …but be careful as it has vinegar …test it to make sure it doesn’t affect the surface!

Air fresheners are another thing …store bought ones are full of chemicals that you will be breathing in ….😳…so let’s so no to those !

I have two essential oil diffusers that I love! I don’t have them on all the time but when I want a nice smell I’ll use my fave lemon and lavender…or yang ylang and jasmine. Use what you love…essential oils have health benefits and are definitely mood boosting as well !

So much info on EO’s on the internet …you can do your own research. ..pinterest is my favorite resource!

Well the sun is shining on The Little Green Cottage …a walk along the river with my friend and then cutting my wee lawn are in order!

Let me know what you do to make your life Green and I’m happy to answer any questions !

We don’t need to be perfect at making our homes green but every time we make a green decision we are helping our planet!

More on this subject next time !!

Urghhh!!! Caught my daughters cold …oh well…good excuse to take it easy today !

Saw a Facebook post today that said :

“No matter the age of a dog they will always be our Babies”

So true …meet my pup Tika who passed in 2017 from stomach cancer …..wow what a great dog ….here is her story….

Tika was surrendered to Animal Care and Control by a Native woman who most likely saved her life by taking her in . She was emaciated and pregnant and scheduled to be euthanized the next day as she was deemed adoptable!

But a lady ,Lois I believe her name was from All Breeds Canine Rescue walked in and took her!

She went to the Veterinary clinic where my daughter Laura worked as a Vet Tech and Larry the Vet gave her a good once over . They agreed she was sick but no reason to end her young life. Larry estimated she was about 1 1/2 years old.

They took about 400 ticks off her body …yes 400!… discovered she was anemic and heartworm positive as well.

Laura took her home where she delivered 8 babies 2 weeks later…7 survived.

As she couldn’t keep them long term at her home ,they set up a nursery for her in the clinic and that’s where she raised her little family!

I quickly fell for this sweet gentle soul and was talked into adopting her….I was a bit worried about the heartworm but took her home!

Lois had been raising money to help with the cost of her heartworm treatment so thankfully it was all covered! The day I took her home she had her first shot…not fun…anyway suffice it to say she surrvived treatment and our 10 1/2 year journey began !

Here she is with her new pups and helping John fish…..John and I had been dating just a month when this pic was taken ..she accepted him which was good but she always let him know that I belonged to her!!

My daughter always said “you know Mom there will never be another dog like her again!”

Nope …she never licked anyone ..rarely barked…alerted me to a bear a couple of times! …just wanted love and pets! She hated small yappy dogs so we had to be careful about those and she let my other kids’ dogs know she was Queen bee, but we had a great time together!

I did this painting of her before she passed …love it …hangs where I can see it easily.

Do I want another dog ??People keep asking me ….nope she was it ….I’ll get puppy cuddles from my kids dogs now …

RIP my girl..I know you still walk beside me 💔💖

Once the Victoria day weekend arrives you just know summer is on it’s way and will fly by!!

Soooooo.. let’s make the most of it …count our blessings and enjoy every moment !

One thing I’ve learned with age is …start your day with gratitude for all you have…the people you love … and the fact you have been granted one more day on this Earth!

May sound corny to some but the more you consciously give thanks to whoever you call God..source energy, the more will come to you !

Ok on to a gardening update !I have been gardening organically since I bought my cottage in 2005 and the owner before me also did. If I pass on nothing more I beseech you all to adopt gardening the organic way …the way of our Ancestors before artificial chemicals were invented …I could name names but won’t ,suffice it to say there are corporations out there that care more about money and nothing about our health!

My lawn is small…just in the back yard and is full of clover …which my visiting bunnies love …and creeping Charlie that no one loves….but it’s green and lush !

My Grandchildren and my pup…RIP Tika….could play all day in bare feet with no worries as to what those tiny bits are absorbing!

I pull weeds or try to keep under control and on my flagstone patio I mix up vinegar, salt and dish soap and spray on them . Works but roots are tenacious so u have to keep doing it !

Some “weeds”are edible..dandelion of course and plantain..and one I’ve forgotten the name of but looks like portulaca…picked young and chopped into a salad …huge nutritional boost ! I will look that one up !

My veggie patch …knock wood ..has never had a pest or disease problem. I rotate my crops so the same plant doesn’t grow in the same spot as the year before and try to water early morning so the leaves don’t stay wet overnight!

My Rose’s are shrub Rose’s developed for my area and are disease resistant .

As far as fertilizer there are lots of good store bought, organic ones out there but I mostly use my own compost and bone meal for my bulbs .

I live in a flood plain, which is well protected by a dyke and the soil is amazingly rich and loamy …not sandy or clay London has areas of both!! Therefore just about every thing grows and does well!

I don’t baby my garden but it’s important that when new perennials are planted you keep on top of watering them so there roots get well established. Water deeply…that’s important….you need it to get to the root ball!

Hee is one of 3 birdbaths …the funny little dish in the centre is my bee waterer…they have trouble getting water as they can’t get wet so I float some corks and have some small stones in it as well!

The little box on wall of the house is my Mason bee home. They are important pollinators but do not make hives like honeybees or dig tunnels like bumble bees. They lay eggs in hollow bits of wood etc. You can get these boxes at any gar

den center. Here’s a pic of my front…all garden ! The Japanese maple is huge !! It was a tiny baby when I moved in ! We have to keep cutting it back so we can get up the steps ! Here’s my back door …love the tiberius begonias and ivy in the basket ! In shade till mid afternoon so its happy !

Well better get the veggie garden ready to plant tomorrow !

Have a beautiful weekend !!

Well Roadtrip yesterday was a success! My Daughters horses are now spoiled …Hope especially with her new rain sheet and bridal!