Homemade jam with

homemade bread of course!

My husband’s grandmother, Nannie, taught me how to make this bread. It is a very simple  farm loaf.  My husband’s great- grandmother would make 16 loaves a week in order to keep her family in bread.

I don’t measure the flour but I would guess that I’m using about 15-20 cups. I add some whole wheat flour - about 1/4 whole wheat to 3/4 white.I usually get 7 or 8 double loaves of bread a batch. The bread smells divine while it is baking and tastes delicious especially with jam or molasses.

sweet!

shoot . . .

Why didn’t I look that cute and perky when I was pregnant?

When I was expecting, I went to great lengths to hide my ever-expanding tummy.

Young mothers today seem to do the opposite.

And I think they look cute as a button. 

Summer prayer . . .

Photo Credit - Rinda Dean

For Sara - who shares with me a love of books, boats, shells and the sea. 

The Shell

Upon the sandy shore an empty shell
Beyond the shell infinity of sea;
O Saviour, I am like that empty shell,
Thou art the Sea to me.

A sweeping wave rides up the shore, and lo,
Each dim recess the coiled shell within
Is searched, is filled, is filled to overflow
By water crystalline. 

Not to the shell is any glory then:
All glory give we to the glorious sea.
And not to me is any glory when
Thou overflowest me.

Sweep over me Thy shell, as low I lie;
I yield me to the purpose of Thy will,
Sweep up, O conquering waves, and purify
And with Thy fullness fill.

Amy Carmichael


click to enlarge

summer pleasure . . .

 

The Swing

by Robert Louis Stevenson

How do you like to go up in a swing,
Up in the air so blue?
Oh, I do think it the pleasantest thing
Ever a child can do!

Up in the air and over the wall,
Till I can see so wide,
Rivers and trees and cattle and all
Over the countryside - Till I look down on the garden green,
Down on the roof so brown -
Up in the air I go flying again,
Up in the air and down!

thankful . . .

summer beauty

 

 summer light

 
summer songs

 

For more endless gifts, join Ann and the Gratitude Community.

 

. . .

aaahhh …

summer. 

A Meme on Reading . . .

 Dorothy of Field Stone Cottage tagged me for this one!

Child with Red Hair Reading by Lilla Cabot Perry

1. Do you remember how you developed a love of reading?  I know that my love for reading blossomed in Grade 3 when I was old enough to go to the library on my own. I considered myself much too old for “baby books” so I missed out on all the lovely picture books. My favourite gifts were always books. My mom and dad always brought me home a book when they went on the occasional trip. I remember getting The Bobbsey Twins in Washington when they went to the States once. I loved to read series like the Bobbsey Twins, The Tuckers, The Happy Hollisters, and The Curlytops.
   
2. What are some books you loved as a child? I have so many favorite childhood books that it’s hard to narrow it down. I enjoyed many books (check out my list here) but I especially enjoyed British books - I’ll mention some of the less familiar titles.
   
1. The Children of Green Knowe - L M Boston
   
2. The Treasure Seekers - E Nesbit
   
3. Mistress Mashom’s Repose - T H White
   
4. The Family From One End Street - Eve Garnett
5.  Charlotte Sometimes - Penelope Farmer
6. Carrie’s War - Nina Bawdin
   
7. The Borrowers - Mary Norton
   
8.  Tom’s Midnight Garden - Penelope Lively
9. Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome
   
10. The Little White Horse and any other by Elizabeth Goudge
    
11. The Dollhouse by Rumer Godden
    
12. Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfield
    
13. Cue For Treason by Geoffrey Trease
14. The Richleighs of Tantamount - Barbara Willard
    
15. ok I am going to stop now… after I mention Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aitken
    
16. uh…you wouldn’t want me to leave out Roald Dahl would you?
17. oh yes - here is an American book mystery  for anyone from the New England area. It’s a book about  a chubby little girl who lived in New England - I think her name was Rowena. I can remember a picture of her pretending to ride a horse on a tree branch. Anybody know her? Jill - my library sleuth?
    
18. ok - I’m rounding out to 20 not because I’m done, but I’m sure you folks might get a little bored with my endless children’s book lists. Shirley Hughes who wrote the Alphie and Annie Rose picture books - I didn’t discover them until I became a mom but I love them!
    
3. What is your favorite genre? Love them all.
   
4. Do you have a favorite novel?   No. I have many favourites! Is that possible?
5. Where do you usually read? everywhere… including my new favourite place
   
6. When do you usually read? I start the day reading with my Bible and devotional reading, then I read whenever I can. I like to take books with me for those times of waiting like at the doctor’s or waiting for my husband to finish visiting at the hospital or even at stop lights (if it’s a very good book:) And always before I go to sleep.
   
7. Do you usually have more than one book you are reading at a time? Yes - it’s like eating more than one kind of food. Different books for different reasons and moods.
   
8. Do you read non-fiction in a different way or place than you read fiction? I study non-fiction. I underline and write out phrases that I like.
   
9. Do you buy most of the books you read, or borrow them, or check them out of the library? They love me at the library - I’m probably their best customer.
   
10. Do you keep most of the books you buy? Yes but I usually buy only non-fiction. I wait to get my fiction at the library.
    
11. If you have children, what are some of the favorite books you have shared with them? I shared them all with them - and they share their favourites with me.
    
12. What are you reading now? I’m re-reading Champagne For the Soul by Mike Mason and The Memory of Old Jack by Wendell Berry.
    
13. Do you keep a To Be Read list? Yes - I have 9 requested at the library.
14. What’s next? The Rosemary Tree by Elizabeth Goudge
15. What books would you like to reread? over and over and over? The Practice of The Presence of God by Brother Lawrence, Champagne For the Soul by Mike Mason, Hearing God by Dallas Willard and Andrew Murray’s books on prayer.
    
16. Who are your favorite authors?  Oh my goodness - many. I’ll mention some non-fiction just for a change - anything by Amy Carmichael, R A Torrey, Dallas Willard and Andrew Murray. E Goudge, Dickens and Austin are fiction favs. Also Alison Uttley - A Country Child.
    

I discovered something interesting…

when I googled “favourite childhood boos”  - note the typo - I got some very different hits.

Better hits  - like blogs -  less “.com sites”.

So…

I’ll have to sign off

Because I love lists - especially  favourite childhood  book lists.

Mm mmm! Sweeter than candy :) 

Hope you are having a sweet day too, my friends!

 

field fellowship. . .

 It’s strawberry season here on the Island. Time for strawberry shortcake, pie, jam and socials.

The girl of the family is holding down 3 jobs this summer, saving money for her mission trip next winter. Picking strawberries is one of them. It’s long, hot work but she’s good-natured about it and glad for the chance to earn money.

Her dad is helping out, joining her in the fields for an hour before work each morning. He loves to pick berries side by side with the strawberry farmer, who also happens to be best friend and elder in the church. It’s a good time of fellowship for them both. 

 And the extra boxes of berries, added to Sarah’s daily total, help keep up our future missionary’s morale!

 

Birthday week . . .

 
 oops - shouldn’t have said “Whoah!” while taking a picture…

better

 My best one…

Note to self - the photography tipsters really mean it when they say “Bring a tripod”

Happy 4th to all my friends below the border!! Don’t forget your tripod :)