In Grandma's Kitchen

Recently I came across a poem that has hung in many kitchens in the past generation. It reminded me again of the importance of making the kitchen the center of the home with each meal prepared as a service to my family and to those who grace our table.
It makes me feel nostalgic and sentimental to reflect on the days when the kitchen truly was the epicentre or heart of the home and the dining table was where great conversations happened over a hearty meal.
It was a time of coming together, sharing the events of the day, and offering encouragement to one another around a comforting and nourishing meal.
Life has gotten so busy for many families, including our own. I think that is why
I cherish the Christmas season so much.
It is such a joy to be gathered around the table with family and friends, making me so grateful for those special times.
It is my renewed desire to make each meal a pleasant event around our dining table as I create special memories for my family and for all those who grace us with their presence at our table.

God bless my little kitchen,
I love its every nook,
And bless me as I do my work,
Wash pots and pans and cook.
And may the meals that I prepare
Be seasoned from above
With Thy great blessings and Thy grace,
But most of all Thy love.
As we partake of earthly food,
The table before us spread,
We’ll not forget to thank Thee, Lord,
Who gives us daily bread.
So bless my little kitchen, God,
And those who enter in,
May they find naught but Joy and Peace,
And Happiness therein.
Author: M. Peterson (1944)

I have mentioned Gladys before in a blog post recently as I admire her gentle reflections and astute observations of the world around her. Gladys Taber (1899-1980) is the author of 59 books and was also a columnist for the Ladies Home Journal entitled, Diary of Domesticity.
She is a kindred spirit in her love of country life, nature, good home-cooked meals and being a keeper of the home.
You can take a visit to Stillmeadow here

“Traveling is all very well if you can get home at night. I would be willing to go around the world if I came back in time to light the candles and set the table for supper. I cannot conceivably influence the world's destiny, but I can make my own life more worthwhile. I can give some help to some people; that is not vital to all the world's problems and yet I think if everyone did just that, we might see quite a world in our time!”
"At Stillmeadow, there is no predicting. (the time of our meal) But in the end, we always manage to sit down to a candle-lit table and the rib roast is not overdone and the Yorkshire pudding is crusty and tender with rich juices bubbling at the edges and the salad is not wilted. I even have remembered to take the cheese from the refrigerator so it has become room temperature, and I did not park the fruit bowl on the radiator! When everyone takes that first mouthful and breathes a happy sigh, that is the time I relax and become the gracious hostess. My hair may not look like a Vogue illustration and my face is shiny and I never did find time to slip into that fresh frock, but I am a very happy woman."
~Gladys Taber

The ordinary arts we practice every day
at home are of more importance to the
soul than their simplicity might suggest.
~Thomas More

No matter where I serve my my guests,
It seems they like the kitchen best.

Bless this Home
Ella Miller

Bless this home, O Lord, we pray
Guard it safely night and day,
Bless the family living here
Bind them close with love and cheer.

Bless the food which is prepared
And each guest with whom it's shared.
Bless the children through the years
Guide them in their joys and tears.

Bless the Mother - tender, kind
And the Father by her side
Bless their pure and faithful love
Making home like Heaven above.

Bless this home, O Lord, we pray
Where we live and walk and play,
Bless us all that ever we
May live O gracious Lord, with Thee.

Grandma's Apron

Tina at The Quiet Home shared a post this morning that reminded me of a promise I made to my sister S which I will now fulfill. At our annual family gathering in November, my mother handed us the following poem and asked us to read it to all of the family following our meal. She thought it was translated from dutch, but she was not sure where the source came from. I promised to make a copy for my sisters, but will post it here for all those who love aprons.
For the girls in my family, enjoy Grandma's Apron:

Grandma's Apron

I don't think our kids know what an apron is.

The principal use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath, because she only had a few, it was easier to wash aprons than dresses and they used less material, but along with that, it served as a potholder for removing hot pans from the oven.

It was wonderful for drying children's tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears…

From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.

When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids.

And when the weather was cold grandma wrapped it around her arms.

Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood stove.

Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron.

From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables.

After the peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls.

In the fall, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees.

When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds.

When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and the men-folk knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner.

It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace that 'old-time apron' that served so many purposes.

REMEMBER:

Grandma used to set her hot baked apple pies on the window sill to cool.

Her granddaughters set theirs on the window sill to thaw.

They would go crazy now trying to figure out how many germs were on that apron.

I never caught anything from an apron…

But Love!

(Author Unknown~all images found online)

You can read more about aprons over at Apron Memories

The Beauty of the Apron

Time for Tea
by George Goodwin Kilburne

The Little Helpmate,
by George Goodwin Kilburne.

Mrs. Sarah Canon, Wearing a White Apron,
Watching the Chickens Eat Their Feed

The Milkmaid by Jan Vermeer, 1658

Woman Standing in the Snow, Holding Holly in her Apron

A Young Woman Picks Flowers in a Country Garden,
and Stores Them in Her Apron

Christmas Around the World

Have you ever considered spending Christmas in another part of the world, not because of family there but just for interest and a unique cultural experience? I was discussing this with my friend and colleague at work on Saturday. She is an avid and adventurous traveler who would hop on a plane tomorrow if she could. She would love to experience Christmas in her favourite place, Italy, where she has been several times already, but she would be open to spending it pretty much in any European country. She has spent time near Lajatico, in the region of Tuscany, the birth place of Andrea Bocelli.
I admire her sense of adventure and her wonderful flexibility.
I have learned much from her love of travel and culture.
Our oldest daughter, K who is also very adventurous, is in India so we will be thinking of her and missing her this Christmas Season.
Another couple we know, dear friends H&M, have been to almost every continent in their travels, and have taken wonderful photos which they faithfully document in a book for each trip. It is always my pleasure to spend time reading the details of their trips, and to live vicariously through each adventure.

On the other hand, there is just no place like home for me...sigh...
I have truly become such a homebody and couldn't agree more with these sentiments:

There is nothing like staying at home for real comfort.
~ Jane Austen

One of the beauties of arm chair travels is that we can experience most parts of the world through books, documentaries, movies, music, and even online. It is so fascinating to me in this world of modern technology, that we truly can see the world from the comfort of our own home.
In the blogging world, there are also many people who document life via their blog.
There are well over one million bloggers out there in cyber world, so if one was curious about how others live, they are just a click away from their discoveries.
I thought I would share a few blogs that have given me inspiration over the course of the year and also during this season as we prepare for Christmas.

Although Delores is from California, she has been in Italy and has some great photos to share as well as design and decorating ideas on her blog:
Vignette Designs

Tina in the Scottish Countryside has a quiet, reflective blog filled with domestic goodness:
The Quiet Home

One of our family's favourite Provinces to visit in Canada was the lovely Prince Edward Island, visiting the places that best describe the settings in the Anne of Green Gables series. I have had the privilege of meeting Kathie and spending time with her in Charlottetown in a small Coffee Shoppe, where we shared our hearts and our time over a coffee.
Her blog has been both inspirational as well as visually beautiful.
You can pay her a visit over at Island Sparrow, where she shares Christmas Traditions in and around her home and beautiful Island.

My 'blogging friend' Nan shares the most beautiful photos of her rural setting in Northern New England, a place that reminds me of a favourite author of mine, Gladys Taber who shares about her life in a seemingly quiet more gentle time.
You can visit Nan's 'bookish' blog, Letters from a Hill Farm, and check out her beautiful study room, which is just so perfect.

If you ever had a desire to travel to New England, here is another blog that is just so festive at the moment:
I heart New England

Melissa's blog shares some wonderful and inspirational decorating ideas. You can visit her here: The Inspired Room

For great recipes, check out Coralie's blog:
Charming Vintage Recipes

And to spend some time in Staffordshire Moorlands, United Kingdom, visit Steph at Curlew Country for her beautiful British countryside.

My favourite Swedish artist is Carl Larsson, whose paintings depict charming home life with his family in Sweden.


This reminds me of Mia's blog, a lovely home in Norway, with many domestic scenes including her hens which I just love:)
My hens have been so faithful and as a result, we have enjoyed much baking over this holiday season with just a stroll away...such a blessing:)


Yesterday was a lovely stay-at-home day after a fairly busy past week, so I enjoyed catching up on my reading, making some phone calls, taking a walk with my dear hubby, playing a game as a family and doing some catch-up on blog reading.
There are many more beautiful blogs I could share with you, but I will leave you with this last blog, reading a post in which Brenda at Coffee Tea Books and Me, captured so well the meaning of Christmas for me. I share her sentiments of this season in her Sunday Afternoon Tea post which you can read here
It really spoke to my heart yesterday and was along the same lines as our Sunday morning series at church:
Jesus is the Light of the World
I will be in preparation for the Christmas Season this week, spending time with family and friends but hope to be back on Friday to share more.


The impact of the life of Jesus can be read in this essay entitled:
One Solitary Life, written by Dr James Allan in 1926.
You can also read what Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821) emperor of the French, had to say about Jesus here.
Pause playlist to listen to One Solitary Life
(You might remember Johnny Cash singing this as well in his rendition:
Here was a Man)

Hey, It's Good to be Back Home Again....

"Hey it's good to be back home again
Sometimes this old farm feels like a long-lost friend
Yes 'n' hey, it's good to be back home again."

We have travelled by car, airplane, train, boat and bike on an 'amazing race', enjoying time spent with family and friends, taking in the beautiful countryside, the quaint and ancient villages as well as the bustling cities.

We have experienced both sunshine and rain; the weather of a sea climate.

A warm welcome was received everywhere with the generosity of family as well as friends, as we have been blessed with this wonderful opportunity to experience The Netherlands, and in particular Friesland, the province of our heritage.

On our arrival back in Canada after our wonderful holiday, we were greeted at the airport by our oldest daughter who 'held the fort' while we were away, looking after the hens, the mail etc.

We arrived home to find that Autumn had indeed arrived
at our doorstep:

A Welcome Home sign greeted us as stepped
into an immaculate home:

Yesterday, life was back to normal
with it's rythyms and routines;
back to jobs, high school and college,
and I was 'back in the saddle again'.

The suitcases needed unpacking
as the washing machine went full-speed:

The sun was shining for a perfect outdoor
clothesline -drying day:

The gifts received in Holland and bought for giving, were compiled:


Our girls spent four days of their time in England
with a wonderful friend,
touring the famous London city sights.
They arrived back in Holland with thoughtful gifts:

When the girls came home again from school/work,
we enjoyed a british tea along with my favourite
Fryske sûkerbôle or frisian sugar bread:

"It's the sweetest thing I know of,

just spending time with you.

It's the little things that make a house a home;

Like a fire softly burnin' supper on the stove

The light in your eyes that makes me warm."

My son, who is at university, came home for a visit and joined us in a traditional dutch meal. I prepared the same meal that we had with Mem/Beppe in her home;our 'last supper' together.
The dutch eat alot of meat and potatoes as well as fresh vegetables every evening, followed by a dessert of pudding or yoghurt.
I bought a special meat spice in Holland (gehakt kruidenmix) to add to the ground beef. We also had potatoes, green beans, carrots, cauliflower with freshly ground nutmeg, and apple sauce which is a staple with the meat and potatoes.

We are still feeling the effects of travel and jet-lag, but have experienced that the sooner we get back to our normal routines the easier it will be.

My sister is also staying with us for the week as she has a conference to attend in the city, so I have found a coffee companion for the mornings.

I brought back Douwe Egberts coffee which is the finest in the world (my opinion only) so we have enjoyed that as we catch up and share in conversations.

The house is now quiet again as the rush hour is behind me. (9 am)

After morning chores, I will go into town for groceries and running errands.

I hope to blog about the trip over the next week as I digest all of the wonderful experiences and moments we were blessed to enjoy. God has been very good to us.

It may take some time to acclimatize again to the Canadian way of living, but I can truly say after an absolutely wonderful time in Friesland that:

"Hey it's good to be back home again - you know it is

Sometimes this old farm feels like a long-lost friend

Hey, it's good to be back home again

I said hey it's good to be back home again."

Words and music by John Denver

Borscht Soup and Banana Muffins

I was up early this morning to be greeted by milder temperatures, slightly overcast but with a glorious pink-hued sky on the horizon.
I wanted to get some baking in and a few loads of laundry done before we head out for the day as it is a holiday here in Canada.

Labour Day has been set aside for the first Monday in September in Canada since the 1880s, to celebrate the economic and social achievements of workers. Since the new school year generally starts right after Labour Day, families with school-age children take it as the last chance to travel before the end of summer. Other forms of celebration include picnics, barbecues, fireworks displays, water sports, and public art events. We plan to head out to a Fall Fair which I will share more about later in the week.

I did want to post a recipe as well as share this story. My oldest daughter has been coming home with produce from a friend who uses her large gardens as a means of supporting the lower income families. Because of the abundance in garden produce this year, there is a surplus, so my daughter was the grateful recipient of turnips, beets, and zucchini. Yesterday she made a wonderful borscht soup, the first of the season. I enjoyed it so much, I forgot to take a photo, but this was what it looked like, served with a dollop of sour cream along with grated cheddar cheese. (image found online)
You can read another inspirational bumper crop garden story here.



Last week she came home with this box of bananas and explained that she saw a weary mother resting with her children on the curb outside a store in the city. The mother explained in broken English that she was too tired to make the journey home again so my daughter offered to give her a ride which she gratefully accepted. When mother and children were dropped off, this box of bananas was handed over to my daughter who knew it would be an insult in their culture not to accept it with gratitude.

She went to work making batter for 4 dozen muffins, three of which went into this container and in the fridge for future use. (the remainder of the bananas went into the freezer) This morning as I baked a dozen muffins, I thought of my daughter, admiring her domestic abilities, her resourcefulness and above all else, her kindness to a stranger.


These banana muffins will be packed in our picnic lunch today:

Banana Muffins

3 large, ripe bananas
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup melted butter
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups flour
Mash bananas. Add sugar, egg and butter.

Mix dry ingredients together, then add to banana mixture.

(may add chocolate chips, raisins,walnuts or pecans)

Bake at 350' for 20 minutes.

Fall is knocking at the door...

The house is now quiet as I enjoy some moments to myself after a very full week. I have a lovely playlist going as I sip my tea, the dishwasher is humming, the rain is pattering outside and the wind, which howled through the night, is now settling down.
What a difference a day makes! All week we have had warm temperatures, earlier this week being hot and humid. It has been perfect weather for the final days of summer, but today....
Wow! I am not sure if it is the effects of Hurricane Earl or the cold front we received from the West, but it is cold and rainy outside, and inside I have actually had the furnace on just to get the damp chill out. (shhh...my hubby thinks it's too early:)
At the library this morning, I turned on the fireplace in the sitting area to set a cosy, cheerful ambience for the patrons. The flowers that I brought in hopefully contributed to the atmosphere.

I also put on a pot of coffee for my colleague and for myself so we could warm up.
It was a very busy day today with the doors steadily opening as patrons came in out of the cold and the rain to find good reading material for the weekend and to use the computers etc. I just love my work environment and feel blessed every day when I walk through the doors of the library.
Don't the patrons have a delightful sitting area?

There has been alot of action here over the past week, beginning with my youngest daughter having a pool party on Sunday, so there was a house full of young people. I am so thankful that our home can be a blessing to others.

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday were filled with work, passing my exam which was a relief, pool-side visit with my sister and her four children, hair appointment and back to school shopping completed for highschool daughter:

Thursday was spent getting the laundry done and the house in order as my middle daughter had an afternoon/evening event planned for Friday.

Thursday evening we travelled to Tuscany where we enjoyed the beautiful surroundings while we dined on Italian cuisine with our guest. Well, ok fine, we weren't really there but the setting made me feel like we were as we dined al fresco, enjoying the food, the sunflowers, the music and the company until late in the evening,

long after the sun went down.

Friday morning I left for a church meeting, arriving at home to discover that all three of my girls had been busy bees, as they helped my middle daughter with her preparations for the company she was anticipating. The menu was going to be a tacos and fajitas, a veggie tray, and loads of snack foods. She had invited her college friends, a group of ten, over for an afternoon swim, followed by supper and activities.

Aren't these cup cakes so cute?

Oldest daughter made the banana muffins while youngest daughter made the peach cobbler. Their mother is so proud of them!

The highlight of our week was going to the airport with hubby to pick up our son, who spent the summer working in Alberta. He had so many stories to share with us over dinner at Kelsey's Restaurant, the best one being that the family he stayed with took him in like their own son. Our hearts are so grateful toward them for all of their kindness and love shown to our son...there is no greater gift!

Next week our routines will change as we gear up for back to school activities, including one attending high school, one in college and one at university.

Yes, Fall is knocking at the door, and although I love and embrace each season, I am reluctant to say good-bye to the leisurely days of summer....yet knowing that the times and seasons are also a part of the Master's plan.

"But I trust in you, O LORD;

I say, "You are my God."
My times are in your hands."

Psalm 31:14, 15

FFF~ In the Kitchen

It's Friday and that means joining the girls at Susanne's place for her Friday Fave Five list. My focus this past week has been on getting through my to-do list and I am feeling so much better about all the things I have been able to cross off that list.
When life gets too busy, the house is the first thing that seems to slide into disarray, so I took some time to focus this week
and get it done.
It also made me appreciate my kitchen more...

~1~

I am thankful for my compost bucket/pail, where all the scraps including fruit and vegetable peels, coffee grounds, egg shells etc. go into. Composting is important to me, not because of our sprawling gardens (which we don't have) but because there is less in my garbage can, and the compost goes to good use on the flower gardens.

~2~

I am a confessed apron collector but also wear them when working in the kitchen. The other day I went out to greet the mail courier, and she commented on my apron saying that she didn't think anyone wore an apron anymore!
Well, I have news...I do and so do my girls when they are baking and cooking. I bought this apron in England when I spent time with my middle daughter there.

Have you heard of Cath Kidston? I love her stuff!

~3~

Our communication set up was not effective as the scraps of paper with messages taken always seemed to disappear under paper clutter. My daughter suggested I get a magnetic board for the fridge so when I spotted these at a store, I picked them up. They have worked well for us as everyone is using the boards to jot messages and notes. The monthly calender is handy so we can keep track of schedules and appointments.

~4~

In the summer, the refrigerator is sometimes the most neglected place in our kitchen. This week I went through everything again, and thoroughly cleaned the fridge as well as the freezer. It is so pleasing to open a clean and clutter-free fridge. I'm not sure how long it will last though!

~5~

Our freezer was old so when the motor died, my hubby decided it was time for a replacement...something smaller and more energy efficient. He is a huge fan of

kijiji,where he always seems to find the best deals and bargains. I was thrilled when he came home with this freezer which is a perfect size for our home and yet meets all of our family needs.

~Bonus~
And another 'new to me' item that he brought home from his work (in the kitchen industry) was this sink faucet for the kitchen. He has repaired our leaking tap just one too many times, so when someone no longer wanted this tap as they were renovating and wanted everything to be new, he brought it home for me.
He's a firm believer in recycling:)
I love it and don't know how anyone can discard something
so new and functional!
I am also so thankful for my hubby who is always looking out for us! He is truly a gem!

And now it is time to get back to my cleaning in the kitchen. My girls are working up a storm at the moment because we are receiving company on the weekend. One couple is arriving from Hamilton tomorrow, the other is a friend of my daughter's from the UK who will be staying for the week. She wants everything to look perfect, so I will sign off. Thank-you again to Susanne for hosting the friday fave five which you can read more about here.


My Kitchen Prayer
God bless my little kitchen,
I love its every nook,
And bless me as I do my work,
Wash pots and pans and cook.
And may the meals that I prepare
Be seasoned from above
With Thy great blessings and Thy grace,
But most of all Thy love.
As we partake of earthly food,
The table before us spread,
We’ll not forget to thank Thee, Lord,
Who gives us daily bread.
So bless my little kitchen, God,
And those who enter in,
May they find naught but Joy and Peace,
And Happiness therein.
Author: M. Peterson (1944)

Making Time for Visits

It has been a busy past week again, with trips to the dentist for youngest daughter, extra summer shifts at the library, courses to complete, shopping and maintaining the home on the side.

On Thursday I made time for and enjoyed the company of my friend Shirley and her children who came for a visit and a swim in the pool. When the rains came down, we went inside for games, movie and chatting.
Yesterday my farming brother Dave, his wife and their four adorable, sweet children from the Niagara area phoned to confirm that they were coming and would be arriving by 11'ish.
I set to work with the baking, making oatmeal cookies and more of our favourite butter tarts, (more with recipes next week) cutting bouquets of flowers from the gardens (done by Jill) and set out all their favourite activities they like to do at Aunt Joanne's house.

Butter tarts fresh from the oven:

Garden Bouquet, candles lit, and goodies waiting to be served:

Farm tractors and farm animals for cute youngest boy:

Dora activities for three adorable little girls:





Groovy Girls:






Library Basket of Books:






Some relaxation time for Dad and Mom

while Auntie took care of the children:

Swimming Fun:

Fountains to splash in:

While my family was enjoying time in the pool, I set up a chicken wrap buffet for lunch including a variety of wraps, grilled chicken, red peppers, onions, veggies and dip, chicken fingers for the children, and watermelon for all.
We also received another family in the afternoon who knew my brother and his wife as they used to live in the Niagara area. Their four children were an added delight as they played so nicely together with my nieces and nephew. We had fun gathering the eggs from the hen house, feeding grain and watermelon rinds to the hens who squawked with gratitude, and playing with the 'new' toys and activities.

It was an enjoyable afternoon of reconnecting and sharing, as we enjoyed the beautiful sunshine and the pleasure of a relaxing summer afternoon.