When Garden Mama created a rock swap I new I had to participate. My children and I cannot visit a beach without bringing atleast a few treasures home. My husband does not get it at all so I only show him the most amazing of the rocks but still nothing. I think there is only room in our small house for 3 rock collector's anyway!.
I also have a lot of wool so I new that was the direction I was going to go in.
Today I am off to the post office to send them away and wait to see what I will get in my mail box.
We had a wonderful albeit busy day yesturday. The highlight of our day was the enchanted pumpkin path put on by our school. This was the first year that Isabella went trick or treating and she loved it. It was so wonderful to watch them and feel their joy. The candy is another story that we will slowly thin and dissapear
After the night was finished and we sat together full of the joy and stories of our day I couldn't help but feel such a weight lifted from my shoulders. This is the last of our busy days, all we have to do now is sink into the simplicity and warmth of November. I love November the rain, the dark and quiet. I am looking forward to quiet days of knitting, playing and baking. I am looking forward to the easy routine and rythym centered upon nothing more than our family. Oh yes I love love love November.
Inspired by soule mama - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.
We are a halloween loving family. This little group of ghosts are the first decorations we make every year. They are cute, festive easy to make and can withstand any weather. To make these all you will need is:
White garbage bags
6 dowels I used 1/2 thick by 2 feet long
balloons
packing tape
permanent marker
To make each ghost start with one balloon. Tie it to the top of the dowel then tape it to help hold it in place. Place a garbage bag over top and pull tightly so you can draw in the face with your permanent marker. Tape around the neck to firmly hold the garbage bag in place.
Depending on how you center the bag on the balloon you can create a square head or my favourite the pointed top.
Next cut a small hole in the center of the bottom of the bag.
Slide the dowel through the hole pulling it all the way up to the neck, tape aroung the neck once more. This piece will form the body of the ghost.
Again cut a small hole in the center of the third garbage bag at the bottom, slide this up the dowel, before you tape it at the neck make sure the two edges of the bag are in the front and back of the ghost. Tape at the neck. Now cut along the edges of this bag from the opening of the bag right to the seam at the bottom, these are now the arms.
When you have made all six ghosts, place them about a foot apart in your yard. When I inserted them into the ground I did it at about a 30 degree angle, it kind of makes it look like they are dancing.
Now simply tie the hands of the ghosts together in a knot and you are finished! An easy weather proof spooky little decoration.
We had a rainy weekend here which found us cozy and warm in a house filled with the smells of home cooking. We made delicious squash soup, biscuits and gingerbread. Gingerbread, oh I think I am in love. We are still searching for a perfect squash soup recipe, but we did find a new go to biscuit recipe. These are so easy quick and simple, I'm sure they will become a family staple.
Quick Biscuits
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Grease baking sheet. Whisk the dry ingredients together. Stir in the cream until the dough forms (about 30 seconds). Turn the dough out onto a floured counter, knead the dough briefly until smooth (about 30 seconds)
The key to light fluffy biscuits is working the dough as little as possible.
Pat the dough out until it is 3/4 inch thick. Cut out biscuits about 2 1/2 inches wide. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes. These bake up light and fluffy and delicious.
This is the basic starter which is delicious on it's own but the possibilities are endless. I am going to try to substitute in a little spelt maybe some flax. The keyfor me is these are so simple to make. Sometimes mama's need instant gratification too!
I cannot believe that I have never tried real gingerbread before. I have been missing out, it is so decadent, moist and oh so flavourful. A small piece with a little bit of ice cream or with my morning coffee, so yummy. The blackstrap mollasses gives the cake such a deep smoky flavor. The recipe I used comes from America's Best Lost Recipes, a really fun cook book full of great history and great recipes. This recipe dates back to 1893.
Nana's Gingerbread
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons ginger
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup blackstrap molasses
8 tablespons butter (softened)
2 large eggs room tempurature
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup boiling water
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 inch square baking pan. Whisk the flour sugar ginger allspice and cinnamon in a large bowl. Stir the molasses, butter and eggs in a medium bowl. (Pieces of butter will be visible don't worry)
Make a well in the flour mixture, add molasses mixture and stir well. Stir the baking soda and the boiling water together in a bowl, pour into the batter and stir until butter is melted. Pour into pan and bake 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Yum! Our house smelled so good while this was baking. Add a little whipped cream and everyone is happy.
This weekend we made our annual trip to the pumpkin patch. It was such a great time. Pumpkins really are amazing. The hardest part is choosing just one. Jackson was going for size, he wanted the biggest in the patch.
Isabella a girl after my own heart calls pumpkins "pie" She chose herself a lovely "baby pie"
We went to the fields by horse driven buggy and they driver even let Jackson drive.
We are going back again with friends this week because really you just can't ever have too many pumpkins.
My son's kindergarten class made pies for their families as a thanksgiving day suprise. He was so proud of the little finger dents he made in the dough. His teacher also runs our local CSA with her husband as well as a cafe on their farm. She is a fabulous cook, and my son's pumpkin pie was amazing. She was so kind as to give us the recipe!
Peter’s Pumpkin Pie
3 cups pumpkin purée 3/4 cup of honey or maple syrup
2 tablespoons molasses 1/4 teaspoon powdered cloves
3 teaspoons cinnamon 1 1/2 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon salt 4 eggs, slightly beaten
2 cups scalded milk or cream or sour cream
Mix in order given.Pour into whole wheat pie shell. Bake 10 minutes at 450°
Reduce heat to 350° F and continue cooking for 40 minutes or until set.
Oh and yes we are a whipped cream loving family! Another one of our families favorite pumpkin recipes is for Pumpkin Bread. I have been tinkering all day trying to replicate the Starbucks Pumpkin Spce Latte. I'm off to juice a pumpkin and with any luck there will be victory and recipe post shortly!
Yesturday was thanksgiving in Canada. Today I would like to give thanks to our home. She ain't grande and she ain't fancy but she is our place of comfort and shelter in this world. Oh it hasn't always been a pleasant relationship between me and this house. We bought the house because we could afford it, and it was "close" (35 minutes either way) to a waldorf school.
In the beginning I was completely overwhelmed by the dirt and ugliness. Then slowly but surely some paint here there and everywhere, we started to create a real home. We dug up the grass and filled the yard with flowers, we made vegetable gardens added a sandbox. We made it our own.
This is our fall entry way, simple but colourful. I really like the old cream separator, I got that and the old wooden box at the metal recycling junk shop for $30.00 Junk shop prices are key to my decorating budget!
Our nature shelf is always changing adding new treasures found. I am really happy with my pottery barn inspired candles. I just tied some pretty leaves to cheap ikea pillar candles with some raffia. We are slowly working on our felted acorn collection, which the kids enjoy helping with too.
I am so happy with these candles. I set them in an old bowl I had and filled the bowl with all my old grains from the cupboard. The colors are just lovely and I can't resist playing in them.
It is time for us to move on now, we need more land to become self sustaining, we need a fireplace or wood burning stove, both for self reliance and comfort and we need to be closer to school. As we wait for a new family to adopt our home, I offer her thanks and love for being just what we needed. For lessons learned and all the love laughter and memories made here.
{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.