Fruitful branches!!!!

Have a new baby boy in the family. THANK YOU LORD!

See you later.
In His hands, ^__^

A story to ponder and FO pictures

One day, last week while driving to the Bible conference we saw a new, shiny SUV with a metal fish-thing on the back gate. It looked different than all the 'regular' fish-things (what are those called?!) When DH drove close enough that we could 'read' it, we realized we had never seen this one before. It said 'sushi' in the middle of the fish.


First I thought: cute and clever, but, I was beginning to get offended at the how-dare-they! misappropriation. Before I could turn to DH and share my indignation with him, it was all too clear to me. "That is a picture of the church in general, today" I said. He was on the same page with me, as I explained and he nodded. The church in America, is dead. Not dead enough to stink, but not alive at all! Just like sushi.



Yesterday I was sharing this story with #2. He said that when I post the story in my blog I should clarify that the reader should understand that the church is "Mostly dead" (with a Billy Cristal--Princess Bride, tone of voice. If you saw the movie you will understand.) This is an observation in my own personal opinion. No one has to agree with me.

On to something different:

Had bugs in the cupboard! Had to take everything out and throw out antique food, you know, the kind that's been there a long, long time. Had to clean everything, wipe down the entire insides of the cupboards and replace the current foods and assorted containers and dishes.


This picture was taken right before we were finished. Everything smells like Murphy's Oil Soap.



This is a pair of leggings finally finished after 3 years! Made them of Maratona Merino wool. What a wonderfull wool. So nice in my hand, and although it's a 5 ply, it did not split. It 'fulls' very spongy and cozy. I made the pattern as I went along. They are positive/negative of each other and very, very warm.
#1's hat, just in time for Spring! Where they live it is cold for quite a while yet. She'll be able to get good use this 'winter' still. My own design. Picked up stitches for the ear flaps and I-cord for ties instead of binding off at the ear flaps. The fringe on top had authentic hand-woven rung knots. I used Dale of Norway and am not at all happy with that yarn. It splits a lot and I had to continually untwist. It's the baby yarn, merino and machine washable. Not using it again.
Practicing a new handquilting method for #5 & Mrs. #5's quilt. I'm not too happy with this method. It is slower than my regular method. I will do my regular method to finish the quilt. It is about 70% done. (shh! don't tell them)
And finally, this is 'my' winter cardinal. Hope he and Mrs. cardinal don't go too far for the summer. They come several times a day to the feeders. By the way, there were 4 snow birds yesterday and today, at the feeders. Supposed to have snow this Sunday.
We are having #2 and #5 and their families for dinner, they bring some, we bring some. So much fun and variety--and not so much cooking. I'll have to go and set the table.

I'll leave you with this,


"He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich." Pro 21:17

In His hands, ^__^

Pictures--loving the new camera!

I looked at all my posts today and saw HOW MANY food pictures I have. Will have to post more knitting, sewing, and pictures of other categories for the next few posts...unless I bake something you must see.

Now pictures,
This is a close up of the sweater sketch for the oxford gray sweater for 1e. Still haven't taken the date off...next batch.

The edge of one of a pair of pillowcases.

One of the squares of the replicated lap blanket, more below

This close up long shape was the camera's automatic doings.

Fuller view of the granny square lap blanket that lives at the foot of our bed.

Homespun yarn and roving.

A child's iron shoe form--found in a garage sale. The doily was made by my-now-95-year-old aunt. She made it about 5 years ago. I took the picture with only the little light on top of the side table/buffet. Pretty good, huh? I always have a pen or two resting there.

Now I'll have to figure a way of putting pictures in here without having to 'drag' them from the top.

Planning to post more pictures tomorrow.

I'll leave you with this:

"A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones." Pro 17:22

(Editor's note: Guard against osteoporosis, laugh a while!)

In His hands, ^__^

Trying out different cameras--Got one for my B'day!!!

Better late than never. DH consulted with #2 and #5 and they have given us lots of information about digital cameras from 'this century'

In fact I was able to test a couple of cameras to see which one I would like.

Not this one

THIS ONE IS GREAT!

I really like the close up range. Sorry about the date on the picture. I'll learn how to use it as I go along.

Yep! I made lemon meringue pie. It was so yummy. Since the hot weather is coming, it was good for me to practice this recipe...well, what else could I say?

Lemon pie is my favorite--and all lemon deserts--for hot weather, with all due respect to chocolate lovers. [NOT chocoholics, which is an aberration of the words chocolate and alcohol addicts] They should say *chocolatics*...but, who will change such a widespread error? I'm willing to give it a go, will you help me?

I have a couple of stories to share, and lots, lots, lots of pictures. I'll come back later, Lord willing, and share.

I'll leave you with this:

"Whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house." Pro 17:13

In His hands, ^__^

NO KNEAD BREAD SUCCESS! ! !

In this humble garage sale find--$2.00, from a couple of summers ago, I baked the No Knead Bread loaf from this guy's recipe. I'm sure it is the original recipe that's been going around, and many bakers have youtubed it (I've just introduced a new verb, sure I did!)





Just out of the oven, and wrapped in parchment paper. Another youtube baker suggested letting the dough rise in parchment paper in a clean bowl, so when you transfer the risen dough into the baking pot, the dough does not loose its shape. The split was a result of baking alone. I did not slice it, and did not turn the loaf upside down as some of the bakers suggested.



I used this flexible spatula to help me get it out of the VERY HOT pot, 450F. Use caution.
I did not want to turn it out on to the counter, since I did not want to clean a zillion bits of burnt parchment from off the counter.

The spatula left those scratch marks, and the brownish residue came off with a dish cloth.


When I took this picture I could hear the loaf crackling...I've never had a loaf of bread crackle before. There was one youtubber who played a few minutes of the loaf crackling. I'm so glad to have had the appropriate crackle.


I had to leave the loaf to cool while going to get my goat's milk.
When I got back it was cool enough and ready to slice.

Pass the butter, please!

This is the closest I could get without blurring the picture. The 'eyes' of this bread are so authentic/artisan/peasant, the look and aroma I expected. No disappointments.

P.S. This is the second time I did this blog. I had gone back to the 'brilliant DH' blog to edit all of the above into it. When I pressed the 'publish' button, it said it could not do as requested and proceeded to EAT my post. The bread must have looked so good to Blogger that it had to find an excuse to 'eat' it.

I'll leave you with this:

"But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." Matthew 4:4

In His hands, ^__^

My DH is Brilliant!

The linker works!!! (doing the happy dance--with great dignity--woohoo!)

My DH offered to help me with the frustrating operation of the linker. He looked at it for a long time.

He hmm!, and mm!, and again hmm! then he asked for a demonstration of the machine. I promptly complied, and waited for his hmm!, mm!, and hhmmm!! Then he alluded to the threading being not quite right--in his genteel, intellectual way. [he is a mechanical engineering designer] So...when I threaded the linker like he sort-of suggested, it worked!

OK!...so I'm not so mechanical. No matter, it works now and I can do the projects.

The bread post is above.

I'll leave you with this:

"A man's gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men. " Pro 18:16

In His hands, ^__^

Trying new recipe and it's good.

This morning I was looking for a recipe for no knead bread in Google videos, and I came upon this one by Jameela

It did not take long to prepare or bake. I did not have yogurt so I used my homemade Kefir instead. Those things could be *dangerous* they are so flavourful. Here is the cute little sheep with no name to show you.

I placed the naans (or should it be the naan bread?) on a green serving plate on the green tablecloth to go along with someone's Green Wednesday.

Yes, I also found the 'no knead bread' recipe in Google videos. There are several and I watched about 6 of them. I watched so many to see what sort of container they used to bake it. Everyone had a different pot. One was a cast iron dutch oven, another one had a LeCruise pot. Someone had a beehive looking ironstone pot, the base is similar to a pie pan and the 'lid' is a very deep dome, reminiscent of a bee skep. Someone else had a regular soup/stew pot with a glass lid. Everyone of them came out very well, crunchy and *peasant* looking; which is what we strive for here at Peasant House.

The No knead bread is growing until tomorrow morning, when I hope to bake it. I will give you a full report.

Here you can see the no-name sheep as a sort of dough-in-waiting.

Coincidentally my quilty calendar has a green teacup for March 5th. I thought I'd share that too.

Last but not least, of course, is the beginning of DH's first sock. (on the green tablecloth)I might copy the pattern of the mittens on the tablecloth and embroider it on something.

Finishing laundry folding before DH gets home, so...

I'll leave you with this:

"O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him." Psa 34:8

In His hands, ^__^

The Linker is driving me batty

This machine is NOT going to get the better of me!

I spent several hours already attempting to link/sew some knitted samples and the linker is shredding the yarn. It actually eats the yarn as the hook needle fetches the yarn. Then, it takes some of the knitted yarn with it and shreds it also.

It would be helpful to have the operating manual, but I have not found it on line anywhere. In fact, there is NOTHING about this linker on line.

If any of you know someone--or saw somewhere--who knows anything about this linker I would be happy to find out. It is an ERIKA brand made in Italy...probably in the 80s

Boo, hoo, hoo! I thought it would shorten the time of the assembly of all these garments, but NO!

I have to sew all these projects by hand, as I always do. Hope to have them all done by the weekend, Lord willing. Then, I'll show you.
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

On the subject of food: I made Amish Potato Rivvel Soup. It is so very yummy. I had to make this soup today since we might not be having real cold weather for much longer. It is so satisfying a meal.

Maybe you would like the recipe.

5 lbs. potatoes--cut

2 Tbs. minced onions or 1 whole onion-chopped fine.

2 Tbs. parsley

Salt to taste

Place cut potatoes in a large pot with enough water to cover the potatoes, add the onions, salt and parsley. While the potatoes come to a boil, prepare the Rivvels (noodley thickener)

1 stick of butter

1/2 c of flour

1 tsp of black pepper

Cut the cold butter into slices and place them in a bowl with the flour. Cut with a pastry cutter/blender like you would for making pie crust. When it resembles cornmeal add the pepper.

Once the potatoes are tender add the Rivvels and stir quickly so they don't stick to the bottom. Simmer for about 5 mins. Stirring every minute or so.

Make some of this soup before it gets too warm.

We have plenty for a second meal. But it is always more juicy/liquidy the second day. For the second day I make either, biscuits or dumplings. Or, if I'm in a big hurry I make garlic bread. Any of which will be a great success.

I'll leave you with this:

"Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life. " Pro 4:13

In His hands, ^__^

Marching in like a spirited lamb?

Here is March with all its wind. Such a beautiful day, lots and lots of wind bringing 'Dixie dust' which is dust from the 'land of Dixie'. Actually the wind came stiff from the South which brought warm temps of 60F.

All the neighbours were doing outdoorsy chores and visiting with each other, sort-of-like in a 'Leave it to Beaver' episode. However, folks, snow is *scheduled* for Monday.

We got a tiller. When DH and #2 tried it they found that it is still winter. The icy mud clung to the tilling legs (what are those called?) They spent a long time cleaning it and removing the mud off of their waffle shoe soles. Tiller in the shed, for a few more days...weeks. It was a very good buy. I'll have to get some pictures and show you.

This picture is of a chalk board. I used to change it every week, but it seems that this current scripture is so important; I have decided to keep it for a while yet.

Our wall of botanicals, in the dining room/kitchen, the jar of bismati rice on the left and the jar of animal cookies on the right, on top of the buffet/side board.
I took this picture while sitting in front of the laptop. You can see the basket with the *now* finished leggings. Just in time for...spring!--maybe we'll have a couple of cold days yet, and I'll be able to wear them.

Started a pair of socks with the yarn from the 'ugly yarn' sale of several weeks ago. The socks are intended for DH, but they'll fit whom they'll fit. Who knows who'll get them. I'll know when I'm done with the first one.

Have to go condition my hair, so

I'll leave you with this:

" There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God." 1Sa 2:2

In His hands, ^__^