little things lately...

"A quiet and modest life brings more joy than a pursuit of success, bound with constant unrest."

~Albert Einstein~

Bottle feeding our lambs. We have discovered that lambs are extremely fragile and can die easily. It has been a journey, and we are learning so much with each new lamb we raise.

 Dear friends, hello♥

It is a cozy Winter's evening and after running around outside, trying to finish the chores as quickly as possible, I have returned to the warmth of the fire. A hot soup is bubbling on the wood stove and a delectable apple crumble awaits us for dessert. Outside it is cold and damp and we are so blessed to be safe and warm indoors.

Can you believe that it has been over four months since I have written and published a new post? I have missed writing, however, I have come to realize that during the Spring and Summer months, blogging is not really a possibility. For it is over these seasons that we are kept the most busy, planting, harvesting and preserving. To get back into the swing of writing, I thought that a 'little things lately'  catch up post was perhaps in order. Enjoy, {{smiles}}

~

the world outside...

It is late Autumn early Winter here in our little corner of the world and the apples have been harvested. We have the blessing of walking through the numerous orchards that surround our property, gleaning the apples left on the trees. The leaves have long ago turned brown and are blowing away, leaving the scenery around here looking rather bleak. I do not enjoy the cold weather very much and although it is but the start of Winter, I find myself longing for Spring already!

on the homestead...

As always, our little farm is growing! There are two pregnant ewes grazing in the fields now, we bought a calf from our neighbor and she walks with our milk cow who is also pregnant. Also, we are bottle raising two rejected lambs, they sleep inside a huge wooden box next to our fire each night. Oh! And I almost forgot, we rescued three tiny, motherless kittens! The plan was to raise them until they were old enough to give away...but we all loved them so much that they found their forever home with us, {{smiles}}

in the garden...

There have been some exciting developments concerning the gardens this month and I have been eager to share the plans for this season. However, as there is so much to tell, I have decided to write a separate post, which I will publish very soon, stay tuned, {{smiles}}

around the house...

On a normal week day morning, our house is usually very chaotic. There are numerous chores to complete before breakfast and the animals all need to be fed, our cow is milked and turned into the field to graze along with the sheep. My older sisters get ready for their work and I go outside soon after breakfast and the morning discussion,  to spend my day in the garden. Sometimes things can get a little out of control, but for the most part, we all know what we need to do and everyday life runs quite smoothly.  

creating...

For my Winter's project, I have chosen to sew a War Time Quilt, using the feathers I pluck off of my ducks once they are slaughtered. Not much is known about these ingenious quilts, so I will be writing more about it in a future post.

planning...

The Summer garden! This Autumn, life got a little out of control and we missed most of the planting season, which means that the garden is a little bare at the moment. However, I have been spending the rainy days to watch inspiring gardening vlogs and planning on paper, what the garden will look like come Summer.

hoping...

To spend the next few days slaughtering the last of my ducks. At one point, I was the owner of twenty~eight Muscovy ducks and felt rather overwhelmed!  Unfortunately we do not have the space or resources to run a duck farm and so in the future, I will not be allowing so many of the females to hatch so many ducklings! There are twelve left to slaughter and that is the job I have planned for tomorrow. 

from the kitchen...

As the cold weather sets in, soups are frequently on the menu and we have been indulging in and enjoying many warm apple pies whilst apple season lasts.

enjoying...

My sisters. Recently I have come to fully realize how blessed I am to have so many siblings and that we are so close. They are my best friends and I love them all so much.

sipping...

A cup of hot coffee.

reading...

More of Miss Read. We discovered that we can download books online, so that, although I prefer to read a proper book and I dislike using a phone, I am happy that I can at least read and enjoy them. 

Also, my sister, Beth has been reading aloud to Rebekah and myself. She is reading a hilariously funny book about Robin Hood. However, there is a twist on the usual tale, and Robin is a girl. I cherish the rainy nights, snuggled up with my sisters enjoying listening to a good book being read aloud♥

listening to...

 Instrumental hymns by a young lady named Taryn Harbridge. Her music is so uplifting and beautiful, I love to have it playing softly in the background as I work in the kitchen. This one is lovely♥

thankful for...

Time spent with my eldest sister, Kelly, and little Nicholas♥

some lovely words...

"Contentment is possible only as we cultivate and maintain that attitude of accepting everything which enters our lives as coming from the hand of Him who is too wise to err, and too loving to cause one of His children a needless tear."

~A.W Pink~

an encouraging verse...

"Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content."

~Philippians 4:11~

Dear Friends, I hope to be back again soon, with more pictures and news♥ I hope that you all are well, let me know what you have been busy with. I would love to hear from you!

Blessings~ Gabrielle♥

a year ago...

My sweet nephew is already one years old...time has gone by so fast!

Nicholas has brought me so much joy, and I love being Aunty to this wee lad.

^This was last year, just after Nicholas was born...look how small he was!

^Such a big boy now♥

  

 

^Rebekah and I went to spend a day with Kelly, shortly after he was born. I still remember how special it was to hold a brand new baby, our first little nephew

^And now a year later...

Dear little Nicholas, a very happy birthday to you♥

a new year, pictures and some small goals...

 "And the Lord, He it is that doth goeth before thee: He will be with thee, He will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed."

~Deuteronomy 31:8~ 

"sometimes you will never know the value of a moment, until it becomes a memory."

~Dr Seuss~

All of Nicholas's Aunties, {and Uncle Caleb} adore him...

^Pictures taken at my sister, Kelly's twenty~sixth birthday tea. It was so special to have all us girls together, all dressed up♥

Hello dear friends, and a very happy new year to you all!

How strange it is to think that we are already halfway through January 2023...I wonder what this next year holds for us all?

But I know that, no matter what trials and difficulties lie just ahead of us, our gracious Lord and Saviour holds us in His hands. He alone knows what our futures hold, and will never leave us. We have no need to be concerned, when we believe that God is in control of our lives.

May this year be a blessed and beautiful one for you all, may our Heavenly Father grant you peace, joy and strength to endure whatever befalls you♥

~ten little goals for this year~

spend more time with my heavenly Father

capture special moments with my camera

take time to interact one on one with my six siblings 

write and post more regularly

try harder to cultivate a quiet and gentle spirit

take things a little slower, and not rush through the day

enjoy the little things in daily life

practice keeping silent, and not voicing negative thoughts and criticism

keep a daily journal

practice having a grateful heart

~Blessings to you all~Gabrielle~

 

november chit~chat and belated spring pictures♥

"And so the Spring days came and went, the sky grew clearer, the earth greener and the flowers were up fairly early..."

Little Women, Louisa May Alcott

I cannot believe how long it has been since I have published a post... here we are, at the end of November...where are the weeks going?

I decided that a catch~ up was in order, and I wanted to share these Spring pictures with you all, even if they are a little late in coming, {{smiles}}

A Spring photo~shoot with two lovely friends...♥

the world outside...

Spring has slipped away as quickly as it came, and there is a now a definite Summer feeling in the air. On all of the fruit trees, lush green leaves have replaced the delicate pink and white blossoms, and the days have been getting longer as well as warmer. We have already gone for our first swim of the season! How wonderful it is, not to have to wrap up warmly before going outside to do the chores.

around the house...

November has been quite an exciting and busy month for my family...more so than usual, I mean, {{smiles}} In amongst our daily chores and work, there have been delightful visits with dear friends, outings and visitors. Sometimes homesteading can be quite overwhelming, and the workload intense, and so it is truly amazing how the Lord takes care of us all, and gives us little pleasures along the way that help us to keep going.

listening to...

I recently discovered a beautiful album of Hymns, by Casting Crowns. They are all so uplifting, and I love having them playing softly in the background whilst I potter about the kitchen, cooking and cleaning. You can listen to them here.

from the kitchen...

The preserving season has already begun, and the first few jars of jam on the shelf. Last month we had a abundant harvest of strawberries from the garden, which were promptly made into delicious jam by my Mom. How pretty the jars look, filled with the clear pink jam! 

Octobers are also 'the month of Victoria Sponge Cakes!' And we indulged in quite a few of them while the strawberry glut lasted! Made with homemade jam, decorated with homegrown strawberries and topped with fresh cream from our cow, what could be better?!

in the garden...

My sisters and I have been spending more and more time working in our two large vegetable gardens. Since our worker recently resigned from his position here, there has been a lot of extra physical work to be done, but we love our work, and like to think of ourselves as  Land Girls.  Although my red onion crop failed, {they all went to seed sooner than they were meant to, and the result was a terrible harvest} my brown onions seem to be drying out beautifully! I am planning to publish a Garden Tour soon, so stay tuned for that post!

on the homestead...

Our homestead is at it's busiest! After adding a little lamb to our menagerie, {pictures coming soon!} we had five little ducklings hatch and four guinea pig babies born. It would also appear that our cow is pregnant, and so our little plot is fast becoming overrun with farm animals, {{smiles}}

a little happiness...

Watching my cute, fluffy little ducklings run around the yard, following Mama Duck and staying close to her side. I will never tire of the amazing gift of life that the Lord gives us, and the privilege of caring for animals.

enjoying...

My work on our homestead, and laughing with my sisters.

anticipating...

We have a five day holiday to look forward to, happening at the end of December. Our friends who stay in the little seaside village of Sedgefield are going away, and have asked us to come and stay in their home and take care of their dogs. Unfortunately my older sisters cannot join us, as two people are needed to stay and watch our homestead and do the chores, but for them it is a little rest from the usual chaotic busyness when we all are at home!

Grateful for...

The trailer load of dry wood friends dropped off for us two weeks ago, as a gift. Having heard that we were struggling to light our wood stove due to the fact we had no dry wood to use, they spent their morning chopping a load for us. We all are so touched by their thoughtfulness and kindness. They are true friends♥

a beautiful quote...

"To live wisely is to orient everything about ourselves and our lives around God rather than around ourselves. Wise women are God-centered, not self centered. As we orient ourselves around God, our tastes and interests will change, and we will increasingly love what God loves and hate what he hates:”

 ~ Lydia Brownback~

a beautiful verse...

"But let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable beauty of a quiet and gentle spirit, which in God's eyes, are very precious."

1 Peter 3:4

I hope that November will continue blessed and beautiful month for you, dear readers♥

~Blessings, Gabrielle~

Bits and bobs...

"Some old fashioned things like fresh air and sunshine are hard to beat!"

 ~Laura Ingalls Wilder~

 Such a beautiful season...Spring! Wildflowers bloom in all the fields, fruit trees blossom, and the garden comes back to life after lying dormant for the Winter months. Now the rush begins, seeds must be planted soon, or there won't be enough time for them to germinate, grow and give fruit. 

My Shasta Daisy^

 My little flower garden is coming on nicely...my sweet sister, Nancy, gifted me with a pretty little Shasta Daisy bush, which I received with glee! Daisies are my favourite flower, and it looks so lovely in my garden. My Dad also put one of his rose bushes in the corner, and my Mom gave me a foxglove bush. I have also planted more sweet peas and I will be planting zinnias, marigolds and my cornflowers have also come up.

 I am craving a trip to the nursery! I wanted to thank all of my lovely readers who left me some flower suggestions in the comments...you all were so helpful and encouraging♡

Beautiful lusurne fields^

In the mornings, when we go outside early to milk, the sun is shining, and we no longer have to bundle up in warm jackets and scarves...it makes milking a lot easier, and definitely more enjoyable! Our milk cow, Candy, is doing very well, and we all have settled into a good routine. I love milking, and I find that it can be quite relaxing, provided the cow is in an amiable mood of course!

We have gotten our first crop of potatoes into the ground, {{finally!}} as well as our butternuts. We finished clearing the pumpkin patch a couple of days ago, and we will be planting those soon as well. My onions are doing very well, and have begun making bulbs already, which is exciting!

I am looking forward to the fruit coming in, as canning and preserving is a job which I truly enjoy doing, and I set myself a little challenge each year, to see how many jars I can get on the pantry shelf. Sadly, all of our peach and nectarine trees have developed peach leaf curl, a fungal disease caused by too much damp and wet weather. It can eventually kill the trees, if not treated quickly, so last week I spent an afternoon spraying on a liquid that should hopefully sort the problem out. We are praying that the Lord will bless and protect our plants and trees.

My Dad has begun building a fence around the new field. Soon we will have our cow grazing here^

When I am not in the garden or the kitchen, I am enjoying many other little hobbies and pursuits. I have begun embroidering again, and in the evenings Rebekah and I enjoy sitting in our room.  I sew whilst listening to her read aloud. Last night we began a book about Knights and the medieval period, lent to us by our brother in law. I love this cosy hour before bed, and I treasure the friendship I have with my sister♡

I was very excited to find a pretty pair of regency gloves in a second hand store last month, I feel so ladylike wearing them, and I have asked my very talented sister, Nancy, to sew me a regency dress...my sisters and I  firmly believe that we were born in the wrong period, as we all enjoy old fashioned outfits. {{smiles}}

Pretty peach blossoms^

There is also a certain little getaway which I am looking forward to, happening  sometime next month....my sister and her husband have asked me to join them on their three day holiday in Sedgefield! it will be so lovely to spend some time with them...I am missing my sister, and little cutie pie Nicholas♡

Almost every evening, we have the incredible privilege of going to cut fresh lucerne for our cow,  from our neighbour's fields. We are so thankful for his kindness^

In my family, life is rarely dull, and the house never completely quiet. There is always something going on, and as we begin our third summer here on our homestead, we all realise how important it is that we pull together and work as a team. 

 In this crazy, upside down world we are living in, it is comforting to know that no matter what happens, we have the Lord to lean on and trust in, and we have each other.

I hope that you are having a blessed season, wherever you are♡