Favourite Things

Thought this was a wonderful way to introduce some of my favourite things, and the "Sound of Music" IS one of my favourite movies....and I love this song.  So..sing the song and change the words a little and you can find out some of my favourite things (to do) or watch or wear or read.  Beautiful roses, birds in my feeders, knitting and sewing, and baking my bread....chicken and roosters all safe in their coop...these are a few of my favourite things. Or try... Cooking on wood stoves....cast iron cookware, growing fresh veggies and old vintage dishes ...... Now wasn't that fun! So now I will just share a little more detail of 2 of my favourite things.

The past couple of days have been mostly quiet...I say mostly because there were some traumatic  moments that included our 2 dogs, 1 raccoon (now deceased),  a few tears (mine), a shovel and a kind friend and neighbor. I  will spare the gory details, suffice it to say that we hope that Rosehaven Cottage and its occupants will recover from what seemed to me a rather ghastly happenstance!   DH has been battling a cold and we have just tried to keep him resting and recuperating, as we do get concerned for his health with his compromised immune system.  So while we watched  Christmas movies... or listened to some favorite CD's.....  

I have been busy working on some little Christmas gifts...involving one of the things I love to do..knitting! Specifically cotton dishcloths, and my ever popular Tuff Scrubbies .  I thought you might like to see some of my creations from the past few days. The lighting doesn't really show the pretty pastel colors...but you get the idea.   Scrubbies: 7 yds netting/6 inch strips/Size 15 needles. I didn't learn to knit till I was, well hitting an age milestone, and a very talented friend got me started (very patiently). My first project was a pair of wool socks!  If you start with socks..other things are a cinch.  I really like simple and homespun,  so socks, scarves, dish cloths, hats are my favourite projects. I always seem to have a couple small projects by my chair and when I sit..I knit.
**********************************************************

This morning we held  our Christmas program at our little country church and were blessed by wonderful gifts of music and song,  and then this afternoon we gathered with the elders and deacons for our annual Christmas party/potluck and white elephant gift exchange..(I brought a red dishcloth and 2 scrubbies). The ladies fought over the scrubbies..I kid you not! When it comes to  what food  I will bring to a potluck I know that they will fight over the last piece of....  my homemade french bread.  Baking bread is another one of my favourite things to do....especially this super easy and very popular recipe. This morning I made a double batch .....  here is recipe for one loaf.
1 1/2 c warm water
1 T. yeast
4 c. flour (I use Wheatland organic unbleached) I think this is the best flour out there!
1 1/2 t. celtic seasalt

Place warm water in large bowl, sprinkle yeast over water, let sit few minutes,  add flour and salt. Stir till forms ball of dough, knead a few minutes. Let rise in oiled bowl till double, roll out into long loaf,  cut a few slashes in dough, let rise and bake at 400 degrees for 20 -25 min.  This makes wonderful french toast, or for stuffing or croutons..after a few days, if it lasts that long!  The picture makes it seem like one loaf is bigger..but its just the camera angle.
Well, I hope this wasn't too boring..I just wanted to share a little of what I love to do and let you see some of it up close and personal and to share a recipe and project.  I hope to share and show you more of what goes on here at Rosehaven Cottage, more of my favourite things. May you be blessed as you prepare over these next few days for the celebration of the birth of God's Son, Jesus Christ.  Talk to you soon!

Choices

Each morning of every day DH and I have choices...some very comfortable and cozy ones at that!  Do we sit here to quietly talk and sip our tea and plan our day...

Or here in the living room....Or if we are really feeling adventurous .....we can put on our woolies and sit..

                                                                   HERE!

An easy choice most of the time...like when it was 5 below zero last week!  No way!  But this morning,  the fire in the  fireplace that DH got going  this morning made the choice soooo very easy. I must confess that we use "crackle logs" in the fireplace for our ambiance fires....to conserve our very precious (and expensive) firewood for the wood stoves. A gently crackling fire is one of my "soul" soothers, and I can get lost in the flames. There are times that to face some of the day's challenges my soul, or heart needs soothing.  When we originally planned our  16x20 cabin on our 6 acres here at Rosehaven Cottage , according to my DH..no matter what,  we were going to have a REAL fireplace.  Now, DH has always given me artistic license when it came to the decor or even remodeling in our homes..but I knew he was serious when HE got on the computer (he hates computers) and did a search and found a wholesale outlet for  buying  prefab fireplaces. I just about fell over!  He wasn't  just making suggestions...he meant business!  And I am so glad he did!  It is now the favorite place to sit and enjoy our mornings..or sit and chat when our friends come by for coffee. It is the heart of the "gathering room", as I call it now, for the original "cabin" grew into our cottage home.

Rosehaven  is our gift from God, for our little haven here in  this earthly life.  I know that the place He is preparing for me goes beyond anything we could plan or build or decorate, but I also know that His love for me includes a cottage and a cozy fire.

We are still finishing our cottage but are almost done on the inside. We have made lots of  choices over the last 3 years on doors, floors, paint, windows, and furnishings. Some things I made the final choice, and some DH chose, but I found out that he doesn't make such bad choices after all...and we have a cozy fireplace to prove it!

I am truly thankful for the fact that I have the freedom to make choices, and that I have an opportunity  to make the most of each day by the choices I make.

The choices we make can define us or condemn us.

My prayer is to make choices that honor God, show love and respect for  DH, that would be an example for my children and grandchildren,  a witness to my neighbor. That I would choose an attitude of forgiveness and thankfulness and choose to grow in grace. And to think that can this can happen sitting in front of that cozy fire as I surrender my heart/soul to be warmed by the God who loves even me!

One thing we have truly learned to love and enjoy since we began our lives here at Rosehaven Cottage are God's creatures, but most especially the variety of birds that have found their way to the feeders and suet that we provide. My DH has feeders at several areas around the cottage..but the one that we see the most "action" is the feeder tray right outside the livingroom windows. This morning as we sat drinking green tea in our cozy warm living room and seeing the action at the feeders, a ritual that has become a important start to each day as we consider what this day will bring whether home chores, ministry duties, or a day away, I was actually able to capture a pic of one of our resident flickers. They are not easy to get a picture of because at the first sense of danger..off they go into the trees or brush. We have a large variety of birds that visit these feeders..chickadees, nuthatches, grosbeaks, finches of several varieties, downy and hairy woodpeckers, juncos, quail, flickers...and more. The seem to know that someone, (my DH), is faithful to keep their food supply quite ample...and wait nearby patiently as he fills the feeders. I am reminded that in Matthew 6:25-27 Jesus tells us not to worry about our food or drink, or the clothing we wear for our Heavenly Father knows what we need and is faithful to supply it. He reminds us that the birds neither sow or spin...but that they are provided for and don't waste time worrying what the day will bring in the way of food and drink. It is easy to get into a worry mode when considering what the day will bring...how will WE make it happen..what can WE do...but through His creation we are reminded that in these situations..God's already taken care of it! We just need sometimes to patiently sit and wait as He fills the feeder (our hearts). Blessings to you in all that your future days bring.... Mumsie