a muffin & powdered greens.

 Aspire to live quietly,

and to mind your own affairs,

and to work with your hands.

I Thessalonians 4:11

*

on a recent early morning i came across

a recipe for apple-oat muffins and decided to give

it a try. once the hubs was awake and 

settled in his comfy chair in the

loft, coffee in hand, i set to work. 

the recipe calls for oat flour. 

i have oats in the pantry 

thanks to Azure Standard 

so i simply put some in my food processor,

grinding to a fine powder.

(no need to purchase the flour)

if you have a fancy dancy high powered

blender it'll be quicker job

than a food processor.

the recipe came from Gimme Some Oven

which i'll link at the bottom of this post.

i did make a slight alteration of using

whole milk rather than almond milk.

the muffins were wonderful

and i'll gladly make them again.

one addition i'll make at that time

is raisins along with the apple.

a pat of butter on the muffin, along with a small

dish of greek yogurt mixed with protein powder

and topped with raspberry fruit spread,

and a cut up mandarin orange..

enjoyed while doing my devotions.

last summer's harvest 

{from my garden & farmer's market}

was enjoyed in its fresh state

and i decided to make good use of the

remaining leaves. no sense in tossing.

you've most likely seen and possibly

even purchased *super greens* or similar

products - a good way to add more greens

to your foods - baked goods or smoothies.

i dehydrated and vacuum sealed the greens

then into the pantry they went. 

i used them here and there through

autumn and winter:

soups and baked goods.

this morning

i chose to condense the lot into one

jar by making the greens into a powder

mentioned above. easy peasy!

no longer have i the

need to purchase powdered greens

as a nutrition aid.

a big plus is that it came mostly from our

garden ..... with a couple from

the farmer's market. 

an additional plus being i used

the entire plant. no waste.

here are the empties:

swiss chard, beet leaves, kale, carrot,

sorrel, bok choy, radish leaves

our swiss chard grew SO well last summer,

i plan on growing double 

the amount this coming season.

and here is the 1.5 pint jar holding the powder.

you can see the layers before i mixed it up.

nearly 3 cups of edible greens

a scoop at a time.

thankful.

thinking a protein shake of

blueberries, banana and greens

would be yUm on a warm day

lounging on the front deck in early afternoon.

or on the back deck in morning

after tending my garden plots.

... planning ahead ...

thank you for visiting, friends.

hoping your day brings unexpected joys.

with love,

.sherry.

below is the link for the apple-oat muffins.

sure hope you try the recipe.

if you do, let me know. :)

there's a butternut squash muffin recipe

i plan on trying soon. i have a few butternuts

still to use up so will roast the squash

for a meal then use what's left over 

for the muffins.

Apple Oat Muffins

the day the doves returned.

having washed my first mug 

{my first for there was another - later}

which held precious liquid life,

i glanced out the window toward our back property..

a lone stellar blue jay, hungrily noshing at the area

my hubs spilled bird seed the other day.

i'm not a fan of jays.

they're loud... rude... bullish...

and squawk like nails on a chalk board.

i don't think kind thoughts of those winged beasts 

except for their coloring : intense blue

against black. that, i love.

but later today the doves returned,

not being seen since november.

over a dozen as i counted.

junco's have also returned.

they're darling wee things

and get along quite well with the doves.

i welcomed them, both species.

notice i did not welcome the jay.

wink.

lots of puttery type to-do's today.

sorted through my closet and put articles

aside to donate to a thrifty place.

a gal a few doors up the road owns

such a place in a nearby town.

into the sack they go..

and up to her cabin

when the sack is full.

she's a sweetie.

near every morning,

and sometimes in inclement weather

we see her walking up the road

with her trusted canine coming up the rear.

his name is hercules.

he's a precious lug of an old pooch

who adores the ground his 'mama' walks.

early supper today as the hubs had business

this afternoon 30 miles north 

then will stay in town for wednesday night service.

we spend loads of time together breathing the same

air so once in a while it's nice to be alone and complete

a few tasks on my own. he appreciates time

alone as well so i do try to make that happen.

then we end up missing one another

and chat about our respective days.

in january i picked up a book at another 

'little library' in our village, not my 'little library.'

A Delayed Life by Dita Kraus

the powerful memoir of 

the librarian of auschwitz

474 pages and i could only read a few chapters

or sometimes a few pages here and there as 

there were projects and to-do's to do which

take up more time than expected. sometimes.

and to be honest... there are portions

of the book which are difficult to absorb,

as you can well imagine based on the title.

regardless, i'm here to say it's a most excellent

memoir and i highly recommend taking the time

to read it. i also recommend you have a hot cup of your

favorite beverage at your side. and a tissue or ten,

for if you've a heart you'll also have a tear.

"I like canceled plans and empty bookstores.

I like rainy days and quiet coffee shops.

I like messy beds and overworn pajamas.

I like the small joys that a simple life brings."

~cottage whimsy~

i agree with all that. except.

i don't like a messy bed.

*

sometimes the light hits right

and i must simply snap a picture

to be reminded of the beauty residing

in my life.. in my home.

ever thankful.

much is happening in my life at present,

some of which i'll not go into for it's private

and i haven't received approval to share.

other things are as follows:

* a dear friend is marrying and i'm in the wedding

as matron of honor. i'm so very happy for her and her

wonderful fiancé. how thoughtful God is in bringing

two people together in their 60's. precious are His ways.

* this last weekend we celebrated the bride with

a bridal blessing brunch. the turnout was terrific,

the food yummy and the gifts so incredibly thoughtful.

* the wedding is in March. we're praying for NO snow.

March is known as a big snow month in these parts.

i've heard of a 'rain dance.' 

is there a 'no snow dance' as well?

if so, this old gal will dance!

* also in March is a women's brunch at which

i'll be speaking on the subject of contentment.

as the date draws near i look forward to how

God speaks to my heart and leads me in

preparation. if you've a mind to pray, please do.

for me - and for the women in attendance.

*

it's lighter later these days.

nearly 6pm as i complete this blog post

and the light is just beginning to wane.

i'll flip the porch light on for the hubs,

will make a snack and sit down to read

a few chapters of the next book on my list.

until next time,

.sherry.

 

a cup new to me, etc.

.love the giver.

a sweet friend recently gifted me this cup

and i so appreciate her thoughtfulness.

it's all fancy and held my afternoon

liquid life perfectly.

.love the giver.

not the greatest picture but golly it was delish.

into the cast iron went a pat of bacon grease..

diced bell peppers, onion and crumbled bacon

jumped in to join the party then eggs,

s&p, dried parsley and a good pinch of 

red pepper flakes. yUm.

a small piece of rustic bread,

and a restaurant-ware mug of liquid life.

excellent start to my day.

snow, rain, wind, chill.

"Minimize the amount of news you are exposed to. 

We ought to guard the quiet of our minds... 

We do not need to know everything.. 

Quiet news and peaceful happenings bring cheer. 

Let us bring cheer to our homes and not spread distressing troubles."

Mrs. White

Legacy of Home blog

*     *     *

"My flesh and my heart fail,

but God is the strength of my heart

and my portion forever."

Psalm 73:26

*     *     *

i'm thankful for quiet days, these days.

love,

.sherry.

 

bits..

monday is german pancake day. 

this time i added a pint of 

home-canned spiced apples

to the batter and goodness

me it was good. 

a bit of bacon and a 

dusting of powdered sugar

and of course maple syrup

sealed the deal. 

Mmm

my mill was busy..

grinding wheat berries to flour

for a few loaves of bread. 

proofing. 

and done. best bread I’ve made yet. 

two in the deep freeze and one in the 

counter will take care of us

for few weeks. 

I love the hutch my hubs built. 

Making a few alterations to the decor..

just wee changes but every time 

I take time to view it I love it more. 

“Pray that we may have a government that will do that which is right and not guided by evil.”

Charles Spurgeon

this quote by Spurgeon 

I’m taking to heart. 

* * *

a recent paw 🐾 imprint sighting. 

it’s the size of my palm. we do have

a neighborhood “kitty” so thinking 

that’s the case. a BIG kitty. 

hoping your day is swell. 

love,

.sherry.

 

january happenings.

 

"Sunday mornings are proof that caffeine

and optimism are a match made in heaven."

..unknown..

hm. unsure how this picture blur happened

but i'm loving it none the less. sometimes

mistakes turn into blessings. 

i'll gladly consider this a blessing.

i prefer landscape shots a bit blurry,

especially if the windshield is dotted

in snow or rain, or the sky fogged.

one morning in january..

fried egg and bacon

avocado toast

with

yum

one chilly willy late afternoon called

for beef and barley soup.. home canned

except for the barley added while simmering.

a bit of planning months beforehand makes for 

a warming and nutritious meal in a jiffy.

fresh milled wheat bread went along with

the soup nicely. such a comforting meal.

spur of the moment coddiwomple adventure

took us to a bit lower elevation.. we were 

thrilled for the opportunity to get away in

our trailer. it was warm.. 20+ degrees warmer

than our mountain village. the thaw was on. 

i love pretty napkins, paper or otherwise.

paper for the trailer, both paper and linen

for Haven Haus. these pretties were picked

up locally at the mercantile, the sweetest

shop in our miniscule main street.

our view was beautiful and the rv sites

very large. breakfasts in the trailer as well

as one dinner. but it was such a treat to 

eat at restaurants too! four times restaurants!

i cook. a lOt! so eating out is swOonie.

restaurants included

American, Thai and Chinese.

beautiful views all the way home.

.......... * ..........

"Blessed is the crisis that made you grow,

the fall that made you gaze up to heaven,

the problem that made you look for God."

..St. Pio of Pietrelcina..

i found the above quote to be quite 

the hug to my heart. if the crisis

brings you to your knees,

worship there.

rest in His embrace.

.......... * ..........

"And her secret was this.

She never stopped praying."

..unknown..

at times those prayers sound like

a desperate, strangled 'help!'

other times heartfelt praise.

and still other times

a meaningful chorus of petition

for others, for you. 

it's all prayer.

it's all grace.

His grace,

over all.

a coddiwomple off-road escape .. of sorts:

with fresh snow blanketing the ground

and dusting the needles on pines,

we took off in the jeep for a tour 'round

a favorite lake a bit higher in elevation

than Haven Haus. pity for us that someone else

had the same idea, leaving ruts for us to

follow. how grand to be the first

to leave those ruts.. i applaud their

spontaneous jaunt through this

winter wonderland.

*

until next time, 

.take care - - - to take care.

with love,

.sherry.

new year * new mercies

such a cliche to say,

"i can't believe it's 2025!"

it's true though, isn't it?

time is passing so fast.

as such, the following

scripture holds true in the life

of the believer:

"So teach us to number our days,

that we may gain a heart of wisdom."

Psalm 90:12

*

the pictures in this post are all

coddiwomple. sometimes life is like that.

and while not in the order i planned,

they're simply bits and pieces of an 

overall quiet life at Haven Haus.

"Aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own

affairs, and to work with your hands."

I Thessalonians 4:11

coffee plays an important role in my life and

drinking it from a non-ugly cup is paramount.

we invited a couple over for sunday dinner.

a spontaneous little sunday dinner party of sorts.

their contribution was a delicious brown bread

using fresh milled wheat, cocoa and molasses.

there was leftover bread so i made it into crumb

for casserole topping or meatloaf/meatball ingredient.

such a rich flavor - i'm looking forward to using it soon.

they brought dessert too. i think she called it

lemon smash (from smitten kitchen). 

golly that was delicious. a treat for sure!

our meal consisted of:

roast chicken, potato wedges, green beans with bacon

Christmas involved some rather rich foods.

(you'll get to that bit of info later in the post)

on the 27th i chose to make a meatless meal

of pasta with a bit of asiago-romano, and a salad.

using 00 flour and eggs, i worked up a dough,

kneaded, rolled out, sliced .. made for a good amount

of pasta. i like a thinner pasta but didn't want

to get my manual pasta machine out so i 

used my manual arms and hands along with

my great grandmother's rolling pin

to complete the task at hand.

it. was. delicious.

that is all.

the hubs brought me flowers.

swOon. i love baby's breath.

i love him & think i'll keep him.

the hutch the hubs built - at Christmas.

it's 8ft by 8ft. holds all my pretties

on the top portion

and hides my kitchen appliances

'neath the curtain.

simple Christmas decor.. not too much

else out than what you see.

works for us just fine.

Christmas dinner for the two of us.

prime rib with a cabernet reduction, 

whipped potatoes,

home-canned green beans with onion,

bacon, vinegar. oh-my-goodness.

chocolate mousse.

so. rich. a small dollop was plenty.

pecan pie.

made with maple syrup - not karo.

we enjoyed a white Christmas. certainly not 

the amount of snow we're accustomed to

but golly we'll take it. this is the view

from the loft looking down upon

my greenhouse.

Christmas cactus blooming ..

next to the hubs chair - he tends it

for he knows i have *thumbs of death*

when it comes to inside plants.

chicken meatballs portioned for the deep freeze.

easy peasy to take out what's needed for a 

simple meal for us or to share.

.. nothing like the aroma of fresh milled

and baked bread. one in the kitchen,

the other two in the freezer.

last year .. er .. the year before last year,

or ..... lasteryear as our daughter used to say

as a wee little girlie (i miss her. so. much.).

lasteryear, we took a jeep ride further up

the mountain, minutes from our home

scouting a Christmas tree, when we came upon

this dilapidated cabin. oh the stories it

could tell, i'm sure. such a beautiful spot.

back to the coffee thing... 

i typically have an afternoon mug. 

do you?

my favorite dear deer, a few vintage bulbs,

rope tinsel, and a collection of my

great-grandmother's pictures that once

framed a lovely mirror situated above her

davenport. remember referring to a couch or sofa

as a davenport? am i dating myself? most likely.

great-grandma's davenport, if i remember right,

was a deep green floral print, very cushy cozy

perfect for a little naparoonie or simply a place

to curl up next to her or my mom.

my sweet sister shirley has the mirror,

it's perfectly placed in her home.

He said to them,

"But who do you say that I am?"

Peter answered and said to Him,

"You are the Christ."

{Mark 8:29}

the days of cozying up near the fire,

of hot cocoa, reading, good documentaries

on the tube, planning for the new year

for travels and projects, garden and goods.

the picture above is also currently the header picture

for this little corner of blogdom. taken i think in March '23.

we're not having a deep snow sort of winter. yet.

this snow depth was over 5 feet .. as a woman of just under 5'2"

if i stand very straight ..... i had to hold my

camera above my head to catch the depth and

see to our neighbor's roofline. golly.

ah yes .. that afternoon blend in a lovely

vintage cup & saucer. 

*

i do hope this first day of the new year finds you

awash in anticipation with what God has planned for you.

be aware of His presence, how much He loves you,

and surrender yourselves in how He leads you through these

next days, months, into even the next new year.

the path may seem uncomfortable, even full of

trepidation .. but we have a faithful Lord at the helm.

we can fully trust in His tender keeping.

no.. matter.. what..

"Unless you renounce and subjugate your own will,

unless you forget yourself and all that pertains to yourself,

not one step will you advance."

~ St. John of the Cross ~

with love,

.sherry.