We got a canoe again♡

Posted on October 4, 2021 by Russ Anthony

We use to canoe a lot back in ontario and we used it a lot. We have missed having one here. So we are going to restore this one this winter and get it into the waters in the spring. It’s so exciting.

Wordless Wednesday – September 29th

Posted on September 29, 2021 by Russ Anthony

Replacing the window that was there but was pretty crooked and warped.

Kitchen – what to do next

Posted on September 27, 2021 by Russ Anthony

Hi, just me, thinking about what is next on the list of homesteading, farmhouse movement, old fashioned living chores.

I got my apron on and I am thinking of the ways I am gonna put away 50 pounds of awesome carrots. To start….. dill carrots

They are made the same way my best dill pickle recipe is…. garlic, salt, dill, vinegar, water and a hot pepper. They are going to be so very good.

Next, probably pressure can a bunch in water with a smidgen of Himalayan salt. These carrots will be hugely versatile in so many applications. Stews, soups, as a side you name I they will be used. This way they won’t take up any space in the freezer.

After that, I will be grating a bunch and freezing them in one cup measurements to use for cake, loaf and muffins.

Some will also get dehydrated and put in a big jar for soups etc….. always a nice way to get some awesome rich taste.

Lastly, if I didn’t forget a use….. we will put a bunch in cold storage for use a fresh carrots into the winter.

We grew it all…. carrots, blue potatoes and chicken

So all in all not bad when it comes to all the ways you can store root vegetables for long term use.

Hope that you all have a terrific awesome week.

God Bless, Vanessa

Main floor demo

Posted on September 26, 2021 by Russ Anthony

We started the main floor renos very early this past year and have been plunging away at it. The back room that was our dinning room and temporary bathroom has now been opened up and has a new purpose and plan.

It was quite a messy process of taking down the old walls and ceiling…. but what a reward to see what we have in return.

We found a few interesting things in the walls and ceiling not to mention all the tunnels in the old sparse insulation.

Can’t wait to see what the end result will be♡

Wordless Wednesday- September 22

Posted on September 22, 2021 by Russ Anthony

We finished renovating the upstairs hallway earlier this year. We raised the height at the top of the stairs and created some beautiful crisp angles with the ceilings. Messy job but looks so nice. I also gave the floor a coat of paint.

Our nephew got married again…

Posted on September 20, 2021 by Russ Anthony

What to wear…..

We recently took part in our nephews wedding in rather of a sort of different way. Because of all the rules and mandates they originally got married in June, just a very small cohort of family because that was all they were allowed.

So they decided to get married on the original date and then with a bigger celebration later in the year when stuff opens up.

It wasn’t possible for us to travel to Ontario this month, September to see them get married in person so we watched online “live”.

So the big question was what to wear…..

We opted for something cozy and we settled in to watch Ryan & Kristina get married again in front of family and friends….. even looks like Carrie and her husband Chris made it all the way from the uk♡

It was a beautiful ceremony and and it brought back memories for us.

We wish them all the love and blessings as they embark on the biggest book of life with lots of amazing chapters. ❤ We love you both and welcome you to the Anthony family Kristina.

Vanessa (Russ too♡)

Winter Preparation Chores

Posted on September 18, 2021 by Russ Anthony

Yes, I did say the “w” word. It’s hard to believe but we are half way through September and we have a big homestead chore to finish.

We heat our house primarily with wood, so every year Matt or Joey delivers our logs. Rusty cuts them to the appropriate size and I usually load up the tractor and they get stacked.

This year Rusty is doing most of the wood chore, I am helping when I can but most of it is his responsibility. He has been hard at work cutting and stacking. We have about 2+ chord of wood through the basement window that just needs to be split and stacked. That will be my chore once most of the canning and preserving is done.

We do share the responsibility of getting the wood prepped and it is such a nice feeling when most of it is stacked and ready to go.

It was such a beautiful day today so while I worked on a few garden chores and some canning prep my awesome hubby stacked…♡♡

The grass has never been so green at this time of year.

In the last picture you can see my log splitter…. nifty little thing… makes great kindling too♡ Vanessa

Gardens – September

Posted on September 16, 2021 by Russ Anthony

There is some serious harvesting going on at the farm these days. We had a frost warning Tuesday night but we do live on a hilly part of the island. We threw a sheet over the basil patch and I harvested all afternoon. Basil made it…. so it wasn’t a big deal. There is of course so much more out there but I did what I could. This quite the haul and I shall be very busy in the the kitchen the next couple days. There is some work in the greenhouse to do but it will have to wait until I make a dent with all this beautiful food.