Happy May, my dear blogging friends and family. If Spring has arrived in your part of the world, I hope nature is doing her thing and providing a restorative balance for you. Ahhhh, there’s nothing like the feeling of warm sunshine on our faces, fresh air in our lungs and being surrounded by Spring’s beauty. …
Welcome to my blog and Hope’s Homestead. It’s nice to see you. If you are new here, yah! If you haven’t been here in a while, you’re not alone as neither have I. Ha! You’d think that with the current state of the world, (everyone isolating at home due to the COVID-19 global pandemic) I’d …
“For last year’s words belong to last year’s language and next year’s words await another voice.”~ T.S. Eliot~ I started this post at the beginning of January but, alas, did not get around to finishing or posting it. Before I knew it. Chinese New Year had arrived, and once again, I lingered over the keys, …
Have you ever noticed when you do one thing, several other things fall into place at the same time? It’s kind of like the above quote, “A Manifesto for a Simple Life;” when we stress less for instance, we laugh more. Recently, it occurred to me that by becoming a more sustainable family; growing our …
Triple Berry No Sugar Muffins and Five Easy Things to Help Our Planet Read More »
Does this post’s title make you hungry? I know it’s a lot of food all in one place but we need serious comfort food around here. It snowed last night. Again! Now, don’t get me wrong, I appreciate living in a climate where there are four seasons, but this year, I’ve had enough snow. I’m …
Shepherd’s Pie, Cornmeal Muffins, Berry Coffee Cake Read More »
My mom loved to smile. Even though she was a child who lived through the tough depression years, even though she was a young woman during World War Two, even though she became a widow at 39, and was left to care for her daughters, she learned the art of smiling. Random Fact: If you …
“New Year’s Day. A fresh start. A new chapter in life waiting to be written. New questions to be asked, embraced and loved. Answers to be discovered and then lived in this transformative year of delight and self-discovery. Today, carve out a quiet interlude for yourself in which to dream, pen in hand. Only dreams …
Pumpkin Cake Roll and a New Year, a New Day, a New Chapter Read More »
“How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.” ~ Elizabeth Barrett Browing 1806-1861 Happy Valentine’s Day! Before this day of love flies by, I did want to stop, wave hi, wish you much love and share a delicious chocolate cake recipe. You may have a homemade classic that you love, but I have …
“How many lessons of faith and beauty we should lose, if there were no winter in our year!” ~Thomas Wentworth Higginsons~ That quote was written by a man who was a minister, author, abolitionist and soldier. He lived from December 22, 1823 until May 9, 1911 and spent much of his life, devoted to fighting …
For there is no friend like a sister in calm and stormy weather. To cheer one on the tedious way, To fetch one if one goes astray. To lift one if one totters down, To strengthen whilst one stands ~Christina Rossetti~ The above piece was written by an English poet, who lived …
~There is always enough, when love is present~ The long, lazy days of summer are still with us but our roosters are not. It was a sad day when we had to say goodbye to our three roos. Knowing they were going to a good home in the country made us feel marginally better. …
Before you were born I carried you under my heart. From the moment you arrived in this world until the moment I leave it, I will always carry you in my heart. ~Mandy Harrison What devoted blog readers you are to come and visit today. Thank you! I’m sorry I haven’t …
The light is changing in my part of the world. The days are getting longer, warmer and I am opening gently, like the first blossoming flowers in spring. I’ve watched the changing seasons for many years now, the lines on my face etched like a wrinkled road map, showing all the places I’ve traveled, but …
We all experience pivotal moments in our lives. Moments we cross the threshold of believing a certain way, and suddenly an event occurs in our lives and we are inexplicably changed forever. One such event occurred in my life, four years ago today, on February 28, 2012. I was at my son Harrison’s grade 7 …
I’d like to share a story I wrote several years ago. This is the 50th Christmas since my Dad left the earth and it seems like a fitting tribute. This is for you Dad, my shining star and for my mother, who has now joined him and also guides me on my journey. Hope is …
“Life is a gift”~William Reynolds I love the mysteries in life. I also love the magic that occurs when everything falls perfectly into place and the mystery is revealed and it is NEVER as I thought it would be. At the end of November my sister C had a birthday. Since she lives a long …
Healthy Chocolate Cupcakes/Chocolate Mocha Icing~The Gift~ Read More »
“Not till we are lost, in other words not till we have lost the world, do we begin to find ourselves, and realize where we are and the infinite extent of our relations.” ~Henry David Thoreau, quote from Walden~ I’m one of those writers that needs to totally immerse herself in life to have anything …
A life without love is like a year without summer. ~Swedish Proverb Spring literally flew by for me with hardly a moment to think, let alone time to reflect and write a blog post. I missed you all though. I started working at my gardening gig on Earth’s day, April 22nd. An appropriate day to …
What does being a mom and brownies have in common? They are both SWEET! Today is my first born daughter’s birthday. Her 25th Birthday to be exact. Happy Birthday Alyssa Rae! 25 Years ago I became a mom. Alyssa Rae at 6 months….pull out the camera and she smiles The road to motherhood started out …
Have you ever found a penny or a dime and felt that it was a sign just for you? If you have read my blog, you know that I have a thing for feathers. At least I used to find feathers all the time when I was on the journey to having our children. Every …
“Hence I cannot be silent, and indeed I ought not to be, about the many blessings and the great grace the Lord has deigned to bestow on me.” ~Saint Patrick~ And oh, like St. Patrick’s quote above, “I’ve been surely blessed!” Stepping away from de-cluttering for a moment, to celebrate the up and coming …
Irish Stew, Irish Soda Bread and Apple Sauce Cake Read More »
‘Tis the gift to be simple, ’tis the gift to be free, ’tis the gift to come down where we ought to be, and when we find ourselves in the place just right, ’twill be in the valley of love and delight. When true simplicity is gained to bow and to bend we shan’t be …
“Not all those who wander are lost.” ― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring As you may or may not know, I’m a HUGE Lord of the Ring fan. Well, maybe not as massive a fan as my daughter Alyssa, who could probably teach a University level course on Tolkien’s writing and Middle …
I had many creative ideas and things I wanted to share with all of you over the holidays but once December came, an avalanche of birthday parties, Christmas affairs, concerts and basketball games over took me. There really wasn’t even time for me to do my usual monumental baking fest. All I was able to …
Cranberry Bliss Bars and Eggnog Lattés~Happy Holidays Read More »
Welcome December and my busiest month of the year. Welcome to The Spa at Orchard Ridge As if this month isn’t busy enough, we have three children who all have birthdays in the next couple of weeks. We eat a lot of cake this month. Clark our oldest son, will turn 22 on December 20th …