Small Beginnings

Dreary days often come to Blueberry Barn. 

Clouds full of rain, dark gloomy seas...it's no wonder on days like those I hide under my quilts and don't want to venture out of bed. 

The other day was one such dreary scene when we awoke to the wind chimes outside making a clamoring noise from the wind and rain. On a day such as that one there was nothing to do but stay inside and busy one's self. 

And so, I started a new project:

I had been wanting to try my hand at English paper piecing for a while, and a sad rainy day was just the start I was looking for. 

Rummaging through one of my many craft bins, I found some fabric that had once been meant for a Christmas project (until Christmas came too quickly). My most favorite colors, aqua and bright red, made up the floral patterns, and I decided this would be the perfect fabric to use.

There's only one real downside to paper piecing, it takes quite a long time. Once I got the hang of the sewing it went more quickly, but I've worked on them for several nights now and I only have about sixty made. That doesn't bother me though, it is simply a small beginning. 

Before I know it I'll have little hexagons everywhere, just waiting to be made into a quilt!

Thankfully, the next day dawned bright and sunny. The fresh rain from the day before cast a luster on the trees and grass, making Greta especially wet as she went about roaming the yard.

Small beginnings are happening everywhere:

The blueberry bushes in the woods surrounding the Barn have lost most of their blossoms and instead sport tiny green berries. It will be a few months yet for the berries to be ripe, but the bears - and the rest of us - are excited.

We took Greta out for a walk and I took my trug and shears to clip some green blueberry brush for the kitchen. Stems of bright green leaves make it feel like Spring indoors, even if its pouring outside.

A new pitcher was the perfect thing for green branches. Greta agreed, of course!

From Emily's poetry book:

It's a time for small beginnings
in the garden of the world.

Where apple trees and blueberries

will soon have leaves uncurled.

The flowers too with buds anew

will one day open full.

And at home I'll start my quilting,

with a brand new thread to pull.

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Mail & Breakfast

Mail is a wonderful thing.

Yesterday I found some very beautiful mail in my mailbox from a dear new friend, Jaclyn. Decorated all over with roses and flowers, I almost didn't want to open it!

(Indeed, I left it sitting out on the counter - unopened - for most of the morning because I loved looking at it.)

So that morning I deemed it right to send out some pretty mail myself.

Tasha Tudor had a mile long driveway to walk everyday to her mailbox, and though my driveway isn't a mile long, I do have a corgi to accompany me!

I absolutely love sending and receiving mail. I think it is a lost art that is slowly dying out in our fast culture. So you should send some mail today! Really, a thank you note, a little card telling a friend that you're thinking of them, all you need is a stamp and an envelope. And please tell me if you do!

Because finding a letter or a card in your mailbox (amongst all those boring bills) is a true delight.

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Later that day I decided to make one of my most favorite bread recipes. Last summer I had made it quite often (almost every week), but throughout the fall and winter I had prepared other recipes instead.

Like most bread recipes, this one has a rising time, but it's one of the easiest breads to make - I promise! Its an amazing recipe for English Muffin Bread, the only downside is that you'll want to eat it all day long, and not just for breakfast toast!

Another good thing about the recipe is that it doesn't have to bake for a long time, which means it's out of the oven and in your tummy much faster. Haha!

The bread came out wonderfully, so wonderfully that Quinn and I couldn't wait for the next morning to eat some of it. We had some with dinner and oh, how yummy it was!

The next morning of course I had it for toast, and - feeling quite old-fashioned with a new lace robe I received from Abigail for my birthday - I decided to make a pretty breakfast tray for myself while I read my Bible.

Of course, with the smell of toast and hot tea, Greta wanted a taste too. 

Though, she did seem more interested in the tulips...

If you'd like to make your own English Muffin Bread, I'll share the recipe below. It's from my favorite cookbook, the Better Homes & Gardens Cook Book, I hope you try it and enjoy it like I have!

English Muffin Bread

From the Better Homes & Gardens Cook Book

Cornmeal

6 cups all-purpose flour

2 packages active dry yeast

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups milk

1/2 cup water

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1.) Grease two 8x4x2-inch loaf pans. Lightly sprinkle pans with enough cornmeal to coat bottom and sides; set pans aside.

2.)In a large mixing bowl combine 3 cups of the flour, the yeast, and baking soda; set aside. In a medium saucepan heat and stir milk, water, sugar, and salt just until warm (120F to 130F). Using a wooden spoon, stir milk mixture into flour mixture. Stir in remaining flour.

3.) Divide dough in half. Place dough in prepared pans. Sprinkle tops with cornmeal. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double in size (about 45 minutes). 

4.) Bake in a 400F oven about 25 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately remove bread from pans. Cool on wire racks. Eat as is or toasted with lots of butter or jam. 

From Emily's poetry book:

Breakfast comes but once a day

with toast and jam and tea.

But also for lunch and supper?

Oh, that would be great indeed!

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A Birthday

I'm not sure quite when it happened, but sometime when I was in high school I realized my favorite dessert (which would forever appear on my birthday) was not cake, it was pumpkin pie.

For years I had loved pumpkin pie at its proper time in the year, Autumn. But why on earth could you not have pumpkin pie at different times? After all, the orange cans of pumpkin that were in full force near Thanksgiving were still sold the rest of the year (just hidden down the baking aisle).

Saturday, April 23rd, I became 25. Quinn and I had spent the previous night in our little kitchen, he mixing ingredients while I prepared the pie crusts. It really didn't feel like my birthday was the next day...after all, the best birthday present ever had been given to me weeks before hand in the form of a corgi! But I'll take any excuse to eat pumpkin pie.

In case you're wondering, when I blew out the candle I wished for another corgi. 

I had an amazing birthday, filled with lots of wonderful friends and family and one cute corgi puppy. I feel very blessed, and so happy that I have so many wonderful people in my life who love me. Birthdays are wonderful in the fact that they show you how much you have to be thankful for.

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"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" 

Jeremiah 29:11

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Pretty Maids all in a Row

I am the sort of girl who saves all of her money and never spends it. Ever. It took a dear friend in college to tell me I needed to have fun once in a while. Of course all my stores of money flew out the window when I got married (marriage has this way of pushing you right out into adulthood, no matter if you think you're ready for it, and no matter if you think you really need a couch). Nowadays I find myself with one thing on my mind, and that thing is dresses.

I adore dresses, especially ones who's vintage and retro appeal make me long for a big band playing some swing music to dance to. I also love cute patterned frocks and house dresses, which make me want to roll up my sleeves and get the cleaning done! And then one day I happened upon my now favorite Etsy store Marilla's Apparel, and my already depleted bank account took another hit...

{A screenshot I took from the 2011 movie}

Mia, who is the shop owner, is absolutely amazing and the styles of her dresses make my heart skip a beat in joy! There is a whole list of things I look for in clothing, but at the top is modesty, and Mia's wardrobe of fashionable dresses fits that to a T!
What I loved about this dress in particular was the white lace collar and the sleeves. It wasn't until I was watching one of my favorite movies, Jane Eyre, that I realized why I had liked the dress so much. It was the same as several dresses in the movie!

{Taken from IMDB}

{Taken from IMDB}

I guess now I have a reason to run around on the moors and pretend my one true love has lied to me and been married to another!

...Or maybe I'll just do my hair like Jane's and call it good. I don't think Quinn would like me running out to the tide flats at strange hours of the morning.  

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The other day my husband Quinn and I took my sister-in-law's senior photos out at a local garden. Abigail had spent the whole morning curling her amazing golden hair, and she looked like an angel as she danced across the green lawns of the garden. Her dress was found in a tiny shop all the way down in Sedona, Arizona on a recent trip there.

None of us had been to the garden before, and the flowers were more than beautiful! It had rained the whole way out to the gardens, and we prayed and prayed that the Lord would hold back the rain for Abby's photos. We were so thankful as we stepped out of the car and found that the rain was mostly over, and that sunshine was replacing the gray clouds!

I can't believe Abigail is already graduating, it seems like a short time ago that we were meeting for the first time (back when she was in 8th grade!).

After most of the senior photos had been taken, we walked around and admired the flowers.

From Mother Goose:

Mary, Mary, quite contrary,

how does your garden grow?

With silver bells, 

and cockle shells, 

and pretty maids all in a row!

To end our photo session, we made a stop at one of the prettiest places in all of Juneau: The Shrine of Saint Therese. After Abby was tired of smiling (who could blame her?) we made our way into the sanctuary and sang "You Raise Me Up" together. 

There is nothing quite as special as the love of a sister.

"But let all who take refuge in You be glad, let them ever sing for joy; and may You shelter them, that those who love Your name may exult You." 

Psalm 5:11

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P.S. - On the day that this is posted (Saturday) it will be my birthday! Expect a post with dear friends and pumpkin pie - my favorite dessert - soon. Have a wonderful Saturday!

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A Pretended Spring

As I went about my early morning chores yesterday morning, I was filled with excitement for the day. The sun was shining, and I simply couldn't wait to go outdoors and plot around the sunny landscapes.

As I took those first few steps outside (though, it wasn't to explore, it was to shake out the kitchen rugs) Greta followed behind me and we both agreed it was beautiful!



So I guess it would stand to reason that I would have the following song stuck in my head for the rest of the day. It sure felt like Spring to me!

But, as I happily skipped around the garden with Greta, my dear mother-in-law confided in me the sad truth: there had been frost everywhere that early morning. Quinn reiterated the story, there had been a thick layer of frost over the yard.

Did this faze me? No. I skipped around anyway and pretended it was truly Spring.

In Juneau, sunny days are few and far between. This day seemed like the perfect one to get Blueberry Barn looking ready for Spring! After a short walk down the lane, we found a little strand of willow trees. I clipped some of the thinner branches and Greta helped - sort of:



Two Autumns ago I made two heart-shaped wreaths for the front of the Barn, but they were looking rather old and worse for wear. It was time for something new! This year, I decided to do regular circles.

With patience I sat out in the sunshine weaving the new wreaths. When the wild flowers start growing I'll thread their blooms through the willow and decorate them, but for now they'll grace the front of the Barn as they are!




With some of the extra snips of willow, I decided I'd make a mini heart wreath (because who doesn't love a heart-shaped anything?). It turned out so cute I would have to put it in a place of honor!

From Mother Goose:

Daffy-down-dilly has come to town,

In a yellow petticoat and a green gown.

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Now because it was such a lovely day, Quinn and I decided a picnic was in order. 

"It will be our first picnic of the year!"

Now that was a happy proposition. So together we baked some cookies, packed some sandwiches, and off we went to our favorite little beach. Greta was sleepy from skipping around all morning outside, but she was excited to go somewhere she hadn't yet been. 

After a short jaunt through the trees, we found the perfect picnic spot. A sunny stretch of beach with a gentle breeze blowing in the salty air. 

Together we sat and ate our lunch - Greta too! - and afterwards we soaked up the sun and read fairy tales.

Greta, despite her happy face to the left, did not really enjoy the cold ocean waves. She was much happier in our arms than near the wet rocks.

As we sat, Quinn proposed that we have many, many more picnics, and I whole-heartedly agreed! Everyone should have more picnics in their lives, especially when there are nice sunny days to be had. Hopefully the Spring and soon-coming Summer will lend themselves to many sunny days.

Before you ask, yes, that is my darling husband Quinn.

What is he wearing, you ask?

Well, of course he's wearing his kilt! After all, if it was warm enough for me to wear a dress, it was warm enough for him to wear a skirt.

And doesn't he just look dashing?

I will admit it was a bit hard to go back home. 

If I could, I would have laid out in the sun all the rest of the evening...

The heavens are Yours, the earth is also Yours; 

The world and all it contains, You have founded them.

Psalm 89:11

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P.S. - Have you seen my About Me page? There's a fancy new video there now! I always like to imagine the person's voice when I read a blog, and I love hearing what they sound like in real life, so I thought I would make a little About Me video just for you. I hope you like it!

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Impromptu Tea Parties

When I was very little my parents would often read to me from a book of children's poetry. I had most of the poems memorized, and my favorite was the following by Jessica Nelson North:

I had a little tea party 

this afternoon at three.

Twas very small-

three guests in all-

just I, Myself, and Me.

Myself ate up the sandwiches,

while I drank up the tea;

Twas also I who ate the pie

and passed the cakes to Me.

I'm always up for a tea party, and it doesn't take much to inspire me to throw one. What inspired me today was my sister-in-law Laura. 

Yesterday as I helped her clean through her things, she gave me a new cupcake pan and a sweet little mini bundt pan as well! Of course I had to try out the new bundt pan, so this morning I flipped through my cook books to find the perfect recipe.

What I found was a simple sponge cake that I hadn't yet tried out, so apron on and spoon in hand I spent the morning making little bundt cakes!

But of course everyone needs a break (and the sponge cakes needed to cool), so after a morning of getting no attention at all (at least in her mind) Greta was ready for a walk. So off we went!

The weather had been very peculiar and it couldn't make up its mind between rain or sun, but it didn't bother us much.

Greta is now eleven weeks old and she has gotten so big since we first got her! Although my sisters are anxiously awaiting the arrival of a baby in our home (maybe someday...) I think they would agree that Greta is the perfect niece. My own mother calls Greta her grand-puppy!

On the way back up the trail to the Barn, we noticed that the salmon berry bushes were all blooming. Indeed, even the alder, willow, and skunk cabbage were showing off their bright green leaves! Spring has finally come to Juneau!

The salmon berry flowers were so pretty, I decided they would be the perfect garnish for my newly made cakes. And if we were having cakes decorated with flowers, there would have to be a tea party, don't you agree?

With a fresh picked bouquet, it was time to go plan a tea party!

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Unfortunately, I didn't have any guests to invite. My mother and sister-in-laws are not eating sugar, and my husband Quinn was sick with a sore throat. And myself being the baker that I am, my husband Quinn usually finds himself having to eat quite a few sweet things (though I don't think he has ever complained), so who I was to call on? Like the poem, I was going to be having a tea party for one.

But! Just as I put the final touches on my tea party cakes, I spied Abigail out the window. 

OH! It wouldn't hurt to ask, right?

Abigail told me that she wasn't eating a lot of sugar, so with a hop-skip-and-a-jump I had two cakes in her hand! One for her, and one for mom with strict instructions to give it to her even if all she did was look at it and admire the flowers. 

Luckily for me, Mom and Abigail were both so happy about the prospect of an impromptu tea party that they invited ME for tea! Although there are merits to having a personal tea party (eating all the cakes is a big plus), drinking tea with friends and dining on one (or two) cakes is always a better choice!

If you care for the recipe, here you are!

Hot Milk Sponge Cake 

From the Better Homes & Gardens Cook Book

2 eggs

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup milk

2 tablespoons butter

1.) Allow eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes (or put them in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes or until warm). Meanwhile, grease a 9x9x2-inch square baking pan; set pan aside. Stir together flour and baking powder; set aside.

2.) In a medium mixing bowl beat eggs with an electric mixer on high speed about 4 minutes or until thick. Gradually add sugar, beating on medium speed for 4 to 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add the flower mixture; beat on low speed until combined. 

3.) In a small saucepan heat and stir milk and butter until butter melts; add to batter, beating until combined. Pour batter into the prepared pan. 

4.) Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on a wire rack. 

I then made a powdered sugar icing by mixing powdered sugar and a little bit of milk together. I added pink food coloring to match the pink of the salmon berry flowers and a bit of almond extract just for fun. The perfect little tea cakes, I hope you enjoy!

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