mindfulness

The Boy

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The Fagan house had been pet-free since its creation.  You could often hear us saying, “No pets for us.  Pets just aren’t our thing.  Who really wants an animal living with them?  I mean, it’s an animal.  Yuck.”  Well.  Huh.  Let’s just say, that has changed.  Significantly.

I have talked about some of our pets in this space, and others have gone unmentioned.  But what is important for you to understand is this:  1.  We now have a lot of pets, all of whom have been adopted in the last year.  2.  Up until Saturday morning around nine o’clock, my husband had been surrounded by three human females, and a multitude of gal pals in creature form.

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Enter Pickles.  The first boy to grace our residence, and join Daddy in the ranks of male Fagans.

Now, Pickles may not look particularly manly, but this little guy has stolen my girls’ hearts for sure.  Welcome.

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The Making of a Home Shop

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I am so incredibly excited to announce the official opening of the Making of a Home Shop!  It has been nearly two years since I began writing this blog, and after a great deal of thought and consideration, I have decided to branch off and sell a few of the items I often discuss with you in this space.  I am so thankful for each and every one of you who join me here each day, and I hope you enjoy the new and exciting things I have in the works for Making of a Home.

Come on in, and welcome to the Making of a Home Shop!

Our Summer Kitchen

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With the garden flourishing, there is a lot of action in our summer kitchen.  Thank goodness for the cool temperatures that graced us last week!  It made the whole idea of standing over multiple pots of boiling liquid all day a lot more tolerable.

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Grandpa Dit’s Bread and Butter Pickles were first on the to-do list.  One of my favorite canning goodies.

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Preserving sweet peppers for winter.  I take the time now to dice the peppers, and then freeze them in plastic freezer bags.  Then in the winter I can just pull them out and add them to anything calling for some sweet pepper love.

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A new one for us: Jalapeño Jam.  It sure smelled good while making it.  I guess we will see how it tastes in a few weeks.  Fingers crossed.

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After harvesting our rhubarb, I chop it up and freeze it in freezer bags so we can enjoy this spring and summer treat all winter long.

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Our tomatoes are finally starting to ripen.  I must say, our tomatoes are kind of lack luster this year, which is very disappointing because putting by tomatoes is my most favorite produce to preserve.  But here is one nice sized basket I was able to garner from the garden last week.  I made tomato sauce with this collection, and then froze it in our deep freeze for the winter months when throwing pasta in a pot and adding a jar of homemade tomato sauce is just what those little school girls want for dinner.

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B.L.T.s  I would be hard pressed to find anyone who does not think this sandwich tops the list of greatest summertime foods.  The bread is from Banana Cherry Bakery, the bacon is from the hog we purchased from this farmer, the tomatoes are from our garden, and topped off with a touch of homemade mayo.  (I use Jamie Oliver’s mayonnaise recipe from this cookbook.)  Oh my.  Delicious.

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And we all know that when you eat those salty B.L.T.s you need something sweet after, right?  We whipped up a batch of this amazing cinnamon sugar popcorn.  Wow. It has quickly become a staple at our snack times this week.

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The makings of our dinner from last night, and breakfast this morning.  I love the fullness that this time of year brings.  Such garden abundance is truly a blessing.

At This Moment

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At this moment, I am…

~labeling all kinds of school supplies.  I still cannot believe school starts this week.  Where has this summer gone?  My stomach is churning as I think about it.

~harvesting rhubarb from our garden.  I’m hoping to whip up some rhubarb squares later this afternoon. Yum.

~transforming a portion of our playroom into a library for my little book-lovers.  More on this revamped space later this week.

~re-reading Catching Fire.  Oh my.  I forgot how much I love this book.

~loading up the van with needed supplies for the school garden.  We are setting up an outdoor classroom space today, just in time for the start of the new school year.

~wishing we could add some more days (or weeks really) to this fleeting summer.

~hoping each of you has a wonderful start to your week.

Taking It All In

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It is hard to believe that in just over a week my little girls will be beginning another school year.  I must say, I am definitely not one of those parents who is happy when the school year begins anew.  In fact, I am finding that twist in the pit of my stomach forming.  That feeling of not wanting my girls to be away from me for the better part of each day.

So for that reason, I am going to step away from this space for the week and just enjoy home.  I want to be fully present in each moment of this week and relish in the goodness that is being nestled in with my little ones, enjoying what is left of this wonderful summer.

May you all have a lovely week, holding those dear ones close to you.

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Kairos

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Kairos—“a right, opportune, or supreme moment in which something special and unique happens”

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If you are so inclined, share a link to your “Kairos Moment” in the comment section.  I hope you all have a blessed weekend!

Cherry Pomegranate Frozen Yogurt

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It seems that it has been some time since I have shared one of my recipes in this space, so today is the day my friends.  Today I bring you yet another of our family’s experiments with a cow’s milk dairy free recipe.  My girls just love this frozen yogurt recipe I concocted, and I hope you and your family enjoy it as well.  It is incredibly simple, so you can whip it up on no time for a fun, summer snack.

Cherry Pomegranate Frozen Yogurt

10 oz dark sweet cherries (these can be fresh or frozen and thawed)

1/2 cup honey

1 cup 100% juice pomegranate juice

1 cup yogurt (We use goat’s milk yogurt, but any yogurt would work great.)

Add the cherries and honey to a blender.  Blend until smooth.  Next add the juice and the yogurt.  Pulse a few times in the blender until combined.  Pour the mixture into your ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.  Enjoy!

*A note about all my recipes:  I use all organic ingredients, local when available.  I use non-homogenized milk, and all of the dairy we use is from animals raised on pasture. I also use oils that are non-GMO verified.  All our meat is raised locally on organic feed, and our beef is grass-fed, grass-finished.  All our spices and cane sugar are fair-trade certified and purchased through a cooperative.

Eczema-Friendly Soap

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A member of our family has been struggling with eczema for a very long time, so I began researching natural remedies for this ailment.  In my research, I found that coconut-based products help to moisturize the dry skin of eczema, and many essential oils are found to relief many of eczema’s symptoms.  Now please remember, I am by no means a medical professional, but this soap (which has only been in use a few days now), seems to be helping to give some relief.

Eczema-Friendly Soap 

2 pounds Melt and Pour Soap Base (I use this Goat’s Milk Soap Base.)

1/4 cup organic coconut oil

2 teaspoons fresh chopped lavender

2 teaspoons fresh chopped rosemary

5 drops cedarwood essential oil

10 drops patchouli essential oil

5 drops clary sage essential oil

5 drops tea tree essential oil

10 drops lavender essential oil

5 drops rosemary essential oil

a shallow pot or saucepan

a glass bowl

wooden spoon

soap molds (You can purchase these at your local craft store or here.)

Fill the pot or saucepan half full with water.  Bring to a simmer.  Place the glass bowl in the pot of water to create a double boiler of sorts.  Place the melt and pour soap base in the glass bowl, along with the coconut oil.  Stir the base and coconut oil with a wooden spoon until it melts.  Remove the bowl from the heat and mix in the fresh herbs.  Then add the essential oils and stir.  Allow the mixture to cool just slightly (enough to thicken the mixture just a bit).  Pour into your molds.  Allow to rest until completely cool.  Remove the soap from the molds.  Enjoy!