Monday, July 3, 2023

People are Amazing!

 Let's talk about the good in people!  

Saturday's I work at a farmers market.  One of my regulars didn't have enough cash so I let her go, with treats, and she could pay the following week.  She was very appreciative.  The customer after her, paid her tab.  I was thankful and know 1st customer will be this coming Saturday.

My neighboring vendor had a very similar experience as well with customers who don't know each other paying a bill.

Please seek out the good in people!  ðŸ¥°

Thursday, June 29, 2023

Welcome Back!

Almost two years since last post!  How to loose a few faithful reader in a flash of no words.  So much has changed in those two years, so let me "some up":
  • Ian has finished his associates degree from NOVA, with all A's.  He is finishing up registering for GMU and an education major.  He is still following his fun passions by interning the "theater camp" at church, leading worship for the college group, and plays with the church band.
  • Simon still enjoys working at Giant and practically full time.  Free time for him is videography and being a tech guy at church.
  • Kevin is still working for the Emmes Company, writing his own music, and playing with church band.  lol!!  Not much has change there.
  • For me,  many changes!  Since retiring from homeschooling May of 2021, I first got employed to sell dog treats for Chase Your Tail Bakery (in April actually).  I am in my third season and still enjoy the Farmers Market experience.  For a weekday job, I began at a preschool.  While learning a lot, ultimately it wasn't the best job for me.  As of now, I work at an HOA office three days a week and it is becoming more enjoyable the more I learn.
  • The blog was set up to help me remember joy, passion, growing in things that bring me joy and fill the artistic side of my brain.  These can be easily summed up in photography, painting, fixing small things (furniture, sewing, things that are rusting, etc.), reading, baking, canning, and growing flowers, herbs, and veggies.
  • Given the last bullet statement, will be mulling over how to show case a joy, a book, a project, or something unique.  Suggestions welcome.
  • Last but not least the photo is of some of my favorite flowers taken with my newest camera.

Thank you for taking time to read! Hope you find your own Joy!

Jennifer

Sunday, July 18, 2021

Anyone Else?

 Do you throw away egg shells?  Or do you clean them out, dry them, and use them for plants/compost?

Me ~ I am somewhere in between.  I tend to use them as a natural fertilizer, pest control, and additive to compost.  Sometimes I just rinse them out and gently rub the inside to help get rid of leftover egg, rinse again and let them air dry.  Sometimes, they'll get "baked" in a low temp oven, 200 - 225 degrees for 20 - 25 minutes.  Either way is important because it will deter animals that like raw eggs and help prevent various things caused by raw eggs.   Below are the current round of shells drying off.  Ignore the major need of caulking!  



Monday, July 12, 2021

Peach Sorbet?

 Oh my goodness!  Made peach sorbet this afternoon. It tastes awesome.  Here's the short version of how it was made:

  • 5 cups diced or sliced peaches with skins on
  • 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar

  • blended it all together in my ninja blender
  • then got it going in the Cuisinart ice cream machine
  • once thick, scooped into a bowl and covered it
  • let it sit in freezer until it is as hard as you'd like
Here is the link to the recipe I followed, loosely: https://www.aheadofthyme.com/3-ingredient-peach-sorbet/

And here photos of my version.








Sunday, July 11, 2021

Skipped June Completely!

 Yeah, June came and went!  There was a summer cold in there that dragged on forever.  There was VBS at Burke Community Church.  There was a lot of putzy little things getting done. That was June in a nut shell.

July is promising to be more jam packed.

Have decided, that while I look for a full time, paid job, I am deep diving into big jobs around the house and smaller, quicker fun jobs.  Last week brought 5 days of purging and reorganizing our file cabinets.  By Friday, the file cabinets were a little leaner and better organized.  Smaller, fun jobs have been sewing, making jam, making pickles, reading, and I am sure I have missed something. These are usually posted on instagram (@jennifermbrock).

In weekend news, I have been working at a local Farmers Market for just over three months.  The perks of this are: the vendor I work for is Chase Your Tail Bakery, so Charlotte has been getting her favorite treats for free, being able to hug a few friends since COVID restrictions have lifted, and reduced prices at some other vendors (our fridge and freezer are getting stock with good produce and dairy).

Peaches are coming into season and now I want to try this sorbet recipe:

https://www.aheadofthyme.com/3-ingredient-peach-sorbet/

There are a few other links to fruit deserts I want to try as well in the above link.  One has watermelon and another has strawberries.  

For now, that's the most current "joy".  Catch ya on another day.


Strawberries from a few weeks ago.  Made jam, tons of jam, and froze a lot too!

Monday, May 24, 2021

The Monday After

 It is a rainy Monday morning, after our last child graduating high school this past Saturday (5/22/2021).  Last night was the first night, in a long while I felt like I slept through and woke up feeling well rested.  Didn't know it would take graduating all my children before I'd sleep well.  That is something to be thankful for.

Today brings changes.  The last of cleaning up from Saturday (I vegged pretty much all Sunday), writing out to do lists that are totally different than any other in many years, packaging up the last of our homeschool journey, preparing for the next era in life.  Had thought I would be more nostalgic over all of what has happened, but I am more thankful for the journey and that it happened than sad that it has ended.  I look forward to how my relationship with each man cub is changing and developing more of a mentor/friend relationship with them.

Here are a few photos from Saturday.  We need to recreate some family photos.  I'll either drop those in this post later or write again soon.

Keon & Ian

Ditched the cap, gown, and nice shirt quickly!

Reading "Oh The Places You'll Go" that various folks wrote in!

Monday, May 17, 2021

Discovering Joy ~ A New Chapter

 In just a few days, our youngest will be graduating high school.  

It is an end of an era!  Fourteen years of teaching and learning along side our boys. Surprisingly, I am cool with this.  Have been mentally preparing all school year.  The last few months, have been pondering what is next.  Though Busy planning and prepping for graduation, have a few ideas.  Most involve the arts, getting out there and practicing photography and paint.  

Tell be about your passions!  Would love to hear about them.