Homesteading dreams
And that's it, with a snap of your fingers, another month is gone. Even though Summer is still here, I can definitely feel that Autumn is not far behind. And when I look back at the pictures that I took this month, most of them feature this brownish tonal color that is very specific to the Fall!
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I've been wanting to make my own candles and soaps for a very long time now. Candles are often quite expensive and the majority of them are made out of parafin, which is not only bad for our health but also for the planet. I used to buy beewax and soy wax candles whenever I saw them in markets or in a small shop in the old town, but they are very often over-priced and can only burn for a couple of hours.
So I made a little reaserch online to know how/where to find material to make my own, and that's what I did! It took me 10 minutes or so to make a couple of them. They're not only super easy to make, but they're also very affordable, and they would make a wonderful gift.
I used a couple of old jars, put them in a saucepan with water and bring it to a boil. Then slowly started to add the soy wax peels. When the jars were full I let them cool down on my windowsill, added a few drops of essential oils, then placed the wooden wicks in the jars, and waited until they completely cool down. And voilà, homemade candles!
Next time, I'll give beewax a try!
Since Autumn is my favourite season, I decided to share the little list of things that I would like to try or accomplish during these favourites months. I do not want to set any “goal”, and feel frustrated once I know that none of the ones listed has be accomplished, no pressure on! But if some of the “task” listed could become a tradition that I would be thrilled to repeat year after year, that would make a very happy me.
Living alongside the seasons and enjoying the simple details that fills everyday life is something very dear to my heart. When the first shoots blossom on trees in the Spring, and they hold the promise of a luxurious harvest in the Summer, or when chestnuts are collected in the woods to make the most delicious Autumn soup, or when it’s already the time to decorate the Christmas tree and gather around a table of abundance with our family in the Winter, these are the things that I cherish the most. These simple moments that don’t last very long, but that we’re expecting with so much joy and happiness.
I do not have a lot of traditions yet, but from now on, I'll be working hard on making it something regular on the annual calendar.
Simple ideas for Autumn:
Two years ago, I had shared on my previous blog a recipe of Pumkin Spice Latte. Since that time, I drink this delicious seasonal beverage from the very beginning of Fall, until the very end.
And I thought it could be a very good reminder to share how I enjoy it.
So you will need:
In a saucepan add the pumpkin with a bit of water. Cook until you obtain a thick puree. Then pour in the milk and bring to a boil. Add the cinnamon and the sugar. At the same time make coffee.
Put a tea filter over a mug, and pour in the milk. Then add the coffee and the vanilla extract. Cover with whipped cream and sprinkle with orange peel. And voilà!
I hope that you are doing well since last time and that you are embracing this new season.
Even though the Autumn has not officially started, I like to associate the 1st of September with the beginning of Fall. And I’ve been enjoying it so much!
Last weekend, I’ve been mushrooming for the first time in a very long time. And I came back home with a basket full of different mushrooms. Some of them have been eaten in soup, but the most part has been preserved for this winter.
Even though I'm not a college student anymore, I wanted to treat myself with some "back to school" supplies. And in my world, that means knitting stuff. I've been wanting this tote for such a long time. I often work in coffeeshops and so I thought that this little bag would be perfect to carry all of my projects around. I also ordered some icelandic yarn for a new sweater, and got some very good deals whislt browsing people stashes on Ravelry. SO there's even more yarn on its way!
Are you also looking forward to embracing this new season?
Last weekend we decided to head out to the Latvian Ethnographic Open-air museum, here in Riga for the contemporary crafts fair. We haven’t been there in a year and the memories that I have from that place are wonderful.
The museum is located in the woods, only thirty minutes from home, and it showcases traditional Latvian houses. Every single little house is furnished just the way it would have been a century ago: handcrafted furniture, traditional ornaments, beautiful textiles, wooden tools, weaving looms, spinning wheels, and yarn!
When i was inside, I was literally running fanatically from one spot of the room to another, trying to capture every single detail with my camera.
If they would have asked me to settle there, I would have say "yes", without a doubt! But I'm sure it must be quite cold during the Winter though.You can find a tiny or a luxurious vegetable garden behind every wooden house. Big zucchinis and peas were growing up there, and I forced myself not to sneakily put some as souvenir in my bag! Instead, we bought a copious amount of bread that they bake here at the museum. They only use tradtionnal methods of baking and cooking, including the technique of putting fresh leaves under the bread for baking. As soon as I had the bread in hands, I totally forgot to snap some pictures, I was t busy trying not to eat the whole loaf.
I'm sure to be there again this year. At the beginning of September, there's the Old craft fair (that screams yarn to me), then there's the Autumn harvesting festival and the bread festival...
It's truly a wondeful place to visit. And if you ever plan to come to Riga, we might meet there!
