peanut butter

Here, it is common for ladies to make their own peanut butter. I don't relish the taste of our local peanut butter. I prefer imported! The nuts used in local peanut butter is groundnuts. 

Anyways, our cook (who is super industrious) has begun making peanut butter to sell to our family's restaurant.

First, the nuts are roasted in the oven (mmmm...smells delicious).

Then, Eunice takes handfuls of nuts and rubs them together to remove the skin.

Next, she takes the bowl outside and tosses the peanuts in the dish. I would say this is similar to separating the wheat from the chaff. :) 

Lastly, the nuts are put into the blender and blended until smooth. This renders the most delightful smell in the main kitchen similar to that of a Reese's PB cup factory (not that I've ever visited such a factory but one can imagine...).

And that is how she makes......

a few pretties around our place

Leon and I absolutely adore our little cottage. It is long and not so wide. But the rooms are a nice size so even though it is only a bedroom, bathroom, and kitchenette/living area, it feels spacious (minus the complete lack of storage). It also has a veranda stretching across the length of the cottage. We eat our dinners outside on the veranda and also have some comfortable chairs for relaxing. I'd love to give a little picture tour sometime. I should do it soon as we will be adding on a small nursery for the baby.

I've recently begun printing free printables found online to pop into this frame. It's a nice way to change things up a bit. This is my most recent finding. I love the watercolor look of the flowers.

We have some stunning spray rose plants in the garden. A little cutting placed in this cute vase is a pop of cheer in the small, dark corner of my kitchen area.

This is another new plant. Thanks, Mom, for the birthday money to get a few pretties at the nursery! I'm hoping this plant will thrive in its little corner.

God has been so good to us lately despite life's difficulties. We have each other and are exceptionally happy together in our marriage. Our needs (food and raiment, I Timothy 6:8) are abundantly provided for. We enjoy stunning weather here and abundant sunshine. 

I read this passage last week and thought it timely.

Psalm 103:2-5

Bless The Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:

|| Who forgiveth all thine iniquities ||

|| Who healeth all thy diseases ||

|| Who redeemeth thy life from destruction ||

|| Who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies ||

|| Who satisfies thy mouth with good things so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's ||

How good is our God!

Beading

(three of the seven of us)

I don't share much of my every day life here and today was too nice of a day not to share.

First of all, the nieces and I are on a one-week break from school. Secondly, we had beading this morning. One of our friends sells jewelry at craft fairs. We get together and make things and it helps her out. Plus, we ladies get fellowship and a nice day together. If it's a holiday or a reason to celebrate, we will have a nice big breakfast before beading that the men come to as well. Then we get busy. 

I'm not the crafty/beady type. I normally come for a few hours to chat, have some coffee, and try to make one thing. In an unusual turn of events, inspiration struck this morning and I got busy beading. I think one of the biggest hindrances I find is that I don't know all of the tricky techniques that make beading so spectacular. I'm limited to just stringing beads on one single strand which is a bit redundant.

(half of my contributions for the day)

Today was such a lovely day. There was lots of laughter and chatter in English and Afrikaans. 

We are entering winter here and it can be quite chilly. Soon, we will have a fire blazing in the fireplace on beading mornings.