Blossoms & Blessings

Buds are appearing on the hardwood trees.

Spring has sprung! Or has it? It feels like Summer has made its way into the usually cool, wet Spring season. We are enjoying every 70 degree, sunshine-y moment-- and trying to keep ourselves from thinking what July is going to feel like. (Seriously. It reached 82 degrees F today.... That's a normal mid-Summer temperature.)

We've gone to parks the last few weekends. How could we NOT enjoy the outdoors?

We are seeing fewer (large) wild animals, as they make their way back into the higher altitudes, but we are seeing an abundance of wild plants peeking out. Every season has its glories. For winter, it's the elk and moose and turkey. In Spring/Summer, it's the blossoms and sprouts and greenery. I love it all!

Here's a wild strawberry plant peeking through the forest floor.

Our family of three (four, if you count Titus) is currently in the process of buying our first home on a little sliver of God's Earth. So much has already been established on this beautiful spot we hope to call our home by the end of May, and we are grateful! But we are also dreaming and envisioning making it our homestead, developing it out to provide a sustainable, wholesome lifestyle for us.

This is the driveway of our almost-homestead, looking from the house.

We visit our almost-homestead nearly every weekend, going on hikes and discovering new places. Our sweet little one has had a personal discovery: She likes to walk independently. Thank you very much. She needs to be close to the ground so she can pick up sticks, rocks, grass, and play in the water. You understand, don't you? Oh goodness! She is tremendously precious!! I've caught some sweet moments as she comes into her personality.

Papa and daughter are sitting in Mama's favorite spot on the property.

Titus is next to a cistern full of water we found on one of our hikes.

I have been photographing the various wild edibles and medicinals I see. My hope is to: 1) take pictures of these same wild plants throughout the seasons, 2) gather some of the plants and preserve them (think tinctures, drying, etc), and 3) use them for various reasons. I would like to create a booklet with the photographs I take and the information I learn for our family and friends in this area. Finding a wild edible and medicinal booklet customized to your area can be difficult.

Here's our munchkin next to a dandelion plant: wild, edible, and medicinal!

Our adventures have been many with the snow melt and the warmer temperatures, but I know our adventures in this life are just beginning! I am so excited about what the Lord is doing in us, through us, and for us. I have a beautiful family, and we have a beautiful life. I am counting my blessings every day-- but I can never seem to count them all; they're like the stars in the night sky or the grains of sand on even the smallest beach. They are immeasurable.

Abigail loves the water, and a friend is helping her explore it.

The Lord is truly a good God who desires to give good gifts to His children. Do you know Him? Does He know you as His child?

Matthew 7:11 (KJV) says, "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?"

Romans 8:28 (KJV) also says, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."

Be blessed and know Him,

~Raquel

Written: April 19, 2016

A Setback, But a Step Forward

Blocking Up & Leveling Off Grid Cottage

Off Grid Cottage in Place + A Blessing!

Moving Our Off Grid Cottage

The adventure is beginning!

Cauliflower Pizza Crust (Gluten Free)

Gluten-Free Doesn't Have to Mean Pizza-Free!

My husband has been dealing with some gut issues for almost four years. Recently, he went to see a naturopath for the first time. The naturopath did some interesting tests that I've never heard of but found quite fascinating. He believes that gluten, wheat in particular, may have a negative affect on my husband's body. He "prescribed" a gluten-free trial run for the following month- effective immediately.

Well... my husband is the only one I cook for besides myself. If he had to go gluten-free, then so was I! I went home and started purging our pantry of wheat flours, whole wheat spaghetti noodles and pastas, granolas that contained gluten, and the like.

That was 8 weeks ago.

I must say; I have noticed a difference in my OWN health by going gluten-free. Perhaps because most breads, which I LOOOOOOOOOOVE once loved turn to sugar in the body. By cutting out gluten, we also cut out the majority of our sugars. (I usually don't make "sweets" unless they are made with honey or fruit. I also don't buy sweets. We don't even own table sugar! ... How un-American. I know. haha)

Does that mean we have to give up foods we love? Like pizza? I have found the answer to be- absolutely not! Okay, okay. Sure you can probably make pizza without gluten, but you have to use exotic and unusual flours and ingredients. Right? No!

Take two normal ingredients plus your seasonings, and you have....

Cauliflower Pizza Crust!*

Prep time: 15 minutes active time + 15 minutes chilling= 30 total minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes without toppings + 10 minutes with desired toppings= 30 total minutes

Total time: 1 hour

Yield: 1 medium sized (maybe 8") pizza

Ingredients:

Crust:

-1 head of cauliflower

-2 eggs

-desired seasonings: salt, pepper, turmeric, italian seasonings, oregano, garlic powder

Toppings:

-pizza sauce: I use tomato paste with a couple of T. of water to thin paste & add seasonings

-pizza toppings: anything goes! Meatballs, onions, spinach, artichoke, sliced tomatoes, cheese, etc

-cheese!!! Lots and lots of cheese- the more the merrier. 

Process in Pictures:

Questions, Questions with My Love!

I discovered I'm not good at lifting over two tons, flying, or swimming in dirt....

My husband and I are pretty low key people. We're just real with one another, and we're best friends. Ahhh... How I love him!

A friend of mine posted this survey for women to ask their husbands. In a "20ish question" type game, I questioned my darling about myself. Sometimes, looking through the eyes of a loved one can help us to see ourselves better. We had several laughs, and I am amazed at how gracious my dear husband is toward me! 

I'll share this so you can get to know me a little better through a very biased person, but also, the person who knows me best!

No worries, I edited out anything not public appropriate! (Married people can have fun... no judgment!!)

**Thoughts on marriage: I have to get to know my spouse- over and over again because we change and grow as human beings. I feel that I have changed dramatically from wife to wife and mother. I know that he has also experienced change. I am interested in my husband, and I want to know what interests him. To do that, I must observe him and talk with him. I get to DATE my handsome man! (He is STILL the most handsome man I have ever seen.) Dating your spouse doesn't have to be an out of the house deal. Just get comfortable and spend quality time together.

At our wedding ceremony- just being goofy!