Aunt Hetty's Rhubarb Relish

by: Hetty King


This summer has been a very good year for growing rhubarb. In fact, the rhubarb plants in my garden seem to be taking up too much space. Instead of feeding unwanted rhubarb to the pigs and chickens, you should consider canning it.
This easy recipe is full of delicious onions and brown sugar from Avonlea's store, and the perfect amount of cinnamon and cloves adds a delightful tang to the relish.

4 cups chopped rhubarb
4 cups chopped onions
4 cups brown sugar (Matthew Cuthbert's favourite sugar)
2 cups vinegar
1 tsp. allspice
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cloves

Combine all ingredients and bring to a vigorous boil. Simmer until thick, stirring constantly to prevent the bottom from being burnt. Bottle in sterilized jars.
*People these days tend to use a newfangled Mason jar for canning purposes, however this relish is quite acidic and can react with metal lids. A glas jar with a rubber rim works best.
This relish is very good on fish (except for trout) and roast beef.

Sara's Journal

March 4th, 1908
Uncle Alec always has a flock of sheep that lamb in the spring. Today he gave Felicity, Felix, and I lambs to raise! We each got to choose one.
Felicity chose a healthy female lamb, Felix chose the biggest-as usual, and I chose the littlest lamb. Nobody wanted the one I chose because it was frail and thin, but I felt sorry for it, hence why I chose it. I'm not sure what to call it, so I'll call it Baby for now. Felicity named hers Corabeth, and Felix named his Sir Robin Hood, or just Rob for short. It is really fun feeding them bottles and seeing them guzzle up every drop of milk. Their little tails flick as they drink; it's so cute to watch!
They'll grow up to be big, friendly sheep for the fair this fall.

March 29th, 1908
It is interesting to see why the Bible compares us to sheep.
Now that the lambs have gotten older, their personalities are starting to show. Sir Robin Hood has had a bit too much freedom because the pen Felix built for him wasn't sturdy enough to keep him in, so he escaped all the time, and has turned into a little rebel. Also, he is very noisy and impatient for his milk. He bleats all the time and it drives everybody crazy.
Corabeth can be pushy, though she is friendly. However, she isn't very bright or smart. Whenever we take our lambs out to graze, Corabeth doesn't follow Felicity like she should- she goes in her own direction. Yesterday, Felicity spent the whole afternoon looking for her lost sheep. She found it hidden behind some shrubbery just before darkness settled in.
Baby, on the other hand, is the  complete opposite of Rob and Corabeth. She is very obedient and patient, and quite smart, too, because she comes when she's called. Even though she's still the smallest of the three lambs, she is the friendliest and sweetest of them all.
It makes me think, when I compare the three, how we people are so much like them in a way.
Sir Robin Hood is a rebel and won't come when you call him. So many people won't listen to God's call and they turn away from him, pretending they didn't hear His voice.
Rob is very noisy. It makes me think, how noisy and annoying I must be to God when I complain of the little things in life; I then realize how patient He is with me, so I thank Him for His long-suffering and goodness towards me when I don't deserve it.
Corabeth strays away from home, but Felicity goes out to find it. And when she does, she brings it back to the barn and tells Felix and I where she found it. She is relieved, because there are lots of coyotes around to eat poor Corabeth. How glad I am that God searches for lost sinners, and He rejoices when we are back in His fold. So many dangers lurk around, I am glad that I'm a child of God, His rod and staff comfort me.
Then there's Baby. The good, obedient sheep who listens to her owner. She gets treats often because she always listens to me. So God will reward His children that obey His commands and follow in His footsteps.

It is getting late, and I don't want Aunt Hetty chiding me, so goodnight!

~Sara Stanley

Friendships

by: Sara Stanley

good friends are as rare as diamonds in a rug...

Life would be rather lonely if a person had no friends. But for most people, we have more friends than we know what to do with.
It is better to have one friend of great value, than many friends of little value.
So instead of having many, shallow friendships that eventually fade away, invest your time in making good, solid friendships that will last.
A good friend will encourage you to do what is right, stand by you when things are rough, and will challenge you to become more and more like Jesus everyday.
A shallow friend will only deprive you of your walk with the Lord, encourage you to do wrong, and won't stand by during hardships. Don't have or be a shallow friend!
Be a friend that prays.
There is nothing more special than to be in someones thoughts, in someones heart, and in someones prayers.
But if you are a person with little or no friends, or if you are "different" than the rest, don't feel bad, because honestly if you don't fit in, then your'e probably doing the right thing.
However, good friendships don't come easily. You need to work at it.
In order to have a friend, you've got to be a friend.
Be someone's friend today!

Psalm 19:14

,,Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, 

be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord,

my strength, and my redeemer."

Summers' End

by: Sara Stanley

A chorus of crickets chirp loud and cheerful; the grasshoppers jump from one blade of browned grass to the other; after barn chores, the farmer's daughter goes for evening walks through hay fields; a lazy summer afternoon is spent fishing and snoring by little boys; wheat fields are ready for harvest; and Canadian geese fly honking over yonder and gracefully land in creeks and pastures. 

The PEI summer quietly gives its last peak of beauty, and then gently fades away during the months of August and September.

Clean House Wednesday: Easy Stain Removal Tip

by: Anne Shirley

There was a day when cows romped freely in cabbage patches. It could have simply been avoided if their owners took the time to repair fences, or lock the stubborn jersey cows in their stalls. However, the cows still got out, some way or another, resulting in chasing cows through muddy potato fields, whether or not you're in you're coveralls or crisp, ivory dress. There was always the same result on either garments, a stain that would take an enormous amount of scrubbing to remove it.
Unfortunately for the ivory dress, the stain would become a permanent stain, because once white gets dirtied, it will never look the same again. Besides, scrubbing would completely ruin the fabric! And as for the coveralls, all that scrubbing would wear a hole, and you'll need to patch it (with a piece of the ruined ivory dress, perhaps?).
Had the ladies of Avonlea known the secret to removing even the most persistent stain, they would have had an easier go on the clothes, to be sure!
The secret stain remover is plain yogurt. Cover the stain with yogurt and let dry overnight. Wash the garment the next day. So simple, yet effective! However, you must be careful with some delicate, color treated fabric because then the yogurt itself will make a stain.
I hope that this article was of help to you readers!

"For I know the plans I have for you.."

Life is always changing. There is nothing that stays the same. Take the seasons, for example, they are in a constant change year after year.
Changes in a person's life can be frightening, as that of a dear friend moving away, or your sister getting married and leaving home, or your own graduation and not knowing what to do afterwards. But, is it really the change that we don't like, or are we simply afraid of the future that doesn't look very clear to us right now?

Even though we can't see far ahead of ourselves, God has a plan and knows what the future holds for every one of us, He says so in Jeremiah 29:11. 

           

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

If we trust in the Lord, He will direct us in the right paths. He will guide us every step of the way.

(see Proverbs 3:5,6) Trusting in God is not always easy, because doubts and fears are thrust at us from every direction, making us look at the storms and trials instead of keeping our eyes on Jesus, so always keep your focus on the Lord!

It says in Proverbs 23:26, 

"My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways."

Give your heart to the Lord, and let your eyes observe His ways! He will NEVER let you down.

If there are any changes taking place in your lives and you're fearing about the future, tell it to Jesus, because He is the One who holds tomorrow in His hands.