Cassandra Holtby Outdoor Living

34!! This past year was filled with so many lessons and memorable moments. Fred and I embraced the motto 'There are no obstacles, only opportunities.' It's acted as our guide when plans change, or things don't work out. This time of year, I'm typically thinking . . . . 'I thought I'd have my shit together by now,' but instead my mind has focused on determining what shit matters (game changer!). That realization has brought me such calm and contentment.... The term 'season of life' has been a whisper in the back of my mind. I've welcomed the chaos, spontaneous schedule and piles of clean laundry that take over a living room chair (or two . . . or three.) The results have been the most fun summer of my entire life. We jumped off docks, spent almost every day at a lake or river. We fished, we ate, we swam, and we soaked in the quiet moments, sunshine and sunsets. This year I've overcome a lot of fear when adventuring solo with the kids. No longer afraid of bears eating us in our sleep or the 'what if's'. I'm sure this is mostly due to the kids getting older and being so fearless. We've welcomed more new people into our home, sharing our love for fishing and local exploring, and we FINALLY got that northern adventure I've been dreaming of for the last two years . . . . . and might have fallen in love. I can't wait to see what this year brings. What lessons we learn, what adventures we take and what opportunities present themselves. Thank you, everyone, for the beautiful birthday messages! #happybirthdayme #birthdaypics #34 #flyfishing #ontariohunters #takeyourkidsfishing #bestyearever #campingwithkids #labmom #bassfishing #momoffour #lakeofbays #outdoormom #whatgetsyououtdoors @shopwestvon

I haven’t done any serious canning in 5+ years. I just couldn’t figure out how to do it with a baby on each hip and two pulling on my legs - such was the season of life Now the kids are older and all wander in and out of the kitchen. Sometimes lending a hand and sometimes just observing and asking questions. I hadn’t realized how much I missed it. Being a little older it seems to bring even more joy and excitement (haha for real .... I’m easily amused by yummy things and... new recipes). I’m so thankful for the many people who helped find an abundance of crops, jars and other tools. Recap We’ve done - 5 types of strawberry jam Dill pickles Red pepper jelly Green pepper jelly Peach jelly Peach butter Peach slices Autumn harvest butter Mint jelly Sweet n spicy peach sauce Pizza sauce Stewed tomatoes We’ve also dehydrated/froze strawberries, zucchini, green peppers and a variety of greens & herbs Still to process Cucumbers - relishes Zucchini Pears Apples Potatoes Onions Carrots Beats Tomatoes .... tomatoes and more tomatoes. & sweet /hot peppers/ jalapeño Arriving this week And Lots more fun to go! #canning #preservingtheharvest #homemadeisbetter #realfood #momoffour #muskokalife #momlife

Grow All the Flowers #gardenlove #cutflowers #cutflowersfrommygarden #ontariogardeners #homestead #igrowthings #zinnia #itsinmynature #whatgetsyououtdoors #lakeofbays