emily's life blogs
• Thursday, September 4, 2008 - Musings...of Autumn?
You know, in just a matter of a handful of weeks now, Autumn will officially start.
Yes, I know I do this every year.
I get rather melancholy this time of year. Every year it's the same thing. September begins and I start thinking with excitement about things like
combines harvesting the fields,
fertilizers being spread on those large farmsteads,
cooler evenings,
the surprise of a cool breeze during the day,
air conditioners being used less and less and windows opened with softly blowing curtains around them,
apples ready to harvest,
pumpkins starting to perk p for picking,
leaves slowly beginning to turn all those magnificent colors of deep rust, brighter red, rich orange and brilliant yellow,
the gathering of firewood for that first lighting of the woodstove,
those wonderful autumn smells...ever notice how pies and breads just smell so much better, so much more homey during the autumn than they do in the summer?
the starting of school and those big yellow buses rolling along the lanes early morning. No, my children aren't riding a bus, but there is just something that touches my heart and says autumn, in a nostalgic sort of way, about those yellow buses on the road after a summers' absence.
There are preps being made everywhere it seems...
folks are finishing off larger portions of their gardens and clearing them for a winter rest,
chickens are growing and seem to know time is limited for gathering those bugs and greens before the snow flies,
barnyards are freshened and hay mows filled with the last of the hay harvest before winter.
There are just smells and actions that speak autumn all over.
But, it's a bittersweet time for me. I miss all those things I've just mentioned. I know it's all a state of mind, really, but I have not been able to wrap my mind around a changing of seasons since moving here. Everything stays so green...and so wet...this time of year around us. I can pull out the autumn colors in flowers and garlands to decorate the house and give an illusion of autumn, but it's just not in my heart. I am just too wrapped up with seasonal changes.
Yes, I have so many friends here in the South who would argue vehemently that there are changing seasons here, and there is a definite autumn. I guess my trouble is, I only know one kind of autumn in my mind. It's the only one I've ever known. It's hard to change a vision that is ingrained in a nearly-40 year old mind.
So, this weekend, we are going to try to bring autumn to the homestead. I am gathering the fall fabrics to tuck here and there on a table, along a bookcase and near an oil lamp. I'm putting up a simple garland of flowers...all those beautiful rich tones I so love this time of year. We will be doing our evening devotions with the lanterns lit instead of the regular lighting...sort of creating that cozy feeling that autumn brings with it.
My eldest daughter says that's fine...as long as I don't crank up the a/c so we all have to don sweaters and thick socks to really bring that feeling of autumn to real life! |
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• Sep. 4, 2008 - Granny Square Tutorial with Pictures
Alright my friends, I am going to attempt my first EVER sewing tutorial!  I told you that I was taught how to make a granny square while I was on my Ladies Retreat. It was so much easier for me to learn from the ladies teaching than it was for me to look at a book and try. The picture quality is not wonderful, I just saw some of the pictures I took last night, but hopefully you will get the hang of it as easily as I did and you will be turning out some beautiful squares as well!
If you are a Newbie to Crochet HERE is a site to help you with basic stitches, you will see me refer to several in this tutorial... Chain, Slip Stitch, Double Crochet.
Step 1: Chain 5
 Cool, you got that! Alrighty we are on our way! 
Step 2: You want to turn that chain into a round so you will go to the first chain and slip stitch...
 Now we have our center, we will build on from there! Woohoo! 
Step 3: Chain 3
 Here we are building out from the center and we will begin making a larger circle to build on from here
Step 4: Two(2) Double Crochets and chain 1
 Alright, here we are in process of making our circle, so what we are going to do is we are going to double crochet 2 times and then chain 1. The chain will make the space we need to help us along in future steps...
Step 5: 3 Double Crochets and chain 1 (3 more times) slip stitch to complete the circle
 Now we have a circle!! Yippee... but wait I told you we were making Granny Squares right? Ok, bear with me we will get to the square in a minute.
So to make sure we are cool to this point, counting the first 3 chains as one DC (double crochet) you will have 4 sets of 3 double crochets with one chain in between.... clear as mud??
Step 6: Chain 3 and then double crochet 2, chain 1, double crochet 3 and chain 1 in the same hole
 If you will look at your round you will see 3 double crochets and then a hole/space in between each set of 3. This space is where you will go into to make your next layer or sets of 3. Does this make sense... I am trying! 
What you are doing now is building your edges... we can't make this granny square stay a circle any longer, we are going to put some corners on it!
Step 7: Look for next hole, double crochet 3 and chain 1~ 2 times in each hole. (You will do this in each hole till you meet back up with your first set. This will form your first square. Slip Stitch to complete the square and now you are ready to build on.
Step 8: Chain 3, double crochet 2, chain 1
 You will notice that there is now a hole between each of the four edges, you are going to do almost the same thing in each hole... meaning you don't want an edge you just want a set of 3 dc's to fill the hole.
So dc three times and chain one and move to your edge.
Step 9: Double Crochet 3 times, chain 1, Double Crochet 3 times, chain 1 in corner hole.
 Again, you are making corners for this square, you should be catching on to a pattern if I have successfully portrayed this to you. So in each of the corners you are making 3 dc's, chain 1, 3 dc's, chain 1. Simple!
Step 10: Slip stitch to join the square together
Step 11: Finish out your next layer of the square the same way as in Steps 8 and 9, the only difference is you will find 2 holes in the in between each edge this time... no big deal just dc 3 times and chain one in each.
***REMEMBER, your first chain of 3 counts as your first dc in your first set.***
Step 12: All the way baby... go all around just as I told you, come together again, slip stitch and tie off your end.
 The lady who taught me only does 4 layers, but of course you can do more if you like.
Now you want a bunch of these... so get to it!
 I don't have nearly as many as I would like to have had done by now, but remember I am teaching myself to hold the crochet needle/hook in the proper way, so I am SLOW JOE right now.
 Once you get several made you can do all kinds of things with them...
Make them into an afghan by stitching them together, make potholders out of them by putting several layers together on top of each other and stitching, use them as coasters, make a pillow cover, make your dd a doll blanket out of a few... whatever you like.
I hope you enjoyed and understood my attempt of spreading the knowledge that I received this past weekend. If you see a mistake, feel free to email me or message me and I will change it, and now go get your yarn and your hook and go for it! If I can do it YOU can do it!
With Love From My Homestead to Yours,
~Chas~
Chasity L. Burrell
Senior Editor Homesteadblogger
Heritage Acres Farm
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• Wed 3 Sep 2008 - Quote of the Day....Abraham Lincoln
• Sep. 3, 2008 - Flavored Vinegars
I recieved these in my inbox today . They sound so fresh and inviting I wanted to share them.
Grandma Rosie
Blueberry Vinegar
3/4 cup fresh blueberries
white vinegar, to fill
Crush blueberries and put into half pint jar. Fill with white vinegar. Cover and
let stand in a cool place for 3 days.
Strain and fill bottle or leave in for a stronger flavor.
Makes: 1 half pint
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Chive Vinegar
chives, length of jar height or 1" lengths
1 lemon peel, 1" square
4 peppercorns
3 mustard seeds
white vinegar, to fill
Fill pint jar loosely with chives. Add lemon peel, peppercorns and mustard seeds.
Fill with vinegar. Cover.
Let stand in cool place for 4 weeks. Strain into pretty bottle. Two or three
lengths of chives can be left in botle for looks.
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Herb Vinegar
2 cups white cider or wine vinegar
1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs, basil, rosemary or tarragon thyme or oregano
3 to 4 whole garlic cloves, optional
1 fresh herb sprig per bottle, optional
1 whole red or green chili per bottle, optional
Place the vinegar in a non-aluminum saucepan and bring to a boil. Place the
chopped herbs in a clean, hot glass jar. Add the garlic. Pour the hot vinegar
over, cover and place in a cool, dark place for 5 days, stirring once a day.
Strain. Add the sprigs of fresh herbs and chili for a zestier taste and garnish.
Store in a cool, dark place for up to 2 months. Refrigerate for longer storage.
Makes: 2 cups
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Italian Vinegar
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 sprigs fresh oregano
1 sprig fresh sage
2 sprigs fresh basil
1 garlic clove
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 pint white wine vinegar
Sterilize a glass bottle.
Insert spices in bottle. Add vinegar.
Let the mixture rest in a dark cabinet or closet for at least a month.
Makes: 2 cups
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Tarragon Vinegar
4 sprigs of tarragon, about 5 inches each
1 garlic clove, peeled
2 lemon peel, 1 inch square
2 black peppercorns
5 white vinegar, to fill
Fill pint jar carefully with tarragon, without bruising. Add garlic clove,lemon
peel and peppercorns.
Fill jar with vinegar. Cover. Let stand in a cool place for 4 weeks. Strain.
Return 1 sprig of tarragon to bottle for looks. Keeps at least 1 year.
Makes: 1 pint
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• Tue 2 Sep 2008 - Chocolate Cherry Oatmeal Cookies
Chocolate Cherry Oatmeal Cookies
Moist and chewy, chocolate and cherries make these cookies sinfully
rich. Make the cookie dough ahead of time, freeze it and then bake
anytime for that fresh-out-of- the-oven taste
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp table salt
3/4 cup butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large egg(s)
2 1/2 cup uncooked oatmeal
1/2 cup dried cherries
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, cinnamon,
nutmeg and salt together in a small bowl; set aside. Place room
temperature butter into bowl of a mixer and mix with a paddle
attachment until smooth, or beat with an electric mixer.
Slowly pour granulated sugar in an even stream into butter and mix on
high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Pour in brown sugar, mix
until incorporated and then scrape mixture down from sides of bowl.
Slowly beat in each egg one at a time until incorporated. Slowly beat
in flour mixture until incorporated.
Scrape mixture down from sides of bowl and stir in oatmeal and then
dried cherries. (Note: Freeze dough at this point or continue to step
6 for baking.)
Scoop rounded teaspoonfuls of dough onto a nonstick sheet pan, a pan
lined with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat about 1 1/2 inches
apart. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until edges are set. Cool
completely.
Either serve cookies or stack between sheets of waxed paper in an air-
tight container and freeze for up to two weeks before serving.
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• Tuesday, September 2, 2008 - Homestead Snapshots...
Not sure how good these will be. I'm not what you would call tech-saavy in the least. Even joking, one probably wouldn't call me that. My 'techie' is off in Arkansas, so I'm all you have when it comes to sharing pictures here. I'm using the video camera (it takes still shots as well) and working to figure out how to upload them...it's slow-going, to say the least.
Here are some shots of daily farm life on this homestead...
 Barn chores being done this morning -- seems the goats decided they could in fact, push hard enough on the fence and make their escape. So, while the fence was being rebuilt by eldest daughter and I, Matthew started his job....mucking out the barn.
Remember the tree? This is it. Not really much of a tree looking at it this way, but it's a good tall one...just dead for the most part.
This is the life, isn't it? Just lounging around...totally centered in the walkway of the front porch, not caring one bit for those of us coming and going trying not to break our fool necks dodging kittens!
 This is our 'seeing-eye' goat....the friend we bought for the blind one. We tethered them out in the barn lot this morning after they made their escape.
 These are the newest additions to the homestead...they are supposedly pregnant, but honestly, they are the skinniest 'pregnant' sows I've ever seen. But that's ok...they'll fit in the freezer much nicer this way ;o)
Those are some of the shots of the day here. Maybe something exciting will happen here that an be shared later...not that we don't have exciting moments, but honestly, with Dewey gone, I'd just as soon keep things nice and quiet around here. |
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• Tuesday, September 2, 2008 - Recipes to share...
These are from one of the LDS Cannery recipes....sounds like something I definitely will have to try!
Breakfast Cookies
yield: 48 cookies
2 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 3/4 cup oatmeal (not instant)
2 cups Grape Nuts cereal
1 Tablespoon flax seed meal (optional suggestion)
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter, softened ** (see note below)
1 3/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 eggs
1 can (8 oz.) crushed pineapple
2 cups raisins
Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine flour, oatmeal, Grape Nuts, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Stir to mix. Set aside.
Beat together butter and sugar; add vanilla and eggs, beat well. Stir in crushed pineapple (including juice) and raisins. Add flour cereal mixture and stir until blended. Drop by large spoonful on lightly greased baking sheet or use a #30 ice cream scoop. Slightly flatten cookie dough. Bake 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on wire rack. Store cookies in closed container. Freeze extra cookies until ready to use – reheat in microwave, if desired. Makes 48 cookies.
**NOTES: Try substituting 1 cup crunchy peanut butter in place of the butter
Apple Pie Tarts (yum...cherry and other fruits as well!)
1 sheet refrigerated pie pastry (I'll use my own recipe here)
1 tablespoon sugar
Dash ground cinnamon
FILLING:
2 teaspoons butter
2 cups diced peeled tart apples
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons fat-free caramel ice cream topping
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon salt Roll out pastry on a lightly floured surface; cut into twenty 2-1/2-in. circles. Press onto the bottom and up the sides of miniature muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Prick pastry with a fork. Spray lightly with cooking spray. Combine sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over pastry. Bake at 350° for 6-8 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.
In a saucepan, melt butter. Add apples; cook and stir over medium heat for 4-5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Stir in the sugar, caramel topping, flour, cinnamon, lemon juice and salt. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until sauce is thickened and apples are tender. Cool for 5 minutes. Spoon into tart shells. Yield: 10 servings.
Homemade Yogurt
Yogurt is expensive to buy in the store but SO EASY AND INEXPENSIVE to make at home. Give it a try and I guarantee you will be pleasantly surprised. It costs less than 50 cents to make a quart of yogurt. I use the cannery dried milk.
4 cups very warm water (not over 120 degrees)
1 3/4 cups regular nonfat dry milk (3 cups instant)
1/3 cups plain yogurt with active cultures, no additives (if bought from the store to use as a starter)
OR 1 packet of yogurt starter (I buy mine at Good Earth or Wild Oats )
Mix well with a hand mixer or in a blender at the lowest speed. Pour into a ceramic or glass dish with a lid. Put a heating pad on your counter and turn it on low. Cover it with a kitchen towel, put the yogurt mixture on the towel and cover the entire thing with a large bath towel so it retains the heat. I do this just before I go to bed and it is perfect when I get up in the morning.
Do not disturb the incubation. During the incubation period the cultures multiply and thicken the milk.
I then refrigerate the incubated mixture for 2-3 hours until it has cooled completely and is cold clear through. Divide it in half or as you wish and flavor each in different flavors with cannery jams. Mix the yogurt and the jam together with a hand mixer until well blended. You can add chunks of fruit it you wish.
Set aside 1/3 cup plain yogurt before flavoring to "start" your next batch.
Oatmeal Breakfast bars
Submitted by Marilyn Park
I particularly liked this recipe, easy and quick to put together. The bars you buy at the store are loaded with sugar and have preservatives and things I don't want in my food. Plus these are high in fiber! Love that! Try this recipe.....I think you will really like them.
2 3/4 cups old fashioned oatmeal or 1 cup 6 grain rolled cereal and 1 3/4 cups oats
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 Tablespoons honey
1/3 cup applesauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 cup dry milk
1/4 cup water
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup applesauce
1/4 to 1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup almonds
1/4 cup golden flax seed ground
1/2 cup palm shortening (or whatever you use)
1 grated apple with skin on
Cream egg, shortening and brown sugar and applesauce. Add all other ingredients and mix well, add raisins and nuts and grated apple last and mix in. This is a thick batter. Spread evenly on a non-stick 9X13 pan with a heavy spatula. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15-16 minutes. 12-15 good sized bars. |
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• Tuesday, September 2, 2008 - Tuesday Visit
The news I've heard so far sounds very good, considering. Gustav didn't beat down on New Orleans as the thought for a while there. Our prayers are with the million plus folks throughout Louisiana without power and still bearing up under the remnants of heavy rain and winds.
I worked on my Bible class lesson last night. Our Pastor was teaching verse by verse on Wednesday's from the book of Acts. He asked me if I would be willing to take his class for the rest of the year. I sort of agreed, tentatively, and said I'd pray over it.
No, I don't believe in women teaching Bible. Well, I certainly don't believe in women teaching men/boys. If it were a child's class, I probably wouldn't have the reservations, but this is teens.
The reason I agreed, for now at least, is that our church is incredibly small...on a really good week we have all of 25 faithful attend (truth be told, we have all of only 37 on the rolls right now altogether). Our teen class was started after we arrived....there were only 2 other children. We came to church and bingo -- youth explosion :o) Right now, for the 'teen' class, we have those 2 daughters of a friend, my two eldest girls, and my middle son. Once in a blue, blue moon, another friend of ours comes to church, but he is never able to be counted on. It just depends on what he feels like doing, and his family doesn't push otherwise. So, I would be teaching my own children...well, my own son. I don't have a problem with that at all. If the class were to grow to include other teen boys, I would not keep teaching.
Either way, I didn't stay with the book of Acts. I might change my mind, but right now, I went with a short study, 'introduction' as it were, to the 12 Apostles instead. Then I have something we had started here on the final days of Christ and His Resurrection. I'm just not sure what to do with the teens. I know my own children will follow and understand the study I have, but I'm not sure about the others. The 2 daughters are both saved, but their level of actual comprehension I don't know about. There is one more girl who comes every so often -- an elder's daughter -- but you can't count on her, either. It's Fair season throughout the Mid-South and she does alot of shows and demonstrations (she does rodeo stuff and barrel racing, plus her family runs a livestock sale and auction service).
Well, we'll see what happens.
On another note, Dewey and Christopher headed out early-squirrely this morning for the job in Arkansas. Straight into thunderstorms and rains. We are pretty sure we have forgotten to pack him something, but that's typical. You always feel like you are forgetting something when you don't really want to leave in the first place. But, we loaded his new truck to the gills...he might forget something, but he certainly won't lack for much of anything! The children each tucked drawings and such into his bags and toolbox for him to find. Right now, we are planning him back next weekend. This week they will get settled into the lease house, and start the process of hiring locally -- something that might be difficult. Everyone on this job must have their Arkansas Electrical license. If they can't man the job that way, it will go Union. Not a problem for Dewey as technically he is still Union, but Christopher won't be able to work the job then as he isn't in any of their schooling. Let's pray they can man the job themselves.
Question of the day -- if a tree falls in your yard and you aren't there to witness it, does it make a sound?
Yep. It does. Just after finishing on the grill yesterday, we were all sitting inside getting dinner ready at the table and we heard a whoooooosh and a light sort of thud. We al stared at each other like goofs...as if any of us had a clue what that noise was...and someone finally got the bright idea to get up and go look. There at the end of the trailer laid our pine tree. It wasn't the prettiest one we have by a long shot, but in the spring it was covered with a solid mass of wisteria up one side. Now, it's just lying there in the yard like...well, like a fallen tree.
I knew we shouldn't have mowed the side yard. We'd let it go for thee longest time (ok, so it was more out of laziness than any other reason...still...) but here we just mowed on Saturday and now Monday comes and down it goes. Could be all that tall grass and weed was holding the old tree upward.
And wouldn't you know it, but the chainsaw isn't working. So...next question of the day will probably be this:
How many homeschoolers does it take to drag a tree to the back pasture? |
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• Tue 2 Sep 2008 - Ginger Massage Oil
Posted By GrandmaRosie in BEAUTY
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Ginger Massage Oil
Makes 4 ounces
The perfect massage oil for soothing sore muscles and energizing an exhausted body; ginger, thyme, lavender and eucalyptus work together to increase blood flow. You can find essential oils at many natural food stores.
½ cup light oil, such as canola, almond or sunflower
¼ teaspoon vitamin E oil
1 teaspoon dry, powdered ginger
1 teaspoon dry thyme leaves
1 to 2 drops lavender essential oil
1 to 2 drops eucalyptus essential oil
Mix together all ingredients. Pour mixture into a clean bottle with a tight-fitting lid and shake gently. Let mixture sit for a few days. To use, shake the bottle again, then pour a quarter-size amount into your clean hand. Massage onto your body, paying extra attention to sore areas. |
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• Tue 2 Sep 2008 - Dry Elbow Home Remedies
Posted By GrandmaRosie in BEAUTY
Dry Elbow Home Remedies
Sugar Scrub:
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/8 cup olive oil
Mix ingredients in a bowl. Massage the scrub into elbows, knees, ankles & any other dry spots. Wash off after 30 minutes.
Crisco (or any other lard)
Before bed rub Crisco into the dry elbow patches then slide on a pair of clean cut socks (to use as elbow protectors). Do this every night until dry patches disappear.
Lemon Salt Scrub
Squeeze the juice out of two quarter wedges of a lemon, add salt then scrub into your elbows gently, trying to sluff away the dead skin. Then take the lemon wedges and lean your elbows on them (one elbow on each). Rest like this for 10 minutes. Do this daily until the dark patches disappear.
Lemon Soft Scrub
Mix fresh lemon juice and baking soda to make a thick paste, apply to dry elbows. Gently rub in to exfoliate the skin and leave to sit for about 15 minutes. Wash off and apply a moisturizer or Vaseline.
Rehydrating Soak
Exfoliate elbows with a favorite scrub or loofah, then soak elbows in warm water for 10 minutes. Apply Vaseline. If you apply Vaseline to the dry areas right after a hot bath or shower, this will have the same effect.
Basic Maintenance Treatment: Exfoliate or scrub elbows daily then apply honey, Vaseline or a rich moisturizer to elbows. If using honey, leave on for 30 minutes before washing off.
Tip: Use a clean sock, cut off to have two open ends, and slide on over your elbows when applying moisturizing treatments to try to protect the moisturizer from rubbing off (especially good for overnight treatments). You could also wrap your elbows in plastic wrap.
If your elbow patches are thick and quite dark, this will take several regular treatments to clear up.
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