Tuesday, October 7 - Pics-Harvest Festival and Plowing

These pics are from a couple of weeks ago.  Our town has a Fall Color Festival.  I only took a couple of pictures.  There are three rivers that converge in our town.  This is a shot from the bridge right downtown.  It was beautiful.

Our son also took part in the tractor pull.  He placed third (out of three ), but he did his best:

My honey plowed up a few acres on our north 20.  I think we're putting in oats and alfalfa next spring, and somehow want to get some wheat in. 

Here's a picture of the plowed field.  Isn't it lovely? 

I guess I sound like I'm boasting.  I just love this land and all that the Lord has blessed us with.  I want to be a good steward and use it for His glory.

From Glory Farm

October 7, 2008 - need canning preserving help for apples and pears.

Tuesday, October 7 - Using the Harvest

 What are you getting from your garden?  We have harvested cabbage, tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, onions,sunflowers, kale, pumpkins, apples and plums this fall.  With this harvest there are a number of things I make.

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Homemade spaghetti sauce-tomatoes, garlic, onions, basil, thyme, sage, oregano, majarom, cayenne, savory from the garden

Homemade salsa-tomatoes, onions, cayenne from the garden

Cream of carrot soup

Tomato soup

Kale soup

Meatball stew-using carrots, potatoes, onions and beans from the garden

Scalloped hotdish-carrots, onions, potatoes

Speedy boiled dinner-cabbage, potatoes and carrots

Cabbage rolls-cabbage, tomatoes

Runzas-Ask for the recipe on this one.  These are delicious,  cabbage and onions

French Fries

Onion Rings-love these

Coleslaw

Applesauce, apple pie, baked apples, fresh plums, pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, pumpkin pancakes

These are just a few ideas.  What do you make with your fresh harvest?

You know, even with stretching our grocery money, I'm still spending about $100 a week on groceries.  There are six of us, and I can't think of how to save any more than I am.  Any suggestions?

2008-Oct-6 - The Simple Woman's Daybook ~ #3 ~ 10/6/08

For Today...

Outside my Window...a beautiful sun-shiny day.  The only disappointment about the weather is that it's supposed to get up into the low 70s...I'm ready for it to stay down in the 60s and 50s.

I am thinking...that my friend, whose son was just murdered in front of his wife, is grieving and needs so much prayer.

2008-Oct-6 - Monday Morning here and the week-end.....

We started our week-end off by going over to my father-in-laws. My husband needed to work on the tractor and so I made a pot of Taco soup for everyone for supper. It was a beauiful afternoon there. The pictures I will be sharing here are from our afternoon there.

As you can see, he got the tractor going again. He loves being on a tractor. I believe if he could, he would search out for pastures that need to be cut, just so he could "ride his tractor", lol.....

It is a beauiful place his father has. His parents bought this place together many years ago. It has always been a second home to us. We only live about 5 mintues from the home place. We have thoughts that maybe when the day comes, we will buy it and retire here.

The house is small, but comfortable and homey. We have spent many of days in there with family. Many dinners for holidays, birthdays and just to be together. The front yard has seen many egg hunts, football games and playing tag. 

Many of "men talks" have happened right here in this barn. Oh, they say they are working on something, but we ladies know. They are just getting together, bonding (or what ever 4 brothers and a father call it) talk. Sometimes they are just standing there and starring at the gound. But that is my husbands family. They may not say much, but the quietness says so much between them.

But as usual, everything must come to end, the tractor needs to head to the barn, and everyone comes to the dinner table for "supper". It was a good visit, all of my daughters were there and more memories were made.

Yes, we pray that "grandpa" is here with us for a long time. But when that day does comes, we pray that we may be able to own the "home-place" and keep the memories coming.........for everyone.

Now off to the kitchen. I need to get some baking done. On my list is:

• Wheat Bread
• Rolls
• Apple muffins
• Oatmeal Cookies

I also have pears and apples to get put up. I am hoping to make apple butter and pear butter. We will see how the day goes.

I also need to get the laundry going. So, boy have I got a lot to do and I did not even mention school work. There is always school work that needs done each day.

Have a good day at your home !!

Sun 5 Oct 2008 - Million Calorie Chocolate Chip Pound Cake

Million Calorie Chocolate Chip Pound Cake

1 lb. softened sweet butter

3 cups sugar

6 large eggs

4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup whole milk

1/4 cup heavy cream

2 teaspoons homemade vanilla or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 lb bittersweet chocolate chips

• Preheat your oven to 300 degrees.
• Grease a 10 inch tube pan and lightly flour. I also suggest that you line the bottom with parchment paper and have it come up the side an inch or so, as some batter leaked from the bottom.
• In a large mixing bowl by hand or with a beater, cream the butter and sugar till light and fluffy.
• Then add 1 egg at a time, beating well till incorporated.
• Alternating add the flour and milk stirring by hand with a wooden spoon.
• Add the extracts and combine the cake batter till well blended.
• Fold in the chocolate chips till incorporated evenly in the cake batter.
• Carefully add the batter to the tube pan, smoothing the top to make sure it is even.
• Bake till a tester comes out clean anywhere from 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
• Cool the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes then turn it out onto the rack to cool.

Sun 5 Oct 2008 - He Is Faithful!

He Is Faithful!

Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands.

Deuteronomy 7:9 NIV

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He is the LORD our God:
his judgments are in all the earth.

He hath remembered his covenant for ever,
the word which he commanded to a thousand generations.

Psalm 105:7,8 KJV

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Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful;

Hebrews 10:23 NASB

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I prayed to the LORD my God and made confession, saying,
"O Lord, the great and awesome God,
who keeps covenant and steadfast love with
those who love him and keep his commandments."

Daniel 9:4 ESV

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God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

I Corinthians 1:9

Sun 5 Oct 2008 - Tamales With Roasted Green Chilies And Cheddar Cheese

I haven't tried these but they sound wonderful!

Tamales With Roasted Green Chilies And Cheddar Cheese

Makes 12

2 1/2 cups prepared corn masa
1/2 cup diced chiles
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese, or pepper jack
12 whole, pitted black olives
Aprox 30 dry corn husks

Soak at least 30 husks in hot water for 20 minutes to soften. Once
softened, remove from water, separate, and shake off excess water.
Tear some husks 1/4 inch wide to form 24 strips to tie the ends with.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix together the masa, chiles and cheese.
Take 1/4 cup at a time and place in the center of a large husk. With
your fingers, press dough ball into a 3 inch rectangle. Push one
olive into the center of dough. (This is traditional.) Place another
husk on top. Then roll from the long sides to form a cylinder shape.
Pinch and gently twist the ends and tie, snugly, being careful not to
break the husk tie. Continue until you have made 12 or so tamales.

When ready to cook, place in a steam pot and cover tightly and steam
the tamales for 30 to 35 minutes over simmering water, being careful
that your water does not cook away, add water if necessary. Do not
crowd the tamales too close together. Tamales are done when they feel
firm to the touch but not hard, and the dough comes away easily from
the husk. Remove from pot and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Serve with salsa and sour cream.

Saturday, October 4, 2008 - Went to see Nancy Campbell!!

We just got back from hearing Nancy Campbell of Above Rubies speak!

Nancy was very good, her message was wonderful. Gave me much food for thought, which we have been discussing here until late into the night.

Friends Kate and Mark came around, and Mark and Neil were treated to dinner cooked by their two youngest boys, P & B, and our two girls, while Kate and I went out to hear Nancy.

I must say the experience was, for us, slightly spoiled by a long period of enforced 'worship' in the style of the church which hosted the event. I personally don't think this was wise. I was not comfortable with the style of worship, and would think twice about going to see any speaker at this church again. It was a very protracted time, and not very beneficial, at least for me.

However, Nancy more than made up for it.  What a remarkable lady - they are so far from home here in the wet and windy UK, and travelling around - they were delayed in their trip from Gloucester - but what an inspirational lady! 

We came back to find the house relatively peaceful, everyone had eaten pizza and pasta a la kids, and enjoyed themselves playing board games afterwards, and Neil and Mark seemed quite relaxed! So time for bed now, just looked at the time and it's very late!

2008-Oct-4 - Pets are Family, Too!

My dear blog friend, Amy (Simplefolk ~~ a MUST READ blog, by-the-way!!), posted about losing her sweet dog that used to be her grandpa's.  That losing their Rosie was a milestone of sorts as she had belonged to her loving grandpa.

It brought back memories - good and sad - about our dear Hickory that we lost at age 10 back in January from liver cancer.  He was "our boy" and I still think of him daily.  Even though we now have our cute little Maggie (a "big girl" at 10 whole months and all of about 10 lbs., now!), I still miss Hickory.  I've had dogs all my life and, as any pet owner knows, as much as we love them all there are a couple in our lives that are just special.  That was Hickory.  Maggie is doing a wonderful job of playing her way right into those empty parts of our hearts, so we're hoping that she will be just as speical as Hickory.

This is "our boy", Hickory, just a couple of years ago.  I miss that face. 

Blessings from Ohio, Kim Wolf<><