The Mennobrarian
In And Around the Home This Week
Most people probably think that I learned most of my homemaking skills from my mother. And although my mother is great at things domestic, and is my number one go-to person for advice on household matters, she did not teach me a single thing in the kitchen. She was (is!) a staunch perfectionist, who didn’t like a lot of distractions in the kitchen (distractions = children) and did not have the patience to teach anyone, anything, ever. Now, don’t think for a minute here that I am denigrating my mother in any way. She was (is!) a phenomenal mother, homemaker, and cook. She just didn’t have whatever that is that makes someone good at teaching someone else a skill, and frankly, that may be an inherited trait that she passed down. So how did I learn to make a pie, clean the house, and sew a dress? Diligence and hard work. I figured it out myself, read everything I could on whatever I wanted to learn, and asked questions of those who knew. (And fortunately, there are quite a few women in my family who not only want to teach you something, but insist that their way is the best and only way!)
In the Kitchen: Making jelly or jam was never something that I did much of, and did not really need to make. There are quite a few people out there who are talented at this very thing, and so why not trade from them? But in the interest of trying something new, I made a beautiful batch of pear jelly this weekend. I don't yet know how it tastes, but with much relief have noted that it is setting properly.
Around the Home: A few hours was all it took to finish cleaning out the garden this weekend (front flower bed, too.) Now out tomato cages are lined up like a marching parade in the back of the yard, and some random string still dangles from stakes. Now I'm thinking of all of the winter sewing projects I want to accomplish, a skirt to make, a new dress to cut out, and I finally figured out the perfect project for some of that old seed sack material that I purchased early in the summer: A cover for my mixer! Right now, I keep it covered with a couple old towel, and amazingly enough, dirt from the construction STILL gets in there. I am hoping a nice quilted cover will be more effective and look better, too. Now, if only I can remember where I put that material!
Welcome to my Kitchen
This week I wanted to post more about kitchens and cooking and such things. Today I'm going to start with a fun meme from Kitty...1. Do you have magnets on your fridge? Yes, many! Although I usually don't like a lot of things on my refrigerator, when my husband and I started traveling, he would collect magnets from our various destinations. People really enjoy "reading" our refrigerator door!
2. Do you have a calendar in your kitchen, if so, what's the theme of it? We have a country-themed calender near the kitchen, but since we don't have proper walls in our kitchen yet, we don't have anything decorative hung up.
3. What is your favorite kitchen gadget or tool? My pastry cutter.
4. Are you lucky enough to have a pantry of some kind? If a small bookshelf counts, then yes.
5.What is your favorite appliance? My electric can opener.
6. Do you have an eat in kitchen (table in it)? No.
7.Do you have a bread box? No.
8. Do you have a picture of your kids on the fridge? We don't put family photos on the fridge.
9. Do you ever cook breakfast in your PJs? Yes.
10. Do you have a favorite cookbook that you use? It's a three-ring binder book that I have filled with recipes that I use most often. The recipes come from various places. I also have a recipe card box with some favorites.
11. Are you lucky enough to have recipes that were passed down from your mom or grandma? Yes.
12. What's your favorite food? Corn- pop corn, casserole, on the cob. All types.
13. What's your favorite thing to cook? When I'm hungry, the fastest and easiest thing!
14. Is your coffee pot electric or stove top? Electric.
15. Do you ever make your own bread? Sometimes, and always by hand.
16. Name one thing that you have hanging on your wall in your kitchen. A fly swatter.
17. Is there a clock in your kitchen? Three of our appliances have clocks, but because of ongoing electrical work and the electricity being shut off from time to time, they are always incorrect.
18. Do you have a bowl of fruit sitting on your table or counter? Sometimes, or ripening tomatoes or peppers.
19. What type of canisters do you have? Some ceramic, some stainless steel.
20. Does your kitchen have a theme? "Construction in Progress."
21. What's for supper tonight? Slow cooker roast and vegetables.
22. Do you have enough cabinet space? No one ever does.
23. Does your family use paper plates? No.
24. Do you have a good set of china picked up? We have some fine china pieces, but we use them for everyday use. I don't have a set that are only for company or special occasions.
25. Do you wear an apron to work in your kitchen? Mostly when I'm baking.
26. Name one thing, if anything, that you would like to change about your kitchen. I'd like it to be complete. Ceiling, floors, you know, things people take for granted.
In and Around the Home This Week
Although we are still enjoying mild temperatures here, thoughts of heating for the winter are on our minds. At this time last year, we could easily turn on the oil heat and enjoy the warmth radiating through the vents, but I have learned that when renovating a home, progress comes with a price, and things sometimes get very inconvenient right before something improves dramatically. For instance, we had no exterior lights outside our home for the longest time. When it was dark and we needed to go out, you could find me fumbling around outside with a flashlight. Now, we have floodlights so numerous and bright that I am certain it scares planes flying over our house when the exterior lights are turned on.But for stories of unplanned inconvenience, nothing beats the tale of the oil tank. In order to build our new back step and back door (which I really really love) my husband had to move an oil tank away from the house and out into the yard. And if that wasn't hard enough, the tank had oil in it, which had to somehow be drained before the tank could be moved. My husband actually took it upon himself to drain the tank and store the oil so the tank could be easily moved and the back door could be built. Well, wouldn't you know, that during the summer, while the oil tank was sitting out in the yard unconnected to the house, the oil company came by and filled the tank?
Who would have thought?
It turned out that every year in the late summer months the oil company gets a jump on the heating season by running around and filling everyone's tank...even errant tanks in the middle of yards that are not connected to a house. So, my husband went out and purchased some sort of long pipe to reconnect the tank to the house from where it is, so we can use the oil in it all up and move the tank back to the correct location.
And now we have all this oil with a wood stove on the way, too. I couldn't have imagined that we would be so overly prepared to heat our home this winter. (Not that I'm complaining.) And if the results are anything like the floodlight project, this will be a very warm house.
In the Kitchen: I am using up some of those last garden gleanings to make quarts of chow chow relish. My recipe uses lots of green tomatoes, and it feels good to get some mileage out of those things that are out there on the vines. Supper happenings were tomato-cheddar bread, spaghetti squash, seafood chowder, chocolate layer cake. There is also an odd plant in my kitchen by the window: I read somewhere that if you plant a green onion in a pot and water it like any plant, and then only cut off the green parts, it will keep growing and you won't need to buy scallions anymore. Has anyone tried this?
Around the Home: Picking up on winter sewing and other forgotten projects. So many things get put on hold during the summer months and it's so nice to have more time to spend writing letters, visiting with family and friends, and tending to all those corners of clutter that accumulate in the busy garden months.
Recipe:
Orange Almond* Bread
*you can use any kind of nut, it's just that I had sliced almonds on hand!
3 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
4 tsp. baking powder
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 1/2 cups milk
1 tsp. grated orange peel
2 T melted butter
1/2 cup sliced almonds
Sift flour. Add baking powder, salt, and sugar. Sift again. In a separate bowl, combine egg, milk, and butter, then add to flour mixture. Fold in orange peel and nuts. Stir until mixed. Pour into a greased loaf pan and bake at 375 for one hour. Enjoy this with your favorite spread.
Frugal: The Good, The Bad, and the Thrifty
Like most of you, I enjoy collecting tips that help save us money or make life easier. Many of these ideas are very interesting to me, not only because they may actually work, but because occassionally, they are just out-right out-there. By varying degrees, they range from those that might save a few pennies (at the expense of an enormous hassle and time investment) to the outright just not doable. One extreme example of this phenomena was the suggestion in a book I read that instead of buying a salad spinner, one could use an old pillow case. How? By putting your damp veggies in a pillow case, stepping out on to your back porch, and twirling the sack over your head until your salad is "spun."Can you really see yourself doing that? Even better, what if you were doing it and someone you knew drove by and saw you?
Another popular one making the rounds has to do with those fabric softener sheets you put in the dryer. Some shoppers buy a box of them and cut the sheets in half to automatically double the box, since half a sheet works just as well as one. Here's a secret: Skip buying the sheets altogether, and spray a rag with some diluted fabric softener (you can make your own with white vinegar and a little essence oil for scent) and throw that in the dryer. You can use it again and again. Or just hang your clothes outside to dry.
For me, frugal means making the most out of what I already have, getting the most for what I paid for, and at the end of the day, spending less than what we make. Nothing more than that. And if it takes a lot of time and complicates things needlessly, then it isn't very frugal.
In the Garden: We are getting a second crop of cherry tomatoes which are even bigger and more flavorful than the first! The slightly cooler temperatures seem to be the cause. Larger varieties are ripening on the vine, but I am more than ready for things to slow down. The ground is so parched and hard from the dry summer we had, it is hard to do the few things that still need to be done.
On the Table: Big roasted vegetable sandwiches with mozzarella cheese on crusty bread, stewed tomatoes, leftover gumbo, and homemade brownies made by my Mom.
Around the Home: Putting away any canning jars that didn't get used this time, continuing the black walnut project, and passing the latest round of building inspection. I'll also be looking to schedule some days set aside for winter sewing in the coming weeks. Oh, and planning my Christmas giveaway here on October 1.
On the Nightstand: "Twist of Faith" by Anne Beiler. A story that shows that our God is a God of second chances.
In and Around the Very Busy Home This Week
This was the busiest past couple of weeks I can recall since planting time. There was church business to tend to right in the middle of canning. Also, my poor husband stuck his foot through a ceiling panel while installing an attic window, creating a huge hole and creating a mess. Even worse, it was the ceiling panel right over our bed! On Saturday evening I used muscles I never knew I had to hold a drywall panel in place while my husband nailed away. It was appallingly hot here this past weekend- a page out of midsummer. Our clothing was soaked through with sweat, and we must have looked awfully humorous (and extremely dirty) standing on dual ladders as we nailed this heavy panel in place.With our first frost date less than a month away, I am trying to hurry and harvest whatever is out there in the overgrown, declining garden. And of course Spring bulbs are on my mind, and winter sewing sneaks in there somewhere, and then Christmas is coming....(which reminds me, I'll be doing a Christmas giveaway on October 1st, so watch this space.)
But you get the point, it is just hectic.
We also have to plan a trip out to Ohio next month to pick up our wood stove. This will help out greatly this winter as we have an endless supply of wood. Work is still progressing in the room that will be our bedroom.
In the Kitchen: In the midst of pickling peppers, canning that corn relish from our corn, and preserving left and right, I attempted to make stewed tomatoes for my husband. Now, you might find this strange, but I've never made them, never ate them, and none of my cookbooks have a recipe for stewed tomatoes. Even my vintage homemaking books from the 1950's lacked instructions for stewed tomatoes. (And you would think that a book containing a recipe for stewed prunes would follow through with a tomato variation, but no.) So, if you have a treasured stewed tomato recipe, please pass it on. Thank you.
On the Table: Something called "Cheeseburger Meatloaf" which contained relish, mustard, ketchup, and cheese, homemade buttered noodles, corn and cabbage salad, peach crumb pie.
In the Garden: We're still getting quite a few large tomatoes and peppers, but things are definitely slowing down. My zinnias are still blooming bright and pretty in the front flower garden, but the wilted sunflowers tell the real story.
Something Helpful: When I was trying to downsize a recipe from an enormous quantity to a more manageable one, I found this online recipe adjuster to be extremely helpful!
In and Around the Home and Recipe
This morning my husband asked me to help him pull some electrical wire in our future bedroom. It turned out to be more than I bargained for, a full scale project involving strength, tools, and sweat. There was so much else to do before heading off to the library, I couldn't believe that standing on a step-stool and debating the number of electrical outlets my husband is installing (are we plugging in Las Vegas?) was how I would spend the morning. Next, I went out to check the garden to pull tomatoes and our late corn which was very ripe. We pulled out the corn stalks after we picked everything. It did amazingly well considering I never bothered to spray it. Finally, a gusty wind over the weekend had dropped quite a few black walnuts, so I needed to work on husking a pile before leaving. You can't let them sit or else the husk turns black and hardens into the shell.Speaking of tomatoes, V. from Idaho has posted a delicious tomato soup recipe in the comments section of my previous post which I am going to repost here for all to see. This looks so good, I can't wait to make a double batch next weekend to freeze some:
All Over the Wall Tomato Soup
4 c fresh chopped tomatoes
1 small onion (saute in a little butter for 3 min)
1/2 tsp minced garlic
2 c chicken broth
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp all purpose flour
1 tsp salt, or to taste
2 tsp white sugar, or to taste
1/2 c half & half (or more for a creamier taste)
Directions:
In a stockpot, over med. heat, combine the toms, onion, garlic, cloves, and broth. Bring to a boil and simmer gently for about 20 min. Remove from heat and add to blender and puree making sure the lid is on very tight and that you are holding it down!
In the empty stock pot, melt the butter over med. heat. Stir in the flour to make a roux, cooking and stirring until the roux is a medium brown. Gradually, whisk in a bit of the tomato mixture, so that no lumps form, then stir in the rest. Season with sugar and salt, adjusting to taste. Just before serving stir in the half & half.
By the way, I've added an e-mail link under my picture for those who would like to get in touch or send recipes off-blog. Thank you so much for all of you who stop by and visit. I really appreciate your comments and kind words.
In the Kitchen: That corn we pulled will make some tasty corn relish. This weekend past I started canning applesauce, apple pie filling, and peach pie filling. It was hot and hectic in our little rectangular box of a kitchen, even with the ceiling fan running full blast.
On the Table: Our carrots in a ginger raisin sauce, spinach and artichoke pasta, homemade guacamole with corn chips, oreo ice cream dessert.
In the Garden: Spinach and lettuces doing well. I'm already thinking about Spring bulbs and where I might be able to squeeze in daffodils. After last year's disaster with moles eating so many of my bulbs, they're the only thing I feel safe planting for over the winter.
Just Wondering: Do any of you have a favorite variety of apple that you use for making apple jelly?
In and Around the Home this Week
There is really very little that goes on around here that might be thought of as well, news worthy, in the strictest sense of the word. That was why I was so surprised to be confronted with this news article the other morning. It seems that there are some people (ahem) who actually live without televisions, an idea that I don't find at all radical but a concept considered radical enough in the scientific community to warrant a study. (And I guess I should know better because eyebrows regularly shoot up when I can't participate in a conversation about the latest tv programs.) But what was interesting about this study was that, to a point, it validated a suspicion of mine that if you are not watching television then you are doing something else that may be worthwhile, and may be considerably more productive. For all of the beliefs that I have regarding the extremely low value of most popular entertainment, it is the underlying fact that at the end of the day, I just do not have time to watch television. In fact, I can't even read all that I would like to. There is always something to be created, or loved ones to spend time with, or something to be sewn, cooked, or....canned.So there it was again later that same day. Our local newspaper picked up this AP news article on how more people are canning because of the increasing food prices and uncertain economy. So, now canning is news too, and while that's not a bad thing, I inwardly roll my eyes and wonder what else so many of us are doing and have been doing for years that will be reported as the next wave of modern living.
In the Kitchen: This weekend I plan to make gluten-free brownies for a family member with celiac disease. Also, hopefully start on apples for sauce and pie filling.
On the Table: Buttered noodles, stewed tomatoes, salmon, corn relish, and leftover casserole.
In the Garden: I took a tumble in the garden yesterday, when my shoe became stuck on a tomato cage. But my fall was broken by tomatoes! Our sunflowers are done and drying where they were planted, and I can't decide whether to remove them or let them dry naturally. I could use the space in the garden for Fall spinach.
Around the Home: So much work has been done in the area that will be our bedroom that I can hardly believe we will be moving our bed and things in there in the coming months. In preparation for returning the living room to its main purpose, we have ordered our wood stove which will really help with the heating bills this winter.
Also, we finally have a fully usable back door with steps!
Side note: Thank you to all of you who expressed encouraging thoughts and prayers for my dear friend and the recent challenges in her life. May you all be deeply blessed for your compassion.
In and Around the Home this Week
Some tri-color violas blooming in a shady part of the garden.
Our garden is still very productive, though cucumbers are done. We are still enjoying the bounty of tomatoes, peppers (all types), carrots, and we expect to harvest corn in the next few weeks (remember, it was the last thing to go in.) I had a brief bout of envy last week hearing about some of you buying pounds of tomatoes all at once and then canning them in the space of a few days. Oh, don't I wish that all my tomatoes would ripen at exactly the same moment so I could process them and get it out of the way! Instead, a few pounds here and there come due and oh, I don't have time for making sauce today but it has to be done, and then the cycle repeats every other week.
I have also started a new project In the Garden, and it is one I have not tried before. Harvesting black walnuts! We have a tree on our property and it is just now starting to drop the walnuts wrapped in their thick green husks. It is a bit daunting because black walnuts are notoriously difficult to crack (an ordinary nut cracker just won't do, and some folks have developed techniques involving bricks and hammers). And it is nearly impossible to extract intact pieces of nut meat from them, but a delicious treat awaits those who put in the effort. Perhaps at some point I'll do a more detailed post on the black walnut harvest.
Everyone likes to play show and tell with their flea market finds, and since Amy Jo asked...here were a few of mine that were picked up on our time away.
Our garden is still very productive, though cucumbers are done. We are still enjoying the bounty of tomatoes, peppers (all types), carrots, and we expect to harvest corn in the next few weeks (remember, it was the last thing to go in.) I had a brief bout of envy last week hearing about some of you buying pounds of tomatoes all at once and then canning them in the space of a few days. Oh, don't I wish that all my tomatoes would ripen at exactly the same moment so I could process them and get it out of the way! Instead, a few pounds here and there come due and oh, I don't have time for making sauce today but it has to be done, and then the cycle repeats every other week.
I have also started a new project In the Garden, and it is one I have not tried before. Harvesting black walnuts! We have a tree on our property and it is just now starting to drop the walnuts wrapped in their thick green husks. It is a bit daunting because black walnuts are notoriously difficult to crack (an ordinary nut cracker just won't do, and some folks have developed techniques involving bricks and hammers). And it is nearly impossible to extract intact pieces of nut meat from them, but a delicious treat awaits those who put in the effort. Perhaps at some point I'll do a more detailed post on the black walnut harvest.
Everyone likes to play show and tell with their flea market finds, and since Amy Jo asked...here were a few of mine that were picked up on our time away.
I buy old linens for one of two reasons. One, I usually have the best intentions of using them in our house at the time I am making the purchase. Or two, my creative wheels start spinning and I know there is a sewing project in there somewhere. Oh, and those small round doilies? They make great canning jar covers, fastened with a ribbon, if you give your preserves as gifts.
Here are some of the kitchen items I bought; the double boiler (old enamelware), the melon baller that the man gave me for free because I bought the pastry cutter, a five-cup sifter that is practically new and was only $2, and a once cup sifter for a dollar. Yes, I've been getting by without a sifter until now. Things like this happen when you have a small wedding and don't get a million gifts.
On the Table: This morning the house smells of toasted oats, nuts, coconut, and honey. No, I'm not baking, but making a batch of cereal. Recently we've been enjoying fried green tomatoes, which we like so much that there was just no waiting until the end of tomato season to indulge. Also, buttery pole limas and of course, sliced tomatoes and basil on warm bread.
On the Nightstand: "Heirloom: Notes from An Accidental Tomato Farmer", by Tim Stark.
On the Table: This morning the house smells of toasted oats, nuts, coconut, and honey. No, I'm not baking, but making a batch of cereal. Recently we've been enjoying fried green tomatoes, which we like so much that there was just no waiting until the end of tomato season to indulge. Also, buttery pole limas and of course, sliced tomatoes and basil on warm bread.
On the Nightstand: "Heirloom: Notes from An Accidental Tomato Farmer", by Tim Stark.
Rain, Finally
Over the weekend I was repotting some small plants and pulling weeds, and I had so much energy because it was not oppressively hot like it had been, but gentle and cool. Then, the skies darkened.
"Not another false alarm," I sighed.
And the thunder sounded.
"Still meaningless."
And then finally, the sky opened up and a steady flow of large rain drops splattered.
Hurriedly, I put away my gardening tools and picked up the bouquet I had picked for my kitchen counter vase (really, just an old, chipped quart jar) and gave thanks for the rain. Inside, my husband was busy working on a presentation he was giving on Monday to some children in 4H on the topic of beekeeping. We don't keep bees currently, but my husband used to and it is likely we will again. With my outdoor activities suddenly and surprisingly limited for the first time since Spring, I was displaced to working indoors, which resulted in finishing all of the laundry and ironing in a single evening. That hasn't happened since Winter! It was a blessing that I was able to accomplish that, considering our neighbor lost power until the next morning, but we didn't.
On the Table: I made the meaty pasta casserole that's on the cover of the new Taste of Home magazine. Meaty, indeed. If you're missing any livestock it might be in this casserole. I actually omitted the pepperoni, and still, this dish was too meaty for me. I also made a batch of whoopie pies for dessert.
As a little girl I used to ask, "Why are they called whoopie pies?"
"Because all the kids say "Whoopie!" when they get them in their lunch box," some deeply intelligent adult would say. But that answer never satisfied me, and it still doesn't.
Remember those round lemon cukes? I made icebox pickles with them and they turned out well. Not as firm as a regular cucumber, but crunchy and full of taste.
On the Nightstand: The Practice of the Presence of God, by Brother Lawrence. Awe-inspiring and thought provoking. You can read this for free online, but don't bother. Read it when you won't be distracted.
In and Around the Home This Week
The other evening in the shower, I felt a large lump on my upper arm. There was one on the other arm, too. Bulging bumps, more prominent when my elbows are bent. What are those things? Oh! Muscles! It's been so long since I had any, that it took me by surprise. Looks like all that hauling around the yard has finally paid off.It makes up for the decline in my memory lately. Yesterday, I arrived at the store and discovered that my shopping list was not with me. It was only a brief trip on the way home to pick up ten or so items, so I just remembered the the best I could what things we needed. After arriving home and putting everything away, I searched out my missing list in anticipation of joyfully checking off the items. Wouldn't you know that there was only one item on the list that I got right and actually purchased?
In the Garden: It seemed like there was nothing more satisfying than sticking your head into the tomato forest and spotting a vine of deep red fruit, but then the cucumbers came in, and the corn grew tassels, and now the garden is full of ripe surprises. Carrots should be up any minute (remember, we planted late). As we are tight for planting space, I weeded out a patch of mint we inherited and made room for hot peppers. It baffles me that anyone would grow mint- it's such a strong weed. Cabbage worms are eating my cabbage seedlings, so I will be trying to fix that situation.
In the Kitchen: Freezing corn and bell peppers, drying hot peppers, and getting ready to can salsa and tomato sauce. I love to can things fresh knowing that we'll be enjoying them during the winter- it keeps the garden "alive" all year. Tonight for supper I'm making a version of the breakfast casserole featured here, with added garden goodies, and roasted tomato pizzas.
Around the Home: We have started work on the room that will someday be our bedroom, but up until now has been our main storage area for housewares, clothing, dishes, and other important things. A small bookcase in that room even served as our pantry. This meant moving many of our belongings out of that room so that walls can be rebuilt, windows added in, and the last of the electrical work completed. It presented a logistical challenge, since there are no "finished" rooms in our small house, and limited space for storage.
Laughing About: The junk car dealer who knocked on our door and offered us cash for our temporary "garden shed", a decaying 1978 wood-paneled station wagon. My husband declined, but I put the man's business card on our refrigerator.
In and Around the Home this Week
The other night I realized that we are right in the middle of summer, which of course means that summer is half over. Where has it gone? It seems like yesterday I was coaxing along transplanted seedlings, and now here I am canning tomatoes. Yes, those large, juicy tomatoes are starting to trickle in in all their ripe glory. So much to be grateful for. Today I noticed the cayennes starting to redden, and some serrano peppers starting to grow. We lost all of our serrano peppers as seedlings and had to start over at a ridiculously late time. I didn't think we'd get any!
Since we are getting deeper by the day in tomatoes, I thought I'd share one of our favorite ways to use them up. This recipe is particularly good with cherry tomatoes, but you can use grape and teardrop ones too:
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
1/4 cup diced red onion
3 T olive oil (extra virgin)
3 T fresh chopped basil
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
Combine all ingredients and season with salt and pepper. Brush bread with a little olive oil, then toast and add topping.
In the Garden: Our mammoth sunflowers are finally starting to bloom. Won't they be a cheery sight waving at people who drive along the road? Bell peppers are still going strong. The "highly experimental" sweet corn I planted is as tall as I am. Maybe it won't be so experimental after all.
On the Table: Shrimp enchiladas with green salsa, garden goodies on pizza, lemonade, sweet cherries, and my favorite lemon pie.
Around the Home: A bat. Yes, the winged kind. I saw it during the night as it flew out of a back room, up the hallway, and into the kitchen. My thoughts went like this: "Should I wake my husband? Well, what for, I mean, what's he going to do about a bat in the house in the middle of the night? Chase it with a broom? And anyway, the bedroom door is closed so it can't get us. Of course there's a bat in here. The attic is exposed and open, so we practically invited it inside. Even if we got it out, what would stop it from flying right back in? Nothing, that's what. I'm going to bed."
Praying for: Carrie on Tuesday, and you all know why.
This Post May Inspire You to Imperfection
We're just a few days into the massive cherry tomato harvest, and although some will inevitably end up canned (thanks for the tips) and frozen, I enjoy giving them away as fast as they can be picked. A lot of the mothers here at the library are very grateful to receive healthy fresh-from-the garden treats. They also want to place orders for other things too! ("Will you make whoopie pies soon?") At home, I am making fresh salsa and have learned to make garlic-y tomato bruschetta, too. My motto at home right now is: Eat Tomatoes Every Day. The motto accompanies the perpetually asked questions, "Why aren't you picking tomatoes right now?" and "Did you ask _____ if they want some cherry tomatoes?"
I noticed something odd the other day, and that is no one detassels corn here in the East. This was only noticed because there is plenty of corn growing around us, and it is now the time of year when, in the midwest, you expect to see youths in long sleeves and hats making a minimal hourly wage detasseling corn. Why is this not done in the East? My husband had never even heard of detasseling corn. Someday, future generations may not either, as detasseling in the midwest is on the endangered list.
A lament seen on other blogs lately is the criticism from some people who sadly see the current crop of homemaking blogs as doing the following two things: Presenting their creators as having overly-idealized and perfect, happy lives, and setting impossibly high standards for others to live up to. It has never occurred to me to see any blog as something to live up to, though it is easy to identify some bloggers who are struggling so hard in their own lives that they do over-compensate by painting an extremely flowery picture of their life. But as for finding other people's posts as depressing inducers of mass inadequacy aimed at other women, I find blogs that offer things far and above my own content to be nothing short of inspiring. Never would I think that anyone, anyone, has a perfect life without challenges and regrets. No matter how great a blog is, the fact that it is created by an imperfect human wouldn't escape me for a minute.
Anyway, at least those of you who read this know that you are in no danger of feeling sub-standard over here. Unless you find the idea of living in a filthy, deconstructed, bare-studs-showing, semi-open to the elements, marriage-challenging, tiny home without walls and floors to be highly innovative inspirational.
In and Around the Home This Week
It's been harder to find time to update this blog as we try to keep ahead of the very, very hot and dry weather out here. Keeping things properly irrigated has become a second job, and many other things have fallen by the wayside. We were thrilled when mere sprinkles of water fell from the sky last night, not enough to actually water anything, but just enough to keep things moist. While some of you have expressed envy at our bountiful garden, let me assure you that every square inch of it is watered with my sweat! (And weeded by hand.)In the Garden: We have been keeping a close eye on our tomatoes, and are slowly coming to the conclusion that most of them may be cherry tomatoes. Except for a few plants that have positively been identified as paste or beefsteak varieties, it seems that small green, orange, and reddening fruits are everywhere. How did this happen? Some of you may recall that our seedlings were flooded out one rainy night some months back as they were hardening on our back porch. The sudden rain storm sent us into a rescue mission of grabbing up sopping tomato seedlings before they could all float away. It seems that many of our larger varieties either did float away, or just did not recover from the flood. We planted what did survive, and are very surprised it is mostly cherry tomatoes. Salsa, anyone?
In the Kitchen: With the constant demands of the garden, it has been nearly impossible to meet some of the canning goals I set for myself. We are thankful for the bread and butter pickles and northwest cherries that I was able to process last weekend, but I was hoping to get some peaches done, too. With several healthy bushes of sweet basil, my new plans are to focus on making some pesto for freezing. It's so delicious on pizza bread.
Around the Home: We have a back door now, but not yet any steps that lead down to the ground so it is not in use. My husband built-out our hallway so it goes through to the back of the house where the new door is. It makes everything feel more open. He also re-framed the eaves on the front of our house, which were full of nesting material. My front flower garden now has a hay mulch from all of the excavated nesting debris. It really does help in this dry heat.
On the Table: Crock pot chili (providing a welcome relief from the oven), fresh fruit salad, lemonade, and our fresh basil, mozarella cheese, and seasoned tomatoes on bread.
Just Wondering: The Ohio State extension office says that cherry tomatoes can't be canned safely, not even with a pressure canner. Yet, it seems the internet is full of people who have done this successfully. What say you?
In and Around the Home This Week
It's been a while since I invited you into my garden, and so much has grown since then. Massive sunflowers tower overhead, providing shade for salad greens and a lone cabbage that was squeezed in at the last minute. Space is at a premium back here in the garden. Out front of our house lies a mini-field of container vegetables. Tomato vines interweave to form a jungle of leafy arms and small green fruit. Peppers are harvested every day. Have a look!
That's a row of silver queen wedged between the peppers and carrots. It's highly experimental as the fields neighboring our property are reportedly not optimal for corn. I wanted to try some without taking up too much space for things we need. 
Keeping up with the peppers is a labor of love.
Cayennes.
A pot of mesclun for salad. Delicious.
That tomato jungle. Perhaps by the next time I post a garden update, the small corner of flowers that are hidden away behind the sunflowers will be in bloom.
In the Home: My neighbor dropped off those canning jars she promised. She arrived just as I was cutting a big bouquet of flowers, so I was able to give those to her as a thank-you. As expected, most of the jars were in very old, dusty, cob-web filled boxes. Some of the lids still had labels attached from the 1950's and 60's. Surprisingly, most jars were in excellent condition despite being dirty. I only weeded out four or five that had chips and could not be used, along with a handful of rusty rings. Having no place to store the jars right now, they will be taken down to my in-law's to be stored in an out building. Most of the jars are quarts, but I sorted and hosed off a box that had different sizes (including some small jelly jars) to keep here and begin to use. My neighbor also mentioned that canning jars are going for ninety-nine cents each at the Goodwill. Ninety-nine cents!
On the Table: Ice box pickles, fresh corn, yumasetti, and chow-chow. Peaches are finally here, and so are some early heirloom tomatoes.
Projects: The two new dresses I hoped to sew for summer are finished, leaving just some mending to tackle, and by the time that is finished, it will be time to start winter sewing. In about a month we'll go away to Lancaster for a week for visiting and relaxing, so I need to make arrangements and work on our schedule for that.
On the Nightstand: The "What Can I Bring?" Cookbook, by Ann Byrn, which has lots of great ideas for family picnics, church potlucks, etc.
In and Around the Home This Week
Echinacea blooming in the flower garden.
This past weekend was a time of playing catch-up on a number of tasks around the home, with a little bit of visiting and fellowship time mixed in. My main objectives were to clean off my desk, finish sewing a dress, clean the house, and tend to the gardens. Having run out of space in our vegetable garden, (the addition of two cayenne pepper plants and some corn pretty much finished us off there) I have been planning to container garden a few leftover plants for which there is no room. Mainly, these are just two more tomato plants, some peppers, cabbage, lettuces, and cucumbers. They are now mostly planted in good-sized containers and off to a healthy start.
I've discovered a fun and thrifty way to help get rid of stubborn weeds: throwing boiled water on them. After I boil some water for cooking, I take the food item out and immediately pour the rest on some deserving specimen. It kills the weed right down to the root, making it easy to pull out the next day. This is especially handy for the obnoxious and impossible-to-pull weeds that grow up through the gravel in our driveway.
Our neighbor asked me if I could use some free canning jars. She has a sister who is moving to smaller quarters, and doesn't do as much canning as she used to. It turns out there are about a hundred jars. I have not gotten them yet, but am hoping for a variety of sizes.
On the Table: Jersey tomatoes are showing up at the farmer's markets, so I've been dicing them and making a delicious salad along with some baby spinach, basil from the garden, and mozarella cheese. Blueberries are abundant as well, and I'm freezing corn here, too.
In the Garden: We are slowly starting to harvest our sweet bell peppers. There was evidence of something (perhaps a rabbit) finding the leaves of my pepper plants to be very tasty, but only the container plants sitting out front were disturbed. It seems my thick border of marigolds in the garden out back has kept all pests away. At night, I put the container plants on top of my car so bunny doesn't use them for a midnight snack.
Good news for Homemakers: "It may surprise you that running your dishwasher actually costs less than doing a load of dishes by hand in the sink, according to the Department of Energy. You might also find it surprising that when you wash your dishes in the dishwasher, 80 percent of your energy costs are associated with heating the water, while only 20 percent are from actual machine energy usage. And because hand-washing your dishes can consume 9 to 24 gallons of water each time you wash whereas your dishwasher only uses 6 to 10 gallons, you can actually save energy, money and time by using the dishwasher. Just make sure you only run the dishwasher when it’s fully loaded and you’ll use even less water." -Mary Hunt, "Everyday Cheapskate"
Just Thinking: Faith makes things possible, not easy.
In and Around the Home This Week
Have you seen daffodils bloom in late June? These are some bulbs I "forced" by keeping them in a pot in the refrigerator for a few months. They practically bloomed in the fridge, but are now doing well in this sunny window. A final taste of this fragrant flower.
It's the time of year here at the library when all of the students come in with their "summer reading" lists that are issued by their schools. These youths couldn't really care less what they read this summer, so long as it's something from the approved list. They have no idea how to find the books, and even after you tell them that the books are shelved alphabetically by the author's last name, they still ask you, "So where would it be?"It makes you want to run home and start pulling weeds to work out your frustration!
Which reminds me, I had planted our tomato seedlings only about a foot apart, since our garden is only 660 square feet. Now that the plants are tall and wide, we have discovered an added bonus to having planted them so close, in addition to it just looking impressive. The vines and leaves have formed a shady canopy that has really helped keep the weeds down between plants.
In other news, the strawberry season was so short here that I blinked and missed it. I am going to check one more market in hopes of getting some for jam, but it is likely that they are gone.
In the Garden: My flower garden is filling out nicely, and I can't wait for the sunflowers and sweet peas to bloom. I have both the mammoth sunflowers and a shorter "junior" variety in a large planter. Was there ever a more cheerful flower? Peppers are growing fast, and those cabbage and lettuce seedlings for the second planting are also sprouting healthy.
On the Table: Chili casserole with cornbread, mixed green salad with dried cranberries, banana bread made from that "Amish Friendship bread" starter someone gave me a couple weeks ago, and for dessert, warm raspberry roll and ice cream.
At Home: My husband has the back of our house torn off, as he takes advantage of the good weather to re-frame it and add in a new back door and window. It invites all sorts of things to fly inside, though, not to mention we are awfully close to the elements when we are in the back room that serves as our office. One morning as I sat at my desk, something outside walked up to the hole in the thin wall by my foot (where we run an electrical cord) and clawed at it before walking away on four feet. All I could think was "Please don't let it crawl in the hole!"
Just Wondering: Our bookmobile is going to the county farm fair this summer, and I volunteered to do a few children's story times. Does anyone know of a great farm-themed children's picture book I could read at the fair?
In and Around the Home this Week
This weekend while hoeing our garden, (which is doing much better by the way, now that the fungus is gone), I was quietly thanking God for answering my prayers and saving it. It was Him who guided us to the third extension office that could help us in time, as the first two were too busy to deal with us right away. Anyway, it's not really our garden. Like everything else, it is a gift from God, only on loan, for the brief time we're here. For the season, both literally and figuratively.
A small pepper was sighted yesterday, and the tomato vines are so enormous they now require cages to lift their heavy stems. And here, I remember when they were seedlings no bigger than my hand being rescued from a rain flood!
My husband rented a stump grinder for a few days to take care of some stumps left by a few trees he cut down months ago. The trees were not very impressive, and were in the way of the fence we are building. On the first afternoon, he came inside the house looking very alarmed. He was asking normal questions like "How's the wash coming?'" but he looked like he was about ready to tell me that the house was on fire. It turned out that the grinder tipped over on its side while he was working on an incline. Thankfully we were able to hook a chain up to it and pull it back right-side-up with the truck. What a relief!
On the Table: Big mushrooms roasted in balsamic vinaigrette, baked fish, cinnamon bread, and spaghetti.
In the Garden: Seedlings for our second planting got fried by the sun in our sudden heat wave, so more were started and will be kept in a safer location. Just some cabbage and a few kinds of greens that didn't make the first planting. Also some violas that had their unlucky seeds washed away twice in rain.
Around the House: Tonight I hope to scan some more photos from my Laura trip so I can post about DeSmet, write a menu plan and shopping list, and try to clean up the plastic flats left over from planting annuals that litter the front yard.
On the Nightstand: In the World But Not of It: One Family's Militant faith and the History of Fundamentalism in America, by Brett Grainger. (Which had a very interesting chapter on the new Creation Museum and its founder.)
*UPDATE*
It's pythium blight! Hurrah!Seriously, we thought it was something much, much worse than that. This is something that, although it can be a problem, there is potential to control it. Once we found out the diagnosis, I realized we had been doing all the things that would start a nice, big, fungusy, pythium blight.
Now we need to adjust our watering habits and see what happens.
The lady from the extension office said, "I wish I had better news."
I told her it was great news, thanked her profusely, and told her how great it felt just to finally know what was causing it, as if she was a doctor explaining a horrendous and mystifying malady to me.
She must think I'm nuts.
In and Around the Home this Week
What a week.On Monday I fell in a hole in the backyard on my way to the bird feeder and twisted my ankle. By Tuesday I was in no position to walk and spent the day putting ice on it, and doing sit-down activities like cleaning off my desk. That actually took a few hours!
By Wednesday my icing and rest had paid off, but a new problem arose.
Something is killing our garden.
It's rather mysterious. A tomato, pepper, or sunflower plant will appear perfectly healthy one day, wilt the next, and be dead by the third. Plants around it will not be affected, and it is completely random.
Remember, we just moved here last year, have never had a garden here before, and have no idea what problems we are prone to.
My husband and I had a spirited debate over what it could be, and came up with three theories. Meanwhile, I called two county extension offices, both of which were too busy to help me and said they would call back in 2 days. TWO DAYS?!? Forget it. I called the county extension office near the library where I work and someone there was able to talk to me, plus they took a sample which they are analyzing now. I am just waiting for the call here at the library, and am afraid to step away from the phone.
If our worst fears are confirmed, I may have to dig up most of our garden and plant things in containers, immediately.
What a week.
In the Home: Swatting flies. It's that time of year.
In the Garden: At least the flowers are blooming. The morning glory vine that was given to us has lovely bright pink flowers. We were given some bulbs for asiatic lilies in a color known as "Lollypop." They have hot pink petals emerging from a white center. They look a lot like day lilies and will surely spread, so I planted them as a border along the road in front. I am running out of places to plant things!
On the Table: Shepherd's pie, green salad, brownies with ice cream.
Just Wondering: Well, I felt vindicated yesterday after my last "Just Wondering" when a father called to his son outside the library, "Come on, Malachi, let's go!" But really, what's wrong with Lazarus?
In and Around the Home this Week
Three times a year our library hosts a sale of used, donated books. Some of the books are in shockingly good condition, while others smell of someone's damp basement. Digging through the boxes of books you find the good ("A Woman After God's Own Heart" for a dollar!) and the bad ("Microwave Cooking"). You find the snicker-worthy (books on scientology still in their untouched wrapping that nobody wants) and the truly sad ("When Your Mate Wants Out").The book sale is a statement on the fickleness of technology (plenty of VHS tapes for sale) and the fragility of fads (lots of used copies of the "Purpose-driven" this-or-that).
There are finds to be had, and things that you will never find. For instance, no one ever donates good cookbooks. Travel guides are hopelessly outdated. And there are always thousands of those awful paperback romances. Sifting through the chafe to find the wheat at the library book sale takes diligence and endurance. Many of you yard-salers know the feeling.
Still, when hours of digging results in that small pile of wonderful finds, it is worth it.
In the Garden: The massive rains we had did much to make things grow and bloom, and it did a lot for the weeds, too. Weeding those tiny carrot seedlings is quite a chore. They are only a few centimeters high! That morning glory vine we received as a gift is starting to bloom bright pink flowers. I hope to pick up a trellis for it soon.
In the Kitchen: Not much, because we have a wedding today, and a fellowship meal after church tomorrow. For church, I think I'll make a crispy cabbage, carrot, and corn salad. I was also "gifted" some Amish friendship bread starter. That stuff multiplies like a bad chain letter, and pretty soon you are wondering if the person who gave it to you is really your friend.
On the Nightstand: Little Heathens: Hard Times and High Spirits on an Iowa Farm During the Great Depression, by Mildred Armstrong Kalish. Oh, you want to read this book- it is so entertaining!
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