Celebrating my blessings!

Posted on Saturday, September 6, 2008 at 10:53 by Mrs. Joseph Wood - 0 Comments - Post Comment - Link

Baby burp pad?

Posted on Saturday, September 6, 2008 at 11:24 by haflinger - 0 Comments - Post Comment - Link

Was wondering if anybody has a pattern for a baby burp pad that goes over the shoulder? When my children were small I used to use a diaper but I see the younger folks use a burp pad. I would like to make some for the craft fair.. If someone could share a pattern or a link I would be grateful.. Thanks..

Brenda

tomatoes

Posted on Saturday, September 6, 2008 at 9:00 PM by Brenda - 0 Comments - Post Comment - Link

Tomatoes, tomatoes, tomatoes!  I can't believe how many tomatoes we have in our garden.  It was a slow start, but they have been growing like crazy lately.  We already canned 7 quarts of spaghetti sauce (and used 4).  We have at least 80 tomatoes on the counter right now.  After church tomorrow we will probably make another batch of sauce before the tomatoes go bad. 

Yesterday my husband and a couple of our kids killed 3 roosters for dinner tonight.  I soaked them in salt water all night and put them in my large roaster all day to slow cook with potatoes and carrots.  Everyone enjoyed them.  We are just starting to be able to eat the "fresh" chickens.  We get more than a dozen eggs a day from the hens. We have at least ten more roosters to eat.  We have at least 20 turkeys that we can eat.  We are going to let them get big enough first.  We have 3 huge males that are ready for Thanksgiving.

I am going to start preparing my family for a "no power" day.  We are going to not use any unnecessary power on Sundays to see the effect if will have on my power bill.  My power bill is way to high and I know there are things we can do beyond what we already do.  All of my light bulbs are the twisty bulbs.  We have the air set a little hotter than I like.  I hang out most of the laundry (except the endly white load of socks, and on rainy days). We limit the lights on to whatever is needed, but not to leave a light on.  Next I think we should only use the power for the air, fridge, freezer, etc., but not for lights, laundry, TV, etc. on Sundays to see what effect it has on the power, then if it is significant enough I could try two days a week.  The kids will love the lanterns and I will love the quiet.

Well, after church tomorrow I am going to take some pictures.  Have a nice one.

Brenda

Canning & Baking Bonanza

Posted on Saturday, September 6, 2008 at 12:16 by MamaDuke - 0 Comments - Post Comment - Link

This week on the New Harvest Homestead forum, there have been questions on canning beans and how to do it.  I have been canning our own beans for about a year now and truly love having the convenience of home-canned beans instead of spending my money at the grocery store.  I don't know ... call me crazy, but if I can can beans and save us money, then I'll can beans!

So, after some discussions and answering questions, I thought I'd go ahead and can up some more beans today.  I made a small batch of baked beans (5 pints) and about 9 or 10 pints of red beans (I can't remember right now as they're in the canner).

That wasn't enough, so I went ahead and made a Pineapple Upside Down Cake, a double batch of buttermilk biscuits and I plan on making two batches of cookies:  Snickerdoodles (hubby's favorite) and Chocolate Chip Cookies (munchkins' favorites).  I should be done with all the baking by early afternoon. 

I just turned off the canner so once the canner de-pressurizes, I'll get those out. 

I haven't done much canning this summer (not compared to last summer).  Since the cucumbers didn't make it, I didn't can any pickles.  But, we had TONS left over from last summer to carry us through next summer.  Yep, that's how many we had!

Also, as the tomatoes aren't all ripening at the same time, I've been roasting and "food milling" tomatoes in small batches and putting those in the freezer.  I made a batch of homemade spaghetti last week using some of the roasted tomatoes and man, oh man, was it good!!!   I used our fresh basil and our dried oregano, fresh garlic ... mmm-mmmmm.  Talk about yummy.

We started homeschooling last week and it seems to be going pretty good so far.  We've changed the way we do our homeschool this year (as far as the way we homeschool) and we're accomplishing a lot but it doesn't feel like it...maybe because we're not doing the "busy work" we were doing last year.  We'll see how this year goes!!!

I hope y'all are all doing good.  God's blessings!!!

Little Things On The Trails

Posted on Saturday, September 6, 2008 at 11:50 by Linda - 0 Comments - Post Comment - Link

Well I should not say little things cuz this beautiful caterpillar will turn into a big spectacular Monarch. Now look at this picture, unless he did a quick switch-a-roo, he looks like he's eating from both ends.

Field observation in the open spot of our woods I notice many Monarchs caterpillars munching on their favorite food and a must host, Milkweed. This guys antenna's/ filaments, look kinda rubbery, ahh that must be the eatin end of the caterpillar.

This critter is amasing, flying 2,000 miles from Canada to Mexico and back again to the southern US. Millions migrate every fall. And often stop to take a break at the same place too. Wow keeping track of a butterfly, what a job. Some will journey to Hawaii and Eastern Australia.

Those girly monarchs have a relay race in early spring and summer traveling North, with new generations replacing old, laying their eggs along the way.

The caterpillars will be changing into a leaf -green chrysalis with gold dots, then the colors will start to show the developing butterfly inside. I hope to get some good pictures of this stage.

This whole process from egg to butterfly takes about 4 weeks with many generations a year.

Canadians call the Monarch, King Billy b/c its orange and black , colors of King William of Orange.


Heres another critter that likes milkweed, he's rather cute. Milkweed Tiger Moth

Not sure what these are called but they sure like hangin out on that milkweed pod.

Many wild flowers grow along the edge of the woods, this Thistle is growing tall in the woods to reach the sun through the canopy of trees.

I just love a field of yellow wildflowers. Not ID them yet but oh so pretty. We have the goldenrod starting to do its show too, still many with tight little buds ready to open this fall.

We call this Headache, its a Hedge Apple , you'll know what I mean if one falls on your noggin. So walking on the trails you keep your eyes open and your ears alert for the sound of a Hedge Apples falling out of the tree.

We have several huge Osage-orange with lots of hedge apples, also called Bodark which is French, (bois d' arc) meaning "bow wood". The Native American use the wood to make their archery bows. And the farmers used the wood to make fence post. We still have many old fence post that have been here many years and still as strong as ever made from the hedge probably here on the homestead. I think they use hedge to make the golf club woods too.

Early settlers used the bark to get yellow dye for cloth. The fruit was givin to stock so another name is Horse Apple. We use the hedge apple placed around/inside the house to keep spiders down.

I tried to slice and dry the apples , using my dryer, boy do they smell but makes a pretty decorations.

Plans for today:

Well it will be my 4th weeken sleeping out in the Outpost. Got a good book that I will be reading, its about women working in the wilderness , A Mile In Her Boots" by Jennifer Bove' I just got it yesterday and I think its going to be one of those books you just can't put down.

So coffee will be on at the camp, cozy up with a fuzzy blanket cuz its getting chilli theses days. And just take it easy today, no building, just the campfire.

And speaking of building I made up some tater soup on this cool late morning. This will hit the spot. I cooked one potato and onions with a tad of water tell they are none,then added milk. Slice some cheese in the cup,pour the hot soup, add a slap of butter also pepper and a piece of cayenne pepper for a kick.

Oh how I love potato soup on a cool day. Love it with cornbread, but having it with bought bread which has seven grains and I think theres a tree in it too.

Join me on my adventures on my next blog, it will be about the Outpost this weekend and what I'm reading. What comes up through the woods and all those night sounds. Hope I can get ol hubby campin tonight, its going to get cold and he's a great personal heater for my cold feet : )

I didn't get my Dutch Oven yet but hopes for next weekend and start some yummy good outdoor cookin.

Until then have a great weekend, and keep a lookout for those Monarchs coming through.

Many Blessings
linda

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