Hot day

No pictures today. The past couple of days have been hot and humid and rainy. I don't remember having this many tornado warnings in June before... I know we use to have them in April when I was a kid. So far we have been in the basement a few times and the power has gone out. It has given me a new prospective. We use the basement as a sort of a family room. But there are somethings that I have wanted to do for awhile and have yet to implement. I have started to do the yearly clean and update the pantry. Two of the shelving units have been cleaned off and washed and put back in order. The monsters tend not to put things on the shelf right. I still need to get in the pantry and organize that, especially since canning season is right around the corner.

I got out in the garden today. I was able to get 2 beets, 3 peter peppers, 1 hot Hungarian, 1 head of bibb lettuce, handful of shell peas and a kohlrabi. The cucumbers, zucchini, and watermelon are flowering. I am happy as this is the first time I have really grown any of the 3. I tried last year but ended up with powdery mildew so the plants died. There are a ton of flowers on the tomatoes. I figure I should get my first red tomato by the middle of July.

I have been crocheting wash clothes. That is the only thing that I have felt like doing. Even reading is like a chore, my eyes get tired. I was able to read The Ivy Tree by Mary Stewart. It was enjoyable as all of her books are. I need to get to the library as I have books to return. Plus I need to get the monsters set up for the summer reading program. That was suppose to be done last week...but I procrastinated.

Hopefully, next week I will get the wood and the hinges to finish off a project that we started a couple years ago. We built shelving units and need to box them in so that they become cabinets the cats can't get into. This will create storage that I desperately need. I have stuff up high so that cats won't pee on it. Once the cabinets are done then I can put all this stuff away!!!

Just found some water in a corner of the basement....

Gotta Run,
Yart

Living History

I am all about the living history of a place. And because of that I tend to take pictures of things that most people would just pass by. It drives my family crazy. Here are some pictures that I took on our vacation to show you what I mean.

These pictures were taken at the Shipwreck Museum in Whitefish Point. They are from the kitchen area of the lighthouse keepers home!
I found this fascinating. It is a cork life jacket. Can you imagine wearing this? I'll tell you there is now way in hell I would.... But then again, I wouldn't be out in the water to begin with.....LOL!

Here are some pictures from Fort Michilimackinac. This fort was torn down and moved to the island when there was a threat. This is rebuild of the original fort. They have been excavating for the past 50 years. That is how they know what, when, where and how things were done.

This first photo is one of the backyards. It was very over grown.
Here is the community herb garden.
Here are some of the craft items that were being worked on in one of the settlers home. Not to much different from what we do now.

Here is a communal, oven. I asked how many loaves of bread would traditionally be made at a time. I was told that it would be somewhere around 15 a day. They start the fire in the wee hours of the day and by the end of the day the bread would be done..... Now that is a chore, all day bread making!
Here is a photo of on of the homes. I love the herbs hanging to dry above the fireplace!Grim is getting ready to make me a new type of beer. And it is only fair that I go and keep him company so!

Gotta Run,
Yart

Happy Solstice!

The last couple of weeks have been so busy! But that is the way things go when school is getting finished. Well, it is official the monsters are out of school and they all passed to the next grade! We went on a small vacation to the 3rd largest bridge in the world. Mackinac Bridge! We had a great time but since it has been forever since we went camping, it has been decided to look into getting a camper. Grim and I are just too old and broken to sleep on the air mattresses. LOL! We went to all the mainland sites. The island will have to wait for the next trip. There just wasn't enough time to go everywhere.

Just to show you that I did make it to see Mary Jane Butters. Here is a picture of her holding the Michigan apron! I had a wonderful time and met a great bunch of ladies! Thank you Dandelion Farm Girls for making me feel so welcome!!!And I couldn't post without showing off the garden! This is what it looked like last week before we left. It has grown by leaps and bounds but I didn't take new pictures yet! Look at all the flowers on the tomato plant! I think this year I will weigh the produce as it comes in the house. It should be interesting, to say the least. Gotta Run,
Yart

June 3rd

This is my 250th post.... Who knew I had this much to say! LOL!

Last night I was out in the garden picking more strawberries. By the way I will be freezing them for now... Everyone is getting tired of them. Good thing I don't have acres of them.... Oh well! But anyways, as I was looking around at everything I noticed something on my garlic..... I vaguely remember Skippy's Mom talking about Garlic Scapes so into the house I come to look up Garlic Scapes. Sure enough that is what I have. You see they only grow on hard neck garlic. And that is what I planted last year.... Some purple hard neck type of garlic that I got at one of the farmers markets.

Skippy's Vegetable Garden - Garlic- Thanks for posting or I might have never know what I treasure I had.
eHow on Garlic Scapes
2SistersGarlic has some great recipe ideas
GarlicFarm has everything you wanted to know about Garlic but were afraid to ask

I have a lot of running around to do tonight. Picky monster has a 7th grade sendoff from 5-7. Band monster has practice from 6-9 and I have a meeting at 7, which I will have to take Picky with me. While all of this is going on Mouthy monster and Grim will be holding down the fort. I think I need a nap and the day has just begun... LOL!

I have an opportunity to meet Mary Jane Butters next week at a Luncheon. I can wait I will be able to meet other Farmgirls from around the state as well. The last get together was right after Grims motorcycle accident and I just couldn't leave him for the day. It is going to be a ton of fun... Now what to wear?!? LOL!

Gotta Run,
Yart

June 2nd

I was just sitting here thinking, because it is to wet to be outside doing anything. And I got to thinking the monsters will be home everyday in less then two weeks. I really don't want them just laying around all day fighting over the tv or playing video games. So a plan has been formulated.

Summer Activities that are cheap or free to keep the monsters occupied and out of my hair.... LOL!

Barnes and Nobles Summer Reading program for grades 1-6
Borders Summer Reading Program for 12 and under
Apples for the Teacher.com is a great site with lots of interactive activities
Kaboose has a ton of craft ideas
Creative Kids at Home.com has a themed list of activities for you and your child
Reading Rockets has a comprehensive on on line and off line activities to do
Plus don't forget to checkout your local library to see if they are offering a summer reading program. I know mine is and it starts June 19th....(that was more of a reminder for me)

Don't get me wrong my monsters are great...but once boredom sets in all kinds of heck is bound to break loose!

I think that some of these sites will have my attention also. They have a lot of great ideas and information.

Plus, with all of the learny type stuff it will help keep my special learners from loosing to much retained knowledge. I think that Picky monster is going to work on math and spelling words. Mouthy monster is going to be working on counting with change, sight words and reading. Teenage monster is going to be working on household things, ie; baking bread, crocheting and sewing buttons.

Gotta Run,
Yart

June 1st

Where have the last 6 months gone? They have just flown by. With the monsters schedules and Grim being in the accident. I am so looking forward to summer break!

We had an unveiling of a Purple Heart War Memorial in town yesterday. It was a very nice way to honor those who have served. We had one before but time had taken its toll. So they recreated it. And during the unveiling the weather was wonderful, cloudy but warm. It was great to see all the people that showed up to pay thier respects. I am so happy that we went.

I need to get outside and harvest the chocolate mint and the spearmint. I will dehydrate the leaves and then store them in labeled jars. Then this winter I will have spearmint tea and chocolate mint to add to hot chocolate! Yummmy! I know summer isn't even here yet and I am thinking about winter. That is the things our forefathers did. They were always thinking ahead. In the winter they were planning on how to get the spring crops and then in the fall they were planning for the wood they would need for winter. Like I said before I am happy that I don't need to survive this way. I know I am so unprepared, but I am getting better.

We got rain yesterday but there is something wrong with the downspout. Grim thinks that it is plugged. So I will have to get up on the ladder and us the hose to spray out the downspout. I hate heights, but since Grim can't do it I need to. Once we get it figured out, I will be getting extra holding barrels. I have found a local place that has them for $15 and they only had soap in them. But no point in spending the money if it isn't working.

With the sun shining it is time to wash all the winter heavy blankets. You know the ones, they end up at the end of the bed when the weather changes. And you keep them there until all the cold weather is gone.... LOL! The one blanket I made a couple years ago. It has a crocheted top with a fleece bottom. Not only is it very warm but it takes forever to dry when I wash it. So it will have to be on the line for a couple days. I need to go into the closet and get rid of some of the blankets in there. We have way to many.

I have been getting ready for the next yard sale. I still need to get rid of more stuff. Oh, that reminds me, my brother called and said that my niece has out grown the swing so I need to get that back to add to the sale. I need to clean up the high chair... it has been in the dungeon... LOL! Plus I need to get in the other closet and pull out all the old board games and the bread maker and and and... the list goes on and on.

Well, I'm not getting anything done sitting here!

Gotta Run,
Yart