Thankful part2

I made it to the dentist today. One more tooth fixed! YEAH! But I didn't get a reminder call to come into work bingo, last night. So I figured that I missed signing up for the day... Plus, I'm still not feeling well. I didn't think anything of it. Then I'm helping my brother and they called my cell. LOL! Very rarely do I answer my phone. I was suppose to be there at 4:30 they are calling at almost 5:30 to see where I'm at. Oh, well! So I ended up being home tonight. I think I'm feeling better. I sure hope I am, cause if not I told Grim I would call the doc in the morning.....blech. But whats a girl todo!

I'm Thankful part2: I am so thankful for the food that I have purchased, canned, dehydrated, frozen, or pickled. It is so comforting to know that in case of any type of emergency comes our way we will be well fed. Even if sometimes it falls short. It has taken me years to build a food storage that works for us. In the beginning I only had processed foods. Then as time went on and we found out about the dangers of HFCS, I started adding more items to make meals from scratch. Then came the canning and dehydrating on to the scene. Once these skills were learned I moved on to making bread. I know that my family is very thankful that all the recipes turned out well. I am waiting for "Dinner Is In The Jar: Quick and Easy Dinner Mixes in Mason Jars or Mylar Bags"  Kathy Clark (Author) to come in the mail. I can't wait for this book as it will help with convenience types of food for storage.

I got down in the basement yesterday and had to clean up the pantry. Since I leave the monsters to take the food down and put it away... Every now and then I need to go in and straighten it up. We put away all the empty jars. Added a shelf and filled it up. Some of the jars got moved around to make more room. Then I got feeling poorly and had to go and lay back down. Later in the day I asked Teenage monster to run down and get a turkey out of the freezer to thaw. Well, she looked, Grim looked and then they came to tell me..... See usually I get several turkeys every year. One for Thanksgiving and one for Christmas and one for the following Thanksgiving. That way I usually have several in the freezer. But this year I must have miss counted, no turkeys and no hams either. Oh, well. So Grim and I had to run out today and get two.... LOL! At least this year I didn't wait till the last minute to thaw one and not have it. By the way, I only paid .49 cents a pound with a ten dollar purchase. So I added things that we needed in the pantry. Ohhhhh, and I picked up two cans of plums. I am going to make sugar plums for Christmas this year..... I can't wait to try them.... It is a new to us thing. 

Since I'm talking about Thanksgiving, here is a partial list:

Turkey

Mashed Potatoes homegrown

Sweet Potatoes

Stuffing

Corn

Carrots

Squash

Celery, Carrots, Cucumbers, Crackers & Dip

Homemade Bread

Gravy

Deviled Eggs

Pumpkin Pie with Homemade whipped cream

Apple Crisp

Cupcakes

Oh, happy news. I learned a new skill tonight. I learned how to cut the rabbits nails. They had gotten quite long and very sharp. Every time on of the monsters tried to pet or pick up the rabbit it scratched them. So I got out a towel and got the bunny to calm down then I trimmed them just like I do the cats. I didn't take a lot off this time. I figure a little each time, that way he can get use to it. And yes, our bunny is a he..... While he was on my lap I was able to examine the underside.... He has all three boy parts. Mouthy monster was a little disappointed. She asked if we can still pretend that the bunny's a girl..... Like it matters to me.... LOL! One more step to being confident about raising animals.

Its late and I need to be in bed,

Gotta Run,

Yart

It couldn't last forever

The canning hiatis that is. I had gotten pears to eat myself healthy. But in this heat they started heading south really quick. So something had to be done. I found a great recipe at Diggin' the Dirt for Vanilla Pear Butter. I cooked it down last night and put it in the fridge because I was going to can it today. Well, of course the powers that be had other ideas for me.

A check came in! Yeah!!! Got the bill that had to be paid today paid!!!! Then Grim and I went on the hunt for corn. We have had very bad luck with finding good corn at a decent price. But the Fate's they did a smile on me. I found 4 dozen boxes for $9. I bought 2 as not having done corn before I was unsure of the amount I would get. Is this not the most beautiful corn you have ever seen.... LOL! Grim helped me shucking it. And the littlest monsters took the greens and silk to the compost. Gotta keep them involved.

I had both types of corn cobbers. I tried both of the corn cobbers and in my humble opinion they both sucked. So I did what any woman would do. I pulled out the mandoline, set it to the highest setting and away I went. Normally, I use filleting gloves when I use the mandoline. I couldn't find them so I thought I would just be careful. Everything went well until the last 8 ears. I slipped and sliced into my finger. Sorry no pictures of that. Not so that your not grossed out but so that I'm not. LOL!

That's alot of corn!

I have 7 quarts in the pressure canner, 7 in the prep area and a whole pot in the fridge for tomorrow. Grim and I were already talking about going back and getting 2 more boxes for me for the weekend. Yep, you guess it. We eat a ton of corn! Plus, by waiting till the weekend all this corn and the pear butter will be done.

This was suppose to be a cute post with an update on Fluffy! It has gotten really big. Here it is from the side!

Here is the close up

And even I didn't know we had a magic bunny.... It was trying to make itself dissappear!

LOL!

Gotta Run,

Yart

My thoughts

Urban Farm asks the question in the Summer edition "Can City Farming Make You Happy?". I love having the ability to plant seedlings that will one day in a few months help to sustain my family. The apple tree that I planted will provide for future generations even if I am no longer at this location. Being able to lessen my impact on the world from a postage stamp size space is an amazing feeling. Of course there is the downside, nosy neighbors, city ordinances and being land locked. But back to the question, does it make me happy? The answer is yes. It may surprise you to hear that since I am always talking about the future and the property of my tomorrows. For the mean time I am learning skills that will help me once we do move. When the idea of bring chickens home won't mean I will get fined or worse they take my birds because it is against the law. And picking up bees at the post office won't seem so foreign. I will happily remain here learning, doing, experiencing and sharing! Plus, here everything is done on a very small scale. I don't get overwhelmed and quit.

Now on to one of the small scale things.... LOL! Drum Roll Please!
Here is Fluffy!!We don't know if it is a boy or girl. It is a fawn and gray, fuzzy, squiggly little bundle of cuteness!

While I was at the market yesterday, I picked up two chamomile plants, one orange mint (yes, another mint plant) and a horehound plant. Grim was like what is the horehound for? So I told him that I can make a cough syrup with it. And being the studious person that I am here are a couple links for different applications using horehound. Cough syrup, wound care, candy and cold relief can be found here at Botanical.com, as well as a ton of information regarding the herb. Here is another site Grass Jelly & Catnip that offers a recipe for horehound candy, along with some practical information.

I am off to measure the area that we want to make a patio, so I know how many blocks to buy. Then what is left I will be placing my order for the sod. I think I am only going to need 10 rolls of the stuff. But it is best to cook the early worm.... no wait that's not it cut the silver lining without measuring first.... LOL! I need a plan of action! Have a great day!

Gotta Run,
Yart

Amazement

This is probably the kewlest thing I have seen for Urban Gardeners! It is called window farming. "Window Farms are vertical, hydroponic, modular, low-energy, high-yield edible window gardens built using low-impact or recycled local materials." Quote taken directly from the Window Farms site, which you can go there by clicking here.
I found out about it by checking out Ashley English's blog Small Measure. The blog talking about it can be found here. I am just amazed at the ingenuity of this project. I have a square foot garden that most of you have seen pictures of, but this I am going to try. I have 3 windows that have southern exposure and are perfect for this. Plus, I will be able to grow greens for the bunny in the window in the kids room. I just love double duty items.

We will be picking up our newest addition after school today. I don't know who is more excited me or the monsters. We got a cage and bedding and food and a water bottle and food dish last night. Grim and the monsters set it all up. So I will have pictures very soon of Fluffy the Bunny! On a funny side note..... Grim and I went to Kroger last night. In the freezer section they are selling frozen rabbit for $5 a pound. Grim couldn't believe that there really is a market for rabbit meat and we can raise them to butcher and sell. So I will be getting meat rabbits when we get property. But, like I said before there are two types of animals here, pets and food. If it has a name then it is a pet and will not be eaten, so Fluffy is safe!

I would love to get out into my garden but it is so wet out there, I'm sure I would sink 6" into the mud. I have Roma's, pineapple and apple mint, oregano and 2 citronella scented geraniums to plant yet. I poked my head out the window yesterday in between the rain drops and what did I see the peas, pole beans and the bush beans are up. The kohlrabi and the broccoli seem to be looking ok. The lettuce looks a little water logged *smiles*, the strawberries will need to be cover soon as I don't want to share with the birds. Most of the sunflower seeds have come up but there are few bald spots that need to be re-seeded. My rhubarb has decided to flower. They are very pretty smelling flowers, but when I asked them at the nursery why it is flowering, no one could tell me. Then by the time I found on line that your suppose to pull those stalks clean out, I think it is too late. Once the rain stops I will see what I can do to salvage a summer crop.

That is about it for today.
Gotta Run,
Yart

Newest Addition or I must me crazy!

As you can see from the title there are some more changes coming our way. Picky monster was chosen to be one of the recipients of a baby bunny. The rabbits that are in the science lab had a kit of 5. Picky is hoping that she will be able to get one of the brown ones. I told her that she can name it, as it will be a pet and nothing more..... (well, a fetilizer machine) but nothing else! So she has decided on the name Fluffy. I think that is a respectable name for a rabbit. I have a picture that was sent to us of the babies.


Since things have been growing like crazy here, I thought I would share one of my favorite pictures of this year so far. It is the chive patch with the frog to guide your way!


Here is the apple tree I planted. It looks a lot better now that it has time to acclimate to the new surrounding.

I also wanted to show off a couple of the Gerber daisies that I got for Mothers day. I got them early and they are already in the ground. Its a good thing to, it is gray and rainy today!

Gotta Run,
Yart