Tuesday already

Good Morning, yep I am up and about already marking things off the todo list. The half-a$$ed gardener strikes again. I filled my little watering can and watered all of the plants up front. Then I got the hose and watered the plants in the back.... The hanging baskets were very happy to get a drink. I forget to water them every day. So by the time I think hey they might need to be watered they look half dead. Luckily, they come back after a nice long drink. Then the garden needed some water also. It needed to be done before it hits 92` today. At least watering them early they have a chance to soak it up before it sizzles in the sun.

Yesterday, Teenage monster cut the grass in the front. What a chore it is getting to be. The bag fills up to quick and the shooter thing gets clogged. But it is cut and that is all I care about. Cause it ain't purdy! LOL! I must have picked up a nail or something in my back tire, cause its flat..... Grim had to work last night so he couldn't fix it. He has the tools to plug holes in tires. It is way convenient for him to do it verses having to take the tire off and take it to the shop. I had to take the monsters in Godzilla this morning.... 1999 Dodge Ram. The thing is a tank, we have put it through its paces and it still rumbles to a start every time.

I pulled some potatoes out of the box that had started to eye up and got them in the ground. I know I said I wasn't going to plant potatoes this year but it was plant them or toss them. So I planted them. There were 12 of them. If I get 12 new potatoes then I didn't waste anything... LOL!  I still need to toss out some sunflower seeds. I have been very neglectful of my gardening duties. In my defense it has been hot and when it isn't I have been spending time with the family. They grow so fast I don't want to miss anymore of it.

I watched a video yesterday about Victory Gardens. I can't download it here... but you can go here and watch it. It is a great, eye opening watch!

Gotta Run,

Yart

The saga continues

I got all the corn done... 21 quarts only 1 didn't seal and I didn't catch it soon enough so I had to toss it. I got 12 - 4oz & 3 - 8oz jars of vanilla pear butter. Again one didn't seal but I caught that one in time. So yesterday we enjoyed vanilla pear butter on waffles. Yummmmm! Since all the work was done I took a two day break. I enjoyed it greatly! But once again I am back at it. Grim and I went and purchased 2 more bushels of corn yesterday. We got it all shucked and cobbed this mornining. I am typing to you all from the kitchen. I have the laptop set up on a tv tray. LOL! So that I can keep an eye on the pressure gauge. It is just a humorous sight to behold. This should give us enough corn for the year. I'm hoping, keeping fingers crossed. It will be almost one quart a week. So what this means is that I am going to have to can green beans again. The last time I canned them they were mushy, they tasted fine. I will have to find out what to do.

The next big venture is going to be carrots and potatoes. They just don't last in the basement, so they need to be canned. Fun, fun, fun..... I will buy a 50 pound bag of carrots and 100 pounds of potatoes. I guess this is the year that I invest in a couple more really good peelers. I can already hear the crying about not wanting to help...... I know I shouldn't cry in front of the monsters but whats a mom to do.... LOL!

School starts back this coming Tuesday. We tried to get everyone to sleep early but it just didn't happen. I haven't been sleeping well, dreams bad ones & dreams about my dad. But at least I know why I was dreaming like this. I got a facebook message last night that my estranged grandfather had a heart attack last Thursday (when the dreams started) and they just got around to letting me know last night. I'm not sure what I would have done if they would have let me know right away. Just like I'm not sure what I am suppose to do with this information. You know you make decisions and then a life time goes by and someone else wants to come back from the dead (basically) and change everything. Sorry about that. I guess I just needed to see it in black and white for it to start making sense.

And now for something completely different..... I went out to the garden yesterday thinking that the garden was pretty much done and ready to be put to bed for the winter (except for the garlic that will be planted in October). I go over to the beefsteaks and they are just green none have turned for fear of Bunnicula. So I decided that I would pick all the green ones. Then I head over to the roma's. They haven't done sh** so far this season. Well, this cool weather is what they like. They have set flowers and got small greens ones everywhere. So instead of ripping them out I was out there tying them up so the damn rabbit didn't get anymore as they turn. What truely weird weather we are having. I think we did better with the garden last year in the cold and rainy instead of hot and humid of this year.

We are having a ham today for dinner. It is very cool and damp today. So before I get the potatoes and carrots I will be canning ham and bean soup for the first time. It should be good. But anyways, I really need to get the freezers cleaned out. Grim is suppose to go hunting in November. So I have to get off my butt and get it done.....AHHHHHH! LOL! Well, tons to do!

Gotta Run,

Yart

Catching up or longer then I planned

Here is picture I took from the bridge of Mackinaw. The sky was beautiful and Lake Huron was very calm. Which was a good thing considering that I hate heights and water. We went up into the UP. It was very nice. The weather was much nicer then at home. We looked at several parcels of land. Unfortunately, we don't have the money to make that type of purchase but it is nice to dream.
Mackinaw City has a multitude of wind turbines. I think that this is the kewlest thing as I use to work in the renewable industry. There are 8 of them, they help power part of the harbormaster building and an ice suppression system in the dock area. I love seeing more eco energy options being used.
In my last post I was complaining about the garden. Of course I just needed to wait a few more days. Here is a nice little haul that I got this week. I ended up dehydrating all of the hot peppers. There is Hungarian Hots, Peter Peppers and Ancho Peppers. If they keep production up I will have a jar of each in the pantry.... Yeah! I did go out to the you pick farm. He said that his tomatoes are about 2 weeks behind because of the weather. So I don't feel so bad now.
Here is the picture of the wall color before we painted. It was a gray / purple. I loved this color. It was in the bedroom for over 10 years. It was time for a change. So we went with the dark green walls, butter cream for the trim and the linens are a rust color. I am very happy with the new color scheme. It is just taking a little time getting use to the new layout.

As you can see in the tires are potatoe plants. I probably should have left them for a little while longer.But of course I have never been patient. So we ended up with 39.2 pounds of taters. We ate some with dinner tonight and they were very good. Since these aren't for storage we will be eating the rest of them over the next few weeks.

All of the tires are now up against the fence. It will give us more room to manouver. Plus, we want to build a fence with a gate. It will block the dog from the garden. Right now we are using metal stakes with snow fencing. It looks horrible and I am tired of climbing over the fence to get in the garden.

I have an appointment with my real doctor tomorrow. I don't know what is going on, I am almost done with the antibotics the urgent care doc gave me and I'm still not better. Then Thursday I have a dreaded dental appointment. I hate, hate, hate going to the dentist. It has been like 4 years since I've been. But with what ever is going on with my sinus's / ear, my teeth have been hurting. So to the dentist I go.... blah!!!!

I worked in the pantry the other day. I cleaned out almost 40 jars of food that just weren't a hit. There was lemon juice that didn't quite turn out, pickles that tasted great but were mushy, apple sauce that went south and kidney beans that were yucky. I was sad to toss out all that food. The work that went into making it wasted. :o( But that was really just a lesson learned. Make less of new items. With that work done I organized the pantry a little bit... ( it needs more attention, then I have time for right now). I have room now for all the canning I want to do this year.

1. Spaghetti Sauce
2. Ketchup Recipe here
   
3. BBQ Sauce Recipe here
   
4. Dill Pickles
5. Chicken Stock Great sounding recipe here
6. Corn Relish Recipe here (not sure how to eat this but it sounds good)
7. Sauerkraut
8. Beef Stew Recipe here
9. Vegetable Soup Recipe here
10. Taco Sauce Recipe here
11. Carrots
12. Corn
13. Potatoes

I think that is a good list to start with. LOL! I know I tend to bite off more then I can chew. But I want to get the pantry full for winter. I need to make a list of things like toilet paper that needs to be stock up on. I just have a feeling that this winter is going to a bad one and want to be prepared. I know, I know foreboading arn't I.

Gotta Run,
Yart

In, Out and my thoughts

We have been so busy here on the citystead.... LOL! Sorry no pictures this post just and update. I now have a rain barrel set up in front of the house. No rain so far but it is suppose to come tomorrow afternoon. I had to plant zucchini where the beans were eaten and I planted sugar baby watermelons where the corn didn't grow. I just hated the thought of those areas going bare for the season. I also had to go and get more pickling cucumbers to plant as something has been enjoying them. Grim bought me a composter yesterday as he was tired of looking at the grass clippings in behind the garage. My evil plan worked... LOL! Thanks Honey! Grim strung new line for the grapes to climb, I pounded stakes for the tomatoes, got all the mint into pots, horehound and oregano are also potted.

The strawberries that didn't look like much last year and very early in the spring have been producing like crazy. I have already had to pick 3 times and gotten almost a quart jar full each time. We have only lost a few to birds and mouses, so I am not complaining. Last year the few that ripened were eaten by the birds. I was able to get one bowl of strawberries for myself so far. It's hard keeping the monsters out of them.... *smiles* I added a little sugar and heavy cream.....Oh, it tasted like heaven! I am going to make an angel food cake and take the rest of the heavy cream (make whipped cream) and the strawberries to make the best shortcake ever!!!

I finally planted the camomile plants. I didn't know they are annuals.... Serves me right for not checking that out before! So I am hoping that they flower. I might have waited to long to get them in the ground. Oh, well have to wait and see. The onions and heirloom tomato I planted up front are growing like gang busters. Fluffy is growing like crazy. Since on of his parents is a flop ear, we think he inherited the floppy ears as well. So far only on of them has flopped over and if that is the case then he is even more cute if that is possible with one up and one down.

Almost forgot the potatoes are getting ready to bloom. I guess getting them into the ground at the proper time really does the trick. Last year I didn't get blooms until july and then they had blossom drop because of the heat.

Grim and I went to see Robin Hood. Now I have heard people say that Russell Crowe is to old to be convincing. Well, my thoughts are that Robin went off to the crusades as a young man, then was imprisoned for well on 10 years and then had to make his way back to England..... That puts him at the proper age in my opinion. Loved it! There was a line in the movie that really struck me though. It is when he is being told that the deer are off limits because they all belong to the king, he says that how can a man survive if he is not allowed to fend for himself. That got me thinking.... I know not a good thing... LOL! But how can we survive when our food source is held just above our heads by the new monarchy ie; Monsanto's and the like. Don't people remember let them eat cake! But alas I guess they don't, because if they did we wouldn't be in shape we are in with our current food situation. I got into a discussion with someone yesterday and they said that it was to expensive to eat right. I shook my head and said that it isn't if you eat the proper amount, your not wasteful and your not over eating so you can afford to eat right. With that argument stopped they then turned to I just don't have time to eat right.... To bad for them! Like I have said in the past I may not be doing everything right all the time but I am trying to change a lifetime of bad choices with little steps. I fail miserably sometimes, but it is when I get it right that makes for a better me.

With that said I am going to go out and enjoy the yard we worked so hard to make nice for today!

Gotta Run,
Yart

Planting Season has started

I was able to get out to the garden yesterday and start cleaning it. I even broke up the soil in the tires. And the potatoes were planted. They are actually in the ground earlier this year then last so I am hoping that the harvest will be larger. I was going to plant the onion sets but I was just too tired. And of course it rained all day today. So they will have to wait. But they will still be in the ground earlier then last year. I can't wait to see how things produce when they get planted when they are suppose to. I was so late last year. We did really well last year. The only thing that I was dissapointed in was the cabbage. I know better this year.

My kefir arrived in the mail yesterday. I followed the directions and drained them and added 1 cup of milk to revive them. Today when I drained them they had tripled in size. So I am hoping that by tomorrow or the next day I will be able to start drinking the kefir. I have a ton of banana's in the freezer so I figure that I will start with smoothies. It will kill tow birds with one stone. More fruit in my diet and the probiotics in the kefir.

Grim, tried to get the chainsaw up and running yesterday to cut up the tree we got a month ago. But the chainsaw decied that it didn't want to work. This thing has been a pain since we first purchased it. Actually, this is the third one, the first two had to be returned because they didn't work. So needless to say the wood still needs to be cut up. Ahhhhh!

Four days and the Brussles have sprouted.... LOL!

Gotta Run,
Yart

Friday

Woo Hoo! No football game tonight. The monsters are just going to grama's for a visit and Grim and I will be heading down to our hometowns monthly walk. They have been trying to increase foot traffic in the city and they came up with this. The town museum is all done up for Halloween. It is fun every year.

Grim and I went to the farm market for the last time yesterday. I got a ton of squash, 100 pounds of potatoes, 50 pounds of onions, 50 pounds of carrots and a bunch of pumpkin's for the monsters. They were only $1.50 per carving pumpkin. Not bad the monsters were a little upset but they each got 2 to carve up so that made up for it. I also got 8 pie pumpkins. Oh, and a ton of green peppers and a hubbard squash made there way into the cart. I processed the green peppers and got 8 quart bags of chopped and sliced peppers for the winter.

I also got started on making the apple pie filling. Only problem was the apples that I got for that are more suited for sauce of some type. I didn't know this when I bought them, went off the recommendation of the salespeople. Not to fear. I cooked down some last night and the rest will go tomorrow. I will be making carmel apple butter. Haven't tried the recipe but it sounds so good. If it is I will post the recipe for everyone.

I will have pictures later to make up for the lack of a post yesterday, later!

Gotta Run,
Yart

Who knew?!?

I have just been obliviously unaware of some of the things that are going on in this country. I think the less I know the better it is for me and my family. I tend to jump on the panic bandwagon. I don't do it on purpose, but I take my job as the responsible adult of 3 kids, helpmate to my DH and barometer for the sheeple of the family, very seriously.

What has me in an uproar this time.... LOL! There is apparently a shortage of canned pumpkin. All over the country the slots on the grocery store shelves are bear. Those who knew of this disaster are freaking out. How will they have pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving?!? Last year, about 1/3 of the pumpkin crops were wiped out due to the weather, hence the shortage this year.

I'm feeling good about this one thou. I have like 10 cans on the shelf and last year I froze 2 gallon size bags of pumpkin (fresh cooked down). I know that we will have pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving.

But, this brings me to another thought (as it usually does). What did the weather wreck havoc on this year? I know tomatoes and potatoes were hit with blight. Possibly peppers also were hit. Did grain suffer? What is still available to get and put up. I know I will be doing way more squashes for the freezer this year then I did last year. As they can be made into soup, ravioli, breads, and even made into a sauce. I'm just learning how versatile squash's really are. I will be getting 100 pounds of potatoes to carry us over for the winter. Normally, I get 50 pounds and it gets us to about March. And that's just with them sitting in the pantry. I canned up 22 pounds from my own garden and the second 50 pound bag will be canned also. That way I won't have to spend $2 a pound for potatoes....(hypothetical dollar amount, don't want to freak anyone one out!). I already have lots of tomatoes. And I still have a bushel that will be made into spaghetti sauce. If I have to I will bite the bullet and buy a couple more for sauce.

Two years ago I found out the same way that rice was in short supply and the demand was huge. Everyone was in a panic. I had enough to get us through. But that is what it means to have a well stocked pantry. I know that some try to have any where from a 3 month to a year supply. I really don't know how long we could last on what I have put up.

Gotta Run,
Yart

Challenge #11

Last week was spent getting ready for the Teenage monster to go to band camp. I thought I had everything but there was a ton of stuff that needed to be purchased. I know better for next year. Got all the potatoes pulled and put up. I'm just hoping that the tomatoes all turn red soon. That way I can move on to other things.

1. Garden work: All of the potatoes had to be pulled because of blight.

1A. Harvest something: Potatoes 22 pounds & Tomatoes

2. Preserve something. 4 quarts of tomatoes, 32 pints of potatoes and 3 pounds of potatoes dehydrated

3. Food storage. Nothing this week

4. Other preparedness tasks: Cleaning and storing canning jars.

5. Try a new recipe: No just cooking the same old stand bys

6. Financial preparedness: Now we are snowballing that money on to the next bill. Still waiting to see if I get a call from either of the places I applied at.

7. Work on local food systems. Not this week.

8: Learn something. I don't think I learned anything this week. I'm sure I did I just don't remember... LOL!

9: Serve someone. No not this week. I hate to write that just because it makes me sound selfish.... But this past week has been super busy getting ready for band camp.

Gotta Run
Yart