Catch up and Changes

I have been enjoying not working this year.  Thought that when school started that I may miss going each day, well that hasn't happened.  It could have something to do with that I am helping with homeschooling our oldest grandson for his senior year!  It has kept me busy along with my husband hurting his foot at work and finally had surgery the end of October.  As you can see he is a true Packer fan, our grandson's thought he should have Packer colors for his cast.  He has a ways to go before it is completely healed, but casts and boot are finally off and he can drive again. I have been doing all of the driving for about 3 months.  Not something I ever do when the two of us go places.  I am enjoying having him home,  it will be hard when he finally goes back to work.

Having our grandson here for part of each week has been such a blessing with my husband being laid up for the past 3 months. 

We have been enjoying fresh eggs from my girls.  It is so fun to go out and collect eggs each day.  Out of our four chickens that we ordered two of them turned out to be roasters, what a surprise when they started crowing.  We found an Amish couple that said they would give us two hens for our roasters. I loved the crowing but the neighbors not so much.

One of the things that I have enjoyed having more time for this past fall was sewing. Had so much fun making a baby quilt and some cute burp rags.

For this little sweetie... our newest grandchild. 

She was born the day before our grandson's 16th birthday, she almost got to share her big brothers birthday!

Now for the changes that are coming...

We will be moving back to our home town.  It looks like our closing date should be the beginning of February.  We have found a place out in the country.  It will be so nice to have a place where the garden can be bigger, the chickens can free range.  We are both excited to be back out in the country again, but mostly that we will be close to our kids and the rest of the family.

 I am excited to see what the Lord has for us in this new season of our life.

~Cheryl~

Aroma

The aroma of tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic, basil, rosemary, parsley, thyme, oregano, and bay leaves roasting in the oven is penetrating the whole house.  Everything is from our garden except the bay leaves.

Have a great weekend!

~Cheryl~

August Garden

The garden has that Fall look to it.  Some of the vegetables are done with and others are coming to the end.  Planted some lettuce plants the other day that I started from seed, hoping to get some  lettuce from it this fall.

This is the time of year when the weeds start to creep in, with harvesting and canning not much weeding gets done.  Also this year with my husband being laid up we didn't get the mulch in between the rows like other years and that has made a difference in the weeds.  

The tomatoes have late blight again this year, but still doing pretty good. The last half of the row doesn't have blight as bad.  Although there is one tomato plant that has been very nice this summer, big lots of blossoms but not one single tomato on it.  That is a first for me and am not sure what is going on with it. If any one has had that happen would love to hear from you.

The cucumbers haven't been doing the greatest this year, thankful that I was able to can extras last year so we don't need as many.  We have been eating them along with canning some dill, sweet dill, gallon sweet pickles and some sweet cucumber relish.  Will keep canning them up as they come just smaller batches at a time.

The Red and Yukon Gold potatoes have died back, we have been eating on them, the Russets vines are still partially green so still growing.  We should have enough potatoes for the winter.  The green beans are starting to blossom again so will have a few more fresh ones.  Still plenty of things to finish canning and freezing for a while yet!

Today's harvest.  Potatoes, beans, and carrots for supper.

Will be canning tomatoes in a couple of days. 

Getting some much needed rain this afternoon, it is feeling like fall today with temps in the low 60's , a big change from our 90's this weekend.

Enjoying!

Canning Break Today

The weather here today is hot and humid, good day to take a break from the canning and freezing.  This week I have been canning Dill Pickles, Sweet Dills, Open Jar Sweet Pickles, and freezing sweet corn and zucchini.  

So today I am taking a break and doing some sewing.  I have been needing to get a couple of towels made for a gift that I need for tomorrow.  A couple of months ago I had purchase a fat quarter bundle of  " Oh Clementine"  material that I just love.  So today decided to use a couple of pieces for the kitchen towels that need to get done. I think my new niece to be will like them.

The idea came for the towels came from Cluck, Cluck, Sew this is her material line.

Now just need to get a couple more towels and make some for me!!

We also enjoyed having our grandsons (and a girlfriend) over this week for dinner...menu was chicken and dumplings and chocolate cake.  They seem to think that is the required menu for them :)  That's ok grandma enjoys making it for them!!!

Had to rescue a toad from trying to get in by the chickens.  

Enjoyed these two boys when they were little and am enjoying watching them grow into young men, what a blessing.   

Have a wonderful weekend and stay cool.

~Cheryl~

Boiling Eggs

We get our eggs from a local farmer and they have always been so hard to peel when making hard boiled eggs.  Until I found out that they can be made in the pressure cooker, loving it!

I place the required amount of water for my cooker in the bottom of the pressure cooker and then put  my vegetable steamer into the cooker with the eggs

Follow the directions for your pressure cooker and bring it up to the lowest pressure.  On mine I stay right by it and adjust the flame to keep it at a very gentle rocking motion.  Once it reaches pressure cook for 6 minutes.  When time is up turn off the heat and let sit for 5 minutes.  After the 5 minutes follow directions for the cooker to release the steam and put the eggs into ice water for 30 minutes.

The eggs peel so nicely, no more loosing most of the egg white with the egg shell.  If you have a pressure cooker and haven't tried making hard boiled eggs in it give it a try and see what you think.  

~ Cheryl~

Summer

This summer has been a quiet one, which I am enjoying immensely.  We have been sticking close to home this summer.

My DH hurt his foot at work and has been off work from the beginning of June, the doctor did release him to go back on light duty this week.  It has been wonderful having this unexpected time home together this summer.  Now for the next four weeks I get to drive him back and forth to work, so that will be a little change in the daily routine.  We are praying that at his next appointment in four weeks that it will be healed and won't require any surgery. The boot has been getting a little tiring for him. Thankful that he doesn't have much pain only if he moves it wrong. A few of the summer projects have been put on hold, and that is fine.

It  has made for a very slow paces summer which has been so nice.  The house has seemed a little lonely with DH back to work this week  Have been surprised by the number of ladies that have asked me how are you handling him being home all of the time, because he can't go anywhere without me driving for him,  as they proceed to tell me how they just don't think they could handle their husband being around all the time.  I think how sad, I love having Bob home and spending time together, feel very blessed that we have this kind of a relationship.  I am going to enjoy retirement and having him home all of the time, a few years to go....

The garden has been doing very well, love this time of year when I can go to the garden and pick supper.  This morning I thinned out my carrots some more, until today we have been eating what I have thinned, but today there was enough to do a little canning.

While writing this post I am babysitting my pressure caner, have 7 pints of carrots going.  Next will be 3 pints of green beans.  This year I only planted a short little row of beans for fresh eating, as last year put up a lot of beans.  The row is giving us more than we can eat, yesterday caned 5 pints.  As my mom always said to us "waste not, want not".   I enjoy watching the shelves fill up with canned goods from the summer harvest and knowing we will be prepared for the coming months.

With all of the rains we had this spring the rhubarb did very well this year.  I was able to put up some sauce that we enjoy mixed with strawberries and cooked some down to make into rhubarb punch.  Isn't the color pretty...

My dishes soaking in soap bubbles of flowers waiting to be washed. :o)

Rhubarb Punch

8 c. chopped rhubarb

5 c. water

Cook rhubarb with water until tender ~ let cool ~ line  a strainer with damp cheese cloth

pour cooked rhubarb into strainer and squeeze out all of the juice

For each cup of juice and 1/3 c. of sugar ( I use a scant 1/4 c.) 1/4 c. orange juice and 1 tsp. lemon juice.

You can freeze or can the juice.  If canning process in boiling water bath for 15 minutes. 

To serve as punch add a 12 oz bottle of ginger-ale to 4c. of juice.

 

 

June Garden Update

We have had a lot of rain and cooler nights most of this month.  The garden has been a little slower this year. 

We have been enjoying a lot of salads, the lettuce has loved the rain and cooler nights.  One of our favorite salads has been lettuce with fresh fruit and Poppy Seed dressing.

Poppy Seed Dressing

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup sugar

2 Tablespoons vinegar

1/4 cup milk

2 Teaspoons poppy seeds 

Whisk all of the ingredients together in a bowl until smooth.

Store in the refrigerator.

~Cheryl~