Sunday Coffee Hour ~ Feel Good Moments

I'm glad I have more than one apron.  I had flour all over this one from tortilla making, so I had to swap it for a clean one.  I have a habit of wiping my hands on my aprons sides versus grabbing a towel.


Hubby and I moved some of the barn siding onto horses to sell.  

The ground is still very wet, so we cannot knock down the entire structure just yet. 

I have been working hard in the kitchen this past week.  Pickle relish, peach jam, and ten glorious jars of zucchini salsa (Nine sealed, one ready to eat!). More homemade tortillas, but zero in the freezer. My plan is to visit a few more Farmer's Markets.  We've already opened a jar of peach jam too - one of our favorites (reduced sugar).

We got our very first ripe tomato - heirloom pear cherry tomato.   These will go nicely in salads, hot or cold.  It won't be a lot, but it will be something. These are not planted in the big vegetable garden.

I made my first batch of homemade lemon pepper seasoning.  

I purchased organic lemons, dried the zest in my dehydrator, crushed peppercorns, and added sea salt.  I like to use this for squash/red pepper grilled in foil packets (or roasted in the oven).  I used a recipe I found online.  We thought this seasoning would be wonderful on fish too.  Why make it homemade?  Well, for starters, the lemon is fresh and it smell and tastes wonderful.  Second, you don't have all the fillers they put in them when you buy it at the store (like sugar).  Why even put sugar in a pepper seasoning? 

I've successfully dried comfrey, calendula, and soon mullein.  My peppermint is doing absolutely wonderful, so that is on today's to-do list.  My new organic spearmint seeds are producing, and should be ready to harvest for winter soon.  I'm also drying more catnip.  I read that it is as effective as Deet.

My lemongrass looks great, and already needs another trim for drying again.  The stalks are not large enough for making lemongrass oil just yet.  

The recently tossed zinnia seeds have all sprouted.  I'm already drying some from previous blooms, for next year's flower gardens.

Woohoo!  I finished the 27 drawers/doors in the kitchen.  The last drawer was painted yesterday.  I love the hardware I picked out.  It only took me almost eight years to get that job done.  I guess it wasn't on the priority list.   All those rainy days didn't go without work, that's for sure.


As for my every day, personal, zippy, mojo, the kids feel that the answer to finding it again, is to buy myself a puppy. Hmm.  I'm pretty sure that's not the answer. Funny kids that they are.

I have however, have been getting funky with herbs, tinctures, and other herbal concoctions.  Most have to wait about 6 weeks before I can use them.  I'll be sure to post.

The sun is rising behind a layer of fog this morning and is quite beautiful.  Now that I have talked your ear off, I'm heading to the porch for gal time with God.  Have a wonderful Sunday.