Teabag Tidbits

Did I ever mention, that years ago I wrote a free newsletter when I was homeschooling?  I also belonged to a writer's club.  Well, kids moved on, and we moved.  Anyway, it was one page, front and back, titled "Teabag Tidbits."  

I will have to dig one out, as I will be looking at my stories hopefully today.  I had so much fun writing the newsletter.  I would copy it and put it in libraries where they had a place to put them. 

Good Advice

It's day two of National Novel Writing Month.  Over the years I lost my mojo.  I'm digging out old stories I wrote too.  Should be interesting.  Not sure I will do it this year, but it's day 3 now.  

I loved to hand write letters too.  I used to correspond with my Aunt. We'd send a letter, sometimes a surprise box and other fun snail mail.  She passed away, I no longer had letters to send.  No fun snail mail.  No surprises for her grandkids.  

She would send me teabags.  I would send her jars of jam/jelly.  She'd send the jars back filled with goodies.  She'd mail me her hand written recipes, and I would send her something hand crocheted or other surprise.  I do miss those days a lot. 

Anyway, once in a while I will post a "Teabag Tidbits" post, with my latest teabag saying.  Today it got me thinking about my passion to write. My laptop broke down a long time ago.  I just haven't had the motivation to spend the cash for a new one, since all the kids are out of school, and we don't fight over the desktop computer.

I remember a website that was called something like "write on" and I won a contest.  I can't remember what I won, but that was fun to do too.

Today's economy is forcing so many print publications to go out of business (or go online with a fee).  I do miss my library for research, and I don't see that happening for many months to years at this point.  

Back to writing, I am looking forward to reading through some work, but it will be limited, so I can still be caught up with the house, splitting wood (parts for the chainsaw are to arrive today), and other stuff.

November Writing Month ~ Pear Butter with Sherry

November 1st sparked the start of National Novel Writing Month, and I am back to it this year.  Last year I didn't get to participate, but this year I am fired up. 

Of course it helps to know that I need to submit a contest short story piece, but that will only entail 8,000 words.  NaNoWriMo requires 50,000 words in 30 days.

Baking continues . . . 

English muffins for some breakfast sandwiches.  A sausage/potato/kale frittata as well.

All of my regular chores are still in action too, so I'm hoping to keep a balance somehow.   And of course our Staywell health insurance program has a bonus day on Nov.1st to obtain 15,000 steps (to earn 50 points).  So exercise was not left out either.

Garden work continues, although cold.  I'm yanking green bean plants, weeds, and a few last tomato plants/stakes.  If there is a will, there is a way. . . and I call it quits when I can't feel my fingers any more.  The days are getting colder. 

Although rain arrived again, so that put a delay on it (again).  But the rain brought us a 64°F day too (smiling).  The wind was wicked, so I hope it dried up the garden.  It was pretty wet out there yesterday.  It's very dark out still, so I can't see yet if what I heard at midnight was rain or not.

Speaking of green beans.  I left some pods on the table before taking Youngest Daughter to the doctor the other day.  Even though the older daughter was here, the dogs got into those beans.  I found chewed up seeds at the doorway.  I picked them up and reached my hand out to see who was the culprit.  Zuri licked my hand, and King went around the table and hid behind Zuri.  Hm.  I pretty sure King swiped my seeds.  

When we picked the pears, I placed a few into a brown paper bag to speed up the ripening time.  Pears ripen after they are picked, so every one we picked directly from the tree was rock hard.  Those from the ground were halfway ripe.
  

Pear butter was made.  Although I love the pear butter with star anise, I made a new recipe this time. Because I have sherry to use up.

The chickens loved their sweet treat of peelings too.

3 lbs. pears, peeled, diced
1 cup dry sherry
2 Tbsp. maple syrup
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon

Place all ingredients, but the cinnamon, in large pot, bring to a boil, reduce heat 1 hour or until liquid evaporates.  Find something to do near the kitchen - deep clean a drawer, wash a window, as for me?  I wrote. I put towels on the line, I made herbal tea for my sick daughter, and made myself lunch.

Process in a food processor until smooth.  Stir in cinnamon.  Don't forget the cinnamon.  I did, ha ha!  Darn multi-tasking failure!  I had to stir it in after I had the jars filled.


I'm not sure if you can freeze this.  Does anyone know?  I know you can make it with pectin and freeze it. Hm.  I put mine in the fridge to enjoy right now.

I love my homemade calendula cream.  It's a nice spreadable lotion that soaks in after a minute or so. Probably the best combination of ingredients I've tried for a lotion.  I'm using it on my varicose veins too, as winter is arriving and my legs are getting dry skin. The site has a ton of adds, but if you want the recipe it is online with Natural Living Ideas.  It's basically made with calendula infused oil, beeswax, water, and essential oil.  I purchased a hand blender just for making these lotions too.  I have labeled the box it's stored in, so no one uses it with a food recipe.  I have another one I have stored that I use only for soap making too (with lye).  Just some info.

I love the make up remover wipes I made.  They work great, but you have to use a cleanser afterwards, or a bar of goat's milk soap (thankful to still have some). 

I have to buy more vitamin E oil now, as my bottle is down to the bottom.  Does anyone have a resource to purchase it (a good quality of oil)?  This last bottle came from Mountain Rose Herbs, and was rather expensive.

Have a good weekend.

Random Tidbits ~ Dandelion Greens

Not sure how many interesting posts you will be blessed with this month.  After cranking out 3400 words yesterday (bringing my total word count to 5200), I literally ran to the porch to get some "me time" in, but did not even get there until 5:45pm,  Dinner was spaghetti and meatballs, and I had to make a fresh batch of meatballs, so time was of the essence.