French Toast Casserole Taste Testing in Progress

With the blessing of so many eggs from our chickens, we are test tasting several French Toast Casseroles.  I have recipes for many egg dishes, but not for this type of casserole.  Many of the recipes require 4 to 12 eggs to make.  We are thrilled to give these a try.  We have 2 from the Internet that are being baked this weekend.  The trouble I am having, is finding a very healthy recipe.  Many require cream and butter.  Without other farm animals, I would have to buy these items.  I'm seeing more benefits of adding goats, cows, pigs, and other animals.

Gold Mine Find ~ Goodwill

I visited a nearby Goodwill in search for old buttons for my daughters, however I wound up finding a wonderful deal on fabric! Each piece, which is about 3 yards or more were priced $.75 or $1.50 each. I absolutely love the first one on the left in the photo (with roses). I plan to sew curtains for my short bedroom bookshelves. I also found an old canning jar with a lid. I may repurpose it into a soap dispenser! The canning jar was only $.75.

Young Cultivators ~ Farmgirl Sisterhood

My 8 year old daughter is so excited about working on her "Young Cultivator" certificates (Farmgirl Sisterhood), that she cut photos from old magazines and decoupaged them to a notebook to journal her progress. One of her sisters helped with the decoupage.

Project and Repurposing Fabric

I am re-purposing furniture fabric samples into a yo-yo fabric project.  Here a  few circles cut from the fabric samples.  They are all made with different materials, but easy to use.  I simply tore the cardboard cover from the sampler and pulled each piece of fabric free.  I found the samples at a SCRAP store in Michigan (that is now closed).  I have about 1 1/2 hours into the project so far.

More spring cleaning and clearing out

If you are following my progress in cleaning house, I have discovered at one point in my life, that I had been binder crazy.  I cleaned out my 7th binder of papers today.  Most of them were from my Travel Agent studies from long ago.  In fact, I had held onto them for more than 18 years.  I must have thought that I should keep them in case I would go back to that kind of work. 

I have filled a 18-gallon tote with papers to burn.  It's amazing how much "stuff" is around here that can go.  I gave my husband a job last night and, it too, involved paper.  And a bunch of magazines.  We should have a big bonfire to celebrate getting all of the cleaning done too.

I just washed up 2 more rugs for storage (next winter), and did some more deep cleaning on some shelves.  It feels so much better to walk into our bedroom now.  I'm not finished, but with one area at a time, it will be soon. 

It's a good thing that the weather is too chilly to be working in the yard today.  I am finding little areas that I can spot clean and toss items from.  I emptied another 18-gallon tote from the garage, and cleaned two more book shelves.  I donated 4 more items to the library also.  I also gave some items away free.  Phew! 

Rain, rain and rain

Just before the rain arrived, I was able to put about 3 bags of mulch in my rose bed.  It's been raining since then and is still raining this morning.  I keep thinking how easy it will be to weed the flower beds after it stops.

My husband bought me this sign last fall in clearance.  I think we got it at a Cracker Barrel store.  I had it hanging in the house until after winter and finally have it hanging by my front door.

Wild Spearmint ~ What a Blessing!

I found wild spearmint growing along a ditch bank on the property. I'm very excited because I have not had spearmint in my herb garden for many years. It tends to take over everything, so now I can make tea again. This means I need to make another herb drying rack. Foraging is so fun!