Baking up a little love ~ Einkorn Snickerdoodles

I felt so awful that Hubby had no breakfast to take to work yesterday, and no lunch.  Literally.  We haven't been home but one day I think. 

So, as soon as I could, I baked up a swiss chard/zucchini frittata topped with chives.

SIL updates ~ ...from the handiwork journal

We did a lot of hospital hopping in the last few days.  During our visits I couldn't read, and like to keep my hands moving.  I took along a bag of handiwork, whether we went by car or motorcycle.  I visited with family/friends while we all took turns visiting sister "L."  She is still in ICU.

Quick update on the sisters.  Sister "L" was getting her heart balloon removed on Sunday, and weaned of heart pump.  They removed the vent Saturday night.  The procedure for the heart pump took several hours, so we didn't get to visit.  The plan is for two stents to go in on Tuesday.   Sister "P" is doing much better and might be going home soon.  Everyone is back to work today, so sister "L" gets a day of rest before the procedure.  However, even though we were called last night and sister "L" was doing well, we got a call at 5:49am this morning.

We interrupt this blog....

...with a short announcement.  Hubby's sister "L" had a heart attack and we've been running back and forth between two hospitals.  Sister "P" is also in a hospital.

Sister "L" is the same one that was diagnosed with pancreatitis, which we now know was incorrect.  Her pain was due to blockages and doctors never looked.

Thus, she was ambulanced to the same hospital that Hubby and I were both in.  Once there she stopped breathing.  They brought her back, but could not do a bypass emergency surgery.  Her heart was shocked by the CPR, so it has to rest up for possible stents.

Enjoying the Garden Goodies

Although the dogs love watermelon, you rarely see a cat who loves it just as much.

 Tiger loves it.  Jasper, not so much.

The peas are still rolling in.  I am planning on putting up a second pea fence next year.  We are getting enough for dinner, but not enough to freeze (shell peas included).  With four of us to feed, it's been a blessing for dinners, but zero shell peas are getting frozen so far this season.  We enjoyed buttered snap peas for dinner last night, and I made Pumpkin-Sage Macaroni.  

The macaroni dish uses fresh parsley and sage from my herb garden.  Mmmm!  Love this dish. 

What's going on in the garden?  Weeding.  Lots and lots of weeding.   Lots. Of. Weeding.

The Back Porch

 (Me and my more off than on again book)

Although we love our front porch, we do have a back porch.  More like a side porch.  The front faces east, while the other one faces south.  Sort of a boring post, but Hubby gave me a bloody nose this morning, so I'm hurtin'.

Bits of Barn Wood and other random tales

Happy 4th of July!
 
We stayed around the homestead for the holiday weekend.  Well, most of it.  We visited family and friends at the Lake, and stole off on a few motorcycle rides.  But.  We started on the big barn.

We've managed to move one barn door from the ruble.  It wasn't moved very far, and is now waiting it's next move. They are heavy by the way.  It'll take more than two of us to get it up and on the other barn.  Hubby and I dug through the debris and started pulling out barn siding.  We took the saw to a few, made them look nice, and delivered them to the folks who knocked the barn down.  They loved the "samples" and we'll be back to this mess.

All that siding laying down is weighed down by beams, so we have to get equipment to take care of that to free up the siding.

See that siding up on the old straw?  Well, I removed the fungus covered wood, and crawled up there.

I got what I could without putting myself in danger, and my legs got stung by stinging nettle.  It hurt the entire time we were out there, and my legs were red.  However, by the the time we retired that day, the rash was completely gone.  Seriously.  Could I be immune to it now due to drinking nettle all the time?  I know my hands broke out with a rash before, but my legs seem to have a reverse situation.


I planted zinnia seeds 3 times this year.  The first planting, 3 places popped up.  And a pot of them.  However, all the remaining plantings did not.  I replanted.  Nothing.  I bought seeds and replanted.  Nothing.

Then I saw them.

Birds.  They have multiplied this season. 

The robins and chickadees in the exact locations of the plantings (I put markers so I knew where to water).  Grr.  They were eating them so no flowers.  I will have to start seeds indoors next year, or if you have a tip to keep birds out of the flower beds (without looking gaudy) please share.

We may be eating ground hog as well as rabbit for dinner this summer.  I now have a ground hog issue. I've seen him before, and thought he was just passing through, but no....

June bearing strawberry season is over, and it's the end of our radishes too.  The radishes left in the ground, are already going to seed.

This is the last of the harvest.  I won't be getting another batch of radish relish, but I will be roasting these.

The peas are still rolling in thankfully.  Both snap and shell peas.

Bread was baked again over the weekend.  Just our regular 'ol every day stuff going on here.  Nothing spectacular, nor exciting.  Other than I lost 4.2 of the 10 lbs. I gained since the stint in the hospital last winter.  Proof if you lose weight fast, you'll gain back over what you lost, and it is very (very) difficult to get it back off.  The scale has moved and I am very (very) happy about it.  Only 5.8 more to go, and I'm down to my lowest weight of last year, then it's onto a new goal.  

Crisis in the Chicken Run

The weather was hot, humid and downright miserable.  Mother Nature kept teasing us with a sprinkle here, a sprinkle there...

...and dark clouds everywhere.  Ha.  Sounds like a poem.