Pioneer Woman at Heart

We had so much fun last weekend.  I have been overly stressed and, out of the blue, told my husband that we were going camping - without kids.  Well the first part happened anyway.  We did get one night free of kids, and all to ourselves. Every meal, breakfast, lunch and dinner, was cooked over the fire.  Even our morning coffee.  We also brought along some farm fresh eggs for scrambled eggs.  Yum!  The campground did not provide showers.  We had port-a-potty toilets and a ground water pump.  There were electric hook-ups for those who wished to have them, but we decided to camp without electricity.   Days were spent in tank tops and shorts, and evenings were spent in pants and jackets.  It was perfect weather for getting a way to reconnect.  The last night was spent with our two youngest children.  We hiked the lake, and I showed the girls how I could whistle in an acorn shell.  Just to share a tip, it wor...

Although many vegetables are done producing, we still have cabbage, brussels sprouts, tomatoes, green beans, beets, turnips, strawberries, and more squash. Yesterday I boiled up a dozen farm eggs for after school snacking.  I also shredded the last zucchini and made them a pan of Zucchini-Banana Squares.  I then froze 2 quarts of tomatoes, and have a lot more to freeze.  For dinner I baked a spaghetti squash and used up more tomatoes with a recipe we love. I spent most of the day yesterday chasing rooster and his women out of my garden.  This time they got into the squash, and kept trying to come back to get more (while I was in the garden).  I finally pulled some corn, shucked it and tossed it to them.  That seemed to keep them happy for a while, and out of my garden. I noticed our school is having a "market" day where teachers and parents have donated extra garden bounty and are giving it away.  I am so surprised that people do not can and fre...

It's been a long journey in finding work for our 18 year-old son.  He's filled out applications left and right, and even talked with managers about possible openings.  Finding a job is even more difficult now that the college students have returned.  Even so, most adults are seeking the jobs that most kids have gone after in the past. To encourage my son, I suggested he take his knowledge and write articles on-line.  With his expertise in areas that usually end up on most "hot topics" lists, he has already started earning extra money.  It won't happen over night, as I have already warned him, but he is much more positive, and job searching is less overwhelming.  I'm just glad God blessed him with the writing ability to get him through this difficult time.

This camera does not do justice for this beautiful sunrise this morning. The colors are not photographed at all like they actually appeared.

Too bad, I didn't get this focused well.  It would have made an awesome photo.

My 8 year-old's blanket now reaches the measurements of 6 ft 2 inches wide, and 40 1/2 inches long. She's begging me to stop and give it to her as is, but I had to explain that I need to finish it. She's so eager to have it. I have already spent more than 20 hours on this blanket. I have to say, this is my favorite so far, in the 3 blankets I have crocheted. Here is an update on my embroidery sampler. I have added another stictch since this photo. You can see, it's a bit wrinkled from holding the material. I'm really enjoying making this, but will probably make another in five years to check my progress.

Today, I shredded and froze 12 cups of zucchini, and left 2 cups on the side for 2 loaves of zucchini bread.  I also froze 1 qt. of tomatoes.  After that I took the green beans I picked and boiled them with potatoes and added crumbled bacon.  I also took our last Kohlrabi, and made a terrific Frittata.  I even added swiss chard to it.

I have yet to identify this flower.  I planted it about 11-12 years ago, and had purchased it from a mail order catalog.  I have since then, dug it up and moved it twice, and have now planted new starters in 3 other areas.  The hummingbird loves it, and it spreads quickly.

The second photo was difficult, as were about 42 others I took.  I'm finding out difficult it is to take pictures when the wind is blowing and my camera is limited in features.  I tried photographing several other butterflies, including one that blended in with the colors of my dark orange and black marigolds.  Not one came out well enough to post.  With flowers all over our property, we can sit and watch butterflies almost all summer.  Today the hummingbird was back to visit two times.  One of these days, I'll be able to photograph it too.

Here is the beginning stage of my embroidery sampler. I used a fine cross-stitch material I had on had as scrap material. The spaces make practice stitching easier. It's been years since I did any embroidery. 

Today I froze 2 quarts of Swiss Chard, 2 quarts of tomatoes, 2 quarts of green beans, and I canned 4 quarts of homemade salsa.   And we haven't even gotten to the squash yet.  I'm sure I'll have yellow squash, zucchini, and acorn squash.  We also picked 4 spaghetti squash prior to today's rainfall.  We are surely loving the garden, and I can't wait to enjoy some salsa tonight!

Here is a "before" photo of Charlie, the second dog for us to rescue.  When the humane society absolutely refused to help, we decided we had to do something.  The only option they gave us yesterday, was to keep him as our own (duh!) or take him to the dog warden.  Their reasons for not assisting in this dog's care, were contradictory and lame.  They pick up abandoned strays themselves, and this is an abandoned dog. After we had a vet look at him, we discovered he has testicular cancer, and needs medical help.  We are praying we can get his weight up enough to withstand surgery in a week.  Then we will be able to test for heartworm and to check of the cancer spread to his lungs or not.  Looking at Charlie today, you'd never know he was sick. Unless you looked at him from behind that is.  He is full of energy today and is very alert.  Last night when I was petting his head, then stopped, he pushed his head under my hand for more.  He's...

In just a few short weeks after we took in a stray puppy, we now have this stray dog.  We found him late last night.  He had wandered onto the property early in the day, but then disappeared.  My son found him laying in the woods, unable to walk.  The good news, is that he's up and walking, has been flea combed and treated, had his very long nails trimmed, and is about to go see the vet for overall check up.  He's a very loving dog, and is anxious to come inside.  A visit to the vet is needed first, as we already have 3 healthy dogs inside. I am sure the dog warden was looking for him yesterday.  After we saw the dog wander around the barn, and disappear, the dog warden's van was driving up and down the highway, and up and down side streets about a mile or less away.  He even sat in our driveway for a time, looking directly at our house, but never knocking on the door.  I am certain, that if the dog warden had found this dog, he would hav...

While studying photography with the merit badge program with MaryJanesFarm, I snapped this neat photo of the yellow and black butterflies in one of the flower beds.  The barn in the background made the photo even more beautiful.  The bad part of this, is now I want a better camera (ha ha ha!).  I guess I'll have to put it on the family wish list for now.  My oldest daughter has encouraged me to continue with photography.  When she sees something outside, she'll often say "what? no pictures of that?" and she'll point to something worth photographing (like the blossoming apple trees etc.). Another photo to share with my Farmgirl Sisters.

It's that time of the year when the tomatoes are turning red all over the garden.  The downside this year, is that a raccoon keeps eating my beef tomatoes.  I've been able to get about 5 this week before he/she did.  I think it has to do with the corn fields this year.  Last year we were surrounded by corn crops.  This year that is only one across the street.  Many raccoons have died going back and forth, but one seems to keep eating away on just one type of tomato. However, we are getting a lot of roma tomatoes. I've been using them to make our homemade salsa, and many dishes.  I have frozen some too.  Yesterday I decided it was time to make tomato sauce from scratch for the very first time every.  While one daughter was away on a camping trip, I enlisted the help of 3 more kiddos.  They all helped remove seeds from about 8 pounds of small roma tomatoes.  This was torture to them (he he!). We made the sauce with fresh basil fro...

We were researching honey and my husband found a local harvester.  To give it a try, we bought a quart.  When he asked me if I wanted a gallon, I thought he was crazy!  A gallon?!  Who in their right mind would use a gallon of honey?  Well, I think we will be using more of it. After reading all about the benefits of local harvested honey vs. store bought, I was shocked.  Today I made a Honey Apricot bread with 1 cup of it.  We have yet to slice it.  I sure smelled good, and the recipe came from a Bear Wallow recipe book. We also dug up more home grown carrots and peas.  This is the first year to use heirloom seeds and we started with the peas.  I can't believe the color and the taste.  I will definitely add more to my garden, so we will have more and even more to freeze for the winter/spring. While the bread was baking today, I made another 2 quarts of homemade salsa!  Yum! While the girls helped chop tomatoes, I ventur...

Cookbooks Tomato, A Fresh-from-the-Vine Cookbook, by Lawrence Davis-Hollander Quick-Fix Healthy Mix, 225 Healthy and Affordable mix Recipes to Stock Your Kitchen, by Casey Kellar and Nicole Kellar-Munoz. Gardening Books The Organic Gardener's Handbook of Natural Pest and Disease Control, A Complete Guide to Maintaining a Healthy garden and Yard the Earth-Friendly Way, edited by Fern Marshall Bradley, Barbara W. Ellis, and Deborah L. Martin S.C.R.A.P ~ Recycling and Reusing Book List

The calcium spray solution we used seems to be helping, as we were able to cut 3 zucchini the other day.  We may lose the 2 yellow crookneck plants, but the others are looking pretty good.  The yellow straight neck squash is starting to produce, so it will be a matter of days before I can tell if it will be okay as well. So far, since the beginning of our season this year, the yellow squash has blessed us many times over.  It takes about 8 squash to make patties with, and we have made them over five times already.  I have not shredded any zucchini for the freezer this year however.  It seemed to take a slow start at first.  Last year it was growing like crazy, so this year we've been eating what has been harvested. As for the tomatoes, I've been able to freeze 2 qt. bags so far, and have made several dishes for meals.  Nothing has been wasted.  A few tomatoes have been eaten by tomato worms, but I'm not in a panic like last year.  I found...

Back in April/May we received a free compost bin from a family friend. We have been using a plastic ice cream/sherbet bucket for the compost items in the house.  It's working great, and the kids can easily carry it to the compost bin, dump it, and replace the lid.

"Have you ever kept a dream journal Mom?" asked my 16 year old daughter. That's funny she asked.  I used to keep one years ago.  I'd write my dreams down as soon as I had one, but over the years I stopped writing in it.  As to why, I really don't know. The kids, especially the older two, have found that writing a novel is better than sitting around sulking that they can't find jobs.  My son in particular is secretly writing away, and I have a bad feeling I'm in that journal - yikes!  I've always warned them to be careful because they may end up in my novel.  Now, I am the one that has to be careful.  However, our lives would make a great novel. I very good one indeed.