From the Handiwork Journal . . .

. . . crocheted tiny flowers and glued them to paper clips.  These are quick to make, add color to your work space, and are fun to gift.  I loved they way these turned out - adorable!

These tiny flowers could be added to handmade cards, bobby pins, and so much more.  I glued them to large paper clips using a clear drying, strong craft glue.

I am crocheting two flower patterns for making these.  I do like the first flower better.  

I keep a box of "tuck in" gifts that fit in an envelope or card, and my stash is dwindling.  So many of these are going in the box.

The patterns for making flowers are in this book:

Thyme Crackers ~ Tidbits ~ A Kitten

Yesterday I woke up to this....

A sign fall is here to stay and winter is on the way.  Wood splitting must get into full swing here on the homestead.

A Little Bit of This ~ A Little Bit of That

Sunday the humidity was terrible here.  Even so, I canned one batch of wild black raspberry jam, got caught up with laundry, garden work and even got dinner made before going to the movies with Son and the family.  

This is a "grab a cup of java" kind of post.  I beat my son up this morning.  How?  I have no idea. Ha ha!

We enjoyed our first green and wax beans this season at dinner too.  Yum. 

Library Run

I borrowed a copy of Fresh Eggs Daily, by Lisa Steele. Whether you are new at raising layers or not, I found this book to contain useful information.

Handiwork Update ~ Southwestern Egg Burritos

My youngest daughter emailed me this photo.  I thought it was so funny I just had to share.  This morning I certainly feel like that dog in the photo - still in my jammies, holding coffee, but with an ice pack instead of a towel.

Homestead Tidbits ~ Rambles

. . .meat chicks arrived 2 days early.  Had to do a bit of scrambling, but got them all situated with a heat lamp.

Heinz ~ False Claims? ~ Books

If you haven't heard, Heinz is being put under the microscope for claims they say could be false.  They claim their vinegar is "all natural" but sources state that Heinz has been using GMO corn to make it.  This is probably old news by the time I post this.

Caught Reading ~ The "Storm"

 Independence Days, A guide to Sustainable Food Storage & Preservation, by Sharon Astyk.

I got caught reading the printed word yesterday.  I made heads turn.  I made people make eyes at me.  They squinted in wonderment. They raised eyebrows in disbelief.

Thinking Christmas 2014 in February? ~ Hot Ginger Tea

Don't throw tomatoes at me just yet. Ha ha!  I found this wonderful book at our library.  It's full of edible gift ideas (many that are brilliant ideas for handmade/homemade Christmas gifts), and there are a few that I plan to try early this year.  Just sharing in case you are looking for new ideas.

Bavarian Crochet ~ Deep Freeze Day 5 ~ Turkey Chili ~ Goats and Chickens

I can't let January pass by without learning something new.  I didn't even plan it either.  I had just been flipping through a huge pile of borrowed library books, and opened this one.

A Library Run

Remember those 25 library books I had out?  Well, one of them was Stop the Clock Cooking, by Cheryl Forberg, R.D.  This cookbook has many healthy recipes, which are full of age-defying ingredients.  I had to try a few.  There is even a grape jelly recipe that uses sorghum in it.  So what did I try?

Crazy Busy by Kevin Deyoung

Do you find yourself constantly checking your e-mail, playing games on your cell phone, or absorbed in the internet for hours at a time?  Is your house a mess, because you are too busy attending other commitments?  Are your days productive at all?  Do you go to bed stressed-out? Are you constantly frustrated with your kids, and/or yelling at them?  Do you feel spiritually drained, but never go in for a refill?

Egg Production Halted ~ Gratitude ~ The Pioneer Lady's Country Christmas

What you see in this basket is not from our hens.  They are from the pullets we bought this past spring.  They are shooting out eggs like there is no tomorrow, however our 1 year-old, and 2 year-old hens are not laying.

They stopped laying about 2 months ago, when I saw that they were molting.  I did some research and read that chickens will stop laying while they molt, and need the energy to produce new feathers.  And from what I read, it takes the hens about 2 months to start laying again.

Mollie Dorsey Sanford ~ Random Updates

I used our library's free interloan program to borrow this book from another library.  It's wonderful!  If you liked Letters from a Woman Homesteader, then you most likely will enjoy this book.

It is not full of letters, but journal entries from Mollie Dorsey Sanford, from 1857-1866, while she and her family moved from Indiana to Nebraska and Colorado Territories.

Baked Egg Puffs ~ Using Baby Food

A blog follower told me about a recipe where baby food was used for the pureed squash, in a recipe.  So, curious for more recipes, I borrowed the book from the local library - Deceptively Delicious, by Jessica Seinfeld.

If you freeze your squash, pumpkin, beets, carrots, cauliflower, or any other vegetable, you may like this cookbook.  Almost every recipe includes some type of pureed vegetable (or fruit) in it.  Not specifically baby food, just pureed.

However, I did take up the challenge to try out a recipe using baby food - pureed squash.  I needed the jars anyway, so why not? 

Goat Fencing ~ Homemade Parmesan Cheese

I'm still hacking away at the garden weeds, and it's been a long week.  Orion (aka Big Boy), has his "stink" on.  You can smell him everywhere now.  And guess who gets to babysit him, and water him?  Ugh.  Yep.  Me.  I need to call him "stinky la' pew."

Living Life through a Book ~ Letters of Woman Homesteader, By Elinore Pruitt Stewart

I must be crazy.  I bought this book several years ago, and never read it.  What is wrong with me?  Oh, my goodness, I fell in love the minute I started reading this book. 


I became so absorbed, I felt like I was Elinore, out on her camping trip to no where, enjoying the beauty and peace.  Can you imagine just up and leaving with no destination, a gun to supply food, and living completely from the land as you went?  I can.

Reading, Recipes and Stocking Up

While the internet and cable was out, we did a lot of reading around here. We've been visiting the library much more often this season.  I was able to can a few things too.
 

One of the books I read, was A Killer Maize, A Farmer's Market Mystery, by Paige Shelton.  It was pretty good too.  In the very end of the book, the author shares recipes.  I have never made strawberry syrup, so I saved up 2 lbs. of my Ever-bearing strawberries and made some.  Although the recipe states you end up with 7 - 1/2 pints, I had 5.  Not sure why, other than the strawberries I used maybe.  Next time, I will use more if I have them.  This giveaway is closed now.  Winner is posted.

Healthy Crock Pot Cookbook

I borrowed this book from the library, and have already tried two of the recipes.  The most recent one, was the Tilapia with Lemon Potatoes.  

Just sharing for those who are searching for healthier recipes to toss in the crock pot.  I just adapt local/organic/homemade ingredients.

Info:  
American Heart Association Healthy Slow Cooker Cookbook: 200 Low-Fuss, Good-for-You Recipes (American Heart Association... by American Heart Association (Sep 18, 2012)

Pickled Sugar Snap Peas ~ Jalapeno Pepper Dip

I was searching the internet one day, and found this recipe at