Flood Warnings ~ Porch Time

We had pretty good day in the garden, and I am kind of glad we did not get the weeds out between the smaller pepper plans, green beans, zucchini, tomatoes, nor the carrots.  

It's raining again, but today's forecast is 100% rain, heavy rain, windy, flood warnings, and flash flood warnings.  We are to get 1-5 inches of water.  Maybe the weeds will help protect the plants from the wind today?

I also successfully weeded half of the herb garden.  The green onions look terrible this time of year, but I do see little sprouts forming already.  

I picked more berries, cut some oregano, and had a daughter shell peas for me, and clean off the dried thyme.  Overall, it was a pretty good day, all things weather-wise, considered.

Apron Kind of Day

I've been having what I call "apron days" here lately.  Starting my day in the "garden" apron, then the "canning" apron, then my "housework" apron, and ending it in my "cooking" apron. 

Today's my day starts with draining more cheese.  Mmm!  Tonight we'll enjoy some with either hot pepper jelly, or port wine jelly, on crackers.
 

What we will get more of:

Monkeys in the Kitchen ~ Flip Flops In the Coop

The rain brought the wild black raspberries into harvest early this year, and it's hot, humid and miserable to pick them (as always). 

Our first day picking was done together.  Most of the time we spent slapping ourselves (thank goodness for chickweed salve), hollering out at the prickers and blowing bugs off us as we picked as fast as we could.  One time I heard "Awww, I dropped it!"

Weather and Weeds ~ Random Tidbits

You are probably tired of hearing about it, but it continues to rain.  I woke up to the same wet ground again.  It has rained either during the day or night here, every single day.

It was dry most of yesterday, but too wet in the vegetable garden to even step into it.  

You can see in this photo, how tall the weeds are in the broccoli and cauliflower garden.   If the sun stays out today, I may be able to get into that garden late today yet.

Halfway through the day yesterday, I started on the front flower beds.   This is one corner I was looking at from the porch. 

This is what I was looking at afterwards.  This is just a snippet of the front porch flower bed.

(just one corner of the front porch flower bed)

 
Here is how far we got with mulch, before we ran out.  I guess we'll get more.  We have already filled the rose bed, the mailbox bed, and two other rose beds with mulch.  There seems to be a lack of color right now, but zinnias are very slow to grow with all this rain.  They were buried in weeds and wet ground.  Once the zinnias bloom, we'll have all sorts of color to beautify the gardens with.

The weather looked like this most of yesterday.  Today the sun is shining.  I have high hopes to get more work done in the vegetable garden.

If it rains again today (there is a 60% chance for thunderstorms at 11am....sigh), I always have deep cleaning chores indoors, handiwork, and a new Lucy Stone murder mystery book from the library.  And Hubby and I can always cut wood inside the barn too (maybe).  

It's just hard for me to shift gears so easily, and not worry about the garden.  I need to go read my morning devotion, relax a bit, pray a bit, and move out of my pity party.

The wild berries are ready for harvesting.  We had planned to pick today, but we are fighting the rain again.  It will be interesting if we get any wild black raspberry jam made this year too.

I just looked at the pollen count for today.  No wonder my eyes are beat red when I do get outside work accomplished.

 Today's reading is not a good report for someone like me.  
 

A heartrending update on Hubby's sister in the hospital.  She cannot swallow food. Not even pureed food.  They had to make the decision to have a feeding tube in place.  She's had two tubes down her throat, so we hope that over time (and healing) she'll be back to real food some day in the future.

Did you notice something today?  There is no "read more" to click on today.  

I better scoot out and pick snow peas quickly.  I hope your Sunday is peaceful, relaxing, productive, or whatever you want to accomplish (or not accomplish) today.

 

Wild Stinging Nettle?

If this is what I think it is, I've hit the jackpot for my herbal teas this year.  Is this stinging nettle?  I see spiky thing-a-ma-jobs (can you tell I have kids?) all over the center stem and on the leaf stems.

More photos.

Spring Weeds Anyone?

I'm starting to feel my muscles burn, after two days of kneeling to pull grass from the herb garden and rose bed.   That pile of grass all came form the oregano area of the herb garden.  For the last seven years, I never had this many weeds in it. Yesterday it was a bit too chilly to have porch time, so I worked inside later.  The ground is still too wet to walk in any garden, and we are to get more rain this week (and next week).  I'll have to shuffle the "to-do" list again.

Oodles of "Noodles" and Dandelion Flower Tea

I'm learning a lot this summer.  Did you know that my homestead is growing oodles of noodles?

"Honey?  Did you know that dandelion stems can be cooked as "noodles" in a recipe?" I asked with excitement.

"Honey, I love you," replied Hubby grinning from ear to ear, and shaking his head side to side.  

I know what he was really thinking - that woman is crazy!

I had no idea you could eat the stems.

Another Hike on the Farm. . .

Another day, another hike.

I was super excited to see we have a "Poor Man's Banana Tree" on the property.  I never saw it until this year.  It's kind of hidden in the trees.  I will have to see if it is still bearing fruit too.   Although, I think the fruit ripened last month. I was so excited I forgot to get a closer look.   It's technical name is The technical name for this tree is Asimina triloba.  The fruit is edible.  

I was even more excited to see another black walnut tree also.  I think I need to do some more hiking in the back woods more often.  

 ...found yet another black walnut tree!  Yippee! 

 ...and even another one!  Four years ago, I would not be jumping of joy to see these trees.  As a kid, when we'd visit my grandparents, we'd toss these out into the street and wait to hear a "pop" when cars ran over them.
Next on the hike.....

...another orb weaver spider (check out the red and white legs on this).  Ugh!  I almost got my hair in this web by leaning over to see what plant this was...

Not sure what it is, but I found another bush underneath a locust tree also.  

I'll have to confirm what this is with the parks division again. Hmm? 

The barn that has seen it's last days....gonna miss this barn, as I can see it from the kitchen every day.

Sadie, Gus, and Jesse...taking a break from our little hike, and watching the goats.

Peanut looks a bit upset I came to visit without treats.

At the end of our hike and back to the house, Sapphire (Sassy, Sassafras) had to give all the dogs a rub by, and then she got a lick in return.  This is the kitty that went missing for a long time.

Self-Suffieciency Lifestyle Paying Off

I'm posting early today.  Hubby brought home another 10 lb. box of blueberries and a box of peaches.  I'll be busy for sure.

Here's an update on our journey to being self-sufficient.  Each year it gets better.
 
In the last 3 1/2 years we have really gained progress with self-sufficiency.  It does require some investments, but those pay off. 

So far this year, with making our own soap with our goat's milk, have not had to buy any bars of soap (and have used it to make homemade laundry detergent also).

We have not purchased dishwasher detergent either, and I am proud that we have reduced those chemicals and costs.

We have not had to buy any onions or potatoes this year.  Last year we did.  

We went all winter using green peppers we froze versus buying them from the store.

When we are low on eggs, we do without.  

We have cut down the cost of buying organic milk by having the goat's, and have drastically cut down the trips to the recycling center (cost of time and gasoline) to take milk jugs in.  It's been nice to recycle our canning jars for milk. 

I have not had to buy ricotta cheese this year also.  Making it is so easy with the goat's milk, but it takes 4 1/2 quarts. 

As for making ice cream out of goat's milk, we need another goat for more milk.  We need cream to add to the milk, otherwise it will freeze rock hard.  My daughter already has her eye on one she wants to add to her herd. 

We have not had to buy any jelly or jams for the last two years.  Every year I learn more recipes to make and stock up on.

I have cut back on the cost of annual flowers, and used seeds from other farmgirls (lovely zinnia's).  We also get the joy of watching butterflies.

We have not had to buy pickles or relish for two years now.  We had a bumper crop of cucumbers last year, and have not cut back the cost of carrots.

Our homemade deodorant is lasting so much longer, and had drastically cut back the cost and cut out the chemicals.

Last year, from butcher time to this spring, I never had to buy chicken.  Our meat chickens were worth the time to raise and we know they are chemical/antibiotic free. 

After last fall, and three rounds of yucky antibiotics, I am really working hard to use natural remedies.  Since then, and my awful sickness with allergies, we have been successful.  With the purchase of Allergy Easer Oil, I have not had to buy any allergy pills whatsoever (since last fall).  I have only had to take ibuprofen one time since then as well.  And my 10 year-old, who also suffers horribly, has not had to take one pill either.  She uses the roll-on Allergy Easer, and it has eliminated buying over the counter drugs, and we feel much better.  We've been successful at reducing our costs, and staying chemical free.

I've learned foraging skills, and have researched the health benefits of eating dandelion greens, and tops.  I've been making jelly from dandelions, and using the roots for dandelion "coffee."  I've learned that clovers are edible, and I can make jelly from white and red clover.  I've been making jelly from the flower of Queen Anne's Lace and studying the uses for the black walnuts on my property.  Even foxtail grass is edible.  We have wild chickweed on the property (not road side plants) and they can be used to make coffee, natural salves, and such as well.  Every year we pick the wild growing black raspberries.  It just gets more interesting as we learn.

I've learned skills for natural dyes, including the wild pokeweed growing on our property.  I hope to experiment more with plants like the goldenrod that grow here as well.

Over the past two years, I have taught my self to knit and to do needle tatting.  My goals are to learn quilting, blacksmithing, foraging for mushrooms, go hunting for deer myself, fish more often, and to learn the art of spinning wool.  The list gets longer each year, but our hand crocheted afghans are warmer than any blanket you can buy in the store, and last longer.  

This is our first year to plant again for a fall harvest.  Thankfully the August rains are helping.

It's all hard work, but in the end, worth it.  Our next goals are to make and use homemade toothpaste, grow enough corn to grind down ourselves for cornmeal, raise beef and dairy cows and much more.

Our wish list keeps growing, and every year we gain a few steps forward.

Queen Anne's Lace Galore

 
I canned 5 more 1/2 pints of Queen Anne's Lace Jelly.  If I had more jars, I'd can up the entire field of flowers.  We have it all over the property.

It's growing where my sunflowers won't grow.  Despite watering by hand, the lack of rain is a concern.

It's growing around the barns.

All around back, it's growing in the tall grass.  We have to rotate the goats on tie-outs due to the lack of grass in their pen.

It's even growing in the yard, where the grass is not.  The grass that we mow down is brown and crunches when you walk on it.  However, the Queen Anne's Lace is still growing and blooming.

It's Berry Pickin' Time!

We gathered about 10 cups of wild black raspberries and will go back for more.  I have already canned 6 jars of wild black raspberry jam this week. 

Wild Rose Petal Jelly ~ Wild Red/White Clover Jelly

I discovered wild rose bushes around the property last year, and have wanted to make a batch of rose jelly.

I located one recipe for rose petal jelly:  

Wild Burdock and More Red Clover

This has been growing at the edge of a few barns.  I'm pretty sure is wild burdock.  The stalks are short and the leaves have hairs.  Either way, if it is burdock I can't do much with it.  We are all allergic to ragweed (just by the touch also).  I read that burdock is in that particular family of plants.

Wild Red Clover Jelly

While sitting outside the other night, looking out at the back of the property, I looked at all that wild growing red clover.

"I wonder if the pioneers made anything out of clover?" I asked the kids. 

Their response?  Laughter and head nodding.

Excerpts from a Journal Junkie ~ Canning Wild White Clover Jelly

from the homesteading/gardening journals. . .

 
Picked white and red clovers for making jelly.  Canned white clover jelly.

Edible Foxtail Grass ~ Osage Orange (Hedge Apple)

My family already thinks I'm nuts, but thanks to The 3 Foragers, I have collected foxtail grass seeds to dry and eat (see disclaimer on blog, always get expert advice when foraging).

Mushroom Update

This is a photo of the mushroom yesterday.

 The mushroom today.  Is it Shaggy Mane?

Another one growing.

I am still deep cleaning.  I actually think that when the kids see me, they are either inspired to help me, or help me out of quilt (watching me do it myself).  My son helped me in the kitchen.  I am now pulling out drawers sweeping inside, inside the drawers/cupboards, removing anything that don't use (using the box method), and reorganizing.  I think we cleaned 6 drawers and 2 sets of cupboards.  Unfortunately, my old kitchen was re-done with mostly drawers (by the last home owner).  I have very little cupboards.  It makes it very difficult to store items.  My mixer and food processor are stored in my living room (in a pie safe).

While cleaning yesterday, I started dehydrating my Swiss chard.  I am even considering growing some inside this year.  I think it would work if I grew it in the warmest room, next to the wood burning stove.  

I am so excited that we found a thrift store closer to home.  I needed to go there to look for a pot to dye yarn and fabric with.  I ended up, not only finding what I needed, but found these small bowls.  I need to go back to look for an old picnic basket or basket with a lid, to hold library books in.  I guess it will be fun looking anyway. 

Well, it rained all night.  However, today it's extremely windy.  I need to dry bedding outside today, so I hope it doesn't end up in the next county - ha ha ha ha!  At least it will dry fast.

Mushrooms and A Curious Cat

I have walked around the property (some of it) and found two different types of mushrooms growing.  One was growing on a fallen tree.

Sunflower Power

I used pieces of cheese cloth to cover the head of my sun flowers, and tied it on with string saved from feed bags.  Hopefully the birds won't get to them anymore.

I'm now on the hunt for recipes using sun flower seeds.  I mentioned, to the family, that foxtail grass seeds, and the other red flower we found, is edible.  My  husband looked at the kids and said, "you guys can all take the first bite." He's just a big chicken when it comes to foraging. Although, he is up for mushroom hunting.  We may be taking a mushroom hunting class to familiarize ourselves with what is edible and what is not.

Queen Anne's Lace Jelly

If my kids think I went nutso, by making the Dandelion Coffee, the Dandelion Jelly, and the Milkweed Flower Bud Quiche, they will really think I've fallen off my rocker now.

I have been going through old cookbooks, and reducing my supply.  I found a recipe for Queen Anne's Lace Jelly.  

Instead of cleaning my much needed bathroom, I walked around the property and plucked about 18-19 full heads of Queen Anne's Lace (not to be confused with Hemlock).

I soaked them in water to remove unwanted "guests" and then rinsed them twice.