Painting Barn Siding ~ Seeds Started and other Tidbits

 In the midst of moving everything from room to room, in order to get floors repaired, my cut barn siding boards were unburied.

I cleaned them up with vinegar water, and let them dry for a few days.  I had the brainy idea to paint words on them for a craft show addition.  These boards have been floating around the house for several years (like about 5 years now), so it was on the "get'r done' list.  

The power went out around 8am yesterday, and it never came back on until after noon.  I was lucky I had just brewed some coffee.  

There was an accident with poles down, wires hanging, and then a substation shut down for a while.

Luckily, my portable charger was charged, and I could not only charge my phone, but my neck lamp too.

Quite fitting of a saying for a time with the power outage, ha ha!  I had stencils for these.

All done, so the only thing to do was to read or crochet.  When power goes out, our water pump goes out.  I could not clean or cook.

Most likely the signs will be put into a storage box, and used for gift giving or donations for fundraisers.  I don't see a good craft show in sight for a few years.

My neck lamp is my favorite way to crochet with extra light, or when the power is out, but I also have these battery operated crochet hooks.  I just don't like the way they made the hook part.  You have less control over your yarn, can't catch the yarn or sometimes the yarn falls off the hook to easily.  Anyway....

Almost all of my garden seeds have been started and grow lights are on.

Extreme Clean Update

What went in the donation box:

-one toddler clothes hanger (they show up out of no where)

-two shirts

-one summer bathrobe

-one baking dish (no handles/edge so getting it out of the oven is a bit of a struggle)

We woke up to powering rain this morning.  It should slow down in a few hours.

New Tea ~ Down Memory Lane

 

Giving this new tea a try.  It is similar to the Traditional Medicinal teas, and it is good.  I have also ordered something new to try.

The carpet is all out upstairs.  It is almost completely out of the stairway as well.  It may be an all year long project, but at least the carpet is gone.

I got my stand for my starter seeds moved.  I'm starting seeds two weeks earlier than last year.  I do need to check the grow lights today.

There were a total of 9 deer out early evening last night.  I heard my husband talking and looking out the window saying, "you all better stay over there."  Ha ha!  They were all out eating the winter wheat.  The temperatures have dropped to the single digits, so it is back to cold here.

Down memory lane:   

I was looking for a specific photo and remembered I made flan for a fiesta/salsa party/tasting night.  That was the first and last time I made flan, but it was good!  You can read about the year I canned several different salsas and our fun food fest  HERE.

Our first goats!  Golly what a memory!  Reflections of 2011 can be read HERE.  We haven't had goats now for many years.  I do miss the milk, soap and cheeses.

Motivation Returns ~ From Pile to File Recipe (Sweet Potato Egg Cups)

We have a lot going on now.  Woot!  I heard it from my husband's mouth!  His goal is to finish the hallway completely this weekend.  What's on the list?  Well, for starters, I have boxes in the hall (again) that need delivered.  After that we finish the hallway flooring and trim.  I'm excited to see him motivated, but the weather may have something to do with that too, ha ha!  Although it's a bit chilly this morning.

The purge continues, but at a slower pace unfortunately.  I have done it again - printed new recipes to try.  I want to switch up our breakfast meals, try a few for larger group meals, and some for potlucks/summer cook outs.  I'm having a family get together one way or another (for whoever wants to come).  I miss family.

You may see lack of posts from now until later in March.  There are two possibilities for the bathroom remodel.  Not sure which way we'll go.  

New Recipe!  Baked Sweet Potato Cups (Skinny Taste online).  The next time I will add garlic powder.  So good!  It's a keeper!  The only difference with the instructions, is that I had to bake the eggs longer (18 minutes for mostly cooked yolks), and I rotated the pan.  The one egg that was under the oven light was baking faster.  Will definitely keep this on the breakfast menu.  Oh, I also used parchment paper cups vs. non-stick spray, and it worked great.  The sweet potatoes do not look orange because they were organic hannah sweet potatoes (have a white color to them).

Finally got around to making kamut flake bars.  I added dried cherries, pecans and hemp seeds.

Had to drain a jar of homemade vanilla to make the bars though.

I have more recipes to try, but need a few ingredients.

I've started two trays of seeds, but need two more trays and soil.  The sun is shining most days and it's been so enjoyable.