No More Chard ~ Blips in the Bathroom and other ramblings

I went out to check the squash and beans and saw the rabbits ate my Swiss chard.  Let's just say that I cannot wait for my new raised beds next garden season.

We had a few more set backs with the bathroom.  When the old light fixture was taken down, we saw that they ran the wires thru the wall and screwed the light fixture into the drywall (not the wood).  Our handy-man had to go get us an electrical box and installed that.  Then when he went to assemble the new light fixture, we saw that one part of it was broken.  It's being returned, and another has already been ordered.

Now that I see how many short cuts the previous owners did, I will be checking the carpet upstairs to see if they even put foam under it.  One room has to be re-carpeted in the future for sure.  I'm trying to clean up the other room and wait it out for a year or two, considering all the repairs needed and costly expenses this year.

I got the herb garden fully weeded and put Mom's flamingo solar light in it.  I also got 3/4ths of the rose bed weeded, but so much more needs weeded.

Also, I am so frustrated with our one tomato plant for sandwiches etc.  It's fully loaded (put banana peel water on it), but it's so loaded the tomatoes are very small.  I'll be removing many green tomatoes later today, to try and let the plant have more strength for producing larger tomatoes.  Let's just say I'll not be pouring banana peel water on it anymore.

I finally got out my home owner's journal (yes I am a journal junkie).  I'm updating it with the repairs, and paint colors.  I'm taking photos of all the repairs and will print them off and tuck them into this handy journal as well.

 

Journal Junkie at it again and other tidbits

I added this journal to my bookshelf.  Now I can write down steps as I create new items without a pattern.  I have a few Christmas ornaments, and now another new item (nothing spectacular), but it will make it easy to write as I stitch too.

Snap peas are coming on and I picked a handful for snacking.  Soon after this next rain, I should be eating some for meals and freezing some for meals.  

Nothing new going on really.  I spent the entire day doing laundry, now that the washing machine has been fixed, but watered the heck out of the garden.  Weeding resumes today, along with lots of other things, including errands.  Hubby's work gave them today off (new day off for a "holiday" which most likely occurred due to today's crazy times).

I hope to get some photos of my younger hens soon.  There is one that is almost all gray and she is absolutely gorgeous.  I have yet to introduce them to the older hens (still quite young to do that).

....from the Gratitude Journal

Today I am thankful for . . .

-eggs from the chickens
-greens to blanch and freeze
-yarn
-having 6 acres and plenty of space to get fresh air
-wood to cut
-Romeo, he's become a wonderful guard dog
-coffee
-books
-the internet
-pen and paper
-music
-my family
-my dehydrator
-my blog friends
-wild, medicinal weeds

Winter Journaling

....from the gratitude journal 

Five things that made me happy (yesterday):

1. music, it's pretty boring without it
2. Romeo, he's such a good dog and offers his love 
3. Getting things organized.  Makes me feel awesome.
4. Leftovers - soup beans were so good and I didn't have to cook, so I got a bit more done
5. Slippers.  They keep my tootsies warm while indoors.



....from the wine tasting journal 

Tried a new Pinot.  Expensive, but not that great as far as taste.  I use wine label removers to remove the label and then it goes in my wine tasting journal.




.....from the inspirational quote journal

“I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
― Maya Angelou



Nothing has gone into my "book reading journal" just yet.  I need to finish that book first.

. . . .from the handiwork journal

. . . made this for myself in memory of "Little Man" and we plan to make one for his Mom too.  The girls are making one for themselves as well.  I'll switch it out for a silver chain later.

. . .finished a set of soft violet hot pads.

. . .finished a set of navy hot pads (an order).

. . . finished these dish scrubbies (an order from a friend of the family).

. . . cut some more netting for more scrubbies.  

Got all of these bracelets finished and started another one.  I have a 2 hour craft show coming up soon.

Does anyone make and sell (reasonably priced) felt needle books?  I realized when I'm traveling overnight for a retreat/vacation, I could really use one.

Digging Day

I woke up disappointed it had not rained like they had said it would.  I have spent so many indoor days cleaning, that I was actually looking forward to the next extreme clean job.  I had very little motivation to walk to the garden.

After him-hawing, eating my bacon/egg scramble with an English muffin toasted and slathered in butter, and making 2 pots of coffee, I finally put on my garden attire and headed out.

I am so far behind at digging up the remaining garlic, and had waited for the rain to soften up the ground, so I started there.  We only got 40 of the 56 Russian Giant that we planted.  We planted 70 of the Moroccan Creole, and I bet we'll get 15 if we are lucky.  Not sure yet on the original variety we were gifted years ago yet.  Although the rain has barreled down, it's so dry out there that I bent my digger.

Note:  speaking of garlic, I'll have a post soon on dehydrating it.  Well, some of it, ha ha!

While others are swimming in cucumbers, we are lucky to get 4 yesterday.  Not one yellow squash at all this year, and the plants are already dying.  Not one zucchini yesterday, and a dinky handful of green beans.  Just a really, really sad year.  I tell ya', if you have an inch left in your pantry or freezer this year, fill it up.  You never know if you'll have a year like we are.

The pumpkins look good but they are again buried in weeds, and the popcorn is buried as well.  I am just running out of mojo to even try to keep up with it. Is it even worth it?

I blanched about 1 1/2 cups of green beans (only green beans to make it to the freezer this year), and had a measly 1 cup of blackberries to freeze (that actually were not sour).

The front room now has a new decor item on the wall.  It contains the new colors in our living room.  I have a few more things to clean and a few more items to buy.

My camping and garden journal are now updated.  It was extremely hot during our camping trip - too hot to hold a pen.  Literally.

Youngest (daughter), started her first day of the driving part of driver's ed.  They drive to our homestead and pick her up and she takes over the driver's seat.  At the end of her time, she picks up the next driver, and they drive her home.  It's a very nice way of doing it, so we don't have to drive her to the location every time as well.

More possible rain today.

Losing my Mind. . . Holiday Prep ~ Paranoid Prep

My brain has gone plain insane.  I feel like I'm caught up in a whirlwind and I'm trying to reach out to stop and get a job done, and I'm sucked back in again heading another direction. 

The barn....

Oh lets not talk about that job.  It's getting on my nerves, although I've wanted that job done for several years.  So. Much. Work. The barn siding was delivered.  Then rain arrived, so garden work halted, and I was back indoors.  Deep cleaning, cooking, putting up. . .


The hens are molting.  Egg supply is at it's all time lowest.  I made a crock pot of pumpkin oats.  We are not tired of pumpkin just yet, ha ha!  I picked a handful of red raspberries for topping the oats too.

I baked my first flourless pumpkin bread.  I have always baked it with flour, so this was a new recipe.  I only tired it out of curiosity, and the fact it saves me on ingredients.  Einkorn flour isn't cheap. It was so-so.  Not awesome, yet not bad either. 

Flourless Pumpkin Bread

Deep Clean ~ Peppers ~ Wine Journal

Although canning is not over for me, the kitchen deep clean project continues.  

Everything is being removed from counter tops, disinfected, re-organized, purged, things put back where they belong (recipes removed from the fridge and filed once again), drawers cleaned out, doors wiped down, windows cleaned, light fixtures cleaned, curtains washed, baseboards scrubbed......the whole sha-bang.

Just a wee little bit every day.

Every day chores still get done too.  It's been a good week for drying everything outside.  Our bedroom smelled sooooo good last night.

It's all good!

The "mason jar" challenge:

I have a cousin, who lives in CA, who has been in TV commercials and even been included as a character in her friend's published novel.  She is now a life coach.

It's Monday already?! ~ Journal Junkie

Where did the weekend go?

I'll admit it went fast, but it was very, very peaceful here this weekend.  The first time in the last two years.  What a relief for our family and our animals.

Wine Journal ~ Journal Junkie

This journal junkie has yet another journal to share.  I had to blow the dust off of this one.  I had so much trouble removing wine labels that I put this journal away for years.

I was talking to my sister-in-law, and found out she has one, and has these nifty label removers.  I went in search for some, and gave them a whirl.

Still sick, but plowing through....

Hubby bought this new sign for me.  It's totally me.  It's totally him too.  To start my day requires a heavy dose of organic coffee.  

The ironic part, is that we ran out of coffee yesterday.  The last thing I wanted to do was run out to the store.  I truly missed Hubby's help yesterday.

Repairs ~ Travel Journals

The ladder project(s) are put off for a few days.  It's too cold anyway, but Hubby had to take the truck in for a look-see.  Let's just say he was sweating it out while waiting for the phone call. 

The damage?

Journal Junkie ~ Nature Journal

I recently mentioned our Queen Anne's Lace Jelly, and thought I'd share my Nature Journal.  

Possibilities

After reading a post on another blog, I remembered taking a dutch oven cooking class with my oldest daughter and best friend from high school.  That was April of 2011.  I haven't really done anything that exciting since then either.

Gettin' Dirty (again) ~ Hippity Hop.....

As hard as I try to sleep in on the weekends, I am not successful. My routine of early rising has got the best of me.  Maybe it's time to break out the evening Valerian root tea now?

From the Homesteading Journal . . .

. . .May 30, 2014, picked our first strawberry this season

From a Journal Junkie . . .

From the Homesteading Journal . . .

. . . ordered organic seeds - Valerian, Chickweed, and Holy Basil (medicinal herb garden newbies).

Homesteading Tidbits ~ Ramble of Sorts

Started working on the family history project, and questions were sent out to Aunts and Uncles and parents (like I need another project, right?).    

You may need to grab of cup of coffee or tea to read this.  I didn't intend for it to be so long, but I may not be online this weekend.

Timmy Goes to the Vet

This morning's sunrise (view from the front porch) was very warming to watch. It was incredibly peaceful, and a pleasant

way to start the day.