Pioneer Woman at Heart

  I posted this photo a few days ago, and asked if anyone knew what it was.  Well, with the help of my sister-in-law, and an app on her cell phone, it's been identified as Wineberry. In the early spring, I thought it was my red raspberry bush spreading into my asparagus patch.  I never got the chance to dig the sprouts out due to fracturing my foot. I did some research on this plant, and of course the birds planted it (they seem to be good at this).  However, it's an invasive plant, because it grows quickly and can over take the area.  Lovely.  It's actually illegal in some states to sell etc. I'm not sure I'll be able to dig them out until spring, as my asparagus has gone to seed and is very tall.  I'm going to do my best to remove it this year though. Apparantly, those spiky looking pods open up, and produce an edible raspberry.  Other than that pod, the plant itself, literally appears the same as our red raspberry plants. Oh, and the stems are ...

  I finally got around to make a full batch of meatballs.  I like to get this done before the freezer fills up. One year I barely had room to flash freeze, and made a mess with meatballs stuck to the wire shelf above, ha ha!   While the meatballs were flash freezing, I shredded up the very last of the picked zucchini.  I made us a batch of the most delicious chocolate zucchini muffins I have ever had.  I found the recipe this year online, and it is a keeper.  Yum!  I uses Einkorn all-purpose flour. I had two pounds of pork, so I prepped it for homemade sausage with home grown sage.  I let it sit in the fridge overnight before cooking it, so the ingredients can produce good flavor.  I apparently have two different recipes for this, and I added extra seasonings, so this will be interesting. I saved a few boiled eggs for snacking, and topped some chicken salad with them.  I may add boiled eggs to my chicken salad next time.  ...

  It's been very hot here, but canning must go on.  Tomatoes are picked and ready for a full day of canning.  I have to run our dehumidifier in the kitchen. We woke up to thunderstorms, so hence more humidity in the air, and today they say the heat index could be up to 110°F.  I have had the radio on the last few days, and today they are talking about closing some schools due to the heat.  Some schools here do not have air conditioning. Say a prayer our power stays on for a full day of canning.  I am seeing that several towns on the out skirts of us, are without power this morning. The zucchini and yellow squash are still rolling in, but yesterday the plants looked as if they were about done for the season.  I guess I will know next week after this rain dries out.  We are to get strong storms tonight, so if the rain stops, and I get a break with sauce reduction, I will need to check on tomatoes again. A couple of the zucchini plants are producing ...

  It's been pretty "busy" here lately.  So busy, that I baked a Georgia Peach Crumble with the oven off!  Multi-tasking at it's worst ha ha! I kid you not!  I thawed the last of the peaches in the freezer, and turned the oven on, but forgot to hit the "start" button (which is required for it to actually turn on).  How I didn't notice it when I put it in the oven, is beyond me.  Other than I have been up to my eyeballs in garden work, harvesting, and then when it comes inside, it of course has to be dealt with. (full of stems, leaves, etc.) It was another race-against-the-clock sort of day.  Hurry and get the bedding and laundry on the line, so it will be dried and put away, bed made etc. before my husband got home.  Hurry and get the dishes washed, dried and put away, so I can take the blueberries, that were flash freezing, out of the freezer and bagged.  Hurry to process some green beans and freeze, and hurry all of everything to get out to ...

  Yesterday's pickings.  Even though I picked the day before, and I obviously missed some cucumbers.  Those larger ones went to the chickens. In lieu of a severe storm threat yesterday afternoon and evening, I tied up the last 35 tomato plants, hit the stakes again (best I could with a dry ground), and found another worm.  I accidently slammed the side of my thumb while hammering stakes in (not the first time for either of us). I could barely bend my thumb to cook nor do dishes, so I whipped up a comfrey poultice, and today there is barely the sight of a bruise, and pain is about zero. We have been enjoying our homegrown green/wax beans.  We don't eat potatoes like we used to, but last night was just the right time.  So good with bacon.   My husband is my entertainment lately.  He is coming up with ideas for the extra zucchini, and last night made these in the air fryer.  Blech.  Coconut oil with an egg dig and seasonings....

  I finally found the other tomato worm, while I was tying the tomato plants up again.  By the way, the plants are as tall as me , and have gone way above their stakes.  I am a hair from being 6 feet tall, if that tells you anything.  We will be watching end of summer sales, for 6 foot metal (sturdy) tomato cages for next year.  I  don't know that they'll work, as our plants are fully loaded, and very heavy when the tomatoes are on.  I don't know what I was thinking.  I went out, thinking I'll just quick pick green beans and be back inside for inside work.  Ha!  Not only did it take an hour to pick beans, but I had more zucchini, and cucumbers to pick.  I had no yellow squash, but the plants are once again loaded with blossoms, and the bees are a buzzing out there. I sent more zucchini to work with my husband, and I will be taking any other extra to the library staff next.  I am still freezing some for us, but it is coming in d...

  (this was a few days ago) Me to my husband:  Sure looks like it's about to come down out there. Husband to me:  Oh great!  Another 1000 green beans (ha ha ha!) We have been getting rain off and on.  We are also getting heat.  We canceled our first camping trip as fast as we booked it due to the heat.  What's the fun in camping, if you can't enjoy a campfire meal?  Not only will the heat be here this weekend, so will thunderstorms.   I decided to only freeze shredded zucchini, and not diced this year.  I prefer to be able to squeeze the water out prior to freezing.   I sent a large bag of squash with my husband to work.  I also picked more, and reduced the numbers by about 10 of them with some baking and cooking (and freezing). The muffins are delicious, but a bit sweet.  I may make them again and swap the honey for maple syrup, and only use half amount. Although we recently got a small bit of rain, it was not e...

  These are the days of my life.  My day ends like this and starts like this.  I am just so tired at the end of the day lately. Kids came for a meal and a visit over the weekend, and I was thankful that I had help to clean beans.  On the other hand we did not get any work done regarding the new coop, nor any painting done. Our green beans are doing so well, I may be giving some to family and friends.  We'll see as I get mine put up in the freezer. Picking from last Saturday - 5.5# Picking from Sunday - 5.8# Grand total so far this year is 17.59 pounds. We are eating them, gave some to the kids, and the rest blanched and froze. A few strange double growing veggies. I only planted National Pickling cucumbers and one other for salads/snacking.  Do you think the National Pickling is too sweet for canning dill pickles?   I'm told they will be too "sweet" for that.  I don't want to waste ingredients or time. We have been making zucchini boats, usin...

  Everything came to halt for a few days.  The truck is fixed now thankfully.  The car has been delivered to the repair man (local man we used before).  There is no extreme cleaning going on right now, nor painting. It's been impossible to focus on "one thing" and finish it, on a daily basis here.  Canning/freezing season is here, and with a bang.  I can't complain, but boy it's really putting me in a sour mood some days.   I hate that feeling of being overwhelmed.  I told my husband, I would gladly grow the garden and pay someone to can in.  He laughed.  Yeah, who has money for that, ha ha! I've been taking advantage of the good weather days, and ,keeping the electric bill down.  I'm am retiring those crocheted rag rugs.  They will be moved to the garage for when my husband needs something to lay on under a vehicle.   The rugs have lasted about 12-13 years, but have faded in color and are ready to move on to ano...