I'm Back! ~ Foraging ~ Improvise

I'm back!  I have discovered how much I can get weeded when we have no internet, ha ha!  Woke up to no internet on Wednesday morning.  Five phone calls later we were in town getting a new modem, only to come home and not have internet.  Again.  

I got a text message yesterday that said "your system was restored etc."  It was not.  Ten minutes later I get a phone call to make an appt. for this coming Sat.  Last night the dogs alerted us and we find our internet provider in our driveway.  Hubby ran out to see what was going on.  He said something happened with their "system" and it sent a power surge to many homes knocking out their internet (hm?).  He was sending a ping to the modem.  Internet is back on finally.

Got another text message.  It was correct this time, and to reply to cancel our Sat. appt.  Sigh.  Anyway, glad it's back on, but it made me realize that if we all went out, our quick and easy communication system is back to the old fashioned way.

My muscles are aching, but most from weeding.  I have more of course to do, but it rained last night.  My hands are so dry, but happy to get so much done in a few days.

So....what did I get done while I had no internet?  Updated my garden journal, my book reading journal, and my book quote journal (a journal I keep to write quotes from books that are inspirational to me). I update my recipe book (I write down any recipe I throw together that works great).  I made a chicken chili with home canned sauce and it was delicious.  I also whipped up some canned peas (sharing soon).  I got inside cleaning done, but mostly garden work, although it was hot, hot, hot.  I worked on crochet work, and we got a short motorcycle ride in.  The rest of the weekend forecast is rain.

Thanks to the rain, I've been picking wild black raspberries, and our berry bushes look great.

On our trip to the "Big City" to exchange our dinosaur of a modem for a new one, we noticed a few things.  More restaurants closed (lack of employees or lack of product), and our grocery store gas station was out of gas (and had been for 3 days we were told).

In a conversation last night, Hubby said he's ready to clear the cement slab in preparation of building the new coop.  I'll let you know if that happens, ha ha ha ha ha!

We all got a chuckle.  Yes he did.  When parts are hard to find and you can't borrow a mower you improvise (gas can for a mower) .  It works too, ha ha!  I have lots to write, but will save it for another day.  I'm just glad to be back to writing this blog.  Boy did I miss it.

Garlic Scape Powder ~ Spiced Peanuts

Woke up to a brisk 49°F (feels like 47°F).  Brrr!  Not good for the garden.  Sheesh.  Yesterday the wind was blowing so hard I chose not to use the clothesline in fear my bloomers would end up in the next county.

Garlic scapes are part of the garlic plant that gets cut off to help the plant continue to grow.  By the way, if you do not grow garlic, check your local Farmer's Markets for garlic scapes.  Many gardeners sell them this time of year.  

They are edible and we love to make garlic scape dip with radishes we grow as well.

They also last a long time in the refrigerator, but this year I tried something new with the remaining scapes.  I dehydrated them into garlic scape powder.

Dice scapes and use the temperature on your dehydrator you use to dehydrate vegetables. Once they are dried, grind to a powder using a coffee mill and store as you would garlic powder.  It's a milder flavor, but I'm excited to have it in my pantry this year.  I've never dehydrated garlic scapes before.

I had a jar of dry roasted (unsalted) peanuts that needed dealt with before expiration, so I made spiced peanuts. 

So good!  It's just a 16 oz. container of peanuts, 2 Tbsp. organic canola oil, 2 Tbsp. of sugar (I used monk fruit), 1 1/2 tsp. organic cumin, 1 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. organic cayenne, 1/2 tsp. homemade garlic powder.  Mix in a bowl, spread onto a rimmed baking sheet, and bake for 20-25 minutes at 300°F.  Cool on waxed paper.  I bake mine on my pampered chef stoneware pan.