Apricot Jalapeno Jelly

There are many versions of recipes for this jelly.  One of my larger stove top burners stopped working, so I got out my Ball Jam Maker and took a look at the recipes that come with that.

from the Homesteading Journal. . .

Another hen appeared to be egg bound.  We lost one hen this year due to the issue.  We think we caught it in time.  We have given her two baths so far, and her tail is now up.  

I had enough cucumbers, green peppers, and onions to can 4 pints of Sweet Pickle Relish.  I had to use store bought organic carrots, as mine are not ready to harvest yet.

We finally got a few days of rain.  Our green peppers are so small right now, and we are not getting enough squash.  The rain should help.

(before)

(after)

(This is just one of the vegetable/fruit gardens)

The rain brought up weeds.  Somewhere in the top photo is a watermelon plant. I've been doing a lot of weeding.

We finally got the goat fencing.  Next, we are saving up for the poles.

The heirloom pumpkins are starting to produce, despite lack of rain this summer.

The heirloom squash is producing, but our acorn squash died. 

Staked 37 of the tomato plants, and have been spending at least 2 hours weeding every morning, and prior to that, picking whatever is ripe. 

Spotted this hawk while out watering the garden one day.  He turned around just as I took the photo, then flew off.  Good thing my chickens were not out yet.    However, I was glad to see them.  We have mice, rats, and snakes they can help reduce.

Fresh Dill and Cucumber Salad with Honey

I found this easy recipe to use my garden fresh cucumbers and fresh dill weed.  It's delicious, natural and healthy.

Cooking Up Squash

Dinner the other night:  Zucchini Linguine, Squash Cornbread, Roasted beets with thyme, rosemary and onions, and broccoli.

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.

Bird House Becomes A Home

This bird house was painted by my 13 year-old daughter, and we've had it up for over 3 years.  This is the first that I've seen birds it this one.  It's hanging at the edge of our back patio, and the birds don't seem to mind me out there.  These birds are so tiny.

From the Handiwork/Crafting Journal

Painted several watercolor journal pages.  The top left one (in the photo to the right) was done by my 10 year-old daughter, and also the one with two flowers and no title (I later added the word "Grow" on it).  The barn one was started by me, but finished by my 15 year-old daughter.  I'm not an artist, but we had a lot of fun.

Decoupaged two journals - one for writing and our homesteading journal.  The second one isn't finished yet.

Made a pair of earrings.

I finally cut several cereal boxes and had them made into notebooks for the Farmer's Market.  I've had these boxes sitting in my craft supplies for over a year now.

I added a few easy embellishments to some pages in my camping journal. 

Crocheted another pot holder set for the Farmer's Market.  I used a different stitch this time.