Water Glassing Eggs ~ Stocking Up ~ Preparedness

 

Don't mind my reflection in the bowl, ha ha!  I took the picture outside.  I cracked it outside.  Just in case things went bad with this water glassing process. I put them in the solution back in October of 2020.

I followed the instructions from Backyard Poultry.  I took one out to bake something.  The process worked great.  You do need fresh clean eggs and cannot use store bought eggs to do this.

I baked strawberry banana bread with the egg.

Wacky Weather and Planting

Only in our state.  We had very hot temps, followed by a downpour day, and now we are cooling down to nights being in the upper 40's.  Ugh.  Not good for the garden, but I'm still planting.  There is so much to get in the ground and the tiller still needs a new belt.  

Today we woke up to more rain.

The flowers are looking great, and my glady's are starting to come up.

I un-earthed these while cleaning.  They are paper book covers I had moved two times and still had them.  They are going to a family friend for her kids that are still in school.

I apologize, I forgot to post the winner of the Mystery box.  I had one the daughter's pull from a "hat" and that person is Amy.  Send me you info via email (contact email is on my blog).  Or comment here.  Congratulations and I hope you enjoy the mystery box of fun.

Random Tidbits

 

Wednesday was a rainy day work day.  I picked the utility room to purge, deep clean and organize.  I am getting rid of a box of school supplies to a good friend - writing paper, graph paper, pocket folders, a binder, book covers and a locker shelf unit.

I filled a garbage bag too, and gave some colored paper to Daughter T.  I have much more to purge, but we don't have the AC in yet and it was getting too warm to work.  I quit just after noon.

Daughter E got stung by a bee.  It's always a proud moment when I'm asked, "Hey Mom?   You got anything for this?"  Why yes I do, and out the door I go to pick plantain.  If you didn't know this, crushed up plantain is a great way to draw out the poison from a sting or bug bite.  I used it for a wasp sting and after 20 minutes it reduced the redness to zero and no pain.

Question.   Where is the best place to buy a crock with a spigot for kombucha making (best price/quality)?  Also, where is the best place to buy a wooden stand for it like this?

I found this one on Amazon, but it's $17.60.  I searched the website I used to buy my cheese starter items from, and found nothing oddly.

I have noticed the blogs I follow haven't been posting much lately.  Are you all out working in the garden?  Possibly on vacation?  I do miss you all, and I hope you are all doing well.

New Recipe ~ Garden is getting planted

 

We cooked up of what may be the last of of this year's harvest of asparagus.  My favorite way to prepare this for a dinner side is to bake it 20 minutes with olive oil, crushed rosemary, salt and pepper at 400°F.

Tried another new recipe.  Daughter K had bought some pasta shells that needed used up.  It takes beef stock, tomato sauce and other ingredients.  I adjusted it with homemade and organic ingredients and the family loved it.  I used the recipe at Damn Delicious called Creamy Beef and Shells. I will be adding more garlic next time.

Tomatoes finally made it in the ground.  I was done by 10am, as it was already very hot (90°F day).  I planted way less than normal, so it will be interesting.  I planted 35 Amish Paste (not my usual San Marzano), 1 Big boy and 1 cherry tomato.  The planting resumes after the rain stops.  I'm tickled pink for the rain today though.  We needed it and the tomatoes love it.

I'm getting more crocheted water balloons made for the grandkids.  I may get more done today as well.  It will be a less stressed day for sure with the rain.

The chickens are doing well, although I still need to muck the coop.  I boiled more eggs for egg salad (for those hot evenings we want cold food).  Last night was one of them.

Tuesday Tidbits

 

Here is the fan box the fan came in, that I bought for the camper.  I think I got it on Amazon.

I knocked a lot off the to-do list yesterday.  Planted a flat of snapdragons and 3 lavender plants.  Planted a few more marigolds.  Dropped zinnia, calendula, basil, thyme, cilantro, and parsley seeds.

The hot weather returns today.  We will get up to the 90's and last night we got more tilling done, however the belt on the tiller broke.  Lovely.

I had planned to give myself crochet time yesterday, but I ended up searching for a pattern (something for my Mom) until dinner prep time.

Happy Homemaker Monday

We had a very hot weekend, so tilling didn't happen.  It was so dry out.  We had to water the flower beds daily. I am very frustrated getting the vegetable garden in this year.  It's either the weather or my husband is not available to till.  He won't let me till when I am home alone.  We asked someone if they were interested in tilling for me for some cash.  Didn't happen.

The weather was perfect for starting some jars of comfrey oil.  I'll be trying a new salve recipe and giving it a try before I put a review on here about it.

We are somewhat feeling like normal in our state again.  We noticed however, when eating out they still give those annoying packets of ketchup vs. a bottle.  I'm putting one in the fridge just for when we are on the road from now on.  

We had a busy weekend.  There was a baby shower we attended, and delivered gifts for two grand niece birthdays we missed.  I forgot to take a picture, but we gifted a crocheted baby blanket and matching baby booties, along with diapers and other items (man the price of diapers - wow!!).

Our Bike Week will be different this year, but it's coming up the same weekend they do an MS charity bike poker run.  Rain is in the forecast for next Friday, so I'm not sure what activities we'll be doing. We are in a race to get the entire garden planted too, so who knows what we'll actually be able to participate in.  Personally, I'd like to work my bum off this week in the garden and try and get at least one day on the bike.

Our mower guy (only charges us $40 for what we mow on our 6 acres), showed up so that is one job taken off our hands.

 

Today, I'm joining Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom.

The weather  . . .

83°F/68°F, it finally rained last night.

On my reading pile . . .

On my TV . . .

Heartland

On the menu . . .

-new recipe to try, roasted rosemary asparagus

-crock pot pork chops, crock pot sweet potatoes

-sheesh....have no idea, it's hard to work up the menu without potatoes, rice, bread, pasta etc to keep tabs on my husband's sugar intake.  Last night we had chicken chili, but I hate making a hot dinner like that when it's in the 90's.  I have a pasta recipe with black beans that is basically a cold meal for a hot day, but yeah - pasta.  Salads sound good.  I love to make them with chicken, dried cranberries, sweetened pecans, but yeah sugar.  

On my to-do list . . .

-make a breakfast scramble

-boil eggs

-laundry

-empty dishwasher

-sweep/mop kitchen

-vacuum

-clean master bath

-plant flowers (one flat of snapdragons, 3 lavender plants I bought from a niece - school fundraiser)

-weed a portion of  a flower bed, drop dirt and seeds, add one more bag of mulch to another

-plant in vegetable garden

-check asparagus

-harvest some rhubarb

-muck chicken coop

....oh boy, this is a "Monday" for sure for us

What I am sewing, crocheting, knitting or creating . . .

Today's project is crocheted water balloons for the grandkids. To see a complete (or sort of) list of what's on the hooks click here.

Looking around the house . . .

The kitchen stayed looking good thankfully.  The girls worked all weekend, so less chance for a mess here or there.  The living room is another story, and the hallway is not done (we are either out and about, or working outside now).

From the camera . . .

Nothing exciting ha ha!  I got my cherry bomb seeds from an Etsy seller and got them planted.  I know it's late, but I'm hoping the hot weather will encourage fast growth.  One of my habanero plants is up due to the heat we were having.

Something fun to share . . .

If you are interested in how to crochet the water balloons, you need Bernat Blanket yarn and an 9.00mm hook.  The instructions are found on YouTube.  I bought this "bright" solid a year ago, so I can't remember where I bought it. 

I had intentions of making them last year (or maybe the year before, can't remember but found the yarn in the closet.  I went to Wal-mart for more color options, and they did not have solid colors, or the brights in the cake form either.  I picked up some blue variegated, and ordered some other solid color options online.  I haven't had time to check in-store at Meijer yet.  I attempted to order from Michael's online, but depending on the color, it was a forced store pick up or I had to order two of one color so that didn't happen.  I've got too much to plant to drive that far for yarn right now.

Something else fun to share.  A foldable, chargeable fan for the camper.  I bought it a year ago, and never got the camper out, but it's going in it this year.  I've heard from so many people how hard it is to get campground reservations this year, so it may be our only one this summer.  Who knows.  The fan pulls up, so the height is adjustable as well.

On my prayer list . . .

No personal requests at this time, other than the Mother of Daughter E's boyfriend that passed.  Both his family and our daughter still have a rough time.  

Random Tidbits

 

A recent sunrise before the heat wave rolled in the area.

A good way to use up leftover corn - sheet pan quesadillas. Crispy deliciousness, and we dipped slices into sour cream.  Salsa would be good on them too.

A honeysuckle is growing in my back patio flower bed.  The birds must be the culprit.