Hot Days ~ Sore Muscles ~ New Books and other ramblings

Woke up to 77°F at 6am.  It will be another hot one, but not in the 100's thankfully.  It will be in the 90's though.

I didn't check the heat index yesterday.  I was too busy weeding the last of the tomatoes.  Our mower/handy man was mowing, and the mower broke down.  He spent the hottest part of the day fixing it.  I took him about 3 bottles of ice water and two popsicles to keep him cool.  Not a good time for the mower to stop working.

I actually cooked dinner in the heat.  I had a brain moment, and normally cook chicken fajitas over the grill or stove top.  This time I baked it in the oven as a sheet pan dinner.  So much easier and tasted great!  We treated our handyman to some too.

I feel like I have read the Self-reliance book before, but I double and triple checked my shelf.  I did not have it.  I have not had time to read either yet (other than flipping thru it to take a look-see).  I ordered the one on chickens, because it has instructions on dehydrating eggs (and other ways to stock up eggs), and canning chicken, recipes and more good information.  During this time of increasing inflation, I wanted to make sure we were prepared.

Boy oh boy, my body aches from the garden work yesterday.  I'm not sure I'll get out there today in this heat.  I completely forgot about preparing for a dinner tonight, so that is on the list first.

English Muffin Rings

Over about a year ago, I looked into buying a set of baking rings for English muffins.  I guess I just sort of forgot about it, as I had not baked some in a while.  The above photo is making the English muffins without the rings.  The dough would rise nicely, but spread outward and delicate to move from oil sprayed foil to the pan (as directed on the original recipe).

I ordered myself a set and gave it a whirl.  Instead of using foil, I used parchment paper, cutting it into 8 squares.  I lightly oiled them and put the dough in the rings during the second rise.  I also oiled the inside of the rings.

I then could pull off one at a time delicately, and boy did I get a thicker muffin.  Will do it this way from now on.

I also used the rings to fry eggs for muffin sandwiches.  Works great!  You do need to oil the ring, but it makes eating the breakfast sandwich much easier.  Love my new kitchen gadget.

Happy Homemaker Monday

The smaller tiller (runs on a battery) broke down after the 4th use.  It's going back.  We spent the entire Father's Day searching for a better one.  We finally found one, and it runs on "gulp" gas.  It was the last one they had and it was 1 hour from home.

We finally bought a new tire for my wheelbarrow ($32.00!!!).  It's in the back of the truck, and guess who took the truck to work this morning.  Yeah...not sure yet why he didn't take his car, but the wheelbarrow will have to wait.  Again.

We took Mom, Dad and my Uncle flowers.  Mom's cemetery is very close to Dad's, and surprisingly, the last flowers I took were still there (we had a bad storm recently). We stopped to buy more flowers for Grandma and Grandpa, but we could not find any in the stores.  

Bluebell flew the coop yesterday.  I guess I'll be clipping her wing.  I cannot wait to build a better coop, but we have so much on our plate right now.

Today I am joining Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom.

The weather . . . 

Well, I woke up to rain, so I am not sure I'll be getting the weeding done today.  The heat returns as well.

As I look outside my window . . .

It's raining.

Right now I am  . . .

Getting ready to post this blog post.

Thinking and pondering . . .

What my day will be today due to unexpected rain.

How I am feeling . . .

Exhausted of this work schedule.  My husband said it may be coming to an end in 3-4 weeks.

On the breakfast plate . . .

Not sure yet.  Will figure that out after a power shower.

On my reading pile . . .

Haven't had time to read.

On my TV this week . . .

Netflix.  Whatever looks interesting.

On the menu . . .

-Chicken fajitas, grilled
-not sure for the rest....will work on that later today.

Looking around the house . . .

The kitchen painting is winding down, but I still have the ceiling to paint, and then it's time to gut the bathroom.  I may be doing it by myself.

To do list . . .

-weed gardens
-laundry
-paint
-bake a breakfast
-marinade chicken
-floors

From the camera . . .

Nothing.  Oddly.

Devotional . . .

Haven't picked up a book in days.  I need to be better at that.

Kitchen update

 

Just a look-see at the oven area.  I still have to paint that wooden beam in the ceiling and half the ceiling, but I'm super happy with the results.  It's so much brighter!

The weather is much cooler this morning, and I am thankful for that.  It will be another full blown day in the garden.  The larger tomato patch was finished yesterday.  We actually have tomatoes on the very first plant I put banana peel water on.  That area has been fully weeded and tilled.  Today I have to water every thing, including flower bed, herb garden, newly planted trees and potted flowers.  Then it's back out to weed the other garden.

I'll admit, I was not ready to do all of this solo.  Coming in from the garden, downing some Haymaker's punch, and painting.  I have really slacked in the cooking department due to the garden work that needs done.

Still painting and other ramblings. . .

It's been a whirlwind week!  First Derecho, then 105°F heat index, followed by a hot week with the 90's.  I am trying my best to get out to the garden early, and tie up tomatoes in the dryer portions of the garden.  One area will take a few days to dry up enough to even walk into.

My ladies have been getting treated with chipped ice.  It's been miserable, but glad that the heat is drying up the garden too.

I sort of feel like I've been tossed into the food processor and the pause button is broke.  The schedule here has been overwhelming.  There is so much to do, and yet the honey-do list never gets checked off on his only day off.  

My clothesline broke, so it's off the honey-do list and on my list now.  I was not a happy camper either.  It takes multiple trips outside to hang it all up, and then take it all down before it even dried.  

I'm still painting in the kitchen.  Rome wasn't built in a day.  I just got my husband to remove a corner trim, but I need to paint the last window, ceiling trim above the fridge (and floor trim behind it), and put things back in place.  Next up?  The other half of the ceiling.

My cabinet finally arrived!!  I waited 9 weeks for delivery.  I love it.  Once painting for the day is complete, I will scour the house for Mom's dishes and put those in the cabinet.

If I get certain things done today, I will be able to have my husband help me start gutting the bathroom that has to be dealt with (if he gets a day off this weekend).  The vanity is in my utility room and I really want it back where it needs to be.  Yes, that means more painting, but we haven't painted anything in this house for 14 years (other than my "office").

Our handy-man came over and repaired brakes on my husband's car. We are so thankful for him being available.  He is coming back to haul limbs out of the yard from Derecho, and other work for us.  

Yesterday, I made sure I took time for myself and crocheted.  I have a new item I am working on.  Once it's complete, I will be sure to show you all.

Our kale is looking good, but not much of the chard came up this year (oddly).  Anyway, Derecho gave us two more cucumber plants.

My Flowers ~ Haymaker's Punch ~ Inflation is out of control!!

My flowers still look beautiful!

The heat returns, and I am prepared this time.   I was out and back in by 8:30am, with a heat index of 89°F.  The tomatoes look better than the day before, but still way to wet to get in there to tie up plants.

I will monitor my gardening time out in the sun, but have what's called "Nature's Gatorade."

The recipe is from the Farmer's Almanac, but also online with Mother Earth News.  

I cut the recipe down for a 1/2 gallon, and used molasses, and did not add extra brown sugar.

On the handmade home front, I am so frustrated with this inflation.  Walmart raised their cotton cone yarn from $7.99 to $12.95, and never have the colors I need.  JoAnn's raised their price to $15.99.  I went online to check Michael's and they have them on clearance, and all are out of stock.  I ended up finding one color on Amazon for $10.95, but the only option for the other colors in stock were $14.99 and that was "on sale" as they have raised their price to $16.99 for a cone of cotton yarn!!  Hobby Lobby has limited stock and I do not like Premier yarn at all.

 

Sweet Cherry Jam ~ Breakfast Hash with Eggs ~ Ramblings

I got a small batch of sweet cherry jam (reduced sugar) done.  I most likely won't make any more considering I had to buy the cherries.  Our cherry tree died for some reason, and I didn't have the time to plant one this spring.  Hopefully next year.

I'm obsessed with these dip bowls by Pioneer Woman.  Love them for cracking eggs before adding them to a recipe.

Breakfast - sweet potato hash (with an extra reg. potato because that is what I had), with eggs on top.  I added jalapeno for a kick and it was so good.

It's been confirmed that we had a Derecho.  The area of Amish country around Berlin, OH had so much damage from the storms that they called a Level 3 and no one was allowed on the roads, to allow for cleaning up the debris.  Hotels, and motels closed, businesses closed due to the damage and power outages.

I went out to the tomatoes, and I literally almost lost my boots in one patch, and could not get into the other at all.  It was under water.  I will go out early this morning, and see if I can get into at least one and tie up plants.  Not sure it will happen.

 

Not the best photo, but dinner was chicken/apple/cranberry/pecan/blue cheese.  Very good on a hot day.

I like to keep bottles of ice water on hand for our mower guy and our hired help for other work around here, and it was already up in price to $5.29 a pack.  Horrible!

Today's heat will be worse than yesterday.  I will be outside soon to trim rose bushes, but will be back inside if the tomatoes are too wet.