Freezing Turnips

I'll be pulling all of the remaining turnips, blanching and freezing them tonight. If the good Lord blesses us, we'll have more zucchini to blanch and freeze also. Maybe even beets.

I am making the eggplant/zucchini casserole tonight, but instead of whole wheat spaghetti noodles, I am using baked spaghetti squash. The kids don't like the squash that much, so it's a good way to sneak it in. I hope it tastes good.

I cannot wait to grow this bountiful garden again, and of course with God's blessing.

Spaghetti Squash, Zucchini, Eggplant and Tomatoes

I'm on the search again for new recipes. I have beets roasting to go with our Spinach/yogurt/tomato pizzas. With the cooler weather suddenly arriving, I am a little sad to the zucchini slow in growth. I really enjoyed being able to just walk outside and pick something to make dinner with.

I may substitute the spaghetti noodles in the eggplant/zucchini bake, with the spaghetti squash. Not sure yet. I found a few that looked good too.

I can't wait to can tomato sauce. I use it so much during the summer with vegetables. I'm even using my green onion to top the pizzas for tonight. We went through all of my dried Thyme and Oregano, so I had to cut more to dry. I also cut Rosemary to flavor the beets that are roasting.

I brought a sprig of thyme into the house and potted it. I have never grown my herbs inside, other than rosemary, which I usually kill before spring. I'm heading out tomorrow to cut some oregano to grow inside also. I have grown basil inside since spring, and I am really enjoying not having to buy it. The cats don't bother due to the taste.

Now all we need here are peach trees. I would love to bake with fruit too. The pear and apple trees are young, so it will be a few more years for them. I think we will plant a blackberry bush and strawberries for sure.

Christmas Gifts ~ Handmade

Here's is another finished crocheted Christmas gift - Reusable Shopping bag (book bag or purse).

Living in the Country and Pesky Salesmen

We moved to the country for privacy and more room. However, we have had health insurance salesmen stop twice now to sell insurance. I think they own a secret satellite up in the sky, that instant messages them when someone moves to the country. It beeps and blurps until they run their little shiny cars to your house and knock on your doors wearing their suits and ties.

I'd like to see them get out of their car when all of the dogs are outside - ha ha ha ha! "Opps! I accidentally let the dogs out sir! You'll have to get in your cars and leave now!"

Good grief. It's bad enough to have sales calls on the phone, but door to door in the country? I'm moving to the high hills next.

I was a bad Mom this morning

In a hurry, while in between buses coming and going, I signed onto the computer. Bad move. I should have never thought that I could check e-mail and check on my articles at the same time the kids were getting ready for school.

I had one child left home (other than the one going to on-line school). She was late getting up because of me. I was trying desperately to get my writing done, and did not pay attention to my motherly responsibilities.

The bus rolled in, and she had no lunch packed. I scooted her out with a bag that had only a few items. I felt absolutely horrible to have her so upset at the beginning of the day. I logged off everything, and finished getting dressed.

Feeling so horrible, I decided to not only pack her a lunch and deliver it, but to deliver it in my special pink ribbon lunch cooler. I wrote her a small note that I hoped it would bless her day and that it was packed with love. I added a neat sticker too.

When I got home, I decided I wasn't going to let the computer steal my day or mind away from me. My family needs me, and it's bad enough I started back to college. I can't delegate chores anymore because they are all in school during the day.

I surely hope her day was blessed with the lunch I packed, and that she forgives me for getting her up late. I think I am putting too many "things" into my day and I need to re-prioritize them.

An abundance of zucchini and daily rambling

I just started the baking zucchini pancake receipe x 6. I still have zucchini for dinner as well. I'm not sure yet what I will do with it. I am usually on target and have meals planned for the week. It will take a while to make the pancakes, so I am reading my school work in between flipping pancakes, and also while the washer is going.

I have a feeling that road work is about to start on the 2-lane highway in front of the house. I keep seeing men in florescent colors measuring, driving back and forth, planting sticks with bright pink flags, and even measuring from the road to the trees and barn. Out of curiosity I almost went out and asked what they were doing. Wouldn't you? If you saw 3 men walking a great distance onto your property, you might too.

The kittens think my "hippy" skirt is a play toy today. They never did it before, but today they are playing with the hem of it. To them it's probably a moving target.

Four pancakes made, and about 100 to go. Unfortunately, I do not own a griddle. Maybe I can add that to the family wish list.

Freezing more Sweet Corn

I got another 32 cups of sweet corn frozen yesterday. I had planned to make a quadruple batch of zucchini pancakes, but didn't get that far. I plan to get the pancakes made today.

I have already put dinner in the crock-pot, and have one load of laundry on the line. I'm a bit behind and still have to do my homework. The kids think it's funny- watching me try to juggle everything and go back to college. They laugh at the fact Mom has homework too.

I think, as I find ways to grow and freeze or can our own vegetables, the kids are starting to feel the same "pioneer" spirits that I do. They are already talking about how they don't really get to "live" there own life if they are forced to work a job they really don't like, just to survive. They are imagining running a farm, raising their own meat, dairy, vegetables, etc. It's interesting to see them consider schooling, college, and the final outcome. Is it really worth it? I know I will find out for myself, as I have just started back to college. I'm already wondering, "What was I thinking?!"

I can say, that bartering vegetables this summer was worth it. I would love to meet more farmers and vegetable growers, and barter for items that didn't grow or were not planted. We did buy the corn, but it was worth it. The freezer is filling up and it will help our grocery costs. It's also much healthier for us, than to buy it canned from the grocery store.

I may even try to blanch and freeze some more zucchini. The nights are getting cooler here and the garden won't last much more.