Loving Surprises ~ Old Post Card Collection and More

I am very thrilled to be the next family member to cherish this post card collection.  It contains post cards that are older than 44 years old.  I can’t wait to share them with my family and, someday soon, pass them on to one of them.

Yesterday, my Aunt sent me a box of “goodies” and in it was a valentine from 1924.  It was a 2^nd place prize for a drawing contest.  I believe it belonged to my grandmother.  Again, this too will be passed down in the family.  I just may have to frame the card to preserve it.

Boy, I love these kinds of surprises.  They make me realize that I need to slow down in life and enjoy it.

 

Another Soap Making Day

Our 5 gallon bucket of laundry detergent is down to the bottom already.  It sure has saved us money.  The rain is still coming down yet this morning, so the indoor work is getting done today.  I guess my bike ride will have to wait until it lets up, or go to the gym.

Yesterday, I took down my oregano that had been drying.  Today, I will cut more oregano and Thyme.  We use a lot of it, and I want to make sure we have enough to get through the winter.  Last summer, I did not dry enough. 

Last night, my husband and I watched a show on television.  I have to say, I could live without TV too.  The show was about someone who was hoarding and had stock piled items throughout their home.  These people could not even walk through their house without stepping on garbage.  It made me want to get up and clean off my dresser - ha ha ha!  Sunday is now our "no electronic" day and it could possibly turn into more days of the week.

A "Beast" of a Storm

The news station called yesterday’s storm a “beast.”  It dropped hail down in some towns so badly, that cars were destroyed, greenhouses were destroyed, and so were gardens.  Tornado warnings were a constant, and lightening took out one city’s siren.

Luckily, we did not get hail here, but more storms are expected again in a few hours. 

The creek is flooded so badly, that in some areas the roads flooded, and may flood again today.  There is water rising close to a few home's out buildings.  I was in awe, as I rode my bike my usual 6 miles today.  I may have to change my route.  The fields are flooded and farmer's cannot get crops in.  Same with gardens.  Those that planted, are losing it to hail, and others can't get their plants and seeds in.

The weird, the crazy and the just plain lazy

I just heard from a friend, and was reminded that their family has an armadillo for a pet.  That’s correct, an armadillo.  Weird and crazy huh?  I think it’s interesting.  So now I don’t consider us “crazy” for having chickens and a baby goat inside earlier this spring.  Of course, they are all outside now, but babies need to be protected from weather and predators.

As for the “lazy” in my post title, my 8^th grade daughter left her 4-H binder out in the rain.  It was totally soaked and she was drying pages with a fan yesterday afternoon.  Although she was upset, we still laughed about it.  She claims it was my fault on hurrying everyone to plant before it rained.  Either way, she found her binder and the garden (most of it) has been planted.

And the rain keeps coming too.  We get spurts of sunshine in between, long enough to dry laundry and dry out the garden, but it keeps coming.  I continue to dream of camping again soon.

Excerpts from a Journal Junkie

from the Garden Journal

May 21 . . . planted 6 petunias and one foxglove, saw the hummingbird again.  Sprinkled chamomile seeds a few days ago, cut 6 bunches of oregano to dry on herb racks. Sunflowers are up.

May 22 . . . had breakfast and coffee early on the front porch, saw a deer.

May 23 . . .  planted in the garden – carrots, beets, last of the potatoes, more cucumbers, bush beans, all peppers and tomatoes, broccoli, and cauliflower.  

from the Homesteading/Self Sufficient Journal

 

May 21 . . .started placing 3 set of pot holders in my on-line store.

May 22 . . . baked 2 lbs. of dry pinto beans, our six hens gave us 6 eggs.

May 23 . . . baked 3 lbs. of dry black beans to freeze, about 2 more weeks and we can butcher the meat chickens.

from the Writer’s Journal

May 20 . . . sold 11 articles, need to find another site or resource to write for

A Little Ham Goes A Long Way ~ Farm Fresh Breakfast

"What smells like heaven?" asked my 11 year-old daughter walking through the kitchen this morning.

A small amount of leftover ham made us a delicious farm fresh breakfast.  Although, the ham was not farm raised pork, it will be in our near future.  We had planned to raise one this year, but the repairs and other work got ahead of us.

Simply take a few home grown potatoes, and fry them in a small amount of oil until browned,

Dice some leftover ham,

Chop fresh green onion from your herb garden,

And scramble some farm fresh, organic eggs from your chickens.

Add them to the fried potatoes, cook until the eggs are firm, and enjoy!

Goat and Chickens Go To School

Today, I took the kid goat, a barred rock rooster, and our tetratint pullet to school.  The 3^rd grade class enjoyed seeing and touching the animals.  They asked lots of questions and appeared to be having a very good visit.  

 

Who knows what will go to school next year.  It was kind of fun.