Because.....

. . . an unexpected baking/cooking day.

Because I had a 1/2 jar of canned sweet pickle relish that needed to be eaten. . .

I used it to make a pasta salad.  I found veggie spirals on sale for $1.00 a bag.

Because I had pear butter that needed eaten . . .

I used a portion of it, cutting the oil in half, to make 2 loaves of Pumpkin bread.


Because I had 3 quarts of goat's milk . . .

I made another crock pot full of cooked steel cut oats.  The kids eat this for after school snacks now.

Because I still have more of that fresh goat's milk, fresh green peppers producing in the garden, and a few last carrots . . .

I made a double batch of Confetti Corn Muffins. Yum!

Because I had extra cranberries in my freezer . . .

I made a big pot of hot cranberry punch.  The kids will be excited to see it when they get home today.  It's raining and cold and miserable here today.  It will perk them up and put a little sunshine in their day.  I like to stock up on fresh cranberries when they get marked down at the end of each season.  I put them in the freezer and use them for punch and baking.

Because it's raining. . .

The towels are getting dried inside on drying racks.

and......because our camping trip was an affordable $18.00/night, we may take the girls canoeing/camping one more time this year.  The older kids can drive out and meet up with us for canoeing.  Because Pampered Chef sells the thickest hot pad mitts I know of, I am passing mine onto the camping tote for my hubby.  He burned his fingers with the hot pads (cheap, old, and store bought) ones that were already in my camping tote.  I will put some of my own crocheted ones in my kitchen to replace them (or save up to buy new mitts, he he!).


All this, just because.

One more "because"

Because it was only $1.00, I bought this book and absolutely love reading the real stories of real people.

Got Books?

Fall Campout

My hubby and I took our two younger kids to a state park fall campout this weekend.  It was a load of fun - absolutely the best camping trip yet with the kids!

I had my doubts as it rained all day Friday.  I still packed up and away we went, and headed out about 6pm Friday night.

That night we decided to skip a fire and watch the campground moonlight movie.  They have an outdoor amphitheater, and the movie was Harry and the Henderson's.  They served ice cream, rootbeer floats, and popcorn.  After that we simply went to bed.

The next morning we had trouble getting our fire going - took forever to get breakfast made.  After that we drove down to the boat launch and they offered free canoe rentals for 2 hours.  Only 4 canoes went out that morning.

My 9 year-old was a bit hesitant, so I stayed with her while hubby and my 12 year-old went out.  She later regrets not going out.


When we returned, we participated in cookie decorating.  The cookies were in the shape of a Sasquatch and they provided brown frosting and mini-chocolate chips to decorate them with.

After that they painted small pie pumpkins with paint, and then we had a short break in the day.  

While we had our break in the day, we worked on our scarecrow.  They held a contest for this event, and provided supplies.  We are new to this, while other campers brought items to spruce up their scarecrow.  We dug into our tote and used an old curtain for an apron, a hankie with clothespins to look like a pocket, braided twine for hair, flowers for eyes, nose and even put flowers in the pocket.  We stuffed her with tall wild grass.  The is sporting my 9 year-old's bandanna. 

Hubby and I took turns cooking and adding items to the Dutch Oven Chili we were making.  Meanwhile, the girls took part in a Floating Donut contest.

The had one minute to eat an entire donut off of a string to win.  Two other girls won.

Then the campground offered archery as another activity.  My girls have never done this and were thrilled to participate.  They actually did extremely well, and were consistent with their arrows.  They both want to start participating in archery and archery contests now.

 Unfortunately, this activity was for kids only.  Bummer.

Then they judged the chili cookoff, and allowed us to eat, prior to announcing the winners.  Unfortunately, ours did not win.  There is always next year.

The chili cookoff, followed by the campground potluck, was followed by hay rides.  


It did not end there.  After we had a break to go back and wash up our dishes, they offered a campfire sing-along, at the horse campfire area.  A gentleman played a guitar, and we sang songs around the campfire, and made s'mores.  At that time, they announced the winners of the Scariest, Funniest, and Most Traditional Scarecrows.  Our "Harrietta" scarecrow, won first place (tied with another scarecrow).  


We brought her home to display on our porch.  Her head is a paper bag, so she can't get wet.


Overall, our campsite was a mushy mess, but we still had fun.  It rained while we cooked our last breakfast, but we still had fun.  In fact, the girls were begging us to get them out of school, for one more day of camping.  Sadly, there were no activities at the campground today.  


We may go again next fall.


While were were camping, my two older girls took their dogs to another town, for a  Humane Society "Mutt Strutt."  They raised money for the Humane Society and were able to walk their dogs, along with many more, for several hours.  Depending on the dates of next year's Fall Campout, I may be taking our 3rd dog to the "Mutt Strutt" next year.  

Letters of a Homesteader

I've been watching the DVD's from Frontier House.  It's very interesting to watch, and see what these people really miss from their "real" lives.  

Pioneer life can be romanticized so easily, and often we forget about their extremely hard work. I of course, know the hard physical work of splitting wood, hauling wood, and other chore challenges of self-sufficiency.  There are yet, going without things, that we have not completely experienced.  We are, however, learning and teaching ourselves about the "how-to" of making things ourselves.  I often think about the "what if" when baking, such as what would I do without flour, sugar, or salt.

I recently found the entire book of Elinore Pruitt Steward, on-line, to read for free.


Letters of a Woman Homesteader (click on it to be directed)


I love to read about the history, real life situations, of the pioneers.  I often learn simply by reading those true life stories. 


At the beginning of the DVD, the Frontier House shows the families going through clothing and supplies they will need.  One woman pulled out embroidery and said she had no idea how to do it, and also stated that she made fun of her co-workers who did do embroidery. 


That is so true about being laughed at.  However, more and more, people are asking me questions about what I am making, who taught me, how I learned etc.   


I also checked out a library book about pioneers in Canada.  I'll be back to share the title and author later.

Green Tomato Cake

Even though the recipe said to use an electric mixer, I did not.

Even though I did not have an entire 2 1/2 cups of diced green tomatoes....

I still baked my first tomato cake.  I was drizzling the frosting when the the first two kids got home from school.

"OHHH!  That looks so good!  That would be great with coffee!" one of them said.

Of course they kept telling me to stop reminding them it had green tomatoes in it too.  Ha ha ha!  It was pretty good too. I did not have enough butter to make the brown butter frosting, but simply used powdered sugar and goat's milk instead. 

I had been out in the garden to check on things.  I saw one tomato plant had sprouted new tomatoes and I just couldn't let them go to waste.  I also brought in about a dozen more green peppers.

I made another crock pot full of steel cut oats and goat's milk.  This morning, my daughter said she milked the goat in 15 minutes and got over a quart of milk.  She's really becoming a pro at this.  


This morning, after the first bus left, I took one of the dogs out.  I ran back in for my camera.  There was a layer of fog over the fields that was kind of neat.

When I told the kids I should take a picture, and that it was pretty they said, "Mom it would be better if it came with a 2 hour fog delay."

Before I came back inside, I was watching the goats.  The early cool air must be firing up everyone today with energy.  They were playing queen of the stump.

 

After I came inside, I looked back out and saw Peanut standing on that small stump.  In fact, she's still standing on it now.  I think we should find them a wider stump to play on.  

Meanwhile, the dogs are fired up with the cool weather, and Jesse is barreling around the house all excited now.  Even Tiger, my youngest daughter's cat is flying through the kitchen, skidding around corners.  It's definitely perfect camping weather.

Project Catch-Up Day ~ Or So I Thought

Yesterday I thought I could work on some unfinished projects while the dinner potatoes got fried.  Ha!  For the first time every, I had a bad crafting day.  I was too much in a hurry to get some embroidery done.

I have to get this towel finished before the pattern fades away.  I started to outline the cat in gray, but with the color of green I used on the dress, it appeared as a moss green cat.  

So, after doing the bottom feet, tail and one paw, I started to take it out.  I re-did one paw in black, and it looks much better.  Now I need to take two paws and a tail back out. 

This is the first time I have had a long, frustrating crafting day.  I decided that I was not even going to work on tatting - no way at all.  I did get some knitting done, but I still have a crocheted blanket to finish.

I tried to teach my 12 year-old daughter how to do it, but she whined, "Moooooom! You made everyone elses!"

Guess I can't get out that that one, huh?

While I was out on my porch, having afternoon devotions, followed by my crafting experience, my son pointed out a blimp flying over.  I got these neat photos of it:

 Just thought I'd share!

I have one sick daughter home today.  I hope it's just a passing virus.  Time will tell.

Unwelcome Guests

Wolf Spider

Grass Spider

We get both of these types of spiders in our house.  Every time we come across one we call my son, who rescues it.  However, today, the grass spider got the shoe.  I had to borrow a photo on-line to show you what they look like.  They are not small either.

I went to make my bed this morning and one was curled up in my bed covers.  The difference between the two spiders, is that the grass spider can crawl up things - ewwww is right.

The other day, we discussed this, and I said to my 12 year old daughter, "just imagine what's in your clothes when you put them on."

"MOOOOOOOOOOOOOM! she cried.

I killed one the other day on the bedroom floor too.  We are getting more than we'd like inside this year.  I hope that's not a sign that we will have a hard winter.  

I guess I better be cleaning down any spider webs there may be in here.  Sheesh.  I opened a tool drawer and there was one in there too.

I guess it's that time of year where we need to check the insides of our shoes, boots and slippers, and shake out the blankets and clothes. 

Morning Wake Up Call ~ Missing the Gym

"Mom!"

"Huh?" I asked in a groggy, sleepy voice.

"You wanna still milk Peanut?"

"UGH"

That's right, I got woken up by my 14 year-old daughter.  She overslept, and was to be on a school bus at 6am for an all day farm display field trip.  

I walked out to the kitchen, and said to my husband, "why don't you go milk her?"

"Cause I don't have time. You always wanted to be a farmer," he said in a poor southern accent.

We had both set alarm clocks at 4:30am.  We were supposed to be at the gym, working out at 5am.  Somehow, my alarm did not go off.  

I was done milking by the time my husband drove past the barn in his truck to go to work.  

Peanut did great.  She loves to turn her head and watch me milk.  She got a bit restless when I had her about empty.  Little guy, Rue, did not cry like a baby when we put her in the stall to milk her either.  Misty however, was being a hog with the food, so I had to give Rue some more.  She's used to being all by herself, so she has to learn to share now.  The good part is, that Peanut protects Rue, and makes sure Misty doesn't eat all the food (when she's out there with both of them).

Now I need to get a shower since I smell like a billy goat.  I had to feed him too, when I was finished with the milking, and he's not smelling too bad anymore.  Just enough to make you want to shower it off.

The feeding didn't end there.  The barn cats were standing up against the house door, looking in.  As if they were saying, "where's our food?"

After that the house cats, the dogs, and soon the chickens will need their coop door opened. My husband reminded me of the weather we are having, in regards to the hen laying on her eggs.  I guess we'll see. It's pretty warm here today.

I guess I have to fit exercise in my day somehow now.  Hopefully tomorrow we will both be up at 4:30am. I can't go to the gym until after 3pm.  The gym is in our old high school, and closes after 9am.  I think I will walk on the treadmill, work the speed bag, and some other weights.  Maybe a bike ride too.  I have spent the entire summer with garden, I almost feel like playing hooky again, and just paying attention to myself for once.