Excerpts from a Journal Junkie

from the homesteading journal . . .

I taught one of the kids how to mix washing soda and borax to make homemade dishwasher detergent....the goat roof is not done, we need one more sheet of tin roofing .....we got a thin layer of snow last night, and need to restock the porch with firewood....Dad was right about prices sky rocketing.....the local paper already went up $.25/an issue and I saw that redbox movies have increased $.20/a day rental.....thankfully the library still loans out free movies....


from the garden journal . . .

I am already down to the last few jars of home canned tomato sauce.  I used 3 pints to make a stew with leftover turkey and it turned out very good.  

   Tomato Sauce and Leftover Turkey Stew   

In a crock pot, add:

8 potatoes diced

carrots sliced, I didn't count, maybe 5-6?

celery, diced, maybe 5 stalks

2 onions, small/med, diced

1- 1/2 cups frozen corn

1/2 cup or so frozen garden green pepper

3-4 cloves garlic minced 

3 pints of canned seasoned tomato sauce

2- 2 1/2 lbs of leftover turkey (don't add this yet)

2 bay leaves

salt and pepper to taste

season, I used basil

(before turkey was added)

Cook on low for 6- 8 hours until potatoes and carrots are tender, just before you eat, toss in cooked turkey until it's heated through.  Enjoy!  This is a thick stew. This was a large pot of stew, perfect for a large family. 

from the family journal . . .

We had our first school delay today.  They delayed school last night due to flooding....I went to school conferences and got a good update....I missed a few meetings due to being sick....including a National Honor Society breakfast....but we are finally getting rid of the sickness here....

from the handicraft journal . . .

I am still working on many projects, but finally bought the velcro I need to finish sewing the dog coat.  Unfortunately, with being sick so long, I am behind on many projects.....

from the gratitude journal . . .

Today I am thankful for:

~the rain that fills our well

~wood in the fireplace

~coupons that I can use

~paper and pencil

~the views from my front porch

~God's Protection

~trees

~farmer's who grow and provide straw and hay

~surprises in the mail

~the wind, for drying my laundry outside

     

 

Applesauce Cake with Molasses ~ Deer Hunding Update

I went searching for a cake using my homemade applesauce, and one that also used molasses.  

 I doubled this Spiced Applesauce Cake Recipe, and baked it in a 9 x 13 inch pan.  The family loved it.  It's a very dense cake and can be eaten with hands too (kid tested).  It could use a layer of frosting for a tea party or coffee gathering, and is perfect for packing in school lunches.

View From my Front Porch

Teabag Tidbits ~ Thankgsgiving Vacation is Over

"Wherever you go, go with all your heart."

Thanksgiving vacation is over.  The kids are heading back to school this morning.  Yesterday, I got up to make sure my oldest daughter was out the door in time for her 7:00am shift at work.

 

When I met up with her in the living room, I was told "Mom!  Quit being a Mom and making sure I'm up!"

 

However, today I stayed snuggled in bed with one of the dogs, keeping warm.  I didn't hear any commotion out in the kitchen and thought it was odd.

 

My husband had been up and out the door at 4:00am for deer hunting (maybe next year it will be the both of us), and I had fallen back asleep.

 

It was nearing 7:00am, and all the lights were still out.  I remembered yesterday's "Mom!" moment, so I decided to take my time and brew a pot of coffee.  It's a bit chilly in the house, as we did not use the wood burner during the night.

 

Even after starting the coffee pot, not one of the kids stirred.  Finally, I pulled a light string and mentioned the bus would be here in a half hour.  All the sudden, three girls were scrambling to get dressed.

 

I guess they still need Mom as a back up alarm clock after all.

Homemade Crockpot Applesauce

I had two bags of orchard apples that needed to be dealt with.  The intended purpose for them, was to make two apple pies for the Thanksgiving meal.  It didn't happen.

I peeled and cut

Thrift Store Find ~ Getting Back in the Groove

I don't shop for Black Friday sales, and I felt good enough to get some organizing, sewing, crocheting, and cleaning done yesterday.  I took a few of the kids to a local thrift store, and came home with a record storage cabinet.  It's perfect for properly storing my albums and 45's.  They were in a cardboard box previously, that tore apart.

Now, they are off the floor, into proper storage, and easily accessible for some afternoon or evening entertainment.

I also came home with a $.50 cookbook that contains egg recipes.  Next summer, when I don't feel like making home made noodles or angel food cakes, I have an old recipe book to give me more ideas.

I brought home a gently used pair of snow pants for another one of the girls, for only $5.00 also.  Pretty soon, that snow will be here, and the stores will have switched to selling bathing suits (ha ha ha!).

I dug out the dog coat pattern yesterday too.  It's the first time sewing with a pattern in a very, very long time.  I think the last time I did real sewing like this was waaaaaaaaaaay back in the day during 4-H.  If I can find a good on-line tutorial for sewing double fold bias tape, and get to the craft store for velcro tape, I'll have one of our dogs sporting his new winter coat soon.  


I had to laugh yesterday, as I always predict this time of year for a hoard of birds to visit us.

Can you see all those birds on that tree?  A past home owner planted this ornamental apple tree.  Every fall the black birds and other birds fly in to eat up all the tiny ornamental apples.  The apples almost look like cherries.  Anyway, this is where it gets tough to dry laundry outside.  They fly over the house and over my clotheslines.  Jasper, one of the house cats, sits in this window doing some serious bird watching.


Today's agenda is to get roofing on the goat shed and more inside cleaning completed.  I let my writing go for 2-3 days now, and will need to double up on time for that too.

Family Funny

"I liked you better when you were sick," said my husband to me today, exasperated at my attempt make up for lost cleaning time.

"What?!"

"Your zipping around cleaning and talking non-stop today," he added. 

That is the truth.  I am up and feeling better today, and we are attempting to de-bug the bugs from this house.  We need to clean chicken coops, pick up straw, hay, and more vinegar for cleaning.

The sun is shining so my clotheslines are working overtime with bedding, clothes and linens.  The wind is perfect for drying them today.

My chickens are out and about, pecking and scratching and enjoying the sun too.

I may even bake a potato dish to go with our leftover turkey.  The Christmas music is playing again today.

We may even dig out some Christmas decorations later and hang some up too.