The Crocheted Flower Cup/Mug Coaster Story

I used to participate, year long, with a local Farmer's Market.  We'd sell items every month, but as the years have gone by, kids have moved out, dairy goats were re-homed, and well, I got very very busy with my garden.  And we stopped making goat's milk soap.  I stopped selling jellies and jams.  However, I still crocheted and knitted.

At the beginning of our adventures, I wanted to have an item that filled a basket, and sold for $1.00 each.  I decided to make cup coasters with scraps of cotton yarn, and make them like flowers.

These sold every time we set up at the market.  Women loved them especially.  I was complimented on the colors and how fun they were to have.

The Best Soup Beans Ever ~ Holy Basil Question

I'm not from the south, and my husband has family that is from (and still lives) in the south.  I have been under pressure to get some real soup beans made, and I did. 

I'm back to share how I made mine.

They are what I call a "Home Grown Recipe" as it can be completely homegrown, other than the tiny bit of brown sugar I used.  Although I may attempt this with sorghum molasses in place of brown sugar, but Hubby may say "don't mess with this recipe!"  We have been growing pinto beans for a few years now, but we don't grow enough I think.  Anyway, here is how I made them, and Hubby absolutely raved over them.  I am pretty sure I got the "southern" part of it down right.

Donation Blanket ~ Lentil-Swiss Chard Soup

The fundraiser folks have asked for donations to auction off.  Hubby wants to make something from barn wood, and of course my donation will be crocheted.  We are strapped for cash, so we can't spend money to create either.

Like a crazy fool, I took on this project, and have been crocheting like a mad woman (putting all other  projects on hold).   This is how much of it I've been able to do in 4 days.  It's wider than the photo shows, but get the idea of how many rows it will take.  And colors.

Getting Back in my Groove ~ Garden Planning

Tuesday was my first day back to regular exercise and back to a full day of house chores.  Did I want to exercise?  Nope, but I did, and I actually felt great while doing it.

The weather here has been cold, and frozen.  We continue to get more snow, which melts, and re-freezes.  It makes driving anywhere a true challenge.  We had very bright sunshine early in the day, but by dinner time it was all cloud cover.

I dug out all my seeds, seed catalogs, and my "garden list" for this year.  Then it dawned on me.  Where are my radish seeds I saved?

Well, little ol' me, accidentally forgot about them.  I left them in the pods (on the dead plants), in baskets in the garage all winter.  Oops.  I'm told that if they are not moldy, they should be good, so that's what I'm doing today.  However, I don't remember which basket is which type (ha ha ha!).  I guess I'll just mark them radish #1 and radish #2 and find out after I plant them.  I have a good guess though.

Quiet Kitchen Capers ~ Garlic-Honey Glazed Carrots

The house needed to be quiet yesterday, but dinner needed prepped too.  I spent my hours in the kitchen (making more dirty dishes, ha ha!)

First up?

Homemade sausage patties, for breakfast sandwiches for the next few days.  I used 1 lb. for Sunday breakfast, and saved the other pound for patties.

Next up?

Snow ~ Cold Temps ~ Random Tidbits

Saturday Hubby and I tackled the 2nd felled tree we left sit (bad decision).  It was frozen to the ground, but we managed to free up enough to fill the back of the pick up.

The only downside, I woke up Sunday with a rash on the backs of my calves, and I can't figure out if those limbs had poison ivy or not.  I was covered up fairly good, so I hope it's not.  I had jeans, work boots, long carhartts, a carhartt coat, short cowl, hat, work gloves etc.  The best I figure, it that it's a "heat" rash from all those layers.  I don't have any poison ivy cream, so I first tried chickweed salve.  It took the itch out, but didn't seem to help dry it up.  Today, I applied a heavy layer of calendula cream on.  Time will tell.

I don't give up that easy either.  I have back up ideas in line if that cream doesn't do anything - dandelion poultices, organic aloe vera gel, etc.

. . . from the handiwork journal ~ The Finished List

There is an advantage of a few days of resting and bed time.

. . . in preparation for the next craft show, I thought it would be good to get a few sets of heart cup/mug coasters crocheted.  

Tuna-Corn Pie ~ A Meal from Leftovers

It's 13°F (feels like -1°F) this morning. The pups are sporting their winter coats and their hand crocheted dog scarves.  Brr.

I now have a slight cough😟, regardless of resting and remedies.  I am however, resting again today, although last night I was feeling good enough to resume my exercise today.  I will do a few yoga stretches.  In the mean time I have lots of handiwork, and many library books to look over and read.

I do have two good herbs here for coughs - mullein and comfrey, and will be adding more thyme to my soup today.  I will also either steam with eucalyptus or take a warm soak in the tub.  

After our 18-year old babysat, she did grocery shopping for Mom, and I explained to all that I would not be going out until I was much better.  Considering what happened the last time I visited a hospital.  The flu is horrible here, and two of the little ones (great great nieces to us) became sick at the meal after the funeral and now have the flu.  We heard from our missing in action daughter (my step-daughter) and one her her littles have the flu (she has two we are grandparents to, but never see her).  It's just a good time to stay home and out of places.  For me anyway.  

Thyme - 

Did you know thyme is high in anti-fungal properties as well as antioxidants?  It helps boost the immune system, and it helps break down mucus and remove it from your body.  Gargling with salt water helps put a stop to it draining down your throat, but you can gargle with a thyme tea as well. 

Thyme is very easy to grow too.  In our area, it is a perennial plant.  I do not have to bring it in during winter thankfully.  However, I do have to plant a lot of it, so I can dehydrate it for the winter months.  My first step into self sufficiency, and homesteading, was growing an herb garden when I lived in the city. I dug it up and transported it during our next two moves, which landed us here.



Back to the Tuna recipe. . .

I love to whip up leftovers into another entirely different meal, and especially around any given holiday, get together, or party.  I love dreaming up new meals, so the leftovers are not so mundane (as one child reminds me).

I whipped this up over a week ago, and wanted to share.  

Leftover creamed corn and mashed potatoes combined with a few other ingredients make one delicious "pie."

You can also simply make these to ingredients or buy creamed corn and mashed potatoes if you so desire to as well.  

. . . from the gratitude journal

In light of yesterday's thrown together soup, I am posting a gratitude post today.  

I used everything I think  - home grown tomato juice, carrots, beans, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, habanero and jalapeno peppers, zucchini slices, corn...just about everything I had on hand.  It was an "everything but the kitchen sink soup" and spicy enough to clear out one's sinuses.

We may not have everything that I want, to maintain our homesteading lifestyle, or everything on our road to complete self-sufficiency, nor all the tools I need or want, or have the meat and dairy animals I would like to raise, but. . .

Today I am thankful for:

Random Tidbits

Zuri-raptor has landed again.  This time she stole a stuffed animal from the box heading to the thrift store, and simply ripped out the head.  I do declare.  That dog!

I got a lot of rest yesterday, but Hubby had to go to work today.  He is the one keeping me from over-doing work, and resting more.  He even cleaned the tub so I could take a hot soak in tea tree oil.  He wasn't feeling good and we both took a long nap together. 

I'll have to keep myself on track today. I don't think it will be a problem either.  I'm only up to get one kiddo off to school, get the fire going, and make sure another daughter is up to take dogs out and feed the cats. 

Today it will be a repeat of yesterday - rest, warm soup, mullein tincture, herbal teas (many with ginger), four thieves vinegar, essential oil diffuser, homemade vap-rub etc. 

Oh, and Mom is home now.  Thanks to my 18 year-old, who went up to transport her.  

Turkey Lentil Frittata

Here is the recipe I promised to share.  The original recipe is linked, and below I will explain what I added.

I found the "protein packed" breakfast recipe online at Lentils.org (click Lentils.org to the left to go directly to the recipe), and changed it up a bit to try. Lentils for breakfast?  I mean why not, I add black beans them too.  Lentils are high in protein and low in fat, and provide many nutrients as well as fiber.

First I made my lentils the day before, and that way I had that job done.  You need cooked lentils to make this frittata.

I still have homegrown sweet potatoes (they lasted much better than all the other potatoes too).

Yeast Roll Trials

A few new recipes were shared with me by blog followers, just before the holidays.  I failed miserably at trying them, but chalked out a few days to try them this month.

First, I made the rolls you roll up like crescent rolls (using oil).  I love the idea you can let the dough "stand" for the night, and then again in the morning, so you have the job done in small bits, leaving time to do whatever you need to in the morning.

I'm back

I can't say things are back to completely "normal" yet, but getting there. I've tried my absolute best to maintain my good diet and exercise, and continue to do something I enjoy each night, while sending prayers up for just about everyone.  Hubby reminded me to get back to my blog, as it too is part of what I enjoy.  So here I am.

In the process of keeping things normal, I think I converted our vegetarian daughter back to a meat eater.  While baking meals for the extended family, and the aroma and wonderful taste of casseroles from years ago, she's eating meat again (18 year-old).  Big shock to all of us, but we also giggled when she slobbered over that recent meatloaf I made. 

And in the process of so much talk about meat, Hubby is about 98% agreeing we raise meat birds this spring.  It'll be a matter of if we can whip up housing for them.  We used to raise them in a part of the old big barn.

Hiccup

Yesterday we were called.  Our great nephew (21 years old) passed away due to a bad car accident, then we found out our great niece (even younger) is in another hospital for (admitted for another reason the night prior) and this morning my mother is in the hospital. I'll be back when I can.  

Deodorant Experiment ~ Cocoa Powder Disaster

I've been experimenting with different deodorant recipes.  The last one I made was in liquid form, and the recipe was from Mountain Rose Herbs.  You can see my post here.  I like the liquid roll on, just don't ever put lemongrass in it. It will burn (it's just very strong).

I wanted to try another recipe for using deodorant containers.  No messy application, and I am hoping for a consistency that won't melt in summer.

I'm trying to convert my girls to using homemade vs. store bought organic/aluminum free (expensive) deodorants.  It has been a tough road in converting them too.

In the very beginning of these trials we first started out with a recipe that used coconut oil - hard in winter, soft in summer, and it was applied by fingertip.  It was shunned quickly by the girls, and Hubby didn't want to mess with it when we had to keep it in the fridge in summer.

You can simply use baking soda for a deodorant too. I have not tried this (yet).

 Experiment #374 (just exaggerating a bit there, ha ha!) 

Happy Homemaker Monday

I absolutely forgot to join in on this last Monday.  Today I am.  I'm joining up with Sandra at Diary of at Stay at Home Mom.  My week is starting up with less stress and more of a better plan this week.

Sunday, by 3pm I shockingly told Hubby, "I haven't had a hook in my hand all day!"  Nope.  We had a lumberjack breakfast, cut a load of barn wood (making another dent in the debris pile), and spent the rest of the day in the kitchen.  It was a meatloaf, potato kind of day.  I also got a frittata baked for on-the-go breakfast, along with homemade blueberry pancakes for those who were not on the go.  With breakfast baking/cooking freeing me up today, and the bed sheets already washed and dried, I'm ready to tackle cleaning chores today.

On the breakfast plate. . .

My Best ~ Grand Pup ~ Peaches

I've never been one to eat oranges.  I'm not sure why, or maybe it was not introduced to me on a regular basis growing up?  Anyway, I am doing my best to be vigilant with all good foods this winter (on account of sickness on the rise too).  Clementines have made their way into my diet for the first time in a long time.  Regularly.  It's hard to find organic citrus this time of year too.  The store even cut back the size of bagged organic apples (so no canning applesauce yet).

I have also realized, with my scale not moving for weeks, that I am not getting enough protein (or I'm building muscle right now).  I've been adding more to my breakfast and lunch now.  Black beans mashed with onion (cooked in the crock pot all day), topped with home canned yellow squash relish has been my favorite to eat with eggs lately. 

The Good ~ The Bad

The Bad: I spilled honey all down the front of my bathrobe.
The Good: My bathrobe got an early spring washing.

The Good:  We are eating a lot more pumpkin and squash this winter (thank you Garden!)
The Bad:  I haven't eaten a fresh lettuce salad in months.

(cauliflower, broccoli, zucchini, yellow squash, snap peas, onion, carrots were added last)

The Good:  All of this delicous-ness came from my garden - Chicken Teriyaki was made