Tuesday Tidbits ~ Finished Handiwork

When it snows....all he wants to do is eat it, and he forgets why he's out there.  Sigh.  He leaves his personal tracks in the now - paw prints with a tongue mark in between them.

I finished the baby blanket.

I also finished a pair of baby booties.

We are preparing for a spring vendor/craft show this month.

Family funny - Hubby caught me sweet talking to the chicks and heard me call them all "ladies."  He busted out laughing.  Oh boy, this will be interesting.

I haven't heard from the kids lately.  One needs help replacing rotors on a car, one daughter's car is still out here and broke down, and don't get me started on the truck.  It now has a fluid leak.  We really need a time period to get repairs done and get ahead of all this.  Hubby told me to order what I need on "Amazon."  I told him the groceries I need are on on "Amazon."  Sigh.  I know he's busy and that it was too cold Sunday, but something has got to give.  I'm going bonko.

I finally installed a cheap TV antenna.  Now I can watch the news and work out on the treadmill (which is rather boring so I'm super happy).  Down the road we will upgrade to a more expensive one.  We have "big ticket" projects coming up, so those went to the top of the "get it done" list.

Woke up to a chilly -7°F.  

Monday Madness

Question:  are flat top stove ranges suitable for canning?  I'm searching for a double oven, and the only ones made with electric range have flat tops.  I may have to install natural gas and go with a gas range.  It's on the wish list, but it'll be a while to purchase.  Would love to hear your experiences with a flat electric range.

Something I over bought this winter - sugar.  That's okay, I'll be ready for canning.

Something I under bought this winter - bird seed.  The birds are stealing the barn cat food, ha ha!  Tiger is over joyed with his Kitty TV for entertainment.  He is often sitting by the door watching and intrigued.

Sunday we were pretty much doing nothing, after unloading a truck of wood, and feeding the boys (nephews and one of their sons) who came out early to help.  We fed them good and retreated to finishing the series "When Calls the Heart."

I also finished a few crochet projects - photos coming soon.

The bitter cold is returning.  I have no plans to can jelly yet today.  I have a mound of dirty dishes we all decided to let go until today (oh sure, leave them to me, sigh).  I will be attempting to hook up a cheap TV antenna today too.  I just want one channel so I can watch the early (very early) morning news as I walk on my treadmill.

I have a mound of laundry to do also, and this snow isn't helping me.  I haven't put my laundry out as often as I typically do in winter and it's driving me nuts.

What's for breakfast?  Eggs and toast.  I have a busy day ahead, so it's a quick fix.

Weekend Updates

Friday night we took Youngest to our favorite, locally owned steak house.  Sadly, we will not ever go back.  First our appetizer was served burned (first time to send back food), secondly, when served our steak I noticed the roasted half of garlic not on the plate.  I asked about it, and the waitress said something like "cutting corners." 

I tasted my steak - over cooked and not the same steaks as they previously served us (over the years).  It tasted like liver.  We all didn't like it. The steak is now much thinner than any steak we've eaten there. Oh, and the butter isn't real anymore either.  They used to serve it topped with herbed garlic butter - real butter.   I noticed the "butter" not even melting on my steak.  I did not eat much of it, and we all decided to spread the word of mouth about it, and not return.  Sort of sad too, as this place is biker friendly with biker parking.  I told Hubby my kitchen is my favorite restaurant and when organic steaks go on sale, I'll be fetching up a supply to grill here this summer.  And making my whiskey butter to go on top.

Saturday, Hubby joined a nephew to cut wood.  They had a dead tree that went down on a property that our nephew knew.  They hauled the splitter there to share the wood, as our nephew just moved into his new house and has 2 fireplaces.  

Following that, I reluctantly joined a birthday party.  I was in no mood to entertain for some reason.  Either way we went, taking a tray of fruit, as I did not want to cook anything either.  We were both tired. The weather was cold and I just wanted to snuggle up inside and take a day off.  Hubby was feeling the same way.

First thing Saturday morning, Hubby asked "did you check on your chicks?"  Ha ha!  The concerned person he is....of course I did.  They are so darn cute. Sleeping on top of each other.

What's on the breakfast plate Sunday morning?  Sausage gravy, biscuits, fried potatoes and scrambled eggs.  Snow is due to return today.  

Homesteading Reality ~ Spring Chicks

I have lost 4 chickens so far this year.  First the Auracana who broke her leg, then Sparta (rooster), then about two weeks later I lost 2 barred rocks for no reason other than natural causes (old age?).  I starting looking up the dates to see how old they were, getting worried I'd lose more.  My heart was breaking of course, but it's part of homesteading.

Apparently I bought them back on 3-3-2011 , and in today's world a chicken's life expectancy is about 8-10 years (not like 20 in the old days).  They are 8 years old.  By the way that yellow chick turned out to be a white rooster, and he didn't live very long.  The barred rocks lived the longest of any breed we've had.  They are the best producer for us as well.

I brought home 7 barred rock chicks(thanks to a ride from a daughter), and that's her ESA dog Mia checking them out.
By the way, I was complimented on how I raise my layers.  I mentioned the fact my barred rocks were 8 years old and still had some to the store employee.  She responded, "wow, you must baby them."  Meaning most don't live that long and she was pretty surprised to hear that mine are still alive (some of them).

This however, puts a damper on my need to raise meat birds.  I just don't have the space to raise the layers and meat birds inside.  Next spring it'll happen.  Unless....I am unlucky enough to get 7 roosters out of this straight run purchase.  Then I'll have 6 meat birds in the freezer.   I was too late to order pullets, so say a prayer I get some hens.  

They only had cornish rocks anyway.  I want white rocks.  Next year....next year....

The contract was voted no at Hubby's work.  This means they will continue to negotiate until they have an agreement that is actually fair.  It'll be a long spring for us.  This company is brutal.

Skullcap infused oil ~ Spider bite scar update #2 ~ Dish Day and otherTidbits

I don't have photos to share, as the scar tissue remains the same, although sensitive to the touch.

I infused skullcap oil (instructions on how to infuse an oil can be found on Mountain Rose Herbs blog online) to maintain care of the scar tissue and heal it the best I can.  Although there are other herbs/weeds to infuse, I chose skullcap.  In my research it aids in healing acne scars, so I went with that to care for my spider bite scar.

I know it will be sensitive to sunlight this summer, not that my leg sees much sun (I wear pants in the garden).

Just a quick update and another way to treat scars.  If you have another way, please share.

After 2 days of dark days, we finally had beautiful sunshine.

Thursday was what I call a full blown "dish day."  I literally washed a mountain of dirty dishes, dried them and put them away, and almost immediately found myself getting more than half of them back out to cook/bake.  Oh look!  There are rotten bananas.  Must make banana bread.  Reaching in the fridge for chocolate chips....oh look!  Over abundance in milk.  I should make Mom's overnight casserole to use some up.  Must not waste anything.  Oh look, eggs can be boiled.  Sigh....I do it almost every day.  Lord help me.

I finally scooted outside to hunt down some chicken wire for another project, but was back in to do the dishes again.

I picked this recipe box for our oldest daughter.  She loves sunflowers.  There are divider cards inside and extra recipe cards.  I scanned family favorite recipes, glued them to index cards, and slipped them into a plastic recipe card protector.  I hope she likes it.

Something I learned (but haven't tried) - you can eat used tea leaves.  I'm talking about nettle, comfrey etc.  Edible weeds.  I just learned of this, and of course they won't be as strong as they've already been used for tea, but edible (tossed in a frittata, eggs, pasta etc.  I have a compost bin, so I have never thought of this until I read about it.  Do any of you use your medicinal tea leaves for another meal?

Lemon balm lip balm ~ Sage Sausage Egg Muffins (Use leftover Pizza Toppings)

Remember all that lemon balm I harvested last summer?  Well, I made the infused oil with it, and got around to washing up containers and getting lip balm made.

I used the same recipe (Mountain Rose Herbs blog) for Calendula / Shea butter, but swapped out the oil for lemon balm infused oil.  I prefer to use the metal tins, but summer brings motorcycle rides, and the tubes are smaller and easier to carry (and less messy on very hot days).  I ended up making a bit of both - tubes and metal tins.

Something I learned - lemon balm prevents the breakout of cold sores.  I'll be giving this to someone to see if if will work as they state it does, and I'll be using it all summer.

I had a bit of sausage, bell pepper and onion leftover from our homemade pizza's, so I whipped up a small batch of Sage sausage/egg muffins for breakfast.  I used jalapeno's from the freezer to add some zest to them too.  So good.  I'll be tweaking my recipe and hope to post soon.  They need a bit more herbs/spices.  

The peanut butter cookies didn't last long.  Hubby has no self control when I bake them.

So...I baked German Chocolate Cookies.  This time I flattened them just a bit.

Random Tidbits ~ Pickled Red Onion

Pizza night was another huge success.  I froze the Einkorn dough for the first time last year (preparedness), and it worked out great.  We love the pizza sauce made with San Marzano tomatoes.  They make the best sauce so far.  I'll be sure to grow them again this summer.

I should have started a temperature afghan last spring.  With the hot days followed by this very strange and nasty winter, it would have been one interesting afghan.

I'm scanning my recipes for our oldest daughter.  Not that she's settling in her new apt. she wants to take advantage of her crock pot and cook good meals again.  I have a plan for that too.

I pickled red onion for the first time.  It'll be used for salads, although I am leery to eat fresh kale out of season, we can typically find organic in our grocery store.

Pickled Red Onions
Using organic/non-gmo ingredients, thinly slice enough red onion rings to fit in a wide mouth pint canning jar.

Add:
1 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. salt
2-3 splashes of home canned hot sauce*
1/2 c. water
1/2 c. red wine vinegar

Shake.  Store in the refrigerator

*any hot sauce will work



My husband is really having a stressful time at his work place.  Even though the vote was like 170-something (no) to 50-something (yes), the higher up's are making them vote again on Thursday on the contract.  They are using their power to manipulate them into voting yes, and from what I see, threatening them in the process.  He, and the others, could surely use prayers, good mojo, and good thoughts right now.  It is a very hostile work environment.   Both mentally and physically.   

The only thing I can do to help him, is clean the house, cook good food, pack his lunch and coffee and listen.  I'm afraid this however, may affect our income (depending on the outcome).  Remember they went on strike one year, and he had to take work out of state?  We are preparing however we have big ticket jobs to get done this year no matter what.