Teabag Tidbits

The weather has been gorgeous here lately.  I have the windows open, and we enjoying the fresh air.

I picked this up at a "kitchen" store at the flea market last weekend.  I was reluctant to buy it, as it didn't look like it would hold a full bag of dark brown sugar.  It did, and I love the way the disc is in the lid and I don't have to fight to get the brown sugar when I scoop it out.  I'll be buying another on the next trip.  

I have a "funny" to share.  If you've read my posts in the years ago about how my husband drives in the mountains, you'll laugh.  He drove.  We took the truck last weekend.  Amish country roads are hilly, curvy etc.  He went over some railroad tracks too quickly and I swear my head hit the roof.  Of course we all laughed, and I told him the name of the truck (when he's driving) is "Red Lightning."  I attempted to knit prior to that, but quickly put it away after dropping stitches and just about stabbed myself.  

Got another batch of homemade granola bars made.  We go through these so quickly anymore.

I prepped blueberries and wine.  If the kids and Hubby behave, they may just get their blueberry pie this week.

It was a good laundry day, so my morning was pretty busy putting laundry on the line.  No sign of the coyote, but I was prepared this time.  I just didn't free range the hens.  

Happy Homemaker Monday ~ Coyote Season

I'm joining Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom today.  Although I posted late last night (go back a post to read about our weekend).  We took Youngest and she had a blast.

Nothing like a coyote to wake you up in the early morning.  I took Jesse out to do his business in my PJ's.  He had his light on  (Hubby wasn't up for work just yet) and I was looking directly at him, and it came out from behind the wood barn.  Jesse tried to go after it, I reached for my gun, but realized I was in PJ's, so I screamed and ran off the porch, which prompted two girls to come screaming.  It acted like it wanted to come back, but ran off thankfully.  However, where there is one, there are more.  Now, while my heart palpitated, I realized it's going to be a rough spring.  I'll not go outside without protection (including in my PJ's) and I'll be going to the barn to check the chicken barn to make sure they are okay too.  Ugh.  What a morning.  


On the breakfast plate. . . 
Scramble.  I have 1 egg in my egg basket this morning.


The weather outside is . . .
We are up to the 70's.  It rained last night though.


On my reading pile . . .
My magazine that I planned to take with me over the weekend, but forgot.


On my TV . . .
A dvd series from the library called Yellowstone


On my menu . . .
Egg/cheese/sausage sandwiches
Salmon romanoff (never got it made), beets
Possibly something with freshly made tomato sauce
....have no idea.  



On my to-do list . . .
work out
make granola bars
wash bedding and get it on the line
library returns
deliver dish scrubbies
dishes
floors



What I am creating . . .
Knitted dishcloth.  I need to restock my netting and get scrubbies restocked asap.


Looking forward to . . .
Getting the bathroom remodel done so we can have family gatherings here again.  We haven't had time to shop for a new shower or check on flooring yet.  Always something going on.


From the camera . . .

On of the bedrooms a the historic hotel we stayed at over the weekend.


One of my simple pleasures . . .
Target practice


Praying . . .
Friends, Family, special requests.  While we were on our weekend trip, a MI motorcyclist riding a 3 wheel bike on the highway passed away.  A tire came off, throwing him into the concrete median and he died on the scene.  There were tons and motorcycles out this past weekend due to the change in weather.  The accident was in our county.

Fun Weekend!

We took one trip to Amish country, and booked our favorite historic hotel.  However, it has new owners and now no longer our "favorite."  They completely changed the lobby, basically, making it into a dining hall, so no lobby to play cards and hang out.  All of the banquet rooms now have sewing machines with quilters working away daily.  Hmpf.  It no longer has that "nostalgic" feel.  Our room was nice, but we roasted at night.  There was no heat/air control for us in our room at all this time. The suite had 2 bedrooms and 2 TV's, but our remote didn't work right either.  Not a total disappointment, but not a happy stay for sure.  They swore their breakfast was the best to find on a Sunday.  We tried that too.  Eggs were burned, gravy and biscuits served cold, and even though we were the only ones in the tavern, we had to ask for coffee refills too.

We visited our favorite local bistro for homemade spinach/artichoke dip, homemade chips served warm.

We visited the local brewery, enjoying a scotch ale brew or two.  We however, forgot to bring our growler.  Now we own two that we can forget to take next time, ha ha!

Despite blips in the trip, we won "parent" points with Youngest Daughter.  She had a ball!  We bought her a scratch off lottery ticket on the way to Amish country and she won $50 to spend.  She was a very happy, happy kid.

Had to move the chicks to their own coop.  My bully hens wouldn't let them eat.  Each time the tried, the hens would peck them away.  Now they can eat and drink and be merry until they are older.

The whole point of the trip was to buy corn hole boards for our party.  Harley Davidson boards. Well, they didn't have them.  Grr.  I did however, bring home 6 lbs. of organic old fashioned oats.

We came home and got a very short ride on the Harley.  A very wet, short ride.  I told him it looked like rain, but you know those men and their motorcycles.  We laughed though.  All the way home.

Chicks are out and other random bits

The current egg scramble. . .

 . . . feeding my family sweet potatoes, jalapenos, pickled garlic and beet greens for breakfast. 

The chicks are out of the house.  It was high 50's when I introduced them to the outdoors, but heated up to the 60's.  They'll still get a heat lamp for a week or so more, but they are utterly confused, ha ha!  My house will not smell like a chicken coop any longer, whew!

I put them all in together after a visit outside, and there wasn't much activity for the first few minutes.  Shortly after as I watched, a few pecked at the chicks, but nothing bad.  I just hope I didn't end up with 7 roosters.  

I do have a friend who got chicks (pullets) this year too, so if I do, I hope she'll take a few.  I don't want to drive 1 hour to the butcher. Considering my 4 barred rocks hens are 8 years going on 9, I'll be getting pullets next spring.  

It's been so nice to use the clothesline again.  Rain is on the way Sunday again, so it's been busy bee for me.

We have what I call the "big city" both north and south of us.  The one north is undergoing major road construction, not only downtown, but at the highway over pass.  It's a plain mess.  We avoid it at all costs.  With that said, there is only a few places we can take the Harley for a meal out with the kids.    Now they are not only building a round-about at the highway exit (have no idea how that is going to work and why we even needed it), but they are also constructing one at the entrance to Youngest Daughter's career school.  Lovely.  Just lovely.  There is already a round-about just after you enter the school drive.  We are gonna be dizzy going there for events.

We got the Harley out for a ride and met up with one daughter.  Boy it felt great to be out on the bike again.  I'm looking forward to getting my garden beds cleaned up daily, as weather allows, so rides will be happening all summer and fall.

Muck Day ~ Happy Hens

Nothing messes up my morning, like a "driveway creeper" pulling in and parking in the pitch dark of the morning.  Ugh.  Right after I fed Jesse (dog) too.  He needed to go out and I could not until they left - flat tire of all things.    Hubby pulled out to leave for work, checked out the situation, then called me.  It was so dark I could only see car lights and a small light be-bopping around (guy had a headlamp on).   However, this is why I am prepared for uninvited "creepers."  You never know how friendly they are and if they really do have a flat.

It was a beautiful day to be working in the flower beds, but I had another big job.

It's a nasty spring job, but it had to be done.  However, I was bam-booz-eld again. Hubby said he'd help me finish the coop after work.  He did not.  He went to look at another car.  I ended up cleaning the entire coop myself (oh so tired when I was done).

We didn't get a chance to do a real coop cleaning all winter.  Boy was it bad.  I had to take a break after 6 full wheelbarrows of poo and straw was removed.  We had to layer straw most of the winter.

I noticed they broke their heat lamp bulb, which has been off for a long time, but still.  Ugh.  Every year they break it.  I was hoping to use it for the youngin's soon, but I'll need to buy a new bulb.

See that araucana?  She is my last one left and sort of a bossy pants.  Every time I'm in the coop, she is sassing and chasing another hen.  She acts like she's the rooster in the coop, ha ha!

It's getting warmer out, but not warm enough to put the new chicks outside.  I dug out the old dog cage so the rain could wash it off in preparation to give he chicks a day in the sun, and hopefully soon.  They are growing out of their tote they are in.

As for the car Hubby planned on buying?  Well, at the time of paper work, the guy tried to slap on a $300 title service fee.  Hubby stood up, grabbed his check, and said "no thanks,  you are ripping me off" and walked out.  The business where he bought the truck didn't do that, nor where we bought our car, and some smaller privately run places try to slap that extra charge on.  That's okay, it means Hubby will find a better deal somewhere else.

Bam-booz-eld

Oh I had plans that went right out the door this week.  I was so excited to have "wheels" of my own to get things done, and had a long list of to-do's in town.  Ha.  Yeah, like that'll happen.  Maybe next week?

Tuesday was another day interrupted.   More like I was bam-booz-eld.  First, the propane was to be delivered.  They have always come first thing in the morning so I skipped my work out.  I do not like to skip my work out.  My work out gives me energy and I feel great all day, not to mention sleep better.

Hours went by and no propane.  I called.  We were on the afternoon route.  Ugh.  So...

I baked.  Banana bread.  Good dose of potassium in this snack.  Not to mention walnuts.

And baked.  Oatmeal-raisin, so we could get more iron in our snack.

And baked.  Pumpkin seeds and almonds for more iron.  Dried fruits add more iron, but not a large amount, so this combination is great for Youngest recovering from her illness.

Tip for the day:

A good cup of nettle tea also helps the body absorb iron better, according to what I've read up on in herbal books.

Meanwhile, I not only get a text, and call, but and email.  My debit card was hacked.   I'm about ready to burn my debit card (then again my credit card was hacked one year by just putting a hotel on hold via a safe booking site). Fraud alert got a hold of me.  I was just heading out the door to the bank and guess who showed up?  The propane guy.   

While that was being filled, Hubby called.  He said "be ready" he was heading home early to go look at a car.  I waited, and waited.  He already looked at it.  He said it was most likely a bad deal. The car was posted on social network with a girls name, and when he got there it was a man, with a car that had MI plates.  He felt it was not a legit sale and left.  He called and said we'd look at another.  I waited another hour.

When he showed up he decided not to go look at the car, but we looked at one not far from home.  

No car yet, but we feel we need to get Youngest her own.  She continues to get run down and sick more often due to her school bus route.  She has to be up at 5am and isn't home until after 4pm, and the bus ride is 35 minutes one way.  With her own car, she can sleep in, get home early and have more rest and more time for homework.

Daughter went to school Wednesday.  She's still sipping medicinal teas, but whatever she had it didn't go away too quickly.

....meanwhile, my door has been looking like an Amazon store.  Hubby is spending money like a drunkin' sailor.  I kid you not - stuff for the Harley and the truck.  He better not spend too much more.  

Another Favorite ~ Glazed Root Vegetables ~ Crock Pot Side Dish

Did you freeze any parsnips, turnips or carrots from your garden?  Or have some in your root cellar?  We love this side dish.

In a crock pot, place:

All organic/homegrown ingredients

4 carrots, washed, peeled and sliced
2 parsnips, washed, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 turnip, washed, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces

Top with 1/2 cup brown sugar, dot with 2 Tbsp. butter, and pour in 1/2 cup of water.

Salt to taste.

Cover.  Cook on low 3-4 hours.  I typically turn mine on high for an hour than back to low to speed up the process.