Barter ~ This and That

I finally met Hubby's cousin "C" and she bartered with me - tomatoes for me and strawberry margarita jam for her.  She is a hoot too.  We are planning a meet and greet meal soon to meet more family members.  First up?  Tomato sauce.  If I have more after that, tomato soup or crushed tomatoes maybe.  I guess I'll find out when I weigh them.

I also bartered with our 20 year-old daughter.  She came out yesterday to help me do more cleaning and picking up, and she got strawberry margarita jam and lunch. 

Organic grilled cheese sandwiches and organic tomato soup with a dab of organic butter.  I miss my home canned tomato soup. 

We got the living room back in order, some carpets vacuumed, master bath completely cleaned but the shower and tub (it's an overly big bathroom) and wood work still needs wiped down, finished the laundry, picked up stuff in the bedroom (oh my, craft stuff everywhere, which was still everywhere because we ran out of time), and swept and mopped the master bath.  So happy to have her help too.  Romeo loves her visits too.

We got rain, so laundry was put on drying racks yesterday.  It was much cooler too.

I ordered our traditional Christmas Eve pajamas.  I waited too late last year, and paid the price.  I got them at great prices and the colors and styles I wanted.  So glad I remembered.

I had to make a run to the store for vinegar to make another container of homemade lysol wipes, so I stopped at the dollar store and picked up these kitchen towels.  I got a few other fall designs too.  Just $1/ea.

I'm on the hunt for book sales now.  I want to buy 25 books for the grand kids for a countdown.  We'll see if I make it happen.  I have over a month to do that.

Tuesday was my Monday

Tuesday hit me like a overwhelming Monday, especially after an emotional weekend.  Everywhere I look, there is a mess to clean up, organize, wipe down, dust, sweep, mop....

My clothesline was in full swing yesterday (leaving no room for bedding, so that's going on the line today), as well as my dishwasher.  

Tree trimming is on the list now.  Oh how low those branches are right now.

After a few pots of coffee I dove into cleaning the kitchen first, while my washing machine went full swing.  It was one of those days where every job gave me another one.  Like putting dinner in the crock-pot to find out that my bottle of organic chili pepper was low and needed refilled.  

I got my smaller dehydrator cleaned and put away, foaming hand soap refilled, previous laundry day folded and put away, plants watered, and organized one dresser drawer.                                                                  
It'll probably continue that way all week, but in the end it'll be lookin' purty darn good in the house.  That's the plan anyway.

Shopping list is getting long.  I need to make a new canning journal, and need to update it.

The car is down now.  I have no vehicle, but it's not like a don't have work to do.  

Menu for the week
-crock pot fiesta chicken and black beans
-tuna sandwiches, beets (might make the sandwiches grilled)
-chili
-leftovers
-breakfast for dinner (undecided yet)

The week is already halfway gone.  I better get busy.

First Frost

Hunter's Moon 10-13-19 if you didn't get the chance to see it.  

The funeral for our great great niece is now behind us.  Another emotionally exhausting day yesterday.

Woke up today to 37°F but a possible high of 72°F.  I'll be burning calories today.  Oh my, my house, gardens, etc are a hot mess.  My clothesline will be in full swing today too.  I'm behind on everything, but ready to get to work.  I need to keep busy.

There has been no answer to getting a visit with Jesse.  I just don't understand a few of our adult kids, but still hopeful.

On a different note, my broccoli sprouts grew mold before we could even taste them.  The grow container I have, has too big of holes for these seeds.  If you have a resource for a container with smaller holes I'd love to hear from you.  I think I'll grow soil based microgreens next when I can though.  I placed paper towels in my container, but alas - mold (sad face).

Fall is here. . .

Just in time.  Right before the cold hit us. We went from 78°F yesterday to 40°F yesterday morning.  High of 52°F.  

✔Froze more green bell peppers.  We didn't get stuffed peppers in the freezer, but was will be enjoying stuffed pepper soup this winter. By the way, I still haven't yanked the plants on any of the peppers, so who knows.  I just haven't had the time, nor motivation, to get that done.

✔One more medicinal dehydrated - feverfew.  By the way, I specifically grew this for our youngest daughter's migraines.  This year she got the piercing that was to stop them (didn't work).   Next year I should be getting flowers on the plant.

✔Rosemary stems saved.  These will get burned in campfires.

Checking off the Homemaker To-Do List

✔Sanitized the inside of the washing machine.

✔Dust

✔Dishwasher cleaned. Did you know you should do this once a month?

✔Rugs washed.

✔Cleaned the Bunn coffee maker water reservoir.

Sort of a boring post, but I Hubby came home yesterday morning, went to bed, got up at 2pm, left for work again and is sleeping soundly this morning.  Just glad 3rd shift is over with.

Checking Off the Homesteader's To-do List

✔Scheduled the chimney sweep.  They were booked until November.  I'm learning of a person closer who does it, but waiting on the info so I can call and make sure he is insured etc.

✔Pulled all the beets.  That bigger one was the only somewhat "big" one out there.  I brought in about a dozen of the smaller.  None to freeze this fall.

✔Started digging up potatoes.  They are very small and few.  Less in pounds than what we planted sadly.  NO sweet potatoes so far.  I'm still digging, so...

✔Emptied last water barrel, flipped over for winter storage

✔Pulled gladiolus bulbs

✔Dehydrated oregano

✔Froze chives

Picked the last of the jalapenos.  If we had had a full grow season, I would have been able to stock up cowboy candy for 3 years.  The plants are getting so tall and it's the end of our season.

Peppers ~ Fall Garlic ~ Crock pot Meatball stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Fall is here for sure now.  The sunrises are not as beautiful, but this photo shows the fog rolling in with the cooler air.

I pulled the very last of the green peppers, but left the hot peppers.  The frost is rolling in in a few days now, but today it's going to be a high of 74 degrees.  There are a few more on a few plants but very very small.

We are seriously in panic mode regarding firewood.  What I would do for a group of volunteers right now.....

Garlic has been planted in grow pots this fall.  Crossing our fingers we have a much better harvest next year.

I finally made crock pot meatball stuffed cabbage rolls.  Sort of.  I had one heck of a time getting the leaves of cabbage off in one piece.  They cracked and ripped.  Any tips?  I got three sort of nicely rolled, but gave up and topped those with the remaining mix, meatballs and layered cabbage on top with some tomato sauce.  That's why you don't see a photo, ha ha!

Update:  Our great great niece passed away due to congestive heart failure due to a hole between her valves.  We haven't heard if the autopsy has come back on our grandson yet.