Berries ~ Question

We don't have much to pick this year.  Too dry despite watering.  Zero red raspberries this year.

Does anyone know what this is?  It's a form of a vine growing in the trees.  It doesn't have any sort of berry on it either.

Random Tidbits ~ Camping Trip Plans

I don't have any photos for today's post.  We had a very busy day yesterday, and we had to go help one daughter (the one with our grandkids) with her van.  Unfortunately, it's their only vehicle and my husband told her it's the transmission.  So....we are trying to get them a vehicle.  And...and...our daughter that lives here and works STILL needs one too.  Ugh.  So many things going wrong all at once.   The same daughter with the van, also needs a new washing machine, and now their mower broke down.  I'm barely holding on. 

Update on the pandemic in our state and county:  We went down a notch on his scale he made, putting us out of the mask mandate, but then put one state-wide.  He actually said that more people were wearing them, but yet the numbers keep increasing in our county and he's expanding day care (but today he may start shutting down bars).  None of this makes sense.  We personally know people who got notices of testing "positive" yet never tested at all (one person 15 times).  The numbers also include probable, so we again are not getting true facts and it is disturbing as to what they are doing to destroy this country.

Our Governor also closed down our fair, which was next week - from what I read, only 4-H.  Now the local health dept. is chiming in to place orders on how that happens.  I'm sure they were already set up too, so all of those vendors, rides, games etc. have a worse financial burden.  I do know people already paid for their camping spots for the fair, and some plan to camp anyway.

Also, not sure if I shared this, but I know of one large area business that banned homemade cloth masks (saying they are not medical).  Now lawsuits will start on those making these masks.  So if they don't work, and the paper ones clearly state on the box they don't work for this virus, why the mask mandate.  Control?  Like I said, none of this makes any sense at all.  Other than to try and lock us all down, so they can force mail in voting (which would be bad).  By the way, we had a lady ahead of us at the grocery store talking to the clerk.  She looked back at us and literally told us who to vote for in November.  Next time it happens, I will NOT keep my mouth shut.  

I'm digging out my camping journal to see what our best camping sites were, and where.  We need a camping trip badly, as we won't be back to the island this year.  I feel bad for the island too.  Their season to make money is very short of over there.  Anyway, we shall see if we get a camping trip in soon.  Then again, if they start shutting more down, we'll all be in lock down before a camping trip happens.  All of us need some camping therapy, to go off grid, to get with nature, so please pray that happens.  Camping is true isolation at it's best.

I tried to make a visit with Mom yesterday too, as we did a "pay it forward" for someone in that town the same day.  I tell ya' it's hit or miss with a visit.  She is out and about most days, ha ha!  I don't blame her.  She was in lockdown a lot longer than the rest of us here.

We haven't caught anything in the live trap, and so far no more casualties.  I have one goal (okay two) today - pick beans and do the dishes.  

Garden Visitor ~ Glorious Rain ~ Canning Begins and other Tidbits

My garden visitor the other day, and oddly, orange and blue.  Those are the favorite colors of daughter's deceased boyfriend.

Monday we got a glorious pour down from the Rain Gods!  So happy to have that happen.  We were getting worried about the well and no rain lately.  However, in the morning, you could never tell it had rained (it's been that dry here).  Youngest was gifted a butterfly bush and a rose bush.  She planted both just before it rained.

I canned.  It was a half batch of hot pepper mustard sauce.  A success, even though splitting all the ingredients in half taxed my brain.  Thank goodness for google to make sure I was accurate.

In total, I have now lost 3 hens and 2 roosters.  Trap has been re-set, and only time will tell.

Somehow I scratched up two of my pairs of readers.  I ended up ordering some on Amazon.  I didn't want to go to the store and most likely I wouldn't find them.  The last trip to town I noticed (one store) they were all removed from the stand.  

My hair dryer blew up on me.  Not exciting news there, lol!  I most likely will order a new one online as well.  

It's a beautiful 68°F this morning, but will heat up to 90°F, so watering resumes.  I spent about 5 hours in the garden yesterday and brought in another 2.5# of green and wax beans.  I also had to tie up the tomato plants (thrilled they are looking great so far).

Chicken Coop Massacre

A raccoon (or two) got 2 more of my hens.  I had a total melt down in the barn.  Followed by that?  Thoughts in my head "I'm never doing this again!"  "I'm done with this homesteading life"  and on and on.

I put an SOS out on social media asking for friends and family to come help build a coop.  One person answered.  My best friend from high school, who was also kind enough to come to our daughter's grad gift drop off.

She sent photos and offered a price of $75.00 for her chicken coop.  Getting it here and off the trailer will be a job though.  We have a trailer and we also now have a person with a skid steer to load and unload.

It will take a few tweeks to ready it before moving them into their new home.  It needs windows or a fan.  It has no ventilation.  They have to unhook their electric to it.  They had a fan system, so we'll have to either put it near the barn or house to hook up electric, or invest in solar operated fans, but windows for sure (of course covered with wire and 2 x 4's to keep the critters out).

As for the coons, let just say we fed a few to the vultures.  There are more.  I saw a very large one out about 4pm, but couldn't get it before it ran into the pasture.  

Happy Homemaker Monday

What happens when your husband takes the laundry down, lol!  Sort of made me chuckle.  He had told me "I probably didn't do it right."  Ha ha!

I'm joining Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom today, although it's not been happy around here for a very long week. 

The weather . . . 

Well, it's supposed to thunderstorm this afternoon.  We'll see if it actually happens.

How I am feeling this morning . . .

Frustrated, mad, sad....

On my mind . . .

A lot.  I may be canning for the first time this garden season.  We shall see.

On the breakfast plate . . .

(I'll add a picture later)

Sausage, egg and cheese muffins.

On my reading pile . . .

Nothing right now.

On the TV . . .

Anything interesting.

On the menu . . .

I'm going to cook for the first time since last Friday - crock pot sloppy joes and oven baked sweet potato fries.

- have no idea otherwise

From the camera . . .

Nothing.  I would have taken a photo of the green beans I picked yesterday - put up another 3#.

Looking around the house . . .

It's still a hot mess, and the dogs destroyed some dog toys and there is now fluff all over the living room. Sigh....

Chore I am not looking forward to  . . .

Canning.  I am just lacking the motivation to get anything done right now.

To relax this week I will . . .

Work on crocheting more jar openers.  I will put them up for sale once I have some done.

Something I want to share . . .

I have nothing.

On my prayer list . . .

Our country, my youngest daughter and her boyfriend's family, his best friend's family.  Us and to catch these dang raccoons.  More on the coons later....

Random Tidbits

Morning sunrise this morning.  We are up early.  Can't sleep.  So emotionally exhausted and just trying to get through minute by minute.  Garden sprinkler is going strong, as it will reach the 90's today and again no rain.

I'm looking for a free pattern (crochet) for this.  I haven't had the ambition to search much online, but if you see one, please let me know.  I have a request for one.  I found a pattern on Etsy for $6, and haven't yet checked Ravelry.

Update on the drive thru we held for our daughter:  It was a fail.  Although 7 of the 87 people drove thru, the ones that did made a difference in her day.  She was so sad and depressed that not one of her classmates came.  About 3 hours later after the set time, 2 girls pulled in and they talked for almost a half hour.  These 2 were not even girls she hung out with, and we were so happy they came.  We were trying to help her have something for a graduation, but it didn't work out so well.

I need to pick green beans and try and make some sort of order in my kitchen today.  The dishes never did get done completely, and they are piling up even though I have not cooked or baked since last Friday.

There is yet another raccoon.  This time it killed one of the extra roosters I have.  Trap will be re-set.  Again.  There is no chance for getting help from Hubby's family to help build the new coop either.  Not even one of them showed up for the drive thru grad gift drop off.  One said she was coming and never showed up.  Well, I take that back.  One son of a nephew came for a brief time.  That was it.

I had been very good about doing "happy" baskets to make others happy prior to the death of the boys, and now I have zero ambition.  Zero.  If I didn't have the garden or the animals, I would probably not be out of bed, so I can't imagine what our daughter's pain is like.  It's gonna be a long road for her and their families.

I hope your Sunday finds you well.

Rough Week ~ Drive Thru Grad Gift Drop ~ Other ramblings

Well, we made it through the funeral for the best friend.  Rough, rough week I tell ya'.  

We have arranged a drive thru graduation gift drop off for our youngest (since we canceled her grad/prom party).  We asked her first and she loved the idea.

My new project!  Jar Gripper/Jar Opener.  I'll be making more and getting them up for sale soon.  It's about 6 x 7 inches.

I caught the raccoon.  I have a bad feeling there are more so the trap is re-set.  Sigh.

Our favorite organic coffee beans have been swapped with something else.  We just brewed a bag and it tastes horrible. I guess we switch coffee now (after years of buying it).  Blech.

It's back to watering the garden again.  No news there.

I have been trying to catch up on laundry, but I keep forgetting I have it in the washer.  My mind is just all over the place lately.