Chickens ~ Flower Gardens and what not.....

The ladies (chickens) are laying exhaustingly awesome right now.   I have 2 (not just 1) dozen in the fridge to boil in a week or so.  So excited to be blessed with so many eggs right now.

We are adding several perennials to the flower beds this spring.  I have had them in the garage until the snow and freeze was finished.  I know there may be a chance for frost, but with the 80°F days, and rain, I put them all outside.  

I don't have very many tulips, but they are blooming.  I'm planting more bulbs this fall. 

Look at the size of the dandelions!  I will be doing something before my husband mows again.

My husband was tickled pink to see I made strawberry crisp.  I need to rotate out some strawberries before strawberry season gets here.  The recipe is online with Belle of the Kitchen.  I use thawed frozen strawberries and adapted the recipe with organic ingredients.  I do have to bake it a bit longer using the thawed strawberries (more liquid from frozen).

Happy Homemaker Monday

My husband and I took off yet for another adventure and did a one night road trip.  

We visited some falls and dined on local food.  We actually found a tavern that has been open for 50 years, known for their large burgers.  We ate a slider, because the sliders were the size of a regular burger and their regular burgers were the size of a dinner plate.  We also found an old 57 diner that was still in business and had a delicious breakfast.  I was surprised to see so many drive-in's along the way and still in business.  

Our hotel was attached to a mall.  The mall was pretty much out of business other than the movie theater and there was a walkway (hallway) from the hotel to the mall.  

Our morning sunrise this morning.

I am joining Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom.  I'll link up when my blog gets it's head together.  I can't read my blog lists right now.

The weather outside is . . .

67°F/54°F, mix of sun and clouds, Tue/Wed high of 83°

How I am feeling this morning . . .

Depressed to be back home again, but glad the weather will be good starting tomorrow.  It will get me outside to weed flower beds.  Looking forward to some good ol' sunshine.

On the breakfast plate . . .

Breakfast scramble.  While on our weekend getaway, we came across the most different bar/store. In the front was a full bar, and in the back a meat counter with many delicious meats for sale.  We came home with some Andouille sausage.  Homemade flour tortillas.

On my reading pile . . .

Nothing this week.  I want to get hot pads crocheted for the girls that are moving into an apartment.

On the TV . . .

Sweet Home Carolina

On the menu this week . . .

-sloppy joes, sweet potato fried
-baked chicken, crock pot sweet potatoes, steamed broccoli
-meatloaf, mashed potatoes, corn or asparagus

-breakfast scramble, homemade flour tortillas

-strawberry crisp

-leftovers

Looking around the house . . .

I have old dishes to sort between two kids.  We just found out Daughter T is getting a divorce and already has an apt. and needs dishes.  I bought us a new set after several years, so the kids get the old ones.

To relax this week I will . . .

Most likely crochet.

Something I want to share . . .

Nothing today.

Devotional, inspirational, prayer list, Bible verse . . .

Random Tidbits

Something I just realized - you can't click on "draft" any more on the blog.  You know, how you click on "posts" or other ones?  You have to go search for them.  Frustrating.  Anyway...

Daughter E is once again looking for an apt.  Sort of sad my baby is looking to get her own place, but I'm working on filling a laundry basket with goodies for her apt. warming gift.  This however, puts a halt to working on the cardigan and other projects.  

I am looking into a large vendor show in Sept.  It may be all outside. 

Speaking of projects I have tried two new crochet patterns and will be adding these to the fall sale.

Thin blue line beanies (to show support for our police officers, my younger brother is one of them) and pizza pan hot pads (or any large round dish).  I'll get a picture of the round hot pad soon.

I finally uncovered everything that I covered due to snow and a freeze.  Looks like we'll get up to the 80's next week.

I was out to buy chicken feed and almost (almost) came home with 6 new baby chicks.  Oh my!  Lavender Orpingtons.  So beautiful.  I talked myself out of it until the new coop is built.

I got some spring cleaning done in the kitchen, but more needs done.  Then I move back to the bedroom and reorganize what I can.  It's time to spruce up some things.

From Pile to File ~ New Recipes Tried

 

I made Cajun Angel Hair and Sausage.  New recipe tried!  I had some organic angel hair pasta and wanted to use it.  I finally found some non-gmo smoked chicken sausages too.  The recipe includes fresh green onion in the recipe and I used freshly snipped home grown green onion to top it with.  Oh my!  I'll tweek the sauce part (needs more), but the taste was fabulous.  I made homemade Cajun seasoning for it.

This recipe was a favorite.  Normally, you cook meat or brown it first, and this recipe is a toss it all in but the pasta.  Loved it.  I didn't expect it to taste so good on account of lack of ingredients.  I used 2 homemade beef bouillon cubes (because that is what I had). I just added the pasta last, cooked some peas and shredded some cheese.  The recipe is online as well - Slow Cooker Chicken Bolognese Pasta.  Does anyone have a dry homemade mix recipe for chicken bouillon?  Or one for freezing in cubes?

Speaking of all this baking and cooking, I have a container of organic non-gmo shortening, but it has coconut in it.  Do any of you have recipe ideas this would taste good in?  I basically use shortening for birthday cake frosting and that won't taste good in that.

A "Getter' Done" Kind of Day ~ Homemade Neosporin ~ Lip Balm

 

I finally got a day to make a batch of homemade "neosporin" and some lemon balm lip balm.  The infused oil recipe for the "neosporin" is online.  The recipe for the lip balm is on Mountain Rose Herbs blog, but I make a lemon balm oil infusion vs. calendula.

Did some laundry, dishes, and did some tidying in the kitchen.

I finally finished making these ornaments.  The instructions are on my S.C.R.A.P. Blogspot.

Extreme clean update:  I finally found a person to pick up the scrap stained glass.  First person never showed up.  All of the craft glitter is leaving the house.  Daughter T is taking it all. One pair of sweatpants left the house too.

Took this photo the day before the snow arrived.  Dolly Carton was enjoying her dirt bath.  Just a happy photo to share with y'all.

 

This and That ~ Winter Weather Advisory (and it's April!)

The bad:

I heard that Hobby Lobby is closing all their stores for good, due to government mandate involving health insurance and their beliefs.  Has anyone else heard this?  Or is this just rumor?

The good:

My dehydrator replacement door was back in stock and has been ordered.  Woohoo to that.

Something I learned: 

I watched a show on Create TV (cooking), and found out it's healthy to add garlic powder to your chicken feed occasionally.  I caught the 1/4 cup part, but missed per what amount of feed.  I'm trying to find the show online to re-watch it.  I think I found the show, but the station is operating on reduced power, so I'll have to check back later.

Something I learned:

You can make jelly from the red buds on the red bud tree.  I most likely won't get to try it this spring (the freeze), but will try it next year. My Mom has a tree.  It's also medicinal.  Fun and good to know.

I had a request for the recipe for homemade lip balm.  The original recipe I tried uses calendula and is found on Mountain Rose Herbs blog.  I now make an infused oil with lemon balm and make it that way.

As far as making homemade "neosporin" Here is the recipe I use, but there are other recipes online as well using optional essential oils (different ones) to try.  I love this recipe. 

Whelp, sadly the best pizza up by my husband's work has closed both locations due to no one wanting to apply to work.  He tried getting it for us last week and they were closed.  They are hiring, but can't get anyone to work (thanks to you Gov extending unemployment until Sept of this year, which is ridiculous).  More local businesses have closed on certain days or have closed completely until people apply to work.

I decided to cut most of the lilacs in hopes they'll bloom inside, so I didn't have to cover it.  I can't cover my apple or peach trees, so most likely no fruit again this year.

Well, this happened.  We got 4 inches.  A record I believe.  Crazy.  Thank goodness I had enough old sheets to cover some things out there.  The freeze comes tonight.  Oh the fun...

Signs of Spring

 

Yarrow

Lilacs are on.

Comfrey

Feverfew.

Bleeding heart.

So many signs of spring, but I'll be digging out the old sheets to cover during these next few days.  The daffodils and hyacinths are about done for the season, but will need to cover the asparagus, rhubarb and everything pictured in this post too.  Oh, and my green onions.

I went out to pick asparagus for dinner (finally have enough for a meal), I saw that some Russian kale and some collards were up.  Yummy!