Bad Air Quality Warnings ~ More Strawberries ~ Cottage cheese and Chilis for Breakfast? Yes Please!

 I lost count on how many days it's been with zero rain.  Watering everything continues for us.  We've been waking up in the 50's, so it makes my daily chores more difficult.  I have to wait for it to be warmer to do the watering.  The forecast is saying possible rain this coming Sunday, with warmer temperatures.

I also have to rotate watering with laundry/dishwasher, so the water pump is not working in over drive.

It's hard to be outside too long with the Canadian wildfire haze contaminating the air outside.  We sat out on the porch the other night, and totally forgot about the air issue, and a nasty sore throat woke me up in the night.

I am finishing up with strawberries.  The chickens love their cool, sweet treats (they get the tops).

Froze several quarts, and will make a cold strawberry pie as well.  Canned 8 - half pints of reduced sugar jam.

There is a cottage cheese craze going on in recipes lately, but for years, we've enjoyed cottage cheese in our breakfast.  It's a Rachel Ray recipe (adapted with organic ingredients), and one we really like.  I used to double this when the kids were all living here.  Recipe is HERE.  It does require a 1/4 cup of flour, and I may try swapping that out with Einkorn next time.  

Homemade Sweet Potato Chips ~ Dehydrator

 

Sorry for the bad photos above.  My camera battery died, and I tried using photos off my phone. 

My preferred option to stock up sweet potatoes, is freezing them.  Click here to see that post.

I made beet chips way back in 2012, before I even had a mandolin or a dehydrator, and they were delicious!  Info on that post, CLICK HERE

We tried "chips" this time in the dehydrator.  My dehydrator guide book stated 125°F.  They literally tasted just like sweet potatoes.  I highly recommend, that if you want snacking "chips" to season them with maybe garlic, cayenne or other spice/herb.  I used a tiny bit of organic avocado oil and salt.  They are bland.  So season it up if you want flavor.

You can also dehydrate just the sweet potatoes, and grind them into powder for smoothies etc.  I have not done that, but I may try it in the fall when it's cooler out.

It's Strawberry Season!!

 

Just when I said there was "nothing" going on here....BAM!  Strawberries!  I'll be busy over the next few days.  I am cutting back on how many jars of jam I can for us this year.  I canned too many last year.  I do can our jam reduced sugar, so it's more fruit to the jar.  I freeze some for smoothies, crumbles, crisps, and pancakes.  Of course we eat some fresh too.  

It'll keep me entertained indoors, as the Canadian wildfire smoke is choking us out in our state.  I noticed it two days ago.  The smoke is moving south, and we are in it's path, and it is very visible in the air (hazy).

On the extreme clean front, I am now pulling boxes out of my tiny office.  Keep in mind we boxed up the kitchen a year and two months ago, and some boxes from that job were still in there.  It's the last room with carpet too.

I found dishes from Mom's place, a lot of paperwork to shred or toss, 4 cones of black cotton yarn (gulp!), stuff that needs re-homed, some possibly donated, books to donate, and even toys the grandkids out grew already.  Sheesh.  Yeah, I will not be bored this week.

Oh, we finally delivered 5 boxes and one full bag of craft donations.  They were greatly appreciated, and my home has less "stuff" in it.

Solar Powered Rodent Repeller ~ Motion Activated

 

In desperation, my husband told me to order a set of these.  I'll have to go back on my Amazon and get the actual brand, but there are several on Amazon (not an affiliate).  He's been working 16 hour shifts and we have no help to get the garden fence up.  These were charged and put in one of the gardens.

The next day, I did not see one squirrel.  I typically see about 3 going around munching on maple tree helicopters.  I have not seen any of them since these went into the garden.  I have not lost any more bell pepper plants either, and some are coming back (where something bit the tops off).  

If they continue to work, I will buy two for the other area we planted.  The ones I ordered stated they were also waterproof of course.

We continue to remain in drought conditions here.  I'm running out of blog content, so don't worry if you don't see daily posts. There is nothing going on but my husband working his bum off, me watering everything, and back to purging/organizing.

Happy Homemaker Monday

 Although the weekend was another hot weekend, and no rain, most of the garden was tilled, and all the tomato plants were tied up.   I think we are on about day 15 of no rain here.

Sunday was our Monday.  Hubby worked, so I got most of my regular "Monday" stuff done already.

I worked up another hat pattern, but this time using some Red  Heart yarn I had, and I asked my husband for his opinion.  He said he did not like the "feel" of the yarn.  He preferred the Bernat yarn I used.  Do you all have a preference?  I have a lot of Red Heart in my stash.

By the way, the above pattern is free online from the Friendly Fox, called the Mountain Ridges Hat.  It uses more yarn, and is thicker than the last hat pattern I used.

Today I am joining Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom.  I will link up when she posts.

The weather . . .

Whelp, a possible rain this coming weekend.  We shall see.  It's going to be cool at night and highs in the high 70's or low 80's.  60% chance of rain Sunday.

As I look outside my window . . .

Honestly, it looks like it could rain.  It's dreary looking right now, but the sun is not up either.

Right now I am . . .

Making coffee, and posting this blog post.

Thinking and pondering . . .

Changing our watering sprinkler system next season.  Adding another house to water both areas at the same time would speed that job up.

Listening to . . .

80's rock

How I am feeling . . .

Just frustrated with my husband's long work hours.

On the breakfast plate . . .

Steel cut oats with apples/raisins/cinnamon

On the lunch plate . . .

Either chicken salad or a turkey/cheese sandwich

On the dinner plate . . .

Pork Chops, Beets

What I am wearing . . .

PJ's

On my reading pile . . .

On the TV this week . . .

A Simple Favour on Amazon Prime

On the menu . . .

-chicken salad (a new recipe from Mom's cookbook)
-crock pot pork chops, roasted oven beets with rosemary
-Apple/Pecan salads with chicken and roasted asparagus for a side

Looking around the house . . .

I still have a pile of craft supplies to donate.   I have more to go through though.

On the to-do list . . .

-water gardens
-purge another craft box
-muck coop (on any non-windy day here)

From the camera . . .

Devotional, Verse, Thoughts. . .

Crocheted Washcloths ~ Review Over the Years

 

Ten years ago, I crocheted my first washcloth for selling at craft shows.  The photo above is from a camping trip in 2013 (that is a store bought black dishcloth to the right).  It's cotton, but over the years, it is not a favorite, and I stopped making them.  They where two thick, and too small, especially after several years of washing them.  

It was not a good selling item at the craft shows.  Ten years later I still have these in my inventory.   I still have 7 sets (one washcloth and one face "scrubbie").  The size is perfect for camping or traveling.  I know a friend who takes her own washcloth on vacation.  I got this pattern online for free, but her page is loaded with adds.  

Above 3 photos were taken a few days ago.  The bottom one is showing you how my first washcloths held up over the years.  It also shows how thick the stitches are, compared to the "make up" washcloths (most current pattern made).
 

2015

2017

Baby washcloths - 2017

I purchased some thinner yarn, that was going out of business and was never made again.  I made hand towels and washcloths for personal use, and some baby washcloths to sell.  They have held up over the years, but the baby washcloths did not sell.  My Mom bought them for using to wash up her grandkids, after a meal.  Mom was my best supporter.  Oh, and those were the only colors in that yarn they had in stock.  A yarn that takes up my stash space, so I may be looking into finding a way to use it up.

Current photo (2023)

Next, I made these to try them out.   I first made them in 2015.  They also held up, but too think and too big.  I feel they will be put to cleaning rags.  Also, these did not sell.

2022

I made, what's called, a "makeup" washcloth, using a new pattern and using black cotton yarn.  These, so far, are my favorite of all the tried and used crocheted washcloths.  They are just the right size, hide any black mascara stains, and dry fairly quickly.  The stitch creates a not-so-thick washcloth.

Sorry if this was a boring post ha ha!  I literally just came across them in the wash, and thought "man these are really holding up."  Thought it deserved a post.  Washcloths are also small projects, which are great to stitch up during hot summer days.

This and That ~ Score at the Store

The heat continues.  We had a high of 92°F, so I was out pretty early to water the gardens.  My sprinkler decided to work when it wanted, so it has to be replaced now.  It will not rotate all the time, and handling the hose to water everything is a 2 hour job.

I let the chickens out pretty early now as well, put frozen water bottles in their watering units and then later re-do it again when the heat hits the worst.  Let's just say, there is no porch time going on right now.  We could use a nice breeze.

We had some excitement in our parts.  Two inmates escaped the jail in my hometown.  I was on alert, and yesterday they caught them in a town I go to often.  Anyway......

I'm finally all caught up with dental appointments.  It took them a month to get my permanent crown done.  Glad that is all over with.  I went in for a cleaning, and they found I had chipped a tooth, which ended with 4 total visits.  I went ahead and booked my next cleaning, as they are booking almost a year out.  I'm not kidding either.  

I went into town to get new hand weights, and a few other things, and came home with these beauties.  I bought three for the flower beds (perennials). I may go back for at least one more.  I have always wanted to add "blue" to the flower beds.

I also scored some good deals I was not looking for.   First, 2# organic ground turkey for $3.49.  I cooked them up, and froze them for this next week.  I also got 3# organic baby bella mushrooms - all dehydrated.  I paid $1.34/a pound for the mushrooms.  

I finally got my eggs boiled.  I have a dinner dish to use them with, and I wanted them on hand for snacking.  Now I need to start stashing more fresh eggs in the carton for the next time, but they are not all laying in this heat.  One is slacking out there.

It looks like we will have to replace our main AC.  We are hoping it will last this summer, but the buttons on the front will not work anymore.  Thankfully, I found the remote that went to it, so I can at least change the settings from that.

I found a recipe book with Mom's notes on it.  There are a few strange ones that I will try soon.  By strange, I mean different.