tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57022327338926263372024-03-18T21:22:45.978-04:00The Clean Green HomesteadLauriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01156180100389224114noreply@blogger.comBlogger1048125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702232733892626337.post-45347703818229035702024-03-18T06:30:00.001-04:002024-03-18T06:30:00.128-04:00Happy Spring!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2220rq9KLe6O_24MYCp5BSmchiYbnpimxNfGIJdgLgmE45pHV2B6cGcKJTcO0Io0lOONxBdCl_rtXma_6K_yyiBtwASEAzovTEZUujyi1umgi3y8SqMtHAkWs868WPshRwdnTt0d0hMGgUQgmfF02YC2IjFF8kYCcBPF9hCs2Oyb4xD7-tsdmURmUXP3B/s4160/IMG_20240316_191552656.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2220rq9KLe6O_24MYCp5BSmchiYbnpimxNfGIJdgLgmE45pHV2B6cGcKJTcO0Io0lOONxBdCl_rtXma_6K_yyiBtwASEAzovTEZUujyi1umgi3y8SqMtHAkWs868WPshRwdnTt0d0hMGgUQgmfF02YC2IjFF8kYCcBPF9hCs2Oyb4xD7-tsdmURmUXP3B/w300-h400/IMG_20240316_191552656.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p>Hello, friends. I hope you've gotten a reprieve from winter, in your little corner of the world, and are seeing signs of Spring days, which is arriving on Tuesday. Our asparagus has started poking up, and the first few spears have been harvested. J cleaned out the woodstove, and I was able to supplement all the remaining fruit trees with wood ash. After finishing, I applied worm castings to a number of fruit trees, and our oldest three blueberries. We're thankful to have gotten some rain, and were able to switch back to rainwater for our home. The soap I made for our personal use finished curing, and I've shared some bars with friends.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeCf8ozQEbhU-7B762Lq3LLGhVyFM2nusWtsnM8sMKr2hdrcOXy2-frWZtSYcn4GQVptUhrk8Il-XGVfwgEZWAuqH3Qhr4fGdaukneJTpDUqK5bpKv6KnpP_PtHzeiMUWNIRKjga-DOtlE49yiie0XmgTt0H3k9piFppTdQ155mH8hYtUYXXveEQ_n8I90/s4160/IMG_20240315_102512129.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeCf8ozQEbhU-7B762Lq3LLGhVyFM2nusWtsnM8sMKr2hdrcOXy2-frWZtSYcn4GQVptUhrk8Il-XGVfwgEZWAuqH3Qhr4fGdaukneJTpDUqK5bpKv6KnpP_PtHzeiMUWNIRKjga-DOtlE49yiie0XmgTt0H3k9piFppTdQ155mH8hYtUYXXveEQ_n8I90/w300-h400/IMG_20240315_102512129.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p>Our garlic is coming along nicely. J intends to fertilize it this week. My canning project last week was our lima beans. I'd like to get enough on the shelf to last us until weather cools again in the Fall. I believe I accomplished that with the lima beans. I plan for there to be a few more rounds of different beans, and at least one of broth canned, before the weather starts heating up. The peas are coming along too. Though there are quite a few spots with no plants, I'm still hoping there will be plenty to can some this year. I wanted to give a shout out to the folks at <a href="https://www.hisea.com/">Hisea</a>. Their customer service is fantastic, and they stand behind their lifetime guarantee. Joseph gave me a pair of their boots for Christmas '22, and they're the most comfortable and warm muck boots I've ever had. I've worn the heck out of them, and the fabric upper recently began separating from the rubber lower in three spots, creating small holes. They quickly responded, and sent out a replacement pair amazingly quickly. I first contacted them Tuesday, and had my new boots Saturday. I highly recommend them, if you need waterproof boots or work shoes. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCjcHTjHlydbODae8kyUjw3DPgU9zXAf6RS-nY8DupxjTtmmuiRIxCu-zVBFa79U2grGgUTfzB4u3KJR8kMgACWrZLLwKICzN3-21BzXIxrIYDmNNBdkVJzGmnAqznuBPPW60QgY_-WIB_kYDEAhOmrc63LyLXYarUZT9gpQBldpspbweNpyCMH3Of7WIb/s4160/IMG_20240315_103500285.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCjcHTjHlydbODae8kyUjw3DPgU9zXAf6RS-nY8DupxjTtmmuiRIxCu-zVBFa79U2grGgUTfzB4u3KJR8kMgACWrZLLwKICzN3-21BzXIxrIYDmNNBdkVJzGmnAqznuBPPW60QgY_-WIB_kYDEAhOmrc63LyLXYarUZT9gpQBldpspbweNpyCMH3Of7WIb/w300-h400/IMG_20240315_103500285.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p>The photo at the top of the post shows one of the salads I made for dinner. Instead of following one of the MM recipes that meal, I just made a salad with what I felt like, which included wild violets and chickweed. I'll finish up the cleanse this Friday, and am greatly looking forward to potatoes! Though I've lost a few pounds, I'm disappointed to not see much difference in my hands. I've been reading and researching some things on both eczema and general health, and will likely be tweaking some things. I received $2.75 in digital rewards for agreeing to a longer ship time on Amazon. I experimented with bringing the water lettuce in over the winter, and the plants have survived, but they were on their last legs, so I put them back outside, in the bird fountain. If it continues to look like it may frost Monday, I'll bring them back in for the night, then set them back out, and hope for the best. More seeds were planted, and the radishes and tomatoes have begun sprouting. Wishing you a Happy Spring!</p><p><br /></p>Lauriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01156180100389224114noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702232733892626337.post-12006029044924249082024-03-15T13:26:00.000-04:002024-03-15T13:26:34.981-04:00Sound & Shower<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKiPys704JGrrD5I23G51HSO0tywkzo_jddG7sQwmRwJcCFhCaN6NIKy1CKW3jEj6gQ-Zhp9ofbWkVL36uiDT6ymhp67grT4rr2tJumI4z_oL5yIs6T1SgCvyrK6aEF6DyYzoEMHodv7J9T_Mp2-aesY1e1DLL98aLHXsV-dIZr9H8Y39gXiCRniLvtJj1/s4147/IMG_20240315_102312405_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2482" data-original-width="4147" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKiPys704JGrrD5I23G51HSO0tywkzo_jddG7sQwmRwJcCFhCaN6NIKy1CKW3jEj6gQ-Zhp9ofbWkVL36uiDT6ymhp67grT4rr2tJumI4z_oL5yIs6T1SgCvyrK6aEF6DyYzoEMHodv7J9T_Mp2-aesY1e1DLL98aLHXsV-dIZr9H8Y39gXiCRniLvtJj1/w400-h240/IMG_20240315_102312405_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>This week, Joseph created an overlay for the dashboard on the passenger side of the skoolie, using a stair tread, which he found was cheaper than an equivalent piece of oak, and already had a rounded edge. The vertical piece was made from a leftover of the kitchen countertop. He installed it this morning.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghOw_8fKQcaCdecc3vhaw4GYRs2dUU8zGp12MNJJ8zNYggzu-sSgdXfluZvt6Z_0B-x9PjD0ka7ijV3IciAY_SybJstdAyNIXxF1zIGhOTDvyDWoBLzY6XChEobLZYLQYmnzWOQBDVnl6hkM7e2Wwx_N3tBimx4hDQwhhcDjZlRVaqRVFoR3cwYGvBURj8/s5152/IMG_8471.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3864" data-original-width="5152" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghOw_8fKQcaCdecc3vhaw4GYRs2dUU8zGp12MNJJ8zNYggzu-sSgdXfluZvt6Z_0B-x9PjD0ka7ijV3IciAY_SybJstdAyNIXxF1zIGhOTDvyDWoBLzY6XChEobLZYLQYmnzWOQBDVnl6hkM7e2Wwx_N3tBimx4hDQwhhcDjZlRVaqRVFoR3cwYGvBURj8/w400-h300/IMG_8471.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>He cut the holes for the toilet and shower drains, and installed the shower pan liner. I helped him move the marble slab we're using for the shower floor, so he can cut it to size.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7z4EHTN8JyVKo30BPsgIpP5KNBt1wJbEj5PfroiSqM7IQ7g18-oDFZYl-M_Ft8ilcBbCtCcVyYpkhTgOEJ_YFdUo6TSis4X_sOLnvNPeiyhS617ebKspSrol5jHpnEYEKO_wJn7-XVWzJ_debW2i9IFPEptZPlgDepBMIgPq7ntwTOQxinv06Cy8S79Qg/s5152/IMG_8467.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3864" data-original-width="5152" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7z4EHTN8JyVKo30BPsgIpP5KNBt1wJbEj5PfroiSqM7IQ7g18-oDFZYl-M_Ft8ilcBbCtCcVyYpkhTgOEJ_YFdUo6TSis4X_sOLnvNPeiyhS617ebKspSrol5jHpnEYEKO_wJn7-XVWzJ_debW2i9IFPEptZPlgDepBMIgPq7ntwTOQxinv06Cy8S79Qg/w400-h300/IMG_8467.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>He installed the speakers at the front, so we can hear good tunes while travelling, as well as GPS. Lots to do yet, but it's always great to see progress. </p><p><br /></p>Lauriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01156180100389224114noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702232733892626337.post-77908124001512769352024-03-11T06:30:00.001-04:002024-03-11T06:30:00.130-04:00March Days<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBB9Ss1KTGhtewMHv23E2Q8P7VbOjS1NnbAr8lj3x8T0kQLRHGWrOqCHYfJnJb2ZhMftn3_z6lMlfHwOcDbvxv8f8bgjwUU6wzQMcgER4rE_eP-CXEg_A8CgBlgaRaQ_9bb98Luod86EAblp2ebvPE6nwwxcgD_SFd78ENiyzgsdW5n7IXLskqCnBUg2Hv/s4160/IMG_20240305_111310980_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBB9Ss1KTGhtewMHv23E2Q8P7VbOjS1NnbAr8lj3x8T0kQLRHGWrOqCHYfJnJb2ZhMftn3_z6lMlfHwOcDbvxv8f8bgjwUU6wzQMcgER4rE_eP-CXEg_A8CgBlgaRaQ_9bb98Luod86EAblp2ebvPE6nwwxcgD_SFd78ENiyzgsdW5n7IXLskqCnBUg2Hv/w300-h400/IMG_20240305_111310980_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>Hello, friends. Though we heard about it after the fact, we didn't know about the recent widespread internet outage. I suppose we were both involved in other things at the time. A bouquet of daffodils and forsythia was cut, to enjoy last week, and a few pieces of March decor were brought down from the attic. Golden paste was made for the pups. Typical of March, we've had some breezy days, which helped all the laundry drying on the clothesline. I'm using up things I can't eat, but Joseph can, while I'm on the cleanse. One night was gnocchi with tomato broth. Another was polenta with sauteed greens from beets that I bought, and pintos. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbva_ISQlkfjFqcNjS2CCvFi0cN-P9U3WhgDNsIkPn9VJ6hBmbt85Vik5tBkx10enwH8jfbq0CDpa62h3n2Mi70sR2EXCTEJ0k5IAAUm0IwdQGdnyruguDL_Hkb3IjReNI_k0DKlST77tCwPuiKTJIsHwbGWygrSU9BKfba1KUAL_IuZJwEJGRCGUomoHV/s4160/IMG_20240310_145827186_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbva_ISQlkfjFqcNjS2CCvFi0cN-P9U3WhgDNsIkPn9VJ6hBmbt85Vik5tBkx10enwH8jfbq0CDpa62h3n2Mi70sR2EXCTEJ0k5IAAUm0IwdQGdnyruguDL_Hkb3IjReNI_k0DKlST77tCwPuiKTJIsHwbGWygrSU9BKfba1KUAL_IuZJwEJGRCGUomoHV/w300-h400/IMG_20240310_145827186_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>As Tuesday was forecast to be a rainy day, I soaked split peas overnight, and then canned them Tuesday. Split peas are something I don't often think about. I'm hoping having them ready to eat will inspire me to use them. There were enough extra split peas for a pot of soup for J. He used a ham bone he had, and enjoyed it for a dinner, with leftovers for another meal. I shopped at Harris Teeter on senior day, and received 5% off my purchase. A box of GF pasta was found on the clearance rack. I checked a couple of thrift stores for canisters, which I didn't find, but got a spoon rest, like new kitchen towel, salt/pepper grinder and bathroom scale for $5. We lost our sweet farm kitty, <a href="https://abelabodycare.blogspot.com/2010/01/callie-kitty.html">Callie</a>, last week. She was 16 and had been doing poorly a couple of weeks. Despite all that was done, I think she was just tired, and ready to go. The night before, I spent time with her in my lap on our front porch. It was a beautiful night sky, with a multitude of stars. She was kneading and purring, but by the next morning, I knew it wouldn't be long. We buried her next to sweet Hickory.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibU6VqaMLl5jKh9Z54fS_k_b2LIT1CFAzntHicplLEwFb8j2BQIU_hyphenhyphenwq4nR-seR1MJoHlNO9oAFjIF49rUxP7LOYzQdkG8FQ0IppEKeGMVpU94s3RFAW33Py31qXx7UCtLW3Z3kw5Zqsb8_8qDu3ce667SNcVQgq2s9d2jmOXTVarT_DMo8kr9TSH8GM-/s4160/IMG_20240304_134110296.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibU6VqaMLl5jKh9Z54fS_k_b2LIT1CFAzntHicplLEwFb8j2BQIU_hyphenhyphenwq4nR-seR1MJoHlNO9oAFjIF49rUxP7LOYzQdkG8FQ0IppEKeGMVpU94s3RFAW33Py31qXx7UCtLW3Z3kw5Zqsb8_8qDu3ce667SNcVQgq2s9d2jmOXTVarT_DMo8kr9TSH8GM-/w300-h400/IMG_20240304_134110296.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>While weeding a flower bed, I noticed a good clump of wild onions, and gathered them up. They were washed, the stems chopped, and added to the broth bag. The time change had us both a bit tired on Sunday, but we managed to get a few things done. I often forget about using my digital amazon rewards, for agreeing to longer ship times, and was determined to use it this time, before losing it. I had $9.75 in rewards, which is more than usual, and ended up getting <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B089NZRPHN/ref=docs-os-doi_0">this</a> free book. It's one I've wanted to read since first hearing about it. The peaches and cherry are in bloom now, a pretty sight. A neighbor asked if I'd like to go with her to some local potteries over the weekend. We stopped by a couple, and the local bakery. One of the potteries had a native plant nursery on site for the day, and I picked up a <a href="https://www.leavesforwildlife.com/product-page/golden-alexanders-zizea-aurea">Golden Alexander</a> plant, my only purchase, and one that had been on my list. I'm hoping to get back to seed starting this week. Wishing you a week of peaceful days. </p><p><br /></p>Lauriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01156180100389224114noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702232733892626337.post-49855266126671103532024-03-08T17:54:00.000-05:002024-03-08T17:54:11.076-05:00Our Skoolie Trap Door<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD58QIyOHxLcdLwg-auDGMo0u-diqFi1Bkxz1RtstgWXsV9KdycfyeBOK2hDTeHxHxffEEZXy_I_5aeNQMxBncXZ70Jy4n6BxsuYaXYOoHPdrGizzosIfivOGd1dfT-JuVa6yY6r-hFrI0PMIgsYeueZuI_Gk27ySbd84QuX5ty4nF5jLxfaplhzaAxY6O/s4160/IMG_20240308_134546732_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD58QIyOHxLcdLwg-auDGMo0u-diqFi1Bkxz1RtstgWXsV9KdycfyeBOK2hDTeHxHxffEEZXy_I_5aeNQMxBncXZ70Jy4n6BxsuYaXYOoHPdrGizzosIfivOGd1dfT-JuVa6yY6r-hFrI0PMIgsYeueZuI_Gk27ySbd84QuX5ty4nF5jLxfaplhzaAxY6O/w300-h400/IMG_20240308_134546732_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0w6ozz56Jb5qlQ3txSpJpzNQD9pBKK6bFEDHmDTcKOCCcaaHTX0LN2i8_H-TYi307MiQ9MIG1RidTTYIshT34K3oTRGIKEFW91doJVYMo75MWxLXWcuGRza4s7xJWktlgWiDUPzBvOzFzUh7ReR1oxe-omiq0Cn18Sqy7khWgWE6coKKhqKK_MKN_fw7f/s4160/IMG_20240308_134458071.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0w6ozz56Jb5qlQ3txSpJpzNQD9pBKK6bFEDHmDTcKOCCcaaHTX0LN2i8_H-TYi307MiQ9MIG1RidTTYIshT34K3oTRGIKEFW91doJVYMo75MWxLXWcuGRza4s7xJWktlgWiDUPzBvOzFzUh7ReR1oxe-omiq0Cn18Sqy7khWgWE6coKKhqKK_MKN_fw7f/w300-h400/IMG_20240308_134458071.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>Last week, Joseph fabricated a trap door for the stairwell. As he moved the door to the middle of the bus, and it's almost directly across from the bathroom, we felt it would be much safer for us and the dogs, if the hole was covered over while we're travelling, and when we don't need outdoor access, such as at night. He mounted a strong magnet on the end of the armoire, which will hold the door in place, when not in use. Someone mentioned it might be a good place to store our shoes, when we take them off, which sounds like a good idea. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0xQTRcM4tyLLZEhkTBc3NsVFbqHlLmTkY4tTcJ3A4BY-hyDPCubp7mar2YRkfnubDHAOqpQPRTkFYc_Ka3TcS1zKYJAyWufMqF_jxRz1cYOqJpMVnw2NTmDHkFmISygPi1d6vH_bjcelQVYkZBd-cn6kFv1G3clA5mmKCi1iw6ZDpdcRI6xWDL2obHRPb/s4160/IMG_20240308_134319049.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0xQTRcM4tyLLZEhkTBc3NsVFbqHlLmTkY4tTcJ3A4BY-hyDPCubp7mar2YRkfnubDHAOqpQPRTkFYc_Ka3TcS1zKYJAyWufMqF_jxRz1cYOqJpMVnw2NTmDHkFmISygPi1d6vH_bjcelQVYkZBd-cn6kFv1G3clA5mmKCi1iw6ZDpdcRI6xWDL2obHRPb/w300-h400/IMG_20240308_134319049.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p>He also found a CB radio on Marketplace, and fabricated a bracket to mount it. He's working on another mount for the audio system, which includes GPS navigation, DVD player, and backup camera. Onward!</p><p></p><br />Lauriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01156180100389224114noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702232733892626337.post-58487820116664936682024-03-04T06:30:00.002-05:002024-03-04T07:14:53.481-05:00Garden Clean Up & A Winter Experiment <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPIFUR7fCOW8XDgt63sfFFrEY7G07WUUMIBOOdTF5jg4es3_7yscWVXML5Yp8lP8F-x0N5SGzxNEXziyvfCbc2NBajc5z0aqsjbdor8l46SEj7s-FBKYp9gcDpfW0JTvKL6oFawL9BnnX8vRVke3JBnTPolgffgi32usKMy-M5vL6iAjnR_UFpkqXwa4TP/s4160/IMG_20240303_135408073.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPIFUR7fCOW8XDgt63sfFFrEY7G07WUUMIBOOdTF5jg4es3_7yscWVXML5Yp8lP8F-x0N5SGzxNEXziyvfCbc2NBajc5z0aqsjbdor8l46SEj7s-FBKYp9gcDpfW0JTvKL6oFawL9BnnX8vRVke3JBnTPolgffgi32usKMy-M5vL6iAjnR_UFpkqXwa4TP/w300-h400/IMG_20240303_135408073.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>Hello, friends. Last week, J and I cleaned up the garden, pulling up all the cages and plants. We then weeded our asparagus beds, and hope to get leaf mulch on them. Another day, we pruned all our fruit trees and the wine grapes. We've never gotten enough grapes to make wine, and really only had some for fresh eating one year, thanks to the critters. I'm happy these chores are done, and feel more ready for this growing season now. A batch of suet was made for the birds. Lettuce and arugula were replanted. I've been meaning to mention my experiments to overwinter the rosella and dwarf pomegranate plants. Though the rosella bloomed, after being moved into the house in the fall, it died over the winter. I'm happy to have gotten to harvest some small calyces. The pomegranate seems to be happy. Whether it will have enough of a head start to actually grow fruit this year remains to be seen.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcNlMESiYg2WLF7S_QsZoUlrPRIBOfYzYxBlS67LvUO2f-1XdrdU-5WrvGKfJDLh8aj6MoLcjWiZ9McphkoAHeBAQ0G2NzLs13ogLiD1o-yiQMmKI8Phb6qjzqlJNYo4bxxTmXutdaBEsJCke7X1T4PYHnygBCV8-hsCjFr_C4M0ZTQiQG2Mi4OIHRBUh7/s5152/IMG_8430.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5152" data-original-width="3864" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcNlMESiYg2WLF7S_QsZoUlrPRIBOfYzYxBlS67LvUO2f-1XdrdU-5WrvGKfJDLh8aj6MoLcjWiZ9McphkoAHeBAQ0G2NzLs13ogLiD1o-yiQMmKI8Phb6qjzqlJNYo4bxxTmXutdaBEsJCke7X1T4PYHnygBCV8-hsCjFr_C4M0ZTQiQG2Mi4OIHRBUh7/w300-h400/IMG_8430.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">prototype SoulSeeds table</td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p>Last year, a custom table was requested, but the customer ended up going with our standard water filter stand. At some point, I brought the prototype into the house, which has been handy next to my computer. Our powder coat oven holds two of our stands at a time, and with the amount of energy it uses, I always try to paint two at a time for efficiency. Recently, I had an odd number of stands to paint, so I added the prototype table to the batch, which has been on my to do list for some time. We got the last of our estate planning errands finished, and can breathe a sigh of relief, now that it's done. I've had several essential oils I no longer use, due to the price going up too high, making using it for soap not profitable, or poor sales of the soap they were used in. I gathered them all up, and decided to make soap for our personal use, to use them up. The batch I made last week used used fir needle, scotch pine, cypress, and a little geranium added for warmth. It smells like a winter forest. A future batch will likely use rose, jasmine and oakmoss. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrCHsjcLe0jbsVgS3XK-fnOnswGsX2-acrEemMoImGrLbuKeMerHk-IG0bJMXdvSO8oU_r4Lc6u4XLDGfv4I___inn2a_cV0nxjujyX4dvlhrNAGb8nHNT79y3ZnrVJ907-fqYliRhP-0mB3tA3QEAY5nC9ntS4ZpD4bVcXl8om8hE1xqa0zmYTqfBGsom/s4160/IMG_20240226_155929309_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrCHsjcLe0jbsVgS3XK-fnOnswGsX2-acrEemMoImGrLbuKeMerHk-IG0bJMXdvSO8oU_r4Lc6u4XLDGfv4I___inn2a_cV0nxjujyX4dvlhrNAGb8nHNT79y3ZnrVJ907-fqYliRhP-0mB3tA3QEAY5nC9ntS4ZpD4bVcXl8om8hE1xqa0zmYTqfBGsom/w300-h400/IMG_20240226_155929309_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>If you've followed here very long, you may have noticed I plan my schedule with an eye on the weather. So, on our coldest day last week, with a high in the 40's, I canned up some more lentils. I couldn't find notes I'd made during past sessions, and followed the official guidelines (soak 1c per quart) as to amounts, and only ended up with 5 quarts, instead of a full canner load. Oh well, I'll have notes for next time. Speaking of lentils, last week I noticed that Aldi had raised their price from .99 to $1.29/#. I'll see if I can find anywhere cheaper. Recently, I noticed Food Lion's organic potatoes went up .50 per 3# bag. Blueberries for my smoothie were $1 off per bag, so I got three. Gas came down locally to .20, to $3.09, which was welcomed when I filled up. I redeemed a $5 off $15 coupon at Big Lots. I hope you found some good deals, and ways to save money last week. Be well, friends.</p><p><br /></p>Lauriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01156180100389224114noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702232733892626337.post-66565724330780357702024-03-01T17:22:00.001-05:002024-03-01T17:22:39.732-05:00Scrapyard Run & the Stairwell<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY1NCX6DHi5jJFSZu8ePPZxmuv5Notlcz097UVPoi3e1NpIIib5x-bURyUYd__EAI1L2YLu1g21XOZO2i-YPe0ffj28AULy9HcxP1rVe_EbGajvn4uzEl-A6eSXupcrVDoVLGJdxOkqu6vwdfjiTXz8E7WAGuWgf8EjQT0hv6UHRKCXsuLO5c_U0x0eWM5/s4096/1000001250.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY1NCX6DHi5jJFSZu8ePPZxmuv5Notlcz097UVPoi3e1NpIIib5x-bURyUYd__EAI1L2YLu1g21XOZO2i-YPe0ffj28AULy9HcxP1rVe_EbGajvn4uzEl-A6eSXupcrVDoVLGJdxOkqu6vwdfjiTXz8E7WAGuWgf8EjQT0hv6UHRKCXsuLO5c_U0x0eWM5/w300-h400/1000001250.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>This week's biggest skoolie accomplishment was adding wood treads, backs and sides to the stairwell, and polyurethaning it all. My plan is to eventually do the backs of the steps in mosaics, but I can add it right on top of the wood, whenever I get that done. Joseph also fabricated, painted and installed the metal trim pieces along the upper edge and sides. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnfyVbppnQG65im05LlOSJp5jRYvKiQMHsJn9XtET8jiII4r70s43glJV8an-UhlPzS1NqaGaAPfcqVStue4wXkx16FbdFu59psCkoy7pDh4QG0uhrdl15zA7Ey7319pxvd9ho4KwQNKNpeAaVN3lySQ_Mp1Lv4SJU3WrDJaYFMPH_PD_B6CMTjPgQW9G4/s5152/IMG_8421.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3864" data-original-width="5152" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnfyVbppnQG65im05LlOSJp5jRYvKiQMHsJn9XtET8jiII4r70s43glJV8an-UhlPzS1NqaGaAPfcqVStue4wXkx16FbdFu59psCkoy7pDh4QG0uhrdl15zA7Ey7319pxvd9ho4KwQNKNpeAaVN3lySQ_Mp1Lv4SJU3WrDJaYFMPH_PD_B6CMTjPgQW9G4/w400-h300/IMG_8421.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>Another accomplishment was cleaning up the area around the bus, with all the metal we no longer need, and taking it to the scrap yard. We did add some random things, such as our old grill and a satellite dish from the rental house, but 80% of it was metal from the skoolie. Onward!</p><p><br /></p>Lauriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01156180100389224114noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702232733892626337.post-23720261601710018242024-02-26T06:30:00.002-05:002024-02-26T10:36:07.645-05:00Taxes & Simple Meals<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHJWhjZGiAPyc268iw4UK1yV9tU-bvdKir55FS5niMZU09TNAqlsQ9klt8Z0pSMohvwfUojqu5_TKArBVpdJHBCNi6XBqDU7PXSH9RY5Wcet7Fo6KLtrS0x5n4ykHMYv5xRAHFxRYIqAwgec0xG5oF5PAJ6kE29-oQigHyHZlCC9Vq8cRKz9o-biojemOM/s5152/IMG_8391.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5152" data-original-width="3864" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHJWhjZGiAPyc268iw4UK1yV9tU-bvdKir55FS5niMZU09TNAqlsQ9klt8Z0pSMohvwfUojqu5_TKArBVpdJHBCNi6XBqDU7PXSH9RY5Wcet7Fo6KLtrS0x5n4ykHMYv5xRAHFxRYIqAwgec0xG5oF5PAJ6kE29-oQigHyHZlCC9Vq8cRKz9o-biojemOM/w300-h400/IMG_8391.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>Hello, friends. Last week, I gathered some of our butternut squash, and made curried butternut lentil soup for a dinner. I decided to prep the rest of the butternut squash, made a crumble with half, and froze the rest. Kale was harvested for a salad. All but one broccoli died during the cold temps, but I was able to harvest some small shoots from it this week, which were blanched and frozen. I received a Rakuten cash back check for $19.74. A box of groceries was dropped off at the local food pantry. All of it was picked up at grocery markdown or Dollar Tree. I filed my first dental claim with Medicare, after a cleaning. I don't know if they'll cover any of it, but it's worth a try. I see a holistic dentist, who doesn't take insurance, so we'll see. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCstJ8u83leCZrST9EU6Hb9AKqjYGD8ANm5Z-MTbrgRHnRTd6kiFyFoVCYDMmKsMaUSAIcj9vlDq2zwTmQM4XOan6wyDnHDyMnP151Vtzbx2Pd3xfUE481K7AvdxnxPauGkB-uKyogcXlKNgT2YJ7uImFNR0RzqdyFXLFX0tF14VbJHE6sZhuUIkZbVlW5/s3120/IMG_20240221_120807_975.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="2657" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCstJ8u83leCZrST9EU6Hb9AKqjYGD8ANm5Z-MTbrgRHnRTd6kiFyFoVCYDMmKsMaUSAIcj9vlDq2zwTmQM4XOan6wyDnHDyMnP151Vtzbx2Pd3xfUE481K7AvdxnxPauGkB-uKyogcXlKNgT2YJ7uImFNR0RzqdyFXLFX0tF14VbJHE6sZhuUIkZbVlW5/w341-h400/IMG_20240221_120807_975.webp" width="341" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>I picked up a 2L bottle in our ditch, and plan to recycle it as a wintersown container. I'm not happy about all the trash that gets thrown in our ditch, but at least this can be re-used. A jar of crowder peas was pulled from the pantry, for a dinner with brown rice and salad. I finished working on our tax prep, and we dropped it off at our tax preparer. That's always a load off my shoulders. Veggie scraps were taking over the freezer, so I pulled out 6 1/2 gallon bags and simmered them on the woodstove, then canned broth the next day. I baked another round of chocolate chip cookies for J. The peas have started coming up in the garden. I plan to resow lettuce and parsley this week. We were surprised to run out of rainwater last week. After just a few days, the toilet is already staining orange. There's a good bit of rain in the forecast, so we hope to soon be back on rainwater.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZcdJRStKzMbqytcybSyd7Gfxjp-n0QC9W3nEQsHIhJg-E3k14XuFS2ighQ79XiXJPHdWhiV9nZg0AkJZf7yYOAkNn12ExZXbUpMjFdrTRfT_5AQqwzI2FeoHuo6XJFxqTVVyevymEDH8zAdYxak_CuE-w3U63tsizdoKqO9LTx7UxMXepza2NB4nYMpI1/s4160/IMG_20240224_095803706_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZcdJRStKzMbqytcybSyd7Gfxjp-n0QC9W3nEQsHIhJg-E3k14XuFS2ighQ79XiXJPHdWhiV9nZg0AkJZf7yYOAkNn12ExZXbUpMjFdrTRfT_5AQqwzI2FeoHuo6XJFxqTVVyevymEDH8zAdYxak_CuE-w3U63tsizdoKqO9LTx7UxMXepza2NB4nYMpI1/w300-h400/IMG_20240224_095803706_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>My sister and I spent a day together. We did our usual thrifting. Other than a vest for myself, I bought a canister for the shop, and several needed kitchen items and a pretty, sunflower needlepoint I'll make a pillow with for the skoolie. We also went by a discount grocery, where I got four containers of dijon mustard, 2 quarts of organic apple juice, and seven dried organic fruit snacks for $11 and change. My niece's house is our meeting point, and I dropped off a spider plant baby for her while there, which was mentioned when she and her Mom were at my house recently. All the homegrown broccoli was pulled from the freezer for a simple dinner, which we had with potatoes and rutabaga. I started the 28-day raw food cleanse on Saturday. He does say if you feel the need for cooked food, to have some steamed veggies, then you can pick it back up. I'm going to be easy on myself, and if I want cooked food or just want to stop at any point, I figure that any part of it is better than not doing it. I know with the 9-day one I usually do, I'm usually jonesing for potatoes after about Day 7. We'll see how it goes. Wishing you a most lovely week.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Lauriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01156180100389224114noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702232733892626337.post-70358377802404381272024-02-23T10:00:00.001-05:002024-02-23T10:00:00.135-05:00Door Framing & The Fridge<p> </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh450XYAkpluoa7OlPNRZvEb1OS_8fR3xn_M7oFVLTLVYTNgrx7rOM-SivS4eeEFHASJ2YaCe7S4rRNyESKjCyK_FdAKoMVnheBYD7lgKUFM5FNwjH0EcJREssJluScq7vsnK5mWhyphenhyphenkXJ6EiDYqua7djn-47Ac7Xtv-xCWK9UoSSTXcr0txMhyphenhyphenlrEnpFirD/s5152/IMG_8394.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3864" data-original-width="5152" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh450XYAkpluoa7OlPNRZvEb1OS_8fR3xn_M7oFVLTLVYTNgrx7rOM-SivS4eeEFHASJ2YaCe7S4rRNyESKjCyK_FdAKoMVnheBYD7lgKUFM5FNwjH0EcJREssJluScq7vsnK5mWhyphenhyphenkXJ6EiDYqua7djn-47Ac7Xtv-xCWK9UoSSTXcr0txMhyphenhyphenlrEnpFirD/w400-h300/IMG_8394.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>Since the last post, Joseph framed in the bedroom door opening. I'm planning on putting up some sort of curtain here.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4fAEEKQH1LITGvJRB9KEjoIzkri_pIGUhtN6HeFOabhbJpUCJbU9eezueGC0suPEZWwKDzfX-25qzcNcHVHdZ4PTrbL-LcrUfjjeMCxTC4RyqANP1dGMn3Z1aJb8ghzS7I-kHCkzmyy9W7lllryYqsNTtdNUc_FdjpNgdLFB6mAdFqU-29rco0puOv7WY/s5152/IMG_8396.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3864" data-original-width="5152" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4fAEEKQH1LITGvJRB9KEjoIzkri_pIGUhtN6HeFOabhbJpUCJbU9eezueGC0suPEZWwKDzfX-25qzcNcHVHdZ4PTrbL-LcrUfjjeMCxTC4RyqANP1dGMn3Z1aJb8ghzS7I-kHCkzmyy9W7lllryYqsNTtdNUc_FdjpNgdLFB6mAdFqU-29rco0puOv7WY/w400-h300/IMG_8396.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>He's put up more molding, including the area behind the refrigerator.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6qpGngkOPlWKRCUDb6IRTGKVhNjkkxwoIQS7ikteXNMgY-Uy7km7mkqf3mLz8s3NuH86-kyP_QrEu-6ovBHkNRd6fo5_3QHaibRRVG6JlIUOSF68yJfUF67kqtt_nzj31fpg61AuBl6IAvkSDGrTLtR3Cclkz6rG0aX4JLieANxjDJA1OIgYA2rzB3Paw/s4160/IMG_20240218_130514096.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6qpGngkOPlWKRCUDb6IRTGKVhNjkkxwoIQS7ikteXNMgY-Uy7km7mkqf3mLz8s3NuH86-kyP_QrEu-6ovBHkNRd6fo5_3QHaibRRVG6JlIUOSF68yJfUF67kqtt_nzj31fpg61AuBl6IAvkSDGrTLtR3Cclkz6rG0aX4JLieANxjDJA1OIgYA2rzB3Paw/w300-h400/IMG_20240218_130514096.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Then I helped him get the refrigerator into the skoolie, so it's now in place. Moving right along!</p><p><br /></p>Lauriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01156180100389224114noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702232733892626337.post-27117275806519924112024-02-19T06:30:00.002-05:002024-02-19T09:40:28.294-05:00A Few Blooms<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX4zWEVLsMzMfPuyuEmTWDJfOLtr5rmb4ldBYW5PYgh7YnjulQLVt-uaXLKBatQSNhEeRfnNvoPnZEfkRbAU10h85i_DAIbfwWPUsG5Vxrn5cHBsOieRAwDEtvU4PG8PW3bsxUTINeYeZqbkG4XheXujNqNeRXNvkbBhu9Rv2GMlG7ejgUs7Xd5B17CVmU/s4160/IMG_20240218_130631418_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX4zWEVLsMzMfPuyuEmTWDJfOLtr5rmb4ldBYW5PYgh7YnjulQLVt-uaXLKBatQSNhEeRfnNvoPnZEfkRbAU10h85i_DAIbfwWPUsG5Vxrn5cHBsOieRAwDEtvU4PG8PW3bsxUTINeYeZqbkG4XheXujNqNeRXNvkbBhu9Rv2GMlG7ejgUs7Xd5B17CVmU/w300-h400/IMG_20240218_130631418_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIFwTTH_GFIqdMgj6uw5ITAjdrrxo2ov1_p6wtgs41kUKYY6khNSzmBsM5VdiI2rxqaU8nbHzMaD70bHnJsLwBT7oBup4gNyGtwA7RC78-bHnxRqxlseHxr00l_fQ15ighZwUP7Imz2r68H-c_GNG9HlfiBRLtOb1dDj0ouXolD-Zz_08Yf9zMMxljM-_3/s5152/IMG_8380.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3864" data-original-width="5152" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIFwTTH_GFIqdMgj6uw5ITAjdrrxo2ov1_p6wtgs41kUKYY6khNSzmBsM5VdiI2rxqaU8nbHzMaD70bHnJsLwBT7oBup4gNyGtwA7RC78-bHnxRqxlseHxr00l_fQ15ighZwUP7Imz2r68H-c_GNG9HlfiBRLtOb1dDj0ouXolD-Zz_08Yf9zMMxljM-_3/s320/IMG_8380.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>Hello, friends. I hope you all had a lovely Valentine's Day. We decided to have a quiet evening at home this year. J requested <a href="https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/spaghetti-with-olives-and-bread-crumbs-recipe-1938715">this</a> pasta, and I picked greens from the garden for a winter salad. As I had a few day's notice, I was able to dry several slices of GF bread, to make the bread crumbs for the pasta. I saw mention of a <a href="https://bigpicturefarm.com/?utm_campaign=gs-2020-03-24&utm_source=google&utm_medium=smart_campaign&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAlcyuBhBnEiwAOGZ2S-8wjdCASbwHgcoEaGgYq6UXN11cyj1zsnv1q7zdpUwlSpnNo8n0jRoCxpgQAvD_BwE">goat farm</a> in Vermont, who make chocolates and caramels with goats milk. Since having <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/alpha-gal/index.html#:~:text=Alpha%2Dgal%20syndrome%20(AGS),other%20products%20containing%20alpha%2Dgal.">Alpha-gal syndrome</a>, J's realized he can tolerate goat's milk products, so I bought him some for Valentine's Day, which he's enjoying. The farm was one impacted by the floods last year, and it felt good to support them.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibWH1_E2mJ50WFUbjby_SJeO-8pDixMMRD3RmCXe01D4zhqLoRNsIMq5gjDoPa1eOmsekqWQf7V_ylyK7XHhy9qrbqPNsghVwXMyW6s8f_EFkjArAZhwybELqEwOg_PT8ZuyHry7ZId2Unn4zMTkp7UQjJs_J6lEsXXHH1e-bE8H0XEUqb9Gh6yNm4DjIt/s4160/IMG_20240214_120900613_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibWH1_E2mJ50WFUbjby_SJeO-8pDixMMRD3RmCXe01D4zhqLoRNsIMq5gjDoPa1eOmsekqWQf7V_ylyK7XHhy9qrbqPNsghVwXMyW6s8f_EFkjArAZhwybELqEwOg_PT8ZuyHry7ZId2Unn4zMTkp7UQjJs_J6lEsXXHH1e-bE8H0XEUqb9Gh6yNm4DjIt/w300-h400/IMG_20240214_120900613_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>Here's a <a href="http://www.rural-revolution.com/2024/02/interesting-pictures.html">link </a>to some very cool photos that Patrice shared. I really enjoyed them, and hope you do too. Laundry was all dried on the line. Golden paste was made for the pups. A pot of sweet potatoes for the critters was simmered on the woodstove. While in town for an appointment, and to make a soap delivery, I stopped at a favorite thrift store. I found a large pottery planter for $15, a new roll of ribbon and nice piece of brown velvet for .25 ea. I'm always looking for good deals on large planters, for repotting, and was happy to find these treasures. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYsZB7nTjoFvZyUpwnb5WXMx6QiI8M1iN3UyjTz7AvwErKw7dVjxIhTxQJVfNavYWwlIkZgMxy7aR7OOX2KGqw_tIHqix2W2FFY_lLGwNIUa2k-c3FNQJRLgM6ANtO1PqRzpADQeOxB-J8mUCODmVfDiHRGFfxaqj9uIGIwHrPpCVqqKJ4jSAGRRelUGpC/s4160/IMG_20240217_114926917.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYsZB7nTjoFvZyUpwnb5WXMx6QiI8M1iN3UyjTz7AvwErKw7dVjxIhTxQJVfNavYWwlIkZgMxy7aR7OOX2KGqw_tIHqix2W2FFY_lLGwNIUa2k-c3FNQJRLgM6ANtO1PqRzpADQeOxB-J8mUCODmVfDiHRGFfxaqj9uIGIwHrPpCVqqKJ4jSAGRRelUGpC/w300-h400/IMG_20240217_114926917.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>Quite a few of the wintersown seeds have germinated. The daffodils and hellebores are blooming, with some of the snowbells starting. I've been reading about an MM 28 day raw cleanse, and testimonials on how it has moved the needle on a number of people's health challenges. I'm planning on starting it soon, and have been collecting suggested recipes I think I might like to eat during it. The above pic is his <a href="https://www.medicalmedium.com/blog/banana-lettuce-boats">Banana Lettuce Boats</a>, which was really good. My blender didn't get the date "caramel sauce" as creamy as it should be, so I'll try my Bullet the next time. It tastes great, even if it turns out similarly. A friend shared <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVHn6VemILA">this</a> beautiful song. Wishing you a lovely week! </p><p><br /></p>Lauriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01156180100389224114noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702232733892626337.post-59803974917200827122024-02-12T06:30:00.001-05:002024-02-12T06:30:00.133-05:00Canning Lessons & Estate Planning<p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjBDAZmdsu0nM8WspoPwNUQE57y59kpay8lfUp3hsV8R1ReeTrVW9CX6S3BFWJGoPwO9uJXvhijl5F9tjbEUK15eqdC_3SPeQZADTdHXn2qBI-dLNMWts9IdECCJWWvNoBW61EmDNO3PPRVy1j7eZkGaVRbOg3x2WBQzZonEmDrVut3qy7dc2oupj5k7by/s4160/IMG_20240202_185648799.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjBDAZmdsu0nM8WspoPwNUQE57y59kpay8lfUp3hsV8R1ReeTrVW9CX6S3BFWJGoPwO9uJXvhijl5F9tjbEUK15eqdC_3SPeQZADTdHXn2qBI-dLNMWts9IdECCJWWvNoBW61EmDNO3PPRVy1j7eZkGaVRbOg3x2WBQzZonEmDrVut3qy7dc2oupj5k7by/s320/IMG_20240202_185648799.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Hello, friends. Last week, I sowed two rows of peas in the garden, including seeds I saved last year. Every year, I hope I'll have enough to put some up. Maybe this will be the year. I soaked dried white beans one morning, which were used for baked beans, with hope that the recipe was tastier than the previous ones, more like traditional baked beans. This batch was much better, after adding molasses and lemon juice. A batch of cashew parmesan was made. And, drum roll... I finally used up the last of the '22 "football" sweet potatoes, and started on the '23's. I'm happy about that. All laundry was dried on the line, and I caught up on ironing, which was all the napkins and tablecloths from the holiday gatherings. The success with the baked beans inspired me to can a batch. While watching the canner, I hand mended a sweater and a vest. The chicken's egg production has increased, with the longer days.<p></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmtpgsTZk0hGYE81aSn4aiSDNuIppUQoRABflxRbVm_VzM-FtvX-70gQ1qCyApfF4RthHv3ECKX2tudqCC4xNZbYkkKNO6TzHIdXi1svDA5y6la1t2yzEn1Uxv2WKMQCZlmmYYy9ECpYjFB2OCsWOFUAqfkPAsQFlLvWtoVHQB5JugWatNxids5nCRUJlx/s4160/IMG_20240208_155137873_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmtpgsTZk0hGYE81aSn4aiSDNuIppUQoRABflxRbVm_VzM-FtvX-70gQ1qCyApfF4RthHv3ECKX2tudqCC4xNZbYkkKNO6TzHIdXi1svDA5y6la1t2yzEn1Uxv2WKMQCZlmmYYy9ECpYjFB2OCsWOFUAqfkPAsQFlLvWtoVHQB5JugWatNxids5nCRUJlx/w300-h400/IMG_20240208_155137873_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p>We are in the midst of having our wills made. As suggested, I went by the bank, and made sure J would have access to my accounts in the event of my death, without having to go through the court. We're looking into what is needed to do the same for our vehicles. We're late getting to it, though we've been talking about it for years. It's good to finally be taking care of it, knowing the other person would have an easier time of it, once that time comes. Recently, dear <a href="https://thebluebirdsarenestingonthefarm.blogspot.com/">Annabel</a> unexpectedly lost her husband. He had taken care of many details for the family in December, almost as if he knew what would come to pass. While at the bank, I spoke with a woman who has a family member with eczema, which continues to get worse. I shared a little bit about the <a href="https://www.medicalmedium.com/blog/eczema-and-psoriasis">Medical Medium</a> with her, and the morning protocol, which has helped me so much. While there, I dropped off a book at the library and picked up a couple more. There have been a few days warm enough to open windows, for fresh air in the house.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyzsE8vp50hTkJt4ybGivV6ERH_pg21U6Sbxk9HaLM2A9G3bo0Rsu3QKRaCewh0BGrXkiJKtl0oAi6mWeq-0IDPuqyvqzYaNCUvVNAfD6UAvkkNUJzMkDQ2mwnEBr0cuBUtH2eX9-mod6CUnRyA1xZ58kHp2neZadA0uOacV71v2Ie4AmHLEDm2ci4dtbi/s4160/IMG_20240210_171914846.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyzsE8vp50hTkJt4ybGivV6ERH_pg21U6Sbxk9HaLM2A9G3bo0Rsu3QKRaCewh0BGrXkiJKtl0oAi6mWeq-0IDPuqyvqzYaNCUvVNAfD6UAvkkNUJzMkDQ2mwnEBr0cuBUtH2eX9-mod6CUnRyA1xZ58kHp2neZadA0uOacV71v2Ie4AmHLEDm2ci4dtbi/w300-h400/IMG_20240210_171914846.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>On Saturday, my sister came over to learn about pressure canning. She had soaked garbanzo beans and lentils overnight, and brought them, and the jars and lids with her. With some changes in plans, my niece was able to join us as well. It was a good day, and also lovely and warm. We talked a bit about gardening too, when we had lulls in the canning tasks. All of the jars sealed, so a successful first attempt. I've been intending to work on using up the whole wheat flour J had bought, knowing it doesn't have a long shelf life, so I made a batch of <a href="https://abelabodycare.blogspot.com/2018/08/natural-dyeing-fall-soap-frugal.html">these</a> chocolate chip cookies for him. I baked a few of them, with the remaining dough in the fridge for upcoming days. He was given 3# of sausage from a guy he does a lot of work for. The beeswax candles in the first photo are some our great-nephew made. We loved using them for our dinners last week. I hope love of all kinds surrounds the world this Valentine's Day.</p><p><br /></p>Lauriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01156180100389224114noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702232733892626337.post-9936679747466745632024-02-09T16:46:00.000-05:002024-02-09T16:46:19.317-05:00Trim Molding & A Little More Flooring<p> As Joseph worked in another town all week, there wasn't a huge amount that got accomplished in the skoolie.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9NAdWCj32D0aq2FdF7xsGfhRyOHgFxNL7zebNpliPMJ-YOwFiLUfGyxQJi76fF_YuXYVSQAvbm_3Ow5rCKMZVSieIurrOYA2sBfTzR98vwurVmQklUDdONQLL0ODQd_QAn17NM2oe6Kk97VQPuMp6S34mJfyjAWrJFEtjwcSya2KyqZYiGhkH6hbdrOs4/s4160/IMG_20240209_113522247.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9NAdWCj32D0aq2FdF7xsGfhRyOHgFxNL7zebNpliPMJ-YOwFiLUfGyxQJi76fF_YuXYVSQAvbm_3Ow5rCKMZVSieIurrOYA2sBfTzR98vwurVmQklUDdONQLL0ODQd_QAn17NM2oe6Kk97VQPuMp6S34mJfyjAWrJFEtjwcSya2KyqZYiGhkH6hbdrOs4/w400-h300/IMG_20240209_113522247.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>He did work on trim molding, and got the window above the kitchen sink finished.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfYdR8B7Vv_rAHzl8vH3EiA5iny9aNjrF3wWiGrzkkzXKJ6BCC7OwJBybtcL3SdhV_U7rOe6WPF0vVzFpBObhDYPZXUm6gdmHIWYN9zkTZ8l6Pq5vkEOoqDhCfcjtR6avmZcS2FTX5Ni1K0YeNulqMJfY_h-3RwyuoLQTruiLhqZIk3y-4B9wMz9Bhcpbu/s4160/IMG_20240209_113504521_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfYdR8B7Vv_rAHzl8vH3EiA5iny9aNjrF3wWiGrzkkzXKJ6BCC7OwJBybtcL3SdhV_U7rOe6WPF0vVzFpBObhDYPZXUm6gdmHIWYN9zkTZ8l6Pq5vkEOoqDhCfcjtR6avmZcS2FTX5Ni1K0YeNulqMJfY_h-3RwyuoLQTruiLhqZIk3y-4B9wMz9Bhcpbu/w400-h300/IMG_20240209_113504521_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>And the window across from it, at our dinette, as well as more molding at the ceiling and in the hallway.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDWAB1HAODN21GxD3zDRuaJpJGYkCpaWpep6ay8CeU38iTiojsp42EWOu6AQl55OXBljxKEo_SEcjG2Uyh4u1a6vhhWx4Pxwf3dCepDPCpCkfI-7RduHsAzgZQSRaGmcWSrDVjD7zsKtRuBpSE0A8cKPvN5qm-mcw4fqAV2fp7JL2SUFvg0TdQ3SakxdAA/s4160/IMG_20240209_114854236.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDWAB1HAODN21GxD3zDRuaJpJGYkCpaWpep6ay8CeU38iTiojsp42EWOu6AQl55OXBljxKEo_SEcjG2Uyh4u1a6vhhWx4Pxwf3dCepDPCpCkfI-7RduHsAzgZQSRaGmcWSrDVjD7zsKtRuBpSE0A8cKPvN5qm-mcw4fqAV2fp7JL2SUFvg0TdQ3SakxdAA/w300-h400/IMG_20240209_114854236.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p>He also finished putting down the flooring in the hallway and beneath the armoires. So many little steps, but he's getting them done!</p><p><br /></p>Lauriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01156180100389224114noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702232733892626337.post-77814838705927627502024-02-05T07:01:00.002-05:002024-02-05T07:01:23.330-05:00Winter Sowing & Some Canning<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJAZYABioMwoClylH1VdAN8tyTRdMPQP-9dD8MiGyWF-TS9jK56cN4X6EhkZtpzTsftOv1K2zNF5ycB5ihpL-I3sTgVuWnR8L-qcakDnk0Non4FeJjjoEj_VnUERAeLUtvGL6EuAGDDuGf1wR-zJSHr4GtrpqhYIweSLdJcD9pU5piyNAvK5WfQtEfEu-l/s3120/IMG_20240130_090604_553.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="2706" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJAZYABioMwoClylH1VdAN8tyTRdMPQP-9dD8MiGyWF-TS9jK56cN4X6EhkZtpzTsftOv1K2zNF5ycB5ihpL-I3sTgVuWnR8L-qcakDnk0Non4FeJjjoEj_VnUERAeLUtvGL6EuAGDDuGf1wR-zJSHr4GtrpqhYIweSLdJcD9pU5piyNAvK5WfQtEfEu-l/w348-h400/IMG_20240130_090604_553.webp" width="348" /></a></div><p></p><p><br /></p><p>Hello, friends. On a lovely day last week, I wintersowed many flower seeds. Some include bachelor buttons, hollyhocks, sunflowers, borage, zinnias and marigolds. J planted onions, and worked up the soil, so I can plant peas this week. Laundry was all dried on the line. A number of stained items were treated with a stain remover soak. It did a very good job on some, and some are being soaked again, to hopefully fully remove the stain. A batch of suet was made for the birds. The usual composting, saving warm up water, shredding paper and cardboard, collecting rainwater, and using homemade soap happened. Homemade pizza crust and pizza sauce were pulled from the freezer, some veggies chopped, and a quick meal was enjoyed. We enjoyed a lovely evening with several neighbors. I brought veggies and hummus, made using home canned chickpeas and our garlic. The leftover celery and carrots were chopped for a vegetable bean soup the next day, with our onions & garlic, home canned tomatoes, squash and cabbage. Beans were canned. First, was a mix of black-eyed and Iron & Clay peas. Then I canned a batch of black beans. One jar of peas didn't seal, and was added to our vegetable soup. My sister has been wanting to learn to can. Last year, she came to learn how to can tomatoes. This coming week, she'll be learning to can dry beans. I'm looking forward to her visit. Wishing you a lovely week!</p><p><br /></p>Lauriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01156180100389224114noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702232733892626337.post-21530918081526804992024-02-02T16:05:00.000-05:002024-02-02T16:05:47.558-05:00Flooring & The Co-Pilot Seat<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm6RAuYINkVppdHq2t2b0Oc9FNckH4LK4PF65JjMXiKlZj8YmyJsZv4M10D3brgQyBByQqurLx57zHYy7QfHORGvQgqDxRcwcqhKL8reraFmPAghyphenhyphen3gLegHDND3jsrUxct6Am3Op6q04tgvGPZrM-c5m3w5PD_V4HLRwmQWRUAydWOMuOUK4OiopmsWfQR/s4160/IMG_20240202_153616659.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm6RAuYINkVppdHq2t2b0Oc9FNckH4LK4PF65JjMXiKlZj8YmyJsZv4M10D3brgQyBByQqurLx57zHYy7QfHORGvQgqDxRcwcqhKL8reraFmPAghyphenhyphen3gLegHDND3jsrUxct6Am3Op6q04tgvGPZrM-c5m3w5PD_V4HLRwmQWRUAydWOMuOUK4OiopmsWfQR/w300-h400/IMG_20240202_153616659.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p>Hello, friends. Joseph has been working on the skoolie flooring. He's finished the bathroom.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWdD1JqGJvHo6Jovmw8omZjQO0I4sW7_s4ENcFBqIQp27q1g1XQuGKmvEg641nA4jC7_6epnlu93CxHpG6QFSl6io4S-QjMr13st2lr9jFA20Koc5c5OyRSZDrL5AuR0OzANgrpSfJ1UYJX3hX0UZl3q_PLm3Tauchfxar-JV9tugT5fTgNnXf5Itq_X5o/s4160/IMG_20240202_153651827.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWdD1JqGJvHo6Jovmw8omZjQO0I4sW7_s4ENcFBqIQp27q1g1XQuGKmvEg641nA4jC7_6epnlu93CxHpG6QFSl6io4S-QjMr13st2lr9jFA20Koc5c5OyRSZDrL5AuR0OzANgrpSfJ1UYJX3hX0UZl3q_PLm3Tauchfxar-JV9tugT5fTgNnXf5Itq_X5o/w300-h400/IMG_20240202_153651827.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p>And he's made good progress everywhere else. He's finished the living area. From the bathroom back to the bedroom is partially done.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO3oil1bLW9CGztGUnKXXTx752G33rH-1yk4Z-7eDITSmUDXywHIeY0Kc3cMSNz8wnG-fG02ETl4zIpGw_VOW4W1PvpGhO1i_V34j9ViOMFyCtTpU-QyOW1Q1W-kzBBpR4lMdf0qcvWdBj0KZ2hQxxoVN-yL5ZN6G-DEA6yAnYp629vA_GWVyPPKJ5SbNz/s4160/IMG_20240202_153806310_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO3oil1bLW9CGztGUnKXXTx752G33rH-1yk4Z-7eDITSmUDXywHIeY0Kc3cMSNz8wnG-fG02ETl4zIpGw_VOW4W1PvpGhO1i_V34j9ViOMFyCtTpU-QyOW1Q1W-kzBBpR4lMdf0qcvWdBj0KZ2hQxxoVN-yL5ZN6G-DEA6yAnYp629vA_GWVyPPKJ5SbNz/w300-h400/IMG_20240202_153806310_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p>He picked up my newly reupholstered co-pilot seat, along with the dinette cushions. I'll share those once they're in place. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB2RJYV7c939kFxVjLmmE-C_fQmBZMsAkLm4fFlGwQ4iJvGvBGhhRB2CnOOTuMfJmW5GYGsP2Bb2ModNKOY6rLzMydtO5dzDTuKgJRbhRmBkBBfkbgi95wUaXmP3UXQlLqnTA5Wq-7XmQv7d_HVYVwt1VqdVey3PHtfbSLaYJWT82tVLwxOklNu8svrR7T/s4160/IMG_20240201_165957423.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB2RJYV7c939kFxVjLmmE-C_fQmBZMsAkLm4fFlGwQ4iJvGvBGhhRB2CnOOTuMfJmW5GYGsP2Bb2ModNKOY6rLzMydtO5dzDTuKgJRbhRmBkBBfkbgi95wUaXmP3UXQlLqnTA5Wq-7XmQv7d_HVYVwt1VqdVey3PHtfbSLaYJWT82tVLwxOklNu8svrR7T/w300-h400/IMG_20240201_165957423.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRgY9tPL1emq831eysbRL9wgk_Lryv1zWletP80u-CfqWK5rkRc5FsVbJUfLgaD6MTTYYgpeTP22rqeeHYqhYEZIPYNBw_GesKY12FJG-RYb4hMW7eVGURcDfZ-6_ZTql47nBQHmhw3-x_ENIRy8rM4AjMNlmU_MWR71BkCIkCdPFLHVPH2cbUaY-JwjIw/s4160/IMG_20240201_170106441.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRgY9tPL1emq831eysbRL9wgk_Lryv1zWletP80u-CfqWK5rkRc5FsVbJUfLgaD6MTTYYgpeTP22rqeeHYqhYEZIPYNBw_GesKY12FJG-RYb4hMW7eVGURcDfZ-6_ZTql47nBQHmhw3-x_ENIRy8rM4AjMNlmU_MWR71BkCIkCdPFLHVPH2cbUaY-JwjIw/w300-h400/IMG_20240201_170106441.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p><a href="https://getmetothecountry.blogspot.com/">Jeannie</a> requested some recent pics of McNibs. Here he is looking dapper in his winter coat. It's funny. For the first 11 or so years of his life, he was very quiet. These days, whenever he's excited, like before and after walks, he barks exuberantly. That silly boy makes me laugh just about every day. I'm so glad he's home. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Lauriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01156180100389224114noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702232733892626337.post-89583188065178594152024-01-29T06:30:00.001-05:002024-01-29T06:30:00.147-05:00Late January Days<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg98MHXf79-cw8d2pc9IBvxeAsWONlrY28xtbR_FU74G3OMsa97fOhQfIlyR4oMOhzGbFq-McZaHXJoDRMCHdyCCfVKPlsJOYW5qZlIcmV9QEAyYQplPdF6K1y3qxErGrvhaM18-UehhWpjLO6V0A38mCpvjMRi80B5aoh2mHu4-TXvou2eshbnmCMhVevh/s5152/IMG_8282.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5152" data-original-width="3864" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg98MHXf79-cw8d2pc9IBvxeAsWONlrY28xtbR_FU74G3OMsa97fOhQfIlyR4oMOhzGbFq-McZaHXJoDRMCHdyCCfVKPlsJOYW5qZlIcmV9QEAyYQplPdF6K1y3qxErGrvhaM18-UehhWpjLO6V0A38mCpvjMRi80B5aoh2mHu4-TXvou2eshbnmCMhVevh/w300-h400/IMG_8282.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>Hello, friends. Last week, I made golden paste for the pups, and a double batch of ketchup. All but one jar of the ketchup was frozen for future use. Soapmaking oils were melted on the woodstove. A pot of sweet potatoes was brought to a boil on the gas stove, then placed on the woodstove to finish cooking. Back in the fall, I had picked up lentils at Dollar Tree, $1.25 for 12 oz., but I recently heard Aldi's carries them for .99/#, and picked up two pounds, at a savings of .04 per oz. or .68 a lb. All these little amounts add up. When dropping a book off at the library, I looked through their movies, and checked three out. I do the most screen watching this time of year, to amuse myself during the long nights. I was happy to see an old favorite series of mine, Northern Exposure, is now free to watch on Prime, and watched the first episode.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghR-jYKqOUDmsqJhbz8jzkk7sdd5qyX0_uHTICnhkRmpYMn9PSpXW-oXe7ckRMqdnk8Stf8p1EJWs-ZAC9uhAz4b_ZREvQBewQPy20yOTdE5PpsIHClplqqg37Lwzx-elVisitz3RSHpL2FTKqT6Z0TeYZrJkmgWP0ZD0W8x3hdVa4QDGQUWhxUDwOO0Dw/s5152/IMG_8286.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3864" data-original-width="5152" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghR-jYKqOUDmsqJhbz8jzkk7sdd5qyX0_uHTICnhkRmpYMn9PSpXW-oXe7ckRMqdnk8Stf8p1EJWs-ZAC9uhAz4b_ZREvQBewQPy20yOTdE5PpsIHClplqqg37Lwzx-elVisitz3RSHpL2FTKqT6Z0TeYZrJkmgWP0ZD0W8x3hdVa4QDGQUWhxUDwOO0Dw/w400-h300/IMG_8286.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>We had another cold spell, which froze the pond. We don't see that every year. When it warmed back up, I winter sowed three types of lettuce, arugula, mache and parsley. A lb. of wood ash was applied at the drip line of the majority of our fruit trees. The next time J cleans out the woodstove, I'll be able to finish the others. The early flowers are waking up. Last week, I noticed daffodil and hellebore flower buds. I look forward to the return of the flowers. One of the large sweet potatoes was dehydrated for pup treats. I cooked up several bags of our frozen lima beans, seasoned with our onions and vegetable broth for a gathering to celebrate my MIL's birthday. Colcannon was also requested and brought. The seeds of the lima beans have been handed down multiple generations of J's Mom's family. At the grocery store, we got cherries for $3.99/# and lemons $1 off 2#. This week looks to be a quiet one at home, which I'm looking forward to. Wishing you a most lovely week.</p><p><br /></p>Lauriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01156180100389224114noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702232733892626337.post-73326392562631338662024-01-26T13:39:00.000-05:002024-01-26T13:39:05.802-05:00January Progress On The Skoolie<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrEcQ9HpkVt5EWqqOc67J4TTem1xtDib1nYCXQCjvq9CZ_chmxe6mHOgg9JXjU6qvNj3-l4aIp_TrePH0ORorL6z-OeGlpqdGocg3WIuQeb4dfS4s02viXgbtHcp3g4r_hIAr9NvBhOKnLnd3cGQX2i2cQKriLT2Y5sf5CSSpNPIFCKlxaTKB7btgU46kt/s4160/IMG_20240126_130707336_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrEcQ9HpkVt5EWqqOc67J4TTem1xtDib1nYCXQCjvq9CZ_chmxe6mHOgg9JXjU6qvNj3-l4aIp_TrePH0ORorL6z-OeGlpqdGocg3WIuQeb4dfS4s02viXgbtHcp3g4r_hIAr9NvBhOKnLnd3cGQX2i2cQKriLT2Y5sf5CSSpNPIFCKlxaTKB7btgU46kt/w300-h400/IMG_20240126_130707336_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>This past week, Joseph has done more work on our dinette. The metal frames are complete, and he's cladding them in wood. Guinness kept me company while taking pics.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF30GDUACI0NPBWulyactxTQ8rgGEokLNcgXmdsLXwB9UYYurwbDG7Nvts4n17K-LGJ_wKIvonFFJV_V0Mrvssz1kDljuRO6dyt1GWBy-jqxRtj_bywOhJNFKB6YAX2KpjjoXE5Yy6kwTAkPsSQoM53FaJ74pWachFr4lyj9VsS5i0QLNTthpilgM9yFnv/s4160/IMG_20240126_130739549_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF30GDUACI0NPBWulyactxTQ8rgGEokLNcgXmdsLXwB9UYYurwbDG7Nvts4n17K-LGJ_wKIvonFFJV_V0Mrvssz1kDljuRO6dyt1GWBy-jqxRtj_bywOhJNFKB6YAX2KpjjoXE5Yy6kwTAkPsSQoM53FaJ74pWachFr4lyj9VsS5i0QLNTthpilgM9yFnv/w300-h400/IMG_20240126_130739549_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p>He did some research, and found that a 17 degree angle is the most comfortable for a seatback, so made them to that specification.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigeQaONJLrMKWm7k-C0YUPoAA8d6b0pLzxYBcxAAFeqM0R3poeRphyphenhyphenkOjDtFyQpAUG71JKBjUasW6He76EQv6gOVJNa81yq82oOcozkfrq6yT91QGDcYYYe6BGdcAUyBTQvTMGANQpf5SURydU62UtjyVjIRD72OQIkPQ2KnUFkl63VQdLJG-OBk9SVuOc/s4160/IMG_20240126_130825027.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigeQaONJLrMKWm7k-C0YUPoAA8d6b0pLzxYBcxAAFeqM0R3poeRphyphenhyphenkOjDtFyQpAUG71JKBjUasW6He76EQv6gOVJNa81yq82oOcozkfrq6yT91QGDcYYYe6BGdcAUyBTQvTMGANQpf5SURydU62UtjyVjIRD72OQIkPQ2KnUFkl63VQdLJG-OBk9SVuOc/w400-h300/IMG_20240126_130825027.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>The kitchen sink lines were all plumbed.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAh0GYjbkJ358Wg6xjcYVq4fKGtwr33w1KEYwQZQA50KDzl0n5vyupGsXYUxpC0sKKeBOiYkGRtgS6qLJZosllLqBi1Si9TrwBJV4MlevpyCCYPCDpihG21NELSIZ8pAi7pUp7EQk2IF45qniwJJmY4bNTOhjDx9JiNbK8tgdpkCQURdXdh71vYAZfhO20/s4160/IMG_20240126_131117822.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAh0GYjbkJ358Wg6xjcYVq4fKGtwr33w1KEYwQZQA50KDzl0n5vyupGsXYUxpC0sKKeBOiYkGRtgS6qLJZosllLqBi1Si9TrwBJV4MlevpyCCYPCDpihG21NELSIZ8pAi7pUp7EQk2IF45qniwJJmY4bNTOhjDx9JiNbK8tgdpkCQURdXdh71vYAZfhO20/w300-h400/IMG_20240126_131117822.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>Though our original plan was to use true linoleum (made of linseed oil, jute, rosin, wood flour), it was going to cost around $1000. He found enough real oak flooring to do the job for $275 on Facebook Marketplace, plus adhesive cost. That'll work.</p><p><br /></p>Lauriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01156180100389224114noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702232733892626337.post-83366083131538341692024-01-22T06:30:00.001-05:002024-01-22T06:30:00.128-05:00Winter's Light<p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiNEmgejrTR2K3yEYPRsGPGK7qbxM4JYpzlVfmBTdBgi3vb9-Sgs4YnOGgcg6rLTS3DUlYWA6X1aZLdJY_P2btW7VOVArtvY_QXir_E16sfypSjUzyA0L8vDCIwo5KyKuuPHx4me4lvs7K40I4_RK7gznv3j8KhEkTNO4DM0hXihwWz_S0wESsJj5KqMK9/s4160/IMG_20240117_075232243.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiNEmgejrTR2K3yEYPRsGPGK7qbxM4JYpzlVfmBTdBgi3vb9-Sgs4YnOGgcg6rLTS3DUlYWA6X1aZLdJY_P2btW7VOVArtvY_QXir_E16sfypSjUzyA0L8vDCIwo5KyKuuPHx4me4lvs7K40I4_RK7gznv3j8KhEkTNO4DM0hXihwWz_S0wESsJj5KqMK9/w300-h400/IMG_20240117_075232243.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">morning light</td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p>Hello, friends. I'm continuing to pull from the freezer this week, which included mushroom gravy to go on leftover rice, and cashew gravy to go on the last of the cauliflower, which made for quick and easy lunches. I moved the bird feeder in the orchard, to encourage the birds to move into other trees, hopefully taking care of any pests. In previous years, I've put up a clear shower liner on the longest wall of the chicken feeding area outside their coop, before winter precip, which helped it stay warmer and drier. Though we've not gotten any precip yet, I put it up to help with warmth, and picked up three more at Dollar Tree, to totally enclose this area soon. After reviewing the long-range forecast, J believes we'll get some snow between early February and early March. We hope so! All the vegetable seeds were gone through, to see what was needed, and a few were picked up at Dollar Tree for .25 ea.</p><p><br /></p><p>With lows of 14 in the forecast, I harvested the last of the lettuce, mixed winter greens and collards. A salad was made with the winter greens, and the lettuce has been used in salads and bean burritos. I'd heard that Amazon Prime video was laying off employees, and that they are beginning to charge for movies. As I had a number of saved free movies, I watched three... Tracks, Delicious and Catherine Called Birdy, all of which I enjoyed. I watched Catherine Called Birdy on our coldest day, with a high of 32, while I caught up on all the clothes ironing. Much of the country has been significantly colder, but it's pretty cold for central NC. The bar faucet that our drinking water comes from froze up that night, but temps are on the rise, rising to 69 later this week. With some apple slices I had canned, I made an apple pie, which helped warm the house some.</p><p><br /></p><p>There were lots of bean meals from the pantry last week, including bean burritos, pinto bean burgers, hummus, and I cooked up some of our dried black eyed peas. Vegetable soup was made with leftover peas, rice and limas from the freezer, home canned tomatoes, cabbage and squash, onions, garlic and vegetable broth. It definitely felt like soup weather. After an appointment, J & I stopped at three thrift stores, mostly looking for canisters I could turn into compost crocks. We bought nothing at the first two stores, and one canister at the third store. There's really not a lot that we need right now. Over the weekend, I sold a compost crock to a customer in Australia. Sadly, I ended up paying $10.70 more for shipping than she paid, at least in part because I added large quantities of packing materials to protect it on it's journey. I always pack them well, but really added extra with this one. A friend that moved to NY was back in town briefly, and I met with her in Asheboro one evening. It's always so good to catch up with friends. Wishing you a lovely week.</p><p><br /></p>Lauriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01156180100389224114noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702232733892626337.post-62900305629106156542024-01-19T19:53:00.001-05:002024-01-19T19:53:12.723-05:00A Little Skoolie Kitchen Progress<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi81EQgEAyB10KaUlcJs9kQxR9nJTbuyTd72oflvbjmXHyUcEfOcmcQCYmxR-jdcZc9t7RqJQVTHvfAkNAlOANtKVq87OJz-wNcmIFoht8psKqeKzZ3kTRbnDos4xJsviklvQuHJipSv_CXvTKKfXn25yyPtD9gbv3xj8lSfDLrjJmlzwGQgrNgQbfXN382/s4160/IMG_20240117_105904309.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi81EQgEAyB10KaUlcJs9kQxR9nJTbuyTd72oflvbjmXHyUcEfOcmcQCYmxR-jdcZc9t7RqJQVTHvfAkNAlOANtKVq87OJz-wNcmIFoht8psKqeKzZ3kTRbnDos4xJsviklvQuHJipSv_CXvTKKfXn25yyPtD9gbv3xj8lSfDLrjJmlzwGQgrNgQbfXN382/w400-h300/IMG_20240117_105904309.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p>Just a short post to say hello and share that the kitchen faucet arrived. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMfN6eOEFgEY0-CLwleiVj96p2oPSh0-EnV5-zYBIznkhsRxxpi-FM1juvfjwA7aY8Jpjdk1RwWhIiHFE686WZeHUT3VjPSTT5tvi2SC2CETDSfXGCEIF_WoUj2a5HZXhNBXn6cDo-UQHsb1SKRUvJ9O2z2lK2yVL3BKILxt1_jr9uO0wkbBC6ErJBxeHx/s4160/IMG_20240117_105919950.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMfN6eOEFgEY0-CLwleiVj96p2oPSh0-EnV5-zYBIznkhsRxxpi-FM1juvfjwA7aY8Jpjdk1RwWhIiHFE686WZeHUT3VjPSTT5tvi2SC2CETDSfXGCEIF_WoUj2a5HZXhNBXn6cDo-UQHsb1SKRUvJ9O2z2lK2yVL3BKILxt1_jr9uO0wkbBC6ErJBxeHx/w300-h400/IMG_20240117_105919950.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p> Joseph hooked it all up, and is working on the drain. Please excuse the dirty sink!</p><p><br /></p>Lauriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01156180100389224114noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702232733892626337.post-34189513905451758352024-01-15T06:30:00.002-05:002024-01-15T07:39:17.258-05:00A Little Canning & Eating From The Freezer<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxir0sUu66B5SwSVOl3-oB28Ko7GmdLDaLnRRz97abqxNQ4L9pZd7X2I0x2sxMFub_AiT7aeaypHJzcBoPKa45YAoPj-3J45hPWqj3RsrV6StGMVqWRlh02ZHsXMBSfxk3zGsJiwW_mU7WXwFKMikZ61OftwH-uv-7TUTVA3xB-y4wPKJv5ronSeCBUmcu/s4160/IMG_20240111_145742548.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxir0sUu66B5SwSVOl3-oB28Ko7GmdLDaLnRRz97abqxNQ4L9pZd7X2I0x2sxMFub_AiT7aeaypHJzcBoPKa45YAoPj-3J45hPWqj3RsrV6StGMVqWRlh02ZHsXMBSfxk3zGsJiwW_mU7WXwFKMikZ61OftwH-uv-7TUTVA3xB-y4wPKJv5ronSeCBUmcu/w300-h400/IMG_20240111_145742548.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>Hello, friends. I hope you've been doing well. Last week, I strained all the jars of glycerite that were started last year... mullein, lemon balm, nettles, hawthorne and reishi. I've already begun using the mullein. A sweater was mended. The freezer had started filling up with veggie scraps, so pots were simmered on the stove, and another round of broth was canned. I watched a short video, comparing the <a href="https://twitter.com/WallStreetSilv/status/1698127645391671624">Great Depression and now</a>, which was pretty surprising. Christmas was taken down. Last year, I enjoyed leaving up the tree through a good portion of January, with the winter and nature themed ornaments.... bird houses and nests, acorns, pinecones, mushrooms and the like, but the tree dried out badly this year, so it needed to come down. I'm sure the difference was getting the tree at the grocery store, rather than from a nursery, where they're kept in water, but for the savings, we couldn't pass it up. I'm working on eating down the freezers. I pulled vegan mac & cheese for a lunch, and bags of grated tromboncino squash. One was used in a zucchini dish, with homemade broth, homegrown onions, garlic, oregano and thyme, and the others from '20 are being added to the chicken's mash. I made tomato rice loaf, using home canned tomatoes, homegrown garlic, onions, and added sweet potatoes to the oven, while it was baking. As all the store bought canned pinto beans were gone, I canned up a batch of 15 pints, 3 quarts. Pasta sauce was made with our canned tomatoes, onion, garlic and frozen basil cubes. Laundry was dried on the line, and two wool items were hand washed. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaDjvJG8oyI8Z93nsJEXpQAE-HwAL4jXlw0OitRNumuZspMz2iV8M4wkzlJG9wlbJcJt4XISZxK9qprS7GOcJR6AwD3QchzRGpe4xUkJT487ooBi633XEs1dzVocK3To6K5VKl709mMt7DR4pMjnPrtE_9aVQyFU3M8R9W8daEuWJ6N5LrGr1y2VMoA5Lw/s3120/IMG_20240113_101443_879.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="2496" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaDjvJG8oyI8Z93nsJEXpQAE-HwAL4jXlw0OitRNumuZspMz2iV8M4wkzlJG9wlbJcJt4XISZxK9qprS7GOcJR6AwD3QchzRGpe4xUkJT487ooBi633XEs1dzVocK3To6K5VKl709mMt7DR4pMjnPrtE_9aVQyFU3M8R9W8daEuWJ6N5LrGr1y2VMoA5Lw/w320-h400/IMG_20240113_101443_879.webp" width="320" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>A couple of weeks ago, I noticed three more of the game birds were missing, both young hens and a rooster. There were signs of them close to the chicken yard on the outside, so we expect that either a hawk or owl got them. Now, all that's left of the game birds are mama hen and papa rooster, and two of the young roosters. J has had to buy eggs a couple of times recently. Over the weekend, mama hen started laying again, not in a nest box, but on the floor in that room, which is better than the odd spots she usually finds. Hopefully, we've lessened the other options. We've gotten good rain, and are so thankful for that. Soapmaking oils were melted on the woodstove. A pot of rice and another of sweet potatoes were brought to a boil on the stove, and finished cooking on the woodstove. Vegetable soup was made, which included our broth, tomatoes, cabbage, onions, garlic, summer squash, a bag of crowder peas pulled from the freezer, and a handful of our dehydrated soup mix, including carrot tops, mushrooms, and sweet potato leaves. At the library, I picked up four books, including Strega Nona, a Caldecott Honor book. I caught up with the latest Call The Midwife series the library has, which is Season 11. I greatly enjoy this show, perhaps because of my Catholic upbringing and years in the nursing field. Though it has it's moments of drama, it seems to mostly highlight the best of humanity, sorely needed in these times. Take good care of yourselves, everyone, and for those in the US, wishing you warmth and safety.</p><p><br /></p>Lauriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01156180100389224114noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702232733892626337.post-60642884831024687512024-01-12T13:53:00.001-05:002024-01-12T13:53:32.257-05:00The Countertop & Sink Are In<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvwt35PPwPQW7idgQXGt79lnKtmxG14rvWBAI4hAMne7hp2QxUjDqFn4V4BUDOGi3pq1r-zL93ANqiW9HRhcIiJQ5MqJHxe_rzxv1uHpIP1Uf2G9Qzp0W1gj2Vl1YFUlaxbaAs2ZFnPAQ1aqGjovMYuQIdbYBWFgqbn3Zt5XXUAhpoEKWrG4q8kEUfcyxw/s4160/IMG_20240110_154321134.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvwt35PPwPQW7idgQXGt79lnKtmxG14rvWBAI4hAMne7hp2QxUjDqFn4V4BUDOGi3pq1r-zL93ANqiW9HRhcIiJQ5MqJHxe_rzxv1uHpIP1Uf2G9Qzp0W1gj2Vl1YFUlaxbaAs2ZFnPAQ1aqGjovMYuQIdbYBWFgqbn3Zt5XXUAhpoEKWrG4q8kEUfcyxw/w300-h400/IMG_20240110_154321134.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>Joseph has put several coats of sealer on the countertop, and dropped the sink in.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAncUggE5_625-ONTDeEHUYoGo9dbGSpj5IYHn_jRg2T7x50aqSQDDQ_FQviA3APUy_OzILuTFJEvcvmpr8W6Co185RQCCPkTvbkeO4HhFC0ZJdKuFjkBWzEkbvJD3xF4D06lkBHNpTtL69-oNR9rAMLZcH_YkULvmJDV1oYeA1-6NK5LWD7Xfje8QAVgG/s3120/IMG_20240110_160847_031.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="3120" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAncUggE5_625-ONTDeEHUYoGo9dbGSpj5IYHn_jRg2T7x50aqSQDDQ_FQviA3APUy_OzILuTFJEvcvmpr8W6Co185RQCCPkTvbkeO4HhFC0ZJdKuFjkBWzEkbvJD3xF4D06lkBHNpTtL69-oNR9rAMLZcH_YkULvmJDV1oYeA1-6NK5LWD7Xfje8QAVgG/w400-h400/IMG_20240110_160847_031.webp" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>He's putting one more coat of sealer on the countertop, and on the wall behind the sink.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoNSKStidY4F4ohuLC3tPsnXbjq8uIE4OPDZ3G76S5n_kLkRxoqCh8FG5kkVWMQOQCPuw0D9CT97kSFFidvG7wvwMWwXmHsgItN2H7RbX6c4s2M9wyPdkkoICYOa_U6jsFtKyCKN0Q1dB_Tu4rgRsUQKy6LuUYkRydY4RczA4I8mMs85632yDnXjqG-pdl/s4160/IMG_20240110_154402844.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoNSKStidY4F4ohuLC3tPsnXbjq8uIE4OPDZ3G76S5n_kLkRxoqCh8FG5kkVWMQOQCPuw0D9CT97kSFFidvG7wvwMWwXmHsgItN2H7RbX6c4s2M9wyPdkkoICYOa_U6jsFtKyCKN0Q1dB_Tu4rgRsUQKy6LuUYkRydY4RczA4I8mMs85632yDnXjqG-pdl/w300-h400/IMG_20240110_154402844.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p>There are some interesting bits on the countertop, such as this burl area on the edge. We're pretty pleased with how it's turning out. A faucet is on the way!</p><p><br /></p>Lauriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01156180100389224114noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702232733892626337.post-75313258379052263692024-01-08T06:30:00.001-05:002024-01-08T06:30:00.134-05:00Big Sweet Potatoes & Homemade Taco Seasoning<p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj00kP5b_a3y0w35HX6y7GyNCP8uX3Vt45wDOTcfT_4vf1AKepKv9rvjKDOHGWcCR1hPieD27dUHEDqxGBUw-wJ7u7upp8pDFpgFgQfLhbruPH_RruGv637otDU9hB4_2_Z-VmPjo_cF_VaBjJYCgbQju5_yIEHRmc4fo8-B7qH90Rtc30FocQSiwafPOo_/s4160/IMG_20240103_130659247.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj00kP5b_a3y0w35HX6y7GyNCP8uX3Vt45wDOTcfT_4vf1AKepKv9rvjKDOHGWcCR1hPieD27dUHEDqxGBUw-wJ7u7upp8pDFpgFgQfLhbruPH_RruGv637otDU9hB4_2_Z-VmPjo_cF_VaBjJYCgbQju5_yIEHRmc4fo8-B7qH90Rtc30FocQSiwafPOo_/w300-h400/IMG_20240103_130659247.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">flowers from my honey</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Hello, friends. I've just added another homemade seasoning to our pantry. I'm not sure why I haven't been making it all along, but finding out the ingredients in the organic seasoning I was using sent me researching. I learned <a href="https://www.spendwithpennies.com/taco-seasoning-recipe/"> taco seasoning</a> can have corn flour or corn starch, and citric acid in it, none of which I can have. The container I had purchased doesn't have the ingredients listed, and somehow, I had expected it to be a blend of organic spices with no extra ingredients. I need to remember there are all sorts of sneaky ways that lesser quality ingredients are added to our food. Making the blend is easy enough (recipe linked above), and I'm sure cheaper. It's another small step towards being more self-sufficient, and another step towards cleaner eating, and fully healing my eczema. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGfjjJg6VBMTHr1mQPg9PRNVypmuarWE1nugPLdLAA_Xjn7k7Mzxg4W14-Kd9jPbwykgHkuGUJn7SsOz5RXPIkboF5Pne9qT2ATNTijE0pG4gDJmGs-CIRrcqX49Pb0z7Nt1LFNp6Lg-RlP-vJL6LpE1yC8MhK4IPDg8dlxLSpD7g6Of9EX3mRoGITwzXl/s5152/IMG_8237.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3864" data-original-width="5152" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGfjjJg6VBMTHr1mQPg9PRNVypmuarWE1nugPLdLAA_Xjn7k7Mzxg4W14-Kd9jPbwykgHkuGUJn7SsOz5RXPIkboF5Pne9qT2ATNTijE0pG4gDJmGs-CIRrcqX49Pb0z7Nt1LFNp6Lg-RlP-vJL6LpE1yC8MhK4IPDg8dlxLSpD7g6Of9EX3mRoGITwzXl/w400-h300/IMG_8237.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">therapy neck pillow headed to the shop</td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p>A few mushrooms needed using, so I chopped and added them to a sloppy joe dinner. Leftover cubes of sweet potatoes were the side. Another night, I opened our first jar of canned spaghetti squash. Into this dish went frozen pucks of kale, fresh rosemary, cashew parmesan, and dried tomatoes. For another dinner, we had colcannon with our cabbage, and a meal's worth of our green beans I had frozen last summer. They were pretty tough, so I won't be doing that again. Seeing gas had dropped to $2.79/gal., while I was in town, I filled up. I picked up a few things at Big Lots, including 50% off ribbons for a winter mailbox bow, and was given a $10 coupon off any purchase. The mailbox bow was made over the weekend.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiekzWwypjlHD2d_yqT8yVuuQYcYpUSBSjdJi64T3VI4spOPScT_B6Pkp3ZXTh5_ME8VlF4sI8Togx7_PlPBXkie_noWcMnlXf8mu8Y3EdNKtdzqAUCj0p07oqoU-YIa5MOfO7HL7R97fPZ4vKMmbCuSY750r5-YiwQMQ5hHw2N3SUtM43LXzuyHk88owj4/s5152/IMG_8254.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3864" data-original-width="5152" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiekzWwypjlHD2d_yqT8yVuuQYcYpUSBSjdJi64T3VI4spOPScT_B6Pkp3ZXTh5_ME8VlF4sI8Togx7_PlPBXkie_noWcMnlXf8mu8Y3EdNKtdzqAUCj0p07oqoU-YIa5MOfO7HL7R97fPZ4vKMmbCuSY750r5-YiwQMQ5hHw2N3SUtM43LXzuyHk88owj4/w400-h300/IMG_8254.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://smallmomentsofgreatreward.blogspot.com/">April</a> had asked for a photo of the "football" sweet potatoes, which I'm still using up from the '22 garden. Here is a majority, though not all of them. The one front and center is 10" long. They'd never be sold in a store, with their insect holes and irregularities, and are a bit of a bear to prep because of that, but are good eating just the same. We continue to eat them once or twice a week, and a pot of cubed ones are cooked on the woodstove for the critters a a couple of times a week. All laundry was dried on the line. I recently watched a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptff6GXi-Ek">documentary</a>, which gave me some things to think about. I was reminded how very blessed I am to live in this country. May your week be blessed.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Lauriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01156180100389224114noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702232733892626337.post-463723370912164202024-01-05T12:32:00.002-05:002024-01-05T12:32:37.956-05:00Holiday Progress<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggyMTcTi5KnYOE8dNn0Q8ZwDXz0rtrJq5cPIlt6sX3oeLTKZr3U_gmCMBNi0JXVb97piLypKQi_L3yR1cJGaBjXkeyyHLKTmqNdQYzdFHp3ctXrkdsPT-AhGeEoaPZtXjNiRT7dJ7gpMfU1iGTNVqLaTEHsvKZy_T6Ln1-L3BYKcG4woNR-AhUbccD3Mfk/s4160/IMG_20240101_152924828.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggyMTcTi5KnYOE8dNn0Q8ZwDXz0rtrJq5cPIlt6sX3oeLTKZr3U_gmCMBNi0JXVb97piLypKQi_L3yR1cJGaBjXkeyyHLKTmqNdQYzdFHp3ctXrkdsPT-AhGeEoaPZtXjNiRT7dJ7gpMfU1iGTNVqLaTEHsvKZy_T6Ln1-L3BYKcG4woNR-AhUbccD3Mfk/w300-h400/IMG_20240101_152924828.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p>This week, Joseph got the bathroom fan placed and hooked up.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjXFgvHOM3OXWltFmvqoBy04Cm2OUYaomOWF88bouemuW4SBv4HapYIjdPbFrSExMlmxq-W1LEZ4oskECeS-A63x9s19qrraj02eYI9cQDB-P_fMwMf4ngSVxZFUo4VjpxWtFrCDjByr7DMyhTNCHPMKPxb6rRRf_z64WOp-vfbLXJfxRXXgotRTQevmYB/s4160/IMG_20240101_153000871_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjXFgvHOM3OXWltFmvqoBy04Cm2OUYaomOWF88bouemuW4SBv4HapYIjdPbFrSExMlmxq-W1LEZ4oskECeS-A63x9s19qrraj02eYI9cQDB-P_fMwMf4ngSVxZFUo4VjpxWtFrCDjByr7DMyhTNCHPMKPxb6rRRf_z64WOp-vfbLXJfxRXXgotRTQevmYB/w400-h300/IMG_20240101_153000871_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>After determining where it would fit best, Joseph cut a spot for the storage box, placed it, and welded supports.</p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3kd4k4mrY-vlMdsFbQuqOC2WE_Ax-L7O1AfwWjyLwvOZAztTpMAhX1rMmCAQpDBj1jdyJwI9YFmWje0C2laHdqERf4PpjYOAhFpHh7NPYp5TBkLY76cFfCLXT-9t7kFllnulntuWzD8KmyhulP1kDV647I8iSX7f9GCcy12jh68Jj3nrg6wcRkzwzikJV/s4160/IMG_20240104_161456603.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3kd4k4mrY-vlMdsFbQuqOC2WE_Ax-L7O1AfwWjyLwvOZAztTpMAhX1rMmCAQpDBj1jdyJwI9YFmWje0C2laHdqERf4PpjYOAhFpHh7NPYp5TBkLY76cFfCLXT-9t7kFllnulntuWzD8KmyhulP1kDV647I8iSX7f9GCcy12jh68Jj3nrg6wcRkzwzikJV/w300-h400/IMG_20240104_161456603.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p>He installed the backer board in the shower area, and sealed the bead board in the bathroom. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN0awoES5MFqff5poGbVHRpZ_gWC7yYQf5QQwBmgWBBmbH8ECH7xWllNQZAmb2_dbm_yK-Pqxj8RKXMIpvfTO1-HKFe4A69a98fY7oNNK77vcS20_Jfp-hVFVGp9rih1fLgxXS8yhSMmZewDLst_E6W3U4PtbHLFMgjTWRrFnmLnKi2gBz0vNizFbQnFuO/s5152/IMG_8250.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3864" data-original-width="5152" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN0awoES5MFqff5poGbVHRpZ_gWC7yYQf5QQwBmgWBBmbH8ECH7xWllNQZAmb2_dbm_yK-Pqxj8RKXMIpvfTO1-HKFe4A69a98fY7oNNK77vcS20_Jfp-hVFVGp9rih1fLgxXS8yhSMmZewDLst_E6W3U4PtbHLFMgjTWRrFnmLnKi2gBz0vNizFbQnFuO/w400-h300/IMG_8250.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>Dear friends, who visited last weekend, gifted us a bottle of wine, which has a theme of journeys, as well as some kitchen items we'll use in the skoolie. We'll save the wine, and take it and their well wishes on our inaugural voyage, months away yet, but getting closer all the time.</p><p><br /></p>Lauriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01156180100389224114noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702232733892626337.post-79438450765539434442024-01-01T06:30:00.001-05:002024-01-01T06:30:00.142-05:00Welcoming In The New Year<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7lwUt1YYXcMkMEa-DwzvLyOSBQaauXIaeNVSvSMCG0m58SgArQUkAe2LcyEfDYETB1MF9pOu3FHXWH63WL3AEUesawc-dQ0ocGGXvADHVA9Me01mKQyc_NmR2nVtHcJRj94COOHSc_3ua9_fLfgMS4Rvg13zIwUIIijbWI1QqZaJ5MU4Y1WmXwrFlFQ24/s5152/IMG_8134.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5152" data-original-width="3864" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7lwUt1YYXcMkMEa-DwzvLyOSBQaauXIaeNVSvSMCG0m58SgArQUkAe2LcyEfDYETB1MF9pOu3FHXWH63WL3AEUesawc-dQ0ocGGXvADHVA9Me01mKQyc_NmR2nVtHcJRj94COOHSc_3ua9_fLfgMS4Rvg13zIwUIIijbWI1QqZaJ5MU4Y1WmXwrFlFQ24/w300-h400/IMG_8134.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>Hello, friends. I hope the recent days have been ones of peace, hope and good cheer for you. On Christmas night, J & I began a jigsaw puzzle. I become somewhat preoccupied with them, and finished it Friday, before he had the desire to work on it again. The puzzle was one friends had shared with us. During the week, I made suet for the birds, and golden paste for the pups. Sweet potatoes for the animals were cooked on the woodstove several times. There were a few decent sales at the grocery store, with raw honey $1.80 off, organic potatoes $1.10 off/3#, and pomegranates .79 off. I went by Tractor Supply for birdseed, which is back to $19.99/40#. I stopped buying it months ago, when it was around $28 per bag. I saw an interesting idea on placing bird feeders around the orchard, to encourage the birds to find all the insects, like codling moths, who live under the bark, while stashing seeds. It was said they travel in about a 50 ft. radius from the feeder, so I'll move it to different areas every few weeks. It'd be great if it helps us to get healthier fruit in 2024.</p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6G2YjBlBK2NtdFUT2JYDHi9t96ef24aehAHWMZbS60UcWigPHLAGltf5klHfWDXmf3zwaHSELHzVNWyHB3b6Kw4hZG6RgvidXdXo6LZtFJqN7myJRkM0MWpAF9asK3KYMaRn50zoB6xM7p4yy75RQ5ZROLYUD0nYOrshyn8muyTnzX6Ccwp7bdTS0Mqyk/s4160/IMG_20231228_111820095.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6G2YjBlBK2NtdFUT2JYDHi9t96ef24aehAHWMZbS60UcWigPHLAGltf5klHfWDXmf3zwaHSELHzVNWyHB3b6Kw4hZG6RgvidXdXo6LZtFJqN7myJRkM0MWpAF9asK3KYMaRn50zoB6xM7p4yy75RQ5ZROLYUD0nYOrshyn8muyTnzX6Ccwp7bdTS0Mqyk/w300-h400/IMG_20231228_111820095.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p></p><p><br /></p><p>I finally finished the cross stitch piece, a pattern bought for a friend at the beginning of the war in Ukraine. Our baked sweet potatoes, crowder peas, and chard (supplemented with store bought) were made for a dinner. Black bean burgers I'd previously frozen and home fries were made for another. My Mom's lentil soup was dinner another night. It's been getting harder to come up with dinners we'll be happy with. Joseph, especially, tires of seasonal offerings fairly quickly. It's easier during warmer weather, when there are more than greens coming in from the garden. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSHa-7TsLLzD73Gl3WQX81iqtT8oEpq14pta7Av5PoR0Ue6qw6d45vn18XwDOPfBW_xhnmdcdZv0Iqf5gPhW26Cu_fvPaxFstSQdKMEYKuiH-TB5X-YJ-evW087JpWhLgQiHKbVEewxRwWpvntCW7q7Sc_W7-10j1QcF8A-EO-HJIrMBkJEg-7FWXxlRlD/s5152/IMG_8116.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3864" data-original-width="5152" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSHa-7TsLLzD73Gl3WQX81iqtT8oEpq14pta7Av5PoR0Ue6qw6d45vn18XwDOPfBW_xhnmdcdZv0Iqf5gPhW26Cu_fvPaxFstSQdKMEYKuiH-TB5X-YJ-evW087JpWhLgQiHKbVEewxRwWpvntCW7q7Sc_W7-10j1QcF8A-EO-HJIrMBkJEg-7FWXxlRlD/w400-h300/IMG_8116.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Guinness napping in the winter's light</td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p>With the house still in good order after the holiday festivities, it seemed the perfect time to have friends for dinner. I had a hard time deciding what to cook, and ended up keeping it very simple, with roasted brussels sprouts, home fries, butter beans and corn on the cob. Some of the baked sweet potatoes were made into a pie. On Sunday, I made a double batch of GF pizza crusts, enough for four personal pizzas, parbaked them, and enjoyed one for dinner. May the coming year be one of increased light, ease and grace for us all. Happy New Year!</p><p><br /></p>Lauriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01156180100389224114noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702232733892626337.post-17251253302576208742023-12-31T13:49:00.002-05:002023-12-31T13:51:32.255-05:00A Washer, A Lockset & The Skoolie Dream<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF9vi2Jmja3izBq6QLKE6WCSn-3emP7fBWcPLLVk0j4Rq2_PIfqS1POtEU_HC2xwv-hcwvrkDTJwqX7Q6-djQIlTGIyQhMaPu-cV2YhfSRrO9CYCiM7R1kHfiphKKKikKB8S7cLGSm7y1LE2V1ErNKVvcewlKdTBonvoU2eFGVMhdTAUqCAIi4FY1EHP4j/s5152/IMG_8119.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5152" data-original-width="3864" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF9vi2Jmja3izBq6QLKE6WCSn-3emP7fBWcPLLVk0j4Rq2_PIfqS1POtEU_HC2xwv-hcwvrkDTJwqX7Q6-djQIlTGIyQhMaPu-cV2YhfSRrO9CYCiM7R1kHfiphKKKikKB8S7cLGSm7y1LE2V1ErNKVvcewlKdTBonvoU2eFGVMhdTAUqCAIi4FY1EHP4j/w300-h400/IMG_8119.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>Some good progress has been made on the skoolie. Joseph finished all the plumbing for the washing machine, and got it in place. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPod1CFSqBpuFIzeTQLQ3NCP8pWNq8NIjQhlwJiu5TpJtcW-yZEG-PRFn2ElUMxIoQ7PFwDVicMDC3yHXXBxNuol3iDMqnUn9eQdr-LogEJYMmeZ3OP3Cof2E2teFHG1YtDMDzJSwWExUXGK93OsoJYHSUx1ghjwGlNWwi75afB7cA5nylsXDmbUl-iA9T/s4160/IMG_20231228_103421854_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPod1CFSqBpuFIzeTQLQ3NCP8pWNq8NIjQhlwJiu5TpJtcW-yZEG-PRFn2ElUMxIoQ7PFwDVicMDC3yHXXBxNuol3iDMqnUn9eQdr-LogEJYMmeZ3OP3Cof2E2teFHG1YtDMDzJSwWExUXGK93OsoJYHSUx1ghjwGlNWwi75afB7cA5nylsXDmbUl-iA9T/w300-h400/IMG_20231228_103421854_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEFmi-IqIEYCt1M_lMleKL38xAUw3_UGjIgtHLaPScB3K-z1ZnMlFUfB2azLLWNUIAbALjz1iwIgVGYJ_7ydoOGJ10Wl9oEcuKYFHTvVK3gFkdnDpEK03wibCmBFYPu0r8MsaWeSakecrsiNzS35qJT1txr6udQGxjn2eiF6xNkwYkmlqtr4u3JAzX7dje/s4160/IMG_20231228_103434787_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEFmi-IqIEYCt1M_lMleKL38xAUw3_UGjIgtHLaPScB3K-z1ZnMlFUfB2azLLWNUIAbALjz1iwIgVGYJ_7ydoOGJ10Wl9oEcuKYFHTvVK3gFkdnDpEK03wibCmBFYPu0r8MsaWeSakecrsiNzS35qJT1txr6udQGxjn2eiF6xNkwYkmlqtr4u3JAzX7dje/w300-h400/IMG_20231228_103434787_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>He had to make some adjustments, to install the lockset and deadbolt at our entrance door, and got those in place.</p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8-5jRoJKSt4YBBRRpwjLkEsg4lTQNRdzenvkHkNU-9wcnOpFQfHv2T89-GOoktdlBAwIfK9wRMURyZpe6E_bzUJo7WGTNPJZGQwllz1pJgsyQG_f0BszdTqQPklz6ydmdY2blBchrby6BueABTPvEfdZAVXuem4DVb7RoV3I0VxI8mBATWvWZYap-wiKC/s5152/IMG_8121.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3864" data-original-width="5152" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8-5jRoJKSt4YBBRRpwjLkEsg4lTQNRdzenvkHkNU-9wcnOpFQfHv2T89-GOoktdlBAwIfK9wRMURyZpe6E_bzUJo7WGTNPJZGQwllz1pJgsyQG_f0BszdTqQPklz6ydmdY2blBchrby6BueABTPvEfdZAVXuem4DVb7RoV3I0VxI8mBATWvWZYap-wiKC/w400-h300/IMG_8121.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>He finished hooking up the electrical for our range hood, so it now has a working light and power. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinxdP_lHT7sbBVbkz5HUltpMbl4LZB6-bJDF7CwFJPghTkfT7Y9cqpknTBYzVXwXjX0kCN0nq-g5gYDUgPYheXkZdVoOXapY466dFa-4BZHxRlYENNXZySn0t-4rzRgSfopbKX1iCuD_X-TXf03kij8tAGQfDo6e8Jm4v_74RaYXvgtf4qiCb2MBMfdkpM/s4160/IMG_20231228_103359757_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinxdP_lHT7sbBVbkz5HUltpMbl4LZB6-bJDF7CwFJPghTkfT7Y9cqpknTBYzVXwXjX0kCN0nq-g5gYDUgPYheXkZdVoOXapY466dFa-4BZHxRlYENNXZySn0t-4rzRgSfopbKX1iCuD_X-TXf03kij8tAGQfDo6e8Jm4v_74RaYXvgtf4qiCb2MBMfdkpM/w300-h400/IMG_20231228_103359757_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>He bought a storage box off of FB Marketplace. I know it's a messy pic, but wanted to show the boys are still doing their part, in supporting the skoolie dream. I briefly helped with some plumbing, and he's put up beadboard and framing in the bathroom. He's also been working hard on our kitchen countertop. I'll share these, when they're a little farther along. Happy New Years, friends!</p><p><br /></p>Lauriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01156180100389224114noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702232733892626337.post-87115806915570075532023-12-25T11:31:00.002-05:002023-12-27T19:25:25.538-05:00Merry Christmas 2023!<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidgq4BOFIo99RWEWzIa_Z3WTchxeEGcJ6-nX5d8yrRrKNU8ijeMKMG4DftObFofOSB9vH_ZJEDRa892QMSwgT36CbRpyI6oUJfbno2hMsAKRVT_Wta-EHsRwJ9KaS29DFblmWeFxvrn4seCL7x9cX4m2L0Gkh_7slcOxlVF_6j3s6czdakv47LIXCq2grc/s5152/IMG_8102.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5152" data-original-width="3864" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidgq4BOFIo99RWEWzIa_Z3WTchxeEGcJ6-nX5d8yrRrKNU8ijeMKMG4DftObFofOSB9vH_ZJEDRa892QMSwgT36CbRpyI6oUJfbno2hMsAKRVT_Wta-EHsRwJ9KaS29DFblmWeFxvrn4seCL7x9cX4m2L0Gkh_7slcOxlVF_6j3s6czdakv47LIXCq2grc/w300-h400/IMG_8102.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>Hello friends, and Merry Christmas! Last week, before a low in the teens, I harvested kale, collards, lettuce and a small amount of broccoli. The broccoli was blanched and frozen. We had collards and rice for one dinner, cranberry quinoa kale salad and cubes of fried sweet potatoes for another, and a few salads. All but the door shelves in the refrigerator were cleaned. It's so nice to open now, I sure wish it would stay like this for a while. Three varieties of GF cookies were baked from ingredients in the pantry. I redeemed Swagbucks points for a $25 gift card. Brandy's taco soup was made, on Friday night. Such a quick, easy dinner, after a very long day preparing.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNDIdrFosqfqLIhocIs04FAhd4HiMB_hWC1yklFLnnhjErv1LlRYPv5KmrfPa2M7wthgmmQ54iKaqpiBVEkaKgwDFwbKkqT_0dJFH1aASmDfVAuL5BV3tKRScABxaidHFqphqh0EgoVp6P7vN1pGil3NkTtXFc2nbUbvxlOff1rd7Ycj6gbeQmFoa_vFh_/s5152/IMG_8094.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3864" data-original-width="5152" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNDIdrFosqfqLIhocIs04FAhd4HiMB_hWC1yklFLnnhjErv1LlRYPv5KmrfPa2M7wthgmmQ54iKaqpiBVEkaKgwDFwbKkqT_0dJFH1aASmDfVAuL5BV3tKRScABxaidHFqphqh0EgoVp6P7vN1pGil3NkTtXFc2nbUbvxlOff1rd7Ycj6gbeQmFoa_vFh_/w400-h300/IMG_8094.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>In our ongoing chicken saga, I realized two of the three young game hens are gone. Though we'd clipped their wings once already, they started flying out of their yard again. We assume a hawk got them. The two that are gone were our best layers at the moment. Of course, all the roosters are perfectly fine. Sigh. I cut greenery from our land, and combined it with pinecones and trimmings of our Frazier fir to decorate the tables for our gathering. Besides offering the cookies at our Christmas gathering, I've also gifted them to our postal carrier, my massage therapist and a delivery driver. I mixed up a batch of celery salt for gifts, using the celery I had dehydrated. I picked up their last three small poinsettia's at Lowes, marked down to $1.49, for the tables for our gathering. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYqOqZqQDRROy3lQLwlIz-XtlkamEMX5FYZkyKpqlv38KVBFqB2UaLiXS7oOKgTxBUZnuHEEw0Mjkg8jdWKyxJ8cJTemHwnWTavrp3gEyTwuxXWpe4gX5Qax5rCi1U_3N_H8uIoADHO9IFCruOEDbB6rXGZLpyFQPFQdfxwiIR8yW7TLRAU6zjZQ8zeZbB/s5152/IMG_8081.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3864" data-original-width="5152" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYqOqZqQDRROy3lQLwlIz-XtlkamEMX5FYZkyKpqlv38KVBFqB2UaLiXS7oOKgTxBUZnuHEEw0Mjkg8jdWKyxJ8cJTemHwnWTavrp3gEyTwuxXWpe4gX5Qax5rCi1U_3N_H8uIoADHO9IFCruOEDbB6rXGZLpyFQPFQdfxwiIR8yW7TLRAU6zjZQ8zeZbB/w400-h300/IMG_8081.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Siblings</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>Guinness went to the vet, to have a place on his foot looked at. Turns out it's nothing scary; just caused by him licking the same spot, but the vet thought he could put on a few lbs. Each day, I've been dividing a half pint jar of home canned meat and broth between he and McNibs, in addition to their kibble and sweet potatoes. With McNibs being so skinny after his adventure, I bought him a coat. The first one didn't fit, and when I dropped it off at Staples for the return, I received a coupon for 15% off an in store purchase. It's only good until the end of the year, and I may use it if I'll already be in town. The second coat fits him perfectly. On Christmas Eve, I baked a batch of dog treats, to put in their stockings. Of course, they had to taste test some beforehand. Thankfully, they passed with flying colors. Happy Holidays to you and yours!</p><p><br /></p>Lauriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01156180100389224114noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702232733892626337.post-21464533521575883162023-12-22T14:20:00.000-05:002023-12-22T14:20:59.387-05:00Driver's Seat Refurb<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSVfziOr4X-8XGb-B0QHbOUIJJAx9gqsn2XHeHIAmGg39uF1g2zJmhwg0wNz81blY7NiNwLDqaTsjmoE1t9_TAxhLd2ya10Bpg0yKRkKcpw9NzytuBijdN83N63c2kbbhBaWF5hRndYzKWd0ZC4b5LQrZIYvzsnZgsCUWwDnibVX2PKsv420lCuZsWo4Md/s5152/IMG_8070.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5152" data-original-width="3864" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSVfziOr4X-8XGb-B0QHbOUIJJAx9gqsn2XHeHIAmGg39uF1g2zJmhwg0wNz81blY7NiNwLDqaTsjmoE1t9_TAxhLd2ya10Bpg0yKRkKcpw9NzytuBijdN83N63c2kbbhBaWF5hRndYzKWd0ZC4b5LQrZIYvzsnZgsCUWwDnibVX2PKsv420lCuZsWo4Md/w300-h400/IMG_8070.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>With all that's going on at the moment, there's not a lot of progress on the skoolie. But, I did promise a pic of the newly upholstered driver's seat. Joseph wanted arm rests, which I didn't think to put in place for the pic. We chose a neutral gray fabric for these seats. He plans to take the next two weeks off from his business, so I expect there will be some good skoolie progress to report soon. Happy Holidays!</p><p><br /></p>Lauriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01156180100389224114noreply@blogger.com3