Coming attractions HA HA

This is a picture of last year's Thanksgiving dinner that my youngest took. You will notice that neither her or I was in the kitchen.I gave her the camera and told her to take pictures. I was banished from the kitchen by my son who took over the stove and finished the remaining dishes and made his homemade mac n cheese as requested by his sisters. Kind of funny since I taught him how to make it.Guess he changed it some, what ever gets me out of making it. HA HA

We hold our dinner the Sunday before that way we don't conflict with non-custodial visitation,in laws or those in food service wanting to work the weekend after Thanksgiving Day.

Why am I tell you this...because I have disappeared into the land of painting right before cooking dinner this coming Sunday. I call it remodeling because when ever I paint the old homestead it becomes a remodeling due to the repairs that have to be done before I can paint it.The kids voted last year and decided to move the dinner back to the old homestead( Sorry to my eldest and I wonder if she will do it again next yr) with the condition I get the house ready for the dinner, cook certain dishes and clean back up. NO biggie been there and had done that several years...what I didn't factor in was painting and installing new flooring and ceiling in the foyer that is 8 ft by 17 ft. A foyer that has an open curving staircase with a wall that goes up 20 ft.

I have found that even years after a fire your house will still develop issues due to the fire.

I have found by experience that I can put together our standard Tday dinner of over 100 dishes in 3 days. This year is only 61 dishes, 48 of them are mine to do and then the pies which last count was over 20 not touching other desserts and cakes. Can you tell we like to eat? We also like leftovers from this dinner and basicly no one cooks for a couple days after.

I best get going...today is rolling along whether I do or not.

7 wks later another death

This is Cookie when she was healthy and happy before she got a tumor on her spleen.She was a joy and prancing like the princess we felt she was.



I took this picture yesterday when she was sliding down hill so fast.She wasn't eating and had already lost 20 lbs but was "blowing up like a ballon" in her stomach area.By 1 AM this morning she was struggling.I was surprised she made it through the night.She insisted on being out side in the coolness of the night and laid in the gravel of the driveway. I laid in the gravel beside her and held her with prayers of GOD not letting her suffer.

We got her in to the clinic and had her put to sleep.Though my heart is broken I know I looked inside my heart and placed hers above my own.She's on the other side playing with Tasha (2/25/2010) and Sam (9/7/2010).Of course when I get to the other side Tasha and Sam are going to nailing me for cooking a turkey for Cookie and not them.

Blessed be those that love us unconditionally, accept us as we are and greet us with love and affection no matter what our moods are.

I miss you Cookie...I love you even more.

My Dad and the old times

This is my Dad.He is 83 and proud of it.

I spent a day interviewing him for my next book.It was a good day.Not only because I got plenty of back ground for my next book which is always sweet when I don't have to spend 150 hrs doing so but because I got to spend the day with my Dad talking about his childhood.

He talked about the "greens" he would go pick so they could be fixed.Poke weed, dandelion,Blue Devil(chicory) etc, talked of the berry patches,nuts(even chestnuts when they were still around) apple and plum trees that was around where he lived.The garden they grew wasn't be enough to feed them through the year.There was no electric, they heated with a coal stove that also was their cook stove.They had one kersone lamp for the whole house which was 3 rooms of average size.No bathroom, an outhouse and a wash basin.Times were hard, poverty was normal in this small village in southern Ohio.The house I remember his dad and sister living in was "poor" by current standards back when I was a kid, was actually living high on the hog for his family.We talked of lack of medical, herbal medicence,clothing and items most of us wouldn't think to even know about let alone ask about.

Groceries were bought weekly when there was work.Dried beans,lard,salt and pepper,rice,24 lbs of flour(they made 9 loaves of bread Tuesday,Thursday and Saturday), corn meal,oatmeal,evaporated milk,bologna( only for his dad's lunch for the coal mine)and potatoes.This was kept on a table about 2 ft wide and 4 ft long close to the table they ate at.

His Dad(Grandpa) and he both hunted and fished for what meat they ate.The only time they had eggs was on Easter.Then they could have as many as they wanted fried with fried potatoes.

They didn't keep leftovers as it would spoil before morning in warm weather and when it cooled enough to keep it outside the critters would help themselves.Trash cans,or things we take for granted were not there.

The only vegetables and fruit they ate was what they could grow and cold pack(waterbath) or find growing wild.

When they moved to the last place there was room for several gardens, a chicken coop( an egg at breakfast was a daily celebration right along with the noodles they could make), 4 rooms and 2 coal stoves. A well on the place instead of going 100 yards(estimate he said) to get a couple buckets of water for what ever it was needed for.The only saddness that touched them when they moved was his mother( my grandmother) had just died in her 40's.They buried her on his 16th birthday, with his youngest sister only a couple yrs old.

It was a extremely hard life that got harder when the Great Depression came.

As I watched his face as he walked through those memories, saw the wisdom gathered and stored to get him through these times of stock market turning down and wiping out his retirement pretty good.Knowing that he is okay financially due to living that hard life.Seeing the food he has stocked up on to feed himself including the apples he was making into pies and dumplings for this winter...I understand even more that my attachment to the old ways and old days aren't just a whim or passing fancy but a tribute to those that went before me and survived an existence that none of us of this generation can really understand and some just can't comprehend.

so this is for Dad and all those that walked in his shoes...

Bless you for showing we can also survive if we use the wisdom that was gained before us.

Blessed be

A Day of Celebration

Autumn Equinox
First Day of Autumn (which started at 11:13 LAST night)
Mabon

We celebrate this day,thankful for cooler weather(ok,thankful when it finally gets here) and thankful for the harvest that is coming in from the fields.

The heat of the summer is still lingering, I started gearing towards canning the late summer/early fall harverst as I have starting canning apples for sauce and looking at the pumpkin I bought to can this week.

This is the day I "fall" clean from top to bottom, decorate the house with fall colors, decorate my stand with squash( this year it is a pumpkin instead of gourds, beans, grains, nuts and an apple.I also have a cinnamon apple candle lit on it and a pot of applecider, cinnamon sticks, cloves and orange zest simmering to scent the house( not to drink, that I will make this afternoon for the evening meal).

The evening meal with be spiced hot cider( maybe iced instead),corn chowder, pork chops with apples,roasted root veggies and carrot and raisin cake for dessert.

With grateful heart of blessings that have came our way and continue thru the year.

Blessed Be

chicken

Kroger's had whole chicken for sale for 88 cents/lb here.These were regular chickens not roasters but a 5 lb fryer is still 5 lb of chicken so I picked up 4 of them.

The largest 2 went in the freezer double wrapped to protect (besides I am weird over possible chicken leaks).I know I will make at least 3 meals out of each one when I roast them. It wouldn't be unusually to end up with 4 meals if I make chicken and dumplings or chicken soup with the carcass.For around $5 per chicken that is around $1.66 per MEAL if I only make 3 meals out of one and $1.25 per MEAL if I make 4.

The other two smaller ones I cut up. I don't do a pretty job when I cut up a chicken but the pieces are recognizable.I ended up with 4 thighs which is 1 meal, 4 legs which will be a second meal,4 breasts which will be another 2 meals and I cut the wings in 3rds so the 2 larger parts will be wings for appetizer night( we eat them as a meal in a restaurant might as well at home) and the tips went in the dutch oven with the fat and backs along with an onion, 2 regular carrots and 2 stalks of celery and water.Popped in the oven to do it's thing to make broth which will convert to soup or dumplings. Figuring what it costs the smaller 2 chickens came to $8.84 with at least 5 meals out of them that is $1.77 per MEAL.Knowing I have the chicken scraps and veggies in the dutch oven cooking( heating up the kitchen again with the oven)I will have 2 more meals ( one with dumplings and one with noddles) out of it.I figure the chicken scraps are free since the cost was figured into the other meals. The jumbo onion cost me $1, the 2 regular carrots costs me 20 cents total and the 2 stalks of celery costs me 30 cents total( yes I actually counted how many stalks and how many carrost there was and divided the cost out).SO for $1.50 I have the beginnings of another 2 meals.

I make my own noodles but I know for around a dollar or so you can buy a bag of noodles..okay it might be $2 now days. Dumplings can be made with a can of biscuits( cheap and cut in fourths) for around $1.20 last time I bought biscuits.


Figuring that as an estimate...for $1.75( or $2.75 for chicken and noodles and $1.95 for chicken dumplings for a meal ...that's a good deal.

storm is rolling in so I must go...

Blessed be

YOUR MONEY GOD'S WAY

YOUR MONEY GOD’S WAY by Amie Streater

If I was with in traveling distance to attend church with this lady I would in a heart beat. Down to Earth and real is the way I would describe her and this book. She gives us ( and admits she’s done it to herself) a real kick in the pants with false beliefs and how we make dumb, dumber and dumpest choices concerning our money.

She lays the ground work for you to turn it around and do it GOD’S WAY.

This is a book that every high school student should study and it wouldn’t hurt any of us, even those that are doing well in their money matters to read and reread through the years.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

weekly chores

Ever hear of the saying Monday wash day,Tuesday ironing day,Wednesday sewing day, Thursday odd job day, Friday cleaning day( bed linen was changed this day but not washed until Monday), Saturday baking and bath day and Sunday the day of rest????

Sunday the day of rest. This one I seem to struggle with the most. GOD took a day of rest so why do I think I have to work more than he did?

As I write this it runs through my head I need to clean out the 3 refrigerators to make sure there is nothing that needs to go in the trash as it goes to the curb tonight.If I was being a good steward of my food there wouldn't be food going in the trash to begin with. I didn't do any baking yesterday so I need to make the granola bars for Hubby's lunch box today since he works tonight(his Monday.


Monday wash day is my favorite especially when I can hang clothes on the line.Though tomorrow will be a late start as I have to go to the doctor's for a check up since I've been down sick to the point of pneumonia.

Tuesday ironing day...been there done that.The best thing I can say now days if I absolutely must iron something it is going to be sprinkled with water and frozen for at least 20 min before I iron...makes it easier.Spent many years doing ironing for a living out of my home.

Wednesday sewing day...hummmm...you mean you aren't suppose to wait until the laundry basket,box or trash bag you have it stored in doesn't explode all over the place before doing it?

Thursday odd job day.I think Thursday has over ran ALL the other days of the week as this seems to be what side tracks me from doing what I should be doing instead...except laundry on Mondays.

Friday cleaning day...sigh...I really liked it when I cleaned on Monday but that no longer works because of Hubby working 3rd without overtime so he is here by 7 am( Sunday night is his Monday) and wants to go to sleep.Midget house is too small for me to move around much without waking him up so Fridays is better I guess since he doesn't work Friday nights.Still I side track a lot with Thursday odd jobs.

Saturday baking and bath day. The bath part is understandable LOL.Those that don't know, in the old days you carted water by bucket, heated it on the stove that was fired with wood(corn cobs, coal etc) and then dumped it in a metal tub that was what would be about the size of a good size round trash can cut in half.Took your bath (cleanest to dirtiest in same water) then dumped it out.Not something you cared to do every day.They did daily take what is fondly called sponge baths or sink baths...in other words "WASHED UP" using a pan of water( still heated on the stove) instead of the full bath.

Baking was done on this day for the week. When the kids were little we went through a loaf of bread each meal.Take it back in time and I would have had to bake at least 21 loaves of bread a week if not more due to working more manual labor then we do now. Along with cakes, pies and cookies on Saturday.This would not be throwing a mix together or thawing out dough but making it and letting it rise( sometimes twice) before baking.It wasn't unusual when I was baking bread to bake 3 loaves with a sheet cake under them at the same time.

Have a Blessed day

corn cob jelly and syrup

first my days have been completely in taking care of Sammy in his final days here with us in this world so this got shoved back..again...some more...

Corn cob syrup and jelly...

don't matter which one you are going to make both start the same.

12 corn cobs that have had the corn cut off...I used ones that I cut off the corn for freezing.

6 cups of water to cover corn

bring to a boil and simmer for 30 min.

strain (I don't strain because I like corn particals in my syrup and jelly)

now here is where the difference lies....

FOR JELLY you need to have 3 cups of corn juice so if there is not enough "juice" add water until you have 3 cups. Add 1 pkg of pectin and bring to a rolling boil.Stir in 3 cups of sugar and boil for 2-3 min or it reaches jelly stage.Pour in to clean jelly jars and process in canner according to the same directions as apple jelly.

FOR SYRUP measure what ever corn juice there is...for light syrup add 3/4 cup of sugar, medium syrup would be 1 cup of sugar and heavy syrup would be 1 1/2 cups of sugar. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer for 10 to 15 min until all sugar is dissolved.

process in canner same as apple jelly.

I do use corn cob jelly and syrup on corn bread or Mexican desserts...

I will note here that any time I have a jelly that doesn't set...it gets used as a syrup instead.

OUT LIVE YOUR LIFE by Max Lucado

OUT LIVE YOUR LIFE by Max Lucado...good book, interesting comparsion between people(us) of these times and those in the Bible times. Thought provoking...a little on the dry side for my personal taste. I do think the title does not reflect the writing inside the book...I would have named it something more in line of "We are
st like them" or "Same as you and me".

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

death of loved one

 

He was in the slammer as a vagrant.Unloved and unwanted because he was disabled. I asked him if he wanted to come home with me and he stood up and said yes.He was honest, he was a begger and a theif, disabled and unsure of his age but he would do his best to follow the rules and get along with me and mine.

For five months and two days, he was a blessing beyond what we ever thought he would be.With in days he knew he was home and safe, that we loved him and accepted him as he was.As his lower back disks gave out and caused him to no longer be able to get up on his own or sometimes not even stand, he never stopped showing his love and how grateful he was.At the clinic he laid in my arms, not whimpering from the pain he must have felt but nuzzling to show both hubby and me that he loved us, that it was okay. I held him until his heart beat no more with grief to match the love.

Our only comfort is knowing he is now running on all four legs, playing as he wanted...no as he needed to be and easily picture him sharing bread with our Lord

GOD BLESS YOU SAMMY...Sam I am, I am Sam...Sammy Wammy...Samuel Adams Sheltie.

Book Review Cast of Characters by Max Lucado

CAST OF CHARACTERS Common People in the Hands of an Uncommon GOD by Max Lucado
The Cast of Characters in people from the Bible. Max Lucado does his magic and makes them come alive for us. He places them in our times with our troubles and worries. I not only found myself in this book but several of my friends. Well worth the reading, especially when you need to look at those of faith in the Bible outside their times.
This would be a great book for someone that feels they can’t “measure” up like those that did in the Bible.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

sorry , I got side tracked

I got side tracked wrapping up the food needing canned, froze etc. and then I felt I had to finish up inventorying the dry goods part of my pantry...so I forgot to post pics and recipe for corn cob syrup. I have now placed it on my to do list for the first of next week when I get back into OH.

so speaking of my pantry....I inventoried all of the drygoods...not refrig( never will as it changes way too often)and freezers are still on the to do list. BUT everything else is done. I put it on an excell( yes I broke down and figured out how to do it) and then broke down the categories to each "sheet" in the "workbook" NOW as long as I input what I buy and use daily ( or put what I use daily on a note to do on desk day) I won't ever have to wonder if I have something or need something and actually go look. I even did a need to buy sheet so I can stock up on what is missing with sales BUT NOT BUY what I already have.Each sheet says what the item is, wheither it is box,can good,jar or other container and where it is in the house or garage.

THe reason I spent a week of several hours doing this..to use up what we have instead of buying more and then pitching something down the line because it's too old to eat.So I can actually find where I put that spare bottle of ketchup at LOL. So I NOT buying what we already have and not getting what we actually need AND FINALLY not having to buy anything except basic so the grocery money can actually go to pay on some bills that have popped up that we don't have enough in the budget to cover.

LIKE...a bridge for my teeth because after 50 some yrs of having great teeth, I broke a molar into 4 pieces and had to have it pulled and now need a bridge that the ins will not cover completely.I am gratfeul they will cover part of it but really wonder if I didn't have ins if I could find a cheaper way to get the bridge.

We won't mention that Christmas is a little more than 17 wks away.

Have a great day.

Blessed be

canning tomatoes

Yep it's canning season.This is tomato,homegrown basil and garlic. This is all of the tomatoes I have gotten off 12 plants. They aren't doing very well this year for me so regrettfully I have to chose between buying some from the farmer or buying canned tomatoes through the year...sigh.

Tomorrow I plan to pick up more corn to cut off the cob and freeze.I will make corn cob syrup from the cobs (recipe next post).I hope to also pick up cucumbers to make bread and butter pickles and dill pickles.It's been almost 20 yrs since I have done cucumber pickles.I pickled beets when I overflowed with beets a couple yrs ago.They turned out well.

Got to go clear freezer area to put all this corn LOL

Have a good weekend

Mondays and garden

It's Monday so the clothes are hanging on the line( ok I took the picture BEFORE hanging the unmentionables)I usually try to get the bedding done on Monday but it didn't get done so it's on tomorrow's laundry.

I didn't start the home blessing.Except for Sammy our sheltie, shedding small yorkies the house is in good shape.Cookie,our husky,border collie mix, isn't shedding much since I butched her hair.I think I could have shaved Sammy bald and he would have still shedded yorkies.


I cleared some of the garden up...things no longer growing and producing got pitched and containers cleaned and put away to go to lock up. The pumpkin vine now needs 2 pictures to get all of it. I've picked enough sweet basil to fill the dehydrator.Took a good whack at my finger so had to stop and play doctor with it.Have Thai basil, spicy basil and boxwood basil also but I have finally got it staggered enough to not hit all at once. Chives will need done after this batch of basil. Have tomatoes and hot peppers to can in the next day or so.

Decided to hit the local fair tonight so dinner will be there. Hubby will have to rein me in like always...I definately will eat too much too fast and it won't necessarily be healthy.I mean, come on...it's the fair. Elephant ears,Belgin waffles,lemonades,fries, deep fried veggies(NOT pickles),cotton candy and maybe a caramel apple just for appetizer of course HA HA.Then I'll have to walk 10 miles to burn the calories back off.

have a blessed day

Monday Home Blessings and Laundry

Monday is my favorite day of the week. A fresh start of the week no matter if I am in state or working out of state.

I love washing the laundry and hanging it on the clothes line.Especially the bed linen.Nothing beats that fresh air smell on the bed and night clothes.

Hubby enjoys the lower electric bill.

I also do my homeblessing on Mondays. That is the term from www.flylady.net for house cleaning. It's a hit the middles not a pull out the furniture and sweep behind cleaning.I will admit I was the windows and not just the mirrors. I enjoy clean windows.

I do try to do the decluttering on Sunday. First most of your time cleaning is decluttering and second trash goes Monday morning...it's out of here LOL

Everyone have a good day

dry rub recipes

Sorry D I didn't post the dry rub recipes.

So here they are...

ANY MEAT DRY RUB

By Chef Julia L Owings Personal Chef

4 Tbsp ground cardamom
4 Tbsp ground ginger
1 Tbsp ground turmeric
3 Tbsp ground cumin
3 Tbsp ground coriander
2 Tbsp ground allspice
1 Tbsp ground black pepper
2 Tbsp cayenne
1 tsp ground cloves

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl or jar. Store in an airtight container for up to two months

Bring meat to room temp. Lightly coat meat with a light oil (I use safflower or grape seed oil but canola would be fine) then rub dry rub in to meat. Allow at least 30 min for rub to set before cooking.

Poultry Dry Rub (covers 3 Cornish Hens or 1 chicken, double for a turkey)

By Chef Julia L Owings Personal Chef

1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons chili powder (I add a pinch or so of Ancho chili powder if I want a healthy kick)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix to combine.

If using on the grill or broiler WATCH like a hawk due to sugar burning and turning black.

rubs and marinades

Hubby came in awhile back( read in there that I was getting ready to leave for GA and then got back in time to leave to go to my son's to babysit his cats while he was out of state)and asked that when I got time if I could write down some of the dry rubs and wet sauces I use for us.He had a friend he wanted to share them with.So finally I got around to printing a couple of them off.

The one I forgot to mention because both him and I do it automaticly when we don't want to throw something together is a no brainer.

Zesty Italian Salad Dressing

Yep, that simple. Steaks,beef or pork roasts,chops, poultry, possible lamb.We don't eat much lamb but I would try it in a heart beat. Marinate it or just dump it on say about 30 min before you go to cook it. Seafood I would only marinate it 10 min the longest as the vinegar in it will "cook" it and you could end up with mush.

Meat will absorb flavors better if you allow the meat to be room temp BEFORE applying the rub or marinade.

I do more dry rubs and marinades in the late fall,winter,early spring.I want the kick of spices to get me thru the dreariness of the weather.In the summer time it is all about wet sauce or BBQ sauce.

We like Bobby Flay's Chipotle-Molasses BBQ sauce.If I don't have any made up then we use what ever BBQ sauce I have in the pantry(depends on coupons and sales). I mix it one bottle of BBQ sauce with one bottle of dark beer or one bottle of BBQ sauce with 1/2 cup of Jack Daniels single barrel whiskey.( if I want a strong whiskey taste I use old #7).

My mom made a great BBQ sauce and I plan to get it off her so we can try it in a week or so when I am back from babysitting kittie kitties.

Enjoy the day

Wet Eagle

this is a wet Eagle. I got his pic thru an email forward from a friend.Today this is what I feel like.

Just soaring along, doing what needs to be done and trying to keep food on the table and wham, it's a battle and I end up totally soaked, worn out and exhausted.Like the Eagle there is no vacation in sight. It's a fight everyday to survive.

Someone needs to lend me their GPS so I can find a very tall tree to sun myself and dry off safely.I am sure though if my kids don't find me, my mother will and she will most likely tell me to quit hogging the limb.

EMBRACING YOUR SECOND CALLING book reveiw

EMBRACING YOUR SECOND CALLING BY Dale Hanson Bourke.

When you reach a certain age, life changes wheither or not you are ready for it to. SO what now? is the question most of us ask ourselves.
Dale Hanson Bourke helps find those answers in her book. EMBRACING YOUR SECOND CALLING.

She doesn’t give you pat answers but suggests resources to find the correct answers for yourself. She’s been there and done that. Dale talks about her busyness when the kids were little and she was working fulltime to when everything changed as the kids left home and she dealt with coming out of her career of her youth.

I needed this book when I was 40 and struggled through that year.In my fifties I am glad to see I am not alone in the struggles, glad to see that some of my choices as a young mother and then an elder( try not to use that word OLD) have been on track in comparison to others.

WE ARE NOT ALONE IN OUR STRUGGLES.

May GOD grant me the wisdom, patience and humor today.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

when it rains it pours and floods

the weather suits my mood and emotions at this point. A great sunny day would be wasted for sure.

We thought we were making the turn to see the light at the end of the tunnel in our finances...what we got was a total cave in.Hubby agreed to see a financial lawyer over it. I hate losing everything we have worked for during the last twenty years but I can't handle the stress of bad choices.

SO the grocery budget will take the hit again along with some other things.

Hopefully the internet won't be one the things to take the hit.

I'll keep you updated