Winds of Change...

It's been a little chaotic around the farmhouse lately. I'm sorry you've been caught up in it. Rest assured all will be revealed soon. (Don't worry. It's all good!)

I'm sorting fabric to send or donate, and I've been staging things to keep, too. I'm a bit more motivated right now, because I need the space upstairs.  

Multiple trips up and down stairs are sprinkled with breaks for tea, water, or Tylenol. Then, I realize I again forgot to share a post. I know there are a lot of bloggers who just quit or got lazy so they post sporadically. Trust that neither is the case here. I'll be back tomorrow. I promise. 

Ugh...

Doesn't this look good? I'm glad I canned our own chicken soup this year. We can add noodles if we want, or thicken it up for stew or pot pies.

Whatever we decide, I'm thinking it's just what this gal needs to get out from under whatever this junk is. About all I'm good for right now is sleeping or scrolling through my phone.

Handsome leaves for Florida next Friday  I have important things to do! Hanging around in sweats and feeling crummy is not what I want to be doing right now. I really hope this clears over the weekend. Get well wishes would surely be appreciated!

I Did This Again...

So, this is how we ended our Saturday. I processed apples Linda P from Portage had gifted me, while Handsome washed dishes and did cleanup. 

Handsome had cleaned, cut them up and put them in the Nesco to cook down while I baked. When we finished mowing, we ate dinner and watched the first of the playoff games for the Milwaukee Brewers. That game ended at 11 pm. Then, we canned applesauce. We turned out the lights and went to bed at 1:30 am.

I'd say we're nuts, but we do have more applesauce to show for our efforts.

Nah. We're nuts.

PS. Linda collects pig knick knacks and gifted this happy soul to me, by the way. I love it.

I've Hit The Ground Running...

Handsome's brother arrives today from Maine, so I've been running since I woke up. So much to do, since I was busy with other things (and work) the past few days. I only now realized I hadn't dropped in to say "hi" today. (This photo was taken years ago. Heck, that's the old porch behind them!)

Our granddaughter's couples wedding shower is tomorrow, so I'll stitch down the second side of the quilt binding and add the label today. I'll share photos of my finished quilt with you tomorrow.

I still have a few things to finish, so I'd better close for now. See you tomorrow!

Dream Life...

Via Old Fashioned Life on FB

The Light On The Other Side...

Anyone who knows me well knows I already embrace this philosophy. Equally important is taking time for a walk with nature, and combining that walk with art or creativity is a bonus.

I have "chores" to accomplish today...bookkeeping, shredding paper, and tossing "dead weight". I'm going to try to do all this with a happy heart, knowing my outlook will be lighter once it's done. Knowing tomorrow will be better after I do this stuff I don't like to do. I'll look forward to tomorrow as I throw myself into today. See you later.

PS. We've had great news about our loved one They've moved to a facility where they'll receive physical therapy and the extended care necessary for the transition to returning home. Our gratitude for all the healing prayers and good wishes is immeasurable. Thank you.

A Labor Weekend...

I got a lot accomplished last weekend. I canned 34 pounds of tomatoes for starters. Twenty pounds became stewed tomatoes, and seventeen pounds were canned as crushed tomatoes.

I cleaned, cored, and froze the other 15 pounds (the balance of the bushel I purchased) to deal with later. One quart didn't seal (my fault because I didn't put it on securely), so I made spaghetti for dinner. Nothing like fresh tomato sauce.

I took the day off on Sunday, so yesterday was my baking day. One loaf will go up the hill for Andy and Shelly, and another will go to Dawn and Pete (bartered for pints of freshly-pickled, home-grown beets). The rest are for our freezer until we need them.

I was up in the dark today to work my shift, but banana nut bread is in my future. The bananas are "ready". The rest of my day is up for grabs.

I hope you had a great weekend. I'll be back tomorrow.

It Was Just One Of Those Days...

Late start. Handsome going to the hospital (visiting a family member). Dogs need tending. Have to run to town. Need to mow the lawn. Oh, wait!! I missed posting today! Hold my horses. 

It's only Monday, and already I'm starting out behind. Geez, Louise. 

Working my regular shift 10-4 tomorrow. (I start the new Monday/Tuesday 6 am to 10 am next week). Classmate dinner Wednesday. 

Sorry I'm late. It's already past 3, and I think I need a nap. I'll try to do better the rest of this week.

Beauty In A Jar...

These tomatoes were so tasty! I turned nine pounds of them, along with half a pound of green peppers and six ounces of sweet onion into these three gorgeous quarts and one pint of stewed tomatoes. 

The jars all sealed, are cleaned, labeled and in the pantry already. I'm looking forward to more tomatoes when they're ready to make more of this scarlet-colored goodness. 

Today is my first day of my new early morning shift. I'll be done by 10:30 am and will have the rest of the day ahead of me. It's going to be interesting to see how this night owl adjusts. We'll see. 

Veggie Days...

I received this beautiful box of goodness from Dawn and Pete yesterday and will be processing them into stewed tomatoes (with the addition of onions and fresh basil. The gorgeous green peppers are from Shelly. Why the delay?

Because I received nearly forty ears of fresh-off-the plants sweet corn from our neighbor Earl on Saturday. Handsome helped me shuck most of it, while I stripped the golden goodness off the cobs.

By late afternoon, we had fifteen pints cooling (with lids popping) on the counter. Of course, we had fresh corn on the cob with dinner both Saturday and Sunday nights, too. There's really nothing better.

Of course, no money changes hands.  I'll be taking fresh-baked pecan rolls to both of them during the week. That's how it's done between neighbors in farming country.

Happy Monday, friends!

 

Home All Day...

No appointments today, so I'll be doing things here at home. I'll start by checking the bird feeders and cleaning the birdbaths so they have cool, fresh water. Next is to put in a load of laundry, and then im going to sit down to my needlework frame. 

It's hazy and smoky here from the Canadian fires, so even though it's a bit cooler, having the windows open isn't wise. I'm praying for safety for the wildlife and people to our north.

Our lawn is filled with wildflowers - Queen Anne's lace, chickory, clover, wild oregano, wood sorrel, bird's foot trefoil, and a few others - taking over our yard these days. They thrive (because of their deep roots) when grass browns due to lack of rain. When it doesn't rain, we don't mow because it just browns and stresses the grass. Between you and me, I love the riot of wildflowers taking over. I think wildlife does, too.

So for now, I'm the wild child walking barefoot through our yard, enjoying how Mother Nature takes over when we allow her time and space. I'll definitely be spending some time enjoying the display today.

Homemade Maraschino Cherries...

Such a simple recipe for big results. I pressure canned maraschino cherries. I saw bags of fresh cherries last time I was in the grocery store, so I bought a bag.

The recipe was easy. 1:1 water:sugar ratio, plus lemon juice, and vanilla for the syrup. Then add a small piece of cinnamon, three whole allspice, and a splash of almond extract to each jar before filling with pitted cherries.

Bring the pressure canner up to full steam and let it vent for ten minutes. Put the juggler on the vent, and once the gauge is up to 11 psi, set the timer for ten minutes. Then remove from heat and wait for the canner to depressurize. By bedtime all the jars popped.

Now I have these jars of tasty cherries for Wisconsin-famous Old Fashioneds (Handsome makes delicious mixed drinks on the rare occasion I indulge), or even better, in or on homemade ice cream!

I accomplished other things this weekend, too, so I'll share more tomorrow. 

Baking On A Rainy Day...

As I write this, there's a gentle rain falling on the fields surrounding Hickory Hill. The birds are singing, and the crops are lapping up every bit of it. The forecast predicts this will continue all day.

This photo is from a previous baking marathon day, but I'll be making more warm cinnamon rolls just like these.

This afternoon is our monthly classmate dinner, and it was requested that I bring more frosted goodness to sell. So, I'm already in the kitchen with a fresh cup of coffee and cinnamon on my mind.

I wish you a day filled with wonderful things. I'll be back tomorrow with photos from my day today. 

Breakfast In A Jar...

These are most of the ingredients for my current canning project. I also have bulk Italian sausage that will be browned and added to each jar. I'm making quarts of Breakfast in a Jar from My Basic Homestead on Instagram. I've been following her for a while and really like her recipes.

This is the recipe I'm using (in case you'd like to try it yourself), but I'm omitting the eggs. I'd rather add fresh eggs later when I prepare the jar contents for a meal.

I know that it doesn't take long to make this meal any day of the week, but I don't always have all the ingredients on hand. This way I can be assured of a tasty breakfast or brunch anytime, just by pulling a jar off the shelf.

I'll process these jars  along with the venison pints I prepared on Monday. They'll time out the same in the canner.

It got into the 80s yesterday, so I didn't want to heat up our non-air conditioned farmhouse. I'll do this early today before the temperature rises today, and will have them out of the canner by mid-morning. First my morning cuppa, and then I'll tie on my apron and get busy. See you tomorrow!

 

Enjoying Life...

 

I'd love to think this could be me, but who am I kidding? In case you're curious, yesterday morning began with me in the kitchen making two dozen homemade stuffed oreos to take to the physical therapy staff. (They were a huge hit, too!)

When I opened the little fridge to put the dough in to chill for an hour, I saw the venison loin I put in there to thaw on Saturday...and completely forgot. Soooo, once the dough was in the fridge, I had at least an hour to deal with the venison.

I sliced it into medallions and then browned it with onions and placed them in jars. I didn't have time to run the canner before PT, but I wouldn't have lit up the canner for three pints. I put the lids and rings on them and put them in the fridge until I can properly can them after work today.

After PT, I ran to the grocery store. I needed a few things for something else I'm going to can so the pressure canner gets filled. I'll tell you about it tomorrow. 

Instead, I made a batch of cinnamon rolls last night. Two 2-packs are going to my coworkers, another 2-pack to Andy and Shelly, and a 2-pack for Handsome and me. It was a good day (and night).

I work until 4:30 today, and then I'm going to do my batch of canning. I can't wait to tell you what I'm making to fill up my pressure canner! See you tomorrow.

Oh, and maybe this image will be my life next year. For now, busy suits me just fine. 

A Great Day To Can...

Chicken Stew

I managed to get quite a bit done yesterday! First up was a batch of chicken stew. 

In the past, a quart jar always had leftovers, so when I found pint and a half jars from Azure Standard, I had to get some. These are the perfect size for hearty meals for two. I'll definitely use them again. Also, I started the day with nine pounds of chicken breasts to fill all these jars.

My chicken stew includes cut up chicken breast meat, Yukon gold potatoes, frozen mixed vegetables (carrots, corn, green beans, and peas), and onions. 

Now there are six jars of stewed goodness on the shelf. All I need to do is add baked French rolls or buttermilk biscuits for a quick, easy, and healthy meal.

Cubed Chicken and Chicken Fajita 

Next was to cut up the rest of the chicken we bought for two pints of cubed chicken, and six pints of chicken fajita meat.  

I started by putting the taco seasoning in the bottom of each jar, followed by chopped green chilies, cut up chicken, and topped with roasted red peppers. 

Canned Yellow Onions

Last on my list was to chop up four beautiful, huge yellow onions I bought on my last trip to the grocery store.

For these, I used eight ounce jars, which are just right for opening and adding to any meal prep. They're almost like caramelized onions. 

It's my first time canning them, and I can't wait to try them soon. I went to bed "happy tired" having created all this goodness for the pantry. I have more to can later this week. More about that later, though, as I'm out the door to work today.

Tasty Beets...

I told you yesterday I canned beets  I bought them through Azure Standard, a source for organic and healthy products. I've been happy with everything I've received from them.

Once you set up an account, you can scroll through their selections, add to your shopping cart, and then you're advised of your last date to order to be included in the delivery. Your order isn't charged until that date, so you're free to go back and add or delete items from your shopping cart until that date. Prior to the cutoff date, you choose to either pick up at a location near you, or have the order shipped for an additional charge. My pickup is within 10 miles of home and close to the highway, so it's really convenient.

Monthly delivery trucks bring the orders to the drop off location, and you should be there within fifteen minutes or so (whatever the coordinator says) to get your order. I'm usually on my way back home with my order within ten minutes of the truck arriving.

They offer bulk quantities, as well as smaller packaging, fresh or frozen items, lots of pantry staples, household products, and health and beauty items. You might be surprised!

If you're interested in learning more about Azure Standard, or would like to place an order to try it out, you can use my link HERE. There are no signup or membership fees, and you're under no obligation to place orders every month. If you try it, I'd love to know what you think.

Canned Beef...

Six pounds of local ground beef became seven pints of shelf-stable canned beef. No need to take up freezer space or wait for thawing. It's ready and waiting for future barbecues, tacos, or whatever else I'd like to do with it. Believe me when I say it's always worth the effort  

I didn't get to stitch today, but I did set up a new project. I'll share photos tomorrow  

Same Stuff. Different Day...

not me

It's officially another stinking cold. I have many thoughts on why, but I don't want to be labeled a "conspiracy theorist" by my blog friends. Suffice it to say, I've been taking really good care of my health, apparently to no avail.

Anyway, it started with a day of sneezing, and by dinnertime I was miserable. I made a batch of chicken soup for us (which really felt good) and headed to bed. 

I never did sit down to stitch. I'll try again today, but I'm really sick of being sick. Either way, I'll be back tomorrow. 

Farmhouse Pantry...

Top to Bottom: 1) stewed tomatoes and pickles; 2) pears, pineapple, alfredo sauce, turkey meat; 3)potatoes, carrots, creamed corn, sweet corn and tallow; 4) rutabaga, sweet potato, green tomatoes, chili beans

Apologies for the lateness of today's post. I was called in to work early this morning (boss is on vacation), so I'm just getting around to it now. Because it's already after lunchtime, I'm going to leave this post up for tomorrow, too. There will be a new post after this one on Wednesday. Last weekend was Craft Day, so I'll be sharing what our latest project entailed.

1) zucchini relish, corn/black bean relish, bbq sauce, salsa, homemade rotel; 2) venison, taco meat, chicken breast, mexican seasoned chicken thigh, beef stew 3) canned butter, strawberry jam, jalapeño jam, cheesecake, black rasp. jam, grape jam, lilac jam

Now, for today's post. I promised photos of my home preserved pantry shelves, so here goes. While I admit there are some store-bought items in our pantry, most of what we eat these days is local, non-GMO prepackaged, or home canned/frozen. I'll try to give you a good idea of what's on each shelf in the photo captions.

1) dehydrated milk and cream, purchased chai tea (hidden) dried beans to can later, pizza sauce 2) Freeze dried pineapple, cowboy candy, pinto beans 3) various dried rice and grits 4) dehydrated ingredients for soups and stews, pasta and celery

1) Handsome's jam (in use) and Jif peanut butter (non-GMO and no Xylitol, which means safe for dogs), applesauce 2) baked beans, condensed mushroom and tomato soup mixes, turkey vegetable soup base, premixed seasoned rice 3) non-GMO purchased cereals 4) various pastas (Some day I'll make my own, but we buy them for now.)

I'm writing the copy on my computer, but adding the photographs through my cell phone, so I'll try to keep things straight. (Yes. My computer is still acting up.) sigh

1) hickory nut pie filling, apple pie filling 2) homemade muffin, brownie, sugar cookie and corn bread mixes 3) homemade vanilla (in process), Ghirardheli choco chips, hickory nuts and pecans

So, there you have it. I have more things on my To Do list, but this is where I do most of my "shopping" when it's dinner time. We do have meats in the freezer, but it's much easier to grab something off these shelves. (No thawing required.) 

I'm working all day tomorrow, but I'll be back Wednesday with the Craft Day post. See you then!