Carrots from the Garden

Today I pulled the carrots!  Yeah.  It looks like we will be having carrots for dinner.  I couldn't help but think of the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears as I tugged the carrots from the ground.  Some of them were too big and they had split open, some of them were too small, and some of them were just right.    All in all, I am pleased.  These are my carrots.  They were planted by me.  Tended to by me. And pulled by me.  What satisfaction!

Google Chrome

Everyone has a favorite browser and for the most part people tend to prefer the one they used first.  Years ago my husband convinced me that Firefox was better than Internet Explorer.  So that is what I have been using. I am such a creature of habit.  Of course, he has been through multiple browsers since that time. 

This morning when I wanted to look for a typing instruction program for my daughter he nonchalantly said, "Just go to the Chrome store and get an APP."

I responded, "Huh? What? Do I have to pay for the APP?"

Long story short - No, I didn't have to pay and now when I open the extra tab on the Google Chrome home screen, voila there is the APP, Typing Club! 

Looks like I'm switching browsers.

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My Redneck Clothesline

Did you know that it costs about $100 to dry your clothes in a clothes dryer per year, assuming you do 3 loads per week?

Did you know that is costs $0 to dry your clothes on a clothesline outside?

I am sure you did!  But life is complicated and busy, busy, busy!  Who has time to wait for the clothes to dry?  What if it rains?  These are all powerful arguments for using the clothes dryer; however, I really enjoy the smell of clothes fresh off the line.  I have never found a dryer sheet that could replicate that smell.  One whiff and I smile.

I don't have a real clothesline.  My husband tied a rope from one tree to another.  It does the trick - helps me save a few bucks, conserves some energy, and makes me smile.

Here is my redneck clothesline -

Going Blueberry Picking

We are off bright and early this morning to go blueberry picking at Mason Beach Farm.  It is about a 45 minute drive to get there and the farm opens at 8:00a.m.

I just hope it is worth our trip.  I want to be able to go and fill up our buckets quickly.  Our days are sweltering right now.  High humidity and mid 90 temperatures are keeping us close to the AC.

If the berries are plentiful this year I can see lots of blueberries in our future - pie, muffins, jam, bread, crisp, and so much more. 

Summer Schedule

As a teacher I am home for a chunk of the summer.  Not as much time as what the vast majority of the  country thinks!  Today I have to go in to work as well as several other days this summer.  But, I am so thankful for all the days that I can stay home.  It gives me a chance to see what life as a stay at home mom is like.  I value this extra time I have to be with my family.

I am the type of person who really needs a schedule or a checklist to really function at me best.  I don't see this as a short coming.  I look at it as my way to stay on track and keep focused on my family.  I don't want regrets when the summer ends. I want to look back and smile as I think of all the time we spent together doing a variety of wonderful things.

I sat down yesterday and made a list.  It is a list of the things I feel are important to my family.  You will notice there are no set times.  I just wanted to have this visual so that each and every day we could try to do at least 7 of the things on it.  Some days certain activities will take longer than others.

Here is my schedule -

EVO Brewery Tour

Today my husband and I drove in to Salisbury where the Evolution Brewery is located.  We went to the 1:30 p.m. brewery tour and my husband came home happily with a growler filled with his favorite brew.

I enjoy taking tours.  I love learning how things come into being.  I was not disappointed!  I learned that beer is made with 4 essential ingredients: barley, hops, water, and yeast.  We followed the hops on the journey it makes from beginning to end.  Absolutely fascinating!

The EVO Brewery even has a restaurant as part of its facility.  The items on the menu sounded wonderful, but we skipped this part as it was a bit out of our budget for today.  Perhaps another time!

Buying a Canner

 This year I am going to invest in a canner, not the pressure ones, just an old-fashioned hot water bath canner.  I missed strawberry season completely!  I will not miss blueberry season.  It has been a long time since we canned any produce.  We used to make jellies and relishes.  Then, life got very hectic and canning was forgotten. 


This morning I was searching on Amazon and found the canner I am going to get.  I like the Granite Ware  products and this one has all the added bells and whistles of equipment included.  Since I am a Prime member, there will be no shipping charge and the canner will arrive in 2 days.  Prime membership is expensive and not something I would usually splurge on, but I have a 6 month free student trial membership. So why not put it to use.
 

Here is the link for the canner - $38.75
http://www.amazon.com/Granite-Ware-0718-1-Enamel--Canning/dp/B002KHN602/ref=sr_1_3?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1373636295&sr=1-3&keywords=hot+water+bath+canner

Perfectionist

I have often been told that I am a perfectionist.  People say this word as if it is a bad thing!  I don't think wanting perfection is a bad thing; I think that not being able to cope when things don't turn out perfect is a bad thing. 

I have been taking graduate classes recently to add an English Language Learner endorsement to my teaching license.  I have carefully looked at the course syllabus and the rubrics for grading.  I have taking notes and turned my assignments in early. 

My husband said, "Honey, do you always have to get an A?"
 I responded, "No, I don't have to get an A, but I do have to do my best!

Then an idea popped into my head - I am not a perfectionist.  I just don't do half-assed.  So, I even made up a poster with this saying on it.  I feel liberated!

Renaming behaviors

I am now through chapter 2 in the book, Raising the Spirited Child.  I am trying to identify the behaviors that my four year old exhibits that just drive me nuts.  He is defiant!  If you tell him to stop doing something he has to do it one more time.   If we put him in time out he throws a tantrum with ear splitting screams, slams his bedroom door,  and declares he hates us or that we don't love him.  He is very manipulative.

Here goes-
My son is hyper spirited.  He is stubborn focused.  He is defiant determined. 

 WOW! These are all labels that do fit him and they fit him in a positive way.

The BEST Oatmeal Cookies

This is one of my very favorite cookies.  They are soft but with a crisp edge.  They taste great warm from the oven and even days later.  My husband loves to frost his with vanilla icing for an extra special treat.  The recipe makes 4 dozen decent sized cookies, but I am hard pressed to keep them in the house for long.

Here is the recipe -

Oatmeal Cookies
1 cup of butter softened
1 cup of sugar
1 cup of packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon of vanilla
2 cups of all purpose flour
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon of salt
1 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon
3 cups quick cooking oats

1.  Heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease a cookie sheet.
2.  Cream the egg, butter, sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla with a mixer.
3.  Measure and stir together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.  Then add a little at a time to the egg mixture and continue mixing.
4.  Stir in the oats by hand.
5.  Drop by rounded tablespoons onto a greased cookie sheet.
6.  Bake for approximately 11 minutes.  Let cookies rest on the cookie sheet for 2 minutes before removing them to a wire rack to cool.

Happy 4th of July

In the United States, we celebrate Independence Day, better known as the 4th of July.

The Declaration of Independence was written by Thomas Jefferson.  On July 4, 1776 Congress ratified the Declaration of Independence and proclaimed that the 13 colonies no longer belonged to Great Britain.  They were then a new nation - The United States of America.  This document was signed by 56 delegates.

If you travel to Washington D.C. you can sign a miniaturized photocopy of the Declaration with quill and ink at the Jefferson memorial.  You an also visit Constitution Gardens which honors the men who signed the Declaration. The memorial has 56 stones.  Each stone has engraved the signature of one of the signers as well as his hometown and job.  The original Declaration of Independence was lost, but many copies had been made.  One very famous signed copy, now thought of as the Declaration of Independence, can be seen in the dimly lit hall of the National Archives building.

                                                                       humans
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.

So today, I will give thanks for my life , for my freedom, and for being able to do the things that bring me joy.  I will have a picnic with my family.  I will go canoeing with my daughter down the river.  I will through a ball to my son.  And I will hug my husband.

Happy 4th of July!

Broccoli Ham Quiche

The hens are laying eggs daily and I needed to find some other ways to use them up besides the same old, "Would you  like eggs for breakfast?"  Yesterday I examined two different quiche recipes and and chose what in my opinion was the best of both for my own version.  I have to say it was absolutely yummy.  My daughter even had three slices.  Here is my version -

Broccoli Ham Quiche
Instant Mashed Potatoes (prepared)
2 cups broccoli florets
1 cup of cheddar cheese
3/4 cup of honey ham from the deli sliced into thin strips
3 eggs
1 cup of milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray 9 inch pie plate with cooking spray.
2.  Make instant potatoes according to directions on box.
3.  Spread the mashed potatoes into a thin layer covering the bottom and sides of the pie plate.  This serves as the crust.
4.  Bake in oven for 30 minutes.
5.  Layer the broccoli, ham and cheese on top of the potato crust.
6.  Mix the eggs, milk, salt, peper, and nutmeg until frothy. 
7.  Pour the egg mixture over the broccoli, ham, and cheese.
8.  Bake for another 40 to 50 minutes until the egg mixture has become solid and not runny.

Goodbye Stormy

This week Stormy, the kitten, turned seven weeks old and we were preparing to move her from my parent's home and into ours.  I was on my way to have the car inspected this morning when my father called with sad news.  Stormy was dead!  The last of eight kittens had gone on to kitty heaven to be with her brothers and sisters who had gone before her.  My husband took care of burying her before I returned home, and there was one very sad little girl at my house who wouldn't have the kitten for a pet that she had become so attached to.  My husband is a great writer and upon returning home I found him typing furiously on his computer.  I did not realize how much this little kitten's death had touched him until I read the finished story.  Here is what he wrote -

Scooter's Story

It was raining when he buried her.

I was out in the yard, wandering from dry spot to dry spot, under the deck to under the truck, to under the tree, back to the deck.  I was trying to avoid the other cat, Sasha, whose naïve  attitude and blind affection assure that one of the humans will ALWAYS pick her up and let her sleep in their lap.  Not me.  I’m Mr. Independent.  I know the game.  They feed me (from the same bowl as that Siamese bimbo), and I allow them to scratch under my chin or pet my head.  Whatever. Point is, I was out in the yard when the Master walked by carrying his shovel and a Wal-Mart bag, heavy with something small inside.

The shovel.

Around here, it’s a thing of legend… a fairy tale almost, or a kind of boogey man.  Whenever a new animal comes in to our family, the shovel is one of the first topics of discussion.  Maggie, the golden retriever, lives in fear of the day when the Master will have to use it for her.  She was just a puppy when she first saw it, digging a hole for the beagle that died from being  too old.  The Master had tears in his eyes as he drove the shovel into the dirt, but the “chuff” sound it made sounded more like “you too” to Maggie’s ears. 

The shovel has been around since forever, digging holes for hamsters and rabbits and chickens and even Bella the goat’s sister, Lucky.  She was not so lucky.  I remember when the Master came inside after gouging the earth for a long time on that gray day, and he said to his wife, “That’s it.  We’re never getting another animal bigger than the hole I want to dig for it when it dies.”

This day, he was digging another hole.  A small one.  I settled down in the gravel of the driveway under the truck and watched him heave the soil, in great black lumps.  When he was satisfied that the hole was deep enough, he carefully placed the bag inside. As I watched, I saw a tiny gray tail push up against the translucent white bag.  So this was the last one, then.

This was Number Eight. The Survivor. The calico cat next door had birthed a litter of kittens 7 weeks ago, and one by one in that first week, they all died.  All but Stormy, the gray kitten. She will make it, they said.  She is strong, they said.  Look how she plays!  Haha, she is quite a climber, isn’t she? 

I started washing my front paws as shovelful by shovelful he undug the hole.

I wonder how long it will be before there are no places to bury us?  This spot, the one with the kitten, was near the little apple tree.  My eyes wandered around the yard, and I noted all the places that had little animals sleeping a couple of feet below the grass or weeds or trees or shrubs above.  Sam and Charlie, brothers, were buried in the front yard.  Those two cats lived for a long time, or so the story goes.  They were way before my time.  The other cats, Petey and Alex, were in the back yard. Chubbers the hamster is under a brick, which is tangled up in the roots of the tall sycamore tree that the Master parks his truck under. Sara the beagle, she’s buried near the shed, cruelly close to Maggie’s pen.  No wonder she freaks out about the shovel, she has to look at that grave all day long, every day.  Lucky the goat occupies a spot on the boundary of the back yard and the woods beyond.  There is a great big fluffy rabbit buried at the base of the Curly Willow tree. Yoyo, also before my time, is buried somewhere but no one can seem to remember where.  The other animals seem to remember stories about him being carried away to the vet and never returning, but I think the Master would have brought him back to help fill up another hole somewhere here in the yard.  He loved that cat.  Stormy’s siblings, all 7 of them, were in tiny holes scattered around the property. The first hole was hard for the Master to dig.  He was very sad.  The next one… a little easier.  By the time he got to the seventh hole, days later, he seemed almost dead to the horrible thing he was doing.  But the eighth hole, that was hard for him.  His daughter, the one who I allow sometimes to pet me as I sleep on her bed, was attached to Stormy.  That was going to be her cat. 

The last scoop of dirt fell on top of the hole, and the Master whacked it flat with the shovel before stomping on it to level it out.  I wonder what was going through his mind as the damp dirt gave way to his shoe.  His face was a mask, but I admit that human faces are always hard for me to read. More telling than his face was the way he let the shovel drag behind him as he took it back to the shed, leaving a faint trail in the wet grass.

I wonder if he ever gets tired of digging all those holes.

Sasha came bumbling by, and I took a swipe at her but it was half-hearted.  She turned around for a second like she wanted to play, then noticed for the first time the fresh pile of dirt nearby.

“Another one?” she asked.

I nodded.

Lemon Cookies

On Sundays I like to make cookies to have on hand for the week.  They are so much better than store bought cookies.  Plus I know exactly which ingredients are used!  Yesterday we made lemon cookies.  Here is the recipe -

Lemon Cookies
1 cup butter softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

1.  Soften the butter and then cream together with sugar using a mixer.
2.  Add eggs and continue mixing.
3.  Add lemon juice and vanilla and continue mixing.
4.  Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt.
5.  Add flour mixture in small amounts to butter mixture and continue mixing.
6.  Drop by rounded teaspoons onto baking sheet lined with no stick foil or spray lightly with cooking spray.
7.  Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 9 minutes. 
8.  Remove cookies from pan and place on wire rack to cool.  This made about 90 cookies.

Assateague Island Virginia - Our Day 1 Trip

We live in a rural area but have access to nearby vacation hot spots.  My favorite of which is Assateague National Wildlife Refuge and Chincoteague Island.  It is only 30 minutes away.  So although we never go away on vacation to this place, we have all the fun that a tourist would spread out through the summer.

This morning my daughter and I went to the Bike Depot and rented a tandem bike.  At 10 years old, she is adamant that she can't ride a bike.  Today I showed her about balance by putting her on the tandem with me.  It was smooth biking and we rode about 10 miles total.

We saw a wide variety of birds including great white egrets, mourning doves, terns, and many others which I had no name for.   Along the way we crossed paths with 4 rabbits, a snapping turtle, and many chubby little Delmarva Fox Squirrels while leisurely riding.   It was a great time and one in which we were able to talk freely and just have fun.  A perfect mother daughter time!

Our Tandem was actually red.  For $6 per hour we had a delightful time!

End of the School Year

It has been a crazy last two weeks.  School officially ended yesterday.  I walked out at 12:10 after checking off everything on my end of the year to do list with a major migraine.  I love beginnings but hate endings!  I have been so busy that It has been a while since I blogged.  Next week I begin a college class and have already turned in several papers for it.  But for the next three days I am looking forward to life at home!
What is on my home to do list?

A trip to the beach with my kids
Cleaning all of the animals cages
Searching for recipes for all the eggs we get daily now
Crocheting a really nice afghan
Clearing out some junk
Mowing the lawn
Planting some really neat loofah plants my neighbor gave me
Beginning writing lessons for my daughter
Sitting in the shade and drinking a cup of tea
Reading and discussing the parenting books my husband and I are reading
Enjoying my new iPad
Weeding the garden

Hobbit Style Pouch

This weekend my daughter went to a birthday party and we made something special for the birthday boy.  He and my daughter are both prolific readers and raced one another through The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings Trilogy books.  So off to the fabric store we went and she picked out this fabric in a color which she felt a well to do Hobbit would want.  We then proceeded to the bank and traded in some paper money for the golden dollar coins to fill the bag.  Since it was his eleventh birthday we put in eleven golden coins.  We also included a gift certificate.  And the final touch came with the card which we made on the computer. It included a stanza from the song sung by the dwarves in The Hobbit -

For over the misty mountains cold

To dungeons deep and caverns old

We must away ere break of day

To seek the pale enchanted gold.

Pouch was sewn from suede like fabric and a leather cording.

Bilbo's Handscript font was used to write stanza from Dwarve's song

Trials and Tribulations - raising a busy boy

Home has been getting progressively more stressful.  Our son, now four years old, has been very defiant.  He yells, "NEVER!" when we tell him to do something.  He throws things across the room in anger and screams in an ear splitting way when things aren't going the way he wants.  He slams doors, refuses to nap, and bedtime is a nightmare.  We don't go off often as a family anymore because his behavior is embarrassing. 

I have spoken to his doctor and he encouraged us to try positive reinforcement such as stickers.  They worked for a day at most.  After that he tried to control the whole sticker situation telling us he required a sticker to come sit at the dinner table.  He then found them during the night while we were sleeping and stuck them all over the house.  I am still scraping them off the floor weeks later! We are back to square one.  The situation doesn't seem to be improving, so I decided to do what I always do when I need help - READ.

My husband and I are now reading, How to Raise the Spirited Child by Mary Sheedy Kurcinka.  We are on Chapter 1.  Hopefully we will find some useful strategies that will help us to be a happier and calmer family.

Buddah, A Quote on Life

So true, but so very hard to do! I have been having a lot of anxiety recently.  Why?  I keep worrying about the future and dwelling on things in the past that I should have done differently.  Today I went for a walk and during that walk, peace came for a while.  How?  It came when I was totally focused on the present moment - body posture, speed, foot placement, angle of arms.  No sooner than I returned however, the past and future invaded my thoughts again.  I guess I need to walk some more!

Peanut Butter Cookies

My 4 year old son requested peanut butter cookies the other day.  The recipe I have always used calls for shortening, but there wasn't any in the house.  I improvised with a slightly different version, and we were very pleased with the results.  The cookies were delicious, not overly crispy, and held up well for packing in school lunches even days later.  Here is the recipe -

Peanut Butter Cookies
1 c. butter softened
1 c. peanut creamy peanut butter
1 c. sugar
1 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
2 1/2 c. all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

1.  Mix the butter, peanut butter, sugar, and brown sugar until well creamed.
2.  Add the eggs and continue to beat.
3.  Measure and stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl.
4.  Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in small amounts continuing to mix.
5.  Refrigerate the batter for 30 minutes or until you can roll the dough into balls without the dough being too sticky.
6.  Roll the dough into 1 inch balls and space 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
7.  Use a fork to flatten each ball. 
8.  Bake at 375 degrees F for about 11 minutes or until the cookies begin to just brown at the edge.

Meet Stormy

A few weeks ago I told about a stray cat having a liter of kittens in my shed.   My parent's had named the stray Cally when she arrived on their deck a few weeks prior.  When I realized the cat was pregnant and shared this with my parents, they were actually excited.  All of our cats have been spayed or neutered and are usually adopted from the SPCA.  We thought it would be fun for the kids to experience kittens growing and learning.

There were 8 kittens in total.  This was not the experience we thought it would be however. The kittens all died within a week, except one - Stormy.  We call her Stormy for a variety of reasons: she looks like a puffy little gray rain cloud, she was born during storm, and her life has definitely been stormy.

Stormy will be 4 weeks old this Wednesday, so we are hoping that she will indeed survive.  She walks around in that kitten wobbly way.  She is very curious and turns her head to look at whatever sound or movement is made.  She enjoys being held.  We have all become attached to this little one.  She will definitely be staying.

Here are pictures of Stormy  -

Kitten at 1 week

Kitten at 2 weeks

Kitten at 3 weeks

Planning for Grocery Shopping

We just paid to sign my daughter up for Marine Biology Camp this summer.  The cost was $250.  I am therefore trying to be extra cautious with our grocery spending.  So tonight I sat with the Food Lion sale paper and planned my meager purchases.  First thing Sunday morning I plan to arrive and purchase the following -

• 3 jars of Prego spaghetti sauce for $5
• 5 lb whole chicken for $5
• 1 box of Ritz crackers for $2.50
• 2 boxes of Wheat Thins for $5.00
• 1 16 slice package of American Cheese slices $2.00
• 1 64 oz. jug of apple juice $1.69
• 1 box of spaghett noodles .99
• 1 can of Manwich .99
• 5 cans of whole kernal corn $2.50
• 10 pounds of white potatoes for $2.99
• 1 3 pound bag of gala apples for $2.99
• 1 loaf of bread $2.19

I have one $1.00 off coupon for the Ritz/Wheat Thins combo.  So my grand total will  be $31.85
Thank goodness I still have lettuce and celery to harvest in the garden and a few things to pick from in the cupboards.  Plus I will make some cookies to go with our lunches for the week tomorrow.

Remembering Hurricane Sandy - Part 3

The tide swept into our yard and continued to get deeper and deeper.  Soon the power shut off and we were left in the grayness of the storm with only the sound of howling wind and pounding rain.

I kept going to the door to check how far the water had risen and to be certain the rabbit hutches were still standing safely stacked inside the pen.  I watched as those two loose chickens clung desperately to the hood of the old green car that I had parked on the hill.  I looked for Bella, our goat, whom I had turned loose to make her way to higher ground, but did not see her anywhere.

I even waded through the water to check on my parents.  With my father's health always an issue, I was very concerned.  It was his birthday and we had planned to eat together, but that certainly would not be happening.  The water was swirling quickly around my legs as I made it to their steps and climbed from the murky water.  My parents were still fine.  They had gathered their flashlights and lantern for later and were sitting at the kitchen table drinking a cup of coffee.  I sat for a short time and then headed back home to my own family.  The water had risen more!  It was now above my knees and still rising.

My children were beside themself.  What to do without electricity!  "Why can't we play on the iPad or the laptop?  What will we do when it gets dark?  How much deeper will the water get?  Will we be ok?"  Question after question popped out of their mouths.  It must have been the stress of the day and their only way to try to deal with the unknown.  While trying to reassure them I heard a sound, a very odd sound.  I heard it once and then it was gone.  Then I heard it again and this time it was more urgent.

"My God, it's Bella!"  I shoved my feet into my shoes and flew out the door.  I plunged back into the water which was now up to my hips.  I followed the sound of her bleating.  There she was back in her pen - too frightened to go anywhere and trying desparately to swim.  She went under and then her nose and mouth broke the surface and yelled.  I surged forward, tripping over unseen things in the water. 

I finally reached her and somehow found the strength to lift her into my arms.  The water was rising fast.  I heard my mother yelling, " Bring her to the back deck!"  I headed in that direction.  Then I got tangled in some weeds and went under.  I manged to get back up and swam to their back deck with Bella's head locked under my arm in a rescue position.  The water had grown shockingly cold!  Bella immediately jumped onto the porch swing to get out of the water.  I couldn't believe that there was actually water covering my parents back deck.  I had never seen a flood get this deep before, not in all of the 41 years I had lived here.

I headed back home.  My teeth were chattering and my body shivering as my husband met me at the door with towels.  I peeled the wet clothes from my body just inside the kitchen door and put on clean sweats that he had found.  I was thinking that this must be the worst of the storm.  I felt triumphant that I had saved the goat.  BUT then the water rose...

It is a good day

I recently finished taking a Spanish class as part of my graduate work.  The instructor was in her 60's and very easy going.  She never seemed stressed.  She let things roll off her back.  I think the best lesson I learned from her was this -  It is a good day - I woke up!

How much truer can you get?  Why should we live the life we have been given in a state of constant worry?  No one knows how many days they will have.  So we should treat each one we are given as the blessing it is. 

Many times I let the weight of problems keep me from enjoying the day.  I end up depressed and spend my day worrying over things I cannot do anything about.  No more!  I am going to adopt this motto and when I feel myself sliding into despair, I will say this to myself -

It is a good day!  I woke up!

How to choose fabric for a quilt

One of my favorite things to do is to make quilts.  More specifically I like to make quilt tops.  I like the designing process more than the binding process.  So therefore I often have a stack of beautiful tops that need to be backed and bound.

When I am feeling particularly low I find myself searching desperately for fabrics.  Perhaps the quilting or the planning becomes a form of therapy for me and allows me to release my frustrations.  Life has been very chaotic recently and I have spent many evenings after the children went to bed searching for fabric on the internet.

I have begun to plan a new quilt.  Here is how I choose my fabric -

1.  Choose the main colors to use.   Select monochromatic, complimentary, or analogous.
2.  Chose fabrics of different intensity.  Select light, medium, and dark shades of the colors to make the quilt balanced.
3.  Choose fabrics of different scale.  Select small, medium, and large prints.  Too many large scale prints in a quilt will be too busy; too many small prints will make the quilt dull. 

Hot Milk Sponge Cake

We were planning a barbecue yesterday when I realized I had not made anything for dessert.  And then Hot Milk Sponge Cake popped into my head!  I always have everything on hand to make this cake.  The recipe was given to my mom when I was just a child from an elderly lady at church.  Of course I use a microwave to heat the milk instead of the traditional stove method.  It is delicious warm or cold, needs no frosting, and would be great paired with fresh strawberries.  Here is the recipe -

Hot Milk Sponge Cake
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup milk
1 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla

1.  Cream the eggs using a mixer for 3 minutes.
2.  Add the sugar to the eggs. Scrap the sides of the bowl to be sure all of the sugar has been mixed into the eggs.  While this continues to mix for another 4 to 5 minutes do steps 3 and 4.
3.  Measure out the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Stir together and set aside.
4.  Heat the milk and the butter in the microwave until it is hot.  Be careful that it doesn't bubble over.
5.  Dump the dry ingredients into the egg mixture and mix well.
6.  Stir in the hot milk, butter, and vanilla into the mixture and blend well.
7. Pour into a 9 inch greased pan and bake at 350 degrees F (325 for dark non stick pans) for 20 to 25 minutes.

Roasted Radishes

Yesterday I harvested the remaining radishes.  They were real beauties and I am so proud of my first feed my family kind of garden. The only way I had ever eaten radishes before was sliced thinly in salads.  So today I decided to do something different!  I decided to roast them.  After all they are similar to potatoes and carrots.  So why not?  Here is what I did -

Radishes
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
Lemon Juice

1. Wash the radishes and cut in half.
2.  Toss with olive oil and put into a bake dish.
3.  Salt and pepper to taste.
4.  Bake for 15 to 20 minutes at 450 degrees F until tender. Flip once during baking.
5.  Drizzle with lemon juice for more flavor.

What is your favorite ...?

"Mom, what is your favorite book?"  my daughter asks as we ride down the road.  Moments later more questions - What is your favorite land animal?  Who is your favorite author?  What is your favorite color?  and on and on.

It is wonderful to know that she is interested in me, but it makes me sad that I never have an actual answer.  The only reply I ever have is, "I don't know."  Am I this indecisive?  Am I so busy I don't stop to think of my own likes?  Am I the only one like this?

So I have decided that over the next few weeks I need to figure out my favorites.  Just how does one go about this?  Is it the first thing that pops into my head?  Is it a feeling I get when I say a certain thing? Or is it something else?

Now, which to tackle first? 

The Box

Can anyone say treasure hunting?  I know this sounds absurd, but that is just what happened to us.  My uncle, who had been operated on for a brain tumor and was still recovering from surgery had his nurse phone my mother.  He was quite upset and determined that we needed to get a box he had left behind his shed.

It was pouring heavily.  The nurse had told my mother she thought he was confused - that he just wasn't making sense.   BUT, we had to go and check! So we drove the half hour to his house.  With a rainbow colored umbrella and coats pulled up tight we searched behind the shed.  No sign of a box!  We even looked around the sides of the house and the garage.  Still no box!

We left his home knowing that the nurse must have been right and that he was indeed confused.  This didn't bode well for his recovery.

The next day came and my dad called me.  He had just hung up from my uncle again.  When my parents had told him there was no box he became quite upset and said, "Then you aren't looking in the right place!"  He then gave very precise directions to my dad as to this box's location.  Now we knew that it was under a red brick, six feet behind the shed, and buried.  Buried???

This was seeming to be a bit odd, but then again, my uncle is a bit eccentric.  So, this time my husband and father made the trip again to his home.  They went to the shed with my husband carrying a shovel.  They walked six feet behind the shed which led them to the edge of the woods.  Looking down at the ground there was indeed a red brick.  No way!  Could this be so?

They moved the red brick and began removing shovel fulls of dirt.  There in the hole was a small box!  It was a cardboard box which had been wrapped in layers of gray duct tape to prevent water from damaging the contents.  They covered the hole and replaced the brick.  Upon turning around, my husband noticed that there were other red bricks laying scattered about the yard.

"You don't suppose there are other boxes, do you?" my husband asked my father.
"Maybe,"  he replied. "We'll have to go treasure hunting again some day to see."

Well, the box did hold treasure, not the kind of usual treasure which is money or jewels or even a treasure map.  It was treasure to an old man whose memories were fading fast.  The treasure was my uncle's memories and notes about his mother carefully written on page after page, folded neatly, and tucked inside this small box.

I don't know why he buried them.  I don't know if the other bricks are really markers to other boxes, or if they are just bricks lying in the yard.  BUT what I do know is that my uncle was definitely not confused, because here is -
THE BOX!

Radishes - the easiest thing to grow!

 

Yesterday, I started pulling radishes.  It had been a few days since I could get out to the garden.  So when I parted the leaves and saw these beauties I was really excited.  I had successfully grown Burpee Cheery Belle Radish seeds.  With life being so crazy right now this one simple thing made a huge difference in my day.  I sliced a couple and added to our lunchtime salad.

Radishes are quick and easy to grow.  I planted the seeds so that there would be 16 plants in a square foot, 4 x 4.   The seeds sprouted in less than a week and then seemed to grow to maturity overnight.  In less than a month the radishes were ready to be eaten.  Wow!

Three Sisters Planting

Last summer we visited Jamestown because we knew our daughter would be learning all about its history in school this year.  We had a wonderful time!  Now that I still have seed packets left to plant and seem to be running out of steam in building raised beds, I remembered something we saw there about the way they gardened.

It was called three sisters.  Basically, the interpreter explained to us, that the indians had shown the settlers how to grow their own  food in this way.  Weeding was kept to a minimum and the plants are good companions for one another.  The squash kept the soil shaded which helped to keep the soil moist.  The corn stalk supported the growing beans.   Here were the directions -

1.  Mound up the soil with a hoe.  The mound should be about 12 inches tall and 2 feet in diamater.
2.  Plant corn in the middle of the mound.
3.  Plant beans around the corn.
4.  Plant squash around the beans.

Today I am going to make one mound.  I will plant corn, pole beans, and zucchini.  I am anxious to see how this method works for us.

Getting ready to wait

I am up, have had a cup of coffee, and am preparing to leave for the four hour drive to Johns Hopkins hospital.  I have to say, my stress level is pretty high.  I don't like driving in these wee hours of the morning on just a few hours of sleep.  I am not sure yet how long my uncle's' brain surgery will take nor do I have any idea on the prognosis.  The unknown has always been a source of tension for me.

Today I will pray and try to be the strength that my mother and uncles need to help them through the day.  I will read a new book I downloaded onto my Kindle, AWOL on the Appalachian Trail.  I will try to remain positive and hopeful.  It is all any of us can do.  My Spanish instructor said once in class, "I woke up therefore it is a good day!"  Well, I woke up and now it is time to go.  I do hope it is a good day.

10 Ways to Deal with Stress

This week was teacher appreciation week at school and I won a 20 minute massage.  It was absolutely very relaxing.  But then it was over and that wonderfully relaxed feeling generated by the massage soon slipped away.  Let's face it - life can be very stressful, whether it is job related, health related, family related, or all of these combined!  Here are 10 of the ways I have found to deal with stress personally without paying $50 for another massage-

1. Drink a cup of hot herb tea.
2. Go for a quick walk or run.
3. Listen to music that includes sounds of nature.
4. Crochet.
5. Breathe deeply for one minute.
6. Rub the pets.
7. Pull weeds in the garden.
8. Write.
9. Stretch arms, legs, neck, spine.
10. Close eyes and lay a warm herbal pack across forehead.  I especially like the smells of spearmint and eucalyptus

Checking eggs

Life has been chaotic for our family this weekend.  My daughter was having a friend sleepover Friday after school when I received a phone call from my mother about my uncle being taking to the hospital.  We immediately had to change plans and my husband took over the sleepover. 

My mother and I hurried to the hospital which was an hour away.  It was determined that my uncle had a brain tumor and would be transfered to John Hopkins hospital over 4 hours away.  So we came home, grabbed a few hours of sleep, and then headed for Baltimore. 

Needless to say that with everything going on the eggs had not been collected.  My daughter brought them in this evening.  I knew the eggs should be good, but I am really careful with the eggs.  So we decided to be safe and test them.  There is an old saying that goes - if it doesn't sink it will stink.  We checked each egg in a cup of water.  Every single egg sank to the bottom and laid fully on its side.  From what I have read as long as part of the egg touches the bottom it is fine to eat.  And the fresher the egg is, the more it lays down.

My egg basket I got myself for Mother's Day is really neat.

Egg is laying down on its side and is therefore good to eat.

How many kittens did Cally have?

My husband and I went back to the shed yesterday.  I carefully handed out to him one kitten after another.  There were eight in all.  He placed them into a box and we carried the box and Cally to my parents' screened in porch.  We placed it in a dark section against the wall.  Mom brought out food, water, and milk for for Cally.  Then my daughter and I retrieved a litter box from Dad's shop.  Then we left Cally to care for her kittens, which she promptly did.

Upon returning from school however, I noticed that most of the kittens were all snuggled on top of one another.  All except one.  This one was smaller than the others.  I carefully moved her to the others.  Cally jumped back into the box and started nursing everyone.  Everyone that is except the little one.  I kept trying to put the little one up to Cally to nurse, but it never tried.  It would end up being pushed away by the others who were furiously trying to drink.

My husband rushed to the farm store and returned with some kitten formula.  I had sat quietly by the box for a long time observing.  The little kitten was continuously pushed to the side and it was apparent that Cally had not even washed her like she had the others.  Finally I checked the little one again and she felt so cold.  I wrapped her in my hands to warm her and snuggled her close to my chest.

When my husband returned, we mixed formula and gave a small bit to the little one.  It was apparent that the kitten didn't know how to suck.  After a bit of milk it seemed to have a bit more life - a small sound, a little movement.  We hoped that after a few more feedings the little one would make a turn for the better, but that was not to be.  At midnight, when we checked, the little ones life had passed away.  Such a short little time to be on earth. 

Now Cally has seven kittens.  They appear to be healthy and crawl over one another to reach their mother to nurse.  We will wait and hope that all will be well.

Kittens

Near the end of winter, my parents' cat passed away.  He was a stray that had found his way onto their back deck and stayed for many years.  He was good-natured and enjoyed the family.  My parents had made a place for him on the back deck where he was protected from the weather but could come and go as he pleased.  He was so old that he had lost most of his teeth and sometimes wobbled when he tried to jump up into your lap. 

It had not been but about a week since his death that another cat arrived it seemed to take over this spot in my parents lives.  This time the cat was a female.  They named her Cally since she was a calico.  She was also very affectionate and stayed.  Well, time passed and Cally kept getting plumper and plumper and plumper.  Finally,  I looked at my parents and said, "I don't think she is fat; I think she is pregnant!"

Much to my surprise my parents got very excited.  Mom ran and got a bowl of milk.  Dad grinned from ear to ear.  And then mom gave her a long lecture on the birds and the bees and see how that man had up and left.  Three more weeks passed and Cally looked as if she was about to burst.  We were beginning to wonder if she would ever have those kittens.

Then, at dusk yesterdayday, my daughter had gone to feed up the chickens, and came running back into the house.  "Kittens! I hear meowing coming from in our shed."  Out my husband and I went.  Mom came over from next door.  We stood at the ramp to the shed while my husband went in to have a peak.  At the very back, lay Cally still in the process of birthing kittens.  There were at that time two very wet little bundles!  We quietly left and closed the door so that Cally could finish in peace, but just how many did she have?

We will just have to be patient and see this afternoon.

Peanut Butter Cookies

Life has been very busy, but my son and I took the opportunity to make some yummy cookies.  Waiting for them to get done was definitely an exercise in patience for him especially since they had to be refrigerated before baking.

Here is the recipe we used -

Peanut Butter Cookies
1 cup of butter softened
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1.  Cream the butter, peanut butter, sugar, and brown sugar.
2.  Add eggs and beat again.
3.  In a separate bowl combine the flour, salt. baking powder, and baking soda.  Stir to mix.
4.  Add in small amounts to butter mixture and continue beating.
5.  Refrigerate for one hour.
6.  Shape into 1 inch balls and place about 2 inches apart onto a non greased cookie sheet.
7.  Use a fork to make to flatten the cookies making a grid pattern.
8.  Bake for 10 minutes at 375 degrees Farenheit.

Hidden Eggs

 

Road Runner, our Araucana hen, had never once laid an egg in the nest box.  We figured she must be laying them somewhere in the yard, but we had never come across an egg.  The thing about Road Runner is that she would promptly  leave the coop at dawn through the roof and return at dusk.  

The roof had been on for 20 years, but time had taken its toll, and this past winter the snows had burdened it too much.  Two sections of roof had caved in. Road Runner decided that it was the perfect door for her.  Of all the chickens we have had, she is our best flier!(In a manner of speaking)

When we fixed the roof this weekend we discovered her nest.  Wedged between a blue tarp and the chicken wire on the outside of the coop, we found 21 eggs!  Their color had faded from a pale aqua to almost white. 

Now that the roof is fixed, we find an aqua colored egg in the nest box daily.  She is definitely a good layer.

My First Lettuce

Yippee! Today I snipped a bit of leaf and mesclun lettuce to go with dinner. It was absolutely delicious.

To make the lettuce crisp I rinsed it in cold water and then refrigerated it for about an hour. I can't wait for more to grow.

Saturday Chores

We are hoping the rain holds off today because there are many projects that need to be done outside.  We will start the day by going to Lowes for some needed materials.  Plus I have a $10 off coupon that I will put to good use there.  Plywood, landscape timbers, and a battery charger are just some of the things on our list of things to buy.

Here is the to do list -
1.  Fix the chicken coop roof.
2.  Trim some low lying branches.
3.  Mow the lawn.
4.  Start laying out a garden bed next to the house.
5.  Take pictures of the garden.

Remembering Hurricane Sandy Part 2

The wind was picking up and the rain was beginning to fall in earnest.  My mother and I drove out to the high school and parked our cars.  My father then picked us up and drove us back home through the rain which was slicing sideways against the car.

As we neared home we drove on down the road toward the shore.  We wanted to check on the height of the water.  We didn't make it to the end of the road because the tide had already begun to rise.  The water lay across the road at the corner so much so, that there was no sign of the usual marsh.

At home, we hurriedly pulled the final two vehicles up onto the small hill in our yard.  The cars were safe there the last time it had flooded.  I then stacked the rabbit cages and turned our goat, Bella, loose to find high ground.  I tried to get the last two chickens back into their coop where they could would be able to get high up on their roost, but it wasn't to be.

I headed into the house thoroughly drenched.  And prayed that all would be safe.  And then the water rose!

Eggs Eggs Eggs

Well, last week we started with one egg per day.  This past weekend brought the excitement of 2 eggs per day.  But Monday and Tuesday were absolutely WOW - 5 eggs per day!

Finally, the chickens that I had begun to think were simply duds have begun to lay.  If they keep this up we will definitely have enough for our family, my mom and dad, and perhaps enough to sell a dozen per week to a co-worker.  That would be a nice way to recoup some of the feed costs.

Total Egg Count - 19

Thinning seedlings

The radishes now have two weeks growth and it was time to thin the seedlings so they weren't too close.

I couldn't help but feel sad as I pulled these little beginnings from the ground. But it had to be done so the others would have enough space to thrive.

I thought I would cut the extras close to the ground but when I gave a gentle tug they pulled out roots and all. I will say that the pulled radish seedlings did not go to waste as the chickens ate them happily.

Yard Work

Overnight it seems, the leaves unfurled on all the trees.  The grass has thickened into a carpet of tall green.  And there is a dusting of powdery yellow covering the cars.  Everything is green. 

Tonight I came home after work and visiting a sick friend to mow the lawn.  I mowed until it was too dark to see anymore.  How can it be that I have forgotten how to mow in the yard?  Tonight I kept thinking this though!  Which was the best way to mow so that I don't keep going over areas I have already done?  I ran the rider out of gas and then pushed some more, but I still didn't finish the job. 

One thing is for certain, there are many tree limbs that need to be trimmed.  One privet needs to go; it is definitely in the way.  There are still many areas of the yard littered with storm debris that I had to go around.  I have to laugh a little because going through my head in a Dory sounding voice (you know the little blue tang fish from Finding Nemo) was just keep reclaiming, just keep reclaiming.  That is what we are doing one small section at a time.

Thank goodness for fair weather this weekend.  Maybe we will get some more accomplished.

Remembering Hurricane Sandy Part 1

People have told me repeatedly that I need to record what my family experience last fall, October 29, 2012.  I feel as if this storm changed our lives in so many ways.  My family lives next door to my parents and our lives are very dependent on one another.

It was my father's 66th birthday!  There was crab meat in the refrigerator waiting to be made into crab cakes.  A cake sat on the counter.  The winds were strong, but not that bad yet.  We had decided to stay home to weather the storm.

For the last hurricane, authorities had issued evacuation notices for our area (a low lying one to be sure!), but his time there was no notice given.  For that last storm we had left, stayed with my uncle further inland, and returned home to find everything the same.  I say we, meaning my family and my mother.  My father had stayed as if he were the ship captain.

We had been in this very location my whole life, a grand sum of 41 years.  There had been times the bay had risen, but like a true friend it always returned to its own place without bringing any pain or destruction to ours  So, this time, we, everyone (parents, husband, children, and animals) stayed!

And then hell was unleashed...