Saturday, March 30, 2013

Snickerdoodle Cookies


Nothing is as yummy as a good Snickerdoodle!  A nice crisp cinnamon sugar cookie always makes me smile.  Here is the recipe I used -

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
2  tsp vanilla
2 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 tsp

1.  Preheat oven to 400 F.
2.  Soften the butter and shortening.
3.  Cream the butter, shortening, sugar, eggs and vanilla with mixer.
4.  Add in the remaining ingredients and mix.
5.  In a small bowl, stir together 2 teaspoons of cinnamon with 2 tablespoons of sugar.  This will be used to roll the cookies in.
6.  Shape the cookie dough into balls and then roll into the cinnamon sugar mixture.
7.  Bake on ungreased pans, 2 inches apart, for 8 - 10 minutes.





Friday, March 29, 2013

Chicken Nest Box

My father just finished making us a new nest box for the chickens. Road runner was already checking it out in the picture. We filled each box with pine needles from the yard and now we just need a fake egg so the hens get the idea.

Monday, March 25, 2013

I Heard the Peepers for the Third Time

As you know, I have been waiting not very patiently for spring to come.  I have also been trying to see just how accurate the old saying about peepers is really.

 A peeper is a tiny frog, no bigger than your pinky fingernail, who seems to herald in the spring.  It is then that their chirping chorus is noticed by many.  I don't know that I have ever noticed them any other time of year.   The saying goes that after hearing the peepers it will freeze again.  Only after hearing the peepers for the third time will people know that spring has truly arrived.

I am pleased to report that this morning, while turning the cat out, at 5:45 a.m. I heard the peepers glorious sound for the third time.  Now, will this saying hold true?  I am keeping my fingers crossed.  Sing, peepers, sing!

Sunday, March 24, 2013

Growing Potatoes

This weekend we started our potatoes.  We are growing them in a tower so I can't wait to see the results.  I am hoping for a yield of 75 - 100 pounds of yummy home grown red potatoes.  Here is what we did -

1.  Cover the ground with a layer of composted soil.
2.  Cut the seed potatoes into quarters.
3.  Space the potatoes onto the soil with the eye side up.
4.  Place a wire tower around the potatoes.  (We used wire we had left over from our goat pen.)
4.  Cover with a layer of straw.
5.  When the vines break through the straw, add another layer of straw.  Continue doing this until the vines are growing out the top of the tower.
6.  At the end of the season, open the wire tower and sift through the straw to harvest the potatoes.

Saturday, March 23, 2013

Riding Lawn Mower

Today we are traveling to look at a used mower. After the flood in the fall we are in need of a rider and a push mower. We have never purchased used before, but it is very important to stretch our money as far as possible. I found a Troy Built about 2 hours from us. We are not quite there yet and I just hope we know what to look for in the mower. Keep your fingers crossed and hope for honesty on the part of the seller.

HELP! My Garden has been Eaten

I wrung my hands as the snow and hail fell covering my lettuce, broccoli, and collards.  However, when I checked them the next morning they were still green.  They lay flat on the ground but they were not broken.  I kept my fingers crossed.   The next morning was good news!  My lettuce was nice and perky once more.

BUT then the next morning (Thursday) came!  I spotted something wrong right away.  The ground was brown with not a sign of green anywhere.  I rushed over thinking that the cold snow had done them in after all.  I expected to see that the plants had turned brown and died.  Oh no, they had not.  When I arrived at the garden, there were only a few stalks left and it was clear that someone or someones had enjoyed a nice tender meal of my garden. 

Was it the deer who travel through my yard?  Or was it the neighbor's geese?  One thing was clear - my precious garden had been eaten and not by me!

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Planting in the Rain

This past Sunday I went to do a wee bit of grocery shopping for our St. Patrick's Day meal and ended up at the local garden center, Thomas' Gardens.  I bought $10.28 worth of veggies.  I got 4, 6 packs to transplant and a couple pounds of red seed potato.  Between the rain drops I managed to get broccoli, buttercrunch lettuce, salad lettuce, and collard greens planted.  While my daughter and I were planting, my husband began cutting bamboo to make our bean teepees.  Then the rain started in again, and we had to stop.  Would you believe it snowed that night!  On March 18, 2013, it snowed, it hailed, and it rained.  At one time when I looked out there were snowflakes falling that were as big as my hand.  My mother described the scene as if mother nature had sent large white butterflies fluttering to the ground.  Very poetic, mom.

Well, so far the plants still seem ok, and we have yet to make the potato tower to start the potatoes.  I think that will be on the agenda for this weekend. 

Monday, March 11, 2013

Spring Peepers for the Second Time

I am trying to keep a record of each time I hear these tiny little frogs that seem to herald spring.  I want to see if the old saying holds true that you have to hear them and it freeze again three times before spring is here to stay.  Today is the second time.  Sure enough it is supposed to turn cold again later this week. 

I am so happy that the days are getting longer.  Yesterday, I got the onion bulbs into the ground.  So we will see how they turn out.  Come on spring!

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Sunday Baking

Each Sunday I spend a portion of the day making goodies for our lunches so we don't spend money on the prepackaged junk in the stores.  You know, Little Debbies, etc.  So this past Sunday I made snickerdoodles, vanilla wafers, and granola bars.

It is a savings to our food budget to make these from scratch. Plus there are no unknown ingredients in the things I make.  I have to say, since I have been making most of what we eat from scratch, people have been commenting that I have lost weight.

I really enjoy what is becoming a ritual in my house.  My husband helps.  My daughter helps.  My son does his best to help. And this past Sunday, my mom came to help.  Now all I need are a few more yummy recipes!


Saturday, March 2, 2013

Signs of Spring

Thank goodness spring seems to be on its way!  I am tired of tired of winter's bleakness.  It was nice for a while, but it is definitely time to go.

The first sign was when a tiny daffodil, stunted by the last cold spell, opened its yellow face.  The next came on Tuesday when I heard the chorus of peepers (tiny little frogs),  And the last came yesterday when we saw at least twenty fat robins searching through yards for worms.  One of them came so close to us when we were at a stop sign that we could clearly see its white lined eye.  It looked directly at us as if to say, "Good spring to you!"

There is an old timer's saying about the peepers.  It basically says you will hear the peepers and then there will be another freeze.  This cycle is supposed to happen three times before spring comes to stay for good.  Well, this week was one, and yes, it did freeze and no peepers can be heard now.  So I will keep my ears open and keep track to see if this tale holds true.

Come on spring!