Today, at work, I found out that I hurt someone's feelings. Now, I don't remember saying, doing or writing anything that would offend anyone. I like everyone there. Everyone is unique. There are good and bad things in everyone. We all take a bit of each, stick it into our inner blender and come out with who we are. I like to think I let everyone be who they are, even though I may not agree with how they present themselves. So, imagine my hurt feelings when I found this out.
Now, the person who brought this to my attention mentioned a word. This word reminded me of something I wrote. I found it and looked at it again. It was not hurtful in any way. It was not put in a derogatory manner. It was so generic in context. It was forwarded as an 'OK' to pick something up from the supply closet. That's all it meant. Someone took a very short e-mail I wrote to yet another party and forwarded it to the area to do the pickup. That third party minced it and rearranged it to create havoc with this co-worker with hurt feelings. Now, I'm the bad guy. A really nice person has been hurt because of someone not thinking before doing. I now need to make amends for something I didn't do.
Isn't it amazing how people will do things to hurt one person's feelings? But it ends up hurting another person as well.
Tomorrow is going to be a fun day at work. Someone is on my bad side.
Take care.
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Jams and Jellies
This weekend was fairly productive for me. I had a LOT of strawberries in the freezer from last year's garden. I made jam yesterday. I got 5 pints of strawberry jam.
Today I made cactus tuna jelly. NO! Not the fish, tuna. The purple pods on some of the cactus plants after they bloom. This is where the flower sits before it dies off and makes the fruit. It is really good and tastes a little like cranberries.
The hard part is picking and getting the pods ready to peel. The pods have spines all over them so you have to burn off the prickles with an open flame. Then you wash them. Dry them. Cut them. Scoop out the fruit and seeds and put that into a pan. Then you add water to cover and boil for a little while. Then you strain the pulp through cheesecloth. Then you can make the jelly. !Whew!
Lots of work for a yummy treat! Well worth it, in my opinion. I got 7 jelly jars of what I hope to be jelly. This stuff is really fickle and doesn't always set. If it doesn't set, it's great on biscuits or pancakes.
Too bad this isn't the beginning of the weekend. I'm making myself hungry! I cook big breakfasts on the weekend. Yum! This coming weekend is coming. ; )
Well. Another day not being able to upload photos. I'll get these to you another day.
Take care.
Today I made cactus tuna jelly. NO! Not the fish, tuna. The purple pods on some of the cactus plants after they bloom. This is where the flower sits before it dies off and makes the fruit. It is really good and tastes a little like cranberries.
The hard part is picking and getting the pods ready to peel. The pods have spines all over them so you have to burn off the prickles with an open flame. Then you wash them. Dry them. Cut them. Scoop out the fruit and seeds and put that into a pan. Then you add water to cover and boil for a little while. Then you strain the pulp through cheesecloth. Then you can make the jelly. !Whew!
Lots of work for a yummy treat! Well worth it, in my opinion. I got 7 jelly jars of what I hope to be jelly. This stuff is really fickle and doesn't always set. If it doesn't set, it's great on biscuits or pancakes.
Too bad this isn't the beginning of the weekend. I'm making myself hungry! I cook big breakfasts on the weekend. Yum! This coming weekend is coming. ; )
Well. Another day not being able to upload photos. I'll get these to you another day.
Take care.
Saturday, April 27, 2013
Herbs and Things
I have a small herb garden in one of my old strawberry boxes. It is a raised bed which I've turned into a nursery / herb garden. I love cooking and I love fresh stuff that I grow myself. So, I've tried to add a new herb each year to this little box.
So far, I have oregano, garlic chives, thyme and dill. I also have a small bit of onions in there.
As it happens every so often, I cannot get a pic to upload on this baby. I will try later to do so.
What I did last week was pick oregano and dry it out. Then I removed the leaves from the stems and crushed it to use in spaghetti sauces and such. Just to be sure there were no hitchhikers on the leaves, I put the plastic jar into the freezer for a week. Along with drying in the oven, the freezer should kill any kind of eggs left on the oregano. Don't go 'yuk' just yet. Don't forget, the FDA approves a whopping 4% unknown in each and every commercial product that is sold to consumers as a food product. Did you ever notice than when you didn't open something up, there may be little bugs in it? That's part of the 4% unknown. Anyhow. I'll get off of my soapbox for now.
Tomorrow I should be gathering some chives and / or thyme and do the same. The chives will go great in dips and soups. The thyme goes on an Italian pork chop recipe I have.
Hopefully I'll be able to get the pics up on here tomorrow.
Take care.
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Blessings from Our Garden
Here are some pics of what we've been getting from our garden for the past several days.
Here we have Ozark Beauty strawberries...about a pint, a few leaves of Black Seeded Simpson lettuce, and the last bit of radishes worth anything.
This year, the strawberries are abundant, but they are malformed. I think it's because we had warm weather and cold weather and back and forth for a couple of months. The plants would bloom then freeze. This happened several times and I had to remove the flowers every time. Some of the berries are really nice. Some are small. Anyhow, they all taste the same and I'm not out to impress anyone with my berries. We pick them a little yellow, as you see. This is because the birds will get to them if they are really red. Right now, slugs are the enemy. We'll eat these on Monday after they ripen overnight.
We have about a pint and a half of nice strawberries here. These will be eaten on Tuesday. Sunday, I made a vanilla pound cake from a very old recipe book that I have. It makes the most wonderful shortcake for berries! Yummy!
There is about a half-pint of strawberries here. This is the first picking of peas. There is a gardening show on TV called Making It Grow. It is on on Tuesday nights at 7pm. I learned when to plant the peas from listening to the experts saying when they plant. Here in SC, you actually plant them in February! It worked. The plants are healthy, large and are filled with flowers and ripening pods. I had only about a cup of peas from this shelling. I put them into the freezer so I can get enough either for a meal or two, or use them in minestrone soup that I make. Next year, we're putting in a lot more peas. We're also going to plant them on a higher fencing as they are about 1-1/2 feet above the fence we have them on. Right now they're on a 2-foot fence.
I hope you enjoyed the pics that I finally got to take. I hope YOUR garden is doing well if you live in the Southern regions like we do.
Take care.
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| Monday's Picks |
This year, the strawberries are abundant, but they are malformed. I think it's because we had warm weather and cold weather and back and forth for a couple of months. The plants would bloom then freeze. This happened several times and I had to remove the flowers every time. Some of the berries are really nice. Some are small. Anyhow, they all taste the same and I'm not out to impress anyone with my berries. We pick them a little yellow, as you see. This is because the birds will get to them if they are really red. Right now, slugs are the enemy. We'll eat these on Monday after they ripen overnight.
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| Tuesday's Pick |
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| Today's Picks |
I hope you enjoyed the pics that I finally got to take. I hope YOUR garden is doing well if you live in the Southern regions like we do.
Take care.
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Voting
No. This is not a post about how or who to vote for. We have an open senate seat in District 1. One Democrat and one Republican are vying for the seat. IMHO, neither are qualified. Then, again, who is ever qualified to make life-changing decisions for a whole lot of people? Especially if they've had problems running their own lives in the past? Enough about that sort of stuff. I just hope my friends, co-workers and neighbors have a good head on their shoulders at the polling place.
What I'd like to talk about are the blankety-blank telephone solicitors wanting you to tell them you'd vote for their candidate. In the preliminary round, I asked the solicitor a couple of questions she couldn't directly answer. 'Nuff said. Today I got another call. Here is how it went.
(ring! ring!) Me: Hello. (silence) Hello! (silence, while software is processing my voice as being real) Well if you don't want to talk to me...
Him: Hi! I'm so and so for so and so's campaign...
Me: Really! That's great! I'm not a voter. (hang up)
Here's how it should've gone down.
(ring! ring!) Me: Hello. (silence) Hello! (silence, while software is processing my voice as being real) Well if you don't want to talk to me...
Him: Hi! I'm so and so for so and so's campaign...
Me: Really! That's great for you! I'm so glad you called. Let me tell you...I was just talking to my husband and I said that the first phone solicitor who calls for voting, I won't vote for that candidate. I'll vote for the other one.
I've used a lot of suggestions for phone solicitors in the past. Here are a few of them. I can't take credit for most because I've gotten them from funny e-mails. I take credit for the one above, but I didn't use it yet. The rest below I've used with a lot of fun.
Yes. I'm so and so. I don't have many friends. Will you be my friend?
Hello. Hello! Hello? Hello! Hello. Hello. Hello.
Me: What is your name again?
Them: So and so.
Me: Hi, so and so. May I have your phone number so I can call you back at a time most inconvenient for you?
Them: I'm sorry but we can't give out that information.
Me: Then I don't need to talk to you.
(ring! ring!) Me: Hello.
Them: I'm from...
Me: (slam!)
Taking credit for this one. Really happened.
(ring! ring!) Me: Hello.
Him: Hello. Is this Mrs. So and So?
Me: Yes. What are you selling?
Him: Nothing, Mrs. So and So. I'd just like for you to listen to what I have to say about such and such a product.
Me: So you're not selling anything?
Him: No. Nothing. This program is for (fill in whatever) for a FREE! three month trial.
Me: What does it cost?
Him: Nothing, Mrs. So and So. You have three months to review this program for FREE! can I send the information to your address?
Me: So how much does it cost after three months?
Him: Just $29.95 a month for the security...
Me: So you're hoping that I'll forget to cancel within the three months so you'll be making a commission?
Him: We're hoping that you'll love the program and find it very useful to you. It is REALLY a great program.
Me: No, thanks.
Him: But Mrs. So and So, don't you realize what a good program this is?
Me: Don't you understand a simple word such as no?
Him: (click)
If you have any other good telemarketer responses to share, please leave a comment. I'd be glad to post them here so everyone can use them. (No profanity, please. Just good ol' fun stuff.)
Take care.
What I'd like to talk about are the blankety-blank telephone solicitors wanting you to tell them you'd vote for their candidate. In the preliminary round, I asked the solicitor a couple of questions she couldn't directly answer. 'Nuff said. Today I got another call. Here is how it went.
(ring! ring!) Me: Hello. (silence) Hello! (silence, while software is processing my voice as being real) Well if you don't want to talk to me...
Him: Hi! I'm so and so for so and so's campaign...
Me: Really! That's great! I'm not a voter. (hang up)
Here's how it should've gone down.
(ring! ring!) Me: Hello. (silence) Hello! (silence, while software is processing my voice as being real) Well if you don't want to talk to me...
Him: Hi! I'm so and so for so and so's campaign...
Me: Really! That's great for you! I'm so glad you called. Let me tell you...I was just talking to my husband and I said that the first phone solicitor who calls for voting, I won't vote for that candidate. I'll vote for the other one.
I've used a lot of suggestions for phone solicitors in the past. Here are a few of them. I can't take credit for most because I've gotten them from funny e-mails. I take credit for the one above, but I didn't use it yet. The rest below I've used with a lot of fun.
Yes. I'm so and so. I don't have many friends. Will you be my friend?
Hello. Hello! Hello? Hello! Hello. Hello. Hello.
Me: What is your name again?
Them: So and so.
Me: Hi, so and so. May I have your phone number so I can call you back at a time most inconvenient for you?
Them: I'm sorry but we can't give out that information.
Me: Then I don't need to talk to you.
(ring! ring!) Me: Hello.
Them: I'm from...
Me: (slam!)
Taking credit for this one. Really happened.
(ring! ring!) Me: Hello.
Him: Hello. Is this Mrs. So and So?
Me: Yes. What are you selling?
Him: Nothing, Mrs. So and So. I'd just like for you to listen to what I have to say about such and such a product.
Me: So you're not selling anything?
Him: No. Nothing. This program is for (fill in whatever) for a FREE! three month trial.
Me: What does it cost?
Him: Nothing, Mrs. So and So. You have three months to review this program for FREE! can I send the information to your address?
Me: So how much does it cost after three months?
Him: Just $29.95 a month for the security...
Me: So you're hoping that I'll forget to cancel within the three months so you'll be making a commission?
Him: We're hoping that you'll love the program and find it very useful to you. It is REALLY a great program.
Me: No, thanks.
Him: But Mrs. So and So, don't you realize what a good program this is?
Me: Don't you understand a simple word such as no?
Him: (click)
If you have any other good telemarketer responses to share, please leave a comment. I'd be glad to post them here so everyone can use them. (No profanity, please. Just good ol' fun stuff.)
Take care.
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Worms!
Yay! We went out this morning and got my worms! Ain't cheap to buy them from a bait shop. The guy waiting on me probably thought I was goofy examining them. I pulled off the top and poked at them. They weren't too lively. They were on a shelf and not in the fridge so they should be more lively. I asked him if he'd get me another pack and another until I got some wiggly ones. Hubby gets so annoyed with me when I shop. He said "They're probably mad at you for poking at them." I know what I want and I'll get it. I'm not paying for dead worms when my whole deal is to get live ones for composting. Right? At $3.55 for a couple dozen each pack, they better dance a jig when I say so. I bought two packs.
What's even worse, is I decided to get some meal worms for my chickens. They didn't look too lively, either. So I figured "What the heck! They're going to get eaten in a little while, anyways." The young kid behind the counter said "$14.14, please." What the heck! I looked at a little sign on the register that said "Wax Worms...$5.99" I paid $6 for a treat for my chickens!!! OK. Who's loco here?!!! (pointing at self) At least Hubby didn't ask why it was so expensive. I think he figured that everything else in the shop that he was browsing through was expensive, so it wasn't a surprise to him. Whew!
I brought the babies home and wet down the shredded paper and wrung it dry. We added some of our compost that I just sifted last week to the paper. Layer by layer for a couple of layers. Then I gave it a turn and put some veggie scraps in there. I let the babies loose and they made their way into the mulched paper. I guess they liked it. Anything would be better than a small container with a bunch of your buddies wiggling around you. Well...not so much wiggling was going on at the time I bought them. I checked on them and they are still under the mulch. I'll check to see if they've started eating tomorrow. It will be a while until we get enough worms bred for composting.
Ah! The life of a homesteader...sort of. LOL!
Take care.
What's even worse, is I decided to get some meal worms for my chickens. They didn't look too lively, either. So I figured "What the heck! They're going to get eaten in a little while, anyways." The young kid behind the counter said "$14.14, please." What the heck! I looked at a little sign on the register that said "Wax Worms...$5.99" I paid $6 for a treat for my chickens!!! OK. Who's loco here?!!! (pointing at self) At least Hubby didn't ask why it was so expensive. I think he figured that everything else in the shop that he was browsing through was expensive, so it wasn't a surprise to him. Whew!
I brought the babies home and wet down the shredded paper and wrung it dry. We added some of our compost that I just sifted last week to the paper. Layer by layer for a couple of layers. Then I gave it a turn and put some veggie scraps in there. I let the babies loose and they made their way into the mulched paper. I guess they liked it. Anything would be better than a small container with a bunch of your buddies wiggling around you. Well...not so much wiggling was going on at the time I bought them. I checked on them and they are still under the mulch. I'll check to see if they've started eating tomorrow. It will be a while until we get enough worms bred for composting.
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| My Worm Farm |
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| What My Worm Farm with Food Looks Like to Start |
Take care.
Saturday, April 20, 2013
Stuff Around The House
Today was an eclectic day for us on our little homestead. First thing, we went to Tractor Supply for chicken feed and such. Next, we went to WalMart for some plastic containers. Then, we went to Lowe's for a valve. Then, we went to the flea market to buy veggies and fruits. Then, we stopped for a lottery ticket (can't hurt once in a while). Then, we went home.Woo Hoo! Home!
After lunch, we went outside to feed the chickens. They were pretty hungry by now. And we built a worm farm. Yes! I did it! A worm farm. That's what the plastic containers were for. We put a valve on the bottom one for the wee wee to come out of. We drilled holes in the bottom of another which fits inside the bottom one. Then we drilled some holes in the top for ventilation. Then, we built a stand and put it out of the way in a cool dry place. Now, we have to go worm shopping! They say Red Wigglers are a good variety to buy. The ones from the ground are not. Otherwise, we could use the ones in the compost heap. That should be fun to explain to people. Mr. Store Owner: Why do you need so many worms? Are you going to throw them in the lake and wait for the fish to come up so you can scoop them out? Har! Har! Me: Well. If you must know...(pregnant pause)...I'm going to farm worms for compost and fertilizer. This way I won't have to come back to your fine establishment for fertilizer and fishing worms. Ha! Ha! (ka-ching!...saving money)
I fixed some soup with potatoes, ham, cabbage and dumplings for dinner tonight. It turned out pretty good considering I've never had anything like it before. Yes. I like to make up dinners. I also baked a pound cake from scratch. It goes well with the next item.
We went outside and picked about a pint of strawberries. I had some left over from last night's picking. We pick them just as they've turned red and they ripen over night. I sliced last night's up and put some sweetener to them. It's just about time for STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE!
Then, we went outside to pick off some rats. Missed them tonight. I guess I'm not that good today.
I hope you had a great day.
Take care.
After lunch, we went outside to feed the chickens. They were pretty hungry by now. And we built a worm farm. Yes! I did it! A worm farm. That's what the plastic containers were for. We put a valve on the bottom one for the wee wee to come out of. We drilled holes in the bottom of another which fits inside the bottom one. Then we drilled some holes in the top for ventilation. Then, we built a stand and put it out of the way in a cool dry place. Now, we have to go worm shopping! They say Red Wigglers are a good variety to buy. The ones from the ground are not. Otherwise, we could use the ones in the compost heap. That should be fun to explain to people. Mr. Store Owner: Why do you need so many worms? Are you going to throw them in the lake and wait for the fish to come up so you can scoop them out? Har! Har! Me: Well. If you must know...(pregnant pause)...I'm going to farm worms for compost and fertilizer. This way I won't have to come back to your fine establishment for fertilizer and fishing worms. Ha! Ha! (ka-ching!...saving money)
I fixed some soup with potatoes, ham, cabbage and dumplings for dinner tonight. It turned out pretty good considering I've never had anything like it before. Yes. I like to make up dinners. I also baked a pound cake from scratch. It goes well with the next item.
We went outside and picked about a pint of strawberries. I had some left over from last night's picking. We pick them just as they've turned red and they ripen over night. I sliced last night's up and put some sweetener to them. It's just about time for STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE!
Then, we went outside to pick off some rats. Missed them tonight. I guess I'm not that good today.
I hope you had a great day.
Take care.
Friday, April 19, 2013
Books to Read
I don't know about you, but I enjoy reading books. All kinds of books. I have such diversified interests that Hubby just rolls his eyes when I come home from the library. Usually I check out self-help books which will help me understand our health problems better. However, my all time favorites are Christian novels...namely novels about Amish people and their lives. Of course, this is according to the author and is structured to give a fantasy view of daily Amish life. Take me away! I love living in these fantasy places where there are problems but they are always solved by the Grace of God. Nice! Being a believer in God, I like these types of novels.
My recent reading is the Pleasant Valley series by Marta Perry. I just read Leah's Choice. Now I have the next two novels on hold at the library...Rachel's Garden and Anna's Return. The fourth one is Sarah's Gift and I have that right now, but there is so much going on between 1 and 4 that I can't bring myself to read ahead. LOL!
Well, I hope you have a nice and pleasant day!
Take care.
My recent reading is the Pleasant Valley series by Marta Perry. I just read Leah's Choice. Now I have the next two novels on hold at the library...Rachel's Garden and Anna's Return. The fourth one is Sarah's Gift and I have that right now, but there is so much going on between 1 and 4 that I can't bring myself to read ahead. LOL!
Well, I hope you have a nice and pleasant day!
Take care.
Thursday, April 18, 2013
RIP Mr. Rat
Since it's getting warm, the rats are coming back to the chicken coop for food. Actually, they've been hanging around all winter, since the weather was pretty mild. As I mentioned before, they're too smart for the traps. So Hubby sited in his air rifle this past weekend. He got it pretty accurate. He's the great white hunter in the house. I changed that today. I'm sorry to say that I shot my first four-legged furry mammal. It is not a good thing to kill, but I've been killing with the aid of a rat trap for years. I've reasoned that since I didn't watch the thing die, that it was OK to use a trap. Pretty lame, ain't it? What is really bad is it is faster to use a gun than it is to use a trap. I'm pretty accurate. I've always been pretty accurate since I was a kid. I really didn't expect to hit the little thing, but I did. I am sorry I did it, but I am also glad I did it. This was our second kill recently. There are babies coming in with them to feed. There are two babies which are a pretty good size right now. They're not at big as the parent, but almost there. We really need to keep these things under control this time. I tell you, we had about 30 of them when we had the chickens in the barn. I won't let it happen again.
Now, I'll be moping until tomorrow evening when we have to go after the younger ones.
Take care.
Now, I'll be moping until tomorrow evening when we have to go after the younger ones.
Take care.
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Documentaries I Loved
I am still feeling sadness for the Boston bombing victims. This is not a good thing for any of us. We must not let people with problems get the best of us. Those kinds of people will get caught and will be dealt with. It is certain that he/she/they will make a mistake which will lead to their downfall.
Let me deliver a bit of interesting information to you. If you haven't figured it out by now, I am very interested in cooking good foods without chemical additives. It is a passion in my life which I hope benefits my family.
I watched two really great documentaries about food and the impact it has on our health. The first was called Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead. Sounds morbid, but it was an eye-opener for Joe Cross, whose life was affected by the way he ate. It was very interesting and, in some parts, entertaining the way he gets his findings across to the viewer. He spent 60 days traveling across the U.S. and eating nothing but juices to cleanse his body. He rigged up a juicer in the back of his rental car and interviewed people along the way. I give this one a 5 star out of 5 star rating!
The next documentary was Forks Over Knives. This is a wake-up call from two doctors, Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn and Dr. Colin Cambell. They both grew up on farms and they both became doctors. They have done/are doing research on the impact of whole foods on the human body and how it affects disease states. 5 out of 5 stars, again!
If you never watch documentaries, you must watch these two. It will greatly change your way of thinking. Quite possibly, it will change the way you eat.
Take care.
Let me deliver a bit of interesting information to you. If you haven't figured it out by now, I am very interested in cooking good foods without chemical additives. It is a passion in my life which I hope benefits my family.
I watched two really great documentaries about food and the impact it has on our health. The first was called Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead. Sounds morbid, but it was an eye-opener for Joe Cross, whose life was affected by the way he ate. It was very interesting and, in some parts, entertaining the way he gets his findings across to the viewer. He spent 60 days traveling across the U.S. and eating nothing but juices to cleanse his body. He rigged up a juicer in the back of his rental car and interviewed people along the way. I give this one a 5 star out of 5 star rating!
The next documentary was Forks Over Knives. This is a wake-up call from two doctors, Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn and Dr. Colin Cambell. They both grew up on farms and they both became doctors. They have done/are doing research on the impact of whole foods on the human body and how it affects disease states. 5 out of 5 stars, again!
If you never watch documentaries, you must watch these two. It will greatly change your way of thinking. Quite possibly, it will change the way you eat.
Take care.
Monday, April 15, 2013
Thoughts for The Day
I didn't have much to write about today...until I called my Hubby while on my way home from work. He sounded really sleepy, like I had just woken him up. He said he was watching the news break - that bombs went off at the finish line of the Boston Marathon.
(Momentary silence on my end of the phone.)
You know, these kind of things are happening on a regular basis now-a-days. This is really sad. First, someone bombs a movie theater. Then, someone shoots innocent children in a school. Now, someone(s) place bombs at one of the most prestigious events in the world. Here in the U.S. of A.
What is this showing us? NO ONE is safe anywhere...anymore. Our great country is now at the mercy of domestic and international nutcases.
Are we to stop congregating for special events? Are we going to stop going to malls or the movies?
It comes down to 'What are our neighbors thinking?' and 'Who are our neighbors, really?'
Scary, isn't it.
Heart-wrenching events for those who've lost a loved one. Also, for those who've survived and have to relive the moment in their sleep for the rest of their lives. That is...if they can sleep soundly. I know I'd have problems.
It doesn't matter what status we have in life. We are all affected in one way or another. For some, it is more personal. For others, it is as an onlooker.
Let us take a moment to pray for those people who are affected by horrible situations - past and present.
As Tiny Tim says "God bless us, everyone!"
(Momentary silence on my end of the phone.)
You know, these kind of things are happening on a regular basis now-a-days. This is really sad. First, someone bombs a movie theater. Then, someone shoots innocent children in a school. Now, someone(s) place bombs at one of the most prestigious events in the world. Here in the U.S. of A.
What is this showing us? NO ONE is safe anywhere...anymore. Our great country is now at the mercy of domestic and international nutcases.
Are we to stop congregating for special events? Are we going to stop going to malls or the movies?
It comes down to 'What are our neighbors thinking?' and 'Who are our neighbors, really?'
Scary, isn't it.
Heart-wrenching events for those who've lost a loved one. Also, for those who've survived and have to relive the moment in their sleep for the rest of their lives. That is...if they can sleep soundly. I know I'd have problems.
It doesn't matter what status we have in life. We are all affected in one way or another. For some, it is more personal. For others, it is as an onlooker.
Let us take a moment to pray for those people who are affected by horrible situations - past and present.
As Tiny Tim says "God bless us, everyone!"
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Another 'Not Much' Kind of Day
After our Sunday morning HGTV and DIY shows and our morning cuppa, we made our plans for the day.
"Agenda", as Hubby calls it. He was cutting and splitting firewood from the trees he cut down yesterday.
I did 'grenade brigade' and chucked that into the clean side of the compost bin. Then I raked up around the bin and tossed those leaves and twigs into the bin. Then I raked up pinestraw and put that on our dogs' graves. Then I turned the compost heap and limed it. Then I sifted compost from our black compost barrel. That was only about a 5 gallon bucket full.
Then we picked a handful of strawberries. We got two eggs.
THEN I told Hubby to get the pellet gun and get the rat in the chicken yard. He brought my BB gun and stung its little butt a couple of times before he ran off. I went across the ditch into the neighbor's yard to see where he went. He was alive and running in the pinestraw. Then he jumped and continued running. Hmmm. Stupid thing! Why did he jump? Hmmmm. Snake! There was a rat snake in his path and he didn't want to get eaten. Smart rat, eh?! THEN I got the brush axe and tried to chop Mr. Snake. Too much pinestraw and peat moss between the trees to do any damage. Oh, well. Maybe I got him. Maybe I didn't. Mr. Snake sunk under all of the pinestraw and never came back out.
Then I went to the neighbor's house to tell her what I did and to watch out if she goes into her flower gardens. She is deathly afraid of snakes, so I don't expect her to go out tomorrow. If she does, she'll be packin' heat. I need to get a small cap gun in case of a rattler. I wonder if Hubby would agree?
I guess I did a bit more than I thought I did. However, the house is not tidy, but some laundry got done.
Take care.
"Agenda", as Hubby calls it. He was cutting and splitting firewood from the trees he cut down yesterday.
I did 'grenade brigade' and chucked that into the clean side of the compost bin. Then I raked up around the bin and tossed those leaves and twigs into the bin. Then I raked up pinestraw and put that on our dogs' graves. Then I turned the compost heap and limed it. Then I sifted compost from our black compost barrel. That was only about a 5 gallon bucket full.
Then we picked a handful of strawberries. We got two eggs.
THEN I told Hubby to get the pellet gun and get the rat in the chicken yard. He brought my BB gun and stung its little butt a couple of times before he ran off. I went across the ditch into the neighbor's yard to see where he went. He was alive and running in the pinestraw. Then he jumped and continued running. Hmmm. Stupid thing! Why did he jump? Hmmmm. Snake! There was a rat snake in his path and he didn't want to get eaten. Smart rat, eh?! THEN I got the brush axe and tried to chop Mr. Snake. Too much pinestraw and peat moss between the trees to do any damage. Oh, well. Maybe I got him. Maybe I didn't. Mr. Snake sunk under all of the pinestraw and never came back out.
Then I went to the neighbor's house to tell her what I did and to watch out if she goes into her flower gardens. She is deathly afraid of snakes, so I don't expect her to go out tomorrow. If she does, she'll be packin' heat. I need to get a small cap gun in case of a rattler. I wonder if Hubby would agree?
I guess I did a bit more than I thought I did. However, the house is not tidy, but some laundry got done.
Take care.
Saturday, April 13, 2013
Nothing Much Today
Nothing much happened today. I had to go get steel-toed boots for work. We have to do a safety check walk-through this coming week. This is something we do to make sure the plant is safe. Being an admin assistant, it is weird to get out of the office and into the plant. However, this is good since I am a fresh pair of eyes to check for odd things around the plant. What is good, that my employers may not know, is that I was an inspector a very long time ago. I inspected plastics for errors in manufacture. I love picking apart things, which is good in a way. One way it is good is that I can pick apart and recreate a lot of recipes that others may not be able to. Actually, to toot my own horn, my recipes turn out better than the originals. IMHO. ; )
I pulled weeds from my itty bitty strawberry patch. Some of those plants have flowers and fruit. They really shouldn't have any since they are so small. I'll probably end up picking off the buds and fruit so the energy will go into making good plants.
I also made another enchilada pie and some ham and scalloped potatoes for dinners this week. I need to think of a cold side dish to make so we can have a variety and quick meals during the week.
I just came in the house and I am ready for movie night on Netflix. We LOVE Netflix!
Take care.
I pulled weeds from my itty bitty strawberry patch. Some of those plants have flowers and fruit. They really shouldn't have any since they are so small. I'll probably end up picking off the buds and fruit so the energy will go into making good plants.
I also made another enchilada pie and some ham and scalloped potatoes for dinners this week. I need to think of a cold side dish to make so we can have a variety and quick meals during the week.
I just came in the house and I am ready for movie night on Netflix. We LOVE Netflix!
Take care.
Friday, April 12, 2013
Learning at Work
During these past two weeks, I've been learning a couple of new
software programs. When all is said and done, I'll have 3 more in-house
programs under my belt. Ah! The life of an advanced administrative
assistant! I can't wait until all of the training is done. I'm getting
brain overload with all of this knowledge. I'm enjoying the crap out of
it, though. For me, it's fun. Actually...it's fun being a quasi computer
geek. ; )
Not much has been going on today at the homestead. We had rain so Hubby didn't do much outside. He did manage to get a round of golf in earlier today. He and his buddy from where he used to work have a standing golf date every week on Friday. His buddy had the upper hand today after the round was done.
Take care.
Not much has been going on today at the homestead. We had rain so Hubby didn't do much outside. He did manage to get a round of golf in earlier today. He and his buddy from where he used to work have a standing golf date every week on Friday. His buddy had the upper hand today after the round was done.
Take care.
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Night Walk
Tonight I asked Hubby to go on a night walk with me. I just finished baking a batch of double chocolate cookies and felt like taking a walk. It is hot inside and cool and windy outside. The temperature is about 75 degrees F, so it is really nice out. We took small flashlights and the dogs came too. We visited our back garden with the strawberry plants in it and our side garden with all of our tomatoes in it. We checked our driveway solar lights and replaced a couple that had fallen over. It is really neat to see how different everything looks at night. Our 'Eywa' is beautiful and swaying in the breeze. I wish I could get a good picture of it to show you! We checked our peach trees and oak trees that we transplanted a couple of months ago. The peach trees are in bloom. The oak trees are blooming and coming to leaf. We checked the chicken yard for rats...none there tonight. The chickens heard us talking and a couple of them gave out a little coo.
It sure is nice to live in the country. I wouldn't want to live anywhere else! If I HAD to live in the city, I'd make sure I had the whole yard in gardens and bird feeders. Luckily I don't HAVE to live in the city. No offense intended to anyone. I just don't see myself living in the city any more. I'm a country girl and love it!
Take care.
It sure is nice to live in the country. I wouldn't want to live anywhere else! If I HAD to live in the city, I'd make sure I had the whole yard in gardens and bird feeders. Luckily I don't HAVE to live in the city. No offense intended to anyone. I just don't see myself living in the city any more. I'm a country girl and love it!
Take care.
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Cleaning Up
I did a little cleaning up this past weekend. At first, I didn't think I did anything fun or homestead-y. Well, I did. I cleaned the chicken coop and yard. That takes about an hour or so. I have one hen that likes to take a walk outside to pick the lawn when I do this. She's my last yard chicken. By that, I mean that she knows what to do when let out into the yard. And she herds back when I say 'chickens go nite-nite'. Sometimes she gives me a fit, but usually she heads straight for the coop. I deposited all of the pinestraw from the coop and chicken manure into the compost heap. Then I turned the heap.
Then, I decided to do a bit of painting to freshen up the yard. I mentioned this in a previous post, so this isn't much of anything new. First, I needed to wash the mold off of the doors to the pump house and repaint them. Then I painted a post that holds a length of water hose. Then I painted all of the pickets around the compost heap. Then I painted the step going into the chicken coop / potting shed. All of this was painted white with exterior latex. Now all of that part of the yard looks nice and fresh.
The only major thing left to do is finish pulling weeds in my flower gardens. I must do that this weekend. My daylilies are starting to come up and I need to give them light and room. I found a mystery plant yesterday. I think it is a Jewel of Opar plant. They are so pretty and delicate looking. However, they take a beating from the sun every year and come back the next year.
I hope you had a great day today.
Take care.
Then, I decided to do a bit of painting to freshen up the yard. I mentioned this in a previous post, so this isn't much of anything new. First, I needed to wash the mold off of the doors to the pump house and repaint them. Then I painted a post that holds a length of water hose. Then I painted all of the pickets around the compost heap. Then I painted the step going into the chicken coop / potting shed. All of this was painted white with exterior latex. Now all of that part of the yard looks nice and fresh.
The only major thing left to do is finish pulling weeds in my flower gardens. I must do that this weekend. My daylilies are starting to come up and I need to give them light and room. I found a mystery plant yesterday. I think it is a Jewel of Opar plant. They are so pretty and delicate looking. However, they take a beating from the sun every year and come back the next year.
I hope you had a great day today.
Take care.
Monday, April 8, 2013
Thinking About Vermiculture
I've been reading on Squidoo about vermiculture. You know...worm farming. Now, don't go saying 'Yuk' just yet. Here is the deal on these little babies.
First, you'll get some good fertilizer from worm pee and poo.
Second, they'll eat most things that you'd be throwing into your compost heap. This would be like chopped paper, rotten veggies that wouldn't go to the chickens, banana peels, dryer lint, dust from the sweeper, etc. Some of the things not to feed them is citrus, plastics, onions and garlic.
Third, I'd be saving lotsa moola on buying fertilizer for my gardens.
Fourth, just like a good compost heap, they won't smell if you treat them right.
Fifth, they multiply quickly.
Sixth, Hubby would have a supply of fishing worms.
Seventh, I would have another thing to take care of. I like to take care of things. ; )
Eighth, maybe we could sell some?
I'm sure I could go on, but I'll quit for now. I think this would be a really sustainable project for us to try. Hubby is interested in this one. I'll let you know if I do or don't tackle this project.
Now...if I could just find a worm sitter...
Take care.
First, you'll get some good fertilizer from worm pee and poo.
Second, they'll eat most things that you'd be throwing into your compost heap. This would be like chopped paper, rotten veggies that wouldn't go to the chickens, banana peels, dryer lint, dust from the sweeper, etc. Some of the things not to feed them is citrus, plastics, onions and garlic.
Third, I'd be saving lotsa moola on buying fertilizer for my gardens.
Fourth, just like a good compost heap, they won't smell if you treat them right.
Fifth, they multiply quickly.
Sixth, Hubby would have a supply of fishing worms.
Seventh, I would have another thing to take care of. I like to take care of things. ; )
Eighth, maybe we could sell some?
I'm sure I could go on, but I'll quit for now. I think this would be a really sustainable project for us to try. Hubby is interested in this one. I'll let you know if I do or don't tackle this project.
Now...if I could just find a worm sitter...
Take care.
Sunday, April 7, 2013
Cleaning Up Outside
We started our day by going to the Ladson Flea Market to get fresh fruits and vegetables. There is a particular stand that is very clean and tidy which has fresh produce at really reasonable prices. I spend usually no more than $20 when I buy from them. Hubby loves their apples and makes it a point to take me every week. It only takes about 15 minutes from the time we park to the time we return. Everything is well organized and there are a lot of people stocking the shelves. For $20, we eat a lot of fresh produce every week. This week I bought 2 heads of romaine, 1 head of iceberg, 20# of russet potatoes, 3 cucumbers, 12 roma tomatoes and 8 gala apples. In the regular grocery store, I'd be paying about $30 for this amount. It is totally worth it. They also have Hispanic foods and spices, which I buy when I need them. Also, really nice clover honey.
When we came home, I fixed lunch and we went to a car show. It was really disappointing. There were 5 cars there. Not much of a show, if you ask me. We didn't stay.
When we came home again, I painted the doors to our pump house, a post that holds the garden hose and the compost bin pickets. Then I cut down dead branches from some of my shrubs. We collected about 5 strawberries and watered the garden.
Hubby mixed up a couple of batches of fish emulsion and sprayed the whole yard. Our whole yard smells like dead fish. This will last only for about 2 hours. Fish emulsion is the best fertilizer we've found. It's great for indoor plants and outdoor plants. Love it!
Right now, I'm waiting for the BBQ'd ribs to come out of the oven. We'll have vinegar and oil potato salad and a green salad with it.
I hope you had a great day today!
Take care.
When we came home, I fixed lunch and we went to a car show. It was really disappointing. There were 5 cars there. Not much of a show, if you ask me. We didn't stay.
When we came home again, I painted the doors to our pump house, a post that holds the garden hose and the compost bin pickets. Then I cut down dead branches from some of my shrubs. We collected about 5 strawberries and watered the garden.
Hubby mixed up a couple of batches of fish emulsion and sprayed the whole yard. Our whole yard smells like dead fish. This will last only for about 2 hours. Fish emulsion is the best fertilizer we've found. It's great for indoor plants and outdoor plants. Love it!
Right now, I'm waiting for the BBQ'd ribs to come out of the oven. We'll have vinegar and oil potato salad and a green salad with it.
I hope you had a great day today!
Take care.
Saturday, April 6, 2013
Planting Today
We had a bit of running around to do today. When we got home, to work we went!
I have a bunch of plants I've started from seeds which, hopefully, will grow into a very nice vegetable garden. I planted eggplants, summer squash, yellow and green peppers today. I have more to go.
Down here in the South, it is traditional to plant your garden on Good Friday. This year that didn't happen. It was wet and rainy. Not very good weather for being outside. So today was the day.
With some luck, the frost will be over and I won't have to worry about the plants freezing. I hope this is so.
Signing off for now.
Take care.
I have a bunch of plants I've started from seeds which, hopefully, will grow into a very nice vegetable garden. I planted eggplants, summer squash, yellow and green peppers today. I have more to go.
Down here in the South, it is traditional to plant your garden on Good Friday. This year that didn't happen. It was wet and rainy. Not very good weather for being outside. So today was the day.
With some luck, the frost will be over and I won't have to worry about the plants freezing. I hope this is so.
Signing off for now.
Take care.
Friday, April 5, 2013
Neighbors...Again.
The neighbors with the issue have something up their sleeves, again. We don't know what, but we're waiting patiently. They're doing things they normally don't do.
Will keep you posted.
Take care.
Will keep you posted.
Take care.
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Yet, Another Rainy Day
Today we had a little bit of rain. It was a heavy mist-type rain which the plants and grass love. I love it too because everything gets a drink and grows beautifully. Sadly to say, even the weeds like the rain.
Yesterday, Hubby brought in our first little handful of strawberries from our large patch out back. Sorry no pics. They don't last long.
Today, Hubby stayed inside because of the rain. His sinuses are acting up and causing him grief. If anyone can give me advice on natural treatments to help alleviate his sinus infection, I'd be grateful. He's been taking stuff the pharmacist suggested for him. This was OTC. I have to be very careful what I give him because he has a couple of other disorders. So, tried and true remedies that will not spike blood sugar or cause issues with heart medications will be helpful.
Thanks.
Take care.
Yesterday, Hubby brought in our first little handful of strawberries from our large patch out back. Sorry no pics. They don't last long.
Today, Hubby stayed inside because of the rain. His sinuses are acting up and causing him grief. If anyone can give me advice on natural treatments to help alleviate his sinus infection, I'd be grateful. He's been taking stuff the pharmacist suggested for him. This was OTC. I have to be very careful what I give him because he has a couple of other disorders. So, tried and true remedies that will not spike blood sugar or cause issues with heart medications will be helpful.
Thanks.
Take care.
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Sugars in Our Milk?
The FDA has a petition coming up to allow additional natural and fake sugars into our milk products without the need of being on the label. What?! More sugar in milk? There is already sugar in milk...lactose. This is a natural sugar. Why do we need more artificial sweeteners in our milk?
Here's one reason they are wanting to add "any safe and suitable sweetener in the optional ingredients". Get ready for this one...so kids will want to drink it. What?! Kids like milk. Right now, kids like sodas better than milk. Hmmm. Maybe they're on to something. Add sugars and other sweet things to our foods so us adults and our children will gain weight quicker, become more unhealthy, get diabetes earlier, get other sicknesses associated with sugar consumption.
I wonder if our 'Mayors' will want to limit the amount of sweetened milk we are allowed to be served in restaurants. Would 8 ounces be too much? We surely don't want our children to become obese from drinking sweetened milk, now. Do we? Wait! There will be some with artificial sweeteners in them. That's right...chemicals which are safe to ingest in quantity. We and our children won't get fat from no-calorie sweeteners. No! We'll just get horrible diseases like MS, alzheimer-like symptoms, allergic reactions, etc.
What in the H-E-double toothpicks are people thinking?! These are people we're supposed to look up to and believe in what they say because they're the 'experts'. (insert big wet raspberry here)
I've added a few links to this post so you can read for yourself what is going on.
The petition link is for the Federal Register for the petition.
The sugar consumption link is for information on regular sugars from Dr. Mercola.
The no-calorie sweeteners link is for the Mayo Clinic citing pros and cons of artificial sweeteners.
I'll take mine plain, please!!!
Take care and be aware!
Here's one reason they are wanting to add "any safe and suitable sweetener in the optional ingredients". Get ready for this one...so kids will want to drink it. What?! Kids like milk. Right now, kids like sodas better than milk. Hmmm. Maybe they're on to something. Add sugars and other sweet things to our foods so us adults and our children will gain weight quicker, become more unhealthy, get diabetes earlier, get other sicknesses associated with sugar consumption.
I wonder if our 'Mayors' will want to limit the amount of sweetened milk we are allowed to be served in restaurants. Would 8 ounces be too much? We surely don't want our children to become obese from drinking sweetened milk, now. Do we? Wait! There will be some with artificial sweeteners in them. That's right...chemicals which are safe to ingest in quantity. We and our children won't get fat from no-calorie sweeteners. No! We'll just get horrible diseases like MS, alzheimer-like symptoms, allergic reactions, etc.
What in the H-E-double toothpicks are people thinking?! These are people we're supposed to look up to and believe in what they say because they're the 'experts'. (insert big wet raspberry here)
I've added a few links to this post so you can read for yourself what is going on.
The petition link is for the Federal Register for the petition.
The sugar consumption link is for information on regular sugars from Dr. Mercola.
The no-calorie sweeteners link is for the Mayo Clinic citing pros and cons of artificial sweeteners.
I'll take mine plain, please!!!
Take care and be aware!
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Say Cheeeeeesecake!
Here's a pic of my chocolate cheesecake before it cooled. For those of you who don't make cheesecake, it comes out of the oven nice and high, then it falls slightly when it is cooled. That is why there is usually an indent on the top of the cheesecake when you buy one.
How many of you have tried to make a cheesecake? Did you know it is really simple? I used to think that there was some mystifying thing you had to do to get it to bake and taste good. That's why no one, except those with special talents, made them. Phooey! Anyone can make them.
Here is the link from Hershey's to make this scrumptious cheesecake. I like to serve my cheesecakes with ice cream toppings from a squeeze bottle. This makes it really easy to do. Also, you can change up flavors each time you make the cake by using the ice cream toppings. I bet the candied pecan ice cream topping would be really delicious with this! I just may try that one next time.
If you get a chance to make this cheesecake, shoot me a comment.
Take care!
 |
| Chocolate Cheesecake |
Here is the link from Hershey's to make this scrumptious cheesecake. I like to serve my cheesecakes with ice cream toppings from a squeeze bottle. This makes it really easy to do. Also, you can change up flavors each time you make the cake by using the ice cream toppings. I bet the candied pecan ice cream topping would be really delicious with this! I just may try that one next time.
If you get a chance to make this cheesecake, shoot me a comment.
Take care!
Monday, April 1, 2013
Easter Day Off
I hope you and yours had a very happy Easter! We did. I made a very small dinner for Hubby and me. We had a relative over for dinner since he didn't have plans.
I made a ham, potato salad, green beans with garlic and chocolate cheesecake. All was yummy!
Hubby and I spent most of the day watching Netflix. We saw a couple of really good thrillers...Drive and Abduction. Then I had Hubby watching Doc Martin. It's an English show. It's pretty funny. But, then again, I have a really different sense of humor.
That's about it, for now.
Take care.
I made a ham, potato salad, green beans with garlic and chocolate cheesecake. All was yummy!
Hubby and I spent most of the day watching Netflix. We saw a couple of really good thrillers...Drive and Abduction. Then I had Hubby watching Doc Martin. It's an English show. It's pretty funny. But, then again, I have a really different sense of humor.
That's about it, for now.
Take care.
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