Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Disease Illness Sickness Symptom -
With a threat of an Ebola outbreak looming over our heads, lots of people, who never even considered prepping as a worthwhile endeavor, are stocking up on N95 masks, because Ebola kills in such a rapid and gruesome fashion. Since social distancing is the most effective way to protect yourself and your family from exposure, you might need to stay in your home for an undefined amount of time. Civil unrest, disruption in public utilities, pandemonium in the food delivery system will show exactly how thin our veneer of civilization really is. If this scenario isn't bad enough, cramped living quarters from shelters, sanitation issue and illness. Need I go on? You can only rely on God and yourself. I am not trying to scare people, but lets face it. It could happen!


Monday, September 29, 2014

Here is the egg I was telling you about that I am waiting for to hatch. I hear a slight peep. 
It hatched! And look what we have, number 3.
You just parked the car after rushing around picking up your children from all the places they need to be. I'm over that! Now its chicken keeping, garden tending, bee-ing and everyday chores. Not to mention gym and meal planning. "I'm Hungry"... For a hot second you consider ordering a pizza. Then you remember, why would I want to do that? Everything I need is in my upright freezer, or pantry. I cook real, organic, traditional foods from scratch. Veggies and fruits packed with vitamins and minerals. My meal is only steps away!  

Saturday, September 27, 2014

Thursday, September 25, 2014

Lavender Oil
 I have a wonderful smeller. Which can be good or bad depending. To freshen your bathroom try this. Take a roll of T paper and sprinkle the cardboard inside with lavender oil. With each roll, comes a wonderful scent. Freshens that bathroom with a clean fresh aroma.

These fruit fritters are so good. Try them next time for a treat.
1 cup blueberries
1 cup organic whole milk
1 1/2 cup flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg
Mix all ingredients together. Put olive oil in pan, and pour mixture in rounds and heat.


Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Asana Art - Yoga -

"Don't Put Off Until Tomorrow What You Can Do Today"
These words ring true for a variety of things including your fitness/health regimen. Too often, we rely on any and every excuse to put exercise on the back burner, when, in fact, it should be one of our top priorities. After all, if you don't take care of yourself, you cannot take care of anyone or anything else. Work will always be Busy, the Kids schedule will always be full, the House will always need cleaning, there will always be Laundry, do any of these reasons to not exercise sound familiar? The list of excuses is endless, and we can easily find ways to rationalize putting exercise off until tomorrow. Too often tomorrow becomes, next week, next month etc. This sounds like my husband. He is always putting things off. The bottom line is you just have to make time to do it Today!

Monday, September 22, 2014

Stuck In Time
The days are getting cooler, blooms are hard to find, and the bees are settling in for the winter ahead. There's a steady stream of bees in the air, darting back and forth in the sunshine. October is on its way and the bees are taking advantage of the last days of foraging. A colony of bees spends its winter in a ball, tucked into its home with the queen in the center. But what have we here? A worker bee got caught in the honey jar. I think she is doomed for bee heaven. Happy Monday!
 

Thursday, September 18, 2014

 Bessie is setting again. This is her 10th day. Halfway to baby chicks. You say, I thought you were not letting any hens set until next Spring. Well, Bessie does such a good job with setting and mothering, I just couldn't refuse.  Isn't she a sweetheart!
 This is my second try at making bread. Guess what? It turned out great. You just can't beat a loaf of home made bread warm from the oven.
Can you believe this? Starbucks Cinnamon Dolce hot cocoa. Only 4.49 on line. I jumped at this price and bought 3.


Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Isn't She Precious 

Don't you just love things from the past? Like this note book, old photos that come out of the family album, clothes from the past, memories from the past, songs from the past. With technology these days, our children never have to wait for film to be developed or look for a pay phone. It is all at their finger tips. The student lunch hour (20 minutes today) ,included walking home for a bite to eat. Our school didn't have a cafeteria at the time. Mom would have bacon sandwiches on toast, and then I remember playing with my doll in my room, and then scurrying off to school with a bunch of roses in my hand for Sister Baptista. Now, you don't know what is happening at the schools, what is being taught, what they are consuming. This world with spates of respiratory illnesses, Ebola outbreaks, chance of nuclear war, GMO's in many food products. Need I go on? You get the picture. The world is in a hell of a shape. Excuse me, but we need to get serious, and figure out what this world of ours is coming to and how we need to be prepared!   


Tuesday, September 16, 2014

I Love My Zinnia's 
I can't do it all. Surprising, I know. But I still think I can. I, like everyone else, only have 24 hours in a given day. I'm not superwoman , and neither are you. None of us are perfect, and neither are our children, or grandchildren. None of us has a manicured lawn, a spotless house, an organized fridge, the perfect marriage, or are completely caught up on chores. We forget to take vitamins. We slam doors. We get angry. And its ok. Give yourself a break! Life is not meant to be perfect. It is meant to be glorifying to God. And God can be glorified in our messiness.



Monday, September 15, 2014


















September Beekeeping
Winter is around the bend and making sure your hive is ready for hibernation is your number one goal. Your hive should have 35-60 pounds of honey in it. I always lift mine to make sure. The population of the hive is beginning to decrease; older bees that die off are not replaced in the same numbers by the new brood. Drones are being removed in numbers from the hives by the workers to conserve winter stores. Nectar and pollen sources are becoming more scarce as the cooler weather moves in and plants begin to die off or go dormant. The worker bees will begin to bring in large amounts of propolis to seal the hive and prepare for winter.

Saturday, September 13, 2014

Garlic
 
Today I am planting my garlic. I always save a few of my biggest bulbs to put in the ground when it starts to get cool. Garlic grows best during cool weather, and stops growing in temperatures above 90 degrees. Plant garlic in the Fall and you will have garlic that matures by next Summer. Feed and water regularly every 2 weeks, and harvest when garlic leaves turn brown. I dry my garlic for 3 weeks in the garage. Since it is dry and warm in there. I then cut the stems, and the garlic is ready. Garlic always adds great flavor, but somehow tastes even better when it comes from your own garden.

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Home Made Bread
Fresh home made bread, whether a soft white sandwich loaf, a crusty sourdough, or a rich brioche, is a culinary gift. I know! I was wondering why I hadn't made bread in such a long time. It is time consuming, and it never turns out for me as you can see. A friend of mine from the gym gave me some starter. She mentioned the dough was touchy, and that was an understatement. I forgot to add salt. I hadn't made bread in over ten years. Complicated, scientific sounding terms like "fermentation" and "proofing" can lead many including myself that this is a subject best left to the professionals. David said it was good!  It does smell good.


Thursday, September 4, 2014

Apple Time
I was in my yoga class the other day, and a friend of mine said, so what are you into now? Everyone knows me. My life is full. You know why? Because I like it that way. Today I am peeling apples, mainly because I can't get our apple peeler hooked onto the picnic table outside to peel the apples. That's what happens when your husband is not around, and you are not mechanical. UGH! Isn't it funny how when you are doing a chore, and an image comes to your mind. My image is of my dad sitting in a chair peeling apples. Dad would get out his pocket knife and peel the apple without stopping, so that there was one long peel of the apple. He would show it to me, and we would both smile. I miss those days. My dad was such a great guy! A ordinary man who was happy with life's simple pleasures. Now that is hard to find. 


Wednesday, September 3, 2014


Molting Season
Molting season is upon us, and with it, comes a reduction in egg production and possibly some raggedy looking chickens. In the late Summer and early fall, chickens that are about one year of age and older go through a seasonal cycle where they shed their old feathers, and grow in new feathers to keep them warm through the coming winter. This can take a lot of a chicken's energy. It can also lower a chicken's immune system, because resources from the food that they eat is being redirected to growing all those new feathers. This process last around 2 to 3 weeks. Make sure your hens have a lot of protein at this time.
And there you have it...