Dear Readers,
Well, looks like 2010 is going out here with an iceberg. We have the start of our COLD weather, snow, and below air and wind chill temps.
Wednesday afternoon you started hearing about winter storm watch, then later on in the afternoon, winter storm warning, and the mention of below 0 wind chills. So what else is new here in Nebraska in hillbilly hell.
This morning at 7 am, the air temp was 0, but with 30+ mph winds the windchill was -20 below. Burrrrr. And it is still snowing, and will through the rest of the day. So its inside domestic duties today on the list on honey-do's. I think tonight, New Year's Eve, the air temp is supposed to drop to -10 but the wind chills will be -25 to -35 below. How does that grab all of you!
Later this afternoon, I will scoop off the steps, and lay my ice melt down, I try to do this when the neighbors are inside as someone over here usually wants to use my ice melt and personally I tell them to give me $5 bucks as this stuff is about $20 a bag here, the stuff I use has magnesium chloride in it and for me it is safe for my footing as I do not want to fall and possibly fracture my spine again, as I already have a fractured and fused spine, and I do not want to go through the surgery ever again. My neighbors then get mad and pout, lol but they sure have money for beer and dope.
If I can get most of my back logged inside work done, and over the weekend, I am going to attempt to change my blog design, I am new to this and I am also not wanting to do it, but it is winter here, and I want to change the blog to reflect that on my blog, as it is a part of where I live, though I will miss the green around the house. So I will try this and see if I can blow my blog into total oblivion and the outer parts of space and time. lol
Just a quick update, the ICU kitty is doing wonderful, I ran him into the vet's Tuesday morning, and a blood panel was run again, and the kidneys are in very normal range and functioning very well. He is eating like a man now, and is starting to play with the others, and is generally just blending in like he was born here. He is starting to run and learn how to handle the left rear to support the weight, he has trouble handling the corners and the kitchen floor, but he is doing great. I tried to find out more information about his situation, for all of you, but was told no more than was listed on my last post about him. I have a gut feeling that there was more to the story but it involves the animal control people and since I live in a town of corruption and vile doing, and plenty of cover-ups, it will be shut up and not discussed, but at least he survived his ordeal, and he is in my hands and that is all that matters. All I have to say about that is "what goes around, comes around".
Oh, and his name is "Chester".
Well, I guess I had better get to work, got lots of domestic duties to attend to, and I was going to try to do an angel food cake in the middle of this so I had better get going.
Again, I wish all of you a most wonderful New Year Eve, please be careful if going out, and let us hope for a better 2011 in the coming year.
I want to thank all of you for visiting my blog, I want to do some changes to it, and do better reporting on it, it is a learning experience for me, I am hoping to be able to get my digital camera I have on lay away soon, so I can bring photos better to you, and record better activities as I have some garden ideas in the works for raised beds, and cold frames, and an idea for summer hail protection and a cold frame all in one. I am not much of a draft person, though, and never know if the idea will work.
Thank you for all of your friendship and recipes, and just general sharing across the blogging fence.
Happy New Year all!
Friday, December 31, 2010
Friday, December 24, 2010
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to Everyone
I just wanted to stop to wish everyone a most joyous Holiday season to all.
Thank you for all of your support to this very new blogger, I hope that I can do more next year for my blog with a little more experience to bring better reading to all. I have some garden plans in the works
Thank you for the friendship also. This means more to me than anything, as I have no "friends" so to speak that I can actually go with for coffee or anything social. Where I live, it is a strange small city, where it depends on who you are and what kind of a bank account you can provide to be friends with anyone, or "what can you do for me to be my friend" attitude, it is quite sad.
Everything here is quiet now. My ICU isn't an ICU anymore, doing quite well and eating like a man now, ex is still sick but getting better, and I am going to start some early tomatoes in my indoor greenhouse, and if I get some warmer days, I am going out to get my cold frames set up for greens in February. I know, glutton for punishment. The neighbors think I'm nuts. (That's why I have no friends!)LOL
So, everyone, please have a great and wonderful Holiday and we will talk to everyone later.
Love to All
Thank you for all of your support to this very new blogger, I hope that I can do more next year for my blog with a little more experience to bring better reading to all. I have some garden plans in the works
Thank you for the friendship also. This means more to me than anything, as I have no "friends" so to speak that I can actually go with for coffee or anything social. Where I live, it is a strange small city, where it depends on who you are and what kind of a bank account you can provide to be friends with anyone, or "what can you do for me to be my friend" attitude, it is quite sad.
Everything here is quiet now. My ICU isn't an ICU anymore, doing quite well and eating like a man now, ex is still sick but getting better, and I am going to start some early tomatoes in my indoor greenhouse, and if I get some warmer days, I am going out to get my cold frames set up for greens in February. I know, glutton for punishment. The neighbors think I'm nuts. (That's why I have no friends!)LOL
So, everyone, please have a great and wonderful Holiday and we will talk to everyone later.
Love to All
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
New ICU
Hello friends,
My apoligies for not blogging for a while, but I have been busy with another ICU, and I've also had my ex here at home with the flu, so I have been running a medivac unit, literally.
My ICU was in very bad shape and lost his right rear leg, a lot of blood, and was in renal failure when I got him last Monday the 13th. I had 48 hours of very touch and go nursing with this sweet little man, and I will tell you that he was on the shady side of dead when I had him here with me. From Monday night to Wed morning, I did very small amount of sub-q fluids, and a lot of praying, and Wednesday afternoon, I took him to my vet to run a blood panel, and we were really improving, still not where we want him, but so much better than he was on Monday with renal failure and deep sunk in the eyes, sunk so deep that you could not tell they were green.
He is doing well now, and eating good, and starting to get his strength back. Later, I will give the story behind this strong little man when I get a better idea what happened. The only thing I was told was that he was hanging in a privacy fence for I have no idea how long, and finally when our local animal control got him, he was in great distress and did not get any medical care until Friday the 10th at 4pm. By then, he was bleeding badly and was in great pain. He had surgery to amputate the right rear leg, and a 1/3 of his tail, that Friday afternoon.
But I thought I would post his pictures as he was doing well and I think that he is on the mend, and am sure that he will make his home with me soon. He is very sweet and quiet, and very well mannered even after his ordeal.
So, I think that I will take a short Holiday break from the blog, and rest and de-stress. I will then post this little man's almost miracle recovery to you. This is my Christmas present to myself, as I helped this guy survive., but I do not give myself credit, as I am merely the tool in the Master's hand.
I wish everyone a most joyous Christmas holiday season, and to my spiritual readers, a Blessed Yule season also. May the blessings of the year fall upon all of your homes and families.
Take care all.....
My apoligies for not blogging for a while, but I have been busy with another ICU, and I've also had my ex here at home with the flu, so I have been running a medivac unit, literally.
My ICU was in very bad shape and lost his right rear leg, a lot of blood, and was in renal failure when I got him last Monday the 13th. I had 48 hours of very touch and go nursing with this sweet little man, and I will tell you that he was on the shady side of dead when I had him here with me. From Monday night to Wed morning, I did very small amount of sub-q fluids, and a lot of praying, and Wednesday afternoon, I took him to my vet to run a blood panel, and we were really improving, still not where we want him, but so much better than he was on Monday with renal failure and deep sunk in the eyes, sunk so deep that you could not tell they were green.
He is doing well now, and eating good, and starting to get his strength back. Later, I will give the story behind this strong little man when I get a better idea what happened. The only thing I was told was that he was hanging in a privacy fence for I have no idea how long, and finally when our local animal control got him, he was in great distress and did not get any medical care until Friday the 10th at 4pm. By then, he was bleeding badly and was in great pain. He had surgery to amputate the right rear leg, and a 1/3 of his tail, that Friday afternoon.
But I thought I would post his pictures as he was doing well and I think that he is on the mend, and am sure that he will make his home with me soon. He is very sweet and quiet, and very well mannered even after his ordeal.
So, I think that I will take a short Holiday break from the blog, and rest and de-stress. I will then post this little man's almost miracle recovery to you. This is my Christmas present to myself, as I helped this guy survive., but I do not give myself credit, as I am merely the tool in the Master's hand.
I wish everyone a most joyous Christmas holiday season, and to my spiritual readers, a Blessed Yule season also. May the blessings of the year fall upon all of your homes and families.
Take care all.....
Friday, December 10, 2010
Still here
Dear Friends,
My apologies for not blogging lately. I have been doing some extra outside work doing some in-home chef services for some elderly clients that I had made connections with during Farmer's Market, and I was needing some extra money for some future projects around the house so I have been working and by the time I get home, I am beat, so I just haven't been blogging much. There really isn't much going on around here anyway, I don't have an interesting life anyway, pretty boring so I guess I don't have too much to say.
I do however have some things on my mind, and during the holidays, I find them unbelievable to say the least, and very sad, tragic and feeling the world is literally coming unhinged.
I am so very saddened by the news of these people, if you want to call them that, that are killing their children. I personally cannot find the words to even think of such brutal and evil doing such as this. I am having great difficulty in even getting a grip on this and even how a parent can even do such a thing. I wish someone could explain this to me, though there are no words to even be able to speak of such doings.
Has our world gone so much in the loo that this is the way we handle rifts in relationships, or in difficult times? I just even do not have words to even begin such a subject, and to be very honest, if I begin, I think that I would melt into tears. I deal with cruel things when I handle ICU issues with pets, but children dying by the hands of parents, I cannot even put a word into play without tears or anger. This has really the last week, put me in a state of sadness, and a feeling of hopelessness, and I think that is why I haven't blogged, as it seems that what is the use of blogging when so many other things are going on that are so monstrous in nature, that you don't even know where to start.
Anyway, I just wanted to get this out, as it truly bothers me, and I don't even think anyone could come up with an answer anyway. I think that it is so big that only the Lord could touch this. I pray daily and meditate about a lot of things that seems so huge, I try to pray to even take a bite out of it. I hope that my little prayers take a bite.
Anyway, I thought that I would pop in quickly to jot a quick note to all, before I collapse for the night.
So, please everyone, have a wonderful weekend, and I hope that next week is better.
Take care all
My apologies for not blogging lately. I have been doing some extra outside work doing some in-home chef services for some elderly clients that I had made connections with during Farmer's Market, and I was needing some extra money for some future projects around the house so I have been working and by the time I get home, I am beat, so I just haven't been blogging much. There really isn't much going on around here anyway, I don't have an interesting life anyway, pretty boring so I guess I don't have too much to say.
I do however have some things on my mind, and during the holidays, I find them unbelievable to say the least, and very sad, tragic and feeling the world is literally coming unhinged.
I am so very saddened by the news of these people, if you want to call them that, that are killing their children. I personally cannot find the words to even think of such brutal and evil doing such as this. I am having great difficulty in even getting a grip on this and even how a parent can even do such a thing. I wish someone could explain this to me, though there are no words to even be able to speak of such doings.
Has our world gone so much in the loo that this is the way we handle rifts in relationships, or in difficult times? I just even do not have words to even begin such a subject, and to be very honest, if I begin, I think that I would melt into tears. I deal with cruel things when I handle ICU issues with pets, but children dying by the hands of parents, I cannot even put a word into play without tears or anger. This has really the last week, put me in a state of sadness, and a feeling of hopelessness, and I think that is why I haven't blogged, as it seems that what is the use of blogging when so many other things are going on that are so monstrous in nature, that you don't even know where to start.
Anyway, I just wanted to get this out, as it truly bothers me, and I don't even think anyone could come up with an answer anyway. I think that it is so big that only the Lord could touch this. I pray daily and meditate about a lot of things that seems so huge, I try to pray to even take a bite out of it. I hope that my little prayers take a bite.
Anyway, I thought that I would pop in quickly to jot a quick note to all, before I collapse for the night.
So, please everyone, have a wonderful weekend, and I hope that next week is better.
Take care all
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
How to dry a cat
Just for laughs, this is one of my cats, her name is Madison, Maddy for short, and this is where she decided to lay while I was cooking dinner tonight. If this is too gross for prudy's then don't look, cause its a cat on the counter.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Burrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
Good Afternoon everyone
Well, its here, the four letter word, SNOW, only I have other words for it, and they are not fit for the blog to read.
We don't have a terrible amount on the ground, maybe less than an inch, but we do have 30+ wind with a 50+ gust and we are in a wind advisory, so I'm not going out today, folks.
This morning, I felt ambitious, why I don't know. Fixed oatmeal, with brown sugar and I guess the sugar got me going, so I had some somewhat tart oranges from my prairie land food paks this month and I made Orange marmalade. Wow, talk about where the energy came from.....
I even had some photos taken by D, so, don't look at the kitchen or the stove, they are a federal disaster area. I don't like my photos taken at all but I'm in there, hope it doesn't break your computer monitor.
Anyway, got some photos, and I hope that the marmalade turns out, this was a complete shoot from the hip from my head recipe. Won't know until later if they set up.\
I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season with family and friends, and everyone made it safely home from traffic, and weather, and the general public.
Tomorrow, I hope that I have some energy, I'm going to do some Granny Smith apples. These were in my paks also, and I don't like to waste food, so I made do these for use on oatmeal, or bagels.
Really other than that, not too much is going on. I have been reading several blogs I follow and I am afraid the winter is decending upon most of us. Guess we just pull in, keep busy, start planning gardens for next year, which is what I do, to keep the winter blues under control and then visit some blogs that have the most beautiful tropical florals ever, I don't think that the blog owner would mind me mention her blog, it is the lovely FlowerLady, her blog is listed on my as Flowerlady's Musings and she and her hubby live in a magical, charming cottage with wonderful gardens, and it will surely get your through the winter.
Well, I think that I am going to fix some lunch, probably leftover turkey on homemade bread and then I will tackle the apples and get them done, I already have everything set up for canning anyway.
So, please take care all and I will try to post later in the week.
Love and thoughts to all.
Well, its here, the four letter word, SNOW, only I have other words for it, and they are not fit for the blog to read.
We don't have a terrible amount on the ground, maybe less than an inch, but we do have 30+ wind with a 50+ gust and we are in a wind advisory, so I'm not going out today, folks.
This morning, I felt ambitious, why I don't know. Fixed oatmeal, with brown sugar and I guess the sugar got me going, so I had some somewhat tart oranges from my prairie land food paks this month and I made Orange marmalade. Wow, talk about where the energy came from.....
I even had some photos taken by D, so, don't look at the kitchen or the stove, they are a federal disaster area. I don't like my photos taken at all but I'm in there, hope it doesn't break your computer monitor.
Anyway, got some photos, and I hope that the marmalade turns out, this was a complete shoot from the hip from my head recipe. Won't know until later if they set up.\
I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season with family and friends, and everyone made it safely home from traffic, and weather, and the general public.
Tomorrow, I hope that I have some energy, I'm going to do some Granny Smith apples. These were in my paks also, and I don't like to waste food, so I made do these for use on oatmeal, or bagels.
Really other than that, not too much is going on. I have been reading several blogs I follow and I am afraid the winter is decending upon most of us. Guess we just pull in, keep busy, start planning gardens for next year, which is what I do, to keep the winter blues under control and then visit some blogs that have the most beautiful tropical florals ever, I don't think that the blog owner would mind me mention her blog, it is the lovely FlowerLady, her blog is listed on my as Flowerlady's Musings and she and her hubby live in a magical, charming cottage with wonderful gardens, and it will surely get your through the winter.
Well, I think that I am going to fix some lunch, probably leftover turkey on homemade bread and then I will tackle the apples and get them done, I already have everything set up for canning anyway.
So, please take care all and I will try to post later in the week.
Love and thoughts to all.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Happy Thanksgiving!
I just wanted to wish everyone a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving Holiday in the States. And to my overseas readers, have a wonderful end of the week and weekend.
I will try to get to blogging next week. It is pretty quiet here at the present moment, for which I am so very thankful of.
I will be hosting my parents and my ex for Thanksgiving. Really not too much. Movies and eating til I am stuffed, like a beached whale. The cats and dogs in the kitchen hoping that I drop something on the floor..... preferably the turkey. And if you are all going out on Black Friday, try not to get trampled, stabbed, or a black eye. lol
Anyway, enjoy the time with your families and the holiday and we will catch everyone later.
Have a wonderful Holiday
I will try to get to blogging next week. It is pretty quiet here at the present moment, for which I am so very thankful of.
I will be hosting my parents and my ex for Thanksgiving. Really not too much. Movies and eating til I am stuffed, like a beached whale. The cats and dogs in the kitchen hoping that I drop something on the floor..... preferably the turkey. And if you are all going out on Black Friday, try not to get trampled, stabbed, or a black eye. lol
Anyway, enjoy the time with your families and the holiday and we will catch everyone later.
Have a wonderful Holiday
Monday, November 22, 2010
Slip-sliddin' away
Good Morning readers,
I apologise for the delay in getting a blog listed. Had tons of work, then a migraine headache, then some cold symptoms, so had to get that under control, as since I take care of elderly parents, I did not need to spread a cold to them.
Not too much is happening here except the fact we had freezing drizzle overnight here and the roads are covered with "black ice". That is something that scares me to death, and from my over the road truck driving days, I hated to see.
Black ice you really don't see until you are driving on it and then the next thing you know your in the ditch or skating around and you not sure where you will end up at. It is so very dangerous and you really just don't drive period until it melts. Even if the roads are treated with salt or road cover, it doesn't help. I can put up with the snow, and snow is better to drive on than ice, I can tell you that. It's just nasty stuff to deal with, and we seem to get a lot of this here year after year.
So, I'm not going anywhere today. I will call my parents, and see if they have to have anything, which I think they won't, and I'm staying in. People here do not drive good anyway, and we have a lot of pickup trucks with people who think that if they have 4 wheel drive, they can drive faster, and get better traction than anyone else, and generally cause a lot of accidents and general mayhem.
Sunday, I was ambitious, I made a loaf of bread, and some cinnamon rolls. The rolls didn't turn out too good, I think that my yeast is not up to snuff, so I need to get some new. I bought something that I probably shouldn't of, but I bought 2 Lodge loaf pans and a muffin pan, and I love them. When my grandparents and aunt and uncle passed away, we broke down the house and grandmother's loaf pans were never found. I have my grandmother's and great grand mother's cast iron dutch oven and pans, and I just adore them, and I will never part with them. I guess I don't spend money and it seems that when I spend a considerable amount of something, it makes me feel bad, why, I am not sure. It is not a foolish purchase, but I guess, when you live frugally or simple, spending money on something gives me a guilt complex. But I sure do love my pans.
Im' already getting a few garden catalogs. I love garden catalogs, I love to look at seeds, and I love to start planning my next year's garden. I can hardly wait. I do know that I will be doing things different, and I am planning on building raised beds, and I am planning on something so I can grow mushrooms better. I started growing some last summer, but I didn't have luck on one species, I know because of the heat, so next year, I have a spot for them with a better layout for wood chip mulch and better cooler access.
I know in my last post I was mentioning an article about what was in a McDonald's chicken mcnugget, in the fact that there isn't anything good in it. I tried to get the article to my blog, but since I am some what blog challenged, I didn't get that done, but if you wish to read the article and many other articles pertaining to health, please go to www.drmercola.com
and search articles about McDonald's, or key in chicken mcnuggets and you should come up with a few. Please read and be glad you don't eat them. I make my own nuggets, isn't that hard anyway and they are "real" chicken meat.
I am confused anyway, on things like this article and as to why the FDA and USDA and other government entities are griping now about obesity and allow fast food to function very well knowing what is in it and why the public is sick with all sorts of garbage and cancer and ADD and other afflictions of every nature. Now, because of the health care issue, now the government is howling because it has to take on the obese and health challenged and because of the locations of a lot of these fast food joints, the urban poor have no other food options or cannot even afford healthy food. I have my theory on this, and I won't mention it, as I had been getting somewhat challenging comments about how the government is trying to save people from their own destruction, I simply deleted the comments and go on. People are responsible for their own actions and if they want to eat healthy, they will seek it out however they need to. I do not want the government to support me and tell me I have to eat this or that. I will make my own supper, thank you very much.
And on the subject of comments, I had also been receiving some very lude comments from overseas. Now, I know that I have readers from all over the world, and I love the readership, but I don't like and will not put up with lude behavior about where some males anatomy is and what he wants to do with it. I'm sorry but I am quite sure you can find blogs where that sort of thing is put "so to speak" and if that is your thing, then do it. The homesteading blogs I read and the people I hear from do not put up with this behavior either, and I will not post this nor will I tolerate it either. I love homesteading and simple life blogs because I learn from all of you and enjoy the fellowship it brings, not some sexual enlightenment, which I can't figure where that fits in with simple living, maybe my light bulb is burnt out and some of you can explain it to me, but it does not float my boat at all. So if you want to do this sort of thing, please go elsewhere and do it. I am not going to tolerate it and I will not let my readers read it. So go float your private parts somewhere else.
Anyway, I had better get my hind end in gear, I have to put some ice melt on my steps or I will have another session of slipping and sliding around which I don't want to do. Everyone have a great week.
As Always,
I apologise for the delay in getting a blog listed. Had tons of work, then a migraine headache, then some cold symptoms, so had to get that under control, as since I take care of elderly parents, I did not need to spread a cold to them.
Not too much is happening here except the fact we had freezing drizzle overnight here and the roads are covered with "black ice". That is something that scares me to death, and from my over the road truck driving days, I hated to see.
Black ice you really don't see until you are driving on it and then the next thing you know your in the ditch or skating around and you not sure where you will end up at. It is so very dangerous and you really just don't drive period until it melts. Even if the roads are treated with salt or road cover, it doesn't help. I can put up with the snow, and snow is better to drive on than ice, I can tell you that. It's just nasty stuff to deal with, and we seem to get a lot of this here year after year.
So, I'm not going anywhere today. I will call my parents, and see if they have to have anything, which I think they won't, and I'm staying in. People here do not drive good anyway, and we have a lot of pickup trucks with people who think that if they have 4 wheel drive, they can drive faster, and get better traction than anyone else, and generally cause a lot of accidents and general mayhem.
Sunday, I was ambitious, I made a loaf of bread, and some cinnamon rolls. The rolls didn't turn out too good, I think that my yeast is not up to snuff, so I need to get some new. I bought something that I probably shouldn't of, but I bought 2 Lodge loaf pans and a muffin pan, and I love them. When my grandparents and aunt and uncle passed away, we broke down the house and grandmother's loaf pans were never found. I have my grandmother's and great grand mother's cast iron dutch oven and pans, and I just adore them, and I will never part with them. I guess I don't spend money and it seems that when I spend a considerable amount of something, it makes me feel bad, why, I am not sure. It is not a foolish purchase, but I guess, when you live frugally or simple, spending money on something gives me a guilt complex. But I sure do love my pans.
Im' already getting a few garden catalogs. I love garden catalogs, I love to look at seeds, and I love to start planning my next year's garden. I can hardly wait. I do know that I will be doing things different, and I am planning on building raised beds, and I am planning on something so I can grow mushrooms better. I started growing some last summer, but I didn't have luck on one species, I know because of the heat, so next year, I have a spot for them with a better layout for wood chip mulch and better cooler access.
I know in my last post I was mentioning an article about what was in a McDonald's chicken mcnugget, in the fact that there isn't anything good in it. I tried to get the article to my blog, but since I am some what blog challenged, I didn't get that done, but if you wish to read the article and many other articles pertaining to health, please go to www.drmercola.com
and search articles about McDonald's, or key in chicken mcnuggets and you should come up with a few. Please read and be glad you don't eat them. I make my own nuggets, isn't that hard anyway and they are "real" chicken meat.
I am confused anyway, on things like this article and as to why the FDA and USDA and other government entities are griping now about obesity and allow fast food to function very well knowing what is in it and why the public is sick with all sorts of garbage and cancer and ADD and other afflictions of every nature. Now, because of the health care issue, now the government is howling because it has to take on the obese and health challenged and because of the locations of a lot of these fast food joints, the urban poor have no other food options or cannot even afford healthy food. I have my theory on this, and I won't mention it, as I had been getting somewhat challenging comments about how the government is trying to save people from their own destruction, I simply deleted the comments and go on. People are responsible for their own actions and if they want to eat healthy, they will seek it out however they need to. I do not want the government to support me and tell me I have to eat this or that. I will make my own supper, thank you very much.
And on the subject of comments, I had also been receiving some very lude comments from overseas. Now, I know that I have readers from all over the world, and I love the readership, but I don't like and will not put up with lude behavior about where some males anatomy is and what he wants to do with it. I'm sorry but I am quite sure you can find blogs where that sort of thing is put "so to speak" and if that is your thing, then do it. The homesteading blogs I read and the people I hear from do not put up with this behavior either, and I will not post this nor will I tolerate it either. I love homesteading and simple life blogs because I learn from all of you and enjoy the fellowship it brings, not some sexual enlightenment, which I can't figure where that fits in with simple living, maybe my light bulb is burnt out and some of you can explain it to me, but it does not float my boat at all. So if you want to do this sort of thing, please go elsewhere and do it. I am not going to tolerate it and I will not let my readers read it. So go float your private parts somewhere else.
Anyway, I had better get my hind end in gear, I have to put some ice melt on my steps or I will have another session of slipping and sliding around which I don't want to do. Everyone have a great week.
As Always,
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Salute to Vets everywhere
I want to say "Thank you" to all vets this very special day. I want to spiritually thank my relatives who proudly served and died for my rights and all of you fellow readers.
I had 1 uncle who was in the Battle of the Bulge, my mother's dad who stormed the shores of Normandy and was shot in France later in the campaign. My other uncle was in the Pacific in the islands. My dad's dad was in WWI, my dad's brother was in Korea. My dad was in the Navy later in the WWII serving on small ships and was on the crash crews for aircraft.
Have a blessed Veteran's Day
I had 1 uncle who was in the Battle of the Bulge, my mother's dad who stormed the shores of Normandy and was shot in France later in the campaign. My other uncle was in the Pacific in the islands. My dad's dad was in WWI, my dad's brother was in Korea. My dad was in the Navy later in the WWII serving on small ships and was on the crash crews for aircraft.
Have a blessed Veteran's Day
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Snow? or just pull'in your leg
Well, it's 34* and it rained a little during the night. This is the first of some weather moving through the area and the second punch is supposed to move through Thursday afternoon with some SNOW? Not sure how much but your never know here in the Plains of Nebraska.
Last year in October, we had over 60" of snow from 3 storms that whacked us. This year is different, as they generally are, like us natives like to say, " if you don't like the weather, wait 5 minutes and it will change". Like the 49' blizzard that hit here, it was in the 70's before that hit and they really aren't sure how much snow that dumped on everyone and the area.
I really don't worry about weather, if its going to storm, I just make sure I have everything done, gas in the car, pantry is stocked anyway, and I have oil for the lamps and backup kerosene heater ready if I need it, I usually don't use it unless I have to. Since I'm in a trailer, I have to keep the plumbing warm or I will have a major problem with frozen pipes if it really gets cold and the wind really blows, if the electric grid goes down, which it does, when we get 60 mph blizzard winds blowing or a major ice storm. We seem to get more ice storms than we usually did a long time ago, and those I think are worse than the blasted snow. That's usually when we lose the grid.
Still working on the cupboards and cleaning, my back is screaming when I do this, crawling around on the floor and the cats looking at me like I lost my mind, wondering why is mom on the floor, and whether I am getting any food out of the cupboards for them.
Didn't get the rest of my outside work done either. I am sure I have ADD or something, first inside, then I take a break and do something outside. I'll just have to work at that too.
Thank you from all of you for suggestions for the fleas. My vet recommended the Advantage for the dogs for a few rounds and she found a spray that is eco friendly as she knows I don't like to use sprays and pesticides, but we treated the dogs for a little bit and will do the brewers yeast for the cats and a spray for them that is eco friendly also. It is hard when you have a multi animal house and try to control bugs and crawly stuff and not have major buggy problems in the house. I vacuumed the house Sunday, and had a trash can outside with spray in the plastic bag and a cover and dumped my vacuum tray in it and covered it up and then wrapped it and dumped it in the big trash bin we have here in the park and will go over the house again and do the spray she got me and just watch.. This spray she found is similar to the spray they are using for bed bugs and sand fleas overseas.
I will try to see if I can post this article that came over my health news email a few days ago. It is about the Chicken McNuggets at McDonalds and what it in them, and according to the article, its not chicken meat! The chemical ingredients that were written about is not even for human or animal consumption. I don't eat fast food, and didn't eat it, even when I was a teen, my parents just could not afford food anyway, and I didn't get to run around town like the other kids and eat at the fast food places that were creeping up here in town in the 60's here. McDonald's was the first here of the chains. We had some little drive ins that were hometown people who did hamburgers and things like that, but it was pure beef and "real" food, not the processed crap that is mystery meat we have now. My grandmother would not let me eat fast food period. She would not hear of it. And people wonder why everyone is sick from eating fast food. My neighbors eat nothing but fast food, the woman that lives there doesn't cook at all, and they eat nothing but fast food, and I'm quite sure they spend a small fortune in fast food every week. They make very little income and its all spent on take out and soda.
I offered one time to teach her cooking skills and she looked at me like I lost my mind, and she told me she doesn't cook at all and never will. OK, that's fine, starve when we have an upheaval in the economy. I won't share my stash.
Anyway, I'd better quit ranting, can't change anything or anyone anyway.
So, everyone please have a great hump day, and up coming weekend. I'll keep you posted on the snow situation if we get any.
Bye
Last year in October, we had over 60" of snow from 3 storms that whacked us. This year is different, as they generally are, like us natives like to say, " if you don't like the weather, wait 5 minutes and it will change". Like the 49' blizzard that hit here, it was in the 70's before that hit and they really aren't sure how much snow that dumped on everyone and the area.
I really don't worry about weather, if its going to storm, I just make sure I have everything done, gas in the car, pantry is stocked anyway, and I have oil for the lamps and backup kerosene heater ready if I need it, I usually don't use it unless I have to. Since I'm in a trailer, I have to keep the plumbing warm or I will have a major problem with frozen pipes if it really gets cold and the wind really blows, if the electric grid goes down, which it does, when we get 60 mph blizzard winds blowing or a major ice storm. We seem to get more ice storms than we usually did a long time ago, and those I think are worse than the blasted snow. That's usually when we lose the grid.
Still working on the cupboards and cleaning, my back is screaming when I do this, crawling around on the floor and the cats looking at me like I lost my mind, wondering why is mom on the floor, and whether I am getting any food out of the cupboards for them.
Didn't get the rest of my outside work done either. I am sure I have ADD or something, first inside, then I take a break and do something outside. I'll just have to work at that too.
Thank you from all of you for suggestions for the fleas. My vet recommended the Advantage for the dogs for a few rounds and she found a spray that is eco friendly as she knows I don't like to use sprays and pesticides, but we treated the dogs for a little bit and will do the brewers yeast for the cats and a spray for them that is eco friendly also. It is hard when you have a multi animal house and try to control bugs and crawly stuff and not have major buggy problems in the house. I vacuumed the house Sunday, and had a trash can outside with spray in the plastic bag and a cover and dumped my vacuum tray in it and covered it up and then wrapped it and dumped it in the big trash bin we have here in the park and will go over the house again and do the spray she got me and just watch.. This spray she found is similar to the spray they are using for bed bugs and sand fleas overseas.
I will try to see if I can post this article that came over my health news email a few days ago. It is about the Chicken McNuggets at McDonalds and what it in them, and according to the article, its not chicken meat! The chemical ingredients that were written about is not even for human or animal consumption. I don't eat fast food, and didn't eat it, even when I was a teen, my parents just could not afford food anyway, and I didn't get to run around town like the other kids and eat at the fast food places that were creeping up here in town in the 60's here. McDonald's was the first here of the chains. We had some little drive ins that were hometown people who did hamburgers and things like that, but it was pure beef and "real" food, not the processed crap that is mystery meat we have now. My grandmother would not let me eat fast food period. She would not hear of it. And people wonder why everyone is sick from eating fast food. My neighbors eat nothing but fast food, the woman that lives there doesn't cook at all, and they eat nothing but fast food, and I'm quite sure they spend a small fortune in fast food every week. They make very little income and its all spent on take out and soda.
I offered one time to teach her cooking skills and she looked at me like I lost my mind, and she told me she doesn't cook at all and never will. OK, that's fine, starve when we have an upheaval in the economy. I won't share my stash.
Anyway, I'd better quit ranting, can't change anything or anyone anyway.
So, everyone please have a great hump day, and up coming weekend. I'll keep you posted on the snow situation if we get any.
Bye
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Weekends get me in trouble
Well, I'm in the kitchen, cleaning out the cupboards. Oh, what a mess! And then you find something else that needs your attention and there is where the trouble starts. Its like a snowball, just keeps getttin' bigger n' bigger.
So, I'm just working a little bit at a time, one cabinet at a time, and I'm getting rid of things that I don't need or want or just plain throw away. I have a pile outside on the porch for the GoodWill donations, and then the junk pile. I close my eyes when I throw as I don't want to drag it back and find a spot for it. Don't have no room for anything in this dumpy place I live in.
Also found a damn flea, I usually find a few jumping around this time a year, so I guess Monday, off to the vet's to get the spray and some Frontline, and then a few bombs, looks like I will have to bomb the rooms and move the cats to the car and the dogs outside til the bombs get done fumigating the rooms. Damn.... Always something.....&*$@
I am going to fix some ham and navy beans tomorrow, since I am now in cleaning mode and once I am in this mode, I do not stop, I have some energy so, look out, I'm in gear and on the move. And I hate to stop and cook, so out comes the crock pot, (found that finally, buried in the back of the cupboard).
I have been reading a few blogs and this is what a lot of my fellow bloggers are doing, cleaning and de-cluttering. Boy, when I de-clutter, I have a whole winter to do it. I am going to start tackling each room as I can, probably a room a week. And just heave it, (wish I could just throw it out the door and throw some kerosene on it and throw a match), but I would have a 3 alarm fire here, don't want that.
Anyway, hope all are well, and sounds like everyone is cooking or vegging out, so enjoy the weekend and all that you find enjoyable and restful in your lives. Will be back to blog about some things on my mind.
Till then
Bye!
So, I'm just working a little bit at a time, one cabinet at a time, and I'm getting rid of things that I don't need or want or just plain throw away. I have a pile outside on the porch for the GoodWill donations, and then the junk pile. I close my eyes when I throw as I don't want to drag it back and find a spot for it. Don't have no room for anything in this dumpy place I live in.
Also found a damn flea, I usually find a few jumping around this time a year, so I guess Monday, off to the vet's to get the spray and some Frontline, and then a few bombs, looks like I will have to bomb the rooms and move the cats to the car and the dogs outside til the bombs get done fumigating the rooms. Damn.... Always something.....&*$@
I am going to fix some ham and navy beans tomorrow, since I am now in cleaning mode and once I am in this mode, I do not stop, I have some energy so, look out, I'm in gear and on the move. And I hate to stop and cook, so out comes the crock pot, (found that finally, buried in the back of the cupboard).
I have been reading a few blogs and this is what a lot of my fellow bloggers are doing, cleaning and de-cluttering. Boy, when I de-clutter, I have a whole winter to do it. I am going to start tackling each room as I can, probably a room a week. And just heave it, (wish I could just throw it out the door and throw some kerosene on it and throw a match), but I would have a 3 alarm fire here, don't want that.
Anyway, hope all are well, and sounds like everyone is cooking or vegging out, so enjoy the weekend and all that you find enjoyable and restful in your lives. Will be back to blog about some things on my mind.
Till then
Bye!
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Access to better vegetables and food
I have wanted to post this for quite some time now, as some of you may find this useful and maybe start an access to this in your area of the country or community. I had to find out if I could do this without making someone mad about advertising this.
For quite some time now, especially during the fall and winter months where I live here in Nebraska, I have bought meat and vegetable items from an organization called "PrairieLand Food. The organizers are located in Kansas and there are 2 women who work very hard to bring this to many folks, who are mostly on fixed income, though it is for anyone. It is based on volunteer hours, and it means "any" volunteer hours. It is NOT a gimmick, it is a true blue access to as fresh and possible vegetable and meat items as we can get here. Though it is not through a co-op or CSA, it is as close as we can get here to it. These items are called "prairie paks" and there is a very large selection of items and very reasonably priced.
If you are interested in this, and possibly find a way to bring this to your community or church or any other community based interest, please go to www.prairielandfood.com and read about this and if you have questions, please contact either coordinator about this program. My coordinator is Linda Hagan as I am located in Nebraska.
I am now generally buying vegetables as I have my meat packages already. I am so very pleased with the vegetables as they are much fresher that what I can get in the regular grocery and I don't have to fight my way through the grocery that much any more since this is getting harder for me to do so.
Please look into this as it is a god send to me and to many other who use this. Again, this is not a gimmick, it is a true help to many who just cannot afford food items, many of the people here who use it, this is their only food source as they do not get food stamps or any assistance, and it is very reasonably priced and you can order directly online, which is what I do, or you can order through your coordinator.
Look into this for your area to see if you can implement this to your area and possibly help others who have no or little access to fresh food especially during the winter.
If you contact Linda, please tell her you found out through my blog, so she knows how her email was found. Her email and contact information is on the web site that I listed above.
Hope this may help some people.
Have a great week and I will be back with more boring details that are happening here.
For quite some time now, especially during the fall and winter months where I live here in Nebraska, I have bought meat and vegetable items from an organization called "PrairieLand Food. The organizers are located in Kansas and there are 2 women who work very hard to bring this to many folks, who are mostly on fixed income, though it is for anyone. It is based on volunteer hours, and it means "any" volunteer hours. It is NOT a gimmick, it is a true blue access to as fresh and possible vegetable and meat items as we can get here. Though it is not through a co-op or CSA, it is as close as we can get here to it. These items are called "prairie paks" and there is a very large selection of items and very reasonably priced.
If you are interested in this, and possibly find a way to bring this to your community or church or any other community based interest, please go to www.prairielandfood.com and read about this and if you have questions, please contact either coordinator about this program. My coordinator is Linda Hagan as I am located in Nebraska.
I am now generally buying vegetables as I have my meat packages already. I am so very pleased with the vegetables as they are much fresher that what I can get in the regular grocery and I don't have to fight my way through the grocery that much any more since this is getting harder for me to do so.
Please look into this as it is a god send to me and to many other who use this. Again, this is not a gimmick, it is a true help to many who just cannot afford food items, many of the people here who use it, this is their only food source as they do not get food stamps or any assistance, and it is very reasonably priced and you can order directly online, which is what I do, or you can order through your coordinator.
Look into this for your area to see if you can implement this to your area and possibly help others who have no or little access to fresh food especially during the winter.
If you contact Linda, please tell her you found out through my blog, so she knows how her email was found. Her email and contact information is on the web site that I listed above.
Hope this may help some people.
Have a great week and I will be back with more boring details that are happening here.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Voting Day recipe for all
Real Quickly, I am going to post this recipe. I do not know if any of you will enjoy this. This was my grand mother's recipe for meatless meals which there was a whole lot of. It was a no-name recipe but I will dub it Mabel's "29" crash vegetable loaf. It was something that she served many times as my grandfather and her came out in full swing of the 29 crash and got married during the 29 crash.
Now, this can be a fickle recipe, sometimes you have to adjust the liquid and the bread crumbs. If you are an accomplished cook, you can do it and totally make it your own. You can add any vegetable you wish to your family's taste, you can add vegetable broth or meat broth to your liking and just please have fun with it. I make it with vegetable or chicken broth usually but please be a free spirit with it, it is yours with my grand mother's blessing. I am not bragging but she was a very accomplished cook and could make dinner our of nothing.
I will post later on some ramblings and thoughts but this should get you started. Enjoy!
Mabel's 29 Crash Vegetable Loaf
16 oz of sliced or diced carrots (cooked)
16 oz of green beans
1 1/2 cups of Lima, pinto, or your choice of cooked beans
1 C of chopped celery
3 cups of dried bread crumbs or cornmeal bread (can use whole grain also)
2 Tablespoon bacon fat or vegetable oil (your choice)
dried parsley
1/2 Cup of chili sauce or tomato sauce
1 egg beaten
chopped onion (however much you like
celery salt or celery powder
pepper
bacon if you wish
chili sauce or tomato sauce or ketchup for the top
In a food processor, or hand grinder, run your cooked carrots, green beans, Lima, or other beans until smooth. Put into a large bowl. Stir in bread crumbs, bacon drippings or oil, herbs, onion, celery salt, pepper, stir with a heavy spoon. Take some vegetable broth or chicken broth or beef broth and blend into mixture until it holds together well like meatloaf. Preheat your oven to 350* F (175)* C Place into a 9"x5" loaf pan, and press and mold into the pan. Place your tomato sauce or chili sauce on top and then your bacon if you use it, and bake for about 30-45 minutes until lightly browned. Makes about 5-6 servings.
You could also add sweet peppers, or a more hot pepper to your liking, like Poblanos or a Salsa pepper also. You can add potatoes, parsnips, turnips or root vegetables also, Just make sure they are cooked. This would be great for using up left over veggies from a roast which is what I do with it. I have had good luck freezing this also, makes a good filling for a sandwich.
I hope that this works for some. Not sure but enjoy.
Take care
Now, this can be a fickle recipe, sometimes you have to adjust the liquid and the bread crumbs. If you are an accomplished cook, you can do it and totally make it your own. You can add any vegetable you wish to your family's taste, you can add vegetable broth or meat broth to your liking and just please have fun with it. I make it with vegetable or chicken broth usually but please be a free spirit with it, it is yours with my grand mother's blessing. I am not bragging but she was a very accomplished cook and could make dinner our of nothing.
I will post later on some ramblings and thoughts but this should get you started. Enjoy!
Mabel's 29 Crash Vegetable Loaf
16 oz of sliced or diced carrots (cooked)
16 oz of green beans
1 1/2 cups of Lima, pinto, or your choice of cooked beans
1 C of chopped celery
3 cups of dried bread crumbs or cornmeal bread (can use whole grain also)
2 Tablespoon bacon fat or vegetable oil (your choice)
dried parsley
1/2 Cup of chili sauce or tomato sauce
1 egg beaten
chopped onion (however much you like
celery salt or celery powder
pepper
bacon if you wish
chili sauce or tomato sauce or ketchup for the top
In a food processor, or hand grinder, run your cooked carrots, green beans, Lima, or other beans until smooth. Put into a large bowl. Stir in bread crumbs, bacon drippings or oil, herbs, onion, celery salt, pepper, stir with a heavy spoon. Take some vegetable broth or chicken broth or beef broth and blend into mixture until it holds together well like meatloaf. Preheat your oven to 350* F (175)* C Place into a 9"x5" loaf pan, and press and mold into the pan. Place your tomato sauce or chili sauce on top and then your bacon if you use it, and bake for about 30-45 minutes until lightly browned. Makes about 5-6 servings.
You could also add sweet peppers, or a more hot pepper to your liking, like Poblanos or a Salsa pepper also. You can add potatoes, parsnips, turnips or root vegetables also, Just make sure they are cooked. This would be great for using up left over veggies from a roast which is what I do with it. I have had good luck freezing this also, makes a good filling for a sandwich.
I hope that this works for some. Not sure but enjoy.
Take care
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Thoughts and what's going on Part 2
Dear Friends,
My apologies for the delay, seemed that in between trying to finish outside work and finish a little bit of canning of tomatoes from the neighbor (sorry, but I'm a sucker for free food, I do not like to waste anything) , and trying to finish my posting to all of you, I picked up a "little" flu bug. It didn't go into the full blown flu but boy, did I have a tummy ache and the achy joints and headache and general ill feeling that you get. I generally do not get sick so to speak, but a few days ago, I had to go to the dollar store that we have here to pick up some plastic wrap to finish some meat wrapping for the freezer and there was a woman who had 3 kids who didn't need to be running around in the first place, they were all sick and I tried to avoid them, but you know cooties, how they float around in the air! So out come the herbal teas I have, the Echinacea, the Elderberry syrup, and some juice, and aspirin and just rest. It sure doesn't get the work done though, don't have a Cabana boy running around. lol
I wanted to sort of finish my posting on the big 4 packing houses and something else that goes hand in hand with this: Please re-read the post if you need to, but on top of the big 4, pretty much ALL of our food is genetically altered by some of the biggest names in the seed business, Monsanto being at the head of the class in GM seeds and promoting their claims of safe seeds. Some of the others that we have here are, Cargill, and then you again get into the food companies like Cargill, ConAgra, which goes hand in hand with the big 4 packing houses, and you basically have a recipe for a boatload of disaster for all of us. Monsanto promote seeds all over the world, and from what I have read, their seeds are back-firing and making growing and secondary things coming out from the use of these seeds even worse.
In the new issue of Mother Earth News, (http://www.motherearthnews.com/), there are several articles pertaining to mega farms and an article which pertains to systemic pesticides that are "in" the seeds already, the article is named "Chemicals you can't wash off". Then the article of factory farms is called "The danger lurking in factory farm chicken". Go to their site and search these articles and they will be for this Oct/Nov 10 issue. Please read these if you can. Then search for more articles about this control that the packing houses and the seed companies have on our food. I am sure most of you keep track of GM food, there is an article out on the GM salmon that the FDA wants to throw on your table also.
I probably shouldn't even be talking about this, to me, it seems that you do not have control over your food except if you grow it yourself, or support your local growers and farmers. And I'm also sure that like all of you, I some what do not have control of what I buy because I am on a limited income, and have little choice here where I live, especially during the late winter, when I do not have good access to fresh greens or fruit. I get very frustrated a lot from this, I am envious of some of my readers who have fresh milk and cream, and have farms who are very self-sustaining as best as they can. This is a worrisome thing for me as I really feel that the gov is controlling pretty much everything that we eat or make you eat, and those of us who are urban or limited communities, are really at the mercy of others who truly don't care about anything but the dollar, or euro or anything else that matters. Then the gov wants to control the small farms that want to bring fresh milk and cream and fresh eggs and other farm fresh items to you, because of the food safety issues which are brought about by the big 4 packing houses and the big mega seed companies in the first place that make food unsafe and is processed in unclean and unhealthy facilities in the second place, but makes the small farms responsible for it like they did the bad deeds to start.
I'm not even sure where this will go, I don't like to speak of politics at all, but I guess, if we want change, please go to the polls on Nov 2nd, and vote. That is all I will say about this subject, as I don't want to give opinions about government issues, though they are important to all of us. Even if we are all different, and have different views, we still are seeking a simple and less stressful life that is more fulfilling that the materialistic realm that others live in. I love to hear what all of you are trying to achieve, again, we are all different, and seeking different but for the goal of a more simplistic lifestyle.
Going back to the food issues, (sorry for the wandering, I have a fuzzy head) I guess, we just have to seek out food for our families and seek harder, look farther, do more for ourselves if possible, but yet, IF we have to fall back on some things to get us through till next year, seek out more organic from a health food store or a co-op, then so be it. It is not the end of the world, it is not taboo, and if we have to buy some things from the conventional grocery, we pick what we can, as healthy as we can, or simply go without till the next growing season and better access.We need to read more and look into the companies that provide us these foods or mixes, and do more searching on our own about these companies and asking more questions, and the best yet, the power of OUR dollar, telling these companies that we will not buy until they change ingredients, (like high fructose corn syrup). I have called several companies or email them and told them that I refuse to purchase any more of their products until they change the ingredients and on some, they have done so, so I guess the power of the voice and the dollar do work, but for how long, who knows.
This also is following something that we in the state of Nebraska are dealing with. The building of a gas pipeline through one of the purest water holdings in the nation, The Ogallala Aquifer. It seems that this Canadian company wants to run a pipeline right through our source of fresh water. This source of water runs from Nebraska, some parts of South Dakota, through Kansas, Oklahoma, and parts of Texas and is pure to its form. This company is not addressing the issues that pertain to leaks in the pipeline or other safety issues, (the Gulf gusher), and is just basically trying to just ram this down the state of Nebraska's throat. As I read or hear more, I will keep you posted on this. This is not being talked about much by the state government, and I assure you, that the state's citizens are not happy at all about this either.
Anyway, I think that this is enough of the ranting for now. There are better things to talk about now. All of you will think that is all I do....
Well, like I said at the beginning of the post, I have been trying to clean up my garden areas and the now dead plants the freeze took out. It sure looks pretty sad around here now, everything is looking like November now, I'm not ready to be forced inside yet, we have been having very cold weather now, but the days are nice and warm by early afternoon, so I will resume my clean-up this afternoon and hopefully be done.
Well, this post was long winded, and probably will make someone mad, hope not, but if it does, I'm sorry.
So, to all, please have a great weekend, what ever the plans, if you are going out for Halloween, please be careful, have fun, and don't eat too much sugar, or "you'll get worms", like my grandmother would tell me. lol
Take care all
My apologies for the delay, seemed that in between trying to finish outside work and finish a little bit of canning of tomatoes from the neighbor (sorry, but I'm a sucker for free food, I do not like to waste anything) , and trying to finish my posting to all of you, I picked up a "little" flu bug. It didn't go into the full blown flu but boy, did I have a tummy ache and the achy joints and headache and general ill feeling that you get. I generally do not get sick so to speak, but a few days ago, I had to go to the dollar store that we have here to pick up some plastic wrap to finish some meat wrapping for the freezer and there was a woman who had 3 kids who didn't need to be running around in the first place, they were all sick and I tried to avoid them, but you know cooties, how they float around in the air! So out come the herbal teas I have, the Echinacea, the Elderberry syrup, and some juice, and aspirin and just rest. It sure doesn't get the work done though, don't have a Cabana boy running around. lol
I wanted to sort of finish my posting on the big 4 packing houses and something else that goes hand in hand with this: Please re-read the post if you need to, but on top of the big 4, pretty much ALL of our food is genetically altered by some of the biggest names in the seed business, Monsanto being at the head of the class in GM seeds and promoting their claims of safe seeds. Some of the others that we have here are, Cargill, and then you again get into the food companies like Cargill, ConAgra, which goes hand in hand with the big 4 packing houses, and you basically have a recipe for a boatload of disaster for all of us. Monsanto promote seeds all over the world, and from what I have read, their seeds are back-firing and making growing and secondary things coming out from the use of these seeds even worse.
In the new issue of Mother Earth News, (http://www.motherearthnews.com/), there are several articles pertaining to mega farms and an article which pertains to systemic pesticides that are "in" the seeds already, the article is named "Chemicals you can't wash off". Then the article of factory farms is called "The danger lurking in factory farm chicken". Go to their site and search these articles and they will be for this Oct/Nov 10 issue. Please read these if you can. Then search for more articles about this control that the packing houses and the seed companies have on our food. I am sure most of you keep track of GM food, there is an article out on the GM salmon that the FDA wants to throw on your table also.
I probably shouldn't even be talking about this, to me, it seems that you do not have control over your food except if you grow it yourself, or support your local growers and farmers. And I'm also sure that like all of you, I some what do not have control of what I buy because I am on a limited income, and have little choice here where I live, especially during the late winter, when I do not have good access to fresh greens or fruit. I get very frustrated a lot from this, I am envious of some of my readers who have fresh milk and cream, and have farms who are very self-sustaining as best as they can. This is a worrisome thing for me as I really feel that the gov is controlling pretty much everything that we eat or make you eat, and those of us who are urban or limited communities, are really at the mercy of others who truly don't care about anything but the dollar, or euro or anything else that matters. Then the gov wants to control the small farms that want to bring fresh milk and cream and fresh eggs and other farm fresh items to you, because of the food safety issues which are brought about by the big 4 packing houses and the big mega seed companies in the first place that make food unsafe and is processed in unclean and unhealthy facilities in the second place, but makes the small farms responsible for it like they did the bad deeds to start.
I'm not even sure where this will go, I don't like to speak of politics at all, but I guess, if we want change, please go to the polls on Nov 2nd, and vote. That is all I will say about this subject, as I don't want to give opinions about government issues, though they are important to all of us. Even if we are all different, and have different views, we still are seeking a simple and less stressful life that is more fulfilling that the materialistic realm that others live in. I love to hear what all of you are trying to achieve, again, we are all different, and seeking different but for the goal of a more simplistic lifestyle.
Going back to the food issues, (sorry for the wandering, I have a fuzzy head) I guess, we just have to seek out food for our families and seek harder, look farther, do more for ourselves if possible, but yet, IF we have to fall back on some things to get us through till next year, seek out more organic from a health food store or a co-op, then so be it. It is not the end of the world, it is not taboo, and if we have to buy some things from the conventional grocery, we pick what we can, as healthy as we can, or simply go without till the next growing season and better access.We need to read more and look into the companies that provide us these foods or mixes, and do more searching on our own about these companies and asking more questions, and the best yet, the power of OUR dollar, telling these companies that we will not buy until they change ingredients, (like high fructose corn syrup). I have called several companies or email them and told them that I refuse to purchase any more of their products until they change the ingredients and on some, they have done so, so I guess the power of the voice and the dollar do work, but for how long, who knows.
This also is following something that we in the state of Nebraska are dealing with. The building of a gas pipeline through one of the purest water holdings in the nation, The Ogallala Aquifer. It seems that this Canadian company wants to run a pipeline right through our source of fresh water. This source of water runs from Nebraska, some parts of South Dakota, through Kansas, Oklahoma, and parts of Texas and is pure to its form. This company is not addressing the issues that pertain to leaks in the pipeline or other safety issues, (the Gulf gusher), and is just basically trying to just ram this down the state of Nebraska's throat. As I read or hear more, I will keep you posted on this. This is not being talked about much by the state government, and I assure you, that the state's citizens are not happy at all about this either.
Anyway, I think that this is enough of the ranting for now. There are better things to talk about now. All of you will think that is all I do....
Well, like I said at the beginning of the post, I have been trying to clean up my garden areas and the now dead plants the freeze took out. It sure looks pretty sad around here now, everything is looking like November now, I'm not ready to be forced inside yet, we have been having very cold weather now, but the days are nice and warm by early afternoon, so I will resume my clean-up this afternoon and hopefully be done.
Well, this post was long winded, and probably will make someone mad, hope not, but if it does, I'm sorry.
So, to all, please have a great weekend, what ever the plans, if you are going out for Halloween, please be careful, have fun, and don't eat too much sugar, or "you'll get worms", like my grandmother would tell me. lol
Take care all
Friday, October 22, 2010
Thoughts and what's going on Part 1
Hello Everyone! I hope that all of you are having a great week, and hopefully a very productive or rest filled weekend.
I first want to take time to thank all of you for your most kind and thoughtful words of comfort for Ya-Ya, you do not know how much it meant to me to receive your comforting words. This really hit me very hard, and I still am going through the "I should of done this or that" bit, but each day does get better and I keep busy so as to not think too much on it. I miss her terribly, and I have to get through this daily but it will get better.
I get news on the computer like I'm sure a lot of you all do also. The other day, I got a news article that hit home here especially. And I also think that it does tie into what all of us are doing, living a simple lifestyle and eating more local produce and products and fair trade.
I am located in one of several very big agricultural states in the nation. In this article, it talked about the Big "4" packing plants for beef. These plants are: Tyson, Omaha Beef, Swift, and JBS. which is an Argentina based Big Ag corporation.
JBS had taken over the Greeley CO plant after it closed several years ago. It used to be a Monfort packing plant years ago, then Swift, then JBS. This is funny also, as Nebraska has laws in place for having foreign companies being in Nebraska, and JBS is located in Grand Island NE, which used to be a Swift plant. Anti-trust laws?
In this article, it mentioned that beef producers are not getting good prices on beef, and that eventually the beef will be of much poorer quality in a few years to make up for the poorer prices that producers are getting. The other fact of this article mentioning is the fact that there are only 4 plants that buy beef from all producers, thus limiting the playing field for competition in the market for ranchers and producers to get a fair price for beef.
This goes deeper than the article relates to in the fact that producers are producing beef, generally for export to over-seas markets, generally Japan, South Korea, etc. Japan has put a halt to Nebraska beef because of BSE, which is a chronic wasting disease in the brains and spine cords of bovine species. Japan found spinal pieces in boxed beef several years ago, and stopped the export of beef from Nebraska to Japan in one fell swoop. The other other reason is: the economy is very devastating now as people, including me cannot afford beef. This may seem totally off of the wall to all of you, but I live in beef country, and I cannot afford beef. It is surprising that beef here is unaffordable to a lot of people here. I am not sure what beef is in other areas of the country, but here, a pound of 90% lean hamburger is $5. A small T-bone is $15-$20 each. An arm roast is $20. I would be interested in what beef runs around the country. Now, this beef is not pastured humane beef, it is the beef that is finished in the feed lots and processed by the one of the big 4 plants.
I guess why I am talking about this is, the ability to purchase fair humane raised beef or pork or chicken, for those who do eat meat, and why it is so important to find and support local farms and ranches who do this and be able to make a decent living and bring to your table, a healthy product at a fair price to the farmer and the family and very fair to the livestock who give their lives to us.
Then this goes on also to the government, who now wants to kill the small farm or ranch, because the Big AG, Big Farm, Big Mega corporations is whining that the small producer is dipping into their big profits and making life a pain for them. I would suggest going to another blog I read, I have it listed in my blog reader list. It is A Year without Groceries, Her name is Rachel and she has a very interesting blog about being self reliant and not going to the grocery or buying groceries for a year. She is experimenting with using only local purchased products for her family, and buying pastured, local meat. On her blog a few days ago, she listed a number of companies who used to be small companies who cared, and are now bought by Big AG, or Big Corp and don't care about you or your families health any more. The list will surprise you. Please read her blog for more information.
I am on a rant again, sorry. :^)
Over the weekend, I will do part 2 as this can grow into quite a large thought on food and who controls it.
I have to run errands today, so I will post sometime over the weekend, and I want all of you to think about this and give thoughts.
Till this weekend, have a great Friday, and upcoming weekend.
As Always,
I first want to take time to thank all of you for your most kind and thoughtful words of comfort for Ya-Ya, you do not know how much it meant to me to receive your comforting words. This really hit me very hard, and I still am going through the "I should of done this or that" bit, but each day does get better and I keep busy so as to not think too much on it. I miss her terribly, and I have to get through this daily but it will get better.
I get news on the computer like I'm sure a lot of you all do also. The other day, I got a news article that hit home here especially. And I also think that it does tie into what all of us are doing, living a simple lifestyle and eating more local produce and products and fair trade.
I am located in one of several very big agricultural states in the nation. In this article, it talked about the Big "4" packing plants for beef. These plants are: Tyson, Omaha Beef, Swift, and JBS. which is an Argentina based Big Ag corporation.
JBS had taken over the Greeley CO plant after it closed several years ago. It used to be a Monfort packing plant years ago, then Swift, then JBS. This is funny also, as Nebraska has laws in place for having foreign companies being in Nebraska, and JBS is located in Grand Island NE, which used to be a Swift plant. Anti-trust laws?
In this article, it mentioned that beef producers are not getting good prices on beef, and that eventually the beef will be of much poorer quality in a few years to make up for the poorer prices that producers are getting. The other fact of this article mentioning is the fact that there are only 4 plants that buy beef from all producers, thus limiting the playing field for competition in the market for ranchers and producers to get a fair price for beef.
This goes deeper than the article relates to in the fact that producers are producing beef, generally for export to over-seas markets, generally Japan, South Korea, etc. Japan has put a halt to Nebraska beef because of BSE, which is a chronic wasting disease in the brains and spine cords of bovine species. Japan found spinal pieces in boxed beef several years ago, and stopped the export of beef from Nebraska to Japan in one fell swoop. The other other reason is: the economy is very devastating now as people, including me cannot afford beef. This may seem totally off of the wall to all of you, but I live in beef country, and I cannot afford beef. It is surprising that beef here is unaffordable to a lot of people here. I am not sure what beef is in other areas of the country, but here, a pound of 90% lean hamburger is $5. A small T-bone is $15-$20 each. An arm roast is $20. I would be interested in what beef runs around the country. Now, this beef is not pastured humane beef, it is the beef that is finished in the feed lots and processed by the one of the big 4 plants.
I guess why I am talking about this is, the ability to purchase fair humane raised beef or pork or chicken, for those who do eat meat, and why it is so important to find and support local farms and ranches who do this and be able to make a decent living and bring to your table, a healthy product at a fair price to the farmer and the family and very fair to the livestock who give their lives to us.
Then this goes on also to the government, who now wants to kill the small farm or ranch, because the Big AG, Big Farm, Big Mega corporations is whining that the small producer is dipping into their big profits and making life a pain for them. I would suggest going to another blog I read, I have it listed in my blog reader list. It is A Year without Groceries, Her name is Rachel and she has a very interesting blog about being self reliant and not going to the grocery or buying groceries for a year. She is experimenting with using only local purchased products for her family, and buying pastured, local meat. On her blog a few days ago, she listed a number of companies who used to be small companies who cared, and are now bought by Big AG, or Big Corp and don't care about you or your families health any more. The list will surprise you. Please read her blog for more information.
I am on a rant again, sorry. :^)
Over the weekend, I will do part 2 as this can grow into quite a large thought on food and who controls it.
I have to run errands today, so I will post sometime over the weekend, and I want all of you to think about this and give thoughts.
Till this weekend, have a great Friday, and upcoming weekend.
As Always,
Saturday, October 16, 2010
In Loving Memory
I have some very, very sad news to bring to this blog. Friday afternoon, I had to very peacefully put my beloved ICU kitten, Ya-Ya to sleep.
She had developed problems Thursday, and by Friday, I knew we were in distress. I took her in to her vet and she x-rayed her and her colon had torn in several places, and the vet told me she was quite sure it was a combination of a heavy worm infestation, and a congenital defect from Ya-Ya being a preemie baby and not having mom kitty's milk. We just couldn't fix a problem that was there and I felt so helpless and heart broken.
So, I lovingly told her goodbye, and let her go over the Rainbow bridge and in no more pain and a new body for her to enjoy. It was one of the most difficult endings that I have had to deal with in quite a few years of taking care of ill pets.
These are things that I have dealt with for years, but for a tiny kitten, who really didn't have a chance, I gave her 6 weeks of care, love, and hope for a better life. I just wish I could of done better for her.
I am so very heart broken, and tears drip on my keyboard, and on my shirt as I write this. She was so very special, and a gentle soul. I am going through the emotions that all humans go through, the anger at myself, the anger at the previous owner and anger at my God, and anger at life itself. Only time will heal me, and I know that deep in my heart I did absolutely the most I could with my hands that God gave me with the ability to heal. I feel so very blessed to of had her in my life, and that she had a few weeks of hope and peace. But all my attempts to heal were not enough for her. I am missing her so very much.
So, hopefully I will get back to my blogging, and some of the recipes that I have promised all of you. I want to also tell all of you who read my blog a big Thank you, and for all of your contact and just being here in cyber-blog land. I feel that if I didn't have all of you, I would probably be in the loony bin. I so enjoy all of your blogs, and I enjoy reading what everyone is doing in their lives. I enjoy the simple lifestyle that we follow, and the slow down that we strive to enjoy. This is the reason that I have no friends here, I follow a different path, and to these people, I am total freak, a moron, who probably should be in the loony bin. I don't party, I don't shop, I don't drink and run around being a bar fly, so I am the freak. Oh Well........
Anyway, I will get my recipes posted, and I will get back on to a normal blog posting if life doesn't get in the way. I have some ideas and will try to get it organized better and maybe if I can master it, a better layout on the blog.
Anyway, I didn't want to present sad news about Ya-Ya, but I had many get wells for her and concerns and hope sent to her and me, and I felt that it should be shared, even though it is sad and heartbreaking.
So, I will embark on new things and a better tomorrow for all. Have a peaceful and wonderful weekend.
Loving Regards,
She had developed problems Thursday, and by Friday, I knew we were in distress. I took her in to her vet and she x-rayed her and her colon had torn in several places, and the vet told me she was quite sure it was a combination of a heavy worm infestation, and a congenital defect from Ya-Ya being a preemie baby and not having mom kitty's milk. We just couldn't fix a problem that was there and I felt so helpless and heart broken.
So, I lovingly told her goodbye, and let her go over the Rainbow bridge and in no more pain and a new body for her to enjoy. It was one of the most difficult endings that I have had to deal with in quite a few years of taking care of ill pets.
These are things that I have dealt with for years, but for a tiny kitten, who really didn't have a chance, I gave her 6 weeks of care, love, and hope for a better life. I just wish I could of done better for her.
I am so very heart broken, and tears drip on my keyboard, and on my shirt as I write this. She was so very special, and a gentle soul. I am going through the emotions that all humans go through, the anger at myself, the anger at the previous owner and anger at my God, and anger at life itself. Only time will heal me, and I know that deep in my heart I did absolutely the most I could with my hands that God gave me with the ability to heal. I feel so very blessed to of had her in my life, and that she had a few weeks of hope and peace. But all my attempts to heal were not enough for her. I am missing her so very much.
So, hopefully I will get back to my blogging, and some of the recipes that I have promised all of you. I want to also tell all of you who read my blog a big Thank you, and for all of your contact and just being here in cyber-blog land. I feel that if I didn't have all of you, I would probably be in the loony bin. I so enjoy all of your blogs, and I enjoy reading what everyone is doing in their lives. I enjoy the simple lifestyle that we follow, and the slow down that we strive to enjoy. This is the reason that I have no friends here, I follow a different path, and to these people, I am total freak, a moron, who probably should be in the loony bin. I don't party, I don't shop, I don't drink and run around being a bar fly, so I am the freak. Oh Well........
Anyway, I will get my recipes posted, and I will get back on to a normal blog posting if life doesn't get in the way. I have some ideas and will try to get it organized better and maybe if I can master it, a better layout on the blog.
Anyway, I didn't want to present sad news about Ya-Ya, but I had many get wells for her and concerns and hope sent to her and me, and I felt that it should be shared, even though it is sad and heartbreaking.
So, I will embark on new things and a better tomorrow for all. Have a peaceful and wonderful weekend.
Loving Regards,
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Cooling off and catching up
Hello Everyone,
I have certainly missed blogging about my boring life. I hope that everyone has had a productive and pleasant week.
I finished most of my canning of tomatoes, and have done some desperate baking for the house. I felt ambitious and baked a cinnamon applesauce loaf, AND a banana bread! WOW. Since it is so very nice and cool today, (in the 60's) I can fire up the gas stove and I sure do not need to fire up the furnace, which I absolutely do not want to do until I have to.
I still have to finish up outside in the garden, and get things picked up and things put away before it gets too cold, oh, something that is interesting, today on this date last year, we had a blizzard that totaled about 20", then about a week later another blizzard of about 16" and then the end of Oct, we had a smaller blizzard of about 10". That was a surprise to say the least, and I sure didn't get the garden cleaned up until Jan when it warmed up just enough for me to get out to do it, then it turned to bitter cold and below zero temps in the 20's and 30's below with wind chills in the 40's below. How does that grab all of you!
My little ICU kitten is still having issues with her gut and colon. The vet had to do an enema Thurs afternoon, and kept her overnight and then I brought her home Fri am, she is doing good, but she has a sluggish colon and is going to be a issue for her life, which I am prepared to handle, and I will do the best for her. She is thriving, and eating very well and putting on weight, but just has this sluggish colon, and like a human, it must have special things and meds to help her. I know, as I have IBS and issues too, so I know what she is going through. I don't throw in the towel at all, and will do everything I can to make her life comfortable and productive. I have ordered probiotics for her and me, and we will just take it a day at a time. I will be talking to the vet on our game plan, and go from there.
Mom is doing great also, I know that I had several asking if my parents live in town and the answer is yes, thankfully. They are about 5 miles away from me on the south side of town and I am on the north side. We live in a small city of about 25,000, so it doesn't take me too long to get there, about 10 mins., so I plan my trips and shopping around them and to save fuel. Sometimes, I take our little bus which there are several, that run all over town, and shop, when I just want to get out and enjoy the day. It's nice to have someone else drive you around, especially when it is cold and snowy and you don't want to drag the car out and warm it up and splash in the wet and cold. Call it lazy. It's also cheap too.
I have been digging through my grandmother's recipes today also, while waiting for the loafs to get done, and came across my grandmother's recipe for a vegetable loaf. She made this a lot, as during the depression, there wasn't too much meat around, even here in this area of the country. I think that I will compose the recipe for all of you, and you can add or subtract what you would like in it, and make it your own. It is a no name recipe, but I will call it "Mabel's 29' Crash Vegetable Loaf. It has a mix of different vegetables, bread crumbs, pinto beans or what ever bean you have in your pantry, and blend. It may be a little fickle, and you will have to adjust the liquid to make a loaf, but I have fixed it, and I think that it is pretty tasty. It is also yummy the next day in a sandwich, or a pita, add condiments, to your taste, and have fun with it.
I also came across my grandmother's cake recipes, a raisin spice cake, a applesauce cake, there are a few more, I just need to dig deeper. When I find them, I will post these also.
Well, I need to pull the loafs out of the oven, it sure smells good in here, I think now, a cup of tea and a sample of banana bread is in order.
Take care all,
I have certainly missed blogging about my boring life. I hope that everyone has had a productive and pleasant week.
I finished most of my canning of tomatoes, and have done some desperate baking for the house. I felt ambitious and baked a cinnamon applesauce loaf, AND a banana bread! WOW. Since it is so very nice and cool today, (in the 60's) I can fire up the gas stove and I sure do not need to fire up the furnace, which I absolutely do not want to do until I have to.
I still have to finish up outside in the garden, and get things picked up and things put away before it gets too cold, oh, something that is interesting, today on this date last year, we had a blizzard that totaled about 20", then about a week later another blizzard of about 16" and then the end of Oct, we had a smaller blizzard of about 10". That was a surprise to say the least, and I sure didn't get the garden cleaned up until Jan when it warmed up just enough for me to get out to do it, then it turned to bitter cold and below zero temps in the 20's and 30's below with wind chills in the 40's below. How does that grab all of you!
My little ICU kitten is still having issues with her gut and colon. The vet had to do an enema Thurs afternoon, and kept her overnight and then I brought her home Fri am, she is doing good, but she has a sluggish colon and is going to be a issue for her life, which I am prepared to handle, and I will do the best for her. She is thriving, and eating very well and putting on weight, but just has this sluggish colon, and like a human, it must have special things and meds to help her. I know, as I have IBS and issues too, so I know what she is going through. I don't throw in the towel at all, and will do everything I can to make her life comfortable and productive. I have ordered probiotics for her and me, and we will just take it a day at a time. I will be talking to the vet on our game plan, and go from there.
Mom is doing great also, I know that I had several asking if my parents live in town and the answer is yes, thankfully. They are about 5 miles away from me on the south side of town and I am on the north side. We live in a small city of about 25,000, so it doesn't take me too long to get there, about 10 mins., so I plan my trips and shopping around them and to save fuel. Sometimes, I take our little bus which there are several, that run all over town, and shop, when I just want to get out and enjoy the day. It's nice to have someone else drive you around, especially when it is cold and snowy and you don't want to drag the car out and warm it up and splash in the wet and cold. Call it lazy. It's also cheap too.
I have been digging through my grandmother's recipes today also, while waiting for the loafs to get done, and came across my grandmother's recipe for a vegetable loaf. She made this a lot, as during the depression, there wasn't too much meat around, even here in this area of the country. I think that I will compose the recipe for all of you, and you can add or subtract what you would like in it, and make it your own. It is a no name recipe, but I will call it "Mabel's 29' Crash Vegetable Loaf. It has a mix of different vegetables, bread crumbs, pinto beans or what ever bean you have in your pantry, and blend. It may be a little fickle, and you will have to adjust the liquid to make a loaf, but I have fixed it, and I think that it is pretty tasty. It is also yummy the next day in a sandwich, or a pita, add condiments, to your taste, and have fun with it.
I also came across my grandmother's cake recipes, a raisin spice cake, a applesauce cake, there are a few more, I just need to dig deeper. When I find them, I will post these also.
Well, I need to pull the loafs out of the oven, it sure smells good in here, I think now, a cup of tea and a sample of banana bread is in order.
Take care all,
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Fall cleanup
Hello Everyone,
Well, I've been able to start some of my fall clean-up around my place. It is kinda a mess, had a lot going on and not enough hours or time in the day to complete it.
I pulled all of my peppers out of their buckets except the Tabasco peppers, I am still getting a few and I will throw these into my vinegar jar to seep and see if I can make sauce later. I have never tried this before, so its a little new to me.
I pulled my bean vines and tomatoes and cucumber vines on the south side and will take down my fence I use as a trellis. I use snow fence to trellis and string up vegetables holding everything up with fence stakes that are about 5 feet long, since I am a poor slob, I cannot afford the fancy things that gardeners use to trellis cucumbers and tomatoes so I use this.
I also garden in large plastic blue tubs that are about 20 gal each. I get these at the dollar store and have used these for a long time. Where I live, I cannot dig as the utilities are strung all over the lot, and I did have the utility company digger's come out a few years ago and mark the utilities where they run, like water, sewer, electricity, and gas lines, so I do know where they are at, but for me to dig is an understatement, so this is easier for me to handle and work with.
I also grow in the bags of garden soil. I think that is is called "bag gardening" or instant beds, but I use this also. I have had good luck with tomatoes, peppers, beans, but I will tell you, don't buy cheap topsoil as some of this stuff is clay based and does the plant no good for the root system. Spend a little more on good soil or container soil and you will be rewarded with a wonderful bag garden. I bought some cheap soil and had some problems with yucky clay soil. So I will take this soil next spring, and mix with peat moss and compost and fill my buckets and dress them out for lettuce and greens. I have a very tiny space in which to grow produce, so I have to really plan and use my space well, I will try to have some photos of my garden spaces.
The best soil I used was the Miracle Grow potting soil for containers. I grew some awesome cherry tomatoes in it to try and they did beautiful. I'm not promoting Miracle Grow, but they did good. It even had fertilizer in it and I did not have to dress any bags.
I am still canning. I have some more tomatoes to can for salsa. I have some hot salsa in the frig to start, and I got some apples from the neighbor's tree to see if I can do something with them. They have holes, and I'm sure, some worms, so I am not sure if I can do anything with them but I am going to try sometime next week.
It is cooling off here considerably.. It is now getting into the low 40's and even into the 30's but not freezing. But this morning, it did call for some "patchy frost " in some areas. So I am sure some of my farmer's market friends are cleaning up and getting ready to finish up the market which ends this month. I had very good business this first year of market and I hope to have more next year, I learned a lot, but you also learn that the public, especially here in my area, they do not really understand the farmer's market, and expect things to be just like the Wal-mart or grocery store chain, they expect perfect produce and what ever else you have, which those of us who live with in our means or frugal know that you cannot provide the "perfect" anything. So this is a stumbling block with the public here.
Mom is doing ok. ICU kitty is having some issues with the bowels, but the vet says its because she is tiny and will have to grow out of this, so it will be a long haul with this little girl, but she is doing better, and growing.
When I had all of this going on at the house, I sure got behind with everything else. My mom really cannot go anywhere any more with the hips falling out of their sockets, and we cannot go clear to Omaha to replace anything. This is one of the problems living in a retarded rural area like this, little health care or medical care needs. It amazes me, the community brags that it has wonderful medical care and a modern hospital, but yet tells you that you have to go 5 hours to a city to get care. Go figure.
Well everyone, thank you for stopping buy. I hope to have some photos of the clean-up going on here. I still don't have a camera, but I will try to see if I can work my camera on my cell phone. That is something I don't have much use for is a cell phone, but I do keep it because of my parents if they need me and I'm out running errands or outside.
Take care all, and enjoy your weekend plans.
Well, I've been able to start some of my fall clean-up around my place. It is kinda a mess, had a lot going on and not enough hours or time in the day to complete it.
I pulled all of my peppers out of their buckets except the Tabasco peppers, I am still getting a few and I will throw these into my vinegar jar to seep and see if I can make sauce later. I have never tried this before, so its a little new to me.
I pulled my bean vines and tomatoes and cucumber vines on the south side and will take down my fence I use as a trellis. I use snow fence to trellis and string up vegetables holding everything up with fence stakes that are about 5 feet long, since I am a poor slob, I cannot afford the fancy things that gardeners use to trellis cucumbers and tomatoes so I use this.
I also garden in large plastic blue tubs that are about 20 gal each. I get these at the dollar store and have used these for a long time. Where I live, I cannot dig as the utilities are strung all over the lot, and I did have the utility company digger's come out a few years ago and mark the utilities where they run, like water, sewer, electricity, and gas lines, so I do know where they are at, but for me to dig is an understatement, so this is easier for me to handle and work with.
I also grow in the bags of garden soil. I think that is is called "bag gardening" or instant beds, but I use this also. I have had good luck with tomatoes, peppers, beans, but I will tell you, don't buy cheap topsoil as some of this stuff is clay based and does the plant no good for the root system. Spend a little more on good soil or container soil and you will be rewarded with a wonderful bag garden. I bought some cheap soil and had some problems with yucky clay soil. So I will take this soil next spring, and mix with peat moss and compost and fill my buckets and dress them out for lettuce and greens. I have a very tiny space in which to grow produce, so I have to really plan and use my space well, I will try to have some photos of my garden spaces.
The best soil I used was the Miracle Grow potting soil for containers. I grew some awesome cherry tomatoes in it to try and they did beautiful. I'm not promoting Miracle Grow, but they did good. It even had fertilizer in it and I did not have to dress any bags.
I am still canning. I have some more tomatoes to can for salsa. I have some hot salsa in the frig to start, and I got some apples from the neighbor's tree to see if I can do something with them. They have holes, and I'm sure, some worms, so I am not sure if I can do anything with them but I am going to try sometime next week.
It is cooling off here considerably.. It is now getting into the low 40's and even into the 30's but not freezing. But this morning, it did call for some "patchy frost " in some areas. So I am sure some of my farmer's market friends are cleaning up and getting ready to finish up the market which ends this month. I had very good business this first year of market and I hope to have more next year, I learned a lot, but you also learn that the public, especially here in my area, they do not really understand the farmer's market, and expect things to be just like the Wal-mart or grocery store chain, they expect perfect produce and what ever else you have, which those of us who live with in our means or frugal know that you cannot provide the "perfect" anything. So this is a stumbling block with the public here.
Mom is doing ok. ICU kitty is having some issues with the bowels, but the vet says its because she is tiny and will have to grow out of this, so it will be a long haul with this little girl, but she is doing better, and growing.
When I had all of this going on at the house, I sure got behind with everything else. My mom really cannot go anywhere any more with the hips falling out of their sockets, and we cannot go clear to Omaha to replace anything. This is one of the problems living in a retarded rural area like this, little health care or medical care needs. It amazes me, the community brags that it has wonderful medical care and a modern hospital, but yet tells you that you have to go 5 hours to a city to get care. Go figure.
Well everyone, thank you for stopping buy. I hope to have some photos of the clean-up going on here. I still don't have a camera, but I will try to see if I can work my camera on my cell phone. That is something I don't have much use for is a cell phone, but I do keep it because of my parents if they need me and I'm out running errands or outside.
Take care all, and enjoy your weekend plans.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Unexpected things that happen or Murphy's Law
Hello everyone.
I am sorry that I have not posted for a while, but my elderly mother fell during the week and my ICU kitty seemed to think that they had to fight for my attentions.
My mom is ok, but will have to have the artificial hip replaced after 30 yrs, she has 2 hips but she broke her leg over 2 yrs ago and every since, it has not worked the same since that time, so its off to the Doc's office Monday early am, and my ICU kitty had a relapse with the constipation issue and have been up all night with her. She finally did her business early this morning, but these are issues that come up and so far, she is doing good and eating again.
I want to thank one of my readers for her recipe for kitty glop, thank you, I am mixing some of this up and will work this into the ICU kitty and see if we can keep this under control until she gets older and can handle potty habits better. What our issue is, is that she was a tiny thing, very malnourished and no mom kitty and moms usually wash kitten's behinds to get them to do their business, but this one didn't have a mom, so she hasn't quite figured out when to go, so we will get this under control and the vet thinks that as she gets a few weeks older, she will figure this out, until then, we have to do our mom kitty part, and I assure you she doesn't like at all, but we need her to get the idea, just time on all of our parts.
I am still here also, no jail or other nasty things. Got plates and things done for the car and got the cop out of my hair. Now he's on my landlord, which is fine, it keeps him out of my hair, I have enough in my hair at this time anyway. We decided not to do anything about this cop, as this one seems to have an issue in general, I talked this over with my dad, who was a cop many years ago in the 50's here in town, and he said to let sleeping dogs lie, as this cop may find issues and harass just to do it, he said, to let something bigger take him, which I'm sure it will the way he is going at this rate. My dad said to keep a low profile, which I do anyway, for God's sake, I garden and putter around in the yard, and unless the drug dealer slips up, I don't think that we will have issues for awhile.
So, hopefully things will calm down, I'm not sure when my mother will have hip surgery, but I will try to get a few posts going, and get back on track. I have also been canning in all the middle of this, it seems to calm me down somewhat, and keeps my mind off of the world in general, and takes me to a simpler time with my grandmother's kitchen and all that we did together. I am also trying to tackle the housework too, it seems everything either grows legs and walks off or it has babies and multiplies into many things, especially the laundry.
It has been chilly here, a couple of weeks ago, on Saturday, I did Farmer's Market, and I just about froze, it seems to be ok when we were all setting up and then all of the sudden, the wind came up and it started raining a very cold rain, and we all just about packed it in. It was all I could do to keep warm, and drink coffee until it poured out of my ears, I finally quit early at 11:30, and was able to pack up and it took all day to warm up and get the chill off me. It was funny, there were quite a few people wandering out and about that morning. I think that it was only 40 degrees that morning after being 80 something on Friday. Go figure.
So, I should go for now, I have beef stew in the crock pot going, and am trying to get some laundry done, before the wheel starts rolling again tomorrow. Anyway, everyone have a great week, and I will try to post back later this week.
Take care all
I am sorry that I have not posted for a while, but my elderly mother fell during the week and my ICU kitty seemed to think that they had to fight for my attentions.
My mom is ok, but will have to have the artificial hip replaced after 30 yrs, she has 2 hips but she broke her leg over 2 yrs ago and every since, it has not worked the same since that time, so its off to the Doc's office Monday early am, and my ICU kitty had a relapse with the constipation issue and have been up all night with her. She finally did her business early this morning, but these are issues that come up and so far, she is doing good and eating again.
I want to thank one of my readers for her recipe for kitty glop, thank you, I am mixing some of this up and will work this into the ICU kitty and see if we can keep this under control until she gets older and can handle potty habits better. What our issue is, is that she was a tiny thing, very malnourished and no mom kitty and moms usually wash kitten's behinds to get them to do their business, but this one didn't have a mom, so she hasn't quite figured out when to go, so we will get this under control and the vet thinks that as she gets a few weeks older, she will figure this out, until then, we have to do our mom kitty part, and I assure you she doesn't like at all, but we need her to get the idea, just time on all of our parts.
I am still here also, no jail or other nasty things. Got plates and things done for the car and got the cop out of my hair. Now he's on my landlord, which is fine, it keeps him out of my hair, I have enough in my hair at this time anyway. We decided not to do anything about this cop, as this one seems to have an issue in general, I talked this over with my dad, who was a cop many years ago in the 50's here in town, and he said to let sleeping dogs lie, as this cop may find issues and harass just to do it, he said, to let something bigger take him, which I'm sure it will the way he is going at this rate. My dad said to keep a low profile, which I do anyway, for God's sake, I garden and putter around in the yard, and unless the drug dealer slips up, I don't think that we will have issues for awhile.
So, hopefully things will calm down, I'm not sure when my mother will have hip surgery, but I will try to get a few posts going, and get back on track. I have also been canning in all the middle of this, it seems to calm me down somewhat, and keeps my mind off of the world in general, and takes me to a simpler time with my grandmother's kitchen and all that we did together. I am also trying to tackle the housework too, it seems everything either grows legs and walks off or it has babies and multiplies into many things, especially the laundry.
It has been chilly here, a couple of weeks ago, on Saturday, I did Farmer's Market, and I just about froze, it seems to be ok when we were all setting up and then all of the sudden, the wind came up and it started raining a very cold rain, and we all just about packed it in. It was all I could do to keep warm, and drink coffee until it poured out of my ears, I finally quit early at 11:30, and was able to pack up and it took all day to warm up and get the chill off me. It was funny, there were quite a few people wandering out and about that morning. I think that it was only 40 degrees that morning after being 80 something on Friday. Go figure.
So, I should go for now, I have beef stew in the crock pot going, and am trying to get some laundry done, before the wheel starts rolling again tomorrow. Anyway, everyone have a great week, and I will try to post back later this week.
Take care all
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Poverty and my rant
Well, it seems, according to the mainstream media, that those of us who are in a poverty based income, or have lost jobs, homes,or just plain live frugal or sustainable lives and whatever else has been thrown into the steaming cauldron, are the bain of society, and the cause of all of the U.S.'s terrible economic situation. It seems that people are unable to get jobs that are over $250,000.00 a year....Did I miss something?
I am just about at the edge of the cliff, so to speak, it doesn't take an economic professor or anyone with normal common sense, that you NEED jobs to get things GOING! Duh!
To be honest, where I live, this is a right to work state, and does not have to pay the minimum wage at all, and I assure you, it doesn't. I have worked jobs where I was paid $3.25 an hour not too long ago, I have worked jobs where I was paid even less than that. It is generally $5.00 an hour here now, and will remain so for quite a while.
I also assure you where I live, people live beyond their means too, they live in McMansions that truthfully I do not know how they pay for the house, the utilities, the food, gas in the car, and all of the other things that come up in life. There are not jobs that are high income tech jobs here, this is an ag state, and yes, we have the hospital, and Union Pacific Railroad, but, it does not pay that kind of wage.
Since when is it that those of us who live within our means, and are considered poverty or below poverty, the bain of the country's troubles, because they ask for some assistance with food, or medicine, or other assistance when a job is lost. Where I live, we do not have tech jobs or lab jobs, or other high tech companies, except in the eastern part of the state around Omaha or Lincoln.
Now I know that people abuse the system, and get things that they do not or should not get. But let's get real here, now all of the sudden, it seems that now those of us who live frugally are now causing the downfall of America! Because you cannot find work, simply because of the area you live in, if you live in a rural area, or area that is not full of high tech employment.
I, personally am somewhat afraid and worried that this will bring great strife and a great wedge between the haves and the have not's even more.
I had a little incident Sun night where I live at and have my trailer. The city is looking for money in all sections, and someone in the neighborhood turned the park in where I live about junk and cars. Well, the junk, I cannot do anything about, I try to pick up and put things in the trash, and the old furniture and junk, the guy who owns the lot is a jerk and a slum lord and doesn't care anyway. I have my ex's project car, that he has been working on here, under a soft sided car port, and earlier this summer, I had a bad storm that ripped off and split the canopy and exposed the car. The car runs but is not plated as it is still being worked on. My ex drives truck and had no place for it, so I told him he could put it here until he could find a place. Well, since it was exposed, the cop who came through Sun night, jumped all over me because of the junk car. To make a long story short, he was snoopy when he came through and first told me that he hates people who live in trailer parks, they are no good, the second thing he said was that it was illegal to have a garden! I was, by this time, very much fuming, and told him that unless he got a warrant, I would not permit or allow him to be around and unless he had serious business with me I cut the encounter off and took the ticket and will get the car plated and insured for a time, to comply and then from there, I don't know whether I will file a complaint or not. I still reeling about the garden comment, and have been checking into this also.
Where I live, yes, people are slobs, and I have drug dealers, which seems to avoid encounters with the cops, the guy who own the park, the cops hate anyway also, and this doesn't help either. So, I think that I will through the winter, look for another place to move my trailer and maybe avoid encounters in the first place.
But this was the start of the rant, and then with the news over the weekend and this morning, I have reached my thresh hold of tolerance. It makes me angry in the first place. I do not bother anyone, I mind my own business, and I take care of myself, ask of no assistance, and enjoy my poverty, which I feel I do not live in poverty in the first place. I live quite frugally and I do not go without or starve or anything. I will tell you, sometimes, yes, if I have an unexpected expense come up, yes, I have to move things around or go without a few things to cover the expense, but I manage and go from there. I do not like at all, being labeled the cause of the country's problems or the city's problems where I live.
I guess my question is: Is is just me that has this or has anyone else noticed this trend? I am curious.
Then if it's me, then I need to dig a hole and bury myself......
I would love comments as to see if you see this in your part of the country or area, or am I getting old and crabby.
Oh, and the ICU kitty is doing great, and the upper respiratory kitties are on the mend also.
Thank you for all of your concerns, this is the only thing that has made me able to take the world, is their care and getting better.
Anyway, thank you for letting me rant, I am truly sorry, but I really can't take this much more. I wish everyone a great week, and don't let the world get to you. I will try to have more on pantry stocking and some recipes, since I am more free now to write.
I am just about at the edge of the cliff, so to speak, it doesn't take an economic professor or anyone with normal common sense, that you NEED jobs to get things GOING! Duh!
To be honest, where I live, this is a right to work state, and does not have to pay the minimum wage at all, and I assure you, it doesn't. I have worked jobs where I was paid $3.25 an hour not too long ago, I have worked jobs where I was paid even less than that. It is generally $5.00 an hour here now, and will remain so for quite a while.
I also assure you where I live, people live beyond their means too, they live in McMansions that truthfully I do not know how they pay for the house, the utilities, the food, gas in the car, and all of the other things that come up in life. There are not jobs that are high income tech jobs here, this is an ag state, and yes, we have the hospital, and Union Pacific Railroad, but, it does not pay that kind of wage.
Since when is it that those of us who live within our means, and are considered poverty or below poverty, the bain of the country's troubles, because they ask for some assistance with food, or medicine, or other assistance when a job is lost. Where I live, we do not have tech jobs or lab jobs, or other high tech companies, except in the eastern part of the state around Omaha or Lincoln.
Now I know that people abuse the system, and get things that they do not or should not get. But let's get real here, now all of the sudden, it seems that now those of us who live frugally are now causing the downfall of America! Because you cannot find work, simply because of the area you live in, if you live in a rural area, or area that is not full of high tech employment.
I, personally am somewhat afraid and worried that this will bring great strife and a great wedge between the haves and the have not's even more.
I had a little incident Sun night where I live at and have my trailer. The city is looking for money in all sections, and someone in the neighborhood turned the park in where I live about junk and cars. Well, the junk, I cannot do anything about, I try to pick up and put things in the trash, and the old furniture and junk, the guy who owns the lot is a jerk and a slum lord and doesn't care anyway. I have my ex's project car, that he has been working on here, under a soft sided car port, and earlier this summer, I had a bad storm that ripped off and split the canopy and exposed the car. The car runs but is not plated as it is still being worked on. My ex drives truck and had no place for it, so I told him he could put it here until he could find a place. Well, since it was exposed, the cop who came through Sun night, jumped all over me because of the junk car. To make a long story short, he was snoopy when he came through and first told me that he hates people who live in trailer parks, they are no good, the second thing he said was that it was illegal to have a garden! I was, by this time, very much fuming, and told him that unless he got a warrant, I would not permit or allow him to be around and unless he had serious business with me I cut the encounter off and took the ticket and will get the car plated and insured for a time, to comply and then from there, I don't know whether I will file a complaint or not. I still reeling about the garden comment, and have been checking into this also.
Where I live, yes, people are slobs, and I have drug dealers, which seems to avoid encounters with the cops, the guy who own the park, the cops hate anyway also, and this doesn't help either. So, I think that I will through the winter, look for another place to move my trailer and maybe avoid encounters in the first place.
But this was the start of the rant, and then with the news over the weekend and this morning, I have reached my thresh hold of tolerance. It makes me angry in the first place. I do not bother anyone, I mind my own business, and I take care of myself, ask of no assistance, and enjoy my poverty, which I feel I do not live in poverty in the first place. I live quite frugally and I do not go without or starve or anything. I will tell you, sometimes, yes, if I have an unexpected expense come up, yes, I have to move things around or go without a few things to cover the expense, but I manage and go from there. I do not like at all, being labeled the cause of the country's problems or the city's problems where I live.
I guess my question is: Is is just me that has this or has anyone else noticed this trend? I am curious.
Then if it's me, then I need to dig a hole and bury myself......
I would love comments as to see if you see this in your part of the country or area, or am I getting old and crabby.
Oh, and the ICU kitty is doing great, and the upper respiratory kitties are on the mend also.
Thank you for all of your concerns, this is the only thing that has made me able to take the world, is their care and getting better.
Anyway, thank you for letting me rant, I am truly sorry, but I really can't take this much more. I wish everyone a great week, and don't let the world get to you. I will try to have more on pantry stocking and some recipes, since I am more free now to write.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
ICU updates
Well, here is my little patient, I am sure that we are on the mend, though it was a total touch and go situation.
When I get her more stable, I will give her a quick bath and a fluff, to make her feel better and look better.
Thank you from all of you who wish her well, and me to give me the strength to help her. I now have some upper respitory viruses going on in the house with my older cats, I usually have this during this time of year when I get some cooler weather, and I open the windows, so I have sneezing and wheezing and plugged up cats, my two newer kittens have it the worst, so I have been really getting them stable on top of having this little kitty to get well. Plus I am trying to keep the ICU kitten away from the other sneezing, I don't need her sick with this crap on top of what she had going on. Calgon, take me away........
I am running a MASH unit it seems, and I haven't gotten much sleep, but I will plug away, and keep at the other kittens who are having more difficulty shaking off this respitory crap. I run into this every few years, and with the air changing from summer to fall, it seems the pollen and molds are bad no matter what.
I will try to get back with the blog on home subject matters, hopefully in a few days when I get everyone more stable.
Thank you all for your concerns and thoughts.
When I get her more stable, I will give her a quick bath and a fluff, to make her feel better and look better.
Thank you from all of you who wish her well, and me to give me the strength to help her. I now have some upper respitory viruses going on in the house with my older cats, I usually have this during this time of year when I get some cooler weather, and I open the windows, so I have sneezing and wheezing and plugged up cats, my two newer kittens have it the worst, so I have been really getting them stable on top of having this little kitty to get well. Plus I am trying to keep the ICU kitten away from the other sneezing, I don't need her sick with this crap on top of what she had going on. Calgon, take me away........
I am running a MASH unit it seems, and I haven't gotten much sleep, but I will plug away, and keep at the other kittens who are having more difficulty shaking off this respitory crap. I run into this every few years, and with the air changing from summer to fall, it seems the pollen and molds are bad no matter what.
I will try to get back with the blog on home subject matters, hopefully in a few days when I get everyone more stable.
Thank you all for your concerns and thoughts.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Friday, September 10, 2010
ICU emergency and going's on
I will post in a few days about more pantry stocking but I have had a kitten emergency from a vet and I have been up for about 72 hrs and I really have not had time to do anything.
My little patient is very tiny, she came to me on the brink of death, (and I am not kidding). It has been several years since I have had a critical ICU, so I had to get to my battle station, and ready the fight.
My patient was very malnorished, and was also impacted (constipated) from bad feeding on the owner's part, and not feeding the right foods for a 5 week old kitten. She was totally dehydrated from no water. The vet made the owners relinquish the kitten to them, and this is when I get calls to do ICU, when patients need 24/7 care for at least 72 hours to a week or two.
I have good news this morning. When I woke up at 4:30 am this morning to check on her, (after being up 72 hrs), she was very vocal in saying "I'm hungry", and she ate for me. This will be a very slow process of introducing soft kitten type food, until we get her very tiny gut straighted out and smoothed out from the huge rock she had in her tummy, which was just plain full of poop period, and I had to slowly put a liquid laxative for kittens in her to get things moving, with the fact that we had to be so very careful to get things moving without strangulating the gut and killing her, and doing this on a very tiny body that weighs less the a pound. She pooped several large brick vat poops yesterday through the afternnoon , and this was the plumbing problem, and when we did this, we got rid of the plumbing problem. I am sorry that I am probably being a little graphic, but for kittens, let alone adult cats and dogs, this is very serious, and this also happens in people, and if it is not handled with kid gloves, you can literally" blow out" the gut from straining.
So, as of this morning, she is showing signs we are on the mend, we are still critical, as we have to be so very careful of this very tiny gut, and keeping it straight and with soft foods, and then introduce strength building foods, and yogurt and other immune building things. I used my chicken broth that I make, and she has really loved this, as it has salts, and minerals to help with the healing of the tummy, so I am so far please with her fight and progression. I will try to get a photo of her, and with much better news on her healing.
Well, I'd better get going and check on my little patient, and get my adult cats and dog fed, and start the day, I have tons of housework now, as I got behind, so, I can't sit too long, I think though, that I will have a nap this afternoon, if this is possible, and then I will be ok. It is so well worth it.
Bye...
My little patient is very tiny, she came to me on the brink of death, (and I am not kidding). It has been several years since I have had a critical ICU, so I had to get to my battle station, and ready the fight.
My patient was very malnorished, and was also impacted (constipated) from bad feeding on the owner's part, and not feeding the right foods for a 5 week old kitten. She was totally dehydrated from no water. The vet made the owners relinquish the kitten to them, and this is when I get calls to do ICU, when patients need 24/7 care for at least 72 hours to a week or two.
I have good news this morning. When I woke up at 4:30 am this morning to check on her, (after being up 72 hrs), she was very vocal in saying "I'm hungry", and she ate for me. This will be a very slow process of introducing soft kitten type food, until we get her very tiny gut straighted out and smoothed out from the huge rock she had in her tummy, which was just plain full of poop period, and I had to slowly put a liquid laxative for kittens in her to get things moving, with the fact that we had to be so very careful to get things moving without strangulating the gut and killing her, and doing this on a very tiny body that weighs less the a pound. She pooped several large brick vat poops yesterday through the afternnoon , and this was the plumbing problem, and when we did this, we got rid of the plumbing problem. I am sorry that I am probably being a little graphic, but for kittens, let alone adult cats and dogs, this is very serious, and this also happens in people, and if it is not handled with kid gloves, you can literally" blow out" the gut from straining.
So, as of this morning, she is showing signs we are on the mend, we are still critical, as we have to be so very careful of this very tiny gut, and keeping it straight and with soft foods, and then introduce strength building foods, and yogurt and other immune building things. I used my chicken broth that I make, and she has really loved this, as it has salts, and minerals to help with the healing of the tummy, so I am so far please with her fight and progression. I will try to get a photo of her, and with much better news on her healing.
Well, I'd better get going and check on my little patient, and get my adult cats and dog fed, and start the day, I have tons of housework now, as I got behind, so, I can't sit too long, I think though, that I will have a nap this afternoon, if this is possible, and then I will be ok. It is so well worth it.
Bye...
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Chilly!!!!!
Well Folks, It's 35* this morning. I am sure trying to send cooler air to all who wish it. We did have some frost in our lower lying areas but it was pretty cool and very nice sleeping weather. Then it goes to hot again, with chances of thunder boomers, but generally the boomers aren't (too) bad this time of year. Go figure.
I covered my peppers last night before bed, and just hoped for the best. I also covered some of my houseplants that reside outside in the summer. I need to give some of them a spray of organic bug spray before I bring them in, which is a little early this year. Sometime this week, I will start my greens in my cold frames, and get the plastic ready just in case of frosty mornings, but this is Nebraska. I will go out later this morning to see if anything got nipped, and then start thinning out the frost bit ones, but I can generally, if I cover the most productive and strong tomatoes, I can, and have gotten tomatoes clear into the middle of November with plastic covers, and some blankets. I generally get tomatoes for relishes, which is fine, but I have done so on many occassions, it just depends on the weather and just plain luck.
I am feeling much better this morning, be surprised if one gets a good night's sleep and rest, you can generally feel better. I know what I did too, I just DID too much, canning, drying, cutting, processing, and standing on my feet will generally get to me, but I just do it because I have to. There is no one else to do it for me. Thank you for all who wished feeling better, it helped me, so thank you for the well wishes. I wish I could find a house boy.....Don't think that's going to happen. lol
I still do not have a camera to bring photos to you, hopefully soon. I would like to get photos of snow, if it snows here this year. Though I do not want to scare folks who are in the semi-tropic zones. It might just really spook them. I wish that I had a camera last year as we had the 2 blizzards in October, that totaled over 60'. I could not get out of my house through the doors, both doors were frozen, and the only way I could get out was get the hair dryer and crack the front door a little and then melt the ice around the door, and then take a very long carving knife and slice through the ice around the door enough to push it open. That was somewhat a little spooky but got it done. My house is pretty well insulated but those storms had 60 mph winds pushing snow and it was pretty icy also. Welcome to Nebraska. Not!!!!
Well I need to get to drying some herbs for Farmer's Market. Since I feel a little better, think I'll try it today and see if I can make a buck or two.
So, everyone, please have a great day, and a great week.
I covered my peppers last night before bed, and just hoped for the best. I also covered some of my houseplants that reside outside in the summer. I need to give some of them a spray of organic bug spray before I bring them in, which is a little early this year. Sometime this week, I will start my greens in my cold frames, and get the plastic ready just in case of frosty mornings, but this is Nebraska. I will go out later this morning to see if anything got nipped, and then start thinning out the frost bit ones, but I can generally, if I cover the most productive and strong tomatoes, I can, and have gotten tomatoes clear into the middle of November with plastic covers, and some blankets. I generally get tomatoes for relishes, which is fine, but I have done so on many occassions, it just depends on the weather and just plain luck.
I am feeling much better this morning, be surprised if one gets a good night's sleep and rest, you can generally feel better. I know what I did too, I just DID too much, canning, drying, cutting, processing, and standing on my feet will generally get to me, but I just do it because I have to. There is no one else to do it for me. Thank you for all who wished feeling better, it helped me, so thank you for the well wishes. I wish I could find a house boy.....Don't think that's going to happen. lol
I still do not have a camera to bring photos to you, hopefully soon. I would like to get photos of snow, if it snows here this year. Though I do not want to scare folks who are in the semi-tropic zones. It might just really spook them. I wish that I had a camera last year as we had the 2 blizzards in October, that totaled over 60'. I could not get out of my house through the doors, both doors were frozen, and the only way I could get out was get the hair dryer and crack the front door a little and then melt the ice around the door, and then take a very long carving knife and slice through the ice around the door enough to push it open. That was somewhat a little spooky but got it done. My house is pretty well insulated but those storms had 60 mph winds pushing snow and it was pretty icy also. Welcome to Nebraska. Not!!!!
Well I need to get to drying some herbs for Farmer's Market. Since I feel a little better, think I'll try it today and see if I can make a buck or two.
So, everyone, please have a great day, and a great week.
Monday, September 6, 2010
A good web site to visit for frugal meals and ideas
I visit this site quite a bit. It is a site for frugal meals, emergency planning for meals for lay-offs, or when things get tight. It has a few ads but it is a nice site to get some ideas from. It is http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/
I will be getting back to my blog in a few days. I am feeling a bit under the weather with quite a bit of pain in my spine and hip, so I will be thinking of some blogging tips to add in a few days when I feel a little better.
Everyone have a great rest of Labor Day off, and get ready to hit the salt mines again tomorrow.
I will be getting back to my blog in a few days. I am feeling a bit under the weather with quite a bit of pain in my spine and hip, so I will be thinking of some blogging tips to add in a few days when I feel a little better.
Everyone have a great rest of Labor Day off, and get ready to hit the salt mines again tomorrow.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
catching up
Well, I am trying to play catch-up. I will be freezing my peaches my neighbor gave me. I made beef patties and froze those this morning. Some of my barter beef that I barter for.
It seems from the blogs I read or follow, the weather is into play this year. My garden didn't do too well, but I am getting produce, but it is slow and somewhat strange in its growing pattern. My theory is a combo of the gulf spill dispersant's, and chemicals and the Icelandic volcano. I am not a scientist, but I am old enough and have some brains to tell me that the weather is changed and it is maybe not for the good. I also think that a possible shift in the Earth's orbit from some of these earthquakes may have shifted things around some. This morning it was 48*, which is great, but I recall last year, we had 2 30" blizzards in October and quite a bit of snow to total over 70+ inches last year alone.
From my last posted blog, I was going to touch on the stocking of the pantry for winter. I keep a full stock pantry most of the time, and I keep a tally in the pantry to replenish what I have used. I look at the sales flyer's that come out, to re-stock major things like broth, which I do keep on hand as I use it quite a bit for flavor and cooking. I like to make my own broth, and really a vegetable broth is very quick to make, and makes a nice finale to dinner. But a beef or chicken broth takes a little more, and when you plan meals, especially when cooking any meat, plan on a little extra from the pan to freeze and add to your stash of broth in the freezer.
When you stock your pantry, this is a very personal and taste driven endeavor, as it depends on what you or your family eat. I keep broths, herb salts, herb mixes that I make, rice, pasta, soup bases, tomato sauces, both home canned, and tomato paste when I run short. I keep my potatoes and carrots and cabbage for a while in the frig ( I have 2 frigs) , and then as it cools down really good at night, usually later this month, I use a ice chest with a few holes drilled into the top and sides, as a makeshift cellar. That is one thing I miss from my grandmother's day, a root cellar and vegetable storage cellar.
I eat pretty simple, potatoes, carrots, and I try to eat with the seasons, as I cannot afford too much salad from the store, and I do grow my greens if the weather holds, in cold frames, if we don't have any snow or cold, but I did get spinach til Nov then it got really cold and I did not disturb the frames until Feb as I took off the the heavy covers I had on my frames and my greens and spinach survived the -30+ below wind chills I had here.
How I stock is how I can afford things and I generally buy 2-3 extras if I can to add to the stash. I really hate shopping, as for one, it is a little hard for me to get around, and I can only afford to run the car 1-2 days a week because of gas costs for me, sometimes I utilize the handy bus that we have here, and take my little hand buggy for groceries but I can only get so much in my little buggy, so, I try to plan a monthly run for groceries to really stock, and I put extra cash away, in my jar for these extras I need. I also save on fuel and running for my green footprint.
I also make my own bread, and if I get caught not being able to make bread, I do buy the frozen loaves of wheat bread and I do those up, when I get behind, and I also make cinnamon rolls from these also, and dinner buns.
Stocking is all about just keeping things in order, and not running around like a chicken with your head cut off. And where I live, the weather can change in a New York minute and I do not like driving or running around in 30" of snow, when you can't get around at all anyway, and everyone else is running around and can't drive in the weather. Stocking is just being able to come home from work and have things ready to go, and you can throw soup or a stew, or veggies in a crock pot when you go out the door on low and dinner is ready when you get home. I am a great fan of crock pots and use several crock pots in my home during the winter.
This is where my herb mixes and dehydrated soup mixes come into play for dinner also. But again, it does take planning, and time to do these. This simple lifestyle isn't so simple when you cook from scratch. It takes some discipline on your part to do them, or again, you fall off the wagon and purchase MSG laden mixes with a ton of poison preservatives in them, it's your choice.
Well, who know what I'll talk about next. We may have a snow storm next?
Everyone, please have a great weekend, and Labor Day holiday
It seems from the blogs I read or follow, the weather is into play this year. My garden didn't do too well, but I am getting produce, but it is slow and somewhat strange in its growing pattern. My theory is a combo of the gulf spill dispersant's, and chemicals and the Icelandic volcano. I am not a scientist, but I am old enough and have some brains to tell me that the weather is changed and it is maybe not for the good. I also think that a possible shift in the Earth's orbit from some of these earthquakes may have shifted things around some. This morning it was 48*, which is great, but I recall last year, we had 2 30" blizzards in October and quite a bit of snow to total over 70+ inches last year alone.
From my last posted blog, I was going to touch on the stocking of the pantry for winter. I keep a full stock pantry most of the time, and I keep a tally in the pantry to replenish what I have used. I look at the sales flyer's that come out, to re-stock major things like broth, which I do keep on hand as I use it quite a bit for flavor and cooking. I like to make my own broth, and really a vegetable broth is very quick to make, and makes a nice finale to dinner. But a beef or chicken broth takes a little more, and when you plan meals, especially when cooking any meat, plan on a little extra from the pan to freeze and add to your stash of broth in the freezer.
When you stock your pantry, this is a very personal and taste driven endeavor, as it depends on what you or your family eat. I keep broths, herb salts, herb mixes that I make, rice, pasta, soup bases, tomato sauces, both home canned, and tomato paste when I run short. I keep my potatoes and carrots and cabbage for a while in the frig ( I have 2 frigs) , and then as it cools down really good at night, usually later this month, I use a ice chest with a few holes drilled into the top and sides, as a makeshift cellar. That is one thing I miss from my grandmother's day, a root cellar and vegetable storage cellar.
I eat pretty simple, potatoes, carrots, and I try to eat with the seasons, as I cannot afford too much salad from the store, and I do grow my greens if the weather holds, in cold frames, if we don't have any snow or cold, but I did get spinach til Nov then it got really cold and I did not disturb the frames until Feb as I took off the the heavy covers I had on my frames and my greens and spinach survived the -30+ below wind chills I had here.
How I stock is how I can afford things and I generally buy 2-3 extras if I can to add to the stash. I really hate shopping, as for one, it is a little hard for me to get around, and I can only afford to run the car 1-2 days a week because of gas costs for me, sometimes I utilize the handy bus that we have here, and take my little hand buggy for groceries but I can only get so much in my little buggy, so, I try to plan a monthly run for groceries to really stock, and I put extra cash away, in my jar for these extras I need. I also save on fuel and running for my green footprint.
I also make my own bread, and if I get caught not being able to make bread, I do buy the frozen loaves of wheat bread and I do those up, when I get behind, and I also make cinnamon rolls from these also, and dinner buns.
Stocking is all about just keeping things in order, and not running around like a chicken with your head cut off. And where I live, the weather can change in a New York minute and I do not like driving or running around in 30" of snow, when you can't get around at all anyway, and everyone else is running around and can't drive in the weather. Stocking is just being able to come home from work and have things ready to go, and you can throw soup or a stew, or veggies in a crock pot when you go out the door on low and dinner is ready when you get home. I am a great fan of crock pots and use several crock pots in my home during the winter.
This is where my herb mixes and dehydrated soup mixes come into play for dinner also. But again, it does take planning, and time to do these. This simple lifestyle isn't so simple when you cook from scratch. It takes some discipline on your part to do them, or again, you fall off the wagon and purchase MSG laden mixes with a ton of poison preservatives in them, it's your choice.
Well, who know what I'll talk about next. We may have a snow storm next?
Everyone, please have a great weekend, and Labor Day holiday
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
It's another refreshing day, guess what I'm going to do...
It's so nice this morning, cool air, and we even were greeted by a little thunder-boomer with a little lightning and a few sprinkles. I love these little boomers, its when they get big and nasty and full of lightning I don't like them, especially when they grow to become tornadoes, but I think that we are past the prairie twisters for this year.
Since it is so cool this morning, I am going to finish a batch of tomato sauce I have had in the frig for a few days. I generally process tomatoes as I get them. They are very slow to ripen, so I get a batch, and then cut them up or run them through my hand food mill to make sauce, and then cut onions, and garlic and get them done. Then if I want salsa, or sauce, I just pull a jar, and finish with the ingredients that I want. I have had a wonderful neighbor who has been sharing his tomatoes and I do not turn down free food at all. I also had another neighbor who has several small peach trees in her yard and brought me over a small basket of peaches which I was just ecstatic to get. I am going to freeze these and then vacuum seal these until I can make jam or jelly or preserves. I just can't get them all done at once.
Fresh fruit is a very hard thing for low income people to get. Even for families who have higher incomes, fruit is a luxury. I really have never been able to afford fruit, unless someone gives me fruit or I have been at the food pantry when I needed things when the going was tough, have I gotten fruit. Fruit and meat is definitly something that the lower end of us really are not afforded the benefits of. And the government tells the low income to make better choices in their food selection, well, government, look at the price and ask me if I can afford it? Even where I live, fruit is not grown hardly at all, so I am very excited about the peaches, and they are truly a gift.
I am going to give you the recipe for the vegetable bouillion I use. Really it is not a recipe, just a mix of things and you dry it.
Sometimes when I am lucky to do a roast or chicken, and I roast vegetables with it, I have leftovers of vegetables, which I usually make more of on purpose to make this bouillion. I generally freeze the leftovers and then in about a month, I have enough to make two dehydrator trays of the bouillion. I bought a dehydrator several years ago, and then earlier this year, I bought a new one listed on Craigslist, that was still in the box new, for $10 bucks, so I now have 2 which I use almost daily now.
Now, take your vegetables out, whether they are frozen or from last night's dinner, and if frozen, thaw, and then if you have a food processor, or blender, run these through, with a little of the broth, and make a puree. If you do not have a food processor, a food mill or even a potato masher will work great. Use what ever you have. I also urge you to save your broth from your chicken or meat drippings, put in the frig, and skim off the fat, and then place this in a jar in the frig, and then if you have enough to make bouillion, then place this in a ice cube tray, freeze, and then pop them out and use them in soup, stew or gravies or whereever you need flavor. Then place these in a bag or canning jar back in the freezer to keep fresh, they keep about 3 months, use up and keep a fresh supply from your leftovers.
Now, on my dehydrators, I bought extra trays, and fruit leather trays and also trays that you can dehydrate fruit to make candy with, I use the fruit leather trays, they are a solid flexible tray that you can spread your purees on and then place on the slotted trays and then start up your dehydrators to dry. I have also done this in the oven on a low oven, but this can heat up the kitchen a lot and I have burned things as you need to watch it as you cannot just leave and go off somewhere. That is why I purchased the dehydrators as they are a great tool for me in my kitchen.
I do spray the trays with a little vegetable spray to help with sticking, and then this dries down to flakes somewhat on its own, and when dry, you break this up and place in the freezer, I use glass jars, you can use plastic, but I am not a fan of plastic at all.
That is about all there is to it. If you cook a lot, you can figure this out. Really its all about experimenting with things. I did buy the book, " Drying with an attitude" by Mary T. Bell, and this is a great guide and the rest is up to you. Drying I assure you is quite habit-forming and very fun. I also dry vegetables and mix these to make a vegetable soup mix, and I grind up my vegetable puree when dry to make a powder to shake onto food for flavoring, very fun.
Now this stuff, when you do it, looks different from stuff you buy in the store, this is home made bouillion, but it doesn't have the chemicals or MSG that the stuff in the store has. So understand that it looks different when you use it.
To use, just place flakes in a little beef broth or chicken broth and let it soak up the broth. it takes about 15-30 minutes for this to do, and then pop it in your recipe. I urge you to either buy broth ready made or save your broth from your cooking, don't throw out any of this as this is a great flavor add to your cooking. I buy a broth that is made by a company that makes it without MSG or additives, and it comes in beef, chicken, vegetable or seafood. Sometimes you can get caught short, and do not have time to make broth from scratch, so it is nice to carry this in your pantry staples, for quick cooking. I also use it in cooking vegetables, and rice and making a base for gravies.
Since we are on the subject of pantries, and I am getting ready for winter here, I think that I will have a discussion on pantry stocking. Low income folks are bad about not stocking pantries, as they usually buy processed food, and do not think of meals or meal planning for the family. Pantry planning is purely based on your family's needs, and what you fix or eat in the house. Each is different. But it is nice to keep staples on hand, and you have the makings for some quick meals that you can just throw together and you are set with a healthy and filling cheap meal. So I think that I will touch on this the next post for all of you.
Now, I do want to clear up something that I do not want folks to feel that they are excluded. First, since I am a very low income earner, what I generally talk about it how to do things with less money. This does not mean that this blog is for low income folks ONLY, its not, it for all who struggle, which is most of us. I am just a advocate for the disabled or low income to handle the money they get better and eat better, as it seems that the low income do not handle money for food well, or know how to budget for food, or even cook. I want everyone to feel welcome, and take what I have learned and then take the information and run with it or help someone else. I do not want others to feel that you have to be a disabled to read this blog. You don't, but its my situation and I live it daily, but everyone is having great difficulties and it seems that we all are "disabled" in some way to make ends meet.
I hope that I have helped in someway to bring a better meal, or a new idea to the dinner table. I urge you to "play with your food" so to speak, and have fun with boring meals.
Have a great day and and up coming Labor day holiday for my US readers.
Since it is so cool this morning, I am going to finish a batch of tomato sauce I have had in the frig for a few days. I generally process tomatoes as I get them. They are very slow to ripen, so I get a batch, and then cut them up or run them through my hand food mill to make sauce, and then cut onions, and garlic and get them done. Then if I want salsa, or sauce, I just pull a jar, and finish with the ingredients that I want. I have had a wonderful neighbor who has been sharing his tomatoes and I do not turn down free food at all. I also had another neighbor who has several small peach trees in her yard and brought me over a small basket of peaches which I was just ecstatic to get. I am going to freeze these and then vacuum seal these until I can make jam or jelly or preserves. I just can't get them all done at once.
Fresh fruit is a very hard thing for low income people to get. Even for families who have higher incomes, fruit is a luxury. I really have never been able to afford fruit, unless someone gives me fruit or I have been at the food pantry when I needed things when the going was tough, have I gotten fruit. Fruit and meat is definitly something that the lower end of us really are not afforded the benefits of. And the government tells the low income to make better choices in their food selection, well, government, look at the price and ask me if I can afford it? Even where I live, fruit is not grown hardly at all, so I am very excited about the peaches, and they are truly a gift.
I am going to give you the recipe for the vegetable bouillion I use. Really it is not a recipe, just a mix of things and you dry it.
Sometimes when I am lucky to do a roast or chicken, and I roast vegetables with it, I have leftovers of vegetables, which I usually make more of on purpose to make this bouillion. I generally freeze the leftovers and then in about a month, I have enough to make two dehydrator trays of the bouillion. I bought a dehydrator several years ago, and then earlier this year, I bought a new one listed on Craigslist, that was still in the box new, for $10 bucks, so I now have 2 which I use almost daily now.
Now, take your vegetables out, whether they are frozen or from last night's dinner, and if frozen, thaw, and then if you have a food processor, or blender, run these through, with a little of the broth, and make a puree. If you do not have a food processor, a food mill or even a potato masher will work great. Use what ever you have. I also urge you to save your broth from your chicken or meat drippings, put in the frig, and skim off the fat, and then place this in a jar in the frig, and then if you have enough to make bouillion, then place this in a ice cube tray, freeze, and then pop them out and use them in soup, stew or gravies or whereever you need flavor. Then place these in a bag or canning jar back in the freezer to keep fresh, they keep about 3 months, use up and keep a fresh supply from your leftovers.
Now, on my dehydrators, I bought extra trays, and fruit leather trays and also trays that you can dehydrate fruit to make candy with, I use the fruit leather trays, they are a solid flexible tray that you can spread your purees on and then place on the slotted trays and then start up your dehydrators to dry. I have also done this in the oven on a low oven, but this can heat up the kitchen a lot and I have burned things as you need to watch it as you cannot just leave and go off somewhere. That is why I purchased the dehydrators as they are a great tool for me in my kitchen.
I do spray the trays with a little vegetable spray to help with sticking, and then this dries down to flakes somewhat on its own, and when dry, you break this up and place in the freezer, I use glass jars, you can use plastic, but I am not a fan of plastic at all.
That is about all there is to it. If you cook a lot, you can figure this out. Really its all about experimenting with things. I did buy the book, " Drying with an attitude" by Mary T. Bell, and this is a great guide and the rest is up to you. Drying I assure you is quite habit-forming and very fun. I also dry vegetables and mix these to make a vegetable soup mix, and I grind up my vegetable puree when dry to make a powder to shake onto food for flavoring, very fun.
Now this stuff, when you do it, looks different from stuff you buy in the store, this is home made bouillion, but it doesn't have the chemicals or MSG that the stuff in the store has. So understand that it looks different when you use it.
To use, just place flakes in a little beef broth or chicken broth and let it soak up the broth. it takes about 15-30 minutes for this to do, and then pop it in your recipe. I urge you to either buy broth ready made or save your broth from your cooking, don't throw out any of this as this is a great flavor add to your cooking. I buy a broth that is made by a company that makes it without MSG or additives, and it comes in beef, chicken, vegetable or seafood. Sometimes you can get caught short, and do not have time to make broth from scratch, so it is nice to carry this in your pantry staples, for quick cooking. I also use it in cooking vegetables, and rice and making a base for gravies.
Since we are on the subject of pantries, and I am getting ready for winter here, I think that I will have a discussion on pantry stocking. Low income folks are bad about not stocking pantries, as they usually buy processed food, and do not think of meals or meal planning for the family. Pantry planning is purely based on your family's needs, and what you fix or eat in the house. Each is different. But it is nice to keep staples on hand, and you have the makings for some quick meals that you can just throw together and you are set with a healthy and filling cheap meal. So I think that I will touch on this the next post for all of you.
Now, I do want to clear up something that I do not want folks to feel that they are excluded. First, since I am a very low income earner, what I generally talk about it how to do things with less money. This does not mean that this blog is for low income folks ONLY, its not, it for all who struggle, which is most of us. I am just a advocate for the disabled or low income to handle the money they get better and eat better, as it seems that the low income do not handle money for food well, or know how to budget for food, or even cook. I want everyone to feel welcome, and take what I have learned and then take the information and run with it or help someone else. I do not want others to feel that you have to be a disabled to read this blog. You don't, but its my situation and I live it daily, but everyone is having great difficulties and it seems that we all are "disabled" in some way to make ends meet.
I hope that I have helped in someway to bring a better meal, or a new idea to the dinner table. I urge you to "play with your food" so to speak, and have fun with boring meals.
Have a great day and and up coming Labor day holiday for my US readers.
Monday, August 30, 2010
another news worthy web site for you
Good afternoon everyone,
Guess it must be the weather, or my nerves. I have another web site that may be of interest to you.
I am setting a link to this site. It is called the Huffington Post, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ This site contains a lot a news. Take it at face value, and I am not promoting it, but it does cover things I generally do not hear in the main stream news or our local news.
This site contains tons of news pertaining to all aspects of our lives, there are many articles on food. One in particular is frankenfish.
Please go to the link, and then go to the bar that shows all of the different types of news, then click the food marker, scroll down a little ways and it shows a article on FDA approval of frankenfish, and shows a normal trout and then a huge trout on steroids (or hormones) . Please read.
I am sorry that I seem to be on a rant, but for some reason, all of the sudden, there is this and that of eggs, and fish, and who knows what else. I promise I will get back to posting recipes that a few of you wanted to see, and some other ideas I have that I would like to throw out to the masses, (not sure how many of you are reading my blog...) but as you may can tell, I am some what PO'd at all of this, and it REALLY bothers me. Must be my age or I am having a mental something.
Anyway, I will bring to a few who have asked about my vegetable puree flakes I make in the dehydrator, and I wanted to post this, as you can do a lot with this. If you do not have a dehydrator, I think that you could use the oven on low temp and a shallow pan and dry this down also.
Anyway, dearest readers, I am sorry for the rant, but I am really mad at this, and it seems to get worse each day, but maybe if all of us make a stand, maybe we can back em' down.
Take care all and I will post later.
Try to have a great day
Guess it must be the weather, or my nerves. I have another web site that may be of interest to you.
I am setting a link to this site. It is called the Huffington Post, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ This site contains a lot a news. Take it at face value, and I am not promoting it, but it does cover things I generally do not hear in the main stream news or our local news.
This site contains tons of news pertaining to all aspects of our lives, there are many articles on food. One in particular is frankenfish.
Please go to the link, and then go to the bar that shows all of the different types of news, then click the food marker, scroll down a little ways and it shows a article on FDA approval of frankenfish, and shows a normal trout and then a huge trout on steroids (or hormones) . Please read.
I am sorry that I seem to be on a rant, but for some reason, all of the sudden, there is this and that of eggs, and fish, and who knows what else. I promise I will get back to posting recipes that a few of you wanted to see, and some other ideas I have that I would like to throw out to the masses, (not sure how many of you are reading my blog...) but as you may can tell, I am some what PO'd at all of this, and it REALLY bothers me. Must be my age or I am having a mental something.
Anyway, I will bring to a few who have asked about my vegetable puree flakes I make in the dehydrator, and I wanted to post this, as you can do a lot with this. If you do not have a dehydrator, I think that you could use the oven on low temp and a shallow pan and dry this down also.
Anyway, dearest readers, I am sorry for the rant, but I am really mad at this, and it seems to get worse each day, but maybe if all of us make a stand, maybe we can back em' down.
Take care all and I will post later.
Try to have a great day
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Please read this
I came across this. Please read this.
I will post if time gives me a chance later this week as I would like to discuss this more.
I am having a somewhat slow day, not having any energy to do anything, and I get days like this.
Everyone, please have a blessed Sunday, and I will be back in touch later.
I will post if time gives me a chance later this week as I would like to discuss this more.
I am having a somewhat slow day, not having any energy to do anything, and I get days like this.
Everyone, please have a blessed Sunday, and I will be back in touch later.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Where's the beef?
That is a good question this morning. I was up early and drinking my tea and listening to the morning radio as I usually do. I can't take the morning news on TV, and I like the quiet and the morning air and I do not want to start my day off listening to the world's problems and the US's problems that I cannot solve.
I was bowled over by a news segment that was talking about a Iowa State fair winner, a steer that made Grand Champion this year and come to find out, it was a clone of a previous winner in 2008 I believe they said. I just about fell over. Well, for one, this was a 4-H steer, and the 4-H council has no rules on how to handle cloned livestock. I was thinking, ok, if we have one Grand Champion winner in the state fair, what is to stop moving these clones into the food chain at your local grocery store or mega store. And there are no rules for this type of livestock in the food safety issues that are currently going on now with the egg recall and other food issues that affect us all.
I am careful where I get my food. I talk to my farmer's market vendors to find and purchase produce and my meat, I do not eat a lot of meat. I am in a household where being a vegetarian is hard, I do, cook quite a bit of vegetarian dishes, as being on a very poverty-based income, I cannot afford meat. I do a lot of bartering, and barter my meat purchases with some of my herb mixtures, and fresh herbs and some produce I grow myself. This is how I do it, as living on less than $8000 a year, you have to be quite creative and you throw nothing away. I know people who live on half of that and they do very well.
I guess what got to me was the fact that now I am quite sure that the clones are in the food chains and we do not know about it, and they are being processed into our food system and here we are munching away.
I also want my readers to go to the New York Times newspaper. Please do a search on an article that was run in December 09, about a product from the beef industry that is being put into your hamburger and your children's hamburger at school in the school lunch programs, and in mega grocery chains hamburger. This article will gross you out, and maybe make you mad enough to take a stand. Please search "Pink Slime" article, and it should be the first article that pops up in the Times search box. Also, try to find the DVD, Food Inc, and this pink slime product is mentioned also.
This stuff is gross, and your children are eating it. It comes from the low end of slaughter houses and used to be used in pet food, it is now being incorporated into YOUR food. Take a stand and do something about it. Please go to http://www.nytimes.com/ and search "pink slime".
Anyway, off of the soap box. I am dehydrating a lot of produce, I am still drying leeks, and I am now starting on cherry tomatoes, and peppers. I did my vegetable boullion the other day and it turned out well.
I have had a lot of requests for the vegetable boullion, and I will post this on the weekend, when I have more time, I will post this on my recipe page. I am still trying to figure out adding new pages to my blog, and I have several recipes I would like to post. I will work on this for all of you.
I will do some more tomatoes also. I am just taking the skins off and putting these with some onion and garlic and canning them until I can use them, then I will process them as I need them into sauce or salsa. I am just getting too many at too quick of time, and I can't keep up, so this is what I am doing. I dehydrate the cherry tomatoes and keep them in a large 1/2 gal Ball jar and put these in the freezer, and I also put some into olive oil and some herbs for sun dried tomatoes and place these in small pint canning jars and process these for a few minutes in a boiling water bath for about 15 minutes and then these are ready to be used.
So I quess today's moral is, be aware where you food is coming from. I know that all of us cannot chose where some of our food comes from, but I urge you to ask, and be more aware of food as a whole. Eat in season, and if you are able to have a farmer's market in you community or have farms where you can go to, ask about fresh meat and how it is processed. This is very important and gives you control over your food. The powers that be are not concerned about your health, they are concerned about the all mighty dollar, and since we are in a economic disaster, this will only get worse, and people can only afford so much.
I also do not want to offend my vegetarian readers. But where I live, this is the center of agriculture, and a liveihood that I cannot control nor interfere with. I believe in a substainable agriculture process and support humane and substainable farms. So please, no comments about no meat, and all the other hype that goes with this. There is nothing I can do to control farms, farmers, and the hugh mega-corporations that control this area. I am just a very small fish in a very large pond.
So I wish all a very productive day and rest of the week, again, I will try to post some recipes and I am going to start going into depth, my dehydrating that I do. I think that this is an ideal way to process food and it is quite addicting and fun to do, so I wish all of you a great rest of the week and I will talk to all you later.
Have a great and wonderful day.
I was bowled over by a news segment that was talking about a Iowa State fair winner, a steer that made Grand Champion this year and come to find out, it was a clone of a previous winner in 2008 I believe they said. I just about fell over. Well, for one, this was a 4-H steer, and the 4-H council has no rules on how to handle cloned livestock. I was thinking, ok, if we have one Grand Champion winner in the state fair, what is to stop moving these clones into the food chain at your local grocery store or mega store. And there are no rules for this type of livestock in the food safety issues that are currently going on now with the egg recall and other food issues that affect us all.
I am careful where I get my food. I talk to my farmer's market vendors to find and purchase produce and my meat, I do not eat a lot of meat. I am in a household where being a vegetarian is hard, I do, cook quite a bit of vegetarian dishes, as being on a very poverty-based income, I cannot afford meat. I do a lot of bartering, and barter my meat purchases with some of my herb mixtures, and fresh herbs and some produce I grow myself. This is how I do it, as living on less than $8000 a year, you have to be quite creative and you throw nothing away. I know people who live on half of that and they do very well.
I guess what got to me was the fact that now I am quite sure that the clones are in the food chains and we do not know about it, and they are being processed into our food system and here we are munching away.
I also want my readers to go to the New York Times newspaper. Please do a search on an article that was run in December 09, about a product from the beef industry that is being put into your hamburger and your children's hamburger at school in the school lunch programs, and in mega grocery chains hamburger. This article will gross you out, and maybe make you mad enough to take a stand. Please search "Pink Slime" article, and it should be the first article that pops up in the Times search box. Also, try to find the DVD, Food Inc, and this pink slime product is mentioned also.
This stuff is gross, and your children are eating it. It comes from the low end of slaughter houses and used to be used in pet food, it is now being incorporated into YOUR food. Take a stand and do something about it. Please go to http://www.nytimes.com/ and search "pink slime".
Anyway, off of the soap box. I am dehydrating a lot of produce, I am still drying leeks, and I am now starting on cherry tomatoes, and peppers. I did my vegetable boullion the other day and it turned out well.
I have had a lot of requests for the vegetable boullion, and I will post this on the weekend, when I have more time, I will post this on my recipe page. I am still trying to figure out adding new pages to my blog, and I have several recipes I would like to post. I will work on this for all of you.
I will do some more tomatoes also. I am just taking the skins off and putting these with some onion and garlic and canning them until I can use them, then I will process them as I need them into sauce or salsa. I am just getting too many at too quick of time, and I can't keep up, so this is what I am doing. I dehydrate the cherry tomatoes and keep them in a large 1/2 gal Ball jar and put these in the freezer, and I also put some into olive oil and some herbs for sun dried tomatoes and place these in small pint canning jars and process these for a few minutes in a boiling water bath for about 15 minutes and then these are ready to be used.
So I quess today's moral is, be aware where you food is coming from. I know that all of us cannot chose where some of our food comes from, but I urge you to ask, and be more aware of food as a whole. Eat in season, and if you are able to have a farmer's market in you community or have farms where you can go to, ask about fresh meat and how it is processed. This is very important and gives you control over your food. The powers that be are not concerned about your health, they are concerned about the all mighty dollar, and since we are in a economic disaster, this will only get worse, and people can only afford so much.
I also do not want to offend my vegetarian readers. But where I live, this is the center of agriculture, and a liveihood that I cannot control nor interfere with. I believe in a substainable agriculture process and support humane and substainable farms. So please, no comments about no meat, and all the other hype that goes with this. There is nothing I can do to control farms, farmers, and the hugh mega-corporations that control this area. I am just a very small fish in a very large pond.
So I wish all a very productive day and rest of the week, again, I will try to post some recipes and I am going to start going into depth, my dehydrating that I do. I think that this is an ideal way to process food and it is quite addicting and fun to do, so I wish all of you a great rest of the week and I will talk to all you later.
Have a great and wonderful day.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
It's so refreshing today
Good Morning All
Oh, during the night, the temps came down and it was a VERY delightful 51 * this morning, wow, I was out with my tea and to let Belle out ( my dog) this morning about 5:30 am, and to get started on doing some tomatoes and get these processed. I am going to do Tuesday afternoon farmer's market as it will be wonderful and cool, and I won't wilt in the heat. The temps tonight are supposed to drop into the upper 40's, excellent sleeping weather, and no A/C going. I got my light bill yesterday, and our rates increased dramatically, and I fell over, and on a set income, I am not sure how to pay this, so off to market to sell, sell, sell.
I have an eight legged guest staying at my house. About this time of year, I get the garden spiders, and they set up house in various places, this one is on the front of the house, in where the morning glories are crawling up the front, and she has a great bug catching spot, and her plate was full yesterday, when I took this photo of her. She is small now, but these kind, (I'm not sure what species), get fairly large, and are lemon yellow on their backs, and very shiny black. I don't mind them outside, but I am not a fan of spiders inside, I like to know where they are at, and I can handle that, but when I don't know where they are at, I'm a little freaked. Anyway, I'm enjoying her antics, jumping around catching bugs and flies, she is very quick. I have a picture of her posted. IF you don't like spiders, don't look.
Anyway, I have to get back to my tomatoes, and I have some dehydrating to do also. I am making a vegetable bouillion of sorts, and I dry it, and then break it up into pieces for soups and sauces, etc, where ever you need flavor in something.
So for today, I wish everyone a wonderful day, I hope cooler air for some of you, I will try to send some your way.
Oh, during the night, the temps came down and it was a VERY delightful 51 * this morning, wow, I was out with my tea and to let Belle out ( my dog) this morning about 5:30 am, and to get started on doing some tomatoes and get these processed. I am going to do Tuesday afternoon farmer's market as it will be wonderful and cool, and I won't wilt in the heat. The temps tonight are supposed to drop into the upper 40's, excellent sleeping weather, and no A/C going. I got my light bill yesterday, and our rates increased dramatically, and I fell over, and on a set income, I am not sure how to pay this, so off to market to sell, sell, sell.
I have an eight legged guest staying at my house. About this time of year, I get the garden spiders, and they set up house in various places, this one is on the front of the house, in where the morning glories are crawling up the front, and she has a great bug catching spot, and her plate was full yesterday, when I took this photo of her. She is small now, but these kind, (I'm not sure what species), get fairly large, and are lemon yellow on their backs, and very shiny black. I don't mind them outside, but I am not a fan of spiders inside, I like to know where they are at, and I can handle that, but when I don't know where they are at, I'm a little freaked. Anyway, I'm enjoying her antics, jumping around catching bugs and flies, she is very quick. I have a picture of her posted. IF you don't like spiders, don't look.
Anyway, I have to get back to my tomatoes, and I have some dehydrating to do also. I am making a vegetable bouillion of sorts, and I dry it, and then break it up into pieces for soups and sauces, etc, where ever you need flavor in something.
So for today, I wish everyone a wonderful day, I hope cooler air for some of you, I will try to send some your way.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Swimming in clutter (drowning)
Well friends it seems that all of us who read the blogs that I read have the same thing on their minds...de-cluttering and trying to get back on track. I do not mean at all to talk about what everyone else is talking about, and I do not think that I am copying anyone particular blog, if so, I am sorry, but this has been on my mind for a while and it seems that this is the fall type of going-on's with everyone life.
I am currently in the kitchen, since this is where I do my work, and food prep, and it seems the kitchen catches all of the activity, this is where I am starting. Now, on top of trying to can around the clutter I have around me, I am trying to go through and make piles for the trash, the thrift shop, and/or give-away, that is hard anyway, so I am still stepping around things to get the canning done. The tomatoes and peppers don't seem to wait. I am freezing the peppers till I can get to them, this helps, and the tomatoes, I am currently just slipping the skins off, and putting them up with a little garlic and onion, and then I can process them further when I need them. I just do not have enough hours in the day or enough hands.
Part of my out of balance is I have elderly parents that I do look after, and this dips into the day, and the heat of this summer takes a toll on me, so I generally do my canning in the very early morning starting in about 4 am, and start firing up the stove, I have a gas stove which I adore, but it does heat up the kitchen, so I generally have everything laid out and then get my stock pot going to heat up the tomatoes, and then a little tub with some ice water in it to dip the tomatoes in to slip the skins off. This is really what takes time, the actual processing doesn't take much in my opinion but the produce does.
I know a lot of people I talk to, or visit with a our local farmer's market, ask why do I work so hard to do this, and I tell them I like the idea that I know what is in my food, and I control the ingredients. I have a very bad sensitivity to MSG and other preservatives, usually resulting in week long migrains, which I do not enjoy, and I definitly do not have time for and I cannot afford the meds to control them, so I am very, very careful about what I eat, and what is in the food, meaning I do not eat out very often.
I also love my idea of not depending on some multi-national corporation feeding me from crap that is processed in some 3rd world nation, or sprayed with some out-lawed poison. I want control on my food, not someone telling me that it's ok to eat because I said so. Example is the gulf oil spill and the government is telling you its ok to eat the shellfish or shrimp, I don't think so, and I will not go any further on that, period.
I had some Marconi Italian peppers and some Aneheims peppers roasted by one of my friend vendor's at the market last week, we had a street fair, and he brought his big roaster behind the truck, and we were having a roasting frenzy, I put some Aneheims in my first batch of salsa, and it turned out delicious, just a little heat on the tongue, then lots of flavor, gloat, gloat......
I am working on a recipe page so I can put what I do here on my little patch of earth to make me happy, they are strickly home cooked, nothing fancy, not low fat, and no fancy cooking. I love plain food with flavor. Yes, I use butter, and whole milk and cream when needed, the other crap will cause you heart and health problems later.
It has been busy here otherwise, I apoligise for not getting back on my blog, I miss it, and I love talking about simple things, and visiting with others also. But it seems again, time just skirts about a little, just enough to make your day out of whack.
I still trying to get a camera, I took some photos with my cell phone, so I am not sure if they turned out to post, I will try maybe later Sun afternoon to see if I can get a few loaded to see if they are ok, it is nothing spectacular, as we don't have a huge market, but it stays busy, and you get a lot of your regulars that follow you around. I grow herbs and do herb mixes for people who are sensitive to MSG, and other stuff, and I do have a small cult following of chefs, and small town cafes and they love my stuff, me, I just love my herbs! My best sellers are lemon-pepper seasoning and celery-onion mix, which goes like a wild fire, and I am out of my lemon peels for my lemon pepper seasoning, I am trying to find a source of organic peels from another place until my origional source comes in again next year from California.
I have 2 new additions to the critter family, 3 kittens that were found wrapped into a plastic bag at about 2 days old and thrown in a flooded ditch, there were 3, the 3rd, went to his new home about a month ago, I have had these sisters a month ago today, (Sat) the 14th, so I have been busy with them also, they are quite busy and are growing and doing normal kitten things, like climbing your legs when you are at the computer, or going up the curtains, but they are very lucky girls and I love them, they are blending in with my older guys and holding their own. I will try to take photos of the critter brigade here for you.
Well, again, I am beat, tired, pooped out, or however you want to say it. I enjoyed my blogging with you, and hope to hear from you all.
Have a most wonderful and peaceful weekend doing what you love and love who you are with......
I am currently in the kitchen, since this is where I do my work, and food prep, and it seems the kitchen catches all of the activity, this is where I am starting. Now, on top of trying to can around the clutter I have around me, I am trying to go through and make piles for the trash, the thrift shop, and/or give-away, that is hard anyway, so I am still stepping around things to get the canning done. The tomatoes and peppers don't seem to wait. I am freezing the peppers till I can get to them, this helps, and the tomatoes, I am currently just slipping the skins off, and putting them up with a little garlic and onion, and then I can process them further when I need them. I just do not have enough hours in the day or enough hands.
Part of my out of balance is I have elderly parents that I do look after, and this dips into the day, and the heat of this summer takes a toll on me, so I generally do my canning in the very early morning starting in about 4 am, and start firing up the stove, I have a gas stove which I adore, but it does heat up the kitchen, so I generally have everything laid out and then get my stock pot going to heat up the tomatoes, and then a little tub with some ice water in it to dip the tomatoes in to slip the skins off. This is really what takes time, the actual processing doesn't take much in my opinion but the produce does.
I know a lot of people I talk to, or visit with a our local farmer's market, ask why do I work so hard to do this, and I tell them I like the idea that I know what is in my food, and I control the ingredients. I have a very bad sensitivity to MSG and other preservatives, usually resulting in week long migrains, which I do not enjoy, and I definitly do not have time for and I cannot afford the meds to control them, so I am very, very careful about what I eat, and what is in the food, meaning I do not eat out very often.
I also love my idea of not depending on some multi-national corporation feeding me from crap that is processed in some 3rd world nation, or sprayed with some out-lawed poison. I want control on my food, not someone telling me that it's ok to eat because I said so. Example is the gulf oil spill and the government is telling you its ok to eat the shellfish or shrimp, I don't think so, and I will not go any further on that, period.
I had some Marconi Italian peppers and some Aneheims peppers roasted by one of my friend vendor's at the market last week, we had a street fair, and he brought his big roaster behind the truck, and we were having a roasting frenzy, I put some Aneheims in my first batch of salsa, and it turned out delicious, just a little heat on the tongue, then lots of flavor, gloat, gloat......
I am working on a recipe page so I can put what I do here on my little patch of earth to make me happy, they are strickly home cooked, nothing fancy, not low fat, and no fancy cooking. I love plain food with flavor. Yes, I use butter, and whole milk and cream when needed, the other crap will cause you heart and health problems later.
It has been busy here otherwise, I apoligise for not getting back on my blog, I miss it, and I love talking about simple things, and visiting with others also. But it seems again, time just skirts about a little, just enough to make your day out of whack.
I still trying to get a camera, I took some photos with my cell phone, so I am not sure if they turned out to post, I will try maybe later Sun afternoon to see if I can get a few loaded to see if they are ok, it is nothing spectacular, as we don't have a huge market, but it stays busy, and you get a lot of your regulars that follow you around. I grow herbs and do herb mixes for people who are sensitive to MSG, and other stuff, and I do have a small cult following of chefs, and small town cafes and they love my stuff, me, I just love my herbs! My best sellers are lemon-pepper seasoning and celery-onion mix, which goes like a wild fire, and I am out of my lemon peels for my lemon pepper seasoning, I am trying to find a source of organic peels from another place until my origional source comes in again next year from California.
I have 2 new additions to the critter family, 3 kittens that were found wrapped into a plastic bag at about 2 days old and thrown in a flooded ditch, there were 3, the 3rd, went to his new home about a month ago, I have had these sisters a month ago today, (Sat) the 14th, so I have been busy with them also, they are quite busy and are growing and doing normal kitten things, like climbing your legs when you are at the computer, or going up the curtains, but they are very lucky girls and I love them, they are blending in with my older guys and holding their own. I will try to take photos of the critter brigade here for you.
Well, again, I am beat, tired, pooped out, or however you want to say it. I enjoyed my blogging with you, and hope to hear from you all.
Have a most wonderful and peaceful weekend doing what you love and love who you are with......
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