It's That Time Of Year Again

   As you can see by the tremendous amount of blogs I have posted lately, absolutely nothing is going on here. It's still winter, and today, it's snowing. We were suppose to only get 1-3" but I think I can safely say we will be getting more than that since we already have about 4" of the new wet fluffy kind of snow. We do have 100% chance of snow.
   On my last blog, I have no idea why it posted the way it did. I did everything like I usually do, but I guess it needed a change, too.
   I am making progress playing the recorder and tin whistle. My mind is having trouble remembering the name of the notes, but my fingers remember where they are suppose to be to make the notes, so I guess it's progress.
   I have made a little progress hula hooping. It's a heavier and bigger adult hula hoop so it's harder, for me anyway, to keep up. Everytime Michaela sees me get it out, she has to call Amy over and she sits on the floor on Amy's lap and laugh at me. It reminds me of when we were kids and we laughed at my mom as she was doing Jack LaLane exercises that were on the TV. In my older years, I feel bad about doing that.
   It's that time of year when everyone is tired of snow and are planning what to plant in their gardens.
Some people in town have even tilled their gardens up already, They get less snow than we get. Our garden happens to be frozen and under a bunch of snow. We are trying to figure out ways to keep our spinach crop from getting dirt all over the leaves. It doesn't rinse off that well just running it under water. We really need a green house and/or hoop frames, cold frames.
   Phyllis the White Crested Black Polish chicken has finally started to lay eggs that are usable. She laid 2 others, but the shells were so soft they got walked on and broke. Anyway, Phyllis lays the longest, narrowest eggs I have ever seen. If I were a chicken, that would be the kind I'd want to push out. They are a very elongated egg shape and very white.
   I still haven't started making bear clothes yet. I have them added to the top of my long list of things to make.
   As you can see, nothing exciting is going on. It might be nice to have some kind of good excitement once in a while. We can do without the bad kind of excitement.

I Still Live In A Snow Globe

Doe eating apple peelings

    Winter is still here. Our high temperatures have been below freezing for a few weeks now. Luckily, we are suppose to warm up and have temperatures above freezing now, around 33 degrees. That is warm compared to what it has been.
   This doe stopped by to eat apple peelings we had just put out. She is looking pregnant. Se has been coming around here with her mother since she was a little spotted fawn.

Doe caught in mid-chew

   She really enjoyed the apple peelings, but she kept a watchful eye on her surroundings, even while eating.

Freezing fog on pine needles

   Along with our cold temperatures, we have been foggy. Freezing fog does interesting things. I like the way it looks on the pine trees.

Close up of the pine needles
 

   One thing nice about having to take care of the chickens is being able to go outside and take pictures.

   We did have a few bright, sunny days mixed on with all the fog. Even with the sun, the after effects of the freezing fog was still around. It was very pretty.





A bright sunny freezing day

   Snow is in the forecast with our warmer weather. It's really too bad that snow is so nice and pretty and then it gets so dirty and ugly.
   In another 2-3 months all this pretty white snow will be a melted, muddy mess. About this same time, the doe might have given birth and hopefully, she'll come around with her new fawn.













Another Year And Still Nothing Exciting Going On Here

   We are such boring people, there is really nothing to tell, which is why I haven't written anything lately. Our son, Daniel, and his girlfriend, Amy, got engaged Dec. 28. We welcome her to the family. Amy fits right in.  You saw pictures of them on one of the past blogs not too long ago. They plan on a wedding in Sept. Alyssa and David have also set a wedding date, sometime in the spring of 2014. Alyssa and David have been together for so long, he's already family.
   For some reason I'm having problems getting pictures on here, but you've all seen snow pictures before anyway.
   I bought another Native American style flute, this one is in the key of D and is made from birch. I was going to put a picture of it up, but no luck.
   I'm thinking about starting another quilt top, but I need to get those bear clothes done. I had patterns for a 15 and 19 inch bear. I chose to make the 15 inch bear. I should have chosen the 19 inch bear because they have better clothes. A long time ago, I could find free downloadable patterns for bear clothes on the internet, but can I find them when I want them? Maybe, I'll try to shrink the patterns to fit a smaller bear.
   See, I told you we were boring people. Hopefully nothing too exciting happens, because we like quiet, not necessarily boring.
  

At Long Last I'm Finished

Alix's quilt

    Finally, at long last, I have finished the five Christmas quilts I made for the five grand kids. I thought they turned out really well for my first quilting attempt.
   I made the backing in their favorite colors, except for Nathan who didn't have one yet, so multicolored stripes was his. Nathan has since decided his favorite color is green Luckily, there are green stripes in the backing.
   I should have smoothed them out before I took the pictures, especially Ashlynn's, but I didn't notice it until after I took the pictures.

Michaela's quilt

   I intend to make more quilts eventually, but now I have to make those promised bear clothes for the bears I made for the kids last Christmas.
   I've worked on the quilts for so long, it feels kind of funny not having to work on them anymore. Four of the quilts were mailed to Arizona, but I'm pretty sure they will be after Christmas quilts. One day, I just might get things mailed in time. I really try, it just never works out that way.
  


Nathan's quilt

Micheal's quilt

Ashlynn's quilt.

A Quilting I Will Go

   I have been very, very busy working on the quilts I'm making for our grand kids for Christmas. I think I started in May, took a break and did other things and now I'm back at it again. I am making 5 quilts and I finished the second one last night.
   Since this is the first time I have ever quited, it is also a learning experience for the next quilts I'm going to make. I've learned not to sew the batting to the top and then sew the back to it all. It sounded like a good idea, but as I'm top stitching it with the sewing machine, the top spreads out more. I've also learned it's probably not a good idea to sew it all together until it's top stitched. The quilts have turned out nice for my first attempt. I did try to sew them all together, with right sides facing leaving a hole and then turning everything inside out, but that really didn't work. I have made very nice borders  by folding the backing over it all. I like them better this way, too. I had to take apart the first quilt which was loads of fun and then it took me 3 tries to get the thing all pined together nice and neat. I didn't want to do it on the floor because I'd never get up again and I'd have a lot of help with the dogs and Michaela, so I use the kitchen island and just shift the whole thing as I go.
   Micheal is very worried and anxiously waiting for clothes for the bears I made them last year. He even asked my mom if she knew if I was working on the clothes when they went to their house for Thanksgiving. So, after quilts, it's bear clothes. I'm also crocheting slippers for my parents and still need to make the pants for Amy and Alyssa that they have requested. I'm now positive my list is never ending. It does give me something to do and snow will be here soon so I'll be stuck in the house except for my big outing to collect the eggs.
   We (Tim) finally caught a mouse and so far, it looks like it was the only one.
   It's been raining for days now and walking outside reminds me of walking on a sponge, not that I've ever walked on a sponge.
   I guess I'd better get busy and start working on the quilts again. I'll take pictures of them all when I have finished. I hope it doesn't cost an arm and a leg to mail them. Four of them go to Arizona and the fifth one stays here.
   I wonder whet brilliant ideas I'll get for next years Christmas gifts for the grand kids? Gift cards?

First Snow Of The Year

   Late Thursday afternoon/evening and into Friday, we had our first snow of the year. I know it's just me, but it seems colder this year. I know it actually has been colder, but that's not the reason. Maybe my old bones and healed broken bones just don't like cold this year.
   Yes, I know, we chose to live up here where it snows. I still like looking at it through the windows. It's so pretty and you have that kind of hush you only get from snow. I'm pretty sure as the fall progresses into winter I should, hopefully, warm up.
   Poor Jake says snow is for the birds and Chip thinks it's great as long as it doesn't fall off of the trees or some other object and scare him. The chickens are doing fine so far. Michaela is really impressed with all the white out side and the snow on the floor the dogs bring in. Michaela has reached the take your clothes off stage in life, so she runs around in blanket sleepers with a snap over the zipper pull at the neck because she hasn't figured out how to get out of those, yet.
   I'm almost done dehydrating potatoes and then it's freeze and dehydrate all the carrots in the refrigerator.
   I've decided we have an invisible mouse that just leaves droppings behind. You'd think it would step on and stick to a sticky mouse trap eventually, wouldn't you?
   I have all 5 quilt tops sewn together and names and dates embroidered on them and I'll start the filling and back part tomorrow. I'm just going to tie them together because it sounds the fastest and easiest and since they are my first quilts, I'll take the easy way and work up to harder.
   Micheal says the bears I made for the grand kids last year still need clothes. My list of things to make just gets longer and wouldn't you know it? I have towels to fold. I'm still waiting for the magic clothes folding dryer. My excuse now is I've been sick and just don't feel like it and we all know where to find them if one is needed.
   I made powdered laundry detergent a couple of weeks ago and it seems to work very well. The clothes are cleaner and softer and once again I am using white vinegar for fabric softener. I've used it before, but I think I will all the time now.
   You should all prepare yourselves because eventually there will be snow pictures up here again.
Also pictures of these tiny, tiny red bugs that should up after one of the last rains. Oh well, that's it for now. Goodnight.

Just Great!! We Have Mice

   When Tim was rototilling the garden in, he noticed he went over a few mouse nests. Wouldn't you know it, they have moved into the house. We haven't found where they have come in, just the signs of them.
   The first place they were noticed were in Tim's spare room. Next it was the drawer under the oven where I keep my cookie sheets. Then it was the pantry and in the bathroom cabinet, under the sinks in our bathroom. Today, it was under the cabinet under the kitchen sink where we keep the trash can.
   Tim put sticky mouse traps where the mice signs were, but no mice on the traps. Maybe we need to put some peanut butter in the middle of them. He did notice last night that there were little foot prints in a trap and it was a few feet away from where he put it. I think they are little field mice instead of your usual house mouse. More traps will be put out.
   The pantry was taken apart and everything taken out of boxes. It's a good thing I like glass jars and collect decorative cans. When we lived in California, we had a mouse that ate a chunk of the concrete floor in the pantry trying to make a hole.
   We don't want to put poison out because of Michaela and pets. I can't convince Tim we need a cat. I have been trying to repel the little critters with peppermint oil in containers where the mice have been. I read that peppermint oil and lavender are suppose to repel mice. I have some lavender potpourri I'll put under our sink.
   I know most people get mice in the house at one time or another, but I'd be really happy if they skipped us. Since we live in the country and have been here for 4 years, I guess it was bound to happen sooner or later, but I really wish it hadn't.
  

Daniel Amy, Amy Daniel, So Very Confusing

   A few weeks ago our son Daniel, and his girlfriend Amy, came for a visit. It can get pretty confusing when there are 2 Daniels and 2 Amys in the same house (our daughter Amy and her fiance Daniel are still living with us).
   We had a really nice, but short, visit, only 3 1/2 days. We did a lot in those 3 1/2 days, but we never did go in search of moose for them to see. I don't think Daniel having a deer pop out of nowhere while he was driving counts. At least the rental car's breaks worked.

   We went to see Daniel's grandmother and then off to Walmart. Yes, everyone needs to check out Walmarts where ever they are. Actually, we went to get one day fishing licenses for Daniel and Amy so we could go fishing the next day. That night we played with the Wii. Us old folks had sore arms after playing. My arm wouldn't have been so sore if my boxing opponent, Steve, would have just stay down.

   Wednesday, not as bright and early as Tim would have liked it, we were off to go out for breakfast and a day of fishing. Wouldn't you know it, we didn't get Amy's fishing license because we were off getting munchies. Stopped at Bi-Mart for her license and then to Subway. We got to Fan Lake and ate. Since it was a week day, it was practically deserted.

   Daniel and Tim went in the canoe first and Amy and I stood on the boat loading ramp. Amy doesn't touch worms, so her hook was baited before the guys left. Wouldn't you know it, as soon as the guys left, Amy caught a fish. It was HUGE!! I didn't know how I'd hold onto it to take it off of the hook. Luckily, the huge fish feel off of the worm and hook as I reeled it in. The huge fish might have been a whole 3 inches, if that big. Me, I just had fish eat my worms and caught seaweed. I was really good at catching seaweed.

   We left Fan Lake and stopped by Eloika Lake on the way home. I still only caught seaweed, while everyone else caught fish. Boy, was it smokey from all the fires. We finally left because of all the smoke and because Amy and I were tired of standing up. We did see a freshwater otter in all the water plants. It was either that, or a lake monster. We know it wasn't a beaver. That evening, it was more Wii. Yes, we do really exciting things at our house.
   Thursday, we went to see the new Resident Evil movie. Tim and I must be getting old because the movie was sooo loud. There were only 7 people in the theater, did they really need it so loud? We had dinner at Five Guys hamburgers. They were really good. Dessert at Baskin Robbins, which is always good. We were going to go bowling after the movie, but it was about time for the leagues to play, so we were out of luck. We eventually bowled at the bowling alley in Deer Park. It was a fun night, and we stayed out way past our bedtime.

   Before Daniel and Amy left, Daniel wanted to try riding Tim's motorcycle because he's thinking of getting one. As he was riding, I thought too bad he's on our rough driveway to practice on, but he did fine.
   Amy gave me one of her big, adult size hula hoops because I have decided this winter, I'm really going to work on getting in shape and losing a lot of weight. I was looking at hula hoop exercise on youtube and once I get the hang of keeping the hoop up, I should be able to do the exercise, plus they are low impact so I should be OK. It was so much easier hula hooping when I was a kid than it is now. I was really good at it as a kid. I will get the hang of it though. If kids can do it, how hard can it be?
  

Blue Potatoes Are Different

Blue potatoes that grew purple

      Tonight with our chicken, we had some of our homegrown blue potatoes. Ours turned out purple. Because of all the rain we had right after we planted our potatoes, some didn't grow very big and were ready to harvest early. We still have more to harvest, hopefully they will be bigger.











Peeled blue potatoes

   Since I was making mashed potatoes, I peeled them. We had some cut in chunks and boiled and I thought the skin was kind of bitter. It was also tough.



Peeled and cut in half

   Here is what our peeled and cut in half blue potatoes looked like. Weird. The potatoes seemed harder to cut than other potatoes.




  

Better picture of cut blue potatoes
 


  








Cut and ready to boil




   The potatoes are interesting with the different colors inside.









Mashed blue potatoes




  
   I cut the potatoes and treated them just like any other potatoes I intended to mash, so here they are cut and read to boil.
   They boiled just fine, so I drained them and made them into mashed potatoes the same way I have made mashed potatoes in all my years of making them. According to the blue potato people, the mashed potatoes were supposed to be a nice sky blue. These weren't.






   The mashed potatoes turned out gray, almost like concrete. They mashed up to a nice, light, fluffy concrete.
   We did notice that if they set for even the shortest time, they really did turn out to be concrete like. You could pick up your whole serving of mashed potatoes with your hands and they'd stay in the same shape.
   The texture was grainier than other potatoes and left your tongue feeling kind of fuzzy.





Blue and white mashed potatoes

   We had some left over mashed potatoes made from russet potatoes and you can see the color difference. Once again, weird.
   I won't be making mashed blue potatoes anymore, but they were just fine when I mixed them with white and purple skinned potatoes and just boiled, drained and buttered them.
   The blue potatoes might be alright as potato salad and I did read they made great french fries. I'm going to give them a shot as french fries, so I'll let you know how they turn out.



It's That Time Of Year Again

                                                                                 

 

   Yes, I know, it's been a long time since I've written anything. I've been busy. We had company for a little over a week and once again, it's that time of year again. Yup, harvesting time. I haven't even finished the last quilt top and Christmas is coming way too fast.
   I dehydrate most of what we grow, and my trusty old dehydrator died in the middle of dehydrating last year. Amy did find a replacement for me at a garage sale, but after using it once, I know why it was being sold. It didn't dehydrate food, it cooked it. It had no temperature adjustment, neither did my old one, but I had that one figured out.

dehydrating red onion slices

   This year, we bought the 80 liter commercial food dehydrator from Cabela's, and so far, it's great. I get so much done much faster than before. The down side is, it takes so much longer to fill it up, but I can live with that.
   The first thing I dehydrated was about 20 pounds of zucchini and it took about 6 hours. I probably could have dehydrated it on a higher temperature and been done faster, but I was happy with 6 hours. I got it all done in one shot instead of days.
   Now, I am onto mass quantities of onions. It's a perfect time to do it now because it's cooler and I can leave all the windows open. One day, we will have a back porch, hopefully and enclosed back porch so I can dehydrate out there. So far, I have 3 3/4 quart jars full of dehydrated onion rings that I have vacuumed sealed with my vac and seal. Later, when I need them, I chop a jar up and have chopped onions. I'll make my own onion powder this year.
   Our potatoes are being harvested, too. So much rain early in the season didn't help. We are getting small potatoes, but that's better than no potatoes. The all blue potatoes are interesting. Next time I use some, I'll take a picture of them.
   I've alos been busy picking, shelling, blanching and freezing tons of peas. There are so many more to be picked. The green beans are next. I don't even like green beans, but Tim does. These will also be frozen and divided up into 2-3 person servings and vaccuum sealed in bags and then frozen.
   It hasn't been all work and no fun. For our 32nd wedding anniversary, Tim bought me an ocarina.
It's a hand painted seedpod tenor G ocarina . It has a nice deep tone. It's from Songbird Ocarinas. I'm still learning the Native American flute and the tin whistle. The nice thing about this is it only uses your first 2 fingers and thumbs on each hand. I have arthritis in my hands and my ring fingers tend to lock up, making it hard to get them to cooperate when I want to lift them off of the holes.

Close up of the ocarina

You can see the neck strap here

   The first song I learned to play was Popeye the Sailor Man. Yes, I learn culturally important music. I also learned Beethoven's 9th (Ode To Joy).
   I need to relearn how to read music. I used to know how because I took violin lessons and guitar lessons in school. It shouldn't be that hard to relearn it. I hope.
   So much to do, so little time. I guess I'd better get back to the onions while it's still cool. But I'd really like to be playing some musical instrument. I haven't even been making bread or cookies lately. I'm really falling down on the job.