Author: cahall63

This and That

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Its been hectic here on the homestead.

Ed went back to work this week, so everyone is having to adjust. Right now, he’s in training, so he’s doing the 8-4, Monday-Friday thing, but after training he will work 11 a.m to 7 p.m.. We don’t know what his days off will be yet, but we do know that it won’t be the weekend. All that means that, at least for now, he will be missing both Sunday morning church service and Wednesday night Bible study. He is not happy about that, but he is happy to be working again. We both know that the Lord will straighten out the scheduling eventually. He’s done it before.

Bam Bam put a deposit down on an apartment that is much closer to work for him. He drives about three hours a day now. So, he will be leaving the homestead when the apartment is ready at the end of March.

In the meanwhile, Kat and I have been knee deep in school, trying to finish up some things before March, when we will start a botany unit. We are both excited about that! I’m getting most of my ideas from a guesthollow.com unit study, and it starts with a study of chocolate (see why Kat’s excited?)

Today, as part of a study on caves, Kat was suppose to “carve” an ax head from soap. I thought that might be a little young for her, but I gave her the option, and she wanted to do it. She kept talking about all the soap shavings, and I remembered I had a jar of soap slivers that I had been saving. After a few minutes of internet research, I found something I thought we could do.

Everything I read suggested grating or chopping the soap, and neither one of us was really up for that. So we just put what we had in a pot with about a quart of warm water. We let it cook on low for about an hour. Now it has to sit covered at least eight hours or over night. I’ll let you know how it turns out.
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With Kyle gone and Ed at work, Kat and I are going to have to pick up the slack with some of the chores. Nothing major, just little things that add up, like taking the kitchen compost can out to the compost bin near the barn, taking the trash to the road, etc. Things that Ed has normally done simply as a matter of course. Once we get critters, we’ll all have more chores anyway, so we might as well get used to it now.


After that extended January thaw, we went back into the deep freeze. We brought the dogs in nearly every night last week. I think our coldest morning was -7 (F), and that does not count the wind. We did have one day in the 50’s, but today it is gray, cold, and windy.

Kat took this amazing sunset picture Sunday evening on her way out to youth group.
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Speaking of evening, we have had a fox visitor several evenings, as well as early mornings, which is driving the dogs crazy. Meeko has decided that the shock he gets from the underground fence isn’t so bad if he hits it at a dead run. Yes, I know. He is crazy. We plan to build a real fence with a slick wire as soon as we have the funds, but for now, he is on a cable. I don’t know who hates it more: him or us. The only one who doesn’t seem to mind is Libby. I think that is because she can now get attention from us without having to fight off the attention hog (Meeko).

I managed to make some yogurt this week with a half gallon of whole milk and two tablespoons of Greek yogurt as a starter. By the time I thought about taking pictures, it was gone (Bam Bam). I’ll be sure to take some next time, and explain how I did it. I think that will eventually be a weekly event. I really like yogurt.

I’ve started preparing an area in front of my east-facing picture window for starting seeds. Ed attached a florescent light to a frame that he originally made as part of a jewelry display (that’s another blog post), for a makeshift grow light. I bought a few herb plants at Sprouts last week and they seem to be doing quite well under it. Kat and I also started a terrarium and placed it there too. She’s had the kit for a long time, and we just never did anything with it. Don’t know if the seeds will grow or not, but we’ll see.
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I plan on bringing in my mini greenhouse, as well as a baker’s rack that I’ve used as a plant stand. I just haven’t done it yet. When money permits, I’m going to invest in some house plants too. I used to have Wandering Jews and African Violets, and would like to again.

Connie

Where is Winter?

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I’m not complaining, mind you, but our January thaw has gone on all month. Tomorrow we are expecting a near record breaking 67 degrees! Looking at next week’s forecast, we may be heading back to winter soon. By next Sunday, they are saying 30 degrees and snow. We’ll see. We know it’s coming, we just don’t know when.

Since the weather has been so nice, it has given Ed a chance to get out and work on cleaning up the fence rows. It is a job that may take several years, because most of the fences have been long neglected. Cleaning them now, means cutting down full grown trees.

Another part of the clean-up involves two junk piles. One is actually a burn pile, but the other is along a fence next to the old chicken coop. It’s the one that the old junker in me gets excited about. There is all kinds of stuff in there, including an old bath tub. Not a clawfoot or anything like that, but metal nonetheless. When we started talking about our front yard garden, we discussed using it in a water feature. Unforunately, the whole junk pile is under a huge tree, part of which had broken off and fallen crosswise of the tub.

Because it was so heavy, Ed was leery of trying to deal with it himself. Enter my son Kyle, aka “Bam Bam”. Kyle was off work yesterday, and asked Ed if there was some work to do outside. Oh yes! We had been waiting for this day!

When I went out to check on them, they had the limb (that is such an understatement) off the tub, and were cutting it up. However, they had run out of bar and chain oil, so they were going to take a break. Kyle was heading back to the house, and Ed asked me if I wanted to ride to the hardware store with him to get more oil. I said I would.

Ed and "Bam Bam"

Ed and “Bam Bam”

Before we went, Ed wanted to show me everything they had done. They had got the limb of the tub, and dumped all the other junk out. Part of that junk was a small tire from a tractor or something. Ed pointed to it and said, “Kyle said, ‘Mom will want that’.” He was right, I do. I picked up a glass tray; the kind used in microwaves. It was dirty, but other wise ok. I took it to the house. While we were out there, I took pictures.

the Junk pile from a distance.

the Junk pile from a distance.

the tub

the tub

What had been in the tub

What had been in the tub

other junk

other junk

and more

and more

Then I saw the wood in the back of the truck, all from the “little” limb that had been in the tub. Half of it is still on the ground.

fire wood

fire wood

Ed likes this piece. He’s thinking about doing some woodburning on it.
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Later, Ed was splitting the logs and Libby was helping. I tried to get video of her moving the logs around, but she wouldn’t cooperate. She takes fetching a “stick” to a whole new level, but that is another blog post! Meeko just want to be were Ed is, and that’s another blog post too!

Libby "helping"

Libby “helping”

One thing about it. If the bottom drops out and winter comes back, we will have pleny of firewood!

Connie

Is It Spring Yet?

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The holidays are over and its back to school time. For my daughter and I, that means meeting at the dining room table at 8:00 a.m., in order to begin our school day. Right now our main focus is finishing a Native American History unit, so there is a lot of reading, and watching videos. Monday went well and we got a lot done, but she spent most of Monday night in the bathroom, so we took yesterday off. She is feeling somewhat better today. Tomorrow, we’ll be back at it, full steam.

I always think I’m going to spend the dark days of January working on school, indoor projects and crafts, but inevitably, my mind turns to spring and starting seeds. My mind gets help when I start getting gardening supply and seed catalogs in the mail. Then Common Sense Homesteading posted the link to this article on facebook! I so want this, and I’ve already asked the Shelf Elf (Ed) if he’s up to the task. I have the perfect place for it!

One catalog that we always get this time of year is from Lehman’s. This is our version of the Sears Wish Book. We rarely buy anything, but we both really love to look. I know Ed saw a hand pump that we might be able to use if we ever get the well going. I love to look at all the food preservation stuff. They have canners and dehydraters, grain grinders, oil presses and fermenting crocks. Some women dream about fancy cars, houses, or clothes. I dream about grain grinders and oil presses! I also dream about goats and ridge heddle weaving looms but that is another post.

To make matters worse (or better depending on your perspective), our weather has been unseasonably warm. Last fall, a friend gave me a few bulbs, and my son planted them for me inside a rubber tire in the front yard. The tire was to prevent any accidental mowing. Last week, when Ed and I were out walking the property, I noticed a little green shoot coming up inside the tire. “Oh, no!”, I said, “Go back! Its too soon!” Of course, I know that it is too late for that one. Today our high temperature was 7 degrees and the windchill is expected to be in the negative double digits.

Normally, when we walk the property, we walk around the back yard and the pastures, tentatively planning what we are going to put where. We’ve already mentally moved the vegetable garden, dog run and chicken coop three times. That day, I had a purpose for walking the front yard.

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The first picture was taken the day after we moved in. We cleared out the overgrown stuff next to the porch, and made room for the dog house. This is what it looks like now.

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Note the tire at the right hand edge of the picture.  We want to add a porch that runs the length of the house, and I want to turn the whole thing into a garden. I want flowers, herbs, trees, bushes, benches, and fountains. I want it to be a place where neighbors want to come and share a cup of coffee and a visit.

Yes, I know, its going to take a long time to get it how I can see it in my head, but as long as the Lord lets me stay here and stay healthy, I’m in no hurry….well except maybe for Spring to get here so I can get started.

Connie

Merry Christmas!

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Christmas Eve in our new home has been relatively peaceful. Since we are not traveling this Christmas, and are having a simple Christmas dinner here with the two kids, I asked them what kind of Christmas dessert they might want to have.  The only enthusiastic response came from my fourteen-year-old daughter: “Red Velvet Cake!”

I had never made one before, but I did have the recipe passed down from a step-grandparent. “Ok” I told her, “but you have to help.” She readily agreed, as she is one of those rare people who would rather cook food than eat it. I decided to turn the whole thing into a baking afternoon, and had her help me choose a few recipes off pinterest. I should note that normally, we limit all kinds of sugar and processed foods, so this was definitely a special occasion, but hey, it’s Christmas, right? Besides, I thought it would also give us some mother/daughter time that didn’t involve school work.

The first recipe we made was for a Chocolate Chip Danish. I would have taken a picture, but my family inhaled it before I had a  chance. If you are really interested, you can find there recipe where I did: here.

Next we did Carmelitas. I was going to insert a link to the recipe, but when I went back in to get it, this is what I found. It might just be a glitch, so I’m going to leave it in for you. Yes, they are a ooey gooey mess, but they are really good.
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Then we tackled the cake. It is pretty time consuming, but all things considered, I think it turned out ok. Of course, the real test will be tomorrow’s dinner. Like I said, the recipe I had was printed on an old recipe card. This one is almost identical to the one I have.
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Last we did a loaf of gingerbread. I found the recipe here. Simple, straight forward recipe. Katherine started mixing it, but the smell of the molasses was a little much for her, so I finished. I got this pretty serving platter, as a gift from my step-grandmother. She is a talented artist, and hand painted the plate. Pretty cake on a pretty platter. No one has tasted the gingerbread yet, I think everyone OD’d on the danish. I am thinking it will make a nice addition to Christmas morning breakfast along with some bacon and eggs.

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My daughter and I had a nice afternoon together, and she even helped with the dishes without complaint. She is my youngest, and I know that I have to cherish these times that will be over all too quickly.

Ed and I want to wish each and every one of you a Merry Christmas, and the Lord’s blessings for the coming year.

Connie

Christmas Trees!

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We woke up this morning to the first significant snowfall of the year.

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Probably as early as October, Ed started pointing out various roadside evergreen trees as “Christmas Trees”. Our previous home was tiny and we had no room for a large tree. We didn’t have much room for a small one either, but we worked it out. Last year, I was rather proud of the “tree” I made from a tomato cage and artificial greenery. You can see it here.

Now, we have plenty of room for a large tree, but have neither the desire nor the finances to purchase a large artificial tree. When Ed started pointing out the trees along the road, I told him that I had never had a real tree. My stepfather was a firefighter, and had seen too many go up in smoke. He absolutely refused to have a real tree. Early on, that meant one of those silver things with the rotating color wheel, but eventually, we did have some nice artificial trees. When I was grown, I just kept up with that tradition, eventually having a seven-foot, pre-lit beauty. It was heavy, hard to move, and harder to set up. Additionally, the lights never worked properly. When we moved to the smaller place four years ago, it was one of the first things to go in the moving sale.

My revelation seemed to put Ed on a mission. He was determined to find me a real tree. We walked around our property and looked at a few prospects, but most of them were WAY too big. One of our neighbors had already told Ed that we were free to take any dead fall we found on his property for firewood, so we went over there to see if there might be a small evergreen tree we could use. We found one that, from the road, looked to be about four feet high. We came back home and Ed called our neighbor to make sure it was okay to cut it. He gave his blessing, and back we went.

Getting to the tree took a little bit of hiking. It was bigger than we originally thought, but Ed was able to cut it easily. Carrying it out to the road was a little more of a challenge, but he did it. Ed put the tree in the back of the truck and we went back home.

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Once we got there, he built a stand from a coffee can and some scrap wood.

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Then he went to carry in the tree. Once we got it inside, I realized it was a LOT taller than four feet. Probably closer to seven or eight. Ed had to cut a little off, but he get it up. He helped me put on the lights, and left the rest of the decorating to me. 009010

Then my daughter and I strung popcorn. That was a first for her. I’m not sure she was that impressed, but it gave as a chance to sit and watch a movie together while we worked, and that was nice for both of us.

I think this tree is a cedar. It has little tiny needles that become as sharp as metal needles when they dry out. There were enough dry needles on the tree that I had to put on my leather work gloves in order to hang the ornaments without getting stuck.

All that being said, I think it turned out nicely
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Connie

I Don’t Want It All

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But I do want to learn it all.

Ed already told you how we got here, and what our basic livestock/gardening plans are, so I thought I give you my perspective. One thing Ed neglected to mention is that our new place is over an hour’s drive from our old one, and we came here without knowing a soul. We came with two of my three children, two half crazy dogs, and four completely crazy cats.

Although we had agreed not to do anything major until next spring, we had hoped to be a little farther into settling in to our new place than we are. We had some unexpected health issues that have slowed us down some. If you’re interested, you can read about my accident here. Things are better now, but still moving too slowly for my impatient self.

Ed and I both believe that people need to learn how to do things the old ways because one day, they just might not have a choice. For me, I think it goes a little deeper than that. I’ve always loved history, and as an extension of that, I want to know how to do things the way my great grandparents did them.

Grandma did teach me how to make bread, but wouldn’t attempt teaching me to sew or crochet, because I am left-handed, and watching me work “backwards” made her crazy. No one else in my family knew how, so I’ve muddled around off and on over the years, trying to teach myself. I’ve had more failures than successes, but I keep trying. I am, however, the family “go-to” person for homemade bread, and my oldest son can make it as well as I can. All three of my kids are bread kneading experts.

If I could, I would learn how to do everything. I would learn about caring for goats, chickens and horses. I would learn how to card and spin fibers, knit, crochet, and weave. I would learn to quilt and make our clothes, I would learn to make butter and cheese as well as all our own bath and laundry soap. I would learn to grow and preserve all our own food. I would grow and grind my own grain, and press my own oil. I would learn about wild edibles and medicinals, and take care of my families health through the real food we eat and natural medicine. I truly believe that when God created this world, He gave us everything we need. We just need to learn how to use it.

OK, well that is the short list of what I want to learn. Give me a few minutes, I’m sure I’ll think of more. Oh, yeah, I want to learn to play piano and guitar well. I can play some now; just not well.

I’ve been actually working on this list for a long time. So how am I doing? Well, as I said before, I’ve worked some on needle work and sewing. YouTube has been great for learning things left-handed. I have made laundry soap, deodorant, and lip balm. I have made lye from wood ash. I never got to the soap making part of that, but that’s another blog post. I have grown and canned some tomatoes. I’ve made apple and pear butter, and raspberry jam. I’ve grown herbs and learned to dry them (by accident). I’ve used said dried herbs for medicinal purposes. We are going to talk about Yarrow in a future blog post. Its great stuff! Last year, I attended a wild edibles workshop.

As much as we can, we try to limit our use of processed food in general and refined white sugar in particular. I’ve done a little research into essential oils and their uses. We have a few here that we use. Number two son swears by peppermint essential oil for headaches.

Almost everything I mentioned in the last two paragraphs happened before we moved here. I am so excited to have more room to learn things, grow things, build things and make things.

We are so glad to have you along with us on this journey as we create our homestead. We welcome any input, information or advice you have for us too. That way, we can learn from each other.

Connie