1 Thessalonians 5:14-23
14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.
15 See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.
16 Rejoice evermore.
17 Pray without ceasing.
18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
19 Quench not the Spirit.
20 Despise not prophesyings.
21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.
23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Murder Most Foul - by James Lenihan
I shot a man yesterday
And much to my surprise,
The strangest thing happened to me
I began to cry.
He was so young, so very young
And Fear was in his eyes,
He had left his home in Germany
And came to Holland to die.
And what about his Family
were they not praying for him?
Thank God they couldn't see their son
And the man that had murdered him.
I knelt beside him
And held his hand--
I begged his forgiveness
Did he understand?
It was the War
And he was the enemy
If I hadn't shot him
He would have shot me.
I saw he was dying
And I called him "Brother"
But he gasped out one word
And that word was "Mother."
I shot a man yesterday
And much to surprise
A part of me died with Him
When Death came to close
His eyes.
To learn more about Mr. Lenihan, visit the Defense Centers of Excellence blog.
Today Americans pause to remember the efforts of young men and women who have served in our military and have lost their lives.
I pray for peace and an end to all war.
And much to my surprise,
The strangest thing happened to me
I began to cry.
He was so young, so very young
And Fear was in his eyes,
He had left his home in Germany
And came to Holland to die.
And what about his Family
were they not praying for him?
Thank God they couldn't see their son
And the man that had murdered him.
I knelt beside him
And held his hand--
I begged his forgiveness
Did he understand?
It was the War
And he was the enemy
If I hadn't shot him
He would have shot me.
I saw he was dying
And I called him "Brother"
But he gasped out one word
And that word was "Mother."
I shot a man yesterday
And much to surprise
A part of me died with Him
When Death came to close
His eyes.
To learn more about Mr. Lenihan, visit the Defense Centers of Excellence blog.
Today Americans pause to remember the efforts of young men and women who have served in our military and have lost their lives.
I pray for peace and an end to all war.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
This week in the blogosphere
These are blog posts that made me think, inspired me, entertained me, helped me learn, or just made me smile.
Here are this week's top picks.
1. Eat From Your Pantry - Make it Yourself Monday: Breakfast Cereals
2. peaceful parenting - Many Sunscreens May Accelerate Cancer
3. A Homegrown Life - I want this on a bumpersticker
4. Women in the Scriptures - To Prepare the Way: Elisabeth's Birth Story
5. Eat From Your Pantry - Make it Yourself Monday: Breakfast Cereals
6. Viggie's Veggies - Turbo Burritos
7. The Pioneer Woman Cooks - Fried Mozzarella Sticks
8. Home Grown - The Incredible Edible Egg
9. Allyson Hill - Eco Travel Lid (this reusable bowl lid is PURE genius)
10. Mennonite Girls Can Cook - "It Can't Be Done!" - Says who?? (includes recipe for gluten-free bread)
11. Living with Lindsay - Teach Me Tuesday: Handmade Barrettes
12. Rational Living - Jammin' (great recipe for strawberry-ginger jam)
13. Holy Experience - Intimate Issues: The Making of a Marriage Bed (I especially loved the story about the love-collecting box)
14. Hideous! Dreadful! Stinky! - Backpack for Joshua and a Skirt Tease
14. Mama Birth - High Protein Without All the Dead Animals
15. Double Nickel Farm - The Raping and Pillaging of America (or fifth vist by Census to my House)
16. peaceful parenting - Treating and Preventing Thrush
17. inditutes - hem like a pro
Here are this week's top picks.
1. Eat From Your Pantry - Make it Yourself Monday: Breakfast Cereals
2. peaceful parenting - Many Sunscreens May Accelerate Cancer
3. A Homegrown Life - I want this on a bumpersticker
4. Women in the Scriptures - To Prepare the Way: Elisabeth's Birth Story
5. Eat From Your Pantry - Make it Yourself Monday: Breakfast Cereals
6. Viggie's Veggies - Turbo Burritos
7. The Pioneer Woman Cooks - Fried Mozzarella Sticks
8. Home Grown - The Incredible Edible Egg
9. Allyson Hill - Eco Travel Lid (this reusable bowl lid is PURE genius)
10. Mennonite Girls Can Cook - "It Can't Be Done!" - Says who?? (includes recipe for gluten-free bread)
11. Living with Lindsay - Teach Me Tuesday: Handmade Barrettes
12. Rational Living - Jammin' (great recipe for strawberry-ginger jam)
13. Holy Experience - Intimate Issues: The Making of a Marriage Bed (I especially loved the story about the love-collecting box)
14. Hideous! Dreadful! Stinky! - Backpack for Joshua and a Skirt Tease
14. Mama Birth - High Protein Without All the Dead Animals
15. Double Nickel Farm - The Raping and Pillaging of America (or fifth vist by Census to my House)
16. peaceful parenting - Treating and Preventing Thrush
17. inditutes - hem like a pro
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Eleven years ago today...
I married my best friend.
It seems like just yesterday, but it's several lifetimes ago now.
We've been through a lot together in those years and yet I'd still rather laugh with him than with anyone else.
I'm a very, very fortunate woman.
Happy Anniversary, my love!
It seems like just yesterday, but it's several lifetimes ago now.
We've been through a lot together in those years and yet I'd still rather laugh with him than with anyone else.
I'm a very, very fortunate woman.
Happy Anniversary, my love!
Friday, May 28, 2010
Scripture verses of the day
The First Epistle General of John
2:3-7
3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
7 Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.
2:3-7
3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
7 Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Scripture verse of the day
The First Epistle of Paul the Apostle to Timothy 5:13
13 And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.
13 And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.
Home canning chicken - a pressure canning tutorial
A week or so ago we got our spring shipment of chickens. These are the chickens that the Hubster helps his friend, K, raise.
Chicken day is a long day for us. It starts before dawn with the Hubster driving out to K's farm and loading up the chickens. They crate them up and deliver them to the butcher. Then they head back to K's farm to clean out the coops. This year there were two coops to clean out.
Later on in the day the Hubster gets a call from the butcher and drives the hour or so out to pick up the chickens.
This year we bought 20 chickens at around $1.55/pound. That's a bit more than we'd pay for supermarket chickens but these are free range chickens that are raised without antibiotics and we know what they ate. ;)
We then spend the evening hours cutting and bagging the chickens. This year the Hubster handled the cutting and I operated the Food Saver packaging them and placing them in the freezer. We freeze the thighs, legs, and wings and then I set aside the breasts for canning. We also save all the bones and bag those up and toss them in the freezer to wait until I have time to make chicken stock.
So this year I had a total of 40 chicken breasts to can up and I managed to get it all done in one day.
Compared to canning up fruit, canning chicken is a simple task. Other than cutting the breasts off of the chicken there is very little prep involved.
Like most canning projects, the first step is to prepare your jars.
Since chicken must be pressure canned this involves choosing clean jars and filling them with warm water. Then they're placed in a pressure canner filled with about one inch of water in the bottom. Check your pressure canner's instructions for the exact amount of water that's right for your canner.
Then put the lid on the canner and turn up the heat to warm the jars. Remember, you only need them warmed. Unlike water bath canning you do not need to sanitize jars when pressure canning.
You'll also want to put a small saucepan of water on low heat and add in your lids.
Next lay out all of the rest of the equipment - magnetic lid lifter, jar tongs, canning jar rings, and clean damp cloth for wiping rims.
After the jars and lids are warmed, the next step is filling the jars with chicken.
I use a raw pack method, which is very easy to follow. You simply fill your jars with raw chicken. Because of the size of these particular chickens I usually filled each wide mouthed quart jar with one breast a few breast tenderloins. Some of the breasts were small enough that I could fit two breasts per jar. When I've canned commercially raised chicken I was able to fit two or three breasts per quart jar.
It's very important to carefully wipe down the rims of your jars when canning meat because the oil can interfere with getting a good seal on your lid if not removed.
After the jar is filled, you place your lid on the jar and tighten it down with a ring.
one wide mouth quart jar filled with chicken breasts
Then you place it in the canner and fill the next jar. Continue until all your jars are filled or your chicken is gone.
My canners can fit seven wide mouth quart jars in them and since I had a lot of chicken to can up I used both canners.
After all your jars are filled and placed back in the canners then you place the lids on the canners and tighten them down. Turn the heat up to high and wait for steam to come out of the vents. When you see a steady stream of steam you then set a timer. One of my canners needs to vent for seven minutes and the other vents for ten minutes. Check the instruction manual for your pressure canner to see how long you need to vent.
Once the venting is finished then you put your weight on and wait for your canner to come up to pressure. At my altitude we can chicken at 10 pounds of pressure for 90 minutes.
Canners with their lids tightened and weights on
Once the canners are up to pressure I set a timer for 90 minutes and then I monitor the canners. It's important to keep your pressure near the recommended amount. That involves lowering and raising the heat on our stove.
While I'm babysitting the canners the girls and I usually play in the kitchen.
After 90 minutes have passed then you turn off the heat and wait for your pressure gauges to return to zero. As an extra safety measure I usually wait an additional five minutes or so before I remove the lids. I first remove the weights from the lid. When removing the lids lift them away from you first to release any additional steam that might be trapped in the canner.
Then I use jar tongs to lift the jars out and cool them on a piece of cardboard set on our hoosier countertop to cool. When the contents are cooled, check your lid seals and remove the rings. Wipe down the jars and label them with the contents and date. Store in a cool and dry location.
We use the canned chicken in many different meals. Soups, stews, burritos, casseroles, chicken salad, and just about any recipe that calls for cooked chicken breast will work for this canned chicken.
Chicken day is a long day for us. It starts before dawn with the Hubster driving out to K's farm and loading up the chickens. They crate them up and deliver them to the butcher. Then they head back to K's farm to clean out the coops. This year there were two coops to clean out.
Later on in the day the Hubster gets a call from the butcher and drives the hour or so out to pick up the chickens.
This year we bought 20 chickens at around $1.55/pound. That's a bit more than we'd pay for supermarket chickens but these are free range chickens that are raised without antibiotics and we know what they ate. ;)
We then spend the evening hours cutting and bagging the chickens. This year the Hubster handled the cutting and I operated the Food Saver packaging them and placing them in the freezer. We freeze the thighs, legs, and wings and then I set aside the breasts for canning. We also save all the bones and bag those up and toss them in the freezer to wait until I have time to make chicken stock.
So this year I had a total of 40 chicken breasts to can up and I managed to get it all done in one day.
Compared to canning up fruit, canning chicken is a simple task. Other than cutting the breasts off of the chicken there is very little prep involved.
Like most canning projects, the first step is to prepare your jars.
Since chicken must be pressure canned this involves choosing clean jars and filling them with warm water. Then they're placed in a pressure canner filled with about one inch of water in the bottom. Check your pressure canner's instructions for the exact amount of water that's right for your canner.
Then put the lid on the canner and turn up the heat to warm the jars. Remember, you only need them warmed. Unlike water bath canning you do not need to sanitize jars when pressure canning.
You'll also want to put a small saucepan of water on low heat and add in your lids.
Next lay out all of the rest of the equipment - magnetic lid lifter, jar tongs, canning jar rings, and clean damp cloth for wiping rims.
After the jars and lids are warmed, the next step is filling the jars with chicken.
I use a raw pack method, which is very easy to follow. You simply fill your jars with raw chicken. Because of the size of these particular chickens I usually filled each wide mouthed quart jar with one breast a few breast tenderloins. Some of the breasts were small enough that I could fit two breasts per jar. When I've canned commercially raised chicken I was able to fit two or three breasts per quart jar.
It's very important to carefully wipe down the rims of your jars when canning meat because the oil can interfere with getting a good seal on your lid if not removed.
After the jar is filled, you place your lid on the jar and tighten it down with a ring.
one wide mouth quart jar filled with chicken breasts
Then you place it in the canner and fill the next jar. Continue until all your jars are filled or your chicken is gone.
My canners can fit seven wide mouth quart jars in them and since I had a lot of chicken to can up I used both canners.
After all your jars are filled and placed back in the canners then you place the lids on the canners and tighten them down. Turn the heat up to high and wait for steam to come out of the vents. When you see a steady stream of steam you then set a timer. One of my canners needs to vent for seven minutes and the other vents for ten minutes. Check the instruction manual for your pressure canner to see how long you need to vent.
Once the venting is finished then you put your weight on and wait for your canner to come up to pressure. At my altitude we can chicken at 10 pounds of pressure for 90 minutes.
Canners with their lids tightened and weights on
Once the canners are up to pressure I set a timer for 90 minutes and then I monitor the canners. It's important to keep your pressure near the recommended amount. That involves lowering and raising the heat on our stove.
While I'm babysitting the canners the girls and I usually play in the kitchen.
After 90 minutes have passed then you turn off the heat and wait for your pressure gauges to return to zero. As an extra safety measure I usually wait an additional five minutes or so before I remove the lids. I first remove the weights from the lid. When removing the lids lift them away from you first to release any additional steam that might be trapped in the canner.
Then I use jar tongs to lift the jars out and cool them on a piece of cardboard set on our hoosier countertop to cool. When the contents are cooled, check your lid seals and remove the rings. Wipe down the jars and label them with the contents and date. Store in a cool and dry location.
We use the canned chicken in many different meals. Soups, stews, burritos, casseroles, chicken salad, and just about any recipe that calls for cooked chicken breast will work for this canned chicken.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Gigi's Hugest Announcement - a review for Thomas Nelson Publishers
When we were sent Gigi's Hugest Announcement to review for Thomas Nelson Publishers I was ecstatic. Okay, that *might* just be an overstatement, but I was very excited.
You see, here was an opportunity to preview a children's DVD that was a good match for our religious beliefs and personal values.
As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints I believe that all people are children of our Father in Heaven and want to help my children understand their very special heritage as children of God.
In this DVD that message is reinforced in a fun and entertaining way.
The two stories included in Gigi's Hugest Announcement are The Royal Tea Party and The Pink Ballerina.
In The Royal Tea Party our main character, Gigi, wants to share with her best friend, Frances, the news that Frances is also a royal princess. Gigi feels an urgency to share with Frances the message that she is also a child of God. We watch as Gigi brainstorms different ways to tell Frances this important news. Gigi finally settles upon the right method to share this extremely important news with Frances and that method is a royal tea party.
In The Pink Ballerina we follow Gigi from a Sunday morning after Sunday School and throughout the day as she ponders and thinks about her weekly memory verse. She only has half of the verse, though, and misinterprets Psalm 149:3. She focuses only on the dance and doesn't yet know about the music in the latter half of the verse. Gigi is eager to praise the Lord through dance, but learns that dance isn't her strongest talent. In the end she learns that we all have differing talents and can praise the Lord in our own unique ways.
The DVD is based upon stories by Sheila Walsh and the producers use a style of animation that reminds me of book illustrations. The scenes move more slowly than some other animation styles and I prefer that. There isn't the bright flash and movement of some animation styles that can overwhelm and overstimulate our children.
This a DVD that I can highly recommend for all families!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com
Scripture verses of the day
Proverbs 13:20
20 He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.
Proverbs 27:12
12 A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished.
20 He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.
Proverbs 27:12
12 A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
This week in the blogosphere
These are blog posts that made me think, inspired me, entertained me, helped me learn, or just made me smile.
Here are this week's top picks.
1. Mennonite Girls Can Cook - Bread for the Journey
2. Randy's Right - Four Great Preparedness Myths
3. peaceful parenting - Cutting Coupons: Feeding a Family for Pennies a Day
4. Can't Stop Making Things - Stone Grabbing Jewelry
5. Hideous! Dreadful! Stinky! - Skirt Inspiration & Tutorials - Full Skirts: Ruffles, Circles, Tiers and Petticoats
6. Stone Soup - 7 tips for full-flavoured vegetable stock
7. Holy Experience - The Best Way to Open Up a Life...
8. Hideous! Dreadful! Stinky! - Skirt Inspiration & Tutorials - Pencil Skirts
9. Tired, Need Sleep - Updated Build-A-Letter Templates
10. Marvelous Kiddos - Thought for the Day: The Role of the Unschooling Parent
11. The Train to Crazy - Too large shirt to maternity shirt
12. The Survival Mom - 5 Dollar Preps - You CAN Afford to Prepare
13. Hideous! Dreadful! Stinky! - Skirt Inspiration & Tutorials - Patchwork and Scrap Fabric Skirts
14. Keeper of the Home - Questions to Ask at Your Local Farmer's Market
15. Simple Bites - Why Food Sustainability Matters and 10 Things You Can Do About It
16. The Mother Huddle - Personalized Hand Sanitizer for Teacher and a Round-up of Ideas
17. Hideous! Dreadful! Stinky! - Skirt Inspiration & Tutorials - Upcycled and Reconstructed
18. peaceful parenting - I Circumcised My Son: Healing From Regret
19. Mama Birth - Ricki Lake Made Me Have a Homebirth
20. Hideous! Dreadful! Stinky! - Skirt Inspiration & Tutorials - A-line, Wrap and Simple Skirts
21. Mennonite Girls Can Cook - Burrito Bowl
22. Keeper of the Home - Dairy Free Alternatives that Work for a Traditional Diet
Here are this week's top picks.
1. Mennonite Girls Can Cook - Bread for the Journey
2. Randy's Right - Four Great Preparedness Myths
3. peaceful parenting - Cutting Coupons: Feeding a Family for Pennies a Day
4. Can't Stop Making Things - Stone Grabbing Jewelry
5. Hideous! Dreadful! Stinky! - Skirt Inspiration & Tutorials - Full Skirts: Ruffles, Circles, Tiers and Petticoats
6. Stone Soup - 7 tips for full-flavoured vegetable stock
7. Holy Experience - The Best Way to Open Up a Life...
8. Hideous! Dreadful! Stinky! - Skirt Inspiration & Tutorials - Pencil Skirts
9. Tired, Need Sleep - Updated Build-A-Letter Templates
10. Marvelous Kiddos - Thought for the Day: The Role of the Unschooling Parent
11. The Train to Crazy - Too large shirt to maternity shirt
12. The Survival Mom - 5 Dollar Preps - You CAN Afford to Prepare
13. Hideous! Dreadful! Stinky! - Skirt Inspiration & Tutorials - Patchwork and Scrap Fabric Skirts
14. Keeper of the Home - Questions to Ask at Your Local Farmer's Market
15. Simple Bites - Why Food Sustainability Matters and 10 Things You Can Do About It
16. The Mother Huddle - Personalized Hand Sanitizer for Teacher and a Round-up of Ideas
17. Hideous! Dreadful! Stinky! - Skirt Inspiration & Tutorials - Upcycled and Reconstructed
18. peaceful parenting - I Circumcised My Son: Healing From Regret
19. Mama Birth - Ricki Lake Made Me Have a Homebirth
20. Hideous! Dreadful! Stinky! - Skirt Inspiration & Tutorials - A-line, Wrap and Simple Skirts
21. Mennonite Girls Can Cook - Burrito Bowl
22. Keeper of the Home - Dairy Free Alternatives that Work for a Traditional Diet
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Rifle Marksmanship - WWII Training Video
I'm off to the shooting range today for an eight hour long NRA Basic Pistol course. This video isn't about shooting pistols, but I thought it fit the mood today! Enjoy :)
Friday, May 21, 2010
The chickens have arrived!
Yesterday the Hubster and his farming buddy, K, took the fryers off to the butcher. In the late afternoon the Hubster received his call to go and pick them up.
We're now the proud owners of 20 pastured, nearly organically raised fryers.
The Hubster and I spent the evening cutting, sorting, and bagging chicken parts. We froze the wings, legs, and thighs; set aside the bones and wing tips for later batches of chicken stock; and bagged up the chicken breasts for my work today.
Today is the start of chicken canning for me! For two years now we've taken a portion of our spring chicken delivery and canned them up. It's so convenient to have cooked chicken on my pantry shelves. I can easily whip up a soup, stew, burritos, casseroles, chicken salad, etc. with the canned chicken.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Scripture verses of the day
The Gospel According to St. Matthew 6:25-34
25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Wild Violet Jelly Roll
finished jelly roll - end view
On Sunday afternoon, after picking more dandelions and wild violets for more jelly, I decided to try and bake a jelly roll. This was the first time that I've attempted a jelly roll, but I was brainstorming ways to use the jelly we've made (and will soon be making again).
I used the jelly roll recipe found in the Betty Crocker cookbook.
ingredients:
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
about 2/3 cup jelly
powdered sugar
First, you want to preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
Then line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper. Grease well.
Next put the three eggs into a mixer bowl and mix on high speed for about 5 minutes. You want the eggs to get very thick.
Then you'll slowly add in the sugar while mixing on low. Add in the water and vanilla, still on slow speed.
Then slowly add in the flour, salt, and baking powder. Mix on low until just mixed.
Turn out the batter onto your prepared pan. Put it into your preheated oven.
Bake at 375F for about 12 minutes.
While the cake is baking you'll want to prepare a tea towel (flour sack towel). Lay it flat on a tabletop or countertop and sprinkle liberally with powdered (confectioners) sugar.
After 12 minutes are up check your cake and test with a toothpick to ensure it's baked thoroughly.
If it is, remove pan and gently lift the paper and cake out of the pan and invert it (flip it over) onto the tea towel sprinkled with powdered sugar. You'll gently roll the cake in the towel and then cool the cake (still in the towel) on a cake rack.
rolled up and cooling on the cake rack
After about 30 minutes you can gently unroll the cooled cake and spread the jelly on it.
cooled cake - ready to spread the jelly
home canned wild violet jelly
Roll it back up and sprinkle the top with more powdered sugar.
Cut and serve!
finished jelly roll - top view
Oh, and don't forget that if you want to print out the recipe you can use the print button below this post!
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Scripture verses of the day
The Second Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians 12:9-12
9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
11 I am become a fool in glorying; ye have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing.
12 Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.
9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
11 I am become a fool in glorying; ye have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing.
12 Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.
I don't think I know how to take a break
Seriously!
I rarely take a vacation and when I do I'm prone to take "working" vacations. You know - the kind where you go camping or go visit family, etc. I end up cooking and cleaning and helping out. It's not a vacation - it's just a change of scenery.
One of my favorite "vacation" memories was a trip I took to New Orleans back in 1999. It was clearly a working vacation because it was a student affairs conference - NASPA (National Association of Student Personnel Administrators) - and my goal at the conference was to get a job. I was nearly done with my graduate program and out interviewing for jobs in the field of career development. My sister lived not too far from New Orleans so I did get a night visiting with her, but most of the time was spent attending conference sessions and interviewing. It was a success and I did garner a job offer and later accepted the position. And I have wonderful memories of spending my evenings with the Hubster exploring the clubs and restaurants of New Orleans. It's a very bittersweet memory now because that city is now gone. New Orleans of today is a very different place.
Anyway...
I wanted to take a break from the blog because I have some seriously strong emotions flowing and I was afraid I wouldn't be able to edit out those emotions. I was afraid I'd write something I wouldn't want to have published.
It's not that I'd regret what I'd write. I rarely regret anything I say or do. It's not in my nature. I make PLENTY of mistakes. But when I make mistakes I don't say to myself that I shouldn't have done it or regret doing it. I learn my lesson and move on.
It's that moving on that's helped me to learn and grow most in my life. I don't second-guess myself and act with conviction.
I know I offend people and I have no interest in changing that. I wish more people were willing to offend others. I wish more people KNEW who they were and would stand fast in their values - even if their values don't match mine. I just want people to believe - in something for crying out loud - and stand fast in their beliefs. I'm tired of apathy and I'm so darn tired of people doing things just to be accepted by "the group." I'm tired of sheep who can't make up their own minds and instead just follow the flock. I'm tired of herd mentality and tired of people who stick their heads in the sand and pretend their lives will always be just as they are now.
Maybe it's because my life has been turned upside down a few times in my past or just because I live life as it comes, but I can see the horizon and know that just like New Orleans after Katrina, things are about to change and it's time for us to wake up and recognize that. It's time to stop listening to the other sheep and pay attention to the signs that are all around us.
I know my lifestyle isn't for everyone and I have no interest in converting anyone. I simply share what I do and share what I know. Back when I was a La Leche League Leader we'd start our meetings letting mothers know that they'd be hearing and seeing a lot things that might be new or different to them. And we'd invite the mothers to, "take what works for your family and leave the rest behind."
Just do me a favor, eh? Think about what you're doing and WHY you're doing it. Decide for yourself based upon your values and real facts if it's the best way to go or if it's the best choice for your family. Think ahead and decide if what you're doing will help you in 10 years or 20 years or if another course of action would be more beneficial. What we all do affects the lives of others - especially our children. Let's just take care that our actions have the effects we intend.
I rarely take a vacation and when I do I'm prone to take "working" vacations. You know - the kind where you go camping or go visit family, etc. I end up cooking and cleaning and helping out. It's not a vacation - it's just a change of scenery.
One of my favorite "vacation" memories was a trip I took to New Orleans back in 1999. It was clearly a working vacation because it was a student affairs conference - NASPA (National Association of Student Personnel Administrators) - and my goal at the conference was to get a job. I was nearly done with my graduate program and out interviewing for jobs in the field of career development. My sister lived not too far from New Orleans so I did get a night visiting with her, but most of the time was spent attending conference sessions and interviewing. It was a success and I did garner a job offer and later accepted the position. And I have wonderful memories of spending my evenings with the Hubster exploring the clubs and restaurants of New Orleans. It's a very bittersweet memory now because that city is now gone. New Orleans of today is a very different place.
Anyway...
I wanted to take a break from the blog because I have some seriously strong emotions flowing and I was afraid I wouldn't be able to edit out those emotions. I was afraid I'd write something I wouldn't want to have published.
It's not that I'd regret what I'd write. I rarely regret anything I say or do. It's not in my nature. I make PLENTY of mistakes. But when I make mistakes I don't say to myself that I shouldn't have done it or regret doing it. I learn my lesson and move on.
It's that moving on that's helped me to learn and grow most in my life. I don't second-guess myself and act with conviction.
I know I offend people and I have no interest in changing that. I wish more people were willing to offend others. I wish more people KNEW who they were and would stand fast in their values - even if their values don't match mine. I just want people to believe - in something for crying out loud - and stand fast in their beliefs. I'm tired of apathy and I'm so darn tired of people doing things just to be accepted by "the group." I'm tired of sheep who can't make up their own minds and instead just follow the flock. I'm tired of herd mentality and tired of people who stick their heads in the sand and pretend their lives will always be just as they are now.
Maybe it's because my life has been turned upside down a few times in my past or just because I live life as it comes, but I can see the horizon and know that just like New Orleans after Katrina, things are about to change and it's time for us to wake up and recognize that. It's time to stop listening to the other sheep and pay attention to the signs that are all around us.
I know my lifestyle isn't for everyone and I have no interest in converting anyone. I simply share what I do and share what I know. Back when I was a La Leche League Leader we'd start our meetings letting mothers know that they'd be hearing and seeing a lot things that might be new or different to them. And we'd invite the mothers to, "take what works for your family and leave the rest behind."
Just do me a favor, eh? Think about what you're doing and WHY you're doing it. Decide for yourself based upon your values and real facts if it's the best way to go or if it's the best choice for your family. Think ahead and decide if what you're doing will help you in 10 years or 20 years or if another course of action would be more beneficial. What we all do affects the lives of others - especially our children. Let's just take care that our actions have the effects we intend.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Scripture verse of the day
Numbers 11:1
1 And when the people complained, it displeased the Lord: and the Lord heard it; and his anger was kindled; and the fire of the Lord burnt among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp.
1 And when the people complained, it displeased the Lord: and the Lord heard it; and his anger was kindled; and the fire of the Lord burnt among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp.
Waste Not Want Not
WWI Canadian Poster
As I've been working on dandelion and wild violet jellies and considering other forageable foods I've been told that I'm extreme. "There's no need to eat weeds!"
I'm struck by the irony that as I'm writing this blog post news agencies are carrying stories about how low levels of pesticides found in our produce have been contributing toward the development of ADHD in our children.
The "weeds" in my yard are highly nutritious and pesticide-free. Can the same be said of our commercially produced vegetables and fruits?
What has happened to our population that they would turn their noses up at nutritious foods free for the taking and instead pay for poison to feed their families? Is it ignorance or false pride? I wonder some days what it will take to open up our nation's eyes.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Living a slow life
I've been spending a lot of time lately thinking about our life. Thinking about why we do the things we do. Wondering if our choices are right. If they're RIGHT. If they're right. If they're right enough...
I wonder if the path we're on leads where we believe it might. I wonder if the words are the truth.
In between my thinking and pondering I got a glimpse at the life I live.
I saw my son discussing scripture with me while I stir a pot of jelly. I saw my son talking about how important it is for him to heal so he can share the gospel. "People need me," he said. I thought about that. So many people need him. It's not just a mother's pride, but he's a special soul. He will touch people and he will teach people. He carries our Father's grace with him and leaves it with people.
While the jelly was cooking I was able to discuss jelly making with my toddler. She has an amazing verbal ability and chatters all day long now. She asked what I was cooking for dinner and I explained the jelly making process. She nodded and went off to play with her cards. These days she carries about a box of infant sign language cards and one Thomas the Tank Engine card - it's Diesel. She'll share Diesel and then lovingly take him back. I don't understand the meaning, but it's fairly sacred to her right now.
While the jelly was cooking I was able to discuss addition with the big girl. She wandered into the kitchen while the scripture discussion was taking place and asked what ten plus eleven was. In big girl talk she wanted the answer to the equation. I thought, "Don't we all!" What a seamless fit into the scripture discussion.
I love my life. I don't know if it's RIGHT. And I don't know if it's right. I just know it's perfect and I savor each and every second of it.
I don't want to rush and I don't want to hurry. I don't want authority or power or influence beyond these walls. I don't WANT at all, come to think of it. I just love and thank my Father for all of the blessings.
I wonder if the path we're on leads where we believe it might. I wonder if the words are the truth.
In between my thinking and pondering I got a glimpse at the life I live.
I saw my son discussing scripture with me while I stir a pot of jelly. I saw my son talking about how important it is for him to heal so he can share the gospel. "People need me," he said. I thought about that. So many people need him. It's not just a mother's pride, but he's a special soul. He will touch people and he will teach people. He carries our Father's grace with him and leaves it with people.
While the jelly was cooking I was able to discuss jelly making with my toddler. She has an amazing verbal ability and chatters all day long now. She asked what I was cooking for dinner and I explained the jelly making process. She nodded and went off to play with her cards. These days she carries about a box of infant sign language cards and one Thomas the Tank Engine card - it's Diesel. She'll share Diesel and then lovingly take him back. I don't understand the meaning, but it's fairly sacred to her right now.
While the jelly was cooking I was able to discuss addition with the big girl. She wandered into the kitchen while the scripture discussion was taking place and asked what ten plus eleven was. In big girl talk she wanted the answer to the equation. I thought, "Don't we all!" What a seamless fit into the scripture discussion.
I love my life. I don't know if it's RIGHT. And I don't know if it's right. I just know it's perfect and I savor each and every second of it.
I don't want to rush and I don't want to hurry. I don't want authority or power or influence beyond these walls. I don't WANT at all, come to think of it. I just love and thank my Father for all of the blessings.
Meltup - documentary about hyper-inflation
This is documentary length - 54 minutes - but well worth the time spent watching it.
I know I said I was takin a break....and I am
But this is too funny to NOT share:
You still won't see any "real" content here for a while. I'll post scripture verses as I'm inspired to do so, but I'm gonna mostly be hunkered down with my family and trying to regroup.
| The Colbert Report | Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c | |||
| Glenn to the Mountaintop | ||||
| ||||
You still won't see any "real" content here for a while. I'll post scripture verses as I'm inspired to do so, but I'm gonna mostly be hunkered down with my family and trying to regroup.
Scripture verse of the day
The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Ephesians 4:32
32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Takin a break
Things are in a flux here and lots of re-evaluating is occuring.
Some personal crap is flyin' and I'm tryin' to decide what is the best course of action.
Please keep my family in your prayers!
Some personal crap is flyin' and I'm tryin' to decide what is the best course of action.
Please keep my family in your prayers!
Saturday, May 15, 2010
This week in the blogosphere
These are blog posts that made me think, inspired me, entertained me, helped me learn, or just made me smile.
Here are this week's top picks.
1. The Survival Mom - A Family Preparedness Assignment: The 30 Minute Evacuation
2. Health, Home, and Happiness - Review: HOKY Sweeper - Powerless Crumb Picker Upper for Your Home! (we don't have a HOKY brand sweeper, but we also swear by a sweeper for ease of use - and remember to empty it after each use!)
3. Simple, Green, Frugal Co-op - Mason Jar Kids' Cups (this is SUCH a brilliant idea - glass juice jars with a lid for kids' use)
4. Mom's Frugal - Chocolate Covered Creme-filled Doughnuts (anyone who really knows me would understand why this is included in the list)
5. unschool plus - playing with yarn, part 1 (handspinning)
6. Living the Frugal Life - Drying Comfrey
7. Mom's Frugal - Weekend Baking - to make the week a little easier... (great tips and recipe links for bulk baking)
8. Little House in the Suburbs - Save Money with a Supply Journal
9. unschool plus - playing with yarn, part 2 (finger knitting)
10. Schell Urban Homestead - Thrifty Thursday: Reusable Produce Bags - For FREE!
11. Mennonite Girls Can Cook - Rhubarb Meringue Pie
12. Moms in Need of Mercy - My Husband's My Hero
13. SurvivalBlog.com - Some Tips and Tricks on Raising Meat Rabbits
14. Marvelous Kiddo - Breastfeeding in Vogue
15. Marvelous Kiddo - More Breastfeeding in Vogue
16. Keeper of the Home - How to Find Local Sources of Meat
17. Such Treasures - Crockpot Castile Soap
Here are this week's top picks.
1. The Survival Mom - A Family Preparedness Assignment: The 30 Minute Evacuation
2. Health, Home, and Happiness - Review: HOKY Sweeper - Powerless Crumb Picker Upper for Your Home! (we don't have a HOKY brand sweeper, but we also swear by a sweeper for ease of use - and remember to empty it after each use!)
3. Simple, Green, Frugal Co-op - Mason Jar Kids' Cups (this is SUCH a brilliant idea - glass juice jars with a lid for kids' use)
4. Mom's Frugal - Chocolate Covered Creme-filled Doughnuts (anyone who really knows me would understand why this is included in the list)
5. unschool plus - playing with yarn, part 1 (handspinning)
6. Living the Frugal Life - Drying Comfrey
7. Mom's Frugal - Weekend Baking - to make the week a little easier... (great tips and recipe links for bulk baking)
8. Little House in the Suburbs - Save Money with a Supply Journal
9. unschool plus - playing with yarn, part 2 (finger knitting)
10. Schell Urban Homestead - Thrifty Thursday: Reusable Produce Bags - For FREE!
11. Mennonite Girls Can Cook - Rhubarb Meringue Pie
12. Moms in Need of Mercy - My Husband's My Hero
13. SurvivalBlog.com - Some Tips and Tricks on Raising Meat Rabbits
14. Marvelous Kiddo - Breastfeeding in Vogue
15. Marvelous Kiddo - More Breastfeeding in Vogue
16. Keeper of the Home - How to Find Local Sources of Meat
17. Such Treasures - Crockpot Castile Soap
Thursday, May 13, 2010
50 Followers!!!
Actually, it's 53, but I still have a few anonymous followers. Hello!
This is a landmark for me, really.
When I started this blog in August 2009 I had no idea anyone would read it. I just wanted to begin journaling and this seemed an easy way to do it.
Thanks for finding it interesting/entertaining/informative and stopping by.
Let me know if there's something you'd like to hear more about or learn more about. I'll see what I can do. :)
This is a landmark for me, really.
When I started this blog in August 2009 I had no idea anyone would read it. I just wanted to begin journaling and this seemed an easy way to do it.
Thanks for finding it interesting/entertaining/informative and stopping by.
Let me know if there's something you'd like to hear more about or learn more about. I'll see what I can do. :)
About CERT - Community Emergency Response Team
CERT - otherwise known as Community Emergency Response Team concept - was first developed in Los Angeles Fire Department in 1985.
There are now CERT teams in every state in the United States.
CERT teams are comprised of ordinary citizens who have completed comprehensive training programs that allow them to proficiently provide disaster relief.
For more information about participating in a CERT team near you, visit the CERT site and search by zip code. For more information about starting a CERT team, click here.
There are now CERT teams in every state in the United States.
CERT teams are comprised of ordinary citizens who have completed comprehensive training programs that allow them to proficiently provide disaster relief.
For more information about participating in a CERT team near you, visit the CERT site and search by zip code. For more information about starting a CERT team, click here.
What gives you comfort?
The subject of comfort is on my mind today.
What is comfort? What comforts us? What is it to be comfortable?
It differs for every person. Usually when I hear the word comfort I think of helping someone in distress or turmoil. You comfort a crying baby or a sick child. You comfort a grieving widow.
When I think of the word comfortable I usually think of physical comforts.
But my goal today is to figure out how to be emotionally, spiritually, and physically comfortable.
My daily personal scripture study is what prompted this internal dialogue within me.
I'm back to studying the psalms again.
Yesterday the boy and I traveled to the Milwaukee Public Museum to see the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Bible exhibit. I highly recommend it, btw! Unfortunately it won't be a traveling exhibit so you'd have to come to it, but it would be well worth the travel, I believe.
In addition to scrolls containing Isaiah and various laws of the Essenes, the exhibit contained additional psalms. I remembered how comforting reading The Book of Psalms can be for me and so I opened it up.
Then I got to thinking about what comforts me. The physical comforts, the emotional comforts, and the spiritual comforts.
Then I realized that at the heart of it they are all intertwined. When I am not spiritually comfortable then I experience emotional and physical discomfort as well. When I allow myself to be emotionally upset, then I experience physical and spiritual discomfort as well.
I must take greater care to ensure my comfort in all areas of health - the emotional, the spiritual, and the physical.
Oftentimes finding comfort means eliminating things from our lives or substituting other things. If we find that a movie or book upsets us emotionally then we usually stop viewing the movie or stop reading the book. We seek out more comforting entertainment. If a hard chair is uncomfortable we'll seek out a softer, more comfortable alternative.
Other times it means a change in our perspectives or a different approach to an issue or conflict.
I haven't found the answers yet - and quite likely won't for some time - but I'm redetermined to again eliminate discomfort from my life.
What is comfort? What comforts us? What is it to be comfortable?
It differs for every person. Usually when I hear the word comfort I think of helping someone in distress or turmoil. You comfort a crying baby or a sick child. You comfort a grieving widow.
When I think of the word comfortable I usually think of physical comforts.
But my goal today is to figure out how to be emotionally, spiritually, and physically comfortable.
My daily personal scripture study is what prompted this internal dialogue within me.
I'm back to studying the psalms again.
Yesterday the boy and I traveled to the Milwaukee Public Museum to see the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Bible exhibit. I highly recommend it, btw! Unfortunately it won't be a traveling exhibit so you'd have to come to it, but it would be well worth the travel, I believe.
In addition to scrolls containing Isaiah and various laws of the Essenes, the exhibit contained additional psalms. I remembered how comforting reading The Book of Psalms can be for me and so I opened it up.
Then I got to thinking about what comforts me. The physical comforts, the emotional comforts, and the spiritual comforts.
Then I realized that at the heart of it they are all intertwined. When I am not spiritually comfortable then I experience emotional and physical discomfort as well. When I allow myself to be emotionally upset, then I experience physical and spiritual discomfort as well.
I must take greater care to ensure my comfort in all areas of health - the emotional, the spiritual, and the physical.
Oftentimes finding comfort means eliminating things from our lives or substituting other things. If we find that a movie or book upsets us emotionally then we usually stop viewing the movie or stop reading the book. We seek out more comforting entertainment. If a hard chair is uncomfortable we'll seek out a softer, more comfortable alternative.
Other times it means a change in our perspectives or a different approach to an issue or conflict.
I haven't found the answers yet - and quite likely won't for some time - but I'm redetermined to again eliminate discomfort from my life.
Scripture verses of the day
The Book of Psalms 119:49-56
49 Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope.
50 This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me.
51 The proud have had me greatly in derision: yet have I not declined from thy law.
52 I remembered thy judgments of old, O Lord; and have comforted myself.
53 Horror hath taken hold upon me because of the wicked that forsake thy law.
54 Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage.
55 I have remembered thy name, O Lord, in the night, and have kept thy law.
56 This I had, because I kept thy precepts.
49 Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope.
50 This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me.
51 The proud have had me greatly in derision: yet have I not declined from thy law.
52 I remembered thy judgments of old, O Lord; and have comforted myself.
53 Horror hath taken hold upon me because of the wicked that forsake thy law.
54 Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage.
55 I have remembered thy name, O Lord, in the night, and have kept thy law.
56 This I had, because I kept thy precepts.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Scripture verses of the day
The Epistle of Paul to Titus 2:3-5
3 The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;
4 That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,
5 To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.
3 The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;
4 That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,
5 To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.
Another daily update sort of post
Well, the Hubster and I did manage to get our "date" to go pick up the rifle. We had a nice drive there and back and had a wonderful time to converse without interruptions. I don't know about you guys, but it's so nice just to be able to TALK to my husband. I don't care what we do as long as we can be together. :)
Today I was able to have a date with the boy. It's been months since he's had a chance to have my attention without interruption. We went to see the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit at the Milwaukee Public Museum. If you happen to live near Milwaukee I highly recommend the exhibit! In addition to learning about the history of the discovery of the scrolls and the subsequent study and translation, we learned a bit more about bible translations over the years as well as a bit about the history of the time period (early Christian and pre-Christian) and people.
The Hubster took a day off of work to care for the girls while we were gone and by all accounts they had a very fun time!
This weekend I'll be heading out to the college to go through a bit of parents' orientation and the boy will be registering for his first college classes. Honestly it seems like just yesterday that he was the baby girl's age. How time does fly!
Today I was able to have a date with the boy. It's been months since he's had a chance to have my attention without interruption. We went to see the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit at the Milwaukee Public Museum. If you happen to live near Milwaukee I highly recommend the exhibit! In addition to learning about the history of the discovery of the scrolls and the subsequent study and translation, we learned a bit more about bible translations over the years as well as a bit about the history of the time period (early Christian and pre-Christian) and people.
The Hubster took a day off of work to care for the girls while we were gone and by all accounts they had a very fun time!
This weekend I'll be heading out to the college to go through a bit of parents' orientation and the boy will be registering for his first college classes. Honestly it seems like just yesterday that he was the baby girl's age. How time does fly!
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Another day where I don't really feel like writing
so you get a stream-of-consciousness sort of post.
It's raining today. Glad to see the rain, but disappointed that we can't go outside to play. Also disappointed that I didn't get the weeds pulled from the garden beds earlier. Last thing I need is for them to benefit from the rain.
I made dinner at 9:30am this morning. Simple casserole with home canned chicken (from our friend, K, the chicken farmer - he raised them - we canned them), home canned stewed tomatoes from last year's garden, and some pasta. The boy will reheat it later on for dinner for him and the girls. Ideally the Hubster and I are taking a ride to pick up my newest rifle this afternoon/evening. This all hinges upon the baby girl taking a decent nap before it's time for me to leave, though. I'll try and remember to update you later as to the outcome.
I've decided to finally shut down the business - Retro Rags Wisconsin. If you want to order pads, please do so before May 31st. Remember you can use coupon code Moo10 to get 10% off your order. Free shipping is available for orders over $75. It's just taking too much time away from other things I want and need to accomplish. I want to sew more and I want to cook more. I will keep the url for several more years and have entertained the thought of opening a small etsy shop, but a business the size and scope we've had is just too much. I'm also hoping our next child will be coming soon and there just won't be enough of me to serve customers AND four children and my amazingly understanding husband of eleven years. :)
I've registered for an NRA Basic Pistol course out at the local shooting range. I'm excited! I've been shooting a 9mm off and on for a while now, but it'll be nice to get some further training. It takes place on May 22nd. I'm a bit worried about being away from the baby girl for an eight hour course, but the Hubster will be with her.
We have a busy summer coming up. We already have two weekends in May filled, three weekends in June filled, and one weekend in July filled. I hate scheduling our lives, but I don't see an alternative this year. Luckily the Hubster gets loads of vacation time and we can have some free time during the week.
The transplants/seedlings growing in the basement are enormous. Clearly I don't need to start the tomatoes as early as I did this year. Also, the chamomile and lamb's ear could have been started later. The only ones I really pegged right were the peppers and broccoli. They're right on schedule and will be the perfect size to plant out in the garden beds at the end of the month.
I'm not making any progress on sewing up summer clothing for the girls. Luckily summer weather is taking it's time as well. ;) If I don't get to it before June I think I'll still have time then, though. We're still experiencing temps as low as the 40's (F) most days here.
I have lots and lots of recipes printed out and ready for me to try, but haven't gotten around to it as well. More baking and cooking on tap for June as well.
I'm trying to decide what this week's local and seasonal recipe will be. The two ingredients under consideration for this week's post are rhubarb and mint. I also have chives, sage, and marjoram ready, but they're not easily the focus of a recipe. Do you have any preferences? Let me know in the comments if you do.
It's raining today. Glad to see the rain, but disappointed that we can't go outside to play. Also disappointed that I didn't get the weeds pulled from the garden beds earlier. Last thing I need is for them to benefit from the rain.
I made dinner at 9:30am this morning. Simple casserole with home canned chicken (from our friend, K, the chicken farmer - he raised them - we canned them), home canned stewed tomatoes from last year's garden, and some pasta. The boy will reheat it later on for dinner for him and the girls. Ideally the Hubster and I are taking a ride to pick up my newest rifle this afternoon/evening. This all hinges upon the baby girl taking a decent nap before it's time for me to leave, though. I'll try and remember to update you later as to the outcome.
I've decided to finally shut down the business - Retro Rags Wisconsin. If you want to order pads, please do so before May 31st. Remember you can use coupon code Moo10 to get 10% off your order. Free shipping is available for orders over $75. It's just taking too much time away from other things I want and need to accomplish. I want to sew more and I want to cook more. I will keep the url for several more years and have entertained the thought of opening a small etsy shop, but a business the size and scope we've had is just too much. I'm also hoping our next child will be coming soon and there just won't be enough of me to serve customers AND four children and my amazingly understanding husband of eleven years. :)
I've registered for an NRA Basic Pistol course out at the local shooting range. I'm excited! I've been shooting a 9mm off and on for a while now, but it'll be nice to get some further training. It takes place on May 22nd. I'm a bit worried about being away from the baby girl for an eight hour course, but the Hubster will be with her.
We have a busy summer coming up. We already have two weekends in May filled, three weekends in June filled, and one weekend in July filled. I hate scheduling our lives, but I don't see an alternative this year. Luckily the Hubster gets loads of vacation time and we can have some free time during the week.
The transplants/seedlings growing in the basement are enormous. Clearly I don't need to start the tomatoes as early as I did this year. Also, the chamomile and lamb's ear could have been started later. The only ones I really pegged right were the peppers and broccoli. They're right on schedule and will be the perfect size to plant out in the garden beds at the end of the month.
I'm not making any progress on sewing up summer clothing for the girls. Luckily summer weather is taking it's time as well. ;) If I don't get to it before June I think I'll still have time then, though. We're still experiencing temps as low as the 40's (F) most days here.
I have lots and lots of recipes printed out and ready for me to try, but haven't gotten around to it as well. More baking and cooking on tap for June as well.
I'm trying to decide what this week's local and seasonal recipe will be. The two ingredients under consideration for this week's post are rhubarb and mint. I also have chives, sage, and marjoram ready, but they're not easily the focus of a recipe. Do you have any preferences? Let me know in the comments if you do.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Scripture verses of the day
The Acts of the Apostles 2:16-21
16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:
19 And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:
20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:
21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:
19 And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:
20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:
21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
How to build a greenhouse for $50
I haven't got anything much to write about today, so I thought I'd share this great article I found about building a greenhouse for $50. It was written in 2008 so the cost is probably a bit higher, but it would still be a great inexpensive greenhouse project.
David LaFerney is the author and the title is How to build my 50 Dollar Greenhouse. It was posted at The Door Garden.
David LaFerney is the author and the title is How to build my 50 Dollar Greenhouse. It was posted at The Door Garden.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Mother's Day
It's a silly holiday for me. Why on earth should others celebrate my motherhood?
I've been a mother for quite a while now - 18 1/2 years - a bit longer if you count the pregnancy, too. In fact I'm inching up on having been a mother nearly half of my life now.
As the years passed and it seemed that the boy would be my only child I felt so very grateful to have him and yet so very un-motherlike. After all, having only one child was so very simple. Hardly any effort at all.
I struggled with infertility for five years before I became pregnant and carried the boy. I struggled again for another 12 years after he was born.
I was quite certain he would be my only motherhood miracle.
Then my second miracle came to me in 2003. I was pregnant and carrying the big girl. I wondered why on earth she had come. I wondered how on earth I could be a mother to another infant. I was 36 years old and would be 37 when she was born. Then there were all the difficulties involved in avoiding a mandatory 2nd c-section. We dodged that bullet and she was born and then we dealt with all the difficulties of colic and dairy allergies. I went on a strict elimination diet and ate like a pauper for a year. Once we figured out the allergies I had a happy baby and life was a dream.
I was mother to TWO children! It was truly more than I had hoped possible.
Our third miracle came to me when I was 40 years old. I was starting to feel a bit like Sarai/Sarah from the Old Testament. Suddenly, in my old age, I was being blessed with children. I pondered it at length. I wondered what had changed in my body. I wondered why these spirits wanted to come here when my husband and I were so old.
So Mother's Day isn't a day for my family to celebrate motherhood. No, it's a day for me to count my many blessings and praise the Lord for allowing me this sacred honor of loving and teaching his spirit children. My heart swells with gratitude and thanksgiving and again I wonder at the miracle of life and my small part in that miracle.
I've been a mother for quite a while now - 18 1/2 years - a bit longer if you count the pregnancy, too. In fact I'm inching up on having been a mother nearly half of my life now.
As the years passed and it seemed that the boy would be my only child I felt so very grateful to have him and yet so very un-motherlike. After all, having only one child was so very simple. Hardly any effort at all.
I struggled with infertility for five years before I became pregnant and carried the boy. I struggled again for another 12 years after he was born.
I was quite certain he would be my only motherhood miracle.
Then my second miracle came to me in 2003. I was pregnant and carrying the big girl. I wondered why on earth she had come. I wondered how on earth I could be a mother to another infant. I was 36 years old and would be 37 when she was born. Then there were all the difficulties involved in avoiding a mandatory 2nd c-section. We dodged that bullet and she was born and then we dealt with all the difficulties of colic and dairy allergies. I went on a strict elimination diet and ate like a pauper for a year. Once we figured out the allergies I had a happy baby and life was a dream.
I was mother to TWO children! It was truly more than I had hoped possible.
Our third miracle came to me when I was 40 years old. I was starting to feel a bit like Sarai/Sarah from the Old Testament. Suddenly, in my old age, I was being blessed with children. I pondered it at length. I wondered what had changed in my body. I wondered why these spirits wanted to come here when my husband and I were so old.
So Mother's Day isn't a day for my family to celebrate motherhood. No, it's a day for me to count my many blessings and praise the Lord for allowing me this sacred honor of loving and teaching his spirit children. My heart swells with gratitude and thanksgiving and again I wonder at the miracle of life and my small part in that miracle.
Eating Seasonally and Locally - Dandelion Jelly
This is part II in my series about eating seasonally and locally. Last week I showed you how to make jelly using wild violets. Today I'll show you how to make jelly using an even more common flower - the dandelion.
The only caution needed in harvesting dandelions is to be sure you're not picking them from a yard where herbicides or pesticides have been used.
Dandelion Jelly
2 heaping cups of dandelion flowers
2 cups boiling water
4 cups cane sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 - 3oz. container of liquid fruit pectin
Your first step, after picking your flowers, is to put the flowers into a heat resistant bowl or container. Next you'll pour 2 cups of boiling water over the flowers.
Then you wait. The recipe that I read said to wait at least two hours, but I found it easier to pick the flowers one day and make the infusion. Then I left the infusion in the refrigerator overnight.
The next morning I took the infusion out of the refrigerator and strained the flowers out.
The next step is cooking up the jelly. Before I cook up jelly, though, I always get my jars ready and bring out any equipment I'll need.
I filled a large water bath canner about 3/4 full with hot water. Then I put in the jelly jars.
I put the lid on the canner and turned the heat up to high. It's very important that you heat your jars (to prevent breakage when filling them with the hot jelly) and also to sterilize them. The jars heated up and were eventually boiled while I made the jelly.
I also laid out my jar lifting tongs, magnetic lid lifter, jar rings, a canning funnel, a metal spoon to skim off foam, a clean cloth (to wipe off the jars after filling them), and a ladle.
I then filled a small saucepan with hot water and put in the canning jar lids. I put them on the stovetop to heat up on a low burner. I just needed them warm, not boiled. The warming process is to allow the lids to seal more effectively on the jars.
After beginning to heat up the jars and lids and arranging all of my equipment I began to cook up the jelly.
To cook the jelly I poured the 2 cups of dandelion flower infusion into a large pot. I chose my Revereware pot because it's important that you use a non-reactive pot. Next I added 4 cups of cane sugar. I turned the burner on medium heat and warmed the ingredients up. I simmered them for a while and then added in 1/4 cup of lemon juice.
Then I brought the liquid up to a full rolling boil.
You want to cook it at least a minute at a full rolling boil that will not be broken by stirring. After the mixture had been at a full rolling boil for a minute I added in the liquid fruit pectin.
I continued to keep the mixture at a boil for another five minutes. Then I turned off the heat and skimmed off as much of the foam as I could.
Then I took a jar out of the water bath canner, using my jar lifting tongs. At this point they had been boiling for at least five minutes and were thoroughly sterilized. I emptied the water out into the sink and put the canning funnel in the jar. I ladled hot jelly into the jar and filled it to about an inch of the top of the jar. I wiped down the rim and lifted a warmed lid out of the saucepan using my magnetic lid lifter. I placed the lid on the rim of the jar and screwed on a ring.
Then I used my jar lifting tongs to place the filled jar into the water bath canner. I repeated this step with five more jars.
When all the jars were filled with hot jelly I put the lid back on the water bath canner and turned the heat back up to high.
When the water was at a full rolling boil I set a timer for ten minutes. I processed the jars for ten minutes. Then I turned off the heat and removed the lid. I set a timer for five minutes.
After five minutes I removed the jars from the water bath canner using my jar lifting tongs and set them on a piece of cardboard set on my hoosier countertop.
five and a half jars of dandelion honey
After the jars had cooled off I checked the lids to make sure the jars had sealed properly. Then I removed the rings, wiped down the jars, and wrote the contents - dandelion jelly - on the jar lid along with the month and year.
the finished jelly is a lovely golden yellow color
I stored the jelly on shelves in my basement. It's important to select a cool, dry, and dark space for storing your home canned jellies.
We popped a lid off one of the jars soon after they cooled and discovered that the dandelion jelly has the most marvelous honey flavor! It's a very inexpensive and easy solution if you want a slice of honey toast.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
This week in the blogosphere
These are blog posts that made me think, inspired me, entertained me, helped me learn, or just made me smile.
Here are this week's top picks.
1. Pioneer Woman Home & Garden - Guess the Materials (this one was technically last week's, but the list got too big and I HAD to include it!)
2. ikat bag - How to Sew a Skirt When You are 5 Years Old
3. Tired, Need Sleep - Bird Craft #3 - Birdhouse Suncatcher
4. Tired, Need Sleep - Homemade Foam Stamps
5. Eclectic Effervescence - Listen, Facebook. It's not you, it's me. I want to break up.
6. The Survival Mom - Rice and Beans With a Bam!
7. Can't Stop Making Things - Mother's Day Button Card (this craft can be used for other gifts as well, though - not just Mother's Day)
8. Viggie's Veggies - Wheat Cereal
9. The Survival Mom - Set a Number, Set a Goal
10. Once Upon a Family - Epsom salt advice for free
11. Holy Experience - Wounded Spirits: How to Stop the Bullying
12. Survival Common Sense - The Unthinkable: Who Survives When Disaster Strikes and Why
13. Daily Survival - How to Eat Dandelion Flowers
14. Just Simply Live - Whole Wheat Honey Graham Crackers
15. The Train To Crazy - The BEST girls' dress tutorials
16. Mama Smiles - No-mess finger paint
17. Fierce Mamas - Young Punks.
18. Health, Home, and Happiness - Fluoride Research and Why We Don't Use It
19. peaceful parenting - Cedar Rapids, Iowa Nurse-In After Mother Harassed For Breastfeeding 5-Week Old
Here are this week's top picks.
1. Pioneer Woman Home & Garden - Guess the Materials (this one was technically last week's, but the list got too big and I HAD to include it!)
2. ikat bag - How to Sew a Skirt When You are 5 Years Old
3. Tired, Need Sleep - Bird Craft #3 - Birdhouse Suncatcher
4. Tired, Need Sleep - Homemade Foam Stamps
5. Eclectic Effervescence - Listen, Facebook. It's not you, it's me. I want to break up.
6. The Survival Mom - Rice and Beans With a Bam!
7. Can't Stop Making Things - Mother's Day Button Card (this craft can be used for other gifts as well, though - not just Mother's Day)
8. Viggie's Veggies - Wheat Cereal
9. The Survival Mom - Set a Number, Set a Goal
10. Once Upon a Family - Epsom salt advice for free
11. Holy Experience - Wounded Spirits: How to Stop the Bullying
12. Survival Common Sense - The Unthinkable: Who Survives When Disaster Strikes and Why
13. Daily Survival - How to Eat Dandelion Flowers
14. Just Simply Live - Whole Wheat Honey Graham Crackers
15. The Train To Crazy - The BEST girls' dress tutorials
16. Mama Smiles - No-mess finger paint
17. Fierce Mamas - Young Punks.
18. Health, Home, and Happiness - Fluoride Research and Why We Don't Use It
19. peaceful parenting - Cedar Rapids, Iowa Nurse-In After Mother Harassed For Breastfeeding 5-Week Old
Friday, May 7, 2010
More to do with wild violets
I was experimenting yesterday with another batch of wild violet jelly. This time I was trying to see if I could use powdered fruit pectin instead of the liquid fruit pectin.
The batch failed because I didn't boil it long enough. I did learn with another batch, however, that longer cooking - about 5 minutes at boiling - did result in a jelly. So now I know that I can successfully substitute powdered fruit pectin.
But - I also had a batch of failed jelly. Now I could have opened the jars and re-cooked the failed jelly and it would have jelled up fine.
But I decided to keep the failed jelly - as wild violet syrup. I tried a bit on this morning's pancakes and it's a very sweet fruity jelly. A bit too sweet for my tastes. I thought, however, that a small bit of it drizzled on some pound cake and garnished with a sugared violet would make a fabulous dessert.
Have you had failed cooking experiences that you turned into unexpected successes?
Scripture verses of the day
Proverbs 8:32-36
32 Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways.
33 Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.
34 Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.
35 For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the Lord.
36 But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.
32 Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways.
33 Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.
34 Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.
35 For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the Lord.
36 But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.
Wanna see what I did last night?
The Hubster took me out to the shooting range and I fired a rifle for the first time (his Winchester Model 69). I'm told I did pretty okay!
Here is my first target:
Here is my second target:
After we were done shooting we went out for a quick dinner date and then over to the Fleet Farm store to buy me my own .22. I now own a Marlin 795.
I'm practicing and getting ready for the Appleseed Project training in June.
I was a bit surprised at how easy shooting can be and also how much fun it can be. It's a combination of a little bit of small muscle coordination and a lot of estimating distance and trajectory. Kinda like a mini physics course. :)
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Scripture verses of the day
The Gospel According to St. Matthew 6:5-15
5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
An unschooling success story
First, let me say that the boy is AWESOME!
His wisdom amazes me daily and he has taught me so much the past four years he's learned at home.
He elected to return home for learning mid-way through his freshman year in a traditional public high school. He was frustrated with the practice of teaching to the lowest common denominator and the amount of classroom time that was wasted with teachers trying to control the students. He was frustrated with drug deals happening at lockers and NOTHING being done to stop the illegal behavior. The list goes on, but you get the idea.
So he came home and began deschooling. Then he proceeded to unschool.
He had a goal already set of going on to college. Over the years he refined it to a specific career goal. He wants to finish a BS and then go on to an MS program in Landscape Architecture.
His learning was an interesting thing to watch. For instance, he has a strong dislike of traditional textbooks and instead chose non-fiction books with a scientific basis. He studied anthropology, biology, bio-chemistry, physics, history, current events, literature, and a host of various subjects over the past four years.
Then came time for the ACT. He studied and took practice tests and when he was finally ready, he scheduled a test at a local college.
He took it and we were proud and amazed. His score was higher than the state average and high enough to garner the opportunity to apply for a college honors program.
He wrote his college application essay and completed the application form. He was accepted! He then wrote his essay and completed the application for the Honors Program.
Today he opened the following letter:
"Dear ______:
Congratulations! Based on your application essay, GPA, and ACT scores, you have been accepted into the Honors Program at ______ College. You will be joining a select group of engaging and dedicated students and faculty, a group that is enthusiastic about learning and about developing the capacity for innovative thinking.
Your Honors Program coursework will begin this fall with HON 190: Introduction to Honors. This six-credit course will be team-taught by two dynamic members of _______'s faculty and will take the place of your Core I and basic writing courses. When you come to register for classes, your advisor will make sure you are placed in the correct course.
Congratulations on this achievement! We look forward to working with you."
The huge accomplishment here is that the boy taught himself. He set his goals, he searched out a way to reach them, and he excelled.
The Hubster and I were available to assist when asked, but the achievement is all the boy's!
This is how unschooling works. :)
His wisdom amazes me daily and he has taught me so much the past four years he's learned at home.
He elected to return home for learning mid-way through his freshman year in a traditional public high school. He was frustrated with the practice of teaching to the lowest common denominator and the amount of classroom time that was wasted with teachers trying to control the students. He was frustrated with drug deals happening at lockers and NOTHING being done to stop the illegal behavior. The list goes on, but you get the idea.
So he came home and began deschooling. Then he proceeded to unschool.
He had a goal already set of going on to college. Over the years he refined it to a specific career goal. He wants to finish a BS and then go on to an MS program in Landscape Architecture.
His learning was an interesting thing to watch. For instance, he has a strong dislike of traditional textbooks and instead chose non-fiction books with a scientific basis. He studied anthropology, biology, bio-chemistry, physics, history, current events, literature, and a host of various subjects over the past four years.
Then came time for the ACT. He studied and took practice tests and when he was finally ready, he scheduled a test at a local college.
He took it and we were proud and amazed. His score was higher than the state average and high enough to garner the opportunity to apply for a college honors program.
He wrote his college application essay and completed the application form. He was accepted! He then wrote his essay and completed the application for the Honors Program.
Today he opened the following letter:
"Dear ______:
Congratulations! Based on your application essay, GPA, and ACT scores, you have been accepted into the Honors Program at ______ College. You will be joining a select group of engaging and dedicated students and faculty, a group that is enthusiastic about learning and about developing the capacity for innovative thinking.
Your Honors Program coursework will begin this fall with HON 190: Introduction to Honors. This six-credit course will be team-taught by two dynamic members of _______'s faculty and will take the place of your Core I and basic writing courses. When you come to register for classes, your advisor will make sure you are placed in the correct course.
Congratulations on this achievement! We look forward to working with you."
The huge accomplishment here is that the boy taught himself. He set his goals, he searched out a way to reach them, and he excelled.
The Hubster and I were available to assist when asked, but the achievement is all the boy's!
This is how unschooling works. :)
Scripture verses of the day
The Gospel According to St. Matthew 22:36-40
36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Posts are now printable!
For the convenience of my readers I now have a button at the bottom of posts that will allow you to print the posts out in a convenient format.
Look at the bottom of the posts to find it.
Hopefully this will permit you to more easily use the recipes and tutorials I put together for you!
Please also remember that all of my work published here at Moo Said the Mama is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. This means that all of my work is copyrighted and it would be a violation of US copyright law for you to re-publish the work.
I've added this print option to make my work easier for you to use for your own personal enjoyment and enrichment. :)
Look at the bottom of the posts to find it.
Hopefully this will permit you to more easily use the recipes and tutorials I put together for you!
Please also remember that all of my work published here at Moo Said the Mama is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. This means that all of my work is copyrighted and it would be a violation of US copyright law for you to re-publish the work.
I've added this print option to make my work easier for you to use for your own personal enjoyment and enrichment. :)
The dirty dozen
No, I'm not going to discuss a Clint Eastwood film. I'm talking about the top 12 pesticide laden fruits and vegetables. They're called the dirty dozen and a non-profit group called the Environmental Working Group evaluates fruits and vegetables and lets us know which are the most harmful and which are the least harmful.
For folks on a limited budget (and who isn't these days) this list is especially helpful. It allows us to put our food dollars toward the organic produce that would be most beneficial in our diets.
Here's this year's list of the dirty dozen. Remember, these are the fruits and vegetables that would be most important to try and purchase in organic form.
1. Celery
2. Peaches
3. Strawberries
4. Apples
5. Blueberries (domestic)
6. Nectarines
7. Sweet Bell Peppers
8. Spinach
9. Kale/Collard Greens
10. Cherries
11. Potatoes
12. Grapes (imported)
They also let us know which conventionally grown fruits and vegetables have the lowest amounts of pesticides on them.
1. Onions
2. Avocado
3. Sweet corn (frozen)
4. Pineapples
5. Mango (Subtropical and Tropical)
6. Sweet peas (frozen)
7. Asparagus
8. Kiwi fruit (Subtropical and Tropical)
9. Cabbage
10. Eggplant
11. Cantaloupe (Domestic)
12. Watermelon
You can view the entire list at the Environmental Working Group's site. They also have a handy wallet sized list of the dirty dozen so you can take it along with you when you're shopping.
We use this information both in our buying decisions and also in our gardening decisions. We focus our garden space on growing the dirty dozen ourselves and thereby reducing our need to spend our food dollars on organic produce. We typically leave the 12 safest fruits and vegetables out of our growing plans since we have limited space and have to prioritize our crops.
Do lists like these change your buying habits or gardening choices?
For folks on a limited budget (and who isn't these days) this list is especially helpful. It allows us to put our food dollars toward the organic produce that would be most beneficial in our diets.
Here's this year's list of the dirty dozen. Remember, these are the fruits and vegetables that would be most important to try and purchase in organic form.
1. Celery
2. Peaches
3. Strawberries
4. Apples
5. Blueberries (domestic)
6. Nectarines
7. Sweet Bell Peppers
8. Spinach
9. Kale/Collard Greens
10. Cherries
11. Potatoes
12. Grapes (imported)
They also let us know which conventionally grown fruits and vegetables have the lowest amounts of pesticides on them.
1. Onions
2. Avocado
3. Sweet corn (frozen)
4. Pineapples
5. Mango (Subtropical and Tropical)
6. Sweet peas (frozen)
7. Asparagus
8. Kiwi fruit (Subtropical and Tropical)
9. Cabbage
10. Eggplant
11. Cantaloupe (Domestic)
12. Watermelon
You can view the entire list at the Environmental Working Group's site. They also have a handy wallet sized list of the dirty dozen so you can take it along with you when you're shopping.
We use this information both in our buying decisions and also in our gardening decisions. We focus our garden space on growing the dirty dozen ourselves and thereby reducing our need to spend our food dollars on organic produce. We typically leave the 12 safest fruits and vegetables out of our growing plans since we have limited space and have to prioritize our crops.
Do lists like these change your buying habits or gardening choices?
Monday, May 3, 2010
The Appleseed Project
I wanted to share with my US readers an opportunity to receive free marksmanship (rifle) training - at least the women and youth under 21.
I recently learned of a program called the Appleseed Project. According to their promotional materials, "The Appleseed Program is designed to take you from being a simple rifle owner to being a true rifleman. An American tradition, the rifleman has been defined as a marksman capable of hitting a man-sized target from 500 yards away - no ifs, ands or buts about it. This 500-yard range is traditionally known as "the rifleman's quarter-mile." A rifleman can hit just about any target he can see within that radius. Marksmanship skill (albeit with smoothbore muskets) was particularly evident in the birth of our country, and was the difference in winning the Revolutionary War, right from the first day."
In 2010 they are offering their two-day marksmanship training program free to women and youth under the age of 21.
There are training sessions being held all around the US this summer and autumn.
To see a schedule of training sessions visit the schedule page and search using your state as the location.
To learn more about the Appleseed Project, visit their home page.
I recently learned of a program called the Appleseed Project. According to their promotional materials, "The Appleseed Program is designed to take you from being a simple rifle owner to being a true rifleman. An American tradition, the rifleman has been defined as a marksman capable of hitting a man-sized target from 500 yards away - no ifs, ands or buts about it. This 500-yard range is traditionally known as "the rifleman's quarter-mile." A rifleman can hit just about any target he can see within that radius. Marksmanship skill (albeit with smoothbore muskets) was particularly evident in the birth of our country, and was the difference in winning the Revolutionary War, right from the first day."
In 2010 they are offering their two-day marksmanship training program free to women and youth under the age of 21.
There are training sessions being held all around the US this summer and autumn.
To see a schedule of training sessions visit the schedule page and search using your state as the location.
To learn more about the Appleseed Project, visit their home page.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Eating Seasonally and Locally - Wild Violet Jelly
This is the first post in a series about eating seasonally and eating locally. Once a week I'll be sharing a recipe that uses a seasonal local ingredient.
This particular recipe is being widely shared around the blogosphere. I first found out about by reading Grammy K's blog, Heritage Homestead Ramblings.
Here's my version and tutorial.
Wild Violet Jelly
2 heaping cups of wild violet flowers
2 cups boiling water
4 cups cane sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 - 3oz. container of liquid fruit pectin
Your first step, after picking your flowers, is to put the flowers into a heat resistant bowl or container. Next you'll pour 2 cups of boiling water over the flowers.
Then you wait. The recipe that I read said to wait at least two hours, but I found it easier to pick the flowers one day and make the infusion. Then I left the infusion in the refrigerator overnight.
wild violet flower infusion after soaking overnight
The next morning I took the infusion out of the refrigerator and strained the flowers out.
almost two cups of wild violet infusion, strained
It made a very bright blue liquid.
The next step is cooking up the jelly. Before I cook up jelly, though, I always get my jars ready and bring out any equipment I'll need.
I filled a large water bath canner about 3/4 full with hot water. Then I put in five 6oz. jelly jars.
jars heating up in the water bath canner
I put the lid on the canner and turned the heat up to high. It's very important that you heat your jars (to prevent breakage when filling them with the hot jelly) and also to sterilize them. The jars heated up and were eventually boiled while I made the jelly.
I also laid out my jar lifter, magnetic lid lifter, five rings, a canning funnel, a clean cloth (to wipe off the jars after filling them), and a ladle.
I then filled a small saucepan with hot water and put in five canning jar lids. I put them on the stovetop to heat up on a low burner. I just needed them warm, not boiled. The warming process is to allow the lids to seal more effectively on the jars.
jar lids warming on the stovetop
After beginning to heat up the jars and lids and arranging all of my equipment I began to cook up the jelly. To cook the jelly I poured the 2 cups of wild violet infusion into a large pot. I chose my Revereware pot because it's important that you use a non-reactive pot. Next I added 4 cups of cane sugar. I turned the burner on medium heat and warmed the ingredients up. I simmered them for a while and then added in 1/4 cup of lemon juice.
jelly mixture after adding the lemon juice - it changes from a bright blue liquid to a pinkish purple liquid
Then I brought the liquid up to a full rolling boil.
jelly mixture at a full rolling boil
You want to cook it at least a minute at a full rolling boil that will not be broken by stirring. After the mixture had been at a full rolling boil for a minute I added in the liquid fruit pectin.
I continued to keep the mixture at a boil for another five minutes. Then I turned off the heat and skimmed off as much of the foam as I could.
jelly just prior to filling jars
Then I took a jar out of the water bath canner, using my jar lifting tongs. At this point they had been boiling for at least five minutes and were thoroughly sterilized. I emptied the water out into the sink and put the canning funnel in the jar. I ladled hot jelly into the jar and filled it to about an inch of the top of the jar. I wiped down the rim and lifted a warmed lid out of the saucepan using my magnetic lid lifter. I placed the lid on the rim of the jar and screwed on a ring.
jar filled and lid on - ready to go back in the canner for processing
Then I used my jar lifting tongs to place the filled jar into the water bath canner. I repeated this step with four more jars.
jars all filled with jelly and placed back in the water bath canner
When all the jars were filled with hot jelly I put the lid back on the water bath canner and turned the heat back up to high. When the water was at a full rolling boil I set a timer for ten minutes. I processed the jars for ten minutes. Then I turned off the heat and removed the lid. I set a timer for five minutes.
water bath canner with lid off - leave jars in canner for five minutes
After five minutes I removed the jars from the water bath canner using my jar lifting tongs and set them on a piece of cardboard set on my hoosier countertop.
Four and a half 6oz. jars of wild violet jelly
After the jars had cooled off I checked the lids to make sure the jars had sealed properly. Then I removed the rings, wiped down the jars, and wrote the contents - wild violet jelly - on the jar lid along with the month and year.
I stored the jelly on shelves in my basement. It's important to select a cool, dry, and dark space for storing your home canned jellies.
Do you prepare harvest wild foods for use by your family? What are your favorite methods to prepare wild foods?
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Earthy Mama Goods
About Me
- MooMama
- A 40 something mama meandering through life with an eclectic 21 year old boy-man (the boy), an 8 year old girl (big girl) who is a ball of lightening, and a 4 year old girl (baby girl) who brightens our lives with her smiles. I'm grounded by my 40 something husband and partner (the hubster) whose quirky mannerisms brighten my days.
I've been a single mama, married mama, divorced mama, career mama, SAHM, and WAHM. There was a short time of my life when I wasn't a mama, but that was a LONG time ago!
I hold an AA, BS, and MA and most say I'm wasting them by devoting my intellectual capabilities and energy in the nurture of the wee ones that I've been entrusted to raise, but there is nothing else I'd rather be doing these days. :)
I love hearing from readers, so please share your thoughts and leave comments, too!