A Bit Cooler Today

 It is just a bit cooler today.  In the mid 80's and it feels so nice!  We have had so much heat for so long!!!  What a reprieve to have a day below 99 to 104.  It's supposed to warm again next week but maybe, just maybe, this means the weather will start the turn to the cooler side.

I love autumn.  It is my favorite season!!  I love the smells, the colors, the garden harvest.  I love the warm days and the crisp cool nights.  I guess my longing is showing. 😄

Our little garden is producing.  The fruits of our labor so to speak.  

The cucumbers are in a crock starting the fermentation process. Fermented Dill Pickles

My cucumbers are not the little ones, so I sliced them like a hamburger dill.

The tomatoes have been canned.  Canning Tomatoes

The carrots were grated and made into a carrot and raisin salad.

Our little garden is a sweet blessing, and we enjoy all its produce.

Think fall and enjoy something fresh from a garden near you!

~a little bird

Refreshing Summer Drink

 

Do you remember the preserved limes?  

I have cut one of them in eights, muddled a bit, added some lemon balm from the herb garden and a few violets.  Some ice and filtered water and you have a very refreshing herbal summer drink.

We have had some very hot weather and trying to stay hydrated is important.

I find if I put together a pitcher of herbal iced tea, or like this a lime-lemon balm infused water we tend to drink more throughout the day.

How are you staying hydrated??

a little bird

Dehydrating

 The dehydrator is preserving some of our harvest.  The wax beans are producing more than we can eat in a setting or even two. So, it was time to put the dehydrator to work.

Link to Drying Fruits and Vegetables

Steam blanch or water blanch, cool and into the dehydrator they go.

The cabbage is also doing very well.  And before they split, they need to be eaten, shared and put by.  I still have some sauerkraut from last year so don't need to make more at this time.  We have eaten sauteed cabbage at many meals and will continue to do so.  Have shared many heads with family and neighbors, and there is still more coming... So, it is time to dehydrate some for soups this winter.

As with the beans, steam or water blanch, cool, and into the dehydrator.

I had one tray still empty, so I roughly chopped some parsley to complete the load.

These will all be used and enjoyed this winter when the winter winds blow, and the garden is covered with a blanket of snow.

I hope you too are harvesting the bounty of the season.

~ a little bird

Lavender

 

My lavender has dried so I have harvested the flower buds.

It smells wonderful!! 

I have a pint of lavender buds.  My DH asked what I can do with them??

Here are some great ways to use lavender:

• make potpourri
• homemade soap
• add it inside of oil lamps
• Lavender tea
• add to green tea
• add to salad dressing
• make sachets 
• add to shortbread cookies 

Lavender Tea - a few lavender buds and some hot water and you have a lovely cup of calming tea.

Lavender infused oil - add some lavender buds to almond oil and gently warm over a simmering double boiler.  Use the oil in your homemade creams and salves.

Lavender lemonade: 

2 teaspoons lavender buds

4 cups water

Juice from 2 large lemons (or 1/4 cups store bottled)

sweeten to taste 1/3 cup sugar or 1/4 cup honey 

Place lavender buds in reusable tea bag   Pour 4 cups of boiling water over the buds and allow to steep 15 minutes. Remove tea bag and add your sweetener, stir to dissolve, allow to cool completely.

Add lemon juice and serve over ice.  Lovely!!

I tied and allowed my lavender to dry in an airy place.

Then when they were completely dried, I was able to rub them between my palms and the flower heads came right off.

I should have taken a picture....

So here are a few ideas if you have some lavender buds to harvest.

~ a little bird

Quick Trip

 We made a quick trip.  We went to a memorial service for my dear husband's aunt.  Were able to see and spend time with his sweet mom, my lovely mother-in-law.  It was a quick trip, and we weren't able to see all of the family. But we saw some. 

In truth we spent most of the time driving there and back.  We wanted to see some new areas. 

Custer State Park in South Dakota, this is a beautiful park right by Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse Monument. 

Driving through the Badlands is a worthwhile drive, so different and interesting.

We stopped at Lake Michigan both going and coming.  I love the Great Lakes!!!

Lake Michigan at sunset

We stopped for lunch at Lake Superior on the way home.

Abraham Lincoln State Park in North Dakota.  I wanted to see the house Libby and George Custer built and lived in, at that time, in the wilderness of North Dakota.

Harp

and Yellowstone National Park - Gibbon's Falls

Norris Basin

When were there only part of the park was open due to the flooding.

We spent 5.5 days driving to, 6 days there, and 7 days driving home. I wish we could have caught up with all our family... but it just didn't work out this visit.  Our main focus was the memorial service and DH's mom.

Our sweet grands (and their parents) took care of the mowing and watering.  

The garden grew by leaps and bounds and so did the weeds 😀 but we are getting them pulled and the garden looking as it should again.

The herbs were ready for harvest when we got home.  Here are a few that have been cut.

The Lavendar is cut and hanging to dry.

Basil and Parsley in water to keep it fresh for usage right now.  The rest went into the dehydrator for this winter.

There were cherries to pick too!

So Danish Cherry Sauce was put by, Cherry Jam, and Brandied Cherries.

As well as many eaten fresh.  They are all put up or eaten now.  I do love cherry season!!

The garden is producing much lettuce, kale, and peas.  We are eating a salad once if not twice a day trying to keep up with the production.

Lettuce doesn't preserve so we have to just eat it while it's in season and enjoy it!!

That is what we've been up to lately.

Hope you are well and enjoying the bounty of the season.

The LORD bless you and keep you;

the LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you;

the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.

Numbers 6:24-26

blessings,

a little bird

Tepache Update

 

The latest batch of Tepache I have made without yeast added in.  I prefer this batch.

There is enough natural yeast on the exterior of the pineapple rind.  I did wash the pineapple, but I didn't SCRUB it.  Just a good bath with clean fresh water.

The rind went into my jar with water and sugar.  That's it.  And you can see the bubbles it's producing.  It's a very lovely and refreshing pineapple soda.

~ a little bird

Gluten Free - Rice Blender Bread

Rice Blender Bread

recipe from HERE

2 cups raw white rice 

1 cup water

3 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 tsp salt

2 Tbsp sugar

1 Tbsp yeast

Place your 2 cups rice in a bowl, cover with plenty of water, and allow to soak for two hours.

Drain rice well and add to a high-powered blender along with water, oil, salt, and sugar. Blend until very fine. (Pinch a bit of the batter between thumb and fore finger to feel to see if it is still gritty. If it is blend it a bit more.) Your batter should be warm but not hot now is the time to add your yeast give it a few more pulses to blend the yeast in.

Pour the batter into a greased bread pan.  I used parchment paper in the bottom of the pan.  The batter should only fill your pan halfway.  Allow to rise (15 to 25 minutes) Bake at 375 F degrees for 35 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown.  Internal temp should be about 210 degrees. 

When done turn out to cool.

This bread is tasty, light crumb, has spring, and looks pretty.  I was very pleased with the result and happy to have another gluten free option.

~a little bird

Great Gluten Free Recipes

 We have a D-i-L that is allergic to gluten so I'm always on the lookout for tasty gluten free recipes.  These are the two we made last night for our family dinner.

Pineapple Shrimp Fried Rice

from 

Taste of Home

I also added chopped celery to this. I don't add the peanuts in but serve them on the side so people can choose to have them or not.  I use olive oil and not peanut oil.

NOTE: Most Soy Sauce has wheat in it. So, if you are gluten free this is a great alternative.

Chicken Curry over Rice

(Let me start by saying this is kind of a non-recipe... So, I don't have exact amounts.)

Chicken thighs or breast meat - your preference

I cooked chicken thighs let them cool enough to remove the meat from the bone.  Set aside.

1 to 2 tablespoons cooking oil to the same pan 

Sauté 1 medium sliced onion to tender

Add minced ginger and minced garlic, this is to taste I like both, so I used 1 tablespoon ginger and 1

 tablespoon garlic

Add 1 tablespoon curry powder

Salt and pepper to taste

2 cups chicken broth

let this simmer a few minutes

add your cooked chicken in 

Add one can of coconut milk stir and simmer.

I used some arrowroot powder as a thickener.

Serve over rice

These were both big hits at our family dinner last night.  They were packed with flavor, vegetables, healthy nutrition, and enjoyed by all.

I also made a Blender Rice Bread - it turned out great!!  I will share that recipe next time.  So nice to have a bread that I can serve with soup when we are all together that our D-i-L can enjoy as well.

~a little bird

More Free Sewing Patterns

 

If you like to sew or know someone who does, you will appreciate these websites:

Free Sewing Patterns - So Sew Easy (so-sew-easy.com)

SEW UK's Best Sewing Magazine 

These are free downloadable patters.

Easter Blessings

 

May you be richly blessed this Easter and always.  a little bird  

Bountiful Baskets and Steam Canners

These beautiful pears were purchased through Bountiful Baskets.

We ate many fresh and then it was time to preserve some before they became too ripe. So, the new steam canner was brought out.

I love it!

This is for high acid foods only. 

It is a super canner that reduces the heating up process.  You follow all of the same times as you would with a water bath canner.

Also in our Bountiful Basket was a lovely pineapple.  I cut-up and we are enjoying the flesh and the rind/peel is now becoming Tepache (or pineapple beer - like ginger beer but pineapple)

It's like pineapple soda-pop.  How fun is that!

If you too have Bountiful Baskets available in your area they are a great way to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables.

~a little bird

Seed Starting Has Begun

I have started some seeds for this year's garden. 

Paper Pots with the seeds planted

 

Mini Green House

As soon as these sprout I will put them under grow lights.  Keep your grow lights about two inches above your plants so they don't become 'leggy'.

Foil lined tote with grow light in the top

I am trying to grow onions from seed this year.  They are starting to sprout.  

I have purchased Sweet Spanish Yellow Onion seed. 

Hoping to get a good start before it's time to set them out.  We can have a frost here as late as May 31st.

So our tender plants don't go out until mid to late May and then we cover them for protection.

I need to start some pepper plants as well.

The Family Room decor changes this time of year.  The plastic tablecloth comes out to protect the drop leaf table.  The grow light totes come out etc.  Not the most attractive but, I certainly enjoy the produce.

Happy gardening!

a little bird

 

Lime Preservation Update

 I wanted to do a follow-up post on the limes - it's been a month now so wanted to see how they were doing.

As you can see, they are lighter in color and have swollen some.

Inside they look fine.  I noticed the rind was a bit tough when slicing through.

The biggest thing is they are dry.  There doesn't seem to be any juice to 'squeeze' out.  The flesh tastes good and I put a slice in some hot water to make a tea and it has a wonderful lime taste.  

Last night we had burritos for dinner.  There is no juice to squeeze out, so I put a small amount of the lime flesh in mine, and it was good that way.

Conclusion: They can be sliced and added to a drink hot or cold, the flesh can be used and has good flavor, but if juice is what you want these do not work for that.  

I think the way that I will use them is in tea or in ice water to give it a lovely lime refreshing lift of flavor.  

On a scale of 1 to 10, I would say an 8.  This is a good way of preserving the limes for a longer period of time. 

Lemon and Cumquats

 

This is my lovely lone lemon.

I was given this lemon tree a couple years ago. Last winter it bloomed. 

Since it was in the house for the winter, I used a soft paint brush to pollenate the blooms.

Three small lemons set on but this one made it through the full year to maturity.

My son asked me what I was going to do with my lemon. Good question.  What can you do with a lone lemon?  Use it all. 😉

And I am.

I squeezed the juice and got 50 ml, I sliced the exterior, and I smashed the remaining interior. I will dry the peel and the interior parts to be added to a dry herbal mix for a lovely lemon mint tea.

The juice will be used to make lemon curd.

Lemon Curd

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

1-1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/3 cup butter

Whisk lemon juice, sugar, and eggs in a saucepan

add butter and cook over medium-low heat whisking continuously until mixture reaches 170 degrees.  Remove from heat and pour curd into a pint jar and refrigerate.

This will thicken a bit more as it cools.

This is such a lovely treat.

Lemon Curd is a fresh sweet addition to scones, toast, pound cake, etc.

If you have bottled lemon juice and would like to can some Lemon Curd for the pantry HERE is the recipe.

Printable PDF for Lemon Curd HERE

Below is the last of the cumquats to be harvested.  I love having some warm weather plants that produce a small harvest that our climate just doesn't allow.  I have the lemon and cumquat trees that go out in the summer to enjoy our beautiful summer climate and then in the fall when the temperatures start to drop too low for their tender sets, I bring them in to the family room to enjoy the warmth of our house.  This sweet little tree produced 20 or so fruits.  And we have all just eaten and enjoyed them as they have ripened.  The cumquat has very sweet peel and very tart interior.  They are natures true Sweet Tarts.  So yummy and the grands have all enjoyed them.  Only four left but what fun it has been to watch them mature and then to enjoy the harvest.

~a little bird

Prayer

 

prayer

  NOUN

1. a solemn request for help or expression of thanks addressed to God.

Do you pray?

I do. 

There are times when prayer is all you can do. There are things happening in our world that we have no control over.  And sometimes we can feel frightened or overwhelmed.  The Holy Bible tells us:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Philippians 4:6 NIV

I think that is our answer right now. We cannot control what's going on but we can share our concerns with a holy God, the Lord God Almighty, maker of heaven and earth. He hears us when we talk to Him and He cares .