Apple Harvest

We picked the last of the apples today.  It was a great year for them.  We harvested the Honey Crisp tree mid-September.  And we've been picking the golden crisp right along but today we decided it was time to get the final golden crisp picked and the red delicious were ready too.   

Thankfully our kids wanted apples too (this is way too much for just us).  We dropped the cooler full at Son #1's and then drove up to Son #2's home to drop the four canners full and a basket of the red delicious off.  While driving north to #2 sons we drove through our first snow of the year.

I guess winter is coming.

I better get busy on the apples.

Happy Harvest to all.

a little bird

Our Kitten

I took Lucy in this morning to be spayed. I was out front signing all the paperwork when the vet came out and said, "I need to speak with you before you go". I went back and found out that Lucy is a Louie that has already been neutered.... We really tried to find the owner of this cat I posted pics on facebook, made fliers, looked at the local lost and found for pets, walked my neighborhood asking if this was their kitten, etc...  We really tried.  But since no one has claimed him. I went ahead and had him vaccinated and wormed.   So could I introduce Louie not Lucy.  My aunt thought this was a real hoot since we are animal people.  But lets face it boy animals usually have exterior parts...  I'm guessing this was a pound kitty that was neutered at 8 weeks and then somehow lost by his owners.  But he is loved at our house and fits right in.  He is 6 months old according to his teeth.
a little bird

Be strong and of a good courage...

Joshua 1:9King James Version (KJV)

⁹ Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

Another great verse.  God is so good to us.  

What's my job?

\

Do you ever worry just a bit about the future?  Is the stock market steady, is our government stable, is trouble on the horizon... etc.  Well I hate to admit it but I have been concerned lately.  So I began to pour this concern out to God.

My husband gave me a great verse:

Philippians 4:8King James Version (KJV)

8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

My son also gave me a great verse:

Isaiah 26:3King James Version (KJV)

3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

I don't mean to make it sound like I was all in a dither but it was an underlying concern.  And when we continue to carry or hold on to concerns it can become heavier with time.  Then today I listened to this and it was the finial piece or should I say peace.

God's job is to care for his children.  I am a child of God.  He is my Father in Heaven and cares for me.  So just in case you too have been carrying some underlying concerns I will share this peace with you.
a little bird

Still Here

Sorry for the lack of post but we have been busy!!  Back to work full time (I love working at a school where I get some summer off) but back at in since July.  With that, canning, gardening, laundry and trying to make a meal now and again... :-) as I say busy.

We went last Saturday to the mountains to cut a load of wood.  We stopped after about 50 miles to let the dog out for a bathroom break. She went right to the tire well. DH opened the hood of the truck and we had a stowaway... 

She had ridden all that way between the battery and water reservoir.   She was so happy to be lifted out of there and ride the rest of the way inside the truck.

I have posted pictures on facebook of her.  Called the vet in case someone was looking for their lost kitten but unfortunately no one seems to be missing her.

She is an outdoor kitten (we have two family members allergic to cats so she cannot be in the house) and she is adjusting to our 88 pound Labrador - well adjusting might be a strong word - tolerating,  avoiding, yes those are better words.  

But she is a sweet little thing and we are growing fond of her.  Our #3 granddaughter carried her around this evening and has decided that her name should be Lucy.  I have an Aunt Lucile, I'm not sure she would be all that impressed with the name but it seems to have stuck.

So even though we had no intentions of any additional pets it seems that Miss Lucy has joined the family.

Canning Time

The garden is producing well so it's canning time at our house.  The cabbage was last week.  Normally we do sauerkraut but I still have 15 pints from last year so this time I tried a new recipe Cabbage Slaw.  It is from the newest Ball Book.  I hope we like it because we have 17 pints... :-)

This week is corn and beets.  I picked most of the beets yesterday and put them up.  There are still some in the garden for fresh or to pickle at the end of the season.  The corn is just starting to come on so that will be a few bags at a time for the freezer.

I called our local orchard for cherries and apricots.  Apparently they lost 85% of their crop so what they did have was limited and is gone. I love cherries!!!  I was hoping to put a few by... I'll keep watching the store maybe I can get at least a few up for special occasions.  And apricot jam is high on our 'like it' list too.  I have a granddaughter and husband that love it.  I will see if I can find a few of those as well.  It may have to be grape jelly this year as the main stay.  I made some Rhubarb Butter and some Orange Rhubarb Jam.  I put up Strawberry Jam and Lime Orange Marmalade as well so we do have other choices but when someone in the family has a favorite I try to do that especially for them. 

The cukes are coming on so I want to put a few pickles up.  It's just kind of a bit here and a bit there but it adds up for our winter usage.  DH grows a lovely garden, I just can't see it go to waste.

Hope you are having a wonderful summer and are busy putting by the harvest for winter.  

a little bird

Thirst Quenching

Lime-Mint Water

Remember that bag of limes... well we have enjoyed them to the fullest.  We have had a real heat wave in the west.  Wanting to make sure that we are getting plenty of fluids I have this big jug on my counter top at all times.

The container holds 2 gallons so I don't fill it all the way we couldn't use it in a day. But 1 gallon of water, 1 sliced lime, and 5 or 6 sprigs of fresh mint topped with 2 or 3 pitchers full of ice and it makes a wonderful fresh thirst quencher.

A Bushel of Mint

I did the third cutting of peppermint this morning.  I believe this is a heavy bushel.  That's a lot of tea!!  From previous cuttings I have made three batches of mint cordial and dried a gallon of mint for our winter tea use. 

Peppermint

Probably the most well known variety of mint,peppermint, or Mentha x piperita, is a hearty herb that gives off a classic mint smell when you rub its leaves. You can dry this mint for tea or use it fresh for cooking. Both dried and fresh forms are known for soothing an upset stomach, freshening breath, relieving cold symptoms, and acting as a mood lifter.

Hopefully my Daughters-in-love will take some all of this.  I hate to have it go to waste but it needed to be cut.  I don't know if I'll cut it a fourth time or let it go to flower for the bees.  

They like the mint too.

Mint Cordial - store in the refrigerator

Lime-Orange Marmalade

I picked up a 5 pound bag of limes the other day while at Costco.  They were so beautiful!  What to do with that many limes??  Marmalade for a start!  I made two batches of marmalade That's 18 jars of marmalade.  Plenty for us.  Lime Curd is on the agenda as well.  Lime juice may be used as a substitute for lemon juice to make Lime Curd.  There will still be some limes left over for lime water on a hot day.  Lime - Mint water is a real treat.  And maybe some Limeade as well.   That 5 pound bag will be gone soon...

Last week I put up 6 gallons of strawberries.  Three batches of jam and the rest sliced to the freezer for winter treats.  So the process of 'putting by' has begun.  

Home Canned Dog Food

I cleaned my freezer out yesterday.   This is something I do every summer. Clean, organize, and sort...  Well I unearthed a few old roasts and some old burger.  I'm ashamed to say it was 4 years old.  The meat was still good and there was no freezer burn etc.  But to be honest if we haven't eaten it in four years I doubt it will be high on the list now.  Yes, I came across it last year and thought we really need to use this... I'm just not a big wild game person.  

So this year was my limit.  I felt it was very wasteful to toss it into the dumpster so decided to can it up for fido.  I canned this as I would can any meat so it's completely safe for dog or human consumption.  

Ergo Miss Chessie will be eating high on the hog (er deer, elk, beef) having a bit of this atop her normal kibble.  I called my daughter-in-love and asked if I was becoming the 'crazy cat dog lady'. She assured me I was fine and just not wanting to waste food.  I hope she's right.

a little bird