Busy busy time

I have been canning, pears, peaches, making jams, and applesauce. It has been really nice. I love this time of year, the cool of fall before winter. I have enjoyed many outings with friends and family.
We have all the beans combined and hay hauled. We have been moving cattle home.
I have also been baking breads and cookies, eating some and freezing some for the holidays.
Today I have made peanut butter banana cookies and have pears processing. I have several jars of various fruits done and will share with the kids at Christmas.
I have Friday and Sat.with my daughters working on Tutu dresses for 6 granddaughters. It was fun and enjoyable time. We also attended craft fair at Amelia's school which we saw many different crafts some of which we may make or at least try. I will post some pictures later on the projects we are working on..

busy day

I am drying the noodles for supper that will go with the chicken I cooked and deboned earlier. While noodles dry, I have pear preserves cooking to go in jars and be processed for the winter. I have use the Ball Blue Book guide to preserving. I use recipes from all over. My pear one is a from Paula Deen.  I use the Blue Book I use to can anything I can, jell. It has several good recipes for all kinds of things both canning and freezing.

cleaning and organization

It has been a bit since I have posted anything. I have been quite busy getting rid of extra stuff by donation to "God's Storehouse" in our local town or taking to local wed morning farmers auction. Hubby was busy Friday and Saturday hauling hay home from the field, had help from 2 sons. We had a surprise visit from my sister and husband on Saturday.I did get shelves installed early am by hubby before he headed off to the field. I was able to get my home canned goods off the counter tops and onto shelves. It was such a blessing.
my six year old grandson and I was able to get some choc. cupcakes made.
I aslo was able to get sewing room tidied up and ready to work in. I have gotten some quick breads and a pie in freezer for the holidays that are coming up. It is a good thing to have some things done and ready to pull out when needed for those drop by guests.

this is some of my okra in jars ready for the pickling liquid.

busy time of year

I have been  canning apple pie filling, making apple jell, and applesauce. I love the smell of apples cooking. I have made apple bread, pies, cookies. It is a good thing. I have froze some for later. It is especially nice when friends or neighbors bring them to you.
I did  some clean up and sorting this past week also, I am trying to accomplish a well organized household. I am not sure it will ever happen, but I must at least make the effort. I take these things to a weekly auction in town. I  get it gone, hopefully others will get some use out of it and a little spending money doesn't hurt either.
I went to auction myself on Sat. I purchased some sewing supplies, fabric and a snow cone machine for the grandkids. I think they will have fun with it. I haven't tried it out yet. I will need to purchase the syrup for it.

Road Trip

I have been busy getting ready for my trip with 3 sisters and 1 brother-in-law. He acted as a driver and planned our trip. Before leaving I had to get okra pickled, strawberries frozen and jelled
We left on thurs. arrived in Grand Island, Nebraska in the evening. On Friday we started our junking along the north route of the "junk juant". It follows the North Loup river (sorta) purchasing as we went. If we saw a sign for the jaunt we followed it. Met some friendly people. Everyone was so encouraging on our stops.
Some people came from west coast area, such as Oregon. Some had shops and were looking for primitive things or antiques to resell. Some had started when it started seven years ago. We met a mother and 2 daughters who were there for the first time, also another daughter had brought both her mother and mother-in-law for the last four years.
I purchased a side table to refurbish, 2 wicker chairs and wicker side table/ottoman that I plan on painting, also will make and cover cushions for the chairs. I purchased some yardage for craft projects.
My sisters purchased various items, dishes, side tables, fabric,& books. All are for projects they have in mind. They will use some and resale some.
We stopped at a pumpkin and craft farm. They had several vendors at one location, some hand crafted items, an garage sale area. It was great. I think it was one of the highlights of our trip as we stopped there twice.

Each one of us  purchased several pumpkins, gourds and squash
We also stopped at a winery also pictured above. They had just sold the buckboard for $2000.00 as we were leaving.
Our driver was very accomadating, he stopped when we needed too or wanted to. This trip was not one of the hurry up and get it done things. It was more of  take your time and look around type trips.

Bake and freeze day.

Yesterday we made a trip to Salina for a fun and wonderful day with the children and grandchildren. We baptized 3 grandchildre, celebrated 3 birthdays.We had a picnic in the park. It was lovely.
Today I am baking some, freezing some. Freezing zucchini, also some zucchini bread. I have made 1 large loaf and 3 mini ones. Recipe is on allrecipes.com called zucchini pineapple loaf should anyone want to check it out.

I am planning a cookie decorating day with the grandchildren later on in the fall. I hope they will be able to come as I think it will be a fun time.

A day in the life

It was a good start to the day, working on crafts for the bazaar when daughter called to ask me to take Max's vest to extentsion office. It was to go to state fair. So I was able to get to the library finally. I had been trying to go for a week or so. I was able to pick up books on the crafts I need to work on. They were not too helpful however, I already knew most of what was in them. I find sometimes working on things is the best teacher.  Once home was able to get some monster cookies made for after school snack. My grandson rides the bus to here after school, since mom doesn't get off work in time. Hubby has been hauling hay and working on equipment. The cooler weather has been good for both things. Pernell has been helping with it since took the week off at work. Looking forward to the football game  at school tonite. We have 2 grandsons playing.

making pickles

I have been making microwave pickles, zucchinni pickles, pickled okra. I guess you could say I am a bit "pickled" lately. Also made some salsa. First time for that and also the zucchinni ones. I have been enjoying the cooler weather we have had the past week. Hubby been in the hay field and on the job also. It is a very busy time of year. Although I can't think of a time when it isn't busy on a farm. We always have something to get done. ie: clean up, repairs, or just plain maintenance on equipment and buildings. Hubby put a new light fixture in his office last week. It is quite an improvement to the old.
We had a family gathering at the home place on Sunday, Saturday was clean-day for that. Sunday brought a large gathering of family for good food, good fun, square dancing. check the pictures out of events.

Kitchen stool finished

I had an old 50's kitchen step stool (auction find)that had been painted more than once, It was rusty and looked bad. My grandson and I sanded and removed what was left of the rubber treads. We used a rust tough spray on it and then rustoleum red enamel spray. I then took a picture of our place and printed it on a photo paper that is sticky backed. I then cut it in a rough oval shape, took off the backing and applied it to the back of chair. We then sprayed it with a polyurethene.  I also did a decoupage coating on it. I am pleased with it and it makes a great addition to my kitchen since I am short. It is a good sturdy stool to use when I need to reach the top cabinets..

Making jelly

It has been awhile since I have posted anything. I have been busy being not busy. I have a hard time doing anything in the extreme heat since our air is not working. I have made 2 batches of microwave pickles, a double batch of peach jelly. Both look very nice and taste good too. I will post pictures at a later time. I had to order batteries for my camera. Hopefully they will be here in a couple of days. Hubby has been busy in our hay field and working on his crop insurance job. I am very happy with the cooler weather. It has helped me to get to get more done. I am working on getting jellies, pickles, put up. I hope to pickle some okra later today. I have enjoy my herbs this summer. I use them fresh. mint makes sun tea a really refreshing drink, or just add to water. I have dried my lavendar and removed the buds to make sachets.

Been too busy for writing

It has been a very busy time with local county fair, last week, and watching three lovely little girls. The kids did well, A grand champion in sewing, and cooking, with several purples ribbons and blue ribbons in crafts, photograpy, beef, & sheep.
Took the girls to exporation place in Wichita, It is a neat place of learning for all ages, they did some leaf rubbings, listen to a story from the Wizardess. checked out her wizard's lair, & the aviation learning area.
I had a class reunion committee meeting yesterday and all went well.
I have made some microwave pickles that turned out well. Recipe was found on Allrecipes.com site.
Hubby has been in hay field for the past two weeks, helping local farmer while he was away on a trip.
I am also reading the book "So Long Insecurity" by Beth Moore. I would reccommend it for any Christian women

Trip toColorado

Back from Colorado, had a lovely time, was able to do some sight seeing, museum, ride the ski lift, attended dinner the night before in Rainbow park, the kids did the climbing sculpture, playground and good
hamburgers on the grill. attendend wedding and reception. We had a lovely trip and enjoyed the time away.