we're hunting squirrel

For the last two weeks I have been missing eggs. I set one on the feed bucket and forgot to grab it. When I went back to get it, is was gone. Maybe I forgot and brought it in. Then Rick saw one in the dirt. When he went to get it, it wasn't there. We had thought it was probably a dog or cat. To make a long story short it's a squirrel. He had dug a hole under the dog run close to the coop. It was so close to the coop that we didn't notice it.  I was beginning to think my hens had pretty much stop laying.Until tonight when we found his tracks in the dog run. So tomorrow we are going hunting. Any body for squirrel stew?

I am so Blessed

I

I am so thankful for Heidi  She has done so much for me. My garden wouldn't be half as good if she wasn't there to guide me. She is the one to push me to try new things. That's how I came to blogging. I have loved meeting all of you and learning new things. But I digress . Heidi showed just how much she cared lost night. 

For some reason yesterday I felt I was still 21. So I tried lifting a 60 pound bag of dirt. Big, Big, mistake. I soon learned I was not 21 but 52. Not only was it heavy ,but I twisted my back. You talk about pain. I had it. I came home and got on a heating pad. Luckily I still had Vicodin from my husband surgery. Between the pills and the heating pad I felt so much better. Heidi was kind enough to take me out to dinner so I didn't have to cook. I felt better( not perfect but better.) so I was happy to go. I felt fine while sitting in the restaurant eating and visiting with Heidi. It wasn't until I got up to leave that everything went wrong. As soon as I stood up,a sharp pain went up my back and down my legs. I thought I would fall to the floor. Heidi helped me out of the restaurant and into her  car. When we got to my house she not only help me in the house,but she got me settled on the sofa with a heating pad , TV controller, and a fresh hot cup of coffee. Then bless her heart, she went out and closed up my plastic covering to protect my plants and put my chickens to bed.She checked on me later that night and again this morning. Heidi was definitely my Thursday Blessing. I am so bless to have her.

They would eat it and love it!

Have you ever had one of those days where you thought nothing would ever work out. I did. That was how this dish was born. I had worked all day. We were so busy that I hadn't gotten to eat,so I was starving. Walk out of work planing to grab my favorite fast food. Wasn't meant to be. My car decide to have issues. I was lucky to make it home. Only to find  that my husband had forgot to put out the meat to thaw like I asked him. Can this day get any worse? yes! No coffee. I am sorry but you should never leave a worn out, stress out woman with out coffee. She can turn on you. Especially when you ask whats for dinner and your the one who forgot about the meat! At this point I didn't care how dinner  tasted. They would eat it and love it.  I just started grabbing things that looked like they would go good together. I had left over shrimp from making pot stickers. Asparagus from last nights dinner, so began this dish. My family disappear from sight. Probably self preservation on they part. Dinner was served. I waited for the comments. I am happy to say dinner turned out great. They loved it. And the best part was  the fresh cup of coffee in my hands ( made by my husband)  and the sound of my girls doing dishes. I guess the day can get better.
                                                       
 PASTA  SURPRISE
1/2 pound of shrimp ( cooked)
 Fresh asparagus  ( 1 bundle chopped )
1 tomatoes ( chopped)
green onions ( chopped)
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoon olive oil
 1/3 cup Chardonnay ( white wine)
1 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
spaghetti noddles.
1 pint heavy whipping cream


 Start the pasta . Have your asparagus cooking in the microwave in a bowl of water until soft. Melt butter in the pan add  the olive oil, asparagus,  wine, garlic ,  green onions, and tomatoes.  Saute  till the wine has reduces . Add your heavy whipping cream  and seasoning to the pan.  You may need to add more spices depending on your taste. Stir and simmer till the flavors come together. Add shrimp cook until the shrimp is warm. Serve over the noddles. Sprinkle Parmesan on top.

 The picture shows my daughter plate. We took the tomatoes off her plate, due to the fact she doesn't like them.  The amounts are an estimate of what I used,since I wasn't following a recipe.  It funny how you can make great dishes when your upset.  Or in my case just a very bad day!

Testing homemade laundry detergent and softeners update

About a week ago my friend Heidi  gave me some homemade detergent. I tried it out on my husbands work clothes. He works on fighter jets so he comes home smelling of jet fuel.  I had a hard time getting the jet fuel out of his coveralls .  Not any more, it did great!  Even in the stores I never found anything that works this good. I was so happy with it,that I decided to look up more recipes. These are the best that I found. I have tried everyone of them out before writing this post. I don't think I have one dirty item left in my house.( That's a first for me.)

                                                    Heidi's recipe ( great for oil, fuel, and tough grim)
2 cups borax
2cups Arm & hammer Super Washing Soda
1 bar Zote
1 bar Fels-Naptha
1/4 cup baking soda


Grate your bars of soap very fine. Mix with the other ingredients and place in a quarts size canning jar. Make 3  jars. Use 1 to 2 tablespoons a load depending on your machine. I have a large high capacity washer, so I use 2.

UPDATE:  I  found if you add a cup of oxi-clean to the mix it works Great for whites also. I also added Purex Crystals.About 1 1/2 cups to the mix. It makes my clothes smell so good. This is optional.

 

                                              For Whites

 Although Heidi's worked great on the fuel and dirt, I didn't care for it for doing my  whites.  This worked out better for me. The ingredients in the dial soap made the clothes come out whiter. How I don't know, it just does. It also smells great.
2 cups Borax
2 cups arm & Hammer super washing soda
1/4 cup baking soda
1 bar Zote
1 bar Passion fruit Dial (or any smell you like)

Follow the directions from the above recipe.

                                                            Liquid Landry Detergent

 Love this! It makes so much. For so little ingredients it work really great. I will still use Heidi's for the jet fuel.  There is nothing better. I wrote all my recipes on the side of the bucket. That way I won't lose them. ( I tend to lose things )

1 cup Arm & Hammer
1/2 cup Borax
1 bar grated Fels-Naptha
4 cups water
 ( 5 gallon) buckets with lid

Grate your bar of soap finely. You can use a food processor. Put 4 cups water in a old pan and melt soap over a med-high heat. Do not boil. Stir on and off until it melts . While your soap is melting, fill one of your buckets half way with hot water. Pour in the washing soda and borax. Stir until dissolved. Add your melted soap mixture. Stir together. Then fill the bucket up with hot water. Leaving room to stir. Cover with lid and let sit over night. Next morning  stir your mixture. Spit it evenly between the two 5 gallon buckets. Fill both with water. Stir
  Will make 10 gallons. Use  1/2 a cup of detergent depending on your machine. I use a little bit over a 1/4 of a cup. I put mine in empty laundry bottles. Shake and use just like I would if it was store bought.

Update:Recipe calls for 2 five gallon buckets. I only used one bucket the second time I made it. ( didn't read my own instructions ) . It came out thicker but works great. I think I'll keep doing it this way. If your family doesn't play in dirty or jet fuel like mine, you may want to use the two buckets. For white, I wash them in hot water with a little oxi-clean . My family loves wearing their sock outside. So by the time I get them their black. Added  a bottle of  Purex Crystals to the mix. I line dry my clothing so with the Purex I get that great smell you get from dryer sheets.

                                                                Fabric softener

3 cups hair conditioner
1 and 1/2 cup vinegar
9 cup water
1 gallon jug
funnel
1 downey ball
Place conditioner, vinegar and water in a gallon jug. Stir or shake really well. Let sit overnight for foam to settle. Use as you would any softener. For HE washers you can use the downey ball. Makes one gallon
Update: love this!!!!

                                               Fabric softener dryer sheets


2 cup hair conditioner
2 cup water
spray bottle
funnel

Mix the ingredients in spray bottle. Spray a wash cloth till damp ,throw into dryer. This makes one bottle.

                                             Flannel dryer sheets


 No this is not chicken livers. I made them for dinner ,so I cleaned and used the tubs for my flannel dryer sheets.

4 tablespoon liquid softener (  I used my conditioner. It works just as well)
10 tablespoons water.
flannel fabric squares. ( I used scrap flannel from a quilt I made. )
plastic tub

Mix water and softener together. Place flannel in the plastic tub. Pour mixture over it. Let it sit for 2 to 3 days. Pull one out. If to wet, ring out excess liquid. Throw in dryer with your clothing.

All the detergents and softeners are safe for a HE washer. I found that spraying a wash cloth will make the clothes soft . However It has a real light smell. I couldn't smell the flower sent from the conditioner. If you want a stronger smell use a stronger smelling conditioner (it may work better for you).

  
 Here is a run down of every thing I bought and the cost.

2 bars Fels-Naptha  .87 cents each
2 bars Zote  $ 1.00 each
1 bar Dail .75 cents (on sale)
1 box Borax (4 lbs 12 oz) $2.25
1 box Arm & Hammer super washing soda  (55 oz) $ 1. 69
1 small  bottle of vinegar $1.00
5 bottles of conditioner. $ 1.00 each
1 box baking soda (I had it)

TOTAL $14.43

This is what I got for $ 14.43 

6 quart jars full of the dried detergent.
10 gallons of liquid detergent
A gallon and a half of liquid softener
3 spray bottles  full of softener
Two tubs of dryer sheets.

What I have left.
1/3 of a box of borax
1/4 of a box of super washing soda
2/3 of my bottle of vinegar  

 I have tried all these recipes. I only have one more bit of advice. If you want a strong smell use a heavy smelling conditioner. No matter what conditioner or softener recipe you use, your clothes will come out nice and soft.

One last thought . If you don't want to use softener, just use vinegar in your rinse cycle. No Your clothes will not come out smelling like vinegar. Measure as you would softener.

She made me post this

 You are a great mom. Every cat in the world would love to be yours. You pets us and love us. There is no better home out there. Our world revolves around you.  What cat could ask for more. OK I said everything you wanted. Can I go now!




 The Cat
PS don't listen to the person typing this post . She has real problems

Thought from my head

 I was going to start this post out talking about  what would happen it our animals could talk. But my mind had other thoughts. Yes, your mind has it's own thoughts. Think about it. You start out thinking about one thing  then your mind  sends you on a totally different path. And don't try to stop it. Your mind will fight back. Have you ever had a song stuck in your head. And the more you try to stop it, the worse it gets. Need I say more.
 Have you ever walked into a room to get something,only to grab something totally different than what you originally wanted. That's your mind playing tricks on you.  And it feels no guilt.  If it did, it wouldn't play tricks on you over and over again.
  The older you get, the more devilish your mind seems to gets. It loves hiding things from you. In my case it's my shoes, phone, purse, and keys.  I can look on the table several times for my keys and not see them. But as soon as I give up and borrow my daughters keys. You guessed it, They magically appear on the table.
I  was going to buy one of those beeper that help you find your keys. But why waste my money? My mind will just hide them from me as soon as it gets the chance.!
I now find myself talking to it, bargaining with it. Just let me find my keys before I am late for work. And I promise I'll put them on the hook.  Or talking out a problem with it. Ok. that's a point in it favor. You have to give credit where credit is due. See the mind took over again. You can't trust it. You know that ringing you sometimes hear in your ears. It's not really ringing . It your mind laughing it's ass off at you.

The Easter Song

                                   Have a Great Easter. May God Bless your day.

Spring, But will it last?

The weather man say it is going to be nice thru the weekend. Today showed he was right. I just pray it stays that way. I so tired of having to cover and uncover my plants.  I know I am impatient . I just can't wait to see my garden in full bloom.

 These are the seed I started this week. The two full ones are corn. The two by them self on the left are zucchini. The one in the middle is watermelon . The one on the right is okra. I put 5 seed in each. Other then the Okra that should be plenty. 

 This is my apple tree. We planted it last year. I am so glad to see leaves on it.Maybe by next year we will have apples.

 This is one of the plum trees we trapped to save them from our last storm. When we bought it, the guy told us it was a peach. Boy was he wrong.

  This is the little peach tree. We made sure that this one was a true peach tree before we bought it.

  These are my garlic in my garden. I plan to plant my tomatoes in between them. My friend Heidi was kind enough to start the tomatoes in her green house. I will have 4 different types. She was also the one to teach me that garlic is great for the tomato plant.

 These are my cabbages. I just finished  planting my peas around them today. I am going to run a trellis down the middle of the bed to hold them. I have a few pea growing from last year.

  My lettuce. What the deer were kind enough to leave me.

This is my strawberry box. This will be my first year trying to grow them wish me luck.

  My carrots. Some I started from seed and some I transplanted . Heidi is giving me some purple carrots. I can't wait. I saved them a spot.

 My artichoke plant looks like it got a little burned from the cold. I was only one tenth this size last year. So I can't complain

 These are my red onions. I still am using  some I planted last year. I can't believe how well they kept.

 This is part of our side yard. My wonderful husband tilled and fertilized  for me,so that I can grow my corn, green beans, and pumpkins there.

Now for the trash can potatoes as you can see they came up. The only thing I worry about, is if they are getting enough sun.
 I have to give credit where credit is due. If It wasn't for Heidi (My Simple Country Living) My garden probably wouldn't look this good with the cold weather we have been having.  She is definitely the go to person when you have a question about plants.

Homemade dish soap

 I have read a lot of post about homemade laundry soaps. If I could save a lot of money that way why not on dish soap. I started watching videos on making it at home. This one had the best information  out of all the videos I watched. Sat I will be getting my supplies to make my own batch. I'll let you know how well it works.

Never seen this before.

I have seen a lot of cloud shapes and formations , but never like this. It looks just like a mushroom cloud. 

This is a little closer shot. I thought it was so neat that I had to share.

Chocolate Peanut Grahams

My husband bought me the Taste of home cookies book. So in return I told him I would make a different cookie each week or two. He would get to choose which ones I make. These were his second choose. I forgot to take pictures of the first one I made. So I will make them later on and post them. I have to warn you these didn't last long at all. I did a double batch. Which still wasn't enough. Next time I will have to triple the recipe. There is no baking for these cookies and they are really fast to make. So if you need cookie in a hurry these are perfect.

4 whole graham crackers, broken into quarters

1/4 cup of creamy peanut butter

1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

3 teaspoons shortening

Spread half of the graham cracker quarter with peanut butter; top with remaining cracker.
In a microwave bowl, melt chocolate chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Dip the crackers into the bowl. Covering it with chocolate. Remove using a fork to scoop them out. Tap the fork against the side of the bowl so the extra chocolate falls back into the bowl. Place on a wax paper -lined pan. Refrigerate until set.  Enjoy!