Canning... Canning... Canning!

For the past several years, I have really wanted to can jam.  I grew up eating homemade grape jelly and I loved it.  My favorite kind of jam was Fig 'n Walnut.  I've never found any since, but it is a food that reminds me of the foods I loved best as a child.  


Having little kids in our home for the past 7 years has precluded me from attempting much in the way of canning. I have been so afraid of having them near a boiling pot of water or hot jam cooking.  But, they are getting older and I've been thinking that it is time to journey into the world of canning.


I have started, of course, with a book.  I am one of those people that has so many questions that I want a book to remind me of what I've learned from other people.  Here's the book I'm reading this summer:  

There's all sorts of recipes in this book.  Everything from chili hot sauce to berry leather to dried herbs.  I loved the illustrations and introduction at the front of the book. The author, Sherri Vinton, is very thorough about explaining each step.  It reminds me a lot of an America's Test Kitchen Cookbook.  The recipes cover a very wide range of fruits, vegetables, and herbs.  There's even a recipe for summer squash pickles.  


One thing the author does specify in the front of the cookbook is that all recipes must be made exactly as they are written because they were written to comply with USDA Food Safety Standards.  


Some of the jam recipes do not require pectin, while others do.  Ms. Vinton uses Pomona's Universal Pectin. On the website, it says that one 1 oz. box will make 2-4 batches of jam.  Pomona's is known for giving a bit of a citrus flavor to jelly or jam so that would be good to keep in mind.  


Surprisingly, jams and jellies are a much smaller portion of the recipes in this book than I expected.  There are so many recipes I look forward to trying.  Last summer, I let all of our tiny peppers go to waste because I had no idea what to do with them!  This book gives directions on how to dry them as well as several recipes on how to can them or make hot sauce.  Squash is another ingredient that is very inexpensive around here during the summer.  There is a yummy sounding squash pickle recipe that I intend on trying soon.


I'll keep you updated on how my cooking and canning turns out!


Please note that I received a complimentary copy of this cookbook for review from Storey Publishing.

Unexpected Magazine

A few days ago, the mailman delivered an issue of People Magazine to my mailbox.  It was a surprise since I don't subscribe to People.  The name on the magazine was not mine, but it was my exact address.  It wasn't a misdelivery.  So, I called People.  The customer service agent found the subscription order (which of course was not prepaid) and cancelled it.  She said I would receive a bill under the false name, but to disregard it.  There would be a 0 balance on their end.  


Whew.  It was strange.  But, it made me realize that I need to pay attention to all mail that comes to my house--even if I think it might be a mistake.  Identity Theft comes many forms, I guess...  I think this is a case of address theft?

Composting...A Beginning

This summer, we decided to expand our garden and begin composting.  I sent my husband to Home Depot to get some materials to build a bin.  He came back with a square black plastic frame.  We put it together and began dumping composting materials into it.  Simple, right?  Well, no...


One day... my husband decided to dump a huge load of grass into it from our yard and it quickly became too heavy for me to turn.  I had been turning it with a small tool and that wouldn't work anymore.  So, I went to the store and bought a small pitchfork (about half the size of a a normal one).  I came home and I tried and tried and tried to turn it.  Unsuccessfully.  


My conclusion is that if you have the space for an open bin or a pile somewhere in your yard where you can compost, then it's easier to use a pitchfork.  If you have a small space, it takes more strength and control.  I wish we had purchased a compost bin that will turn with a crank.  (This may be what I ask for for my birthday next year.)  I can carry my 33 lb. son while walking for a mile, but it was hard for me to turn the compost.


Here is a picture of my bin...

This picture is of our bin and the package of peat moss that I haven't found time yet to work into the soil.  I am learning that there is always something that could be done in the garden or is yet to be done.  I took this picture through the screen of our homeschool room, so please forgive the haziness of the picture.  Around the bin is forsythia.  I was so frustrated with how dead the forsythia looked so I chopped it back--entirely.  What I discovered, though, is that forsythia needs that.  The yellow flowers grow on the previous year's growth.  So, in order to have healthy forsythia, you need to prune it each year (though probably not as drastically as I did).  I am thankful that it came back because it has provided a natural shrub to surround the compost bin and I didn't have to spend any money to buy a new one.  

But, back to my composting attempts...  Composting sounds simple, and it can be simple.  It can also be complex.  It all depends on how much you do and what you decide to compost.  It's a bit like recycling.  You can just recycle your newspapers, or you can pay attention and recycle a lot more paper and cardboard instead of being lazy and throwing it in the trash can.  (The lazy comment is for me because I find myself in this predicament daily.)

I have started reading a book called The Complete Compost Gardening guide by Barbara Pleasant and Deboarh L. Martin

This book will open your eyes about what composting is, how to do it, and how much you can compost.  The book starts off with the basics of composting--why, what, and how to do it.  The next chapter is about what you'll need.  This chapter is about the other tools you need (not just the bin).  Then the book's authors cover what you can compost (and what you shouldn't).  The rest of the book covers in more detail how and where to compost.  I had no idea there were so many ways to compost!  I have puzzled a bit realizing the quantity of grass clippings we get as well as leaves in the fall.  As I've picked up and set down this book multiple times in the last month, I've come to realize that I can expand my composting attempts and methods each year.  There's so much one can do that it's wise to take it on bit by bit rather than all at once.  

Starting small with composting is a good place to start.  The beginning part of this book will give you the whats and how.  If you end up enjoying composting, the second part of the book will give you lots of ideas of how you can compost creatively and how you can use the results of your efforts in your gardening.

So, I'm starting small.  I haven't mastered my little compost heap yet.  But, I hope to.  I know that that there's ideas in this book that will keep me busy for many years to come!

Please note that I received a complimentary copy of The Complete Compost Gardening Guide from Storey Books for review.

My Mom Planner

When my husband and I first got married, I made a set of excel spreadsheets for our budget that I have been using for 10 years.  They're basic and they get the job done.  I've modified them over the years and added a few more as I've needed to, but the set is basically the same.

I realized before this past school year began that I wanted to find a set of forms to do the same for my week and all the things I need to keep track of.  I'd been putting our menu on the calendar on the wall, but I often had to take it up and down off the wall.  I wanted a binder with my monthly, yearly, and weekly calendars.  I wanted it to have my emergency information, food menus, and book reviewing lists--all in one spot.  

Of course in the interest of trying to save money, I began looking around on the internet.  I found all sorts of free forms, but as I was looking I remembered a piece of advice I read a few years ago in a money saving book--consider the cost/benefit of your time.  The example given was ironing clothes or using the drycleaners.  I wash all of my husband's clothes on the "hand wash" setting.  I iron them and it takes me about 2 hrs every other week to do the ironing.  But, all of the dry cleaners around me are very expensive, so I save a lot (at least $30 per week) by doing this.  I could spend that same 2 hours looking for free forms or I could purchase a membership to an already premade set.  

I found a set that I have really enjoyed and that was pretty affordable when I compared it to other options.  Here's the site:  Mom's Tool Belt 

This is pretty much what my notebook looks like (this is their sample picture from the website).  I did choose to print the pages in black and white because it's cheaper.  Many of the forms are in color, but you can set your preferences setting when you print to black and white--I even use the lower quality grayscale and all of the forms print out perfectly.

I have several tabs in my notebook that have come in very handy.  I have a set of yearly calendars.  One I used as a list for family and friend's birthdays.  Another I mark every month with different symbols for when I've given our dog her Heartgard / Flea and Tick Medicine and have replaced the A/C filter.  I have another section for emergency info. with phone numbers we need.  Another section contains weekly and monthly calendars.  I keep 2-3 months in the notebook at a time.  The next section includes our travel checklists and my book review lists.  The last section is my menu for the month.  I keep my past menus for ideas and a list of possible meals.  I chose to put it all in a 1" binder made for 8 1/2" x 11" sheets of paper.  

Since I'm a stay at home, homeschooling mom, my home is my base.  We go out for activities and errands, but the bulk of our time is spent at home.  If I go out, I know what I'm going for and I don't need to take my planner with me.   I like this binder because it's big enough to write on and it has worked so well for me!  The cost of the planner membership has definitely been worth it for me.

My Garden is Progressing

I have always been intimidated to grow lettuce, but for some reason it is doing quite well.  The other side of the bed will be zinnias and black eyed susans.  I have enjoyed watching the lettuce grow.  When I plant something, I always wonder if it will take root and grow.  One of the strawberry plants I planted in another bed was uprooted when one of the kids accidentally picked a strawberry from it with a little too much force.  It has been interesting watch the strawberry plants struggle to take root.  What's on top is deceptive.  Sometimes the roots are not as deep or strong as they might seem.  But, they're surviving.

This is my azalea that is not doing so well.  It is not the heat of the sun that matters most but the length of the sun.  I fear that this poor azalea needs more shade and less sun than it is getting.  I have been faithfully watering it daily.  I knew I was taking a chance in this spot.  This hosta typically dies later on in the summer.  I think I need to look for some different plants for this area, don't you?

These are my tomatoes.  I'm curious to see how they do.  I planted marigolds around them and garlic.  Basil is nearby, too.  All of these are supposed to be helpful to one another.  We'll see...  

This is the old laundry sink from our basement.  Really, it is.  It's made of cement.  It is the heaviest thing I've ever tried to move.  When we took it out of the basement, I didn't think we could persuade any trash man to haul it away.  So, my husband drilled a few holes in the bottom of it and I've turned it into a planter.  It turns out that it misses the shadows from the roof and the deck for quite a long time during the day.  So, it is one of the spots in the garden with the best sunlight.  My husband did explain to me that I need to water it more thoroughly and often because the container heats up and the moisture evaporates more quickly.  I know there also can be issues with drainage.  Last year I planted a cucumber plant in here and it produced a few, but it didn't thrive.  I'm hoping my parsley and tomato will be a better fit for this container.  I have been told by many friends that gardening is a lot of trial and error.  

Which reminds me of an interesting thing I read in a fiction book this morning for young girls.  In the context of the story, the girls were planting two peas, two squash, and then three corn seeds.  The squash run along the ground and prevent too many weeds from growing.  The peas bush out and support the corn.  The Corn seeds sprout to give the other plants shade when they need it.  It was simply part of the story, but I think it is a very interesting idea.  Gardening is really rather complex.  I grew up with a large garden.  So, when I look at my garden it makes me feel like it's so small.  But, I know that it was a lot of work to put in!  I am reminded that how we see things often depends on what we are comparing those things to.  I have bad memories of the garden I grew up with.  I don't want to feel that way about my garden now--I want it to be a joy, not a heavy burden.  For me, this garden is just the right size.  I have enjoyed going out to water and lightly weed each day now that the bulk of the work has been done.  

One last note, I discovered that a remnant of my peppermint survived last summer in a hanging pot I had put it in.  We'll see what becomes of it in the months ahead!  I am told Peppermint is like a weed.  Once it's in the ground, it's very difficult to get it out.  So, it's wise to plant it in a pot rather than in the ground.  I discovered that Lemon Balm is the same.  though I didn't take a picture, my lemon balm looks like a bush.  It's 2 feet by 2 feet by 2 feet.  And I have no idea what to do with it!  I wish I did.  

Please forgive my random gardening notes.  I'm afraid they are quite disjointed tonight!  Soon I will post about our composting efforts...

Trash and Treasures

Sometimes when I garage sale I find treasures and sometimes trash and sometimes a mixture of the two.  This past Saturday I set out to find a 5 disc cd changer for my husband.  


We made our way through the morning but hadn't seen any stereo components.  I finally found a cd changer at a garage sale.  Usually, I look closely at things, but for some reason I didn't this time.  Honestly, I simply forgot to inspect it closely.  I paid the gal for it and set off for home.


When I got it home, my husband discovered that it was missing the two pads for the front of the unit and had some scratches on top of the unit.  I realized my error and felt badly for it.  I set off to the garage to find something to use in place of the missing pads.  In the garage I found something I had placed in a box a few weeks ago when I replaced the toilet seat in our upstairs bathroom.  For some reason, I had decided to keep the two plastic pieces that go under the seat and hold it in place.  They happened to be the perfect size for the 5 disc changer.

  It turns out that though the cd changer was not in mint condition, it plays wonderfully.  My husband now has a five-disc changer for our receiver upstairs for which I paid $5.  But, I was reminded of one lesson that I need to remember--Always inspect before purchasing. 

How Marketing Changed Orange Juice

I suppose there is probably an indepth book somewhere that digs into this subject.  But, I realized something when I was in Shoprite earlier today.  Marketing changed how we shop for orange juice and what we think is good and bad juice.

When I was growing up, juice was a treat in our house.  We primarily drank milk and water--from the tap.  Periodically, my mom purchased juice.  She bought the frozen cans of concentrate and reconstituted them in a Tupperware pitcher.

You might have thought that those Tupperware pitchers and frozen cans of concentrate have become extinct.   Thankfully, they haven't.

A while back I read this article in the Baltimore Sun about Orange Juice:  http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2010-10-17/business/bs-bz-juice-labels-consuming-interest20101017_1_orange-juice-ethyl-butyrate-flavor  It was eye opening for my husband and me.

When we married, my husband was adamant that we needed to purchase not from concentrate orange juice.  I did not feel as strongly, though I was concerned about the cost.  I worked it into our food budget and watched for it to go on sale.  He felt that it tasted differently and I had to admit, I found that it did.

About three years ago, I started seeing a sharp increase in the price of juice and so we cut back as a family on our intake of apple juice, but I still purchased orange juice weekly.

After we read the article, I wasn't sure what to think.  The article says basically that "Not from concentrate" juice really isn't much different than "from concentrate".  We have been sold on the idea of "not from concentrate" by the orange juice marketers.

A month ago, I went back to the freezer aisle at Aldis and purchased some frozen orange juice concentrate.  It cost $1.09 for a can.  Reconstituted it equals 48 oz.  The equivalent price for a 64 oz. portion would be $1.36.  That is far less than even the from concentrate half gallons at the store.  My husband accidentally tasted it one morning before heading off to a brunch.  He was required to take some orange juice to the brunch so he went to the store and bought a half gallon of "not from concentrate" for about $3.50.  He came home and told me that it didn't taste any better.

This morning he looked at me with the orange juice I'd made in his hand and asked if I was planning on continuing to purchase it.  I responded tentatively with a "yes".  He said "Good.  It takes up less space and tastes just as good."  Yay!

So, the moral of the story is you might think about giving frozen juice another chance...

But, if you do, look for the generics at Target or Aldis or Walmart.  Today I was at Shoprite and their generic frozen orange juice concentrate was $2.09!  Hmmm... what do you think they want to sell?  And what do you think their shoppers are sold on?  I had to stop by Target on my way home and found that their Orange Juice cans (the same size) were $1.14 and apple juice was $.92.

We've really been sold on the way we drink orange juice.  I think my family's going to go back to the what we bought when I was a kid.

Rod and Staff

I have heard about Rod and Staff's curriculum over the past few years.  I had never seen any of it though.  I happen to purchase almost all of my curriculum online and that is why.


Rod and Staff is a mennonite publisher of homeschool curriculum.  You cannot order directly from them online.  You can order through various other homeschool suppliers (who act as a middleman) or you can contact Rod and Staff directly.  


Rod and Staff is a very simple, straight forward curriculum.  It is largely black and white.  It sticks close to the Anabaptist value of simplicity.  If you are interested in this curriculum, you can send them a letter at this address: PO Box 3, 14193 Hwy. 172, Crockett, KY 41413 or phone them at 606/522-4348 to request a sample of their curriculum and a scope and sequence.  


I am glad to have received and looked at their samples.  I am realizing that my daughters and I tend to be very visual.  The formatting and color of the pages I'm reading affect my enjoyment of them and my tendency to want to read them or not!  Rod and Staff's curriculum is also written for folks who are Anabaptist.  The Anabaptists lead very different lives than we do and are preparing for a very different future than my children are.  So, I don't think Rod and Staff is for us.  But, it is a very affordable choice for curriculum ($191 for all subjects for 3rd grade).  I have heard good things from friends who've used the curriculum for various subjects.  

Finding What I'm Looking For

My garage saling partner and I headed out Saturday morning in the search of treasures.  It was an interesting day!

Autumn has a 16" 2 wheel bike that I bought her last year at a garage sale for $3.  It works well.  Sami has a 12" princess bike with training wheels.  My husband and I talked and knew she'd need a new bike by the fall.  Eli is in the same situation.  We bought him a cars tricycle (which much to my husband's chagrin has plastic, nonreplaceable wheels) for his birthday in April.  It was $60.  We both realized that he has taken to riding a bike far more quickly than the girls and would need a 12" bike by the fall.  As parents we all have things that we would like to get for our kids as "new" items, but sometimes our budget doesn't allow for that.  Bikes are one of those things for my husband.  The first time I brought home a used bike for our kids, he was very sad and disappointed.  Then I brought home another for Sami, a $1 Big Wheel for Eli, and Autumn's $3 16" bike.

Last weekend, we bought new helmets for the kids which cost $15 each.  With 3 kids, it adds up fast!  But, I didn't want to buy used helmets for several reasons.  1) I wouldn't know how many times the helmet had been dropped.  2) I wouldn't know how the child who wore the helmet took care of their hair.  So, new helmets are justifiable to me.

But, pondering two new bikes at $60 each was daunting to me.  So, these two items went to the top of my garage saling priority list.  At the first sale on Saturday, we found this bike for Eli in like new condition.  I checked the tires to make sure they had air in them and gave it a quick once over before I bought it.  I could tell from the treads that the bike had been ridden only a little.  The gal wanted $15 for it, but agreed to $10.  I was very thankful.  It retails for $60 new, so my 10% rule almost worked.

We went to another garage sale down the street and I found a purse for me for $2.  I find that as a mom I need a practical purse, so it was a huge treat to find a nonpractical purse for special occasions for me.


We moved on and I found a huge plastic bucket of legos.  What I didn't realize at the time was that this bucket was going to require a lot of sifting on my part.  With most things from garage sales, I do expect some fixing or pruning to be involved.  I spent this morning pruning the bucket and discovered that about half of them were legos.  The other half was mega blocks or random toy figurines.  But, since I only paid $8, that's okay with me.

We headed from that garage sale to a community of houses nearby that was having a sale.  Early on, we turned down one culdesac and found a bike for Sami.  The bike was in like new condition, but it was a 16" bike (bike with 16" wheels) and it had no kickstand or training wheels.  It was also missing one of the handlebar grips.  I knew that though the bike was in like new condition, it was missing all of these things.  The fellow asked me for $10 and I offered $5 since I'd have to buy all the other parts.  Little did I know how much those other parts would cost!  Later that day, I went to Walmart and bought a kickstand, training wheels, and grips.  Altogether, the parts cost $26!  That brought the bike's cost to $31!  But, for a like new bike, it was still saved me at least $30.  A new 16" bike starts at $60.

The lesson I learned on Saturday is to know the cost of replacement, or missing, parts if I can!

My friend found this toddler bed for $10 for her grandson, which was what she needed to find.  So, it was a good day.  I'm thankful for how the Lord provided for us.

When I came home, I thought about the desire to buy something new for our children.  It's tempting to think that we should do that.  But, I read an essay by Wendell Berry today on Waste, at the request of my husband.  One reason I like to hand down our toys and clothes to friends and also why I like to garage sale is that I'm not contributing more to the waste of our society.  I don't feel very extreme about this, but I do value the idea of minimizing my family's consumption of natural resources.  I don't want to be wasteful.  So, at the end of the day, though new bikes would have been beautiful in my children's eyes, I think that their "gently used" and refurbished bikes have much greater value--to me and to them.

Garage Saling Etiquette aka Garage Saling Manners

I had been looking forward to this past Saturday's garage sales for several weeks.  There is a big one in our area and over the past few years it has grown bigger and bigger.  With that growth, though, there have been problems.  My garage saling partner and dear friend and I had a horrible experience on Saturday.  I have a wonderful garage saling partner that makes it possible for It made me realize some of the lessons we've learned over the past four years of garage saling together.  


Here are a few of them:


1)  Take an extra measure of patience with you.  Whether you need to be patient with other people, cars, or wrong directions, it is important to be patient.


2)  Be polite.  Wait your turn when driving down skinny streets and always choose safety over time.  When someone bumps into you, be gracious and don't snap at them.  When someone reaches for something you are looking at, let it go.  It's just a thing.


3) Look for what you need first, then what you want.  Buyers remorse works with garage saling just as it does at retail stores except that you can't return anything.  If you buy something that is broken, don't dwell on it too much.  Check out what you can before you buy since all sales are final after all.  But, some things you won't foresee.


4) Offer to pay what you can afford and feel is reasonable.  If the host of the garage sale isn't agreeable to the price, that is okay.  If someone refuses your offer, then very politely set it down, smile, and wish them good luck with their garage sale.


Some folks having garage sales feel that their things are worth a lot of money and aren't willing to part with it for less.  Others are interested in getting rid of stuff they no longer use.  The reality is that almost all the time whatever you are buying is used.  And often it is much used--so the original purchaser has often gotten a lot of  value for their purchase already.  


If you do need a certain amount of money for items, they are in like new condition, and you are considering having a garage sale, I would recommend instead consigning the items.  You are going to get more money for your children's clothes and other items than you would at a garage sale.  At a consignment store, if an item is sold at 50% of the retail price, you will receive between 20-25% of the price.  If it is sold for less, then I believe you will receive less.  Some consignment stores will require you to bring clothes in clean and pressed.  


This is something I keep in mind.  My rule of thumb is generally 10% of the retail price.  But, all of that goes straight to the person I'm buying from and they didn't have to transport their goods.  Sometimes people will tell me that they can get more on ebay or craigslist and I wish them luck.  Again that is more work on the part of the seller and something they have to be willing to do.  


If you simply want to get rid of things, having a garage sale is a great way to go, but if you want to receive a certain amount of money in exchange for your things and you are willing to put in the work and take any associated risks, then Craigslist, ebay, and consignment stores or sales are a wiser activity to pursue.  


Sometimes there is a need on the part of the garage sale host to make money to pay a bill or raise funds for a charity, but most of the time, I've found when I or friends of mine have garage sales that the money is simply to buy other "wants".  If you do need to make a certain amount of money from something, the other avenues I mentioned earlier, might be wiser choices.


One thing I've noticed is that in the many blessings we have in this country, we can begin to hold onto them.  They can become a "lesser idol".  But, they are just things.  Sometimes there is a sentimental value that we ascribe to them, but most of the time I find we get caught in the thinking that we need to make the most money from what we have.  It is a value of capitalism.  But, it is not biblical.  I've never found a spot in the Bible that says make the most money from what you have.  The parable of the landowner and three servants does advise not wasting what is given to you, but we are warned repeatedly in other places in the Word to keep ourselves form the love of money.  When we hold onto "things", we are tempted to love money.  We have to be careful and guard are hearts.  


My way of guarding my heart has been to simply give things away.  Once in a while I am tempted to want a certain amount of money for something, but then I remind myself of how God has taken care of us.  It is work actually at times to find someone who wants something I need a new home for, but when I find that new home it is so satisfying!


But, I am thankful for all the people who have garage sales, since I enjoy meeting folks and shopping at their garage sales!  


5) Don't Cuss.  Be Careful about what you say.  This one may seem very obvious, but you'd be surprised at some of the things I've heard and overheard.  There are usually little ears around too listening to what others are saying.  


6) Enjoy the unexpected.  Some days we find huge treasures and others not.  You never know what you are going to find.  It is a bit like a treasure hunt.  Last Saturday, I didn't find any big treasures, but I did find what I needed!  I bought 4 pairs of shorts for $1 for Eli, 4 brand new short sleeve shirts for the girls for $2, a plastic bucket for $1 for my kitchen compost scraps, a backpack for Sami for $2, 4 books for a birthday gift for $1, and a baby monitor for a friend for $5.  


7) Be aware.  In the basic motorcycle course I took last summer, we were advised to use this acronym as a guide:  

SEE   

Scout ahead

Evaluate what to do

Execute and act

The most important step is the "S".  Scout and be aware of all that is going on.  When garage saling, I have noticed that many pedestrians and drivers are distracted and not paying attention.  Be a good defensive driver and pedestrian.


8) Be honest and have integrity in your exchanges with people.  This has many implications surprisingly.  But, at garage sales you, whether a buyer or seller, are exchanging money and goods and so you need to be wise and have integrity.  Don't sell something that is broken if you are aware of this.  Don't give someone less money than you've agreed to pay.  Don't agree on a price and then go back on it, whether you are a buyer or seller.


So, here's my story...


I do want to share what happened last Saturday to help you put all of this in context.  My friend and I drove to the BIG garage sale.  As we were driving into the parking lot, a woman walked right in front of my car.  She did not look around her or behind her.  She simply walked.  She blended into my line of sight with her black shirt and tan pants and my friend alarmed me about her appearance close to my car.  I stopped in time and the woman never even noticed.  We were both shaken up.  I saw the woman later and approached her.  I cautioned her to pay attention to where she's walking.  Closure.  But, that was only the beginning.


A bit later we witnessed something fall on someone and the person became very angry and cussed loudly about the incident.  My friend and I were notably shaken up.  I still am actually.  


We did try to go on from there, though.  Another row along in the yard sale, someone accused my daughter of stealing a book I'd bought from another vendor.  I would never think of not paying for something, nor would my friend.  


At that point, we began to quickly find our way through the rest of the vendors.  We wanted to leave.  We had such a bad taste in our mouths from these encounters.  I'm not sure if we'll go back to this yard sale again.  Something seemed to happen and change at this yard sale this year.  With more people came more problems.  Maybe it's that I don't like crowds and I prefer space.  I feel safer with my three kids when I can keep a closer eye on them and not feel so encroached upon.  


I still love to garage sale.  We found many more to go to after the big one.  My treasures actually were mostly found at the small ones, rather than at the big garage sale this Saturday.  We just may not go back to the big one again next year.  We'll see...

My Garden's Progress

My strawberry plants are in full bloom.  Every day we've been collecting a small bowl for lunch this week.  My girls have loved hunting for berries that are ready to be picked and then picking them.  

In my backyard, all my plants are finally in.  

Although after this picture was taken, I added 2 jalapenos and a cherry tomato near the basil.

My strawberries do seem to be surviving after their near death experience with the leafrolling caterpillars.  I did decide to spray them with an organic spray I had been given to sample.  I read on the web that you should simply kill the caterpillars and not spray unless there is a big problem, but since this spray was organic and I needed to see if it works, I thought I might was well try it.  I haven't seen any caterpillars since...but I'm still checking every day.  

Here's a picture of their progress:

What I remember about my strawberries from my front yard is that the first year, the plants produced one or two strawberries and seemed to gain their strength.  It was in the second year and now in the third that they really began to produce berries.  So, my hope for these little strawberry plants this summer is that they will gain their strength.

My bean seeds are beginning to sprout.  They are one of the few seeds that will grow pretty easily outside without being started inside.  I think they grow pretty easily considering that I've only planted them in a small mound of dirt around the trellis.  Last year, I planted them very late (June) so they didn't bear any green beans until late August.  My hope is that they will climb the trellis earlier this year so that we might enjoy the beans longer.  Here is a picture of my yellow wax beans that I've planted beginning to sprout:

When I was a little girl, I did not like our garden.  I think I've shared before how it only meant work and chores to me.  My dad didn't believe in God and so he didn't see the beauty of the garden as God's creation.  As an adult, this is what gives me a sense of joy when I see something beginning to grow.  It is the realization that it is not me that has made this plant grow, though I have planted, watered it, and weeded around it.  It is God who makes these plants grow.  It is He who sends the sun and the rain.  I trust Him to care for these plants just as He does for me.  I am thankful for the innocent joy that I find in my garden and weeding my small beds that seem like so little on one hand, yet just enough to take care of on the other.

The First Bugs of the Season

On Sunday at church, I overheard my friend who gave me some strawberry plants tell another friend about watching for special caterpillars that love strawberry plants.  I heard her explain that if you see a strawberry leave curled together with some webbing then there's a strawberry leafroller caterpillar inside.  I have had strawberry plants in front of my house for several years now and have had none of these.


But, there's always a first time.

Today I looked at the plants in my backyard (the ones from my friend) and found 3 leaves rolled up with the said caterpillars inside.  


I have to admit that I transferred one caterpillar to a tree and killed two of them.  I also think I lost another one in the dirt so I'm going to be on the lookout tomorrow for another rolled leaf.


I think I've come to a conclusion about bugs.  They're different from place to place--even if those places are a 30 minute drive a part.  I wonder if the caterpillars came with the plants (as tiny eggs).  I'm not exactly sure.  I did read in one article that they winter as pupae.  Perhaps they like the type of strawberry in the backyard better than the ones I have in the front.  But, for whatever reason they're here and now I need to deal with them.  After reading two articles on the web, I gather that there isn't a lot I can do except remove them and keep an eye on them.  So, that's what I'll do!  


The past few days I've been trying to do one thing each day to my garden.  Yesterday, we planted chives and morning glories in the two pots I had out front.  Today, I planted green onions, red and yellow onions (though a quite late in the season), and some garlic.  But, I hadn't looked at my strawberries closely in several days.  That was my mistake.


My lesson for myself in this is to keep my eyes and my ears open even if I don't think there will be a problem!  Because I just may!

Cookie Press Trials and Triumphs

When I was little, my great grandmother used to make Spritz cookies.  She was a great cookie baker.  My grandmother was too and so is my aunt.  My mom picked up cookie baking from them (and from her mom) and I from all of these women in my family.    I didn't realize it at the time, but I spent my mother's day doing what I learned from my family--making cookies, using my great-grandmother's recipe.


I have a cookie press that I think was my great grandmother's.  I actually don't know why I think that, but I've always thought that, so I hope that it is.  It is an old aluminum one with a copper top.  It has a few plates and you screw down the top to make the cookies.  My great grandmother always made bars.  She didn't make the shape cookie that people commonly think of.    So, that's what I've always made as well.  I was never shown how to make the shape cookies and never took the time to figure them out--until yesterday.  


For Mother's Day, my children gave me a Pampered Chef cookie press.  It came with 16 different plates.  I was curious to see if I could successfully make some shaped cookie.  I started off with a recipe from King Arthur's Cookie Book (which I've had great success with).  I decided to also make my great-grandmother's recipe and compare the two.  

I made the first dough and put it in the press.  I tried to squeeze it once.  Then I squeezed it twice.  I couldn't get the cookies to come off the press.  So, of course I went to the web to search for tips.  I got clues, but not tips.  I had to find my own way from there.  I was discouraged that people pretty much hate this press.  It gets horrible reviews.  But, I felt determined yesterday to try and be successful with it.


After tinkering and trying, this is what I discovered works.  
1) Some plates/designs work better than others.
2) Use cold cookie sheets.  No parchment.  If you've used a cookie sheet once, run it under cold water for a bit until it cools down and then dry it off.  The cookies won't stick unless it's cool.
3) Use a yummy dough.  I'm including my great-grandmother's recipe here which I got rave reviews about last night at our Bible study.
4) With the Pampered Chef press, you need to do one click (make sure it pops out), and squeeze almost until a 2nd click is made.  
5) Tinker with how you come off the press.  I found it worked well to take it off at an angle--like an arching motion with my hand.
6) Let the dough sit for 5 minutes to soften up if you think the dough is too stiff to press out.


I was able to successfully (after 2 cookie sheets) make spritz cookies.  Some plates did work more easily than others.  


Here is my great-grandmother's recipe.  It does have leavening agents (though some would say spritz cookies shouldn't) and they taste lighter than the dense butter only cookies that you get with many other recipes.


Spritz Cookies 


Cream 1 c. butter with sugars until you have fine lumps.

3/4 c. sugar

1/4 c. brown sugar

Add and mix well:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose white flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt


Add 1 egg and 1 tsp. vanilla.
Beat well until there are no lumps.


Use cookie press.  Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Day 3: Done Before the Rain Came...

Thursday morning I realized that it wasn't raining and I snuck outside to start working even before the kids woke up.  It may have been a bit chilly, but with 3 kids, I have to steal every moment that I can sometimes.


I started with the beds.  I built 3 triangle beds of cedar.  Lowe's carries cedar, but Home Depot doesn't.  My husband mentioned that you can use other hard woods.  Cedar is advantageous though for two reasons--1) it's cheaper (a lot!) than the other hard woods like poplar and Oak that they carry.  2) the smell of the cedar is unappealing to termites.

This bed I added on to my long rectangular bed.

I did have to run out to get more stakes to put around one of the beds but when I was finished, my triangle beds looked like this:

I know triangle beds are probably not the most economically wise use of the boards based on square foot of gardening space, but I made them in triangles instead of squares because my hope is that they will be easier for the kids to garden in and reach the center of.  The line down the middle is because one side belongs to each girl--it is their garden...to plant, to weed, to water, and to care for...  

I also planted the plants waiting to be planted.

I planted the azaleas around the rose bush hoping that it will keep little ones from touching the thorns of the rose bush.  I did forget to check the companion gardening book.  I hope the combination will be okay.  They are a partial sun flower which should work well in this spot, but will need a lot of water in the summer as it gets hot.

My raspberries are now planted.  They're bush raspberries, not trellised ones, so they look a little different.  

The last thing I did was fix the non-existent border on the side of our house.

I transplanted some bulbs (which are flopping down because they need to take root and get watered), an azalea bush, a hosta, and put a brick border in.  This is a funny spot sun wise.  So, although it is partial sun, it gets really hot in the summer so we'll see if the hosta and azalea make it.  There is another azalea nearby so I am hopeful.  If it doesn't, I'll try something else (a plant that needs and tolerates more sun).  I put in the bricks.  I bought simple plain bricks for 44 cents each.  I was amazed at how much just adding the line of bricks helped.  It defined the area.  

Gardening and landscaping, I've discovered are very expensive especially when you're beginning and you need so much.  What I've been trying to do with my garden is be as economical as I can and spread out the cost.  

Two years ago, I planted perennials in my front flower bed.  That was my first dabbling.  I highly recommend planting strawberries if they grow in your area because they've been super easy to grow.  The kids have loved picking of a few strawberries and watching the flowers bloom and then the strawberries develop.  They multiply and you only need to invest in a plant or two.  I think I bought 1 for the front bed the first year and 2 more the second year.  They now fill the flower bed which is probably 10 feet long.

Last year, we put in the fence, pebble walkway, brought in a load of dirt to raise the level near the house, put in the trellis and two square raised beds.  

This year I've added more raised beds, put in borders, bought a few more plants, bought more pebbles, and am hopefully going to build a compost bin next month.

Dirt Cheap Green Thumb talked about picking plants that are right for your cold hardiness zone and the sun that the area receives where you're planting.  Taking these two things into mind will save you a lot of money.  I have found this to be true.  The plants that haven't survived or haven't thrived weren't really the best plants to put in those areas.  I did lose my oregano last year to a disease, but I had that happen to another friend after her oregano was a few years old like mine.  I never used it, so I'm not going to replant it.  That was another tip I read and agreed with--plant things you're going to eat.  Something might sound appealing, but it isn't worth it if you won't use it.  I planted 3 herbs last year that I did nothing with.  I have a huge lemon balm plant outside that I have no idea what to do with!  It does look beautiful though.  

I've realized a few things this week about gardening.  

1) Start out small.  It's a lot more work than it looks like--to build it and take care of it.  I've been sore and tired after only a few hours of work!

2)  Small is doable.  A pot or adding a plant to a bed that's already made.

3) Plant a strawberry first.  

4)  If you have kids, get Kids Garden! and try one of their easy projects first. The book has lots of indoor and outdoor projects.  You can start gardening indoors and then move outdoors.  I'm learning, hopefully.  My girls have loved watching the geraniums grow in their room that we brought home from Longwood Gardens at a free children's activity.  Plants in your home are also good for the air quality in your house.

5)It's not as intimidating as it seems if you haven't gardened before.  Map the sun through the day in the area where you're going to plant.  Note if it drains well but also gets watered.  Pick plants based on how much sun the area gets.  Put tall plants in back and short ones in front (think about shadows from plants onto other ones).  Kids Garden! is the best book I found for explaining how to plant a plant.  Kids books are just simpler than adult books.  Water it in a bit after you plant it and then keep an eye on it.  Weed as needed.  Water as needed.  And enjoy watching it grow!  And last but not least, don't think that if it doesn't grow that you have a brown thumb.  Some or all of your plants may grow.  But, some may not.  Just start back at the beginning.  Think about why you think it might not have grown and try something else in that spot that might work better.

I'll keep you posted as things grow and as we plant... 

I'll also keep you posted on our composting efforts...

PS.  The best part of my gardening efforts this year is that last week, my husband commented about how horrible our yard looked (due to our dog digging everywhere) and the garden hadn't had a makeover yet.  When I took him out to see the final results of my efforts this week, he was pleased with the way the garden looks now.  He suggested putting vining plants around the fence instead of a shrub in the corner and I think it's a great idea.  He would like to help me plant and build the compost bin.  I think it was daunting to him how much needed to be done before I'd started.  

Bread a Baby Prefers...

Yesterday afternoon, I took some bread I'd made over to a friend to sample.  She gave a small piece to her one year old daughter.  We were both surprised when her daughter chose the bread over a sugar cookie!  The bread happened to be Anadama Bread made from my bread machine with a recipe from a new cookbook, The Artisan Bread Machine by Judith Fertig.

I tried these recipes from this cookbook:  Old Fashioned Buttermilk Bread, Oatmeal Honey Bread, and Anadama Bread

I primarily bake whole wheat bread.  I was especially curious about how her recipes worked out with my Zojirushi Bread Machine.  So, first I'll address her whole wheat recipes.  She says that you either need to use part bread flour and part whole wheat or add Artisan Dough Enhancer (there's a recipe in the cookbook) with 100% whole wheat.  I use a recipe that allows me to only add Wheat Gluten to my whole wheat flour.  I couldn't find the ingredients for the Dough Enhancer at my local grocery store and I do live in a large metropolitan area.  I believe I'd need to go to a natural foods store.  Since I didn't have the dough enhancer, I chose to make the Anadama Bread using my usual fresh whole wheat modification.  Ms. Fertig adds that you need to watch the dough and add 1-2 Tbsp of flour as needed.  I usually get my bread set up and leave it.  I have found this substitution to work really well for me:

In a recipe that calls for whole wheat flour, 

1 cup whole wheat flour = 1 cup + 2 Tbsp. fresh whole wheat flour

This substitution works with this book as well.  The Anadama Bread is the bread my daughter's little girl held tightly onto.  My 7 year old raved about it.  I loved it's molasses, cornmeal crunch mixed with the wheat flour.  It was surprisingly not too dense.  It wasn't airy, though.  It was just right.  

The Oatmeal Honey Bread was served to the guests at my son's birthday party in the form of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.  Everyone said, "This is homemade bread, isn't it?!"  I answered affirmatively.  It was well liked.  I thought it turned out a little too moist though.  It would need to be eaten that day--which is pretty easily done in my home.

The final bread I made is the Old Fashioned Buttermilk Bread.  It involves a buttermilk sponge--a type of  sourdough starter.  My sponge did not double in size in 24 hours, though I covered it and followed all the directions.  I used it as is and made the bread.  The bread looked almost undone on top, but when I took it out of the pan and sliced into the bread, it was perfectly done.

My conclusion is that this is a great bread machine cookbook if you like to do part whole wheat breads, are interested in making sourdough breads from scratch, or like to make other all white flour breads.  The Anadama Bread recipe is a keeper for me.  I am looking forward to trying one of the other sourdough recipes.  The directions for all of the recipes are very clear and it makes this cookbook very easy to use.  Just don't lose your place as to what you've already put in your pan like I did once and had to correct.  If you have dough enhancer that you can get at a store nearby, then the 100% whole wheat recipes may be feasible for you.  They aren't for me at this point, but I liked the other recipes enough to say that I really like this Bread Machine book.  If you like using your bread machine at home and are always tempted to buy fancy breads from a bakery, this cookbook would be a blessing.  You can try all the breads you've been curious about without having to spend $4-$6 a loaf!

Please note that I received a complimentary copy of this book from Robert Rose Publishing for review.