Flip Flop Footwear (Try Saying That Fast 5 Times)

One thing we do around here since my Daughter & I live in flip flops in the summer is to keep an old watering can full & a towel on the porch so we can rinse our feet, shoes & all after yard work or being in the garden. It really keeps down the amount of mess tracked into the house.

It's Almost School Time Again

  I do not know where this summer has gone to. July just started & now it's about over. There has been so much to do & I never seem to get caught up.Canning has taken up part of the month & I am grateful for that. I guess those 20 tomato plants were a good idea after all. The cucumbers haven't done so well this year. Cabbage was a good crop, as well as peas. Peppers, not so much. Onions & potatoes were fantastic. Every year is a new gardening experience.
  All of Chicken Chicks school supplies are in her new backpack & ready to go.Winter supplies if not bought are on the list. Propane is in the tank. Wine is aging.
  I have never been a big fan of hot weather. Fall is the time of year that I really enjoy.The only thing is that as I get older fall seems to come around faster every year. Pretty soon we'll be indoors for winter unless we have another one like last year. There was never enough snow to sled on. All kids need a few snow days to unwind.
  So, I'll keep adding to the list. I need to get all of the blankets down & washed. Maybe next week... I now have more tomatoes to can.

Buttermilk Biscuits

  This is a recipe that has been around for a very long time & I try to make these at least once a week.
                            In a large bowl: 2 C. Self Rising Flour
                            Cut in with a fork: 1/4 C. Lard or Shortening or 5 Tbs. Butter
                            Add: 2/3 to 3/4 C. Buttermilk or sweet milk
                            Mix lightly
                            Turn out on a lightly floured board. Fold over on self  3 or 4 times.
                            Pat into a circle that is 1/4" thick
                            Cut with biscuit cutter & bake on a greased baking sheet 10 to 12 min @ 450

Just A Usual Tues. Morning

  I got up this morning ready to make spaghetti sauce & can it. Of course life had other plans. We have a Family member who has dementia. They were having an issue & it was something they felt had to be dealt with immediately. If you know someone with dementia you know about the confusion, demanding & hatefulness that can happen. Anyway, the panic call came in & I was in the middle of putting jars in a water bath. I could not leave the house & drive into town to attend to the problem. Sauce was cooking on the stove, filled jars were in the canner. I could not leave. This made them upset because I could not drop what I was doing. Thank goodness my Husband could go. He realized as soon as he got there that there was major confusion going on & that this was not going to be a good day. There are days like this one & they seem to be coming more & more. It's very sad & upsetting at times to see someone slip. Now a few hours later I called to see how they were doing & everything seems fine, like nothing happened. It is very draining to say the least. The canning is done for today. 18 pts. of chunky sauce. Good & spicy. It will be great on a homemade pizza this winter. Is it too early for a glass of wine?

Tomato Time

       After being away for a few days I came home to a ton of tomatoes. I'll be canning tomorrow!

Thelma & Louise in K.C.

Our Uninvited Guest

  We have found that there is a family of foxes living on our place. The one in the picture walked right up 15 ft. from my front porch & stood there. I grabbed my camera & glasses & went out after it & it stood in our front woods looking at me. This spot it's in is about 5 ft from the chicken coop. We are trying to find a way to get them out of here without harming them, but we can't get the new flock until they are gone.

How To Make Kimchi

Makes 1 quart

What You Need

Ingredients
1 medium head (2 pounds) napa cabbage
1/4 cup sea salt or kosher salt (see Recipe Notes)
Water (see Recipe Notes)
1 tablespoon grated garlic (5 to 6 cloves)
1 teaspoon grated ginger 
1 teaspoon sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons seafood flavor or water (optional, see Recipe Notes)
1 to 5 tablespoons Korean red pepper flakes (gochugaru)
8 ounces Korean radish or daikon, peeled and cut into matchsticks
4 scallions, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

Equipment
Cutting board and knife
Large bowl
Gloves (optional but highly recommended)
Plate and something to weigh the kimchi down, like a jar or can of beans
Colander
Small bowl
Clean 1-quart jar with canning lid or plastic lid
Bowl or plate to place under jar during fermentation

Instructions

1. Slice the cabbage: Cut the cabbage lengthwise into quarters and remove the cores. Cut each quarter crosswise into 2-inch-wide strips.
2. Salt the cabbage: Place the cabbage and salt in a large bowl. Using your hands (gloves optional), massage the salt into the cabbage until it starts to soften a bit, then add water to cover the cabbage. Put a plate on top and weigh it down with something heavy, like a jar or can of beans. Let stand for 1 to 2 hours.
3. Rinse and drain the cabbage: Rinse the cabbage under cold water 3 times and drain in a colander for 15 to 20 minutes. Rinse and dry the bowl you used for salting, and set it aside to use in step 5.
4. Make the paste: Meanwhile, combine the garlic, ginger, sugar, and seafood flavor (or 3 tablespoons water) in a small bowl and mix to form a smooth paste. Mix in the gochugaru, using 1 tablespoon for mild and up to 5 tablespoons for spicy (I like about 3 1/2 tablespoons).
5. Combine the vegetables and paste: Gently squeeze any remaining water from the cabbage and return it to the bowl along with the radish, scallions, and seasoning paste.
6. Mix thoroughly: Using your hands, gently work the paste into the vegetables until they are thoroughly coated. The gloves are optional here but highly recommended to protect your hands from stings, stains, and smells!
7. Pack the kimchi into the jar: Pack the kimchi into the jar, pressing down on it until the brine rises to cover the vegetables. Leave at least 1 inch of headspace. Seal the jar with the lid.
8. Let it ferment: Let the jar stand at room temperature for 1 to 5 days. You may see bubbles inside the jar and brine may seep out of the lid; place a bowl or plate under the jar to help catch any overflow.
9. Check it daily and refrigerate when ready: Check the kimchi once a day, pressing down on the vegetables with a clean finger or spoon to keep them submerged under the brine. (This also releases gases produced during fermentation.) Taste a little at this point, too! When the kimchi tastes ripe enough for your liking, transfer the jar to the refrigerator. You may eat it right away, but it's best after another week or two.

Recipe Notes

• Salt: Use salt that is free of iodine and anti-caking agents, which can inhibit fermentation.
• Water: Chlorinated water can inhibit fermentation, so use spring, distilled, or filtered water if you can.
• Seafood flavor and vegetarian alternatives: Seafood gives kimchi an umami flavor. Different regions and families may use fish sauce, salted shrimp paste, oysters, and other seafood. Use about 2 tablespoons of fish sauce, salted shrimp paste, or a combination of the two. For vegetarian kimchi, I like using 3/4 teaspoon kelp powder mixed with 3 tablespoons water, or simply 3 tablespoons of water.

Laundry!!!!!!!

 My Daughter is sick & cranky, there are two huge baskets of laundry to fold, 50 ears of corn to shuck & I haven't even thought about dinner. I need a vacation! Actually what I really need is someone to do the laundry while I work on the corn.
 
 It ended up being 88 ears of good sweet corn. Plenty for the freezer & more than enough for dinner. The laundry is still here......I was hoping it'd go away.

The Feed Sack Dress

4th Of July 1976

I am remembering my sweet Grandfather today. He was a winemaker extraordinaire. I spent the 4th of July 1976 by myself with a bottle of his grape wine watching the festivities on TV. A lifetime ago, but something I have never forgotten.

Our Favorite Swimming Hole

I've never seen creek water so clear

Strawberry Mead Recipe - Attainable Sustainable

Strawberry Mead Recipe - Attainable Sustainable

Remedies For All That Poison Ivy Type Stuff

My Son would get the worst poison ivy I've ever seen. It was beyond terrible. And of course he was happiest in the woods. Go figure.







Summer is a favorite time of year for outdoor play and adventure. Unfortunately, camping trips and bicycle rides can often lead to nasty cases of poison ivy, oak and sumac. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, the itchy, blistering rash caused by these plants results from an oil called urushiol. The sticky oil is found in the leaves, stems and roots, and easily sticks to skin and clothes.
A poison oak, ivy, or sumac rash is not contagious. It is however, extremely uncomfortable for the afflicted person. Symptoms include redness, itching, swelling, and blisters, according to Mayo Clinic. Rashes caused by poison ivy, oak, or sumac typically heal on their own within a few weeks. But why would you patiently suffer through the pain? You can make the rash less irritating and quicken the recovery process by following these home remedies.



Like Home Remedies for more
WEB MD
1. Turmeric and lemon juice. Natural News swears by the home remedy of mixing equal parts turmeric and lemon or lime juice. Apply the thick paste to the rash and let it soak in for fifteen minutes. You will likely be amazed by the fast and effective results.
2. Cucumber. You may laugh at the image of a beauty queen relaxing with cucumbers on her eyelids. But cucumbers do in fact have cooling properties. Reader's Digest recommends placing cucumber slices directly on the rash, or applying mashed cucumber as a sort of paste to the affected area.
3. Baking soda. Reader's Digest recommends mixing three teaspoons of baking soda with 1 teaspoon of water, and applying the homemade paste to the itchy, blistering area. The solution will dry and flake off. You can also dip gauze pads in a larger quantity of the solution and apply them to the rash for ten minute four times daily.
4. Oatmeal. Oatmeal can help draw out the poisonous serum in blistering rashes. It can also help dry sores and soothe inflammation. To benefit from oatmeal, The Wall Street Journal recommends pouring oats in a bath and taking a soak, or using oats as a compress applied directly to the rash.
5. Buttermilk. The proteins in buttermilk can help drain fluid from poison ivy blisters. They can also soothe itchiness. DIY Health Remedy recommends mixing equal parts salt, buttermilk, and vinegar, and applying the homemade solution to the itchy, blistering rash. You may feel instant relief. If you find heat helps soothe the itchiness, you can also mix buttermilk with warm water and use this to wash the rash.
6. Watermelon rind. Next time you eat a watermelon, keep the rind. You can use it as a cold compress to help relieve the itching caused by poison ivy, according to an article in The Wall Street Journal.
7. Apple cider. Reader's Digest explains apple cider vinegar can actually kill the poison that causes the rash. To use this life hack, soak a brown paper bag in apple cider vinegar, and then place the bag on the rash. This could effectively draw out the toxins.
8. Dishwashing Liquid. At the first sign of a poison ivy, oak, or sumac rash, rub dishwashing liquid onto the affected area. Do not wash off the liquid and continue washing the rash with dishwashing liquid once a day until the rash disappears. According to Natural News, this method is also helpful for treating mosquito bites.
Don't let poison ivy, oak, or sumac ruin your summer holiday! Use these home remedies and you may find instant relief.

Freezer Slaw

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 30 min. + freezing Cook: 10 min. + cooling

MAKES: 18 servings

Ingredients

• 2 medium heads cabbage, shredded (about 16 cups)
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups water
• 2 cups cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons celery seed
• 2 teaspoons mustard seed
• 2 medium sweet red peppers, chopped
• 2 medium carrots, shredded

Nutritional Facts

3/4 cup: 126 calories, trace fat (trace saturated fat), 0mg cholesterol, 287mg sodium, 30g carbohydrate (26g sugars, 3g fiber), 2g protein

Directions

1. Place cabbage in a very large bowl; toss with salt. Let stand 1 hour.
2. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, combine sugar, water, vinegar, celery seed and mustard seed. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Cook 1 minute. Remove from heat; cool slightly.
3. Drain excess liquid from cabbage, if necessary. Add red peppers and carrots to cabbage. Add dressing; toss to coat. Cool completely. Transfer to freezer containers. Freeze, covered, up to 3 months.
4. To serve, thaw coleslaw overnight in refrigerator. Stir before serving. Yield: 18 servings (3/4 cup each).

July 1, 2016