So much to blog about.......

So little time......
Canning like crazy and living and will have to catch up later.........sorry for the hiatus!

The story of stuff.....

                                                www.storyofstuff.com
What a humbling picture of what is happening in our world...........I grew up with the skill of thrifty ingrained in me, however, most people didn't.    I know people that turn their noses up at garage sales, and flea markets, and used goods in general.........I know that there are still things we need to work on, and this is a great reminder and a shocking picture of what is happening to our planet.


This is worth the time to watch it all........


                                         http://storyofstuff.org/cosmetics/


I am so thankful that I have moved away from a lot of those products......as controversial as it is, I WILL SAY IT..... We say NO to sunscreen, when I do use it when we are to be somewhere all day, with no reprieve rom the sun, I use one by burt's bees one with oils.   People sometimes get pretty worked up when you say anything about it, and they think " those poor kids"....I think the same about them!!!!
........so we don't mention it.   


 We wear long sleeves sometimes, and occasionally hats, and we use common sense.    I will never be convinced that I need to slather my kids (on the largest organ of the body, their skin) with sunscreen that is full of toxic chemicals.    I have done the research, and after going to college for business, I see through most of it.    


Think about it, get people hooked on the thought that this lotion will protect them if they use it everyday, and re-apply it too!   Be sure to re-apply often.    Any product that they can convince us we need regularly, is money in their pocket.    I know people that use it, as instructed by a doctor, constantly, and spend upwards of 15 bucks a bottle.   Convince billions of people they need it, and get doctors to endorse it, and that is big business. 


I came to this conclusion last year as I became more aware of what we have around us, and in our hair and body products.   We live in a toxic world, but there are things we can do to reduce our exposure...... 


Talk to a 90 plus year old farmer and ask him about it......he'll tell you to wear a hat, get gradual sun in the spring, and use common sense.      

Let the homeschooling adventure begin.........

After more than a year of preparation and prayers, we are officially a homeschooling family.     The curriculum, My Father's World  has been ordered and shipped, and this evening we have re-signed the by-laws and are back for a second year in a co-op with CHECC

 After reading http://cathyduffyreviews.com/general-book-reviews/100-top-picks.htm, attending the Homeschool Convention in Cincinnati, Ohio this spring, and talking to lots of moms, I had narrowed it down to 4 main companies that I liked.    Fortunately, my husband is much more decisive than I am, and he was able to look at the narrowed down choices and decide that he liked My Father's World.

We both agree that we will gradually hand select, and use bits and pieces to taylor the boys' education to them once we get the hang of this, but for this year, I needed something that doesn't require me to reinvent the wheel.   I wanted something that I could get into a good routine with and that we could be confident in.    Aside from not using/doing it, I don't think that it is possible to mess this up.   It is a beautiful, simple, well thought out program.    Well, at least it appears that way from the starting line.

We are committing to one year of this, and well see how it goes.    If it works for us, then we will keep on, if it doesn't, well we at least gave it a good effort.     I think we will know by December if this is going to work well with our family.    I have felt led, and well, at some points when I was hesitant, things all kept pointing to this.   That will be for another post!

Nervous, YES!   But, over the last few years, I have learned that God asks us to do things that are hard, and things that we don't want to do.   Sometimes things that....... until he opens our eyes, we don't even feel like we are capable of.     However, it is in these that he tests us.   These things are what he uses to draw us closer, as we must depend on him fully to supply us with what we need to get the job done!     I am learning that I can see him working the most when I simply follow him, and rely on him, and give it all I have, then he somehow brings the loose ends together.

I know this blog is new, and there aren't many, if any homeschool mommies are reading yet, so for now these will be a bit of a diary for me to document the journey for us.   But if any homeschooling mommies are out there, feel free to comment, as it would be nice to connect!

Economic Turmoil+Harvest+work=Summer garden stress

Does anybody ever feel stressed about harvesting?    I mean on one hand I feel incredibly blessed, and see God's goodness in that I have food and access to food, but find it a challenge to manage my work, my house work, the gardens, meals, the kids, and life in general.  My abounding blessings cause great stress for me.   But upon closer examination, I have decided that I spend less time in the morning in prayer  when I am so busy and less time in the Bible, and I think that there is a direct correlation between that!

  Especially in consideration of the economic turmoil, I don't want to waste a thing, so I have found that my stress levels run high this time of year because I cannot get everything done that I want to.

Does this economic turmoil and the way grocery prices are inflating, make anyone else a little stressed out about getting all their harvest put up.    I normally find canning and cooking relaxing, but for some reason, the sense of urgency I feel towards getting my food processed is more intense.

How about you?  Are you relaxed and enjoying every minute, or are you trying to put up food, and feeling a bit tired and overwhelmed by the time it requires?

Purple Broccoli......

I planted purple broccoli this year along with several other kinds, and I have to say that I think I prefer them over the traditional green varieties I planted.  They are tender, the flavor is wonderful, and they cook up to a vibrant green!   I had no idea they would go green, but it makes sense that they would since purple green beans do.

My favorite summer dish......

As the first tomatoes get ripe, I crave this!    I have no recipe, I just take what I have, and throw it together, but the main ingredients consist of Tomatoes, cucumbers, and mozzarella cheese.....you can add cooked chilled cooked beans such as garbanzo or a myriad of other things you like to it.   I sprinkle it with dill and for mine, providing I have some,  I add a little bit of my favoritie summer dressing..... Trader Joe's, Cranberry, Walnut & Gorgonzola dressing.

Yard Long beans.....

I planted some Italian yard long beans, sometimes called "Asparagus beans".   They are so yummy!    We have had them in several meals, including dinner tonight.  I couldn't imagine looking at them that they would have such great flavor, but they do.   I haven't canned them yet, since I only planted about 12 seeds, but If I can figure out where to grow more of them next year, I will try.   Since they are climbers, I am limited on where I can out them.   They are from www.tmseeds.com

 I also grew Lazy wife Beans,(not pictured) that I got from http://comstockferre.com/ (free shipping with orders of $5 or more, which is awesome!) this year, and I have been impressed with both of these.

  

                                        

                                         Yardlong bean almost 25 inches long....

Late summer nights.......

   Last week was our county fair, and while it was hot, (most days were in the 90's and high humidity) the days we went out were manageable.    At the start of the fair, I ended up with some pickles from my friend Andrea at www.chicky-bit-run.blogspot.com and from my Dads garden too.    I canned some dill pickles and some relish...both firsts for me!

Pickles getting ready to be scrubbed... I repurposed a plastic mesh bag that oranges came in, which worked great to scrub them....

                                         

Kiddie Tractor Pull

We took the boys out  to the fair a couple times.....for the Kiddie tractor pull, and for the kiddie pig chase, and one day to walk around with some family.  We tried to focus on a few activities for them, rather than let them ride rides.   I had intended to let them ride rides one day, but I just couldn't bring myself to spend $32 for them to ride those rides.    I miss the days of old where one could afford to enjoy the fair on a twenty dollar bill.   We also enjoyed a concert last Friday of a great up and coming Nashville recording artist, Kate Hasting.   She is great!!!! You can check her music out at www.katehasting.com and you can get her music on Itunes too.  She is an amazing singer, song writer, and guitar player...... We got her Cd while we were there, I had to buy it!!!   My boys have been singing,  "I like boys that drive tractors" ......so I'm going to have to watch that...lol    Oh, did I mention that my name is on the back?   I did her photo shoot for her website/Cd cover!  I have a great job!    
 

Towards the end of the fair, the green beans started coming ready.......one small picking so far, but tons of blooms on them.

So, a busy week ahead.   As much as I try to get to bed at a decent hour, it seems like I am up late canning many nights in the summer.      I think I will just do one load, or one batch, and I end up staying up.   The voices in my head say, "the water is all ready boiling, you might as well keep going"......and I think about not wanting to waste electricity.      Yesterday was day 9 on a batch of 8 day sweet ginger pickles so I figured that I had better get a move on!     21 Pints later, when you don't start till after 10p.m. can really eat into your sleep.

Sweet pickles.... the jars haven't been washed yet....so they still has my hard water deposits on them..

Dill pickles

I am notorious for thinking that things won't take me as long as they do and not adequately reserving enough time to get it all done, which sometimes makes me run late....so at least at night the only thing effected by my lateness is my sleep.      

Have you ever heard the corn grow..........?

Mom, can you please come play?
No I am getting a couple weeds, in a little while I will.....
15 minutes later.....

Hey mom....

Mom, can you please come play now?

No I am still working on these weeds, I will in a few minutes.....

10 minutes later.....

mom....

Mom, can you please come play?

I am working, just a few more:)

3 minutes later.....

Hey mom...Can you please put down that hoe and come have some fun for a few minutes? ....PLEEEEEEEEAAAAASE???

Ok..... I am coming right now!!!......

It is hard to find a balance and make sure that I am squeezing in some quality fun with the boys and for me too!!!    Yet not being too indulgent in their wants, and still getting what I need to done.   Anyone else catch themselves missing chances to enjoy themselves with their kids while they work the summer away?   It makes me wonder how much our grandparents stopped to play, or if it was all work.     It seems it is hard to do both sometimes.....but I know they were wise enough to take breaks because......

My grandma told me 2 or 3 years ago that if you listen close in the summer when the corn is really growing quick, you can hear it grow, she said it is almost "whistle"like, as a whole field grows and pushes up towards the sky, and that you can hear it. I never have, but I want to!    I have that on my mental bucket list.......   I want to be sure to take enough time to not miss the beauty in it all!  

I sometimes work to the "burn out" point, and my grandpa says, it is indeed important to take breaks, and not tire out!

What things do you do to make sure you take enough breaks to stop and hear, smell and enjoy it all?

Onion's, and more....earlier than I thought

     This is the first year I have grown onions to try to keep them for winter, I used to just plant sets for green onions, and until a couple years ago, I didn't even like them.    I have accused my husband of praying that I would learn to like them, so that I would cook with them.  (Notice the haze in the picture, that is from the sweltering heat wave that were having in Ohio, that fogged up my lens when I came out to snap the picture this morning)

  
 We went out of town to visit a relative, and right before I left, my garlic appeared ready, and browning, so I pulled it up and hung it in a bundle..... and while I was gone, one raised bed of onions decided to lay over.    So I left them for a couple weeks, and pulled them this week, and let them sit in the sun for a couple days.   However, we got a wicked thunderstorm Monday night, so brought them inside.   But back out onto the porch they go today to get cured.......They are Walla Walla.   And I planted a bundle of plants that cost about $3.50, and the harvest was about 14lbs.   I am not sure if that is a very good yield or not, but I am happy for a first timer:)      I have several other varieties that are still standing, so maybe these will go into my salsa and spaghetti sauce that will be canned in the upcoming weeks.  

Before the carrot harvest......

  





                             So..........

Where and how do you cure your onions?   Is this normal that they are ready so early?  Do you leave them out in the garden when they are curing?   And what if it rains on them, do you just leave them out longer, or do you gather them up as I did so they don't get wet?     

After!

We also had a good crop of carrots and beets and turnips come in.    So many that it cracked my clothes basket on the way into the house!    What a blessing! .......and it seems as though if I can get the next round to germinate, we will have a fall crop too!!!

Garlic on my porch.....

We took the carrots and beets to my grandma's to clean and prepare and keep her company last friday, and Xander  and Coleton had a disagreement over who's turn it was to swing on the tire swing, so Xander ran off to pout.....
It is hard to get the boys to take a nap at the Farm, they just want to run, play and be boys.
Living in a neighborhood is much different than growing up with space to run and explore.......

     

Well, I guess I have to start somewhere.......

   Over the last year, it has been on my mind to start a blog with this title.    After much talking with my friend at http://www.chicky-bit-run.blogspot.com/,......I created this blog one night last fall....... not sure when I would actually begin posting...........and since then I found myself, as I go about my daily life, thinking that this thing or that would make a neat blog topic, and oh, that would be neat to share. But, I was stuck on how to actually begin.   And, I also have had my doubts as to the worthiness of what I have to add to the blogging world........ with all the great blogs out there all ready, or if I would fail to keep up with it.  I have an old family blog that I used to use every now and again, but it is neglected.      However, with some encouragement from friends, I am jumping into blogging again:)        I am not sure exactly what this blog will be like, guess I will wait and see!

I find myself lurking among others blogs at least a couple times a week, and have learned a tremendous amount from everyones life experiences and posts.    I love that I can find information from such a diverse group, thanks to the internet.    People I likely would never have met or known if it were't for the internet.    I am trying to go to school on other peoples lives, and learn everything I can.    I hope this blog will be a place where we can be in community and that we can learn from each other.    

 I guess I will divulge things about me a little at a time.      For now, I guess I will tell you that I love the Lord, and I am working towards being a good help meet to my husband, and a mother and teacher for my two boys.  I am on a quest to learn about how my grandparents and past generations lived, worked, loved and served one another.    This year is my 3rd year of having a garden,  I keep bees, am always busy working and I talk too fast!.....(thank goodness I don't have to worry about that in type!)