Thought that are turning to Christmas

Thought that are turning to Christmas.

This week I am putting up my Christmas village on top of the book case in the TV room. It has a Christmas tree and I don't want to put up a real tree, and have to take it down later. I love putting the lights on at night and seeing them shine through the buildings. ( this was a gift from Jack's sister, he brought it to me, and said, my sister wanted you to get this... she had paid $1 at a garage sale for the whole set! Years before I had wanted one but they were far to expensive for me.

I also have a wreath that I will hang on the front door on Dec. 1 ( my daughter made it for me many years ago, and I hang it every year.)

For baking I will make cookies for the cookie exchange, and a couple of batches for company coming. I love the cookie exchange and all the ladies that come to it. It is one of the highlights of my Christmas, also love our 1 Craft Saturday when we meet and make floral arrangements ( about 1/2 the same ladies attend and then a few others. Dumb me, took me years to figure out I was the only one there that wasn't related to one family, and they adopted me! LOL) So it is a Family get together, luncheon spread you just help yourself when ever you like to the goodies ( of course we all take something good to eat ;), but you have to eat anyway and it is so much fun to visit and do an old fashioned work bee,making your own and helping everyone else... and them helping you too.) That will be my silver and white Christmas arrangements.

For Christmas dinner, I already have 1 turkey ( about 12 lbs, a little over) that will give us a good bit of turkey and stock later for soups). I got a couple of tins of Cranberry sauce a couple of weeks ago at the scratch and dent store (no scratches or dents and they are ocean spray brand.) My daughter left an extra box of stuffing for us, so will use that for stuffing this year ( I usually make my own from what I have on hand, but her stuffing at Thanksgiving was very good so I will do the same). Of course I will have to do some onions and celery in the fry pan to sweat and add to whatever the mix is... and a few fine chopped mushrooms ??? We have to also have our mashed potatoes, and mashed turnips. and I think Brussels sprouts. Lots of gravy. I'm not going to make salad. We won't eat nearly all of the above, but I also will only have to heat and eat for at least the next 3 days! And we love that!

Somewhere in here too I will go with Gege and hear the Christmas story at Church, and I hope see a few of the lights in town

What are your plans? Will you have family and friends? Do you have any simple things you do or make? Do you go away for Christmas to visit family and get into the rush of Christmas? Do you go away someplace warm and "get away" from Christmas? I love to hear what people are planning and doing. What is special for you, I mean what makes it Christmas , or gives you the feeling of it's Christmas? Is it snow? Or memories of 1 extra special Christmas? Have you ever been stuck someplace and couldn't be home for Christmas? Is Christmas a time of bad memories and you'd just as soon forget the day?

I have some wonderful memories. Like when I was 3 and living in Vancouver. It snowed Christmas Eve, When I got up Christmas Morning I looked out the living room window and down on the neighbours roof ( we lived on one of the hills) and there were 2 lines that went from the chimney to the edge of the roof and little marks all around them. You couldn't tell me there was no Santa , I saw his sleigh marks and the deer feet marks. .... ( Funny now that I'm older the telephone lines seem to make the same marks.... but of course that is just a coincidence).

When I was 9 to 10 years old.... and thought of Santa different ....We had a friend of Santa's who used to stay with us and work at the store in town. He played Santa, and looked just like him. Anyway he and Santa were very good friends and he gave all the information he got all day to Santa's Elves and they worked hard to make sure everyone got what they deserved. He brought me home licorice all sorts every Friday! Oh, what a treat, I've never forgot.

Also about this time we got our first TV! An old black and white, And come Christmas there was Scrooge! And a black and white 12 days of Christmas! Later more and more Christmas movies

Anyway, what do you remember, what made your special Christmases. My Grandma came and later lived with us. That was extra special. Some of you come from other countries, what is special to you? Do you carry on any special treats, or traditions?

A few other things I was thinking about. We had neighbours at one time, they had the most beautiful Christmas tree. It was probably over decorated ( but I loved it) but what made it so very, very special was the bubbling, Christmas light candles. I just loved looking at that tree, it was very full ( fat) and had lots and lots of tinsel, and glass painted ornaments. It is the tree that I hold all other trees to in a Magical, beautiful tree, and none has come close in over 50 years since I saw that tree. I have since been to several places where you go and look at Christmas trees, some you can bid on to buy, some you just vote on, and many are beautiful, but none has matched that tree.

When we moved here in the Kootenays, our neighbour took us for a horse drawn sleigh ride, up the Goat river on the road where cars and trucks usually go, but there was so much snow they hadn't ploughed that forest road and it was just beautiful. Their Son and Daughter-in-Law went in their Dad's larger sleigh with Her Mom and Dad, and the two sleighs went on a very nice ride. It was so quiet, and beautiful. A memory to cherish for sure. down the way we stopped and made a small fire and made a pot of coffee before we headed back.  Memories like that are to be cherrished.

 

Also years ago I was at Niagra Falls over Christmas and New Years.  It was a cold day and the ice from the falls was everywhere, on the trees and fences.  It gave it such a beautiful fairy land look ( slippery for sure!) .  But I check to see photo's of the falls since just to see that beauty created from frozen water with lights shinning and splitting and sparkling all over!

 

I'm sure in the next few weeks I will have more memories and recipies and thoughts to post.  Today I recieved a recipe that I think is one my Mother used to make when I was growing up.  She made it into a roll and cooled it in the fridge and cut rounds out and baked them.  But this sounds like the right ingredients.

 

Memories of Scotch Shortbread

Could it be a recipe like this? This is a recipe I have had for many years. It came with a bunch of recipes from My Gram but no clue where it came from...

Shortbread Cookies:

3 C flour

1 C potato flour

1 lb butter

1 C icing sugar

Method:

Cream butter & icing sugar.

Mix 2 flours together then add the butter mixture.

Mix well, roll out and cut your cookies.

Bake 300 F for 20 minutes, don’t over bake.

 

So now it is here and I hope will survive many more years.  Mom got it in a cookbook when she got married in 1940!  And now  perhaps it will give many more people good Christmas Memories.

 

Frugal things I did this past week.

re-hemmed a pair of grey slacks, older slacks, but still look new and feel good on.
removed a spot on a rust coloured sleeveless top.  Had put it in the dryer and didn't see this huge grease stain between the boobs!  put Dawn on the stain and put in the laundry bin, then the next day when I was washing a load of light clothes I put some home made laundry stain remover on it and washed with the rest of the clothes.  Stain actually is gone!  I didn't think it would go as the top is 65% polyester and only 35% cotton.  Hung it to dry and it is good to go!  No stain, and top saved from the dust bag.
So basically saved 1 outfit!  Better than buying a new outfit for sure.

Helped split the cut up wood ( Ed and Dot came down to help as Ken was in bad shape this week).  Today Ken is using the tractor to bring the cut/split wood ( Johnathan cut for us) into the carport.  We will stack it later.  Johnathan will be coming over to cut more of the wood today.  This is wood we bought last year and should do us this winter and part of the next winter too. I will help split the rest with the old wood splitter.

Not especially frugal thing we did this year, but it will help us live in our home longer and that is frugal I think.  We had a propane furnace put in to replace the old oil furnace.  Since the duct work was all in that saved a fair bit of money.  Propane tank filled at 49.9 cents a liter.  With taxes and all it came to $638. for a winters heat.  Using the wood in the living room stove will cut that heat bill down and should make the house very nice and warm , esp. for Ken this winter. Paid the propane bill this week and it's nice to know the heat is in and all paid for in advance.  ( saved like all major bills by taking a total and dividing in by 12 and putting it into it's own account for taxes, major annual bills.  When you are on a limited budget like a pension, you have to plan ahead as much as you can, and then just know the rest is what you have to live on till the next pension!  So cut down on entertainment, clothing, anywhere you need to.

Another frugal thing I have done this week is to make sure I am using the things I have in the house.  Especially in my cooking.  I get into a rut. So I have used the crock pot , made chili using the leftover spaghetti sauce and ground beef  from supper the night before.  I added chopped onions, celery and chopped mushrooms (4) to the spaghetti sauce that we had ( cheap brand no name original) , then when I put what was left in the crock pot I just added 1 drained and rinsed can of kidney beans, 1 tin of pork and beans, and 1 tin of Mexican diced tomatoes with chilli's chopped in it. ( all 14 oz. tins and on sale for 69 Cents a tin!) also added chili powder, and some home blended Tex-Mex spice.  With toast this made a nice supper.

Tonight we are having sticky Chicken, I am doing it in the oven. It is a very frugal dish and the Chicken was only $5.05 ( one I got in the States).  The giblets and things are on the stove simmering for soup base for lunch.  Depending how hungry we are at supper this should do us 3 to 4 meals.  With sandwiches, soup and perhaps pot pie.
( dog will enjoy all the trimmings from the soup with the exception of the neck - not bones for her from chicken!) But heart, liver, mm mm she loves them.

Off to go have a coffee and check the soup for lunch.

http://poortorichadayatatime.blogspot.com. I am having problems figuring everything out. So have put Carrie's blogspot in this little add on for todays blog. Carrie has been so helpful trying to talk me through this ( just dense, and not very teck savey) , indeed it is like me trying to speek Greek when my own language is a problem! Anyway love your Blog Carrie, and if I can just find my own I'll be able to find yours now too!

Carrie at "Poor to Rich one day at a time" was writing about shopping and said that contrary to what most posts tell you that you should "Yes Bring the Kids and Spouse Grocery Shopping!" That got me thinking about growing up and going shopping with my Family. I remember my Family going shopping for groceries every second Friday when I was growing up. There were just 3 of us for years, then my Grandma came to live with us and there were 4 of us. Friday that was shopping day was anticipated all the last week long! It was tradition! We made the list, and we all had input as to what we needed. Then we went to the store in the Car! We went to our little Mall, and it had 4 stores, The Bank , where Mom got the cash from Dad’s check. Next we went to the Chinese restaurant, and had our supper (Moms one night she didn’t cook!!!!) 99% of the time I ordered chow mien! The others usually ordered the special. Usually it was soup of the day, bread and butter put on the table when you ordered, and it was enough for everyone at the table to have a slice, and if you ate all that they would refill the plate ( everyone’s bread was on the same plate!) The odd time the cook would have made buns, but that was a real extra treat and didn’t happen often. Their meal would be hot roast pork ( or beef) sandwich with mashed potatoes, and veggie (peas, corn, carrots, or a mix of the three, once in a while it was beets), and a slice of tomato on the side of the plate. Dessert came with the meal either a home made pudding or a Jell-O, these were served in a small dish. and tea or coffee was always included in the meal price. The food was always good and the waiter always was smiling and saying “ you like, you like”. I miss that still, it was just a local dive, but what wonderful food, and they were always glad to see you. Once in a long while Dad would break tradition and order Liver and Onions, it came with all the same things, just liver and onions instead of the pork/beef on the bread with gravy. Next we went to the main grocery store, and we all went up one isle and down the next and would stop to discuss which brand of an item to buy and why and price. After we finished this event , Dad would march us to the Cheese counter and decide which new Cheese we would try ( this was our treat night ,don’t you know, and later we would try a sliver of new cheese, with pickles and soda crackers for an evening snack, really late at night, maybe 10 o’clock! And we would all go in the kitchen and sit at the table and Dad would open the cheese and cut it, ( Mom would have set the table with bread and butter plates, and put out a plate of crackers on the table and a small dish of bread and butter pickles for the ladies and a jar of Banana pickles for Dad.) and we would have our treat. Once Dad opened a beer cheese. It stunk so bad we were all gagging , he turned opened the back door and threw it as far as he could throw it! LOL, we never forgot that! Mom, just got up and brought out the cheddar cheese and the feast went on. Anyway, back to shopping, after we had the groceries we went to the last store in our little mall. The Butchers. Mom would pay her 25 cents into the Christmas fund and get the little rubber stamp put in her book, then she’d order what she wanted 1 item at a time, and she actually would point out which chops she wanted or how much ground meat she wanted in each package ( according to what she planned to make). Getting the meat at the Butcher was the last stop before we headed home ( about 6 blocks away). and it would have taken us from about 4 in the afternoon, till about 7 in the evening. Then we would go home and everything would be put away. Then and only then , we could start getting ready for our cheese party! From then till the next shopping night we would get milk, butter, eggs, cheese, cottage cheese, cream and such from the milk man. He came twice a week. The Bread man came twice a week too, but Mom didn’t buy much because she usually baked treats and buns ( not bread as such so much). Then Mr. Yen Soo, would come and she would get some fresh vegetables, and fruits from him, whatever was in season. Mr. Soo would have lovely veggies and would be able to tell you the best way to cook them and he also watched our gardenia and told Mom what to do if it wasn’t looking so good, he was a lovely Man. We had our own garden too, but not the variety of veggies that came in his truck! Oh, and in the early fall the fishermen came and sold salmon at the door. Mom would buy a couple and then the canner would come out and she would can salmon for Dad’s lunches. That night we always had a fish for supper, and later in the week fish soup. So Yes Bring the Kids and Spouse Grocery Shopping, and make traditions that the whole family will remember years later! Things are so different today, and 50 to 60 years from now what we do as everyday things your Kids will remember as wonderful and miss them too. Perhaps by then we will have a metal dispenser in our homes and it will dispense a perfect serving sized item for you to eat, with limited choice of what that is. .... I sure hope not.

December 16, 2011, this evenings fun

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, oh, sorry it was just today!
This evening to be exact. After supper was over, and we were enjoying a nice light snow in our country home ( sounds really posh! for our country shack!).
Our little dog wanted out, and in and out and in. To the point I was ready to ring her little neck, but can’t do that just look into her sweet brown eyes, and open the door yet again. Now our little girl hears things we do not, and when she does she wants us to know all about it. While she has a human vocabulary of understanding of about 200 words, I have not gotten that proficient in dog, only knowing certain signals that she has trained me to, with a reward ( no pee or poo to clean up if I get it right!). So I quickly learned in and out signals. Here again for the 4th time in less than an hour was the out signal. So I opened the door ..... MISTAKE !!!!
Here I must interrupt my self to mention we also have a cat. A lovely cat, kills lots of mice, rats, and things like that and drops them off at the back door for me ( well, I’d rather that than him bring them in like he used to before we kept the window shut!).
So back to the story,
The dog had me butler the door again and then she sat just inside the door as the cat flew past me at a great speed. The dog still sat, and didn’t want out, just letting me know the cat wanted in. so I turned around to go back in the kitchen and a furry blob scooted up the wall beside me! I jumped back and had a better look and it was a squirrel. Now I must tell you I am not a critter remover, he was laying down in bed watching the TV. So I called him in for critter duty. However , no one communicated our wishes to Squirrel. Now Squirrel was some upset with cat, me and now DH. Squirrel didn’t wait for dh to get it out, NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, squirrel headed for the living room and under the big chair with cat in hot pursuit. Dh, by this time is up and on Critter catching mode. I am busy shutting doors to bedrooms, and bathroom and computer room! Then back to help Dh move the Chair, which we accomplished with quick movement, but not quick enough, Squirrel was up the chair and over the top and jumped on Dh back holding on to this weird tree for all it was worth. Dh stayed bent over and yelling “grab the ***!!@#*!! Squirrel " so I did.
Well, I tell you that Squirrel was not impressed with my helping at all! It sank teeth and nails into the back of my hand while I held it by the back of the neck with the other hand, and I ran to the back door and put my hand down on the outside freezer, and the Squirrel finally realized it had reached freedom and I swear it bit my hand harder to say “**!!**#@ You lady”! Then it flew off the back porch. I headed for the bathroom and washed my hand and ran the cold water over it to help slow the bleeding, then grabbed a clean wash cloth to apply pressure as it started to swell with blood flowing under the skin. Got the bleeding stopped and the punctures (7) covered with Polysporin (sp?) .
Now the pain is just about gone, and I realized I am a hero! I’ve never been a hero, I saved the Squirrel ( ungrateful thing) , and Dh ( and if he thinks I’m going to let him forget how I took that beast off his back and fought my way from the living room to the back porch enduring excruciating pain all the way,...... well, it did hurt a little... He can think again!)
Oh, yes, Ken’s back is fine, the dog has stopped asking me to man the door, and the cat is eating dried cat food and giving me the evil eye!
And how was your evening a week before Christmas?

first tomatoe showing in the greenhouse!

First tomato showing in the greenhouse today! What a lovely surprise. Friends all have tomatoes, but they bought theirs from the store already in flower. These are grown from seed in the greenhouse! I also have lettuce ready to eat in the greenhouse.
The garden is the slowest it has ever been. However the past 2 days has seen beets, carrots, romaine lettuce, all sprout. The peas have been up almost 2 weeks, and this morning there were no cucumbers up, but this evening 2 have broken the ground. The other end of the garden has most of the potatoes up and doing well, then there is the corn. Or should I say what corn. I didn't plant as much this year just 3 short rows about 24 seeds in all. 2 only 2 have sprouted and grown. That is a terrible average. I also planted a lot of flower seeds, so far the marigolds, sunflowers and zinnias and windmill flowers ( that's not their proper name, but for the life of me I can't remember the name just now, and I just remember someone calling them windmill flowers years ago).
Then I also have 10 tomato plants from seeds that I grew in the greenhouse ( actually all these are ones that self grew from tomatoes in the greenhouse last year!), they are far behind the ones in the greenhouse and I very much doubt they will have tomatoes this year. It has been too cold at nights and the past 3 days are the first really warm days we've had.
Today Chad and Kaylee are getting married. The Polzin family are all down for the wedding. I hope they will have a great marriage. Chad's Mom and Dad are the people we bought this house from. It seems funny to see the young boy that lived here grown up and a man now. Even funnier that Jessie their youngest boy is graduated this year, the same as my Michale's daughter Jessica! That year must have been the year to name children Jessie's! LOL, that is strange how we go through name phases, even my Michaele, that time period everyone seemed to name their daughter's Michelle, I just spelt it different.
Yesterday was Canada day. quiet and only heard the ambulance sirens once. I hate holidays for all the accidents on the highway near us. So far it doesn't sound bad this year.
We've been cutting the wood we had delivered and I will stack some tomorrow. It will take us all summer but if we do a little everyday we will get it all done by fall for winter.

planting the garden, day 2

Another lovely day. It is reading 20C. outside, and the sun is shining! It was supposed to rain last evening, but nothing materialized, however the garden is still very wet.
I planted a row of yellow ( bush) wax beans today and ended the row with 2 hills of zuchini. Then by the potatoes I planted 2 more rows of potatoes, mainly pontiac, netted gem , and micmac( just a few of these). At least that's the names I was given for the potatoes. So lots of baby potatoes comming up, to be served , skins on with butter and dill, oh, I can taste them allready! At the end of each row I planted several corn seeds. Then to make a block of corn I planted another row of flowers and the end I planted the corn so there is a block 3 rows wide and 12 to 15 corn in each row. I figure if half grow I will have a few nice feeds of fresh corn.
So that's todays little work in the garden.

Late Garden!

Today I started planting the main garden. This is the latest I think that I have ever started! The ground is still wet. But Ed ploughed up the soil twice and I left it a couple of days since the last ploughing because of the rain. The creek is flooding and since the garden is just a foot or so higher than the creek it is very wet. Usually the creek is about a yard lower than the garden ( there is a distance of a good 100 or more feet from the creek more like yards I guess).

Any way I planted several 18 ft rows. first was beets, then carrots 15 feet, and 3 feet of romain lettuce, then a double row of peas 18 ft each, with just enough space between the rows to put up my pea fence. then comes a 18 ft row of spinach. There is room for at least another 3 rows in that area.

Next is a space about a yard and a half for a path between the sides of the garden, and then I started a row of potatoes ( seed given me by Dot and Ed) I planted about a 45 foot row then space for the roto tiller at the end of the garden for ease in turning. The garden proper is 70 feet by 45 feet ( close as I can pace out).This is the south end of the garden and the furthest away from the creek. I plan on planting another 1 or 2 rows of potatoes there, then 4 short rows of corn, I still have beans to plant Scarlet runners and some yellow wax beans ,Zuchini, acorn squash just a couple of plants for me as dh doesn't like them, Then another little row of beets and carrots. Some dill, and more later plantings of lettuce, oh and transplant my tomatoes out of the green house to the garden, also need to plant some cucumbers and radishes.

The green house has 3 tomatoe plants in bloom, 4 green pepper plants ready to bloom, 3 med. hot pepper plants just planted and so far not doing anything, lettuce up and soon ready to eat, lettuce planted a week ago and not up yet, basil, several hanging baskets of small tomatoes, and I need to plant some cucumbers in the green house at least 2.

Picture is last fall the North end of the garden and the raspberry plants.

Company has arrived and so will close for today.

Another year!

Since my last post so much has happened and the time is gone! It goes so fast and the older I get the faster time goes! Last June DH had his second hip operation. Not only that he suffered a Heart Attack on the operating table. It has been a very hard year on him. So with his many different health issues we just go one day at a time and enjoy each day as much as we can. With our wonderful friends we have managed to stay put and with luck will do so for a few more years. But who knows what the future will bring. I am planning a little smaller garden for this summer, but looking forward so much to the warm weather. Just now it is snowing yet again. The past few days has been snow, rain, snow, sun and for a short time this afternoon we even had hail! For goodness sake this is April already! What got me thinking of the Blog today was my stove! what a connection, and yet there it is, I got up this morning and baked bran muffins. But they took forever to bake. That's when we found the bottom electric coil was broken, so we had to order a new one and that will arrive tomorrow afternoon. In the meantime supper had to be done without using the oven. ( no big deal, but did mean a change in menu). Yesterday on an unexpected trip to town with DH I stopped at our grocery store ( If I am in town I always stop, rather than have to drive into town again for a forgotten item..... I keep a list on the go all the time of things we need or that are running low, just in case I am in town and I can skip the next shopping day). While in the store looking for onions, and mushrooms I saw huge Cauliflowers on sale for $1.69 each! They looked nicer than any I have seen in a long time. I bought 2.) So that made me think today of Cauliflower soup, and Tina's Cream of Cauliflower soup is one I wrote up on my blog a couple of years ago in July. So to the blog I went to retrieve the recipe. I did change and instead of milk and cream I just used 1 tin of evaporated milk. And the soup...... wonderful! We both enjoyed our supper very much and will have another bowl of soup a little later before bed as a bed time snack. Oh, and another treat, we used our new dishes, DH got me with our little income tax return. Our old dishes were pretty sad, an we were using 2 old sets that were getting worse for wear and breaking quite often lately. Our old dishes served us well for between 24 and 25 years ( I can't quite remember when we got them, but when we moved to the house before this we already had them! So I know it's over 24 year ago.) Now I must head off in another direction. My friend Mary Ann is always telling me I should write, as she likes my rambling ways. So dear freind Mary Ann , this is for you, and I will try and be more faithful in writing than I was previously.

The sore Old Lady, gardened blissfully unaware that more rain and thunder was on it's way. First with a little help pulling the rope on the roter tiller, she finished turning the new grown weeds ( the garden had been done almost a month ago, but the rains hadn't let her finish the planting. In fact only some of the tomatoes had found their new homes from the green house to the garden.) So on she went intent on getting the rest of the garden planted and without the ground turned the weeds would make looking after the garden next to impossible. Just as she reached the half way point in the garden she heard a noise and looked up, there was the neighbour from next door. Ed waved her away and took over to finish the garden. Poor Ed, was known around as the Friendly Giant.
Ed is about 6 foot 4 or so and pushing the mid 350's having lost about 50 lbs in the past few months. Ed hobbles as his knees give him much discomfort, but there was no way he would let a lady work like that, Why he didn't let Dot ( his wife) work like that and he wasn't about to let the Old Lady work like that either!
About that time the Old Lady's husband arrived home from his daily tour of the town. He was in worse shape than the Old Lady, and The friendly Giant. The friendly giant hobbled over and the two old gents sat under the car port sharing coffee that was brewing on the coffee pot that sat in the carport ( you know the one that's never off ...?). The Old Lady once they both were settled with their coffee went back to the garden and worked on and off for the next couple of hours. Satisfied that she had done what she could for that day she surveyed the garden, there were 21 tomatoe plants, Cobra's, Rudgers, Sub Arctic's . and some other unidentified that had been given to her, and she couldn't let a plant go to waste, why that would be sacrilegious! Then there was the short row of spinach, the three short rows of Spanish onions, the 10 gladiolas ( what lovely names they have, Chocolate truffles, and Can Can. Makes you drift off and see the girls dancing in the Yukon Follies, and eating lovely truffles later! )plus 3 zucchini > Finally the carrots, a lovely row of carrots ...... but that made the Old Lady realize that her memory wasn't as good as it used to be. You see her friend Gege stopped by and was heading to town and wanted to see if she needed anything or wanted to go. Well, this time she couldn't go, she needed to get this work done in the garden, but she didn't have any carrot seed or peas could Gege pick some up for her. and Gege obliged...... But it bothered the Old Lady and the put her thinking cap on, and went and checked a couple of spots and sure enough she found her carrots and planted them. Later Gege would come with more, and they could be planted tomorrow. Yes that's what she'd do she'd plant 2 rows and eat lots of baby carrots. Once that was done it was time to get a lunch on!
His Nibs had beaten her to the kitchen and was in the process of making corn pancakes, so she set the table, and they dined on lovely sour dough corn pancakes. Then the dishes went in the sink to soak, and the two Oldsters headed for
a well deserved rest break!
And that dear friends it the way my day went! Tomorrow is another day and there will be more gardening for sure. And this Old Lady will be up to her ankles in dirt!
Hope you all had a satisfying if tiring day too!

October and we've already had snow!

Here it is the 10 th of October and we had snow 2 days ago. Gardening is over for this year. I did manage to pot up some chives, a garlic ( for cut greens for my dishes over the winter) and a couple of walking onions. I also have a nice parsley plant that I brought in. They are all sitting on the window sill in the kitchen, the only good window in the house for growing plants.
We had a good harvest and many tomatoes, although it seemed they just did not want to ripen. I have lots in the back room just taking their time. Tina brought me several plants this year and they turned out to be yellow tomatoes. I only had 2 plants of red cobra tomatoes, and one heritage tomatoe that turned out red and green stripped! Most unsual looking.
Monday October 12 is our Canadian Thanksgiving. We will make our Turkey dinner on Sunday the 11th. I already have the Turkey out thawing, and I will cook potatoes ( mashed), and make dressing, gravy, cooked carrots ( from the garden as well as the potatoes),Cranberry sauce ( done with a little orange juice), and Coleslaw. We will not have desert. It will just be the two of us for supper, and I know us, we will both be stuffed with turkey and dressing! LOL.
There will be lots of trukey left for my favorite, Turkey sandwiches, then soup and casseroles. Should be just lovely.
Now summer is past, I should be back blogging a little more.
Come the 24th of October I am going to go to visit my friend Gloria, it has been years since we saw each other. We will get to visit from the 24th till the 28th. of the month. Then I will head home and she will head to her home in Victoria. I am looking forward to catching up with all her news and family.
Now I'm off to help bring in the wood to stack it up under the car port. It was all cut up and now needs stacking, we still have over 1/2 to split and that will be done next week, till then we will stack what's ready.
It is nice to have the wood heat in our colder than usual fall. We have had to have the fire going since September.
Oh, yes, I almost forgot to mention. Ron got an Elk, second day of hunting season. We have enjoyed some nice Elk meat he gave us. Ken is still looking. He hasn't gotten anything yet, but We are still hopeing he will.

Here is the garden as it is today. The Cosmos are all self seeded from last year, and transplanted into rows. The Rocky Mountain Spinach is quite easy to spot with it's burgundy leaves this is the first time I have planted it, but I will get seed from it this fall ( I hope) and plant it again next year. The leaf lettus is putting out really well. Just now I am using the lettus I'm thinning out for salads. There are lots of Tomatoes in the Green house, the 2 Cobra tomatoe plants are producing lots and we have had 5 ripe tomatoes so far, with another just about ripe. The tumbler tomatoes 2 plants, are just about finished. We have eaten tumbler tomatoes for quite a while now and are getting a soup bowl of tomatoes a day. Also in the green house are 3 Heritage Brandy Wine, and 2 sets of 3 tomatoes that I don't know what they are. They are tomatoes Tina brought over and she had mixed them up and couldn't remember what they were. The do look like the are indeterminate and are growing quite rapidly now. All 6 are in bloom. Also in the green house 4 tiny tims in baskets,and they are in bloom, 1 already has 2 tomatoes setting they sould be ready to take over when the tumblers are finnished. Then I have 4 green pepper plants blooming and 4 small hot pepper plants that have already set fruits.
The garden is producing enough that I am only buying my potatoes, large onions and mushrooms and fruit from the stores now. Otherwise it is the garden and what ever is ready. A couple of days ago we had the first picking of Chard.
A couple of disappointments so far this year in the garden. The radishes were wormy when I pulled them and so that was the end of the radishes. The regular spinach came up a couple of inches and went to seed! So that is a right off. But there is always next year.
If you have some ideas for the radishes please tell me, and I could put in a few more, otherwise I think I'm wasting my time.

July 11, 2009

What a nice surprise we had yesterday. Our good friend Glen from Rolla stopped by and stayed to visit till this morning! It was such a treat to see him and get all the news from our old home town. Glen helped us move down here 7 years ago. I have been back twice and Glen has been down twice, last time with his wife and 3 daughters, Ken got to see them, but I was away at the time to my Daughter's wedding. So missed their visit.

As luck would have it we had invited Jack to dinner and had bought some steaks ( a rare occurrence for us), I quickly went in the freezer and found a couple more small steaks and thawed them for supper Friday night. sliced potatoes and onions with salt, pepper and butter on foil made into packets and cooked with the steaks in the BBQ and a salad from the garden made our supper easy, and we enjoyed visiting on the deck as our supper cooked.
The salad was made with lettus from the garden, a few leaves of the Rocky mountain spinach, some green onions chopped up with the help of scissors, and tumbler tomatoes.
This past week we had some much needed rain, and now we are again having 30 degree C. weather in the daytime. However nights are still cool around 9C.
The garden has finally started to grow, and tomorrow I want to rototill between the rows, I hope it will be dry enough to do. The peas are flowering and I noticed a few pods forming. Ahhhhhhhhhhh, soon to be eating fresh green peas, put in new potatoes mashed. I love the peas added after the potatoes are mashed. Just raw peas, it's a treat we look forward to each year, sometimes made even nicer with some cheese mixed in with the mashed potatoes before the peas are added. Heaven in 1 simple dish.
Oh, and we have a new to us Jeep truck 4x4. Ken has been working on it for the past week, and has a little body work to do to it, and then it will be ready for painting. It will be white, with black on the bottom of the truck and the trim. Right now it is red. We have taken the canopy off the back for the summer, and Ken made side rails for it. This means we can haul more wood home in it, and also when we go in the bush Zoey can ride in the back and be safe. I must remember to take some pictures of the truck before it is painted, for before and after shots.

June 8th!

Where does the time go?
The garden is in and comming up, Tina and I waited till the 3rd of June to plant sensative things like the tomatoes, peppers and corn in the garden spot. Wouldn't you know it we got a touch of frost on the morning of the 6th! Some of the plants got a touch of frost, and the others are OK. I decided to just see what happens. If they make it fine if not those that don't can get a later planting of carrots, lettus and things like that.
This year I am trying Purple Mountain Spinach. My friend Erika , saved some seed for me from a plant she grew last year. I am looking forward to eating some, and seeing how it tastes and to also saving my own seed.
Makes for an interesting summer, when you try something new .
I will have to take pictures to follow the Purple Mountain Spinach's growth. More to follow ( and hopefully sooner rather than later!).

Crockpot Classic Rice Pudding

I was requested to post the recipe I use for Rice pudding on Pat Veretto's Frugal Living Blog. So i thought if I did that I should post it here too. We really like it. My new note to myself is that I use the shorter time for my new crock pot. It must be quite a bit hotter than my old crock pot. So that is the only thing I think other than what is written below that I should remark on. Just do it time wise for your own crock pot.

Crock Pot classic Rice pudding

Ingredients:
4 cups cooked white rice
3/4 cup raisins
1 1/4 tsp vanilla
1 1/4can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
1 1/4 can ( 12 Ounces) evaporated milk

1 1/2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp ground Cinnamon ( or to taste)

Directions:

Spray inside of slow cooker with cooking spray. Mix all ingredients except sugar and cinnamon in cooker. Cover and cook on Low heat setting 3 to 4 hours or until liquid is absorbed. Stir pudding. Sprinkle pudding with sugar and cinnamon. Serve warm.

My personal notes.
Omit last amount of sugar ( for us diabetics)

Make own Easy Evaporated milk

11/3 cup water
1 cup of instant dry milk powder. Stir or shake to combine ( I shake it in a small jar with lid on tight)
This is the equivalent of a 12 ounce tin ( see above that's all that's needed!).
If you want to make Evaporated whole milk, you will need to add some fat to replace the milk fat in whole milk. Do this by preparing evaporated skim milk then adding 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil to the milk. Stir it up vigorously to emulsify The fat with the milk.

It will separate on standing, so mix it really well right before using it.
This is best used in cooking and baking. A spritz of nonstick spray will help the emulsification process.

Sweetened Condensed milk: ( from the Tightwad Gazette. the best one for taste and texture I've found)

1 cup instant nonfat dry milk solids
2/3 cups sugar
1/3 cup boiling water
3 Tbsp melted margarine
combine all ingredients in the container of an electric blender . Process until smooth. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use Yield about 1 1/4 cups.

I just use this amount in the above recipe. Also I put water in a glass measuring cup, add margarine, and heat to boiling in the microwave. I have the other 2 items in the blender and then just add the water with margarine, and blend. Very easy.


Using these 2 recipes cuts the cost WAY down in making the rice pudding.

When I cook rice for supper I try and make extra, so I can make this up anytime.

March 1, st "Where's the Sun???"

It has started snowing this morning. After several days of warming weather and no snow. The back carport is free of snow on the roof, and here we get snow again. Fits with the past couple of weeks of happenings.

Starting with our good friend Jack. Jack retired early at 56. He decided to become a landlord to supplement his pension. Well, one of Jack's places is about a block from us. He rented it out right after he bought it last December, and the Tenants moved in mid January. They were buying the property next door to his and wanted to rent it out as it had more room and a full sized garage. This move meant they could pay less than the rent they were charging and use the difference to pay down their mortgage. Sounded good. The were well liked and had lived in the area many years ( well the lady had). Move to 2Nd week of January. The fellow renting the home with the garage was busted for selling and growing dope. marajana to be exact. The police took the lady renting Jacks place to Jail and interviewed her for 10 hours. and let her out to come home ( her Guy hasn't been seen for a while before this, but as he works in the oil patch that isn't uncommon). Fast forward to last Sunday.
The lady was away for the weekend. Someone phoned and complained to the police that her 2 dogs were barking all night, and that they didn't have food or water. They were tied up by the front door of each place. The police came out 5 of them and the dogs were taken to the vet to be check out ( they were OK, just hungry and thirsty). She came home Sunday night, In the mean time the Police got search
warrents and checked the house ( we had been phoned they were at the house, and Ken got Jack and drove him down so they didn't kick the door in). They also checked the 2 sheds as they were pad locked ( I can understand that I pad lock ours too!).
One shed had been rewired! to 220 ( I believe) they had both been wired 120.) All that in a month when the fellow hadn't been seen, plus in the other garage they found
a 4 wheeler and a couple of bikes- Motor- all stolen!). So now since she had given Jack notice when the other place was raided. Today he is getting ready for new tenants! Lets hope these ones prove to be just quiet living people who like country life.

Also last week Gege, Brenda and I went to Bonner's Ferry and Post Falls to do a grocery shopping, and Gege got her puppy his shots. ( I took our Zoey for shots Friday) so both dogs now have their booster shots.

Friday, Gege came to town with me and we did our local shopping flour being the main item at $5.88 for 20 Kg all purpose flour. About the best price we get now. Zoey of course came as she got shots. When we got home Ken had hurt his hand badly. He had been working on the Scout and the screw driver he was using slipped and went into his hand a 1/2 inch or more, right between the thumb and finger of his left hand. I wanted to take him for a Tetnis shot, but no he would be fine. Next morning, hand swollen he decided it was time to head to the Hospital. So 3 1/2 hours later he got his shot, and a perscription for strong antibiotics! Men, is there any real difference between a Man and a Kid? hmmmmmmmmm some times I wonder.

Most of the rest of the past couple of weeks has been quiet. I have been working at controlling our budget, and Dh suggested 2 meatless meals a week. I had to do a retake, this is the Meat and Potatoes King speaking. So my first this past week was breakfast for supper, pancakes, eggs over easy, and toast. with slices of tomatoe.
Grapes for the evening snack.

Tonight I am making stuffed chicken breasts ( bought on sale for 79 cents a pound), will stuff them with bread stuffing, and then a slice of cheese in the middle of the breast. coleslaw and a rice dish ( not sure just yet, but with chicken broth in it for sure.

This week I am looking for Men approved non meat meals. I think I will look for TVP and try using it in hamberger meals, I tried tofo a few years ago and Ken hated it ( I guess I just don't use it right as other people rave about it).

Oh, to be able to go out in the garden again and pick what we want for supper!

Another peaceful Sunday.

Went out for a short ride around Kitchener and out one of the back roads to run Zoey.
On the last road we went on in town the Scout started smoking! Ken stopped and turned the key off and checked under the hood. We were about a 1/2 mile from where Jack lives so I took Zoey and headed to Jacks in case they needed to tow the Scout.
I got to Jacks and explained what was going on and Jack was grabbing his Jacket to go give Ken a hand when Jack says, here comes Ken now. Ken was able to disconnect 2 wires and still run the Scout home. Try that with a computerized vehicle.

We visited for a few minutes then headed home and Jack and Scotty came and Jack helped Ken and Scotty and Zoey played in the yard.

I just made us a light supper tonight. Cooked up a bunch of rice ( rice pudding tomorrow) and made a stir fry with some chicken breasts, and lots of chopped up veggies. Was pretty good if I do say so myself.

We had the lightest puffs of snow today, but mainly it was sunny and melting.

Valentines Day and 2nd anual Valentines Party

Well, I must write about the 2nd anual Valentines party at Erica's place. She had us over and taught us how she makes perogies. We all brought a bowl, 2 cups flour,
2 eggs and our wodden spoon. We learned how to make the dough, then with dough she had already made, we did up 5 kinds of perogies! It was so fun, and at the end we ate perogies, and had valentine cupcake and cake for desert. Fattening- yes, fun- yes!

so before I forget I am posting the recipe as it was given to me by Erica. This is a verbal recipe she got from an old lady about 35 years ago. I wrote it out as my memmory isn't that good for amounts in cooking.

perogies


2 cups flour
2 tablespoons margarine or butter
2 cups boiling water
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs

put 2 cups flour and salt in large bowl. Add 2 tablespoons margarine and 2 cups of boiling water mix well until the margarine is melted through the dough.
Add eggs one at a time, mix then add 2nd. egg and mix again till all the egg is absorbed.
cover and let stand for 2 hours,'
then add 2 cups flour and stir in, add more flour 1 cup here you can put it on counter to kneed the flour in. keep adding the flour till the dough starts setting up and is no longer sticky.

Cover and Set aside, in fridge till ready to use. ( Over night) or freeze. Use 1/2 th dough ( freeze the other half for another meal) roll out very thin and cut our small perogies with glass. fill with your choice of fillings.

like: Potatoes cooked with parsley, cheddar cheese or what ever
Cottage cheese and green onions ( dry cottage cheese is best)
saurkraut
raw hamburger ( make very small perogies and cook longer.)
cooked minced ham
at this point before you cook them you can put them on trays and freeze, then bag them in meal sizes once they are frozen. for a later date. Or cook them and eat them.

note you can use what you want for a filling, and use fruit or jams to make a desert item served with whipping cream, or cream and sugar.


Well, made this up for Valentines day supper. Used 1/2 the dough ( froze the rest) and made mashed potatoe with cheddar cheese and green onions. served with sour cream and sauteed onions and bacon chopped and fries. MMMMM very good. Recieved the Ken seal of approval. In fact he suggested we make some more up and he would help me and make different kinds and freeze a bunch to pull out for a fast meal. So I guess this is definately a keeper.

The other recipe I want to post here is one from Dot. It is one she made and brought to Charlenes Baby shower. It is Cherry Triangles.

Cherry Triangles ( Dot's recipe that she brought to Charlene's Baby Shower)

3/4 cup milk warmed
1 pkg yeast
1 cup butter
2 1/2 cups flour
4 egg yolks

1. mix flour, butter like a pie crust.
2. add milk and yeast and egg yolks - will be sticky
3. let rise for 20 minutes before patting into pan.
4.pat into pan saving a little for topping ( enough to make strips and make a lattice top)
5 use cherry pie filling to cover ( or what ever you like, blueberry , apple, raspberry....)
6. put on topping ( see 4)
7. use an egg wash on crust
8. Let sit for 20 minutes
9. Bake at 350 F. till cooked ( should look like pastry cooked)



Use 9 x 13 pan well greased - takes a bit of stretching to reach the corners. ( 9 x13 pan like a cookie sheet) or you could use 2 smaller pans.


This is a lovely square that isn't too sweet. Everyone enjoyed it and wanted the recipe, I just got around to writing it out and putting it in my files.


Now the not so fun part.

Feeling better finally got rid of the cold. But had got my jaw out of placement by coughing. So was at DR. , Dentist, and Physiotherapist this past week. Have been fitted for a night guard to help keep my jaw where it ought to be, and no pain. Yea! It should be ready in a week or so.



Well, that's the news for this post.

Winter Cold and Jessie's Birthday

Today is Jessie's Birthday and yesterday was Victoria's Birthday. My How the Granddaughters grow! Hard to believe another year is past. Being the Grandma I sent them their cards, but also having been sick this past 2 weeks I was late sending them. As if that wasn't bad enough 1 came back today, I didn't put a stamp on it. I knew I was really sick this past 2 weeks, but that takes the cake.
Just before i got sick i Bought a large pork roast about 22 lbs. Today Ken and Jack took it down to the saw and cut it in 3 pieces for me. So I cooked up 1 piece for supper tonight. It was very good and I cooked up apple sauce from a couple of apples , mashed potatoes, and of course carrots ( one of the veggies that Jack will eat, so I try and cook some every time he comes for supper). and Gravy with whole mushrooms ( I got a big bag marked down and have been using them everyday since we got them. I have enough left for tomorrow night's Chinese food using some of the leftover roast pork, and making a sweet and sour,pork strips to go in a big stir fry, I'll serve it over rice. Well, I'll serve the rice on the side and the stir fry can go over it on the plate.) The stir fry should use up the last of the broccoli , cauliflower, and mushrooms. I'd like to clean up all the veggies before I go grocery shopping again.
Ken's vehicle is still working great. After that was fixed he fixed the tractor that broke down and then they did Jacks truck , of course the weather was cold so the fuel pump and a sensor went in it while he was on his way to town. It took a few days for the fellows to get all the parts and get Jacks truck fixed , but the last part came and they finished it all today!
My friend Louise, sent me a site to watch a blog in Edmonton,
http://theworkingpoordiet.blogspot.com/
I think it will be a very interesting blog to follow along with for the next month, and am looking forward to hearing how this blogger makes out.
Well, my head is still pounding, so will stop for this evening. It sounds like we will soon be having days on the plus side of 0 as a regular occurance. I am so glad, I am tired of snow, and cold, and my head ,chest cold in particular.
Spring tonic is much needed.

Week in review

My where has the time gone? It just seems I was writing and it's already a week ago.

The past week Ken's baby, our 1969 International Scout, got a little worse for wear. The master cylinder went. No problem , we'd get another one, or replacement parts. Oh, yea. They don't make them anymore. We have phoned all over, I went down to Bonner's Ferry as they had one. Got there and it was the wrong one. Came home and Ken has started looking again. Found a place that had the replacement parts. went and got it, nope wrong ones. Then they found the right picture in one of the books and have now ordered the parts. They should be here this coming Tuesday. Seeing as I have always been told is believing. I hope it is the right one. The "Whoopee" is Ken's Baby. It takes him all over the country side, on his morning trips around our little community, brings in our winter's wood takes him hunting in the fall. I don't know what he'd do without it. for sure he'd have a lot less fun. I love going for rides in it and taking our dog out for a "run".

Oh, I cooked up a friends Tina's soup recipe. I don't know where Tina got it from, but since Ken likes Cauliflower, and I had one that I had to use up I made this. 5 stars from our family. And I will make it again.

Tina's Cream of Cauliflower Soup

2 med. onions chopped
2 med. carrots grated
2 celery ribs sliced
2 garlic cloves minced
1/4 cup + 6 Tablespoons butter, divided
1 medium head cauliflower chopped
5 cups of chicken broth
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1 teaspoon salt ( I never use this much!)
1 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper ( again I just use my shaker and if I need a bit more I shake it again)
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp. dried tarragon]6 tbsp. flour
1 cup milk
1/2 c/ heavy whipping cream ( I used what I had it was 10 % coffee cream)
1/4 cup. sour cream ( DH walked in just when I was going to add this, he wouldn't have even tried it if he had seen it go in so I left it out, but it is good with it in)

Saute onions carrots celery and garlic in 1/4 cup butter, in a large heavy bottomed pot.
Add cauliflower, broth, parsley, salt and pepper , basil and tarragon.
Cover and simmer 30 minutes or until veges are tender.

Meanwhile in a saucepan melt remaining butter, stir in flour until smooth. Gradually stir in milk and cream.
Bring to a boil, cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.

Add to cauliflower mixture.
cook for 10 minutes or until thickened, stirring frequently.
Remove from heat, stir in sour cream.

Serve.



Pat's notes. I put my notes in brackets above. also, Cauliflower was on sale here for $1.89 each, so I always buy the biggest one I can find. It was twice as big as some of them. I used Little over 1/2 the cauliflower ( the rest I had cooked for a company supper. ) in summer you could grow your own or buy them for less.

This makes a lot of soup. I fed 3 of us for lunch today and we had big bowls of soup. I still have about 1/2 the pot or a little more left.

There were some other things that happened this past week, but I will sign off for today. It's January and my month to re-read the Tight Wad Gazette by Amy Dacyczyn. I started reading it yearly back when I first bought it in 1998 I believe it was. So that's my January book. Helps to refocus my ideas, and if I have gone too far from frugal thinking gets me back to living a better lifestyle. Also helps me to focus since I retired at 56 not 65! Then we moved to where we wanted to spend our retirement, and I am so glad we made that move. What could be better, hmmmmmmm,
OK, well, gardening time is coming soon.