Sunday February 12, 2017

I couldn't sleep last night .  We had a furnace installed last week.  It was not to use but to have in case we want to sell our house some day and move closer to the woods.  I don't see that happening anytime soon since we are totally in love with living on the plains and our goals together. We had the money and didn't want to make the mistake of using it for something other than we intended it for.  We heat our home totally with our wood stove.  Well, after it was installed they asked us to use it this weekend to make sure it is working properly. The sound, even though it is slight, is driving me bonkers.  Well the sound it makes and the thought of the cost.  It runs on gas. Our gas bill is $21 each month. Homesteading we MUST keep cost down. So, I got up and read for a while and then I couldn't take it any more. I turned the darn thing off.  The coyotes in the field next door finally sung me to sleep. 
          
                                           Trust in the simple:

This works.

Garden planning: 

We went out for our Valentine Day celebration today. We went to the symphony and dinner. While at dinner we began planning our gardens.  Instead of planning just willynilly we planned for the why... why are we growing what we are growing. What are we going to can?  What will we eat? Here's what we came up with for now.

Salsa Garden - Tomatoes, onions, garlic, tomatillos, cilantro, peppers, jalapenos, cherry peppers. 

Herbal/ Tea garden - borage, raspberries, mint, catnip, basil, oregano, chives, chamomile, dill, parsley, sage, thyme, lavender, and rosemary.  (many of these are already growing)

Fruit - grapes, strawberries, plum and apple trees. (already growing)

Salad - lettuce, spinach , radishes, carrots, beets, cucumbers, beans, zucchini, collards, mustard greens, and peas. 

Squashes -various pumpkins, zucchini, and acorn squash. 

We are reminded that our ground was nothing but cracked and hard when we moved it.  Your produce is only as good as the soil you grow it in.  First thing we need to do is work our compost, ash, chicken manure, goat manure, some perlite and vermiculite into the soil.

Music: 

We don't have cable television right now (we do get it during football season - Dude works hard and it is his only vice. )  Music is very important for us.  We enjoyed the symphony today but we also play musical instruments to pass a tiny bit of time.  My mom instilled in us how important it is. We all played many instruments.  I play the flute, know a little on the piano and you have probably seen a few instruments in the background in pictures here and there.  My sons play bass violin, bass guitar, keyboards, drums, guitar and tuba.  Dude is learning the guitar and played the drums.  Without cable and ignoring the internet you are left with a good amount of time.  Yes, at first, you will still in front of a blank computer screen but after a while you learn to love your time of learning new things. 

They are a wee bit beat up but they work!

Day 12 Valentine :

Made banana pudding for Dude.  Purely a project of love. I hate bananas.  We partnered together with Dude slicing them (they make me gag) and together we made a great dessert for him. 

Layer pudding, wafers, bananas and repeat.

Top with a banana and chocolate syrup.

peace