Weekend on the homestead.

Saturday was spent lining up much needed help for the upcoming week.  We have someone coming in to feed and take care of the animals.  My son and his wife are house sitting for us and family came to visit.  It was great to know we had all our ducks in a row. 

Today family came to help us with the roof.  Dude has been struggling with a bit of pain from all the work he has been doing on the house. So ... family to the rescue. 

Grandkids learned about taking care of the birds. 

Who wouldn't enjoy this? 

Family were wonderful to come and help dude with the front roof and the chimney.

A bit of rest. 

Our grandson learning the ropes... the tractor... 

and carding wool.  He was so good at it. 

Great job. 

It was a hot day, not a cloud in the sky and not a single complaint. They got so much done. 

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! 

Time to settle in for the night and crochet. I started a new shawl. 

We pray for our many friends and family in Texas braving the storms. 

peace 

Always be ready for the unexpected.

Today started out with laundry and I thought, jewelry making .  But Dude working on the roof and not resting has pulled a muscle or something and has been out of commission the last two days.  Stuff happens and being on a homestead, you have to be good with change.  I did get the laundry folded which gave me time to talk to him while he tried to stretch out.  Then it was out to the geese to feed and water them, fill the pool and make sure all the birds are taken care of.  I love it because the geese love company and to be talked to.  They carry on a lively conversation and one of them likes to be petted.

All the other livestock came running over to see if they would get food.  All of our animals are overweight so today they were just getting clean water and will be grazing in the field.

Watering and working with the animals I pretended I was getting extra steps in for the day and the greenhouse was like going to the sauna at the gym.

I did get dinner and breakfast made.
Breakfast  - eggs (homestead), multi-grain toast and salsa (homestead)
Dinner - turkey roll ups (homestead turkey leftover and from the freezer, salad -lettuce, tomatoes, cabbage (all from homestead), with artichokes, and green olives.  Salsa (homestead) for the dressing.

The turkeys were are raising this year are heritage birds. We have decided not to butcher them until next year and hope to have baby chicks from them in the spring.

Jewelry making may wait.  I had a doctor appointment today and then off to work.

note - doctor appointment for my heart went extremely well. The walls of my heart look strong, echo and ekg came back great and clean.  I don't go back for a year. 

                              peace 

Garden update, salsa, and garlic planted for next year

I was out in the garden early this morning. 

Cantaloupe

Corn 

Zucchini 

Spaghetti squash.

Planted garlic and yes, I had some help. 

Came in and made salsa.

Salsa  - tomatoes, onions, sweet and jalapeno pepper, lime juice, cilantro, sea salt and lime juice.

Great on just about anything.

Dinner - Spaghetti squash with tomatoes, cabbage, artichokes and our Thai dipping sauce. Top with chopped nuts and hot sauce.  Yum.

Steaming our spaghetti squash. 

Cheers!  (our mint and lime water )

peace 

Homestead diet and pickled peppers

Okay, for almost 3 weeks I have been working on getting healthy. I gave up fast food, the machine food at work, diet pop, walk 2 miles a day (breaking it up in 30/15 minute increments), and eating as much homestead food as possible . I eat carbs in the morning and done by 2-4 pm. Eat nothing after dinner. By blood sugar started at 300 and is down to 140 (120 in the middle of the day) and down almost 10 lbs. I still have a ways to go but I am determined.

Breakfast is either milk protein shake, oatmeal with fruit and nuts, or eggs with a toast and veggies.

Lunch is veggie salad, bean salad, or chicken or tuna salad. Add some berries or half apple.

Dinner is regular, whatever we have planned and if no plans, then a big salad ... just no seconds. Today it was homemade pizza with leftover spaghetti sauce and homemade cheese. Last night was spaghetti squash with sauce.

Eat nothing after dinner. This was the hardest part of the whole thing.

Another cool part about homestead living is my mom calls for her groceries... milk, eggs, carrots, cabbage, onions, spaghetti squash and tomatoes for now to deliver tomorrow.

Pickled peppers canned today. I combined the sweet and jalapeno. We love these on eggs, sandwiches, burritos, just about anything. Nothing complicated just peppers, garlic, salt, sugar, water and white vinegar.

I had my husband separate the garlic cloves so I can plant them tomorrow for next year. 

And homesteading is all about this!

peace 

Geese, compost, and dinner

My geese are so funny.  Every other day I empty and clean out their pool.  If I don't get it filled, they go into the empty pool and stomp - like they are saying, "it's missing something!!!". 

I went out to fill it up yesterday. 

Someone got excited.

Came running over. 

They have been playing in the mud and are pretty dirty. 

First they test it. 

They dunk their faces in a few times.

Then they go hog-wild. They are doing flips, trying to dive and going in circles in the pool. 

Then they run around with their wings open. 

And dive back into the pool. 

and settle 

While I was with the geese, Dude was turning the compost.

And tilling it under.

Later I was in the kitchen making jalapeno cheese. 

Dinner was spaghetti squash. 

I steam ours. 

Take out the seeds and scrape it out with a fork to look like spaghetti. 

Add our homemade sauce of ground beef, tomato sauce, mushrooms, and from the onions, garlic, oregano, basil adding a large pinch of brown sugar plus salt and pepper. Later I thought I could have added some our garden peppers. 

Dude gave it two thumbs up. 

I did get a new pair of pants made this weekend too. 

peace