Carrots, candles, soap, horses and pie ohmy!

I couldn't sleep last night.  Too excited about putting mulch around the apple trees, pear tree, grapes, plum tree and the raspberries.  My brain was full of way to use up more land for planting next year now that the roof is on the house. Next year the water tanks are added.  We have them they just need to go on.  It is so cool when you see your dream coming to fruition.

Farmers are harvesting sunflowers and sugar beets around here and planting barley.

Carrots were pulled up. We still have more in the greenhouse but we will start with these. Most of these will go in the dehydrator.

Cleaning day to get ready for the holidays.  Carpets cleaned up, bathrooms scrubbed. Family stopped by yesterday to ride the horse. 

This is still our canning season. One thing that took off this year was the strawberry pepper jelly. A lot of people liked and are asking for it. This week I will make more.

One of my sons came over today to replace facets and fix my printer. I am eternally grateful for having a talented son. 

My daughter-in-law and I made this really simple lavender and oatmeal soap. 

Then candles were made.

I did get catnip pillows made with a bit of resistance.

Early in the morning we headed out for a prayer walk.

Dude has been resting most of the afternoon so I set to making dinner. 

Dinner - Impossible Pie -Oktoberfest!  My good friend Sunny gave me some of the most amazing sausage.  So, I combined it with our sauerkraut from our homegrown cabbage to make a wonderful meat pie.  It was heaven. 

 Cheesy goodness! 

A full and wonderful weekend. 

peace

Norman, chickens and cats ...ohmy

I walked around the house most of the day in one slipper. Why just one? Because the puppy is at it again. My other slipper has been stolen.  Why do I need to wear them? Because a cat snuck in the house (I have banned them for a period of time while I sew) and gotten into my sewing room.  They got high on catnip and tore raffia all over the floor.  I need to find my other slipper.  They are, the animals that is, all in cahoots against me. I know they laugh at their hijinks behind my back.

I did sew up the catnip pillows and put away for a craft fair. Tomorrow I will cut and sew a bunch more. 

 Sewing room carpet ... what a mess! 

The chickens have all gone mad since I have been doing chores.  They are not laying, or at least, not laying in the hen house.  I suspect they are laying somewhere out by the wood pile.  It is too cold and I am too lazy to go out an look.

Dude resumed doing chores today. He says he is better and can't stand the thought , "of doing nothing" anymore. I won't fight it.  I can still cook and clean and take care of other things around the homestead. He is stubborn but no lifting, driving, or bending!! (yep, I had to carry in a 50lb bag of dog food.  They are getting lighter the more I lift!)

It's okay.  I gave in to everything today. My old bod just didn't want to go against the grain any more. I took a fat nap and read my book.

My mojo was back in check by the afternoon and I sewed.

After blaming the dog of stealing my slipper all day and walking in one shoe I found my slipper. It wasn't the dog at all but the iRobot. It stole and attempted to eat my slipper.  Norman, pup, please accept my apology for saying you stole my shoe... well, you probably did and left it out for the iRobot to grab it.  All is forgiven.

Tomorrow we will be back to talking homesteading... planting bulbs, gardens, horses.....

peace 

Keeping warm and thawed through the winter plus a quick team gift

Okay, I am not going to lie, the puppy got on my nerves today. He is great outside, helping with the chores but when it comes to settling down so I can sewing, craft or crochet he has a bit of trouble calming down - he grabs everything, chews everything and barks at me if I don't pay attention to him. He is a puppy after all. Training is continuing, we never give up.  This was just "one of those days".   (smile)

Winter is coming ... as the now, classic phrase goes.  Out here on the plains we get cold harsh winds and snow.  Ice has begun to form on the tops of the animals water at night and during the day it melts off.  Soon we won't be able to even break the ice.  I got the heaters out and ready to set up. Then set about doing the chores.

Dude and I disagree on heating the greenhouse.  This year we focused on the roof and getting it done.  Next year we will tackle and study a more efficient way to heat the great house.  For now, we will use a small space heater. I am not ready to lose our hard work.  Get real - we do argue over this one a lot.  Heating with electricity is very expensive so we won't heat it all winter.  We need to look into another, more efficient and effective way of heating.

When we moved in this place we lived in the back room while we demolished and renovated the rest of the house.  After we pulled up all the carpet and torn out walls where do you start?  I knew exactly what I needed first.  A pantry to put up all my canning and ,for a year before we moved in, I secretly saved for a woodstove.   No worries on staying warm on the eastern prairie.

This is today.  I got the wood in and happily thought of it as a great workout with a trainer.

 My Halloween gift to my team:
I found large mugs at the Dollar Store big enough for coffee, cocoa, or soup. Put a package of apple cider and a licorice stick in each.

       Found these cute printables about a witches brew here :  http://christmas.organizedhome.com/crafts/halloween/witches-brew

                                                                                      peace

Dinner, snacks and Halloween cards

I finally got the Halloween Cards finished. I sat  down, gathered my scraps, blings and things and got to work.  In thirty minutes I whipped out nine more cards.  I even use packing from a Halloween package for the background of some of the cards. I like the way they turned out.

Chores went so well I thought I would take time to check the bee hive.  I was in my pajamas pants .  I thought the bees were gone,  I began to get in the hive without really thinking. Stupid.  Two bees stung the back of my legs.  I put the lid back on and left it for another day. 

Came in and jarred up some snacks for Dude.  He has mostly been sleeping the last two days. Bugles, chocolates, and candy corn.

Then made my dinner. I wanted garbanzo beans and broccoli but couldn't find the broccoli. Ended up with zucchini from the garden.  Added olive oil, salt, pepper, lemon pepper, cumin, parsley, onion, garlic and a squeeze of a whole lemon.  Pretty good stuff. Topped it with a bit of Sriracha. 

Then it was time to head to work.

Pulling extra duty in the chores department is causing me to be very tired.  Time to hit the sack.

peace