What's in the dehydrator and crafts/snacks with the lads

 I am getting ready for a trip to see my sister later in the week. I suggested to my son that I may not make it on Tuesday for tea.  My grandson overheard and was very disappointed.  I told him chin up, plans are always changing and nothing is written in stone.  

I got up early and set out on a very chilly walk with Norman.  The rabbit that usually races Norman along the fence took a chance and ran in front of him to make a mad dash to his home.  The rabbit won.

 

I usually take him for two walks.  But I was late getting home and he made sure I knew he was disappointed there was not a second walk. Such a drama queen!  

The hot peppers I picked last week have been frozen, pickled and now, again, going into the dehydrator to be made into a hot pepper powder.  Makes my mouth water just thinking of it.  The house smells like a giant chili!

After getting ready for a craft class for tomorrow I did make it to see my grandsons. They were a bit out of control (smile) but crafting and food calm anyone down.

Craft time - A quick Christmas Ornament... boy friendly. (actually any child!) *smile*  I saw this idea on a fb craft group. I did hot glue the lid when they weren't looking. Supplies all from the Dollar Tree.  Here is their first ornament this year.

A few hours later (man, the time flew by!)  we made a fun snack... chunky applesauce nachos!  The applesauce we canned earlier in the year.

Layer chips, applesauce, whip cream and chocolate sauce. 

That's it!

Ymmmm!

I needed to finish packing and tracing out tea towels for my mom to embroider while I am gone. Plus tomorrow I head back to the grocery store we were in yesterday ... she left her cane. Oy.

peace

Herbs I am growing and weekend crafts

 We went from breaking heat records this weekend of 80* to today, Monday, at 49*!   What do they say... if you don't like the weather stick around and it will change. 

I have no trees and was grateful to my brother for his contribution of a mulch of leaves! It will go in my strawberry, fig, and herb garden. 

Monday's are mostly spent taking my mom around on errands. Today it was flu shots, groceries and banking. She lives an hour away and it is pretty much an all day affair. I did panic a tiny bit when I lost her in the store.  For being an ancient one, she can really disappear fast!  I eventually found her at the checkout with some good Samaritan paying for her little basket of food.   ...ohmom.

Anywhooo... let talk herbs! 

My oregano loved coming indoors to a warm south facing window. I have named it Octavious. (yes, that is a tiny mint hitching a ride)

Oh dear... I have never had luck of keeping Italian aka Genovese basil after it's season. We will give it a proper compost burial later tomorrow.

Awwww lovely Rosie the Rosemary. She is still doing well. She likes the dry climate of Colorado, not much water please despite being a member of the mint family.  She is still outside for now. 

Paul the Parsley is still doing well outside. His cousin Flatleaf Parsley did not do as well and has since dropped off. 

Mavis the Mint is always the show-off and will do well a wee bit longer. Then go off to sleep and show up again in the spring. 

Theo the Thai basil is still hanging out in the greenhouse. I have never tried raising it before this year but I suspect he will need to be totally replanted again in the spring. 

If you don't follow me on Facebook , here are some crafty things I made this weekend.

Large paper stars.

Stenciled coconut husk doormats. 

Santa door wreaths. 

Have a wonderful evening!

peace

Thanksgiving cards from stickers and scraps of cardstock.

I got started today on Thanksgiving cards. I used stickers from the Dollar Tree and leftover cardstock. 

They are quick and easy. 

Here is what I came up with for cards. I need to make about 6 more.

Here ideas from my friends, Judy and Sherri. These are their beautiful cards from last year. 

Oh dear. I went to put my spinning wheel in the car . After opening the door I came back to this. Oh Norm... not this time . 

Peace.

 

We get our first fig , entertainment center finished -time to stain, and a new library book.

The last three days we celebrated and looked at the past with Allhallowtide... Halloween, All Saints Day and All Souls day. It is time to look ahead.  Homesteaders definitely are a stock of people who believe in the future.  I mean, planting alone shows we have constant hope. 

 We ate our first fig from our Chicago Hardy Fig tree.  After having other trees pulled up or run over with the tractor it was great to finally prove I can grow figs in Colorado!  I moved them last year closer to the house and babied the heck out of them with frequent watering.  The leaves froze last week but the trees still looked strong and today this happened! We share it... ymmmmmmmmm.

We are still going strong with the garden.  Salad garden is beginning to show. 

Plus...

Bringing peppers to share with friends tomorrow. 

Dinner was full of garden goodness! 

Rick did get all the trim finished for the living room, dining room and kitchen. The entertainment center is finished and just needs to be stained now. 

Lunch break to play bingo at the library. *smile* I didn't win but had a blast with young and old. We play once a month and we are all beginning to become "friends".  Two of them I learned got rid of their computers!  (and I thought I was cool getting rid of my apps on my phone! hahaha)

I found this gem at the library today.  I can't wait to try some of the recipes.  Grin - I put it on my wish list for Christmas. 

Wednesday chore - the living room.  Rick is still cleaning up all his carpentry mess so I began going through some boxes that have been collecting a lot of  "stuff" .  Plus, closed the Roomba up in our bedroom to just clean, clean, clean!  

Wednesday I also celebrate all things woolie and plan to crochet and create the rest of the evening. Let's see what I can show you tomorrow!  Tea Time!

Checking in with the girls (hens) and making deviled eggs.

 For many homesteaders the basic protein come from their hens.  We have always had chickens.  I love them. They can be dirty birds and make a mess everywhere but if you train them to eat and sleep in one area , they aren't much trouble. Eggs for everyone... at times, you, your neighbors and all your children. Other times, you are lucky to get one for your breakfast.

During this time of year our girls are finishing up molting. It happens every year. Feather everywhere. They just drop off the birds and leave  a mess. The girls get a bit embarrassed with their unkept look but they know this will help them in the coming of winter.   New, warm pin feathers will begin to come in with bigger feathers next... all to protect them for the cold, wind and snow here in Colorado.

Egg laying dwindles and slow immensely during this time.  Out of  20 hens we are getting 2-3 eggs a day. It will pick up again soon. 

Our chickens are free range.  At night they come home to roost but during the day ours will either hang out in the hen yard or fly over the fence to walk the field or hang out with the sheep. Nights dip down to the 30's for now and no heat source is necessary.  Every so often the coop is cleaned, we put down new wood chips along with some rose petals, lavender and oregano. There is plenty of dirt out here on the plains for dirt baths to keep any bugs or mites at bay. 

We do have an extra bird house to raise turkeys each year and meat hens.

Today is National Devil Egg Day.  I think every child should know how to cook. My little grandsons here are only 4 and almost 2 and another in school at 8years old.  Last week it was Jello and pudding to learn, today it is a quick deviled egg. A simple recipe of adding mayonnaise, mustard and chives, topped with smoky paprika will do. Maybe topped with a sprinkle of our dried parsley... another opportunity for teaching how to use what we have grown.  .... side note ... something happened today, not sure if it was all the Halloween, mom heading back to the office or what. We were ready to make our eggs. They requested to dance first ( we love to dance).  So, music summoned and dancing ensued. Then a book and then life hit them both... they fell asleep... hard.  I made the eggs.  *smile*

Tuesdays are also tea time. Turmeric and ginger aka a morning cup of Sunshine to begin the day. Dried Elderberry is always good this time of year - tastes great and used as preventative medicine and after dinner... mint, of course to aid digestion. 

Tuesday chores - bedrooms - pick up clutter, dust , vacuum, empty trash, strip beds and fill humidifier. 

Rain/snow.... I love it. Time for a book. Listening to The Boys by Ron and Clint Howard and reading The Boston Massacre.

Peace