Floating tea cup and what's up in the garden.

I have been wanted to make a floating tea cup for a while now. I decide we would make them for a party this weekend. 

I finally figured this little craft out.  A lot of videos show to make it with a fork and to glue the plate first... hmmm . That did not work well for me. 

I will go into more detail tomorrow but this way made it difficult.  I used a coat hanger and it worked much better than a fork.  Glue the cup first, if you don't the glue will run down the hanger. 

Any whooo, I like the way it turned out. 

I will make more for Thanksgiving and Christmas too. 

We had to get the garden and trees ready for winter.  Thursday we are forecasted for snow.  The trees all got fertilized and watered really well. 

This poor little one was found dead in the cactus patch. It is sure pretty. 

The gardens did well this year.  I had them on a strict watering schedule of Monday, Wednesday and Friday plus working every day doing something outside. It worked out well. 

Dude worked in the greenhouse and with the well water. 

All kinds of greens were planted here. 

I picked all the tomatoes...

Some zucchinis and pumpkins were picked too. I love how they look this year!

The peppers will be left in the greenhouse. We will cover them Wednesday night just to make sure. 

Picked the rest of the cucumbers. 

Tomorrow I will show you how I make the floating tea cup and what is going on with the well. (it is finally a good thing).

peace

My kind of morning ...canning and sewing

My kind of morning. A bit of canning, a bit of breakfast with Dude, and a bit of sewing. 

First order of business... a fire in the wood-stove. The temps have dropped about 40* from yesterday. 

I looked over and saw I had a bunch of tomatoes just about to go bad. I didn't have a lot of time and remembered I had a bag of salsa mix. I have not used one before and thought , eh, what the heck and got to work.

Turned out pretty good. (Not as good as mine but good -wink)

Hemmed up a tablecloth for Thanksgiving. 

Quick but good morning. Now off to work... I think it has begun to snow there. 

peace.

Spring planting

There is something to be said for the sisterhood homesteading.  You read it old books of sewing bees,  canning, and even hunting!  Men tend to like to be more solitary and of the phrase... "we can do it ourselves!"  Well, with Dude's slip disc and working long hours and me working plus having surgery not that long ago I have been very slow getting the garden in.  I finally sucked up when one of my homesteading friends asked if I would like her and some kids to come help. Yes, please!  We planted trees, over 40 tomato plants, seeds, cantaloupe, peppers, 30 hyacinth bulbs, and eight broccoli plants! It had to be done before the rains came in and heading to work.  When I asked for a time check , I found we had gotten it all done in less than an hour! As one of the wise wee ones said, "Many hands makes work go fast."  Yay to the sisterhood!!! These kids did a killer job.

Who cares about wonky rows.  As one of kiddlettes said, " "Who cares if the lines are straight as long as you get tomatoes!"   So true little sister!!!!

Spring has finally arrived on the plains!  It rained all night and is raining again today.  Perfect timing.

Today's veggie dinner - polenta with red pepper sauce, 3 bean salad and garlic bread. Dude is adding meatballs.

                                                           peace, health and happiness

Canning kraut and drying tomatoes

After curing for 6 weeks the sauerkraut was ripe, ready and needing to be canned so this morning was the day! Sisters of the plains aka farm girls and I canned the equivalent of 28 quarts.  Sweet salty sour goodness in a jar!

 

Came home from work tonight and put tomatoes in the dehydrator.

 

Yep, that's it. I am calling it a night. Tomorrow I am tackling cranberry sauce!