Canning garlic and card making day

The day began warm and sunny.  Breakfast was outside.  It's evening now and raining with lots of lightning. 

When I first moved to the country I didn't know anyone.  Someone suggested I start making cards and look for a stamping representative.  I looked online and found Sherri who lives in our little town who gives classes on making cards.  It is one of my favorite days of the month. 

It is amazing that we can begin with a blank card and end with beautiful cards to mail.

Today's 6 cards:

After a bit of shopping at the store and the Meat Locker (Dude wanted rib-eye for dinner... and I will have salad) I decided to can a wee bit of garlic. 

Man, I hate peeling garlic and remember the wonderful minty-lime aroma of the house from canning yesterday? Today it is so garlicy smelling there is no fear of vampires!

I went to get pickling spice out and found we had none. So, I made my own.

In it goes in the bottom of a jar.

Again, I am using a recipe from Preserving by the Pint. I like that it is about small batch canning. In this recipe the twist is using red wine vinegar.  

I will let it cure for about a week and then give them a try. I love garlic and will probably eat at least one a day. 

Dude did do some work today at a friend's home but came home early.(yes, he does all this work himself) It's his birthday. His cake is simple but what he likes...angel food cake with strawberries and whipped cream.

peace 

Mock Mojito from the Garden

It was 100* today! I wanted to just get cozy right here, in the cool house with a cool drink and not move.   I couldn't do that so I went for next best thing. Making a cool drink. 

I am going through a quick canning book -Preserving by the Pint by Marisa McClellan -this month.  Today is National Mojito Day.  I don't drink alcohol but I thought I would make mock mojitos to cool off from the summer heat.  So, I thought I would try her recipe for Mint-Lime Syrup.  I love that she describes her friend's mint as "energetic" and "enthusiastic". I mean, doesn't it just make you smile.  My mint is more of a Wild Child and does what it wants.

It calls for two cups of mint... no problem with my Wild Child. (be sure to pick over, rinse and check again... I had a fuzzy caterpillar in my bunch!)  I gathered the few ingredients it called for and got to work.  The house smells wonderful, fresh and green... and ...perhaps enthusiastic?
Check out her book on how she mixes mint, water and lime to create a refreshing addition to drinks. 

I let it cool and then refrigerated it.  I needed to go help someone who just got out of the hospital.

Lids popped on and into the fridge it goes. 

It was so refreshing as a cool after-dinner sip. I put ice in a glass, poured the liquid in a glass about 1/4 of the way, added sparkling water and a mint sprig.  Even Dude loved it. 

Tomorrow I will try the pickled garlic.

I dried parsley, thyme, oregano and more mint to store for the winter.

Dude arrived late from work, washed up for dinner... homemade pizza and a big plate of salad...oh, and a minty refreshing enthusiastic glass of mock mojito. 

peace 

Grandson comes to visit, crafting and dinner on the homestead

I got a new book from the library.  My book for book club is not in yet.  We are to read Age of Innocence but since it is stalled in the machine of transfer from another library , I begin this book. 

My son and grandson were coming over so I decided to prep a craft.  July 20th is the 50th anniversary of the moon landing. We are making rockets today. 

 I had been saving flavored creamer bottles. 

I needed a top for the rocket so I traced a small bowl. 

Cut it out and took a chunk out of it. 

Brought it together and hot glued. 

Then hot glued to the top of the bottle. 

Time to paint!

I like the way this cooper color came out. 

They arrived!  We went out to see the animals. I had to explain why there were no chickens or turkey due to a coyote attack. We only have one grown hen and one guinea left. We do have five chicks.

Besides a little lamb wanted some love. 

Finally someone was here to help wear out Norman, the dog.

Time to craft and decorate our rockets! We got out stickers, stars, bling...whatever we could find to decorate our rockets.

Snack for moon rockets!

Then it was time to just play... toad hunting...

Plant watering...

Just sitting an enjoying the day...

Rock throwing...

Watering some more...

Quiet time... 

"Grandma that is such a sad book"... perhaps, but giving is good.

Then I shared a secret.  Before he was born I made a list of things I hoped we could do after he was born.  The cool thing? He got so excited he added four more! I hope we add way more in the future.

Then off you go! Thanks for visiting.

Dinner was Shepherd Pie from America Test Kitchen recipe. 

I chopped carrots and garlic I had picked the other day, and got thyme and onions from the garden. 

Time to sew... not perfect but working on it...

Good night.

peace