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 

Happy First Day of Summer -prepping for winter, the garden, reading and a craft.

 Okay, it has been a while since I had the blog going but let's give it a try again.  A lot has been going on . We are close to finishing the remodel but there is always so much to be  done. 

Getting ready for winter.  Summer and the fall we are constantly thinking of firewood for the winter. Where can you get firewood? We talk to people. We let them know we heat only with wood. So many people are trimming trees, we just need to haul, cut and split the wood. In this case we got lucky. The county came to trim and cut down dead trees. Dude went to talk to them and instead of them travelling to dump it we asked them to dump it on our land. Sure! He also asked them to save some of the tree that are on our part of the land as homes for the birds. They did leave a couple trees and moved a big nest.

Now we focus on breaking the wood down.

In the garden... things are hopping. Today I got this spinach and lettuce cut , washed and bagged. 2 bags of spinach and 5 bags of lettuce. 

Weather today ... ahhh ... we had a bit of rain this morning and we only got into the 70's . Perfect. Tomorrow the heat returns.

Getting crafty... I found this craft on LARS.  I saved this and bought all the supplies last year but just never got to it. When I think of summer I think of watermelon.  I LOVE the stuff!  It is also the season of picnics.  I don't go often enough, though. 

It will dry overnight. Tomorrow I will paint seeds and hope I have enough pompoms to add on the border. 

Here is the link if you want to give it a try too! watermelon blanket 

Reading

I did rescue a painted turtle from oncoming traffic (the little rascal scampered to the other side of the road and this gentleman helped me get it),  alerted a driver to his fanny pack flying off the roof of his car and helped a woman who was having a medical emergency in the store.  Phew, all in one day!

Happy Summer Equinox. Sleep well.

Peace