The Sun Still Shines

This year has had it's many ups and downs. There is just no where to know which way the wind is going to blow. I know that the year started and I had the feeling that this was going to be the year! Even wrote that under my profile pic "I have a feeling this is going to be the best year ever!" ...Well it hasn't exactly turned out that way. But such is life starter plants get roasted, little boys wash away the seeds that you try to restart, chickens go to that big chicken coop in the sky. Deer runs out in front of you and wreck the truck, ALLSTATE insurance screws us over by totaling truck and not covering insurance costs even though we have $10,000 in medical coverage. Leaving us with thousands of dollars in debt. Charging us insurance on a car that they have already towed away, explain that one.

This has not been the best year ever. The strain of finances are effecting a lot of people in this year and I'm sure it will in the following year to come. But for me, at least I still have six chickens left, broccoli producing as well as cabbage, I've found the joys of zucchini this year (zucchini and spinach lasagna is awesome). The tomatoes are doing well and about to produce almost more than I can handle if it wasn't for canning. The cabbages are almost ready. The lettuce was wonderful and about to do the second planting. The rooster still crows, my son still grows and the sun still shines.

There's one thing that I always make sure and try to do. If I talk about the negatives, then I have to talk about some positives. Live isn't always good, but it isn't always bad. It helps to remember that and focusing on the positive will help it be number one in your life. For everyone out there having a difficult year. Bless you and remember what's still good happening, even if it is that the sun still shines. The sun still shines.

A Dual Purpose Chicken Coop

We have recently gotten started with chickens. They provide us with endless fun to watch them. I always heard that from people that have chickens and it is true, they are very entertaining. The one thing that does bring me pleasure is hauling water to them every day. I have a lazy personality I believe. But they say that is how most inventions are thought up, by a lazy person trying to make their life easier. Anyway....

I talked with my husband and we now have added a gutter to the back of the chicken coop to catch water which will go into a 55 gallon barrel and save us a trip. We can now water the chickens without having to go for a walk. Some point in the future I will set them up with an automatic watering system with the water source being the rain barrel.

When he is able my husband is going to get what they call a tote. A 250 gallon tub that already has a spout at the end and will be free to us. One works trash is another man treasure. This rain barrel is also closer to our garden and we will use this to water our garden when necessary. Which will save us from having to haul water out to the garden. Which is a time consuming chore. So by utilizing what we have we will now have a free source of water. You know that makes me happy.

When The Sun Warms Up (a warning)

Early in March I started many, many seeds for the garden. Beautiful flowers and herbs aplenty where all growing in my son's window on top of his dresser. I watered them faithfully every day and sometimes twice a day when the son was especially warm. Everything we need growing great.

I was so happy when the weather was warm enough to put them outside, I could water with the garden hose instead of with a sprayer. Then the cold decided it was not done doing it's thing. Luckily my mom was nice enough to loan me her little green house for those cold days that were on the way as well as the freezing nights. Thanks mom!

At last the weather was starting to warm up again and I could even go outside with out a jacket. Excited about this years garden I've been counting the days till we could plow. There was just one horror I did not see coming. I had forgot to open up the little green house during these lovely warm days and killed every single plant inside. I'm talking over two hundred plants. I'll just let you know that those little things turn into ovens if you have never used one before. So now I get to start all over. I won't be using the greenhouse this time either, course it is warm enough I don't need it now. Live and learn, live and learn.

Spring is Here!

So busy this time of year. Preparing for the garden, which means starting seeds, weeding the lettuce bed and getting it ready. Weeding the flower garden which will contain wild flowers for the birds and bees. I have read that if you provide wild flowers some damaging insects and caterpillars will be more attracted to them then your garden, so I'm going to test this theory for the first time this year. I also made a new flower bed for the wild flowers to add more space for these favorable flowers. Not to mention use up some space that would ordinarily have to be mowed.
We've finally put up the fenced in area for our dog which is about an acre. So now so can roam in there, more free than she was. We would let her run free but there is a man that has many traps and will shoot any dogs that come around his birds. She likes to go exploring all around so we have to keep her safe. Dumb dog, why oh why won't you stay in the yard. The plastic is coming off the windows slowly one by one, and now I can finally paint my kitchen. A task I've been waiting for all winter.
My compost bin blew away this winter during a storm. It's making a fine home for some fish in the bottom of the creek or it floated away into the river. No one knows but the birds. So now I've made one out of wire. With all the weeding and such I've done this year it is surprisingly filling up fast. This I like. I've also put it in a new location. Which is over by the chicken coop that I had to finish up this year to get ready for the birds. This will be a handy location since I will be composting all that lovely chicken manure.
So much to do, and I love it. I like most people are itching to get some dirt in their hands and start growing. Obviously I have forgotten the hot work keeping are large garden relatively weed free and harvesting and preserving all the produce. But I am missing the taste of fresh veggies. I am also so excited to be able to hang my clothes on the clothes line which I've already add the joy of doing this year. This is important to me as my house is too small to have a place to hang them inside. Sigh. But this is not an issue now, for spring is here, spring is here!

You can read more:
-clothes line
-harvesting cherries
-25 things to do besides watch television
-throwing in the towel

Healthier Alternatives for Your Cooking

I love when I find knew ways to eat healthier. So I was quite pleased when a second hand store purchase (The Deaf Smith Country Cookbook) gave some great tips for healthier eating by supplementing unhealthy ingredients with a more healthy choice. This book has so many good for you recipes for cooking old favorites. It's really amazing. So here goes.


instead of CAKE FLOUR use WHOLE WHEAT PASTRY FLOUR requires more liquid

instead of ALL PURPOSE FLOUR use WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR or OTHER WHOLE GRAIN FLOUR requires more liquid (I used whole wheat flour for half the flour in my ginger bread cookies and no one even noticed and of course I didn't tell anyone either.)

instead of BOXED CEREALS use GRANOLA or WHOLE, FLAKED, OR CRACKED GRAINS

instead of CRACKERS OR BREAD CRUMBS use WHOLE WHEAT BREAD CRUMBS, WHOLE GRAIN FLAKES, or WHEAT GERM

instead of WHITE RICE or OTHER REFINED GRAINS use BROWN RICE or WHOLE GRAINS

instead of SUGAR use RAW UNFILTERED HONEY (1/2 honey instead of 1 sugar), PURE MAPLE SYRUP, UNSULPHURED MOLASSES, FRUIT JUICES AND PUREES requires more dry ingredients or less liquid

instead of CHOCOLATE use CAROB POWDER (3 tablespoons carob plus 2 tablespoons milk = 1
square chocolate)

instead of COCOA use CAROB POWDER (equal amounts)

instead of BAKING SODA use LOW-SODIUM BAKING POWDER (2 parts instead of 1 part soda) requires; add protein such as milk powder

instead of BAKING POWDER use LOW-SODIUM BAKING POWDER (equal amounts) requires
Active dry yeast (amount depends Use warm liquids on desired rising time)

instead of CORNSTARCH use WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR, BROWN RICE FLOUR, ARROWROOT POWDER

instead of SALT use SEA SALT, KELP POWDER (equal amounts), SESAME SALT (adjust to taste), TAMARI SOY SAUCE(adjust to taste )

instead of DISTILLED VINEGAR use CIDER VINEGAR

instead of HYDROGENATED FATS/SHORTENING use UNREFINED OILS (safflower, corn germ, olive, sesame), (Unrefined safflower oil for deep frying) requires more dry ingredients or less liquids

instead of REFINED OILS use UNREFINED OILS

INCREASING NUTRITIONAL VALUES:
ADDITIONS: non-instant dry milk powder, fresh wheat germ, nutritional yeast

LIQUIDS: Use liquid that is more nutritious than water whenever possible, such as fruit juice,
vegetable stock, milk, or yogurt
Milk, yogurt, and buttermilk are usually interchangeable. Use yogurt instead of
sour cream.

Some things I have been slowly incorporating into my cooking to give my family time for their taste buds to adjust. Such as using half whole wheat flour with the white, even when making breading for deep frying. I think it actually tastes better. My sister uses rice flour since her son is allergic to wheat and was surprised at how much better it fried up. Using half brown rice with half white rice, then switching to all brown rice. White rice is just bleached and the process makes it have no nutritional value at all. Brown rice doesn't really taste different, I think it is just the color that throws everyone off.

I haven't gotten to try all of them. If you have experience with any of these ingredients let me know.