Well, I’m much happier now about hanging the clothes outside on the line since Coop fashioned two clothesline props for me. He made one from a pole style curtain rod that we had around and the other from a metal rod he found in a pile of “junk” left by the previous tenant. At the upper end of both he drilled and screwed to the pole a metal brace he had bent.

This serves as a clothesline catch and lends additional support. I was in dire need of these to keep the clothes from dragging the ground when hung. I recall my mom using wooden props with a grooved center at the top and had suggested this to Coop as a possibly less expensive alternative than the purchased aluminum props. But he went one better and made them by recycling what was on hand. I am proud of his ingenuity and so glad to be married to a man like that! And I’m sure am glad to have a clothesline and props again! There’s nothing like the scent of sheets and towels that have been hung out in the fresh air to dry.

Between installing compact fluorescents, washing primarily in cold water and hanging the clothes to dry, our electric bill has been dramatically reduced. We notice a little more savings each month as we continue to cut our usage. We unplug the microwave at night, turn off the power strip to the TV and DVD player along with shutting the PC completely down each night. It sure makes a difference when these energy vampires are not plugged in.

Coop has been busy making a new gate for the duck pen.

That required a trip to town this morning before the heat became too stifling, to purchase a roll of chicken wire. That’s the only thing purchased for the project. Everything else used was scrap wood and metal pieces we already had or came across. We stopped at Home Depot, also to check on the price of pressed wood and plywood. Pressed wood is about ¼ the cost of plywood, so that will be the way we go. We hope to build a more substantial house for the ducks soon.

Since our tomatoes aren’t ripe yet, we swung by the grocery store to pick up one or two for a supper salad. When the weather gets as hot as it is we like a light supper and lord knows, I still have plenty of romaine in the garden! I came across a few bonus buys while there and so brought home a bag of organic potatoes for only $1.50 and a big bunch of organic bananas, somewhat ripe for only .39 a pound…with the promise of making some homemade banana pudding. The potatoes are growing eyes but that doesn’t hurt them a bit and I’m sure I’ll use them up quickly enough making home fries, potato salad, etc. Oh yes, and I purchased six locally grown and very fresh and firm green peppers, enough to make a large crock-pot full of stuffed peppers, yum! I’m sure I’ll be inviting someone over to share those!

***

Yesterday I spent about four hours sorting through boxes and organizing the upstairs closet and storage room. Despite my efforts to simplify over the past few years, I still have way more stuff than one ought to. I have gotten rid of many things, but it seems each time I do a housecleaning, it gets easier to let go of a little (or a lot!) more. It’s funny that you can forget you have things until you go rummaging. When you stop and realize you had forgotten about this or that and have managed quite nicely without it, it becomes much easier to kiss it goodbye. J By the end of my work yesterday I had ended up with four large boxes of goods to place in a yard sale my sister and I have tentatively planned for late summer, plus a few additional things to offer on eBay.

Today my daughter called to let me know her mommy duck had five babies following her around the yard now. I guess she had better luck than we did with our mama. But then coons probably aren’t as thick around her place due to the openness of the surrounding area. Here we are surrounded by high grasses to the south and woods to the east, west and north (right behind the house).

That’s all my rambling for now but here’s my own recipe for homemade microwave pudding/pie filling. Enjoy!

Microwave Pudding & Pie Filling

You will need a large glass bowl that fits into your microwave, a whisk, measuring cups (1/3 c. and 1 c.) and a tablespoon.

In bowl place 4 eggs and beat them. To the eggs add 1 cup sugar and 1/3 cup cornstarch. Mix together well. Add 3 cups milk and mix well again. Microwave on high for approximately 8-10 minutes, checking and stirring at 2 minute intervals. When thick and bubbly, remove and stir well to smooth. Add 1 tablespoon vanilla. Cool before serving.

To make banana pudding I replace the vanilla with natural banana flavored oil by Frontier brand, but this isn’t necessary. When pudding is cool line a dish with sliced ripe bananas (and vanilla wafers if desired). Spoon pudding over the bananas and chill. Top with whipped cream if desired when serving.

This makes enough pudding to fill a pie shell, also.

Bugs, Beets & Heat

Seems the heat wave the western part of the US is experiencing is going to deposit some of its hot, humid air here in Ohio. Today is sultry and hot and the next few days don’t look any better. But then, it is July. We forfeited out air conditioners when we moved back to this house, knowing that we insulated it well in 1983 and as a result we are able to keep it cool and comfortable even on the hottest days. We simply open it at night and close it up before the heat penetrates the next day. We lived here and made it through the weeks of 100 degrees plus in the drought of 1988, so I imagine we’ll manage now. Although, at that time I even hung sheets over the window blinds to darken the rooms as much as possible to make it tolerable. That was quite the year.

The zinnias are looking brilliant and attracting all manner of butterfly and bee as well as those damaging Japanese Beetles, yuck. We’re spraying the flowers daily with a mixture of water and Dr. Bronner’s organic lavender and hemp oil soap. Seems to work well but you must be diligent in keeping up with those pests! I fill a quart spray bottle with water and squeeze a good helping of the liquid soap in and shake it up, that’s all. My niece sent me the following info on Milky Spore so maybe we’ll try that for next year.

Milky Spore is a naturally occurring microscopic bacteria (Bacillus popilliae) that kills Japanese beetle grubs before they can grow into ravenous adults. It's a long-term solution because it survives winter temperatures. The Milky Spore population increases each year, reaching peak
effectiveness about three years after application, and lasts ten years or more. You can learn more about it and order it here. Thanks Jenni!

This morning before the day grew hot I pulled most of the remaining beets. I now have a few containers of beets and beet greens in the freezer as well as a jar of pickled beets in the fridge. We enjoyed a nice helping of the sweet baby beets last week, simply cooked and chilled. I’m a beet lover! I’ve decided that next year rather than planting chard I’ll plant lots of beets. Not only do I get the beets, but the greens are as good as chard. I never thought about that before. By the way, here’s my favorite recipe for pickled beets and eggs…

You’ll need a gallon jar or large container for this recipe, but you can halve the recipe and use a smaller container. At times I’ve resorted to using a Tupperware bowl or plastic ice cream bucket. Just make sure you let the liquid cool enough before pouring into a plastic container.

Pickled Beets & Eggs

15-20 small beets (or two cans from the store)

1 c. water

2 c. sugar

3 c. vinegar

1 t. salt

1-2 t. allspice or pickling spice

½ t. whole cloves

about 15 hard boiled eggs, peeled

Place beets and eggs in jar. Combine remaining ingredients in heavy pan and heat until boiling. Stir to dissolve sugar well and watch to avoid burning or scorching the sugar. Pour hot syrup over eggs and beets. Cool for awhile, then seal and place in fridge to pickle. Eggs are best if left to pickle several days before eating.

***

I couldn’t help but share the following photo of Coop and his winged friend. It just kept landing on him so I finally couldn’t resist snapping a photo while it sat on his head. He was urging me to hurry up as it was tickling quite a bit.

Is the United States Killing 10,000 Iraqis Every Month? Or Is It More?

300 Iraqis killed by Americans each day sounds like an impossible figure, but a close look at the reported numbers of violent deaths and rate of armed patrols makes it all too likely.

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sun tea safety

I have been making and drinking sun tea for years, so this information surprised me. It's my understanding that making sun tea with black tea is less risky than doing so with herbs or decaf. The caffeine inhibits the microbes flourishing for about three hours.

Our best bet is to make refrigerator tea or simply make tea the old fashioned way with boiling water. However it's made, don't let it set at room temperature for more than a few hours. Refrigeration is key.

clipped from www.colostate.edu

Using the natural rays of the sun to make tea is fun and popular in the summer. However, using such a method to make tea is highly discouraged. Sun tea is the perfect medium for bacteria to grow. If the sun tea has a thick or syrupy appearance, it may be due to the presence of a ropy bacteria called Alcaligenes viscolactis. Ropy bacteria are commonly found in soil and water.

Several years ago in Ohio and Washington, several people became ill after drinking tainted ice tea. In Washington it was determined that the tea had been made with tap water only heated to 130 degrees Fahrenheit and left to sit at room temperature for more than 24 hours

Centers for Disease Control and the National Tea Association recommend the following when making tea

Brew tea bags at 195 degrees F for three to five minutes

Never maintain brewed tea for more than eight hours at room temperature

brew tea overnight in the refrigerator

Store tea bags in a dark, cool, and dry place away from strong odors and moisture

On July 4, Put Away the Flags

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed."

On this July 4, we would do well to renounce nationalism and all its symbols: its flags, its pledges of allegiance, its anthems, its insistence in song that God must single out America to be blessed.

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There's a Lot You Don't Know About What's in Your Food

Nearly three quarters of all processed foods contain genetically engineered ingredients, but you'd never know it by reading package labels. Author Andrew Kimbrell discusses the risks of genetic engineering and how to avoid it.

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week's review - the good, the bad & the ugly

The past few days have left us sad, aggravated and feeling overworked, under appreciated and somewhat used. The auction took place on Saturday after a work laden week of preparations.

Just prior, we lost our little black female duck Louise to raccoons, who left her wings and carcass behind. We noticed the other day that she was absent and Bruce was alone. Coop found her remains while berry picking. We discovered that our other Muscovy hen Thelma, who has been nesting for a month, was left with only 3 eggs. Of these only one hatched. Obviously a coon had been accessing the duck house regularly without our knowledge. I guess Thelma is fortunate to have one baby survive the ordeal.

Since then Coop has secured the area and rid the property of more than one raccoon. I hate having to take those measures, but sometimes one is left with only that choice. Bruce has been hanging closer to the house now that Weasie is gone. He seems lonesome. I find him parked at the front door each morning as you can see from the one photo I snapped this morning from inside the house. He’s sitting on the straw mat against the door.

This past week marked a year since my brother’s death from lymphoma. I still miss him a bunch. I’m sure that the anniversary of his death along with the recent full moon has been partially to blame for my emotional state of being, not to mention the cumulative effects of everything else that’s been in motion recently. A morning heading off the destruction of our Maple tree (the only shade tree we have out front) from an overzealous, chain saw wielding, know it all township worker didn’t help the mood much either. He was determined to take off the major limbs (which would have been entirely unnecessary) and I was more determined to not allow that, even if it meant tying myself to the tree. As you can see, the chain saw is on the ground and he (guy in the hat) was intending to begin cutting. ARRRRRGH! I am sooo glad we were home at the time or he would have done as he pleased without our prior knowledge. I finally took photos as the issue continued to be discussed. I at least wanted to remember my tree as was just in case. In the end, I prevailed and the tree stands as is with our word that the proper limbs will be trimmed as needed, by us to appease the assho..I mean township employee.

So, on to brighter things…the little black and yellow duckling is so sweet. It is curious and unafraid, so Thelma tries her best to keep it by her side.

The beets are about ready to pull now, so this week we’ll be enjoying those. Everything in the garden is doing spectacularly well (everything that came up that is) and we received a lot of compliments on our garden and flowers over the weekend. There are baby tomatoes on the vine as well as peppers. The weather has been gorgeous with blue skies, billowy clouds and moderate temps. The zinnias have grown tall and are a mass of color out front. I can’t think of anything prettier I could have planted by the porch. It occurred to me that I have all these beautiful flowers and they didn’t cost me a penny! The zinnias were planted from seed my sister gave me, the black eyed Susan by the mail box was purchased for me by my niece, the morning glories to the southwest corner of the house are from seed given by a friend along with the iris along the garage wall, the peachy pink begonia was a mom’s day gift from my son and his wife and family, the poinsettia that is growing fast was a gift from my girlfriend last winter and the pots of red hibiscus and hanging planters full of purple petunias were a gift from my nephew. In the end, I am where I wish to be, surrounded by gifts.