I Only Think I CAN

Since I decided to hold off on the Sweet Potatoes and eat them up instead of canning them, I finally sat down and tallied up the Garden 2010 Canning Season.  Even though I will continue to can things throughout the winter, I decided for reference purposes I would close out my numbers.

One thing blogging has me looking forward to is keeping track from year to year.  I don't know why I never did this in years past!  But as the years go by and as I venture out in all the various forms of food preservation, we are noticing a very significant decrease in our trips to the grocery store!  Isn't that awesome??  Grocery shopping was always one of my favorite things to do.  Now I simply get a few things and RUN!

So here are the Canning Totals for 2010:


Apple Butter - 2 Qts, 3 Pts, 31 hp
Apple Pie Filling - 28 Qts, 2 Pts
Apple Sauce - 10 Qts, 23 Pts, 7 hp
Apricot Jam - 10 Pts, 2 hp
Baked Beans - 7 Pts
Blueberry Pie Filling - 6 Qts
Bread & Butter Pickles - 7 Pts
Carrots - 13 Pts
Cherry Pie Filling - 3 Qts
Cowboy Candy - 2 Pts, 5 hp
Creamed Corn - 25 Pts
Grape Jelly - 5 Pts, 24 hp
Green Beans - 36 Pts
Ham & Beans - 3 Qts
Peach Pie Filling - 8 Qts
Pears - 7 Pts
Pepperoncini Peppers - 5 Pts
Pickled Beets - 2 Qts, 10 Pts, 5 hp
Plum Jam - 1 Pt, 9 hp
Sloppy Joe Sauce - 21 Pts, 1 hp
Spaghetti Sauce - 12 Qts, 1 Pt
Stewed Tomatoes - 15 Qts, 1 Pt
Tomato Juice - 17 Qts, 2 Pts
Tomato Sauce - 9 Qts
Zesty Relish - 4 hp

My Grand Total was no where near what I thought actually.  I was guessing upwards near 500 jars.  I didn't even break 400 :( ... 380 to be exact.  So, I really only think I CAN!

I'll figure my Frozen tally next.  Of course the Dehydrator will be in full use next year and I am pretty excited about that! 

Funny story...the other day, I decided I better dry some onions that had been hanging around and getting close to needing something done with.  So I diligently diced them in nice chunks and painstakingly separated each and every one and then ever so carefully layed them on the drying trays.  When I got to about the 4th tray I felt really stupid...   Do I need to tell you why?  Please say yes Please say yes!!!

Garlic Down!

Well I finally managed to get my booty out to the garden and get all the garlic put down.  If all goes well, no vampire will come near me!  Hmmm...on second thought...

I didn't count exact numbers, but we have roughly 80-100 bulbs and 5 varieties.  So long as they don't "accidentally" get tilled in, I am hoping for a bumper crop!

What varieties do you plant?  We have Russian Red, Inchdium, Kettle River Giant, French Rose and Chesnok Red.

As I was rootin' around the garden, I spied my celery off in the corner.  I had completely forgotten about it!  So the leaves are in the dehydrator and the massive harvest is chopped and stowed.  I had to make room of course...

Wasn't sure where to put that one and a half cups full of celery don't ya know? ;0)  Pencil thin I might add!  I think I'll plant more next year.  It was one of those things I just wanted to try at least! 

That is one thing I love about gardening - trying different things!  I am looking forward to all the seed catalogs that will be arriving soon enough!

Our Soldiers

Veterans Day, November 11, 2010

Today we say "Thank You"

To the brave men and women who have served Our Country. 

Soldiers in war or peace, whom without...

There would be no freedom, no choice, no vote, no voice, no hope. 

Do you know a Veteran?  If so, have you thanked them? 

Today is the perfect day to start...

You already know how much I appreciate my Dad's service. 

If not, then I encourage you to read At Ease Soldier.

I appreciate all our service members.  I think about them, what they do, how much they sacrifice, the families waiting for them and the countless things that I will never have to endure because of them.  

I admit, my brain can't even begin to wrap around it.  How could it?

So to all our Veterans, Thank You! 

God Bless You!  I love you!

It's Not Really Roughing It When...

...you take a 40 foot fifth wheel.  But even at that, I'm thinking a tent would be a heck of alot easier to get ready!

We got our camper 4 years ago.  We used it alot the first few years, but then work and things just kept getting in the way.  Now it gets to be loved once a year really.  Sad, isn't it?  Poor thing has never been out of the state!!  Oh, the visions I had of taking it places!  I suppose there is still lots of time for that.

Today we had to get down and dirty cleaning the monster. 

The death toll:

No mice (always a good thing!)
Three dead birds and a heck of alot of feathers!
Lady bugs by the thousands!
One beat Mom!
One Aunt who will never volunteer anything ever again!

So the casualties were as expected!  Nothing went unturned.  Every pot, pan, spoon, book, bottle, towel, pillow...everything came out!  I have mounds of laundry yet to do.  We washed walls, cupboards, appliances, everything!  Oh, and the ladybugs keep coming back!  Any one have a good remedy for those???

My Mom called a bit ago and asked me if I took any photos of them today.  Of course not!  Who wants to be pictured looking like Hazel with their backs and butts facing the camera?

Muahahahaaha!

THANK YOU, Mom and Aunt Bena!  You made it seem like fun and I will get you's back!

We've had so many good times with family and friends on our weekend and holiday camping trips!  I can't wait to add a few more!

Warning:  Long Photo Gallery!



Her Maiden Voyage!

 

Sometimes We Drink...too much.



Maybe even pass out!
"I don't need no stinkin' camper!"

We do the dirty work...Blech!

We bring cool toys!

We get much needed R&R
He really does sleep like that!

We see beautiful places!

Old habits die hard though!



Sometimes we do things we wouldn't otherwise!
That was my motorcycle :)

 

We take time to stop and smell the errr...roses?

We are silly!

  

We catch big fish with friends!

Sometimes it gets dangerous!

We see wildlife!

We spend quality time together???



We catch our first fish...hesitantly and with big grins!



And even bigger grins!

Not even a bum shoulder keeps us or the puppies away!

No dog left behind!

  

Sometimes we smile for the camera!

Yeah, we play music by the fire!





We eat bad food...

We eat really good food!

But mostly, we enjoy!

Leaves and Loves

After the wind storms that blew through here recently, it left our trees pretty nekked.  Alot of them set up home in my breeze-way.  Normally, I will leave them be simply because it isn't over yet!  But my Mom couldn't stand it any more...

I told her not to, but she never listens.  Who am I to argue?  Now who's the smart one, eh?

Today I got my boots!  Woo-Hoo!  I know, such is my exciting life!  After we ran the mall a few, we went to a new fabric store.  That's like taking a kid into the candy store.  I didn't buy anything.  I think I'm feverish or something...kidding.

But my MIL did, of course!  And she sent it all home with me and told me to make her one.  Ok, that makes no sense to me...she sews 35x's better than I do!  I do love to sew, but I am no where near her!

Here's the new little project I whipped up for her:

It's a little wallet/card holder.  The pattern was very basic and similar to another that I have.  I actually liked this one better!  Fun, huh?

And on love...yesterday was Pig Pen's brother Ryan & Meagan's First Wedding Anniversary!  They didn't get their card...and it's all Pig Pen's fault.  That all I'm sayin' on that one!

This was the first 'glimpse' I ever got of Meg, so I thought I'd share it on their belated first!

Meg & Ry...we wish you many more years of happiness and love!  Congratulations on your first year together!

I'm High and It Hurts

My shot is high.  And my shoulder hurts.  But I gotta Woman Up! 

Pig Pen took me out back yesterday for some target practice.  I do just fine with the shotgun barrel.  Kinda hard not to really, unless you close your eyes.

After he warmed me up with that, we switched to the slug barrel, which was a first for me.  It's a bit heavier, a whole lot louder and it kicks more.  I have Iron Sights, so it took me a bit to work that out.  But it's sighted at least.  I was able to compensate for getting high finally! 

I don't imagine they will hire me as a sharp shooter any time soon, but I might be able to hit the broad side of a barn!  Or deer, deer would be better.

I'm going for my boots Monday.  Pig Pen seemed to think the taller ones would be better all purpose boots so the snow doesn't creep down them.  And I got my sock liners ordered from Campmor.com!  Thank you Erin for that little tip!

Are ya getting sick of me talking about our hunting trip? Sorry, I'm just pretty excited and I think it will be fun even if I don't get a shot off!  If for nothing else, my brother cooks breakfast every morning!  Astounding...

And I'm gonna let him!  Even more astounding.  Here I thought they wanted me along just to cook!

Bread Addiction

I think I have a new addiction and it's going to cost me a few pounds.  Every where I go and with every bite I take, I think of bread.  Every winter, I put on what we call the "Winter Spread".  It's generally about 10 pounds!  Yikes!

At this rate, it'll be 20!  But I have a wierd way of justifying things in my mind.  Such as:

It's not loaded with ingredients I can't pronounce.
It's always fresh.
It makes my house smell sooooo good.
It makes for great croutons in the dehydrator (got some going now!)  I cut up my left over French bread, and sprinkled it with garlic and thyme.  Thought it would be super yummy at Thanksgiving time.  Or snack time.
It tastes divine.
It's FUN!
And I am pretty sure it's a real crowd-pleaser.

I've already tried several different recipes and haven't found one yet that I did not love!  Is that bad?

Then yesterday, I went to B&N, where I always gravitate to the DIY and Cookbook sections.  I need another cookbook like I need a hole in my head.  Did I mention I am addicted to those too?   Not only do I keep my cherished ones in the house...

I have boxes of them in the garage!  (I should probably borrow a book on organizing, huh?)

So naturally, I want another one!

I told Pig Pen this one is officially on the list!  Do any of you have it and if so, what are your thoughts?  I came home and read all the reviews and it must be 'The One'.  All the ladies in my family may have to make sure Pig Pen knows where to find it on Christmas Eve night.  Just sayin'.

Side note, have you ever checked out this website?  The Fresh Loaf.  I thought it was pretty cool.

Today I tried a recipe from TastyKitchen submitted by Krista Maurer.  Click the link if you are curious.  I was a little scared at the part that says to add 'up to' 9 C of flour so that the dough is not sticky.  Mine was pretty sticky and I did have to go the distance with it.  But it turned out pretty darn good!  I also had to turn my oven down a bit, it must run hot and I didn't want to over-brown the top. 

Super yummy!  I don't think there is such a thing as BAD homemade bread.  Good-bye to the skinny jeans!