Most smiles are started by another smile.
Frank A. Clark

What a weekend so far......

Friday i got to be the Housekeeper !

Saturday i spent the day being the farm hand with my wonderful

husband, in the barn working, then out building fence. It was a beautiful day !

And today i get to be the wife and cook , so i was up early to put a pork roast in to slow roast for a nice Sunday dinner, and have Choc chip cookies mixed up and ready to bake. wondering who i will be by tonight? ( who knows) but whoever it is i will have a nice time and enjoy it!

I hope you all have had a nice weekend too!

~ Windy ~

" A busy season is about to start "

I Would like to ask a favor of you all, it is that time of year again where farmers are working hard to get there corn in the fields and Hay is growing, crops to to be worked and harvested.

And many times during this season cars and farm machinery will travel the same dirt roads ( and even some main highways)  i do realize it may slow you down for a few seconds but please be cautious for your safety and the farmers.

Many of the newer tractors have turn signals but there are those that do not, I am asking you, if you are a farmer or a person who is just traveling the road, PLEASE be alert pay attention so we all can be safe, and please pass this message along to your friends being aware and alert for these situations can help keep everyone healthy and safe.

~ Windy ~

Sometimes you just don't have the money to do something special, but lets think about this..... One very special thing you can do is a Picnic really all you need is a yard , a park or walk in the woods and you were gonna have to make a lunch anyway so pack those sandwiches up and grab some drinks and get the family together for a surprise picnic! Maybe take along a game or to a camera and make some memory's together. If you walk to the back yard or park it cost you nothing. The food does not have to be expensive pack some PB&J and some snacks You probably already had stuff for today's lunch anyway so no extra cost there! All you need is a few hours of your time and a blanket.
                                                                         ~ Windy ~

I believe if you can taste , you can cook !!!!!

"There are many uses for canning jar"

For a inexpencive way to light up a picnic and make it special try this!

They can be painted easily, or filled with herb's and used for fragrant decorations

Or make a vase to hang on the porch for your cut flowers!

~ Windy ~

Welcome,

 To my life, it is sometimes crazy and wild but i love it !

Join this site and share your experience's with us too.

10 things my Mom taught me about being a Mom !
* When they cry....Kiss them
*When they are afraid .....Hold them
*When they speak......Listen
*When they ask.... Answer
*Let them explore....Dirt washes off
*When you say Pleae and Thank you to them....They will say it to you
*Silly is a good thing to be
*Always do the right thing....even when nobodys looking
*There are many crises in the world....Fo...od or crayon on the wall is not one of them
*Faith will open many doors
As hard as it is to follow these simple things, it really does help when you are busy and the children are crying or bored and there is a mess going on just remember the important things in life your health your childs health .... the little messes dont mean a thing unless you are holding the board that will let your roof fall in, stop take a moment and comfort it will pay off in the end, remember watching your child make there first mud pie is as sweet as eating the pie in the oven.
~ Windy ~

Raising your own pork

When i want to put meat in the freezer i like to raise my own

it is surprising how easy it can be and very rewarding.

Pigs are a social animal so if you are going to raise one it is as easy to raise two they will grow better and if you sell the second one it will pay for your butcher expense to have yours freezer ready. Early spring is a great time to get your piglets they generally run around $40 to $60 dollars per head. It takes with proper feed and water aprox 6 months to raise a very nice Butcher hog to aprox 245 pounds and you can look forward to a winter with meat in the freezer that you know has been fed quality food, no chemicals or hormones and is safe for your family.You do not need a huge barn a small pen with enough room for them to sleep in and get out of the sun is all they need keep it dry and bedded, make sure to use a quality feed with at least a 14 percent protein and plenty of fresh water. We use a Ivomec wormer when they are small then a repeat at about 3 months old and they should be good to go! If you can make a small fence around the pen they love to play in the dirt and chew the grass there are  minerals in the dirt for them. Raising your own pig can save over half price per pound for pork. They are a remarkably smart animal that against all rumors love to be clean. and a added benefit is when you clean your pen use the cleaning to help fertilize your garden.

~ WINDY ~

Why can foods?
Canning can be a safe and economical way to preserve quality food at home. Disregarding
the value of your labor, canning homegrown food may save you half the cost of buying
commercially canned food. Canning favorite and special products to be enjoyed by family and
friends is a fulfilling experience and a source of pride for many people. Happy Canning ! ~ Windy ~

One meal turns into Two :
I use this when i want a nice Sunday dinner but know Monday is gonna be a busy day.
 On Sunday make a nice pork roast, Baked potatoes and veggies !
Cook extra Potaoes!
When it is time to clear the table, start a few eggs to boil, they should be done when you have the table cleared and dishes done.
I like to do alot of the prep work as i clear the table for instance, cut or shred your leftover pork seal and refridgerate, cut up the potaoes refridgerate, cool eggs, when done peel/ cut and add to potaoes.
When Monday dinner time comes i add some BBQ sauce to pork and heat, add whatever dressings you like for potatoe salad and dinner is ready. BBQ pork sandwiches and potatoe salad ready to eat.

Old stuff is the Best stuff.....

Dont throw those old windows away, use them to decorate with. And they are soooo cheap at a flea market when you find them. They make great 8 x 10 picture frams or put mirror's in them add a shelf to the bottom and you have a great new decoration for barely a cent.

Simple tablescapes !

Decorating your table for company does not have to be hard, for me the company is the most important thing, so i dont waste my time or money with fancy table scapes . All you need is what you probably already have, a vase or crock , trees outside, and a figurine or two and " walla " you are ready to enjoy ! Just coffee ( go simple) Dinner add a little to it! Simple is always best...

FRESH EGGS !

One of the most exciting aspects of raising chickens is collecting all those lovely eggs each morning! It will take some patience though, it is normal to take anywhere from 4 months to a year for chicks to start laying. Egg laying depends on the breed  traditional egg production breeds such as leghorns and rhode island reds etc. usually start laying around five months old. The first few eggs will probably be relatively small and random, but it won't be long before your hens get into their rhythm. A flock of 8 hens of should average 4 or 5 eggs a day (sometimes more).

For commercial purposes laying hens tend to be given around 2 years to produce as many eggs as quickly as possible and then get replaced but with good care they can lay up to 4-5 years.

Do not panic when you see your hens loosing feathers it is called Molting and usually happens in the fall , they dont tend to lay well while molting but will resume production when molting is finished ( about 2 months ) and they will not all molt at the same time.
 In winter or excessive cold the reduction in daylight hours can cause chickens to slow down their egg production (a heat lamp in the coop can help minimise this).

Make sure to give yours chickens plenty of fresh water and feed to help keep them healthy and laying well.

Nesting boxes do not have to be fancy but they will want a place to lay there eggs, boxes should be off the ground as a chickin is a bird and they like to roost too !

Having fresh eggs is a wonderful thing, healthy and fun too, unless you are making hard boiled then you may want to use some that are not as fresh !   ~ Windy ~

Companion Planting

Companion Planting in the Vegetable Garden, one benefit to growing vegetables with flowers is companion planting. This type of planting is ideal for reducing pest and disease problems within the garden. Plants with strong odors, such as marigolds or garlic, help deter insects. A good example of companion planting might include placing petunias with beans to repel bean beetles or marigolds with tomatoes to help fend off snails.. Flowers also encourage pollinating insects, which are beneficial to most vegetables. And let's face it the garden is much prettier with the flowers added. A great way to not have to use all the chemicals to keep bugs out !  Happy Gardening....  ~ Windy ~

Happy Easter Everyone !

Hope you all have a wonderfull day with your

familys !

Shoping yesterday and seeing all the seed's and vetabable types really has me excited about the Garden season ! The smell of a huge pot of Spaghetti sauce simmering away to be canned is a good thing ! and as much as i enjoy the canned items year round , there truly is nothing like fresh food right from the garden . No chemicals , no additives just real delicious healthy food. Baked stuffed squash , a BLT with  tomato and lettuce right from your garden Yummy ! Creamed new potatoes and Peas or Green beans is absolutely one of my fav's, i should say we do not plant our own sweet corn , i have an amazing friend who grows the best melt in your mouth sweet corn ! Do any of you have a favorite fresh garden recipe or recipe of something you can that you would like to share ? I will be sharing some recipes as the season goes on..... but would love to try some new ones from you.
                                                                                                    Windy,

This tiny little run down shack is one of my favorite places, so full of memory's that sometimes it can bring a tear to my eye.
 This to me is what country living is all about , when my grandson was about 8 years old he would stay with us alot and of course like most kids get bored waiting around for us to finish work to play, so one day as we were working away in the garage we could hear pounding so we went to investigate and low and behold he had decided he needed a fort to play in, and of course there is always wood and stuff around a country home so he had no problem finding building materials. I said whoa young man you cant...and that's when i heard my husband say what else do you need to build your fort.He told me if the boy had that much imagination to pick out the trees and stuff to start then he should be aloud to finish it, so over the next few weeks each day when he came over he worked away on it when he was ready for the roof his dad and papa helped alittle, but the rest was all him. He bought the hammock from his allowance and set his own area up back there.
 And let me tell you we have had some good times out there, his sister enjoys it to and we would have campfires ( always supervised ) there and sled and hot cocoa and a fire in the snow. We  even put a Christmas tree in there one year and lights outside on the trees, it was beautiful. He is now 17 and has no interest in playing out there but we often talk and tell stories about days out there and laugh. We have left it just the way he built it with the hopes that the other grandsons will also play there and learn about Nature and relaxation when they are old enough.
   Do you have a place that brings you joy full memories ??        Windy,

It always happen's when we are canning you have a couple of those and a few of these vegetables left after filling your canning jars, but DONT throw it out. Save it and make a pot of Vegetable soup to can. This is wonderfull on a cold winter day, and by all means cook up some Beef or Venison cubes and add it to your soup when you open a jar to heat it up !

• 2 quarts tomatoes , peeled, cored, chopped (about 12 large)
• 6 medium potatoes , peeled, cubed (1 1/2 quarts)
• 12 medium carrots (1 1/2 quarts)
• 4 cups lima beans
• 4 cups corn , cut, uncooked (about 9 ears)
• 2 cups celery , cut in 1-inch slices
• 2 cups onions , chopped (about 2 medium)
• 6 garlic cloves , chopped
• 6 cups water
• salt and pepper , to taste

Directions:

1. 1
   Combine all the vegetables in a large saucepot. Add the water, boil 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
2. 2
   Ladle hot soup into hot jars, leaving 1" headspace. Remove air bubbles with a knife. Adjust two piece caps.
3. 3
   Process pints 1 hour, quarts 1 hour and 15 minutes, at 10 pounds pressure in a pressure canner.
4. 4
   Yield: About 14 pints or 7 quarts.

You asked so hear it is !

Although i like to can many things this item is the one i find the most versatile and dearly missed when the shelf is empty. There are so many uses for canned Tomatoes that a well stocked pantry cannot do without them, Tomato Dumpling's , Goulash, Swiss steak, Chili, the list goes on and on so don't let yourself be without one of the most used products you can grow and can in your own garden and home. Always start with good size ripe tomatoes !

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3 lb tomatoes (per quart) ½ teaspoon citric acid (per quart) 1 teaspoon salt (per quart, if desired) I USE THE WATER BATH METHOD
Directions:
Wash tomatoes. Using a collapsible wire basket, dip in boiling water for 30-60 seconds or until skins split; then dip in cold water. Slip off skins and remove cores. Leave whole or halve. Add ½ teaspoon of citric acid per quart of tomatoes directly to the jars before filling with tomatoes. Add 1 teaspoon of salt per quart to the jars, if desired.  Always start with CLEAN Hot jars ! after filling the jars make sure to wipe the rim and threads of the jar clean, add your lids then screw on the bands tightly. Stand filled jars on the rack in your canner. Add hot water to cover jars by 1 to 2 inches, put the lid on your canner. Heat water to steady,gentle boil, process pints for 40 min, quarts 50 minutes. After removing jars cool for at least 12 hours, test your seals if seals are good you may remove the bands and store in a cool place for future use.      If you have a favorite recipe that you can, please share it with us so we can give it a try !                                                                                       ~    Windy   ~

Love it ! Things are always better with a bit of old mixed in!

Today is my first day as a Blogger and having my own page !
Even though it is exciting i am nervous and would love to know what kind of things you would enjoy hearing about and seeing when my Ad's start what kind of Links would you like to see?
What are your interests ? Please let me know and i will try my best to have something to interest as many as i can.

Lovin the simple things!

There are so many important things in life we must worry about, but sometimes you just have to take the time to enjoy the simple pleasures of life, the sound of a bubbling stream, the sun streaming through the tree tops,the smell of freshly mowed grass or the little sprouts of the spring flowers coming up.
When i feel overwelmed by work, bills, busy hours or just anything ! The one thing that can make everything better is to simply go for a walk in the woods and relax listen to the birds chirping and simply enjoy nature, there is not a medication out there created by man to relax you that can hold a candle ( at least for me) to what nature can do, it is a bonding of sorts and a letting go of all the stress and craziness and just giving over to solitude, silence and relaxation. What works for you ??????