Because I can't freaking let go of anything. Oh, I can attempt to, and pretend to..but honestly, every little thing is still here, stealthily hidden away, tucked inside my soul for safe keeping.
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It has not been an unpleasant week, for the most part. And I have been truly busy with things here, as the canning season slows down (I started to write "winds down" and then remembered that we have replanted green beans that are getting ready to flower...) and the weather starts to change. And autumnal things are starting to happen, like fall festivals and harvest fairs. And sausage suppers and fish frys... and already today I have had to turn the fans off in the early evening because it was getting a bit cool in here.
I had a couple of live-and-learn episodes this week. I decided to dry broccoli and cauliflower and carrots, because I bought a bunch of them at a very good price. The carrots were no big deal. The broccoli was a bit more tedious, but still...I dehydrated 10 pounds of it. But the cauliflower....O, the cauliflower....I had 8 heads of cauliflower. All my dehydrator shelves were too shallow to be able to put florets on, so I had to slice them to make them fit. It has to be blanched before loading. There were crumbs of cauliflower everywhere. It was such a labor-intensive tedious work that I will never do it again. I froze the last bit of it after filling 2 dehydrators. I will eat cauliflower in season, or I will freeze some, or I will just not eat it. lol Lesson learned.
I have 2 dehydrators of tomatoes going. I have more to pick. I am going to can more diced tomatoes I think. And maybe a few more jars of tomatoes and okra, since the okra is also making a comeback. A slow comeback, but a comeback nevertheless. I have canned jars of pickled jalapenos. I have dried jalapenos. I made 2 jars of kimchi. I have dried more lemon grass and anise hyssop. I have dried chives. I have baked carrot cake and apple crisps and bread.
I have been quite the domestic goddess, as I vacuumed my way through dog hair and dust bunnies and dried leaves. I have tended the chickens and hard boiled eggs (getting a minimum of 35 eggs a week now) and looked for every possible egg recipe I can find to use them up. I have been giving them away as well. I am egg-wealthy. lol I have slowly worked on organizing some of the things in my pantry a little better--although it doesn't help much since I keep adding to it with the dehydrated items. Still it is a little better in there, and will get even better as I get more things done.
SO....looking at all that...will someone please tell me why ...WHY HAVE I AGREED TO DO A FLEA MARKET BOOTH THE FIRST WEEKEND OF OCTOBER ??????? Surely I have lost my mind. Or maybe I am afraid of not having enough to do? lol Now I have to assemble and price any and all items that are going to the sale...sweet Mother of God. What was I thinking ?
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My cousin has contacted me (we grew up together as children--next door neighbors) and asked if I could use some canning jars. She is about 5 years older than me (I think) and said she doesn't can any more and has no desire to ever do so again. lol Naturally I said YES!! and she said she has a lot, so I should bring some boxes--she has boxed up 3 or 4 boxes already, but is out of boxes. I will pick them up on Monday. How blessed am I ???
My thinking is that since I will have an abundance of jars and won't have to purchase anymore of those, I can start buying Tattler lids a few boxes at a time, until I have all I need. Those are the reusable lids and are BPA free. They are a little expensive at first, but are guaranteed for life and all you have to buy are the rubber rings, which are 19.99 for a hundred of them. I can't wait to try them. They've been around since the mid-70's, but I had never heard of them until about 3 years ago.
Who knew? lol
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Today we attended the Mississippi EarthTones Festival...a sort of green festival, all eco-groovey and fun. It was at the amphitheater at the riverfront park, which was a nice venue. Everyone of note was there--The Sierra Club, The Prairie Rivers Friends, The CSA's, The local wildlife rescue folks, The spay and neuter clinic folks, The Clean Water people, The solar oven people. There are bands playing all day and half the night--it runs until about 10 PM. We wandered around and saw everything, and some things twice. The it was off to get a pound of coffee beans and stop by Green Earth Grocers for some garlic granules and baking yeast, and a few other odds and ends. It was really nice to finally get back home and settle in...
Tomorrow, I am going to a demonstration out at La Vista on how to use cob and build an earth oven. That should be fun. The Irishman has a District Committee Meeting, but the boy may (or may not) go with me. In any case, I'm going. I would love to have one of those in my backyard. They bake a mean loaf of bread. That starts at 1 o'clock and afterwards I'll probably just come home and chill...or can something. lol
Hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend....
Namaste.
6 comments:
When I read your blog, I truly feel the seasons. And it always surprises me because its seems like yesterday that you brought those little chicks home and now they're all "growed up" (as they say in these parts.)
Things are starting to cool down here, too. My windows are such a pain to get open and shut but its wonderful once they are open and the breeze just blows right through.
Hope you are well, child.
You chill??? That is hard to ima gine! lol Thanks for all the info you post on dehydrating. I still want to do some carrots. How do you use your dehydrated Anise Hyssop? I can't imagine using up 35 eggs in a week. It is hard to teach an old dog new tricks and I have resisted the Tattler Lids. I also read somewhere that they are made from polyoxymethylene plastic - a derivative of formaldehyde. Don't know how true that is tho. Looked up on your blog about drying chives and hope to do that today! Nancy
Golly-gosh, but you are a busy lady! Your posts contain so much interesting fodder that it's hard to know where to start with a comment!
I just this last week got the first of my Tattler lids. Haven't used them yet, but hope to do so when our apples are ready to become applesauce.
i am always wore out after I read what you have done.
do take some time for your self, and rest a bit too.
;-}
I get dizzy every time I think about what all you get done in a day. Put's me to shame really. Good job on all that canning and freezing. You'll be all set for winter.
I'm finally coming around several days late to read--and the first part really hit home with me--"being dragged through my emotions, being dragged through my past"--and the not letting go & keeping things tucked away inside your soul--things that were hidden even to myself. I've been being memory haunted in my sleep lately. No clue why. Just to mess with me and let me know that I haven't forgiven myself or let go?
Anyways, besides that--you are the busiest woman I know and I am thrilled for you that you have inherited boxes full of canning jars!! Nobody will put them to better use. ;)
I hope you enjoyed the cob oven demo and life is treating you well. :):)
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