Bleeech! Friday.

 I have had a holiday of food freedom.  The turkey, while not mine, was a locally raised one. The sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, greens, onions, green beans, pickled accoutrements,  and herbed water were all mine. What a feeling !!


  I did go to my brothers (an hour away) for the holiday meal with family.  The day before though, I went looking for a turkey, because I had an overwhelming NEED to cook a turkey.  There are some things I simply cannot do, and NOT cook a turkey is one of them. So, since my son was going to his grandparents for his noon meal, I made us an early dinner too.  We ate late Wednesday, because he was working. I made  a pumpkin dessert  and 2 loaves of pumpkin/walnut/date bread.  Needless to say, my fridge is overflowing with leftovers. lol  That makes me very happy, on some primal level.  When I got to my brothers, my dear SIL had already packaged up her turkey carcass for me, because she knows me.  I obligingly brought it home with me.

  I have had turkey broth simmering since last night. This afternoon I got it all strained and sifted and sorted (does anyone else do this or am I just crazy ??)  The biggest bones got put in a plastic ziplock to go into the freezer for now and be meted out to the dogs.  The meat all got pulled out to go into the broth.  The tiny bones that no one can manage went into about a third of a bread bag.  The goopier meat and goobers went onto plates to feed the cats and dogs. Everyone was ecstatic about it all.  I have 7 quarts in the canner right now, cooling down.  I made a small pan of gravy for leftovers.  And there's enough to make a medium sized pan of soup. Perfect. Almost no waste--just how I like it.  I forgot--on Wednesday (after getting my little turkey) I got a call--I had won a turkey in a local merchant drawing !!  That turkey is in the roaster cooking right now, because I have no room in my freezer for a whole turkey.  So, I'll cook it and take the meat off and freeze it. Thinking about freezing some of  it IN gravy--anyone ever done that??  I can stuff a few more small bags into the freezers. And maybe I'll can pints of turkey in broth too.  It has made me feel very turkey-rich! lol

  And my house smells delightful;. (Take THAT!~ Glade!)  lol

  I am feeling better. My husband has called several times. And I am counting my blessings instead of feeling sorry for myself.  One of those blessings is the caring and sharing of all of you , even though we have never met face to face,  I am blessed to have you in my life.  Been catching up on some blogs. Reading a novel called East of the Sun. And tending critters and going to cover the gardens soon--not sure it will help. I think tonight may be the real end of the garden, supposed to get to 20. Someone said they are calling for a possibility of snow tonight.

We'll see. I don't care. The only plan I have is to go to a movie with my cousin tomorrow at noon or so...if I can't get out, it matters not.  

  Happy [beginning of the ] Holidays, everyone.  Bless us, every one.


Namaste.