Farmhouse Friday - May 12, 2023

 Good Morning!

How are you?  How was your week?  

I'm going to a tea today with my daughters and grands.  I'm so excited!  We have a tea house, believe it or not, here, as in within 10 miles from my farm.  Here is a link to her page:  Johanna May's Fine Teas.  We have been many times and really enjoy it.

Monday, my friend Renee shared with me dozens of plants and flowers she started from seed.  I took Lauren with me to pick them up and she was able to meet the horses her mama and auntie Anna use to take care of.   Renee's yard and garden are amazing!  

I did some baking....

And, why wouldn't I?!?  I have a ton of stuff I should do...but, baking was more fun!  And that much melted butter....come'on!

We went down to visit Jon, Anna and Ezra and grandpa helped put up the play set.  I walked around, visited with Peppy (her childhood horse) the sheep and the little chicks.  I also played in the sandbox with Ezra and watched them work (wink).  

We put the idea into motion - Luetschwager Family Reunion and had Olivia (great grand) make postcards using this photo of the Luetschwager homestead.  This is located in Ringle.  To the right of all those trees and down a bit (as the crow flies), is where we live.  The house is still there and my friend Kim lives there.  However, the rest is a subdivision and no longer a farm.

I may not have mentioned it, but I'm having surgery on my thumb.  So, I've been doing LOTS of doctoring the past several weeks.  This week had my doing a stress test at the cardiologist office.  I will share some little funnies from this visit.  As, you all know 7's need to make "light" of even "laugh" in EVERY situation.  It's how we cope!  

So, I bought a "new" pair of cheap tennis shoes from Aldi's (ya, Aldi's) because ALL of my other shoes....well....have "farm" on them.  So, I had to be at the office at 7:45 am, the ground was wet from dew and I did...run over to the chicken coop to open it before I left.  So, as I lay down on the table, I say "I'm not sure how clean my shoes are" and the nurse says, "that's o.k."  She proceeds to put in an IV for the dye and asks "are you familiar with the treadmill."  (HA!) I say "look at me, do you think I'm familiar with the treadmill!"  Oh, she laughed!  Then, the ultra sound guy comes it to hook up all the cords and asks me to roll over and move to the middle of the table.  It's hard for me to do either of those things with my weak back and leg, but as I was doing it, I grabbed his arm.  He said, "you are not going to fall, you're not that big."  (now was this a compliment? haha!)  Then we go over to the treadmill, up hill, going faster....have you seen me walk lately, I don't do faster.  As I'm hanging on for dear life, she says "relax" What?!?  Needless to say, we didn't go as high or as fast as I'm sure they wanted to, but I did it.  So, she says "quick, jump back on the table...."hey, I don't do fast!"....with guidance (teehee) I was put on the table and rolled over....I'm laughing as I'm typing...I hope I was the worst case they had all day.   As they are checking the monitors and doing my blood pressure checks, I happen to see "dirt" on the floor behind the treadmill.  "Did I do that?!  I'm sorry!  Good thing that's only chicken shit, because as fast as you had my going, you're lucky I didn't fall and then you'd be cleaning up a brown streak from off that treadmill."  Oh, they all were laughing....  The nurse had to keep checking my blood pressure like every minute as he did the ultrasound.  She asks me "what are your plans for the rest of the day?"  I said, "well, I'm doing an estate sale and I plan to work over at that house all day."  She asks, "what is the name of your business" (eek, no one knows me, there are so many other businesses in the area, why bother...but I told her).   "Town Hall Trinkets" and she says "are you that lady from Ringle?"  What the what...she knows me!  "I follow your page."  Oh my goodness.  I mean I'm still a big no body, but that body knew me.  Ahahah!  

Speaking of selling stuff....this event is a week away!  I finally NOW can start getting ready.  I mean, I know what anchor pieces I will bring, I still have to dig them out and have Al help to load them, but as far as smalls and marking, I'm just starting.  I know I am a procrastinator, but it works for me.  I designate days and times of day to do different things, I clear my calendar just for that one thing I need do.  Don't get me wrong, I plan and think about events long before.  But the actual working on them, not until they are within a week or 2 of the event.  It's how I roll.

We have a Mother's Day service at the Wittenberg Community Center - FREE chicken dinner.  If you live close, feel free to come.  

I hope you all have a nice weekend.  Happy Mother's day too.

Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin.  

  

Monday Morning Mood

 Good Monday Morning!

As I lay in bed and as I rose, I was thinking about this....

I was....

ahahha....mornin' bed head!  

So, I made a "honey" cake for one.  So easy!

1/2 C flour

1 teaspoon raw honey (really just a teaspoon)

end of the teaspoon full of baking powder (1/4-1/2 t)

shake or 3 of salt in bowl

1 egg yolk - put whites in another bowl - keep to the side

1/4 C milk

mix all together until smooth (ish).  Whip the egg whites with a folk until frothy

Spray your pan with cooking spray, put on medium/high heat.  

Fold the whites into the batter.

I didn't want to add sugar or additional "fat" other than the yolk.  If you like a thinner batter, add more milk.  

add fruit, butter, maple syrup...and enjoy!  

Now I am ready to conquer the day!

Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin.  

Farmhouse Friday - May 5, 2023

 Good Morning!  

How was your week?  Mine flew by....

I was so excited this week when the first of a new month fell on a Monday....trifecta....I may be a little OCD with numbers.  I thought to myself, it's a great time to start all over....help me Lord.  I actually was really pleased with my progress up until April.  Then, I don't know, my little list of things I did everyday, slowly slipped away.  Could be we were working an estate sale and it's hard to stay on a schedule when you're trying to meet one.   

We need to make room in the freezer, so I have been cooking up stuff from there.  I made some applesauce.  I have so many bags of sliced apples (and other fruit).  I also had 3 bags of carcasses.  When I cook a whole chicken and I don't have time to make soup or bone broth, I bag it and freeze it.  So we had some changes in our plans and Al wasn't feeling best, so I cooked up 2 pressure cookers full of bones.  If you don't do this, you're really missing out.  I like to use everything:  

One for the pot....

One for the chickens.  I always fill the cooker with veggies when I make the stock.

One for the garbage.  However, I saw a video where this lady dries out the bones, put them in a blender, adds water and uses it on her plants.  Now, that is using EVERYTHING!

Look at the liquid gold!  Sometimes, if I am not going to use all of it right away, I freeze it.  

I did make some biscuits .... I'm working up some recipes for just biscuits.  Different flavor profiles.  I hope to share it someday along with the cookies.  Maybe after I "retire" I'll print the cookbooks.  

I shared this photo on Instragram and someone messaged me and said "cat head biscuits!"  I had never heard of "cat head" she said it's a southern thing.  Well I told her "biscuits are in my genes and jeans...ahahah"  - wait, I mean because I'm chubby - I think the urban dictionary has another meaning for biscuit...why??  Do you want to know how many times I need to google the urban dictionary?  Why do words need to mean nasty things?  O.k.....I'm old.

I taught a needle felting class for Shawano County Library at the Tigerton branch.  I had 17 students and 14 were first time felters.  The project was a chicken, but the younger 4H girls and a husband made other things.  I thought all the projects looked great!

We are going to visit Anna, Jon and Ezra.  We didn't go last weekend because Al was sick.  I can't wait to see that little cutie!  Grandpa is going to help put up his new wooden swing/play set.  

Last night, when we came home from church, while walking out to close the chicken coop, I had to stop.  Stop and listen to the birds sing their last song, frogs chirping along, full moon, beautiful spring night....breathe it in.  Wow, I missed this.  How many times do I not stop to listen.  Same this morning, 4:40 am dogs had to go out.  I stood on the porch, Robin first singing, roosters crowing, sun rising....thank you Lord for all your blessings!  Breathe it in.  

Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin.