Well, it's been a few days since I posted- we had some afternoon storms come in and since we don't have DSL our here in the boonies - our satellite was not happy with the signal. We are back working again. Weather is still hot. Someone asked me the other day if I was going to sell popcorn this year? Ha! Ya, and sun dried tomatoes and zucchini. My maters are producing, slowly and the cucumber vines are about a foot and a half long - the ones in the house that I started are anxious to be put out - I will have to cover them with boxes for the first couple of days until they get used to the harsh summer. Nadine, my mentor, told me, "Jest water those little boogers ever day - don't miss a day and thel be alrite." Yes mam!. So tomorrow - out they go.
When I talked to her this mornin' she said she had a little adventure yesterday. She went to town and when she got back one of the calves had gotten out under the hotwire gate and was in the yard and got tangled up in her white plastic chair that she sits in to clean the corn. "I told that Dale (her son in law) that those calves was a gettin' out and he'd better get himself a gate put in ther befor they left for their cruise." She said, "Well, he didn't a listen to me and that dang calf got out - got my corn cleanin' chair stuck on top of his silly head and ran back off into the pasture. When I got home, he had the whole dang herd of cows runnin' from one side of the 120 acres to the tother. Those cows was a runnin' and that dang calf was a chasin' them, back and a forth they went." Dale got home a little while later and Nadine got onto him and he jumped his 4-wheeler and headed out the pasture. Nadine says, "He was chasing that dang calf, the calf was chasin' those silly cows and nobody could catch anybody." She said, "Dale finally got that dang calf pushed up to the house and corralled it and took my corn cleanin' chair off his fat head. The chair was a fine and that calf was madder than hell."
Well, today, the cows and calves are in the pasture and the corn cleanin' chair is back where it belongs. I am scheduled to pick cucumbers with Nadine tomorrow mornin' and I will bring home a bag full so I can make some of my bread and butter pickles.
I will get a picture of Nadine tomorrow and include it in my blog in the next few days.
FARMER'S HOME REMEDY: Don't keep your corn' cleanin' chair near the pasture.
No recipe today!
Thanks for visiting and hope you enjoyed the story.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Saturday, July 23, 2011
A Day In The LIfe Of.........July 23, 2011
Well, it' still hot but the whole southern part of Missouri are all outside doing rain dances. There are thunderheads looming on the horizon and the weatherman says we are supposed to get rain tonight and tomorrow - but I am convinced our weathermen are drop outs from a community college somewhere. They are never right and most often predicting a sunny day when it is pouring outside. Hmmmmm.
I checked all my struggling plants and trees this morning and they are doing okay. I have a whole other vegetable garden inside the house in my window - tomatoes, pickling cucumbers and 2 watermelons. They are doing well in the window but will be evicted soon as they are doing what they do best, growing. After this hot weather breaks, I will find them a good home outside. Hopefully, I will get some decent cucumbers so I can put up lots of pickles this year. Everyone likes my pickles.
Sewed most of the day yesterday making one more window curtain for my husband's bedroom/cave. All the measuring and remeasuring, going up and down the stairs from sewing machine to his room and back - FINALLY finished and put them up.........they were two inches short.....DRAT!!!! Well, we just lowered the rod and they fit fine. So glad I don't earn my living making curtains. Now I can make my kitchen curtains. I knew if I didn't do my husbands curtain first I would not do it. I love making new kitchen counter curtains. Will make a table cloth to match. It is a real country kitchen - no kitchen cupboards, just shelves under the counter which I cover with country type curtains. The rest of everything is in my huge walk in pantry, thank God.
REMEMBERING.....1950
My earliest memory is from living in San Fernando Valley, Calif at the age of 3-4 yrs old. Dad worked for Pacific Telephone on the test board and on Monday nights he would bowl with his co-workers. Mom and I would go meet dad at his work and then go the bowling alley with him. I remember one night when we arrived at the phone company(in Hollywood) and we were upstairs and we all leaned out the window and watched a parade - It was a political parade with General Eisenhower who was running for President of the U.S. Of course I had no clue who he was but remember it well. My mom was about 6 or 7 months pregnant with my brother.
My dad's co workers would ask me, "What do you want, a baby brother or a baby sister?" That would always piss me off because I was just fine being the only one. But....I did have a couple of friends where we lived in the "projects" in San Fernando, who were black. I really didn't know that there was any difference but thought they looked pretty being that color. I wanted to be that color. So I would tell my dad's coworkers and anyone else who ventured to ask me that question, "I want a BLACK baby brother." I was most determined. That became a little side show when we visited friends. My dad would have them ask me what I wanted.
Well, little did they know how decided I was. The day came when my mom went to the hospital. By then we were living with my grandparents in North Hollywood. Dad arrives home with mom and this little bundle. They come into the house, beaming with joy and placed my new little brother down on the couch and introduce me to my new little brother, Lynn. I took one look at this little ugly pink thing crying and got mad. I told them, "I don't like him, I wanted a black baby brother." And then I stomped off.
Well, this is where rubber meets the road as far as deciding whether I had a good dad or not. My wonderful dad, picked me up, gave me a big hug and said he would be right back. Dad left the house and was gone for a short while. When he returned he had a special little blanket covered bundle. It was a little black baby doll. He had gone to the section of San Fernando Valley, at that time, which was located literally across the railroad tracks where all the "black people live". He went to a store there and bought this baby doll for me.
Well, that settled me down and now I had two baby brothers, one was white and the other was black. I grew up torturing my poor little brother. We fought and teased each other and drove my mom crazy - but have an incredibly close loving relationship. The little black baby brother - well he never grew up and I wish I had him now for just memories.
FARM HOME REMEDIES: Clear Thinking
To enable yourself to think more clearly, eat 3 pecan halves daily.
COUNTRY RECIPES - Steamed Cauliflower
I know - nobody likes Cauliflower BUT I have converted lots of folks who now eat Cauliflower a lot.
1 head of Cauliflower
mayonnaise
yellow mustard (or whatever flavor you like)
Pull all the green leaves off the Cauliflower and cut off the stem.
Cover the Cauliflower with Saran and place it in a plastic bowl
Place the bowl in the microwave and cook on high for 12 mins.
Test the Cauliflower by sticking a knife in it and if it slides in without resistance it is
ready, otherwise cook a little longer.
Once the Cauliflower is done, keep covered until ready to eat.
Meanwhile, put a couple of tablespoons of mayonnaise in a small bowl and then add
mustard until the mixture turns yellow and you can taste more mustard than mayonnaise.
Blend together until smooth
Pull the Saran off the Cauliflower, cut in 1/4's or 1/8's
I guarantee you will like it.
Good Luck!!!
Thanks for visiting and come back soon!
I checked all my struggling plants and trees this morning and they are doing okay. I have a whole other vegetable garden inside the house in my window - tomatoes, pickling cucumbers and 2 watermelons. They are doing well in the window but will be evicted soon as they are doing what they do best, growing. After this hot weather breaks, I will find them a good home outside. Hopefully, I will get some decent cucumbers so I can put up lots of pickles this year. Everyone likes my pickles.
Sewed most of the day yesterday making one more window curtain for my husband's bedroom/cave. All the measuring and remeasuring, going up and down the stairs from sewing machine to his room and back - FINALLY finished and put them up.........they were two inches short.....DRAT!!!! Well, we just lowered the rod and they fit fine. So glad I don't earn my living making curtains. Now I can make my kitchen curtains. I knew if I didn't do my husbands curtain first I would not do it. I love making new kitchen counter curtains. Will make a table cloth to match. It is a real country kitchen - no kitchen cupboards, just shelves under the counter which I cover with country type curtains. The rest of everything is in my huge walk in pantry, thank God.
REMEMBERING.....1950
My earliest memory is from living in San Fernando Valley, Calif at the age of 3-4 yrs old. Dad worked for Pacific Telephone on the test board and on Monday nights he would bowl with his co-workers. Mom and I would go meet dad at his work and then go the bowling alley with him. I remember one night when we arrived at the phone company(in Hollywood) and we were upstairs and we all leaned out the window and watched a parade - It was a political parade with General Eisenhower who was running for President of the U.S. Of course I had no clue who he was but remember it well. My mom was about 6 or 7 months pregnant with my brother.
My dad's co workers would ask me, "What do you want, a baby brother or a baby sister?" That would always piss me off because I was just fine being the only one. But....I did have a couple of friends where we lived in the "projects" in San Fernando, who were black. I really didn't know that there was any difference but thought they looked pretty being that color. I wanted to be that color. So I would tell my dad's coworkers and anyone else who ventured to ask me that question, "I want a BLACK baby brother." I was most determined. That became a little side show when we visited friends. My dad would have them ask me what I wanted.
Well, little did they know how decided I was. The day came when my mom went to the hospital. By then we were living with my grandparents in North Hollywood. Dad arrives home with mom and this little bundle. They come into the house, beaming with joy and placed my new little brother down on the couch and introduce me to my new little brother, Lynn. I took one look at this little ugly pink thing crying and got mad. I told them, "I don't like him, I wanted a black baby brother." And then I stomped off.
Well, this is where rubber meets the road as far as deciding whether I had a good dad or not. My wonderful dad, picked me up, gave me a big hug and said he would be right back. Dad left the house and was gone for a short while. When he returned he had a special little blanket covered bundle. It was a little black baby doll. He had gone to the section of San Fernando Valley, at that time, which was located literally across the railroad tracks where all the "black people live". He went to a store there and bought this baby doll for me.
Well, that settled me down and now I had two baby brothers, one was white and the other was black. I grew up torturing my poor little brother. We fought and teased each other and drove my mom crazy - but have an incredibly close loving relationship. The little black baby brother - well he never grew up and I wish I had him now for just memories.
FARM HOME REMEDIES: Clear Thinking
To enable yourself to think more clearly, eat 3 pecan halves daily.
COUNTRY RECIPES - Steamed Cauliflower
I know - nobody likes Cauliflower BUT I have converted lots of folks who now eat Cauliflower a lot.
1 head of Cauliflower
mayonnaise
yellow mustard (or whatever flavor you like)
Pull all the green leaves off the Cauliflower and cut off the stem.
Cover the Cauliflower with Saran and place it in a plastic bowl
Place the bowl in the microwave and cook on high for 12 mins.
Test the Cauliflower by sticking a knife in it and if it slides in without resistance it is
ready, otherwise cook a little longer.
Once the Cauliflower is done, keep covered until ready to eat.
Meanwhile, put a couple of tablespoons of mayonnaise in a small bowl and then add
mustard until the mixture turns yellow and you can taste more mustard than mayonnaise.
Blend together until smooth
Pull the Saran off the Cauliflower, cut in 1/4's or 1/8's
I guarantee you will like it.
Good Luck!!!
Thanks for visiting and come back soon!
Friday, July 22, 2011
A Day In The LIfe Of.........July 22, 2011
Well it is still hot - this is an extremely hot summer as predicted by the Farmer's Almanac. I am starting to get some tomatoes - picked 4 today plus 1 zucchini. The green peppers are on the bush but not ready for picken'. My tomato plants are starting to do well and no more trouble with cutworms and there is lots of bird poop on the plants - the reason for no cutworms. That discovery was made this year as I had only caged 4 of the plants and still had 4 to go. The plants that were uncaged struggled with being devastated by cut worms. The cages are 4x4 hog wire - 4 ft wide. I cut a 5 ft section and join the cut ends so it forms a tall cylinder and place it over the tomatoes. The birds come and sit on the wire and eat my cutworms.
I started this blog as just a fluke because I am always telling funny stories about things that happen to me and people that have come in and out of my life. Many folks have always told me I should write a book. Well, I have never thought I could do a book but decided to write my stories down so they could be passed on to my grandsons, Caelan and Vincent. They have not been in my live since they were 18 months. I have recently been allowed to reconnect with them on a limited basis as their mother is a difficult person and has many issues with me which are still undetermined. I'm just a country girl that lives a fun and adventurous life. She is very different and not approving. Nuff said.
I wanted the boys (twins) to know who their grandmother is or was. I wanted to share my stories, my thoughts, my adventures with them so they didn't have to rely on someone else's opinion whether it be good or bad. I recently got to see them, now at the age of 11 yrs old. They are both so beautiful, such different personalities and such strangers.
Recently I spent two days with them and their father, my son. We had a very good time but it was like spending some time with two little shy strangers. They didn't know me and kept their distance. I expected that and just wanted to watch them, study them and get to know them. It is very difficult to no know your grand babies. I had all the expectations of any new grandparent. I had such plans for adventures and fun things to do with them. I was not blessed with that gift. Soooo here I am blogging which will eventually be put in book form for my grand babies.
That is it for today - got to get back to "junk on the bunk" upstairs.
FARMER'S HOME REMEDIES:
Out of WD40? Need to fix a squeaky hinge? Take a cucumber slice and rub it along the problematic hinge, and voila, the squeak is gone.
COUNTRY RECIPE:
You guessed it - Yellow squash
Slice it lengthwise, coat it with olive oil, seasonings and place, face down on BBQ. So good.
I started this blog as just a fluke because I am always telling funny stories about things that happen to me and people that have come in and out of my life. Many folks have always told me I should write a book. Well, I have never thought I could do a book but decided to write my stories down so they could be passed on to my grandsons, Caelan and Vincent. They have not been in my live since they were 18 months. I have recently been allowed to reconnect with them on a limited basis as their mother is a difficult person and has many issues with me which are still undetermined. I'm just a country girl that lives a fun and adventurous life. She is very different and not approving. Nuff said.
I wanted the boys (twins) to know who their grandmother is or was. I wanted to share my stories, my thoughts, my adventures with them so they didn't have to rely on someone else's opinion whether it be good or bad. I recently got to see them, now at the age of 11 yrs old. They are both so beautiful, such different personalities and such strangers.
Recently I spent two days with them and their father, my son. We had a very good time but it was like spending some time with two little shy strangers. They didn't know me and kept their distance. I expected that and just wanted to watch them, study them and get to know them. It is very difficult to no know your grand babies. I had all the expectations of any new grandparent. I had such plans for adventures and fun things to do with them. I was not blessed with that gift. Soooo here I am blogging which will eventually be put in book form for my grand babies.
That is it for today - got to get back to "junk on the bunk" upstairs.
FARMER'S HOME REMEDIES:
Out of WD40? Need to fix a squeaky hinge? Take a cucumber slice and rub it along the problematic hinge, and voila, the squeak is gone.
COUNTRY RECIPE:
You guessed it - Yellow squash
Slice it lengthwise, coat it with olive oil, seasonings and place, face down on BBQ. So good.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
A Day In The LIfe Of.........July 20, 2011
Well, yesterday I was makin' a cobbler with left over peaches and ran out of eggs. So I called up Nadine. It was around supper time (5pm). They call lunch = dinner and dinner = supper out here. The large meal of the day is dinner. Not at my house! Anyway, I hopped on my 4-wheeler and took off across the pasture, took down the hot wire gate, got wet as I went across the "criver" (creek/river) and through the woods, tall with weeds and grass. The grasshoppers are thick this time of year and they were hoppin' into the front of the 4 wheeler, on my head, down my blouse - all yellin' "git out of her way, look out, oh shit". Got through the woods then into the back pasture to another hot wire gate that divides our property with Nadine's property. Through another gate then on into a larger pasture where the cows were laid down in the shade of the Hedge and Pecan trees. They didn't get excited. Heck it was to hot to get excited. They just laid there and chewed their cud. Finally arrived at Nadine's little house. It is an old 2 story house with a screened in backporch built on. There is another screened in porch built on the other side of the house where her husband, Bill (deceased) would go to do his smokin'. She calls it the "smokin' porch. She uses it to store her cannin' jars and boxes and cages for her "girls" (her baby chickens).
Well, she had an old wooden framed screen door on her porch near the kitchen - it has on old rusty spring connected to it so when you open it and then let it go as you enter, it slams that screen door which announces your arrival or hits you in your rear if your not fast enough. Her back porch has stacks of egg crates, old tin milk buckets with some old butcher knives in them., her potato fork, 2 or 3 pairs of old worn out shoes she wears in the garden, her chicken catchin' hook, an old shotgun, some old cuttin' boards for cleanin' the corn, 3 white plastic buckets for corn cleanin' times, some old dirty garden gloves with leather undersides for pulling "pig weed" which has thorns. If her back door to the kitchen is closed, you just look in, and generally see her sittin' at her table readin' the newspaper while she watches the news on a small old television which sets on an old white washed table in the corner. I bang on the door and I hear, "Get in here and take a sit, girl." Somehow she always knows who has arrived. A clear plastic hose drapes from her nose and runs through out the house to her oxygen tank. She looks at me, bangs the table marking the place she wants me to sit. "What's goin' on girl? What you want?" Then she laughs.
Nadine has a kitchen that has about 10 different designs of linoleum on the floor. She tole me that when one spot wore out she'd find some and patch it. All of her cabinets in the kitchen are all handmade and have numerous coats of paint on them - white washed. Wooden knobs, linoleum counter tops which are well worn and edged with a metal edge which they did years ago. There is a hot water heater that stands between her kitchen sink and old stove. She has two - yes two refrigerators in her kitchen. One is filled with eggs in cartons and other things she has gettin' ready to make - old bananas for banana bread, her yeast for her buns and bread makin'. I don't know what she has in her other refrigerator but I am sure it is filled. Her kitchen table has an old oilcloth table cloth on it. Plastic table mats with daisies on them, sittin' in position. Lots of mail, receipts, newspapers, medicine bottles, salt and pepper shaker, napkin holder, old scissors and a old parin' knife are all there to be used, when needed.
Nadine tells me which eggs to get and then gives me an extra dozen free - She says, "ther' pullet eggs so use two when the recipe calls for one"(pullets are young hens - they have small eggs when they start laying). She charges $1.50 a dozen for her fresh eggs and I put $2 underneath her salt shaker. She scurries to get change and I argue with her sayin' I must owe her for somethin'. She gets mad every time and says, "hog wash", threatens to throw me out and then winks at me as she gives me my 50 cents. Then she has to tell me all the gossip in town. Her topics cover who is sick, who has died, whose sleepin with who, what kids have gone wrong, what crops are doin' well and when we will get to pick beans at the neighbors this year. She then updates me on when we are goin' to collect water cress in the local stream, how the pecans are lookin' and if we will have a good crop this year, what the almanac says 'bout the weather and then her predictions of what kind of a winter we will have based on the woolly caterpillar she saw the other day. She had to give me the results of the slicing of the wild kumquat. According to Nadine, when you slice it open the seeds make a design which predicts what kind of winter we are going to have - spoons = lots of rain, knives = ice storms, forks = snow. So there you are - Who needs the weatherman on Channel 7. He is always wrong anyway. Well, that is it for today - picked my 2 tomatoes, 1 zucchini and 1 cucumber - ugh! I set my waters to help the trees during this hot time and now projects and chores inside until the sun sets tonight when I will go out again and work the garden, check my vegetables and watch the fireflies.
FARM HOME REMEDIES: Heart burn
Natural honey for my heartburn home remedies:
Two teaspoon of pure, undiluted, unprocessed and unheated natural honey would reduce heartburn and acid reflux irritation if taken after meal because, it is well known for being an antioxidant, antiviral and antibacterial.
Baking soda, lemon juice and water:
This remedy for heartburn and acid reflux is the best in my opinion for temporary relief of heartburn. I would suggest that you perform this over the kitchen sink, as the fizzling of this flood would flood over the glass. First, get a tall glass, put two tablespoon of baking soda. Fill the glass ½ full with cold water. Pour one fresh squeezed lemon juice in the baking soda solution. Try to drink this as quickly as possible, as it is the fizz and water that will relieve your heartburn irritation. Note that this remedy produces sodium in the system.
Chamomile tea for heartburn relief:
Stress is a major cause to heartburn and acid reflux therefore; the relaxing properties of chamomile will help reduce your stress. Add two teaspoon of dried chamomile to about 1 ½ cups of boiling water. Let it seep for about 10 – 15 minutes, then stir and drink.
Organic Apple Cider Vinegar:
This method of home remedy for heartburn is very easy yet effective. Whenever heartburn symptoms occur, simply drink a teaspoon of organic apple cider vinegar and immediately wash it down with a glass of water. If you cannot find organic apple cider vinegar, regular apple cider vinegar will also work
COUNTRY RECIPES: Santa Fe Chicken
2 cans of corn (do not drain)
1 jar favorite salsa
Mozzarella cheese
1 can black beans (rinsed)
4 frozen boneless chicken breasts
Place corn, drained black beans, jar of salsa in casserole dish (or crock pot), place chicken on top, then cover with lid. Bake 2 hrs in 350 deg. oven or 4 hrs. in crock pot or until chicken is done. Before serving, add mozzarella cheese on top of chicken.
Thanks for visiting and hope you enjoyed - I sure did!
Well, she had an old wooden framed screen door on her porch near the kitchen - it has on old rusty spring connected to it so when you open it and then let it go as you enter, it slams that screen door which announces your arrival or hits you in your rear if your not fast enough. Her back porch has stacks of egg crates, old tin milk buckets with some old butcher knives in them., her potato fork, 2 or 3 pairs of old worn out shoes she wears in the garden, her chicken catchin' hook, an old shotgun, some old cuttin' boards for cleanin' the corn, 3 white plastic buckets for corn cleanin' times, some old dirty garden gloves with leather undersides for pulling "pig weed" which has thorns. If her back door to the kitchen is closed, you just look in, and generally see her sittin' at her table readin' the newspaper while she watches the news on a small old television which sets on an old white washed table in the corner. I bang on the door and I hear, "Get in here and take a sit, girl." Somehow she always knows who has arrived. A clear plastic hose drapes from her nose and runs through out the house to her oxygen tank. She looks at me, bangs the table marking the place she wants me to sit. "What's goin' on girl? What you want?" Then she laughs.
Nadine has a kitchen that has about 10 different designs of linoleum on the floor. She tole me that when one spot wore out she'd find some and patch it. All of her cabinets in the kitchen are all handmade and have numerous coats of paint on them - white washed. Wooden knobs, linoleum counter tops which are well worn and edged with a metal edge which they did years ago. There is a hot water heater that stands between her kitchen sink and old stove. She has two - yes two refrigerators in her kitchen. One is filled with eggs in cartons and other things she has gettin' ready to make - old bananas for banana bread, her yeast for her buns and bread makin'. I don't know what she has in her other refrigerator but I am sure it is filled. Her kitchen table has an old oilcloth table cloth on it. Plastic table mats with daisies on them, sittin' in position. Lots of mail, receipts, newspapers, medicine bottles, salt and pepper shaker, napkin holder, old scissors and a old parin' knife are all there to be used, when needed.
Nadine tells me which eggs to get and then gives me an extra dozen free - She says, "ther' pullet eggs so use two when the recipe calls for one"(pullets are young hens - they have small eggs when they start laying). She charges $1.50 a dozen for her fresh eggs and I put $2 underneath her salt shaker. She scurries to get change and I argue with her sayin' I must owe her for somethin'. She gets mad every time and says, "hog wash", threatens to throw me out and then winks at me as she gives me my 50 cents. Then she has to tell me all the gossip in town. Her topics cover who is sick, who has died, whose sleepin with who, what kids have gone wrong, what crops are doin' well and when we will get to pick beans at the neighbors this year. She then updates me on when we are goin' to collect water cress in the local stream, how the pecans are lookin' and if we will have a good crop this year, what the almanac says 'bout the weather and then her predictions of what kind of a winter we will have based on the woolly caterpillar she saw the other day. She had to give me the results of the slicing of the wild kumquat. According to Nadine, when you slice it open the seeds make a design which predicts what kind of winter we are going to have - spoons = lots of rain, knives = ice storms, forks = snow. So there you are - Who needs the weatherman on Channel 7. He is always wrong anyway. Well, that is it for today - picked my 2 tomatoes, 1 zucchini and 1 cucumber - ugh! I set my waters to help the trees during this hot time and now projects and chores inside until the sun sets tonight when I will go out again and work the garden, check my vegetables and watch the fireflies.
FARM HOME REMEDIES: Heart burn
Natural honey for my heartburn home remedies:
Two teaspoon of pure, undiluted, unprocessed and unheated natural honey would reduce heartburn and acid reflux irritation if taken after meal because, it is well known for being an antioxidant, antiviral and antibacterial.
Baking soda, lemon juice and water:
This remedy for heartburn and acid reflux is the best in my opinion for temporary relief of heartburn. I would suggest that you perform this over the kitchen sink, as the fizzling of this flood would flood over the glass. First, get a tall glass, put two tablespoon of baking soda. Fill the glass ½ full with cold water. Pour one fresh squeezed lemon juice in the baking soda solution. Try to drink this as quickly as possible, as it is the fizz and water that will relieve your heartburn irritation. Note that this remedy produces sodium in the system.
Chamomile tea for heartburn relief:
Stress is a major cause to heartburn and acid reflux therefore; the relaxing properties of chamomile will help reduce your stress. Add two teaspoon of dried chamomile to about 1 ½ cups of boiling water. Let it seep for about 10 – 15 minutes, then stir and drink.
Organic Apple Cider Vinegar:
This method of home remedy for heartburn is very easy yet effective. Whenever heartburn symptoms occur, simply drink a teaspoon of organic apple cider vinegar and immediately wash it down with a glass of water. If you cannot find organic apple cider vinegar, regular apple cider vinegar will also work
COUNTRY RECIPES: Santa Fe Chicken
2 cans of corn (do not drain)
1 jar favorite salsa
Mozzarella cheese
1 can black beans (rinsed)
4 frozen boneless chicken breasts
Place corn, drained black beans, jar of salsa in casserole dish (or crock pot), place chicken on top, then cover with lid. Bake 2 hrs in 350 deg. oven or 4 hrs. in crock pot or until chicken is done. Before serving, add mozzarella cheese on top of chicken.
Thanks for visiting and hope you enjoyed - I sure did!
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Nadine Story - "Nadine and her chickens"
Nadine is 82 yrs old and born right here in this area in Missouri. She loves her chickens. Every couple of years, her hens get old and stop layin' those eggs. So she gets new chicks, puts them in a cage on her dining room table, with a light on them and keeps them their until they are big enough to put out in the chicken house. She talks to them everyday and calls them "my girls." She says they listen to her because sometimes they get to fightin' so she yells at them and they stop fightin'.
Well, Nadine and her daughter, Gale, spent most of the mornin' catchin' up the old hens and puttin' them into cages. She told Gale she had called the "chicken man" and she can bring them tuesdays, fridays and Saturdays. It's not easy to catch those old hens. You have to use long hooks and hook them by the neck and grab their feet while their wings are a floppin' and they are a screamin'. Okay, so it is Saturday and they are all caged up. Off they go to Mount Vernon (1 hr drive). Gale asked Nadine what the address is and Nadine says, "just turn down this road, it's somewhere 'round here." Well, they kept a drivin' and a drivin' and turnin' down more roads and a drivin'. It is gettin' darker and darker. Now it is DARK and they are still a drivin' and the temperature in the truck cab is heatin' up and it's not because of the heat outside. Finally, Nadine says, "STOP, we're here." No lights on the house down this dirt road, no signs saying it was a chicken processing business, just a dark farm house. Nadine gets out and says, "Let's unload these girls and set them right here on the back porch." As you might imagine, Gale was pissed and not feeling good about this location. Nadine takes a position with her daughter, told her to get to unloadin' those chickens. They unloaded the 40 chickens and drove off.
Gale says she is sure they just left the chickens on some stranger's back porch. The next mornin', Nadine got a call and it was the chicken people sayin' her chickens were processed and ready to be picked up.
SOMETIMES THESE OLD COUNTRY FOLKS KNOW WHAT THEY ARE TALKIN' 'BOUT. What a character she is.
Well, Nadine and her daughter, Gale, spent most of the mornin' catchin' up the old hens and puttin' them into cages. She told Gale she had called the "chicken man" and she can bring them tuesdays, fridays and Saturdays. It's not easy to catch those old hens. You have to use long hooks and hook them by the neck and grab their feet while their wings are a floppin' and they are a screamin'. Okay, so it is Saturday and they are all caged up. Off they go to Mount Vernon (1 hr drive). Gale asked Nadine what the address is and Nadine says, "just turn down this road, it's somewhere 'round here." Well, they kept a drivin' and a drivin' and turnin' down more roads and a drivin'. It is gettin' darker and darker. Now it is DARK and they are still a drivin' and the temperature in the truck cab is heatin' up and it's not because of the heat outside. Finally, Nadine says, "STOP, we're here." No lights on the house down this dirt road, no signs saying it was a chicken processing business, just a dark farm house. Nadine gets out and says, "Let's unload these girls and set them right here on the back porch." As you might imagine, Gale was pissed and not feeling good about this location. Nadine takes a position with her daughter, told her to get to unloadin' those chickens. They unloaded the 40 chickens and drove off.
Gale says she is sure they just left the chickens on some stranger's back porch. The next mornin', Nadine got a call and it was the chicken people sayin' her chickens were processed and ready to be picked up.
SOMETIMES THESE OLD COUNTRY FOLKS KNOW WHAT THEY ARE TALKIN' 'BOUT. What a character she is.
Monday, July 18, 2011
A Day In The LIfe Of.........July 18, 2011
Well my morning started a little early - it was cool, cloudy and I decided I would sleep in just a little - RING RING RING - Oh Crap! My neighbor, Gale, was calling looking for jumper cables. Her neighbors, Irish Dairymen, need battery cables. Sooooo, I got my butt out of bed, went out to my husbands shop. Now, "shop" is a nice neat word, his shop is NOT. When you are looking for something, you look on the floor, in the billion plastic and paper sacks from Lowe's that are sitting around, on the shelves that just hold anything he set there. Oh do I hate to go in there. Well, no luck, then out to the tractors parked in the barn but no cables. Walked back in and tripped over - guess what? Battery cables.
Gale drives up and says, "Git in girl" - oh my - in my garden shorts, stained shirt (used for gardening) and flip flops - hair goin' every which way - okay - so off we go over a couple of roads to a little ranch where this Irish couple lives. Nice folks, Irish accent. Gary, the husband, comes speedin' in on his 4 wheeler, his muck boots (rubber boots up the knees) full of cow crap, wearing his chaps (to protect his legs from cow kicks and cow crap) and jumps the battery on his wife's car. "Top of the mornin' to ya" he says.
These folks are flown over from Ireland to work this dairy owned by an Irishman. Very nice folks. After that home to get on my 4-wheeler to go spray some weeds before it gets to hot. Hmmmmm not enough gas, checked the gas cans - empty sooooo - not sprayin' til tonight when it is cool again. So climbed on my lawn tractor with my garden wagon attached. Out to the garden, weeded the tomatoes, put the soaker on the peppers and struggling cucumbers. Sprayed the apple trees with detergent mixture to get rid of Japanese beetles. Set out a hose to drip on one of our trees - we never have to water our trees but this year, the heat is really hard on everything. So many farmers selling their fields to dairies so that can use the "silage" (ground up corn stalks and ears) to feed the cows. Well, back in the house for the afternoon - check the peaches I canned yesterday to see if they all sealed. You feel the center of the lids to make sure it has popped in. They are all fine and ready to wash off the outside of the jars, mark them and put them on the shelf. My rest of the day will be chores inside - YUCK! Rather be outside.
FARMER'S HOME REMEDIES - "Fertility
Eating garlic regularly in your diet will increase fertility. It is an aphrodisiac and is a libido stimulant. (Mennonite Home remedies)
COUNTRY RECIPES - Nadine's Kidney Bean Salad
(Nadine doesn't include many measurements)
2 cans Kidney Beans (washed)
4 boiled eggs (chopped)
sweet pickles (chopped)
onion
salt
pepper
Mayonaise
Vinegar
sugar or sweetner
*this is a great salad
HAVE A GREAT DAY AND THANKS FOR VISITING
Gale drives up and says, "Git in girl" - oh my - in my garden shorts, stained shirt (used for gardening) and flip flops - hair goin' every which way - okay - so off we go over a couple of roads to a little ranch where this Irish couple lives. Nice folks, Irish accent. Gary, the husband, comes speedin' in on his 4 wheeler, his muck boots (rubber boots up the knees) full of cow crap, wearing his chaps (to protect his legs from cow kicks and cow crap) and jumps the battery on his wife's car. "Top of the mornin' to ya" he says.
These folks are flown over from Ireland to work this dairy owned by an Irishman. Very nice folks. After that home to get on my 4-wheeler to go spray some weeds before it gets to hot. Hmmmmm not enough gas, checked the gas cans - empty sooooo - not sprayin' til tonight when it is cool again. So climbed on my lawn tractor with my garden wagon attached. Out to the garden, weeded the tomatoes, put the soaker on the peppers and struggling cucumbers. Sprayed the apple trees with detergent mixture to get rid of Japanese beetles. Set out a hose to drip on one of our trees - we never have to water our trees but this year, the heat is really hard on everything. So many farmers selling their fields to dairies so that can use the "silage" (ground up corn stalks and ears) to feed the cows. Well, back in the house for the afternoon - check the peaches I canned yesterday to see if they all sealed. You feel the center of the lids to make sure it has popped in. They are all fine and ready to wash off the outside of the jars, mark them and put them on the shelf. My rest of the day will be chores inside - YUCK! Rather be outside.
FARMER'S HOME REMEDIES - "Fertility
Eating garlic regularly in your diet will increase fertility. It is an aphrodisiac and is a libido stimulant. (Mennonite Home remedies)
COUNTRY RECIPES - Nadine's Kidney Bean Salad
(Nadine doesn't include many measurements)
2 cans Kidney Beans (washed)
4 boiled eggs (chopped)
sweet pickles (chopped)
onion
salt
pepper
Mayonaise
Vinegar
sugar or sweetner
*this is a great salad
HAVE A GREAT DAY AND THANKS FOR VISITING
Sunday, July 17, 2011
A Day In The LIfe Of.........July 17, 2011
Just got done canning 17 pints of real sweet wonderful peaches. So goooood. Hot outside so haven't been out today - decided to devote the day to canning. Blanched some tomatoes earlier. There was not enough to do any canning so skinned them and froze them. When I have enough I will make salsa, sp. sauce, stewed tomatoes and tomato sauce - that's if I get enough tomatoes. This year for gardens has not been a good one. No one has gotten enough fruit and vegies like we normally get in out gardens this year. I have 6 pickling cucumber plants in the window ready to plant as the ones that are in the ground are not doing well. I am bound and determined to get enough cucumbers to make pickles this year. Oh, Sunday afternoon, done with the processing and now waiting for the water bath (pot containing the jars of peaches) to boil for 25 minutes - then I take lid off, turn off heat, wait 5 minutes. Meanwhile I have towels down on the old wooden counter of my antique baking cabinet/counter. You can see lots of rings on it from other jars cooling over the many years, before I owned it. Out of the pot with the tongs, onto the double layers " which are the jars sealing. A very good sound. Then I will get out my trusty marker and date them. Why do I love canning? It takes quite awhile but I love it.
Farmer's Home Remedies:
To help your MEMORY - Garlic can keep your mental edge sharp. Eat 1-3 cloves of garlic each day dipped in honey or chocolate.
Good Home Cookin' Recipe:
Nadine's Fried Chicken -
Dry your chicken and place it in a bowl
Crack two eggs over it and moosch the chicken around until it is thoroughly coated
Start sprinkling the chicken with flour, seasoned with salt and pepper while still in the bowl immersed in egg
Continue to adding flour until the chicken begins to get flaky
Put chicken in hot oil and ONLY TURN ONCE!!!!
Nadine says that is the secret - ONLY TURN ONCE!!!
Farmer's Home Remedies:
To help your MEMORY - Garlic can keep your mental edge sharp. Eat 1-3 cloves of garlic each day dipped in honey or chocolate.
Good Home Cookin' Recipe:
Nadine's Fried Chicken -
Dry your chicken and place it in a bowl
Crack two eggs over it and moosch the chicken around until it is thoroughly coated
Start sprinkling the chicken with flour, seasoned with salt and pepper while still in the bowl immersed in egg
Continue to adding flour until the chicken begins to get flaky
Put chicken in hot oil and ONLY TURN ONCE!!!!
Nadine says that is the secret - ONLY TURN ONCE!!!
Friday, July 15, 2011
A Day In The LIfe Of.........July 15, 2011
A short thought today - I was driving home from town, it's hot out but the countryside is still green and beautiful. You come up over a hill and look out onto the horizon and all you see is "GREEN" trees and more trees. As I turned onto my road, I had to pull over as a big huge tractor, which took up both lanes, headed my way. The farmer waved and I proceeded on. When you are driving out in the countryside out here, you have to have one hand on the top of your steering wheel so you can raise 4 of our fingers or your hand, briefly to give the "Missouri wave". Everyone waves at you and you have to wave back. I continue on my way I see another farmer seeding his recently cut winter wheat pasture with soybeans. Reach another cross road and there is a little farmer traveling along in a old John Deere tractor pulling a big wagon filled with corn. As I get close to home, I see our pond with a great big blue crane walking along the edge fishing.
Rough life this country life - And I love it. More stories and recipes coming soon.
Rough life this country life - And I love it. More stories and recipes coming soon.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Okay so since I am new at this - I am fooling around with a simple format - so it will have something interesting for anyone who decides to read my blog. My format is the following:
A Day In The Life Of.............(date)
Farm Country Remedies and Predictions
Country Recipes
Another Micki Adventure/Story
I would appreciate any feedback. I am having such fun with this whole thing.
************************************************************************************************
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF..............July 13, 2011
Got to bed around 10:30pm last night, had watched the weather report hoping for a chance of rain. Said, "no rain in sight, it all went south". Laid in bed and saw a flash, then another. I thought it must be from down south where the storms are, BUT the flashes came more frequently and got bigger and bigger and finally heard the thunder. Youza!!!! Is that rain hittin' the roof? We live in a big aluminium barn and all of a sudden it sounded like someone was throwing golf balls on the roof. YES!!!! Rain!!! Oh how we needed it and most of all the farmers needed it. Their corn fields were turnin' brown, their soybean fields were dyin'. I hope it came in time. Rained 1/2 the day today and got about 3/4 in.
Peaches are in at the Mennonite store down the way so tomorrow I will be cannin' peaches.
FARM COUNTRY REMEDIES:
For Athlete's Foot = apply apple cider vinegar liberally (Fannie Schrock & Mrs. Adin Yutzy)
Bleeding = To stop bleeding of wounds, use red pepper. This works on humans as well as animals. (Betty Yoder)
Country Recipe:
Fruit Cookie Pizza
Sugar Cookie dough - spread on a pizza pan and put in the oven to bake - don't let it get crispy.
Slice up strawberries, kiwi, grapes
When Pizza cookie is done - let cook and spread it with strawberry cream cheese, then add the sliced fruit in a nice design
Place in refrig to set - after about an hour remove and slice like a pizza
It is delicious.
A Day In The Life Of.............(date)
Farm Country Remedies and Predictions
Country Recipes
Another Micki Adventure/Story
I would appreciate any feedback. I am having such fun with this whole thing.
************************************************************************************************
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF..............July 13, 2011
Got to bed around 10:30pm last night, had watched the weather report hoping for a chance of rain. Said, "no rain in sight, it all went south". Laid in bed and saw a flash, then another. I thought it must be from down south where the storms are, BUT the flashes came more frequently and got bigger and bigger and finally heard the thunder. Youza!!!! Is that rain hittin' the roof? We live in a big aluminium barn and all of a sudden it sounded like someone was throwing golf balls on the roof. YES!!!! Rain!!! Oh how we needed it and most of all the farmers needed it. Their corn fields were turnin' brown, their soybean fields were dyin'. I hope it came in time. Rained 1/2 the day today and got about 3/4 in.
Peaches are in at the Mennonite store down the way so tomorrow I will be cannin' peaches.
FARM COUNTRY REMEDIES:
For Athlete's Foot = apply apple cider vinegar liberally (Fannie Schrock & Mrs. Adin Yutzy)
Bleeding = To stop bleeding of wounds, use red pepper. This works on humans as well as animals. (Betty Yoder)
Country Recipe:
Fruit Cookie Pizza
Sugar Cookie dough - spread on a pizza pan and put in the oven to bake - don't let it get crispy.
Slice up strawberries, kiwi, grapes
When Pizza cookie is done - let cook and spread it with strawberry cream cheese, then add the sliced fruit in a nice design
Place in refrig to set - after about an hour remove and slice like a pizza
It is delicious.
Monday, July 11, 2011
July 11, 2011 A Day In The LIfe Of.....
Early rising - 6am have to beat the heat. Let the dogs out, put on garden clothes which consist of sandals, dirty shorts, a shirt with the sleeves cut off, a cotton neckerchief and a bottle of water to wet the neckerchief and pour down my chest and back - It's a Missouri swamp cooler for the garden. Turned the drippers on last night to water the pickling cucumbers, dill, zucchini and green peppers (they call them Mango's out here). Changed the hose to run the drippers on the maters (tomatoes), looked for giant cut worms, inspected the peach, apple and pear trees. Checked all the water troughs for the horses and mules. They fill automatically but have to make sure nothing has malfunctioned and there aren't any dead squirrels or frogs floating around in them. Picked one zucchini, tomatoes and 1 pickling cucumber. Need alot more to start making pickles. Still have some young tomato plants and 1 pickling cucumber plant in the window in the house which should be ready to set out when it cools off.
Went to town and looked at the fields of soybeans struggling to survive in this horrible heat. The corn is doing okay but we need rain soon otherwise the farmers will start losing their corn and soybean crops. Drove into Joplin today and it is a city busy in recovery - still lots of big tents in parking lots filled with donations, trucks with "Disaster Relief" signs on them, dump trucks full of tornado debris, thank you signs up all over the city thanking various groups for their help, signs on the doors of stores giving special discounts to tornado victims - such hope prevails.
SWEET POTATO LESSON
It was 2 years ago when Nadine (75 yrs old and my mentor) arrived one morning and presented me with 25 little twigs about 8 inches long and tied with a piece of dried grass. She announced that these were my sweet potatos and I was to plant them today.
Okay, so how do I plant them? She looked at me with the serious eyes of a teacher and said, "Stick you finger in the ground, fill it with water and put one of these sticks in it and squeeze it shut." I saluted and marched off to the garden, thanking her upon my departure. Plant them I did. They looked awfully funny - 25 little sticks sticking up out of the ground, spaced every 12 inches.
Well, they started to green up after about 2 weeks. I watche them grow and vine and grow and vine and grow and vine. After a couple of months I ended up with a thick green carpet about 8ft by 14 ft wide. Oh my!
Then one day, Nadine arrived in her little grey car, got out and did her usual inspection. "Hmm", she said, "It's time to cut their heads off!". So, after she left, I crawled around on the ground with clippers, rolling back this huge green vining carpet, foot by foot, cutting the vines at their bases until I had a great huge roll, just like an old carpet, of beautiful green vines which I rolled into my mulch pile. Nadine called me the next day to check on my progress. She then said, "let them set for 2 weeks." Yes, Mam!
Meanwhile gardening continued, weeding the garden, picking ears of corn which is a whole other adventure because you just don't fold the ear and it falls off. No, indeed. You have to first determine if the ear is ready. You develop a feel for the ears. They fatten, the silk dries up and some of the husks develop wings - yes wings. Then you grab the ear, twist and pull down very quickly otherwise you will damage the whole stock of corn which might have 2 or 3 more ears on it. I developed a good technique over time after wrecking stalks and picking ears to early. Oh well.
2 WEEKS LATER.....6AM......KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK at the door, dogs are barking, I am in my jammies just making coffee. There stands little Nadine, in her little gardening blouse and pants, with dirt all over the stomach of the blouse. She is holding a big, what I called, a pitch fork. She said, "Git yer potato fork cuz we are diggin' this morning." I blinked, looked down at my jammy bottoms, grabbed my sandals, realized that I had one of those forks but didn't know it was a potato fork. They have wider forks on them than a pitch fork. Off we go to the garden, Nadine marching ahead with all determination and me following closely thinking the neighbors are going to see me in my jammies and have a good laugh as they go off to work.
Dig we did - turning over the dirt, searching for the potatos and trying not to spear them. I got many instructions from Nadine on how to dig well and not damage them. Well, I think I got a "C" that day. After we dug all that we could, piled them into a wheel barrow, we took them to the barn and she told me to "Now, put them to bed." She told me to put down a layer of hay, then lay out the potatoes and put another thin layer of hay over them. I was then to let them alone for about 2 weeks undesturbed. After two weeks she told me, "put them in boxes and put the boxes under my bed." Under my bed???? "Why,yes, that's wher you keep yur taters." Yes, Mam. Well I didn't put them under my bed, but I did put them under my kitchen sink. They sure didn't look like the sweet potatoes in the market, lots of strange shapes and sizes but they were good.
So now you all know how to grow sweet taters!!!
OLD FARMER'S REMEDY -
Vick's vapo rub on your feet then cotton socks - when you have a chest cold. It works.
Thanks for visiting and sharing my stories.
Went to town and looked at the fields of soybeans struggling to survive in this horrible heat. The corn is doing okay but we need rain soon otherwise the farmers will start losing their corn and soybean crops. Drove into Joplin today and it is a city busy in recovery - still lots of big tents in parking lots filled with donations, trucks with "Disaster Relief" signs on them, dump trucks full of tornado debris, thank you signs up all over the city thanking various groups for their help, signs on the doors of stores giving special discounts to tornado victims - such hope prevails.
SWEET POTATO LESSON
It was 2 years ago when Nadine (75 yrs old and my mentor) arrived one morning and presented me with 25 little twigs about 8 inches long and tied with a piece of dried grass. She announced that these were my sweet potatos and I was to plant them today.
Okay, so how do I plant them? She looked at me with the serious eyes of a teacher and said, "Stick you finger in the ground, fill it with water and put one of these sticks in it and squeeze it shut." I saluted and marched off to the garden, thanking her upon my departure. Plant them I did. They looked awfully funny - 25 little sticks sticking up out of the ground, spaced every 12 inches.
Well, they started to green up after about 2 weeks. I watche them grow and vine and grow and vine and grow and vine. After a couple of months I ended up with a thick green carpet about 8ft by 14 ft wide. Oh my!
Then one day, Nadine arrived in her little grey car, got out and did her usual inspection. "Hmm", she said, "It's time to cut their heads off!". So, after she left, I crawled around on the ground with clippers, rolling back this huge green vining carpet, foot by foot, cutting the vines at their bases until I had a great huge roll, just like an old carpet, of beautiful green vines which I rolled into my mulch pile. Nadine called me the next day to check on my progress. She then said, "let them set for 2 weeks." Yes, Mam!
Meanwhile gardening continued, weeding the garden, picking ears of corn which is a whole other adventure because you just don't fold the ear and it falls off. No, indeed. You have to first determine if the ear is ready. You develop a feel for the ears. They fatten, the silk dries up and some of the husks develop wings - yes wings. Then you grab the ear, twist and pull down very quickly otherwise you will damage the whole stock of corn which might have 2 or 3 more ears on it. I developed a good technique over time after wrecking stalks and picking ears to early. Oh well.
2 WEEKS LATER.....6AM......KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK at the door, dogs are barking, I am in my jammies just making coffee. There stands little Nadine, in her little gardening blouse and pants, with dirt all over the stomach of the blouse. She is holding a big, what I called, a pitch fork. She said, "Git yer potato fork cuz we are diggin' this morning." I blinked, looked down at my jammy bottoms, grabbed my sandals, realized that I had one of those forks but didn't know it was a potato fork. They have wider forks on them than a pitch fork. Off we go to the garden, Nadine marching ahead with all determination and me following closely thinking the neighbors are going to see me in my jammies and have a good laugh as they go off to work.
Dig we did - turning over the dirt, searching for the potatos and trying not to spear them. I got many instructions from Nadine on how to dig well and not damage them. Well, I think I got a "C" that day. After we dug all that we could, piled them into a wheel barrow, we took them to the barn and she told me to "Now, put them to bed." She told me to put down a layer of hay, then lay out the potatoes and put another thin layer of hay over them. I was then to let them alone for about 2 weeks undesturbed. After two weeks she told me, "put them in boxes and put the boxes under my bed." Under my bed???? "Why,yes, that's wher you keep yur taters." Yes, Mam. Well I didn't put them under my bed, but I did put them under my kitchen sink. They sure didn't look like the sweet potatoes in the market, lots of strange shapes and sizes but they were good.
So now you all know how to grow sweet taters!!!
OLD FARMER'S REMEDY -
Vick's vapo rub on your feet then cotton socks - when you have a chest cold. It works.
Thanks for visiting and sharing my stories.
Meetiing Our First Neighbors
Our barn (60 x 120 ft) took 3 days to build. On the final day, it was Jan 3rd, so very cold outside. We were staying in our large 5th wheel trailer we had brought from California. The barn was big, light brown with a wine colored roof. It didn't have any doors on it yet. We had three great big entrances so we would get tractors in and out.
We had loaded up our truck and horse trailer (it has sleeping quarters) which we used for our trips back and forth as we hauled a few of our horses and some belongings. We were headed back out to California, from whence we came only to load up this trailer and another horse trailer and start to bring out out our belongings.
We were leaving our goose neck house trailer here in Missouri so we had a place to land when we came back. The barn stood tall and majestic. It was so beautiful, brand new and empty. As it was being built, folks would drive by, slow down and take a gander at what was going on. We are located 9 miles out of town in the sticks so it was an big curiosity for most locals. Some folks would wave, others just slow and then drive on.
This day as the barn stood there shiny and new and finished, an older gentleman drove up in his red pickup truck with some kind of cages in the back. He was in his 80's. He got out and introduced himself as the local "wolf hunter". He said he saw the barn being built and wanted to come and introduce himself. His name was "Junior". He had a very strong Missouri accent. He wandered into the barn inspecting it as he walked, making complimentary comments on the construction. I guess we passed the inspection. He welcomed us to Missouri and to "these parts." He then went on to tell me about the drought and how it is to dry to hunt wolves 'cause the dogs can't pick up their scent. He filled me in on who had owned the property previously, Mr. Sam Spencer and how he was a character but liked by everyone in this "neck of the woods". He went on to give me a short version of the history of this piece of property (80 acres with a live creek). After about an hour, Junior shook my hand and drove off. As I have mentioned, when you get into a conversation with these folks out here, you might as well make some coffee and kick back for while.
A short time later another pick up truck drove in, a woman hopped out. She was in her mid 40's. She introduced herself and said she had "been a watchin' our buildin' and looks like we were stayin' "so she stopped by. She filled us in on where she lived what she did, how many kids she had , what kind of farmin' they did and how she barrel races over at the Lucky J. She asked us all the questions a curious neighbor would ask and an hour later drove off.
Now we were packing the last of our things, filled the water in the trailer, put out cat food for a wild kitty that showed up and had started the diesel truck so it could warm up. It was about 23 deg. outside and late in the afternoon. We wanted to get on the road.
BUT..........up drives another pickup truck with 3 folks inside. They were out neighbors to the west. Their ranch touches our west boundary. Gale and Dale and Gale's mother, Nadine. They are hefty folks, very welcoming. They shook our hands, said they had been watchin' the buildin' goin on and wanted to meet their new neighbors. Nadine, in her 70's, about 4ft tall, big belly, permed grey hair, wearing an apron that was soiled from the garden and had a jacket on. She didn't say much as Gale and Dale were doing most of the talkin'. We are all standin' there talking over each other when, Nadine looked up at me and asked, "Wher you goin' to plant your mater [tomato] garden?" I ah didn't know what to say as that was the farthest from my thoughts but she asked with such command in her voice that I felt like I was back in Catholic school answering to one of the nuns.
I looked around quickly and pointed over to a section of the property. She looked at it with squinting eyes and said, "that looks like a good place." Well, I passed! Then she said, "I raise the best maters in these parts so if you want some help I'll cum help ya." I thanked her with proper respect and then continued my conversation, that she had interrupted, with Gale. Then Nadine spoke, again interrupting all conversations. This time asking, "Do you like chocolate chip cookies?" Again she got my attention with her stern serious voice. I swallowed like a nervous 12 yr old child being questioned and said, "Of course I do."
Nadine looked up at Gale and said, "Gale I told you they like chocolate chip cookies, now you go get them some. That is the way we welcome folks to Missouri. I thanked her again and said we were just getting ready to make a return trip to California to begin moving our belongings.
"Hmmmm" she said. We again continued on with our conversations which mostly was inquiries about us, who we were, what we did, when we were going to start living here, were we planning on building a house, on and on and on. They were getting the whole scoop so Gale could "spread the word" to the neighbors.
almnac [Farmer's Almanac]? I panicked as I did not know what she said and I was sure I didn't have one but needed one, I guess. I looked to Gale to help me understand what was being asked. Gale said, "Farmer's Almanac". "Oh" I said, "No I don't."
Nadine looked up at her daughter, Gale and order her, "Gale get her one of my almnacs, I got 10 of them and gave most away but she needs one so get her one." The orders were given, I smiled and felt I passed my first interview to enroll in "Nadine's School for Missouri housewives."
She's a dandy. She is one you won't ever forget. They eventually left after exchanging cell phone numbers and them telling us they will keep a watch on our place until we get moved in. They did and reported to us on a regular basis. Each time we returned with belongings, they would bring us some cookies, soup, homemade pie and get caught up on what we had to do and when the next trip was. Eventually we got to the final trip (made 7 round trips) and had given them a date we expected to arrive. Well, when you are hauling 2 mules, 4 horses, 8 dogs, 6 cats, 16 gold fish and a parrot, the travel took a little longer. On July 19th, the original date of arrival we got a call on our cell phone. "Where are you?" Dale, Gale and Nadine were worried. Having not been able to reach us because we were in areas where there was no cell phone reception, they went over to my folks house, which was located just 5 miles down the road (we moved them out earlier from Calif.) inquiring as to what they knew about our arrival.
They were there when we arrived 2 days later. They had iced tea and fresh peaches ready for us. As we unloaded the horses and mules and then began putting furniture and belongings in the barn, they brought over armloads of bed sheet to cover the mattresses and furniture with so the birds wouldn't poop on them and the dust wouldn't coat them.
I had not prepared for dust and bird poop and was very grateful. July 21st - the first day of our new home.
I am not sure what to call these tips that I pass on so bare with me.
FARM GAL TIPS:
Nadine says, "Don't start plantin' til the Hedge trees start to bud and the wild blackberries start to bloom." Yes, mam! She is right.
FARM GAL RECIPE:
Succotash -
1 cn of stewed tomatoes
1 cn of green beans, drained
2 ears of fresh corn (cut the kernels off the corn and put in mixture)
Just before serving - sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
*you can also cut up some fresh zucchini and add to it.
Cook on stove top and let it simmer for about 1/2 hr. I use my own home made stewed tomatoes and my own canned green beans.
We love it and can eat it as a whole mean - well at least I can, my hubby has to have his meat and potatoes.
THANKS FOR VISITING AND SHARING MY ADVENTURES!
We had loaded up our truck and horse trailer (it has sleeping quarters) which we used for our trips back and forth as we hauled a few of our horses and some belongings. We were headed back out to California, from whence we came only to load up this trailer and another horse trailer and start to bring out out our belongings.
We were leaving our goose neck house trailer here in Missouri so we had a place to land when we came back. The barn stood tall and majestic. It was so beautiful, brand new and empty. As it was being built, folks would drive by, slow down and take a gander at what was going on. We are located 9 miles out of town in the sticks so it was an big curiosity for most locals. Some folks would wave, others just slow and then drive on.
This day as the barn stood there shiny and new and finished, an older gentleman drove up in his red pickup truck with some kind of cages in the back. He was in his 80's. He got out and introduced himself as the local "wolf hunter". He said he saw the barn being built and wanted to come and introduce himself. His name was "Junior". He had a very strong Missouri accent. He wandered into the barn inspecting it as he walked, making complimentary comments on the construction. I guess we passed the inspection. He welcomed us to Missouri and to "these parts." He then went on to tell me about the drought and how it is to dry to hunt wolves 'cause the dogs can't pick up their scent. He filled me in on who had owned the property previously, Mr. Sam Spencer and how he was a character but liked by everyone in this "neck of the woods". He went on to give me a short version of the history of this piece of property (80 acres with a live creek). After about an hour, Junior shook my hand and drove off. As I have mentioned, when you get into a conversation with these folks out here, you might as well make some coffee and kick back for while.
A short time later another pick up truck drove in, a woman hopped out. She was in her mid 40's. She introduced herself and said she had "been a watchin' our buildin' and looks like we were stayin' "so she stopped by. She filled us in on where she lived what she did, how many kids she had , what kind of farmin' they did and how she barrel races over at the Lucky J. She asked us all the questions a curious neighbor would ask and an hour later drove off.
Now we were packing the last of our things, filled the water in the trailer, put out cat food for a wild kitty that showed up and had started the diesel truck so it could warm up. It was about 23 deg. outside and late in the afternoon. We wanted to get on the road.
BUT..........up drives another pickup truck with 3 folks inside. They were out neighbors to the west. Their ranch touches our west boundary. Gale and Dale and Gale's mother, Nadine. They are hefty folks, very welcoming. They shook our hands, said they had been watchin' the buildin' goin on and wanted to meet their new neighbors. Nadine, in her 70's, about 4ft tall, big belly, permed grey hair, wearing an apron that was soiled from the garden and had a jacket on. She didn't say much as Gale and Dale were doing most of the talkin'. We are all standin' there talking over each other when, Nadine looked up at me and asked, "Wher you goin' to plant your mater [tomato] garden?" I ah didn't know what to say as that was the farthest from my thoughts but she asked with such command in her voice that I felt like I was back in Catholic school answering to one of the nuns.
I looked around quickly and pointed over to a section of the property. She looked at it with squinting eyes and said, "that looks like a good place." Well, I passed! Then she said, "I raise the best maters in these parts so if you want some help I'll cum help ya." I thanked her with proper respect and then continued my conversation, that she had interrupted, with Gale. Then Nadine spoke, again interrupting all conversations. This time asking, "Do you like chocolate chip cookies?" Again she got my attention with her stern serious voice. I swallowed like a nervous 12 yr old child being questioned and said, "Of course I do."
Nadine looked up at Gale and said, "Gale I told you they like chocolate chip cookies, now you go get them some. That is the way we welcome folks to Missouri. I thanked her again and said we were just getting ready to make a return trip to California to begin moving our belongings.
"Hmmmm" she said. We again continued on with our conversations which mostly was inquiries about us, who we were, what we did, when we were going to start living here, were we planning on building a house, on and on and on. They were getting the whole scoop so Gale could "spread the word" to the neighbors.
almnac [Farmer's Almanac]? I panicked as I did not know what she said and I was sure I didn't have one but needed one, I guess. I looked to Gale to help me understand what was being asked. Gale said, "Farmer's Almanac". "Oh" I said, "No I don't."
Nadine looked up at her daughter, Gale and order her, "Gale get her one of my almnacs, I got 10 of them and gave most away but she needs one so get her one." The orders were given, I smiled and felt I passed my first interview to enroll in "Nadine's School for Missouri housewives."
She's a dandy. She is one you won't ever forget. They eventually left after exchanging cell phone numbers and them telling us they will keep a watch on our place until we get moved in. They did and reported to us on a regular basis. Each time we returned with belongings, they would bring us some cookies, soup, homemade pie and get caught up on what we had to do and when the next trip was. Eventually we got to the final trip (made 7 round trips) and had given them a date we expected to arrive. Well, when you are hauling 2 mules, 4 horses, 8 dogs, 6 cats, 16 gold fish and a parrot, the travel took a little longer. On July 19th, the original date of arrival we got a call on our cell phone. "Where are you?" Dale, Gale and Nadine were worried. Having not been able to reach us because we were in areas where there was no cell phone reception, they went over to my folks house, which was located just 5 miles down the road (we moved them out earlier from Calif.) inquiring as to what they knew about our arrival.
They were there when we arrived 2 days later. They had iced tea and fresh peaches ready for us. As we unloaded the horses and mules and then began putting furniture and belongings in the barn, they brought over armloads of bed sheet to cover the mattresses and furniture with so the birds wouldn't poop on them and the dust wouldn't coat them.
I had not prepared for dust and bird poop and was very grateful. July 21st - the first day of our new home.
I am not sure what to call these tips that I pass on so bare with me.
FARM GAL TIPS:
Nadine says, "Don't start plantin' til the Hedge trees start to bud and the wild blackberries start to bloom." Yes, mam! She is right.
FARM GAL RECIPE:
Succotash -
1 cn of stewed tomatoes
1 cn of green beans, drained
2 ears of fresh corn (cut the kernels off the corn and put in mixture)
Just before serving - sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
*you can also cut up some fresh zucchini and add to it.
Cook on stove top and let it simmer for about 1/2 hr. I use my own home made stewed tomatoes and my own canned green beans.
We love it and can eat it as a whole mean - well at least I can, my hubby has to have his meat and potatoes.
THANKS FOR VISITING AND SHARING MY ADVENTURES!
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Auctions in farm country
Well yesterday my husband and I went to a country auction. In the last year a small store sprung up on the highway near us. Incidently it is old Route 66 which goes by another name now. The store is owned and run by a Mennonite Family. They are the nicest folks. I will go on about that later. They also hold auctions about every 2 months. Most of the time the auctions are held in the 20 acres behind their store but yesterday the auction was held at a local farm with plenty of shade trees, thank heavens.
As you drive down the driveway, a small boy (about 6 yrs old) with long pants, suspenders, white shirt and a staw hat is riding his bike. He stops, we stop and motion him to continue but he motions to us to continue. He tips his hat as we pass and continues on his ride. He is a Mennonite child. Lots of trucks and card squeezed under any little shade they can find. In the background you hear that yaba daba yaba daba of the auctioneer - then I realized there were two going at the same time.
Lots of hats, lots of suspenders, signs on truck like "Yoder Metal Buildings" - definately Mennonite business. Wives and grandpas sitting around under the shade trees are definately old hands at attending auctions because they brought chairs. Children running around chasing each other. A flat bed trailer loaded with all kinds of equipment, an older man standing in the middle of all this stuff holding a microphone. Another man standing next to him watching the crowd and yelling, "Ya" very loudly once he sees someone making a bid.
When you are attending these auctions and in the crowd where the bidding is going on, you dare not scratch your nose, raise your hand to slap a mosquito - no matter how much that damn fly is buggin' you. Otherwise you will place that bid for something you didn't want.
Men with suspenders, staw hats and well trimmed beards, farmers with old calloused hands, worn out overalls, ball caps with some kind of farm logo, all with short haircuts and all walking around looking at items, waiting until they come up for bid.
We sat down on some old cut logs under a shade tree waiting for the flat bed trailer to come up for bid. Sometimes you can wait all day. As we were sitting there eating a sandwhich another farm gal sat down on another log. Another farm lady sat down
on a log nearby. "Howdy" comments on needing more padding to sit on these logs. With folks in Missouri, that is all it takes and you had better plan time into your day as folks are friendly and don't need much to launch a long converstation with lots of stories.
So this farm gal begins by saying, "hope we don't get any ticks off these logs, I was in the garden with my son and grandson, pickin' beans and turned over a leaf and a ton of seed ticks jump off and started crawlin' all over me and my grandson." Seed ticks are little tiny ticks that are hard to see. They come out in the Spring and summer. She went onto say, "I couldn't see them even with my glasses 'cause I can't see with these dang glasses anyway, I just wear them hopin' I will see somethin'." "I started brushin' those dang things off my legs and my grandson was doin' the same but in the wrong direction. I told him don't wipe those ticks off towards your pant 'cause they will crawl up on your pee pee and then it gets ugly." She told me she then went and got some alcohol and doused both of them in alcohol and finished the pickin' and then took a shower. So now I have more information than I wanted from a stranger but Missiouri farm gals consider everyone their friend and are very open.
We didn't get the flat bed. Oh well.
That's it for today - I plan to include my journal of the incredible 3 day experience of the building of our huge barn by the Mennonites.
Today's Old Farm Gal Remedies:
If you have a stomach upset - such on a slice of raw potato.
Thanks for visiting.
As you drive down the driveway, a small boy (about 6 yrs old) with long pants, suspenders, white shirt and a staw hat is riding his bike. He stops, we stop and motion him to continue but he motions to us to continue. He tips his hat as we pass and continues on his ride. He is a Mennonite child. Lots of trucks and card squeezed under any little shade they can find. In the background you hear that yaba daba yaba daba of the auctioneer - then I realized there were two going at the same time.
Lots of hats, lots of suspenders, signs on truck like "Yoder Metal Buildings" - definately Mennonite business. Wives and grandpas sitting around under the shade trees are definately old hands at attending auctions because they brought chairs. Children running around chasing each other. A flat bed trailer loaded with all kinds of equipment, an older man standing in the middle of all this stuff holding a microphone. Another man standing next to him watching the crowd and yelling, "Ya" very loudly once he sees someone making a bid.
When you are attending these auctions and in the crowd where the bidding is going on, you dare not scratch your nose, raise your hand to slap a mosquito - no matter how much that damn fly is buggin' you. Otherwise you will place that bid for something you didn't want.
Men with suspenders, staw hats and well trimmed beards, farmers with old calloused hands, worn out overalls, ball caps with some kind of farm logo, all with short haircuts and all walking around looking at items, waiting until they come up for bid.
We sat down on some old cut logs under a shade tree waiting for the flat bed trailer to come up for bid. Sometimes you can wait all day. As we were sitting there eating a sandwhich another farm gal sat down on another log. Another farm lady sat down
on a log nearby. "Howdy" comments on needing more padding to sit on these logs. With folks in Missouri, that is all it takes and you had better plan time into your day as folks are friendly and don't need much to launch a long converstation with lots of stories.
So this farm gal begins by saying, "hope we don't get any ticks off these logs, I was in the garden with my son and grandson, pickin' beans and turned over a leaf and a ton of seed ticks jump off and started crawlin' all over me and my grandson." Seed ticks are little tiny ticks that are hard to see. They come out in the Spring and summer. She went onto say, "I couldn't see them even with my glasses 'cause I can't see with these dang glasses anyway, I just wear them hopin' I will see somethin'." "I started brushin' those dang things off my legs and my grandson was doin' the same but in the wrong direction. I told him don't wipe those ticks off towards your pant 'cause they will crawl up on your pee pee and then it gets ugly." She told me she then went and got some alcohol and doused both of them in alcohol and finished the pickin' and then took a shower. So now I have more information than I wanted from a stranger but Missiouri farm gals consider everyone their friend and are very open.
We didn't get the flat bed. Oh well.
That's it for today - I plan to include my journal of the incredible 3 day experience of the building of our huge barn by the Mennonites.
Today's Old Farm Gal Remedies:
If you have a stomach upset - such on a slice of raw potato.
Thanks for visiting.
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Real Housewives of Rural Missouri - Day 1
Well today is the first day of my blogging. This idea popped into my head when talking with a dear friend. She lives in Los Angeles and I live in rural Missouri. She loves my stories about living in the country and all the wonderful folks I meet. So I start today to share my wonderful world with you all.
A LITTLE HISTORY:
I grew up in California, born in Van Nuys. I was a Valley Girl. My dad grew up in Oklahoma and married my mom, a California girl. They settled in California. Every couple of years, while growing up, we would take car trips back to Oklahoma to see my grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. It was a very large family on my dad's side. My brother and I (only two of us) fell in love with Oklahoma and wanted to move there some day. My brother's wish came earlier than mine. He got out of the Navy and settled in Oklahoma, working with one of my uncles. Myself, on the other hand, was married and working and not yet decided on a career. My career came later when I became a Private Investigator. At the end of my career I had been a licensed PI for 22 years, the owner of my own business for 11 of those years. My husband retired a few years earlier from PG&E and was working for a sub contractor.
As we approached our goals of when to retire, we discussed where we would like to live. California was not an option as it was to expensive to retire there. We had a small 5 acre ranch in the foothills above Fresno, lots of horses, dogs and cats. We wanted a larger ranch somewhere. My brother lived in Diamond, Missouri and we thought it might me a nice place to retire so the family is all together.
Soooo long story short.......we found a piece of land - 80 acres with lots of trees, a small woods, a fantastic large creek that runs all year round and lots of pasture with a small 100 yr old milkin' barn on it. We bought it, site unseen, except through my brother's eyes. The land was located about 20 miles north east of my brother's place. We then started to see our Calif. ranch and got an offer right away. Escrow was a 30 day escrow and we started packing. I was still working a very large murder case so I worked and packed.
It took us one year, 7 round trips with two trucks and two horse trailers filled with our belongings and stock and dogs and cats, and fish - oh and my parrot , Love bug. In between trips I worked, packed, we built a 60 x 120 ft metal barn with the intention of building a small bunkhouse inside to house us until we built our dream home next to the barn. Well......the best laid plans of mice and men do sometimes go astray. Ours sure did. The escrow fell through, but meanwhile we were in the middle of moving. We bought a gooseneck camper trailer to live in for a short time. I continued to work - running my case via Internet, fax and phone. My office was in the nose of the trailer where there should have been a living room but instead it contained my desk, computer, printer, fax, phones, books, files etc.
We finally landed with the last load of stuff which included 4 horses, 2 mules, 8 dogs, 6 cats, 16 gold fish and one parrot on July 21, 2003. It was truly a landing. You should have seen the looks at the rest stops en route when we would unload the dogs for a potty break. Ma and Pa Kettle's Ark.
That will give you a little background from whence we came and now I will begin with me livin' as a REAL HOUSEWIFE OF RURAL MISSOURI.
That is all for today - good stories to follow - Oh by the way - with each story/blog I will try and share a little old country wisdom or recipe.
Today's Country Wisdom is - if you have a toothache - put a little vanilla extract on it and it will stop hurting.
Thanks for spendin' some time with me.
A LITTLE HISTORY:
I grew up in California, born in Van Nuys. I was a Valley Girl. My dad grew up in Oklahoma and married my mom, a California girl. They settled in California. Every couple of years, while growing up, we would take car trips back to Oklahoma to see my grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. It was a very large family on my dad's side. My brother and I (only two of us) fell in love with Oklahoma and wanted to move there some day. My brother's wish came earlier than mine. He got out of the Navy and settled in Oklahoma, working with one of my uncles. Myself, on the other hand, was married and working and not yet decided on a career. My career came later when I became a Private Investigator. At the end of my career I had been a licensed PI for 22 years, the owner of my own business for 11 of those years. My husband retired a few years earlier from PG&E and was working for a sub contractor.
As we approached our goals of when to retire, we discussed where we would like to live. California was not an option as it was to expensive to retire there. We had a small 5 acre ranch in the foothills above Fresno, lots of horses, dogs and cats. We wanted a larger ranch somewhere. My brother lived in Diamond, Missouri and we thought it might me a nice place to retire so the family is all together.
Soooo long story short.......we found a piece of land - 80 acres with lots of trees, a small woods, a fantastic large creek that runs all year round and lots of pasture with a small 100 yr old milkin' barn on it. We bought it, site unseen, except through my brother's eyes. The land was located about 20 miles north east of my brother's place. We then started to see our Calif. ranch and got an offer right away. Escrow was a 30 day escrow and we started packing. I was still working a very large murder case so I worked and packed.
It took us one year, 7 round trips with two trucks and two horse trailers filled with our belongings and stock and dogs and cats, and fish - oh and my parrot , Love bug. In between trips I worked, packed, we built a 60 x 120 ft metal barn with the intention of building a small bunkhouse inside to house us until we built our dream home next to the barn. Well......the best laid plans of mice and men do sometimes go astray. Ours sure did. The escrow fell through, but meanwhile we were in the middle of moving. We bought a gooseneck camper trailer to live in for a short time. I continued to work - running my case via Internet, fax and phone. My office was in the nose of the trailer where there should have been a living room but instead it contained my desk, computer, printer, fax, phones, books, files etc.
We finally landed with the last load of stuff which included 4 horses, 2 mules, 8 dogs, 6 cats, 16 gold fish and one parrot on July 21, 2003. It was truly a landing. You should have seen the looks at the rest stops en route when we would unload the dogs for a potty break. Ma and Pa Kettle's Ark.
That will give you a little background from whence we came and now I will begin with me livin' as a REAL HOUSEWIFE OF RURAL MISSOURI.
That is all for today - good stories to follow - Oh by the way - with each story/blog I will try and share a little old country wisdom or recipe.
Today's Country Wisdom is - if you have a toothache - put a little vanilla extract on it and it will stop hurting.
Thanks for spendin' some time with me.
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