Winter's End

I've been looking forward to this time, when the frost is gone and the days are longer. There was no damage to my crops this winter, and I barely covered my plants from the frost. From what I harvested in the beets, turnips and carrots, it just wasn't enough to do the canning I wanted to do; so I made more root vegetable casseroles instead :)
My Cauliflower and Broccoli are looking fantastic. Another week or so and I should be ready to whip up some delicious recipes  :)
It was a very mild winter, and because of this I will start up my seed beds sooner too.
I'm thinking lots of melons and cucumbers :)

Garden Almost Done!

My garden is nearing the end of its winter life.
Broccoli and Cauliflower have emerged, Lettuce and Herbs are slowly dissapearing into my kitchen, Tomatoes are starting to turn pink and the Beets will soon be pickled in my canner :)
Not harvesting as much as I had wanted, but this just makes for better planning for this spring.
It looks like Celery is trying to stick around so i will let it be and see what it decides to do  :)

Finally Used the Dehydrator

I've been putting it off for some time, and finally I took out the dehydrator and see what it was capable of  :) Along with the Vaccum Sealer I just couldn't go wrong!
I dehydrated carrots, peppers, papaya and made Jerky too.
Last night I made a root vegetable bake (picked from the garden) and also, made a big salad from my freshly picked Lettuce. it was delicious! I love the way my veggies look coming straight from the dirt...all funny shapes :) puts a smile on my face.

Out with the Old, In with the New

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

Wow, what year it was...
Life is beginning to look shorter now,
Time goes by so fast.

I made a promise to not wait to make things happen for myself.
Why wait? You put something off for a little while and suddenly the year is gone :(
I want to get things done, learn something new, be passionate about being creative and take the time to really find myself.

Here's to a New Year with hope that we can all find peace and get along.

Winter Solstice

More daylight hours will soon be noticeable. Yayy! I'm really looking forward to this.
I uncover my garden beds in the morning when it's dark, come back home from work and cover them again, in the dark. I'm living in darkness how depressing...
I've hardly seen my chickens too. By the time I get home they have already gone in the coop. I only spend time with them on weekends, and I know they do appreciate it :)
I look forward to the lengthening days!

Winter Garden

This is really my Fall garden, but since we are in the winter months, I call it my winter garden. The Lettuce is ready :) My Luffa is also looking good but they should have been planted a month earlier, since much of the stems have froze and they will no longer grow. Luffa looks like some cucumber,and it's really neat to make Luffa Bath Sponges with these. I will have to peel them and let them dry for some time before they can be used. My Beets and Turnips are looking nice too, but there's still a little ways to go before they can be harvested.

My Creative Itch

I've been feeling very creative lately. I decided to go get some essential tools to start painting again. My first attempt didn't quite work out as planned years ago. Now I am ready to start again, with endless ideas of what I want to creat on canvas. I am using Acrylics, which is pretty easy to work with. So far I have practiced blending methods for making skyscapes and clouds. I have been drawing all of my life, but this is a whole different ball game. However I am surprised at how fast I am learning just by watching tutorials.
Yesterday I threw myself into it and let my brush flow. A wise friend told me that Art comes from the Heart. Those words helped me to just pick up the brush and let my creative juices flow without stressing over the details. Thank you Collette, for your kind, encouraging words  :)
Results will be posted soon  :)

Beans!

I harvested my beans  :) odd sizes and wierd shapes. That's what I love about gardening. Nothing is perfect  :)

Weekend Escape

Well, not the whole weekend, but I will be heading up north to visit a good friend, time to get away for a day and enjoy the Autumn landscapes of Northern Arizona. I will purposely take the long route there, take a stroll in the mountains and stop to enjoy the scenery of the canyons. And certainly take tons of pictures. I am hoping to take a walk in the small surrounding towns,and visit some Antique and Second hand shops, maybe find myself a little treasure to take home. :) The snow will soon take over the mountain tops there, so making the time to go visit this corner of paradise and have lunch in a small café with my friend will be enjoyable since I will not return until the Spring.

Food Prices on the Rise

With the rising cost of food and the holidays around the corner, what a good time it is to stock up on necessities and canned goods. I heard this would be the most expensive Thanksgiving Dinner everyone will know. So taking advantage by cutting coupons and seeking deals is the way to go. There's never enough in the pantry. Food preservation is becoming more and more important in my life.

My vegetables are doing great in the garden, I cannot wait to harvest and start canning and dehydrating :) This season I will make some pickled beets, pickled carrots & parsnips, and tomato sauce. I will also make soup mix with a variety of onions and herbs for my soups and stews. Dehydrating is easy when drying herbs and fruits.
The giant cabbage looks like I will have enough to make plenty of cabbage soup!, a childhood comfort food favorite :)

A Fine Weekend

Rain made its way into the Valley over the weekend, some much needed moisture cleared the air. I haven't watered my vegetables in days :) I did lots of trimming in the garden; and found little surprises hidden behind the leaves. Some baby tomatoes! The garden is looking great, the soil is so rich and dark. I have a great looking garden this season :)
I almost got 2 more hens for the flock. I was hesitant, this will take some patience and I would have to keep a close watch since there's a pecking order and it may turn ugly. I may do it next weekend, all depending on my willingness to take that chance.

I took the time to visit the State Fairgrounds too. I was brought back in time when me and my mom went to the local fair in the country. This really made me miss her. She enjoyed seeing the farm animals especially. As I walked around and visited the baby goats I couldn't help but hear her laugh. As if she were right there with me. She loved the Country Fairs.

While there I watched a beautiful Native Hoop Dancer from the Hopi Tribe. I was mesmerized by his skills. The sound of the flute nearly brought me to tears.
I also made Pumpkin Cheesecake.Yummy.
It was a great weeekend :)

Pumpkin Fever

Over the weekend I kept myself busy both in the kitchen and the garden. I love the aromas of pumpkins and spice :) I made pumpkin cupcakes and roasted pumpkin seeds. My chickens love the taste of baked pumpkin, so nothing is going to waste here.

I got myself an herb tree (at least that's what I call it)My herbs were in pots all over the ground,taking up too much space, now this gives me more room in the garden. My chair sits next to this pretty tower, I just love the smell of my herbs :)

Great Start of the Season

I'm loving the crisp mornings, the vegetables are going through a growth spurt, it's amazing the difference I notice each day. My Yard Long Beans are incredible and very tasty. I have some awesome recipes lined up for those  :) This season I have a colorful blend of lettuce. I should get a good harvest this year. I'm looking forward to feasting!

Garden Envy

I'm loving the cooler evenings. Very soon I will get the fire pit out and sit by the fire while sipping hot chocolate!
The dogs are happier, You can see a difference, they are much more playful. The chickens also look more comfortable.
The days are getting shorter, the bamboo shading has been removed from the coop, letting in more light.
The garden is doing extremely well, it'll be a successful harvest this year with an abundance of Beans, Lettuce, Onions, Beets and Peppers. My Luffa is growing so fast too.
It is the envy of the neighbors. Over the weekend one of my neighbors popped his head over the fence and asked what I was doing to have such a great looking garden. Compost and Lots of Manure!
The yard long beans are exploding everywhere. These are incredible. So far the stalks have grown up to nearly 7 feet!
I got a surprise while watering and found a pod of about 3 feet long! Didn't snap a photo, I ate it right away  :)
I love sitting in my quiet corner of the garden and admiring the results of my hard work.
I can't wait to make salad!

And the Garden is ready to Roll!

My baby veggies are showing life everywhere! These cooler temps are doing wonders for them.
A funny discovery though, I have sprouting potatoes; from last year! I must have forgotten some underground and here they are growing among the beets and Broccoli :) Also, some of the Amaranth and Milk Thistle seeds from last season must have blown in the wind and landed in the nearby raised beds. I will leave everything as is, see what comes out of it. Should be an interesting mix!
I love the Fall!

Visiting Friend

All of my family and friends are far, too far :( And we all try to see each other at least twice a year. In a few weeks a good friend will be visiting for a while. I am looking forward to catching up and spending time with him. This will also give me the opportunity to head out up north and see the beautiful scenery that Arizona has to offer. This is exactly what I need :) I'm thinking the canyons, ghost towns, wineries and old route 66!

Fall

I love this time of year, The fall-like temeratures are just starting to make their way in.

It makes me feel like doing something dramatic, something fun and exciting, like changing the color of my hair! I'm really looking forward to being outside more.
I've kept myself busy during the summer for the most part. I tried new exercise routines and changed some old ways. I feel refreshed and ready to get moving :)
Over this this long weekend I got more canning supplies and cleaned out some clutter, I found a new coffee bean grinder for 2.00$ :) I thought this would be perfect for making my garlic and onion powder.
I also found some tiny colored metal pails. I thought this would work perfectly for planting my seeds, instead of buying seed trays.

I also made order in my recipe scrapbooks.
My garden is prepped and ready to roll too.
It's going to be a fun Fall  :)

Intense Heat

We've had some record-breaking heat waves lately, and hopefully this is the end of it, with September around the corner, we should be getting some relief really soon :) My chickens will be so thankful. Poor things, it was a tough summer for them, not to mention they lost 2 pals too.
I'm looking forward to doing some outdoor projects this fall. Besides having the best garden I will ever have, I plan on adding some more native plant life in the front yard. I want to create an oasis at the entrance of my home sweet home.
Looking forward to spending more time outside hiking and riding my bicycle too  :)

Surviving Tough Times

We are all seeing the tough times,it's everywhere. And sadly more uncertain times are still to come.
Some people are learning to live with less. Something I'm rather used to, and grateful for. I have learned a lot about self-reliance. The best I can do is to prepare.
I live for what really matters. My homestead, the food in my garden, my family and my animals.
I do not have cable, no satellite dish, no phone at home, no expensive wireless apparatus or the Internet.
I hang my clothes outside, I save the rain water for my garden, I recycle my furniture and clothes.
I'd much rather cook a good meal than go to a restaurant. I'd rather go on a hike than go to a gym.
I'd rather stay at home and learn a new skill than to go out with people I have nothing in common with.
One very important thing for me is to surround myself with like-minded people.
These are the people who understand your way of living, who encourage you, who help you learn something new, who believe in you, never judge you, who will be there for you regardless of how bad things get.
I am so grateful for my mom, who taught me to keep things simple, always.
Spending quality time with family and trusting friends is the best gift ever. I am grateful for getting up each morning and having a job to go to, to have food on my table, and a roof over my head.
Although thougher times are still ahead, I will be glad I had a head-start in being self-sufficient, prepared and well-surrounded.

What goes Around comes Around

While picking up more bags of waste at the feed store yesterday  I chatted for a while with the owner. He talked about the huge garden he once had, and how hard he worked at it manually. He gave me some pointers as to how to work the organic matter into the soil.
He thanked me again for recycling his animals's waste.
I told him I will definately offer him some of my produce once it's harvest time, a way to thank him for helping me provide this free good stuff to my garden.
That's what it's about  :)