Delicious Recycling

Stick a spoon in me because this is just delicious!!!!!!!!  Saw on another blog post about these cans at Target.  Well, they are so graphic and have such fun colors that I had to get a set.  For $0.75 a can, not only did I get soup, I got the best colored pencil holders around.  I just washed out the cans, being careful of the labels, and dried them out well.  I couldn't help it...and my youngest daughter was so excited that she organized by color group according to the labels and was so inspired that she just had to go color something.  Love it!  May you find inspiration in a can!

Summer's end update...

Wow...I can't believe we're in the middle of September already.  I started the kids' school right after Labor Day.  We also went on vacation at the end of August so I am literally two weeks behind where I should be.  I was thinking I should probably wrap up the summer.  The garden got a bit neglected this year as two of my kids were going to do a major competition and it required a lot of our time.  I still have a lot of tomatoes and my pumpkins are awesome...one in particular is the largest I've ever grown.  I'm anxious to see what it weighs!  In a few weeks it should be ready!

I've been doing quite a bit of canning.  Remember all those raspberries I told you about from my yard?  Well, I used them all up (all ten pounds) for my yearly jam session.  This year I tried many different varieties of jam.  One delicious creation has raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries.  It is delicious.  I also make a mango+raspberry=the sweet nectar of God!!!!  Oh, it's good!  Then there's the new this year: raspberry + peach.  All in all, I made 62 half-pints & pints.  While I was finishing up my jams, lo and behold, peanut butter went on sale for $1.49.  We have been skimping on the peanut butter around here because it is so WICKED expensive.  This sale did it for me...I have enough for a year (I hope).   I am not one of those people who likes to stockpile for ten years worth of food...I just want enough to last us for a bit.  I know prices are going up and I just want to be prepared.  I also canned up a bunch of peaches and some peach jam.  I also got in a salsa session.  I think I will need another bushel of tomatoes because I need to make some more.  I'm hoping to do some beets.  I have pictures to share from our vacation that goes hand in hand with canning.  Plus, there's been a lot of crafting/sewing going on, too. I hope you are winding down from the summer.  We are enjoying some cooler temperatures here because this summer was a scorcher.  Blessings to you!

Garden Harvest

Here is my haul from yesterday (plus one more egg).

The garden is slower this year because of some unforeseeable happenings that took place at the beginning of June, but the garden is starting to crank up now and I need to get back on track.  I will be putting in the fall garden (I know, I really need to get moving) and hopefully I can get some more produce.  My tomatoes are going like gangbusters, but no ripe ones yet.  Maybe within the next two weeks I'll get some tomatoes.  The peppers are just gorgeous.  I roasted them and will probably put them with the eggs.  The raspberries are almost done producing for this season.  I think I have about ten pounds in the freezer...it's time for me to make some jam!!!  The beans are just now coming in.  They are so beautiful.  It's a French pole filet bean...they are nice! Even with this heat, I still have lettuce...it's only because I have cilantro shading it.  So, still taking advantage.  I hope you are having great harvests.  It's been hard with the heat, but the peppers and tomatoes are loving it (me, not so much)!

Cow appreciation day!

Here's what we all looked like going to Chick-fil-A today.  Four of us were under this "cow costume" and we were sweating like cows!!!!

It was a fun time!  My daughter was the head of our family heifer!  We were a bit creative with her face.

Here's one last look...

Hope you had a fun day with a free meal!
Blessings!!

Introducing our Chunnel: the chicken tunnel

I turned the big 4-0 last month and my husband made me something very special (which my husband tells me ordinary women would not even want)! Let me take you on a visual tour.

This is at the back of my suburban homestead.  I am standing right next to the coop.

To the left of the coop is the run.  For a year this was all the space the chickens had and I knew they needed more room.  On top of the run is a new addition...it is my lettuce box.  It provides shade for the chickens and protects them from the rain so they can still be outside.  I can grow on top of the run without losing any space.  Space is a premium here in the suburbs.  I had to figure out how to give the chickens more room without taking anymore garden space.  If we extended this run to the left, it would sit right on top of one of my prime growing areas.  So here is our solution:  a chunnel.  That's right...a chicken tunnel.

Directly to the left of the run is the juncture where the chunnel connects to the run.

Then we travel more to the left...you see the chunnel behind my pea trellis and some chickens looking for some treats.

Then the chunnel turns the corner and heads down the western side of my yard along the fence.  I had such weeds that grew here...and now you can see not a single thing is left growing!!!

And here is the scene that causes me the most amount of joy!!!!  Every time this happens I giggle like a school girl.  All I have to do is call the girls and they come a runnin'!!!!  I am at the very end of the chunnel.  They run like there is no tomorrow and it is so fun to watch! (note: do you see there is no longer one green thing along the side of the fence!)

This side of the yard gives them lovely shade in the heat of the afternoon.  I have to say, living in the suburbs I have to protect them from lots of critters...we have foxes and birds of prey everywhere.  This is as close to free range as we can get for them and they don't need supervision.  The chunnel is very secure and they are indeed much happier!!!

This is the very end of the chunnel and it has been fun showing you our solution of adding more room without taking much space!  Hope you have enjoyed this post.
Blessings!

Awesome bargain...help me!

I just found this gem at one of our Goodwill stores today.  Let me tell you, the vultures were circling with this one!  I practically had a lady follow me throughout the store and a gentleman was complimenting how well-made it was.  I paid $14.99 for this baby.  It is a Drexel nightstand and in perfect condition.  I am always all over bloggy land looking at all the DIY furniture makeovers and am astonished and jealous of the outcomes.  This is the first piece that I've really found that I want to redo.  Here's the dilemma:  what should I do????  It already has a fabulous look to it, but how could I make it more fabulous???  I like the cottage look and shabby chic, but I also like high Victorian.  One style I am not particularly fond of is modern so traditional would best suit me.  If you have any suggestions or links, I would be utterly grateful!

Here's the furniture stamp inside the drawer.

  
I am also not hung up on it being strictly for the bedroom.  I think canning jars full of jam would look absolutely quaint.  I have no idea what to do with this piece, but I'm excited for the possibilities.  I'll keep you posted!!!

Tomatoes and such

It is definitely that time of year and I think I have finally got a jump on summer by getting my seeds in early under lights!!!  Yay!  The tomatoes are doing quite well!  I've got my light system set up in the basement.  Always remember to handle your seedlings...if they are robust seedlings like tomatoes, you can run your hand over the tops of them.  This activates them to grow more "hearty" as if wind was blowing on them.  It gets them nice and strong.  You could also use a fan.  I also have many flower seedlings started as well as some herbs.  I am still way beyond my frost date here, but I will be putting things out in the garden under much cover in about about a month and a half...it is the only way to get summer tomatoes in Colorado!  It can stay cold here until the first of June, seriously!

I also have strawberry jam processing as we speak in my canner.  There have been some great sales on strawberries so I can say I have my first canning session of the year under my belt!  I did a crazy amount of canning this past summer, but failed to document it all on this blog.  I've been incognito for awhile but I am getting followers without me blogging about anything so I figure I need to get inspired and get writing!  It's just a busy life and I try to keep my priorities straight!!!  Thanks to all of you who have discovered my little blog here...I will try to be better about showing up!  I appreciate you guys so much!

Are you starting any fun garden projects where you are?  How about any winter projects like cozy quilts??  As for me, I need to update the blog and of course, there are a million projects to work on.  I am trying to be more intentional about my gardening.  Last year, I harvested about 125 pounds worth of food...I can't even tell you how many eggs we've gotten so far.  It's been crazy!  I absolutely love the chickens and I'm hoping we'll continue to have a stellar year.  There's my quick update and I'm hoping you all are feeling the itch for spring!  Blessings to you!

Tray of tomatoes...what am I going to do with all of these, hahaha!