Guess what I did today...............

Now that I have your attention.... hahahahahahahahahahaahahahahahahahahahhhahhahaahah I'm getting ready for Jennifer and Seth to drive back to Georgia. I've got quite a list of things to do since I'm going to be taking advantage of the car. It's tough to pack some things for the mail, not impossible, just challenging.

So I spent the morning getting the pickled beets ready! I got 6 quarts. All sealed.

I put some Walla Walla onions in with them this time. I think they should be really good.

Tuesday I made pickles. yes, again... the others are already gone. I want to make sure these have a chance to sit for the intended 4 to 6 weeks. (like that will ever happen).

At first I thought that peeling all this garlic would be a really boring chore and since I couldn't figure out how to get my kindle to read out loud to me the novel I'm currently engrossed in (I have since figured it out..not that difficult..felt kinda dumb hahahha). I really thought I was going to go nuts doing it. but as it turned out... I really enjoyed it. I thought about all kinds of things and before I knew it ...they were peeled. I even looked twice through all the skins to make sure I hadn't missed any, it went that fast. It's amazing how much your mind can help or hinder. There was a lesson here and I hope I can apply it next time as well.

I found these dried chili's at Kaelins in bulk. They are exactly the perfect ones for just the exact amount of zippy spice I love in my dills.

Pickling spice. The ingredients are so darn pretty. And the quality great. I thought you might enjoy looking at them as much as I do. I wish you could smell them as well.

I made sure that Larry wasn't in here and then washed them up real good.....I mean well, Allison. hahahahahahahahahhahahaahahahahahahahahha

Whats that thing called.. The Polar Plunge, i think.. I cut them up and soak them in ice water for about 2 or three hours. This really does help them get crispy. It also freezes the heck out of my hands as I'm packing the jars but I have a system now ... Pack two jars, fill with brine, wipe and put lids on and lower into waiting hot bath. By this time I have all the feeling back in my fingers and its time to... yep.... pack two more jars... hahahahah

Oh but just look at all this Dill- ish-is-nesssssss. Oh my gosh... I love these. Aren't they the prettiest shade of green you have just about ever seen. I got 9 quarts of these babies and 1 quart of carrots. One of the pickles didn't seal.... I put it in the fridge...It's already gone.

These things just don't last around here I tell you.

So Took, some are coming your way.. get ready.

Blessings, Sue

Congratulations Jennifer !!!!

This is our amazing daughter, Jennifer. She graduated yesterday from San Diego State University, with a Bachelors of Science in Child and Family Development. Isn't she beautiful!!!!! She will be going on to a teaching position in Georgia at a private pre-school. She is going to bless many, many children and their families.

OK so I have a piggy toe thing.... aren't they adorable??!!!

I am so proud I could just about POP!!!!!

The commencement began at 8 am, which is never to early for her sister and Daddy to enjoy some nachos. I was still thinking coffee and a big ol' cinnamon roll. hahahah

This is the best shot I got of all of them together. Jennifer is the one on the left in black. hahahahahah

This is Angel. Jennifer's beloved and fiance. Hes not going to Georgia. sad...boo... hoo... sniff... sniff... He is still working on his degree, and so must stay behind for awhile. We are hoping they decide to settle in Georgia eventually since we are retiring there next year.

Allison looking like she practicing her hula skills.

and it just wouldn't seem like it was us if there was not a bit of this going on. hahahaha I love my girls.

It's tough though. Now I will have two of them in Georgia and it's going to be a bit sad... The nest is getting empty..... but wait.... WHATS THIS?????

A baby bunny???? Allison rescued yet another baby animal. This time an abandoned baby rabbit found at the ranch in Ramona. Its nest was torn apart and he or she was just left there out in the open.

She has had it for 3 days now and it is surviving so far... I'll keep you posted. Isn't it the cutest. Look at its little toes and ears. Wild bunnies, they say, don't have a very high survival rate but in this family with all the love going around... one never knows!!!

Blessings, Sue

Off to the Fair!!!

This is a very heavy picture post. So you may want to get a cup of something yummy and kick up your feet! Last year I didn't get to go to the fair to watch Allison show her goat Lola. I was actually having my first knee replacement surgery. This time I was there and behind the camera!! So they're off.....I always have some mixed emotions at this time. I try really hard not to get attached. Even though all our goats are bought and used as Therapy goats for children with terminal illnesses, and not going to market, I still don't want to become to attached. Its not really that hard since every year they have to live with my chickens and the ladies are NOT happy. And last year Lola figured out the doggie door and peed on my couch and this year Lima Bean ate my entire rubber tree plant. But all in all goats are really lovable little animals.

Yes, we know this is illegal.... Yes we felt guilty( a tiny bit) but heck, this is Lakeside and its fair time and we were just going to try to talk out way out of it if we got pulled over which we didn't and so alllllll is well.

This is probably the best shot of her dear little face. She really did do well in the ring considering she was such a cry baby when she first got there.

Walking in the ring. Allison is really good with her animals and it shows in the ring.

Standing tall and proud. Allison and Lima Bean are the third goat and last girl in line from the left.

Keeping these poor little animals "stacked" is the job of the day. They have to be standing just so for the judge.

Talking to the judge. He asks LOTS of questions. You really gotta know your goat stuff.

Daddy and Paige, watching the judging. This is serious business!!! hahahahahahahahahaha

Lima was a bit younger than alot of the other competitors and she was shown in the breeding class. She hasn't had the time to fill out. I really wouldn't breed her myself, but she is a pretty little goat.

These two are the GRAND CHAMPIONS of the entire fair. Aren't they awesome!!!!!! Paige fed her raisins to every goat that would eat one and then she gave them a kiss. It was adorable.

This is her sign. Notice what her show name is... hahahahahaah aka Lima Bean.

And the stress is gone.. Done showing and ready to go home. Put on her jacket for the night... Pamela will be picking her up from there so my lettuce and basil are sighing big sighs of relief.

Get some goaty snuzzles and......

A few goaty kisses. She seems to be saying... We did good momma, we did real good. Allison placed second and fourth as far as ribbons go. And to us she is number one, always and forever!!!

Goaty blessings to you.. Thanks for stopping by!!!!!!

Oh Dear..How can something so cute......

Someone, I'm not sure who, and it really doesn't matter, moved my beloved Antherium from the kitchen table the other day while setting it for dinner. It was placed on the fireplace and forgotten. Someone else, and I am mentioning names now, CHARLIE........ decided to go on an adventure.

I'm not quite sure what wild thing she was chasing.......

Or what wild thing was chasing her........... but she managed to make a mess of things.

I'm hoping things will take root....

Its looking kinda sad.... CHARLIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Curios Kitty Blessings, Sue

Success will be MINNNNNNNNNNNNNNNE

Remember when I told you awhile back that I was going through my recipes and writing down the recipes I use most often in a book? Well I came across a recipe that I have had for just about ever. It comes from a Great Aunt's Aunt or somewhere. Its for a "never fail pie crust" and it contains vinegar. Well needless to say I never used it since I figured vinegar and pie crust just didn't sound good together. Fast forward to the fact that I want to make the perfect pie, just because I'm kind of like that...I think it may be a control issue... not really sure!!! I found this really fun little cookbook on Amazon (my favorite place, ever). I sat down and devoured it in one sitting. I learned a lot. I never knew that gluten was not a good thing in pastries. I have been baking bread forever and gluten is always something that I needed to have around. Well turns out that acid ie. vinegar or lemon juice stops the action of gluten, making a lighter and fluffier crust. AAAANNNNNDDDDD it works.

Strait from the persons mouth whom I make the pies for in the first place, Seth. He said this was "The Best Pie You've Ever Made".......... Yayyyyyyy. I used the crust recipe that I learned from a fine lady who was a student of mine. I taught her to knit socks and she taught me how to make a killer apple pie. That's really the way to learn pie baking, at the elbow of a respected woman friend or relative.
I cooked the apples until they were tender on the stove top, with all my usual stuff, you know, butter, cornstarch, cinnamon and nutmeg.

I added lemon juice to the crust. Since I have lemons coming out my ears and really, I still can't get my mind around vinegar in a sweet pie crust. It just sounds funny to me. I made the pie on a day when Seth and I were home alone for the whole night. We went out for a big lunch which worked out well....

We ended up have pie and ice cream for dinner and breakfast the next day. We should have waited a bit longer for it to cool because in the morning the juice had thickened up quite nicely.It was really good. the crust was crispy in all the right spots and fluffy and light in all the rest of the spots. I bought more apples today!

Good thing I wrote down exactly what I did......... Maybe i can make another one just as good....Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Blessings, Sue

Happy Endings

Remember Charlie? Well she is 8 weeks now. I know, where does the time go. she is ready to begin her shots. She is a dear, sweet little thin, who follows me around all day long. Thomas, our Siamese, thinks he is the Daddy and takes excellent care of her. He is teaching her how to be a "cat". You remember that my daughter, Allison, rescued her from the Ag. dept at her school. With this in mind.....read on. I get a text this morning from Allison telling me that she is having a rotten day. She found a baby chick in the bottom of the water bucket in her Ag class. She said it was limp, with mouth gaping and breathing really bad when she pulled it out. She tried to resuscitate it and told her teachers. They told her to "finish it off" and throw it in the dumpster. GRRRRRRRRRRR.Allison began crying, the other idiot kids began laughing at her and she took the chicken and hid it in the corner of the coop. It was limp and still not breathing well. When I went to pick her up she asked if she could go check on the chicken, fully expecting that someone in the last class had thrown her away already. LO AND BEHOLD...........

She is still alive. And now living in our house. This is a picture of her under the heating lamp, resting. (thats the red color) She is doing much better now. She pooped and according to Allison, this is a good thing. Her eyes are whited over and I believe she may be blind. She was truly near death. If not for the caring and loving heart of Allison, she would be in heaven now. We are calling her..Fortunate... I'll keep you updated on her well being.

We decided, rather quickly, that to keep her company we should buy a few more chicks. One of my hens passed last week and our little brood was down to one really, really old Barred Plymouth and three others that are still laying. We called several feed stores and found just the ones I wanted. Left to right the little yellow ones are Buff Orpingtons and the blacks are Silver Wyndottes.

The one in the far right hand corner is an Ameraucana. She is light brown with a darker brown stripe.

I wanted Araucana's but was told these are Ameraucana. There is a difference I have learned. Though both are blue and green egg layers the ameraucana is not as rare and an easier breeder. She also has head muffs and a beard. were the Araucana has ear tufts. They both have the blue or slate legs. They are just as hardy and sweet and that is what matters to me. My other Araucana's were a favorite of mine and I'm glad to have some again.

I was the little girl who brought home the strays. I know Allison's heart. I have always been fascinated with her hands. When she was a very little girl I would watch her and the way she was with our animals. So gentle even then. Her hands are blessed. She has a gift. Well many really but this one shines. She has a sense about animals. She knows them, and she loves them and for this alot of animals are very, very fortunate indeed. I AM PROUD!!

Blessings, Sue