#31 Days - Herbs & Spices

  

I have scoured the Internet (well, not the whole thing but quite a lot of sites to find out basic herbs and spices used in cooking.  The following herbs and spices are included on the pantry page at Basic-Cooking.com:  

Basil, Bay leaves, Coriander, Oregano, Rosemary, Thyme;

Cinnamon, Cloves, Cumin, Curry Powder, Turmeric

Curry powder apparently is a blend of various spices (which I never knew - and do I feel silly?  Eh.  I told you I was a beginner in the kitchen.) and there are about as many recipe combinations on the internet as there are bloggers!

Many herbs and spices can be grown indoors, and it is even a preferred location for some varieties.  One thing I'd like to do is get a garden window in the kitchen to accommodate some plants.

Those will probably do for the first year.  After that I hope to expand into herbs for some DIY home/hygiene products.  I'll have to check out slippery elm, because that makes a tea like no other when you have a sore throat.

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The October Daily prompt for October 5th is:

Complete the sentence:  "If I had a __________, I would __________."  You can make as many sentences as you'd like.

The first word that popped into my head was "hammer".  Does that date me?  Remember the song, 

"If I had a hammer, I'd hammer in the morning.  

I'd hammer in the evening, all over this land.  

I'd hammer out warning, I'd hammer out justice.  

I'd hammer out love between my brothers and my sisters, all over this land."

Here are a few more:

1.  If I had a million dollars, I would do our farm up right, then use the rest to help those in need.

2.  If I had a new Jaguar, I would drive a lot more.

3.  If I had a dinner engagement at the White House, I would probably wear a dress i/o my jeans.

4.  If I had a chance to live my life again, I would do things exactly as I did before, so my family would be the same as they are right now.

5.  If I had a(n) extra hour in the day, I would use it to strengthen my walk with God.

How would YOU fill in those blanks?  C'mon back to the porch tomorrow, when we start talking about farm critters. ;)

#31 Days - Fruits and First Days

   


Fruits we already have on the property:
Crab apples, blackberries, elderberries and some grape vines, badly in need of a revival.
For 2014, I think I will concentrate on a small number of non-tree based fruits and get to the fruit trees maybe the next year.  Luckily for me, this rather limits my choices.

And I'm going to move tomatoes and maybe pumpkins to my fruit list to enable asparagus and maybe artichokes to be added to my veggie list.
In the years to come, I'd like to branch out (pun intended) into having some fruit trees:  apple, peach, cherry, and pear with the option of more to follow a couple of years out.
So my 2014 list (for now) includes:
Bell Peppers, Canteloupe, Jalapeno Peppers, Pumpkins, Strawberries, Tomatoes, Watermelon
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The October Daily prompt for 10/4 is:

"Share your experience during your first weeks/months in blogging."

Shoot.  I have trouble remembering a couple of days ago, let alone a couple of years ago.

In my first post ever on this blog, dated Sunday, July 22, 2007, I started out with an enumeration of the various kinds of wicked:  wicked-funny (jokes), wicked-cool (snazzy paint job on a car) and wicked-evil.  Wicked-evil started out with the obvious options, and then settled in on a co-worker of mine at the time.

She was a know-it-all, telling anyone and everyone how to to do their jobs, including her organizational superiors and those in specialized jobs like nursing.  People did not take kindly to this.  So she was moved to another part of the house (at a residential facility for adults with MR/DD).  She followed co-workers around the facility trying to get pictures of them committing some 'wrong' on her cell phone.  She followed people home.  She got into co-workers cell phones and got private numbers so she could make accusations about affairs to their loved ones.

Then she was transferred (not by choice) to another home on the facility.  When she found out, she stormed out of the house, turning at the door with the ominous threat, "I'll get every one of you."  She began to make (unfounded) accusations of abuse/neglect.  When that didn't damage people's employment enough, she began to accuse house administrators of turning a blind eye or failing to report abuse/neglect.  At least one talented staff member, with a real heart for the clients quit because of this woman.

That's just one of a hundred stories about the place where I worked for 4-1/2 years.  It was the most fulfilling job I have ever had.  I loved the residents with whom I worked.  There isn't one of them I would hesitate for a moment to intervene when someone was hurting them or when they were hurting themselves, even the ones who swore at me on a regular basis or sent me home injured.  I would love to work with the same population again ... just not there.

On the whole, blogging is a lot safer.  So I'm here to stay.

Question:

What is your favorite job you've ever had?  (And yes, parenthood counts.  And yes, ministry or an un/paid outside the home job counts too.)

#31 Days - Vegetables and High School Memories

 

Possible Listing of Vegetables for Our 2014 Garden

(many thanks to PhotographicDictionary.com for help jogging my memory)

Asparagus, avocado, artichoke

Beans, beet, broccoli, brussel Sprouts

Cabbage, carrot, cauliflower, celery, corn, cucumbers

Lettuce

Onions 

Pea, potatoes, pumpkins

Rhubarb

Spinach, squash, sweet potato

Tomato

Zucchini

Yeah, maybe the year after next.  As I want to include fruits, herbs, animals and grains, I should probably limit myself (arbitrarily) to 10.  Let's see how that goes.

Carrot, celery, corn, cucumber, lettuce, onion, potatoes, pumpkins, spinach, tomatoes.  Yeah, that's probably enough for the first year.

Next week, I will cover the supplies needed or useful for producing my above ten veggies.

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The October Daily prompt for the day is:  

share a high school memory that you will never forget.

Simple.  February 15, 1979, I was a senior in high school.  February 15, 1979, was the day my father passed away at the age of 47.

He had come home a week earlier from work feeling ill.  This in itself was unusual, because he was a nose to the grindstone kind of man.  He grew up in West Virginia in poverty.  He graduated from West Virginia University (where he and my mother met), a went on to get a PhD in Chemical Engineering.  He was very intelligent, but did not particularly care for his line of work, but it put food on the table, bought a house and allowed us to go on the odd vacation now and again.

By the day before, on Valentine's Day, I knew he would not make it.  He could barely talk.  He could barely move.  He looked as if he had lost 50 pounds in the week that he had been at home.  I had a dream about him dying that night, which I've always figured was a way from the cosmos to prepare me for the actual passing.

The next day, I was actually home from school.  I remember my mother calling to me from the bedroom, asking me to call a local Christian Science Practitioner.  When she came to the phone, she asked me to go back and read from the Bible.  I stood in the hallway because I had seen my father's face, and it was twisted in the 'grin of death'.  I can still see it to this day.

Someone came over to stay with my mother until the ME came out.  I had to get out of the house.  I went to a friend's house and we drove around for a couple of hours.  When I got home, my brother had returned as well.  Other than being in shock, my mother appeared to be dealing as well as could be expected.

My bedroom was across the hall from my parents' room.  When it came time for me to go to bed, I had to ask my mother to walk back with me because my legs wouldn't take me on my own.  When we got to my door, there was a gouge in it from where they had carried my father's body out on a stretcher.

I could go on for days about memories surrounding my father's passing, but I will stop here.  The story is definitely not finished, but then at the time, neither was his.

#31 Days - Site of Our 2014 Garden

   

  

OK, for Wordless Wednesday I try most often to be actually wordless in the body of the post, but this month that is just NOT going to work.

In the foreground of the picture is an early shot of our 2013 garden.  Back when there was still hope for the tomatoes.  Back when there weren't even flowers on the pepper plant at the end (from which we actually got several usable peppers - yay!).  Back when you could actually see the dirt around the pumpkin plants and their little cardboard sprout cups had not yet disintegrated.

In 2014, we will have pretty much the entire field - a couple of acres if we need/want it.  Where our property ends, my FIL's begins.

We're hoping to put in a variety of vegetables, fruits, herbs, some grain and some animals.

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The October Daily Challenge prompt for the day is:

"Get a certain or favorite lyrics from your favorite song and tell us how it inspires or describes you."

"Amazing Grace" 3rd verse:

"Through many dangers, toils and snares
I have already come;
'Tis Grace that brought me safe thus far
and Grace will lead me home."

I'm  52 years old today.  I've been through some things, and done some things that ... well, didn't make the world a better place; let's put it that way.  But I'm here, and I'm learning.  Plain and simple, if not for God's grace, I would not be here.

Also, I like a line from "Sweet Hour of Prayer" -  "...that saves me from a world of care..."

On my rebel side, I love Little Big Town's "Boondocks":

"I feel no shame, I'm proud of where I came from,

I was born and raised in the boondocks.

One thing I know, no matter where I go,

I leave my heart and soul in the boondocks."

In fact, I like that song so much, I went and watched in on YouTube.   Check it out here if you like.  Don't be surprised if your toes 'commence a-tappin'. 

I like the song because it expresses who I am and how I feel about that.  Now some people, if they are rich enough, or educated enough or high enough on the social register might look down on a simple country woman like myself.  Their loss.  I know who I am and these days I quite like me. :O)

Thanks to blog recipe challenges and the like, I'm developing a like for and comfortableness in my kitchen.  And although I hope to have animals on the farm for eggs, wool and even some meat, I don't think I'll ever get comfortable with 'cleaning' them myself.  And I love live theatre, ballet and opera ... which is something of which we don't get a lot around here.  But when my plays start being produced on Broadway, my compensation package should include a helicopter ride to the top of the theatre building, cause Mama doesn't do big city driving.

So while my practices may be simple, I am far from it.  I'm like a patchwork quilt - bits and pieces of a lot of different fabrics, stitched to God (my backing) with a lot of love.

Question:

How would you describe yourself in terms of your favorite craft or hobby?

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And, as it is the first Wednesday of the month, it's time for the IWSG (Insecure Writer's Support Group), hosted at Alex J. Cavanaugh's blog until the dedicated site is up.  See/use the link button to visit more ISWG-ers (Insecure Writer's Support Groupies). *lol*

The hardest thing for me about writing is sitting down and starting.  The negative voices start in early, and continue to haunt me in constant 'psycho-babble'.  For instance, I am not satisfied with this post.  I think it conveys the idea(s) I intended, but the writing is not 'tight'.  And right now, I'm not sure what I could do to make it better.  But, as my 11th grade English teacher once said, "For every great line of poetry you write, you will write at least one line of utter garbage."  So I'll keep writing.

2nd Breakfast - 2nd October Challenge

  

Well, I felt kind of bad about posting my October 1 post on September 30, and not posting  today, so I decided to make another post so my writing every day in October goal did not fall apart on the first day.  And the first thought that came to me was "2nd Breakfast" , as a nod to those hungry little hobbits in LOTR.  The second thought that came to me was ... as long as I'm already going to be blogging every day in October, why not add a 2nd challenge?

As it turns out, the Creative Writing challenge for the 1st has not been posted yet, so I will keep watch and get to it when it comes out.

The above "31 Days in the Garden" button goes back to my master list post, which will contain a new link each to each day's post for that challenge.  And from a link on a blog to which I subscribe, I found "The October Daily" challenge, hosted by my new blogmiga at Secret Obsession.

TOD (The October Daily) prompt for the day is "share at least 5 reasons why you blog".  In no particular order:

1.  It's cheaper than therapy.

2.  Blogging is a creative outlet.  I get to dig my arms up to the elbow in the treasure chest of the English language, and let the gold, silver and gems drip through my fingers onto the keyboard.

3.  I can share what I know and/or who I am with other people.

4.  I can get information I need from people I know and trust.

5.  I can engage in my 'secret obsession' for making up new words, like "porchervations" (an observation made on a porch) and "blogmigos/as" (a friend with a blog).

6.  I can encourage and be encouraged.

7.  I can provide and find laughter.

8.  It helps me plan out my life goals - like producing half the food we consume in our garden/on our farm.

That's probably enough of that for now.  One day I'll have to do a List of 100 on reasons why I blog.

Come back tomorrow when the planning and information on my quest for the "Ultimate Dogwalk Garden 2014" begins!

Oh, and notice the new button in the right sidebar for Butterman Time Travel Inc, a link up on October 16th where participants will answer the question "WHEN in the world will you go?"

31 Inspiring, Creative Days in the Garden

    

  

Welcome to my "31 Days" kick-off post!  What is "31 Days" you ask?  Well, grab your favorite beverage, put on your fuzzy slippers and chillax, because we're going to have some FUN!  "31 Days" is a blogging challenge conceived and hosted by "The Nester", where participants pledge to blog every day in the month of October on a single subject of their choosing.

It is one of my goals to get to the point that we can produce at least half of the food we consume on our farm.  We moved in in mid-July this year, and while we got some plants out, the produce has not been staggering, to say the least.  But we did get some, and I have learned a whole lot.  So, I'm not waiting for next spring, I'm going to start getting all my ducks in a row this month!  Hence my theme of "31 Days in the Garden".  (Oh, and I'm rather inordinately proud of my little "31 Days" button that I made on PicMonkey - a free online service.)

What follows today are a list of the topics I will cover during the month.  As each post goes live, I will come back and create a link from the list to each day's post.  And since I am a novice gardener (unlike my husband, whose family farmed for years and generations), any tips y'all have will be most appreciated.

Please note:

1. The links in parentheses are blog link-ups in which I will be participating.  The first week, the challenge name is printed out; for subsequent weeks, they just go by initials.  The Sunday link-up is a multi-hostess affair, so each week's link in the list below takes you to a different host blog!
2. This is actually my Tuesday post, but I wanted to link up with "Inspire Me Monday" at Create With Joy, and the official linky for #31 Days goes live tonight.
3. The prompt for the "Creative Thinking Challenge" at Figuring Out How the Pieces Fit does not go live until tomorrow, but since I'll be coming back each day during October to link up my daily posts, that info will show up in the next day or so.

OCTOBER

Tuesday 1st - you're already here!  Good for you! (Creative Thinking Challenge)
Tuesday 1st - 2nd Breakfast - 2nd October Challenge
Wednesday 2nd - Site of Our 2014 Garden  (Wordless Wednesday)  AND IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!!!
Thursday 3rd - Vegetables and High School Memories
Friday 4th - Fruits and First Days  (Friendship Friday)
Saturday 5th - Herbs & Spices
Sunday 6th - Memory Garden Daily (Let's Get Social Sunday)
Monday 7th - Farm Animals All Atwitter (Inspire Me Monday)

Tuesday 8th - Diggin' Into the Veggies
Wednesday 9th - Singin' on the Farm (WW)
Thursday 10th -  Pumpkin & Cream Cheese Candy at Behind the Curtain Dessert Challenge
Friday 11th - Plants Need Companions Too (FF)
Saturday 12th - supplies needed for the herbs (Strut Your Stuff Saturdays)
Sunday 13th - God in our garden/Musings on Ephesians 1:7,8 (LGSS)
Monday 14th - supplies needed for animals (IMM)

Tuesday 15th - fun gardening implements (CTC)
Wednesday 16th - pictures of garden supplies (WW)
Thursday 17th - plan/layout of vegetable garden
Friday 18th - plan/layout of fruit garden (FF)
Saturday 19th - plan/layout of herb garden
Sunday 20th - God in our garden/Musings on Ephesians 1:9,10 (LGSS)
Monday 21st - plan/layout of animal habitats (IMM)

Tuesday 22nd - Vegetable Immortal Recipe Contest result
Wednesday 23rd - pictures of the immortal recipes (WW)
Thursday 24th - Fruit Immortal Recipe Contest result
Friday 25th - Herb Immortal Recipe Contest result (FF)
Saturday 26th - Animal Product Immortal Recipe Contest result
Sunday 27th - God in our garden/Musings on Ephesians 1:11,12 (LGSS)
Monday 28th - Gardening when your space is limited. (IMM)

Tuesday 29th - Reduce, re-use, recycle, repurpose!
Wednesday 30th - gardening reference books (WW)
Thursday 31st - "31 Days in the Garden" wrap party!

If any of y'all are still here, give yourself a pat on the back!  This is one of the longer blog posts I've EVER written.  Feel free to leave a link to your #31Days posts in your comment(s).  Let me know if you subscribe and/or follow, so I can return the favor.  Happy days!

Musings on Ephesians 1:3,4

  

This is the 2nd week we have been memorizing Ephesians 1.  This week we covered Ephesians 1:3,4.

I probably should say at this point that I am not putting myself out as a a gospel authority or scriptorian.  Far, far from it.  I'm just a woman digging into the word of God and seeing what I can learn.

3.  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

I am glad that the 3rd verse opens up with several of the same words as the 2nd verse ended; it makes things easier from a memorization standpoint.  ("Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ" - Eph 1:3; "from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ" - Eph 1:2).  We humans are a rather thick-headed bunch and time and the repetition helps to perfect whatever it is we are trying to learn, whether it be an intellectual pursuit, a sport, an artistic performance, etc.

I see Paul's use of the phrase, "Blessed be the God....", as his acknowledge of God's exalted status.  This puts me in mind of the hubbub created back in the 1980's when Nancy Reagan went to England for the marriage of Charles and Diana and the news that when she met the Queen, she would not curtsey.  I guess that ticked off a lot of English folks.  But I would have done the same thing.  (Oops, there goes my invitation to tea - and I'm a serious Anglophile.)  A person not living in a monarchy does not follow some of the social rules particular to that system of government.  But we are all  children of God.

And, luckily for us, our Heavenly Father has given us "all spiritual blessings";  He has given us everything we need (which is not the same as everything we want).  We only have to talk to a soldier or a first responder to know how important it is to have everything we need when we go out on patrol.  Why does He do it?  Because He loves us and because Christ "took the bullet" that had our name(s) on it.

4.  According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 

Even before the world was made God chose us for His own.  How cool is that?  Before the light was separated from the darkness, God knew us and loved us, each and every person that has ever been born.  We all have the agency, the power to choose paths that will change our lives, for good or bad.  He knew not everyone would consistently make the righteous choice, but He gave us that freedom.  I cannot imagine the faith and trust that took.  He wanted (and wants) every one of us to return to Him; in order to do that we have to be 'holy and without blame', as no unclean thing can live in God's presence.

For which spiritual blessing are you most grateful this week?