Harvest What You Can On Halloween

Happy Windy, Blustery, Rainy, Cloudy Halloween!

In our town we have a fresh produce store.  It is Scorsbys.  I love it.  They grow lots of produce and sell it fresh from their house to ours.



The other day I was at Scorsbys to buy potatoes.  They had 50 lb boxes of potatoes for $10.99.  Yeah, what a deal!  So, I asked if they could combine some Russet Potatoes and some Yukon Gold into one box.  Yep, they could.  And they did. 

They are so willing to do just what you want.

And do you want to know what else I bought there?

Pumpkins.  Good carving pumpkins.  $.99 cents each!

Can you believe how much cheaper it is to live in Idaho!!!!???

Anyway, as I was checking out, the clerk told me about the peppers she was selling.  They were red, yellow and green peppers.  She said they were 5 for $1.00.  However, she warned me, they might have a little spot on them, but they are perfectly good peppers.

Some had marks from laying in the dirt, some had soft spots, but it didn't affect the entire pepper.

So, I bought several of them.

I bought 2 yellow, 2 red, and 1 green pepper.  I am not a fan of green peppers.

I brought them home and washed them, and chopped them.

And chopped and chopped.
It went quickly.
I only had 5 peppers to chop.

They smelled so good. 
The soft spots were minimal, the dirt was minimal.
I had made a very good buy.

I just diced them.
Then layed the diced peppers on a cookie sheet and put them in the freezer.

Because there is quite a lot of moisture in peppers they freeze beautifully.

I left them to freeze about an hour, and then they were ready to be bagged.

I put them in freezer bags and labeled them.

When I need diced peppers for a cooking recipe I will grab them and use them.
They must be used in cooking.  They won't thaw and be be good for fresh peppers for a salad or such.
They would be soft and mushy to use out of the freezer, but they are wonderful for cooking soups and things like that.

Yep, I love a good buy!

Thanks Scorsbys.

Love, Me

Snow Fell In Autumn

Part of living in Idaho requires a flexible attitude.
I am not physically flexible any more, but my attitude sure is.
It is a good thing, too.

Because the other day my darling niece and her two children came over to hang out with us. By "us" I mean  two of my daughters and one grandson and two extra dogs were already at my house.  So, we wanted more to be here.  And the fact that I was canning stewed tomatoes meant I wasn't going anywhere soon, so why not fill the house with more loved ones!

It was a cold day.  Cloudy, windy, and yep, cold.  Rain was in the forecast for later in the evening.

But, what does a weather man know?  In Idaho?  Very little!

By lunch we had the beginning of a promising accumulation of snow.

One snowflake at a time began, and then it grew into many snowflakes, and they were big and they were wet! 

My darling nieces son, Hagen, wanted to go out in the snow.  Of course he did!  It is magical when it s the first snow fall of the season.  I wanted to go out, too.  So we did.

Hagen: "Look, Aunt Tawny, I can leave prints."

Me:  "Yes, I see that.  Are you getting cold?  Do you want some gloves?"

Hagen: "Heck, no.  This is fun.  Look Aunt Tawny, I can catch snowflakes on my tongue."

Me:  "You are so talented, Hagen.  Are you sure you don't want to wear a sweat shirt I have?"

Hagen: "Heck, no.  Look Aunt Tawny, the snow is getting on all the dogs!"

Me:  "Oh, crap.  The dogs are getting wet and they will track the snow into the house.  The floors will be wet and Asher will crawl and walk in the melted snow in my house.  Oh, crap.  What ever should we do?"

Hagen:  "Aunt Tawny, just let Asher come outside and get wet with us, now!"

Why didn't I think of that?

I was right.  The dogs, all four of them, did bring snow inside the house.  Lots of snow.  It was wet and heavy and stuck to their fur....until it got warm and then it turned into water.  .... dripping water.... and every foot on every dog left it's mark.  16 furry feet stepping, running, chasing, dripping all over the carpet and tile floors.  Puddles were growing faster than I could mop them up. Although, I should add a little disclaimer about the little dog who was visiting us from California.  She is a wimp and stayed on the deck most of the time, so her puddles were smaller than the big goof who was visiting.

Throughout the day the snow continued to fall.  Sometimes it was really heavy, falling and falling.  Other times the flakes just got really big, the kind that I call "Charlie Brown snow flakes".  They are beautiful, and my favorite.  Then other times.....well, all the other time, it just kept snowing.  All day.  It didn't stop falling. 

I ran a couple of errands and was out in the public for a short time.  Everywhere I went people were talking about the snow.  #1.The fact that it hadn't stopped all day and #2 that our neighbors 10 miles to the north weren't getting snow and our neighbors to the south about 15 miles away weren't getting any snow.  That is just plain unexplainable.  Weird, some were saying.

I stayed in my kitchen and stirred the simmering tomatoes on my stove.  It smelled wonderful.  All the spices, the oregano, dill seed (from my garden) the onions, the jalapenos, yellow peppers and all the stuff that I added.  By late afternoon bread was baking.  I cant tell you how wonderful it smelled.  Heaven can not smell this good.  Because I don't think there are any gas ranges in heaven.  And who would be growing gardens in clouds, anyway.....?

When I realized the snow was not going to stop any time soon, I started to fret about the tomatoes that were still on the plants.....  so I bundled up, and my sweet middle daughter did, too, and we braved the cold and the wind and the snow to go and rescue some of the little darlings dangling on the vines in the snow.

We picked and picked.  We filled bags, the clothish ones that you take to the grocery store.  We filled a few boxes, and even our pockets.  We picked green tomatoes and red tomatoes, and the ones in between.  All the while our backs were getting soaked, our gloves were soaked, and we were tromping in mud.

The middle daughter, who now resides in Southern California thought it was a great adventure.  She actually stayed outside and pulled the tomato plants from the ground.  The plants found a new home in my garage and in DH's shop.  They are still loaded with tomatoes and I can bottle them when they ripen a little more.

Even the strawberries were buried under snow.

I know this sounds bad, but it was fun.  The strawberries didn't seem to mind.  I could hear them talking about the soft blanket being laid on them.  They loved it.  It is true.

I took a picture of the strawberries.  Can you find the little green one sticking up out of the snow.  He is a young immature strawberry who wouldn't listen to his parents and stay down and cover up.  (Youth, they always do the dumbest things.)

By night fall we had 5 inches of snow.

My grandson wanted to go outside and play in it.  His mom wasn't watching as I went out the front door with him.  I leaned over and let him put his hands in the snow.  He didn't really like to touch it.

So we played "team snowball throwing".  It is a great game.  You should try it!

Be sure to have a good photographer to document the game.  The mother of my grandson grabbed a camera and did!  She didn't even care that her 15 month old son didn't have on a hat or gloves or a coat.  I guess she knew that "Nana" would come in out of the cold soon enough.  (She is still in her youth, too)

Step 1.  Get a snowball.

Step #2. Throw a snowball.

Step #3.  See where the snowball lands.

 

Step # 4.  Don't drop the baby!!

Just give me a call if you want to come over for a snowball fight.  I will arrange to have fresh snow just for you.

You bring the dinner, okay?

Love, Me

Eatable Gifts

I had to deliver a little love to my girls a few days ago.

They are like the rest of us, and the best way to get someone to love you is through their tummy's.
It isn't just a man thing.

So, I made a basket full of goodies from the garden.

I think they loved it.

On the right side is a little green vase.  It has a "frog" top, and I filled it with flowers and some dill.

I love my girls, and I owe one of them for tending my dogs while I was off playing.

So this is what they got for a thank you gift.

Hope your garden gives and gives to others, just like mine does.

Love, Me

#1: Things I Am Grateful For, My Grandson

I have angel visiting me.  I haven't touched his wings, but I know he has them.  I haven't seen his wings, but I know he has them.  Because I have seen in his eyes.  I have looked into his soul.  I can see that he is an angel when I look at his eyes, his face, his fingers, his toes, his belly button, his teeth, and I learn over and over what a miracle an angel is.

I could sit and watch him for hours......
What do I mean? 
I DO sit and watch him for hours!

His giggle is contagious.
He is walking/running a mile a minute.
He even tiptoes and walks.

He smiles 23/7. 
He doesn't smile if he is hungry or tired.
But that doesn't last long.

 If I shove a little peanut butter and crackers at him, he "quickly turns it upside down and smiles that frown away"!

He loves to eat. 
The only thing I found that he doesn't really like is asparagus.
But he will eat squash, corn, green beans, peas, mashed potatoes, chicken, and Dog Food.

Yep, he eats everything.

He loves to play outside.

He will stand at the door and say "A Dah".

He says, "A Dah" for everything.

Except when he says, "A Ball".
And that is 15 times a second.

If he sees something round, "A Ball".
If it is round it is named.

The past 15 months have gone by so fast!  They have had wings, even if this little man doesn't.
Where does the time go?
He was just a little over 9 lbs. yesterday, or the day before.
And now he is 20 lbs.  20 lbs of angel, pure angel!

This little man doesn't care if the wind is blowing, and his hair is flying.....
He isn't like me when it comes to the wind........
He just looks straight into the wind and yells, "A Dah"!

He will grow up to be a Master Gardener!
He proves it to me when I have him help me in my garden.

Recently he helped me harvest some fresh dill.
He held on tight to the dill head and took such good care of it.
I never put it down.
He didn't let the dogs take it from him.
He protected it all afternoon.

Later that day we seeded the head of dill and saved it in a spice bottle.
It was used to make stewed tomatoes for his mama to take home.
Someday his mama will open up the jar of stewed tomatoes and tell him about his dill.

But for now, I am not thinking about the time when he is home with his mama.
I am enjoying every minute with this precious little man.

He runs to me with his arms open wide and laughing so hard.
And that is just enough to make me cry.

Why is it when you love so deeply you cry more easily?
It is a spiritual thing.
It is a Godly thing.

And for that I am so grateful.

Love, Nana

#2 : Things I Am Grateful For, My Son

My 3rd girl was a surprise.  I was sure she was a he.
But I love her, don't get me wrong.
But she was supposed to be a younger brother to my son.

After she was born, her father and I called our other children at home to tell them they had a sister.
My son hung up the phone.
He was not happy to have a third sister.

Since then I have realized he was traumatized in some way.
Not really, but if he was, he had good reason.
What boy needs 3 sisters?

He has overcome the handicap he was given in our home.
He is a wonderful man, who I love with all my heart.
As I have watched my son grow up, he is amazing to me.
He has a heart of gold.
He shows his love in quiet ways, EXCEPT when it comes to his nephew.

When my son is with his nephew, there is no holding back the emotion of love that he has.

My son turns into a clown, a mime, a bear, a Tarzan, a strong man........
And my grandson loves his Uncle, no matter what he is.

Especially when he is strong and throws him to his mama.

My son, my only son, melts my heart!
He is so loving and fun with children.
He has always played with little children who are in our home, or his home.
He just doesn't care if he is down on the floor, or in the dirt, or out in public.
He lets the fun begin and children love him.

In just a few years this little nephew will be joining his uncle and going camping.
He will learn to hike.
He will learn to build fires.
He will eat whatever he packs in his teeny tiny backpack.
He will learn to carry his own weight and not be a cry baby.

However, for now, Uncle Oliver is spoiling, throwing, teasing, tickling and loving being an uncle.

I love you, Oliver!

Love, Me

PS. Your nephew loves you a bazillion, too.

Halloween Is Coming

I have loved Halloween for as long as I can remember.

I have decorated very elaborately some years, and other years I barely found time to buy candy for the trick or treaters.

In Arizona we would sit out on our driveways in lawn chairs.  We would have a big bowl of candy, because we would typically have 150 kids come between 6:00 and 8:00 pm. All the neighbors did it. We would chat to each other during the evening.  It was a great night.  It was always warm.  Some little girls would arrive in their dance recital costumes with spaghetti straps and bare legs.  It was warm so they got to wear those outfits again.

I have dressed up for Halloween most years.  It is a tradition.  And some years my older kids would join me, all dressed up, and we gave out the candy.

One year we had a large cardboard box decorated like a table. The box was open on the bottom and my son in law sat inside of the big box.  We had cut out a circle for him to put his head through.  We had a hat sitting over the cut out circle.  As the trick or treaters would come to the house they would have to stand near that big box while I gave out candy.  And in the middle of filling the treat bags the hat would slowly start to raise up, and the scary painted face of my son in law would appear. The kids loved it!

Another year my son joined me on Halloween night.  Both of us dressed up.  He was one of the 3 Musketeers.  His hair was long, very long, and curly.  He was a great Musketeer.  I was painted up and wore a black satin cape my Aunt Erma had made.  We had a great time.  We greeted the little kids and ushered them up to the house to get the candy.

Things are different here in Idaho now.  It is turning fall, and will probably be chilly by Halloween night.  I don't dress up now.  We don't get many kids who come trick or treating.  But, I still feel that excitement.  This is the time of year  I watch the full moon.  I still think I will see the silhouette of a witch flying through the sky.  The presence of bats and ghosts are a possibility.  I hope I never lose the imagination of my childhood.

Yep, I still need to have something scary and mysterious around me during October.  Orange lights, pumpkins, and fall leaves aren't enough.  I need children.....who still believe.

I hope all of you are enjoying the season of mysterious things and creaks and thumps in the night.

Have a wonderful October and Halloween.

Love, Me

Vinegar

I have a new best friend.

Want to see a picture of my new best friend?

Okay.

It's cheap, it's useful, and our grandparents have been using it for years. Vinegar kills 99% of bacteria and more than 80% of mold and germs. It's non-toxic, safe, and good for the environment. It's also extremely affordable compared to all the household cleaners on the market. Here are amazing things vinegar can do.

I got these ideas from "Daily Buzz Mom" website.

There are lots of other websites with tons more ideas.

1. Kill Weeds. Put vinegar in a spray bottle and squirt around the house to get rid of weeds.

2. Rinse Out Your Dishwasher. Put a whole cup of vinegar through an entire cycle, without dishes, to clean out soap residue and buildup.

3. Clean Your Coffee Maker. Mix vinegar and water and run it through a coffee brew cycle. Run an extra cycle of water just to make sure the vinegar gets rinsed out.

4. Counter Cleaner. Use vinegar to wipe down sour counters and get them sparkly clean.

5. Drain Deodorizer. Make vinegar ice cubes and grind them up in the garbage disposal to neutralize odors.

6. Degrease an Oven Door. Spray 100% vinegar solution on the door and let it soak before wiping away with a sponge.

7. Boiled Egg Trick. Add a few tablespoons vinegar to boiling water and cracked eggs won't leak while boiling.

8. Sparkling Glassware. Take cloudy glassware from the dishwasher and wrap them with paper towels soaked in vinegar. The cloudiness will be gone.

9. Extend Flower Life. Place a teaspoon vinegar in a vase of water and your stem cut flowers will last longer.

10. Window Cleaner. Use a pint of water mixed with a few tablespoons vinegar to wash windows.

11. Oven Vent Cleaner. Take 100% vinegar solution and soak the vent cover on top of your stove range. Then wipe it down for a grease-free vent.

12. Hair Rinse. Pour one cup vinegar and water solution over hair after washing. The vinegar reduces oil produced and lends highlights to brown hair.

13. Remove Fruit-Stained Hands. Rub vinegar on your hands to take away stubborn berry stains.

14. Cut Laundry Soap. Adding vinegar will reduce the amount of laundry soap you need to clean clothes.

15. Stain Remover. Gently rub into tough stains on clothes, then wash as usual.

16. Marinate Meat. Using vinegar as a marinade, not only softens the meat, but breaks down and kills bacteria. Soak it overnight before cooking for best results.

17. Wood Cutting Board Cleaner. Use full strength vinegar to clean and disinfect wood cutting boards.

18. Cut Out Cooking Smells. Hate the smell of fried fish lingering around your kitchen after you've cooked? Just set a pot of water and vinegar on the stove and let it slow boil for a while to get rid of lingering cooking smells.

19. Clean a Lunchbox. Got a funky lunchbox? Soak a piece of bread in vinegar and let it sit inside it overnight.

20. Stainless Steel Shiner. Clean stainless steel by spraying and wiping full strength vinegar on it.

21. Refrigerator Cleaner. Get rid of fridge smells and grime by using a 50/50 mixture of vinegar and water to clean your fridge.

22. Make Buttermilk. Add a tablespoon vinegar to one cup milk and let it sit for 5 minutes.

23. Grout Cleaner. Let vinegar soak on the grout for 30 minutes, then brush away with a toothbrush.

24. Laundry Brightener. Add 1 cup vinegar to the rinse cycle to keep colors bright.

25. Fix Nighttime Mattress Accidents. Clean up the urine with a vinegar and water solution. Follow with a sprinkling of baking soda. Then vacuum it up when it dries.

There are so many wonderful uses for vinegar. My grandmother uses it to reduce water retention by drinking a teaspoon in a glass of water every morning. It also keeps things moving.

Who knew vinegar was so sweet?

You can "Bing" vinegar and get many more ideas.  It is versitile and cheap!  I just love the stuff.

And NO, my house doesn't smell like I am washing everything in vinegar....but things are starting to sparkle.

I did a "Bing" on Heinze Vinegar and this is what I got......

Around the House

Versatile Heinz^® Vinegar has an outdoor life, too. But that's no surprise. After all, that's where it all starts for us. With sun-ripened corn and apples and cool, clear water. So discover the Great Outdoors right in your own backyard.

A Burning Issue

Let Heinz^® Vinegar take the sting out of sunburn and soothe your minor skin irritations. Just sponge it on to cool down summer's sizzle.

A Dandelion Free Lawn

A natural alternative to using expensive and potentially toxic chemicals. Fill a spray bottle with undiluted Heinz^® White Vinegar. “When dandelions start to pop up, spray the center of each flower with the vinegar. Spray once directly on the plant and again near the ground so the vinegar can soak into the roots. This will kill the dandelions and keep them from growing back. It is best to do this on a sunny day when no rain is expected for a few days, because the rain will wash away the vinegar.

Better Fuel Mileage

Here's a bright idea. For longer-lasting and brighter-burning propane lanterns, soak new wicks for several hours in full-strength Heinz^® White Vinegar and let them dry before inserting. Now see how much brighter things are--on the same amount of fuel.

Cut The Grass

To kill unwanted grass and weeds growing in sidewalk cracks or on driveways, just pour on full-strength Heinz^® Vinegar. It's a natural alternative to using harsh lawn chemicals.

Don't Be A Pest

Ants may be on the march, invading your territory, but you can deter them without using strong, harsh insecticides. Spread a solution of equal parts Heinz^® Vinegar and water all around their points of entry- door jambs, windowsills, and foundation cracks. CAUTION: Be careful not to spill vinegar on your plants or shrubs.

Get Out Of Tough Scrapes

Scraping ice off your car's windshield--one winter chore you'd like to avoid. If you have to leave your car out overnight in the winter, coat the windows with a solution of three parts Heinz^® White Vinegar or Heinz^® Apple Cider Vinegar to one part water. And they'll be frost-free.

Renews Shoes

Rescue your shoes from the damaging effects of salt stains. To remove salt, pour undiluted Heinz^® White Vinegar on a damp cloth and wipe into the affected areas. Then polish with a soft cloth.

Rust-Buster

To loosen rusty bolts and stubborn spigots, soak them in full-strength Heinz^® White Vinegar.

Sticky Situations

When decals or bumper stickers have outlived their usefulness and you want to remove them, wipe them repeatedly with Heinz^® White Vinegar. Let the vinegar soak in. In a few minutes the decals should peel off easily.

The Lime Fighter

After working with garden lime, you can neutralize its harsh, drying effects on your hands by dousing them freely with Heinz^® Vinegar. Then follow with a cold water rinse. No more rough, flaking skin.

I am all into saving money and vinegar is cheap.

 

Good luck, and I hope you learned something new today.   I did.
That is why this post was so long.
Thanks for hanging in with me.

Hello, are you still here?

Please, cover your mouth when you yawn.
Thank you.

Love, Me

Halloween Holiday

I love Halloween.
I started decorating food and my house when my children were very young.
Every year we would get more and more into it.

We turned our front yard, which had lots of trees and bushes, into a grave yard.
We stuffed dummies and goblins to lay next to the head stones.

One year my junior high age kids stayed home just to scare the other trick or treaters.
They dressed up like the dummies and layed in front of head stones.
When the little kids would walk up the path to our front door, my kids would slowly sit up.
It scared everyone!

My kids love Halloween as much as I do.

So, I have been cruising on line and looking at what some other people are doing for Halloween.

I am sharing with you today.

These mummy cookies came from http://www.thedecoratedcookieblog.com/

Don't you want to run into your kitchen and make something fun for someone?

It makes me want to have a party.  The Marshmallow Candy is from http://grinandbakeit.com/.
She has tons of ideas.

After I fill up on sweets at some of these fun blogs, I go to the house decorating places.
My friend, who I love, over at http://purplechocolathome.blogspot.com/
Jackie and I are BFF but she doesn't really know it, that it has gone to the BFF level.
However, she and I have corresponded on several occasions.
She calls me by my first name, so that sums up the BFF for me!

Jackie gets into Halloween and all holidays.
She has a ton of time on her hand, lots of money, and a huge house and more dishes than most department stores.

She is an amazing cook and does really elaborate things, and simple delicious things.

If you don't get into Halloween and just love fall.....which is the road I am taking this year....because....well, just because.....

You will love something else I have found.

You have to have candles to burn when fall arrives.
The smell of Candied Apples, or Autumn Wreath, or Cinnamon Vanilla.....

So, whatever your desire is this year, make the most of it.

Enjoy the crisp morning air, the warm sun, the cool shade, the sound of canning lids sealing, the crackle of the fireplace, the leaves changing colors, the garden giving up the last of its produce, and carmel apples and burning candles.

Happy Fall and the season of Halloween...!

Love, Me