Britesea - Living the good life in rural Oregon

[moolie]

Nice score on the buckets, many of our storage buckets came from grocery store bakeries--our local Coop grocery store bakery gets muffin mix in buckets that I really like

That hanging is absolutely stunning, how long did it take? You do beautiful work

 

[Britesea]

The hanging has taken approximately 3 months- but that's just working in my free time in the evenings. I have the second one to do, and I think it will go faster in the winter. The colors were chosen to harmonize with my pride and joy- an antique hand knotted persian rug of wool and goat hair.

 

[moolie]

That's a true labour of love! Sounds like you have a beautiful rug

 

[Britesea]

The rug is really beautiful. Sometimes I feel guilty about walking on it, but the experts tell me that it is better to have it on the floor and using it than to either hang it on the wall or keep it rolled up in storage; so I enjoy it in my living room.

I finally finished putting up the orange syrup. I ended up with 17 quarts (probably 2 years worth, lol), 2 pints (for the people that gave us the oranges), and 8 half pints suitable for holiday gifts. They look so pretty lined up on my counter-- like liquid sunshine. Next is strawberry syrup, and elderberry syrup.

I was thinking about putting an ad in Craigslist for fellow local canners to start a canning group. We could trade ideas and product; and get together for larger projects. Has anyone done something like this?

 

[abifae]

I was thinking about putting an ad in Craigslist for fellow local canners to start a canning group. We could trade ideas and product; and get together for larger projects. Has anyone done something like this?

No, but I love the idea!!!

 

[rathbone]

Meet you under the pines this afternoon at 2:30 (I am always tired and want a 15 minute sit-down at that time of day.)

(p.s. the hanging is gorgeous!)

 

[Britesea]

It's raining here, but just a nice gentle rain. I've strung up my clotheslines in the utility room and hung up a load of whites. I'm curious to see how long it takes to dry as we haven't turned on the heater yet this year (right now it's 54 outside, 62 inside).

My orange syrup used up every ounce of sugar I had in the house, lol; so I can't make any strawberry or elderberry syrups until payday on Thursday. I'm taking out the tomatoes from the freezer a few at a time to start them thawing so I can peel them and get most of the liquid out, then I'll can them up.

I've been looking for a good recipe for chile verde with pork. Does anyone have one?

More jars! I hit an estate sale and got 9 big boxes full of jars- a mixture of canning jars and mayo jars (which I can use for dried goods) for $15; and at the bottom of one of the boxes, I found 3 sealed boxes of canning lids. I don't know how old they are, but I'll give them a try and see if they are still good.

DH has been looking at "pocket rocket" stoves. I want an alternate heating/cooking source but I'm not sure if these are the way to go. I understand how the regular rocket stoves work, but we would need to totally redo the living room to install one with the thermal mass and all that-- but these little portable ones, I dunno.... I think I might feel more comfortable with a kerosene heater. I found what looks like a decent deal on Kosmos lanterns (cheaper and sturdier than Aladdin- with almost as much light) that has a wall mounted one like I wanted for my kitchen, plus two others that will be very nice reading lamps for the living room. Now I have to decide whether to buy that, or the buckets-mylar-and-oxygen-absorbers I was planning to buy with this check.

Angie, the woman that runs the community greenhouse, has given me a table of my own in the back greenhouse so I can keep some of my herbs and crops going, and start seedlings in the spring. I'd like to get a dwarf lemon tree, but I wonder how many lemons a small one will give me- would it be worth the trouble? I've been so late getting my winter garden planted that I think I'll have to start the seeds in the greenhouse and transplant them to the cold frames when they get bigger.

Well, off to make more dog food! Have a nice day everyone!

 

[colowyo0809]

It occurred to me today that I've been very negligent in saying howdy on your thread Loved the pics of the jewlery and the door hanging! Do you have a picture of that rug that you use in the living room?

 

[Britesea]

thank you col! I will try to take a picture today, since I'm planning to vacuum (uh-oh, I used the P word!)

Just sitting and relaxing a little bit here. I had my bi-weekly shopping trip yesterday and happily came home with a whole $9 left from the cash I took with me! lol
I was able to buy another 25 sack of carrots-- this time for .22 per pound! I will be drying those, as well as bags of potatoes, onions, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, and a 5 pound sack of frozen peas (it was a great price, but I don't have room in the freezer for that many peas). My pantry is looking better all the time!

I'm also starting to pull the tomatoes out of the freezer and peeling and dicing them. Once the excess water drips out while they are thawing it will be a snap to can them as sauce. Dijon mustard is on the list too- we are all out. Last time I made some was July, so the double batch lasted for quite a while.

I look at all the work there is to do, and I can't imagine how hard life must have been for the pioneer in the early years. Sure, eventually they had large families to help out, but think of a young couple, newly married and heading out West. No family to help, and an entire homestead to set up. Rushing to get shelter and food before that first winter. *shakes her head* If I don't manage to put up a winter's worth of food, we still won't starve because the grocery store is just a few minute's drive away.

Our plums are finally ripe, so I need to get out there and pick them before the deer get them. DH also heard an apple fall last night as he was emptying the car.

Well, my tea break is over. Time to get back to the dishes and laundry.

 

[abifae]

thank you col! I will try to take a picture today, since I'm planning to vacuum (uh-oh, I used the P word!)

Picture?