Britesea - Living the good life in rural Oregon

[Britesea]

I have been looking at seed catalogs today, discussing what new things to get this year with DH. I think I'm going to try a few new (for me, anyway) varieties of things that will tolerate cooler summer weather. If I grow them along with my usual varieties, I can hedge my bets.

@Mini Horses I haven't taken a picture of the greenhouse because it's been so cold I didn't want to go out there, lol. Technically, we haven't really finished yet because we haven't cut the hole for the back window yet, nor did we put the handle and lock on the door. Between rain, snow, and accident-- just haven't had the time or the energy.

I've been taking a couple of classes at the YMCA the last couple of months as well: Tai Chi and a water class called Water Wellness that is designed to help people with arthritis. Amazingly, I lost 6 pounds in 6 weeks even though it's such gentle exercise. Hoping to keep up both the classes and the weight loss! The classes are both on Mondays and Fridays, and it takes most of the days in between to get my knees feeling better after each session.

I've been having bouts with hives lately. At first, I had to take Benadryl every 6 hours (and sometimes sooner in spite of what the directions say)- I had huge welts all over my body, everywhere except my face and feet. It's been about 4 weeks, and it has gradually gotten less bad; now I only have to take the Benadryl twice a day. The only changes to my life before it started was that my doctor doubled my blood pressure medicine and my blood pressure suddenly decided to go higher; it looks like she might have to either increase it again, or add a second medication, because it still isn't as low as she'd like. I don't know if the higher dose would cause the hives but if so, it doesn't really make sense that they would be going away because I'm still taking it.

Well, time to go take the second batch of beets out of the canner!

We finally finished all our turkey leftovers. An 18 pounder takes a looong time when there's just three of us. I made soup, casserole, turkey salad, and finally turkey chili (and we had the leftovers of THAT as burritos today at lunch). So what does DS do? He proudly came home from doing some grocery shopping with ANOTHER 18 pound turkey! LOL! I guess the guys really love turkey. Luckily, it will take several days to thaw, so I am making quiche lorraine for dinner tonight, with a beet salad using some of the extra beets after weighing them out for pickling. We have a Cranberry Orange Walnut bread that one of the ladies in the swim class made for a dessert. I'm thinking of making a sweetened yogurt cheese spread to put on top of the toasted slices.

 

[Mini Horses]

Weeeelllllll..pictures will happen when they happen.

Dinner sounds great and I'm full, already. Sounds like you'll have lots more turkey soup & broth son was helping!

Sounds like the exercise events are helping -- even tho some after effects in the knees. Eventually the knees will adapt with some strengthening of all the parts. Just don't overdo BUT do.
Hard to maintain that when it aches -- it will lessen.

I'd sure take to the dr about the BP & meds & what else can help. Maybe a change of meds.

 

[Britesea]

Well they are changing the meds. Maybe that will help.

The turkey was thawed yesterday, so I went ahead and roasted it. Invited DS to come over for dinner and then he went back to the housesitting, with large portions of turkey, gravy, stuffing, and green beans almandine, plus a portion of another squash pie.

Canned up 16 pints of pickled beets from the garden, and the squash pie used up the last squash that I got in before the freeze. Luckily, I have a bunch of both canned and dehydrated sweet potatoes still from last year, so we won't be without our Vitamin A,

We didn't make it to Tai Chi today-- my knees are hurting big time, and I think it might be the weather this time. We are between two big storms. While I was cooking last night, I kept getting shots of burning pains in the knees-- not at all like what happens after an excercise session. So today I am using Advil and heat on them.

 

[lcertuche]

I hurt my shoulder and for months couldn't raise my arm without horrible sharp pain but I started doing a Tai Chi show on PBS and it helped so much.

 

[hqueen13]

Jealous of your Tai Chi! It is one of the things that I want to learn. I love my yoga class, though, it helps a lot with the body stiffness and being sore. I've been clinging to it since I've been pulling double (sometimes triple!) duty farm sitting myself.

Good to hear from you! I can't wait to hear about your freeze dryer! There is a Facebook group for Harvest Right Freeze Dryers that I'm a member of, they have some really amazing good help on there if you've got questions.

 

[lcertuche]

I was planning on cooking a turkey for New Year's but my church decided to have pot luck after Sunday morning service. DH decided we should bake it anyway and take with us, so that's what we'll do. Likely there will not be any leftovers but I love the idea of sharing it with my church family.

 

[Britesea]

I finally got around to taking a picture of the greenhouse. We still have some work to do- such as trimming the door so it fits better (you can see where it stays open just a bit at the top there) and we still have to cut the opening for the window at the other end and install the automatic window opener (love that!)

We are snugged in, ready to weather a storm that promises to dump at least a foot of snow on us tomorrow, and we already have about 6 inches on the ground. Brought in enough wood to keep us for a few days, and made sure we had plenty of food for us and the animals, so we don't have to leave the house unless we want to. Tai Chi and swimming aren't until Friday. We have a heater in the tank house in case the temps drop really low, but right now it's hovering around refrigerator temps so that's all right.

I announced to DH that we are having leftovers, so he opted for the Ham and Mac and Cheese, while I am going for the Spaghetti with Shrimp and Asparagus. We'll use up the last of the fresh lettuce, along with some sprouts for a salad, and I think I'll bake some Snowball Cookies for dessert.

I've been working on a cardigan sweater for DS for the last few months. I've got the back and one side of the front done, about halfway through the second front and then the arms to go. I'm getting tired of it though... the colors are kind of a camo look and my eyes want to look at something else for a change. After this I'm gonna go ransack my stash and see what I have in a short-term project like a hat. I don't have a nice hat for myself. I seem to recall a really pretty teal wool in there somewhere.....

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Thanks for the green house pics! Hope ya'll weather the storm well - but sounds like you're prepared!

 

[hqueen13]

Hope the storm takes it easy on yall! I wish it would snow here. I know, crazy!!

 

[Mini Horses]

Greenhouse looks good! Sounds like you are prepared to be cozy & settled in. Yep, that's best!

We are being "told" that there may be snow here Saturday. Now, because we are coastal, you just never know how much as the front can go 50 miles E or W of the line it's traveling and give you rain, sleet, flurries or downright inches of snow. I hate snow! Well, I can handle a dusting but, don't want a foot or any of that. We will be having 20s @night & mid 30 days Thur night thru Monday AM. cold....

Preparing for worst & hoping for best. Will get a few more bales of hay tomorrow and check all the winterizing "issues" around the sheds. Heated water tubs at ready.