Tamlynn's journal that needs an interesting name -I'm a gramma -pics!

[Farmfresh]

My sister had to raise an orphaned foal a few years back. He had problems with constipation and was needing special feeds.

SHE was going through the grocery store line with 8 fleet enemas, 2 gallons of corn oil and multiple boxes of "quick" oatmeal.

She raised a few eyebrows as well!

 

[tamlynn]

Stocked up at the grocery store this week. Got more raised eyebrows for all the meat and canned goods we were buying. Hey, there are good sales on food around the holidays! No, we are not having a party and are not particularly hungry.

Gorgeous day today. finished weeding and tilling up (by hand) the garden plot. It actually got some frost and our late butternut squash's leaves looked a little dark and wilted. They'll probably be fine. Planted broccoli, cauliflower, and some bok choy today. Peas are up and looking good. Orange tree is loaded. I wonder if I should thin it? Some of the branches are nearly touching the ground.

Will finish canning the pears this weekend and probably puree a couple more pumpkins that don't look like they will keep for a lot longer.

Took inventory and we canned 9 dozen quarts and 2 dozen pints of various fruits and veggies this year.

 

[BarredBuff]

I love peas....tried to grow some this spring. And was gonna can up a few. But they went horribly.

 

[tamlynn]

Planted the rest of the bok choy, transplanted some baby beets. Hopefully they are far enough away from the chickens to survive. Note to self: get some smaller wire to put around the bottom of the garden fence- chickens have abnormally long necks.

 

[framing fowl]

Must be nice to still be gardening outdoors! I'm jealous!

 

[tamlynn]

Best family night in a while!

On Monday nights we have family night. We all get together, play a game, discuss our plans for the week, talk about a relevant topic -usually something about honoring thy mother and father and/or being nice to your family, and have a treat, sing songs, etc.

Tonight we made a fire in the fireplace and let the kids burn their completed math books. Then we had hot chocolate. Yeah, we're pretty cool parents. Oh, and the blue book covers made really pretty green flames.

 

[abifae]

Tonight we made a fire in the fireplace and let the kids burn their completed math books. Then we had hot chocolate. Yeah, we're pretty cool parents. Oh, and the blue book covers made really pretty green flames.

ROFL that is so awesome!!!

We had to turn ours in. Paid $60 a term for books and they were required turned in. Humph. My niece is fully online. They give each kid a lap top and they have all their schoolwork that way.

 

[dacjohns]

You book burner you.

 

[tamlynn]

Copied from my blog

One potato, two potato

It all started with a gift from Miss Vickie. She's the lady who has the community garden plot across from ours, though I haven't seen her for months and her garden isn't looking so hot. Miss Vickie are you out there? Anyway, the kids were chatting with her (avoiding work) this summer while I was toiling away in our garden. Since my children are adorable she gave them a tiny little potato that had sprouted a cute little green leaf. It was a baby redskin, probably about an inch in diameter. I drove it home carefully and planted the slightly wilted thing in a pot. Before I knew it, the pot looked like this:

I read somewhere that you are supposed to mound dirt around potatoes several times during the growing season and wait until the leaves die back before harvesting. But I didn't. So there. Just before we left on vacation (this would have been July) I dug my finger down into the dirt. There were potatoes in there! I felt as excited as the first time I went snorkeling in the ocean. I stuck my face in the water and gasped (mentally gasped because my face was in the water.) I had been playing in the ocean all that time and had no idea there were all those beautiful fish down there! I had been walking by that old pot for weeks, completely unaware of the beautiful tubers just beneath the surface. Harvest time.

What is that, sixteen potatoes? And some good sized ones too. Homegrown potatoes are delicious, and obviously very easy. It didn't even matter that some bug was eating the leaves. I don't recommend using a terra cotta pot however, because it's too fragile to move around when dumping the potatoes. Go get yourself some cheap plastic containers- I like the black 15 gallon nursery pots. Fill with potting soil, put in a potato or two, place in a sunny spot and don't forget to water it once in a while. Before you know it you'll be baking, mashing, and french-frying.

See that little tiny one at the top left? I replanted it. It's a circle of life kind of thing. Thanks, Miss Vickie.

 

[dacjohns]

That story warmed my heart.