amberfocus: (Sick in Bed)
I may come out of this stomach bug 10 pounds lighter at this rate. Just saying.

I used the power of free child labor to deal with 15 pounds of tomatoes today (yes, somehow ten grew to fifteen as tomatoes are wont to do at this time of year). Because I am too sick to touch other people's food, but not too sick to be bossy, I can make a twelve-year-old and a sixteen-year-old perform magic, only not without whining.

I was going to just process diced ones, but no one had the patience to deal with that much dicing, so core, cut, and blenderize it was. I'll save dicing for when DH is home again in two weeks. I have both an eight quart and a six quart crockpot filled to near their tops with tomato puree cooking down overnight. I'll probably end up with about 7 quarts for canning. When I did it last week I cooked it down closer to paste and only got 7 pints, but I won't do that this time. It does take some time to cook it down this way, but I don't have to pay attention to it much while it does it's own thing.

My green bean plants are providing enough for fresh eating this year, but not for canning because I didn't plant enough, so I will likely put an order in at the new neighborhood produce stand that carries some local, organic stuff, green beans being one of those things for 25 pounds. I love this place. I walked away from them recently with three totes full of fruits and vegetables and spent just under $25. I cannot do that in a grocery store anymore. Everything is from my state, and over half of it is from my county. And they are walking distance (even for me), but they are also only two blocks over from several other places I go when combining errands.

I have tried two new melons grown in Eastern WA lately, a Galia and a Piel de Sapo (toad skin) or Santa Claus Melon. They are so darn good. They taste like both cantaloupe and honeydew, but not in the same way. I discovered today that melon will stay down for a whole 20 minutes at which point it's mostly liquid. I hate to eat so much fruit for many reasons but at this point I have to get some nutrition into me, even if it's only visiting for a few minutes. And the birds are loving the rinds and the seeds.

I don't think I mentioned that we almost lost Queen. She's doing a lot better, and we think she will live, but boy we thought she'd go the way of Kyri, eggbound and miserable. Giving a chicken a warm bath and a massage or two where you never want to touch a chicken did a world of good for the poor critter. She's laying eggs normally again and being the first to the treats dish so that's good.

ExpandDuck Egg Photo Cut for Size )
amberfocus: (Sick in Bed)
I may come out of this stomach bug 10 pounds lighter at this rate. Just saying.

I used the power of free child labor to deal with 15 pounds of tomatoes today (yes, somehow ten grew to fifteen as tomatoes are wont to do at this time of year). Because I am too sick to touch other people's food, but not too sick to be bossy, I can make a twelve-year-old and a sixteen-year-old perform magic, only not without whining.

I was going to just process diced ones, but no one had the patience to deal with that much dicing, so core, cut, and blenderize it was. I'll save dicing for when DH is home again in two weeks. I have both an eight quart and a six quart crockpot filled to near their tops with tomato puree cooking down overnight. I'll probably end up with about 7 quarts for canning. When I did it last week I cooked it down closer to paste and only got 7 pints, but I won't do that this time. It does take some time to cook it down this way, but I don't have to pay attention to it much while it does it's own thing.

My green bean plants are providing enough for fresh eating this year, but not for canning because I didn't plant enough, so I will likely put an order in at the new neighborhood produce stand that carries some local, organic stuff, green beans being one of those things for 25 pounds. I love this place. I walked away from them recently with three totes full of fruits and vegetables and spent just under $25. I cannot do that in a grocery store anymore. Everything is from my state, and over half of it is from my county. And they are walking distance (even for me), but they are also only two blocks over from several other places I go when combining errands.

I have tried two new melons grown in Eastern WA lately, a Galia and a Piel de Sapo (toad skin) or Santa Claus Melon. They are so darn good. They taste like both cantaloupe and honeydew, but not in the same way. I discovered today that melon will stay down for a whole 20 minutes at which point it's mostly liquid. I hate to eat so much fruit for many reasons but at this point I have to get some nutrition into me, even if it's only visiting for a few minutes. And the birds are loving the rinds and the seeds.

I don't think I mentioned that we almost lost Queen. She's doing a lot better, and we think she will live, but boy we thought she'd go the way of Kyri, eggbound and miserable. Giving a chicken a warm bath and a massage or two where you never want to touch a chicken did a world of good for the poor critter. She's laying eggs normally again and being the first to the treats dish so that's good.

ExpandDuck Egg Photo Cut for Size )
amberfocus: (Food--Strawberries)
One of the problems with having a productive garden in the summer is that it can be hard to keep up with it, especially when it is hot. Today I picked 1 gallon of raspberries and 2 gallons of blueberries, probably 3 if you count what I fed to the super demanding chicken flock. They are not shy at all about asking for blueberries. I suppose I shouldn't complain too much, considering the newbies are starting to lay eggs. Finally earning their keep! I have barely made a dent in the blueberries, either. I could probably pick another 5 gallons tomorrow and the next day and still have some left to do. Plus there are tons of red and green ones still. The raspberries won't be ready again to pick for 3 or 4 days. I picked the blackberries yesterday and I think I've got a week before I need to pick those again.

ExpandA lot to do )
amberfocus: (Food--Strawberries)
One of the problems with having a productive garden in the summer is that it can be hard to keep up with it, especially when it is hot. Today I picked 1 gallon of raspberries and 2 gallons of blueberries, probably 3 if you count what I fed to the super demanding chicken flock. They are not shy at all about asking for blueberries. I suppose I shouldn't complain too much, considering the newbies are starting to lay eggs. Finally earning their keep! I have barely made a dent in the blueberries, either. I could probably pick another 5 gallons tomorrow and the next day and still have some left to do. Plus there are tons of red and green ones still. The raspberries won't be ready again to pick for 3 or 4 days. I picked the blackberries yesterday and I think I've got a week before I need to pick those again.

ExpandA lot to do )
amberfocus: (Chicken!)
My stupid eyelid is hurting again and just starting to swell up. Fortunately I still have the steroid eyedrops from the last time this happened and I started treatment tonight since there will be no chance of me contacting the doctor before Monday. He gave me much more than I needed last time for the course of treatment, which is good when this happens on a weekend.

ExpandAnd the Other Stuff that has Been Keeping Me Busy )
amberfocus: (Chicken!)
My stupid eyelid is hurting again and just starting to swell up. Fortunately I still have the steroid eyedrops from the last time this happened and I started treatment tonight since there will be no chance of me contacting the doctor before Monday. He gave me much more than I needed last time for the course of treatment, which is good when this happens on a weekend.

ExpandAnd the Other Stuff that has Been Keeping Me Busy )

Update

Jul. 19th, 2012 10:48 pm
amberfocus: (Food--Strawberries)
I meant to post the next chapter of Vortex today, but we had so much to do. I canned a batch of apricot jam, picked several pints of raspberries which are now in the freezer awaiting being made into jam, picked blackberries and am just one pint short of a batch of jam (I'm sure there's a joke in there somewhere) for those so they are also waiting in the freezer, picked several pints of blueberries (ditto in the frezer), picked green beans, and watered three different gardens.
ExpandSo much to do )

Update

Jul. 19th, 2012 10:48 pm
amberfocus: (Food--Strawberries)
I meant to post the next chapter of Vortex today, but we had so much to do. I canned a batch of apricot jam, picked several pints of raspberries which are now in the freezer awaiting being made into jam, picked blackberries and am just one pint short of a batch of jam (I'm sure there's a joke in there somewhere) for those so they are also waiting in the freezer, picked several pints of blueberries (ditto in the frezer), picked green beans, and watered three different gardens.
ExpandSo much to do )
amberfocus: (Food--Strawberries)
...but I'm done. I processed 4 more pints and 1 more 12 ounce jar of strawberry jam today and I am finally out of berries. It is interesting how the same amount of ingredients do not always produce the same amount of jam. I've been at it for four days now, but it is totally worth it and my half a pantry shelf of gorgeous jam and jelly is beautifully jewel-toned, but did I mention that canning is hot, sweaty work? Because if I didn't it is hot. And sweaty. And work. But I should not have to make jam again for a week. One batch of raspberries is enough (most will be Christmas gifts) and if the chickens eat the rest, well, I won't tell anyone. And then after that no more jam until mid-August when the blackberries and blueberries are ripe. And then that shelf will be completely full of jam, jelly, and home-canned fruit. And maybe the next one, too.

Expand100 mile Foodshed Ramblings )
amberfocus: (Food--Strawberries)
...but I'm done. I processed 4 more pints and 1 more 12 ounce jar of strawberry jam today and I am finally out of berries. It is interesting how the same amount of ingredients do not always produce the same amount of jam. I've been at it for four days now, but it is totally worth it and my half a pantry shelf of gorgeous jam and jelly is beautifully jewel-toned, but did I mention that canning is hot, sweaty work? Because if I didn't it is hot. And sweaty. And work. But I should not have to make jam again for a week. One batch of raspberries is enough (most will be Christmas gifts) and if the chickens eat the rest, well, I won't tell anyone. And then after that no more jam until mid-August when the blackberries and blueberries are ripe. And then that shelf will be completely full of jam, jelly, and home-canned fruit. And maybe the next one, too.

Expand100 mile Foodshed Ramblings )

*Sighs*

Jul. 3rd, 2012 01:04 am
amberfocus: (Default)
Tomorrow I am going to write. No ifs, ands, or buts. It's really hard to get back into the swing of it again. I was doing so well before T got his concussion. Necessarily I have had to spend more time with him and check on him more frequently when he's out of my sight, which doesn't lead to long, uninterupted hours of writing time on the computer.

ExpandWhat I Have Been Doing Instead of Writing )

*Sighs*

Jul. 3rd, 2012 01:04 am
amberfocus: (Default)
Tomorrow I am going to write. No ifs, ands, or buts. It's really hard to get back into the swing of it again. I was doing so well before T got his concussion. Necessarily I have had to spend more time with him and check on him more frequently when he's out of my sight, which doesn't lead to long, uninterupted hours of writing time on the computer.

ExpandWhat I Have Been Doing Instead of Writing )
amberfocus: (Food--Strawberries)
But very productive. I found a source of organic strawberries and I made these:

ExpandStrawberry Jam )
amberfocus: (Food--Strawberries)
But very productive. I found a source of organic strawberries and I made these:

ExpandStrawberry Jam )

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