Saturday, July 16, 2011

Saturday

I am trusting that everyone is having a good weekend! Ours is busy as ever. James took Samuel with him early this morning to do some side jobs. I slept in a bit and that felt nice! Usually I get up at the same time every morning but decided to treat myself this morning. After all, it's Saturday!

For four days in a row last week I did not do any laundry. YIKES! For our size family that is usually a "no-no". Life happens though. Sunday was Sunday. Then Monday we were busy all day with a preacher's fellowship we hosted at our home church. Tuesday I didn't do a thing but recovered from said preacher's fellowship. Then Wednesday we had company and so we were having too much fun with that! So my friend that came over Wednesday said she needed to catch up on her laundry and she's been busier than I even. So we decided to keep tabs on one another on how we were doing on Thursday. We both did many, many loads that day! I did not finish at all though and did some more on Friday and today. Hmmm...maybe on Monday I can finally be caught up. LOL

Our garden is doing well. The tomatoes are ripening slowly. I do hope to get some canned this year. We eat tomatoes a whole lot. Our squash has done very well. I think I froze 20 quarts and we've ate our fill of squash this season. We are about to pull up the plants and be done with them. The peas are coming on well too. We only planted one row (about 75 feet long) but it's producing nicely. The corn hasn't been so good but we are getting a few meals... we didn't plant much though. The green beans were a bit disappointing but we have gotten some put away for later and I let some beans get quite big to have shelly beans. The beans seemed tough from the start and I wasn't keen on the quality so we might try a second planting here soon.
The okra is putting on well...we only have four plants though. The cucumbers haven't done much at all...only 2-3 so far. Then again, I haven't been faithful in watering them though. As crazy as it seem, in them midst of this I am still scheming of what we can plant next and even thinking of our fall garden! I just like having enough food provided for the family, ya' know? :D

We have been enjoying the hot summer days. We have taken off a bit from school this summer but I think I'll give us only 2-3 more weeks before we hit the books again. I wasn't happy with our progress last year so really hope for a better year this coming year!

I am thinking of us raising some meat to butcher...thinking of some meat chickens and rabbits. With times being as they are and the idea of our economy on the way to collapsing, I thought this would be a wise decision. So, we'd have meat in the back yard, vegetables in the garden and dry food storage of what I buy ahead. This feels like a heavier burden with a large family and with the economy being in such turmoil. We have butchered chickens before ("we" as in hubby!). I've done a lot of research on raising and butchering meat rabbits. Maybe this will be a fall project for our family and we can fill out freezer up with some healthy rabbit meat! I think I'll feel like a full fledged prepper then. :D

OoOkayyyyy, so let's see what else is going on here.... I have begun baking homemade bread again with the sponge method. I am THRILLED! I don't have to measure a thing with how I'm making it. I might have to video it and post to YouTube sometime. We bought a kitchen slicer back in the spring that was on clearance at Sam's Club. That thing slices bread so well! I love it! A slicer has been on my "want" list for a long time and this one was just $31. We have sliced many loaves of bread along with chopped ham we buy in bulk at Sam's. I plan on buying some pork loin soon and I can't wait to slice some chops on it. :D

Basically our days has been filled with chores, relaxing and swimming. We got the pool going this year and hubby installed a salt chlorinator. After the initial cost of the chlorinator, the cost of running the pool is amazingly cheap....about $40-$50 a year. I'd recommend a salt chlorinator to anyone interested in running their pool and saving money in the end. The water is great on your eyes as well too as it contains about the same amount of salt as what is in your tears already.

Alrighty, I'd better get off here. The dishes in the sink are calling my name and it's time to wrap up our chores for the night. I hope you all have a blessed day in your home churches tomorrow and a great day in the Lord!

2 comments:

Dana said...

Wow, you have been busy!!
Your week reminds me of mine only I think you were way busier!!
This week was our VBS!! I helped out in the nursery class Kara was in. Tuesday we had to go to town for Brady's kindergarten assessment, then Friday I had a dr appt. Saturday dh worked a side job and I had friends over for a home party, Sunday was church, running errands for my gram, cemetary visting, gram and pap visiting, stopping at Lowe's for an errand for my hubby who was working a side job that day as well, the dropped off my mom at her house, then we came home and I nearly collapsed in my comfortable chair, I was so tired, but I took the time to watch a show with the kids and work on clipping coupons at the same time. Boy oh Boy I was some kind of ready for bed last night!! Hopefully my week and yours too, will be back to somewhat normal schedules!!

Your garden sounds like it is producing so well. That is great!! I wish we were able to have chickens and such here but where we live they do not allow it. I know its wrong but I am so on the verge of getting chickens anyway and telling the HOA that they are pets!! LOL Dh says I wouldn't be lying because I would grow attatched and not be able to kill them anyway.lol
Have a blessed week!! Love all the posts!!

Dana

Beth said...

What type of slicer did you get? I have been interested in finding one and also finding a meat grinder (for the deer that Aaron gets every fall). Any recommendations?

Thanks,
Beth