A Day in This Life

      One of the first things I saw this morning when I came downstairs, was my toothbrush lying on the counter with last night's dirty dishes. I mean, seriously, how on earth did it get THERE?!
      So, we started school today. We are just easing into it, because we went longer in the spring, and now we have a bunch of garden finishing up to do. The barn and chicken coop are in desperate need of a good cleaning before fall sets in. We are still raising meat birds which have about 4 wks left. The flower beds and garden are pretty weedy because with the lack of rain we may have less weeds, but the ones we do have are diggin' in and hangin' on for dear life.
    Back to the eeeeeeeasing into school thing, yeah, it's gonna take a few days:) The signs we made to go with our back to school pictures originally said Fist Day of School and First Day of Scoole. We discovered that oil pastels can be erased:)

    My husband is working 2nd shift again. I had finally gotten myself used to 1st shift. In fact I literally had just said to myself, "Self, I think I'm liking this being on 1st shift now that I'm used to it." Then my husband came home and told me he was being moved back to 2nd shift. Literally, just. So now it's time to start back to school, and the garden is begging to be finished up, well, most of it anyway, and we're raising those meat birds, and we're close to having 2 grandbabies in a few weeks, so how am I supposed to remember what time to feed the guy before he goes to work? I'm trying, I really am. I just keep missing it. Today it was pork chops in homemade tomato sauce, rice and beets fresh from the garden. So he's getting these AWESOME meals a day later than the rest of us, and they're cold and wrapped in foil. Well, not always, cause I'm trying not to use foil anymore, so sometimes they're in plastic, which I'm also trying not to use. He did get a packed lunch today, though  (technically his supper) which he eats while most people are getting ready for bed.
    We got a beef last week, so we are rendering the fat. Now that will keep you praying, I'll tell you! Pouring hot, melted fat into your canning jars, you pray for all you're worth they won't decide to give out on you, as old jars are sometimes wont to do! I am standing here pouring off this fat, in the oldest skirt I own (the one with holes by the zipper and paint hand prints on the derriere). I showered this morning, but never got around to brushing my teeth. It's hot, like 95 degrees in my kitchen, (because, I'm rendering fat, you know, so it has to be the hottest day in how long)? So if the jar breaks, then what? I'm not going to the ER looking like this, no sirree! Really, it is quite an exercise in idiocy to render your own fat. It's sizzling as you pour it in the jar, 'cause you want it hot, so it will seal. You gotta strain it at least somewhat, and since the only stainless funnel I have is a wide mouth, and all my half gallon jars are narrow mouth (of course), that adds an extra step. So I'm pouring sizzling hot fat from one jar which may explode into another. Idiocy, I tell you, sheer idiocy:) Anyway, the last 2 bags are in the roaster, and I'm sure I won't sleep well tonight at all, because cooking fat wafting up the stairs into my bedroom is utterly nauseating!

   We had a potluck to go to this evening for all the kiddos that played summer sports in our home school group. Beans were cooking, meat was frying, peach cobbler in the oven. We were making pretty good time. I had to take another quick shower (95 degrees in my kitchen you will remember). Well I don't know about you, but before I head out to something like that, I usually brush my teeth. Especially if I didn't get to it all day! I specifically remember assigning someone to return that wayward toothbrush back to it's rightful place, (refer to sentence 1) although I could not tell you who that was. And neither could anyone else. Good thing I have one in my travel bag.
       Now about those meat birds. We are raising Freedom Rangers. They grow more slowly than the Cornish Crosses, and so far, I'm liking what I see. We have ours in a portable pen, so they get moved every day. Ya hook that puppy up to the lawn tractor and give it a little tug, while your 3 children stand at the back with fairly large sticks to chase any stragglers forward so they don't get smashed. Pretty simple operation, right? Unless, of course, you get the tires stuck on a tree root that is hiding under luscious tall grass next to the stump that your husband cut down last summer. So, the better idea seems to be to let said chickens out of the pen, which we do from time to time if we are pulling the pen at angle. Dumb idea at dusk. But I'd started this thing, and I wanted them moved. Well, when you want them in the pen, they don't want to go. And when you want them out, they don't want to go. We cajoled and clucked and shook the food to tempt them, doors wide open, all the while, darkness falling. We finally got them all out, rather my youngest did, all stooped over in that 3 foot tall pen with her skirt tucked up to keep it from getting you know, chicken poop on it:) We moved the pen, and then had to wrangle them back in. Chickens are pretty much blind when it's that close to dark, so it was much easier putting them back. You can scoop them up by twos and threes at that point. All this time, our Lab is running back and forth, barking at the woods, to let the coyotes, foxes and coons know they better just stay away, cause she's on guard. She is a converted chicken lover, (I converted her myself) and even helps the girls wrangle the chicks back toward the pen when we've let them out.      So, that was today, in a nutshell, and tomorrow is another day:)

O Sacred Head Now Wounded

     We have been studying the Middle Ages. The fuedal system, nobility, knights, the plague. We read the most inspiring thing so far the other night in a book called Trial and Triumph by Richard Hannula. I was hesitant to use this book when I first cracked it back in Spring because, being about church history, the stories are sometimes gruesome and depressing. Learning about saints and martyrs can be a good thing, but the first story was the martyrdom of Polycarp and well, I thought my girls were a little tender for that I guess.
      Well, Bernard de Clairvaux (1090-1153) was the son of a nobleman and knight, who left his family castle to pursue a life of service to God. Though a gifted scholar, at age 22, he became a monk. All of his five brothers, an uncle, and over twenty friends followed suit. Just 3 years later, he was sent out to establish a new monastery. The growth was vast and eventually they established over one hundred new monasteries. Now mind you, I am well aware of the corruption and sin surrounding the monasteries of the day, but apparently, Bernard was truly a pious man. He preached the love of God, and all around reported the presence of God in the valley where the monastery stood. These monks "did not hide from the world, but fed and lodged travelers, nursed the sick and cared for the poor." They emptied their storehouses to feed the masses during a famine.
     You can read more about Bernard, in this book or by looking for him online, but I do have a point I am getting to here. Bernard was inspired to do what he did by his mother. He had gone to visit his brothers as they were besieging a castle. He rode along weighed down by his sin, worrying over his future, and the words of his mother (who was deceased) came to him, "My son, was it for this that I brought you into the world?" Sharing this with his father is what changed his mind about giving his blessing for him to follow his call from God.
     That spoke volumes to me about our influence on our children's spiritual lives. They need to know they have a calling, a gift, a purpose on this earth for which the Father has created them. And they need to know that we know it too. They need to know that we believe in them and their ability to follow that calling and fulfill it.
      I cannot claim in the least way to have been the mother I should have been in this area. I am sure I have let my own fleshly will get in the way of helping my children to see who they are and can be in Christ. But I pray that I will be able to knit my heart more closely to His, and see with His eyes what He has for my children. I pray that I can help them to see it for themselves, and desire it much more than fine gold.
     By the way, Bernard de Clairvaux wrote the songs, "O Sacred Head Now Wounded" and "Jesus, Thou Joy of Loving Hearts."
     Next week the Waldensians and Francis of Assisi :)
     
        

Sauerkraut

     Here is another practical and encouraging post, this one about lacto-fermenting vegetables. I haven't made sauerkraut for years, and it is so easy. In recent years I learned that you can do the same with many other veggies and fruits as well. MAKE SURE YOUR JARS AND LIDS ARE STERILIZED! When I first wrote this post, I lost all my kraut. It may or may not have been safe, but had some funky looking mold, and I wasn't willing to risk it. This time it turned out great, and I actually used a large pickle jar, which is a little more than half a gallon. We also did cauliflower and carrots. I used organic, whole baby carrots, but I will use thinly sliced carrots next time, as I think the whole ones were just too thick. We just eat them all right out of the jar as a side with meals. The three mixed together are great. Or sometimes when I'm putting something in the frig, I get a hankerin, so I eat a big forkful:)
     1. Finely chop or shred your cabbage
     2. Pack firmly into quart jars, 3/4 full only
     3. Fill with water to cover cabbage, up to the neck of the jar
     4. Add 1 level TB salt
     5. Add 2 TB whey (saved from draining your kefir ). You can use another 1/2 TB salt if you do not have whey. The goal is to keep bad bacteria from forming. Or alternately, you can reduce or leave out the salt, provided  you use the whey.
     6. Place caps on tightly enough to keep things out, and leave sitting on counter. I BURPED my jars once a day After 3 days, tighten lids and refrigerate. It's ready to use, but will improve with time. It will keep for years in the frig.
      I also layered the salt and cabbage when making a larger amount.

                                                              
            The girls did all the chopping, and most of the jar stuffing. Definitely a fun one! Try It!
                                                                                   

Kefir

      For many years, we have tried to eat a rather healthy diet. I had heard over the years about Kefir (pronounced kay-fear, but no one says it that way here in the midwest cause that drawls it out too much. We say Keefr). It is made from grains, and I thought that's just what they were, grains. It originated from somewhere in the Caucasus Mountains (which by the way borders Europe and Asia). I mean, fermented grains? In a skin bag no less! That sounds way too complicated to me, so I'll just stick to my yogurt. Stir a little Dannon into my goat milk, keep it warm on the pilot light, or in a foam cooler, and if you want it thick enough to stay on your spoon, cheat and add a little powdered milk. Right?
     Well, finally, my friend Nancy (who also has goats) introduced me to Kefir. Oh, you make kefir? Where on Earth did you get the grains? From Sharen? More goats. LOTS of goats! Goat queen you might say. I've known Sharen for over 20 years, she never gave me any Kefir grains! I tried it. A little like buttermilk, no not quite. More like drinkable, tart yogurt. So she told me how you make Kefir and said she'd share some grains with me. The rest is history. Well, it's all history really, cause this happened 2 years ago, and I've been making Kefir ever since from the descendents of those very grains.
     So following is my little pictorial tutorial :) on making Kefir.
                                                                                         

     These are the GRAINS. They are not really a grain at all, but colonies of probiotics, which feed off of the milk and ferment it, making it a very beneficial addition to your already health conscious diet!
                                                                                         

     As you can see, they take on different shapes as they grow. These are all on the smaller side. Sometimes, they hang together in sheets, or string together in long clusters. It's fun to observe, and you get excited when you see a new morph appear in the jar. But, I'm kind of weird that way. I am so fond of my Kefir grains, I took them on vacation to North Carolina with me!
                                                                                             

     You put your grains into the milk, in a GLASS jar, about 1/2 cup per quart. Leave some room at the top for expansion. Right out of the udder is best, as cold slows the growth of the grains. However I do put mine in cold milk if I am trying to use the older milk out of my frig. It just takes it a little longer than the standard time to reach the desired consistency and tartness when I do that. Cover the jar. I use a paper towel usually with a rubber band, and cover with an extra washcloth or towel during fruit fly season. You can see here that I have a pickle jar. I usually make a half gallon at a time. I leave mine on the counter, near the coffee pot. If you think of it when you are doing the dishes, give it a stir once or twice during the day. If you don't it will still be fine. See how easy this is?

     After about 24 hrs give or take depending on the temp, your Kefir will be ready to strain. Cooler temps take a little longer. Sometimes it will separate a little like you see here. The yellowish clear liquid is the whey. Sometimes the whey will be all at the bottom, and all the thick Kefir and grains will be on top. No worries. Give it a stir and strain away. Next time though, you will probably need to add more milk. After just a few days, you will see your grains are beginning to multiply. Soon you will be looking for friends to share them with. Or you can add them to your smoothies if you like for an added probiotic boost! Just make sure if you decide to feed them to your chickens, to chop them up really fine. Ask me how I know...

     Now it is time to separate the grains from the fermented milk. Just pour it into a plastic or nylon strainer/colander. I put mine over a canning funnel, then put the funnel in the jar. You are not supposed to use metal, it reacts.  I did use a stainless strainer for a while when I first started making mine, until I got a plastic one. The stainless was way too small, and it took forever to get the job done. Now I just dump. I personally detest plastic, but it's in there for such a short time, I concede. You can see I used a stainless spoon here. I think stainless is probably fine, but there may be those who differ from me on that.

                                                                                       
     If you would like an even thicker product, (remember I said, it's kind of like drinkable yogurt) you can drain it through muslin cloth. This will make it like greek yogurt or sour cream.
                                                                                            

     Place your cloth in a colander, place your colander in a bowl large enough to catch and hold some of the whey, place a plate on the top, and flip the edges of the cloth over all. This is very important, because the whey will inch its way down to the edges of the cloth and drip on your refrigerator shelf if you don't:)
I leave mine on the counter at first for a few hrs, checking periodically and draining off the whey. When the separation slows, you can put it in the frig.

     This is what the whey looks like. There are many uses for whey, but that is another post. I have recently  okay, yesterday, finally started making fermented mayonaise. Add a couple of Tbs to your homemade mayo (also another post). Most of mine goes to the chickens:)
                                                                                           

      Scraping the sides speeds up the process a little, but after about 24 hrs or so, you should have a nice thick product, to which you can add some of that mayo and make veggie dip, use it as sour cream, or it makes fantastic tzatziki sauce for gyros!
                         By the way, you can store your grains in between times in the frig with just enough milk to cover them, if you begin to feel as if you are swimming in Kefir. It is not optimum to do this, as it slows down probiotic production, so I would recommend making just small amounts at a time if need be. It will not harm your grains if you neglect them for a few days on the counter, either. Also, if you know you are going to be gone for an extended period, you can rinse your grains gently under running water and place them in a container in the freezer. Take them out when you come home, thaw, and pick up where you left off.                                                                 

       After the kids are all in bed, hubby and I are ready to sit and chat, or watch an episode of All Creatures Great and Small (while simultaneously tackling loads of laundry that needs folding). Now for my favorite way to enjoy Kefir! I stir in a couple of Tb each of hemp seeds and chia seeds, about 4 drops of flavored stevia (vanilla creme, chocolate raspberry, english toffee or whatever suits your fancy), let it sit for about 5 min.What a great ending to a busy day. I guess it's my current comfort food. Yes, that is a Blue's Clues cereal bowl that has somehow survived my plastic purging. It's days are numbered. I'm sure very soon, the dog will wander off with it after she finishes her meat scraps or leftover scrambled eggs, and my husband will hit it with the lawn mower:)
    
    

Behind My Back

     I just wanted to share with you what I see throughout the day, when I open the cupboard door beside my sink. All of a sudden, one day it was there. I'm sure it was a day when I fell flat on my face in the Mommy department. This girl I am responsible for raising to Love the Lord, blesses me beyond measure and always reminds somehow of what is most important, should I begin to let my eyes get off the prize.
     So I leave it there to remind me, that I want my kids to wish to bless me, even behind my back. When I'm not looking, I want there to be smiles on their faces, not scowls. So hug and kiss your kids today!  

Gardening

                                                                                

       
     It is summer. Meaning gardens and growing and weeds and watering. My garden this year has been the best yet since we've moved here. Actually probably the best in a long time, especially considering the weather. Hot and dry in May, so watering was in order. Every. Single. Day. Then by July you just wished it would stop! My beans and peas both did quite well actually, but the beans finally just got too wet underneath, so I pulled them out. Haven't put new ones in yet, but plan to this weekend, along with peas. Brassicas and lettuce too. They love the cool weather.
                                                                                 

      
     We have been pretty diligent with weed control this year. My 12 year old has really taken an interest in the garden, so she has been very helpful.
     But the plants are not why I'm writing. It's about growing. Children. As I tried to gently train my peas in the way that they should go, I thought how much easier it would have been if I hadn't skipped a couple of days. I had to be so much more careful. Not to force. Not to bend. Not to break. Then there are the weeds. Getting them while they are small is so much easier. Yet, much care must still be taken when those plants are tiny and tender. Pulling out the weeds, we must not yank the plant up by its very roots. And we must fertilize the soil in which they grow.
                                                                                     

       The helping girl with the hoe who by walking backward did not see the flowers planted there; the smiling girl with handful of beets not quite big enough; the broken piece of pea plant lying on the ground shriveling in the sun all blooms and baby pods. These are the garden things that bring out the real me. The me who needs to grow in grace. The me all full of self and pride. The me God needs to bend and train. In my garden, He is there. Gently working at my weeds. Showing me the way. I don't deserve His gentleness, for I don't always give it.
        He is teaching me if I will learn. To gently lead, to gently train. To be diligent. To be consistent to check for little weeds cropping up, and pull them out before they become so large, no amount of pulling will remove them. That happens when the soil is too dry and hard. To water, yes, with the Word, and fertilize with Love and Joy and Laughter sprinkled liberally. The plants will grow, they will thrive and will even rise up to call you blessed.
     And you know you don't deserve it, yet the grace is there, and the sun rises on a new day.
                                                                                         

     Dr S.M. and RaeJean Davis have been married for 44 years. He is a retired pastor, now full time conference speaker with a DVD ministry devoted to Biblical solutions to family problems, as well as foreseeing and avoiding them. We have been very blessed by his teaching. Check it out:)
http://www.solvefamilyproblems.org/Default.asp    

Practicing His Presence

I often think of Robert Frost's Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening as I trek out to the barn in the winter. I want to write my own poem about it, but as yet, have not. Snow does something to me. I find it to be quite indescribable, really. The hush that comes over the land when the snow is falling thick and soft is a balm. Then there is the dark, and the quiet is quieter still. I want to go there, wherever it is we are getting this taste of, when the snow is falling at night. It draws me, this place. It soothes me. It is a place of retreat. It is nothingness and everything. I don't want to just stop, I want to STAY.  I feel peace and soaring in my spirit all at the same time, and I'm not even sure how that can be. But I know it is God and for whatever reason He has chosen this as a gift to me. Through this peace, this tranquility, this joy, He is speaking to me. He is telling me BE THIS. Be peace and calm and beauty and delight to the ones I have given you. I cry because I know I don't always the way that I should, and of course I can't at all without Him. I am so thankful for this snow which is always there, falling gently, reminding me, compelling me. So I press on with the practicing of His presence. So that in the midst of pbj's, spilled fish food, and lost library books, I can be who He wants me to be. Stopping by the woods on a snowy evening and it's falling around me, this presence, as I pick up wet towels and match socks and knead bread. "When the ones I have in my care are hurt or mad or dawdling or forgetful, help me Lord to feel you and be in your presence. And help me to teach THEM to stop by the woods and  practice your presence by showing."