kappydell

Whew! It has been busy...we got the garden to bed, put out the haloween items, and altho we replaced the hatch covers on our louvered windows with the aid of brother, we had to paint them too before the snow flies. Then the gutters and trim looked nasty, so we painted that too. Now the Christmas decorations are up and we are fighting the Christmas light vandals (again). This time we have chased away 2 prowlers but it has not stopped them. Deer camera is up, hope we get some usable footage. The cops are not much help, its like chasing ghosts. The trapping course was extremely interesting. It turns out that in Wisconsin you can take it by correspondence, and we did since the closest classroom course is over 150 miles away(!). The course was fascinating and remarkably thorough. We studied tracks, scat (poop, that is), habits and habitat of furbearers species by species. Now I know what all those various tracks were that I used to wonder about! Then it was on to the traps themselves - what all the various kinds are, their specific applications, strengths and weaknesses, etc. Plus a whole lot of legal stuff and conservation stuff. Even marketing of furs and other things from the critters was covered. For under $30 we got workbooks, homework questions, a national trappers assn. text, a Wisconsin text, and a video on how to set the traps without damaging fingers! It was a bargain, if you are into learning stuff, and will stand us in good stead no matter where we may live, since Wis has very high and strict trapping education standards, and many other places have no education required at all. Roommate took to the course especially, and she did not really like school in her youth. She did very well on her course work, and I am very proud of her. I keep telling her she is not 'dumb' but 'testing impaired' (her mind goes blank at test time, probably a stress reaction). Now I can happily continue to collect recipes for fur-bearers, so we make wise use of our resources and nothing goes to waste! The trapping course did not cover gland removal for meat harvesting (although it was interesting to find out how some of those those 'certain parts' are harvested for selling...like the skunk scent liquid, or anal glands). Meat is meat when you are hungry...just like fish is fish. (by the way sassy, carp are easy to clean and since they run HUGE there is a lot of meat there once you learn to cut out the mud vein and how to handle the Y-bones. They are awsome smoked and pickled!) I even located a place (only) 40 miles away that sells traps and supplies if we decide we need more than the traps our neighbor is giving us from his farm up north or the live traps I already have. Oh boy....new (free!) toys...

I don't think he is living in sin, but I found it frustrating that he judges others by standards he does not keep himself. Me, I have tried all my life not to judge others, because "its not my job, mon...." His critical behavior was bothering me intensely until I sat down and prayed, as I threw the ball for the dog to play out in the dark back yard (he has a sparkle ball he loves to play with in the dark...). As I wondered 'What am I going to do to make him stop?' the answer came clear as a gentle voice in my heart. "Judge not lest ye be judged" With that my frustration just melted away and I was at peace, realizing that it was not my JOB to change him or even worry about what he does or thinks. I cant change anything anyway. But his attitude no longer bothers me. I do hope that God judges him gently when the time comes, and I pray that he finds peace and contentment in his live as he chooses to live. Now I can go back to anticipating my move and working on preparing for it, with joy and peace in my heart. God is good.

I found out tonight that dad plans on selling his home (the one i spend most of my growing up years in) and move in with a girl friend. He also bought a place in Arizona for wintering over - went halves on a travel camper with the girl friend too. She is a nice lady, and they get on very well. I find it ironic though that he would do what he would have called 'living in sin' if it was one of his children....in fact he made hurtful remarks about my sister going down to florida with a boy friend (said she was 'chasing' him down there hoping he would propose...I called him on that one, said he had no right to say that stuff to the relatives, it was spreading hurtul gossip about his own daughter who was not there to defend herself. They later married, but he liked that son-in-law). He still tells anyone who will listen how much he hated my late husband and I suspect he is also telling all the relatives his opinion that Mary & I are gay, though we have both repeatedly told him we are not. (None of his d**m business anyway!) I am amazed he does not see the hypocrisy of his actions versus his words. Oh well, he is in his 90s I won't be able to change his thinking now. But I do write lots of letters to OUR relatives, and they write back, without rancor or judgemental cracks, so maybe (hopefully) they do not share his opinions. I sure feel sorry for my brother, who will have to deal with him alone when I leave.

Those geneology shows got me interested in some personal research. Interersting....one set of great-great-greats came from England, the others from Canada. Plus I love those old timey names...I have a "Moses" in my past, and a Genevieve. Not common names anymore, that is for sure!

This was a great idea to bump it! I have used many of these and have others since found in my now-volumnious collection of 'from scratch' recipes. I hardly buy anything but basic foods any more, since prices have started shooting up I am looking to pare even more! I now routinely stretch any ground beef recipe by adding either cooked whole wheat or oatmeal to the ground beef along with some low sodium bouillon to give it a 'beefy' flavor. The sauces I use cover a multitude of 'hides' and our waistlines benefit from the adeded fiber and lower calories. The homemade stuffing mix is a godsend...my roommate cant handle the spices in the store bought stovetop stuffings at all, and this way I tweak it to suit, after waiting for the local store to sell their bread for 50 a loaf (I immediately go get half a dozen loaves and spend a couple hours diceing, toasting and drying them). We use them in stuffing, homemade shake & bake, as well as making (and saving) nice toasty crumbs. The homemade shake and bake is a favorite on both pork chops and chicken and I have taco seasoning mix in a shaker so I can add more spice to my tacos while she enjoys hers with much less spice. The curry seasoning rocks scrambled eggs, and I even have low-sodium meat tenderizer. This post inspired me to make some. Cooking from scratch rocks any way you do it, and these mixes and recipes are a terrific addition and help to those just starting ou, like I was when they were first posted! Thank you for bumping it up again! I see though, I will have to start growing my own mung bean sprouts (got the beans from the oriental section of my locak Pick & Save) for egg fu yung. I love chinese food, and the canned is not only getting quite pricey, it tastes just so much BETTER from scratch. Mmmmm....homemade egg fu yung, homemade re-fried rice & sprouts, and sprout slaw! I can just taste them and just hear that ka-ching from the savings!

mmmmm sweet potato greens. Grew a sweet potato vine in the house last winter, and ate some of those greens. They are delightful - i thought they tasted like a cross between green beans & snap peas. Then....my kitties also tasted them, then ate them right off to the dirt they were planted in! Nice while it lasted, and it seems that it would be a lovely nutritious houseplant....

ooofta! as the norskies 'round here say! Have to stay away from that!

Made our 2nd salmon fishing trip (same place- lake michigan) and got better luck this time - two nice big salmon and a medium size (only 12 lbs) brown trout. The best part is that the brown trout was a female, so we got eggs, too. Those who make up their own fishing baits know how precious those eggs are for 'spawn sacs' that the salmon bite on very quickly. We will make them all up & freeze them until we get up for more salmon fishing. Now we are home again, we will be finishing the garden - picking the last ripe items and the like before the killing frosts hit; then up go the haloween decorations & the christmas lights (we just put them up before the roof gets icy, then don't light them until christmas). after that, we settle in for winter. our project this year is to get our trapping licenses - we have to take a trapping course for that. should be interesting.

Mmmmmm.....fresh salmon are in at my old fishing hole! Even though they were slow to bite, the scenery was gorgeous!

Ooops, sorry. Definitely add the plants, too...I love my weeds!

I haven't seen mention of it here, at least not by the name 'inavasivore', but methinks that eating invasive species would be an excellent way to supplement a forager's diet. Many of us have already tried some invasive species, be it kudzu blossom jelly, my pickled carp, or a feral hog pulled pork barbecue. Quite a few invasive species were imported with the best of intentions (nutria for fur, or carp as food, for example) but got totally out of hand and escaped to the 'wild'. Recipes can be found at 'invasivore.com' which goes out of its way to find, develop and create ways to use these food sources as a way to help control them. Some of the festivals they mention sound like fun! Every area has their own invasive species; and quite a few 'pest' species as well. I'm collecting recipes in advance of my local small game hunting seasons for several kinds of game that others don't seem to see as edible. In my old home, pigeons were everywhere, for example; I also saw woodchucks, possum, raccoons, and rabbits galore. Here, near a large river, the last year I have learned to catch, cook and eat carp, bowfin, and catfish. Yes, I know lots of folks eat catfish, but around here many think they are inedible! (Fancy that!) Invasives are much less likely to have bag limits, hunting or fishing seasons, or even require a license to collect, so they are a very inexpensive way to supplement one's larder. Branching out from eating weeds (many of which can be considered at least pests, if not invasives) has never been so much fun. So...what is your favorite pest or invasivore food and how do you serve it? Here's mine: PICKLED FISH from the Minnesota DNR 1 large pike or several smaller fish, cut into fillets (I use carp, with the mud vein cut out) 2 onions, sliced 1 tsp. whole black pepper 1 tsp. whole allspice 1 Tbsp. sugar ½ lemon, sliced white vinegar 1 Tbsp. capers Cut fillets into small pieces; barely cover with water. Add onions, pepper, allspice, sugar, and lemon. Boil until fish is nearly done, then add vinegar to double amount of liquid remaining. Boil till done; add capers and seal in hot, sterilized jars. Process in boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes. If your rough fish has those itsy bitsy Y-bones, this recipes dissolves them, adding calcium to your diet! This is also the only recipe I have seen for canning pickled fish for longer term. GARLIC MUSTARD QUICHE (6 svg for regular folks, 4 if you're hungry) 1 cup chopped, steamed garlic mustard leaves 5 large eggs 1 pie crust 1 diced onion ½ cup diced sharp cheddar cheese ½ cup diced muenster cheese ½ cup diced Monterey cheese ½ cup 2% milk 1 clove minced garlic 1 teaspoon dried parsley ¼ teaspoon ancho chili pepper sweet paprika salt and pepper Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease pie pan with oil. Place pie crust in the greased pan. Mix eggs, cheeses, milk, onion, chili, garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper together in a bowl. Pour mixture into pie crust, and top with paprika. Cook for one hour or until firm. FRIED SQUIRREL OR RABBIT (2 svgs) 1 young squirrel or rabbit, cut in pieces ½ tsp salt 1/8 tsp pepper ½ c flour 1/4 c shortening Mix salt & pepper with flour. Shake pieces of squirrel in flour mixture and brown in melted shortening in a heavy skillet. Lower heat after browning, cover the skillet tightly. Cook over low heat for 45 min to 1 hour, or until well done. Remove cover during last 10 min to crisp outer surfaces. My parents often served it this way (Mom was a crack shot!)

I eat mine fresh, usually while still standing in the yard...or course my cherry tomatoes never get in the house, either, and only 'bout half the snap beans. Pickled purslane is delicious. I love that citrusy twang it has. My roomate thinks Im nuts, she does not like the okra like texture, but then again she does not like okra either. Hmmm, I may have to try breading & frying it like okra. Gotta love those weeds!

we will visit first, but even their winters can't compete with this Wisconsin weather - 40 degress swings in temp are nothing new, and snowing sideways with armpit deep drifts have been the norm, so methinks I could handle any cold Alabama could send me...

thank you all for the encouragement. I am proud of what i have done with my life, and steadfastly love and support my husband in death as in life, because I knew him better than anyone and he was a fine man, despite what his detractors say. He used to say "if someone likes you, you can do no wrong....if they don't, then you can do no right....either way there is nothing you can really do about it anyway." Very true. Im looking forward to checking out Alabama...looks fine for an orchard and for hunting & fishing!

yes, but they existed, often becoming monasteries. They were considered 'hermits' from society, not each other. I read some time ago about a fellow who lived alone on his wooded acreage in a mini-cabin he built himself. He built another cabin to keep busy, then another and every time he finished one he had a willing tenant because he charged very minimal rent. Each cabin was one room, made of salvaged and recycled items and his own wood, so they were cheap to build. Electricity was optional, because each was fitted with a wood burning cookstove and a kerosene lamp - you could add what you wanted - a hand water pump was available, as was an out-house, and a help-yourself pile of wood trimmed from when he cut lumber for building. As I recall, in later years he added composting toilets to each cabin, and a mini-fridge. He had mostly folks on disability & social security who liked the cheap rent and the solitude. He reported that over half the tenants he never saw...they paid rent in a drop box and left him a note when they needed something from town on his weekly trip in for supplies. Tenants were allowed to garden and he said a few were acoomplished foragers. Sounded like a modern day hermitage to me, and at times very appealing...

i wanted a house, paid for, to live in, at peace with all. now all i want to be is a hermit.

Oh you lucky duck! To find wild gooseberries! My grandmother grew them on the farm, I loved them, they made the BEST pie - she made it like lemon merringue pie - YUM!

OW! Maybe Mrs should make you a padded baseball cap?

My brother handles it by avoiding contact. He'd leave too, I suspect, but has a big mortgage, is half-owner of a heating & air conditioning repair business, and wife & kids. He has been a blessing helping us put in a new (to us) forced air heater instead of a hot water boiler. He has also agreed to help us fix the place up, maybe (if he finds one at a good price) putting in central air. But basically, he just avoids contact, but he does get some flack. My dad asked him to remove his stuff from a large storage shed that brother paid to have put up on dad's land (with the idea he could use it for storage) because the new lady wants to park her cars in there while they travel to Arizona this year, even though she has her own home & garage. That stinks, but he is removing his stuff. He hides his preps in another shed he put up on his own property. It sure hurts to see my dad alienating his kids; even his name-sake son. Mom would be so upset. Funny thing, Ambergris, we are looking at the Anniston, Ohatchee, Gadsen, Alexandria, White Plain & Peidmont areas. The snow would not be a deterrent to us ex-Wisconsinites! The winters would be quite a bit milder, so I could use clamp storage until I got a root cellar in. I hear the water-table is high, though, might have to make an above ground cellar.

It seems I must distance myself from my father, sad as it makes me. He has always been critical of my choices, from the fact I was overweight (he called me 'lard ass' and that hurt), my choice of career (although I heard through third parties that he was very proud of me) which he said I would never succeed in (I retired with 26 years), my friends, my husband (he was divorced, his ex told them he was abusive, he didn't like the way he overheard him talk to me (we were having an argument and he was listening in avidly, my choice in job location assignments, and on and on. So for my entire married life I did not visit a lot - I wrote lots of letters, but face to face...no. He never forgave me for not paying off a car I bought from them when I was 17, although he told me 'don't worry about it, we deducted it from your Christmas gift checks". He was always opinionated and spoke disparagingly of me to the relatives, all OK in his mind because 'its just my opinion....'. All my siblings have distanced themselves, several moved across the country because he kept disparaging them and meddling in their lives. Now, that my husband is dead, I moved at his request to a place closer to where he lives. Not that it is a bad place, it is very nice, I paid cash, and it is mine free and clear. (I knew better than to ask him to help with the financing...though he was happy to come and inspect the places I was looking at. I felt blessed to have a man with 30 yrs as a building inspector on my side while house hunting, and for a while, I actually enjoyed his company. (Sigh) With mother dead now for 6 years, he has a woman friend that he travels with in a trailer. He asked me if it was a problem and I said no, it makes him happy, go for it. And she is a nice lady, although somewhat of a clean freak, and he likes her a lot. BUT (sigh)... now he is up to his old tricks but with a vengeance. He does not like the way I keep house (I suspect living with the much cleaner friend adds to his feelings). He does not like my pets. He threw away the Christmas gift package of homemade German cookies & pastries that my roommate and I sent him, because he said he was afraid my food had cat hairs in it. Nobody has ever found any in their food, ever, but he threw it away 'just in case'. He complained to all my relatives, and convinced some others to throw theirs away, unopened, too. Much as the hurts, I chalk it up to 'he gets a gift certificate' next year, no more goodies wasted on him. But it huts all the same, I spent hundreds on the special ingredients and baked for a week straight to get everything done in time. (Sigh) Now I am hearing from my brother (who only sees him when he has to) that he is telling people I am a hoarder (he saw my preps when he helped me move) and that he wants to call social services to 'check my welfare' because I have all those cats. (Sigh). Well, that tears it. I'm making this house I love so much as saleable as possible, and I too, will be moving across the country. Much as I love him (and respect him for teaching me so much about prepping, though he tells everybody 'she didn't learn this hoarding stuff from me!!") I will have to love and honor him from a distance to save my sanity, my beloved animals, and my dear and special friend and roommate (who is also crushed by his attitude). Next thing I know he will be telling everybody we are gay! Not that I care all that much about that, as long as he does it out of my hearing. I will miss being in my home state though (sigh). Oh well, when we go to Alabama we will look around, Mary tells me it is a wonderful climate and land is cheaper there as is the cost of living. New adventures (regretfully) await. Why do parents have to be this way (wail).

SCOOOORE! (Hadda say it...) Yesterday room-mate walks in with a bushel of cucumbers from the neighbor. He was going to throw them away because they were bearing heavily and nobody over there had time (or I suspect inclination, in this heat) to can them. Canned 40 pints of assorted pickles...bread & butter, hamburger dill slices, celery-infused pickles, and so on. Finally got down to the last 4 pints (not enough for another canner load) made those into refrigerator pickles using ye-olde 'universial pickle' recipe. Could have frozen some I suppose, but they last longer canned (and not all that much room in the freezer right now)... No way am I letting all those cucumbers go to waste! Took much of the day, but still managed to bake some bread, get dinner, and sneak in a couple hours of fishing! Tomorrow we tote all those jars downstairs. Worth every bit of effort.

I just ran across some info on various ways to sweeten fruit - sort of put it together into one 'table' hope it helps... Syrups for Canning Extra Light..........20% sugar...........1 1/4 c sugar + 5 1/2 c water = 6 c syrup Light Syrup..........30% sugar...........2 1/4 c subar + 5 1/4 c water = 6 1/2 c syrup Meduim Syrup.........40% sugar...........3 1/4 c sugar + 5 c water = 7 cups syrup Heavy Syrup..........50% sugar...........4 1/4 c sugar + 4 1/4 c water = 7 c syrup Corn Syrup...............................1 1/2 c sugar + 1 c corn syrup + 3 c water = 6 c syrup Honey Sweetened..........................1 c sugar + 1 c honey + 4 c water = 5 c syrup Water (unsweetened)......................0 sugar (or anything else) + 5 c water = 5 ci[s Fruit Juice* 'syrup'......................0 sugar + 5 c fruit juice = 5 cups 'syrup' Low Calorie 'syrup'......................0 sugar + 2 1/2 c fruit juice + 2 1/2 c water = 5 cups 'syrup' zero calorie 'syrup'.....................Splenda to taste + 5 c water = 5 c 'syrup' *Popular fruit juices commonly used: white grape juice, pear juice, apple juice I just love having so many options!

I was happy to score more elderberries - another 3 quarts once I picked them off the stems. In the freezer now, awaiting their 'final disposition' once I can up the piles of tomatoes; peel, shred and freeze the zucchini for Christmas zucchini bread; dice & freeze the green pepeppers that are coming on thick & fast; pack the 20 lbs of chicken we bought at 89 cents a pound; and clean the fish we caught the other night. I'm putting food up like crazy, concerned over food prices what with the drought & all....

We made rain barrels from barrels I bought for $15 ea from a food manufacturer. Nice and blue, they are even quite attractive! Got a flexible rain gutter extension from the hardware store, cut off the gutters and ran the flexible extension from the rain gutter downspout to the barrel. Cut a hole in the top of the barrel to fit the extension, and only had to buy the faucets we wanted for the bottom. They only take a drill to install, very easy. We like to water the garden thru the faucets at the bottom, we got the ones with a hose bib. running the shower water to a 'holding tank' disguised as a rain barrel sounds intriguing. Are you going to run a hookup thru the drain? I would think accessing the sinks' gray water would be easier....

why did the mushroom like to party? Because he was a fun guy. Why did the fungi leave the party? Because there was not mush-room. (better if you have had a snort or two...) When the shotgun shell marries a bullet, what do you get?.....BBs!