CeeGee

Dee, I think that it is one of her best!

Thanks!

I know that this is an old post, but I found a recipe for a banana jam and wanted to verify that it is safe....Thanks! MONKEY BUTTER 5 medium-size perfectly ripe bananas (no brown spots) 20 oz. can of crushed pineapple, not drained. 1/4 cup coconut (I prefer ground coconut) 3 cups of white sugar 3 Tbsp lemon juice (use bottled for uniform acidity) Peel and slice bananas, then add all ingredients to a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring often, and then reduce to a simmer. Cook until thick. As the mixture thickens, stir constantly until desired thickness is achieved. When thick, spoon mixture immediately into hot sterilized jars, apply heated lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes. Other fruits can be added, particularly topical fruits such as mango (pictured on the left below.) Also, it is common for the butter to take on a light pink hue when processed. The sample on the right below was not processed, but just stored in the fridge…which I started to do once it became clear that this ambrosia doesn’t hang around long enough to require canning!)

Does anyone have any experience with sand plums? I have been given a box full of them. I am thinking about making plum butter, but should I peel them?

Hot and dry here! We have been over 100 for the last 4 or 5 days. We had a 600+ acre grass fire about 9 miles from us yesterday. Thankfully it was contained and out within a couple of hours. We are smelling the smoke from the Colorado Springs fire and I have had to have the air purifier going along with the swamp cooler.

As usual I am a day late and a dollar short...... Happy belated birthday! I pray that your day was blessed! Carolyn

Arby, thanks for the spoon carving site...I pinned it on Pinterest.

Thank you for your thoughts and prayers. I really appreciate them.

Sorry I haven't been around..... In April my mom was diagnosed with lung cancer and she passed away the last day of April. I know that God answered my prayers and she didn't suffer, but now I am coming to terms with it. I am not sure if and when I will join back in, but I will be reading......

Sunday Morning..............(IRL late Saturday night) Sunday morning has come into our Valley bringing a beautiful sunny day. I know that we have so much to get done, but we all agree to take the time to today to go to the Lodge. We go to join our new community in giving thanks and to worship our God who has blessed us beyond measure. Psalm 100 A psalm. For giving thanks. 1 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. 2 Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. 3 Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his [a] ; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. 4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. 5 For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

What a week we have had! Sunday after we got back from the Lodge we all gathered for a light supper and a time to plan our week. The “menfolk” told us that they had the wood cut to start the “big” house. When we first arrived in the Valley, before the second half of our group arrived we built a small cordwood barn for the few animals that we had. We plan to enlarge it as we add to our livestock. We used an adobe like mixture to cement the logs in place. We used sod for the roof. We are really pleased at how fast it was to build and how well it has stood up to the elements. We then decided to use the same technique to build a stand alone house and a small house into the side of our south facing hill and face it with cordwood. When we first made our plans we were going to use the small house for the “bachelor quarters”, but now we are going to have to do a little rearranging. I am starting to hear some whispers about the possibility of some weddings in our future! Bright and early Monday morning the guys started clearing the spot for our house and we “ladies” cooked a hardy breakfast. We scrambled some of the eggs that I traded for with some of our powdered eggs and wild onions. We fried some venison steaks, baked some biscuits and put out bowls of the wild berries that we had picked. Owen and Quinn really enjoyed the berries! Oh, the colorful smiles! After breakfast, Ari and Chris headed over to the medical building to do their rotation. Even though we are only about a half hour ride to the Lodge and medical building, they decided to work at the same time so they can ride together. I am sure that Chris will spend most of his day with Chef in the greenhouse and Ari will do whatever is needed with the medical group. The rest of us got busy on the house. After we had our spot cleared Major pounded a stake in the ground and MrGee measured a length of rope to tie to it. Then MrGee tied a stick to the other end of the rope and he and Owen drew a circle. Our house was under construction! As Miz B, Janie, Quinn and I walked back to the outdoor kitchen Quinn started gathering up every stick that his little arms would hold. Janie explained to us that Owen had told Quinn that they needed to help us and gather up sticks for kindling everywhere they go! I had wondered where the pile of sticks had come from, now I know! By Friday the house was shoulder high! Of course that is my shoulder so it is about 4 feet. We found some flagstone down by the river and we will use that for the floor. I am so excited! I have some wild flower seed that I want to plant on my roof…..wow, who would of thought that I would be thinking about PLANTING a roof! LOL!

Yesterday was a good day. We had so many new faces at service. Of course it was good to see everyone. We had such wonderful fellowship. I was sad that those that live farther away had to cut the visit short. But, we all do what has to be done. After we had stuffed ourselves at our bountiful table, some of us gathered to do a little trading. I had brought some of my Honey Ointment (good for cuts and minor burns), Chap Cream (chapped hands and face), and Wash for Chapped Hands (cleans, but doesn’t dry out skin). I am so thankful that trading my lotions and potions has helped to fill in the gaps. So far we have traded for baby chicks, fresh eggs, fresh milk, and other things that we needed. We will see how long my ingredients hold out. I will be trying recipes with ingredients that will be sustainable here in our Valley. It seems almost funny that those of us that came in the first wagon train are the “old timers”. Even those that were in the benefactor’s group have come such a long way. Miz B made the comment to me that we have become “lean, mean survival machines”. I told her it wouldn’t be long until the “newbies” would join the club! As everyone started to head back to their homes, MrGee and I took a moment to talk to Mr. Smith. We wanted to talk to him about the possibility of using the great room at the Lodge to hold church services through the winter. We suggested it because we knew that everyone was working hard to have their own homes ready for winter and wouldn’t have time to help build a building. He told us that he didn’t think that there would be a problem, but he needed to talk to his family. My eyes are starting to close, so I better be off to my prayers…..

Well, today we made progress on getting things sorted from the bounty that Major and Miz B brought with them. Miz B said she was sorry that it wasn’t more, but to us it looked like a cross between a grocery store and Home Depot threw up in our front yard! It was Christmas in July! Major said he knew that it was the middle of the growing season and he wasn’t sure how all of the trees that they brought would do. I told him I wasn’t sure either, but it wasn’t like we had much choice. He agreed and said that they had just brought all that they could get their hands on knowing that this was it. No more driving to the corner store for whatever our hearts desired. I told him that we would plant and pray. About then I noticed Miz B standing over at the edge of the wagon and motioning for me to come over. She said “I don’t know if this will make it, but I just had to bring it to you any way. I have been babying this thing all the way here”. She handed me a lilac bush. “I know that you have had one at every house you’ve lived in, and I just wanted you to have one here” she said. “Oh, Miz B! Thank you! I think when we get our house built we will name it Lilac House”. I hugged her neck and told her how happy I was that they came to join us here in the Valley. While we had our lunch break we planned that since Ari and Chris would be back for supper that after we got the little guys fed and off to bed we would have our first “expectation delegation” and decide what our plan of action would be to get everyone settled. We knew that we would need to decide where our new additions would choose their land and what would need to be done for us to make it through the first winter here. Janie put Quinn down for his nap and joined me outside in my summer kitchen to help me get things started for supper. We peeled potatoes and sliced them to make French fries. I put them in some water from the spring to be ready to fry later. Then we pounded some venison steaks and I took a bit of my powdered milk and added water and some garlic to soak them in until time to toss them on the fire. Miz B brought over some salad greens she picked from the garden. She said that it looked like the rain that we had has kick started the garden. She said it wouldn’t be long before we would have some baby veggies! Yum! She then ground some grain and started the bread for supper.

What about a big get together for Labor Day? After all the labor we are putting in this year, it might just be THE time to have a big doings??? Q I might have an idea for a big doings for Labor Day.... I will send my idea for Mother's and MtR's approval.

As Miz B and I set by the fire tonight enjoying our evening cup of tea, we started talking about the week that we have just been through. MrGee and I had no idea that our friends from back home had decided to join us in the Valley and had joined the wagon train that had just come in. When we saw them Miz B and I just held on to each other and cried. Of course her hubby, Major and MrGee slapped each other on the back and guffawed. Then when I saw that their daughter Ari and her husband Chris were with them I was so relieved. But the big surprise was when Janie and Quinn popped out of the wagon! Janie is Ryan’s girlfriend and Quinn is her 2 year old son. Ryan (our oldest son) was so happy to see them. He had been so worried about them. He had tried to talk her into coming with us when we came, but she didn’t want to leave her family. She told Ryan that since things had gotten so bad in the outside world she had to make the best decision for her and Quinn. She knew that the best thing for them was to be with us. She said it was one of the hardest things she had done. One of the first things that we had to do was to let Mr. Hughes and the others know about the skills and knowledge that our new members brought with them. I sent a message to the Lodge to tell them that Major was retired military and was ready to serve in any capacity that he was needed. I also sent one to Mother and Quilty to tell them that Ari was a RN with a BSN degree and had been a pediatric nurse and that Chris had just completed his pharmacy degree. Since Ari and Chris’ fourth anniversary was July 3rd the kids (so hard to remember that they are adults) decided to give them a treat. Ryan, Eli and Ben found a secluded grove of trees and took one of the tents, a table and chairs to set up a campsite. Bon, Leesha and Janie packed 2 days worth of food and took it to the site. The girls also gathered some wild flowers to put on the table and in the tent. Then the guys told Chris they wanted to show him around and the girls took Ari and they led them to the tent…… Of course it didn’t end there…..after dark the “kids” crept back over to the campsite and treated them to a Shivaree (A shivaree, is a North American term for a clamorous salutation made to a newlywed couple by an assembled crowd of neighbors and friends). They did make it up to them after a good bit of noise and banging on pots and pans, Ryan and Eli pulled out the guitars an serenaded them with Ari’s favorite song…..Sweet Home Alabama.

Good Morning! First a quick note about losing info when your computer fries...I just signed up for 2 gb free back up space. It backs up your files automatically, including your bookmarks (or favorites). Here is a link... Mozy It is recommended by the ladies here... Food Storage Made Easy Now, back to our regularly scheduled program... Here is the list of people that I have with me in our story. I know that I had named most of them with letters, well now I would like to name them. I think that this will make it a little easier for all of us to keep everyone straight. If you think that this will confuse things to much just let me know. MrGee (hubby/minister) CeeGee (me/minister) Ryan (oldest son/minister) Eli (younger son) Leesha (Eli's girlfriend) Bon (daughter/medical assistant) Ben (Bon's boyfriend) Owen (Bon's son/6 yrs old) Here is who we will be bringing in with the next group: Major (Gee's close friend/ret millitary) Miz B (Major's wife) Ari (Major and Miz B's daughter/RN pediatric nurse) Chris (Ari's husband/pharmacist) Janie (Ryan's girlfriend) Quinn (Janie's son/2yrs old) Anything else I will figure out when I can get more oxygen to my brain...I have a cold and can't breathe! I did wake up this morning with a story going through my brain...so I am almost there! Let me know if this adds too much confusion.

Ok...so I am going back to the beginning. But only of part IV...that is still 238 posts I'll let you know when my eyes quit bleeding!

I am so confused! I haven't read the thread yet to get caught up ...but to tell the truth after reading here in the comments....I'm very scared! I hope that I can get back up to speed!

Just to let you know it will be a few days before I get a chance to get caught up. But I am thinking......(tapping my head saying think...think..... think....just like Winnie the Pooh)

Hello, everyone. I have not fallen off the face of the earth......I just fell off the network! We had work done on our computers at Christmas and when we went to get everything back in order our network crashed and our "tech" is 4 hours away! Any way things are almost back to normal and I have soooo much to catch up on (25 pages of new posts) I know it will take days to get caught up! I hope that I am not too lost!

Just so you know...we haven't abandoned ship (or wagon). We will stay with everyone and go to the lodge. We thought that we would choose somewhere close to the lodge in order to set up the church and all. Will write more later......

As I looked out over the valley all that I could think was Thank You, Lord. Thank You for bringing us safely to this place and please guide the hands that would take us down into this beautiful valley. And then I look out upon the Majestic Beauty that He has provided for us and it takes my breath away. Then I want to know who has the blindfold for me…… I volunteered to stay at the clearing at the top to keep the kids busy as everyone else either helped to lower the wagons or watched as they were lowered. I knew that I would be a basket case and wouldn’t do any good if I stood there watching. My DD says that when I watch her do something I make her more nervous because I tend to catch my breath and hold it. So the kids and I played Red Rover and Red Light, Green Light. Then we talked about the adventures that we had on the wagon train and tried to imagine what life in the valley would be like. It amazes me how much they had all “grown up” since we had started on our journey. No longer were they the soft, spoiled 21st century children that had no idea what hard work was, but they were eager to help start our community. Just as we adults had formed the bonds of friendship and hard work, so had they. As the last wagon went down the incline, I told them that it was time for us to gather up the belongings that we were to carry down the “hill” and be ready when we were called to go over. Each older child had chosen a younger one to buddy up with and I watched as the older kids helped the younger ones strap on the light backpacks that they would be carrying, then they strapped on the heavier burdens that they would carry. Then it was our turn to start down the hill…… We managed to get down without too many problems….just a few bumps and scrapes. OGS went down part way on his backside, but he thought that it was so much fun that he wanted to do it again! Whew! Now I can breathe….at least for a minute or two!

Spa I can do! I worked at a beauty salon! Just front desk stuff and management type stuff........

Whew! I was afraid that once my "secret" was out I would be banned to the outer edges! I have come along way already....I can, I garden (some), I crochet, I know how to cook in a wood cook stove. I am not totally helpless. I will talk all of the ideas over with MrG and we will come up with a plan for the church. Maybe for the summer we can set up a tent and have a tent meetin'!

So, I am a bit late...we had to go out of town and I was without my computer! I could hardly stand the suspense! Well, all here is my confession.....I am a ...............city girl! I never had a pet growing up. I remember my mom canning peaches...once! I think that we had a garden once. Of course now my sister and brother tell me that they remember having chickens and such, but it was before I was born! Go figure! I think that we moved to town when I was about a year old. But, I am a quick learner! My DH spent summers on his grandparents farm when he was growing up. DH's grandpa was a country doctor in Oklahoma. We probably will want land closer to town so that we can start a church. If that meets with the approval of our community.