The WE2's

Hubby helped me finish up the last 14 quarts of potatoes. He peeled and I washed, chopped, filled jars, and got them in the pressure canner! Love that man! After finishing helping me, he worked pulling out even more calcium/mineral deposits from the water heater at the homestead. He says there's still more believe it or not! How in the world did my mom ever have enough hot water with my son living upstairs and using it also?! I said "I bet that water heater feels like a brand new one, and is heaving a sign of relief!" After supper all three of us loaded up in the van and just took a drive...looked at the clouds, the skies, the green fields, the homes with all the cars in the driveways, no children outside playing, WM parking lot full, Menards parking lot full, restaurants and stores mostly closed. Then we did the awful thing! We stopped at BreakTime, went to their ice cream cooler at the front of the store (all the drink area is shut down) and bought us an ice cream sandwich! The cashier was behind a shield and wiped down the counter area before and after we left. We wiped our hands etc., off when we got back in the van, and then washed our hands when we got home. Abby-girl didn't wash her paws! LOL Hubby did have to make a stop at Menards but he wore a mask and wiped his hands when he got back in the van...earlier today. He made that promise to me...especially when he learned than any blood types other than "O" are a higher risk...and I fall into that higher risk scategory. There's just not much sun out there these days and Vit D works a bit on the inside, but the skin starts to look translucent when it doesn't get some fresh air and sunshine of some sort. Listened to some lovely Christian music a bit ago. Relaxing for me. I'll read my Bible and write in my journal later. We are not church people so this hasn't had any effect on us ... we've worshiped here at home for many years. Everybody stay happy and let's make our Country work again! Just sayin...

Got some of my 'taters jarred up...7 quarts. Boy my feet, hips, hands, back...plus..??? sure let me know how long it takes to peel, cut and prep quarts! But I have so many quart jars that we either purchase so cheap it was criminal to not purchase them, or they were given to us. Just makes sense to get them used up. I'm using the metal lids . Told hubby "I have a feeling I'll be giving some of these away before this crisis is over"...so I don't want to use my Tattler's. Hubby came from the homestead and said "You wouldn't believe it! I got 20 pounds...yes...20 pounds of calcium/mineral deposits out of the water heater!" I felt like staggering across the kitchen floor. No wonder my mom had trouble with it running out of hot water...plus it's only a 30 gal. But...we're not in the market for another water heater. We're praying this one will last until we can buy an on demand. He said it's still got more in it to get pushed out, so he'll be busy with that tomorrow while I jar up another batch of 'taters. I still have 2 full bags and 1 partial. Got 7 quart jars washed up today, but I'll need to wash up at least another 14. They're used so it takes a bit more scrubbing with soapy water/bleach and scalding water. The weather was REALLY cold yesterday and last night. Pulled out my long johns again! Took my radishes back inside (yes...they seem to have survived the cold...it didn't freeze) as well as the seed pods that I planted. The window will be the radishes home for a bit longer and one container of the spinach is sprouted up. Wonder why the other is late? Maybe planted deeper? I normally sprout my seeds on wet paper towels placed in plastic baggies and under a light, but this was (and is) sort of an experiment to test the viability of these seeds. So far I am really pleased. The tomato plants are reaching for the sun too! I'll be thinning them out into their own little pots before too long. I may have to go ahead and put them all in the little green houses and put the plastic covers over them. It would be warmer than in the house even. We've turned the furnace off there, but it still stays about 50.

We have a box of 10 of the cheapy masks that we bought a few years ago at $Tree. We'll just hang on to them in case. But, it I was to make one or more, I'd probably start by using some of hubby's good t-shirts, some cheese cloth, some gauze pads and some of the panty liner material. Just thinkin'...

Just filled in some gaps since our state just went under a stay at home order for all stores...including WM, Lowe's etc. Since this thing is going to last longer than they thought and going to be worse than they thought, and they're now calling for "simple masks" or face coverings to be worn...needed a few things that I normally wouldn't buy...ie...aloe vera juice (got a lot of the gel) to mix up in some small spray bottles to use here as a sanitizer, as well as may need to drink. It's mixed berry so it won't taste too bitter. More 'taters to jar up. Zicam because we couldn't find Zinc. Some Vit.C lozenges (sp) just to have. We have a lot of Vitamins set back, but these are handy and tasty and I just put them in with our stash of cough drop stuff.

Glad we followed our "gut" ... our Governor issued a stay at home order for all businesses like Lowe's, Menards, WM, When we went to WM, they had roped off the entrances to only one door, and I guess were getting ready to restrict the number of people who could be in the store at one time. Withdrew some cash, paid all the bills that were due, stopped at $Tree, WM and Sav-A-Lot. Got most of what I was after at WM...two jugs Aloe Vera Juice, several more rolls of blue towels from the automotive department, some tp and endust for some friends who are extremely high risk. (Gave them an alcohol wipe to wipe the things down the minute they got the bag in the house). We were VERY strict with our distancing, and people probably didn't think of it when I used one of my wipes to touch the screens on the card reader and then wiped my card down. Also picked up two new printer cartridges, two cases of hubby's Diet Dr. Thunder, and because they were out of Zinc tablets, I just bought a couple of bottles of Zicam tablets. They have a lot of Zinc in them. At $Tree we picked up several jars of mushrooms, the limit of 4 of Peroxide, the limit of 4 boxes of heavy duty dish gloves, 6 pints of Almond milk, a couple of jugs of liquid hand soap refills, and a few other items I can't remember. At Sav-A-Lot we picked two more bags of Russet potatoes (gonna jar up them 'taters tomorrow!), a Kabaska (?) link to use with some left over cabbage strips, four cartons of orange juice, and a couple containers of cottage cheese, a bag of sweet peppers, a small package of zucchini, and four Roma tomatoes. Just didn't want to fight the mess at Aldis. .I love my cold plate lunches while hubby eats his sandwich and chips...LOL Anyway...we're in for the duration. The gas tank is full in the van, and there's absolutely nothing I can think of that we need to get out for. Stay safe peeps!

Nothing...

Got some more seeds planted in my left over Jiffy pots from last year...they're sitting in a long container, watered and outside on one of the shelves of my little green house. Also pulled the umbrella stand with it's pots to the back as well as the green stalk type planter. I'm planning to put spinach and lettuce in the green stalk container where I can keep it out of direct sunlight. Taught myself to turn ground turkey into sausage crumbles. Next will be beef flavored crumbles. But tomorrow it will be putting up the potatoes we bought.

Went with hubby to the homestead and while he dug out the rest of the roots etc., from where the berry bushes live (tree roots) I opened a new bag of potting soil and got out my left over Jiffy pots from last year, filled them with potting soil and got some seeds planted and put them on one of the shelves of the little green house. Brought the radishes outside to let them take in some sunshine. They were getting a bit "leggy" trying to reach the sun through the west side window. The little tomato plants are about a half inch long in the window, so they'll also get transplanted into the Jiffy pots when they're a bit bigger and then outside until we have their container put where we want them to be. Then home for lunch and then hubby went back to work on the basement/bathroom project and I got some chores done around here. Did rain a bit around 4 or so with a little thunder...but I left the front door storm open and went and stood there looking out with Abby-girl standing by my side. She did pretty good. Just wanted to let her know it wasn't something to fear. We had bought 4 packages of fresh ground turkey last week or so because I wanted to turn it into sausage and hamburger flavored crumbles. Got the sausage flavor crumbles done, and man! They taste like sausage! Much cheaper than regular ground sausage...that give me two different ways to make breakfast sausage...this way plus the ones I make using rolled oats. I'll defrost the other 2 pkgs later and try the hamburger flavor. Either will be good for pizza etc. I used one package of the sausage crumbles in our crunchy burritos for supper. Could not tell the difference. Yeh! Tomorrow i'll peel and jar up some potatoes...we bought a couple bags to do that. Didn't want to drive all the way to Amish store just for potatoes and maybe them not have them. Don't remember seeing them the last time we were there, so it will probably be a few more months before they have them out for sale. I'm going to just do them in quarts this time because I have so many quart jars and so little time. I'll cut some of them in small chunks and some in fry size.

Got the 2nd raised bed planted with the potatoes.

Kappy your garden and containers look beautiful! You two rock!

Seared a nice sized roast this morning before we left to go the homestead, and got a pot roast into the crock pot for supper. VERY nice to come home to! Got the 2nd 4x12 raised bed and the last of the 'taters planted and watered in as well as wired over so no cats or birds can try to dodoo or take a dirt bath in it. He took his weed burner and took care of all the weeds around the outside of the beds. Talk about smoke! LOL Betcha it sent the skeeters on their way ... if they were any where around! I keep a garden sprayer of water beside him just in case we need to put something out. Still watered it down when he was finished though. Got the two mini green houses out, hubby put the new one together for me...I'll be starting some seeds tomorrow. Clyde's garden planner says another week, Farmer's Almanac says now...so I'm going to push the envelope and get them started. I looked at our weather for the next week or two and it doesn't look like there's any frost anywhere in sight. Besides...if I see it's going to go too low, I'll put the plastic hoods over them. The containers are pretty easy to cover in bad weather. Just a screen or an old sheet. For the 5 gallon buckets...I learned a couple of years ago that the splatter screens at $Tree fit perfectly over the tops and keeps flying things off the the new plants and roots. I use DE around the bottom of all my containers to prevent creepy crawlies...especially snails and/or slugs...or ??? Hubby worked his tail off and has just about dug out all the old cane and roots from the old blackberries. Couldn't find any new growth...looks like they're all dead? We do see new life in the Raspberries though. The neighbors 2 blocks south of us had about 10 kiddo's out playing on a trampoline and having a ball. Not one curse word heard! Must have been family members? Looks like most of the parents are keeping their children at home in their own yards. Just don't see them out period??? Let Abby-girl in the garden area...she just knows there's a rabbit somewhere in there! LOL She loves taking a drink from the faucet that's on our rain barrels.

Yes, I've done it...miniature cake...do NOT put anything over the top. The air will suck it right up into the element. Ask me how I know!

Won't go there anymore. I was sitting in the van with the window down and some dude walked up right to my window to "admire" the van...telling me how rare they are and that they're selling for premium dollars in Minnosota, and not in near as good a shape as ours. Too close for comfort...so...we're staying home! Fixed some wonderful chicken noodle soup!

Wanted to give a praise report. As many of you are aware, one of my younger brothers is fighting lung and throat cancer, which is stage 4 (involves some lymph nodes). They told him that if the chemo worked, he'd have 2-5 years. Well they did a CT scan last week and the tumor has shrunk, FROM THE INSIDE OUT! I and many others have been praying, and I've been specific in prayer asking Jehovah to stick His finger in those cancer cells and kill them...in Jesus' Name! Can I get a hallelujah? Just can't pray any other way my friends.

Long line of senior citizens waiting for their early shopping event. A man tried to push his way to the front and one elderly lady took her cane and beat the fire out of him. He got up, and tried to push to the front of the line again. This time an elderly man slugged him and knocked him down. He got up, threw his hands up and yelled...if you guys don't let me to the front, I can't unlock the door!