Some people have the misconception that cats never have to be bathed. That somehow they "lick" themselves clean. Well contrary to this popular belief, cats do NOT have some enzyme in their saliva that resembles Tide (with or without bleach).
Cats, like their nemesis, the dog, do get dirty and have a variety of odors, from smelling like the outhouse where you camped last year to the same odor as your dog's breath. (Remember, your dog will try to eat anything.) Now we all know that cats HATE water. And we know that giving the cat a sedative to ease this process of a bath is out of the question.
So, the best approach is both sneaky and direct. Remember now, this is not the dumb dog who can be led to tub with lies and a trail of Kibbles and Bits.
Although your cat has the advantage of smarts, quickness and total lack of concern for you, you have the advantage of size, strength, and the ability to wear protective garments.
First, dress for the occasion. A 4-ply rubber wet suit is suggested, along with a helmet, face mask and welders gloves.
A Bathtub with a glass enclosure is preferred to the one with a shower curtain. A frenzied cat can shred one of these in about 3.5 seconds.
Have the Kitty Bubbles and towel in the enclosed bathtub area before hand. No, blow drying the cat after the bath is not suggested.
Draw the water, making it a little warmer than needed as you still need to find the cat. Position everything strategically in the shower, so you can reach it even if you are face down or prone in the tub.
Find your cat. Use the element of surprise. Pick the cat up, nonchalantly as if you were simply carrying him/her to the supper dish. No need to worry about the cat noticing your strange attire, the cat barely notices you anyway.
Once you and the cat are inside the bathroom, speed is essential. In one single liquid motion, shut the door to the bathroom, step into the shower, close the sliding doors, and drop the cat into the water. While the cat is still in a state of shock, locate the Kitty Bubbles and squirt whatever part of him is above the water line. You have just begun the wildest 45 seconds of your life. Remember that cats have no handles and add the fact that he now has soapy fur. His state of shock has worn off and he's madder than a wet hornet.
As best, you can, wearing welder's gloves, try to field his body as he catapults through the air toward the ceiling. If possible, give another squirt of Kitty Bubbles with his body now fully exposed.
During the 5 seconds you are able to hold onto him, rub vigorously. No need to worry about rinsing. As he slide down the glass enclosure into the tub, he will fall back into the water, rinsing himself in the process.
Only attempt the lather and rinse process about 3 times. The cat will realize the lack of traction on the glass by then and will use the next attempt on the first available part of you.
Next, the cat must be dried. No, this is NOT the easiest part. By this stage, you are worn out and the cat has just become semi-permanently affixed to your right leg. We suggest here that you drain the tub and in full view of your cat. reach for the bottle of Kitty Bubbles.
If you have done step 10 correctly, the cat will be off your leg and hanging precariously from your helmet. Although this view of the cat is most disgusting, he will be in a much better position for wrapping the towel around him.
Be sure cat is firmly wrapped in towel before opening tub enclosure. Open bathroom door, put towel wrapped cat on floor and step back quickly, into tub, if possible, Do not open enclosure until all you can see is the shredded towel.
In about 2 hours it will be safe to exit the bathroom. Your cat will be sitting out there somewhere looking like a small hedgehog while plotting revenge.
----Actually it is much more fun just having a shower curtain...:) Cat hate after a bath doesnt last long either. Hunger always wins out...lol.
Talk to ya later!
Denise
Friday, October 15, 2010
Chicken and some flower pics
My butterfly bush decided to bloom some more this fall.
See you can see the dead blooms from this summer in the background. 
Several of the girls...
I dont think they really like their pics being taken. I wonder if the cant see after the flash? :)
Remember the little frog on my door screen several months ago? Well DH found him out in of all things the paint tray which was filled with painty water. He seemed Ok. Dont think that paint water was so good for him so....
We made him another place to go. He left though. Must not like clean water.
Giving me the chicken eye...
Not much grass on this side.
We're going to be making a movable chicken run for them. DH wants to try plastic pipe to make it easier to move. Anyone had any experience making one out of plastic pipe?Talk to ya later!
Denise
Lincoln County Tennessee Fair
We went to the fair in September, cant say we were too impressed though...It was kind of disappointing. I really thought they would have more animals than we saw. The day we went they only had chickens (3 different breeds and only about 40 of them), pigs (only 2 different breeds) and some miniature donkeys and ponies. Oh and they had some horses but we didnt go to the other side of the fair for that. No cows, goats, etc. And when we went into the little buildings they had for the 4Her's contests and the produce I was shocked because there were no quilts! No knitting either... But boy did those young 4Her's really have alot of things in there. They were so crowded together that you could hardly see anything. I really have to say that the judges really had their work cut out for them on giving out the ribbons. Here are a few pics. 
This is cotton. See the boles. If you have never seen cotton growing it is really pretty. It first gets these little pink flowers on them (the white cotton does anyway) and then as they get bigger the flowers turn white. Then the boles are formed from the flowers. It grows as a bush with the lower most branches getting the boles opening first. The boles open up and there's the cotton. Pretty amazing plant actually. When a whole field is covered with the opened boles it looks like snow. That's the nice thing about cotton. Now the bad thing about cotton at least near where I live is that they spray it with all these chemicals to keep the weeds down as it is growing and to kill the bole weevils. Then when the boles have opened early in the fall they spray a defoliant on it. To make matters worse when we bought our home in this subdivision being from the north we had no idea that a cotton gin was sooooo stinky. During the last part of September and through November outside of our house smells like a cross between something dead and dog poop. Needless to say I cant hang up any clothes to dry and sitting outside during this time is not something I really want to do.
This is cotton. See the boles. If you have never seen cotton growing it is really pretty. It first gets these little pink flowers on them (the white cotton does anyway) and then as they get bigger the flowers turn white. Then the boles are formed from the flowers. It grows as a bush with the lower most branches getting the boles opening first. The boles open up and there's the cotton. Pretty amazing plant actually. When a whole field is covered with the opened boles it looks like snow. That's the nice thing about cotton. Now the bad thing about cotton at least near where I live is that they spray it with all these chemicals to keep the weeds down as it is growing and to kill the bole weevils. Then when the boles have opened early in the fall they spray a defoliant on it. To make matters worse when we bought our home in this subdivision being from the north we had no idea that a cotton gin was sooooo stinky. During the last part of September and through November outside of our house smells like a cross between something dead and dog poop. Needless to say I cant hang up any clothes to dry and sitting outside during this time is not something I really want to do. 
More pics of the fair. See all the brown eggs? Hubby said our eggs were much nicer looking.
This was sooo cute I couldnt resist taking a pic. It is a frog made out of a gourd.
Honey exhibit. See the frames. Those are filled with honey combs. They also had food items, cakes, pies and canned goods. I really wanted quilts and needlework though...:(
More to come!
Denise
Finished knitted items...
My new cardigan I completed. Loved the yarn. It is RY Luxury Cotton DK 50% cotton, 45% viscose and 5% silk #263 which is a beigey brown. So soft and I loved the pattern as well. It has decreases along the front cable to define the waist. I used two different sized buttons because when I went to the dreaded Wal-Mart I picked up three cards with one being smaller than the other two so decided to see if I had any buttons in my stash that would work better for the smaller ones and I did! They are clear glass and are a little bit bigger than the others but they work and I like it so that's all that matters ;) Oh and the pattern came from an old Creative Knitting Mag.
This is a tank top. I had some yarn (Cascade Yarns Rio 75.9% cotton, 24.1% viscose in color #244) and couldnt find a decent pattern so I just made the pattern up. I have the pattern written down and will put it up on the blog here in a few weeks after I write it out from my short hand...lol. The yarn was a worsted weight and much prettier in person.
A little lacy vest done in Jo Sharp's Alpaca Silk Georgette 40% Alpaca, 40% Merino and 20% Silk in #755 Musk. Now this pattern was a little strange as the lace pattern is not only on the front but on the back as well. The pattern is from Nashua Handknits Seashore Spring and Summer 2007 book. All the yarn above came from the WEBS yarn site. 
Here is a pic of my new basket I ordered from Southern Plate. It is commemorating their 2nd anniversary and has dividers in it for your silverwareand plates in the back. It's an American Traditions hard maple basket made in Ohio and they use vegetable dyes. They are really well made and were a lot cheaper than Longerberger baskets which if you have any of those you know what I am talking about.Will post more later!
Denise
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Two Really Good Programs
on CNBC that we watched: Trash Inc: The Secret Life of Garbage and Liquid Assets: The Big Business of Water. If you get a chance try to catch these programs when they repeat.
Here we go...
Groundbreaking study shows Roundup link to birth defects
International scientists confirm dangers of Roundup at GMO-Free Regions Conference in Brussels
Brussels 16 September 2010
Glyphosate, the active ingredient in the world's best-selling weedkiller Roundup, causes malformations in frog and chicken embryos at doses far lower than those used in agricultural spraying and well below maximum residue levels in products presently approved in the European Union. This is reported in research (1) published by a group around Professor Andrés Carrasco, director of the Laboratory of Molecular Embryology at the University of Buenos Aires Medical School and member of Argentina's National Council of Scientific and Technical Research.
Carrasco was led to research the embryonic effects of glyphosate by reports of high rates of birth defects in rural areas of Argentina where Monsanto's genetically modified "Roundup Ready" (RR) soybeans are grown in large monocultures sprayed from airplanes regularly. RR soy is engineered to tolerate Roundup, allowing farmers to spray the herbicide liberally to kill weeds while the crop is growing.
At a press conference during the 6th European Conference of GMO Free Regions in the European Parliament in Brussels Carrasco said, "The findings in the lab are compatible with malformations observed in humans exposed to glyphosate during pregnancy." Reporting of such problems started in 2002, two years after large scale introduction of RR soybeans in Argentina. The experimental animals share similar developmental mechanisms with humans.
The authors concluded that the results raise "concerns about the clinical findings from human offspring in populations exposed to Roundup in agricultural fields." Carrasco added, "I suspect the toxicity classification of glyphosate is too low. In some cases this can be a powerful poison."
The maximum residue level (MRL) allowed for glyphosate in soy in the EU is 20 mg/kg. The level was increased 200-fold from 0.1 mg/kg to 20 mg/kg in 1997 after GM RR soy was commercialized in Europe. Carrasco found malformations in embryos injected with 2.03 mg/kg glyphosate. Soybeans can contain glyphosate residues of up to 17mg/kg.
In August 2010 Amnesty International reported that an organized mob violently attacked people who gathered to hear Carrasco talk about his research in the town of La Leonesa, Chaco province. Witnesses implicated local agro-industry figures in the attack.
Carrasco is also the co-author of a report, "GM Soy: Sustainable? Responsible?" released on September 16 by a group of international scientists. The report documents a bulk of evidence in scientific studies on the harmful health and environmental impacts of GM RR soy and Roundup.
The many people who have suffered from such spraying include Viviana Peralta, a housewife from San Jorge, Santa Fe, Argentina, who was hospitalized together with her baby after Roundup spraying from planes flying near her home. Peralta and other residents launched a lawsuit that resulted in a regional court ban on the spraying of Roundup and other agrochemicals near houses.
What next?
Talk to ya later!
Denise
International scientists confirm dangers of Roundup at GMO-Free Regions Conference in Brussels
Brussels 16 September 2010
Glyphosate, the active ingredient in the world's best-selling weedkiller Roundup, causes malformations in frog and chicken embryos at doses far lower than those used in agricultural spraying and well below maximum residue levels in products presently approved in the European Union. This is reported in research (1) published by a group around Professor Andrés Carrasco, director of the Laboratory of Molecular Embryology at the University of Buenos Aires Medical School and member of Argentina's National Council of Scientific and Technical Research.
Carrasco was led to research the embryonic effects of glyphosate by reports of high rates of birth defects in rural areas of Argentina where Monsanto's genetically modified "Roundup Ready" (RR) soybeans are grown in large monocultures sprayed from airplanes regularly. RR soy is engineered to tolerate Roundup, allowing farmers to spray the herbicide liberally to kill weeds while the crop is growing.
At a press conference during the 6th European Conference of GMO Free Regions in the European Parliament in Brussels Carrasco said, "The findings in the lab are compatible with malformations observed in humans exposed to glyphosate during pregnancy." Reporting of such problems started in 2002, two years after large scale introduction of RR soybeans in Argentina. The experimental animals share similar developmental mechanisms with humans.
The authors concluded that the results raise "concerns about the clinical findings from human offspring in populations exposed to Roundup in agricultural fields." Carrasco added, "I suspect the toxicity classification of glyphosate is too low. In some cases this can be a powerful poison."
The maximum residue level (MRL) allowed for glyphosate in soy in the EU is 20 mg/kg. The level was increased 200-fold from 0.1 mg/kg to 20 mg/kg in 1997 after GM RR soy was commercialized in Europe. Carrasco found malformations in embryos injected with 2.03 mg/kg glyphosate. Soybeans can contain glyphosate residues of up to 17mg/kg.
In August 2010 Amnesty International reported that an organized mob violently attacked people who gathered to hear Carrasco talk about his research in the town of La Leonesa, Chaco province. Witnesses implicated local agro-industry figures in the attack.
Carrasco is also the co-author of a report, "GM Soy: Sustainable? Responsible?" released on September 16 by a group of international scientists. The report documents a bulk of evidence in scientific studies on the harmful health and environmental impacts of GM RR soy and Roundup.
The many people who have suffered from such spraying include Viviana Peralta, a housewife from San Jorge, Santa Fe, Argentina, who was hospitalized together with her baby after Roundup spraying from planes flying near her home. Peralta and other residents launched a lawsuit that resulted in a regional court ban on the spraying of Roundup and other agrochemicals near houses.
What next?
Talk to ya later!
Denise
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Weird happenings...
DH went to work today and after his shift was over (he works at a grocery store) he stopped to talk to one of the girls who bags groceries and gets the carts out front. They were talking and she said I guess you arent wearing your vest...puzzled DH and he said no I wear an apron. Then she opened her orange safety vest and there she had on a bullet proof vest. DH said he had to keep a straight face but cracked up later in the car. He said she was a little strange anyway. I guess her brother actually let her wear his vest to work. Makes you wonder exactly how that conversation started...and she's 18 years old...makes me glad I work from home it really does.
Talk to ya later!
Denise
Talk to ya later!
Denise
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Kefir
I almost forgot to tell you about the kefir I started. It worked!!! So happy it did. I strained it yesterday and added some vanilla. When DH came home from work we both tried a little bit. It was good! You have to start with a small amount. It will clean all the toxins out of your body and you know what that means...lol. I started another batch but will probably do a second fermentation on it to give us enough time to drink the gallon I just did. With only two of us here it will take us a while to drink a whole gallon.
I got my mixer today! It's lovely. Cant wait to use it. DH is going to grind some wheat for me today and we are going to have a pizza with dough made with the mixer. DH is off today and trying to paint the fence...notice I said trying. He got a little sprayer and it was supposed to work but it doesnt seem to want to lay down the paint right (DH is not a very patient person and wants it to work right now) so of course he had to go to the store and get some rollers and a paint pan since the sprayer wasnt working for him. This fence is costing us more and more...
On a more positive note, the weather is beautiful out and starting tomorrow I'm taking off a few days myself. We are planning on going to the Lincoln County Fair in Tennessee. Cant wait until tomorrow. Well I better get back to work so I can get all this typing finished before midnight...just needed a break from it so what do I do but type on my blog...I'm a strange person...bruhahhaha.
Talk to ya later!
Denise
I got my mixer today! It's lovely. Cant wait to use it. DH is going to grind some wheat for me today and we are going to have a pizza with dough made with the mixer. DH is off today and trying to paint the fence...notice I said trying. He got a little sprayer and it was supposed to work but it doesnt seem to want to lay down the paint right (DH is not a very patient person and wants it to work right now) so of course he had to go to the store and get some rollers and a paint pan since the sprayer wasnt working for him. This fence is costing us more and more...
On a more positive note, the weather is beautiful out and starting tomorrow I'm taking off a few days myself. We are planning on going to the Lincoln County Fair in Tennessee. Cant wait until tomorrow. Well I better get back to work so I can get all this typing finished before midnight...just needed a break from it so what do I do but type on my blog...I'm a strange person...bruhahhaha.
Talk to ya later!
Denise
Monday, September 13, 2010
And It's a Home Run for the Sourdough!
The zucchini bread was wonderful! It rose enough to make two really nice loaves. DH liked it and so did I. I modified the recipe. Here it is:
Zucchini Bread
Preheat oven to 350.
3 eggs 2 cups sugar 2 teaspoons vanilla 2 cups shredded zucchini
2 cups flour 1 cup sourdough 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice
1 cup chopped nuts 1 cup raisins 8 oz crushed pineapple drained 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Mix it all together and put into 2 4x8" greased loaf pans. Bake for one hour.
And here's the lemon blueberry square recipe that I modified:
Lemon Blueberry Squares
Preheat oven to 350.
2 eggs 1 cup sugar 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1 cup sourdough 1 tablespoon lemon zest
3/4 cup blueberries 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Grease 8x8" pan. Mix ingredients together. Pour into pan and bake 25 minutes if using fresh blueberries or 35-40 minutes if using frozen blueberries. Cool completely and dust with convectioner's sugar or just serve warm with milk on top.
*Tossing blueberries and raisins with a teaspoon of flour will lessen them from sinking to the bottom of the pan.
The crushed pineapple was a weird ingredient and I wasnt sure I would like it. I'm not too crazy about pineapple but it tasted really good. The pineapple makes it more moist and if you noticed there is no oil/butter in either recipe.
I won't be experimenting for a couple of days so everyone will have to wait for my next cooking excursion...I know you are sitting on the edge of your seat. lol.
Talk to ya later!
Denise
Zucchini Bread
Preheat oven to 350.
3 eggs 2 cups sugar 2 teaspoons vanilla 2 cups shredded zucchini
2 cups flour 1 cup sourdough 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice
1 cup chopped nuts 1 cup raisins 8 oz crushed pineapple drained 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Mix it all together and put into 2 4x8" greased loaf pans. Bake for one hour.
And here's the lemon blueberry square recipe that I modified:
Lemon Blueberry Squares
Preheat oven to 350.
2 eggs 1 cup sugar 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1 cup sourdough 1 tablespoon lemon zest
3/4 cup blueberries 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Grease 8x8" pan. Mix ingredients together. Pour into pan and bake 25 minutes if using fresh blueberries or 35-40 minutes if using frozen blueberries. Cool completely and dust with convectioner's sugar or just serve warm with milk on top.
*Tossing blueberries and raisins with a teaspoon of flour will lessen them from sinking to the bottom of the pan.
The crushed pineapple was a weird ingredient and I wasnt sure I would like it. I'm not too crazy about pineapple but it tasted really good. The pineapple makes it more moist and if you noticed there is no oil/butter in either recipe.
I won't be experimenting for a couple of days so everyone will have to wait for my next cooking excursion...I know you are sitting on the edge of your seat. lol.
Talk to ya later!
Denise
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Sourdough experiments
Well I ordered my kombucha culture a while ago and when it didnt do anything I wrote to the company and told them what I did and how it didnt do anything. They nicely emailed me back and said that they would be sending out a new kombucha that day and gave me some more suggestions on how to make it work. When I opened the package not only was there the kombucha culture in there but they had also included a sourdough starter as well. Score! Just was looking into starting my own and there it was for FREE! So I started the kombucha - it's still in my closet the warmest spot in my airconditioned house and still not doing anything but I have hope... I started the sourdough and it's working!!!!! So cool to not to have to use yeast. So I made two loaves of sourdough bread. They rose nicely and looked good but when I opened the oven they were pretty flat. Kinda disappointing but they tasted really good. Froze one loaf and kept the other one out for eating with our eggs. DH only had one complaint though...said it was a little sour...hmmm. Told him to put some apple butter on it. Sad face turned into a happy face! Ohh it tastes good with this on it. Of course the wife is always right about sweet things... lol. So I told him if he ground some more wheat for me I would make some more bread and pour off the hooch...strange name for the watery stuff that rises to the top of the starter.
Friday I was in the mood to experiment a little bit more with my sourdough so I made lemon blueberry squares. Kinda flat again but tasted really good like a blueberry buckle sorta. DH liked those. And yes I poured off the hooch before making them.
Today I decided to try to make zucchini bread with the sourdough. It's in the oven right now. Smells really good. Afraid to look though....it's probably flat. Anyone know how to get it to raise more? My sourdough has lots and lots of bubbles...Any help would be appreciated!
Talk to ya later!
Denise
Friday I was in the mood to experiment a little bit more with my sourdough so I made lemon blueberry squares. Kinda flat again but tasted really good like a blueberry buckle sorta. DH liked those. And yes I poured off the hooch before making them.
Today I decided to try to make zucchini bread with the sourdough. It's in the oven right now. Smells really good. Afraid to look though....it's probably flat. Anyone know how to get it to raise more? My sourdough has lots and lots of bubbles...Any help would be appreciated!
Talk to ya later!
Denise
Friday, September 10, 2010
Weirdness
Yep got some Chinese food tonight and opened my fortune cookie...one side was in English and the other...was in SPANISH! Please explain this to me. You would have thought it would have been in Chinese. Your local Chinese restaurant is now politically correct...I guess.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Update on Speghetti sauce
Well I put water on the stain immediately and it all washed out except for one little pencil eraser sized spot right in front. Think I'll sew a button on it...lol.
Pretty proud about my chicks laying over 200 eggs last month. We average about 7 eggs a day. Dont know whether that means someone is not holding up their end of the bargain or not. It doesnt matter though cause we are going to keep them until they die of old age anyway.
It warmed up yesterday and hit 90 again and it is shaping up to be even warmer today. Wash is hanging on the line and the dishwasher is running. Clean sheets are on the bed. Good day today! Going to make a chicken casserole tonight for supper. I took some pics today of the things I have finished knitting and will be posting them later.
Hope everyone has a very nice day today!
I hepped up on vitamin D from being out in the sun and all the fresh air, can you tell?
Talk to ya later!
Denise
Pretty proud about my chicks laying over 200 eggs last month. We average about 7 eggs a day. Dont know whether that means someone is not holding up their end of the bargain or not. It doesnt matter though cause we are going to keep them until they die of old age anyway.
It warmed up yesterday and hit 90 again and it is shaping up to be even warmer today. Wash is hanging on the line and the dishwasher is running. Clean sheets are on the bed. Good day today! Going to make a chicken casserole tonight for supper. I took some pics today of the things I have finished knitting and will be posting them later.
Hope everyone has a very nice day today!
I hepped up on vitamin D from being out in the sun and all the fresh air, can you tell?
Talk to ya later!
Denise
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
I hate speghetti sauce...
well not really but maybe I shouldnt have been making sauce today cause the blender started to leak at the bottom. I grabbed the blender container, saw that the bottom was leaking, ran to a bowl I had sitting on the counter and yes stupidly very stupidly unscrewed the bottom of it....sauce exploded into the bowl but didnt miss me. It came to visit a while on the popover I was wearing...lovely just fantastic. I threw it into the washer and am keeping my fingers crossed that the stains will not be there. Hadnt worn that popover since the spring too.
But the sauce tastes good
Talk to ya later!
Denise
But the sauce tastes good
Talk to ya later!
Denise
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Rained again today!
Another couple of storms went through again today. Yesterday we had a total of 4 inches. There was flooding in the northeastern part of the state so bad the state police blocked off roads and several families were evacuated from their homes. We did some adjusting to the chicken coop yesterday between the raindrops. DH cleaned the coop while I was making supper and I helped him (ran and got tools for him as he was in the coop). We moved the fan from in front of the door to back by the window and moved the feeder from there to in front of the door. It seems to be working pretty good so far. This way when it rains and we close the door the food wont get wet.
For supper we had klushki (sorry not sure how to spell that). I changed it up a bit. Usually you just cook wide egg noodles, cook up some sausages or hotdogs, slice them up and then cook down some shredded cabbage in butter. I cooked the cabbage in some bacon grease and added some frozen peas that I had leftover from the night before. Threw it in the oven in my cast iron enameled pot with the lid on at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes. I really liked it with the peas in it. They added some color. Cant have enough green stuff you know.
I have been trying to cook down my quartered pie pumpkins. Who knew that it would take so long...but it smells good in the kitchen lol.
Talk to ya later!
Denise
For supper we had klushki (sorry not sure how to spell that). I changed it up a bit. Usually you just cook wide egg noodles, cook up some sausages or hotdogs, slice them up and then cook down some shredded cabbage in butter. I cooked the cabbage in some bacon grease and added some frozen peas that I had leftover from the night before. Threw it in the oven in my cast iron enameled pot with the lid on at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes. I really liked it with the peas in it. They added some color. Cant have enough green stuff you know.
I have been trying to cook down my quartered pie pumpkins. Who knew that it would take so long...but it smells good in the kitchen lol.
Talk to ya later!
Denise
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
We have rain...
Yesterday DH decided to wash some of his work clothes and hang them out on the line. Then it started to rain and then we lost our electricity for about an hour and a half. He was going to run out and get them but I said no just let them out there they are soaked and they might dry before dark. Hmmm. Guess what? They did dry a little cause they werent dripping when I brought some of them in so he had something to wear to work today but they took a full 45 minutes in the dryer. So much for saving money. Anyway we left the rest of the clothes out on the line overnight thinking that they would be dry by about noon and you guessed it...it's now pouring out. Rain water softens everything right? These clothes are going to be the softest ever! Looks like I'll be bringing them in this evening and putting them in the dryer. Cant complain to much about the rain though and it has definitely cooled down. The chicks are very happy.
Cant understand why DH was grumpy yesterday. Kept mumbling something about grass cutting...
Cant understand why DH was grumpy yesterday. Kept mumbling something about grass cutting...
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Canning
I canned a lot over the weekend. I canned some peach preserves, peach pie filling, and some apple butter. I still have some peaches which I plan on turning into spiced peach jam and some more apples left as well which I plan on making applesauce out of.
Apple butter and peach preserves. I'm using my new labeler to make labels for each jar. It is great, wish I would have gotten it a long time ago.
Sideways pic of my new pressure canner. Couldnt figure out how to turn it sorry!
The mess of pickles I made a while ago.
My lavender jelly made with MY lavender, I'm so proud of myself using my lavender and actually making jelly not sauce...Yeah Me!
Salsa - homemade - yum!
Dont know whether you can see him or not but this is a little itty bitty frog that was on our screen door one night.
There he is!
and there he is again! He was only about an inch long. Hope he made it through the hot weather cause I havent seen him since these pics.
Apple butter and peach preserves. I'm using my new labeler to make labels for each jar. It is great, wish I would have gotten it a long time ago.
Sideways pic of my new pressure canner. Couldnt figure out how to turn it sorry!
The mess of pickles I made a while ago.
My lavender jelly made with MY lavender, I'm so proud of myself using my lavender and actually making jelly not sauce...Yeah Me!
Salsa - homemade - yum!
Dont know whether you can see him or not but this is a little itty bitty frog that was on our screen door one night.
There he is!
and there he is again! He was only about an inch long. Hope he made it through the hot weather cause I havent seen him since these pics.And I think I'm all caught up now on my pics! I will have to make some more of the things I have completed knitting.
Talk to ya later!
Denise
Jack Daniels distillery museum
Here we are going into the museum. On the right is my DH and on the left is his friend Archie. Archie visited us for a few days. He is in the Navy and is stationed in Mississippi.
This is part of the display. The bottles in the middle show different strengths of the whiskey and the big barrel is what they use to age the whiskey. 
Archie and his friend Jack lol...
This is the cave which has a natural spring which is used for the distillation process. It was almost 100 degrees the day we went to see the museum and when we started up the little walk to the cave you could just feel the cold air coming off of the water. Jack Daniels actually bought the surrounding acreage around this spring and cave so he could have the best water for his product. Very smart man - knew even back then about the pollution.
This is the safe that actually killed Jack. Well sort of, he kicked it and was a diabetic and got gangrene and died. Kinda sad. It musta really hurt too.
This is us leaving the museum. What you cant see is Archie's purchases! They cant sell the whiskey except in the museum as the county is dry. There werent a lot of pics I could take as you arent allowed to take pics of the actual whiskey making process. It was very impressive and interesting. The tour is free although why people would bring small children to it is beyond me but some did. 
This is on the way to our car. I was trying to show the planters made out of whiskey barrels. They were really pretty. They make all their own barrels. I really liked the tour and the history was really interesting even though me and my DH do not drink their product. On our way there we stopped by Falls Mill so Archie could see how that worked. I think he really enjoyed himself and DH was really happy he came to see us.
See how happy? I had to spring this pic on them at the last minute before Archie left. DH doesnt like his picture taken. While Archie was here DH and he went to see about getting a gun and bought many beers and talked a lot. Me, well I got to relax and didnt go to see about getting a gun, didnt drink any beer and talked a little lol ;)
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