Suggestions

I need suggestions!

Do you use some kind of food mill for some of your canning purposes? If so, which kind? What one? What brand? Where can I get it? Why do you like it? What do you most use it for?

I have a 'Meat Grinder' attachement for my Kitchen Aide mixer, but if I understand correctly, to use it [correctly] for fruit, there is another piece I need to buy to attach to that.

HELP! I cannot keep hand peeling apples.....I'll have stubs by the time I have to start changing diapers :0

'Manew de la Pumpkin Patch'

I call this 'Manew de la Pumpkin Patch'....or in other words, a big ass pumpkin patch that grew out of our manure pile out back! Assuming it started from last seasons pumpkins that we tossed in there after they shriveled! But seriously, these pictures do it no justice....it is huge, coming out of the maure pile and wrapped around it at all angles like an octopus!

This sucker was the biggest one we found thus far :) How exciting!!

Random Saturday Ramblings

Today my day starting by Allen saying to me "Why don't you get out of bed and try to do something!" Hmmmmmm, maybe because I am pregnant and feel like I have a permanent hangover! In any event, he was right. The horses needs baths but it was TOO hot out for that just yet; too hot for me - let me clarify ;)

I decided to pick the 'snack apples' off the tree in our front yard and do something with them. They are SO good. I have no idea what kind of apple they really are and since they are pretty small in size, I call them a 'snack' apple. My nephew Benny was over the other night eating them like candy!

These beauties are super sweet and have a rosy tint to their flesh.

I felt like I was going to die after just picking enough to fill a 1/4 of the basket. Gosh, this prego thing really kicks my A!

One thing about these buggers being so small is that is was almost a waste of time to peel them on the apple peeler so I did them all by hand. It took me ALL DAY LONG. Yes, I had to periodically sit down and.....nap, but I started picking at noon and finished about 6:30ish maybe? 7 maybe. All for 6 pints of sweet applesauce! I cannot tell you my secrets to making it so delish ;)

Seriously though, did I mention being prego kicks my butt? Last year I would stand in the kitchen all day long, forget to eat and just can can can away. Today, I think I took a break from peeling before carpel tunnel set in and fell asleep on the couch for longer than I care to mention.

Then there is THIS one! He knows as soon as I bring a bushel basket in the house!! He undoubtedly ALWAYS picks the nicest looking apple out of the basket and takes off with it. Actually I think he got away with 5 this time before I got them all into the sink.

Dang, look at those claws! Would you believe I just clipped his nails about 2 weeks ago? Maybe he is taking pre-natal vitamins too?

No one gets HIS apples!

And this one.....she just makes herself at home anywhere she likes! Is that lipstick she is wearing??

Rights

I know my husband had a right to eat, but must EVERYTHING he cooks gag me to death?

Ok, I know we live in a ranch so it isn't easy to get away from the smells coming from the kitchen; even in the bedroom with the door closed, but geshhhhh, did he really need to make some kind of frozen pot roast deluxe when the smell of water makes me puke?

Who would have thought frozen pizza had a 'smell'? Or frozen jalapeno poppers? Or opening the fridge in general?

I know the man has a right to eat, but why can't he live on bread, cream of wheat, oatmeal and cereal WITH me for cryin' out loud?

Today & yesterday I had jury duty. I was dreading it at first, but found the experience pleasantly interesting......that is except for the coffee they had to brew in the juror's room, the man next to me in the juror box who insisted on breathing with his mouth open and eating what I believe to be raw garlic and onion for lunch and then, of course, during deliberations, they ordered PIZZA. My god....PIZZA....one of the things I am having the most hard time with. Which is odd because normally I can scarf down a pie like no ones business.

And the nerve of the court house to offer Pepsi in their vending machines instead of Coke. Pfffft!

Canning 101

We have veggies EVERYWHERE right now, and as I may have mentioned, the slightest glance in their direction makes me want to hurl due to my current state :/ But we've worked too hard at growing this year to let them all go to waste! So, today had been a Canning 101 lesson for the hubby. Boy has this been an experience ;)

Here he is preparing his peppers; we/he canned Chicken -heart peppers, Fluorescent Purple Peppers and Banana Peppers.

And then we/he started on our 100 million gazillion pounds of pickles!

The man used a dinner plate as his cutting board :/

Finished Pepper Products; he continually walks by to admire his work.

And I am at the kitchen table giving directions.....like this. Because as soon as he starting smashing garlic and bringing out pickling spices, I was done. BARF!

Check...and check again

I realize many of you may give me a crazy look when I ask you what is wrong with this picture?

Ok, so nothing looks wrong to you (unless you know me and my 'children')

Here is another hint - what is missing in this picture?

If you guess the donkey, you'd be correct! Go back to the first picture and notice that she somehow, magically, got herself successfully out of her pasture with Romeo and into the neighboring pasture with the big horses, Apollo & Gypsy.

I normally do not let the little ones run with the big ones just because when they get wound up and rambunctious and start throwing play bucks, one kick from Apollo on one of my little ones and that could be it! I just don't take the chance.....although clearly, there doesn't seem to be any concern that there is a little donkey hiding in the tall brush in picture #1!

Pluggin' Along

Well, tomorrow marks 9 weeks for me. I am feeling better, but not myself still. Food is hit or miss which stinks since we have OODLES of things in the garden needing canned. I cannot bring myself, or my stomach, to do it. Hubby is going to attempt some things over the weekend with my instruction from another room.......a room far away from the kitchen ;) Ugh.

Our transparent apple tree produced a whole one apple this year ;( My current blog banner is just one bushel of many from the tree last year. It certainly isn't going to be a banner year for apples this season, but we'll still have a decent amount I think.

Here are a few pics of things going on around the farm. To my Harvest Monday friends, sorry I have deserted ya! I just cannot 'stomach' it right now ;)

Onions

Harvest

Peace, Love & a Donkey!