Thanksgiving weekend

Snow is what we woke up to this Sunday morning. I have been wanting snow, just not the day the kids have to drive back to Oklahoma City.

They made it in Thanksgiving day about mid-afternoon. The turkey was in the oven. The house smelled so good. The dressing was made (once again too much) the yeast rolls were rising, and the green bean casserole and the sweet potatoes were ready to go in the oven. Great timing.



At dinner, no one took pictures. I only wish someone had, Brady wanted the turkey leg when Grandpa was carving the turkey. The whole leg he said. At serving time it was placed on his plate. He ate it like a chicken leg and finished most of it. It was from a 17 lb turkey, so it wasn't some little ole drumstick.


After dinner the little boys got to play with the Wii steering wheels that Aunt Sarah bought along. Alex said "we are having fun tonight!" We had a day to be thankful for, all the family was home. We really enjoyed the evening.




Saturday after a big breakfast we loaded up our four wheeler and stopped to borrow the son's 4 wheeler. We then went to the cabin/farm and the four of us went 4 wheeling.







While riding through the woods we came upon this deer stand.... well ground stand. BT tells me it is where little 7 year old Brady shot his deer. We saw a flock of turkeys in the woods later.







After our ride we came back to the cabin and warmed up by the fire. Sarah and Rusty made us some improvised targets using crayons.






Rusty takes aim with a Smith & Wesson, model 66. We all took turns and later fired a 22 rifle. That is my favorite. But I must admit, I wasn't a good shot. I'm going to blame it on the cold.

When we arrived back home about 3:00, I put a ham in the oven to bake. I then went and picked up my Mom to come over for dinner. Sarah made an Oreo cheesecake, while I made a broccoli casserole.


Saturday, Sarah and Rusty watched their football games respectively. Unfortunately MU lost by 3 points. Rusty's Florida Gators won. While Rusty's game was on Sarah took her two favorite nephews (did I tell you she only has two nephews) to the movies. She bought them popcorn and drinks. Alex calls it poptorn.


BT and I worked outside and burned off the back woods. Several times we had pellets of ice and/or rain falling on us.


8:38PM 34 degrees.

I'm going PINK

The ultra sound today revealed we are expecting our first grand Daughter. We are so excited and so is everyone else. Including the two older brothers! They are all ready making a list of girl names.

A busy Saturday

I was up just after the crack of dawn. Okay maybe it was a little past that time, what ever. Coffee and cappuccino was made after I dressed and I was out the door with the Garmin, headed to my girlfriends house in Hartsburg.



We were headed to the Booneslick Trail Quilter's guild 2008 Quilt show. I had talked to a fellow blogger, with thread in hand and she was coming from half way across the state. I emailed her back with what I would be wearing. Unfortunately I got her reply too late and I didn't know what to look for. The Expo center was packed with quilts the best I could tell there were 398 showing. Not all were big quilts, some awesome wall hangings too.



About twenty-one vendors lined the outside of the room. My favorite booth was Liberty Homestead. I visited it more than once. I wanted the Farmhouse Blanket Babies book. But I just couldn't justify it. I did take their card and will keep it for future reference or ordering!





We spent several hours looking at all the quilt. Now if I can just figure out how to post a video of all the pictures I took, I'd be happy.



For lunch we stopped by Olive Garden. It was onto some quick shopping after that. First a stop at Micheal's for a bag of bottle brush trees. Here is what mine look like after I bleached them. Visit the Misadventures of Mama and Jack to see what she does with these trees. Here is what Bass pro was next for a camouflage sweatshirt for BT. One last stop at a quilt shop for a piece of fabric for the DIL.






I was back home by 4 and took a little rest before fixing dinner for BT.

By 6:30 I picked up the DIL and we went to Dreams to Reality fund raiser. The mission of Dreams to Reality is to help low-income women of Missouri to meet their employment goals and build self-confidence by providing appropriate interview and business apparel, motivation and follow-up support. You were made to feel like a celebrity as you sampled delicious foods, tried tasty drinks, sampled spa services, and shopped, shopped and shopped. I won the first door prize given. A picture frame. Lori and I both got a chair massage. Grand prize of the evening was a $1000 piece of jewelry, 2nd place was a trip to Las Vegas. We are still waiting for them to call us! We made it home by 10PM. A long day for me.


Check back, maybe after some quality sleep I will be able to upload those pictures. But in the mean time check out the blog I mentioned with thread in hand. She knows how to load pictures.



9:49 PM 40 degrees.

32 jars plus 6

Here is yesterday's production. 32 jars of turnip kraut and 6 jars of jalapeno jelly.

I did that while BT installed gutter guards. It was a beautiful 62 degrees outside. I wish I could have been burning leaves. That will be today's work, after I grocery shop and pick up 2 more gutter guards.

And deer season goes on at our house.....

35 degrees 9:10AM

Cold weather means soup and Deer Season

Does the cold weather make you want soup? Here is my daughter's health report from KSBI TV. I'll let her tell you about it.

Deer season started Friday night. Well the hunting part started Saturday morning 6 :00 AM. But we all get to go to the cabin. Usually the men do the cooking. But for some strange reason I got rooked into it. I made a big pot of Posole and another pot of chicken and rice. I didn't think the grandsons would like the spicy one.

BT was the first and only one to take meat on Saturday. A nice doe. The son got an 8 point buck on Sunday and his cousin Trevor shot a 9 point.

Season is open all week. Saturday night a friend cooked 4 huge slabs of ribs all afternoon for us. Gosh they were the best! I fixed buttered turnips, Larraine made deviled eggs, Macaroni and cheese and baked beans. We had lots of desserts, 3 different cookies, rice crispies treats and apple pie.

Sunday BT quartered his deer and placed it in the extra refrigerator in the basement. We will process it ourselves in a day or two. He then brushed hogged our lane. I watched the boys and made a pot of Beef barley soup and corn muffins to take back to the cabin for dinner.

After having the flu Thursday night and Friday, then deer camp all week end, I need a vacation? Got any Calgon?

9:20 pm 49 degrees.

Where has the week been going?

My week started with me winning my first blog giveaway!!! I am so excited. Thanks Pam Kitty Morning!



This is an antique oak planter I bought Sunday at an auction. It will look awesome once we refinish it. I can just see Boston ferns in it. If only I can keep them alive. I am hoping it will match the beams beside it once we take the old finish off.

Here is a wall hanging I am making for Rita. The loons on the bottom are for a second hanging.

My how time flies when you have so much to do. This is my backyard. Can you see the leaves Bentley and I have raked so far? There's plenty more to do. I will take any volunteers to help!

While in the backyard, I used some of the oak leaves to help protect the roots of my knock out roses. It's an elevated bed and I'm hoping this adds a little protection. Who would think the roses would still be blooming in the middle of November?

And then there's the first 9 pints of turnip kraut. The second crock is so full it bubbled over in the fermenting process. Good think BT chose to set it next to the drain in the basement. We are guessing there should be about 30 - 35 pints in that 6 gallon crock.

We tried a jar for dinner tonight with our country cured Burger ham. I first diced and cooked some butter golden new potatoes. I cooked them until the water started to thicken, then added the kraut and simmered it about 40 minutes. Yumo!

Another 2 days this week, I washed beams. Did you know the beams are 18 feet from the floor in all three bedrooms? That was a lot of ladder climbing. This picture is in our bedroom. I also made a new curtain for the half-circle window. The other two rooms have quarter windows. They received new curtains too.

Today was my shopping day. I took time out to stop by a tag sale. I arrived about 8 minutes before it opened. I was probably about #23 in line. At precisely 10:00 they opened the front door and took in 10 people. As one person would come out, 2 would go in. I found this sweet little porcelain pitcher for $3, a cane for $3, a plastic sewing box (with 6 cross-stitched blocks and thread) for $3. Add another buck for a swifter for the daughter and I was out of there in no time.

With all this work, I worked my regular job on Monday. Darn that reminds me, I have to work there tomorrow too. Shoot!

Tonight I made two huge pots of soup. Posole for one pot and chicken and rice for the other. I cheated and made a box cheese cake too. Tomorrow night is the beginning of "Deer Camp". The best part of camp, it's just 2 miles from home. So you may not hear much from me the next day or two. No I'm not a hunter, but I can keep busy while the guys are away playing!

60 degrees, 9:29PM

Banana bread makers

The grandsons stayed all night with Gma and Gpa last night. After their favorite breakfast of pancakes we made Banana Bread.

See they are still in their pajamas. I used a family recipe handed down from my Mother-in-law. I'm not sure but I bet it came from her mother. Which would be the little boys great-great grandmother!

It's tried and true. Here it is in print for you to try.

Grandma's T Banana Bread

( At least that is what my kids always called it)

1/2 c. shortening

1 c. sugar

1 1/2 c. bananas, were never measure, we always use 3 bananas (well ripened)

1 egg

2 c. flour

1 t. baking powder

1/2 t. baking soda

3 T. milk

Cream shortening and sugar. Add eggs, bananas and milk. Mix in the dry ingredients. Pour into a greased and floured loaf pan. Bake 350 for 60 minutes.

Making turnip kraut

Now to make turnip kraut you need some nice firm turnips. This one is monster sized. After I took this picture and was busy peeling BT found an even bigger one.However, it was shy and didn't want it's picture taken.


Last Saturday I was given a 5 gallon bucket full of turnips by Brian and Lisa. thanks guys! I worked them up and made about 2 gallons in a five gallon crock.


This week my son and his friend Randy brought over another 5 gallon bucket and a feed sack full! This time we have a 5 gallon crock full of kraut.

* Here we are peeling and shredding. The kitchen was a complete mess when we finished. Sheds of turnips on the counter, the cabinets, the floor and us!

Next you cut them into chunks to fit into the food processor.

Place about 8 cups at a time into a large crock. Mix in salt and a very scant amount of sugar. Work it through, in other words give the turnips a nice massage.

Keep layering and mixing in salt and sugar as you go. Than weight it down with a dinner plate with a gallon jug of water on top. Cover with a cloth and let it ferment. This usually take 7 to 10 days. If a scum appears on top, ladle it off. Store this in a cool place, not your kitchen. If you chose to do it inside your kitchen, your whole house will have a new scent, if you get my drift!

Test taste after 7 days for sourness. Once soured, you cold pack it, 10 minutes for pints, 20 for quarts. (Thanks Delphine for the times).

When you use this, you just heat it up, season with bacon if you like or eat plain. We also cook diced potatoes and add to the kraut too. Let it simmer for a long time, the creamier the better!

* picture taken by 7 year old Grandson, can't you tell by the angle?

Saturday morning 38 degrees at 8:30

Deer processing

We have always processed our own venison. Tonight was no exception. Even the little shooter was involved.

Jeremy brought over chili, hot dogs, cheese, buns and 2 hungry little boys.

It took the guys a little over an hour to get the deer all processed.
Usually I am in on the cutting up part. However tonight I was the
chief bottle washer.























November 3 and still 65 degrees at 9:34 PM

Halloween

The boys take their annual picture with Grandma and Grandpa
And lucky they are, they also got the annual picture taken with their Great-Grandma!

Sorry this post is a day late, this grandma forgot to take a picture and had to borrow ones from their mother, the photographer.

9:44 PM 65 degrees on Nov 2nd if you believe that.

The Grandson's 1st Deer

Did I mention, he's 7 years old? That's right, now we feel old, BT and I, when the 7 year old bags his first deer.

The button buck!
If you think the kid is proud, then you should have seen his Dad!

The deer stand. On the ground!

Way to go Brady!

May you have many more good, safe hunts!