Queen's Edge Farm: A Lazy Rainy Day

Thursday, June 28, 2007

A Lazy Rainy Day

Woke up to a grey day, and it has been raining nonstop today. I went out to make sure all my tubs were turned over so that they would fill with water. I feel very lazy today, but need to get cracking here in a few.

Puting soup on for dinner and working on making yeast rolls. It is flooding all around with nearby areas having over 20 inches of rain in one day! That's just crazy talk.

I really need to get working on my goat pen, as I need to pick up my little girl goat from a friend.
I was reading an article on discipline today. I know that this is a hot topic for some reason. You would think with all the juvenile delinquency floating around parents would recognize a need for some stronger discipline. Today it is popular to NOT spank, and those who do spank are treated as child abusers. Frankly, I am on the side of believing spanking has it's place. People need to realize that spanking is not beating or abuse. Spanking does not breed violence, and is not a tool that parents use because they do not know any other way. I believe there is a direct correlation between the break up of the family, the lack of appropriate spanking and the increase in juvenile crime.

I was spanked as a child, when I needed it, and I recongize that it was effective. I am a productive member of society, and was an excellent student. As a parent, I expect obedience. I have not been consistent in my discipline lately, and am trying to fix that. I only have one simple rule..do whatever I tell you. Not hard to remember I don't think. In my opinion, if done right you should have to spank rarely, and the older the child gets the more other forms of discipline (grounding and taking away cherished belongings) work better. Okay, off my soapbox for now.

Finished my housework. With having a regularly scheduled routine, the house stays pretty much clean, though the clutter is an ongoing battle. Did mostly surface cleaning and picking up of clutter. I really need to schedule time for deep cleaning, especially for the living room carpet, my bedroom, and the playroom. I would like to redecorate my bedroom this summer, but a large pile of yard sale stuff occupies one corner of the bedroom. With all the rain the past 3 months, I haven't been able to have my yard sale. But soon....

I have a pot of homemade Southwest Soup on the stove (basically beef vegetable SPICED up with dried red pepper, soy sauce and rotel tomatoes) and will put a pan of cornbread in the oven in a few minutes (gave up on the yeast rolls).

1 comment:

Bob Westbrook said...: I'm with you on the discipline. Learned how not to do it from my dad. With my two it was spelled out. If you do something, this will happen, so there were no surprises.
My wife could learn from you regarding getting things done.; June 28, 2007 at 11:00 PM

Grandma's Yummy Cinnamon Rolls

2 pkgs active dry yeast or 5 tsps if using bulk yeast
1/2 cup warm water (not too hot)
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup shortening, butter, margarine
2 tsps salt
2 cups milk, scalded
1 1/2 cups cold water
10 to 12 cups flour (white or whole wheat)

Yield: 4 loaves

Soften yeast in warm water, springkle in a tsp of the sugar
In LARGE mixing bowl blend sugar, shortening, salt and milk until shortening is melted. Add cold water, cool to luke-warm. Stir in yeast. Gradually add flour to form a stiff dough. Knead on floured surface until smooth and satiny, 5 to 10 minutes. Place in greased bowl, turning dough to grease all sides. Cover with foil or damp towel. Let rise in warm place (85 to 90 deg) until light and doubled in volume about two hours. Punch dough down by plunging fist in center. Knead dough for about 5 minutes.

Roll out one fourth of dough to a 16 X 12 inch rectangle. Brush with 2 TBSP of melted butter. Combine 1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar, 1/3 cup sugar and 1 1/2 tsp of cinnamon (or more to taste). Sprinkle mixture over dough. Starting with 16 inch side, roll jellyroll fashion. Either cut into 16 1 inch slices or leave as a whole loaf. Place on a greased pan, cover and let rise in warm place until light, about 30 to 45 minutes. Bake at 375 degrees about 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Mix one box 10X sugar with 2 tbsps water. If too stiff, add more water until icing consistency, add a drop of vanilla too. Spread on baked bread while bread is still warm.

2010 Homestead Stats

Laundry Soap

Homemade Laundry Soap:
1/3 bar Fels Naptha or other type of soap, as listed above
½ cup washing soda
½ cup borax powder
~You will also need a small washpan or bowl that holds about 2 gallons.

Grate the soap and put it in a sauce pan. Add 6 cups water and heat it until the soap melts. Add the washing soda and the borax and stir until it is dissolved. Remove from heat. Pour 4 cups hot water into the washpan. Now add your soap mixture and stir. Now add 1 gallon plus 6 cups of water and stir. Transfer soap (using a funnel if necessary) into empty plastic laundry holders, milk containers (I use my empty glass milk bottles and old Fab containers) Let the soap sit for about 24 hours and it will gel. You use ½ cup per load.

Wild Mustang Grape Jelly

Wild Mustang Grape Jelly

5 cups grape juice (about 3 1/2 pounds of ripe grapes)1 (1 3/4 ounce) box of sure-jel pectin7 cups sugarBefore getting started it is best to clean the entire kitchen, making sure the sink is empty. Bleach the sink and all utensils used in making jelly (I do this as I sell my grape jelly as part of my homesteading business.)

Wash the canning jars in warm soapy water, and rinse well. Set off to side.

Place a large pan of water on the stove to heat. Once it starts steaming, place lids and rings in the bottom, and 2-3 jars (depending on if you use actual jelly jars or pints) to sterilize.

Next make the grape juice using clean washed grapes (make sure you use rubber gloves when picking or washing wild grapes)To 3 1/2 pounds of clean grapes (6 cups of grapes) add 1 1/2 cups water.Bring to a boil and simmer covered for 10 minutes.Strain and squeeze out all of the juice with cheese cloth (see paragraph below)
I didn't have cheese cloth, so I poured the grape mixture into a large spaghetti strainer with a large pan underneath. I had to stir it around some as the skins and seeds would sink to the bottom, and clog the colander up. Stirring allowed the liquid to drain out. I then used a large metal spoon and squished it some to get more of the juice out.

In a very big pan, put 5 cups of the juice (it’s okay to add no more than ½ cup water to even out amount)Add the fruit pectin to the juice.Mix well.On high heat, bring to a full rolling boil, and boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly.Stir in sugar all at once, and bring back to a full rolling boil, again boil hard for 1 minute stirring constantly.
Remove jelly from heat, skim off foam
Use a large spoon inserted inside the jar to lift CAREFULLY out of the water. DO NOT TOUCH THE INSIDE OF THE JAR OR THE RIM WITH YOUR HANDS.
Ladle jelly into hot jars, place a lid and ring onto jar (do not tighten yet).
Set jars to the side. After a while you should start hearing “pings” as the jar seals.
When jars are completely cool, tighten rings and store on pantry shelf.**SIDE NOTE: Wild Mustang Grapes are normally ready the end of June, so be prepared. Keep an eye open for vines on the side of the road, or any that friends and family may have growing in their yard. Many people just let them grow and don’t do anything with them, so it shouldn’t be hard to find a good supply. Also, the more you pick off the vine, the more the vine produces new grapes, so you probably won’t EVER run out of grapes to use until the vine dies or you get sick of making jelly. Good luck and feel free to contact me at queensedgefarm@yahoo.com for questions.