Queen's Edge Farm: Monday's Happenings

Monday, September 17, 2007

Monday's Happenings

A busy day so far...at least in terms of running around. Dropped Taylor off at school this morning, and headed over to Candi's. We were scheduled to go to the library. I was showing where it is located in relation to her new home. Well, since I don't live in town anymore, I was unaware that the library there opens at 1 p.m. on Mondays, and 9 a.m. the other days. Very strange. So, after that outing, we headed back to her house, and then I left to get started with my day, and her with theirs.

We aren't schooling today, as Lauren is sick. We did swing by the library, and she checked out a couple of videos to watch in her room, while she lays in the bed. I think the choices came down to Swiss Family Robinson, Barbie Nutcracker, and the Disney movie about the Bible character Joseph. Not sure of the name at the moment.

Rodney's parents well pump has gone out, so he is headed over there to help pull it out and replace it. His dad is 76, and needs a little more help than he used to, strength wise. So, this means dinner will be delayed or much easier, if he eats over their tonight.

He and two of his nephews spent the day at the river yesterday up in Medina fishing and floating the river. They all came back burned and hungry, and Rodney had a headache. (I am sure it is heat related, as he NEVER takes food or water with him when he fishes.)

I have my first problem with the Prairie Primer book. Many of the suggesting readings they list are difficult, if not impossible to locate. The local library doesn't have them, neither does the San Antonio Public Library. A huge pain in the posterior. I tried to supplement by finding other books on the related topic (California Gold Rush) to read to the girls.

Taylor had his first doctor's appointment BY HIMSELF today. Very unnerving, but I am trying to give him a little more responsibility, and since it was only a checkup in order to get his prescription renewed, I am not too worried. I really like living where we do (at this point in time) for Taylor's sake. We are in the middle of our small town, which affords him the ability to ride his bike to the grocery store, movie store, Sonic, the library and the doctor's office. Due to his disabilities, he is unable to drive, so being within bike riding distance is great for a small sense of independence for him. Once we finish his apartment (in the back yard), it will be another step in his development, and a hard one for me. Please pray for his continued maturity, as he is sadly lacking in this area, and it affects his judgement and decision making abilities.
He is almost 19, but mentally around 11-12 years old. Functional, but not capable of being left on his own for too long, without doing something silly (like nailing the old sliding board to a tree so he can slide out of the tree LOL! or attempting to go from tree to tree on a zip line, or fighting with his sisters like a little kid.)

Please pray for the following also:

getting my dad's estate/affairs completed ASAP
Candi's pregnancy and family
Unspoken
Bob and Cherie's health
Un-potty trained puppies everywhere LOL!
My self control

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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.