Queen's Edge Farm: Boots

Friday, December 14, 2007

Boots

You know I used to have five pairs of boots, 2 lace ups, and 3 pairs of Ropers. I mean what good is a TEXAN without at least one pair of work boots and another pair of dress boots. But, I can't find even one pair! I wanted to pull them on the other day, and they have all dissappeared. I can't remember giving them away, I don't think I would have done that....I guess I will add a pair to my Wish List.

Today was a busy day. It is our Town Day. We headed into town to the credit union for my son to deposit his paycheck...all $54 dollars of it. He only works 1-2 days per week, and makes $54 a day....which is good for someone with no skills, working at a local greenhouse. The job is perfect for him, and I pray to God he will keep it, or find another similar.

Afterwards, we ate lunch at Chili's. The kids were really good today, and I enjoyed being with them...next on the agenda was heading to Dollar Tree where I picked up a few baby shower things for Candi's baby shower tomorrow, and some odds and ends that I really didn't need.
Game Stop was next on the list, so that I could get DH a gift card for more games. He is hard to shop for, and I don't dare buy him tools or such, because I will ALWAYS get it wrong.
After Game Stop, we stopped at Walmart to buy the groceries for the baby shower, and a few more odds and ends. Our last stop was Starbucks, where we went inside for a "potty stop", I had hot cocoa, and the kid had iced tea and iced lemon pound cake. It was total consumer shopping day at it's best. We arrived home around 3:30 p.m., just in time to pick up the living room, and start a fire in the woodstove (it has been chilly and drizzling all day - yeah!) before DH arrived.

As soon as DH, came in the door he told me "I Am Legend" is showing at the theater at 4:30 and 5:00 p.m. We rarely leave the kids at home without a sitter, as their 18 year old brother needs a sitter himself at times. But we have been waiting to see this movie for awhile. We had Taylor stay in his room and watch his new movie, and the girls watched the Disney Channel in the living room. I rushed to McDonald's to pick up their dinner (yuck! I have McD's and rarely eat there), and we jumped in the truck and headed into town. We watched the movie which was good, but could have been even better, if it had been longer. Stopped by Babies R Us to check on rubber pants for Candi's baby, she hasn't been able to find any. Finally located a couple packs. We then stopped for dinner and headed home.

DH and kids spent the rest of the evening until 11 p.m.! (DH NEVER stays up this late) playing Ghost Recon on the PS2. I washed dishes, and then made the dishes for tomorrow's baby shower. I put together the Pasta Salad, Chicken Salad, and the Southwestern Soup is slowly cooking in the crockpot. I just have to load up the car tomorrow, and stop by the grocery store for a cake. I forgot to order a specific baby shower one, so hope they have one that is appropriate.

I am having a Christmas Party next weekend, and need to get the invitations printed.
Anyone who wants to come, email me and I will give you directions - if I know you that is ;-)

Date: December 23rd (Sunday)
Time: 6 p.m.
Location: My house

Open House style - come and go
Buffet Style
Kids welcome or leave at home, we don't mind, whatever floats your boat

It will be just a time of food, fun, talk, laughter and that's about it...

Off to bed, my eyeballs are about ready to POP out.

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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.