Thursday, August 2, 2012

I have been on another vacation from blogging.....back now.

Nothing has changed with our weather.  It has just been more of the same.  We finished the driest July on record and the third hottest July. Records which I could have easily skipped.  The difference today is we are having quite a breeze.

We are still watering some things,the trees in the orchard where I can see new leaves developing; the tomatoes, the peppers and sweet potatoes and the strawberry row.

I try to hit the berry patch now and then and we have watered some trees in the yard.  We turn the sprinkler on the chicken yard twice a day too.

My tomatoes are not ripening very fast and are not setting new fruit.   My neighbor has given me enough from her early garden so that I have canned 8 pints.  I baked her a loaf of bread.

Sweet corn was a bust so we are feeding the forage to the two heifers and the ears to the  chickens.  They are both very happy with it.  We trapped a raccoon in the garden yesterday and have relocated two box turtles.

It is hard to keep your spirits up in this kind of weather.  We are getting more and more worried about the cows.  If we start feeding hay soon, we may run out before winter is over.  I want to sell some but DH is holding on......I will bow to his judgment.


My days are filled with routine mundane things, cleaning,  cooking, baking and, of course, reading.

Cooking

I have recently doubled my bread recipe from two loaves to 4.  My oven is large and can hold 4-loaf pans on one shelf.  It seemed wasteful to have that oven on without using it to its full capacity.  Also my new KA mixer can handle it.  I also decided to just use the highest quality flour I could buy.  I decided on King Arthur which I can get at our Dillon's (Kroger) Stores.  It is slightly less expensive than Hogsden Mills flours.  The result has been much higher rise with the breads and it has been consistent.  I am a believer now!  Even DH has noticed the difference.

This is the 10 grain one:


and even though I wasn't out of bread, I made just the simple whole wheat (light on white wheat because I didn't have enough)recipe so I could give a loaf to our neighbor as a thank you for the tomatoes she had given me.  I made one loaf into buns and had two for the freezer.  Hers was already wrapped and not in the picture.



 

15 comments:

  1. Good Morning Glenda,
    I have been down for a little while, too broke.
    My Roma tomatoes are doing well, slow to ripen but they are going to be ok. I planted them early before this heat really set in. My cherry and patio tomatoes are doing great, but my large heirlooms and slicers were a bust and we pulled the garden totally. The zukes had bugs and the cukes are producing like mad, very sweet, crispy cukes, but the garden as a whole was pitiful. My melons are doing well also.
    I started some late patio lettuce on my patio and in the shade. I have a small batch of Romas I will can this weekend.
    We have have had such heat, and I know you have had worse heat than us, plus the humidity. Our area farmers are very worried about cattle and feed, our pastures and the Sandhills are totally dried up.
    I am just praying, and being thankful, and humble for what I have.
    Please take care.
    Hugs

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    1. Sometimes that is all we can do.

      Tomorrow will be 106°!

      We are thankful too but sometimes we need to be reminded.

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  2. PS,
    Your bread looks awesome. I may have to order flour from KA.
    Take care

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  3. I've seen a lot on the news how ranchers and farmers are selling livestock now so they don't have to feed or water them in this drought. I hope that whatever you end up doing, that it works out beneficial to you.

    How are you liking the new door? You left us with a teaser about it.

    As for my veg garden - pretty much a bust (heat/drought/deer) so I've been buying from the store. I miss the home-grown taste.

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    1. Your wish is my command. See today's post.

      I think all of us in the midwest are in the same boat. I hope we don't sink.

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  4. Dear Glenda ~ I have been thinking about you, wondering what is going on in your neck of the woods. My heart and prayers go out to all of you being effected by this summer's heat and drought conditions. I do hope things improve soon.

    Your bread looks delicious! I think I might make a homemade pizza tonight, we'll see.

    Just had to get a new radiator and master cylinder for my car. NOT something we were planning on, YIKES!

    Glad to see you back ~ FlowerLady

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Just when we think things are going good, something like the car repair rears its ugly head! I am wanting pizza but I hate to have the oven that hot for that long. Enjoy yours for both of us.

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  5. Glad your back. Same here with the weather and hay. We basically have NOTHING green here to feed the goats / mule / horse so we've been feeding hay. And I though we had enough to keep us through next spring, but now I'm beginning to wonder. We hoped for the same thing LAST spring....and now another drought. Nature is being exceptionally cruel. I hope that your hay stores keep your cattle going so you don't have to sell any before they need to go.
    We also have a nice breeze this morning, so I should get my butt outside before it's unbearable!
    Nice buns, btw! :)

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    1. I saw on the news this morning that northwest Arkansas is in worse shape than we are. I am keeping my fingers crossed that we all survive this.

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  6. How do you store the bread you make in volume without it going stale, freeze it?

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    1. I bought bread bags from KA Flour (I think) they are large and reusable. I cool the bread until it is almost cold then bag and freeze. I only slice the loaf we are going to need and then just hold out enough slices for a couple of days and the rest goes into the bag and freezer. It is very easy to just break off a slice or two when needed. When I take out an unsliced loaf I do the same, slice; take out some and freeze the rest.

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  7. Those loaves of bread are just beautiful!

    I use every inch of my oven as well. I try to keep cookie dough in the freezer and I will bake cookies if I have an empty rack. Barring that, cake from a mix. Of course when you bake in the winter, the oven warmth helps warm your house. this time of year, though, that's certainly a liability! The cord to my "new" stove was too short so I'm waiting for a longer cord to arrive. Joe was going to make us one but he's gone on a fishing trip to Canada and I don't want to wait till he gets back. They expect the cord to arrive today and if it does, I'm baking apple pie AND some choc. chip cookie dough.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. New Stove?? Have I missed something?

      I have a problem with cookies browning properly when something is on top. Apple pie sound good. I just found a bag of sliced apples when I took the peaches out to the Milk Barn refrigerator freezer..............

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  8. I'm wondering too, if you freeze the extra bread? I have developed an allergy (I think)to wheat. I've had a rash off and on for several years, the dr. says dermatitis which can be about anything. But the rash looks suspiciously like one that you have if you are gluten sensitive/intolerant. That will ruin my day, I can't imagine not including whole wheat into my diet. Rather than the extensive allergy testing, I'm going to "do without" and see if my rash goes away. That will tell it I imagine. It may just be the hot weather because that aggravates it. The hot weather aggravates ME!!! Have a good weekend Glenda...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Maybe you have been eating too many tomatoes? Sometimes the high acid content can cause rashes. See above comment about freezing extra bread.

      Weekend is going to be hot, at least Saturday (l06°)!

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