ATV is Home Again!

Our August heat is back.....I am not going to complain............yet.

They called yesterday that the ATV is fixed.  I had worked in the garden and canned l0 pints of tomatoes and was feeling a little tired.  We decided to go early this morning and do our shopping at the Wal Mart in Bolivar.  I was out of some odds and ends....one being ground ginger.  So were  they!  I couldn't believe it.
I did see that they had King Arther flour in 20-lb bags but only the all purpose; no bread flour.  Is still quite a savings but DH didn't want that large a bag in the freezer....I may have to convince him.

We  then picked up the ATV.  They told us it would be an expensive fix, $700.  Well it was a bargain.....$675.  I do hope this is the last repair for some time.  DH looked at a new one while there.  It was $6400.  I told him when I had everything else I wanted, we would get one.....my want list is pretty long.

I bought DH a really simple point and shoot Canon. He likes to take one with him when he checks the cows.
It has no bells and whistles except zoom and he forgot to use that!  I think Canon has better color and clarity than my Panasonic.

Sample Pics with Canon A4000 IS

The red one is semi-retired Willow.



I took these in full sun just point and shoot out the door,  This is the front yard with the River Birch in the center,

and this is taken from the dining room porch looking south.  That is a dahlia in the foreground and the Limelight hydrangea.


I just turned north east on the porch and took this of the Humming  Bird Bed,



Random Cat pictures

and I do mean random; this girl showed  up three days ago.......DH is feeding her.  What can I say?



Sugar does not think she lives here.....so she may chase her off. 

Well, we have had some early morning relief in the weather. Yesterday we got a little shower before daylight and it was overcast until noon; same today except we got 1/2 inch of rain! Sun is out now and it will be a hot one but not as bad as previous days.

I have had a busy few days.

Milking as usual each morning.

I made 14 oz. of butter from a quart of cream from two milkings,


I made mozzarella from l gallon of milk. I do the 30-minute microwave version.
It turned out great but next time I will let the milk age overnight or longer for a sharper flavor.


I made the two rustic shaped loaves of bread:



and canned 2 quarts of tomato juice.

The next day I decided to really clean the kitchen. Remember the sugar fiasco? I knew there would still be some behind things on the counter-top. First I took everything off the counter and cleaned it really good, even using a formica polish after. Then I swept and mopped the floor. I decided to remove the throw rugs and leave the wood floors bare. We both like it better that way. Maybe if I could find some bright kitchen rugs without rubber backing........I hate the backing. I was happy to find the ceiling fan was nice and clean. I am being much better with cleaning all of them on a regular basis and it wasn't due.



I skipped one day checking the garden and this morning found what I think are striped blister beetles all over two tomato plants and the peppers. I sprayed with Sevin. I wouldn't have known what they were if I hadn't seen them on a blog recently. Of course, it then rained right after I sprayed so I will hit them again this evening late. This is a first for me to have these beasties. I couldn't believe how much damage they had done overnight!

I picked the okra and enough tomatoes that I canned some. I have the rest in the barn to ripen a little more. They certainly aren't premium tomatoes but will be great this winter in soups, sauces and stews. I will freeze the okra. There were several that were too large and tough. I chopped them and tossed them in the food processor for the chickens.



That's a quart of milk that I have added some cultured store buttermilk to. I can now keep it going with just my milk for a starter.

In between some of that kitchen work, I also canned 5 pints of sauerkraut. I never did see it 'working' like they say it should, but it tasted sour so after three weeks I wanted it out of my way and canned it. It looks a little dark in the jars.

We got the tractor back from the shop and DH has mowed the east 20. The grass fires were worrying us; this morning he mowed the calf lot. They picked up the other tractor to work on the brakes.

All from my neck of the woods. We are looking forward to some cooler weather next week!