Daily Doings and a Bread Tip

Just a quick post before running some errands....Max's meds, a very short WM run and maybe the local hardware to look at trimmers.

As usual my latest help for yard work failed.....young man, poor as a  church mouse, has a part-time job and was going to do
some work for an old truck we let him have.....not going well.  We don't care about the truck but I did have hopes...............

I am slowly plowing along.  I have planted peppers, egg plants and a few tomatoes.  I also did some sweet corn.  I watered the strawberry row which covers the potato row too.  I never trust forecasts and do my needed watering.  We got a brief, and I do mean brief, shower in the early morning hours.  It might be enough to sprout the corn but I will be watering more heavily this afternoon after errands.

I chopped some of that blasted cheat grass, it has very shallow but very hairy roots and it takes a lot of chopping to get it loose.  Then I can pick up a large clump at one time.  I am slowly trying to get it out of the peonies and other perennials.

I have begun the mulching process and know already I am going to love it!



Several days ago I planted sugar snap peas and turnips.  I have never tried spring turnips before.
I got a nice little short row of turnips but the sugar snap peas failed completely.  I sat down yesterday afternoon and went through seed and tossed most of them.

I have a lot of saved flower seeds that I plan to just broadcast somewhere.  No loss if they all fail.

Peonies are now blooming, still some late ones to come.  One bush that was all white is now half and half pale pink and white!

This doesn't show the distinction of two colors quite so much.


This really shows:


Food

We got the processed beef picked up and in the freezer.  It was a  tight squeeze but the kids will get most of it and will be down soon to get it. 

Tip:  As most of you know I bake bread and love to do it.  I have found a method that has never failed to produce and fine textured, soft loaf (which is what my DH wants).  It takes longer but is worth it.

This works whether you are making white bread, whole wheat, or oatmeal with added grains (I like using steel cut oats).

First:  Mix all and let autolyse (set in bowl) for 30 minutes at least.  Then begin kneading (I use a large Kitchen Aid mixer).  You may or may not need more flour.....when dough  begins to leave side of bowl, you are done.

Step 2.  Cover (I used a large plastic pail with a lid) and let raise l hour.  Punch down by pulling the sides up and to the middle deflating the rise. Cover again.

Step 3.  Let rise again until fully doubled.  This won't take as long, maybe 45 minuted.

Proceed as usual.

If you try this let me know how it works for you.

Spring is Coming

I can feel it in my bones.....and in the warmer weather  and with the dratted time change!

Gardening

Is taking over more of my thinking  these days.  I checked my planting calendar and saw  I needed to plant eggplant(Amadeo).  I also planted Pow Wow Berry coneflower (echinacea) and lavender Munstead.  I would really like to get a nice bed of lavender going.  It isn't easy to grow in our humid summers but once in a while  I can get a few plants to take hold.

The ground has thawed some and that leaves a muddy top few inches which is very annoying to walk through.  It also tracks up the back porch and kitchen. 

Finally the daffodils are coming up in various places. 

I want to get out and scatter all old saved flower seeds in some bare places.  Hopefully some with germinate. 

Farm

I lost two hens during the last cold spell,  Found them dead inside the hen house with a small wounded area on their backs.  I just assumed they died of old age and the others cannibalized them.  They do that you know.  But then a couple of days ago DH opened the door to the coop and staring him in the eye was a possum.  We have no idea how he got in unless he dug under the foundation on the field side.  (I need to check that).  DH dispatched him  quickly.  Then the next night we found this in one of the two traps we have set:  I think this is what happened to my two hens.



He  is playing dead in this picture; they do that you know but they are vicious little beasts if riled.

I found where a skunk had burrowed under the foundation which is why were were smelling skunk and blamed Sugar for getting too close.  So far, it has avoided the trap, but we think it is gone since we aren't smelling the sent now.  I have covered the hole.  This is a hide and watch situation.

Catch Up Again

It is very cold here this morning; 11°. We have decided to postpone miking until tomorrow when it will be a whopping 30°.

I haven't posted in a while. Winter seems pretty unexciting here.

I will list what I can remember in no particular order:

First Sugar and Mama beagle left and were gone for two days and nights. We had finally adjusted ourselves to that when Sugar showed back up alone. We still have no idea where or what happened to the Beagle. The stingy side of me is happy I hadn't just paid for a spay surgery on her.

Chores are plugging along in their normal winter dreariness. DH told me he has only recently tapped into last summer's hay. That surprised me. We had a good carryover from the previous year which is a good thing.

The puppies are thriving. I made a large batch of liver treats for them and they love them. I can see the hound in them when a treat is dropped and they 'trail' it nose to the ground until they find it. Sugar doesn't do that nearly so well.

Liver Treats (a good way to use the beef  liver we never eat)

 

Our granddaughter was down for a weekend last Friday. She had a formal dance to attend as date to one of her local 'just friend' boys. He is also a best friend of her BF. Seems kind of strange to us old folks but no one asked our opinion. She is such a joy and just received all A's from last semester. She is already a junior in college even though this is just her second year. Bragging finished!

Cooking

The only thing I have baked lately is bread (twice since I got the mixer repaired) and two batches of cookies. I am thinking longingly of cheesecake..........that may be next.

The mixer worked great making my usual 3  loaf recipe.  I added l  cup of  white whole wheat flour and 1  cup of wheat germ  and the texture was still very fine  and  soft.

 

From cooking

Yesterday I used the KA mixer and made Pecan Sandies from my old Better Homes and Gardens cookbook.

From cooking

I am now using the guide to the mixer and the correct  speed for all things!  I may have caused its recent gear failure.....

Today is DH's birthday so he got his request of gravy and biscuits (and eggs and bacon) this morning.

We were laughing about his favorite food: gravy, and mashed potatoes, especially mashed potatoes with a dollop of buttered peas in a well on top. I will work that into lunch today.

 Gardening

I have sorted through all my seeds and listed them on a spreadsheet. After I test some very old tomato seeds, I will toss the expired ones and will finally be down to just newer seeds.

 

Saturday on the Farm

Another gray day is looming.

We have only seen the sun for a few hours the last week or so. I don't like these kinds of days.

I think they are even talking snow. Well, it is December.

It has been a slow, normal week here. Daily farm chores and errands.

I finally was able to get out and do the chickens and puppies (morning only) yesterday. Then navigated Walmart for dog,cat  and people food.

Speaking of errands......we are  loosing our Dillons/Kroger store that I went to for all my baking supplies.  They carried a varied and extensive line.  I got all my King Arthur Flours there; Walmart carries only KA's regular unbleached flour.  I think the Bolivar, Mo. stores carries all of their products.  We will be checking them out next week when DH has to get his driver's  license renewed.

Puppies

The puppies are now being confined with just a small pen for sunshine. Mama B. wants to lead them to the road to go exploring. We haven't made permanent plans for them yet.

The two brown ones are very friendly; the black one (with a black roof of mouth) isn't, with me anyway. I am wondering Chow mix?

Chickens

Carolyn at Krazo Acres got me thinking about my chickens and molt. I know mine are not laying well and I just assumed they would be as naked and pitiful looking as her flock. I made a point this morning when letting them out to really take a look and take a few pictures. Mine are looking very good. I don't know if the molt is coming and they are not laying due to reduced daylight hours only or what. You should visit Krazo Acres; that title might give you a hint.  I love her writing and her sense of humor.

Here they are in all their delightful Hyline splendor:

I gathered my two morning eggs.  We will get a couple more later but one of the girls eats an egg now and then so I try to defeat her by taking them early. 

Gardening

Last year  I lost both my seed orders.....ridiculous, I know but I did.  I found one order earlier this fall and while cleaning my storage shelves where I keep all things computer, I found the other order.  I picked up a bubble envelope and heard it rattle.

Still I ordered a few more non-hybrid  things from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds yesterday.  I still forgot the Long Cheese squash seeds.  I brought in my old seeds and will check through them and then pitch everything else.  I am starting new!

Forgive the varied size and style of type.  I copied and pasted from Open Office Document and have failed  to correct it.