I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright no matter how gray the day may appear.
I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun even more.
I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive and everlasting.
I wish you enough pain so that even the smallest of joys in life may appear bigger.
I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.
I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.
I wish you enough hellos to get you through the final good-bye.
They say it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them; but then an entire life to forget them.
TAKE TIME TO LIVE....
To all my friends and loved ones, I WISH YOU ENOUGH.
I left Minnesota at the age of 21 and am far removed from that age and that state. Over the years we have gone back for vacations and would spend one day at a family reunion with Mom, brothers, sisters, Aunts & Uncles and a few cousins in attendance.
I was fortunate to be able to spend another day or two with my Mother alone. We would rummage through the second hand stores and antique shops, reminiscing about old tools and kitchen equipment. Questions of whatever happened to that? would be answered by Mom having given it to a family member or guessing it was sold in the farm auction when Dad died or sometimes if she still had an item, she would offer it to me. I would always say no, I had no room in our small home or no means of taking "it" home with me or that it was a family heirloom and should go to someone that had children to pass it on to...
Our time spent together included what my husband teasingly called the 'cemetery tour'. She and I would visit the different cemeteries that family members were buried in, track down those distant family members that she wasn't sure where they were planted. Sometimes, we would tour a rural cemetery looking for no one in particular. Mom seemed to find peace in walking through and reading the markers, listening to the birds and admiring the flowers. I like to be outdoors and active so I never protested either.
Many times over the years Mom would say 'If I have something you want, please ask' and I would always politely say no and make excuses. One day we were looking at some new quilt designs she was working on. She always found the pattern to be the challenge. The more intricate the pattern, the better. She would approach it like a puzzle. This time when she mentioned wanting me to have a memento of hers, my eyes fell on something in her sewing wardrobe that I had forgotten over the years and the memories came rushing back. I told her there was something I would love. When I asked for her vintage dress apron, she said "Oh, you don't want that old thing!" but I could tell she was secretly pleased.
What I chose brought memories of food and good times from my youth. Meals of good food, meals during holidays, family visits, birthdays. It was a dress apron Mother kept for special occasions.
I recall the time she spent volunteering with the Ladies Aid group at the church. She would wear this apron when the church gals served dinners for bereaved families, sponsored baby showers, or catered for church wedding parties. Mother donated much cooking and time to work with the church.
When I look at this apron, I remember how clever and talented Mom was. How she sewed the clothing for her children. All of us girls had favorite dresses she had made. My sister is still proud of an elegant prom gown that Mom sewed from sheets. She would remake one of the older girls winter coats into a newly styled coat for one of the younger girls and no one was the wiser. We were always proud when we received compliments on her designs.
I now look at Moms' apron and realize how frugal she was. I marvel at how she selected four delicate ten cent handkerchiefs from the five and dime, piecing this fragile heirloom together. I realize in those days when she did that she was busy raising most of her nine children. Forty cents was probably not easy to come by and probably needed in many other places. It was most likely an extravagance that she saved from a bonus on her egg sales. Her egg sales at the hatchery would normally pay for the staples that couldn't be grown or raised on the farm.
For all the ribbing she received from my brothers in later years about her mystery meat (Spam) and her famous sugarless cookies, I can't help but admire her frugality. Widowed at 57, she finished raising 3 children. She went to work and bought the first of three homes which she purchased and paid for. In the following years she managed to amass a good amount of savings in the bank. There are lessons to be learned and much to my husbands' chagrin, in many ways I am my Mothers' daughter.
My Moms' dress apron. I am guessing it is around sixty years old.
These gals were willing volunteers from the Ladies Aid at the church. Mom is the third from the left. Unfortunately I couldn't find a photo of her wearing this apron.
An elderly Chinese woman had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole which she carried across her neck.
One of the pots had a crack in it while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water.
At the end of the long walks from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.
For a full two years this went on daily, with the woman bringing home only one and a half pots of water.
Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments.
But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it could only do half of what it had been made to do.
After two years of what it perceived to be bitter failure, it spoke to the woman one day by the stream.
"I am ashamed of myself, because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house."
The old woman smiled, "Did you notice that there are flowers on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side?"
"That's because I have always known about your flaw, so I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you water them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house."
Each of us has our own unique flaw. But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding.
~ author unknown
Conserving water has been a conscious act since I was young. We grew up in a home whose water source was an inground cistern dependent on rainfall. I recall my Mother reminding us not to waste water. She would occasionally have us check the depth of the water in the cistern when there had been a longer dry spell. Baths were limited to once a week and the water in the tub was to be shallow.
When I married and we moved to the southwest, I became even more aware of lack of rainwater. I was astounded to see pools, fountains, irrigation for the yards so they could be mowed. I wondered what kind of bubble these folks lived in. Were they not aware of how vital water is to our existance.
After four years in that climate we relocated to a more verdant area of the south where the average annual rainfall is in excess of 50 inches a year. In spite of this, I was still finding myself cautious with water use. When freshening the pet water containers, I would pour the old water on my plants. During the drier months of summer I would do as my Mom did, taking the dishwater out to water plants as well. My husband couldn't understand, asking what was wrong with the drain. I set up barrels and pails to catch rainwater from the runoff to supplement the plants. We had a well and using it is actually better for it but I was still nervous about depleting the water source.
After watching me harvest rainwater, my husband purchased three large containers and positioned them to catch rainwater runoff from the gutter on the greenhouse and carport. Each container holds 225 gallons.
In this area, we have seen windstorms, hurricanes, tornadoes and ice storms. At these times, the power may be out for an extended time. This water storage has supplemented washing up, flushing and pet water during the power outages. I haven't drank it but would do so when filtered.
One would think 675 gallons of harvested water should be adequate but no!
I currently have seven raised beds that I garden in. I am guilty of not watering adequately and decided it was time to correct that. This spring I acquired 30 gallon rain barrels. I installed faucets and placed them on raised platforms at the head of the beds. This will allow me to water the beds as needed. I had hoped to use soaker hoses but was not happy with the ones I tried so I am using short hoses and hands on watering. I have also been guilty of not fertilizing after the first planting but with these barrels, I am able to add a diluted water soluble fertilizer to the rainwater in the barrel. I have a small ac/dc pump that transfers the water from the 225 gallon containers to these rain barrels with ease.
I chose to leave the lids on these barrels as a means of mosquito control. The barrels that are sealed with the tops still on will also prevent evaporation. I also have two open top barrels that I have used over the years. To prevent mosquito larvae I use Mosquito Bits (or Dunks) https://summitchemical.com/pro... and fiberglass screening on the tops to keep critters out as well. I have found that an open container of water will attract thirsty birds, toads and frogs looking for bugs, etc. They cannot get out of the water once in so I add a means for them to exit the water.
I will be curious to see how well this means of watering will work on my vegetable beds and if successful, I will add barrels for the tropical plants and flower beds as well. Somehow I feel that I am doing some part (albeit little) to conserve water and use it more efficiently.
Lacto-fermented Chard Stems
January 9, 2019
I really must thank my friend and colleague, Abra Pappa of Abra's Kitchen for the idea of pickling chard stems. This recipe is inspired by her, and modified by my desire for fun flavors in my pickled veg.
Save your chard stems and give this a try – given that 2 large bunches of collards cooks down to about 6 cups of greens, this can be a great use for leftover stems after Sunday batch cooking.
16 oz. canning jar, leftover pickle jar or fermentation vessel
Stems from 2 bunches of Chard
1 clove garlic
1/2 tsp peppercorns
1-2 shakes of red pepper flakes
1 bay leaf
1 grape leaf (optional – the tannins in the grape leaf keep the stems crunchy)
4 cups water
3 tbsp. sea salt
Trim off the tips of the stems and cut stems 3-5 inches long, so that they can be stacked in the jar yet are short enough to be covered with the brine.
Crush the garlic to allow the juices to ooze out. Place peppercorns, bay leaf, and red pepper in the jar. Stack chard stems upright into the jar and then wedge the garlic in between the stems. If using a grape leaf, lay it atop the chard.
Fill the jar with brine until the chard and grape leaf are fully submerged.
Leftover brine can be stored in the fridge for 7-10 days – if you are unable to use it to pickle another vegetable (radish, cabbage, carrots, green beans) incorporate it into a brine for chicken or pork.
Close the jar tightly, and set aside on a plate in a cool, dark place to ferment for 5-9 days. If you are using a canning or pickle jar, you'll need to check on it daily to release mounting pressure as it ferments. Top off the jar with brine, if needed.
When ready, these can be stored in the fridge for up to a year. Top them off with brine before storing to ensure freshness.
https://vibrancenutrition.com/...
