Not My Farmhouse, but...

     The Leavitt Lodge is moving.  It's not my farmhouse, but it'll do - for now.  It does have 1 grapefruit and two orange trees, plus a small spot for my Swiss Chard and Tomatoes.  No place for chickens, but for now, it will be country at its best! 

     The front yard is maintenance free - great for Barry.  The backyard is brick with 1 grapefruit and 2 orange trees (we've already picked oranges and made fresh squeezed orange juice - soo sweet!).  I'll be so happy to have a bedroom and bathroom for the grandkids when they stay.  The kitchen is double my kitchen space - super great for all my canning and food storage.  Even has an island and dishwasher - yeah!  Dining area has a built-in hutch with country glass doors - I love it!  The front room is so big I'm afraid my furniture is going to look like Tinker Toys.  Once we've moved in I'll be ready to put my thinking cap on & decide on what country colors would look best.  Any ideas?  I tend to lean toward the colors of an Autumn afternoon - you know, Butternut Squash, Pumpkin Pie, Cinnamon Toast - and especially  Hot, Homemade Wheat Bread.  

     Hopefully, in our California Room I'll be able to get my Leavitt Lodge General Store up and running.  First on the agenda are our Homemade Soaps.  Looks like we'll be starting with "Apple Cider", "Apple's n' Oats" and "Apple Jelly" Soaps along with the favorite "Oats n' Honey".  These soaps are bar bath soaps - pure, natural & gentle.  We'll be putting them in "Snow-Line Orchards" (www.snow-line.com)  for Opening Day plus you will be able order online (watch for more info in a few months).   Our rag dolls, "Apple Annie and Apple Jack" will be arriving by Christmas!  (stay tuned).

A Quartet

     When the girls come over to Grandma's its like having a quartet in my tiny living room.  Karsyn, Madison, Anna and Allie.  All they need are a few instruments and then I'd have a String Quartet.  For the most part, they usually don't come over all at once - mainly just Karsyn or Karsyn and Anna.  Or, just Anna.  Sometimes Anna and Allie.  Sometimes Anna and Karsyn.  Sometimes Anna and Madison.  Or just Madison.  Sometimes Madison and Karsyn.  Sometimes just Allie.  But, however they arrive or however long they stay it's music to our ears because when they start singing it's like hearing little angels sing.  Barry always says, "Grandma, I think I hear an angel singing, do you?"  I answer, "Yes Grandpa, I hear it, but it's Karsyn (or Maddy, or Anna).  She sounds just like an angel."  Their sweet little voices sing songs they've heard on the radio or from words and melodies they've made up themselves.  They sing while they play, they sing in the car, they sing while they help me work, sing while they're rocking their dollies and sing while holding little Allie.  

     Having the girls over is more than them coming to visit and play and sing.  For me, having them over is making memories.  Those cherished memories I had when visiting my grandma.  When I went to visit my Grandma I remember her house being neat and tidy and there was a smell that comforted me.  I don't know if it was food or from the way she cleaned, but it made me feel warm inside.  When I went to visit my other grandma in Yucaipa - who we called Nona - I remember the quiet nights and listening to the crickets.  I remember the hot summer days and the freedom of playing outside because, to me, as a little girl, at Nona's there was lots of outside - a vast, expansive backyard with rows and rows of fruit trees - and cousins my age who'd come over and we'd roll down the hill together to see who made it to the bottom first.  Those were the days.

     When the girls come over I want them to have experiences that will stay in their memories a lifetime like I had.  Right outside our apartment is a nice large grassy area that rolls down and up again just enough for the kids to play.  On occasion we pack a lunch in my wicker basket and picnic outside under the large shade trees on this grassy area.  After we've eaten, Grandpa and I end up playing Mother May I or Red Light-Green Light, even Simon Says.  Its really fun to watch Grandpa play Simon Says when one of the girls are Simon.

     Inside our apartment when the girls visit, I usually put them to work, though.  I let them grind wheat, help make bread, cookies or pies.  I even have showed them how to reconstitute dry milk (which I LOVE more than regular milk and now they LOVE it too!).   What is so beautiful about these little girls is that they LOVE to help Grandma anyway they can.  They are always eager to wash the dishes, sweep a floor, run a vacuum, clean the sliding glass door, or whatever I need them to do.  They love to say the pray over our meal, play Boggle with Grandpa, write letters to my mother (their great-grandma) and watch Pollyanna for the umteenth times.  And, they love to sing.

     When Barry's little granddaughter Addison comes to visit we will have five little girls singing like little angels.  Would we call them Quintets?

Nancy

Homemade Salsa

MILD SALSA

5 quarts for $5.27

     

    I have to say this is the best salsa I have ever had.  Neither my husband nor myself like anything spicy and when I got this recipe from my dear friend Rachel Richardson who is 80 yrs old, I was a little apprehensive since the ingredients included 1 or 2 diced jalapeno.  So, I kept the jalapeno out.   When I was done, I gave my husband a bite.  His eyes got big, his eyebrows were raised & his head was bobbing up & down.  My first thought was, "Honey, it shouldn't be hot!", but I didn't have a chance to because once he swallowed he said, "This is a HOMERUN!!"  I guess he liked it.  

     For a total cost of $5.27 I made 5 quarts & canned them.  Here's the breakdown:

   4 lbs of Tomatoes @ .12c each (4 pounds for $1.00 @  www.cardenasmarkets.com) 

   2 Onions @ .10c each (on sale 5 pounds for $1.00 @  www.cardenasmarkets.com)

   2 Bell Peppers .33c (on sale 3 for $1.00 @ www.cardenasmarkets.com)

   1 or 2 diced Jalapeno

   1 small can Ortega Chile's - I bought a large can & used 1/3 of the can. (reg price $4.99 @ www.staterbros.com)

   1/2 c. Apple Cider Vinegar (I don't know the cost of this - I get mine at my www.snow-line.com)

   2 scant Tbsp. salt

   Garlic Salt 

   1 cup chopped Cilantro (.25 a bunch) - added after other ingredients have been boiled about 10 min.

     Bring all ingredients (except Cilantro) to a boil.  Boil for 10 minutes. 

     Pour into sterilized quart jars.

     Process in a pressure canner/cooker for 15 minutes at 12 pounds of pressure.

   

   

Canning Bell Peppers

     Monday morning I saw Bell Peppers on sale at Cardenas for 3 for $1.00.  Since that is a very good price I bought 20 Bell Peppers (19 lbs).  I looked online to see how to freeze them and I found a great website called http://www.pickyourown.org.  So, after washing my Bell Peppers I cut the tops off each one, popping out the little center of each top so I could use most all of the Bell Pepper.  

     Next, I took the membrane inside the Bell Pepper.  

      I sliced the Bell Peppers, then chopped the sliced into nice little cubes.

     Then I put them in bags & used my vacuum sealer to suck out all the air.  Its hard to see in this picture that there isn't any air in these bags.  By vacuum sealing them they will keep for up to 8 months in my freezer.  They should last me quite a while.
     By the time I was finished I had 14 cups of Bell Peppers.  By storing them in 1 cup portions, I can take out a cup & put it in the fridge.  When I need a some Bell Pepper for our omelets or our Mexican Night or Italian Night I'll have them!
     By the way, http://www.pickyourown.org really is a GREAT website.  They have helped me with canning apples and carrots.  I'll be using them a lot as our Leavitt Lodge Farm gets bigger :) .
     Tomorrow, I'll be canning Salsa since I found big tomatoes on sale for 4 lbs for $1.00.  I'll post a great recipe from an 80 year old friend.

Nancy