Do You Hear What I Hear??? Peep! Peep! Peep!

The chicks have arrived!!

I ordered 80 male Cornish Cross birds.....

The post office called me at 8AM

just as I had finished setting up

the water and food. 

This is what I came home with!! 

The box has 4 compartments that held 

20 chicks in each one!

Happy little peepers running all

around eating and drinking and

being merry!

Bzzzzzz HONEY BEES

Check out the pollen on her legs!

BUSY bee for sure!

Honey bee in flight!

It won't be long now until we open the hives

and take out some frames of honey!

There's NOTHING like fresh

harvested honey!!

I can't wait!

Plum Crazy

Plums, plums everywhere... .and lots and lots to figure out!! 

We planted two plum trees a few years ago... maybe even 8 or so years ago 

and now they have begun to fruit like crazy! 

Last year I had enough to make a batch or two of jelly... 

which came out delicious!! 

BUT THIS YEAR... 

oh my word, we're gonna have lots more!

I've been researching ideas.... 

and I think I'm going to start with an 

Asian Plum Sauce 

and a Sweet & Spicy Plum Sauce 

and then my good ol' stand by, plum jelly!!! 

I might try making a plum leather or wine...

 but that will be a decision for another day!! 

For now... I just gotta get picking and 

get started on SOMETHING!! 

Shiitake Mushrooms 2015

It's that time of year again! This is our 4th season of growing Shiitake mushrooms... the first year was experimental and we enjoyed them and shared with a few friends! Our second year and third year we grew and sold some in farmer's markets and also put some up for ourselves!

We are taking a slower approach this year to a lot of things....  Pete is soaking logs a few at a time and our harvest is coming in at a pace much easier to keep up with! Phew...

Check out these lovely mushrooms!

 Above is the log yard....  where we keep the logs stacked

similar to Lincoln Logs waiting their turn to be soaked.

Pete is holding a log with mushrooms ready to be harvested!

After the logs are soaked for roughly 12 hours, they are 

stood up and leaned until they grow mushrooms ready to

be picked! Then they are brought in for us to clean, eat, 

sell or prepare for storage!

These are the delicious Shiitake mushrooms!

All cut up and ready to dehydrate! Recommended

temperature is 90* for 2-3 hours and then 125* for 

an additional 4-7 hours. When they are firm and 

not longer spongy they are done!!

I like to store ours in mason jars and then use

my Food Saver with the mason jar attachment 

to seal air tight until ready for use! 

My version of "Chicken Gnocchi Soup"

I'm reprinting a recipe that I came up with a few years ago....  

My version of "Chicken Gnocchi Soup"

Ingredients:

1 10 oz. bag matchstick carrots (or 2-3 thinly cut carrots)

2-3 stalks thinly sliced celery

4 chicken breasts, diced

Approx. 8 oz. of fresh baby spinach 

1  16 oz. bag frozen potato gnocchi (I used Mama Rosie's brand) Cook gnocchi according to the pkg. 

(diced onions optional)

Cook the carrots, celery and chicken in a covered, large stock pot with just enough water to cover. 

When the veggies and meat are thoroughly cooked, do not drain. Add the following...

1 family size can of cream of chicken soup

1 regular size can of cream of (what ever you like) chicken, celery or mushroom soup

2 large soup cans of water or use the broth from cooking down the chicken! (You can also use milk or half & half if you'd like!)

Mix well and heat the soup, but don't bring to a boil. At this point, drain and stir in the gnocchi as well as the fresh baby spinach and turn off the heat and now you are ready to serve.... 

Delicious in a bread bowl or in a regular bowl!! A definite hit with my family!! ENJOY!

Tweak the recipe to find how you like it best!! I don't measure very well, so if you like a heartier soup, double up on the spinach or add an extra bag of gnocchi!! You can easily change anything in this soup.... add extra cans of cream of soup, more or less chicken, use a whole chicken and cut up the meat, add mushrooms....   so many ideas!! 

This is delicious and I can't wait to make it again!! 

                           ENJOY!!!

2015 It's a New Year!

It's that time again.....

time to take down the old calender and hang up the new one!

Out with the old.... old attitudes, old expectations and

old excuses!! In with the new.... new hopes, new plans,

new determinations and new focuses!!

I like to figure out a word or two to focus 

on for the year to come. 

This year I have two words;

INTERCESSOR 

and  

NOW.

"Intercessor"  Ezekiel 22:30 which says,

"I looked for someone to who might rebuild the wall of 

righteousness that guards the land. I searched for someone to 

'stand in the gap' in the wall so I wouldn't have to destroy

the land, but found no one."'

I desire to one that will stand 'in the gap' for my 

family members and friends. One, who is praying for

God's will and His protection and wisdom in their 

lives. I want my 'adult kids' and their 'special someones'

 to each have a strong and continually growing 

relationship with God. 

"NOW"

Well, that is referring to RIGHT NOW! 

I want to stop looking backwards with regrets or shouldas, 

couldas, wouldas! Stop looking backwards at

past failures as well as the past successes! And at the

same time, I want to be careful to not look too far down the 

road at the future so much that I dream away the present!

TODAY and NOW is all we have! 

So, with those two words as my new focal points, 

I want to wish you a blessed and healthy 2015! 

May you be assured beyond a shadow of a doubt, 

how much our great and wonderful Lord 

loves you and wants you to be His!

Happy New Year!!