"Hot Air Balloons......"

This morning, Don and I were out on the deck in the screen room when we heard the "whoosh" of a hot air balloon being filled over at the airport, which is just through the woods from our house.  Don went and got the camera to have it ready to take some photos when it eventually would drift over our house/clearing.  We were not disappointed.  ;)  This is the first time we've seen one this close.  Other times we hear it when it is almost overhead and by the time we get outside with the camera, they are further away.

After this one drifted by, we could hear another one being filled so waited out in the driveway for it to appear.  It did, but not as high as the previous one.  In fact, we were a bit concerned that it wouldn't clear the trees!  It made it by a small amount (probably more than it looked from our angle) but never came close enough to our clearing for a clear photo.  It's path was further East, taking it over Duck Lake.

"Freezing Cherry Tomatoes....."

I harvested a few things from the garden the other day.  This time I saved the green beans for us to eat fresh, and the dill heads have to dry a bit more before removing the seeds to use later.  However, I froze some of the cherry tomatoes to use later in chili or some other dish which would be conducive to adding them.  A comment was left on one of my earlier posts by "Carol of MN", who suggested washing, freezing individually on a cookie sheet, and bagging extra tomatoes to use in soups, etc. so I decided to take her advice with these cherry tomatoes.  I now have 4 quart bags of cherry tomatoes in the downstairs freezer.  It was quite ironic that the following day I received an email newsletter from Oryana, our local food co-op, that  had some quick food preserving suggestions to use for those high yielding, all at one time, crops.  They, too, suggested freezing tomatoes, saying that although they wouldn't be as good as canned, they would freeze well and when defrosted, the skins would slip right off.  So, Thank you Carol and Oryana!

Here is my harvest from the other day.  The colander holding the cherry tomatoes is a large one, although that is hard to see in this photo.

"Inside the Composter....."

I went to dump our "compost food scraps" into the tumbling composter the other day and found these little beauties growing inside.  I am "supposed" to be tumbling the compost bin at least once a day, but usually forget to do it, so these little umbrellas had time to sprout and grow.

Here is a closer view so you can see just how fine and delicate they are.  Click on the photo to enlarge it.

"Green Beans From the Garden......"

As some of you may remember, I planted green beans seeds in the circular, stone raised garden, along with some marigold plants I'd purchased.  I wasn't sure how the two would get along, but found out they do extremely well together.  :)

I picked our first batch of green beans a week ago, using them that evening.  The next batch of beans I picked, I processed and froze for later use.  A bit of background.......I took 3 classes from the Michigan State Extension Office, which was sponsored by our local food co-op, Oryana.  The classes were 1) Water Bath Canning, 2) Preserving Low Acid Foods Using a Pressure Canner, and 3) Dehydrating and Freezing Foods.  I have used 3 of the 4 methods so far, with Pressure Canning yet to try/experience.

Back to my Green Bean Processing.  After picking, sorting, and cleaning, the beans were ready for blanching.  By the way, blanching is done so that the "ripening process" of foods is stopped.  If not blanched, the food, even though frozen, will continue to ripen or mature, possibly going past its prime while in storage.  Blanching stops this process and allows the food to be stored, in better condition, for a longer period of time.  When I froze my asparagus this Spring, I didn't know the reasoning behind blanching and followed advice to the contrary.  I now know better......

While the beans were blanching, I prepared my "ice water bath" that the beans would be plunged into from the blancher to immediately stop the "cooking" process.

Here is the blancher doing its thing.  The beans needed to be blanched for 3 minutes, timed from when the water came back to a boil after adding the green beans.

After timing the 3 minutes of boiling, the blancher was taken off the stove and set into the sink so that I could easily remove its insert, which is a built in strainer of sorts, and then poured the blanched green beans into the ice water bath.  The beans were blanched for 3 minutes and their time in the ice water is also 3 minutes.  That holds true for whatever vegetable is blanched, the time for blanching is used for their time cooling down in ice water.

The drained green beans were then divided into meal sized portions and placed into quart sized freezer bags.  Did you notice my little bag holder?  It is adjustable for different size bags, folds down quite flat when not being used, and is easily stored in a drawer.  It certainly helps with the ladling process.  :)

I now have 4 meal size packages of "home grown" green beans in the freezer.  It may not seem like a lot after the work involved with processing, but I personally think the time and effort used to process these 4 bags was well worth it, and I will be especially proud when I pull them from the freezer this Winter and use them, knowing that only sun, rain (or well water), organic fertilizer, and a little work on my part, brought these green beans to our table.  ;)

"Warm Up #1......."

Wood stacking has begun.......in stages.  ;)

I had to clean up the area where the new firewood was to be stacked.  It is quite clear the area had been used for that purpose before and has been set up specifically for that purpose.  After raking away the old debris, I began the process of stacking wood.  I truly do not mind this work and find it fulfilling, but the camera has caught facial expressions that do not look like I am having a good time.  I really am!  ;)  Yes, it is work, but work that will bring a lot of joy and comfort come cold weather season.

The documentation began when Don came out to check on me.  I'm sure he is expecting to find me lying on the ground having had a heart attack or stroke one of these days.  Perhaps this wood stacking will help me "melt" some fat off this old body, eh?  It IS great exercise.  ;)

See what I mean about "facial expressions"?

The long sleeved tee shirt and sweats fit like spandex..........OY!

Little by little the stack builds......

Back for another few pieces.  I'd forgotten how heavy firewood can be!  We think quite a few of the pieces are a bit too large for our wood stove, so are thinking about investing in an "electric" wood splitter.  All in good time.....other priorities come first.  :)

I was definitely more flexible after my short time stacking wood.  Perhaps when I can consistently work this activity into my mornings, I will become like I was when I was 55!  LOL

The cold season will be here before we know it, so I'd best get finished with this pile of firewood so we can get another ordered and delivered, eh?  :)

The old saying of "wood warms you twice.....once when you stack it and another when you burn it" isn't really true, but leans toward the real truth.  It warms you MULTIPLE times.....because each time you stack it makes you plenty warm!  LOL

"Tomato Bonanza....."

Remember that "Tumbling Tom Red" cherry tomato plant that we bought which was loaded with blossoms and tiny green fruit?  If not, here is the link to it. (http://madcitymike.blogspot.com/2013/07/tasty-tomatoes.html)
Well, those tiny green fruits are ripening at a fast pace, but so far we've managed to keep up eating and enjoying them.

Here is a photo of a "picking" from last week, plus there have been smaller harvests since then, too.  I will be harvesting another large batch today or tomorrow, too, having them ready for snacking on while friends Penny and Sheila, who arrive Sunday, are visiting for a few days.

Here are some photos taken of the plant this morning........

Many, many days of good eating here, eh?   ;)

"The New Land Purchase......"

Here is a photo of the beginning of our road, Section Line Road, and what it looks like.  It is basically a "2 track", which is 2 paths made by tires with dirt/grass in-between.  It leads to, and turns into, our driveway, which is also a 2 track.  Our driveway begins at the end (where the sun is hitting the 3 tree trunks).  Click on the photo to enlarge it if you'd like a better view......

There are several homes along the right side of Section Line Road, whose back or side property lines end at our road, but no one shares the road with us.

Here is where our driveway begins, although the Section Line Road basically turns into our driveway with nothing to distinguish the two.  Notice the realtor sign further along the driveway, which you'll see in the last photo, too, and it will help give you a good idea of the size of our new 2 1/2 acre parcel.  Our house is also on another 2 1/2 acres.  The area was divided into 2 1/2 acre squares, so each parcel is wider than an acre, and not rectangular in shape.

In this last photo, taken from the edge of our original 2 1/2 acres, you can see where the driveway begins down near one of the houses which back up to Section Line Road.  If you enlarge this and the last photo, you will be able to see the realtor sign easier and then be able to judge the parcels size.  Needless to say, but I will, we are THRILLED with acquiring this piece of land!