In The Middle

of the month already.  WOW!

January is a good month to get back on track .. and review the previous year's spending habits.

We are ever grateful to have an emergency fund and didn't have to charge for this repair!  Our home had a plumbing fiasco that lasted nearly three full days ... WITHOUT WATER!  All I can say is, 'thank the Lord that we have 18 inches of snow on our property!  What started out to be a simple 'fix' .. by adding a whole house water filter to help reduce the high mineral content of our well water, turned out not so quick .. and a BIG FIX.  We had so much mineral buildup on plumbing connections that the shutoff valves in the basement failed.  Leaving us to dig and tap our way through snow, under cover of starlight, in a vague area, we tried to locate the main shut off meter some 200 feet from our home.  Not fun!  Hubby was on bucket patrol while the plumber and I dug.  Thank goodness the ground was well insulated from the snow and not frozen.  We finally found the meter and shut off the water.  No flooding inside .. a good thing. (Note to self and hubby .. have meter well flagged for winter.)

Day one without water .. was OK.  We had stores of gallon and five gallon jugs of water that got used sparingly.

Day two ... still OK .. but now I thought I'd try my Big Berkey water filter with melted and filtered snow that had been treated with the recommended drops of bleach.  We just got it for Christmas for such emergencies as this ... followed all the directions .. except we hadn't tried the test adding red food coloring to see if the filters are really working.  We had initially primed the unit when we got it (by soaking the filters in water for a specified time) and began using tap water .. Hum .. well .. before I want to drink minimally treated melted snow water, I thought we'd better do the food coloring test.  And it failed!  So .. we were without drinking water. (BTW .. we have new filters in route).  We had about 5 gallons of drinking water left by day two .. after using much of it to flush toilets once in a while.  By afternoon .. I was melting snow in my canning pots on the wood stove AND kitchen stove.  This water was used for bathing, washing hair, boiled to wash dishes, flushing toilets .. everything but drinking.

Day three .. water was not restored until midnight or later.  What a glorious sound .. the rushing of gurgling water recharging the pipes.  Melting snow throughout the day for dishes, etc.  by now was getting old .. but it worked out fine.  Our main emergency 'hole' was not having the Berkey water filter up and running ... AND not having some paper plates .. dishes piled up quickly .. I'm not a big paper user .. but for emergencies, I think it's a good thing to have.

By the end of this trial, I had a greater respect for the Neanderthals and how they survived in cave dwellings .. hunting .. gathering .. all without the aid of crippling modern conveniences.  We are such a weak people in all reality .. even with our modern ways.

We are ordering a VERY LARGE water storage tank for the garage. 

Easing Into Retirement

We're back to the 'grind' of a budget.  This year it's with new purpose.  The Mr. is planning on retiring at the end of December, 2013, and we need to adjust our spending.  Last year we paid off the last of our debt; the biggest being our mortgage.   Now we must squeeze back into the habit of setting aside a portion of future known bills that will be due over the next 12 months.  To do this we have made a list of known expenses:  life/home/auto insurance, property/estimated income taxes, etc.  These bills are either paid quarterly, semi-annually and/or annually. This year's coming due date was noted, along with how much the payment will be ... divided by how many months until it's due.  That amount will be set aside (noted in our checking account) and when the time comes for it to be paid, we will have the full amount waiting to have a check written.  'Setting aside' money in the checking account takes much will power not to spend on other things .. such as emergencies.    We have a separate fund just for such unexpected occurrences.  Paying for items such as groceries, clothes, office supplies, etc. is done with cash accumulated each month in envelopes. Spending with cash 'hurts' more (mentally) than whipping out a debit or credit card.  Parting with greenbacks is tangible/concrete/painful in a way.  It takes a written budget showing INCOME minus EXPENSES with a NET BALANCE of ZERO .. and is known as spending your month's income on paper (assigning a name to each dollar), and takes both of us working together, going over each month's budget and bills to keep on target.  We make sure to allow a little 'free' money to do with as we please each month so we don't feel dread about living on a budget.  

Our goal over the next several months is to get caught up with our future bill reserve so we can then budget and 'practice' living on our predicted retirement income and banking any extra.  This endeavor has become almost exciting as we whittle out unneeded expenses and return to thrifty buying practices (thrift stores, garage sales, used items) consciously making an effort to watch EVERY penny. 

Happy New Year from our home to yours.

Sound financial advice for getting out and staying out of debt.

Planning For New Year's Day

Another opportunity to gather as a family on New Year's Day.  Hoping to have everyone under one roof .. play board games, go sledding, sit by the fire sipping hot cocoa.  Homemade pizza and salad to grace the dinner table.  Relaxing .. memory making kind of day.  What's planned for your New Year welcome?

Cleaning Wool Rugs and Blankets with Snow

This is too cool not to share.  I'm posting this so I can reference this method of cleaning when we get a spell of 20F degree weather.

Granny Miller's method of cleaning wool rugs and blankets with snow

Gardening Is:

Dream away Mrs. Mac!

1. a learning curve
2. evolving
3. fun
4. rewarding
5. a late winter project to break up the doldrums by plotting, planning and planting seed starts
6. good exercise
7. a good dose of vitamin D
8. full of fresh air
9. an endorphin producer

It's early winter and rush of Christmas is over.  Time to start thinking about the garden.  In one month I'll check on my saved seeds and order any new varieties worth trying.  In two months my portable greenhouse will be pulled from the basement, dusted off, grow lights installed and we will have the start to our sixth year of gardening.  Thank goodness for this cycle ... it really pulls me along to get me out of the winter funk.

Are you dreaming about your garden just yet? 

Post Christmas Greetings

Ann and her beau

Jake and Ruby

The Mac family really raised the roof .. er 'ruff/meow' this Christmas.  There were nine of us (people) for Christmas Eve dinner at home followed by a candle light service at our church.  Our guest suite was occupied by our daughter, Elizabeth, and her family .. plus their two dogs.  The newly acquired kitty (that showed up at my back door during a snow storm 12/21) took refuge in the laundry room for two days.

Hold still Miss Kitty

Today is a day of recuperation.  Cleaning.  Getting creative with leftovers. Being thankful.  Purging some of the old to make room for the new.  Staying in jammies til noon.

Nathan and Mr. Mac

sign for new baby's room

The new year holds much promise with the upcoming birth of our newest grandson early April.  

Snow fell Christmas Eve to blanket the area in a winter wonderland.  Christmas Day was mostly sunny. 

What's up in your neck of the woods?

Farm Subsidies

Here's a 'dated' video portraying how food subsidies work.  Last night the news reported that milk could possibly go up to $6.00 a gallon with the pending 'fiscal cliff' in the United States.  That is considered a 'fair' price if there were not government subsidies.  Watch this video to see how subsidies hurt small farms AND line the pockets of the rich.

BTW .. that is the price I pay for local fresh milk.  If we were able to keep more of our tax $ that would free up our food money to pay a fair price to the farmer .. without the middle (meddle) man (Uncle Sam .. and Big Ag).

$6.00 a gallon milk  

New Zealand abolishes farm subsidies 

History of the U.S. Farm Bill

Potato Peels

I don't know the science behind this .. and I wouldn't substitute the use of burning potato peels instead of cleaning out the wood stove's pipe ... but whenever I burn potato peels, I do notice flakes of creosote on the patio or snow near the back door just adjacent and below the stove pipe.  My friend from Norway said her mom would put potato and carrot peels in her fire and when it came time to have the stove pipe cleaned it was always fairly clean; we shall see when it comes time to clean ours next year.

UPDATE:
Here's a link saying to use dried potato peels.  I've used damp .. and even burned dry bean pods with success.

Early December

... and spring like weather.  Our grass is snow free and starting to green up.  So is the area surrounding the garden.  It's just chilly outside .. during the day .. and the night temps are above freezing. Humm .. I'm liking this weather.

Pink or Blue

Last night about 40 people arrived ..  half of those were children .. eager to have dinner AND dessert .. the cake .. cut to reveal the gender of our newest addition .. our daughter is expecting in April.

Can you tell by the expression on my grandson, Jake's, face that he was expecting a different outcome?

Yes .. he wanted .... a sister ....

... but he's getting a brother.

Country Chronicle

' ..... Nobody really knows when winter begins ..... the leaves fall, so the dazzling color is gone .... Practically speaking, our lives change now.  We are done with salads and mousses and molded desserts.  All those sandwich lunches are forgotten.  We want vegetable soup or Welch Rarebit .. and sometimes stuffed mushrooms for supper ....'   as selectively quoted from, Country Chronicle, by Gladys Taber (1974)

My mother gave me a used book this summer by Gladys Taber.  I had never heard of this author but instantly became kindred spirits with her soulful writing of country life.  There are now five used books of hers in my collection.  I savor reading her books for winter nights while soaking away the cares of the day in a bubble bath.  The fact that she describes with great detail every day 'happenings' that most people fail to notice .. and then gives directions for what she's making for dinner that night .. lovely (smile) ... pure simple comfort .. both book and food.

Today our snow is melting slowly .. still covering much of the yard ..but the roof is drip, drip, dripping .. a mild warm up in the 40F's towards week's end .. maybe I can find my garden to plant to garlic.

Has winter arrived early at your home?

Getting Ready For ...

Thanksgiving Day dinner ...

After making my dinner menu, then checking my pantry and freezer, it seems I just need to purchase cranberries, yams and sparkling apple cider.  Everything else is sitting on the shelf in the form of whole ingredients that need to be pulled and put together for a special feast.

But before we celebrate Thanksgiving, there's to be a little 'reveal' party this coming Saturday.  A cake is involved with pink or blue filling .. that won't be known ahead of time by anybody but God and the pastry chef (not even the parents will know).  Our daughter and her husband are expecting a baby in April .. and they only recently made the announcement public.  Today was the anatomy scan and everything looks perfect (hallelujah)!    So ...  this is their clever way of sharing in a bit of joy after such a gut wrenching/heart breaking year with the loss of their 6 month old daughter, Rowan, to a defective heart HLHS (hypo-plastic left heart syndrome).

Come Saturday night .. or Sunday I hope to post a picture of color for you; PINK or BLUE ... what do you think??

Today's Madness ..

... as in the domestic arts:

• Finish up beef stock for our freezer supply.
• Start a big pot of chicken stock to have on hand for Thanksgiving dinner.
• Bake loaves of 7-grain bread.
• Bake rustic dinner rolls.
• Bake an apple cake.
• Bake up a rather large pumpkin for breads and roast its seeds

Today it's snowing outside.  Everything inside looks so colorful compared against the window scenes of black and white.

Last night our wet laundry was hung on a dryer rack in front of the stove, while sugar pie pumpkins were baking in a make shift oven on top.

House cleaning today includes changing the sheets, cleaning the bathrooms and vacuuming the floors.  When hubby asked what I had planned for the day as he went to sleep this morning after working all night, I don't think he gave it much thought when I said 'housework' .... being a full time homemaker is non stop.  I hit the pillow last night at 9:30 to be up by 5:00 this morning.  How in the world did the vision of a homemaker sitting around all day eating bon bons ever transpire?

What's on your domestic to-do list?

Simple Food For Cold Autumn Nights

Minced Beef With Gravy

Serves 3-4

1 pound quality ground beef

1/2 cup diced onion (or 1 tablespoon dehydrated onion)

salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons flour

approximately 2 - 3 cups homemade (unsalted) beef stock*

In a large well seasoned skillet brown the beef, crumbling well; leave about 2 tablespoons of grease in the pan.  Add the onion and cook for a few minutes .. stirring often.  Add salt and pepper and the flour until all is coated well.  Gradually stir in the stock a cup at a time while mixing to thicken.  Adjust seasonings.  

Serve over mashed potatoes or cooked rice.

*If you don't have beef stock .. you can brown the flour in the pan before adding 1 cup of whole milk and enough additional filtered water to thicken the gravy.

This is basically a 'hamburger helper' style recipe .. without all the artificial ingredients.

German Style Red Cabbage With Apples

Serves 4

2 tblsp butter
3 cups shredded red cabbage
2-3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar                          

1/2 cup diced tart apple                                        

1/8 to 1/4 cup diced onion
up to to 1 tablespoon cane sugar (to taste)

salt and pepper to taste

Cook cabbage, apples and onion in melted butter in medium size skillet approximately 5 minutes.  Add splash of vinegar, sugar and salt.  Cover and simmer until tender (20-25 minutes).

Each day we eat fresh fruit and veggies to provide enzymes along with a fermented food such as salad dressings made with raw apple cider or red wine vinegar.   Enjoy!

Prop 37 in California -

... so this proposition to require food manufacturers to label their food if it contains Genetically Modified Organisms ended up being outspent by Monsanto to defeat the measure, but now more people are aware of GMO foods and that's a step in the right direction.  I try to avoid them like the plague.  There are still some areas I need to improve.  Yellow mustard is my latest thing to phase out because of the vinegar .. which most likely contains white distilled vinegar made from Round Up ready corn.  Wouldn't it be nice to know and decide if we want to consume such food?  The movie, Genetic Roulette, is a good introduction to GMO foods and the problems they can cause.  Once in a while you can view it for free .. but currently there is a $2.99 donation fee to watch on-line, however, there is a free movie trailer to watch at the website.

I spend a good amount of time in the kitchen preparing nutritious food for my family.  If I take the time to soak, sprout, dehydrate organic wheat to grind into flour, you can bet if I make waffles I won't want to top them with sugary sweet artificial syrup containing (Round Up ready high fructose corn syrup).  Our options are to spend close to $30 for a bottle of real organic maple syrup .. or make a lightly sweetened fruit syrup made with very little cane sugar and fresh berries.  Most often, I make the berry syrup and save the maple for special treats.  Are you even aware or concerned about the health risks associated with GMO foods?