When the winter blues hit

 I recall a meme I saw a few years ago which said something along the lines that the best cure for the winter blues was a potato gratin. Basically something filling, comforting and savory.  

I've been thinking about dishes like that lately.   I've been trying to clean out my pantry of things that I've squirrelled away for a rainy day - or midwinter, which is fast approaching.  I'm thinking roast chicken with garlic butter sauce, with a roasted potato gratin, green beans, and some cherry or blueberry hand pies   

But then my waistline may increase too much - so maybe we'll have to cut out the pie and just do baked apples.  

When midwinter approaches, I think ahead to spring, to planting anew, and what I can preserve  in the fall to make it thru the winter months.  This year I find I am out of thyme, rosemary and am running low on dried parsley, plus I am on my last jar of Dandelion Salve. 

So what am I planning on growing? How about Everything I can!    I'll keep pursuing wildcraft medicine plants, things we like to eat, use to cook, lots of herbs, some fun corn, beans, peas, squash, tomatoes, cukes, radish, carrots, and a lot of greens. 

What are you planning this year or how are  you getting thru these winter blues?

Winter Snow!

Lunch break in the garden before the snow.

New Seed!  

 

Looking Forward in 2025

As I sit and ponder and plan this morning, my mind keeps drifting to the big lofty dreams that I have been working on for years.  My plans of adventure and seeing new places, new faces, with the best copilot by my side (or multiple and of course my hubby).

This is the year before I can put those dreams into motion.  Plans of being almost debt free, just to incur more debt seem ridiculous, but also very American.The hardest part is trying to face the fact that i need to slim down on spending, especially with how easy places like Amazon makes it to buy all the accessories needed to pursue a hobby (cider pressing, pool floats, beekeeping, and more!).  I can drone on and on about my impulsive and planned shopping habits, or remark how it seems that my bank now recognizes the store I shop at as a recurring payment, but have you seen the price of eggs? I am ever so thankful  that I am gainfully employed, that I truly enjoy what I do, and that overtime hours in the winter don't get in the way of my summer plans.

Since I tend to squirrel things away, we are doing a jua uary pantry and freezer reduction.   Using the majority of what I've stocked, canned, stored or saved for later, January is all about resourcefulness.    One example would be sewing a patch or fixing a hole on a pair of otherwise still useful, pants. Another would be making a garden plan that requires less maintenance in the early stages due to some travel plans. And, taking a look at all the subscriptions I have and cutting out the least used. 

Looking forward, I honestly don't know what will happen to the economy this year.  We are blessed to have an affordable home, and enough ambition to work hard to create a life we are proud to live. Are there things we wish we could change? Of course!  Things like a new roof and flooring,  more property, greenhouseeroof replacement,  slimmer bodies, 3 months pay in savings, figure out why I'm in constant inflammation,  better health for our parents, and last but not least, for our dogs to live longer lives.

I am not planning on creating resolutions that can be broken easily or are unattainable any longer.  

My goals for 2025 are simple.

1. Take a short walk to ease stress and clear my mind of cluttered thoughts.  This can be outside, inside, travel to, or just around the yard.

2. The big goal is spendy,  so do what you can to limit frivolous spending. 

3. Forgive.  Yourself  and others.  Don't hold onto grudges as it takes too much energy.   Doesn't mean you have to put yourself in situations where you'll be around those that you choose not to be.   Forgive and move on.

4. Focus on the now. When life becomes overwhelming,  breathe and focus on one thing for 10 to 30 seconds. 

5. Shape.  Snip away branches that hinder or would deter your focus on shaping your life towards your goals and dreams.   Example would be subscriptions that are no longer useful.

6. Be mindful.  Not only of yourself but of others around you.  

7. Spend time, not money.  Time spend with those closest doesn't need to have a monetary value.  A lunch and walk is just as rewarding as a lunch and shop.

8.  Declutter.  It's okay to donate things that could be useful to someone after it has overstayed its shelf life.  Yes I am talking books!  I am donating  a quarter of my cookbook collection as they have items I'll never cook or never will again. Same goes for old jars, candles, and things that don't hold good memories. 

9. Document.  A life well lived can be shown, and I want to document more.  Photos, videos, notes.  I do not want to be a content creator.  Nope.  I just want to inspire, reflect later in life so I can recall these memories after it seems I may forget.

10.  Just be.  Always remember you are a unique individual who can either weather a storm alone or in a community,  the choice is always yours.

We did start out our year with a great meal, laughter, and did not waste anything.

Smoked prime rib bone in roast

Green beans

Sour cream mashed potatoes

Garlic spread bread

Spinach with mushrooms 

Au just

The prime rib was devine,  smokey and perfectly seasoned with kosher salt, fresh cracked black pepper, roasted garlic, onion powder and fresh snipped rosemary.

Definitely will, repeat!

Thankful and Grateful 2024

December 1st. A day that starts a month full of special moments, birthdays, anniversaries, holidays and more. I woke this morning to a sunrise that promised a month to meet some goals, all the while reminding me that life is short, and change is always occurring. 

Recently having going thru some hard changes in my business life, I've had to keep focused on the base of the work that I do, and try not to let the emotions that try to overwhelm me derail from my own personal mission. I'm not the boss at my regular job, and sometimes decisions that are made are ones I would never have agreed to - but ultimately those decisions are out of my control. I am the boss of my life though, and while I need time to process these changes, I refuse to let my emotions and feelings steer me to take actions I would regret later. 

Sounds pretty mature, right? It took some tears, some hollering, a glass of iced coffee, and some yardwork to work thru my thoughts so I could say all of that. That just reminds me of what I actually can control. I can control my response to support my team and focus on doing what my team does best - whatever we need to do to get our job done. That's not to say that I didn't go looking thru some remote job websites to see what my options were if I ever felt that my current job wasn't on keeping me on my chosen path in life. 

So you can imagine that when it came to Thanksgiving this year, I had some moments when I thought about what we do have - a warm home, a solid roof, enough food for sharing, kindness, laughter, and the ability to look thru the darkness to see the light of possibilities. Life is pretty short if you compare with the age of trees and rocks. We may be here on this earth for less then a century, and some aren't given the chance to live out a long and full life. I keep those we've lost along the way in my heart and try to honor them whenever I can. 

This last week I lost a co-worker, someone who had such a bright light, who hid the end stages of her cancer from the majority of us, and ultimately lost her battle with lung cancer on Thanksgiving. If you've read this blog for long, you know what that means to me, as my own father lost his lung cancer battle after a hard fought 3 month battle. I wanted to dedicate our "Smokesgiving" dinner to those that are no longer with us, friends, family, loved ones. 

In honor of my grandmother, we follow these few basic principles:

*Everyone is welcome

*There is always enough for one more.

*Somedays you kill it, somedays you just choke (Sturgill Simpson)

We may have done a small traditional Thanksgiving on Thursday, but Saturday was all about the Smoker.

Traditional Thanksgiving: Turkey, Stuffing, Gravy, Mashed yukon potatoes, cranberries, rolls, ambrosia, shrimp cocktail(not pictured), and a green bean side. 

Smokesgiving 2024 Menu 

Smoked Pork Ribs 

Smoked Macaroni and cheese 

Smoked Deviled Eggs 

Smoked Cornbread with Jalapeño and cheese 

Cheesy baked Corn 

Carmel Apple Mini Cheesecake 

^ Did you read all that? Are you drooling? Well, here's some imagery for you to enjoy.

Before smoking, basic rub with Salt, Pepper, minced garlic, onion powder, cumin, mustard seed, paprika. 

After Smoking, slathered with some Sweet Baby Ray BBQ sauce.   Soooooo Good!

Beer goes great with smokesgiving menu! 

The Smokehouse Smoker.

With food like this, it's hard to not feel joy. B enjoys creating fantastic dishes using his home built smoker, and I enjoy not having to cook all day long in the kitchen. I'll work on the recipes one of these days. 

Until then, I'm going to go enjoy some homemade turkey pot pie and think of what to make next week.

harvest 2024

I recently read a Facebook post that linked me to a blog, about how people these days want content, but not always context with substance.    I found myself pondering, as that trend hit home.   I can spend time scrolling, laughing at reels, stories, but it's a skim the surface kind of laughter.

Life can so super chaotic, and in the chaos is a desire to break free and 

Happy to do a simple life.   Once you feel a connection thru an online presence, it becomes addicting and you want to see more.  I don't care about being popular.   I just want to bring a smile or provide some well placed hope in someone's life.   I've limited posting on my socials to everyone in a while.   Hid folks who post multiple memes, or overpost every memory they have.   I like to share to remember, so I can look back.  If they are shared memories.ories, great!

It takes a while to sit, write, think, edit and post a blog where it's super fast to post an Instagram post with a few hastags.

I also appreciate a blog where there aren't 20 different ads that pop up.   I'm not here to sell you anything or make money off clicks.    This is my journal of sorts.  

So harvest,  it's here and we are wrapping up.    Apples from a neighboring farm, peppers from the greenhouse,  corn, squash, more beans, and of course seed saving is in progress.  

The last of the garden tomatoes are ripening in the house.  A few are left on the vine in the greenhouse,  but when the moisture seeps in, they will go bad.   Fresh Pico de Gallo anyone?

The latest, our own hot sauce and some pepper jelly.

A few weeks back I scattered some lettuce, arugula,  spinach, dill, and chard seed, along with mustard.   We have some frost warnings coming soon, so I am trying out the high tunnel and frost blanket idea.   I don't know how it's going to go, but we always give new things a try.

Since we expanded the garden this year I've found that time is even more precious.   Sitting out under the branches of our cherry tree on my lunch, watching the plants grow is now my favorite spring thru summer activity.

Harvest time finds me in the greenhouse, warm, thinking about fall and winter crops, and the upcoming season.

What do you want to plant?

What do you enjoy in the winter that you can preserve now?

Maybe I'll be nice and share my bounty, or not.

Next up, herb tinctures and extracts made into skincare products.  Stay tuned!