Ankle Deep in Freezing Water

Its been a record setting day all around for me. Check out the temps we've had:

This is Texas in May? No way... I must be back up north somewhere. I'm used to dragging myself in and out of the heat of the day by now gasping for cool indoor air. Today I had to dig out winter clothes I thought were long gone and packed away until at least October or November. I guess the joke is on me!

Its just been one of those surreal days. As I headed out into my own backyard this morning to assess any storm damage we may have gotten last night I looked across the yard and just stopped. Speechless.

Do you see the irony here? Hand watering one day and flooding the next.

Ankle deep water in what we like to call our "flood zone"

Here in North Texas, we are the land of the extremes. The "drought" word is always waiting to be pulled out from year to year and who knows? It may be dry-as-a-bone here come August. We just learn to adjust to the conditions as they come. That's what I will be talking more about on tomorrow's post.

Until then, I cannot utter a word to complain. You see, I can recover from this. But, my husband and I are from an area that is now begging for relief from the rising flood waters in Cairo, IL and surrounding cities. They've set records today too.... ones we thought would never come.

I-57 going into Cairo, IL from Missouri

I-57 bridge between Missouri and Illinois going into Cairo

We've driven this route more times than we can count. Home is just on the other side of this bridge. The route seems it will never be the same. Roads are flooded and destroyed on the other side due to the flooding of both the Mississippi and Ohio rivers. The levee walls are being tested to the limit. We are now waiting to find out within the next few hours the fate of our dear hometown. They are working so hard around there to save their homes and cities.

So, I'm not complaining about the cold and the ankle deep water today. My heart is at home with all of my family and friends who are weary from the massive amount of sandbags they've had to fill and stack over these past few weeks and moving out of harms way. May God protect them all and keep them safe.

Food Waste Reduction Challenge 2010

Thanks to Crunchy Chicken, I have a new incentive to better manage our food waste. This has been something that has always bothered me anyway. Having chickens to eat our leftovers has provided some relief from guilt, but even that is not the only solution. Although I would recommend getting chickens for this very reason. They are amazing little composters!

What does this have to do with gardening? Well, having grown our own food I realize the amount of money and work needed to get it from the garden to my table. If I factor in all of the elements that it takes to get food that I buy from a farm to a grocery store, and then my husband's wages to buy the food to feed us blows my mind. There has to be better management of our resources starting with ME. Our grandparents and great-grandparents were experts at this and its time to start looking back at their amazing skills.

Wasting anything seems to go against everything I work so hard for out in the garden and managing my animals. I try to make the most of all of our resources, using one's waste to fill a need in another area. i.e rabbit/chicken manure for garden, garden scraps for chickens/rabbits. It's a system where everyone benefits and it is a more sustainable one also.

For our food management, I started years ago to monitor our level of eating leftovers from a meal. We are not a family to have a different meal every evening. If there is still quite a bit of something in the refrigerator, we try to use it up before moving on to the next meal. It may not be the most EXCITING way to eat, but it is practical.

Here is some of the food we struggle the most with on wasting:

fresh produce (especially spinach, celery, lettuce)
sour cream
salsa (store bought)
cornbread
beans (cooked and in fridge)
rice
potato chips
bread (when it gets down to that last few pieces)
orange juice

I'm sure I could think of a few more if I really try. There are certain meals that I notice we eat better for leftovers than others, so I try to incorporate more of those meals into our weekly plan.


I cookbook I have that helps is:


It gives you ideas on what to do with common things you have to use up. My brain seems to shut off when I stare blankly into the refrigerator or pantry trying to come up with ideas on how to use up certain foods, so I can use all of the help I can get. This cookbook does just that. There are online recipe sites that you can plug in your ingredients and come up with something too. Try AllRecipes.com for some ideas.

Outside Projects in Summer, Inside Projects in Winter. Well....

It's been a MONTH since I've last posted, so sad. I'm in disbelief! Could things have just stopped around here? Well, that would be a huge understatement. Life is rolling along faster and faster than ever. This summer has been a feat of running from one project or commitment to the next. It seems like the summer whirled by without me really being aware of it. What happened?

I guess I should start with the weather. A typical summer here is hot and dry. The rain mostly stops by the middle to end of June and rarely falls again much until September sometime. Then factor in multiple days of 100 degree temps and you have the basics of what the expected conditions are. Everything green turns a shade of brown/green during this time if its not watered by someone. Well, that was what I expected for us again this year..lots of hand watering and pretty much non-existent mowing of our 2+ acres. Boy, was I fooled!

The grass this summer has kept growing at nearly the same rate as it did during the spring. Just keeping everything down to a level that was acceptable to our neighbors was challenging. We're still battling the lawn! I am seriously considering my option of fencing a huge part of the back of it for a horse or something. At least that would cut down on the amount to mow. I would love a miniature horse or two for pets and just think of the manure for my garden!

Remember the wise words of "Do inside projects in the winter and outside projects in the summer?" Don't get those mixed up like I have! I came up with the brilliant idea (about a month ago, hence the last time I posted) that I would finish off an inside project that I had stopped at the beginning of April...dry-walling the dining room. The thought occurred to me when rain was predicted for an entire week at the end of July. "Hmm, I thought. I would surely be able to finish this in a week while I'm trapped indoors anyway." Having said that, it didn't stop there. I have not only finished the dining room, but the hallway and the kitchen and dining room ceiling plaster. I'm now working on the third wall in the living room. It is one of those pitfalls I seem to get into. One project finishes and I then I think to myself how much I would like to see the next done. The next thing I know, I'm practically living in a construction zone.

Did you know that weeds continue to grow no matter if you are busy or not? Well with all of the rain and my 4 week construction project, mine are doing just that. I run out there and yank out as many as I can quickly and run back in promising to make another round. My landscaping has flourished this year because of all of the rain. Now if I can only enjoy it while waging war on the weeds.

Lesson learned: I can't do it all. (at least not at the same time)



Oh, and did I mention the New Orleans mission trip I went on this summer? Yes, that too was a week of much needed hard work serving the still devastated people of New Orleans. Helping to lead 50+ youth was challenging yet so amazing. I am so thankful I was allowed to be a part of this trip.

National Wildlife Week - March 16-20, 2009

For those who know me, know that one of my passions is to connect children with nature and the world around them. Many fond memories of childhood come from time I spent outside skipping, hopping and just plain observing the happenings around me. From watching honeybees light onto clover flowers in the fields to collecting leaves and rocks that somehow struck me as interesting, I made my rounds every chance I was given.

There's just a connection with nature that comes when intentional effort is made in observing it. Just how amazingly complex and balanced our world is continues to awe me as I try to organize it in my mind. To imagine that each insect, plant, animal etc. plays a role in keeping our world beautiful and healthy is mind blowing to me. That is why I can't help but get excited at the opportunity to help others connect to world around them.



A quote from NWF website follows:

About National Wildlife Week

Children, teens, and adults are invited to connect with nature in their neighborhood during National Wildlife Week, March 16-20, 2009.

What is National Wildlife Week?

Since 1938, National Wildlife Week has been essential to wildlife conservation, bringing awareness about the issue to people of all ages. Observing National Wildlife Week is a time to honor wildlife, bring communities together through service, ignite the minds of children and adults, and instill an absolute love of nature.

Why Celebrate National Wildlife Week?

An easy way to participate in this week-long event is by making time for outdoor play and interaction with the natural world. Research shows that a daily Green Hour^® improves one's physical, mental and emotional well-being. This is especially important for children who typically spend hours in front of electronic media. Additionally, families and communities connected to nature raise healthier kids and inspire a life-long appreciation of wildlife and the environment.

How Do I Get Started?

The National Wildlife Week website offers resources for kids, teens, parents, and educators to make spending time outdoors easier than ever. Download free activities and games, Wildlife Watch lists of local plants and animals, environmental service project ideas, and fact sheets about the benefits of playing outside.

National Wildlife Federation welcomes you to join us during this annual celebration.

Does Anyone Speak Bull?

Living in the country, having horses and cattle for neighbors is quite pleasant. They're quiet most of the time, don't stay up late at night partying or even make huge unsightly messes. We do have to deal with an occasional "down-wind" smell, but it's tolerable, especially when I compare it to hogs. That is something that would definitely ruin an evening of outdoor entertaining with friends and family.

Most of the time the cattle just stare at us from across the fence while chewing their cud. The only real excitement we see from them is when the hay truck arrives and they go running as fast as they can toward the what truly drives them, food. Other than that it's quiet. That was until the bull came...


Mr. Bull is HUGE! With only barbed wire and cattle fencing between the back of our property and him, I'm really putting a lot of faith in its strength. Will it hold? Will it only discourage him? How close to the fence will he allow me to come near him now? Hmmm He's docile most of the time, thankfully. I've seen his owner go in and out (in some sort of truck or tractor) keeping safe, but I still have reservations about him.

You see, Mr. Bull at times paces and makes almost a crying sound. He goes on jags of this for hours and hours at a time. For me, who doesn't speak bull, senses stress of some sort. --or maybe that's my own stress that I'm sensing! Anyway, he's a good neighbor except when I see this.


Now, in steps the cattle neighbors from across the road in front of our house... With one of the recent rounds of the bull's cries, the cattle across the road started gathering at the edge of the fence and responding to Mr. Bull. They were facing each other and began this long distance conversation I'm sure I will never understand. They could've just been neighborly things like, "How's the grass over there?" or "Did you see that coyote that ran through here last night?" or it could something more serious like a plan for a breakout or something. Like I said, I don't speak bull. Do you?

Marathon Week

Having Christmas, our wedding anniversary, sons birthday, New Years and my husband birthday in barely over a week definitely is a marathon for us. Tonight 6 teenage boys are coming over for a birthday party sleepover so food planning and entertainment are in the works.

The chickens are laying an average of 6 eggs per day now. Hurray! We just have a few more weeks when the other 4 should start laying. There goes our cholesterol level, lol.

The rabbits are doing well. I think they're lovin' the cool temps and are as cute as ever.

My indoor lettuce and spinach are up and growing. I can't wait to harvest some. :)

Last but definitely not least, the garden planning! I've been hard at work figuring out the details of next years veggie garden. I really want to make sure I plant plenty for us and a good deal extra for those who will be in need. Next year will probably be a lean year for a lot of people and I want to see if I can be of help.

I'll post my garden plan soon. I need to make the diagrams for it all first. :)

Have a wonderful weekend!

Needing A Good Laugh?

Even though this isn't about gardening, I thought it was needed during these difficult times. Our family has always laughed their way through tragedies. Note: Don't fall out of your chair in my presence because I will laugh before I make it over to you to help you up. There, I said it..we're all clear on that now - nothing personal.

As our economy goes down in flames, I thought others may need a good laugh too.