tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40465324462096364382024-03-13T13:46:20.287-06:00Lil Urban House on the PrairieJust an ordinary blog for the ordinary days of our lives and some of the not so ordinary days.
I want my soldier son, and our family & friends near and far to be close to us.Mistihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00269400113320390288noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4046532446209636438.post-84570889087699604622010-02-23T22:11:00.000-07:002010-02-23T22:11:47.484-07:00Our Long WinterHaleigh has been busy reading Little House on the Prairie series. She just finished "The Long Winter". The whole time she reminded me of how this has been our Long Winter....she's right! We've had snow and cold for ever so long...we are all sick of it.<br />
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We are complaining now on a daily basis.... *sigh*....<br />
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Trouble is...EVERYONE is having snow...last week, all 50 states had snow in at least one place.<br />
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What does one do when cabin fever strikes? Well we planted some seeds to replace the ones that didn't come up before. Cabbage, broccoli, and some brussel sprouts have started to pop their lil heads up!...Yay <br />
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Insert the mad scientist laugh here.............<br />
I've started lettuce seeds, several different ways....I've had so much trouble starting seeds so I'm bound to figure out WHY they keel over so quickly.<br />
According to all my research, cold weather crops start growing when the ground temperature is 40 degrees. Last Saturday the ground temp was 47.2...that screams practically screams SPRING! No wonder spring fever has attacked!<br />
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How can I ever have an URBAN GARDEN if spring doesn't come? It will come...that I'm certain. I'll just keep planting more seeds while I watch the snow.....again.Mistihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00269400113320390288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4046532446209636438.post-9057166276806096552010-02-05T23:10:00.003-07:002010-02-05T23:14:26.830-07:00I FORGOT!<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I forgot to blog that I had a letter published in the <a href="http://www.hobbyfarms.com/urban-farm/home.aspx">URBAN FARM</a> magazine. I was shocked when Lynn of <a href="http://viggiesveggies.com/">Viggie's Veggies</a> popped up one day and said.....they published your letter....SHOCK AND AWE ensued!</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Who knew that my email to them would end up in print?...It's really such a good read for people like me...Urban Farming is DOABLE! Will I be as self sufficent as the Devraes? or other famous urban farm girls? not likely. Will I be as self sufficient as my friends Dilli and Manthing at <a href="http://frugalhomesteads.blogspot.com/">Frugal Homesteaders</a>?....oh my heavens NO...for a multitude of reasons. But anyway...I've had my 15 minutes of fame or what I consider MY fame. </div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Now that I had a letter published of my wish for a VICTORY GARDEN to honor my soldier son and airman son-in-law, now I want to take a picture of them in it! How cool would that be to send in as a follow up? </div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I leave my copy out...to remind myself...I wanna be an Urban Farmer too...if nothing else to supplement the ever rising cost of my food.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
Hurry Spring....</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qihNPjpuwYs/S20Hle39dSI/AAAAAAAAADA/DtjFfmqLL0E/s1600-h/seed+starts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qihNPjpuwYs/S20Hle39dSI/AAAAAAAAADA/DtjFfmqLL0E/s320/seed+starts.jpg" /></a> </div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Here is my cabbage, broccoli, and spinach flats that I've started....I'm very anxious.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">(I hung up the light...don't worry :) )</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div>Mistihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00269400113320390288noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4046532446209636438.post-61016592065917359782010-02-05T21:40:00.001-07:002010-02-05T21:48:01.153-07:00Becoming "Ma"<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">As I will spring to hurry up, I've been reading the Little House books along with Haleigh. I've noted that Haleigh is enchanted with Laura as we all are when we read these wonderful chapter books. However, I've been re-reading about "Ma" because now....eeeeek I'M THE MA!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">How smart Ma was to be as creative as she was! She made mock apple pie out of green pumpkins, knew to grind their hard wheat in Pa's coffee grinder, made all the meals come out just right when they moved into the surveyor's house using the provisions already laid in (by men no less). Not to mention all the other "just right" things she did during all those Christmases? And the Schooling?.... <a href="http://ia360642.us.archive.org/1/items/fourthreader00harrrich/fourthreader00harrrich.pdf">Fourth Reader </a> Check that out!...these "readers" had to be memorized before passing...wow and that's not even the math (done on a slate and in your head no less)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Sewing, washing, and IRONING? gasp...the thought of ironing makes me wanna have a lil breakdown...and the wood stove and SWEEPING ...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Reading all these books with Haleigh makes my head swirl; not in the way of a little eight year old girl reading about Laura and her adventures, but thinking...wow ma...YOU ROCK.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">So...Ma has me thinking...I need to be more resourceful, grateful, creative, spiritual, and patient. (not necessarily in that order)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">So now, in the interim between winter and spring....I think of "becoming ma"...I'm so thankful I can be Urban Ma while I can. But in the back of my mind I look at our world and think to myself I'd better learn to be more like the pioneer ma....while I can.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span>Mistihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00269400113320390288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4046532446209636438.post-20869108483778197802010-02-04T17:39:00.002-07:002010-02-04T17:50:21.191-07:00Name Change: NEW<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">OK, so I changed the name of my blog...to Lil Urban House on the Prairie. I do live on the prairie sorta....just in town.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Haleigh has discovered reading for pleasure and is reading the Little House series...While we were socked in with our snow...I re-read "The Long Winter" only to remind myself...I don't really have it that bad.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Sometimes I'm glad for the "Urban" part of my life.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I do understand Pa's <i>sense of urgency</i> in that book...he couldn't put his finger on it, but knew it would be big.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">That's how I feel....I cant put my finger on it...but it will be big. Our dollar is collapsing slowly and like anything that caves in...it can only go slowly to a point....imminent collapse eventually comes. The printing of all the monopoly money can continue but hyper-inflation will be HORRIBLE.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">It's funny how we get lulled back into "sheepleness" but we do.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">There is soooooooo many things I need to do..making cloth napkins comes to mind...but just LOTS of stuff I need to do to make us more self reliant.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I did get my spinach flat and cauliflower and broccoli started and they are under their little grow light... They are in my living room giving that room a lil touch of my hillbilliness...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">If you doubt the hills are coursing through my veins....check out Weed and Mayhill, New Mexico...it's modernized now but about 50 miles from anywhere up in the beautiful Sacramento Mountains....My cousin Marlys claims that "hillbilly" has a negative connotation...she says I should use "mountain folk" instead. LOL</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> I continue to read and re-read all my seed catalogs as if to will spring to come. I have a good little supply of seed (not all heirloom) and would like some more to fill in a few gaps.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Our weather man (Doppler Dave) out of Amarillo predicts more snow at the first of the week and then again next Thursday...sigh....I need to remind myself that this moisture will cut down on prairie fires. I live on the north side of town and I'm about 1 minute from farms and prairie grassland....</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Now I'm off to work on my lists of lists....I hope you get some done on yours too!</span><br />
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Peace,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Misti</span>Mistihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00269400113320390288noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4046532446209636438.post-62897660142853695522010-01-28T15:03:00.000-07:002010-01-28T15:03:12.942-07:00Life Happens<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Ok, we've all done sooooooo much living since my last post. Sorry...Sometimes <strike>FaceBook</strike></span> , I <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">mean LIFE...just happens!.....LOL</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We've had all of Randi's tests...and hadnt heard one darn thing from one darn doctor...Except....he called to cancell on his appointment without 24 hours notice. Hmmmm...Wonder if he'd like to re-imburse ME? That seems to be doctors rules these days.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We had my mom's 70th Birthday....it was a hit....fun; </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Scott's school has started back this semester and he's taking Tools 101 and a Hydrolics class....massive amounts of lab-times on his part....I guess I'll see him in 16 weeks when the semester is over.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The girl's home-school co-op has started too! Randi has a "public speaking" class and a kickboxing (aerobics)</span>. <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">She's been working diligently on her first speech...a narrative speech on The Persecuted Church.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Haleigh's in a Geography class. It will prove to be interesting.</span>Mistihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00269400113320390288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4046532446209636438.post-47962693686851790352009-12-16T21:16:00.000-07:002009-12-16T21:16:04.780-07:00CHRISTMAS CRUNCH<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">This year the Christmas Crunch....you know the CRUNCH for time, CRUNCH for family,CRUNCH FOR the almighty dollar is here once again.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I have been lucky and/or practical and am making a few things to tuck into baskets instead of wrapping every single gift. Cello bags are still cheap but I should pick up a few for next year when they go on sale.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I was able to make a large 2 lb bag of dried homemade noodles for close to 68 cents. Never underestimate the appreciation of some homemade stuff.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">For a little more (but not much) I've made several batches of "Evil"....popcorn covered with white chocolate...you cant see the chocolate so it is a little deceiving. It truly is evil...cuz you cant stop eating!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I've also made a blend of coffee to give to the men in my life...half columbian/half breakfast blend....it's smooooooooooooth. We are also gifting a coffee grinder or two....</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Since Charlie just got to AFG....I'm sure his box will be late...I just now have an address. I am mailing him a cute photo or two....wallet size of course.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I've already begun my Resolution List...I'm not calling it a "New" Year's Resolution List...because well.....you know...that usually poops out about Feb 17th.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> I was a little distressed to see Scott bring home 6 doughnuts for more than $2 from our local Chinamart....sweets such a doughnuts needs to be on my resolve list...I'm sure you are saying "why dont ya resolve to stop eating sweets?" (I know who you are! LOL)....that wont happen unless of total economic collapse I'm sure.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I've also resolved to STOP this wrapping frenzy! I'd like to make "gift" bags of cloth to put gifts in next year. When I will get this done....is yet to be determined.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I am skeptical that our economy will not be as stable next year....(stable?....what a laugh) </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I'm so fortunate the lils really truly had a short list and if we would have had to do so we could have chosen not to give a few presents that we picked up. I cant tell you what they are...since the lil girls read this "blob" on occassion.</span></span><br />
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I've also decided to upload my thumbdrive to my photobucket account because I have been using TONS & TONS of space on this computer....I need to get into the habit of deleting unnecessary photo's....I hereby do resolve. I'm giving some photo's to some friends and family...I hope they like them...I'm sure they will. I've also got a "freedom" wall started and so I'm collecting some photos for that and I think I'll put some photos on my piano!....I'm using cheap black frames and they will look awesome.<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I'm hoping this Christmas Crunch has passed you by and you are more organized than I. I hope to have some more "frugal moments of clarity" and hope you can use a few of mine. <br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I wish you a Merry CHRISTmas!</span></span><br />
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</span></span>Mistihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00269400113320390288noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4046532446209636438.post-16861345694210020052009-12-06T23:43:00.000-07:002009-12-06T23:43:11.707-07:00More tree photos.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qihNPjpuwYs/SxyjL6DH0PI/AAAAAAAAACo/lGuaStl0EN0/s1600-h/Haleigh+Deco-09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qihNPjpuwYs/SxyjL6DH0PI/AAAAAAAAACo/lGuaStl0EN0/s200/Haleigh+Deco-09.jpg" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qihNPjpuwYs/SxyjIXaD1hI/AAAAAAAAACg/qWGFRDg5vKw/s1600-h/Pop+Deco-09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qihNPjpuwYs/SxyjIXaD1hI/AAAAAAAAACg/qWGFRDg5vKw/s200/Pop+Deco-09.jpg" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qihNPjpuwYs/SxyjDhA0evI/AAAAAAAAACY/yRX_96oPRcY/s1600-h/Scottie+Deco-09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qihNPjpuwYs/SxyjDhA0evI/AAAAAAAAACY/yRX_96oPRcY/s200/Scottie+Deco-09.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qihNPjpuwYs/SxyjPzRV0sI/AAAAAAAAACw/u8FTSJVwzac/s1600-h/Randi+Deco-09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qihNPjpuwYs/SxyjPzRV0sI/AAAAAAAAACw/u8FTSJVwzac/s200/Randi+Deco-09.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">MORE TREE TIME.</span>Mistihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00269400113320390288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4046532446209636438.post-62655020773396083752009-12-06T23:38:00.000-07:002009-12-06T23:38:30.367-07:00Holiday Prep!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qihNPjpuwYs/SxyiHW0IXcI/AAAAAAAAABo/wmwsoVlRF4A/s1600-h/Rand-Haleigh-09-copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qihNPjpuwYs/SxyiHW0IXcI/AAAAAAAAABo/wmwsoVlRF4A/s320/Rand-Haleigh-09-copy.jpg" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qihNPjpuwYs/SxyidpoQS-I/AAAAAAAAACQ/GHQoxX0-PXE/s1600-h/Tree-09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qihNPjpuwYs/SxyidpoQS-I/AAAAAAAAACQ/GHQoxX0-PXE/s320/Tree-09.jpg" /></a><br />
</div>We spent the evening putting up the tree! It will look better later when the presents are under it! We had fun.Mistihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00269400113320390288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4046532446209636438.post-33483819515682721392009-12-06T23:12:00.001-07:002009-12-06T23:14:33.595-07:00Garden Tracker Software<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
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<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span id="sender_message_display">Just had to tell you about a great site for gardening I found. It's called MyFolia, and you can track your own plants and gardens whilst checking out what everyone else is growing from all around the world!</span><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Signing up is completely free - you are welcome to use my special invite link to join: <a href="http://www.myfolia.com/gardener/LastDragonfly/invite"><b>http://www.myfolia.com/gardener/LastDragonfly/invite</b></a><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">See you there!<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">My friend <a href="http://viggiesveggies.com/">vigiesveggies</a> sent me this link to this site. I like it so much! It's got a predesigned data base to enter all my seed stash, it has a journal if you dont want to blog publicly, tasks, place for photos, forums, and some really nice people. Best of all I don't have to figure out how to create all that stuff...it's already done for me!</span> <br />
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If you decide to join please use the invite link above: it helps my membership. :)Mistihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00269400113320390288noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4046532446209636438.post-34039826147271038122009-12-06T22:28:00.000-07:002009-12-06T22:28:12.510-07:00Prepping and Strong Women<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">A few years ago when I thought....I want to be a prepper.....that I would become one....It is my opinion now that I've studied foods, food storage and food preservation that prepping is not a hobby....it's a way of life.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Prepping for me is not prepparing for Nuclear Holocuast, Zombie land, or militia uprisings. Heck I didn't even know what a zombie was until 3 years ago. (I can't believe people really believe in zombies, but whatever) nor do I believe in Soylent Green situations. So what in the world would make me wanna be a prepper?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I look at all the women in my life: my mom, her mom, her sister, her aunties...wow were they strong women! Not so much physically although they had all done their fair share of picking cotton! They were women who had an inner strength that still continues to amaze me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">They were depression era women and as I look at our own economy I began to question if I had the same kind of determination and inner strength that all the women in my life had. And quite frankly I was sure I did not. I wrote a list of all the things that they did that I admired. It was my admiration list. A recurring trait that all of these women had were: good cooks, good gardeners, good food preservationists, creative cooking, thriftiness and frugality, a sense of style, wonderful housekeepers, a terrific sense of humor, and the ability to be good and dear friends to their communities.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The only thing that I knew that I could do out of that list was: I have a great sense of humor and I was a good friend who was reliable.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Aaaack! that's a little disheartening when it was all put into black and white. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> Now while I'm not a BAD cook, I didn't consider myself an above average cook. I had never seriously gardened. The odd tomato or squash plant did not count as serious gardening. I didn't know how to can or make jams and jelly, heck I didn't even know how to make pickles. Well and for being a creative cook....NOT! nor was I thrifty or frugal. Style....I had none when it comes to home decoration. Housekeeping?....a drudgery....but a necessary evil.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">So since I am an avid student and research oriented person, I set out on my journey. To become an above average cook...one must practice. Creative cooking will come. I've also learned to do a OAMC (Once a Month Cooking) that I practice in the fall/winter. It sure is nice to take something outta the freezer everyday and not wonder what I'll have for supper....but that's a whole other post topic.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I planted a garden and had a blast. I loved it so much I enlarged my garden. I loved that so much that I enlarged it once more! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> And things that have come out of my garden I learned to preserve in some way. Dehydrating has changed my life and the things that I keep in my well stocked pantry. It's fun, and almost magical. I learned to make jams and jelly and I can make pickles taste just like my grandmas garlic pickles.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I've learned to be thriftier and frugality has not been too painful. It's been a challenge and I think I've done well.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">As for style....it's a work in progress...some paint, rearranging of things I already owned with a few new things (that I bought with a 40% coupon)....I'm coming along..</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">All this being said, I think gosh am I a prepper? Were my aunties and grandma really preppers? Not in the same way as we would consider modern preppers. But, they were prepared. Was their life hard during the depression? You betcha! Do I think we will have another depression of some kind? You betcha!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Will I have enough food? or skills to make it through tough times? You betcha. It's my job to carry on the family tradition of a strong woman.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I set this blog up originally for friends and family. If you are reading this, you are in one of those categories. I hope to be of encouragement to you in some way. Will all my posts be about prepping? No probably not....but I hope you will know that prepping is another word (at least in my vocabulary) is LIVING.<br />
</span>Mistihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00269400113320390288noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4046532446209636438.post-83073838541154866472009-12-04T12:46:00.001-07:002009-12-04T13:51:53.966-07:00Grow $700 of Food in 100 Square Feet! <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">This is a very interesting article. It would be interesting to keep track to see how much money I would save. I think it would be a worth while project.</span> <br />
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<a href="http://www.motherearthnews.com/Organic-Gardening/Square-Foot-Gardening-Food.aspx"> Grow $700 of Food in 100 Square Feet!</a>Mistihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00269400113320390288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4046532446209636438.post-64288178068404600922009-12-04T10:38:00.001-07:002009-12-04T10:40:37.306-07:00Merry Christmas<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Here's my Christmas card for you!....OMG...it made the littles laugh so hard. Even Scottie just laughed and laugh....</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I hope you make one of yourself and send to your friends.</span><br />
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</span>Mistihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00269400113320390288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4046532446209636438.post-8437651048251731682009-12-03T17:14:00.000-07:002009-12-03T17:14:58.499-07:00Snow Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qihNPjpuwYs/SxhTwDJVfjI/AAAAAAAAABg/HEgDlZtOErY/s1600-h/Snowfall-Dec+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qihNPjpuwYs/SxhTwDJVfjI/AAAAAAAAABg/HEgDlZtOErY/s200/Snowfall-Dec+3.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">As you can see...I made a photo thru the front door and this is what we had the first hour.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Ok, I've had my snow fix and now I'm done. I hope it goes away soon.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We have about 2 inches now and it's still snowing</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">so I'll see what happens in the morning. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Clovis cancelled community college tonight. We will see about tomorrow.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Stay warm! </span>Mistihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00269400113320390288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4046532446209636438.post-91304386430195376782009-12-02T12:21:00.001-07:002009-12-02T12:21:30.181-07:00My Plantings<script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.clearspring.com/o/47a201a17d47523f/4b16be38850956e2/47a201a17d47523f/3ccf584d/widget.js"></script><a href="http://myfolia.com">Folia - garden tracking</a>Mistihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00269400113320390288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4046532446209636438.post-35301213987485594132009-11-30T23:16:00.001-07:002009-11-30T23:26:46.270-07:00Stir Fry--supper on the cheap<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qihNPjpuwYs/SxSsYtEX3_I/AAAAAAAAAAw/E64VmG3crII/s1600/Stir+fry.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qihNPjpuwYs/SxSsYtEX3_I/AAAAAAAAAAw/E64VmG3crII/s320/Stir+fry.JPG" yr="true" /></a><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">I sure have run into a lot of people who don't know how to cook. I always hate to tell them that my 12 year old is a FANTASTIC cook. If you ask her the secret to her cooking success...she will say: "Can't you read?" or most recently she says, "Do you not have any imagination?"....I hate to break it to her...some people don't.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> Although sometimes I have found that, it's not that they can't cook,, it's they cant figure out what to do with food.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Since we've always had <em>some</em> kids around, I've cooked alot.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Plus many times when Scott has been inbetween jobs, he's been the cook while I was away at work. So I'm very fortunate to have a husband who understands about cooking and what it involves.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">As I journey on my pioneering quest of becoming more self sufficient, I have found myself wanting to use what I have instead of wasting things. Besides I have the dreaded clean out the refrigerator phobia....I just hate it....</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">So today when I had the 4 p.m. thought of "What's for supper?"...I already knew ....left overs in some form... Saturday we had grilled and Scott (aka "oleman") threw an extra one on the grill knowing I'd come up with something later in the week.. So stir fry is what I came up with today....</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Stir fry is a cheap dinner! And I could have even made it cheaper if necessary. But using the following ingredients that we like this is what I came up with....if you don't like these ingredients or don't have them on hand...substitute! (Sometimes your plan B is better!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">Two cups of rice (more or less depending how many you are feeding)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">1 cup of frozen mixed veggies</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">1 cup frozen brocolli</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">1/4 cup (more or less) of onion</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">mushrooms</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">celery</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">carrots</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">1 steak </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">2 scrambled eggs</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">cooking oil</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">This is the order I add my ingredients to the hot oil that covers the bottom of my pan:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">carrots (they take a little longer than anything else)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">onions and celery</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">mushrooms</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">*(if you are using dehydrated veggies, you will want to rehydrate and drain them first)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">frozen veggies</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">steak</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">add rice</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">scrambled eggs</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">I add my soy sauce last....it keeps it from being too much! Only add a little and let everyone else add more if they need it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">I made enough to feed the four of us (with seconds) and my parents and Scott had some to take in his lunch tomorrow.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">This meal takes less than 30 minutes to prepare and you can use food that is already on hand.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">If you are really trying to stretch your money use more rice and less other stuff...add some noodles if you have them....it's stir fry....you cant mess it up.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">From what I can figure...This meal cost less than $5 to feed a family of four (with seconds); 2 other adults; and lunch in a lunch box. We don't eat tiny portions so I'm thinking 12 servings probable. I don't always make a break down of how much a meal costs, but in uncertain economic times some people need to know not only how to budget their food $ but their food. That's another post....</span>Mistihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00269400113320390288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4046532446209636438.post-77123061734095397592009-11-30T22:06:00.001-07:002009-11-30T23:43:35.647-07:00Welcome<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Welcome!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">This is the most ordinary (and probably boring) blog you may ever read....but it's here!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">It's really for my friends and family anyway. Those of you who know me, know I lead an ecclectic life of cooking from scratch, gardening, food preservation, scrapbooking and homeschooling the little girls. All while trying to fit in being a wife, mother and daughter (not always necessarily in that order)</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qihNPjpuwYs/SxS69PUFMyI/AAAAAAAAAA4/BEDQtnpUVWE/s1600/ARMY-CHARLES_edited-1-copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qihNPjpuwYs/SxS69PUFMyI/AAAAAAAAAA4/BEDQtnpUVWE/s200/ARMY-CHARLES_edited-1-copy.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Verdana;">I'd like to dedicate this first post to my son Charlie....who will be so surprised his momma has a blog. He'll be reading it from Afghanistan I'm sure. God Speed son.... and yes you still need to explain why you like jumping out of perfectly good airplanes. I pray for all soldiers but especially of the 173rd Airborne---Sky Soldiers...The Rock...Huah</span><br />
~<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Love Mom</span>Mistihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00269400113320390288noreply@blogger.com0