In about a month my sister-in law is having her baby shower. A fun monkey themed party to celebrate the arrival of her little boy James. I, myself have never been to a baby shower. So, what do I do when she tells me about it? I say "can I do the food?"
What possesed me to utter those words? Because I love to cook and so far nobody has let me cook for a party/get together/holiday/shindig.
So, I do what I always do, I research. Yesterday we went to Books-A-Million where I bought four cookbooks. Then we went to Wal-Mart to get the supplies. And last night I made two of the recipes in the book.
FAIL!!!
They were both just bad. Not being one to give up easily, I'm going to tweak the recipes and try again in a day or two, after my confidence comes back.
I'm going to try for lots of variety. Nothing too fancy but nothing too dull. In trying to fit in with the theme of the party some of the desserts are definitely going to have bananas in them. You know, frozen bananas covered in chocolate, banana ice cream (drool worthy), and so forth.
The biggest problem I see so far is that most of the dishes on my "maybe" list have either chicken or cheese or some combination of the two. Variety...yeah.
Oh yeah, not to mention, this baby shower is composed of about 30 people. So, I'm going to cook appetizers for about 30 women and men.
So, I turn to my few readers. Should I prepare lots of just a few varieties or just have a sampling of lots of different varieties?
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Relief
Well, the chickies are still alive. It would be my luck to decide to put them outside during the one week that a weird front moves through and makes it cold. Two week of beautiful weather and then freezing.
Ok, not actually freezing, but it feels like it after 90 degree temps for a week.
But, they are moving around and eating so I think they are going to be ok. *breath sigh of relief*.
On another note, I spent lots of money yesterday on two splurges. I ordered a large amount of kefir culture from Leeners. What is kefir?
Kefir is a milk product made from cultures. It is similar to yogurt. Now I could also say it is fermented milk, but to most American palates, fermentation just doesn't sound good.
But Kefir is very very good. And it is very good for you. My favorite way to drink kefir is in smoothie form in the morning. I blend it with strawberries, bananas, a little honey and ice. Yummm! I haven't had it in almost six months but I placed an order with Leeners yesterday and I can't wait til they deliver it.
Of course, I won't be able to drink it right away. What I buy from Leeners is the live culture. When I get it, I take a gallon of milk. I use store bought milk for now but I'm hoping that will change in the future. You could use any type of milk (cow, goat, even coconut I'm told,even though it technically isn't milk). I then heat the milk up to 86 degrees. Once it's there I take it off the heat and pour in the powdered culture. Once the culture is all mixed in I pour the milk into half gallon ball jars and wait.
It's really up to you how long you wait. I'm told that the longer it sits the more sour it gets. I let it sit between 18 and 24 hours and then stick it in the fridge.
It can last for a couple of weeks but mine never make it that long. The really beautiful part about kefir is that you can re-batch it. Theoretically, you can re-batch as many times as you want but the taste does change. I usually re-batch once and then start over with a fresh culture.
You can use it in baking as well. Just replace any buttermilk with kefir, I think on a 1:1 ratio. Although if you're going to try it I would do a little research. I've never baked with it, I just like to drink it.
So, that was one splurge yesterday. My second splurge was from Brambleberry.
I absolutely love to make soap. I started almost a year ago after doing an embarrassingly large amount of research. Now I make a large batch ever other month or so and it's all we use. We don't buy shampoo or conditioner either. The soap I make works so much better than any shampoo bought in the store. For conditioner, I use a mixture of water and apple-cider vinegar. No, my hair doesn't stink.
I buy all of my soap making supplies from Brambleberry. The stuff I bought yesterday is mostly for the soap I am going to be making for my sister-in-law's baby shower next month. After I make everything I'll post pictures. Or maybe that will be my first tutorial! I like that idea.
Ok, not actually freezing, but it feels like it after 90 degree temps for a week.
But, they are moving around and eating so I think they are going to be ok. *breath sigh of relief*.
On another note, I spent lots of money yesterday on two splurges. I ordered a large amount of kefir culture from Leeners. What is kefir?
Kefir is a milk product made from cultures. It is similar to yogurt. Now I could also say it is fermented milk, but to most American palates, fermentation just doesn't sound good.
But Kefir is very very good. And it is very good for you. My favorite way to drink kefir is in smoothie form in the morning. I blend it with strawberries, bananas, a little honey and ice. Yummm! I haven't had it in almost six months but I placed an order with Leeners yesterday and I can't wait til they deliver it.
Of course, I won't be able to drink it right away. What I buy from Leeners is the live culture. When I get it, I take a gallon of milk. I use store bought milk for now but I'm hoping that will change in the future. You could use any type of milk (cow, goat, even coconut I'm told,even though it technically isn't milk). I then heat the milk up to 86 degrees. Once it's there I take it off the heat and pour in the powdered culture. Once the culture is all mixed in I pour the milk into half gallon ball jars and wait.
It's really up to you how long you wait. I'm told that the longer it sits the more sour it gets. I let it sit between 18 and 24 hours and then stick it in the fridge.
It can last for a couple of weeks but mine never make it that long. The really beautiful part about kefir is that you can re-batch it. Theoretically, you can re-batch as many times as you want but the taste does change. I usually re-batch once and then start over with a fresh culture.
You can use it in baking as well. Just replace any buttermilk with kefir, I think on a 1:1 ratio. Although if you're going to try it I would do a little research. I've never baked with it, I just like to drink it.
So, that was one splurge yesterday. My second splurge was from Brambleberry.
I absolutely love to make soap. I started almost a year ago after doing an embarrassingly large amount of research. Now I make a large batch ever other month or so and it's all we use. We don't buy shampoo or conditioner either. The soap I make works so much better than any shampoo bought in the store. For conditioner, I use a mixture of water and apple-cider vinegar. No, my hair doesn't stink.
I buy all of my soap making supplies from Brambleberry. The stuff I bought yesterday is mostly for the soap I am going to be making for my sister-in-law's baby shower next month. After I make everything I'll post pictures. Or maybe that will be my first tutorial! I like that idea.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Mother Hen
Well, the chicken house is finished enough for the little darlings to start staying outside. Now, I know this is better for them. They were starting to outgrow their brooder. But I'm still freaking out a little. I know they are going to be safe inside their coop. Doors will be locked to keep out predators and they will cuddle together to stay warm, but I'm still worried.
What if a big storm comes and knocks the coop over. Or maybe lightning strikes and sets the whole thing on fire. Ok, probably not going to happen, but it's their first night outside.
I'll update tomorrow on tonight.
Thanks for reading,
Melissa
What if a big storm comes and knocks the coop over. Or maybe lightning strikes and sets the whole thing on fire. Ok, probably not going to happen, but it's their first night outside.
I'll update tomorrow on tonight.
Thanks for reading,
Melissa
Monday, May 9, 2011
Internet and Pictures!
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I mentioned before that I had lots of pictures to share and I do. Some of them are relevant to the farm and some are just for fun.
We planted a total of maybe 12 rosebushes early this spring. In lots of different colors too. White, pink, red, blue, purple, and yellow. This is the fist bloom!
And another.
Just one more.
Ok, last one. Promise.
A few hours later. It's kinda cool.
The next day. Isn't it pretty? The new one, not the shell.
We didn't plant this tomato plant from seed because we are impatient for fresh tomatoes.
And here is our first one!
The lettuce is coming up nicely even with the weeds that we haven't pick because we haven't had a dry day in ages.
This is only a few of the potato plants, but they are coming up great. I'm so excited!
This year is a very important year for Middle Tennessee. 13 years ago the cicadas came. And this year they are coming back. The closest I ever came to a cicada was seeing the shells stuck on the trees. I mean, 13 years ago, not only was I not in middle TN but I was 12 year old. Bugs were gross.
While I'm still not too terribly fond of them. I'm also not 12 years old anymore and I can see them for their usefulness and yes, sometimes for their beauty.
I cannot take credit for these pictures. The Farmer took them. They are his. I was sitting in the living room, reading when he came rushing inside and then back outside saying over his shoulder, photo op. Well, ok. Then he came back in and showed me this picture. It begins.
Our garden has started. We've had so much rain though, I think our peas have rotted. We'll have to replant them.
We also have carrots, beets, and three kinds of peppers. We have a whole box of seed packets that we have yet to plant. We just haven't had a chance, but hopefully if it stays dry we can get some more plants planted. It's still kinda hectic around here. We are living here but we are sleeping on an air mattress in our closet. We don't have a washer/dryer, so every week the Farmer has to go to the apartment after work and wash clothes. But it'll get better.
He did bring most of my baking supplies to the house for me so I can start baking again! I love it and I've missed it. I'll even do tutorials!
For the rest of the day I'm going to paint the master bedroom. Once it's done then we will move on to the guest room. Then we'll carpet!
Thanks for reading!
Melissa
Friday, April 29, 2011
Revelation
A few days ago I found out that I had become dependent on the internet. Not for work or anything but just addicted to browsing. How did I find this out?
We moved.
That's right. We moved into our house and left a lot of things behind at the apartment. For now. Things like my computer. And of course, for once, I had my camera and was taking pictures of everything. These wonderful pictures will come into the next post.
So, posts might be few and far between for a week or two until we get internet connections set up. Since we are so far out in the country we are going to have to go satellite, which is new for both of us.
For now, I will post when we visit the apartment to pack up boxes. They might be a bit on the short side and I apologize for that but I will try to make as frequent and as jam packed of news as I can.
In the meantime I will leave you will the most exciting news of the month: we got chickens!!
Nine of them to be exact. Three Plymouth Rocks and six Rhode Island Reds.
So cute! We bought them as pullets so we can get eggs faster. We should be able to put them outside in a few weeks.
Well, back to the house!
Thanks for reading,
Melissa
We moved.
That's right. We moved into our house and left a lot of things behind at the apartment. For now. Things like my computer. And of course, for once, I had my camera and was taking pictures of everything. These wonderful pictures will come into the next post.
So, posts might be few and far between for a week or two until we get internet connections set up. Since we are so far out in the country we are going to have to go satellite, which is new for both of us.
For now, I will post when we visit the apartment to pack up boxes. They might be a bit on the short side and I apologize for that but I will try to make as frequent and as jam packed of news as I can.
In the meantime I will leave you will the most exciting news of the month: we got chickens!!
Nine of them to be exact. Three Plymouth Rocks and six Rhode Island Reds.
So cute! We bought them as pullets so we can get eggs faster. We should be able to put them outside in a few weeks.
Well, back to the house!
Thanks for reading,
Melissa
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Pictures!
Most of the blogs I read on a daily basis have one thing in common. They all use lots of pictures. I'm so jealous sometimes and then I feel guilty and then determined. So, here are a backlog of pictures I have been meaning to show you.
We finally painted the master closet! Yay!! Now we have to finish dry-walling the master bedroom and guest room, then we can paint those and put carpet down.
We also began tiling the bathroom. It is fairly simple except for the fancy tile. But it's purty.
Just a closeup of the fancy tile. I thought it looked like a four-leaf clover. Maybe it'll bring us luck.
We are also putting in sub floor heating! That's going to be fantastic come this winter. Now to the outside.
My white crocus!
And my purple crocus. We also had some yellow ones come up but I forgot to take pictures of them.
This is my tulip and daffodil garden. We planted them late and so I wasn't sure any would come up this year. But they did!
Just a close up. My tulips have all disappeared now but the daffodils are still going strong.
My first strawberry!
Same strawberry but a little more ripe. I was going to post another picture of the fully ripe strawberry and me eating it but the bugs got to it before I could :(
I will end today with a very cute woolly caterpillar. Isn't it adorable? I thought so.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Old and New
I've always admired people who can stick with things. Not just going to work day in and day out (I'm a stay at home wife) but with their hobbies as well.
For instance: bloggers. I thought it would be easy to start a blog. I read several of them daily and they update almost everyday. Surely I could do it to. What I didn't see is the time it takes to take the pictures, work with them, write the blog, try to make it readable and fun, edit it, edit again and then I add an extra step and check my stats like a madman and fret because nobody is reading this yet. I am writing for future readers. It takes a lot of work. Lesson learned.
The Farmer told me that nobody would ever read it if I didn't write it. And he's right. Same goes for my novel. Procrastination is, I think, one of the hardest habits to break. But I'm going to try.
Blogs are supposed to be about our lives and our interests. An online diary. Keeping a diary never worked for me, I usually lost interest. I'm going to work hard to see that the same doesn't happen here.
So, this blog will be a little bit of history, maybe a little boring but hopefully not too bad.
When the Farmer and I met I was working at Books-A-Million as a barista. I worked with his sister Jessica and told her one day after he came in that her brother was hot. I'm not going to tell you about our initial meeting yet, maybe one day. It's one of his favorite stories though so if he hijacks my blog again you may get to hear it.
Anyways, Jessica loved the idea of her brother and I together. Long story short, he came to my apartment to put a new lock on my door ( didn't trust one of my roommates) and he brought the movie Titus to watch. Have you seen Titus? Not everyone's idea of a first movie for a couple to watch. I loved it though. He asked me out, I said yes and a few years later we decide to get married.
Neither of us wanted to waste money on a big wedding. So, we went to the courthouse, paid $95 for the license and said our vows with my friend Vanessa taking pictures.
It was so nice not to have to deal with all the chaos and stress in dealing with a "real" wedding.
So, we got married, then he got a promotion and we moved to an apartment in the Nashville,TN area. And now we've bought a house and I started a blog about my life out in the country and the work on our house, which will continue next blog.
Now, a month or two ago my little brother sent me a text message informing me that I was to become an aunt. Not really a big deal. Everyone loves his girlfriend. Sam is fantastic and very good for him. They might be a little young but at least they aren't still in high school.
The family began making noises about how they weren't married. The Farmer and I talked about it and concluded that Nick and Sam didn't have enough money to have a big wedding. So, we told them that if they would do what we did, elope to the courthouse, we would pay for it.
They thought about it for a few days and then accepted our offer.
It wasn't really eloping since they invited the family and it was a little more stressful but it was beautiful. And now my brother is married. What a weird thought. I will definitely be posting pictures when the baby comes in early August.
So, that's a little bit of my history and now I can talk more about my family without you getting confused. New pictures of the house are coming Wednesday along with a much overdue update.
Thanks for reading,
Melissa
For instance: bloggers. I thought it would be easy to start a blog. I read several of them daily and they update almost everyday. Surely I could do it to. What I didn't see is the time it takes to take the pictures, work with them, write the blog, try to make it readable and fun, edit it, edit again and then I add an extra step and check my stats like a madman and fret because nobody is reading this yet. I am writing for future readers. It takes a lot of work. Lesson learned.
The Farmer told me that nobody would ever read it if I didn't write it. And he's right. Same goes for my novel. Procrastination is, I think, one of the hardest habits to break. But I'm going to try.
Blogs are supposed to be about our lives and our interests. An online diary. Keeping a diary never worked for me, I usually lost interest. I'm going to work hard to see that the same doesn't happen here.
So, this blog will be a little bit of history, maybe a little boring but hopefully not too bad.
When the Farmer and I met I was working at Books-A-Million as a barista. I worked with his sister Jessica and told her one day after he came in that her brother was hot. I'm not going to tell you about our initial meeting yet, maybe one day. It's one of his favorite stories though so if he hijacks my blog again you may get to hear it.
Anyways, Jessica loved the idea of her brother and I together. Long story short, he came to my apartment to put a new lock on my door ( didn't trust one of my roommates) and he brought the movie Titus to watch. Have you seen Titus? Not everyone's idea of a first movie for a couple to watch. I loved it though. He asked me out, I said yes and a few years later we decide to get married.
Neither of us wanted to waste money on a big wedding. So, we went to the courthouse, paid $95 for the license and said our vows with my friend Vanessa taking pictures.
It was so nice not to have to deal with all the chaos and stress in dealing with a "real" wedding.
So, we got married, then he got a promotion and we moved to an apartment in the Nashville,TN area. And now we've bought a house and I started a blog about my life out in the country and the work on our house, which will continue next blog.
Now, a month or two ago my little brother sent me a text message informing me that I was to become an aunt. Not really a big deal. Everyone loves his girlfriend. Sam is fantastic and very good for him. They might be a little young but at least they aren't still in high school.
The family began making noises about how they weren't married. The Farmer and I talked about it and concluded that Nick and Sam didn't have enough money to have a big wedding. So, we told them that if they would do what we did, elope to the courthouse, we would pay for it.
They thought about it for a few days and then accepted our offer.
It wasn't really eloping since they invited the family and it was a little more stressful but it was beautiful. And now my brother is married. What a weird thought. I will definitely be posting pictures when the baby comes in early August.
So, that's a little bit of my history and now I can talk more about my family without you getting confused. New pictures of the house are coming Wednesday along with a much overdue update.
Thanks for reading,
Melissa
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