Thursday, June 16, 2011

I would love to be outside right now, but....

      It's still too hot!. I'm sitting here at my computer wondering what I should be doing besides,,,,sitting at my computer! Some days I'm overwhelmed with so much to do, but today is not one of those days. I've already gotten most of the chores done and we are having leftover black bean soup for dinner. What I need to be doing is moving dirt from the tipped-over wagon to the raised bed. Did I tell you about that incident? I had just finished filling the wagon with dirt, and I mean it was full! Hubby was at home and noticed the wagon tire was almost flat, so he got out the freon. He's an HVAC man so he has that on hand. He put in the freon, and as it was inflating, all of a sudden, the wagon tilted down and my dirt started falling out! I worked so hard filling that wagon, but only a small amount fell out. We had our son to come out and stand on the bar so the bolt could be put back into the slot. It worked, and we got the mower moving again. I let Hubby back the wagon through the small gate since he was home, and since I have a hard time backing up a wagon load of dirt through that small gate. Well... he got the wagon just inside the gate when all of a sudden....yep...the bolt fell off again, and the wagon came rolling towards me!!! Hubby got off the lawnmower, but failed to put it in park! Guess what!!! It came towards me too!!! Thank God, he realized what he had done and got on the mower before damage was done. The wagon took a turn towards the tree and stopped there. I jumped out of the way, and just stood there, mouth open in bewilderment!!! That's why I titled yesterday's post, 'busy and exciting'! Life on a 'farmstead'! Keeps things interesting!
      I decided to cook my black bean soup in the pressure cooker yesterday. It turned out delicious! I utilized my bread machine the day before, so we have delicious homemade bread, without heating the house more, with the oven. I ordered a Nesco roaster to use this summer and anytime I don't want to use the oven. I also ordered some extra trays for my Nesco dehydrator so I can dehydrate potatoes again. I'm going to bake my potatoes in the roaster, then dehydrate them. I know I didn't have to order a roaster just for that, but I plan on using it for much more than that! I cleaned off a spot on the table on the back porch where I'll put the roaster. I'm excited! I love using appliances that save us time and energy. Now I'd like to get a bread machine, the Zojirushi mini, I think it's called. It bakes 1 pound loafs, which is perfect for us. Enjoy these photos!


Silkie chicken lays little beige egg.

Black beans cooking in pressure cooker. It only took 15 minutes!

Cooked black beans.

Yesterday's harvest.

Gate and tilted wagon.

I was standing this side of wheel barrow.

Where dirt is going.

I saved seed from tomatoes I got last year at Chattanooga 's farmers market.

Unripe 'Gold Medal'.

zucchini and cucumber vines on back row.

I just put the seed in the ground a few weeks ago!

Eggplant.

Poor sunflower!

She can't hatch out an unfertilized egg! She doesn't stay long enough, anyway.

2 comments:

  1. I love pressure cooking too! They tell you not to cook beans in a pressure cooker, however, I do too. Only one time did I have an accident, (I was using an older cooker) a bean got stuck in the valve...it spitted soup on my ceiling when I released the pressure in the weight. BEST tasting, easy to prepare, saves hours - people who don't cook in these don't know what they are missing. We should start a "button" for women who love to pressure cook. I've never seen an eggplant plant. I don't think they grow in my zone. Your raised beds are looking good! Your garden too. Keep "plugging" away at it - me too. Sometimes my garden dreams get bigger than my ability....Blessings from Wisconsin!

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  2. Dicky, Bird, Thanks for commenting. You are absolutely right about gardening dreams being gibber than ability! That's a great idea about a pressure cooker 'button'! I wouldn't know how to do the button, though. I am going to be using my pressure cooker more. Funny how we forget about things like that sometimes.

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