Dog Treats

I am a little picky about what type of dog food to feed your dog. Dogs are carnivores, and their digestive systems are not made to digest so much grain! When was the last time you saw a dog pillaging a corn field? A good site to see if your dog food is a good choice is: Dog Food Analysis http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/
Or Dog Food Advisor http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-reviews/dry/

I am not, however, as fussy when it comes to treats (except not to buy what is in the store!)

We have a few dogs - both large and small and we have been making our own dog biscuits for a number of years. Mariann is actually the one baking them. In fact, years ago she had a page on our site and sold dog biscuits. This was just before the big craze of dog biscuit stores.

Her variety of flavors for the treats:

Chocoholic Carob Cookies (with carob), Hush Puppies, Peanut Buster, Plain, Canine Breath Freshener (with mint), Cheese Yips, Fleas Navidad (garlic), Maltese Maple Munchies, Dalmatian Dipped, Scottie Biscotti, French Onion

Snickerpoodles, Big Dog Gone Bone (for large dogs!), Bacon Bit Biscuits and a Chocoholic Carob Birthday Cake with a white frosting

Most dog foods taste bland, the store-made biscuits taste like sawdust, so companies add a lot of salt to make it appealing to dogs.

Since my mother's elderly dog lives with us, I am making dog biscuits again. She is on a special low sodium diet, so by making biscuits on my own, I can control the sodium. We have a variety of dog biscuit cookie cutters, including large, medium small and tiny dog bones and a hydrant.

Here is a very simple recipe:

Microwave Doggie Doughnuts

2 c Whole wheat flour (you can substitute the flour with Rye or Buckwheat flour)

3 T Oatmeal

1 Egg; lightly beaten

1 ts Garlic powder

2/3 c Beef or chicken broth (low sodium - better yet, make your own)

Place flour in a bowl, add egg and broth, mix well. Blend in oatmeal and garlic powder. Roll dough into a ball, roll out on a lightly floured surface to 1/2" thick. Cut with small doughnut cutters. Reroll scraps and repeat. Arrange on a shallow baking dish or on a sheet or parchment paper in a single layer. Cook on HIGH 10 minutes or until firm.

Let cool until hardened. Store in covered container in refrigerator.

If you don't know how to make your own chicken broth, or want more recipes for dog biscuits, let me know and I will post them!

Can you teach an old dog new tricks?

As a stay-at-home mom/wife, we often did without. Living on one salary is tough, but I did what I could for a few dollars here and there. However, the brunt of our wealth has been on the shoulders of Jim. I am the one that budgets, and I tried to be as frugal as I could over the years.

We have enjoyed our run around with life, Jim and I. There isn't a whole lot of things that we haven't done that we have chosen to do. A majority of what we have done over the years involved our children. A choice that we happily made.

Oh sure, a vacation would be really nice. I can't remember the last time we went on a vacation just for fun... ours always consist of visiting family. Which is wonderful that we are able to do that, but going to the beach, or to the Bahamas or something of that nature just to relax, has never been available to us... we either have the time, and no money or money and no time. Although I have to admit the not having the money has always been an issue.

Jim has had a variety of jobs over the years... but the majority has been blue collar jobs... the most prevalent was being an Owner/Operator of a semi truck. He was trucking when I met him and over the course of 30 years that is the one thing that, in times of trouble, he always went back to.

He has an injury in his back from his time spent in the Army back in the Vietnam War that he has handled the best he could. He rarely complained, and for 30 years, almost every night I have massaged his muscles and taken out the cramps and helped with the pain. It is now beyond what I can do to help and he is losing feeling in both legs at various times. His right leg hurts when he drives continuously for hours, and his left leg hurts when he stands or walks for any length of time. He is going through tests to see what he can do, but in the mean time, he has had to leave his job. It was a mutual agreement - they didn't want him to get hurt and had no where really to place him, and he hurt too much to stay.

So, what does a middle-aged baby boomer do to change his life? The answer came from our youngest daughter while she was job hunting. Mariann told him he needed to check into a totally different job. So he has. He has taken a week for classes, and then studied for 2 weeks before taking two major tests. He started this week, after doing well on his tests (he was told most people do not pass both tests on the same day). He is being trained in the field this week, and hopefully will be out on his own soon. He is selling insurance: life, long -term care, annuities etc.

Jim is a hands-on worker. He is an outdoors person. He is a boots, jeans and flannel shirt kind of a guy. It is not going to be easy over the next few months - he likes the paycheck in his hand every week... But this man of mine, has donned the khaki pants, dress shirt and fancy shoes. This old dog is learning a new trick!

He has a can-do attitude. I have a frugal attitude. So with both of those in mind, I think we are going to be able to be successful.

We believe that God has always watched over us, giving us just what we needed at the time we needed it (maybe not exactly what we wanted, but exactly what we needed)

This is a leap of faith and we pray that God knows what He is doing...

Dandelions

There is nothing more apparent that Spring is here than the blooming of those nasty weeds...

The dandelion especially has gotten a bad rap as people try to eradicate them from their yards. Yet, there is nothing more endearing to a mother, than to have her rag-a-muffin child come to her with a big bouquet of the yellow blooms. Seeing a handful of dandelions on the table in a small drinking cup is more precious to me

than a beautiful bouquet brought to me by FTD. And it has been a long time since I have gotten either! lol

18 years ago we moved to a small patch of unremarkable land here in WV. No one else was interested in a piece of land that had no water, electricity or even a spot that was cleared of all the briers and thorns that grow profusely here. There weren't any worms to be found under rocks, there weren't any dandelions here. It was a hot dry summer, and the soil is basically crushed sandstone... so any rain that fell simply ran into the ravine.

The following Spring the three kids and I decided that we would see if we couldn't add some color and life to our mountain top. We would gather dandelions that were going to seed from places that we visited, being very careful not to let the wind coming into our van windows blow the seeds around, we transported them home. When we arrived home, they would blow the seeds off of the stem and let the wind carry them.

This year, my husband and I are now alone on the land. Our independent children have moved to different states. We have noticed the profusion of dandelions we finally have growing. It may not mean a lot in the long run, but it is a little piece of their childhood that I will be seeing each coming Spring

Prioritizing your activities

Well it's the end of the month and, of course, money is tight... not that it isn't tight any other time, but for some reason it just seems harder to get through the last week of the month.

Here's a scenario: You are trying to be a little frugal on your gas because it is costing so much more now to fill the tank. But you have all these activities you are involved in... church, choir, hair dresser, kid's stuff, family, friends, lessons, grocery shopping , picking your husband up from work. You can't possible do them all.

So how do you prioritize your activities? First, try to get to an activity by riding with a friend. But if you are like me, you live out of the way for anyone to come and get you.

You need to decide which is really important. Here are some thoughts:

Combine as many activities into one day, in one trip. Don't do backtracking (my husband is famous for this).

Plan the best route and figure the time for the activity so you may do more than one thing.

For example, it's cold out, so you can do your grocery shopping in the late afternoon and still be able to attend choir practice that evening.

If you feel that it is important to be in the church for the service (you can usually see services on TV or listen to them on the radio), then be sure to go. Maybe you can then do your shopping before coming home which would put less on your trips to town.

If you have spent time with family very recently, maybe you could cancel one visit with them.

Unless the choir counts on you for a solo or important part, missing a practice may not be detrimental to the outcome. If, however, you are a vital part of the choir, then this would be a priority over the others.

You can cancel your hairdresser appointments and make it for another time... lessons can also be re-arranged. Plan these activities on the same day next month.

Friends are usually very good about changing plans. However, in order to have a good friend you need to BE a good friend, so if your friend needs you then you need to weigh the priority of either being a good friend or losing a friendship. And by "needs you" I don't mean you have lunch once a week and she would be annoyed if you missed. I mean in a time of emotional upheaval, sickness, etc.

You can get through the rough part of the month by thinking ahead. Plan your grocery shopping ahead and get it done so that you have no reason to shop during the rough times. Schedule more things on the same day so there are fewer trips to take.

Happy New Year!

Years ago my parents and 4 other couples moved to Cobleskill, N.Y. a small town near the Catskill Mountains. People didn't travel as much as they do now, and these 5 couples found themselves without close families on New Years. They decided to have a party on New Year's Eve and each year they would take turns as to which couple would host. They went in alphabetical order: Barnards, Berards, Demick, Fisk, Wingert. As the couples began to start their family, they found it hard to stay up at night and then get up so early in the morning with their infants. A new tradition started and they began to have a New Year breakfast.

I remember these breakfasts, as they went on for years, even after I was married and came home with my husband... That was at least 25 years of MY memories. It started off as breakfast. It gave the women a chance to try out new recipes over the years. I am sure there were a lot of casseroles, bacon, sausage, pancakes, biscuits served to us. Mr. Berard took movies (no sound yet) every year and when we would gather at their house, we would watch these movies of the past 4 years... the laughter and joking as we watched was like being with extended family. I remember watch one movie and seeing myself and Debi go giggling past the camera with our hands trying to shield the camera from seeing us.

The fathers would take all of us kids (there ended up to be about 17 kids) skating on a local pond in town. We did this for a couple of years, but I don't know that any of us were really great skaters. I remember skating once when I was probably around 7 or 8.

The local college had put in a slope and we all learned to ski. It was a small slope, fitted with a tow rope. I was quite young then, and remember my father, holding be between his legs and skis, grabbing the rope and up the hill we would go.

For many years after that, as we became better at skiing, we would travel 45 minutes to a ski area called Scotch Valley (it is no longer in existence). This ski area was equipped with different levels of skiing, and all of us soon became very good skiers, and spent every weekend during the winter at Scotch Valley...

After a day of skiing, we would drive back to the Berards and have our traditional chili dinner. The Berards hosted this dinner every year. Mrs. Berard was a Southern gal and had the traditional "Hoppin' John" - New Year's good luck dish - black-eyed peas and rice.

These friends were as close as family could be, and we all have memories of these times. Not many people enjoy the companionship of friends these days.

We would be required to dress for the occasion, and I remember agonizing over what I would wear. And then in the morning, as all teenagers are, be loathed to get up so early. They started out meeting very early - after all, there were babies in the families. However, as these babies became teenagers, the time was changed and I believe we eventually had to arrive at 9 a.m.

If anyone has any memories of their traditions, please tell us!

Living on a shoestring

Had to laugh today.

It was reported that people on un-employment are living on $320 a week... *gasp* ... how can a family of 4 live on that?

We have done it for years. .. and when we were a family of 5! It makes me wonder if "those in the know" really know what the average person struggles with everyday. Sure, I'd like to have a lot more money, but we made choices that we are happy we made.

I have not seen the new program "Downsized", so I don't even know the premise, but my husband and I downsized when our first child was born. We had a beautiful 1910 Gambrel house with 5 bedrooms, an upstairs Florida room, living room, family room, den, enclosed front porch... you get the point.

We decided to sell the house and get an apartment. We moved to another part of the city because the prices of apartments were lower. Yes, Jim had to drive further to get to work - about 45 minutes more, but the price of having me stay at home was important to us.

We really wanted to see if we could make it on 1 small salary. And we have succeeded. It was NOT easy, and there were times we weren't sure we would make it. But we did. I began reading all I could on frugality, saving money on groceries and cloths for the children. I read how to save money by buying what was needed, not what was wanted, and to buy store brands, not name brands. Eventually I was able to feed a family of 5 on $20 a week. I can still come very close to that now, in this economy- (and am putting together a book on those meals, if you are interested send me an email and I'll put you on the list)

However, what we lacked in money, we made up for with sheer will to prove it can be done. We used to tell the kids that they could have anything they wanted... as long as it wasn't the "best". You can find things at Thrift stores, on sale, or even save up for whatever is important to you.

To "downsize" is not a bad thing. We downsized for the good of our family. Some people may think that eventually we downsized TOO much - after all, we eventually made the choice to live without electricity, and we still collect our water in cisterns. We built our house completely by ourselves... which is still an on-going project.

The work-in-progress that is our house is now getting a new kitchen. Jim is building the cupboards and making the cabinet doors himself. We have some walnut boards we have saved for a few years, just in case we would want to use them. They will be the cabinet doors.

We have an old porcelain sink that I got out of someone's trash back in 1992. We are using that as the kitchen sink. Yes it has some dings in it... but that gives it character, as far as I'm concerned.

The piece of bowling alley lane from a dismantled bowling alley in Columbus Ohio in 1987, will be incorporated in as a tabletop. We are making our own tile counter tops with tile that was on sale because it is going to be discontinued, but we figured the price is almost half of what a counter could cost.

The sink in our bathroom came from a store that was going out of business. We bought 2 sinks in 1991 for $20. One is in our bathroom, and the other we used in 2008 when we added a large addition to our house for my mother to live.

The point is, planning and figuring out what is important to you. You don't have a 5 bedroom 2 full bath house to be happy.

It always surprises me how young adults can't seem to give-up or sacrifice for what they claim they want for their children.

"Actions speak louder than words". "Where there's a will, there's a way"

It seems like those adages are no longer in use. But those are 2 we have lived by.

The commercial part of Christmas has always been difficult. We wanted to give our children everything they would like. It was very hard to budget and try to stick with it.

One Christmas when our daughter was four, she said "This is the best Christmas ever!" and she had just opened her stocking... She hadn't seen the presents under the tree yet.

That statement made me realize that "less is more". Children are satisfied with less.

At one time in our lives, the song "Mary and Joseph's Boy" by Alabama really brought me to tears because we hadn't yet figured out how much more we needed to downsize in order for us to be happy.

"There were times we didn't think we'd make it through the year

The bankers tried to take our farms but somehow we're still here

I don't know how the crops survived the drought and then the rain

It must have been a miracle how else could you explain."

My mother always quoted "This too shall pass", and it did. It will for you, too!

Have a great Christmas... and "don't sweat the small stuff"!

November's Bean Soup

Beautiful week here in WV. The temperatures today are in the 60's.

But last week we had a touch of snow.

So I made my favorite soup.

I use left over beans that I have been cooking in the slow cooker. Beans cooked in the slow cooker get better each day. By the end of the second or third day of cooking (and eating) they are thickened up.

Beans, pinto, 1 cup (I use left-over)

Beans, red kidney, 1 can

Potato, raw, 2 medium sliced (2-1/4" to 3-1/4" dia.)

Carrots, raw, 1 cup, baby

Hillshire Kielbasa

In your crock pot add 1 kielbasa (or polish sausage) that has been cut up. I try to cut it up in ½ and then in ½ again before slicing it into small chunks. I add chopped potatoes, and those small baby carrots you can now get at the grocery store. Cook until tender. Add some water to also extend the soup.

You can top the soup with cheese, sour cream, onions and even salsa...

For a more filling soup add – leftover vegetables, or add barley.. Sometimes I make rice and put the soup over the rice.

I will hate to see summer leave...

Winter was very hard this year, so I have to say that I have loved this summer.

Besides the usual work on the farm (fencing, replacing the deck, gardening,

I have been out a few times with a dear friend, and just "let it go".

I have been swimming more this summer than the last 2 summers combined.

I have travelled a few times with Jim at work.

I have started canning again and used my solar cooker.

There is so much more I want to do while the weather is hot.

Freezing Corn

Well corn season is in full swing and although I do not have a corn patch, Jim gets our corn from a lovely Amish man in Ohio.

I have tried my hand at canning corn and today I am freezing corn.

If you want to know how to can corn, or to make  corn cob jelly follow these links

Directions:

After I shuck the corn, I drop about 4 ears into boiling water for 4 minutes (after the water comes back to a boil, I start timing it). I then drop it into a bowl of ice water to stop the sugars from turning into carbohydrates.

Taking a sharp knife, I cut the kernels off the cob. I place the spent cob into a bag to freeze for later use as corn cob jelly.

4 - 5 ears of corn is enough to fill a 1 quart freezer bag. I use the zipper and close it until it is almost closed. Because I don't have a food saver machine (they run over $100, plus the bags are more expensive), I use a straw. When the bag is almost closed, I suck the rest of the air out of the bag using the straw, and quickly zip the bag closed. This gets the extra air out of the bag, which is what caused freezer burn.

It takes about 40 ears to fill up 8 quart bags

I filled one bag only half-full so I have a smaller serving. You can see how the bag had the air sucked out of it.

I read somewhere you can put water in this, freeze it and then get all the air out of the bag, also.

:)

Happy Easter! Happy Spring!!

The sun is out, the birds are chirping and the chickens are laying eggs. I have eggs boiling on the stove for hard-boiled eggs which I can make deviled eggs, or egg salad sandwiches for Jim and I. This weekend we are going to a large Flea market in Ohio. It is a 2 day affair and covers the fairgrounds. One of the largest around. I hope to come back with some more rabbits, and poultry. Mariann requested a hairless rat. Bethany and Ryan will meet us there and they are planning to get pigs. You would think that the only thing this Flea Market had was livestock, but that is the main reason we go. It has everything else that a flea market would carry - new clothes, old dishes and kitchen pots and pans, tools of all kinds. You could probably find what you are looking for here... I haven't had vacation time in quite a while, and I love wandering around this place. It is a vacation for me just to get away for a day, so I am looking forward to this trip. 

HARD BOILED EGGS It is easier to peel an older egg than a fresh one. Add eggs straight from fridge, in a single layer across the base of a saucepan. Add enough cold water to cover them by at least 1 inch. Slowly bring water to just under boiling point. 10 minutes. When the time is up, remove with a slotted spoon and plunge in cold water immediately to stop the cooking process. Allow to cool so are easy to handle. Peel and serve. 

DEVILED EGGS 6 hard-cooked eggs 2 tablespoons mayonnaise 1 teaspoon sugar 1 teaspoon white vinegar 1 teaspoon prepared mustard 1/2 teaspoon salt Paprika Slice eggs in half lengthwise; remove yolks and set whites aside. In a small bowl, mash yolks with a fork. Add the mayonnaise, sugar, vinegar, mustard and salt; mix well. Spoon (or pipe using pastry bag) into egg white shells. Sprinkle with paprika. Refrigerate until serving.