What A Day

Read our thoughts:

The Coop Keeper: Oh, I hope that big flap of fat isn't showing on my arm.

Flower Patch Farm Girl: How close is she gonna get that chicken to my face?

It's gonna take a week to tell you about all the fun, and show you all the photos.

Suffice it to say, there weren't any hives.

There weren't any awkward silences.

There were laughs.

There was love.

There were new friendships being birthed.

She's all that and a bag of chips.

Chickens Ruined My Social Life

Just trying to keep ya'll entertained whilst I'm finishing up the garden for the walk.

I'm this close to being back to normal around here.

This close, I tell ya.

Here's a blog from last June -

Not that I had much of a night life to begin with, but I do have a rather busy social schedule. Cooking clubs, girlfriends, etc. I like to stay occupied. It doesn't give you time to dwell on the things in your life that you want to change.

I've been pulling a lot of early morning weed sessions. The weather has been unbearable here in NW Indiana the last few days. Today will be no different I hear.

Look what I found on my way to the hoe.

Oh, looky here, a mater.

Deciding that I'd had enough of work for the day, and after all it was my day off, I scootered over to Barbara's house to see her and her garden.

Barbara is a lovely lady, and I'd like to be her when I grow up.

She likes drag racing, books, gardening and cooking. Her home is filled to the brim with light and loveliness.

She knew I was coming, and look what she had ready. She's that kinda gal. I love it. It was when I bit into one of these delicious muffins after viewing her garden, the worry began to sink in. Is the rabbit cool enough? Do the chickens need more water?

Then I went and picked up these two rock stars for a day at the pool. Aaron lives in a lovely apartment complex that has a nice pool.

There was a little thunderstorm that cleared the pool out, and when we got there, we were the only ones there for a good hour.

Oh to be young again.

My attempt at art. I LOVE Aaron's little corkscrew curls.

Later that evening, Glenco and I met up with our new friends Neil and Sue at the Model A Car Restorers Club.

I'm thinking....heck, I shoulda put the chickens up. It's 7pm now....should I have put them up? Why don't they go up to the roost box themselves, goofy goofballs. Why did I even get chickens? They smell.

Beautiful cars. I actually think I might like them better than the muscle cars that we always go look at. We have a 64 Chevy Impala. I like these old ones. The lines are so romantic on them. More attempt at art.

The first thing I said when I saw this truck was...."what a perfect thing to bring home goats in."

This car reminded me of Nazi Germany. Why?

We had a lovely time with Neil and Sue, and went out to Steak and Shake after the show. I tried to be polite and laugh and talk, but I was worried SICK over my girls, and could barely eat my cheeseburger, fries and rootbeer. I mean, I left one french fry on the plate for goodness sakes. I was just too upset to eat.

We didn't get home until about 10:30. I ran to the coop. Literally. I counted them. They were all there and accounted for, and I'm sure that if we'd returned home five minutes later there would have been carnage. It actually looked like something had been trying to dig its way in.

Can't even go out for a late night burger. Thanks chickens.

Helen scolded me like a teenager when I got home.

I rolled my eyes. GEEZ. I was right up in Merrillville. My cellphone was dead. I would have called. You shouldn't worry so much. I was with friends.

Frugalicous Domesticity - Menu Planning and The Office

I went to bed last night very worried that I may have come across as some one with OCD, ADD and a slew of other undiagnosed illnesses with acronyms.

I'm just me.

What's a girl to do.

Today I did my usual morning routine. Today's room to 'clean' was the office.

What I'm becoming painfully aware of since starting this post, is that I'm really not happy with a few of the rooms in my home. I'm going to have to do some decorating. I haven't done that in quite some time.

The 'office' is what I call this room, because the computer and the check book reside here. If I ever get a laptop, I'll use this as a sewing room. This room is used for everything. Utility room, pantry, storage, office, etc. It's the most cluttered room I have, but it just sort of has to be.

I enter, and work my way around, dusting, wiping windowsills, emptying the trash.

I vacuum this room when I do the rest of the house.

Oh, go ahead and laugh at the map on the wall. It still doesn't help me know where I live.

It's a cool old Rand McNally map.

There's nothing fancy going on around here folks. Form is following function.

These old shelves were here when we moved in, and I'm glad I kept them. I just repainted them a couple of weeks ago.

Today my morning routine of chicken tending, house vacuuming, bed making and cleaning the office took 36 minutes.

Then I planned my menu.

I don't time this.

This is a pleasure to me.

A few thoughts on cooking, meal planning and the like.

I really enjoy it.

I know there are lot of you out there that would rather be tarred and feathered.

I really can't think of anything to say to change your mind, or to help you.

So, if you are reading this, and you can think of something to tell someone that doesn't like to cook, please leave a comment!

What I eat is important to me. Ya'll know my food issues, all too well.

Food evokes emotion for me.

I love people with food.

Comforting casseroles in the winter, cool crisp salads in the summer, such are the things life is made of.

I keep thinking of when my parents were in their last year of life, and we had to put them in a nursing home (can't even talk about that), I would see what they ate. I found it so sad that food was just presented to them, like it or not, it's what's for dinner. No choice in the matter.

I mentioned to Glen once how sad I found that, saying

"Can you imagine not having any choice in your meals?"

He replied..

"You mean, like me?"

Why I oughta.

So I guess I feel that there is a day coming in my life, where I may not get to eat what I enjoy, so dad gum it, I'm gonna do it now.

As with a cleaning routine, I find that a menu planning and shopping routine make life so much more simple and stress-free.

I begin by making my grocery list, and sorting it by department.

Fruits & Veggies/Dairy/Meat/Canned Goods/Boxed Goods/Frozen/Misc.

I like to try and follow the layout of the store. I hate making a random list and having to look over the whole list while your in the produce aisle, only to miss something and have to back track.

I hate grocery store backtracking!

I actually have a binder that I keep notebook paper in, and it's tabbed, and my life is rather organized in it. Under the menu planning/shopping menu, I keep this sheet. It's a good reminder of some things that may need to be re-stocked when I go shopping.

I then sit with cookbooks, and my binders of recipes and choose the week's meals. Now, don't freak out, but I rarely make the same thing twice in one year. I don't know why, I just like trying new recipes constantly. Now, I might make chili four or five times, but it will always be a different recipe for chili.

These are the binders I have in the pantry. As I find recipes online, or in magazines, I print them out, tear them out and file them in the appropriate binder for future use. If I LOVE it, then that recipe gets transferred into the Recipe Keeper folder.

If I don't like it, I pitch it.

Please know that I make this alot harder than it needs to be. Please reference first sentence of this blog post.

So here I sit, sipping tea, pouring over recipes. It's 'me' time. I don't like to rush it.

I do have a little method to my madness.

I follow this guideline:

Soup and Bread Night

Sandwich Night

Pasta Night

Asian Inspired Night

Mexican Inspired Night

'Classic' Night

Casserole Night

It's not written in stone, but it helps me jump start the menu plan, and insure that we aren't eating beef or chicken every night. It mixes it up.

I also bake a lot.

This is what's on the menu for the week:

Black Beans w/Rice & Salad

Beef Tacos w/ Chips and Salsa (I make my own chips and salsa)

Vegetarian Chili with Cornbread

Chicken Florentine Panini & Salad

Little Travelers Chopped Salad (a salad with bacon and pasta)

Asian Beef Wraps with Spring Rolls

Pioneer Woman's Fried Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans and Biscuits

I'll be baking:

Cranberry Scones

The Best Cookies in the World

Three Day Coconut Cake

Aunt Donna's Broccoli Bread

Bagels

Ciabatta

Sandwich Bread

Misc things I'll cook:

Pioneer Woman's Cowboy Calzones

Biscuits and Gravy

Italian Breakfast Casserole

MeMa's Cream Cheese Jello Salad

Baked Beans

This is what it looks like when I'm all done.

I have a sheet with the menu for the week.

A sheet to take to the store.

My recipes are filed in the pocket of my binder.

I don't try and follow a budget per se.

I do buy store brands.

I shop at Aldi for the most part, and finish up at the regular store.

Tomorrow, when I go shopping, I will report to you how much was spent.

Shannan, at Flower Patch Farm Girl has some great meal planning and budget posts here under her food label. Scroll down a few blogs and you'll find her meal planning posts.

Good stuff.

My Beautiful Mother

Born November 12th, 1924 in the humblest of surroundings.

Helen Irene Dorsey

My mom.

She had a smile and laugh that would light up the world.

Fiercely loyal to family and loved ones.

More heartache than one woman should have to endure.

To honor my mother today, I curled my hair. She always set her hair in rollers, and wore a white scarf. I have that scarf, and I wore it today. I baked two Lemon Meringue pies. Her favorite. I thought about her all day, trying to find her in my face, my hands, my life.

I didn't have to look too far. She's passed to me a legacy of love and joy. I'm determined to keep my mom alive in my heart by daily choosing to love, choosing kindness, and choosing to be strong and faithful in the little things, which ultimately, are the biggest things.

Home.

Family.

Friends.

B'Gak!

That's chicken talk for 'I'm Back!', just in case you didn't know what B'Gak meant.

Back in the cornfields.

Back in the flock.

Back.

I made the trip in record time. 8.75 hours. I only allow myself one stop. You know...since I've been blogging, I'm realizing how incredibly weird I am.

When I pulled in the driveway, Glenco was out in the yard to welcome me home. The chickens heard my voice and came RUNNING. I've never seen them run so fast. They surrounded me.

Oh how big and pretty they looked. They genuinely seemed happy to see me!

Except Scooter.

Have you ever been scolded by a chicken? It's not fun. Scooter followed me back to the house, while the other girls enjoyed the cracked corn I gave them. When I got to the back door, and Scooter was still sitting there, I bent down and picked her up. I swear I wish I had an audio of her. She was clucking and bawking up a storm. I know she was scolding me for leaving her! I could hear "What do you think you are doing being gone so long? Do you realize how I've been mistreated? Stubs is still giving me wet willies, and Fifi won't let me near the water!" I just nodded and said 'Oh my, I see, I'm so sorry". This chicken needs me. I love it.

You can't ever tell me again that chickens aren't intelligent.

So, I'm back.

Back to my apron, my clothes on the line, my kitties (yes, I'm keeping that little one, that makes four), back to my bread baking, cooking and home schooling.

The power of the apron.

All I can say is 'apron up girls'. Apron up. I love being a woman of the apron. I would say it's a calling. I have much, much more to say about that...but it's for another post.

I'll finish this up by showing you the reasons I love Missouri. It's a VERY long drawn out story of how family ended up in Missouri, I'll spare you that, but show you these pics.

My cousin Jim. I love you. Even after dragging me to a football game in a downpour. I actually had fun. I'll never admit that to your face though, and continue to hold the date 10-29-09 over your head for eternity.

Trevor Keckler. I love you too. You are growing up to be such a fine, wonderful young man. Your dad is so proud of you. Thanks for holding that umbrella over me for two hours, and helping me out of the bleachers.

Zack Keckler. Love you too dude. You are so, so much fun.

This is my oldest sister Vivian. She lives in an assisted living program. She is mentally handicapped. She is HYSTERICAL. I get such a kick out of this girl. She is a survivor on so many levels. She's survived Stage Four vaginal cancer that spread into her colon. I'll have to do a blog post about her one day, soooooo many funny stories.

I love you Vivvie.

This is the Arnhart Cemetery in East Purdy, Missouri where my mom, dad, uncle and aunt are buried. It's a nice little quiet spot at the end of country road.

My mom's birthday is coming up. Oh how I miss my mother. I continue to learn life lessons from her. I can't wait to see her again. I wish I knew her better here on earth. She was one in a million.

I love you mom.

My beloved Aunt Jean is here. I'm still a little miffed at her for up and leaving me with no warning. I'll fuss at her when I see her next, much like Scooter fussed at me yesterday. I needed her the way Scooter needs me. The love I have for Momma Jean is inexplicable.

I love you Aunt Jean.

My dad is there. My dad was a real character. He liked to laugh, and was able to make me laugh a lot. He suffered so much. Mentally and physically. I'm happy he's at rest now.

When I think of my dad now, I mainly feel sadness.

I love you Dad.

Perhaps now you'll understand why Missouri is like home to me.

If your parents are alive, and you can go visit them, count yourself to be very blessed. If you've any issues with them, put them aside, make reconciliation, go....love them. If you can go 'home', go. It feels weird when you can't anymore.

As always friends, it's so nice sharing my little corner of the world with you. I have a little uterine surgery tomorrow, so I'll be down a couple of days. I plan to get caught up on the emails you've sent, and read your blogs and comment as well~! If you can, think of me tomorrow morning about 9:30....

Night night.

Rocket Dogs in Arkansas

Went to Arkansas in search of BBQ today. I absolutely love the Ozark Mountains. They are so very different from the cornfields at home.

The pictures don't do it justice. It was just so pretty, and hilly, and colorful. It was very hilly, crooked and steep. My stomach was a bit queasy from it all. Reminded me of the Great Tilt-a-Whirl incident of 1976.

This was the first good cup of coffee I had in Missouri. It's a long boring story. I have serious coffee issues. I'll go into it one day.


Adorable sign.

We drove to Eureka Springs, which is an incredible little town tucked in the hills. The pic above is of my new Life is Good Hat, and Jim's new Life is Good shirt.

The town is filled with these little springs. The gardens were beautiful.

Cute little houses like this filled the streets. (Jen, I thought of you and your village :-)

This gate makes my stomach hurt I love it so much. Jim wouldn't steal it. And he calls himself a friend.

A wonderful fall planter idea!

By the way, did you notice it stopped raining?

When I saw this sign, I said to m'self, I said....'ok'.

Jim is an impatient man. He doesn't like to be kept waiting. Especially for pork.

Fruit of the Swine.


Life IS Good, baby.

No comment needed.
We saw Beaver Dam on the way home.

Jim still can't figure out how beavers built this dam.