Monday, June 27, 2016

Farm Life..Sunny 90's



This is A. Wyse Ol' Goat, an old nanny that has NO tolerance for other
people's children (kids). But she loves her own and protects them
vigorously. The first year with us, she sent poor Clarabelle (our faithful farm dog) head over heels (my Mom would have used a different expression that involved a teakettle!) down a hill by ramming her broadside when Clarabelle came out to meet her new kids.

Now we have to sneak the kids away to let
Clarabelle meet them, which she always wants to do, which led to this picture which is one of my all time favorite Clarabelle pictures (available as a digital download in our Etsy store too!)


https://www.etsy.com/listing/235018787/on-saledigital-download-photograph?ref=shop_home_active_48

Saturday, June 25, 2016

Fancy Blackberry cobbler...partly sunny...90*

A bit more work than our 'Chigger Cobber' , but worth it! Wonderful  for a potluck or when you have company coming over.
Nothing says "Summer" like blackberry cobbler!
 
Fancy Blackberry Cobbler

5 cups blackberries
11/4 cups sugar
4 T. cornstarch
1 T. water
1 tsp. almond flavoring
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 T. shortening
3-4 T. cold water
1 T. butter, melted
1 T. sugar

Combine flour and shortening, cutting together to make course crumbs, slowly add water, stirring gently, just till dough forms a ball. Place in fridge while you make the cobbler.
Put 3 cups of blackberries in a 8 x 8 inch baking pan or two quart backing dish, set aside.
Place 2 cups of blackberries in the blender, puree till smooth, pour through a sieve to remove seeds, pressing well with a rubber spatula to get all the pulp and juice. Reserve 1/4 cup of this and place rest in small sauce pan, add sugar, almond and cinnamon, cook over medium heat till bubbles.
To reserved 1/4 cup blackberry puree add 1 T. water and 4 T. cornstarch, stir till smooth, add to sauce pan cook 1 minute, pour over 3 cups blackberries.
On floured board roll out dough about 1/4 inch thick, cut into strips and lay on top of cobbler, drizzle with 1 T. butter and sprinkle with  1 T. sugar .
Bake at 350* for 25-30 minutes or till top bubbles and crust is lightly browned.
Serve warm with vanilla ice cream!
 

Thursday, June 23, 2016

Farm Adventures...Sunny..90's

My Mom used to say on particularly hectic days
"This place is like a 3 ring circus".
I've been thinking of those words lately while doing
goat chores. All kids have to be separated from their Moms while
eating or the grain gets spilled or stepped in, and some don't share
well either, ask poor Rhythm.

Anyway here are some pics which do a small job of showing the problems.
I had to make a place to put Cinnamon and Paprika during chores.
That was okay for a couple of days until my husband frightened Cinnamon coming too close with machinery.
Over she went. Now she gets out every time. Paprika hasn't got it yet.
Being a male he probably wasn't as frightened of the machine!  Now
that they are confined in there, Flossie can and does reach through to
bite them. At the same time Rhapsody's amusement comes from teasing A.
Wyse, who does her best to bite those foreign objects, EARS.

I'll bet a 3 ring circus has better discipline and control than I do!


And she's over


Just come a little closer.......



Monday, June 20, 2016

Farm Life...Sunny..90*

"Once found, never forgotten"  that's a saying I have about animals and food.
Here's a picture of Highpocket, our pony, squeezing into a little chick yard.
The other day  he found my container of chick grower that I'd left out for those frequent feedings and now he comes every day to look for more.
I guess tight spaces don't bother him.
I don't know if he backed out or found room to turn around! 
Some day I'll tell you the story about Miss Pig,  when I get all my old
35mm pics digitized. Well, not before the hay is all in!!!

Saturday, June 18, 2016

Sweet Smells of Summer.....Sun and hot..90's



AHHHHHH......  the sweet smells of summer!
The Locusts and Wild Roses have been replaced by Elderberry blossoms and Mimosa blossoms and of course the New Mown Hay (which I've gone nose blind to, after working with it every day).
I'm hoping for a crop of Elderberries this year to make syrup.
I try to keep some on hand for a boost when we're sick, especially colds and flu.  Some years a tiny worm defoliates the leaves and we don't get any berries, but these look promising. 
Here's how I make mine...we talked earlier in the week about how closely you follow a recipe,,, seems the majority of women are like me and make it up as they go, that's how this recipe came to be..................

I use Sure-Jell and inside pkg. I use the cooked jelly recipe procedure.  Elderberries won't be offered so I use "Currant" directions instead.
Prepare the fruit as instructed with 2 cups water instead of 1 1/2 . 
When measuring juice into pot (after straining) add 1/2 cup lemon juice.
 Now reduce the sugar to 3 cups and proceed with procedure.
 This will make a syrup instead of jelly. I also do this with other fruits, when there is an abundance, to have syrup in the winter for pancakes

Thursday, June 16, 2016

Make Hay while the sun shines... Sunny...HOT..mid 90's

After many months of restoration ( good thing we had a mild winter!)
the old John Deere No. 4 BIG (circa 1934-1951!) is mowing the fields this year!

              I sure wish we had a few 20 year old boys to assist it!
 It's come a long way since we got it in this condition!

Monday, June 13, 2016

GiveAway.....Sunny...hot...storms later

 In celebration of our 100th sale on EtSy, we are giving away a set of (4) mug rugs, like the ones below!
To Enter,  stop by our Facebook page here: 
https://www.facebook.com/jonquiljunction/

Checkout the post pinned to the top of the page for instructions! :)  comment what color you would like if you WiN and TAG someone who you think would love our page! we'll pick a winner on the last day of June so be sure to stop back by and see if it's you! SharinG isn't required but it sure is appreciated
(Shipping to USA Only)
((page owner is solely responsible for this Give*Away))



Stop by for your chance to WIN! https://www.facebook.com/jonquiljunction/

Sunday, June 12, 2016

Sunday Quotes...Sunny HOT & Humid

" the Cat days of June get us prepared for the Dog days of August"

Saturday, June 11, 2016

Amazing Chicken..sunny...hotter

Amazingly easy, Amazingly tasty, Amazingly juicy, and your house will smell Amazing all day while it cooks!

1 whole chicken about 4 lbs

1 gallon water (or enough to just cover bird)
1/2 cup salt
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika (regular paprika can be substituted)
1/2 tsp. granulated garlic

Place water in a large stock pot add sugar, salt and seasonings stir until all disolved.  remove neck and gizzards ,discard. Rinse chicken. 
submerge chicken on brine mix, cover pot and place in fridge overnight.

Seasoning mix:
1 tsp. Cavenders Seasoning (or your favorite season salt)

1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. granulated garlic
1 tsp. smoked paprika (regular paprika can be substituted)
mix together well

Remove chicken from brine, shake water out of cavity, using hand carefully seperate skin from breast and rub all but one tsp of seasoning over meat under skin, push skin back down and place bird breast down in the crockpot, rub remaining seasoning over back of bird. cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours.
DO NOT ADD ANY LIQUID!

At the end of the day the chicken will be Amazingly tender, I remove from crockpot using two large slotted spoons and lifing it carefully to a large platter, cool just a bit and remove meat from bones to serve!
No need to add any other seasonings! Reserve cooking broth for an amazing soup base or to cook a pot of beans later in the week!


 

 

Friday, June 10, 2016

Farm life...Sunny and hot 80's

We're ALMOST standing still, better look quick before we are off again!
We are just SURE the grass is greener on , the other side of this gate!


Wednesday, June 8, 2016

Thanks! Sunny and warm

Well, while we weren't looking (might have been busy in the hay or garden or with the baby goats ! ) We went over 6,800 Facebook followers!!!
Thanks for sharing us with your friends! Remember we are having a Give*Away when we hit 100 S@LES at our E T S Y store! Check it out ! 98 and counting.................. https://www.etsy.com/shop/Jonquiljunction


https://www.facebook.com/jonquiljunction/
Follow us for Giveaway's new items listed weekly and much more!!!

Monday, June 6, 2016

Farm Life...Sunny....warmer

Look before you pick your greens!  I was getting these for supper and
had been doing it for awhile before I noticed this King snake napping.
It had rained most of the day, and now the sun was out, and he never
woke as I snapped pictures. I saw him last week too in this vicinity,
so I guess he's here to stay. No matter if a snake is harmless, the
startle factor still gets you every time.


Sunday, June 5, 2016

Sunday Quotes...Sun (hopefully)

"You Make Your Path by Walking" 
                                                                                Grace Lee Boggs

Saturday, June 4, 2016

Corn Fritters....more clouds....warm

Since we are knee deep in the "Everything Season" of eggs, we have
eggs everyday for lunch. Mostly egg or egg and cheese sandwiches, or
on a less hectic day, pancakes.  The other day my husband said he
couldn't face another egg!  Well, after a few minutes reflection, I
thought "All of life is Rearranging" so I rearranged his eggs this
way. This is one of my favorite recipes from the Good Housekeeping
Cook Book my Mom gave me when I got married.

CORN FRITTERS
3 egg yolks
1 2/3 cup whole kernel corn, drained
dash salt and pepper
1/4 cup flour
3 egg whites, stiffly beaten
Beat egg yolks until light, mix in corn, salt & pepper. Fold in egg
whites. Oil a cast iron pan and spread as if  pancake batter, cook
until brown both sides. We like ketchup with them. Also a sprinkle of
smoked Paprika is nice.

You can find our "Everything Season" Cookbook download here:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/254958239/digital-download-cookbook-digital?ref=shop_home_feat_1

 

Please click on 'older posts' to see all our posts! Thanks :)

The items we offer are as varied as the weather in these hills!
Hand-hammered copper jewelry, handmade wood case clocks, biscuit and rag quilts, handsewn infant gifts, handcrafted soap, & homespun tales and photos of our menagerie of four footed and feathered friends.




Copper earrings

Copper earrings