2010 in Review

Last night I skimmed though the last year of posts. It was great to look back and reminisce 2010. In this digital era where photo albums are often lacking I am thankful that I document some of our journey here. The goal for 2011 is to post a picture everyday but I have yet to decide if that is doable so we will see. I made 2008's archives into a book and when I have some extra cash I will be ordering 2009 & 2010 through blog2print. The kids, family & friends love looking through it and it is a great back up of my blog if and when the internet ever crashes.



As I looked though the posts there were a few I thought would be worth sharing again before they were buried in the archives.

• In January I did a post on Grapenut pudding - I often retrieve this recipe from my archives. Good way to use up milk and eggs if you have an abundance and it is popular with the older population, Maine Man likes it too.

• I have been saving bacon fat since I wrote about making bird food. I plan to make it again soon.

• It is nice that I no longer have to purchase pie crust at the grocery store when I can make it at home for a fraction of the cost.

• Soon we will be planting leeks. I look forward to cooking up some more of this potato leek soup

• This year I plan to pickle some of the fiddleheads I forage. Can't wait to go out this Spring!

• If you ever visit Maine you must visit Acadia National Park. 36 years in Maine and this year was the first time I ever went there.

• We had an amazing growing season in 2010 thanks to the greenhouse that supplied us with produce from April to December. Next year we plan to plant earlier for winter greens.

• This morning I at some of this garlic scape pesto mixed with farm fresh eggs along with the BEST toast ever.

• Tonight I made up some yummy broccoli soup using my own chicken stock. I cannot even stand the thought of buying that stuff in the store as it can be made at home for pennies and there is no comparison in taste & quality. I usually have a stash in the freezer and even canned some this year but with soup season in full swing my stock is depleted. Now I have to plan ahead.

• This summer our fresh air child will be returning for 2 weeks instead of one. We can't wait to see her again.

• Lastly..... do you remember the duck that hatched out 26 ducklings? That is just crazy!

Looking forward to MANY more Adventures in 2011!

Lifelong Learning

This past Tuesday I hosted a all day photography class at my house. For years I have been wanting to take an adult ed. class. However, night classes just did not work for me with two young children. I heard of a young man who previously taught classes so I looked him up on facebook and him an e-mailed him and a few months later we made it happen.

It was VERY informational and we put our newly acquired skills into action photographing fruit, plants, rocks, and each other. I was amazed at how much we did not know about our cameras.

We had fun too! Now it is just a matter of putting all we learned into action.
It is SO easy just to set your camera back to the tulip mode or the running man instead of manual mode but that is the easy way out. My hope for 2011 is to share some fabulous photos with you all!

Good Old Fashioned Fun

Last weekend my neighbor, her children & grandchildren came over for some winter time fun.

Rona & Callie

Me & CB

Brother & Sister skating....love this pic!

MM

FG

Saphie (the girl next door)

Special Delivery

This Christmas my AMAZING co-workers came together to help someone in need from my community. This morning we made a special delivery of clothing, blankets, towels, lanterns, batteries, flashlights, towels, paper goods, a Coleman stove, fuel, lanterns, canned goods and SO much more! This someone is the man that my farmer friend and I have been delivering food to weekly for over 6+ months now. Most recently we have connected him with a local food bank which has greatly eased the amount of food we have to come up with ourselves. I first posted about him here and again here if you are interested in reading a little history of how I got involved in this adventure.

When we first arrived he did not appear to be home. Knowing he could not be far I unloaded all the goods in his front yard. As we started to take off he appeared from behind his house. He was gathering branches for his fire. The smile on his face when he saw all the supplies was PRICELESS! I just want to THANK all that were involved in this RANDOM ACT of KINDNESS! I could not have pulled this off with you, MUCH APPRECIATED!

Less is More

I've never been much of a decorator
Not much of a shopper either


Year after year we pull out a same tote of Christmas decorations that we've had for years.
Many of the ornaments were made by the kids. Some we've acquired from friends & family.

Maine Maine with his brew....lol

We chuckled when my Mother gave us this ornament 15 years ago. Now each year when I place it on a branch I am thankful for yet another year with such an amazing man.

Made by Flower Girl a couple years back.

.

Each ornament tells a story ........

.......of our simple life.
MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM OUR FAMILY TO YOURS!

Tomorrow we will be making a special delivery.....stay tuned!

The Accidental Foodie

It was never intentional, it just happened! When we first married dinner consisted of frozen pizza, chicken nuggets, take out, and if Maine Man was really lucky... Shephard's Pie. Fast forward 15 years later and food has become a HUGE part of my life, as it should be! What else do we do 3-6 times a day? .....EAT. What interests me most is cooking from scratch, eating organic, and local food. The BEST meal to me is a dinner that consists all of food we've grown, raised, hunted, and/or foraged for. We are fortunate to have quite a few of those kinds of meals. Don't get me wrong....I do not eat 100% organic, nor all local, I eat processed crap time and again, and I MUST confess I have a slight addiction to diet pepsi. I've quit the "swill" (as MM calls it) three times previously, they say fourth time is a charm, right? Change takes time........and will power. I'm getting there ;)

Any how the point I am slowly trying to make is about the bread recipe I posted back in November. It is the ONE I have been searching for for years. If you have always aspired to have a fresh loaf of bread in your bread box, you MUST give this a try! I can't even began to tell you how many loaves I have baked over the last month. It is EASY...just takes a little planning. CHEAP... literally cost pennies. Not sure about your neck the woods but at the farmer's market a loaf of bread like this goes for $5. And above all DELICIOUS....Flower Girl refuses to eat store bought bread...LOL.

In addition to bread I now set aside a batch once a week to make pizzas from. I prepare as I would for bread except I split the dough (blob) in half prior to rising. After rising I refrigerate if I am not going to use immediately. I will admit the dough is a little tricky to work with due to it's consistency, the shape is not always perfect but I assure you it is always super tasty.
Now if you take my advice before long you will be eliminating bread & pizza crust (frozen pizza) off your grocery list. Not sure about you but stuff like that EXCITES me. I love walking past the egg cooler, the meat section, baked goodies, pickles, produce etc when my cupboards, freezers, and pantry are right packed full of the real deal.

Just saying.....give it a try!

Snowflakes

Last year I hoped to make these with the kids. This year we finally did! It was a fun, fairly quick & easy project. Only supplies needed: popsicle sticks, hot glue, and paint. My inspiration you wonder.....Craftynest. LOTS of great ideas. Here is the link for a how-to for this craft if your interested.

Learning new skills

Last weekend my neighbor came over in attempts to teach FG and I how to crochet.
What started out as a dishcloth quickly became a bracelet.

And here is my sorry attempt. Doesn't look much better and I have been working on it ever since that day. I am having difficulty figuring out how to hold my hands. I have un-did, redid.....just a tad bit frustrated. Patience is NOT one of my finer qualities. In addition my rascally cats got their paws on it. Let's just say, it is NOT pretty! I am headed over to the neighbors right now for a little remediation.
Wish me luck ;)

Wordless Weekend

Letter to Santa by FG

Dear Santa,

How are you? How are your raindeer? I have a great life. I have a loving mom and the Best dad in the world. I would really like a lot of candy, DS games like plant vs. zombies, pants, I would like some pichers of me if you have any but I would like pichers of me when I was little, and the thing I would like the most is the Best Christmas ever. Merry Chrismas! P.S. Please wright back. Love: FG

One, Two, Tree

This past weekend we went out to my cousins tree farm
He worked a deal with the kids so they could try & sell a few trees.

Our farmer friend, Myron came along too.

He had a grand time watching the kids run about.

Even thanked me the next day for inviting him along.

We enjoyed his company as well.

He even helped by trying to guide me as I backed up the trailer.

He quickly learned I was going to do it my way even though I would have been much better off had I listened to him. LOL...maybe that's why I sometimes drive Maine Man crazy :)

If your a local come on over and buy a tree from the kids. You'll make their day!

It's the little things

Miracles aren't always big. If you spend your time looking for big miracles, your likely to miss a lot of little ones; finding your keys when you need them, getting the right medicine for an illness, arriving home safely. God's giving you little miracles all the time. The more you look for them the more you will see them.

Making Cranberry Sauce

I have never been a big fan of cranberries until recently when my friend gave me a big bag of local cranberries. I made a few treats that came out better then expected and on Thanksgiving morning I decided to try and make some cranberry sauce.

Very easy....I used approximately 2 cups of berries, added cranberry juice (water can be used) a couple inches up the pan. Boiled for 15 minutes. The berries popped as they cooked...that was kinda cool. Then I added 1 cup of sugar and cooled and served. It can also be canned via water bath for future use. My family liked it, nothing like the stuff you buy in a can.

Guess what kind of berry picking I want to do next fall?

E-mail from my neighbor

Dear Kim,
Thanks for feeding the fox and making it so healthy. You will need to pay a small fee to the Boudreau's Pest Control. Gary

My response....


Hey thanks! That bastard has been cleaning house around here. Love the letter & the picture. Do you take payments of food? I'll bake you some bread. Love you favorite neighbor, Kim

FYI... We have had at least 10 chickens, a few ducks, and a cat taken out recently.....we suspected swiper the fox.

THANKS neighbor for catching swiper!

Grateful

Holidays are a time to reflect on and foster peace on earth, good will towards all, and to simply savor the good times we have with friends & family.
A time to count our blessings.

And remember those less fortunate.

Hope Everyone Enjoyed Thanksgiving with their loved ones.
Flower Girl made her first Apple Pie today.
It was delicious! Her Daddy would agree, he ate most of it :)

Cooking & Clara

Have you ever watched any of the You Tube videos about about Clara, a 94 year old great grandmother that recounts her childhood during the Great Depression as she prepares meals from that era? Maine Man and I laid in bed the other night with smiles on our face as we watched one video or her after another on my lap top. Love her stories, some which remind me of my own grandparents whom lived through those rough times. Here are a few links to some of her recipes I'd like to try....

• Egg drop soup.... having difficulty linking this for some reason but you can google search it.
• Dandelion salad
• Baked Apples

Check her out! I am sure you will enjoy!

Sticky Buns

Maine Man say these were the "best cinnamon buns" he's ever eaten! Yipeeee...it was the first time I'd ever baked them. 2 ways to a man's heart, right LOL;) This recipe for Buttermilk Cinnamon Rolls comes from allrecipes.com

Love that site.....I reference it often.

I did not follow a recipe for the glaze. A bit of powdered sugar, splash of milk, dash of vanilla, and a chunk of butter. These sure beat the cinnamon rolls that pop out of a can. I figure with the time and effort it took me to make these I must have burned of most the calories I consumed ;)

Working Hard

The kids have depleted their stash of cash and have been trying to come up with a few ways to build it back up. They made up a bunch of braided dog toys in hopes to sell them this holiday season. So for all you LOCALS with dogs.... the kids are selling braided fleece dog toys for $2.00 each. Call or send us a message and they will even deliver. Yes, Flower Girl is standing on my kitchen table. My mother would flip out if she saw her now. Ha, we like to break the rules ;)

We just don't hand the kids cash. They get allowance only if they earn it and that does not include the basics such as picking up after themselves and cleaning their rooms weekly. That is just expected! Maine Man & I both have good work ethic and we feel that it is important trait to pass on to our children. To make money you must first earn it!
Next week I'll be posting on their next adventure to make a little cash this holiday season. This one is going to take a little help from MM & I but I think it will be a fun adventure.
Stay tuned.....