Sky Watch (Which Way?)

Once again I had time to post this Friday and decide again to be part of Sky Watch Friday

I wasn’t sure what the weather was going to do.
The clouds were moving both north and south.
Part of my home care is taking Donna dog Rex for a walk and usual we go down to the ballpark.
But for a while the weather was clear and anther time it would cloud over.

I got this wonderful Magazine called Cooking club I’m looking forward trying this soup recipe

Chipotle chiles infuse this hearty chicken soup with an underlying heat and smoky flavor. Swiss chard fills it out nicely and adds a plethora of good nutrients. The tougher stems go in first to soften them, while the tender greens are added during the last few minutes. Use ruby red Swiss chard to give the soup a pretty rosy hue.12 oz. Swiss chard (1 small bunch)2 teaspoons vegetable oil1 large onion, chopped (1 1/2 cups)2 medium carrots, diced (1 cup)3 garlic cloves, minced2 to 4 teaspoons minced seeded chipotle chiles in adobo sauce*1 teaspoon dried oregano6 cups lower-sodium chicken broth1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast halves1/2 cup long-grain white rice or quinoa2 avocados, cubedLime wedges1. Remove stems from chard; slice into 3/8-inch pieces (about 1 1/2 cups). Coarsely chop leaves (about 6 slightly packed cups).2. Heat oil in large pot over medium-high heat until hot. Cook chard stems, onion and carrots 5 to 7 minutes or until softened, stirring frequently. Add garlic, chiles and oregano; cook and stir 20 to 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add broth, chicken and rice; bring to a boil.3. Turn chicken; reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 20 to 25 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in center and rice is tender. Remove chicken; cool slightly.4. Add chard leaves to pot. Increase heat to medium; cook, uncovered, 3 to 4 minutes or just until chard is tender.5. Meanwhile, shred chicken into bite-size pieces; return to soup. Garnish each serving with avocado and lime wedges.TIP *Chipotle chiles in adobo sauce can be found in the Hispanic section of the supermarket. Remove veins and seeds for less heat. Refrigerate remaining chiles for about 1 week.8 (1 1/4-cup) servings PER SERVING: 225 calories, 8.5 g total fat (1.5 g saturated fat), 18 g protein, 20.5 g carbohydrate, 35 mg cholesterol, 560 mg sodium, 4.5 g fiber
I might have to adjust this recipes for the stuff I have around the place.

I Need To Be More Thankful.

First of all I got a new client and I’ll be calling her Murphette. Now she appeared a few time on my world stage.
Not sure what her exact age I know she older then and me and younger then my hubby. Her main medical problem is DDD But I still have Donna which I do sixteen and three fourths. But she expects a lot out of a person in the sixteen and three fourth hours. Then Faith I just drive her around town, which is two to four hours a week.
So I would say I have a little over 25 hours a week. With Donna and Murphette the agency pays $12.65 and hour and Faith pays me $15.00 hour.
Which I make enough we can live on. I don’t know how well I could handle home care on a full time bases. I guess if I had to I could do it. But who says it would be easy.

I been struggling on being thankful recently I been in a depressive mood. I look around and feel so dispointed in my life.
My hubby has been doing a good job around the place. Like he has been canning and today more tomatoes to do.
Then there general cleaning as well.
No it not prefect.
Confession time… I’m my own worst critic
So I don’t recall the last time anything been doing in the bathroom. So this morning I clean the tub, the top of the cabinet, the glass on it, the toilet, the sink and the mirrors. Sure I know more can be done but you know what I decided why be so hard on my self.

Yesterday Murphy been running Quenella around so she can do her errands. So Murphy took care one piece of business which was to pay Bart car insurance of a little under $150 bucks for six months. A least we had the money to do it.
But our on their travel though out the day they went over to my Uncle Melvin and Aunt Bea and got produce.
They sell some of their produce out of there garden and the way they charge is on a good will bases. One pays on what they think is fair to them

The only thing Murphy bought form them was potatoes. I believe Quenella got some squash also.

They went down on the river and picked some apples. I’m joyful for what he gathered.

I been doing a little bit of crafts in the evening. This week I have been doing some embroidering on a dishtowel, which I’ll be putting in my winter box for a give away.
One thing I notice threading a needle been harder now. I guess getting older and needing reading glass does make a different in ones life

Pear Kingdom

We have been canning pears. Short time ago Murphy and our friend Quenella got some pears. Ours ripen quickly and her hasn’t yet.

So we got 17 pints of pears done up.

CANNING PEARS
Choose ripe, mature fruits of ideal quality for eating fresh or cooking. Wash and peel pears. Cut lengthwise into halves and remove cores. (A melon baller or metal measuring spoon is suitable for coring pears.)

To prevent discoloration, keep pears in an ascorbic acid solution.

Prepare a very light, light or medium syrup or pack pears in apple juice, white grape juice or water. Boil drained pears 5 minutes in syrup, juice or water. Raw packs result in poor quality pears. Fill hot jars with hot fruit and cooking liquid, leaving 1/2 inch head space. Adjust lids and process.

MEASURES:
FOR 9 PINTS OR 4 QUARTS: For very light syrup (10 percent sugar), use 6 1/2 cups of water and 3/4 cup sugar; for light syrup (20 percent sugar), use 5 3/4 cups of water and 1 1/2 cups sugar; for medium syrup (30 percent sugar), sue 5 1/4 cups water and 2 1/4 cups sugar.

FOR 7 QUARTS: For very light syrup, use 10 1/2 cups water and 1 1/4 cups sugar; for light syrup use, 9 cups water and 2 1/4 cups sugar; for medium syrup, use 8 1/4 cups water and 3 3/4 cups sugar.

PEAR HALVES IN A BOILING-WATER CANNER:
HOT PACK, PINTS: Process for 20 minutes.

HOT PACK, QUARTS: Process for 25 minutes.

CINNAMON PEARS: Add 2 sticks cinnamon and a few drops of red food coloring per quart of syrup. Remove cinnamon before packing fruit. Follow directions for hot pack pear halves.

PINEAPPLE PEARS: Use pineapple juice in place of water for the syrup. Follow directions for hot pack pear halves.

MINT PEARS: Add oil of peppermint and green food coloring a drop at a time until syrup is flavored and colored as desired. Cook pears in syrup 10 minutes before packing. Follow directions for hot pack pear halves.

It sure takes a long time to do Pear butter. We cook ours down in oven so you don’t have to stir as often.
So we got 9 half pints of pear butter.
I read about doing it in the crock-pot. May some time I’ll give that a whirl

Directions for Making Pear Butter

Yields about 9 - 10 pints

Ingredients and Equipment

.

8 quarts of pear sauce
· 1.5 teaspoons nutmeg
· 1/2 teaspoon cloves
· 1/4 teaspoon Allspice
· 2 teaspoons grated orange peel (just the surface, not the spongy white part) or 1 teaspoon orange extract
· 1 cup orange juice
· 6 cups sugar
· Jar grabber (to pick up the hot jars)
· Lid lifter (has a magnet to pick the lids out of the boiling water where you sterilize them. ($2 at Target, other big box stores, and often grocery stores; and available online - see this page)
· Jar funnel ($2 at Target, other big box stores, and often grocery stores; and available online - see this page)
· 1 Crock pot (slow cooker)
· Large spoons and ladles
· 1 Canner (a huge pot to sterilize the jars of pear butter after filling (about $30 to $35 at mall kitchen stores, sometimes at big box stores and grocery stores.))
· Ball jars (Grocery stores, like Publix, Kroger, Safeway carry them, as do some big box stores - about $8 per dozen quart jars including the lids and rings)

· Processes pints 10 minutes in boiling bath water

Soon drying on clothes line will soon come to and end. I have dried clothes on line outdoors. It’s what I call freeze-drying ones clothes.

This morning I hung two loads on the line. Mostly what was hung up to dry was jeans.

But I did a load later in day. This load of laundry I did a medium load of colors. I decided to get out the winter drying rack and stick it by the stove.
Our days are getting shorter. The sun goes down behind the mountain at about 5:54 (PDT) pm. So using the clothesline outdoors isn’t as feasible when it summer. But we’re not making as big as carbon footprint as using a dryer full time. I do have a dryer and use it

Both of the boys are up this weekend. I believe money is tight for them. They’re renting a mobile home for $ 400 a month.

I believe Sawyer money is a little more plentiful then his brother Bart. So Sawyer out at mud bog in Moyie Spring.

We do help the boys with care packages and with odds and ends. Murphy took Bart up on Myrtle Creek and got load of firewood that needs to be tossed into back of Sawyer pick up.

Sky Watch (Can't see the Mt)

Sky Watch Friday I haven’t done in ages. So long I can’t remember

Your looking at Eastern sky. I took a picture from our back yard looking above Black Mountain.
Which has had snow since the 1st of October.
But we went up in the mountain up Myrtle Creek and got a load of firewood. The other side of the Kootenai valley.
Well to my amazement the snow was quite high in elevation and real wasn’t that much on the west side.
I real don’t know how much snow is up on Black Mountain.
But I have to say it was cold getting the firewood

No I'm Not But I Know Who Is

No I’m not having a give away, swap, or scavenger hunt.
But I know who is having a Halloween give away Pea is of Pea’s corner.
Take a gander what she is give away
I’m signing up.
October 12 is due date for her give away.
Peas has a great blog she one busy lady. Take a moment and take a peak at her Pea’s Corner

Ziggy out the fury creature pretty well is a snob. I real can’t figure out why he want to sit on the paper. Believe me this cat real thinks different then the other fury creatures

Roise really goal in life is “food” I seen her one day catch and eat two gophers plus want her kitty food.
I guess she real like this soft pillow

“Really mom I can stay up late now.” The best way to get daisy to sleep is a good hard game of fetch.

No I'm Not But I Know Who Is

Putting The Haverst Up

Life has been focus on one path recently. Putting up food.
Before I post the food we have done.
I think a lot of people been working on preserving food for the up coming year.
Today I had a biofeed back treatment.
I was talking to my biofeed consular. She was saying that her husband is still laid off from the mill.
Which he has been there for over 20 years.
But anyone is laid off more then 4 months and when they have hire back one loose their seniority.
The mill is almost positive it wouldn’t open this winter. Actual it doesn’t look good either this spring.

We got our squash harvest in and it only seem like the pumpkin, a gourd. And the spaghetti squash did anything.
I bough a “dumpling squash” the other day.
I might just give my local grand nieces and nephew the pumpkins on Murphy side so they can carve jack ‘o” lanterns

The other day Murphy went and drove Quenella around. They found an pair orchard over on the Northside toward the river.

Sense I got your attention. Quenella been having a real hard time getting a running vehicle going.
Well at first they had a Toyota that they got from their daughter estate. They drove it and the engine is pretty well toast.
Some nice guy gave her a datsun pick up a 1968 model. Statement time…I was 8 years old then
The brake and clutch just went out and for the parts it would be over 200 hundred dollars. A money pit she believes.
Winter is coming on and she still doesn’t have a rig to drive.
She made us an offer that one of us come out once a week and get her. Murphy will be drawing unemployment.
I look at it will help either one to put gas in our rigs.

Living in North Idaho and we have such a short growing season. So we had to pick the tomatoes. We been sorting and canning up tomatoes

So I made 3 pies two was a nectarine pie and the other a green tomato pie.
The one on the left is the nectarine pie and the other is a green tomato pie.
When I was young a lady made me a green tomato pie. I thought it was apple pie. This is my first attempted making a green tomato pie. I have to say it didn’t taste bad but I believed her was better.

Mom's Green Tomato Pie
3 1/2 c. peeled and sliced green tomatoes
3 tbsp. butter or margarine
6 tbsp. lemon juice
1 1/4 c. sugar
3 tbsp. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cloves

Saute the tomatoes in the butter and lemon juice until just tender. Combine tomatoes with sugar, flour, salt and spices. Line 9" pie pan with pastry, pour in filling, dot with butter and cover with top crust. Bake at 450 degrees 10 minutes then reduce to 350 degrees and bake until crust is brown (about 35-40 minutes).

With plenty of tomato we put up 10 pints of celery and tomato mix. I even took a bag of tomato and gave it to the local food bank.
The other day I was there to drop off a box of food and there were plenty of zucchinis by the door

Weather (September 09)

The hottest day in Sept was 90.7 (32.6) on the 1st
The coldest day in Sept was 28.8 (-1.7) on the 28th
Average high for the month was 70.2 (21.2)
Average low for the month was 40.5 (4.7)
Rain .25 (0.6)
September 20th was the first time it got below freezing.
The birch tree on southeast corner of the yard. Started to turn color in middle of the month.