moxies_ Life on the HHP Ranch....Rain!!!!!!

[moxies_chickennuggets]

Okay....I'll give it a try...this journaling thing. Some y'all probably toss me out the door on my ear....but, I'll give it a shot.
Don't know how interesting a read it might be. I am new to BYC...chickens that is. Old to SS living. Although, on acquiring the "Ranch".....have had to buckle down even tighter.

 

[BarredBuff]

Welcome to the journaling crowd!

 

[moxies_chickennuggets]

Wow...long day. I had a peck of tomatoes to process. Filled up one yellow hug tupperware bowl of diced tomatoes....put them in the biggest pan I had.....and have been cooking them down all...day...long.
Those were a present from MIL. She got a great deal at a roadside market. The ones that were starting to go bad...so,I had to get them done. Except...there is still half of them left.
Today was my day to hose out the chicken tractor too.....and set some slats in the top for a floor. They destroyed the cardboard, ate the sawdust, and shredded the newspapers. The coop, has a screen floor...the hardware cloth laid out over the fencing wire. It works great in the summer,but winter, we want to give them a little more shelter.
On top of those two things today...I snagged a really good deal on craft remnants at Goodwill yesterday. They needed washed though. So,I washed them all in the sink, and hung them out to dry.
Then...I have signs to paint.....for my alterations business. They are still sitting outside the door, drying in the sun. I had things planned for today as it was 70f today. Not going to get many more of those temps...and here it is December too. I have a long ways to go before I can open my business. At least we have a storefront building on the property. Across the driveway. I don't have to go anywhere to work n it. Or, at it.

Is there a "tired and pooped" smiley?

 

[moxies_chickennuggets]

Day 2 -journaling. "testing..." >>taps on screen<<

2nd day of cooking down he peck of tomatoes. Today, do it different. They scorched bad in the stainless steel pan yesterday...even though I managed to salvage them. I got the fixings for one tamale pie, and 2 small containers to put in freezer. Today, should be able to put it all in the freezer. When I am working with an abusndance of something like that.....we eat some for supper that night.
Even though they were all less from being ripe, they cooked up just fine. And no,I do not do canning. I cannot tolerate excessive heat. Therefore, I freeze. I am looking into a dehydrator though.

Mouse control. 2nd mouse this week to dispose of. They sure are proliferant around these parts. Too bad their lil' dead carcasses aren't good for anything. The chickens won't even touch 'em.


I have been studying on home soap making. Still gathering ingredients and supplies....information...and watching plenty u-tubes on the subject. I started out with the home made laundry detergent, along with experimenting with Soapnuts. I think I will stick to soap nuts use in the summer time...when I can recycle the wash/rinse waters. In the winter, and on the really nasty stuff....I will stick with the home made powdered laundry detergent. It is cheaper, and works super good.

 

[moxies_chickennuggets]

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[framing fowl]

And no,I do not do canning. I cannot tolerate excessive heat. Therefore, I freeze. I am looking into a dehydrator though.

The dehydrator might be just the ticket! I just got the fruit leather trays for mine and they should be here today. I'm going to start experimenting with making my own dried soups instead of canning it all. I got a book on making your own backpacking food from the library and it really opened my eyes to how much I am underutilizing this tool.

 

[CheerioLounge]

Hi Moxie! My SO, we'll call him "J", is a patternmaker and fashion designer by trade. We also have an alterations business on site. It currently is in our future dining room, but we have poured the foundation for his future "studio." I wish we could make great fabric finds at the thrift stores!!!! Good for you!

After reading Framing fowls last post, I remembered that somewhere in storage I have a dehydrator too! Looks like we'll both be checking out dehydration!

Good luck with your tomatos!!!

 

[moxies_chickennuggets]

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[moxies_chickennuggets]

Oh we have some really dumb mice on this place. I caught another one last nite. It is laying belly up on top of the dryer, have to dispose of it in a bit.

Anyway, I pull down the hand grater to use this morning, to grate a fresh potato. I keep the grater way up on a top shelf of a cabinet. So, I pull it down...and see the soft ruber handle is chewed...mouse chewed. So funny. I have to keep the potatoes in a steel cabinet, as they will nibble on them. I had to get 2 bread boxes..the metal ones. Now, I had stuff out on the counter tops till I could get the bread boxes. The mice...would totally bypass a loaf of bread, and chew on DH's lunch box strap. Or, chew into other in-edible items. I just scratch my head in amazement, and reset the traps.

 

[BarredBuff]

I hate mice, we have 3 different colonies in the house. One lives in the actual house part its bordering on extinction, the cat take care of them for us. Then the garage ones are patroled by the cat. Then we have another set that lives in the attic and walls. These tear up jack at night, I hate mice :/