Oct. 7-13, 2018, Canning Week, New Book, Potatoes, Braces Week Two

Oct. 7-13, 2018

Canning Week

New Book, Book Girl by Sarah Clarkson,

Digging up Potatoes, and Braces Week Two

 Hello Friends!

What a rainy, blah-kind of week in Michigan!  At least the mushrooms are loving all this moisture and are popping up everywhere.  I've been getting my winter clothes boxes from the attic and switching out my clothes.



Canning:

After last week's migraines, I was so glad to be free from pain and able to get some canning done for this year. 



 I was beginning to think I wasn't going to have anything this winter to show from our summer garden!!!  I had made a few tomato paste jars, but not nearly enough.  



It rained and rained and rained this week, so inside jobs were a perfect fit and I feel like I've accomplished more now that the canning has begun!!

I probably lost five canning jars this year; which has to be a record for me.  Can you see how the bottom of the jar cracked and broke off?  Such a bummer b/c you have to throw away all that veg---can't give it to the chickens b/c it might have glass shards in it.

Kales and Swiss Chards growing great!

Book Girl by Sarah Clarkson

So excited to read a book about books!  I've been trying to make good use of my time with Dd as it is evaporating so quickly, and I want to make the best book choices I can with the time I have left with her.  Plus, she isn't nearly keen to let me read aloud to her as she 'has her homework to do' now.  Yes, we are going through a big transition phase right now and it is not pretty, but I assume many parents and later teens struggle with this push and pull adjustment.  I thank Chelle from the bottom of my heart for mailing me this book and kind gesture of our enduring long-distance friendship.



Braces, Week Two:
Dd had a few painful days after getting her braces put on, but this week has been so much better.  She is out of pain and adjusting to having the braces on her teeth.

Gardening:

Cold weather is on the way, so I went ahead and dug up our potatoes while the dirt was still warm.  I know that sounds funny, but I hate trying to dig out potatoes when your fingers are so cold that they are numb!  It is especially hard trying to feel for those small yummy ones.



  I spent a lot of time in the garden this week.  I know the tomatoes aren't going to ripen outside so I picked and cut off all of them I could find and brought them inside.  I cut off as many of the leafy parts of the plants and fed that to the chickens.

I eat the leaves on the right and the chickens eat the stems on the left.

  I've had to get out my pitch-fork to carry out all the mass piles of de-leafed tomato plants as a result!!!  I'm so glad the chickens love eating the plants and therefore we don't waste hardly anything.

Green Beans:

You know you've been picking a lot of green beans when you lay down at night to go to sleep and close your eyes and your brain puts the image of hanging beans in your mind!  I had quite a few nights this week where I fell asleep imagining picking green beans!!  I had to put an end to cooking Dh green beans for his lunches so I could can some!  He was able to eat as many as I was picking! 

 

We planted three different kinds of potatoes this year, and canned some of each kind by the end of this week.  

Chicken Bone Broth:
With things slowing down again I've been able to bake whole chickens and pick off the meat and put the bones in our crock pots for bone broth.  It takes time and effort, but I'm trying everything I can to make my 'gut' healthier.  I still have a few weeks before I go back to my Dietician for more insight into my diet and digestion and am hoping for improvement.  Dh and Dd are not keen on my chicken soups so it is a lot of effort for just me; which is hard to make time for, but at least I know they love eating the baked chicken meat even if they don't want any of the broth.

Hikes In Woods:

With the weather so pretty and the leaves falling down, I have spent a little extra time using fallen trees to mark our trail paths.  When all the leaves are down I will not be able to see our path any longer!  Dh has been using his old-fashioned wacker to clear new trails for us to use to give us some new options to hike in.  My Indiana friend, Heather L., introduced me to a book on the major benefits of being outside in the woods which reinforces my desire to be outside as much as I can and how being out among the trees does so much benefit to our bodies and minds.  The book is called Forest Bathing by Dr. Qing Li.



Volunteering:
Dd is volunteering at the library once a week to help out in a kiddie program and liking it a lot.  She is also volunteering each Wed. night at the church in the Olympians program, assisting with the Games section.  I also volunteer at the Olympians program and feel blessed by being there with the few kids that come.



Friday Night/Sleep-Over:
Dd had her friend Lexi spend the night.  They stayed up late and got up early to go out to eat with us; which was very surprising!  I'm always so glad when Dd has her friends over and can spoil them with some yummy food.  Lexi asked Dd to take her "Senior Picture" and they took hundreds of photo's during the visit.

The Sassafras trees are so pretty right now in our woods

Academics:

Bible:
One Year Interactive Bible Study from Word of Life
Church, Sunday School, Youth Program
Volunteering to help the church's Olympics Program on Wed. nights; Games portion (1 1/2 hours)



Bible/Fun Book:
Praying for Your Future Husband by Robin Jones Gunn: Completed
Soul Surfer Devotional
Word of Life Teen Devotional
(Dd has continued to do two bible studies each day)



Audio:
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
We are really struggling with this audio.  There is a LOT of cussing and using the Lord's name in vain which seems to be around every corner where we are right now!  I know this book is seen as one of the most important novels on "America" or I wouldn't keep trying to get us into it.  It is a tough sell.....

Thankful for a puppy that needs a lot of walks in the woods each day!

Physical Education:
Walks in the woods with Henry and me this week.  Dd also went for a hike with Hailee in the woods this week too.
One Workout this week



Home Economics:
Baked a cake and homemade icing.



Art:
Photography--Dd and Lexi spent two days taking photo's for Lexi's "Senior Picture."  They went to various locations and parks to take a wide spectrum of photo's to chose from.

Grace Subjects:

Algebra I: Saxon

Spanish I

Graphic Design

Introductory Logic

Geography: BJU

It has been fun watching the Sassafras trees turn yellow and brighten this part of the woods.

Grace Classes:

Dd is doing a great job in her classes; except for her Logic class!  I guess there is a LOT of memorization for that class and she, like her classmates, haven't been able to get over that hurdle!  I'm impressed at how well Dd is using her time to be independent in her studies, but wish it was easier to fit in our literature time too.

Honeysuckle was actually trying to get inside Dh's slipper!  She kept at it until she finally realized it was hopeless!

Next Week:

New Glasses For Dd

Henry looking for his next walk

............