Peter Piper Picked a Peck

>> Wednesday, July 29, 2009




Of pickled peppers!

Yep, my banana peppers have been unbelievable this year. We've been picking and eating and getting over run with them! lol

While there are only so many ways to eat them, we've found sprinkling them on top of our pasta salad is the best way when fresh. And trust me you can only eat pasta salad so many times a week. I was getting way more than we could eat, so I knew I needed to try some way to preserve the surplus. With all the time spent nurturing them to fruit I wanted something to show for our efforts!

We've been buying the hot pickled peppers rings from the store to put on our brats. So, last Saturday, I decided the answer to my pepper problem would be to make pickled pepper rings. I chopped the ends off, cut them into slices and placed them in a salt brine to sit overnight. I rinsed them Sunday morning and packed them into sterile jars. The pickling solution was water, vinegar and garlic boiled and poured over the peppers in the jars. I put the lid/rings on and placed them in my canner on the stove. Using the water bath method, I allowed them to boil for 10 minutes, then took them out placing the jars on a towel to cool. Within 30 minutes the tops had popped and sealed.

Wasn't too hard or time consuming and I have to say they look pretty cute in their little jars.

My recipe recommended waiting 3 weeks before eating to allow them to season. So until then they are going to sit on my counter so I can admire my handiwork.

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High Tech and Free of course!

>> Saturday, July 25, 2009




Well, here you go!

My industrious water collection system from our A/C condensate lines. You can see the 5 gallon sheet rock/paint buckets I recycled into collection containers. The upstairs line empties into the 5 gallon. The downstairs line empties into the black 2.5 gallon bucket. When each one fills up, I exchange it with an empty one. This way I pretty much have one waiting on me to use for watering my herbs as well as the potted plants on the porch. I also get enough to do the front flower beds. I just rotate the watering on a daily basis to each group of plants. Works great and I don't have to pull the hose anywhere! I do though, carry the water in 2 plastic wide mouth containers that used to hold bird seed. I can quickly fill them up and away I go. I'm amazed at how much I collect and best of all it's FREE!(Even though I am on well water, I just like the idea I am recycling something that would ordinarily be wasted.)

Give it a try!

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Holiday planning..

>> Sunday, July 19, 2009






Holiday Planners!

There's no time like the present to start planning for the upcoming holiday.I saw the idea of making them on another blog. However, their version of the planner was made from a junior notepad. While I liked the idea, I felt it may not hold up in our pocketbooks. So, as I was perusing Michael's I came across these journal books in the $1 bin. They had flowers on the front covers, but that didn't matter as I planned to cover them anyway. I had already ordered the scrapbook paper online, along with a few rubber stamps in preparation for the project. Hours later I had the first one done, adding to it the more I played with the idea. I decided we need a pocket for receipts, quick notes and the like. Then, I decided we had to have a calendar to keep track of paydays, upcoming events, special occasions, etc. That left the rest of the journal pages to jot down ideas, gift lists, recipes, to do lists and expenses. And lastly, I decided they needed our initial to dress the covers. The finished planner is quite nice and definitely one of a kind!

I love how they turned out!

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Colors of Summer

>> Sunday, July 12, 2009





The colors of some of my flowers are absolutely so pretty.

Purples and Yellows -- cosmos, zinnia's and black-eyed susan.

The Dahlia flowers are perfect-something you can't fully appreciate until you see them up close. Prettier than any picture!

The black eyed Susan is certainly taking center stage, it will surely become one of my favorite summer flowers. This one plant has looked fresh with blooms ever since putting out the first ones. Amazing and it thrives in very dry conditions. My kind of plant!

Hope you're enjoying this nice(and hot)sunny day! Phew!!!

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The Harvest!

>> Saturday, July 11, 2009


Slowly but surely our little garden it starting to fruit!. We've now had several small helping of pole beans, cherry tomatoes, hot banana peppers and a couple of our larger tomatoes.

Don't they look so colorful on the counter....just waiting to be devoured?

BTW, since I'm getting 1 person servings of the pole beans, or should I say 1 dog size portion, I can easily microwave them in minutes and serve them up warm. Emma loves them!

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4th of July

>> Saturday, July 4, 2009

Independence Day
...land of the free
America

While I am not totally feeling overwhelmingly patriotic today, I none the less feel thankful that we are a free nation. So with that, I hope you are enjoying your 4th of July celebrations in what ever manner so pleases you!

I spent my day with Trevor, hanging out here at the house. We went grocery store shopping and to Hudson's to walk around and peruse the store. He's off now to Dane's house to help him repair the wheel he messed up four wheeling yesterday.

Monty spent the day at the Cape Fear Sevens 35th 7's tourney.

So, the Steed ranch is quiet and laid back at the present.

Happy 4th all!

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