Happy (Late) First Day of Fall

   Well, its better late then never, right?

Daffodil says that it smells like fall!

Here is Lilac the cat stealing the spot light.....

She likes the breeze blowing in her face.

       The weather has become cooler, and the leaves are changing colors. Enjoy fall while it is here and don't even think about those super cold winter days ahead!

My "Garden"

               

                                 I am not posting many words today, as I am going to express most of them in pictures of recently planted flowers. 

                 ~Enjoy!

Step by step: How to make a vintage pebble stone entryway

   

    I looked at the steps leading to the front porch, and thought that they needed an extra something, so I "decorated" the stairs by making an entryway for it. Anyhow, if you want the instructions here they are:

Step 1:

Clear out grass, weeds, and dig an indent in the soil, the size you want for your entryway. 

    Step 2:

Cut a 1/4 inch rubber mat the size of your entry way. Notice how I put the rubber mat all the way to the ledge.

Step 3:

I placed the bricks on the two sides of the mats. Because this entry way is on a slope I placed the bricks on the right in two layers. I also cut up feed bags to put between the mat and bricks, possibly to inhibit the growth of weeds.

Step 4: (Almost done!)

Fill the mat with pebbles and check to make sure that the rubber is not visible. It took five and a half 25 pound bags. Don't under estimate the amount of rocks!

Step 5:

Add flowers to the holes in the bricks! I added violas,be creative, but use small flowers!

I also placed a Russian Sage plant on both sides! It is so beautiful!

Step 6: You are finished!

I hoped you enjoyed this post and if you want more how to posts, please comment!

Surprise!

WHAT A SURPRISE!!!!

We didn't even think Ginger, our Dexter cow, was expecting.  It is best to have the calves in the warm wearther, than in the cold wet winter that is anticipated this winter.  This is her second dunn colored calf.  Billy Boy, the sire, is a black bull.  They all have such sweet personalities. 

As soon as we noticed this wondrous event, we climbed the fence, trimmed his cord and dipped it in iodine.

Squash!

                       
                     The pig started it!

This is Petunia.  She is our KuneKune pig.  She loves to eat, especially squash.  Little did I know that she would have a greener thumb than myself.  To tell you the truth, I am a lousy gardener.

Butternut squash seeds ended up in our compost pile under the
towering shade trees that line our road.  I didn't know that squash
plants thrive in the shade.

Pig+seeds=squash

Here is a fraction of our harvest of squash.  As you can see, Petunia also dined on spaghetti and acorn squash.

We weeded around most of the squash plants.  If you look closely, you can see that there is little left of the squash plants.  However, the weeds are thriving, left untouched by the bugs.  I read that one should leave weeds in the garden, so that the bugs will also munch on the weeds.  I don't know where they got this information!!!  These bugs only devoured the squash plants, but luckily not the squash.

Here is a closer look of the squash leaf!!

Garth, the cat, enjoyed helping with the harvest.

Eating Time!

When I was expecting to give the chickens extra treats, Prince Wilbur, our mini pig, Lilac, and Cow, our resident cats, came join the chickens for some squash and seeds.  Quick to help devour the food, most of the times the cats and pig miss out.  The chickens make sure that the others on the farm respect their presence and leave the food.  Initially the cats will grab and go, but the chickens follow in pursuit to gain the morsel of food by flapping wings and jabbing with their beaks.  With fear of injury, the cats retreat usually without a prize of food.  However, Prince Wilbur remains steadfast responding with grunts and squeals until the shear number of chickens dissuade his persistence. 

Honey Taffy

     

 I was wanting to make a delicious candy that was yummy with out the corn starch and all the "bad stuff". Finally, I found out that I could make honey taffy. It tastes similar to the tooth breaking, almost always in your kids Halloween basket candy, only healthier! So for the recipe:

    Chocolate Mint Taffy:
1/2 cup honey
1/8 tsp peppermint flavoring
                                                                   1/8 cup gluten free chocolate chips

        1.Mix the honey and peppermint flavoring in a pot and start to boil until it reaches around 290 degrees Fahrenheit. 
       2. Pour the boiling mixture in a pan to cool off. *Be very careful as the honey peppermint mixture will be hot*
       3.Immediately after step 2, mix in the gluten free chocolate chips. 
      4. After the mixture cools off (about 10 minutes) oil your hands with olive oil (to prevent sticking) and start stretching the taffy until it gets a few shades lighter. 
      5. Twist the taffy into a desired shape and cut the candy into bite-sized pieces, with clean scissors.
      6. Wrap the individual pieces into wax paper and store the yummy candies in the fridge! 

      You can also leave out the  chocolate chips if you want mint honey taffy. 

               ~Enjoy!

Lamb and Vegetables

This is a delicious dish that can be made some what quick, for a busy night. Please comment if you have any suggestions! Here is the recipe:




 Sweet and Spicey Lamb and Vegetables




*1lb or more of ground lamb( you can try to use other meat as well!)

*2 large green peppers, diced


*1/2 of a medium onion, diced


*1/2 tsp of garlic powder


*1/2 tsp chipotle pepper powder

*1/8 to 1/4 tsp ground cumin

*1or 2 tsps honey

 Fry the ground meat in a frying pan until fully cooked and browned. If there is any extra fat, drain it.  While the meat is cooking, dice up the onions and peppers. Add them to the cooked meat for a few minutes. Add the powders and honey, then stir.  Enjoy!

Cinnamon Raisin Bread

On my trek to introduce more paleo entrees, my daughter decided to come up with her own recipes.  This is the breakfast bread that she made for us.  She wrote down the recipe as she mixed the ingredients together.  With no recipe but the one in her mind, she was able to whip together the most scrumptious cinnamon raisin bread!!!




Cinnamon Raisin Bread
   2 1/2 cup almond flour
  1/2 coconut flour 
  1/3 cup water
   2 eggs
   1/2 cup raisins
   1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
   2 1/4 tsp baking soda
1.Mix all the ingredients together. Dont worry! The batter is more soupy like pancake batter, than real bread.
2.Bake at 350 for 35-50 minutes or until fully cooked.