Ugly Truth and Quick Cookies

Is it just me, or does it seem that the truth is hard to come by lately? With an election year in full swing and with all the COVID-19 and riot confusions, I just don’t know what to believe. Maybe you’re feeling as ill as I am from the honesty deficiency surrounding us. If so, I’ll try to help you out and give you a dose of the cold, the hard, and the ugly truth.

I hate the hot days of summer. I hate the heat. I detest the humidity. I love air conditioning. That’s the cold truth.

I can’t stand my garden looking wilted, but sometimes I am just too l lazy to water it. I complain about my tomatoes being too small, but it’s probably all my fault because I don’t fertilize enough. The poor crop of green beans, on the other hand, is entirely the fault of the bunnies. And the most prolific crop in my garden is the rocks; that’s the hard truth I was talking about. 

Wilted

I like bacon. I like bacon grease. And although my kids scold me for it all the time, I even lick the bacon grease off of the cookie sheet using my finger as a spoon. This is, most definitely, the ugly truth.

That’s not my only bad habit. I also enjoy kicking my socks off in bed. My husband scolds me when he finds several pairs of my socks under the sheets at the bottom of the bed.

Small tomatoes

While I’m being honest, I might as well tell you that sometimes I neglect my family in order to read a book I just can’t put down. Don’t misunderstand; the kids are fed and clothed and loved. But sometimes I do hide in the bathroom to read when I should be grading school papers or folding clothes. Or washing the bacon grease from the cookie sheets (with soap and water).

Snack for caterpillars

When I was a little kid, I stole a pistachio nut from an open basket in theproduce department at the A & P. I loved green pistachio pudding, but I’d never tried the nut. My mother was certain I wouldn’t like them and refused to buy any, so I slipped a single pistachio into the pocket of my jeans when she wasn’t looking. Later I closeted myself in my bedroom, took out the contraband, and felt so guilty that I didn’t even attempt to eat it. I don’t remember how I got rid of the evidence, but I do know that I didn’t try pistachios until I was an adult. To be completely honest, I still feel guilty about that.

So many rocks

And finally, because I have no desire to run for public office ever, I will come out and say it. I am a racist, but not in the way you might think. I am prejudiced in favor of the human race. Truthfully, I have been disappointed by people and their actions and words over the last several months, but I still love them. I can’t help it. I enjoy watching people, listening to people, and even complaining about people. I love big people, little people, ugly and pretty people, stupid and smart people. 

An entire garden full of rocks!

We are all so different, with different concerns and ideas and hopes and fears. But folks, we are being pitted against each other in this day and age; the media calls us maskers and anti-maskers, vaxxers and and anti-vaxxers, racists and anti-racists. How easy it is for us to forget the big truth— that we are (most of us) just people doing the best we can in a world full of controversy and confusion. 

And here’s my last truth: we need each other. I can’t think of anybody I know who hasn’t felt isolated in some way this year. Bridge that divide however you feel comfortable because we are, all of us, mired in this sometimes mucky life and need a connection to solid ground.

**************************************

I’ll never be a politician because I am a little too open and honest. But it is the political season, and the mud-slinging has commenced. It just so happens that one of my favorite cookies looks just like mud. The church cookbook from North Dakota that I use calls them Five Minute Cookies, but most people I know call them No Bake Cookies. I see them in convenience stores all the time, but the only reason I know why somebody wouldn’t make this simple recipe at home is that she doesn’t want to gain a few extra pounds by eating them all. Enjoy.

Five Minute Cookies

2 cups sugar

5 Tbsp. cocoa powder

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)

3 cups quick oats

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 tsp. vanilla

In a large pot, stir together the sugar, cocoa, milk, and butter over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the peanut butter, oats, and vanilla. Drop by tablespoon onto waxed paper and allow to cool until set.

 *This column was printed in the April 1, 2020, issue of the Hancock News.

**I hope you enjoy all of the garden pictures that show just how ugly my garden can be. If you are like me and have weeds over-powering the food stuff, YOU ARE NOT ALONE! At least we tried.

My Nemesis

This is the face of my summer nemesis.

Tomato hornworms are evil.

. . . In with the New

Can you guess what I was doing today on this first day of a new year? Well, I'll bet you won't guess that I was cutting some spinach and lettuce from a raised bed. We've had a few good spells of freezing weather, but these greens are still growing!

January spinach and lettuce

Other than taking care of sick children and trying to keep the regular house work going, I've been thinking a lot about the new year. I have a lot of accumulated stuff in this house because I always see a use for something. However, after bringing to our home lots of similar stuff my mother felt the same way about, I have realized the time to deal with the stuff is now. 

The easy way out of this stuff conundrum would be to donate or throw away. But I still see the use in the stuff. I've decided to tackle one issue at a time. First is the pile of clothes/unfinished projects in my sewing space. Now, don't you think for a second there aren't other piles elsewhere! One baby step at a time for me.

First clothes heap to tackle

So, starting today, January 1, 2019, I'm attempting to make myself accountable by beginning my Great Clothes Heap Challenge. What is in that great clothes heap? Well, some of my mother's clothes, some materials for specific projects, and a whole lot of clothes that were piled up for mending (but were never mended). 

My challenge is to keep up with my regular daily housework and homeschooling AND, little by little, make my way through this heap of stuff. Some things will be donated, some will be mended, and I'm hoping a fair amount will be used in projects for my family and some upcycling of items to sell on Etsy.

Additional stuff which has overflowed into the game closet

If you'd like to come along for the ride, I'll be attempting to keep myself accountable by posting updates every week or so. If it's been a while, send me a nasty comment to keep me motivated to get this space cleaned up and organized so it's more fun to use and prettier to look at.

Good Morning, Sunshine!

I tried to capture the beauty of the sunflowers as they saluted the golden morning sunshine, but I failed. I hope you enjoy the picture anyway.

Spring!

Now, you might all be thinking, "She does this same post every year-- crocuses, robins-- how boring!" But there is something different for me this time-- a homeschooling freebie!

Anyway, three days ago, I felt spring in my bones, so I took a walk outside with my camera to dig through the leaves to see if the crocuses were up. And they were so close to being open, but I didn't think I could count this as the official spring indicator.

See? Not quite open yet.

Well, the next day, the children found another sign of spring and hollered for me to grab the camera.

Do you see them?

Maybe this one is a little better?

Yes, Robin Redbreast graced us with his presence, and so did all of his friends. That's pretty much the official beginning of spring in my mind, right there. But, I cannot ignore my crocuses, so I took a walk to the backyard again. Et voila!

Definitely official

My husband gathered the troops to re-make one of our raised beds. It is now smaller and taller, and sand the masons left in a pile is in it because this is our attempt to improve the soil for planting garlic later this year. I want to grow enough to make a braid. Or two.

All ready for planting

And while it is officially spring in my bones and my heart, a peek at Sideling Hill reminds me that winter might not be through with us yet.

If you look closely, you can just see the ice still on the south side of the cut.

Now, for my first freebie.

Education.com reached out to me to offer a freebie to post on my blog. That was several weeks ago, but when I saw the worksheet, I knew I had to wait for my flowers because it is a spring word search (and answers). I hope you like these, and if you have difficulty accessing them, let me know because this is the first time I've done such an endeavor.

Spring Word Search

Spring Word Search Answer Key

Thank you to Education.com for providing this fun addition to my little blog. They asked that I post the following, and I'm happy to do so; I know lots of homeschoolers (and other educators) benefit from the site. 

Learning opportunities are in full bloom with this spring-themed word search. Kids will have lots of fun hunting for words while they reinforce their spelling, vocabulary and word recognition skills. Even more fun learning resources are just a click away at Education.com!

Back to Jody's words-- I would also say this word search is one of those quick and easy activities that a mom who is homeschooling many sometimes needs to keep some busy while others need a little extra help. Enjoy!

First Day of Autumn

I think it fitting that we greet the first day of fall with pictures of our pumpkin/squash harvested yesterday.

The whole 50+ beauties!

I love the curlicue vine on this one.

The white ones are new this year.

I love my our pumpkins. I think they are so beautiful. I am not sure how many we grew total, but there are more than 50 (I had the kindergartner and preschooler count). Yesterday we had to throw a few out because there were nibbles or rotten spots. We also gave one away before the picture. 

One difference we saw this year was that when we picked them, we had to brush slugs off the bottom. We've never had slugs! This year, with all the moisture from the summer, we've even seen slugs on our driveway in the morning. 

It makes me think fondly of my slug-hunting days in Olalla, salt-shaker in hand and salt water sandals on foot, surrounding by my little cousins outfitted in a like manner. I guess that's what kids do when there aren't any lightning bugs to catch.

But I digress. Happy autumn!

Building Project-- Days 54-60 (and a sneak peak)

This past week was really slow again. We're still waiting for doors and windows. However, the electrical work started.

We'll have electricity!

And that's all I have to show you for the addition building project. BUT. . . 

I have lots of garden pictures--pretty sunflowers, a sneak peak at the fall pumpkin and squash harvest, and a cool bug.

I love the color of this one.

Our sunflower sentinels

Not yet orange. . .but a big one

Hidden away

Not sure what kind of hybrid this one is

I call this my perfect ugly green squash because its flesh is perfect and creamy.

Huge white pumpkin protected from deer by netting

This one looks like a butternut?

Katydid

Miscellaneous Monday

Things have been so busy that I haven't had a chance to post some pictures I wanted to share.

First up are shots from the garden.

Tomatillo growing

Bird egg bean almost ready

Bees on sunflower

Closer to bees on the sunflower

Jalapeños galore!

Here's a warning to all those who don't like garden pictures: I'm itching to get out in the garden with the camera today to capture some beautiful pumpkins and squash-- just in case the deer get through the netting laid on top of the pumpkins and don't mind the taste of the hot pepper spray we sprayed all over.

Next up is a picture of our cats. They don't really have individual names because we couldn't all agree on them. Most of us can't even tell them apart. Collectively they are The Black Ninja Cats. They are deadly to many, many outdoors creatures and leave offerings on our porch frequently. They do, however, "allow" a possum or two to share their food at night.

Our Ninjas

And speaking of critters. . . my son captured this frog at the worksite.

Camouflaged little frog

And who could forget about the eclipse? Around here it wasn't 100%, but we did get to see it. My oldest daughter and I were out and about at appointments and shopping, and people were so kind to share glasses so we could see it.

Here at the house, my husband was more creative. He and the rest of the kids built a contraption with foil and a long paper tube and a cardboard box and a recycled church bulletin to capture these images. My son said it was hard to get the camera at the right spot to take the picture, but I thought he did a good job.

In big news this week, our dishwasher is finally working again thanks to Mr. Gordon, our most excellent appliance repairman. He asked Peter to screw in the final screws. I just had to take a picture; you know how important that was to our little 3-year-old man! We thought he actually tried to leave with Mr. Gordon, but he told us he just wanted to open his van door for him.

Working on the dishwasher

I've often wondered if a dishwasher is actually helpful. I've had one ever since I moved out of my parents' house, but does it really save time and effort? After living without one for probably close to a month, I can say that my verdict is "YES!" I love our dishwasher and am so happy it is working again.

And last, but not least, out 14th wedding anniversary was last week.

Selfie at the game

How did we spend our anniversary? We went out for a baseball game with all the kids because that was when they had free tickets from the summer reading program at the library.

Beautiful night for a game

And as has happened every single time we've gone, the Hagerstown Suns lost big time. We keep hoping that next year will be the year we see them win. It was a sad game, but Big Tony entertained us with song and dance in the last couple of innings.

Building Project- Day 48

Yesterday I spent lots of hours picking beans, so once again, a boy took pictures.

Roof cap-- check!

"Dog house"-- check!

Okay. I know. This last one needs some explanation. Yesterday Tom told me he'd be building a dog house out back. The "dog house" is really the cover for the entrance to the crawl space beneath. But it's a lot more fun to call it a dog house, don't you think?

I have no clue what's happening today on the building front, but I'm planning on avoiding the garden. Of course, I'll be shelling and canning beans inside, but at least I won't be picking beans until tomorrow!

Building Project-- Day 34

I realized I haven't been blogging much about things that aren't the building project. For me right now, other than my regular mom/wife duties, life is about the garden, putting up things from the garden, and eating things from the garden.

Onions that my daughter picked for me yesterday

Big ol' pile of greens we worked on canning last night

Donated tomatoes from a friend and peppers and zucchini of ours

Our garden is really starting to produce things-- especially jalapeños and green peppers.

Now, on to the real star of our lives. Yesterday was another big work day with more roof stuff. These are the end of the day pictures.

West side

East side

Inside

Until tomorrow!