City Wife, Country Life

Five Favorites, May 14th Edition

2013-05-14T21:05:00.002-07:00

1. My new irrigation boots. Because if I must tromp around in the mud moving sprinkler lines, I may as well be wearing cute boots.

2. This new "Hepburn" dress at Lady V London. Just lovely!

Image from Cooks Country

3. Key Lime* Icebox Pie. Graham cracker crust, 2 cans sweetened condensed milk, 3 egg yolks, 3/4 cup key lime juice. Mix the three filling ingredients until smooth, pour into prepared crust. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes, cool 1 hour on the counter and 3 hours-overnight in fridge. Serve with sweetened whipped cream.

*You can substitute lemon juice.

4. Strawberries. Our local grocery store had 2 POUNDS FOR $1.48!! And they're SWEET! I bought... um... a lot.

Image from L'Osservatore Romano

5. The pope preaching about Christians with "pickled pepper" faces, not being a "part time Christian," and the fact that the devil "always rips us off." This guy is good.

Read more Five Favorites at Moxie Wife.

The Calf Named Sunday

2013-05-06T09:52:00.001-07:00

Meet "Sunday."

She's named Sunday because she had the audacity to start dying on a Sunday.

Her mom is a 1st calf heifer and doesn't really know what to do with her, so she mostly abandoned this little calf in the weeds.

Which meant we spent most of our Sunday doing....

... this. Pumping electrolytes and milk replacer into this little one on our ONLY day of rest.

But, after all, who among us would let our ox die if he fell in a ditch on the sabbath?

Definitely necessary labor, and kind of fun labor at that, but these every-few-hour-feedings when she lives a 15 minute drive away make for a very unrestful day of rest.

Who can resist that sweet face?

This morning her mother rediscovered her. She's still far from out of the woods (she might have scours and we still haven't seen her nurse), but we'll be watching her closely.

Good luck, little Sunday.

Miracle of the Pepper Plants

2013-05-03T12:56:00.002-07:00

This is my 12 week old pepper.

12 weeks.

As in, 3 months.

It's supposed to be HUGE.

But due to over babying, over watering, an aphid plague of Biblical proportions, not repotting them from the seed starter soon enough, and my general black thumbhood, they're stunted, sad, and I want to cry every time I look at them.

I refuse to abandon this little project, however, and I faithfully set them out in the sun every day to harden off. Yesterday I deemed them worthy to remain out all night for their first sleepover.

Parting with them was bittersweet. They weren't tucked in under their grow light in the kitchen. I couldn't check on them to pick off the aphids. I slept a little uneasily, wondering how they were faring on the cold dark front step.

This morning when I looked out the window to see if they'd survived their first night in the elements...

"MY BABIES ARE ALL GROWN UP!!! How on EARTH did they spring up like that OVER NIGHT?? Did they just need fresh air?! Did my little boost of fish emulsion cause this Edenic transformation?! It's a miracle!!"

"Actually, darling, Aunt Elena gave us her extra pepper starts yesterday and I set them out next to yours."

And there was much laughing. Maybe we'll get some peppers out the garden this year after all!

4 Pretty, Holy, Catholic Pinterest Boards

2013-04-30T10:08:00.003-07:00

It's hardly a secret that I love Pinterest. There are so many beautiful ideas, fun crafts, delicious recipes, and inspirational images.

When I scan the feed, though, I always pause an extra-long time over the religious images. They always catch me off guard because there are so few holy pins, but it's like seeing portraits of old friends and it never fails to make me smile.

And, not gonna lie, if I'm starting to slip into covetousness of beautiful houses or dream gardens, the images of the Blessed Mother gently call me back! It's a wonderful little pictorial evangelization.

If you need some Catholic boards to follow, I'm rather fond of:

Betty Coe's "Catholic" Board

Sherry Gardiner's "Catholic" Board

Kathleen Doherty's "Catholic" Board

Amy Caroline's "Believe It" Board

and I suppose I could do a little shameless self-promotion and direct you to my own

City Wife, Country Life's "Sanctus" Board

Please please please let me know which Catholic boards you follow so I can have some more sanctified Pinterest viewing!

Monday Musings on Tuesday

2013-04-16T11:40:00.003-07:00

Right now... I'm content.

This weekend... I went to meetings and parties galore! It seems to be the season for baptisms, wedding showers, baby showers, burger bashes; it was all very fun.

Some plans for this week... I read a book about making wine. I'm intrigued and want to price out the supplies I'd need to make some blueberry wine with the supply in our freezer. Sounds like a worthy project.

I'm also hunting, furiously, for someone to finance our housing project. We made a misstep by planting crops on our land. Apparently nobody finances land that makes money. Now they tell us! I have one option left, and I'm waiting for him to call us back. Otherwise, well, let's just not think about the "otherwise."

Time to plant a lot of stuff in the garden, too. My entire pea crop was decimated by quail, and they're threatening my beets, too. My tomato starts succumbed to some virus, and the aphids wiped out my peppers. It's not a good gardening year, thus far, except for my artichokes. Those are hardy little suckers and just might live to tell the tale!

If I find some time for myself, I would like to... learn some music on the piano. I didn't know our library had sheet music! This is a wonderful find, and I've got lots of Irving Berlin to hammer out.

I am grateful for... our parish that offers so many daily Masses. Sometimes we have 4 on any given day, so there's no excuse for not going.

Some prayer intentions for this week: a green light on house financing. Success for my husband who's installing irrigation systems and planting crops and working obscene hours to provide for us. For all those I know who are getting married in the next few months (lots!!).

Something that makes me smile:

This little cutie that I really really really really really want to buy! I'm going to have to campaign hard for this one, but isn't she adorable??

Read Nadja's Monday Musings.

My Second Painting: This is Fun!

2013-04-10T20:02:00.000-07:00

I went to Hobby Lobby yesterday and picked up a $3.49 canvas, determined to make another paint by number.

"Mary Consoles Eve" Crayon & pencil drawing by Sr. Grace Remington, OCSO.
Copyright 2005, Sisters of the Mississippi Abbey

I saw this image on Facebook yesterday and it really moved me. Eve, the mother of all the living, clinging to the fruit of death with the snake coiled around her leg, is consoled by the New Eve, the mother of Life, holding the fruit of her womb while crushing the head of the serpent. Reconciliation, forgiveness, grace, beauty, everlasting life -- a pretty powerful image.

Unfortunately, the Blessed Mother's lips are pursed and Eve's luscious locks look like a gunnysack, but overall I'm rather pleased with the outcome.

Can't wait to find another image to paint! This is really really really fun.

Louis and Zelie Martin Painting

2013-04-09T09:10:00.001-07:00

Pinterest is amazing. Really.

I saw this idea yesterday from Librarian Tells All, and was blown away.

"I think I could do that," I mused to myself.

Why yes, yes I can.

I'm imagining a whole line of classical artwork and saints, now. And an Etsy shop? I'll build an empire of DIY paint by number!!

Or, maybe I'll just mat and frame this one for our broom closet for starters.

Five Favorites, 3rd Edition

2013-03-21T11:47:00.001-07:00

~ Number One ~

On Tuesday, both the Solemnity of St. Joseph and the Installation of Pope Francis, we celebrated with great fanfare. As a nod to our Argentinian pontiff, we feasted on dulce de leche cheesecake bars.

Do you see that drippy shiny sweet stuff on the bottom? Pure heaven.

I think these will have to make a repeat appearance on Easter. And Pentecost. And my birthday. And National Tap Dance Day.

~ Number Two ~

Remember my Easter dress last week? Not able to bear bare arms, I've been searching for a shrug.

Yay for this little number, on sale, at Target!

I'll sew some little pearl buttons on it and deem it "perfect."

~ Number Three ~

Total Language Plus. I really^10,000 like this series. It is a comprehensive literature-based spelling, vocabulary, comprehension and writing program all in neat little copy-able books.

I've been using the program all year with my nieces and I am super impressed. The "grammar" section is weak, at best, but that's easily replaced.

It's humiliating, but I'm learning vocabulary words from middle school books. Portmanteau, lanneret, lavabo, demesne... mind blown.

~ Number Four ~

Oh, how much I want our new house to have character, charm and beauty! Old five paneled doors will aid that goal. Now if only I could score 'em dirt cheap on Craigslist or the Habitat ReStore.

~ Number Five ~

There's some heroic virtue going on right now, as my husband and I are both saving the last piece of homemade beef jerky for each other.

Read others' favorites at Moxie Wife.

Five More Favorites

2013-03-13T10:02:00.001-07:00

~Number One~
Lady Vintage London

Finding modest, lovely Easter dresses gets harder every year. Actually, I haven't gotten a new Easter dress since middle school... but I really really wanted one this year. Lady V to the rescue!

With a white shrug and some pearls, I can't wait to debut this dress. Be aware that their sizes run a little large (even after you've converted the European sizing to American sizes).

~Number Two
Lego Rosaries

I was going to buy one as a gift, but I kind of want one myself...

~Number Three
Handwritten Letters

What a boost to the spirit these thoughtful deliveries bring! It doesn't really take that long to write a handwritten letter, but what a gift they are, especially on beautiful stationery.

~Number Four
St. Patrick's Day Recipes

I can't wait to try my hand at corned beef this Sunday! I've never actually made one before, though I've eaten plenty of the boiled kind. Boiled is good for the meat (I'll make a boiled one just for the leftover Reubens and hash), but I've always thought the boiled cabbage and potatoes left something to be desired.

Since I have hardly any Irish blood in me, I don't mind straying from tradition and experimenting with either Whiskey Glazed Corned Beef or Guinness Glazed Slow Cooker Corned Beef.

I'm fairly decided upon Parslied Potatoes and Roasted Cabbage Wedges for the sides, and Guinness Chocolate Cheesecake for dessert.

~Number Five~
The New Calf

Five Favorites

2013-03-07T16:52:00.003-08:00

I haven't participated in a link-up in a long time, but this one caught my attention because this morning I was thinking, "I want to blog but there's too much in my head right now; I can't narrow it down!" Well, what a lovely little linky to ask bloggers to list five of their current favorite things.

In no particular order, here we go:

~Number One~
Crispy Roasted Duck

Image from The Hungry Mouse

For Christmas, my sister-in-law gave us a duck! Having never cooked one before, I've been waiting and waiting and waiting to find the perfect recipe, and this one looked just right.

I was very surprised by how much the thing shrunk in the oven. It started out about the size of a regular roasting chicken, and each time I opened the oven to flip it, it'd shrunk another size. By the time it was finished, it was slightly larger than a cornish hen! However, it was so tasty! I thought it could feed 4 people, comfortably, but it fed 4 people just barely (even after giving half of my small portion to my husband).

This morning I rendered out the duck fat from skin I'd trimmed off the fowl, and use it in a paté out of the liver. What a treat.

Overall, what a happy new experience! Because of its excellent flavor, I want to raise a few quackers now.

~Number Two~

Gloucestershire Old Spot Pigs

Even if we're years off from building a house on our five acres, I can still plan what we're going to do with it. I found the pig breed I want to raise!

The Gloucestershire Old Spot is a heritage breed pig, originally from England (if you didn't already surmise that from the name) that was nearly extinct but is slowly gaining popularity. It's got plenty of lard (not a lean pig) for rendering, makes excellent bacon, has a docile temperament, and does great on pasture and foraging. It's purported to have an exceptionally flavored meat.

As you'll readily find out if you do any research on it, they used to be raised in orchards where they'd fatten up on windfall apples (without damaging the trees) and also on leftover whey from cheesemaking.

Fortunately there are some breeders not terribly far away with a great selection of these rare porkers at very reasonable prices.

~Number Three~
Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company

How come everybody else in the world knows about this company except me?? Well, I guess I do now, too.

I've already bought all of the seed I need for this year from Territorial Seed, (which I wouldn't recommend; overpriced and mediocre germination) and St. Clare's Seeds (which I would highly recommend; decent pricing, pretty good selection, great service, and 100% germination). I sent away for one of Baker Seed's catalogs anyway, and have highlighted everything I want for next year! What a fun read! SO MANY VARIETIES!

If you haven't seen this exotic tomatoes or this outlandish melon, please click over.

~Number Four~
Waking Up Early

This has never, as long as I've been alive, been on of my "favorites." But this Lent my husband and I are trying to go to the early Mass every day, and I've got to say... it's amazing. There's a freshness, a stillness, and a beauty in those early hours that just doesn't exist at any other time of day.

And if you go to bed early, it's not actually that hard to get up early. Who knew??

~Number Five~
What Should Catholicism Call Me?

I couldn't breathe. I was crying. My sides were aching. I haven't laughed that hard in a long long time.

The first page was pretty good, but each successive page of the archives made me laugh harder and harder and harder until I had to walk away or risk brain damage from lack of oxygen.

Maybe I've hyped it up too much, but if you are Catholic (or understand Catholic culture) and want a... chuckle.... I recommend this great little Tumblr page.

Check out more Five Favorites at Moxie Wife.

Seedling Success! But... Help!! Now What?

2013-02-27T16:12:00.000-08:00

I've never been this successful in my life! For the first time ever, I have seedlings that are developing their first true set of leaves!

Look at that baby artichoke plant!

Peppers!

These little tomato plants just popped up a few days ago. And they haven't flopped over yet!

But I desperately need help. I'm encountering something I've never dealt with before...

There are ROOTS sticking out of the bottoms.

I've seriously never seen this before. In over a decade of attempts, I've never made it to the point where roots would be hanging out.

I don't even know what to do! Are these still immature enough that I can leave them? Or do I have to transplant these babies?

And I haven't thinned them yet, either. There are two seedlings in each little compartment. Do I have to kill one?

Help me Obi Wan, you're my only hope!

Reflections on Parish Cookbooks

2013-02-21T13:20:00.002-08:00

Forgive me some stream of consciousness indulgence for a bit.

I don't know how I feel about church cookbooks. You know, the spiral bound collections that parishes sell for fundraisers, comprised of recipes from the ladies' altar society and all of their friends and distant relatives?

On the one hand, they're rather charming. Ostensibly, they're the collection of the greatest recipes from real cooks, many of whom you know personally. There can be some real recipe gems in there. "Meemaw's Creamy Eggnog," "Uncle Oswald's Secret Marinade," and "Aunt Lobelia's Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake" are all tried and true winners.

On the other hand, nobody screens the entries; if Aunt Maybelle submits a dud, it's still getting published.

I submit two "recipes" for your perusal that were recently espied in an old parish cookbook:

-------------------------
Festive Green Beans
Submitted by: Name withheld [truly, and not by me]

1 can green beans
1/4 cup chopped red pepper

Mix ingredients. Serves 4.
-------------------------
Sesame Chicken
Submitted by: Name withheld [I have my suspicions...]

1 chicken, cut to pieces
1/2 cup sesame seeds.

Cook chicken. At the end, top with sesame seeds. Serves 4-6.
--------------------------

You've got to give her points for brevity.

Another staple of parish cookbooks is the ubiquitous "Recipe for A Happy Life"... something saccharine about a dash of love, a sprinkle of giggles, a dollop of forgiveness, a pinch of humor, and a smidge of faith. That recipe, or slightly adapted, is in every volume I own.

When I want a new recipe, I rarely scan these cookbooks. Why?

1) There are no pictures. If I can't see it, it's hard to envision serving it.

2) My style of cooking is very different. I don't often go for "quick and easy" recipes, because I enjoy cooking and, at this stage in my life, I have plenty of time to do it. I don't buy refrigerated biscuits, Ranch dressing packets, cream of mushroom soup, or Lipton onion soup. Yes, I know how to replace all of those, but I'm usually turned off of a recipe if I have to do a lot of substituting.

3) There are often five or six versions of "Perfect Pineapple Fluff," each with slight but significant variations. The indecision of which "perfect" recipe to pick kills me. My attempts to amalgamate the best of each version often result in far less than perfect dishes.

And yet, these books still hog a whopping 2 feet of shelf space in my miniscule pantry.

And I can't part with them.

What are your own thoughts on the matter?

The 2nd Annual Day After Valentine's Day

2013-02-15T10:15:00.002-08:00

Don't forget, ladies! Today is the 2nd Annual Day After Valentine's Day.

I was babied beyond belief yesterday.

A delivery of these started the day off perfectly:

Oh, how I love Azaleas!

The day ended with us doing the dishes together, praying the Rosary, and reading Les Misérables aloud.

Everything in between was ambrosial.

But today it's our turn. No one is expecting the extravagant love to continue today. Do one profound act of babying your husband today. Iron his pillowcase, fluff his baked potato, meet him outside with a huge smile when he gets home, warm his blanket in the dryer... something simple, loving, and utterly gratuitous.

Last Minute Decision

2013-02-12T10:08:00.004-08:00

I've never given up candy or chocolate for Lent, 'cause I've never eaten enough of it to bother giving it up. I just never think to buy candy.

Last year, however, I discovered Guittard's milk chocolate chips. A handful of chocolate chips now and then isn't like chowing down on a bar, right? Um, right?

I've noticed, lately, that they're always on my grocery list, "in case I need to make cookies or something."

My chocolate consumption is up roughly 2381%.

Among other things, I know what I'll be giving up this year.

What are you giving up/doing for Lent this year?

I'm a Hypocrite -- But You Knew That

2013-02-05T13:17:00.001-08:00

Last week I declared that I was done with heirloom tomatoes. No more for me. Better Boy, Early Girl, and any and all improved hybrids were the only varieties for my garden this year.

So I'm having a hard time justifying my recent purchases...

1 - [ToBWR] Tomato - Brandywine (Red)

1 - [ToBf] Tomato - Beefsteak

1 - [TM920/L] Cosmonaut Volkov Tomato

1 - [TM908/S] Costoluto Genovese Tomato

1 - [TM921/S] Grande Marzano Tomato

1 - [TM939/L] Pineapple Tomato

1 - [ToOlG] Tomato - Old German

Sigh. I'm weak, what can I say?

Which varieties of tomato are your favorites?

This Week on Pinterest

2013-02-01T13:22:00.001-08:00

There are several projects I want to work on this weekend, and all of them were spied this week on Pinterest:

{Pin} DIY Seed starting shelves with shop lights. I'm DETERMINED to grow viable seedlings this year!

{Pin} Meyer lemon pudding. I have a bag of Meyers I've been hoarding while I decide on the perfect recipe. I think this might be it.

{Pin} Glazed crispy skinned roasted duck. We got a duck for Christmas! I think this sounds lovely for this Sunday's dinner.

{Pin} A ceramic "watermelon bowl." I think I could recreate something similar... maybe... or not.

Follow me on Pinterest if you'd like! What wonderful discoveries have you made on Pinterest this week?

Eleven Lessons I Learned Whilst Afflicted with Influenza

2013-01-30T14:15:00.000-08:00

1) If you only order pizza once in a blue moon, don't do it when you've got the flu. You won't be able to taste it.

2) You really can't will it away or "work through it." I can't even shower, much less wash the dishes.

3) Aloe/lotion Kleenex are absolutely worth the extra 30 cents.

4) A heating pad on the chest is very comforting when one aches from coughing.

5) Chicken soup seriously has mysterious healing qualities.

6) The world can and does revolve without my directing it.

7) Retail therapy is just as effective when done online, flat on one's back.

8) The absolute best time for hacking up a lung is 2:00am, 2:10am, 2:13am... repeat every three-ten minutes for approximately three hours.

9) Hot tea clears the mind as well as the sinuses for a few minutes. It's temporary relief, but most welcome, nonetheless.

10) If we had a lot more money, I could run an awesome micro-dairy with artisanal cheeses aged to perfection in our custom-designed cheese cave... all while dressed in stunning dresses and a tasteful strand of pearls (see #7).

11) My husband loves me. A lot. (See #'s 2-10)

Feel free to add your own in the comments...

My Sad History with Hybrid vs. Heirloom Tomatoes

2013-01-29T13:02:00.002-08:00

For years I've been trying to grow tomatoes. Goodness, the very first blog post I ever did was about my desire to plant them.

Year 1: Planted 8 hybrid tomato plants, but largely forgot them. They died of neglect, bearing a lot of fruit that went unharvested.

Year 2: Planted 0 hybrid tomatoes and 12 heirlooms. I took relatively good care of them. They all died of disease, bearing almost nothing.

Year 3: Planted 0 hybrids, 14 heirlooms. They all died of disease, making a valiant effort to produce some fruit before they bit the dust.

Year 4: Planted 0 hybrids and 20 heirlooms. I babied them! Death, disease, and dashed dreams.

{Image Credit}

I will readily grant that my gardening skills leave much to be desired. If the apocalypse happened and I had to produce all of my own food or die, I'd die.

But looking back at the records, I think I've set myself up for failure by trying to do heirlooms. Yes, purple tomatoes are fun, knobby yellow tomatoes are thrills to give away, pink striped fruits would look so lovely in my salad, and it's charming to know that I'm planting varieties that my forefathers ate. But it's hard to argue with years of dead plants.

This year, by golly, I'm going back to hybrids. I never saved seeds, anyway, because there was no fruit to save seeds from! Out with the Purple Cherokee in with the Better Boys!

Have you had any success with heirloom variety tomatoes? If so, what are your secrets?

SearchTempest: A Better Way to Use Craigslist

2013-01-28T06:12:00.000-08:00

I am forever haunting Craigslist. I just love it.

I've scored some pretty sweet deals on it in the past, but one of my long-standing complaints is that there are many different Craigslist cities within easy driving distance, and that require separate searches. To see if there are any, *cough cough* jersey cows *cough cough* within about a 200 mile radius, I have to search over a dozen different Craigslist sites.

About a year ago, somebody told me about SearchTempest. You simply enter your zip code, the amount of miles you're willing to travel, and voila!

The results can be displayed as either "Combined Results Mode" which will put all of the cities together on one page, or "Direct Results Mode" which keeps the cities separate and allows you to toggle between them in a new window.

If you do any kind of regular shopping on Craigslist, please do yourself a favor and check it out.

This Week on Pinterest

2013-01-25T10:43:00.003-08:00

As always, there were a ton of cute and good ideas on Pinterest this week. Here were some of my favorites:

{Pin from Number-2-Pencil}

This recipe for chocolate chip cookies is ingenious because it makes only two cookies. No leftovers to tempt you beyond your steely resolve!

{Pin from somewhatsimple.com}

Here's a simple idea for hanging pictures. Put some toothpaste where the nail holes go, push the frame against the wall and nail there -- no more guessing or measuring.

{Pin from everythingetsy.com}

This is a tasteful compilation of 25 Ikea Hacks (cheap Ikea furniture redone to look high end). Some of the results here are beautiful!

{Pin}

Caramel "Apple" Grapes. These would be adorable for a party appetizer. I think they might be even better if rolled in toffee bits.

How to Can Dry Chickpeas, Kidney Beans, Pintos, Black Beans

2013-01-24T05:30:00.000-08:00

I've read a lot lately about the health benefits of eating beans. Lowers cholesterol, helps maintain blood sugar, good for digestion, lots of nutrients, cheap (though incomplete) source of protein, etc.

My pantry has been stocked with dry beans forever. Every week I put them on our menu plan, and most weeks I take an alternate route because, "they take forever to cook!" Soaking the night before, a low-slow cook for most of the day, and then, worst of all, there are tons of leftovers. Why go through all the hassle just to make a small batch for the two of us? So I always make tons, intending to eat frugally on them all week.

I like beans well enough, but I've had to admit, I don't like leftover beans. There's only so much chili I can make them into, and there are only so many little containers of leftover beans I can stick in the back of the freezer for that afternoon when I tell myself, "I know! I want to eat beans today!"

The crisis point came a few weeks ago when we discovered evidence of mice in our pantry. My bag of dried split peas had bite marks all over it, so I was forced to toss the lot. I scrutinized the rest of the sacks of various dried beans but they appeared untouched, for now. "If I don't store these better, I'm going to lose them." I don't like throwing away food.

My canner called out to me.

Hm... a can of beans around here is 70-90 cents. A few pounds of dried beans (which makes seven pints) costs about the same.

And canned beans are always ready to eat... no soaking, no long cooking times, and no leftovers.

Compared to tomatoes and homemade jams, canning dried beans is really easy.

Soak the beans in water (here I have black beans, pintos, and kidneys... I did chickpeas the next day).

I think they're really pretty.

By the next morning they've about doubled in volume.

It amazes me that the black bean water turns purple.

Drain and rinse the beans well. Purportedly, this helps alleviate the... uncomfortable and indelicate symptoms that many people have when they eat beans.

Cover with water and boil for 30 minutes.

Put the beans in a jar, cover with water (cooking water or boiling water) leave 1" headspace, use a non-metal utensil (I used a wooden kebab skewer) to release air bubbles, wipe the rim, cap with sterilized lid, finger-tighten the ring.

Because I was canning three kinds of beans in one batch, I labeled each jar lid with a Sharpie before processing to keep them straight... P for Pinto beans.

Process in a pressure canner 75 minutes for pints or 90 minutes for quarts. Don't open the lid of the canner until the pressure is completely down and the canner is cool to the touch (removing the lid while the canner is still warm can lead to water reduction in the jars -- if they seal they're still safe to store, but they're not as pretty).

Truly that's it.

Refried beans, red beans and rice, black bean corn salad, burritos, black bean burgers, enchiladas, chili, falafel, roasted chickpeas, hummus... suddenly my meal plan doesn't look as impossible.

How To Can Dry Beans
(like chickpeas, kidney beans, black beans, red beans, navy beans, etc.)

1. Soak beans in water (at least 2 parts water, 1 part beans) for 8-12 hours (overnight).

2. Drain and rinse beans well, put in a pot, cover with water, and boil for 30 minutes.

3. Put hot beans in warm sterilized jars, cover the beans with water (the cooking liquid or simply boiling water) and leave 1" of headspace. Run a non-metal instrument around the inside to release air bubbles, wipe the rim with a clean cloth, place a sterilized lid and finger-tighten the band.

4. Process in a pressure canner (I have always hated the direction, "process in a pressure canner," because it is so vague and non-helpful. But truly, I won't be more specific than that, because you should read your canner's manual to see how to operate it... they're all slightly different.) as follows:

For Dial Gauge Pressure Canner:
Pints: Process 75 minutes
Quarts: Process 90 Minutes

If your altitude is:
0-2000’ - process at 11 lbs. pressure
2000-4000’ – process at 12 lbs. pressure
4000-6000’ – Process at 13 lbs. pressure
6000-8000’ – Process at 14 lbs. pressure

Weighted Gauge Pressure Canner:
Pints: Process 75 minutes
Quarts: Process 90 Minutes

If your altitude is:
0-1000’ – Process at 10 lbs. pressure
Above 1000’ – Process at 15 lbs. pressure

Our Love Story, Part XVII

2013-01-23T13:40:00.000-08:00

It's been a year to the day since I published the last part of Our Love Story, and that is unpardonable. In the likely event that you've forgotten how it all started, you can read the back episodes here. Without further ado...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

We piled into the pickup and set off on our sledding adventure. Mr. Amazing and I were in the front seat, comfortably buffered by his youngest sister, Katarina. In the back were two of their little nieces, eager for the outing.

On the long drive to the hills we spoke of our favorite comic strips, books, movies and music. We agreed perfectly on comics, books and movies, but there wasn't much overlap in our musical tastes. He liked Billy Joel. Ugh! Nothing a little exposure to Tchaikovsky and Chopin wouldn't soon cure, I consoled myself.

The further we drove the hillier the terrain and the deeper the snow until at last we stopped.

"This looks about right," he said, nodding to a snowy slope on our right.

I eyed the terrain suspiciously. Ever since an incident from my youth when I'd careened into a gang leader at an ice-skating rink and knocked him flat, I've had a distrust of all frozen precipitation.

"You're not a chubby 3rd grader, you're an accomplished young woman," I rallied myself and took a giant leap out of the pickup onto the frozen earth.

*WHAM!!!!!!!*

The ground beneath my feet was gone -- I'd plunged into a snowdrift and was now buried, nay wedged, chest-deep in snow, helpless as a newborn babe and innocent as the driven...

What else could I do? I laughed heartily and freely at the absurdity of it all. Katarina immediately came to my aid and tried to pull me out, but it would not do; I was stuck.

"Help her!" she pleaded to her older brother, who was awkwardly fidgeting around the back of the pickup, nervously fingering a rope.

"I'm not a beached whale!" I yelled caustically, still laughing, but sharply enough for for him to drop the rope, embarrassed.

Honestly I really didn't want his help and was glad he was as reticent to give it. For all the dreaming young girls do of a knight in shining armor saving his fair damsel in distress, I was oddly conflicted. I didn't want to hold his hand for him to pull me out -- it was too much for my reserve to allow.

So I rocked back and forth enough to loosen the snow and, with Katerina's help, indelicately maneuvered out.

Despite not wanting his help, I was annoyed that he hadn't taken more initiative in the situation and was going to significantly glare as much when I spied him tromping up the hill, nieces in tow, packing down a sledding trail. All was not forgiven, but they were awfully cute. Having recovered my breath, composure, and a little self-dignity, I followed.

"Wanna go first?" he asked.

"I think the girls should," I replied flatly, still smarting.

"Oh, right."

He saddled them up on the sled and gave them a good push down the hill, but they didn't go too far; it wasn't the right kind of snow for sledding. Their shrieks of delight soon turned to, "I'm cold!" and "I'm hungry!" They huddled by the pickup. After one run they were done.

Katerina gave it a whirl and, though more successful than the girls, still didn't fly down the hill. "Nah, it's too powdery," she lamented.

Mr. Amazing looked at me, disappointedly, and then bolted down the hill, much faster than the sled had, and returned with a rope.

"Hop on the sled," he commanded, looking every bit an excited 9 year old boy who was hatching a brilliant plan.

I complied as he tied the rope on the sled and pulled me down the hill as fast as he could run.

"Does this mean he likes me??"

I watched him haul the sled up the hill and ask me, smiling breathlessly, "Again?"

We had two more exhilarating runs with him pulling and I holding on for dear life before the girls dropped the ever-effective, "I have to go to the bathroom!"

We packed up and headed on. I sat, quietly beaming and staring out the window.

I was surprised to find myself humming a few bars of Piano Man.

---------------------------------

That night he, Katarina and I went for a walk around the town to look at the Christmas lights. After we set out I heard him mutter under his breath, "I wish I had brought a hat and gloves."

Several minutes later, Katarina was complaining bitterly of the cold and Mr. Amazing again remarked, "I wish I'd brought a hat."

"Why don't you just wear your hood?" I suggested.

"Oh, I'm fine," he said a little sheepishly, "but I was worried about you."

Reader, I assure you, had I been stranded in the arctic at that moment wearing only a t-shirt and shorts, I would have felt nothing but the warm happy glow of a woman who suspects she might be seriously in love.

To be continued...

Worldviews

2012-12-19T11:49:00.002-08:00

On looking at the dingy, grungy, threadbare kitchen towels we own, my husband remarked, "Darling, it's really time we get a bunch of new ones."

I vigorously nodded my head in delighted agreement. "Because it would make the kitchen look fresh, cheery, clean, and bright again?"

Somewhat guiltily, "Um, yeah... that too... and they would dry dishes better."

Maybe I Could be a Martyr After All

2012-12-17T18:37:00.000-08:00

I had to get some routine blood work done today. I call it "routine" because there's nothing wrong with me, not because I'm in the routine of doing it all the time.

As I turned the key in my car to head to the lab, I mentally reviewed the last time I had blood drawn. They couldn't find a vein, poked me a half-dozen times, used three different "fail proof" needles, and tied that blue stretchy thing tighter and tighter around my arm before they started menacingly eyeing my jugular.

Wanting to avoid an encore presentation of that dramatic saga, I'd looked up some free advice on Google. "Drink lots of water, keep your hands warm, move your arms..."

Quart of water chugged: check.

Hands warm? I blasted the heater in my car, but only frigid air swirled round my blue fingers. I started to panic as I got nearer my destination and my hands were frozen in an icy grip around the steering wheel.

"Move your arms!" I was driving! So I started flapping my elbows, hoping it would have the same effect.

I arrived at my destination at last. Once inside, I commenced blowing hot air into my hands, flapping my elbows, and doing the, "I just guzzled a quart of water" dance. It was quite a sight, and quite a workout, let me tell you.

The nurse looked up, utterly unfazed. I'm sure she sees this sort of thing all the time.

Within two minutes I was sitting in the sterile room. A nurse was sterilizing my hand. I'd already warned her that my veins were impossible to find. She gave me a sterile smile and said, "Don't think about it. Think of puppies and Christmas."

I almost fainted at the thought of the cold steel about to be plunged into my frozen flesh. I closed my eyes and prayed for courage. I'd offer my acute suffering, meritoriously, for those suffering worse than I. I would be...

"All done."

"Wait, what? You already did it?"

"Yep."

What do you know? My heater was toasty warm on the drive home.

It's Beginning to Feel a Lot Like... House Building

2012-11-14T09:22:00.002-08:00

It's been 18 months since we bought a 5 acre parcel of land, and until very recently I didn't have the boldness to hope we would actually build a house within ~~my lifetime~~ the next five years.

But we just got the go-ahead from a local bank to build our own house, which these days is almost impossible to come by! I don't mean being our own general contractors, which is difficult enough though possible... I mean hammer-in-hand, drywall-mud-on-clothes, aching-back do-it-ourselves builders.

The timeline is still sketchy, no papers have been signed, we haven't even picked out a floorplan. But a go-ahead from the bank was (until we start drywalling) the biggest hurdle to building.

I spend my spare time these days watching things like this, and this, and this.

Oh happy day!