Home SWEET home

I was driving to my sweet's lake house to deliver his birthday sweets. On the way there I am driving on some of my favorite roads, RT 104, 31, 63 and I got lost near Waterport because the Oak Orchard River rd bridge was closed but I didn't care. I love to meander around this area and I found my way finally driving through the town of Lyndonville. I love Lyndonville. This is the area I want to have my Barefoot Hippie Homestead in. I love this comfy cozy little town and I did not realize how much I missed it until I started coming out this way again. There is also something about beautiful Lake Ontario that calls to me. I live about a mile from Lake Erie and I do not get the pull and the calling from Lake Erie that I do from Lake Ontaio. Is it because of my sweet? My love? Well, it is because of him I moved to Gasport, and Albion and had an RV on Lake Ontario in 2006. It is because of him I made those decisions but while there, I fell in love with the area. Would I have fallen in love if I wasn't falling in love? It is not hard to say. 90% of the decisions I make are because of the man I have loved since 2003. Even the decision to move to Denver away from him was mainly because of him. I felt so strongly about him that I had to put thousands of miles between us so I could try to forget him. Look how well that worked. The pull I have toward him is greater than what Lake Ontario does to me. It is like jumping out of a plane (which he has done hundreds of times) with out a parachute and I fall willingly toward him because I know he will be there to catch me.

Jeffery's Lake house views of Lake Ontario

Mystic Meadows Daylily Farm

The pond (yes it's stocked) at Pam's place. She has stalls and outbuildings and lots and lots of land!

I am SOOOOOO jealous!!!

Barb and I took a drive out to S. Wales to visit our good friend Pam. She has a beautiful homestead! She bought the place, hundreds of acres back in the 90's when we were all still party girls and I could not understand why. Slowly she dropped out of the scene as we continued to party on. But now many many years later, way past my party prime, I understand. While me and Barb were doing shots, Pam was fixing, and hammering, and gutting and remodeling, adding and removing, digging, and planting. And now she has a beautiful homestead to show for it. She  also has a very successful Daylily Farm website. She is doing what she loves and loving where she lives.
Oh and I also found out that her brother in law Tim, who I have known for ever! His company now does Solar and Wind installation! How great is that???? Some one I can trust with some thing that is definitely going to be in my future! His company is Buffalo Greenworks.
And having a homestead does not mean you have to live in an ugly old house. Look at how beautiful Pam has made her place!

Her Great, great room that used to be the garage! I could just live in this room alone!

Barb and Pam

Barb in the gorgeous kitchen

Bathroom





Her three donkeys



No more lean ground beef.

 I just spent an hour cleaning my lovely 4 in 1 grill. I had made burgers for dinner the other night and I did buy the lean ground beef but still, It sputtered and smoked up the whole house and then the fat oozed out all over in all the nooks and crannys of my grill that took a lot of scrubbing! And there was grease all over the countertop. Thank heavens the grill parts detach for cleaning but I still had to get the grease that got underneath that! Near the heating elements which I do not think is a good thing. So while I was scrubbing this goopy grease I knew in the back of my mind that some of that stuff got into me as well. I used to eat and make turkey burgers all the time. But some times you all know, the idea of a nice fat burger entices me. Not any more, I do not want to do this cleaning any more. I also want to be healthy. I loved my turkey burgers, I would mix the gound turkey with chopped fresh rosemary and chopped red onion.

Make them all ahead of time and then freeze. I would come home from work and throw one on the grill (geo foreman back then) right from the freezer with a slice of egglant. These did not really need a roll or bun. Fresh cranberry sauce would be good here too. And there would be NO grease in the grease catcher!!!! Makes sense huh.

Poor baby I am sorry I clogged you!

Freaky skies this morning

The skies were really weird this morning, and it was crazy windy and warm. The weather has been just wild this week. I even had to remove  a tree limb from the driveway to go to work. Nothing big. People were seen stopped taking pictures of the big rainbow that appeared too.
So I have only been showing you recipes lately and  I forgot to mention all the research I have been doing for my Barefoot hippie homestead. I have been reading about solar panels, and rain barrels and buying land and stocking a pantry. I have been looking at a LOT of small, tiny cabin kit homes. It all seems so intimidating.  I am slowly learning things here and there. I am not giving up yet. My basic plans change from day to day.
So, I have exciting news to share! Well, exciting for me any way. Since I am always dreaming about living in a cabin in the woods, possibly off grid and all this researching of building and what could I do and not do? How small am I willing to deal with? Will I have a way to get water or electricity. Wood stove for heat? So many questions. How do I figure it all out? I remembered that last year I rented a cabin in Allegheny for a long weekend before Thanksgiving weekend. I loved it! I didn't want it to end. Well, I went to the website and looked at cabins for this Thanksgiving weekend. The prices seemed so high for one night and I have been trying to save and not spend, but what caught my eye was, whats this?
35$ a night???? Why? I checked. No electricity. There is a stove (propane) and a wood fire place. That's it. I got excited. I requested an extra day before the 4 day weekend. It was approved, so I booked the cabin for 4 nights. No electricity. Why not? All I really want is the wood fire place. I can rough it, I need to rough it! I need to see if this is what I really want. So I am so extremely excited about this. I am packing all my cast iron. I think I will be making the Swiss steak for my Thanksgiving dinner. I ordered 4 books from Amazon for reading, Possum Living, Off grid, Momma Poc by my outdoors woman mentor Anne Labastille, which is apropos since I read her previous books at the cabin last year. and We Took to the Woods. Perfect reading material for sitting by the fireplace. I am counting the days. Look for pics!
Tomorrow is Jeffery's birthday, I made my sweet sweets. Chocolate Toffee bars.

Giving Swiss Chard another chance

I used to belong to Porter Farms CSA and that was some goooood veggies. Myself and quite a few friends joined. We would get these big bags stuffed with really fresh organic veggies, each bag a delightful present to open. But we all never did know what to do with the Swiss Chard. I did make it once with a recipe that came with the CSA newsletter,  but I was impatient and burned the olive oil. It wasn't good. But in all my meanderings of recipes and eating healthy and maybe 49% vegetarian, everyone talks about how good Kale and Swiss Chard is for you. Plus it is so fun to say. Well, I said, I am going to try it again. And look at how beautiful it is. Something THAT gorgeous has got to taste yummmm. So I just prepared it simply, blanched real quick in boiling water and then sauteed in olive oil and garlic, mixed with pasta and Parmesano regiano sprinkled over the top.
It was fabulous! Very earthy tasting and smelling, earthy and dirt-y in a good way.  I am going to add it regularly to my diet. It is so healthy, oh gotta go, Barb is here and she is taking me for Arctic swirls....so much for healthy,,,,

Ciabatta Bread after the 5th Try, it WAS the yeast.......

This is the third weekend I have tried to make bread. Mainly Ciabatta bread. I love the Ciabatta bread from Wegman's and really tried to learn to make my own. The last two weekends I was sooooo discouraged because my dough would not rise I tried everything, I heated the water, the milk, I added sugar, or honey I even added beer! Tried to keep it warm in the oven. Nothing. Flat flat flat. I googled yeast, bread and then I googled Why won't my bread rise???? Thank God I came upon a site that said....Its ALWAYS the yeast. The article was very good and talked about how discouraging it could be for new bread bakers if they get bad yeast. That was me. So I got different yeast, actually it is organic because there was no yeast to be found in the baking section so I tried the "Natural Health Food" section of Wegman's of which I spend lots and lots of time in. I could and am buying everything in that section. Last time I got organic natural house cleaning solutions, this time I got the natural and organic shampoo and conditioner and body washes. I am trying to slowly eliminate chemicals in my home. For myself, as well as my animals. I don't want my dogs to walk on floors cleaned with chemicals. I never never never use round up or any of that stuff in the yard. Its not good at all for pets or kids or even yourself. I just heard something about aluminum in deodorant, so that will be next.
Any way the Ciabatta bread came out great!!!!! I can still smell it as I type. Now I can make the "slipper" every Friday night so I can make my bread on Saturday for the week. Now my next project, best pizza dough.
Oh by the way the friends that I gave pepper jelly to said their families LOVED it. I ended up giving more jars to them, especially when I got a voice message from my friend's little daughter telling me how she loved my pepper jelly, how could I resist that little voice.......

Ciabatta Bread
For sponge:

• 1/8 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 2 tablespoons warm water (105°‐115° F.)
• 1/3 cup room-temperature water
• 1 cup bread flour*

For bread:

• 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 2 tablespoons warm milk (105°‐115° F.)
• 2/3 cup room-temperature water
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cups bread flour*
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Make sponge:
In a small bowl stir together yeast and warm water and let stand 5 minutes, or until creamy. In a bowl stir together yeast mixture, room-temperature water, and flour and stir 4 minutes. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let sponge stand at cool room temperature at least 12 hours and up to 1 day.

Make bread:
In a small bowl stir together yeast and milk and let stand 5 minutes, or until creamy. In bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with dough hook blend together milk mixture, sponge, water, oil, and flour at low speed until flour is just moistened and beat dough at medium speed 3 minutes. Add salt and beat 4 minutes more. Scrape dough into an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let dough rise at room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours. (Dough will be sticky and full of air bubbles.)

Have ready a rimless baking sheet and 2 well-floured 12- by 6-inch sheets parchment paper. Turn dough out onto a well-floured work surface and cut in half. Transfer each half to a parchment sheet and form into an irregular oval about 9 inches long. Dimple loaves with floured fingers and dust tops with flour. Cover loaves with a dampened kitchen towel. Let loaves rise at room temperature until almost doubled in bulk, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

At least 45 minutes before baking ciabatta, put a baking stone or 4 to 6 unglazed "quarry" tiles (see note, above) arranged close together on oven rack in lowest position in oven and preheat oven to 425° F.

Transfer 1 loaf on its parchment to baking sheet with a long side of loaf parallel to far edge of baking sheet. Line up far edge of baking sheet with far edge of stone or tiles, and tilt baking sheet to slide loaf with parchment onto back half of stone or tiles. Transfer remaining loaf to front half of stone or tiles in a similar manner. Bake ciabatta loaves 20 minutes, or until pale golden. With a large spatula transfer loaves to a rack to cool.

The "slipper" nice and bubbly after 12 hours

The 3rd really sqare one is the ciabatta bread I bought from Wegman's for 3.50!

It is all worth it.

All the cooking, and jellying and baking. I do it because I love it. But when the man you love tells you -  this is really good! ....then it is all worth it.  This was the best sunny lazy afternoon. I must remember to fill my food with love when I am creating it. My life is good.

Pepper Jelly! This was soooooo easy!

Ingredients

• 5 cups finely chopped green bell pepper ( I used green and red and threw in a habanero and red pepper flakes for pizazz)
• 1 cup cider vinegar
• 5 cups white sugar
• 3 ounces  pectin

Directions

1. After pulsing peppers in food processor,  in a large, stainless steel saucepan, combine green pepper, cider vinegar, and white sugar. Bring to a boil, and cook for 6 minutes, stirring constantly.
2. Stir in  pectin, and continue to boil for 3 more minutes, stirring constantly. Skim off foam with a metal spoon, and remove pan from heat
3. Ladle jelly into sterilized jars, leaving a 1/2 inch space at the top. Seal, and process in a boiling-water canner for 5 minutes.

I like the peppers to be a bit chunky

mmmmmm

If you feel trapped how did you let yourself get that way?

I want very badly to get back to the country. I lived in Gasport and I moved even further out to Albion. I lived in the country! I loved it. If you look at my old blog, I had an old fashioned pantry you would die for.........then my cousin died. I was doing yoga to change my life and it did. I asked for a family and I got one.....my own. I saw all of my old Rindfleisch family at the wake and funeral. I got really close to my cousin Ursula, it was her brother that died. Through a series of events, I moved back to the city to be close to my family and friends and work. I left my love behind.  I have liked it here in the city, everything is close. Work is close. I really didn't mind the long drive to work back then. I am no closer to my family than when I lived in the boonies. I have reached out. Many times. But I can only reach out so many times. If I have to be the one to keep doing it, is anything really there? And Ursula and I aren't even talking. We never grew up together, maybe we just tried to force it just cuz we are family. Maybe that is why I loved the country. People treat you like family whether you are or not. I miss my friendship with Katherine. I barely see her now. I do have my really good friend Barb. That's about the only good thing about the city right now.  I feel trapped because I want to move back and smell the air that smells like you are in the middle of a pumpkin. I want to walk my dogs along the edge of the cornfields. I used to sit and watch the sunset every night. And my love would visit me when he could. He has an obligation to nurture a beautiful young daughter. In some ways I used to get so mad at him, when in reality I was really mad at my own father for not doing it. I would never want his daughter to have the terrible inadequate feelings I have had all my life. I feel what he is doing is quite noble and if he and I can share a friendship then I feel very blessed and lucky.  I don't want to move to the country solely because of him, I want to do if mainly for MY soul. That is where I thrive.


So how do I change this? I don't know yet. I have some what of a plan to get back. Eventually to buy my homestead. Soon! I do know that what ever I put my mind to. I do. I do well. I get it done!!! So I am not worried.

Bread

Well this weekend I was going to make pepper jelly and bread. I am trying to find the best bread recipe, the best pizza dough recipe, etc. So I can use it over and over. I am determined to make my own bread. Not knowing much about bread or yeast except from what I can google, I am finally happy with my second try. My first attempt did not rise at all. Now I know how to start the yeast and proof the dough. I still don't think it is perfect. It was partial rolled oats, whole wheat and regular bread flour. I like the rolled oats on the crust too.
I didn't make the jelly because I want to share jars with my friends and I got a really bad cold that kicked in Friday night, and I was just dying Saturday. I didn't want to take a chance of spreading germs. So I will do it during the week maybe.

My new baby!!!

Isn't she purty?????

Well I have been cooking out of cast iron frying pans for the last year or so now. They were handed down in the family. Not to me of course but I got a hold of them eventually because they are so cumbersomely heavy. That doesn't bother me at all, I am "strong like bull".  A lot of the recipes I see call for a Dutch Oven. So I had been looking in my periphery when I am out and about.  I did see a Paula Dean oven at Wally's for around 60-90$? I can't remember. Then I thought of Harbor Freight and looked online, and there it was! $24.00 and the reviews really were not bad at all. I even think you could fit a medium sized possum in there! I am very excited to do some cooking in this! My first recipe with it will be the Swiss Steak.  You can even use the lid to cook biscuits or bacon!
I know this is mainly for camping but I will be using it in the home. When I do get my wood burning stove I will get just that the one with the cook top. Just in case I really am off grid..........never off griddle...........

Crack Me Up!!!!!

I have been listening to the Self-Sufficient Homestead podcast. Not only does this podcast give you a ton of information on homesteading from gardens and bee keeping to animal husbandry and recipes. But Johnny Max and the Queen are so down to earth and they CRACK ME UP!!! If any thing you MUST listen to the Queen read the recipe for Possum Pie.

It is on the fourth Podcast . I plan on listening to every single show. You should too, even if you don't plan on a homestead, its good quality entertainment. And REAL reality.

Throw Togethers = what ever you have laying around

I like the taste of tomato, zucchini and cannelloni beans together. It has been my summer go to base. This throw together I started with ground turkey, browned and then threw in a 15 oz can of crushed tomatoes. I put in garlic salt and I use sugar with all my tomato sauce types. I like a sweet sauce. Lots of ground pepper and added 1 can of cannelloni beans. With olive oil I sauteed zucchini, bell pepper and onion. In yet another pan. Cooked the whole wheat elbows. It has taken some time, but I like whole wheat pasta's now. Give your self time. The white stuff just isn't good for you. READ LABELS! Since healthy and whole wheat is the new rage, labels can be deceiving. I used my dried basil from my garden.

I added a little pazazz with hot pepper flakes and Frank's hot sauce. And with each individual serving I add fresh grated Parmesano Romano hard cheese. Crusty bread in winter and nice green salad in the summer.

I keep tons of cans of diced and/or crushed tomato's and cannelloni beans in the cupboard. I hit the farmers markets last month and bought LOTS of zucchini and squash and instantly chopped in squares, some zucchini I sliced the long way. (Love them grilled like that) and froze. Just for these kinds of "throw togethers".

I call this one Roumahhhlashhhh!

Roumahlahhhhsh

Goji Berries!

Well I had just about given up on my Goji Berry plant. I ordered in early spring, I watered it and babied it all summer not really sure what I was doing. Nothing happened. Then I gave up on my plants by end of July. Mainly flowers. They wilted in the 90 degree hot weather. I watered when I remembered. My sunflowers were tiny! I literally stopped mowing my lawn for the month of August. I just didn't care! I think it was a symptom of watching Hoarders. But I did bring my Goji berry plant on to the porch for the fall with plans to bring it in for the winter. I still keep meaning to google on how to care for a Goji berry plant. I did hear they were quite hearty! Well, I went to water my plants last weekend and there they were! My precious little gogi babies! Not much to brag about. But now I know they will be heartier next year. I ate one. It was different. My first time. Berry like, kinda like a strawberry, watermelon pomegranate. I will keep you posted next year.

I am committed!

I almost gave up before I started! Last night I was doing a lot of research on buying land, building cabin kits, ordinances, permits, easements, ingress, egress!!!! My head was spinning and my usual flight or flight kicked in. No I have no fight. Haha. Mind exhausted and disappointed I went to bed. This morning I woke up and said. Why can’t I? So many other people have done it, why can’t I??? I am a Capricorn, I have a history of doing what I set my mind to in a slow and methodical manner. I have done the impossible many times. So here I am, reinforced with my I can do it energy.
My Plan: To buy land, and build a small home from a cabin kit to live in. Maybe not completely sustainable, organic or green but as much as I am able! I want solar and wind energy. I figure I could start small first. I have been transitioning my current home to more simple, green, and less chemicals. I am not 100% vegetarian but my diet is healthier and more natural and less processed.
I want chickens and goats, bees and honey and a fire pit. I want to sit on my porch or on the couch in front of the wood stove and read. I want to make jellies and pickles. I am going to try to garden. My history isn’t spectacular in that area. But then again, I will be in the boonies and will probly drive by many many farm stands. So these are my wants, I have a long list of plans that I am sure I will learn by trial and error. I will chronicle it all here so you can learn from my exploration.
I am going to do it alone and I am not going to do it alone. I read a lot of blogs and I listen to a lot of podcasts related to my plans. I have always listed to More Hip than Hippie which is a wealth of excellent information! And really fun to listen to. What has kick started this project is my recent find of Self-Sustainable Homestead. I want to live next door to Johnny Max and the Queen! There is Mother Earth News and many other books and articles and I promise I will share everything with you with links to where I originally found it to give credit to the original creators.
I have lived in the city, I have lived in rural homes out in the boonies. I have lived in Denver and I have had an RV on Lake Ontario. I have learned I am not an out west mountain girl, although Denver was absolutely gorgeous and if I met a man and got married and he wanted to move to Denver I would go, but I certainly AM an East coast girl. I prefer Lake Ontario even tho Lake Erie is about a few miles from me right now.
So of course I plan to buy the land first. Purchase a cabin kit, have it built. I have given my self about an 8-10 month goal to buy the land. So in the mean time I will share recipes and milestones. Unless I win the lottery and then I will begin my plans immediately! Haha. There is so much to do and so much to tell you. Visit me now and then, pull up a chair next to the fire and have a glass of my home brewed sweet tea let me tell you about……..