It's Pumpkin season again

this is the simplest of all the pumpkin recipes I've tried and it's delicious.
There are several places to find it, but I got it from "the big red kitchen" http://www.bigredkitchen.com/2008/11/two-ingredients-pumpkin-cake-with-apple.html
The only 2 ingredient are a box of cake mix and can of pumpkin. (not pumpkin pie mix)
I made muffins, but the options are endless.

what a find

This jewel was in my dear Mother-in-laws house which we are cleaning out lately.  Melrose is a local plantation that was in its time an "artists colony".  The author Clementine Hunter, was freed and lived on the plantation until her death in the 70's.  She was a renowned artist famous for her simple renditions of everyday life on a plantation.  in her younger day she was the cook in the "big house".  The co-author was a family friend to both Mrs. Hunter and the home owner.  The reciepts came from her own collection that she frequently made for the house.  They are written in basic terms, i.e. 1 big duck or a bunch of collard greens.

This is my newest favorite find.

just another Sunday afternoon

First I boiled 10 pounds of ground beef, you can add onions, peppers... at this point if you want to.  Boiling so I can get the broth from it.

Then I strained it.

After I put it in the jars I covered it with boiling water.

I ended up with 8 pints of ready to use beef.  One pint holds about 2 cups which is what you get from a pound. 

this makes peeling potatoes fun again

A friend shared this with me and I love how useful it is.  The kids can actually do this.  

OK so I'm bored!!!  I have been laid up for last 2 weeks with a pulled muscle and a pinched nerve.  I have been given orders to stay of my feet as much as possible.  It's driving me crazy!!!  I have been able to do the laundry so....

I ran out of detergent again and decided to make some more.  this time I used "pink zote"  I do not like pink, but have heard that it is a very good laundry soap used in Mexico.   I shredded one bar, then added a couple cups each of baking soda, washing soda and borax.  This is the outcome.

Well, not quite so pink, but I hope it's impressive with the wash. I posted before about this, but I used a bar of "fels-naptha".  I personally liked it, but want to be able to compare it to.  Do you use homemade detergent?  What kind?

Thank You Nancy

This is the book I won in a giveaway over at "The Rural Journal".  Thank you Nancy as this was all I had to do for the last several days as I have been laid up with leg injuries.  It was fa GREAT read and any adventurous young girl would live to spend time with it.  

BEE Wear

I couldn't wait to get into the bees, so I volunteered to make sure the queen was out of her cage.  She came in a small container that was plugged with sugar.  When it was uncapped and put into the hive her workers and drones ate the sugar to let her out.  

She was out and the work was done.  The smoker and hat were from my DH's grandfather.  The bee suit is my own creation.  I think I'll start a new line and call it Bee Wear.