We're All in This Together

 There's been a sharp turn of events over the last week or so.

An eerie sense of unpredictability looms over us,

and many are living with day-to-day anxiety over the uncertainty.

While the most natural response might be

to pull the covers up over you and hibernate in front of a warm fire,

there is another way to reframe this unexpected circumstance.

Embrace it.

homemade ACV

 It may sound crazy,

but it is possible to find a silver lining in all the madness.

While I understand that everyone's world has pretty much

been turned upside-down,

good things can come from this situation.

For one thing,

I'm hoping that more folks will realize that

we are in this together.

Therefore, we need to help each other in any way we can.

That may mean meeting your neighbors for the first time,

bartering for food staples or services,

or something as simple as enjoying more family time.

With most of the country hunkering down,

we can all do something to make things better.

Healthy interdependence makes us stronger.

our humble homestead

 

No need to leave the house to improve your lot.

Learn a new skill like crocheting, seed starting or food prep.

Even better, teach these skills to others, especially kids.

What a valuable lesson these times are

for the younger generation to learn that although times can be tough,

we are tougher.

Getting back to basics is one of the simplest ways

to deal with any type of adversity.

No matter the struggle,

taking things a step at a time,

one day at a time,

is always a smart move.

Ensuring that your family has healthy food to eat,

clean water to drink, and a feeling of belonging,

can aid in getting through the worst of times.

It may seem too simplistic,

but that's only because we have complicated things.

Is there anything quite as beautiful as a sunrise,

knowing that you've been granted an extra day

to do what you like,

surrounded by those you love?

Leaning into mindfulness can become

one of the healthiest habits for each of us.

Focusing on the moments of joy

when reading a great novel, being swept up in music,

or engaging with others can bring a sense

of peace and purpose.

We are so blessed to be on this homesteading journey.

Although we are not as far along as some,

we are able to do quite well in times of trouble.

It is never too late to begin.

The lessons we've learned through the years

have allowed us to truly believe

that we will get through this, together.

Here's hoping that you and yours

are feeling the comfort of knowing that 

everything

 is 

                         temporary...

God bless us, everyone.

~daisy

Using Diffusers

Essential oils have been used in our home for several years.
We prefer the DoTerra brand,
as we've always had good experience with them.
These oils can be added to diffusers, applied topically,
and some are even safe enough to ingest.
Especially in winter, when the air is exceedingly dry,
dispersing oils into the air helps keep humidity higher,
while adding a fragrance to fit one's mood.
We usually have lemon or orange diffusing in the living room,
but we use peppermint during the holidays. 
Aromatic application can encourage
relaxation, stimulation and emotional renewal.
The diffuser shown above is our living room unit.
It gets filled in the morning,
and pretty much goes all day,
cleaning and scenting the air.
This unit has an automatic shut-off,
so if I forget to turn it off before bedtime,
it will shut off when the water is gone.

Using a diffuser with essential oils in the bedroom
encourages sounder sleep.
Scents such as lavender, jasmine, sandalwood, and even vanilla
foster a sense of relaxation and restfulness.
Eucalyptus, lemon and rosemary can aide
in breathing easier through the sleep cycle.
Along with the chosen aroma,
the vaporizing effect of the mist adds needed humidity to the air,
especially in the dry winter months.
I was even able to find a diffuser
with an added bonus, a white noise option.
Between the essential oils and my choice of rain, 
a rolling stream or incoming waves, my sleep has improved.

An important aspect when using a diffuser in any application,
is keeping it clean.
The water sometimes sits and creates mildew in the reservoir.
Simply using warm water and perhaps a bit of vinegar
will take care of the problem.
I do this at least once a month,
and more if I see it's needed.
This ensures that the diffuser will last longer
and continue to support your well being.

Our diffusers are a welcome addition to the homestead.

Garden Friday

our neighbor's daffs

It's Garden Friday!
We finally have a few lil' things to post about.
With spring mere days away,
color is popping up all over the neighborhood!

The first of the seeds were sown in one of the 4X4 beds,
including this new-to-me variety of broccoli
called Calabrese. 
One seed was placed in each of the four corners,
as they tend to take up considerable space.

 The Cylindra beet is also an untried variety
which will be planted in stages.
Each square foot contains at least 9 seeds,
with several squares designated for this crop.
Every two weeks, another square will be planted.

I'm again using these wide-wire screens
to keep out curious squirrels or anyone else who might be interested
in snacking on the seeds before they get a chance to germinate.

 The snap peas sown a little over a week ago
were towering over their cell packs.
With rain expected in the forecast yesterday,
it seemed like a great opportunity to get them into the ground.

 If the shoots weren't enough reason,
the roots coming out of the bottom surely were.

 They were tucked in next to the cattle panel arches
on the southeast side of the garden.
As the holes were dug,
it was wonderful to see how many hard-working worms 
were calling this spot home.
The soil here had been amended with eggshells, coffee grounds,
shredded mulch and worm castings.
It seems to have paid off.

 Hopefully, before long, 
this tunnel will be covered in sweet, juicy peas.

More of our spring bulbs are waking up.
Our waking temperatures have been above freezing
for the past few days,

 and the ground may be just warming up enough
to satiate these wondrous flowers.

With the first of the planting started,
we'll be so happy to fill the garden with goodies to eat,
and bunches of beautiful blooms to enjoy.

All Day Bread

 Why do I call this "all day bread"?

It really should be called,

"bread that fits itself into your day so well

that you'll just want to make it all the time".

But that seemed a bit much.

 The truth is, this bread is easy to incorporate into your daily schedule.

Whether you work at home, from home, or outside of the home,

it lends itself well to a myriad of situations.

With the mixing, the resting, the mixing and the resting,

it flowed so well into my routine 

that it was a breeze to prepare.

And this lil' number didn't hurt.

After years of talking about getting a Kitchen Aid mixer

like my momma used to have,

we were gifted one from a sweet and generous friend.

She had two and was kind enough to give us her extra.

Making bread used to be a labor of love for me,

but I found that the kneading was becoming just too much.

This workhorse brings back the joy of bread making.

Easy Whole Grain Bread

(Minimalist Baker)

1 1/2 C warm water

3/4 T yeast

2 T honey/maple syrup

1/2 T salt

1 T flaxseed meal

2 C whole wheat pastry flour

1 3/4 C unbleached all purpose flour

2 T sunflower seeds

2 T oats

Combine water, yeast, honey, salt, 

flaxmeal and flour in mixing bowl and stir.

Beat for 1 minute, and add additional flour

until dough is no longer sticky.

Lift dough out and grease bowl.

Cover and let rise 2 hours at room temperature,

then 2 hours in refrigerator.

Create a hole in center of dough

and add seeds and oats.

Knead in to incorporate.

Place seam-side down in greased loaf pan,

cover and let rest 45-60 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and place

a bowl or skillet of water on the rack below the bread.

Bake 26-35 minutes.

Let cool before slicing.

Enjoy!

Community Garden Workday for February (2020)

It was a bit nippy out there on Saturday,
when we got together for our monthly workday
at the Community Garden at Sally's Y in Denver.
Jackets donned, a handful of hearty souls 
got us closer to our goals for the upcoming spring season.

Before getting started with the tasks at hand,
I took a moment to check on our garlic bed
and a few more things growing through the winter.
The garlic was planted in fall
and will be donated to the local food bank.
Lookin' good!

Some of the beds contained winter crops like this gorgeous curly kale,

as well as cabbages.
There are over 30 beds for "rent" by folks
who, for some reason or another, can't grow elsewhere.
Some may have limited space or
live in a restrictive community.
These raised beds are theirs for the season
for a nominal fee.
This fundraiser supplies the garden with a revenue
for maintaining the garden and purchasing supplies.

This red kale was sampled and found to be quite sweet!
The colder temperatures have that affect on greens such as these.

It was good to see someone growing greens out there,
considering that I had very little success 
growing my own food at home this winter.

One of the main tasks on this workday
was to clear the walkways of mulch.
We will be replacing this bark mulch
with a gravel-like material,
with the goal being weed prevention.

Last week the first crew got a great start,
with the center aisle being nearly cleared
from one end of the garden to the other
and several interior rows.

The removed mulch was added to beds that were in need of topping off.
In this way, nothing goes to waste
and it should add some nutrients to the beds.
Here, one of our members added almost a full 2 inches to the planting area.

Most beds have irrigation intact,
so we merely placed the mulch underneath.
The drip irrigation has been in place a short time,
and we think we have finally worked out the kinks.

There will be plenty of mulch to add to other areas
on the outside of the fence.
Repurposing the materials will save the community garden money
and assist in sprucing it right up.

With upcoming planting for spring looming,

we look forward to having this huge task behind us.

The installation of the gravel will be a considerable project

and we will once again be asking for volunteers.

The end result will be worth all of our hard work,

and hopefully give us far fewer weeds to pull!

"What is a weed?
A plant whose virtues 
have never been discovered."
~Ralph Waldo Emerson