Meg's Sketches SD 480p

I put together 140 quick sketches my friend created while she and her husband were planning to move from Myrtle Beach to western Virginia and become homesteaders with their two girls and two dogs. She and her husband both were both quality jewelers of beach (sea) glass and now they are in the middle of creating their homestead - from scratch! I met them at the Myrtle Beach campground where we had a place. I read a news article about the sea glass artist and reached out to give her the large collection I had accumulated over many years. This was before they were married. Their life has drastically changed and obstacles gone through and they continue on bravely. In case you might like to catch some of their videos I shall post their link on the bottom here. They have made many and I enjoy each and every one of them. They tell it like it is and Meg is a changed woman with this new adventure!  So far they've documented their work with 126 really interesting videos. At least I think so! 

My video below is a 9 minute slide show. Good to the end!

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPAVEqVZ3VfVCjCC6nxhVcg

Walnuts and Wineberries

The New and the Old

My old inexpensive 2 qt. pan was deteriorating and I felt justified looking for a replacement. It took many web searches but the description - below -  on this one is what sold me. Best of all it is red! (and no shipping charge.) At first I had to break loose with the old one which has served well for many years so I made the decision to toss it in the trash can. There! Then I went shopping.

"The saucepan is dishwasher safe and nonstick in addition to being PFOA-free, Lead-free, and Cadmium free. 4mm of Forged Aluminum provides a thicker stronger saucepan that is coated with three layers of premium QuanTanium nonstick titanium coating. Titanium-coated aluminum is scratch resistant and almost three times more durable than classic Polytetrafluoroethylene ceramic and granite-coated saucepans. The Nonstick Titanium Sauce Pan is made in Turkey with the highest quality aluminum coating sourced from Whitford England that utilizes the latest technology. Enjoy reliable even heating with a nonstick saucepan that heats up faster and is built to last." 

The day after it arrived I tried it out with a very old recipe.

I like to age these for a couple of days before sharing or eating. Made a small batch this time. Recipe below!

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➔ Pickled Beets  7 to 8 lbs of Beets (Gma's Recipe) (Drake) b. 1874

               4 cups vinegar (5% acidity) 

               1 teaspoon canning or pickling salt 

               2 cups sugar

               2 cups water 

               2 cinnamon sticks 

               12 whole cloves  - about 1 tsp 

               12 allspice nuts (whole) - about 1 tsp

➔ Red Beet Eggs   (Mother's Recipe) (Nulton) b. 1914

               1 cup brown sugar

               1/2 teaspoon salt

               3/4 cup cider vinegar

               1/4 cup water

               1 quart canned red beets and juice

               3 pinches mixed pickling spice

               12 eggs, hard boiled and peeled

Mix sugar, salt, cider vinegar, water, 1 cup beet juice, mixed pickling spice, and heat and let simmer for 15 minutes. Add red beets into mixture.

Pour over hard boiled, peeled eggs. Let stand in refrigerator 3 days.  Slice in half before serving.

➔ ♡♡♡♡♡MY version: Mom Reed b. 1936♡♡♡♡♡

1 Cup Brown Sugar, 1/2 tsp Salt, 1 Cup Cider Vinegar, No Water, 2 Cans  SMALL Beets & Juice, 1 Cinnamon stick, 12 whole cloves.  (10-12  hard boiled and peeled eggs) ☆

Earth Day 2013

Ten years ago I took a stroll through a local area and snapped a few. Love these old memories and the goodness of my earth. Today I had a difficult time deciding what to post. Well, on this day in 2013, I found peace in my solitude and the surroundings of both natural and man-made viewing.

And Home! 

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The Good and the Bad

I took a buggy ride again, but didn't go very far as the storm clouds were threatening.

On the ride I picked up some items that were left at the edge of the road, assuming they were meant for trash, and went home to clean my new finds. After cleaning a while, the time got away from me and I went to the carport freezer for hot dog rolls. What did I find? OH OH!

The 9 year old died!  It turned into a clean-out and clean- up there!  I know it was working fine a couple of days ago as I brought in something for my dinner that time, but it was a shock to see this! Then the throw away and cleanup began. I did save my 6 half gallons of orchard cider but had to call a friend to take them home and store in their freezer for me. I know it could be saved and refrozen. Now don't suggest I call homeowner's insurance to file a claim. I KNOW it was not designed to be used in an outdoor area. It still was a shock. I don't think I'll replace it because I'm not making many large batches to freeze of anything like I used to. Getting rid of the old freezer may be a tricky project but I've already had indications of help when the time is right. 

It's a good thing that I was already using up everything as I have stopped frozen food deliveries due to the service charge. That's another story. 

I think that is three failures recently so no more can happen, of course! (The fireplace gas insert has a very noisy fan. OOOOOOO)

Time will tell.
 

The Last One

This is the very last one I'll make. It, simply said, is too difficult for me to lift the large kettle of boiled water to dump the elbows into the old strainer. My arm is now too weak and painful for the project so I'm going to freeze several pieces and enjoy it until it is all gone. It is an old recipe and done the way my Mother made it and I wonder just how many large pans of this I have made through the years since 1955—2023. Have a look!

I have semi-retired my vintage colander.

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RECIPE

Old Fashioned Baked Macaroni & Cheese

Gere Reed

You Will Need:

9" x 13" Pan

Heavy Duty Foil

*Pam No-Stick Cooking Spray

1 - 10 oz. block EXTRA Sharp Yellow Cheddar Cheese 

1 - 10 oz. block EXTRA Sharp White Cheddar Cheese

(Preferably Helluva Good Cheese Brand or Cracker Barrel)

1 - Box (16 oz.) Elbow Macaroni (Preferably Mueller’s Brand)

1/2 Stick BUTTER (Preferably Keller’s Brand)

1 Cup Italian Style Bread Crumbs (Preferably Progresso Brand)

Parmesan & Romano 100% Grated Cheese (Preferably Kraft Brand)

Black Pepper (Preferably McCormick Brand)

5 Cups WHOLE Milk

*Line pan with foil and spray with Pam. “Release” brand foil may be used instead of Pam (double lined pan). 

(Grillin’ Release fits well in one piece)

Hand grate yellow cheese into bowl and put in freezer until ready to use.

Hand grate white cheese into another bowl and put in freezer too.

(Put a dash of corn oil in the water before cooking)

Cook macaroni at full rolling boil for 11 minutes. Do not salt. Drain.

Dump 1/2 of the macaroni into pan and spread around evenly.

With hand, sprinkle yellow cheese over macaroni.

Dump remainder of the macaroni evenly over the yellow cheese.

With hand, sprinkle white cheese over macaroni.

Generously sprinkle black pepper over all.

Evenly cover all with bread crumbs.

Generously sprinkle Parmesan & Romano cheese over all.

Cut butter into pats and place pats in two rows over top of all.

VERY GENTLY - pour 4 cups of milk along sides of pan.

Tilt pan forward and backward and left to right to make milk flow inside macaroni.

Preheat oven to 350º

Bake one hour at 350º.  After 1/2 hour do the “tilt” procedure again.

If dry, pour one cup milk over all.

It is done (approximately another 1/2 hour) when no milk can be seen as liquid.

Cool about 10 minutes before serving. Leftover sections may be frozen.

Dusty Roads

My buggy arrived back home from winter storage and service yesterday. The weather has warmed up and I contemplated a short rideabout. I took pictures of a few daffodils that weren't opened the day before and by morning they were in full bloom. I cut a few for inside every year so I can enjoy their brightness from my chair. The others in this area have bloomed too as the weather was warm. I can no longer walk on unlevel ground so I did get the buggy out from the carport to shoot my own side-yardful. Then I took a ride and every car/truck/van that passed me dusted me terrible! However, mission accomplished and I now know that Mother Nature is springing into activity! 

Photo by Lori

The old (very old) flowerbed next to the cabin has many daffodils so I started with these. Mother planted them way back when....

Then I chose a few more to show you. Everywhere I looked there were daffodils in full bloom and dozens of them all alongside the roads too.

To me, daffodils represent new birth and new beginnings; a symbol of hope and joy. I love them. I also see that the very old fashioned purple iris are poking up and they are pleasing to my eyes as well. Soon......

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The township truck just made a couple of passes spraying the road so I'll probably take another ride later.

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§ It all started with this symbol. 

Then it went to this and then it went to that and then it went off the chart! I had a great time playing here this morning! 

Easter Saturday Later.....

Some BUNNY has been in my Easter Basket andlookie what I found!

There was a sheet on top hiding a nice surprise when the person who does my laundry brought the basket back today.

Easter Saturday

Help! I'm stuck,

and I can't get up! 

Really Good Day

Ordered — March 27

Delivered — March 29 >>> free delivery (not Amazon Prime!)

Wow that was quick! My dear family friend came to help me remove it from the box and set it up. He even showed me how to use it and the lesson was learned. Now I have put it into action it several times and it is an easy and sweet experience. Who would say this? I would!