Dee

This is beautiful Midnightmom. It made me realize why I'm always there to welcome the new one at the library, church, etc. I go right up them them and speak with a warm smile and welcome. OF COURSE, it's because of being the outsider so long ago. I truly didn't realize why I do it but, deep inside, I must remember being the "outsider" so many years ago. Thanks for sharing!

How cool Annarchy! I looked into self publishing a few years ago but decided I wasn't sure what to do.

I'm trying to get a book published. Nothing has come from it, except, lots of rejection letters. I get discouraged and wonder, "why I keep doing this to myself?" Then I read this little 5" plate hanging above my desk and it keeps me going. Someday it may happen. Then again, it may not, BUT I'll never know if I give up. Heads up ladies and keep on trying!

Someone told me the same things years ago mommato3boys. I've done it now for 20+ years. Seems to work but I've never not done it, sooooooo. LOL It also helps, "someone told me" to have a fan on them blowing gently. It strengthens the stems. I don't do it this time of year but when I start plants to put out in the spring I use the fan.

I love this. I'm going to try it with my next batch of celery!

Wow, that's interesting. I've never heard of such a thing! That's exactly right....waste not want not.

We got ours yesterday.

I've done that too out of the ordinary but usually just in the winter. Summer is for canning chicken, winter is for soup. It's just a good feeling not wasting those scraps, isn't it? No matter when or how you use them. When the kids were home and we had leftover green beans, corn, peas, carrots, etc. I'd put them in a Tupperware container along with the juice off the veggies. Freeze them until I had enough and then made a big pot pie. It was one of our oldest daughters favorite meals. When she married she asked for the recipe. When I told her about freezing the little bits of leftover vegetables, she couldn't be bothered. She's not a tightwad like her mother.

I freeze carrot peelings, carrots that are getting past their crisp state, onions, you know a couple of layer peelings on the outside that aren't good fresh (not the first couple layers that are papery), the leaves and tiny stalks of celery, pea pods, dried herbs I've grown, a garlic bulb or two, just anything like that until I'm ready to can chicken. It give the broth a delicious flavor. When I do can chicken, which I don't do much anymore, I try to get close to 2 canners full. My canner hold 20 pints so I usually end up with 30-40 pints when I'm finished. That's a lot of chicken but well worth the trouble. My kids used to make fun of me for freezing the "garbage" but they never complained about the taste.

I'm a little late in responding but I cook the chicken first in large kettles of water, with onions, celery and whatever I have like that, that needs using up. I put it on cookie sheets to let cool enough to handle. Tear it in pieces, put it in jars, use the broth from cooking it and can. I cook down the broth and can or freeze it AFTER I enjoy a cup of first. So YUMMY! Cooking it first let's me control the amount of fat, usually as little as possible. Removing skin and bones before canning uses less jars.

Does anyone else grow vegetables in the house during the winter? I brought in a grape tomato plant last summer and actually have a few tomatoes on it. I also started some from seeds just for the heck of it. They're growing nicely but not a blossom of any kind to be seen yet. Then I started a few peas from seed and they've actually got pea pods on them. The lettuce is about gone. We've been eating on it for a couple of weeks. I'll start some more soon. The last picture is of the lights I use. As some of you know we live in Northern Iowa. The winters are COLD, overcast and gloomy. It's not hard to do and gives us a few fresh vegetables, that I've grown myself with no chemicals, and not bought from a store. I've added some pictures. Hope you will to!

Little Sister you don't need to leave. I'm sure no one wants that. Just learn from this post and keep on posting. You're a part of this board as much as anyone but Mother and I have both seen what politics and religion can do here. Your opinion on politics and religion are not everyone else's so, it's best to keep your opinions to yourself. Stay here and let's all keep being friends and good neighbors.

You believe differently than I do Little Sister. Since I've been old enough to know anything I've heard people say end times are here. I haven't seen them yet and, if I remember correctly, NO ONE knows when end times will come. I left this board, along with a number of others, quite a few years ago because of the politics. Mrs. S. used to be a busy and wonderful place to be until the politics began. You know nothing of what will happen with Biden, but we sure know what happened under Trump. Give him a chance and quit predicting all your dire ideas.

Thank you everyone. I've had a peaceful, lazy day and enjoying it immensely. I thought I had a meeting this afternoon. It was not going to be a happy one, but everyone agreed with a solution to the problem and it was cancelled. Yea, best present I've had all day!

Oh Jeepers...I've had them. They're wonderful AND you've found a copycat recipe. I can't wait to give them a try. Glad you found a a flour that works, at least 1/2 way works. Keep looking you might find something that's perfect

Annarchy, that fits most of us here! I'm always preparing for the worst but most of the time think I think I'm probably nuts. Of course, I've been preparing for more years than I can even remember, with nothing happening. Then 2020 hit and we had/have the pandemic. People going wild looking for TP, paper towels, etc. Going to the grocery stores in a panic, picking up whatever food they can find. It was madness! But for those of us here, not only did our prepping give us plenty of TP, food, etc. but having, hoped the best but preparing for the worst we could relax and not be out in the madness. Isn't that the truth Ambergris. Most days I can choose how happy I want to be. Somedays are much harder than others and somedays I can't convince myself to be happy at all. Man, the human mind is something, isn't it!

Thank you Annarchy. I'm going to give these a try. My grandmother was originally from Kentucky and could she ever make the best biscuits. So did her daughters but, of course, it's one of those things I didn't think to ask for the recipe and now they've all passed away.

I love biscuits. Hubby doesn't. In the last few months I've found the frozen biscuits, ready to bake, in the freezer section of the grocery store. I'm hooked on biscuits again. So, instead of paying a fortune to buy them I've decided to make my own and freeze. Does anyone have the "perfect recipe" that they might share? How about suggestions on making them. Do you just mix till moist, do you beat the heck out of them, etc.? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Kappy, another perfect quote to help us get through our questioning and difficult times. I hope there will be more. I love these!

Oh Jeepers, I know the feelings of being the new one, being lonely and not fitting in. We moved from Southern California to a farm in Northern Iowa when I was 21. I was the one that wanted to make the move. I had no idea what I was in for. I grew up 15 miles from Los Angeles, moved to a town of 250 people, left my family and had no idea what a Midwest winter was. Talk about culture shock. There's very little I don't like about California. It was just the insane number of people that drove me crazy. They were nice people just a few million too many. It took probably 5 years to really make a friend. Five years, one friend. I don't know when it happened but one day I realized I had all kinds of friends and it was home. I love this place and I love even more living on our farm 3 miles outside our tiny little town. I wish I'd known back then that, "misery is a choice" and/or "It is what you make of it. You can be as miserable or as happy as you want to be." I would have tried harder to become one of them, instead of waiting on them to invite me in.

Hi Trudy!

The first word that came to mind was "optimistic". It seems last year had so much "chaos", using your word Homey. It was full of anger and fear of the pandemic, , anger and fear of not getting together with friends, anger and fear of the government and so many other things. Too much anger and fear equals chaos of the mind. This year I will be optimistic in looking at my daily life, as well as weekly, monthly and for the year. NOW, this word came to me fast, soooooooo, I may change it but right now OPTISMISTIC is my word for the year. Thanks Homey!

When DH retired I wanted to travel. He had no interest, NONE! I was angry and disappointed. I made both our lives miserable for months, maybe a year. Then somewhere, I came across the quote, "Misery is a choice", by Eleanor Roosevelt. It hit me right between the eyes and in the heart that I was making the choice to make our golden years more rusty than gold. I was making both of us miserable and unhappy. Many things can't be changed by that quote but so many can. So, I changed my attitude. I traveled w/o him. The kids and I took a Caribbean cruise, later our daughter and I went on an Alaskan cruise. Cousins and I took many shortish road trips, to Branson, Mackinac Island, etc. Trips were taken by plane, train and automobile to California. I grew up in California and still have lots of family there, including our daughter and her family. A couple years ago I decided I was through traveling and have stayed home since. I've become like DH, finally, and find I'm happier on the farm than anywhere else. DH didn't mind my traveling as long as he could stay home. Me, being the dutiful wife , made sure there was plenty of food in the freezer, etc. I would much rather have had him travel but we'd have both been miserable. He can pout! So can I! How about you? Found any quotes that have changed your way of thinking? Made you realize that your life needed changing for the good or from the bad? It took me into my 50's to have it happen to me but when it did, what a change in my life. The rusty years turned golden again and life is good. Put your quotes here and tell us how it changed you, if you'd like, Maybe they'll help one or more of us. AND,if you have a book of quotes that you just love, let us know what it is. I'd like to find more of Eleanor's, if you have suggestions.

I've never heard of Alice Brochardt but she's now on my list! Thanks euphrasyne. I'm just so excited to find these new authors. Keep reading AND listening!

I've heard a number of people say things like, "2020 is over and things can only get better in 2021." Don't they know things can always get worse??? I shudder thinking how much worse it could get. Yeah, like you Jeepers, I'm a bundle of joy. Happy New Year everyone!