Chicken News

No, my girls have not started laying. I am so ready. I did though put some decoy eggs in the nest boxes as it is supposed to show them where to lay their eggs.

This girl had her wing clipped. She is starting to really jump and fly high and when I saw her on a gate just below the back wall I knew she needed to be clipped. It does not hurt them and she was very calm while my husband held her so I could clip her.

She was checking it out here. I can see I missed a couple of feathers. She never knew it even happened after about 30 seconds.

This girl is so inquisitive. They say the Barred Rocks are curious and she always wants to know what I am doing.

Their bottoms are getting fluffier and wider in preparation for laying those anticipated eggs.

They are doing well and are so routine driven that I just shoo them into the big run each day after their backyard time. So far so good. All is well with the City Chicks.

Wow Us Wed.
Home Sweet Home
Show and Tell Friday

Simple Delicious Bruschetta Recipe

 When life or the garden gives you too many tomatoes than make bruschetta. I make a simple recipe of diced tomatoes, fresh basil, crumbled feta cheese, salt and pepper and a dash of olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

My favorite bread is small slices of toasted french bread with a bit of olive oil drizzled on. Toast at 300 till nice and crispy.

This is a wonderful seasonal appetizer. We had some Saturday night while our steaks were grilling.

Linking to:
Table Top Tuesday
BNOTP
Coastal Charm
Show and Tell Friday

Sunny Simple Sundays

It's time for Sunny Simple Sundays. We are all busy with families and life so I like to keep this easy to join and share. The party is open all week so link up any time not just Sunday.

Week one's most viewed post was Simple Sunday on the Porch from a Spoonful Of...

Cutest blog ever so go check it out.

Week two's most viewed post was On Sunday by Mockingbird Hill. Claudia has such a lovely blog and I know you will enjoy her and her home.

We have been enjoying a slow paced weekend of walks and wonderful perfect SoCal weather. Last night we had fish tacos for dinner. An easy summer supper of seasoned Tilapia fish.

 Okay let's link up and party. Happy Sunday!!
Linking to:
http://www.carissagraham.com/

Patriotic Clock

Several years ago this patriotic scarf/banner was found in an antique store. We have never found quite the right spot for it but for this Fourth of July, it shall remain on the grandfather clock.

Previously we had it here about a year ago. I think I like it on the clock. Not for always but for the Memorial  Day through July 4th holidays it is perfect. Greets you when you walk in the door.

Have a wonderful weekend and don't forget to join me for Sunny Simple Sundays.

Linking to:

Seasonal Sundays

Sunday's Best

Clean and Sanitize that Sponge and Microwave

Don't be grossed out by my microwave but this is how it gets after a couple of weeks of use. No one thinks to cover anything up in the house. I digress. 

Okay so we all should be sanitizing our kitchen sponges. A great way to do that and to clean your microwave is to take your sponge and get it good and wet. Put a big squirt of dish soap on it and toss into the microwave. I then run the microwave for 90 seconds. 

The sponge gets good and hot and the steam helps to loosen the food stuck on the microwave. Then take the sponge once it cools a bit and wipe down the microwave. You have killed the germs in the sponge with the heat and cleaned up the microwave in short order.

Don't forget to join me for Sunny Simple Sundays this weekend.

Linking to:

Show and Tell Friday

Simple and Sweet Friday

Simply Link Party

Simple Home Life

Shabby Nest

Pity Party

Farmgirl Friday

Taming the Laundry Monster

;

On a laundry theme here.

With six of us in this house I really have to stay on top of the laundry. I have developed a routine that works for me and keeps clean socks in the drawers at all times.

I find that it has to be my number one chore in the morning. After dealing with the animals I always start a load of laundry. That load is usually already in the washing machine ready to go in the morning.

As I finish that load and start a second one, I fold the loads that are done for the day and put away. I must do at least 2-3 loads a day to keep laundry from over flowing the hampers. 

I rotate the kids rooms and check their hampers about twice a week and make sure I am always washing full loads. No sense in running the washer unless it is full.

To keep laundry piles from growing too rapidly I make sure the kids know to hang up their towels and use them a few times between washing. This may gross you out but none of us have ever developed any weird skin diseases so I think we are okay. 

I do my bedding weekly and rotate the younger kids the same day. The two oldest are responsible for their own bedding. They are old enough. For the most part they can do their own laundry and often do but I will wash some of their clothes to make up a full load.

I try to get the laundry done early and put away as I just hate looking at it piled up.

Not a chore I love but if I stay on this routine I can keep it under control.

Here is a tip for you. I keep an old plastic trash can next to the washer in the laundry room. It is for all those wet rags that build up between bleach loads from cleaning and wiping up. I toss the wet rags in there and when I do a bleach load I just toss the entire can into the washer with our other whites. No more wet rags laying on the floor and strewn about waiting for wash day.

Don't forget the try my homemade laundry stain remover. Here is an e-mail from Holly about how well it works. Here is the recipe for the stain remover.

Hey Girl: Just a short note.  I made your stain remover and used it. The other day I splattered spaghetti sauce on my white t-shirt (why do I always wear white when making sauce???).  I put some on the stain and meant to wash it shortly afterward but forgot all about it.  This morning while sorting laundry I found the shIrt with the dried stain remover on it.  I squirted a little more on the stain and rubbed it a bit, threw it in the washer and you know what? IT CAME OUT!!!! ALL OF IT!!! Awesome! Thanks so much, my t-shirt and I are forever in your debt.

Linking to:
White Wednesday
BNOTP
Some What Simple
Open House Party
Have a Daily Cup
Home Sweet Home
The Thrifty Groove
Weekend Whatever Party
The Mommy Club
Sat. Night Special

Patio Love

My patio is my haven. I live on it. Watch the chickens from it, have coffee there in the morning and just relax.

The little touches tucked here and there make me happy.

Lush and green is the way I like it. I have lots of chimes including some made by my children.

If it can be considered a room, it is my favorite room in the house.

Linking to:
A Return to Loveliness
The Vintage Farmhouse
Have a Daily Cup
Home Sweet Home
Show and Tell Friday

Praise for Imperfection

Lest anyone out there think this blogger tries to portray the perfect life, I am here to show you how imperfectly I run this house. I know no one really thinks I do anything close to perfect but a reality check is always a good thing. Keeps us all grounded. 

I woke up to a dog with some funky skin thing going on. She is better after a bath and some medication but I spent the better part of an hour bathing dogs, washing dog beds and mopping floors. 

But alas the house still requires cleaning and laundry to be folded.

Dust bunnies of hair build up fast in this house. Shoes lie about until one of the kids does shoe duty. We are bad at kicking off our kicks wherever.

 I still haven't finished painting all the molding put up LAST year. I think I win the prize of being behind on projects.

I ate some of the leftover cake every day this week until it was gone. Help me I am weak.

I am now off to the dentist as my little one had one of her teeth shoved back up into her gum when the swing hit her in the face. It never ends, I am always putting out fires but at the end of the day if we are all still standing then none of this matters and life is still good. Not perfect but very good.

Linking to:
Wow Us Wed.
Raising Homemakers
Handy Man Crafty Woman

Garden Strata

I made us a simple supper strata for dinner the other night. I used up some mushrooms in the fridge and zucchini from the yard.

Garden Strata
Line the bottom of a quiche pan with thinly sliced potatoes. First butter or grease the pain though. I then layer with thinly sliced veggies I have. I used zucchini from my garden, chives and fresh parsley along with sliced mushrooms. I then whipped up five eggs with a little heavy cream I had leftover. Seasoned with salt and pepper. Before pouring on the egg mix, I sprinkled some grated Parmesan cheese. Cover with the egg and baked about 30 minutes at 375 degrees until a knife inserted came out clean.

Linking to:
Coastal Charm
Bowl Full of Lemons
Wow Us Wed.
Frugally Sustainable
Weekend Whatever Party
The Mommy Club

Flowers

Picked a jug of sunflowers, hollyhocks and black eyes Susan. I love a from the garden bouquet.

In a crock with cold water and we are set.

Hope you all had a wonderful Sunday with the dads in your lives. Ours was super low key with left overs from Saturday. My poor guy had to work very early on Sunday morning. A freeway crossing with power lines can only be done early A.M. on Sundays. He came home around 7:30 am with donuts. Oh man do I need to take a walk for hours to burn off the calories from this weekend.

Linking to:
Tabletop Tuesday
Coastal Charm
Cowgirl Up
Bowl Full of Lemons
BNOTP

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This is a sponsored post from BlogHer and Anheuser-Busch. It is intended for an adult (age 21 and over) audience only.

I had the chance to try the new Michelob Ultra Light Cider. Now I am not much of a drinker, never touch the hard stuff, dislike wine very much, but my hubby and I enjoy beer and cider very much. Nothing like enjoying a cold beverage on a summer evening.

So last weekend, at our ribfest barbecue, hubby and I tried some Michelob Ultra Light ice cold. You can drink it straight or over ice which is awesome as I usually savor my drink for a long time and having it iced will be great. It was very crisp, light and refreshing and let me tell you we were hot from a rough tournament of horseshoes. The flavor of apple is a nice change from the usual and adds a real crisp taste.

Michelob Ultra Light Hard Cider is naturally sweetened and made from hand picked apples which I love. Apples in anything is good to me. We love to make beer sausage where you cook smoked sausage in the crockpot for hours in beer, but I can see where this would be great for this recipe. The sausages would get a hint of apple. Cider sausages would be perfect for a fall gathering or tailgate party slathered with spicy mustard.

The cider was a wonderful treat and I could see us enjoying it whether at the beach camping or swimming with friends at a summer barbecue. I think I may bring this to the next barbecue we attend as a special surprise.

You can find out more at Michelob ULTRA Light Cider Page on BlogHer.com or visit the Sponsor's Site.

Sunny Simple Sunday #2

Welcome to Sunny Simple Sundays #2. We had another party here this weekend. Our daughters graduation and 21st birthday party combo. That is four parties in two months. We are exhausted. Lots of mile stones and celebrations but now we are done and the parties are over.

Here some shots of the chickens running amok in the yard before I guests arrived.

They love this old bench. It is a favorite resting spot.

My sister in law made this cute 21st birthday, graduation bucket for my daughter. She always makes the cutest things and wraps so creatively.

The graduate/birthday girl with her Star Trek cake. We are total nerds over here.

That blue frosting turned all of our teeth and lips blue.

Okay now it is time to join the simplest party in blog land. Just link up a post or whatever but make sure it is family friendly. Oh and I forgot. I will announce the winner from last weeks party tomorrow. I am so tired tonight that I need to get to bed.

Grow Chives

I have been growing chives for about 15 years and they are all from the same one plant I bought so long ago.

Here they survive all winter in the ground or a pot but I whack them back once a year in the winter. I rarely if ever buy green onions and just use fresh chives instead in recipes. You can use them by themselves or chopped up with a little minced onion. They divide easily and if you live in a cold region I am sure you could over winter them in a pot set in a sunny window.

They require just some water. I never feed them and they just keep going and growing. This year I have divided ones potted up away for Mother's day gifts.

Remember to join me tomorrow for Sunny Simple Sundays.

Linking to:
Sat. Night Special
Seasonal Sundays
Sunday's Best Party
BNOTP

A Night of Celebration

Here she is!! My girl has graduated and I was just so full of joy and emotion last night. We have had a couple of months of so many things to celebrate and my girls growing up and last night was the final celebration for our family. Our oldest is an R.N.

She has worked so hard and I have a lot of respect for these students. Their college experience is so much harder than mine was. You not only have to learn so much about medicine but you have to work so many hours in the hospital. I have a lot of respect for this girl of mine.

The ceremony was nice as a loved one was able to place the sash on each graduate. I loved being a part of her celebration.

Of course I was crying.

We are so proud. She wrote a touching tribute to all of us in the program and included the influence my parents had on her young life. That really choked me up. I know they were smiling down from Heaven.

We are so blessed and I am very thankful for this family. God has made our lives so full and rich and these moments we savor deeply. It is often chaotic here with the busyness of life but that is what it is all about.

Here she is with her grandparents. They have been there for every milestone in her life, the first born grand daughter.

Friends came to share in her special night.

All the young ones headed out to celebrate and Hubby and I headed home with Q. We put on your jammies and toasted one another. Life is good. I am full up today and so happy she made it through so well and has a bright future. Now she must study hard for her state boards. Congrats #1. You made it so.

The "make it so #1" reference comes from the Star Trek Next Generation series and we always watched the show when she was a tot and adopted that line for our oldest. Bunch of nerds over here.

Linking to:
Weekend Whatever

Graduation Day

My oldest has her graduation from nursing school tonight. Just hours after the stressed out thing takes her last final. Why is it when you have something special coming up and all that there has to be a power outage somewhere and my husband doesn't even get to come home at all last night. It is 6:00 am and he is still not home and I have no idea when he will get home if they will release him. I swear this happens before every vacation or big day we have planned.

So I am up at 4:30 am realizing he is not here still and always just a little worried about him. I am used to this sort of thing after 23 years of it but I will be tired today and he will be in a walking coma. I pray he gets sent home to have a nap and be able to somewhat enjoy what we have waited 21 years for. A child to be raised and done. I know she is not done but she has met a huge goal and I feel so very pleases as punch inside for her and for us so I just want him here and rested so we can savor that small moment when they call her name  and I get to place that pin on her scrubs. Thanking God for this special day in our lives. I am a bit weepy. Wish my folks were here. I miss them for the big things. She is named after my mom you know. There will always be a bond there between them. Okay lack of sleep is making me emotional. I will post pics tomorrow. We will be the family with the bags under our eyes.

Finally he came home and is tucked into bed for a little shut eye before the ceremony tonight. Thank God. I think I was a little emotional earlier. I am always worried when he is out for long hours on no sleep. Thanks for listening to me.

Homemade Laundry Stain Remover

I was so thrilled to find this recipe on ehow. I use a lot and I mean a lot of stain remover and the coupon deals have just not been there so I went in search of a recipe for one I could easily make. Now I try to keep things as natural in the house as I can but when it comes to laundry stains, I have to use the big guns with a lineman husband and a four year old.

This stain remover works GREAT!! I just cannot imagine buying premade again. It takes out blood from my daughter's scrubs and all manner of stains from the lineman. I even got chocolate milk out of a shirt today that Q managed to spill right after I told her to please not spill anything on her good shirt. Isn't that always the way?

So here it is:
Homemade Laundry Stain Remover
1 part Ammonia
1 part dish soap ( It called for Dawn but I had Joy, worked fine)
1 part water.

I just mixed in an old stain remover bottle.
Edit to add that I spray on and toss in on mild stains but I bring out the big scrub brush for tough stains. And a WARNING do not mix with bleach. Ammonia and bleach make a reaction that is very bad so I do not use this in a bleach load. Thanks to a reader for reminding me of this. I knew this but wanted to make sure you all do to. I have never had a problem but wanted to share this.


Linking to:
Katherine's Corner
Somewhat Simple
Delightful Order
Home Sweet Home
Show and Tell Friday
Frugal Friday
Weekend Whatever
Sat. Night Special
BNOTP
Raising Homemakers
Handy Man Crafty Woman

Frugal Challenge - You Know It's Summer When...

We break out the snow cone machine.

I bought this about ten years ago and it was a terrific purchase. I usually only buy one or two syrups and they last all summer. Ice of course is pretty cheap. Just open the ice maker.

This is a super low cost treat the kids can share when friends come over. I don't know if you have noticed but ice cream, even popsicles are outrageously priced these days.

A pack of colorful straws from the dollar store make slirpping fun.

We also make a lot of iced tea and lemonade. It is so much cheaper than store bought drinks. If I happen to grab some on sale the kids and their friends suck them down so fast. I always keep a jug of iced tea in the fridge and make lemonade if I know they are going to have friends over. We get free lemons from the inlaws.

You know it is summer when the cute hair styles start showing up. This is my 18 year old heading to school. Last day!!

Linking to:
The Mommy Club
Seven Thirty Three
Open House Party
Share Your Cup Thursday
Weekend Whatever