Four Farming: August 2020

Sunday, August 23, 2020

This Week...

Lake Lunch Date just hubbie and I

Garden blessing us each day with food

Preserving Squash (next weekend we'll preserve zucchini)

Home cooked vegetarian meals

Weekend Dessert

Arizona Sunrise

Finally Monsoons are here!

This week has been much of just the daily normal our life entails - farm animals, gardening, chores round the house, lake trips, home cooked meals, enjoying time with each other as a family. But what a blessing normal every day is. Our animals bring such joy. Our garden is constantly growing and providing food for us. The beauty in our area with its many lakes and hiking trails. And just being together as a family daily in this life is a huge blessing. Happiness and blessings are surrounding if we only seek them.

We were also able this week to get to the squash and preserve/freeze a bunch and able to bless another family with a huge bag of it. We love that we have enough for us and enough for others.

We thought Monsoon season had skipped us over only to have a few good storms the last few days- thankful for rain!

Vegetarian White Bean Skillet:

2 cans of white beans, 1/2 can of diced tomatoes, 1 can of artichokes, 2 tbps of sun dried tomatoes

Onion- garlic - oregano - thyme - salt - pepper

And 2 cups of kale last. - Served over rice /or pasta - or even by itself. We did it over rice with some crusty bread on the side.

Vegetarian "Beef" Stew:

Can you really say 'beef' stew when there's no meat in it? But hubbie swore this is exactly like beef stew, same great carrot onion flavor and gravy.

1 lb Mushrooms cut in chunky pieces, Baby Carrots, Baby Onions

1 cup vegetable stock & 3/4 cup vegetable stock mixed with 2 tbsp of flour to thicken sauce

1 tbsp tomato paste- thyme - pepper - garlic - 2 bay leaves

Cook mushrooms-baby carrots-baby onions in pan with small amount of oil for 5-10 minutes letting mushrooms release juices then add remaining ingredients (except bay leaves) - simmer for a few minutes then transfer to oven safe dish and add bay leaves - Bake for 40 minutes on 375 until carrots are to your liking. We like them semi firm, definitely not too soft- we baked for exactly 40 minutes and it turned out perfect.

Serve over mashed potatoes.

Mock Eclairs:

Every Saturday is dessert night...so this was ours last night. No bake - quick -easy - good.

1 lb. box graham crackers

1 can chocolate frosting

2 pkgs instant french vanilla pudding

1 small container of cool whip

3 cups of milk

*Due to the milk content already in the pudding and cool whip also does have a milk protein in it - I went with almond milk for the 3 cups of milk. Next time I may see if I can make this completely non-dairy.

Mix- pudding- milk- cool whip together. Layer in dish/pan graham cracker, pudding mix 2x then on the top the chocolate frosting. It says to fridge it over night- we did 12 hours and it turned out great.

Arizona sunrises never disappoint. So blessed to see this out my backyard each and every morning.

And finally!! Monsoons are here!

May you find blessings in your every day life. May you enter this week with a thankful and grateful heart for all you have in this life.

Sunday, August 16, 2020

August - Nature, Farm, Cooking - Life

Life Happenings...

Wednesday Picnic-Lake Day

Flowering beds & Tomatoes growing

Dessert Baking

Sunday Morning Girls Hike

Family Time

One of our favorite lakes to picnic at and walk around. Half the path around the lake is paved. Picnic tables all around. Families picnic, boat, kayak, fish. Its a perfect gorgeous area in the pines in the mountains.

Garden growth...tomatoes are getting larger, turning red. We planted 3 varieties. Cherry tomatoes, yellow ones that look pear shaped and regular sandwich tomatoes.

Flower bed update...blooming and growing like crazy. Daily we see bee's, humingbirds, butterflies, dragonflies and regular birds come visit.

Quick and easy after diner dessert...Mixed berry crumble.

Berries: use frozen or fresh, line bottom of pan.

Crumble: yellow cake mix, oats, chopped walnuts, melted butter stirred to a crumble - layer on top.

Bake in the oven at 350 for 40 minutes or until light golden brown. Serve with ice cream!

Sunday morning girls hike: After animals get fed on Sunday's our daughter and I have been hitting the trails together. Just short ones since summer heat is in full force even by 830 in the morning. But we need that weekly dose several times of nature and there are many trails surrounding us to choose from.

Living the blessed life daily. Finding happiness in every moment in every thing.

Sunday, August 2, 2020

Around the Farm - July

July flew by and now we are into the first few days of August. We've been working hard around here. Summers heat makes for more work with animals and gardening but we wouldn't have it any other way.

So in between working from home (at my actual paid job) I've been outdoors ensuring animals have water throughout the day, cleaning pens, watering our garden, weeding, and finding bounty our garden is providing. And when the temperatures rise too much to be outside too long there's always housework indoors. It never ends...but providing for our family in all the little ways makes my heart happy.

Aside from farm work...this last month we've ventured on nature trails, found an awesome little in town art store, had picnics but been rained out (monsoon season is here!) and played tennis too.

We finish our last month of 'summer school' in August to move onto officially starting the school year in September. Our son will be in 10th this year and is on track to graduate this year as well at 16. My heart can not imagine having no more children to homeschool. But I'm excited for what his future will bring and to see him grow into the man he will become. We are going into our 10th year of homeschooling! 10 years....a lifetime of awesome memories, adventures, bonding and time. I look back on these years and think my am I blessed. What a blessing to not only be a mother to two great kids but have had this time with them. To encourage them, support them, see them grow right before my eyes and have this strong bond and relationship with them because of the time we've had. I wouldn't trade that for the world and continually encourage others to look into homeschooling as well. Because its so much more then learning from home. Its a lifestyle. Its choosing a different path than normal but the outcome is truly amazing in how it can change your soul, your family, your everything. You never get time back. Never. Live fully each and every day. Make moments, make relationships a priority.

Picture updates....

Isn't this just magical? There's a bench overlooking this area off a trail our daughter and I walked, on a girls morning we had. We just sat and talked and took in the beauty here.