Mid-September

 As we hit mid-September we know its going to be October before we know it. Its still been in the upper 80's nearing 90 but the weather indicates we should be on the cool down for Fall in the next few weeks. All the seeds are in the ground although it would have been better to get a sooner start than September but none the less the warm days and cooler nights have been just right for everything to sprout. Animals are doing well and always a joy as is the outdoor work and gardening. Pens are being finished and prepped for winter, new chickens are settling in. Life is busy around the house but the busy of our home brings huge blessings. Daily life is never a bore around here!

Life lately....

Sweet MaryAnn kitty....

Baby girl kitten #1 got fixed last week and is recouping inside and getting lots of love. Pretty sure we have a loving home all set for her too!

Scarlett pig has decided its more comfy to sleep UNDER the bed vs on it.

Sweet boys in the early morning together.

The front garden is still producing. New flowers are still blooming daily.

At the side yard we have finally gotten our fall seeds all planted. Rows and some beds.

Brussels and Mums.

Chard came up first.

Cauliflower next.

Winter bush beans finally. (and still awaiting other veggies we've planted)

Sunflowers all taking their turns drying out then we harvest the seeds. Some for us, some for the pigeons as a treat.

Weekly Sunday hikes just me and my girl. Different trails and lakes to explore.

Looking up receipts to use up the zucchini harvest. We've preserved a lot, gifted a lot to friends and have eaten a lot! This recipe was SO good. (we made it vegetarian and opted out of the bacon, went for vegan butter, vegetable broth and coconut cream to thicken - there are always substitutes you can make to make a meal meat-free)

Doesn't look so great....but tasted SO good!

 

 

Awaiting fall and cooler days. Leaves are already changing and the overnights and mornings are crisp. 

Farm Work

Happenings this last week: Its been a stay at home kind of week filled with lots of farm work going on...building animal pens, cleaning outdoors, gardening work. But its been great.

 The kids and I did venture out on Thursday to run a couple errands and have lunch at the park. Petsmart, Petco, In & Out, Library and Sprouts. Then hubbie and I went to home depot over last weekend to grab some compost and manure along with a few flowers and a hose for the fall garden.

A non- busy work afternoon last week gifted me 3 hours to spend outdoors by myself and it was glorious - a little hot but still wonderful. I got a shade set up in Ro's new pig pen which her chicken-duck friends are enjoying and secured a roof on the chickens enclosure area as well. I cleaned out Scarlett's house/igloo stuffing it with new straw since the overnights have been getting chilly and cleaned the chicken coop in her pen as well.  After animals I marked off our fall garden in the field, and dug half of the rows. A little watering and some kitten-cat petting time and I called it an afternoon and went inside. 

Lately in the evenings a few days a week, hubbie and I have been working for an hour outside before the sun goes down as well. Working, watching the kittens play, chatting. I love that we have that passion together to garden, homestead, have animals, and work together in that way. I love that over the years as our passions and interests and hobbies have changed and grown, they've grown together and we've grown together. We truly enjoy spending time together doing the things we love. 

Ro-Ro girl. 2 1/2 years old!

Ro and Rusty checking out the new bird friends together.

One of our new chickens is not the smartest of the bunch. He got stuck inside an old coop we don't use and was making a ruckus staring out the window at everyone else getting fed and couldn't figure out how to get out to join the group.

We have a new pigeon. Just showed up one day and never left. Super friendly - unfortunately no bands so would be difficult to find an owner.

Baby kittens are growing bigger...and growing in cuteness!

Harvested and roasted sunflower seeds this week.

New flowers are still blooming in our front flower bed.

Farm work is fun work with our family.

Hello September

 The mornings have been getting cooler and its definitely welcomed. It feels like we are just on the brink of fall arriving. When I asked the kids what their favorite season is everyone agreed....FALL. Sweater weather, cooler weather but not cold, pumpkin season, holiday season, the change of leaves. We don't typically hike a lot in the spring and summer due to the heat and our son's allergies so once Fall hits we hit the trails consistently even through winter. When everyone else is ready to stay indoors we are getting out and about even more.

We are a little late on fall garden planting but luckily in Arizona we can still get everything into the ground in September even the items should have been done last month so this weekend we worked on laying out plans, getting area's prepped and some seeds planted as well. We'll continue to get it done this week. 

Fall plantings will include: Spinach, Lettuce, Kale, Chard. Pumpkins, Winter Squash. Broccoli, Cauliflower, Cabbage. Fall Bush Beans. And possibly turnips, radishes, carrots.

 The last week or so we have been gardening, tending to our farm animals, working, schooling, hiking, having picnics downtown, visiting our library, enjoying family time and home cooking good meals. Life is good and we are blessed. 

Some photos of the last few weeks....

Downtown picnic

 Our sweet 'MaryAnn' kitty....she loves waiting on the front porch to follow us around during animal and garden chores.

Sweet 'big pig' Scarlett aka grumpy face. Breakfast time and cooling off in her mud pool looking like a hippo girl.

Pumpkin growth

Morning glories taking over the lattice in the front -

Newly adopted chickens and 1 duck. 7 regular size hens, 2 bantam hens, 1 sweet duck. Names to come!

Our pups. Rusty enjoying his new old dog orthopedic bed. And Ernie taking over my spot in the bed.

Girls hike every Sunday morning....

Looking forward to enjoying Fall.

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.