It's Official.

I have yammered on 500 times.  Of course, that is no surprise to those who know me.  But this blog has just been a joy for me - sharing the chaos of my life with those nice readers who have managed to stick with me through all the eye-rolling events.  I swear it's like a warm, virtual hug.

So, to thank you all for being there when I needed you, for listening to my rants and musings, for propping me up when I sagged, I am having a Whambang Giveaway!

I had picked out six great reads for homesteaders* (and homesteaders-at-heart), when Jordan donated a seventh great book!  It is now the Whambang-est Giveaway!!!  The books will be given away over seven days to seven lucky winners.  Here's how it works:

Each day leave a comment about the topic du jour.  You do not have to 'like' me on Facebook, since I never go there.  You do not have to stick me with a Pinterest (ouch).  Just leave a comment on the topic.  Or within spitting distance of the topic.  Starting today and for the next six days, I will choose a winner from each day's comments for the book of the day and announce the winner the next day.  (Cut-off time for each day's entry is midnight.)  Clear as mud?  You have SEVEN chances to win!  Here's the line-up:

Today:

Simply in Season (World Community Cookbook) - a wonderful collection of recipes by the season, using seasonal food.  I sat down with it to mark my favorites with Post-it notes and, when I was done, the top of the book looked like a neon porcupine!

Day #2

The Gentle Art of Domesticity - Although there is nothing gentle about MY domesticity, this is a lovely little book with lots of beautiful colors and ideas.

Day #3

The Backyard Homesteader - How I LOVE this book!  Backyard or back-forty, this book has so much great information in it, you may not need another book ever!

Day #4

Sew U - The Built by Wendy Guide to Making Your Own Wardrobe - It has patterns and everything!  It's great for both novice and experienced sewers. 

Day #5

The Encyclopedia of Country Living - aka The Homesteader's Bible.  There is nothing more I can add - this book can see you through the apocalypse.  Zombies?  No problem.  'Possum for dinner?  Covered.  (If not, it should be - you never know...)

Day #6

Thanks to Jordan, we now have a very well-rounded selection of must-have books!  I have used How to Build Animal Housing as a reference countless times.  There are tons of ideas and clear instructions in this book.

Day #7

The book I couldn't put down.  Joel Salatin's Foks, this ain't normal.  I can't say more than I've already said.  And even that's not enough.

Today's Topic:  What was your most 'local' meal?  (Mine was a salad from my garden, roast lemon chicken (both home-raised), with my potatoes, my green beans, and topped off with baked apples from my neighbor, with maple syrup from another neighbor and homemade butter from my Jasmine...)  Leave your comment below to be entered in the drawing for Day #1's book!

So, there you are.  And thank you, again, for letting me go on and on and on.  I send you all a virtual hug!  And, if you're ever in the neighborhood, stop by for a real one. xoxo

*Disclaimer:  I am NOT MaryJane, Martha or Ree, so these are most likely gently used books - there are no sponsors coming out of the cupboards...I am just helping spread the word.

What's been cookin' and what's comin' up.

Besides the usual - tomatoes, tomatoes, tomatoes, tomatoes - I made the delicious vegetable gratin that was on Tom's wonderful blog, Tall Clover Farm.  It was amazing!  Notice, I used the past tense, as I have et it all.  I added some chopped kale - I caught my neighbor throwing it to the chickens, silly person.  He grew it then refused to eat it.  So far, I've canned diced tomatoes, salsa, heirloom tomato sauce and ketchup.  I am working on another batch of heirloom sauce and will tackle the half-bushel of tomatoes I felt I HAD to pick this past Saturday, during the week.  I usually raw pack whole tomatoes as it's easier and I can use it in everything.  I do go through a lot of canned tomatoes.  Since someone asked about my ketchup recipe, here it is.  It's from my favorite canning book, Growing and Canning Your Own Food by Jackie Clay:

          1 Gallon chopped, peeled, cored tomatoes
          1 Cup chopped onion
          1 Cup sugar (I use brown sugar)
          1 Tbsp. canning salt
          1 Tbsp. paprika
          1-1/2 Cups vinegar (either white or cider)

          Spice bag:
          1-1/2 Tsp. celery seed
          1 stick cinnamon
          1 Tsp. mustard seed
          1/2 Tsp. cloves

     Combine tomatoes and onion in a large pot.  Simmer until tender.  Puree in a food mill.  Cook down until thick and reduced by half, stirring frequently to prevent scorching.  Add sugar, salt, paprika, and spice bag with spiced tied in it.  Simmer 25 minutes, stirring frequently.  Remove spice bag.  Add vinegar and simmer until thick, stirring frequently.  Ladle hot ketchup into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch of headspace.  Wipe rim of jar clean; place hot, previously simmered lid on jar, and screw ring tight.  Process for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath canner.

*Note:  This book gives you recipes to can EVERYTHING.  It also has great tips on growing fruits and vegetables.  And it is spiral-bound, which I find to be a very good thing.  The only drawback with this book is its lack of an index, which leads me to a lot of page flipping, trying to find a recipe.  I was forced to litter the top with sticky notes.

I also -- are you sitting down? -- made a GF bread that I LOVE!  (Kim - take notes...)  Kay told me about it and, figuring that she isn't even on a GF diet so it must be special, I bought a package.  It's Bob's Red Mill  GF Hearty Whole Grain Bread - it's packed with goodness:  buckwheat, garbanzo bean flour, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, cocoa, whole grain sorghum flour, molasses, caraway seeds, teff - I tell you, I baked this baby, cooled it, sliced it, slathered on some mayo and topped it with a thick slab of heirloom tomato.  Heaven!

I dug up one planting of my fingerling potatoes and was disappointed.  I believe that the combination of my straw experiment (FAIL) and the prolonged drought conditions made for a poor showing on the tater front.  Next year, it's all dirt and hopefully we won't repeat the drought.  I still have two more fingerling plantings, one purple and another Yukon Gold.  I took all of the little rejected fingerlings, parboiled them with garlic and then smashed them with a little butter and Asiago cheese, spread them on a foil-lined pan and roasted them for a half-hour.  Knock me flat and lift me up!  That was a little bit of heaven. 

My poor Pearlies spent the entire night on the roof again - in the rain.  I will now have to come up with some way to afford them shelter, the little nuts.  Then they all (except for Lonesome George) went into the coop, ate breakfast and went to sleep.  LG somehow always misses the fact that the rest leave and then he carries on for the longest time until one of the group gets tired of hearing him and sticks its head out and peeps at him.  He runs to join the group and then peace descends.  Oy.

What's coming up?  A very special anniversary!  I slipped yesterday when I was writing the post --  my computer hiccuped and it was accidentally (and very briefly) posted, then deleted.  I didn't mean to tease you, really I didn't.  I am planning something BIG to celebrate my 500th post!  With the way I carry on, it won't be long.....