Around the Yard

Little man peering through our fence around the {very weedy!} garden.  We had to put up this fence to keep out our hens.  They apparently like asparagus as much as we do!  We will have a gate so they can get in when WE want them too! 

The hens. 

Some of them are molting, so they look a little bedraggled these days.  We are planning on getting some new chicks next week. 

Our third year rhubarb.  Hopefully we can pick as much as we like this year.  We did snag a little for a teeny rhubarb crisp last night.  Everyone got just a little helping.  Oh, it was so yummy!

Blue colored treasure I found in the chicken house!

Blooms on the strawberries already.  I'm not sure how long from bloom to berry...but my mouth waters just thinking of frest strawberries.  Even though picking them makes me itch..itch..itch!

And last but not least...asparagus.  This is only the second year for our asparagus, so we've only been able to pick a few of the bigger spears.  We all {well, most!}  like it, so it gets gobbled up quickly!  I found directions to roast it with a little olive oil, salt, pepper, and parmesan cheese.  Very easy and saves trying to stir fry it and keep it the perfect doneness all at the last minute.

And that is what all is going on in our backyard!

Can you tell that we have lots of little boys around here? 

I love to hang clothes outside.  I just never know if I should take the time away from school to hang things out.  I just can't resist in the early spring when I've used a clothes rack and dryer all winter long.

  {So, I use the time as a break for me} 

Get the children working on something..slip outside for a few minutes...take in the beautiful spring sunshine and a few deep breaths...head back in refreshed!

This Ain't Your Ordinary Grocery Dozen

Alternately Titled:

~Why I Love Farm Fresh Eggs~

or

~This Makes Me Anxious For Our Hens to Grow Up~

or

~Some of These Eggs are so Big, The Lid Won't Close Properly~

or

~I Hope Our Araucanas Are Good Blue-Egg Layers~

Rhubarb Shortcake

*Updated with Recipe*

I know some of you are are dragging your mouse over to that little red x in the upper corner just as fast as you possibly can.  Shivering, cringing and saying, "Oh, yuck, how can they eat that stuff?"

For us, it's a cause for a celebration.  Our first rhubarb harvest.  Ever. Exciting?  We think so! 

I made the Rhubarb Shortcake recipe that hubby always had growing up.  I decided to make a recipe that I know he likes and asks for because this may very well be the only harvest we get this year.  Don't want to pull too much and damage the plants for next year.  But I do have this thought running through my head: my mother has ginormous plants, so maybe I'll be able to beg a little from her.

Don't you want to have a bowl full of this sugary goodness topped with some vanilla ice cream?  Yum!  I'm thinking it will complement our crockpot roast and potatoes quite nicely.

And if I get a hold of more rhubarb?  I'll be making Rhubarb Crunch.  A recipe more like a crisp than a cobbler.  I'm thinking I need to get out and hoe some weeds around my rhubarb to work off the calories ahead of time!

*Rhubarb Shortcake

4 c. diced rhubarb      2 level Tbsp flour

1 1/2 c. sugar     1/4 tsp nutmeg (opt.)

Spread evenly into 7x11 baking dish.

1 1/2 c. flour     5/8 c. milk

3/4 c. sugar     1/4 tsp. salt

2 tsp. baking powder     1 egg

1/4 c. oil    

Mix well.  Spread over rhubarb and bake at 350* for about 35 minutes.

*I leave out the nutmeg. 

*I cut the sugar in half and it's still good.  But we've gotten used to less sugar over time.  



Old MacDonald Had a "Farm"

~The newest residents~

They have settled right in and are busy pecking at their food and water!

This is a new experience for us.  We have jumped into the world of "we gotta get home to do chores."  These chicks will hopefully make their contribution to our breakfasts in a few months.  The children are excited {me too!}.  Now to get the chicken house fix-up complete so they don't have to spend too long in a Dell box.  :)

All Things Strawberry

I'm so grateful today that my aunt went away for a long weekend and left her berry patch to me ~

~~ Brings back many memories~~

~we had a strawberry stand at the end of our lane, I think I started picking at about eight years old~

~many hours in the field, sometimes chatting more than picking (sorry, Lisa!), eating a few berries along the way... don't think I ever intentionally picked berries with white tips because I knew that Ivan would NOT be impressed~

~one year it rained every morning for 2 weeks right in the middle of berry season..the lesson my mom taught me that year was that if you say you're going to do a job, you do it. Even if you have to wear trash bags to keep dry~

~the excited feeling of being promoted to "working in the stand" instead of having to pick~

~itchy arms~

~early glow, red chief, sparkle...the varieties are still floating around in my head!~

~the race on a really good picking day to see if anyone could actually pick 100 quart. I think I did it once~

~~~~~~~~

I tried a new jam recipe...I did this one last year except I used 1 c. white sugar. In my quest to reduce sugar intake, I decided to try sucanat. It worked and tastes just as delicious!

Layer in food processor:

2 1/2 c. sliced berries

1/4 c. sucanat

1 1/2 Tbsp instant clear jel

Repeat

Let sit a few minutes for the sucanat to start dissolving...then pulse until it's mixed and it is the consistency that you like. This tastes like pureed fresh strawberries...yyyuuummm!

Put in containers and freeze.

This won't keep as long in the fridge as sure-jell recipes...probably because it doesn't have whatever is in sure-jell to preserve it. But it's less sugar and that's a good thing in my book!

My Dearest...

...admiring the beautiful blooms on our viburnum. Planted outside the back door so that we could enjoy the marvelous smell in the spring. I catch little snitches of the smell when I'm working in the kitchen. Aaaahhhh, spring!

{and yes, that is a pair of training undies hanging to dry on the railing! If you need further explanation of what we're learning at our house, just ask!}

All in a Day's Work

When the snow goes away...just build your house out of block.

We have some pavers out back that we're going to {eventually} use to finish up the stone wall/posts around our house. The children have spent hours lifting and building...all to make a house that they can all three barely fit into without poking each other in the face. They're pleased as can be!

{And mom is thankful that there hasn't been any more injuries other than a few scrapes here and there!}

We spent Saturday afternoon working in the yard. Extremely windy day. Not a good day to convince myself that I do like to work in the flowerbeds. But it does look better, and I am glad now that we made the effort! L and BigM had a grand time playing in the wagon full of brush/weeds. They were great help too. I wouldn't have wanted to do the work by myself.

This is the latest grin that I get when say "Smile!" Oh, how I love this little cheese!

Planting Garden

Today we were able to plant garden. What a beautiful day it was!

My sweet hubby...tilling the soil

Little Toad Friend

We obviously didn't get all of the onions out last fall...so now we have green onions that were growing. How fun to have garden produce in April!

Watering the cabbage

We must be crazy..we planted 2 rows of onions. Red and white ones this time. You'd think we'd learn our lesson after not using all of the onions last year. But the motivation to plant alot is great this time of year. It's only later that reality sets in!

Little M brought me flowers and then was too stubborn to let me take his picture.



A sure sign of Spring...dandelions on the windowsill!

After a busy day of planting garden, sweeping out vehicles, laundry, and grilling out steak, we took the kids to Culver's for a frozen treat!

Around Our Home

Today is such a beautiful, invigorating day. Spring seems so much more likely when it actually IS officially spring, it's warm, and the sun peeps out.

Anticipation

Studying

Laundering

(don't mind the stringy towels..we've been married almost 12 yrs and those towels have seen a lot of showers!)

Creativity

(L with her 'Stellan will Live' bracelet...she has such a concern for baby Stellan. Every once in a while she'll come to me and ask if Stellan's heart is still beating too fast. Check out his story here and please pray!)

A little sweetness to bless my family with!