Tuesday, September 25, 2012

A nice beautiful Autumn Day

I know I've been on the quiet side for the last few month's.  So much going on and it's taken a toll on me.  Hope that doesn't mean I'm getting old!   Yesterday some of my daughters went with me to Iowa.  We visited the two LDS historical sites near us in Garden Grove and then on up and over to Mount Pisgah.  Both were way stations to the Mormon's fleeing Nauvoo, ILL. Then Mount Pisgah site is much more developed and is right off Hwy 169 which goes up into Winterset, Iowa which is centered on all the covered bridges in Madison county, Iowa.  We got a late start and one in our party wasn't feeling well so we only did the covered bridge in Winterset city park and then the Roseman Bridge headed back down Hwy 169 toward home.

It makes for a long day visiting all the sites but is a fun day trip.  I suggest packing a picnic lunch and eating at any of the area stops.  The Roseman Bridge is on the river and a picnic table and lots of mowed area's to picnic and they have a lovely gift shop.  Here is a link to the bridge map: http://madisoncounty.com/index.php?page=getting-here-around      And of course the one in Winterset park has all kinds of picnic areas and restrooms and they even have a lovely Pivet Maze you can go explore.

I've got a turkey who has decided it would rather roost outside the fenced chicken coop.  I finally got it to roost on top of the fenced roof area which is much to high for even me to reach.  But last night I went out just before it got dark and spent 45 minutes running like a fool to get them all in.  I'm hoping to do that the rest of the week and see if I can get him to willingly go into to roost.  I am just waiting for them all to fatten up and then we can butcher most of them.  I plan to leave a male and female turkey as a breeding pair and keep one rooster and about 8 hens and fill the freezer and canning jars with our own fresh meat.   About 6 of the hens will go up to my son in St Jo also.

I am still here and getting along but moving slower than I ever remember me doing!  Hoping I will recover and take off again real soon.  Need to get the garden done for the year.   So much to do and so little time and energy!  I know a little bit at a time, will get me done. Just need to slow down.

Hope you are all having a lovely Fall!
Cherlynn
brchbell@yahoo.com

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Getting back to normal

Had a wonderful trip to LA area for our son's wedding.  Loved his new in law's and brought home the brides twin sister and having fun with her also.  Still got lots to do but the dust will settle soon.

My friend Sylvia at Christian Homemakers gave me a great recipe for Apple Pie Filling that was gluten free.  It's so amazing!   Here is her site and she has a wealth of info for all to go through.  Hope you will go visit her site when you have time!  http://christianhomekeeper.org/

Apple Pie Filling
10 pounds tart apples – peeled, cored and sliced
5 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cup Clear jel
1 T. cinnamon
2-1/2 cups cold water
5 cups apple juice OR use water, its up to you.
1 tsp. nutmeg
3/4 cup bottled lemon juice
In this recipe you first want to boil your apple slices. This cooks the apples and keeps them from shrinking so much once they are cooked in the canner, and from making your jars look like they are missing some apples.
So bring a large kettle of water to a boil. Add about 1 quart of apple slices at a time and bring the water back to a boil. strain the apple slices out of the boiling water and add the next batch of apple slices. Keep the boiled apples covered while you are boiling the rest of them.
Once you’re done, you can empty out the water because you will need the kettle.
In your large kettle, preferably heavy-bottomed, add the sugar, Clear-Jel, nutmeg and cinnamon. Add the apple juice or water and stir. Turn up the heat and cook the mixture until it is thick, bubbly and smooth. Turn off heat.
Add the apple slices and lemon juice. Stir.
Fill hot jars 3/4 full of apples and syrup. Top of each jar with syrup to within 1 inch of the rim of the jars.
Run a plastic or rubber spatula around the inside of the jars to release air bubbles.
Clean off the rims with a clean, wet cloth.
Add lids and rings.
Water bath the jars for 25 minutes. Remove from pan and allow to sit on a dishcloth on the cabinet. Allow the jars to remain undisturbed over night.
Makes 6 or 7 quarts.

Hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Cherlynn
brchbell@yahoo.com