From the kitchen...A new recipe , Pineapple Zucchini sheet cake with cream cheese frosting from over at http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/07/stop-the-presses Chocolate Zucchini cake from www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/chocolate-zucchini-cake-recipe, pork chops www.kraftcanada.com/en/recipes/pork-chop-stuffing-bake-107009.aspx , broccoli and twice stuffed baked potatoes...mmmmm

I am wearing...Blue jeans,3/4 sleeve shirt, cowboy boots

I am remembering...my Grandmother and all the wonderful days spent with her and her wonderful fox berry commodores.

I am going…to the vet

I am reading...lots of interesting blogs and cook books

I am hoping...for a sun shinny weekend

On my mind…Allot...

I am creating...time for myself

I am hearing...birds chirping, a cricket in the house and my Jack Russel snoring loudly

Noticing that…my baby chicks are all grown up, they are also the most friendly chicks I have ever raised,yesterday when I arrived home they all stormed over to the car and 4 jumped in before I could get out,crazy chickens!

Pondering these words…Lost time is never found again.
Benjamin Franklin


Around the house...getting ready for a afternoon of baking

One of my favorite things...riding the horses with hubby,absolutely love it!

A few plans for the rest of the week..more horse riding,getting more hay, a trip to the cottage

Pickle time & Party time

Today I'm making my first batch of pickles of the year.
They are my very favorite,sweet mustard pickles...
This is a two day process,peel,seed,slice,chop,add onion,salt and drain overnight,rinse,drain,make sauce,bring to boil,bottle....
Always worth it though.

Things around here have been busy, I'm planning a surprise birthday supper for hubby,shhh,it will be wonderful.
It will be at the cottage which is ocean side.
I'm having a big outdoor fall harvest supper with home grown turkey,veggies,ice cream cake and homemade pies.
Our guest are staying the night so it will be so much fun, going for boat rides and just relaxing on a crisp fall day, pray we have good weather!!

Back to more planning....

Around the farm

Around the farm today....all the baby's are growing up....

MMMM Granola

Today is the day for a fresh batch of Granola,you can omit anything you don't like as well as add what you do like.

Here is my current batch of granola's ingredients,

2c Flaked coconut
2c Golden raisins
2c Sultana raisins
2c Dried cherries
2c pumpkin seeds
2c dried cranberries
1c sunflower seeds
4c large flake rolled oats
2c spelt flakes
2c kamut flakes
2c rye flakes
1c red hard bran
1c cashews
2c wheat germ
1c brown flax seed
2c peanuts
1/2c kasha- toasted buckwheat
2c slivered almonds

1/2 c brown sugar
1c honey
1/2c veg oil

add as much as you need to just coat, do not make wet, you may need more then one mixture.

mix all dry ingredients, leaving out the dried fruit put in roaster, coat with honey mixture, bake in roaster in 325 oven stirring frequently, bake for app 30 mins until just golden, be careful not to burn.
take out of oven and add fruit, stir to distribute evenly.
when cool package in zip lock bags or mason jars, can be kept in freezer.

I have added apple, apricot,pineapple etc before,any dried fruit you like will work.
you can also add a touch of cinnamon.

Today

Outside my window...Rain,beautiful much needed rain

I am thinking...about a upcoming wedding,making supper and that I should take some time to go read my book

I am thankful for...my husbands support on everything from everyday life to our farm journey

From the kitchen...enchiladas for me, chili for hubby

I am wearing...Blue jeans,T-shirt, cowboy boots

I am remembering…life at the lake and renovating our farm house

I am going…out for lunch and coffee with hubby

I am reading...Diary of a Dirty old Man H.Gordon Green,this book is not what you would think,it's about farming,H Gordon Green is responsible for bringing the Belted Galloway cow and Landrace pigs to Canada.

I am hoping...to go for a ride on Fancy this week

On my mind…making supper,calling my hay dealer about straw

I am creating...a surprise birthday supper for hubby

I am hearing...Rain, roosters and Rose my budgie chattering away...

Noticing that…it's almost the end of summer

Pondering these words…“Life is too short not to make the best and the most of everything that comes your way everyday.”

Around the house...all the dogs and cats are sleeping

One of my favorite things...down time with hubby

A few plans for the rest of the week...haying,bookwork,cottage