Peaceful Acres

Ehrlichiosis~Can you spell that without looking???

peacefulacres — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 21:30:59 +0000

Symptoms

If a tick infected with ehrlichia or anaplasma bites you, the following flu-like signs and symptoms may appear within five to 14 days of the bite:

Mild fever
Headache
Muscle aches
Nausea
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Cough
Joint pain
Confusion
Rash — rare in adults, but more frequent in children

This is one of the infections I’ve tested positive for. The last few days have not been quite right and I suspect it’s Ehrlichia. Not a pleasant one to have visit me right now. I was doing so well….and now this. I’m having a lot of the Chronic Fatigue stuff with it and as I’ve learned the last three years, the best thing to do is rest. So if you don’t hear from me it’s because I’m resting. I just don’t feel like doing anything.

It’s funny this disease. As you heal from one infection then just like the layers of an onion you peel it to find another layer. Yuck! I guess that’s why I needed an early mental health day yesterday….I guess I could go see another movie? Na, it costs toooooo much….$8 bucks for a 11 AM show!!! That’s highway robbery.

I did manage to get all my potatoes dug and my cabbage cut this AM. I’ll have to post pics another time…I don’t feel good.

Mama Mia!

peacefulacres — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:42:40 +0000

I needed my mental health day early this week so I went to the movies on Wednesday. When we went to see “Prince Caspian” we saw the preview for Mama Mia! I knew it was one that I had to see. I’m really not a big fan of musicals like Honey & Becca, but this one struck a cord with me. I love Greece…not the movie…the country! It’s so romantic and beautiful.

I went to the 11:00 AM matinée. Mostly women my age…middle age…OK, a little past middle…..and your point is??…..and a couple older ladies and even a few older men, one young guy with his girl and a lady with small children. It was the ladies my age who were laughing and giggling and I could feel it in the air…just wanted to jump out of our seats dancing!!!

The scenery was gorgeous! I come alive when I’m surrounded with color like that. And the music was fun. I needed this for some inspiration and motivation. My favorite scene was, “Dancing Queen”. All the women of the Greek island dropped whatever they were doing; round ladies, skinny ladies, old ladies and young ladies. They danced to the dock and wiggled and giggled, danced and sang. They were alive and so happy to be women!

A couple of us couldn’t help but break out with a clap or two at different scenes…it felt like we were there on the island in Greece. I think a few of us think we were there or at least in our dreams tonight we will be!

This was also one of my favorite scenes. This is the day of Sophie’s wedding and she’s sitting in her Mama’s lap while having her toe nails painted. It was quite a teary scene for me with my Becca leaving home in just over 1 month from now. I love my girl! She’s so precious to me….and she’s only got a one way ticket to Germany as of now. We don’t know what will happen….she doesn’t know what will happen…so we will kiss her good bye and I think life as we know it will never be the same. But that’s how it is. We birth them, we tuck them in and when we turn around they get on a jet plane and fly away. A great scripture reminds me that arrows in the hands of a warrior are to be released.

Ok it might have been a cheesy movie for middle aged women…but so what? There were a few objectionable items, but over all it was just a cute movie….and I liked it. I’m still singing “Dancing Queen”! and I just might skip to the garden tomorrow and wiggle my rear while digging potatoes!!!!!

I love being alive!

Delish Blueberry Muffins!

peacefulacres — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 13:23:47 +0000

This is my blueberry muffin recipe that I’ve used for over 20 years. I do not know where I found the recipe but my family always puts in a request during blueberry season. Our berries are almost spent….I still have at least a cup or two left to ripen…so this is a farewell to blueberries until next year.

Delish Blueberry Muffins

by Diane Coe

2 C Sifted All Purpose Flour

1/2 tsp salt

4 tsp Baking Powder

2 tsp Cinnamon

Sift dry ingredients together in separate bowl. Set aside.

6 Tbsp Butter-Melted

2 Lg Eggs

1/2 C Sugar

Beat Sugar & Eggs together. Add melted butter and milk. Mix well. Briefly stir in the dry ingredients. Don’t over mix. Fold in gently just until blended.

2 1/2 C Blueberries mixed with 3 Tbsp of flour just to cover

Fold blueberries into batter.

Coat muffin pan with spray oil or use muffin papers. Drop by the heaping Tbsp into tins 3/4 full. Sprinkle a little sugar on the tops of the muffins. Bake 20-25 min’s at 450*F.

Makes 16 muffins.

ENJOY!

This recipe can be altered to be more healthy friendly by substituting with WW pastry flour, raw butter and maple syrup.

Fewee!

peacefulacres — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 18:09:50 +0000

My garden is busting at the seams! Today I made a batch of fermented salsa. Now, I’m truly not a salsa gal, but when I tasted this stuff….well, I ate a bowlful before I put the lid on to ferment! It is absolutely great! See the recipe at the end of this post. I ate it with these marvelous chips that Mother Linda brought to my attention. My family loves these chips now and refuses to eat anything else. They are prepared using the ancient Aztec method of stone ground corn soaked in lime made into a dough called Nixtamal. Then they are baked thin and crispy and using no hydrogentated oils! See everything that’s good for us is worth the wait.

Tomatillos, tomatoes and Jalepeno for salsa

They carry them in our local health food store! Lucky us.

I also made my first batch of brine sour pickles from Sandor Katz book, Wild Fermentation. The jar was pretty packed and I didn’t have anything to weight the cucs down….Sandor suggests using a rock….I asked my Honey if he had any ideas and he said, “how about a rock”! So, I got the rock that I brought home from VA that Ben used to sharpen his knife before he went out on his adventure hiking the Appalachian Trail for 4 days. I washed it well and then boiled it for 10 min’s…then I popped it in the freezer to cool it down. I pushed it on the top of the cucs and covered it with a paper towel held in place by a rubber band. Now to check them daily and let them sit for a couple 2-4 weeks! Can’t wait!

I also made up the last fresh batch of blackberry cobbler! I froze several quarts of berries for cobbler later this winter….oh won’t that be good in Dec or Jan! It will taste like summer and hopefully give us something to look forward to during the long winter.

Now a batch of blueberry muffins as per the request of my daughter Becca! Since she’s leaving for Germany in 1.5 months I am trying to meet all her little requests. After all she’s going to miss Thanksgiving and Christmas with us, and her 24th birthday. Besides that, I really do love serving my family and bringing them simple joys even if it is food. I never rewarded my kids with food when they were young and they’ve never had weight problems. Becca has been a part time athlete this summer and dropped to a size 2!!!!!!!! Make me sick. I think I was a 2 when I was 2! Period. Never again in my life!!!!

I just came in from pulling my onions….2 bushel!!! My first onions ever and I am so tickled! Thank you Melinda over at The Growing Challenge!!! By this little challenge she presented I was motivated to try new things and to push myself to the limits. I think I did. With this came motivation that I needed to come out of this “coma” I’ve been in with the Chronic Lyme Disease. I found a great quote embroidered on a sampler and could kick myself for not buying it…

“When I awoke, life was dusty.”

That so describes my life during this battle. But I am living proof that there is life after Lyme! Never, never, never give up!

The onions are drying this afternoon and then will cure for a few weeks. I’ll keep them in the basement when it rains, then I’ll put them back out under a shade tree. Here’s a good reference on curing onions.

I also blanched a batch of green beans to freeze.

I love the emerald green color when they are blanched. They are so pretty.

Sandy’s Fermented Salsa

(don’t ask me who Sandy is I have NO earthly idea, but it’s her recipe!)

2# Tomatillos or Tomatoes

1/2# onion

8-10 cloves of garlic

4 Jalepeno (2 seeded)

1/2 C cilantro

1/4 tsp cumin

2 Tbsp lime juice

2 Tbsp Celtic Sea Salt

1/4 C whey

Process in food processor and pack in canning jar. Leave on counter for 2 days. Then refrigerate and enjoy!

Makes approx. 1.5 Qts

My Tasha Shawl

peacefulacres — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 11:48:22 +0000

I love knitting. The rhythm is peaceful and predictable. I can watch TV or listen to the radio or even my herbal lessons on the Herb Mentor. It’s relaxing and allows me to unwind from the business of the day. I was motivated by the death of Tasha Tudor a few weeks ago to finally knit the shawl that I so often admired on her. It’s a simple pattern once you get the hang of it…simply knitting each row…with a lace stitch on the ends. Once completed you knit a lovely lacy scalloped edge to it.

It wraps around the shoulders like a comfy sweater. I’ve used it a few times already when I’ve grown chilly in the AC, even though we keep our home at a comfortable 77*F, sometimes while just sitting I need some warmth over my shoulders. I can’ t wait to wear it this winter. Now to find a lovely shawl pin to go with it.

My Truly Tasha Shawl

I made it with a buttery yellow wool that surprisingly does not scratch me!

I still need to block it

Don’t look toooo closely, as you will defintely find mistakes….I like the way of the Amish. I make mistakes because Only God is truly perfect…and what’s the fun in being perfect anyway?

I leave it draped over the back of “my” chair so I can pull it on when I need to. It’s a true keeper!

Eat What is Good

peacefulacres — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 12:40:19 +0000

This is what I get to see when I’m up early. Saturday I was out working by 6:30 AM trying to beat the heat of the day, and I looked across the street at the old barn….the moon was still above the horizon. I ran to get my little point and shoot Nikon, Coolpix. It delights me to see the splendor of God in nature. I look for His evidence everywhere. Scripture tells us that if we do not praise Him, the rocks will cry out…I’m amazed that even creation knows it’s Creator! As I’m working in my garden, I give out little shouts of praise for the amazing things I see. How a tiny seed can fall to the ground and sprout up into a beautiful flower that no one intentionally planted. I had one of these surprises on Saturday as I was working, I spotted a lemon balm plant that transplanted itself some 25-35 feet and in JUST the right place along the fence line. I found volunteer Mullein in JUST the right places of my new herb garden! I celebrate this marvel with thanks to the Creator and whispers of joy! Scripture tells us that “he makes it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower, and bread for the eater.” Isaiah 55:10

One verse that lead me to the diet I’m now eating as a “cure” for the Chronic Lyme Disease that exist in my body is the one promoted by the Weston A. Price Foundation and written about by Sally Fallon in “Nourishing Traditions“. It’s found in Isaiah 55:2

“Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.”

This diet is truly the richest of fare…grassfed meats, raw dairy including butter & cream. Fermented foods that are life giving with probiotics. Chicken skin that is loaded with Omega 3 fatty acids that doesn’t burn….and thus my skin doesn’t burn either. You are what you eat…ever hear that??? Of course you have. What you sow, thus shall you reap! What goes into an engine is what gives it power. And it was this scripture that directed me to eat only what is good. As a result my body is healing. I still have bad days when the neurotoxins and biotoxins are overwhelming my body, but that’s a matter of detoxing and flushing them out. Each day I see manifestations of God’s power in my life. I see His desire for me and for my well being. How Great Is Our God!

So Welcome To My Garden!

Volunteer Mullein

I spent 3 hours cutting an edge on my herb garden. I planted a new bee balm which is my all time favorite herb!

I was so tickled to find my first Indian Eggplant! When I was in India, I learned to love eggplant. They have these tiny little eggplants and I found mine from The Cook’s Garden. And I just put in my order for seeds to plant in my hoophouse this winter. And to put in a second crop of beets and greens before our first frost…Oct 16 (my b-day)!

Isn’t the contrast beautiful? God planted these little Zinnias around my cabbage. Pink & Green who would have thought!

I love having flowers in the garden. They attract bees of all kinds for pollination.

I planted the marigolds, but the Zinnias are all volunteer!

I picked about 5 pounds of green beans the other day and a pound on Sunday. They are so sweet and delish! Boomer, our lab LOVES green beans. I don’t know how he knows, but he smells them and begs on the other side of the fence. I throw him a couple and he is soooo happy!

The corn is to die for!!!! Even though the crows picked through the small plants, what I salvaged is just out of this world sweet!!!!!!!

Some of the corn is over 8 Feet tall!!!!!!!!!!

Jalepeno are ready as well as the Tomatillos. I didn’t plant any Cilantro but today while I’m out I’ll pick up some at the health food store. Can you say SALSA!!!

Then to my surprise I found pickles…I mean cucs.

A bunch of cucs! Enough to make a small batch of brined fermented picles!

I also have Watermelon & Cantelope that are doing great!!!

Tomatillo

The carrots are amazingly sweet! That’s due to a neutral soil…acid gives tart carrots.

The borage is attracting so many honey bees!!!! Yeah, save the honey bees!

This has to be the kick in the seat! My greatest growing challenge were Sweet Potatoes!!! They died in the bed I carefully made for them…but lookie here…..in my compost I have the best looking Sweet Potatoes!!!! And more on the other side along with tomato plants too! How can you not believe in a Creator God, when little miracles like this happen?

The other side of my compost box…tomatoes and sweet potatoes and some yukon gold too. I’m really going to have to dig around in there for these nuggets of gold!!!

Singing The Praises of Mugwort

peacefulacres — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 23:46:40 +0000

Mugwort (Artemesia vulgaris)

On the last lecture by our Village Herbalist, Heather on The Herb Mentor, I learned about Herbal Health for Skin Conditions. Since poison ivy allergy is a horrible problem for me, I am singing the praises of Mugwort. On my weekly mowathon I am trying to get our back 40 under control and that takes me 4 hours of riding my John Deere once a week. The back of our 5 acre lot I now refer to as the Poison Oak Patch. We knew we had issues with Thistle, Multlflora Rose, Blackberry, and Milk Weed, but we were surprised at the volume of poison oak. I’ve been trading my Honey 1 hour of the way back where the forest of poison oak is. He seems to have a much greater tolerance to the poison. I only have to look at it and it attacks me. All it takes is a gently breeze to cause the cut poison to brush my sweaty arms or legs and BINGO!

Now I have a new ally, Mugwort; Artemesia vulgaris. Heather instructed us to add 1 oz to 1 Qt of boiling apple cider vinegar and allow to sit for 2-4 hours. I made the infusion and bottled it. On my trip to the back 40 I sprayed it liberally on my skin. Then I also took a small dose internally when I finished mowing. I was very brave, I mowed a lot and wasn’t the least bit freaked out. I really trusted that Mugwort would do the job. It did!!! I looked all over for Mugwort since it’s a companion plant to Poison Ivy and Oak, but I couldn’t find any on our lot. I used dried herb from Mountain Rose Herbs to make my infusion but, I’ll be looking out for it on my next mowathon.

Eye Candy

peacefulacres — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 13:36:26 +0000

Ava Rose by Tanya Whelan on the top and Heather Bailey’s prints on the bottom and I bought them from Jona at Fabritopia.

I had to share my new stashes….they are so delish! I really must stop staring at them.. It’s hard though because as I always thought in my old quilting days, they are just so lovely to look at, why cut. But cut I must and today is a sewing day. I’m still tired after my mowathon….4 hours bouncing on a mower is very exhausting. So, today will be my Mental Health Friday as I’m accustomed to having! These colors are enough to brighten any day. As I’ve so often said, I’ve used color as a therapy for my healing from Chronic Lyme Disease. Color is uplifting. It reaches into the dark places of our lives and breathes life. I hope you’ll look for color today and celebrate the beauty that our Father gave to us to enjoy.

Sis Boom is on top with a bunch of other great fabrics I bought from J Caroline Creations!

Joel Dewberry Designs

Flirt by Robyn Randolph

Braemore on bottom, then Sandi Henderson, Anna Griffin, and on top a stripe by Portobella Road

I wanted to see how the Heather Bailey prints would look for making slip covers for the family room. The Ava Rose is going into a ladies summer dress for me and I love the Anna Griffin paisley, I’m going to make a tunic top with it. The others are for handbags and whatever else tickles my fancy. Probably some aprons and clothes pin bags to put on My Etsy Shop; Butterflies & Bumble Bees!

That ought to give you a sweet tooth today! I’m dying to dig in!!!

I hope you have a sweet weekend. Enjoy those you love and the beauty that surrounds us!!!

Blackberry Cobbler

peacefulacres — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 11:27:37 +0000

I have to let you in on my recipe for the blackberry cobbler we had yesterday. It’s a good thing I took a picture before my family arrived, because we were so busy chatting, picking more blackberries and laughing, I plum forgot to take any pictures then. Here’s the recipe.

Blackberry Cobbler by Diane Coe

In a bowl mash 1/2 Cup softened grassfed butter

Beat in 1/2 Cup Maple Syrup, 1/2 tsp of Vanilla and 1 Pastured Egg

Add 2/3 Cup Rice Flour for Gluten Free (or other), plus 1/2 Cup Oats

1/4 tsp Baking Powder and 1 pinch of sea salt

In 8×8 baking dish mix 3-4 Cups of Blackberries with 3-4 Tbsp of Really Raw Honey and 1/3 Cup Maple Syrup. Stir this together until it’s incorporated. Then spoon the batter over the berries.

Bake at 375*F for 40 min’s. Cool on rack.

When I made this yesterday I did my usual guestamating, so you might have to play with it. I’ve been cooking for so long and I’m not afraid of the kitchen or failures that I actually don’t measure. These amounts are from my original recipe but I may have done something different yesterday, I used my fingers to measure the baking powder and oats…sorry. I also used my homemade Vanilla which is outstanding and again didn’t measure, but poured! If you ever want to try….just order vanilla beans from Mountain Rose Herbs and add 3-4 split beans to 1 Qt of Vodka and allow to sit for a long time…mines been sitting for months and months and I haven’t removed the beans because it actually keeps getting better the long it sits.

You can use this recipe for any berry or fruit cobbler. Last year we had it with blueberries and it was also very good. I must say that the blackberry was outstanding!!! I imagine that peach would be very yummy too! I hope you enjoy!!

Growing Challenge Update

peacefulacres — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 12:36:39 +0000

Currently, it’s boom time. The beans are on big time, when the tomatoes are ripe I’m going to be in big trouble! The tomatillos are exploding. The carrots are sweet and delicious! The lettuce is bolting. The potatoes are almost ready and those I’ve dug and delicious. The melons are growing like gangbusters! And the cuc’s too! The corn is just about ready… mmmmm it looks good! The butter beans are starting to form. The cabbage is ready. The eggplants are flowering. The onions are ready and sweet!

I was up early again this AM….4 AM to be exact. I was out working in the garden by 6 AM, dawn was just breaking. I did some work on the area in front of my gate and pulled some weeds in the garden paths. I’m telling you there are NO weeds in my raised beds. Most of my weed pulling is in the paths. I’ve got some booger weed that has thorns and insists on growing. It’s a pain, if it goes to seed and that’s what happened last year, so I’m dealing with it this year, it’s just a pain. My volunteer zinnia’s are growing everywhere and are so beautiful. I didn’t let the Cleomi grow, because they become giants and again, go to seed. I’ve done my best to keep them out.

My new herb garden in amazing. However, I didn’t know how BIG Borage would get and it’s shading out so many plants that I put around it. I will have to cut it back seriously.

Today my sister Jackie & her daughter Michelle are visiting from CA with my parents. I’ve got some good homegrown food prepared. We’ll be having; grilled soy free chicken with herbs, grassfed burgers, homemade potato salad of course with homegrown potaotes and herbs, fresh carrots and for dessert, fresh homegrown blackberry cobbler! It’s an amazing feeling to eat what you grow. And to eat what grows locally from our personal farmers. Not to even mention the taste! My sis is so looking forward to todays menu!!! Her husband is hoping she’ll bring back a doggie bag for him in CA, but I really doubt it will keep! Actually, I think Jackie would eat it before it made it home!!! Fresh food is so worth it!!!!!

Current To Do List

replant potatoes

replant beets

replant carrots

harvest onions & cure

harvest potatoes & cure

pick-up straw for new potatoes

buy pantyhose for melons!

find more gallon jars for brine pickles

pick blackberries

pick blueberries

make blackberry & blueberry jam

Cut grass. do laundry & hang - Wednesday