It is Halloween!

Our front door. I am a big Poe fan!

Bats, cats, witches and treats, Oh My! I love Halloween! When asked what is my favorite holiday, many assume I would say Christmas. Nope. It is Halloween. What is it that makes me love this day so much? I really do not have one concrete answer. Maybe it is because it arrives with Fall, my favorite season. Maybe because I have a dramatic flair and dressing in costume reminds me of my old theater days. I don't really know. I love it all.
When I say Halloween beats Christmas in my book, I get some strange looks. Especially since I am a Christian woman. Halloween is not viewed as a mainstream "Christian" practice. However, if you know your history of Halloween, you will know that October 31 is really about warding off evil and protecting yourself from it. The folk lore is fascinating to read. For example, dressing in costume. This is suppose to confuse the evil spirits/ghosts who are suppose to walk the earth today, in thinking you are one of them. The Jack-o-Lantern, once again to scare off evil spirits from your home. 
This year I have been a bit off my Halloween game. Sad, I know. It seems today just flew here. Plus illness has struck our home, nothing major thank goodness! But illness has arrived, despite my efforts. For the past two weeks everyone in the house has suffered some sort malady except for me. But wouldn't you know who gets it last night? Yep, Me. Oh, the injustice of being sick on my favorite holiday! So maybe instead of "Bats, Cats, Witches, and Treats" it will be "Tissues, Soup, Thermometer and Sleep."

My Halloween tree. Notice I used up those Sweet Gum pods. Which are also known as "Witches Burrs!

Our mantle. I used a black feather boa and attached Vintage Halloween cards on it.

Aunt Cathy's Chili Sauce

  Aunt Cathy's Chili sauce a favorite of our family. It is not a typical "chili" sauce that you would use on a Chili Hot Dog. The sauce is primarily made up of tomatoes, green and red peppers and onions. It has a sweet and tangy taste. We use it as a condiment on Beef or Pork roasts.

The Recipe:

24 Tomatoes
3 Green Peppers
3 Sweet Red Peppers
3 Large White Onions
6 Cups of Vinegar
4 Tablespoons Salt
1 Tablespoon Celery Seed
3 Cups of Sugar
1 Tablespoon of Cinnamon
1 Tablespoon of Mustard
Canning jars, lids and rings (your choice preference) I use half pint jars.

Prepare the Tomatoes and Peppers by removing the stems and seeds. Dice all your vegetables into small pieces. In a Large Stock pot, add all your ingredients together. Mixing them well. Cook over low heat until the mixture thickens. Stirring occasionally. Once your mixture has thickened, fill your clean jars. Leave about 1/2 head space.

Prepare a water bath in your canning pot. Fill the water up to cover your jars. Bring to boil. Once your mixture has thickened, fill your clean jars. Leave about 1/2 inch head space. Process jars for about 10 minutes and remove. Listen for the "pop" to know that the jars have sealed.

Once jars are opened store into the refrigerator.

Enjoy!

Heather

Sewing Jars

Do you have left over Canning jars from this year's canning adventures? If so, do not let them sit on the shelf, do something with them. There is a ton of things you can use these jars for. All you have to do is go to your favorite Search Engine and type in "Canning Jars" and the ideas are limitless. Here is what I did with my little jelly jars.

 

I made a Sewing Jar. My space is limited so my sewing stuff is stored on a shelf in our basement. I only bring it out when I am actually going to work on a sewing project. So looking for a needle and thread is not always convenient. I have my jar in the kitchen for those times when I need to make a quick fix. These are super easy to make and great to use up your fabric scraps.

Here is what you need:

-Small Jar

-Fabric scraps

-Styrofoam ball or floral ball

-Sewing items:  Pre-thread needles, pins, buttons etc. I actually put a mini sewing kit into mine.

-Knife to cut the Styrofoam ball in half to fit down into the canning ring.

-Hot Glue gun. Used to glue the fabric over the cut ball and then to glue it to the canning lid *Watch out so you do not burn your fingers!*

-Scissors or Pinking Shears. To cut extra fabric around the lid. Normally I use Pinking shears for a more decorative edge, but alas, mine are missing in action.

"Cheater" Rosemary and Cheddar Biscuits

Cooking is one of my favorite things to do. I relish time in the kitchen. Oh, the satisfaction of donning an apron, and creating healthy food. However, there are days that the sun is setting and you realize, "Dang! We still need to have dinner." Sound familiar? Today is one of those days. Lucky for me I had prepared our Chicken and Noodle soup earlier. But there is no way I am going to get the roll recipe done I wanted to do. So, what do we busy woman/Moms do? We improvise.
Hence, the "Cheater Rosemary and Cheddar Biscuits."

I just used regular old refrigerated biscuits. Basted them with Extra Virgin Olive Oil, sprinkled them with Rosemary, a bit of Italian seasoning, and cheese. Voila! They are actually quite tasty. Using my heart-shaped cake pan I thought it may send a subliminal message to my family that I still love them, even if I am running around like a mad woman! 

A Treasure passed down.

Creative minds are always turning. I am constantly looking, dreaming and thinking about my next project. This time I did not have to look to far. I am blessed to have come from a long line of creative people. The woman in my family have been musicians, bakers, gardeners, artists, photographers you name it! But the person that I credit the most in my creative "upbringing" was my Grandmother, Phyllis. She saw the potential in me, and she cultivated it. My Grandmother, "Gram" as I called her, always had things on hand for me to work with. She belonged to a Garden Club. She taught me how to floral arrange, make bows and garden. When I wanted to learn to sew, she pulled out her ancient black 1950's sewing machine. She would supply me with clay, to sculpt, paper, crayons and actively participated with me when I would draw. Gram even taught me how to bake. Every year from the time I was five years old, we would make cut-out cookies for Christmas. But there was one thing that my Grandmother did that was outstanding, she was a China Painter.

Gram!

She was self-taught and her work graces the walls and shelves in most of our families homes. When I was eight years old, Gram let me paint my first piece. It was a trivet with a Rabbit on it. I did not further my "formal" instruction after that. China painting is time consuming, and being a young girl, I was to busy off doing other things. However, I observed and helped. I helped load the kiln, helped mix paint, and just sat and watched. I can smell the paint now just thinking about it. When I was older we planned on my continuing my instruction, but then I became pregnant with my first child and life as parent was my priority.

Unfortunately, we lost Gram almost five years ago. October is her birthday month, so naturally my memories are flooded with her at this time of the year. As I was thinking of her, I began wondering what happened with all her china painting items. A quick phone call to my mother I found out that all her things were stored at my parent's house and that Mom could just not get rid of them. I quickly grabbed my keys and headed over there. There in large box was everything! The kiln was still there too. It was as if it was waiting for me. 

It may sound silly, but I believe there was a reason that Gram's china items never were sold. I think that I am suppose to continue in Gram's footsteps, to continue this lost art. It is my sincere hope that I will make her proud, and that she is with me on this new journey. Thank you Gram for leaving me this treasure. 

Study book, paint palette, tools, and a plate of violets painted by Gram.

Sweet Gum Trees: Can't Beat them? Embrace them!

 The Sweet Gum tree. Official name Liquidambar Styraciflua. These are the trees that line our street. To be honest, I never knew what they were until we moved into our home. We quickly became educated. Our first lesson was dealing with the spherical, spiked seed pods. There is an ever abundant supply of seed pods. They vary from the green new pods to brown dead ones. Here is the problem. They are a mess! They litter our street and yards in full force. There is never a time when the pods are not around. We are plagued. Not only are they messy, they are a hazard.  I can guarantee that everyone on our block at one time has slipped and fallen when walking on these. I have a scar on my knee as proof. When new people come over, we always tell them to watch out for the "Evil Spiky Balls." Maybe I should make signs warning others of the dangers?

Sweet Gum seed pods. New and old.

My negative attitude soften a bit, when someone told me that these pods are used in crafts.  I became intrigued. This was my second lesson. The craft world uses these pods in many ways. I have seen wreaths, pumpkins, ornaments made from these pods. Did you know that people actually sell them? Wow, maybe I have a gold mind in my front yard.

My Fall center piece. Sweet gum pods, willow branches and Eucalyptus

 My third lesson. I found out that these trees have a long history in Herbal medicine. The oldest record of these trees dates back 55 million years ago. Many cultures have utilized the trees in medicinal practices. The sap and bark is traditionally used. They are used as incense, sleep aids,  treating ailments from skin disorders, Ringworm,and when taken internally to help with coughs, and colds. The Sweet gum sap or resin has been used in the Southern states as a chewing gum.

My fourth lesson and last is that the pods have use in the garden. The pods provide a natural slug deterrent. Placing the pods around the base of your plants inhibits the slug's access. I have also layered the pods in my flower beds to stop feral cats from using them as a free litter box.

With all these wonderful uses, I no longer have such a negative attitude about the Sweet Gum. I have embraced them as one of my favorite trees. However, I may need a little reminder when I am out cleaning up their mess.

Sweet Gum leaf.

Native Roots

Native Americans are not all living on Reservations in the west. They are alive and well and just might be your neighbors. How do I know this? Because my husband and I have Native heritage. Let me first start off by clearing up some misconceptions. Not all Native Americans have dark skin. Not all have big noses and the high cheek bones. Yes, many tribes have those distinguishing features and skin coloring that fit in the stereotype, but many do not. Why? Because of a few factors. The first would be because of geography. Those Natives living in open plains or deserts have darker skin tones simply because they live in area that do not have much coverage from the sun. Whereas, the Woodland tribes lived in areas that were dense and shaded. The biggest factor is due to Native Americans marrying and having children with other cultures. Or what we call assimilating. In these instances the "blood quantum" (a term the government uses to measure just how "native" you are) has been reduced or cancelled out by the other ethnic blood. That is my family's reason. For me, my own personal heritage goes back to my 5th Great Grandmother, Manga. She was a full-blood Ottawa Native woman. However her husband was a French man. As my direct line from this woman came down through the years, there was no more Native American lineage added that we know of. So for blood quantum purposes, I would not be considered Native by government standards. My husband's Native blood is closer in his lineage. He is Cherokee and Choctaw, and is about 1/4 give or take. (I know ridiculous, it is not like you have to prove how much German, Irish, or English you are.)

My 3rd Great Grandmother. Julia Rumery Thayer. 1/4 Ottawa.

That brings up another issue, the "That we KNOW of." Native Americans did not always claim their heritage. Did you know that at one time it was considered better to be African American than Native American? So many Natives claimed themselves "white", Black Dutch, Black Irish, or African American on government records such as the census. There was also the government's way of "assimilating." There are so many stories of Native children being removed from their tribes and put into schools where they were told to forget their Native ways and become "white." But they did not forget. I was told by a wise Elder, "that if you have one drop of Native blood in you, than you are Native." It is more than blood lineage, you must live it.


Regardless of all of this. We are here. As a family we have brought the ways of the Anishinabe (the Original People) back into the light, we honor are ancestors. We are teaching our children the traditions of the old ways, we are teaching them to live in harmony with the Earth, to love those around us. To be better.

Brian dancing in the circle with Lavinia in 2009.

My husband Brian in his traditional Southeastern style regalia.

Brian in Traditional Men's Dance Regalia.

My favorite Breakfast

 Breakfast is the most important meal of the Day! I try to eat clean and as natural as possible. Organic is the best. Because I have what I call a "Wacky Pancreas" I suffer from Insulin Resistance. So for me Protein is my friend! What better protein in the morning than an egg. This is my favorite fun breakfast. I used Red sweet peppers as an egg mold, added fresh tomatoes and basil from my organic garden. To top it off, I made a Pumpkin Pie Smoothie to go with it. Gotta eat that "rainbow" of fruits and veggies a day. Usually I overload the veggies in the morning for a great start.
Here my recipe:

     Eggs with Pepper molds

-Peppers, your choice of green, red or yellow.
-Eggs
-Extra Virgin Olive Oil
-Salt & Pepper, or other spices. I love adding onion powder, and garlic to eggs.

Directions:

Add about a Tablespoon of Olive Oil to your fry pan, You can use a non-stick spray, but I love the taste and enjoy the benefits of using Olive Oil. Clean and slice your peppers about one inch or so from the bottom. Use slices that give you the most area for the egg. Add your pepper to the pan. Cook about two minutes. Crack your egg into the pepper mold. Cook the egg for a minute, and then carefully flip the whole egg and pepper mold over. Continue to cook your egg. Depending on how you like your eggs cooked. Once done, transfer the eggs to a plate, add diced or chopped tomatoes and basil or your favorite toppings.

Power Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

It is that time of year again. Pumpkins and Squash, Oh My! I use this as a great power drink as an add on or just as a snack.

Blender
1 cup of pumpkin
Pumpkin pie spice, add to taste
1 cup of plain yogurt
1/2 of a Banana
2 Tbls. of Ground flax seed
Non-fat skim milk


Directions:

Add all the ingredients into the blender. I am a "by taste"girl, so I adjust the spices to what I like. I love Cinnamon so I tend to put a bit more in. Plus Cinnamon is great for controlling blood sugar from highs and lows. Blend all together. I add a bit of milk to not make the smoothie so thick.

The Ladies of the Yard

The coop with its storm door.

" Chickens? You have Chickens? Wait, can you have Chickens in the city?" For those of us urban chicken owners, I can guarantee that you have had these questions asked of you. My answer is "Absolutely! How lucky am I!"

There are many cities across the United States that allow chickens within the city limits. Did I perk your interest? Good! Let's continue...
 Each city has laws regarding owning chickens. I strongly encourage you to research the laws first. For example, where I live we are allowed up to six hens, no roosters. The living areas of the birds must be clean and not become a nuisance, and the basic needs are to be given.( i.e.food, water, shelter)  I recommend calling your own City government or Health Department for answers. The Internet has a ton of information! However, I spent a lot of time researching the Internet for our city, and there was conflicting information on our laws. I even read city laws, which can also be a bit confusing. So your best bet is to call City Hall.

So, why would I want chickens anyway? Well, for me the answer was simple. As a family, we strive to eat clean, organic food whenever possible. We also believe in being self-sufficient as much as possible. If we can take steps towards that direction, than we will make it happen.  Chickens could add to that journey. In order to reach that goal, I needed to become informed. I read everything I could on owning chickens. Spent hours reading informational pages, and books. Believe me if it was about chickens I soaked up the information like a sponge. My husband and children said I was becoming obsessed. No, I would reply "I was getting educated." However there was a problem. As I perused all the information, I began seeing statements like the following:

 "you will love them"

"they make the best pets!"

 "they are addicting, you can't just have one!" 

"I love my chickens!"

"Wait to you watch Chicken T.V!" 

WHAT? I want chickens for eggs, so we can be self-sustaining, I don't really want them as a pet. Do I really even like birds? What are these people talking about? So I dug a little deeper in my research, and began reading people's stories and blogs. I found that I could not get enough of these stories.  I believe my heart grew just like Dr. Seuss' character The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, after he realized what Christmas was really about. Next thing I knew I have a McMurray catalog on my desk with pictures of the breeds I had to have circled. I was ready!

.We decided to get day old chicks. But that did not happen. We found a woman, now a friend who lives not far from us. She and her daughters have an incredible farm. They love chickens and had some 6 week old chicks available for sale. We were a bit hesitant, I was afraid that they would be too old to bond with our family. But we decided this would be the best way to go. We loaded up the kids, who are now just as "obsessed" as I am about chickens, and drove out to the farm.

The kids were so excited when we told them they could each pick out a chick. Bless our friend's heart as she chased these chicks around in the pen for "the one" for each of the kids. We actually all picked out a chick. We ended up with five peeping babies in a large tote. Liam was the first to name his chicken. His pick was giving our friend a bit a fuss about being caught. She kept hopping and flapping her wings. He said "I am naming her Time, because time flies, get it? Time flies?" But he agreed that her name looked nicer spelled as "Thyme" she is a Barred Rock. Lavinia's pick is "Isabelle" a Maran/Australorp mix. Avin picked a New Hampshire Red, "Graciella." My pick was a Rhode Island Red, and her name is "Mrs. Babcock." Finally, we have "Luna." She is a mystery mix. We know that she is part Maran from her Dad, but she looks like she could be mixed with an Americana. She reminds us of a Barn owl in the face. We cannot wait to see what color egg she will produce.

Isabelle

We have had our girls for over a month now, and I can not imagine life with out chickens!  I totally  understand what everyone was saying. I am in love with my flock. They do make the best pets.  I want more, I have a wish list. And yes, "Chicken T.V" is my favorite show.

Isabelle's shimmer is gorgeous!

Thyme and Isabelle very curious of the camera. I am ready for my close up!

What's up chicken butt? Graciella's backside.

Graciella and Isabelle. Love Graciella's expression.

Mrs. Babcock

Luna's cool feathers

Luna in my hubby's arms falling asleep.

Gourds

Fall brings such a wonderful bounty. It is my favorite season. It is also the time when my bird house gourds have completely dried out. Gourds are such a cool art medium to use. I love to create with things that are as close as possible to nature. There are numerous things you can do with these gourds. My favorite is to make bowls and jewelry out of them. It is a task that can be a bit messy, but so fun. This year my children got into the spirit of gourd art. They have helped me clean and sand the pieces. I think they are just excited to be allowed to "break" something! 

 These are just a few samples of what I do with the gourds. These are mostly going to turn into pins. However, I can create pieces for pendants too. Ideas come to me as I shape the gourds, however, I can do custom pieces. Prices vary from $5 to $10. Custom pieces are priced accordingly. If you are interested in purchasing please email me at heddielynn@gmail.com.

My children, Liam 6, and Lavinia 8 not only had fun breaking and sanding the gourds, they wanted to create too. Lavinia did the upper right corner Christmas tree and the multicolored one on the far right. I love that one. Liam was more "inspired" and created the rest. My favorite of his is the bottom one with the green and red "dots. That is his Strawberry field. However he is pretty proud of the upper brown one, that is his Aardvark. I think we have budding artists on our hands.

Summer's Last Hoorah!

Spiderwort, look at the two new buds.

 
This evening as my husband was putting winter door on our chicken coop, I was amazed at how some of our garden plants are still thriving. It is October, right? Maybe it has something to do with the rain we have had. Making up for the dry, hot Summer. Or could it be that we live in Northwest Ohio? Our  weather can change at the drop of a hat! Fall is definitely here, with chilly days and cold nights for the past week. But our posies are hanging in there.  Regardless of the "why," I will continue to enjoy the last push of color and beauty Summer has to offer.

A Dianthus flower. I have six of these annual plants that are adding flowers everyday.

Dexter FitzMitten taking a "Kitty Zen" moment.

Our Japanese Koi pond was the best it has ever been this year. There were a few times we had to thin out and give away our pond Hibiscus plants to family. The aquatic palm  has new shoots on it too. Look you can even see the a new Hosta flower!  We have eight Koi in our pond which our cat Dexter loves to watch over!

A gift for today.

This what amazes me the most. Our water Hibiscus flowered today. I am in awe of this. These plants should be completely done at this time of the year. What a gift to see today!

Willow Vs. Chickens

"On Point"

Oh, the sweet vision of Noah's Ark or the Lion laying with the lamb is my wish  for my animal family. However, that is idealistic when it comes to my dog and our chickens. It is my dog Willow's purpose in life to torment our backyard girls. Willow is a Weimaraner. Her breed is what they call a "HPR" meaning Weims were bred to hunt, point and retrieve. They are highly intelligent, loving dogs. So I cannot completely blame her for the need to get the chickens. It is in her nature.We have had our chickens for over a month and a half. By now you would think she would get bored with them. Oh, No! If I even make the "ch" sound she is at the back door whining to get out. If I even go to the back door, she is running like a crazed beast to beat me there. When I leave her in the house to feed or let the girls out, it is the end of the world. She becomes the dog "Marley" in the book/movie "Marley and Me."  Because of her intelligence I know she can overcome this obsession. We are working with her daily, giving the command "Leave it!" and rewarding her. But as soon as we go back in the house and it is her "time" to go back out all the training is out the window. She is on "Mission Get the Chickens!" 

Let the creative juices flow.

 This year I promised myself I would start early on goodies I do for my children's Santa shop for school. I love creating personalized ornaments!  There is no limit to what I paint on them.  This year there is definitely a "chicken/farm" theme going. Hmm, I wonder why?

I love this! If I do say so myself.

The back of this one says "I Love Urban Chickens."

I used a clear glass ornament and filled it with straw. It is not like I do not have a ton of that!

Your Trash. My Treasures!

One man's trash is another man's treasure. How true! I love to look for things that I can reuse. The thrill I get as I scour through garage sales and second hand stores searching for bargains of happiness. Here are some of new finds:

 I added a bit of fall to around our chicken coop. The barrel was a great find. I made the chicken wire pumpkins from left over coop wire. The Scarecrow and Mum just welcomes Fall.

Of course if I find something "chicken" I have to buy it. This is an old candy dish. This hen proudly sits on my kitchen counter.

 

 

 I love all things vintage. Of course the fact that a chicken is on the front is a bonus, however it has a sentimental value too. I use 
to play this same game at my Grandparent's
home as a child. The best part of this find was the seller gave it to me FREE!

My last little collection is a little red shelf with a doily, a handmade prim Raggedy Ann doll, and the cute handmade "Welcome Angel sign." I just could not let these cuties not have a new home!

An E-collar on a chicken?

Our new adventure as a family is owning chickens. I have always wanted chickens. The benefits are numerous! Take away the obvious, fresh, organic eggs,  chickens provide so much more. They are natural pest eradicators,  make great compost for the garden, and make for great entertainment.
But what happens when your chicken friends get sick?

Never in a thousand years did imagine I would be spending hours scouring the web, reading books, asking other chicken owners about what was wrong with my chicken. There is a ton of information out there regarding chicken health. My conclusion to our problem was I needed to stop my chicken from scratching and wiping her eye. This is easier said then done.
 Immediately I thought of using an E-collar. An E-collar is short for an Elizabethan collar. Taken from Queen Elizabeth's use of wide, circular collars on her dresses. Veterinarians use these as a deterrent when animals have surgery, or a wound. The collar or "cone" is applied around the neck just like a regular collar. It essentially stops the animal's access to the site for healing purposes.

Here is where I came into a problem. Our chicken is only 8 weeks old. The neck area of our young lady is about the same size of diameter as my middle finger give or take. After calling every pet store, feed store, and vet's office in Toledo, I could not find a collar small enough. My industrious wheels started turning. I could make it! My first attempt was to use a Dixie cup. However, our girl was not having it. It blocked too much of her eyesight. Back to the drawing board...

Finally, I came up with one that worked for both of us. I used a lid to one of our food storage containers. For some reason there is always a lid floating around in my cupboard with out a its long lost container. All I used was the lid, scissors and tape. Voila! An E-collar for a chicken.

Scissors, Lid, Scotch tape

Draw a circle on the lid. I used another lid as a template. Then cut out circle.

Once you cut out the circle from your template, you will cut a straight line from the edge into the middle. There you will cut a smaller circle to fit your chicken's neck. Try to make your cuts as smooth as possible so that there are no jagged edges. I then taped around the edges just in case. Once this is done, put the collar on the chicken's neck. Make sure the fit is snug, but not too tight. Tape the straight edges closed.

Luna with her E-collar on!

An older blog, but a goodie!

The Birds

(I saved this blog from four years ago. Gosh am I glad. Look at how little my children were. Devin is now 21 and married. Avin is 13, Lavinia is 8, and Liam is going to be 7 in two months. What a save this was!)

Not too far from our house is a great place to feed birds. Primarily there are domestic ducks and a few wild ones. However at this time of the year the Canada Geese and the Mallard ducks seem to be the big residents. Despite my dislike of birds, I do enjoy Canada Geese. I think they are absolutely beautiful. This particular Saturday we picked up Devin from his Mom's house and went to lunch. Then we took our stale bread to the pond. When we arrived, there was another person with the same idea so the group of birds were already gathered feasting. The kids were excited and yet a little apprehensive. Much to my dismay with the beautiful ducks and geese, came the "sky rats." For those of you who do not know what I am referring to, a sky rat is a seagull. Obviously, I do not not hold a high regard for them.

As we proceeded to throw the bread and goodies to the birds, I bent over to toss some to a goose who caught my eye. At that time, I felt something hit my back end. I reached around with my hand, and "Squish!" I had received an aerial attack to my back. Apparently the seagulls sensed my dislike for them and retaliated. Yep, Seagull poop on my butt and hand! Devin of course got a big kick out of that, and took a picture of it:

See Exhibit A------------->

Luck for me I had tissue and hand wash with us. However, I could not wait to get home and scrub my hands. Avian Flu anyone? Once this happened, everyone with hoods put them up or as Liam did raised his shirt over his head. Avin stated "Bombs away!" Cute? He thinks so.


Watch out falling Poop!

Will this stop us from feeding our wildlife? Probably not, the kids loved it. But we knew it was time to go when the little ones started trying to catch the geese.