Drying Dill Seed

We've had a lot of rain this summer. A. LOT. Over ten inches last month alone. While this may cause me to get a little ticky about the water in my basement once in a while, I certainly cannot complain because it has made the garden EXPLODE. One of the wonderful herbs that continues to reseed itself in my garden is dill. I love dill. Did you know in the world of folk remedy dill is supposed to aid in falling asleep. I told my kids that....now they pick it, eat it and pretend to fall asleep on the lawn. It's hilarious.

I've never tried drying herbs....but figured I would give it a shot this year because the dill is AMAZING....I've got plenty for pickles so I let a little go to seed......so I could do this......

I'll let you know how it turns out once it dries.

A Pickle of a Time....but not really

Last night the power went out. For hours. Now, this normally would not be a huge deal. However.....I had pickles that were ready for brine....they were READY. For all you pickle makers out there, you hear what I'm putting down, right? There is a critical period in a cucumber's life after it is plucked from the vine.

Old cukes make limp pickles.

(there's nothing dirty about that, get your mind out of the gutter.) ;-)

The pickle process needed to continue. It was dark. Really dark. I lit a candle, lit my electronic ignition gas stove with a lighter (which took courage because even after 6 years of gas stove ownership it still makes me a little nervous)....and proceeded.

All went well, despite the inconvenience.

Then this morning came. The reason I was pickling in the dark was, I was mowing in the light. I mowed till there was no light,but didn't finish. That happens when one push mows a lawn that is scandalously close to an acre.

This is normally my mowing friend....my happy little green LawnBoy. My happy Boy got really cranky this AM. What is normally a self propel mower decided it no longer wished to self propel. Do you have any idea how heavy a self propel mower IS when it no longer SELF PROPELS?

via

Feels a lot like this.

Well actually EXACTLY like this. Except I didn't have 6 Raiders to assist me.

But alas, it can be fixed...it will be fixed as soon as my husband gets home and takes it to the mower doctor.

Do you ever stop and think about the things in life that we find SOO aggravating and
infuriating? How often are they really important or truly life changing? Rarely.

Give thanks for your health, your well being and your loved ones.

Thinking of you always Butterbrodt Family.

Yes, It's ANOTHER Sign

So....between canning and blanching and freezing and mowing and....and...and.....I squeezed in a fun project. Mill Creek Cafe (best little cafe in the world, thankyouverymuch) recently acquired THE CUTEST old pop cooler to use in the dining room. It just so happened that made the wall behind it look REALLY BLANK. Enter me and my wacko hobby (okay one of my eleventy bajillion hobbies). Vintage signage for pennies! And yes, I used a cupboard door....

the ReStore and I have a love affair.

This That and the Other Thing...Plus a Demon Shower

Do you ever have those kind of weeks? You know, the ones that zap you of EVERY. OUNCE. OF. ENERGY. IN. YOUR. BODY? That's what we had.....it was great...it was fun....there was good bad news....there were train rides...and sharks.....and dinosaurs....and pickles....I'll share it all later.

Back to the good bad news. ;-) You know how we've been working on our kitchen? F.O.R.E.V.E.R. Well it's going to be a little longer.....because now we have another issue. A bathroom issue. When we considered remodeling the kitchen I had always thought we'd just do the bath at the same time, because they sort of go together...close proximity, etc. Well we all know how well I follow "the plan". Not well. So I just went for it with the kitchen.....but now the bath has a real issue. As in, a shower that leaks onto the basement floor below, with no way to fix it because the former homeowner installed it COMPLETELY WRONG. The fix? Tear out the shower and replace the drain, etc. WELL....it just so happens that I really strongly dislike the shower....and the GIGANTO jacuzzi tub in the bathroom. The tub? We use it as a GIGANTO laundry basket. Seriously, it would take the WHOLE water heater to fill the darn thing. I've never bathed in it, ever. The boys have "swam" in it a time or two...but that's it.

Really? R.E.A.L.L.Y? We could park a small Buick in our bathroom without the two of these space hogs.

The demon unfixable shower.

Giganto jacuzzi tub....would anyone like to trade this for a normal tub?

I'll throw in a jar of pickles if you take it.

Our plumber...doing a little "why you need to know math in everyday life" demonstration at the school....yeah, he's cool like that, when he's not at our house explaining why things break, to me.

So, again, back to the good bad news. Our plumber...our dear, sweet, helpful, messenger of good bad news has declared we should just tear out the shower and install a tub (that I've always wanted anyway) and call it good.....ditch the shower, ditch the giganto jacuzzi tub/laundry basket, install a normal tub. So folks, what do you think this means? NEW BATHROOM!!!!!! We'll have the LAST TWO ROOMS in our house redone!!

Then I guess it's time to start from the beginning again ;-)

That last part is for my husband's benefit. he he he.

In reality, the sink half of the bathroom could stay the same....but I'm really thinking a new vanity would be nice? I mean, if you're making a mess anyway, what's a little extra mess? ;-)

Oh....and in the middle of all this, my garden is going INSANE!!!! I've been pickling and blanching and canning and weeding and....and....and.....doing it all with pots that look like this!!! (uh, yes, that is a corn poker I'm using as a "handle") The handles have fallen off, my biggest pot bit the dust several months ago when the bottom delaminated and sounded like a bomb went off in my kitchen. I've been using a huge stock pot that doesn't quite fit the bill.....UNTIL.....CSN Stores contacted me to do a review...phew! Just in the nick of time.....so.....these babies are coming to live at our house and I'll TOTALLY let you know how they work!!

In the car...in the car...in the car

Jen, why do your projects take so long to get to complete? Thank you for asking. I have other priorities. Priorities that giggle and laugh and run around the house like a pack of wild animals. ;-)

We made an amazing FIFTEEN trips back and forth to the neighboring town last week for swimming lessons and an AWESOME program through the ISU Extension Service called Summer Discovery.

Everyone was safely buckled. As was the big cow in the front seat next to me (no I did not say I was the big cow, I had an ACTUAL cow strapped into the front seat....well not an ACTUAL mooing, hoofing, eat the grass cow, but a big stuffed cow.) It was a scene.

Hallway Reveal...Sorta

Do you remember the hole that launched a thousand ships? Yep, that would be the one up there. That hole made me tear down my entire kitchen ceiling. Yep, I did that. Yep, I'm crazy. Clinically. BUT...I am making progress. Tiny, arthritic. snail pace progress....but progress. The progess is mostly contained in the tiny hallway that links the back entry to the kitchen...I think it will spill into the kitchen soon. Please God make it spill into the kitchen soon. I did have a plumber/electrician stop by yesterday...that counts as progress, right? Well actually he was here in regards to the demon shower..but alas....I'll save that story for another post.

Here's where we started. Faux paneling, dropped hallway ceiling, 473 layers of wallpaper, with frosting plaster finish on top.

This, now looks like.....

THIS!

This, now looks like.....

THIS!!

This, now looks like.....

THIS!!!

Now I just need to finish painting the trim, install the beadboard, hang the hook rail, finish my secret little closet project, paint my (SQUEALING!!!!) dutch door and we'll be done! with the teeny tiny hallway......then onto the behemeth....the kitchen.

Afternoon with Miss Effie

Last weekend I had the honor of meeting, IN PERSON, THE Miss Effie. Perhaps you've heard of her? She's been in Midwest Living, makes HER OWN cheese, and raises the most beautiful flowers you've ever seen. If you're ever passing through Eastern Iowa you must stop....and tell her Jen sent you. ;-)

We met the cats.

Petted the chickens. (And promptly purchased 4 dozen farm fresh eggs to take home). She uses no weirdo chemicals on her farm....so mommy feels great feeding these eggs to the kiddos!)

Miss Eff just has a way with people....my kids thought she was really neat. (and so did I)

I picked flowers.

Drooled over her "Cornzebo". (I NEED one of these honey....Miss Eff knows how to take them apart and put them back together;-)

Had lessons on which flowers to choose and why. Miss Eff wants you to take home her freshest, most beautiful flowers. This isn't like the grocery store where they shove the old milk to the front....she wants you to take the new milk.

Aren't these lovely? Miss Eff encouraged me to squeeze as many flowers as I could into my milkjug. Isn't she generous?

And here she is....the Goddess of Gardening, the Queen of Rural America, MISS EFFIE! (I just got out of an air conditioned car and she had been working in the garden all day....and I think she looks amazing! Me, on the other hand, not so much.)

I let my flowers rest at home, per Miss Eff's instructions, then divided into three HUGE bouquets.

The porch dining table got one......

The "mantel" got one.....

And beautiful Euphona got one.....so pretty.

For a slice of Iowa visit Miss Eff today!! The flowers are blooming, the chickens are laying and her "honey" is building the MOST amazing summer kitchen ever....you must check it out.