Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Bringing In The Equipment For Winter And Grumblings from Mary Cat

Today Jim and I went out to the field to bring in the equipment with the plan of towing in the baler, rake and mower to Quinn's.

The work is done for the season, and the equipment will be stored by Jim's cousin, Frank at his farm. Unfortunately, we ended up only getting the baler and rake in for the winter, because as usual we had a time consuming, frustrating break down.

In my opinion my husband has the patience of a saint for dealing with old equipment.

I, on the other hand am so glad that we managed to get the two biggest, most cumbersome, antiquated, loathsome, wretched, ratty, vile, pieces ever known to man in from the field and deposited at Quinn's farm with only a small tear in my back muscle. This was accomplished by our extremely hard work, and Jim's ingenuity. Bless his big golden heart. So, never mind my rant. As you can see, I am not made of the same strong stuff as him.

Jim feels set backs are all in the game. I mildly asked him if we might be replacing the rake next year, the one with a large crack in the bushing above the trailing wheel which would not turn to allow the angle to set the pin in the socket so it would trail correctly behind the truck. Mmm-mm, No, Probably not. He thought all of that was small stuff as we strained and struggled and jacked the damned thing up and struggled more to no avail.

Finally, as I was holding the monstrosity forward as Jim battered away at it with a hammer, I felt a tearing sensation in my back. Jim had to stop hammering from time to time to catch his breath, but the socket was inching toward the pin. Finally the pin was in the socket, and we were able to tow the monster rake. This time with back aches and head aches, we decided to take the rake in to Quinn's farm and then head for Mobridge.

There we were, two old fogies looking out the truck window admiring the scenery and thanking the Good Lord for another perfect day, as we once again viewed the harvests and the huge waters of the Oahe. I would save my grumbling and whining for this blog.

Tomorrow the plan is to go back out with a lunch and coffee. First we will pick wild plums. Next is our days work, which will be picking sheep bones and rocks from the land. There is a lot of bones and a lot of acreage so it may take more than a day. In fact, I can't really estimate how long it will take to clean it all up.
We do know that we do not want sheep bones baled in our hay again.

Later, we may get together with our neighbor at the Elk Rank to see if he would like some of our rocks for a culvert on their land.

The last thing on our to do list is to bring our mower in to Frank's. That leaves only our tractor and we will leave that out there for any work left to do before we leave for the winter.
Pray for strength and patience, Mary Cat. We are making progress.

Update: We did pick wild plums that day, enough to can wonderful sweet plum jam. Not sure if I'll do that again because pitting the small plums was time consuming, but at least I know how to do it. Maybe someone can teach me some pitting shortcuts along the way.

SOUP FOR MOTHER

The day after we had the sleep-over for Baby Alaya, which was, for the most part, sleepless; Carol and I were tired.

It was, as I said, a 'Goldilocks Day" here in Mobridge S.D., except for a little blustery September wind. The temperature was in the high seventies, not as hot as in previous days.

Jim was concerned that I had not taken any of my medicine since the day before, so he decided we should leave Carol's house around noon, and head for home.

As we started out I suggested we stop off in Mother's garden. It was a fine day for gardens, so off we went to harvest. We very quickly gleaned all we could carry and came out with arm loads and bags of produce to preserve and share with the family. The corn was ready, and tomatoes, green beans, apples and cucumbers.

My plan was to freeze the tomatoes for soup as outlined in the recipe blog, but would deal with them later. For now they would wait on the kitchen counter while I wandered drowsily in for a nap.

My bedroom here is a very comforting place to be both in the daytime and at night. On
this September day, and every day summer day there are choruses of birds singing in the trees
and bathing in the bird bath in the back yard. Our neighbor, Gary, lovingly tends to the needs
of these joyful winged beings and the bird bath alone draws many species splashing together
and sitting along the round exterior.I have counted up to 10 to 12 at a time on hot summer days.

I might add that when that when the Gladers, Gary and C.J., are traveling or at their cabin, I have stepped up to be the keeper of the birds. I took on this role one day when the neighbors on both sides were gone on vacation and I looked out and saw the bird bath dry, and the birdies sitting there with that wtf? look on their faces. So, I rushed out and cleaned the bath and filled it, and have not let it dry out in their absence since that time.

But now back to my nap,----.

On this day, I asked Jim only to wake me if one of the children should call, and and gazed out
the window in a contented state at the beautiful early fall day, and at the trees, some heavily fruited, and fell asleep to the comforting sounds of the birds.
Some time later, Jim woke me for a call from our daughter, Stephany. We talked awhile. I was glad to hear from her as I had been worrying about her.
When I got up it was close to 7:00 P.M. The day was gone, and I hadn't called Mother yet, so I gave her a little ringy dingy. As usual she saw the call ID and quiped: "Is this Brockamp James?"
"Yes, Mother, your kinda close, How are you tonight?"

It was then that my Mother told me that she had had a bag of pork rinds for dinner.

PORK RINDS
JUNK FOOD PORK RINDS??

"Yes, pork rinds, thats what I had."

I replied, "I'll be right over to make you some Home Made Tomato Soup".

She thought that sounded very good. I actually made it at my house quite quickly and
took it over and we both enjoyed it quite a lot.
It was Eight O'Clock when I arrived with the soup and we ate and chatted for about an hour and a half and had quite a nice visit.

It was what my dear departed neighbor from Sea-Tac Wa. Belle Swaffield would call " a lovely impromptu dinner party."

Sunday, September 13, 2009

SWEET BABY ALAYA

Last night Carol and I baby sat for Jessie and Joni Rae's baby, Alaya Ryan, and although the
experience was sweet and the baby was as good as any baby could be, we slept very little.
We took turns holding Alaya and feeding her and burping her and rocking her, and just enjoying cuddling the newborn in general.

Joni and Jessie, (A.K.A. Bubba) were celebrating Joni's 21st birthday with a night on the town. They planned to stay out all night and sleep in the next morning.

So the evening began with a birthday dinner party at Carol and Dennis' home with Jesse as barbeque chef grilling terriaki shishkababs, then presents and cards from all of us, followed by ice cream cake.

Finally the friends arrived for the cocktail part of the party and that's where Grandma Carol and I came in for the babysitting. Carol asked me to spend the night because she is still on crutches recovering from her surgery and would be unable to carry baby Alaya.

We had a sleep-over party of our own, just Carol, Cathy, and Baby Alaya. We got very little sleep, but we had a pleasant night. Alaya's parents werent there at noon the next day when Jim picked me up and took me home to take my medicine. Carol told me later they came for the baby at 2:30 P.M feeling a bit green at the gills.

On the way home from Carol's house, Jim and I stopped at Mother's garden and picked a lot of tomatoes and apples, bush beans and corn, planning to freeze and preserve most of it.

Today was a perfect Goldilocks Day for sept 13th, not too hot, not too cold, not too windy, just right. After we got home, I walked at the river, and talked with Steph on the phone but was a bit tired for much else.

Tired that is until I spoke with Mother and found that she had only eaten junk food for dinner.
Then like Super Turtle Woman (LOL), I made her some dinner out of the garden produce and took it over. That will be the stuff of my next blog entitled : Soup For Mother or maybe it should be called Hog Rinds are not good for dinner for my Mommy.
Anyway read all about it in the next entry.


WHAT YOU ARE IS GOD'S GIFT TO YOU

Align Left
There is a hand painted rock on my desk that reminds me everyday that we should make good use of all of the the God given gifts bestowed upon us. While we should need no reminder for such an important issue, somehow we manage to push superficial things to the forefront of our minds, while ignoring the basic message that we are here to serve the Lord, by finding our divine purpose in life.

I read the message here on my desk:

What you are is GOD'S gift to you.
What you make of yourself is your gift to GOD.


And meanwhile, the Lord, Our God is all around us, whispering in the wind, the rain, the prairie grass and the current of the river, as well as the churches in the communities to remember our divine purposes on this Earth.

Do you personally search for your calling? If not, please begin to think about what it is.

There is a book entitled The Purpose Driven Life, by Rick Warren, which I recommend.

In today's busy lifestyle's, sometimes it is difficult to find the clarity to focus on what is important in life; and this book brings these faith based issues into perspective.

While I am not a regular church goer, I feel a connection to God, and don't always feel that men and women need an organized channel to God. There are many pathways to God. The churches are a road to God, but the way and the light of God is everywhere.

I am searching for my calling, and divine purpose, and find God's will can be done on a small scale bit by bit, piece by piece, while waiting to give on a larger scale.

That being said, here is my own personal prayer:


"Heavenly angels stay close to us.

Watch over over our family and friends, both living and those loved ones who have preceded us in death.

Guide us to divine principles and stewardship of our earthly flora and fauna.

Give us the strength to stand up for our beliefs, and eloquently speak our minds for the good of all people, and to defend the defenseless.

Return the memories of our ancestors pride, honor and work ethic that we can carry on their heritage. Our roots run deep and we should not forget our past, as truly the circle will someday be unbroken.

Embrace us as we celebrate our blessings and cherish our loved ones, now and forever".

Saturday, September 12, 2009

SETTING UP QUICK BOOKS

If anyone is challenged in trying to set up an office it is me, Mary Cathleen, who has spent
a lifetime trying to clear the bats from her own personal belfry.

When we bought Quickbooks for Mac in Rapid City, S.D. there was no small amount of anxiety felt by each of us as we tried to find someone who could assure us we were getting a program that would work with with our Mac, especially since returning the software involved a 250 mile trip one way. Finally we were satisfied that there was no Quick Books Pro (for Mac) that our accountant recommended and went with Quick Books Accounting -Mac 2009. We thought we were all set and that every base was covered that could be covered. WRONG! We were right that there was no QB Pro but beyond that, -- FAIL!

When we got home and tried to load the software onto the system it wouldn't load. Message was Mac OSX was inadequate. Of course Jim was not happy and was thinking money was wasted or imagining we had to buy a bigger Mac. But I have faith in Apple and I called the tech number and VOILA! We could get an update to OSX Leopard for $29.00, and the techie sent it right out. So, now the Mac update is on, and Quick Books is Loaded on for the farm account and all that is needed now is a for me to be a bear with a bit of a brain to learn all of it's nuances.
Our C.P.A., Garrett, tried to give me a crash course in five minutes or less when he advised us to use this method of accounting, but the man is a member of Mensa who undoubtedly glanced at it once and was delighted with the program.

**** Update re this post: Mission accomplished, and all farm account activity was posted to QB and successfully transferred to Garrett for tax purposes.

PRESERVING RHUBARB

For baking I would have to say dry pack or freezing would be my favorite method of preserving rhubarb because it would keep it's bright red and green color, and most of the other methods involving heat tend to turn it a less attractive, drabber shade of greenish brown, (in my opinion).

The following is taken directly from my Ball Blue Book of preserving.

"Select rhubarb with crisp, tender red stalks. Early spring cuttings are best for freezing. Remove leaves and woody ends; discard blemished and tough stalks. Wash rhubarb well under running water; cut into 1 inch lengths. Prepare using one of the following methods:

Dry Pack: Pack rhubarb into plastic freezer bags or vacuum package. Seal, label and freeze."

The book also give directions for sugar Pack, Syrup Pack and Stewed, but for this use Dry Pack is sufficient.

I highly recommend Ball Blue Book of preserving. Web site is wwwfreshpreserving.com.
Telephone number for Ball company is 1-800-240-3340, but this book can be found where-ever canning supplies are found.




RHUBARB

One of the nice things about the half back yard of our rental house here in Mobridge is a planting of Rhubarb. It is quite close to the property line with Glader's yard and usually shared by families of both homes, but this year, Glader's didn't partake of the crop. We used it once or twice and the rest went to seed, which isn't all bad. Next year will probably bring a strong harvest.

Carolyn O'Meara gave me an excellent recipe using rhubarb and a yellow cake mix which she calls Magic Cake that I would like to share with you. It is also in the Timber Lake Holy Cross Alter Society Cook Book under the name Rhubarb Custard Upside Down Cake, submitted by Marie Biegler. Marie suggests a white cake mix and a slighter shorter baking time.

I baked the Magic Cake with the yellow cake mix and can vouch for it's excellence. It is a keeper and even a reason to keep and freeze Rhubarb. If you are a fan of custard, you will love this dessert.

Next blog will list freezing and caning tips for rhubarb.

Since I temporarily misplaced Carolyn's recipe, here is the church cook book version:


Rhubarb Custard Upside Down Cake

Prepare 1 (yellow) or white cake mix according to directions on box and pour into 9x13' pan.

Mix together:
2 cups finely chopped rhubarb (fresh or frozen)
1 cup sugar

Sprinkle evenly over cake. Then pour 1 cup of cream with 1 teaspoon pure vanilla over all and bake at 350 for 30 minutes or more.

Friday, September 11, 2009

FREEZING FRESH GREEN BEANS

Carolyn O'Meara shared another little tip with us and that is regarding fresh green beans:

Pick fresh beans from the garden and snap off tips. Wash and dry completely. Freeze beans on a cookie sheet in so they are not touching while freezing. After they are individually frozen, they can be placed in a freezer bag, and will be just like fresh beans when cooked.

MORE JOYFUL BOUNTY RECIPES

Carolyn brought us some of her refrigerator pickles and the recipe for them which follows:

Refrigerator Pickles:

12 cups sliced cucumbers
2 cups green pepper
2 cups onion
1/2 cup canning salt

Mix with cucumbers and ice for two hours and drain.

Mix 4 cups sugar
2 cups vinegar
1 teaspoon celery seed

Mix all together and add to drained cucumbers. Wait five days before eating. Keeps for a year in refrig.

Carolyn O'Meara

JOYFUL BOUNTY

Joyful Bounty

Everyone here has been very gracious in sharing the bounty of the field and gardens as well as preservation of the harvest. That is the reason for this blog entry.

I have learned some excellent ways to quickly pick and freeze crops for later use of all this natural goodness. The key word here is quickly , because in the past some of the harvest has been wasted if there is a build up of some garden items.
Thanks to our relatives, I am able to share these tips with you, so I'm anxious to pass them on while they are fresh in my mind.

Jims sisters, Carolyn and Rita drove out from the Rapid City, South Dakota area on September 9th, 2009, to spend that day and the 10th, which was Jim's 67th birthday with us. They brought
some wonderful canned goods as gifts, which included, (from Carolyn) Rhubarb Strawberry Jam and Rhubarb Raspberry Jam, and Refrigerator Pickles, and (from Rita) Buffalo Gap Honey (from the Baker Ranch), Strawberry Rhubarb Jam, Apple Plum Jelly, Grape Jelly, Squash Relish, (which is sweet and some-what like pickle relish, and cherry rhubarb jam.

Here are some tips from Carolyn (Brockamp) O'Meara

Tomatoes:

Pick tomatoes fresh from garden. wash, dry well, and freeze whole with skin on in freezer bags. When ready to use, remove from freezer, rinse under hot water and skin will easily pop off. The Brockamp family loves garden tomatoes in Homemade Tomato Soup. Recipe follows. Carolyn gave this recipe that Grandma Mary (Crain) Brockamp made for the family. This is the one that Jim grew up on and loved. He found it very comforting when his mother brought it to him when he was sick. This alone is a family heirloom, so prepare it with love darlings, and think of your father and your grand-father, and grand-mother Mary Elizabeth. Can't you feel the love?

Homemade Tomato Soup

1 quart tomatoes
Heat to boil in pan
Add 1 teaspoon baking soda
Add 2-3 Tablespoons butter
and 3 tablespoons flour and combine to make a roux.
Add 2 cups half and half to roux; heat and add to tomatoes.
Yummy.
Carolyn 'OMeara

Another family favorite is Home Made Tomato Juice