My Five Favorite Fall Posts
Inside: My favorite season has arrived, slow and steady, just the way I like, which has me revisiting my five favorite fall posts. Take a look.
My Five Favorite Fall Posts
Living in the Midwest, I love the change of seasons–even more so when that season is fall! There is just something about this time of year that makes me feel fully alive. So to celebrate my favorite season, what better way than to share my five favorite fall posts!
Without further ado, here is a small sampling, along with a link to read the rest of the post.
My Top Ten Must-do Fall Activities
August, we hardly knew ye. . .
Is it just me or did summer speed by? The month of August is such a transitional time. Going from the lazy days of summer to the structured days of back to school. The strange thing is, even if your children have left the nest as mine has (six years ago this month), the rhythm of yellow buses and school bells never really leaves us. September feels like a second January in a way. Whatever wasn’t tackled or attempted from the goal list can still be accomplished in these last months of the year.
And September brings an excitement in the air–at least for us autumn enthusiasts! I’m already checking the coffee aisle for pumpkin spice flavored coffee and scanning clothing catalogues for sweaters and boots. A list is also forming in my head of what I want to do before the weather gets too cold and, well, miserable. From my fall bucket list I’ve boiled it down to my top ten must-do fall activities. Here are my favorite picks for the quickly approaching season. CONTINUE READING
Make Our Pumpkin Spice Pumpkin Seeds
I’ve been wanting to try my hand at making something pumpkin spice for a while now, thus our Pumpkin Spice Pumpkin Seeds. Lots to love about these. For one, they are so simple to make and require so few ingredients. For another, they’re perfect to make with the kids or to whip up for a quick snack or last-minute “hey I need to bring something to the party” dish. CONTINUE READING
How to Turn an Old Shirt into a Pumpkin
I know what you’re thinking–awww! Am I right? While I wish I could take credit for this idea, Emily sent the link to me from a website called It’s Always Autumn. With that inspiration, I took some old flannel shirt material, toilet paper rolls (yes, toilet paper), ribbon, and sticks from the yard and made a couple myself. (The ones pictured above.) But the small one? I had to improvise and so I can tell you how I made it. But, first, let me direct you to the link where you can find the instructions for these cute pumpkins.
Incidentally, you might be wondering why I don’t go ahead and include the project instructions here, but it’s not mine to give. So please support It’s Always Autumn by clicking over. Besides, it’s a cool website, and you’ll be glad you did! CONTINUE READING
Make Our Healthy Butternut Squash, Apple, Cranberry Bake
Beautiful, isn’t it? If you can call a casserole a thing of beauty. It tastes absolutely wonderful! And the smells? A treat when you come in from the cold!
I had meant to post this recipe right before Thanksgiving, but it didn’t happen that way. The ingredients, colors, aromas all fit nicely under that fall-harvest category. But the truth is that I make this several times over the course of fall and winter, usually paired with my mother-in-law’s simple recipe for pork loin roast. (One of these days I’ll have to include it.)
This butternut squash, apple, cranberry bake would also make for an easy side to bring along for the family gatherings, too. Easy, I say, though I do know working with butternut squash can be challenging. But there are ways around cutting into the hard uncooked flesh of the butternut. Some cooks briefly microwave the squash in increments of several minutes until the rind is soft enough to cut. (Make sure to pierce the rind before you try that!) I usually pre-bake mine just enough to be able to slice through it. That would cut down on the overall baking time of this recipe, as the instructions reflect using uncooked squash. Easiest of all is if you are fortunate enough to find cubed butternut squash in the refrigerated areas of your produce section. CONTINUE READING
Mum’s the Word, Hundred-Mile Man, and Other News Fresh From the Farm
I bought these mums the other day. Mom and I were entering Walmart when I saw these lovelies and couldn’t resist.
There was a time in my life when I wouldn’t have spent the money on flowers. My life was all about making frugal decisions, pinching every penny. Buying mums that start dying a little after a week was not a good investment.
But with age has come wisdom. I’m reminded of something Mom had said in her interview a couple of months ago–“concentrate on small areas where you want beauty.” It was in reference to a question I’d asked regarding tips for gardeners on a budget, but I think the meaning can extend beyond gardening to the little things in life that bring us joy. These mums brought a little beauty to my world. Happiness for a few greenbacks.
I guess my idea of a good investment has changed. CONTINUE READING
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I hope you enjoy my selection of favorite fall posts. Wishing all of my readers a wonderful season living the “pumpkin spice life.”
Happy reading!
Resources and Related Posts:
Slipping into Fall, Internet-less, and Other News Fresh From the Farm
Make Our Simple Spicy Pumpkin Seeds
Butternut Beer Brats Soup Revisited
Starting the Long and Sentimental Project
Past Posts from September:
Simple Suppers: Easy Pizza (2017)
Golden Beans, Whacked-out Weather, and Other News Fresh From the Farm (2017)
Announcing Our 2018 Decluttering Challenge! (2018)
Early Harvest, Seasonal Signs, and Other News Fresh From the Farm (2018)
When Seasons Linger (2019)
Our Top 10 Favorite Gardening Tips (2019)
Farm Summer Days, Zinnia Field, and Other News Fresh From the Farm
Inside: Farm summer days past and present, day trip to a zinnia field, and pleasant distractions. Check out all the latest fresh from the farm.
Farm Summer Days Past and Present
I feel like I’ve been visited by the ghost of summers past, but it’s good to reflect on what once was sometimes. Remember what summers were like when I was a little girl here on the farm. I’m one of those grownup farm kids who fondly recalls my younger days running through rows of cornstalks so high you could get lost in a field. (Tip: Stay in the same row so you don’t lose your way.)
Or thinking back to our typical seasonal menu: sliced tomatoes at every meal, cut-up cucumbers in vinegar water, corn on the cob dripping with butter–unless we happened to be at Granny’s house, which meant margarine (not nearly as good)–and watermelon, sweet and sticky. And, please, pass the salt shaker because a little sprinkle makes the melon taste even better.
And what would summer be like without ice cream? Waiting for the yellow Schwan’s truck to appear every three weeks with an assortment of large tubs of Neapolitan, Drumsticks (Dad’s favorite), orange creamsicles, root beer float bars, and ice cream sandwiches. And popsicles. Who could forget popsicles? (Red and orange eaten first, of course.) And lest we put the proverbial cart before the horse, their Tony’s pizzas were a real treat before the treat–just to balance out nutritional needs.
Summers also included endless hours of play–after chores, of course! We’d head up to the farm with our cousins, setting up our toy farms in Grandma’s back yard. Or walking down to Al’s Camp deep in the woods to explore. Climbing the peach tree and eating the juicy, dripping fruit sitting on the roof of the old garage. Riding on the hay wagon as the bale stack grew higher and higher.
But nothing could compare to nighttime games. Catching fireflies in a jar–yes, we set them free. And playing scare the hare–a variation of hide-and-seek–as darkness descends on the farm, and barns and silo cast eerie shadows. Or just sitting outside, hearing the tinkling number chains around the necks of the dairy cows bedding down for the night in the pasture behind the house.
Summers are different now, as an adult–this one more so. And, yet, the corn still grows tall. Fireflies appear with the night, and the barns and silo cast long shadows in the moonlight.
And somewhere, near the tool shed, crouching low behind a sprawling maple tree, a little girl quietly giggles, hoping her brother and cousins don’t find her hiding place.
Day Trip to a Zinnia Field
We took a short day trip to Perryville (MO, for my out-of-state readers) the other day and stopped by St. Mary’s of the Barrens Church, lured by the pictures from a friend who visited the zinnia field. As some of you know, I love zinnias, and seeing a little field of them did my heart good. So many colors to choose from in this little field–orange, red, burgundy, yellow, purple, pink, cream, peach–a feast for the eyes, indeed!
But what also did my heart good was just the short walk to get there. A path that wound around towering conifers and lovely garden beds. A path just right for reflecting. A peaceful path.
Something I could definitely use more of this year.
Pleasant Distractions
File this under “be careful what you wish for,” but at the beginning of this year, when some very specific prayers had not been answered after a year and a half, I was looking and asking for distractions. . .
Yeah.
To be fair, the current situation has been a distraction, but I don’t see it as answered prayer–though it has gotten my mind off my problems.
But those aren’t the distractions I’m talking about. Classic TV has been a wonderful escape. I’ve been spending quite a lot of time in Mayberry where the living is simple and folks care about each other. I’ve also been watching a lot of law and order type of programs where the good guys always beat the bad guys, and in their spare time they’re coaching little league teams or helping old people. You know, that “doing-good” stuff that has been such a staple of our American way of life. (And still is, I maintain!) Another favorite of mine has been Green Acres, which is good for some cornball laughs. Just singing the opening song can cheer a gal up!
On an entirely different distracting note, I recently download an app for playing Wordscapes, which I blame entirely on my nephews who introduced it to me while they were visiting back in June. (Thank you, Judah and Elijah!) I am already on level 711 (blush), but in my defense, it’s good for a wordsmith like myself to exercise my knowledge of words and spelling. Keep me fresh and my vocab muscle in good shape.
Right.
At any rate, I’m spending some time on self care, and not apologizing for it! As a matter of fact, I took the entire week off during Mike’s vacation days earlier this month. He’s taking another week right now, and so am I–mostly.
At some point life will return to normal–normal normal, I mean. Not this “new normal” malarkey I keep hearing about on commercials and from other misguided (or misguiding) individuals. But good old-fashioned normal.
After all, they don’t wear masks in Mayberry.
Resources and related posts:
Brighter Sides, New Leaves, and Other News Fresh From the Farm
Bucking Bales: A Family Tradition
Past posts from this month:
Finding my Pace: Slowing Down to Enjoy Life (2017)
How to Distress a Mason Jar (2017)
My Top Ten Must-do Fall Activities (2018)
The Late Summer Garden Update (2018)
Sunflower Disposition, Peachy Harvest, and Other News Fresh From the Farm (2019)
Make Some Summer Simmering Potpourri (2019)
All About Strawberries: A Roundup of Our Strawberry Posts
Inside: We’ve collected our favorite posts on strawberries, including planting, growing, and using the harvest in this roundup of strawberry posts.
A Roundup of Our Strawberry Posts
I’ve been meaning to do this for a while now. Compile the various posts I’ve been writing on the subject of strawberries. When I first started growing this favorite summer berry, I came at it from the perspective of a novice–at least concerning strawberries. Being a seasoned gardener sometimes gives said gardener an inflated sense of confidence extending to all things sprouting from soil. And then a plant comes along that, despite the usual growing techniques, doesn’t succeed. I set out to find out why. The following posts come from my research and experience. You’ll find a small taste, and if you want the full post, just click on the link.
How to Plant Strawberries
Sometimes we make things harder than they have to be. Case in point: how to plant strawberries. Though I’d been a seasoned gardener when I decided to try my hand at the sweet red berries, if I’m being honest, they intimidated me a little. Three different types of plants? Just what kind do I plant? Once I figured that out, the whole business with the crown and not planting them too deep left me confused. Plant them up to the roots, but not the stem, the directions said. Okay, could you be more specific? The perfectionist in me was afraid of making a mistake. And after I finally did get them in the ground, why didn’t they do very well?
This past spring as Mom worked with Bill from Sugar Grove Growers at the greenhouse, watching him trim down the roots of a strawberry plant and plunge it into dirt, she asked him about his methods.
“You can’t kill a strawberry plant,” he said.
After a few successful years of growing them, I’m inclined to agree.
My 3 Essential Tips for Growing Strawberries
Growing strawberries didn’t come easy to me. I’ve been raising the June-bearing variety for about a decade now, and it’s only been the last several years that I’ve finally gotten the hang of it. The problem wasn’t with the berries but rather the grower. I didn’t give them what they needed.
To begin with, the soil wasn’t in the best condition for growing the little gems. The bed needed more organic matter to get that perfect dark crumbly soil we gardeners love–obviously the strawberries do, too. And I didn’t spend enough time watering them. Not that they like their feet wet, but my plants were not getting what they required.
So what changed? I decided that if I wanted a good crop of strawberries, I needed to learn more about them and put that newfound knowledge into practice. And I realized that I had to devote the time to nurturing the plants even though the payback–handfuls and handfuls of fresh berries ripe for the picking–would be delayed a year or two. I focused on growing beautiful green plants and temporarily forgot about the fruit.
Renovating Strawberries the Simple Way
You’ve picked berries until you’re seeing them in your sleep, but finally–finally!–the harvest is over. The strawberries are happily tucked into their frozen home, awaiting their culinary future. So, what to do with that strawberry bed?
Maybe yours looks like mine. Where did those weeds come from, anyway? No matter, it’s time to take action. Time to renovate.
Take courage! It’s not easy taking a weed eater to a carpet of lush green leaves, but your plants will come back stronger than before. How do you actually go about renovating strawberries? First locate your spent plants. Those are the ones with stems that look woody and leaves that are brown around the edges–plants that didn’t yield as many berries. Older plants. For these I chop the leaves and the crown right down to the soil line.
How to Prepare Your Strawberry Plants for Winter
Normally by this time in November, I’m heading out to my strawberry bed to cover plants for winter. It’s not a difficult job, but here are a few things to keep in mind.
Wait until temperatures have fallen to around 20 degrees for several nights. This year it’s been unseasonably warm, so it’s actually not time to cover plants yet, but in a typical year by now I’ve already put a six- to eight-inch layer of hay or straw over my strawberry plants. With the colder temps the plants become dormant and won’t get moldy under the mulch.
Once the plants have been covered, check the mulch a day or two later. You might need to fill in with additional straw or hay in thinner places where the mulch has settled or blown away. Then pat yourself on the back! You’ve successfully put your babies to bed for the winter.
Uncovering Strawberries in Spring Time
Yes, it’s that time of year again–or, rather, it’s past that time because normally I remove the mulch from the strawberries in March. This spring has been unseasonably cold, and I’ve hesitated uncovering the plants until this past week. Nightly temperatures in the mid-twenties will do that to a gardener.
But we’ve had a break–or maybe an end to cold weather?–and that thick layer of mulch I placed on my strawberries back in late fall needed to come off so the tender plants can have access to the sun. Tuesday afternoon I removed the hay I’d used and the strawberry plants were a green-yellow with pale yellow stems. I peeked in on them this afternoon, just two days later, and the stems are turning a deep red color and the leaves are greening up nicely. I’m eager to see them after the rain they’re predicting tomorrow.
I never tire of watching things grow!
How to Care for Strawberries in Early Spring
A few points to consider before uncovering your plants for spring. Take a peek under the mulch and see if your strawberries are starting to grow. If so, remove about half of the mulch layer and place between rows. Weather permitting (nights above freezing), in a week or so you can take off the rest of the mulch, but keep it handy to recover plants in case of hard freezes–below 28 degrees F.
A Simple Fruit Dip for Strawberries, Plus 5 Ways to Use Up the Harvest
So it’s June and my strawberries have stopped bearing. (They’ve always been more May-bearing, actually.) It was a lovely harvest with plenty of fresh berries as well as a few gallons in my freezer for future use. The problem, if you can call it that, is I have limited room in said freezer. I need to start using up some of them to make room for the rest of the fruit and veggies coming my way this season. What follows are my suggestions for five delicious ways to use up strawberries.
All About Strawberries
I hope you enjoy our collection of strawberry posts. Much sweat, trial and error, and plain old determination have gone into the making of these posts through learning the lessons you can only learn through digging in the soil. May you have bountiful bowlfuls of beautiful red berries to grace your table.
Happy growing!
Resources and related posts:
Turn Sprouted Sweet Potatoes into Plants
Stay Cool with Water Infusions
Planting the Late Summer Garden
Past posts from this month:
Backyard Bird Feeding 101 (2017)
Help! The Weeds Have Taken Over my Garden (2017)
Neighborly Encouragement and the Power of Flowers (2018)
Compost 101 and Other Cheap Organic Fertilizers (2018)
Planting Sweet Potatoes in a Cardboard Box (2019)
10 Quick Fixes for the Neglected Garden (2019)
Should You Do an Egg Fast for Weight Loss?
Inside: Recently I went on an egg fast for weight loss with some rather interesting results. Read on to find out how it went and if I shed any pounds.
*This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases through links in this post, at no additional cost to you, when you click on and purchase products. See our disclosure policy.
What Is an Egg Fast?
Earlier last month I went on an egg fast for weight loss. Though the idea wasn’t new to me, it had been a while since I’d followed the plan. The truth of the matter is that I’ve wanted to take off some pounds for some time. Back in 2018 I’d lost around 22 pounds, only to gain nearly everything back last year with periods of emotional eating. The beginning of this year I tried a couple of different eating routines, without much success. I’ve been around this dieting thing a long time now–long enough to know that what worked for me when I was in my twenties, thirties, and forties does not necessarily work in my fifties.
Except (or should I say “egg-cept”?) the egg fast.
So what is an egg fast? It’s a diet consisting of eggs, cheese, and healthy fats followed for a short period of time, usually three to seven days. Basically, for every egg consumed, you eat a tablespoon of fat such as butter, mayonnaise, coconut or olive oil. You can also eat up to an ounce of cheese (full fat) per egg. While that might sound limiting to the palate, if you do a search on the topic in Pinterest, you will find many creative recipes other egg fasters have come up with that are actually pretty good. Think spices, extracts, and hot sauces for flavoring.
Is an Egg Fast Right for You?
Apparently it’s right for me–and many others. Both egg fasts and fat fasts are great for breaking a stall in weight loss. While I’ve lost weight on fat fasts (getting 80 percent of your food from fat), I found the going to be rough because I was hungry a lot. With the egg fast, I was more satisfied. My body does well on protein. (The farm girl genes, I think.)
Maybe the easier route is to tell you who shouldn’t do an egg fast. Obviously if you are allergic to eggs or dairy, this fast is not a good idea. And if you’re not a fan of eggs or cheese, I’d say pass this one up. If you have never eaten keto before, jumping headfirst into an egg fast is also not recommended. Try a simple keto plan for beginners instead. You’ll need help navigating what’s called “keto flu,” which isn’t an actual flu but it can feel like one! Admittedly, I never experienced this, and by following the advice of those who’ve gone before you, you can likely avoid this as well.
It’s probably a good time to mention here that I am not a medical professional or a nutritionist. Just a woman who has done research and has tried different foods and diets for weight loss. So I’m relating my experiences only, not dispensing medical advice.
Where to Find an Egg Fast Plan
While plans and information on egg fasting abound, I recommend the blog I Breathe I’m Hungry by food blogger Mellissa Sevigny. She explains the diet in more detail and offers an egg fast meal plan with shopping lists if you are interested. I’ve tried lots of good recipes from this blog, both egg fast and keto, so you’re in good hands with her. She has a knack for creating great recipes. In fact, her book Keto for Life is on my wish list.
As to her egg fast meal plan, I followed most of it as written and really liked the food. With recipes like Snickerdoodle Crepes and Salted Caramel Custard, I was plenty satisfied for the five full days and two transition days I was on the plan. The recipes were simple to prepare, and, as I said, delicious. I had my doubts about the simple lunch of mayo on a cream cheese pancake with a slice of cheese, but I really liked this, too!
Oh, and did I mention, I lost five pounds?
My Simple Egg Fast Chai
One thing I did differently was substituted my egg fast chai for the bulletproof coffee. (Incidentally, it’s one of my top searched posts, and for good reason. It’s easy and delicious!) I love it because the flavor reminds me of egg nog, though it’s nice and hot like a cup of coffee. Good any time of the year, really, and I’ve used it as a quick out-the-door breakfast. I had one this morning, and being nearly out of chai, I used this orange spice tea instead and liked it just as well! (Kroger has excellent teas in their Private Selection brand.)
So, basically, breakfast on the plan has been two eggs either fried or scrambled in butter and one egg fast chai. Very satisfying.
To Egg Fast or Not to Egg Fast?
So should you go on an egg fast for weight loss? Only you can determine that. Do your research online and check out various websites and recipes, including I Breathe I’m Hungry which also has more information on the subject. Maybe give it a test run–you can always abort the mission.
As for me, did I mention I’m doing another egg fast this week? So if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to get a string cheese from the fridge and think about supper in a couple of hours. Something with eggs, of course.
Hen: No! I’m already laying ’em as quick as I can!
Resources and related posts:
Keto for Life: Look Better, Feel Better, and Watch the Weight Fall Off by Mellissa Sevigny
Egg Fast from I Breathe I’m Hungry website
Simple Suppers: Creamy Cheesy Cauli Soup
How to Make Chicken Bone Broth
Past posts from this month:
The Old Farmhouse (2017)
My 3 Essential Tips for Growing Strawberries (2017)
My Simple 5 Day Detox Experiment (2018)
Turn Sprouted Sweet Potatoes into Plants (2018)
How to Make Jelly From Wildflowers (2019)
How to Plant Strawberries (2019)