Grape Jelly

This year our grapes were plentiful.  So that means grape jelly!!

I figured I'd share my grape jelly recipe. 

4 cups grape juice

1/2 cup water

7 cups sugar

1 pouch liquid certo

Put juice, water and sugar in a pot. Make sure it's a very large pot.

Bring to a hard boil.  Boil for 1 minute. Add Certo and boil hard for another minute.

Don't panic, it's going to rise to top of the top, but that's why you have a large pot.

Pour into hot sterile jars

Make sure you scrap off the foam on the top and discard.

Wipe the jar with a wet to clean the rim.

Add the hot sterile caps

Then screw on caps just fingertip tight.

And here's your jelly.  It makes 9- 250ml jars.

Then you start praying that the lids pop. Because if it doesn't then you don't have a seal. And unfortunately you'll have to eat it all right away....darn.

Have a Blessed Evening

Lisa

p.s. Thanks to my helper for taking the pictures.

Ta Dah!!!!

So! How ya'll like it?!

Pretty awesome I would say.  

Yes, I'm talking about my new blog layout.

I'm so proud of myself....

.

.

.

.

.

for finding someone that can actually do it for me.

Ha Ha!

Almost got ya!

I can't do that. 

Are you kidding me?!

I found out that my new helper is a blog and website wiz!

So guess what I put her to do?
Revamp my blog and website.

She's still working on the website cause there was a lot to fix in that one.

But when it's done I'll let you guys know and you can go and check it out.

She's even putting a recipe section!!

Ok, so what's up with these funky weird pictures I've got here.

Well since this year I planted some heirloom variety seeds, that means I can actually save the seeds.

This is my first attempt at doing it.

By mistake (or just sheer laziness) I let my bok choi go to seed.

I was going to gather the seeds before they dried and dry them inside but my friend Alice

at Ouest Ville Perennials told me to let them dry on the plant outside. Then bring them in.

So that's what I did.

They look a bit nasty, but these are bok choi seed pods

These are just the pods in a bag.

I shook the bag and here they are!

Bok choi seeds.



All ready for next spring planting!
I can't wait!!!

Come on spring!

Oh yea, I have to go through autumn and winter first.

Have a Blessed Evening
Lisa

Ahoy!!! I see land!

It doesn't look like much...but it's ours.

It took 6 long months...but it's ours.

11 more or less acres.

Every year we see in the local newspaper land tax sales.

Property sales of people who aren't paying their taxes.

They haven't paid them for 2 years.

So every year there's some in the paper.

This year we thought we'd give it a go.

See how it works.

We had a little bit in the bank and like Dave said, "they aren't making anymore land"

It's hard to get land...well affordable land anyway. 

An investment.

So on a cold March day we marched into the municipal office for our first tax sale.

It was a bit intimidating at first, since most of the bidders were 

wealthy, seasoned landowners and business people.

We had our eye on three pieces of land.  We actually won two!!!!

But even after the land sale, the property owner still has 6 months to come up with the money.

In my opinion, if you're two years behind in your taxes, you shouldn't be given another chance.

But that's me, I'm mean like that. ;)

So after a month or so, we lost one of the properties. Bummer.

It was my favourite one. 

Oh well. This must be where they get the saying, "You win some, you lose some."

Ok, maybe not.

So Friday we got the official letter stating that the property was ours!!

So...

what to do with 11 acres of wooded land.

Hmmmmm....

I want to get it clear cutted and put goats on it!!!

No, not really.  

I do want to clear cut it, but to plant Haskaps.

Dave thinks I'm nuts.

He's not sure what to do with it.

So, dear readers...you'll have to stay tuned to see what's going to become of our

newly acquired land.

Just a head's up.....

this could take a while.

Have a Blessed Day

Lisa

The Red Shed

Every once in a while you come across something so fantabulous that you have to share it with someone.

I'm sharing this with you!

The Red Shed!

Yes, I'm thinking of becoming a restaurant critic.

Ok, not really.

But Dave had heard of a little place on the Yarmouth Waterfront that was good.

So we were in the area a few weeks ago and decided to try it.

Jamie and I had the fish tacos and Dave had a poutine. The people with us had the clams and chips.

I can't even begin to describe how good the fish taco was. 

It was made with shredded haddock and all the flavours just melded together. It also came with a hot sauce on the side.  Word of advice...the tiny little container of hot sauce they give you is more than enough for two people.  Phew...it made my eyebrows sweat.

Dave said that the poutine was great also.

The only downside it that they're only open in the summer.  I'm not even sure if they're still open at the moment.  BUT I HAVE GOT TO FIND OUT!!!

I need one more feed of tacos!

Oh and the service was awesome. That helps a lot.

So what more can you ask, out of this world food, great service and reasonable prices.

You Gotta Eat Here!

Have a Blessed Day!

Lisa

Flower Power!!

I know ya'll come to my blog for the awesome goat pictures

But for once we are going to have a change of pace.

No goat pics

SHOCK!

HORROR!!!

Yes, 

Just tranquil pictures of my flowers around the property.

So sit back and enjoy the peaceful 

flower pictures.

Flamingo Willow

Dianthus...I think

Rose

Snow pea flower

Hosta

Lavender

Daylily

Bee Balm

Different colour Bee Balm

Tree lily

Tree lily (these lilies are taller than I am)


See now wasn't that soothing.

Ok, I couldn't leave without one picture...

The Minions!

Have a Blessed Evening!

Lisa

Lack of Communication

After 22 years of wedded bliss

(it was our anniversary last week)

you'd think that we'd be able to finish each other's sentences.

And if my brain worked like a normal person's that would probably be true.

But my brain is not that of a normal person. It's mine.

It doesn't stop, even for one millisecond.

While I sleep I'm still thinking of things. 

It never stops.

Where was I going with this....

Oh yes!

Twenty two years!

You'd think that when I tell him just half of the story, he'd know what I meant.

Honestly, I shouldn't have to explain everything....right?

That's how I ended up with 45 chicks.

Dave loves auctions. Me, not so much.

I'm an over-thinker.

 When you're in an auction you can't think things through. You have to act instead of think it to death.

So we went to the cattle sale a few months ago.

Nothing was catching my eye. (well except the mini donkey, it stayed there.)

So then Dave is like, " Look at all these chicks. Do you want some?"

Me-No, I don't need chicks. We just hatched out a bunch. We don't need any.....

Him-Are you sure?

Me-Yes I'm sure.

Him-Are you sure, did you see the boxes of white chicks over there?

Me-Yes, I saw them, but we don't need anymore chicks

Him-Okaaaayyy. Well if you see something, just write the tag number on this paper.

So I wandered around and then wandered to the chicks again.

Stupid me.

Three boxes caught my eye. 

Stupid me. 

The white chicks.

Stupid me.

So I wrote down the numbers and gave them to Dave.

Since I have no patience and the brain for the auction itself, I went to visit the donkey.

He was such a cute donkey and there was a mini horse also.

I got back to Dave after it was done and he proudly announced that he got all 

THREE BOXES OF CHICKS!!!

Holy catfish Batman!

I only wanted one box.

Didn't you realize that? 

I only wrote the three numbers in case you didn't get the first box, bid on the second. 

If you don't get the second box bid on the third.

But don't get all three!!!

And that's how I ended up with this

45 chicks.

They're mostly grown now.  But now I have to figure out who's pullet and who's rooster.

AND find homes for them since I don't have room for all that.

But in my defense, we've been married for 22 years.  You'd think he would have known that I didn't want all three boxes. Am I right ladies?! 

Help me here!

Have a Blessed Day

Lisa

The Girl's Dorm

We've got a new building! I little barn, just for the girls.

Well at the moment it's every man errr...goat, for himself/herself.

I'm trying to train them to go into each of their pens.  It's only the first two days....

It's going to be a long summer.

I think it needs window boxes and curtains!

Claude and |Peanut scoping out the new pens.

Bear wondering why he's not allowed to stay in.

This is the goat's view.


The old goat house is now our hay barn.  No more little tarp barn for the hay.
 Our hay will be safe this winter!

I'm also awaiting some teat tape from Hoeggars. I'm desperate.  The kids have been weaned now for almost two months and when I put them together again. They went right to where they were before weaning.  Not happy!

I need the milk because at the last cattle sale we bought this...

Have a Blessed Evening.

Lisa