Cutting a melon tutorial. Composting.

By mid day yesterday my kitchen was done.
I thought I would cut up a melon for supper last night.
Here is how I do it if you would like to know.

This beautiful huge melon was only 69 cents a pound (a $7. feast)!
It is a crenshaw melon, a cross between a honey due and a cantaloupe.
I do not do well with cantaloupe for I am allergic to them.
These melons are so sweet when ripe. If you look at the very tip of the melon the end should look slightly green where the flower was.

I use a very log, very sharp knife this is a Chinese knife I was gifted with. It is a hardened steel knife. It looks a bit rusted because I need to steel wool it every so often.
After slicing the melon in half and scooping out the seeds I cut one half like so...

For the kids I cut the bites a bit smaller by slicing like so then...

Slice right above the rind. If this makes a bite too lage I slice this twice

The bites will just fall into the bowl. I did the whole melon and even sliced the rend smaller so that it will compost faster.

This afternoon there is only around 4 cups of this left.

Here is the compost scraps from the morning and evening meal and the melon.

Today

This is just from breakfast today and the lemon bars.
I think that I have wasted so much good earth potential for so many years. Filling up the land fills. I am so glad to change my ways.
I called the city and will have two 90 gallon barrels that have the bottoms cut off and holes drilled into then, only $5 each one time free for delivery.

This Morning the Teacher of Dash called me at 7:30 A.M.
She asked me for my permission to honor Dash with a role of
Class Student Councilman for Second grade.
This she told me is an honor that is reserved for students that show great responsibility.
He will have to stay after school two days a month for a half an hour and then present the report to the class. I asked him and he accepted.

Dove came home with an invitation from the orchestra and a desire to play the viola, I called and left a message for the string instrument instructor. My children are growing up. I am hoping that there might be a loaner instrument for her through the school.

My morning in the kitchen.

Morning time had me doing my kitchen work in the cool( ha ha) of the day.
I think it was over 100* here by 9 a.m..
So with the dishwasher humming, I set to task.
We are having turkey enchiladas, home made re fried beans for supper.
There will be lemon bars devoured when the kids and Daddy Man get to them, with much thrill and many hugs and embraces. My family really appreciates the foods I prepare. It gives me wing to take flight into the tasks.

I made a double batch.

Supper is thought through and thawing.

I made a simple suryp for sugar and water for the hummers.
I will still need a spot to hang this on over by the garden window. I thought to hand the hummer food over there and I will not have bird seed getting into the garden. One window of seed feeders and the other of the hummers. I won't want to leave my studio.

I have a cortizon injection apointment for me knee tomorrow. She got me right in. I really like this team they are very dear folks. I have ben praying for then this year and they have re-structured the office to reduce the stress on the doctor. How wonderful that he is caring for himself. He has an autistic son. It must be a real good change for the office woman/nurse was very calm. She remembered me and is very fond of me. I like that community overflows in my life. I may schedule another round of Synvisk injections for my knee. I have been very blessed they have lasted almost a year. They normally last 6-9 months! I am going to pray that my insurance will cover me again. If I get the synvisk I will be kept low for a month to recover.
A call in to get my finger print card is accomplished. I am going to walk into getting my "Certifide Nurses Assistant" so if I need to get employment I am set up well for it. I have surgery on my dental implant in a week and a half. After that I will see if I need to seek a part time job.
I will be getting the schedule for the CPR training to get the certificate also.
I may not get the employment but if I do I will be ready.
I will be working with the Elderly or with the special needs community.
The kids are home and happy. I met them at the entrence with a cold cup of water. I guess Dove is having braces pains from teasing. she was very upset when she first approched. The water and the anouncment of the lemon bars soon changed the mood.

I have my implant surgery on the 29th
The kids have a birthday Party on the 30th
The kids also have a birthday/swim party on the 1st!
Talk about Gods provision and the fellowship of good friends!

Speaking of that Please pray for my neighbor. She is having a duble Mastectomy next Tuesday. We are getting togeather on the block to take her meals.

More than Conquerors gifted me with these awards this evening

Sharing The Love Award

She wrote...
I would like to share this award with all of you, my dear blogging friends and visitors.

This lovely award is created by Crystal @ Memoirs of a Mommy in honor of Noah and the donor of his sweet little heart who ENCOURAGES us to SHARE THE LOVE ! Thanks Crystal! [Click on Memoirs of a Mommy to learn and read this special love story!] The rules for this award are to pass it along to some people whose blogs you love. They make you laugh, smile, leave encouraging comments on your blog. You would like to share some love with them because they have uplifted, inspired, encouraged or prayed for you. Please include this paragraph with the link to Memoirs of a Mommy so that everyone know where this award originated from.


Friendship Award

I would like to share this award with all of you, my dear blogging friends and visitors. Feel free to pass these on to your precious friends.

So these 2 special awards are for you my dear friends and visitors (I am still adding you....):


A Life Uncommon Donetta

You sweet to find this this evening
Thank you for you kindness.

Tackle It Tuesday

Good Day to you all!
It is 9:40 P.M. and I just finished my tackle of the day!
Wow am I fresh (showered) and tired (exhausted!).

After the morning chores of husbands lunch, kid lunches, breakfasts and children off to school.

Kitchen and laundry a quick trip to the nursery for garden information on red wiggler worms.
I had received an hour and a half lesson on gardening. I met a wonderful fellow who shared his knowledge. I researched trees and soil preparation for the garden and compost information for soil building through composting. I had a really nice time , However hot it was (100*) it still did not dampen my inspiration, although I was soaked with perspiration:)
I was greated by this fellow who followed me happily declaring the Joy of life every 2 minutes. He was a crowing dude!
This beauty was a bite of candy for the lens as well as my eye.

I played in the "candy store" a gardeners paradice for a while.

I like this vine a lot.

This vine also pleased me much.

OH Joy JOY!

This cobault thrilled my soul right to the marrow!
So fat and sassy with the candy shop I got right down to some nutricious living!
I shoped for all the food bearing trees that will thrive for me here in this desert paradise.

Any one who has ever tasted my pomagranate jelly has begged another jar, Or three.
So this will fit a good corner.

Researching... This apple does well as log as you pick it fat when the suger rises. It has to be canned soon after. Will last indoors for a week but lots of apple butter and apple sauce. IT is a self polinater.

Now I have a good friend who will love to can up some plum jam with me. What you think Julie>? YUM YUM!

Next season...
I walked out with this

thoughtfully loaded into my truck by some real nice fellow.
Thanked my howt and gave him an offering of gratitude for sharing his knowledge with me.

I left and unloaded and took a trip up to the home improvement store to so some more research.
I need this for my clothes line (I got a 4 line 25 ft. line on clearence last year for $20.) , and I really am looking forward to reducing the electric dependence even more.

I found 6 of these to add some ventalation to the chicken trackor.

Speaking of the chicken tractor, I need to paint it this week. I have a couple of gallon left from the panters did this house in the spring. So it will even match the house.

I love my chickens!
Maud is a rooster and I will dearly miss him. :)
he is the long legged "duck wing".

So this week I have spread the straw.
I began a compost over in the corner.

To hold in moisture.
I had time with the kids and then did the kitchen.
After I made a big batch of eggs and bacon I feed the family and had time with Dove.
I then went out to work around 7 p.m.

Tonight I was out spreading this...

and this...I raked over the straw to one side and then added all three things and then took a shovel and turned the one side then watered...raked the straw to that side and repeated it.
I covered it all over with the straw and watered it all in.
I amended the compost with the worm castings, organic fertalizer and kitchen scraps and turned it all in with the manure. covered the compost heap with the staw and there is no foul smell.
I came in and showered aroun 9:15!
So I sid now it is 10:15
Tackle done!

The chickens are growing and thriving . I think I am a month out from eggs.
I am a few moments out from falling asleep!

Retard? "Tropic Thunder"...How dare they!

Once Upon A Time There Was A Retard….

Written by Tammy

Such is the tag line to a new, big budget, R-rated summer movie opening this week. “Tropic Thunder” is a comedy produced by DreamWorks/Paramount, and directed and written by Ben Stiller, who also stars in the movie.

The plot includes a group of pampered actors, lost in the jungle while making a war movie. Tugg Speedman, Ben Stiller’s character, is a fading action hero who missed his Oscar opportunity with his portrayal of Simple, a character with an intellectual disability. Speedman’s portrayal of Simple is a movie within the movie, “Simple Jack.”

Already “Tropic Thunder” has presented audiences with a new go to phrase, “Never Go Full Retard.”

For the full post go over to 5 minutes for mom. Join in the protest!

A comment of interest..."A" has a point, I am just posting in support. I am not raging or in raged over it. Just upset by the term.

" A" Wrote...

"You might want to get your facts straight. The tag line "Once Upon A Time, There Was A Retard," is not the tag line for Tropic Thunder. The tagline is for a FAKE movie called "Simple Jack," which is part of a small backstory in the movie Tropic Thunder."

Go watch a preview or read some of the news you're so angry about before you blow your load."

Dear "A"....Thank you for sharing your view, point well taken." I will need to take more time out to do that.A question for you Dear "A",..."Do YOU have any special needs children?"Have you ever encountered the hurt in the eyes of a "special needs kid or adult when they were minimized and ridiculed? If so I wonder what you would say to them to help them overcome the ignorance? Would you then desire to educate the ignorant who hurt them (whether intentionally or not)? As a parent of one who is "different", I have wept with her. As a teacher of those who were "different" I have watched their crest fallen spirits when they do a simple task( that we take for granted), when they are then minimized in the midst of the struggle.

So I suppose a have a box to stand on. More fortunate then some who are "different", in that I can stand, speak and articulate the pain I have not only witnessed but have spent many an hour consoling.

I am not blowing my load,

I am carrying theirs.

Forgive the strife folks I have to speak on this one.

"A" My feeling are strong but I do appriciate your point.

Dogs, first day of school and deals.

Good Evening!
Wow! What a full day!
Last night while I was listening to the story time in the other room and resting myself at the computer I had company.
This was so sweet and so normal a beauty that I thought I might pause a moment and share it with you.
Recently a lovely woman lost her sweet companion dog (Rosie) of many many years. It gave me pause of gratitude for those dear friends I often take for granted.

With my Choc Lab at foot and my Golden at my right hand I stopped the world and remembered the joy they give me.
YOu see it has been hard won. If any of you have ever raised a lab you understand.
My sweet golden is getting up in years. I thought to withhold their names because of security for the family. Though most of you know them.
As the images were down loading I pet My dear Golden with my right hand and rubbed my labs with my foot.

He is so soft. I just find it so relaxing to rub him at my foot.
He will groan with pleasure, it is difficult to get up however from my rocker.
He blocks the way, all 80 pounds of him.

My sweet little girl sits at my side. She speaks when they need a drink. She speaks for them when they need out. She is an old girl now 12 yrs I think. I have neglects about her life with me sometimes. She was adopted from a hard situation and she is a necrotic pup. It is hard sometimes when a dog is a nut case to be as patient as you wish to be.

My beloved replaced the big board yesterday.
I am sure you can just imagine how I feel. I missed this invaluable tool so much.
Sometimes a home is just needing to be a little imperfect and look a tad bit cluttered to run smoothly and efficiently.
It is not a show house this is a working home.

I called the produce fellow and got a half box of scrap for the chickens. Went back in with the lead in adds and then scoured the clearance. I found several packages of T bone steaks, family packages. Now t bones can be best when to their date. You see that type of beef is good these however were well dated and so I just froze them in the deep freezer. Look at that savings. I left that store with just short of $300. in groceries and had spent only $131.! Boy howdy! With the free chicken food to boot!

The children were met out on the front porch , where I was watering the flowers as discussed. This was a ploy to use the watering /parental supervision to save face with all those kids who make fun of children who are loved and parents who are able to take good care of. Kids who envey often tease. So I removed the apperence of waiting to watch them walk home.
They were met on the porch with a cup of ice water each.
The children returned happy.
The food I packed uneaten for the most part for Dove.
Dove was well humored. Tired and mature about her homework and such. she made a good choice about reading before the TV show. I told her her options and she chose work before pleasure. I was really happy to see her doing what was harder at first and delaying the gratification. It was so neet!
She melted down a little at supper. She got a bit testy with me while we were doing the meal and table preperations for supper. Later she curled up to me and told me of her love for me. she said that several people were saying "you got new braces and you cut your hair". She told of one girl who was a bit unkind and made a face at her and it hurt her feelings. she really opened up and felt better for it. She has been pretty happy the rest of the evening.

Dash ate nothing! All day nor did he drink!
Needless to say when a choclate his teacher gave him had melted and gotten on his new pack he too melted down!
I was savy to the fitigue and possible stress of the day and was able to be patient.
However when it got worse and worse I set my boundries as I unpacked his untouched lunch and drink. I told him no wonder your blood sugar must be totally crashed!
He ate all of his lunch and fruit and snacks too.
Drank his cherry juice and changed into a very repentant prince charming.

This is 15 minutes into food! My Silly boy regrouping and returning to his good humor. I was able to easily clean off the chocolate kiss his teacher gave him. I also was able to wash off the nice note it was taped too. He is so dear, he then told me all ablut his day. He did real well with his hearing aids today. He said that the amplifyers were there and that the teacher had him remove them right before the bell. She acted discreatly thank goodness. He had a good experence with it.

I learned a bit more about the composting worms they are a bit harder to come by here due to our heat and few gardeners. I will try to locate a good nursery tomorrow to order some. I may be able to sell them back to the garden center as I get a good amount of them.

After a wonderful t bone supper we went out to do the yard chores. We moved the coop after the mow , and then I scooped poop , beloved mowed and I spread the straw at the side. We used the clean grass clippings to begin the compost pile. He dumped the grass and I then loaded a pile of straw onto it. I watered it a bit.
We went in to play with the chickens ( Dove and I) and then off to join Daddy Man at getting showers. .
Well I am up for mine now so I am off.
I smell of sweet straw.
It itches though!

Now this is just funny!

I am a Sunflower What Flower Are You? You Are a Sunflower "When your friends think smile, they think of you. There is not a day that goes by that you can't find something good about the world and your fellow human."

Sunday Smiles

bloopers from hide and seek