Annie’s Chickens

I grew up with chickens as a part of my everyday life. As long as I could remember, there was always a chicken coop somewhere in the backyard. Always a rooster and a few hens. Always fresh eggs.

To me, chickens are a soothing presence. The clucks, the struts, the cackles, the crows. All of it combines into a little taste and remembrance of fond memories of my childhood. Within a week of moving to our little homestead, I proudly came home with a mama hen and her 10 little chicks. JP just sighed and built a coop. I was in chicken heaven.

If you are thinking of joining the growing trend of owning your own chickens for eggs, meat, or pure enjoyment, there are several questions to keep in mind.

First of all, what is the purpose of your soon-to-be flock?  The answer to this question will lead you down the right path of selecting the ideal breed. 

If you are looking for a meat bird, a Cornish Cross could be for you. Cornish Cross are ready for butchering within 6-8 weeks. They are raised specifically as a meat bird. Be prepared to pour the feed into them towards the end of the 6-8 weeks. Poultry has a feed to meat ratio of 2:1, meaning that for every two pounds of feed you give your chicken, it will gain 1 pound of meat. I find my Cornish Cross to be plump in the breast and the thigh area. Perfect for stewing, roasting, or frying. Warning: In my experience, Cornish Cross chickens are VERY aggressive. I do not allow Little Bug to help me care for this group of chickens. I also keep them separated from the other breeds, as they will attack and peck at will.

If fresh eggs are your goal, I recommend Araucana chickens. These gentle ladies take almost a year to mature, but once they do, they will lay you the most beautiful eggs ever seen. Blue, green, pinkish, and yellowish brown, the eggs are so colorful that it almost seems a shame to eat them. However, once you do, you will be amazed at the rich, full flavor.

If you would like to raise a breed that will give you both meat and eggs, I recommend Buff Orpingtons. While not as meaty as the Cornish Cross, Buffs have a wonderful disposition, lay beautiful brown eggs, and are good in a stew pot.

Secondly, where will you be keeping your flock? Will you build them a coop? Will they be free range? I have had chickens both ways, and I have found that my ladies are happiest in their coop. They feel safe and lay better. In the winter months, they nestle amongst the hay and enjoy the heat lamps. In the summer, they go outside to catch a cool breeze. If they are in a coop, I have an easier time finding the eggs as well. Make sure to keep your coop clean and loaded with fresh straw or hay and plenty of fresh water.

If you decide to allow your chickens to free range, make sure you have plenty of room for them to roam. Unless you have very understanding neighbors, you do not want your chickens roaming away. It is not fair to the chickens or your neighbors. Also, be sure that you have fresh water available for them at all times, as well as shelter from bad weather.

Lastly, where will you obtain your chickens? I usually purchase mine through a local feed store of farm store. While you can get them through mail order, you do run the risk of them arriving dead or injured. By selecting them at the farm store, you can handpick the best ones for your new flock.

When ordering, you will be asked if you want a straight or mixed run. A straight run will be all one gender. This is ideal if you are ordering for egg layers. A mixed run will be a mix of hens and roosters. They are usually cheaper and are fine for meat birds.

If you decide to invest in egg layers, I HIGHLY recommend obtaining a rooster. Any breed will do, as long as the rooster has a good disposition and can control his lady friends. We have a Bantam rooster that keeps all nine of our hens in line. Without him, the hens were constantly fighting and pecking at each other. Once our rooster was introduced into the coop, the hens settled down into a much more peaceable existence. Make sure that you have a friendly rooster. This is essential to the happiness of your coop. This can be done by raising a mixed run and noting the friendliest rooster as the one to keep. Note: Our rooster needs a break from his ladies every now and then. Every day he takes himself over to the goat pen to hang out with Ellie the goat. I have found that by allowing him to do this, he is a much happier, stress-free rooster. This may be true for your rooster as well.

There are several breeds of chickens from which to choose. I have shared with you the breeds that work best for my situation. Each situation is different. I urge you to research which breeds are best for you.

Remember, Frank Lloyd Wright said, “Regard it just as desirable to build a chicken house as it is to build a cathedral.”

Enjoy your new additions and stay tuned for a future post on how to care for your new chickens once you get them home.

~Annie

Debt

Debt. In today’s society, debt seems to be a very normal occurrence. It has actually become harder to find someone WITHOUT debt than WITH debt. The problem with debt is that it hangs over your head, dragging you down. It causes sleep deprivation, worry, marital issues, and even illness due to stress.

My debt started when I was 17 years old. I was a naive college freshman, signing my life away (with a parental cosign) in exchange for a college education. While in college I could never quite make ends meet. And those nifty credit card applications came with a cool T-shirt or free candy bar. Everyone needs a snack, right? And I could cancel that card as soon as it arrived, right? Only I didn’t.

I used those cards. A lot. By the time I left college, I had tens of thousands of dollars worth of school loans PLUS thousands of dollars worth of credit card bills. The siren call of credit swept me up in its embrace and didn’t let me go for several years.

Fresh out of school, JP and I worked hard to pay down our school debt. However, JP did not know about my credit card bills. He had no clue that I had thousands of dollars worth of debt and continued to add to it almost daily.

Over the years, we finally paid off the school loans, well within the allotted time. JP thought all we had left was the mortgage. Then he found out about the credit cards. All four of them. Needless to say, that was a very rough time for us.

It was then that I got serious about getting out of debt. About becoming completely, totally, debt-free. And we did it. September 1, 2010 was the day that we became debt free. It was not easy. It did not happen over night. But then again, neither did the debt.

We now live debt free. Since we live mostly on a single income, we never have the best or newest of anything, but we are just fine with that. While our things might be purchased from garage sales and thrift stores, we live with the peace that we do not have a large debt looming over our heads.

I tell you all of this to help you understand that I have been there. I have been addicted to credit cards. To wanting something so much that I rationalized the expense. To not quite grasping the long lasting effects of compounding interest. Is it humiliating to admit that I had out of control spending? Yes. But I am willing to do so if it will help others. I have been to the place where you think it is hopeless to even try to climb out of the debt pit.

It isn’t hopeless. I did it. You can do it too. We can do it together.  I would be more than happy to share what I have learned on my journey to debt free living. I invite you to join me. if you have specific questions that you would like to cover, please let me know.

As Publilius Syrus said, “Debt is the slavery of the free.”

~Annie

Annies Kitchen Drain and Pipe Cleaner

On this beautiful, pseudo spring day, my thoughts turn to spring cleaning. Y’all, people think that because I have OCD that I love to clean. That is simply not true. I love to ORGANIZE.  Cleaning, on the other hand, is a completely different beast. I do clean. Everyday. However, it is not my passion.

The other day, JP commented on a “funky smell” emanating from the kitchen sink. While I didn’t smell anything, JP is super sensitive to odors, so I just took it as a pre-warning that the sink pipes and drain needed to be cleaned.

You might ask how one actually cleans the drain and pipes. It is actually very simple. And completely chemical free. You can amaze your friends, your kids, even your super olfactory sensitive spouse!

Annie’s Kitchen Drain and Pipe Cleaner

• 2 Tbsp baking soda per drain. Remember back when I told you to make sure that your baking soda didn’t get too old because then you couldn’t get your baked goods to rise to their supreme fluffiness? This is where the old baking soda comes into play. As you will soon realize if you follow my blog long enough, I never waste anything. Ever.( If you do not have old baking soda to use, just use your fresh soda. Just think of it as using it up so it never gets old!)
• Shake baking soda into drain, trying to cover as much of the inner drain as possible
• ½ cup vinegar per drain. Again, try to cover as much of the inner drain and pipes as possible as you pour into the drain.
• Sit back and enjoy the fizz. Come on. Admit it. You love the sound of the fizz as much as I do. It reminds me of the days of homemade volcanoes for science fair projects gone awry. It actually is loosening all the gunk that has slowly built up on the walls of the inner drains and pipes. Walk away for 15-30 minutes. Take a coffee break. Go outside. Pet the dog. Read a few pages of your book. Call your mother.
• Pour 4 cups boiling water down each drain, starting with the one farthest from the main pipes. If you don’t know which this is, just take a peak under the sink to see which drain has the long pipe running over to connect it to the other to go down into the cabinet floor. Wait five minutes. The boiling water will continue to loosen grime and wash it away.
• Squirt 2 Tbsp of lemon juice into each inner drain, doing your best to coat the inner drain and pipes. This will leave your kitchen sink with a wonderful citrus scent. (if you have a garbage disposal, send a cut up lemon through the disposal.)

Presto! Non-funky smelling kitchen sink! No harsh chemicals going down your drains. No hazardous odors. No fears of children ingesting toxins from the cleanser. Just good, old-fashion clean drains and pipes.

I try to do this at least once a month. (If I remember.) In that way, I am able to keep JP’s nose happy, while at the same time ensuring that I will not have a clogged or slow-to-drain kitchen sink due to gunk build up.

Enjoy the beautiful reprieve from winter today, my friends.

“Eccentricity is not, as dull people would have us believe, a form of madness. It is often a kind of innocent pride, and the man of genius and the aristocrat are frequently regarded as eccentrics because genius and aristocrat are entirely unafraid of and uninfluenced by the opinions and vagaries of the crowd.” ~Edith Sitwell.

~Annie

Annie’s Italian Beef

Every summer I lay aside my apron and mantle of Stay At Home Mom, and return to the fields as a crop inspector. During that time, I work 12-18 hours a day,  25-40 days in a row. As my mind is filled will counts, paperwork, crop diseases, etc., I have little time to concern myself with what to make the troops for supper. This is where fabulous crock-pot meals come into play.

My Italian beef recipe has a very quick and easy prep time. Literally less than five minutes. FIVE. I guarantee it. If it takes you longer than five minutes, you might be doing something wrong. Start over.

Annie’s Italian Beef

·        Retrieve crock-pot. Mine is kept in storage in the basement. With such a tiny house, there is not room for the crock-pot to be kept upstairs. (Running up and down the basement steps is good for me.  I look at it as a morning workout. )

·        Place beef roast in crock-pot. I normally use my chuck roasts for this meal, but you can use any roast you wish. If there are just a few of you, use a smaller roast. If there are bunches in your troop, use a larger roast. As a point of reference, I use a three pound roast for the five of us.

·        Add  a jar of pepperoncinis with the juice. I actually buy a gallon jar at a time, so I just grab 2 handfuls of pepperoncinis and 2 cups of juice out of the gallon jar. If you do not want to commit to such a large jar, just purchase a smaller jar and add the entire thing.

·        Add 2 teaspoons of minced garlic

·        Fill crock-pot with water until it just covers the roast.

·        Swish the liquid around, being sure to evenly mix the garlic with the liquid

·        Place cover on crock-pot, set to low, and walk away for the next 8-10 hours

·        Remove roast from liquid, pulling meat apart with forks

·        Return roast to liquid

·        Serve.

Seriously. That is it. Roast, jar of peppers and garlic. I just put the buns next to the crock-pot and let each person serve himself. I also make sure there is a ladle and small bowls for the Au Jus. Serve with a pickle and chips.

I know many of you work outside of the home or are crazy busy with the kiddos if you are Stay At Home Parents. Sometimes it is nice to have a meal that is super easy to make, yet warm and delicious, to come home to at the end of the day’s work.

Tonight, take time to enjoy your family. Take time to really listen as they tell you about their days. Reconnect and relish in the people you love.

~Annie

Annie's Tossed Salad

When I was growing up, a salad consisted of a few pieces of lettuce in a small bowl and a tad of salad dressing. As an adult, it has become so much more. I love salad. Especially freshly tossed salad.

My salad has become a signature dish of my kitchen. It is so easy, so quick, so yummy. People have asked me for years what I put into it, so I thought I would share the recipe. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do…..

Annie’s Tossed Salad

• Grab a large bowl. I like to use a pretty bowl for my salad. My belief is that if company is worth the pretty dishware, so am I.
• Chop up half of a head of lettuce. I use iceberg or romaine, or sometimes a mixture of the two if I am feeling saucy.
• Dice a tomato ( I try to use vine ripe from the grocery this time of year. They have a bit better taste-of course nothing compares to one straight out of your garden, but still-you can also hang the vine ripe tomatoes up, giving them a much longer life.)
• Dice half of a cucumber (if you have it. I do this is the summer when I can get one fresh from the garden. I don’t in the winter when they are priced sky high in the grocery and taste like packing peanuts.)
• Chop 1 carrot
• Peel and dice two hard boiled eggs (I keep a bowl of them in the fridge at all times. Great for a quick breakfast or snack as well.)
• Handful of dried cranberries
• Handful of bacon pieces
• Handful of grated cheese
• Throw all of the above into the pretty bowl
• Give your salad a good shake of the following….
• Salt
• Pepper
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Freshly ground oregano

Toss all ingredients together, the chill for 15-60 minutes. You need to give it at least 15 minutes so that the salad ingredients get to know each other and become friends. You do not want to go past 60 minutes or the lettuce will soon grow tired of its new found companions and start to wilt.

Right before you serve your salad, toss it again. You may serve it with, or without dressing. I have found that the spices give it a fabulous flavor and the salad can stand on its own.

If you are looking to cut back on calories, just omit the bacon and cheese. I have used this salad as a chef’s salad, a cobb salad, and a side salad. Be creative, throwing in your favorite fresh veggies, nuts and spices.

While winter rears its ugly head and the snow blankets the garden plot, it is nice to have a sweet reminder of the promise of the coming spring and the warmth of summer,  all mixed into a delicious and healthy salad.

~Annie

The Ignorance of Racism

Recently, this story ran in our local news…

“A lesson about segregation in preparation for Martin Luther King Day has one family furious after their daughter came home upset on Friday.

During the teacher’s lesson plan for the day, half of the class was stamped with a red or purple mark on their hand. The teacher treated each group differently the entire day. The red group was ignored and asked to sit in the back of the classroom. While the teacher allegedly gave the purple group favorable attention and entertained them.

According to the school's superintendent, Friday was a typical lesson centered around anti-bullying and Martin Luther King Day. The teacher divides students into groups of privileged and non-privileged. The idea is to ultimately teach the importance of what's on the inside of a person not the outside that counts.

 “Her teacher told the students that all of the students with the purple stamps had beautiful faces and to come up to the front and red stamps go to the back,” the says mother.

The superintendent declined an interview but said he supports the lesson at this point.

The mother talked with the principal Tuesday morning and still wasn't satisfied with an explanation for the lesson plan.”

I fully support this teacher. I am so tired of whiny parents that get upset when things are not perfect and pleasant for their children. I want to tell them, "You know what? Racism is very REAL. I am sorry that your child cried, but maybe she SHOULD cry. Racism should make EVERY person cry. I am sorry that you don’t like that she cried, but you know what? I bet she will NEVER forget this lesson. EVER."

I grew up in a school that was almost entirely Caucasian. I hardly even knew racism existed in the real world. Sure, it was in history books and a few movies portrayed it, but I hadn’t a CLUE that it was still very real and very alive in this country.

Racism became very personal to me one day. I had taken one of our mentor kids to breakfast to celebrate her birthday. She was so excited to get to do something special. Just the two of us. She happens to be Native American. As we walked in, we felt the glares. Within minutes I heard the snickers and loud proclamations, from patrons and owners alike,  that “those people” should be with their “own kind.” Furious, I left, never again entering that establishment.

Folks, racism is a very real, very dangerous, thing. One thing we can do to combat the ignorance of racism is to educate others. I appreciate what that teacher tried to do for her class.

I realize that I normally write light and fun posts on this blog, but not today. Today I had to stand up. Stand up for that which is right. For that which is good. For those that cannot stand up for themselves. I ask you to do the same.

As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”

Stand with me, my friends. Stand up to ignorance and racism. Stand up against the evil of this world. Stand with me in defiance to prejudice. Stand for what is true. Stand for what is love.

 I Corinthians 13:13 “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”

May we show our love by our actions, our thoughts, and our words.

~Annie

Annie's Stuffed Pepper Soup

As temperatures dip their windchill below zero degrees, a hot pot of soup is the perfect meal to welcome home your family. I love making this soup because it is easy to make whenever you have time in the day and set aside until supper time. It also can be made right before you need it, so don't write it off as one of those "I will never have time to make that" type of recipes.

Annie's Stuffed Pepper Soup

1 cup chopped onion (Vidalia gives the best taste)
1/4 cup chopped celery
1 clove minced garlic
2 cups chopped bell peppers (I grab them from my stock in the freezer from last season)
1 pound ground chuck (you can use what ever ground meat you wish)
1 pint chopped canned tomatoes (or you can buy them in a can)
2 quarts cream of tomato soup (this is what I use, you can also use1/2 cup tomato juice and the rest water, however you will get a slightly different flavor.)
1 cup uncooked rice (I get the small rice from this cute little asian store in Chicago..I'm sure any ol' rice will do!)
Enough water to fill the pot (let's not be too precise, ok?)
2 Tbsp sugar (I use raw)
1 tsp salt (I use Russian sea salt, but any will do)
1 tsp ground black pepper (sometimes i use white pepper if I feel daring)
Throw meat in and start browing and chopping
Add the chopped veggies and garlic
Finish browning the meat
Throw the rest in and stir awhile
Stir every so often.
Wait for rice to explode, and voilia! it is finished! :)

It really is THAT easy. I promise. Y'all have a wonderful day. Stay warm. Stay inside if possible. Enjoy your soup and have a blessed day!

~Annie

Educational Board Games

We have always played games with Little Bug. Even as an infant we would include her in family games. With my background in education (M.Ed, B.Ed,) many games that we have gotten specifically for her have an educational value.

With the introduction of household computers and personal game systems, I do realize that board games of any sort are out of vogue. However, JP and I have always loved games, both firmly standing on the grounds that they promote unity amongst the family unit.

We run the gamut of games that we play with Little Bug…Memory…Go Fish…Monopoly…State Geography…World Geography…Aggravation….Trivial Pursuit…and the list goes on.

People may think that a six year old is too young for some of the games on this list, but with a little guidance, Little Bug has become quite proficient at all of them.

As she plays each game, I can almost see her little mind at work, calculating, counting, making decisions, searching for the correct answer. All of this adds up to a wonderful way to teach our daughter the thinking skills she will need to be successful in life.

I have witnessed her using the aforementioned skills to work out problems presented to her by her classroom teacher. I have watched in awe as she has answered Final Jeopardy questions correctly with the knowledge she has learned as a result of game time. These skills and facts did not just show up one day. They were introduced and taught.

Playing board games also teaches the valuable lessons of winning (or losing) well, good sportsmanship, honesty, taking turns, and encouraging one another. It builds character. We have never "thrown" a game to allow her to win. this makes the moment she actually DOES win all the sweeter.

JP and I may seem backward to today’s thinking. We do not buy into the TV/computer/video game babysitter method. We believe that a child learns best when fully engaged with other human beings.

Educational games CAN be expensive, however, I find them quite often at thrift stores and garage sales. Sadly most are hardly used, if even opened.

As you look for ways to bond and grow closer to your children while at the same time bolstering their academic achievement, I highly recommend trying out some educational games. If you do not know where to start or which game to purchase, contact me and I will give you some suggestions.

It is never too late to start playing board games with your children. While you may at first be met with eye rolls and loud sighing, overtime they will learn to enjoy it. Perhaps they will even look forward to it, as Little Bug does.

As Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Intelligence plus character-that is the goal of true education.” Well said, Dr. King. Well said.

~Annie

Annie's Fried Chicken

The other day I got a hankerin’ for fried chicken. Y’all I love fried chicken. So does my family. It is such an easy dish to make. I promise. It will be finger lickin’ good too. ;)

• First, throw 3 TBSP of butter in a large skillet. NOT margarine. BUTTER. Please.
• Grab a Ziploc bag. Dump ½ cup flour, 1 tsp salt, and ½ tsp. black pepper in to it.
• Pop the chicken, a piece at a time, into the bag. Shake until covered with mixture.
• Throw in skillet.
• Put skillet on lowest heat.
• Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover and let it be. As in don’t keep poking on it, or taking the lid off. Just let it be. Until you see browning along the edges of the chicken.
• Flip. Once. Promise me this.
• Sprinkle left over flour mixture in grease in skillet. This will make the yummy crunchies that my family fights over. Yours will too, I’m thinking.
• Cover. And again, just let it be. When you mess with it too much, you interrupt the cooking process and the juices run out, leaving you with dry chicken. Who wants dry chicken, anyway? No one, that’s who. So just leave it.
• Once you see that it is browning up nicely, remove lid and turn up to a medium heat so that the chicken crisps up.
• Once it is crisp, remove from skillet and place on plate with a paper towel to absorb the remaining grease.
• Once again, let it be. Give the meat time to rest and spread its juices throughout.

And there you have it. My fried chicken recipe. I hope your family enjoys it as much as we do. 

As Minny Jackson said in “The Help”, “Fried chicken just tends to make you feel better about life.”

~Annie

In Pursuit of Trivia (And A Reconnect To My Family)

Our family leads a pretty docile life. Some would label it boring. I think it is just heavenly.

The twins arrive home by around 4:00 p.m., which is when Little Bug and I return from Grandma’s house. As Little Bug does her homework, I start supper and the twins ready the Trivial pursuit board. We then play, 2 teams, 1 floater (usually me), and as many questions as we can get through before suppertime.

I have always loved trivia. LOVED it. My problem was that no one would play any trivia games with me. Ever. I had over 10 different trivia games, including at least six different versions of Trivial Pursuit, but no one to play against. Enter CJ and TC, aka “the twins.”

The twins love Trivial Pursuit. Probably almost as much as I do. Within a few months, we had wiped out the versions I had, so I ordered a pack of twelve sets of cards off of ebay (TWELVE!!!) and we were back in business.

There is something cathartic about the routine of playing Trivial Pursuit as I prepare our supper. It exudes a feeling of comfort. Of safety. Of home.

We are all about evenly matched in our knowledge of all things trivia. We each have our strong categories (Science and Nature, here I come, woohoo!) and our not-so-strong categories (it is a miracle whenever I get a Sports question correct.)

We give hints with abandon. We debate what the correct answer might be. We each have our tells (everyone watches Little Bug read the answer, in hopes that she will sound out the word.) We have made up our own rules as to how and when a piece can be earned. The pure Trivial Pursuit players would be aghast. We think it is a lovely way to decompress from the day’s events.

One of the best features of playing Trivial Pursuit is that it brings us closer together. It is free to play. We are learning new facts, daily. It starts conversations that we otherwise would never have, (because seriously, how many times does the dollar amount of a double eagle coin come into conversational play? Answer: $20.) It bonds us together as a family.

While computers, video games, and television are all wonderful inventions, they must be used carefully. It is too easy to allow ourselves to each slip into an isolated world, all together, yet alone. Board games bring the family unit (whatever it may be) back together.

Perhaps Trivial Pursuit is not your cup of tea. Maybe you like Monopoly, cards, or Scrabble. If you have a hard time thinking of a game that you might want to play, think back to your childhood and start with your favorite game from that time of your life.

Borrow it from someone. Check it out of your library. Gift it to a friend . Dig it out of the basement or attic. Whatever the game, just give it a try.

With the crumbling of families on the rise, use game time to reconnect with your loved ones. Remind yourself what it is about them that you adore.

As Albert Einstein said, “Rejoice with your family in the beautiful land of life!”

~Annie

The Weekend I Became Qualified To Fight In The American Revolution

While I normally come off as a Susie homemaker type, once in awhile I surprise even myself with hobbies and passions I didn’t realize that I loved until I have experienced them. This is the first of several posts that I will write in the coming months about said passions.

This past fall, life, as I know it, once again paused for Shooting Sports weekend. Unbeknownst to the majority of the population of Indiana, a group of dedicated volunteers meet twice a year at Camp Ross in West Lafayette to teach adults how to be safe and effective shooting sports instructors.

Of course these instructors had never met me, or they would have run for the hills. Or perhaps they HAD heard of me and were hatching plans of escape. Whatever the case might have been, L1 and I gathered our things and headed down to West Lafayette to meet up with Laporte County for a geriatric supper at 330 in the afternoon.

You may ask WHY we were eating so early, but with the check in time being at 5 p.m. CST, we seem to always eat at 3:30 in the afternoon on the Friday of shooting sports camp. (I look at it as a training run for learning to beat the crowds to supper once I am finally able to brandish that senior discount. ;)

Upon arriving at camp, L1 and I parked the van and went to check in. I am not really sure how we managed it, but we sort of cut in front of twenty or so people in our eagerness to start the weekend. Our reunion with Chris was heartfelt; as was every other reunion we had that weekend. L1 and I were assigned room 9.

I had been in room 9 the first go round, so I was well aware of the bed from H-E double hockey sticks that was stuck in the corner. It looked innocent enough, until you crawled into it. At that point you realized its capacity to be a torture chamber. I artfully avoided said bed, and opted for another, snagging top bunk. L1 selected the bunk beneath mine, and we were good to go.

Lynn, from Laporte County, was concerned that she may not be placed in our room. I told her to just ask Chris to PLEASE put her in with us. With a bit of finagling, Chris made it happen. Just another reason I love state staff. They truly do care, even about the seemingly little things.

As is par for the course every Friday evening of camp, it started pouring down rain while we unloaded the van. It only took us three trips. That must be a record. I am notorious for over packing for the weekend, but I see it this way: I am going to be outside all weekend, never knowing if it will be cold, hot, wet, dry, etc. I want to have everything I MIGHT need to be as comfortable as possible. There used to be a time where I could pack for a 10-day mission trip across the country with only one small duffel bag. Sigh. I must be getting old. ;)

  

I retired to room 9 to attempt sleep, however the sounds of snoring, paired with the bed conditions kept sleep at bay. With no cell service, I just laid there, wondering what in the world I was thinking when I signed up for muzzleloader class.

Muzzleloaders are great things. Really. They are. The problem is that they are really big. And loud. And messy. And loud. And heavy. Did I mention that they are LOUD?!? I had shot one once, in the spring. I had almost freaked out at the very THOUGHT of shooting it, but somehow muscled my way through it.

Truth be known, I didn’t even WANT to take muzzleloaders. The only reason I did, was because it was the last discipline that Jeremy needed to take, and I always go to class with Jeremy, so hesitantly I signed up.

I finally left the grandiose idea of sweet slumber behind and got ready for the ¼ mile hike to go to coffee hour. I love coffee hour at camp. It is such a gathering of fantastic people at 530 in the morning (430 CST). We all gather round the coffee pot, teasing and chatting until breakfast is served at 7 am. I look forward to the time to get to visit with shooting sports instructors from across the state.

At last, it was time to head off to class. After a few words of welcome from Tim, we were dismissed to our classrooms. I made no secret of the fact that I was in muzzleloader class solely on the fact that Jeremy was there and since he was my protector, I was hoodwinked into signing up as well. As I entered the class, I told the instructors that my name was Annie and this was Jeremy and we came as a matched set. They all just looked at me like I was a tad crazy, but agreed to let me stay glued to him for the time being.

Being the OCD girl that I am, I listened closely, taking several pages of notes, as there was to be a 100-question test at 9 pm. We practiced loading the muzzleloader, using a Pringles can, felt and a tennis ball. We learned the rules of firearm safety. We learned the steps to shooting a firearm. I learned that I can only take in so many facts at one time or my head will spin. When I felt that I was most surely at the breaking point, the instructors announced it was time to go to the range.

The previous evening, I had tried out my amplified ear protection. They made it possible to hear everything going on around me, but muffling the shots when the firearms went off. What a great idea! I also realized that my usual hairstyle wasn’t going to work very well. The bobby pins hurt my head with the earmuffs on, so I switched to braids with success. Of course I then looked like Pippi Longstocking, but I didn’t even care. I was aiming for comfort, not style. ;)

Lois, Jerry, Doug, and Mark were wonderful instructors. The rest of the class (6 guys) were very familiar with firearms and seemed to not be intimidated in the least by the very loud and heavy muzzleloaders that were set before us. In contrast, I was out and out scared. Thoughts raced through my mind…what if I loaded it wrong? What if it blew up in my face? What if I was horrible at aiming?…ugh.

I watched as Jeremy loaded the muzzleloader…first the powder…then the patch…then the ball…the tamping….so much tamping! FINALLY we were ready to go to the firing line. As “coach”, I was dutifully beside him, pretending to know what I was doing. Mercifully, Jeremy quietly told me what to do so I could then loudly tell HIM. This is exactly why I have always stuck close to Jeremy at these camps. He never makes me feel stupid. He always encourages me.

Jeremy aimed and fired, hitting his target. I was so excited for him that I hopped around and clapped. Jeremy was used to this behavior, but the others weren’t. Boy, were THEY in for an education!

As usual, I was last at trying my hand at the whole muzzleloader experience. I always like to go last so I can watch everyone else to make sure I do it correctly. I loaded my inline muzzleloader, being careful to include every step. I then marched to the firing line, Jeremy right behind me. Shaking, I looked Jeremy in the eye and asked if the muzzleloader would hurt me. He told me no, it wouldn’t. I made him promise. He promised. I then turned, aimed, and fired, keeping both eyes open until the last second.

After the voluminous smoke had cleared, and the large boom had faded away into the distance, I heard the faint squeaking of the metal gong target swinging back and forth. I started screaming and jumping up and down, celebrating my victory over fear once more. I happily returned to the bench to clean the barrel and move on to the side lock percussion muzzleloader.

Every time it was my turn, I relished in the routine and exactness of the muzzleloading. I also hit 7 of my 8 shots throughout the day, squealing with joy every time. Apparently all of the other disciplines got to share in my joy, as many came up to me later, stating that they knew when I had hit something, because they heard me screaming and clapping. So glad they got to share in the joy!

After lunch, we learned the history of the muzzleloader. Jerry knew so much about the history, that I wish we would have had more time to delve further into the topic. During this time, I was allowed to hold a pistol that was used in the revolutionary war. I found it all so fascinating and foreign, yet I knew I was slowly falling in love with muzzleloaders…the history…the routine…the exactness, everytime….sigh…. I was in OCD heaven!

In the afternoon we had the opportunity to shoot a muzzleloading pistol, a flintlock, and a matchlock musket. The matchlock was seriously as tall I was. It also held a HUGE ball. There was no cap for the matchlock. Instead, the was a smoldering piece of rope that touched off the black powder…right in front of YOUR FACE. I somehow missed THAT important piece of information. One minute I am sitting there all excited about shooting the biggest firearm of my life, the next, I am wondering what in the world happened, and did I still have my eyebrows? I joyously celebrated my actually shooting off such a large gun, and moved on. It was a good 20 minutes later before Lois informed me that I had actually HIT the target! I had been so preoccupied taking inventory of my face that I had not even looked to see if I hit something. I celebrated like it was 1999 let me tell you!

One of my favorite parts of muzzleloading was cleaning the firearms. Given I was terrible at it, but I enjoyed trying it anyway. I even got to reassemble a muzzleloader all on my own! I am sure that JP will love to put my new skill to use in the very near future.

After a wonderful supper of prime rib, the muzzleloading class took a spin on the even more primitive side, and learned to throw tomahawks. I do believe I have found my niche. I OWNED those boys on tomahawks. They may be better at firearms, but I was all over the tomahawk throwing. I threw them forwards. I threw them backwards. I threw them double. I rocked the tomahawks!!! Woo to the HOOOOOO!!!!!!

After the fun of tomahawks, we went back to class to study for the test that we took at 9pm. By this point, I had so much information in my poor head, that it just shutdown. I was not able to jam anything else in. Trepidatiously I took the 100 question test from Lois and began. By the time I turned it in, I was shaking and near tears. I waited with dread as the instructors graded it. I had walked into the class that morning, knowing nothing about muzzleloaders. I had now, 14 hours later, taken a test that I needed to pass to become a certified instructor. I scored 99 out of 100. While not a perfect score, I was still happy that I passed.

Knowing that we were going to have to plan a teaching practicum for the next day, I had already written up suggestions for what we should do. The boys agreed with the plan. After breaking it all up into parts and assigning roles, we all went to bed, thankful for the rest.

Sunday morning, after an early coffee run, I headed to church at 615 est. that is 515 CST. I am pretty sure that was the earliest church service that I have ever attended. It is also ranked among the best. While waiting for the church to be unlocked, a group of us gathered outside to gaze at the stars. Such beauty to behold in the heavens.

As Dennis welcomed us to church, I prayed the opening prayer and led us in an opening hymn. Usually we just listen to the sermon and leave. This time we had asked ahead of time if we could sing as well. After an amazing and convicting sermon from Dennis, we sang hymn after hymn, all from memory….some just humming along when words were forgotten. I do not think I have ever felt as close to God as I did, sitting in that little white chapel at 630 in the morning, raising our voices in praises to our Lord. We closed our time together singing the Doxology.

As the weekend wrapped up, we went through graduation, receiving our patches and diplomas. I was so proud and happy to have not only passed, but to have done so successfully.

It was at this point that it sank in…I was effectively shooting a type of firearm that men and women, hundreds of years ago, used as well. I had fallen in love with muzzleloading. Sometime between my scared scurry into class Saturday morning and my confident demeanor on Sunday afternoon, the love of muzzleloading had snuck into my life.

The historical significance….the repetition…the exactness…the feel of the firearm in my hands…the flash…the smoke…the smell…all of it represented so much more to me than just a simple firearm going off. It represented hundreds, even thousands of years of firearms. It represented that once more I was able to brave my fears, facing them dead on and claiming victory over them. It represented that each day that I am willing to leave my comfort zone and open myself to vulnerability and the chance of failing, I am also able to open myself to the successes and triumphs that lay in wait along my path in life.

I am not saying that each of us will fall in love with muzzleloading as I have. However, I AM saying that once in awhile, each of us need to choose the road less traveled, for we know not what may lay ahead. If a middle aged Susie homemaker housewife from the Midwest can lay down her apron for a weekend to try her hand at muzzleloading, a concept that is completely foreign to her, imagine what YOU can do in YOUR life.

As Robert Frost famously wrote, “I took the road less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.” I challenge you today…don’t only TAKE the road less traveled….CHARGE it. Charge forward. Try something new. Something out of your comfort zone. Something that you have secretly wished to do. Take a class. Take a trip. Pick up the phone. Whatever your road less traveled may be, take with you this, from Dylan Thomas, “Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light.” Rage, my friends. Rage. Challenge each day of your life, living it to the fullest.

Annie's Chicken Quinoa Soup

Annie’s Chicken Quinoa Soup

A few years ago, JP had to be on a very specific diet for health reasons. During that time, I had to become very inventive with the foods allowed; or I would have had a mournful looking hubby on my hands.

Throughout that phase of our lives, I came up with a wonderful soup recipe that has made it into our regular supper rotation. As in, JP liked it so much that he kept asking for it. Even after he no longer HAD to eat it. Folks, that right there shows you how great it is.

I love to make this recipe on those cold, blustery winter days. The ones that make you chilly just looking out the window. While I prepare the yummy soup, I just laugh at the winds howling around our sweet little home, just daring the winter blues to try to come in. Nope. Not happening. Not to this mama. Not while I make this delicious, yet extremely healthy meal for my family.

Annie’s Quinoa Soup

• Boil a chicken. Yep, that’s right. Boil a chicken. I suppose you don’t HAVE to boil a chicken, but it sure does smell good. And it adds moisture to the air of your home. And it also gives you leftover chicken for sandwiches and chicken potpie. What’s that? You don’t know how to make a chicken potpie? Well then, make sure to check out my recipe for it that I posted a while back. You will love it. I promise.
• Pull chicken out of water and let it cool. I use a pie plate for this. (Actually I use the pie plate that I also use for cornbread. It is the perfect size.)
• Once chicken has cooled, debone it. I set the breast aside for sandwiches, then divide the remaining chicken in half. Half will go into the soup; the other half will go into chicken potpie. Of course this is just what I do. You can do what you want, seeing as I am not there to stop you. ;-)
• Using the chicken stock (don’t worry, that is just a fancy name for the water that you boiled said chicken in,) add the following:
• 1 cup celery, diced
• ½ cup onions, diced
• 3 large carrots, diced
• 1 tsp sea salt (table salt will do if you are not into all of the different types of salts.)
• ½ tsp pepper. (I like to use white pepper just because I think it gives it a better flavor, but once again, black will do swimmingly as well.)
• 1 tsp chicken bouillon (that is equal to one cube)
• 1-2 cups of quinoa, depending on how much broth you want in your soup. Personally, we add two cups because we like it to be thick, but if you want to have a lot of broth, just add less quinoa. If you do not have quinoa on hand, you may substitute rice.)
• Chicken, diced

Stir. Heat to boiling. Simmer until veggies are cooked through and quinoa “pops.” You will know when this happens because the round little quinoa seeds will no longer be round. They will look like they exploded. And will be very yummy.

I like to make my soup first thing in the morning, and then let it simmer throughout the day, adding water as needed. NOTE: The quinoa will absorb A LOT of water. Make sure to keep adding water so you do not burn your magnificent supper.

This is a great meal for those that cannot have gluten. For someone that is not feeling well. For a hungry family. For just about any reason.

I like to whip up a batch of my cornbread to serve with the chicken quinoa soup. They seem to go well together. At least I don’t hear the troops complaining. ;-)

Remember, you can DO this. Yes. You can. Tonight. Or tomorrow. Or whenever the mood strikes you. As we all journey towards a healthier lifestyle and pocketbook, small changes will get us there.

~Annie

Swing Dancing

Dancing the night away…..

One Friday a month, TC, L1 and I make the three-hour drive to Indianapolis to attend the Fountain Square Friday Night Swing Dance.

Since we are making the trip anyway, we try to leave early enough to hit a few stores before heading to Fountain Square. This is always very exciting for me since I hardly ever venture out of our small little town for ANY type of shopping, let alone the type of shopping where you wander around, not really looking for anything in particular.

Once our stomachs start demanding food, we head on over to the Fountain Square district. This recently revitalized area of Indianapolis is home to several quaint, and sometimes eclectic, cafes. Everything from Thai food to Mexican food to pizza is offered up within walking distance of the Fountain Square theatre building. The food is fabulous, the wait staffs are excellent, and the prices low. What is there not to love?

Finally the time arrives to make our way to the dance hall. While we wait in line with fellow dancers, we chat about the upcoming festivities. Who will be there? Will our table be free? What band will be playing?

The theater slowly fills with people of all ages and of all levels of experience. Lessons are offered the first hour of the dance. In this way, everyone that attends can join in the fun with at least the basic swing steps.

As the live band starts to play the big band music of a long ago era, couples fill the dance floor. The regulars are there…the college swing dance clubs…the older couples that make this their date night…the fathers dancing with their little girls.

The newbies are there as well…stumbling, trying again, counting out loud with fierce looks of determination. All are welcome and made to feel at home.

This is our safe place. The place where we can all dance to our capability level, never being laughed at, or made fun of. This is our place to learn new steps. To be encouraged as we try challenging moves. To enjoy the comradery that only comes from sharing in a pastime about which we are all so very passionate.

TC takes turns dancing with L1 and me. We also take turns dancing with other attendees. No request to dance is ever turned down. Throughout the night, high school seniors will be seen enjoying a dance with senior citizens. Experienced instructors will be dancing with novices. We are all joined by our mutual love of the steps.

As the evening winds down, we each dance our final dances for the month, sadly bidding farewell to the Fountain Square Theater. We leave exhilarated, exhausted, and starving.

We remedy the last issue with a late night-early morning breakfast at Peppy’s diner, just a short walk from the dance hall. Peppy’s is always open. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Our waiter, Eric, is always there, cooking for, and joking with, the patrons as they come through the door. Peppy’s is a historical landmark of Fountain Square, having been in business since the 1950s. Each time we go, I put money in the jukebox, select my songs, and ask Eric to dance. While visibly nervous, he always accepts. Just another added charm of this little diner.

While we eat, we chat with Eric about life, getting caught up on the news. TC and I also watch as Eric flirts ferociously with L1. Ahh…young love….so wasted on youth. ;-)

On our way home, we crank the radio and have a three-hour sing-a-long until we arrive safely. We are exhausted but happy. Our time together is precious. I love making memories with members of my eclectic family. I love the time we spend laughing, teasing, and dancing. I love our sweet time together, living life to the fullest.

As Martha Graham said, “Dance is the hidden language of the soul.”

~Annie

Dirty Jobs

Dirty jobs are a given on any homestead. Most people run, screaming, from those jobs that include vast amounts of dirt, grease, or gunk. Those jobs that smell so horribly that you long for Vicks to be smeared under your nose. Most people, but not me.

I enjoy these jobs. I love making something that was dirty and gross into something clean and wonderful again.

JP is more than happy to let me have all the dirty jobs I desire. The most recent major dirty job involved the gray water tanks for our clothes washer.

Our washer was overflowing and backing up. This led to us digging up the gray water tanks. We found them to be filled with decades of grime, grease and roots. The smell was overwhelming. I was in my element.

I took it as my personal challenge to thoroughly clean the tanks of all the nastiness. While JP assisted me, I bailed out the water from the tanks, and then started in on the three feet of gunk.

After hours of cleaning, hauling, and washing, I was finished with my task. JP ran a new line, and we were back in business.

These gray water tanks remind me of my life. Overtime, gunk and grime build up in my life. It could come in many forms: extra pounds, regret, not forgiving wrongs committed against me, and so much more.

I am working on learning to be just as zealous to clean out my life, as I am our gray water tanks.

People ask me all of the time how I remain so positive. How I can seemingly be constantly joyous. The answer is found in the Bible. Psalm 51:10 says, “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.”

Everyday, with God’s help, I CHOOSE JOY. I ask God to help me forgive those that have wronged me. To help me forgive myself for any regrets I may have. To help me sustain self-control when it comes to the delicious foods that are placed in my path. To remind me of ALL of the BLESSINGS that are in my life. I choose to cleanse my life of the grime and become clean again.

Dirty jobs happen in everyone’s life. I challenge you to face them head on, with a joyful spirit, choosing joy.

As Henri Nouwen said, “Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day.”

~Annie

Annie’s Blackberry Cobbler

As promised in yesterday’s post, today I am sharing my blackberry cobbler recipe with y’all.

This is another of those go-to recipes that are great for potlucks, dinner parties, delivered meals, or as a bargaining chip when you would really like to have your garden tilled by your very busy husband.

Annie’s Blackberry Cobbler

Melt 1 stick of butter. I do this by placing it in a bowl and popping it in the microwave. It is easy and fast. However, as we learned from the cornbread recipe, make sure to rinse the bowl with water first so that the butter will just pour right on out. What is that? You didn’t read the cornbread recipe? Well then, take a minute to do so, then come on back and continue on with THIS recipe. Go ahead…we will wait……There. Now you are all caught up. Don’t you feel like one of the cool kids now? ;)

In a different bowl, mix:

 2/3 cup raw sugar OR 1 cup white sugar (again, this was addressed in the earlier recipe. If you didn’t read it, you really should….)

1 cup flour

2 tsp baking powder (make sure your baking powder is in date. I was having an awful time with my cobbler. It was not fluffing up AT ALL. It still was yummy, but it sort of looked like it had gotten run over by elephants. I then replaced my baking powder, and it was heavenly puffiness from there on out.)

1 cup of milk

After you have mixed the above ingredients thoroughly, whisk in the butter.

Find your prettiest baking dish, (you know, the one that you save for company) grease it (I like to use the inside of the now-empty butter wrapper,) and pour the mixture in. As a side note, WHY exactly ARE we saving our prettiest dishware for company? I say USE IT! YOU are WORTH IT!

Rinse 2 cups of blackberries (or any berries for that matter. One time I made a blue berry and blackberry cobbler. It was fabulous.)

Sprinkle the blackberries over the mixture, trying to make sure they are distributed evenly. It’s ok if you pop a few in your mouth. Think of it as your tip.

Shake 1/8 cup of raw or ¼ cup of white sugar over the top of the yumminess you just assembled.

Pop it in the oven at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.

Take it out of the oven for two shakes of a lamb’s tail. Sprinkle 1 Tbsp of raw sugar or 2 Tbsp of white sugar across top. Pop it back into the oven for 10 more minutes. The final sugar will crisp up the crust. Trust me. You will love it.

Take it out of the oven and let it set at least 10 minutes. This will give it time to set up. You will know it is time for it to come out of the oven when the edges turn a splendid golden brown.

You can serve it with ice cream or on its own. Seeing as I believe ice cream to be its own food group, I vote ice cream for everyone!

As your troops delight in the goodness of a home baked dessert, take a moment and be proud of yourself. You did it. YOU made it. There was no Duncan, Betty, or Sara in your kitchen. Just YOU. And THAT my lovelies, brings a level of satisfaction that is truly fabulous.

~Annie