What I've Been Up To In October

October always seems to be an extra busy month.

Perhaps because there are 3 birthdays this month,

mine included.

Maybe it's because the season is changing to Autumn.

I don't really know for sure,

but it's always busy.

We're still working on replacing the windows in the house.

Or, rather, the window fairy 

my dad is still working on replacing the windows.

On the fun side of things, 

we attended a family friend's annual hayride.

It's always a good time, 

and this year was no different.

The food is always phenomenal, 

as is the hot cider.

Plus we had a visit from the grandson,

who always wants to visit the horses and chickens.

He said, "I wuv her!"

He's also quite angry that the raccoon ate all of the chickens 

(except 2).

He plans to have his Poppy get him a real gun so he can shoot the raccoon.

In other news, 

I've been busy working on a book of ghost stories.

Seems a bit odd perhaps, 

but I love the paranormal

and I love hiking

so that's how the idea of a book of paranormal stories

 from along the Appalachian Trail came to be.

And to tie all this in a little,

the very same family friend who plans the hayrides, 

is the same that helped nudge me towards wanting to write again,

though she doesn't really know it.

She said to me once, "Do what makes your heart sing."

It's something I try to tell myself on a fairly regular basis, 

especially those times when I get discouraged 

and think I have no business doing what I'm doing.

Because sometimes, you have to rediscover who you are and who you're meant to be.

Maybe that seems strange to some, 

but I know to others it makes perfect sense.

Life changes you.

So who you were at 18 and who you thought you were going to end up being  

aren't necessarily the same or even close.

Sometimes, you need to take a second to reorient yourself 

and figure things out.

Me- I need to write.

So if you want to read about hiking check out my other blog

Hiking 40 For My 40th

and if you want to know what's going on and where I am in the whole book thing

like the Facebook Page

The Haunted Trail: Ghosts, Monsters and Aliens on the Appalachian Trail

 

Dehydrating

Things have been hopping around here.

Not only has school and Scouts started up,

but I'm also in the last weeks of planning the "BIG HIKE".

That means lots of food prep.

I've had the dehydrator going nonstop the last couple of days.

First it was peas

and last night I went to apples.

I used my Apple Master peeler, slicer, corer for the first time.

LOVED IT.

After I get the blueberries and apples done, 

I'll be moving to corn.

Through all this I've found that I love dehydrating food.

You wash it, maybe cut it up, maybe soak it for a couple minutes to prevent discoloring,

throw it on the tray and leave it until it's done.

Easy peasy.

Dehydrated

I've been pretty busy the last few days.

Some referred to it as "Martha Stewart on crack",

but it doesn't matter, because I'm getting crap done.

I picked up some apricots at the local Farmer's Market last weekend

and thought I could dehydrate them in the dehydrator 

I picked up at a yard sale

(brand new still in the box).

I have a big hike coming up in a couple of months and 

I'm hoping to make all my own meals with the new toy.

So I cut up the apricots.

Tossed them with some fruit saver to prevent them from discoloring

and popped them in the dehydrator.

One quart did 2 trays.

They turned out okay.

I've also tried zucchini chips (not a fan)

and banana chips (the husband says they're okay too).

Beef jerky is on the list to try!

In the meantime, 

I'm canning beets, pickles, beans and baking bread while battling squash bugs

and rearranging and organizing the apartment. 

I need a vacation!

Decisions

Lately it's occurred to me that I haven't done much blogging

about "farm" related topics.

Not that I really set this blog up to talk exclusively about "farming"

(and I put farming in quotes because really, 

4 chickens and a veggie garden do not a farm make)

but still, my focus here was going to be about

gardening, chickens, canning, food, etc.

You know.

Farm stuff.

But with the onset of winter

and crappy weather,

there hasn't been much to talk about.

Plus, 

after my wedding, 

I moved from the "farm" to a small apartment.

While I still go out and take care of the garden and the chickens,

it's not an all the time thing, 

especially with winter here.

And lately, my interests have been running to

hiking and backpacking

and the big trip planned for later in the year.

I had intended on blogging here about the trip's progress,

but then I wondered if that was a good idea.

How would someone know to look on a blog about "farming"

to read about preparing for an Appalachian Trail Section Hike?

Because I'd really like other people thinking of this sort of trip

or people who already do this sort of thing,

to read what I'm posting.

So I thought about another blog.

And that seemed silly too since I already have 4 blogs

and I struggle to post on any one of them

on a regular basis.

In the end, 

I opted to start a fifth blog

(really it was the husband who said do it like a 5th blog is not something to fret over which it really isn't since there aren't any blog police that I know of)

So, my Appalachian Trail Section Hike progress will be posted over on the new blog:

Hiking 40 For My 40th

If you have an interest about the hiking thing

and all that entails

(like training and practice hikes and food and equipment and the actual hike)

please check it out and follow me there.

And if it doesn't interest you at all,

I'm still maintaining this blog

(and all the others)

when I have something to blog about.

Not Keen on Quinoa

 This is Quinoa

(pronounced keen-wa or keen-oh-a).

It's considered a super food

higher in protein than rice

and a good source of fiber, phosphorous,

magnesium, iron and calcium.

And it cooks in under 15 minutes.

So when I saw some recipes for backpacking meals 

that use quinoa, 

I thought I definitely needed to try it-

certain I would be bagging it up for the big trip.

But I tried it

and hated it.

I'm not sure if it was because of the flavoring and seasoning it came with

or if I really hate it.

Maybe I'll give it a try again cooked a different way,

but as for now, I think I'll be sticking with Ramen noodles and rice.

Doing It Different

It's that time of year again.  That time when people make a list of things they resolve to do, many of which tend to be ways  to change to be better.  After reviewing my list from 2014 and realizing I didn't get too much accomplished, I opted for a different strategy. 

This year, I have one goal- Hike the Maryland section of the Appalachian Trail. 

January 1st I managed a small hike (after being sick the night before with a stomach virus and a fever) so I've already started the ball rolling.  And in preparing for completion of this goal, I need to be healthier and in backpacking shape, things that were typically resolutions on their own.  Now they're just part of the larger picture, not the focus. I'll be blogging updates on my progress over the next 10 months, and eventually blogging about the trip itself. 

This is going to be MY year!

(You can read about the trip plan here)

40 For My 40th

Lately, I've been in a funk.  Maybe it's the stress of life, maybe it's the realization that I'm living the last year of my 30's and heading straight for 40, either way, I haven't been able to shake it.  It occurred to me that perhaps I needed a goal.  Perhaps I needed something to work towards- something that would be a pretty significant accomplishment.

Years ago, I had it in my head that I wanted to hike a section of the Appalachian Trail.  Really, I'd love to do a thru hike (hiking the entire AT from Georgia to Maine) but that's a 6 month trip and not realistic for a working married mom.  But a section hike- that's possible. 

But the years came and went, and I got busy with other things.  I never forgot about that idea, but it just seemed like something that wasn't going to become reality.  There's always an excuse not to do something- the gear is expensive, I'm not in shape and getting in shape is hard.... but then, after turning 39 and feeling like I hadn't really accomplished anything (and coming across a list I had jotted down of things I wanted to do before I was 40- none of which I've done) the thought of a hike became something I thought about regularly.

I decided it seemed fitting to hike 40 miles for my 40th birthday.

Still, I hadn't really actually planned anything.  I just decided in my head that I should do it.  So this weekend during a trip to Bass Pro Shop, the plan was hatched.  While looking at camping stuff with Big E, I mentioned how I'd really like to actually go on the backpacking trip I had been talking about (since before I met him) instead of talking about it.  He agreed.

So, we have a little less than a year to get into shape and get our gear ready for the 40 for our 40th. 

I'll keep you updated on the progress.