Cat # 2

This is the second stew that I made for my cats, and they loved it as they did the first recipe. I do not really measure ingredients. I just sort of throw everything into a pot. and boil for 45 minutes to an hour.

Ingredients:

water

liquid from a roasted chicken (we made the chicken for our dinner yesterday)

2 celery stalks, chopped

chopped tomatoes

1/2 bag frozen carrots

1 leftover potato, chopped

leftover chicken and chicken skin

• Just throw everything into a pot.
• Cook until celery is mushable.
• Take the potato masher to it some, but not completely.
• Allow to cool to room temperature.
• Serve in a big bowl or two.
• Refrigerate the rest.
• If the cats won’t eat it in two days, freeze the rest.

Cat Stew #1

This is the first stew that I made for my cats, and they loved it. I do not really measure ingredients. I just sort of throw everything into a pot and boil for 45 minutes to an hour.

Ingredients:

water

vegetable stock

2 celery stalks, chopped

some mashed sweet potato

some mashed squash

1/2 bag frozen carrots

2 tbsp olive oil

leftover chicken and chicken skin

• Just throw everything into a pot.
• Cook until celery is mushable.
• Take the potato masher to it some, but not completely.
• Allow to cool to room temperature.
• Serve in a big bowl or two.
• Refrigerate the rest.
• If the cats won’t eat it in two days, freeze the rest.

Mini Homestead Happenings for 1/16/2010

Just wanted to note that we are researching natural cat care in an effort to take better care of our fury family members. All 6 of them. If anyone has any tips, we are open to hearing about them.

I have made two stews for the cats, which I will post one per week over the next couple of weeks. I hope your fury friends enjoy them as much as mine do.

Shannon

Mini Homestead Happenings for 1/9/2010

During the week after Christmas, I received the first 2 seed catalogs. One was from Burpee. I was super excited, and keep going back to the catalogs time and again.

I am beginning to formulate a plan in my head for next spring. I have my compost that will be ready to be used, and I will also do trench composting this year when preparing the garden beds and planters.

I have the two mini greenhouses that I purchased at the yard sale last year, so starting plants early out on the porch will be a breeze.

I want a sunflower garden, an herb garden, flower beds and produce. I just have to set everything up for growing on my small lot in this trailer park. LOL…I’m not sure what our new landlords are going to think about this.

Have a nice day.

Shannon

Mini Homestead in a Trailer Park for 1/1/2010

Happy New Year!!!! I have ll of my goals written out and posted, for me to work on throughout the year.

I hope you are al doing well.

I have been clearing out some of my clutter. My nieces and nephews are mighty happy with some very special items that I have handed down to them, and my best friends boyfriend is enjoying ,y hand-me down wizards.

We are supposed to be having 1 or more feet of snow this weekend here in Maine. So far, it has only been a few inches. Zowie is gone for the weekend. Some of the shoveling will have to wait until she gets back.

The holidays were nice, filled with friends and family, and few gifts. We gave home-baked goods and homemade candles as gifts. I’m thinking this will be a yearly tradition.

I hope you are all doing well.

Shannon

Mini Homestead Happenings for 12/30/2009

Snow. We had a storm the other night. I didn’t even know it. We lost he power while we slept, but i was back on before I woke. I shoveled the porch yesterday, came back in and couldn’t breath. Asthma attacks are no fun.

Last night, Zowie tried to shovel, but it was too cold. She finished today. My stepdad plowed last night.

The holiday celebrations are over, and we are settling back into our normal routine.

Zowie was accepted into three universities for the fall semester next year. We are so excited.

***

2009 is on its’ way out, and 2010 is right around the corner. I always take the first day of the new year off to reflect on the previous year, figure out what I want to accomplish in the new year and create my goals list. I will post career related goals here.

What are your homesteading goals for 2010? How do you intend to go about accomplishing these goals? Feel free to let us know in the comments of this post, or post them on your own blog. You can even post a link to your blog post here if you would like.

Be sure to post these goals in a prominent place in your home, so that you can see them every day. This will help to keep you motivated to accomplish the goals throughout the year.

Happy New Year!

Shannon

Happy Holidays!

I wanted to wish you all Happy Holidays! I am taking a bit of a vacation from blogging to spend time with family. I may pick up again next week, but certainly by the 2nd. Shannon

Mini Homestead Happenings 12/10/2009

Hello. Much has been happening here:

The windows are all closed up, the air conditioner is out of the window and the shovel has already been in use. We are ready for winter. Yup! We had a Nor’ Easter yesterday. Zowie had a day off school, which she was not happy about.

I have ordered wigs, so we will soon be making candles again. These will be given to friends and family as holiday gifts.

We are discussing what treats we will be making to give as gifts.

We have been doing some organizing and deep cleaning.

I have written an eBook and a few Special Reports for my freelance writing business, and am waiting for Zowie to edit them so that I can get them online. Zowie gets paid for her efforts.

What is going on at your homestead?

Shannon

Spent Time With Mom

Mom picked me up this morning. We went to the bank, then out to the cemetery. I lover the ride out there, seeing all of the old farm houses and barns. All the fields are cleared now. Mom always tells me about when she was growing up living on the farm and at other places. She shows me where family used to live, and the old families.

She had made a few holiday arrangements and we placed them on the plot. Her parents and grandparent, and aunt and uncle are buried there, as well as her uncle Albert who was killed during the war. My brother was given his first name.

Went to the grocery store then out to moms. She already is completely decorated for the holidays. She has so much stuff and it always looks neat and tidy. She has a huge tree, and has kept the things that my siblings and I made when we were kids, and as adults. It is all very homey.

It was a good day.

Shannon

Mini Homestead Happenings 11/29/2009

I hope everyone had a happy Thanksgiving. While my daughters and I do not celebrate the old Thanksgiving, we do celebrate all that we are thankful for: Food, shelter, warmth, family and friends.

We have spent some time preparing for winter. We cleaned out much of the junk from under the trailer, left by previous owners, cleaned up the yard, banked the trailer and closed up windows.

Oil has been delivered, and we have a little food stocked. Not a lot, as funds have been limited this year. But enough to feed us a couple of weeks.

Moxie kitty has gone home to her mama. My friend was able to procure a small apartment, and she brought Moxie home to it last week. We miss Moxie, here, but she is safe and well cared for.

Our cats have their winter coats, and they are settled in for the winter. The two who go out during good weather, but do not like winter.

Zowie needs boots, and we will get them next month. We are all set with coats and such. I purchased us gloves last month.

The furnace runs at 65* during the day, 70* in the evening for showers and such, and at about 55* at night. This will take place all winter, and we will turn the furnace off as soon as we can next spring.

Zowie is doing just fine in school, and has her college applications and essays in. We are hoping for a good school. She wants to major in Psychology, and eventually work with adolescents.

I am working at my writing career, and building it up nicely.

How do homesteaders prepare for winter? I am interested in learning about all of the necessities involved. I will add this information to my homestead notebook for future reference.

Warmest Wishes,

Shannon