# Sorry for my absence



## catlady6200 (Sep 6, 2012)

I have been canning almost everyday, taking care of the chicks, and getting ready for winter. I realize that we are unseasonably warm where we live but winter WILL arrive and I want to be completely ready for it. Only have about 2 canning days left, then caulking the chicken coop and a better roof on the pen before the rain. General pickem up around the yard, moving the raccoon feeders, etc. Like I said, lots of little things to do. But once winter arrives I will be very bored, so that's when I get back full time on the computer. You will get tired of seeing me here then. LOL 

The other love of my life,
Angelina,,,,,7 years old. Will post Tiggers picture when I find it on this computer. To many pictures for me to find it tonight.


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## 7chicks (Jun 29, 2012)

Pretty kitty! I know what you mean about the winter prep chores. Just came in from wrapping the run in plastic. Still have the wood strips to put on but the bulk of the work is done at least. Not bad considering I was out at 7:30 this morning working on it in 32 degrees. We're getting nailed early with cold here in MI. September was cold and rainy the whole month. Now October is nothing but cold already. Last year I didn't have to winterize the coop & run until November. Makes me wonder what kind of winter we're in for this year ...


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## havasu (Jun 21, 2012)

I'd just like to know what you are canning? Do you have pics of the process?


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## catlady6200 (Sep 6, 2012)

No, never thought to take pictures of my canning to tell you the truth. I just do it. LOL I have canned green beans, beets, carrots, corn, potatoes, applesauce, pears, peaches, pickles, pickled beets. I also canned up the juice from concorde grapes, blackberries, raspberries to save for jelly making later when all is done and winter sets in. Froze the strawberries earlier in the summer. Froze other berries for pie making later on to. Put away the blueberries also. Have some meat coming in next month that I will have to can also, forgot about that. So guess I won't be through afterall. I canned up corn relish, spiced apple slices, apple pie mix, apple butter. Think that's it.


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## havasu (Jun 21, 2012)

Never having tasted a homemade canned green bean, but thousands of cans of commercial green beans, I bet the taste and texture is quite different?


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## 7chicks (Jun 29, 2012)

Home canned green beans are the best!!! Took me forever to get used to store bought after I left home. Canned green beans, carrots, and peas together is my favorite! What a lot of work catlady! Your pantry must look beautiful with all those jars!


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## cogburn (Jul 16, 2012)

I can everything, helped grandma and great grandma ever since I was a little sprout.. My mom cans, we enjoy it ! I've never taken a picture either, maybe next time.. I didn't do a fall/winter garden this year, due to bad health. I'll be ready 10 weeks before spring.. Plant seeds grow seedlings.. 

Sounds like you've been busy, but I bet youre like me, II like that kinda busy... 

Enjoy yalls weekend ! 

Cogburn


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## catlady6200 (Sep 6, 2012)

We have a 35 ft x 60 ft garden plus we plant in other spots on the property. Intend to expand in spots next year and start more plants in the greenhouse to. We got more green beans than I expected and they turned out like zucchini does. People didnt want me to come around anymore. LOL 

Got the rest of the roofing for the chick pen this afternoon but forgot the caulking. Can't seem to remember everything anymore. Not even the list it was all written down on. 

And we got our first egg today from one of our little ladies. Left it in the nest box until everyone got to see it there. Was a big deal. But it was pretty small. She had a mighty rough time getting it out too. Shell is hard as it can be too.


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## catlady6200 (Sep 6, 2012)

Oh, and Cogburn, I am sorry to hear that you have been in ill health. Sure hope you feel better soon. 
I was ill for several months from March through June,,,,2 unexpected surgeries, and the second one was a pretty rough one. But I had to garden so forced myself daily to work at least 3 hours. It worked, and now I am doing very well. Except for this dang sinus infection I can't seem to break. Doc said it was because of all the fires around here polluting the air. 
It's hard to get old and not be able to do the things we used to do.


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## 7chicks (Jun 29, 2012)

Where are you from catlady? For as dry as it was my way for wild fire season, we didn't get anything major this year. When Canada had that huge wild fire, we did get the smoke from it here really bad. You'd have sworn there was a fire near your house from the foggy smoke & smell of it. Rolled in abruptly in less than an hour and hung in the air for the next couple days. Weird how that travels hey.


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## catlady6200 (Sep 6, 2012)

We are in Washington State. I think they have most of the fires out in Eastern Washington which is the ones that were traveling over the mountains to here, but we have had lots of smaller fires right close to us just lately. And we are in Western Washington. We are usually very wet at this time of year and this year we can't get rain to save us. Usually we are using the wood stove and we haven't lit it up even once. Weird weather all over this year.


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## cogburn (Jul 16, 2012)

Thank you cat lady I'm glad you are better too, I'm fixin to have surgery on both shoulders (rotator cuffs) and neck (2 ruptured disks).. So I'll be down this whole winter and hopefully I can get my garden in next spring.


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