Chemistry Coloring Book ~ Texas History Books

What's Cookin'?

Yesterday I made a double batch of tortillas.  We ate one batch for dinner and I made the extra batch half-sized (so I got 24 little ones instead of 12 medium/big ones).  I froze 1/2 of the little ones for lunches or snacks when things get crazy.  The others are in the fridge.  I still like Kelly's fermented tortillas recipe the best.

I also made a double batch of pancakes.  After we ate breakfast (pancakes with some peaches sauteed in butter on top with real maple syrup or honey) I watered the batter down and made huge square pancakes to cut up and dehydrate for crackers.

Tomorrow I'll be picking up a 1/2 bushel of pears at the farmers market.  We'll dehydrate and can them - and eat plenty of them fresh :).  I *may* make pear sauce (like apple sauce).  Next Tuesday I'll get another 1/2 bushel.

Today we are peeling, halving, and freezing peaches.  I'm also going to separate, vacuum pack, and freeze almonds.

Last night after dinner when I was cleaning up the sink dd approached me and said, "Mommy, thank you for feeding us healthy food.  I like that we make it ourselves."  It was exactly the encouragement I needed because I was feeling extremely discouraged and just plain tired about the whole thing yesterday.  I'm so glad and feel so blessed that the dc are on board with all of this.  They continue to motivate me.

I was so thrilled to find a jar grabber like this one at a flea market on our way back from our road trip Saturday for $1.  No more scalding my hands every time I take jars out of the canner!  The same stand had a canner for $2.  It had some rust on the bottom inside.  It shouldn't matter, right??
















Chemistry - Elements Coloring Book:

Teresa Bond's Periodic Table of Elements Coloring Book is now on the market.  I just looked at the sample pages and it is AWESOME :).  It's more than I can afford but I'm going to buy it anyway - It's that good (It's actually not that expensive, I'm just on a super tight budget).  I wanted to see how the dc responded but ran out of ink while trying to print the samples.  However, one dd was in the room and I showed it to her 1/2 printed.  Teresa, she thinks it's pretty cool!  I'll be using it for dc grades 3rd-9th.

http://www.howtoteachscience.com/products/coloringbook.php

Perfect timing for our Chemistry studies this year!

What's Gardenin'?

Well, here is what DID grow this season:  strawberries, lettuce, garlic, potatoes, onion, basil, oregano, thyme, and cucumbers.

This is what didn't do so well this season: tomatoes, banana peppers, eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, cabbage, beets, carrots.

Still to see: cantaloupe and sweet potatoes.  Both look good but are yet to be harvested.

My walking onions did horribly this year.  They were doing fine in the flower bed but I transplanted them to the raised bed last Fall.  They did fine over the winter but the ones in the raised bed and the ones in the big planter are puny and dried now.  The few stragglers that accidentally got left behind in the flower bed are growing fine even though they are barely stuck in the mulch.  Hmm...  I think I'll put them all back in the flower bed and just plant more bulb onions next year in the onion/garlic raised bed.  I like the walking onions because it is so nice to be able to go out and pick a fresh onion in the middle of winter.

What's Schoolin'?

Here are some good Texas History Books:
  
















I haven't read this one but it looks good:

















This is what I would use to teach Texas History.  It is absolutely wonderful :).  Especially if you lapbook history: