Rachael Eliker's Blog, page 89

Step Back

The painting never ends!Whenever I feel like I'm not getting anywhere on home improvements, all I have to do is step back and take a look at how much I've already done.
The big picture: making lots of progress.Yet another important home improvement lesson that translates into a life lesson.

Mutual Exercise

Raven LOVES Jack.Sometimes, Jack and Raven go out for some mutual exercise.Similar to mutual goofiness.

72-Hour Kit

One of the goals we've felt impressed to work on this year are our 72-hour kits. I wouldn't say we're extreme survivalists or anything, but you never know if a tornado will show up, an earthquake will shake the house, a flood, a mudslide, a freakish inland hurricane, the zombie apocalypse or alien invasion will occur. Better safe than sorry.

We gathered up a few spare backpacks and packed a few essentials to get us through a few days of tragedy. So far, our bags include:

Change of clothes (one/...

Animals and Compassion

I've always been of the opinion that animals are a valuable part of my existence. They provide companionship, teach children about life, death, responsibility, they give us food, they give us resources (I still have wool left to spin!) and they're great sources of entertainment and laughter.

They're also a wonderful at teaching compassion.
We had some teenage boys out a few weeks ago and it's always interesting to observe how people behave around animals. The boys all stood in awe of the horses...

Berry Cobbler (From Scratch!)

Though I L-O-V-E my peach cobbler recipe, I confess, I don't keep cake mixes on hand all that often. So, when a friend passed this one along, I was so pleased that it's from scratch. And, another great thing is that you can use whatever berries you have on hand--we used the wild raspberries we foraged earlier in the year. Heavenly!

Ingredients:

4 cups berries or mixed fruit
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 egg
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
6 Tablespoons flour

Toss the berries and lemon juice together and place i...

We're All Friends

Raven trying to get Hercules to scratch her tummy.I think we've finally reached equilibrium on the farm: all the animals seem to be getting along dandily. I've told everyone we're all friends a dozen times and now they seem to be believing me. Raven no longer winces and whines when a cat is nearby. Hercules was raised with chickens, just not chicks...Hercules has given up trying to eat the chickens now that he recognizes them as chickens (and not vocal little treats we left in a box for him). T...

Insanity

"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."

Albert Einstein calls it insanity.Kate calls it persistence.

Bruschetta (Toasted or Chilled)

My sister sent this recipe after tinkering with it. After getting my hands on it, I tinkered a little more. The result is two delicious ways to serve up this appetizer or side dish: toasted or chilled (and a great way to use up some garden tomatoes!).
Jenny's chilled version.
Ingredients:

7 to 9 roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
4 oz feta or shredded mozzarella
1 teaspoon basil, fresh or dried
3 Tablespoons olive oil plus 2 additional Tablespoons
1/4 cup balsamic vinaigrette
3 teaspoons garli...

The Be Careful Generation

Claire's favorite way to use the monkey bars.It's no secret that our girls are little wild things (in the best sense). They love to run, jump, explore, climb, scream and try new things. And I let them. There's a strange trend going on in the world that prevents kids from being what they are: kids. Some adults would rather smother a child's curiosity than let them explore, watch every minute of playtime so they can decide whether what their child is or isn't doing something risky and stunt the...

Can't-Leave-Alone Bars

I think something in the name of these treats subconsciously makes you want to eat them...but who am I kidding? They're delicious. That's why I want to eat them. All of them.

Ingredients:

1 white cake mix
2 large eggs
1/3 cup oil
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup butter.

Combine cake mix, eggs and oil.  Flour hands and press 2/3 of the cake mix into the bottom of a 13x9 inch baking pan. In a microwavable bowl, combine milk, chocolate and butter. Heat fo...