It is peach season at our house and we have been enjoying eating fresh peaches for a few weeks now. We have also eaten a few figs as well.
A few days ago I put up some more peaches to make peach pies. Our trees are young but it is encouraging to see that the peaches that they do make are very enjoyable.
I would like to say that I am still soaking anything that has grain, seeds, beans, nuts etc. and it is helping with digestion. I am still learning so I am not posting my recipes but each day I am getting better at it.
I started another sewing project and made a small curtain to go on the kitchen sink window.
I decided to go with a layered look, I felt the need to change up a bit here and there but that is my usual. I am trying to get a feel for this years history project.
I keep a jar of dish powder just above the sink and for some reason it settles my mind to use dish powder. I am still trying to find my feel for the year 1917. I am not blogging about it yet because I must get my mind and house to the point I can.
When Charles and I started our first world war 2 study several years ago we did not start until the month of July because we had to get the feel and understanding of the era so I still have hope to post on this study eventually.
Next week I will be working on the wash stand and putting it back in order. When Charles mother was ill in mid 2023 and we moved her into our home, we had to move out many things in our home. Since her death it has taken us quite a bit of time to put the house back in order. We haven't felt like rushing anything as we get used to the changes of losing another loved one.
I have made a hub in a portion of the counter bar area. It holds things often used and since I am short, older and limited with reaching these days I wanted an area that I can access easily. I like it :)
Many years ago Charles and I started doing living history studies here at home and we live like the year we study. Little by little we have rid ourselves of many modern things in our home that we feel that are not necessary.
Now I am not used to having a lot of modern items in the house since our home is more vintage. Since I am older I do not have the strength that I once did when we started the studies so I am having to give in a bit to use modern devices at times. I recently purchased a new mixer when I need help with batters. It feels odd to have it and so I have covered it with a vintage cloth to make me feel better about having yet another electric appliance. The area next to the mixer I will be putting a food dehydrator there to have better access to that as well.
They did have dehydrators in the past and I just recently read a newspaper article from 1917 Titled Food Dehydrators helping to win the war. Another article in the year 1920, a lady had just purchased a new dehydrator for her kitchen. I do remember in one of our studies seeing a photo of a dehydrator that sat on top of a wood burning stove.
Using either modern or vintage, the purpose is to dehydrate the food. I have always had to convince myself that it is okay to use what is needed if I did not have the actual appliance that was from the time we were studying. This has kept me from spending endless amounts of money on vintage items to do these studies. I do enjoy the old things.
I like to name my modern kitchen helpers because in the past family, friends and neighbors frequently helped one another. When I started having issues with my left arm , my daughter talked me into using a bread maker so I use it at times to knead the dough but on my good strong days I still knead it by hand.
Aunt Leona was a real Auntie that baked many loaves of sweet bread every Saturday as per written in a letter to my mother in the 1940s. So I named the bread maker Aunt Leona and I imagine that she is helping me make bread.
The name for the new mixer is Aunt Vivian as I am certain she would help me in the kitchen. I wish they were still with us here today, and I feel that they somehow know that.
I made some more yogurt today and I am enjoying having fresh made yogurt in the fridge.
I read an article from February 10, 1916, Dayton Ohio. The article was discussing an entirely different class of prepared fermented milk that has been introduced from the Balkans and the eastern end of the Mediterranean. These preparations are known by various names, the most familiar known as Yogurt.
I found two more articles a year earlier in 1915 which one was discussing yogurt and how to keep it cool. As we know, refrigeration during this time was using ice boxes that they called refrigeration. During this time trains would carry loads of ice to cities and towns and unload the ice into the ice houses normally in buildings close to the the railroad tracks. It was common to use hay and straw to insulate the trains and ice houses as well. Routes were set up and delivery men would come with their horse and wagons and load up to deliver the ice blocks to homes to be put in the ice boxes. Through the years they started using trucks to carry the ice to the home. The customers would purchase ice tickets from the ice company and then use the tickets to pay the ice delivery man so that he did not have to take the time to handle money and change and could keep moving on his route. It was heavy work to carry the large blocks of ice into the home to set in the ice section of the ice box. I remember the tongs they used to carry the ice.
Still on the subject of yogurt a modern time of 1940, an article, "Yogurt" Claimed to be one of the most "Perfect Foods. The article goes on to say that the tradition of some countries tells that Abraham was the first man to prepare yogurt having learned the process from an angel.
Charles and I are trying to get better routines with our meals and take the time to make them healthy.
We are working on getting to bed earlier and getting more hours of sleep. It takes a good bit of discipline to do these things.
Madge's kitties are now used to their new mommy and daddy and doing well. This is Jess, he is actually a friendly teddy bear, the camera just caught that look of not wanting to have his picture taken.
Blue just wants to be carried around, loved on and climb into any open drawer. We are happy that Jess and Blue are happy here with us.
Our doggie babies are doing well, Katherine our oldest is very slow now and we know that she does not have a lot of time left with us due to her age so we just love on her more and more.
I feel that our ancestors would be shocked at how our world has gotten. It seems that this time that we are living is causing much stress for many people for all kinds of reasons. I feel that it is very important that we make our home a refuge, a place that we want to be to rest, heal and eat healthy food. A place to be comfortable and want to embrace.
We do not need to worry about things that we cannot do anything about and concentrate on balancing our budget, working on meal plans to save money at the grocery store. We do not need to rush, take time in the things we do because rushing causes mistakes.
Most of all work on ourselves to be happy and calm so that we can show others what that looks like. Remember that soap and water, a bucket of paint and a paint brush can be magical. Just do it and make your life, or better yet, someone else life brighter. I think I will do a touch up paint on the porch.
Don't forget, come over to the forum for a visit, I love reading your comments. I love to know what you have been up to and so do others. The forum is found up in the menu. To comment there is a short sign up but you don't have to sign up to read.
Grandma Donna
