Follow Up

Here's a follow up to the salsa making yesterday: 

'

These are the types of tomatoes I used, from left: 

Abu Rawan, Gypsy, Gypsy, and Super Sauce. 

I threw a few cherry tomatoes in there, too. 

Remember... I cheat.  I do NOT remove the skins by boiling in water. 

I cut them up coarsely, after removing stems and cores.  

I chop them on "Chop" for about 30 seconds, leaving them coarse. 

This is an Abu Rawan, as I was cutting it into fourths.  I like these tomatoes a lot, and will grow them next year again. 

In the pot ready to boil. 

In the bowl at the end of the process.  It smelled so good! 

I used Mrs. Wages medium salsa mix, and there is also a hot version. 

I chose not to can these, though you can do so if you would like.  We use so little, it seemed easier to freeze it, as we have plenty of freezer space. 

So when it was cool, into the containers it went to cool completely, and then be marked and put in the freezer.  

I like to leave some chunks in it. 

The whole process took maybe a half hour. 

I'm also making the Mrs. Wages version of chili base, and spaghetti sauce.  They also make a catsup version. 

Keith mentioned this morning he'd like to have some sweet pickles, and they make a great mix for that. 

The website is HERE. 

Monday Morning

Last night I posted a picture of Keith with Kaycee in his arms, sitting on the patio.  About an hour after I posted, I went out to lock up, and Keith had let the babies into the yard to keep him company out there.  I found Kaycee in his lap again, and sound asleep, with   Keith hating to get up to put him in the pen for the night! 

That little black goat sure has an affinity for his Daddy. 

This was the old henhouse flock last year at this time: 

Well, part of the flock.  Almost all these birds are gone now.  I was getting ten dozen a week to donate... and I'm down to six dozen now, with two dozen of those being duck eggs.  

If it was up to Aflac, there would be an increase in the duck population!  She stole back in while the others were out grazing this morning, and waited until I got up from the chair as I filled the pool... and then promptly packed herself back onto the four eggs in the nest.  Lovely. 

I knew the signs... the eggs have been covered with debris and feathers for the last three days. 

I don't know if the snakes can get their mouths around the duck eggs. 

Here are two of the Mille Fleurs, Bitsy and Junior, cleaning up what was left of the watermelon I gave them last night.  As Bitsy gets older, she gets whiter... this is common with Millies. 

Junior is only a year old at this point. 

Yep, I'm doin' it the easy way, ladies!  

I need to go out and find another pound of tomatoes, and then I'm going to make some Salsa for us.  We have PLENTY of freezer space around here, so I am going to freeze it, instead of hauling the canner out again. 

I hope to make some spaghetti sauce and some chili base courtesy of Mrs.Wages this week, too. 

Our dear old boy has been keeping me company this morning... I am so glad to still have him at my side. 

Keith has just called me to tell me the Royal baby is on the way, so I am going to go turn the news on and get on with the sauce-making, so I can monitor the progress! 

Everyone have a wonderful day, and especially Donna and Kevin, on the far side of their big day last Thursday!