MY TRANSIENT LIFE...A HEART DIVIDED

 

 

It is amazing how our lives take drastic turns from what we imagined they would be growing up. Being raised a farm girl on a small farm/truck garden in southwest Michigan, I just assumed that is where my life would always be. I never would have imagined that my heart would be divided between three different states throughout my life. Nor, did I ever imagine that I would be a transient.

No, I am not a hobo or homeless, which is the first thought that comes to mind when transient is mentioned. It’s just that a hometown boy wasn’t in my future. My husband Jim was from Pennsylvania and my fiancé Ron is from Indiana.

I am a product of my roots and so is Ron. My small farm is a mile from where I grew up and his farm is three miles from his home. We both cherish family and friends and leaving our respective homes isn’t an option, at least not at this stage of the game. So, we commute between the two, hence my transient life. We say that we have a southern (Indiana) and northern (Michigan) home…sounds impressive that way!

So, how does this work? Quite nicely…most of the time, that is. We are only 180 miles, or three hours apart. Though not ideal, it could be worse and, after six years, we sort of have a system. Ideally, we spend a week to ten days at one place then head for the other. Of course, in this life, there are a lot of times that are not ideal. Depending on what is going on, we have been known to spend a day at one place then head for the other and back again. Hey, it’s only three hours, right?

 

When you put it all in context, this really isn’t so bad, considering that Mercersburg, Jim’s home town in Pennsylvania, was 500 miles away. We would usually make a couple trips a year out there, and more if we were lucky. That isn’t a lot of time to spend with family and friends. It did help that many of them would head our way in between.

 

Mercersburg is a charming small town nestled in the Tuscarora Valley, flanked by its mountains. It’s a farming community of friendly folks who welcomed me like one of their own. I learned to make hog maw (the stomach of a pig which is cleaned and stuffed with potatoes, cabbage, sausage and then baked), and to eat pon haus (a mush of pork scraps and trimmings combined with cornmeal and wheat flour which is shaped into a loaf and then fried).

I also have attended apple butter boils and hometown festivals where homemade ice cream, country ham, chicken corn soup and some hometown picking brought folks together for a night of homegrown food and music. I have been a part of these folks’ lives for over 30 years.

 

Ron’s home in Indiana is just outside a little place called Economy, about 60 miles east of Indianapolis. The old saying of “don’t blink or you’ll miss it” certainly is true here. Also a farming community, folks here have likewise made me one of their own. Everyone knows each other and is willing to lend a hand but is also is respectful enough not to crowd a person’s space.

 

Fishing is a big pass time for many folks down here and I am amazed to see pictures of how many guys from around Ron’s home have discovered the St. Joe River in Michigan and have trekked up there every year to fish. I am especially amazed that Ron and his family have been coming up here to fish the St. Joe about a mile from my home for the past 50 years. It truly is a small world.

 

I eat sloppy joes in Michigan, whimpies in Indiana and steamers in Pennsylvania and it’s all the same dish. I shop in Greencastle in Pennsylvania and also in Indiana. I have been in Hagerstown, Indiana and Hagerstown, Maryland (close to Mercersburg) and Centreville, Michigan and Centerville, Indiana, although they each spell it differently.

It has taken me a few years to master the pronunciation but I have finally mastered the Mississinewa (Miss-is-in-a-wa) River in Indiana and the Conococheague (Kah-no-Kah-cheek) Creek in Pennsylvania. No matter the miles, we are all connected in some way.

 

So, how does this living in two places actually work? For one thing, it has taught us to use time a little more wisely. If something needs done, you do it then instead of putting it off until next week when you won’t be home. One thing that it has changed is planning meals. The last couple of days at one place is usually leftover day. Whatever we do have left such as milk, bread and lunch meat goes in the cooler to head out. There have been a couple times when the same thing made the trip twice!

Shopping is a little different too. Whether it is shampoo, toothpaste or a bunch of other items, we buy two at a time because we always run out at the same time at both places. Of course, there is always “the bag.” It is a bright yellow tote bag that always goes with us. It is filled with things that need to go either north or south because if we shop one place, some things always need to go the opposite way. Have bag will travel!

Then there is the checklist. You would think that by now it would just be second nature what needs done before we leave. However, it never fails for me anyway, I always forget one thing. So, the checklist of turn down the thermostat, water plants, turn off the well pump, etc. is the last thing I check…as long as I don’t forget to check the checklist!

The trip itself really isn’t so bad. For me, it is my ahhh time. You just know that it is a three-hour trek so you may as well put on some music, sit back and enjoy the ride. We have watched the progress of different houses being built, landscaping in yards and a cow barn being built from start to finish on our weekly trips. Especially during planting and harvest, Ron enjoys watching the progress in different areas.

 

We are different in some ways. Ron’s favorite part of the trip is when he hits I-69 and he can just “go.” Mine is when I get off the highway and can travel the backroads. Perhaps the best part is our phone conversations with friends and family. Inevitably, they never begin with hello, but rather it is “Where are you at?”

 

Sometimes not only do we make the trip, but our projects do too. Ron is the metal worker and I am the woodworker. However, it doesn’t matter what the project is, some of the stuff we need is at the opposite place. Inevitably, just one tool or other thing to finish something is where we are not. Some of our projects have gone more miles than we have!

One time I got up and couldn’t figure out why the bathroom was in a different place. Then I remembered that we were at the “other” house! It’s the same in the kitchen. I instinctively reach for the tea bags or a certain pot or pan and it’s not there. Yep, my body is in the other home but apparently my mind stayed behind!

All in all, it’s not so bad, Despite the inconveniences, we are so blessed…not the fact that we are divided between two different places, but instead because we have twice the family and friends. My heart is definitely divided between Michigan, Indiana and Pennsylvania and, in spite of all the adjustments, I wouldn’t have it any other way!

 

 

JUST MAKE IT

 

 

Call me self sufficient and frugal or just call me stubborn…either way is probably right. I am talking about doing and making things that I need for myself. I have always had a passion for DIY projects but this past year has probably brought this even more to light.

Being at home more, coupled with shortages of goods in stores, prompted many to make do with supplies at hand and to be ingenious and make whatever they needed at home. This is the way I was raised, to use what was on hand before buying.

This subject comes to mind because of all the extra time we had this past year. Boredom is a great motivator to take a gander at what you have at hand and what you can do with it. People that think they have no talent for doing their own projects maybe just haven’t tried before.

 

This past week has been the week of accomplishment for us. A lot of projects that we started got finished. We have had a set of four corn planter plates setting around collecting dust. Ron welded three of them together and fashioned a tripod around them with chains to hold a kettle over a bonfire to cook in.

 

He also took some leftover steel plates and made two heavy duty stands, one to work on and one to mount my scroll saw on.

 

I have needed a small side table to set a cup of tea on by the sofa. I knew that I wanted one with a rustic look so an old pallet provided just what I needed. Tearing it apart, sawing the boards to length and then staining it, I now have the perfect little stand.

 

Perhaps I got in this mode years ago when I worked at a woodworking factory. They graciously let the employees use all the machinery and any scraps of wood that were left after orders were filled to make anything we wanted. There were a lot of Christmas gifts made there!

 

I used some cherry lumber and made a simple table to hold a glass table top. I also used leftover laminated plywood and other stock to make a small end table.

 

Glass mirrors left over from a former project became bases for clocks with a little etching added to them. A small piece of muslin that almost got tossed has become a needlepoint piece with an inspirational verse on it and is framed in a unique wooden frame that has been taking up space in the basement for years. The same is true of some decorative jars that were serving no purpose. With a few marbles added (that were also setting around) and some solar fairy lights, the jars now decorate our railing around the deck. OK…I did buy the fairy lights, but of all the projects, that is the first item I purchased.

 

 

There is nothing special about these projects in the least. Many folks “tinker” and make beautiful and useful things. The point is that sometimes we are all guilty of just going to town to buy it or ordering something online when we could save money and use up materials that are just taking up space. As much as I love to make things, I am also guilty of this.

The fact is whenever we do something, there are always leftovers. Who doesn’t have some lumber, metal, ceramic tiles, scraps of yarn and other odds and ends from past projects tucked away because they are too good to dispose of and yet there is no particular use for them at the time.

That’s when it’s time to get creative. I have this thing lately that “stuff” either needs to be put to use or it goes. No more just taking up space. I also can’t bring myself to part with some things, so I look for ways to put them to use.

Perhaps the best example of this are three 12-inch square ceramic tiles that became part of our bathroom wall. Both of our bathrooms and kitchen had some outdated 4-inch square yellow and white ceramic tiles on the walls. Wanting a change, we decided to remove them. Not a problem in the kitchen and one of the bathrooms, however, when we pulled them off in the other bathroom, the plaster came with them so we had a hole right down to the rafters.

With a little ingenuity, some plywood covered the hole and then I painted a garden scene on the tiles and attached them to the plywood. A whole new look to our wall that fixed a small disaster. The tiles could have easily been stenciled or used as they were for those that don’t want to put quite as much effort into it.

There are so many reasons to get in the habit of repurposing materials that you already have on hand. Some of the biggest reasons that I do it are:

 

*SAVE MONEY. The materials have already been purchased for one reason or another. Why not put them to good use instead of spending more money.

 

*STAVE OFF BOREDOM. During long winter months and even in the warmer times of year, sometimes there just isn’t a lot going on. It’s easy to end up on the sofa in front of the TV, but even that gets old after a while. The hardest part is getting up and getting started, but once you do, you’ll probably get caught up in your project that you won’t want to quit until it’s all finished.

 

*SENSE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT. There is just something about knowing you created something useful yourself. There is satisfaction in knowing that not only could you do it, you actually did it. It doesn’t even have to be perfect, there is a place for perfection but if it suits you, then it is fine.

 

*USE WHAT YOU HAVE. This is half of the fun. So many folks think that you have to have the biggest and the best. If you want to make a small wood project, you don’t need a whole wood shop. For my little stand, I bought a small jigsaw and used the clamps, screws and sand paper on hand. The beauty of this is that, after trying your hand at something new, you may discover that you never want to try that particular thing again or that you do really enjoy it. If it is something you enjoy, then is the time to expand your tools and supplies for that hobby.

 

*I DON’T KNOW HOW TO DO IT. It doesn’t matter what you choose to try, whether it be woodworking, painting, sewing, brick laying, or a host of other activities, you will never know if it is something that trips your trigger or not until you try. Don’t let being a newbie to it discourage you. Believe me, there are videos on youtube that will show you EXACTLY how to do anything from tying knots (which is an art in itself!) to sewing to building boats to ……..whatever you want to do. Don’t forget that there is also something to be said for trial and error.

 

UNIQUENESS. Whatever it is that you are doing, your piece will be unique, one of a kind. You can’t buy this in a store. That will make it special.

 

I know that I always feel better when I have a project in the works….and I get something to show for it in the end. Ron always jokes that when it is my time to go, I will be asking God for just a little bit longer because I have something to finish. I hope he is right!

WELCOME TO DRY CANNING

 

 

Miss Google is a wonderful asset to gain knowledge on just about anything. However, she can lead you astray as I found out the other day. It certainly pays to be the skeptic and check enough sites on a subject out until you are satisfied beyond a shadow of a doubt.

It all started with a Youtube video on dry canning. As one who has always canned many of my own fruits and vegetables, I never thought too much about preserving dry foods. I have always put my flour, cornmeal and some other dry goods in the freezer because of the “bugs” that could get into it. The downside to this is that it does take up a lot of freezer space.

So, I was thrilled when I ran across a video on oven canning. I thought I had found a way to be able to buy dry goods in bulk and store them without any of them going bad. However, with a little more research, I found that there are different ways to preserve these dried foods and some were better than others.

In a nutshell, dry pack canning is used for foods that have less than 10 percent moisture and are low in oil content. Foods like nuts that contain oils go rancid if kept for long periods of time. Foods like pasta, cereal, white rice, white flour (not brown rice or flour because it contains oils), beans, corn, powdered milk and eggs, herbs and spices and other dried foods are excellent choices for dry canning.

Oxidation is what causes foods to spoil, thus removing oxygen from foods will let them retain their freshness and food quality for long periods of time. Air itself is 78 percent nitrogen, 21 percent oxygen and one percent other gases.  Nitrogen does not cause food to spoil.

So, there are basically three methods of dry canning, oven canning, canning with oxygen absorbers and food saver jar sealers. It was the oven canning video that caught my attention although that is considered not the safest route to go. Here is what all three entail:

 

 OVEN CANNING.  This method has been around since the 1940’s and many “seasoned” home canners swear by this method even though the USDA now deems it unsafe due to it not sealing out all the moisture and botulism can contaminate the food. Another risk is that Mason jars are not made to withstand high temperatures without any liquid and can break or explode when placed in these temperatures for extended periods of time.

 

It is basically a simple process. First, all jars must be washed and sterilized and thoroughly dry. Then they are filled with the dry ingredients, leaving a half inch of headspace. Place all jars on a baking sheet and put in an oven that is preheating to 200*. It is important that jars be placed in the oven during the preheating stage to avoid cracking.

 

Once the oven temperature reaches 200*, leave them in there for one hour. Then remove one jar at a time, place the lid on and tighten the ring, setting the jar on a towel to cool. As they cool, the lids should “pop” just like they do when regular canning. However, even though the lids may seal, if there is too much moisture left in the jars, they may be unsafe to consume because of mold or botulism growth.

  

MASON JARS WITH OXYGEN ABSORBERS. This is by far the safest and easiest method of dry canning. Oxygen absorbers are little packages containing iron powder. When put in airtight containers, oxygen molecules “stick” to the iron. These little packets can reduce the amount of oxygen in containers to less than .01 percent, which is considered safe.

To use, simply put the dry food in a Mason jar or Mylar bag and place the oxygen absorbers on top of the food and seal with lids and rings. It takes approximately 30 minutes for them to absorb the moisture and for the lid to seal. These can also be used with food-grade five-gallon buckets to store large quantities of food. The thing to remember here is that once the bucket is opened, what food you don’t use must be placed in smaller containers and preserved all over again since you have let oxygen back in.

 

The biggest thing to remember when using oxygen absorbers is to make sure that they are not exposed to the air for any length of time since they will start absorbing oxygen from the air, rendering them expired in the jars. Also, use enough of them for the amount of food you are preserving. The best rule of thumb is to use enough absorption to deoxygenate the entire empty jar. Usually, 100 cc’s are recommended for pints and 200 cc’s for quarts.

Above all, make sure that they are still good before you use them or your food and time will be wasted. Remember that once the package is opened, they are all exposed. When held in your hand, if they feel like the powder is loose inside them, then they are not expired.

 

FOOD SAVER JAR SEALER. The third method is using a Mason jar attachment with your food saver machine. It seals jar lids to create a vacuum seal that locks air out. This method is considered safe and you do not need oxygen absorbers. If you already have a vacuum sealer, this may be the way to go.

 

Dry canning does have its advantages and also its drawbacks. On the
plus side, you can take advantage of bulk discounts and put away large quantities of dry foods for emergencies and reduce trips to the store. Even though it frees up freezer space, it still requires quite a bit of space elsewhere to store jars and food grade buckets. For example, it takes 24 quart jars to store 50 pounds of rice.

 

Removing oxygen keeps food from degrading due to oxidation, thus freshness and flavor are preserved for long periods of time. It prevents mold and bacteria from growing in food and kills pests. Dry canned foods can be stored for 30 years or more as long as the seal remains intact.

Jars should be stored in a dark place where the temperature is below 75*. A dark cabinet or basement works fine. Many make the mistake of dry canning sugar and salt and there is no need to since these items are used as food preservatives themselves.

I will definitely be re-arranging my fruit cellar to make room for dry canned goods. I like the idea of always having supplies on hand when needed. Saving money is also a plus! Since I don’t have a vacuum sealer, oxygen absorbers are going to be my go-to.

Dry canning is just one step closer to becoming self-sufficient and who wouldn’t like that!