Rain, Rain, don't go away!

This week we have played a LOT of Monopoly in between bucket brigades. Jenn, for now, is Grand Champion, but that can change in a heartbeat. I am second place, but another game is going on as I write this. ( I sat this one out ) Here is what the board looked like when Dad and Dusty were the only ones left in the game we played on Monday. Dad's property is on the left, and Dusty's is on the right. Dad won, obviously so.


Try staying at any of Dad's lovely hotels, all with fluffy towels and great rates! ( up to $1200 a night!) Mot of the houses Dad's as well, cozy cottages with little bottles of shampoo.

Jennifer and Robert have been catching lots of frogs from the front pond. They caught seven yesterday and five today, and 4 have died and been laid to rest in little graves with rocks for markers. Jenn kissed one, but to no avail. Ewww! Jenny Frog-lips!

More Later,
The Bunker Teen

More Preserves

Hello, Tracy here again.

Today it is wet and cool. Praise the Lord for the rain he has blessed us with. Also for the pleasant break from the high temps.

Last week I made some Prickly Pear Preserves from the native Prickly Pear Cactus that is covering the Ranch. This time of year is when the spine-covered fruit turn a ripe purple color. The outcome is a light magenta, sweet preserve. These are the two bowls we picked to start the process.



The washed, scraped and cut pears before ground into a pulp. Sorry, the picture is a little blurry.

This is a few painful spines later. Well worth it!

Pricky Pear Preserves

To Make the Pulp:
With a torch lighter or a pencil torch, singe off clusters of microscopic spines. Scrape the black residue with a spoon, using gloves to hold pear with one hand while scraping. Wash in hot water and cut off brown top and bottom of the pear. Skin, cut in half and scrape seeds out with spoon or knife. ( Your hands might be purple for an hour of or so after this if you do not wear gloves, which I did not. The color did not bother me ) Wash again, rubbing each pear to remove any leftover seeds. Mash with a potato masher, or as I did it, in a blender until it is a pulp.

To Make the Preserves:

4 cups pear pulp
3 cups sugar
the juice and grated rind of 2 lemons

Put all 3 ingredients in a large sauce pan. Mix and place over low heat. Allow to come to a boil, and simmer, stirring frequently, for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until thick and somewhat clear. Pour into sterile jar and seal. ( We are going to waterbath ours for 20 or 30 min.)


Here are some washcloths that Mrs. Sustaire made for me.She made 2 of each kind, and I gave the others to mom. These are going into my hope chest. Thank you, Mrs. Sustaire!



Here is Mom and Jennifer trying out a new recipe. Easy, No Knead Whole Wheat Bread. As you can tell, they ended up needing to knead it anyway. We had it with breakfast this morning, and it was pretty good! I cant tell you what Jennifer is doing in this picture, because I have no idea. Maybe she is conducting Mom on how to do it right. ( Just a wild guess)



Till next time,
The Bunker Teen

Making Peach Preserves

Hello yall. we finaly got some pictures to upload. Above is Tracy's Peach Preserves from the produce of the peach tree in Smyer. They are sooo easy to prepare and taste great.
Tracy Preserves Recipe:
4 cups sugar ( we use all natural sugar, not white, which explains the dark color. Our brand for now is Florida Crystals Demerara Cane Sugar)
2 tsp. Fruit Fresh
6 cups peaches


Peel peaches and wash well. Remove pits and chop into whatever size chunks of fruit you prefer in your jam. I slice them small, because I don't enjoy big chunks on my toast. In a medium sized pot, layer
3 cups of peaches
2 cups of sugar mixed with one tsp. Fruit Fresh
3 cups of peaches
2 cups of sugar mixed with one tsp. Fruit Fresh
Cover and place in cool area. Let them sit for 4 to 6 hours. The sugar will be a syrup when you return. After it is done, put it on the stove at the lowest setting till it boils and looks clear ( somewhat,but this will be hard to determine with such dark sugar, just use your judgement), then turn it up and KEEP AN EYE ON IT. It will scorch very very easily.When it looks pretty thick, (It will never pass the spoon test, where you dip a spoon in it and turn it sideways, and if it drips off in sheets it is ready. Yeah, you can sit there for hours, and it will still be the same syrupy consitency) . Once you turn it off, spoon it into hot, sterile jars and turn the upside down until they cool. You do not HAVE to water bath them, but if you want to, 20 minuites should do it.


Here is picture of Tracy's Mesquite Tortillas, notice the light tan color and dark spots from the slightly roasted beans.

This Praying Mantis took a liking to Robert as you can tell. The feeling must be mutual from the grin on that young man's face!


And Sugar, the troublemaker.


Until Next time, The Bunker Children

A few hot jokes.

Hello

Today is another sizzler. It is so hot...

We are eating hot chilies to cool ourselves off.

We saw a bird pull a worm out of the ground with a poholder.

The potatoes in the garden are baked already. Just add butter.

We don't have sidewalk, but that's OK, the egg just fries in the chicken.

Not as good as Dad's, but we thought they were O.K. How about you? Do you have any good one liners?

Mom, Jennifer and Sarah went to Smyer to pack another load of stuff. Mom is bringing back our beehive too, so maybe we can capture a colony. Mom is coming home today, but Jennifer and Sarah will not be back until Wednesday.

Well, until next time,

Tracy and Robert