3-Day-Old Twin Fawns...

53 degrees - 9:38pm - partly cloudy...

these two cute little babies plopped down in the middle of the road to "hide"



this little one waited about 16 minutes before he got up and ran off...

while this one waited an extra 11 minutes
before he got up and ran to the side of the
road to plop back down again.

Our Second Year Living Off-Grid...

47 degrees - 9:57 pm - clear night...

We never really intended to be off-grid greenies; it just sort of happened.  While we were searching for the perfect piece of property where we could build our dream home, a search that was complicated by the paucity of our finances, we ran across this 22 acre parcel.  A piece of land we could both love and afford.

But there was a catch.  Of course, there’s always a catch.  The 22 acres were off-grid.  That’s not something we had been looking for but figured it would be kind of fun and different, so why not… that was seven years ago.

This weekend marks our second year of living off-grid.  It doesn’t feel like it has been two years already... two years of living like ‘Little House on the Prairie’ – only in the mountains and with internet.  Most of our friends and family seem to think we have lost a marble or two, while others think it’s fantastic.

The biggest surprise so far is that the transition has been easier than one would expect.  No, we still don’t have hot water. Nor do we have a washing machine, a coffee maker, a microwave, or a television.  If we want to use the internet, or the toaster, we have to go outside and turn on a small generator. 

A lot of tasks are harder up here, sometimes living the simple life isn’t so simple.  But we have daily adventures, and are surrounded by National Forests, rivers, fir trees, and wildlife galore.  We have chirping crickets on starry summer nights, and the sweet smell of warm earth and fresh flowers in the spring, along with the crisp morning air after winter’s first frost.  Living up here is what it is... it’s pure and simple.

Each passing year we stand a bit more humbled and wiser by our experiences.

{you can read about our first year here}

Monkey Bread In A Jar...

45 degrees - 2:00 pm - cloudy with on and off showers...

Oh mason jars... how I love them!  I use them for everything - from canning, to holding my fine tipped paint brushes.  So why not put some Monkey Bread in them also? 

I have two Monkey Bread recipes that I love – one is completely made from scratch (which is how I prefer to cook) and this one; it is a quickie semi-homemade version (which is nice when you’re in a hurry).  These take just a few minutes to prepare and the kids love it when they get to help me cook.

~Monkey Bread In A Jar~

10 refrigerated biscuits – cut into quarters

1/2 c sugar

1/2 c brown sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 stick of butter, melted (optional)

4 - 8 ounce mason jars

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Then spray the four mason jars with cooking spray and place them into a deep sided baking tray.

First, separate the biscuits and cut each one into fourths.  In a bowl mix the white sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon together.

Each piece of biscuit will then be tossed into the sugary mix for coating.  {Optional:  Melt a ¼ stick of butter, and then lightly coat each piece of biscuit before putting them into the sugary mix.  This is not necessary, but it does add to the flavor of the Monkey Bread.}

After the pieces are sufficiently coated, place ten of the biscuit pieces in each of the prepped mason jars, periodically sprinkling some of the extra sugary mixture between layers.  {Note:  Only fill the mason jars ¾ of the way up, this allows for bread to rise and not overflow.}

Place the mason jars back into the high sided pan and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 15-17 minutes, or until the dough has risen and you can see the sugar bubbling.

 

Remove from the oven and let the jars cool for about 5 minutes before serving.

--- Enjoy!

Saturday Evening Post…

41 degrees - 6:48am - blue morning sky...

A small glimpse into our lives as we live off-grid… sort of like eves dropping.  It may be a thought, quote or a conversation; funny, sweet or sad; but it will always be true.  We will see if it resonates with you…



3-year-old son: "Mom! Grab your camera! Look what I found! He is going to be my new pet!"
Me: "Oh neat a snake. Did you find him on the rock or did you put him on the rock?"
3-year-old son: (all proud of himself) "I put him on the rock!"
Me: "He is very nice, but you cannot keep him, he has to stay out in the woods." (after I said that the snake lunged at Jack)
3-year-old son: "Wow! He thought I was his dinner or something!"
Me: "See, that's why you cannot keep him!"