VACATIONS AND CAT TAILS

Ok as of tomorrow at 4:30 CST I am on vacation for 9 days! Now it is calling for rain for half of those, So I need to get my outside stuff done Saturday and Sunday and get prepared for possible winter precip.

One of the big things I am going to do is bake cookies and bread. I wish my grand boys were here to help me decorate. Anyway I went to Sams and bought a 20# bag of bread flour. I also bought a pound of yeast, fair market coffee, tons of toilet paper, and evaporated milk.

I don't need to go anywhere for the whole week. With coffee and projects galore, I am going to be a happy sore girl. I have the oversized bottle of Aleve and the monster bottle of Advil sitting on my dresser ready. Vicks vapor rub, first aid kit and midol. I am prepared for anything!!!

So besides baking bread and cookies, here is my honey do list for myself during vacation:

A. CLEAN OFF FRONT PORCH TO GET READY FOR THE LAST DAY OF PAINTING
B. COVER THE WINTER GARDEN WITH PLASTIC AND MAKE A "GREENHOUSE"
C. MAIL PACKAGES
D. BUILD WOOD RACK FOR THE BACK PORCH
E. FILL WOOD RACK
F. CUT AND BUNDLE STARTER WOOD
G. PICK UP PINE CONES
H. CLEAN FRONT YARD
I. FINISH TAKING DOWN THE FENCE AND CUTTING TREES

Now added to this when it is cold out and the sun is not warm, is a trip to the barn on the 15th to pull out some of my stuff from barn storage, and hike down into the pond which is mostly dry now and cut down the trees growing down in it and try to dig up the roots. Also Bull plowed down the tons of cat tails and those need to be raked out of the pond and up away so they can be burned or composted. If I have any energy left at all I might try to dig up the cat tail roots. I don't know if you know this but cat tail roots are a staple food. Once they are washed they can be whirled in the blender with water and then soaked some more until the inside which looks like white fibery powder, floats to the bottom. Then filter out the big floaties and whirl it again and wait for the white to sink. Once the top water is clear carefully drain off the clear water and pull out the white paste and dry into flour. This can be used in any flour recipe.

No one should starve in the wilderness with cattail about.