Innholdsfortegnelse for June/July 2022 i Country Woman

When I was a kid, I loved road trips. In fact, I looked forward to the journey—and the time I’d spend playing “I Spy” with my younger sister in the backseat of our mom’s old wood-paneled station wagon, watching the world speed by—almost as much as the destination itself. Now that I’m the one behind the wheel, I have to keep my eyes on the road. But I still love traveling and can’t wait to whip up a few of the road-trip worthy snacks featured on page 40. I’m especially interested in the Strawberry Pretzel Bark—it looks like it should be easy to make, and at least a little healthier than the candy bars that I typically snack on when I need a quick pick-me-up while driving. Love of travel…

Q: Do you use any of your household tools or appliances in an unusual way? I use a sticky lint roller to wipe down dusty lampshades. It works like a charm! RHONDA RAYBURN MILFORD, OHIO My neighbor has an appliance repair business. She took an old washing machine drum and turned it into a big pot that I now use as a planter for vegetables and flowers. I like to decorate it to fit the season, and this spring I grew tomatoes in it for everyone to eat. JOY DAVIS TILBURY, ONTARIO When defrosting my deep freezer, I fill my washing machine with ice and use it as a temporary cooler. After returning the items to the defrosted freezer, I turn on the washer and use the spin cycle to…

Berry Slush Prep: 10 min. + freezing • Makes: 5 qt. This make-ahead punch is perfect to serve when hosting a party for a crowd. For a festive touch, garnish with any fresh fruit of your choice. —Ruth Seitz, Columbus Junction, IA 1 pkg. (3 oz.) raspberry or berry blue gelatin 2 cups boiling water 2 cups sugar 1 can (46 oz.) pineapple juice 2 liters ginger ale 41/2 cups cold water 1 cup lemon juice Optional: Red or blue liquid food coloring; coarse blue sugar; fresh blueberries, raspberries, strawberries and watermelon 1. In a large container, dissolve gelatin in boiling water; stir in sugar until dissolved. Add the pineapple juice, ginger ale, water and lemon juice. If desired, add food coloring. Freeze for 8 hours or overnight. 2. Remove…

A few years ago, I decided to start raising chickens and quickly became obsessed with anything related to hens or eggs. Eventually I stumbled across clothesline baskets (coiled baskets that can be used to hold eggs) and dusted off my old sewing machine to make one. I never dreamed that the project would turn into a full-time labor of love, but that's exactly what happened. I now run a small business called Coop de Chick (coopdechick.com) from a home studio. My cotton clothesline baskets are very popular, but I also make memory baskets from scraps of clothing—including wedding dresses—that people send me. I sew every day now, and I feel blessed to be able to do so!…

" “I LOVED THE SWEETNESS OF THOSE SHINY BLACK GEMS.”—KAREN GIEBEL Have you ever experienced a sudden flood of memories out of the blue? That happened to me recently. I was walking along a dirt road near my house when I spotted some plump blackberries growing wild by a fence. When I saw them, I was struck by a memory of my dad and the summers I spent picking black raspberries with him on our family farm. Black raspberries ripen in July in New York state. When I was a kid, my dad expected me to spend part of my summer vacation picking them. Any farmer will tell you that they need to be picked before the sun starts to dry them out. Did I love being hustled out of…

Savory Cracker Snack Mix Prep: 15 min. • Bake: 10 min. + cooling Makes: 41/2 cups A Taste of Home recipe inspired this one! Because I love everything-bagel seasoning, I decided to give this a try. A friend later suggested I make the mix more versatile by replacing the oyster crackers in the original recipe, and now it’s an even more deliciously addictive snack! —Cyndy Gerken, Naples, FL 11/2 cups potato sticks 11/2 cups cheddar-flavored snack crackers 11/2 cups sourdough pretzel nuggets 3 Tbsp. butter 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 3 Tbsp. olive oil 11/2 tsp. sesame seeds 11/2 tsp. dried minced garlic 11/2 tsp. dried minced onion 11/2 tsp. poppy seeds 1/4 tsp. kosher salt 1. Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, combine the potato sticks, crackers…

1 Do your research Before buying any seeds, research your hardiness zone (the standard that estimates your region’s average minimum temperature) to figure out which plants are most likely to thrive where you live. Ashlie says that it’s also important to understand how light, water, humidity and local pests could affect your garden. “Understanding your area’s environmental factors will ensure you can grow your garden optimally,” she says. 2 Evaluate your space If you have limited space, Ashlie suggests planting a vertical garden or a container garden. On the other hand, if you have a large yard, raised beds or in-ground gardening areas might be a better fit. 3 Get connected You and your garden are more likely to succeed if you’ve got people to whom you can turn with…

Start by measuring the window panes. » Find floral drawings online, scale them to fit your panes and print them out. » Attach the drawings to the front of the window with masking tape. » Flip the frame over and outline the drawing on the back of the glass with black 3D fabric paint. » Mix four parts white glue with one part acrylic paint in colors of your choice. » Still working on the back of the glass, fill in the design with paint and let it dry. » Flip the frame over again and remove the drawings you taped to the glass. » Hang it up!…

Party Time Did you host a bridal shower, birthday party or backyard bash that your guests are still talking about years later? Tell us a bit about the event, what you did to prepare for it and how it turned out. There’s a chance to see your story featured in an upcoming issue of the magazine. Open House If you’re proud of a recent home renovation, a before and after project or a room refresh that turned out even better than you thought it would, chances are good that our readers will love it too. So snap a few photos and share the end result with us! Give Thanks How do you thank a relative or friend for being a gracious host? Do you bring small gifts with you when…

Tell us about yourself. I am a writer and a former voice-over artist. I spent more than 20 years teaching Spanish and language arts. In 2018 my husband and I moved from Indiana to Texas to live closer to our twin grandchildren. What are your hobbies? I love taking long walks around the lake near my family’s home in the country. I also enjoy gardening, reading, writing and taking photos of local farms and wildlife. Do you have any daytrips planned this summer? We enjoy taking in the natural beauty of San Gabriel Park in Georgetown and seeing the Texas bluebonnets in Old Settlers Park in Round Rock. Who inspires you most? As a retired schoolteacher, I am amazed by the teachers who used to run one-room schoolhouses, teaching multiple…

WHAT YOU’LL NEED 14-in. round styrofoam wreath form Roughly 300 mini flag picks (these can be purchased in boxes of 100) LAY wreath form on table or other flat workspace. START sticking flag picks into wreath form, taking care to avoid back, so that wreath can lay flat when hung from door. Insert picks in at varying angles to ensure that flags are visible from every vantage point. CONTINUE adding picks to wreath form until styrofoam is no longer visible. HANG from a door or window using a wreath hanger or large command hook.…

RED, WHITE AND BLUE BOARD REDS Grapes Licorice Maraschino cherries Raspberries Strawberries Watermelon BLUES Blackberries Blue M&M’s Blueberries Blueberry yogurt pretzels Figs WHITES Blue cheese Cranberry Stilton Honey-Lime Yogurt Dip Star-shaped crackers White cheddar COMBO COLORS Mini Reese’s peanut butter cups Chocolate candies with red, white and blue nonpareils or sprinkles Honey-Lime Yogurt Dip Takes: 5 min. • Makes: 2 cups When it comes to this tangy fruit dip, I don’t mind my kids playing with their food. We like to dip strawberries, but friends have reported great results with pears, bananas and more. —Shelly Bevington, Hermiston, OR 2 cups plain yogurt 1/4 cup honey 2 Tbsp. lime juice 1/2 tsp. grated lime zest Assorted fresh fruit Whisk the yogurt, honey, lime juice and lime zest in a small bowl.…

Inside a junk drawer, surrounded by packs of chewing gum and a motley collection of discarded hardware, I found the tool I was looking for. It was my dad’s old level—neon green and 9 inches long. “Made in the USA—The Boss 591-9” was printed near its center. Levels and plumb lines offer up proof of accuracy—evidence of a rational and well-ordered world. Both will probably always remind me of my father, Clayton Stoker. My dad owned a dairy farm for 40 years. He led his Holsteins into their barn stalls twice each day, 365 days a year, to milk them. At 4 a.m. every day, he was up and ready to start working, regardless of the weather. He rarely took vacations. And when he was forced to sell his herd,…

1. Berry Cute My daughter Ellis, 2, is full of life—and love for everyone she meets. She especially enjoys spending time with her horse, Sugar, and feeding her fresh berries when they’re in season! ANGELINA SPREWELL SWEETWATER, TENNESSEE 2. Family Matters Both sets of my 2-year-old son, Luc’s, grandparents live and work on farms. He loves it! JEAN BEAUCHAMP ADVANCE, NORTH CAROLINA 3. Best Buds Josh, my son, was hanging out in the feed bunk of our family farm when a curious heifer sneaked up behind him to say hello. ANGIE CROW ARNOLD, NEBRASKA Visit countrywomanmagazine.com/submit to share a snapshot. If we publish it, you’ll get a free issue of Country Woman.…

I grew up watching my mother cooking and canning at her stove, and when my husband and I decided to remodel the kitchen in our 110-year-old farmhouse, we kept my mother’s kitchen in mind as a source of inspiration. We tried to keep the budget low. The cabinets are stock hickory, but I think they look as if they could have been made from trees on the property. The slate tile is forgiving. I gave up trying to convince my husband, sons and grandchildren to take off their shoes when they come inside, and instead I focused on choosing a flooring material that would wear well. We were delighted to find original beadboard on the ceiling and walls, under paneling from the 1960s. It’s now one of my favorite things…

Deadheading may sound strange, but it’s actually a super easy technique that has a big effect on the health and appearance of your garden. When a plant flowers and sets seed, it stops producing fresh blossoms. Deadheading is the practice of removing faded or dead flowers before they go to seed, so that new ones are encouraged to grow. Horticulturist Jessica Walliser says that deadheading is a crucial summer chore if you want to keep your garden looking its best, but it is good practice any time you have fading blooms in your containers and garden beds. Both annuals and perennials can benefit from regular trimming. Flowering annuals—like zinnias, cosmos and petunias—respond by producing fresh blooms from spring through autumn. This technique also prolongs the flowering period for certain perennial…

WHEN MY PARENTS GOT DIVORCED, my mother and I had to leave our house and move into a small rental trailer. She was a wonderful cook, and we decided to make room in the cramped space for her cast-iron skillets—some of which had been in the family for generations. Now they belong to me, and I’m forever grateful that my mother chose to save them. My mother taught me to wipe the skillets with a paper towel to clean them. If I absolutely have to use soap and water, I carefully season them again afterward. I often adapt recipes to use with my skillets. When visitors try these dishes, they usually compliment the flavor. I am nearly 70 now and look forward to one day passing my cast-iron skillets down…

When planning your grazing board, remember to choose foods that will complement one another. Include a variety of flavors, textures and colors. Place the largest items, like bowls of dip or blocks of cheese, on the board first. Arrange dippable items next to their dips. Avoid placing heated items next to chilled ones. Fill in gaps in the design with smaller items or decorative garnishes, like fresh flowers or sprigs of greenery. Add spoons, knives and other serving utensils. Keep small plates and napkins stacked near the board, so guests can grab them as needed. Keep extra items on hand to replenish the board over the course of the party.…

Ashlie Thomas grew up in the rural South and knows firsthand what it’s like to live in a food desert. She also knows that food insecurity can be a problem even in communities with plenty of restaurants and grocery stores. “When we think of food insecurity, we usually think about food deserts, but many people live in food swamps, where there’s an oversaturation of fast food,” she says. “I’ve experienced both ends of the spectrum.” Ashlie, now 33, developed an interest in nutrition when she started taking care of her sick grandfather in 2015 and learned how hard it could be to keep her grandparents’ kitchen stocked with the nourishing produce they needed to stay healthy. Turns out, the answer to her community’s problem was right in front of her,…