Growings, Sewings, and Goings-on

Cheese!

2011-06-16T08:37:00.000-07:00

With lots of milk in my fridge, I was running out of jars on my shelf. I solved both problems by making 2 batches of mozzarella! I had success both batches, although the first was a little lacking on salt, so I upped it for the second batch. I really like this recipe because it is so simple! This morning, I've got the leftover whey on the stove, to attempt whey ricotta. Looks like a lasagna night!

Grapes

2011-06-12T16:22:00.000-07:00

It has been 4 years since I planted my 2 grape plants. One died the first summer and the other hung on with just barely perceptible growth for 3 years. Last year, it just took off and now surrounds about half of my garden perimeter (remind me to ask DH to make me some kind of arbor for it to shade my sprouts!).

Friends, family, neighbors and pretty much anyone who came over noticed and complimented on my beautiful grape vine and I was pretty happy to have it so explosively green and taking over the view at the end of my driveway. I didn't dare hope for anything more out of it, but to my delight, about a month or so ago, teeny tiny bunches of grapes began to appear! I was shocked, and the kids were thrilled. People then began asking what kind of grapes they were. Turns out it's been so long and I'd given up hope years ago and I have no idea. I assumed some green variety, until last week when we had another surprise and they started to turn purple!

I am impatient and keep sneaking the most purple ones for a taste, and they are about 50% sour still. Within a week or so I will cover them with netting to try to keep the birds away. I can't wait for my harvest! :D

Egg Hunt

2009-08-28T10:59:00.000-07:00

Sadly my chicken coop isn't finished yet. So, the chickens have no reason to lay in the nest boxes provided! I'm not sure how old they are, but it seemed like it was about time for me to be seeing some eggs. I went on an egg hunt this morning and found 2 nests (plus Giselle's, which looks almost ready!). One had 6 duck eggs in it and the other had 2 leghorn eggs. I have 8 hens, 2 turkeys and 2 ducks. I should have more eggs then that! But, I am happy that I figured out where they were starting to lay. I looked all over for any other hidden nests, but didn't find any. I'm excited to finally have my own eggs again!!!

It's been months...

2009-07-21T07:52:00.000-07:00

.....since it rained last. It's been going all night and now, though letting up a bit and the clouds are breaking here and there, it's still drip-dropping. Love the smell, love the free water, love the sounds and especially the break from the blazing sun. Thank goodness; it's about time. I was starting to forget what weather was like.

Meet the herd

2009-07-17T16:43:00.000-07:00

Nadeyus: 26 year old purebred Arabian, chestnut. Nariadni son. Prize winner, shown English hunt-seat, some Western....now retired to be our kid's horse, loving baths every week, slow trail rides and senior food.

Nevada's Lucky Gamble: 5 year old bay arab/QH. Rescued from a feedlot in Nevada, brought to AZ and brought back to health. Started on groundwork at the rescue. After adopting her and building a friendship with her, we've started work under saddle and she's coming along so well. Has agility and power...hope to run gymkhana events with her in the future.

Bentley: 15 year old APHA solid palmomino. Curious, powerful and a little lazy. Loves baths, treats, and walking slow. Loves the round pen and hauling kids around. Hadn't been worked much in recent years before we got him so we're refreshing him on just about everything. Not quite as bad as starting from scratch. Big friendly giant.

Harvest

2009-07-12T21:08:00.000-07:00

So we picked our fill from the nearby corn field (donated by the farmer to our church for the use of the members). We got a wagon load, plus the equivelent of 5 bushel baskets. There was corn coming out our ears. ;) Ha ha, get it?....So, Mom and Friend came over to husk and prep it all, and we simply blanched, cooled, cut and bagged all those sweet golden kernels. I lost count of how many quart bags we filled, but it was A LOT. So nice; I've already used a ton of it in all kinds of recipies! It was super yummy in some spicy enchiladas; the combo of spicy and sweet was delish.

Make way for (more) ducklings!

2009-06-04T10:47:00.001-07:00

Giselle decided to sit on another nest, after losing her other ducklings. This time, she hatched 7, with 5 others that got about halfway out before dying. Still, 7 is a big brood, and she is taking better care of them then she did her first babies. I hope they make it! I love watching them run and tumble all across the grass, and see them learning how to swim and eat.

Also, we've had 6 of these nasty guys so far this summer. I bet there will be several more before the season is over. Ick.

Chicken Pox

2009-04-29T20:18:00.000-07:00

So, I'll tell you something you might not know. Chickens can get an illness called 'avian pox'; literally, chicken pox! About 2 years ago, a flock of young chicks we had here got it and we had 2 chicks die.

Yesterday, I noticed a turkey of ours had a badly scabbed and bleeding beak and the others were really pecking at it, so I separated it out. This morning, I saw that several other chicks had similar scabs around their faces, also

getting pecked badly. By this afternoon, all but 2 of the chicks had the scabby bleeding sores, and I knew it just wasn't a coincidence or bored bully chickens. It looked too much like the pox I had dealt with previously.

The turkeys were really bullying the smaller chickens so I separated them out so hopefully the chicks will be able to heal a bit. One of the turkeys still looked fine last I checked, but two others were in sad shape; one was missing almost half of the top of his beak. :( It will grow back fine if he makes it, but it will really make it hard to eat until it does and so it will likely die.

I am bummed; I hope we don't loose too many birds to this. Last time the symptoms lasted almost a month so it will be a while before we know what the total damage will be. I hope they pass it along to the pigeons that roost under my roof....

Why, hello, Peter!

2009-04-24T15:29:00.000-07:00

So, I was out watering my little garden today and I saw a small hole under one of my raised boxes and there was something furry wiggling around, trying to hide. Thinking it was a gopher, I took the hose and blasted a good long stream of water into the hole (inhumane? maybe.....). A minute later, I was surprised to see 3 baby bunnies pop out of that hole! I have no idea how the mama got into the garden area in the first place, but it struck me as a little funny that she had made her home a foot away from my lettuce.

I love where I live

2009-04-15T14:30:00.000-07:00

....because I get to see this beautiful sight every morning when I drive down my street,

and because I get to see baby ducklings hatching (grand total of 9, by the way, but only 6 have survived so far, and those only because I keep rescuing them!).

It's been really windy this last week. When we first came here, it was so windy all the time, then it seemed to subside for a while. Now, I remember what it was like! Nice thing about it is, though, that it helps keep the flies away! :)

Easter surprise!

2009-04-12T12:48:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I found a little newly hatched duckling, barely alive, inside the 'peep-peep hotel' with the older chicks. I'm not too sure how it got there, DH speculated that Giselle was showing it the food and it got stuck. We tried to put it back with her but it didn't make it.

This morning, we found another surprise! This time, it was a very happy, healthy duckling. Giselle seems to be doing ok showing it the ropes, but she still has about 17 eggs in her nest that haven't hatched. I find it hard to belive they are all duds, so hopefully she won't mind sitting a few more days, just in case. :)

Darn dogs

2009-03-25T15:20:00.000-07:00

So, this morning, I looked out to see our black duck, Quack, looking very lonely and lost. It took a minute for me to realize why he looked so strange.....he was missing his best friend, Edward. :( I looked all over the yard and Edward was nowhere to be found. Giselle was sitting on her nest still (thank goodness!), but Edward was for sure missing.

A while back, some neighborhood dogs got a hold of an 'extra' rooster of ours and although I was a bit frustrated that they were roaming the neighborhood, I felt like it was my fault that the rooster was out of our fence at the time. Sadly, though, they enjoyed the chase and kill and then just left it! Didn't even eat it....what a waste of a life.

I am pretty certain those same dogs are responsible for the disappearance of our gray and white crested duck, Edward. A side gate was left open and so, again, I can't throw a fit about the roaming dogs since it was my fault they were able to get in. I am just glad they didn't get our little mama duck....

I found Edward on a neighbor's lawn this afternoon, very dead, and uneaten. Just a mass of feathers and broken neck. :( Poor guy. I really try not to get too attached to my farm animals, but some of them just have a personality and make me smile. I'll admit to feeling a bit sad over Edward....

Sights that make me smile

2009-03-13T14:14:00.000-07:00

Walking around this afternoon, I saw a few things that made me smile:

Delicate blossoms on my plum tree,

fragrant flowers on my orange tree,

a surprise purple iris,

adorable goat kids,

Giselle (our duck)'s nest,

and peaches growing on my brand new peach tree. (my Grandma reminded me the other day that I needed to thin my peaches. She was joking, of course, if I thin this little tree I would only have one peach on it. :) I'll let it do it's thing without thinning it this year. The other peach tree got a once-over with the 'rule of thumb' and I flicked off everything that was closer then my thumb knuckle together).

Belle's Kids

2009-03-09T18:06:00.000-07:00

I guess Belle was a bit jealous that Penny looked so much more comfortable today then she did yesterday so she went and had her kids as well. 2 little girls and a boy. She is doing fine and the kids all seem to be happy, healthy and playful! Busy milking season ahead!

Penny's Kids

2009-03-08T14:46:00.001-07:00

Penny had her kids this morning! 2 little bucklings, with the funniest ears ever! I guess that's what you get when you cross a Nubian with a Lamancha, though. :) They both seem to be doing just fine and Penny is being a very good mother.

Signs of Spring

2009-03-06T15:08:00.000-08:00

Our Cottonwoods just burst! Can't wait until they are completely leaved out; they will be gorgeous this year!

Cheese Crutons

2009-03-03T07:42:00.000-08:00

I don't remember where I first saw this idea, so I can't give credit where it's due, but I LOVE these fried chesse 'crutons' and wanted to share the 'recipe'....You'll need: grated cheese. And a hot pan (I use my electric griddle).

When the pan is dancing-water hot, sprinkle a scant tablespoon of cheese in little piles. Let it sizzle for a few minutes, and when it starts to brown and look less wet, use a spatula to peel it up in a flat disc. Turn it over and use a fork or other utinsil to make a 'bowtie' in the middle by pinching the center together. Let it sizzle another minute and then set it aside on a papertowel until you're ready to eat them. I usually make about twice as many as I think I will want, because I end up eating about 50% of them while I'm cooking them. :)

Finished! (finally....)

2008-11-24T11:10:00.000-08:00

I started this quilt 2 years ago. It was meant for my then-two year old daughter, just the right size to fit on her toddler bed. I lost interest in it as I was determined to hand stitch it and it was taking a VERY long time. I put it away and forgot about it.

I remembered it a few weeks ago and decided to finish it for her for Christmas. It no longer will fit her bed, but I am sure she will love it.

It's a very simple block pattern, but it was my first real quilt. The piecing was done by machine, but every where I could find to quilt it was done by hand. There's quite a bit. :)

More Fall

2008-11-20T10:35:00.000-08:00

Only 2 of my cottonwood trees have decided it's fall. The others are stubbornly holding onto their lush green leaves. The two that have changed are beautiful, though, and I hope the other soon follow so I can have the full 'Fall' effect. Right now, it looks a bit odd. ;)

The lemon tree I planted last Spring has gone crazy and there are TONS of lemons. I'm really excited to have them, although there are few things I use lemons for. I'll be picking up some new lemon recipes, I'm sure.

My 3.5 year old tangelo tree has finally put out some fruit, and while it looks to be on the small side, I think it will be edible and is on track to be ripe in a month or so.

It's so nice to see some trees giving back (in fruit or shade or whatever) after all the work, money and care that's gone into them!

(and a sidenote: it was a record high for yesterday's date; 87* in town, and about 85* here. 84* predicted for today.....ugh.)

Finally! Fall leaves!

2008-11-17T15:36:00.000-08:00

It seems like it has taken longer this year, but finally the leaves are starting to turn. I'll be sad when the trees are bare, but I'll enjoy the cool weather and beautiful colors for now. :)

My fall 'garden'

2008-11-12T17:44:00.000-08:00

Well, I had high hopes for my lettuces and spinach this fall. Last year, I couldn't pick it fast enough, and had to give away bags of it to my neighbors every other day.

This year, my chickens (at least, they are the most likely suspects) have completely mocked my gardening attempts. My 4' fence, the 3' tall raised beds, and Mr. Scarecrow have done nothing to prevent my lettuce from being eaten. I am extremely sad, especially when I saw my MIL's garden yesterday. It is beautiful. :( Something will have to be done.

Candied Pumpkin Seeds

2008-10-31T08:10:00.000-07:00

My favorite Halloween treat:

Seeds from one med.-lrg. pumpkin

4 Tbsp. sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground ginger

pinch cayenne pepper
1 1/2 Tbsp cooking oil

1. Preheat oven to 250*. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread seeds in an even layer on the parchment paper. Bake until dry, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour. Let cool.

2. In a medium bowl, combine 2 Tbsp. sugar, the salt, cumin, cinnamon, ginger, and cayenne.

3. Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add pumpkin seeds and remaining 2 Tbsp. sugar. Cook until sugar melts and pumpkin seeds begin to caramelize; about 45-60 seconds.

4. Transfer the seeds to the bowl with spices, and stir well to coat. Let cool. Store in an air-tight container, up to 1 week. (but ours are never around more then a day!)

Stay of Execution

2008-10-29T15:29:00.000-07:00

Well, because of DH's hectic work schedule this week, we weren't able to get Pancake into the butcher. So, she's escaped execution for now. It will probably be a month before we can get her in, though, due to the Fair ending soon. :(

Why is my air conditioner still on? It's rediculous; I am ready to be done with the heat! It is still warmer outside then in during most of the day, and so the air kicks on to cool it down. I'm grateful to have it, but I can't believe that the week of Halloween we still have a/c blowing!

Something is eating my lettuce just as fast as it comes up. I'm not sure what it is; I haven't seen anything in the garden that looked suspicious. It's left the spinach alone, thank goodness, but I am sad to see my romaine and buttercrunch suffering. A couple more weeks and I should be able to have enough spinach for a salad!

Taking out the jeans

2008-10-24T16:22:00.000-07:00

I don't always have time to hang out a full load of wash. Those times, I take out the bulky stuff (jeans, towels, sweaters, etc.) and hang them, sending everything else through the dryer. This way, I don't have to hang the whole load, and the dryer runs so much more quickly! Usually it will dry the 'lean' load in 20-30 minutes, vs. the 60+ minutes it takes when all the bulk is left in.

More?

2008-10-20T13:41:00.000-07:00

I was surprised to see more chicks the other day. Apparently one of our Leghorns (notoriously non-broody) decided to hatch a nest. One day, she was walking around with 4 chicks and the next day, there were 3 more for a total of 7 little leghorn chicks! They are darling, but I am surprised to see them at all!

Also, we realized that our duck has been laying eggs. I noticed a particularly 'dirty' looking egg a week or so ago, and mentioned to DH how thick the shell was on those off white eggs. After eating them for a week, and doing a bit of research, we came to the conclusion that those are the duck eggs. How neat! I want to save them up for baking; I read they are wonderful for that!

Fall Garden

2008-10-07T14:22:00.001-07:00

11 days after planting the seeds, here's what I have coming up in the gardens:

Carrots, broccoli, spinach and romaine.

Just sad

2008-10-04T07:39:00.000-07:00

I noticed this sign at the gas pump today. It's amazing that 5 years ago, $100 meant something different. It meant a few gallons of paint and some trim to update a room in your house. Or it meant several weeks worth of food. It meant your electric bill or your car payment. It meant a trip out of town for a day or two. Today, it means a tank of gas.

Wow, how lucky I felt as my tank topped off under the $100 max. Yeah. Lucky.

Fall Swap

2008-10-01T06:44:00.000-07:00

I signed up for a swap on Mary Jane's farm. The theme was 'Fall' and the deadline was supposed to be Halloween. My swap partner, Dawn, was way on the ball and I received my swap package the other day. It was packed full of Fall themed decorations and candles, a hand embroidered blanket, and more.

I am sorry to say I am not as on top of it as my partner, but hers will go out this week. :)

Bye, Feathers

2008-09-23T18:32:00.000-07:00

I am not all that attached to any of my animals. They are not pets to me, but are there to provide me with food of some sort. This helps a lot when they die for one reason or another; I really don't feel sad about it, especially when I knew all along they were going to be food (such as our beef steers).

I was surprised to find how....lonely our yard feels since our rooster died. He got stuck in the goat kid pen and had no water all day. When I was milking on Sunday morning, I noticed something was really missing. I realized it was our Silkie rooster, Feathers (named by my DD). No crowing, no 'calling' the hens, no funny personality around. I looked all over and found him in the pen.

Normally, as I said, our animals deaths' don't effect me much. But I really miss that rooster....

Progress

2008-09-08T16:07:00.000-07:00

My war against the weeds appears to be leaning in my favor....I've only got one more section of the yard to combat. Here's the pile now, a few days later.....

.........and what's left to do.

Also, looks like I might actually get some tangellos this

year!! This would be the first year it has actually produced fruit.

And, I think it is time to start planning my fall garden. Time to call the garden experts I know (my mom and MIL) to figure out what I can plant! I want to make sure I don't miss the window of planting opportunity.

Upsides and Downsides

2008-09-05T09:51:00.000-07:00

I noticed from all the rain we've gotten the last couple weeks, our trees have really grown quite a bit. When we planted our cottonwoods about 15 months ago (+/-) they were just 3/4 inch whips; just little leaves growing off a stick, with no 'branches', and in the ground were only about 5 feet tall. Plant them with expert help (Mom and Dad!!) and give them lots of water, and some of them have passed up our neighbor's pine trees. (Our neighbor planted his pine trees about 3 years ago, and they were the 42" box size, or maybe bigger, when they went in the ground. They looked huge at the time!!) They look gorgeous, and make the perfect 'rustle' noise when the breeze blows. I'm not sure of their height, but for comparison, the rail fence is 4 feet at the top rail.....

Contrast that with our 'front yard'......I have neglected it for many reasons. For one thing, no one drives past it, aside from the garbage man. Also, I can't see my front yard from any of my main windows. So, I never see it until I am pulling up to the house, or leaving. What I do see all day, is gorgeous green trees and grass, and it's easy to forget that there's a forest of brown ugly dirt and tumble weeds on the other side. I began this morning my battle with these tumbleweeds, and made quite a bit of progress before I nearly passed out. It was pleasantly cool this morning, but one can only take so much. :) Unfortunately, as huge as the pile of uprooted weeds is, there is at least 4 times that, still rooted in the ground. :( I'll keep at it, though, I need to reclaim what once

was my front yard. And maybe someday someone will buy the property next to us and clear it; that will really cut down on the weeds that spread to our yard.

Just thought I'd rub it in to anyone who doesn't have homegrown steaks whenever they want; check out the size of that sirloin on the left!! Yummmmmm....

And, finally, the mystery of the week.....There is a nest of some sort that has begun to form on our front door. I know that wasps make nests like this out of mud, but the ones I have seen are much much larger. I have drenched this mud clot with bug spray, and plan to arm myself with another can of it before I knock it to the ground. Any guesses as to what is inside??

What to do with the milk?

2008-09-03T06:41:00.000-07:00

I had a brilliant plan to freeze all the extra milk we had so that we would have milk when I let the does dry up. But, I didn't have much extra ever and now I am getting ready to breed them, and not very excited about it. I for sure don't know enough about it all to just rely on a one-day visit from a 'friend', so I was planning on having a buck here for a month. I do know don't want to milk or drink the milk from the does during that time. I don't want buck smell permeating into my skin....but, if I let them dry up right now, that will be 6 months or so without milk. That's a long time! So, you see my dilema. :( I might just have to deal with the smell, and just shower right away after milking every day. *sigh*. Off to Craigslist to find the does a 'friend'.....

Picture of the day

2008-08-30T17:59:00.000-07:00

I could get used to this

2008-08-27T13:00:00.001-07:00

It's been raining off and on for a week or so now. Mostly at night, which is nice because when I wake up the air is really fresh and it's very quiet outside.

This morning, though, it was raining when I went out to milk, which was a different story. I don't have a barn or cover to milk under, so I just had to put on my jacket and subject me and the poor does to a soaking. It let up as I was squirting, but then I heard thunder. Normally a very pleasant sound to me, this morning it was a bit intimidating. I realized as I was squeezing, that I was holding a steel pail, hunched over a goat that was standing on a steel framed milking stanchion. I squirted faster and faster as I contemplated what it would be like to be struck by lightning, and how I would explain it to DH that I was stubborn enough to keep milking even though my gut was telling me to stop and go back inside! I'll admit that I didn't strip them completely dry and I got my little behind back in the house. Within 20 minutes, it was a full out thunderstorm and absolutely pouring.

Generally, I haven't liked rain much in the past. Maybe it's because it turns out front 'yard' into Lake Mud every time it happens (and it's guaranteed that we have company over AT LEAST once a day until it is dried up, so they traipse awkwardly though the mud to our front door). I also don't care for what it does to my hair (vain, I know, but true).

Lately, I have really been enjoying it. The air is fresh, my grass is green, the trees are growing and the cloud cover blocks the blasting sunlight for a bit. Those 5 inches of rain a year that our state gets seem to have all come this week, but I hope it's not over. ;)

More reconstruction

2008-08-19T08:40:00.000-07:00

This is too fun...good thing I have plenty of tshirts to experiment with. ;) Who doesn't? Get your scissors out! Chop chop!

Butterflies

2008-08-13T13:51:00.002-07:00

At first, a week or so ago, I pointed out every single one. 'Look! A butterfly!' 'Look! A butterfly!' 'Look! A butterfly!'....It wore off, though, and I haven't been pointing them out anymore. Today, I finally figured out where they were all coming from. As I pulled out of our street and looked at the alfalfa fields flowering, I saw thousands (millions?) of tiny yellow butterflies. I tried to get the camera to focus on the amazing scene of the fluttering haze above the field, but I just couldn't capture the magic of it. Still, I managed to catch a few of them in focus.....

Random bits

2008-08-11T20:34:00.001-07:00

When DD went out to feed the goats, she discovered a new mother hen. I am torn between being enchanted with these sweet mother hens and their little fluff-ball chicks and being very cross that they are hiding their eggs from me! We have no fewer then 30 chickens in our yard, and an average of about 4 eggs a day. That just isn't fair. At least this new mother's efforts paid off; our Jersey Giant has been setting for over a month now on a nest of duds. ;)

Our 'little' Pancake is getting huge! I have read that they can gain a pound a day at this point, though I am sure that is under ideal conditions with primo feed (which she isn't getting!). She's doing ok on the table scraps and hog grower, though, and I'm happy enough with the weight she's put on. I see a Christmas ham in our future....

And, lastly, another gorgeous sunset.

Like country?

2008-08-11T10:43:00.001-07:00

So, some friends of ours are going to be in concert at the QCPAC, opening for Lady Antebellum on September 11. Anyone going to be in the area? Check out tickets at the QCPAC website under "KMLE country series". These guys are amazingly talented!

Update on the....'garden'

2008-08-07T11:42:00.000-07:00

Somehow, there are still a couple pumpkin vines clinging desperately to life. I keep watering them, hoping they will last long enough to see the turn in the weather (is it just me, or is it possible it's just a TEENY bit cooler. Hmmm...No, must just have been a dream I had....) There are a few lingering sunflowers, as well.

All the trees are happy (after their near-death experience when they were without water for 2 weeks) except for the apple tree. I'm not sure if it's just the heat (even though it's lasted 3 summers already) or the weeds around the base of it, but it's not looking too happy. Too bad, too, because we actually got edible apples off that tree this year!

Sidenote: wanted to share a neat site, NEA Soapworks. This gal has a really well done site and lots of creativity put into her soaps. It's fun to see what others are doing with their talents...

Erosion

2008-08-06T16:13:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I got the report from DD that the drinking fountain in the back yard wasn't working. When I went to check it out, I found that there was a leak at the pig pen. A bad, bad leak. More like a fountain. Or a waterfall. It had been going at least all day, maybe longer, at full pressure. The water had eroded out a cave about 6 inches under the crust of the ground, about 8 feet or more in several directions. What a mess. DH had to dig up all around it, trying to find the leak. Turns out there were several....the pictures don't do it justice. I can't wait for this month's water bill....

The view

2008-08-04T06:23:00.000-07:00

I love milking as the sun is coming up.....I get to see some gorgeous sunrises! (Not to mention I avoid many flies this way.)

And, I found this to be pretty funny......

Taking over

2008-07-31T13:28:00.000-07:00

My DD received a darling flower/ button clip for her birthday from her friend. It was so cute, but very limiting since it was bright pink and neon green. DD wanted to wear one every day that matched all her clothes, so she spent her birthday $$ on a hot glue gun and flowers (buttons provided by me.....) with the intent of assembling some flower clips when she got home from school today. I was curious, and wanted to make a prototype, so that it would be sure to go smoothly later on today.....it was just a little too fun, though. Won't she be surprised when she comes home and I've already made 10?? I better back a way from the glue gun for now and let her do some or she'll be pretty upset. ;)

As requested

2008-07-24T11:03:00.001-07:00

A picture of a variety of egg colors. This was the collection of eggs yesterday morning. There were several more in the evening, but still not a ton for the amount of hens we have mooching chicken scratch from us. I wonder where they are hiding them all...

Treating myself

2008-07-24T10:59:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, I just want something more then a gross corn tortilla quesadilla for lunch. On most of those days, I just don't have anything. But on a few precious of those days, I choose to treat myself. Yesterday, I heated up the grill (yes, it was about 115* when I did this) and grilled a bunch of chicken, just for topping a salad. Lots of parmesean and ceasar dressing and cheese crisps. It was kind of silly to spend so much time on a salad, but it was good. I want one today, too.

Hidden costs

2008-07-24T10:57:00.001-07:00

Today (as I was riding the Fraken-mower for *2* hours) it hit me that it costs nearly $9 to mow the lawn. $9. Ridiculous.

This week, I learned....

2008-07-22T14:48:00.000-07:00

....that Cheetos are gluten free! Yes! Cheetos! Not just the spicy fire flaming hot ones, but normal every day, get them in the lunch packs of chips from Walmart Cheetos! Yay! One more junk food I can eat.

Also, the Ellaroo does not belong in the washer with 3 pairs of tights, 4 jeans, 3 sweatshirts, and several string-tie dresses. I 'bout dislocated my shoulder trying to pull it all out of the washer. What a stretchy twisted mess.

White egg

2008-07-21T06:52:00.001-07:00

Of the 4 leghorns we got several months back, 1 died (drown in the cow water) 2 are roosters, and one has started laying! It's been a long time since we had white eggs, and I have to say, it's fun for a change. We're back to having 3 colors (in their varrying shades): white, brown, and green.

Craft Show

2008-07-21T05:46:00.000-07:00

Snowflake was dang hot, I gotta say. I was hoping for some relief, but it was still upper 90s the whole time (when it wasn't raining). Despite the heat, a bunch of people came out between the the two days, and we far surpassed our booth fee. Lots of vendors I talked to had really low/ slow sales, and I felt kind of bad for them; I think we stopped everyone at our 'shop' and they spent all their $$ with us, so they had nothing left for the others. ;)

I got pretty sick half way through the trip, but somehow was able to grimace gracefully enough not to scare people away.

I also made a lot of useful contacts, in particular a gal who was interested in putting the soaps in her gift baskets she does for her business, and a gal who makes custom cakes ('Anything you want, I can make!') that would come in handy for SIL's party business.

I missed the rodeo on Saturday 'cuz I felt pretty bad, but I hear it was awesome. Bummer; but I'll make it next year.

Can you see our booth? Look for the shiney soap barn....

Lots of moms were excited when I mentioned I used the soaps on my babies.....I did explain they were NOT tear-free, though, so to keep them away from their face. Still, it was novel to many that you could use soap on a baby....

A very satisfied customer leaving our booth..... ;)

Barter System

2008-07-16T14:56:00.000-07:00

I love to barter. Perfect example of how this works in everyone's favor: I needed a name tag clip for the show this weekend. I wanted something snazzy and pretty that looked nice with everything. A friend of mine agreed to make a couple for me, in exchange for soap. She wouldn't even consider accepting money (not even for supplies), she just asked me, 'What can I have that you've got?'. Love it. She got some bars of soap, and I got a couple of necklaces for our name tags.

She did a great job with the necklaces. They look fantastic with the aprons. She matched the colors perfectly!

Finally made some aprons

2008-07-15T15:43:00.000-07:00

I don't know why I don't make more aprons. I love aprons, I wear them constantly, and they can be SOOOOO easy to sew. I did 3 out of a remnant of decorator fabric from Joanne's that I snatched up for $6. Perfect tvala colors, and so cute with the paisley print. I made nice deep pockets for all the 'supplies' I want on hand for the show. Tape, scissors, pens, calculator, etc.

Like the sneak peak of the soap barn??

...Sidenote, I got a long overdue hair cut and I'm lovin' it. ;)

Edited to add: I just noticed how similar this pose of me looks to the Cinderella pose below. Cheese.

Stocked up

2008-07-14T16:03:00.000-07:00

Dancer, our angus steer, yeilded us 762 lbs to pack into the freezer. That's a lot. Both freezers are now crammed with gorgeously marbled meat. It really was too bad that there wasn't any room for the Rocky Road anymore....we had to eat it for breakfast so it wouldn't waste. ;)

I'm disappointed that Syrup kicked the bucket so unexpectedly and that we don't have another steer beefing up for us at the moment. We'll use what we have for now, but we'll probably be on the lookout for a nice angus or limousine steer as a replacement.

Surprise, I know.

2008-07-11T21:27:00.000-07:00

Can't believe it. Cinderella?

Dignified and hard working. With a gentle and soft-spoken manner you have something many people don't. Patience. Even through the moments of heartbreak you're still able to hold onto all of your hopes and dreams. Bide your time; your dream will come true.

Let's hear it....who are you?

Oh.

2008-07-09T17:07:00.000-07:00

I saw this link on another blog, and thought it would be interesting to see if I was a 'good 1930s housewife'. Turns out, I'm not.

As a 1930s wife, I am
Very Poor (Failure)

Take the test!

I found myself laughing out loud as I went through the questions; I guess I have a lot to improve on....c'mmon. Do it. I know you're curious....just takes a couple minutes....

Brutal

2008-07-02T07:33:00.000-07:00

We lost our steer yesterday. First we just lost it, and then WE really lost it, and finally we REALLY lost it.

Explain:

Syrup, the steer of the Funny Farm, decided to role play the cow jumping over the moon. He lept the fence and galloped around the empty yard a bit. Funny, and BIL & I tried to round him back up into the yard. Syrup didn't agree and plowed through our neighbor's fence. Through their RV gate and out into the street. That's when we lost him.

Ran around the neighborhood a bit, tracking him down. Thankfully, SIL a few streets away had spotted Syrup and was able to direct us. 115*, BTW. 2PM. No clouds.

I jumped in SIL's truck (SIL #2 of 3 that were in the neighborhood) and we drove after him. At the end of the road, expecting to turn left to where he was last spotted, I happened to look straight ahead and saw a brownish/ black mass, bounding through the acres and acres of alfalfa.

After about a mile and a half, part running/ part driving, we (with the help of a farm Jose who was working the field) managed to run him down and have him 'cornered' in a triangle of the 3 of us. Just me, SIL, and Jose.....still 115*......2:45ish...

We all got a chance to play rodeo clown, getting tossed and plowed and mowed. Finally, we got a rope around him and waited for our friend to bring his trailer.

3:15ish....in the trailer, on the way back home. BIL managed to back SIL's van into the irrigation ditch, where it was high-centered and stayed there until later....

Syrup was home, and we turned him into the pen. He walked around in a circle, layed down with a couple desperate 'moooooo's.....and died!

Today, I feel like I was hit by a car. Maybe a truck. I'm pretty beat up, and so is poor SIL, who took a couple plows (and was drug as she hung onto the rope)....Mostly, I am TO'd that we now have to pay $250 to have the carcass removed, after loosing all that beef. ($500 inital investment, plus feed since we've had him....). At this point, though, I am just glad we are all ok, and that when I really needed help, I had oodles of family nearby and a friend who dropped everything at a moment's notice to take part in the excitement. ;)

In the end, as I was whining about my injuries, DH pointed out, 'Well, you won!' (vs. the steer). Yeah, we sure showed him. Dang fly-covered lump in the pen......The cow's gone Home.

Carnage

2008-06-30T16:40:00.000-07:00

My garden lays in ruins. Between the oven-roasting heat and the sneaky chickens and the curious bunnies all that remains is:

2 pumpkin vines, struggling and about half shriveled,

3 yellow/brown tomato plants with 9 wrinkley yellow-orange tomatoes,

1 zombie squash plant, with a lone 1 1/2" squash, about to give up,

and about a baker's dozen 6" tall sunflowers, which were packaged and sold under the impression that they were 'enormous' with 'edible seeds'.

I had about 8 cucumbers that were looking quite promising 1 week ago, but alas....the cottontails found them before I could pick them. Of course, they didn't finish them off. Oh, no, they had to only munch through the center-- the most tender moist part and leave the rest. Pancake enjoyed a mid-day snack of the remains.

Next year, I will be asking our neighbor what seeds he plants that gives such gorgeous sunflowers. His are at least 8 feet tall, with 12" heads. Did I mention mine are 6"? Yes, I did....

Heat

2008-06-25T10:32:00.000-07:00

Once again, for a couple months of the year I wonder why it is we live where we do? It's SO hot. Stepping outside after about 9AM is just unpleasant. At least it only lasts a few months, and while it's so hot, there are fewer flies.

I will need to start looking around for a buck to borrow. Sometimes there's a waiting list, and I want to be sure to be on it. ;) Can't be without milk!

Once a day

2008-06-13T07:18:00.001-07:00

Because I have been so busy lately, and the goats have been giving much less milk at a time, I am only milking in the morning. Still about a gallon from both...

Heat again.

Cucumbers are taking off, with little baby ones here and there. Lots of blossoms.

Pumpkins blossomed.

The Faith Squash produced a fairly large squash. Dinner tonight! I might try Ratatouille, and we'll watch the movie. ;) That is, if I'm feeling like cooking (which I haven't been).

Production Drop

2008-06-05T17:21:00.000-07:00

Not sure why....but the last two days I have gotten about a gallon/ day from the Girls, vs. the almost 2 gallons/ day of previous weeks. The feed has changed slightly, but I can't believe it would make such a drastic difference. Mostly, it's Belle who's dropped and she was my Gallon Girl. Now, she's at about a quart! Hmmm.....the heat? The slight feed change? Maybe they just know their babies are gone and they are protesting. ;)

More chicks

2008-05-30T11:42:00.000-07:00

The Jersey hatched 3 more eggs yesterday. Brings our total to at least 13 for sure. Maybe more? Silly we paid for that many at the feed store this year!

Hidden Nest

2008-05-29T05:04:00.000-07:00

As I was milking yesterday evening, I was very surprised to look up and see one of the GSL hens making her way across the yard with 7 chicks! She had a hidden nest somewhere, and hatched a clutch of eggs. Made me wonder how many eggs we were missing/ day and where the others were laying! Cute chicks, though.

Garden, update

2008-05-21T20:30:00.000-07:00

Cucumbers have blossomed

Beans have blossomed

Tomatoes have really taken off, and there are lots of blossoms and several tomatoes in various stages of ripeness

The pumpkins are thriving in the area between the grapes

The lemongrass is (for now) planted in a pot next to the rosemary bush

Unrelated, the does are in heat. I wonder about breeding Reese next month so that our milk is staggered better?

FLIES

2008-05-19T13:23:00.001-07:00

The weather's hot enough to breed lots and lots of flies, but still not too hot for them to be uncomfortable and DIE. I really really want an air curtain for the back door. Another month, though, and it will be too hot....Thanks, Pancake.

Buttah

2008-05-19T06:34:00.000-07:00

After skimming and saving the cream from the tops of my bottles for the last week, I had about a pint and we tried our hands at making butter! Many many many cranks later (and with a little help from the Kitchenaid in the end) we ended up with about a half-pint of gorgeous pure white butter.

Also, DH made yummy lemon ice cream by trading the vanilla pudding we usually put in with lemon pudding, and 1/4 tsp of lemon extract.

Milk, check-in

2008-05-16T18:04:00.001-07:00

2 gallons for the day. I gave about half of it to the kids, though, and they were grateful. The fridge is crammed with bottles and jars. I need to find someone to share it with soon, or I'll be feeding it to the pig.

Garden, check-in

2008-05-16T05:15:00.000-07:00

The beans around the myrtle tree are thriving (extra water!) and are beginning to climb up the poles. The pumpkins came up about 5 days ago. The faith squash has about 5 giant blossoms on it (that showed up about 3 days ago).

I let the kids be with their moms yesterday evening, as it was storming and I didn't want to deal with milking in the rain.

The grass is not green.

Crying kids

2008-05-15T05:28:00.000-07:00

I kept the kids separated from Penny and Belle all day/ last night. I kept checking on the kids, who were doing fine aside from crying LOUDLY everytime someone came near. At the evening milking, I gave them about 1/2 the pail full into a bowl to drink. They were moderately intrested, but mostly just really sad. Gotta happen sometime.

Still haven't checked on them this AM, but I hear lots of crying so at least some of them made it. ;)

Different subject: one of Alec's horn scabs came off and is a little red. The others seem ok, although a couple look like they might not be complete. We'll see. At least they aren't supposed to be show animals. ;)

Another Mama?

2008-05-07T12:41:00.000-07:00

One of the Giants has gone broody. I wasn't sure until I reached in for the eggs under her and she gave my hand quite a harsh peck. So, she has moved into 'the nursery' with a clutch of 6 eggs. Not sure if any are actually fertilized, but at least this way she's not taking up nest space in the hen house....

Wildlife Update

2008-05-07T12:34:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I saw:

2 'wild' (meaning not ours) ducks, a male and female (Mallord?)

1 roadrunner, in the pasture

3 snakes on SB, all crossing from the field to our road.

In the Ground

2008-05-05T18:58:00.000-07:00

I got the iris bulbs from my mom into the ground. It was a little later then I had wanted, but they still looked moist and fresh so I think they will be fine. I had lots of 'help' getting them burried and watered, but looking at the spot they are in, I am very satisfied with the project.

I used the other tree box for the onion starts. There was some mulch left from the iris planting and I mixed up the box full of mulch, compost, and spare dirt. The neighbor girl watched intently and then declared that the plants and the dirt stank. I guess it all depends on what you are used to. Smelled like planting to me.

Henny, as a Mama

2008-05-05T12:40:00.000-07:00

Yellow Henny Penny hatched one other chick and is very proud of her 3 babies. I had a section 'fenced' off for her to keep them protected in, but she just ignores the fence of it and is guiding them around the yard. She is a great mama, and very protective of them. Anyone/thing that comes near, sets her 'clucking' and she fluffs up all her feathers to look bigger and more intimidiating. This morning, it was fun to watch as I was milking; she had the chicks around the hay and was teaching them to scratch around it. She accidently scratched one of the chicks and sent it flying.

Milk Production

2008-05-05T12:39:00.001-07:00

Consistantly 1 gallon the last few days. It's just the right amount for us, and when the kids are weaned fully, I think I might have a some extra to sell or just stock up on for when the does are dry.

(More) New Arrivals

2008-05-01T21:28:00.000-07:00

Looks like we are boarding 2 does here until Monday. SIL bought the sister to our LaMancha, and a 3 year old Nubian, already in milk! Best part is, we drove 45 miles home with a full grown Nubain doe in the back of the van. She did well, though (aside from having to 'relieve' herself a couple times.). The LaMancha was transported by the same means, but it was a much shorter distance. Can you imagine if we had been pulled over???

Our new steer arrived today, also. He looks to be in great shape, albeit slightly scrawny. I am pretty sure we can take care of that, though; he is similar to Cherry and we beefed him up nicely.

Our Yellow Henny Penny successfully hatched two chicks today! There are still 7 eggs in the nest, but I am doubtful if the rest will hatch. They are both feather-footed, and darling.

Wildlife

2008-04-28T07:19:00.000-07:00

Wildlife seen here:

coyotes
buzzards
hawks (not so many recently, but they used to LOVE watching the chicken coop)
bats
western shovel-nosed snake (in the FRONT ROOM! Yikes!)
100s of cottontails
geese (wild)
ducks (wild)
gophers (does that count as 'wildlife'?)
mice (ick)
lizzards
burrowing owl(s?)
great horned owl (landed on the back porch and watched us through the window!)
many small birds of which I don't know all the names

Plenty of black widows, brown spiders (scientific, I know), FLIES, and the occasional camel spider (which do bite, I learned. Owie.)

Milk Total

2008-04-28T07:10:00.001-07:00

I didn't milk Penny this morning; she had her kids with her through the night, helping them recover from the traumatic disbudding.

Belle has gotten extremely impatient the last couple days. This morning she was SO full, she had to waddle very slowly to the milking stand, but after about 10 minutes, she decided she was DONE. I could tell she wasn't empty; she was about 1/4 from being done. There ensued a mighty battle of wills and wits. 10 minutes later (and several close calls with the milk pail) I have succeeded in getting about 6 more squirts. She got a strong scolding as I put her back in her pen. I went to fetch the kids and walking back with them, watching her with her head through the fence, I all of a sudden wondered if she figured out the pattern of: grain, milk, kids. I think she knew that when the milking was 'done' she could have her kids back. I might have to figure out something else, because wrestling with a 120# goat at 5AM isn't exactly what I had imagined...Still, she gave just under 1/2 gallon.

2 batches of ice cream, 2 batches of yogurt, 2 batches of rice pudding, and there's still a gallon or so in the fridge, with more to come tomorrow. Love this!!!

All Disbudded

2008-04-27T20:01:00.001-07:00

Got the last two kids disbudded this evening. Thier horns were more pronounced, and it went very easy. Still left to do: shots (which we already have) and the banding. 4 boys. Should be interesting.

Lawn Water

2008-04-27T20:00:00.000-07:00

Oh, how I wish for irrigation.... Changed watering times from 2x/week, 20 minutes to 3x/week, 20 minutes. Hopefully it will start to green up again.

Baby Food

2008-04-26T20:29:00.000-07:00

I got the second cheapest food processor avaliable at Target, with a goal of homemade baby food in mind.

I did a large batch of each: green beans, bananas, and carrots. Serving sizes are frozen in baggies, ready to thaw (just a few minutes, since the size is small) and use! Easy and appetizing-looking!

The 'Herd' Gets a New Look

2008-04-26T20:16:00.000-07:00

I checked out a couple 4H LaMancha yearling does this afternoon. There were two, sisters, avaliable. I chose the more petite of the two ( I know, I know, less room for udder space, but she was very satisfactory in every other way and with the two other does, I wasn't too worried about 1/2 a quart here or there). The gal told me that their mama was milking just over a gallon/ day, and I got a chance to check her out, too. She was beautiful and had a very nice udder.

It was fun asking questions about the does, and specifically the breed, because I would ask the lady and she would glance down at her daughter, who would pipe up with a wealth of answers. She was shy, but VERY knowledgeable about the breed, and the two sisters in particular. Also a huge plus: they have a circuit of bucks that they take turns with during breeding season, and there are 'plenty to choose from', of registered LaMancha bucks. Since ours is registered, that means the kids are actually more valuable, and I am thinking I will try to get in line for the LaMancha bucks this fall.

'Rosemary' came home to join Penny and Belle, where she was re-named Reese in honor of my favorite candy. Penny and Belle were VERY wary of Reese, and huddled in the corner while Reese went to town on the feed. Reese is significantly smaller then the other two, though the same age, and I was concerned that she might not get her fair share of the feed. No such trouble tonight, but I will be watching to make sure they don't start ganging up on her. She looks so different then they do, that I think they are just really worried about where her ears are!

I like what I hear about the 4H program. I hope to get the kiddos involved when they are old enough.

Gift-ing

2008-04-25T07:24:00.000-07:00

In honor of my 'spare time' and the creative side of my brain, I am going to try to use/ buy things that are handmade, where possible. I like the idea of buying something that supports other SAHMs. I like the idea of giving gifts that I put some time into and felt good about giving. I know there are those that DH will protest, and that's understandable, but as much as possible, I am going give it a try.

Odds

2008-04-25T07:15:00.000-07:00

Little Blackie seems to be doing better; moving around more smoothly, and I have seen him nursing more and more.

The grass is sending up spinwheels enough that I have to mow once a week, but the blades of grass itself isn't actually really growing much. We only have it set to water twice a week, so I think it may need a couple more days of water.

The pole beans have far surpassed the slow sunflowers, now. The seeds that have come up so far are: Cantalope, cucumbers, beans (pole and bush), chives, sunflowers, sweet peas. Still to come up are the pumpkins we planted on Saturday.

I dug up a wheelbarrow full of compost from deep underneath the pile and dumped it into one of the tree boxes in the garden area. After breaking it all up, I dumped some worms in and I hope they make some good dirt.

Special Delivery

2008-04-22T05:55:00.000-07:00

This evening, Penny had her babies. I was able to call my SIL in time and she came just in time to assist me in delivering the first one, since Penny was having a hard time. The poor kid was trying to come out all hooves first! It just wasn't budging, so with SIL holding Penny as still as she could, I gently pushed the kid back in and rearranged the legs and face so that it would come out front feet first, then head, then body, back legs, etc. I have no idea if I did it 'right', but I was pretty proud of myself for getting it so Penny could get the baby out. I guess I did it right in the fact that the baby came, and was alive and not too traumatized.

The second was easier, and after a good toweling-off, Penny showed mild interest and let them figure out how to nurse. Not quite as good of a mama off the bat as Belle was, but she'll get it. I'm so proud of our little 'herd'. I hope there's a big market of whethers, though!

Belle's Ice Cream

2008-04-20T20:37:00.000-07:00

The 'Recipe' DH found for ice cream....Very easy. He tried cherries this time, which I love, and tomorrow I plan on trying vanilla.....

"I make sort of a shortcut ice cream that no one whines about. It is usually served as a thick milk shake. If you’d like to try this, just whip a teaspoonful of vanilla and as much sweetener as you like into a quart of fresh milk. Put the bowl into the freezer with a cover on it. I use a saucer if I don’t have a cover. When it is starting to freeze, take it out and beat it very well with a hand mixer or a blender. Put back into the freezer until almost frozen. Take out and mix well again. Back into the freezer until as hard as you’d like. Most of the time we can’t wait any longer and eat it like soft serve ice cream or add a bit of milk and beat it well, making milk shakes. Of course, you can add as much or as little as you want in the way of flavorings. Fruit, jam, chocolate, chocolate chips, or even marshmallows and nuts all can be incorporated into the nearly frozen ice cream. You can also add almond, black walnut, or whatever extract you desire. Then there are banana splits, sundaes with fresh fruit (we used our wild blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries, and syrup made from them)."

--http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/clay92.html

Wash Day Towel

2008-04-20T20:34:00.001-07:00

I finshed the dishtowel I started on Friday. I am pretty happy with it, and I like that I chose to use only one color for the whole thing. I likely will try different colors with the next one, but I like the simplicity of the solid color, also.

I picked up all the stitches fairly quickly, except for the french knot, which is incredibly frustrating for me. Each one has to be attempted about 3 times before it looks good enough to leave and move on.

Flies

2008-04-20T05:38:00.000-07:00

62 confirmed kills by me this morning. 100 by DH this afternoon. I am getting an air curtain for the door, I don't care if it costs $1K. Well spent.

Hey, there, Lonely Girl

2008-04-19T19:54:00.000-07:00

Pancake's pen was completed today (minus the water nozzle, but she can just drink from the water trough until the nozzle's installed), and she seems pretty happy with it. Only thing missing is a companion! She looks very small and all alone in that pen. It's been decided that we will most likely get another one this week.

DH built the shade structure for it and did a fantastic job. Pancake seems to be satisfied, and I think it will work well to keep her out of the sun and in the cool shade as much as possible.

Morning Weigh-in

2008-04-19T19:52:00.000-07:00

An entire half-gallon (to the brim!!) of milk from Belle this morning. If she wasn't nursing the kids during the day, I am sure we would be getting a gallon a day, which seems on the higher end of average for her breed. I am thrilled!

Goat milk soap, here I come!

Caught off Guard; Poor Mathmatical Skills

2008-04-19T05:52:00.000-07:00

I went to Joanne's with my SIL, looking for embroidery items (a skill I wanted to work on developing!). We got very excited near the entrance at some darling smocked fabrics that would whip out the cutest dresses, lickety-split. Strangely, they were sold by the inch, which fact I didn't really think about, since above that sign was the sign yelling '40% off!!!!'. We got enough to make about 8 dresses, and as I checked the ticket printed out at the cutting table, I about fell over. $113?? Oops.

We half-heartedly looked for the embroidery supplies, and I quickly picked up the basics for starting a couple projects. The store announced it was now closed, so we paid and left.

I was sweetly gifted new scissors, which will be put to good use. The fabrics are darling, and I am excited to make up the dresses (3 different fabrics for the girls, 1 for me!), but I was a little let down as I considered the expense. I guess I am used to looking at prices/ yard. These had better be the most dang cute dresses ever to be worn by women. If not, I have something to answer to; DH took one disgusted look and said, 'What's that?'. 'Material for making a dress!'. 'A what?'.......

Milk going in, Milk coming out

2008-04-17T22:34:00.000-07:00

The best feedings today: Alec, 10 ounces. Dapper Dan, 4 ounces. Lady, 3-4 ounces.

Belle's (aprox.) total output: 3 1/2 quarts.

I would love to have a scale to weigh the milk on so I can keep an accurate record.

Bedspread

2008-04-17T21:42:00.000-07:00

I am looking for a nice pieced quilt to put on our bed. I would love to make one, but my strengths don't lay in that category of craftiness, and the time involved would be enormous. I think it would be ideal to find one that was a King, but otherwise just something piecey and pretty that I could doctor to fit our bed.

Slowly I am trying to brighten/ lighten up our bedroom from a darker more formal feel to a brighter more cheerful feel. The curtains I made the other day help enormously.

A little of Everything

2008-04-17T21:30:00.000-07:00

I like that we gotten experiences with many different animals. I have learned so much about life and have gained much more appreciation for the beauty and functionality of their existance.

Tonight, we went to the Cole Family Ranch and picked out a couple of piglets. I was kind of expecting something sweet and Wilbur-ish, but what he had ( 9 weeks old, eating solids) were about the size of Buddy-boy. Somehow, though, there was about 25 more pounds packed on their frame then Buddy has on his. Raising pigs seems very cost effective from what I can tell and I am eager to see how it goes. We picked out a little girl and so did the Lawlors. I wanted to get one other one but I had a budget in cash and was short the cost of two. Still, though, he had plenty to chose from and I might go back. He informed us (not in a con-artist way, he was totally LDS) that they grow faster if there are two or more, since they run and fight to get to the food, whereas with one they lazily browse throughout the day.

Eventually, I hope that we have had a bit of experience with everything feasible so we can tell what we like raising the best, or what is the most cost effective, etc. Then, we can have a few animals and barter for what we need/ want that we don't have.

Furniture Polish....

2008-04-16T09:04:00.000-07:00

....a la MJ's.

1 c olive oil

1/2 c lemon juice (fresh, just toss the lemon remains down the disposal for freshening!)

1"x1" piece of beeswax, melted

Mix it all up quickly so the wax particles are as small as possible. Use a soft cloth to rub into wood (cabinets!), let sit a few minutes, then buff with a clean dry rag.

Morning happenings

2008-04-16T06:47:00.000-07:00

Chives are up, and the cucumbers, cantelope, and beans in the Myrtle basin are up.

The kids aren't thriving, but getting enough milk (from the dribbles they happen to swollow) to survive. I tried the flutter valve nipples which Lady and Dapper seemed to like better, but Alec does wonderfully with the regular one.

Got a quart and a half AM milking from Belle. Yippee!

'Little House' schedule

2008-04-14T22:12:00.001-07:00

I love 'Little House in the Big Woods'. It's my favorite of the Laura books, and the pictures are just so sweet. I was thinking about my goal of slowing down and getting back to the basic stuff (instead of rushing though or skipping basic stuff in order to have time to do things that are less necessary or just of leisure or entertainment, most likely costing me money). I remembered Ma's saying:

Wash on Monday

Iron on Tuesday

Mend on Wednesday

Churn on Thursday

Clean on Friday

Bake on Saturday

Rest on Sunday

While I can't realistically follow this schedule to the letter, I think it's a good idea. It can be so overwhelming to try to do a bit of everything everyday, and never finish or accomplish anything. I think I'd like to adapt this list to:

Wash and Clean on Monday

Iron and mow on Tuesday

Sew on Wednesday

Wash and Weed on Thursday

Bake on Friday

Projects on Saturday

Rest on Sunday

I also love how these things that Laura listed are what is to be done after the everyday things like dishes, airing the bed, feeding/ milking, etc.

I'll try it and see if I get more things done this way.

Curbing the Impulse (purchase!)

2008-04-14T15:35:00.000-07:00

Even though DH has said time and again what a pain those reusable shopping bags are for the baggers to fill, I went ahead and got some. I know it seems counter-productive (saving the environment and all) to buy bags vs. making, but they were $1 and my time and fabric were well worth it.

I had to get some things at the store this morning, and set a '3 bag limit' for myself. I kept thinking about what I could get to fit into those 3 bags I had. I passed up on a LOT of impulse items, knowing that I needed the room in the bags for other VIP items.

Also, I had cash today, and I kept very close track of what everything cost so I would avoid extreme embarassment at the checkout if I were to come up short. Normally, a few ($5, $10, even $15) dollars over I wasn't too worried about, but I didn't even have a back up card with me.

These are interesting findings....I might try again. ;)

The Fruits

2008-04-14T07:07:00.000-07:00

Look closely....no, really. It's there.....

I laughed out loud when I looked at this and then thought of the 8 half gallon jars that Alee is sending me.

Getting used to each other

2008-04-14T06:08:00.000-07:00

Even though we had the 'girls' on the milking stand about once a day for the past couple weeks, it is still a challenge getting Belle to stand still. She has kicked, stomped, bucked, and knocked over, stepped in, and completely mocked the milk pail....I might be getting a hobble until we get better at this.

Her udder is filling out well, but her teats are very small (as compared to my only other experience with milking a goat) which makes getting ahold of her pretty difficult. I am hoping over the next couple days she will fill up even more which will help.

The little doeling seems to be doing ok, yesterday we made sure she had a few sessions with exclusive feeding rights without her brothers pushing her out of the way.

We are down to one turkey. The fatality rate at the Funny Farm is depressing.

In the Daylight

2008-04-13T06:36:00.000-07:00

My guess of 2 bucks and 1 doeling were right! The bucks are much more lively and curious (coming right up for the camera!) and the doeling is a little shy (but looks to be very healthy, just a different personality).

Belle is doing well, her udder is filled out and her babies are pushing each other out of the way to get to her!

I will be headed to Higley for nipples that I forgot yesterday...hope they can manage until tomorrow.

On a side note, we lost 2 turkeys last night. Must have been too cold?

Kids!

2008-04-12T21:57:00.000-07:00

Belle had her first kidding this evening. She did a great job, with no help from us. Looks like there are 2 bucks and 1 doeling.

The entire family sat outside and just watched, very excidedly. I love that I could explain the facts of life (in goat terms) to the girls (ages 3-6) and then just sum it up with 'And that's how people are, too!'. They all just looked at each other and said, 'Oh!'. No biggie. How easy was that?

'Scrap-kins'

2008-04-11T16:26:00.000-07:00

We never have napkins to use at mealtime, I don't know why I don't ever remember to buy them. I got tired of torn papertowels and made a supply of napkins from my scraps and remnants. Still want a few more, but it's a start. The girls love 'em, 'dabbing' their lips so daintily.....

Freecycle

2008-04-11T15:50:00.001-07:00

After my mom told me (over and over) that I should try to find a neighborhood freecycle, I finally looked into it. I had to sign in with a Yahoo account, but using my zipcode, I was able to find over 50 listings from the last 2 weeks-- all of free stuff. Either yard sale leftovers, moving remnants, spring cleaning discards, what have you. For a five minute drive, I picked up this lovely serving bowl, brand new in the box packed in styrafoam.

An added bonus, as opposed to Craigslist 'free' section, most of the posts I found were very obviously women. I feel much more comfortable picking up something in my own 'neighborhood' from another mom, instead of downtown Phoenix from Jose.