Merry Christmas!

I am wishing you all a blessed Christmas, Hanakkah, Kwanza, and other celebration! I celebrate a Christian Christmas but respect others' beliefs also. I wish more peace for all of us to unite as humans with respect for others' beliefs, feelings, etc. Even though Christmas is my belief, I always hope that others will interpret my saying MERRY CHRISTMAS to be happiness in your life and with your family and those most special to you!

Sunday Humor!

Here is Jethros Hollyday christmas Shopppin list. AKA what i want for Christmas.

1. Camoflage Shower Curtain
2. Links (That's that new perfume from Jimmy Dean)
C. A Flannel One-zee for bedtime
5. Case of beer (domestic prefurde)
18. A new set of snow tires for the house
42. The Best of Hee-Haw DVD
3rd. A palet of Cheetoes

Hey, I was a good boy all year long.

So, I just happened to have that nifty lawn mower in my files and thought it would be just the thing for a guy of this calibur! I also have this, which would most likely fit the decor he's aiming for:

Now, I do have something to ponder on! Is this fella a "hillbilly" or a "redneck"?

Sunday Humor

Enjoy the humor! And I just happened to have this tp graphic that will go well with the decorating style!

Here is Jethros Hollyday christmas Shopppin list. AKA what i want for Christmas.

1. Camoflage Shower Curtain
2. Links (That's that new perfume from Jimmy Dean)
C. A Flannel One-zee for bedtime
5. Case of beer (domestic prefurde)
18. A new set of snow tires for the house
42. The Best of Hee-Haw DVD
3rd. A palet of Cheetoes

Hey, I was a good boy all year long.



I thought you might enjoy that. I'm stumped though. Is it "hillbilly" or is it "redneck"?

Update!

Hello friends! Yes, friends. I've had this blog long enough that I have you WONDERFUL readers who seem like friends - virtual friends who I'd love to meet in person! Thank you for being here and following my blog and my crazy life! I GREATLY appreciate that you have all stuck with me during this rough patch I seemed to collide with.

Good news! I'm finally doing some catching up and getting some where! I still have just a couple projects that MUST be finished up asap. I hope to have them completed this week. I've sure pulled my hair out over these last few! Well and plumbing issues are NOT in my area of "expertise" or just plain know-how. They have been becoming a hands-on job though. :(

Another good news item is the critters are all doing well. It's been a rough year with some of them and far too many injuries. I do need to trim all the goatie hooves and finish de-burring the 2 horses. They all seem to be content with winter so far and are adapting well. The bucks are losing their stinky aromas so I am suspecting that the 6 does are all bred. I've not seen anyone in heat for sometime. So kidding will start in March if no one has pulled some sneaky will stunt. Goats will do that if they get a chance!

I have my sewing machine ready to use and the beginning of some sewing projects ready to start. Now I need time. I guess I need a new hat. I think I've pulled all the magic out of the ones I have!

I've been relearning to knit and crochet. The bad news is I never knew enough to have it easy to just pick back up. I seem to have forgotten everything but what the yard, needles and hooks are. I also remembered that getting knots in something is a whole lot of entertainment and sometimes VERY frustrating - enough so to grumble and stuff it all back in the bag! I don't throw tantrums, but rather get frustrated and upset that I'm not getting it better/easier. But, the good news is that I spent 4 hours at the dental clinic and FINALLY made progress and was able to actually knit. I was slow, but I was knitting and got somewhere! Since then, I have found a pattern for some baby booties that only take 4 inch squares! I'm really psyched now! I can finally see it coming to fruitation.

Along with everything else in life, I've been dealing with some medical issues. I am heading to the oral surgeon next for some surgery. I also have a lump at the back of my jaw to my ear that needs addressed. Hopefully I can soon get the rest of my health status improved and get back some "forward motion" instead of being stalled!

That being, I have more to share later but need to get back to work for now. I've just felt pretty guilty not posting here and on the 2 new food related blogs I'd just started. So I wanted to hop on in and give you all an update and thank you for staying with me. We'll all be back in business soon!

My Eye Injury!

OUCH! It's an understatement - vastly understated!

As you all know, I'm working on fencing and have that firearm deer season deadline looming. Saturday afternoon while working on the fence at a tree, I got something in my eye. The longer it was in there, the worse it HURT. It didn't get better after coming in and flushing it. I also tried some red out eye drops and that was a MISTAKE. They burnt so badly that I just wanted to scream. Being a big girl, I didn't but I think I heard a couple squeaks.

I don't want to see the ER bill! Not to mention, I hate spending hours at the hospital. It's such a waste of time and they move so so slowly.

Hours later I came home with eye drops (antibiotic), a bandaged eye, and no idea if it was a wood bit or metal. Not sure didn't tell me anything. They did say I had a bit of a puncture and a tear.

Today it's finally not so painful, easier to read, bandage off and still red. It's also still sensitive to bright light and outdoor lighting. I'm also minus the bandage today. It's a good thing too because the goats didn't appreciate it and wanted to reach it with hopes of pulling it off.

I wear glasses so it still amazes me I got something in my eye. I wear eye protection when we are splitting wood. They are worn for cutting wood too. I just never thought of needing them for fencing!

Joke of the Day - The Rancher's Widow

A successful rancher died and left everything to his devoted wife. She was a very good-looking woman and determined to keep the ranch, but knew very little about ranching, so she decided to place an ad in the newspaper for a ranch hand.

Two cowboys applied for the job. One was gay and the other a drunk. She thought long and hard about it, and when no one else applied she decided to hire the gay guy, figuring it would be safer to have him around the house than the drunk.

He proved to be a hard worker who put in long hours every day and knew a lot about ranching. For weeks, the two of them worked, and the ranch was doing very well.

Then one day, the rancher's widow said to the hired hand, "You have done a really good job, and the ranch looks great. You should go into town and kick up your heels." The hired hand readily agreed and went into town one Saturday night.

One o'clock came, however, and he didn't return…Two o'clock and no hired hand. Finally he returned around two-thirty, and upon entering the room, he found the rancher's widow sitting by the fireplace with a glass of wine, waiting for him.

She quietly called him over to her. "Unbutton my blouse and take it off," she said. Trembling, he did as she directed.

"Now take off my boots." He did as she asked, ever so slowly.

"Now take off my socks." He removed each gently and placed them neatly by her boots.

"Now take off my skirt." He slowly unbuttoned it, constantly watching her eyes in the firelight.

"Now take off my bra." Again, with trembling hands, he did as he was told and dropped it to the floor.

Then she looked at him and said, "If you ever wear my clothes into town again, you're fired."

Disclaimer: This is NOT intended to be offensive at all. It's simply a joke. It's also not even accurate as as gays don't cross-dress. So please don't "read" anything into it. Just enjoy it for the humor aspect. Thanks!

Cows vs Bear

http://www.kmov.com/news/slideshows/Cows-Fight-off-Bear-132131418.html?gallery=y&c=y&ref=%2F&img=14#gallery-image

There are 15 photos and you click on the arrow, no video. Enjoy! Animals are truly amazing!

I'm sorry I'm not getting many posts done right now. I've either been gone, moving a fence line, or just plain busy. I have to have my prewinter work done before deer/gun season starts in November.

I usually try to have a few posts ready for when I'm swamped but I'm out of those. I WILL be back to posting SOON!

Halloween Lingo

Halloween is fast approaching! Make sure you know the lingo this Halloween!

Bobbing Apples: What happens when you jog without a bra.

Boogieman: The guy who passes time at a stoplight picking his nose.

Coffin: What you do when you get a piece of popcorn stuck in your throat.

Frankenstein: Hot dog and a mug of beer.

Full Moon: What your repairman reveals when he bends over to fix your fridge.

Goblin: How you eat the snickers bars you got for Halloween.

Invisible Man: What a guy becomes when there's housework to be done. Also, see "Mr. Hyde."

Jack O' Lantern: An Irish Pumpkin.

Jack the Ripper: What Jack does to his lottery tickets after losing each week.

Mummy: The person who kisses the boo-boo after you scrape your knee.

Pumpkin Patch: What a pumpkin wears when trying to quit smoking.

Skeleton: Any supermodel.

Vampire Bat: What Dracula hits a baseball with.

Witch: See "Mother-in-Law."

Zombie: What you look like before that first cup of morning coffee!

And I hear you groaning! What did you expect? I have all these Halloween graphics and such a short time to use them all so I shared with you!

Vintage Goat Carriages Photo

I received this photo thru a graphic/photo share group on yahoo and WOW, was I excited to see this! It was definitely a "sit up and take notice" event! (click on it for the larger copy to show)

Photo Caption: "The picture above was taken in 1904, and shows children in Goat Carriages in Central Park, in New York City."

I immediately knew I'd need to make sure Sue Weaver, published author, would also be estatic to receive a copy. I also know she'll immediately wonder where it came from! I'm with her!

Has anyone ever seen this before? It seems it might be more traceable with the date taken and being in Central Park, NYC. But then again maybe that was just a notation on the back and we can't find a source.

Was it a goat show or some other type show? Was it a "Sunday get-together" situation? The kids are all finely dressed and everything looks to have been cleaned, groomed and done up for this get-together.

In spite of all that, I LOVE this photo. Isn't it neat? It just makes me want to know all about it and more about working goats! Inquiring minds want to know!

And the Odds Are?

A million to one according to Huffinington Post! Can you imagine this happening:

"On the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks on Sunday, horses wearing the numbers 9, 1 and 1 won the first three races at Belmont.

The New York City track served as one of the staging areas for workers and emergency vehicles in the days following the destruction of the World Trade Center."

Wow. Some things just leave one with questions and no chance for the answers!

9/11 A Decade Later

What is an American?

"An American is English, or French, or Italian, Irish, German, Spanish, Polish, Russian or Greek. An American may also be Canadian, Mexican, African, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Australian, Iranian, Asian, or Arab, or Pakistani or Afghan.

"An American may also be a Comanche, Cherokee, Osage, Blackfoot, Navaho, Apache, Seminole or one of the many other tribes known as native Americans.

"An American is Christian, or he could be Jewish, or Buddhist, or Muslim. In fact, there are more Muslims in America than in Afghanistan. The only difference is that in America they are free to worship as each of them chooses.

"An American is also free to believe in no religion. For that he will answer only to God, not to the government, or to armed thugs claiming to speak for the government and for God.

"An American lives in the most prosperous land in the history of the world. The root of that prosperity can be found in the Declaration of Independence, which recognizes the God given right of each person to the pursuit of happiness.

"An American is generous. Americans have helped out just about every other nation in the world in their time of need, never asking a thing in return.

"When Afghanistan was over-run by the Soviet army 20 years ago, Americans came with arms and supplies to enable the people to win back their country!

"As of the morning of September 11, Americans had given more than any other nation to the poor in Afghanistan.

"The national symbol of America, The Statue ofLiberty, welcomes your tired and your poor, the wretched refuse of your teeming shores, the homeless, tempest tossed. These in fact are the people who built America.

"Some of them were working in the Twin Towersthe morning of September 11, 2001, earning a better life for their families. It's been told that the World Trade Center victims were from at least 30 different countries, cultures, and first languages, including those that aided and abetted the terrorists.

"So you can try to kill an American if you must. Hitler did. So did General Tojo, and Stalin, and Mao Tse-Tung, and other blood-thirsty tyrants in the world. But, in doing so you would just be killing yourself. Because Americans are not a particular people from a particular place. They are the embodiment of the human spirit of freedom. Everyone who holds to that spirit, everywhere, is an American."

This has been around the net for some time now but then the attack on the USA was 10 years ago today, September 11th. I'm posting it on my blog because it "touches" me. And it also touches me because it was written by an Australian dentist as an editoral (supposedly and I have hope that is true;).

In honor and memory of those who were lost, all who lost loved ones, and all those involved, we won't forget and our prayers are always sent and at the ready.

Thank you to all who are allies, friends, and willing associated with the US who have supported and prayed.

US Government

This isn't a political blog and I do hate getting into politics on various groups, but I have to share this insightful quote. It's not based on political affiliations, but rather the government's getting lost on the wrong path the last several presidential cycles. It's not based on current presidential status, but more to the WHOLE government with Congress being as integral a part as any current or past president.

This gave me a moment to ponder the whole fiasco of the last 10-15 years and thought you might find it worthy of thought too.

"The US no longer does decisions. It can neither stop the drug traffic nor legalize it. It can neither win wars nor abandon them, neither make money nor stop spending it, neither stop immigration nor assimilate the immigrants. Washington can beat its thumb with a hammer, yes, and notice that it hurts, but it can't stop beating its thumb. That would take a decision, and Washington doesn't do decisions." - Fred Reed

Interesting, right? Imagine if we didn't have political parties, but rather individuals who are there to serve without being hand-tied to a party!

IRIDESCENT RAINBOW CLOUD

"Pictured behind this darker cloud, is a pileus iridescent cloud, a group of water droplets that have a uniformly similar size and so together diffract different colors of sunlight by different amounts. The above image was taken just after the picturesque sight."

Have any of you ever seen anything like this in person? On tv or elsewhere? I always have to wonder when it's on the net but yet with this I am also thinking how totally amazing it would be to see it or even something similar in person. And, being it came from the net I have to wonder if it's "untouched" or enhanced. I'd love to think of this being real as it would be just phenomenal to experience.

So rather than just sit and look at it, I decided to share it with you. It came from an internet group for nature pics. I have no idea who it belongs to or who took the pic. I also don't know where it was photographed. I'd love to know the location at least!

It just "blows me away" to think of how it would look in person! Nature has a lot a miracles!

Happy Labor Day!

Satin Balls - The Original Recipe for Dogs

Satin Balls - The Original Recipe for Dogs!

Source: Wellpet.com

Ingredients
10 pounds hamburger meat [the cheapest kind]
1 lg. box of Total cereal
1 lg. box oatmeal
1 jar of wheat germ
1 1/4 cup veg oil
1 1/4 cup of unsulfured molasses
10 raw eggs AND shells
10 envelopes of unflavored gelatin
pinch of salt

Mix all ingredients together, much like you would a meatloaf.
Divide into 10 quart freezer bags and freeze. Thaw as needed and feed raw!

Uses/Remarks from some who have used them:
"All my dogs go crazy over this stuff...but you have to be careful, it will put weight on the dogs pretty fast if you feed enough..."
"...It will put on the weight, make the coats soft and blue black (on black dogs at least, that's all I have)."
"The dogs stop all the itching and chewing at their coats/skin, their eyes get this bright look and the energy level goes out the roof ..."

Comments
Per the information received after having the Satin Balls recipe checked by several vets/labs:
Satin Balls is a total canine diet. It can be feed by itself or as a supplement, for however long you wish. My dogs have been on Satin Balls for over a year; the only time that I have fed it alone is when I had a sick dog needing to be built up or an underweight dog that I plan on showing.
The only problem with feeding it by itself is figuring out the amount. It will put weight on a dog in a few days... that's why it is so great to feed just before a show. If you have a dog that is in good weight, but you just want to build coat/endurance, you would have to figure out how much to feed (cal per kg), or you would end up with a fat dog in a very short time...
"I have been playing with the recipe. I now use the Knox Joint Gelatin instead of the plain Knox unflavored gelatin. Since this is high in Vitamin C and protein, and is good for the joints, it would be good for the dogs. They don't seem to mind the added flavor.
I am also adding Flaxseed oil.They probably don't need the added oil, but so far I have not seen it hurt anything..."

Shar's 2 cents here! Everything above came with the recipe!

I have used a similar recipe of these for training treats. I received them from a friend and they were frozen in tiny (teaspooon-sized) balls. That size doesn't need thawed so they are neater to "dispense". My dogs LOVED them and got so they were in the way of the freezer/refrigerator door being closed. They also ran for the kitchen when they heard it open! Tip: Freeze on a baking sheet and then put in freezer bags after frozen. That way you can always grab a couple as needed and not have the challenge of breaking them apart.

The wellpet.com is a good site. Every now and then I find something that I had been keeping an eye out for. This was one of them - a recipe for the hamburger dog treats. I have an older girl who isn't holding her weight and I wanted to find something along this line to give her to boost her protein and nutrition. I'll be adding some protein powder and vitamin supplement to about a 1/3rd of the recipe as she needs it. The other 3 don't need the added nutrition.

Murphy here, would enjoy some frozen treats right now with our 90* temp!

Bee Fuddling Bee Facts

This looks to have come thru a newsletter or such and I've not found the source to give credit yet. But, September is National Honey Month. It's time to celebrate the hard work of honey bees. Our honey bees have had a hard few years so maybe we should take a moment to give them some recognition and appreciation! IF you know the source of this, I'd like to know!

Bee amazed by some bee-fuddling facts

 Bees have been courting flowers for 30 million years.
 A honey bee visits 50 to 100 flowers during a collection trip.
 It takes approximately 12,000 bee hours to produce a single jar of honey.
 A honey bee can fly for up to six miles, and as fast as 15 miles per hour,
 Honey bees consume about 17-20 pounds of honey to produce each pound of beeswax.

Here are the recommended references that came with the article:
Bees and Honey: From Flower to Jar, by Michael Weiler
Robbing Bees: A Biography of Honey, by Holley Bishop
Check out the film Colony, to learn more about the way commercial beekeepers farm bees and the challenge of CCD, Colony Collapse Disorder.

September National Month Celebrations:

Children's Good Manners Month
Natl Biscuit Month
Natl Bourbon Heritage Month
Natl Breakfast Month
Natl Chicken Month
Natl Cholesterol Awareness Month
Natl Eat An Extra Dessert Month
Natl Honey Month
Natl Mushroom Month
Natl Organic Harvest Month
Natl Papaya Month
Natl Potato Month
Natl Preparedness Month
Natl Rice Month
Natl Sewing Month

Did You Know?

The pashmina shawls of Kashmir are made from the wispy chin and belly hair of Himalayan goats. Since the goats themselves are inaccessible, the hair is gathered in strands and tufts from bushes in which it has become caught.

Wow! We always take the little things that matter for granted. And yet there are many in this huge world who need the little things for survival. I am very blessed to not have my existence depend on finding stray fibers!

I LOVE fiber crafts. I really enjoyed a few "adventures" to a llama/alpaca show near me when I use to show my horse. The yards and the products produced from them are just so lovely and they are indescribably luxurious.

I belong to a Corgi group which has collected shedding hair from our Corgis that someone voluntered to create the spun fiber from. The resulting fiber was then auctioned off with the proceeds going to Corgi rescue. I've wished that we could have gotten pictures of the resulting items that were made. Corgis have a very soft undercoat that lends itself well to becoming fiber.

I've always been intrigued by carding the freshly shorn fibers and whole process of turning it into yarn. I've always wanted to learn to do this and then to create items from it. I should probably put this on my bucket list!

WeatherBug's New Hurricane Tracker

http://weather.weatherbug.com/hurricanes/hurricane-tracker.html

I have weatherbug on my desk top and got a notification email regarding their hurricane tracker. With the damage a hurricane creates, I thought I'd share the link with you. If the whole link doesn't work, try www.weatherbug.com of course.

I do like the program. The weather seems to be closer to what our thermometer reads and gets me the info before the tv alerts do so it's more timely. Plus when I check the radar it shows what I'm seeing whereas the tv sometimes doesn't. It also has a photo section with a LOT of categories that I enjoy an occasional perusal of.

I don't know if you need a hurricane tracker, but if not, maybe you have family or friends who are in the path and you'd like to follow.

If you're in the path of Irene, our thoughts and prayers for safety are with you and yours!

(2 posts in a day! Does that make up for a day missed?)

Predators Again!

I'm so frustrated and saddened this summer with the loss of so many of my chickens. I've lost more than half of my hens even with a chain link pen with chicken netting over the top.

Something is getting into the pen AGAIN and I've lost another 6 hens in 2 days.

I guess I'm going to have to get another live trap. One would think 1 should be enough. I'm having trouble knowing where to put it to do the best job. When I bring it up near the house to trap from around the cat food and over to the compost pile, I have losses at the barn. When it sits at the barn I'm seeing varmits or signs of them up near the house. They do seem to be in good health with all the cat food, table scraps thrown on the compost pile, unhatched eggs from the incubators, etc. We seem to have an abundance of chicken and cat food eaters.

I HATE dispatching them and it's illegal to relocate. Rabies is an issue but not as bad as some areas. Plus, a coon can supposedly find it's way back to it's home territory from 25 miles away! That is one mightly long trip for an animal that size. But then cougars/mountain lions usually have a territory of about 50+ square miles around here and up to about 250 SM out west.

I just HATE having to go into my chicken/buck pen and find my pretty hens dead. I hate dispatching predators, but in the country, there's going to be loss of a life. So I have a choice to make that I don't like having to make at all. But I choose to keep my hens alive. It's one of the negative homestead tasks. So the choice is mine and it's part of farm life and livestock in general.

And so is the loss of my best light Brahma hen who was so calm and friendly, not to mention all the others. And why don't predators seem to get the egg eaters instead of the hens who come to see me and let me pick them up to check them over?

An Interesting Fact

There are between 3 and 6 million active farmers in the United States. There are over 80 million active users on Farmville. Need we say more?

A Poem of Mystery

I got a chuckle out of this mind challenge and thought you might also.

I may run rings around you
Or escape your clutching grip
Or leave a treacherous trail
That gives a sudden slip.
(If you're not careful!)


You always end up winning,
While I shrink with each new meet:
Our bouts will be my ruin,
But you'll come out smelling sweet.


What am I?

You'll need to scroll down a bit to get the answer!

You didn't expect me to make it too easy did you? After all, I do think you all know the answer! After all, you're most likely country folk, grew up country or dream of being so.

And

the

answer

is:

Some of the reason I think I got a chuckle out of this is that making soap has been on my list of projects to get going on and it's still on that list! It seems there are always higher priorities that take precedence. I also know I'm not a whirlwind, but I sure could use a bit of that energy! I don't even have excuses! I've got to get it done! I did buy a new stick blender and now it's time. Right?

Oh, did I forget to tell you the answer? A bar of soap.

Saturday Ramblings

We had storms today with heavy winds and it knocked over my new zucchini and summer plants with the tiny little squashes forming. The ground was just saturated and they didn't want helped back up. I hope they can "rise and shine" on their own. I lost my early plants from storms this year so sure hate to lose these now too. They are at the same level of growth. I'm suppose to have tons of zucchini I want to be rid of, aren't I? Not this year!

I picked our first little red, ripe tomato the other day and the rain has mashed the tomato plants too. That tomato was small, but hubby sure enjoyed it! It will be a bit before we have more but that was a fun discovery. It was well hidden until it got ripe enough for the red to show through!

It sure seems like we went from roasting to cooler weather awfully fast, doesn't it? I love these cooler nights for sleeping though!

I was really good at Goodwill this week and only bought 5 cookbooks. They had a LOT of really nice ones but I was spending too much, have so many and the prices had gone up on them. Having restraint isn't as much fun as scouping up a bunch of them! Having restraint does mean that I'm appreciating and enjoying the 5 I got more!

I've been wanting an electric ice cream maker for some time and sure wish I could find one at Goodwill. I finally made up my mind as to what I want so looked at Walmart but they don't have any. I forgot to look at Meijers. I probably should check out the websites and see if they have they there. There's always ebay too.... There's still hope in finding a good deal though! It's just harder to find what I want being I'm looking for one that has to have the "bowl" frozen and not use ice and salt. I also need electric as I can't crank the old one we have any more. That also uses ice and salt. I'm definitely "paying a price" for being so specific in what I want, aren't I?

I hope you all have a good weekend!

Oh What A Relief It Is!

I have a new way to spell RELIEF...it's C O M P U T E R! I will admit it. I'm ADDICTED to my computer! I LIKE my computer. I ENJOY my computer time, which is a tad excessive due to my disability and not working.

Last night my computer was running sluggishly. I have virus ware, spy/malware and mechanic programs. They all are set for running on a weekly schedule and they do the defrag, etc too. My computer is beyond it's "life expectancy" but it's already had a few new modems and a new hard drive so it SHOULD, IMHO, run a while longer. But, I decided it better get a new back up on my files done! Today's "project".

Then this morning, as my usual start up, I and I was playing the solitare game. It was SLOW going. I was also doing a bit of filing from some pics and such saved the last few days. I'm looking for just the right pics to make a logo/banner for the new food blog so I was perusing that file too.

Then it happened.... I slowed to a stand-still. DEEERRRats! I hate to make that drive to take the computer to the repair shop (30+ mile round trip) and such a waste of time on the road.

I have 3 other computer towers and one is internet ready but the disc drive is out so I can't upgrade to get on line. One is lost and can't find it's op sys but has a fairly new modem. And the 3rd is missing a working modem. Of course I couldn't remember what the situation was with them so had to hook them all up to see what was up. I am hoping that there are good parts that can be used in them to patch together a working computer. Nothing worked on any of them. Weird as the 2 should have cooperated to at least play solitaire!

So, I pondered on it, in spite of the migraine-coming buzz in my head, and decided to start this computer in safe mode and see if there was anything I could do like telling the virus program to see if it's "sick". No luck. I couldn't even shut the window that opened to tell me about safe mode! Again weird.

Then it came to me. Nothing (no computer)was working! so I started from scratch. I got out a new mouse, as I had recently picked up 2 of them on a clearance table CHEAP. I'm like that! Buy those super deals and have them available when needed. I also have a couple other keyboards I'd picked up cheap at the Goodwill Last Chance store for merely 29 cents each. (There good deals to be found at Goodwill at times and I like to "scout them out" now and then.)

Waaaaa Laaaaa! It paid off. I'm not sure if it was the keyboard or the mouse, but one of them was the problem.

The good news is that I didn't run to the computer shop and spend a chunk of $$$ I can't afford. I solved my own problem on my own. I was spared the embarrassment of taking my computer in and paying the fees to run a scan and the labor to be told my mouse died or some such trival thing.

So, yes, I do spell RELIEF as C O M P U T E R!!

And how is your day going?

A Bovine Quote to Ponder

"In America, the cow is on trial. The charges include dietary wrongdoing, pollution and misuse of natural resources."
Molly O'Neill, N.Y. Times food columnist.

Homestead Kitchen - A New Blog

I had been thinking of adding food and recipes here, but what I do here just doesn't really blend well with food. Also, I'm not sure how well some folks would appreciate the barn and kitchen all on one blog. I was afraid it would be like finding a cat hair in your food or cooking with dirty hands! So, I started another blog for food and recipes. I like my food clean and healthy too, after all!

If you'd like to visit, it's Homestead Kitchen at:
http://homesteadkitchen.blogspot.com/ It wasn't easy coming up with a name that wasn't in use!

Feel free to leave comments, of course!

Now to find the right banner shaped photo for the logo. I wish the one I posted here would fit! I think I might need to take a couple food pics and shrink them and "tape" them together to make one! I'm also thinking when I get home from the farmer's market this week I should have enough of a variety to spread it out and take a pic for fresh foods that I could use. I'll find something..... ;)

100 Gifts in My Life! 1-10

I saw on another blog where a gal is doing 1,000 Gifts. I find hers an interesting read! She's fluent and easy to read/follow. She sounds upbeat and down-to-earth. She finds appreciation in things such as I do. So I thought I might try following suit. Only 1,000 seems such a high number to me at this time. I think I'll set a goal for 100 so it's easier to attain. If it goes well for me, then I can extend the goal when I reach 100! Sometimes in life it's a good idea to take shorter steps and keep-it-real, keeping it attainable.

Some of my gifts in life are tangible and often the best are the intangible! You'll read of both!

I hope you'll enjoy reading a periodic post of numbered things I am thankful for. I know I comment (often I hope and think) of being appreciative for everyday and special things in my life.

I'm entering another "trial" in my life in which I KNOW I'll need to keep positive. (More on it later!)

1. My belief and love of God! I'm not one to say a lot, but my religion and beliefs are very important to me. I'm so grateful to be able to enjoy them freely in my life and country. I have many blessings and prayer is a source of comfort and peace in my heart.

2. My family, which is hubby, 3 adult daughters and 1 teen grandson.

3. Integrity, ethics, honesty and morals! These are traits that are important to me and I try to grow with as I am traveling thru my life. Life is so much nicer and more simple when we have such traits. It also makes it a joy to find them in others.

4. My buckskin mare, Summer, who I bred, raised, showed and just plain adore. She's the one of all the horses who have been a part of my life who is "THE ONE".

5. My goats. The enjoyment my goats provide along with the laughs. What comical characters they can be.

6. My chickens and trio of turkeys. Another motley and funny crew! They also give me enjoyment. I love hearing the songs of egg-laying success and the roosters' crows. I love watching the roos who are so busy providing for and tending to their hens. I love watching the mass pandemonium they create when one hens finds a juicy tidbit, a bug or even a blade of grass and thinks she has to run for her life to protect it with all the others hot in pursuit to see what she has and try to snatch it for themselves. Many don't have a clue what the tidbit is or if there really is one! They just run because it's the thing to do at that moment in time. They remind me of how people can sometimes be so caught up in life and be running without knowing what they are truly going to get to.

7. I love my tomato plants, my rhubarb, my zucchini plants, etc in my garden. What wonderful, fresh food with wonderful flavors I'm gifted with. I love the beauty of a well tended garden. I love watching my cherry tomatoes growing and look forward to the first ripe one! I have 3 pots of Sweet 100's in a big pot so I can bring it in during the early frosts. I am hoping I can delay it's production some.

8. I am blessed to have the gift of fresh milk and fresh eggs. We're going thru a period in time where many are against fresh milk and are trying to make it out to be poison. I don't agree. I'm NOT thankful for some things I see happening that are against our rights to have our own fresh foods. This is for my appreciation of the gifts in my life though and that can be another post! I LOVE my fresh quart of milk for breakfast with some SF chocolate syrup. It's just delicious and I savor it immensely.

9. I am blessed with owning several cats. We have Miranda, a Siamese, who is the mother to Fuzzy, Rascal and Itty Bitty Kitty. We have Bobbi, the little Manx girl who has become a grown kitty but we still are caught thinking of her as a kitten. Then there is Barney, who was a stray/drop-off and adopted us. She rarely comes in the house and prefers the barn. She's not a lap cat, but she loves to visit and get her daily attention. She's quite a successful and active hunter even though she gets cat food and milk (when the milk is available). The others are great hunters too. They also come in during the Winter but enjoy their Summers out roughing it.

10. I'm also lucky to be able to have my 4 dogs. I have a pair of Pembrooke Corgis (Murphy & Molly) and a pair of mini Australian Shepherds (Cooper & Candi). I adore them all. They all have different personalities and their own individual traits I love about them.

Word of the Day

Sometimes I am puzzled over words. My vocabuarly is fairly good and I love learning something new every day. So with the word "lagniappe", and seeing it so often lately, I had to go to http://www.ask.com/ and find out if I really knew the real meaning of it. I also wondered if I was pronouncing it correctly! It looks to be of French descent and I'm sure not fluent in French. I tend to give anything not English a Spanish type pronounciation.

That being, I thought I'd give you all the info too just in case you're seeing it on line as I am. Who knows, you also may be wondering about it the same as I have been! So, you're in luck! I have a lagniappe for you!

"LAGNIAPPE (lan‘yəp, lăn-yăp‘) Chiefly Southern Louisiana & Mississippi"

Lagniappe "is a creole word meaning ‘the gift’ or ‘to give more’."

Another place I visited described it as "GLUE". That stands for Giving Little Unexpected Extras. They even have what they call the "Purple Goldfish Strategy". It's described as, "Differential by added value." For the commercial use, it's "Finding signature extras that help you stand out, improve customer experience, reduce attrition and drive positive word of mouth/mouse." Source: Marketing Lagniappe website

So, we all thought as we traveled through life we were just giving some help or something. Now we know were have been giving lagniappes and giving something much bigger. Good for us to be giving and know we have a deeper understanding and a "special" word for it!

I hope you've benefited from this lagniappe and appreciate a little vocabulary "lesson". Nothing like a little word-of-mouse to enlighten your day! (I love that: Word-of-mouse!)

Have a great weekend!

Mystery Photo

Curiosity killed the cat.... BUT, I don't think I'm in danger of dying from wondering about this photo. So how about we go with....

Inquiring minds want to know... the who, what, where... and anything else pertinent? Makes sense to me, of course!

So, I'm GUESSING South Africa or such. Maybe the desert type areas of Australia? I'm not familiar with what the Southern part of South America would be like. Where would this be?

What are these piles?

Are they livestock feed? If so, how do they keep the stock out of them or do they have good fencing in remote areas such as this? I really don't know but don't recall seeing fenced animals.

Are they fuel for cooking meals? A couple are pretty small and one in the front has a chunk out of it suggesting that parts are used at a time.

What else would or could they be? It's a mystery to me and I've had this pic a few years and wonder and wonder.....

Bovine Humor 'N A Bit of Sharing

Two cows standing next to each other in a field, Daisy says to Dolly,"I was artificially inseminated this morning." "I don't believe you," said Dolly. "It's true, no bull!" exclaimed Daisy.

Deja Moo: The feeling that you've heard this bull before.

I hope you enjoyed these as much as I did! You're welcome to the graphics and the jokes too!

Zucchini Squash

Today, August 8th, is a very important day in the lives of gardeners! It's National Zucchini Day! Does this important day include the lowly summer squash? I sure hope so!

So, in honor of a such as this, fess up! What do you do with your zucchini besides grow it prolificly? Do you share with anyone who will grudgingly take one, give it to family/friends/neighbors, or manage to sell some? Or, do you manage to use it all and wish you had more?

It seems the last several years I've not had an OVER abundance. I've actually bought some when I didn't have fresh available! I've gotten a few at the grocery store and HATED paying the price for something we think of as a veggie that should be coming out our ears. I've gotten some at the farmer's market or road side stands too. But, as we all know, fresh is best right from our own garden.

I grate and cube some for the freezer for baked goods and soup. I use it in all types of dishes. I fry it a bit but prefer it roasted along with some carrots and onions. There's a wealth of ways to use it! I've also canned some for pickles. I've dehydrated it too.
I do like zucchini. In fact, I've even started a folder on my computer for zucchini recipes. I guess I'm lucky I like it enough to do that being it usually grows well. I'm hoping my newer plants do better than the first I planted this year. Those didn't make it after the heavy rains and then turned drought and exceptionally hot. I guess it shows one can kill it, but we just need nature to take part!

We have lucked out with a cooler day so I'm going to "splurge" and use the oven. I'm going to roast some zucchini and also oven fry some. I have a new recipe I want to try this is also an oven fried zucchini that has a coating and cheese on it. What perfect timing!

So, are you celebrating the day with zucchini? If so, what are you making?

Something New Again

Or should that be titled "Something Returned"? I'm going with new again, because things had changed that we lost it! That, being HD TV was the change and we lost the PBS station, 23. Well, it's BACK and it's AMAZING how excited a couple "old folks" can get over a tv station!

We're out in "the sticks" and just in between the different stations so we get very few stations on "free tv". We don't have the high tech options available. Some folks around here have the satellites but they still have problems with getting stations on paid tv. Cell phones are NOT reliable here. Most of us still have landlines. Some have cells also.

We really do need an antenna but haven't had the money to have one installed. Hubby can no longer do it as he can't be climbing. I'm not sure he'd know what to do once he got there either as there's a glitch from his stroke that causes that.

But, we are now EXCITED to get PBS back on. We get some cooking shows and travel shows. YIPEE! Something new again and a chance to NOT watch the same cooking show from the "muscle men" for the 20th time! Globe Trekker is back in our lives so we get to travel again!

Pathetically exciting, huh?

The Mystery

I had to do some fence work yesterday and ambled over by the black berries to check them out. They've been coming on slow and not growing well this year due to the heat and long dry spell. They are gone! No developing berry clusters, NOTHING. They had clusters forming. The only thing I can think of is the deer, turkeys or horses managed to eat the whole cluster with the berries.

Maybe a bear? I've not heard of a bear sighted right here, but know they have been fairly closely North, East and West of us within a few miles or so. Who knows but this happened last year too. I find it odd that the whole clusters are GONE.

I wouldn't think that birds would take the whole cluster. In the past they've only eaten the actual berry and left the cluster.

The goats aren't allowed out that far due to the coyotes and the cougar's biweekly tour through the area.

Ooohhhh a mystery, but a frustrating one, as I was watching those berries again this year and had plans for some jam and nibbling!

Another Injury

Well, there was a short lull but it's over.

Grace, palomino mare tangled with the fence. I have to suspect that she kicked out from the huge, NASTY "bomber flys" as she wrapped both hind legs in the fence and ripped out the fence and pulled a fence post (tposts) out! With her hind legs "hobbled" she must have had to hop to get up here from the back fence line. She was also a bloody mess from the flies being able to get her. I thought she had abraded skin off in patches at first look but went to work on cutting the wire up and peeling each wrap off her hind legs. I was very leary doing so as I could tell she hurt and her legs were starting to swell. You never know if they will try to kick free as they feel restraints being removed or if they'll think a leg is free enough to kick a biting fly. I was trying to kill the flies on her underside and hind legs as I was cutting and periodically stopped to kill one if she was trying to bite at one she couldn't reach. My hands ended up a very bloody mess as the flys were engorged on her blood. Soooo nasty!

The good news is Grace stood like a trooper. She remembered her old training to not move a foot if I'm working under her! She never moved a foot the whole time and even when I was needing to switch sides due to the direction of the wire. She was just a peach to stand so well while hurting.

Once the wires were all removed, I could only get her to move a hind foot. She was afraid to move and probably from the pain. I finally got Summer and moved her alongside Grace to try to walk them both. Grace took a couple small, halting steps and then froze up again. So I ended up moving Summer and calling Grace to come. She did, hesitantly and very cautiously like she was trying to step free of the wire.

After moving from that spot and about 20' away, we stood a couple minutes while I continued killing flies on them. After she thought about it a few minutes, we made our way to the stock tank so she could get a drink. While there, we cleaned her up, hosed her down, and cooled her off. She wasn't thrilled with the hosing on her legs, but we got it done. She doesn't need stitches, but she is cut up some and quite sore.

While out working on the fence this morning and early afternoon, I saw her running for the barn a few times to get away from the flies. So once the cuts heal I expect her to be fine.

She still has all the bare scrapes from the neighbors' fireworks last month. She's a mess!

The fence is fixed but still needs more work. These sunny, very humid, 90+ degree days with 105 HI aren't conducive to fence work! The pop bottle of ice thawed fairly quickly but sure felt good in my pocket and getting me wet!

I hope for another lull, but a LONGER one, please!

Where did the time go?

I can't believe it's been 2 weeks since I posted! Where did the time go? I know I got over heated in the excessive heat again and that knocked the feather stuffing out of me for several days. I've spent extra time doing chores as it's imperative that the critters have ample water and are tended to in the heat. They all have fared well. A couple of the younger goats are thinner looking, but that's "fixable". The continued to drink and eat hay, but I did cut everyone back on grain as it adds heat to their bodies in digesting it. I may have cut them back just as they were in a growth spurt so it became more noticible. They are happy and content though and definitely enjoying the temps back to normal.

We finally got some rain a few different days. This has made a difference in the farm crops and the corn along side the roads is looking so much better! The soy beans that looked so puny have perked up and done some growing too. I just hope that coming out of a drought and getting rain will make a good difference. I hope that it didn't stunt the seed/kernal sizes. My garden is now happy!

One of the bad news items was I couldn't sleep with the temps over 80 at night. Now I can finally sleep better with the temps back in the 70's at night. What a difference a few degrees makes just for sleeping!

I Collect Cookbooks!

Is it cook books or cookbooks to be correct? Which ever way is right, I LOVE cook books and I buy used ones all the time. I usually get them at Good Will as they use to be REALLY cheap there. Lately, they've been upping the price on some books. They also no longer have any books in their "last chance" store and much less of a selection in the regular store. This has been a bit of a disappointment as of late. It's not a priority in life and I'm not unduly upset. It's actually, just another sign of the times I guess.

But that being, I hadn't realized the last few times that I was in Good Will that some of the cook books I had picked up were higher priced than the usual 4/99 cents buy for the majority of the books. I then got to the registered and was a bit surprised at the total being more than I expected. That didn't click at first as I just assumed hubby had found a super buy and between the 2 of us I lost track until it was time to pay up. I just paid and didn't think much more of it.

I didn't think much more of it that is, until yesterday, when I expected my store total to be less than $20 and hubby had gone to the car. Instead it was over $35!! And guess what!

What you ask, of course! They had tagged almost all the cook books at 99 cents, 4 at $1.99 and the remaining 4 at 4/99 cents. WOW! I'm sure glad I got some that are REALLY nice looking. I was so busy looking AT them that I didn't notice all those little sneaky tags on the very bottom of the "rib" proclaiming the new pricing.

What a bit of a disappointment. I realize that they had been far too cheap for reality for some time. But I was enjoying my finds and a very happy cook book collector. Being we've had to deal with job losses, medical bills with hubby's stroke and amputations and all, I was considering cook books to be necessities when I could pick them up sooooo cheaply. But now that I'm going to have to be paying a dollar or more a book, I'm going to have to rein myself in a bit.

And, heaven forbid, I think I'm going to have to consider my cook book finds as luxuries! I might have to quit buying so many of them too.

I'll still greatly appreciate and enjoy finding a Taste of Home book that I know retails for over $20 for only that $1.99, but now I'm going to have to take this luxury a bit more seriously.

I guess I'll have to reconsider buying 20 cookbooks at a time and heading to my van with a huge smile! Yes, times are always changing, and they "done did change again", darn it all.

Is it time to decide if I need more book shelves or is it time to say NO MORE for me? Do I need a 12 step program because I like to read cook books?

Or maybe I better check the Good Will prices at the store in the town South of us which we'll be heading to the first of the week. Maybe they haven't caught up with this price increase for used cook books like the store to the East of us!

New Chicks

I found a solitary little chick with 2 of the setting Bantams in the barn! I was surprised as they had a slew of eggs amongst them and the number had gradually diminished to a solitary egg and they were setting fast but bickering over it. I gave them a bunch of newly collected eggs, thinking the last egg wasn't going to do anything and yet they still wanted to set. That solitary egg hatched! The chick was pretty mobile and now there were a bunch of eggs which had been set on for a good week. When I picked the chick up both hens came a flying and attacked my legs. The hens weren't heading back to the eggs so, in my human mind, I decided to bring the solitary chick to the house. He could keep the 2 just hatched chicks company and the hens could continue their quest to hatch a brood. Earlier this Spring a couple chicks hatched in the goat pen (same nest site) and were stepped on by the goats. So my hope is I can keep him safer and give him a chance along with buddies.

I now have 4 cute little chicks in the brooder. They are all 4 looking to be Bantams. All 4 are different so it will be interesting to see the outcome when they feather out.

I also have the last 4 chicks that had hatched (incubator) in a brooder and they are just about feathered.

Of the 4 surviving chicks who have hatched out this Spring, there are 4 PULLETS! What luck as to the sex! Unfortunately I've lost a few and one was my fav, a feather-legged blondish red pullet. She was one that was really calm and could be picked up easily. I think she became a predator's mcnugget and I was dissapointed to lose her.

I hope to have more chicks hatch soon. There are a few turkey eggs in also but I don't think any of them have been fertile this year. Tom needs some more maturing I guess. I'm not having good hatches at all this year! Last year was great and this year a disappointment. I do suspect it's a fertility issue due to the Cochins being so densely feathered in the tush area. I know some folks pluck the rear of their Cochins to improve fertility. Do I REALLY want to do that? I sure like the Cochins immensely so it's under consideration for next Spring. I'm about done hatching now due to it being July and wanting the chicks who make it to have some body size so they can thrive during the long, severely-cold Winter here.

Who'd have thought breeding chickens would be such an undertaking!

4th of July and Ice Cream Floats

I hope you are all having a nice Independence Day here in the US and hope Canada enjoyed their's on the 1st!

I have the above 2 graphics to share with you and a great treat fit for the 4th and many other times too! I really got a kick out of the patriotic chickens!

I LOVE making floats! It doesn't need a recipe, just a few minutes to put them together and then enjoy the sweet and cold treat!

I especially like root beer or cherry Dr Pepper with vanilla ice cream. Orange pop makes a nice creamsicle flavor. Citrus type pops are a good refreshing flavor.

Sparkling lemonade or flavored is also a great float maker. I especially prefer the peach or cherry lime from WalMart. Some of the flavored sparkling waters are better with a flavored ice cream. The sparkling peach water is GREAT with peach ice cream or other fruit type ice creams.

Once you get started you can look at the pop and bottled sparkling water selections and know if you'll want to try it or not!

The sugar/carb free pops and sparkling water/lemonades are also great with SF (sugar free) ice cream for those with some dietary needs.

Relax and enjoy!