Winter is Really Here!

I just wasn't ready to bundle into winter boots and the winter garb to go do chores today! It takes twice as long to do anything when one has to waller through fresh, deep snow! No, it wasn't even a pretty day either! Instead we have high winds so the snow is blowing in one's face, eyes, and through jeans/pants, etc.

I'm not into the habit of wearing work gloves yet so was taking them off or getting them wet in everything I did. This is a BIG problem when it's a whopping 6 degrees out and a wind chill well below 0!

I forgot to replace my good plastic horse buckets with the black rubber tubs for the goat pens. I forgot to carry the hammer around with me so kept back tracking to get it to bust ice. I got a lot of the water/grain toting plastic buckets gathered together though so I can bring them in to store for the winter. Up here in the "frozen north" buckets turn brittle and horse buckets expand and split in the winter. Years ago those misc plastic buckets were cheap and easily replaceable. Now they are a "gold mine" to have and NOT cheap!

I forgot to dig out my plastic toboggan sled that I use to haul things around during the winter. The wheel barrow and cart don't move well and jam up in the snow.

Tomorrow I'll finish that project but I ran out of dry gloves and my hands were freezing! The 2 milk does made it clear that they are milkers and not hand warmers! I guess they didn't get it that I really did try to warm my hands up first!

Usually getting wood in is the hardest part of doing chores. Today it was the easiest and fastest! Alas, the wood was frozen though so it did take a bit of kicking and banging around to get a piece loose enough to grab and give a bit of a whomp on the other wood I wanted. Our usual winter supply gets covered but with hubby not able to cut and split wood, things aren't normal. I have the wonderful pile the neighbors brought me that I GREATLY appreciate and it's not covered as I didn't have a tarp to use on it. It won't last forever so it's just a temporary thing to have to whomp on wood. That knocked most of the snow off too so it did double duty.

So today's weather report is BBBRRRRRR! I guess it's time to get into the right mode. I also think I need to find a countdown banner for spring! I'm ready to watch those days count down to better weather and more sunshine!

Be safe all and if you're in the areas that have freezing weather, please drive safe! Also, make sure you have some kitty litter along and your emergency blanket, kid shovel, etc! I've got mine so I'm not behind on everything!

Mystery Photo

Do you know what I have here?

Do you have some?

You might know, but maybe you will need to ponder on it for a bit!


What would you do with them or use them for?

Do you know where I would have found them?

Do you know what they use to be used for (or the plant they came from)?

It's ok to leave a comment! ;) I'll give a few days so folks can read this post and then I'll share some info with you!

Bird Feeding

I'm not one of the "birders" who is into feeding birds "big time", but I do enjoy seeing the birds who are around during the winter out my kitchen window while I'm washing dishes and cooking. I can't afford to buy them the thistle and LOTS of sun flower seeds and such but wish I could do more than I do manage to do.

The big thing for me is that I KNOW that once we start feeding them we are committed until spring and they can fend for themselves. Otherwise if they loose their food source they can and do die if they don't find another close to their "home" area.

So I've taken the step and started feeding them yesterday and will do so on a frugal basis. They will get cracked corn, some bread bits and my homemade blocks of corn and fat drippings from cooking. I will need to pick up a pound or 2 of lard to have on hand to make sure I can keep up with them for the full winter feeding season. We don't eat as much fat any more and much less animal fat. I try to use olive oil as it's better for us health wise. So the lard will be a good back up and it keeps in the freezer so would be good for the next winter if I don't use it. This will also encourage me to be more frugal with trimming meat fat so I can add it to the feeders.

I've already enjoyed seeing so many birds come to dinner the last 24 hours! I've got cardinals, nut hatches, chickadees, downies, a flicker and the usual sparrows. I just had a good sized flock of the obnoxious "black birds" blown into the front yard for seeds from some weeds. I don't care for this bunch of birds as they are always trying to get into the underside of the eves of the house to nest and they are just obnoxious. They are also usually gone to their winter grounds by now. I would think the couple inches of snow we got since yesterday and the horrid winds would encourage them to move on! They've been out in my feeding spot too.

I did get my window box's stand and a board over it out by the feeder so I can put some corn on it daily as I'm doing chores. The birds are feeding there also. They may consume less of my feed blocks with the plain cracked corn available.

While watching them, I had a couple small squirrels run up the tree the feeder is on and they appeared to be fighting as they were in a "hot hurry" with the running around and around the tree and up through the branches lickety split. The chase was definitely on! I know some folks don't like squirrels at their feeders, but we have so few squirrels that I don't mind feeding them. We use to have an abundance of them and then for some reason I didn't see squirrels for years. The last couple we've seen a couple kinds that have moved back into the area. Hubby and I enjoy seeing them again. They are welcome to some cracked corn. I know they have a purpose in nature as part of the food chain for other creatures so they must do something beneficial! (We don't have the city squirrels that are black. We have a couple reds and a couple fox squirrels.) They also are entertaining in the winter to see them in the front yard looking for their stored commodities. They sure do leave some interesting tracks in the snow too!

By the time February's Back Yard Bird Count is here, I should have a nice bunch to count for them!

Yes, I'm a country girl and I do enjoy nature's critters!

Horse and Buggy - DUI

Chalk this one up to the PA police department who found an Amish horse and buggy toolin' along down the road on the yellow line..... A 22 year old was cited for DUI with the horse and buggy! I read this from the AOL news which linked me to Asylum's blog at: http://www.asylum.com/2009/12/09/amish-dui-man-elmer-fisher-arrested-for-driving-horse-and-buggy-drunk/?icid=mainhtmlws-maindl4link7http%3A%2F%2Fwww.asylum.com%2F2009%2F12%2F09%2Famish-dui-man-elmer-fisher-arrested-for-driving-horse-and-buggy-drunk%2F They also have photos of the legal documents to prove it!

I also read a news report a few years ago of someone near me who was arrested for a DUI on his lawn mower. He was riding home on the shoulder of the road. The police had seen the mower parked in front of a local bar earlier.

A DUI isn't really funny and yet I had to chuckle over the lawn mower incident. It also makes me wonder if there's any record of a bicyclist being cited for a DUI.....

Maybe the lesson that should have been learned if you want to drink til you're snockered, STAY HOME and off the roads!

Completely Random

It's turning out to be a busy day so I'm going to add a few random things for today's post.

*What luck this am that while I was all gloved up and sterile so I could get hub's IV running and then his foot treated and rebandaged NOTHING interfered! As I was pulling off the gloves in drives UPS with the new supplies of more IV's, etc. PHEW! It's such a waste to glove up and have to keep washing my hands and regloving and restarting what I was doing! Nurses must be saints to do this day in and day out! Hub's foot is looking better, but it's just really gross to see the bone. Bloodwork was drawn yesterday so hopefully they can tell us next Monday that the antibiotic levels are suitable for killing off the osteomylitis (bone infection which hub called osteoMileyCyrus) and blood infections are working! I know surgery will need done, but I hope it's a more "minor" one when it takes place!


*I had an escapee and one of my Corgi's found a way out of the dog pen to herd the UPS truck. She was herding it's "heels" and didn't get hit. PHEW! She wasn't chasing it, but rather running along waiting for it to stop. We use to have a UPS driver and a meter reader who use to bring dog treats. I have a doggy who is sure she might get a treat if she's right there when they stop. I called and fortunately she came. Some days she would rather attend her own agenda than mine. I told her she's going to have an underground condo with her lights out if she thinks she can get around moving vehicles!

*Then Jerry (BIL) brought out a trailer for me to use to pile wood in and to go out back to get his hunting items from the woods. He's been sick and decided to skip black powder hunting and just try to kick the germs. We finished up outside just in time for me to come in and finish off hub's IV so he could be unleashed. The electric company had a company come through and cut around the power lines. We had a HUGE HUGE tree that was interfering with the lines by the transformer and it was dying that they cut. The wood is sitting in the fence row out front where the snow drifts so it's often quite deep and near impossible to walk through. So I want to get as much as possible up near the house. The neighbor said he was coming to help cut it but can't do it til January. I'll appreciate the help but I also know I can't "waller" through snow that deep carrying wood where it drifts. IF we have a January thaw, that area is on the opposite side of where it floods and I don't want to have to slosh through that and be wet and cold. My ole bones can't take all that any more!

*The weather has turned damp, cold and it's snowing. :( I'm NOT ready! I still have several pre-winter projects to finish off on my list. It seems everytime I start I end up with things not on the list that also need done. Typical of farm work, there's an order for these projects so that work is done more efficiently and the loose ends are accounted for and complete. Farm/homestead life sure does have an ebb and flow and we build up a momentum in doing the work!

*Fuzzy has returned to "stalker cat" mode for the winter. Everytime I sit down she's THERE and expecting to occupy my lap and take a long nap. Poor kitty, she gets short naps! She really does stalk me! She was ready for me to crawl into bed last night. She beat me to the bed and then was trying to climb on me to settle in faster than I could settle down. Winter has arrived and she's in winter mode!



*The cardinals and chickadees beat me to winter feeding. I was trying to wash my milk jars and they were at the feeder spot looking for food! Being I enjoy seeing them out the kitchen window, I got one of the bird feeders I make up out for them. I did take some pics as I want to post my directions with pics for you all and then took it out to hang. It wasn't 10 minutes and I had birds in after the bits of moldy bread I tossed on the ground and the feeder! I don't usually start feeding this early in the year but I'm going to this year. I just decided I'll bring my window flowerbox stand over and I can sit it near the hanger and put some corn out on a board on it for them too as they don't all fit on the feeder and it gets quite crowded below. Then they can spread out a bit to eat. It makes winter dishwashing more enjoyable and I can do the February backyard bird count again.

*Frozen water bucket season is here. I'm now having to bust ice out of the goats' buckets and take some hot water out for them. The winter heater is in the stock tank for Summer, my horse, but the water there wasn't warm enough to keep open water in the 3 goat pens long enough. Kendra and Clair are still milking so they need their water and they like it tepid to warm, not with huge ice "cubes".

*I have soooo many things I want to get done and the time just flies! I need to "fly" too as I've taken a long enough break! I'll try to have something more interesting tomorrow. This is how homesteading goes at times.... always work to do and things I'd like to do.

Have a great day and thank you for being here!

Goats Milk + Spider Silk = Bio Steel Fibers

A goat that produces spider's web protein is about to revolutionize the materials industry.

Up to now it has been impossible to produce "spider fibre" on a commercialscale. Unlike silk worms, spiders are too anti-social to farm successfully. Now a Canadian company claims to be on the verge of producing unlimitedquantities of spider silk - in goat's milk. Using techniques similar to those used to produce Dolly the sheep, scientists at Nexia Biotechnologies in Quebec have bred goats with spidergenes.

BBC article with more details click here.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/sci/tech/889951.stm

And who would have thought that Dolly's being would end up with crossing a goat with a spider?

TIC.... Does this mean we'll find there are goats the size of a spider who can be house pets or house pests? (We have to have a daily chuckle and here's mine... visualizing pet goats living in spider webs in the house!)

The Carol of the Goat Bells

I got up to snow today! We had some briefly in the afternoon yesterday and again in the evening. We had snow when the nurse came last night and she said the roads were bad for about half an hour and then the ground heat was able to remedy the situation. Being it's December and snowy, here's something I can share with you! I hope you enjoy it and hopefully you get another reason to smile! I've seen this a few times last year and still had to go visit the site to enjoy it again.

http://www.goatbiology.com/carol.html

Enjoy and have a blessed day!

(photo: I don't know the owner. The photo came through an email that was passed on and on and she looks like such a cutie I had to share her with the goat carol. IF you own this pic, I'd love to give you credit if you'll let me leave it here. I'd love to provide the name of this cute goatie too! If you want it removed I will do so IMMEDIATELY upon request. )

I Need a Backhoe!

We're finally back from the hospital but with IV's and bandaging 2 x a day with visiting nurses - 8 am and 8 pm. This morning took over 4 hours as it was the first visit so a lot was done. The IV takes a good 2 1/2 hours! I'm learning to "plug" him in to his pic-line and do the flushings too. I can already do the bandaging as I did it after the amputation with the wound center teaching me. They taught me well!

That being and not having done a good job at chores for over a week, I've had a FULL and tiring day! The goaties were sooooo happy to have me longer today and to get their expected attention and pettings. My mare was very glad to have some attention too until I started taking burrs out of her mane and tail. She's a mess but we got a good start without her getting irritated over the job. I think the apples helped!

So I wanted to share a little humor with you all and to also say thank you to my followers who have joined on and to all who take time out of their busy days to read my ramblings! I should be back to regular writing in a day or two.

Today's Inspirational Message:

Never piss off a woman who can drive a backhoe...

Oh could I use a backhoe some days! Yes, I could drive it too! What fun!

AWOL

I was definitely AWOL and not able to wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving. Hubby ended up with the doctor sending him from his office directly to the hospital. He is finally feeling better today but he's still very ill with an infection in his blood and whole system, the diabetic ulcer which has worsened and the broken foot which has worsened. The new bone from the break has pushed the toe and foot bones up and the bone at the previous amputation over and down, so it resulted in the ulcer. He'll need surgery but he's too sick to do it so will come home soon with a pic-line. It's an IV port threaded from his upper, inside arm into the aorta in the chest for IV's that are being delivered into the chest and throughout. He's also on blood thinners.... and "one sick puppy". He did decide today that he's either a basset hound or blood hound as they are slow moving and look sad. I suggested he go with the bloodhound as his legs aren't short enough for a basset (nor as short as the Corgi's here ;). He saw the humor and wasn't crabby so he's definitely feeling a little better.

Looking for the good in all of this (to remain sane of course;), I decided I'm very glad I'm not a diatician as I'd hate to have been that gal who came in to tell him NO he couldn't have a salt shaker and no he can't have pizza and no he can't have anything else he wants to eat ..... I sure wish his menu didn't have all the diets on it and only his own so he didn't see what was available for the patients on a general, eat as you want diet! He's on a diabetic and heart diet so 1800 calories and no salt. Yuppers, glad I'm not responsible for being his diatician!

I'm also thankful his nursing care has consistently been above expectations! What wonderful nurses they have ALL been! Of course he's still wanting cute, young gals! So even at just-turned-58 he's got the good foot out of the grave! ;) (Go ahead and laugh. One needs to see the humor in things or break down from the stress of it!)

I've sure been perusing a LOT of magazines! WOW, some of them are quite interesting as to current trends for those who are well off or those who are well into debt to live a well-off lifestyle. I do love some of the wall colors that are now popular. I also enjoy the recipes a lot and the crafts and such! There's the song with the phrase "little bit country" and I am POSITIVE I'm a little bit more than all country! I love the old farm houses and country decorations. I also saw a wall hanging today that I LOVE! It's a huge barn with trees and such around it and some metal horses..... and it's a whole lot country.... just my style! The price has been lowered to $125 which I about choked on and they came down and offered it to me for $60. I just can't decide. I know I shouldn't spend that, but I soooooo want to. Boy do I want too! I LOVE it! It's ME! They'll be open on Wednesday again...... should I? Do I? I wonder if I offered a bit lower....??????? The metal horses are the expensive "Home Interiors" and I have 1 of them. They are expensive new and out of stock now I'm sure. I wonder if I sold one or both if I'd get anything off them on eBay? I sure do love that barn...... and don't need the horses so I'd end up with a great deal, wouldn't I? What do you think, readers? (No, I didn't go shopping over the weekend. I only stopped and picked up bandaging material for hubby's foot as I need 2 rolls of the wide (4") sterile gauze per day.) Help me decide.... this is a one of a kind ceramic type wall hanging and quite good sized. Should I?

It's hard to believe December is trying to get in the door. I don't have my list of pre-winter chores done as I've been at the hospital other than doing chores. That stock tank is now ready to be moved and I need some time to move it and fill it asap. ;) I have hay coming in the morning so I'll work on that while I wait for the hay guy. Even if I don't fill it full it will be a good start. The electric cord is there and ready for the heater to be put in the tank and plugged in. I need to put the 2 stakes in marking where the cord is at for the winter so it doesn't get caught in a snow plow, etc. That won't take long but I want to get the heater plugged in first so if I have to move the cord some I can do it. It just fits to the heater cord and tank. Then after the tank if full, I need to pull the hoses and drain them. I use them all winter and drain them when done being used. I rarely have a problem other than it's a pain to drain them as I generally can soak 2 pairs of gloves easily. So much to do and so little time.....

I'll be back soon and hopefully have something more interesting. I do hope that my posts about hubby's diabetic issues will educate people so they take diabetes more seriously and don't have to go through the stress and pain. It's a huge emotional pain for the family and a physical pain and all to go through for the diabetic. If you're not diabetic and have family or close friends who are, I hope you can help them understand how bad it can be and give them some support in their efforts to live with it and make the necessary diet changes. I'm taking much better care of myself now in the last year and a half as I have it in my family also and I don't want it! I need to loose more weight too! It's a devastating and horrible disease at best.

I do hope you all have a great week coming up.

Catch Up Day

Today is a catch up day! I've had 3 days of working hard to get pre-winter work done as we are predicted to have snow on Friday and rain Wednesday thru Saturday. Soon things will be frozen down and I won't be able to make things easier to tend to over the long winter. Our homestead may only be 11+ acres, but I still have to have things ready to care for the livestock appropriately.

Being I was able to trade the 6 does for the 5 heavy duty farm gates I have them set for corral panels and was able to use the whole chain link dog kennel for the bucks in their new location. That made it so their area is about 4 times as large as I had hoped for for the winter. So they are now in their new quarters just outside of the barn right next to the does which is where they want to be. They really want to be with those cute junior does who are coming in heat and a bit too young to be bred. They feel they need to keep tabs on them and socialize full time! I guess even if you're a goat you still crave attention from the girls and especially the "really hot and cute" girls!

I also was able to release the 8 new chickens into the new goat pen also. I'm hoping the goats will afford them some protection from predators. They do get along well so it's definitely worth trying. The hens will help clean up spilled grain the goats waste too. I had 3 of the young new hens who were doing quite a happy dance over the release from the big cage they were in. They were hopping in the air while spinning around and fluffing their feathers and flapping their wings.

One thing about farm work is there is a LOT of cause and effect. Everything something is achieved, it causes the need for more work! Now I need to cover the pen to keep the owls and hawks from getting to my hens. With the price of hens these days ($10-15 each for young hens around here) any loss is expensive. I have more to do where the pen was as there are some pallets that need taken care of that the goats jumped around on and the wasted hay to be put in the new raised garden beds I've started. There is still a gate to be mounted as a gate and some other tidying up and shoring up where I put the gates in for corral panels. Cause and effect!

So tomorrow while I take hubby for his medical appointments (which takes 2 days a week and daily bandaging and care) I will spend a few minutes reviewing my list of pre-winter preparations and get to scratch some things off while adding on more! The medical trips take all day as it's 1 1/2 hours' drive each way to the big city. We live in a small rural area so everything we do is a drive.

Tomorrow I'll have a shorter/easier chore to do as my mare has finally got her stock tank down low enough in water I'll be able to tip it and clean it out. I'll then move it back to it's winter spot where my electric cord can reach for the stock tank heater to keep her some open water. That spot is great for winter but not the rest of the year as it's by a walnut tree and few others and gets too many leaves in it. The walnut leaves cause the water to turn black and nasty and I worry about the tannins being toxic being walnut shavings are highly toxic to horses. I'll have to fill it of course and that can be in progress while I tend the goats and chickens and milk. If there's time I have 3 fence posts to drive. I got them pulled up today. Of course it's not as simple as just driving the posts! They have to be securely attached to what they are supporting and it always seems that there are other things that crop up making something so simple sounding a longer process than expected. Dinner will have to be something that I do the majority of the work on early in the day or in a crockpot so it's quick and easy. Maybe pizza melts!

We've had another blessing this week that is beyond thoughtful! A neighbor showed up with a trailer load of fire wood all cut and split for us. It's mostly odd shaped or sized pieces that don't stack well so end up in a pile. They had been throwing them on the trailer not sure what they were going to do with them. Then another neighbor had stopped by their place and commented he was going to be coming over to help us with wood in January. We have some left over from last year but I've been a bit concerned over having enough. I never use to worry about the fire wood as hubby took care of it. Now he can't and I'm responsible for something I'd not had to be overly involved in. I only toted some in the house and burned a lot of it in the past being it was one of hubby's responsibilities. At least we now have ample so I don't have to worry about enough to get through to mid-winter for help cutting and hauling it from the woods. We have a couple of wonderful neighbors! It's so hard to tell someone how much their kindness means to us!

I'm not sure if I'll have time to post tomorrow. I wish you all a very special Thanksgiving Day with your family, friends and special folks! We'll go to my BIL's/SIL's for the day and I'm looking forward to a day to relax! We'll still need to be home by 4:30 or 5 as I will still need to milk the does. Livestock chores are done here even on a holiday. The animals have needs that I chose to be responsible for and will tend too. I'll have everything done that I can prior to leaving so it will be easier and faster when I get home. We'll still have a special time with special people!

Enjoy your dinner and time! I'll be back in a few days!

Adios Girls!

Today I said goodbye to 6 of my goatie girls. I had advertised 5 of them on Craigslist along with a young buck. I wasn't even off the CL site and had a response. We made a trade that I'm VERY happy with and 6 does went along to a new home instead of just the 5. My head said sell another as I had a buyer ready to make a deal and my heart said I like Lily soooo much.... but I also knew she'd be on the list to go come spring if she didn't go now. I like her so much and yet her teats are something I don't want to breed (multiple spurs) so that was a LARGE issue for me.

Feed prices have jumped and winter is nipping at my heels so it was time to do the inevitable. I'm also in a spot with needing my numbers down for care as hubby's foot has worsened significantly and the specialist said he's "a heart beat away from another amputation". So I need to be able to care for him with less work to do.

Even with the 6 now gone to a new home for breeding purposes, I still have 16 goats! I have a young buck (Buckley) to sell yet and then will have 2 bucks (Nipper & Winchester22) and 14 does. My goal was to get down to 12-15 goats by winter. I may reach the 15 yet! I'll have a very hard time getting down to the 12 if I even could as I traded 2 young Boer bucks for 2 full sisters (Macey & Mo'Nique) to one of the goats (Daisy) who is one of our 3 top favorites. I'm also keeping the 2 2009 does out of Daisy (Latte & Coffee Bean).

(Sandy, who just left, is on the left with Winchester22 trotting towards her. Daisy on the right with Latte and Coffee Bean playing on the wood.)

I now am down to 2 does (Claire & Kendra) to milk! Come spring I'll be up to 5! So getting a calf will be a good deal as I'll have ample milk to feed it and pasture for it to graze. We've raised a lot of calves over the years like that and they are the nicest meat - very lean and tender. It's also an economical way to have our own meat that is raised in a humane and natural manner without all the chemicals and hormones used in commercial meat. My animals have a very good life while they are with us.

So, adios to my 6 girls who have gone to another goat farm to be breeding stock and still live a good life with lots of turn out and good care! I love placing animals in a good home that they will be happy in.

Come spring kidding season will bring more kids ..... and I'm glad I have a "quality product" that others appreciate and want. It makes it worth it!

Nanny Berries

Do you know about Nanny Berries? If not, let me introduce you with this one:

Celebrations - http://www.boergoats.com/clean/articleads.php?art=1016

These articles are a GOOD read and very enjoyable. The writer has the ability to write so one feels they are right there while reading them.

If you don't enjoy them, you probably are not an animal lover or just despise goats!

Easy Oatmeal Soap

Do you ever wonder what you could do with your bits of soap (soap scraps) from used bars and hate throwing them out? Here's just the ticket!

For each half cup of soap scraps add one cup of water into a pan on the stove and set the heat to medium. While this is melting, line an old dish with wax paper and grease the paper so help prevent the soap from adhering to it during the drying process. Stir the soap occassionally while keeping an eye on it and when it's fully melted, stir in enough fine oatmeal to form a stiff "batter". When the soap becomes quite stiff pour the mixture into your dish/mold. Before it gets completely hard and dry, cut it into bars the size you prefer. Then you have an excellent soap for keeping your hands soft and is good for your skin.

A few drops of essential oil or even vanilla may be added with the oatmeal if desired. Be aware that essential oils are strong smelling in a soap mixture and the aroma can become over powering in your house so star with only a SMALL amount!

A Few Winter Tips

Do you get salt on your winter footwear? If so, dampen a rag with white vinegar and blot clean. The heavier the salt buildup and the more absorbent the material it's on will mean more botting and rinsing the rag a few times but it does work.

Also, it's time to get some kitty litter in some gallon jugs and in your vehicle with a small shovel. Be sure to have a snuggy warm blanket or 2 in the vehicle too! If you have individual seats or passengers in the back seat and front, you need enough blankets to make sure every one has enough to be well covered. If you wear a dress, it really doesn't hurt to have a pair of sweat pants in the vehicle over the winter too so you don't get stranded in a dress on the side of the road!

If you don't live in an area where these tips are as important, don't forget them if you travel to an area where they are for your holidays!

Sunday on a Country Road

It's been a busy day. Today has been opening day for firearm deer season so it sounds like a war zone out there ALL DAY!!! Last night was the end of bow season and we have a nice neighbor we allow to hunt on our property. He got a really nice buck and brought the liver and heart last night along with his news. Today he brought his trophy and the neck for us to cut and package. We'll have 10 meals out of this and more if we have left overs. We'll also have a nice soup broth from the neck bones too. Tonight was liver and onions which we both love and greatly enjoyed. This same neighbor also comes and helps us with our firewood which is a great blessing considering our health issues. So it's a win-win situation. An added benefit is he keeps others off our property which we hope keeps the livestock safer! Then today my BIL came for gun season and saw a big buck but it got scared off before he got in a good range for BIL to take him.

We did have an interesting few moments with opening day. I happened to look out and our front yard had several deer nervously milling around before deciding which way to run. There were 7 does. When they took off one missed the jump over the fence and got all tangled up in the woven and hot wire and took a spill. Being a fence row with rocks she had a hard time righting herself as she was trying to run and catch up with her herd.

I did end up with the electric fence on the other side of the house demolished so the deer were threw there too. I got that fixed but boy they can sure twist that wire up and all 3 strands also "braided" together. I sometimes wonder if my horse is bummed while standing and watching me fix it so she doesn't have an escape route.

When my BIL got done hunting he had a surprise for me! He found a tire kicking around his place that fit my wheelbarrow! HALLELUJAH!!! I was cringing at the price of a new one and had been looking for a used unsuccessfully. He also had an extra air compressor that can be attached to a car or garden tractor battery! I felt like a kid with 2 birthday or Christmas presents and both are used items! Sometimes the little things mean the most! He also "made my day"! He helped hubby pull a pulley and gear off a motorized "contraption" hubby has made from some used garden tractors for his walnut cleaning.

I've added 3 pics of various places on the country road I live on. The leaves are now gone and yet I just took these pics! Winds and rain do that.

I thought you might enjoy them. They remind me of when hubby and I were late teens and young adults. Back then it was a "thing to do" to go for a Sunday drive and enjoy the views.

We use to do that and take a picnic lunch to eat while we were out and about on our Sunday drive.

Later we continued those drives and looked for property after we were married.

We often see deer in several places and yet the road is probably only 3 miles long.



Our place is on the dirt end of the road. Being there is a county line/change in the middle it's paved South of us in the next county.

Another time I'll post a few more country road pics.

It's an attractive road if you want to call a road attractive! I guess being a country girl I just enjoy the country look!

My Nigerian Dwarf buck is in 7th heaven again. Several of the junior does are in roaring heat and all clamboring for his attentions. He's all kissy faced and blubbering his goatie talk to them while trying to coax them through the small holes in the partition between pens in the barn. I'm ruining his full enjoyment of the situation for another 6 weeks or so as I want them to have a little more size and maturity before they are bred. It wasn't such a peaceful chore time tonight with all the commotion the girls are causing while trying to be in the best spot to win Nipper's attention and his noise-making trying to lure them to the other pen! Usually milking time is quiet and a great time for contemplation, pondering things, making plans, and hoping I can get all the outdoor work done before the snow and ice hit full time for the winter. That can be any time!

While in the barn I found a surprise today too! I have 2 hens who needed time away from their flock to recover from being picked on and mated too much. They are in with the adult goats. Low and behold they have started laying again! I found 4 green eggs behind the chair in the stall where they have a peaceful spot and can get away from the goats. It's a broken chair that I took out to use to sit in while bottle feeding kids and I'm keeping it out there! One of my new hens I just got has started to lay also so I found a nice large brown egg in her box too! I wasn't expecting any eggs til spring and today I found 5! Maybe Easter is closer than I expected?

Then I headed to the house to take care of my milk and for supper. What a busy day and with some moments that I greatly enjoyed and appreciated!

GDS - Goat Delusional Syndrome

WHAT IS GDS?

ARE YOU AT RISK?

Do you have GDS (Goat Delusional Syndrome)?

There is no known cure. We don't know how this disease is contracted, the level of contageousness, and very few, if any, approach a full recovery. There are many documented cases of people remaining without symptoms for years, only to have the disease return after many years of not keeping goats.


So, "WHAT IS GDS AND ARE YOU AT RISK"?

Goat Delusional Syndrome

Basic Symptoms

1. Frequent and ongoing conversations with one or more goats.
2. Assigning human attributes such as personality to goats (i.e., "That goat is so selfish - such a snob - so possessive - so jealous.")
3. Over-sensitivity and over-protectiveness (i.e., taking offense when someone refers to goats as mere livestock).
4. Periodic insomnia due to worry about goats - walking out to the barn after midnight just to "check on things."
5. Considering Christmas presents and/or treats for "special goats."

Advanced Symptoms

1. Hugging and kissing goats - even BUCKS.
2. Addressing goats with terms of endearment (i.e., sugar, sweetie, honey, baby).
3. Eating only half an apple and pretending you're full - just so you can share the remainder with a goat.
4. Remembering every goats birthday without referring to a calendar or registration papers - AND expecting everyone else in the family to share in your excitement at the goats birthday party.
5. Spending an inordinate amount of time at Internet goat sites and e-mailing perfect strangers about your goats.
6. Canceling vacations because of goats.
7. Missing church because a goat is due to deliver.
8. Buying a bigger farm or ranch so you can buy more goats.
9. Buying goats on credit - putting goats on lay-away - saving for months to buy a single goat.
10. Taking a second job or second mortgage to support your goat habit.
11. Joining a 12 Step Program or support group because of your goat addiction.
12. Insisting that family holiday gatherings are at your farm/ranch because you can't bear the thought of the goats being alone for the holidays.
13. And finally, trying to find decorative uses for goat berries - such as painting and stringing them like cranberries for your Christmas tree.

Written by Debbie Whittle and posted on several e-group lists.

*****

The article is by a Debbie Whittle. I don't know who she is or where to find her but will be watching for her on my goat lists. I would like to get permission to leave this here and add any other credit she'd like with it if she'll graciously agree. If you know of a contact method, please post in the comments or email me! TIA!

I greatly enjoyed reading it and hope my readers do too. Good job, Debbie!

The photos are of a couple of my goats. At the top is Winchester 22 at 5 weeks old. Winchester is goatie #22 and a Boer buckling. The 2nd photo is of Lady Bug and June Bug who are full sisters of triplets. In the background is Nipper, their future herd sire. The girls were about a month old. They are Nigerian Dwarfs.

Thursday Things

Today isn't a good day to be posting much if anything as I have so much to get done. I'm in the middle of canning applesauce, it's hubby's birthday and winter is coming so the outdoors work is heavy on my mind. I still have a couple big projects to finish and need to GET THEM DONE! ButI have this driving urge to write something.....

So here's a tip for cooking corn that I found on a recipe group (thanks to Russie).... I have some frozen corn so I'm going to pull some out for supper and give this a try! What we had last week was a tad dry so maybe it can help!

SWEET TENDER CORN EVERY TIME

Just add a pinch of sugar and a splash of milk to the corn's cooking water.

The lactose in milk helps tenderize the kernels,

while sugar enhances the corn's natural sugars.

Save the salt for the table, as it will toughen the kernels.

I'm also going to be making fried chicken. I don't do a lot of frying due to cholesterol levels for both of us but it's a special day and it's one of his all-time favorite meals. I also have a tahini butternut squash with a bad spot forming so will roast part of it (the rest can go in the fridge for the weekend) so I don't lose it. The hens will enjoy the spot I have to cut out so it's not going to waste. ;) Smashed potatoes would be good..... and gravy.....I guess the nuts need to be jarred so I can use the cast iron fry pan today!

We're having a sunny day and it's up to 52 degrees and I'm not going to get much done outside due to canning and a big dinner. I'll do chores and milk of course as that's a must. I'm still trying to get a couple decent pics of the new goaties to share. They sure are cute and SWEET SWEET girls who LOVE attention. That's life, isn't it!?!

Have a good day and thanks for stopping in to read my meanderings!

Cheese Making - Cheddar Curds

Have you ever made homemade cheese? I do and I LOVE it! It's helpful to have my dairy goats so I have fresh milk but you can make it with store bought milk too. You'd have to buy additional cream to make it a rich cheese though.

I need to get a cheese press made and get the items needed to make aged cheese as that's my next step. I need the wax used for aging and to have a suitable "cave" that will hold at 55 degrees. My fridge is set much lower because of milk storage so I's not going to work. My ideal would be to find a small dorm-sized refrigerator that can be dedicated to just cheese.

In the meantime, I LOVE making cheddar curds. These fresh curds are "addictive" and sooooo yummy. Then there's all the nutrition too!

Instead of just giving you the directions, I'm going to give you the link that I started with as it's full of great photos and so easy to understand that you really can do this with your kids for a home science experience. Then they can have a nutritious snack instead of the candy and chips and such they wish they had. This is a great way to help your kids have healthy snacks and improve their habits.

http://www.cheesemaking.com/Recipe_CheeseCurds.html This is a reliable company too that has a great reputation in the cheesemaking world.

Enjoy!

Tuesday Tip - Blogging

I have learned a "new trick" in my blogging. I wanted to do more with photos and a few graphics in my posts and am giving it a go. I have learned though that there's a "trick" to making it easier on myself and also much faster!

I need to upload the photos in reverse order FIRST! Then I can add my writing and it will end up faster and the right spots! The way they upload always puts the photo at the top and then I had to cut and paste my text which was already written.

I'm glad I have this all figured out now as I have taken photos of my home made bird feed and am about to post what and how I do them. I have several photos and need to reduce them in size a bit and finish the 2nd one. So I'll be able to post that easily now because I learned a new trick.

Well, I'm not sure I want to eat dog biscuits so I will have an apple for my treat instead!

Have a great day!

Makeup Names

GOOD GRIEF! I'm NOT a Wall!

I'm here on the computer and listening to "Better TV". There was just a segment about makeup on; and I find the product names and labels offensive. There is a facial makeup the presenter was promoting called SPACKLE! It's, as she said, a "primer". I sure won't be buying it as I'm NOT a wall to be primed and spackled.

I also feel that if a man had tried to use these names/labels for makeup (foundation) 10 or 20 years ago there would have been a MAJOR upheaval (like I'm doing??) over it and it would have been considered degrading and extremely chauvenistic.

Do you find these labels offensive?

Would you buy products with labels like these?

I'm sure glad we have other choices as my choice to buy makeup that lets me be in touch with my "girly" side and has a more feminine flair to the name. I'm far from a girly girl too! I'm a farm girl and I know how to get dirty, wear a little stink, and most likely turn a few noses. But, makeup is my feeling feminine time!

Use Those Onion Skins!

Recently I learned a frugal and vintage method to make broth using the onion skins along with vegetable peelings and such. I knew about the vegetable peelings and bits but didn't the onion peels!

I've since started it and it's a NICE brown vegetable broth, even from just the onion and garlic skins and ends. I wish I'd thought of it YEARS ago as we love garlic and onions and here I've been throwing out "gold"! Here I've been buying onion soup mix in quantities and had my own product that is just minus the salt! I won't even bother with adding up my waste of money as I can't! How would I when I can't tally the wasted onion bits/pieces.....!

Now I have a flavorful broth when I need to add some liquid to a soup or casserole at the last minute and I'm not watering it down flavor wise. It's great for soups, stews, etc. I LOVED the stew I made with some last week. The potatoes really are better with the added flavor! This will make great gravy also! Plus you have a broth with NO SALT so you can "fix" a too salty dish too!

Just be aware that the broth is the color of tea so it will darken your pot of yummys if you have a pale item cooking such as a potato soup, chicken broth, etc. It won't hurt it but the appearance will change a bit.

Enjoy and save yourself some money you can better use elsewhere!

Frugal Tips for Cheese and Yogurt Making

Just a couple tips:

* You can buy cultured buttermilk WITH active/live cultures from the grocery store and then use it to make "ice cubes". Store in a freezer container or freezer zip lock baggies. I'd suggest you label the bag and date it. You can use these cubes to make your own buttermilk (and more cubes) and for making cheese! Just store them so they don't freezer burn as you can make more as you go along and you want those original store ones to keep well.

*You can buy yogurt that has active/live cultures (plain, vanilla and lemon are best) and do the same. Yogurt and buttermilk are different cultures so will produce different tasting cheese! You can then make your own yogurt too and it's really easy to grab out a few cubes.

*If you have yogurt that is aging and you want to get it used up, make cheese out of it. Drain it like making cheese and you'll have a bit of a soft, fresh cheese for spreading on toast, crackers, pb & j sandwiches (an extra treat with a bit of cheese in them), stuffed french toast, or for adding to another dish calling for cream cheese. It's great in cheese cake and can also be mixed with cool whip for a fruit salad dressing. It makes a great fruit dip too using a recipe calling for cream cheese.

*If you have bits of cheese that are drying out, do NOT throw them out. Cheese is expensive and you can be frugal and save them for a dish calling for cheese such as augratin veggies or potatoes. It's great grated on a dish of soup or chili, etc.

*Don't forget that the cheese you buy such as the cheddars, colbys, etc are aged cheeses that developed a mold during their aging process. Those mold spots we occassionally get on a cheese don't make the whole cheese bad. You just trim the bits off and use the cheese. It'll continue to mold if you don't use it up but you can cube it up and freeze it until you can use it for a cheese sauce or dish. Those cubes go great in a broccoli or potato soup!

Sunny Sunday

It's been a pretty day out and got up in the mid 60's which is AWESOME for November here in the "North Country" (mid-west US). We'll be lucky to have another this year.

I had been lucky to get 4 turkeys @ 40 cents a pound and today I'm done with partial thawing and cutting up the last. The first went right into the freezer with a bit of wrestling the rascal! I need to rethink putting turkeys and chicken in the baskets and try for my cheese and such instead I guess. It's a new freezer and I've loaded it in the same order as my previous one that had shelves and no baskets. I'm not impressed with the baskets at this point. Maybe if I rearrange (and it's packed now) it and use them differently it would be a better "fit" for my style. Anyway, this last one will be about 10 meals for the 2 of us! The carcass is now in the soup pot and I have chunks of meat in the electric skillet along with the 2 wings.

As usual, I'm collecting the fat off the top of the soup pot and have a couple bird feeders started for winter. I'll post about them later and took a couple pics to share with that project. We'll have baked potatoes with the turkey and corn on the cob I've pulled out of the freezer.

I'm so "tickled" to have run across this sale accidentally and was able to have 4 turkeys! We enjoy turkey year around. I don't roast them though so that the Thanksgiving turkey that is roasted is still a special treat. I do love to have cutlets and dip them in egg wash and bread crumbs and I also love a good turkey melt sandwich. We had turkey hash last night and turkey soup the night before so tomorrow needs to be not a turkey meal.

My next stock up (how I'll do that with a full freezer will be a good one) is the pork butts on sale this coming week for 99 cents a pound. If I keep this up I'll be pulling the frozen milk out sooner than expected!

Anyway, here are a couple pics I thought you might enjoy.

Here's a new load of mangel beets for livestock. These things are HUGE. Once an animal gets the hang of them they LOVE them. Pigs are hilarious when thrown a couple. They need a bit of cutting for goats, cattle and horses.

This is from our annual trip north to get apples and our winter supply of potatoes, onions, squash, etc. I hope you can click on it for a larger view if you'd like.

It's time to milk my goats and then finish supper. I hope you have a good evening and your upcoming week is enjoyable. Stay healthy!

Thursday Thank You

It's been a very hectic couple of days! I have a couple paragraphs of differing topics so if one doesn't appeal to you please scroll a bit and hopefully the next will!

FOLLOWERS
I am THANKFUL for having 3 followers of my blog. What a bright spot in my day to find I had my first and in a short time I have 3 wonderful folks who feel my writing is worthy of them checking in on my blog! ROSES and SUNNY DAYS to you 3 wonderful people and any more who come along and want to follow too! THANK YOU!

DIABETES - Yes, there is a time to be thankful!
I guess diabetic foot ulcers and neuropathy will be one of my "causes" to give people a heads up since dealing with hubby and his major health crisis over the last couple years. We're on our third ordeal with ulcers with the 2nd getting a myraid of nasties and MRSA/staphs resulting in a fast gangrene and amputation of the large toe and supporting joins and bone structure with opening for drainiage of the whole under part of the foot to the heel. We are now back to another ulcer and with NO feeling in his feet, he severely broke his foot and we didn't know it. Due to bad circulation the swelling wasn't attributed to a break but rather the blueness of his feet and he can't take water pills and make an hour drive to the docs. (He opened the car door while tooling down the road one day, scaring the beegeebies out of me.) Anyway, the specialist had an emergency and they couldn't see us and couldn't get ahold of us so we showed up. Due to my asking about the previous weeks culture and if he needed back on the antibiotics before going another week, they shipped us to another specialist and it took all day to do the med visits and get prescriptions! The result being, yes he needed back on antibiotics right away BUT the culture was much better than 3 weeks ago!!!! PHEW!!!! I'm thankful I learned that one NEVER EVER takes too many "deep breaths" until the ulcer is so scabbed over there can't be any penetration of nasty microbes!!!! We'll be several months to that point but I'm thankful for an improvment along with the minor set back. Yesterday a podiatrist was listening to me about not using a minor type adhesive bandage the bottom of a foot of a diabetic as the bandage rolls and causes a new friction blister in the middle of an existing ulcer resulting in loss of several weeks of healing! PHEW, thankful for a doctor taking a minute to LISTEN to us!

SUNSHINE!
We're getting a bit of sunshine on and off today. I so love a sunny day and I live in the "land of snow and ice" for a winter so we have VERY FEW sunny days and I'm not wanting to let what we do get go. However, it's not in my control so I REALLY am thankful for what I do get! It's a good motivational aspect in my life!

GOATS!
I'm very thankful that my goats have gotten to the point they can handle the very occassional crash of their beloved schedules! We've also just had DST and they are still LOUD over that when I arrive in the barn. I will hope they are yelling thank you at me as I show up to dole out their vittles and provide their expected (read that demanded) maid service and attention. Yesterday their schedule was a blow to their expectations but they greeted me whole-heartedly today and were thankful to be served their custom mixed feed they so relish. They are a blessing and I'm very thankful for them!

Still on the goat theme, I'm thankful for my 2 new girls! I made a trade of 2 NICE young Boer (traditional) bucks for them. More on them later too!

CHICKENS
Another new addition is I also brought home some new hens and hopefully a roo at rock bottom prices for young birds! More about them later but I'm very thankful for this addition.

FOOD
I'm VERY THANKFUL for an unexpected "windfall"! We stopped at WalMart to get the prescriptions filled on the way home from the med visits and while wondering I crossed paths with another couple who were pointing and talking about the 2 turkeys in their shopping cart. So I asked if they had turkeys on special or something and YES.... They SURE DID! Limit of 2 and only 40 cents a pound!!!! WOW! I have a turkey in the oven for dinner and I'll take it apart and freeze most of it into individual meals for stir fry, turkey melt sandwiches or calzones, turkey and homemade noodles, etc. I love doing this. I love turkey and being able to get 6-8 meals (2 of us) and lunches out of a big turkey. When that turkey was only $8 it's a WINDFALL IMHO! I wish they weren't 34 miles away as I'd go back for a couple more and then do the freezer game of trying to get them all in there with everything else I have frozen!

I'm thankful for many things but that is the highlight for today! I'm thankful you have stopped by to read my blog and would love to have you return!

Have a wonderful day!

Warning about cats and fresh milk

We, like so many others, have cats in our barn that get a squirt of milk while we are milking. I also leave about a quart of milk as I'm heading to the house. The cats hunt well and I think the milk helps them be robust for our nasty winters. They are all looking good now which is great as snow is around-the-corner, so to speak.

Anyway, I found out this is a dangerous thing to do - especially in the summer! If the cat doesn't clean the milk off completely, you end up with milk drying all over the cat and.....



..... making A SOUR PUSS!!!!

Friday Again!

It's the end of October! Where did it go?

As much as I've done this month, I find that I've missed far more I could have done.... had I only known! I have missed National Squirrel Awareness Week, Black Walnut Day, National Pasta Week, No Salt Week and so so many other things I could have celebrated! Yes, I can live with having missed out, but I also know there's a lot of opportunities that I could have learned a bit more, too.

I will say Halloween won't pass by without notice as there is sooooo much on tv about it with advertising, special cooking treats, talk shows with the entertainers dressed "for the season", etc. That being, I really won't miss it as it's not one of my fav special times.

Now I have to figure out how to not miss so much excitement and learning opportunities for the month of November. I'll still be busy as ever and from the looks of October, I'll need a couple extra days tacked on to November just to look around and see what I can pass on and what I MUST participate in!

I've always had a personal goal to learn something new every day. I'm sure I can still accomplish that but I already know I'm behind in keeping up with all I could learn about!

No wonder we're all so stressed out and cramped on time!

And to keep you updated on the important doings in life here's a couple more tidbits!

Today is National Candy Corn day! I do like them - especially the chocolate, orange and white ones. I have to bite the white tip off first and then the chocolate (which is the best part of course) and then I can eat the center orange part.

Tomorrow is Halloween of course and it's National Caramel Apple Day. I can do apples and caramel dip just fine! I eat this a lot this time of the year!

Have a good Halloween and may you enjoy a piece of your favorite candy!

CHOCOLATE!

Today is National Chocolate Day!

Yes, I will celebrate by eating some lovely dark chocolate. I'm about out of my monthly allotment so skipped yesterday's enjoyment so I could "celebrate" today. I LOVE chocolate!

How much do you say?

Well, I belong to 3, yes 3, chocolate themed recipe groups. I eat a lot of chocolate. I BELIEVE cocolate is the most important food group. Yes, I admit it.... I'm a chocoholic and need to google to find a 12 step program to read and enjoy! Does anyone have one? I did go to this link and take a chocolate quiz and here's my result.....

http://www.savorchocolate.com/chocolate_personality_quiz.aspx

CHOCOLATE-ANY-STYLER
You’re an exuberant lover of all things chocolate, from bars and candy to desserts. Chocolate is both a treat and a pick-me-up. It might be said that you’re a bit more enthusiastic than discriminating. In general, you’ve got a serious sweet tooth. You’re fun, warm, and love a party. You’re non-judgmental and open to new things and new people. If it looks like chocolate, you’ll eat it.

I really didn't need the quiz to know this, but thought it would be fun to have something to share with you. Of course to share I HAD to take the quiz to see if it was worthy of this important day that is a declared national observance!

Unfortunately, I won't have time to incorporate chocolate into a full 12 course meal as it's specialist day for hubby in the biiiig city and we'll be on the road for over 3 hours and sitting in the medical center and getting treatments done for a couple more (leaving shortly but had to share with you). Besides, I'm not sure I want chocolate mashed potatoes.....

So it gets some recognition, yesterday was National Potato Day! The poor lowly potato gets some respect too! After some contemplation, I decided I would like yesterday's potatoes in a very non-descript manner and made stew with LOTS of onions, garlic and potatoes. I love the taste of potatoes simmered in that rich broth and they were YUMMY!

I do like potatoes too, but CHOCOLATE is my fav! So please celebrate with me and have some luscious chocolate today and ENJOY!!!

Today is.....

National Pumpkin Day
National Pretzel Day
National Mince Meat Pie Day

Being almost 5 pm, I'm tough out of luck of celebrating any today! I usually have pretzels as they are a lower calorie snack that I enjoy. I like those puffy little individual bites that are about an inch or inch and a half long. I'd sure love a piece of mince meat pie. I've not had one in a long long time as mincemeat has become so very expensive the last few years. I was hoping I might get a chance to make my own fruit mincemeat this year that has green tomatoes and apples but the tomatoes didn't pan out well enough to do it so I have to hope for next year. I guess it shows there's always something to look forward too! When I get done canning (applesauce, apple juice and the last of the ripe tomatoes at the moment) my current project I will see if I can find a recipe for an apple mincemeat. At this point, any mincemeat would be good!

The 28th is National Chocolate Day. THAT one I MUST celebrate! Please don't tell on me, but I seem to celebrate that one most days as I am one of those who loves chocolate!

And I'm off as my canner is needing tended and I have another thought of something to search the net for!

Plants Toxic to Horses

Here is a good link to put in our favorites for future reference! This is an extensive list of toxic plants and each is a link of it's own for further info. It also lists the common names for each plant to help solve that potential dilemma also.

Here in the midwest, it's time to beware of the red maple leaves and wilted wild cherry trees. Both are highly toxic in the wilted stage and it's a horrible death for an animal and for the owner to deal with.

Prevention is always the best method! Also, a well-fed animal is much less likely to sample anything toxic as they aren't hungry so will graze for the tastier morsels of good grass and such!

http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/poison-control/plants/plant-list-horses.html

Sex Offender Registry & Trick or Treat

Something to ponder.....

On a daytime show they had a segment on taking the kids out to trick-or-treat and safety. One of the items mentioned was use of the SO Registry to know which homes one might want to avoid. This was interesting and I had not thought of doing this or even in the past when we didn't have that resource! These days one can look up the registry online and purvey the neighborhood they will visit for the kids to have fun.

I thought I'd mention it so you can give it some thought and decide if you are concerned or if it isn't an issue for you.

I know in my area there use to be a "community program" through the parole officers for the SO registrees to attend and it was mandatory for them to attend. Personally, I think it's a good idea for the program and would be a way that the SO's could spend some quality time that affords them something to do to. They are after all human and deserve to have some fun too.

I didn't know if the readers would find this of interest, but thought I'd give you the option....;)

Have a good day! I've got a little sunshine after a night of rain so it's a pretty day!

A Great Find

I stopped at a barn sale and found a few really neat "finds". One thing I'd been looking to find for a couple years is one of the old reel type mowers that you push and uses no gas..... just spins along with it's unique clattery clatter and flinging bits of grass above the blades.

The only bad thing about this find was something I hate..... finding 2 and not being able to decide! I just hate that as my luck is if I only get one I'll pick the one that is about to croak! What is one to do?

Well, I did the only "logical" thing.... I bought them both. They were so cheap that it was like getting 2 for one price anyways! They both work well so now I can mow in my "dog yard", mow around the garden raised beds, and get those little spots that make me wish I had one of these! Plus it's so much easier to get the weeds under the electric fence or up to the woven wire and not be worried about snagging the fence posts, wire, etc.

As you can guess, being I'm writing about something so simple, I'm tickled with my find! I really have been watching to find a working, reasonably priced one for a couple years! I've even posted on a cheap cycle group in my area asking to buy one with no luck.

I'm a farm girl and I LOVE a farm barn sale! I bought several things and am going to go back over. There was a square cast iron pan (frying pan type) with sides so not a griddle that I debated and debated over. I'm going to get it if it's still there.

It's interesting how "little things" in life can make one so happy! I felt like dancing all the way home!

Some days it doesn't pay.....

to get up! Yesterday was one of those days one just can't get ahead and for everything one does they take a step forward but 2 or more backwards!

I don't have time to go into details but suffice to say, hubby has a lot of medical problems. He had an appointment with a podiatrist yesterday over an hour's drive away as he's done the "stint" with lamasil for his toe nails and it was time to trim them back. We got that done, BUT that was the least of the problems! He has a new quarter size diabetic ulcer on the edge of the Rey Amputation done on his foot AND he's got a broken foot! He has diabetic neuropathy so didn't feel it but looking at the xray sure made me CRINGE as it's separated and now over lapping the bone's 2 pieces. We have no insurance so surgery is another cringing stressor. The thought is it might heal and he can't feel it so if his foot will "accept" it it will be ok... and it is trying to heal. They did culture the ulcer as he had a major staph infection with other "culprits" before in the infection that turned to gangrene and precipitated the amputation last August. I didn't need 2 steps backwards.... AGAIN! So more prescriptions too and it looks like we have another specialist we will be "getting to know" on a regular basis.

I try to look at the pluses and it means he only has 6-8 weeks off his foot to heal the broken bone and ulcer (crossing my finger there) instead of several months of being bed-ridden. We got the prescriptions and got the missing one from our monthly 34 mile trip that Wal*Mart missed filling on the 8th without a separate trip. So we don't have to make a special trip back to get the missing prescription.

The weather was rain on the way there but cleared just before we found the place (big city traffic and a small office back in a multi-road/multi-professional complex of many many many identical buildings). They can sure make those complex roads twisty and puzzle like and with all the identical buildings..... WOW! The way home we took a shorter route to get out of town and took the main back roads home which was a nice scenic drive. We traveled a couple roads I'd not been on for years so saw changes and old "haunts" I use to travel when our girls were in 4H and I was on our county mounted division. It was an enjoyable ride albeit a long one!

I'll try to get back to homesteading type posts tomorrow! Today was catch up. I grabbed a cheap turkey at Wal*Mart and put it in the oven. I turned the oven on but forgot to turn the temp control back up so took a step back wards there too. I have the legs and wings in the micro and the squash and potatoes are almost done roasting. We got lots (I do mean LOTS) of squash and potatoes for winter storage at the orchard up north last week. Dinner will be GOOD!

Have a good evening and a good dinner!

A bit of humor...

I'm not seeing any signs of an Indian Summer and I'm already tired of the rain and COLD! Our temps here are running a good 10 degrees below normal and the jet stream seems stuck in a jet stream rut!

So I decide to humor myself with finding a spring banner to see how many days until Spring..... This isn't funny!



Human error is human and error and happens but now I don't know if Spring really ends then and Summer begins or it it's this number of days until Spring. I don't know if it's a joke or error though. I guess the good news is that in that number of days I should be enjoying some weather more to my liking, right?

I guess a banner for the number of days until January 1st might be an idea.... that a good step in the right direction of seeking Spring!



At least this number is below 100 so not so "depressing"!

I do know that I could sure enjoy some 60 + degree days like we should be getting!

In spite of my whining, have a great day. Yes, I will get over it but probably not until the real Spring gets here or at least close to it!

Monday Meanderings

The 2nd was National Pickle Day. What is your fav pickle? Mine are home canned dill with garlic. I like lots of dill and like them a bit salty. YUM!
I canned a jar of squash pickles for hubby on pickle day. I went out to pick the last of my garden bounty, as it was suppose to frost and freeze that night, and I picked several tiny zucchini and summer squashes, I figured they'd be good (and attractive) in a soup, but hubby thought they'd be attractive in a pickle jar. So pickles they are.



The 4th was National Taco Day! I need to find these important days before the fact! Today (5th) is Apple Betty Day and tomorrow (6th) is Noodle Day. I can do that! ;)

I also canned a pint of fresh goat milk when I did the pickles. I did BWB it (NOT USDA appropriate) but need to reread directions, as I think it's suppose to be pressure canned. I need to have some on hand for orphan kids in the spring if we have a goatie emergency.

Yesterday I made goat cheese again and today I'm using the whey to cook dry beans to freeze for quick and easy use. I also cut the bottom 2/3 off a vinegar jug to have for a container for the bags of beans in the freezer (and have one with small packages of cheese also). That way I know just where they are and how many are left. I have a problem with loosing small packages of food I put aside in there so this is a new organization effort that I think will be successful. It also gave me a chance to recycle another plastic jug that goes to filling landfills.

Wednesday we are heading north for our annual pilmagride to the orchard and to enjoy the Fall colors. A couple months ago I bought a fresh juicer machine and I've juiced a few things since. I LOVE it! I'd buy it again in a heart beat. I'd wanted one for a long time and now I wonder why I waited. Last week I did some apples off a scrub tree and ohhhh was that ever good. I refrigerated some until the next day and my intent was to have a few sips now and then .... you know, drag it out to enjoy it more. After a couple times of having sips when I got into the frigde I couldn't do it..... I had to drink the whole glass. It was cold and soooo delicious. I wanted MORE!!Now I'm in a complete state of not knowing how many bags of windfalls to buy just to juice (and will get carrots too!). I also want to can some quarts of juice. (The muskmelon was also wonderful! Carrots are GREAT!) I'm going to use the pulp to either add to applesauce or have for making muffins, etc. Either way I'll get double the use with the apples and there sure won't be any "waste" other than the seeds when I get done!

It's a busy time of the year!

A Day Time Nighmare!

Ohhh my goodness! I am sitting here reading email and pondering a post for musings of the summer gone by and goodbye September.

Today is National Mulled Cider Day. There's not much I can say about that other than it's "not much" of a special day to me. I love cider but not so much a lot of mulled cider. I am fine with the national day though as I know many many people do enjoy it. Maybe they'll tip their cup to me!

In my pondering for a post though, I've just been struck by lightening so to speak. I'm having a mini nightmare of sorts. It's the last day of September so it's time I "get over with it" as to summer being over.... done... another "gone by" .... and I don't want to. Summer is my favorite season. I love the sunshine and cherish it. Maybe that is because I live in the northern midwest and ours is short and not to many horribly hot and humid days.... just a lot of humid days with sunshine.

BUT, I JUST realized..... next time Summer is here I'll be 60! WOW.... YIKES... OMGoodness! And worse than that.... Winter is staring me in the face and it's time to scurry and get the homestead ready for winter.... BUT in February I'll turn 60 so I'll be 60 before the winter is over too! Winter is my least fav season.

I guess I'll write my goodbye to summer tomorrow..... I've got to ponder somemore!

How Important is the Title "World's Coolest Parent"?

I find issue at times with the wording of titles for the news, online and other, when they are going for drama which feeds into status in life. Today's example comes from the AOL news. "Be the World's Coolest Parent" We are suppose to go buy our munchkins Halloween costumes that beat all others and of course a trip to Disneyland is also crucial.

How important is it to be the coolest parent? What ever happened to striving to be the best parent we can be? Where are our goals for being parents? I know we can work the # goal of many of us, to have our munchkins grow up feeling loved, cherished and valued AND to be other things too. BUT do those other things raise munchkin up to be the quality or type of person we would like to see them be?

That's just something for you to ponder to day. Sometimes it's good to pause a moment and look at the road we're traveling and see if we are on course or if we think we need to take a different route. May you all end up where you hope to be and enjoy the "trip"!

THE RULES OF CHOCOLATE

If you've got melted chocolate all over your hands, you're eating it too slowly.

Chocolate covered raisins, cherries, orange slices & strawberries all count as fruit, so eat as many as you want.

The problem:
How to get 2 pounds of chocolate home from the store in hot car.
The solution:
Eat it in the parking lot.

Diet tip: Eat a chocolate bar before each meal. It'll take the edge off your appetite and you'll eat less.

A nice box of chocolates can provide your total daily intake of calories in one place. Isn't that handy?

If you can't eat all your chocolate, it will keep in the freezer. But if you can't eat all your chocolate, what's wrong with you?

If calories are an issue, store your chocolate on top ofthe fridge. Calories are afraid of heights, and they will jump out of the chocolate to protect themselves.

If I eat equal amounts of dark chocolate and white chocolate, is that a balanced diet? Don't they actually counteract each other?

Money talks. Chocolate sings.

Chocolate has many preservatives. Preservatives make you look younger.

If not for chocolate, there would be no need for controltop pantyhose. An entire garment industry would be devastated.

Put "eat chocolate" at the top of your list of things to-do-today. That way, at least you'll get one thing done.

Why is there no such organization as ChocoholicsAnonymous?
Because no one wants to quit.

Gardening Goaties

No pics so you have to just visualize it....

The girls in the romper room wanted a good romp (2009 doelings - when don't they) this morning so "we" decided to do a couple little chores I needed done. Sometimes things are a pita such as the wheel barrow tire is flat again. :( So I used the dolly/hand cart (with low wheels and squeaking like the dickens) and an old fiberglass sink/tub. I needed to move some nicely composted black dirt to a garden plot I've been working on off and on all spring and summer and had tomatoes in it last year. I mulched it heavily with cardboard, bedding and some manure interspersed in there last Fall. Then I had some bad hay given to me so it got a layer of that too. It's loaded with worms under neath so is deteriorating and settling nicely.

With the help of the 8 young inmates from the romper room, the 3 new Boer kids, and several adult goats (Alpine and Boer) along with a horse, I got the tub filled and, while giving rides to who ever jumped aboard, got the dirt moved. With help from all and sundry, the dirt from 3 loads was roughly spread within the wooden sides of the garden plot and is now ready to have the netting strung around it and a couple more posts put in at the corners. They also helped in spreading the dirt around within the frame.

Good gardening goaties that they are, they also discovered there was a job of spreading and compacting the newest compost bin down some and took turns frolicing and jumping in and out of it. The compost bin is pretty full now and next to this garden plot so it was deemed to be lots of fun and part of the gardening game. I will say I'm glad that this group likes to hang out with me as they do make it easier to have them out and about with me that way.

Thankfully I don't have to go after them as they want to be with me and to be "helping". When I call they come running and answering and resume the underfoot assistance.

Needless to say, with lots of fun and my laughs, the project drug out to a couple hours and we were all nicely wore out. We did take a short stroll out into the pasture for nibbles in the "roughts" and their goatie fun there too.

The romper room inmates are now back in their "room" (double stall) to chew cud. They've also met a new inmate. I have a hen who was being picked on, who needs some healing time, and the inmates have been wasting a lot of grain so they've joined forces and now have a feathery maid to clean up after their messy meals. After all, they MUST stand in those tubs with the grain so they don't up and disappear out from under their hungry little mouths!

And, I'm EXHAUSTED! 14 gardening goaties is a lot of "intensive labor"!

I'll try to start posting pics soon. I did get a couple taken of some of them in the paddock but need to crop and shrink it. Altogether, there are currently 22 goats!

Personal Goal Posts

I could write a post with the following quote, but some things just don't need a lot of words! That coming from a wordy person - me. I don't know who is quoted to give them credit but.... wow....

"Life is said to be a game -- but how can we play if we don't know where the goal posts are?"

Do you know where your goal posts are? I do but I'd rather be on the offense than spending so much time on defense these days!

I'll leave you to ponder this and I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Fall & Daylight Savings Time Countdowns

I'm wondering if countdown banners work to add the html to a blog so here's my test.....

I can't believe Fall is sooooo close! I'm not overly thrilled with this situation! I'm one to want to hang on to good weather and especially weather I enjoy outdoors.

At least with DST I don't have the same feeling of cringing as when looking at Fall and Winter arriving. I don't enjoy this Fall time change but it's not dreaded as much as Winter's arrival.



I guess I better get use to it, huh?

A New Direction!

Due to some life priorities, I got behind on blogging and in that time, decided I wanted to change directions with my blog to be more of a homesteading type blog. I have a couple other blogs but decided I'd rather focus on one and keep up than have a few that I'm not doing justice with. So I'll be closing the others and starting in the new direction of focusing on homesteading and all that involves for me.

I hope you'll come along and enjoy this new direction with me!

Plastic Grocery Bag Fact

Did you know that that a car can go one mile on the oil used to make 13 plastic bags?

This is one of the reasons our gas prices are too high - it's used to go into making plastics. If people would use less plastic then the earth would be better for it.

Do you use your cloth grocery bags? I do and some stores give me a discount per bag for each one used, regardless of the store the bag came from!

Catnip vs roaches

A little catnip a day can keep the roaches away. Two researchers from Iowa State University say the old folklore that catnip repels cockroaches is true. In August 1999 Chris Peterson and Joel Coats reported their findings at the national meeting ofthe American Chemical Society in New Orleans. They said "roaches are repelled by two forms of Nepetalactone, a chemical found in catnip plants". This might lead to greater use of catnip or the development of new natural insect repellants that could be sprayed along baseboards to keep cockroaches from coming out of the walls. "There are really no commercial cockroach repellants", Peterson said. "Most are insecticides designed to kill roaches. People don't seem to just want them to go away-they want them dead.

"Milk may have potential as a fungicide.A report in the October 16 1999 edition of New Scientist suggests that spraying diluted milk on cucumbers and courgettes (zucchini) may be effective in killing powdery mildew, caused by the mold Sphaerotheca fulinginea. This could be a significant benefit for organic farmers trying to meet the growing demand for chemical free vegetables.According to the report, milk's fungicidal powers were discovered by Wagner Bettiol of the environmental laboratory of Embrapa, the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation, in Jaguariuna, north of Sao Paulo.Bettiol, who was looking for cheap ways to control plant pests, observed that by-products from milk-processing factories killed powdery mildew on squash. So he decided to simply spray fresh milk on the plants to see if it had the same effect.To his surprise, he found that it did. In fact, spraying heavily infected plants twice a week with a mixture of one part cow's milk to nine parts water was at least as good at stopping mildew as the chemical fungicides fenarimol and benomyl, Bettiol discovered.Bettiol added that several organic growers in his region were able to control less severe outbreaks by spraying once a week with a 5% milk solution. In many cases, milk was both faster and more effective. After two to three weeks of spraying with milk, the area of leaves infected was in some cases only a sixth or less of the area affected on plants treated with chemical fungicide.Bettiol is not yet sure why milk works so well, but he speculates that it helps the plants in two ways. Milk is known to kill some microorganisms. It also contains potassium phosphate, which boosts the plant's immune system and so may help it inhibit the mildew's growth.

***

The above came from a group I belong to and didn't cite the source. It does include a bit about the researchers. Unfortunately I don't know where the source is to get permission to post it and will therefore gladly delete it if needed. I hope that isn't an issue though as roaches can transmit nasty bacteria and such so I"m hoping in the interest of public health that it's ok I have posted this. IF the source is found, I'd appreciate someone making a comment with the info so I can obtain permission (which I really do do!!).

On the home front, I now have catnip growing in a small flower garden spot outside the back door (both sides) and it's now going to stay for it's bug repelling potential. I hope it repels other than roaches (ants would be great). I'll also transplant some from out under my pasture fence to the outside of the kitchen where the gas line hole is (supposedly plugged) and I can sprinkle some (I have LOTS of catnip as I dry it and sell it too - hint hint) at the front door!

And, I now have a new use for souring milk! I wonder if whey does anything helpful like that? I hear it's supposed to be wonderful for tomato plant growth and raspberries!