wild winds that do His will

Got tropical storm Sandy decending upon us soon. We are ready and hunkered down for the storm. I pray all of you that are in this storm are ready and safe. If I have power I'll let you know how we made it. When I have a minute! And catch up on the blogs! Just no time in the day for the computer lately. And thanks for all the comments. They don't go unnoticed!!!
Stay safe and take care!!!

this and that

Didn't realize it had been a while since my last post. I've popped in and read some posts here and there when I've had a few minutes to sit. We've been busy.
Last night we had my BIL and SIL's kiddos over, well three of the 4 of theirs. My boy went out camping again with the Boy Scouts and some Cub Scouts. This time out in the woods. He'll be crossing over into the Boy Scouts on Sunday. Sniff, sniff. He's growing up so fast. We are having a small get together in the evening with family to celebrate his hard work. So I guess I better get the house cleaned up.
I've started hardening off the seedlings in the house to get them planted outside. Got a week or so to go before they can go out full time in the garden. I'm going about it different this year and not shocking them. And slower too. I think I did that last year and that was part of them not doing as well, that and the late blight. Oh well, lesson learned.
One of my sisters came over and we cooked some yummy food. I don't have any pics because I couldn't find my camera. But OMW I'll tell you that we had His and Hers Burgers from PW's new cookbook! Amazing! With some homemade pesto, and mayo, (Thanks to Candy C over at Lazy J Bar C blog). I used her mayo recipe, very yummy. And this time I used a blender and it whipped it up the right way, unlike the first disaster I tried. Oh and the dessert we made was PW's Pot De Creme. I think that's what it's called, not sure about the spelling, but basically it's chocolate, vanilla, eggs, and hot coffee. With whipped cream on top. Trust me it's wonderful! But don't eat a lot of it, it's SUPER rich, but I savored every bite. And besides cooking I had a nice visit with my sister.
I made cream cheese, eeeerrrrrrr well I tried to make cream cheese, but it was not edible. I tossed it. I'll have to try again.
We went to a friends house for supper. Had chicken parmesan and that was really good. I've never made it before, but had had it. The kiddos asked if I could make it sometime. So I'll be making it sometime!
It's a great day here today. Full sun! Oh how wonderful it is, after all the rain! The ground is really wet, and the grass is tall and thick. My husband mowed the lawn last night with a riding lawn mower. We need to get another push mower. Last year I managed to break the shaft and it was awful to try to mow. Felt like my arms were going to shake off. Thankfully it was the end of the season, so it was OK. haha. Now that the lawn monster has been tamed I can get out there and mow. I like to mow with a push mower. I like the exercise. Besides my kiddos always bring me ice cold water while I mow. And pick me more flowers while I mow and put them in cups on the counter to surprise me when I'm done. To make the house pretty.
The laundry is drying out on the line, the kiddos are running around in the fields, my man if off to the mill, and I need to get some cleaning done so I can sit in the sun and work on my knitting!
Have a wonderful weekend all!

just everyday life

 Life keeps on moving on here. Not a whole lot actually. We sold all our extra maple syrup. So glad of that.
Looks good hu? You can see the difference in the color. One is a little darker, but still they both are good! 

Our little seedlings are finally starting to come up here and there. Can you see them? I like that one still has the seed on the top of it.

My kiddos have been very rambunctious of late too. It's been cold, more like early spring, and windy. Burrrrr. I hung some clothes on the line to dry the other day and it started to spit snow. I ran outside to get them before they got all wet again. I finished them in the dryer. We sent the kiddos outside to run to our neighbors barn and back. They had way too much energy!

One of my nephews came over along with his family and some friends last night for supper. He's a cutie for sure, and I snapped some pictures of him and then showed him. He loved having the camera in his face too. He would smile and say "baby."  He had just enjoyed some chocolate cake with green frosting his mom made. You can see the evidence on his cute little face! Look at his eyes. Oh so blue. They run in the family!

Well that 'bout wraps it up. Still not warm and the grass is still not green. Feels cold and chilly like it should, and I'm ready for some warmer weather. The critters are shedding, and I come back in the house with more hair then they have on them. Mostly in my mouth and on my face. Animal hair just loves to be there for some reason. Reading blogs and seeing all the green and warm temps make me wish it was warmer here. I know, I know it's coming. But sooner would be fine with me!!!
Thanks for stopping by. 
Have a great day!

ok i'm not

ignoring all your blogs or mine. I haven't even been sick nor my kiddos. For that I'm thankful. Haven't had the flu all winter, by the grace of God for sure. So thankful for a healthy winter. My computer broke and we had to get a new one. So now we are back online and now I can catch up on all my blog reading and get ya'll caught up on what's going on here. I'll do that tomorrow, I'm too tired to read and comment right now. Just though you would want to know. So now you know!
Good night all!

time change

Good grief this time change has done something to my brain. I mean really it's kicked my butt. Normally it does anyways. I love the spring ahead time change. I love that it's now not dark until around 7! Ahhhh, that is so nice!! I don't even mind loosing that hour of sleep. I usually take a nap on that Sunday after noon after church to make up for it!! ;-0!! This week has been crazy. I didn't get that nap on Sunday. Something happened on Monday, but I don't remember what. Tuesday DaLaney had a sewing lesson in the afternoon. My SIL, a friend, and I  had a class Tuesday night. We had school this week I'm sure! Wednesday came. It was cold and ended up snowing. I collected sap while Matthew was boiling it down. It didn't run and we didn't get much. I hope it ran today. We haven't been eating supper until 6-6:30. Last night we didn't even sit down until 6:45. Matthew and I looked at each other in disbelief. Where did the day go? The days have been flying by in a blurrrrrr. On Sunday morning when Matthew went out to milk he woke up Maggie. She was still sleeping! She was probably wondering why he was out so early! Kinda funny. We had Maggie AI'd the other day, but she bled out this afternoon. That stinks. No calf for the year 2012. This morning I went to town. Delivered some eggs to the store, did some grocery shopping, then had a few things I needed to get for myself. Boy what a treat I got out of the house with no kiddos! Let me tell you about that trip to town. I had to get gas. Well I had cash so I had to prepay. No biggie. I go pay, then once back out by the car I get in and put my seat belt on and start  the car, pop it in drive. Oops. I forgot to put the gas IN the car. So I get out and pump it. I drive to the store. I get my cell, purse and get out. I hit the lock button on the door and slam it. Darn it all! I locked the keys IN the car! I fumbled through my purse to find the spare key. Not there. Great. I laughed at myself at this point. I found a key and managed to get the door unlocked. Although it didn't want to. I grab the keys, re-lock the door and go shopping. Talk about your "blonde" moments! haha   Managed to drop a few things while I was shopping too. Thankfully nothing broke. I've dropped and broken bottles of juice, hate when I do that. I always feel bad watching the person cleaning up my mess. I feel like I should be doing it. Back in the car I gulped down a muffin and a flavored water. Had them both gone before I left the parking lot. I was hungry. I didn't eat before I left home. I like the blueberry muffins at the store. They have baked on sugar crystals on top! Yummy! Probably filled with bad for you stuff, but once in a while it's OK. Once all the shopping was done I get home. Breath. All the stuff unloaded, and I have yet to finish taking care of it. Not that I got tons of food, I've been busy. Done some laundry, and made 3 pounds of mozzarella cheese to sell. Then I remember my boy has Cub Scouts. Get him all ready and Matthew gets him and takes him there. He calls me and says "it's Thursday." "OHHHHHH! Whoops, guess he missed it by a day." Scouts is on Wednesday. Now he's at the mill helping daddy work for the rest of the day!
Oh well. This week is almost over! Thankfully! Maybe next week will be better. Who knows what's in store for me tomorrow!~
Have a great afternoon all! I gotta finish taking care of my groceries, and make supper!

dancing

Aaawww he loves me!
While at my in laws he grabbed me and spun us around. He does that from time to time, just because he can!
Happy Valentine's Day all!

these boots were made for

...farm girls!
Kinda excited!
I got some new barn boots, and I had to tell you because I knew you would be excited too! I know silly farm girl gets excited about boots?! hahaha! OK I can laugh at myself. Well these are the highly talked about BOGS. Well at least my sister talks about how she just LOVES her BOGS. I wanted some last year, but didn't end up finding any at the end of the winter that were in my size. They run small. I had to get two sizes bigger then I normally wear. Don't look at the size if you'll have a complex about big feet! Present company excluded. (ahem). They are warm, and water proof! What more do you need slopping around in cow, horse, sheep, and chicken, manure in the spring, summer, ok all year long! I have some rubber boots, but my feet freeze in them in the winter, even in my wool socks. Now they should stay warm in my BOGS! Oh and I didn't even tell you the best part. How I got them. My sister was out shopping and she calls me, and our conversation goes kinda like this,
"Hey. You want any barn boots that are BOGS?"
"Um ya."
"Well I'm here at such and such a store and they have them here, and I was wondering is $45 dollars was a good deal on them?"
"YA! That's half price!"
Giggle. "I know!! Right! So do you want me to get you some, they have sizes ....."
"Yup. I'll take the purple ones!!"
Then we chatted for a few minutes! I'll spare you the rest of our conversation.
I was at my moms today and I picked up my new boots! So here they are!

My handy wood box my man built for me behind the boots! Just an FYI!
Have a great night!

not related

I needed a break from my current project. Knitting a baby blanket for a friend. The baby shower is tomorrow, and I don't know if I'll get it done or not, due to my complete lack of planning. My eyes are bleary from knitting and I keep messing up the pattern. So annoying. So I figured I'd take a break and blog and read a few posts while I'm at it. Should be nice if I can keep it straight!

The pattern is called "tile". Simple enough. I like how it looks.

Yesterday was kinda cool. The weather was nice, but really moist. Then as the day went on and the temperature dropped the trees were covered with a frost of snow.

It was not a very sunny day as you can see by the gloominess of the pictures. The sun only came out from behind the the clouds when it was setting.

Today was a chocolate kinda day. I was tired and cranky, so I made some homemade chocolate brownies. That made me feel better.

Have a great evening.

Been a busy week for me. Things to do places to go.   Haven't really gotten a lot of house work done this week. The house is a mess. I was behind of laundry, but I'm finally caught up. For the present minute. That could change you know in about 30 seconds. It's been really cold here this week too, and windy. Burrrr. The kiddos seem like wild things running around the house. They go outside for a few minutes, but come right back in because the wind is too much. We don't have much snow, but I just looked out my window and it's snowing. Didn't know it was supposed to snow today. Oh well, it is winter now for sure.  Not much of a chance of getting 40 degree weather until March... it would be nice if it were 30... I'm done complaining. No really.
My boy went to my sisters for the weekend. He was over the moon excited about that too. He loves hanging out with his cousin. |They are the same age and when they get together they are such fun to watch. Don't think he'll get much sleep. But that's ok.
I went out with a bunch of friends the other night! Had a blast! It was so nice to talk and giggle with the girls, and not be interrupted by the kiddos, mine or theirs. Ahhh, a whole evening without being interrupted. So nice! Then we went shopping after stuffing ourselves full with some wonderful food, we didn't have to cook! More laughing and looking at some rather interesting clothing. Bikinis!!! Burr. I was surprised to see them displayed right out front, not really. I was like really? It's January and it's below freezing out there! How can you think of, oh no wait I wish it were warmer, so I guess that would work. But really! I was shopping for a sweater, not a bikini!  We went to several stores looking for sweaters. Do you think we could find a good selection? Nope. But the ones we did find were all on sale. We looked and looked. I tried several on and didn't like them. Or I liked them, but not enough to buy it. I wanted one in particular, but it is no more this year. Bummer.  Maybe I'll look online. Sometimes they have things online they don't have in the stores. Well after almost giving up my friend called me over and showed me a beautiful dark gray sweater. I liked it well enough, and hoped it would look good on me and not just the hanger. It's warm and comfy and fits just right. Now for the price...it was $18.00!! Whoohoo!!! I wanted two for that price. Anyhow, I get to the check out and looked at the computer screen with my total, it said I saved $72. How did I do that? I looked at the tag more closely and saw that it was a $90 sweater! Jackpot!! I was happy! Got a new sweater and got a good deal on it!

There's the proof!! Yup I'm happy I got a new sweater, I just loved the selection out this fall. Too bad I missed the one I really wanted, but I got a different one and I love it!  I also had a great evening out with friends, so that was even better. I also bought the CD Adel 21! Oh I just love her singing. Amazing!  Just my 2 cents on the fact.
Have a great weekend all!

hats on

Me gots a new hat!! I love it!!  Here it is! A friend of mine had one similar this summer and I loved it! My husband was sneaky and between the 2 of them got me the hat and it came in the mail yesterday!  My girls say it's sparkly!!  Just thought I'd show it off!

Have a great weekend all!

just so you know

Alright, so I again changed the look of the blog. It's winter now, and "it's snowing to beat the band" as my husband likes to say. Although not much has come down, yet. I think the back ground is nice with the snow and the trees. The white text of the letters was too hard to read, so I made them blue, and a little larger. Hope it still works out. I get bored with the look, and have yet to figure out what I want for my own picture on the top of the blog, so... I know just rambling on there.

Can't see it snowing in the picture, but it's just a blah kinda day. The sky says it all!

I know ya'll will be excited to to know this!;) Maggie finally showed signs of being in heat this month! We haven't seen any of that since she had Dandie. Not really sure why, or if we were just so into having a heifer and making sure she grew strong and healthy we didn't notice, or having a calf on her for almost 12 weeks, and us milking what is left out after Dandie is done, took it away. Anyways, I was milking one night and noticed and told Matthew, he called the AI Tech, but she bled out the next am. Missed it, but we wrote on the calender to keep an eye out for it around the 21st of this month! So I will let you know if we get her AI'd! Dandie's daddy is named Stone. Not sure who we will use this time. Will have to wait and see who the AI Tech has available when he/she comes. We are starting the (and by we I really mean Matthew) building of Dandie's stanchion so we can wean her. Oh boy that's not gonna be fun. I'll let you know how it goes... Gonna hear lots of bellowing, but it's time. She has had a great start to her life being right with mama from the start. We figured Maggie could do a better job taking care of her washing, eating and loving on her then we could. Granted us humans love on her lots, and make sure they are cleaned out and have food and water, but you get the drift. Dandie is a great little heifer. She moos at us if we don't stop in and say hi to her. She loves to chase the chickens around her pasture, I think she just wants to play, but the chickens run for their lives! Kinda funny. She will play with me when I'm out cleaning her stall, and rub her head on my thigh, and jump around, so I squat down and jump around with her and rub her head. I really like her, as do the rest of us, in case you hadn't noticed!
 Well I have to run, we are having supper at my in laws tonight, it's my MIL's birthday, and I need to start cooking and finish up...eerr start with the rest of my daily chores! And maybe dig out the kiddos ski pants...
Have a great day all!

messes

Last week we started back up with home school after a short break for Christmas. I took the kiddos shopping with me and they had doctor appointments as well. I was setting up another appointment and was asked what time would work, after school, and I said whenever, I home school and can come any time. The lady looked at me and I braced myself for the comment I was sure was coming, I just love all the looks and comments I get at times, but she smiled and genuinely said "Wow, that's wonderful. I am such a strong believer in home school. I'll bet they are getting a great education. I think that's wonderful you are able to do that. I'll bet you get a lot of slack for that too." I tried to keep my mouth from hitting the floor at the comment. I stumbled through a thank you. I couldn't believe it. She made my day! I have gotten some looks from people while out shopping during "school" hours and been asked if it was a day off, I smile and say "nope, we home school" and go on my way. I've been asked how do it do it as they see I have 3-4 kiddos with me, depending on how much shopping I have to do. I've been called the lady with all the kids before too. I think it's funny. Or the very typical wow you have your hands full, or how many DO you have? I don't consider 4 kiddos to be a lot, or that I have a large family. Granted sometimes if you were to come to my house and hear the noise level or see the tornado of kiddos stuff that has gone through my house, tripped on or were to sit on one of the toys you might wonder how many kiddos lived here! I usually always have some sort of mess to clean up, and my counter top is never fully cleaned off, and nothing is usually where it belongs for more then about 10 seconds, but I have come to the realization that it's ok. My kiddos have wonderful imaginations, love to be outside, and don't get to watch T.V all day, or everyday for that matter, and if they do get to watch TV it's Little House on the Prairie, The Waltons or Danial Boone type movies. They help out tons with the chores, love to lug fire wood, and stack it in the fall with daddy. They help me clean up the house and put things away when they are asked.  I trip over a toy or two every time I walk through the living room, or get my foot snagged on a dress up dress. But before I go to bed at night I pick up the things left scattered about the house and put them in the kiddos rooms and look at them sleeping peacefully, tired from a full day of life in the country, and smile. Life is good.  I know there will be a day when they will be grown and leave my house and have one of their own and I will miss tripping on something every time I walk through the living room. I once read on a blog to think of house work as a good meal. You work really hard to make that meal, and look at it for about 5 minutes before it's all gone. The people you love enjoyed the meal you made for them, and it makes me feel good. It's kinda like that with house work, you work really hard to get the rooms cleaned, only to have someone come behind you and mess it up. They enjoyed your work and the clean room, even though it was only clean for about 5 minutes. I'm glad they enjoyed the clean room.Know what I mean?
Anyways life has been very busy for me, that's why I haven't been blogging. House work, school, ya know! haha!
Have a great night all!

ever have a morning like mine

I was up and dressed and had some of the kiddos fed while the last minute stragglers were still getting dressed. I was going to make some scones for breakfast but that sounded like too much work, then thought about baked oatmeal, but decided that a bowl of cereal would be quicker. Matthew was outside taking care of the animals. Kinda a yucky morning, freezing rain. His brother stopped by to pick up his parents car that we had borrowed the other day, and his wife came in to say hi. She had on a new sweater, that I love! Very nice! I told her so too. She said go to Target, they have a bunch on sale... I think I see a trip to Target in my very near future. I love sweaters! They have so many nice ones these days. Anyways...went on a little bunny trail there. We got rid of our rooster who doesn't crow, but we don't want any babies, and got a new one for the winter who is super small. Smaller then a bantam, not really sure what kind he is, but we'll see if he makes it with our big girls. I'll try to get a picture of him on here.Another bunny trail... I found the new book I want to read on my counter that I was trying to clean off, while washing the milk pails, I sat down and started to read a few pages. I then realized I had told the kiddos to make there beds and brush their teeth, and that I hadn't done either yet, so off I went to do that. While down there I saw that the towels needed to be washed so I started the laundry, moved things around on my bed so I could make it. Then dumped the clean clothes on my bed and started folding them. Then I remembered that I hadn't finished washing the milk pails and probably should go do that. But first I needed to fill up the water buckets and get them outside so Matthew could water the animals. Our outside water was frozen. Once the buckets were outside I washed the last of the milk pails. I went back to the wash and put the clothes in the dryer, started another load, folded the clothes I didn't get folded yesterday, and put them in the kiddos rooms so they could put them away, I went back to the kitchen and glanced at the clock, it was only 8:30! Oh man this is gonna be a long day, I thought as I filled up the dish pan to wash the breakfast dishes. Then wandered back to the bathroom to fill up the water buckets again to take them out side so Matthew could finish watering the animals!
Ever have one of those mornings where you just can't seem to get going? That's been me all morning. I'm not holding out much hope for the rest of the afternoon!! I think I need another cup of coffee or a nap!!
Have a great day all and Happy New Year too!

winter clean up

Yesterday was 50 degrees! Not very seasonal for us. Usually a lot colder then that! I'll take it though! We got a Christmas snow storm and got a inch or two, then we got heavy rain and away went the snow! Along with some wind! Yikes! We got some wind. Then the nice day, it cooled off quick in the evening though down to about 9 degrees. I was able to get the horses stall cleaned out. There was some frozen poo in there and I was able to get it all cleaned out. I know if I had been on the ball and not procrastinated and just cleaned it out I never would have had that problem. But I didn't want to go outside and do it, and I was busy cooking stuff for Christmas, yeah that's it!! Farm life is slower. Just daily chores and lugging water. Don't get me wrong that all takes time too! I'm glad for the change of pace in farming right now. A nice break from the faster pace of spring, summer and fall!
Today I started cleaning up my house and trying to "catch" up on some of the house work that I get behind on during home school. We have a wood stove and it's very easy to get behind on the dusting. Everything gets a nice coat of "fire dust" on it in no time. I had the kiddos help with "winter cleaning" instead of "spring cleaning." Actually I have 4 seasonal cleaning sprees. Plus all the regular stuff. Then you add all the Christmas stuff... things just need a good clean up. Tomorrow all the Christmas stuff will be exiting the house after the kiddos get back from their eye doctor appointment. I like to put the tree up, but once Christmas is over I like it out! We've left it up a little longer for Little Matt's sake. He was hoping his Christmas gift would arrive and he could have it under the tree, but it hasn't come yet. I checked and the company said the estimated arrival date would be Jan 3. Not leaving the tree up that long.
I'm looking forward to the new year that is coming up in just a few days! We have had a good year overall and am thankful for that! Next year will prove to be interesting with our land situation hanging in the balance, but I'm sure something good will come out of all this!
As for bringing in the new year we don't have any big plans. Never do really. How about you? Any plans?

painting

What a day and a half we've had. I went to help Matthew today. He was hired to paint a room, to help out a friend, and he wanted me to come and help. I thought no big deal, I like to paint, and my mom was happy to watch the kiddos for the day. I could work on the trim and he could use the roller. Matthew's not big on painting, so I figured I would do the trim and let him have the big parts! Well we get to the house and the guy is there, and he wasn't supposed to be home until later that day. Matthew walks up on the deck and the man greeted us and said his dad had literally just died last night, unexpectedly. OH MY WORD! I was standing on the ground, ready to jump back in the car, after hearing that news. I felt so bad, the man was holding back the tears and I just hated to stand there. I dug my sneakered toe into the ground, literally about 2 centimeters from a large dog poo. There was another one to the left of my sneaker too! It's no wonder I didn't step right in it! I started to shiver because it was cold this morning, and I didn't have my jacket on, not to mention I was uncomfortable. Matthew spoke to the man and said we could leave. The man said no. They are in the process of moving and need to get the house ready. So he said come on in. Matthew motions for me to follow. I walk up the stairs and go into the house, I look at the bottom of my sneakers just in case some dog poo did get on it. Nope. Clean. Matthew and I made eye contact, and had the same thought. Awkward! We went into the room and chatted, then the phone rings and the man leaves us. We look at each other and shrug. Now what? Oh it was so awkward to be there. We motion to each other and start moving furniture out and lay down the paper on the carpet. It was so quiet you could have heard a pin drop. Once in a while one of the dogs would bark. Matthew and I empty the room, fill the holes and start to paint. The owners of the house are downstairs. It's a raised ranch house. Neither one of us said very much all day, it was the mood of the house, and now us. Quiet. Sad. Thankfully we have been married long enough to know how to work together with very few words. A long, a gesture, a nod.  It was such a long day. Up and down a step ladder, up and down on my knees painting. We didn't stop for lunch. We just worked quietly all day. Not wanting to be a bother to the people mourning, and wanting to get the job done. We feel sad for the family that lost their loved one during this Christmas season so unexpectedly. Our prayers are with them.
Hug your loved ones and tell 'em you love 'em, cause you just never know.

clean up

Ever clean out your recipes? I have some that I thought looked good, and have saved, but once reading through them and realizing that I'd never make them. Not to mention I cook entirely different now then when we were first married. I have had some recipes for years and never have made. Some call for those wild ingredients that I never have on hand and would go to waste because it only goes in that one recipe. So I decided to clean them out and throw them, to make room for the new ones I have found online and from friends. I try to organize it by main dishes and desserts, then extras like horse cookies. Yes from time to time I make cookies for my horses, they love them! So much better, now I just need to get them on recipe cards and in the cookbook. I like to use the old photo albums, they are perfect for them.
I also have a little photo album of recipes I use only when canning, like spaghetti sauce. I'm always rummaging through the cookbooks to find them, then finally the light went on and I put them together, and put them in the canner. So next year when I start canning they are all right there in one place!! Brilliant! Only took me years to figure that one out...
Anyhow, life is kinda slow, and by slow I mean farm wise things, most of all our equipment is undercover before the snow comes, again. Everything around the farm is picked up, like the kiddos summer outside toys, and the like. Barns are winterized and now we just wait for the snow. It has been such an awesome fall. We had an Indian summer, and so far it's still been mild for Maine weather. Some cold, but mostly warm sunny days, like in the 60's!!  No kidding, I've loved it too. I'm sure winter weather is coming, but it's been so nice to have some mild weather and not have to keep the fire going all day, but at night to keep the chill out and not have all the winter gear out!!!
I'm sad to have to say this next part. You remember all our wonderful chicks that hatched out and mama hen left them? Well we had five. One was a rooster and the rest were hens. Well three days in a row someone hit them. I guess they thought playing "chicken" in the road was fun. Makes me soooooo mad. They hit three hens, figures. Then we killed the rooster. Didn't want to deal with him over the winter, and don't want chicks. So we have the one hen from the five babies left.
Well I have tons of things to finish, so have a great day all! Just thought I'd let you know what I've been up too. 

oops

I made some ketchup. Then fed it to the pigs. Smelled good, but was hot, hot, hot! Guess I put too much something in it. Must have been the jalapeno or the Cheyenne pepper. Oh well, maybe my pigs got indigestion from it!! haha. The flavor was nothing like what I like for ketchup either. I'm a total ketchup snob, I love Heinz Organic. I spoiled myself and that is what I buy. I would always love the ketchup at the restaurants better then the stuff I had at home. Then I found out why. The restaurants use Heinz. Awesome. Now I use it. When they came out with the organic I thought great, now I need that one. So now I'll be trying a new ketchup recipe, and when I go shopping, again I'll get the new ingredients that I need to make it. And I'll let you know how that tastes. I deleted the pics and wouldn't share the recipe or tell you where I found it. I wasn't impressed. I hated to dump it, but chalk it up to plastic fried zucchini!
When I went shopping I got some lemon juice to put in my tomato juice I would like to try making. I just don't have lots of tomatoes to be experimenting with and there are not lots to be found.
I also found

TANG! I hadn't thought of Tang in oh I don't know since I was a kid. Then last week while I was mowing the lawn it popped into my head. I know, it's amazing what I think about while I mow. So I was looking for it when I went shopping and ta-da! I found it! I was excited that they still made it, I think I may be dating myself and sounding older then I really am, but anyways... I made some today for the kiddos to try. I don't usually like to buy sugar sweet things like powdered drinks, but I couldn't help myself. I even had to have some, and it tastes like I remember. I didn't make it overly sweet either. I don't remember having it often when I was a kid, and it was a treat. So maybe I'll keep this as a treat for my kiddos. They thought it was really good! I just love my Kool Aid pitcher that it's in. I had a mason jar one, but broke it and am looking for a new one.

april showers make my brain soggy

I feel like I have writers block lately. Every time I sit down to blog I just draw a blank. Maybe my mind is just soggy from all the April showers and I just need to let it dry out! That is why there are not a lot of post lately.

 It's been so wet it's hard to get things done outside, and if it's not raining the wind will blow you into the next county and it's cold! The ground is just so wet you loose your boots in the ground, I did today when I fed the horses! Today we have had rain, hail, thunder and lightening, and wild wind!

Not much is going on farm wise, it's too wet. We can't even spread manure because we'd probably do more damage then good at this point. We have the broilers, and they are doing well.Growing and eating us out of house and home! The laying hens are growing. The pigs are growing, and they are just cute! No I still haven't gotten a picture of them. They are white with big ears!

I could talk about food and show you pictures though!

And that's about it in a nut shell! Happy blogging all!

some random pictures...

And this is what they did after the buckets were collected, washed, and air drying! Right after I snapped the picture some wind came up and knocked some buckets down on their heads!! Matthew, one of his many brothers, and his sons came over and helped clean up the maple syrup stuff! It was a beautiful day for it too! I was thankful for the help, I didn't have to do it! Thanks guys!!

Me and my life! My kiddos! The only one missing is my man! We went and jumped in the leaves at my parents last fall! That is one thing we all love to do! The kiddos look forward to it every year. I think my parents do too. A day with some grand kids! What a blast we had!

One of the many snowmen the kiddos made this winter! They kept coming in the house and shed and taking things outside. Then they came and got me to see their creation! Rachel was sleeping when this picture was taken! 

I love, love, love this picture of DaLaney and her sheep. She just loves them and I think they return the feeling. They will go right up to her and they all just love on each other!

This is one of two Monarch butterflies that we found as a caterpillar and watched it hatch out as a butterfly last year. It was very cool to watch it fill up it's wings, gain strength, and then watch it fly to a warmer climate! I hope they both made it! The kiddos enjoyed it as well. 

some things I've learned...

OK, so as I was doing the dishes this evening my mind was wondering to the cow, big surprise right?! and what I have learned since having her. So it may be a bit random or "flying by  the seat of my pants" in thoughts, but that is how I roll!
I told Matthew the other day, that Maggie is a great first cow for a number of reasons, and two being that she is  head strong enough to keep me on my toes, and docile enough to give me, a first time hand milker/cow owner the confidence to milk/handle her. I've figured out just how much fun, and well, stressful it can be to literally chase a cow all over your neighborhood the day after you get her! Yup, we did that! As well as putting fence back together as your cow runs wildly through the neighbors fences for his cows! Not to mention how many people say, after you say the cow jumped over the fence to get out, literally jumped the fence and cleared it! that "the cow did jump over the moon!" that is not so much funny to me, anymore. I think from the cows perspective she must have been scared too, not knowing where she was, who was chasing her, and wondering where her buddies were. She had been born and raised on the farm we bought her from. I would like to learn how to rope, while riding a galloping horse, because you just never know when that skill might come in handy!  Just how sore my hands can be after milking 23 pounds of milk from your cow. How many gallons of milk I need to get 2 gallons of cream to make about 4 pounds of butter! How to make good yogurt. How long it takes me to make and process 4 pounds of butter. How much I hate, loathe, despise,  hot dogs, don't even get me started on hot dogs! Amazing where your mind can go while you milk. How much I actually enjoy milking, and the noises I've discovered about my life while miking. Looking, or rather stumbling around, for a cow at 2:30 am in the pouring rain is not that much fun, but would probably do it again! When you wean a calf from it's mother, they really are sad. When you loose your first calf it's sad. Although we had a crash course in homeopathic medicine for calves, and learned a lot, and hopefully better success next time around. How to AI your cow and the questions that come up from the children from that. How much more time I spend at the sink washing all the milk stuff! That a cow has a very long tongue, and can lick your face without a moments notice and almost french kiss you! Yikes! Cows like to lick, at least my Jersey does! How funny it is to squirt your unsuspecting kid in the face with the star on the end of the cows teat, and listen to them squeal as it hits them!!  I'd like to try my hand at making cheese too, and cow's milk soap (sounds weird to say that, cow's milk soap, as opposed to goats milk? And I do like goats milk soap)! That is in my near future and a goal for myself this year. I think I'll start with mozzarella cheese, and soft cheese for the "expensive crackers" (LOL)!! I'll let you know about that...
It's only been about six months since we got Maggie and that is just a handful of things that I've learned, and I look forward to more time with her and any other cows that come our way...
I also know how much I enjoy sitting down on my comfy couch, with my man, and enjoy a large piece of  homemade wacky cake and a tall glass of fresh, cold, raw, organic, milk, from my cow!

Check out my glasses! I love these, the way they tilt, can you see the tilt? I do love 'em!!! (TY  SIL)