monday confessions and a ranting...

OK, so here is to a very productive Monday!! Hey it CAN happen! I hope...

My baby fell asleep in my arms last night. She's got a cold and a mild fever, and she was just too tired to keep her blue eyes opened any longer. It was 5:45 when she drifted off to sleep. I sat and held her until I could no longer feel my arms. Then put her to bed, tucked her in, kissed her chubby cheek, and whispered I love you in her ear. She woke only once in the night and needed some caugh syrup, and she went right back to sleep.We put the humidafier in her room and that seemed to help.

We went to church yesterday and then to my parents. It was my Dad's birthday! The first day of spring no less! It was a nice day, not real warm, but nice. We had a BBQ. Love BBQ! I could live on them all summer long. Ya everyday I could have a BBQ! There are so many things you can do with them. Ya I'm the one that does the grilling. The Man is not interested in cooking, at all, not even on a grill. For Mother's Day 2 years ago he asked me what I wanted, and me being ever so suttle (not) told him, a BBQ grill.  Haha! So that is what I got! I really enjoy it too, as do the kiddos. I'm a much better griller now that I have learned HOW to grill. We had some "burnt offerings" as we would jokingly referred  to my very well done burgers, and anything else I would grill. The death of my first grill happened on a very windy day. It was on the porch and the wind took it off and smashed it on the ground. Killed it right there. I was glad that it didn't start a fire with the propane tank still hitched on it, yikes! Now I keep my new one on the other side of the house next to the shed. Not so windy there!

I hung out some towels this morning. I'm really pushing the gammet on this I know, but I can't wait to hang my clothes on the line all the time instead of running the dryer. I had to bring them in after a few hours because it started to the snow! Yuck! Snow. We're supposed to get 6-8 inches tonight. More yuck. It won't last though. We don't have snow here, and I'm not getting out the snow stuff again this year. My parents and sister have lots of snow left, and still have the kiddos ski pants out! I put mine away, along with the extra hats and mittens. They each have one hat and one pair of mittens.

Here comes my ranting...
I'm not a fan of hooligans joy riding around in their cars all hours of the night and rutting up the fields and scaring the animals. We have some from time to time. They need something more productive to do, you know like a job that requires them to WORK, so they can be tired at night to sleep, rather then destroy other peoples property. So disrespectful. Life doesn't owe them something just because they are here and breathing. Add/earn something to this life rather then thinking that you are owed something. A healthy does of resepect would do 'em good. Or a night in jail...  Yes we have called the cops on them before too, the neighbors have too. About the time they go joy riding in the cow pasture they are going to be met with two very unfriendly farmers... No I'm not sympathetic to them or what happens to them. Time to be held accountable for their actions, if they are driving around, they are plenty old enough to have some sort of job. And for goodness sake would people please grow up and have some respect for others!!!!!!! You may not agree with me and thats OK. Feel free to have and voice your opinion, all I ask is you be respectful of me and others...

ON a lighter note...
I have some pictures of the St. Patrick Day's Delight to share. It's as good as it looks too! If there is any interest I'll post the recipe later, this is kind of a long post.

the crust, pardon my fingers...

first layer going on

second layer going on...

topping!! yummy!!!

An update on my new girls. They are in that ugly stage. Loosing their buzzy butts and getting their feathers.

The Partridge Rock. I think she's gonna be nice looking.

they were very interested in me and the camera, and kept getting closer and closer to me. They really enjoy pecking my ring.

Oh and one last thing before I go be productive, yeah right! I'ts Monday!! No, just kidding, so far it hasn't been too bad...

when we collect we dump it into these containers, they are old teat dip containers, all cleaned, bleached and washed and dried, no residue of iodine.

then we filter it into this barrel and pump it into the white barrel, in the back ,and it gravity feeds into... 

the saperator! Can you smell it? (The white barrel in back there) Yes our sap house is small. We joke with each other that we are so glad we have so much room! 

Loving this new saperator! It works wonderfully!! Boiling time has decreased a tremendous amount! Such a relief to have 4 hours of boiling and not 3 days! Yup with the homemade one it would take days to do what we can now do in hours!! Not complaining though, we learned the whole science behind the making of maple syrup on that thing, along with the help of some wonderful people who also make maple syrup. We've come a long way, and we still have a ways to go, but we are so thankful for what we can do here on the property we are on! We feel truly blessed.