Moving On.

We have put our home up for sale.  We are planning to move back to Colorado.  And I am so very glad.
These last years have been incredibly hard.  Because I haven't wanted to write complaining and whining, I've not written much at all in so very long.  I take that idea, "If you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all!" probably too close to heart.
Yes, there are a few things I will miss about this place.  Like today, when we had to leave for our first showing we went up to the woods just a mile away.  We threw rocks in the water, crossed the (little) river on a board bridge, and picked wild apples we ate right off the tree.  That was nice.
But this town?  There is so little for us.  We'll miss the incredibly kind people at our little church and the (very) few friends we've made.  But I won't miss much.
It's not the hard work, though there has been plenty.  It's that every little thing here is a struggle.
And I've fought against the prevailing negativity of this place until I simple cannot anymore.  It's sunk me more than once.  It's such a pit I have clawed my way out of too many times, my heart dying a bit more with each fall.  I don't want to live like this anymore.
So, here we are four long years since we sold our last home.  We've learned a lot.  Shoot, I'll always know how to milk a goat or a cow.  I had to put down another hen the other day and just didn't even think twice about it.  Quite a change from the first time.
We followed a dream that was often a bit more of a nightmare.  At least we won't look back at the end and wonder what might have been.  We gave it our all and it is simply time to move on.

Hanging with My Peeps

Amazingly, all seven chicks are still alive & well.  No thanks to this guy.

Surprise!

I had put some bread and scraps out in the pan in the yard for the chickens this morning.  Imagine my surprise when I looked out the window and saw a hen with seven baby chicks hanging out munching on bread crumbs.

We have had about 30 chickens for awhile, but June was a tough month for them.  Free ranging chickens has its downsides.   Two of the oldest gals had to be...culled for medical reasons.  Another died apparently trying to cross the road.  We don't know why she was crossing the road, but she did not make it.  And a fox has been seen skulking around leaving several odd piles of feathers in his wake.  That seemed to have occurred when we had an medical emergency a few weeks ago that left them unattended for 24 hours.

Anyway...I wasn't too sure how many hens we currently had and really hadn't noticed which particular ones were missing.  Some are distinct and we know on sight, others are breeds we have several of and can't tell apart.  It'll be fun to see what we've got now.  Hopefully, all seven will live and be hens as well.  We already have three roosters and do not need anymore.

So, for all the things that go wrong around here when something good like this happens, it makes for a happy day for us all.

Pictures from the End of Summer

Waiting happily for my friend to arrive for Bible Study.

I love to say it usually doesn't look like this, but it does.  There is always a project, or twenty, going on.  I was going to do a nice post, and I still plan to, on my kitchen remodel, but this is simply the everyday picture of reality.  The pot on the stove is full of wild plums cooking so I can skim the pits out and make fruit leathers.  The crock-pot is full of oil and herbs for a new batch of Healing Balm.  The big baskets on the counter are full of windfall pears, a neighbor's tomatoes, and some early apples.  All the stuff on the island is what I'm working on for gift baskets to sell.  The four pumpkins are ones that were ripe already in the garden.  Two are now on the porch for decoration, one became dinner and some desserts and one is still sitting here next to me.  Between my Seasons~Autumn Board and my Farmhouse Kitchen Cooking Board, I've got lots of uses for the thirty or so pumpkins I've got growing!
Actually, I just looked around and noticed everything is done and the counters are really pretty clean!  Well, there is still a pile of new baskets I washed drying on the counter behind me.  I'm planning on using my late afternoons and evenings to really get cracking on making all my stuff for the sales.

All the kids love to watch and play with the chickens.  Cupcake is a bit to small still to just roam with them, but she's loves to feed them with me.  She and Pumpkin were watching these guys.

The chicks sure have grown!  We're down to four, but they seem to be going strong.

I love tea.  Have I mentioned that before?

Cupcake loves olives, so he sure enjoyed these guys. I was inspired by this pin.

Sometimes we all play with our food.

Even Pumpkin liked the penguins although he doesn't like olives to eat, they were fun to play with.

My zinnias have been a source of delight this summer.  Definitely something to grow every year.

Just a little pretty I've had for years.

After redoing the kitchen, I moved my odds and ends out of the dining room built in, put down vintage shelf paper I bought years ago, and filled the cupboard with my canning and my dried herbs in jars.  I like it.

Now, the cool mornings and lessons make me feel that Autumn has arrived.
It's the best time of year to me.

I took these pictures over the last couple of weeks and just decided to throw together this post while the kiddos are doing chores.  Time to go and get back to the other lessons!

The Neighbors Still Drop in Without Warning

This was our guest this evening.
He was not invited in for tea.

First Fish



 Pumpkin caught his first fish yesterday!!
I think his smile was as big as the fish. 

Dumpling is holding Sweetheart's catch.

Stylish, isn't he? 
He gets it from his Father.

Cupcake pet the fish. 
That was enough for her.

We all enjoyed our pizza dinner as they arrived just moments after I posted yesterday. 
Guess I'd better keep making extra pizzas to freeze for fishing days.  ;)

Good Morning

Have a nice day.
So...here's to hoping for chicks in 21 days.
(July 5)

Good Morning

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is the day the LORD has made.  We will rejoice and be glad in it.
Even on the days when rejoicing is harder.
(Nothing's wrong this morning.  Just a thought.)

Bittercup

It isn't a typo.  It is time for Buttercup to move on to greener pastures.  This last round of trouble just won't end.  Out of five months of milking, I calculate that there have been 6-7 weeks I have not been able to drink her milk.  I still have to milk her, I just end up having to dump the milk.  The cost of grain, alfalfa, and vet bills have just made her a money pit.

I know that most of the troubles have not been caused by her, but by her owners.  And the milking machine.  I get that.  Maybe in a few years, when the other parts of life aren't all so pressing, we can try again.  It would be nice to get to do the chores with the kids, but they are simply too little now. 

For right now, I want to focus on people, gardening, and school with time left for creating and cultivating beauty. I want to put a little more time into doing things that last and that bring joy than dealing with milk.

I am trying not to see this as a failure because I have learned so much.  I have learned I do not want my life to revolve around a cow.  :)  One thing can be said about us, we're certainly willing to try new things and do things out of the ordinary!  This decision hasn't been made rashly and we are both in agreement.  Now that the decision is made, I hope she can go soon.  Sweetheart put her on Craig's List yesterday and we have already had six people respond. 

joining The Country Homemaker Hop

These Autumn Days

Our weather has taken a turn this week.  Cold mornings mean more to me than they used to.  In the ancient past, it meant scraping windows to drive across the city to go teach school.  In the not-so-distant-past it meant just staying in with the kids and playing.  Now, it means frozen stock tanks, crazy cold milk-covered hands and hunkering down close to Buttercup to warm up while milking.

Yesterday, I found some insulated coveralls to wear, and got a tank warmer the neighbors offered that they didn't need.  Can't do anything about the hands.  Even fingerless gloves would simply get soaked.  I will look forward to hooking Buttercup back up to the machine once everything heals up.

The trees are all showing their colors and the countryside is lovely.  I leave the barn door open for evening milking time and just enjoy soaking in all the colors.  It is warmer then.  Once the sun sets and I am still milking it cools down again dramatically. 

I am working on just trying to stay in the moment and finding the beauty and joy right now, not trying to think what might go wrong next.  Sometimes, I am really good at this.  Other times, we just won't talk about.  It can get ugly.

There is so much to learn and do and sometimes, it just overwhelms.  I do try to focus on how far we have come and all that I have learned.  Seriously, who would have ever thought I would be doing what I do now? 

This morning, I am taking a much needed break.  My Thursday mornings off, fell by the wayside when Buttercup arrived.  But I am sitting in a cafe in the next town north of us hiding out so I can focus and write a bit without interruption.

It is time to head back, but I have enjoyed each minute.  I collected a big bagful of elderberries on the drive up.  They have probably frozen on the bushes, but I am going to try steam juicing them anyway and see what I come up with. 

We are still waiting for apples to ripen, though with our cold temperatures at night, I am not sure what will happen.  The second pear tree is ripening, though the basketful I picked last week went to the compost pile yesterday.  Alas, there have simply not been enough hours to do everything that is possible.  I was able to pick and preserve a bunch of our free-stone plums which was nice.

The good news is, the trees will still produce produce next year.  And hopefully, by then I will have a better plan to deal with it all.  I have been stuffing as much as I can into the freezer and dehydrator and not relying on canning as much.  I wish I could do all I want to do, but it just isn't possible.

I am hoping to restart schooling soon.  It went to the wayside with all the milking and preserving that is time-sensitive.  We can "do school"  according to our own seasonal schedule.  I just have to keep reminding myself of that.  Being a product of the regular school system and teaching all those years, that schedule is ingrained in me.  But it doesn't have to be that way.  It doesn't have to be that way.  It doesn't have to be that way.  (Reminding me.)

Coolest thing to happen lately:  I was holding Cupcake the other night and clear as a bell she said, "I love you."  Melt this Mama heart.  Most of the time I have no idea what she says, but this was just perfect.  *sigh*

Today was Interesting

The day started at 5:30.  I milked Buttercup and tested her for mastitis.  The test was a positive in one of her quarters.  I called the vet and picked up some medicine for her.  This means I had to stuff a syringe into her teat and infuse the meds into her udder.  Lovely.  It also means that I will be hand milking for the foreseeable future.

The good news is we can still use the other three quarters' milk.  It would stink to have to toss it all.  The up side to hand milking is that it is quiet.  The machine is so noisy.  Though it is nice to be able to hook her up and do the other chores at the same time like feeding the chickens, cleaning, and feeding the neighbor's horses.

I had to call for help last night.  One chicken died yesterday morning, and one the evening before.  Between more chickens looking like they were about to die, and the possible mastitis issue, I really needed someone who knew what they were doing.  My neighbor is wonderful with cow things, but hates chickens and is out of town anyway.

The friends that came over last night were so helpful.  They know chickens and said it was time to butcher them anyway so they would come over today and help.  I had not realized it was time simply because they have been Sweetheart's project.

So, the wife came over today and we processed all the meat birds.  That sounds so tidy, doesn't it?  It wasn't.  At all.

This was the first time I have had to kill anything larger than a bug.  And I killed all of them after the first one.  It is a hard thing to do.  I think my general feeling of being completely overwhelmed may actually be helping as I cannot dwell on much for long.

I had hoped to kill and pluck the chickens and be able to keep them whole for roasting.  I really like chicken roasted and love having all the bones for broth.  And had we been able to plan and prep for the slaughter, I would have been able to process them the way I wanted.  However, just being grateful that I didn't have to do it all alone, I will take whatever I can get.  Which ended up being quite a lot of bags of meat in parts and no feathers to pluck.

After the extensive clean up, I drove the remains up the forest road and dropped them off the side.  There are some happy bears and coyotes and wolves tonight.  We had leftover Beef & Barley Stew, but chicken in on the menu for tomorrow.  I think I may have to fry it, which I love, or do Chicken and Dumplings.  (What do you want for dinner, Mom?)

Then it was time to milk, feed horses and take care of the remaining laying chickens.

I am about ready to drop, but decided to write while waiting for the dishwasher to finish running.  It is a portable one that you have to shut the water off when the wash cycle ends, or the water will just run until you do.  It just ended so I will be signing off in a moment.

Hopefully, Sweetheart will be home in a few days.  His three day trip is on Day 9 and I am not sure when it will end.  Doing all this myself is not fun.

Ups and Downs

On the up side, and it is a BIG up--Sweetheart got the machine running!  Three gallons of milk in record time.  At that point, the cow (Lucy?) broke out of the staunchen (again) and bolted.  I grabbed the machine off her and let her go.  I am NOT fighting a 900 lb. animal in an enclosed space.  We'll try again in the morning.

On the down side, when we went out to milk, Sweetheart found one of the big hens mostly dead.  No clue as to why.  She had been just fine running around all day.  Sweetheart put her out of her misery.  Not knowing why she died, she is not going to be dinner.

And we had an even bigger downer.  Within minutes of Sweetheart finding the hen, I found Buddy the Baby Bull really dead.  He had had scoures and I had giving him medicine as directed.  But for whatever reason, he did not make it.  I had tried to check on him a few times today, but did not find him and did not have time for a full on search.  I think that maybe for the best.  Though it makes me sad, reallllly sad, that he may have suffered, it would have been heart-breaking to have found him almost dead and having to decide what to do at that point.

Our sweet neighbor was doing her chores and came over to see how it was all going.  She is so kind.  In fact, while Sweetheart and I were milking the cow, she and her son put Buddy on their four-wheeler to take him up the mountain.  It was over and he was gone before I could say anything.

It has been a roller coaster kind of day.  I am thankful for many things, even though sad about others.

Hard Work

Yes.  This is hard.  It is hard physically and otherwise.  But you know what?  That's ok.  Hard work makes you stronger. 

I milked earlier and faster this morning.  I had two gallons done in two hours including prep work.  Prep work is getting the grain ready, get the teat washing stuff ready, getting the cow into the barn, getting her into the staunchen, tying her tail and hobbling her,  and whatever else happens before I can sit down and milk.

The first few days were absolutely miserable.  Totally.  But now I am sitting here with everything cleaned and ready for this evening, all the milk skimmed and frozen, and three quarts of cream to play with.  I think I'll make butter and freeze it as I still have boughten butter to use up. 

It will be ok.  It is not great right now, but it is getting better each time.  Plus, want to know the neatest thing?  I've gotten to hang out with my wonderful neighbor. 

She's come over the last three evenings and milked with me.  She was raised on a ranch and knows so much.  She really is great.  This is the first opportunity we have had to get to know each other because she travels a lot.  Plus, she has a project I can work on in exchange for her help.  That's nice.

The cow-who-still-is-nameless is a wonderful cow.  She has the sweetest temperament.  Not many cows would put up with how long this is taking.  Especially one used to being machine milked.

My mom has been a Godsend.  She has been watching the kiddos a lot.  I am sure she is as tired as I am!  We reeeeally appreciate her help.  The kids have LOVED  having her here. I just wish I could get to see her, too! 

Sweetheart was on milking duty with me from the get-go on Saturday and Sunday while Grandma was over.  However, he has been working on the milking machine side of things and has not been able to milk more.  He has had to make all day trips to get machines and parts and been working on putting it all together.  There were no fully ready machines available even all the way to Boise.  Plus, he is the one taking care of the kids while I am milking in the mornings.

The cow was putting out sixty pounds of milk for the dairy we bought her from since the calf was born on the 16th.  They milked her by machine and bottle-fed the calf.  We have since just turned them out to the pasture together and he drink at will. 

Why didn't we have a machine from the start?    Several reasons.  They are expensive.  I did not want a machine as I thought it might make the milking time a bit shorter, but add extensively to the clean up time.  I figured it would equal out and therefore not be worth it to me.  I thought that because I was used to milk the goats, I could handle this.  Plus, we have an excess of machines in our lives.  Need I say more?

Here's what I didn't know.  First, that we'd have so much trouble just getting her in the barn.  Second, that they were telling the truth about how much milk she produces. ( I figured it was exaggerated based on the fact that every seller seems to exaggerate animal output.)  Third, that she is short, her bag hangs low, her teats are a lot shorter than a goats and that her bag is so big you cannot reach both sides at once without almost laying down. 

So, we'll machine milk her.  Soon.  I am praying that it will start tonight! 

Yes, there have been a lot of tears.  Yes, it is frustrating.  Yes, is has been really messy.  Yes, I am sore.  Yes, I have prayed for help and forgiveness a lot. 

Last night, was pretty bad.  She broke free from the staunchen, she got poop all over me, I spilled milk all over the kitchen and cried over it.

This morning, it went a lot better.  She got free again, but I got her under control all by myself and rigged it up to hold better.  Learning something new, seeing how strong I can be, and working hard all feel pretty good even when my forearms and fingers don't!

Love you all!  And please, please, come over and get some milk!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  PS--What is fresh milk going for in your area?  The store milk here is  $4.00 a gallon.  I am not sure what to price it at.  PLEASE give ideas for prices.  And pray the machine works.

Whining

my arms ache so bad from milking, i can hardly type.  just finished outside and still have more to clean up inside to be ready to milk again in the morning.  ugh.  i will be so strong. if i don't keel over firsttttttttttttt

Progress

I am a litltle proud and mostly just grateful.  I got the cow and calf up the ramp and into the barn all by myself this morning.  This is a huge improvement. 

My neighbor came over yesterday just as I was getting started with the evening milking.  She grew up on a ranch and loves cows.  She jumped right in and starting milking one side, giving me all sorts of ideas, as I milked the other.  As the morning milking yesterday took THREE hours, it was nice to have help.

When her son got home we got the cow in the barn all together for the first time.  It was hard.  But we did it!  They had great technique and a lot more strength.   Getting the cow in the first time was a huge hurdle.  (900 lb hurdle!)  It took some maneuvering this morning but it worked.

This should just get easier.  So much to share, but not enough time right now.  Just wanted you to know I was not buried under a cow.

Ugh.

I thought having the goats would make having a cow easy.  Hahahahahahhahahaha!  And that is all I have time to write. 

I am a Cowgirl

Yup. We just got back with Mama and Baby Cow.  Woohoo!

Farmgirl Friday

Huckleberry Muffins

Mooove over goats!  We are upgrading to a cow.  Bella and Eve have found a new home.  The jersey cow we've been working on buying calved last week.  She had a not-so-little boy.  I was even more grateful that he was born at their place and not ours.  We will find out for sure today when we will pick them up.  At this point we are planning for tomorrow.

Someone asked if I had cows growing up.  Hello.  I grew up in Phoenix.  We had dogs.  I don't think I even saw a cow close up until I was an adult.  I have lived in big cities almost all my life.  So, no, I don't really know what I am doing.

I have read a lot and the lady we are buying from is great at answering questions.  She also has an amazing gift for people in this area:  she'll tell you what you NEED to know without waiting to be asked.  Now, plenty of folks around here are happy to tell me all sorts of things I DON'T want to know, usually negative things about other people around here.  But most people don't seem to want to share helpful information, unless you specifically ask.  I think they believe in learning things the hard way.  (Hear that banging sound?  It's my head against the wall.)  Seriously people--help me out!!!  I quite regularly admit to being new to all of this.  I pray that when I am the old timer around here I will share a bit (!) more grace to the newcomers.

Anyway...back to the cows.  I am excited and honestly a bit scared.  I think that is wise.  I've never been responsible for any living thing this big.  The goats were our starter animals and we all survived that experience.  I milked twice a day, every still single day since we got them.  No break for almost six months is a good start, I think.  Sweetheart says he will help with milking her.  I hope so.  I know it will usually be my job, but it would be good to have an extra set of hands available.

The next step is to figure out what I will do with all the milk!  We will see how much we are getting and using and figure out what we have left to sell.  I have my butter churn, ice maker, and yogurt maker all on standby.  The cream separator is set up ready to crank.

All suggestions and advice is welcome at this point.  We are also thinking about names:  #902 just isn't a great name.  Still no name for the farm yet either.  We've been too busy to really decide.

Other other fronts, I have been rushing around trying to finish up some projects before the cows arrive.  Yes, it is a bit like waiting for a baby.  I have been working on preserving food and sewing.  I finished my kitchen curtains and hung the last part up last night at about midnight.

It was then that I discovered that I used the WRONG piece of fabric for the valance.  I had cut a foot wide piece from the fabric that I had intended to use.  However, when I picked up the beautiful fabric to sew it all together, I inadvertently grabbed the remnant piece which was two feet wide. Not paying attention, I sewed all the edges and other fabric pieces to it and attached it all the way I wanted it.  I was so proud of myself as sewing is a newish thing to me.  Pride comes before a fall.

Now, I have to decide what to do with it.  I can leave it as is, but the proportions are all wrong.  I can try to modify is and sort of foof and balloon it up.  Or I can rip apart all those little seams that for once are really straight and nicely done and start alllll over again.  Did I mention we are getting a cow tomorrow?  Ugh.

Which also means I have no more time to write!  Do leave a comment with cow wisdom, name suggestions and tips for what to do in 10 minutes for less with my curtains.  Much obliged.   -Kimberly

I am linking up to Farmgirl Friday.  Stop on over for a visit.