Are we winding down yet?

Well just when I thought things were going to get easier well lets just say it was a fleeting thought at best.

All three calves have been born and now we have enough milk for everyone. Yes one cow was late one on time and one early. I hope to make some hard cheeses this winter while I await the frenzy of Kidding season.

A couple of holidays in between but no parties again this Christmas. Even my children have mentioned that they miss the parties that we have, First the Pignic in July, Pumpkin carving in October and the Christmas Eve open house. This year I have decided not to have a Christmas Eve open house but will instead have a "cabin fever" party sometime in January. Maybe the third week. I often still have my tree up until the early teens so I feel this is a safe time. I tend to take the tree down when there is a definite chance of spontaneous combustion with the heat from the wood stoves. I am such a safety minded person aren't I?

No rushing to make the cookies, just sit back and relax and wait until things get boring and whalla lets have a get-together.

I will have the cookie trays ready and by then Christmas would have worn off and some rich treats will be just the thing to go with Cocoa after a sledding afternoon or just a day out doing animal care or wood gathering or what ever it is that one does during the coldest part of the year. Yes napping sounds awfully sweet at this time of the day.

I hope the cookies will be appreciated at least. I make so many and if people would rather I not I would understand. Wait, I think I will make the cookies for Christmas and just go around visiting everyone and see their tree and decoration. I so believe that Christmas is about children and the one who walks with us all daily. I like to see how others celebrate.

All and more turkey were harvested for the Thanksgiving holiday and I still have about 30 birds left. One set of roasting chickens to go and that is it until next February. Wait.........I guess I don't have much down time really......what am I thinking.

I will go and advertise on some cyber sites but am doing little in the way of paying for advertising since I have learned in the past that I don't get any return on Newspaper adverts. Marketing is very difficult.

I am going to buy some 4-H Curriculum for the children (of course with me in mind). Entrepreneur, small engine repair, computer lab, and several others that are pertinent to our lifestyle. I hope this will give them a better understanding as to why we do what we do. Life experience, since we will put what we learn into practice.

Perhaps I will even get to the Blog a little bit more........I am not promising anything......

Having fun

Well Mom's been here for a couple of days and I hope is content with the goings on. Mom loves to cross stitch (counted) and works on that and some puzzles (crossword and the such) when looking for a change.

My children love her do death and so do the critters except the house bird. Razzeldazzlewooohooo is a Sun Conure who doesn't like people other than the regular occupants of the house. He will attack anyone while he is out. He lands on your shoulder and proceed to chew on your ears, neck or any exposed skin. What the heck happened? I have no clue. He is learning to speak so my son is teaching him the phrase, "get the gun" when people knock on the door and the dogs bark. I think the bird is also barking like the dog which in itself is pretty funny. So any burglars be aware if the dogs don't get you the bird probably will.

Life on the farm is stable (no pun intended) with only one ill critter at the moment. Seems he doesn't want to be weaned and has gone on a hunger strike. Chicks are doing well and the turkey hens have brought in some wild toms. Now that will be interesting. I will have to get some eggs and incubate them to see what that bird will look like.

Late to do morning animal care...........yes it's kind of drooly out. Grey and damp. Makes the house eucalyptus smell good though.

One more thing to do.........

As usual things just don't go as they are scheduled to. Why do I think I am special enough for things to go the way that I plan? I am not alone thinking that they should.

I love having my husband home for an extra day off. I like sleeping by his side. Just knowing he's there and isn't rushing off for work, gives me a special kind of comfort for the day.

I like to chat and next thing I know it is very late and the girls are calling to remind me. OK, I'm up and ready to go tend to the girls needs. Phone rings and it is a frantic call from a young friend who would like a little extra support (sure blame me again if things go wrong) but moral support in a time of stress is sometimes all that is needed. On the way over I am humming the Calvary charge. Of course by the time I get there things have gone according to what nature has planned and not me. Spend a moment to make sure everyone is where they should be and off I go to tend to the girls.

My son has attempted to use the new milking machine and is about half way through our list (a little slow but the girls are grateful).. I help by milking the Does on my knees and we're done in no time. Next the cows and I'm off for grain and then back to help put up some Sheetrock and harvest a turkey or two.

What! No help need for the Sheetrock! Fine, I'll just make a head roll. Wow. 47 lb turkey dressed. Not bad. Chores. Oh yeah, made some cheese and dough for pizza and starter for the feta tomorrow.

If only I had 5 more minutes in the day I could type what else I have done today but then that would take too long. There are several more tasks to complete before my day is done. If only I could do one more thing a day..........then I wouldn't get any sleep..........

New feeder pigs

Well we delivered two pigs to market. Stopped off and got six more.

What is it about pig stink that prevents it from washing, scrubbing or power washing off?

I wore overalls, boots and gloves and yet here I am making my own eyes water. I have tried everything except TSP. I figure I will need some skin tomorrow............

Well I suppose I will go outside and cut down some trees and prune the fruit trees and maybe the oil from the chain saw will help drown out some of the stench! Of course it is what they are fed at the piggery that makes them so odorous, but we won't go into that. After a week or two here they will be stink free and happy in their new home. I did get pigs of all different sizes so that I can have income along the way. They are already sold at this point (I'm pretty sure at least).

Now I have to find another calf for veal and all will be quiet until the next wave of kidds arrive in April. Not including the meat chicks and turkey poults due this week.