A beautiful and productive day!

Turned off in the mid-fifties, sunshiney, a light breeze and just all around very nice.


We got blood pulled on Missy and sent off to see if she settled this time.When we sent off in December, she came back as open. Although Bella did come back pregnant (and is showing a nice little baby bump now), and they both came back CAE negative, WOOT!


We also got their feet trimmed, Bella got her 100 days pregnant worming, got them both copper bolused, and we got the barn all cleaned. And, we even got a bunch of clothes hung on the line to dry. It almost felt like spring out there (you hush, I can too pretend it's spring in January) Feels good to get so much done out there.


And, just because pics are always good, here are a couple of pics of Bella's baby belly. We have taken to calling her Belly Bean. :) She is due March 23rd.

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A home for the holidays

On December 21st, we were headed out to do some last minute Christmas shopping. The first snow of the season had just passed and it was very cold and windy. We stopped at the gas station out on the highway and I went into pay. The front of the store is set back, and underneath the over hang rests the ice cooler and a bench. 


As I walked past the bench, a little black kitty came out from under it. I crouched down to pet her, but though she wound around the legs of the bench and acted like she really wanted to be friendly, she wouldn't quite let me touch her. 


I went on in to pay and asked the lady behind the counter who's kitty that was. She said she didn't know and that the kitty must have been dumped and that it had been out there for two or three days. That put the poor kitty out in the cold, huddled under the bench beside the ice cooler through some of our coldest weather this winter. Snow was on the ground and the wind bitter.


So on my way back out I stopped and talked to the kitty. She finally came close enough to let me touch her and I scooped her up. She tensed for only a second and then melted into my arms. She was so cold. In the van she went and we turned around and took her home.


Closer inspection revealed that she was indeed a she and probably in the 3 to 4 month age range. She is incredibly sweet and relaxed. Took to the dogs immediately and doesn't seem to have a mean bone in her body. The resident cats all spat and growled and she just kind of looked around like, "What?" 


She sneezed and wheezed the first week here, but plenty of food, water and warmth has pretty much restored her health. She uses the litter box like she is suppose to and even loves the kids.Though short haired, she is still very puffy. So we named her, Miss Puff Kitty. Puff for short.


When Christmas day came a few days later, instead of huddling on the cold ground, hungry and homeless, she had the warmth of a new home, surrounded by her new family as she skittered among the scraps of wrapping paper.


Here is Miss Puff Kitty, reclining on the back of the couch downstairs. Happy to have a home and warm place to sleep.

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Lighted Trees

As the sun settled towards it's western resting place this evening, we went out to feed the goats. The bright orange sun gleamed off the ice collected on the trees. Some of the trees looked like winter fairies had decorated the tops of the trees with little lights. Other trees looked like they had fire in the tops. Mother nature has some beautiful displays.

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First Snowfall

We had the first snowfall of the winter here. Really creates a Christmas mood. The kids had a blast running and playing in it. Then after much rolling, tackling, and snowball throwing, the kids were ready to come and peal off their wet socks and gloves and snow-caked shoes and settled down with hot cups of cocoa. The goats on the other and, were less than thrilled. The chickens didn't poke their heads out of the coop all day and the cats (who are inside/outside cats) are miffed.

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Love this time of Year

I love this time of year. The house gets a fresh, top to bottom scrubbing, lavish meals are planned, family gathers. It always seem so warm and cozy to me, even when the weather is cold and windy. Okay, so maybe it's not so warm and cozy when your dumping ice out of buckets and what not but you get my meaning. 

This year the house got more than a scrubbing. We repainted the living room walls. They used to be a really dark red and there were gold curtains. Now, its a beautiful, creamy, buttery yellow with white lace curtains that let the light in. Feels so much better in here. I love the light, I love the bigger, nicer feel to the room. 

This time of year, many are planning their Thanksgiving day feast. But what do you do when you are sick to death of turkey and ham but don't still want something light for dinner? The answer is, you make Rolled Chicken. It's a bit of work, but the meal is worth it.

For Rolled Chicken

You chop small and fry in olive oil:

Green peppers (any color of bell pepper you like)

Onions 

carrots

mushrooms 

and garlic

season it all with a palm full of parsley, a dash or two of cilantro, salt, pepper, and oregano. (how much of each is determined by your taster)

How much of each is dependent on how many chicken breasts you have, how much you want to put inside the chicken rolls and so on and so forth. Having extra isn't a bad thing.

While that is finishing up frying (you want the carrots tender), place a chicken breast inside a large plastic bag (we use a gallon sized), lay it on the counter, grab your rolling pin, a beat the tar out of it until it's good and flat. Do that with each chicken breast. This is a great stress reliever. 

When they are sufficiently subdued, lay them out on a couple of cookie sheets. Then spread them with spicy mustard. It must be the brown spicy mustard, regular mustard just doesn't cut it.

Then spread the veggie mixture over the chicken breasts.

Then, starting on one end, roll the chicken up and secure them with tooth picks. This we have found is an acquired skill. Don't be discouraged if it takes a bit of trial and error to get the toothpicks to perform as expected.

Then, beat an egg with 1/4 cup of water. Dip the chicken in the egg/water mixture and roll in bread crumbs seasoned with a little salt,pepper, and parsley. Then place in the pan recently vacated by the yummy veggies and brown them. You may need to add a bit more oil.

Then place on a large cooking sheet 

and bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until done.

Remove toothpicks before serving. You can cut the breasts in half (they are pretty large after being pounded out and rolled up with veggies) or you can slice them into medallions. 

Then serve to your family who has been waiting anxiously for the wonderful smelling food.

We serve ours with brussel sprouts fried in bacon grease, creamed peas and pearl onions, and potatoes mashed with butter,sour cream and chives.

My family devours this meal.

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All Grown Up

You all got to see the baby chickens when they came home and when they were settled in their brooder. You got to see them when they graduated to the big chicken pen. And now, you get to see them all grown up. The hens are now laying and the one rooster we kept has grown into a handsome fellow. We kept him because he has a low voice that he rarely uses, he is easy on his hens and protective of them while being a gentleman with us. He is the reigning (and only) King.

Here is King Amos

 Amos with his hens

The hens, all grown up

Amos, flapping his wings and crowing his superiority 

And as fall comes on, some pics of our two milk does

Beyond Goats Ariel Star, we call her Lil'Miss

Helping my youngest up onto a spool

sticking her tongue out

 Crossroad's End Lady Antebellum. We call her Bella and sometimes Lady A

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