Avalon1984-Chicken, horses, pigs, oh my!

[SSDreamin]

DH has been VERY whiney since being out of town. Each phone call is 50% him griping - about work, about things not getting done, etc.

He knows better than to gripe about the condition of the house: I told him before we married that I suck at housework and he had two options. Hire a housekeeper, if that's what he was looking for in me, and save himself tons of cash in the long run, or keep his trap shut and be thankful I said yes when he asked me to marry him

A few weeks ago, DH shocked me by thanking me for listening to all his gripes, without complaint (OK, I would say MINIMAL complaint, but if he missed it, so be it ). He said he is frustrated, needs to vent, and feels he can only do that with me. I have to admit, I whine some myself - there are days I just can't do everything, and he gets to hear about it!

Waiting on the garden myself but, with all this rain, warmth and humidity, I wish I didn't have to :/

 

[Avalon1984]

Hey Trim,

thanks for the kind words. My hubby is a busy man, he is away from home more than he wishes. This is his busy time, but it is also the farms busy time. He wants to be here and help me so I don't have to fend for myself, but he has to go to work and travel. I try and give him as much room as I can when he is up, but some things just won't get done unless he does them. So he gets frustrated that stuff isn't getting done, when he really should look at pictures from our place even last year, and he would be amazed at how much we did get done. It is kind of sad when he hears some stories about farmers and businesses and how they grew, and he finds that great, yet he doesn't see the same thing in our farm, when he really should. We have reached amazing things already, and we have only started. I wish he could see the potential like I do and it wouldn't look as gloomy as he makes it at times. Everything takes time, and if we have to keep the horses in lean tos for another year since construction of a new barn is out of our reach right now- then so be it.

SSDreaming- Yes, mine is the same way. He has nobody else to talk to but me and it is unhealthy to harbor those emotions. So I let him be grumpy all day if that is how he wants to spend it. When he went over the line I told him he was being "moony" and to calm down, which he did.

On a bright note, I started to bottle honey and quickly realized I didn't have enough containers. I bottled 24 1lb containers so far and have at least another 6lbs left. So excited.

And our bee guy called, our new bees will be here next Saturday. I set 2 trap hives to see if I can attract some honey bees. We'll see...

 

[Denim Deb]

That looks yummy!

 

[Avalon1984]

I concur. I think I ate more honey the last few days than the entire year before. People are very excited about it here at work. They love the bottles- feels nice after all that work.

 

[Avalon1984]

So I got done rendering my first bit of beeswax today. Looks like I might have upward 1/2 pound by the time it hardens, we'll see. Some more honey had gathered on the bottom of the pots so I have that draining through cheesecloth. By the time I get done I will have produced 30lbs of honey that I can sell for $6 a pound, so at least the new bees are mostly paid for with that money.

Today is the Kentucky Derby so after getting hay this afternoon, I will head out to my favorite joint and watch who will take the roses home. I am hoping for Calvin Borel. That man is just amazing. I like Hansen, the horse, as well, seems very determined. We'll see who will end up winning.

Two more days and I will find out if my mares are pregnant. I can hardly wait.

Yesterday I had a job interview and I have an offer coming for a full time job at the company I wanted to work for Ironically, just like last time, it is right across the road from where I work right now. This will be the second time I jump across the street for a new job. I would have liked to stay at my old company but they are goign downhill and the office climate has turned hostile. Plus they cheated me out of my full time job and put me into a entry level job. I will put in my 2 weeks notice the end of this coming week. Looking forward to seeing their befuddled faces.

 

[SSDreamin]

on the honey and beeswax!

On the new job!

on the mare's being pregnant

You're just full of news today!

 

[Denim Deb]

That all sounds good. Hope you get the new job.

 

[snapshot]

I'm excited for you about your job and hope all your mares are preggers! The honey looks wonderful and will sell fast, won't it?

 

[Avalon1984]

Yeah, so I already sold 10 bottled of honey. It is so nice to see people excited about honey these days

Big upset there at the KY Derby. Don't know what happened to Calvin Borel, he just never seemed to reach the rail and just fell further and further behind. Oh well...

 

[Avalon1984]

Ah Sunday...how I drag this day. This is usually when I realize what I forgot to do all of Saturday (or couldn't do due to the weather) and I end up running myself ragged. I need to clean out the dumplings left behind by 6 horses in 2.5 days, and it is usually well over 6 wheelbarrows a day. Think it will be a long morning. Then I will get some more hay. There is a bit of a problem there because I need to first reistack the hay I have in the loft, otherwise my pile is getting too close toward the edge and making it hazardous to walk around up there. 12ft onto concrete would hurt.

I did my last beeswax rendering this morning. I also saved this nice side product for when I grill this year. Looks like it may be a solid pound of wax, if not more. Because I used beeswax (against everybodys recommendation and simply because it is all I had) the wax is bright yellow and oh so pretty. I will have to take some pictures and apply for the POW.

One of my chickens is in the house, she just hasn't been feeling well for a few weeks. No obvious signs of disease but now she is starting to lose weight rapidly. The hen is only 1.5 years old. I suspect cancer maybe. I will see if a few days in the house with some fatty dinners help, if not I will have to put her down.

So long, my friends here at SS. I will take som etime tomorrow to check out all of your journals on updates.

See ya,
Jenn