Frustratedearthmother's Journaling Journey

[Denim Deb]

Yeah, ya gotta watch out for those eggs. They'll sneak under a hen or in an incubator when you're not paying attention to them.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Hope everyone had a blessed Christmas!

Friday morning DH and I set out to meet my DD and snag the grandkids for nearly a week of absolute bliss! Friday was mostly a travel day and Saturday was cruddy weather so we spent a lot of it inside on the Wii. I am still the reigning champion of at least one racetrack on Mario Kart. However, a few more days of this and I might want to chunk the thing on the nearest trash heap, lol.

One of grandson's favorite meals is broccoli cheese soup. Wouldn't ya know it - I had a couple broccoli plants in the garden who had perfect heads perfectly ready to be picked. So we had super-duper, prime, fresh broccoli for the soup. Oh my, it was really good. And, there's zero, nada, not a drop left. Nine year old grandson had three big bowls and granddaughter had two. These children definitely know how to eat! I love it!

Today we started out in the hot-tub. The grandkids were finally able to convince PaPa to change the filter and put some chemicals in it....something I've been after him to do for a couple weeks now. I could do it myself but a gal has to make a stand sometimes...grrrrr! Then we did breakfast, I fed the critters, they swept the floor and made their beds. It's amazing what they'll do as bargaining power to go to their favorite Chinese buffet restaurant. They are so stinking much fun - I just can't get enough of 'em.


The plan is to head out Thursday to take them home. We'll spend the night with DD's and S-I-L and drive home on New Year's Day. That way we'll still have Saturday and Sunday to recuperate before starting back to work next week. DH has snagged a temporary job and it starts Monday too. It's a three week gig and the pay is really good. He can make in three months what it takes me 9 months to make. Hopefully, one thing will lead to another and he might get another gig when this one runs out. Might turn out to be a good thing. Work a couple months, take a couple off. Who knows...?

Somehow in the midst of all this wonderful chaos I've managed to keep the critters milked and fed. Not milking Sparkle anymore... Cocoa has taken her place and she's keeping up very well, thank you. And, she's a joy to milk. Teats aren't huge, but she's got great orifices and milks out with barely any pressure at all. So much easier on my old hands.

The guy who told me he wants the two does I have for sale still, after 3 weeks, hasn't picked them up. He'll tell me he's coming, and then he doesn't show. He forgot he had a doc appt.... the weather was too bad.... he'll call me - NOT. HOW RUDE!!! I'm going to contact him tomorrow and tell him he's running out of time.

Haven't seen too many does come back in heat - but haven't been watching that closely either. At this point - it is what it is. I'm not looking to breed any more right now. Don't want any summer babies. I'd like to have a few left to breed for fall babies for easy year round milking.

Whew, I'm tired. These kiddos have much more energy than me. Thankfully, they go to sleep at a decent hour. I'm not far behind 'em.

Happy ... ummm... Monday (I think) ya'll!

 

[Denim Deb]

Sounds like fun, but exhausting!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Semi-exhausted from a week of kiddos and a whole lot of driving. But, my heart is just full of those little darlin's. We took them home yesterday and drove back home today. I miss 'em already!

DH just came in from closing up a chicken area and guess what? It's RAINING again... ugh...ugh...ugh!

I'm going to bed.

Happy New Year ya'll!

 

[Denim Deb]

We haven't had any rain now for a couple of days and things are finally starting to dry out. Only problem being, it's now getting cold!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

We had light rain off and on all day yesterday and even into last night. "They" have promised a break in the clouds today and some of that shiny stuff in the sky people keep assuring me really does exist - somewhere, lol!

Critters finished their first round bale so we put a new one out yesterday. The first one lasted a bit over 5 weeks. I was pleased and surprised! For the last few years I have just stuck one out and let them have at it, but this year I put it under a shelter and put a panel around it so they couldn't walk all over it and bed in it. At the last I was having to shove the remaining hay up closer to the panels so they could reach it - but I don't mind doing that at all.

I guess I've got all the does bred that are going to be bred now. Anybody that didn't catch this time I'll try to breed for fall. With all the stinkin' buck escapes I had this year it might be a guessing game as to which doe is bred to which buck. But, with the breed differences I should be able to figure it out. There's a big difference between the ears of a Nubian and the ears of a pygmy, lol.

Not much else going on in farm news. Still need to reduce the extra roosters. I think that is an ongoing farm chore and definitely NOT one of my favorite things to do. I've got a pen of young birds that I can finally tell the sexes of so I need to think about dispatching some of those young roo's too. I tend to be lazy and use the old roosters as dog food, but these young'uns will be pretty tasty and they are so much easier to process.

Been drooling over seed catalogs! But, sure seems like the prices have gone up...grrrrr. I have tons of saved seeds, but I'm beginning to wonder if some of them are past their prime. I planted radishes twice this fall and had no germination at all. And dang, if you can't grow a radish something is definitely wrong!

DH starts a new job tomorrow. Bad news is that it's a temporary gig - good news is that it pays very well! So, for at least the next three months he's got something to occupy his time.

We're going to have a nice 'end of holiday' dinner today. I've thawed out a rib-eye roast and I'm planning on making some stuffed mushrooms - one of our faves! Haven't really planned side dishes yet, but I'm leaning towards one of the 4 monster squashes that I harvested. Hope they're mature enough. Stay tuned....

Need to get busy - but need another cup of coffee more. Happy Sunday ya'll!

 

[Mini Horses]

I'm like you & "put of" chicken butchering as I am not real fond of it. Once you get going, it's ok but, the thought is not pretty.

I want some blue egg layers. Have two who lay a nice light green but, want a couple blue. That brings me to who and I am looking at Cream Legbars. Now, can get eggs @ $35 doz. Day old chicks at $3-5 (local NPIP breeder). Since they are color sexed I am sure thinking chicks!! Hey, no incubator watch, no roos to deal with.....I can always buy a roo if I want to get fertile eggs. A no-brainer really.

Plus, if any hens go broody, I can buy some fertile eggs.

Gave 7 does & buck their annual CDT this AM. Got 3 wethers to do -- 6 mos & full of themselves! NOT into a chase this am. The late Jan gals are bagging. Kids & Milk soon.

YES -- that shiny stuff does still exsist!!!!!! Was here yesterday & back today! After all the rain, clouds, fog & haze it is sure welcome.

Your dinner sounds great! Enjoy.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Smart to get chicks I think! I have ordered a bunch of hatching eggs over the years. Sometimes it works out great with great hatching percentages - and sometimes it's a bust. When I decided I wanted Red Dorkings I could have payed $30 for a dozen eggs or $5.00 a chick. I chose chicks and it was a good choice.

I'd love to have some blue egg layers too. Are the Cream Legbars really good layers? I might have to investigate that. One of my Ameraucauna's lays an egg that will pass for blue on a good day. At least it's less green than the others, lol.

Woohoo- half a day of shiny stuff yesterday and 'they' promise an entire day of it today! But.... calling for more rain/storms later this week. I give up....sigh.

 

[Britesea]

FEM, you could get a gardening fix by testing the germination rates of some of those seeds- take 10 or so seeds and put them between damp paper towels (or cloth, of course). Keep them damp until they germinate and count how many sprouted. And if you are using untreated seeds, you can even eat the sprouts, lol

 

[Britesea]

FEM, you could get a gardening fix by testing the germination rates of some of those seeds- take 10 or so seeds and put them between damp paper towels (or cloth, of course). Keep them damp until they germinate and count how many sprouted. And if you are using untreated seeds, you can even eat the sprouts, lol