Endings & Beginnings

March is over today. It was a quick month for me and slipped by while I was busy with other things. Spring is well under way here and signs of new life can be seen in every direction one chooses to look. I have only begun to enjoy my Spring favorites and with 12 more weeks to go, I am pretty sure I can find time for the rest. What has been your favorite thus far?

Mine came in a honey-almond package recently. No it was not candy for Easter! Though she is quite sweet,very loving and has milk-breath. We traveled to south Georgia to check out a lead on some Nubian goats for sale. We have been wanting some for over a year. Desiring to have fresh milk to drink and some for making cheeses and home-made soap. Seeing them at the Perry Fair last Fall made us want some even more. We knew that once we were able to acquire our farm they would surely be a part of it. Stepping out to get them now was a step in faith that one way or the other we would have a place for them in our lives.

Sugar ~ born Feb.9, 2009

We came home with a 2 yr. old Nubian doe and her 7 week old daughter. Amber was unsure of the trip to her new home and cried out every time the truck had to stop. Her daughter rode in a box behind the front seat and slept most of the way. We named her "Sugar" and she quickly stole our hearts. New to goat ownership will probably throw us many a challenge to face. I for one have never milked before. With only a quick lesson before leaving their previous owners, I am sure it will be a big learning curve for us.

New temporary home for Amber & Sugar

Amber ~ born March 19, 2007

Amber is in need of some extra conditioning as her weight is low and she is not giving out much milk at present. I feel sure with some extra nutrition, quality feed and TLC that we can bring her up to prime status. First step is to get the right feed and show her that I am her friend. Milking a nervous goat is can be hard for a seasoned milker, but for a newbie it is quite terrifying at times. All the milk we are getting at present goes into the bottle feedings for Sugar. Her owners chose to removed her from Amber at birth. Opting to bottle feed her with goat's milk from their herd instead. Sugar is down to 2 feedings a day now and will begin to eat solid foods and hay. In a few more weeks we will begin to decrease her milk feedings and introduce her to more foods in order to develop her "rumen" (first stomach). To become a good quality milker she needs to have a large one capable of lots of roughage, like hay and browse. Like deer they love to eat young trees, new leaves, vines and plants. Though is was alarming to learn that the azalea, rhododendron and mountain laurel dotted across our landscape is poisonous to them. We will have to be very careful when we have them out in the yard and woods for their munching pleasure each day.

It was a joy to see that Amber's birthday is 2 days after mine. It should be easy to remember and we can celebrate together each year. I guess I received a milk source after all for my birthday. Lon's card had said that she would be brown and give milk. I think Amber fits the description, except for the mooing part. It's more of a NAAAAAAA. :-D

Looking forward to spending time with the new girls in the family

Deborah

Homefront News

Life has been quite crazy around here lately. Without boring you with the details I will simply say that we are STILL waiting on the "people in charge" to let us know whether we can get the property in Alabama or not. Waiting seems to be the choice activity for us right now. One delay after another delay, after one more delay, maybe yes now, no, wait some more, yadda yadda yadda. It is enough to drive one around in circles for quite a long while. It has already been over 5 weeks so far. I have wanted to post our happenings, but things have not worked out for me to do so. At least not in a timely manner. Will have to beg your forgiveness on being behind, but you know sometimes LIFE just happens in a manner we have no control over. Not that we ever truly did.

I can report that we have a growing stack of boxes to be used in packing. If and when we get the go-ahead and know without a doubt that we will be unpacking them in a new location and not right here where we started.

Our girls and guys are growing some nice looking feathers, putting on a little weight and literally dancing their way out of the hen house each morning. So glad that the rising temperatures are causing tender green growth to emerge for nibbling and pushing the hibernating insect population from it's slumber. The 4 youngsters have been spending their days out in the chicken play yard and exercising muscles not used in their enclosed bedtime environment.

It is hard to say, as each day they take on a new look but we may have more than one rooster in the bunch. One definitely, but another is taking on the appearance of some "rooster" like feathers. Hopefully it is just an illusion and we will have just one roo in the bunch of 3 pullets. With Rusty at the top of the Rooster rung, Chester (black sex-link rooster)nest and the young juvenile out of the Big Mama's first hatch (by Fred) we will have plenty of male representation in the flock. Chester is turning out to be a very pretty bird. Don't tell him I called him pretty as he might get offended at the remark. His coloration is rich and eye-catching, even if he does look kinda scrawny right now. He shows a potential regal flair in his future. Possibly turning the eyes of more than one of Rusty's girls.

Egg production has been down as of lately, which is confusing to us as they did so well during the winter. So to be able to add to the layers is important. There are a couple of other breeds we would like to try out as well. Maybe after we can get settled on the farm we can get some additional girls to help boost production later on this Summer/Fall.

Jason has started a few plants in little hanging bags called "topsey-turveys". He tried a couple last year and enjoyed watching the plants grow up side down. This year he has added some pepper plants along with the tomatoes he plans to grow. We were also able to plant the corn he bought in the enriched earth that was recently turned over on top of the chicken compost that had been added all winter. His broccoli plants were looking quite good,all tucked into their bed. That is until the chickens knocked over the gate to the garden and made a snack of them. Another project for the to-do list and another trip to the home store to buy some more.

It is hard trying to decide just how much planting we want to do here. That is if we will be harvesting someplace else. Though if the delays keep coming we may not be able to put in a garden at the new place and miss out all together. So in an effort to get something started I planted 2 rows of golden Yukon potatoes as my contribution to the garden. Hopefully we will get to see the fruit of our labor and enjoy some home-grown taters this fall.

Go put your hands in the dirt and feel the therapy it gives your soul. You will be richer for it, even if you come away with dirty fingernails.

Deborah

Spring Has Sprung

Big mama is sitting again. The warmer temperatures has sprung a maternal desire in her again. This time we were able to place some home-grown eggs under her. We gathered 8 from our girls and in 21 days we should have some new faces around here.

We are trying out a theory around here with this clutch of eggs. I have been told by 2 different people that you can "predict" the sex of the chick by the shape of it's egg shell. That the long skinny ones will be roosters and the fat round shaped ones will be hens. So we gathered all round ones in an effort to boost the hen population in our coop. As an experiment we are trying to prove or disprove the "theory". Could be just an old wives tale, either way we won't know till they hatch and even then it will take a few more weeks to see their feathers and combs develop. The true test will be when they either lay an egg or crow, which will take months. If it works out you can bet your bottom dollar I will try it again just to see it the information is reliable enough to repeat.

Little shoots of green can be seen on the tips of most trees now. Waiting to unfurl into the Spring green that colors our world each year. The Irises have pushed up their blades of leaves with a few yellow heads floating over them. The majority will not bloom till the weather really warms up consistently for a few days. The day lilies have formed little green mounds, waiting to skirt the blossoms to come later in the summer. The big Camellia bush out by the front porch has been blooming for several weeks now with no sign of stopping. Not that I am complaining. I only wish that they would last for awhile as cut flowers instead of dropping their blooms when harvested for indoor beauty.

I know some more cool weather has to be around the corner as the dogwoods have not bloomed yet, nor the blackberries. We have always had a cool spell around Easter. Which is about 4 weeks from now. The azaleas are showing the slightest hint of color which also bloom around that same time of the year. So I can't put my sweaters up yet, but I can pull out some pastel colors to add to my wardrobe and give my spirits a lift in that direction. Can't wait for short sleeve days and warm gentle breezed devoid of pollen.

Choose some of your favorite Springs things and enjoy them this week.

Deborah

Last Day of Winter

Hurrah !!! Today is the last day of winter, but don't tell Spring. As it arrived early yesterday afternoon on a warm breeze and clearing skies. It even splashed across the skies today with bright sunshine and temperatures typical of an early summer. A high of 75* is wonderful for outdoor activities and errands. I know, I know Spring also brings showers with it too. We can use them and will with all probability wish for them come the dog-days of Summer. For now it is too pretty to be cooped up in doors and miss out on such a day. So skipping through my errands today was a breeze :) A quick stop at the library, discount store and 1 grocery store was all I had to do. It felt great to roll down the windows and open up the sun-roof for fresh air to chase out the winter crummies from the car. It also didn't hurt to stop by the Dairy Queen for a chocolate dipped cone either between stops. (But don't tell anyone I did). Smiling was an automatic activity seen on the faces of everyone I saw enjoying the day.

I had hope to find some young vegetable plants to jump start our garden. Giving me an excuse to be digging in the dirt. Selection was limited at the discount store and the rise in their prices were a shock. Returning to the rack of seeds for the second look answered my need to start planting just fine. I did buy 2 kinds of basil, a package each of Italian parsley and bunching onions. And to fill the need for some color I brought home a package of Lavender too. I think I will pull those seed catalogues back out and put together an order tonight.

We cooked out on the grill again this week as we celebrated my birthday on the 17th. My sweet hubby did all the buying, cooking and cleaning up for the festivities. Thank you, dear one. A leisurely evening was mine to enjoy, along with a slice of chocolate cake that my youngest son brought in the door. Before the evening was over I found a sweet card and a fuzzy little cow sitting near my chair from my hubbie. With a promise inside of the card for a real one that is brown, moos and gives milk real soon. The stuffed one was a reminder of my present for this year. I may have started a trend with getting live animals for my birthdays. Chickens last year and a cow this year. Wow, do I have wait a whole year for the next installment of livestock? I hope not.

A setback in our plans to close on the farmhouse next week caused a frustration to circle through our house until it was kicked out this morning. Another delay has come and looks like it will set us back to waiting for another week. It is hard to understand how other people do things and the reasons they have behind them, that causes difficulties for those who have no say in the process.

But gathering together on the porch this morning with the Lord brought peace and perspective back to our little corner of the world. He is ultimately in charge of everything and has allowed each delay or difficulty into our lives for a reason. That is either for our good and/or the good of someone else. I can find peace in the midst of waiting, knowing that He has something better in store for us. A phone call later in the day gave hope that we may be able to call our farmhouse ours by the end of the month.

Next week could keep me quite busy while in the waiting mode, as I have been called to serve Jury duty starting on Monday. My name has only been called up to serve one other time in all of my 53 years. I have this nagging suspicion that I won't get off as easily as the last time and may find myself assigned to a case. What's the odds - you think? I have some meals lined up for each day that should be easily cooked in my absence if needed. Both my husband and oldest son are good cooks and able to pull off meals if I should find myself with long days of court proceedings. If not than I have a week of easy meals to fix that will leave me with more time to pack boxes. I have been going through the assigned rooms of the house, decluttering, throwing out, packing up and laying items aside for a yard sale. Last week was the kitchen but I still have two cabinets to do, along with my desk area in that room. Will rotate back to this area at the end of my schedule. This week our bedroom and both baths were my target areas. I am happy to announce that they are totally completed. Next week if not in court I plan to tackle the guest room, laundry room and pantry.

Warmer weather is on the way,

Deborah