Busy Week

Last week started off with more than usual going on for a Monday.  First, I needed to attend a meeting that started at 8AM.  For some of you that may not seem like such a big deal, but around here, my son isn't even usually out of bed until about 8 or 830.  I don't usually make plans to leave the house before 10.  Knowing it was coming I didn't separate the twins from Cream, so I wouldn't have to milk that morning, that helped!

Next, it was my first day as a drop coordinator for the monthly Azure Standard order.  There's no set time for delivery, just whenever the truck driver calls to say he's almost here.

Did I mention I was watching 3 goats for signs of labor?  Yes, one that I thought would be about 10 days later filled her udder Sunday night.  No other signs though, so thought there might still be another day or two.  Nope.  Got home from picking up co-op order and Goober Gus went out to see animals and informed me we had a new baby goat.  I stopped what I was doing in the kitchen to go check and this one was still wet and being cleaned. 

Azure boxes opened and waiting to be put away.  Dishwasher needing to be emptied.  Counter tops to clear.

We stayed out to see if she'd have more and she did.  Two boys.

Once the after birth was delivered we moved on to a few other tasks, but then Baby Boy 1 started crying and couldn't get up.  Turns out he was having convulsions and died the next day.  Baby Boy 2 was originally named Blackjack, but we changed that a couple of days later.

The night that the buckling died, Gus and I were enjoying pizza and a movie.  Did I mention Tony was on a business trip during this time?  Leave it to the goats!  We heard a squealing sound and turned to see that one of the cats had brought in its recent catch, still alive and struggling to get away.  It was a baby wild rabbit and we thought it hadn't been mortally wounded, so tried to keep it.  Turns out there was a puncture wound near the heart and he died in my hand.  Two deaths in one day was almost too much for me!

Wednesday, I felt like I had sufficiently recovered from the events of the week so far to tackle the kitchen.  Of course I made it into a bigger task, simply because to do it right, I needed to change some things.  Like the shelf that hangs on the wall, collecting odds and ends.  I've been wanting to change it into something visually appealing and functional, so I took everything off, asked Tony to reinforce the hangers, and put labeled quart jars of bulk herbs on the shelves.  The small shelves on the sides need attention-perhaps a pretty wooden box to hold recipe cards and small flower arrangement?

By the time I had accomplished this, it was mid afternoon (I did get the counters cleared and dishes done too) and I was ready for a treat.  I was planning to take Gus to get an ice cream sandwich (organic of course) and something to drink.  Before we could leave I heard a goat moaning.  Again?  Already?  The next one wasn't due until the 23rd and it was just the 18th.  Sure enough, Annie, who is so huge we thought she was having triplets at least, if not quadruplets, was pushing out her first kid.  We grabbed the camera and sat down to watch.  I couldn't get close enough to tell if it was a girl or boy, but within 30 minutes another one was born.  Guess what happened then?  It started drizzling on us!  This is the desert, we don't usually get spring rains.  It was even cool enough that we went in to put long pants and jackets on!  Back out we went, waiting for #3.  Waiting and waiting.  For the afterbirth.  Yep, she only had 2, but they were big kids.  Turns out we had a boy and girl, so we decided to name them Jack and Jill (and that's why Blackjack needed a new name).  They are so closely marked that until the next day, I couldn't tell them apart!  Jack has longer white spots on his hindquarters, and Jill just has a little white dot.  Now she has a collar on so we can tell more easily.

The picture doesn't adequately show how huge she was.  She looked like a barrel on twigs.  The morning she gave birth it took all she had to get up on the milk stand.  No, I wasn't milking, but giving her treats and checking for signs of labor.

Do you see how similarly they are marked?  They were both still damp with birth fluid and in the excitement I didn't see the longer white stripe on Jack.

We need to take more pictures of them-ideally be out when they are playing and get video.  Tony missed the Wednesday births too because he's got a nightly music job 90 minutes away.

We've been working in the yard, garden and searching for duck eggs.  They're hiding them from us.  Did I ever mention a friend gave us her 3 Indian Runner ducks and 7 hens?

I've been working on this post for a few days now.  It's Thursday and these events all took place last week.  Something kept me busy Thursday & Friday, but I can't remember.  Oh yes.  I finished working on house cleaning and then my step daughters came for a visit on Friday.  Saturday morning we hit up the yard sales and continued looking for property to buy.  Saturday night we had tickets to a Styx concert and finally got to relax a bit.  I think I needed it!

Weekly Wrap Up Feb 19th

I just finished reading a story that has disappointed me.  The Dervaes Family was awarded a trademark for the term Urban Homestead (and others).  Click the link to see more about it.  I'm headed to their site now to cancel my subscription.

Goober Gus caught whatever Tony had last week, but I'm happy to report that he fought it off much better.  He slept most of yesterday (oh wow, was that ever nice!) and is chipper and chatty today.  We started on the elderberry lozenges as soon as Tony started feeling bad, and I think that's what helped Gus to fight it off so quickly.  When we ran out of the lozenges, we made our own syrup from Herbal Nurturing. 

It's raining in AZ!  We've had about an inch of rain fall since the wee hours of the morning, which will hopefully give the grass a head start on growing, which means less money spent on hay!  It's been an indoor day except for the short time it stopped raining and we milked the goats.  Cream is ready to be milked, and she's got a great temperament for a milk goat, but she's holding back her milk.  We brought Spice up to the milkstand with her today but she still didn't let down.  I'll just keep trying!

For dessert tonight we made shakes from:

• 3/4 to 1 cup raw milk
• 6 scoops of Blue Bunny All Natural Vanilla ice cream
• 2 bananas
• 3 eggs
• 2 T raw, organic cacao powder
• 1 T ground maca root

Oh my were they ever good!  That will have to be a weekly treat!

Wednesday evening I was preparing to take hay to Elsie & crew and noticed one of the barred rock hens standing peculiarly.  I watched for a moment and out pops an egg!  It was a softshell-like she laid it 12 hours early or something.  I saved it to show at our homeschool play date on Thursday.  It felt like a water balloon.  I haven't seen any others, and hope it was just a fluke.  We crush and feed their shells back to them, so I'm guessing they get enough calcium.  Oyster shells if I find more?

Melody at Laughing Duck Farm had goat babies born on her farm recently too, if you need another dose of goat baby cuteness!  Ours are almost a month old and I need to take more pictures.

For Valentine's Day we went to a community event/round table discussion about the needs of local farmers and local food venues and how to bring it all together.  I'm glad we went and am eagerly awaiting the arrival of notes from the night via email, so that I can share with you what transpired, without having to type it all out!  Basically we shared (the panel and audience) the problems facing growers and then potential solutions.  The problems were many but came down to two basics:  community education and less government regulation.  The solutions sounded good, but I wonder just how well many can be carried out. 

We booked a trip on the Grand Canyon Railway for March 18th.  We bid on tickets last April at a benefit auction and are now taking the trip (because the tickets expire on the 18th!)  Goober Gus will love it!

For those so inclined, last Sunday's church service is available here.  Facing truth in life.  Good stuff!

Weekly Wrap Up Feb 5th

It's been a full week!  Today we stopped at two yard sales and spent $10 at each for a number of treasures.  I got a Sunbeam food processor for $4.  I found a drawer to hold VHS movies so I can organize our collection a little better.  I also got a book called The Green Pharmacy Guide to Healing Foods for $1. 

After that we spent time at the pasture fixing a broken water pipe and cleaning the water trough.  Boots is no longer in rut and doesn't stink, and he wanted to constantly be scratched behind his ears.  I'd stop and walk away and he'd follow me and position himself so that I had to scratch him.  Jasper is getting more used to us-he licked my fingers and tried to pull them into his mouth by curling his tongue around them.  I didn't know cow's tongues were so rough!

Last Sunday we disbudded the baby goats.  It was our first time to do it, and while I knew it really needed to be done, I was concerned they'd never come near me again when it was over.  I was the one to hold each one down while Tony applied the hot iron.  They cried a tiny bit and squirmed a little, but it wasn't nearly as awful as I expected.  Both of them hung out on my lap when it was over and both still love to play with me, so my concern was unfounded.  Poor Sugar looks a little strange though.

They sure learn quickly-Tony put a stump in for them to climb on and they couldn't do it that day, but the next day they were hopping all over it like old timers!  She's on it right now if you look closely.

I got a couple of days off last week.  Tony took Goober to work with him.  I needed some uninterrupted time to complete 2 tax amendments.  Happy to report those  are done!

We were spared the precipitation of the storms that hit most of the country this week, but we did have overnight lows of 4* two nights in a row!  That's about 20 * cooler than normal for here.  Our crazy water pipes-the pipe from the water heater to the kitchen runs thru the attic.  It froze the first night we had those lows.  The next two nights we left the sink dripping to keep the pipes open.  Exciting stuff, huh?

Friday night we took our new pastor and his wife out to dinner.  She was interested to hear about our goats and chickens-she wants to get some.  We had a nice night.  I had jalapeno bacon smoked Gouda stuffed chicken breast.  Can I just say WOW!

Tonight we're making homemade pizza, the dough for the crust is almost ready and I can't wait to put all kinds of fun toppings on it.  After dinner we'll watch The Wizard of Oz.  Goober Gus hasn't seen it yet and I found it at the library.

The view out the kitchen window!

Please tell me your week was more exciting!

Weekly Wrap Up Jan 29th

Goober Gus was sick yesterday.  At first he just complained that his legs hurt.  When the complaint is that generic I generally ignore it.  Then he said his head hurt and he wanted to watch a movie.  Oh, so it's a ploy to get to watch a movie?  I told him that if he didn't feel good he should go back to bed, that's what people that don't feel good do.  He didn't want to, but within 15 minutes he was in bed and asking me to read to him.  His cheeks were flushed, so I'm sure he had a bit of a fever.  I bought some arnica for the pain and he got thru it.  I was quite amazed by how polite he was while not feeling well.  I told him I was proud of him for continuing to remember his manners even when he didn't feel good.

On Wednesday we got to see my sister in law and her 3 month old son, Simon.  He's changed a lot just since we saw him New Year's day.  We spent the day shopping and had lunch together.  Goober wants a baby brother.

The neighbors had family over today and two of the kids came over to play with Gus.  He was in heaven showing them our baby goats and the tree he likes to climb, and....

Tony took pictures of me with Sugar and Spice. 

Mama's making sure they're OK.

Goober joins the fun!

Warm enough to wear shorts!

This is the second time today that Spice was willing to just lay on my lap.  She makes no effort to leave, just sits there taking in all the attention.  I could sit there in the sun with this cutie on my lap for hours!

Weekly Wrap Up Jan 22nd

Disclaimer.  No names have been changed in these actual events, but I do have the "victim's" permission to share the stories with you!

Last Friday night we made fried cod and french fried sweet potatoes for dinner.  There's a billboard in town for the restaurant at the casino and it's a huge plate of beer battered cod with fries and a lemon wedge.  Makes me want to head right over every time I see it!  But I don't.  It'd be fried in vegetable oil, and the tarter sauce would be made with soybean oil.  Two no-no's around here.  So we made our own.  Except I forgot the tartar sauce and malt vinegar.  What was I thinking??  It turned out alright, but the coconut oil wasn't hot enough and the fries were limp.  We had enough to do it again, so we made more on Sunday.

Having discussed it we decided to make sure the oil was hotter, and to use a metal strainer to put the cooked fish in, instead of just on a plate lined with paper towels.  My darling husband attempted to put the sweet potatoes in directly from the bowl and they all fell out at once, causing the oil to boil over and start on fire!  With God's protection, it didn't flame up very high, and we were able to put it out with baking soda.  After reheating the oil we cooked everything to perfection!  The metal strainer kept the batter crispy even as the fish cooled.  While I got to cook it in coconut oil, there was not any way to obtain tarter sauce without soybean oil, so I had to compromise.  All mayo in this town is made with it, and all tartar sauce.  A few days earlier I had made my own mayo, but something just wasn't right, so the chickens got to eat it.

Saturday night was exciting too.  It was late, we had accomplished a lot, and were each relaxing while reading email.  I could see Purrsy watching for something and realized she was playing Cat & Mouse with a live mouse.  I knew between the 3 cats it wouldn't get away alive, but we watched the show.  Tony tried to help them, and that caused the cats to back off.  While he was trying to redirect it to them, it almost ran up his leg and he squealed about like I would have.  I laughed pretty good over that, since he teases me about it when I do it.  Actually I think he thinks it's cute.  They did eventually eat it, but I'm surprised the mouse hadn't died from heart failure!

That was all last weekend.  More happened this week, I'm sure, but all I can think of right now is going to bed.  The juniper trees are blooming and I've been miserable since.  I have pictures of all the work we did last Saturday, so come back later and check for updates!

Weekly Wrap Up Jan 15th

Is January really half over already?  Winter is supposed to be a time of slowing down, doing less and resting, isn't it?  Guess I just need to learn to accept the marching on of time...

I found a web site this week that I didn't include in Friday Favorites because I haven't used it enough to know if it'll really be a favorite.  I like the concept, need to see if it works in reality.  It's called Recipe Nut.  The site states,
I've used it several times to save a recipe, but have yet to search for a new one there or refer back to the ones I've saved.  I like that I can keep all of the recipes I want to use in one place though.

I was glad to hear that our AZ Governer, Jan Brewer, signed emergency legislation to prevent the Westboro Baptist Church picketers from getting too close to the funerals of the victims of last Saturday's shootings in Tucson.  Can someone please explain to me how this (picketing a funeral) honors God?

One of our yearlings is getting close to kidding.  Her earliest due date is Jan 22nd.  She spent a month with our buck, so I've calculated the date based on the first day she was there thru the last.  She's been showing signs of labor (maybe I'm using the wrong terminology) such as her udder enlarging and periods of mucous discharge.  I started training her to the milk stand last week.  She's got a longer walk to get there because she's in a pen with Yodelady who refuses to give up nursing even though she's now 7 months old, so I lure her up with a banana peel or some such treat.  When she gets about 40 ft away she remembers what's up there and runs to the stand.  She came to us at 2 months of age and already had horns-this will be my first time milking a horned goat.  I don't foresee any problems, but am watching out for it.  It does make it a challenge to walk her by holding her collar.

Our son likes to help bring wood into the house for the wood stove.  He's also becoming fascinated with numbers and uses them a lot, albeit incorrectly or vaguely.  He told Tony tonight, with an arm load of wood, that he better hurry and open the door because it was getting heavy, it was about seven eight.  That's how he says things.  He'll ask, "Do you know how much I love you?  About 1080."

My weekend reading will come from Kate at Kitchen Stewardship.  She's done a lot of research on grains and all the controversy surrounding eating them.  I'm really only aware that there is a debate, and not too informed about just what the debate is, or why.  Looking forward to becoming more educated on the topic.

Anyone use Dr Bronner's products?  I was going to buy some castille soap tonight until I read this rhetoric on the label.  Read the print (you'll have to enlarge it) to the right of the "not animal tested" logo (a bunny).  What are they talking about??

So these are the highlights of our week.  Kinda boring huh?  Oh, check out the 2011 goals box at the bottom of the blog.