Category: Around the Homestead

I have decided if Randy and I are going to keep up with our evening chores we are going to have to make some changes to our evening meals.  Cooking from scratch is healthy and yummy and all of that good stuff, but it is also time consuming.  With both of us working full-time it’s going to take some doing to eat healthy and get everything done that needs to be done.

 

So, I am working up a menu plan, fairly general, to make our evenings more open to taking care of our animals (especially with baby chicks on the way).

 

Monday:  Crockpot

Tuesday:  Soup and Sandwiches (usually egg or grilled cheese)

Wednesday:  Crockpot new or leftovers (add tortillas, cornbread, etc.)

Thursday:  Grill (from the freezer) 

Friday:  This will be our big meal of the week because I am off on Fridays.  I also hope to do some cooking for the freezer so we have casseroles in the freezer to get us through the following week.

 

We will probably have to implement some rice and beans back into our menu to allow for some bulk cooking.

 

Our menu this week isn’t on track with this new menu plan, but here is what I have planned for the week.

 

Monday:  Egg (homegrown) sandwiches on homemade bread

Tuesday:  Link Sausage cooked over sweet potatoes and turnips in our cast iron skillet.

Wednesday:  Stir-Fry (bell peppers, onions, tomatoes, turnips, and sweet potatoes over brown rice).  The rice is soaking as we speak.

Thursday:  Pork chops on the grill and veggies of some sort.

Friday:  Roasted Chicken, Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Turnips, and a salad.

 

Cook ahead:

Bierocks

Black Bean Chicken Chili

Chicken Tetrazinni

 

Hopefully I will get some tortillas made, but we’ll see how the day goes.  I also have a lot of housekeeping to do.  One day a week just doesn’t cut it when you are trying to cook for 4 days and clean for 7 days worth.

 

Hope everyone has a great week.

We now have a fenced in pool at our house.  Randy, my brother, Dad, and a friend of our’s, Josh all joined forces to build a fence around our pool.  It was a somewhat costly project, but we were grateful for the free labor and getting it accomplished in a weekend.

My dad, brother, and Randy finishing up the fence.

I have been doing a little competition with myself.  I am trying to not buy groceries for the rest of the years (4 mos.).  I have a few stipulations such as:

I can buy meat from our neighbor (a butcher) if any comes available (deer season).

I can also buy pumpkins from the farmer’s market.

Lastly, I can buy fruit (oranges, apples, and grapefruit) from the FFA (Future Farmers of America) kids when they sell it in Nov/Dec.

Well, I cheated.  I went to the farmer’s market yesterday and bought:

lettuce

green onions

bell peppers

okra

and bison liver

I couldn’t help myself.  I have been wanting salad and okrafor so long.  My lettuce died, my okra is producing about 2 a week, and I have no self control.  Hey, it’s not like I ran to Walmart and bought a family-sized bag of Snickers or something.

Dinner last night was:

Chili with local beef and venison

a fresh, local salad (some of which was home grown)

and okra cooked in bacon grease

It was delicious!

I would call it a complete failure, but I am going to try to do better in the future and fight off those craving for fresh veggies, haha!

On my way to work this morning I saw a small deer in the ditch alongside the road.  As I drove by I saw it jump up to run like it had been sleeping.  I drove a little bit further wondering if it was okay and couldn’t talk myself out of turning around to make sure it was okay.  I didn’t see the deer the first time by and thought, “good, it was okay” and turned around to head back to work.  As I was driving back by I saw it move in the ditch.  I pulled over, shined my lights sort of in the direction of the deer, and got out of the car to see what was wrong with her.  I got a foot away from her before she tried to stand and turn toward me.  She fell instantly due to what looked like a broken back or rear legs.  I cried all the way to the car to call my husband to get the phone number to call someone (Sheriff, Wildlife and Parks, etc.) to come put the dear down.  It is bow season here, but from the looks of it she wasn’t injured by a careless hunter, but a careless driver.  I think someone hit her on the highway and kept right on going.  She wasn’t a full grown deer, merely a baby, and probably didn’t do a whole lot of damage to the vehicle to warrant double checking to see if the deer was okay.  People make me sick.  Maybe I’m wrong and the driver was not at fault for leaving an injured animal behind to suffer and die in the ditch.  I hope I am.  I hope people are not in such a hurry they can’t show any decency or kindness to an injured animal.  I cried for the next 5-6 miles, wondering if the person on the other end of the telephone line would really do their part and call someone to take care of the deer.  This is the second time in the four years I’ve made my morning commute I have had to call in for an injured deer along the side of the highway that someone else had left behind. 

Life needs to slow down.  Life needs to have meaning and purpose and compassion.  I’ve always wanted to do something more with my life.  I want to be a missionary, to help abused or abandoned animals, to change someone’s life by simple human kindness.  This morning was just another reminder of how I want more out of life than the motions I’ve been going through.  I don’t want to look back and wonder why I was even put on earth.  I want to look back and know that I changed someone or something, that I made it better for them.  I may never get to be a missionary in Africa, I may never get to save primates or their jungles, and I may never be able to save every abandoned dog or cat or child, but each day I can try to brighten someone else’s day by a simple smile, warm conversation with someone who’s lonely, or donate to even one organization I believe in. 

I went to lunch with my grandma Tuesday at a little deli down the street from where I work.  The minute we sat down a mentally handicapped man next to us began talking to us.  At first I was kind of annoyed.  Here we were trying to chat and have a nice lunch and this man kept asking us questions and telling us small stories.  After a couple of minutes of being annoyed, I realized this may be his only conversation all day, all week, or even all month.  I get to talk to people all the time (like it or not).  Here this man, Hamilton, is starving for conversation, for someone to listen to him and respond to what he says.  I realized it wouldn’t kill me.  Not only would it not kill me, it would change me and it might possibly change him.

Have a wonderful day and take the time to show kindness to someone or something today.   

 

On my way to work this morning I saw a small deer in the ditch alongside the road.  As I drove by I saw it jump up to run like it had been sleeping.  I drove a little bit further wondering if it was okay and couldn’t talk myself out of turning around to make sure it was okay.  I didn’t see the deer the first time by and thought, “good, it was okay” and turned around to head back to work.  As I was driving back by I saw it move in the ditch.  I pulled over, shined my lights sort of in the direction of the deer, and got out of the car to see what was wrong with her.  I got a foot away from her before she tried to stand and turn toward me.  She fell instantly due to what looked like a broken back or rear legs.  I cried all the way to the car to call my husband to get the phone number to call someone (Sheriff, Wildlife and Parks, etc.) to come put the dear down.  It is bow season here, but from the looks of it she wasn’t injured by a careless hunter, but a careless driver.  I think someone hit her on the highway and kept right on going.  She wasn’t a full grown deer, merely a baby, and probably didn’t do a whole lot of damage to the vehicle to warrant double checking to see if the deer was okay.  People make me sick.  Maybe I’m wrong and the driver was not at fault for leaving an injured animal behind to suffer and die in the ditch.  I hope I am.  I hope people are not in such a hurry they can’t show any decency or kindness to an injured animal.  I cried for the next 5-6 miles, wondering if the person on the other end of the telephone line would really do their part and call someone to take care of the deer.  This is the second time in the four years I’ve made my morning commute I have had to call in for an injured deer along the side of the highway that someone else had left behind. 

Life needs to slow down.  Life needs to have meaning and purpose and compassion.  I’ve always wanted to do something more with my life.  I want to be a missionary, to help abused or abandoned animals, to change someone’s life by simple human kindness.  This morning was just another reminder of how I want more out of life than the motions I’ve been going through.  I don’t want to look back and wonder why I was even put on earth.  I want to look back and know that I changed someone or something, that I made it better for them.  I may never get to be a missionary in Africa, I may never get to save primates or their jungles, and I may never be able to save every abandoned dog or cat or child, but each day I can try to brighten someone else’s day by a simple smile, warm conversation with someone who’s lonely, or donate to even one organization I believe in. 

I went to lunch with my grandma Tuesday at a little deli down the street from where I work.  The minute we sat down a mentally handicapped man next to us began talking to us.  At first I was kind of annoyed.  Here we were trying to chat and have a nice lunch and this man kept asking us questions and telling us small stories.  After a couple of minutes of being annoyed, I realized this may be his only conversation all day, all week, or even all month.  I get to talk to people all the time (like it or not).  Here this man, Hamilton, is starving for conversation, for someone to listen to him and respond to what he says.  I realized it wouldn’t kill me.  Not only would it not kill me, it would change me and it might possibly change him.

Have a wonderful day and take the time to show kindness to someone or something today.

Nothing very exciting for a Wednesday, but the usual chores.  Dinner included:

Venison steaks on the grill

Baked tomatoes

Cucumber salad

Garlic Bread

Randy is working on my mom’s car and should have it done today.  I worked on finishing up the electric fence around our backyard.  Our dog Thai (below) has a problem with biting the sheep.  We have goat fencing up which only has 4 inch stays, but he was still getting through.  So, we attached two inch chicken wire to the goat fencing, and he still continued to get his nose through to bite the sheep.  So, as a futile attempt we ordered an underground fence for run along the bottom of the fence.  It has seemed to work, but there is an area we would like him to be able to get to, so we are twisting the wire to cancel out the beep/vibrate of that area.

He’s a cute little guy, but he has to stop biting the sheep.  I know, I know, he’s a hearding dog, but he has really hurt some of them. 

I was on chore duty which includes feeding the rams corn, collecting eggs, watering everyone, and closing everyone up for the night.  Last night it also included dragging the protein tub out of the ewes pen.  We put it in every couple of days, but have to take it out every once in awhile or they will eat the whole thing in one setting.  Little pigs!

I also played ball with the “cow” dogs.  Ash and Thai love to play ball and live for our time in the backyard playing fetch.  Koal on the other hand likes to be chased around the backyard which isn’t the handiest game for me, but I do it because I love the little guy.

I got my stuff around for the following day and headed to bed to curl up and read for a little bit.  I am currently reading Without a doubt:  Answering the 20 Toughest Faith Questions.  I haven’t really been all that impressed with the book.  I want facts and this book just isn’t meeting my expectations.  I have also started reading Real Food.  So far so good.  It kind of reminds me of Animal, Vegetable, Miracle which is a great book my aunt gave to me.  The other two are from the library as I am a library junkie!

Today is my  last day of work for the week, and I couldn’t be happier. 

Here’s a quick recap of our menu for the week:

Monday:  Tacos (homemade ww tortillas, spanish rice, sour cream, salsa, and local beef)

The rice was soaked (NT) and cooked up ahead of time.  I used home-canned rotel to make up my salsa and milk from a local dairy for the sour cream.

Tuesday:  We were supposed to go to a meeting for an animal rescue group we are involved with, but I wasn’t feeling well.  So, we had Chicken Noodle Soup and Egg Sandwiches.

The chicken broth was our of our freezer.  I had boiled off a rooster we had butchered (ourselves) and not to gross you out, but 3 pair of chicken feet.  The chicken feet are loaded with gelatin and made a wonderful broth.  Carrots from the garden, ww noodles, and sea salt.  The eggs were from our chickens and served on homemade ww bread.

Wednesday:  above

Thursday (tonight):  We were supposed to have scrambled eggs, but our neighbors would like to buy 5-6 dozen eggs, so we may have a change of plans to conserve eggs.

Maybe sandwiches of some sort and Chicken and Rice Soup.

Hope everyone has a great weekend.  I hope to get some cleaning done around the house.  I’m also going to try to devise a plan to take down some wallpaper and paneling in our spare bedroom so we can paint it.  This includes removing trim, so I’m not looking forward to the task.

 

I had a great 30th birthday over the weekend.  It was a cool, cloudy day with a little misting off and on.  However, it was my day to do whatever I wanted.  We slept in until 8:00 which is big stuff for us.  Then, Randy made me breakfast:

Homegrown Eggs on Homemade Bread

We decided to go visit my Grandma and then headed to mom and dad’s for a visit.  Mom was gone for the weekend to a wedding, so we chatted with Dad and played with the dogs (my brother’s two dogs were there since he was at the wedding also).

We skimped on lunch and just cooked some hotdogs over the fire.

Here is where our little dog, Koal, stayed while the fire was blazing.  Their dog house is elevated, so he is underneath it as far away from the fire as possible.  Poor little guy!

Of course ball was involved for the cow dogs!

Dinner included:

Pork Chops (on our propane grill)

Apples on the campfire

Potatoes on the campfire

It was wonderful!

After a few rounds of ball.  Who looks like the better conditioned dog?  If Ash’s defence Thai was living on the streets and had to be in shape.  All Ash has to do was make it to her food bowl twice a day.

I also spent some time picking apples, tomatoes, canning, and dehydrating over the weekend.

And while I was busy canning the dogs were busy also.

Ash

Koal

Thai

It was a hectic evening at our house.  I was running late after stopping to pick up fall flowers for Mom’s store.  Randy had to hop in the tractor and finish mowing a portion of our pasture, and I headed in the house to make tortillas for dinner.  I had pulled some taco soup out of our deep freeze to warm up when we needed a quick meal.  Added some tomatoes from the garden, some shredded cheddar cheese, and we had dinner.  My sour cream had taken a turn for the worse, so I started a pan of milk on the stove to make a new batch so we would have some for next time.

I also finished up a load of laundry, moved my kefir to the refrigerator, did the evening chores (3 eggs were collected by the way, the girls are really getting with it), and made up lunches for the next day.  It was a busy, hectic evening, and with the sun setting earlier and earlier we are feeling the crunch to get everything done in the evenings.

We noticed one of our dogs, Thai, has a rash (maybe from cleaning the carpets) and both our cats are due for their yearly appointments.  The vet’s September mortgage payment may be on us this month!  But aren’t they worth it.

Thai play ball in our backyard.

Have a great day!

Okay, I finally got a few pictures uploaded to my computer so I can share them.

Just a taste of prairie life.

Ash on kitchen floor.

Our cat, Spooky.  Check out the eyes!

Where my husband was all weekend.

Hope everyone had a wonderful Labor Day weekend!

This was our day to take it easy, kind of.  We took a minute for a cup of hot tea on our front porch.  We were both feeling a little sluggish with cold-like symptoms. 

I went and got my little garden cart and dug up the cactus in my front flower bed.  I want something prettier up there.  Plus, the cats and sometimes the dogs are in that area and don’t know enough to stay out of them.  I spent a lot of time weeding flower beds and preparing for fall, mums, pansies, asters, and pumpkins.  I love fall!

Lunch:

Pulled Pork Sandwiches w/ Sweet Green Tomatoes

Leftover Potatoes (homegrown)

Leftover Zucchini and Yellow Squash (Farmer’s Market)

While Randy brewed beer in the afternoon I made apple crisp from some of the apples I had picked on Friday.  While the oven was going I baked another loaf of bread and a pan of corn bread for dinner.  The house was so hot by the time we were done in there.  We decided to fo for a swim for possibly the last time this summer.  It’s going to cool off so the pool will probably get closed up this week.

Dad brought the tractor down at 4:00pm, so Randy headed out to mow half our pasture while I did the evening chores.  I picked another 8-9 gallons of tomatoes, changed the pool water for the dogs, watered the sheep, and collected eggs.  The chickens are so much happier now that all the roosters are gone.  Hopefully their egg production gets going before it turns off cold and they quit laying.

Dinner:

Yummy Pinto Beans

Corn Bread

Burgers (For Randy only, he couldn’t bare the thought of a meatless meal, even though the beans had real bacon in them.)

We settled down for the evening and Randy watched some football while I read a book, Spirit of the Harvest .