Cock A Doodle Do.......what?

Okay, so my hubby and I are standing out by the corral speaking with our neighbor when I hear this boisterous crowing which is coming from my banty coop area.  So I say, "hubby, hear that? Two Crow has his full voice". I called him Two Crow because he goes "eerrrerrr.........ewww..." like he's run out of breath. So I'm feeling really good that after all this time his 'true' voice has come through.

Two Crow

Just then all of a sudden my hubby says "oh no! how did he get in there?" So I look over thinking 'he' was meaning my other banty rooster (Ol' Henry) which lives with the big girls had somehow gotten into the little coop area.

Ol' Henry

 But oh no that was'nt to be ........ my baby that was hatched a few months back, in which I thought Two Crow was just beginning to enjoy its company, has come out of the closet so to speak. He is up there proud as can be, crowing away like a big peacock, I mean Rooster. And all this time I thought I had another hen.

FogHorn

You should have seen the look on my neighbors face (priceless).  lol

He looked at us like we was plum foolish to not know the difference between a hen and a rooster.

FogHorn

Well, FogHorn (my daughter named him) was not showing any signs of being a rooster until this very moment. Well, he just could be trying to figure out who he is.

Who knows, maybe some day he'll be just like his daddy and find his one true love.

Ol' Henry and his one true love


Moral of story: Don't count your chick-hens until their older.



It's Snowing Again

It's already dropped a couple of inches,

and is expected to continue for the next week and a half. Ugh! Just when I was beginning to say Spring is really here. My bulbs are popping up, the grass is greening up and my trees are getting a few buds. Now I must watch the weather to prevent my plants from too much damage.

Oh well, I guess I will just keep myself busy trying some of these yummy looking recipes I have discovered in the 'Pioneer Women Cooks' cookbook.

This is such a beautifully put together book. I didn't put it down once I started looking through it and reading the stories about how she met her hubby and sharing her family with us, and I really enjoy her sense of humor and am literally drooling over each and every recipe.

I just can't wait to try some.

I love that she shows you each step with pictures as she adds the different ingredients.

Just look at how well she displays this recipe. (forgive my camera glare) I for one, love pictures in a cookbook. Not just to show me what the results should look like after I've made something, but I enjoy seeing them as I'm putting things together. I guess it helps me remember where I am in the recipe if I happen to step away.

I truly love all the color this book has. I think I will keep it open and on the counter to let it feel like Spring in my kitchen. Just look at some of these lovely pictures it has to offer.

Now does'nt that make you just a little bit warmer looking at all these bright colors? It sure does me.

Love, love, love this cookbook.

Thank you, Ree.

Mmmm Good

At only 12 degrees this morning, I  had an inkling to bake a pie. But I wanted to make it from scratch.

After searching online, I found this recipe from Food.com.  It said it is an 'old Pioneer recipe which stills stands the test of time.'

So of course, I had to give it a try.

Chocolate Pie from Scratch

Begin with 1 cup brown sugar, 3 Tablespoons cocoa

1 Tablespoon cornstarch

3 Tablespoons flour

pinch of salt

Mix all together and then add 2 cups of boiling water.

Cook until thickened over medium heat, stirring constantly.

Next, add 2 egg yolks, beaten (mixing a bit of the hot liquid with the yolks before adding)

Cook this a bit longer.

Remove from heat and add,

1 Tablespoon vanilla

1 Tablespoon butter

Cool, then pour into a baked pie shell.

Set aside.

Meringue

Beat 2 egg whites until fluffy. Add 3 Tablespoons sugar and

1 Tablespoon cornstarch.

Whip it until it peaks.

Pile on top of pie and brown slightly in a 350 degree oven for apprx.  5 - 10 minutes.

This is how it turned out.

Looks yummy, huh?

And this is what I thought about it.

 Mmmmmm good.

Those Pioneer women were right. It's a keeper.

Learning to Prep for an Emergency

Omg, where have I been. Well, I have been reading a lot! Reading many different blogs and websites, trying to learn how to become a little more self sufficient. What I can do to prepare ourselves better in an economic downfall, earthquake, or other unforseen emergency.

Have you watched any of the 'Doomsday Preppers' on TV?  http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/ My fav is 'Food Preservation' with Kellene Bishop. I'm sure many of you have been stockpiling for years, but this is new for me. Although I feel some of the people on the shows have gone crazy overboard, there are some who do have a point in that our Government is not always going to be here to help us out. We all need to prepare for ourselves.

So with all this in mind, we have begun prepping, as they say, by putting together first aid kits, stocking up on food and water supplies, cutting and splitting lots of firewood, and of course ammo and guns to protect what we have.

I pray I never have to use anything but the food for when I can't get the 25 miles into town because the snow has hit us so hard we are unable to get out or, God forbid, a terrible disaster does strike.

With the cost of fuel and food going up at an alarming rate, 30 cents a gallon in the last month, I am feeling better about having a surplus for if and when trucks are unable to deliver to the grocery stores.  As you can see, I hope to stockpile enough for at least a 3 month supply for now, and eventually maybe even a one year supply.

There are many sites out there to help one get started in how to prepare for an emergency. Just browse around until you find one that suits you.

I really enjoy reading these homestead blogs. These people have been doing this stuff  for some time and have some great info to share. http://hardworkhomestead.blogspot.com  and http://oregonnatural.blogspot.com/.

I've also found some interesting sites on how to make some very resourseful things. http://preparednotscared.blogspot.com  Here is a pic of my emergency candle kits that Trish shares how to make.


You glue a plumbers cap to the inside of the lid, place candles and matches in the jar, and reverse the lid to store your candle holder inside. Clever.

I am also making a emergency stovetop from new paint cans using toilet tissue, rubbing alcohol, and a church key. (Trish shows how to make this also.)

It is really quite interesting to discover other ways of surviving when we don't have the means to electricity or fuel.

I am also reading up on how to cook with dehydrated foods. This should be interesting.

I hope I may have inspired some of you to become more prepared for whatever may or may not come our way. Check out some of the sites which, I know, will surely inspire you. What have you got to lose? And if you know of some good ones, please send them my way.

The Serenity Prayer

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time; Enjoying one moment at a time; Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace; Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will; That I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him Forever in the next. Amen. --Reinhold Niebuhr

blessings,
Gail

signs everywhere

While riding my quad I came across this puddle that just had me smiling.

Then it kept going from there.



can you see it?



In a rock.

In a print.

a heart rock?

           Even the moss was showing off.
    Or, am I just imagining that love is in the air?

                  Happy Valentine's Day

Beer Bread Recipe

After searching on line for a quick bread recipe to go with a vegetarian chili that I made for dinner I came across this beer bread one. I thought I'd share it with you.

             Cowboy Jack's Beer Bread

2/3 cup brown sugar
1 - 12 ounce can beer
1/2 tsp baking powder
3 cups flour
1/2 cup butter, melted

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 9x5 loaf pan.

Beat beer and brown sugar together. Add baking powder and gradually stir in flour to a smooth dough. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake for 40 minutes. Remove from oven and pour butter over top. Return to bake 10 more minutes.
Remove and let cool 10 minutes before slicing.

I've made beer bread many years ago, but don't remember them tasting this good. You get a nice crunchy crust with the butter baked on. Very light textured center with great flavor. Really delicious.

  I read that this recipe came from a 200 year old horse ranch in Texas. Would love to get my hands on some of their other recipes.

         I cannot tell you how gorgeous it is here today. So I will show you with a few pics I took with my new Canon PowerShot.

This is the Pelican Marina on the Klamath Lake.

It is usually iced over completely this time of year, but as you can see this is quite a mild Winter for us here in Southern Oregon.

It's amazing what a little sunshine and the great outdoors can do for the soul.

Oh Pooh...............

Not the kind of job I want but someone should do it. I knew the time would come when I had to check my chickens hoo hoo to see if they have stopped laying.  Even though some are nearing four years old, I have read that when they lay a final egg it is usually really, really small.

And, it looks as though someone is telling me it's quits for her. Even my banty eggs are larger than this little thing.

So can you tell which ones gotta go? Hubby thinks I should only keep them as long as they are laying and we can sell some to help pay for their feed.

But he won't be checking their hoo hoos, so I'll make it look good by chasing them down, pretending to check them over and tell him I can't tell one hoo hoo from another and they'll just have to live to old age around here.

Works for me.

Hot Yummy Cinnamon Rolls

             This is how I spent my morning, with my dear friend Pam, who showed me how to make cinnamon rolls. Now these are not my typical kind of rolls. The kind you take from the refrigerator and pop open. These are the good old fashioned yeast cinnamon rolls that you actually have to knead, let rise and all that.

Pam mixes everything up into the mixing bowl and covers it until it has risen to twice the size.

She then places it onto her counter and kneads it several times and then rolls it out to this monster size.   

Once she gets it to the size she wants, she spreads softened butter all over it. Then we sprinkle a cinnamon, sugar mix over the top along with about 2 cups of chopped walnuts.

We then start rolling it up to this nice large roll and then proceed to slice it into bun rolls and put them onto cookie sheets to rise for a bit longer.

Once they have risen, and are out of the oven, Pam puts this nice light icing over the tops and after they have cooled we individually wrapped them for the freezer.

Look at how nice they turned out. Makes your mouth water just thinking about how they almost melt in your mouth fresh from the oven.

              Truly, cinnalicious!!!! ( my word for them)

Now if I can just talk her out of the recipe.........

As we are getting nearer to..............

       Valentine's Day, it is just around the corner, and I want to try to make a few cards of my own. 

       I'm not very talented in this area but hope to learn by looking at some of the many cards I have seen on line.  Here are just a few that have inspired me.

  As you can see there are lots of ideas out there. 
          And I can't wait to get started.
      I know I have a lot of ribbons, stamps, doilies and oodles of things to play around with. This should be fun.
             Would you like to join me?

Snow Days are Here

Well old man Winter has finally arrived. We have had snow falling for almost three days now. Thought I'd share with you what goes on around this homestead in Winter.

Our girls love to go outside and play.

I think Pearl must clear the path for Jade since she barely gets the snow sticking on her. This goes on non stop throughout the day.

 Outside, get covered in snow and have a ball, inside, come lay by the fire and get all toasty until they're ready to do it again.

                           Ahh, to have such a life. 

 But poor Onyx is having to be caged for two whole weeks. Can you tell she is not happy missing out on all the fun? She has been diagnosed with a congenital myopathy. She has low back spinal misalignment and an extra rib. She is only three years old,  but already suffers with arthritis and severe pain.

This all came on her very suddenly. We take her in to therapy laser treatments every other day right now. Along with that she is taking several pain meds to help with controlling her pain.

This is very hard on her as well as us. I hurt along with her when she is suffering.

First thing I did when I found out she was born with this, was to get on the internet to make sure the people we purchased her from, are no longer breeding. Thank goodness they are not.

This is Taz. He is 14 years old. Still loves to play, but is becoming slower in movement. He has lost a lot of muscle, but still sleeps beside me every night.

With snow outside, he is quite content sleeping next to the wood stove.

Now me on the other hand. This is what I do when the Winter is apon us.

I'm either plowing the roadway or hauling wood with 'Ol Hank'. And I must say I am out of practice again on the road. No doubt, it won't take long to get back in the swing of it.

But if I don't want to be out in the cold, I have been keeping myself busy learning how to make a few crochet things. I purchased this book online and love it!

Especially the one skein projects. It is giving me opportunity to use up a lot of leftover yarn.

This is my version of the braided scarf that is on the cover of the magazine.  I must admit I like the pink one better, but again, using what yarn I have laying around.

Another of my quick hats. Love this one.

This pink one was quite the challenge. Used stictches I have never done before. This one took quite a while to finish. Thought I'd use an antique button to finish it off. Love the pink though.

So this is what is keeping me going through our snowy days.

But one more thing I like to do in Winter, bake chocolate chip cookies. That's where I am headed next.

Come on over and I'll serve some up with a nice hot cup of tea.

Thanks for stopping in.

Easy Crochet caps

I found a pattern that is actually easy enough for me, as I am learning, to make some crochet caps. It is from Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick Pipe Wheat Hat, pattern #L0491E.  I can put one together in about an hour. Here are some of my first caps. The little baby one still needs a pompom. But isn't it cute? I just did'nt want to waste the last of the yarn. But will buy more to finish a pompom and make another little cap.

Here is what they look like on my head. The green was my first and it is not made with the thick and chunky weight of yarn the pattern calls for. It is too big for me.

The grey is with the proper yarn but I made it 3 inches shorter, and I love how it turned out. With luck I can get several made for donating at the cancer center. I will just need to find a thick and chunky yarn that has no wool in it.

I'm just tickled I finally found a pattern I could figure out. I tried this type of hat a couple years ago, but had no success so I made the chemo caps from cotton, sewed on the machine. The type that the doctors wear. They are a little more time consuming, but nice caps as well.

Now that I can do these, and especially for winter caps,  I can put them together much faster. I am working on an off-white one though, that I hope to give to my granddaughter along with one of those large shawls you wear over your neck. My next project to try.

What are you working on? Know of any more simple beginner patterns, please let me know. I'm all for easy. I'm just riding out the cold days and waiting for the snow to hit.

The things I get myself into....

Some times I wonder why I take on a project at all. I guess I had always been curious about how to knit. Just never thought about doing it until I saw that it is one of many badges I could earn through MaryJanes farm sisterhood. I have been earning badges over the past three years since joining and knew I had to give this knitting one a try.

And try, I did. If you could have seen my face while attempting to make this scarf, it would have scared the dickens out of you. I swear, I was straining and scrunching up so much. I guess I figured it would some how help me get through this troublesome task. I just had to at least say 'I did it'. So a beginner badge is, I'm pretty sure, all that I will be accomplishing in this category. I started out with 19 hoops on a knitting needle, and at times there were 20, then back to 19. Boy, what a challenge this was.

On a better note, I needed to start practicing making homemade Valentine's cards. Our local chapter is going to be making them at our next meeting and then we will draw names to exchange amoung ourselves. I thought I'd better get a head start on this too, since again, I am not real coordinated in paper stuff. Here is my first attempt at a card.

With a bit more practice, I should have something fairly decent to give.

I did learn that hot glue does'nt work real well in a room that is only 50 degrees. So I guess if I am to make any more I will need to come inside and out of my craft room which isn't heated on a regular basis.

In the meantime, I will keep looking in on some of my favorite blogs in hopes of finding ideas on how to make the perfect Valentine's card. With the many talented women out there, I am sure I will find one who can show me the way.

I just helped cut down a couple of juniper trees that were overshadowing my flower and herb garden. It will be so much sunnier for my plants this year. It is a messy, hard job to do but one that had to get done. After hauling several trailers full of branches to our burning pile, I went to pick up my mail and found the sweetest package of goodies from my Tea Party swap partner on MJ farm. Just look at all the nice things Darlene from California sent me.

I love doing swaps on some of the forums. I have a Secret Sister I will be sending out things to all year and receiving from one as well.

I just finished another book by Jane Kirkpatrick, "A Sweetness To The Soul". I just love how she writes about pioneer families who came out to Oregon and settled here. It brings you into the moment and I can actually picture some of the locations she speaks of in her books.

I have also been taking up knitting, at least trying to. I am just playing around with a ball of yarn so I can put together my beginner badge in knitting on MJ forum. I don't think I will be doing much beyond that as it is much slower going than crochet. Here is a little of what I have accomplished in the last few days.

I even bought those round knitting helpers and that is how I did the hat. I think I may try that again and make one of those large cowls that go over your neck.

In the mean time, I will keep at my crochet blanket I am working on too. I like to switch back and forth on my projects.

I am also getting together some goodies to make Valentine day cards soon. That should be interesting and fun.

Just keeping myself occupied on these cold days. We are expecting snow, finally, come next week. I only hope it does'nt stay until June. We could really use a nice Summer for gardening.