I'm outta here! :0)

I really don't think that I will be writing here anymore.  I just don't have much interest in blogging anymore.  It's not that interesting to me anymore and from my traffic source on the blog it has been obvious for some time that I have someone reading who really...well, I don't know why you want to bother.  When I said I was done, I meant it. 

Sometimes we go through situations where we realize we are a better person when a certain person is not in our life than we are with them in our life.  That's how I feel.  A clean break was for the best and honestly it was like ten pounds were lifted off of each of my shoulders.  There's no need for you to come here and care to see what I'm doing in my life.  I certainly don't seek you out to do that. 

So, to my sweet subscribers, thanks and it's been fun.  I wish you well.  This is good-bye!  :0)

Playing nursemaid to sick chicks

I had been contemplating adding a few more chickens to my flock.  Not many, just perhaps a couple of new ones.  I had not yet decided 100% if this was something I wanted to do or not.  I was still in the thinking stages of it.  But then, on Tuesday evening I got a knock at the door.  A young woman who I don't really know personally - I just know she lives near me - was standing there.  She said she knew that I raise chickens and she had three baby chicks that she wanted to get rid of.  Long story (very long) short, she had gotten chicks "for Easter" without knowing how to care for them and they were very, very sick.  There was a fourth one but it had died.  She wanted me to take the remaining ones so she wouldn't have to worry with them anymore.  

I can assure you I have a very long and detailed soapbox attached to people who are like this with animals, but I shall spare you.

I asked to see the chicks as they were at her house.  She said that was fine so we headed over to her home.  While on the way there I learned she had had them for five days and had only fed them worms.  When I got there I found three chicks, maybe 8 days old, in a plastic tub walking around in and covered with their own filth, with no bedding (can we say spraddle leg?), no food, no water (they were literally drinking the pee and poop in the tub), and no heat lamp or heat source whatsoever.  

I wanted to increase my flock just a little bit.  But not like this.  And I pretty much knew I was looking at 2 white rock crosses and one easter egger.  They were not the breeds that I wanted.  I did the neck test and if it holds true I also knew I may be looking at only one hen and two roos.  I didn't want any more roos.  

Not like this, Lord.  Please?

But what could I do?  This woman obviously knew nothing about baby chickens except that they were cute...before she got a hold of them.  And she didn't show any interest in learning.  I knew if I left them there with her they would starve or die in some other unsavory manner.  And I just don't have the heart to let that happen if I can stop it.

Ok Lord, like this then.

I took the chicks home and my son and I quickly got to work.  First order of business was getting a heat lamp over them.  You should have seen the almost immediate relief they had when I turned it on.  You could physically see them relax a bit.  Then I gave them fresh bedding to walk on.  Next I gave them some sugar water and cooked up a bit of cream of wheat to tide them over until I could get home from TSC with some chick feed.  It was when I was showing them where the water was (they actually didn't know how to eat or drink, it took them a while to figure it out) that I realized we had more problems than just possible pneumonia from being cold and starvation.  All of their crops were **horribly** swollen.  And I do mean horribly.  One was so bad the swelling wrapped all the way around it's shoulder area to it's back.  Their skin was tight and red and hot in the swollen areas.  

 See that red swollen area to the right of it's neck?  The pictures don't do justice to how bad it was.

Well, great.  I didn't know if they had a bunch of worms stuck in there or what.  

I quickly ran to the store to get the few supplies I needed for them that I didn't have on hand.  Got back home and set to work.   I medicated their water with Corid and Duramycin.  I also put apple cider vinegar and olive oil in their water.  The ACV goes a long way to keeping chickens healthy and I knew they needed the olive oil for their poor crops.  I made sure they had plenty of chick grit too.  I massaged their poor, swollen, quite sore I'm sure crops.  I checked them again before bed, massaging their crops once more.

I honestly didn't think they would live.

I got up early the next morning to find 3 active little peeps.  Their crops were still swollen but were visibly smaller and softer.  (Relieved sigh.)  I gave them each small doses of olive oil with a teeny tiny syringe.  Massaged their crops.  Kept their water medicated and grit readily available.

By yesterday my son was telling me he was certain we could save them and that they would live.  I was starting to think him right but didn't want him to get his hopes up too much lest we still lose them.  I needed to change their bedding out so while I did that he tucked them into his t-shirt held up at the bottom hammock style and walked them around the yard in the sun.  They enjoyed their little field trip and eventually all three fell asleep.

As of this writing, their little crops are still a tad bit swollen but light years better from where we were just 48 hours ago.  They are active and for all intents and purposes are acting like normal, healthy chicks.  Honestly, they probably would not have survived another night with that woman.

So I have some new chicks.  Not what I wanted or how I wanted them but that's how life goes most times, yes?  If any are female, I'll count it a victory and will be content regardless of their breed.  If any are roosters, well...I'll raise them right and they'll be happy chickens who will only have one bad day from here on out.  Honestly, my meat birds only ever have one bad day.  I don't know any people who can say that, lol!

So that's what I've been up to this week.  :0)  I'll share some "after" pics of them soon.

Good day everyone and God bless ~~

I shouldn't complain...must be doing something right

My kids are really close in age.  They are often mistaken for twins.  My son is 14 and daughter is 15.  I often say that this makes them be both best friends and worst enemies and that status can change from one minute to the next without notice.  But for the most part, they get a long great.

Sometimes...too great.  They have been known to keep each other thoroughly distracted and entertained while we are trying to do school work.  I'll get them settled back in only to have them derail each other a moment later.  It usually goes something like this...

They'll be working on their separate subjects and one will read something interesting and want to share it with the other.  So they read aloud to their sibling.  And then that starts a conversation about what they read....and then the conversation just starts to naturally lead from one thing to the next.  Before I know it, they're both over in left field and I've got to drag them back.  I'll get them quiet and working again...perhaps leave the room to do some laundry or something and the next thing I know I hear two voices belting out some silly song at the top of their lungs. 

This evening I separated them - son to the kitchen, daughter to the living room.  So I'm cooking supper with my son working at the table and the next thing I know here comes lil sister (who in reality is the big sister but she's just so dang tiny we all call her little) with her books to the table to sit next to brother cause she just can't stand it.

Lol, honestly I refuse to jinx myself by complaining about how good my kids get along!!  I've seen the alternative in other families and I'll definitely take what I've got.  But honestly on days like today...it's like they share a brain or something.  They know exactly what the other is thinking and what just the right thing to say is to get a giggle out of their sibling.  It's actually quite interesting to see them in action together.  But it does make our school day about twice as long as it otherwise would be! 

Sigh...my kids.  I love 'em.

Canning Lids

There are certain things about living in a Mennonite community that can really be advantageous.  

I was able to get these beautiful tomatoes this morning.  See that bag behind them on the left?  That is the best salt.  It's not normal table salt but it's a sea salt that the Mennonites in this area sell.  Love that stuff.

But my best deal of the day was 8 dozen canning jar lids for just at $13.

These bags hold 4 dozen each.  At a "normal" store purchasing canning lids, we pay around here $3 and some change for one dozen lids.  But I can buy 4 dozen lids from the Mennonites for $6 and some change.  Can't beat that!  So I went ahead and bought 8 dozen today.

I got a few other things while I was there.  A gallon of raw milk for one thing.  I *love* having real milk to use.  I got about 2/3 of a pint of cream off of it.

I'll be making butter from that tomorrow.  And whatever milk drains out during the butter making process will be buttermilk and put back to go in my baked goods.

Real milk, real butter and lots of canning lids.  It was a good day.  ;-)

Interesting trip to the store....

I went to town today for a stock up trip.  I was almost solely concentrating on stock up items of staples.  I shop at Aldi's which makes it easy because I can simply grab flats of items.  I've been bulk size shopping for years, so I'm fairly impervious to any strange looks I might get by other shoppers when they see my buggy.  But today something happened that made me chuckle a bit.  I was checking out and the lady behind me had a gallon of milk and about three more items.  I'm huffing and puffing away as I load the belt with flats, full boxes, and one bulk package of 40 pounds of flour - 8 five pound bags that had not yet been cut open to be "sold separately."  Since they were still packaged I could just pick them all up together.  Saves effort for me.

Anyway, after a bit the lady behind me said, "You're shopping like I do most of the time."  My ears perked up and I wondered if she was a bulk shopper too.  I answered, "Really?  That's nice because you never know when someone is going to look at you like you're crazy for doing this."  She then said, "Yeah, I completely understand.  I shop for hundreds of people."

I looked at her.  She looked at me...seemingly expecting me to confirm that I too was shopping for that many.

(Insert sound of crickets chirping here...)

I smiled at her and turned around to finish loading the belt with my flats full of items.

At this point, she looked like she did think I was crazy, lol.

Oh well, that's fine with me.  Some women like shoes.  I happen to like dry goods.

 ;-)


Good day everyone and God bless.

Homemade Bread Recipe & Other Happenings

Yesterday was bread baking day.  I have tried many bread recipes over the years but could never find one that satisfied my family's pesky tastes.  Until I found this one.  It's perfect.  I toast it for breakfast - the old fashioned way on the stove instead of a toaster - it tastes so much better that way.  We use it for sandwiches and many times, one person or another will just go cut off a piece and slather it in butter and eat it for a snack.  This is definitely a keeper recipe.  (I'll share it at the end of this post.)

In other news, things are still chugging along towards springtime here in Tennessee.  I'm still working on getting the gardens ready and I'm really enjoying it.  I'm pretty excited because this weekend we're removing two more trees from our backyard.  One of them has been aggravating me since we moved here because it shades an area where I really need full sun.  And it's coming down on Sunday morning!!  Like I said, I'm really excited.  I like shade and will still have a lot of shaded ground for sitting in and to shade the animals, but this one tree in the garden area has needed to go for so long.  The other one we're taking down is dead and leaning.  It's obvious that it's going to fall and when it does, it's going to fall directly on top of my back fence.  We just put that fence in last year and I don't want to see a section of it smooshed.  So down it comes.  With both of them gone, things are really going to shape up back there the way I've wanted them to be for a long time.  It's a good feeling.

I also think I may have found myself a small greenhouse.  From what I can tell in the pictures, it's big enough to walk into and be able to turn around in pretty good.  So it's small, but not one of those greenhouses that aren't more than a covered shelf.  I'm going to look at it this weekend and if I like it, I'll be coming home with it.  I truly need one so I hope this one will be a fit for me. 

I've been going to physical therapy twice a week.  My right shoulder and the main tendons running down both of my arms are injured.  :-(  This really puts a damper on how much I can do at a time.  I was telling my husband today that what I want to do is work harder and longer and get things done faster without having to slow down or stop because of pain or physical limitations.  He basically told me (in a loving, humorous way) that I'm not a spring chick anymore and those days are over, lol.  He said that I've already had my share of those days and didn't even realize it at the time.  Ain't it the truth?!  It drives me nuts to have to stop working when I don't want to stop.  Or work the way I want to only to be left sore and tired long afterwards because of it.  But...oh well.  I shall carry on even if I have to eat the elephant only one bite at a time.

Have a great day everyone and God bless. ~~

Homestead Bread

4 C. bread flour, divided

2 C. all purpose flour

2 pkg. active dry yeast

3 tsp. salt

2 C. water

 1/2 C. unsalted butter

1/4 C. honey

1 large egg, beaten

Spray a large bowl with cooking spray and set aside.  Spray 2 bread pans with cooking spray and set aside.

In a separate large bowl, combine 3 C. bread flour, all purpose flour, yeast and salt.  In a small saucepan, combine water, butter and honey.  Heat over medium heat until mixture registers 120* on a thermometer.  Make a well in the center of the flour mixture; add water mixture.  Add egg.  Beat at low speed with dough hooks 2 minutes.  (This is what the recipe says, but I find it's better to just work it with my hands.)  Add enough remaining flour to make a soft dough.  Turn onto a floured surface and knead 6-8 minutes or until dough is smooth and elastic.  Place in prepared bowl, turning to coat.  Cover and let rise 1 hour.

Punch down and divide in half.  Place in pans.  Cover and let rise another hour.  Preheat oven to 325* and bake for 25-30 minutes.  Cool 10 minutes in pans then remove and finish cooling on a wire rack.

Spring time is a'comin!!!

I don't know about you, but there's something about getting up in the morning and setting straight to work - physical work - that is just so energizing!  Our weather has finally broke, making it time to get outside and get to setting things straight that were left to go a bit wild over the colder months.  I worked on my strawberry patch today.  It was a mess and a half, let me tell you.  Why is it that the roots of the weeds always seem to go deeper than the weeds of the good stuff?  But such is life I guess, no matter if we're talking about ourselves or our garden.  Let a weed go and it will choke out the good things around it. 

I ended up with two big buckets full of weeds that I dumped out in the chicken yard for the chickens to sort through and make sense out of.  When I left them, they were having a fine time doing just that.  I gathered eggs and then came inside.  Threw one load of laundry in and by that time, I was hungry!  So a plate of scrambled eggs and hashbrowns later, I feel much better. 

The rest of my agenda for today will look something like this:

* homeschooling...it never really ends

* bake bread - I've got two loaves to make up from my Amish starter and one loaf of white for sandwiches

* more laundry...that never ends either

* garden plans - my son is going to put in a 3 Sisters Garden this year and we need to sit down and flesh out our plans for it.

* this evening I'd like to get back outside and work in the garden some more - lots to do in that garden in the coming weeks!