Month: December 2009

All I wanted to do was whip up a batch of homemade chocolate pudding. After my night last night and a busy day at work some warm pudding sounded great. It started so simply… I pulled out the cabinet where I keep my 50# bag of Pioneer (local) sugar.  As I opened the bag a mouse leapt up at me!! Me:  AHHHHHHHHH!!!  Maci get the mouse, get the mouse, GET THE MOUSE!!!  Ahhhh!! Maci:  (cocks her head, bounces around excitedly, but has no idea what I’m yelling about) Me:  Where’s the cat, where’s the cat, AHHHH, where’s the cat!!???!! I run around the house until I find the cat, grab him, and promptly shove his head in the sugar bag. Baxter:  What the #$%^!?!? Maci & Bear:  Ohh, is there something in there!?  What issss it?  Can we help? Baxter:  Oh yes, I see it, AHH HA! (Bats around inside sugar bag, acting crazy) After a few seconds he lost interest.  We promptly repeated the whole routine again with him, again, losing interest. I finally lifted the whole bag out.  By then the mouse was out of the bag but in the bottom of the cabinet.  I quickly lifted out

(Heads up… this is likely to be a long one. I thought of trying to write it as a real story but I’m afraid it may come out like a poor childrens’ story if I try to elaborate so I’m just going to tell it like it is…oh and please forgive any typos or let out words, I’m not taking time to proofread) Last night I was in the middle of feeding the sheep and cattle when Brian’s Mom called. After talking about various things she mentioned that a winter storm was coming in. I learned long ago that the weathermen are about as good at predicting Michigan weather as I am at, well, putting on makeup and doing my hair. In other words, they suck and it never turns out like the want! Supposedly it was supposed to storm from midnight to 5 or 6 AM then stop and start raining sometime later in the day. I scanned around the pasture. My only real concern would be the chickens. They were still set up in their eggmobile with the electric poultry net set up around it. I would have to move them because their fence wouldn’t work when it

Yes, there comes a time when every raw milk connoisseur must try yogurt. I looked through several recipes before stumbling upon my favorite one: Yogurt in your Crock Pot over at Sarah’s Musings. It is amazing, and amazingly easy. Plus, I had the perfect add-in: crushed strawberries from the freezer that I picked this summer with my Mom and sister. I added a cup or so of them to the whole pot and stirred well. I’ve been trying to pay more attention to my serving sizes lately. 1/2 cup of yogurt with some local honey mixed in and a little granola sprinkled on top makes a great meal for breakfast or a late dinner. I’m having it with brown sugar and granola tonight. Lovin’ it! 🙂 Are you a yogurt fan or one who can’t stomach it? What’s your favorite add in?

I’m thinking about this some because my DH has gone away hunting and left me to hold down the fort. When we first got together it took awhile for him to realize how badly I wanted to be outside working with him on projects instead of keeping house.  I wasn’t really feeling my domestic duties.  Years later, I’ve found myself taking care of the house more and more.  In exchange, I like it that hubby does most of the outside chores.  Especially now that is is getting colder outside.  It sounds like I’m taking the sweet end of the deal but he wouldn’t want to trade – that’s for sure. Don’t get me wrong, I love the fresh air.  I love working in my garden and Brian won’t touch a hoe or a seed packet.  I can watch the chickens.  For hours.  In spite of that, when I come home from work at the end of the day I’d much rather put dinner on and curl up with a book than don Carhart’s and trudge out to chip ice off of buckets.  I usually help whenever he needs anything but that’s not everyday.  I think I’ve gotten a little spoiled

Still here… kind of taking it easy since having a four day weekend for the holiday. Mentally, though, my gears are turning with thoughts of the new year. I’m caught up in a nice fiction book but am also reading Guerrilla Marketing. So far, so good. Oh, and I’m working on a few more knitting projects to give as Christmas gifts. Also happening on the home front: I finally picked one Buff Chantecler rooster to keep and took the rest to the processor tonight.  I hope I picked a good one! I have a meeting tomorrow with a local guy who may help me launch the farm website. Brian and our neighbor harvested our 38 acres of corn.  We’re both watching prices and planning for next year’s input expenses. Brian is working outside late every night trying to get the animals in the new barn before he leaves for over a week to go hunting. I’m on a roll with housekeeping and it looks good around here… hope it lasts! Time for bed! 🙂