Winter Will Be Here Tomorrow

We are expecting really cold weather tomorrow.  Half of the country seems to be gripped in some kind of new Ice Age, and TEXAS is not immune.  We normally have our coldest times in February, but tomorrow we are expecting sleet and SNOW!  Amazing.

Tomorrow the Prairie Kids and I will be preparing for the cold weather.  We will be filling the wood rack on the front porch, stuffing hay in all the animal shelters, putting a heat lamp on the quail, guinea pigs, cats, dogs.  They will all have to share.  Putting out the heating pad under some burlap sacks for the cats to pile onto.  Most of the little critters like to stack themselves in piles on the front porch.  It is SO funny to see.

Had another great bartering this month.  I LOVE our Barter Days.  So much fun!
I look forward to it every month, just for the fellowship with like minded folks.

PH put in our new toilet last weekend.  So excited!  We now have a flushing toilet in the house. I feel so fancy!  There is even a door! (gasp).  Privacy, what a novel idea.

See the sink? A couple of years back we had a new "neighbor".  They put a small cabin on their land, then promptly never came back.  During a storm, their cabin blew to pieces.  Called the land agent to see if we cleaned up the property if we could keep any items (we had scoped it out beforehand).  He said yes!  We came away with two bathroom sinks (one is above), a roll of barbed wire, a large plastic trash can on wheels, a gas can, an igloo cooler and assorted tools.  Pretty cool! A brand new sink we have been saving for just this time!

PS#2 turns five in two weeks.  It sure went by fast.  PS#1 turns 25 too!  I feel too young to have a kid that old!

Learning lots, cleaning up the property, splitting wood, baking and learning to eat REAL FOOD.  (See 100 Days of Real Food Blog - very cool!)

A New Baby!

Meet Pearl!  She was born on Tuesday, December 3rd in the evening.  She is a purebred Charolais heifer :) I was sorta hoping for a boy, so we could butcher him in a year or so, but I am okay with a girl.  We can breed her as well, and have the potential for more beef :)

So excited!

The weather has turned cold (in the low 30s last night and for the next few days).  Her mama Molly is a smart one, and has brought her baby to the barn out of the cold and wind.  Pearl is FEISTY! Loves to run, jump, twist and is constantly trying to get the goats to play with her.

We are hunkering down trying to keep warm.  Wood is stacked on the porch, chicken soup bubbling on the stove.  I am washing blankets and warm clothing FAST.

I know it probably sounds like a lot, but in south Texas extreme cold is not the norm, so while I am prepared, for the most part, there are still those last minutes chores (hay for the animals, wood for the house, water pipes, and fuel for the generator) to complete.

Thanksgiving 2013

November here on the farm has been busy.  We are awaiting the birth of our first calf, as well as, several of our goats to kid.  We recently butchered 37 black broilers.  We did miss catching two hens and a rooster, but they can fatten up some more.  The pigs, Wilbur and Fern, have been penned back up to fatten up for Winter, and hopefully another round of breeding.  The two babies from this year, are being fattened in a separate pen, in preparation of butchering time.  Hopefully soon!?

The weather has been very cold lately.  The past four days, temperatures topped out around 43 degrees, with a low in the mid 30s.  We are going through plenty of fire wood to keep the house warm, but the kitchen stays cool, hovering around 60 degrees.  The living room and bedrooms are plenty warm.  We even manage to set off the smoke detector when opening the door to add more wood.  That's always an eye-opener!

PH has spent a lot of time lately hugging the wood stove, scared to go out in the cold.  He REALLY does not like cold weather.  Can you tell he was born in Florida, and grew up in TEXAS? He can't handle the cold spells without complaint.  I get cold, but he is a big ole BABY!

PD#1 is excelling in Civil Air Patrol.  She is already up to SrA (Senior Airmen) rank, and is working hard towards becoming an officer in the next couple of years.  She recently attended a leadership weekend, and is registered for a week long training camp the end of this year.  She has her heart set on a major training program next Summer, OUT-OF-STATE.  This mama is thinking HARD about that one.

PD#2 is doing wonderfully with her piano lessons.  She is learning a few Christmas pieces, as well as, Church Music.  I am very excited for her.  She really loves playing.  She is also learning to sew on the sewing machine, and is whipping out presents left and right.

PS#1 recently found a position with a MAJOR company in town.  We are thankful and in prayer that he will be a star employee.

PS#2 is becoming more and more ornery, and need of correction.  He sits in time out a lot, and gets lots of chores carrying in fire wood.  Being almost five means he is very sure of what he wants and DOES NOT want to do.  Many "discussions" have been taken place between father and son.  I am convinced one good whipping might help, but PH is more of a "talker".  Talking won't help this one though.  Definitely a "strong willed child" in the works. On a positive note, he is a cutie.  He is very helpful to me, and especially loving.  He wants to sit beside me all the time, and show me his LEGO creations.  He loves building things.  I think he should be an Engineer!

Canning is about over for the season, unless I stumble across some find at the monthly Farmer's Market.  The kids and I are preparing items to sell at December's gathering, hoping to make a little Christmas money.

Praying you all stay warm, and have a wonderful Thanksgiving Day!

The pickings were slim for me to take to Barter in September.  I had not had the opportunity to distill or make any tinctures.  PD#1 took some crocheted items, PD#2 baked cookies (see little white bags) and made tin can lanterns.  PS#2 took candles and seeds.  My offerings were home made cheese, beef bones, beef liver, dried rosemary, basil and Bee Balm tea (in little brown cup).

We traded for a pair of hand made moccasins, a few cook books, fabric, fresh herbs (which I will dry), baked goods, laundry soap, lamb meat, and honey.

Our duck flock is up to 12 now, and a few need to be butchered for the freezer, as well as, the 40 broilers that are just about ready.  I'd like to butcher a goat for ground meat, but not sure if we will get to that...have to check PH's schedule.  Maybe the first cold spell?

We are working on stacking the wood pile this weekend, general clean up, laundry and cleaning the wood stove.  Also, need to purchase another 5 gallons of Kerosene for the lamps.  We lost power last weekend, and coming home to darkness was not fun, especially, as we were hauling a load of "stuff" in from PD#1's 16th birthday party.  I had ONE lamp filled with kerosene.  Not very well prepared.  I lit the candles, the lamp, and then found the big battery-operated light.  I was able to get the refrigerated items put away, then we went to bed.  Left everything else for the morning, when I could SEE!

We have been receiving plenty of rain, and the pastures are beautiful.  I need to remember to get a picture to post.  PH has been cutting in front of the property and from the road it looks like a park.  PH also cut the weeds down in the South Pasture, so that the grass could go through after the rain.  Looks SO much better, and the grass is growing.  Yeah!

Going to the Farmer's Market in town tomorrow.  I'd love to be able to take cheese to sell, but quite sure someone would turn me in :/ just how people are...the nuts.

We have been pretty bush with school work, church programs, and PD#1 has been promoted to A1C in the Civil Air Patrol.  She is also working on her private pilot's license.  The class is offered for free by one of the Senior Members of the Civil Air Patrol.  She recently went on a Glider Flight and greatly enjoyed it.  How exciting to be towed to 3,000 feet, then glide back down to the ground.  She forgot to take pictures though :(
Well, it looks like it will be a busy weekend, as we start our Cold Weather Preps.  Here is a list we plan on, so I won't forget:

1) stack woodpile
2) clean wood stove
3) hang winter curtains/winter window quilts
4) wash all bedding
5) unpack winter clothing-pack away summer clothing
6) place flannel sheets on beds, blankets and comforters.
7) put sides on chicken coop to prevent wind/cold from blowing through
8) clean out barn and throw hay in pens, so the animals will have a place to get out of the rain/wind.

Have a good weekend! :)

Canning in full swing

Basil-Garlic Tomato Sauce

Pear Preserves

Red Peppers and Onions Waiting to be roasted

Spiced Vanilla Bean-Bourbon Pear Preserves

Zucchini-Onion Bread and Butter Pickles

*just some of what I have been working on this week :)

August Barter

Our table on Barter Day, and what we had to trade

Okay, here is my haul for the day from the Barter:

Introduction to Maternity and Pediatric Nursing text (for my midwife studies), a historical fiction novel, a dozen eggs, herbs to dehydrate (sage, basil, purple basil, rosemary), granola bars, blueberry scones, cinnamon-apple scones, sourdough pretzels, 2 bars of soap, a corn whiskey jug, a really good knife (thanks to my nephew), a small jar of Japanese plum jam, Fig and Apple Jam, Fig and Fredericks-burg Peach jam, laundry soap, a stuffed, sock-monster doll, homemade Vicks Vapor Rub, Calendula Salve with Tea Tree Oil, Eucalyptus, Peppermint, Lavendar Vapor Rub, Passion Flower Tincture, Red Clover Tincture, Salsa, home made deodorant, and a hand-made, leather bound journal, raw honey, two vintage pie plates, and a small, brown, paper sack of dried Cassia (Cinnamon) from Mountain Rose Herbs.  

The Dog Days of Summer

I never really understood what that means.  What are the dog days of summer?  The days when it is so hot, you just want to lay under the house in the shade, hoping to catch a breeze?  No idea.

We have been really busy, as evidenced by the length of time between posts.  Plus, with spotty computer service, it has been hard to get online.

My garden did squat.  54 tomato plants and I received a hand full.  Ended up purchasing 25 lbs of organic Roma tomatoes and will be making sauce this weekend.  I need an additional 25 lbs, plus I'll be making pear sauce, pear butter and additional pear products.

Let me see if I can catch everyone up :) If I repeat anything, please excuse me.  In May, I attended a Wild Edibles class.  My friend (Lady Tutor) and I drove into the big city for this class.  Learned how to spot a few wild plants (some good to eat, some a big "no-no".)  We also had snacks made from wild edibles.  One was a lasagna type dish using nopalitos (cactus pads) as the noodle.  Also, had a great tea drink made from a plant the Indians used for Tea.  (I'd have to check my notes to remember the name of it, though I would recognize it again.)  I'd really like a more in-depth class session revolving around what is on my land and around me.

We also attended the home school convention which was a lot of fun. We look forward to this every year.  I was able to get the majority of the curriculum for the kids for the Fall.

We attended a local flag day ceremony, and my daughter was able to represent her Civil Air Patrol Group.  It was a really wonderful ceremony.  It was in commemoration of the TET offensive, and there was a large contingent of Vietnamese that participated.  The group was from Austin, and presented the families of those in our county that lost loved ones during the Vietnam War.  Very moving.  The little Vietnamese men were so captivated by my daughter in her uniform and snapped pictures of her.  No idea what they were saying, but it was funny.

We've been cleaning up the land (always).  Removing trash, organizing, assessing the wood for the Winter (I know it's 105 today and I am talking about stove wood), cleaning the barn, pens and stacking our Winter Hay.

We had time to take a mini vacation to the Frio River.  It was a great break, and a wonderful time spent with one of my sisters and her husband.  We stayed in the cabin with them that they rented. Really nice.

We were able to sell 7 of the baby piglets, and still have two to raise and butcher.  They are so cute when they are little!  They love to run around, play in the pond, and scatter the ducks and chickens when I throw feed out for the birds.  They run the birds off to eat the corn.  They are true PIGS.

We have been having a great time at the monthly Barter Days.  Trading for wonderful things, and coming up with great ideas for items to trade.  PS#2 LOVES Barter Days and is in a flurry to paint rocks to trade with..he has managed to trade for a good water bottle, tea light candles (a box full), a dog leash, and some Rosemary.  He LOVES Rosemary, and came home and promptly had me show him how to make medicine with the Rosemary.  :)

In July, we went to the Coast for a quick trip (left one day, came back the next).  Originally, PD#1 and I were going down to attend a 4H Floating Classroom trip, but PH decided to go down a day early.  We stayed in a hotel, went to the Aquarium, ate at Joe's Crab Shack at the Marina, went out on the boat in the Bay, and then played on the beach before making the LONG drive back home.  It was a nice break for PH.  He rarely takes off of work.  The boat trip was AMAZING!  PD#1 and I were able to help catch marine specimens (plankton, sting ray, puffer fish, sea horses, flounder, shrimp and more!) and touch them.  There were even a few squid that were dead, and we were allowed to dissect them.  I was also able to view plankton, shrimp and crab larvae under the microscope.  Which was cool in itself!  The microscope was attached to a large monitor over head, so the pictures were really up close and detailed.  I really enjoyed that trip.

Shadow, Bottle Nose Dolphin
Texas Aquarium

Palm Tree at Corpus Christi Beach
(PS#2 is convinced it is a coconut tree, thanks Spongebob!)

PS#2 - first time on a beach
So excited!

A Ship in the Bay being pulled by tug boats
Called the Pennsylvania I believe.

A 1/8 replica of the Nina.  Built by Spain and
donated to the City of Corpus

Baby Stingrays!
We saw these BORN! So cool!

The touch tank on board the KARMA

My mom recently came down to visit (this past weekend).  We attended the baby shower up near Austin for my brother and his wife.  Their first child will be making an appearance in a couple of weeks.  Another granddaughter for the family!

I have also recently purchased a HAM radio, and am busy studying for the licensing test.  We have had numerous wild fires, tornadoes, train derailments, flooding and such the past few years, that having another way of communicating is turning into a "must have".

The kitchen in the house has been installed.  I will try to get pictures posted, now that I have FINALLY located my camera and charger.  It's been over a year!

We are in Stage IV water restrictions here, which doesn't really affect us too much in the way of ordinances.  We live in the county.  But we are still taking measures to conserve water, as much as, possible.  My rain barrel at the barn is empty, even though we did get significant rain a couple of weeks ago.  Since then it has been DRY, and the pond is decreasing.  I am really worried about the fish.  I believe we need to top it off with the well, but PH is not in agreement.  We will have to do something soon to prevent one of our food sources from dying off.  I may have to covertly turn the water on, if he doesn't respond to the urgency soon.

Other than days spent canning, making cheese, and caring for the livestock, we have been trying to keep our heads down, and keeping cool in this heat.  Looking forward to a little cooler Autumn weather :)