Friday, April 27, 2012

I love my ______ Life

So Redbook magazine does this thing, where they ask the cover person to write in a blank "I love my ___ life" and that's put on a shirt.  Its neat to read what people put in that blank--crazy, hectic, family, etc, etc.  As I woke up yesterday and went and did chores I thought I love my farm life.  It was that perfect time of the morning 6:30, the air was crisp, the sun brushing through the tree line, and the sounds of the farm waking up.  I walked out to one barn saying good morning chickens, good morning cows, good morning Hugh, good morning everybody!  And all the little creatures perked their little ears up and looked over at me.  One of the little monsters (the cats that came from Lil Shit) came out from wherever she was hiding, and said a good morning purrllllooo.  Queenie and Girl Tatonka came and said hello.  Then Scoot stamped his little foot, I hadn't said hello to him yet.  It was just one of those moments, that took my breath away and made me realize how much I love my farm life.  All the creatures know me (or at least my voice) and I know them and their little weird temperaments.  Hmmm. 

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Dinner in a Quickie

So the other day I was pressed for time and needed to get some dinner made (in between feeding chickens, helping hubs with chores, doing laundry, etc, etc, and maintaining some kind of sanity) and came up with this easy meal--that was super delicious (as in the hubs ate 2/3 of the pan). 

Here's what you need:

1 box of hamburger helper Italian something
1 pound of hamburger or sausage (not cooked)
1 jar of spaghetti/pizza sauce
any other thing you want to throw in, I added:
shredded carrots
olives
basil
oregano
garlic
olive juice
shredded cheese

So put all the ingredients in a 9x13 pan (except cheese), cover with foil and bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes or so.  Halfway through, pull out and mush the meat up.

When its about 5 minutes to done, sprinkle with cheese and broil--who doesn't love cheese when it gets all bubbly and gooey?  And that's it.  The hubs had 3 healthy portions of it, and ate the rest the next day. 

Cheers!

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

The Adventures of Milkshake and Momma

"Momma, Lewis and Tini said I was different!"  Milkshake ran-galloped over to his Momma who was sunbathing in the field.

"Milkshake, you must slow down when you talk, child, its a gorgeous afternoon and me and Clarice are enjoying our sunbathing day.  Now what it is child of mine?" 

"Well Lewis and Tini were making fun of me...they said I was weird because I had a speckled face.  They said nobody would ever want a calf that wasn't black and beautiful like they are."  Milkshake hung his little head.  The black and white speckles almost turning a slight shade of pink.

"Whatever do you mean Milkshake, you are beautiful little calf!"  Millie said standing up to go lick her son that was obviously disturbed.

"But Momma, I'm not like you am I?  Do I look different than you Momma?"

Millie thought for a second, then knew the perfect solution to show her son that he was one of God's perfect creatures.

"Come here son, let's take a field trip."  Millie led her son down the field and to the creek.

"But Momma, I'm not thirsty!"  Milkshake stopped his hoof, frustrated that his Momma was not understanding the importance of what he was trying to say.

"Son, we're not here to drink water, just come over here and stay still for just a minute."  She half whispered, knowing he would lean in closer to hear what she had to say.

"Now Milkshake look at the water and tell me what you see."  Millie gentled nudged her son closer to the bank to get a look.

Milkshake leaned over the bank and saw a calf with a speckled face.  He stuck his tongue out and the calf stuck his tongue out too.  He shook his head and the calf in the water shook his head.

"Momma is this a trick, who's the calf in the water?"

Millie ambled over and said, "That's you son, and that's me"

"Ohhhh!" he leaned closer and looked at his speckles and thought they weren't bad at all..in fact they were kind of cool!  He hadn't seen any other calf with the kind of speckles he had--and they were awesome! 

"Momma, I'm not weird, I'm cool--the speckles make me cool!"  Milkshake started jumping around excitedly.  "I got to go tell everybody--bye Momma!"  He hurried off to tell his friends about his cool speckles.

Millie ambled back over to Clarice and joined her basking in the sun.

"You did the right thing for that son of yours Millie"  Clarice smiled up to the sun, nodding at her friend.

"Well he might not be perfect, but he is perfect to me"  Millie smiled back.

Monday, April 23, 2012

Wife Takes a Farmer

So I was talking to my grandma the other day and she said something like “You are liking this whole being a farmer’s wife thing, aren’t you?—You are taking to it so well.  I just never would have thought you would have, I don’t mean that mean honey, but just never thought you would.”  Now my grams is a wonderful woman, and I know she didn’t mean it badly, just knew I had lived in KC for a long while, then moved to a farm in the middle of nowhere.  And not only did I move out there, I’m cutting down hay, holding calves, feeding chickens, brushing the horse, etc etc.  I do notice there has been a shift in my life, I used to watch a lot more TV (that’s also in thanks part to my BFF who loves reality TV), go to museums with girlfriends, whatever.  Now I get home and the TV versus  getting outside and playing with my animals and seeing the seasons change, and watching things grow.  Hmm—doesn’t sound like much of a competion.  I would rather get outside.  Now I do still have my TV shows I watch, but it’s that I don’t rely on that to entertain me.  Going outside and talking to all my critters is entertaining enough (for me and for them I’m sure—LOL).  Its like that question—what are the 5 most important things in your life?  Hmm—TV is not one of them…my farm life definitely  J

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Move Over Lean Pockets!

So I was feeling rather creative and came up with this heavenly breakfast item, so delicious and so easy!

You need:
1 tube of biscuits (I used Pillsbury wheat ones)
2 eggs
a handful of ham or sausage
a handful of shredded cheese
minced onion
pepper

So spray a muffin tin liberally.  Then split apart the biscuits (they kind of have a breaking point in the middle).  Then sqoosh the bottom half into the muffin tin, the sides will come up creating a biscuit bowl looking thing.  Leave the top off and to the side.

Beat the eggs, add in the ham/sausage, cheese, minced onion, and pepper (and whatever else you feel like throwing in).  Then pour this mixture into the biscuit bowl things, until its about level with the top of the biscuit.  Then cover with the top of the biscuit. You might have to mold the top down into the tin.  And continue until the rest are done.  Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes.  When they're about 10 minutes in, cut little vent holes in the top  :-)

And here's how it looks:

Yum!  Doesn't that look delicious?


Here's what it looks like cut open (I had to give it a test of course)
Anyways guess what the hubs is getting for breakfast this week?  Pack one of those in his lunch bag and he's good to go  :-)

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

What Would You Grab?

So along with the storms this weekend, it brought up the age-old question, if a tornado comes what do you grab before you head to the basement?  Hmmm.  Now part of me thought the weather-forecasters were just blowing it all up and way out of proportion having storm coverage for hours and hours on end.  The other part of me said—can we even hear the tornado sirens out here?  Hmm.  So I did start putting somethings in the safe in case the house ended up a ‘la Wizard of Oz style.  In went some photos, our wedding DVD, and some thumb drives that had pictures on them.  Our legal documents were already in there, so that’s a bonus.  But what goes in the line to the basement?  Hmm.  Now J, just said you and the little men (our dogs).   So I put my French Horn (besides my wedding ring—it’s the most valuable thing I own) and my purse and some clean underwear, socks, and shoes.   Who would want to have their house blown away and no clean undies—maybe I just overthink things.  LOL.  So what other things would you grab?  Family Bible?  Jewelry?  Heirlooms?  Hmm

Here's a pic of my lil man (no the beer isn't his--LOL)!

How can you say no to that little face?  Aww!

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

A Big Black Ameoba

So through the big storms this weekend, everyone and everything made it out ok—what a blessing!  So many people came up to me afterwards and asked—how did the animals manage?  That’s the funny thing, the animals could sense something was coming.  On Friday they were all huddled together along the fence line just stuck together like a big black amoeba (both the ones out in the field and the ones in the corral).  They could sense something was up and a storm was coming.  Sure enough on Saturday it was the same way—all huddled together—Queenie didn’t even come over and say hi to me like she normally does.  But then Sunday morning after the storm, they were all back to normal.  Hmm…somewhere along the way we as humans lost that internal barometer gauge or whatever you want to call it.  Anyways here’s a pic of Lewis (or King Lewis) in the hay feeder.  He was all curled up, all basking in the sun, but then saw me and got up.  He’s quite the ladies’ man!



Then J fed a bale and he decided it was his own lil crib--LOL!

Saturday, April 14, 2012

Everything's Coming Up Roses--Literally :-)

So J knows I LOVE lilacs, LOVE lilacs!  The smell of them wafting through the house to me signals spring and I love it.  Well last year he bought me a lilac bush and this year it budded out  :-)  Its still a little guy--but it will grow  :-)



Then these little purple bell type flowers that we transplanted came up and they are so pretty!  If anyone knows what they are let me know  :-)



And of course the rose bushes are doing fabulous!  We have 4 bushes and I know there are at least 2 different varieties--beyond that I'm lost, I just think they  are pretty  :-)



Now its time to get on the garden  :-)  Of course that's not as fun or pretty, but useful  :-)

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

The Adventures of Lewis and Quiktrip

"Mama why are we over here?"  Lewis asked, looking up at his Momma Louise.  They were moved to the corral and all Lewis could see was fence, fence, and more fence.

"Well, honey, Momma is sick and we have to be over here."  Louise coughed and licked Lewis, he was a handsome looking little man.

Lewis looked up at his Momma, her bones were protruding and her voice sounded raspy.  He knew he couldn't be weak either, but had to be strong...at least for Momma.

"Momma, look my friends are coming over to say hi!"  Lewis tried to sound optimistic and excited.

"Quiktrip, Milkshake, and even Tini are coming over."  Lewis hopped along, hoping a smile would cross his Momma's lips and make her feel better.

"Well..cough..cough...that's wonderful Lewis--you go and play now"  Louise settled down in the corral, her voice just above a whisper.

Lewis looked over at this Momma, and looked at all of his friends pressed up against the fence wondering what was going on.

"Lewis, is your Momma ok?"  Quiktrip asked in a hushed whisper.

"Yeah she doesn't look so good," Tini quickly agreed.

"Hey!  Do you think its going to make her feel any better if we stand over here and talk about her?!"  Lewis said, bending his little nose to the ground making his point.

Quiktrip, bent her head low, then snapped to "What if we ran around and made her want to run around--would that make her happy?"

She looked back between Tini and Lewis, thinking...just maybe if we act excited...maybe Lewis' mom will get excited to...or maybe just bring a smile to her face.

"I know, we can run around like we're playing a game--then all start laughing...that will have to make her laugh!"

Louise watched the exchange by the corral fence, wondering if she had the energy to stand and see what they were doing.  She looked over and thought, no sitting here is just fine.

"We'll see who can race to that post over there and back!"  Quiktrip exclaimed!  "We'll run right in front of your Momma Lewis!"

"On your mark, get set, go!"  Lewis excitedly exclaimed, half-racing his friends, half-looking at his Momma.

Sure enough, Louise saw her little man racing, and got to her feet and started to feel a little better without even knowing it.

"Go Lewis--you can do it!"  She exclaimed!

The three calves raced back, and Tini and Quicktrip let Lewis win.

"Momma--you're up! and looking better!" 

"Good race Lewis," both Tini and Quiktrip winked. 

"Lewis, you did good son."  Louise beamed at her little man, feeling a slight better.  "Maybe we will get out of this hospital corral."

"I hope so Momma.  I still love you Momma, and I'll be here always."  Lewis felt like a big man, smiling up at his Momma.

"Yes Lewis, we will be together--always."

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

The Country Left

So the country left…its where you’re driving down a 2 lane road and the person in front of you has to make a left turn, but knows you’re following them, and nicely gets into the oncoming lane of traffic (assuming no one else is coming) and lets you speed on by. I don’t know if there’s an actual name for it, but country left seems to work for me. What’s great about it? If you’re the follower, you don’t have to slow down to 30 MPH when it’s just you and the person in front of you on the lonely blacktop. However, as the front driver it does require something—to be aware of your surroundings—that includes people. Lately I have been in wonderment of those people that go through life seemingly oblivious to those around them. Why would I turn off the light if I was the last person to leave a room? What’s wrong with driving in someone’s blind spot…wait what is a blind spot? Why would I say hello to those I work with? Why would I let the lady behind me at Walmart with a bundle of bananas go in front of me when I have a whole cartload? I am sometimes amazed at these people who just float along in their little opaque bubbles that can’t see the rest of the world or notice what’s going on around them.

Monday, April 9, 2012

Spring Cleaning!

So the past few weeks have been the time for spring cleaning around our house; well at least for me--I think J tries to secretly be "busy" when he knows I'm doing it.  Or maybe he just knows its best to get out of my way when I'm on a mission--LOL.  I do spring cleaning room by room, and this year I worked my way from the back of our house to the front.  Well this last weekend was the living room and it has by far the worst spider-webs along the ceiling.  So I was cleaning the walls (BTW--how do walls get dirty? anyways...) and thought I need something to reach up and get the webs--I really didn't want to haul a chair around the entire perimeter of the living room to get them down.  So I started wandering around the house looking for something light and long I could use to clean with.  What do you know that I found--my cow stick!  Bam!  When I bought Gertie the good folks at Oleen brothers gave me a cow-sorting stick and it was sitting by the front door.  Well I just plunked a couple of J's holey socks on the end and went to town--it worked great.  Was it the intended use of the cow-sorter stick?  Probably not, but let me tell ya--it worked great.  Here's a pic:

Saturday, April 7, 2012

Easter Goodies

So tomorrow we are headed out to our families for Easter and I made goodies, and thought they were too cute not too share  :-)

Peeps! 


Carrot cake that looks like an Easter egg...carrot cake, get it?  LOL


No bakes, with a little bird nest re-do
(I shamelessly borrowed this idea from one of my facebook friends--too cute though!)




Whatever your religious persuasion, I hope you have a wonderful and blessed Easter!  God is good!