Had the best weekend with the kids. Rode on Saturday, and took Allen to buy some Bakugan at Target. They are always sold out, but a kid at school let us in on the secret of Saturday morning shopping. We showed up before horse riding and were able to find what we wanted. Of course, since Allen didn't have enough allowance money, it meant he was going to be in for some labor at home later for Mom. I told him it would involve sweeping the front sidewalk and helping me clean out the shavings in the chicken house. He agreed.
On the way home, we stopped by the farmer's market in town. Got some lovely potatoes, beets, onions, tomatoes, cantaloupe, peaches and plums. Amazing the variety that is in season this time of year. I have been reading a book lately called Animal, Vegetable, Miracle which chronicles a year in the life of a Virginia family as they only eat what they can produce or purchase locally, in an effort to decrease the amount of petroleum involved in bringing them their food. It has been inspirational. I certainly am not up for that particular challenge, but it has made me crave the wonderful things the local farmers produce and make me want to support them so that farming in this area is profitable. Cooked up a huge pot of beets just for me for lunch. So sweet and yummy.
Made potatoe salad for Brian.
Got ready to go outside to work, when the rain started and ended up doing laundry instead.
Brian and I went to a farewell dinner for the headmaster at the school our kids go to. The food was great, but the funnest part was the Scottish dancing afterwards. They had four dancers arrive and the dancers cajoled us(all the guests) into participating in a program of at least 10 Scottish dances. Brian and I ended up dancing in about 4 of them and it was the most fun I've had in a long time. We didn't get all the steps right, but it felt so good to be moving after such a big meal.
Today the sun shone bright, so the kids and I headed outside to work. While Allen swept the front walk, Emily and I tackled the weeds in the garden. I offered to pay for each bucket of weeds she pulled and she went right to work. The plants in the garden have been getting adequate rain and we were able to harvest our first zucchini and a small bundle of beets. We were able to weed half the garden before Allen was done with the sidewalk. Got busy shoveling out the chicken house. Not nearly as bad as I thought it would be. Made a lovely mulch pile and filled the compost bin. Gave the birds fresh shavings and straw. Emily filled their waterers. Then she and I went back to weeding and got the worst of it done in the entire garden. She is becoming such a hard worker as long as I'm there to keep her company. (Which helps me work harder as well.) Then we ordered pizza and jumped in the pool to cool off. What a lovely lovely day. 9 days of school left. Can't wait for summer when most days can be like this one.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Wild West, part 2
A week later, when Allen was away at camp, Emily and I had the most special time that made me feel my motherhood intensely. She probably thought I was nuts getting all sentimental on her. We went and got our nails done together. At a kids spa. Little tiny flowers painted on my big toe. All I could think of was when I was pregnant with Allen, how I got my nails done weekly and how I hoped that eventually I would have a girl so that we would be able to sit through the hour together and both come out feeling beautiful. Never could have imagined having such a sunny little girl who just giggles her way through life and doesn't mind being with me. And she is GIFTED in the art of selecting polish color for me. She grabbed a color and I thought, "YUCK!" but when they put it on, it was exactly what I had been in the mood for, summery and bright and looking so good on me. All the presents in the world can't replace relationship. I feel so lucky to be her mom, and I told her so. She replies, "You're the best mom in the world!" I wish I could carve that in bronze against the future, and reply" Sweetie, I just try to do the best I can."
She grins and crushes me in a hug.
Soon I was to find out that Best Mom In The World would also involve a 12 Gauge shotgun. Don't know if I've mentioned our pal the coyote, but he has been visiting frequently at the run-through to pick up some chicken nuggets. One time he was charging our pool area (chasing Chloe, who had been barking at him) and ended up in a scrap with both Chloe and Roger. Roger has a bum knee (Mastiffs are prone to injury when they charge around at high speed) and he ended up getting pretty scratched up (bit?) before he and Chloe were done driving the coyote away. After determining that Roger was o.k. , my beloved husband went out and bought ME a shotgun. Yes, ME. I know. So far I am the only one who has spotted this creature in our household. My friend standing next to me on the deck saw it, but Brian has never seen it, nor the neighbor who comes faithfully to hunt for it after it visits. So after a demonstration of ammunition choices and loading procedure and the safety locking device, I was entrusted with a gun.
Still haven't got the coyote. It's been two weeks. I did see him again today, and I can tell you the next time my guineas start screaming and running, I AM READY to get that gun pronto and come to help. I had at least 1 minute's warning today, if I just would have moved faster I would have got him.
Did get a chance to shoot a possum. Poor thing. Caught it in a humane trap, and it was spinning its head incessantly in circles instead of crouching down and just hissing at me. Probably rabid. Absolutely hated doing it, but at least I once again proved I had the stomach to do what had to be done. I've turned loose too many possums not to know a sick one when I see it.
The gun wasn't as bad as I thought it would be- at least not with birdshot. My neighbor has offered to set up some targets and some clay pigeons once the weather settles down and I am definately going to take him up on it.
So, you can see why I feel like I'm on a personal frontier of sorts. What on earth am I going to just suck it up and learn to do next?!
Oh, by the way- did I mention that I'm going to Ethiopia in July with my church on missions?
Yep, really. Pray for me. God has the most amazing way of preparing you for what's ahead and with what's been going on 'round here the last few months, I've no idea what's in store in Africa.
Nite nite for now...
She grins and crushes me in a hug.
Soon I was to find out that Best Mom In The World would also involve a 12 Gauge shotgun. Don't know if I've mentioned our pal the coyote, but he has been visiting frequently at the run-through to pick up some chicken nuggets. One time he was charging our pool area (chasing Chloe, who had been barking at him) and ended up in a scrap with both Chloe and Roger. Roger has a bum knee (Mastiffs are prone to injury when they charge around at high speed) and he ended up getting pretty scratched up (bit?) before he and Chloe were done driving the coyote away. After determining that Roger was o.k. , my beloved husband went out and bought ME a shotgun. Yes, ME. I know. So far I am the only one who has spotted this creature in our household. My friend standing next to me on the deck saw it, but Brian has never seen it, nor the neighbor who comes faithfully to hunt for it after it visits. So after a demonstration of ammunition choices and loading procedure and the safety locking device, I was entrusted with a gun.
Still haven't got the coyote. It's been two weeks. I did see him again today, and I can tell you the next time my guineas start screaming and running, I AM READY to get that gun pronto and come to help. I had at least 1 minute's warning today, if I just would have moved faster I would have got him.
Did get a chance to shoot a possum. Poor thing. Caught it in a humane trap, and it was spinning its head incessantly in circles instead of crouching down and just hissing at me. Probably rabid. Absolutely hated doing it, but at least I once again proved I had the stomach to do what had to be done. I've turned loose too many possums not to know a sick one when I see it.
The gun wasn't as bad as I thought it would be- at least not with birdshot. My neighbor has offered to set up some targets and some clay pigeons once the weather settles down and I am definately going to take him up on it.
So, you can see why I feel like I'm on a personal frontier of sorts. What on earth am I going to just suck it up and learn to do next?!
Oh, by the way- did I mention that I'm going to Ethiopia in July with my church on missions?
Yep, really. Pray for me. God has the most amazing way of preparing you for what's ahead and with what's been going on 'round here the last few months, I've no idea what's in store in Africa.
Nite nite for now...
Living in the Wild Wild West
I Believe I am turning into a frontierswoman of sorts. I don't recognize myself and my hobbies anymore.
It all started on Mother's Day, when my son gave me the gift of being more than I wanted to be as a Mom. (Only your child can ask you to do something you'd hate to do and end up with you doing it cheerfully so they won't see what a wussie you are.)
I had a headache after church that day and the family was letting me rest. I absolutely couldn't sleep, so I decided to visit the neighbor's pond and take the kids fishing. They'd been wanting to for a week or two and if I didn't take them, who would? Besides, they were trying to be so quiet for me and I knew the peace of the pond and a hook in the water would really help my head.
Turned out, it was a great day to fish. Minutes away from a mighty storm, overcast and the fish biting on liver like they hadn't eaten in a month. Allen pulled in four or five little brem, I must have caught three or four and midway through it all, I pulled in a huge catfish, just shy of two feet long. Absolutely couldn't believe it. Lovely fish. Sent the kids running to the neighbors to see if they wanted the fish for dinner. Nope, not today. Neighbors came down to admire the catch. I put it on a chain in the water. The kids were blown away. Kept pulling it up just to look at it. Allen turns to me and says, "Can we have it for dinner?" I say, "No, honey, I really don't want to have to carry it home- it's pretty heavy." He fishes for a while. Sits thinking, in that way he has. Says: " If I catch another brem, we'd have enough for a good dinner." " I know, honey, but I really don't want to have to haul these fish home and I'm not sure brem is good to eat." (Not to mention that I really didn't enjoy the last time I cleaned a fish, 15+ years ago) Neighbor mentions that brem taste a lot like perch, and they're big enough to keep over about 6 inches. Allen looks hopeful and casts in the spot they've been hitting hard. I feel a bite and pull in a nice brem, at least 6.5 inches long. I put it on the chain so the kids can keep enjoying this rare day. Allen says"I can't wait for this summer- Nana told me she's going to take me fishing and she'll cook up anything I catch when I visit them." (Nana did NOT mention that Papa Ted gets the fun part of finding the good fishing spot AND cutting up the lovely filets afterwards.) I think, you know- I once cut up a lovely rainbow trout just to impress my new hubbie and it was the loveliest thing I've ever eaten. My little boy just wants to try fresh fish. Everyone in these parts loves catfish fried up fresh. I am going to do my best.
About then, Brian shows up to help carry the fish home and I place a frantic call to Dad. "Is there any special trick to fileting a catfish?' "Nope- just a sharp knife." So I get my knife nice and sharp, pull out some pliers to hang onto it with and go to town.
Did I mention that my plan for killing the fish was to place them on ice for an hour or so? My husband had volunteered to club them on the head for me, but that seemed so brutal. Well, the sweet sleep on the ice worked very well for the brem. Being such a little thing, it took some delicacy to get the filets off without any skin or bones attached. But I finished proud that I had some scraps big enough for us all to taste. AND with very little blood spilled as I mainly stayed out of the organ cavity.
At which point Allen says"Look, Mommy, the catfish is breathing!" "Nonsense, honey, he's been in the ice for hours." OH WAIT! The blasted thing is gasping at me!!!!! Into workshop for sledgehammer for hubbie's original plan. One gentle thump onto catfish noggin and presto! Relaxo! Let the knifework begin. Thirty minutes later, two huge filets are ready for the fry pan. I send Brian to the grill with some steaks in case the culinary adventure disappoints. I roll the catfish in a cornmeal mixture and fry them up in a hot iron pan. Amazing how they shrink as they cook, but still plenty for the four of us. I serve them with tartar or ketchup or lemon as options for the kids. Emily chows down. Amazing. Eats her whole plate and declares herself full. Allen eats all of his brem (Quite tasty, I concur), but only manages a few bites of the catfish before he says he doesn't like it and would rather have some steak. I only get one bite of the catfish before I decide I don't like it and move on to the steak. If there is a next time, I will use a beer batter and will deep fat fry it.
So, the day ended with an unexpected new self-label: Fish preparer. And I actually did a good enough job that it didn't gross me out.
It all started on Mother's Day, when my son gave me the gift of being more than I wanted to be as a Mom. (Only your child can ask you to do something you'd hate to do and end up with you doing it cheerfully so they won't see what a wussie you are.)
I had a headache after church that day and the family was letting me rest. I absolutely couldn't sleep, so I decided to visit the neighbor's pond and take the kids fishing. They'd been wanting to for a week or two and if I didn't take them, who would? Besides, they were trying to be so quiet for me and I knew the peace of the pond and a hook in the water would really help my head.
Turned out, it was a great day to fish. Minutes away from a mighty storm, overcast and the fish biting on liver like they hadn't eaten in a month. Allen pulled in four or five little brem, I must have caught three or four and midway through it all, I pulled in a huge catfish, just shy of two feet long. Absolutely couldn't believe it. Lovely fish. Sent the kids running to the neighbors to see if they wanted the fish for dinner. Nope, not today. Neighbors came down to admire the catch. I put it on a chain in the water. The kids were blown away. Kept pulling it up just to look at it. Allen turns to me and says, "Can we have it for dinner?" I say, "No, honey, I really don't want to have to carry it home- it's pretty heavy." He fishes for a while. Sits thinking, in that way he has. Says: " If I catch another brem, we'd have enough for a good dinner." " I know, honey, but I really don't want to have to haul these fish home and I'm not sure brem is good to eat." (Not to mention that I really didn't enjoy the last time I cleaned a fish, 15+ years ago) Neighbor mentions that brem taste a lot like perch, and they're big enough to keep over about 6 inches. Allen looks hopeful and casts in the spot they've been hitting hard. I feel a bite and pull in a nice brem, at least 6.5 inches long. I put it on the chain so the kids can keep enjoying this rare day. Allen says"I can't wait for this summer- Nana told me she's going to take me fishing and she'll cook up anything I catch when I visit them." (Nana did NOT mention that Papa Ted gets the fun part of finding the good fishing spot AND cutting up the lovely filets afterwards.) I think, you know- I once cut up a lovely rainbow trout just to impress my new hubbie and it was the loveliest thing I've ever eaten. My little boy just wants to try fresh fish. Everyone in these parts loves catfish fried up fresh. I am going to do my best.
About then, Brian shows up to help carry the fish home and I place a frantic call to Dad. "Is there any special trick to fileting a catfish?' "Nope- just a sharp knife." So I get my knife nice and sharp, pull out some pliers to hang onto it with and go to town.
Did I mention that my plan for killing the fish was to place them on ice for an hour or so? My husband had volunteered to club them on the head for me, but that seemed so brutal. Well, the sweet sleep on the ice worked very well for the brem. Being such a little thing, it took some delicacy to get the filets off without any skin or bones attached. But I finished proud that I had some scraps big enough for us all to taste. AND with very little blood spilled as I mainly stayed out of the organ cavity.
At which point Allen says"Look, Mommy, the catfish is breathing!" "Nonsense, honey, he's been in the ice for hours." OH WAIT! The blasted thing is gasping at me!!!!! Into workshop for sledgehammer for hubbie's original plan. One gentle thump onto catfish noggin and presto! Relaxo! Let the knifework begin. Thirty minutes later, two huge filets are ready for the fry pan. I send Brian to the grill with some steaks in case the culinary adventure disappoints. I roll the catfish in a cornmeal mixture and fry them up in a hot iron pan. Amazing how they shrink as they cook, but still plenty for the four of us. I serve them with tartar or ketchup or lemon as options for the kids. Emily chows down. Amazing. Eats her whole plate and declares herself full. Allen eats all of his brem (Quite tasty, I concur), but only manages a few bites of the catfish before he says he doesn't like it and would rather have some steak. I only get one bite of the catfish before I decide I don't like it and move on to the steak. If there is a next time, I will use a beer batter and will deep fat fry it.
So, the day ended with an unexpected new self-label: Fish preparer. And I actually did a good enough job that it didn't gross me out.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Nothing cuter than a baby chick.
Another miraculous day. We had 17 chicks hatch successfully at a friends' home and one late chick hatched yesterday. It was utterly limp and both Brian and I were certain it wouldn't make it. This morning it had finally gained its feet and by this afternoon was staggering around in the incubator. This evening, I decided to risk putting it with the others in the brooder. The others accepted it without pecking too much and by the time Brian got home, it was so fluffy and vibrant that he couldn't even tell which one it was. Hooray! Here you can see him nestled next to the food jar- he's the orange/brown one in a sea of dark grey chicks.
I candled the goose eggs, and they are actually developing, so in a month or so we have a chance at some goslings. Cross your fingers and say a prayer!
An update on the mother goose- She did not perish as was earlier thought. Our neighbor Norman saw her at a nearby church munching grass and tried to round her up. She hissed at him, eluded his grasp and took to flight after running down the hill. He said she flew almost 2 miles before setting down. So I'm sure she's doing just fine.
We had a marvelous weekend camping with the cub scouts at a neighboring farm. Allen participated in the fishing derby and walked away with the prize for the biggest fish! Everyone took the competition so seriously with special rigs, magic hormone baits and worm-theiving. Allen ran out of worms (due to aforementioned theiving) and so moved on to leftover breakfast pancakes as bait. They only lasted moments in the water, but were yummy enough to draw the fish, so it got the best results. He caught a 7 1/2 inch and a 7 3/4 inch brem, the biggest and the second biggest fish in the competition. He also was promoted to Webelo rank, very exciting for him.
Emily caught a little brem, but her biggest acheivement was learning how to cast into the middle of the lake unassisted. She is scheduled to participate in a horse show on Sunday, her first show- pictures to follow!
Monday, April 21, 2008
Trunkboy
Our car has a pass-through into the trunk -- a small, door-like opening from the trunk into the passenger compartment, designed to allow one to carry long items, such as skis or long-handled utensils.
The other day, as usual, we dropped our children off at school. The school was not yet open when we pulled up. Whilst we were waiting, our oldest, a boy, asked if he could crawl through the pass-through to retrieve an item from his school bag. I granted permission, not thinking he could fit through the small space. Well, he could. And did.
After a few moments, his small, plaintive voice wafted in from the trunk. He was unable to fit back through the crawl-through, and wondered if we might rescue him.
As I got out of the car, the front door of the school, right in front of which we were parked, opened, and a teacher came out to welcome the students. She greeted her first student as his dad opened the trunk of the family car and the child came bounding out.
The authorities have not contacted us about this incident...
The other day, as usual, we dropped our children off at school. The school was not yet open when we pulled up. Whilst we were waiting, our oldest, a boy, asked if he could crawl through the pass-through to retrieve an item from his school bag. I granted permission, not thinking he could fit through the small space. Well, he could. And did.
After a few moments, his small, plaintive voice wafted in from the trunk. He was unable to fit back through the crawl-through, and wondered if we might rescue him.
As I got out of the car, the front door of the school, right in front of which we were parked, opened, and a teacher came out to welcome the students. She greeted her first student as his dad opened the trunk of the family car and the child came bounding out.
The authorities have not contacted us about this incident...
Spring Sorrow
Well, I am learning that with loving animals comes a certainty of grief. Keeps me on my toes. We were able to get a lovely new goose for Pilgrim, named her Gracie. 3 days later, our dogs caught her outside the fence and attacked her. She escaped to the refuge of our neighbors' pond only to disappear beneath the surface while the kids were watching. We still have no idea how a enormous waterfowl could drown, nor what has happened to her body. It has drawn our small neighborhood of farmers together as we all banded together to find her the first time and now, to try to figure out what happened to her. Submerged rope? Snapping turtle? We'll probably never know.
Then, in the afternoon on Sunday a coyote showed up out of the blue and snatched a chicken from my yard. I was outside raking and screamed at him to no avail. He ran off just long enough to deposit his catch and was back for another one. I charged him screaming my head off and waving my arms and he just looked at me as if calculating if he could nab another meal before he ran off. Needless to say, I called my neighbors with shotguns for backup before I relaxed a little. It was completely unnerving- He was only 15 feet away and the size of a German Shepherd and I've never been that close to an uncaged wild animal in my life. So far we haven't found him.
The baby chick and keet are growing well and we expect a hatch next weekend from our chicken eggs. The guineas have laid another nest in the woods- we'll see how long they survive out there. I'll probably incubate the goose's eggs next and only help the guineas if the nest is destroyed. The neighbor has been allowing a friend to hunt racoons on his property with good results so the chances are fair the nest will make it.
All of this ensures that life is never dull and that my kids are developing a bit of a fatalistic view of how life and death work.
One funny moment: I put in my garden and some flowers out front and our little dog, Toby got quite muddy. I watched TV until fairly late and when it was time to go to bed, just couldn't face crawling in without getting a shower first. With how dirty Toby was, I decided to wash him up while I was in there. He got all cleaned up and when released zoomed off through the house. Each time he gets a shower, it's like this mega high for him and he has to burn off energy for at least 20 minutes chasing our other dogs. Well, it's nearly midnight at this point, so I nab him and plop him on the bed hoping to settle him down. He starts digging at the covers and spinning around in an attempt to go to sleep- only its like he's in Fast forward mode. It was the funniest thing watching him spin like a dervish for 15 minutes before he finally collapsed to rest.
Life is good.
Then, in the afternoon on Sunday a coyote showed up out of the blue and snatched a chicken from my yard. I was outside raking and screamed at him to no avail. He ran off just long enough to deposit his catch and was back for another one. I charged him screaming my head off and waving my arms and he just looked at me as if calculating if he could nab another meal before he ran off. Needless to say, I called my neighbors with shotguns for backup before I relaxed a little. It was completely unnerving- He was only 15 feet away and the size of a German Shepherd and I've never been that close to an uncaged wild animal in my life. So far we haven't found him.
The baby chick and keet are growing well and we expect a hatch next weekend from our chicken eggs. The guineas have laid another nest in the woods- we'll see how long they survive out there. I'll probably incubate the goose's eggs next and only help the guineas if the nest is destroyed. The neighbor has been allowing a friend to hunt racoons on his property with good results so the chances are fair the nest will make it.
All of this ensures that life is never dull and that my kids are developing a bit of a fatalistic view of how life and death work.
One funny moment: I put in my garden and some flowers out front and our little dog, Toby got quite muddy. I watched TV until fairly late and when it was time to go to bed, just couldn't face crawling in without getting a shower first. With how dirty Toby was, I decided to wash him up while I was in there. He got all cleaned up and when released zoomed off through the house. Each time he gets a shower, it's like this mega high for him and he has to burn off energy for at least 20 minutes chasing our other dogs. Well, it's nearly midnight at this point, so I nab him and plop him on the bed hoping to settle him down. He starts digging at the covers and spinning around in an attempt to go to sleep- only its like he's in Fast forward mode. It was the funniest thing watching him spin like a dervish for 15 minutes before he finally collapsed to rest.
Life is good.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
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