Mothers day

 My lovely mother in law with 2 of her 7 kids--Leon, and Elaine.

 A lovely dinner--prime rib, mashed potatoes, cream cheese corn, fruit and salad.
My family knows that Mothers day is the one day a year that I really prefer NOT to go out.  Too long of waits, too many people.  We've done alot of things over the years--when my older kids girls were home, they made several memorable mothers day meals.
This year my husband said he and the kids were going to cook.  well.........o.k. it's not they don't know how do do any cooking or kitchen work,  lets just say that even tho they know the basics, pulling the whole thing off and getting it all done and on the table at the same time is a bit more complicated than they are used to.
 The boys did bring the drinks, Ryan the pies, & Derek flowers for me.  Leon cooked the steaks & Morgen peeled the potatoes, so that was pretty good for starters! Elaine brought the fruit salad, and mashed the potatoes, Meshayla got the salad on the table and made an awesome cheesecake.  I tried a new recipe for Rosemary bread.  It was good, but needed to bake a bit longer.  I'll try it again when I'm not in such a hurry.  The younger kids did the clean up and dishes--thankfully the parts for my dishwasher came the other day.  Days like this are 3 or 4 full load runs!

 Derek, Dawn & kids

 

 Desserts--Strawberry, chocolate, banana cream pie and berry cheesecake!

 Me with my boys--  They make me feel small!

 Our group today--Mothers day, May 2011  I'm so thankful that I have a few of my kids close enough to us to spend special days together--(or any days!)

 Flowers from my son--Thank you Derek!

 And Longaburger from my husband!
It's been a beautiful day, and I am very blessed!

Beautiful Spring

 Some of my earlier planting

 The lilacs popped today!  I do love lilacs!

 Everything is just bursting! We've finally had some sunny days and higher temps.  The Iris are popping out of the ground at a great rate, Flowers just burst into bloom the last few days, today I saw blooms on my strawberrys --do you suppose I'll get more than 1/2 dozen of them this year?  This is my 3rd picking of Asparagus, I could eat it nearly every day!  Clematis are finally turning green & have buds and my transplanted raspberries are doing great!

 Our first batch of chickens are growing quickly!  They are ready to go outside, only we don't have the pen ready for them yet.  These are our fryers

 2nd batch of chickens (our layers) are doing great too.  We were happy it was warm enough that they could go straight to the chicken house without them being in the house.

Today Kara preformed in the Central District Music Festival.  She has been taking lessons for about 2 years, and this was the first time she has done something like this.  The students had to memorize their songs they played, they also had sight-reading & scales heard by the judge and then there was Theory Ear training exams.
We don't know what the results from those tests were, but she received a 1- rating on her playing!

P.S.  In case you're wondering--the cool clock on the wall was a Mothers day gift from one of my special daughters :)

 

Education

My husband just called and said he's on his way home with 25 new ladies.  This is sink or swim, and I'm trying to figure things out!  Found this today!

A Short Chicken Glossary

 

chick

A newly hatched chicken.

capon

A castrated male chicken used for meat.

cockerel

A male chicken less than a year old. These often make it to the barbecue.

hen

A female chicken more than a year old. These are the ones that lay the eggs.

pullet

A female chicken less than a year old.

rooster

A male chicken more than a year old.

egg

If you don't know, you shouldn't be doing this.

Excited to announce the arrival.....

 Of Samantha's new kittens!  They arrived earlier this week. 

 Mother is doing quite well.  She keeps an eye on the activity, but seems quite happy to go out and about for some fresh air.

 Our little animal lover is quite happy to have babies around again.
Four kittens.  We're hoping this year isn't as hard on them as last year was!

Ready (or not)

 I believe I mentioned in my last post that I tend to be impatient.  I really wanted chickens last year.  Since we moved here last March, in the middle of cold, rainy weather, and had tons of things to do just to get settled along with the chicken house needing repair and all the prep work it involved it simply was not reasonable to jump into the chicken venture.
All year long it's been our my goal to be ready for chickens this spring.
HAHAHA--Read, *my goal to have my husband have everything done*.

Well...spring is here, the chickens are in,
and are we is he ready?

No, not quite!
Another bout of winter early spring nasty cold and rainy snow related weather postponed the needed hours to finish up getting the chicken house ready.

Oh well...who needs a chicken house for baby chicks anyway?
Turning back the pages on my memory book I remember my mom raising chickens all the years I was growing up before I turned a teenager and we moved to K-town.
We lived in a very small tiny town during those years, and we did not have a chicken house.
One of the places we lived was in the back of a grocery store/combo-feed store.  In part of the back area there were empty rooms that doubled quite well as a place to put chickens.
(What?  You don't put your chickens in the house with you?)

Another place we lived had an old adbanded house next to ours.  The house and fenced in yard worked as a perfect place for mom to keep/raise her chickens.
(What??  You don't do that either?)

Well, we are talking 40 years ago, and did I mention the town was TINY--you almost could consider it a non-town!  

WAIT A MINUTE--40 YEARS AGO??? Where did the time go?

So today I was on my way home from accross the state, and my husband calls.  It went kind of like this:
Him: "I bought the chickens today, you will need to stop in town and pick them up on your way thru."
Me:  "Uh, why didn't you take them home, you have the pickup"?
Him: "It's chilly, and they need to stay warm, just put them in the backseat."

Ohh, Kay.  Yes I guess I did want to raise chickens, I suppose that means I have to do more than tell the kids to gather the eggs, or fry them up after they're butchered, right?

So.  Husband forgot he had to work this afternoon, spent all morning in town, rushed home with the supplies, instead of being able to put the chickens in the chicken house we had to fix a place in the basement for them.   Do this, do that, like this, like that....he hollers as he runs out the door, leaving the poor chicks to our un-educated mercy.

These two have stated that they are the official "chicken keepers".  I hope they know what they're doing, because I sure don't!

 Now before you get all worried that we really don't know what we're doing, let me state that this is a very short stop-gate measure, and we had to go bring in my other large tub to additionally accommodate them.

I just checked on them.  food, check.  Water, check.  Heat, check.  Bedding, check.  Not too crowded, check.

I'll probably have to check on these two girls tonight--they'll probably want to go downstairs to sleep so they can keep them company.

Thanks in advance for all the prayers for my sanity & patience in this fowl adventure.


P.S.  Maybe you could pray for the chicks survival too, since we're such novices?  (at least until butchering time)

For today

This morning I thought about this little journal format that I have on one of my private blogs and so I went and looked it up.  I had done the last one a little more than  a year ago right before we moved.  Just a few weeks more than a year we've lived in the country.  I have to say I've loved every minute of it & have never missed our house in town regardless of the more than ample space it gave.

A year ago I was asking you all for suggestions to change my blog name.  Making Country Memories is certainly what we've done this last year.  We haven't gotten very far with "farm" life other than a progression (and "disappearance") of a total of 9 cats, 3 dogs and a pet coon.  At the present time we only have 2 cats (with a new set of kittens on the way) 2 dogs and an occasional sighting of a possum, badger, wild turkeys, deer  and the sound of an occasional coyote howling. 

We're working on plans to hopefully expand the animal population around here, I'll keep you updated on that adventure as we figure it out.

For today...... 

I am

• Energized--when I do housecleaning jobs for others it makes me want to come home and clean, organize and or re-decorate my own.
•  
• Enthused--After we finished our cleaning job my sis & I went to visit a green-house.  I came home with Lavender and Chives to add to my herb garden.  I really know nothing about this little venture I've started, but I'm excited to learn!

• Inspired--Cleaning house last night and having new plants that I couldn't leave outside led to re-decorating, cleaning out the closets, putting some winter things away & making a corner for my herbs & daffodils I bought.
•  
• Excited--Pleased, awe-struck, and at times a bit overwhelmed to think that in 2011 we are gaining 4 new grand babies.  I think it is time to make me a chart to keep track of them all.  Names, birthdays, and possibly with my memory maybe who they belong to would be a good idea too! :D
•  
• Thankful--That I have a sister to work and play with.  That we share so much in common.  Cleaning jobs are much lighter work when you co-work. Exploring the greenhouses, sharing ideas, getting & giving opinions makes planning much more fun.  A random stop at the antique store to scout out some treasures, be green-envy (in a nice way) over the treasure the other-one found first and then deciding that really we've spent all morning anyway, we might as well go enjoy lunch out too.

• Impatient--Wanting to have everything I want WHEN I want it, & HOW I want it NOW.  I really want to do better at enjoying the process.

Outside my window.....We are having our first thunderstorm of the season.   gray skies and it went from light rain falling with the occasional thunder to a full blown rainstorm with sharp lightening later this afternoon when I was on my way home from town.  I'm seeing green grass, tiny green leaves, trees that have burst into bloom & flowers poking their heads up from the earth.  Ahhh, spring!

I am thinking..... About some of my kids coming home next weekend, looking forward to loving on baby Raya who somehow is already 6 weeks old and looking forward to taking a new grandkids photo.

From the learning room........  Researching raising chickens, gardening ideas, container plants and herb/kitchen gardens.  

I'm also learning about "Norwex".  In a few words, the definition of what Norwex is:  From the highest quality microfiber cloths & mops , hygienic kitchen products , personal care products – facial cloths , the most innovative toothbrush on the market , crystal deodorant , and environmentally friendly detergents & toilet cleaner, plus SO much more. It's relatively new, at least in this area, and I along with many others have never heard of it before.  For some of us who are not only interested in using environmentally friendly, but SAFE and NON-toxic products to clean our homes with. It sounds and from the little I've already seen, like  wonderful products.
 
I am thankful for......My life.  My husband, my kids, finally having a chance to live in the country, and I'm thankful for good health to be able to keep up with it all. I'm ever constantly thankful for healthy children, (and so far grandchildren!) especially when I see and hear of those who have so many different health issues.  I may not be so very interested in all the health issues themselves, but I am interested in the why's & wherefore's, and possible causes of the issues and what can be done to avoid them in the first place.

From the Kitchen.... Our first picking of Asparagus--EVER!!  I'm so excited.  I've planted it several other times & never could get it to grow.  I also picked Lettuce leaves for our first fresh salad of the season!  It's chilly in the house this afternoon, and I'm thinking that cinnamon rolls baking would be a wonderful way to warm & cheer up the house & kids.

I am wearing

Warm fuzzys. With this rainy day it's chilly in here and I'm not wanting to kick up the heat anymore than totally necessary these days.  I'd prefer not to have to call the propane guy again!

I am reading..... Besides our Bible study chapters (Genesis currently)--All the country magazines I can find around here--flowers, chickens, farms, gardens! I'm trying to resist getting another book to start reading at the present, I can't seem to put it down until it's finished!

I am hoping.....The weather will clear up for my trip to Sidney tomorrow, and for working outside next week. I am hoping that I can get everything done I need to do before next weekend so it can be a happy, enjoyable, stress free time.  It certainly will be noisy, messy & way too short!

I am creating....Reviving my house with spring decor & my plants indoors.  Wanting to do some more scrapbooking before I'm totally swamped with outdoor work.  I got started on my Finland/Sweden album, now if I just can focus on getting it done...

I am hearing....Raindrops on the windows & roof, The wind, One child on the piano, one on the computer.

Around the house.....It's all clean from having Bible study here last night--Yay, I always love Thursdays like this!

Some of my favorite things......New things.  Spring, new looks, New baby news, New to me old antique/vintage or just plain old things. Sisters & Friends.

For the rest of the week....Taking my two "M&M" kids to meet a friend so they can spend the weekend with their kids. If the weather is cold, rainy maybe I can scrapbook this weekend.  If not, then more yard/garden work.  It's almost Friday, and beings that next weekend will be a full and busy one, I'm hoping for a calm, quiet and relaxing one this week!

 pictures I'm sharing............

 Herbs & daffodils-- The old wagon from my dad out of the barn, grab some planters, baskets, buckets & plop them in front of the porch windows.  It's too chilly yet to get them in the ground outside.
Hmmm, I like this pretty well.  Can I leave them inside year round?  That would be a handy & cheery kitchen garden!

My asparagus!  I just planted it last year (plants, not from roots)  It's grown about 4" every day. 

Shopping at the antique store today I was reminded that I had my big round tin somewhere around here.  I didn't pull it out last year, so when I got home I went scouting.  Ah! I pulled it out of the back of the shed, now it's ready to be filled with something.

 Every farm needs an egg basket, don't you think?  I don't have my chickens yet, but it worked for putting my fresh cut asparagus in.

 A bit of tweaking in my porch herb garden--Lavender & Chives from today's trip to the greenhouse, A few "spring" decorations from the basement storage,  I added my collection of farm/mud/rain boots, and my new large containers for outdoor planting are stacked, ready for using. Oh yes, and a cute "new"/old box I sat my lettuce & spinach in.

I heart spring

 I am so happy for the sun, for warmer temperatures, for blue sky, for birds happily singing.
I can't wait to dig in the dirt, pull my outside decorations out of the shed & start our garden.

The grass is quite green from all the snow that's melted. The trees are budding out, Iris are poking their heads thru, crocuses are blooming & today I saw stems of asparagus poking their tips thru the ground too!

It's been a year since we moved to the country.  It's hard to believe!  I've loved every moment of it and am looking forward to another wonderful year.   So much to do.. So many things we want to do that we've never had the opportunity to do.  Country living, I'm in love with you!

Along with spring breezes blowing, I was ready for a new look (at least for a while) on my blog.
Thanks to my good friend Wrena--she did her magic again for me.  I'm looking for just the right photo for the blog header, and in the meantime this one of our family (Sept 2010) will do.

When you're having your morning, afternoon or anytime coffee--Think of me. 
*Cheers*  Here's to a beautiful, enjoyable spring!