Friday, August 6, 2010

Days of summer in Zion

First of all, if you've noticed, I've up dated my due date ticker. I've actually put it on the Dr./sonogram due date because I'm *hopeful* this time I might could actually go on time instead of the normal 2 weeks later (42 weeks) due date I have. Reason being, I'm taking THREE different last 7 week of get-ready-for-birth, dried herbs in gel capsules, last 6 week get-ready-for-birth, herb TINCTURE in glycerin (never had a liquid before, hoping this is more potent) & a last 5 week herb liquid tincture in alcohol.
I'm thinking maybe, just maybe, mix & matching all these will get my cervix & uterus rip-romping, ready to go ON TIME for once.
Hopefully..... ;-)
Ms. Lyndy Buchanan said she always went 2 weeks over when she always took the dried herb capsules. For one pregnancy she skipped the 6w pills & went THREE weeks over. Next pregnancy, she did the liquid tincture, 5w, & went only a week late (for once!) So we'll see. At least it's not 'the pits' (pitocin) that is sheer torture if you don't want your baby or you getting an epidural head ache.

So on to 'what's happenin.' (Que pasa?)

Boy, did I feel like a squirrel storing up my nuts this day.
I found 300 ears of silver queen vs. 300 ears of G90 is no where near the same. G90 is much larger, but at least I had the children doing half the work. They had it all shucked, cut off, & cobs scrapped while I stirred & cooked, cooled & packed FIFTEEN & A HALF GALLONS of corn. That is like, 62 quarts! It was a looong.... messy day. Since then, we only do a few dozen ears at a time. Ms. Jane Dye said she did a similar stint one time & she was picking corn out of every nook & cranny in her house for months afterward. I knew better with my brood & had them on the porch. It was a HUGE mess, but the chickens loved to help clean as the children worked & Hannah washed it down when it was over for them by dark. My last part was over with by 1 am or so .

Some of the corn cobs are in the chilled cooler under Hallel. Neo was silking,
but I don't know where he got off to in the pic.


First stages with corn ready to be put on the stove,
corn on two eyes being stirred & some ready to
be taken to the processing shed where all the freezers are
when the kids take a 'break.'

Oh, & this is the stove that the oven has quit
on. I LOVE this oven & have tried to get the nice repair man to
come fix it, but he says he'll show up & doesn't. He is totally too busy!
I really need to call the local 'Oscar the grouch' repair man in town
who might actually have the part we need
that isn't made anymore, but dread having to deal w/him.

Getting closer to ending up as the night wore on. You
learn something new to do (or not do) next year, every year.


Saw a nest of about 10 (?) or so baby bunny rabbits
at Aunt Deb's house (the Riley's) while picking
blueberries.


Maybe this is why she moved them the next time we came.
Luther, the genial Riley lab, found
the nest, but amazingly, didn't harm them one bit. Good dog, Luther!!


Thanksgiving turkeys came in the mail in July. Macrae
had lots of fun with them.

I LOVE THIS MOST ADORABLE BABY GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!! (She's tops, if you haven't met her ;-)
When she was home-birthed, they didn't have a name
for her for awhile. (Didn't have to..) Jacob Mink, the only boy
in the bunch, said well, HE was just going to call her
"Daisy Mae" 'til everyone else made up their mind what to
call her. And now, of course, the rest is history
for this precious 'flower' the Lord has added to us.

Been hanging with the Mink family a lot
here lately, about homesteading stuff, at their place & ours.
Sadly, the turkeys they picked up this day didn't make it. It is so
precarious trying to raise those critters, especially in the first week.
We lost a lot ourselves & really have learned to just buy extra,
planning for the unfortunate first week. At their place, we loaded them
up with cheese making supplies, because unlike us right now,
they have an abundance of milk. Big difference in supply from
one cow & one goat. (Big feed difference as well!!) They
are hoping to sell some extra milk, so if you want some RBGH hormone-free
milk, you now know the source.

Ruth & Kylee enjoying a game of clue.
Crow's Baby (a Banty hen) had babies herself!
You can tell by the colors, she isn't a racist.

More babies!! Piglets are SO FUNNY!! They are like kittens in their play, only
funner it seems because they have such a camaraderie amongst all their siblings.
They are so mischievous, playful, & utterly fun to watch, it almost makes them
worth having on the farm when they get older & more demandingly pushy
at dinner time.
Feeding the pigs is like the worst chore to do around
here IMHO, because they might just actually TOUCH
you & make you stink. It is a close kin chore to feeding
the buck goat at mating season come fall when he
gets his unique 'odor de' amour' that his ladies find oh so irresistible.
It takes several washings to get rid of that wretched smell.
Neither chore I can stomach while pregnant,
& Ron usually has mercy on me at any time & gives it to one of the children
who handle it w/o complaints.

This pic cannot capture their adorableness at this age....

And last, but not least, our summer chore
we hope one day will grow so much Ron will be able
to be a full-time farmer, spoiler warning *here;*
CHICKEN KILLING!

Hannah took this picture,
I don't like to go to this area or see this myself. I stick to my 'cleaner'
area of just gutting a slick, footless & headless chicken.
Wouldn't you know our next chicken killin' is the week after my 'due date,'
when I quite possibly might actually have the
baby or definitely be too big to do this exhausting day?
Anyone up for helping cut leg quarters & wings the 26th of Aug? (puppy look...)
My side of the building is MUCH less gruesome... I promise...

Lastly, we have *really* enjoyed our God-given,
volunteer watermelon patch this month.

photo

In fact, we're bringing watermelon/apple juice popsicles to church
again this Sunday for our turn on dessert. A nice cool treat in our
hot, unfinished sanctuary!