My Country Blog of This and That

Don't Forget Our Feathered Friends

2012-01-13T19:49:00.004-06:00

It's cold and snowy here. Don't forget to feed the birds.

They love this suet recipe. I make the big squares for slicing in my soap mold and put them in my homemade suet feeders.

You may even see a fight or two over this stuff.

"It's MINE! Step away from the suet log!"

While the Cardinals fight, the Downy Woodpecker and Titmouse sneak in for a little snack.

At least they get along!

And then old Mr. Blue Jay crashes the party and runs everyone off. He's the law enforcement of the backyard!

Someone has to watch out for the little "Goldfinch" people!

And this guy refuses to do the job today. He has other places to be!

Chocolate Pudding Cake

2012-01-08T13:42:00.008-06:00

(Photo to come)

CHOCOLATE PUDDING CAKE
1 box chocolate brownie mix (with or without nuts)
2 boxes chocolate pudding
3 cups milk
1 tub Cool-whip
1 cup chopped walnuts
Hershey bar

Bake brownies in a greased 13 x 9-inch pan.
Let cool. Using a pizza cutter, zigzag cut up the brownies into chunks but leave them in the pan.
Mix pudding and milk, chill.
Pour pudding over brownies when cooled.
Add layer of cool whip.
Using a potato peeler, make decorative curls of chocolate on top of the cake.
Sprinkle with chopped walnuts.

If you want to be really bad - Add a layer of cherry pie filling on top of the brownies!

Enjoy!!
PRINTABLE RECIPE

I Miss You!

2012-01-07T16:38:00.006-06:00

and I miss blogging! I promise to do better this year than last. One of my New's Year's resolutions is to find the time to blog more often! I enjoyed doing it so much when I was working from home then things got hectic, meaning the boys started school and I started a new job outside of the home. Things haven't slowed down any, in fact, they have gotten even busier. I started classes this semester to get my Bachelor's in Nursing and I joined a 6-week fitness camp yesterday!

As far as the farm goes.....we have two new additions I haven't even had the chance to tell you about. Here's one of them.
Meet Sissy (who needs a bath!)

We have spent the past several weekends riding horses if it hasn't been too wet or too cold.
My life is busy, but it is full of blessings! My boys are growing up so fast!
I am grabbing onto every day with them and holding on for dear life!
One of their new best friends is sweet Miss Lizzy!

She is such a sweetheart and just what these two need! She loves them as much as they love her. I'm pretty sure she'd come right in the house and hang out in their room with them if she would fit!
I promise to update more often! And I miss all your comments!

It's Beginning To Look A Lot

2011-12-04T17:53:00.003-06:00

like Christmas!!!!
(His shirt is always disappearing! At least he's not in his underwear!)

We got our tree yesterday...

Trimmed it last night....

And enjoyed it today!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

Happy Fall Y'all!!!

2011-11-01T06:34:00.000-05:00

Mr. Jonah "Lightning Bolt" Lamancha

2011-10-12T00:00:00.003-05:00

When we have a difference in opinion on names around here, they get them all!

I can't decide if he's the cutest thing I've ever seen or....

if he's so ugly, he's cute!

Either way, he's as sweet as sugar and we love him to pieces!

He reminds me of a puppy! Nellie and Bella are due with Lamancha babies soon!! He'll have some buddies to play with!

Just One of the Reasons

2011-10-11T00:00:00.002-05:00

I love the person who let me borrow this camera: So I can catch moments like these.

My littlest man, looking so grown up!

My baby! Being sweet!

My smoochie face. I live for those sweet sugars under that neck!

He is perfect and he is mine!

This face is one of the reasons this child gets everything he wants!

He squeezes my heart with those eyes!

Each of these photos had Pioneer Woman's "Soft and Faded" Photoshop action added.

My Boy Is A Hunter Too!

2011-10-10T00:00:00.006-05:00

(WARNING: Photo of my little deer hunter and his first deer. I know some of you don't like the more graphic photos related to hunting so come back tomorrow! Thanks!)

Jake took his first deer this afternoon, a button buck! This weekend was youth season in Kentucky. He had been practicing with his .243 he got for Christmas last year. I knew he could hit the target but wondered how he would do with "the real thing!" All you hunters here would have been proud! He was as steady as a rock!

He dropped him where he stood! He also helped me dress him out but said I have to cook it! I bet he eats his fair share of it! He told me he thought he was ready to kill one with "big ole antlers" now! What can I say, hunting is in our blood and his Dad and I are very proud of him!

Congratulations Jake - Master Deer Slayer!!

It's a Dirty Job

2011-10-09T16:08:00.004-05:00

but somebody's gotta do it! It's only 6 inches deep in here!!

It's hard work, but I had some help!

My boys are growing up and turning into regular little farm hands.

Luke helped load the trailer while Jake was hauling it to the fertilize pile and sweeping out the tack room.

I do believe my "ladies" will be happy to see their floor again!

Hey come back here! We're not done yet! We gotta muck out the horse stalls!!

Sorry Mom, scooping chicken poop is enough for one day!

Harvest Time

2011-10-08T08:37:00.007-05:00

Dust is in the air

Such a familiar site this time of year.

Tractors follow the combines like faithful puppies

and trucks keep the roads busy.

Farmers are putting in long hours

while wives keep supper waiting.

When the corn is all gone, they'll start on the soybeans.

Little boys eyes light up at the site of these big guys on the road, moving from field to field.

I love harvest time in Kentucky!

Honk! Honk!

2011-10-07T00:00:00.001-05:00

It's official, I'm not giving the camera back! I'm having way too much fun with it! Possession is 9/10 of the law, right?
I know you're reading this.

A Boy and His Donkeys

2011-10-06T06:22:00.001-05:00

Do these really need words? I don't think so...

and my favorite

Gotta love a boy and his donkeys!

All Lined Up!

2011-10-05T12:00:00.001-05:00

Wonder where they think they are going??

My little mini-herd!
Dimple in the lead, followed by Sara, Penelope and Honey Bear bringing up the rear!

Oops, I've been spotted and Penelope wants an apple or two!

SneakySnake and Kool-Aid Mustaches

2011-10-04T20:20:00.003-05:00

We have a new friend...

His name is Sneaky Snake.....

I found him while I was fencing on the farm.....

now he lives with us!

We love Sneaky Snake!

A Few More Photos

2011-10-03T20:53:00.004-05:00

Sharing a few more....
Wild Turkeys

Another Momma

And another baby

Thistle bloom

Simple beauty

Loving the colors and bokeh in this one!

Still playing with this Canon Rebel Xsi. I'm not sure my friend is going to get it back!

Oh Deer!

2011-10-02T08:02:00.002-05:00

Two post in a row! I'm loving this new camera I'm trying out.
I am addicted to the zoom lens. Want to see why?

This

Is

Why!

Oh deer I'M IN LOVE!

Update on the Boys

2011-10-01T09:06:00.005-05:00

and we have added one more to our goat herd. Meet Baby Jonah! He's my first half-Lamancha/half-Kinder and an absolute doll. He's Lucy's first baby and she is such a good Momma!

and the triplets, well they are all boy and growing fast. Their favorite place to sneak to is the barn loft! Those stacks of hay bales are perfect for jumping on!

Buddy

Blackie

and of course, the little round guy, Brownie.

He's still spoiled rotten and super sweet!
Bella and Nellie are both bred to the Lamancha buck as well and are due next month!

Never Give Up!

2011-08-23T22:21:00.002-05:00

Even when it's a long way to the top!!!!

Black Rat Snake

I Finally Found Her!

2011-08-22T21:49:00.005-05:00

For those of you who have been following my blog since December, you know I have been searching for the perfect lady for Dimple. I would like you to meet Sara!

I found her at Willow Hill Farm in Magnolia, KY from a wonderful couple named Wayne and Diane.
I knew she was perfect when I saw her photos on their site and she was FOR SALE!! We drove 6 hours round trip to get her yesterday.

She's beautiful and looks so much like Dimple. And they REALLY like each other. I'd say we can be looking for a baby about August 2012!

Love those big, beautiful eyes.

And while we were there Wayne and Diane sent the boys a couple of presents.
Meet Honey Bear....

and Penelope!

They are super sweet and the boys love them already!
And Honey Bear wants everyone to know...

They are miniature horses....NOT ponies!

THANK YOU WAYNE AND DIANE!!!

Land Between the Lakes

2011-07-22T11:04:00.003-05:00

We bought a camper! The boys are loving camping at Land Between the Lakes in Western Kentucky. We are leaving again tomorrow to spend a couple of days there. I took these photos last weekend at the Elk and Bison Prairie.

These guys are huge!

They love to get up close and personal.

We also went to the Nature Center where they were having Creepy Crawly Critter Day.

Jake thought it was cool to hold a snake. Luke held it just long enough to get his photo and he was ready to give it back.

We saw lots of animals that had been rescued after injuries and now live at the Nature Center.

This pretty lady was the star of the bird exhibit.

If you're ever in Western Kentucky stop and check out Land Between the Lakes. I'm sure some of my followers from Kentucky know about this beautiful place and enjoy it as much as we do!

Weston Lee

2011-07-04T08:19:00.002-05:00

arrived on June 27, weighing 7 pounds and 8 ounces. Jake and Luke are very proud of their new cousin. My brother, Stephanie and Adam are very happy to finally have him here!
I apologize for the quality of these photos. I went to my mom and dads yesterday, so excited to get photos, turned the camera on and had forgotten my camera card. I always carry an extra in my bag but guess what? It wasn't in there yesterday.....who's been in my camera bag??
Anyway, poor quality or not......here's Weston!
The colors go with the holiday!

Jake is growing up so fast and was so sweet and gentle holding and loving on him.

Luke thinks it's so cool that he's not the baby in the family anymore!

I'm just happy to have that new baby smell around again! Joe took one look at me holding him and said, "Honey, you know we can't have anymore!" I'm okay with that even though my boys are growing up fast BUT.....
I'm going to spoil this one as often as I can!!!!!

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!!!!

Time Flies!

2011-06-26T15:20:00.003-05:00

When you're having fun! Or at least when you're so busy you don't know what day of the week it is. A quick update and a promise to get more organized and efficient at posting to my blog. First I have to say......I MISS Y'ALL!!!!!

My 2-day a week job is now a 4-day a week job. Not only am I RN and health-care coordinator, I have added case management and 2 more days a week to my bucket of many talents. I have given up my medical transcription. Just not enough time in my day! I've had to go to Frankfort a couple of times for training which requires an overnight stay and 8 hours of driving. We are now moved into our new office and workshop and we are loving it! Open house was wonderful. We also had my sister-in-law's baby shower the same day. Weston Lee is due on July 6th and I cannot wait!!

We've been playing T-ball and baseball 2 to 4 nights a week.

Until 9:30 at night!

We bought a small john boat and the boys are loving the fishing and time on the water.

Joe and I are loving it too. We'd be out there more if the rain would slow down a bit.

The garden is planted. Got it in a little late but it's growing and doing well now! The cherries came and went...I canned several jars of cherry jelly YUM! The blackberries are starting to get ripe now. They would do a lot better if I could keep the 9 goats out of the them.

We have bred all our does again so we should be having fall babies! Yeah!!!

I have chicks, chicks and more chicks from 3 incubator hatchings. I also have a hen sitting on 16 pheasant eggs and an incubator full of guinea eggs right now.

Dimple is doing fine. I still haven't found him a woman yet but I am still looking. We WILL have a donkey baby on this farm someday!

AND all this working is paying off....I got a new ride!!

My new 2011 KIA Sorento! I love the smell of new car in the morning!

How's everyone here doing and what have you been up to? I still have Friday off and my schedule is getting a little more adjusted. Hopefully, these posts will start showing up a lot more often around here!!

My Niece

2011-05-15T00:10:00.002-05:00

is growing up too fast!

Prom 2011

What happened to the little sticky fingered girl trying to share her blow-pop with me?

What happened to the baby girl who called me "Aunt Dollar"?

She's beautiful! Seeing her like this made me cry!

I love you, Baby Girl!

It's That Time of Year

2011-05-14T09:24:00.005-05:00

when it rains and rains and rains and it's raining again today! This year has been one of the worst for our area.

The flood waters are VERY slowly receding.

Many people are still waiting to get back to their homes.

I talked to a friend of ours who was able to drive out from their house for the first time yesterday. The roads have been blocked on all sides by water for weeks.

It's also the time of year for Amish strawberries!

I put 14 quarts in the freezer and made 10 pints of strawberry jam this year. We still have a few left from last year so I'm finished with strawberries for this season.

Next will be cherries!

If it ever stops raining and dries out enough,

I'll get my garden planted!

Delicious Pot Roast

2011-05-09T12:22:00.005-05:00

I have received a few concerned emails and posts from my readers concerning the flood! Flood waters are still up but slowly receding. I am sorry to have worried some of you! I had surgery last Wednesday. Nothing serious, but it is taking a little while to recover from. My wonderful husband and boys have been pampering me and taking care of the animals. My husband went back to work this morning. I made it to the barn and fed everyone. (Yes, I was told to stay in the house and take it easy but that's hard to do when it's so beautiful outside, right??).

I thought I would share a delicious recipe for pot roast I found a couple of weeks ago.

It's easy to throw in the crock pot and have for supper while I'm recuperating!

Delicious Pot Roast
3 to 4 pound roast
8 medium potatoes
1 bag baby carrots
1 package Ranch dressing mix
1 package Italian dressing mix
1 package brown gravy mix
3-4 garlic cloves (pressed)
2 - 3 cups water

Peel and quarter your potatoes and put in the bottom of your crock pot, add carrots. Add thawed roast on top of vegetables.

Mix together the dry dressing mixes and the brown gravy mix. Pour this over the top of your roast and rub it in well. Add two cups of water to crock pot. Press 3 - 4 garlic cloves and add garlic to top of roast and rub in.

Set Crock pot on high for 6 - 8 hours or low for 8 to 10 hours. I do turn the roast once or twice while it's cooking and add a little more water if it's needed.

This is so good! You end up with a wonderful roast and gravy. We love to eat it served over homemade bread with a side of beef rice.

Enjoy!!!
Printable Recipe

Flooding

2011-04-28T20:01:00.004-05:00

Please forgive me for not posting more often. We are having terrible storms and flooding here in Kentucky. The storms we've had have kept me off the internet a lot of the time.

Today is the first day we have seen the sun in a long time! This is 2nd worse flood in history our area has been through. The other was the Great Flood of 1937.

I'd like to share a few photos of the flooding and the sky I have taken in the last few days. It's amazing how something can be so scary and so beautiful all at the same time.

Please keep all of those affected by the floods and recent tornadoes in your thoughts and prayers. I'll be spending tomorrow gathering supplies for the shelter in a small town near us. I grew up with these people. They are friends and family.

It hurts to see them going through something so devastating. Losing things they have worked for all their lives. Farm land will take months to dry out. Many people make their living planting crops here and they have no idea when they will be able to get back in their fields.

The rivers are supposed to crest May 3 and there has already been so much devastation to homes along the rivers.

We went to the Amish Community Saturday and stopped by the swinging bridge. The water was already up and is a lot higher now. Of course, we still had to cross it a couple of times.

Our house is safe from the flooding and I am so thankful for that.

On a happier note....

All this rain has brought out the green.

My weigela bushes are blooming and

my kids are playing in a yard that desperately needs mowing! They also seem to have a lot of fun on this...

Doing this....

I hope you have a wonderful and blessed Friday.
Be thankful for all that you have and do a little something to help someone out today. You just never know when it might be you needing the help in return.

Desktop Freebie

2011-04-19T00:01:00.001-05:00

This photo was taken in front of my parents house. I have it set as my background on my desktop and I love it! I thought I would share with you.
The link below downloads the large file size. Download it then right click on the file name and click "Set as Desktop Background" and there you have it!
Hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Download 1024 x 768 file.

Free! Free At Last!

2011-04-18T07:52:00.004-05:00

We spent yesterday afternoon after church at the barn. We fixed a leak in the roof, escape-proofed the goose yard (I hope) and mucked out a few stalls. The grass is getting so green here and everyone wants a bite of it!

I let the goats out for a couple of hours at a time to start with so they don't overindulge themselves and end up with bellyaches. Everyone loves green grass! Even the chickens.

This is Pumpkin. He has moved up to head rooster after losing Red.

While the other goats were out picking the field clean, I let Nanny and the babies out to play! Their first outing! They were so excited!
Momma was pretty happy to get out and visit with the other ladies as well.

Prepare yourself for the cuteness. Our boys have gone with the names Buddy, Brownie and Blackie.

Buddy

Blackie

and our spoiled runt of the litter with the adorable curled up ear,
Brownie!

They played and hopped and jumped and yelled for Momma when they couldn't see her!

They told each other secrets and plotted to escape again soon!

I can't be totally sure but I think these guys are in on it too!

24 baby chicks from the incubator. They hatched a week ago and I have another 40 eggs due to hatch on May 2! It's definitely Spring on the farm!

Blog of the Month

2011-04-14T06:30:00.006-05:00

I have decided to start supporting my "local" bloggers! I received the nicest email from a blog follower complimenting me on my blog and offering to exchange links. I've been mulling over the possibility of doing a spotlight blog post recently and saw this as the perfect opportunity to combine a "blog of the month" and a give away!

BLOG OF THE MONTH

Go over and check it out! She has a market full of goodies that I want! I'm ordering an Amish made egg (tulip) basket just for me and I'm giving one away too!

I love egg baskets! There's something just so country about them!

To enter: You have to be a follower of my blog and go to Stephanie's blog and become a follower. You can also find her on Facebook through the link on her site. Come back and let me know you have hopped on board over at Stephanie's and you're in!

Contest will end Wednesday, Friday, April 22 at 9:00 Central time! Winner will be announced shortly after!

My Baby

2011-04-10T22:18:00.004-05:00

My baby turned 5 today!

And I can't believe it.
Where does the time go?
He's growing up way too fast!

Oh Baby, Baby, Baby!

2011-04-07T21:13:00.003-05:00

We got three......
BOYS!

Not a single girl in the bunch but I'm still proud of all three of them and momma did great!

Labor and Delivery nurse was on duty but my assistance was not needed! Well not until I got to snuggle them anyway!

The rest of the family thinks they are pretty sweet as well!

Awwww, my man holding a baby goat...makes me smile!

Jake's just a little bit proud of them too!

Everyone is nursing and it's going great so far.

We'll keep an eye on these little guys and make sure they all get enough milk. If not, I have bottle supplies on hand but I would rather momma do the work!
Luke's just happy they got here in time for his birthday party on Sunday! He can't wait to show them off.

Donkey Love

2011-04-04T00:13:00.007-05:00

Could he possibly be any cuter??

Only when he does this!

We spent part of the day brushing and scratching and loving on Dimple.
The boys love him...

And he loves them.

He and Jake play this little game where Jake loves and pets him....

Then he stops....

Dimple takes his big, soft nose and nudges and nudges until Jake loves him again!

And then everyone is happy!!

Sampson (AKA Red)

2011-04-03T08:09:00.005-05:00

Red spent a few days fighting to recovery from what I assume was an attack by the gander but didn't make it.

It makes me very sad to lose Red. He started out as Sampson but quickly became known as Red and was loved by all of us.

He was a gently giant with the boys. They could could even pick him up and carry him around.

They loved to feed him food from their hands.

Yet, he was fearless when it came to protecting his ladies!

He will be missed! It's hard to find a good rooster!!

Surprise

2011-03-31T21:28:00.003-05:00

You never know what you might find in the hen's egg boxes. I am assuming this is a young pullets egg. They have all just started to lay.

My boys thought this was absolutely hilarious!

It only had white inside! No yolk!

Building a Greenhouse

2011-03-28T21:16:00.003-05:00

Girls can build stuff too!
My clotheslines turned out great so I thought I'd go a step bigger. I have always wanted a greenhouse so I decided to build one. I already had my spot picked out. It's an 8 x 8 pad that a building used to sit on. The building is now in the field for the donkey or goats or geese, whatever needs it. But the pad is mine! I had a picnic table on it for awhile but I think a greenhouse would be much better here.

I hopped in the truck and went to True Value. I spent approximately $100 for 29 - 2 x 4's.

Grabbed the saw horses, a hammer, some power tools, tape measure, nails and screws that I already had in the building and started working. I occasionally had to stop to give Luke a push on the tire swing but swinging aside I managed to get this much done before my husband came home from work and I said SURPRISE!

I have a big roll of plastic just waiting to be added but I have to wait until my next day off which is Friday! I don't know if I can wait that long. I am so excited!

Hop in Our Buggy

2011-03-27T16:54:00.005-05:00

Well okay it's a truck but we saw lots of buggies! And you can still hop in and come along on our trip with us.
We took a trip out to the Amish community yesterday to pick up feed for the chickens and goats.

We made a few stops in town first. I needed 2 more 4 x 4's to finish my new clothes line poles. My clothes line was a little longer than I planned and needed a middle pole.

We grabbed a few things at the new Dollar General.

Had bite to eat at DQ,

then headed for the country...

Everything is turning green and the trees are on the verge of bursting forth with life.

The Amish folks are busy preparing fields and planting already.

I love the barn pictured below.

The old boards have been replaced on the original support structure of the old barn and it looks great.

You can see the feed mill in the distance in the photo below. It is owned and operated by Lester Stutzman and his boys. They also raise pigs, sheep, cattle, chickens and guineas. I also get my strawberries from them a little later in the year.

On our way out we stopped and said hi to these beautiful ladies...
Miss Holstein

Miss Holstein #2

and Miss Brown Swiss

The roads were busy with buggies on Saturday afternoon.

We saw them coming...

and going...

We turned on this road and stopped by the greenhouse which is also side by side with the bakery. No trip to the Amish community is complete without a stop at the bakery!

I didn't buy anything at the greenhouse but the bakery was a whole other story. These doughnuts followed me home.

Well some of them followed me home,

some of them didn't make it all the way home! They are SO good! If I knew how to make these I would weigh 500 pounds!
I also picked up seed potatoes and onion sets yesterday!
The temps have dropped again but all the green and the flowering trees let me know that Spring will be here very soon!

Hope you enjoyed taking our trip with us!

Taking a Trip

2011-03-26T07:41:00.004-05:00

out to the Amish community today to get some chicken and goat feed.

I need to stop by the greenhouse and see what they have in. I promise to take my camera along!
I'll be picking up my seed potatoes today. I am thinking of trying the "barrel" method this year so if anyone has any pointers on this, I'll take 'em!

We have had a recent death in the family. My great uncle passed away last weekend and although I did not know him well, I worry about my grandmother and how this will effect her. So between time at the funeral home, time at work with both jobs and time at the barn with my still very pregnant goats, I haven't been in here much. I am so sorry for neglecting my wonderful followers!

Red, my big gentle Rhode Island red rooster is sick. I have a sneaking suspicion that Daddy Gander goose got a hold of him. He's being very protective of the Momma goose sitting on her eggs. Red is in "rehabilitation" right now and seemed a little stronger yesterday. He's the rooster in the header pic up there and the one above. I love Red, he's the perfect rooster. He takes care of his hens but will let the boys pick him up and carry him around which earned him top spot with me. I don't like mean roosters!

I thought, thought being the key word here, I had a big surprise for you all last weekend. I had plans to go see a Jenny and her baby and had every intention of buying them but the owners decided they couldn't part with them. I was so sad because they were so cute in the photos I saw and I thought they were just perfect for Mr. Dimple but alas our search continues for the "perfect" lady for my gentleman.

And we will find one! I promise, Dimple!

I have 42 eggs in the incubator due to hatch in about 2 weeks.

Spring tried to spring but we got cast back in to cold, dreary temps and had some sleet and ice pellets yesterday. A big change from 5 days of 75 degree temps last week! I am so ready for Spring weather and planting and clothes drying on the line.....Spring, please come back!

Spring Day!

2011-03-18T17:42:00.004-05:00

I had every intention of spending today working in my yard and cleaning leaves. I wanted to get a lot done in the barn while waiting on the baby goats to get here, was wanting to make some soap and some more homemade yogurt BUT.....

SOMEONE got me all sidetracked and I spent the day laughing and fishing with Angie, my little sister (and best friend even though she caught more fish than I did)! Sometimes you just need "that" kind of day!

LinkWithin

2011-03-14T08:07:00.003-05:00

I spent Friday building a new clothes line all by myself, even poured the concrete for the posts and what happens?? It rains....and rains....and rains! I promise pics and a post when I see the sun again! While we are waiting, I thought I would share a little "blog improvement" something I found this weekend.

Maybe I'm way behind but I just found this widget yesterday and I am loving it! It is so easy and simple to install and leads people to other posts like the one they are reading. Just one way to make your blog a more popular place!

It's called LinkWithin and adds clickable thumbnails to the the bottom of your posts. Like this.....

Just follow the steps on the website to add it to your blog. It uses your labels to find related posts.

Oh and I have a new addiction....
Homemade yogurt flavored with pear honey....somebody stop me!

And The Winner Is.....

2011-03-12T11:19:00.004-06:00

Linda from Pine Ridge Handwovens!! Please email me with your address using the Contact Me link in the right sidebar with your pick of the give away books!!! Congratulations!!!

New Laundry Room Savings post to come shortly!!!

Green Living Give Away

2011-03-06T07:35:00.007-06:00

Well, it is March!!
I'm thinking leprechauns, shamrocks and pots of gold! Something green seems appropriate for a give away this month! I am also working on my "Laundry Room Savings" series so this fits right in!

If I pick YOU, you get your choice of one of these books (also available in Kindle edition).

Click on each book cover to see the details.

Photos are property of Amazon.com

All you have to do is follow me and tell me one thing you and your family have done (or are planning to do) to "go green".

I have also added a Green Living Tips button to my left sidebar. It's a great little site where you can get green living tips and add your own! I spent an hour looking through tips last night. There are so many things that are so simple to do that I never even thought of.

Green Living is taking one step at a time to make a better place for us and our future generations to live a happy, healthy life!

Give away will close on Saturday, March 12 at 9:00 a.m. Central time with winner announced shortly thereafter! Now, I'm heading over there to order both of these books for myself!

Homemade Fruit-on-the-Bottom Yogurt

2011-03-05T07:29:00.008-06:00

As soon as the rain passes I'll be doing another Laundry Room Savings post but for now let's make some yogurt!!

Strawberry and Blackberry Homemade Yogurt

Homemade yogurt is so easy to make! I have tried two different methods and if I'm not in any hurry I use the regular Crockpot method. If I am in a hurry to get things going, then I use the "quicker" method!

I like to make this yogurt right before I go to bed so it has a full night to sit and incubate. By morning, I have wonderful thick yogurt ready to be chilled.

Ingredients for the regular and quick method are both the same.
Here's what you will need:
2 quarts milk
1 cup of dry powdered milk
1 cup plain yogurt with active live cultures listed on the label (otherwise it won't work)
Thermometer
2 Tbsp. jam or jelly (optional)

Notes:
*I use fat-free milk from the store if we aren't milking the goats - any milk will work.
*You do not have to use the dry milk but it makes a thicker, much nicer yogurt consistency.
*I use Dannon for my first batch then I use the yogurt I make as my starter from there on out.
*If you don't have a thermometer you can bring the milk almost to a boil for the 185 and when you can hold you finger in the milk for 10 seconds without burning for the 115 but this is iffy...if the milk is too hot, you kill the live cultures and your yogurt won't thicken.

Regular Crock-pot Method
-Add 2 quarts of milk and 1 cup of dry milk to the Crock-Pot and stir well
-Turn Crockpot on, cover with lid and heat your milk up to 185 degrees. This takes about 2 hours.
-Turn the crock-pot off and remove the lid
-Let cool to 115 degrees. This takes about 2 hours.
-Add 1 cup of plain yogurt and stir well.
-Wrapping and incubating: Replace the lid and wrap the crock-pot in 2 or 3 towels. You can leave it on your counter if your house is fairly warm. I sometimes sit it inside my oven to make more room on the counter top. The yogurt needs to stay between 90 and 110 degrees during this time. Let sit for at least 6 to 8 hours, up to 10 for a thicker yogurt with a stronger taste.

Quicker Method
(for getting it into the Crock pot before bedtime!)
-Place the insert in your Crockpot and turn it on low to get warm.
-Add 2 quarts milk and dry milk in a saucepan on the stove.
-Heat to 185 degrees.
-Remove from heat and pour into the pre-warmed Crock-pot. Turn Crock-Pot off. This skips the 2 hour heating step. I still like using my Crock pot because it's a good size for making yogurt. Any container that can be covered and wrapped up will work including the saucepan you just used, it just takes longer to cool down. I have been known to add a couple of cubes of ice at a time to cool this down . Keep a close eye on your temp while doing this (this cuts out the 3 hour cooling down step) but you might want to increase the amount of dry milk you added at the beginning to make up for the water this adds.
-Follow the steps above for wrapping and incubating.

You should now have homemade yogurt!!! Put in a large container or in individual one cup serving containers and place in the refrigerator to chill. I add 1 to 2 tablespoons of jam or jelly per 1 cup of yogurt, stir and enjoy. It's delicious and much cheaper than store bought. Remember to reserve 1 cup of plain yogurt as a starter for your next batch! The starter can be frozen or is good in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 weeks.

YUM! Blackberry! I can extra jams and jellies just to use in yogurt each year!

There are many ways to incubate your yogurt. You can sit your saucepan on on a towel-covered heating pad on low and cover with another larger upside down pot, put it in a toaster oven set to 100 degrees, regular oven with just the pilot light on for heat, in a cooler lined with towel......those are just a few I have read about.

So far this week my son has had strawberry, peach, blackberry and plum yogurt for breakfast. I like to throw a packet of Splenda in mine and have it that way. You can add a little sugar and vanilla to the milk in the beginning if you like to give it a hint of sweet vanilla taste. Let me know if you have other variations on homemade yogurt. I would love to hear them!

Twitter Updates

2011-03-04T22:55:00.004-06:00

I have added a Twitter box in the right sidebar. I'd love for you to follow along with my quick updates between blog posts! I'll be letting you know what's going on here on the farm and what's coming up on my blog soon! Just click on the Follow Me graphic in this post or under the Twitter feed over there in the right sidebar!

Laundry Room Savings

2011-03-02T10:57:00.009-06:00

The laundry room has been my biggest money saving room by far in my search for frugality....that's a word, right?? I am going to do a series of posts on what I am doing in my laundry room to save money for....vacations? a new car?? no...just gas for the old car I have....have you been to the pumps lately? Not pretty!

This is post #1 in my Laundry Room Savings series.

Homemade Laundry Detergent
My "supplier" who sold me homemade laundry detergent at $1.25 a gallon has moved about an hour away so I decided to make my own. It's simple, easy, cheap and works!
Here's the recipe I use:
1/2 bar Fels Naptha Soap ($1.49 per bar)
1/2 cup Super Washing Soda ($4.29 per box)
1/2 cup baking soda ($1 per box)
1 cup Borax ($4.29 per box)
Water

*You can find all of this at your local ACE (True Value) hardware store.*

Use a large stock pot. You will be adding about 8 quarts of water as you go along so use a BIG UN'!

Grate your soap
Mix with 1 1/2 quarts of water over low heat until all soap is dissolved.
Add washing soda, baking soda and borax stirring between each. Add 1 quart of hot water and mix well. Add 6 quarts of cold water, stir and let gel for a few hours.

Mine was very clumpy so I used my stick blender I use when making soap to mix it well. I then let it sit for another few hours and got a smooth, creamy looking laundry detergent. I also added a few drops of Fresh Rain essential oil I had for soap to give it a nice smell. I then poured it into a couple of left over laundry detergent bottles I had saved but milk jugs, soda bottles, any plastic container will work. Give your jug a good shake when you go to use it to make sure any of the gel or clumps are mixed well.

I use 1/2 cup of my homemade laundry detergent per load of laundry! Try it! The cost of all the ingredients together is less than the cost of a big bottle of laundry detergent and you have enough to make several batches with just the ingredients above! Try it and let me know what you think! If you already make your own, feel free to share your recipes and methods! I would love to hear them!

Rainy Days

2011-02-28T08:26:00.001-06:00

are for hanging out with your best friends!

How do you spend your rainy days?

Rustic Suet Feeder #2

2011-02-25T14:56:00.006-06:00

I love making suet for the birds, especially this time of year when it's cold and I know there are not a lot of nuts, berries or seeds left for the little guys to feed on. All you need is a broken tree limb and you can make this little feeder. I found a beautiful cherry limb on the side of our road while I was walking. We had some wind and rain last night and several limbs left from the ice storm of '09 fell. Yes, they are still falling!

Here's what you need to make this feeder.
1 larger limb about 6 inches long and 1.5 inches in diameter
2 smaller limbs about 5 inches long 1 to 1.5 inches in diameter
6 small sticks about 7 inches long
4 finishing nails (about 2 inches long)
12 small nails about 1 inch long
2 Screw hooks
Wire for hanging.
Suet

I cut the limbs up with a miter saw. You can use a hand saw but the miter is faster. I measured mine to fit my son's sandwich box. That's what I use for a suet mold from time to time and I happened to have one already made in the freezer. You can change the dimensions to fit your mold. I also have a double feeder like this that holds two suet cakes. Just make your larger limb longer!

I cut notches in the ends of my smaller limbs to fit the ends of my larger one. You can see the cuts in this photo.

Nail the end pieces on with the larger of the nails. I use two nails per per end. Then take the 6 longer sticks and put 3 on each side about an inch apart working from the bottom up. Attach these with a small nail on each end and trim any excess overhang.

It will look like this when you finish.

Add your screw hooks to the top of the two side "posts", attach your wire, add suet, hang and enjoy! I know your birds will.

Rustic......

and cute!

You can find Rustic Suet Feeder #1 here.
and Hey,
I have over 300 followers now! You guys are awesome! Thank you!!!

In a Blogging Rut

2011-02-18T06:24:00.004-06:00

I am so ready to see GREEN!

Any of you bloggers ever get stuck in the deep muddy rut of blogger's block? Mine always seems to come this time of year. The time between the holidays and gardening and baby goat birthing time! (Please pardon the reused pics for this post....explanation below!)

I need to order some chicks. I have decided to order instead of incubate this year and see how it goes. I am wanting a few new breeds to add to my hen house. My camera battery has gone dead and my charger has mysteriously disappeared into the same hole that socks go into around here because it's GONE, GONE, GONE, no where to be found, no longer exists! I have a new one ordered and it should be here today or tomorrow.

The new job is going well. I'm putting in 3 days a week right now instead of the 2 originally planned but I'm not complaining, just thankful to have a job....2 in my case. I am still doing the transcription as well. Construction on the new office building has started! We will be so glad to get moved into it and have more space! I get my own office. I picked out my new computer, printer and office chair yesterday! I'm moving up!

I have also lost 21 pounds since Thanksgiving! Go ME! I feel so much better and I am exercising, running and doing Zumba for a total of about 10 hours of exercise a week and gasp, gasp....I'm eating right!! I feel better than I have ever felt! I am training to run a 5K in March! Wish me luck! I'm going to need it!!!

On the yard and garden front, the garden will be plowed up this weekend. It should have been done last Fall, but we got lots of rain and the ground stayed too soft for plowing then. I am planning on getting that small greenhouse I've been wanting and getting it set up within the next week or so.

In the barn, one of my geese is sitting on eggs! Daddy Gander is chasing anything that gets close to her. Nanny is our first goat due and she's supposed to have babies in less than a month! I am so excited!! From the looks of her belly we may get 3 this year!

The bassets go for shots this morning. Can't believe we've already had them for over a year! That's my update for around here and I'm planning on breaking through this blogger's block! The temps have been so Spring like the last couple of days. Is it strawberry time yet?

I wish! I'm itching to get outside and plant something!
So what's going on in your neck of the woods?? Is it Spring yet at your house? If it is, I'm moving in!

Winner of the Gift Card is...

2011-02-14T09:12:00.003-06:00

Image property of Amazon.com

edmonton jb from

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Please email me using the contact me link in the right sidebar. I need the email address you would like the gift card sent to! Thank you!!!

Thank you to each and every one of you who jumped in and participated on this give away! I loved reading all your comments. The next give away will be in March for St. Patrick's Day!!

A Valentine Give Away!

2011-02-09T08:06:00.005-06:00

This graphic is property of Amazon.com.

I promised you a give away and here it is! Since I have men and women readers, I wanted to do something that either could enjoy if he/she is the lucky winner! I am giving away a $20 Amazon.com gift card! I know it's not a lot but hey it's 20 bucks! That buys a bag of chicken feed around here!

I've been playing with the new lens, Photoshop and some free Valentine templates I got from The Album Cafe. I made Jake's Valentine's for his class this year.

I'll have them printed as 3.5 x 2.5 and put them in little Valentine envelopes.

All you have to do to win the gift card is be a follower and leave me a comment. You can tell me what your plans are for Valentine's Day or how you met your significant other or just say I want that gift card!!

Good luck! Winner will be chosen Valentine's Day, Monday, February 14th at 9:00 a.m. Central time!

Tin Can Crafts

2011-02-05T19:18:00.007-06:00

Sorry for not posting this on Thursday like I promised. It's been a very busy last couple of days with helping my friend Brooke strip wallpaper at her new house, a trip to Nashville and going to my cousins baby shower today.

So what do you do with your tin cans? Do you throw them in the trash? Recycle? I found a couple of cute uses for them and I'm looking for more!

I made these adorable tin can candles and a pen/pencil holder. They are so cute and easy and reusable! You can see my first candle-making post here. The addiction has only grown since starting to make my own candles.
Hint: I have found that old crayons are great for coloring candles. Just choose your color, toss them in with your melting wax and stir well.
Update: goatmilker had mentioned that crayons should not be used because they clog up the wick and the candle doesn't burn as well. I did some reading and this does seem to be the case. I'm still going to use them for my experimental candles that I will be using here at home but if you make candles to sell you might want to use the dyes made just for candle-making.

I use one of those Pampered Chef can openers for opening my cans and leaving a smooth edge. Then I peeled the labels, washed the cans well and decided on the color paint I wanted to use for the trim on my can. I like the rusted look so I went with an orange-brown color but any color that matches your decor will work. I was wanting a little texture so I searched my kitchen for ideas. I thought of sand but I don't have sand in my kitchen, then I thought of SUGAR!

You can see the texture at the top and bottom of this tin can candle above. All you have to do is spray a layer of paint, sprinkle with sugar and spray a layer over the top. Let dry.

Add the wick. I hot glue mine in the bottom of the can. Fill with melted candle wax, add color and fragrance if you want to) and let harden. Once the candle has hardened, top it off with a little more melted wax if you need to to get a flat candle surface. Find a cute graphic. I use PCCrafter.com for almost all my crafting graphics.

Print on full label sticky paper, peel and apply (or you can Mod Podge to apply the graphic to your can). Rub down well. I spray mine with a couple layers of Krylon Crystal clear acrylic spray and let dry. Tie on a bow, string, raffia, etc. and enjoy your new primitive country tin can candle!

I have the "Welcome Friends" one on my desk holding my pens and pencils. What other crafts could I use tin cans for? I've been collecting them to the point that I can't open the door under my sink without them rolling out! I need more ideas! I think they would make cute planters for herbs in my kitchen window.....to be continued.....

Barn Chicks Who Blog

2011-02-02T11:46:00.002-06:00

Patrice over at Everyday Ruralty has been kind enough to feature me on her Barn Chicks Who Blog page! Please go by and check it out. She has an awesome blog. Go by and see how she went from princess to cop to barn chick!

I'm in the kitchen working on a new craft for a craft post and will be sharing it soon! I will also be posting a February/Valentine's give away on Friday so stop back by!

I hope all of you who are getting hit hard by this winter storm stay safe and warm! Knowing what you are going through from our January 2009 ice storm, you are all in our thoughts and prayers here in Kentucky.

Variety

2011-01-26T09:17:00.004-06:00

It's amazing how the simplest things can bring a smile to your face on a farm! I was scurrying around yesterday evening after I got home from work, trying to get everyone in the barn fed, given hay and watered before dark. As I went into Dimples stall to add hay to his manger, I am sure my face lit up as I grinned from ear to ear. There in the corner of his stall were two GOOSE eggs in a nest of hay!!

I got my geese last Spring as babies and as they grew it became obvious that I had 2 females and a male. Over the past week, the male has been parading around, hissing at anything and everything that gets close to his ladies and biting at the chickens and goats. Now I know why!

After gathering all the eggs from the barn yesterday, I had quite the variety of eggs!

My Easter basket!

Since these are the first of the geese eggs, I am sure they will get a little larger as "first" eggs are always a little small! It's still a too cold with all the snow on the ground and 10-20 degree temps to let them try to sit and hatch babies but as soon as it's warmer we'll be trying for baby geese!!!

But until then we'll be having

scrambled eggs for breakfast!

YUM!

Ummm, That's Loud!

2011-01-21T17:33:00.009-06:00

The first time I heard this it scared me! I was standing right by the gate and "it" was right behind me! I nearly pee'd my pants! Now, I wait to hear it each and every day as I head to the barn to feed my critters. I'm walking so please forgive the camera shake!

These 4 are always up to no good!

Bella is always looking for food! I had to put a board across the top of this door because she can jump it like it's a foot tall!

There's Marv! The handsome male model of our goat world!

And Nellie. That belly just keeps getting bigger. I'm thinking at least 2 babies in there! I hope so. She lost her little guy last year and didn't get to be a momma. I'm hoping she has an easy delivery this year. Nellie has expensive pretty feeders hanging on the gate but she likes her old metal pan!

The geese are always sitting in the snow. They even ruffle their feathers like they are dusting. Guess with all that goose down they stay warm!

Time to check on the big chickens. There's always a party going on in here!

The hens were getting on their nest boxes and making a mess on my eggs so I fixed the problem. I think they like the privacy too.

I love country eggs and I'm getting several a day now that I have the lights set up on a timer.

The little chickens don't like the snow much but they come out to see if I have any feed for them.
Bootsie's babies are growing.

and like I always say....Stud...well he's just Stud!

This little gal is sitting on 9 eggs in the dead of winter! I moved her into the brooder and added a light and some heat.

and my baby, DIMPLE! He's such a sweetie!

We're all waiting for Spring when we can frolic in this field with new baby goats and go fishing in the pond. Oh wait, they will frolic and I'll go fishing!

Oh what the heck! I think I'll frolic too!

We Have Snow!

2011-01-20T20:24:00.005-06:00

and I have been playing in it! I love making snow angels! I've made a snow angel each and every time it has snowed since I was a little girl. Had to get out there and make one this afternoon! I also rode on the sleds with the boys behind the 4-wheeler! I love hearing their giggles and "Go faster, Daddy!" We're making snow cream now....YUM!

I'll be posting a Winter farm update tomorrow. All the animals are staying warm and eating lots of hay! Do you have snow?? Have you been out playing in it??

Raising Hunters

2011-01-16T16:58:00.008-06:00

If you were around back in November then you know that I am a hunter, my mother, my sister and even my grandmother is a hunter. Needless to say the men are all hunters too. It's in our blood! We hunt for the meat and if we get a trophy while at it then that makes hunting season even sweeter!

Jake is 7 and he started hunting youth hunts this past year. We decided to get him a rifle for Christmas. We picked it up last week and he's been practicing.

He got a Youth Model .243. He has the arm strength to hold it up for short periods of time. He'll work on that, his aim and gun safety between now and November when hunting season comes in. I am amazed at how fast he is growing up.

and his little brother is right on his heels!

Maybe he'll get this guy next year. He managed to outsmart me in 2010 and he's still around!

Candy Apple Pie

2011-01-15T13:21:00.005-06:00

My sister-in-law made this pie awhile back using apples she had frozen over the summer. Just another reason I'm glad I froze plenty of apples!

I made these two pies for a cake and pie auction we are having tonight at church. It's a fundraiser for one of the young men getting ready to start a missionary trip.

(This recipe is for 1 pie)

Candy Apple Pie
Pie
6 cups sliced apples
2 Tbsp. lime juice
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
Deep dish pie shell
Pastry roll
2 Tbsp. butter

Topping
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp. heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions:
Toss apples in lime juice. Combine dry ingredients, add to apples. Fill crust with apple mixture. Dot top with butter, cover with pastry roll. Flute edges and cut steam vents. Bake at 400 degrees for 40-45 minutes.
For the topping: Melt butter in saucepan, add brown sugar and whipping cream, bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat then add pecans. Pour over crust and bake 3-4 minutes longer.

PRINTABLE RECIPE

I have already told my husband that he is forbidden to bid on these pies because if I bring one of them home with us I will eat way too much of it!

I also baked this Mandarin Orange Cake (also known as a Pig Lickin' Cake).

I Love Candles!

2011-01-14T19:23:00.011-06:00

and now I have something else to keep me busy!

This is just the first days completed projects!
Some of these are remelts from left over wax in the bottom of the containers I have been saving for making my own candles...

Some are from container wax (now my favorite because it has that solid color not a waxy look like the paraffin). Some are paraffin wax (second favorite) and soy wax (not so sure I like it).

This pineapple smells so good!
This one below has embedded pink hearts but it didn't quite turn out the way I wanted it to. I am going to have to work on the embedded part.

I also made these cute little candle melts. I am loving the little blue bears! They have a wild berry scent and smell so good! I did hearts and stars with my silicone molds.

I also did Mulberry, Sugar Cookie, Hazel Nut and Fresh Rain. I LOVE these little fat Mason jars for candles!

Candle-making is as addictive as soap-making and it's easy.

You need:

Wax
Wicks
Containers
Pouring pot for melting wax

Tips:

I used a hot glue gun to stick the wicks in the bottom of the containers and used a clothespin to hold the wick upright while pouring my wax.
You can use a double boiler but I just used a sauce pan, put three metal jar rings in the bottom, added water and sat my pouring pot on top of the rings. These rings hold the pouring pot off the bottom of the saucepan while your wax melts.
Heat your containers before pouring in your wax. This helps the wax adhere to the sides of the containers so you don't have those bubbly spots.
Your candles may have a sunken spot after cooling. You can reheat leftover wax and top the candles off or hit them with a heat gun for a few seconds and the tops will melt and level out.

Jake wants to try out some of the candle melts!

Tomorrow I'll be posting a new recipe I got from my sister-in-law....
Candy Apple Pie....YUM!

Mary Jane's Farm Magazine Winner

2011-01-10T09:14:00.002-06:00

According to Randomizer.org., our winner is Vicki from Virginia!!! Congratulations Vicki! Please email me with your mailing address using the "Contact Me" link in the right sidebar! I had 47 entries for this magazine! That's a new record! I will definitely consider this magazine again for a future give away! My next give away will be during the first week of February!

Thanks to all of you who participated!!!

Don't forget to check out the new forum! It's a great place to get to know each other. A link has been added in the header at the top of the page for easy access.

Soap, Soap, Soap

2011-01-09T14:25:00.006-06:00

I finally got the chance to make some soap earlier this week. The holidays have kept me from it and I have missed it. Earlier this week I made some acne-fighting oatmeal and honey goat milk soap.

It has a very natural honey scent. This soap is as natural as it gets. I used ground oatmeal, goat milk from my Bella and honey from a local beekeeper.

And guess what's in here? I have been saving these plastic Kool-Aid containers for molds for awhile.

They were perfect for what I was wanting to make.

I decided to play with one of my new scents. I had some orange soap colorant and a bottle of orange essential oil.

I had to cut the plastic bottom off and use a can to push the soap out of the molds but it wasn't too hard.

Please excuse all the pics, I love this new lens. Look at that Bokeh! (the blur of the background).

and this soap smells so good! Only 4 weeks of curing and I can use it!

It's great to be making soap again. This week I'm making Fresh Rain. I'm hoping to make a blue and green swirl soap!

I also picked up all the supplies to make candles, my next adventure!!!

Don't forget about the Mary Jane's Farm magazine give away tomorrow morning!!!

Adding A Forum

2011-01-08T10:49:00.007-06:00

I decided awhile back that if and when I reached 250 followers I would start a forum to go along with my blog. Plus it's a new year...time to add on! I have been receiving several emails with questions and questions are coming up in the comments that I would love to be able to answer in a way that other readers can see as well. What better way to do that than a forum for discussing all things "country"? You will either have to register and then log in to post or using the little blue G (for Google) or the F (for Facebook) etc. and link your accounts but it will be worth the time it takes, I promise!!

I have several categories and boards already up and there is a suggestion board. If there is something you would like added please post it on the Board Suggestions board and I will gladly add it. It may not be a terribly busy place but it will be a place to post questions and hopefully get the answers you are looking for and a place to share stories and photos!

So check it out!

My Country Blog Forum

Please let me know if you have any questions or problems getting in!

I will be adding a direct link back to the blog from the forum as soon as I get a small banner made for it and a forum link will be added in the menu bar here at the top soon.

I'll be posting about my soapy play day tomorrow! I made orange soap and honey and oatmeal goat milk soap!

Today I Play (January Give Away)

2011-01-05T08:41:00.008-06:00

The new job went well yesterday. I did a lot of orientation, policy and procedure testing and staring at a computer screen. Thursday, I start some actual "job" stuff. I think I'll take today as a play day! It's been over a month since I made soap and I miss it!

A friend of mine sent me a box of essential and fragrance oils she found in a box of craft items from a yard sale so I decided to go through them this morning and see what I have. Lots and lots of different scents to play with. Some are labeled, some are not. The unlabeled are going in the "use for candle-making" pile. I haven't decided what scent I'm going with today but it will be a cold process soap and I will post the results on Friday.

My give away is for a year's subscription (6 issues) Mary Jane's Farm magazine.

(Photo property of Mary Jane's Farm magazine)

This is not sponsored by MJF magazine and I, in no way, benefit from this give away other than the good feeling I get from sharing it with my readers. I received an offer for a free issue a few weeks ago and took advantage of it. The magazine is full of wonderful ideas and articles on everything from gardening secrets to featured artists to growing organic foods. Check out the link above and see some of the wonderful things this magazine has to offer.

To enter, leave me a comment telling me you want to win! Contest ends Monday, January 10th at 9:00 a.m. central time!

My Goals for 2011

2011-01-01T21:37:00.004-06:00

As a farm/country/gardening blog, there are many things I can think of that I would like to accomplish in the coming year. Below is a list of a few that I can think of right now. I am sure the list will grow longer as I mark off completed items throughout the year.

One of my goals last year was to find a miniature donkey and I completed that goal with 2 days to spare!

Finish fencing our front lot for the goats and donkeys. It's 50% done as of right now.
Find Dimple a girlfriend!!
I always want a bigger, better vegetable garden.
Start a large herb garden for growing my own herbs to use in canning, soap-making, etc.
Can more. I would love to can some jams and jellies for homemade gift baskets this year.
Candlemaking
Work on different types of gift baskets using my Country Made Essentials.
Improve and learn new soap-making techniques.
Add at least 2 more milk goats to my herd.
More chicks, guineas and hopefully geese!
I also have a friend who has promised to save me turkey eggs for incubating this spring.
Have a happy healthy and easy deliver of baby goats in the spring!
Work on the barn and stalls, replace boards, gates, etc.
More fish for the pond.
Fill the barn loft with hay this fall for the coming winter and spring.
Stock up some straw for bedding. There's a shortage this year due to the drought and lack of wheat grown this past year.
A new longer, bigger, better clothesline!

I am telling everyone I am taking this new job (2nd job) that I start on Tuesday to support my habits.....animal habits!

What are your farm goals for 2011??

My Surprise - Meet Dimple

2010-12-30T12:52:00.004-06:00

What on earth could cause these boys to run to the barn this morning??

Could it be Dimple? He got here yesterday.....I see him!

Yes! He's a miniature jack and he's absolutely precious!

I have fallen in love with him already and so have the boys!

Let the spoiling begin!!!

I think he likes it here!

Now he says, "Find me a girlfriend and I will be in Heaven!"

I'm working on it Dimple! I'm working on it!

Christmas Day

2010-12-26T11:15:00.006-06:00

and family fun! It's always such a blessing to spend the holidays with all these crazy people I claim as family!

Luke got his blue Nintendo DS. There's a red one around here from last Christmas of Jake's but I was told by Luke that if Santa brought Jake a red one then he could surely bring him a blue one!

Jake loaded up on Star Wars and Legos!

This is my brother's family. He bought my boys BB guns this year! I threatened to beat him but then found out I will have my revenge! They are expecting a baby in June!!!!!

What can you by a country man that will make him very happy?? A new tractor starter!

But then you have to be tortured by your grandchildren. Wonder why they love him so much?

Another Christmas full of blessings!

Mom, Dad and us four kids
I hope you enjoyed your Christmas as much as we did!

Oh and I have a surprise to post about later this week! I am so excited!!!

Christmas Eve!

2010-12-24T18:15:00.002-06:00

Don't forget to put out feed for the reindeer so Santa will stop at your house.

Just remember to put your boots on before you go out there!!!! Yes, those are bare footprints in the snow! Jake got a little excited about putting out his reindeer food and forgot his socks and boots!

Wishing All Of You A Very MERRY CHRISTMAS From Our Home To Yours!!!!!

Job Update!

2010-12-22T07:55:00.004-06:00

I got the job! I am now Health-care Coordinator of CRH, Inc.! I start January 4. Thank you all so much for your well wishes and support yesterday! It means so much to me!

By only working outside the home two days a week, I'll still be blogging, raising animals, canning, soaping and doing all the farm things I love so don't go anywhere!

An Interview and Another Button

2010-12-21T08:25:00.003-06:00

Good Morning! It's been a whirlwind around here with all the Christmas stuff going on. The boys are out of school and the house is a mess! I have an interview for a job this afternoon. It will be for the two days a week Luke is in preschool and I'll be assuming the RN duties for a small independent living facility in town if I decide I want the job. It seems to be something that will fit into my schedule perfectly and I'm being offered a great salary. I still plan on doing my transcription from home. Wish me luck!

I also wanted to share a different button for the Addicted to Farm and Country Blogs page. I have been emailed several times about one that doesn't blink or one that fits the 125 x 125 size that matches most of the buttons used on blogs so here you go! If you would rather have this one, just copy and paste the code onto your blog.

My Baby Boys

2010-12-18T20:32:00.004-06:00

aren't babies anymore!

All dressed up for their Christmas preschool and school program last night.

I want to know who told them they could grow up so fast??

Winter Farm Update

2010-12-16T12:09:00.013-06:00

Brrrr! It's been wintery cold here lately! I throw on my coveralls and Muck boots and head to the barn each day. There's so much to do out there in the winter that I don't think to grab the camera on my way out. Everyone needs feed, hay, water and a little snack of course!

I feed the dogs at the house then the cats from the barn are usually on the porch waiting. They walk back to the barn with me.

Uh-oh! I've been spotted! As soon as the goats hear the door close they start (very loudly) telling me how hungry they are! Look at the belly on these gals!

Winter fat and hopefully little babies in there are making these gals look a little round for the holidays! They LOVE dried bananas, a new treat I added to my pocket a few days ago.

Nellie AKA Miss Piggy is such a big baby. She's always first in line for a snack.

Nanny takes her turn and Lucy is behind me trying to eat the flap off my back pocket!

Bella and Marv are hanging out in their stall impatiently awaiting their turn! A little snack for everyone and then the real feed and they have large round hay bales in their lots so I don't have to put it out each day.

Time to check on the chickens. Bootsie is still in the brooder with her 3 bitties. A little too cold for these fuzzy legged little guys to go to the larger pen yet.

The big chickens are always waiting....

Ready to run out the door and find bugs or whatever they find in the snow and mud after they have their feeding frenzy at the feeder.

The younger pullets and my Bantum Cochins stay in the smaller pen and chicken house.

Stud still thinks he's, well........the stud.

Who is that up there?

It's the guineas! They don't like Biscuit, the basset hound, so they hide in the hay loft until he goes back to the house.

The geese are waiting for me to add more water to the electric buckets so they can dip their long necks in.

I so need a miniature donkey or two for my little farm! I'm on the hunt for one (or two) now!
BTW, if you have livestock, those heated buckets are wonderful!

I make my way back to the house...

Deer are still looking for apples under the apple tree.

And someone else will need a refill of suet soon! Don't forget about my suet recipe. The birds love it during this winter weather!

That's how my daily barn chores go! Tomorrow, I'll put on my coveralls and Muck boots...

and do it all over again because....
I love it!

Vanilla...YUM!

2010-12-15T21:49:00.006-06:00

Make your own extract and bottle it up in cute little bottles. I picked up a big bottle of vodka a few months ago, ordered some Madagascar vanilla beans through eBay (Grade B vanilla beans make the best extract) and now I have wonderful homemade vanilla extract!

All you need is:
1 large bottle of vodka
10 - 12 vanilla beans

Cut your vanilla beans long ways down the middle. Scrape the beans loose from the pods and add the scrapings to your bottle of vodka. Higher quality vodka makes a better extract. You may have to remove a bit of the vodka to accommodate for the beans and pods. Chop up the pods into 1 to 2-inch pieces and add them to the vodka as well. Place your bottle in a dark pantry or cabinet. Shake the bottle once a day for about a week then every few days just to keep it all mixed up. After awhile I just shake mine when I notice it in the cabinet. You can use it after a month but the longer it sits the stronger (and better) your extract will be.

I use a paper towel or very thin cloth and a small funnel to strain my extract into the smaller bottles.

I have been using from my bottle to bake and make the little gift bottles above. When you have used 1/3 or so of the bottle, refill it with vodka to keep your extract going. If your beans start to lose their vanilla smell, scrape, chop and add more. This bottle can be refilled occasionally and last for years to use in your own baking or make a few big bottles to divide and give as gifts around the holidays!

These little bottles are even cuter with a recipe card tied to them!

Grabbable Button

2010-12-13T13:30:00.006-06:00

Peppermint Deliciousness!

2010-12-12T15:03:00.008-06:00

A friend of mine had me buy a package of those peppermint Hershey Kisses the other day while we were shopping and I must admit I ate half the bag (or more!) I decided to go on a peppermint candy making expedition! I made a few batches before I got what I think is very close to the Hershey Kisses peppermint goodness. I got this mold for free when I bought some Jell-O earlier this week and decided to use it!

Here's the recipe I ended up using...
Peppermint Goodies
1/2 block Gulf Wax paraffin
2 packages white chocolate chips
1/2 package almond bark
20 peppermint candy disks (chopped into a very fine powder using a food chopper or processor)
1 tsp peppermint extract

Melt your gulf wax in a saucepan. You can use a double boiler but I didn't. Next add your chocolate chips and broken up almond bar on low to medium heat. Stir constantly until melted. Pour in peppermint candy powder, stir, then add peppermint extract. Stir well and make sure everything is melted.
Pour into molds or into a wax lined cookie sheet. I used the Jell-O mold and this recipe filled it twice. I just remelted after the first batch firmed up in the fridge and filled it again. They fell out of this mold with no oiling required.

The details turned out great! They are thick so I'm trying to figure out a way to add Popsicle sticks to them.

I wrapped them in basket wrap and added some twine to some and little red ribbon to others.

I will be making these for the kids in Jake and Luke's classes next year.

They are fun, cute and delicious!

Here they are all dressed up and ready to go to the Christmas party tomorrow night! I am adding baskets of these to my "homemade gift baskets" for next year.

Homemade Gift Baskets

2010-12-11T09:23:00.007-06:00

I have already decided that next year I am giving mostly handmade, homemade gift baskets.

These have a bar of handmade soap, a package of my peppermint mini soaps, a tube of peppermint lip balm and a candle. The candle is bought but candles are next on my craft list!

Next year the candles will be hand-poured as well.

I made twig stars sprayed with glitter glue to give the baskets a rustic look plus Jake and Luke's teachers will have an ornament for their tree.

I found the little buckets, baskets, ribbon and basket wrap all at Hobby Lobby for half price.

Do you make your own crafts/gifts? If so, post a link to yours. I would love to see your ideas!

Cookbook Winner

2010-12-08T09:53:00.006-06:00

The winner is Cyndi Congratulations! Please email me with your address and choice of paperback or hardcover using the contact me link in the right sidebar. Thanks!

Give Cyndi a big congrats and let me know if you like the new layout. The header is our Christmas card this year. My boys are growing up! I used a template from Clark Color Labs. They do a great job on my Christmas cards each year.

Peppermint Mini Soaps

2010-12-07T07:24:00.005-06:00

These turned out to be so cute and they smell so good!!

I made these using the hot process and the following recipe. I didn't have time for cold process to cure with Christmas coming up so quickly. I do plan on doing some of these with cold process next year way ahead of time!

5.122 ounces sodium hydroxide (lye)
12.54 ounces distilled water
8 ounces olive oil
10 ounces canola oil
14 ounces lard
6 ounces coconut oil
1 ounce vitamin E oil
Peppermint essential oil
Red sugar crystals

I mixed my lye/water solution. Please, please, please use your goggles and gloves when doing this and keep some white vinegar on hand to neutralize any spills. I combined my oils/solid oils in my crock-Pot and turned it on to melt them. When oils are completely melted, combine the pour lye/water solution into oils in the Crock-Pot. Using a stick blender with the Crock-pot turned off, mix to trace.
This is where hot process and cold process diverge. In cold process you pour into your mold, wrap and let saponification take place over the next 18 to 24 hours.

With hot process:
Turn the Crock-pot on low. You may have to adjust this to warm if your Crock-pot gets too hot. It took an hour for this soap to cook. The sides will roll up and it will take on the consistency of mashed potatoes and look waxy. Test your pH with strips or use the "tongue" test. Put a little on a spoon hold it close to your tongue. If you feel a zap...cook it a little longer. Turn the crock pot off. Add vitamin E oil and essential oil. Stir well. Spread into a wax paper lined medium sized cookie sheet. Bang the sheet a few times on the counter to get it settled. Let sit for just a few minutes then sprinkle with red sugar crystals. Take a sheet of wax paper and place on top. Using a small roller or your hands, smooth the top of the soap and press the sugar into it gently. Let cool completely. Use cute little cookie cutters and enjoy!

One medium cookie sheet makes 12 sets of these.

Don't forget about the Fix-It-and-Forget-About-It Give Away tomorrow!

Fix-It-And-Forget-It Give Away!!

2010-12-05T09:34:00.011-06:00

Fix-it and Forget-it Christmas Cookbook: 600 Slow Cooker Holiday Recipes

I love these Fix-It-And-Forget-It Cookbooks and I found a new Christmas one! I'm ordering one for me AND ONE FOR ONE OF YOU!! You get to pick whether you want it in hardback or paperback!

All you have to do is follow my blog AND tell me what you want for Christmas this year!!!

I want a new desk for my office and a new lens and speedlight for my camera. Oh wait, I think I have already asked for a jerky maker and didn't I get that food processor as an early Christmas gift?? SSShhhhhh!!!!

I'm going to try something a little different this time. I usually don't do second entries, third entries....you know how it goes...but this time I am! If you want to be entered a second, third, fourth, etc. time, refer a friend because I love new friends for the HOLIDAYS!

Just send them a link to my blog and if they follow me and enter the give away, have them put your username in their post and I'll give you as many entries as friends that show up!!

Contest ends on Wednesday, December 8, 2010 at 9:00 a.m. Central time and winner will me announced shortly after!!!

A Night of Baking Cookies

2010-12-04T12:13:00.004-06:00

My sister and 3 of the 5 boys we had here last night.

There are a lot of photos in this post but it's fewer than the 97 I have posted in my Facebook album! I just could not narrow it down any farther! We had so much fun! We mixed up our sugar cookie dough using this recipe.

While it was chilling we mixed up chocolate chip cookies and white chocolate chip cookies! Houston put them on the cookie sheets for us!

When the sugar cookie dough was chilled we rolled it out and the boys all cut out shapes.

We had thick cookies, thin cookies, gingerbread men with no arms and gingerbread men with 3 arms! It was all good! We baked and cooled them then the real fun began. Below is a series of photos that some might find disturbing :).

We had some intense artists among us.

We had some a little less serious...

We had a one-socked Picasso amongst us. I have never seen such cookie creations in my life...

He did a little mixing here, a little mixing there and lot of mixing everywhere.

This was by far his coolest masterpiece...

Luke was quite proud of his M&M gingerbread man too!

We had a little belly painting going on!

This $3 tablecloth was one of the best investments I have ever made!

Cookie tasting! They passed the test!

Beautiful Christmas cookies!
Tip: Put a slice of bread in the container with your cookies after baking them. The cookies will pull the moisture from the bread and your cookies will be very soft and delicious the next morning!! When the bread gets dry and hard, replace it with a new slice!

The end results were well worth the mess and all of us have declared this a new annual tradition from now on!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Prairie Flower Farm's Christmas Cookie Cookbook

2010-12-03T12:24:00.007-06:00

Photo property of Prairie Flower Farms

I just have to share the link to Prairie Flower Farm's Awesome Cookie Cookbook she has put together! I am loving the way she used Scribd to do this and I plan to put all my recipes in one of these neat little cookbooks for download as soon as I can find time! In the meantime, go and enjoy Linda's!!

And sticking with the cookie theme. I will have 5 little boys, ages 4 to 10 here tonight baking cookies (we have sprinkles), making twig star ornaments (we have glitter), drinking hot cocoa (we have marshmallows), singing Christmas songs (we have Santa hats) and having a sleepover (we have sleeping bags and a Shrek the Halls movie to watch).

Fun! Fun! Fun!
Pics tomorrow (or as soon as I am recovered enough to post them!)

Log Cabin Decorating

2010-12-02T21:44:00.004-06:00

I have always loved to decorate for Christmas but living in a log cabin has made it even more fun!

We live so far out in the middle of nowhere that I rarely decorate outside

but this year the boys are wanting lights outside

so now that I have most of the inside decorating done,

we'll be working on the outside! Guess my husband will have a good reason to get on that ladder and clean the hickory nuts out of the gutters now!

Honey Almond and Oatmeal Mini Soaps

2010-11-29T19:12:00.006-06:00

It's all Cindy's fault (Our Life Simplified)! I saw her's and could not resist making these cute little mini soaps!

These were made using the hot process. I didn't have enough time before Christmas to let them cure for the amount of time cold process needs.
I love snowmen....

and snowflakes....

and goat's milk soap!

Next on my list is peppermint and then I want to try the new eucalyptus fragrance oil I bought yesterday. I'm wondering if I'll get them all done before Christmas. I may have to buy some different mini cookie cutters! They have them for other holidays as well!

It's Beginning To

2010-11-27T21:32:00.003-06:00

look a lot like
CHRISTMAS!!!!

We all had a great time decorating our tree! I loved seeing the boy's eyes light up and those big smiles on their faces when it got dark and we lit the lights for the first time tonight!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Food, Food and More Food

2010-11-26T09:20:00.006-06:00

We used to be classy and use beautiful "real" plates for our Thanksgiving food.

(My aunt, dad, grandmother and mom)

But hey times change and these styro-plates hold more and make life easier. You can toss them in the garbage and lie on the couch rubbing your stomach moaning after the meal instead of washing all those "real" plates. Plus these are great for taking home all the leftovers in! We'll be eating leftovers for a week.

(My Dad and Uncle)

The "adults" got the big table.

See that one big sourdough roll left? It went home in my BIL pocket!

The rest of us were in the living room stuffing our faces, laughing and later playing some very intense games of BINGO!

I think my brother was worried I was going to take his food!
I forgot to get a pic of the dessert table. We had some awesome desserts and I got a new cake recipe!

Thanksgiving at my mom and dad's always causes a lot of people to feel like this and it will all happen again at Christmas!

I hope you were all blessed with a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with family, love, laughter and more food than you knew what to do with!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-24T15:27:00.004-06:00

Wishing everyone a safe and wonderful Thanksgiving tomorrow! Spend time with friends and family, eat way too much, take a long nap and enjoy it all!!! That's what I'm planning on doing!

We are going to my mom and dad's. My brothers, sister and their families will be there. My aunt and uncle are bringing my grandmother.

I'm taking a ham baked in my cast iron dutch oven, sour dough rolls, deviled eggs, Lil' Smokies, mac and cheese, pumpkin pie and a granny cake. You can find all these recipes on my kitchen page. What are cooking, baking, taking????

I'm working on another (different) rustic suet feeder tutorial and some friends and I are getting together Friday night to make Buttermilk Soap! I'll be in blogging about those soon.

Hunting in Kentucky

2010-11-19T21:24:00.004-06:00

Deer season has been in full swing here in Kentucky. I don't want to offend any of my followers but I also want to share my life with you just the way it is and hunting is a part of my life. It's been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. My husband hunts, my parents hunt, my brothers and sister hunt, uncles, aunts, cousins, even my grandmother hunts. She also fishes. She's the one in the bottom photo with the big catfish.

We eat what we kill and I have never hunted just for sport. My husband and I both put meat in the freezer during deer season, we use it up during the year and we're teaching our kids to hunt with the same ethical values ingrained in us. I have killed several deer including smaller bucks over the years but I killed my first big buck yesterday. I take what the Lord provides and he happened to provided me with a nice buck this time. Rick over at Whitetail Woods featured me on his blog today and I wanted to share the link. What I didn't want to do was plaster a photo of my deer on here and not give people the choice of looking or not looking at it. This is not a "hunting" blog and I realize that some people are offended by hunting photos and can happily go through their lives without having to look at those kinds of photos. I wanted to give you a choice (and send Rick some traffic while I'm at it.) No, it's not gory or anything but it is a photo of a dead deer. So with that said....for those of you who want to see, check it out.......

This is Why I have always wanted to Deer Hunt in Kentucky by Rick Kratzke

Took the Week Off

2010-11-16T16:46:00.006-06:00

I haven't ran away, I promise! My husband and I both took the week off to get some things done around here before the holidays. We decided to get some Christmas shopping done today but as soon as we got started the school called me. Jake was sick with a high temp, throat hurting and a headache. We hurried home to pick him up. He's my "high fever" child. I'll probably be up most of the night keeping his temp down. Just wanted to check in and say Hi!

I'll leave you with a new recipe for moisturizing body butter. It's easy to make and smells wonderful!

Honey Almond Body Butter
1 oz. coconut oil
1 oz. 100% cocoa butter
1/2 Tbs. beeswax (optional)
Oil from 1 vitamin E capsule
Honey Almond Fragrance oil (Hobby Lobby)

Grate the cocoa butter and beeswax. The beeswax will make the mixture thicker. Without it the mixture is very soft, almost like lotion at room temp. It's a matter of preference how you like it. I can't decide so I have a jar of both. Melt cocoa butter (and beeswax if used) together. You can microwave it or use a double boiler. I use a canning jar sitting in a saucepan of water on medium heat (don't let the water boil). Remove from heat and add vitamin E oil and coconut oil. Mix well. Let cool slightly and add fragrance oil. Mix again and pour into container. Mixture with thicken. This is wonderful on dry hands and feet. It will feel a little oily when you first put it on but quickly absorbs into the skin and leaves it feeling very soft.

Hope you enjoy it!

A Soap Followup

2010-11-11T11:50:00.005-06:00

Remember the cold process soap tutorial?
I made this the day after I made the Honey Almond.
This is Spicy Apple and it smells so good!

Spicy Apple Handmade Soap

I think it turned out very pretty!

And even better,

I have already sold ALL of it!

Glass Light Block Winner(s)

2010-11-10T09:05:00.003-06:00

Contest closed! And the winner is Arlene from The Secret Flower Garden. Email me with your pick of the blocks! I have decided to give the other one away too! Whichever Arlene does not pick goes to Aimee at Diary of a Busy Mom. Email me using the "Contact Me" link in the right side bar with your addresses. Arlene, please let me know which block you want!
Congratulations ladies!!

Not Just For Soap

2010-11-08T14:55:00.007-06:00

It's that time of year! Time to start thinking about our feathered friends who have to spend the winter outdoors in the cold!

Don't forget to try my suet recipe. I like this one because it doesn't melt if the weather turns warm. Not that it has a chance to melt once the birds find it!

I make up a large batch of suet each year to feed the birds. I was thinking about making a batch of suet last night when I happened to notice my soap mold sitting on the counter. Ding, ding, ding..don't you just love those light bulb moments!? I made up a triple batch of my suet recipe, poured it into my wax-paper-lined mold and let it sit on the counter overnight.

It had hardened up this morning but I stuck it in the fridge for about an hour to make it easier to cut. It lifted right out of the mold, no sticking whatsoever.

I peeled the wax paper off and sliced it up with a sharp kitchen knife. I tried my soap slicer but the edge was a little too blunt to go through the seeds and peanuts.

They turned out so pretty, I decided these would be adorable additions to baskets I am making for friends for Christmas. I have several bird lovers on my list! If you don't have a soap mold, you can use lots of things as molds. Orange juice boxes were a favorite to use before I made my soap mold. I also used those little sandwiches boxes for your lunch you can get for $1 at the dollar store.

I made up some cute little labels.

Then I wrapped my suet cakes in plastic wrap and hit them for a second with my heat gun to make them look nice and there you have it, homemade suet treats for your friends, your birds and your friend's birds! This batch made 12 suet cakes.

Don't forget about the glass light block give away!

Glass Light Block Give Away

2010-11-07T07:37:00.004-06:00

Want one without having to make it?? You get to choose between this one (it won't have the little glass globs on the bottom - they sit flat now)

and this one...

To enter, follow along and leave me a comment. It can be about Christmas, holiday memories, crafts or just stop in and say Hi!

Drawing will be Wednesday morning, November 10th, 2010, at 9:00 Central time. That gives you time to enjoy it with all your other Christmas decorations!

I am also sponsoring a BBB Give Away over at Chickens in the Road today. Check it out!

Glass Light Block Tutorial

2010-11-04T22:00:00.005-05:00

Want to make one of these cute glass light blocks?

These make great Christmas presents and sell really well. In November and December of 2006 I made and sold over 150 of these. I even made personalized ones as night lights with names like the Sylvana and Wyatt ones above and blocks in memory of loved ones with photos and poems, etc. I still get calls from time to time from people wanting them. I have an order for two for Christmas right now.

What you need:

*Glass block from Lowe's, Home Depot, etc.
*Drill
*1-inch diamond drill bit (these are made for glass)
*Graphic for printing (I use PCCrafter for the graphics on all the above blocks)
*Full sheet sticker label
*Laminator and laminating sleeve
*Ribbon
*6-foot light cord and bulb
*Scissors
*Hot glue gun (oops, forgot to put the hot glue gun and scissors in the pic)

You will need to print your graphics for each side of your block on a full sheet sticker label for the 8 x 8 block like I am using in this tutorial. Cut out your graphic with scissors. You can get more than one on a sheet for the 6 x8 and 4 x 8 blocks. I use the highest quality for printing for mine.
Here are the exact measurements for printing your graphics to fit each size block:

8 x 8 block - 6.74 x 6.74 inches.
6 x 8 rectangular blocks - 4.79 x 6.74 inches.
4 x 8 rectangular blocks - 6.74 x 2.8 inches

Turn your block up on its side and mark the middle like in the pic below.
Put a little water on your block where you are going to drill.
Drill the hole in the bottom of your block with a 1-inch diamond bit for glass. I ordered mine off eBay. I am using a regular drill today but when I was making lots of these I borrowed my brother-in-laws drill press.

I do this either outside or in the sink so I can wash away the glass dust. Keep adding just a little water around your bit as you drill. If the block gets too hot it will crack.

Once the hole is drilled, dump the glass out from the inside of your block and wash your block with water inside and out. Shake as much water out of the block as you can and set it to the side to dry. I stuff a paper towel in the hole to help soak up what water is left inside. While the block is drying, laminate your graphics.

I used the same graphic for both sides on this block but you can use different graphics, a photo, a poem or even family names on one side and a graphic on the other. It's up to you!

Before peeling the paper off the back of your graphics, place them back to back with sticky paper still on and slip them inside the laminating sleeve. This saves you a laminating sleeve by using one for both graphics. Run this through your laminator, flip it over and run it through again. When you trim around the very edges of your graphic and take them apart, you will have two graphics with the fronts laminated and the backs ready to peel.

Run each of these through the laminator one or two more times just to make sure the laminate is on your graphic really well.

Grab your block and lay it flat. Take one graphic and peel the backing off. Holding it almost at the top on each side place your top two corners onto the block.

You want your graphic to fit inside the sunken area and have a little "frame" around the edge. Press the graphic down along the top and then rub it down flat, top to bottom. Once stuck these are not going to come off easily or without tearing your graphic up so make sure you get it where you want it.

Flip your block over and put the graphic on the other side.

You can leave your block like this but I like my blocks with ribbons. These are easy to put on.

Turn your block upside down and put hot glue in a line across the block beside the hole. Fold the edge of your ribbon over and start it here.
Once stuck, flip the block over so the top is up...

Start gluing your ribbon on, make a "bunny ear" and glue it down again.

You want 5 "bunny ears" centered at the top of the block.

Flip the block over and take the ribbon to the bottom and glue it next to the hole.

Flip the block over and put your fingers inside the first two ears and twist in opposite directions. This opens up the ribbon and shapes it.

Do each ear this way until you have your ribbon looking the way you want it.

You can use a little hot glue to keep it in the right place so it looks good on both sides.

I use this light cord and bulb.

I like it better than the string of Christmas lights because you can turn it on and off without unplugging it and you can change the bulb if it burns out.

Insert the bulb and turn it so the cord goes to the side. This allows the block to sit flat. At one time I used the little glass globs as legs for my blocks but they are a pain to keep glued on.
There you have it...

A glass light block to give your home a cozy, warm glow through the Holidays or all year long.

Any questions? Just ask!

Tip from reader Jules: DO NOT USE Lexan or plastic blocks, when these get heated the smoke is toxic.

Tell Me!

2010-11-03T01:58:00.002-05:00

what you think about the new Fall look! Be honest!

Preparing for Spring

2010-11-02T08:59:00.004-05:00

Hopefully we will have several new baby goats come Spring. We are fencing our front pasture for them. It's the field with the pond and lots of green grass. This year has been so dry. All the grass in the two goat lots was gone long ago and we had to start feeding them our Winter hay. Hopefully with the front field fenced in that won't happen next year. I am also hoping they will clean up some of the brush around the pond.

Saturday before last was spent putting up the wire after setting a few new posts.

Jake was riding his 4-wheeler.

Luke was being silly and hiding out in the truck, listening to the radio.

I was playing with my camera (but I did help with the fencing!) See my homemade fence stretcher? It works just fine.

Looks like my husband is the only one with proof that he was working hard.

We still need to put the barbed wire at the top of this stretch of fencing and only two more sides of the field to go. We're 50% done...hopefully it will all be finished by Spring and I'll have babies frolicking in the front field!

Don't forget to vote today!

Come Out!

2010-11-01T14:59:00.005-05:00

Come out! Wherever you are??
It's hide and seek time on the farm!
You can hide under your momma!
(there are 3 little fuzzy legged chicks under there!)

Shhhh! No one will find you here....

I think the hens are it!

Or maybe the geese are!

I'm never sure about these barnyard games!

Honey Almond Soap

2010-10-31T18:33:00.004-05:00

The soap from my cold process tutorial.

I wish I had added a little more fragrance in this one. You can smell the honey almond but it's faint. I like the way the swirls turned out though.

I also made a loaf of Spicy Apple.
It will be cut with my crinkle cutter in a couple of days. It came out of the mold a little soft so it needs a couple more days to harden.

I doubled the fragrance in this one and you can smell it when you walk in the front door.
Anyone made soap yet?

A Beautiful Saturday

2010-10-30T22:45:00.006-05:00

Took a ride to the Amish feed mill this morning to pickup chicken feed, shelled corn, chick grower, goat feed, a mineral block and birdseed.
I love this log home on the way there.

This side of the county is BEAUTIFUL!

Especially this time of year...

Did I mention BEAUTIFUL??

The Ohio River is out there somewhere. When the leaves all fall you can see the sun sparkle coming off the water.

I could spend all day just driving and looking.

but it's time to go home, feed the critters and work on the fence around the front pasture. It needs to be finished by spring so we have more room and more grass for the new babies!

I love beautiful Fall Saturdays like today!

The Honey and Almond soap has been unmolded and sliced!
Check in tomorrow for photos.

Cold Process Soap Tutorial

2010-10-28T11:21:00.009-05:00

A couple of different people have asked me to make a tutorial for cold process soap. First, I think I'm terrible at writing tutorials and second, I haven't been at this soaping thing for very long but...

Here goes...
I have tried a few different soap recipes and I have settled with this one for most of my soap making. Why? It leaves my skin soft, it lathers well, it has a light color that's nice for adding swirls of color or just leaving plain.

This makes a batch that fills my homemade mold.

I'll weight this loaf when I take it out of the mold and see exactly how much it makes and update here.

Update: The soap has been unmolded and weighs in at 3.9999 pounds. So we'll just say this is a 4-pound soap recipe.

Materials: (make sure nothing is aluminum - aluminum and lye do not work well together)
Kitchen scales
Stick blender
1 large container
Container for mixing lye
Small disposable container for measuring lye
Goggles
Gloves
Any additives you want to use
Oils
Fragrance
Dyes
Sodium hydroxide (Lye)
Vinegar (for neutralizing spilled lye)
Soap Mold
Wax paper to line your mold
Towels
Spatulas/wooden spoons

Ingredients I use in my soap:
Canola oil - 10.4 ounces
Coconut oil - 10.4 ounces
Lard - 14 ounces
Crisco - 10.4 ounces
Lye (Sodium Hydroxide) - 6.242 ounces
Distilled water - 14.916 ounces

The first thing I do is measure my water in the container that I will be mixing the lye/water solution in.

Then I put on my goggles and my gloves (please wear these!)

And take my lye mixing container (which contains my distilled water), lye, wooden spoon, scales and lye cup to the front porch. I do this because I have little ones and if I don't open the lye bottle inside then there's no chance of getting it on the counter or utensils that they might be using or handling.

I pour my lye into a disposable cup for weighing.

Pour your LYE INTO THE WATER - never the other way around and throw away the disposable cup.
This mixture will heat up fast. You will feel the heat from this through your glove and in 40 degree weather this morning I even got a little smoke! Leave this on the porch to start cooling.

Measure out all your solids and oils.

Melt your solids in the microwave, about 30 seconds at a time until all melted. Pour you liquids in with your warm melted solids. Make sure they are in a big enough bowl to add your lye water and mix with your stick blender.

Check the temp on your lye solution.

You want it around 100 - 110 degrees. Mine's still way too warm. I am ready for this now so to speed things up, I took a large bowl and put ice and some water in it then sat the pitcher down into the ice. Make sure not to get the ice or water in the pitcher just use it as a ice bath to cool your lye from the outside. This took about 5 minutes to cool it down to 102.
You want your oils inside to be between 90 and 110. Mine were at 101 so here we go!

With your goggles and gloves still on, pour your lye solution into your oils.

This will start to turn an opaque color as soon as you start to blend. I pulse my blender on and off while blending. It may take a few minutes but your mixture will start to thicken like pudding. You are wanting to bring your soap to trace. Trace has been reached when you can lift the mixer (turned off) and drizzle some on top of the mixture and it stays for a few seconds. Add your color and fragrance, mix this in well and pour into your mold.

I was working with making a color blend which takes a couple more steps and when I added my fragrance (Honey Almond) it caused my soap to trace and thicken very quickly so I was working super fast at getting it mixed, swirled and poured into the mold before it got too hard so I don't have any pics from here until it is in the mold.

Bang the mold on your counter a few times to make sure all the bubbles are out and it's settled into the mold well.
Cover with cardboard

and wrap in towels.

The mixture will go through saponification over the next 18 - 24 hours. It will heat up and then return to room temperature.
When at room temperature, unmold and slice. Place on a rack for curing for about 4 weeks.
Here's a photo of my first swirl soap I made last week. This is lavender scented.

If I have learned anything about soap-making, it's that it gets easier and you will want to try new recipes/fragrances/colors and additives.
If you are looking for a vegan soap you can change any of the oils/fats above but make sure to run them through a lye calculator to get your exact measurements before mixing.
I use the lye calculator at Bramble Berry.

Keep some vinegar handy for neutralizing any lye spills and for wiping down your counters after making soap.
You can find lots of recipes on the web to make homemade soap using all different kinds of oil combinations.
My soap is saponifying on the counter as I type. I'll post tomorrow with pics of the unmolded loaf! If you have any questions or suggestions, please post them. Join us on Facebook at our Soap-making for Beginners page to find lots of links to great soap-making pages.

Sugar Scrub Cubes

2010-10-22T22:05:00.006-05:00

OH NO!! Yet another addiction!

I have made Peppermint and put them in cute little Christmas tins and I have Apple Blossom scented ones that I need to find containers for.
They are so easy and cute! You just take one cube into the shower with you, wet it, sort of squish it in your hand and scrub away.

Here's what I used:
6 oz. melt and pour glycerin soap
6 oz. sweet almond oil (you can use other oils as well)
18 oz. white sugar
A few drops of vitamin E oil (poke a hole in the vitamin E gel capsules and squeeze out the oil).
Fragrance and color.
Melt your soap in microwave (about 30 seconds). Add oils and stir. Add sugar and stir. If it starts to get too thick, reheat again. Add you fragrance and color. I had to reheat a couple of times to be able to pour it into the molds. Don't overheat or the sugar will melt. If it still seems too dry after reheating you can add more melted glycerin or oil. Pour into molds let harden for about an hour. Pop out of molds and cut into small squares.I used the rectangular shaped soap bar molds. I cut each bar into 6 cubes. Store cubes in an air tight container in a dry place.

Apple Blossom Sugar Scrub Cubes

The first batch I made came out of the molds dry and crumbly. I just remelted it and added more glycerin soap the second time and they turned out great. I think the amount of soap can depend on what oil you use and you can adjust it to get the right pouring consistency. If it's too runny, add more sugar.

Have fun!!
Peppermint Sugar Scrub Cubes

I found these tins at the Dollar General store for $1, added clear cellophane and candy cane ribbons.

Old Man Winter

2010-10-21T15:51:00.005-05:00

will be blowing down the necks of our coats and coveralls before we know it! What preparations do you make for winter? For power outages? Water outages?
We have started our winter ritual around here already. I know I mention it on a regular basis but we did go without power for 16 days last winter. We had it pretty good. We had heat, water and even better than that...hot water but by day 16 I was so ready to see my lights come on again. I can't imagine being stuck in a warming shelter with my children for over 2 weeks but many people living here in Kentucky were.

I have stocked up on candles, flashlights and batteries. We don't run the generator at night if the power is out so it's nice to be able to light a candle or grab a flashlight if the boys need something.

The gas company came and filled our 500 gallon propane tank up last week. It's used for back up heat, the kitchen stove and our water heater. We have the main fireplace and 3 wall heaters that use propane and heat the entire house. When we moved here the house only had propane heat. We later had central heat and air put in but kept all the propane heaters for backup heat. Plus it's nice and cozy to use the fireplace from time to time.

We have 2 generators, Big Bertha here and one half her size just for the well pump if we lose county water. We had everything hooked up after the ice storm to a transfer switch. All we have to do now is plug the big cord from the generator into an outlet on the back deck, flip some switches and waaa-laaa...we have electricity!

Plus we can switch over to the well if county water goes out...which it did last year. That's our little pump house.

My husband has started filling the gas tank. We fill it about half full in the Fall to keep through Winter for the generators and then use most of it over the Summer to fill up fresh again in the Fall.

We bought 3 large round bales of hay for the goats. I thought they would last through the winter but seeing how they have already been working on these bales, we'll probably have to buy at least 3 more. We have about 40 square bales in the barn loft for feeding if we have to keep them in their stalls (like this Spring when they have babies! - Dute Dute seems to be getting the job done if you know what I mean).

The pantry is pretty well stocked but I'll buy some more beans/rice/things that will keep for those quick large meals during power outages like chili, soup, etc. It could use some organizing. There are boxes of home canned food stacked under these shelves as well.

Potatoes, onions, herbs and peppers are stored or hanging to dry.

Then there's all my canning.

and more canning. We won't go hungry for jam or jelly! I can guarantee that thanks to my steam juicer addiction over the summer!

The freezers are pretty full. We will add more meat to them before Winter.

We had new tires put on the truck. Not a yearly thing but they needed it this year. Four-wheel drive doesn't do any good when the tires are slick and bald!

What do you think about it Bella?? We have a lot of your milk frozen...just in case! The sugar, flour and meal jars will be filled one more time before it gets cold.

How about you Lucy?? Are you ready for Winter?

Little Red Hen, do you have your cupboards full??

Pretty soon our beautiful Fall colors with be gone

and OLD MAN WINTER will be here for a long visit!
Are you ready??

Fall Break

2010-10-15T16:04:00.003-05:00

A friend and I took 6 boys to a local campground/park on the Ohio river this morning to play for awhile.

Sometimes the best times don't cost you a dime!

Our Road

2010-10-13T23:43:00.003-05:00

is only 1.5 miles long.

Our house is 1 mile in.

The road dead ends a half a mile past our driveway.

It's quite and peaceful on our little road,

and I absolutely love

the last mile of my drive

each and every time I return home, especially this time of year.

It's beautiful!

Don't forget the Peppermint Goodies give away!