Life Goes On

New Things Afoot

2011-04-03T15:21:00.000-07:00

Ah, well, as the title says, Life does Go On. I had a few posts up here, explaining my current situation, but someone found them to be "horrible" (as the truth often is) - so I pulled them down.

And on life has gone. My beautiful babies and I have moved in to a house of our own and are LOVING it. I've got my pottery studio going in the basement and it brings me great peace these days...something about that constant, but controlled, spin, spin, spin that puts my mind at ease. I haven't made anything worth keeping yet...just working on building it up and tearing it down (a testament to my own reality, perhaps), but am hoping to have some keepable (and perhaps sellable) items soon.

The kids are really glad to have their own rooms again. I want to give a big thanks to my good, good friend, who allowed us to crash at her place for a few months. It was a great and selfless thing for her to do, and I would have been happy there for a long time. It was nice to have someone to talk to, vent to, someone who championed my cause...but the kids were ready for their own rooms and their own space, and right now, I have to do what is best for them.

We're no longer at the farm, obviously, but we do have one bunny from the farm days, and a puppy that makes us all smile and yell and gives us copious amounts of slobbery love. ick. but he is a good boy, for a puppy. lol.

I am ready to start new things in my life, and try to forget the old stuff. In the words of my very wise daughter, "We don't need anyone else to make us happy. We do just fine on our own." And she's right, of course, because she is my child, which naturally makes her a genius. lol. Seriously. ha!

So, I have been stewing over how I am going to support my kids for the rest of our lives. I tell you, ladies, NO MATTER HOW SECURE you think your relationships are, do not become financially dependent on your husband. No matter what he says about the future, don't give up your sense of self and your ability to support yourself in order to be his wife. Chances are good (more than 50/50) that you will be left high and dry whenever he decides he's bored. DON'T get in that predicament.

that's where I am. Yes, I am a good mom. But that is pretty much it. I hang out with my kids, and I am their homeschool teacher. I am 30-ish, with no career and no sense of self. I'm working on that. I've got the pottery studio going, which helps a bit.

I am now what is considered "fresh meat" on the local Roller Derby team, which is odd and humorous, since I haven't skated in years, when I was 60 pounds thinner. lol. At this point, I spend more time rolling around on the rink floor than I do skating, but it'll get better. And it's fun. And a way for me to spend time with a bunch of really awesome ladies, hopefully getting rid of some of these extra 60 pounds. It's nice to do something that is just for me.

And finally, I am ready to go back to school. I have been waffling, batting around several ideas and notions concerning a career path. In a perfect world (which, we all know we ain't got), I'd be a professional writer and part time potter, make millions and be able to stay home with my kids. But "ideals" don't exist. So, as soon as I have money for tuition and workshops, I will be on my way to becoming a doula/lactation consultant/childbirth educator. It is what I feel called to do, and I hope I can get enough business to support myself and my kids in this area. And if I don't get enough business to make a living in this area, there is a whole wide world out there for my kids and I to conquer. It will be a lot of studying, which I am ready to do. I actually can't wait to get started!

Bringing Back The Blog

2010-08-23T19:11:00.000-07:00

My gal, Oreo.

Betty is helping train Bell to stanchion. haha

FARM STUFF
I looked back at my previous blog and can't believe it has been so long since I last posted. Where does the time go?

This summer has been really something. It's been so hot, humid and wet all summer, I have been worried about the goats. Dampness for goats mean problems with their hooves, respiratory systems, coccidia and worm loads. I have been doubling their herbal dewormer/cocci treatments and so far everything has been fine. But, I still worry. We have retained a doeling out of this year's kids and she is just the cutest thing. Little V named her Bell. She has such a good personality and is really friendly. We still have a buckling from this year. We are looking for a home for him, but for now, he is happy here with his new friend, and our newest goat, a full Nubian Buckling named Winchester.Rocky and Winchester, best buddies.

Ashton, the brilliant guard llama.

Gemini, the brilliant, albeit aloof, guard llama.

One of our Buff Orpingtons has decided to go broody and has been setting on 13 eggs for approximately two weeks. I can't wait to see those little chickies running around in the yard. They will blend wonderfully well with our latest chicken additions, some Welsummers and Barnevelders.

What other farm news of late? I can't think of any. The milking goes on. The eating goes on. The egg laying goes on. The buck is particularly smelly, primed early, I suppose. The next thing will be planning our breeding schedule for kiddings next year. It's one of the more interesting things about farming, the possibilities of what you might see in babies next year. But it is all a bit strange, to be so interested in the "love" lives of your animals. haha.

School Stuff

Our 2010 school year officially started last Monday. I hope First Grade will be as fun for us as Kindergarten was! I am amazed every day by what my kids can do! They are both so funny and intelligent and willing to learn. They are truly both gifts from God. I could never have done anything that would have been deserving of these two miracles. I am so glad that we are able to homeschool so that I don't miss that sparkle in their little eyes when they make a connection and realize that they've learned something new. I get the benefit of parent and teacher, without all the distractions and bureaucracy. It's a blessed life, for sure, but not for everyone.As far as the work of school, we are using the month of August and first week of September to review work from last year. I have also added a good bit of copy work this year for handwriting practice. The kids do NOT appreciate my efforts to urge them on to good penmanship! lol. We are still using Singapore Math and like it just as much as last year. We are using Hooked on Phonics as a basis for our reading program this year, same as last year. I know this program seems trite because of it's popularity and cheesy infomercials, but it really DOES work! I'd say that both of the kids are reading above grade level, and Vaida probably is reading 2.5 or 3 grade levels above where she needs to be (which is technically Kindergarten since she just turned 5 in May). It has worked terrifically for us and I can't recommend it highly enough. We also read additional books everyday and play computer and video games to practice reading, spelling and math.
I'd love to order a new curriculum, Heart of Dakota, but money won't permit that at the moment, so we are waiting it out and making the best of what we already have. We homeschoolers (and homesteaders) are generally a thrifty lot. lol. Waiting will make it all the better when we are finally able to order our new curriculum.
Our new favorite subject is art. Here are our sketches for "Sketch Tuesday" this week. The subject was "Things Found In A Garden".

Wilma's Woes

2010-06-04T11:55:00.001-07:00

A few weeks back, there were some odd things going on around this farm. See, my friend Betty was getting pretty wide, and the FarmerWoman would pat her on the sides and say, "Betty, how many babies do you have in there?" Then she would pat my sides and say, "I think Wilma is having twins."

"Uhh...twin whats?" I asked Betty.

Betty gave me her typical who-cares-anyway look and said, "Dunno...hay!" And she ran off to bury her head in the hay feeder.

I noticed that Betty WAS getting wider and wider, and I mentioned to her that maybe she should ease up on the grain and save a little for someone else. I don't think she heard me over top of her grain crunching. Then one night, after it was dark, she got up from the barn and took off out the door. "Where are you going!?" The grand inquisitor Oreo demanded. Betty never said a word. I thought about following her, but as I suddenly felt very round myself, it seemed like too much effort. "Fine, go get eaten by a raccoon!" Oreo yelled before plopping down in the straw.

The next morning, when we heard the gate open, we all came tumbling out of the barn. BREAKFAST!!! Oreo was there first. Oreo is always there first. Then there was Sophia, she's got legs that go on forever. I felt like laying down again, but decided to trudge on out and get the FarmerWoman to scratch that itch on my side that I can never reach. Well, there was Betty! She didn't get eaten after all. "That's nice." I thought. I've always kind of liked her. We white goats have to stick together. Everyone is always oohing and ahhing about how BEAUTIFUL Oreo and Sophia are. How shiny Oreo is! Oh, what a lovely red coat Sophia has! Then they look and me and Betty and say, "Oh, these girls are nice too." Well, there are more important things than colorful coats in this world!

Betty is a fine looking goat to me. And I don't really know what I look like, but Drifter likes me, so I guess I'm alright. Betty has nice ears that hang down and a bump on her nose. And she is so skinny that she can fit through the little hole in the gate and steal leaves off the sweet bush. And, my! She was looking thin again! I ran up to her, "Betty what happened to you?"

At the same time, the FarmerWoman said, "BETTY WHAT DID YOU DO!?" For her part, Betty had a miraculous moment of genius. She looked up the hill to the big rocks where we take naps at 2 in the afternoon, and yelled, "HEY! BABY!" And this funny little tiny goat popped his head up over the rocks. The FarmerWoman threw the grain bucket -- what was the big idea of getting our grain all dirty? Oreo turned in to a wookie and berated Sophia with a hail of dinosaur roars while Sophia snarfled down as much old dirty grain as possible. The FarmerWoman went crazy and started following Betty straight up the side of a mountain. I stood and watched, and chewed cud. I thought about going up there, too. But that was a lot of work, so I crashed down right there in the grass so I could see what was happening.

The FarmerWoman kept saying, "OH, little Betty I am so proud of you! Look what you did!" Betty said, "Yes, I see that baby. Isn't he just gorgeous!" Betty pranced up and down the mountain with her head held high while the FarmerWoman held the little white goat in her arms and attempted to traverse Thorn Bush Hill without falling over or getting scratched. Humans are no good at climbing up or down even the easiest of hills. Pitiful. The FarmerWoman was smiling. Betty was smiling. Oreo was snorting. And Sophia was still snarfling up grain like there wasn't ever going to be any more.

The FarmerWoman walked toward the gate. Betty walked with her. Betty, now her old svelte self, slipped through the little hole and began chomping down on the sweet bush. The FarmerWoman smiled at her and said, "Oh, you can have a few bites. You did such a good job."

I wanted to know what the good job was. I've NEVER gotten to taste the sweet bush, but I know it's good because Betty talks about it all the time. THEN Betty got to go over in the side pen where all the plantain weeds grow. Betty got everything that day.

15 Farm Tips

2010-05-24T11:00:00.000-07:00

Farmers must be inventive, at times. Farmers also see the world through different eyes. Here are a few tips to make farm life easier.

1. When your significant other/farm partner says he/she is going to "look" at a new animal, just accept the fact that said animal will soon be living at your home.

2. When your significant other/farm partner says he/she wants "a few chickens" just accept the fact that within one year you will have a whole flock of chickens, a trip of goats, and a few llamas, and your partner, who started all this trouble in the first place, will be trying to figure out where to get "a few water buffalo." For your own peace and sanity, don't argue.

3. When the water shut off valve on one of your toilets starts to leak...just shut it off. Wait three weeks. When people come to your house an accidentally use the broken toilet, don't say anything to them. Just flush it with a bucket. When the three weeks are up, turn the valve back on. It will be "farm-magically" fixed.

4. Choose your friends wisely. Some of them are complete livestock enablers. Those are the ones you want MORE of. You do not need to worry yourself with any old friends who try to talk to you about sane things.

5. If you are short a hay feeder, figure out how to construct ones from cast off pallets. Then when you goat kids jump inside it, screw a giant piece of plywood to the top as a goat barrier. It will look "farmically" beautiful, and will keep out the little goaties.

6. When your mini goat's head is too small to be trapped by your stanchion's headgate, use a bungee strap, old belt, or rope to tie then top up tighter. It will be "farmically" beautiful, and it will keep IN the little goaties.

7. When doing laundry, be lenient with your farm clothes. You don't want to "overwash" the fabric. As long as it doesn't have blood or poop...you're probably good on that for a few more days.

8. When people mention that your buck in rut stinks, blissfully smile and say, "Yes, he does. Isn't it great?"

9. When people tell you that "llamas spit" or "billy goats will hurt children" or "roosters are mean" - as if you have never heard these things before - you can either look at them like they are from another planet or you can politely say, "Thank you for that information." and then make ugly faces at them when they turn away (this is the FarmerWoman's preferred method)

10. When you aren't getting enough eggs because your free-range chickens are hiding their eggs everywhere on acres of mountainside, keep them locked in the coop until noon. When they come spilling out of the coop, run in really fast and get the eggs before they see you and try to devour you as a giant chicken treat. When you then have too many eggs, get your children to sell them to family members. Kids are cute. People can not tell children that they do not want to buy eggs from them. You will still have too many eggs. Then make 3 quiches and 3 gallons of ice cream. Now you have used all your eggs until the next week.

11. Search through chicken breed catalogs because you want more colors in your egg basket. Tell people, even complete strangers, how beautiful your rooster is. Berate them with tales of his heroism. Post pictures of him on the internet and try not to be too disappointed when only 5 people comment on his remarkable beauty.

12. Look at tangled, brier covered, weedy patches of useless looking land and comment to others about how they are "just perfect" and imagine your buck, a llama, a pig, and perhaps a water buffalo, running around in there.

13. Discuss with your farm partner about the fact that no one seems to be "using" the patch of land down near the mailbox. Try to ascertain who owns said land. Then seriously consider asking that person if you can "use" their land to pasture just "a few water buffalo"

14. If you can not get the little farm hands to do their chores, bribe them with fresh chocolate goat's milk. They will drink it all, eat the foam with a spoon, and then happily help you collect chicken eggs.

15. When you receive a paycheck from your "real" job, neglect to make any other purchases, including groceries, until you see what is on sale at Jeffers Livestock or at TSC. If you have a choice between seeing the latest blockbuster movie or buying Ivermectin, go with the dewormer. The movie will eventually come out on Netflix, anyway.

***More to come***

Wild WIndy Wether Morning

2010-05-19T20:23:00.000-07:00

As my vet said today, "It's always something crazy with goats."

This is Sophia, is our F2 Mini-Nubian Bezoar doe and two of the three doelings she just kidded. She is an absolutely gorgeous girl. She is very "dairy" and has really nice wide ears. The above picture does not do her justice, as this was taken only about an hour after she kidded.

Sophia is probably our best looking doe, but she has never really been one of my favorites because she has a very timid personality. She does not always have her nose in your business like Oreo. She does not constantly check your pockets for treats, like our Wilma. She does not expect you to bend down so she can give you goat kisses like our girl, Betty. She is not like Drifter, who insists that you scratch his back and chin and nose and LEANS on you if you forget. No, Sophia is the one that hides behind a tree and peeks out at you when she thinks you are not looking. Sophia is the one that stands statue-still, hoping that you won't see her if she doesn't move.

She has gotten more friendly, especially with me, since she kidded. I think a lot of that is because I was there when she kidded. Some sort of a goat bonding thing. Anyway, now she will come up behind me and nudge my hand with the top of her head for a pet. Or she will come and stand close to one of us, hoping you will get the idea to scratch her cheeks, but too dignified to just crawl in your lap like Betty.

We are keeping one of Sophia's girls. Bell, the brown one with white spots. So, we had thought about selling Sophia. But I was very impressed with her first freshening, and what a terrific mother she is, I was beginning to think we might just keep her and repeat her breeding with Drifter next year. After today, I think I've changed my mind. At around 9:00 this morning, we almost lost dear, stoic Sophia. Actually, I am sure we would have if it hadn't been for my 6 year old son.

In the mornings, after I milk Oreo and Betty, I give Wilma and Sophia their grain, and then take a small amount to Drifter. This is exactly what I did this morning. I had intentions of staying back with Drifter for a while. He has been a bit lonely, and I have been feeling a bit bad for him, although his mood has brightened since the goat kids have been sneaking away from their moms to visit him in his goat shed. :) He was in a fun mood this morning and was appreciating the extra attention. I would have stayed with him much longer, but Titus yelled, "MOMMA! COME QUICK! THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH SOPHIA! SHE'S THROWING UP!"

You have to know that throwing up for goats is REALLY, REALLY bad. So, I hotfooted it over to where Titus was standing by Sophia, telling her, "Calm down there, girl. Calm down!" She was throwing her head from side to side, long strings of white mucous were flying out of her mouth, hitting Titus in the legs and sticking on his pajama shirt. "It's OK, Sophia. Just calm down." He was completely unaffected by having goat spit-up on him. (I LOVE farm kids. :) )

She was throwing her head around, and then she fell down and started to roll in the mud, her ears flopping this way and that way, mucous spraying on trees, the ground, rocks, Titus, me. Her eyes were bulging and her sides were heaving. She made a terrible sound, something similar to grating cabbage, in her throat, and then no sound at all. She threw her head again, from side to side, and I finally saw something green sticking out of her mouth.

I jumped on her back and held her head still in the crook of my arm. With the other end, I reached in her mouth, grabbed the green thing and pulled. And pulled. And pulled. What came out was a solid piece of yucca, about 7 inches long. As soon as it cleared her mouth, she heaved, spit up and then started gasping for air. My normally shy little goat laid there with her head in my arms for at least two minutes, eyes closed, sucking in air through flared nostrils.

Then, just as suddenly as it had all started, it was over. She jumped up, shook out her fur and yelled for her babies. I ran to get two buckets of warm water and the box of baking soda (the miracle cure-all for bad stomach stuff in goats). She inhaled most of the water, but did share some with her best goat friend Wilma. She nibbled on the baking soda and burped. That seemed like a good sign. Then she took off up the hill with her friends.

She spent the rest of the day harassing trees, nursing her babies, yelling at Drifter and butting Oreo around. She did NOT stick her head threw the fence and nab any more of the yucca. She spent the day just being a goat, as if nothing special had happened. I spent the day watching her be a goat, and was thankful to get to do it. She really is quite remarkable.

Feelin' Buggy

2010-05-18T18:49:00.000-07:00

At this point, the Farmer Woman is feeling down. Rain, rain, rain leads to mud, mud, mud and bugs, bugs, bugs. Bugs, both seen and unseen, lead to blahs and sporadic twitching of tails and legs. "It's too early for this." says the Farmer Woman. "It's too muddy to live." says Betty the goat, as she sulks about the barn yard, picking her feet up high and stomping them down in a CLOMP-SQUISH, CLOMP-SQUISH, CLOMP-SQUISH pattern that sounds a bit like throwing wet sponges at the sidewalk.

The Farmer Woman keeps checking eyelids. The goats now look at her suspiciously and start to sidestep away when she first enters the gate. They look at each other with nervous glances. "Is she going to pry our eyes open?" They run about saying to each other, "Are my eyelids pale?" "How are my gums?" all concerned about whether or not they will be forced to ingest syringes full of dewormer.

The Farmer Woman is weary of slapping mosquitos and cleaning mud off udders and legs and hooves. The Farmer Woman is tired of her hair being untired and frizzed out. The Farm kids are tired of not playing outside.

For their part, the Farm Chickens are quite happy, scratching about in the mud and muck, digging up fat, wriggly worms, catching mosquitos out of the air. The Weather Man is saying two more days of rain. The Farmer Woman is hoping that no baby goats get completely covered over in mud, that no one gets hoof rot or pink eye or a worm bloom or a runny nose or a cough...the Farmer Woman thinks she worries to much. The Farm Goats agree.

The Farmer Woman vs. The Goat

2010-05-17T19:35:00.000-07:00

The Farmer Woman and the goat did not get along well this morning. The goat has now regained her girlish figure after giving birth to a watermelon sized baby boy a few weeks ago. Now the goat is thin and can RUN with speed and agility, something she had been lacking over the last month or so. She is thin, so now she can slip through a hole in the fence gate. The Farmer Woman tries stacking rocks in the hole, but the goat knocks them over and comes out anyway. How can the goat be expected to stay in with a hillside of wild flowers and millions of tree leaves on the OUT side of the fence?

The goat's sides are thin again, but her udder is...uhhh...not so thin. And so the goat must be brought out of the fence every morning and put on the stanchion. Her herdmate, Oreo, endures this atrocity with style and grace, only asking for enough grain for 5 goats, brushing, petting, kisses, and an orange flavored chewable Vitamin C. Betty the goat is not so easily swayed.

Betty must be harassed onto the stanchion in the mornings, even though there is always grain waiting there. The goat's head is little, so the Farmer had to fix up something to make the head gate smaller after the goat wiggled her head out and took off the first day. Now the goat's head is STUCK in the headgate. But her feet are not stuck. Her legs are too small for the hobble.

So the goat dances. TAP, TAP, TAP, TAP, TAP, until the Farmer Man holds onto her legs and asks the Farmer Woman, "When is the smaller hobble coming?" The Farmer Children try to help by petting the goat, but sometimes this is no help at all, as children who are petting goats are not often calm. Likewise, goats who are being petted by children are also not often calm.

The Farmer Woman got a nifty milking machine that she uses to milk Oreo. She wishes it would work on Betty, but Betty does not wish for it to work on her, and so it doesn't. So the Farmer Woman spends the better part of half an hour with her head and shoulder in the side of a goat, milking an udder that does not wish to be milked, while the Farmer Man spends the better part of half an hour holding the legs of said goat, so that goat will not kick and dance and go generally insane at the thoughts of having milk removed from her.

The Farmer Woman says, "Betty we have to get some of this milk from you, or you might get sick." Betty does not believe it. The Farmer Woman says to the Farmer Man, "It will get better soon." The Farmer Man does not believe it.

The Farmer vs. The Possum

2010-05-16T19:25:00.000-07:00

Farmers are people that know the value of a good night's sleep. Farmers, probably, are not people that say "I just couldn't get to sleep last night." More likely, it's the farmer saying, "Guess what woke me up in the middle of the night!"

The Farmer Man and I always say we are going to "go to bed early" because we get up at 7 am now for milking. I know, 7 am doesn't sound that early to some people, but we used to have to be practically scraped out of bed at 9. The last few nights, we have been sticky with the "early to bed" rule, but are always prevented from actually GOING to sleep once we get there. Thunderstorms, crying goats, phone calls, squeaky ceiling fans, water running in the toilet. Last night, it was the long, low GROWL-HISS of a cat.

This sort of feline behavior is nothing out of the ordinary. Our new farm came with two resident cats, "the boys" - who we have dubbed AC for Adventure Cat, and Onslo - if you know who Onslo is, you watch just as much British television as we do, and you can guess precisely what sort of cat our Onslo is! lol. Anyway, our cat, Lucy, does not get along with the boys at all. She is not willing to change her mind on the subject, and refuses to even discuss the matter. She does not like those boys. She does not like them from across the deck, up the hill, over the stream or on top of the dog house. She certainly does not like them on her porch or sticking their noses in "her" bowl. So, we hear that banshee cat screech quite often at our house these days.

Last night, after the screeching woke us up, the Farmer Man went out to tell those cats to knock it off so we could get some "shut eye." He flung the front door open to find Onslo, yowling his head off at a big, fat, manky old possum. GROSS! Thank you Onslo, for drawing this to our attention. The Farmer Man yelled and tried to act scary, "Get out of here, you! GROSS!" (everyone can agree on that!) Mr. Possum's response was to amble off and around the deck, in a completely unhurried way.

Some weeks ago, my uncle lent me a .22 pistol to help out with our raccoon problem. We had not used to gun before, as we found someone who would take the live coons. Dear Farmer Man came into our bedroom in the dark and tried to load the gun and put it back together. Needless to say, bullets were lost in the carpet and there was a general ruckus. But, the possum still hung around, picking through the backyard for...what? I don't know.

So, a scantily clad Farmer Man is standing on the deck, at 11 at night, trying to shoot a possum who is trundling around almost directly under our deck. The farmer woman is still in bed, because I don't particularly care for seeing possums. It's, perhaps, an unreasonable phobia, but whenever I see one, I want to run and hide. So, I put the pillow over my head and heard one, two...three...shots. I hoped the Farmer Man had shot the possum (because they are skeezey and disgusting and will kill chickens if they get half a chance), but I also hoped he HADN'T shot the possum, because this Farmer Woman does not want to be anywhere near a possum, dead or alive. I did not want to help dig a hole for that fat rat!

Long story short, the Farmer Man missed. I finally dragged myself out on to the deck, where I was promptly handed the pistol. "You try!" He said. I pulled the hammer back and attempted to aim, but every time I saw that thing in the site, my skin would start to crawl. I helplessly handed the gun back to the Farmer Man. "I can't do this. I don't know why." I said, hang-doggedly. So, the Farmer Man gave it one more try. Another miss. Then old Mr. Possum, who was pretty oblivious to all these happenings above his head, sidled off under some brush.

The Farmer Man and I decided to try again with the whole sleeping idea, but as soon as we'd gotten covered up, there was a great clamoring outside our side door, just outside the screen porch. Yup! The possum. Right up on the breezeway, eating cat food. GROSS! (I feel like I've said that before). Not wanting to blow a hole in the garage, the Farmer decides to shoot the possum with an air rifle to scare it away. Possums, apparently, are not afraid of BB guns. The Farmer shot him 3 times, and Mr. Possum never even stopped eating. Now that is some food dedication!

The next closest weapon was a steel shank size 12 work boot. The Farmer Man whizzed the boot, and bowled over the possum, which laid on its back momentarily and hissed, too fat to even right itself for a moment. Then it squished its fat bottom and it's little disgusting, naked tail into my tiny hosta. "Get out, you creepy weirdo!" It just sat there and stared at us while Dear Farmer set the trap.

In the morning, the trap was not sprung, and there was an imprint of something horrible in my hosta. As I'm typing this post, Mr. Possum is back, skittering around on the back deck. I hope he goes for the pork chops in the trap tonight. Then again, maybe I don't. That means I would have to see him in the light of day! GROSS!

It's Freezing Degrees Outside!!

2010-01-08T17:49:00.000-08:00

There is much happening here at Goat Feathers Farm! With all these cold temps and no water heaters to be found at the local Southern States or Tractor Supply, the job has fallen on me to carry warm water to the animals about 4 times per day (dearest husband helps in the evenings when he gets home from work). A thirsty chicken is in serious danger of choking. A thirsty goat is in danger of ruining its rumen, which is of great concern when you are a goat, particularly when it is cold, as a healthy rumen serves to keep your body temperature up.

Needless to say, we have had NO eggs from the chickens lately. I decided to go ahead and deworm them last month since they were rarely laying. Now, we are getting NOTHING and several of them have decided to molt...while it is 20 degrees at night. I don't understand it, but it seems to be working for them. lol. Perhaps this will mean that everyone will be set to lay a lot in the spring. We did not get one egg from any of the Easter Eggers that we bought in September (they weren't old enough), but I am interested in seeing their egg colors.

On the homeschooling front, we are basically done with the Kindergarten books for this year. Yes, my 4.5 year old and my 5.5 year old are done with K and are ready to move on to first grade work. I haven't decided yet if it would be best to thrown in the towel for this year, or just keep going. We probably will keep right on trucking, and I have already ordered their next math books, and I have the First Grade Reading Curriculum that I plan to use, thanks to my mother-in-law, who found the first and second grade editions for a great deal!

NOW, for the latest and best "farm news" - one of our goats is very, VERY pregnant! Surprise! We were sure that she was bred to kid in April, like our other girls, but just this past week or so, she has really BALLOONED out there and is now making a nice looking udder. I am very excited for her, and nervous, too. I am not entirely prepared for this situation, but I am rereading all the pertinent information and gathering gloves, iodine, dental floss, scissors and the like for the impending event. She has an appointment at the vet's office on Wednesday morning. I hope she doesn't go before then!!!

Here are so pictures of her in her enlarged state. She is such a sweetie. I hope everything goes ok with her. I'd hate to lose her or her kids, as they are sure to be beautiful! Without further ado....MOTHER OREO!

The Desert, The Big Hole and Back Home

2009-11-17T17:36:00.000-08:00

We just returned from a wonderful vacation "out west" to the state of Arizona. The dear husband had to go to Phoenix for some training, so we all hitched a ride on a jet plane and made a real trip out of it.

The kids and I had to find things to do in Phoenix to keep ourselves busy during the day. We went to the Arizona Desert Botanical Garden because Vaida wanted to see the Mariposa Monarch Butterflies. There were also some excellent Native American Exhibits. Here is a replica of an Apache kitchen.

An Apache dwelling. The information sign said that the Apache Tribe still uses these buildings in ceremonies. Cool!

Here Titus and Vaida are pounding Mesquite beans into flour. Vaida said it was "hard work" and was sweating in the 92 degree heat.

Red Butte.

Vaida meets a Mariposa Monarch. They were great friends for about 15 minutes, until we had to leave.

We also visited the Arizona Museum of Natural History. The kids spent a LONG time panning for gold. Vaida really liked it! Can you tell?

Thrown in a Spanish Colonial jail for getting on Momma's nerves! Just kidding.

RRRRROOOOAAAARRR!

Titus's favorite dinosaur is the Triceratops. Here, he meets one up close and personal.

The T-Rex. This is what I think of when I hear the word "behemoth."

The Phoenix Zoo is great. Our only complaint was that all the exhibits are very far apart, which is probably a good thing for a zoo, but it was 90 degrees, and we are not used to that heat. We were all sure we were going to melt!

They had an Extinct and Endangered Animals Carousel. Of course, Titus and Vaida wanted to ride it. As they were circling around, I noticed this animal. Umm...is this one extinct or endangered? lol!

Vaida LOVED feeding and petting the rays at Stingray Bay. It helped that it was in the shade and the water was cool!

Titus's favorite part was riding the camel. It's not everyday that a little Hillbilly takes a ride on a real life camel!

Ah! This is more like an Appalachian activity. haha.

We also spent two days at the Grand Canyon, but I haven't chosen what pictures to post from that yet. We had a really great time, and even got caught in a blizzard there! More pictures to come...

Outdoor Hour Challenge #1

2009-10-29T18:32:00.000-07:00

With the fog of this morning, a perfect opportunity presented itself for studying some interesting cup shaped spider webs in our neighbor's barberry bush. (I know, not OUR yard, but pretty close :) ) We saw them from our front window during breakfast and decided we better go investigate before the sun dried them off.

Vaida thought the webs looked like cotton candy. I agreed, and we both decided together that it would be best NOT to eat them. haha.

Titus liked that there were two layers of the web, the cotton candy layer on top, and a thinner sheet on the bottom. We found a tiny brown spider clinging to the underside of each cotton candy cup. Hoepfully we can do some investigating tomorrow to find out more about this tiny brown spider. We did go to the library and picked up a few books about spiders. But, mostly it was the WEB we found interesting. We will draw them tomorrow for our journals.

Since we were already outside, and since the goats were crying because we were outside and NOT petting them, we decided to give them some fresh hay and their breakfast grain. On the way to feeding them, we noticed several yard violets, which was surprising since it is almost November. Titus said, "What kind of flower is this?" I said it was a wild violet. Vaida asked, "Is that because it is purple?" Who knows? Maybe. I told her I wasn't sure, but that was certainly a good thought. Titus wanted to know how such a "girlie" little flower was growing when it is so cold. We decided probably because of the strong sun, and because it has unseasonably warm the past 3 or 4 days. Vaida was disappointed that the violets didn't seem to have a smell. Perhaps a drawing of these little beauties will appear in the journal some time over the next week.

A walk around our yard is always fairly interesting. Here are our goaties, eating their alfalfa hay.

And here is Vaida saying good morning to the chickens.

When we went to the library after lunch, we rechecked the "spider" bush and found it difficult to find the webs. Titus was disappointed that none of the spiders had caught any meals yet.

More Drawing, and some bread

2009-10-28T18:25:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow, we will be starting our Nature Study Notebooks. We are taking the Out Door Hour Challenge, which is a once per week nature study schedule on a great blog that I frequent. I have been interested in Nature Studies since I first became interested in the Charlotte Mason Method of homeschooling, but I have always been intimidated about getting started. It certainly SEEMS difficult, or at the very least, slightly overwhelming. When I found the Out Door Hour Challenge, it was a small blessing. Finally, I have a jumping off platform, and if I start to craze out, I will always have a point of reference to return me to normal. I tired to begin Challenge #1 today, but after we were outside about 10 minutes, my (still) sick little boy started coughing and wheezing, so we had to cut it short before we even got started.

Basically, the purpose of the nature study is a sort of old school way of learning science via hands on experience. Nature is investigatedin an up close way. Instead of reading about frogs in your textbook, you go out and try to find one - hold it, smell it (do frogs have a smell? lol), see where it is hanging out, feed it a fly, see if it swims, feel it's leg muscles when it jumps off your hand...you get the idea. Your nature studies are recorded in your own personal notebook. Narratives of what you saw, pictures you took, drawings, information you looked up about your subject, are all included in your notebook. Eventually, you have your own sort of nature textbook of things YOU have actually done. Pretty cool, if I do say so myself. It sure beats an hour of television (I'm trying to wean us off the box - it's going very well. The tv never comes on during the day until 4, when the kids watch Arthur on PBS while I make dinner.) I want the kids to love the outdoors and have an appreciation for God's creations. Hopefully, the Out Door Hour Challenge will help! :)

Vaida decided she wanted to make bread for her Daddy today. She followed the recipe, I watched and helped (but only a little.) Unfortunately, it didn't raise, but Daddy was nice enough to eat it anyway, and V had fun. V ALWAYS has fun. :)

We also worked a little more on our Drawing lessons. We need to work more on the Mirror Images. I used some from HarmonyArtMom which is an excellent resource, but these were probably too difficult for us just starting out. That was my mistake for not realizing we were in over our heads!

Lesson 1D "Duplication"

Lesson 1D - "Mirror"

Lesson 1D "Duplication"

Lesson 1F "Mirror"

Reading, Drawing and no more chocolate

2009-10-27T18:09:00.000-07:00

Well, we have been plugging along with school. Too bad for Titus that when you homeschool, you don't get sick days. We did find out that Titus has bronchitis and an ear infection. In addition to that, he has probably an allergy to chocolate, and is banned from further partaking in said contraband. It's been a little around here. We are definitely mourning the loss of chocolate, and so it has been necessary to have pumpkin pie and pound cake since we got the news.

School marches on. We started a new reader yesterday. Pathways Readers First Steps. We like them so far, but our experience with them is admittedly limited. I did catch Titus reading a few of the stories in the reader AFTER school was over. That is always a good sign.

We also started the Monart Program - Drawing with Children - this week. We are planning on implimenting the Lessons on a twice-weekly basis. Hopefully as we progress, we can use these drawing techniques to make our Nature Study Notebooks look more realistic and super snazzy *wink, wink.*

Lesson 1C - Random

Lesson 1D - Duplication
Lesson 1D - Duplication
Lesson 1D - Duplication

Lesson 1D - Duplication

We also finished reading Stuart Little late last week, so we made a Stuart out of felt to put in our Narrative Notebooks. Now we are "shopping" for the next book to read. Any suggestions?

A fun week

2009-10-12T19:44:00.000-07:00

School is well here at Goat Feathers Farm. Last week was jam packed with excitement. Tuesday, we had our regular homeschool playdate at the gym. The kids pretty much ran wild and played the wildest, weirdest game of Duck, Duck, Goose you have ever seen. Vaida and one of the other little girls her age played together very well. Last year, they both just looked at each other, but never talked. I am so glad for her to have a little girl friend since she mostly plays with Drew and Titus.

Wednesday, we went to see replicas of The Nina and The Pinta in honor of Columbus Day. The ships were really interesting. We had a group of close to 40 that went with our homeschool group, which is normally about half that size.

Friday, we had scheduled a visit to the Bob Evans Farm Festival, but the weatherman was calling for torrential rains and thundershowers, so we decided to move our field trip to someplace indoors. We met the Krulls from Ohio at the Highlands Museum in Ashland, Kentucky and spent the day doing really boring homeschool stuff. Vaida got to play with ANOTHER little girl. Too cool!

We have another busy week coming up. The greens that my Grandpa planted are ready to pick, so I need to take care of those via either freezing or canning. My plan is to freeze bags and bags of mixed greens and use the rest for two different soup recipes, which I plan to can. Hopefully by this time next week, we will have several quarts of Black Eyed Pea Soup and Sweet Potato Sausage Stew stored in the pantry cabinet. In addition to that, we are planning a reunion of sorts for some of the folks with which we were friends in high school. The Dear Husband has requested a huge pot of Gumbo for the event, so I will have to make that. Plus, I have to whip this house into shape between now and then, and still make sure we get our school work done. Whew! I'm tired just thinking about it!

Goat's Life

2009-09-15T18:21:00.000-07:00

My name's Betty. My name used to be Ilsa, but the new tiny people decided to change it. They still bring me food and treats, so I don't really care what they call me!

There were lots of goats where I used to live. LOTS! Big girls and little girls, funny boys, and stinky boys that cried a lot and kept jumping the fence, much to the chagrin of my previous woman person.

Here, it's just a few girls. In some ways I like it. In other ways, meh, not so much. I do get A WHOLE LOT of attention from my new servants, but it's kinda boring with just us 4 girls. There aren't nearly enough heads to butt around.

Here, it's just me and three other girls.

There's Oreo. I knew her before. She takes pretty good care of me, but she gets kinda wild when the servant brings the grain, or when she brings the new hay. The new people keep talking about how "beautiful Oreo is" "She's so shiny," they say. "Look at her gorgeous blue eyes," they say. I wish they would stop saying it! It's turning her into a real princess. Now she runs over to be brushed EVERY TIME one of the people comes in the pen. Even if we are right in the middle of playing. It's irritating, really. But she is my friend, so I have to put up with it. She is kinda fun, too. You never know what she might do! She even had a scur, but she knocked it off horsing around with Sophia. She's crazy!

Sophia is the biggest one of us. She sort of acts like such a mom. She's so prim and proper. She is polite and WAITS for her grain bowl. She is polite and WAITS for her treat. She is polite and just leans against our peoples' legs when she wants them to pet her. She never butts us at the hay feeder like Oreo does. She is smart, too. She knows just when to jump out of the way so that Oreo runs her head into the goat barn or the fence post instead of Sophia's side when they are playing. The woman person says, "Oh, Sophia, you are such a pretty girl." "Sophia, how is my good girl?" The man person says, "Sophia might have the best ears of all our girls. She will have pretty babies!" Let me tell you, people talk about the weirdest things!

Then there is Wilma. I don't know Wilma very well yet. She is closest to my size and I would like to be friends with her, but Oreo insists that I hang around with her. And she always butts Wilma. Then Sophia butts Oreo. Then Oreo butts Sophia. Then sometimes Sophia butts me, but never very hard. Well, that makes Oreo really miffed. So, usually Wilma and I kind of stay away from each other. But at night when the big girls are sleeping, then us two little girls snuggled up together. When the people come in the pen, the woman peron and the girl person with the curly hair always find Wilma and sit beside her on the sleeping bench. They rub her neck and pet her cheeks and sometimes she goes to sleep RIGHT ON THEM! Well, she is just a baby - she's two WHOLE months younger than me - she doesn't know yet that she is supposed to jump around and act nutty when the people come in.

And, like I said, I'm just Betty. The woman person at my old place called me a pistol, whatever that means. I have very important jobs to do around here. When the man person put up our new hay feeders, it was my job to show him the flaw in his design. He keeps saying, "Betty, get out of there! No one will want to eat that after you have smashed it!" So far, none of the other girls seems to be complaining, though.

When the big people come in the pen, I have to run over and put my feet on them until they pick me up so I can hug their necks and sniff their ears. The man person, in particular seems to need this behavior, probably because he is really tall and I am really short. The woman person sometimes comes in and sits on a blue box so she is really short. I know that means she wants me to come over and kiss her nose. It's a tough job, but I gotta do it. It's my job.

The Herd

2009-09-10T19:11:00.000-07:00

Ah! Well, we finally got our goats! Four beautiful mini-nubians are now calling our home, "home." Mini-Nubians are a newish breed which is a cross between a Nubian (which is a LARGE goat with excellent milking capabilities) and a Nigerian Dwarf (which is a very small, small goat that also is very dairy in its qualities.

The husband and I really like the look of the Nubian goat. They have very long pendulous ears and very arched, Roman type noses. They are also extremely chatty and friendly, but stubborn as mules. But, Nubians are very large girls. We don't have room for very large girls. the Mini-Nubian is a good shade smaller than a Nubian, but big enough that there milk production is enough for our family and more, plus they are mechanically easier to milk than the Nigerian Dwarf does, who are very short and have really small udders and teats.

Finding Mini-Nubians in our area, especially in the fall, was tricky. We ended up driving nearly 6 hours to North Carolina to get two of our girls, and picked the other two up in VA on the way home. We are very much exctied about these girls. They are all very sweet and are already working on stealing our hearts. I am so looking forward to what kids these girls can give us in the Spring. There are not any mini-nubian herds that I know of in our area. I would love to be a good source of quality minis in this area. Additionally, I am anxious for milk. I am looking forward to making our own soap and cheese.

So far, these goats have been a blessing. They have sure affected a great bit of change in our lives already. Between the goats and chickens, there is starting to be a real "farmy" atmosphere around here. Getting up early is so much easier when there are four smiling little fuzzy faces waiting for you to feed them. Even our sleep-half-the-day children are up before 8 am to say good morning to the goats before we start school.

Here are our beautiful girls...

Spring Woods Sophia, who is sweet and shy. She is a true beauty, and I can't wait to see what kind of kids she produces.

Winters MoonOreo, our herd Queen is an attention hog. She is always the first to come trotting over when we come in the gate. She must be brushed, petted, given treats, etc., if anyone else is recieving any attention at all. She is always very helpful, making sure her nose is in everything. She has a recessive blue eye color, which is somewhat desirable in the goating world. I am interested to see if her kids have blue eyes, too.

This is Spring Woods Wilma, she is our youngest doeling and is very sweet. When we first brought her home, she hid behind Sophia for three days, but she is starting to come around. She loves for you to brush her and likes to give little goat kisses.

Here is Miss Personality, Whispering Pines Betty (she came to us as Ilsa, but recieved a name change in order to match Wilma. She is silly and bouncy and loves to give goat hugs and kisses to the man farmer here. She also stands with her feet on the fence and cries for T and V to come and pet her.

Chickens, Eggs and Life without the Yellow Schoolbus

2009-08-29T20:33:00.000-07:00

As chickens are apt to do, ours are growing and growing. They are all starting to finally look "henny" - except for Mr. Muffin, of course, who is becoming more and more worthless as the girls are finally becoming useful. Rosie, our White Leghorn, has laid 6 beautiful, hard shelled white eggs in FIVE days. Yes, that's right. The first day she laid, she gave us two eggs! You might think I am mistaken, but she is our only girl that lays a white egg, so there you have it. One of our other hens is laying now, too, but I can't figure out who it is. She has laid 3 eggs in 6 days. That is more normal. I think Rosie is just an egg machine!!! Here she is with her best girl friend...we should have named them Ebony and Ivory. I really think this is the other girl that is laying because they are both much more friendly and calm than they were even last week.

Here are our first eggs...and our first " homemade" breakfast. They were YUMMY.

Lately I have been considering the benefits of this homeschool gig. I know there are people who do not believe in homeschooling. Some people will never be supportive of the idea, and that's okay. A lot of people think that homeschooling equals no learning and wild street urchins who do nothing but steal apples and read comic books all day. True, some homeschooling families do operate that way. Comparatively, there are some teachers in the public school system who have no business teaching dogs how to use pee on paper. According to what I can find as far as Scope and Sequence, Titus and Vaida are 2 years ahead of where they "need" to be in phonics, reading and comprehension and 1 year ahead in Mathematics (we didn't concentrate on math much last year.) Additionally, we can concentrate on things like good character and hands on nature studies.

Generally, I am NOT a morning person. My children have inherited this from me and from my dear husband. Hey, even our chickens are laying their eggs in the afternoon instead of the morning. I simply can not imagine dragging myself out of bed at 5:30 to make breakfast and get the kids dressed, ready and up to catch the bus at 6:50. They would never make it!

Third, there is this issue of vaccinations. When the kids were first born, and through their baby and toddler years, I kept right up with their shot schedules as recommended by the AMA and our most knowledgeable federal government. Then, it came time for the chicken pox vax. I declined it because it is not proven. It has been found to NOT prevent children from getting chicken pox, but has been proven to cause severe cases of Shingles in adolescents and young adults (after the "vaccine" wears off). The kids' pediatrician was fine with my refusal. She didn't even argue about me refusing flu shots for me and the kids. But times have changed, just in the last two years. Now, in order to enroll in public school, your child must have the chicken pox vaccine in West Virginia. No thanks. I also heard a rumor that children in public schools this year will be required to have an H1N1 vaccine. If you don't get it from your doctor, the school nurse will kindly inject it into your child while you are not around. Again, no thanks.

All that said to say I am finally feeling motivated and ready to start this school year. We are going to try a few new and hopefully fun things this year, including keeping a "journal" with narrations of books we read. We have already started Charlotte's Web, and I have been pleasantly surprised with their comprehension and attention to a book that only has a few black and white line drawings. I am SO glad to be reading a real book finally. There is only so much "Angelina Ballerina" that one mom can be expected to tolerate!

Thirty, Charlotte Mason and a black belt!

2009-08-11T18:44:00.000-07:00

For fear of waxing philosophical on turning the big 3-0, I have not blogged in a while. Feeling "so done" with the birthday, I am ready to move on. Thirty is sort of an odd birthday. Not old, not young, not midlife...feeling a little in limbo. I was never very good limbo. HaHa!

I've finally made the decision about our math. We will be using Singapore Math http://www.singaporemath.com/ - it is concept based, encourages individual thought, and for the beginning grades, it has these excellent math "readers" that tell math stories. Cool! We will be using a Charlotte Mason model for everything else. There are several sites with on-line curriculum for Charlotte Mason, on that I like, in particular, http://www.livingbooks.com/ - but it is quite spendy. YIKES!

We are speedily trying to finish the chicken coop, as the girls are now in the window where we could start seeing eggs anyday now. HURRAY! We have to finish the chicken coop, so we can finish the goat house, so we can pick up the goats! I'll post some pictures of the three girls we are getting hopefully at the end of the month.

SOPHIA

ILSA

WILMA

Monday, at Tae Kwon Do, Justin and I recieved our "real" blackbelts. It is embroidered with our names, and the name of our Master Instructor. It's really a lovely little thing. So much work for a piece of fabric.

The rooster crows at dawn…and lunchtime…and dinnertime…and occasionally at dusk…

2009-07-25T20:11:00.001-07:00

Honestly, there seems to be no rhyme or reason to the hour at which he crows. Luckily, he’s a sound sleeper and doesn’t crow in the middle of the night. Muffin is also fairly polite, and only crows four or five times and then is quiet for several hours. So far, no complaints. Everyone around here seems to think it is “quaint” and “country.” Well, I’m for that, I guess. :)

Unfortunately, the girls don’t yet appreciate Muffin’s…er…manliness. Right now they either ignore him or squawk really loud and peck him on the head. Poor underappreciated boy!

Construction on the long-awaited chicken coop began this evening. We were beginning to make some progress, working right on through the rainstorm. Then came the lightning. Then went us – into the house for baths and snacks and bedtime.

Hopefully further progress can be made tomorrow, since I feel that we are “on a roll” – MUST….KEEP…AUGERING… We’ve got to get this coop done SOON, as the girls are getting pretty red-in-the-face. Eggs will be coming soon!

In other news, the dear husband has relented and is allowing me to get three dairy goats. They will be coming later in the fall, so we have a while to get ready for their arrival. YAY! Here is a picture of a little Doe that we are hoping to adopt. She is a Nigerian Dwarf goat and is currently preggers, due in October. Fingers crossed that she does well kidding and that she has a little doeling or buckling that we can keep, too!

I also FINALLY have chosen a “curriculum” for us this fall. Charlotte Mason and her ideas about educating children make a lot of sense to me. Since there isn’t much initial cost, we will not be losing much if it doesn’t work out. This year is mostly an experiment. Hopefully, it will produce results as well as last year.

More story and pictures tomorrow!

Yes, we're still alive!

2009-07-07T21:46:00.000-07:00

Honestly, so much of nothing has been going on here the past few days that I haven't had time to post about it all. The highlights:

1. Vaida is sick. Again.

2. The grass got really tall and all the clover flowered. There were honey bees EVERYWHERE! YIPPEE! Seriously. I hate for them to sting me, but love to see them frolic in my flowers!

3. Mr. Muffin did a fine job of protecting his girls from a wayward Jack Russel Terrior named Todd. Something about having an angry chicken latched onto his back fur with impressively sharp talons, and something about getting pecked on top of the head repeatedly sent Todd home in a hurry. Sorry I don't have any pictures of this.

4. Rosie has been trying to "fly the coop" I keep finding her stoically perched on top of the neighbor's chain link fence (the fence that happens to be holding Todd in HIS yard), taunting the dog who is still comes up several feet short in the jumping department.

5.We got the first cucumbers, bell peppers, and even one yellow tomato out of our garden this week! YUM!

6. We went to the arts and crafts fair in Ripley. It was great. The kids had a great time and got to make several crafts with the fiber guild and watched several demonstrations. Vaida's favorite was seeing the sheep 'get a haircut' Titus liked that too, but I think he liked seeing them take honey out of a beehive better. The upshot of that is that dear husband is planning on trying his hand at beekeeping next year. Got to admit, I'm a little frightened by that. But, I have to be brave for the kids. Sounds noble, doesn't it?

7. We got a Wii Fit and it told me that I am the fattest human on the earth. Well, it didn't say that exactly, but my little Mii is rather rotund...even more so than I am in real life!

8. We had a great 4th of July at my Uncle Larry's house. He always has a big bash every year. It's tradition. One of those things were you sit around and eat too much and gossip too much. This year, we left early, so we didn't get in on the "too much" TOO much.

9. I think I might have farm fever. I am checking out all the chicken breed books to see what chicks we might want to order for next year. Definitely Cuckoo Marans (they lay a really, really, really dark brown egg) and Americaunas (they lay varying shades of blue and green eggs.) Wouldn't that make a pretty egg carton when I force the kids hit the streets peddling eggs? Ha. There is a more sinister side to this farm fever. Everytime the kids and I try to go to the creek bank to play, and we are stopped short by brambles interwoven with poison ivy, I think how nice it would be to have one of those pygmy goats to clear it all away for us as dear husband doesn't have the time or the immunity to poison ivy to do so. Upon reading more about these little goats (they stand 20 inches tall and weigh 40 pounds) I discover that since goats are herd animals, you can't get just one or it will cry all day from loneliness. Hmm...now I wonder if I have enough weeks to support TWO tiny goats. I think we do, but dear husband is yet to be convinced. I think it's the prospect of putting up yards and yards of fencing that has hardened his heart to cute little goats.

Anyway, I am leaving you with some chicken pics and veggie pics. More tomorrow, perhaps.

An extra for today

2009-07-01T18:58:00.000-07:00

Dear Husband's cousin Jared came and spent the night with us last night. I picked him up from day care. My mom, Jared, T, V and I drove to Charleston yesterday evening to see my cousin Derrick play in the High School State All-Stars game in baseball. It was the first time T and V had been to a "big" field (the W V Power Park, where the Charleston minor league team plays). this was also V's very first baseball game. I thought it would be a good one for her, since she loves Derrick and would be able to cheer for him. (Which she did, in grand fashion). We all had a great time, and I was surprised, especially by Titus, who followed the game with rapt attention and always knew for which team he was supposed to cheer, even though all the boys wore the uniforms of their individual high schools.

Titus mentioned again that he wants to play t-ball next year. He wanted to this year, but was not old enough. Not sure how we will coordinate this with his (and mine and dear husband's) Tae Kwon Do.

Jared fought some old guy for a foul ball and won, probably because of his cuteness. After seeing him hold up the ball and do a little victory dance, and seeing T and V cheer for Jared's treasure, Derrick's friend (who was also on the all-star team) managed to smuggle two more game balls out for T and V. Even high school boys can be sweet.

Vaida began to feel bad (ear infection, I think) during the 6th inning and cried that she wanted to go to sleep, but she wanted to "watch Dewwick's basebaw game." We did leave shortly thereafter because the clock crept past 11 p.m. and the kids were exhausted. We got home at 12:30, and I practically had to peel all three kids out of my car and compel them into pajamas. No easy task, but worth it for the fun we had, and considering how fast they all went to sleep. Ha!

Everyone slept late this morning. Jared slept until 8:30, which is really pretty late for him. I let the kids wake up with a little Wii and some breakfast. The three of them are pretty hilarious playing Mario Kart with their little steering wheels. Vaida is always 12th place (last), T - 11th, and J- 10th, but they don't seem to mind.

After lunch, we went out to chase chickens and play in the yard. While I weeded and re-strung the tomatoes, the kids fought and argued over the two swings, over the one sword, over the playhouse that has an old wasp nest in it (Jared wouldn't go in - Vaida called him a "weeny" - hahaha!) until I told them all that if they couldn't find something nice to play together, that they would have to go inside and each get in a different bed and go to sleep. They decided, in a hurry, to play hide-and-seek. Ha! After a few rounds, they all agreed that Vaida was the best "hider" - finally, Vaida can be Queen of something!

Sorry I haven't posted pictures the last few days. I keep forgetting to get the SD card out of dear husband's computer and put it back into the camera. More tomorrow!

Weeds B-Gone!

2009-06-29T22:25:00.000-07:00

Normally, I am pretty much a fan of weeds in the vegetable garden. Yes, a FAN! For three main reasons, I like to see short grasses and wild vines snaking through my veggie patch. Chiefly, the reason would be that I...well, I just don't like to weed. It's a rather laborious endeavor that uses tools that I haven't ever quite mastered. Frankly, I'd rather be writin' than weedin'.

The second reason is water. Having extremely sandy soil, moisture is key. This spring/early summer, we have had copious amounts of rainfall, but that is not the norm. Especially in the heat and dryness of August, our soil is often reduced to powder, even with two waterings a day. Bare soil, that is naked of any vegetation, dries out FAST. FAST! I'll keep a few wayward grasses to save on the water bill.

Third. Bugs. Bothersome bugs in the garden are an irritation because they eat those tender pumpkin vines and munch on the cabbage that you had plans on pairing with some corned beef. If the only vegetation in the garden is your vegetables...guess what the bugs HAVE to eat. Yup...the tomatoes. Besides, weeds offer a place for beneficial bugs (who feed on pests in the garden) to hide and hunt. No weeds and grasses? No beneficial bugs. Just munchers. Since we got the chickens, we have to be very careful about using pesticides and chemical fertilizers. I prefer not to spray those things on our veggies anyway, but I don't want my chickens ingesting pesticides and perhaps making themselves sick, or passing the pesticides along to us via their eggs.

That said, when I noticed that the weeds had grown taller than the asparagus while we were on vacation, I knew something had to be done. Even I have limitations! Ha! So, after spending the morning trying to catch up on vacation laundry, and enjoying a fine PB and J and fresh fruit salad with the kids, we headed outside where I spent the better part of 4 hours weeding in my gardens. Hand weeding, because that's the way I roll. haha. I like to see what I am getting rid of. Hey, there might be some wonderful volunteer in there (like the little tomato plant and the dill that I found in the asparagus bed). Truth be told, laugh if you will, I have no clue how to use a hoe. It just ends up bouncing off the dirt with no visible results. What a workout!

I wasn't working alone. I have Vaida's help. And the help of 11 chickens who were kind enough to remove any pesky beetles that were unearthed in the weeding frenzy. For Vaida's part, she did a fine job of removing "weets" from the corn and beans. She usually tries to be helpful. The most important thing she did was sing me songs and keep me company. Most of her weeding resulted in me having weeds on my head, but it didn't matter.

She was trying. And she was cute. She found some clover and gave one to me. She said, "You keep dis, Momma, and you will be wucky." I looked at her and had to smile. I told her I am already lucky because I have her for my little girl. She was quiet for a moment, thinking it over. Then she said, "Yeah, I guess you're wight. You are pwetty wucky! And I am wucky, too." Then she reached her little hand over and patted my leg. What a great day!

More weeding tomorrow and hopefully I will be taking the kids to Derrick's all-star baseball game in Charleston tomorrow evening. Hope it doesn't rain!

Thinking about NOLA

2009-06-27T21:54:00.000-07:00

Vacations are good, in a way, and bad. It is nice to get away from the usual routine, true. But, at least for me, there is always a certain small longing for home. I think it's the mountains. Well, this time it was the mountains, and those cute little creatures that look like my dear husband and call me "momma."

I had a marvelous time in New Orleans, and there was a surprising amount of things to keep me busy that didn't involve the debauchery of Bourbon Street. Everywhere I went, I saw things kid friendly activities. It made me wish the kids were with us, but I know it would not have been pleasant or particularly safe to have a 4 and 5 year old traipsing around in 108 degree weather. We would have had to stay in the hotel room all day, which would not have been fun for any of us.

New Orleans is a strange place. It really does have something for everybody. Being a giant history geek, I was on cloud nine, perfectly content to trudge the streets in 100 temps to look at old buildings and read city inscribed plaques. Also being somewhat of a foodie (okay, I can admit that. If you don't know what a foodie is, you're better off because you might have a chance to be skinny! Anyway, you can google it if you want to find out), planning excellent meal destinations and surveying the locals for their favorite eateries was my second favorite vocation of the week. And after the sun went down, dear husband and I did venture out and we heard some awesome brass band music, a singing harmonica cowboy, a traveling sousaphoner, some late night fluting in front of the Cathedral, without ever entering Bourbon Street.

There was also a kids' play park, Audubon's Zoo, Aquarium of America, a new Insectarium that looked awfully cool, an Imax Theater, a kids' history museum, a kids' art museum, a jazz museum with drums and guitars that kids were invited to play. So, it is possible to have a nice family vacation in New Orleans. It's also possible to have an entirely different sort of vacation in New Orleans. Just like anywhere else. It is possible to live on sort of life or another, regardless of the city. I think New Orleans gets a bad rap because of Bourbon Street and the antics associated with Mardi Gras.

The biggest thing to notice about New Orleans was hospitality. Every shop keeper, hotel employee, waitress and street performer was friendly, helpful, informative, except for the guy who worked the St. Charles Street Car in the middle of the night. This, however, was not entirely his fault, as he had to deal with a group of tourists who could figure out how to make the exact $1.25 to ride the Car, and a man who wanted to fist fight him because he missed his stop. Everyone there seemed to know something about the intriquate history of New Orleans. Who in Huntington, WV knows the city's history? Not many. The only thing I know is the name Collis P. Huntington. The waitstaff at every restaurant was helpful, always willing to assist you by giving their opinions on the best dishes, where you should go for your next meal, what fun things you must not miss.

Anne, the chef from the cooking school, said that New Orleans is the kind of town where you always make extra food and HOPE that a friend will stop by for dinner. This is fascinating to me. I don't think we have EVER had an unexpected dinner guest. I wish we would every now and then. Wouldn't that be wonderful? I'd love to be able to share food and stories with friends on a regular basis. I have trouble getting people to come to the house when they are INVITED. People seem unwilling to drive half and hour out of their way for a great meal and great fellowship. I think we are all too busy these days, and that certainly seems to have a negative effect on our very quality of life. What kind of life does it make to always be racing here and there, never taking the time to enjoy those fine, simple things in life.

In New Orleans, I had a very difficult time finding lunch for Justin and I one afternoon because I wanted to take something back to the hotel with us. I stopped and asked for advice, "Where can I get something good to go?" The lady behind the counter at the convenience store said, "Oh, baby, we don't really do that here." I did finally find a place to get red beans and rice and jambalaya to go, but not without a lot of walking and searching. When I think of how many meals we (my precious kids included) have eaten IN the car, I'm saddened.

I suppose that is why I am suddenly interested in raising chickens, and why I am so excited that our veggies are starting to come on in the garden. After eating wild raspberries and strawberries at my parents' house the other day, Vaida told my dad that she, "loved finding food in the yard. It's so much fun." I love it, too. I love to see my little ones running through the yard, in among a passel of chickens, catching lightning bugs and grazing on home grown veggies and fruits. And so, here we are, in little old Elmwood, fighting for a little piece of very enjoyable Independence. Life is good here, but could be so much better! I'm working on that for my family.

Gumbo Anyone?

2009-06-25T22:32:00.000-07:00

Wednesday morning, I attended a class at the New Orleans School of Cooking. It was great fun and I helped make/got the recipe for the best gumbo I have ever had. Hoping I can get the Roux right when I make it at home. Anybody wanna come over for gumbo and jambalaya sometime?

Da Gumbo!
Da Jambalaya

Best Rootbeer I have had. Ever. And I am a person who has had a lot of rootbeer. Ha! This is brewed and bottled in New Orleans. I wish I could bring some home!

After cooking school, I walked around the French Quarter again. There is SO MUCH to see. Here are a few pictures of a bus tour I took Wednesday afternoon. Unfortunately, before we got to the Garden District, my camera decided to die. I replaced the batteries with some from a new package I had in my purse, but the camera still wouldn't come on. I think I almost cried, thinking that our old trusty camera had finally flashed it's last flash. I didn't get any pics of the Garden District or Lafayette Cemetary No. 3. But I was glad to discover when I got back to the hotel that it was the batteries that were bad, not the camera. It has been so hot here that the batteries I had in my purse fried out. YIKES! 108 degrees is too hot for Eveready's.

Napolean House. The third floor and dormors were added when the mayor of New Orleans agreed to harbor the Exhiled Emperor Napolean. Cool? Yeah, I think so, too.

Would you try to cross this fence? These wrought iron fence tops appear to be original to the structure. Looks like a burglar deterrent to me!

After Dear Husband got out of his conference for the day, we went back to the French Quarter and ate at a great little place called Stella's. It's sort of a fancy pants little place that had bottled Darjeerling instead of iced tea. The food was MARVELOUS, the presentation was FANTASTIC.

You can see the food, etc. at http://www.restaurantstella.com/. I can't get pics to upload from their sight, and Stella's isn't the kind of place where you take pictures of your food! Ha! I had Aparagus Soup, Spun Beet Salad, Duck, 5 ways, and Creme Brulee, tasty, and the presentation was definitely unique!

After dinner, we went into the New Orleans Cigar Factory (which we had passed several times). They hand roll cigars. It was interesting to watch the guy rolling them. It's too bad that I did not think to take a picture until after we left. We did leave with a gift for the Father-in-Law. I think he'll LOVE it.

After more walking and talking and seeing what was happening on The Square (remind me later to tell you about Ethel) Dear Husband and I stopped over at Cafe Du Monde for Beignets. Again.

On the way to the hotel, we stopped to watch what we are calling "The Footlocker Band" perform at the intersection of Canal and Bourbon Streets. There were two mounted police officers at the end of Canal Street, blocking car traffic from going down Bourbon while these guys were playing. One of the horses kept throwing his head and stopping his foot. His man would tighten the reigns and make him stand still again. When they finally trotted off down Bourbon, he stopped to do this. Even horses and cops know how to dance in NOLA! Watch it until about 1:30, and then you will see what I am talking about. One of my favorite things from our trip!

Tuesday Night Tours

2009-06-25T07:45:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I am a little behind in the blogosphere...just getting around to posting about our ride aboard the Natchez Steamboat on the Mighty Mississippi River. Mostly just postin pictures. If you are ever in NOLA, you should consider taking the dinner cruise. The food is great. The ship's house band, The Dukes of Dixie, we has been togther for 40 years and have certainly honed their craft over the years. And the scenery is great. Plus, there is a nice breeze on the river, so you can actually breathe for once!

The NOLA skyline. See? I was really there.

The Point

Sunset

The Natchez is actually a racing steamer. The ship's captain claims that she has never last a race. She is made of white oak and does truck through the water at a pretty fair clip. Here we are, paddling easily past several other ships.

Dinner aboard the ship was quite yummy. When I realized it was a buffet, I had my doubts, but the Creamed Spinach was probably the best I have ever eaten. We also had green beans almandine, rough-mashed potatoes, prime rib, praline chicken, louisiana steamed catfish and french bread (of course). For dessert? Bread pudding with hard sauce (bourbon, powdered sugar and butter).

Unfortunately, our camera has never been any good at taking pictures at night. This is the best we could do.

Possibly the coolest part of the Natchez we did not get to see on our cruise, but I saw it yesterday while waiting around by the wharf to catch a bus. The Natchez is one of only four steamboats authorized to pilot the Mississippi that has a steam calliope. Too cool! When I was waiting there, the calliope played When The Saints Go Marchin In!

French Quarter, Mississippi River Cruise, and the St. Charles Street Car

2009-06-23T23:50:00.000-07:00

Today was wonderful. HOT, very hot. So hot that my leather sandals wore blisters on my feet and I burned a place on my leg when I sat on a black metal bench in Jackson Square. The news said 103 degrees with 87% humidity. WOW! But, I still had a marvelous time ducking in and out of alleys and taking pictures all over the French Quarter.

Being an introvert by nature, I rather enjoyed having the day to myself to just LOOK without talking. I started early at the Cafe du Monde to get the much talked about beignets. Let me just say that all the talking was spot-on. The yummiest "dough-nut" type item I've ever eaten. The outside was crisp, not at all greasy like you would expect from such a deep fried confection. The inside was flaky, sweet and still warm. YUM! I am going back there for breakfast in the morning if I get up in time. The atmosphere was great, too. Open seating under an awning outside, a cool fountain, and a guitar player that had quite a few numbers in his repertoire.

After the beignets, I stopped in at the French Quarter Information Center to get a map. There was a hidden courtyard there full of Orange trees and a fountain. If I'd brought my biography of Julia Child with me from the hotel room, I might have just stayed right there all morning! The info center also had several books about New Orleans history. I debated heavily, but in the end decided not to get one. After wishing five or six times today that I had the book, I will be going back tomorrow to get one!
While on the way down Decataur Street, I was confronted by a woman wearing a hat that said "SECURITY" on the front. She proceeded to remove a pad from her bag and wrote me out a TICKET! For "not smiling enough" "being a pretty girl" and "not partying enough." Then she gave me a French Quarter hat and told me she was going to keep an eye on me to make sure I was having fun.

Here is a pic of her writing citations for two other unsuspecting tourists. haha.

Next, I went shopping at the open air French Market. Normally, shopping is not my thing, but it was fun to pick out things to bring back to people. Plus, everyone was so friendly, from the Rastafarian who made drums to the little Caucasian lady making bracelets.

I got something for Titus

and Vaida

Something for the mother-in-law

Something for the mother

Saw some interesting food items.

Didn't buy this

or any of this

Got onions?

After the shopping, I found Jackson Square. I wanted to go into the St. Louis Cathedral, but it was locked. Will try that again, too.

Very near Jackson Square is Faulkner Books, a book collector's dream! This is the house well William Faulkner wrote most of his books. Again, could have spent all day in there, but kept moving.

Here is something interesting...a statue of Joan of Arc that was donated to the people of New Orleans by France. The gold leaf was fairly spectacular in the sun.

After this, I hot footed it on over to Bourbon Street. It was 11:00 am and pretty dead, thankfully. I snapped a few quick pictures, grabbed some lunch for Justin and I and headed back to our hotel room.

After I took lunch to Justin, I made my way down Magazine Street to the Lee Circle. Being as we are in the south, a monument to Robert E. Lee seems appropriate.

On the way back to the hotel, stopped at Lafayette Square

And saw Emeril's Restaurant, where Justin and I hopefully will be dining Thursday evening.

After being in the heat all day, my feet were killing me and I think I might have died, just a little. haha. I went back to the hotel to rest. When I walked by the concierge

lectern, she asked if we had plans for the evening. I told her nothing definite, so she offered to book us on a Jazz Dinner Cruise about the Natchez Steamboat. Sounded good to me, so I hurried upstairs to iron a shirt for Justin and put on some dry clothes.

We went on the cruise, which was great, watched some street performers on Canal and Bourbon (pretty much right outside our hotel,) and road all 13.5 miles of the St. Charles Street Car line. More on these things later. I am too tired to write any more now. haha!

The Well-Healed Travelers

2009-06-22T22:31:00.000-07:00

We managed to get the kiddos up early (for them, anyway) this morning, get them dressed, take showers, finish packing, and get to the airport early. We said goodbye to our little ones at the security checkpoint. Nonnie took them outside to watch the plane take off, while we went to wait at the gate for boarding. Five minutes before we were supposed to depart Huntington for Charlotte, our plan (which flies out of Charlotte to Huntington and directly back to Charlotte) had not yet arrived. Someone sitting behind us said he had just received notification that our 9:15 flight had been cancelled. Sure enough, at about 9:22, they announced over the loudspeaker that our flight had been cancelled. It was rerouted back to Charlotte in flight. Believe me, I don't want to be on any plane that has to turn around mid-flight!

Since the kids were already outside, watching what they thought was our plane, we just let them wave goodbye to that plane while we returned to the US Airways ticket counter to try to make other flight arrangements. We needed to be in New Orleans Monday evening because Dear Husband has conferences to attend starting Tuesday morning. We ended up having to get in the car and drive to Yeager Airport in Charleston to catch a connector to DC, and then to New Orleans. We were supposed to arrive here at 2:45, but didn't get in the hotel room until a little after 10 p.m.

Here is the little tiny, scary, superloud, make you sick with all the shaking prop plane we ended up flying on from Charleston to DC.

When we got to Reagan National, we had to circle the runway several times to wait our turn. It was windy and that little plane pitched and chopped so much that dear husband claimed he didn't even want to eat dinner! (He ate anyway. HaHa!) The flight was not pleasant in any way, except for the wonderful clouds!

When we got to DC, we received a warm welcome. The first family was awaiting our arrival. The first lady was very impressed with dear husband's ridiculous height.

From the runway, we could see the Washington Monument and the Capital. That is the extent of our Washington, DC sightseeing. Our little plane was so unimportant that they parked it SOOOO far from the main terminal that they had to send a shuttle to get us.

The plane we took from DC was much larger, and actually a jet.

This ride was much more enjoyable, if you don't mention the screaming baby, the fact that there was not one empty seat and the front bathroom quit working and smelled kind of funky, the man and woman who sat across the aisle from us, both of whom were very loud talkers, and who were making a love connection on the airplane, and the crazy man who sat beside me and giggled over a David Sedaris book during the entire flight (I couldn't even ask him to move, considering he is my husband!)

Flying in to the airport in NOLA. It looked much better in person.

When we finally landed in New Orleans, we thought one of our bags had gotten lost, but it was just on the conveyor belt for a different flight...weird. Then, I saw THIS during the required post-boarding potty break...It's a toilet with plastic wrap on the seat. When you push the green button, new plastic wrap rolls over for you to sit on! Amazing!

Not much was going on when we got to NOLA, but we passed this near our hotel. It seemed really funny to me...perhaps the day has just been too long.

More later. Right now, I'm too tired to do anything but go to sleep! :)

2009-06-19T21:46:00.000-07:00

As predicted, today was as hectic as yesterday. First, we had to peel Titus out of bed to get him ready to go to work. He is not a person who likes to be woken up. If he doesn't wake up on his own, he is pretty much a bear...a very SLOW MOVING BEAR. His latest thing is picking out his own clothes, which takes a while, but does make up for some interesting fashion statements. My favorite is that he always chooses black socks, no matter what else he is wearing. Apparently black socks go with everything and can be worn with tennis shoes, sandals, and all manner dress. Today was blue and gray camo shorts, a blue shirt with gray sleeves, black socks and blue shoes. He also wore his shirt and underwear backwards all day. At first, this was unintentional, but after he realized the mistake, it became a matter of being too lazy to take off his shoes and shorts to fix the undies. He is a typical boy!

After we got to work, the kids and I ran errands. We picked up Dear Husband's million suits at the dry cleaners, went to Southern States for chicken feed, scratch and pine shavings. Then we went to the grocery store for the guys at work. We decided to buy lunch there at the deli. I usually cook for the guys at work on Friday, but it was already lunch time, so we bought a bucket of fried chicken (with extra legs for the boy), some spaghetti salad, a really yummy watermelon and a lemon meringue pie (Vaida's choice).

While at work, I finished up some boring paperwork and paid some bills. After coming back from the bank, I cut Titus and Nolan's hair. Titus got his usual mohawk, I just buzzed the sides down really short for summer and trimmed the top because it was getting difficult to make it stand up, even with copious amounts of hair gel. I have no idea how I cut Nolan's hair. I am sure they will have to take it and have it buzzed off by a professional. haha. Titus always sit still. I am not used to having a moving target!

After work, Titus and I headed to Tae Kwon Do. Justin had to work late to finish up some last minute things before we leave for his training trip Monday morning. Titus is learning side kick and his second form. He is finally starting to catch on, and I think he will start progressing faster soon. The big problem is that when you first start out, everything everybody else is doing is SO much cooler than what you are doing. It is hard not to stand and watch! I helped a little guy named Michael learn his first form and then held the kicking bag for him and Titus. Titus got a big kick out of "kicking" Momma. ONLY in class. haha. After that, Dear Husband and I stayed for the adult class, but none of us were really in the mood to work out, so we left class early and had dinner together. It is good to have friends to do things with. We have made several friends at the school, a few of which we would call GOOD friends. It is nice to get to talk to them about things other than what's going on at Tae Kwon Do.

When we got home, I immediately started laundry again, checked to make sure the chickens were all sleeping INSIDE their pen (thankfully, they were, as carrying chickens around in the dark is not my idea of fun at midnight), and checked the every important blogs, facebook and email. Now I am writing this bit of nothing, drinking a Diet Dr Pepper, and watching the dear husband play Smash Brothers on the Wii. I think I'll knit for a bit, while I wait for the clothes in the dryer to finish drying.

Oh, I almost forgot to mention that Doug at Southern States was nice enough to donate a very nice cedar bird feeder and a big box of suet cakes for the Bird Feeder Project at the Nursing home. I think he would have given more, but I had NO room left in the car.

A busy day

2009-06-18T22:35:00.001-07:00

This morning started out like every other morning...breakfast, laundry, dishes, laundry, laundry, staring into the closet wondering what I should pack for the trip. More laundry, had to wash Tae Kwon Do Uniforms, fed the chickens, got the dinner ready to go in for "Crockpot Thursday" and finally managed to get all three of us (me and the kiddos) ready to meet Michelle and Bethany for lunch. On the way out, I check the mailbox and found the package I have been expecting from The Knitter.com - this package may contain items beneficial to furthering my pledge to make 5 handmade items for 5 friends in 2009. Ha!

Bethany and Michelle volunteered to take Vaida with them to ask for donations for the "Birdseed Project" that they organized at the nursing home. While we were eating, I asked Vaida to make her cutest, "Could you help our worthy cause?" face. She came up with this:

While Vaida went with "da gulls," Titus and I took off to what must have been the rowdiest Summer Reading Program in the history of all summer reading. Small room, 200+ kids, 100 or so parents, a lizard, a snake, three puppies, a cockatoo, bunny, guinea pig, and a giant tortoise, all running loose. Needless to say, I was more than a little thankful when Titus turned around and said, "Let's get out of here, Momma!" (This was shortly after two 10 year old girls sitting beside him screamed and cried and practically tore their hair out because a turtle was walking toward them. As Titus said, "Seriously girls, how fast can a turtle walk?" Then he shook his head in disgust. haha.

After Summer Reading, where we checked out a hefty bag full of books, we had to run home and make sure the ribs weren't drying out in the crockpot, fold the uniforms and stick them in the TKD bag, and then take off out the door to the "nursering home" because Vaida had colored some pictures for our gals and wanted to take them in. She brought them party blowers, too. She is such a cutey. She wanted to take them each a Frosty, but couldn't decide if they would want chocolate or baniwah, so she decided she would ask them this time, so we could take them next time. Much to her disappointment, both of our "gaws" were sleeping, and we decided it was better not to wake them. We left the pictures on their bulletin board in their room and went to the cafeteria to see who else we could visit. They were glad to see Bethany and Michelle (again) and Drew and Wyn. They were also glad to visit with a friend they made at the nursering home!

After that, the kids were dropped off at Ghie's house (they usually go with us on Thursdays, but Ghie said they could hang around with her and Grandad for a while this evening. I met Justin at Tae Kwon Do, where we learned some interesting ways to break people's wrists...haha. We are learning wrist escapes. It's all pretty awkward and pretty cool at the same time. Sorry, no pictures of this! Too violent and shocking...

Caught this out the car window WHILE I was driving. The void in the clouds looked more like a bird if real life. It didn't translate to film very well...haha

On the way home, Justin picked up the kids while I rushed home and let the chickens out for a while and finished cooking dinner. The chickens were glad to see the grass and chase bugs. They were especially glad when T and V came out to play with them after we finished our dinner. If you bring them corn on the cob, the chickens are pretty much always glad to see you. And they will let you pet them. T and V love giving the girls and Muffin treats because those chickens can hold quite a conversation when they find something good to eat. Peep ALWAYS tells Titus all about everything she finds. The better it is, the sweeter she sounds, with little trills and chirps. Sometimes, if she finds a big, ugly, obviously scary bug, she will run up to Titus and shriek, and then run behind him and hide from whatever it is. Junebugs and Bumblebees pretty much send them all into mass chicken hysteria. haha!

Muffin's tail is starting to do that rooster thing. He really is a handsome chicken. No crowing yet...we are hoping he will be late on that since he has never heard any other chickens crow.

Here's Peep, talking to Titus, and Buffy and Lafawndah, just trying to edge in for some corn.

Here is little Delilah. She is the smallest, shyest, and prettiest chicken we have. Mr. Muffin ALWAYS shares his corn with her...we will worry if his feathers sudden start getting shorter!

Here we see that the chickens are, indeed, having a fast and frenzied corn party. And apparently, at least one of them found it's way to the 7-11 for a big gulp. (I love having the neighbor's trash all over the yard every time the wind blows!)

After the kids went to bed, I laid on the couch, trying to get rid of a pounding headache that started to develop at Summer Reading and progressed to a state of nausea by the time I got the kids in the tub. Thankfully, it finally let up enough that I was able to start Morgan's handmade gift. I should be able to finish that before or during our vacation.

Tomorrow sounds just as busy as today...work, grocery shopping for work, pick up dry cleaning, pick up computer at repair shop, buy chicken feed and pine shaving, two classes of Tae Kwon Do, home to repair the chicken run where the silly things keep tearing down the netting by setting their giant chicken buns on it, starting to pack...I need for this vacation to start today!

I did it because I had to...

2009-06-17T20:23:00.000-07:00

Shopping...ugh. Have I mentioned that I don't like shopping? Ha! Considering that I had a gift card, and a coupon card for an additional 15% off, AND they were having a SUPER Father's Day sale, I packed the heathens in the car and took off to Kohl's. Kohl's is actually one of only about three places that I ever find clothes. Cato, Kohl's and sometimes Penney's. The shopping is a real problem for me because I don't want to dress like an old lady, but I don't want my junk hanging out on the bottom or the top! And is it too much to ask for for a dress to have at least straps instead of some crinkly tube?! Needless to say, I found no dresses today, but I did manage a brown skirt with an orange and brown top, a pink t-shirt top, a shirt with a butterfly on it (also orange - my favorite), and even a denim skirt! This is good considering I was down to about three tops, on of which I noticed today has a hole in it. Fashion Maven, I ain't!

Dear Husband, on the other hand, always looks quite fetching. He is a sharp dresser...some might call him high maintenance. Unfortunately, I am a total enabler. I bought him a lovely lilac dress shirt and matching tie. As soon as I showed him what I picked out, he went to his motorized tie racks to see how many OTHER ties matched the shirt, not because he didn't like the new tie, because he might need to have "different looks." haha. He is fun to shop for. I also bought a couple of dress shirts for my dad, who (my mother insists) still has the same shirts that he had when they got married 38 years ago. This COULD be an overstatement, but you get the idea. He took the tags off one and put it on over his head without even unbuttoning any more than the top button. Then he wore it to church this evening, so I guess I did alright with the choosing for both of them.

Not to be left out, Titus and Vaida had to have something new, too. UNDEROOS! Camouflage and fairies. Guess you know who got what.

Tomorrow should prove to be another busy day. Titus is feeling much better. The eyedrops are worth whatever the price. His eyes have steadily cleared since he started the drops on Monday. Too bad he totally melts down whenever it is time to give them to him. He doesn't usually act out, so I know that it must really scare him. Can't blame him, I don't like eyedrops either. Anyway, I think he is well enough to go to Summer Reading at the Library. It is supposed to be "Petland" Day, where the local pet store brings birds, bunnies, tortoises, etc for the kids to see. Should prove to be mostly insane and fun.

Michelle is recruiting Vaida's cuteness to go with her tomorrow to ask for donations from local businesses for the "Birdseed Project" at the Nursing Home, which is part of the Adopt-a-Room program. Somehow, she thinks people will not be able to say no to Miss Vaida. I tend to agree, so I am sending her out to do her first bit of bumming - hoping she is successful.

We also need to take some coloring that we did to our "gals" at the Nursing Home and see them for a bit. Then, I need to be in Barboursville and ready for black belt class at 4:30. Oh, and somewhere in there, I have to put the pork ribs in the crock pot for dinner tomorrow. Hope I don't forget that before leaving the house in the morning. Pictures tomorrow.

The Eyes Have It!

2009-06-15T22:10:00.000-07:00

The eyes in this house have issues. The pink eye? They've got it. At least two of those eyes, anyway. The other little set of eyes is clear for now, but knowing what we all know about conjunctivitis, I am sure Vaida's turn is coming soon. Then I will have to call and get the prescription for the $75.oo eye drops for her, too. Luckily, our insurance paid the majority of this exorbitant amount, leaving us with a small copay. It makes me wonder just what is in that tiny little dropper!

I woke this morning to, "Mommy, Mommy, MOMMY!" I rushed (as well as I can from a dead sleep. I am not a very good waker-upper.) in to T's room where he was laying in his bed with his eyes shut - "gunked shut" - as he called it. I knew then we would have to be on the way to the doctor. When I called for a walk-in appointment, I was informed that there regular doctor was not there and they would need to see the other doctor that shares that office. Considering T's eyes were BRIGHT red and leaking some gnarly goo, I was happy to take what I could get. But, the thing is, the kid's pediatrician was not just gone for the day, she is GONE! Her name is not even on the door anymore. Where did she go? No one seemed authorized to give out that info. This might not seem like such a big thing, but T and V LOVE their doctor. Now I have to try to track her down, or give up and take them to my doctor who is a family practitioner, or take them to the partner in the office where we have always gone. I don't think the latter is a very viable option if the waiting time for today is going to be the norm.

I was thoroughly TSK-ed by the nurse because Titus is late for his shots that he needs to start school. Eh? I have always had issues with immunizations. I am not sure they are necessary, and I AM sure that they are sometimes harmful. I haven't been in too much of a hurry to get the shots done for that reason, and because we don't need shots to homeschool. I also was shamed for not having a "well child visit" every six months for both of them. I guess I don't utilize the healthcare system enough? When the kids are sick, I take them to the doctor. They always check everything when the kids are in for those visits. I guess I am not much for this new-fandangled thing they call medical care. I only go when I am sick, too. I guess I need to get over that. So, I scheduled their well child visits/shots for July, but we might not keep this appointment if we decide to change doctors.

I also had the doctor look at a small red spot that Vaida has under her eye. At first, I thought it was a bug bite. When it did not go away quickly, I assumed it was because she might be picking at it. I suppose time went on, and sort of slipped by without my realizing. We were setting up a slide show on the wii (actually, dearest husband was doing that, I just watched!) and found some pictures dating as far back as her 3rd birthday where she has the spot. OVER a year! Obviously, I am a terrible mother for not getting this looked at sooner. So, I looked on-line and found a skin imperfection that looked similar enough to hers to convince me that that is what she had. The doctor agreed. It is called a Spider Angioma, which is a non-harmful skin condition where a blood vessel that is very close to the surface of the skin becomes too dilated and sort of ruptures out into smaller vessels to sort of spider out. Completely harmless, it comes without warning and usually goes away without warning. It will be brighter red in the summer when it is hot and there is increased blood flow to the face. Apparently, if it does not go away on its own as she gets older and it is something that bothers her, we can have it removed via a laser.

This pic is from her third birthday, you can faintly see a red spot under HER left eye. And a lot of chocolate icing.

These next two were taken at T and V's good buddy D's birthday party at Pump-up-the-Fun! Aren't they gorgeous! This was in January, and the spot is still faint.

They really do LOVE each other!

Vaida in April on the day that Nonnie brought our chicks to the house. Red spot a little darker.

This is V, getting caught eating a nasturtium out of the salad we had the other day. Her spider angioma is still really small. Hopefully it will stay that way.

Titus is pretty upset that he can't participate in his regular activities because he is contagious. He didn't get to go to Tae Kwon Do or stay all night with Ghie. Summer reading starts at the library tomorrow, and he won't get to go to that either. I am hoping we can make it to church on Wednesday, but we will have to see. I would sure hate to have a congregation of "gunk eyed" kids! This is also why we didn't get to go to the nursing home as we had planned.

Oh, I almost forgot -- I got my new Rainbow Resource book in the mail today!!!! 1350 PAGES OF HOMESCHOOLING GOODNESS!!!!!!!!! (Can you tell I am excited? I need to get out the highlighter and start going through it. I already KNOW some things we need for next year, but there are so many things that you don't even know you need until you see them in the Rainbow book!

On the homefront

2009-06-14T21:10:00.000-07:00

Well, today began with a boy with pink, watery eyes. It ended with a boy with red, gunky eyes. So, it looks like a trip to the doctor tomorrow for us. I am going to go ahead and take the girl, too. I am trying to keep her away from him, so as not to spread the funky eye syndrome, but she just wants to love on him because he is sick. Sweet, but not very hygenic. She also has a small red spot on the skin under her eye that has been there for quite some time that I want to have the doctor look at. I'm sure it's nothing, but the husband is starting to worry, and that is making me worry, just a little.

I am supposed to go back to the nursing home (where we adopted a room) tomorrow to get my PPD checked. Glad to report that I got absolutely NO reaction. We were going to stay and hang out for a while, but somehow I doubt they want a building full of pink eyes! I also planned to go shopping for something new to take on our trip to New Orleans next week. I guess that's out, which is actually okay with me, considering I abhor shopping anyway. Unfortunately, I am getting fairly close to the point where dear husband throws out half of my clothes and forces me to get new ones just because they have stains or holes. Can you imagine?!

I recieved an email today announcing the winners of the 2009 annual WV Writer's Contest. Not surprising, I didn't win. I didn't even enter this year, but it did remind me that I missed the Annual Writers' Conference. I attended last year for part of the time and learned several beneficial tidbits. I also made a few connections. I should have attended this year, but I didn't decide that I might like to go until it was too late to make the plans. Mark another one down for me kicking myself.

Surprising Inspiration

2009-06-13T17:49:00.000-07:00

Dinner

After the family renunion, I didn't feel much like cooking, so we had leftovers and a lovely nasturtium salad made from the greens, lettuces, and nastrutiums from our salad garden.

Chickens

The chickens are growing and growing and growing. It is amazing how fast. Just another couple months and we will have fresh eggs from 10 chickens (no thanks to Mr. Muffin). The coop is still not finished, but the chickens are safe and happy where they are. We have only had one chicken escape and no bandits getting inside, so I'd say that is pretty good.

The Quilt

Titus's quilt is coming along. I won't say it's coming along nicely. That might be an overstatement. I have 20 blocks done. If I aim to make a full sized quilt, I will need 52 more blocks. Perhaps I will shoot for the twin!

A little inspiration

Today was the annual Payne family picnic. It is usually fairly uneventful and mostly pleasant, although some years it is the temperature and humidity are almost unbearable. This year, the weather was nice, but the new foe was MUD - glorious mud! My Vaida was in fine spirits and didn't care one iota about getting mud all over her new shoes. There was a playground, room to run, dogs, good food, and new people to meet...all of these are favorite things of Vaida's. The only time she was upset all day had to do with a scooter and someone who was "just wike kinda mean" because he wouldn't share. haha. Like she could ride a scooter without half killing herself anyway.

Titus was not feeling well lasst night, but decided to tough it out and go to the picnic today. Needless to say, he didn't have a lot of fun, and we made the decision to cut out early from the reunion. Funny, so did everyone else! It was all over by about 3, which is much earlier than past years.

On the way to the reunion, my dear husband had a n interesting revelation about the subject of my next book. The wheels are already churning! I must admit that I have lately been suffering from writer's blahs, which is akin to, but somewhat different than writer's block. My first book, which was written about my near fatal bout with preeclampsia during my pregnancy with my son, made it all the way to Random House, where it must be forever swimming in the slush pile, as I have heard no response after a year. This is nothing unusual in the writing game. I've submitted several short stories to magazines and literary journals. All responses have been a personalized, polite declination of my work, which is a big step up from no response or the standardized form rejections, but a BIG step from being published.

I let myself get discouraged by the repeated rejections, even though I promised myself that was the very thing I would not do. Salt was rubbed in the wound when I lost almost all of my work because I foolishly decided it would be an intelligent idea to save all my writing on a keychain thumb drive. Literally hundreds, if not a thousand, hours worth of work was suddenly discovered "missing" from my keychain. My guess is that the keychain broke, and all of my hard work is somewhere between here and who knows where.

Needless to say, I haven't felt much like writing. I keep thinking I should brush up my query letter and start sending my 1st book out again, but life keeps happening, and there is always an excuse as to why I "can't" get it done. I keep looking at the submission schedule I have tacked up on the bulletin board above my desk, thinking I should work on something, but I don't do it. Part of this stems, perhaps, from a self-esteem issue with which I have always struggled. Part of me figures that no one will accept my work anyway. Defeating myself is one of my favorite pastimes. Ha!

But I am feeling reenergized, as you can tell by the sheer length of this blog. I'm ready to start something new. Actually a few new things. Woo-Hoo!

Summer Storms

2009-06-10T21:42:00.000-07:00

What a downpour yesterday! If the weather persons (as Vaida would say) can be believed, we are in store for more of the same for tonight. This certainly shoots a whole in our plans to attend the annual Tae Kwon Do cookout for our school, but I enjoy a good storm, just the same.

These rains are making for beautiful cabbage and tomato plants in the garden. Unfortunately, the weeds are getting a nice heathly drink, as well. Considering I broke our garden hoe (I don't know my own weed chopping strength) sometime last week, the weeds are attempting a stealthy, yet hostile takeover. When I get some free time, when I am not playing with my kids, or tending chickens, doing dishes and other unfun household tasks, or cooking odd dinners for my family, I will rid my veggie of those horrible infiltrators.

Like I said, our veggies are looking great this year, and my flower bed in the side yard looks better than it ever has. Plants that we put in several years ago are finally starting to spread and fill in. The Daffodils, Irises, Day Lillies and Coral Bells all need thinned. The Ostrich Ferns may fall vicitim to Round-up, since there is a nasty dose of poison ivy living therein.

I am still working diligently on the quilt top. It is coming together much faster than I originially anticipated. Thanks for your invention, Mr. Howe! I am sewing on an old Kenmore that belonged to my aunt. I recieved it when the family went through her things after she passed away several years ago. Everyone else either already had their own machine, or had no desire to have one. So, I took it, and was glad to get it. Those old machines seem to hold up better than the newer plastic jobs. I have to admit that it sat, unused for several years when my kids were tiny. Who has time for sewing then? I finally dug it out of the closet to make a birthday dress for Vaida, and now am tackling my first quilt top. The piecing pattern is a Double Irish Chain. I haven't decided yet what quilting-stitch pattern to use. Titus requests no flowers or anything girly. I can't do anything with squares, because I don't want to draw attention to the corners that don't match! Ha!

More pictures later...I have to go for now and play Mario Kart with the boys. They always beat me, but I am just glad they want to do something with Mom.

Updates to the Blog, Schedule, and so on

2009-06-09T19:41:00.000-07:00

Considering that I am not industrious enough to paint or update any parts of my real world, I thought I'd spruce up the old blog a bit.

Summer Socials

I've been busy lately, although I can't figure out what it is I have been doing with all my time. For the summer, I am trying to iron out some sort of schedule so we can properly utilize our time. I have been thinking lately that it is such a blessing that I GET to stay home with my kids, but it is a shame that I don't take advantage of our time by visiting the sick and shut-in. Sometimes, I am busy all day, but have absolutely nothing to show for the day besides a pile of clean laundry waiting to be folded.

I want the kids to get involved in a program at a local nursing/extended care facility here in our town called "Adopt a Room." Because of our family business, the kids are used to seeing people of various abilities, and seem to easily accept people without much trepidation. Vaida - my little artist - will certainly paper the room with all manner of marker and paint wonders. I hope th people in the room we adopt like butterflies! I am not sure yet what Titus will do, but if he can get someone to play Uno with him, he will be happy, and hopefully so will they. I need to find the time to go down and sign the papers, get a TB test, and be fingerprinted (oops, hope they don't find out about all those arrests back in the 90s - haha) without the kids, because I have heard from dear friend Michelle that all of that is a fairly lengthy process (but is certainly necessary and well worth the effort.)

Homeschooling through Summer

Also on my mind is the Rainbow Resources Book (my fellow homeschoolers know it well). I had intended to place an order for next year's cirriculum back in April, but never got it together. I felt guilty about that because there were others who wanted to order with me to get free shipping, but am feeling somewhat better about NOT ordering since I keep waffling about what Math program we are going to try next year. I have heard wonderful things about Math-U-See, but after viewing the introductory video, I don't think it would be right for Titus. I have heard GREAT things about Singapore Math, but don't know anyone IRL who is using it. That makes me reluctant to try it.

For Phonics, I plan to use Hooked on Phonics Reading (the introductory reading has really worked wonderfully for Titus. Why change if it is working?), Explode the Code, and McGuffy Readers (hopefully I can find these for something less than an arm and a leg. I would love to have originals. Unfortunately, my price range is more like reprinted paperbacks. haha)

For all other subjects, we are going to try Christian Cottage Unit Studies since it looks like something that will work for us (it is very similar to Konos, although not nearly as in depth) and I was able to obtain a CD of year 1 at a much discounted price. I figure it won't hurt to try this for science, history, social studies, etc., this coming year, since the kids won't technically be required to do these things for a few years. If it doesn't work out, we can always try something new next year. That said, it looks enjoyable and I appreciate that it has a reading list and resources list already made. The trick will be finding the things from the list.

Titus is now getting a really good handle on reading, and I certaainly am in mood to squash the enthusiasm just because it is "summer." A boy at Tae Kwon Do asked Titus if he was excited to not have school for the summer. Titus just looked at him without knowing what to say. My poor kid doesn't know it is possible to NOT do school for one day. haha.

At the Homestead

2009-06-03T19:14:00.000-07:00

Things are happening here at the Murdock Ranch (I only wish we had one!)

Muffin, the Buff Orpington, is definitely a rooster, and quite manly at that.

The eleven girls are doing famously, playing like cheap lawn mowers every day when I let them out of the run. Something you should know...chickens will eat anything, whether they should or not! So far, I am so glad to have these chickens around. The perfect pet...cheap, entertaining, and useful.

In other news on the homefront, in honor of Titus's recently passed 5th birthday, I have undertaken the endeavor to carry on a family tradition of hand quilting. The pattern is an Irish Double Chain and isn't that complicated, although time consuming, of course.

A Black Belt Goes With Everything

2009-05-09T20:44:00.000-07:00

Well, after nearly 3 years of training, Saturday was the much feared Black Belt Test. The husband and I both did smashingly! We were required to know 17 forms, 21 combinations, spar twice, break 4 boards, and write and discuss a paper.

Here is what I wrote.

This year, I turn thirty. It has been said that this is a difficult birthday, especially for women. Most of the ladies I know who are my age are lamenting their thirtieth year. I have one friend in particular who said, "I remember when I was in junior high school and my aunt turned thirty. I thought she was so ancient. Now I am ancient." Despite the difficulty that others seem to be having with swallowing the "30" pill, my thirtieth birthday will be a positive milestone, thanks in large part to Tae Kwon Do.

Three years ago, with divorce rates even on the rise, my husband and I began to look for a healthy activity that we could do together. Neither of us having much in the way of rhythm, ballroom dancing was out. When he suggested Tae Kwon Do, I agreed to go along. I can't say that I was entirely convinced, at first, but I supposed it would be good exercise and would give my husband and I a common interest other than raising our two children.

I have never been athletically inclined. Instead, I am the kind of person who trips over nothing and can't catch a pass. I figured any attempt at trying to kick and stand up at the same time would probably end up with me on my rear end. (I was mostly right about that!) I didn't think Tae Kwon Do was something I would ever be able to do.

I have never been blessed with any measure of self-confidence. I have always know that I do not possess those things that American society views as "beautiful." My legs are not long enough, my hair does not behave itself on any day. I used to be very thin in high school, painfully thin, because I chose to sacrifice my health through the disease of anorexia in order to obtain some semblance of what I then believed "beautiful" was.

My husband started Tae Kwon Do with the intention of getting his black belt. I started Tae Kwon Do in hopes of losing some of the weight I gained after having my children. I never really had the goal of black belt in mind, because I never supposed I could do it. Every class we attended, I said, "I can't do this! I can't do that!" Master D'Alessio's reply was always the same. "Shut up and do it!"

When we started taking our belt tests, I was nervous, sure. But it was more than just ordinary nerves. I was horrified at the idea of getting up in front of people to do anything, much less trying to do things, like breaking boards, that seem easy for seven years olds, but were hard for me. Because of my poor self-perception, I have always been a hider. In school, i was content to sit at the back of class with my head down, even when I knew the answers. When I was in college, I would be physically ill on days when I have to make presentations or give speeches because i did not want anyone to look at me. I was constantly afraid of saying something to embarrass myself. I was afraid to try new things because I was certain that I wouldn't be any good, anyway.

After several months of training, my mantra began to change from "I can't do that." to "Maybe I can do that." It happened so slowly that I didn't realize until recently that Tae Kwon Do was affecting change in the self-doubting, sometimes self-loathing personality that had made up my character for nearly 30 years. To me, that is something close to a miracle.

Tae Kwon Do has given me many things. The exercise, of course. Through buckets of perspiration sweated out during kicking drills, I have lost 20 pounds. I am more flexible and my muscles are stronger. This is what I expected from Tae Kwon Do training. My husband and I do spend Monday and Friday evenings together, and I know that it has made our relationship stronger to have a common interest and a common goal. Recently, our son turned five and is now also training with Master D'Alessio. I am so proud to see him in his do bok. I look forward to next year when our daughter will be old enough to begin training. Then our whole family will be a part of the Tae Kwon Do family. This is the result that I most wanted from Tae Kwon Do.

In a way, it could be said that I have gotten exactly what I wanted from Tae Kwon Do training. But what Tae Kwon Do has given me goes so far beyond what I expected. It has finally given me the self-confidence I wish I would have had from the beginning. It has given me the freedom to try new things. Now, when we are learning a new form, or working a drill that we haven't done before, instead of "I can't." I find myself saying "I'll give it a try." I have already done so many things that I never thought I could do.

Tae Kwon Do training has released me from a life of fear. Physical fear? Yes, I know that I am better able to defend myself and, more importantly, my children. But beyond the physicality of self-defense, there has been a release of emotional fear. It is with regret that I look back on my life. There are so many things that I wish I would have tried to do, and so many I could have done better, if I hadn't been too afraid of embarrassment, too afraid of failure.

I know that I am not alone. American society is one that breeds self-doubt in those who do not fit the grand definition of beauty. Many children, especially girls, struggle to fit in and feel beautiful. They do to sometimes dangerous extremes to feel loved and accepted. I know how hard it can be to grow up feeling like you are not good enough. I am so glad when I see kids in the do chang - short, tall, thin, heavy, affluent and average - because I know what it could mean for them. I know how it could change their lives. Why do we break boards? To gain confidence. There is so much power behind those three words. To gain confidence is truly life altering. I am sorry that it took me nearly thirty years to do it.

The reality is that I will never be "great" at the sport or art of Tae Kwon Do. I'll never win any sparring tournaments or trophies for forms, but I have gained so much more that the value of a plastic trophy. I have, in a sense, gained a new life. I hope that I can serve as some sort of inspiration to others who haven't yet started the sport. After all, if I can do it, anyone can! If I receive my black belt, I will consider it a true honor to join the ranks of the black belts at our school. I hope Master D'Alessio will grant me the privilege of working with his younger students, so that I can help them gain the confidence in themselves that I never had.

Looking back on how far I have come in three years, I know I can go that much further in the years to come. Obtaining my black belt is really only the beginning of my journey. Turning thirty is a milestone for me, but not a depressing one. It is because of Tae Kwon Do that I am beginning to feel confident and beautiful for the first time in my life. I finally feel that my value is not based on what numbers on a scale say. I finally feel that I have a purpose - to support and encourage others to reach their goals and build their self-images. The first three years of my training have dramatically changed my life. I can't wait to see what will happen in the three years to come.

Identity crisis?

2009-04-29T19:56:00.000-07:00

Alright, Muffin is supposed to be a 3 week old Buff Orpington pullet, but I am having doubts. The chick facing him/her is named Buffy, and is an Orpington pullet the same age as Muffin.

Here is a picture of the other Buff, named Chirp. You can see that she also has no red on her comb and no coloring on her waddles.

Chicken Lady

2009-04-17T21:42:00.000-07:00

It is with a new-found desire for a little self-sufficiency and getting "back to country living" that my dearest husband and I embark on our adventures in raising livestock. We've decided to start small, with a flock of chickens currently numbering eleven. Our chicks, or biddies, as chickeners call them, will be two weeks old on Monday, and have been turned out to be an excellent addition to our family thus far.

As of yet, the work is minimum, although the real sweating is about to begin as we endeavor to transform a dilapidated old outbuilding into a predator proof chicken coop. There isn't much to report, but I wanted to add some pictures of our little girls for posterity.

Our flock to date includes

2 Rhode Island Reds

3 Buff Orpingtons

3 Black Australorps

1 White Leghorn (who already thinks she rules the roost)

1 Silver-Lace Winged Wyandotte

1 Gold-Lace Winged Wyandotte

We are hoping to add three Silkies to the flock just for the fun of watching little feather dusters swish around the chicken run. We are (im)patiently waiting for them to hatch.

They All Agreed To It - Part 1

2008-09-13T19:10:00.000-07:00

Pete won the lottery. He told them he didn't believe in gambling, but they didn't listen. He told them they shouldn't, couldn't choose him, but it was too late. He protested, "But, I don't even own a gun. I don't know how to shoot."

"You won't need to know. Just get in as close as you can and pull back on the trigger. The ball will do the rest." The Captain handed Pete the pistol, barrel first.

"I don't know how to load it."

"Already did. No more excuses."

"But I...well, I just can't."

"You don't got a choice, lad. We all agreed."

"I didn't agree to anything. I wasn't even on deck. I can't. I won't." Pete shoved the gun back at the Captain, fully aware and unashamed of sounding childish.

"Look, Petey my boy, just get it over with. We all decided. Even he agreed." The Captain jerked his head toward the front of the ship. "He's waiting. Don't drag it out for him. Besides, if you shoot this time, you'll be safe next time. That's the rules."

Pete took the gun, cold metal in his hand, and turned toward the bow. The heels of his boots echoed THUMP, THUMP, THUMP in the empty hold below. His stomach growled, then tightened. If there had been even one morsel of food in it, he would have retched it over the ship's rail. He put his finger on the trigger, took it off, put it back. He wanted to throw the whole thing overboard, but didn't have the strength to fling it.

He stopped, scanned the water's surface for something, anything. But, as had been the dire situation for the past three weeks, there was nothing. Just moonshine reflected on empty watery dunes. Where were all the fish? How could a world full of water that seemed to go on and on for eons be devoid of all sustenance? Wasn't water the symbol for life? Seemed like he'd read that before.

He sniffed in deeply until his lungs hurt. Sea salt air. No fish. "Please, God! Let there be a mackerel. Tuna. I'd even be happy with a shark!" He cast his eyes Heavenward, gun still awkwardly clutched across his chest. But there was no break in the surface. There was no miraculous jump of intervention, no saving splash.

"Pete, get going," the Captain whispered through gritted teeth. His beard prickled Pete's bare shoulder. His breath was so foul from days without drinking water that Pete had to stifle a gag by pretending to sneeze. The Captain's eyes were red with exhaustion and something that might have been close to anger had his mind not been so preoccupied with the emptiness of his gut. "You drew the black stone, boy. Go and put him out of his misery." In the dark, it was difficult to tell if this was a command or a plea. "It has to be done, boy. For the good of the crew." As he spoke, his lower lip split open and a trickle of blood was caught by his thick, sandpaper tongue. He shut his eyes briefly, reveling in the small bit of moisture.

"I know, Captain. I was just hoping I might see a fish jump."

"Aye. But it's wishful thinking." The Captain turned his face toward the endless moonlight mirror. "I've been sailin' these very waters near 30 years and I have never been so betrayed by the sea."

Pete was no sailor. He was good with numbers. His father taught him well. At fourteen, he kept a perfect ledger for their family vineyard, but found himself abruptly unemployed after his eldest brother inherited the vineyard upon the unexpected death of their father. On a whim, he had joined Captain Johns' crew with the intention of "seeing the world" in exchange for keeping the log for The Merriweather. Opium for pepper. That was the business of Captain Johns and his crew. The journey from Salem across the Atlantic to China was "long, but lucrative, and the water's smooth as glass" At least, that is how Captain Johns had described it to Pete.

Where HAVE you been?

2008-08-26T18:50:00.000-07:00

You haven't been where I've been. I would have seen you there. We've been in Myrtle Beach for a family vacation and returned home for a week of illness (I don't know why we bother to travel - we get sick EVERY time.)

I recieved a "Pass" from the literary agent, but she was very encouraging. I also received a "Pass" from First Line, a literary magazine to which I recently submitted a short story. I was most pleased about this one in that it was not a standardized rejection. The editor actually wrote me a personal email encouraging me to submit again. It's definitely a step in the direction I want to go.

Since I don't have any other plans for it, I am posting the rejected short I submitted to First Line (the magazine gives the first line of the story, and everyone who submits must begin his/her story with that line.)

An Excellent Head For Business

Roy had the only drive-thru funeral business in Maine. It wasn’t the first, or even the second, but it had outlasted all the others. Roy had a knack for taking a dollar and turning it into ten. He’d been that way as long as he could remember. Back when he was a boy, he’d made his money selling and trading baseball cards. He once traded a Turk Farrell for a Willie Mays, a Mickey Mantle and a Milky Way candy bar. He had a way of making people want what he had.
When he’d first seen the drive-thru funeral home in Portland, he’d known it was the answer to all his problems. He’d sent Tony straight down to investigate. He and Tony had been next door neighbors back in Long Island. Roy trusted Tony.

Tony had been there when the New York State Police had escorted Roy to the state line and told him never to show his face in the Empire State again. Roy had not been sure Tony would stick with him, but it was Tony’s idea to pool their money and get an old beater to get the heck out of dodge. So, they bought a 1974 Pinto for $100 and headed north until they ran out of gas money. The car rolled to a dead stop in front of a dry cleaner’s in Readfield, Maine. Roy went straight inside and arranged to rent the basement apartment on credit. Good luck had a way of preceding Roy that way.

He used the pay phone outside to call his mother collect. She mailed out the boxes that Roy had packed and squirreled away in the attic two weeks before. After the boxes arrived, Roy and Tony set up shop in the basement. They worked through the night and slept during the day for two solid weeks. When they’d made enough money to pay for the apartment and to buy a refrigerator full of groceries and soda pop, they both went looking for respectable jobs. After all, they couldn’t flood the market too soon.

Tony rode the bus line two towns over to Fayette and found a job as a waiter at Sharkey’s Seafood Grill and Bar. A lot of money changed hands at Sharkey’s, but Tony was always careful about slipping the bills.

Roy got a job at the Rose Funeral Home. He worked for Mr. Gene Rosenkrantz, who was aging and could no longer lift and move the bodies because of arthritis of the spine. Not much in the way of cash was seen at Rose’s. Most of the transactions were paid by checks. Although he didn’t pass many bills, he made a lot of connections, and in the game, that was just as important. Roy always clapped his hand on the shoulder of a grieving father, always held the hand of the distraught widow. He smiled at the appropriate times, and pretended to wipe tears when it was the most effective. Mr. Rosenkrantz said that Roy had a knack for dealing with grief. What Roy really had was a good head for business. After helping make the arrangements for Paul’s mother’s funeral, it was a cinch to go over to the carwash Paul owned and have twenties changed into quarters and ones. When he left Margie at the diner two twenties for a tip, she’d kissed him right on the mouth.

All Roy and Tony had to do was wait. They worked their jobs and kept their connections in Long Island. When money got low, they spent a few late nights churning out more. After two years, Tony had moved up to manager at Sharkey’s. He’d encouraged the owner to put in video slots. Business at Sharkey’s had tripled. In turn, Tony’s business had tripled. As for Roy, he’d become the son Mr. Rosenkrantz never had. He’d taken over the paperwork entirely, and the preparation of the bodies, almost completely. He was not at all surprised to find the keys and the deed to the property on the reception desk one morning. Mr. Rosenkrantz had gone to Florida to fulfill his retirement dreams of running a hoagie stand and sipping margaritas on the beach.
Roy and Tony wasted no time in dismantling the presses and storing the pieces in the attic closet at Rose’s. Hidden behind a rack of black sport coats and white dress shirts that Mr. Rosenkrantz kept “just in case,” the boxes were completely undetectable. The two friends agreed to keep the presses stored until they figured out a way to move the money in mass quantity.

When Roy saw the sign for the drive-thru funeral home in Portland, he knew that was it. Two days later, Tony drove down to scope it out. He returned with the blueprints mapped out in his head. First, they installed two garage doors in the narrow end of the building, one in front and one in back. Then, they had concrete poured straight through the funeral home. Down both sides of the indoor road, they installed glass walls, which made two viewing rooms. Their neighbors were skeptical. “Boys, you are wasting your money. Who would ever want that?”

“I don’t know, John. Gets awfully cold in the winter. Maybe somebody’ll want to stay in his warm car instead of stomping through the parking lot.” Tony explained over a bowl of chili in the diner.

“Hmm.” Fred raised his eyebrows. “Now that is something to consider.”

Roy dragged out the presses and set them up in the prep room. Tony ran the presses while Roy kept the funeral business going, preparing bodies for burial as if it were entirely normal to be doing so while printing counterfeit money. Roy’s mom came up from new York to help out with the paperwork. She sent flyers to all of Roy’s previous business contacts to let them know that Roy was, once again, open for business.

For two weeks, nothing happened. Just normal Readville business. “No takers yet on the drive-thru, huh?” they chided.

But, still, Tony kept printing money. Roy’s mother unstitched the linings of the coffins, stuffed them with twenties and sewed them up again. No one called about the drive-thru for almost three weeks later when Roy solemnly answered the ringing telephone. “Rose’s Funeral Home.”

“Yeah, uh…I’m calling to inquire about your drive thru funeral services.”

“Yes?”

“Is it expensive?

“I think you’ll find it is less expensive than a normal service. And the rewards are exponential.”

“I see. And what advanced arrangements need to be made?”

“None, really. We are always ready to serve the community. Of course, you’ll need to bring your loved one and something they would like to wear. That’s always very important.

“Of course. I’ll be there tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow, then. Come in the afternoon.”

After he hung up the phone, Roy yelled, “We got one, Tony!”

At 2:00,the next day, when a white Lincoln Continental pulled up in front of Rose’s, Tony opened the garage door and motioned the car in. After the door closed, the driver popped the trunk and opened his door.

“Hey, Mickey! Long time no see. How’s Connie? The kids?” Tony gave Mickey a friendly punch in the shoulder.

“They’re good. Hungry, though. I haven’t made any good money since you left town.

“That’s tough, man. Tough. So, who’s this shlub?”

The two looked inside the trunk which was lined with thick plastic. Mickey unzipped a large black bag that took up almost the entire expanse of the trunk. Inside, the pasty face of a man with blue lips appeared. His vacant eyes stared blindly at Tony.

“Man, I hate it when they have their eyes open. Gives me the heebie-jeebies.”

“I tried to close ‘em, but they just keep popping open.”

“Well, Roy’s good at this stuff. He’ll fix it right up.”

“I don’t guess it matters.”

“Eh, might as well make it look good.” He pointed into the trunk with his thumb. “What’s he do?”
“Don’t ask. But I can guarantee he won’t do it again.”

Tony chuckled as he hauled the body out of the trunk and onto a metal cart. He grunted loudly. “Man, next time off somebody who ain’t so thick in the middle, I’m breakin’ my back here.”

Just then, Roy came up in the elevator. “Hey! Mick! Ridding the streets of New York of a little riff raff, huh?”

“Yeah, one less scum to terrorize the streets. Where’s Ma? She here?”

“In the office.”

Roy and Tony took the body downstairs where Roy prepared it with just as much care as he had Mrs. Smith from the dry cleaners. He stripped the body and washed the wounds, four guns shots to the chest. He washed and styled the man’s thick brown hair and sewed his eyes and mouth shut. There was no time for embalming, but Roy did apply some makeup and dressed the body in one of the suits from the upstairs closet.

“He’s done. Which one should we put him in?” Roy asked

“Let’s go with the mahogany. With the blue lining. It’ll match his hair.”

“Good choice.”

Upstairs in the kitchenette, Roy and Mickey’s mom had made a pan of lasagna. The four sat down to dinner. Roy’s mom commented, “You know, we haven’t had dinner together like this in a long time. It’s nice.”

“Yeah, we should do this more often.” Roy agreed.

“How about once a month?” Mickey asked.

Roy nodded his head, unable to reply with his mouth full of lasagna. After he swallowed, he said, “You gotta remember to bring a different car.”

“I know how it works, big brother. You remember, I’m not the one who almost got caught.”

“You don’t forget who feeds your kids.” Roy pointed his fork at Mickey.

“Boys, boys, boys. Enough. You’re ruinin’ my dinner.”

After the entire pan of lasagna was gone, they loaded the body in the hearse. Then they switched the license plate on the Lincoln from a New York tag to one from Maine.

“Where we taking him?” Mickey asked.

“You tell me.” Tony said as he slipped behind the wheel of the Lincoln.

“How much is in there?”

“500 K.” Roy said.

Tony said “I’ll follow you to the border. We’ll stop and put your New York tags on the hearse. Then you’re on your own. Remember though, the longer you keep him, the more he’s gonna stink. And you’ll be wanting to make up a story in case you get pulled over.”

“What do I do with the hearse?”

“Sell it. Burn it. Drive it off a cliff.”

“See you next month, Bro.”

And that is how Roy broke into the drive-thru funeral business. Roy and Tony moved a half million dollars worth of twenties, fifties, and eventually hundreds, every month through Mickey in New York and John, one of the old neighborhood boys, who agreed to move to Chicago.
Roy and Tony tried to live inconspicuously. It was easy to avoid suspicion by donating substantial amounts of cash to every charity in town. The Boys and Girls Club, the fund to put in a skate park for the kids, the Library Fund, Fraternal Order of Police, Local Firefighters. Town philanthropists seldom get investigated, especially when their donations pay the salary of two deputy sheriffs.

Roy owned the only drive-thru funeral business in Maine. There had been others, but the demand for drive-thru funerals just wasn’t that great. They sank almost as fast as they put up the signs. But, Roy had what people call “an excellent head for business.”

At The DMV

2008-08-01T21:45:00.000-07:00

Dear Ms. DMV Woman,

I appreciate that you've had your fingernails professionally sharpened and polished. It does make for an interesting sound quality when you TAP, TAP, TAP your daggers on the counter. And the red - nice color choice. Undoubtedly you selected it to perfectly match the color of the ink you used to make over sized corrections on the documents I've brought you.

I understand that you are a woman of great power. The state has imbued you with the ability to give the tickets or take the tickets away. You are office working deity. Yes, you have to transform my time into absolutely nothing. you are a magic being, you with your red polka-dotted hoop earrings and your hair that is three shades away from anything genetics could create.

It is rare to find a delicate flower such as yourself laboring at such a hard nosed profession. Pushing papers and constantly disappointing your fellow man must take a lot out of you, but you persevere. The signs of your toiling only shows in your perpetual refusal to patronize anyone with a smile.

Stay strong, dear friend, in your refusal to accept anything less than one hundred proofs of residence. Do not falter in your refusal to do anything the easy way. Never stray from your chosen path. Please keep up your commission to teach us all patience. I can only hope that next time I enter your domain, you will not neglect to point out the inadequateness of my paperwork, and shun me for my shortcomings. I would expect nothing less from you, you keeper of important state secrets.

2008-07-31T20:46:00.000-07:00

Blogging should be easy for someone who claims to be a writer, eh? Not true!

Anyway, I'm hoping to post a couple of shorts/essays/somethings a few times per week for nothing more than my own entertainement. Read them, hate them, ignore them, make fun of them. Do whatever you feel appropriate. Here's the first one.

Cinderella's Real Ever After

2008-07-31T18:44:00.000-07:00

There is something you have to know. It probably will shake the very foundation of your existence as you know it. You see, all these years, the story you’ve heard of Cinderella has been untrue, a fabrication of the “Happy Ending Club.” you’ll also find some hyperbole in the niceness of the Seven Dwarves and the beauty of “Beauty” and the Beast - think rhinoplasty.

What you’ve heard about Cindi up to now is accurate to a fair degree, at least up until when she left the Prince’s Ball, except the tiny detail that the mice were actually cockroaches. The addition of fur made them more endearing. Where the real invention really came in was in the retelling of what happened after the Prince’s Ball.

After the death of Cinderella’s father, things did begin to go down hill. The road to their cottage fell into disrepair. The covered bridge became uncovered by storms and snow and a troop of overactive wood borer beetles. Some boards were loosened and splintered wood littered the bridge’s floor. And so it was, just before Cindi and her enchanted coach crossed the bridge - POOF! The spell broke and their natural states returned. Well, and old rickety bridge is no obstacle for a gaggle of roaches. They scurried home in no time flat to eat the remains of the chicken dinner Druscilla left under her bed - her substantial girth was another cover-up of the Happy Enders.

They left Cindi to navigate the way home with only one shoe. Tired of the uneven teeter-totter ness of having only one high heel, she decided to carry the thing and go shoeless. Stumbling through the dark, she stubbed her toe on the loose end of a plank, tripped, cursed, and dropped the glass slipper, which shattered into nothing less than one hundred pieces. When she tried to get up, her foot slipped and a rusty nail stabbed into her heel. There were no emergency rooms or tetanus shots in Fairytale Land, so her only solution was to drag herself home with her foot swelling like a water balloon.

When she got home, she found the front door locked tight, as any respectable front door would be at 1:00 a.m. Unable to scale the tree and climb in her window, as she normally did when she was out past curfew, she had not other recourse by to lay right there on the veranda until the next morning. She fell asleep with her head on the dog and woke up the next morning with her hair full of fleas.

She scratched and scratched, and, by the time the palace carriage pulled up, her hair was standing straight out all over. Her dress was torn and covered in dried mud. Her foot was swollen four sizes too large, which was amplified by her lack of shoes. The carriage slowed, but after the Duke got a look at her, the horses were urged into a gallop.
Cinderella kept scratching with one hand an pounded on the door with the other. After an eternity, Druscilla lumbered down the long staircase. By the time she reached the front door, she could hardly catch her breath. “Out…all…night…again?” She huffed. “What…happened…to…you?”

Cinderella waved her hand in dismissal and pushed past Druscilla, which was no easy task, considering Drucy was a line-backer in her high school days. “Lost my shoes. Fell on the bridge. Stepped on a nail. What happened to you? Hit by a butter wagon?” See, Cinderella really isn’t that nice. How nice can a person be whose only friends are a gaggle of cockroaches and an old flea infested hound dog.

“Cinderella, were you out all night, again? Get yourself cleaned up. You look like something the dog dragged in. And do something with that hair before I make you shave your head. Where are your shoes? What about that dress? You’ll be doing chores for a month to pay for those. You think money grows on trees?” Step-Mother was livid.
About that time, the Duke’s carriage passed by outside. Not seeing the haggard woman on the porch, the Duke felt it safe to stop. You know the story here. He came in to get them to try on the shoe. The Stepmother went first. She couldn’t fit the shoe. Her foot was too crooked - bunions. Then Druscilla tried, but her foot was too wide. Finally, Anastacia got out of bed to give her foot a try. Her foot was too long and thin. It wasn’t surprising since she was 6’7” and weighed 130 pounds. “The Human Broomstick” - that’s what the girls at school had called her.

Cinderella limped around with her hair sticking out and her dress shredded, looking generally insane. The Duke looked doubtful, but said, “Dear, you must try on this shoe.” He hung the shoes on the end of his cane and extended it in Cinderella’s direction. He didn’t want to get too close.

“Oh, not her. There’s no point.”

“It’s the Royal Decree.”

As dumb luck would have it, the unshattered shoe corresponded to the unhealthy foot. Trying to scrunch a foot swollen to four times its normal size into that tiny shoe was hardly convincing.

“But that’s my shoe! I just,” Cinderella picked her foot up, “See, I’ve just stepped on a nail. Just come back in three days when the swelling goes down. You’ll see.”

Of course, no one believes a girl with bugs in her head. The Duke returned empty handed. The Prince was distraught. He pined about for the mysterious shoe lady for at least 15 minutes, which is practically a lifetime in Fairytale Land. When the cook brought his soup for lunch, they decided to run away together and open an Italian Restaurant in Moscow.

After her foot healed, Cinderella decided that she was cheated out of her destiny because of inferior footwear. She opened up her own line of fashionable shoe designs for busy make-believe ladies on a tight budget. Form, Function and Frugality - and none of them were made of breakable glass! She became a very rich lady. Her diamond studded hiking boots set a trend still unmatched. She never did marry. She couldn’t find a man who was independently wealthy. Even that Prince’s money really belonged to his father.

As for Druscilla, she began a new career as Chief Security Officer down at Medusa’s Swamp and Grille. Nobody messes with Druscilla. Anastacia got a job as window washer at the Palace. As for Step-Mother, she had her name legally changed to Barbara Streisand and began a successful, albeit irritating, career in the entertainment business.

I Could Write More, But I Haven't The Time

2008-07-24T23:51:00.001-07:00

Thanks to my Dearest Husband, I have this wonderful website in which to try to convince you that I am a writer. It only took him three hours! He is an amazing human.

Considering the lateness of it (or perhaps the earliness - 3:03), I haven't much to say, except to tell you about my good news of the day.

I took a life writing class earlier this year with a former AP Reporter/Oversees Correspondent named Patrick Grace. I began writing a memoir during the class about the medical roller coaster ride we took while I was pregnant with Titus.

Patrick has been very supportive of my work and encouraged me to keep writing, even when I thought I had nothing left to say. The results have been a work that I am proud to call mine. Upon further pressing, Patrick coached me into writing up a proposal for my book. Today, he was kind enough to call an agent friend of his from New York, and she agreed to give my proposal a glance. I am expecting her to toss it back to me, but I hope she might be willing to give some tips on how I can improve it. Just to have my work being taken seriously enough to be one-the-table with an agent is enough to keep me going right now. Justin is glad, too, as he got to eat a steak dinner in celebration.

Blessed be today, for it is one the Lord has made.
~Hollie