Dairy Daze...and Now Beyond

   Saturday our church had our annual hayride/fish fry.  It was awesome as usual; fun times with friends, laughter, and great food.  This is a big fall tradition for our church.  And, as the evening progresses and darkness falls, the children especially look forward to the tradition of the bonfire, toasted marshmallows and hotdogs.  They anticipate this as much or more, I believe, than all the rest of the activities. There seems to be some primeval call to experience the four elements with wild abandon; does there not?  Look at the extreme sports; they most all deal with pitting oneself against nature, the force of gravity to the earth, to walk on hot coals, spit fire, to fly faster, dive deeper, or go spelunking into the most inaccessible cave possible. This struck me as I watched the kids; mostly boys, around the bonfire Saturday night.  And I have seen one of my own nephews exhibit this behaviour.  They wanted to keep throwing fu...

When we cleaned out the aforementioned Maxwell House I tried to salvage as much as I could of things that could be of any value.  I didn't take pictures of much of it, maybe I ought to take more pics of the things I found, but here are two.   In the cupboards and on the kitchen counters I found this set of Corelle dishes.  I believe there are 24 pieces in total, all in perfect condition, no chips.  I have my own set of Corelle, so I am torn as to what to do with it.  Should I keep it, should I sell it?  I dunno.  We just don't use this many dishes, and we'd never use the cups, or the different sizes of bowls and plates.  I think I will just sell it. This is my collection of lotus blossom bowls.  I like them.  They make me happy.  Why, I don't know, but they do.  I have never bought on new.  My first 3 or 4 I found at an estate sale.  The others I have added from yard sales.  Anyway. I fou...

Because I hadn't blogged all summer, here are a few pictures from our California trip.  Here is Ellen on the airplane on the way over to Denver, I believe.  Before we leave on our trip she sweats about it; she is a born worrywort, from both my dad and her paternal aunt.   But once we are in the air going she does great; mostly she reads or colors.  In this pic she is wearing her "Grace" American Girl hat.  She bought this herself; saved up her allowance and birthday money and paid for it herself. Notice that her hair is not braided nor pulled back.  After a 12 or so hour journey her hair wasn't just tangled, it was dreaded.  Serious dreadlocks.  Next year we will do things a bit differently. Below is a picture of the tail end of our journey that started on June 18th. We did not get to the Eureka/Arcata Airport in McKinleyville until about 4 am on June 19th.   All the flights out of San Francisco were cancelled.  Th...

Hubby fell a few trees and bull-dozed around and on the other side of the house and bush-hogged, so it looks fairly nice from the road. This is the view from the front of the house; which actually faces north, away from the road. Below is the sun room.  I love this room.  It wasn't part of the original house; they added it on much later.  There are no heating/cooling vents in it at all, but they put in 7 or 8 outlets.  Maybe for fans or heaters...lol.  The big windows set is actually an old panel of individual panes that they must have found somewhere and had installed when they added this room on.  We ripped out the nasty carpeting and installed laminate wood flooring.  It made a world of difference.   We brought in a friend and had a painting party: we painted every room but the sun room.  Then we had both upstairs bedrooms  and the front room and hall carpeted (this is the room where Ellen was standing among...

When I moved out here in 2004 I vaguely remember hubby and his family discussing that a Mrs Maxwell had passed away and wondering what would become of her property which was situated across from my in-laws place.  Hubby professed his interest in purchasing said property; maybe 10-15 acres and the house pictured below.  The heirs to the property, Maxwells having no children, said they would consider it and there the issue was left to simmer on the back burner for the next 10 yrs.   Last fall hubby finally got the heirs to capitulate and sell us the property.  We did not actually want the house, we wanted the 10 acres across the road, next to my in-laws place.  Mostly so that no one else would purchase it and put up a dwelling.  But also it will be nice to graze calves there.   Believe it or not, in order to actually get them to sell the place to us we had to agree to give them 9 ( count them; NINE, months to clean out the house.  There ...

Here's one I enjoy.  I dunno why I like it, somehow it speaks to me.  The Cremation of Sam McGee By Robert W. Service There are strange things done in the midnight sun        By the men who moil for gold; The Arctic trails have their secret tales        That would make your blood run cold; The Northern Lights have seen queer sights,        But the queerest they ever did see Was that night on the marge of Lake Lebarge        I cremated Sam McGee. Now Sam McGee was from Tennessee, where the cotton blooms and blows. Why he left his home in the South to roam 'round the Pole, God only knows. He was always cold, but the land of gold seemed to hold him like a spell; Though he'd often say in his homely way that "he'd sooner live in hell." On a Christmas Day we were mushing our way ov...

I certainly have a way to go, don't I?  Let's see, I've got 120 so far, that makes only...eeek!  Lots more to go. 919 the wren nest out in the milk barn 918 A church that sings hymns 917 Hollyhock seeds that sprouted after a storage of 7-8 yrs 916 A debt-free life 915 Thunder clouds seen from an airplane 914 Toilet paper 913 An empty tomb and all it signifies 912 The in-dwelling of the Holy Spirit, without which I'd be lost 911 Pepper seeds sprouting...yay! They are notorious for NOT sprouting. But I soaked them 24 hrs before planting them. 910 Jointed Teddy Bears 909 Betty Scurlock's chocolate peanut clusters. 908 Bella pulling Ellen's sled in the snow 907 Paper dolls 906 Real frosting on a fake Valentine's cupcake box 905 A glass cherry to top it off 904 Scarf blowing in the breeze 903 The glass barometer 902 Wing imprints in the snow 901 Hearing the 1 st peeper sounding in late winter 900 Spro...

937 the face of a cow...for some reason they make me laugh 936 the poetry of a horse in motion 935 the smell of clean cat fur 934 smell of cold air during a snow fall 933 cat's chirrup 932 watching Bella the Border Collie in full run 931 raspberry jam 930 emerald moss-covered rocks in brown oak duff 929 oregano 928 color of canned cherries in a jar 927 my apple corer/peeler/slicer 926 walking through crunchy leaves 925 singing out loud in the milk barn 924 reading to Ellen 923 singing silly songs with my husband 922 smell of good leather 921 new shoes 920 Winnie-the-Pooh

Back when Hubby and I first got married we occasionally spoke about having a dog and agreed that it probably wouldn't work as we were so close to the highway that we'd have to pen it up...etc...etc. THEN along came Ellen, whose romantical ideas gained from reading cutesy books about puppies and the like were impervious to Mom's logic concerning the work and aggravations in the owning of sitch. A bit over a year and a half ago the pleadings hit their peak. Mom remained strictly opposed, Dad caved. However, such an addition must be made to eventually contribute to the good of all; namely support itself in one way or another. Thus, in March 2014, the following was added to our menagerie; Bella: The Dog I Didn't Want Cute? You bet. BUT; who mostly takes care of her? The person who didn't want her. Namely Mom, which would be me, as it were. Pain in the butt? You double-dog bet! A Border Collie is not really a breed for a ki...

The weather has been winterish here this past week, Ellen has been home from school and there have been many, many things to do.  But without further excuses or ado: 949 puffed chickadee on the bird feeder 948 milk on my Honey Bunches of Oats 947 the perspicacity of a titmouse 946 the haunting cry of a gull 945 the swell and crash of ocean waves 944 daffodils in spring 943 the family I was blessed with, growing up 942 the clank and spin of the windmill 941 a printer with a scanner 940 the awkward grace of a giraffe 939 God's sense of humor when He created the giraffe

I was going to do this daily, make it more fun, post pics and tell stories and whatnot.  But it's proving more difficult than I'd thought.  I will try to do better, but I'd also like to get this done and not be listing these for the next year.  Ha!  Here's a few more.  There's a bit of food favs in this particular list.  It must be because I am trying to limit my calories and want some more! (Edited to add picture of Ellen reading...that's better!) 979 a nice, ripe Bosc pear 978 gnarled oak against a bright blue sky 977 the glow of a sycamore on a dim winter day 976 cat purring in my lap 975 dew on roses 974 popcorn with orange juice 973 fresh pineapple 972 sliced bread 971 my bread machine 970 homemade sour dough bread 969 butter melting on toast 968 the feel of rich black dirt 967 the homey clucking of contented chickens 966 chickens scratching 965 chickens fluffing in a dust bath 964 honey bees buzzing in a clover pat...

983 deer dancing in the field at dusk 982 the silhouette of a deer against a pink dawn 981 a double rainbow 980 the smell of the ocean This is slow going.  Not because I have trouble thinking up things that I am grateful for, but because I get caught up in trying to think of how to illustrate them.  Pictures are more fun than just plain words on the page. But quite a few of the greatest gifts from God are not those you can really capture on film.  I guess some of these you could.  But when magical moments happen and there is no camera to hand sometimes the picture on your heart is sweeter, however fragile it may be.  

Because it's good!  And because, really, I think in the past 8-9 years I've bought maybe 2 tubs of ready-made store frosting.  The stuff made from real ingredients is so much better.  Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting 6 oz semi-sweet chocolate (6 squares-chopped or 1 cup of choco-chips) 1/4 cup water 8 oz cream cheese softened 2 cups confectioner's sugar In a small pan over low heat, melt chocolate and water.  (Or use microwave if you prefer)  Stir until chocolate is melted and smooth.  Cool to lukewarm.  In large mixer bowl beat cream cheese and chocolate mixture on low speed until blended.  Gradually add confectioner's sugar, beat until smooth. 

989. My pressure cooker. Hubby gave it to me for my birthday the first year we were married, I believe; though I can't quite recollect quite that far back in time. It may have been a rather unromantic gift (though neither of us can be accurately accused of being romantic in any sense of the word) but it sure has been an invaluable tool in the kitchen.  I use it at least once or twice per week; beans, pork steak w/ taters and carrots...etc.  It's great to put a meal in it...10 minutes later; DONE! 988. Homemade ice cream  It saves quite a bit of money.  Hubby likes ice cream most every day.  I used to buy it, but it has skyrocketed in price.  Silly me.  We live on a dairy forevermore...milk, cream, free eggs from mother-in-law.  I just make it in the freezer; that way, no wasting of salt, ice electricity or time.  Funnily enough, Ellen doesn't like it that way.  She'll eat store-bought "keem" as she used to call it when little, bu...

A couple of days ago I realized that the beauty of doing this One Thousand Gifts countdown on a blog is that you can just use pictures for your gifts.  How super easy is that!? 996. Surviving is a good thing.  January 15, 2015 was an eventful day, to say the least. 995. 50 degree temps in the dead of winter. 994. When we sing a popular song in church that everyone knows and EVERYONE actually sings out loud. 993. A slow cooker!  Dump stuff in, turn on and go live your life while dinner cooks!  How much easier can it get? 992. Getting letters in the mail.  I need to work on writing more snailmail letters to my pals.  I think most of them have given up on me anyway. 991. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy Movies  -I know they didn't follow the books exactly and there are parts they added that I don't care for, but there are scenes I watch over and over. 990. Homemade hot chocolate; not those nasty packets from the store, but...

One Thousand Gifts Ann Voskamp Based on the book “One Thousand Gifts” by Ann Voskamp I am going to make the focus of this dairy blog to be my very own list of 1,000 things to be grateful for, from January 2015 until finished. Some things I will just list, some things I will expound upon. Thus begins: A Thousand Dairy Thanks. Happy reading... November 2014 Gary and I celebrated our 10 th wedding anniversary. I am amazed at how quickly it has gone by. It seems as though I have always lived here, and yet again it seems as though I just arrived. Strange how that happens. In any case here I am. And it is in truth November 6, 2004 that is listed on our license. So it must really be 10 years. And the thought has just occurred to me; I shall start at 1,000 and count back to number ONE. Pray for me as I do this. HA! A Thousand Dairy Thanks 1,000. A husband who doesn't like sports. (Laugh if you must; but this was on my list of specifics I gave to God whe...

YAY! YAY! YAY! After a year of messing around trying to get back onto this blog I FINALLY did it!  I  can hardly believe it!  Now I have to stop Facebooking so much and blog more.   Quite a few people have commented on my Blind Calf Story.  Apparently that post comes up whenever anyone does a query on blind calves.  And I think I did that post several years ago.  So I had to go in and approve those comments.  So much has happened since November 2013, which is when I last blogged.  I don't know where to start.  In celebration here is a random picture of a cow with her calf.