Canning, Roasting, Scooping in the Country

I think people that live in the country are supposed to do certain things. Like grow zucchini, have a cat, ride a tractor, feed animals, do chores and can. It was high time (people in the country say "high time") I canned. I had never "canned" anything in my life. I've sacked, stored, boxed, bagged, stuffed and tossed, but not canned. There are these little bags of herbs for canning that you can buy at Wally world. Then just boil the jars, cook the juice, cut the vegetables and CAN! I canned bread and butter pickles. Shouldn't they be sour? They were so sweet my little sour glands in my jaws tingled! I couldn't eat them. They just look so country sitting on my island, I'll just leave them there.

One of the many great things about living in the country is having wienie roasts. Cooking wienies over a charcoal grill loses something. But a FIRE! that's different. We all had long skewers and a roaring fire. We roasted marshmallows and made s'mores too! My daughter and her children came over. They live in Medicine Lodge, Ks. (Isn't that a neat name for a town in Kansas?). I told her about the previously mentioned bread and butter pickles. She thought her husband might like them, (gosh I'll miss him). Our other two grandchildren live in our own town. We can just about see them when we want. So we watched the fire die down and enjoyed the peace and quiet. Until the skeeters moved in.

The grandhildren spent the night with us. and Sunday morning I had chores to do. I told the children of my child, the objects of my dreams, my visions of the future, that I needed help scooping poop. If we got the poop scooped early enough I would take them to the swimming pool. They agreed to help! Cheerfully we scooped, raked, shoveled and bagged the inside of the chicken coop. These boys haven't scooped alot of poop. I heard THIS IS SO GROSS! IT STINKS! and lots of little boy bathroom humor. But the best of the day was yet to come! We went to the alpaca paddock to scoop poop. By this time the only ones that had really stuck with the plan were the two oldest boys Levi & Peyton. We opened the gate and brought the wheel barrow, rakes and shovels in. Peyton says, "Grandma you know what the alpacas are saying"? "No Peyton, what?"I replied. "Their saying, where have you been? We've been waiting for room service for three days! " I cracked up. I laughed so hard I cried. Love them grands! ...farm living is the life for me.

WOOPS!

Went home for lunch yesterday. As I drove down my drive and looked toward the alpaca's paddock, I saw our latest two alpaca "teenagers" comfortably mating in the field. Unfortunately they are cousins and we can't have this! I stopped my car and jumped out to break this up, (WOOPS! jumped back in the car, put it in park and turned off the motor, again jumped out to break this up). They ran for the far side of the paddock. Where our female again assumed the position. I ran for them and they ran for the shed. (I'm sure they thought they would be safe from this intrusion if they were inside. I think I heard some version of the 60's song "I think we're alone now".) I grabbed the halter and tried to finesse, cajole, sweet talk the boy to within my grasp. Got Him! (WOOPS, again! That was the girl, They look alot alike from above.) Snuck up on him, just as my (work) shoes slid through the mud and muck, and got him! Haltered him, and took him over to fend for himself with the big boys. Big boys don't tolerate teenagers well. But at least there won't be any more "WOOPS"! I really am so dumb about all this. ...farm living is the life for me.

Bad stuff seems distant when you walk through the wildflowers

Walked through the back pasture this evening and gathered wildflowers. Beautiful evening. Makes bad stuff seem distant. Walked around the front pasture, where our friends have horses. The horses come to the fence and say "where's treats?" I tell them I'm sorry I didn't bring anything, and they walk to the other side of the pasture. Will defininitely bring treats next time.

Walked through the alpaca paddock. Alpacas came running out to follow me. They discussed between themselves where I was going. "She'll give us treats! hose us down! open the gate!
...no she's just walking through. " Ooh! Disappointment!

So anyone that knows the hubster, knows he doesn't like felines. It is funny that this new kitten butters up to him. Trapper lays on his leg or arm and HUBSTER LETS HIM!!! I'm amazed!
...farm living is the life for me!

Day after America's birthday.

How did you spend your 4th? Were you camping? Boating? Traveling? Then I'm envious of you. Though mine wasn't bad. When you don't do anything, it's a good day!

Today we have been packing up our alpaca fleece to be processed. Not a simple project. We have basically three colors: brown, black, white. Then we have 2 or 3 categories of fineness. The cria (baby alpacas) have very fine fleece, the older ones have more coarse fleece. The hubster bought a loom and is interested in weaving. (He can weave a good "yarn." hee! hee!) I would like to make some felt for a possible project. Then the rest we send to a place back east and buy pre-made alpaca products. They just throw all the fleece in a pile and make stuff out of it - socks, scarves, hats, blankets etc. Have you seen the alpaca coats at Dillard's for $750! My goodness! Hubster says will last forever!

So at 2:30 am last night I woke to a funny noise. First thought it was my husband's breathing machine not quite perfect. I sat up on the side of the bed and NO it wasn't his breathing machine it was a girl screaming! NO it was the alpacas screaming! I got the the gazillion watt flashlight and went out in my night gown (again) thinking I was going to protect my animals from anything! We have three male alpacas in one paddock. Herdsire Leon, non-breeder Alex, teenager Zach. Teenager Zach is munching the hay in the feeder. Alex is chasing Leon around the paddock. Kind of reminded of Captain Jack Sparrow running away from the natives on "Pirates of the Caribbean." Alpacas don't have teeth on top, only a gum. But males have these vicious fighting teeth just for ripping the reproductive organs from an opponent. We had these removed so they couldn't hurt each other, but that doesn't stop them from trying. Leon is screaming and snorting. I turn the spotlight on and everyone freezes! "Busted! Alex walks over to Zach and munches hay like I wouldn't notice he just tried to rip the reproductive organs from the paddock stud. ...farm living is the life for me. Sanetha

A short fat greyhound

I look at my sheltie and I melt for him. It is the beginning of summer and he seems hot. He looks like he is wearing an alpaca blanket. I have heard horror stories about shearing shelties. They get fungal infections, sunburns, mosquito viruses, or they just keel over dead! The other day he looked at me and said, "Mom I want to look like a short fat greyhound". I said, "Hey bud, I'm here to serve." Made an appointment with the groomer and now our sheltie with the beautiful sable colored fur is a short fat greyhound!

The short fat greyhound was strolling his fence near the alpaca neighborhood. The alpacas ran up to the fence and stared at him. One even put out the danger alarm! They said, "Warning! Vicious short fat greyhound strolling the fence"! The short fat greyhound doesn't know he isn't still the beautiful and handsome sable colored sheltie. I'm not going to tell him.