Sunday Funday on the Homestead and a wee bit beyond

Always looking for something fun and inexpensive to do we went to the local county airport.  It is free and fun to watch small planes come and go. We usually stay and have breakfast at the restaurant  located there as well.  And the kids love it. 

Animals

Came home late and spent time with the goats. Peppy, the youngest, was very playful. Our plan is to sell the two milk goats we have now and breed Peppy. Keep her as a milk goat and maybe some of her babies. She is half  Nubian -they are high milk producers and half Alpine - high butter fat producers. 

Some how they all broke into the grain bin and ate to their content until we caught them. Needless to say they did not feel like eating this morning. 

Garden

We picked garlic and carrots for the week. A few survived the gardens outside the greenhouse from all the storms and hail last week.  Still loving these garlic that were from last year's Russian garlic.

And made this fabulous recipe from a friend's blog. You can find the recipe here . It is ravioli soup. Dude had two helpings. I had a couple of raviolis and mostly soup.  Very good stuff and big pot for a family. 

Sewing and Crafts

Sewing and crafting is always important on any homestead. 

Ending the night working on the zebra. We have news of a new grandchild in December. We don't know if it is a boy or a girl but we are beyond excited. 

One newborn cap knitted.

Exercise

I am still working on getting 10,000 steps.  I have lost 11 lbs so far starting with a 1200 calorie diet, 30 grams of carbs per meal and walking 10,000 steps. Still have 3000 to go tonight so I better get on the treadmill.  (and finish the zebra)

peace, health and happiness

Good morning

Our morning starts with counting the chicks and making sure they are all there. Mama Hen is so grouchy that I don't think anything could get near them.  Otherwise, she spends the day humming to them and teaching the chicks to scratch for food.

The laying hens and our one roosters are feeling their oats.

I was lucky when the barn swallows came sat next to me. Then they started flying around my head. It made the morning magical. 

Skippy is just a big love goat.

Dude says this is his Charlotte. 

The girls all said good morning. 

And head to be milked.

Running Water tells us this is where the food is ...as if we didn't know. 

Pepper waits patiently to be milked.

Dude talks to each one of his girls. They love to be talked to and scratched.

Peppy.

Milk time!

Someone is trying to get my attention.

Then the barn swallows came back to tell me they have other barns and fields to visit and whirled around my head. 

Running Water is impatient to get out to the fields. 

Angelo says  YO!

And then it is out to the fields.

We hope everyone has a great day. 

peace, health and happiness

Garden, repairs and other updates with a little bit of faith thrown in

Today was on of those days of cleaning and cleaning up.  After visiting Dude at his work and eating lunch, I came home and began cleaning and mopping.  Dude usually does all the floors but I thought I would surprise him today (hope he doesn't faint ...wink).   
Otherwise here is an update from around the homestead.

Gardens 

I am doing my darnedest to lose weight. If you started homesteading to lose weight well, it doesn't happen by magic. I bought a fitbit to count my steps.  Shooooey! I had to get moving. You tend to stand in one place or sit in one place most of the day gardening. Now, putting up fences is strenuous but not something done every day.  Chores still need to be done, weeding, canning, stalls cleaned and coops need cleaning but I needed to add steps. So I have been walking or hiking every day. 

To keep cool I made some mint and lemon water.  It is so tasty.  Grin...I only use that word tasty because a friend of mine hates the word, thinks it is used with a lack of imagination...so tasty, tasty, tasty it is.  *smile*

Picked my first tomato of the year.  Despite it's size it was deeeeeeeeeelish!

Oh, the poor greenhouse took quite a beating this week with all our storms. The cover will need to be replaced before winter. If you want to have a laugh, be here on the day these two old farts attempt to cover a rather large greenhouse. 

Repairs
Besides the greenhouse needing repairs we did fix the broody hen's home after Monday's storm. 

We covered the pump-house in plastic until the tin for the roof comes in. 

Bees
Just like every year, we lost a hive just after they sprayed the alfalfa field with insecticide. Thank goodness the other hive is very strong. 

 The birds... well, they are doing just fine, thank you very much. 

Kindness of the day 

One of the ranchers shared some of his sweet corn with us tonight.  Thank you Chad!

Faith 
Today is the feast of St Mary Magdalene.   Now, I'm not sure if she was a prostitute, a woman of ill-repute or  just someone with issues (well, she did have seven demons excised from her) but I do know she was strong and courageous.  She stayed along side with Jesus, the Twelve and Mary.  They say she was a disciple to the disciples. She knew she would be judged but continued to be there anyway.  She was there to end.  Mary had strength and loyalty. She was there at the foot of the cross when others were no where to be found.  We admire saints because they continued their faith when it difficult to carry on.  And her story shows that God's love can change anything and anyone. 

Chicks, estate sale finds, greenhouse update and sewing

I had to go and rescue the baby chicks this morning. They found a spot and squeezed out of their little coop. Penny, mamma hen,  was pitching a fit. So, I ran out and put them back with mom, safe and sound. She sings and hums to them all day but if we come near her chicks she barks at us like a dog. She has four baby chicks.

I did find my way to an estate sale today and found a few gems. Even though the thought of why they are having a sale is sad, it is good for the family to have an impartial group to help them sell things left behind and not wanted. I brought these home:

Beautiful new tea cups. 

A fun rooster from Portugal. 

A garden goose.

We did get our walk in today to meet our 10,000 steps. I love it when the Fitbit buzzes you have hit 10,000 goal for the day. 

Then finally home. While Dude is out mowing the property with the tractor I did check on the greenhouse. Most of the plants in there are doing well.  I was so disheartening when the storm came through and took out most of the outside plants. 

               New lettuces, spinach, collards, nasturtiums, and radishes.

Finally time to sew. My sister brought this fabric back from Italy. Her husband is from Italy and had to go back home to help with his aging parents. I love it and will make this "mini dress" as a shirt to wear with leggings. 

My staycation is winding down and I want to sew as much as I can the next two days. 

peace, health, and happiness