Trip to the mountains and homestead update

Today was my mom's birthday. She is 86 years young and her request was to go up and walk in the mountains. My mom loves the mountains.  She was born and raised here and when we were in high school she would take us up to different trails and towns to share her love of the mountains. So we paid her back in kind and took her up to Elk Meadows in Evergreen. 

We stopped for a moment for a pictures.  Her goal is to be 100 and I think she just might make it!

Of course, Dude watched the horses getting ready for the trails. 

We saw some beautiful birds along the way. I believe this is a Blue Swallowtail. 

The weather at home was a hot 92* but here it was in the 70's. 

It was time to head back to the homestead but it was a great way to spend the morning.  The state has a bunch of open space trails to use for free. This one usually has elk wandering in the morning and early evenings if you get up there. 

On the homestead.

Here it is hot and dry. We are expecting rain beginning tomorrow night and through Wednesday. We are praying for the rain, not destructive rain but refreshing rains to help the crops and the fires that are burning. 

Our plants are giving it a good try. We water as much as we can but we really need rain. 

A friend of ours took our geese to her home - thank you. She has a small flock and they fit right at home there.  Here their noisy honks are not missed.  They were just too loud. 

Some of our plants love the heat. 

The greenhouse is doing well too. 

The teenage chickens got their first taste of roaming the yard. They didn't venture far. Their rooster made sure they were protected along the way. 

Kerouac, the turkey, roams the whole property but always come back by the end of the day. 

Baby turkey chicks say hello and will soon transition to their new area. 

Summer came by to say hello.

As did Molly and Prudence .  Dude calls them Molly and Dolly. 

This one Lavender Orpington hangs out with the lambs.

We are praying these clouds give us some water tonight.

Porch time with some sewing. 

peace

Northern Colorado landscape and what I am reading

We headed north this morning to get hay.  It was in the same area where Dude grew up and where he and his family farmed.  It is much greener than where we live now.  Here is the homestead we went to today.  

The sheep they raise are all nestled cozy in the little gulley.

They have a steer. 

And some fuzzy pigs... I don't know they name of them. 

Twenty bales loaded and we are on our way. 

Fields are getting ready or have just been planted. 

The mountains have been getting snow while we are a bit dry. 

You can see Long's Peak in the background with snow in the mountains. 

We came home, unloaded the truck and worked an hour in the gardens before heading to a family birthday party.  As always, it was great fun and we were glad to be with family. 

Time to settle in with a book. Here is what I am ready. 

This one is a nurse's diary during WWI.  It is so interesting how people deal with stressful times, survival and even help others along the way. 

Always looking to improve. Plus, I had a sister who died of a brain disease... you never stop looking for answers. 

I love this book. It has a lot of information and beautiful pictures.

peace

Sunday, canning, chickens, jelly and some clean up

The freezer is full of meat chickens.  We lost a few this year but we did end up with seventeen in the freezer. They weighed out at 3-7 pounds. They look pretty healthy and we are so grateful for the food it will give us.

Went to mass today and later turned off everything at 3pm for Divine Mercy Hour.  I used the time to pray and pick dandelions. 

In jars today  - Canned mint jelly and dandelion jelly.  There isn't much meat that I like besides the local pork, lamb and our own hand raise chickens.  So, to go along with our lamb,  I made mint jelly. I make it every year and love the stuff.

I have always wanted to try dandelion jelly.  My Dad loved the idea of living on the land... literally, and every so often, he would make us a dandelion salad or get us to try dandelion root.  In honor of my Dad, whose birthday would have been next week, I picked dandelions.  I friend of mine who knows alot about food nutrition,  was visiting this weekend and brought me a fruit and vegetable cleaner he makes.  I gave it a try on my mint and dandelions today. 

We don't spray our dandelions and we only had a few this year due to a lack of moisture but I thought what the heck, I'll give it a try.  I did add a wee bit of orange rind to mine. It turned out perfect and the taste is similar to honey.  

Next up was to put dinner in the over. Simply baked one of our chickens with salt and pepper. In the last 10 minutes I put some of our Thai dipping sauce that I canned last year over it. Yum!

Books - I love this book with recipes from the 1700's... really food like on the homestead. I can't wait to try many of the recipes!

Dude had Poo Duty today... hey, it's not all fun on the homestead but when you have a tractor it's not so bad.

This rooster thought he was king of the poo pile! poor soul

Looks great Dude.

The chicken and the Nova Scotia Hodge Podge is finished and it's time for dinner. (Did I tell you I am smittened with Nova Scotia? Definitely on my bucket list to visit. )

Time to settle in for the evening... a book, some thread, a bit of fabric... you know the drill. 

peace.