Well, we had our Africa Trip packing party and meeting. What job! It was amazing to find we still have a few little spots to stuff a few more things in. We sure have a lot of toothbrushes and toothpaste for the orphans!!! We have very heavy things that didn't quite fill up some suitcases, but filled the weight limit. That was kind of weird and I might have to shuffle a few suitcases around still, but the "where do you start? " part of things is over with. We got the job done.
We also worked well together... kind of plus for this trip! So far, anyway.
Jeanne, once again, filled our tummies with great food! She knows how to handle a crowd when it comes to feeding them.
The meeting started a little on the late side but the treasurer laid out the financial end of things very clearly. All questions seemed to have a satisfactory answer.
Thursday, October 9, 2008 - I shoulda, but I didn't
Posted by Heritage Hill Homestead
do anything with the last of the tomatoes today. We picked them and pulled the vines a few days ago. Hubby has mowed the garden and is working on the tiller to get it all worked up for the winter. Anyway, the tomatoes were top on the list for today, but I seemed to find enough other things to do all day. I really wanted some more canned and now that I have them, I can't seem to make myself get to them. Why is that? They are not real nice, most very small and some have bad spots, so I think I will make juice out of what I can salvage now. It will NEED to be done tomorrow as we will be gone all day Saturday.
We will be going to an exotic sale Saturday, it is held near here 3 times a year. We always enjoy it, you just never know what might be there. We do not plan to buy much.........famous last words, I know. The only thing we are really looking for is a couple of doves. We got a really neat big cage this spring and have not gotten anything to put in it. Usually things sell really cheap at the fall sale as folks are thinning out before winter, so it is a good time to buy if there is something we need. We don't have anything to take to sell this time either. We are going to take the last puppy we saved from Sophie's litter and see if we can give her away. We intended to keep her, but just do not need one more dog to feed. She would make someone a good farm dog and we want her to go to a good home!
I spent the afternoon redoing the fence in one of the goat pens. I only started out to take out a gate and replace it with a cattle panel. Well, all of it was in need of some fixin up, so ended up changing out the walk in gate and redoing all of the T-posts. I also started to enlarge their pen on the other side, got a couple of panels up, but decided to wait to move the rest of the fence............this old lady was getting tired!
We got the last freezer cleaned out this week. Well, it wasn't defrosted like it should have been, so I should say straightened out. It was sad to throw out all that needed thrown out, but it had to be done. Some things weren't marked or dated and some were just old. There is a bunch of misc. meat that I will thaw out and give the dogs along. We are doing a much better job now, always marking and dating before putting anything in the freezer. I am much more aware of the importance of keeping up with that job recently. One of the freezers is empty for the winter and all cleaned out, so we have it turned off now. Hubby stocked up on ground beef yesterday before he went to Farmers Market.
Market was very quiet yesterday, it is winding down for the year. I am glad the one I have here is over, I enjoy baking, but the pressure every Friday gets tiring.
Yesterday was our Grandson's 15th birthday, Happy Birthday Bodhi.
Today was another perfect fall day here, I wish I could order about 2-3 months more of them so I could get everything done outside I want to and need to get done!
I am tired and ready to head to bed.............Good night to all.
Thursday, October 9, 2008 - The good and the bad...health update
Posted by tractorchick72
This morning I woke up feeling like somebody had used my tummy for a punching bag Yesterday was my biopsy and it was a lot more painful than I had anticipated! My uterus is twisted because of the fibroids and to get to the areas that needed biopsied, my OB had to twist it the other way! I am glad it's done and over with though and that I let my son talk me into pulling him from school so he could drive me home after (My honey is gone for three weeks or else he would have been with me). I was going to go ahead and go by myself, figuring it would be about the same as when I had my cervical biopsy, which was just mildly irritating. Oh boy was I wrong!! I'm glad my son reminded me that if I hurt bad during my ultrasound, this would probably be worse. Smart boy!
Anyway, first the good news....The cyst on my right ovary is gone! Both ovaries now are completely normal and healthy so I won't have to have them taken out. This was what I was worrying about the most, having go through menopause now instead of when my body was naturally ready. So I am very pleased about that!
Okay so now for the bad news......There are no longer just two fibroids in my uterus....they are mulitplying and getting much larger. I have no idea how many there are now, but enough that the Dr couldn't easily count them. I still have three more weeks until my surgery and am a bit worried as to how much bigger they may get! The bigger they are, the more likely I'll have to have the surgery done through my belly instead of ....well you know where. Which means a longer recovery time and more chance of infection because I'll have have to heal on the outside too. So one worry gone, but another in it's place.
Especially about infection as I'm allergic to almost every antibiotic there is!! I know I should worry less and have more faith, and I'm trying, but it's hard!
As far as the biopsy results.....it could be a few days to a few weeks to get back the results and at this point my OB will only call IF it's not good news. We don't anticipate anything bad, but she wants to make sure she is being thorough and doesn't want any surprises when she starts the surgery.
So that's the news for now. Hopefully I can get a few posts out soon that AREN'T health related! LOL But at this point everything is revolving around my health so.......
Thanks for listening and thanks to all of you who have been praying for me!!!
I have been doing a little competition with myself. I am trying to not buy groceries for the rest of the years (4 mos.). I have a few stipulations such as:
I can buy meat from our neighbor (a butcher) if any comes available (deer season).
I can also buy pumpkins from the farmer's market.
Lastly, I can buy fruit (oranges, apples, and grapefruit) from the FFA (Future Farmers of America) kids when they sell it in Nov/Dec.
Well, I cheated. I went to the farmer's market yesterday and bought:
lettuce
green onions
bell peppers
okra
and bison liver
I couldn't help myself. I have been wanting salad and okrafor so long. My lettuce died, my okra is producing about 2 a week, and I have no self control. Hey, it's not like I ran to Walmart and bought a family-sized bag of Snickers or something.
Dinner last night was:
Chili with local beef and venison
a fresh, local salad (some of which was home grown)
and okra cooked in bacon grease
It was delicious!
I would call it a complete failure, but I am going to try to do better in the future and fight off those craving for fresh veggies, haha!
On my way to work this morning I saw a small deer in the ditch alongside the road. As I drove by I saw it jump up to run like it had been sleeping. I drove a little bit further wondering if it was okay and couldn't talk myself out of turning around to make sure it was okay. I didn't see the deer the first time by and thought, "good, it was okay" and turned around to head back to work. As I was driving back by I saw it move in the ditch. I pulled over, shined my lights sort of in the direction of the deer, and got out of the car to see what was wrong with her. I got a foot away from her before she tried to stand and turn toward me. She fell instantly due to what looked like a broken back or rear legs. I cried all the way to the car to call my husband to get the phone number to call someone (Sheriff, Wildlife and Parks, etc.) to come put the dear down. It is bow season here, but from the looks of it she wasn't injured by a careless hunter, but a careless driver. I think someone hit her on the highway and kept right on going. She wasn't a full grown deer, merely a baby, and probably didn't do a whole lot of damage to the vehicle to warrant double checking to see if the deer was okay. People make me sick. Maybe I'm wrong and the driver was not at fault for leaving an injured animal behind to suffer and die in the ditch. I hope I am. I hope people are not in such a hurry they can't show any decency or kindness to an injured animal. I cried for the next 5-6 miles, wondering if the person on the other end of the telephone line would really do their part and call someone to take care of the deer. This is the second time in the four years I've made my morning commute I have had to call in for an injured deer along the side of the highway that someone else had left behind.
Life needs to slow down. Life needs to have meaning and purpose and compassion.I’ve always wanted to do something more with my life.I want to be a missionary, to help abused or abandoned animals, to change someone’s life by simple human kindness.This morning was just another reminder of how I want more out of life than the motions I’ve been going through.I don’t want to look back and wonder why I was even put on earth.I want to look back and know that I changed someone or something, that I made it better for them.I may never get to be a missionary in Africa, I may never get to save primates or their jungles, and I may never be able to save every abandoned dog or cat or child, but each day I can try to brighten someone else’s day by a simple smile, warm conversation with someone who’s lonely, or donate to even one organization I believe in.
I went to lunch with my grandma Tuesday at a little deli down the street from where I work.The minute we sat down a mentally handicapped man next to us began talking to us.At first I was kind of annoyed.Here we were trying to chat and have a nice lunch and this man kept asking us questions and telling us small stories.After a couple of minutes of being annoyed, I realized this may be his only conversation all day, all week, or even all month.I get to talk to people all the time (like it or not).Here this man, Hamilton, is starving for conversation, for someone to listen to him and respond to what he says.I realized it wouldn’t kill me.Not only would it not kill me, it would change me and it might possibly change him.
Have a wonderful day and take the time to show kindness to someone or something today.
There is one thing that I have not mentioned that I probably should have in the begining of this. Both husband and wife need to be in some kind of agreement and have a desire for the homesteading lifestyle. It is not an easy thing to do at first and both partners have to be willing to do what it takes to accomplish this. I'll be honest with you-my heart was not in it completely when we started thinking about it. I wanted a simpler lifestyle but I was not sold on the idea that this was the way. BUT-it was my husbands strong desire and he was patient and kind and truly believed this was right for our family. And before we started I knew it was the right thing to do--it took alot of talking and praying-but I did get there. The concept was always appealing to me I just wasn't sure if I was going to be able to do it. Now I cannot imagine any other way of living. As for the children.....they don't have to like it but it does make it easier. I have found that it is easier with younger children to make this type of lifestyle change than it is for older children. But in the end even the most reluctant teenager found great appreciation for the peace that this life brings. Peace in a crazy world is priceless. Blessings>faithfarm
The first year will be an interesting one. It doesn't matter if you are starting from scratch or moving into an existing structure. Transforming it into the homestead you want just takes work. The entire first year will be dedicated to obtaining three main goals. Safe, warm and dry. This goes for your family residence and your livestock. I include livestock because in a true independent lifestyle your animals play a vital role in it. Regardless of if it is eggs from your chickens, milk from your goat/cow, or meat from your rabbits...whatever your choice may be there ability to flourish and maintain good health is key to your success and possible future income or bartering sources. In all things that you do the first year it is important to keep it simple. Cover your basic needs and then improve on them once those needs are met. Unless you have an unlimited supply of income-which most don't-doing it this away will allow you to obtain the safe, warm and dry goals. If you start out too big in anything you do the odds of failure increase. By keeping it simple in small steps, improving and growing as you go along, it will allow you to learn and mistakes (that you will make) won't be so hard to overcome. I personally find it very hard to imagine that what you think in the beginning of this journey won't change and adapt as you go along. Your beginning plans, layouts, ect will be useful as a guide but must be fluid enough to change with new wisdom and experience. Be ready to accept failures and learn to accept change. When I started this I was really uncomfortable with both. I was one of "those" people who did not like to fail at anything and changing from "the plan" was extremely hard for me. I got over it-LOL. So for all of you out there who like control and order be advised now-LOL. There are some things out there that are just beyond your control. Like the weather, price of building materials, illness, injury, income loss,rock, mud, insects, varmits, broken equipment, exhaustion....the list goes on and on. You can only do what you can do. But I will tell you when it's all said and done you will have a new found trust and appreciation for how great our Lord is to us. I can't imagine doing any of this without that peace and strength. I think that one of the greatest lessons I have learned in this is the ability to accept what I cannot change. I've learned to be fine with "Well, that didn't work--Ok--let's try it this away". And the day goes on. For some of you that lesson may already be learned-Good for you! Your starting out one big step ahead. Just don't let your lack of knowledge in an area stop you from obtaining your goals. When I say I knew nothing about nothing-I really mean it. Thank God there is other people out there that have already done it and took the time to put it in a book or are willing to show someone else how to do it! I hope one day to be a Blessing to someone else the way so many have Blessed me. >faithfarm
Friday, October 10, 2008 - End of Summer Thrifting Treasures
Posted by Michelle
I thought I'd share some of the finds that my dear husband and daughters found Saturday, while I was away at the women's bible study for our church. I love repurposing old treasures into something new and lovely for our home.
A beautiful, antique quilt rack to hold not only my lovely creations for my girls, but the quilts that my mom has hand sewn for each of her granddaughters. What fun it will be to change out the different quilts and so much better than stashing them atop my armoire.
A hope chest for Little Woman to fill up with treasures. Sitting in her bed, she can gaze out the window, spend time seeking God, reading His words, leaning back against His everlasting love, which is overwhelming, all the while envisioning her treasures in that chest that she'll share with her future husband.
Even Barbies need a fabulous home to spend their time. This amazing home has many surprise compartments in which a master bed turns into a bathtub, a stereo plays, a switch between the bedroom and kitchen with just a blink of an eye, and the phone ringing in the background while Barbie is busy cooking dinner for the family. This all turns into hours of fun for 3 little girls to imagine and dream of their future lives as wives and mothers.
I have always wanted a beautiful collection of antique tea cups ever since I was a young girl working in a bed and breakfast inn during my high school years. Each afternoon at 4 p.m. we would serve tea and bread to our guests for the night. We would hear incredible stories, both old and new; each story coming from the heart of the storyteller. I just love the pink roses. It is called "Rose Chintz" and they are from England. The black and white cups are from Japan. With my love of tea they will never be longing for use. . . .
Welcome to our farmette-ette-ette-ette (9000 sq foot city lot). Come on in! I may not stop what I'm doing while you're visiting, but feel free to join in. Mi casa es su casa!
So far, anyway.
Yesterday was my biopsy and it was a lot more painful than I had anticipated! My uterus is twisted because of the fibroids and to get to the areas that needed biopsied, my OB had to twist it the other way! I am glad it's done and over with though and that I let my son talk me into pulling him from school so he could drive me home after (My honey is gone for three weeks or else he would have been with me). I was going to go ahead and go by myself, figuring it would be about the same as when I had my cervical biopsy, which was just mildly irritating. Oh boy was I wrong!! I'm glad my son reminded me that if I hurt bad during my ultrasound, this would probably be worse. Smart boy! 
I still have three more weeks until my surgery and am a bit worried as to how much bigger they may get! The bigger they are, the more likely I'll have to have the surgery done through my belly instead of ....well you know where. Which means a longer recovery time and more chance of infection because I'll have have to heal on the outside too. So one worry gone, but another in it's place.
