The ol' homestead

I love love love this weeks quote from the Kitchen Club of '52. It has made me think.... and I believe it to be so very true. Just think about it, what do you not know well about? Life in Indonesia? How people survived or didn't in the Great hurricane of 1780? Well there you are. You are ignorant. What do you know plenty about? Laura Ingalls Wilder? The life of bees? Well, you are not ignorant on this subject then. You are ignorant in something though....Guaranteed.

What a glorious day *today* is!

*Today The Little was born. What a doll he is.

*Today because of The Little Being born, I had all my children in the same room, which is a huge thing anymore...

*Today I french braided Little Miss's hair.... Okay not really as you can tell, this is not french braiding but fishbone braid. Oh well, I am still working on it.

*Today I rode with Frontier Man in the wind. I was really trying to concentrate on the beautiful scenery, the cows in the pastures and that cute white colt with its momma. But the wind, the wind, kept forcing Frontier Mans smart smelling cologne into my nostrils and I kept getting side tracked. I tried, really, I did, but some things are just beyond my control. Now, going 60 on that bike feels like 80 and I kept telling myself I AM NOT going to dig my nails into him, cause then he would know I was chicken ( and I want him to think I am as tough as he) So I was brave and I kept concentrating on that beautiful scenery.... and trying to ignore that cologne. And my butt going to sleep. And it almost worked too..... I just kept telling myself that surely I MUST look good on this cool bike...behind this cool man.... but there was that little voice in my head telling me that the people driving behind us must be totally repulsed by my underarm fat flapping in the wind....

And how could you enjoy your evening ride after that ?

Even with a great smelling Frontier Man in charge ???

Good morning! We had a productive day on the homestead this week-end. It seems we worked sun up to sun down every day and few is the evening when we come in before dark thirty anymore. There is just so much to do on the place this time of year. The garden is coming along quite well now. We have blooms on almost everything and small green tomatoes but no red yet.

And the asparagus bed is in...

On Friday, we went to the Ok City Summer Classic Dog Show. Little Miss was just delighted by all the different breeds and watching them in obedience and Rally was really enjoyable. We laughed at the many antics and of snooty odd breeds (Chinese Crested?) and some looked like giant pandas, some like puffballs and some like mops. Little Miss's favorite of course, was the spotted Dalmatians. She even met a pair up close and was rooting for "Leo" and "Dixie."

I believe we are on the verge of an explosion of babies. Yesterday we seen 2 more chicks peeping out behind another hen. So cute! But we have more sitting and so we will have to see how they are all going to co-habitate with each other. I know they don't like the turkey chicks and so we have graduated them out of the run in the daytime now. Last week-end we ran across a chicken snake that had his mind set on chicks but Frontier Man changed his mind for him and then yesterday we found another snake who just expired from swallowing a decoy egg. Sorry for this to be so graphic but this is the real part of animal husbandry and if I report the good, you have to know the bad to get the whole picture. Keeping vermin away is an everyday challenge when you have animals and the wild is looking for it's next meal.

The big Marshmallow says "Get out here so I can heard you little guys!"

Our good friend Max stopped by the other day to show his his old 1972 VW bug that he had restored for his daughter. She lives in Tx and was taking it to her this week-end. What a surprise she will have! She didn't know it was being done and it took 2 years to be restored. Beautiful huh?

I talked with Pianomanjess yesterday and it looks like the baby is full term and they do not want her to go much further because of size and so they will be inducing Grand-Doll Mom on Wednesday. So looks like The Little will be making an entrance real soon. I just went and picked up some baby things and can't wait for the time to get here already!

Well, we are all getting ready for the yearly river trip. All the kids are excited and we are too, but we have to work around all the animals and get them situated before we go. We work so hard on the garden, just to leave it every year right when it is time for the veggies to be picked. We either get sister or son to keep it watered until our return (10 days) along with the animals.

This is Frontier Man's motorcycle sanctuary in the works.

"I can't wait to take this bad puppy out all by myself..... the wind in my hair...   sun on my skin...   uh...bugs in my teeth"

Until then... you can be my bug protector dad!

Why do I have weird children?These. are. weird. children. On reflection through my pictures..... what can I say, they speak for themselves....

these three....they'r related. See the pattern ?

And now my baby, my baby is being sucked in .... Noooooo fight it Little Miss, fight it.

Olive Garden's Mushroom Ravioli in Cream Sauce

12 oz. Ravioli or Tortellini

1/4 cup Walnuts, chopped

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

1/4 tsp black pepper

8 oz. mushrooms, sliced

2 cups freshly grated parmesan cheese

2 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Cook pasta according to package directions.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat.

Saute mushrooms and walnuts until mushrooms are golden brown.

Add heavy cream and cook, stirring frequently for 5 minutes until slightly thickened.

Turn heat to warm and when cream stops simmering, add pepper and parmesan; stir until sauce is smooth. Do not boil.

Drain pasta and place on a serving plate.

Pour sauce over pasta and serve immediately.

side note: You can bet there won't be ANY walnuts in my pasta!