Coyote Sky Homestead

Been Fishin'

Posted by Linda
04:27, Monday, October 13, 2008 .. Posted in On the Homestead .. 0 comments .. Link

This weekend the signs were good for fishing. Plus our neighbor/friends want their big pond/lake to be fished. They don't fish so us four, Mom who is 82 yr, Sis ,Dh and I went on a fishing trip this weekend and really didn't leave the farm. Its just 3/4 of a mile as the crow flies to the fishing lake. Sis's DH went turkey hunting and didn't get his bird, should have been fishing with us.

Not only did the fish bite but my oh my was the weather perfect both days, Sat and Sunday. Saturday was a better fishing day but fish was caught on both. All total we caught a little over 100 bass and bluegill. I caught the biggest and sis caught the smallest.

My bass weighed in just under 2 lbs. most were 1+ lbs. hand size bluegill.

Plans were to cook outside at the Outpost but we / I , all just got to tuckered out. Well now fishin and skinin does wear a body out, LOL.

But sis and I still camped out at the Outpost. We didn't build a campfire, it was pretty windy so ate sandwiches and chips, colas while we read our camping adventure magazines and books. Sis brought up her Bible to read, I would say the better of all books, But I still like reading my camping trip books and know hows when up at the Outpost and then in those quiet times reading Scripture. I'm reading about wolfs attacking in the Outdoor magazines and sis is reading how the wolfs attack in our lives , pretty much the same kind of reading. Just different weapons to use.

Oh this lake is a beautiful place to just sit and watch the leaves fall and fall they did. The fallen leaves looked like brown sail boats at sea heading into shore. A gust of wind and down they would come. We all had to laugh cuz they were so many and awesome to see. The lake itself would whip up when the wind would blow and it came from many dirrections. And that saying, Wind in the West Fish Bite the Best, is true B/c everytime the wind blew out of the west someone had a fish on the hook or was setting hook. And then we would just sit there when it was blowing from the East. Wind in the East Fish Bite the Least, oh so true.

This lake is surrounded by many hundreds of acres of trees and wildlife. It connects to my Moms homestead.

These were taken before the major leaf fall.

The leaves are turning and we are getting another pretty Autumn this season

I had to buy a new rod and reel for myself, only the thing would not work, blast it. I gave up and let DH mess with it. Found out the people that put things together in the stores had it backwards, some thing of ma-jig. So I took DH old rod and reel and he took the new one that he fixed. Thats ok cuz I caught the biggest fish anyways : ). Next time i'm bringing my fly rod and see if I can catch a bass or two on a fly.

Now we did some Channel Cat fishing to later in the evening using the liver from the butcher roosters from last week. Did not get any Channels. Maybe another day. But while we were sitting there and just light enough to see objects a big crane came swoopy by across the lake. Then we heard a big noice and see him swoop right by us. We figure we are sitting in his spot cuz he just circles the lake. We're not movin cuz we are fishin'.

Didn't get a dang thing done on the homestead but we got a freezer full of fresh fish. And a beautiful weekend just enjoying the outdoors. Watching my Mom fish, drinking hot coffee from thermos. Shaking the bucket of worms to find a nice big juicy one. Washing hands in the just a little cool to swim in water, after you take your fish off the hook and toss it in the basket and hearing the sound of the days catch being plopped in the water. We had three baskets going and no one said anything but I kind of think there was a contest going on the amount of fish in the baskets, but I still caught the biggest one, Hehehe!!!

While the fishing was letting up for a while, Wind in the East. I started to gather hickory nuts, many all over. They were little but tasty. DH brought over a huge Hickory nut, Wow , so I took the basket and went where the big ones were being assured that they would watch my rod.

I picked up only a half basket of nuts cuz I heard them catching fish over yonder, the wind coming from the west now. I was worried about my rod going in the water. But still I gathered a good mess of Hickory Nuts. Oh these are hard to crack but well worth the trouble, esp. the big ones.

So the weekend was foraging, fish and nuts. Its healthy, clean (well sorta) fun. We had a good time.

So get your fishin rod out, grab somebody to go with ya and have a wonderful day. Plus fresh fish is mighty tasty along with fried taters and onions, can of pork and beans and cornbread. We'er talking stick to your ribs food now

Its quite something to sit and watch water how it moves, watching the reflection of the clouds form in the water. Having leaves fall on you and hearing the sounds of tiny to big critters as you watch the sun go down and the moon comes out to make a whole other world before you with different sounds and sights to see. On another forum I read something like "Being outside is Being". I love that.

Thanks for visiting, hope you liked my fishing trip. Winter is coming head on fast and will be here before we know it. I read others who are getting, gathering and preparing for the coming months. Whether its weather or the state of our nation and the world and challenges it is facing that will effect everyone.

I would like my blog to be helpful . So well gear it toward that direction . Theres many sites I would like to share as well that will make our winter bearable and strengthen us along our path. I never ever want to feel I'm stuck, theres always a way out and many options , but we gotta do the homework and work at it. And the thing is every little or big thing we do has an effect. I would like it to be effective on the positive side.

So have some fun when you can, get down and serious on important things and make it work.

Blessings
linda

caramel apple cupcakes

Posted by Michele
03:54 PM, Monday, October 13, 2008 .. 2 comments .. Link

I made these cupcakes a couple of weeks ago, and they were a BIG hit! I gave some to a couple of people i work with, and I gave a few to my mom and sent 1 along for my grandmother. I got the recipe out of a cookbook called Cupcakes and Other Goodies by Publications International.

Caramel Apple Cupcakes

1 package (18 1/4 ounces) yellow or butter cake mix, plus ingredients to prepare mix

1 cup chopped dried apples

Caramel Frosting (recipe follows)

Chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line 24 standard muffin pan cups with paper baking cups.

Prepare cake mix according to package directions. Stir in apples. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling 2/3 full. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until toothpicks inserted into centers come out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove cupcakes to racks; cool completely.

Prepare Caramel Frosting. Frost cupcakes; sprinkle with nuts.

Caramel Frosting: Melt 3 tablespoons butter in 2-quart saucepan. Stir in 1 cup packed light brown sugar, 1/2 cup evaporated milk and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; cool to lukewarm. Add 3 3/4 cups powdered sugar; beat until frosting is of spreading consistency. Add 3/4 teaspoon vanilla; beat until smooth. Makes about 5 cups.

Photo's From The Pumpkin Patch

Posted by HandsNHearts
09:43, Sunday, October 12, 2008 .. Posted in Around the Homestead .. 5 comments .. Link

Ok...there are alot of photo's in this one, so bear with me if they load slow. We have an ancient dial-up connection here and trust me...they might load slowly for you, but that's nothing compared to uploading them on my end!

First off, Saturday we visited a pumpkin patch with the handful of children from our church. No, we don't do the whole halloween thing at all. Honestly, you can dress a pig in pretty clothes and take him to church, but it's still just a pig and he simply doesn't belong there....still, we went. I'm a hypocrit, I guess.

The 'patch' was a large farm with several fields of pumpkins you could select from yourself (do you know how long it takes children to select their own pumpkin???? It's a loonnggg time, trust me!)
They had a large, inflatible slide thing, a race track set up with peddle cars and tricycles and such, a ring for pony rides, a few animals for the petting zoo and a hay bale maze in a small barn.
We played a short while, then took the hay wagon out to the fields and everyone got a pumpkin to bring home -- we'll be canning ours this week.

I'll just share the pictures and you can look around with our family...

Here's my group...sitting on top inside the inflatible bouncer slide...they are trying to decide who gets to be the brave one and head out first. There's Jacob, David, Matthew turned around backwards and Miss KatiAnne (and Hunter, our Pastor's grandson). I noticed that most of the 'city kids' waited very patiently while the strange "amish" children tested themselves here. LOL...what those poor folks must have been thinking! I know...we do need to get out and about more, don't we?
The first ones out? Wild Child, of course...and Miss KatiAnne...

It was David's birthday and he was convinced the whole day was for him. The inflatible slide posed some issues for him, though. He simply doesn't have the weight to keep him on it -- he would bound over the top and begin to slide down, just to bounce most of the way down because it was more 'springy' than he was 'weighty'

And what happens when, as D at As Simply As We Can mentioned on her blog, when country goes to town?

The poor country children are duped by the city folk into milking a wooden cow....yes, apparently my children need to get out a bit more. I said that, didn't I? These are those moments when you do need a bit more of being 'of' the world and not just 'in' it I think ;o)

Here is eldest and youngest daughters, Miss Jennifer and Miss Emily. They look so impressed with the converted cotton wagon ride to the field, don't they? Honestly, Miss Emily about fell asleep with the motion of the wagon across those fields -- both on the way out and coming back in! It is a good picture of the two of them, though, even if Miss Jennifer didn't want her's taken.

And poor Miss Emily in the field...she was looking at me as though I had abandoned her to carry her pumpkin alone so I could take pictures of her misery. Note to other parents: Ok, I sort of did...but *Dad* wanted to see lots of pictures of the day...I had to be just a by-stander! He made me do it. It's all Dad's fault :o) Besides, doesn't carrying your own pumpkin, by yourself, across the whole field, promote character or something?
She made it about 5 steps toting that pumpkin before she put it back down and said she was too heavy to carry it.

But, along came David to encourage her...he took a few steps with his pumpkin, then came back and carried hers...back and forth like that all the way out of the field (yes, so Mom could take pictures...LOL)

Here is KatiAnne with her pumpkin, Johanna with her choice, and way out there is Matthew, trying to help Miss Ashley from church select hers so he can help her carry it back to the wagon. Now, Miss Ashley comes from rather stout farm raised Southern stock...she really didn't need help carrying a pumpkin, but Matthew, well...always the gentleman :o)

After the pumpkin field, we stopped back at the farm kitchen and got some drinks before heading home. The children all played in the race track section. They had several different bicycles and tricycles and such.
Miss KatiAnne grabbed one of the large tricycles and took off -- with Abigail behind her telling her she needed to pick a different racer so her peddling wouldn't lift her skirt above her knees! She was right -- KatiAnne made about half a round on that track, with constant pulling on her skirt and apron, and chose a different ride. No one listens when Mom says to wear their bloomers.....

That was about it for the day. They had some huge, nice looking mum plants set out for sale...bright yellows, deep reds, oranges and some purple-shades. I almost bought a couple, but then I remembered the dogs...who would waste little time in dragging them off the porch; And the cats...who would waste little time in using them for a new litter box out there. They were better left where they were.

All in all, the day was fun for everyone. And I put gas in the van before heading out and paid $3.05 a gallon. Not a bad price, considering, but we get over to Blue Mountain and their gas was already down to $2.52 a gallon!!! I could have gotten 15 gallons instead of the 12 gallons I got for my $40. Ugh, ugh and ugh!!!! Still...all considered, the $3.05 was better than the $3.18 it was on Thursday, so I didn't suffer too terribly much. And those little 12 gallons was far more gas than my van has seen in a good 3 months now, so all was well.

Emily's goat story

Posted by Michele
09:38 PM, Friday, October 10, 2008 .. 1 comments .. Link

One Friday I was at work, and one of the grandmothers of one of Emily's classmates came in. She said there was a goat at their school that day. So when I got home from work, I said, "Emily, I heard there was a goat at your school today." Normally she would have just nodded, but she said, "Yeah. It pooped. There was a blueberry in its poop. It ATE its own poop!" I talked to one of the moms and she said that the poop LOOKED like little berries, but yes, it did eat the poop... Whatever floats your boat i guess...

Funny Stuff My Kids Have Said

Posted by Michele
03:34 PM, Thursday, October 9, 2008 .. 3 comments .. Link

I am going to try to remember as many as possible, but my kids have said some really funny stuff over the years.

One time we were in Altoona, and we got behind a car with one of those Penn State paw print magnets on the back. Cameron was about 2 at the time, and he yelled, "Look! A clue!"

One Sunday, Dave was getting ready to take the kids to Sunday School and he put Emily in his truck and buckled her in. When he shut the door, the window on the side of his cap shattered. Cameron looked down at all the glass and then looked and Dave and said, "That sucks."

Here is a conversation I overheard toward the end of last month: Emily said, "Cameron, when is my birthday?" Cameron said, "I think it's in Secember. Hey, TODAY is Secember!" She said, "Is TODAY my birthday or is it on the 26th like yours?" He answered, "I'm not sure, but I think it's on a weekend." By the way, her birthday is in December...

One night, Dave was trying to do something and I overheard him saying, "Damn!" Cameron said, "D-A-M"

The other day, I packed Cameron's lunch and I gave him an apple, a pudding cup and a sandwich. Dave asked him if he ate his lunch and he said, "I forgot to eat my sandwich and my apple."

Ok, apparently, I need to think about this some more. I can't remember any more. I'm sure more will come to me later, so I'll do another post...

Things around the homestead

Posted by HandsNHearts
08:26, Monday, October 6, 2008 .. Posted in Around the Homestead .. 0 comments .. Link

Ok, still don't know why the camera didn't want to upload to the computer...or why the computer didn't want it to, but that's technology for you. I've played and reloaded and rebooted and what-have-you, and finally, this time, it just sort of worked.

Here's the assorted odd pictures of the last many days here:

LOL...yes, basically a useless picture...but it was supposed to be here for the day I baked the pumpkin bread and raisin pumpkin snack cake. And yes, of course I buy butter in that huge container....doesn't everyone? My goodness, what other size would there be for a large family?

How do you learn to ride a bike? Well, you talk your older brother into letting you be the first to ride his new bike, then you get on and let him shove....er, push you gently....across the front yard. Note to my children: you might want to find a new place to test your bike riding skills. There is a slope to the front yard in that particular area, and it heads straight into the mulch pile and timber line.

This is Wild Child, Jacob...with Abigail there in blue, and KatiAnne on the bike....totally forgetting to even pedal...or steer.

Here we have Miss Emily trying to coax the chickens into coming closer for a visit. She poked her hand into the fence and wiggled her fingers, calling them...chickee, chickee. As soon as they started over toward her, she liked to have pulled the fence down yaking her hand out so quickly.

And the new addition to the homestead...and still unnamed officially...The Buddy Dog :o)

He is a Great Pyrenese (or however you spell that...it never looks right to me). According to our friend who got him at his auction, he's about 3 months old. But goodness is he huge for a mere 3 months old!

Here he is with Matthew...and our blind goat...doesn't he look awfuly big for 3 months? Maybe it's just me. I'm not very familiar with their growth patterns and all. I know they are to be large dogs, but at 3 months, I guess I thought he'd be more 'puppy' sized or something.

As to being 'protection' for the goats, well, I don't know about that. He's rather skittish with them and tries to pick his places wherever they aren't. And our 'seeing' goat is a bit of a pill with other animals in her pen. She all but killed the poor black puppies that grew up with them. The male is blind in one eye and won't go near the pen now. The female always did have a bit more gumption, but even she chooses her battles with that seeing goat.

Yeah -- that one there, staring at you, with a touch of attitude....that's the seeing eye goat :o) We bought her as a companion for the blind goat. But she's full of attitude...spit and vinegar I think is the old saying. That's definitely her.

A serene Saturday & Sunday afternoon

Posted by HandsNHearts
08:24, Monday, October 6, 2008 .. Posted in Around the Homestead .. 2 comments .. Link

Here are the photos from yesterday. The children built a fort.

Well, it's an encampment of sorts, really.

It's Boonesboro...or in our case, Smithsboro. The children love watching the old television series Daniel Boone. Emily sings Daniel Boone was a man....a biiiiiggggg maaaannnnn.... all day, just out of the blue. And easily switches between that and Victory in Jesus or Jesus Loves Me. She has rather eclectic singing choices, I know.

This is the beginning of our fabricated chicken house, actually. It's just a cattle panel arched over a frame. We'll move the chickens around the garden area with it once it's finished.

Well, maybe...looks like I may not be getting this one back any time soon:

And the laundry that was left to wait on Smithsboro's completion...

And, I just thought this photo turned out nice. It's Miss Dimples, our KatiAnne, enjoying Smithsboro's outdoor cafe...

She wanted Grandma to see her :o)

Enjoying The Autumn Season

Posted by Linda
07:32, Sunday, October 5, 2008 .. 2 comments .. Link

Where has the time gone, its been a couple of weeks sense I have blog. We had out of state company last week. They brought their vintage travel trailer so I could work on their cushions. Plus my own work kept me pretty busy.

I'm still camping out, and it gets better all the time. I just love it up at the Outpost in this beautiful fall weather. I just sit down and let the leaves fall on my face like you would if snowflakes were coming down. Took off my shoes and socks and just ran my feet through the leaves that gathered while reading my Mary Jane Outpost book and getting more ideas. Oh I got a perfect spot for the walled tent that will have a wood stove in it. Can't wait.

Been working on the bath house , so pictures willbe on my next blog.

Its so nice out tonight I might stay out there and pop some popcorn. Sis stayed last night. The wind was up so sounds of limbs falling or maybe animals moving around. DH stayed last weekend but hes more of drop in the sack and off to sleeping were as sis and I like to read or play our tin whistles or do hand shadows on the tent, silly fun stuff. Maybe a spook story from sis, knowing full well I got to make one last trip in those dark woods to get something at the house. And oh was it dark last night, after the lamp is off and your eyes get adjusted to the dark, then comes all those shadows and seeing something and not seeing something. Stars galore, just a beautiful weekend.

This weekend was also chicken butchering again. A few weeks back I dressed out a couple and they were just a little small. The ones today and yesterday dressed out to 3 1/2 to 41/2 lbs. With about 25 more to do next weekend, they should be close to 5+lbs.

It sure is good to know our family will be eating good homegrown food. With another food call on milk from China and chicken too.

Fall Gardening:

Green beans are full of blooms, hope they hold out until we have a freeze. Lettuce almost ready to pick for a nice salad bowl.

More herbs to gather, peppers, sweet and hot dehydrated.

Planted turnips, beets,peas,parsnips,lettuce,garlic today. some will be an ify for harvest.

Gathered more seeds from flowers and gave the Gkids some huge sunflower heads to harvest and make a nice treat. I saved many for the birds too, I just leave those in the garden and let the birds have at em.

Last blog I mention a day trip down to Truman Lake. We are planning to go again this month for a pioneer festival. So I won't show most of the pictures I took and wait tell I have pictures of some of the ol time stuff being used and made.

But first before the lake we went to a Cherokee Nation gathering, even tho I have some Crow in the blood lines , it was still nice to see. Altho no tipi's, I so wanted to see the structures. But they had some heck of a set of drums. This was double drums made form a huge cottonwood trunk.

You know I have to touch it, and I did. Was told by the chief that women are not suppose to touch the drums, but was ok sense it was not being used in a ceremony. I'll be dang if I touched it again. I best watch it

I talked to lady called White Dear, she was awesome to talk to and loved what she was doing, loved her land and all the wild things she has found on her place, plants and critters. She had a display of all her findings on her homestead. Very interesting what one has just out the back door. It was a good gathering.

Then we all go out for BBQ, oh boy was it good, sitting on cedar picnic tables when a big slab of ribs and all the fixins is put before us, we hogged out.

After the eats we go to the lake where the pioneer days will be going on this month.

This is back of a log home, with other buildings made just like the ol time. I could live in this log home.

Heres a house with a history that they move in the area, lots of old cook stoves in the summer kitchen, rope beds, quilts, and a herb garden out back and much more. I could just be content on that porch shelling peas or snapping green beans with a cold glass of lemonade.

Heres a pic,looking out the window in this old one room school house. I just imagine what a school teacher was thinking just before school started for the day or maybe after the kids ran home when school was let out.

I like this picture.

Now on the way home we stopped by an Amish store, I was after some more lye to make more soap. Some young Amish lads were out with their horses and oh was it a sight to behold. I wish I had one of those fancy cameras to get these shots. I don't know what type of horses these were but oh how beautiful.

They started back in that beautiful field, rounding them up.

Then they are heading toward us, I get nervous cuz I want a good picture.

They must have seen us cuz they all turned and ran the other direction. Oh this was indeed a sight. And to hear too. I just wonder if those Amish boys said "Those English"

Well I can't wait to go back and see soap making out in the woods, spinning, weaving, broom making, pies cooking in wood stoves, apple cider press and lots of good ol timin ways. Oh and the smoke house will be going to , hope they got some jerky to share.

The weather has just been wonderful, Fall is here

Until later have a great week and always thanks for stopping by for a visit.

Happy Autumn Blessings

linda

10 Commandments for Every Christian

Posted by HandsNHearts
03:21, Saturday, October 4, 2008 .. 1 comments .. Link

We could all certainly use far more of this in our churches today and a lot less of the 'Christian play' that goes on.

• DON’T IDEALIZE the church – it’s glorious, not because it’s perfect (after all, you’re in it!), but because it’s being redeemed.

• DON’T CRITICIZE your fellow-believers anytime or the pastor (especially never ever before or after a Sunday service: the Devil’s already doing that; don’t you help him).

• DON’T POLARIZE in church meetings or committees. ‘I don’t agree’ is very negative: try ‘Is there perhaps another way of looking at this?’

• DON’T OSTRACIZE people whose psychological ‘chemistry’ is different to yours, or who do not see things your way. Be Christian, and greet them warmly, and pray with them anyway.

• DON’T IDOLIZE the pastor or any other leader: we are all fellow- strugglers and we all have feet of clay.

• DON’T MONOPOLIZE conversations: be that kind of rare person who is an empathetic listener.

• DON’T ORGANIZE anything ‘off your own bat’. Initiative is good: initiative plus collaboration plus accountability is better.

• DON’T HOMOGENIZE. Talk to people who are not your cronies (even tax-collectors and sinners do that). Accept people who are not like you theologically. After all, God’s truth may include both your and their understandings!

• Above all, DON’T VERBALIZE your frustration or negativity about the church to others: it is sure to discourage them. Do it with the Lord, a spiritual director or counselor, and possibly, after much prayer, to a responsible leader. The devil is very clever: he puts words into our mouth like: ‘Would you (my friend) pray with me about the problem I have with...’

• Instead REALIZE that the Church is loved by Christ, so be patient with each other: the Lord hasn’t finished with any of us yet!