It was my first time. I was nervous because I have small vains.

I think it took like an hour at least. Filled out a paper, read a pamplet, did a quick check up(bp, temp, iron,ect), the gave the blood. My vain WAS a bit small. But they poked around till they got it enough to get the blood.

It hurt a little bit, but I just told myself "you might save a life doing this" so it was all worth it.

Got my juice, was offered cookies but I declined, waited 5 to 10 minutes and I was on my way.

I feel good, glad to have done something that could help someone else.

Have you given blood lately? It's no big deal, give it a try! LOL

Nancy

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What do two mom's with almost grown children and no grandchildren do when the dog turns one?

They throw a party for the dog!  LOL

Here she is in her new party dress.

And her party hat.

Her guests Midnight, Jackson, and Ranger.

Party food.(just a cut up hotdog...I don't like for her to eat "people food" too much)

In her new pink rain coat playing with her new favorite toy from "aunt Kitty".

Her gifts were several toys, treats to eat, a bling collar, and her rain coat.

She didn't really know what was up of course, but she sure liked the attention and gifts! LOL

That's what we do with no grandchildren....wonder what we will do when we DO have some.LOL

No rush for me though, my son is just gonna be 19 at the end of july...he can wait awhile.

Nancy

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Was surfing craigslist this morning and saw an add for two purebred nubian does for sale...for just $250! I have been wanting milk goats forever and just couldn't afford them.

The nice lady that had them was told by her doctor that the whole milk was just not good for her cholosterol(sp) and so she decided to sell them. She has had the mom almost three years and the other one is the baby.....two years old now. She has taken really good care of them and the mom is milking now....the younger one needs to be bred first.

So here are some pics of my new girls...

This is Daisy the mom that is already milking. I did her evening milking and got about half of a quart jar. She is off a little cause of the new home and a storm that  was trying to blow through as I was getting ready to milk. But she hopped up on the stand and stood patiently for me. Very good girl!

This is Jasmine, the two year old daughter. Needs to be bred so I can eventually milk her also. A bit taller than her mom, but just as sweet. Ate her own food as I was milking Daisy and didn't interrupt us at all.

Really thought this pic was cute. LOL

I got this handmade milk stand with them, along with all her hoof triming tools, and food, and milking "stuff" (wipes, lotion, papertowels for cleaning the teats, and a spray for preventing mastitis.) Oh and that bucket in the background...that is the "stool" they threw in too. LOL She even threw in a pad to sit on the stool for comfort. And a carrying case to hold it all.

This is them looking out of thier new "Goat Lounge" LOL They feel safe and comfortable in there right now, they will venture out soon I'm sure.LOL

The lady was soooo nice and sweet, she cried when we left with them she loves them so much.

She has done a wonderful job raising and training them and for that I am grateful to have found her and the craigslist add! It was a dream come true. Now the dream of goat cheese, goat milk soap, butter, and many other recipes can come true too! LOL

Thanks,

Nancy

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These little beetles are eating thier way through my garden and orchard. Can anyone tell me what they are and how to stop them? I have used DE, and sprayed(misted) them with water with dawn dish liquid in it. I am hoping to stay away from chemicals but if that is my only choice I will do it.

Here are some pics....

Sorry it is blurry, I couldn't get a good one of it. It is a smallish beetle that is brown with some green near it's rear end.

Here he/she is on one of my young fruit trees. That is DE that I sprinkled on it.

This is what it is doing to my eggplants.

And my strawberries.

They seem partial to the eggplants, blueberries, strawberries and fruit trees, but have been munching on my bell peppers and some of my other veggies. And I believe these are the ones(although maybe a bit smaller) that attecked my figs last year too!

What can I do? Please help me!

Thanks,

Nancy

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I have been trying to post for  a week now and I couldn't the the box that you type in to come up so I could type my post. I would get the title box no problem, and  the options underneath fine, but the big box for posting a no-go. Either it just wouldn't be there at all or that part would have the unable to connect message where the box should have been.

I was gonna post about how excited I am to have my sister-in-law and nephew moving in with us in just one week! You all know her as Kitty from Kitty's Kozy Korner. She posted about it a few days ago. I was aggitated about one annonymous commentor though......why do people have to jump to conclusions and judge people before they know the whole story? Then leave mean, rude or nasty comments on your blog and won't even leave thier names. I guess they like to judge, but not be judge. Or maybe it is because they like to act like a friend to your face and talk about you behind your back. Whatever the reason it is just sad that people are that way. Please people, if you don't understand something posted, or don't agree with it, why don't you just maybe ask questions and try to learn more before you start judging and being rude. And if you are gonna be that way, leave your name and let that blogger know who you are. Otherwise do as I was taught......if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all!!!!!

Anyway, I was saying how excited we are to have Kitty and son live with us. We have the room, and are able to be there for them in thier time of need so why not. Plus I am the only female here and I am soooo gonna enjoy having another female to talk to.LOL

Some say she is leaving her other children because she doesn't want to work and it is easier to move. Can you believe that????  It is NOT easy for her to move away from  everyone and everything she knows......and move to a whole new state where she only knows 3 people. And her other children are adults and don't live at home. She has thought long and hard about this, and it is still hard for her.  And the whole not wanting to work thing? She refused to come unless we promised to let her help out on the farm.....to help earn her keep as she says. Although we would be happy to have her here doing absolutly nothing, we will let her help us out.....there is always something to do on the farm.LOL

So Kitty.....keep packing, Paul will be on his way soon! And we will be waiting with open arms.

And maybe the LORD is sending you here to help us, instead of sending you here to help you....ever thought about that? I have.

Thanks for visiting,

Nancy

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It is sure hard to find nowadays....what with the economy, and the govt. and the world the way it is lately. But walking around the farm this afternoon, feeding the horses and dogs from my bag of frito's, seeing the kittens lounging around on the hay in the barn, watching my son mow the pasture while the horses graze in the tall grass, seeing my veggies thrive in thier new pots(well most of them anyway)......I had the most overwhelming sense of peace and contentment. And I knew....this is where I am supposed to be.

Nancy

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I have a delima and can't decide what to do about it.

You see, when we moved to the farm and had room for entertaining I decided to have yearly gatherings so we could start spending more time with family that we usually don't get to see.

The first gathering was a fall festival in october because we moved here in september. It was wonderful and went really well so I went ahead and planned a spring fling and a fourth of july party. The spring fling was all set, invitations sent out and everyone was planning to come. There would be fishing, and a scavenger hunt and pie eating contest, and just lots of fun. It was scheduled for april 5th, my daddy passed away on april first and was burried on the fourth. So needless to say thier was no spring fling. We did end up haveing the fourth of july gathering, it was a campout on the lake here on the farm, and it went better than I expected. And everyone was talking about the "2nd annual fall festival" so I went ahead and planned that too. It also went well.

My delima is do I try and have a spring fling this year? It will be close to the 1 year anniversary of losing our daddy and of course mom losing her husband. I am sure everyone will try and come, but truthfully I am not so sure I want to do it.

The irony of it all is that I started all these gatherings as a way to connect with family since we are so busy here and it is hard to leave for holidays and such. This way we can still work the farm and see family at the same time. But less than a year from the start of it we lose one of the main people we wanted to see more often.

I guess it is important now more than ever to stay in touch with family, and let me tell you since daddy passed my whole family has told each other we love them way more than we have in our whole lives. It was a hard way to learn that lesson, but it was learned quick.

So what do you guys think? Should I try and have the spring fling? Or should I maybe wait another year and let family members try and get through this first anniversary without daddy in thier own way? And a big question is do I have it in me to plan this and have it possibly bring back some painful memories.

Thank you all.

Nancy

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I went out on this bitterly cold morning to start feeding my animals and when I checked the dogs water this is what I found...

Look at the bottom of the pic toward the right, in the bucket....see the cute little cat prints.

Apparently one of the barn cats was trying to get water and since it was frozen they stood on the ice, I assume to lick at the ice and thier little footsies left two perfect prints. Soooo cute.

Just though I would pass the cuteness along.

Nancy

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I recieved in the mail today what I wait impatiently for every christmas season....the gifts from my  sil Kitty. It is always soooo exciting.

And as I sit here with a mouth of her fresh baked goods I will show you a picture of my personal gift(she sends each person a gift, the a "group gift".

It is soft, warm, and cozy...I love it. Here it is...

OK so I'm sideways....I don't know how to flip the image on photobucket....never tried. But the scarf is still beautiful!

And for my son she sent...

This funny shirt...I swear the boy is in the pic somewhere...for a child who used to be such a camara ham when he was little, he sure hides from it now!  From camara hog to camara shy is such a short time! LOL

My dh is not here to open his gift so no pic of him right now.

As the group gift she sent some really yummy baked goods, which I am already stuffing in my mouth...hope there is some left for dh when he gets home.

Here is a list of the goodies:

chocolate no bake cookies                                                                                                                               

peanut butter fudge

oatmeal raisen cookies

ritz cookies

chocolate covered pretzels  (but if dh asks we didn't get any of those cause they definatlly will be gone when he gets home.LOL)

Ohhh the one big gift Ms. Kitty has given me.......a new bigger butt!!!!! LOL Thanks for the goodies anyway, it's worth it!

Thanks Kitty!

Merry Christmas!

Nancy

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I am posting a closer pic of the lasso wreath I made for my cowboy themed christmas one year. It is made from an old lasso given to me by a friend, garland I made using twine and tying "bows" into it using bandana material, a star made of rusty barbed wire in the middle and an old horseshoe hanging by twine in the center of it all.

Here is the pic...

I made this year before last, and have it hanging somewhere in my  house all year long....I just love it!

Thanks for visiting.

Nancy

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