This week... So far...

My freezer quit. It was not even 4 years old. It was full. I had no idea it could hold so much. I filled over 70 jars to can. And fed the chickens very well yesterday and today. :P 

   I am so thankful for the beast. My 20 qt canner. 

This would have been a much more dreary task with out him. He was worth every penny. I love him. 

I won't replace the freezer. I don't like them enough. I've am always scared they will do as this one did.  We have a chest freezer in the shop. And honestly it is the one that scared me. Mainly cause it is outta sight outta mind. But I only have 1 half gallon jar available. All other canning jars are used. Again. 

   I think I am getting ahead. Emptying jars for summer. Just to fill them again. :/  I had just ordered garbanzo beans to can also... For summer time fast food. We love hummus. But now canning the beans will have to wait. :/ 

    I need more jars. Honestly I would like to add 500-1000 to my stash. But our house is small. With no cellar. So finding room is hard. But I am amazed I can still fit some in. 

   My washer also gave out this weekend. Sears appliances stink. In the last 4 years we have bought a washer,dryer, fridge, freezer and ride on mower. All. Died.  In under 4 years. We even bought the 3 year warranty s. had to call them out so many times to fix them. I was certain they would call a couple of them lemons and replace them. But they DIdNT. 

    I know a family of 9 uses a washer way more than most families.but even if i used it three times more it should have lasted that long. And the fridge and freezer?  How can you be too hard on them?Their stuff is junk. Never again. I have a wringer washer I am getting fixed. But for now hand washing. I kinda like it. And my clothes are cleaner than the HE washer ever thought about doing. I am only on day two. ;)

     So if you have jars. Or know someone who does... Let me know! I'm interested. Very.

Next years goals

1: finish greenhouse

2: breed Fawn

3: get guinea hogs and Shetland sheep

4: find more canning jars

5: help Malachi start in bees. 

6: plant more fruit trees

Sugar cookie day!!!

Today we had a morning of cookie baking and decorating. My sisters and their children ( ok one is yet to birth her first. But he counts. < don't really know his gender. But I'm banking on a boy. ;)> ) 

We all brought dough and dug in. 4 'batches' worth of sugar cookies really isn't very many. Do people that make these recipes not give them as gifts? Or does the volume of people in my house warp my view too much?

We had lots of fun. And tried to clean up Aunt Cs house before we left...

Sweet E and Wisdom. E was a magnet for anything left in her reach. I think she has a sugar finding antenna or something. ;)

I thought I got more and better pictures. But these just have to do. ;) hope it inspires you to go make some yummy fun with your family! 

   

Reading and game week.

This week for school we are going easy. 

Reading practice. 

Story of the world reading/ workbook. 

Games: 

trouble --- so the youngest get faster practice in recognizing colors and numbers. And taking turns. 

Bananagrams--- for spelling. And letter recognition. 

Crafts:

 

  Pipe cleaner snowflakes

Peg dolls. For fun. Then they will be used for school games later. 

White felt heart banner. 

And likely more art or craft things. As the children are making gifts. They are baking, crocheting, knitting, painting and more on their own. 

I love weeks like this. I am thinking most of the mth might look like this. But I'm not planning any time off. 

   

   Joelle has been doing higher grade school work with no issues. But I'm starting to push her harder in things like science due to her love of herbalism and nursing. So her schedule might be a little more involved. 

We also will be sending out a family photo next week. So they will be addressing them. About 150 of them. If you want one be sure I have your address. You can send it to simplycleansing at gmail .com

Thank you!

Milking

I think of it lots. I miss it. All of it. I miss the companionship with my cow. I miss the barn smell. I miss the quiet work. I miss the milk. Physically I am really seeing the loss of milk here. Grocery bill has grown. I have on several occasions looked into buying a cow. But the ones I see have problems. Too old. Dry quarters. Part Holstein. Tendency toward mastitis.  Unknown mutt breed. Etc. 

  My friend Tabitha said it well here : http://omelay.blogspot.com/2009/11/dreaming-of-milk.html

" Milking is intertwined with our hearts, like our chickens and pigs and garden and home. Being without it has been necessary and humbling. We needed this break so, so badly. Sometimes I am certain I can wait no longer and I must find a cow to milk. Other times I feel so afraid of how quickly we will be doing it again. Our journey has been largely positive but the negative experiences stick with me. What if? We can only do our best. Who would have thought this would be such an emotional thing, just milking a cow."

   The whole post was good. But this part. This part I could have written. 

   My goat is going to kid soonish. She is getting large. This time she should give twins if she follows her pattern. I'll milk her from the start. And bottle feed them her colostrum then switch them to milk replacer. Any buck kids  will go to auction with a grown buck i already need to get rid of. I need real milk again. And driving to find it doesn't get done. So looks like I'll be keeping 2 goats. And any nannys she has. 

    I don't want to be a goat milker again. But milk is worth it. And knowing fully how they are fed. Is worth it. In a year. We will have milk again. Full jersey cow milk. And I can't wait. But yet I can. Cause I'm terrified.