Either way, after the past week or better, I'm thinking of a new name....Clay Mud Acreage. Rainy Bottom Homestead. We can be the Soggy Bottom Clan or something.
We are literally floating up here on the mountain. There isn't a solid bit of ground remaining after the past week of rains. The grass fools you into thinking there is someplace to walk...but there isn't. It's ankle-deep mud puddles. Too bad we don't have any ducks on the homestead here. Makes getting to and from the barn an interesting undertaking lately. Not to mention the poor center of the barn itself -- why would anyone build a barn in a low spot? Maybe it wasn't a low spot back whenever...but it certainly is now. Everything flows that direction. LOL...I suppose that makes it easier to float to the barn, though.
A few days ago, Emily decided to help with some chores...she looked far more dirty-faced in real life than in this picture...
After a quick bath, she wanted to help Johanna with the bread baking. She wasn't planning to get dressed I guess, but when I said I'd take her picture, she went and put on a t-shirt...not hers, and not right-side out either.
In the barn, the chicks have moved out of the brooder and into the coop room itself. They don't appear to be enjoying the added space any. We lost 4 the first day in there due to them piling up on each other. It's not cold, it's not over-warm, there is plenty of space in there for 4 chicks barely feathered out completely, yet they piled together along the wall and we had 4 flattened dead chicks before evening chores :o( I'm hoping they decided to spread out a bit more and we cut the losses soon. We started with 40 chicks of various lineage and are down to 34 this morning (the other 2 were lost not long after getting them).
Sorry about the lighting -- it was about 1 am and the heat lamp hanging in the room gives a funky glow in pictures.
Puppies are 4 1/2 weeks now. Lady, the momma, has decided nursing needs to be extremely limited at this stage. They literally run after her in the yard and jump up to grab a "milker" as Emily calls them. Poor thing just stands there for a minute and let's them have a bit of a drink, then she runs off....while they drop off here and there.
They are still wanting milk, so they moved over to see what the goats had to offer now. Milking is insane with puppies trying their best to get in there with you. Leah, the younger doe, sort of snorts at them and does a high step to get around them and into the milking area.
We treated them this morning to a bowl of fresh milk...goats stepped pretty heavily into the pan near the end of milking...I don't mind straining some stuff out, but clods...those city-girl tendencies kick in when there are clods in the milk pan!
We did some work in the pantry are this week as well. Not really as put together as it should be, but it's getting there. Too many hands going in and out for things is our problem. The large buckets are my grains, flour, sugars and rice. The canisters go into the kitchen when baking instead of carrying the larger buckets out there. Canning jars and such are everywhere it seems. Empty and full...we need to get them organized a bit more.
And I need to find a use for those egg crates...I have tons of them and they are just taking up space! Craft projects, starting plants...toss me some ideas so I can find a use for them and get them out of there, I need the shelf space!
I am even getting a bit of sewing done. I determined to make myself a dress for Mother's Day. Yes, I know, Southern summers really call for lighter colors...but I just loved this chocolate brown with the coral roses on it! I have a light blue print in the works as well. Two dresses for myself...can you imagine?! I tend to look over the needs for sewing and then work on everyone's but my own. I thought a nice new church dress for Mother's Day would be a good thing. Time to move my current church dresses over to everyday use now anyway.
I'm using my Candle on The Hill pattern and trying out the modest vest from Kings Daughters as well. Typically I'm in a full apron at the house anyway, but not for church. Still, I feel a bit uncovered if I'm not layered, so the vest will help. I may end up making the light blue print into a regular cape dress, though.
I even did up a pinafore for Emily for summer...pretty green with sunflowers :o) It's a closed pinafore, so could actually be worn as a jumper with a shirt under it. She will get a sunbonnet to match it.
Also on the sewing table is new sunbonnets for the middle girls, hanging veils for the olders and myself, and I finally got the pants pattern I wanted to try out. The boys need pants...probably more than I need a new dress!
But nothing of much use is being done with my sitting here is it?
No comments:
Post a Comment