Sunday Morning

I'm enjoying the "retreat" we built even more.  Early morning and evenings are cool and cozy.  Afternoons are a bit hot, but with a fan I can spend quiet time out there.  It's definitely not something to have up in the hottest part of the summer, but late August I might put it back up for cool fall nights.

Backyard Camping

This is the lean-to or "wall tent" the kids made last year.

We washed up some rugs, aprons, towels, tablecloths and sheets.

From the Homesteading Journal . . .

 (Our first backyard "retreat" just before Glamping Weekend.  This is just the beginning.)

Had to cancel our glamping weekend (away from home) due to a situation beyond my control.   I promised myself that a glamped up tent would be put up somewhere on our 6 acres. We haven't done it yet.  Maybe today.

Started building the chicken tractor.

Planted 9 sweet potatoes (first time for us and a bit late), 6 straight neck yellow squash plants, the last of the tomatoes (totaling 121 tomato plants now), 6 zucchini plants (our planted seeds did not all come up), and one last sweet banana pepper plant for the billy goat (his favorite).

One daughter went to put the red hens away, and found the rat in the coop.  She said it's "huge" and scurried up the chicken wire and up through a hole in the ceiling (which we blocked with a block).  My son went out to re-set traps and saw it to.  I think he almost got it with a shovel.  It's eating our chicken eggs, so we need to get rid of him soon.  Just a few days later, before sundown, we saw it again.  This time, hubby was home and grabbed the pellet gun.  He got the rat right in the head, but it kept going.  My son grabbed a branch and used that, breaking the branch into 4 pieces, but got the job done.  We set more traps.  We should see more eggs now.

Spent several days weeding the old strawberry patch, asparagus, beets, carrots, swiss chard, green beans and some lettuce.  Thankfully, my son once again helped me.

Used the hand hoe to work up the pumpkin and watermelon patch.  This year there was no room for more melons.

(photo taken by my 15 year-old daughter)

Brindle's (black and white doeling) new owner arrives today to take her home.

Started taking inventory on supplies to tear down the emergency chicken coop.  The walls and door are being saved to make it larger.

Put the new Ball Automatic Jam Maker on the very top of my wish list.  I can't wait to own one.  We have lots of berries in the summer months.  

 A Sunday morning view from my front porch.  Good thing the dogs didn't see them.

Strawberry-Honey Jam ~ Canning without Sugar

The pioneers rarely used granulated table sugar.  Today, it seems like it's in every recipe I have.

It's a Boy!

I was just getting ready to start making jam and my 15 year-old daughter said, "Mom, Misty is ready.  It could be 1-2 hours."

I grabbed my camera and we waited.  She took forever, but it's her first kidding.

She gave birth to a healthy baby boy.  He's the spittin' image of a true blue white mountain goat.  What a cutie.  Of course, real mountain goats have larger ears than a lamancha, and are much larger, but he still has to the color.

I'm not sure what he'll be named, so watch my daughter's blog for goat updates and more photos. 

Life as a Teen Farmgirl

Jam making can wait for this cutie pa-tootie!

Mystery Road Trip

The other day, hubby and I went in search for the person who sells his own honey in a nearby town.  We started by eating breakfast at a small diner that was still in business, and asked around.

Draw Backs Living in the Country ~ Litter

In my state, "Littering is a serious offense, punishable by fines of up to $500 and 60 days in jail." (source: http://ohiodnr.com/tabid/18283/default.aspx)

These photos are just from last night's drivers.  There have been entire food boxes, cheese wrappers, birth control pill containers with their names on it, and more.  Even beer bottles thrown so far, they've almost landed on my front porch.

It wouldn't be so funny to these people, if we set up a camera and had them fined.   One person has done this already (according to our newspaper).  I think more needs to be done in regards to those to litter.  This is just one draw back living in the country - irresponsible people think your yard is their trash can.