Ice Chips for Chickens

The heat index reached 104°F yesterday, and again no rain.  I had to water the garden both morning and night.  One acorn squash died, and another doesn't look so good.  Battling the heat has been hard work.

I chipped ice for the chickens and cooled them off.  They have fans on them, but they are still at risk from the heat.  

We had to put one barn cat in the garage with ice chips in water and food.  She was dehydrated.  

The vet gave us the idea to fill water bottles and freeze them (or 2 liter bottles for horses), and place in the goat's water buckets to keep the animals cooled off.  Poor baby buckling wasn't handling the heat too well.  A few days ago, my 15 year-old daughter cooled him down with the water hose.

I think I sweat off a gallon of water just picking potatoes.  Despite heat, I brought in lots of garden goodies for a big pan of roasted vegetables and another dish of potatoes, green/wax beans and bacon.

Hot Days

It's another 100°F day here today.  No rain either.  We got a five second spritz yesterday, and we are hurting for rain, and a cooling off period.  Watering the garden(s) takes most of my morning.


The heat is making outdoor work difficult.  I really need to weed all the gardens, but watering by hand isn't enough to soften the soil.  Yet, despite lack of rain, the garden is producing many tomatoes now.


It makes you wonder how difficult it was for the pioneers to grow gardens. 

Write that Novel

I'm getting more time in for writing these days.  Although, I think I spend more time reading about writing than actual writing. 

I'm working on prompt exercises and getting my brain to shift gears from chores to what I enjoy doing - writing.


And you probably know how side-tracked I can get, so this is a challenge.  Especially in this chaotic, large family, home.

When I sat down to read over some magazines pertaining to writing, I ended up reading some old Clean Eating magazines there were in the same pile.

I got my focus back, and buried the recipe magazines underneath them.

The day before, I got out my journal I collect odds and ends of information (conversations, descriptions, places, names, etc.) in.  However, I never covered the front or the back, so what did I do?  You guessed it.  I decoupaged it with paper that looks like newsprint.  Then I added the typewriter stamp.  I will add letters to the front soon also.

Getting side-tracked is easy in my home.

Abandon Chores ~ Play Like a Kid

After dinner last night, I got out the watercolor paints and started painting some journal pages. 

This was so much fun.  The kids got a kick out of seeing Mom sitting at the table painting.  In fact, they were in so much awe, that my 15 year-old daughter got the video camera out.  She wanted to make sure it was caught on tape for the record.  Ha ha ha ha!

Some days, you just need to let the dirty dishes sit, and dig into your creativity.

Here's a look at yesterday's "garden" dinner - a meal my Mom used to make.  Potatoes, green beans and bacon, all mixed together. 

The potatoes were so creamy and delicious.  I finally figured out why I hated vegetables as a kid - stuff from the store is so tainted that it doesn't taste good.

Garden Bounty Begins ~ Summer Heat

Today I picked a bowl full of organic green and wax beans, a bowl of red potatoes, a few small heads of broccoli, and about 3 kohlrabi - all for dinner.

The cucumbers are starting to come in and so are my straight neck yellow squash and zucchini.  I see some roma tomato plants, and all of my pepper plants producing too.


It's in the 90's again here, and thunderstorms are brewing again.  I'm praying the winds are low, and the barns hold together.  We do need the rain.  The garden is a bit dry today.


We are still getting about 2 quarts of goat's milk a day, and will have more when the buckling is weaned.  I am enjoying the raw milk, and especially not having to take a load of plastic milk jugs to the recycling center. 
 

Cats Earn Their Keep

I was tickled to look out my window and see Cheddar carrying a mouse in his mouth.  Next thing I know, he's out there playing with it, along with Tim.  I'm glad to see they both are good mousers.  We need the extra help on the rodent patrol.

Homemade Ricotta ~ We're Loving It!

Making cheese this year was one of my goals.  I am so thrilled I did.  We have been using our goat's milk ricotta cheese for many dishes lately - Lasagna, Chickpea Stuffed Shells.


Yesterday I baked us a Ricotta Frittata with spinach, onion, garlic, oregano, kohlrabi, farm fresh eggs and ricotta cheese.  Yum! Oh, and I threw in some organic Swiss chard (red stems removed).

Here is how I made this Frittata:
 
Saute one small onion with 2 cloves of garlic and one (trimmed, peeled and chopped) kohlrabi in olive oil.  Cook until the kohlrabi is softened. 


Next, scramble about 8-9 farm fresh eggs and set aside.


When the kohlrabi mix is ready, toss in any amount of spinach you prefer in your frittata.  Cook until it wilts.  You can also used frozen spinach - thaw, squeeze dry and use the amount you prefer.  


Place your kohlrabi mix into an oiled quiche pan.  Pour eggs over it.  With a teaspoon, drop spoonfuls of ricotta cheese into it.  I used about 2/3 cup.


Bake at 375°F until eggs are firm.  


You can use any herbs to spice this up too.  I used some dried oregano from my garden and salt and pepper. 

And of course, we couldn't resist baking up some Ricotta Italian cookies.  These were chowed down before frosting could ever be made.  There are very similar to a sour cream cookie we make at Christmas time. Yum!


So what's next on my list, besides trying new cheese recipe?  Getting a cow of course. Or two.