Horse Riding Lessons and Chickens

My oldest daughter has finished her first 8 weeks of English horse riding lessons.  It's a bit of a drive each week, but I have discovered a local area park in which I can sit and write.   Soon I will find my way to their local library for wireless Internet.  Who knows, maybe I'll actually get some work accomplished.  I made the mistake of bringing my younger girls on these weekly trips.  All they do is talk and talk and talk.  What was I thinking?! 

One of our hens recently experienced prolapse.  We built a separate pen for her immediately, to keep her away from the other hens.  From what I learned at www.MaryJanesFarm.org, the hens will pick on her and she will diminish.  She has now recovered, but is not laying eggs just yet.  She's perky and I even caught her chasing a fly in her pen.   There is always something to learn on our homestead.  I'm sure it will become more interesting when we add more animals.

Gardening and a Stray Cat Problem

I sipped my coffee on the front porch this morning, in hopes to get another glimpse of a deer.  No luck.  It was later than usual, about 8:00am.  I wanted to vacuum first and that caused me to get outside a bit later.

Even thought 3 kids helped me in garden, I still have a lot of work to do.  I need to hoe between the rows and pull some stubborn weeds.  I managed to re-plant beet seeds, and dropped some radish seeds in between the spinach.  Not much of the spinach came up either.  Most likely from the downpour of constant rain we had a few weeks ago.

We have a problem stray cat.  He keeps coming to the house every night, attacking our 9 month old kitten, which is the only outside male cat.  We've brought them inside each night to avoid any scrapples.  One screen in the house is practically torn to bits from the inside cats warning this stray to leave.  We've brought the barn cat food inside each night, but it won't stop coming.  I will have to figure a way to get rid of him, even if it means having the humane society trap it.  He's a pretty mean one.   This is why people absolutely need to have their barn cats trapped, neutered and spayed, and released.  If someone had neutered this stray, he probably wouldn't be coming around like he is. 

Black-Eyed Peas

We, believe it or not, have tried black-eyed peas for the first time ever.  I picked an easy recipe from the Internet and gave it a whirl.  I did, however, pre-soak my black-eyed peas and cook them prior to making this recipe.  I had placed them in freezer containers, so when I found a recipe, I just needed to thaw them.  I changed the recipe up a bit too. I added about 5 cloves of garlic vs. a "pinch" and used 3 onions.  The kids each ate 2 bowls each they loved it so much.  And of course, for our family, I used 2 pounds of black-eyed peas instead of 1.

Morning Deer

I got up early to water my flower beds and to water the watermelon plants.  It was probably just before 7am when I looked out across the property.  A doe was standing in the bean field and munching away.  With the crops being rotated this year, I can see the deer more often.  Last year's corn fields gave them a way to hide.  This year I have a feeling we will see many more deer.

Roses ~ June 2010

 Blue Moon Rose

Potato blooms

After a few days of rain, the potato plants are blooming. Many of the seeds that recently sprouted, are rising a few inches after each rain also. It's too wet to work the garden today, but if the rain holds out I will weed and hoe tomorrow. It's fun to see what's growing each day.

History of Memorial Day ~ Do kids today really know the meaning?

I was astonished this morning.  As I put our United States flag outside, I asked my younger two girls if their school taught them the meaning of Memorial Day.  We watch parades, we see the flags, but do we teach our kids the real meaning?  The answer to that is sad.  My children have not been taught in school.  If it were not for free printable worksheets, free books from the library, and quality time with my kids, they would not be taught.

My 2nd grader said, "we got coloring pages" and my 5th grader said her teacher "mentioned" it in passing but there was no real teaching involved.  With the state test taking and requirements, teacher are not teaching kids in school today.  They are being taught to pass a test, and in doing so, have bypassed history and other teachings in the race against statistics. 

So if you are a parent and you have relied on the schools to teach your children about Memorial Day, and you have asked them about it and they cannot answer you, here are some links for on-line help.  Don't forget to use your library.  Even after Memorial Day, you can still teach through activities, hands-on crafts, poetry writing, and so much more.

The Online Teacher Resource, Memorial Day Worksheets/Printables
Enchanted Learning, Memorial Day Crafts, Projects, and Worksheets
Patriotic Craft Ideas
The TeachersCorner.net, Memorial Day Lesson Plans and Activities

Bellflowers are now blooming ~ Campanula

Kids are flying kites!

Who says you need electronics to have fun?!

New Crocheted Blanket - In Progress

This one is for my 8 year-old's Hope Chest. The other kids could not make up their minds. This is an "in progress" photo, but you can get an idea of the the pattern. This is a ripple pattern from a very old library book that was discarded. I think the older patterns are much easier to read and follow.

Still not finished with "spring" cleaning and night time uninvited guests

What a mouth full that title is.

Yesterday my clothesline got a workout.  From early morning until almost 7:00pm it dried clothes, winter coats, zip-up jackets, scarves, gloves, mittens and anything else I found on the girl's floor (or under the bed....long sigh).

It will be nice to pack away the winter clothing - clean.  Everything that was washed and dried, and did not fit anyone went straight into the Goodwill pile.

As for the part about the uninvited night time guests?  The one dog I call the "couch potato" was the one to alert us.  We aren't sure if they were scoping out the barns, trying to steal gas, or peeping in the windows, but the dog's barking ran them off pretty quickly.  I'm sure this is sign of the times and hooligans back in the area.  Times, like they are, bring hooligans through the woods into back doors, stealing what the can, then selling them to whoever for whatever cash they can get.  We were already warned by a neighbor that certain neighbor's older kids were in the area, and to "watch out." 

I made it to the upstairs bedrooms

Stand by, because this spring clean project may take me a lot longer than I anticipated.  I remember now why I never wanted a two-story house.  Now we have one, so I better get in shape so I can climb the teensy stairs daily.  There is always a "treasure" hidden somewhere causing a foul odor.  Like today.

I have dropped all the dirty clothes and sheets to the bottom of the stairs, washed 3 loads of it, scrubbed mattresses, and put a reused shower curtain up for a closet door.  The upstairs is one main area, like in most old farm houses.  Someone, over the years, built a bedroom wall and door in the opposite end, creating a second bedroom.  Both have long closets, but no doors.  Luckily I still has a tension curtain rod, an old plain cotton white shower curtain, and believe it or not, still had hooks.  In no time I had the closet covered. 

Now I need to replace all the tiny kids clothes hangers with adult sized, vacuum and shampoo the carpet, clean the windows, and put up a curtain rod for one of the windows.  They destroyed the tension rod I had in the window, so this time a different one is going up.  I may have fabric to avoid buying curtains also.

It's been several hours and I am bone tired.  I even washed out dresser drawers.  Phew!  I think an iced tea is in order.

Recipe updates

The steel cut oat recipe, my mother e-mailed me, was a huge hit!  It cooked up in less than 7 hours, so I won't be making in at night, as the recipe suggests.  The kids ate it as an after-school snack and said it tasted like Apple Crumble!  We are keeping this recipe, as well as the squash muffin recipe.

The recipe came from the Kroger coupon magazine that gets mailed out.  I'll see if I can locate which one and post it later.

Today I am trying a new Crock pot beef stew recipe, however I am jazzing it up.  I added frozen tomatoes and corn from last years garden, which were the last two bags we had.  I am going to jazz it up with dried and fresh herbs from my garden in place of using beef broth (which is full of sodium).  I'll probably bake the squash muffins and make a salad too.

I am amazed at how little goes into the trash while I cook.  The styrofoam trays are washed and dried for crafting, and what doesn't go in the compost gets fed to the chickens (carrot peelings).  The onion peelings went into the trash.  From what I have researched, onions in the compost will deter worms.

Speaking of compost, I have found it interesting to hear that composting and gardening is too much work to some people.  More often than not.  The pioneers had no choice but to live off the land.  I am so glad we moved to the country so we can raise meat animals as well as grow a large garden and raise dairy animals. It may be work, but it's work that makes us happy to be living our lives.  We wouldn't want it any other way.

Afternoon update:
After seeing that our bounty of eggs is filling the fridge this afternoon, I decided to make Cheese and Chili Egg Casserole for the kids after school snack.  After that, the squash muffins are going in.  My tummy is growling for food.

Movies from the library

I love the library, but I never thought I would have to wait for 1466 people to view a copy of The Blind Side!  You would think, that your local library would place holds for local library patrons first, then send it out to inter loan libraries, but that doesn't appear to be happening.  I've already had 2 movie requests, that held for six months or longer, expire.  I had to place the holds a second time.  I am guessing that most people are simply renting it on account of this wait. 

It appears, by how hard it is to see a library move, that more and more people are visiting and using the library during this recession.  

Hot pads from beer/pop caps and crocheted covers

My next venture in crocheting. 

I found this pattern by searching the Farmgirl Connection board and my first one (one of several for the first hot pad) didn't turn out too bad. For the pattern you do have to register with
FaveCrafts Quick and Crafty is published by Prime Publishing, Llc. 
 

Another finished hope chest project

I finally finished my son's blanket. He asked for these colors, so I alternated with a spike stitch. I egdged it with 2 rows of single crochet. Phew! I can't believe I finished it prior to his graduation!

New recipes today and Blessing the family with last year's zucchini

After I noticed our zucchini has already sprouted up in our garden, I decided to go through the freezer and use up any grated, frozen zucchini today.  I am blessing the family with 2 new recipes.  One is using up zucchini and preservative free stone ground cornmeal (from a local area mill) that was also in the freezer - Squash Cornmeal Muffins.  The other recipe is a trial run on an overnight crock-pot steel cut oat recipe - Easy Overnight Oatmeal.  It will be fun to see if they are both tasty.

I love to bake and cook, and hope the family likes them both.

Fresh soil for indoor plants

Yesterday I re-potted 10 house plants, and put them outside in the rain to "dust" them off.  It worked very well too.  However, I have 8 more plants to take care of and I ran out of potting soil.  It sure felt good to get the job done.  Now the plants have a fresh pot and look even better.

I got "notered"

Recycling Flannel Pajamas ~ Rag Rolled Hair

I cut up a pair of old flannel pajamas. We saved the buttons

The case of the missing catnip

Where oh where did the catnip go? Once drying on this herb drying rack, it's suddenly missing? One orange, and very curiuos cat, is enjoying it somewhere in teh house.

Horses and Farmwives ~ New Research Projects

Since eHow was purchased by Demand Studios, and writers give all rights to any new articles, I have not written anything new for them.  I've looked over the site. I'm not sure I want to give all rights.

Instead of publishing any new articles on-line, I have spent some time at the local library (as well as spring cleaning the house). 

I've been researching horses (and goats) recently.  Right now I am reading and learning about Thoroughbreds.  While I was ordering books through the inter-loan program, I ordered The Soul of a Horse, Life Lessons from the Herd, by Joe Camp.  My 16 year-old daughter has already noticed it and wants to read it too.

I have a habit of just walking through the library, scanning the shelves and just picking books by random.  I recently pulled Speak to the Earth, Pages form a Farmwife's Journal, written by Rachel Peden.   It was printed in 1974, but contains information from newspaper articles from 1961 and 1966, relating to farming.  Interesting stuff for sure.

5 Reasons Why I Love You ~ Written by an 8 year old

Of course I have corrected the spelling.
1.  You are always with me.
2.  You never lose me.
3.  You look after me.
4.  You smell like love!
5.  You love me.

(another special Mother's Day gift from one of my daughters)

Sharpening pencils remind me of ice cubes and ice cube trays

I know it sounds strange, but if you are a stay-at-home mom, you will understand.  It's one of those chores you do that no one notices until it's not there and then complains.  I cleaned out our "junk" drawer today.  It's not really a "junk" drawer, but holds pencils, rubber bands, phone books, etc.  I organized it again and sharpened every pencil - again. 

I fill the ice cube trays, dump them and fill them again.  When there aren't any, they notice.  When it's full they are satisfied.  But if I leave an empty ice cube tray on the counter, they complain someone didn't fill it, even if they don't fill them themselves.

Maybe the kids will learn something as they write in their gratitude journals this month. 

My Mother's Day Gifts ~ Handmade

The top photo is a picture my 18 year old son did with drawing pencils (on mat board). He is so talented and I plan to have it professionally framed. Below that are two bracelets. The "Go Mom" was made by my 8 year old daughter, and the macrame one with pink beads was made by my 13 year old daughter. I'm so glad I encouraged them to participate in a "homemade" Christmas last season, and that participating in the Farmgirl Connection merit badge program encouraged me.

My 16 year old daughter went to a birthday overnight party, and the first thing she asked was "what can I make her?" Needless to say she made a Paint Splatter gift/storage box for two gifts (for two parties). I'll post the instructions on S.C.R.A.P.

I'm glad the kids have been influenced to be more creative and to live more "green" around here. They have so many talents they don't even know they have yet. The macrame bracelet was her own pattern, and not from a book too.

Scraping with buttons ~ Earrings

Another pair of fun button earrings I made by using jump rings to connect them .

Dog Funny

Yesterday, while my oldest daughter was out giving water to the chickens, her dog (pictured above) was out running around. The second school bus pulled in and stopped in the usual spot in our horseshoe shaped driveway. This crazy, but loving dog, walked right up the bus steps to great them! I guess she wanted to go to school!

Roasted Dandelion Root "Coffee"

I was surprised that this "coffee" did not turn out a bit darker. It almost looks like tea in this clear mug. It's not for everyone, but worth the trouble to dig, wash, chop, roast, and brew. I am sure that we will continue to dig dandelions for this purpose. The recipe is in MaryJane's Outpost book (written by MaryJane Butters).

I now look at dandelions in a whole different way. It's not that ugly yard week anymore, but something useful. I may even make the jelly in her book too.

Digging up Dandelions ~ Coffee Roasting Day

I am thrilled to find out that my pasture of dandelions is worth something.  I'm digging up enough dandelion roots to roast coffee today.  I have enough for one pot, but need to head back out and dig enough to fill a 5 gallon bucket.  Thanks to MaryJane Butters and her recipe, I have found another way to save money.  The petals can be used for making wine too.  I'm hoping the kids will be as excited as I am and help me in the digging process.

Buttons ~ Farmgirl Learning

I posted a photo of my button jewelry on my S.C.R.A.P. blog.  Be sure to visit and see how nice the earrings and bracelet turned out.  The girls are making bracelets also.  I will be teaching them how to sew a button onto a shirt next week.  There button collections are going in old canning jars and into their hope chests.  They are actually have a fun time with the buttons.  Thanks to my wonderful Aunt, they have about 22 buttons in each of their collections now.  She sent them a bag of assorted buttons and were thrilled to receive them.

French Toast Casserole Taste Testing in Progress

With the blessing of so many eggs from our chickens, we are test tasting several French Toast Casseroles.  I have recipes for many egg dishes, but not for this type of casserole.  Many of the recipes require 4 to 12 eggs to make.  We are thrilled to give these a try.  We have 2 from the Internet that are being baked this weekend.  The trouble I am having, is finding a very healthy recipe.  Many require cream and butter.  Without other farm animals, I would have to buy these items.  I'm seeing more benefits of adding goats, cows, pigs, and other animals.

Gold Mine Find ~ Goodwill

I visited a nearby Goodwill in search for old buttons for my daughters, however I wound up finding a wonderful deal on fabric! Each piece, which is about 3 yards or more were priced $.75 or $1.50 each. I absolutely love the first one on the left in the photo (with roses). I plan to sew curtains for my short bedroom bookshelves. I also found an old canning jar with a lid. I may repurpose it into a soap dispenser! The canning jar was only $.75.

Young Cultivators ~ Farmgirl Sisterhood

My 8 year old daughter is so excited about working on her "Young Cultivator" certificates (Farmgirl Sisterhood), that she cut photos from old magazines and decoupaged them to a notebook to journal her progress. One of her sisters helped with the decoupage.

Project and Repurposing Fabric

I am re-purposing furniture fabric samples into a yo-yo fabric project.  Here a  few circles cut from the fabric samples.  They are all made with different materials, but easy to use.  I simply tore the cardboard cover from the sampler and pulled each piece of fabric free.  I found the samples at a SCRAP store in Michigan (that is now closed).  I have about 1 1/2 hours into the project so far.

More spring cleaning and clearing out

If you are following my progress in cleaning house, I have discovered at one point in my life, that I had been binder crazy.  I cleaned out my 7th binder of papers today.  Most of them were from my Travel Agent studies from long ago.  In fact, I had held onto them for more than 18 years.  I must have thought that I should keep them in case I would go back to that kind of work. 

I have filled a 18-gallon tote with papers to burn.  It's amazing how much "stuff" is around here that can go.  I gave my husband a job last night and, it too, involved paper.  And a bunch of magazines.  We should have a big bonfire to celebrate getting all of the cleaning done too.

I just washed up 2 more rugs for storage (next winter), and did some more deep cleaning on some shelves.  It feels so much better to walk into our bedroom now.  I'm not finished, but with one area at a time, it will be soon. 

It's a good thing that the weather is too chilly to be working in the yard today.  I am finding little areas that I can spot clean and toss items from.  I emptied another 18-gallon tote from the garage, and cleaned two more book shelves.  I donated 4 more items to the library also.  I also gave some items away free.  Phew! 

Rain, rain and rain

Just before the rain arrived, I was able to put about 3 bags of mulch in my rose bed.  It's been raining since then and is still raining this morning.  I keep thinking how easy it will be to weed the flower beds after it stops.

My husband bought me this sign last fall in clearance.  I think we got it at a Cracker Barrel store.  I had it hanging in the house until after winter and finally have it hanging by my front door.

Wild Spearmint ~ What a Blessing!

I found wild spearmint growing along a ditch bank on the property. I'm very excited because I have not had spearmint in my herb garden for many years. It tends to take over everything, so now I can make tea again. This means I need to make another herb drying rack. Foraging is so fun!

Wild Growing Catnip

I located some wild growing catnip on the property. It was growing along the side of one of the barns. I brought some in to wash and dry, but Jasper and Tiger had located it and took off with it. It looks almost like spearmint.

Taking a Mud Bath

From what my daughter has told me, the chickens dig a hole and take a "mud bath."  They actually fight over this spot.  I'll have to do more research on this.

Birds, Deer and More Spring Cleaning updates

I saw a deer today about noon, walking around the woods beyond the field out front.  Last night my husband and one of the girls saw 3 deer walking into our property from the back woods.  They were all female.  Today I saw small birds coming from the largest barn. It looked liked a finch but I was too far away to see for sure.  Speaking of birds,  I sure hope to we get to see our summer hummingbird again.

There is still a chill in the air, but it's perfect for weeding flower beds.  I got yelled at last night for having "too much" green onion.  I am trying to locate a food pantry to donate some too, but not many have refrigerators.  It sells pretty cheap in the stores this week (2 for $1.00) so not many people mess with growing it.  Either way, I pulled a bunch to cook with this week.  We've added it to eggs, potatoes, potato salad, and even mixed it with cooked black beans and cheese for a dip.  I was lucky to have cooked up a batch of dry beans and had them all ready in the freezer.  I will have a bean baking and freezing day soon.


Today's spring cleaning updates:
-washing 3 bed quilts
-scrubbing out a few kitchen cupboards and decluttering and organizing them

Sunday Gardening

I am trying to instill Sunday as a "rest" day around this homestead, but my husband is going nuts with my flower beds.  Since we already had the natural rocks from the property, and the dirt from last year that was brought in, we expanded my herb garden.  Now there is room to plant flowers in front of the herbs.  We already have seeds started for planting next month.  Around here we cannot plant until about Mother's Day.

After that was finished I had a sinus headache that needed tending.  I still have not purchased my masks, but plan to on the next trip into town.  I cooled my forehead with a wash cloth and recovered.

I relaxed by finishing a book, Tall Cedars Homestead by Carrie Bender, and I can't wait to read the next book in the series.  It's fiction, but sounds so realistic.  It's about an Amish couple who just married, and are renting a cabin in Montana.  The book is written in journal form, but I loved reading every bit of it.  I may have to write a review for this series.

Spring Clean ~ Bathroom First Aid Drawer

This is the bathroom first aid drawer.  Very messy and band-aids are always everywhere.  Nothing stays in a box.  I dumped everything onto the floor and washed out the drawer. Here is the "after" picture.

Band-aids are sorted by size and all of the tubes of medications are in one container.  Phew!  One more thing cleaned, decluttered and organized.

We found another 31 new spiral notebooks and several packages of loose notebook paper.  I'm not even done decluttering the clothes and a few other shelves in my closet.  It's about the size of a mini-bedroom with poor shelving in it.  Anyway, I must start writing by hand with all of these notebooks around here.

I also found several handmade Christmas cards that got buried in a box.  They are now where I can view them and use them for next seasons gift giving.

Spring Clean ~ More Stuff!

I just found 11 more pairs of unfinished flip flops (groan).  I guess I will add "decorated flip flops" to my "Mom's Boredom Buster Projects" list on the desktop.  It will be a way to use up my extra fabric I have also located.

I also had a basket that held misc. baskets for gift giving.  One basket I had purchased from a SCRAP store, before the move, must have been wet on the bottom from a plant.  As I went through each basket, this particular one had a layer of mildew on it!  Gross!  Just one more reminder that cleaning is always a good thing.

Now that I know where my flour sack towels and hankies are, I must add that craft project to my "boredom" list also.  They are hope chest projects, which are all stowed into one tote and labeled for each child. 

Spring Clean ~ More Stuff!

Over the days of decluttering, organizing and cleaning, I have found 25 new spiral notebooks in the utility room storage area, found 4 more in my bedroom closet along with 16 new writing tablets, and I believe I will find more.  Any writer will find this hilarious.  I guess I'm not doing enough writing by hand.

I believe the kids will be set for those school supplies for next year anyway. Ha ha ha!

I washed 2 more floor rugs also. 

Spring Clean - Bedroom closet/craft storage room

AAACK!  Hidden behind items on a shelf,

Rain, Gardening and a Spring Clean Update

The rain is coming down in light short spurts and are just long enough to get the top of the gardens soft, but not enough to get the weed's roots out easily.  As soon as it stops raining I get out my tools and start to dig, and about 5 minutes later it starts to rain again.  However, I have been successful in transplanting extra green onion.  It is growing so fast this spring I need give some away and spread it out.  I love the smell of it when I'm gardening too.

I came across this herb gardening newsletter.  I'm not sure if I will learn anything more, but here is the Web site in case you want to start a home grown herb garden, Herb Gardening

Spring Clean Update:
-Utility room is finished (took an entire day including washing rugs).
-Washed 2 door curtains
-Cleaned 2 more areas of carpet
-Started another van load of items for Goodwill or where ever
-Cleaned off the tops, and organized, night stands (my husband's too).
-Washed up old ripped blankets and rugs, stored in totes for the barn cats next winter (and labeled it)
-Emptied another tote of crafts, condensed them etc.
-Sorted all my extra (and there were a bunch) handmade Christmas ornaments and labeled boxes for each kid for their hope chests.
-Donated jewelry displays, for craft sales, to a dear friend.

-Gave my Mom the last pair of flip flops I had made.


I should have started earlier in the year with my spring cleaning.  With gardening and flower beds to start working in, I have to choose between cleaning inside or out most days.

Planting Potatoes ~ First Day in the Garden

My husband and I both have blisters to show how hard we worked.  I forgot, over the long winter, how much work is involved.  In the end, it's all worth it, but I was not prepared.

Pollen is high and I have a major sinus headache, my body aches in places I didn't think was possible and I feel like I need a nap already.

I took frequent breaks to enjoy some iced tea, but still felt I have aged over the winter.  I better get more weight off or I won't survive the heat this summer either.

During one of my trips to the kitchen, our 16 year-old daughter opened the fridge and was standing there.  They do this often, as if something will jump out at them and say "eat me."  I was just about to yell "don't stand there with the door open" our cat Tiger jumped into the fridge and nosed around a shelf.  HA HA!  He better be careful because she could have looked away while shutting the door and shut him in there.

"Noterization"

I had to laugh this morning at our 8 year-old.  She was walking around the kitchen saying "noterization" over and over.  I had told her she would get "notered" about once a week to avoid getting herself too plump.  So today she said she just wanted "notered" in her lunch.  She loves to read the notes I write her and she even writes me notes too. 

Just the other day she wrote me a note telling me to "rest" and that she would do the cleaning when she got home. Ha ha ha!  So I did!  I lounged in the lawn chair and read a book outside.  I wrote.  I made iced tea and enjoyed myself.  However, the cleaning never did get done that day.

Maybe it takes a kid to say something like that to keep the guilt from zapping me.  I still have the other kids asking for to be "notered" too.  It's a good thing I am cleaning and really decluttering because I found a plastic container with a lot of writing paper, cards, and envelopes.  I am all stocked up for the rest of the school year.

Spring Cleaning Update for Those Needing the Inspiration

Of course, in our home, Spring Cleaning brings drama.  Who wants to clean anyway?  Not my kids.

Today, my goal is to locate a pharmacy who participates in proper disposal of unused or expired prescriptions and vitamins.   With all the allergies in our house you'd think there wouldn't be anything leftover to dispose of.  However, I filled a paper bag with items that need to leave this house.  I've read so many ideas on the Internet on how to "properly" dispose of them, but the all mention to contact your pharmacy first.  I wonder how they really dispose of them anyway.  Either way, its more things out of our home that is not needed.

Next on the list, is crocheting a few more cat bed blankets of the Humane Society.  I found 2 skeins of yarn that would make nice blankets.  My husband would love to know that the yarn is leaving the bedroom closet.

Also, in my closet are craft sale items that never made it to the sale.  So far, I have been able to donate many items, but still have decoupaged flower vases made from recycled glass bottles.  Maybe the kids could give them to their teachers with flowers in them.  Too bad I don't have my tulips yet.  Those would have been a nice gift for Earth Day this year.

A few pairs of decorated flip flops made a new home at the local library for small reading prizes.  A few were simply given away.  Again, leaving more space in my closet.  

Who knows what I will find next.

If you don't like mice, don't move to the country

The house mousers have had a productive day today.  Tiger caught, not one, but two mice today.  The first one we gently pulled from his mouth and tossed outside to the barn mousers.  "Queen Sheba" of the barn cats, walked nonchalantly to the door, picked the mouse up in her mouth and then walked it over to our dog's "cooling pool" - plop!  In it went.  She tortured it for several minutes.

Then after the kids got home, Tiger caught the second mouse.  When the kids tried to take the mouse it evidently was still 100% alive, and barreled down the hallway.  Now you would think that after a few years of mice and getting used to hairy spiders and slithery snakes, we would not have acted the way we did.  My throat still hurts for screaming. Yup.  We all did the one-step dance and screamed as the very tiny mouse scampered around our feet.

Sha-bam!  Tiger caught it anyway and out the door it went.  Phew!

Just a few minutes ago our 8 year-old caught her first frog this season.  And if you have read my blog, you know how I feel about frogs!  They have me on tape.  I'm waiting to see if they will attempt to bring it inside.