Lessons From a Cow/Firewood Trunk

 Lesson taught to me by a cow:  If you establish a routine in your life, others can help you.  I started milking every day at the same time, putting out the same alfalfa for my cow, and she started joining me every day.  When I started this, I was having to get a halter on her and pull her to the barn so I could put her in the milking stanchion.  Now I just sing the same song, go out at the same time, and no halter is required.  Since I have been using my electric milker, the milking is done in minutes.  Love it!  I am getting between a quart and a half and a half gallon daily.  I could get more, but I am not separating the calf from her mom.  Since there is only two of us, I am not sure yet how much milk is required to keep us in milk, butter, cheese, sour cream and ice cream.  I have made my first batch of mozzarella cheese.  Yay!

If you have a wood stove, you will want some logs inside the house to keep the fire going.  At first, I painted our furniture dolly to match the wood stove and was storing it on that.  My husband became unhappy with how much bark and debris that method dropped on the floor, so he started putting it in a big plastic tub.  I was not happy with how that looked and began looking for a solution to both our needs.  I tried to find an art deco firewood solution, and did not have much luck.  I ended up buying a vintage trunk, adding some chrome wheels, and highlighting the embossed pattern with some silver paint to flow better with my other decor.  We both like the way it turned out and it gives me a way to hide the other fire supplies as well.

Since today is a new day, I want you to know that my blog just switched back to Blogger, an easier to use format for a non-technical person like me who could really care less about whether any money is made on this blog.  If I can only help one person through my successes or failures, then I am good.  When the technical aspects of anything seem to take out the joy, it is time to rollback.

So many things have been going on.  Our cow had a calf!  This is the the first calf birth here on our farm! The calf is a jersey/angus cross and came out so dark brown we named her Fudge.   This is what I had been waiting for to start trying to milk our cow.  So it begins...Thanks again Wolf Moon Farm!  (Their bull helped make this calf).

Whenever you start on a new adventure it really helps to have a friend/neighbor/mentor who can help you.  My neighbor, Becky, was a God send in this department.  Becky came over and showed me some techniques that I am so grateful for.  Thanks so much Becky!  Having someone around who is so good with animals and a pro at what you are trying to do is amazing.  I am such a visual person, and it is so good to have someone who can answer questions.  And yes, I decided to buy an electric milking machine that I found at a low enough cost.  It is rechargeable so I don't have to have electricity in the barn.  Here is an Amazon link that I may get payment from as an asoociate, but should not add to your costs:

   

The asparagus is in!  It is so nice to have something come up on it's own.  We have been stuffing ourselves with asparagus quiche, asparagus soup, asparagus with lemon sauce, raw asparagus to munch on in the yard, stir fries with asparagus, asparagus with scrambled eggs, and have put some in the freezer as well.

The garden was planted.  Only this year we had a couple of late frosts.  We had to replant some tomatoes and peppers despite our best efforts with pots on plants and the sprinkler.  Sadly, the berries were already on the blueberry bush and I watched the small berries turn blue prematurely and die.  I hope this is one of those years when a weird thing  happens and it blooms again. . .Fingers crossed on all the fruit trees.

The strawberries and blackberries are in bloom and should be bringing us fruit shortly.  Life is still continuing on this little farm of ours.  Life is good. . .

Today is a New Day!

 

Yesterday I had a conversation with a friend.  During this conversation my friend said she basically was so concerned about the world, she didn't even think it could be the right time to invite a new puppy into her world.  She woke me up, and I heard myself saying, "Bullshit!"  She said, "What?"  I said, "Look.  I remember just before I got married (about 40 years ago) and I thought the world was in such a bad place that I didn't want to have children.  Then something happened and I changed my mind and had them anyway.  I am so thankful.  Then my children started having children.  I am so thankful every day."  Even if it looks like the world is doing weird things, the only part of the world I have ever had a chance to make a difference in, is the part I am standing in.  Today is a new day.  This made my friend think of a story of a child that was kidnapped and was with an evil person and the evil one said, "Aren't you afraid?" and she said, "No.  Because I remember whose I am."  I believe that history shows that God and this world can make it's own adjustments.  Despite some people thinking because they have more money than they know what to do with that they can be a better expert in all things than God (give me a break - re-inventing meat and the brightness of the sun?), I know that I should only effect my own life and let it radiate out from there.  Join me!  Let today be a new day.  Do positive things in your small part of the world and let it radiate on its own.  Live life again.  I will leave you with my favorite rendition of Rise Up by Jordan Rabjohn and his mom, Katherine Hallam.