News

Since my last post, we've had lots of changes around here.  Goat paddock is nearly finished, and the hubby is now building a shed out there for them.  We have a new goat as well, a LaMancha/Alpine cross.  She produces a lot of milk (3/4 to 1 gallon of milk a day) but her milk tastes bitter or grassy - it also seems thin, like 2% milk.  I've been trying several different things in order to try to fix this problem - tomorrow I'll be tasting the milk again to see if any of it's made any difference. 

I came home from work around a month ago and found the house empty...called the hubby to see where he and the kids were.  They were building something of a greenhouse for me!  No floor and instead of glass, it's covered with garden netting - to keep out the pesky chickens.  We've got a decent garden going, with bell peppers, beans, tomatoes, water melons, cucumbers and onions.  All thanks to my thoughtful husband!  We've also got asparagus, strawberries, and rhubarb going in pots until we decide on their final spot.  In the next few weeks, I'm going to start a container herb garden on our back porch.  So exciting!

I am fairly certain at this point that Sweet Pea is not prego, but Sierra may be.  She's huge.  If she's pregnant, her due date is June 6th.  Guess we'll find out soon enough. 

And, I finally took a sewing class a few weeks ago.  It was a 'get to know your machine' class, which was perfect.  It was so much fun.  We didn't start any projects, so a project class will be next on my list.  Until then, I'm practicing by sewing strips of fabric together.  Tonight I'd like to try a pillow case - we'll see how it goes! 

Unmotivated

For those that work full time and homestead, I just haven't figured out how you pull it all together. I cannot seem to find the time and energy to do the things I so desperately want to do - though I guess if I wanted to do them bad enough, I'd make it happen. I feel torn in so many directions...I'm thankful for this job, but also a little down that things aren't going as planned. The job is very easy, except for the pace which is grueling. My boss is inconsistent, which can be frustrating. My co-workers are interesting and nice. I'll find out next week if they are going to put me in a permanent position. I've been filling in for someone who's been on medical leave, as a temp. We desperately need this job, especially because hubby's company lost their contract. We were lucky that he found work with a little company here in Wheatland, but he's making $8/hour less than he was. With my cut in pay, we're going to be hurting severely really soon. They told him they'll pay him what he's worth, so here's hoping for a raise really soon. The hope is that he'll make enough that I'll be able to get a job at the kids' school next year. I'm so tired of feeling like I'm not there for my husband and children.

Things have been pretty neglected around here. The goat's paddock fence stands half-finished, and the property desperately needs to be mowed. I finally got that last orange tree planted...right before another hard freeze. Poor things leaves are all curled and yellowed now. I got some of those pretty purple flowering vines transplanted to the front of the house...been meaning to do that since we first moved in. I have a rooster that's going to be meeting the inside of the oven soon, assuming I ever get my hands on him. He's terrorizing my hens whenever they aren't with Curly, our head rooster. Bertha especially has been looking ragged, with wounds on her head near her comb. Something needs to be done.

The goats are looking pretty scruffy to my eyes, but it could just be their winter coats. I was finally able to locate some Cargill Black Onyx minerals, which are being rotated with the Sweetlix goat minerals. They do not look prego, which worries me though Sweet Pea looks like she may be developing an udder. I recently had to break down and buy some chemical dewormer. Checking poop today to make sure it's working.

It has been an odd winter. Not much rain, but hard freezes nearly every night. I'm worried what this summer is going to be like if we don't get a lot of rain in the next few months. It's always hot and dry, but it may start browning up around here as early as next month. We need rain!!!