Winnie is such a helpful baby girl. More than anything else, she wants to be intimately involved in every single thing Mommy and Daddy are doing. She starts out helping a little bit. Then a little bit more... Then finally she inserts herself right into the middle of the whole process, and "helps" even more.… Continue reading Helping
Month: January 2025
Manure: It’s kind of like Money
Pardon me for using that dirty word on a blog that is supposed to be PG. We don't usually talk about it, but it is, unfortunately, a necessary part of life, one that we all have to deal with, alas, until the Kingdom comes. I am speaking, of course, of unrighteous mammon. A.k.a. money. Manure… Continue reading Manure: It’s kind of like Money
Kraut!
We've been meaning to get to this one for weeks, ever since the first frost. We had 6 big cabbages in the garden, and Daddy wanted to make sauerkraut. Unfortunately, that was November. It is now January. One thing and another has conspire to keep us out of the garden for the last two months… Continue reading Kraut!
Duckmobile
This is a project that has been in the works for the last 6 weeks, having been interrupted by nearly everything else for most of that time. As with so many other projects, it starts with a frame built from 2x4's. I know 2x2's are lighter, and more than adequate for housing ducks, but still,… Continue reading Duckmobile
Lamb Prosciutto
With the three lamb legs we did not freeze, we are trying an experiment. Lamb prosciutto. After several hours of internet research, we settled on a method and two recipes to try. Recipe 1 120g plain salt 14g ground pepper 6g sweet paprika 6g hot paprika 12g thyme 8g rosemary 3g fennel seeds 12g brown… Continue reading Lamb Prosciutto
Butcher and Packing the Sheep
Tuesday, December 31, we cut up the sheep. This is our first attempt at butchering an animal larger than poultry, so we don't know what we are doing. We have a book. The sheep were chilled in a <40 degree shop overnight, wrapped in cheesecloth to slow water loss. First step, remove the neck. Next… Continue reading Butcher and Packing the Sheep
Slaughter day: Sheep.
Monday, Dec 30 the stars aligned. The weather was forecast to be 40 degrees during the day, and almost freezing overnight, and below 40 into Tuesday as well. Not only that but Ryan and Adam both had the day off. The time was right. The sheep must die. To recap, They were a pair of… Continue reading Slaughter day: Sheep.
Never Underestimate…
A small man trying to show up his older sister (and cousin). I gave them the task of replacing all the cinder blocks they had taken for building their transmountain railroad, back on the stack from whence they came. All the ones they hadn't broken with hammers to make them easier to work with. Ellie… Continue reading Never Underestimate…
Bale Out!
What do you do when your pirate ship springs a leak? You bale out! But then Daddy (Uncle) comes along and tells you to put the bale back in. Daddy is particular about stuff like that. Then it becomes a problem solving/strength building exercise. Which, in many ways is just as entertaining as the pirate… Continue reading Bale Out!