Ohio at Dusk

Happy Easter!

Wassup?

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New Project!!

I'm doing a cook book cook-a-long. Check it out! http://fromamonasterykitchencookalong.blogspot.com/

Tasty Tuesday

That's banana bread with chocolate chips and topped with toasted coconut.



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Progress

Barn painted and fence raised!



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The Pinewood Derby

We started with a plain block of pine, which after much frustration, sanding, painting, weighing, and gluing, became:


Then, the weigh in. Exactly 5 ounces!! Phew! A few cars had to be sanded down or have items removed to participate.


The 40ft track.


Each scout brings up his own car, ready to race.


Ready...


Aim... Fire! He won two out of four heats he participated in. This brought him to the last round before competing for third place. Not bad for his first car!


Little man says, "mama my teeth hurt. Is it lunch time yet? Molars suck."

Or really: "waaaaaa no! No no no ehh no wahhhhhhhh!"


While we ate awards were selected and laid out with the winning car. Notice a familiar one with that huge trophy up front? (I have no idea who that little boy is. He wouldn't get out of the shot.)


Presenation time! Best of Show!!! (Or- our car didn't have any pieces fall off of it due to quality construction. Yeah!)


Proud day for my big boy.


The troop and flag:


This was the first annual pinewood derby for our den. Good job boys!!
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Menu

Trying something new this week. I'm planning my menu really specifically, for one week only, and largely around the crockpot to fit our insane schedule.

Tonight:

Meatball sliders and tossed salad.

Friday:

Four Grain Hot cereal

Lunch out

Sweet potato chili

Saturday

Four Grain Hot Cereal

Lunch- provided at pinewood derby

Loaded Bratwurst Stew

Sunday

Cereal

Leftovers

Indian Spiced Chicken Thighs

Monday

Cereal

Coconut chicken and couscous

Buffalo chicken drumsticks

Tuesday

Cereal

Artichoke Strata with Chevre and sundried tomatos (potluck)

Buffalo Chicken Pizza and salad

Wednesday

Cereal

Meatball Sliders

Corned Beef and Cabbage

Thursday

Cereal

All the good leftovers

Snacks include chips, salsa, apples, raisins, carrot sticks

Wordless Wednesday: it's spring!

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New ewe has arrived!!

And boy is she ever gorgeous! Much smoother delivery than the last time we had sheep here. While it was cold, there was no precipitation, and they got up the drive way no problems. Her belly is HUGE so I'm hoping there's at least a couple lambies in there!! The other sheep introduced themselves with a light headbutt, and Nibbler even tried to mount her! (Which was greeted with a swift kick...) She is a little skittish of me today, but I got her to come close to me as long as I was on the other side of the fence today. I think she was more interested in the hay than she was nervous of me tho. I hope she warms up since we'd like to milk her.

Enjoy a view of winter on our farm, with my little herd of icelandic sheep!

PS- what should we name her?

The chickens enjoy a chilly roost in the garden.

Dudley says, "Hi!" And meet our new girl...

This is how I make venison sausage

My husband finally bagged us a deer so I thought I would share a method for making country sausage patties.
First- sanitize your grinder. Even if you did it last time- do it again. Really.
Next take around 2lb of venison chunks (about 1-2" pieces) and run through your grinder. I like to crank slow to allow gravity to drop the meat into the screw threads.



When finished pick out any sinew and hair you may see and you should be left with this:



Add:
1 lb ground pork
2 1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp sage
1 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp brown sugar
1 tbs parsley






Blend by hand until pork fat and seasonings can be seen evenly throughout. I suggest wearing gloves as the salt can be drying.



Use a patty press (I like this one from Tupperware) to press the meat in 1/4 cup increments.



Yield: about 15 patties perfect for sandwiches or breakfast.



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Winter on the farm

The sheep are taking it easy, the chickens stand on on foot and the kids go sledding! Babyman is 2 and thus this is the first winter he has really gotten to enjoy. The older boys had winter in NH last year but we didn't get an opportunity to sled so this is a true novelty for them!











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Cyber Monday

The Internet equivalent of black Friday- I wanted to announce I'm having a sale!
Http://www.woolandwingsfiberart.etsy.com

Drastically reduced prices on yarn, hats, tarot, and coaching.


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Blogging will be slow this month

As I participate in Nanwrimo. See you in December.


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Passage of time

Halloween always makes me acutely aware of the passage of fall into winter. It's the final harvest. Despite our still relatively warm weather (we are headed to the park today!), I notice the animals both wild and farm reaching out further and further to look for those last few seeds nuts and bugs. I've had to start bringing more hay for the sheep; their pen is about all dried up for leafy greens. I clipped the last sunflower head and roasted it's amazing seeds. I pulled the last huge sweet potatoes from the earth to roast alongside squash and pork tenderloin with fresh fall apples. The leaves continue to fall. The hens go to sleep earlier and earlier and there are less eggs day to day. The rabbits coats are growing thick and wooly (mmm wooly). Holliday movies and advertising is becoming abundant.
At this time of the world slowing down to sleep, I have been speeding up and drawing on the abundance around me. I recently received a scholarship seat to a fantastic life coach certification program and I am excited for the good things this will bring. In a turn of coincidence that makes amazing sense, it is a six month program and beginning at the final harvest, I will reap what I have sown at the first harvest again.

Everything continues to go full circle, ebbing, flowing, never ceasing. I just ride the wave.


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Check out windrose fibers!

I love reading this blog and today there is a contest!
http://bit.ly/15Qvhk


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Phew

Shearing those sheep is some crazy work but the fleeces are beautiful and I am quite pleased!
I wante to share these beautiful rolags I made from a sample of Dudleys wool and Ginger's fawn angora. They are for my friend Jen in Michigan and I think she will be really pleased.


Coming soon- @vtkmitboy's thel batts!
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Last Harvest

The local bees are soaking up every tidbit they can get as fall slowly kills off the pollen supply. So what is left in bloom? My sunflower garden!









This little fella was so plumb full of pollen he just fell right off the flower!



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