BANANAS ON THE TOP? BANANAS ON THE BOTTOM?

Many, many years ago, G'Pa and I owned a restaurant that we loved dearly. Really great 'homemade' food and 'hard-pack' - 'old-fashioned' milkshakes---Yeeeummmm, sounds good, huh? G'Pa and I never agreed on how to make an 'old-fashioned- banana shake----He says 'bananas on the bottom' in the shake machine so the customer will get that big chunk of bananas and know it's a homemade shake. I always said 'bananas on the top' so the fresh bananas would be 'whirled' all about in the shake machine and every bite would have banana 'chunks.' Bless our crew, they always knew what to do-----if G'Pa was on shift, bananas where on the BOTTOM, if I was on shift, bananas on the TOP!! That wonderful crew sooooooooo worked it out!!! These days, on our small farm, G'Pa does chores HIS WAY---I do chores MY WAY-----we do it different----end result is always the same----nobody goes hungry, everyone is fed and well satisfied! As long as you have the same goal and you make it happen-------that is what counts!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SISTER----HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAUGHTER!!!

HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!!!

Hope one and all had a great Easter Day! Pretty much a perfect day here! Easter Menu: Baked Ham; Potato & Goat Cheese Gratin; Deviled Eggs (of course, an abundance of eggs around here) Sourdough Biscuits; YES, from SCRATCH, from real SOURDOUGH; Strawberry-Jello Cake and Jello Shooters!!! What's a 'jello shooter', you ask? Wellllll--that's when you forget about your strawberry jello firming up in the fridge and it is really tooooooo late to put the bananas in---(never too late) sooooo you slice the bananas and moooosh them into the jello so they are completely covered, put the jello/banana mixture in a 'shooter' glass (cute one) add a dolop of whipping cream and it is transformed into that delicious, awsome jello-shooter!!! There is your recipe 'of the month!' The potato & goat cheese gratin-----this is a recipe that I have been making for years and BUYING goat cheese, a very expensive product---sooooooooooo I went out and bought the goats so I could make my own 'goat cheese' PERFECT---we now have the potato & goat cheese gratin frequently--may have saved many $$$$$$$ in the long run---probably NOT! But----love having my goats around! No TV--------remember? It was a cooking day with background music from the 70's and 80's - AWSOME!!! Now days, I only spend all day in the kitchen cooking on 3 holidays a year----that would be Thanksgiving, Easter and----------------------OK---2 Holidays a year!!! Really enjoyed the cooking, music listening day---Perfect Easter Day!!! Hope you all had a perfect day, too!!! (fixed pig fence this morning, think maybe FeeBee won't be out strolling ahead of me!!!

THE MULEFOOT STROLL!!!

Before that first, crucial, all-important cup of coffee, before it was even barely light--- outside my kitchen window I caught a visual of something really BIG, really BLACK strolling through an area that this really Big, really Black thing should NOT have been strolling through!!! OMG!!!!---the hogs are out of their designated area, in a NON-designated area!!! Hard for me to move very fast before that first cupper---but by golly, I did!! Had to see what the damage was and whom all was out strolling! FeeBee---she is such a trouble maker, first one out,but the other two followed! Ran for the orange pig bucket trying to trick them into following me back to their area-----HAAA HAAA HAAA!! They seemed as if they where only 'exploring' and beings these kids are creatures of habit, thought I would let them munch on the pasture this side and they would eventually stroll on back to their Hog Heaven for their daily pig snooze. They had to explore EVERYTHING--now--- we are talking about a total of 1400 lbs. of 'pork on hoof' total and that may be on the lite side! It was when FeeBee (trouble maker) decided she wanted to root up an area inside the silkie's pen, like she thought maybe she was digging for truffles, and silkies where carrying on, cackeling like crazy that I decided enough was enough!!! Grabbed a rake that she had knocked down, put it horizontally across her backside and litaerally PUSHED her back to her pen!!! Huntley followed, (thank Heaven) and Faith was already close to the area (than Heaven). This was approx. a 4 hr. ordeal! Did manage, during that time, to finish the other chores, gather and sell some farm fresh duck eggs in the amount of $14.00. Coffee and shower around noon. Let's see-------------- $14.00 for 4 hrs. of real physical (and mental) work equals approx. $3.50 per hr. Wonder how long it will take to earn enough $$$$$$$ to repair the Mulefoot's Fence???

BLACKOUT--UNPLUGGED--POTENTIAL WITHDRAWLS!!!

Note, the black screen---there are 3 TV's in this home that are in total 'blackout' this evening and will be until September 15, YIKES!!! Something we have talked about for many years - have the cable disconnected during the spring and summer because we are NEVER in the house to watch anything on TV and everything is usually a RERUN-and are usually outside doing 'outside' things-------Decided to take the plung this year as a test run! Here we are INSIDE looking at 3 BLACK TV screens that have been unplugged and disconnected because the wind is blowing hard, it's gonna freeze and is just sooooo 'not' an outside evening!!! G'pa is watching Star Trek on the laptop, I have radio on and doing this blog! We shall carry on and seek entertainment! I have never, ever in my life, since TV was invented, been 'without'. G'pa spent a year 'without' and read a bunch of books. This was in the day before internet, MP3 players, audio books, etc. etc. He really did go 'cold turkey'! Speaking of cold turkey---better go lock in the 'cold feathered friends' and see (HEAR) what's on the radio!!!

'P' DAY!!!

Actually had to break down and BUY some peas, (on sale, of course) cause the peas from last years garden are GONE! Planted peas today. Lotsa peas---still have some seeds left so will plant the rest of them. LOVE PEAS!!! Especially when they come right out of the garden!!! Cleaned up garden area, did some roto-tilling, major weeding, some mowing, goats got out and about-------Sounds like it was another PERFECT SPRING DAY!!! That it was---but won't last for long, going back into freezing mode, but sure have enjoyed these 2 days. Need to have a huge garden this year as the freezers are getting M.T.! Pleez pass the PEAS!!!

OK!!! OK!!! PERFECT SPRING DAY!!!

Truly was THE perfect Spring Day!!! The SUN did shine (for a while). Got up to 70 degrees. Plants got moved out into the greenhouse and will remain there OVERNIGHT------UNCOVERED!!! How brave am I??? Supposed to only get down to 47, am thinking that 15 degrees above freezing should be pretty safe. Pleez Pleez Pleez don't freeze! G'Pa tilled up a garden spot for peas, hopefully, they will go in the ground tomorrow! OH---back to the perfect Spring Day---- Sun was out, then the cloud cover, then it really did do a Spring rain this evening, but everything is looking lush green and got a bit of moisture! BBQued hot dogs and had potato(e) salad---------NOW---------that is a sure sign of SPRING!!!

IT'S A 'FAMILY AFFAIR'!!!!!!!!!!!

Our little Partridge Silkie 'Companion Setter' came out with 3 cute, little silkie chix. yesterday! She had them 'out and about' immediately. Personally-----I think she was just showing them off!! Something really cool about Silkie Chickens---they are all protective, even the roosters---truly is a 'family affair!' Tried to post last night, but computer was uncooperative. Just got through raining really really hard. The sun was out yesterday and was a beautiful sunny day! (see the beautiful shadows?) Not today----plants got to spend last night in 'butt ugly' greenhouse, but am going to go retrieve them now cause it's gonna freeze tonite!!!

THE MASTERS!

Congratulations to Charl Schwartzel of South Africa, on winning the green jacket! I truly believe that was the most exciting Masters I have ever watched, and I have seen lots of them! Took advantage of the 'sore back'---had a heating pad, some pain killers and a few beers and watched most of The Masters, enjoyed every minute of it! Hmmmmmmmmmm, may have to hack back lavender next year just prior to The Masters!!!

COMPANION SETTING!!!

We gardeners have certainly heard of 'companion planting'---but---seems as if these moderen chix. are into 'companion setting!' In the days of yesteryear when a hen was setting on her eggs, NOONE, person or feathered friends could get anywhere near her, cause she had important things to do like hatching out her eggs and you DID NOT INTERFERE!!! Well----these new MODERN hens prefer to have a companion during their setting time. We have tried to discourage it, but they always seem to work it out and we have chose to let the hens do what they want to do! Am sure they know what they are doing and it always works out after the hatch, they even share baby chix! Always amazing!!! Anyway, White Silkie Girl and Partridge Silkie Girl have decided to 'Companion Set'. Guess if they had cell phones they could keep in touch that way!!! THEY should be hatching shortly, last count was 7 eggs under them! Am anxiously waiting for those little 'peeping' sounds!!! Gma has a very sore back today----over did it when hacking back the lavender plants that should have been hacked back last fall. (muscles would have been better condition back them)! OUCH! I am going to do what I have to do, then grab a heating pad and sit back and watch the Masters. Maybe I will grab Gpa and we will do some 'Companion Setting' while watching the Masters!!! Come on Freddy Couples!!!

MEET STEVIE------MY BABY MUSCOVY HEN!

Stevie, Stevie, Stevie----She is my youngest Muscovy Duck Hen! Hatched out by Cocoa, Muscovy Hen, who also hatched out the baby geese last year, cause Claire (goose) layed her goose eggs and left the nest. Put her goose eggs and the one duck egg under Cocoa and she finished the job! Stevie is so so so personable, kinda lives in a world of her own, not quite 'part of the group' but has personality PLUS!!! She is in her own little world, does her 'duck walk' with an ATTITUDE and I just love her to pieces!!! Hopefully, she is not planning on moving into that little house she is perched on, cause then we will have to have a 'heart to heart' talk and I will just have to tell her she ain't going to have room for furnishings!!!

Did the 'R' word AGAIN today----did not just Rain but it also hailed, or ---- as I refer to it--------it HELLED!!! Had a wonderful phone conversation with Baby Sister last evening! Always come away from those chats with a 'smile on my face.' THEN---had a surprise call from a Grandson, telling me about his day of branding (calves) and how much he enjoyed it! Not a lot of branding going on now days, will soon be one of those 'things of the past' but thank you to those of you that still brand and invite the young to observe the wonderful way things where done 'yesteryear' and thank you for serving up the Rocky Mountain Oysters!!! That experience is a Memory that will never be forgotten!!! Thank you for including my grandsons!!!

TODAY I PLANTED MY LATTICE GARDEN!!!

And-------how much lattice did I plant??? you ask! Several different varieties, along with some spinach, some chard, salad onions, some lattices and radishes! 74 degrees today!! Could not help but be outside this wonderful sunny day! Did I say 'sunny?' YES!!! The sun was out!!! ALL DAY! It was soooooooooo pleasant--feel as though I may have awakened some 'unused' muscles. OH WAIT----Actually----it's even hard to type cause of the 'gripping and ripping' the unwanted grasses and weeds in the two raised beds that I worked on, my hands are screaming PAIN! Well worth it!!! Can't wait to have a bbqued chicken, ribs, steak with those wonderful greens from the Lattice Garden!!! Yummm! Soooooooooo- you may ask why I call this my 'Lattice Garden?' With 4 cats, and another cat that has 'dropped in at meal time' I prefer not to call this the 'Litter Box Garden!!!'