Waiting for Papa ....

Every day, about time for Papa to be home from work, this is the scene at our house. This particular night Papa happened to be working over and it was getting late...

"Come eat your supper, Izzy"

But Papa will be home soon....

I'll just wait a little longer...

He shoulda been home by now....

I see headlights!!

...and now all is right in Izzy's world .

Happy D.O.T. to you all from Miss Izzy!

Plans .... Interrupted by Life

Sometimes that is the way it seems..... we just get going on a roll and then hit the wall, or at least some pot-holes in the road (if you are from Pennsylvania you know just what I mean). The humidity has been bad for my knees this summer, so my plans to re-organize my "sun-room / studio" haven't gotten as far as I'd like.

But it hasn't been all bad by a longshot. Last week we got to meet Chuck and Mary Reagan , (you can go here http://www.americafoundbestofthefreelife.com/Home_Page.php

to view their website and follow their travels) who started in eastern KY and are making their way by mule-drawn covered wagon to CA.

They had stopped in our little town to rest the animals from the heat and were given a welcome, and permission to "camp out" in a large, shaded, grassy area behind some local businesses.

We got to meet the mules, Pearle and Pauline,

and their horse, Dan, and a black Lab named Pete (no pic)

and talk with them about their travel.

This trip sure takes alot of "water-barrels" .....

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Other than that, my sister came from NY to visit for a few days, but had to cut that visit short as one of her friends had passed away and she needed to get back for the funeral.

Hubby just had surgery to repair his left shoulder and now I go for scopes on both knees on July 14th. We are about 3 good legs (sometimes only 2) and 3 good arms between us! That is a hoot at times.....

Our soybean fields have really taken off and are doing wonderful.


(I sure am glad we don't have to be managing cows with all our "repairs"going on.)

We are getting nice-sized blueberries from our bushes and some raspberries

.... and the hens keep laying those big wonderful eggs,

but this one wants to set constantly and she doesn't realize,
THERE IS NO ROOSTER!!

So thats whats happening down on the farm......

How's your summer going??

Sometimes I still miss...

SGCH Honey Acres ClassicKaraoke 5*M
as a 2 yo she was
~Permanent Grand Champion
~Top Ten for her breed nationally for milk and bf
~LA score of 90
~National All-American 2 yo Sable Saanen doe

20+ years of breeding and raising dairy goats, for milk, show and export..... some of the best times in my life.

I miss the days I could sit down to milk one of my goats, lean my head on their side and relax...

Company's Comin'!

First of all, I want to welcome my new followers! I hope you will find something here that will be of use to you, or maybe give you a smile. I will be getting around to your blogs and gleaning what I can from you also.


Company's comin'! Remember way back when we were kids and that announcement would make excitement run through your veins? Well, "Kissin' cousin" Connie and hubby Bud from TX will be stopping in tonight on their way home from visiting relatives in PA.


These daylilies bloomed just in time to greet them! They should be pulling in the driveway about 8 pm. It's been a few years since seeing them.


When hubby was a young boy, Connie would always stop and take him fishing with her own kids. After hubby and I were married, a visit from Connie was always something to look forward to. One year she bought me several cases of canning jars so I could put up all the garden produce we were harvesting from our huge garden. In turn we sent her home with many jars of honey produced by our own bees.

While driving truck OTR in later years, we were always welcome to stop at their home on our way through Texas. She would come pick us up from the truckstop and take us back a few days later.

Tomorrow we may go to some of the 400-mile yard sale taking place across 68/80 in Kentucky. I'll be sure to let you know any of the bargains we find... Have a great weekend!

(PS.... back to my organizing next week )

Organization .....

My goal for this week is to turn my Sun-room into an organized room for a painting studio/sitting/guestroom. (well..... maybe two weeks) It is located off my dining room and leads to the deck off of which used to be a swimming pool, which we felt no need for (they are expensive to run) The room is 10'x 21'.





When I dug out my long-neglected oil painting supplies this spring, the only place to set it up was a cardtable in the dining room, using my old wobbly easel....

Then a month ago I found THIS....
on Craig's list for half what a new one would cost!



It was very barely used... and has a drawer for paints and brushes, adjustable canvas holder, and adjustable , foldup, legs.... all with a strong handle to carry, making it compact to take for painting anywhere.

I was so blessed to be able to get it! (and it came in handy, making it possible to take my painting supplies on vacation with me to PA) But, it does take up more space than I am wanting to part with in the dining room.

So one thing leads to another, and it is a good excuse (interpreted, reason) to get this job done! The sunroom has been the "catch-all" room since we have moved here. It holds all the memorabilia (as in ribbons, trophies) from past goat shows, and honey and beeswax candle displays and awards; the remains of my candle making supplies; old milk bottles and gallon jugs to be painted and made into cute lamps; old crosscut saws, handsaws, round saws, and slate, from my sawblade painting days; an old roll-top desk, file cabinets, table and a bench; and boxes of what-not.

After it is cleared out, I am hoping (please, please??) hubby will go ahead and put another double window in the east wall, as has been the "talked-about" plan. There is room to have a daybed in there as well, (I love daybeds), for over-night guests that visit and who have a hard time going upstairs to the guest-room. What do you think?? Can I make a welcoming room out of this chaos?? Any suggestions? Do any of you have a daybed and do you like it?

Yogurt by the Gallon ... and other good food

Now that I am back home from a wonderful, refreshing vacation and seeing PA family once again; its time to get back on track with what I need to be doing as far as frugal living is concerned. I had been so homesick I had "fallen off the frugal wagon" so to speak. But that is behind me now and I am looking forward to each new day!

I stopped in the other day to pick up good wholesome, raw cow's milk from my Amish neighbor, Sarah. I had been wanting to get back to making yogurt and cheese so I purchased 2 gallons.

First on the agenda was to make some home-made yogurt.

I poured 1 gal into my 5 qt. stainless steel pot and raised the temp to 165* for 15 sec to pasturize it. (I don't try using raw milk for yogurt, as there is too much chance of failure and I need to be frugal especially after going on a spur-of-the-moment vacation ;) Then I cooled the milk in a sink of cold water to 115* and added my 1/2 cup Greek Yogurt as culture. After stirring that in, I lit my electric oven and heated it to 120*. I had a thermometer in the yogurt and one on the oven shelf. As I timed the temp drop in the oven I decided I needed to relight the oven for a few minutes every hour to keep the temp right. This worked very well, as the large amount of yogurt took a longer time to change in temperature, than it would have if I'd have put it in smaller containers. The temp range for this recipe called for 11o-118*.

It took only 4 hrs to set but I left it another hour to solidify more. I am really pleased with the result! No bitterness or sour taste at all. I will make half of it into yo-cheese and add herbs to it for a cracker spread, and use the other half for yogurt, adding a few strawberries or other fruit.

Our strawberry patch is producing quite well. Although the berries themselves aren't gigantic they have a very good, sweet flavor.

I made this Fresh Strawberry Pie for hubby soon after I got home, in appreciation for the vacation! (he stayed home and went to WORK, including many overtime hours, took care of our little dog, Izzy, fed the chickens, AND did all the RABBIT chores - He's an amazing man.... sigh)

(He likes his pie topped with a huge helping of vanilla ice cream.....)

.... and the chickens didn't even miss me, as proven by the beautiful eggs they are still laying.

Nothing says country like wonderful fresh-made yogurt, home-picked strawberries, and fresh home-grown eggs!

I had a wonderful time with my kids and Grands, but I am glad to be home again!

Pennsylvania Daughter's Place

Since I am currently on vacation in Pennsylvania where my grown children live, staying at my oldest daughter's home, I thought I would show you the highlights of her yard, flowers and herb garden.

Quaint front porch, where hostas, old tinware planters, roses and herbs line the porch.

On the east side of the house, lilacs and hostas are plentiful. Her bird feeding station near here has a huge pine tree for feeders and shelter.

In the back is this wonderful rock garden......

with Ivory White Columbine.....

Bleeding Hearts........

and full of Lily of the Valley and Forget-Me -Nots,

with a little toad house.

A sun garden above the vegetable garden, hosts many more herbs and lilies, and an old garden bench.

on the back and west more hostas and lilacs,

which were in full bloom when I arrived,

and a beautiful Japanese Maple for accent.

Those of you who have followed my blog will know that we have very much in common in the way of gardening! It always feels peaceful and homey here, which she also says when she visits our place.

Do you other 'mothers and daughters' have similar gardening interests?