Government "shut down" last night...

Mainstream media is all excited over the government "shut down" last night. Have you noticed any changes in your neck of the woods? I think they could stay shut down for a couple of years before anyone in our parts would even notice, but I think that's a good thing! It means that the majority of people in my immediate community are pretty self-sufficient and don't need or want the government involved in their day to day lives. If only it was that way everywhere!

There is just something about an old dog that emits "wisdom." We've been blessed over the years to have some mighty fine friends, protectors, guardians of the kingdom and livestock, and most of all, "best friends" to our kids.

Our "BIRTHDAY" month

Our family seems to prefer to "bunch" the birthdays. Beginning the last day of August, we celebrate a daughter's birthday, a week later a son's birthday, a week later MY birthday, and another week later is another son's birthday. That's cake every week for a month!

Harvest season canning

I have been busy canning the past couple of days. A lot of work, but worth the effort!  I "cold packed" them this year. It's much faster, in my opinion, than blanching first. The beans were pretty clean to begin with, so I didn't feel a need to blanch, as I usually do. I just gave them a good washing.

We have a young pear tree, so I was able to can a few of our pears. One of our generous neighbors gave us some of their excess pears as well, and I canned some and made pear butter. The whole family approved of the pear butter. I didn't follow a recipe, I just added some splenda  (so dh can eat it) and some cinnamon and a bit of cloves until it tasted right. Good stuff! Especially on a hot biscuit!

One of darling daughter's hedgies

Ok, the latest "arrivals" on the homestead are 2 hedgehogs that my darling daughter just had to have for her birthday. Then a few days later, we pick up a puppy in the road that seems to have been "put out." Today, darling daughter goes to a church thing with a friend, and wins the "catch a greased piggy" contest there, and the prize? A chicken...

Darling daughter is an "animal magnet," who would rather be outside, than in. She's probably also, the only person I know who can go through 3 fantastic shopping malls all in one day and come home with NOTHING. Not one thing did she buy. She had plenty of money to "shop" but said she really didn't see anything she wanted. Incredible...wish I was more like that!

Hi and welcome to my blog!

The path to "home"
 

Mountain Laurel in bloom in our woods
 

Homemade bread anyone?

Future herd "sire" & our 8 yr old Saanan doe

Future "Dairy Queen" of the homestead