Orchid up my Winter

Last weekend we saw these phalaenopsis orchids for sale at our local grocery store. They were so stunning we got three to try to grow. My husband has some experience with these from his Mom's house. She grew them all around her house. She had so many different kinds. She knew each and every one and the story about them. Unfortunately, Alzheimer's has taken her knowledge and skills away. 

I never have plants in the house since we have cats. 

They eat everything but have left these orchids alone, for now.

So I am going to try and give it a go and see if I can get them to survive in our house.

This one is my favorite.

If we get our greenhouse set up I can put them in there during the warmer months.

Our Chicken Farm

Alan, my husband, found these brackets at an antique store nearby. These are not antique but are made out of iron and look neat. He had an idea where to put them, on our mailbox.

My husband installing our chicken brackets.

Matched pair of roosters.

Close up of the iron rooster.

Here is a quick shot of my tiny Bantam rooster, Little King. He is the size of a softball 

and runs around all over the farm. Hard to get a good photo of him. He is the product of a Bantam hen and the Effie line of roosters we raise. Effie is the name of my friend who gave me my first rooster.

Here is King's grandfather Effie Senior our first rooster from two summers ago. He lost a battle with a visiting white rooster last year. But his genes carry to his son, Effie Junior and now to Little King. We raise kind roosters with beautiful plumage and farm smarts. We only keep the ones who are nice to the hens and us. Our farm is a happy farm.

Stones in Life

Last Sunday we went to the local nursing home to visit our former neighbors who are in their late eighty's.  I knew upon entering his room the husband was not going to be living much longer. He was aware but not eating nor drinking. He was having breathing difficulties, but not on any machines, thankfully. I can't stand to see any living thing suffer much less a friend. The husband was choosing to stop eating on his own. His wife at his side kissed him and talked to him. We sat around his hospital bed and visited. We talked about travels we have had, farm adventures and current events. I was tearing up and needing  lots of tissues; but still participating in the visit. I realized this would be our last visit. After a few hours we said our goodbyes and the husband did respond and waved. He knew we had been there. However, the next day he was taken to the ER then he died on his own the following day. 

Life has given me some stones in this new year. I could build a wall around me with these stones. But, instead, I move the stones into a pile on the side of the road. So I don't stumble upon them again. I know they are there and I remember each one. But I clear the road ahead of me. I keep it clear for others I come upon and meet in this life. I am looking forward to to where this road takes me, stones and all.

Still Gobblin'

Our grey turkey looking for food

The cold weather has calmed down the randy jakes and all they care about is food.

Smokin' Beef

Here are photos of our Texas style cooking now in the Ozarks. 

We love smoked meats and here is how we do it.

Here is a brisket we wanted to cook in the smoker. All seasoned up and ready to smoke.

After a long time the finished product. Notice the pan is black and stayed that way.

The smoking beast uses wood charcoal and pecan shell and water with spices in the belly.

Right out of the heat and ready to eat.

Keeping Warm

Inside our chicken coop the big girls keep warm and lay eggs.

My tiny bantam hens were given to us by a friend not wanting poultry around her goat barn any longer. Yes, chickens are messy creatures and nobody wants to be pooped on while working inside a barn. We don't have a barn, just a coop so no problems there in our poop shack.These two girls are so cute. They wait to be hand fed before the rest of the flock. They are also great aunties for broody hens needing a break. These girls are the size of a softball. I understand why people like bantam chickens. I do not know how old they are, but they are still laying tiny eggs for us.

Hen Crushing

Our two gobblers have been killing our older chicken hens by mounting them to death. A 30+ pound turkey will crush an eight pound hen. I have lost two hens and have a rooster with a broken leg. You can see the turkey is on top of my hen as she tries to drink. It is time to cull at least one of the two jakes. Since turkey eat a ton in winter it is not useful to keep them around. We do not plan to breed them. The nice thing is that these giants provide enough food for an army. And my chickens can be safe in the yard again, until a fox comes by.

Cedar Me Timbers

Here is the last of our harvested cedar turned into furniture. We had the last of the wood turned into an end of the bed linen chest. It is very deep with a heavy closing lid on springs. The chest is made to have weight on top. We were able to put in all our summer and winter bedding supplies inside the chest. We freed up half a closet's worth of space. The chest was made by a local Amish family near us. I am over the moon happy with the beauty of the wood made functional for our bedroom. My husband and I love the smell of the cedar in our linens.

Open and safe for fingers.

Simple design showing off the natural cedar.

January Kids

My neighbor's Boer doe finally gave birth to a set of twins. A girl and a boy were born and look so different from their parents.

Mama goat and kids resting in the stalls. All warm and happy.

I am looking forward to seeing them run around outside with the herd.

Warm Chickens

We had a warm up out here in the Ozarks. All the snow melted and then the fog rolled in all day.

My chickens had a full day of running around the farm eating bugs.

Effie Junior is the dominant rooster of the hen house.

My Halloween colored hen that lays blue eggs.

My Americana/Game rooster struts around all day long looking for a hen to call his own.

The white rooster who I thought was a hen avoided the winter culling. It will end up in the 

spring culling as he is a big one with too much attitude for my farm.

Pond Chopping

Here is my husband last week breaking the pond ice for our ducks. Our flock used the heated chicken 

water tubs if they cannot get into the pond. This makes for messy drinking water real fast.

More ice.

Insulated boots and coveralls keep him toasty while ice chopping.

Our ducks got back into their pond shortly after this chore was done.

Good Bye Old Pots

I finally collected all my Aluminium and Nonstick coated pans and took them out of my kitchen. More room, woo hoo! Instead, I use my enamel pans and cast iron. Why? I am worried about long term use of aluminum pots and the poisons created by the Teflon. Aluminum can collect in the brain causing the symptoms of Alzheimer's. While no one in my family history has had Alzheimer, I still want to prevent it as best I can. So many people I know in their 40's and 50's are now dealing with Alzheimer's. I am not a scientist, but I do  observe things around me. And most of the healthy old timers around here, use cast iron and enamel to cook in. And they are crazy here, but out of personal choice.

I want to be one of those healthy old timers along with my husband. 

So a bit of house cleaning might make a difference to our long term health. 

Igor No More

Last night after a brief struggle with an inner ear infection, Igor had a heart attack and died. He just gotten a bath and was drying off with us on the sofa when it happened. It was over so quick and he was gone. He had lost weight over the struggle with the antibiotics and the infection. He just stopped eating. We have had him since 2005 in Texas and moved him with us to Missouri. He had a great life being a city house bunny then a farm bunny. Last night in the 20 degree temperature in the dark; my husband dug a deep hole in the frozen ground of the horse pasture to bury Igor. 

Igor was always curmudgeon bunny with a happy life in spite of himself.