Water, water everywhere.... Now how did the barnyard fair?

This weekend my 3 children went to play with me up at Danny Boy's. I took them (along with CoCo) to my serenity creek and did a little more exploring , further up the creek. And look what we found!
And of course we discovered some more Craw daddies! A few of course made their way into the kids bucket so they could put them in our home aquarium...

That night, a storm rolled in. The wind was so powerful, trees were down everywhere! Many places left without lights and massive trees blocked roadways. The wind blew and blew into the night, with the rain starting hours after the wind blew in.
Luckily, our little homestead fared very well. With a few limbs here and there. The animals all survived, unscathed by the weather. The morning found them checking out the garden scraps thrown in the day before and hiding under the limb that did make its way into their pen.Chia appears to be doing well. I have not noticed any further discomfort, as the nights cool down. She may well be with us for years to come. Fernie is starting to thicken up to a more desirable weight. Still not as thick as I would like to see her, but compared to a year ago, I am content.
One of the Delawares has begun to lay an egg a day. Mrs.Frizzle and Bonnie are still co sharing the nest duties- which we should see some hatching duck eggs here soon. Wonder how my little 2 mothers will share this brood of 2.
Clyde, our Drake, seems to have become an egg eater...I noticed eggs were not "being laid" and then he would have yellow on his neck.... May have to banish him to the garden if he continues this crap. I love that silly duck but not so much to give up my eggs for his meals!
Gotta get some stuff done in the yard before dark....Small branches and leaves are everywhere.
Hmmm. Sounds like a job for Goat Patrol!
Sweetest Dreams,
~Tammie

Rosemary beauty. and beans update....

I thought I would share (and record for myself!) this great infor for Rosemary used in Beauty rituals....................

I found this great information at this site:http://www.hairboutique.com/tips/tip1093.htm

and thought I would share with those of you looking for something to do with your Rosemary other then culinary. Since I have dark hair which is begining to lose its youthful thickness, I will begin a ritual of Rosemary with my tresses.

Rosemary mixed with peppermint and then added to lip balms will gently stimulate a swelling effect and give you a nice all natural, gentle bee-sting effect. Forget lip injections, apply a stimulating lip treatment every day and gradually you will have fuller and healthier lips.

Rosemary Hair Oil Recipe~
Rosemary blends very well with others in the mint family. It is especially beneficial when mixed with basil, bergamot, juniper, lemon and cedar. Basil is a known scalp and hair follicle stimulant.
Keep in mind that any rosemary concoctions will be stimulating and refreshing. This is a very Yang herb that is uplifting, strengthening and invigorating. It increases circulation and will often make the scalp or body feel warm after it is massaged with a rosemary formula or oil.
Ingredients
Mason, Ball or other sterile class jar with air-tight lid.
1 cup of fresh rosemary leaves (optional, add a smidgen of basil and juniper fresh leaves and/or essential oils to the mix).
Jojoba oil (optional, sesame or sweet almond oil).
Directions
Fill the class jar with the rosemary. Cover the rosemary with the jojoba oil so that the rosemary is completely covered. Place the jar in your sunniest window. Let the herbs "steep" for 4 weeks or so. Turn the jar slightly every day to make sure that the sun contacts all sides of the jar. When the oil is finished steeping for 4 weeks, strain the leaves from the liquid with an all natural paper coffee filter or silk. Filter into a clean, sterilized amber or dark colored jar. Store in a cool, dark place.
Application
Pour just enough for your immediate needs into a clean glass bowl. Heat gently over a double boiler on in a microwave. Make sure the oil is warm but not too hot. Work the oil into the hair from the ears down to the ends. Use a cotton ball or your clean fingers. Apply a plastic shower cap or wrap. You may sit under a hood dryer to add heat or wrap hot towels over the plastic to help the oil soak into the cuticles more easily.

Rosemary Hair Rinse ~Simply combine 1 cup of rosemary leaves with 5 cups of water and simmer for about half an hour. Let cool, strain out the leaves, and decant the rinse into a clean bottle. Use as a final hair rinse after shampooing to control oily hair and promote a healthy shine.

Of course, all my rosemary plants have dried up, leaving me with the option of just buying more cuttings from the local Dutch market and start rootings and to buy an abundance of what they have to fill my needs until the cuttings take off.
The rain has come and will continue off and on this week. I really need to get my Cannelini's out of the garden and in to dry before they rot. The yellow indian woman beans did not do much of anything, but at least enough seed for a few rows next year.
I have a sage plant out there which is small but will still be put to use in my garden soup mixes for gifts.
Once the ground dries up and the last of the harvest is pulled, the chickens and goats will be freed into the enclosure for Fall clean up. Man! Those weeds are horrible- at least untill the girls get their chance at them....
Sweet Dreams,
~Tammie

Gun lessons and ready for the hunt...

Danny Boy will be taking me on my first hunt. We have decided to Turkey and Deer hunt in southern Ohio. I love my friendship with Tuesday's baby brother. I miss my own brothers so much, even more so from hanging out with him.
Danny boy has filled that void I feel without them around. He picks on me like they would. He lets me "tag along" on stuff (and actually asks if I want to go). He teaches me so many things and has great patience with me when I do that dumb zoned out look when I have not a clue what he is saying....
(example being him teaching me how to pull back the 9 mm...I was having such trouble getting the clip in place until he showed me "the trick"..) He also helped me pick out my first pair of hunting pants in Mossy oak, from an in store sale at Gander Mountain.
This weekend he brought out a few different guns for me to play with. I have to say, I like the 9mm.... A little harder to pin point my target in the beginning when compared to the rifles. But what a rush when you hit the target and feel that POP POP that comes with each firing.Danny boy will be building his home on shared property(family cabin on 13 acres) with his mom and the driveway will begin in the next month. I will go up on future weekends to help clear the trees and spread gravel back to the pond area. During the winter I will help get the house land area cleared out for breaking ground once thawed. Maybe he will humor me and allow my help in the building of the home, in some way. The experience would be nice for when the Captain and I start the building of our home and if my help can ease the load and help his friends get things done quicker, I feel I have contributed somewhat to quicken its completion before the following winter.
Mrs.Frizzle and Bonnie are sharing nest duties again... It appears the count is down from 6 eggs to 3 eggs.Maternal elimination maybe? Unfertile eggs disposed of somehow?
Only time will tell. Hopefully the Frizz and Bonnie can work through their parenting issues and raise the batch together.... No more mommy spats and abandoning of the young...

Need to get my cold frame built here soon for sowing of winter lettuce. Gotta dig into the potato hill and the carrot patches. I have been craving glazed carrots lately and keep thinking of those purple carrots out there, just waiting to be used. I have been so busy lately, having a new friend who actually enjoys doing stuff and does not just sit around...I have been on constant go as of late, neglecting what use to take up so much of my loner time. I almost feel guilty that I enjoy my weekends away from here and up at the cabin...almost anyway....smiling and laughing...
Winter will slow me down and my creativity will be back, along with more adventures ON our little farmstead.
Sweet dreams,
~Tammie