Say Cheese

We have been very busy around here lately. This is why... calves. Bottle calves to be more exact. They are a lot of work, and a little heartbreaking too. Poor little orphans. We are working so hard to keep these little guys alive, but we have lost two already. I'll try to keep up to date on their progress. The brown calf, which we named Swiss, has pneumonia so we are treating him with penicillin right now. Hopefully we can pull him out of it.

Stephanie and I spent a day this week making cheese. We made homemade cottage cheese, feta cheese, and ricotta. Soon we want to make mozerella. It was a lot of work, and I haven't seen so many dirty dishes in my kitchen in a long while, but it was worth it. That night we had grilled hamburgers with homemade cottage cheese. I really enjoyed this day. It was fun to see milk turn into cheese, but the best part was spending the day with my daughter, Stephanie. She is a very special young lady, and very talented in the kitchen. Which she didn't learn from me. 

Literally cutting the cheese :-)

Stirring the cheese

Straining the cheese

My niece, Raven, is having a baby girl so I am knitting a wee little baby cardigan for her. I love this pattern called Baby Ruched.

I'm about three-fourths done with it now. I'm using Bernat Softee Baby yarn in a soft cream color so it will go with more outfits.

So lots of things going on around here... what's happening in your neck of the woods?

Remembering Dixie

Today is a very sad day for our family. Dixie, our beloved white Lab died sometime in the night. I say our because I always called her my grand-dog. She was Stephanie's family dog, and she will be very much missed. She has actually been in the family since before Gabriel was born. Here are some favorite pictures of her.

Dixie was such a good natured dog, and she loved to mother everything. It didn't matter whether it was chickens, rabbits, cats, and Buddy when he joined the family. She was very patient, as seen by this video.

The kids have done various writings about her, but this poem written by Gabriel happen's to be on the front of my fridge.

Dixie

Dixie is a dog of little brains,

Who doesn't like it when it rains.

When the wind blows her hair away,

She is having a bad hair day.

She is getting old,

And does't like to be cold.

She loves to dig holes,

And she has a lot of belly rolls.

She'd rather be dirty than clean,

We take her for walks, but she never gets lean.

But Dixie is faithful, the much is true,

Good ol' Dizzy dog, we sure do love you.

Brittney wrote a poem about her yesterday. This morning after they found Dixie dead, she wrote this at the end of the poem...

Dixie

Faithful Girlie

We'll never forget 

The joy you brought

Dizzy

Rest in peace Dixie doo, you will never be forgotten, and you will always be loved. Good-bye old girl...

Mother's Day 2014

I know, I know, I haven't written in a while. But in my defense I really have been very busy. I get so busy living, that I forget to write about it.

We have been putting in a garden, and it's sprouting up like crazy. I'll show you...

Potatoes

Brocolli

Onions

Tomatoes

This is just a few of the things we have planted.
I say we, and I did help, but Randy is really the one with the green thumb in this household. He's been a farmer since he was just a boy at home.

Randy tilling up the garden - he loves being on a tractor!
I just stand there looking silly taking pictures.

I did try to make a scarecrow. It was a hilarious sight to see. It was around Easter time and it looked like I had a crucifixion going on at the garden area.

Funny Scarecrow

I finally had mercy on him and removed him from his perch. I know that everybody driving by probably got a good laugh from him though. And I have to say, there weren't any invaders in the garden while he was standing watch!

We just celebrated Mother's Day, and we had a family dinner at the house. 

Randy's Mom

Holly

Brittney

Weston and Stephanie (and Gabriel hiding behind)

It was a good day to be with family, and celebrate the mother's.