Some rain and busy times!

We finally got almost an inch of rain last week (Thursday night I think).  You can see the dust/dirt in the rain gauge mixed with the water.  The "green" that is on the right side in the rain gauge photo is of the pasture, where water has overflowed or gotten watered by a hose--I lay it on the ground and walk back to turn the water off.  It's the greenest part of the pasture!  Today we got a Blessed 1/2 an inch more of rain as well. 

As you can see in the second Rainbow photo (Double Rainbow) that is a pasture on the other side of 'town' in the foreground.  It is brown, not green!  The fellow has some steers on it, they have ate it down (overgrazed).  I noticed no hay there at all.  Yes, the steers look poorly! 

 My pasture for the second time this summer goes "crunch-crunch-crunch" when I walk across it. :(  The cows have been making a mess of the hay, but it is also very dry.  Extra dry hay is better than NO hay, so I'm not complaining (much)! ha  Hay prices are all over the place, as the rains that do come are spotty.  The non-irrigated field crops look withered and dry.  I've seen corn and beans turning yellow/brown already.  The rains may have come a little too late for some. :'(

Patrick and I have been busy canning with produce from the garden.  Tomatoes, salsa, mustard zucchini relish, spaghetti sauce, dill pickles....I think that's all we've gotten done so far!  I've lost count of how many jars we've done.  We have our work cut out for us, that's for sure! ;) 

I will hate to see the water bill when it comes this month, but it's worth it to keep the garden going and the livestock watered.  (I'm guessing they are drinking 50 gallons a day in the hot weather!)  I'm NOT watering my lawn, that seems like a waste of water to me.  I can't eat it, (nor the cows) so I just let it be.  I did have to water the comfrey, blackberries and raspberries, they were getting droopy.  All of the fruit trees have gotten watered as well. 

We have no apples or cherries this year, but lots of peaches on two trees.  They are turning already, and we have ate some.  They are smaller than usual this year!  The pear tree has less than a dozen pears on it, but it's the first year to produce fruit.  So we aren't complaining!

Haven't heard from Jared for a few days, but he said it's getting colder at night there.  I got an email of where they will come in (at Ft. Bragg), but NO date!  Argh!!  Kind of hard to make plans when I have a place to be but not a time-frame!!

  Kyle has been busy working (again) and having fun.  He is working on getting into the National Guard now. 

 I was given some more sweet corn, so think I will dehydrate it.  I don't want to pressure can it and am trying not to put too much in the freezer for long-term.  I may vacuum-seal a few as a treat for Jared when he gets back.  Other than keeping up with the watering and canning etc., things are pretty much the same-o same-o around here.



Slow Blogging, Busy Times!

I'm enjoying the flowers that have been blooming here--and what produce we've been getting (slowly) out of the garden/beds.  The garden may be weedy, but it's producing!

Ummmm strawberries (thanks Stacy for the plants!) and zucchini, cucumbers and some okra and cherry/yellow/Roma tomatoes and even a peach already!

We also scored a deal a couple of weeks ago on a hog from a local farmer--I was apprehensive about the taste.  Amazingly it's awesome!  BLT's with fresh tomatoes.....good stuff!!

We've heard from Jared via FB--hopefully he'll get one of the two "care packages" soon with items he's requested.  (And a few extra goodies as well!)  Keep him in your prayers please!
Kyle got another drum set--I haven't heard it....yet! HA  He's been working quite a bit lately, I don't see him much. 

For our Anniversary, Patrick and I went to Red Lobster Saturday and then later went to Dairy Queen for dessert.  We delivered a DQ treat to his Dad as well (I think that became his "supper" since Mom was gone.) giggle

Finally the heatwave has broke for now, and we got .20 of rain yesterday.  Not much, but better than nothing!

I also turned the electric fence back on, seems the youngsters have gotten lax about it.  I was having to fix posts.....this morning doubtful I have to do that! ;)  And Nessa has a date with the bull later this week--she just doesn't know it yet!

I got Walter's cage/pen cleaned out (the rabbit that's a she!), and put it in the compost pile.  I have horse manure (free) lined up, just have to go get it!

The news keeps harping about "higher prices coming in the grocery stores" soon.  The more a person can grow/preserve the better.  A little labor goes a long way at (some) food security.  I like to walk by the meat counter and get sticker shock at what some of the prices are.....

I just had a lady ask me last night about buying tomatoes....she gasped when she heard I had a milk cow too, and called me a 'mother earth' type.  (Ha, that's not what *I* call it!)  She stated that her idea of milk products is the dairy section at the local store.

What are people going to do if/when it's not there??  People hear this all the time, but are very complacent to the point of spoiled. 
I know I can "preach to the choir" all day long.  We work very hard here at putting much of our food by.....I'm grateful and thankful that Patrick helps in that task!!

I know all too well that what happened recently back east with the storms and power outages could very well happen here--winter or summer.  The short version is: I'm not a food bank nor food stamps.
And this leads me into my next paragraph.....

Now onto a rant......  :)
I ran across this today and thought hmmmmm; sums things up pretty good!
"It's amazing how some people are "victims" of their own bad choices (over and over) and manage to convince themselves that it isn't their fault."
Weekly I run into people "looking" for jobs and/or trying to create their own--that's all and good.  But at what sacrifice to the rest of the family? 
It seems many have no desire to get a "normal" job (even if it's temporary) and support themselves and their family. (Is it too much work?  A serious question I don't have the answer to!)  It's easier to have the public assistance as their safety cushion.
 
I can not understand WHY anyone invites this into their mind as a way of life.  I don't mind the helping hand up and out of a bad situation (been there, done that), but as a lifestyle?!!  Bah humbug.  I shall shush up for now.......