LIGHTNING!!!

WOW.... We got a huge lightning hit yesterday about 4 pm. I had just come inside from bringing the cows (across the creek and through a very wet and open field) in for the night ... weird clouds and lots of lightning and thunder around when BOOM! Didn't even see the flash. Scared us all - granddaughter Brooklyn was still here. We are not sure exactly where it hit - maybe one of the wind turbine towers. Knocked the power out but Rob got it going again. Then we discovered that the phone and internet were not working. Then we discovered that one turbine was not working. Then we discovered that half of the light bulbs and one wall of outlets in the cow barn didn't work. Then we discovered the greenhouse fan didn't work. Then we discovered the almost brand-new freezer in the garage (full of pork) didn't work. This morning, Rob found the voltage to be extremely high in the house and all the barns so we are running on the generator until he figures out the problem. The phone guy was just here and when he opened up the little box outside all the wires and stuff were totally burned up - he did some repairs/replacing and at least we have phone & internet now. I'm going to have to make room in one of the house freezers for the pork and haul it down. Luckily, all the livestock, the house appliances, well pump, and my milking machine vacuum pump seem to be undamaged. And, one other really weird thing, my little battery operated pedometer, which I had in my pocket, is totally dead. MOTHER NATURE SHOWING OFF HER POWERS!

YAY FOR RURAL SCHOOLS!

In our tiny community we are fortunate to still have a public school for kindergartners through 3rd graders.  The last few years there has also been a preschool for 4 year olds.  They have one teacher and one aide and all the age groups are together for most of the day.  Enrollment varies wildly every year.  I believe there has been as many as 14 in the past and this year there are 5 (ALL GIRLS!) - counting the 3 preschoolers.  Busing is available for the school-age kids and it can be a really long bus ride - 20+ miles for some.  They do amazing things with the few kids that in larger group settings would not be possible.  4 year old granddaughter Brooklyn is absolutely loving it this year.

PRESERVING THE HARVEST

One of the most challenging things we have encountered on our journey to live a sustainable and self-sufficient life is to provide all our own food, both for us and the livestock.  Human error, Mother Nature and a vast array of other issues are sometimes unwanted adversaries.  With some successes and some failures, there is always the rush to preserve the bounty.  It ALL seems to be ready at the same time! 

Garden pea and ham soup, apple pie filling (from our OWN apple trees - a first this year!), and Rob's family recipe for crunchy dills.  Just a day's work here - much more to come.  The kitchen smells wonderful - dilly, vinegary, smoky and cinnamony all at the same time,

'ROUND HERE....

 Early morning walk - lots of forest fire smoke to the west.

Lizzy wondering what I have in my hands.

 Treat beggars - Miss Kitty & Dillon

BFF  - or at least until Dusky goes to freezer camp :)

A MUST READ!

An entertaining and so-right-on read here today:  http://thekitchensgarden.com/

VISITORS!

A week or so ago, we had two young women visitors for the afternoon, evening and early morning.  Incredible ladies - bicycling across the USA, pursuing a very worthwhile project. 

Their website/blog describes their mission and their progress.  

Here is a beginning quote:  "On this cross-country bike trip, we are exploring what it means to be active in our world. The Shifting Gears Project layers dialogue, the documentation of alternative food systems, the female perspective, and bicycle transportation as inter-related mechanisms for change towards a more just and compassionate food system."

We are mentioned on Week 7 here:   http://www.shifting--gears.com/#!week-7/c1utj

HAY!

Good hay crop this year - so nice to see after a lot of sweat, tears....and possibly even a little blood :)

A CONUNDRUM

Hmmm....one of 6 that we have seen hanging around.  Not sure where mom is - they are pretty little.  This one was enjoying a nap in the barn cat food pan before I woke him/her up then it decided it was lunchtime and proceeded to eat the cat food.  I tend to REALLY, REALLY hate racoons - they have eaten many of my chickens - ripping their heads off, killed 3 grown turkey hens and did away with, I don't know how many, baby barn kittens.  A conundrum for sure.

A DAY AT THE LAKE

We spent the day Sunday boating and exploring with friends at Bull Lake just a few miles from the house.  First time for me in 40 some odd years getting to the beautiful back-country as the runoff is so much we were able to go over a flooded falls with the boat (yikes!).  After swimming, wading, hiking and fishing we stopped for a picnic and apparently just missed a previous guest.  Yes, those are BEAR tracks beside our lunch.  We didn't head out quite in time to miss the oncoming storm - MAJOR waves that washed over the boat as we were making our way back to the boat ramp.  Rob did a good job getting us back - safe but soaked!

FOURTH OF JULY

Parade in downtown Lander Wyoming - I think there were more people watching than the population sign says live there, although there were probably some out-of-towners....like us!

After BBQ fireworks at son Jeff's - perfect weather - cool after a nice rain shower.

ANOTHER ONE! A GIRL THIS TIME.

Sweet Molly Milk Cow calved this afternoon - about 20 min. from start to finish.  She is the poster child for
giving birth with ease.  A little heifer calf this time.  She is a lighter red than her half brother Dusk - very lively!  Now my daily chores have increased - but we all - family, friends, pigs, chickens, dog & cats included, LOVE that fresh Molly milk!  Should'a known....I just bought a half gallon of, OMG, store milk this morning so her timing is perfect and I'm about out of cheese.  Going to try fruit yogurt popsicles with a special electric popsicle maker.  Not sure of a name for the newest addition......any suggestions?

IT'S A BOY!

Very pregnant Lucy cow was not herself yesterday afternoon - not eating and swishing her tail a lot.  Sure enough, just as we were about to go to friend's for dinner, one last check showed her in labor.  Luckily, our friends who are ranchers also, understood and re-scheduled for tonight.  Lucy did an amazing job for a first-timer.  I did have to help a little as the calf was pretty big and Lucy is a bit overweight so she was puffing. Of course, she picked the ONLY spot around that was dirt!  Very healthy, BIG bull calf Rob named "Dusk" as he is the color of a late sunset and was born at about 7:45 pm.  Lucy is a such good mom -she let me help him get started nursing with only a few low moos to let me know she was still in charge.  GRAPHIC photos follow:

DAY OFF

I'm calling today a "day-off" - don't get many of them around here and this was only part of the day....after morning chores were done and before evening chores began.  Son Jeff and family were camped for the weekend up the road a bit so we had lunch with them and then hiked in Whiskey Basin up to Torrey Creek Falls - saw bighorn sheep and a cool petroglyph - perfect weather and a change in scenery - yea!

SOLAR COOKING

Home-grown, grass fed beef (thanks Chuck the steer) roast cooked for 6 hours in a sun oven solar cooker.  I browned the pot roast on the regular stove, added salt, pepper a little port wine and put it all in the solar oven at 10:30 this morning.  I turned the cooker several times during the day, following the sun and added parsnips (the very last from 2012) during the last hour or so.  It stayed at about 240 * for the duration.  Incredibly moist and tender and NO fossil fuels used - only Marcia fuel.

THE FIRST DAY OF SUMMER 'ROUND HERE