Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

My broccoli has just gotten SO beautiful! Almost ready to cut-YUMMY!!!!!Aren't these just 2 of the CUTEST things you've ever seen??? There's 2 more just like 'em!!!

Happy Thanksgiving to one and all!!!! We'll leave in a few hours to go to Jeff's parents house to eat with his family. With him being one of 6 kids and their kids and now grands and great grands-we usually have a big crowd. But with other in-laws to visit-very rarely is EVERYONE there at the same time! It will be open table for the rest of the day with family coming and going at will. I'm gonna fix a banana cream pie, pasta salad, corn casserole and deviled eggs ( great way to use up all those eggs!) Oh-and we only have to go about the length of a football field-we live on family land-Part of the original 80+ acres Jeff's grandfather owned.

Alana and I had a really nice day yesterday. We went into Conroe and got Jordan's and my hair cut. I knew that the last one I got was bad-BUT-little did I realize that there was a 1 1/2 difference in the sides!!! I'm really happy with it now-I've got to go and try to fix it-so we'll see. Then last night we went back to Conroe with Randy to pick up a few things he needed for a surprise he's putting together for Kimberly! I think we'll just stick around here today! Gonna do the Black Friday thing tomorrow-Just at Wal-Mart-I think. Jeff will sit with Julie's kids-She has to be at work there at 5:45am-So Julie, Alana and I will try to pick up the few things that are on sale and then me and Alana will come on back home. Hope it's not TOO crazy-I've had some bad experiences in the past and just started going again last year!

Weekly Update

OK-I did it again! Just was busy again last week-So I decided to just do a weekly update today! Here goes:

Tuesday-Nov. 18- Started out VEERY early today-Mom had to be in Conroe at the hospital @ 6:00am-so we had to leave here by 5:00. Praise God-everything went well-She has more than 40 % blockage but less than 50%. We were back home by 11:00. She'll have to have more tests to confirm this-but all is well right now!!
Wednesday-Nov.19-
Worked for Ann today at the Annex office. All went well-but-boy I'm not used to working a 10 hour day!!
Thursday-Nov. 20-
Worked for Ann today also-And I finished with all the data input I was doing for her @9:00am-that made for a LONG day!! Randy came by the house as soon as I got home-He invited us over to have squirrel dumplings with them for supper. He did a WONDERFUL job cooking them! We ate outside around the fire and just talked and watched the cold front blowing in. Started getting cold-so we came on back home.
Friday-Nov. 21-
Jeff had a follow-up Doc appointment this morning @ 9:00-What a waste of time and a vacation day! The Doc could of told us his chlolestrol was a little high-but not high enough for meds over the phone! But Mom also had an appointment @ 1:00-so we did a little Christmas shopping then took her back-She had to have the first echo-without dye. I'll take her back on the 4th of Dec. for the one with dye. And boy is it COLD-the wind will cut you in two!!
Saturday-Nov. 22-
We went up to Mom's today to get our little trailer. Jordan and Kaytlynn went with us. Shorty took Jordan fishing in their pond-I don't know who had the most FUN!! They caught 2 small brim and the duck ate them. Later that evening-we went and ate Chinese food then did little more Christmas shopping. ANd the Doc told Jeff to start drinking red wine-we aren't drinkers-anyone got a good red wine-we've tried 2-we don't like them-they are bitter or leave a coating in your mouth.
Sunday-Nov.23-
Forgot to mention that the cold front on Thursday night did my greenhouse in!! I give up-but Jeff still had another idea up his sleeve. He but some 45 degree angles in-we made it a little smaller-and bought different plastic for it. It looks a lot better-the next storm will tell if it'll hold. We went and visited this evening with a friend that used to work with Jeff-she'd been battling breast cancer and WON!! She's cancer free!!! We are so happy for JoAnn~~she's having some trouble with viens in her legs-but she's gonna be OK!! A friend from the beach called tonight to check on us-Jeff and Duanne had a good talk. He gave us the phone number of the guy who inspected his sewer system-which you have to get done now to even get your lights turned back on!
Monday-Nov.24-
Ok-back to today!! I called the guy about the inspection-he said he'd do it today!!! Just sent him the money and he'd send us the certificate!! Finally-something seems to be going right!! I thought I'd have to drive down there to pay him-so this worked great!! I'm cooking a big pork roast for supper in the crock pot-gonna add potatoes and carrots this afternoon and make a loaf of bread in the bread machine. Sure is starting to smell good!!! School is out this whole week and the county office is only open 2 days this week-so I doubt I'll work any at all this week! Maybe I'll get some stuff done around here-might even drag out the Christmas decorations-the girls already have their lights up. We'll probally get the trees this weekend or early next week. We've been going to the same Christmas tree farm for YEARS now-the guy who owns it is always SO friendly!!

More Hog Killin' Details

Ok-Farm Mom-this is for you!! Tough things first-Jeff does shoot the hogs. That is the one detail that I don't help with-big chicken-I stay inside til the deed is done. I'm fine with all the helpin' out afterwards-just don't want to be there!!! This hog was 10 months old and was born here on our place. Now the smokehouse-It's about 8X8 and is basiclly a metal shed. It has boards across the top like rafters that we tie material strips to, then loop the sausage links through them. We smoke them overnight over a smoky fire of either hickory or red oak wood. The casings are store bought-but we have cleaned out the hog intestines ourselves when we can't find them in the store. We purchased this grinder last year and it's bigger-and FASTER-than the one we had before-And before that one it was the old fashioned hand cranked one-boy did that take FOREVER!! We usually butcher 2-3 hogs a year-we tend to give alot of the meat away to family and friends-Share the wealth and goodness!! There is a guy Jeff works with that wants him to make sausage for him, too. I just love your enthusiasm-wish you were closer, too-We love to share!!!

Sausage!!

Here is what the link sausage looked like this morning after Jeff took it out of the smokehouse. Took us several hours to get it all packaged up and in the freezer-but it's done!!!! WE've got the greenhouse put back together AGAIN-the high winds did it in yet again. We tried to reinforce the bottom to keep the sides down-just have to wait til the next storm to see if it'll hold. I did transplant 3 more tomato plants and 1 of the pepper plants inside of it. We had our first freeze last night and it did a number on the squash-didn't upset me-the plants are beautiful-but haven't got 1 squash from them. Shorty said I planted 'em at the wrong phase of the moon. I never really payed much attention to that before, but maybe I better from now on!

Hog Processin'

Cuttin' up the meat-The smokehouse is the green building in the

background.
Runnin' the meat through the grinder with LOTS of help!!

Two of the BEST helpers in the WORLD!!!

Hangin' the links in the smokehouse

Still gettin' help or maybe advise!!!

Well-Jeff and Randy ended up with 130 lbs of sausage!! We left about 40 lbs in pan sausage and the other 90 is in links that are now smokin' in the smokehouse. We'll take them down in the morning-package them and put 'em in the freezer. The pan sausage I use for meatloaf and spaghetti-it's already seasoned!!! The first batch of the goat jerky is in the dehydrator now and will also be ready in the morning. Good eatin' and NO PRESERVATIVES!!! HOME GROWN!! Good fer ya!!!!

Hog Killin' !!!

Jeff & Randy

Jeff cutting up the goat

Well-Jeff did it!! He killed the biggest hog before 7:00 am this morning. It was quite a bit bigger than he thought once it hit the ground(but that's usually the way it happens anyway). Ang-I'll try to post pics throughout the day for you and let you see how the process goes-the East Texas way! We'll have link sausage in the smokehouse by this evening! YUMMY!!! And thankfully, Randy's here to help out-really he just wants to be able to take a load of sausage home this afternoon-hehe!!! We did get the goat off the bone. Jeff cutting it up-we got a few packages of steaks and we'll probally put some pork with it and make some pan sausage. We'll make jerky out of it, too. Ever eat goat jerky? It's REALLY good stuff!!

Friday Night Blues

I'm sorry-I've just got a case of the blues. Those who know me personally know that I don't get like this very often!! It's just that for the last 2 days-LOTS of people have asked about the beach house and what we're gonna do and I guess you kinda go through a sort of mourning period after such a loss. We thank God over and over that we are all safe-but we always felt like He gave us that sanctuary on the beach for a reason!!! OK-I know - He's in control and doesn't close a door without opening a window-I just have to be patient. Then my paycheck from the school was short 3 days-they did this last year at Christmas!! Then when I got home the phone was ringing and it was my Mom-she's got to have a heart cath done on Tuesday morning-her stress test showed blockage in the lower part of her heart. She may have to have a stint-she already has several in her legs and if it's really bad-she'll have to have a bypass!!! I'm ready to run away to my beach house for the weekend and hide-oh, I CAN'T!!! And Julie wants me to watch the girls for her tomorrow so she can go shopping with a friend. And since a cold front is blowing in as I type-Jeff wants to butcher 1 of the hogs tomorrow and make sausage-All day job!!! He has to go back to the Doc next Friday-his cholesterol is up and Doc wants to put him on meds. His x-rays showed only mild arthritus in his shoulders-if this is mild-I don 't want to see major!! He can't even put his hands behind his back now! Ok-I got it ALL off my chest (maybe!!!). Sorry I vented on all of you!! Everyone-have a great weekend!!!

Sad Greenhouse :(

We had some pretty bad rain and apparently wind here last night!! I heard the rain hitting the side of the house a few times. Got up this morning and looked out only to find my greenhouse MESSED up!!! Jeff leaves for work before daylight-so even though he went out to feed the calf-I don't think he saw it. And to top it off-since the side closer to the pasture was revealed-the cows found-and ATE-my tomato plant and 1 of the broccoli plants :( Guess I get to start over! Jeff butchered the goat on Sunday evening-it's been in the ice chest-so we have to process it tonight-I think we're gonna make alot of it into jerky!! Yummy!!!!! I'm feeling a little better-so I went in and worked 2 hours at the county. Ann needs me 3 days next week and Jeff has to go back to the Dr on Friday-so that only leaves me Monday off. So I'll work awhile with her on Monday-then get the rest of my week lined up! I am subbing at 2 different schools the rest of this week-so busy-busy-busy! Well-the sun is shining now-hope that doesn't mean we'll get more heavy storms this evening!! Someone said we'd had between 5-6 inches in the last 24 hours!! I think we're gonna have leftovers for supper-I made homemade chicken noodle soup last night and cabbage and sausage on Monday-and there's plenty left for another meal. Think I might just make a blueberry cobbler to go along with it!!

YUCKY.....

It's raining!! Oh, well=we really do need it badly, but I'm home sick and it just makes it worse!! The weather guy is just saying if the sun comes out-we could have tornados and really severe weather this afternoon!! I worked yesterday at school as the receptionist/attendance clerk and around 9:00 my head started just filling up-then my nose started running like a faucet. Bad headache and just feel bad. Slept pretty good last night thanks to Nyquil!!! Jeff did all the feeding chores by himself in the rain last night-I felt so BAD!! Jordan and I planted onions in the greenhouse Sunday morning after Jeff and I built another raised bed. I have to get the ends on it by this weekend-we're supposed to get some cold temps by Sunday morning-but its supposed to rain through Thursday. I noticed a few snow peas were beginning to bloom-but the brocolli is crowding them out-might have to try transplanting a few of them too. Well-think I 'll go lay down again-the Nyquill is starting to take effect-YEAH!!!!

Saturday

We had a really nice day today!! First had to run into Cleveland and get Jeff's refill on his meds-which he'd been out of since Monday. The Doc took x-rays of his shoulders yesterday-they've been giving him LOTS of problems lately-should hear back on those Monday. Anyway-we went over to Randy & Kim's and loaded some big cedar logs from the tree that they lost during IKE. While loading up his 4-wheeler on the trailer, Randy accidently squashed Kim's legs between the wheel and the trailer. Thank God she was only bruised!! I just knew we were gonna have to make a trip to the ER-she's is such a tiny little thing-I was afraid her legs might have been crushed!!! She's moving around a little slow and has a small bruise on 1 leg. We then went up to Mom's for just a little while, then went and took the logs on over to our bestest(is that a word??-well it is now!!) friends place. The Burt's have a saw mill and one of the prettiest places in the area! We rode the 4 wheelers and their Gator all over their 70+ acres til dark. Alfred has built the cutest little cabin on the banks of the Trinity River-it is just SOO peaceful down there. We came back up to the house and the guys built a fire and we roasted hot dogs and just sat around talking til the fire almost burned out. We've spent many, many nights doing just this and it sure calms your nerves and sets your world back on track. Makes you see just what's important in life-family and friends and having a good time just enjoying each others company. Sheila now has started her own blog-check her out @ justthe burt's

Another Busy Week??

Well-seems we managed to stay busy again this week! I did get 1 raised bed built and almost filled will rotted compost on Monday and got the tomato plant transplanted. It didn't look too good for a few days-it turned off really warm here-mid to upper 80's!! This morning a little front has moved through-had to build a fire in the heater to take the chill off. I'm SOO glad all the election stuff is OVER-tired of all the campaign commercials!! We had a litter of bunnies born on Wednesday-4 live and 1 dead. I worked at the school on Tuesday through Thursday and this morning Jeff has a Doc visit in Conroe. Got several loads of clothes out on the line drying and we have to go up to Mom's later and help get some things done up there. We have 5 rolls of hay up at their place we need to get moved home-the cows are about out of grass here and we have a few fences that need major repairs since the hurricane. Even have 1 pasture that never has been fenced that REALLY needs it!!!

Halloween/Critters?

Well-Halloween went off here without a hitch. Four of the grandkids-( Hailey was at her Dad's)- along with 1 step one-were the only trick or treaters we had. They only go out in our neighborhood which is only family. They had a really good time!! Then while we are working on the greenhouse yesterday-the 2 youngest girls decided to occupy themselves-I do think they are ALOT cuter than the possum-although they were doing alot of hissing at us!! What will they think to do next??!!

Halloween & Greenhouse !!!

Well thanks to the good ole Internet-I finally have a greenhouse!! Saturday afternoon I was looking around on the web for some rabbit cage plans-ours are falling apart ( really!!! ). What I found was a really neat plan for a pvc green house! Of course-it ended up costing more and taking more time to put up than expected-but it is up!! We still have to put the ends up-but I'm gonna try to get some beds put in it today!! I have a beautiful tomato plant in the garden with a small tomato on it-and I want to save it!!!