Ramblin' on...

It's been a busy week. Fall always is. It's my favorite time...the colors, hot stews and soup and bread, the teapot on and a fire going. Love it! It's also hunting and football time for my guys.

This horse is my oldest daughter's baby. We have had him since he was just a couple months old. Had to have the vet out for him. It seems likely that the older gelding kicked him, 'cause he's got a big hematoma (sp?) in his nether regions. The mare needs her teeth floated, and I think I'll call the same new vet back. She was great.

Don't love the idea of paying the vet bills, but I like the kids to know that the Bible is clear about things, and it says "a good man cares for his animals" so we do. There are quite alot of things we do ourselves, as most ranch and farm people do. We do shots, worming, and basic first aid stuff alone. Castrations, and disbudding, and a few other things.

That gelding pictured has daily meds and cold water treatments twice daily now, and I have my daughter do it. Homeschool!

That's another great thing about homeschooling, when the vet comes she or he doesn't mind the kids gathered round asking questions. They watch and learn all sorts of things on a ranch, and I count it as science labs! Especially if it's minor surgery on the lawn- which has happened a few times.

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I love this picture of one of my hens- it reminds me of me and some of my friends...busy little mammas running around daily with a flock of children at our feet. Mine are mostly older, but since we homeschool they are still with me every day and almost everywhere.

I love this hen's brood. You notice she's got little orange chicks and little black chicks- just like me and some other adoptive moms I know. Aren't they all cute?! You'll notice they are all mixed together, no segration! Animals are great ")

Living on a ranch is great. I'm really enjoying the fall this year. We have so many friends now that we have been here a bit, and wonderful friends, too. Yesterday was our friend Renee's wedding. She married a Liberian man, who is not loving the crisp, cold fall days here! He still plans on trying to go deer hunting with my guys though. I told him he's not allowed to complain and fuss about being cold and tired, as American men don't look too kindly on that. They are tough and condition themselves to endure pain and hardship...(I didn't mention how they whine and moan over a cold and need to be spoonfed homemade soup in that dire condition...)his eyes got big, but he decided he needed to be tough too. he he he. We shall see how it goes.

Today is our busiest day of the week, but funnest too. I have alot to accomplish at home as well. I need to make more soap, and do more labels (which I can now, thanks to Tara, even thouh my iMac died and I have to use the PC). I also need to grind more grain, which we use alot now that we are baking again, and then I have a nice lady coming to look over my bucks to see which one should "marry" her favorite doe.

I am really working on the goats paying their own way...with breeding fees,trades, sales, and the products I make from the milk for my own family and for sale, I think they more than do that. Now if only the horses could get a plan! They eat literal tons!

I may be able to get a Guernsey cow bred back for spring. Doug's not thrilled, so I'll have to think it out more. I am crazy about Guernesey milk- it's so sweet and creamy. I wonder if I could talk some friends into "sharing" her and then the work and cost will be divided. It might just work. Maybe the friends who brought me my first taste of raw, creamy Guernsey milk. hint. hint.

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