Jun 27, 2007

When you give a woman a tractor...

Making hay shouldn't be so complicated.  My honey has to work long days so daughter #1 has a job making hay for us this summer.  Field #2 needed to be cut this morning.  We wanted to get off to an early start.  Here's how it goes.


1.  Check oil and gas in tractor.  Start tractor, can't get it out of second gear.  MOM.......


2.  Tractor now out of second gear.  Mom drives it to the hayfield.  Hook up to the haybine.  Can't get the PTO shaft to line up right.  Run it and turn it off, run it and turn it off, etc.  Finally lines up.  Grease haybine.  One broken grease fitting, one fitting is put where the sun don't shine, (excuse me), grease gun fitting much too tight.  Gets stuck on haybine.  Go home.  Change out end of grease gun.  Finish greasing haybine. 


3.  Haybine won't lower like it should.  Check hydraulic hoses.  Change.  Still doesn't work.  Change again.  Call dear husband for the third time.  Did we take out the safety pin?  Oops.  Hey it works great.


4.  It is now two hours and 15 minutes since this ordeal began, but PTL she's heading for the hayfield.  Why is she standing out there and not on the tractor? Drive out to find out.  Can't get the haybine to shift to the side of the tractor to mow.  Call dear patient husband again.  Did we back up and pull pin at the same time?  If that doesn't work-just use a big hammer.  (Is he getting as tired as we are?)  Take his advice and hey-it works great.


5.  Two hours and forty minutes later....Look at her go.  PTL! 


I guess we'll save the baling tomorrow.  I may have a whole new story to tell tomorrow.


God is good.


Rhonda

Jun 25, 2007

Horse Spray and New Roving

Our horses are suffering out there.  The flies are so bad.  They could go in the woods, but they just stand out there in the sun and get eaten up.  We've bought many brands of flyspray.  None seem to work for very long.  The wipes work about the best, but are very expensive.  I'd like to try fly predators, but they're expensive  also.  We make our own spray now.  It works as well, if not better, than the sprays we've tried.


1 cup vinegar, 1 cup water, 1 cup baby oil, 1/4 cup real pinesol, 1 Tablespoon dish soap, 1 tablespoon eucalyptus, 1 tablespoon citronella


Mix and spray.


Now about the three pounds of roving that came in the mail today.  My wonderful brother did his research and ordered three pounds of Corriedale roving for my birthday.  That ought to keep me busy for awhile.  Brother, if you're reading this, thanks so much.  I can spin to my heart's content.


Have a great afternoon. 


In His Service,


Rhonda

How to set up a website

In a weekly homeschool newsletter that I receive, they listed a site that has lessons on setting up a website.  It's all free.  I haven't started the lessons yet, but the site looks very informative.  I used to be able to do HTML, but it's been years and I've forgotten it all.  The site is www.w3schools.com

Jun 23, 2007

The Wonderful Nettle

We have an abundance of forage plants here.  I mean wild plants that can be utilized for a gazillion things.  Nettles everywhere.  Stinging nettles and dead nettles.  Did you know that jewel weed takes the sting out if you should happen to bump one of these nettles?  I've found that tea tree oil does also.  Nettles are supposed to be good in stews and other dishes.  I haven't tried this, yet.  If you cook them to eat, do not boil them.  I guess it makes them taste awful.  You're supposed to simmer them or steam them.  Mix them with rice, make creamed nettles.  I guess I'd try the tea.  Dry them and steep them.  This isn't supposed to taste like a tea, but more like a green plant essence.  Nettles contain-calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorus, manganese, silica, iodine, silicon, sodium and sulfur-chlorophyll, tannin, vitamin c, beta carotene, and b complex vitamins.  Nettle tea compresses are good for woulnds, cuts, stings and burns.


Here's a recipe for the adventerous.


2 cups thinly sliced wild or commercial carrots, 2 cups nettles, 1 cup yogurt, 2 eggs, 2/3 cup milk, 2 cloves garlic-minced, 1/4 teaspoon dried mustard, 3/4 teaspoon sea salt, dash cayenne and nutmeg.


Simmer carrots for 10 minutes in one-half inch of water.  Add the nettles and simmer for another 5 minutes.  Reserve the cooking water.  Mince the vegetables in the blender of by hand, and mix in the remaining ingredients.  Put in an oiled baking dish and bake at 275 for 15-20 minutes.


All information contained in this blog is from the book-Edible and Medicinal Plants in Wild (and not so wild) Places by "Wildman" Steve Brill.


Next time maybe we'll try a salad of purslane, lamb's quarterand amaranth.

Jun 14, 2007

It's a Jungle out there-

It's so quiet in the morning before everyone gets up.  The clock is ticking and the computer humming, but that's all I hear.  The temps are warm here now and everything is growing so well.  The weeds included, but I had my two litttle ones (8 & 10) out weeding with me last night.  They do very well now that the vegetables are recognizable.  The bugs are growing, too.  We had sandflies inhaled and ingested.  They were everywhere.  I finally caved and let them put on bug spray.  I just don't like the stuff.


Our two older girls came back from their missions trip on Monday.  They were changed, PTL!  A good and Godly change.  They have a deeper relationship with the Lord now and were actually able, with God's help, to pray for salvation with some people.  Our oldest girl stood up and gave her testimony.  Her life hasn't been a "Father Knows Best" kinda life, but thankfully our "Heavenly Father Knows Best".  I have mixed feelings about having our trials broadcast for everyone, but I think that's a pride problem that I need to deal with.


I would like to accomplish a long list of tasks today.  Lord willing.  The lawn needs to be mowed-again.  Like I said things are growing well and I am thankful.  I have some old fencelines to pull and a new one to put up.  Company coming tomorrow, so I should straighten and clean a little bit.  Lord give me energy, I can't seem to find mine.


Have a glorious day.


From Glory Farm

Jun 9, 2007

Late Breaking News From Glory Farm

It's one of those times...I typed out the whole post and lost it because I was trying to edit my blog.  So... what did I say?


Seems redundant to say it again.


The garden is growing great.  Everything is up except the corn.  Weeds are growing great.  On my list of to dos.


My honey has a gift for finding good deals in machinery.  See that threshing machine at the top of the page.  He picked that up yesterday.  Today he's off to pick up four antique (very old) snowmobiles.  The price is right.  Free.  Tomorrow its a Case tractor that we need for parts.  Free.  He's good, eh?


Our two oldest are on a missions trip.  They are serving in many capacities.  Doing dishes, cleaning bathrooms, helping in the nursery, nursing home, homeless ministry, soup kitchen.  It'll be exciting to get the report, when they get home, of what God has done this week in their lives.


My honey is starting a new job on Tuesday.  The old one kinda ran out of work for him.  It was hard on him to work there.  Praying that this is the direction God has for his life.


I bought a new book yesterday, The Everything Soap Book.  It has recipes for cold-processed, hot-processed, clear, cream and liquid soaps.  Recipes like Coffee Kitchen Soap, Peppermint Bath Soap, Soap for Acne, etc.  I'm going to try the hot-processed soaps.


Today its lawn mowing, garden weeding, barn cleaning and hopefull off to the stock car races tonight.  I haven't mentioned this to my honey, but I'm hoping to talk him into it.  I love the races.  (We all have those vices?) (Maybe not.)


Have a Glory filled day.


Rhonda

Jun 27, 2007

When you give a woman a tractor...

Making hay shouldn't be so complicated.  My honey has to work long days so daughter #1 has a job making hay for us this summer.  Field #2 needed to be cut this morning.  We wanted to get off to an early start.  Here's how it goes.


1.  Check oil and gas in tractor.  Start tractor, can't get it out of second gear.  MOM.......


2.  Tractor now out of second gear.  Mom drives it to the hayfield.  Hook up to the haybine.  Can't get the PTO shaft to line up right.  Run it and turn it off, run it and turn it off, etc.  Finally lines up.  Grease haybine.  One broken grease fitting, one fitting is put where the sun don't shine, (excuse me), grease gun fitting much too tight.  Gets stuck on haybine.  Go home.  Change out end of grease gun.  Finish greasing haybine. 


3.  Haybine won't lower like it should.  Check hydraulic hoses.  Change.  Still doesn't work.  Change again.  Call dear husband for the third time.  Did we take out the safety pin?  Oops.  Hey it works great.


4.  It is now two hours and 15 minutes since this ordeal began, but PTL she's heading for the hayfield.  Why is she standing out there and not on the tractor? Drive out to find out.  Can't get the haybine to shift to the side of the tractor to mow.  Call dear patient husband again.  Did we back up and pull pin at the same time?  If that doesn't work-just use a big hammer.  (Is he getting as tired as we are?)  Take his advice and hey-it works great.


5.  Two hours and forty minutes later....Look at her go.  PTL! 


I guess we'll save the baling tomorrow.  I may have a whole new story to tell tomorrow.


God is good.


Rhonda

Jun 25, 2007

Horse Spray and New Roving

Our horses are suffering out there.  The flies are so bad.  They could go in the woods, but they just stand out there in the sun and get eaten up.  We've bought many brands of flyspray.  None seem to work for very long.  The wipes work about the best, but are very expensive.  I'd like to try fly predators, but they're expensive  also.  We make our own spray now.  It works as well, if not better, than the sprays we've tried.


1 cup vinegar, 1 cup water, 1 cup baby oil, 1/4 cup real pinesol, 1 Tablespoon dish soap, 1 tablespoon eucalyptus, 1 tablespoon citronella


Mix and spray.


Now about the three pounds of roving that came in the mail today.  My wonderful brother did his research and ordered three pounds of Corriedale roving for my birthday.  That ought to keep me busy for awhile.  Brother, if you're reading this, thanks so much.  I can spin to my heart's content.


Have a great afternoon. 


In His Service,


Rhonda

How to set up a website

In a weekly homeschool newsletter that I receive, they listed a site that has lessons on setting up a website.  It's all free.  I haven't started the lessons yet, but the site looks very informative.  I used to be able to do HTML, but it's been years and I've forgotten it all.  The site is www.w3schools.com

Jun 23, 2007

The Wonderful Nettle

We have an abundance of forage plants here.  I mean wild plants that can be utilized for a gazillion things.  Nettles everywhere.  Stinging nettles and dead nettles.  Did you know that jewel weed takes the sting out if you should happen to bump one of these nettles?  I've found that tea tree oil does also.  Nettles are supposed to be good in stews and other dishes.  I haven't tried this, yet.  If you cook them to eat, do not boil them.  I guess it makes them taste awful.  You're supposed to simmer them or steam them.  Mix them with rice, make creamed nettles.  I guess I'd try the tea.  Dry them and steep them.  This isn't supposed to taste like a tea, but more like a green plant essence.  Nettles contain-calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorus, manganese, silica, iodine, silicon, sodium and sulfur-chlorophyll, tannin, vitamin c, beta carotene, and b complex vitamins.  Nettle tea compresses are good for woulnds, cuts, stings and burns.


Here's a recipe for the adventerous.


2 cups thinly sliced wild or commercial carrots, 2 cups nettles, 1 cup yogurt, 2 eggs, 2/3 cup milk, 2 cloves garlic-minced, 1/4 teaspoon dried mustard, 3/4 teaspoon sea salt, dash cayenne and nutmeg.


Simmer carrots for 10 minutes in one-half inch of water.  Add the nettles and simmer for another 5 minutes.  Reserve the cooking water.  Mince the vegetables in the blender of by hand, and mix in the remaining ingredients.  Put in an oiled baking dish and bake at 275 for 15-20 minutes.


All information contained in this blog is from the book-Edible and Medicinal Plants in Wild (and not so wild) Places by "Wildman" Steve Brill.


Next time maybe we'll try a salad of purslane, lamb's quarterand amaranth.

Jun 14, 2007

It's a Jungle out there-

It's so quiet in the morning before everyone gets up.  The clock is ticking and the computer humming, but that's all I hear.  The temps are warm here now and everything is growing so well.  The weeds included, but I had my two litttle ones (8 & 10) out weeding with me last night.  They do very well now that the vegetables are recognizable.  The bugs are growing, too.  We had sandflies inhaled and ingested.  They were everywhere.  I finally caved and let them put on bug spray.  I just don't like the stuff.


Our two older girls came back from their missions trip on Monday.  They were changed, PTL!  A good and Godly change.  They have a deeper relationship with the Lord now and were actually able, with God's help, to pray for salvation with some people.  Our oldest girl stood up and gave her testimony.  Her life hasn't been a "Father Knows Best" kinda life, but thankfully our "Heavenly Father Knows Best".  I have mixed feelings about having our trials broadcast for everyone, but I think that's a pride problem that I need to deal with.


I would like to accomplish a long list of tasks today.  Lord willing.  The lawn needs to be mowed-again.  Like I said things are growing well and I am thankful.  I have some old fencelines to pull and a new one to put up.  Company coming tomorrow, so I should straighten and clean a little bit.  Lord give me energy, I can't seem to find mine.


Have a glorious day.


From Glory Farm

Jun 9, 2007

Late Breaking News From Glory Farm

It's one of those times...I typed out the whole post and lost it because I was trying to edit my blog.  So... what did I say?


Seems redundant to say it again.


The garden is growing great.  Everything is up except the corn.  Weeds are growing great.  On my list of to dos.


My honey has a gift for finding good deals in machinery.  See that threshing machine at the top of the page.  He picked that up yesterday.  Today he's off to pick up four antique (very old) snowmobiles.  The price is right.  Free.  Tomorrow its a Case tractor that we need for parts.  Free.  He's good, eh?


Our two oldest are on a missions trip.  They are serving in many capacities.  Doing dishes, cleaning bathrooms, helping in the nursery, nursing home, homeless ministry, soup kitchen.  It'll be exciting to get the report, when they get home, of what God has done this week in their lives.


My honey is starting a new job on Tuesday.  The old one kinda ran out of work for him.  It was hard on him to work there.  Praying that this is the direction God has for his life.


I bought a new book yesterday, The Everything Soap Book.  It has recipes for cold-processed, hot-processed, clear, cream and liquid soaps.  Recipes like Coffee Kitchen Soap, Peppermint Bath Soap, Soap for Acne, etc.  I'm going to try the hot-processed soaps.


Today its lawn mowing, garden weeding, barn cleaning and hopefull off to the stock car races tonight.  I haven't mentioned this to my honey, but I'm hoping to talk him into it.  I love the races.  (We all have those vices?) (Maybe not.)


Have a Glory filled day.


Rhonda