BEES...

I know for a lot of people the reality of bees in the spring is just something to avoid and deal with...that was me a few years ago...

Now...for me it is spring because I see bees!  OUR bees.  My hive made it through the winter!  WOOHOO.  I saw where they had cleaned out all the little bee bodies of the non-survivors (read:dead) and dumped them right outside the hive door and I was sure that there was no one left in my little box.  But zooming in and out of the box in the past few days are those wonderful worker bees.  And that means...

SOMEWHERE SOMETHING IS BLOOMING!  Hooray!  Spring is here!

And as for the weather guy who said there was going to be 3-4 inches of snow later this week....
"LA-la-LA...not listening!!"  (Besides, we're out of firewood...so we're out of heat!!)

Another rite of spring is planned for later this afternoon...the official count of the animals on the farmstead....and a trip to the feed store to buy chicks!! Stay tuned for pictures.

The news from the Dentist...

The GOOD news is that I don't need a Root Canal...
The BAD news is...that I don't need a Root Canal!

I really didn't WANT a root canal...but I was hoping that they would say..."You know all that pain in your face??Well, you have a bad tooth that we missed previously...(or fill in something) and you need a root canal.  Now all the pain in your face/head will stop."

Um...nope.  It's not my tooth.  So we are back wrestling with the reality of the Trigeminal diagnosis....NUTS!!

Grain Mill Fun!

For my birthday...kinda...I was promised a grain mill so I could grind wheat into flour to make into bread.  ( I realize most people are thinking...when will she move into this century??  I also received a new (to me) computer for myself and the business so there is the "this" century gift.)

I thought we were going to hold off on the mill since I crashed the car and had a huge deductible to pay...but my sweet DH....well, he keeps track of things going on in the world and he thought it would be better to get it now and be prepared...so....

Fun stuff from Amazon!



WooHoo Wondermill!



Boy adding Hard Red Wheat Berries

Ta-Da  FLOUR!!



Bread is ready to bake...



YUMMY!

Now to add some homemade jelly..
....do we have any jelly in this house ?!?

Hit or miss...

I realize that my blog of late has been very...hit or miss...mostly miss. For that I apologize and I am finally ready to fully explain. I've hinted at it before...my health is currently not great. I started feeling really bad back in November and went to the doctor only to be told I had a double ear infection...that was "solved", so we thought. Still my face hurt, my ear hurt, my temple, my jaw, my cheek...I went to the dentist. I went to the eye doctor. Finally, back in January...my family doctor came back from maternity leave...woohoo...I love my doctor, she is good! I received a diagnosis...Trigminal Neuralgia...


"Trigeminal neuralgia (TN), tic douloureux^[1] (also known as prosopalgia^[2], the Suicide Disease^[3] or Fothergill’s disease^[4]) is a neuropathic disorder characterized by episodes of intense pain in the face, originating from the trigeminal nerve. One, two, or all three branches of the nerve may be affected. It is, "one of the most painful conditions known to humans, yet remains an enigma to many health professionals."^[5] This pain may be felt in the ear, eye, lips, nose, scalp, forehead, cheeks, teeth, and/or jaw and side of the face; some patients also experience pain in their left index finger.^[6] Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is not easily controlled and there is no cure.^[7] It is estimated that 1 in 15,000 people suffer from trigeminal neuralgia, although the actual figure may be significantly higher due to frequent misdiagnosis. In a majority of cases, TN symptoms begin appearing after the age of 50, although there have been cases with patients being as young as three years of age. It is more common in females than males.  FROM WIKI

Fun, eh?? Yeah, I thought so. I thought, you know it's been months since I had something wrong....let's go with...TN. Yup. No really. So we have embarked on how to live with this new development. I've had to take some time off of work so I can sleep at night like a normal person , EVERY.SINGLE.NIGHT..so we can get the anti-seizure medicines to work and see if that will solve the problem. You would think that sleeping every night and not being at work would mean that I would blog more often...you would think...but you would be silly, huh! I am still having TN attacks or seizures, granted not 6-8 a day as before, we're down to 2-3. But everytime I have one it just knocks the stuffing out of me and I end up taking a nap. I think the first week I was home (last week) I slept about 18 hours a day.

So I'm into my second week of being off of work, and now starting to be able to function just a bit. I've been thinking quite a bit about my 101 list and how some things are now looking unrealistic. I thought I could work on my "Milly" cross stitch that I have been working on since...whispering...1990. Yikes. I have the work, I even have the chart, but now I can't find the thread. So I'm laying in bed not doing much, except thinking about buying baby chicks from the feed store.....

Another Angel Food Box...

I picked up my Angel Food Box this past Saturday.  I think I'm going to try and do more "couponing" and grocery gaming this month.  The fridge is basically empty but the freezers are full.

 

So March is another "Month-of-Almost-Nothing"

• 2 lbs hamburger steaks (These are HUGE!-8oz each)
• 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts 
• 2 lbs macaroni & beef entree 
• 1 lb boneless pork chops 
• 1 lb ground beef 
• 1 lb crunchy fish wedges 
• 1 lb smoked sausage 
• 1 lb corn 
• 1 lb green beans 
• 1 lb sugar snap peas & carrots 
• 15 oz diced tomatoes 
• 1 lb kidney beans 
• 1 pkt chili seasoning 
• 8 oz buttermilk biscuit mix 
• 10 instant oatmeal packets 
• 32 oz shelf-stable milk 
• 1 dozen eggs 
• 8 oz chocolate chip cookie mix
• 2 lbs breaded chicken chunks
• 1 1/2 lbs fully cooked Salisbury Steaks (without gravy)
• 1 1/4 lbs Tyson natural chicken breast tenderloins
• 2 lbs cream of broccoli soup
• 2 lbs tomato basil soup
• 24 oz natural cut fries
• 7 oz apple cinnamon muffin mix

The menu will follow shortly.  As far as last months menu went....pretty well.  I rearranged a few days, but basically had the same meals.  There was only a day or two that I hadn't really planned well and had to come up with something which for the one day was a frozen pizza from the freezer and the other day was a "leftover smorgy".

Out to dinner

So 40 has...started to....turned around.  We spent the evening with cherished friends.  We all went out to Red Lobster for dinner while Boy spent the evening with his favorite girl and her sister (their girls).  Then the ladies went to Hobby Lobby and the guys went to Lowes.  We met back up at their house and enjoyed a rich and delicious cherry cheesecake with candles on it for my birthday.  AWW....how wonderful!! 

Thanks guys for making me feel so loved!! <3

The Blessing of Family...

My sister and I have never really been close.  The age difference, living in different cities, and everything seemed to cause that.

This past holiday season, I thought that it needed to end.  So she came out for Thanksgiving...and then for Christmas.  Since then she (and her dog, Buddy) have been coming out and helping me with various areas of the farm.  She is a great motivator.  She works really hard and we get going on a task and it gets done.

Whereas Boy will not listen to his mom, he will listen to his Aunt.  His Aunt listens to what I'm trying to get through to him and then SHE says it and he listens....oh well, whatever it takes!

We've helped clear up some space in the woodshop for Man.  We've recycled 2 truck loads of metal.  And today we tackled the storage room of the barn.  What.A.Mess!!!  I should have taken before pictures, and then after.  We aren't done, but now we can walk through the storage room.  We have big plans for a spring BARN SALE.  And hope to sell lots of stuff to get it out.of.here!! (and the cash will go to the debt fund!)

Next week she and her friend are going to be helping with some improvements to the shop.  And I will have to motivate myself....sigh.  My goal is to get the pump house organized.  It is full of random boxes of computer stuff, homeschool stuff and boxes and boxes of jars.  Plus a bunch of stuff we "inherited." I have a bunch more homeschool boxes of stuff that need sold.  First will be the barn sale, then in June is our curriculum fair for our homeschool group.  Hopefully, someone can use all this stuff.  But in the meantime, it needs to go SOMEWHERE besides the kitchen counter and the top of the deep freeze.   It makes food prep a bit difficult!

Then, once I have a place to put all this stuff while we wait for the sale, the next big goal is the homeschool/scrapbook/JUNK room.  Right now, honestly, you cannot walk through it.  I am so ashamed.  I need help! 

Anyway, Thanks Casey for the help and motivation!!!

My Birthday....

I've been asked...what was my birthday like?  Not what I expected!

The not so nice but still a blessing is that the electrician came today to put in a new breaker box and fix the wiring in the house.  We didn't have power for 8 hours...but the wiring is safer.  We will have to wait until spring when they can come in with a trencher to get power back out to the outbuildings.

It looks as though we may have lost the majority of our bees this winter.  It's been a really.really hard winter. But we will see once it warms up.  Supposed to be mid 50s later this week!

Cooked my own birthday dinner...but fixed my favorite...Chicken Chimichangas. YUM!

Had a beautiful message on my cell phone from my Mommy!  She sang me Happy Birthday.  I'm such a sap it made me cry!

Found out that  two of the scrapbook stores that I have recently been to (and they gave no indications while there) went out of business in the first week of February.  But a Hobby Lobby opened up where I drive at least 3 times a week.

Then, the "heathens" I work with threw me a birthday party!  I've been making brownies or cake for various friends at work and they all decided to pay it back.  One brought brownies, another brought me a planter with flowers, another my favorite kind of cookies, another punch,  yet another brough 4 kinds of chips and 2 different dips and 2 bottles of pop!  Finally one slipped me a dollar and said he wanted to treat me to a snack in the vending machine but didn't know my favorite.  How's that???

Even when things aren't great...it's all in how you look at it.  I was made to feel very special in a place where I like to be the least.  Things are flipped around crazy right now and I'm trying to make sense of it all.  Personally, in the areas that I should feel confident and loved...I don't see it.  So, I realize this is a crazy post, but I'm confused and trying to sort it out.

I see my blessings...but right now things that I felt were the blessings in my life, have had some of the glimmer rubbed off and the banes of my life today became a joy.  Hmmm...

I can't say I have my health...I've had some serious issues come up in the last 30 days (besides the sinus infection).  I do have my family, but after being in the house for 11 days, I think they need to see less of me. (grin). In recent weeks, I've disconnected from many of the people, things, and activities that I hold dear.  And I miss them...but.....

It was a BAD week!

I missed 6 days of work this month...which for me means that for February...the first day I worked was the 13th!!

It started with the big ice storm mentioned previously.  So...I couldn't get out of the yard on Feb 1-4. At the same time...Boy was sick January 25-28, then Man was sick Jan 30-Feb 3rd... Then on the 5th...Man & I's 18th anniversary..when I was sure I had dodged the bullet....I got sick.  Really.really.SICK!  UG. Then finally on the 9th, I made it out of the house and out to the doctor.

On Feb 11th..it was a really. REALLY. BAD. DAY!  First Boy was supposed to be having a sleepover with one of his best buddies..who's family now all had the flu.  We called another friend..he has strep throat and mom is sick also.  Finally managed to arrange a afternoon with another cherished friend after homeschool gym. ..then...after going to town to check the mail, we headed out to go to gym and ....I crashed my car.  Not bad...for the people.  The car slid on a sheet of ice going down a hill under the Interstate and the driver side wiped out a mailbox.  Mind you...when we stopped I was facing the wrong way on the road.  There was only a little dent near the top of the wheel.  So I set about heading for home...somewhat dazzed and trying to comfort Boy.  The car was acting totally weird.  The horn area of the steering wheel that should be horizonal when going straight was verical.  Then we hit more ice and the dumb car was all over the place.  We drove the 1.5 miles back home.  And asked Man to look.  He was such a rock and so sweet.  Didn't get mad or yell or anything.  Looked under the car and the rod that holds the tire out...was bent in half.  One wheel was going straight the other was turning the corner.  Boy was shook up...but more upset that we were going to miss gym and the promised play date. 

Man had us go down in the delivery van.  Through the crash, out of 12 dozen eggs waiting for delivery...only 3 eggs were broken.  So then, I called insurance and set up for the tow truck to come get the car.  SIGH.  Not great for the debt resolution.  We have a $500 deductible.  But yesterday, I picked up a rental car after another HORRID day. and went to work early (how's that for a bad day?)

FINALLY, I've decided that it wasn't that 2010 was a bad year. (It WAS) and now the yuckiness was leaking into 2011...it was that 39 was my bad year.  Today was my birthday.  I've shook the BAD off my shoes of the previous year and am going to make 40 the best year.  And yes, I said it out loud.

 I.am.40!

The miracle of the power line!

Two weeks ago, we had an issue with the power line that goes out to the security light, the coop and the barn.  Keep in mind our farm house is 105+ years old.  When they put the power in, it was somewhat random.  On the circut that has the outbuildings also has the sub-box that is in Boy's room that runs ALL the lights in the house (and many of the outlets).

On that morning, I was getting things together to take to my dear friend's house (and one of Boy's BFF).  She had a beautiful baby boy the previous week and we were taking over meals and belated Christmas gifts and "stuff".  Then *poof* power out.  We checked the breaker box...and the one would buzz and then pop.  What???  Now if you are going to lose power, I suppose this is the way to do it.  We heat with wood, so that wasn't an issue.  The blower for the woodburner was running....so was all the appliances and the deep freezer, so no lost food.  And the breaker for the woodshop was running so Man could still work.  We had ONE outlet that would still work so we could get the computer up and a lamp.

So, I left a message with the landlady and went on my way.  Two days later the electrician came out and seems that there is a problem with the line going out to the outbuildings, so that was cut off and the rest of the house was restored to power.  We knew that the line going out was somewhat unsafe and had asked our landlady to look into having it upgraded over the summer.  Apparently it was too expensive because after the electrician came out in July, we didn't hear any more about it.  Now it's freezing or below and it has to be addressed.  The lines come out above our kitchen and run parellel out to the light post.  It looks as though the insulation on the lines are gone and they are only a foot apart....perfect for arc-ing. 

OK, long story, I know...if you know me...have I ever told a short story??? :) Fast forward to yesterday.  A HUGE storm came through and left about 3/4 inch of ice on everything.  Followed by high winds.  Nice combo, eh?  So during the night the power went off and on a few times.  Luckily we are in a very small rural electricity co-op and so things get restored fairly quickly.

However, we awoke to many tree limbs (large) down all over the yard.  Including one that came down over the power lines between the house and the light post!  One of the lines was pulled out of the house and was laying on the roof of the porch....over the ground...over the wooded picket fence....over the wooden wishing well....out to the post.  The other has the branch still hanging from it.

Had it been two weeks earlier, that line would have been live and because of the bad shape it was in with the missing insulation....our house likely would have caught on fire...and did I mention our house is 105+ years old....old wood...instant kindling??  Yep...there is the blessing and the miracle of us losing power two weeks before everyone else did. 

The line is still laying on the roof....waiting for above freezing weather and well, the ice to melt before getting taken care of.

New Year..plus a month!

I know I say this quite a bit...but I'm sorry for not being a better blogger.  I've got reasons and excuses....Trojan Virus took over the computer....not much happens in the winter on a farm (like anyone believes that!)...I've had new health issues rare their ugly head,..work deadlines that apply to January only...power outages at home...snow...ice..not being used to typing on a netbook and ending up with 4tijdhsguiv epiuarci....blah..blah...blah.

So, here on the last day of the first month of 2011, I'm going to start off again.  For my birthday coming up, there is a shiny (refurbished) new computer being delivered to our door....TODAY!  Woohoo.  It's faster and more memory for pictures. 

First confessions....it has not been the best year so far.  We found out on the 1st that DH's fishing buddy passed away at a fairly young age.  On the second, a good friend and co-worker (and the Eskies puppy sitter when we went to Arkansas a few years ago) unexpectedly passed at the age of 43.   I discovered on the 7th that my earache/toothache/headache is none of the above and is likely a degerative thing that I will need to take meds and figure out.  DS has been fighting school even though I've tried to do some different things (like a unit study on Pizza, of all things)

I try to take a picture a day...and if not that...then a few a week.  For 2011 so far, I've taken 3 pictures total.  So to say it needs to get better....um yes, please.

With all that being said....I'm back.  My resolutions for 2011:

• The typical, lose weight & get fit.  This time I've got more realistic expectations and bigger motivators with my new health issues.
• Pay down debt (goal is 1/3-1/2)
• Blog 3-5 times a week.
• Examiner article 1x weekly
• Get organized...really or I (and DH) will lose my mind.
• Homeschooling caught up.

Along with those goals...it's opened up new topics for the blog now that there is not a lot going on outside.

February's Plan...

Now...I'm flexible enough to realize that when you make a plan like this...SOMETHING...will happen.  But this is the plan and it may be tweeked as the month goes on...This is actually starting as of tonight because with the whole excitement of the Angel Box we're going now! *items are from the Box

30-*Minestrone Soup and Grilled Cheese
31-Chicken Nuggets*, Waffle Fries* Salad, Homemade Ranch Dressing

1. Chili & Corn Bread, Salad
2. Leftover Night
3. Homestead Chicken and Noodles
4. Homemade Pizza (Homemade Dough)
5. Anniversary-Steaks (in freezer since summer), Baked Potatoes, Broccoli, Salad, Brownies (made by Boy!)
6. Baked Ham, Scalloped Potatoes, Homecanned Green Beans, Homecanned Applesauce
7. Speghetti & Meatballs*, Salad
8. Veggie Lo Mein
9. Bean Soup* with Ham, Salad
10. Chicken Nugget Cassarole*, Homemade Bread, Salad
11. Baked Fish, Broccoli, Salad
12. Stuffed Green Peppers with Hamburger and Rice
13. Macaroni & Cheese with Ham Chunks, Cauliflower and Broccoli, Cole Slaw
14. ?
15. Fiesta Jalisco Take out!
16. Sloppy Joes, Waffle Fries, Carrots&Snap Peas*
17. Pork Chops with Apple Dressing
18. Out with Friends!
19. Chicken Nuggets*, Waffle Fries*, Salad
20. Crockpot Beef Roast* with Carrots, Celery, Onions& Potatoes
21. Baked Chicken*, Baked Potatoes, Peas (Evening with the Presidents-Boy giving speech)
22. Leftover Beef made over into Stroganoff with Noodles
23. Baked Beans and Sweet Italian Sausage*, coleslaw
24. Shepards Pie with Green Beans & Mashed Potatoes
25. Homemade Pizza (homemade dough)
26. Turkey & Stuffing, Smashed Pototoes, Cranberries
27. Meatball Subs*, Waffle Fries*

Angel Food Boxes and the Month of (almost) Nothing

Have you ever heard of Angel Food Boxes?  If not, let me tell you about it.

From the website: Angel Food Ministries is a non-profit, non-denominational organization dedicated to providing food relief and financial support to communities throughout the United States. The program began in 1994 with 34 families in Monroe, Georgia (between Atlanta and Athens), and has grown to serve hundreds of thousands of families every month across 45 states. Angel Food Ministries crosses denominational lines and has spread the good news of the gospel of Christ through salvation tracts that are placed in each food order.

Blessings by the box

Angel Food is available in a quantity that can fit into a medium-sized box at $30 per unit. Each month's menu is different than the previous month and consists of both fresh and frozen items with an average retail value of approximately $60. Comparison shopping has been done across the country in various communities using a wide range of retail grocery stores and has resulted in the same food items costing from between $42 and $78.

Generally, one unit of food assists in feeding a family of four for about one week or a single senior citizen for almost a month. The food is all the same high quality one could purchase at a grocery store. There are no second-hand items, no damaged or out-dated goods, no dented cans without labels, no day-old breads and no produce that is almost too ripe.


A friend told me about them a few years ago, but I always seemed to miss the cut off date. As one of my New Year Resolutions to be more aggressive about debt, I decided to do a month-of-almost-nothing at the grocery store.  It seems like that is the only place you can really try to cut back.  I have done a pretty good job in recent months of "Grocery Gaming" and doubling up coupons so that the pantry is fairly full.  The deep freeze is also in good shape and we still have most of the chickens butchered from the homestead.  I was looking for menus and recipes in my anticipation for February being "the" month and came across the Angel Food site again.  It just so happened that the night I was looking at it was the cut off night.  SO, I quickly ordered a box to be delivered to the church down the road from us. (OK, it's about 9 miles...)
 
So here we are.  I got the box today.  I sat down and did what I've always said I wanted to do and planned out almost ALL the meals for the month of February.  (I was bragging that I had planned out all the meals and challenged Man to ask me a day and I'd tell him what we were having...and he picked one of the three days I HADN"T planned....that will teach me to brag!)  We have a few "special" days in February, that's why it is the month of ALMOST nothing.  Our 18th Anniversary is coming up, as is Valentine's Day, and my dreaded milestone birthday...you know the one with the 0 at the end.  So we've planned a night out with dear friends of ours on the 19th.
 
Here's what is in our box this month:

• 1.5 pounds choice beef netted roast with pop-up timer
• 2.5 pounds IQF split chicken breast
• 2.5 pounds breaded chicken breast assorted pieces
• 1.5 pounds fully cooked meatballs
• 2 pounds fully cooked ministrone soup
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 pound sweet italian sausage
• 1 pound yellow squash and zucchini
• 1 pound sugar snap peas and carrots
• 5 pounds waffle fries
• 6.9 ounce beef-flavored rice and vermicelli
• 1 pound pasta
• 25 ounces pasta sauce
• 1 pound Northern dry beans
• 18 ounces quick oatmeal
• 32 ounces 2 percent shelf stable milk
• Dozen eggs
• One dessert item-Sugar Cookies

After picking up our box, we went over to Kroger and picked up 2 bagged lettuce, 1 of coleslaw, tomatoes, and dairy (milk, yogurt, cottage cheese) and 10 boxes of tissues as Boy was sick most of this week and now Man is getting it.  Oh, and cold medicine.

Come along with us...on this adventure.  I'll post our menu tomorrow.