I've been borrowing ideas and....

the latest one is the new Chat Wall to your right. My cousin, Jenny, added this neat widget to her blog and when I saw it, and well...... I had to borrow the idea. My thinking is, that it may make it easier for family who don't have blogs to chat with me. I'd like for our blog to become a gathering place for family, friends as well as like minded people. A place to encourage, exchange ideas, pray for each other, and to just have a good time together. Please add your chat and I'll see if I can reply. Now mind you, I'm on dial up, so.... it takes awhile to get my chat posted Blessings to you and may you be a blessing today.

Spring fever is in full force around here. We won't have any babies this year but we're sure enjoying watching everyone elses.

Yesterday when filling the water troughs I noticed a, ever so slight, green hue in our pastures. This made my day! The cows and Mo also seem to be enjoying this new green as well. They all seemed to graze along the ditch, it must be greening up quicker.

Update on Casino:

We took him in on Monday morning, the vet examined him, once he was asleep, and found no broken bone, bad teeth or even torn muscles. At best I felt as if she made a diagnosis on a guess, that diagnosis being, mandibular muscle malitosis( deterioration of his jaw muscles) This is an auto immune disease. Treatment is anti inflammatory meds., soft foods and time. He goes for a follow up visit this Sat. I'm apprehensive as to the cost of this follow up exam, as the running total is now well over $200. It seems as though the veterinarians feel as if you need to spend a small fortune on your beloved pets. If this flares up again we'll be treating Casino with homeopathics and herbs. We're all glad he's feeling better and the meds seem to be making that happen.

We've mixed our potting soil in a big tote, tub. Our mix consists of one bag( organic topsoil), some of our own compost, composted manure, kelp, natural calcium,and 1/2 c. lime( sweeten the soil)

The pots have been soaked in a light solution of bleach water and dried. All we need is the time to fill the pots and begin planting our seeds. First will be some of the annual herbs we know take longer to germinate. Then onto the peppers, cabbage, tomatoes and such. At this time we also like to start a few planter pots of lettuce mix, spinach and radishes. Since we eat seasonally, we begin craving new salad greens in mid March. I'd do sprouting during the winter months, but Mike and Cortney won't eat them. Toward the end of March is usually the time we set up our coldframes, nothing fancy, just old hay bales and old glass windows facing south. This year I've found an inexpensive greenhouse 6x6, $129, and plan to use it as our coldframe. Cortney wants to plant some melons, carrots, and pumpkins early, so this greenhouse will provide a great experiment for her( aka Scientific theory)

We need to make a quick trip into the city to pay our CPA for taxes. PTL! we're getting a nice return, even though we lost our child tax credit on Cortney. This money is already spent, on having a well drilled and the pump and electrical run out to the well. This is for irrigation, as well as water for animals and if need be for our use too. We've been irrigating our property with a gas powered pump, pumping water from the river. When the gas prices skyrocketed last summer, it about broke us to keep our pastures green. So... began the discussion to put in a well big enough to irrigate from. Hay prices have skyrocketed, so even the high cost of this set up will pay for itself in one to two seasons. We also now crop share 10 acres of hay ground. We pray this will cover our needs for hay in the coming winter. The least tons of hay we have to buy the better!

This has turned into a ramble of sorts. May the Lord bless you and keep you in these trying times .

This weighs heavy on our hearts

I've struggled with writing this sort of article, but after several weeks of wrestling with the Lord; I've succumb. The reason I wrestled was that we've been termed as Doom's Day believers. We've been following the Lord's lead for almost 20 yrs now and He has led us to our little homestead for a reason. People, in general, even believers can't seem to be bothered with listening to that still small voice( that's the Lord speaking to you). Why?, because everyone is so caught up in life, keeping up with the Jones's, so to speak. Instead of keeping the Lord as their primary focus. When you are so caught up in the "world" the noise seems to drowned out the Lord's voice. Many of you may be feeling anxious about what is happening in our economy but aren't sure why, or even what to do about this feeling. Well.... first you need to seek, in prayer, the Lord's voice, then listen carefully and follow through on what He lays on your heart.Next you need to think outside the box, begin to think for yourself. This is a tough one, as you'll be labeled and mocked. Their is the news, that is on your radios and TV's, but much of this news is VERY liberally bias, as well as controlled. Our suggestion is if you want the REAL news of what is going on in the United States, seek news from overseas news sources. Again we felt led to offer a warning, wake up call or whatever you'd like to label it. The Lord's still voice is there for those whom wish to listen. We pray you hear Him LOUD and CLEAR! We have been truly blessed here on our little homestead. Yes it's been full of trials, hard work, sorrow, sleepless nights but also overflowing with, peace,simply enjoying nature, rewards of the fruits of our labor and a less noisy life, so we hear His still small voice. I guess my concern is that many take this whole economic stuff far to lightly, that being the main reason we're where we're at this point in history. Study history folks, it does repeat itself. This year it is going to be so important that people revive their ability to grow some of their own food. Instead of flowers in flowerbeds, plant vegetables and herbs. The heavyiness on my heart is for the folks that can't seem to be bothered,and feel as if life will keep moving right along as always. Well.... that may be true, but what if it isn't? What does it hurt to pick up some garden seeds, stock up on basic pantry items, learn or re-learn cooking from scratch, learning to eat seasonally, etc...... Our motto is Prepare for the Worst and Pray for the Best. Living within one's means or better yet below one's means is another area to be looked at with a serious eye. Far to many live via credit and trust me it will come back to bite, sadly bite all of us, just as the housing fiasco has and will bite everyone. Our prayer, for those who read this is that the Lord opens your heart as well as your ears, before you hear two simple words: " To Late"