Sourdough and Random Thoughts

   I came here to look for a recipe I used to use all of the time, only to find that it's been four years since I've posted anything. I was looking for my bread recipe to try to convert it from a commercial yeast dough into a sourdough recipe. I've been maintaining a sourdough starter now for couple of years now and only baking with it occasionally. I mostly us the discard in recipes but haven't really perfected making a straight sourdough loaf.
   

May 06, 2021

One of the first things I made with sourdough was Bagels. They turned out okay but not as soft as we would have liked. I think with more practice they will get better.

May 11, 2021

The best bread I made so far was from Kate's Soft Sourdough Recipe. Here are pictures of the first time I made this recipe. 

February 15, 2022

February 15, 2022

After making sourdough consistently for a few months, I drifted back to buying bread as my family isn't really found of the taste and texture of my sourdough. I'm starting to experiment with recipes again to find a milder tasting loaf that will be kinder to my family's taste buds.

Real Talk Tuesday...

   Today I want to talk about phone calls. I'm not even sure where to start but I think its something that a lot of people don't understand about me. I really don't like making or receiving phone calls, if its an unknown number or if I don't know the person I'm calling. For a couple of very personal reasons the phone ringing, and me not expecting it, sets off one of my anxiety triggers. It has taken me a while to realize this but it takes me back quite a few years ago to a time when I was really struggling financially and almost every time the phone rang there was a bill collector on the other end. In that same time frame I had taken a second job to try and recover from my financial troubles and wouldn't you know that second job ended up being a receptionist at an animal shelter. Well, I'm not sure how many of you know this but probably 90 percent of people who call or come into a shelter, are not inquiring about an animals to adopt. In fact its quite the opposite!  They either have a box of kittens they say were left at their house (which I rarely ever believed), or they were calling because they had a dog who they couldn't (or should I say they didn't want to take the time to train properly, or they hadn't done their research on the breeds characteristics), or they were moving, or having a baby or whatever the excuse of the hour was. The job also required me to return phone calls that were left on the answering machine during hours that the shelter was not open. So majority of my time there at that job was spent just dreading that door opening, or the phone ringing, or even having to make a phone call because I never knew what craziness I was going to be facing at any given moment. Because of the policies at that shelter it wasn't like I could just accept every animal that was being brought in. There was quite a protocol that had to be followed and if it wasn't followed then I'd get into a lot of trouble. So that was very stressful for me.
   My main, full time, job I was working in retail. So, I was dealing with customers (and answering the phone on occasion) for at least 6 of the 8 hours that I was there. So, for the few hours I was home at night I REALLY didn't want to see or hear another human being. When the phone would ring I knew it was most likely a bill collector anyhow so I'd let the answering machine get it. If it was a friend I'd sometimes call them back right away and other times I'd just put it off, because I just wanted my alone time. Needless to say, this became a very bad habit. When I was home that my down time, away from humans. I did not want bothered. I lived alone with the exception of my animals, of course, and down here on this dead end road there was little traffic so t was the perfect escape.
   So that was like 11 or 12 years ago, so what is my problem with phone calls now?? Well, lest see. It could be the fact that I have small children and every time I am on the phone one or both of them think they need to be in my face asking or telling me something in the loudest voice possible. Or, maybe its that if the kids aren't making a fuss, I'm trying to get dinner ready, or its chore time, or maybe by this time its homework time, or possibly its bath, story time and bed time....
  Are any of you noticing that phone calls are just not normally fun for me? If you call me and leave a message and I respond back by sending you an email or private message on Facebook, instead of of an actual phone call - PLEASE DON'T TAKE IT PERSONAL. It has NOTHING to do with you, honest! Email and messaging are just easier for me most of the time. I might not always have a chance to call someone at the moment I think of it, but I may have a few seconds to send out a quick post and you can respond when it is convenient for you.
   Recently I had someone ridicule me and say that I was hiding behind messaging instead of calling and dealing with an issue over the phone. That wasn't the case at all. I really did want to address the issue with him but my daily schedule doesn't always work out so I have a spare half hour or so that it would have taken to resolve what he was confronting me on and quite frankly I felt the 'issue' he wanted to talk to me about wasn't my problem to begin with, so no I was not going to take time out of my day to make a phone call about something that I didn't want involved in.
   So, please, if you call someone and they don't return your call immediately or they send you a message in another form, try to be a little understanding. Its probably nothing personal against you.

My rant for the day...

  When are people going to learn that animals are not a convenience item? They are a long term commitment. Some people seem to think they can acquire animals and keep them until its no longer fun for them, or the weather isn't warm enough, and they don't want to go out in the cold to feed them, or all of the sudden they realize that they can't afford to the feed it takes to properly care for the animals. Do they think maybe they should have done some research BEFORE getting those animals, and made sure they have the means and resources to care for them throughout the year? No, they didn't, because they just figure that when its no longer 'fun' for them, they can just get someone else to take care those animals..... and in the spring they'll either decide to go get the animal from that person who has been taking care of them all winter or buy new animals.... and the cycle starts all over again! 

I warned you that this was going to be a rant. And its something I should probably keep to myself. But wheres the fun in that? [laughing to myself] I guess I just need to get this out there, because I can't be the only one who has experienced this. Or maybe I am the only gullible one who gets myself into these situations, I don't know. 

Here is a bit of a background story to help you understand why I'm upset today...... A few years back I had someone ask me take their animals because they were in a bad situation at that moment and needed someone to care for the animals "for a while". Even after agreeing that they would give me a set dollar amount (and a very low cost at that) to pay for feed costs, I had seen nothing. The animals were here for months and I contacted the owners, stating that if they couldn't pay for the feed I had into them or at least come get the animals at that point, or find other accommodations for them, I needed to sell the animals. It was agreed that I would sell them and keep the money I got from the sale as payment for feed and care over the months that I had the animals. 

Fast forward to a week ago.... I got a Facebook message from the father of the person I had dealt with before. The message stated that some of the chickens I acquired in December were his.

WHAT??

He wanted to know what the plan was before he had a bill that he couldn't pay. Again, WHAT?? Why do you think any of these chickens are your's?

He said that 14 of the chickens I got (in December) were "on lone" to the guy I got them from and he was supposed to get them back in the spring. And from what I'm getting, he thinks I need to return his chickens or replace them with pullets in the spring.

Really? I have fed, watered, and housed these things for over two months and I did not know anything about your involvement, until now. So let me ask you, if you had gotten animals from someone and two months later another person shows up stating that those animals belong to them. HOW WOULD YOU FEEL??? In my mind I've paid for them. If nothing else because I have money into their feed and care.... not once in those two months have I seen any help from anyone else. No money, no feed, nothing. And that doesn't even include the time and money that the guy who I got them from had into them. How long can you expect someone to take care of "your" animals with no help and you still consider those animals yours to do with what you want?

And may I add that its always the nastiest coldest part of the year when there is no natural food for these animals, and feed costs are at their highest, when people think they can "lone" their animals out. Do you think I like freezing my hands, face, and feet, etc. to take care of animals that aren't even producing anything for me at the moment... NO... I don't .... but I also know it is part of owning animals. You have to weather the bad days as well as the good days. Why should I be expected to put in the hardest part of the work so someone else can come claim them for the summer, when it takes a lot less feed and labor to keep an animal. In the summer there is tons of food growing in nature and the chickens could pretty much fend for themselves and do quite well. Furthermore when I got these chickens I knew nothing about the deal you had with the other guy, so if you feel you are owed chickens - then take that up with him, not me.

I'd like to offer him a solution to his (and his son's) problem of acquiring animals they can not take care of for the winter. How about come fall put those animals in your freezer and let them feed you for the winter.

If I'm being a cold hearted wench then be that as it may, I don't feel I owe him anything.

Crescent Rolls in the diaper bag????

It is unlikely that anyone else will find this as funny as I did. Especially at 11 p.m. I was getting ready for bed and trying to clean off the table from the aftermath of a hectic day of shopping and other errands. I started to pick my bag up (it is basically a diaper bag and purse all in one) and I noticed the one side was unzipped so I started to zip it closed and spotted this tube of crescent rolls peaking out at me.

 Yeah, it confused me too... for a minute or two!

 

I'm sure you are wondering "why would she have Crescent Rolls in her diaper bag?"

Well, let me tell ya ...So was I... Then I remembered!

About halfway home from the grocery store *Z* pulled it out of one of the bags that were in the back seat next to his car seat. Then he proceeded to hit the back of the front passenger seat with it... where my mother was sitting. All I could envision was the seal breaking, from him hitting it on the seat, and the can exploding on the back of my mother's head... I know it would have scared the bejeebers out of her. But the worst thing is, I'm sure I would have laughed... and reprimanding a child, while laughing, has never been very effective!!!

It would not have been a good thing!

I had taken it away from *Z* and put it on my lap for the rest of the drive home.
At one point Mom and I were laughing over a story I had heard once where one of these things exploded and hit the driver in the back of the head. She thought she had been shot. She had reached up to feel the back of her head and could feel wetness and was sure that she was dying. She only realized what had happened after the EMS arrived... yes she even called the medics, she was that certain that she was shot...LOL
 Once home, I gathering the loose things from the truck and just tossed the tube into the closest bag that I knew would be going in the house right away..... It went to the house. But that was the last I thought about it.

Our new Christmas Ornament

A couple of days before Christmas my almost three year old came out to the kitchen saying "Brudder binky in Christian Tree, Momma". (He call the Christmas Tree a "Christian Tree" - love it!) At first I thought he had taken it from his brother and threw it in the tree, but he was acting too proud for that to be the case. "Come here, see" he said as he turned and ran back into the living room. This is what I found when I got there...

It was just too cute not to share. We decided to leave it there because *K* (10 1/2 months old) doesn't really use it anymore, other then as a toy. So it is now officially part of the Christmas decorations. A first Christmas Ornament - so to speak.
I've been so blessed! My boys both gave up their pacifiers around 10 mths old. They just seemed to be done all of the sudden. No warning, no fussing, nothing -  just done. One of my worst fears, when I decided to start letting them suck on a "binky", was that it would be SO hard to break them of it once they started. Thank you, God - for giving me such easy going boys!

4 Years Ago Today

This has to be some kind of record...

An overnight low of 42.4°F. Yesterday's high was 50.8°F, and I see it is already 51°F today at 11:18 a.m. I'm not complaining one bit, I don't even miss the snow. But I sure am glad Santa's Reindeer can fly because it would be hard to pull a sleigh through mud.


4 Years Ago Today

I'm stll here... and well

Just a quick note to let you all know that, even though it has been over a month since I've written, I am still here and doing well.
I can't tell you everything that has happened here in the past month, but one of the major contributing factors of me not blogging is my laptop crashed the first week of the month and I have been using OLD desktop that seems to take at least two minutes to load each page.

I will try to come back and update more often, but as we all know, I've said that before and look what happened.

Who knew?

Who knew there were so many different pacifiers on the market? And more to the point who knew that not just ANY pacifier would "pacify" the new baby?

While in the hospital I couldn't get *Z* to take a pacifier, then the evening we got released the one nurse got him to take the teal colored hospital issued one called the Soothie (pictures at left).
After a day or two at home he got so he didn't really like that one but wanted to suck, so I tried the Playtex Ortho-Pro Newborn Pacifier (pictured at left) that I received in the diaper bag provided at the doctor's office. He didn't like that one at all.

The next one I tried was the Gerber NUK pacifier. This one works occasionally, but he doesn't suck on it for long until he spits it out. Now he has decided he likes the Soothie best out of all the pacifiers that we have but, again, he isn't totally happy with it.

The only nipple he does like any wants is the Playtex Natural Latch nipple (pictured at left) from his bottle. I keep telling *T* that I wish I could find a pacifier built like that nipple, but I can't. I was searchin online on Friday and found this one. It is the Playtex Binky Most Like Mom Latex Pacifier.

I ordered one and it should be here tomorrow, I can only hope that *Z* will like it. I actually wish he would find his thumbs again, I know he'd be happier because he wouldn't lose them. When the nurse brought him back to me in the hospital he had both his thumbs shoved in his mouth, sucking away. He hasn't been able to find them since, because he clenches his fists so tight and can't get to his thumbs.
Please wish us luck in finding something to help pacify this child of mine!

Blogoversary

Wow! It's been four years since I started this blog. One of these days I'll have to print off what I've written here since I no long seem to write in a journal.

4 Years Ago Today

Hopefully Soon

I should here back from the repair shop where I took my camera to get it fixed. I took it in last Wednesday while in Olean. They said they would call in about a week to tell me what needs to be fixed and give me an estimate.

I hope that it can be fixed for a reasonable price because I so miss taking pictures.

Another week is gone

I dread this time of the week. I really do. Wednesday is usually the day that I sit down and figure out which bills will get paid this week and which ones will get put off another week... or two.
I just wish I had enough to pay all of the bills off for one month and be caught up then maybe I could stay caught up, at least for a while.

On a better note...
We had another new calf born here on Saturday evening, that makes six total, with three more to be born at some point in the near future.
I'm still waiting for the arrival of Nannie's baby, I think that goat hears me coming to the barn and calls everything off. At least a week ago I was so sure that she was ready to deliver that I even went out at 2 a.m. to check on her. Since then I haven't seen any signs of her being ready other than she is getting bigger by the day and her udder looks like it's about to explode.
I continue to get a gallon of milk per day from my new goat. I have been able to use or give away all of it so far. I've got to get some rennett and start making cheese. I did try yogurt today but I think I killed my culture because it didn't turn out and I did notice (to late) that the milk had gotten too hot.

Where has the week gone

On April 30th we got some more bunnies. I have been looking for more does so I can start raising them for our own meat, but haven't had much luck. Well last week I was on the Pennswoods Classifieds and saw an ad for bunnies. They only wanted $2 for the big ones and $1 for little ones. I emailed the owner to find out what breed they were and got a reply saying "just plain bunnies"... LOL.. After reading the email I realized that the girl who has the rabbits is the daughter of the guy who reads our gas meter [you know you live in a rural area when...] And they live not too far from here. The day after I emailed then about the bunnies just happened to be the day *L* came to read the gas meter, so I asked him about the bunnies and told him we'd probably be over to look at them the next night (Thursday). That evening I got a phone call from *L* and he said someone might be coming from a couple of hours away the next day, to get rabbits, and they said that for the price they would take all of the ones they could. So *L* wanted to let me know that I'd better go that night and get the ones I wanted. We ended up getting three does. So hopefully in a few months we will be having babies. I want to give them a little time to get used to us before I stress them more with babies. I will tell you that my buck rabbits is happy to see that he has new neighbors and he is not the only rabbit left on earth.

I'm going to look at a milk goat on Wednesday. I am so excited.... I can hardly wait... I don't know why but I feel like a little kid getting a Birthday or Christmas present, last week was my Birthday so can I just consider this a late Birthday gift?
I don't think I have *T* convinced that having a milking goat is a good idea. But then he didn't think butchering the turkeys was a good idea either, but loved the taste of the meat. So maybe he will come around after a few batches of cheese and ice cream. I am currently looking for cheese recipes that are not too hard... so if any of you have any send them my way, please!

I've got to close this for now and get to bed... 5 a.m. comes real early.

What does your Birthday mean

Your Birthdate: April 29

You have the mind of an artist, even if you haven't developed the talent yet. Expressive and aware, you enjoy finding new ways to share your feelings. You often feel like you don't fit in - especially in traditional environments. You have big dreams. The problem is putting those dreams into action. Your strength: Your vivid imagination Your weakness: Fear of failure Your power color: Coral Your power symbol: Oval Your power month: November

What Does Your Birth Date Mean?

Another busy day here in North Central PA

I left the house at 5:45 in the morning yesterday and never got home until almost 6:30 p.m. I worked until 2 p.m. then went over to the fire hall to see if they needed help in the kitchen with anything. Ended up staying there cleaning leeks for the join fundraiser that the legion and fire department are doing. As I walked in the house *T* handed me the phone and said "here *MK* wants to know what you are doing". *MK* was calling to see if I'd order a pizza and she'd pick it up on the way to the house. *T* had helped her change the tires on her car the other night and she had planned on taking us out to dinner last night as a "Thank You". But we decide that since I hadn't been home all day we'd just order pizza and call it good. As soon as I got off the phone *T*, the boys, and I went out to get the chores done before *MK* got here. We ate outside at the picnic table and then *T* and the boys played ball with the dogs while *MK* and I chatted. It was getting dark and a bit cool outside so we came in the house and sat here and chatted some more while *T* got the boys in the tub for a bath (from the dirt that was in the tub after thier bath, I think we could have planted the garden in the bottom of the tub). Shortly after the boys were out of the tub *MK* was ready to leave and I walked her out to the car and by the time I came back in the house two of the boys were sleeping on the couch, and the thrid was saying he was ready for bed. They had played outside all day, poor little guys were tuckered out.

The firemen in North Central Pennsylvania got a workout yesterday. Here is a link to "Potter County Fire News" that posted the news story below.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Things started off with a report of a wildfire in Farmington Twp. in the Nelson area around 1100 hrs. Before it was all said and done (many hours later) that fire would result in the loss of several structures and an unknown number of acres of property. This fire saw the seldom seen use of an All-Call for manpower in Tioga County requesting all available manpower to the scene. We have received reports that an air tanker was also called in to the scene of that fire.

At aproximately 1130 hrs Singlehouse Dept 39 was dispatched to a reported structure fire in Oswayo. This blaze required resources from Shinglehouse Dept 39, Coudersport Dept 48, Genesee Dept 37, as well as Bolivar and Portville, NY (and possibly more). Reports indicate that two structures were lost in this blaze.

Then at aproximately 1200 hrs, while working at Station 47 in Ulysses, Dept 47 personnel noticed heavy smoke in the area of Jackson Rd. in Bingham Twp. Upon investigation it was found that a large wildfire was in progress on the hillside above Jackson Rd. aproximately 1/4 mile from the Ulysses/Hickox Rd. This resulted in units from Depts 47, 20 and 10 responding in what would become a 3+ hour effort to quell an aproximately 3-4 acre blaze. Normally Genesee Dept 37 would have also been requested but they were already committed to the structure fire call in Oswayo.


And if that wasn't enough already, as units were responding to the Ulysses incident a call went out for a reported wildfire in Westfield Twp in the Potter Brook area. This incident would ultimately burn aproximately 50 acres and endanger several homes. Dept 20 split its response between the Ulysses and Westfield fires sending P2024 to Ulysses and T2015 and E2022 to Potter Brook. Ulysses Dept 47 was requested to respond but had no units avalable to do so because of the ongoing incident in thier district. Several area departments were involved in battling this blaze including some that had been tranfered to cover at other stations as the result of the Farmington Twp incident.

If all this hadn't already made things busy enough, at some point doing all the already ongoing incidents a reported wild fire in Troupsburg caused for further mayhem. It is unknow how many (or what) area companies responded to that incident but it is reported that several structures were also lost in this blaze.

And at about 1434 hrs Austin Dept 44 was dispatched to 809 Cowley Hill Road for a Wildfire. Chief 44 (D. VanWhy) Responded in minutes to arrive on scene to establish "Austin Command" and reported fire under control by the residence themselves. Luckily this one turned out to be minor.

So, to say the least, the dispatchers in Tioga County earned their money today as they certainly had their hands full as did all of the departments that responded to the various incidents through out the area.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


I know people want to get thier lawns cleaned up but WHY do they burn on these kinds of days? There was a steady breeze ALL day long with occasional gusts that were quite high force. I don't know why anyone would think that it was a good idea to burn trash with these conditions.

Two days in a row...

Sometimes the simplest things bring tears to my eyes.
Last week I was telling my friend/co-worker (*V*) about these cute pink plaid canvas shoes that I saw at Wal-Mart. I was telling her that I almost bought them, but I opted for a pair of dark blue and a pair of white ones instead. But then later wished I had gotten the plaid ones. Yesterday when *V* came to work she had a bag in her hand and said "I have something for you" (with this devilish little grin on her face)... when I looked in the bag there was a pair of those cute plaid shoes! She spoils me.
Today when I got home from work I found a bag of goat feed and a card propped up against my back door. I couldn't imagine where it had come from because I knew *T* wasn't going to pick up feed today and even if he did he would have put it in the feed bin in the barn not on the back door step. I opened the envelope to find a Thank You card inside. It said "Thanks! .... for bending over backwards for me." and signed by "Penny & Suzie". I got all teary. I never expected anything for helping, I just did it because I could help someone in need.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
One Year Ago Today
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What a difference

Today's High: 68*F
Today's Low: 59*

I was looking at last year's post and the temperature was only 24*, wow I'm glad it's this year not last...LOL. The link to that post is below.

It was so nice outside today, so we had another fairly productive day. We worked on the lawn again this evening, or should I say *T* worked on the lawn, while I let the goats out into the corrall, checked for eggs, searched for the "hidden" eggs that I know have to be out there somewhere. Put some eggs under the old bitty that is setting on he rear pretending to be incubating eggs... talk about a "wannabie mom" (and I thought I was obsessive LOL). I gave her a few eggs so now she'll probably get up and wander off... darned ol' bitty. I never did find any other nests so for now I'll have to be happy with my one egg a day.
I tried to clean the front ditch, but that didn't go well so I admitted defeat and put my rake away. *T* said he'd get after it with the shovel ... the only problem.... he didn't say when...LOL. After cleaning all day Sunday, and raking up the blackberry canes that were mowed down last fall. We have a huge pile of stuff to be burned but now we have to wait for it to rain again... I know, I complained for how long about how wet and rainy it was... well now I want it to rain... just for a little while so we don't start a wild fire... yeah, that would be real nice I can see the headlines now... NO... I'll wait.
Oh, I almost forgot... after we spent some time brushing the horses out, I checked the electric fence to see if is still working... Unintentionally!!!! Trust me... It works great! Somehow I managed to get zapped with it while closing the gate tonight. Have I ever mentioned that I hate getting shocked? Well I do. Actually it scared me more than it hurt. Of course *T* had to witness the whole thing. And may I add that he thought it was hilarious... yep... he saw it all... I opened the gate, passed trough... ouch!, something hit me in the back of the legs, I turned to see what and .... it did it again... [scream/tossed the gate hook, fenced coiled up and got all tangled].. I realized that the fence is what got me, but I was holding it in my hand how did it hit me in the back of the legs??? HAVE I TOLD YOU LATELY HOW MUCH I HATE ELECTRIC FENCES????
Well I think I've done enought rambling for one evening so I'll close this now.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
One Year Ago
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Was it an April Fool's Joke?

Yesterday morning (April Fool's Day) I heard the first peepers of the year. But this morning the temp is down to 27*F again and there are no sounds of peepers today :( So, can I consider this the first time they froze up? Or was yesterday just a cruel joke?
Yesterday's high was 63*F and the low was 30*F, what a difference.

Spring is trying

I'm not sure what the high temp was today, but I know it was in the mid 30's. The sun was shining and it was beautiful outside.. until you stepped out the door. That wind was COLD. At least the sun was out again.. I am solar powered and even if it is cold I felt better.

The dogs are even acting different, they have been out most of the afternoon and even when I let them in and fed them then immediately wanted back out, usually this time of the evening they will lay down and sleep then go out for a while again around 8:30 p.m. Or, maybe that is because of the full moon :)

*T* is at the firehall to help with bingo. I couldn't believe they were still having bingo tonight because it is Good Friday, but they are. I don't get it. I know we need to raise money for the department but come on... can't you take one friday off?

My sister's three girls (13yrs, 11yrs,& 3yrs) are visiting my mother and father for a couple of days. It is always quite amusing to me the way they act around the farm. The 13 yr old likes the animals and helping on the farm. The 11 yr old is a "princess" and doesn't like to get close to the animals. The 3 year old wants to pick up every animal that isn't bigger then she is, but is scared of everything because she isn't around animals enought to know how to act around them. So she doesn't know if she should hug the animals or run from them. Kids, they are so amazingly different. I have to laugh when I think of my siblings and I when we were those ages we were always in the barn helping with chores, yes we were raised in a barn, literally ...LOL. Only our ages would have been 3,5,8,11,12 (me being the 3 yr old). There has never been a time in my life I have not had animals in my life. For a short (I mean very short) time a few years ago the only animals I had were dogs and cats, but hat didn't last long. I had to get more critters.

I lost everyone!!!

I can't believe I did it ... but all my widgets are GONE! I lost all my links to blogs I read and all my other neat little sidebar stuff :(( I could just cry.
I was trying to add a new template and lost my old one, so now I have to start over.
Now I'll see if I can find you all again... so if I forget someone or you just want added to my list please let me know.

Today's Forecast

Rain/Thunder
High Low Precip. Humidity
43ºF 28ºF 90%/90% 80%/79%

Day: Rain likely with a few thunderstorms. High 43F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall may reach one inch.
Night: Rain and snow this evening transitioning to snow showers overnight. Low 28F. Winds WNW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of precip 90%. 1 to 2 inches of snow expected.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The temperature right now is 44 degrees, so it is actually one degree warmer then predicted...whoo hoo!

It is dreary and rainy, and most of the snow is gone so, these past few days are the first we've been able to see the ground. I swear the dogs have an ongoing compatition to see who can get the dirtiest and track the most mud in the house then deposit their wet muddy self on my new/used furniture..... ggrrrrr.

I haven't had any real bloggable (is that a word) things to talk about lately. Or maybe I just haven't had the energy. We have been recovering from the nasty (and I mean, nasty) flu bug. But even before that I just lost myself with everything that happened right at the beginning of the year and I've been struggling to get back into a routine. I just can't seem to get it together, and have no desire to sometimes. Well, actually I do have a desire to I just don't have the willpower to. Spring better hurry up and get here.

My nubian nanny goat is due to have a baby sometime in a month or so. I can't wait... I just love baby goats. I wish I had more babies due... that would get me going whether I wanted to or not.
I hope everyone who checks in on this blog haven't given up on me. I'll be back, I promise :-)
I also have to get my camera fixed that would help me start blogging again... my critters do such silly things I can't help but share pictures.