Snow ...Snow...etc.

Well, another snow and more shoveling....more shoveling!!!!

Noticed deer tracks over by the garden this morning...these guys survived the hunting season...

The hens up on the hill....in the Victorian Camper..[in the chicken trailer park]...didn't seem to mind the snow. Neither did the old ram or the bad goaties taking shelter in their 'dog pen'

My favorite old ewe, Trix [she's 13] was down at the barn begging for a treat while I was cleaning out a chicken cage [actually, an old dog crate used for a chicken hospital]

Another group of hens were sunning and preening, enjoying the noon sun

And icicles hanging on the dead foliage in the window boxes 

And so goes a snow storm....an event up here on the hill...

Holy Jumpin'

Where oh where has this week gone? Got hay, cleaned the barn, made more cheese, went to a First Friday exhibit last night...time seems to be flying into the rabbit hole...Lots of local talk concerning the gas drilling. Personally, I would like to see more regulations concerning the disposal of the 'fracking' waste water...I haven't seen any concrete facts about the safety of this process so I would believe that it doesn't exist!..It would be a shame to have a repeat of the super fund cleanup that we had at the Drake chemical site up-river at Lock Haven..........I suppose a person could go on forever about these issues...I'm not really sure that we [the public at large] have much control ...seems to be all about the $$$$ and who possesses the most!

Since this is the first of this new year...time to get organized...yes, organized!!!!!   I might make a list...maybe.

So many projects to finish....farm stuff, weaving...clearing out the attic or at least re-organizing it and boxing up yard sale stuff for October....I still have stuff in my attic from the time I moved here in 1998!!!!!!

Till later......JR

Tasty cheese

I recently made a whey cheese, called mysost. Since the uses for whey [what's left after making cheddar] are few and far between...I gave it a try.  With the coal stove going 24/7..it made perfect sense to use this heat source to reduce the whey.  Well, it takes 12 hours on the stove to finally see any results.  The last 10 minutes are the best...it thickens to a cooked pudding-like consistency and smells wonderful.  It's definitely not a cheese for the timid....it has a caramel, sweet, salty flavor and after being refrigerated overnight is great on a plain cracker.  I understand the Scandinavians use it on toast..no toast today...no bread!

Time Flies!

Happy new Year to all!

Geez....Time flies when you have a few days of really nice weather [40+ degrees] and totally forget about inside stuff. When you decide to get on the computer...what do I find...but no dial tone...NO phone!!!!  I think I must live in the outer reaches of western Mongolia...I am beginning to think that Verizon should take a look at their service record out here in Pensyltucky...at least once every 10 days the phone takes dive!....and when you call, you get some manufactured 'lady voice' requesting that you check everything under your roof... then 'she' informs you that a service person can respond in 4 or 5 days!!!!...What the he!!...are they just crazy or what!!!!

Oh well...I guess it could be worse. At least the weather has been great.

Now, I have to put up with football on EVERY channel...every kind of 'bowl' that can be imagined...possibly even a 'brain dead bowl'...I just love football!

I'll just cover up, watch PBS with my dog and look forward to Monday