~ Feather Spirits ~

Candy Corn ......................................

2012-01-27T04:22:00.000-08:00

Was busy pulling the other rabbits fur out yesterday morning when I went to feed. I was planning to get a male bunny to breed her with this Spring . I had also planned to separate the small rabbits from her , but never did and oops , I guess the small rabbits are males.
I was just telling my sister the other night that I thought they were all females , since I had not got them separated and we hadn't had any babies. I haven't checked their sexes , but the man told me the small rabbits were male , I was begining to think otherwise. But yesterday I found out for sure , Candy Corn was trying to build her nest. I gathered some soft dried grass for her and she began building her nest right away.

She was busy as could be , stuffing the nesting box .........

and Checking it .............

and resting in between all that hard work.

Sometime between 2:45 and 4:30 pm yesterday she gave birth to 6 kits and she appears to be taking good care of them.

Linking up to Farmchick's ~ Farm Photo Friday ~

( Click Button on Left Sidebar to see more Farm Photos )

Farm Blessings

JoyceAnn

Confusing Weather ........................

2012-01-19T08:36:00.000-08:00

This past Saturday as Little Froggy and I headed out the door I noticed that the daffodils were budding. The weather around here has been milder than usual this winter.

Little Froggy enjoyed a little tree climbing while we were outside.
He would climb up and walk out on the climb while holding onto the limb above until it started bending , then he would sit down and and try to slide down (LOL).

As we were walking around the yard , I noticed the dogwoods and the pink magnolia were budding also. It's much to early for them to be budding and blooming , I'm sure they'll be hurt by the cold weather before winter is over.

Yesterday I saw that the daffodils have bloomed even though it's been below freezing the last few nights. The weather man is predicting temps in the 60's this Sat. and the high for Sun in the low 40's. It's been a roller-coaster ride this winter , confusing weather indeed.

Many Blessings

JoyceAnn

A Huge Time Capsule ....... The Attic

2012-01-18T05:57:00.000-08:00

I've been up to my elbows in boxes this week , we decided to clean the attic. We've lived here almost 27 years and have never removed anything , only added more stuff each year. We've only been through about half of the stuff. I'm trying to recycle as much as I can , some of it will go to the recycle hut at our waste management facility. The better items will go to our local thrift store that supports our schools. The cardboard and paper stuff will be used for starting fires in the furnace. But unfortunately we still have some that has to been trashed , I've tried to lessen our ecological footprint over the last 5 years , so I really don't like sending stuff to the landfill.

There are a lot of memories stashed up there ....... sport plaques ....... brownie /girl scout sashes , school work ............

and magazines ........ I kept asking myself ..... Why did I keep all of these magazines ?

The kids art work , birthday cards and postcards ............

Cute art .......... girl with a upside down umbrella and the arm to hold it was added as an after thought ( LOL ).

Lot's of books ................

and a few toys .........................

but we haven't got to the toy dept. yet ,

as my Dh told my Mom yesterday ( LOL ).

We also found a few old items that were stashed away up there too. It's been a walk down memory lane for sure. I just can't part with the sentimental items , so I plan to buy 4 totes, one for myself , Dh and my 2 daughters to put all of our keepsakes in. They'll be like gaint time capsules in the attic.

Attic Blessings

JoyceAnn

The Weather ...........................

2012-01-13T10:32:00.000-08:00

was really nice Tues. and I couldn't hold myself back from the garden any longer. I was going to move my asparagus back in the Fall and never got around to it. So I decided to move it and hope there wouldn't be any problem with moving it at this time of the year. We have mild winters , so hopefully it will be o.k. The stalks were filled with asparagus seeds , so I stripped those little red berries to plant.

I dug up the asparagus roots and planted some of them in the two raised beds near Dh's garage. I also planted a couple near the chicken coop , plan to see were it grows best.

I've been peeling , chopping , drying garlic ..........

and grinding the garlic into .........

garlic powder this week too. I haven't tried it yet , but it smells really good. Have you ever made homemade garlic powder ?

Garden Blessings

JoyceAnn

Looks Like ............................

2012-01-11T05:49:00.000-08:00

the perfect spot to soak up some sunrays !

Farm Blessings

JoyceAnn

Check-out Farm Photos at ~ http://farmchickskitchen.blogspot.com/ !

Feathers ..................

2012-01-09T07:45:00.000-08:00

Little Missy made this collage a few months ago here , but last week she decided to gift the collage to me. I guess she found it somewhere and she told her Mom that she had to bring it to Nana because Nana loved feathers (LOL). I'm planning to redecorate the Grands bedroom soon and this feather collage will look perfect with a jungle theme.

Many Blessings

JoyceAnn

May Your .............................

2012-01-08T06:38:00.000-08:00

Sky be Blue and Your Day be Colorful !

Be Blessed

JoyceAnn

2011 ~ 2012 Garlic Planting

2012-01-07T07:42:00.000-08:00

A couple of months ago as I was preparing to plant the garlic .....

I had a new helper , Mojo ( more of a supervisor .... look at those eyes ... LOL ) that took over Ms. Fern's job. Ms . Fern was the rhode island red hen I lost back in the Spring that was always by my side the past two years as I separated the bulbs into cloves to plant.

I planted 2 rows about the middle of November , but it was the week before Christmas that we mulched the garlic.

The weather has been mild , so it's about 2 inches tall and already popping out from under the deep layer of leaves we used as mulch. It was cold the first 3 days of this week , but it's been in the 60's yesterday and today. This weather makes me want to get in the garden , maybe I'll start planning the Spring garden instead.

Happy Gardening

JoyceAnn

Saying Goodbye .................

2012-01-05T20:42:00.000-08:00

Last night I went out to shut the coop door and found Ms. Arlene had passed. She was one of my first hens , I originally named her Jolene. But Curious J started calling her Arlene and it soon became her new name.

Good-Bye Ms. Arlene , Have a Safe Crossover !

Many Blessings

JoyceAnn

I Finally Made ................

2012-01-04T05:14:00.000-08:00

the black walnut cake I was planning to make last year , this year for Christmas. About two weeks before Christmas I was in the basement looking for something when I spotted the box of black walnuts I had picked up last year. So I decided to check them and see if they were still good. I laid one in between a towel and hit it with a hammer , they were easy to crack since they were so dried out. The nut inside was just fine , so I cracked them and picked out the nuts.
Christmas Eve I made a black walnut pound cake with cream cheese icing , it was delicious but dangerous (LOL) due to some hull in the cake. Fortunately no one broke a tooth and we had a good laugh , but I'll be more careful with picking the nut out next time.

~ Many Blessings ~
JoyceAnn

A Fun Idea for our Feathered Friends .........

2012-01-02T05:52:00.000-08:00

Build them a Ginger-bird House

Check-out it out at Backyard Farming .............
http://backyardfarming.blogspot.com/2011/12/ginger-bird-house.html

We've had a very mild winter , so no snow as of yet. But this would be a fun activity for a snowy day or just a blustery winter day. I plan to make one soon to feed my feathered friends.

Winter Blessings
JoyceAnn

Happy New Year !!!

2012-01-01T09:10:00.000-08:00

Wishing Everyone .........

A Happy , Healthy and Wonderous

New Year !!

Blessings , JoyceAnn

2011 Egg Count

2011-12-31T19:12:00.000-08:00

This is not a complete egg count , because I lost count back in Fall. The hens also started molting about that time. There was only one that didn't molt and she was only laying an egg every other day. We need new hens , as all of our girls are getting older. There are 6 hens , three of those are almost 3 years old and 3 are 2 years old. We'll be getting new hens soon.

Egg Count ~ 879

Farm Blessings

JoyceAnn

Merry Christmas !

2011-12-25T05:00:00.000-08:00

May Your Christmas be Happy , Peaceful and Filled with Many Blessings !

Merry Christmas !

JoyceAnn

All I Want for Christmas .........................

2011-12-24T07:55:00.000-08:00

Is a healed toe !

We've had very warm weather this week , so Thursday Little Time decided he was going to make a mad dash to their neighbors house across the woods barefoot. He stepped on a broken brick along the way and cut his big toe , he had to have 4 stitches. His toe was sore yesterday , but hopefully he'll be up and running tomorrow.

Couldn't resist sharing these pics of Little Missy Who .........

and her cat " Jazzy " ...........

playing with string under their Christmas tree. She reminded me of Little Cindy Lou in " How the Grinch Stole Christmas " wearing that dress and her hair pulled up on her head. Hence " Little Missy Who ".

~Merry Christmas ~
JoyceAnn

T'was a Few Days Before Christmas ..................

2011-12-20T14:31:00.000-08:00

Around the Farmette .......... but it wasn't very quiet ...... except for the mouse.

The roosters were crowing .........................

The hens were cackling and pacing .........

The rabbits snorted and hopped about ..... those crazy guineas were mighty skittish & loud.

They were all wondering why JoyceAnn ........was cleaning and decorating their house.

But she kept on raking , scooping and shoveling until it was clean.
Then she hung up some bows and beautiful greens.

She hung a small red bow on the rabbit hutch ........ but didn't add greens ...... was afraid they would nibble on them before Christmas Eve.

But they heard her exclaim as she was finishing up ......

It's almost Christmas and Santa will soon be here ........

so lay him some eggs .

Ho ! Ho ! Ho !

~ Be Blessed ~
JoyceAnn

Still Catching Up ........ Halloween Bunnies

2011-12-17T08:32:00.000-08:00

A couple of days before Halloween I met a guy that had rabbits for sell , he offered me a deal I couldn't refuse. So I met him on Halloween morning and brought 3 bunnies home.

Meet Ms. Candy Corn ..... she's very sweet and meets me at the door each day.

This is " Little Bunny Boo Boo" aka Boo ...............

and " Pinky Dinky Doo " aka Pinky . The black and white bunnies are miniature rex rabbits , they're cute as can be. The Grands were surprised and really loved the " Halloween Bunnies ".

~ Blessings ~

JoyceAnn

Creative Gift Wrapping

2011-12-13T17:08:00.000-08:00

Hope everyone is doing well , it's been busy around here as usual. The holidays are almost here , thought I would share this gift idea from last year just in case someone needs a last minute idea. I made Shagbark Hickory syrup for Christmas gifts last year , but thought I would like to add a little something for the kitchen along with the syrup , so I bought dish towels and potholders. When I got ready to wrap them , I decided the potholder would make a great gift bag , so I tucked the pint of syrup inside the potholder and tied everything together with twine. The syrup was a hit with everyone and who doesn't need new dish towels and potholders. You could tuck jams/jellies , other canned goodies or a small loaf of nut bread inside.

Hope to have time to visit some blogs soon.

~Blessings ~

JoyceAnn

Keets and Our Last Pepper Harvest .............

2011-12-05T09:44:00.000-08:00

The guinea hen that was sitting on the nest , hatched 17 keets in Oct.. I thought she was sitting on 16 eggs , but she laid another egg the day I took a pic of the 16 eggs and started sitting that night. On Oct. 4 the eggs hatched and there were 17 keets. I caught 6 of the keets before she realized what I was doing , then she got really protective and wouldn't let me near them. I put boards around the bottom of the fence and decided to leave them with her. That worked well for two weeks , but one evening I was late going out to check on them and when I got there she was outside the fence and had the keets under her settled down for the night. They apparently found a hole or went over the boards and she flew out with them. Since it was getting dark there wasn't much I could do except hope for the best for her and the keets. But the next morning she was gone and all the keets except for 2 , guess that fox made another raid. I caught the other 2 keets and put them in the brooder box with the other 6. We've lost another guinea since then , so we're down to 4 adult guineas and the 8 keets which are now in a holding pen outside until we release them next Spring.

We did have a nice pepper harvest in Oct , after it rained a couple of times the vines were loaded. I was really thankful for the peppers , we had stuffed peppers a couple of times . I diced and froze several bell peppers for seasoning , froze some strips for stir-frying this winter .......

and pickled the banana peppers.

Hope everyone had a great weekend !!

~ Blessings ~

JoyceAnn

Better Late than Never ............................

2011-11-26T09:43:00.000-08:00

Oct was another rough month , it started out with computer problems , then we lost our oldest dog to cancer and my Mom had dental surgery , so it was a busy month. Next thing I know it's the middle of Nov. , time for Thanksgiving and Birthdays around here. Little Missy turned 4 last Sunday and Little Froggy was 4 on Wed. So we've had 2 parties this week plus our Thanksgiving gathering and will have another gathering this Sunday. I started this post Oct. 3rd and never got back to it , but here's the pics I wanted to share from the Pow Wow in Sept. I hope to get back to posting regularly again. Hope everyone is well and Thank-you for your wonderful comments on my last post , they mean so much to me.

This festival/pow wow is held once a year at Town Creek Indian Mound.

I bought the grands a dance stick , Little Time was mighty proud of his. I love his warrior like pose.

Little Missy thought it would make a great weapon (LOL).

This pic was taken inside a reconstructed ceremonial hut.

It was a beautiful day , perfect for celebrating and dancing.

Little Time danced the last dance with our friend. Little Missy was tired and didn't want to dance , so we sat the last dance out.

We had ice cream on the way home , Little Time really enjoyed his. He had ice cream up his nose (LOL).

~ Be Blessed ~

JoyceAnn

What a Month ..............

2011-09-30T08:35:00.000-07:00

September has been. We had 2 deaths in the family and 2 weddings , plus I had a terrible bout with allergies/hay fever. I just haven't felt like blogging , it's been a month of mixed emotions and expressions for sure.

The goats went to their new home a couple of weeks ago , I still miss them. Dh and I are going to show the new goat owners how to trim hooves next week , so I'll get to see them again. We delivered them and when we left they seem pretty content in their new surroundings. I'm so happy I found them a wonderful home and owners that will take up time with them. They are just a few miles away and the lady who bought them told me to drop by anytime I wanted to see them , she's a wonderful person and I know the goats will be happy there.

The guinea hen is still on her nest and the eggs should be hatching the first of next week. So I've been keeping a close watch on her , we will have to take the keets once they're hatched or they will not survive. I don't like doing that , but guinea hens don't have much success with raising their young.

I did manage to get away to a Pow Wow on the 18th for a few hours of fun. We stopped at a produce stand and bought a basket of peaches on the way home. I'll blog about the Pow Wow next week , have some pics to share.

We're suppose to have cooler weather this weekend , looking forward to the cooler weather after the long hot summer we had.

~ Many Blessings ~

JoyceAnn

One More Try .............................

2011-09-07T04:28:00.000-07:00

The guineas have been busy all Spring and Summer trying to hatch some eggs. But each time they began sitting , something has raided the nest and eaten all the eggs , fortunately the guinea hen has gotten away each time.

I noticed last week they had been hanging around in the chicken run , half of the penned area has weeds waist high since the chickens don't stay in there and are free ranging each day. I thought at first they were under the weeds for shade , but one day last week I went out to check on the goats and I heard that call they make when laying an egg. So I decided to look around and see if I could find the nest . I found the nest and it's inside the chicken fence area , so they may hatch some keets after all. There were 10 eggs when I took this pic , but there are 16 now and she'll probably lay for another week before she begins sitting. I hope she hatches some keets since we're down to one guinea hen. That sly fox made off with 5 guineas this past Spring , so we need a few more hens.

~ Many Blessings ~

JoyceAnn

Hope .........................

2011-09-04T16:41:00.001-07:00

Your Weekend was Wonderful !

~ Many Blessings ~

Making Tough Decisions around the Farmette ..................

2011-09-02T04:41:00.000-07:00

I've made a tough decision and although I feel sad about selling the goats , I know I must. When we bought the goats about a year and a half ago , we built a shed and installed a large lot around the shed. We had plans to fence in a larger area around it so they could browse and graze during the day and would be housed in the smaller lot/shed at night to keep them safe from predators. But things didn't workout as planned , Dh had already taken a pay cut when we got the goats and shortly after that he was put on short time. He's been laid off every other week for over a year now and we're not sure what the future holds.

So we had to cut back and the fence was put on hold , I thought the job situation would get better , but it still looks bleak. I've been thinking about this for awhile and last week I made the tough decision to sell them. I ran an ad on Craigslist and a wonderful local couple called the next day , they came to see them and agreed to purchase them. They'll be here for another week , while they get prepared to house them.

I'm going to miss them dearly, but I know for now it's the right thing to do and I'm very thankful they'll be going to a good home. I hope to have goats again in my future when the economy gets better and we're able to get fencing up. It's been a wonderful experience and I'm thankful for all the wonderful blog friends whom have helped me gain the knowledge of taking care of them along the way.

~ Many Blessings ~

JoyceAnn

Homemade Ducky Fries ~ ~ ~ >

2011-08-31T06:30:00.001-07:00

We always find those funny shaped potatoes when we harvest them. This year's winner is the " Ducky Potato " , hence " Ducky Fries ".

Last Friday , Little Missy and I made " Ducky Fries ". I sliced the potatoes into rounds , then added about a tbsp cooking oil to a bowl , put potatoes in oil and mixed them well to make sure they're coated with the oil. Little Missy helped lay them on the baking pan. Heat oven to 350 , bake until browned on the top side , take them out and turn them to the other side. You can add a little salt or sea salt before returning to oven to let the other side brown. They're delicious , sometimes I add garlic powder to the oil before cooking. The Grands love them and they're much healthier than deep fried.

~ Many Blessings ~
JoyceAnn

Tater Digging Time .......................

2011-08-30T06:54:00.000-07:00

I was planning to share this post last week , but had a death in the family. My cousin passed away August 20th , so we spent time with family and friends the first few days of last week. We also had to prepare for Hurricane Irene , but thankfully she by-passed us.

We dug the potatoes week before last , the harvest wasn't as good as years past due to the drought. But we were Blessed with a good amount , hopefully enough to sustain us through the winter.

Little Missy and Little Time helped dig and pick-up the potatoes .......

they were so excited each time they found a potato.

When the work was done , it was time for a ride with Pa on the tractor.

Little Missy decided she wanted to drive the tractor.

They worked very hard , even helping their Dad pull the potatoes to house. They were so helpful and I'm proud of them.

~ Garden Blessings ~

JoyceAnn

I Wanna ..............................

2011-08-17T19:38:00.000-07:00

be ..............................

just like ..............

my Pa !!

~ Many Blessings ~

JoyceAnn

Enjoy ......................

2011-08-14T06:18:00.000-07:00

the wildness of today !!

~ ~ Be Blessed ~ ~

JoyceAnn

A Budding Herbalist .............

2011-08-11T06:53:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday , Little Missy spent the night , she loves helping with the morning chores. We walked around the herb garden and I spotted this old coal bucket that I had herbs planted in last year. Upon closer inspection I found this beautiful Purslane plant growing , it grows wild here and somehow the seeds had sprouted in the bucket. I'll be adding some of the leaves to our salads this week , they're very nutritious and high in omega 3's , you can check it out here ..... http://www.culinarymusings.com/2008/06/purslane-not-a-weed-but-a-wonder/.

Ms. Rose was on the nest , so Little Missy had a chance to pet her and watch her get ready to lay an egg.

After feeding and watering the chickens , goats and guineas , we headed to the field to harvest some red clover. She really enjoyed picking the red blossoms. A friend ask on my last post about red clover , what I do with it , some of you probably know. I make red clover tea , red clover syrup and plan to tincture some soon , it can also be used in cooking.

A Budding Herbalist , Indeed !!

~ Happy Herbal Blessings ~
JoyceAnn

Curious J the Mad Scientist Meets a Pokemon ~>

2011-08-09T05:42:00.000-07:00

Sunday afternoon we hosted a surprise " Mad Scientist " birthday party for Curious J , he was a happy " Mad Scientist " (LOL).

We tried to get a group picture , but this was about as good as it gets around here.

We did rocket launches with film canisters and alka seltzer tablets , they really enjoyed watching them pop up in the air.

Little Time loved the safety goggles , he looks so much like his Pa.

Dr. Jekyll checks out his chemical reaction.

C. Einstein shows off his chemical gas.

Curious J the Mad Scientist launches his rocket ...... everybody stand back !

Then it was time for the Mad Scientist to meet the pokemon

" Pikachu " !

~ Many Blessings ~

JoyceAnn

A .....Maze .....Ing

2011-08-04T05:40:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday night Curious J and Little Froggy spent the night. Curious J wants to create something almost everytime he visits. So Sunday afternoon we created these marble mazes from an idea I found on the Family Fun website.

Little Froggy thought they were amazing , look at that grin.

Yep , you have to tilt your head to make that marble roll ( LOL ).

The game was fun for a few minutes , but pulling the straws off the box was more fun for Little Froggy. As the saying goes " Boys will be Boys "!!

~ Many Blessings ~

JoyceAnn

A Long Hot Summer ...............

2011-08-04T05:39:00.000-07:00

It's been a long hot summer , 100 degree temps and no rain made for a very puny garden. Yesterday morning after milking Ms. Jazz , I made my way through the garden and found one cucumber. I've only harvested about a dozen cucumbers this year. The zinnias are trying to bloom , so I picked a few of them and some wild herbs to make a flower arrangement , needed something to lift my spirit.

Then I saw this beautiful butterfly trying to gather nectar from an almost dead red clover bloom .............

And realized the goldenrod is starting to bloom , a sign that Fall will be here soon. I'm looking forward to Fall bringing cooler temps and hopefully lots of rain.

The poke berries are starting to ripen and turn black , another sign that Fall is around the corner.

The sunflowers seem pretty happy , they stand tall and hold their heads high. The heat and drought doesn't seem to bother them much.

And speaking of a Spirit Lifter ....... Works everytime !!

~ Bee Blessed ~

JoyceAnn

He's 7 ....................

2011-08-02T08:09:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday ................................

To Curious J

May Your Special Day Be Blessed

With Love , Peace and Happiness

We Love You !!

Nana & Pa

~ Harvesting Herbs ~

2011-07-14T04:42:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago I gathered the ..........................

Lemon Balm and Oregano , it's drying in the outdoor shed.

I've also been gathering and drying red clover , sorry for the terrible pics , my batteries were almost dead. The red clover has almost dried up from the drought conditions , but we've had a few thunderstorms this week that brought some rain and I'm hoping it'll revive the red clover.

Although the sunflowers aren't as tall and the flower heads are smaller , they're still beautiful and I never tire of seeing their brightness shining.

~ Blessings ~

JoyceAnn

Refreshing H2O ....................

2011-07-13T03:28:00.000-07:00

I love watching the goats drink water , they make it look so refreshing as they sip it up. With the summer heat around here , we've all been drinking lots of refreshing H2O.

~ Be Blessed ~

JoyceAnn

Mojo Has a New ..........................

2011-07-11T05:52:00.000-07:00

Cat House (LOL) !

Curious J was here most of last week with me , their pre-school was closed for the 4th. He decided Mojo needed a cat house , so he went to work creating this home for him.

Mojo seems to be mighty proud of his new house.

~ Blessings ~
JoyceAnn

May You Always .............................

2011-07-10T05:02:00.001-07:00

have much for which to be " Thankful " .

~ Be Blessed ~

JoyceAnn

Rainy Independence Day ..................................

2011-07-05T05:30:00.001-07:00

But , I was thrilled. I enjoyed the rain much more than I would have enjoyed fireworks. It's been so hot and dry here , the little rain we have received over the last few weeks hasn't helped the garden much.

It's been so hot and dry , I haven't spent much time in the garden lately , we did get 3 cucumbers before ...............................

something ate the leaves off the vine.

We've gotten a few squash , but the vines have almost dried up even though I've been watering them each day.

This tomato vine was full of tomatoes , but something ate them also. I've been slack this year and didn't put a scarecrow out. I guess I need to make one this week and put her to work. It's been a bad gardening year for us , we planted the summer crops late and it got so hot and dry that the plants haven't grown the way they should have. I hope the rain we received yesterday will revive most of the plants , but it may have been a little to late.

Hope you had a Great 4th !!

~ Blessings ~

JoyceAnn

Wishing You ......................................

2011-06-26T07:26:00.000-07:00

A Beautiful Day !!

~ Be Blessed ~

JoyceAnn

Around the Farmette .....................................

2011-06-22T14:53:00.000-07:00

There's not much going on around the farmette except for the extreme summer heat. Buddy has found him a cool spot though , he spends the early morning hours on the pool deck , then he moves to the concrete pad as the day heats up.

Dh finally dug the waterline and put the spigot up near the chicken coop and goat pen. That is a big help with taking care of the animals during the heatwave we're having.

The echinacea looks beautiful ............

and the first sunflower has bloomed.

I moved my milking wagon ( LOL ) to the shed were the garlic is drying. It's cooler there and less flies to deal with while milking. Hope we get some rain soon , the garden isn't doing so well with the hot and dry weather we're having.

~ Blessings ~

JoyceAnn

May Your Day Be ................................

2011-06-19T04:23:00.000-07:00

Blissfully ..................

Blessed !!!

JoyceAnn

Do a Little Dance ..............................

2011-06-18T08:51:00.001-07:00

~ Be Blessed ~

JoyceAnn

2011 Garlic Harvest ...............

2011-06-15T10:03:00.000-07:00

We planted the garlic back in Oct. 2010 , by Mar it had sprouted and was around 6 inches tall.

We harvested the garlic the end of May .........

It's been curing for 2 weeks now , a few more weeks and it'll be ready clean , braid and hopefully sell some at our local " Grower's Market.

If we do well with sales at the " Grower's Market " , we plan to expand our garlic production this year.

~ Green Blessings ~

JoyceAnn

Ms. Red Fern ..........................

2011-06-14T11:29:00.000-07:00

passed away yesterday. I'm going to miss her , she was the hen that followed me and was so nosy , she always got in my way each time I was working outside. She would jump up on whatever I was working with , be it the wheelbarrow , wagon or boards we have stacked under the shed ...... she had also been known to jump on my shoulder to check things out. She was very friendly and didn't mind being handled or petted. She was sick about a month ago , but had gotten better and had been free ranging and acting normal. But late yesterday afternoon I found her lying dead in the hen house , she's definitely going to be missed.

~ Blessings ~

JoyceAnn

Hope Your Day .....................................

2011-06-12T08:10:00.000-07:00

is " Beautifully Blessed " !

JoyceAnn

She's Growing Up ............................

2011-06-11T05:03:00.000-07:00

Little Joella isn't so little anymore .............

( 3 Months Old )

she's almost the size of her Mom !

~ Many Blessings ~
JoyceAnn

It's Harvest Time ..................................

2011-06-10T08:39:00.000-07:00

The cabbage did fairly well although we have grown larger heads. We'll be eating alot of cooked cabbage and coleslaw this month.

The carrots didn't grow very long ..........

but they're sweet , delicious and Little Froggy and I love them.

I harvested all the lettuce and can't wait to grow more this Fall.

~ Garden Blessings ~

JoyceAnn

~ Blackberries and Honeysuckle ~

2011-06-07T05:52:00.000-07:00

The blackberries and honeysuckle have bloomed ..........

the berries have emerged. Waiting and anticipating those delicious berries ripening and making the first fresh blackbery cobbler of the season !

~ Natural Blessings ~
JoyceAnn

Late Evening Fun ............

2011-06-06T16:22:00.000-07:00

at Nana & Pa's !

~ True Blessings ~

JoyceAnn

Blessings ............................

2011-06-05T00:52:00.000-07:00

of a Beautiful Day to You !!

JoyceAnn

Charlotte's Web ....................

2011-06-03T05:00:00.000-07:00

Last Friday , Dh , Little Missy and I attended Curious J's school play.

They were a mighty cute cast.

A friend's son played the part of Wilbur the pig.

The ducks are talking to Charlotte about her writing in the web.

Curious J played one of the baby spiders .......................

they're talking to Wilbur about leaving the web.

The little girl on the right is my great niece , she was a baby spider also.

~ The End ~

It's been many a moon since we attended a school play , it was fun seeing all the kids dressed up and a bit nervous about their parts (LOL).

~ Many Blessings ~

JoyceAnn

~ Lemon Balm Bread ~

2011-06-01T09:09:00.000-07:00

Since the lemon balm is doing so well I've been looking for recipes that contain lemon balm . Last week I tried this recipe for lemon balm bread I found on Cooks.com , click here for recipe ~
http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,194,149170-234203,00.html ~.

I highly recommend this recipe if you like a very lemony flavor , it's delicious , so I plan to make a few loaves to freeze soon.

What's your favorite Lemon Balm recipe ?

~ Happy Herbal Blessings ~
JoyceAnn

The Herb Gardens .............

2011-05-30T05:30:00.000-07:00

I've been expanding the herb gardens and adding to the existing ones. I planted lavender , patchouli , peppermint and rosemary in between the day lilies along the pool deck. I've also been lining this bed with rocks , it's about halfway done but I may have to wait to fall to finish it unless we have some cool days. It's just to hot to be hauling rocks in this 90 + degree weather (LOL).

( Kentucky Colonel Spearmint )

This is the spot were I planted the rosemary my neighbor gave me back in the early spring , but it didn't survive. It was so large , guess it had a hard time adjusting to the relocation. I had 2 volunteer sunflowers sprout up in that area , so I added the rocks and another container of spearmint there. I plan to add a few other herbs next year and a few more sunflowers this year.

The spiral herb bed has really filled up , the lemon balm is really showing out this year. It's probably about 4 ft tall and there's baby lemon balm that have sprouted out everywhere. I added marshmallow and horehound to this bed.

I've tried to dig up this echinacea twice , but it comes back every time I've tried to move it , so guess I'll leave it there and let it spread. I have cilantro growing in this bed too.

~ Herbal Blessings ~

JoyceAnn

Listen ..............................

2011-05-29T12:34:00.000-07:00

All plants are our brothers and sisters.

They talk to us and if we listen , we can hear them.

( Arapaho )

Blessings , JoyceAnn

A New Harvest Basket ..........................

2011-05-26T05:28:00.000-07:00

A few months ago I was in a thrift store when I spotted this picnic basket , I really didn't need it since I already have several picnic baskets. But it kept calling for me to take a look , so I ask a very nice tall man that was shopping if he would get it down for me because it was on a high shelf. The basket was deep and had a beautiful cloth lining with some side pockets , one look inside and I decided it was going home with me. I figured I would use it for storage and picnics

Last week I was getting ready to harvest the red clover when I thought about that picnic basket. I've always wanted a harvest basket with a shoulder strap and thought this basket might work.

The lid was a little awkward at first , but I made it work by putting the lid away from my body. The side pouches came in handy for my camera and clippers , it made a great harvest basket.

I made red clover syrup and dried some of the blossoms for tea.
I'll definitely be using that basket alot over the next few weeks as I gather more red clover and other herbs.

~ Many Blessings ~

JoyceAnn

~ Yummy Homegrown Salads ~

2011-05-24T06:04:00.000-07:00

We've been eating many homegrown salads lately , they sure are yummy. I had 3 out of 6 cauliflowers that did really well , this one measured about 8 inches wide. Last year I tried to grow cauliflower but it didn't head at all , so I'm really proud of this one.

The side sprouts from the broccoli are going into the salad bowl. They're really tender and perfect for eating raw.

This was the first year I grew romaine lettuce and I've been really pleased with it. I'll definitely grow more next year. I've actually been considering building a greenhouse , we could probably grow lettuce all winter in our climate.

We're about to finish up the radishes , they've added a little zing ...... to the salad bowl.

A few small kale leaves and leaf lettuce mix rounded out this salad. Ummm ~ so good !

~ Garden Blessings ~
JoyceAnn

May You .......................................

2011-05-22T09:50:00.000-07:00

enjoy some of life's simple pleasures today.

~ Be Blessed ~

JoyceAnn

Enjoying Spring .........................

2011-05-19T07:13:00.000-07:00

Curious J and Little Froggy enjoy a ride around the farmette with Pa.

Then they had fun double ....................

Swinging !

Little Froggy has been with me 3 days this week , he had a stomach virus. But it didn't stop him from eating the small carrots we dug out of the garden.

I love the way they play until they just fall a sleep sitting up

or .....................

hanging over the couch (LOL).

~ Spring Blessings ~

JoyceAnn

Auntie Jazz & Little Joella ....................................

2011-05-16T15:04:00.001-07:00

battle over the garden bench .

~ Be Blessed ~

JoyceAnn

~ * ~ Happy Mother's Day ~ * ~

2011-05-08T08:31:00.001-07:00

May it be Blessed with Happiness , Much Love and Many Memories !!

JoyceAnn

Earthworm Digging ..............

2011-05-06T09:49:00.000-07:00

It's been so busy around a farmette , but there are precious moments that happen every now and then. One of those moments was last Saturday morning when Little Missy , Little Froggy and Little Time wanted to dig for earthworms.

Little Time thought the worms were funny , he kept giggling when the worms squirmed (LOL).

Little Missy wasn't sure if she wanted to touch that wiggly thing , but since then she picks them up with no problem.

Little Froggy is the pro at worm digging , he loves bugs , worms and every thing about gardening.

I enjoyed watching their reactions , it was definitely a precious moment.

Hope you all have had a wonderful week !

~ Many Blessings ~
JoyceAnn

Shakori Hills GrassRoots Festival

2011-05-01T06:08:00.000-07:00

A week ago today , Dh and I headed out to the Shakori Hills Festival http://www.shakorihills.org/?section=407&PHPSESSID=96003f7d452cba40bba4ce27988f401c , we were planning to go on Friday before Easter , but it was a cold rainy day so we didn't go. Keith Secola was performing Friday and Sunday night. Our Easter gathering was planned for Sunday afternoon , but after talking with the family , they all agreed we should go and we would have our gathering on Monday. They all know I'm a big fan of Keith Secola ~ http://www.secola.com/ ~ and he hasn't been to the festival in a year or so. It was a beautiful day , the weather was perfect and we really enjoyed seeing the local band pictured above Dark Water Rising ~ http://www.darkwaterrising.net/ ~ . They're a Native American band from Robeson N.C. , home of the Lumbee Tribe http://www.lumbeetribe.com/Press%20Room/03_21_11_DWR.html .

Keith Secola's show was a tribute to the different Native American Tribes at the festival , he was joined on stage by Pura Fe and John Lakota Locklear ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bv8m2SWNIEk .

His show also featured Moontee Sinquah , who was the world champion hoop dancer in 2008.

This is Moontee's son , he performed with his Dad. The pictures aren't great , it was getting dark , we were under the dance tent and I was taking them sitting down. We had a great time though , eat some frybread and did a round dance to his song called " Frybread ".

~ Many Blessings ~

JoyceAnn

The Red Fox and Lame Lucy .........................

2011-04-28T20:04:00.001-07:00

Farm Friend Friday ~ http://www.verdefarm.com/

Last Sunday , Dh and I went to the Shakori Hills Festival to enjoy some music and dance. We came home around 10:00 p.m. and drove down to the chicken coop so I could close the door and lock it. As we came down the drive we spotted a red fox running away. When I opened the gate to the chicken run I found a guinea lying on the ground dead. The door to the coop had blown shut and I was afraid to look inside , but I opened the door and the chickens were roosting and all was well inside. I couldn't get an exact head count since it was dark , I thought Lame Lucy was inside. But the next morning when I let the chickens out I realized it was Lame Lucy that was dead. I'm not sure how she died , the fox may have grabbed her through the fence and hurt her or she may have had a heart attack , but it didn't get inside the fence. I didn't see any visible marks , but she could have had puncture wounds I couldn't see. I know the fox was trying to get her out , it had started digging at the fence. She apparently gave up on getting Lame Lucy and went after the others. I found a pile of feathers in the backyard and have another guinea missing. She didn't have a guinea in her mouth when we saw her , but she was running from that area. I think it was one of the young guineas I just released. We had 8 keets that hatched last fall and they've been in a holding pen , I sold 4 of them and decided to keep the other 4. I released them the week before , but 3 of them have been coming back to the pen at night , so each night I lock the gate after they come in. The fox probably has kits to feed because she came back Tuesday night and tried to get the guineas that were in the holding pen. There were signs of digging and a few feathers outside the pen , but she wasn't successful that night. Thankfully the 3 guineas that have been coming back to the pen at night decided it wasn't a safe home anymore and have been flying up into the tree with the others to roost the last two nights. I'm not sure what to do about the fox problem , but hopefully the guineas are on high alert and can outsmart that fox.

How do you handle fox/predator problems ?

~ Farm Friend Friday Blessings ~

JoyceAnn

~ Our Annual Easter Gathering ~

2011-04-27T12:05:00.000-07:00

Thought I would share some scenes from our family gathering.

It was such a hot day , we pulled out the water balloons, my Mom became the main target.

But Little Froggy was in trouble when she caught the balloon and turned it on him (LOL).

Or maybe Little Time was the target by the look of him , but he wasn't complaining. He just wanted me to see his water balloon.

My niece spotted an egg near the steps .............

and everyone else was on the hunt too.

Little Time decided the egg tree was fair game (LOL).

A friend's daughter gathering eggs.

Then it was egg toss time , Little Froggy deciding who he wants to toss the egg too.

Curious J tosses an egg and Little time does a flip , yep I would say a goodtime was had by all.

Hope Everyone had a great Easter !

~ Many Blessings ~

JoyceAnn

May Your Day be ..............................

2011-04-24T06:10:00.000-07:00

Blessed with Beauty , Happiness and Love ~~~

Happy Easter !

JoyceAnn

Sweet Violet Jelly

2011-04-22T05:58:00.000-07:00

Farm Friend Friday ~

http://www.verdefarm.com/2011/04/farm-friend-and-farmgirl-friday-4.html

Spring is in full swing here , I've been busy gathering violet blossoms and dandelion blossoms to make jelly.

A few of the blooms will be used to make colorful ice cubes , just fill up those ice trays with water and drop a flower into the water and freeze. Serve these beautiful ice cubes with some homemade lemonade.

Each Spring I gather violet blossoms for a few days , store them in the fridge until I have four cups of blooms. Then I make .........

Sweet Violet Jelly !

It's the same process for Dandelion Jelly ......... so grab your baskets and start gathering. Here's the recipe ........................

~ Sweet Violet Jelly ~

4 cups of Wild Violet infusion ~ Gather 4 cups of sweet violet blossoms midday when they're open fully , remove stems and put in a quart jar ~ boil a quart of water and pour over blossoms , let the blossoms infuse overnight , strain blossoms.

1/2 cup lemon juice ( bottled ) or juice of 2 lemons

8 cups sugar

1 pkg of sure-gel

Pour violet infusion into a 6 or 8 qt stainless steel pot , add lemon juice , stir mixture well. Add 1 pkg of dry sure-jel , bring to a boil that will not stop as you stir , add 8 cups of sugar. Let it come to a rapid boil again , stir for 1 minute during rapid boil. Remove from heat , let it cool for about 5 minutes or so , skim foam off top. Ladle into sterilized jars , wipe rims and put lids on , process in hot water bath for 5 minutes. This recipe will make 7 - 1/2 pints of jelly.

Happy Earth Day !!

~ Farm Friend Blessings ~

JoyceAnn

So Blessed ............................

2011-04-19T07:34:00.000-07:00

Saturday was a very stormy day , we had rain and a little wind , but about 20 miles south of us tornadoes touched down and left a huge path of destruction. Although we weren't in the path of the storm , it was a very tense day because my daughter and niece were working in the area Saturday as the tornado hit. It touched down a couple miles from my daughter's workplace , my niece was about a 1/2 mile away from the Lowe's that was destroyed , thankfully they were o.k. and there was no damage at their workplaces. I also have family very near the area , after several calls , we finally found out everyone was safe and had received no damages. My friend Peggy is about 60 miles south of us , she has pictures on her blog of damage in her area ~ Click Here ....... http://hiddenhavenhomesteadtoo.blogspot.com/2011/04/tornados.html , thankfully her family and home weren't in the direct path of the tornado. Her friend was in the path of destruction , but she's safe and wasn't hurt. My Aunt's sister had a tree fall through her house , but everyone was safe there also. It's really amazing to see all the damage left behind and hear of so few deaths. My heart breaks for all the people who lost loved ones , please say a prayer for everyone that has been affected by this storm.

~ Blessings ~

JoyceAnn

Battling Cabbage Worms ............................

2011-04-15T17:36:00.000-07:00

Farm Friend Friday ~ http://www.verdefarm.com/

I've been battling those dreaded cabbage worms this week. I handpicked all that I could find , dropped them in a plastic container with a little water then feed them to the chickens when I was finished. It brought back memories of helping on my Grand Daddy's farm , he raised tobacco and looking back I guess he did it organically. Each summer he would give each of the grands an old recycled tin can , our job was to pick the tobacco worms aka horn worms off the tobacco plants. We would go up and down the rows grabbing those worms and throwing them in the can. When we were finished , he had us pour them out on the ground , he would inspect them. He paid us a penny for the small worms and a nickel for the large worms ( LOL ). Yep , that's why we were so eager to help gather worms. It was fun and put a jingle in our pockets. I realize now that Grand Daddy was also teaching us a wonderful lesson in life , he taught us good work ethic and organic gardening before it was hip ( LOL ).

But , I have became a little lazier in my old age , so I make an organic dust to help with the problem now. I put about 2 cups of all purpose flour , some garlic powder and ground red pepper into a plastic coffee can. Shake it well to mix , punch a few holes in the top and sprinkle it on the plants. It works fairly well , but I've still had to handpick a few worms , but that's o.k. , cause I'm not afraid of no worm (LOL).

~ Farm Friend Blessings ~

JoyceAnn

Little Joella ..............

2011-04-13T12:19:00.000-07:00

I finally named Baby J , she'll be called Little Joella .......

although at the rate she's eating , she will not be little for long.

Look closely and you'll see she already has little spikes appearing.

She looks like her Daddy , but she's sweet like her Mom.

~ Many Blessings ~

JoyceAnn

Spring Flowers & Collage ..........

2011-04-12T07:35:00.000-07:00

One day last week I had to pick Curious J up from school , his Mom had taken Little Froggy to the dentist. As soon as we were back at the house , he wanted to make something. He was going to show me how to make a Japanese Fan like they had made at school , but he decided to do something different and that's how these beautiful flowers bloomed (LOL).

Little Missy created this mixed media collage last week. I gathered up some odds and ends , then gave her the elmer's glue and she commenced to gluing all the things she liked on her paper. She really enjoyed the project.

Hope everyone's doing well. I've been really busy , it's that time of year , but I hope to get around to visiting your blogs soon.

~ Be Blessed ~

JoyceAnn

Tasty Fried Dandelion Blossoms

2011-04-08T04:01:00.000-07:00

Farm Friend Friday ~ http://www.verdefarm.com/

Each Spring these beautiful yellow blossoms start popping up everywhere , dandelions are probably the most well known wild herb. But most people consider the plant a nuisance and unsightly on their well manicured lawns , that's a shame. Dandelions are very nutritious and can be used medicinally for many health problems. If you would like to read more about their nutritional value and medicinal properties , click here ~ http://www.wildmanstevebrill.com/Plants.Folder/Dandelion.html ~. Today I'm sharing a recipe I tried for the first time last Spring and they're absolutely delicious. Dandelion blossoms should be gathered in the middle of the day when they are fully open and dry. You should always harvest from areas that haven't been treated or sprayed with chemicals. You may get a few bugs as you gather , so be sure to wash well. I bring them inside and emerge in a bowl of water for a minute , make sure you remove any bits of stem that may be attached ..........................

spread them out on a cloth and let them drain while you're mixing up your batter.

You'll need .......

1 egg

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup milk

Cooking oil

Add the 1/2 cup milk to a bowl , add egg and whisk well , add your favorite type of flour and whisk. You can add salt and pepper if you like , it's optional.

Dip dandelion blossoms in batter , cover completely .......

I use olive oil to fry , but it should be heated on a low heat , my oil got to hot the first time I made these. Start on med-low heat , watch closely , you may to need to adjust heat depending on your stove. Drop your battered dandelion in and let them cook until browned on each side. Remove from oil and drain on paper.

Fried dandelion blossoms are delicious with your favorite dip , we love them with ranch dressing. They're also good as a dessert , served with honey , maple syrup or my shag bark hickory syrup for dipping.

Hope you'll give them a try , I think you'll like them.

~ Farm Friend Friday Blessings ~

JoyceAnn

~ First Garden Harvest ~

2011-04-06T10:05:00.000-07:00

I gathered our 1st garden harvest yesterday , 4 beautiful little radishes (LOL). Ms. Lame Lucy the guinea also laid her 1st egg of the season yesterday. The hens have been laying well , considering they're 2 years old now. I was planning to put the older hens in the freezer soon , but I've decided to wait. But I will be getting some new chicks soon. The leaf lettuce is also ready to harvest , looking forward to a homegrown tossed salad. What are you harvesting ?

~ Garden Blessings ~

JoyceAnn

Springtime Swap and Trades ...........

2011-04-05T13:16:00.000-07:00

Our Spring weather has been like a rollercoaster ride , lots of rain and the temps are up and down. But , the flowers are blooming and the dog lot looks beautiful with it's wisteria canopy.

My neighbor took up his Mother's rosemary bush a couple of weeks ago , he gifted me with half of it. I planted it right away , so far it looks like it will survive.

I joined a Spring swap a few weeks ago , my swap partner sent me the wonderful little blank book with herbs on the cover. Another blog friend and I traded some plants and seeds. I plan to increase my herb garden this year and thanks to Juli I've got lots of seeds to get started with.

~ Spring Blessings ~

JoyceAnn

Make A Wish ....................

2011-04-03T08:10:00.000-07:00

May all Your Wishes be Fulfilled !!

~ Be Blessed My Dear Friends ~

JoyceAnn

Curious J Creates .............................

2011-03-30T06:06:00.000-07:00

Curious J was here this past weekend , he spent Saturday night with us. He was in a creative mood and kept telling me he wanted to make something. So we pulled out this book I bought at the thrift store a few weeks ago , he loved it and decided our first creation should be " Funky Junk " sculpture.

I pulled out the 2 kitchen junk drawers and we begin to create. We created " Funky Junk " people. Dh created the one to the left , I created the middle man and Curious J created the happy camper on the right. I did pull 2 of the corks from my art supplies , but everything else came from the junk drawers.

Sunday was a rainy day , so we spent the day inside playing board games , video games and creating more " Funky Junk ". I created the plastic person , Curious J created the neat little sculpture to the right.

But we weren't finished creating , he saw something else in the book he wanted to make. They were called collage sculpture or time capsules and he chose to make one about his earlier years. We put a beanie baby monkey in there to represent his nickname sake , Curious George. He liked watching Curious George when he was a toddler and his exceptional curiosity made me start calling Curious J. He put a plastic link that he had as a baby and a small ball in there , but Little Froggy made claim on the ball when he saw it (LOL). We haven't sealed it yet , he may add a few more things before we seal it. I really enjoyed having him here this weekend , since he's in school we don't get to spend much time together.

~ Many Blessings ~ JoyceAnn

Downy Rattlesnake Plantain

2011-03-28T05:23:00.000-07:00

I found this beautiful little plant a few weeks ago as I was walking through the woods. Since then I've been trying to i.d. the plant and finally did , you can read more about the " Downy Rattlesnake Plantain " over at my " Herbal Spirits " blog , click here ~ http://herbalspirits.blogspot.com/2011/03/downy-rattlesnake-plantain-goodyera.html ~ .

Hope You had a Great Weekend !

~ Green Blessings ~

JoyceAnn

Hope Your Day is ..............................

2011-03-27T05:02:00.000-07:00

Wonderfully Blessed !!

JoyceAnn

Cooking Up Some Dandelion Greens ....................

2011-03-25T04:57:00.000-07:00

I'm linking up with " Farm Friend Friday " , click the button on my sidebar to learn more about this event hosted by " Verde Farm ".

I love this time of the year when the dandelions start rearing their beautiful little heads , but before they blossom .............................

grab a basket and head outside to gather some of the green leaves. If you gather the younger leaves they will be less bitter , dandelions tend to get more bitter after they bloom , but they're still edible. Be sure you identify and gather dandelion leaves only.

I always wash my greens 3 times or until they're clean and I don't see any dirt or trashy bits in the water.

~ Double Dandy Dandelion Greens ~

Dandelion Leaves ~ 1 lb

2 or 3 Garlic cloves

1 or 2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

6 Dandelion Blossoms

I like to cook my greens in a cast iron frying pan , fill the frying pan about halfway with water and add your greens. Bring water to a boil and reduce heat , let greens cook for about 10 minutes . Remove from heat and strain greens , let pan cool for a few minutes , dry the pan , add your extra virgin olive oil and minced garlic to pan , cook on low heat until garlic starts to get clear , add greens back to pan. Stir to coat greens with oil and garlic , heat thoroughly. Remove from heat and I like to chop the greens with a hand held chopper while they're still in the pan. Place on plate , sprinkle with dandelion blossom petals. Serve with boiled eggs and cornbread , be sure to add a few dandelion blossom petals to your cornbread batter and a dash of vinegar over your greens. Enjoy !!

Hope everyone has a Wonderful Weekend !

~ Farm Friend Blessings ~
JoyceAnn

A Glorious Day .............................................

2011-03-22T18:09:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a perfectly gloroius day , everything in the world seem right. The laundry was hung outside and blowing gently in the wind.

The periwinkle is blooming and looks so beautiful.

The dandelions are popping up everywhere ............

and provided lunch for me.

The yard is covered with violet blooms , so I spent the afternoon gathering the blooms to make violet syrup. It's so peaceful gathering the blossoms and seeing nature at it's best.

Baby J is growing and learning to eat , she's so much fun to watch as she explore's her new world.

The day ended with a gorgeous sunset , making you wish everyday was as blessed and glorious as this one.

~ Spring Blessings ~

JoyceAnn

A Day with .......................

2011-03-21T07:51:00.000-07:00

Little Time ..............

Yesterday I had one on one time with him , that very seldom happens. But Little Missy spent the night with her paternal Grandma Saturday night and my daughter and her husband had to work yesterday, so Little Time got to spend the day with Nana. We spent most of the day outdoors playing with the goats and swinging to the moon.

I brought the little red car inside so he could ride , he pretended he was going to the store. I asked him to pick up Nana a Dr. Pepper , he said "
that's hot ", he associates the drink with hot peppers (LOL). When he came back from his make believe store , I asked if he got my Dr. Pepper , he said " No " . Guess he knew I really didn't need soft drinks , although I don't drink them often , Dr. Pepper is my soft drink of choice when I do. We had a great day , so happy to have had some special time together.

~ Spring Blessings ~
JoyceAnn

May the First Day of Spring ..................................

2011-03-20T01:36:00.000-07:00

Bring " Joy " to Your " Heart " !!

~ Be Blessed My Dear Friends ~

JoyceAnn

A Sad Day at the Farmette ................

2011-03-19T06:55:00.000-07:00

( Jazzlyn pictured on the left )

Jazz went into labor yesterday , but it didn't go well and she lost her baby buck. It was a devastating experience , although I know we did all we could to help her with the situation , it just wasn't meant to be.

~ Blessings ~

JoyceAnn

Farmer's Market ..........................

2011-03-17T04:12:00.000-07:00

I've been wanting to sell at the Farmer's Market for a few years now , but I've been so busy helping with the Grands , that I just didn't have the spare time. Now I'm only helping out 3 days a week , so this year I'm going to give it a try. I've been busy potting up herbs ......................................

bushes , shrubs and trees. Over the years , we've had plants self spreading all over the place , so instead of destroying them , I hope to sell a few of these volunteers.

We have English Ivy , Forsythia (Yellow Bell) , Nadina , Oregon Grape Holly , Vinca (Periwinkle) and Sweet Violet just to name a few of the plants. There are also many small trees growing around here that will be smothered out if not removed.

I'll also be selling wild herbs that are freshly gathered , excess garden veggies ....................................

and garlic , if it produces well this year.

~ Many Blessings & Happy St. Patty's Day ~

JoyceAnn

Nope , My Name Isn't .............................

2011-03-14T19:08:00.000-07:00

Snoopy , but it could be .....................

I love to snoop ! I found the old chicken tractor and just had to explore , Mom said it would make a good play pen for me.

But there's so much to see and do , I don't think the play pen is a good idea at all.

My Mom keeps a close watch over me and looks out for predators , but ............

sometimes I stray to far away and start crying.

Naaana and Mom allowed me to browse a little while today , I loved running around the field.

I sure was hungry when we returned to our stalls , I had to eat before we went in.

Then it was bath time and time to head back to my nice dark and quiet Snoopy house to nap.

~ Sweet Blessings ~

Baby J

May Your Day be as .................

2011-03-13T07:42:00.000-07:00

Bright and Cheerful as the first Dandelion Blossom in Spring !

~ Be Blessed ~

JoyceAnn

It's a Girl !!

2011-03-11T19:24:00.000-08:00

Jo finally gave birth to a beautiful daughter today , she and baby are doing well. But Naaana is exhausted and a nervous wreck , so I'm heading to bed to sleep it off (LOL).

~ Blessings ~

JoyceAnn

Guinea Fowl ~ Natural Pest Control

2011-03-10T20:42:00.000-08:00

Click Here ~ http://www.verdefarm.com/ ~ to visit other farms participating in ~ Farm Friend Friday ~.

If you've never been around guineas , you'll either love them or hate them. They're noisy and can be very loud , which is a real turn off for many. Some people say they're great watchdogs , but I consider them to be more like an alarm system. They will sound off if someone comes on the property or if there's unusual activity going on. I will admit their calls can be nerve wrecking when hubby is on the tractor and they squawk like they're under attack (LOL). But we have learn to live with their noise , since their benefits far out weigh the noise.

We bought 8 keets about 3 years ago to help with tick control , the ticks were terrible that year. I would walk outside to the dog lot and return with 10 ticks on me. I had always heard about guinea fowl being good for tick control , so we decided to give them a try. We've been very happy with the results ,we rarely see a tick in the yard anymore.

But wait , they're not only a great alarm system and tick eating bird , they love those pesty Japanese beetles. During garden season , I love watching them walk up and down the rows taking care of all the bugs & worms. Guineas will not eat your plants or scratch your plants up like a chicken. They just walk down the rows , carefully plucking away those beetles , grasshoppers and any other yummy bug they find.

I've learnt to enjoy their squawking and quirky ways. So if you've thought about adding guineas to your farm , I highly recommend them. They're the best natural pest control you can have around the farm , although sometimes they get sidetracked and spend time talking and pecking at their reflections in a window (LOL).

~ Farm Friend Blessings ~
JoyceAnn

Garlic ~ Goats ~ Guineas

2011-03-08T06:26:00.000-08:00

I'm really hoping for a good year with the garlic , the garlic didn't do well last year due to drought conditions. We had more rain Sunday and we're suppose to have rain coming on Thursday. It's time to fertilize , I'll be spraying the plants with fish emulsion next week. If all goes well I hope to start selling at the Farmer's Market this year.

I think the girls have decided that they don't want kids or maybe I'm wrong and they're not pregnant. They're beginning to make me second guess myself , but I'm pretty sure their udders are filling with milk.

I decided that we didn't need 15 guineas around the farmette , so I listed the 8 that were hatched in the Fall on Craigslist last week. Last Friday I had a lady come and purchase 4 of them for tick control , she said ticks were awful at her home and last year the doctor removed a tick from her youngest daughter's eardrum and she really needed something to help get them under control. I'm happy , I know they've gone to a good home and will help rid them of their tick problem.

~ Blessings ~

JoyceAnn

Wishing .....................................

2011-03-06T11:00:00.000-08:00

Everyone a Wonderful Day !

~ Be Blessed ~

JoyceAnn

~ My Grand Parents Farm & Farm Friend Friday ~

2011-03-04T03:24:00.000-08:00

I'm participating in an event called " Farm Friend Friday " , if you would like to learn more , click on the " Farm Friend Friday " badge on my sidebar , it will take you to " Verde Farm " , the host of this wonderful event.

I grew up on my Grandparents farm , we lived across the road from them in a house that my Granddaddy help build. My Grandparents died several years ago , since then the property has fell in despair. I've heard that my 2nd cousin has bought the farm/home place and they are planning to remodel the old house. I'm not sure if they will keep the old barn and other buildings , so I made a visit and captured some pics before they became just a memory. There were 13 kids raised in the house above , my Dad was the youngest. The pic above shows a side profile of the front of the house , it's so grown up around it that I couldn't get a good picture of the front of the house. It was a beautiful house in it's day , white with black shutters and wooden shingles under the eaves of the old tin roof.

This photo shows another side view , the small edition off the back was the kitchen and back porch. Grandma had prickly pear cactus growing under the double window , I was always fascinated with it and came home a many of days with those prickly spines in my hands (LOL). I guess I always had an interest in herbs/plants.

This is a back view of the house , the back porch had a large sink for washing up after visiting the barn yard. We would always wash our hands before heading inside , I loved that sink. My Grandma was short and Granddaddy was probably of average height , he built the counters and sinks low for Grandma. My girls remember how low the kitchen counters were , they said the kitchen seemed like a playhouse because they could reach everything. The overgrown bush near the steps is a Camellia , I remember seeing Grandma take a burlap sheet and cover it in early spring when we were expecting frost. She loved her animals and plants.

This old building had 2 sheds and an area for storage. Granddaddy kept his tractors under there when I was young , after he died the car was parked under there. There was another garage/shed across from the back porch that the car was kept under. The car was only used to go to church on Sunday or to the doctor occasionally. He had an old farm truck that was used for farm chores and his trips to our small local town store.

This is the old barn , the shed on the right housed the tractor sometimes or the tobacco trailers. My Granddaddy raised tobacco , the loft was used to store tobacco and hay. On the backside of the barn , there were stalls for the cows. When I was young they had a milk cow , I remember Grandma and Momma milking her back there in one of those stalls.

To the right side of the barn was this building , I'm not sure what it was originally used for in the early years , but I remember Granddaddy kept the peafowl in the building on the right side at night. This building also had a shed built off to the side , it was used for storage. Most of the garages/sheds had small wooden nail keg/barrels attached to the inside wall , filled with straw that were nesting boxes for the hens , they were placed here and there around the farm. The old chicken coop was located behind this building but has been torn down.

This little cabin was located behind the original chicken coop and was used as Grandma's animal hospital , Grandma housed sick or hurt chickens there while she nursed them back to health. Sometimes it housed a hen and her bitties to keep them safe.

I didn't get pictures of the corn crib , garage/shed , smokehouse , the stalls at the back of the barn or the pond , because my batteries went dead. I hope to go back soon and take more pictures.

Hope you enjoyed seeing my Grandparents farm , it was a wonderful walk down memory lane for me.

~ Blessings to All ~

JoyceAnn

It Works ...............................

2011-03-02T09:03:00.003-08:00

Monday after I dropped my camera in a bucket of water , I brought it back in the house , took the batteries out and placed it front of a fan for the day. Yesterday we had a cool day and the heat was running , so I sit the camera on the heat vent and left it there all day and overnight. This morning I decided I was going to give it a try , really wasn't expecting much , since I thought it was ruined. But it actually worked ( yay ) , so I went outside and started snapping pictures. I weeded around the daylilies yesterday , they're growing fast.

We got some much needed rain Monday night , the garlic looks like it has grown an inch since then. The plants and seeds should thrive now.

The chickens aren't so happy , they've been confined to the fenced in area now that I have plants in the garden. Their egg production has really picked up over the last 2 weeks , gathered 7 eggs today.

The lettuce has sprouted ............................

and look at the strawberry plants I bought last week from a local lady that had an ad on craigslist. I need to get them planted soon.

and yes ......... we're still waiting (LOL).

~ Many Blessings ~

JoyceAnn

Monday , Monday ...................................

2011-02-28T10:00:00.000-08:00

I had a rough start this morning as I was toting water to the goats. I dropped my camera in the water bucket , yikes. So no new pics today , had to dig through some old ones.

The pic above was taken a few years ago as we were planting potatoes. We planted potatoes this past Saturday , Dh and I planted 3 rows and we still have potatoes to plant , we'll probably plant them sometime this week or we may wait to Saturday. I also have 8 more broccoli plants I plan to set out today. The weather has been nice , we're suppose to have stormy weather tonight. I sure hope we get rain , we really need some.

I thought Jo was getting ready to go into labor Saturday , but it was a no go. I'm still watching them closely , I'm sure it can't be much longer before they kid.

How was your Monday ?

~ Many Blessings ~

JoyceAnn

Feather Blessings ......................................

2011-02-27T02:56:00.000-08:00

May this Day Bring You Peace and Contentment.

JoyceAnn

Naaaana .................................

2011-02-26T03:51:00.000-08:00

keeps asking us when we're going to kid. We don't know nothing about kids , except those wild grandkids that try to chase us each they visit Naaaana. So I hope she's not talking about that kind of kids. Here lately it seems like we're always hungry , we sure don't have time to worry about kids !

~ Nanny Blessings ~

Jazz & Jo

Busy Week In the Garden ...............................................

2011-02-25T04:49:00.000-08:00

I've been busy this week getting some of the cold weather crops planted. It felt great to get outside and dig in the dirt ...............

I planted broccoli , cabbage and cauliflower plants and sowed carrot , lettuce , radish and spinach seeds.

I sowed a mixed leaf lettuce in this small bed ......

and a kale , mustard and turnip green mix in the large bed. I'm looking forward to all the fresh greens we'll be harvesting soon.

What have you been up to this week ?

~ Green Blessings ~

JoyceAnn

Farmerette in the Making .........................

2011-02-22T04:22:00.000-08:00

Little Missy , my granddaughter loves helping out around the farmette , she never tires from feeding the chickens , goats or collecting eggs. I think she's definitely a " Farmerette " in the making.

~ Farm Blessings ~

JoyceAnn

What's Growing Around the Farmette ?

2011-02-21T03:50:00.000-08:00

Look what's blooming outside the front door , they're beautiful !

Hairy Bittercress is popping up everywhere , a blogging friend helped me i.d. this plant last week. I tried a few raw leaves last week and they tasted delicious. I don't know why it called Hairy Bittercress , it wasn't hairy or bitter tasting at all. The leaves will be a wonderful addition to my tossed salads.

The Chickweed is starting to get large enough to harvest soon. I'm looking forward to some chickweed pasta soon.

Wild onions are growing , hope to gather plenty this year to dehydrate. Another blogging friend told me about dehydrating the wild onions last year , I had never thought about doing that. Turns out they're delicious , we've used them in scrambled eggs , sprinkled over baked potatoes or added to mashed potatoes like chives and added to soups. They actually have a sweet taste once they're dried.

Dandelion are starting to come up too , looking forward to those blossoms !

And look at the garlic , it's really taken off. Yep , looks like we are having a early Spring. Although I know we'll have a few more cold days that will probably damage several plants and trees that will be budding or blooming. Unfortunately that's a price we pay for having nice weather this early in the south. But , it won't hurt the garlic , it's very hardy.

~ Green Blessings ~

JoyceAnn

Sometimes , No Words are Needed .................

2011-02-20T04:46:00.001-08:00

You should just " Enjoy " !!

~ Blessings ~

JoyceAnn

There's been ..........................

2011-02-18T19:27:00.000-08:00

lots of gossip around the water bucket this week about our spring like weather. Today it was in the 70's and this weekend is suppose to be nice too , I'm looking forward to it. How's your weather ?

~ Many Blessings ~

JoyceAnn

Sunday Afternoon Goat Walk .............................

2011-02-16T06:05:00.000-08:00

Sunday evening the goats and I took a stroll through the woods. I finally captured a descent photo of Goatee's Goatee (LOL) while he was eating the cedar tree.

You can't really tell what Goatee's doing here , but he was butting and attacking those yellow dock stems , silly goat.

The girls enjoyed the field , they found some green grass that appeared to be mighty tasty.

We're still waiting for them to kid , maybe the full moon will bring those babies out (LOL).

~ Be Blessed ~

JoyceAnn

~~~ Feather Spirits ~~~

Candy Corn ......................................

Confusing Weather ........................

A Huge Time Capsule ....... The Attic

The Weather ...........................

Looks Like ............................

Feathers ..................

May Your .............................

2011 ~ 2012 Garlic Planting

Saying Goodbye .................

I Finally Made ................

A Fun Idea for our Feathered Friends .........

Happy New Year !!!

2011 Egg Count

Merry Christmas !

All I Want for Christmas .........................

T'was a Few Days Before Christmas ..................

Still Catching Up ........ Halloween Bunnies

Creative Gift Wrapping

Keets and Our Last Pepper Harvest .............

Better Late than Never ............................

What a Month ..............

One More Try .............................

Hope .........................

Making Tough Decisions around the Farmette ..................

Homemade Ducky Fries ~ ~ ~ >

Tater Digging Time .......................

I Wanna ..............................

Enjoy ......................

A Budding Herbalist .............

Curious J the Mad Scientist Meets a Pokemon ~>

A .....Maze .....Ing

A Long Hot Summer ...............

He's 7 ....................

~ Harvesting Herbs ~

Refreshing H2O ....................

Mojo Has a New ..........................

May You Always .............................

Rainy Independence Day ..................................

Wishing You ......................................

Around the Farmette .....................................

May Your Day Be ................................

Do a Little Dance ..............................

2011 Garlic Harvest ...............

Ms. Red Fern ..........................

Hope Your Day .....................................

She's Growing Up ............................

It's Harvest Time ..................................

~ Blackberries and Honeysuckle ~

Late Evening Fun ............

Blessings ............................

Charlotte's Web ....................

~ Lemon Balm Bread ~

The Herb Gardens .............

Listen ..............................

A New Harvest Basket ..........................

~ Yummy Homegrown Salads ~

May You .......................................

Enjoying Spring .........................

Auntie Jazz & Little Joella ....................................

~ * ~ Happy Mother's Day ~ * ~

Earthworm Digging ..............

Shakori Hills GrassRoots Festival

The Red Fox and Lame Lucy .........................

~ Our Annual Easter Gathering ~

May Your Day be ..............................

Sweet Violet Jelly

So Blessed ............................

Battling Cabbage Worms ............................

Little Joella ..............

Spring Flowers & Collage ..........

Tasty Fried Dandelion Blossoms

~ First Garden Harvest ~

Springtime Swap and Trades ...........

Make A Wish ....................

Curious J Creates .............................

Downy Rattlesnake Plantain

Hope Your Day is ..............................

Cooking Up Some Dandelion Greens ....................

A Glorious Day .............................................

~ Feather Spirits ~