An Update on Things Around Here...

Hello Dearest Family and Friends! 

I thought I'd pop on and share some photos I've been taking around the acre. As anyone who has animals and gardens and family knows, there is no end to the things that must be done, and ever so much more when the weather is nice. So it is here. So much to do, on top of that, having a body that does not always cooperate with the mind, there can be frustration added to delay. Still, there is always something to learn, even in our limitations. As Elisabeth Elliot has taught, 'Do The Next Thing'...this has become a sort of motto for me. In Christ, I attempt to do whatever my hands find to do with all my might. Sometimes it does not seem that my might matches my mind...but I am still able to move forward with plans I have...however slowly they go. 

Well, enough about all that.

I thought you might like to see some photos of things that have been going on a bit around here. So many plans for things to come in the future. Occupying until He comes...and all that...but even so, Come Lord Jesus! 

Without further ado...here are some photos from the end of June taken about the place...

 This is Fleur. She was born on April 1st. She is a beautiful doe, Nubian/Boer mix. She's so sweet. Not sure if we'll keep her. I'd like to though, she's been really strong from birth and might be a good mama!

This is Mila. She is Fleur's sister. She's a cutie and a sweetie too. Might keep her too. Still deciding. A little shy, but follows Fleur all over and copies everything she does. 

This is Rebecca. We just call her Becca. She's a Nubian. We're milking her now. She gives a good amount of milk, but not as much as I thought she would for her size. I like to make yogurt with her milk. Yummy!!! She's the Matriarch of the herd. She's bossy and in charge! She lets everyone else know she's the Boss too! She's about 12 years old I think. Love her lips!!! LOL

What can I say about this adorable boy? He's a Nigerian Dwarf. He has the most adorable face!!! He's a saucy, spunky boy who you do not want to turn your back on. Not sure if he's even able to make kids...so far, not proven...no kids from him, but goodness...that face! Still, not a good reason to keep him when you're trying to build a good herd. Not sure what will become of him, hate to say it, but he may be leaving.

This is a new addition (since you were here last year Mom)...a tent we bought to cover our round bales of hay. Lydia and I decided to put the milkstand in there because when it rained, we had to milk outside during a lull in the storm. Not too smart on our part, but when we got this tent, it seemed like a great idea...and now the rain and the snow to come cannot thwart our milk times.

Our silkies and 'whatever else they are' (need to find out!), our 'small breeds' we call them, hatched (and are still hatching) chicks. So, we have chicks of varying sizes in different areas in the coops and yard...probably around 15 at least. Their eggs are small, but edible (of course) and are good for pickled eggs. YUM!







Last year I managed to reap a nice crop of hot peppers from this raised bed, so I thought I'd try again this year. The young guys all seem to like the challenge of a hot pepper match...silly and it looks so painful at times! I dehydrated them all and they put them on everything imaginable! I don't use them at all, but they like them, so I decided to plant them again. It took a bit to get the box together in the humidity last week. They're going in a bit late, but hopefully they'll produce as well as last year. So happy I got them in.

 

I have four in another raised bed here:
 

Dave made me some new cages as my old cages were really looking quite worn out from all the years of use. I don't have a new photo yet of that, nor of the finished bed mulched out, but it looks a whole lot better now.  I'll get one on here. You can see the mint patch in the back. I am allowing all the varieties to spread out under a 'controlled chaos', if you will. We have several varieties there and still have a few more to plant yet.

It always amazes me how efficient chickens are at making mulch out of scraps and muck from the stalls and pens. As soon as you put something in there for the biddies, they just cannot help themselves. It just shows the order of God and the balance of His creation. Every thing working together, even though it must endure the fall of man, to bring balance. This is God's design, not what some like to call 'mother nature'...sorry, nature is not my mother, nor does she even exist. God is above all, and according to Romans 1, one is a fool not to see it, even though they think themselves wise. 

Like moths to a flame, they were drawn to peek into the wheelbarrow as I was filling it with mulch from their run. Of course they ended up inside the barrow and in the way of my fork.

I happened to catch these two doing a 'scratch dance'. At least that's what I thought it looked like!

Here is a rooster from the small breeds we have. I have to look up what breed he is. I think he's a good-looking boy. And wow, can he crow LOUD!!!!  Lydia informs me his name is Colonel Brandon.

 
 This girl makes me smile. I only have two white chickens, and every single day, this one girl flies over the gate after I let them out of the coop. Well, she just had to jump out of the run after I got the mulch down on these peppers. I though she'd get in there and start scratching. I told her no and she still has not gone in there yet! I am astounded! Here she is slowly and nonchalantly strolling past the raised bed, glancing toward that temptation! She did pass by though as you can see here:

It just makes me smile how she had to pass by and get a look at the new bed! You can also see the path that will be finished soon. I am going to border in the raised beds on what we call the 'Herb Garden'. Dave started ship-lapping the landscape ties that will go around it. I'll eventually get real fence posts and either use saplings to make an old-style fence or buy picket fence of some kind, but for now, I'm going to have to use chicken wire. I also have chipped trees from a friend that have been sitting for a few years that I'll use for the paths. It should look good when it's done. I've been trying to get that project finished for at least two years! It's slowly coming along, but I have other things to put my energy into that are far more important at this point in time! Hopefully before summer's over though it will be bordered and the pathways done.

I have one more silly photo to post. There are so many people blogging photos of their feet with pretty shoes and their creations and projects and such. Well, I thought it would be funny to show the shoes I work in, duct tape and all. They're pretty worn out I'd say, but they work and whenever I get a chance to go find a new pair, whether I find an Amish shop in Lancaster, PA that sells good shoes on one of our visits to friends down there or something cheap around here or something in a thrift store that suits...I'll get around to it. So here goes:

Yes, I know they're pretty wretched...but I don't have to worry about what I walk in or on when I'm wearing them. Of course I do not wear them when I go anywhere...but around here they work! These and some muck boots for the real bad stuff!!!  LOL

So that's about all that's been going on here this past week and a bit since spring. So much more to do and share, but this post is very long...and I know how pressed for time we can all be! I'll share more again soon.

I do so praise God for our home-sweet and all the blessings He has bestowed upon us here physically and spiritually and the family and friends we have who are blessed along with us! May we grow closer and closer to Him through Christ as we walk with Him each day. And may He bless you as you grow in Christ as well. Amen!