Cheese!

With lots of milk in my fridge, I was running out of jars on my shelf.  I solved both problems by making 2 batches of mozzarella!  I had success both batches, although the first was a little lacking on salt, so I upped it for the second batch.  I really like this recipe because it is so simple!  This morning, I've got the leftover whey on the stove, to attempt whey ricotta.  Looks like a lasagna night!

Grapes

It has been 4 years since I planted my 2 grape plants.  One died the first summer and the other hung on with just barely perceptible growth for 3 years.  Last year, it just took off and now surrounds about half of my garden perimeter (remind me to ask DH to make me some kind of arbor for it to shade my sprouts!).

Friends, family, neighbors and pretty much anyone who came over noticed and complimented on my beautiful grape vine and I was pretty happy to have it so explosively green and taking over the view at the end of my driveway.  I didn't dare hope for anything more out of it, but to my delight, about a month or so ago, teeny tiny bunches of grapes began to appear!  I was shocked, and the kids were thrilled.  People then began asking what kind of grapes they were.  Turns out it's been so long and I'd given up hope years ago and I have no idea.  I assumed some green variety, until last week when we had another surprise and they started to turn purple!

I am impatient and keep sneaking the most purple ones for a taste, and they are about 50% sour still.  Within a week or so I will cover them with netting to try to keep the birds away.  I can't wait for my harvest!  :D

Egg Hunt

Sadly my chicken coop isn't finished yet. So, the chickens have no reason to lay in the nest boxes provided! I'm not sure how old they are, but it seemed like it was about time for me to be seeing some eggs. I went on an egg hunt this morning and found 2 nests (plus Giselle's, which looks almost ready!). One had 6 duck eggs in it and the other had 2 leghorn eggs. I have 8 hens, 2 turkeys and 2 ducks. I should have more eggs then that! But, I am happy that I figured out where they were starting to lay. I looked all over for any other hidden nests, but didn't find any. I'm excited to finally have my own eggs again!!!

It's been months...

.....since it rained last. It's been going all night and now, though letting up a bit and the clouds are breaking here and there, it's still drip-dropping. Love the smell, love the free water, love the sounds and especially the break from the blazing sun. Thank goodness; it's about time. I was starting to forget what weather was like.

Meet the herd

Nadeyus: 26 year old purebred Arabian, chestnut. Nariadni son. Prize winner, shown English hunt-seat, some Western....now retired to be our kid's horse, loving baths every week, slow trail rides and senior food.
























Nevada's Lucky Gamble: 5 year old bay arab/QH. Rescued from a feedlot in Nevada, brought to AZ and brought back to health. Started on groundwork at the rescue. After adopting her and building a friendship with her, we've started work under saddle and she's coming along so well. Has agility and power...hope to run gymkhana events with her in the future.


























Bentley: 15 year old APHA solid palmomino. Curious, powerful and a little lazy. Loves baths, treats, and walking slow. Loves the round pen and hauling kids around. Hadn't been worked much in recent years before we got him so we're refreshing him on just about everything. Not quite as bad as starting from scratch. Big friendly giant.

Harvest

So we picked our fill from the nearby corn field (donated by the farmer to our church for the use of the members). We got a wagon load, plus the equivelent of 5 bushel baskets. There was corn coming out our ears. ;) Ha ha, get it?....So, Mom and Friend came over to husk and prep it all, and we simply blanched, cooled, cut and bagged all those sweet golden kernels. I lost count of how many quart bags we filled, but it was A LOT. So nice; I've already used a ton of it in all kinds of recipies! It was super yummy in some spicy enchiladas; the combo of spicy and sweet was delish.

Make way for (more) ducklings!

Giselle decided to sit on another nest, after losing her other ducklings.  This time, she hatched 7, with 5 others that got about halfway out before dying.  Still, 7 is a big brood, and she is taking better care of them then she did her first babies.  I hope they make it!  I love watching them run and tumble all across the grass, and see them learning how to swim and eat.

Also, we've had 6 of these nasty guys so far this summer.  I bet there will be several more before the season is over.  Ick.