Just Another Day at the Homestead

You know you are old when the excitement of the day is a ambulance pulling in your front yard with lights and sirens going. No, no one here called for or needed one, it just made a wrong turn and came down our LONG, dirt and bumpy driveway. We live to the left of Little Lane and every time a ambulance is called for a house on that dirt road they turn left and come thru the woods on our small dirt driveway. Everytime they arrive they ask if I called and everytime I tell them our address is Stoney Point Road and they needed to take a right instead of coming down our driveway. Then I help them turn around and they head off to where they should have already been. Sometimes its even the same EMT's that made the mistake before. I feel sorry for the families waiting for them to show up. I also have to answer the phone calls with no, the ambulance wasn't for one of us. We are okay, it just made a wrong turn. I also text my friends that live close by so they know we are okay. A little excitement is good for the heart I guess, but would prefer it without the sirens next time.

Everyone seems to be talking about all their lovely cool weather. How they have turned off the A/C and opened up their windows. Well that weather sure isn't here. Still hot and humid. Still wet with sweat 2 minutes after walking outside. Still have the A/C going. Animals still hogging the fans we have going outside and rabbits are still snuggling their frozen water bottles. The leaves are falling off the tree like its fall. The squirrels are grabbing hickory nuts and running off to store them like its fall. We just need fall weather to arrive. The fall garden is going great right now. We are getting showers often which then turns back to steamy jungle heat. I am trying to work outside early mornings and in the evenings but sometimes I just have to do things outside during the day. Just accept I am going to look like I took a shower with my clothes on and not worry about it. Winter will be here soon..... Oh please tell me winter will come this year.

We are trying to find someone that will process some of our hens and roosters for us. I am slow plucking  chickens and really don't like to do it so am hoping we can find someone that is set up for and does it often. We are also going to have Mary, our sheep butchered this fall. We don't have a ram and we really don't want to raise sheep so with the price of feed going up putting her in the freezer is our best solution. I still need to post pictures of Mammy, our Alpine/? milk goat and Harmony, our Nubian yearling (that was bred last week). They sure are a handful most days. They love to get into things. They love to try to knock the chicken feed bucket out of your hands. They love to follow you around till you aren't looking then butt you in the butt. They love to be petted and the center of attention and do not want each other or any other goat to get that attention. Mammy is a great milker and am hoping Harmony will be too after she kids.

Getting ready for the Farm and Garden Swap Meet this Saturday at Tractor Supply. Hopefully we will sell some of our rabbits, along with some teenage chicks, goat milk soap, and whatever else we decide between now and then. We have good luck selling at these meets and enjoy meeting people and making new friends.
This Saturday is also granddaughter Raigun's birthday party. She turned 12 on August 7th but having a pool party this weekend. Since its in Tennessee I will be missing the party but looking forward to seeing lots of pictures and hearing about all the fun she has.

Things are kinda quiet at the homestead (except for ambulances) but will be canning field peas and tomatoes the next few days. Hopefully have enough tomatoes to make sauces and ketchup. We also will be splitting and stacking some of the wood we have gathered over the summer, getting ready for the winter I hope we have soon. Always something to do but am blessed I have them to do and able to do them. Don't forget to count your blessings... no matter how small.