New Faces Around The Homestead

 11 baby chicks

 This is Cheep. The chick hatched by a turkey and raised by me. He jumps on my hand everytime I open the door to his and Skates house.

 And this is Skate. He came to us from a lady on Craigs List. He was the only one to hatch out of her incubator.

 And these are the 8 ducklings. The one I dropped while still in the shell and then hatched under a heat lamp is now with its siblings and momma.

 And here are the 3 new goats William purchased in Virgina. Robby the buck

 Olivia and Sissy the doelings. They now act like they have lived here forever. They know how to give you nudges for treats and how to stand at the gate and cry at feeding times. They have the most pitiful cries. Sounds like they are so weak from starvation they can hardly cry. Yep, they fit right in with the rest of Hidden Haven Critters.

Not Looking Like Christmas Here

Though the weather is more like summer things are looking like fall around here. The pumpkins, mums, and cornstalks are showing a little wear from the frosts of last week but still looking good for Thanksgiving. I don't want to overlook a day of celebrating with family and friends all that we have to be thankful for. All too soon it will be time to hang the lights and decorate the trees but for now Hidden Haven is decorated for Thanksgiving.

The mums,cornstalks, and pumpkins came from my friends produce stand... FREE. The other things I already had so fall decorating cost me zero dollars. I did have all the leaves on the ground raked but we had a wind and rain storm that brought lots more down. Hope to get them raked before guests arrive for Thanksgiving dinner but if not I can always say its part of my fall decorations! Have a blessed night everyone.

Demo-Animal Adoption Day at Tractor Supply

We had a awesome day at Tractor Supply. They invited us to demonstrate our log splitter as well as the use and care of chainsaws and how to put up a electric fence. Had fun and got to chat with Mike and Higgins but wouldn't you know I forgot to take pics! Good seeing you again Mike and hope you bring Higgins for a picture with Santa next month.  We had my friend Gerda's grandson and his girlfriend helping us today.

I feel bad I have forgotten the name of the rescue group that had the pets for adoption. They didn't even require a fee! Just fill out a form and sign stating you will have the pet fixed. They have already been vet checked and vaccinated. They go around to the animal shelters in surrounding counties and pick up the animals getting ready to be put down and keep them until they find homes for them. Today almost all the dogs and puppies were adopted. Sorry to say not many of the cats or kittens went to new homes but they will stay with their foster families until they do get adopted.

I was lucky to be inside the store when two puppies were adopted and snapped these pictures.

The puppies and their new family seemed very happy. I also had to sneak a pic of some of the workers at Tractor Supply.

 Leasha is the manager giving me a I am going to kill you look and Jess is bending over opening a box. They are setting up the store for the big sale next weekend. Lots of great gift ideas for human and animals!
They are such friendly and helpful people. Love helping at their events. Next month will find William being Santa so pets can have their picture taking with him and me taking pics. Had a wonderful day but now its off to feed my own animals before they come after me! Have a blessed evening everyone.

A Future Judge

I am the first to agree and understand that teachers are overworked, underpaid, get no respect, and have their hands tied when it comes to disciplining students. But teachers a.re also suppose to lead by example, encourage students, help them work toward their dreams. Alas there is one teacher at Franklin High School in Franklin, NC that has destroyed a students confidence and dream. My granddaughter forgot her work folder in her locker. When this teacher told granddaughter she would not be going on the field trip because she forgot the workbook she understood and accepted this punishment. The field trip was a month away and each and every day until the field trip this teacher would ask if you are one of the students not going on the field trip to raise your hand. Granddaughter raised her hand and said teacher would then tease her in front of the others about having to sit in the library while he and the rest of the class would be having fun on the field trip. Granddaughter said nothing. Just sat there embarrassed. Then this same teacher ask the class what they wanted to do in life. Granddaughter said she wanted to be a judge. This teacher then again loud in front of the other students told her she would never be a judge. That she would never get into to college. That she would be lucky if she could graduate a beauty school. Granddaughter is crushed. She has lost confidence in herself. She no longer dreams of being a judge because she thinks she can't get into college because a teacher who should know told her so. If I didn't live 6 hours away I would be at that school in a heartbeat. I would be talking to the principle, superintendent, and school board about this teacher and then he would get a earfull from me! What I did do was write a letter to the principle and a letter to the newspaper there. Its a small town where everyone knows everyone. I wanted to make sure without naming names what one teacher had done to destroy a students dreams. My heart is breaking for granddaughter. She is a smart young lady. She was a cheerleader and band member for several years until she drop them to have more time for studies. She is part of a prayer group at school. Active in school and church activities as well as working a parttime job. This young lady would bend over backwards to help anyone or keep from hurting anyone's feelings. I just wanted to take this chance to say "Hoppy" I am so very proud of you. You are very smart (though I do tease you about those occasional blonde moments). You can get into college! You can be anything you want to be. Don't give up your dreams. Don't let one bad teacher crush all you have worked and dreamed for. Stand tall and show this teacher he is wrong. Show him that he isn't the smart one. Show him by example of the mature, Christian, well mannered young lady that the rest of us know and see in you. Love you to the moon and back Hoppy and look forward to sitting in a courtroom watching you at work.

Blessings Around The Homestead

What a busy few days it has been and still is. Making jelly instead of wine and still plenty of grapes to snack on. Making and canning spaghetti sauce with lots of tomatoes still to can. Preparing green beans and canning with another half bushel waiting. Cabbage waiting to be turned into kraut tomorrow. Lots and lots of pumpkins to cook and so many other veggies begging to be prepped and put away for the winter. I am so blessed to have such a sweet friend that gives us so much from the produce stand.

Trying to take care of the veggies and still keep up with things around the homestead has been a little crazy. In the mix of things a hen hatched 11 chicks that we had to catch and put into their own house and pen. Mrs. Black had 4 baby bunnies and needed a bigger warmer place. Lady Shy hatched out 7 ducklings in one of the hens laying boxes and had to be moved so the ducklings wouldn't fall to the ground. While moving her, the ducklings, and her nest I dropped the last egg that hadn't hatched and cracked it. When I picked it up I heard peeping. Brought the egg inside and put under a heat lamp where several hours later it hatched. Kept the duckling inside under the heat lamp overnight so it could stay warm and rest up. Today I took it (Dudley Doright) out to join its mom and siblings. I made sure to rub it all over the other ducklings to get their scent so Lady Shy wouldn't reject it. If that wasn't enough babies I had a baby chick in the house that Tessa the turkey had hatched. She had stolen a egg from Blondie the chicken. Once it hatched Tessa and Blondie would fight over the chick so I just decided to bring it inside. I named him Cheep and he sits on my shoulder and talks to me. William found a baby chick on Craigs List that needed a home. A lady had only hatched one chick out of her incubator and wanted to find a home for it.Cheep now has a buddy named Skate. Skate is a little younger and smaller than Cheep and thinks Cheep is its momma. Cheep loves being the boss and showing Skate how to scratch and "talk" to me. Today I moved them outside to a nice warm house with heatlamp and windows. They can enjoy the outside without having to deal with the changes in temps. Robby, Olivia, and Sissy have settled into their new home really well. Though they are Nubian and larger than Andy and Petro they are sharing a pen with they are all getting along for now. Will have to change things around soon and put one of the guard dogs in that pen. Bella, Tinker and Hillary are getting along so well together I know they will be sad to have one move to another pen but they are guardian dogs and know their job.

Am also working on my Thanksgiving menu. Williams daughter, her husband, 2 sons, my friends Gerda and Christine will be joining us. Will be picking up a big turkey tomorrow but have everything else I need. Looking forward to a wonderful Thanksgiving.

This fall has been such a blessing! Most falls here in eastern NC aren't very colorful. Leaves usually go from green to brown and just fall off the trees. This year we had the right amount of rain at just the right time and fall colors are breathtaking! Almost like being in the mountains and I have been loving every second.

Life has been hectic and though I am looking forward to winter slow down I am so blessed. Not a single boring day. Not a single thought of wishing life were different. Not a single second of dread of doing daily chores. Just loving life and the many blessings. Yesterday as I was getting the dogs their morning meal I saw the 50lbs of dog food was getting really low. I said a quick prayer telling God I really didn't want to tell William we needed dog food again so soon and ask if he would provide some before we ran out. This morning when we went to our favorite feedstore for chicken feed the manager ask us if we wanted a 50lb of dog food that had gone out of date. Of course we took it and I was saying a thank you prayer with a smile on my face. God always provides. May not be what or when I think it should be but he always provides. Don't forget to count your blessings!

Mary

Mary stopped by my blog a few days ago and I am so glad she did! I paid a visit to her blog and found wonderful recipes. She has a couple for eggplant I am going to try since I seem to always have way too many of these but she also shared a vinegar chicken recipe with a fancy name. This is so easy yet so yummy! We had it for dinner tonight and I will be making this dish again and again. Thank you Mary and now I am off to make your oatmeal cookies!

Today I have produce everywhere. I have a bushel of green beans to can, a bushel of cabbage, over a bushel of muscadine grapes to make jelly and try for the first time to make wine. Lots of lettuce,oranges, lemons, cucumbers,and tomatoes as well as lots and lots of veggies for the animals. I will be working in the kitchen late tonight and most of tomorrow but I am so blessed to have a friend who gives us so much produce. I have pics of the new goats and will try to post them tomorrow. Hope you are having a blessed day... now go over and say hi to Mary and try some of her wonderful recipes!

Time Change

These pictures are from a few years ago but they still apply today. All the animals are crying to be fed on the old time. It always takes about a week to get them adjusted but until then it sure is noisy around here!

Breakfast was sausage, eggs, homemade hashbrowns, toast, and tea, juice
Lunch was leftover veggie beef soup, crackers, and grill cheese and tomato sandwich, ice water
Dinner was simple: hotdogs with chili and cole slaw, chips, and ice water
snack was sliced apples with peanut butter and homemade lemonade. We worked outside till dark so supper was a quick fix. Still 3 hot meals on a frugal budget.