Beginning 2008

We had a wonderful Christmas and a special gift of Mom Jackson coming for a week's visit. She was able to make a snowman with the 4 youngest...it's been awhile since she's done that. (Georgia weather isn't snowman friendly)

We've taken a couple weeks off from school and will be starting again tomorrow. We've filled the time off with cooking, reading, sewing, crafting, re-organizing, playing games, puzzles, and enjoying the snow.

There was one sad part to the holidays...we had to give Midnight up and have him placed with another owner. He became agressive with us--especially at night when we wanted him to move from one place to another. Instead of him improving with time, he was becoming worse. He had started growling at the younger kids for no reason so we knew he had to go. Our vet saw how much we cared about him and offered to neuter him and try to place him in a home without children. It was a relief that he was willing to do this instead of putting him down--Midnight was such a good dog...when he was good. So-o-o we're back to being a one dog family...much to Brittany's pleasure. The house is much quieter and calmer with our more "mature" dog.

I tried "rebatching" a batch of goats milk soap today (remelting a prepared base and adding scents/coloring). It didn't work as the bags I used to put the soap in melted in the hot water. I'll have to try again using an oven bag (I had used 2 heavy duty ziplock bags as they suggested, but I guess my 'heavy duty bags' weren't heavy enough! The oven bag was the other alternative suggestion.) I'd like to get another batch done this week since I have an interested buyer at a local store. She asked me to bring me a batch after the Christmas holidays.

Today Wayne and I discussed what poultry we plan on raising this year. We want to do pastured broilers/roasters and some turkey. We're going to ask if any of our friends would like to go in with us on the turkey order since there is a minimum order of 15--I don't think even our family would eat 15 turkeys in a year. We're also dreaming of our garden crops as the seed catalogs have arrived. When we start writing down the tasks to be done on the calendar, spring doesn't seem so far away. Marc is eagerly awaiting April and the arrival of his goats.

This is Matt's last week working in Binghamton. He is due to start classes in Oneonta next week. He'll miss his co-workers but not the long commute (45 minutes each way). I'll be glad that he doesn't have to make that trip in winter weather.

It's time to call it a night and try to get some sleep since school starts tomorrow. Until next time...good night from the farm.

Linda