Saturday, March 22, 2014

Tis the time for Babies, Preparing for Babies and Lessons to be Learned



I have spent some time the kitchen this week.  I may have found a bread recipe which not only brings a lot of memories to me but will fill my needs as the spring arrives with all of it's adventures.  This is not quite like my Momma's bread but I am getting closer to the taste I am looking for, the texture is not at all like the bread I remember.  I must think about many things, Momma used lard in her bread, she started using shortening after we no longer processed hogs and I have no source of lard at the present.  Flour has changed over the years,  there was only all-purpose and cake flour when I was little.  But the big thing I remember, flour was sold in 25 pound bags in the grocery store, every grocery store.  This goes to show our demand for flour  has changed.  So, off, I go to the small bulk store to buy my 50 pound bag of flour twice a year.

What does this have to do with babies?  This is part of my kitchen preparedness for the birthing season. This bread can be frozen in the raw state and taken from the freezer frozen, brushed with melted butter and placed in a cold oven, baked for an hour and there is fresh yeast bread.  So, this has been a great find to add to my recipe book box.  This bread uses buttermilk or kefir, this excites me, bread made with either of these 2 liquids is so tender and moist.  There was French toast made one morning this week and yes, I was pleased.


Mr. Bootsie continues to work on the barn, he did the rigging and glass was put higher in the barn.  This will give us some light as pole barns once enclosed are very dark.  I am sure the barn will be ready for the little ones.  

Working in the garden, all of the blackberries have been pruned and retied.  The raccoons made a mess of the vines this past summer.  There were many broken vines which were taken out.  The new growth has not started so I think I will be all right.  The walking onion, garlic and fall planted onions are looking real good.  Our supper Saturday was our first spinach salad of the season.

There are hen eggs in the incubator, we are thinking about baby chicks.  The total count was 3 little ducks and when I say little there was one tiny little one, but it is growing and the other 2 take such good care of it.   They had their introduction to water and they played just like a duck.
 

My work seems to be never ending right now.  My days are starting before 7 and ending around 9 to 10 at night.  I start most of my days up potting the bedding plants which are babies also.  They need to be fed and watered just like all of the other babies.  My baby plants are the backbone of our garden, I shall be preserving the harvest.  These little babies will fill our pantry for the winter.  It is very important I take care of the plants for they will take care of us.

This week I saw one of the stronger little ducks help the smaller little one make it's way into our world.
It was an amazing lesson.  I have watched as the two ducks huddled close to help little duck stay warm. I stop to think about the miracle of the seed and I must say the miracle of egg isjust as wonderful.  Now we are getting closer to the birth of our baby goats, once again it will be another miracle for me.  The birthing kit for the goats is being put together.  This is another first for us,  I will be learning so much about the ladies.  I am excited and at the same time, I am frightened.  So right now, I just go to the pasture and scratch their heads and rub their bellies.  They seem to really enjoy my helping them scratch where they are having difficulties getting to.

Another long day for me and I am ready to dream about baby goats.  Until we have time to chat, soon I hope.  Sleep Well!!!


No comments:

Post a Comment