Blogs Rearranging

 

After a lot of starts and stops with blogging, I will keep updating only THREE blogs:

• Epilepsy Awareness, my son's struggle with seizures ...and why I am called 'That Purple Mom" (and includes my storefront):   ThatPurpleMom.com 
• Prepping / Survival Cooking / Living, and getting through these difficult times: www.survival-cooking.blogspot.com 
• My journey to get healthy: www.veegettinghealthy.blogspot.com

Thanks for stopping by. 

Vikki

......

My 28 year old (but mentally and emotionally is about 12) son, Weslee, has intractable epilepsy, autism, OCD, ADHD and lots of side effects from lots of brain surgeries. After a week stay at the Cleveland Clinic in 2024, his team of doctors is suggesting more brain surgeries. We need help to get there and back plus with copays, etc.  Please donate through the link below then share this link: https://gofund.me/085ca903 ..

...OR...

To donate directly through PayPal :

Click here to go to:

www.paypal.me/VIKKIWESLEELAWRENCE

Thank you.

CHANGE IN OUR HOME

It's just me, Hubby of 5 years, and 16 year old Kid.  Three weeks or so ago, my son's epilepsy got worse. Grand mal/tonic clonic seizures increased to about 7-8 a week. He started regressing in maturity. Had to be pulled out of school after a big seizure there scared the teachers silly so no school for the rest of the year.

Finally have our diagnosis tho. PET/CAT/EEG on Mon Dec 3 showed the neurons in the right frontal lobe didn't form correctly in utero, plus he has lesions and a small tumor. Can't do much until seizures are under control so meds were upped, which did help (as shown on yesterday's EEG) but furthered his regression and also probably caused an odd-pattern swelling on his scalp. Decreased 1 med last night and will again tonight then will stop unless seizures come back. Am to keep a close eye on swelling.

SUDEP (sudden death in epilepsy) is a real possibility.

Meanwhile, we're trying to find ways to make more money because his medical bills are mounting. Inpatient hospital stays and surgery are expected next year.

Please keep us in your thoughts.

TIME FOR A PAUSE

It's a little bit cool today ... 70's. Would like to really sit out and enjoy it but so much is going on. My kid's seizures are not getting any better so upping the seizure meds is just increasing his aggression. Thankfully we have a doc appt early this week for the aggression, and one later in the week for his epilepsy.

But Hubby has a medical problem. He can't really walk right now, and with my kid's aggression, I can't trust him to help, so it's just me and me alone doing all the chores with the goats, chickens, and dog. And housework, making cheese, checking schoolwork, assigning homeschool-work, and so on and so on and so on ... it's 100% me. ARGH.

So, as much as I'd love to have time for a pause, plan our "make-it-snow" party, smell the autumn air, and relax, it's not possible.

Making it Snow (or just generally give us a good soaking)

Even with our minimal time available, increase in my son's seizures, problems with schooling ... we're still going to do something on Saturday, October 13 2012 to make it snow! We (most of the USA) so desperately need the moisture, with wells and cisterns and reservoirs going dry, and old trees gasping for even the tinest drink.

What are YOU going to do on October 13 to make it snow (or rain)?

HOW TO MAKE IT SNOW

How to MAKE IT SNOW on National "Make It Snow" Day

Saturday, October 13 2012

I found a lot of info online on how to make it snow, but most of it looks silly. Still ... I'm reposting some of it here ... just in case!

This first 6 are from: http://voices.yahoo.com/six-fun-snow-rituals-snow-721739.html?cat=25
Snow Ritual #1: Wearing Your PJs Inside Out And backwards. This snow ritual encourages everyone in the household to spend an evening in their favorite PJs and turn them inside out. This is meant to confuse the snow gods in some strange, very strange way and prompt them to deliver a blanket of snow for the participants.

Snow Ritual #2: Leaving a Spoon Under the Pillow
Putting a spoon under the pillow is a longstanding superstition that dates back to the days of the Pilgrims. It's a superstition that still lingers in the Midwest and Eastern states, and many people follow it religiously each winter season.

Snow Ritual #3: Flushing Ice Cubes Down the Toilet
This snow ritual is meant to signify a 'cold front' to the snow gods. Apparently they'll get the message through the sewer system and (hopefully) take action immediately.

Snow Ritual #4: Running Around the Table Five Times
It's difficult to determine if you need to do this clockwise or counterclockwise, but five seems to be the magic number for the snow gods to pay attention. Four times just won't cut it, and six may be far too many (you might encourage a tsunami instead). Just be careful that you don't knock your knees on the table's edge while doing this.

Snow Ritual #5: Repeating a Snow Chant
There is limited information on what this magical snow chant may be, but it's likely a variation of the classic 'Let It Snow!' song of the season. Snow lovers in Michigan get busy singing the 'Heikki Lunta' song, a tribute to the snow god Hank Snow. You may develop your own snow chant and just keep repeating it until you see those flurries-or the neighbors make a formal complaint.

Snow Ritual #6: Throwing Ice Cubes Into the Tree
Grab a few bowls of shaved ice and sprinkle them on trees and bushes around the yard. This ritual is meant to encourage a big freeze, and send a 'cold message' to the snow gods as a prompt.

= = = = =

There's some also at http://weather.thefuntimesguide.com/2010/01/make_it_snow.php ... some the same as above but there's also "freeze a white crayon".

= = = = =

OUR SNOW PARTY:
We're having a party here on our tiny farmette in rural Colorado, the eastern plains. We have room enough for 20-30 people, to gather in our garage and for car-parking. Here's a few things we're contemplating for our MAKE IT SNOW party:
-chanting
-planting ice chips around the property
-Reiki, using the long distance symbol to bring the moisture
-all snacks will be white (pot luck and what we provide... cheese, merigne, lemon sherbet punch, etc)

and perhaps...
-crystal singing bowls
-drumming
-do a snow dance
-guided visualization
-empower papers written with "bring moisture where we need it" with energy and everyone takes them home to put in their freezer with a bag of ice.


FROM ME:
I normally don't advocate messing with Mother Nature and Father Sky. Basically they do what needs to be done. But at this point, I also feel that humans have created such a horrible atmosphere, global warming, ozone layer messups and too many chemicals in the land and air, that it's time we intervened.  I also caution visualizing the moisture from where there is too much. It has to come from somewhere, right? Make sure you don't take it from another place that desperately needs the moisture, or that you don't create a tsunami or hurricane to bring it to you. Think gentle winds with a leisurely pace, holding it's water until it gets where it's most needed.

Remember, I'm located in Colorado.  That means we're big-time landlocked. The biggest body of water is the Gulf of Mexico so I certainly need to be careful to NOT create another Katrina or Isaac.

Another thing to keep in mind: before you have your party, be sure to stock up on fuel, food and feed for your critters. Cover your roses or other bushes that might not survive the freeze. Get ready because we sincerely and honestly believe, if a LOT of people do this, it WILL happen. We don't want people to be caught unawares, house-bound because there's a couple feet of snow outside their door.

GUEST POST:
If you have any wonderful serious ideas about helping precipitation come to those places that really need it, please e-mail your article. I'll post it when I can. I'd also like to make a list of Snow Parties on here so keep me informed. Thanks!

National Make-It-Snow Day, Oct 13 2012

Our family was just watching the local news. We're located near Denver, CO on the eastern plains. A nearby reservoir is dropping over a foot a day, and in another nearby location, an entire lake that services 20,000 acres is completely dry. Bone, cracked dry.

We need to make it snow. Or rain there in those southern states. So ... we're calling for people to gather together on Saturday, October 13 2012 to make it snow! Do whatever you and your friends do: pray, meditate ... whatver. Let's bring the moisture from places that has too much, and bring it to where we need it the most. Let's envision filling up reservoirs and lakes and cisterns and rain barrels.

Our garden pretty much flopped this year because we couldn't consistently water it so there went our plans for a harvest party, but come Oct 13, we're inviting like-minded people to come join us on our tiny farmette.

Would you do the same, please?

Pass the word.

Rocky's Autos in Denver is NOT a good place

On June 9 2012, we drive the hour and 15 minutes to Rocky's Autos. We thought we were going to find a decent dependable car with better gas mileage than what we're used to.

Basically, the long and short of it is ... problems!!! Because Rocky's isn't cooperating, I'm filing a complaint with the Better Business Bureau today.

My complaint gist:
We needed a dependable car because we have an autistic child who has epilepsy. We need a dependable car to drive to and from the hospital, and with better gas mileage than our other cars.
Before we got the car home, the check engine light went on, and started running rough. We took it to a trusted mechanic who said it needed quite a lot of work. Hubby contacted Mike at Rocky's and was told to bring the car in. The mechanic supposedly replaced the mass oxygen sensor which would fix at least a major part of the check engine light coming on. He didn’t replace the intake manifold seal as he didn’t see any leaks. The engine light came back on the next day and within a few days, the air suspension light came on and stayed on. It is currently at our mechanics where we're spending about $1100 to get the manifold replaced and the entire check engine light issue resolved. That's just THAT issue because there are other not-as-pressing repairs we'll need to make.
 
We realize it was an "as-is" deal. However, if we had known we would have needed to spend close to $3,000 for repairs on our $5,000 car, we would have just fixed our old ones.

I had to drive this car to the children's hospital last week, about an hour drive. The check engine light was almost the entire time. It did not make me feel safe.

Settlement Requested:
We'd like some repairs made to the car OR pay the mechanics bill for the check engine light repairs being done today.




We'll see.  Chances are nothing will be done.

OH, WHERE TO START?!?

The new girl goat (doe) is giving us about a half gallon of sweet milk a day. So far I've made rice pudding, cheese and yogurt. My Kid is drinking it straight, which is odd because last year he wanted me to boil it and add vanilla. Things sure do change.

The other doe is due to kid in late July/early August.  I have them separated from the boys, and they sure do love their new big pen. It's right on the leach field so it'll provide a regular supply of freshly-growing weeds and grasses. That'll cut down on our feed bill.

Orchard's not doing so well. Keeps threatening to rain, so I don't water it, then it doesn't rain. One apple tree doesn't look very good. Gave it (all the fruit trees) a good drink night before last so hopefully we can get them all in the pink of health soon.

I have about 25 roma tomato seedlings that I'd started; plan to plant them if I can tolerate the pressure on my foot, and the heat. I have about that many seedlings for other tomatoes, but for some reason most of them are dying. I'm not very happy about that.

Trying to get this school thing figured out for my Kid but it's not going well. Recently hearing bad things about the local high school where he attended for 2 classes since the beginning of April. Had our IEP meeting on May 8 but the things discussed in there are not happening the way as promised. Suddenly they are changing their tune about whether they'll give him credits for the homeschooling I'll continue to do. See, he starts in the fall with 4 classes and had originally said they'll even help supply textbooks for us to use for other credits we do at home. NOW they're telling me we have to use an accredited structured program or they won't help AND won't give him credits. ARGH!!!

My choice: re-enroll him in a private school that we'd used before: West River Academy. Link at top right. It's very open and non-structured, which is what we need. Seeing as we're still figuring out his meds, have an MRI scheduled in a couple of weeks to look for a tumor or other cause of his seizures, and might have brain surgery ... yeah, I think do-it-at-your-own-leisure is best. He'll be double-enrolled. I'll call the academy later but I'm thinking that's ok.

Life is busy and complicated. I don't need these high school people telling me that even tho I had given him a great foundation of learning, it's not satisfactory to continue doing that.

Bah and B.S.

WHAT CAUSES MY SON'S SEIZURES, and DIET

Someone posed the question, or thought, that maybe what my child eats/drinks (consumes) is causing his seizures.

I realize that people are trying to be helpful when they comment that maybe my son's diet is causing his seizures. Try the ketogenic diet to help. Add valerian or milk thistle. No processed foods.  So forth. And I thank you for all of your input.

My son's seizures are caused by a malformation in the right frontal lobe of his brain. Nothing that changing his diet can help. His brain simply doesn't connect correctly in a spot, and as he grows, the space gets bigger.  If meds can't help create a kind of a bridge, then he will need brain surgery to take out the part that's the problem.

Diet can't take care of that.

HOWEVER, his diet consists of our hen's eggs, organic cow milk OR (more often) rice milk, cheese, yogurt, fresh raw fruits and veggies, sunflower seeds, almonds, etc. He gets a small bowl of salted potato chips (because he has low blood pressure). His fave snack is sliced apples or a whole raw pear. Loves dried blueberries, mango, blackberries and peas. Eats almost daily a handful of carrots and when in season, ripe strawberries or blueberries or spinach from our garden. We also grow our own salad veggies.

He is gluten-free, and also avoids soy, cashews, corn, peanuts, artificial colors and flavors, and preservatives.

Thanks again.

=====================

Today, for my birthday last week, we planted:
9 blueberry bushes (4 different kinds, most with berries already starting to form)
3 yellow raspberry bushes
3 red raspberry bushes
3 blackberry bushes
2 reliance red grape vines
1 elderberry plant

/Then we got rained on! This coming week, depending on my son and my own energy, I'm putting in some more of my garden. Hope it doesn't snow!

SEIZURE MEDS SIDE EFFECTS

After only 2 doses, my sweet boy that had finally evened out his moods with the help of a god med, has become Mr. Evil Child.

Stopping meds. Someone prone to violence and suicidal thoughts/actions should NOT take this med.

What oh what can I do? We can't afford Keppra.

NEW MEDS UNBELIEVABLY EXPENSIVE

25 minutes ago, I got an automated call from the pharmacy, letting us know that my kid's new seizure med was ready. Our cost, after insurance: $881.  Yep, you read that right. Nearly $900 for one MONTH of seizure meds.

Even with our cafeteria plan, we can't afford that. 

Just left a message with neuro doc's nurse, asking if there's a generic or prescription card or any way we can get it cheaper.

If there isn't, I have no clue how we're going to afford that. We have only enough money for 2 or 3 months worth of meds ... after that, I'm gonna have to sell ... something ... to pay for them.

Guess we can't get the tractor this year, or plant fields of grain, or increase our goat herd.  After all, doesn't the health of our children ALWAYS come first?

BACK FROM HOSPITAL

As you may know, my son is not only plagued with ADHD, OCD, autism and a math learning disability, but also developed epilepsy last year.

Despite medications, his seizures have been constantly increasing.

Monday he entered the hospital for a 2-7 day stay for constantly EEG/video monitoring. Took about an hour for the EEG specialist to hook his head up to all the EEG electrodes and wires, and two for his chest. She left the room to get her special testing equipment, returning within 10 minutes, and set up. She pulled out a pinwheel and asked him to keep it moving by blowing constantly. Before the 3 minutes for the test had passed, a blank look covered his face and he stopped blowing. I rushed over as the EEG specialists pushed a special "EVENT ALERT" button and the nurse call button. He had a tonic-clonic seizure (what used to be called a "grand mal" seizure). The room soon flooded with nurses, techs, a resident and a doctor as my son twisted his body and turned blue.

He'd stopped breathing.

They did get him back, got his color, pulse and oxygen going again but I'll never forget this. See, it was the very first seizure that I'd witness from the very beginning to end.  I cried the entire time.

And the doctor, friends and family had had doubts that he had as many seizures as I'd told them. Would on earth would lie about something like this?!?!?!

Over then next 27 hours, he continued to have smaller seizures, right up through (and beyond) his discharge. We left for home early. We got the info we needed.

Diagnosis: part of his brain hadn't developed correctly.

Cure: none.

Remedy: will try more and different medications.

Last Resort: brain surgery.

It's even more important now to get his dog completely trained to not only alert to the symptoms of seizures, but also a special alert for when he turns blue or stops breathing. I can't find a wrist pulse/oxygen monitor that he can wear like a wristwatch (without the finger attachment) so we need the dog trained. Can you help pay for the training? Please? We have a grant through 501(k) charity http://www.chelseahutchisonfoundation.org/ ... but if you could please donate additional funds to them, earmarked for "Weslee Lawrence" only, we'd really appreciate it.  We're working with a wonderful dog trainer who has a child with autism and epilepsy herself, so she understands our needs.

Please wish us good moments and healing thoughts.

Thank you.

============

p.s. Still need full time RVer to help with chores. Now, more than ever. Read previous posts.

NO SUMMER HELP YET???

Reposted the ad for summer help on Craigslist and a bunch of FT RVing yahoogroups. So far, just nice people commenting, but no help yet. Sure wish we could afford to pay but really, having all the eggs you can eat?!!?! Lots of delicious produce? Free place to park and not have to worry about being rousted or paying rent for a space?

We have about 30 trees to plant (all but about 6 or 8 are fruit trees), and lots of blueberry, raspberry, blackberry and elderberry bushes to plant. The blueberries will produce this year and trust me ... there's almost nothing better than fresh blueberries right off the bush.  Unless it's strawberries warm from the summer sun, which we will also have! 

I've already started the tomato seedlings (LOTS) and if I get a chance before my son goes in the hospital next week, I'll start the bell peppers and a few others. I already have planted broccoli, cauliflower, two kinds of cabbage, lettuces, strawberries and potatoes. Soooo excited!

Most things we put things in the ground towards the end of May (because we can still get a heavy snow in MAY here on the Colorado plains!!!). This year we'll have our biggest garden yet, PLUS planting about 1/2 an acre of millet, amaranth, corn/beans/winter squash, sunflowers/cucumbers/watermelon, alfalfa, and one section will have ground cover of clover. Perfect for our goats to munch later on, after harvest.

Gotta get ready to take the kid to school for his one class.  I'll leave you with this:

Yum. Don't that look good!

Searching for fulltime RVers to boondock

Haven't posted in a while. Made a dog run out of that 'weird space" and it works really really well.  The service puppy has plenty of room to run and do his business, and it gives us a way to showcase the fruit bushes we plan to plant around its perimeter. Plus we hope to build a gazebo in it.

We've made a LOT of progress but it all depends on money to pay the neighborhood kids I hire, and their school and work schedules. My veggie garden is built, and the beds we've filled with soil has greens, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, swiss chard, strawberries, spinach and potatoes. A las, we need more dirt before we can continue!

After 80 degree weather the last 2 weeks, we got slammed with a snowstorm last night. Ugh. Yet another delay.

But ... we need someone on the property so ...

==================

I have a proposition. We have only two little acres, but with a special-needs kid, I just can't get the time away from him to do all of the chores.

So ... looking for full-time rver to boondock here. Space to park small to medium rv/5th wheel plus your 1 car. For FREE. Offering April thru Sept 12, for now. In exchange you'll help with chores. Weekdays will probably be just an hour or so a day, but weekends probably 3-5 a day. Total between 10-15 hours a week. 1 or 2 kids welcomed (as long as everyone respects our little haven). If you need electricity, you'll have to pay that part. Please dump offsite in a proper place.

We are a 3 person metaphysical family (husband, wife, child) plus service dog, chickens and goats. Neighbors have all kinds of animals: donkeys, alpacas, guineas, cows, etc.

Chores include: put up the fences, build new chicken houses and goat pen/goat house, and plant the trees, bushes, garden, and two small fields. Oh, and the harvesting and weeding....!! Must be good with animals (help collect eggs, milk the goats). Know how to put up fences (or to learn), and build a sturdy wind-resistant chicken house. (Believe me when I say wind-resistant because boy howdy do we get the wind!). We'll also make goat cheese and do lots of canning and dehydrating. (I plan to learn to can!). I also need someone to help me organize my home. You'll also get part of the harvest and LOTS of chicken eggs! If you'd like a small garden, that could be arranged.

Respond soon, with references. Our busy season is fast approaching, and we're desperate for honest hard-working people to help us.

We're SE of Denver, CO.

====================

Even tho my husband's inheritance did a lot towards fencing and improving this place, we need to do more, so we've got some projects in the works. Plan to sell the results at the flea market in the Fall.  Anyone who boondocks here is encouraged to do their own projects so sell at the flea market with us. Good way to earn a little extra money.  We won't take a cut.

PLANNING A WEIRD SPOT ON OUR PROPERTY

We have only 2 acres, here in Zone 5, the plains of Colorado. Sandy loam (mostly sand!). Most of our space I can easily plan... paddocks for the goats and chickens, with crops growing in some of them. Areas for a small orchard, berry brambles, nut trees. But there's one place that stumps me.

That red line ... we are gonna put telephone poles where that line is ... we park right there anyway. The driveway goes down to the right, which is west. Notice the really weird front door of the house: open the door and try to hold the dog's leash as I hold on to the railing to get down the (now) icy steps ... very difficult. We can't move it to there the pentagonal window is because there's a heat vent on the floor right there. So as much as I hate it, the door has to stay where it is. Grrr.

When we have money, we want to replace the steps with a handicapped ramp (since I have problems walking).

That being said, we need a place to sit and look out at the mountains (to the west). Beyond beautiful view. Very very hot in the summer, not to mention the bugs. VERY windy. Would like to enclose a part right against the house (see the blue lines in the below pic, #2). The green lines show my son's service dog's "business" area (how he managed to train himself to do everything in that one spot, I'll never know!)

In this third pic, I've added a white line which shows where we plan to put up a big 4-6 foot solid fence, white, so that the back acre will be completely cut off. Just to keep the front acre animals separate from the back acre animals! Where the blue lines and white lines meet, will be the gate to that section plus to the back yard. Well, one of the gates.

Working with a limited budget.

Anyhoo, in that front area, it's rock and some dirt on top of landscaping cloth. The last owners ruined original landscaping ... scooped up almost all rock to sell for money. Wondering if we could do like an outline of where we want the enclosed porch area to be when we can afford.

Thought we'd scoop up the rest of the rocks (and hopefully landscaping cloth that's really in tatters), then dump top soil on the area, and maybe build some planters. We want edible landscaping, but between the house and those two trees, we get only about 5-6 hours of sunshine there (in the summer, about 2-3 in the winter). Will wrap around another 30 feet towards the side of the house, which is the south side and gets a LOT of sun.

Recommendations for herbs or berries that would do well there? Maybe some roses too? Something that's easy-care because I have two other acres to look after PLUS lots of animals and a special-needs child.

Would you recommend pots or making planters with concrete blocks or bricks with dirt in the middle for plantings? Or straight in the ground once we dump the top soil there (I'll amend with chicken and goat poop).

Help! I want to start sketching it out so we can budget then start in the Spring.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
p.s. Our oldest doe (girl goat) just had TRIPLETS on Monday, Dec 5! I'll write about that soon, with graphic pictures that I'm sure (ha ha) you'll love!  Here's a couple of cute pix as a taste!

DECIDING WHAT NUT TREES TO PLANT

We have SOME sources of protein here on our tiny property.  We have goats (milk and meat) and chickens (eggs and meat) and plan to add rabbits, ducks and possibly pigs. But we don't eat a LOT of meat so plan to eat nuts, seeds and beans for protein too.

In Zone 5. Finally should have the money by Spring to plant berries, fruit trees and nut trees. The berries and fruits were easy: so many fruit trees come in dwarf and really dwarf sizes so I can fit them in here and there, not casting shadows on where we plan to plant grains.

But the nut trees have me a little stumped. There are a couple of almond trees that only get 10-15 feet tall so we'll be doing 3-4-5 of them. I don't want only almonds for our nut protein source! When I eat too many, it makes my throat itch.

Pecans won't grow here, so I understand although am highly disappointed. Same for pistachios and such. And we don't really like chestnuts.

Deciding between butternut and english walnuts. Both nut trees get between 30-50 feet tall so I can only have 3-4 total on our itty bitty property. Probably shading the goat and chicken pens.

For those of you who have experience:
-which has more protein?
-which is easier to harvest?
-which bears nuts fastest?
-which is more versatile (in cooking)
-which is easier to de-shell and freeze, dehydrate or can?
-oh, and we haven't eaten butternuts but they are supposed to be really buttery .. are they?

Thanks.

WEATHER VS LIFE

Weather here is sooo messed up!  Two blizzards so far, and expecting more snow tomorrow through Wednesday. Glad there's nothing coming down tonight (Halloween). But yeah, we're almost 100% ready for all of these colds temps. Wednesday night expected low should be 16 degrees F. All of our chickens have a solid roof over their heads (except for the 12 we butchered last weekend). Our goats are all set up ... with the girls in their separate pen eating good healthy portions of goat feed to help make healthy babies (both girls due around Thanksgiving).

The garden really sucked this year but we KNOW next year will be better. More space. Good solid garden beds. Goats in separate areas with lots more room. Maybe make places for ducks (I understand duck meat is delicious) and meat rabbits (very lean protein but excellent eating).

Also planning the orchard too ... apples, pears, peaches, almonds, walnuts, butternut. Lots of space for 3-sisters (corn, beans, winter squashes), 3-cousins (sunflowers, cucumbers, melons) and possibly even some grain like wheat, amaranth, millet, milo and some alfalfa for the goats for next Winter.

Things are definitely looking better ... now, if only my leg would let me walk! Basically, I'm gonna have to pretty much stay off it for the next 3-4 months if I want to avoid surgery. So, once a week I do laundry and big chores and cooking. The one other day I do errands, grocery shopping, library, etc.  The rest of the time I need to stay off my leg. Not great for my diet, but necessary.

Life. Right?

WINTER STORM COMIN

We already had our first snow a couple of weeks ago. About 3 inches of heavy wet snow. Here one day, gone in 2 days. Weren't quite ready, but since it never got much below 32 degrees, even at night, I wasn't too concerned.

The winter storm coming tonight, however, will bring a temp tonight of about 17 degrees F. That's cold! So Hubby, Kid and I worked hard for the last several days, winterizing all critter homes. Everyone has a roof now, with plastic on the boards to help protect the wood. The goats are now happy in their separate pens: boys in one and girls in another. There is, of course, more space in the girl goat pen because they'll be having babies soon.

Goats can tolerate very low temps but they can't really get wet. A lean-to would have sufficed but yes, we baby our animals just a tad. No door on their homes but a good roof does wonders.

The chickens, however, need not only to stay out of wet (rain and snow) but also out of the wind. They all have roofs, and 3 sides to their coops but no front (except for wire). I'm sure they'll be fine but to help keep blowing snow off of them, I put up shower curtains (yes, I'm cheap) up for rain storms and blizzards.

Tonight, before I go to bed, when we collect eggs, we'll put the shower curtains over the fronts, and safety-pin them in place.

Meanwhile, we have eggs comin' out of our ears!!!

Ready in other avenues: ability to heat our home, food, water, gas for the vehicles. We're all set. Bring it on!

I CAN GROW GARLIC IN POTS (and more)

Browsing online. Not a usual thing for me these days because I'm so incredibly busy.  Happened across this: How to grow garlic in containers ... wow! Thinking I'll get some bulbs from the health food store and give it a try. Anybody else tried this yet?

In other news, a huge windstorm we had about 2 weeks ago blew down what we thought was a very sturdy chicken coop we'd just finished. Lots of braces and beams. A good solid roof. Waterproofed. Roomy.  But no, an entire day of continuous strong wind gusts brought it down.

I called my husband at work, panicking, as my son and I held on to the remnants. Help! Come home!

By the time he got there, my son and I had given up. One at a time, we moved the chickens here and there, anywhere there was room. Over the next 2 days, two guys built a stronger double chicken coop. Set in concrete this time. Nothing short of a tornado will be moving this sucker. But there went the last $700 we had.

Then last weekend, Hubby and I got busy on the goat accommodations. Needed to separate the girls from the boys, since the girls are due to kid (give birth) around Thanksgiving. Created two separate (but small) fenced areas in the backyard, moved the dog houses to provide shelter, and are still constructing a small "kidding kennel" in the girl's area. The new pens are fairly small, but will be sufficient for winter housing. Especially for the girls, because once the babies come, I'll be able to look out of the kitchen window any time and see them. LOVE it!

We're also in the midst of a mouse invasion. Sorry, PETA, but we've put poison all over our house. Well, in places where the puppy can't get to it. Necessary because I'm real tired of finding open/spilled bags of popcorn or crackers or flax seeds.

Guess that's it for now.  Gotta go put things in canning jars to keep them safe from the meeses!

FARMETTE NEWS

Caught one of my leghorn chickens eating an egg yesterday. Really ticked me off ... her running around with a half-eaten egg, playing keep-away with the other chickens. Even after I caught her, she refused to give it up.  Put her in isolation and will be including her with the others that are bound for "freezer camp".  Then thoroughly cleaned the nest box because there was raw egg all over it.

Hope she didn't teach the other chickens in that group about eating eggs.

HUGE wind storm today. Big weather system moving in. High on Saturday isn't expected to get out of the 50's. I'd forgotten how much I hate this wind out here.

Person expected to come out on Sunday (60's and clear, supposedly) to finish the chicken house and do the goat pen. Good. My poor 2 roosters in the goat pen are freaking out about the wind! Once the roof and walls are up and solid, we can move the rest of the hay into the goat pen. Easier for us to feed the girls during the worst blizzards.

Got a bunch of pea seeds in the mail yesterday. As soon as Hubby runs the Mantis through the garden, I'll sow them. Might eat some but for the most part, it's for fodder and green manure.

Two cords of firewood were delivered last weekend. Enough for us for the entire Winter. Almost have enough propane for the Winter too, but still need to get some more hay. Hay is in short supply around here, and what's available is really expensive. Putting up a stock of alfalfa pellets in case we can't find more hay that we can't afford.

I'll be glad when everything that absolutely necessary to be done is actually done. I want to relax at least a little bit during the Winter.

THEN I'll plan next year's fencing and gardening projects!

I LOVE that part!