Nite, Nite, Sleep Tight!

This post is an experiment in trying to use the new Blogger editor. I thought I was going to be able to have the text flow around the photo, but no no. So, kinda ignore the playing around I am going to be doing trying out the bells and whistles of this editor. It is supposed to work much better with Safari than the old editor.

Ok, first thing I did with the photo was to drag it from the top and place it under the text. After I post I'll check and see if it still has it's link to Picasa and will enlarge when I click on the photo.

I double clicked on the photo in the editor and the Box showed up again so I could choose what size and where I want to place the photo. Just for kicks I clicked on e-large. I do like being able to drag the edge of the editor and make the editor screen size. Ok, now I'll try out the number and bullet lists.

Edit: I went back and changed the size of the photo to large. X-large was too big! And yes, the photo enlarged after I messed around with it dragging it around.

1. Well, first, I can't make the number or bullet lists center.
2. I would like to figure out how to wrap text around photos.
3. I suppose if I had a recipe blog I would use lists.

I took this photo tonight when I checked for eggs and locked up the coop.

Left to Right

• Wyandotte
• Hen-Roo Australorp
• Light Brahma
• Australorp (hen, see the small comb)
• Wyandotte
• Wyandotte
• Wyandotte

Poor Hen-Roo! I don't think she is interested in being a hen anymore since she acts like a rooster, looks like a rooster and even sounds like a sick rooster. But she is so cute!

There is an insert jump break, but I'm not going to try that out mainly because I don't want a jump break.

I think I will save trying to figure out how to wrap text around the photo for another day. I'll do some more searching and reading here. I know I don't want to mess around with html.

[1 egg today]

At least the girls are making my breakfast.

Smiles

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Sore Throat Killers

Over the years I have found several things that helped me with a sore throat and sometimes with the cold that came along with the pain in the neck. When I was a child I remembered my Dad making what he called a hot toddy (whisky, honey, lemon juice) for me when I had a bad cold and sore throat. I remember sleeping a lot and probably the whisky made me not care so much about the sore throat. The toddy sure tasted good, felt soothing on my throat, and the lemon juice probably helped some with vitamin C? I have tried the hot toddy remedy as an adult and found that it didn't help very much at all. Maybe if I had three or four of them?

I was a kid in the 40's and 50's and don't remember going to the doctors or being given store bought medicines. I remember that sipping warm wine helped my throat feel better for a while. And I think I remember eating garlic as some kind of cure. We managed to survive all the childhood diseases (no polio or small pox thank you very much) and I only went to the doctors to have my tonsils out.

In the 1970's when I was working near a Mexican restaurant that made their own salsa, I found out that eating hot salsa when I had a sore throat made my throat numb and many times seemed to kill off the cold and sore throat or at least made it more bearable. Hot salsa (homemade works the best) for a long time has became my go to treatment when a cold or sore throat struck. And the hot salsa helped me feel better with a chest cold too.

I eat the salsa with lots of salty tortilla chips with the idea in mind that the salt will make me thirsty and I will drink more. Well, that's my excuse for eating lots of chips. Sometimes I will crave soda and so of course I give in and treat myself to colas and ginger ale. Come to think of it, I eat a lot of my favorite foods when I am sick.

Then Kristine came up with some discoveries of her own: "The vinegar works because it changes the PH balance in your throat. Most viruses and bacteria can't adapt to the sudden change fast enough to survive. A teaspoon or two of Braggs vinegar with Mother in hot water with honey taken three times a day will help enormously with a sore throat. If you can't get that type of vinegar, then dill pickle juice will do the job. Don't heat it up, just pour it straight out of the jar. I tend to use the brand name Claussens kosher dill pickles." ~ Kristine.

I suppose everyone has a favorite feel good home remedy. Everyone is different, but I know that if I hit the very, very, very beginning of a sore throat with one/some of these "cures" I have a chance of winning the battle. Whether or not they really help or not at least I feel better thinking that I'm doing something constructive. I drink a lot of cranberry juice, tea, orange juice, etc.

I do remember getting a sore throat back once when I forgot to throw away my toothbrush. The germs must hide out in the toothbrush ready to strike again.

And then there is my ultimate feel good treatment: Homemade chicken soup! Made with a whole chicken, garlic, onion, celery, carrot, and rice. Just the smell of it cooking makes me feel better (and I bet the steam from the soup humidifies the air?) Chicken soup rules!

I think I took my kids to the doctor too much, but I was so afraid they had strep throat and they did most of the time they were sick. I must have had it as a kid too, but we just had to suffer through it and managed to survive. The girls took lots of antibiotics to get rid of the strep. I wish all we needed was salsa, vinegar, a hot toddy, garlic or pickle juice to make us better.

Disclaimer: This stuff works for us sometimes or just makes me feel better. I'm not saying that anyone else should try it! Best to see a doctor if you are sick!

[1 egg today]

That's my breakfast!

Smiles

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Winter Sun

Here is a photo to prove that the snow is gone and best of all there is actually some winter sunshine trying to warm up the leaves and chickens. The hens head off to this favorite spot to spend some time warming up and then they go to the shady places under the trees.

Kristine and Tom went to town and saw the new Sherlock Holmes movie. Kristine said it wasn't bad and that she really liked that they hadn't made Watson stupid. Kristine saying the movie wasn't bad must mean it was OK, which probably means the movie was pretty good. I guess? I stayed home and slept in because I'm fighting off a cold and winning so far. I drank dill pickle juice which helped kill off the bugs in my throat. Kristine says that apple cider vinegar with the mother (bacteria) still in it works too.

Kristine wasn't able to get any mandarins today and will pick some up tomorrow so I can make some more cranberry sauce. I was brave tonight and cooked (steamed) some year old vacuum packed frozen salmon. Tom is still doing OK so I guess it was alright. Kristine and I had chicken. I had chicken because I like it and Kristine had chicken because salmon keeps her awake and she only eats it in the morning. Salmon keeps me awake too.

I messed around with my iron cookware this afternoon trying to re-season it a bit because I put some of them on the wood stove after they got wet and I wanted them dry so they didn't rust when I put them away. Well, I forgot them on the stove until I smelled smoke. Yikes! I burned the seasoning off. Well, some of it. All I had to do to the skillet was oil it, but the dutch oven and the chicken fryer wouldn't wipe clean. When I wiped them with oil the paper towel would come away black. So, I put them back on the wood stove for a bit and took them off before they got to the smoking stage and wiped them down and this time the paper towel came away clean. I know I'm supposed to put them in the oven to season, but my oven is not working.

I've been having fun re-reading the Pern books by Anne McCaffrey. It's been way over ten years since I read them and visiting that world was fun. I wish I had a fire lizard. But, chickens are a good second choice. At least they can fly even if they can't go between.

[0 eggs today]

The hens are on strike again.

Smiles

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Yummy!

This photo of Morgan is one that I just had to post. I caught her in the chicken pen a few months ago before I put up the fence to keep her out of the coop. I was looking through iPhoto the other day deleting photos and noticed I had this shot of her licking her lips after a snack on the chicken feed. Anyway, I dragged the photo to my Photo Drop widget and had it save to the desktop. And here it is with a push pin. LOL

I have a widget on my Mac dashboard called Photo Drop that I thought I got from Apple, but I couldn't find a link to it now when I did a search on their site. It was free when I downloaded it to my dashboard and I'm sure I got it from Apple because I am very careful what I download on this computer.

Photo Drop is easy to use, has several settings, let's you crop and resize, and is fun to play around with. I just drag the photo to the box and drop it and then click settings. This is the page clicking on the widget takes me to, but I don't see Photo Drop. Maybe they changed it or don't offer it anymore. I did find this article, and the download may still be on the web somewhere.

I made baked apples in the dutch oven and they exploded! Yep! I didn't notice that Tom loaded the stove up with wood. My fault. I'll have to watch the fire more closely. It was way too hot!

[4 eggs today]

I guess I should give the hens more ham hock skins.

Smiles

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Wait For Me

I wish everyone a Happy New Year! Last year at this time as I remember we were still worried about forest fires and we didn't hear any explosions at midnight. Last night there were several (5 or 6) loud booms that woke Kristine up. I was still up, but I didn't go out to see if the booms were accompanied by fireworks. I'm just glad everything is wet from the rain. No fires, please.

When I let the chickens out they took off for the woods with Morgan trailing behind. I walked around for a bit taking photos hoping for something I could post in the sidebar. Turns out it was the first photo I took. The hens were very happy to get cut up ham hock skin for a treat. Kristine said that some of the hens stayed on the porch next to the slider where it was dry and warm.

I tried cleaning up my blog sidebar a little bit. I started off this blog by adding blogs I read to my blog list, but quit adding any more because I have so many. Now I have folders of blogs I read book marked and the whole blog reading and commenting thing is getting out of control. I need to make a new plan. I like Tanya's blog layout. Nice and clean. Love to read her blog.

Oh, yes, I need to announce the bean ruling. The Mayo Clinic No Gas soak method really did result in 98% gas free beans. I suppose the results depend on the type of beans, how many rinsings (10+-) and soaks (I soaked the beans in water before I did the hot soak) the beans are put through. And I cooked the beans in new water after I rinsed the hot soak water away.

[1 egg today]

The sun has been hiding and turned off egg laying.

That's my take on the situation.

Smiles

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Happy New Year!

I wish everyone a very Happy New Year!

Thanks for reading and commenting on my blog.

Last year at this time I made a deal with myself to make a blog,

post a photo and some text every day for a year.

Wow! I did it!

I guess I will keep posting on the blog, but I don't think in the future I will get all upset if I miss a day posting. I originally thought the blog would be a good way for Kathleen and the grandchildren to keep track of what was going on around the old homestead, but I don't think Kathleen has time with three children, home schooling, etc., to read the blog. So, the blog became more a way for me to keep a journal of sorts of what was going on around here. I think I will keep that going.

Smiles

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Bean Pot

I had to use the stainless steel pot because there were too many beans to fit in the dutch oven. And after I added the ham hock the pot was full to the top. I learned a lot cooking the beans mainly by making mistakes. Even with my errors the beans still tasted great. Good thing! I have a lot of beans to eat.

First thing I did wrong was to cook the whole package of beans. Next time I'll just cook half and instead of one ham hock I'll cook two or three. Next time I'll make sure to either use beans that need a long cooking time or cook these mixed beans for a shorter time. The lentils and split peas pretty much cooked to mush.

This may be too much information, but since Kristine (or anybody) doesn't like to eat beans because of the flatulence issue, I looked around online to see what I could find that would solve the problem. I ran across this page from the Mayo Clinic about how to cook beans. Who knew? Under Preparing Legumes there is a step called Gas Free Soak that I tried after I had already soaked the bean for a few hours. These beans got many, many washings!

I didn't add anything to the beans except water until they were already cooked on the wood stove. Pretty funny! I'm no good at controlling the cooking temperature at a simmer. The pot was either hot or at a rolling boil. But, like I said, they still taste great. But then I like them a bit overcooked. Oh, well. After the beans were cooked I added the ham hock and over cooked the beans some more. I'm so bad. I added salt after I dished the beans in the bowl, then topped them with the cut up ham hock and chopped red onion.

No cornbread, but the Pugliese bread Kristine brought home tasted wonderful with the beans. Tom asked me if the bottom of the bread was moldy because it was covered with flour. The bread is covered with flour, especially the bottom, but it has a wonderful taste and texture.

I added the rest of the onion, ham hock, and some garlic to the left over pot of beans and put them in the fridge. I read somewhere they are good for four days in the fridge. I guess I will be eating beans until they are gone. I was going to try freezing some of them, but they are too mushy to rinse. Good thing I love beans!

Kristine is in hopes this No Gas soaking works because she would like to be able to eat beans. Since I am the guinea pig, I will report back in another post.

Good thing Kristine doesn't have to work tomorrow because she thought she had a fever and I know she has a cough. She seems to time her illnesses so she is sick on her days off.

[2 eggs today]

The chickens were out for the afternoon

with Morgan and had a lettuce snack.

Smiles

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Leaves?

Yep! The leaves are finally off the trees and I can't wait to get myself together and get out there and move them around. I was curious about how the leaves let go and fell because some years there are leaves that hang on until Spring. The first article I found here told me more than I wanted to know. I liked my old idea of the leaves falling off and turning red and yellow because of frost damage. Oh, well, I suppose in years to come they will come up with new discoveries and this will change too.

The garage roof is one of the places where I will spend some time moving leaves. I really am glad that the leaves are down because some years the leaves keep falling and the roof gets another coat of leaves.

The chickens will be glad to get out tomorrow and so will Morgan. She went to the groomers today and looks so pretty and white. The sun is scheduled to shine tomorrow so my plan is for us all to get outside.

I didn't cook dinner because because there are still leftovers from Christmas and that chicken soup I made lasted until last night. Kristine doesn't like beans, but I am going to make a pot of beans and ham hocks. I'll have to make her something else. I have been thinking about the ham hocks, beans and cornbread I used to have when I was a kid and I'm giving in to the memory and making some. Hope they live up to what I remember. The recipe on the bag says to add onions and tomatoes, but I don't think I will. We used to put diced red onion on top of the beans when we served them and I don't remember ever having tomatoes or tomato sauce in the beans. Maybe next time. The beans are soaking overnight. I'm really going to do this. I think I will try cooking them in the dutch oven on the wood stove.

[0 eggs today]

Smiles

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Lost And Found

Oops! I pressed the wrong key and published before I wrote anything. There was some blue sky for a bit today so I let Morgan and the chickens out to run around. I gave the hens a head of lettuce on the porch and enjoyed watching them chow down. Morgan came inside for her snack. The chickens stuck around the porch for about an hour and then vanished. Morgan was gone too.

I went out to try and find the chickens in hopes that the reason they were out of sight didn't have anything to do with the fox. Morgan was in the back barking at something. I walked around and finally heard and then spotted a chicken, then another one and then I saw that most of them (10+) were under the trailer taking dust baths. The hens are pretty smart. They found some dry dirt under the plastic covered trailer and a warm protected place to laze about.

I tried out the Auto setting and was able to capture a good photo of the hens shaking their feathers dusting that was OK. The chickens were very happy under there where there was no wind, it was warm and dry and where Morgan didn't run through the middle of them and watch them scatter.

I am way behind making comments and even reading blogs. I do check and moderate my comments a couple of times a day, but I've been under the weather and sleeping a lot. I hope to feel better and catch up tomorrow. Thank you for your comments!

[2 eggs today]

Smiles

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Keeping An Eye Out

Kristine took this photo of Morgan this afternoon. Morgan loves to hang out on the stairs because she can keep an eye on everyone and everything. There are mirrors on the wall so she can look toward the back of the house and still see the living room and outside.

It has been raining and the chickens have been locked up in their coop. Morgan went out with me when I filled the feeders and checked on the chickens and she got her paws all muddy. When Morgan comes inside her muddy paw trick is to go up to the loft and clean her feet. It is nice and warm up there and she spends some time letting them dry, and licking her pads clean.

I used to have a sweet doberman who liked to spin when he was excited. I taught him to spin on command when he came in the entry way on the floor mat. I would have him spin right and then left, back and forth, and what was happening was that he was wiping his feet on the mat. Saved me the trouble of messing with his feet and getting a bunch of towels muddy. He had a lot of fun spinning! As a puppy Morgan watched him potty and learned to lift her leg. Pretty funny!

I'm going to go back to watching White Christmas after I post this.

[3 eggs today]

Smiles

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Watch That First Step!

iPhoto is playing tricks on me and hiding photos. I finally found this in the Thumbs. I don't know what Thumbs are other than that they sound small. This will be interesting. Oh! I just published and found out that the photo will not enlarge when I click on it. hmmmm.

The chickens are still getting used to the gate. I'm just happy that it keeps Morgan out of the feed.

I asked Kevin if he knew about a Sports setting on my camera (he has one too,) but he didn't. I have read through the instruction booklet a few times and the closest I can come to a setting that will capture motion is the Auto setting. I didn't take any photos today, but I'll try the Auto setting tomorrow and see how it works.

I watched some lectures by Rusty Schweickart today about Astrobiology, his space mission, astroids and the planets. Pretty neat stuff. I remember getting together with some friends after work to watch Neil Armstrong walk on the moon. That was amazing! It didn't take very long before we took the moon missions for granted and now I hardly ever even think about the space station.

When I lived in Campbell, California before the moon landing I remember the ground shaking (and me too) and was told that the rockets were being tested. At first I had thought it was an earthquake, but the roaring noise was from the rocket. I wish I knew what rocket was fired and where the test happened.

I made more cranberry sauce for Kristine. Well, for me too. I love that stuff and Tom bought about 12 bags of cranberries to freeze. I asked him to buy them because these are the best cranberries. Much better than any I have seen before.

We still have plenty of chicken soup for dinner tomorrow

[3 eggs today]

I think one of them is from yesterday.

It rained on the feed yesterday

and I found out that the chickens

love wet soggy food.

Smiles

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iPod

I wonder what they are saying? "Did you get an iPod for Christmas?" "I told you to stop following me!" "Do you know where the snow is?" "No!" "Go away!" "Wanna find some squirrels?" "No, I won't help you find a squirrel!" "I don't know what you're talking about?" "No, I don't know where everyone went yesterday." "I'm white and you're white; maybe we're related?" "No!"

I don't know, but I did get an iPod from Kristine and I have been having lots of fun listening to music, lectures and playing games. I have way too many Christmas photos and movies to sort through so I know which ones to keep, delete or email.

I forgot to ask if I could post Christmas photos, so there are no Christmas photos. I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday. I really love seeing everyone, but I feel exhausted afterwards. Of course that could be from the hives. Kristine is battling off a sore throat. She has been exposed to the H1N1 flu at the library and at school. I really, really don't want her to catch it, especially since she won't go get the vaccine. She said the school nurse said she probably didn't need it. I worry because of her asthma.

I'm kind of loopy from taking Benadryl and sleeping all day. I tried to be careful and not eat strange stuff, but I got hives anyway. Phooey! But itching is better than a migraine any day.

[1 egg today]

A brown one from a Brahma.

Smiles

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Merry Christmas!

I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas!

I'm posting this in the middle of the night with hopes of adding to it later in the day. The chickens are sleeping and I didn't think they would be happy to pose in the Christmas tree so I cheated and used my little lid pot holders. Ho, Ho, Ho!

[? eggs today]

I'll check for eggs later.

Smiles

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Merry Christmas Eve!

Merry Christmas To All

Thank you to all who comment and read this blog.

I wish you a joyful holiday!

I took this photo on Monday.

I like the old street lamps.

[1 egg today]

It was an Orpington egg!

Smiles

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