It's that time of year again...

The time of year when the water tanks get heaters, the horses get hay and the people get Hot Chocolate and SnowCream!


I use fresh eggs, but you can use a substitute like Egg Beaters. We have thrown in Cocoa powder and Cinnamon, for a change.

I find the best thing for blending the snow with the egg and milk mixture is an old fashioned potato masher.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk
• 2 eggs, beaten (or egg substitute)
  
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 gallon snow

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large bowl, combine evaporated milk, eggs, vanilla and sugar until smooth. Gradually stir in snow until mixture reaches desired consistency. Eat at once.

This recipe contains raw eggs. Pregnant women, young children, the elderly should not consume raw eggs.

tragedy is a part of life

Sometimes there is nothing you can do to prevent a tragedy. We lost 3 of our bottle baby kittens to illness. Zig, the smallest, went first. Then we thought Cuddles was going to go, she lingered in limbo for awhile; she eventually pulled though. But as she pulled through both Socks and Buffy went down for the count. There was nothing we could really do for them.

Right after that the 4 new kittens from Momma Kitty (Dolly) got sick, too. They were just too little to fight it off.

One of our early spring kittens, Jack, developed some problems and had to be put down, also. And right after one of my hens got sick, and died, apparently of congestive heart failure.

We have had more kitty funerals this summer than my poor heart can stand.

To top it off just as I was thinking everyone's health was looking up, and we were finished losing kitties, Max, the Cockatiel, died too. I swear he waited until I just could not take anymore tragedy and then committed suicide. Max is still in a baggie in the freezer. I just have not been able to face digging one more hole and burying one more animal.

Congratulations! Its a Boy!

.. and a Girl and Boy and a Girl and a Girl and a Girl. Momma went out hunting over a week ago and never returned. The morning after she left Scott found two babies out of their spot in the hay behind the mower. Hungry, crying for food, and missing momma. I went to get some food and a bottle while Scott and the boys lured everyone else out of hiding.

They are all named Clockwise starting in the left upper corner, we have Buffy, Dirty Girl, BlingBling, Cuddles, Socks and Zig


Zig is the smallest baby.
Dirty Girl is a Clico like her momma, grey and beige They make it know when they are hungry.


And they are good eaters, we weighed everyoen on the 4th of july and on Wednesday this week, four of the babies gained 2.5 ozs and Socks gained 2 and Cuddles gained 3.5Bling is a very meow-y kitten, she has a hight pitched squeak, and she lets you know when she is hungry.

They are exhausting, just like new babies. and I know why god made Momma cats with multiple nipples. No one likes to wait to be fed. On the other hand no one wants to be first to potty either. But that is a whole "nuther" post.

The Girls.

.
This week and last week it was just the girls and me at home, and all the girls have done, is bicker all week. Mouth to mouth combat, the whole time. Today they had a serious fight, over a stick. A stick! Its the same as having children around fighting over a matchbox car!

They miss "dad", and possibly the boys too. It's always a little odd for them to all be gone for a while.

new babies

6 kittens. Our grey calico with the the gimpy limp had 6 babies. In the tall grass, next to the trailer, not the best place to have them. She was there all day and night yesterday, but while I was at church this morning she moved under the trailer. I have taken her food water and small piece of turkey. I'm worried about the spot she is in should it really rain tomorrow.

Max

Max, Kaye's cockatiel. He has been living at our house for the last 6 months. These are the first decent photos I've gotten of him, he's not particularly fond of the crazy lady with the camera.

With the advent of Spring and all the new birds outside Max has been picking up some odd vocalizations, he plays mix and match with the wild bird songs.

Cleans up nice

Ian had First Communion the 3rd of May. While I didn't really get a good shot of him receiving the Eucharist, as we where almost at the back of the church, I did get a shot of Father Bill blessing Ian's new blue rosary, made especially for him by Nana.

And this past Sunday I turned around and sneaked a peek of him receiving his second Eucharist. He was almost as excited this past week as he was the week before. We should all be so excited to encounter Christ in our lives.

Meet Jack and Rig

...as in Jack O' Lantern, and Rigsby. Dolly's kittens. Found in the hay shed on Monday morning.

This is Rigsby, she is a calico, see the tan smudges about her eyes? Ian wanted to give her a name with the wordg "rig" in it.
This is Jack O Lantern, Jamie liked that suggestion because Jack is Orange.
This is the best Kitty Mama ever, Everyone's favorite Kitten from last year, Dolly.

Chickens..

Caught dustbathing, its the only time they hold relatively still in the daylight.

The Gypsy

We are assuming someone dumped her out near our house. Last Sunday we found her hanging out in our pasture before church. When we came home this little houdini hound was inside on the couch. No door or windows were open. After a brief stint hiding under our bed and growling we got her back outside, but she did not leave. By Sunday night Scott and boys had befriended the hound and On Monday morning I informed Scott, he had to give her a bath if she was staying.And Gypsy she is.

Country Mice in the Wicked Windy City

On the coldest day of the year, we went to the city to see Wicked.


Approaching the greater Chicago area, we start to see more cars on the road.

And soon we start to see the city itself. The tall buildings and the haze of the lights and the noise of the cars. There is something special about a big city at night. Something so foreign to us country mice. I've always found it to be a terribly exciting feeling.



In the heart of downtown we pass the Oriental Theater, Our ultimate destination.




We parked in a parking deck; the boys and I looked out at the passing cars and the city lights.


We could see the "L" platform; Ian and Jamie were terribly excited to see the Elevated train.


We passed the theater in search of a quick dinner.
It was hard to think about food!! We returned to the theater. Dazzled by the lights outside, but so very cold.
Inside we were dazzled by the decor of the theater. It was almost as much a treat to see the theater as to see the show.






Once it was ended we headed back into the frozen tundra to the car, I snapped a few photos on the way to the car.




Once in the car with heat full blast we drove around to see the lights, It didn't take long for the boys to crash. Scott and I enjoyed the different-ness of the city.

We drove past the Water Tower.





And we waited at the corner to catch a photo of the fire truck.

Drove around a little bit longer before we headed out of the city.


We did manage to get ourselves a special snack on our way out of Chicago.

A few of them even made it home.