Missing a Friend...

I'd like you to meet our neighbor Joe...

This picture was taken on Eric's first day of kindergarten, in 2002.  Joe and his wife Bonnie were excited to see him get on the bus for the first time, so they sat at the end of their driveway and waited for the big moment!

Kids are great ice-breakers...and our kids were one of the ways that we got to know Joe and Bonnie.  The were very private people, but over the years we gradually got to know and appreciate them...they were wonderful neighbors! 

They meant everything to each other, and when Bonnie passed away in 2008, Joe was devastated.  He gradually adjusted to the "new normal", and we enjoyed visiting him often.  Over the past two years, as Joe became less mobile, we saw him every day...we took him his newspaper and made his morning hot chocolate.  We enjoyed watching the Eagles and the Phillies with him...even though he was an avid Pittsburgh fan!

Over the last month, Joe's health rapidly declined, and he spent some time in the hospital before returning home under Hospice care.  We, along with some other neighbors and a family friend, tried to honor his wishes by caring for him during his last days.  Jim and I and a nurse were with him when he took his last breath on Tuesday morning.

There's now a "new normal" for us to adjust to...and we will miss him!

Salsa Recipe...

One of my favorite things to do each summer, is to make salsa...

Actually, let me correct that statement..."One of our favorite things to eat is home canned salsa!"


All of the scalding, peeling, chopping and canning is rather time consuming, but oh, so worth it for the delicious jars of mouth watering salsa that we can eat all year long. This year I invested in a food processor... mainly for the purpose of chopping all those tomatoes, and was it ever worthwhile! And...today Jenna helped me to peel them...even better!

Enough said. Here's the recipe. It is NOT original with me, so I can take no credit, but it's hands down the best we've tried so far...

SALSA

Combine the following ingredients and set aside:

14 cups tomatoes, peeled, chopped and drained
3   cups onion, chopped
1/2 cup chili peppers, chopped
1 - 3 cups green, yellow or red peppers, chopped
8 - 10 cloves garlic, chopped

Combine in a saucepan, and cook until slightly thickened:

1 cup tomato sauce
1 cup ketchup
3/4 cup vinegar
10 Tbs. corn starch
2 1/2 Tbs. salt
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 1/2 tsp. cumin

Mix cooked sauce together with drained veggies.

Fill pint jars, leaving 1/2" head space.  Process in a hot water bath for 35 minutes.  Makes 10 + pints.

After opening, you may add corn and/or black beans to the salsa.  If you want to add them before canning, you would then need to use a pressure canner for processing.  (time and pressure were not provided in the recipe)

One batch down...at least two more to go! 

4-H Roundup...

This weekend is the 4-H Roundup at our local fair grounds...

It's a practice fair for the 4-H members to show their animals...a great way to get experience with showmanship and also to see how your animal is doing overall.  Since this is Jenna's first time showing goats, she was eager to participate!

A lot of preparation goes into showing animals.  Earlier this week the goats were washed, clipped and washed again.  Jenna's 4-H leader came out to do the clipping.  Today they were washed one more time before we headed over to the fair grounds.  Thank goodness they enjoy it!

After weighing in, Jenna put them in their pen and had a few finishing touches to do...she put baby oil on their horns and baby powder on their knees to cover up the grass stains that wouldn't wash off...

And of course if there are treats involved, the goats are happy!  Jenna brought along some maple tree "helicopters" for them to eat...their favorites...

And then it was time for the show...



There are two competitions.  The 4-H'ers are judged on showmanship...how well they handle themselves and their goats, and then the goats are judged individually. 

After walking the goats around the ring in front of the judge, they are "set up", to show off their best qualities....

The novice class was for those who had never showed before, and Jenna placed near the middle of the class.  The judge gave lots of helpful hints to the kids to help them know where they were doing well, and where they needed to improve.

As for the goats themselves, she was a little disappointed at how they placed.  The competition was tough, and April didn't cooperate too well.  But then Dot did better than we expected...it was a fun learning experience!

So...now we have seven weeks to prepare for the real thing at the Lampeter Fair.  It's hard to believe that fall is just around the corner!

A Difficult Season...

You may have noticed that I haven't posted quite as often over the past week or so...or made many comments either...so I thought I'd give a short update on life at our house...

Over the past few years, we've become close friends with one of our elderly neighbors, a widower who has no children or family close by.  He spent some time in the hospital recently, and is now back at his home, under the care of Hospice.  He has named us as his primary caregivers...so we, along with another neighbor couple, and a close friend of his, are responsible for his daily care.  It is an honor that he trusts us with his care, but is exhausting at the same time; both physically and emotionally!

Please pray for our neighbor as he finishes his earthly journey, and for us and the other caregivers, as we try to honor him while continuing with our busy lives the best that we can!

Thank you!!

A Good Reminder...

I must admit...this past week was just about all I could take!

Yes, I am a fair weather fan...I complain when it's too cold!  I complain when it's too hot!

This thermometer hangs outside our shop door...

We saw record breaking temps like this for at least four days this past week.  And this is what Jim and Eric and my nephew were doing on Saturday morning...

I will admit...I was feeling pretty sorry for us; having to work outside in the miserable humidity when others could be inside in the air conditioning, staying cool and comfortable. 

And then I read the status of one of my facebook friends...

"What if we woke up, with only that for which we were thankful for yesterday?"

Was I thankful for the electricity that runs the fans that keep the cows cool?

Was I thankful for the way the cows hung in there in the heat?

Was I thankful for the shower I could take when I was finished working...and the air-conditioned bedroom that I could hibernate to for a while?

Was I thankful for those loads of beautiful hay that Jim baled?

Was I thankful that our kids were happy to have cousins visiting?

Was I thankful that we are healthy and well fed?

And the list goes on...

Do I enjoy being hot and sticky and smelly and dirty any more than I did before I read that?  NO! 

But was I reminded to be thankful for the blessings that we have in the midst of all that?  YES!

What is it? The answers...

On Thursday, I posted a collage of some of the items we use on a regular basis, asking for guesses as to what they might be...

I got several responses, and got some great guesses.  One of you, a fellow dairy farmer, guessed them all correctly, except for #3.  That one was a little tricky!  Here are the answers...

#1.  Pill gun - used to administer pills to a cow  (it doesn't help that the end of the pill gun is off the picture in the collage!  Didn't notice that until it was finished)

#2. Calving chains - used to assist a cow in giving birth. 

#3. Milker plugs - sometimes we have a cow that is a "3 - teater" , and we put one of these plugs in the "extra" teat cup on the milker to keep it from taking in air, sawdust, or something even less desirable

#4. Spray bottle with teat spray.  After we take off the milker, each cow's teats are sprayed with an iodine based solution to seal the ends of the teats and keep them clean.  This helps prevent mastitis infections.  (if you look closely, you'll see that the bottle sprays up, not out...this way we can easily spray her thoroughy)

#5. Kick clamps.  Sometimes we have a cow that has an attitude, and just doesn't like to be milked.  These clamps fit over her hips to keep her from kicking front and knocking the milker off.  (or kicking us!)  They don't hurt her...just keep her in line for a few minutes!

#6. Ear tagger.  Think of it as getting your ears pierced.

Thanks to those of you who submitted guesses!

Now it's back to trying to stay cool!  Yesterday's temp of at least 105 was record breaking, and the humidity made it feel much hotter!  Today is still hot, but a little less humid with a slight breeze. The barn (with all the fans running) is cooler than the house these past few days!

What is it?

Just for fun...

 I took a few pictures of some of the "tools of the trade" that we use regularly, for you to guess what they might be...

Just post your answers as a comment, and in a day or so I'll post the correct answers and explain how we use each item.  This was Eric's idea...have fun!

*Linking up today to Farm Girl Friday at Deborah Jean's Dandelion House.