Surviving the Cold with Thoughts of SpringSeed

Seed catalogs start to pile up on the Christmas table cloth.

As the Holidays come to a close and the bitter cold of winter sets in, my mind drifts to spring.  The glorious seed catalogs have started to make their way into my house.   Each page teasing me with beautiful photos of unique and delicious vegetables.  Unfortunately, I live on the side of a mountain with rock inches below the soil and a short growing season.  

I am enjoying the Territorial Seed Company catalog.  They have some great plants that grow quickly at cooler temperatures. Time to start dreaming, I mean planning!

White Gold

Whoever originally said, "don't cry over spilled milk," had never milked a goat.  Though I love the little dears, their behavior on the milk stand can bring me to tears.  I have been milking WebiGayle off and on for a year now.  It's taken that long to build a relationship and learn all of her little nuances.  We have to follow a routine: first she runs into a shelter, then she lets me catch her, and we head to the milk stand.  Once on the milk stand I always have to be aware of her behavior.  Sometimes she gets bored with the time it takes to milk and starts to jump around.  Other times a noise my spook her.  I always keep a hand on the milk pail.  Goat milk is a precious commodity; sweet and delicious.  Yes, I will cry when it spills; it's taken time and hard work to produce.  

It's a Blog About Nog

Fresh Goat's Milk Eggnog!!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!  It is  FINALLY snowing in the Rocky Mountain Foothills.  We are enjoying a warm, cozy day at home here on the Ranch.  It's so nice to relax in front of a roaring fire, making Christmas goodies.  I still have cookies to bake, but I thought I'd give homemade Eggnog a try.  I have fresh goat's milk and eggs, so why not!  

Goat's Milk Eggnog Recipe

Ingredients:

1 quart raw goat's milk

4 eggs

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon cloves

Pinch of salt

Dash of vanilla

Pour 1 quart of goat's milk into a pot and slowly heat to 160 degrees.  This will pasteurize the milk.  (Have a candy thermometer handy to check temperature.)  While the milk is heating add sugar, nutmeg, cloves, salt, and vanilla, whisking as ingredients are added.  Continue to whisk occasionally.  As the milk heats crack 4 eggs into a blender and blend until frothy.  Once the  the milk mixture reaches 160 degrees, slowly pour in the eggs, whisking constantly.  Whisk mixture for 2 minutes to cook eggs slightly.  Pour into a glass jar and chill for several hours.  Once chilled, ENJOY!  

The Eggnog is delicious by itself or with a shot of whiskey or rum!

The Battle Has Been Won

Playing momma goat.

For a week I have been doing battle with my doe, Erudite.  Last weekend she developed a VERY full udder, and it didn't look as though her doeling, Candor, had been nursing.  Erudite was attentive to little Candor, but was constantly keeping her from getting anything to eat.  I milked Erudite out and gave the wee one a bottle.  After a day of this little game, I discovered a cut on Erudite's udder probably from Candor's sharp little baby teeth.  I spent the past week milking Erudite twice a day and feeding Candor with a bottle.  Candor was definitely ready for the bottle when I'd head out, she was crying in hunger.  Erudite would give me at least 8 ounces at a time when I milked her.  She was paying attention to baby, but wouldn't let her nurse.  Finally, yesterday morning Candor was less whiny and Erudite was less full.  By last night Candor didn't even pay attention to me, and I only milked a trickle out of Erudite.  Baby's happy, momma's happy, and I am happy.  Thankfully, the three of us remedied this very frustrating situation.

Double Trouble

Angel and Candor playing in the goat pen.

Two pretty doelings are ready for their close up Mr. Demille!

Sweet little Angel and Candor are a little over a week apart in age, and they are always together.  The day after Candor was born the temperatures dipped below zero.  Angel, Candor, and their mamas spent a week in an insulated shed.  The girls had plenty of time to bond during the deep freeze.  Now I watch them leaping and playing in the goat pen.  They jump into tires, hide in grain buckets, and drive their mamas crazy.

Feeling Creative!

A 16oz. quilted Ball jar is turned into a soap dispenser with some spray paint, Gorilla glue, and a soap pump.

The tired cabinet in our main floor bath is spruced up with some chalkboard paint and newly painted knobs.

I've been collecting scrap wood to make signs.  Now my girls are doing it too!

Lately, I've had a burst of creativity.  It's been simmering inside of me for ages, and I've finally unleashed it.  I think reading The Nesting Place by Myquillyn Smith helped.  If you get a chance read the book, Myquillyn has some amazing decorating ideas and tips.  That being said, I've pulled out a lot of the odds and ends I've been collecting and turning them into beautiful home art.  Coffee bags a purchased for $1 a piece are becoming sofa pillow covers and covering up a gaping hole we've had in a bathroom wall.  Old cabinet knobs have been painted and reused on knobless cabinets.  I've been collecting scrap wood to paint and write quotes on for whimsical art for our walls.  

Lots of New Life

Newborn Lionhead Rabbit Twins

It feels like spring on the Ranch, not late fall.  Every week it seems like we're blessed with new babies.  My youngest daughter has a female Lionhead rabbit named Gingersnap, my oldest daughter has a male named Skittles.  We've tried to put them together on several occasions, but never thought anything had happened.  Earlier this week I tried to move Gingersnap out of her small indoor cage to our much larger outdoor hutch.  Once the deep freeze moved in, I put Gingersnap back into the house this time in the basement.  I wasn't in the mood to shell out more money for yet another heated waterer.  I visited Nappy (as I like to call her) a couple times a day, making sure she had fresh food and water.  Earlier this morning, I checked on her, everything seemed normal, so I went about my morning ranch chores.  A few hours later I went back down to get the goats a little grain, as I peered into Nappy's cage I noticed several tufts of fur in one corner of the cage and a small amount of blood in the other.  Babies, were my first thought, but I couldn't find any.  Gingersnap hopped nervously around the cage.  Finally two, tiny pink babies started wiggling in the pile of fluff.  I grabbed the cage and made my way upstairs to show the girls the new family.  We brought Nappy back up to the girls' room, where they'll be warm and safe.  I covered the cage with a towel  to make Gingersnap more comfortable.  At last check she was busy keeping her wee ones warm.  I think this is the end of births at the ranch for awhile.  Whew, what a day!