Oh my gosh, it is so gray out. The sun would just be the ticket to enjoy the temps that are 40+. The amazing thing I heard today was that weathermen were being taken to task as the east coast snowfall was not as severe as forecast. People just never cease to amaze and disappoint.
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Noreen
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Noreen
Started income tax for 2014. Yuk!
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Noreen
It’s time
When Orlin and I farmed in Boon Lake Township, we pretty much took the lead of my parents as to what to do and when. We raised Mallard ducks for butchering in the dead of winter. We butchered them in cold weather as all new feathers were pretty well filled out to the max for their warmth. Prior to that, the itty bitty feathers just breaking through the skin were called pin feathers and each and every one would have to be plucked out by hand. The larger feathers were able to be pulled out by grabbing multiple ones and giving them a yank after the duck had been scalded in hot water. One drake and several hens were left to run so we could collect the eggs for hatching out the next years batch for the freezer.
Being the farm kid that I am, this springtime is the time of the year I would be getting on thick canvas gloves and deciding which of the laying hens had developed chucking tendencies over the winter months. The egg laying was no longer their mantra. These hens just wanted to sit on eggs and become clucks, thus keeping eggs hot enough to eventually hatch. There was no denying which hens were the target. I would get anywhere near the nest they were sitting in and they puffed up to three times their normal size and peck with becks that you swore they had sharpened.
The held over ducks had a separate area in the hen house during the winter so collecting the eggs would be easy to do. Early eggs were discarded as the timing of the hatched ducking did not want to happen during the worst of the winter. Orlin made a spot in the dairy barn for several wooden crates that were just large enough for a straw nest to be rounded out when filled with a dozen eggs plus a fluffed out cluck. Thereby, was our incubation area. Three of the clucks were captured and taken to the wooden boxes where each box had 8 to 10 hen eggs in it for the clucks to begin getting cozy with, and this would be their home for the next while before we put the intended target of duck eggs into the nests. Each of the three crates were far apart from each other as to not entice a cluck to visit any crate but their own. To achieve that, each cluck had a twine sting tied to an ankle that was long enough for them to get out of the crate and reach the ample water and feed that each of them had for themselves. Orlin put up several heat lamps to make sure the clucks were warm. Sound cruel? That is how it was done.
When my Mom gave the word, I started saving the duck eggs. I had a window of 10 days to save up enough duck eggs for each of the three clucks to begin sitting on. After the ten days, the eggs would no longer be deemed fertile. On the tenth day the hen eggs the clucks had learned to nurture were removed and swapped out with the duck eggs. Putting fresh water and plenty of feed was done during the time Orlin and I were in the barn for milking the dairy heard. There never was a fear that Carrie or Kevin would bother the incubation area as the kids were not fond of the laying hens, let alone the clucks that were pecking monsters.
Long about the 26th day, we would begin checking the nests as the earliest eggs could show signs of hatching. Again, the canvas gloves worn with heavy jackets that covered our arms were used to gently lift the cluck off to see if any of the eggs were showing signs that the baby ducks were pecking their way out into the real world. Amazingly, the percentage of ducks that would hatch was quite high. As the baby ducks got themselves clear of the cast off egg shell, we transported them into a small pen complete with heat lamps to keep them warm. It didn’t take long for them to get the hang of the water and feed as we would take them, one by one, and dip their little beaks into the offerings. At this point Carrie and Kevin were all about checking the ducklings out when they were in the barn with us. They loved holding the little fur balls of yellow and black in their hands.
It was a routine that was repeated several times to have each of the cluck hatch out at least two batches of ducklings. In the spring of the year, the pen for the quickly-developing ducks was surrounded by a fence to keep them safe. There was a high demand in the early winter seasons of people who would purchase dressed and frozen ducks that were ready for the oven. It was a good little side income right before Christmas.
Just at arms length . . . I never lack for busy work to keep my fingers nimble and keep my family guessing.
What prompted me to think of this today: January 25th, 2015? I have been making use of these colder icy winter days to try out some of my crafting items. With a lower back problem that prompts me to move from area to area within the home, I can be found either in the basement sewing room, in the west porch sitting in Great Grandma Laura’s rocking chair reading, or moving from the sofa to a side chair with threads and yarns. The very busy area around the spool cabinet reminded me of an incubation area of what is yet to be turned out as I hatch out finished projects. Oh yes, for the love of all things that involve puzzling through patterns, checking out correct gauges of crochet stitches and counting out squares for counted cross stitch patterns to make sense, you never know what I will hatch out, less the twine string tied to one of my ankles.
In life, please remember to give and have no memory of it, or take and remember it always.
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Noreen
Road trip today! A brand new sight for a trade show that was just a bit up the highway. For Dennis it is always interesting to see what the price may be of items that he has and then will take to a trade show later in February. I was able to take in a visit with family along the way. It’s always special to catch up on a one on one, eye to eye, toe to toe. As we drove, the fields seem to turn black right before our eyes as the temperature of 43 took the remaining snow to task. A great day, but then . . . there is no place like home.
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Noreen
Using What is At Hand – Priceless
This last fall I knew I wanted to use this straw wreath I had wired together some time ago. As I was flipping through idea books in my sewing room, I found this wonderful counted cross stitch pattern. Upon completion, I put several layers of lightweight quilting batting under the finished project and sewed it onto cardboard from an empty saltine cracker box. The cross stitch project was mounted from the back of the wreath and secured. The ribbon came about from Kevin and Kersten sharing their stash. Having drawn a pattern of gingerbread men, I hunted out my roll of soft copper that I have used in the past making signs for Dennis that he has taken to his gun trade shows. Adding some bows for the fellows and stick pins with red heads for buttons, I deemed the gingerbread men the perfect fit on the straw. This will be added to my stashes for Christmas 2015.
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Noreen
Had a busy day of errands. Where did the time go, as today a trip to the motor vehicle department was needed to keep the wheels moving under me for another year. I take one prescription drug and that three month supply needed to be picked up. Shut the front door! This three month supply was 4.2 times more expensive than the last. Cheaper gas prices, but the drug companies are making up for it. As Dennis says “What are you going to do about it?” I did make a call and had a rep of Blue Cross Blue Shield do some checking into it. It was my way of making sure that a human error had not been made and that all of us may be getting the shaft.
Life is still on Stauffer.
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Noreen
Wow – That Was Hot
We had a great morning taking off the snow from last night. There was a bit of ice under the two inches of the beautiful, clean stuff. Nevertheless, the job was finished, and with temps in the high twenties, the bare concrete is showing in many spots.
There was a bag of Bear Creek Chili mix in the pantry and that sounded like just the ticket for supper. I always add extra ingredients: browned ground beef, onions, garlic and black beans. As I was stirring in the can of black beans, the label jumped out at me “Black Chili Beans” and they were processed in Chili sauce. Oh my gosh. The mix already had quite a bit of spices and I have always felt it was spicy enough. After everything had simmered a bit, I took a spoon and did a taste test . . . my lips were burning before I got the spoonful of chili swallowed. This did not bode well. My first thought was that there was no way I could throw out all these ingredients what with ground beef being so expensive.
I hit Google and why was I not surprised that there was a solution? By adding table sugar a bit at a time it toned down the hot spice taste. My supper and lips were saved.
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Noreen
Checking Out Days Gone By
A one on one and Megan was checking Grandpa out to see who would cave first. Megan is now 11 and still has Grandpa wrapped around her little finger.
Nicholas on Grandpa’s lap was a natural. Now at age 7, Nicholas has the natural ability to tell Grandpa all he ever needs to know, as he many times starts his sentences with “Actually, . . . “
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Noreen
Fleeting Thoughts:
I believe that I am right where my Lord needs me to be at this time in my life.
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Noreen
We went to Mankato today. The sunshine and 37 degrees took Dennis into a spring fever mode. I so agree. Life is sweet.