My poor babies.

This has not been a very good week. I'm so glad I made 3 batches of soap on Sunday, or I would not have made any at all.

 I noticed Carabella's puffy jaws Sunday evening. I wormed her right away. All the others looked fine, so didn't do anything else.

That night, about 8, Mary, the weekend caretaker at Mrs. T's, called. Mrs. T had fallen and she didn't know if she should go to the ER or what. I really wasn't feeling too awful good, so I called my daughter to go see how bad it was before I drove all the way there. I ended up going. She had torn the skin off her right shin, about 4". Really didn't see any sense in taking her in that late and having to sit and wait when I could just take care of it myself. Thanks to my hubby! So washed it real good. Put Neosporin  all over it and wrapped it up real good.

Monday, my sister and niece came back from Colorado and were at Mom's for awhile, before they headed back down to S. Ga. So before going to Mom's, I stopped at Mrs. T's to change the bandages on her leg. Mary had said she was up and down all night and took the wrapping off a couple times. I wrapped it all back up and wrote on it with black marker "DO NOT TOUCH THIS!". I told her I was going to come back before going home and if she had messed with it, I was going to take her to the hospital and they were keeping her til it was better!

 I was starting to get all stuffed up, runny nose, a little congestion. Went to the dollar store and got some allergy meds. Took 2, like the directions said. Man, a few hours later, I could hardly hold my eyes open. But got to mom's and we went to lunch at the Japanese place where they fix the food in front of us. So fun!

So on the way home, I stopped to check on Mrs. T. She was sitting there in her chair all nice and sweet. Hadn't even tried to bother her leg. So went on home. Took care of the animals. Checked the sheep. Cara still puffy. I gave her Ivermec, LA200 and B Complex.

Tuesday, I was in bed ALL DAY! My head hurt. I was coughing every time I moved.. Low grade temp. Geeze Louise! The whole time though, as I lay in bed awake, I'm thinking of all the things I needed to be doing. SO many things! Then off I'd go again. And Emily, the mid-week caretaker, came in early and changed the bandages for me. I was so glad because I could not have gone and done it.

Wed. SO much better. Got up, cleaned the kitchen and bathroom, mowed the whole front of the farm. Mowed down a bunch in the garden. Cleaned the burr comb out of the Garden hive and added another frame, because it only had 9 frames. Checked the Outback hive. Lots of activity there too. Then got ready for farmer's market. Had to go check Mrs. T's leg. All good so far!

Had a bad market afternoon. And I had a lady ask me last week to save her 3 dozen eggs for her this week. I have worried myself sick about those eggs. I might get 1 egg one day, 4 the next day. Then we'd have to eat some. I finally, after even deciding to go to market, had 2 dozen. Then the silly woman never even showed up! I will not do that again. But I did sell them. No problem selling eggs there anymore. People stand in line wanting eggs. I need to get more chickens!

So today. I wanted to take some fecals in to the vet to see what I was dealing with. HA! You know that saying "a watched pot never boils:? Well, when ya want as sheep to shit, THEY WILL NOT! I literally waited 2 flippin' hours for Cara to poop and do you think she ever did? NO! Never. Any other time, they are pooping like crazy. I just have to look at them and they poop. Stupid sheep. So I got samples from Cassidy, who had worm activity going on. Then Campbelle. Then FINALLY, Cameron! And she had some worms too. But NEVER did get anything from Cara. Even tried going in to get some, I was that desperate.

So took them to the vet. Went to Tractor Supply to get some sheep minerals. Ended up getting 2 mineral blocks for sheep. They LOVE them, by the way. Ate lunch with my mom. Went to Mrs. T's to change her bandages. Got a call from the vet. Yep, they do have worms, he said. Ok, I know that. What kind of worm. Well, he didn't know. They just had a lot of worms. I have to pay $15 per fecal for him to tell me my sheep have worms! What? THAT'S why I do not go to vets.

I also wanted to talk to the AG. extension guy to see what he could come up with to help me out. We decided I was not leaving them long enough on each pasture. They need to be leaving one pasture alone for at least 60 days. And the grass needs to be at least over 4" tall. I've been rotating them about every 15 days, then mowing where they just were a few days later, about 3". They don't really like tall grass. Anyway, I need to be doing things differently now if I want these worms to die.

Also wanted to get some kale and collard seeds. No where can I find seeds. So maybe no fall garden for me?

Went to the bee store. Talked to a 20 year old girl that works there. Very smart girl. Learned a lot from her today.

Then home to cook dinner for the man. And move the sheep back to the big pasture til October. I also had gotten a bottle of  Dectomax. Wormed Cassidy, Cameron, Campbelle and Carabella. I will worm the others if they need it. And I'll get some hay for mornings. I'll keep them in til the grass is dried. That's another thing I kind og knew already, but never thought about.

So tomorrow is my all day with Mrs. T/ I think I will run her over to the walk-in to make sure her leg is doing ok. Just to be safe. I was going to go to Indiana to pick up my 2 oldest grand daughters who have been in Wis. with cousins, but right now, I think I need to stay close by Mrs. T. Plus I might get a whole weekend to myself?! Plus Sat. morning is farmer's market too. I need to make some money! I'm having a soap sale to make room for all the new soap!




So while I'm waiting for sheep to S***, I took lots of pictures of them. This is poor little Carabella. She's so stinkin' fluffy, it's really hard to tell she's so puffy. But she really is, poor baby. One of my bottle babes.

                         And Cameron, another bottle baby. She started yesterday with the puffiness.

                                         Sheep rear ends. I was keeping an eye on them!

I love this shot. I got a lot like this. The blue sky, the green trees, the very tall hay, then the sheep. I felt like I was down in a hole, which I guess I was.

                                                                  My little fluffy Cara.

                                                       This is Amarillo, the quads mother.

                                                   Just a bunch of sheep and alpaca pics.

               Another puffy Cara pic. I really hate this. I have got to get this under control soon.

All the sheep and alpacas, except Cara, who was over to the right, drinking water. I moved them all back over to the bigger pasture later.

Sorry this is so long. I feel like I have neglected this blog and no one is going to even come here anymore. Sometimes, I am either just too busy, or I just don't have anything to say. Then, when I do, I keep on and on... Hope y'all have a great weekend!

(Looks like I already wrote about some of this. Sorry. I can blame this on the foggy head? And the guy that was coming didn't. But IS coming this next Monday.)

And thank you to my very favorite blog reader and friend Betty Ann, for checking in on me! Makes me feel so much better!

Yucky. Again.

It feels and looks like fall outside this morning. I see leaves falling to the ground in the back yard. Pretty. But, there is a wild cherry tree that's next door, but part of it hangs over our fence. Those leaves are falling in my yard. Wondering about the sheep eating them.  I know they'll kill certain animals at certain times of the year.

I've been working on building up my soap supply. Make 3 more yesterday. So 10 so far.

And I feel horrible. Again. But this time, I think it's allergies. I ran out of my day time pills and haven't gotten more. Benedryl knocks me out, so only take it at night. Although I have a low grade fever. I can hardly breath. And my sister and niece will be at my mom's sometime today. So will have to go see them.

And Mrs. T fell last night. Knocked the hide off her right shin. I had to go see if we should take to the ER or not. Really nothing they could do that I couldn't. Plus her skin is so thin right there, they couldn't sew it up.  And it being so late too. My daughter Abby came over to help. There was blood. But I can now thank my hubby that I was able to do what I did. We gathered all the things we'd need to clean it up and get it all bandaged up. I pulled the skin back on and wrapped her up. But she was up and down all night. Pulled the wrapping off. That woman! Called doctor and the nurse called. Told her what I did. She's going to talk to the doctor to see if I need to bring her in or not.

And have a guy coming sometime today to get Charlotte and Claire, the 2 cross ewe lambs I want to sell. And don't know when he'll be here.

All I wanna do is go to bed!

Dogwood Bridge. Family reunion fun, 2014

This is at Dogwood Bridge, in Ozone, Tn. We always come here the weekend of the family reunion. It's so fun.  And so beautiful here.

                                                         Alivia, jumping off the rocks.

 

                             And Abby jumping off the rocks too. Lots of rock jumping going on.

When we first got there, a huge long snake was spotted. It went down stream, but just in case it came back, one of the cousins got his gun.

                                                            Some bridge graffiti.

                                                Abby, after jumping in the water again.

                                                                 More bridge graffiti.

                                               I really liked this shot, with the towels hanging on the bridge.

This random dude came walking down the road, looked over the bridge to see how deep it was, walked across to the other side, ran and jumped off the bridge. Really cool. I think he lived right up the road and did this every day. A real show-off!

                                                     The stream. So pretty.

                         And this is what a bunch of teen- agers do when they all get to the house.

We had a great time at the Sherrill Family Reunion, 2014. Saw lots of family we only get to see once a year.

I am feeling so much better. And am waiting for my friend to call so we can head out to Huntsville to see Joel Salatin today. I think we may be a little later.

Busy, busy, then sick.

 Busy few weeks here. Lots of Indiana and Wisconsin family in for the Sherrill family reunion up in Crossville, Tn this past weekend. Some stayed here with us. It was so fun to have company. We really need to get the shower fixed upstairs though.

We were sitting outside at the picnic table and I saw something fly over to this pole with a long piece of straw. So we walked over to see what it was. Whatever these small black wasps are, one was just stuffing this hole up. I am just amazed at the intelligence of insects.

                                 And the beauty of a small seedless watermelon. So cool, isn't it?

So Monday evening, we had to go up on the mountain to get Coryn's clothes. My hubby's nephew and family had been making plans all summer for Chloe to go back to Wisconsin with them for a few weeks. They have a daughter her age. So when Coryn came, they asked her to come along too.  They went to King's Island in Ohio yesterday. Al just called and said they were home. So all kinds of fun stuff to do in Wisconsin for 2 Ga. kids.

Here's a hang glider, just jumping off the edge. I love going up there and watching them.

So here are all 3 girls, taking off Tuesday. Their son, who is 13, is in the very back seat.

Yesterday was Main St. market. It was SO hot there. Just wore me out. When it's hot like that, it's just not fun at all. I had gotten some Swiss Chard from my friend next door to me and some of the best cheese from Sequatchie Cove Creamery. It's called Nick-A-Jack. Washed in apple cider.  So I chopped some scallions and red pepper from my garden and scrambled eggs in with all this. I love it.

 
Here it is, ready to eat. I wish the bacon was mine. I am thinking about getting some pigs in a few months.

I got up this morning and was slightly dizzy. Kind of wobbly. And very tired. So did a few things. Then went to bed. woke up freezing cold. Turned down the AC. Put on a flannel shirt. I just now took my temp. 100.3. I feel hot. So I am having  pains below my stomach and some pressure. Feel like my insides might fall out any minute. I made some fresh grated ginger tea with honey and am drinking that.

The horrible part of this is, tomorrow morning, I am supposed to go to Huntsville, Al. with my friend Sarah, to hear Joel Salitin. I am so upset. I may have to call her and cancel. And I don't want to. I have always wanted to hear that man. And I feel like he will give me some sort of direction to go with this farm in the future. So I might wait to see what happens. I'll call Sarah just in case, to let her know. Bummer.

Plantain Salve

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=807599782595732

This is my little great niece Aubree, putting plantain salve on her nasty mosquito bites. She loves this stuff!

If you go to my FB page, Outback Farm, in Chickamauga, Ga, you can see the video. It's so cute.

I am a senior...

  at the Goodwill in Statesboro. I wasn't sure at first, when she asked. I asked what the age is. She said over 55. I just turned 56 in June. But I got 10% off. I am ok with this. 10% is good. I might just start asking at other places. I like saving money.

So I found  these 2 wooden boxes there. They're both the same, one's just turned over. I thought they'd make great soap molds. Then display boxes to hold the soaps at market. The one on the right is turned over to the mold side. The one n the left is the display side. Pretty cool for $3.99 each.

And the plastic box I got at Big Lots. It's a storage box. I had gotten one like it at Target and it makes a great soap mold, with the lid. So I got this one. I love them. They're the perfect size for the recipes I make. I get about 18 bars from this mold.

I found some paintings from a girl named Marley. There were several of hers there, but I liked this one the best. It makes me sad when I see paintings and pottery from someone's kids at thrift stores. I have to rescue them. Little tiny pottery pieces that a child made. How can anyone get rid of things like that?

My sister has moved back to S. Ga. and across the street from her house was a pile of stuff that was thrown out of a rental house. Me and mom went over to see what we could find. Mostly crap, but I did find these 2 Coke crates. They make great drying racks for soap. Or to haul produce or other things to market. And they were free!

My mom and I had gone down to S. Ga. for a funeral. We left Sunday afternoon. The visitation was Monday evening and the funeral was Tuesday morning. It was hot down there. When we got back home though, it was nearly cold! I dropped mom off at her house and when I got home, I opened all the windows and turned the AC off again. I love this!

So my husband took care of the animals for me while we were gone. It's kind of nice not to have to worry about milk goats right now. I feel like I have so much more freedom to go off for a few days. And he did good. When I got home last night, he was on his way to put the chickens up and gather eggs.

Next Friday, I am going to Huntsville, Al. to see Joel Salatin at some kind of home school conference with a friend who's husband can't go. I am SO excited!!!!!!! I have always wanted to go hear him speak. And I had just told my mom on the way home how I was wanting to really think about which way I want this little farm to go. This is like an answer to prayer. I can hardly wait!

I hope it's cool where ever y'all are this week. It's going to be nice at market this afternoon, I do believe.

Run!