All is well in the kingdom...

I think I have finally got the animals all put where they need to be again. These goats are a mess!I had them in the back yard since I've had them. Olga has gotten out a few times, and ends up in the milk room. This last time though, was the last straw. My husband looked out the dining room window Monday night. Said there's a goat in the yard. I ran outside and there was Miss Olga, eating a few blue berry bushes. Then she ran to a few more bushes. I finally caught the witch and put them both in the goat yard. She hasn't gotten out yet. Keeping my fingers crossed though.

They both stay right here, at the fence. Whining and calling to me all day. These are 2 lazy goats!

So we walked all around the fence line. I had my clippers with me and cut a lot of locust and oak and pine branches for them. I dragged all the branches to this little tree up in the middle of this pic. I also cut a lot of honeysuckle off the field fence up at the top of the yard. I know the electric fence  is still working because Olga got bit twice! I don't know why I think that's so darn funny, but it is!

And all the sheep and alpacas are back over in the South pasture for awhile. They really are over there. When it gets too hot for them, they all go in this little barn. Where the elderberry tree is, just past it, is a little area they go in. But this grass is nice and tall and lush over here right now. They'll stay here til the North pasture grows back out.

So the sheep and alpacas are all together and the goats are together, separately now though. Where they're supposed to be. I think they are all happy again.

There is a bird nest in the yellow apple tree. I think it's a mocking bird nest.

And the swallow nest is getting bigger every day. It's so funny though. When we're in the milk room milking, they'll both fly in then fly right back out. Sometimes they'll come on in to do some work. There's a phone line right outside the door they sit on. I am constantly talking to them, telling it's ok. They're so cute. I just hope the baby birds don't attract a darn snake later.

Getting forgetful.

This is what happens when I forget I have eggs boiling for tuna salad and go out to cut branches for the belly aching goats who can't fend for themselves. I came back in the house, after I remembered I had eggs on the stove, and found them like this. The one egg exploded and ended up out of the pan. It was still good, so I did get to use 1 egg in the tuna. The other 2 were quite burned. Not a good thing. My oldest grand daughter was still in bed and the husband had just left to go to the store. Could have burned the house down, I guess.

And I only had 5 eggs.

Somehow, the other mother hen decided she'd had enough of mother hood and flew the coop. Well, flew back into the coop. Don't know how she did it, but she's back in with the rest of the hens and Black Bart. The real mother hen is still out with the chicks. Just strange how she got in. Must have flown over. Maybe she'll start laying eggs again!

Some skeins, ready to go to market.

Some skeins I've had done for awhile now. Finally set the twist Sunday while waiting on the shearer to come.

The pink skeins are Cormo.

The grey is the Romney I've been spinning for a long time. That was a big fleece!

The bottom ones are some skeins I bought from Micheal's that were the big chunky yarn. I bought 2 skeins and made some thinner yarn with them. They are 20% wool.

The dark brown is some of Lucinda's wool, with a little bit of Abraham's mixed in. I still have a lot of both of theirs. I want to make a sweater for me with this yarn.

 These I can't remember if they are Amarillo's wool or maybe Buttercup's. I didn't write it down and it was some time ago that I spun it. Maybe it will come back to me. But I did have Buttercup's wool washed and carded, so it might be hers.

Anyway, for you spinners out there, this has a lot of twist in it, even after washing it to set the twist. That's why it's hanging with cans in it. So do different breeds have more spring to it than others? Just wondering, because the rest of the skeins are not as twisty. But I love the yarn. It's so soft.

Just a pile of fiber.

This is the Hobbit Barn. It's so little and the right side is very short. I don't know how many times I've whacked my head and said some really bad things.And most of it is really old oak. it's like metal. Cannot get a nail in it to save a life. But, it's not going anywhere, this Hobbit Barn! The man who built it, he made things to last just about forever.

There are 2 long areas to the left. The far one has a wide opening. When we first bought this place, there was a really old car in it. But one of the family came and got it.

It needs a new roof put on, because there are some leaky places. But I like it. It keeps animals warm and safe in winter. Mostly dry when it rains.

So I put all the sheep in here yesterday, waiting on a guy to come shear the 2 wethers. I have to take them to the butcher Tuesday morning. So didn't want to waste their fleeces.  And the lady who has been supposed to come since March, has not shown up yet. So found a young man who has just started shearing. He went to a school at MTSU last year. He's shorn some sheep, but still learning. I thought he could practice some more on mine.

Annabelle, wanting out of the barn.

I asked him if he wanted to practice on some more. Poor Darla has been miserable. So he said sure.  Here's Darla. She's huge! They were really impressed with her wool. It's about 6". Really nice fiber.

                                                              I just love this picture.

This is my favorite lamb, Campbelle. She's so little. She's the smallest of the quads. And looks so much smaller now that she's got all her wool off. We got all 4 of the quads done. Annabelle and Darla and Buttercup. Man, was she a wild mess! I still have not got to get too close to that one. Her mother, Annabelle, is finally letting me scratch her head now, after 3 years.

                                                              Campbelle, naked.

                                                                   Annabelle, naked.

Cameron, being sheared. She was so good. And her wool is beautiful. All grey and brown and black. Even had a little white mixed in there too.

Here's the 3 black sheep. The 2 on the left are the boys. I think I am going to have a really hard time taking them to the butcher. I have never really been too sad to see any animals go. I know this is what they're for. But these 2 guys are so sweet. And their fleece is so pretty. I'm probably going to cry over this.

Don't know what happened, but these 2 pics got stuck together. You can see the fluffy girls up there. Amarillo, on the right, was going to be sheared. They had her. But she went all crazy and jumped over the panel at the entrance of the barn. So off she went and there was no catching her. And it was getting late and they needed to leave. So Cara, Adele and Cassidy didn't get sheared either. When I let those 3 out of the barn, they ran leaping to the others. It was so funny!

And when we let each sheep out after being sheared, the others would all come running to see who it was. They'd do some sniffing, then head butting, then wander off for some grass. It's funny, watching them. They all look so much smaller. But I am pleased with how they all looked after shearing. Very healthy weights. And their eyes looked great, really pink! So didn't have to worm any of them. Very happy with how they looked.

11 bags of wool right there. From 8 sheep. Darla, Buttercup and Annabelle all had to have 2 bags. Lots of wool on those girls.

I am thinking about sending it all to a mill. There's supposed to be a new mill in N. Ga. now.

This is just half of Annabelle's fleece. There's a whole other bag full. It's not too dirty. Lots of grass and hay in there, though.

So pretty! Can't wait to get it all cleaned and start spinning now! But 12 fleeces might take awhile.

Anyone want to come help skirt, wash, card and spin now?

35

As of March 7th, when I started this real food journey, I have lost 35 pounds! I really never have gone this long without giving up way sooner than this. And I have never lost this much weight. I'd never been this heavy either.

And all I did was stop eating anything with flour, of any kind, and sugar. Also had to stop drinking coffee, because I had to have sweet cream in it. That's about all I've done.

So I started thinking of some of the reasons I am still on this journey today.

1- I FEEL SO GOOD! I guess within a few days, I noticed how much better I felt. I mean, when I'd get up out of bed in the mornings, I felt like I'd been in a marathon. Just sore all over. I couldn't even cross my legs or put my arms behind my back. I can now!

2- I don't hurt when I eat real food like I did when I ate crappy food. It really did hurt to even eat a sandwich or chips or fries. But I loved them so much, I'd eat them anyway. I actually ate a handful of chips a few days ago. And it hurt. Didn't like it at all.

3- My face is not as red as it used to get when I'd do anything.

4- Oh, and my hands. I always thought I had arthritis, especially in my right hand. I hand milked goats for 10 years, so thought that was how that happened. It hurt to even make a fist or cross my fingers. But I can now! No pain at all! I had sold all my goats last year. Bought 2 does last month and am milking one of them twice a day now. No problems at all.

5- I do not have any health or dental insurance at all. I cannot afford to be sick. This is the main reason that I am doing this. I do not want to be dependent on any kind of drugs or doctors. I have never been one to run to a doctor anyway. And I do not want to have to be on any medications. I'd rather just be on good food.

6- I don't belch anymore either! I used to do that all day long. It was gross. I hated it. But when a person eats so much, like I did, it produces lots of gas, and it has to come out somehow. I am not doing that any more.

7- Also, at night, I'd have to rub my nose with Vicks, just to breath when I'd lay down. Not any more.

8-I am sick of fat clothes! They are just down right ugly to me and I just don't like the way they fir me! Seriously, anything over a size 16 is horrible to me. Like a big ole sack. I want to wear pretty clothes that fit nice. I want to wear overalls again. And cute skirts.And dresses.

9-I'm tired of being the biggest person in my family. My brother and sister were always smaller than me. I always felt awkward around them. My mom is only 100 pounds. I'm afraid I'm going to hurt her if I hug too hard.

10- I just want to be healthy. Just a healthy person. There is nothing wrong with being a little over weight, but not for me. It was just getting uncomfortable for me. When it's even hard to bend over to tie my shoes, that's bad. When I can't cross my legs, that's bad. When my stomach sits on my lap, that's bad. When I can't see my feet, that's bad.

So today, I weigh 215. I still feel really big. I am not going to buy or make clothes til I get below 200. And I will! I have to. For me.

I'm sure I'll think of lots more reasons later. But this is enough for now. I'll talk more about what I eat in another post. But I am loving this way of life for me. It's also made my husband lose some weight and feel a bit better too. He has a little more energy.

Thank you all for reading my posts and for being so encouraging to me. I need it.

In the garden.

It has done nothin' but rain the past week here. I know, I am NOT complaining at all. We have got nothing like in other parts of the country, I feel so bad for all the people in Houston and surrounding areas. And now Arkansas and Idaho. So sad. It's just rained  for an hour or so. Sometimes really hard, sometimes stormy with high winds. But nothing too serious here. Just right for the gardens though.

I only have 6 cabbages. I have had a hard time the past several years getting them to make heads. These were looking promising, but I do believe I have a rabbit that likes cabbage. And cabbage moths too. So don't know if I'll get cabbage or not. I need another bag of DE to put on everything out there.

Little baby squashes! It's also been awhile since we've had success with squash and zucchini. But looking good so far!

Of course, I have never had a problem with the radishes. They grow great here. The beets now, they are slow, but growing finally.

This is the collards and kale mix up. I forgot I had planted collard seeds, then planted kale seeds. Then I forgot I had planted anything a few days later, and tilled half the row before I remembered I'd planted it. But the part I tilled has come up so much better than the other side. Did the same thing at the end of this row, where I had planted the organic kale seeds I got from Taryn at Wooly Moss Roots in Oregon. They are now coming up good! So I guess maybe next time I plant seeds, a few days later I'll till the rows.

This is the 4 dill plants I got from my friend Jane at Pocket Farm, over the ridge from me. And the bell peppers, cabbage and squash. Also tilled a row and put more kale in. But I didn't till later and they aren't coming up near as good as the other row is.

My husband wandered out to the garden Monday, after breakfast. He said he's tired of falling asleep after eating. Well, it's because he goes right from the table to his recliner in front of the tv. He's been blaming all the pills he takes. I don't know about that. So I told him he needed to go outside after eating and do something. I put him to work in the garden. He hoed the corn rows. Did a great job too. He used to do that in Indiana when he was a kid. I got some Blue Lake pole beans to plant in the corn when the corn gets about another foot taller.

These are some marigolds that popped up from last year. Of course, in between the rows of beans and peas. So I just till and mow around them. I love marigolds.

And of course my 2nd favorite flowers, the wild daisy, is coming up all all over the gardens. I am leaving most of them, because I love them. I had to show my husband what they were so he'd leave the ones in the corn alone. Because he's a man, and he seems to like killing things.

So the garden is really looking great so far. I have been weeding and mulching a lot. I have to still tie the rest of the tomato plants we staked last week. They are growing like weeds!

I hope y'all aren't being flooded by all this rain and are able to plant a garden.

Oh, this goat!

Olga. This goat is an escape artist. Can you see that window in the background, over Freja? It's broken and has been for years now. I had to put those yellow ramps that are on the well house in that window back when I had goat kids. They would jump up onto the window ledge and get in the milk room. So that helped. Apparently they got moved at some point by the husband and didn't get put back there. And I forgot that stuff happens.

Not long after I got Olga, I was milking Freja. I had gone to put the milk bucket in the fridge in the kitchen. When I came back to the milk room, there was Olga, in the window, on the inside of the milk room, looking at me. So I had to get all the stuff off the shelf where her big body was, to get her out f the window. Cut my fingers on the glass that's still around the edges. She had a little cut on her side too. That's when I started letting her come in for a little feed on her stanchion, just to keep an eye on her.

This morning, I put the sheep back up front for the day. Then I put the goats out back. I shut the gate. Later, I came out to put something in the car, and there were the goats, at the gate to the milk room. I have got to get that latch fixed on that back gate. I left them there, thinking they'd go on back to the back lot.

Came back outside because Freja was just bellowing like a mad woman. Went to see what was wrong, and Olga was in the milk room. Gate was shut. And I have a fireplace screen across the door. It was still up. The ramps were still in the window. How did she get in there? She must have jumped the fence, then the screen? So back in the back yard they went. I'll have to keep an eye on that one from now on. I had a doe like her before. Sadie Mae. That goat jumped every fence on this farm. I do believe they are related.

In other news, I have now lost 34 pounds!!!!! I don't think I'll lose 16 more pounds by my birthday next week. But I am happy anyway.

I went to bed at 8 last night. I just couldn't keep my eyes open any longer. I feel better this morning.

Happy hump day, y'all!