Consolidated Kansas

[tweetybaby2005]

I do not like cold weather, I am never ready for cold weather, I hate to wear shoes. I don't think the guineas like cold weather either, they are all in the chicken house tonight. The ducks did make it to the pond and since we didn't get home before dark they have decided to have a camp out. Hope the coyotes don't decide to crash their party. We got a bottle of Ivermec today so will start the worming process tomorrow.
Tweetybaby, tell your DH now is the time to be reading up on beekeeping and getting supplies, tools, etc bought. We always enjoy talking bees and will be happy to help get him started. He can email us at [email protected] if he wants to talk bees. The state beekeeping meeting is this weekend in Topeka, 2 days of talking bees with other crazy people that like stinging insects.

Beekeeping is kinda expensive to get started, but once you get established, the cost is minimal. Danz, a couple of hives or so wouldn't take up that much more of your time.

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I am very frustrated right now because I have misplaced (probably still in a box) what I need to get my Kansas drivers license. I messed around and let my OK one expire and now I need like a zillion proofs of who I am. The thing that is worrying me the most is I am flying to Houston next week and I don't know if my expired license will cause a problem. aarghhh! I've got apples over flowing on the counters, need to find the time to get something done with them.
Danz, so sorry to hear about your Dad. Letting them go is very hard. I lost my Dad in 07, he had been diagnosed with cancer, so we were preparing to go down that journey. He lived in an assisted living place that had a nursing care facility attached. I remember him telling me that if you go there you never come back. Anyway about a month into his chemo and radiation he had a massive heart attack, but he still managed to hang on for two weeks. The nurse finally told me that I had to tell him that everything was going to be ok and that he didn't have to worry anymore. A day later, after a good visit with my sons and his sister, he passed on. It was tough and even if it was the right thing to do, I hated losing him. Still so many conversations I would love to have with him.
LizzyGSR glad you are getting some more rain, but PLEASE keep the freezing temperatures up there. Your dresser looks awesome, glad you are getting things organized. My mom made all the nursery stuff for my boys, she made one of those diaper stacker things. Gosh, that was a long time ago.
Ashncarson, we've got some birds about that size that we are trying to guess what sex they will be. Those two look a lot like FBCMs, but they are Cochins? How to tell the difference?
Ok, off to bed, tomorrow I empty every box that still has stuff in it.

I'll give him the email addy. Now for him to do research to learn more about beekeeping, it has to be special. I can't get him to research anything because he said I do much better reseach than he does (his words, not mine... lol). Since I absolutely will not go near the bees, he will definitely learn to deal with them. I panic and start to scream and swat at the air (welll... I was aiming at the flying object but...) when something flies by so beekeeping is out for me.

 

[tweetybaby2005]

The nursery still isn't clean, but my husband did finally get the curtains hung. So, I have decided to post a picture! The plan was that the crib would have a blanket made of the same fabrics as the rest of the nursery. I was also planning on having some homemade decorations on the wall above the crib and in a couple other places around the nursery. However, those aren't done yet...



Also, here is a picture of me at 37 weeks, taken this past Sunday.

Lizzy, you look absolutely beautiful! You guys did an awesome job on the nursery! 37 weeks... wow... I remember my OB told me to hold on till 37.5 weeks because that's when the baby is considered "termed". Well... I didn't make it. My daughter was born early after my water broke at 34 weeks. But she didn't need to go to the NICU. The extra 2 weeks of bed rest made all the difference!

I think you are having a boy too! We believe pointy tummy = boy... LOL

 

[lizzyGSR]

Thank you, everyone, for all of the compliments! A few ladies from my church are getting together to craft on Saturday. I'm hoping to be able to get some fabric cut between now and then so I can continue working on the crib set and/or the diaper stacker. I would love to be able to finish the nursery set and see how much fabric I have left for extras (like the diaper stacker and decorations for the wall). I really like seeing progress, so it is exciting for me that things are finally starting to come together!

 

[lizzyGSR]

The weather is beautiful today with sunny skies, just the slightest breeze, and highs in the 50's. However, they just issued a Winter Weather Advisory for us for tonight and tomorrow morning. They're calling for 3-5 inches of snow, limited visibilities, and slippery conditions. First snowstorm of the season - ready or not!

Before the first storm, I was really hoping to have the renovations on the barn done so the horses could have a better place to get out of the wind and snow. We've got the materials to get it done sitting in the barn, but it hasn't been started. Hopefully, we can get our carpenter out here soon to get it done as winter is approaching quicker than I'd like! Other than that, the only winter preparations we need to do consists of running extensions cords and putting water heaters out. I am NOT ready for this kind of weather! Plus, I am clumsy enough as it is without putting slippery conditions in the mix. Slipping and falling sounds like a bad idea to me! Ugh!

 

[JosieChick]

Here is some good news. One of the GPs came back. She now roams the property. She has not gone running off or anything at all after she came back and she is super friendly. She is such a big sweetheart now. I saw her trying to poke her nose through the fence getting into the chicken pen. I scolded her and she hasn't done it since. She now patiently waits outside the gate for me with her tail wagging. I'm sad that her sister hasn't come back but I'm just glad that she made it home and decided to stay here permanently.

A question for Danz and/or Trish44 - Skylar (the GP) will not go to the barn to take shelter when it is raining and I am unable to drag her to the barn or get her to understand that she needs to stay out of the rain. It is an open barn, not enclosed so she can come and go freely. I just want to know if she will get sick from the rain since it is cold out as well and the wind is blowing (strong at times). I hope she figures out where to go when it rains hard or snows bad outside. Another question is if GP tends to bark all night long. She loves to bark at night and sleeps during the day. I know her barking will (hopefully) scare the predators away but she barks A LOT during the night. She has gotten a tad bit better last night, only barked half the night but I'm wondering if that's what GPs do at night.

Tweety-Those dogs bark their fool heads off, its how they work. Barking is a Pyrs first line of defense. Anytime they hear anything suspicious they bark. Often things we don't even hear! I wouldn't worry about her going in, if you have a big dog house or a barn area put down some fluffy straw for her and make sure it is open or located in a direction she can still survey her territory from. My girls often stand out in the rain, sleet and snow barking. They were bred to work in open mountainous range in France so winter and bitter means nothing to them. I call them our polar bears, they will go in if they feel the need. They are like horses, you can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink.

Thank you, everyone, for all of the compliments! A few ladies from my church are getting together to craft on Saturday. I'm hoping to be able to get some fabric cut between now and then so I can continue working on the crib set and/or the diaper stacker. I would love to be able to finish the nursery set and see how much fabric I have left for extras (like the diaper stacker and decorations for the wall). I really like seeing progress, so it is exciting for me that things are finally starting to come together!

Lizzy-The nursery looks great, you guys have gotten a ton done! That baby belly is getting big!


I know I am far behind, started this post yesterday then had to go away. We just got back from Maine and visiting family so baby and I were both a mess yesterday, lots of naps for both of us! Stay warm everyone!

 

[deb516]

woke up this mornings to white stuff falling from the sky....snow already yikes!!! my chickens are all snuggled up in there coop keeping warm. Its a good day to stay indoors with my coffee by the fire.

 

[HEChicken]

Wow, it has been quiet on here lately and I know I haven't been helping. I've been reading but haven't had much going on to comment about.

Danz, thinking about you as you go through this emotionally difficult time.

Josie - good to see you back and I hope you and A had a great trip to Maine!

Lizzy - not long to go now - looking good and the nursery is really cute!

Tweety, glad the one dog came back. It is surprising the other one wasn't with her. I hope she is settling in by herself and getting used to working for you.

OKB - I am also interested in bees, possibly in the spring. I went to a workshop on them last weekend and it was good beginner info but I'm sure you could still teach me a ton.

I processed my first duck yesterday and it went very smoothly. The muscovy drakes get HUGE and I have several of them. I'll be glad for the reduction in feed consumption after they have all been processed. The hardest part was catching him, since he was broody raised so not very handleable. Fortunately, DH came out with me and between us we were able to get him cornered and once I picked him up he was calm. I decided to skin him and the skinning went pretty easily - more so than a chicken, actually. Then I put him in the crockpot on the low setting that goes for 10 hours. I didn't add anything to the crockpot as the goal was just to retrieve the meat. All I did was a rub a little olive oil over his skin to keep it moist. After 4 hours, the meat was already starting to fall off the bones and after 8 hours, the crockpot was just a stew of meat and bones in the liquid that had been drawn out, so I turned it off and let it cool. The result is a very large container of cooked, mostly shredded meat, perfect for casseroles or enchiladas. DH and I tried a little this morning and it is simply delicious. He says he thinks it has more flavor than chicken and he is very impressed. It rendered so much meat that I put some in ziploc baggies in the freezer and left enough out to make a meal tonight. I think, rather than wait until we are ready to eat duck again, I will process the next bird the next day I have free to spend an hour and a half butchering and skinning, and once cooked, I can freeze the meat for future meals. That way I'm not feeding these birds any longer than I have to.

I also have a couple of turkey toms to do. I'm not looking forward to that since they were my brooder babies but I certainly don't need to feed 3 toms over the winter just to have them fight in the spring so....it has to be done. My main hesitation is what to do after butchering. I don't know whether to skin or pluck. I don't have a pot large enough to scald, unless I use my pressure canner pot, which I suppose I could do. So that leads me to think skinning is the best option but then I'm afraid he will be too large to fit into the crockpot, and if he's skinned, roasting in the oven will dry him out too much. What to do....what to do....I wonder if putting him in one of those turkey roasting bags in the oven would keep him from drying out even with the skin off? Anyone know?

 

[deb516]

to all of you who are in northwest kansas be careful out there. i guess i am super excited i guess growing up in the mountains i love snow but i also know how dangerous it can be out on the roads and a klutz like me just walking around outside.

 

[lizzyGSR]

woke up this mornings to white stuff falling from the sky....snow already yikes!!! my chickens are all snuggled up in there coop keeping warm. Its a good day to stay indoors with my coffee by the fire.

How much snow did you guys get? Our final total was 6 inches.

Pictures! My ducks playing in the mud underneath the trees.


All of my birds underneath the trees playing in the mud.


And, because I couldn't resist... A picture of our dog, Jake, playing in the snow.

 

[lizzyGSR]

to all of you who are in northwest kansas be careful out there. i guess i am super excited i guess growing up in the mountains i love snow but i also know how dangerous it can be out on the roads and a klutz like me just walking around outside.

Ha ha! I completely agree with the "klutz like me" statement! I, too, am rather clumsy! The weather office in Goodland got 4" last night. We got 6" at out house. The high today is 47*F, and the snow is already working on melting. My husband had to go in to work this morning, and he said he almost didn't make it to town with the car... He forgot how much having mud UNDER the snow affects things.

A couple more pictures, just because...