Surviving Minnesota!

[The BlanchRanch]

So this is basically how I am envisioning things went at the blanch ranch last week as he prepared for friends giving

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1014677100229

Ha ha!! It seemed like that. But after getting the last of the quills out and a last clean it went into an ice chest and to a friend that did the cooking. It was that big, though. Never in my life.

Things changed for our thanksgiving. Instead of going to the Inlaws they are all coming over here. So I am now cooking for 14-15 people. Found dishes at the world market. 24 for 24 bucks. Can't believe the price. Nice plates so cheap. So at least they will match. Nothing else well.

Two days of cooking. But I hope when people get here I will have most of it done.

 

[The BlanchRanch]

Guess who's knees are hurting?

It is a double whammy tonight. I have a hard time sleeping when the moon is full. I think I am descended from a long line of werewolves. Then my knees are killing me. I am guessing we are in for another weather change soon. I have not caught the weather as I was too busy Grandpa daycaring.

Anyway you cut it, I am stuck awake in pain at 3am. I bet you guys love to hear about my aches and pains. When you get to a certain age it is all you have left to talk about. Well, that and the foolishness of youth, and it youth being wasted on the young.

Hope you got some meds for the pain. I just can't sleep. Lucky I don't have pain. Besides the normal stuff anyway.

 

[KlopKlop]

Good morning all! Looks to be another beautif day!

Are you done with daycare ralphie?

 

[duluthralphie]

I have Daycare next Monday, so I will go down Sunday night for my last one.

Thanks BR, I did get back to sleep, I just took some aspirin and wrapped a heating pad around my knees.

Busy day here, I have to start work on the turkey. I have decided to do mine 2 ways. I have cut it in half and am going to smoke the one half starting at 6 tonight, and the other my Wife will throw in a roaster tomorrow. I figure with luck one of us will have good turkey. We have 8 adults and 2 kids (under 5) coming so we should have plenty on just a half. Each person will be instructed they need to eat 3 pounds of turkey before being allowed to go home.

I am a little worried I will not get enough brine into the smoked half, had it not been for daycare duty I would have had it brining since yesterday morning. I may try injecting a little, but that can be so iffy.. Any Suggestions from any of you that smoke meat?

 

[KlopKlop]

That is one funny video!  

Guess who's knees are hurting?

It is a double whammy tonight. I have a hard time sleeping when the moon is full. I think I am descended from a long line of werewolves.   Then my knees are killing me. I am guessing we are in for another weather change soon. I have not caught the weather as I was too busy Grandpa daycaring.

Anyway you cut it, I am stuck awake in pain at 3am.  I bet you guys love to hear about my aches and pains. When you get to a certain age it is all you have left to talk about. Well, that and the foolishness of youth, and it youth being wasted on the young.


I do not quite understand the "nest".. You are just going to have to invite me over for coffee so I can see it!... Or send lots more pictures!

I am wishing I was still asleep, I have so much to do tomorrow, I lost two and a half days with daycare.  When I got home it was dark, I saw I had a few turkeys that did not go into the turkey house. Stupid things.   If I can catch the Guinea hen doing life, and throw her in a cage I will let the turkeys out tomorrow to free range.  They should be fairly easy to put back in and Judy is here to help me, she has the day off.

I might lose Saturday too, my BFF that I own the cabin in Togo with has an International 240 with a back hoe up there. We used it this fall and the hydraulic cylinders are needing to be re-packed. It has a wide front on it and it is worn out, so it needs to be rebuild, instead of us doing it in the woods, he wants to bring it down here and we can do it inside one of the sheds.

We are not going to do it until warmer weather, but it would be good to get it moved now. I don't know if I have room inside a shed for it right now so we might just have to cover it. I have my sawmill in the bay I do my mechanic work in, and I have the bobcat, truck, boats, 4-wheelers and feed in the other bays.   And the other shed, is just full of junk and a camper.

I need more buildings!  I am think we need a good old fashion barn raising class here, but build a shed or garage instead.

The guinea got over their fear of the big silver water tank and went into the coop tonight on their own. They are the stupidest birds alive!  On Sunday when I tried to put them inside they would get about 20 feet from it and run/fly everywhere like a covey of quail taking off. Then they would regroup and scream obscenities at me. LOUDLY!

Well, time to try and get another hours rest.


I have one of them too. I have caught her trying to sneak an egg away from us.  I do not see the egg when she has it in her mouth, but her body language gives her away. We can tell she is doing something she knows she is not suppose to do. We tell her to "drop it" and she does, and out rolls an egg!

 In the summer when the chickens lay wherever they want, I think she gets a few daily.  I have tried to break her of it to no avail. I may have to go back to the shock collar (electronic brain) on her to see if she can learn. The problem is she is smart enough to know when she is wearing toe collar and when she is not.  It is a PITA to have to put it on her whenever she goes outside.  She has not taken them from the nest boxes that I know of.

Dixie is the same, she is collar wise. She will look at would with a look that says 'I'm not wearing my collar and you aren't fast enough to catch me...' But even when she is wearing it I know she is willing to trade a zap for getting a mouthful of something tasty. She will take that deal every day of the week

 

[KlopKlop]

I have Daycare next Monday, so I will go down Sunday night for my last one.

Thanks BR, I did get back to sleep, I just took some aspirin and wrapped a heating pad around my knees.

Busy day here, I have to start work on the turkey. I have decided to do mine 2 ways. I have cut it in half and am going to smoke the one half starting at 6 tonight, and the other my Wife will throw in a roaster tomorrow.  I figure with luck one of us will have good turkey. We have 8 adults and 2 kids (under 5) coming so we should have plenty on just a half.   Each person will be instructed they need to eat 3 pounds of turkey before being allowed to go home.

I am a little worried I will not get enough brine into the smoked  half, had it not been for daycare duty I would have had it brining since yesterday morning. I may try injecting a little, but that can be so iffy.. Any Suggestions from any of you that smoke meat?

I have brined my smoked birds for less than 24 hours and had good results. You could always go straight to a salt rub instead of a brine

 

[duluthralphie]

Pearl has taken the zap, but not often. When she does you can see her contemplating it before hand. She is smart enough to only take it once too. She will sprint across the line and grab a treat or whatever and refuse to come out. She knows I will give in and turn the fence off before she goes back across.

I have thought of getting one of those transmitters that cover a 18 foot radius or whatever it is. (variable I think) and put it inside the coop, that way she would get zapped the entire time she was inside. But it is not the eggs she eats inside, it is the feed. she loves the chicken mash and thinks I do not feed her enough. Which is why the Vet tells me she is way too fat at 100 pounds. She looks good at 70.

 

[duluthralphie]

I have brined my smoked birds for less than 24 hours and had good results. You could always go straight to a salt rub instead of a brine

I might try that, I have never done a rub, but I know the southerners do it all the time.

 

[KlopKlop]

Pearl has taken the zap,  but not often. When she does you can see her contemplating it before hand.  She is smart enough to only take it once too. She will sprint across the line and grab a treat or whatever and refuse to come out. She knows I will give in and turn the fence off before she goes back across.

I have thought of getting one of those transmitters that cover a 18 foot radius or whatever it is. (variable I think) and put it inside the coop, that way she would get zapped the entire time she was inside. But it is not the eggs she eats inside, it is the feed. she loves the chicken mash and thinks I do not feed her enough. Which is why the Vet tells me she is way too fat at 100 pounds.  She looks good at 70. 

Are you sure you aren't taking about my dog? Because it sounds like you are

I have caught her scarfing from the chicken trough shoulder to shoulder with the hens on numerous occasions

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Good morning fellas.

Ralphie I hope you are having your mid morning nap now and those knees are getting rested. Your guineas and turkeys have their own little minds don't they. I might have you pop some guinea feathers in the mail to me. I saw some Christmas decorations with guinea feathers that looked neat. And I thought to myself, " now where can I get guinea feathers?!"

We have a 30x40 shed to hold snowmobiles, boats and ATVs but it is also brimmed with other paraphernalia such as hand me down oddities "treasures" that are filtered through our parents from clearing grandparents' homes. Holiday storage bins. Decoy bags, deer stands. It's hard to walk in there.

BR I want to come to your house for thanksgiving! I can imagine the tasty food you are making! And the beautiful settings you found. How great!!!

My MIL took on thanksgiving this year. It's just her and FIL and us. So 6 of us. DH is an only child.

But I'll be making creamed cabbage. Because I need some of that next to taters and gravy. And I think I'll make artichoke dip for a starter. That stuff is always so good.