Thursday, March 6, 2014

Our homestead is growing!!

I would like to introduce you to our 2 new additions to our homestead. Meet Clover (left)  and Sassafras (right), they are 2 week old lamancha saanen cross breed goats. They are super adorable at this point!!

 
When they are old enough we plan to breed them for milking purposes. These breeds are said to be known for having twins or triplets! We are hopefully planing to keep one kid from each goat unless it is a buck.
With the milk that we get we are going to make goats milk soaps and goats milk lotions and such. We plan to sell them when we get everything settled and together.
When the time comes we will be selling them here at https://www.facebook.com/woodpeckerwillowshomestead. Stop by and give us a like! :D
 
 
At the current time we are bottle feeding them 3 times a day. That will happen for 2 months or so until they are able to be on a good feed.
 
 
This is what happens when the goats are REALLY hungry at the morning feedings.
They suckle your fingers. It is so sweet!
 
 
Keep checking in, because I will have a surprise for y'all. (once I finish making it :D )
 
Clover

Sassy (Sassafras)
 
 
 
This is our first time raising goats so it is defiantly a learning experience. I really hope that is a happy learning experience though.
If those of you who have raised or raise goats would like to leave some helpful hints or suggestions in the comment section...please feel free to do so!
 
Oh and P.S.
We ordered 12 more chicks  :) Hoping to get a little bit more later on.
Excited for those to come in!!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 




Friday, February 21, 2014

Perfect Winter Cookie

 
I don't know about you guys...but I have a huge case of spring fever! All I want to do right now is to be able to plant my garden and be able to sit on my front porch and feel the nice cool spring breeze blowing on my face.....Oh sorry was drifting of in spring there for a moment...SIGH!
Well anyways, I decided to bake some of my favorite cookies to lift my spirits. What are those cookies you may ask, just the most perfect tasty cookies ever...to me that is....Soft Molasses Cookies!
So here is the recipe...
Betty Crocker Soft Molasses Cookies
1 cup of packed brown sugar
3/4 cup baking margarine (you can use butter or shortening)
1/4 cup Molasses
1 egg (I used a fresh duck egg from my ducks)
2 1/4 cup flour (I needed about an 1/8 of a cup more)
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg (this is my little twist)
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp salt
3 tbl granulated sugar
Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl beat brown sugar, margarine, molasses, and the egg with a mixer on medium speed (or you can use a spoon)
Stir in the remaining ingredients EXCEPT the granulated sugar.
Shape the dough (it will be messy) in a ball and roll it in the granulated sugar. Place on cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.
Bake for 13-16 minutes and put on cooling rack RIGHT after they come out of the oven.
Enjoy!
These are so tasty...they were a hit with my family!

 
 

Monday, September 30, 2013

A very special woman!

Hello Everyone,

I wanted to share with you a part of my day today.
My Mom and I were able to be blessed today by a very special woman! Her name is Jen Kline and she is battling with stage 4 cancer that has spread throughout her body. My Mom and I went over to help her out with some things today...and just got so overwhelmed by her caring and loving nature!
She is one of the most sweetest women I have ever met in my life. Through all she's going through she is just so positive and sweet! If I could be able to help her every day I would...she is just so full of Jesus and she is so loving! I was so blessed to be able to be there today!

  So many prayers for you Mrs. Kline and your family!!

Buttons the duck

So my poor little duck Buttons had a little mishap with one of the roosters we have....he got his eye pecked out. Well there is still an "eye ball" in there but it is so damaged that he is blind in that eye.:'( Yes it does sound gross but that's what happened. Below are some photos of my poor little ducky.


Buttons good eye
 
 
 
 
 

Buttons bad eye :'(

Saturday, August 24, 2013

Yummy Recipe

Ok so most of you know that I am trying to change my eating habits and get more active so I can be as health as I can. Changing my life for the better I guess you could say. I so far have lost 6 pounds and I am super excited about that!!!
  I wanted to share a recipe with ya'll that is weight watchers approved :D yea
I hope you all like it and I hope you try it!!









                            
1/2 lb whole wheat penne pasta
4 slice bacon, diced
1/2 Tbsp light butter
1 large chicken breast, boneless & skinless, cut into bite sized pieces
1 Tbsp all purpose flour
1/2 pkg ranch dressing mix ( 1/2 oz)
1 c fat free milk
1/2 c fat free shredded cheddar cheese
salt & pepper to taste
 
 
Cook pasta according to package directions in boiling salted water; drain, return to pot, and keep warm.
 
Meanwhile, cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Drain on paper towels. Drain all but 1/2 tablespoon of bacon drippings from the pan.
 
Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Add the butter to the reserved bacon drippings, then add the chicken to the same skillet. Cook until tender, no longer pink, and slightly browned.
 
Sprinkle the flour and ranch dressing mix over the chicken, stirring to coat evenly. Stir in the milk, and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened and bubbly. Stir in the cheddar cheese and half of the reserved bacon; cook and stir until the cheese is melted. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed.
 
Serve each plate of pasta with more bacon sprinkled over the top.
 
 
Hope you enjoy it!!!
 

                                                          
                                                           
                                                           
                                                           
                                                            
                                                
                            




           




 








 






 
  
                                       
                                          
                                                 
                  
                       
                  
 
 
                    
 
                                
 
                                                            
 
                                      
 
                                                    
 
                                                 
 
                                                  
 
                           
 
 
 








Tuesday, February 19, 2013

This Past Summer and Fall

I have not written in a while because I have had not had the time to just sit and type.

This post is devoted to this past summer.

This past summer we were  able to take care of my cousins while their Father was in Boston battling lung cancer.  A lot went on this summer...probably to much for me to remember and write down, but I would like to write and share as much as I can......
....Let's start with early summer....this photo should show it all:)
(from left to right Jared, Me, Owen [in back] Nathan, Leighanna)
 
 
I do believe this was in August, just when it started getting really hot.
This pool is not much, but it sure does the trick when you are really hot and have no other alternative to cool down:)
These were fun days!! We often went in the pool and played water tag...or Jared and I would always try and push each other and see who would give way first. Both of us never had much luck in winning. We would normally go in the pool in the early evening and then get out for lunch and to finish school or play the wii, or whatever came to mind really.
 Then the really fun part was going in a night:D we would jut sit there and look up at the stars....it was so relaxing and yet fun:)
 We would often finish off the nights with a fun family movie, or we would play skip-bo.


This day was a lot of fun!!! We all went to one of the annual car shows that a local restaurant hosts called O'Kenny's. All my family went along with the boys and my Aunt Terri.
This picture shows my cousin Jared being his normal silly fun self pointing to his favorite car:D
When our family goes to a car show here we look at all the cars and decide which one our favorite is. Then after all the fun of looking at all the cars...we just can't leave without getting some of O'Kenny's famous soft served ice cream. Chocolate is my favorite. Ice cream just finishes off the night:D

 
Here were just some more pictures that night
 
 
 
 
 
Some nights/early evenings my brother would go out and work on his truck...my youngest cousin Owen would always want to go out and watch:)
 
Some nights when it was all dark we played basketball in the drive way by the light of the sensor light...boy was that fun!!!! Even though I could never get a basket:)
 
Then there was this one night that there was going to be a meteor shower...so we all stayed up till mid-night to watch it. We all piled into the car and drove a little ways down our road to get a clearer view of the sky. We all got to see at least one meteor that night.
 
 
 
 
 
Some days in the later afternoon we would all want to go for a walk on our road. The weather was so warm...but yet cool at the same time. We would talk and walk until we finally made it to the end of our road (3 miles later) On the way back we would sometimes stop and throw rocks in the little tiny puddle pond that is there after the rain.
Sometimes we were lucky and my Mom would come look for us and we would get a ride back home:) But most of the time we wanted to stick it out and walk the rest of the way home
 
 
 
 
 
The 2 oldest cousins Nathan and Jared, their hobby is trains...so they LOOOOOVE to go train watching. The youngest, Owen...his hobby is fishing.
So taking the boys down to the boat launch was like killing two birds with one stone. Train tracks right by the river...they Loved it:)
This particular day we bought McDonald's and ate by the river side...It was a Very beautiful day as I recall.
 
This is Owen telling Leighanna and I about his sturgeon story:D (can't you tell he loooves fish)
 
 
This is Nathan waiting for a train...I think we saw two trains that day.
 
Just a photo to remember the day:)
(Thanks guys this was a really fun day!!!!)
 
 
Alright, so this next picture is Tj surprising me with a piano. During the summer Jared and I would often play it together. I would just be playing a song and Jared would just come over and pick out the harmony.
 
I do like playing it...Thanks Teej!
 
 
 
 
Alright, my brother bought a truck in the beginning of summer and naturally it needs work.
One day I looked out my window and this is what I saw...
My Grandfather, My Dad and my brother all working on the truck:)
 
 
OK here comes the highlight of the summer:) we all loooooooved the Chatham Fair!!!:D
 
 
The boys looking at some of the animals
 
 
Us looking at more animals
 
 
Owen on one of his first rides of the day
 
 
Dad, Owen, and Nathan on the tilt-a-whirl...who knew that thing could be so fun!
 
 
This would be my dramatic cousin Jared:)
He got of the Gravatron (a ride that spins so fast you get plastered to the wall)
Jared comes walking/wobbling/tripping off the ride and dramatically falls on Dad:)
Wouldn't be Jared without this:D
 
 
This is us watching the demolition derby...it was so packed, there was barely standing room.
 
 
Owen and his bumper cars...he wanted to drive them so bad he waited in line for like a half an hour.
 
 

Ahhh the swings...I could stay on them all day:) We went on them 4 times in a row...the boys loved them!
 
 
The scrambler....The most BEST ride in the whole fair:D
We all LOVED it and went on it many times!!!
 
 
 
This is the scrambler:D IT'S SO FUN!
 
 
This was the bob sled:) Another very fun ride!!
 
 
Owen caught a shark so he won a light sword...He was a happy kid:D
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
And we all finished up the night with a ride on the Ferris wheel...my first time riding it too:)
 
 
 
 
 
Now we come to the fall...
 
Here we are trekking up the hill to the Saratoga Battle Field visitors center for lunch.
 
 
 
 
 
Lunch is almost ready
 
 
I earned a kiss from Owen for buying him a hat:)
 
A family photo before we head to the sights
 
 
First site
 
 
We all sat at this stop and had dessert. This is Jared.
 
 
My two pioneers:)
 
One of my favorite pictures. (we are on the porch of the Neilson house)
 
My all time favorite picture!
I took this picture, I though it was pretty
 
 
 
Little dude
 
 
tired feet...piggy back ride:)
 
 
Mini Daniel Boone
 
My cousin Nathan

A family photo before we left
 
 
 
 
Waiting in line at the Schuyler House
 
 
 
This summer and fall was not always perfect...we did have our differences but all together I think it made us all stronger!
 
 
I sure enjoyed our time together boys:) and I hope you enjoyed these stories!