Maybe I Shouldn't Make Blog Posts At Night...Oh Well.

I feel like I should actually live up to my blogging pseudonym and write about a book this evening. My favorite author is C.S. Lewis and I am discovering that he wrote more fiction than the Narnia series. Currently I am reading Til We Have Faces which is a retelling of the myth about Cupid and Psyche. Well, I would be currently reading it if my brain would just sink into the story and stop thinking so critically about the words and phrases. I guess my brain misses English classes where I can discuss cool passages of the text with other scholars. Since I don't have any scholars with me currently who are reading this same book, I'm just going to share some of these thoughts with you. Don't worry you don't need to know anything about the book for these words to ring a bell in your heart and mind (hopefully) as well.

"Why should your heart not dance?...The sight of the huge world put mad ideas into me, as if I could wander away, wander forever, see strange and beautiful things, one after the other to the world's end....Who can feel ugly when the heart meets delight?" -Til We Have Faces (C.S. Lewis)

Oh so many times in my life have I been filled with euphoria by a situation. I call those my perfect moments. It happens when I feel like I'm on top of the world and could do anything. I want to see all parts of the world because the world is beautiful. Nothing bad seems to be on the horizon. I feel beautiful and I just want to dance and sing and let the world know.

I made a list of my perfect moments on my blog, which you can visit here and here. (It's on two different posts.) I'll share a few of those right now to whet your appetite:
-the mountain of mashed potatoes with a candy cane garnish that my Papaw made
-seeing the joy on a little girl's face after she accepted Christ.
-surprising my mom for her 50th birthday
-having great conversations with my teen girls at camp
-laying in the parking lot after hiking the Pinnacles with two friends and looking at all of the stars.

The world is so beautiful and the people in it are beautiful, but sometimes my vision is hazed by the fog of disappointment or bad situations so that I can't see the beauty God places before me. In those moments my heart doesn't feel like dancing. In those moments I don't feel like there's anything more in the world worth taking the time to see. I want to hide in a hole and cry. I don't feel beautiful and I just want people to go away. But those aren't the moments I want to cherish. Those are the moments I want to lessen. I want to always feel the joy that God has given me because there really is so much in the world to cause joy. Yes, there is sadness but even in those moments, there is joy. Even at the funeral I attended today, there was some laughter in the remembering.

Sorry if this train of thought sort of writing bothers you. My thoughts are not very polished right now. I will end with a couple of poems that I wrote a while back which are a bit more polished. They relate to the idea of a heart singing and dancing.

Heartbreak

What do you do when your heart is broken?

You pick up the pieces and glue them back together.

Give wings to your heart and teach it how to fly again.

Play some music and let it sing and dance with freedom.

You pick up the pieces and glue them back together,

When the pain gets too hard to bear.

Play some music and let it sing and dance with freedom.

Just let it crumble a bit and start over

When the pain gets too hard to bear,

The carefully placed stitches pop loose,

Just let it crumble a bit and start over—

Picking up the pieces, flying, singing, and dancing.

The carefully placed stitches pop loose,

But one day you’ll find it doesn’t hurt so badly

Picking up the pieces, flying, singing, and dancing.

All that’s left are beautiful scars

But one day you’ll find it doesn’t hurt so badly.

You give wings to your heart and teach it how to fly again.

All that’s left are beautiful scars.

What you do when your heart is broken.

Heartsongs

What do you do when your heart is singing?

Play some music and let it sing with freedom.

La di da di do di do!

Then join in with a little dance.

Play some music and let it sing with freedom.

A simple melody or an elaborate concerto…

Then join in with a little dance.

Tip tap top ti top!

A simple melody or an elaborate concerto…

The foxtrot or a bit of hip hop…

Tip tap top ti top!

Just let it out and let the whole world know.

The foxtrot or a bit of hip hop…

The rule is to let the heart lead.

Just let it out and let the whole world know,

Because joy is contagious.

The rule is to let the heart lead.

La di da di do di do!

Because joy is contagious,

It’s what you do when your heart is singing.

Bridge to Haven: Book Review

I finished reading this book about two weeks ago; this was my first completed summer reading novel. This is sad for me to admit but hopefully I'll pick up the reading pace in July. This was a fairly long novel (468 pages) but it kept me interested throughout. It is called a "Christian Romance" but the religious aspect of the book isn't overwhelming. I think anyone could enjoy the story.

If you're looking for an easy to read book, that doesn't involve a complicated plot or too many characters, this is the book. I would read large sections of the book and then not return to it for another week or so and I could easily pick up right where I left off. The first chapter or two was a little slow but once I got into it, it was difficult to put down.

This was my second Francine Rivers novel; the first was I read by her was Redeeming Love. Redeeming Love is one of my favorite books. If you aren't interested in Bridge to Haven, try Redeeming Love. Trust me, it's awesome!

Get reading!
The Farmer's Daughter 

Some Photos to Share

Three photos I will share from camp that I forgot to post. I don't have many photos and most of them are of the girls being silly in the kitchen and won't mean much to you. I'll try to do better about taking photos.

This is the dish space in the kitchen where I spend a lot of time. The sink on on the left is the swish sink where all the dishes go to get the food off first. Then they have to go through the wash, rinse, and sanitize sinks. I was timing the girls on their washing abilities. They got to 26 minutes for one meal with nine people doing dishes for close to 200 people. I stopped timing after that.

This is a stack that the girls were proud about doing. Basically the rule with stacking is that nothing can touch the metal. This was probably on a Sunday night based on how many dishes there are. Sunday is spaghetti night and those cooks use a lot of dishes. That's not the highest stack we've had this summer but it's still pretty impressive.

I've been looking for this kind of mug for a while now. It has a pocket for the tea bag to sit. I then decorated it with sharpie. I just need to stick it in the oven so the sharpie will bake on. I got it at Goodwill in Tennessee for $0.49. What a deal!

Taking a Break

I don't know what to write about today but I feel like I should make a post. Captain Something Fun tells me to write about life. Thanks for that advice.

I left camp yesterday for a break this week. There isn't official camp on the grounds this week because it is Canoe Camp week where they campers take canoes out to an island and for-real camp for a week. That has never appealed to me to do. In the past I have stayed at camp to work the retreat that comes for the week but I felt like I needed a break from the kitchen this week. It was probably a wise choice since Friday night I went to bed early with a sore throat and a fever. I'm still a bit sick but I'm hoping a week of orange juice, some meds, and a plenty of sleep will kick it this time. I've been sick almost every two weeks this summer.

Captain Something Fun didn't know I was coming to visit this week. I showed up at Sheila's house at 5 yesterday and rang the doorbell. (I had told Sheila I was coming). No one answered. So I called Captain SF and told her to come to the door. She was super surprised to see me at her door. Then she was even more excited when I said I am staying all week.

I don't have many adventures planned for this week, but I do plan to relax and read. I think it's time to take a bit of summer break after working for two months straight.

Red River Gorge for Anniversary No. 1

Well, I didn't get to it last week so here's an overview of our trip to the Gorge in celebration of our one year anniversary.

The hubs had to work until 3pm so we didn't get on the road until around 4:30pm. Instead of eating at Hall's on the River as originally planned, we chose Gaunce's Deli & Cafe, a local restaurant in Winchester, Ky. I had a 1/2 turkey wrap and Mediterranean salad. The hubs had the inside-out hot brown with cornbread salad (pictured below). Both were scrumptious! In addition to lunch and dinner food, Gaunce's also serves breakfast, smoothies, espresso drinks, ice cream, and desserts. After our lunch, Hubs had a bithrday cake milkshake. I chose to try the chess bar. Again, both were delicious! If you're ever in Winchester, I recommend you give this restaurant a try!

The other really exciting restaurant we tried on our trip was Miguel's Pizza, a local restaurant frequently flocked by avid rock climbers and adventure enthusiasts. The most popular cuisine is pizza although traditional breakfast food and a few other items are also served. They have LOTS of toppings to chose from including sweet potato, chorizo, avocado, and black beans. In addition to food, Miguel's sells climbing gears and opens up its backyard to those looking to camp for only $1! Hubs and I decided that we'll be staying there on our next visit.

The two areas we spent the most time exploring were Natural Bridge State Resort Park and Red River Gorge Geological Area which is part of Daniel Boone National Forest.

The trails that we chose to hike in the state park were the Laurel Ridge Trail, Natural Bridge Trail, and Rock Garden Trail that took us back to the state park resort. I used this blog to determine which trail Hubs and I should hike.

We took the Red River Gorge Scenic Byway where there are lots of lookouts, trails, and the most gorgeous Kentucky scenery I've had the pleasure of observing. This drive was definitely the highlight of the trip. There were several moments that were truly breathtaking. I couldn't believe I hadn't heard of a place that was close to home sooner. I've done quite a bit of traveling and this place is near the top of my Most Beautiful Places on Earth list. Please do yourself a favor if you haven't already and go! Here are a few photos from our visit:

Overall, it was a great little anniversary getaway! The lack of cellphone service was a plus. If you'd to know more, just ask!

Until next time,

The Great Smoky Mountains

I took a lovely trip with the beau's family to Pigeon Forge this past weekend. We had such a good time! I thought I would share a couple of the highlights. Note: I know I share what I eat alot, but I find that food is something good to be shared. So let me start with some of our meals...

It's a tradition for his family to eat breakfast at a restaurant called The Log Cabin Pancake House. We ate there Sunday and Monday morning and it was delicious. And I love breakfast food in general, so I really enjoyed this restaurant.

Pancakes, bacon & eggs

On the way out we stopped at Bass Pro Shops which is one of Jason's favorite stores. If you've never been into Bass Pro Shops, it's a HUGE store. They have two floors, a restaurant and gigantic fish tanks with a large variety of exotic fish in them. They carry pretty much any hunting or fishing gear you could ever want as well as clothing and other things. I have to agree with the beau, it's a really cool store.
We ate lunch there and I got to try alligator! It also came with a 'gator sauce' (the green one pictured below) made from cream cheese, jalapeno jelly, and half & half. The whole lunch was yummy.

Chicken tenders, alligator tenders, slaw & sauces

The beau and I also went on a balloon ride. I'd never done this before and thought it was really neat! It didn't seem like it was going to be that high up at first, but once you got up there, it felt REALLY high. The view was really nice but we only got to stay at the very top for 3 minutes. So we snapped a few photos and enjoyed the view while we could!

Looking up at the balloon

View of Pigeon Forge at highest elevation of the balloon

Lastly, we went to some outlet stores while in Pigeon Forge. One of the items I got that I was particularly excited about and I think some of my friends already own, is a denim button-up shirt. I saw it at Old Navy and my beau treated me to it since I liked it so well. I'd already pinned some ideas on Pinterest of different ways to wear it and I thought I'd link it to you all too. Here is one link to another blog with several different ideas for a denim button-up and there are many more online. I'm ready to try some of them out!
What a great month June has been!

Until next time,
The Farmer's Daughter

A Random Update

As The Farmer's Daughter told you, I spent a couple days at her house last week. I really enjoyed my visit there. There was a lot of beautiful scenery, hot weather, and yummy food. For a midday snack, we had yogurt mixed in with honey from her bees, and fresh raspberries and blueberries we had just picked. It was a very patriotic snack...and tasty too!

 I am amazed at how large their family's green thumb really is. Being there inspires me. After coming home, I immediately wanted to raise honey bees, start a compost pile, and plant an herb garden. In reality, I merely pulled the weeds up around our own unripe blueberry bushes and spread mulch around them. I also started mulching under the grape vines. TFD's blueberries were much more beautiful than ours, but unfortunately I don't have a picture of them.

Our blueberry bushes. We have 7 plants.

Our grapes are starting to ripen. I haven't tried to eat them, but I don't think that they would taste very good right now. I'm not sure which variety they are, but I do know that we have been giving them to a family friend in exchange for a couple bottles of the wine that he makes from them.

Also during my stay with TFD, I visited a restaurant called, "Buffalo Wings and Rings" in Bardstown.  I would compare it to Buffalo Wild Wings, which is a little closer to home for me. I enjoyed the decor...and the wings weren't that bad either!

I also tried my hand at making another craft project. My mom was upset that she didn't get a flower branch like the one I made for my sister, so I made her one. She loved it so much that she has it sitting in a vase above the mantle. I found the branch outside under a tree and hot glued paper roses to it. Like the majority of my craft projects, the inspiration for this project came from Pinterest. Here is the link to the tutorial that I used to learn how to make rolled paper roses: http://jonesdesigncompany.com/flowers/rolled-paper-flowers-tutorial/

Another random fact: I got a great deal on an aquarium at Goodwill today for $2.75. It came with Tetra Whisper air pump, water filter, underwater light, aquarium rocks, and a plant. According to Walmart's prices, I estimate that it is worth about $40 new, give or take. I had planned to put my goldfish named Carrot in there, but might get another fish since my Betta died and I have so much extra Betta food. I will be sure to keep you updated on what I decide to do with the aquarium. 

-Miss Ellaneous

They Call Me Mom

I didn't even plan to be at camp this summer but I know that I'm supposed to be here. Yes, there are times that I feel stressed and frustrated, but then I have a good conversation with one of the girls and realize that they need me and I need them.

A bit about what I'm doing. I am the director for the CIT (counselor-in-training) girls at a Christian camp in Tennessee. They pay a reduced rate to come here for a year or two summers in between being a camper and a junior counselor. Their job is to wash dishes, set up for meals, and clean places like the bathrooms and kitchen. It's not a glamorous job but it prepares them for the dedication to the camp they will have to have as counselors. They enjoy it for the most part.

My role is to be a mentor to them, give them tasks, and to lead their Bible study time. It's a bigger job than I might have imagined, because when we're not cleaning or preparing for meals, I spend time just hanging out with the girls or preparing for Bible studies. There's not much free time for me, but I'm loving it.

I'm learning a lot about myself through the journey. I can remember having many of the insecurities that these girls have and I can see now the way that God has used those insecurities to teach me about myself and important lessons. I know that God has placed me in this situation to help these girls through my experiences.

It's a big job and exhausting at times. My patience is stretched to the maximum but I wouldn't trade the time that I'm spending with these girls. It's full of laughs, hard work, and goofiness. Oh and some oatmeal smeared in my face.

They call me mom.

-Granny Eyre

Field Trip

Hello Friends! Random thought here as I begin to write, I think that the word hello should have a w in it at the end. Okay now back on track. This past week and half have been interesting, at least that is what my brain is telling me. I have had the privilege of going on a field trip with the three year old's to explore some on campus. It is fun walking with the children in the same places that I have trod on these past few years. After seeing the fossils and being very fascinated by the pendulum in the science building, we walked to the fountain where the children splashed around a little bit. I had to resist the urge to get the kids wet here. My favorite part was neither visiting those places nor climbing the tower by WoodsPenn. (Mind you a couple of the kids asked if there was an elevator and I had to laugh). My favorite part of the field trip on campus was playing tag in the quad. I don't know what it is about running around being chased by a person three times the size of you but three year old's love it.
Think bubble time...
(I love it too though. Just running with all you've got, not caring a bit what other people are thinking. Just being free. I think that is why I love working with children.)
End think bubble...
All in all I would rate the experience as one in the happy category. While playing tag the kids tackled me to the ground and started jumping on me. Not the greatest experience in the world especially when they sit on your face. I decided since the got me good at tag I would get them back so to speak. Later on that day I had a break so I went to the dollar store and got a bag of water balloons. An hour and 55 water filled  balloons later it was on. Actually I shared all of my balloons with the class and they had a blast. It is a shame though it only took them five minutes to go through all those balloons, if only it had lasted longer...
Since I have been seeing post with pictures in them I decided to put a few in my blog this time around. Enjoy!

Shenanigans with Miss Ellaneous

This week I have been on a sort of stay-cation, I haven't been working and have been home. My parents took a trip to Asheville, NC. and left me at home to take care of all the plants and animals. It's been an interesting and HOT week. I hadn't seen most of my college friends for a while, so Miss Ellaneous and I spent Tuesday and Wednesday together.

The loose calves. After coming back from swimming, Miss Ellaneous and I heard a cow bawling. If you know much about cows, you know they make a lot of noise when they're separated from their calves. I didn't think too much about it because I was hungry and wanting to fix dinner. After dinner though, it was still bawling so we had to go investigate. We hiked the hill to the barn and went through the field to see the mother cow facing down the hill. Across the fence we could see her calf. It had somehow managed to get through the fence and into the other field (away from it's mother and the rest of the herd). We spent at least an hour chasing the calf, attempting to send it through the open gate so mother and baby could be reunited. After lots of running up and down hills (Miss Ellaneous and myself were all exhausted and covered in sweat- the dogs were panting and looked very hot themselves). It was so hot and the air was so thick from humidity, it was no fun running after the calf. Finally, the calf, with me trying to herd it toward the open gate, ran into the woods. I went after it but didn't see any signs of it. I went a little ways into the woods, collecting several ticks and mosquito bites. It was getting dark, so we left the gate open in hopes that the calf may come out of the woods and find its way back to it's mother......The mother cow stopped bawling around midnight that night and the next morning we assumed the two must have been reunited. The next evening, we heard more bawling...This time, two calves had come through the fence and away from the herd. Calves can be so frustrating!

Crafting. Miss Ellaneous and I also had some craft time during her visit. I made some necklace pendents from corks (I've been itching to try making these!) I found the idea through Pinterest of course. You can find the link to the original craft idea here. I had the corks & paint already, and found the eye screws at Lowe's for $1.24 (for 10). I began doing just as they had instructed:

1. slicing the cork with a knife using a vice grip
2. using stamps and paint to decorate the cork
3. using the tiny screws to create a way to hang the cork on a necklace

The trouble I had was getting the stamps and paint to cooperate on the cork surface. I skipped the step of sanding the cork because I couldn't find any sand paper. Perhaps the smoother surface would make it easier for the paint to leave a clean mark. I asked Miss E. what she thought I should put on the cork and she suggested buttons. So, I put a new twist on the craft and hot-glued buttons onto the corks. I ended up painting one cork slice, leaving one just as it was, and putting buttons on the rest. I think they turned out pretty cute:

 A visual of the screws:

Miss Ellaneous and I had a fun visit! I hope to see her and the others again before too long!

Come read again soon!
The Farmer's Daughter

A Spanish Omelette & This Week's "Groceries"

When we got home from our anniversary getaway this morning, I knew there weren't many quick meals in our current food supply. Thankfully, I remembered we had a few potatoes that had been hiding in the back of the pantry that needed to be fixed. Next, I thought about a recipe in my tapas cookbook, that a friend got for me after I studied in Barcelona last summer, for Spanish omelettes. I also knew we had 2 dozen eggs in the refrigerator. I looked up the recipe in hopes that we'd have everything to make it.

6 eggs - check

5 potatoes - check

1 cup olive oil - check

1 onion - eeeeck, I didn't have this but subbed with 1 tsp onion powder

salt and pepper to taste

By the way, this is a cheap recipe that would be perfect for a week that may be a little tight because the ingredients are so basic. Plus, it's simple too!

First, thoroughly wash and slice those potatoes. Shoot for one inch cubes. Then, starting heating up your olive oil. Although this recipe calls for 1 cup, I only used between 1/4 and 1/3. 1 cup just seemed like it would be too hard on my stomach even if it does get drained. Once the oil is hot, dump the potatoes, add onion powder (I didn't measure it but I put about 1 tsp), and stir frequently. 

Let those cook for about 15 minutes continuing to stir frequently. To know if they're getting close to done, I prod them with a fork. They'll be softer, like one you'd bite into, if they're ready.

While those are cooking, you can fluff the eggs and add the salt and pepper. Once the potatoes have finished, pour them into the egg mixture and let it soak for 10 minutes. Take the skillet off the eye and pour the excess oil into a bowl to be used later in the recipe.

Reheat 2 tbsp of oil. Add the potato/egg mixture being sure to spread the potatoes evenly in the skillet.

Here comes the exciting part! When the egg starts to brown and become firm, you have to flip it. Put a plate on top of the skillet. Please use oven mitts so you don't get burnt! Then, flip the omelette onto the plate and slide it back into the skillet. Do this 2-3 times per side to give the omelette a good shape and ensure that it cooks thoroughly. Here I am doing it in case you need a visual:

After you've done that, flip onto a clean plate and wah-la! You've made a Spanish omelette! Do you have any favorite Spanish dishes?

Because we're only going to be at home four days this week, I hadn't planned to do any grocery shopping. We have several things I can throw together and are anxiously awaiting some hefty health care bills (sigh) that will make our budget a little tighter. However, I found a few deals I just couldn't pass up.

So here's the breakdown price for each item:

• Dunkin Donuts Creamer Sale Price $3.69 - MFG Coupon 0.75 = $2.94
  Not a great deal, but something we use frequently
• Coffee Mate Creamer Part of Buy 5, Save $5 OP $5.49-$1= $4.49
  Again, not an amazing deal but something we use frequently
• 3 Boxes of Kashi Cereal Part of Buy 5, Save $5 OP $2.99-$1=$1.99 Plus, I had a coupon. Buy 2, Save $1.25 making the price per box of cereal $1.57 each
• Yuban Coffee (31 oz.) OP $10.99 Part of Buy 5, Save $5 SP $6.99-$1=$5.99
• 10 jars of Jif creamy peanut butter On sale at Save-A-Lot $1.79 each
  I don't normally buy in bulk because I refuse to buy stuff we won't use but the expiration date isn't until sometime in 2016 and the hubs frequently snacks on it. Initially, I wasn't even 100% this was really a good deal because we normally get Jif Natural in the larger jar but while I was at Kroger I did a price check. There, it was on sale for $2.99--nearly double the price. I knew we should stock up!

The last two items were bought because they were exciting treats and weren't a bad deal but I wouldn't call them a good deal either.

• PB & Co. White Chocolate Peanut Butter OP $4.59 - $1.25 digital coupon=$3.59
• Nutella OP $3.99 - $1 Man. Coupon=$2.99

What kind of good deals have you found lately? I'm always scanning ads scoping items that we frequently buy.

Last, later this week I plan to post about our trip to Red River Gorge. It was absolutely gorgeous and a nice getaway despite the few bug bites that have tirelessly irritated me today.

Until next time,

Runnin

The other day I ran a mile. nbd, right? Running's not so bad. It only comes with a little gasping for air, some pounding in the head, aching in the lungs, neck, jaw, and other unexpected pain loci. OK so running hurts a lot, and my mile jog may have been my greatest accomplishment yet this summer.

Running didn't always used to be so painful. In high school and my early college days I ran a lot, and it felt good. I remember being out on the path and actually getting angry when my shoes had rubbed my blisters too much to keep going past my fifth mile. But things changed in college. I got "busy." I got lazy. When jogging and sports became harder, it reminded me of my failures, and this conundrum took over my attitude towards physical activity.

But I've officially named this summer "the summer of positive action," so a week or so ago I bravely got off my butt and discovered just how far I had let my idleness take me down the road of physical incompetence. I am out of shape. So I've started jogging a few times a week and walking nearly every day. My goals are small, but they're a step in the right direction. And these goals are just one part of my commitment to getting back in shape this summer; I'm also looking to strengthen my mental and emotional fitness.

Amish Auctions & Fried Zucchini

Last week, I went to an Amish Auction. I have been to a few of them before, but this one was a bit different than the others. There was only one auctioneer and they were only selling produce and flowers. The ones I have been to in the past have been a lot bigger and had much more to choose from. However, this one was still pretty neat. They sold the onions by the box, and they were already peeled. See the picture below:

We are also growing some vegetables of our own in the garden. Here are some of the fresh zucchini that we had for supper last night: 

I sliced two zucchinis up, dipped them in beaten egg, and rolled them in cornmeal. To add flavor, I sprinkled salt and pepper on them, and fried them in a skillet on medium heat with canola oil. Here is what they look like when they are cooking: 

Once they get golden brown, they are ready to come out. I like to lay them on some paper towels just so some of the grease can drain off. I could eat these all day. They are delicious! 

-Miss Ellaneous

Coffee, Barn Building & Llamas

Common Grounds

Jason and I were in Lexington and we happened to be near Common Grounds coffee shop on Nicholasville Rd. Since I live in the middle of no-where I don't have frequent access to coffee shops, so they're always a treat. This Common Grounds location had a large selection of espresso drinks as well as smoothies. I was interested in the espresso drinks though and they would make any of their espresso drinks into frappes. I got a Snickers frappe (hazelnut, caramel & chocolate flavors) and Jason got Almond Joy (coconut, chocolate & almond flavors). They were both awesome tasting and fairly reasonably priced ($3.77 for 16 oz.). They were also aesthetically pleasing and even included a chocolate covered espresso bean on top! I will definitely be visiting there again!

Work

Dad and I have been working hard on the barn every morning. We're really beginning to see the progress, too. We have been putting tin up on the back side of the barn for the past week. I think we'll finish with the tin tomorrow (if it doesn't rain!) Check it out! I wish I had taken a photo every day so you could really see the progress.

Llama Shearing

It's that time of year. Time to shear the llamas! They never like being trimmed and we don't enjoy it very much either. We have to cut their hair so they can stay cooler in the hot summer months. Their wool is really warm! Just imagine wearing a wool sweater on a 90 degree day! We've only trimmed two so far. Emmie was very cooperative and didn't fight at all. Noah wasn't as cooperative though and kicked and spit at us nearly the entire time. His cut doesn't look as good and that's why! Many people use electric trimmers to shear their animals but we have found this is scary for the llamas and more trouble, so we cut them with large scissors. It takes a while and is tiring but since we only have 4 animals, it isn't too bad.

You may be wondering what we do with their wool. At one time my mother wanted to use their wool for spinning into yarn and then using the yarn to make things. We soon realized the llamas were going to supply us with much more wool than we wanted. There is also the added expense of having the wool cleaned and processed into rovings so it can be spun. So as of right now, most of the wool gets thrown away. We have so much of it we don't have enough uses for it. If you have any suggestions, feel free to tell us!

Some before & after photos: 

Before                                     Noah                                       After

Before                                        Emmie                                          After

The wool...just from Emmie.

Two llamas trimmed, two more to go!

Until next time...

The Farmer's Daughter 

Fish 'N Chicks

About a month ago, one of our hens decided that she was ready to nest so we let her keep 11 eggs.The incubation period for chicken eggs is 20-21 days, meaning that the baby chicks were supposed to hatch by June 8th (today).  As of this afternoon, 9 of the 11 eggs had hatched, just like clockwork. You can imagine my delight when I went out to the coop this morning to find these cuties staring back at me:

The mother hen with her chicks.

 In other news, my dad caught a huge catfish from our pond this morning. It was so heavy that it had to be lifted out with a net. We are unsure of its exact weight, but we believe that it was approximately 13-20 lbs.

The catfish soon after it had been caught.

Catfish fillets

After the catfish was filleted, we let it to soak in salt water. Then we dipped it in buttermilk and rolled it in a batter made from cornmeal, salt, and black pepper and fried it in canola oil. Five of us ate the fish, and there was plenty more to go around. I couldn't believe that just one fish could feed that many people!

Fried catfish. It was delicious!

 I also made some cornbread "hush puppies" to go with the catfish. I chopped up some green onions to go in them and fried them in a skillet. I don't really go by a recipe, but could probably come up with one if someone was interested.

 All in all, today was a pretty eventful day. I was hoping to have a lazy day inside the house, but as plans sometimes do, that didn't work out. However, I would much rather have the day that I had than be lazy like I was planning.

Until next time, 

-Miss Ellaneous

Decoration, Celebration, and Sales

Decoration
This week has been the oddest and most exciting so far this summer! Last Sunday was decoration at the church my nanny grew up going to and is buried at. Every year, decoration becomes a time of reflection and remembrance for me. Memories from childhood come flooding back when I visit my grandparents' homes. Pulling in to nanny and papa's house reminded me of summers spent with papa will he set tobacco, took care of his dairy cows and tended the vegetable and sunflower garden. I thought of the early morning breakfasts I despised as a teenager and helping nanny shell green beans on the back porch. My sister and I would play one v. one softball in the yard for hours with home base being a tree that I found was now cut down and prepped to be firewood this winter. I would be lying if I said my heart didn't sink a little when I saw it. My first time riding a tractor and getting whipped with an apple tree limb happened on that farm. I only wish I had known then how special our time together was. I probably wouldn't have tried to avoid visiting like I often did in high school.

Decoration (also know by many communities as homecoming) is an interesting event. At Walker's Chapel, the graves are decorated with saddles, wreaths, vases of flowers, and sometimes figurines prior to the church service Sunday morning. The service is taken up largely by the whole congregation singing hymns and putting in prayer requests. Then, there is a few individual performances and a short message by the preacher. Afterwards, everyone heads to the church hall where everyone has brought a dish for a scrumptious potluck. This year, I made one fruit salad and one vegetable salad. There's usually plenty of butter and sugar filled dishes so I thought I'd bring a healthier alternative -- although I mostly indulged in the other stuff.

Once you've eaten, if you haven't already, you go out to the graveyard and see your loved ones graves all decorated. It's a tradition in our family to also get pictures during this time. Here's a few photos from the day:

Celebrations
Lucas' only full day off during the week is Friday so we've unofficially declared it our date day. This Friday, we decided to head to Harrodsburg, KY. Neither one of us had spent any time there, only drove through it a few times, so we wanted to check things out. Plus, there was a Beef Festival (gasp!). Their downtown is the cutest--a quintessential small town.

(Photo credits: my husband)

An its-such-a-small-world story: The shop on the right is called KentuckyLit with a tagline "Old Books, New Cigars." As I was skimming his Silas House collection, the shop owner started informing me that he was a Kentucky author. I politely interrupted before he continued to inform me letting him know that I'd just taken a class with him this past semester. I learned that the two were actually fairly close acquaintances. We shared a few stories and Hubs ended up getting two cigars on the house (one that the shop owner had rolled himself from KY proud tobacco).

Our Semi-Spontaneous Schedule of Events:

• Picnic at the Park: Held on Fridays from noon-1, it's a free event with live entertainment under a big tree in Fort Harrod State Park
• Explore downtown
• Drive out to Lake Herrington (Beautiful farm country and extra small town called Burgin on the drive there)
• Stop at Kentucky Fudge Company, a locally owned shop with coffee, desserts, pizza, deli sandwiches and retro decor
• Find a jug of water (ended up at Kroger)
• Beef Festival at Mercer County Fairgrounds (Met Miss Ellaneous and her bf there, ate an amazing ribeye sandwich and got a free cow cookie cutter and oven mitt)
• Then, we headed to Danville, KY for the Big Brass Music Festival. They were having a mini Mardi Gras. Great music there!

(Photo credits: my husband)

Sales

Yesterday, I went to yard sales with Miss Ellaneous and her mother from 8am to 4pm. Boy was I beat when we got done! I hadn't been yard saling in a long time until just a few weeks ago. I'm thankful to have started back again. It's saved me quite a few dollars. Here are the purchases I've made so far:

• A vintage yellow sweater vest - $3
• Two tables (that are getting a major revamp!) - $15
• A Vera Bradley small sidebag - $1
• Two heirloom tomato plants (1 baby roma, 1 big rainbow) - $2 each
• Five or six free flower pots
• Pashima scarf made in Scotland - $2
• Random decor (3 items) - $3
• Very full hanging basket - $4

I hope to put my tomato plants in permanent pots tomorrow. Here's a photo of them:

I plan to post more as they grow. And just in case you're wondering, I watered the one on the right just after taking this picture and it perked up within an hour. Isn't it amazing what a little water can do? I'm excited to see red on these girls! Overall, my week has been very exciting. Hopefully its beginning of good vibes for the rest of summer!

Until next time,

A short Post

There are so many things I could write about but right now I really need to hang out with people and make bracelets for my girls. So here's a list.

1. I left Louisville last Saturday after a wonderful dinner with the Family Ed classes on Friday evening.
2. I missed my little brother's graduation.
3. I ate way too much food at home.
4. I came to camp on my birthday.
5. I've made friends.
6. I completed an obstacle course.
7. I've sat through lots of sessions about God and camp.
8. I met my nine CIT girls.
9. We bonded and talked and washed dishes.
10. It's gonna be a crazy summer.

Ciao.

Granny Eyre.

Water, Goodbyes, and Bears; Oh My!!

Hello friends! There are so many things I would like to share with you. I have been procrastinating on writing this blog (imagine that right?) but now is the time. For a random person in history once said, "There is no time like the present." I wonder who wrote that, google time...

Five minutes later and I find these things about said quote 1. Georgia Byng said it. 2. It is an idiom. 3. It is a proverb. 4. The proverb has been traced back to G. Legh's Accidence of Armoury (1562).

Okay so this week marked the beginning of June some highlights real quick include, my BestFriend on earths Birthday. Shout out to Cathy aka Granny Eyre!, the spottings of black bear(s), and the release of The Fault In Our Stars movie, book by John Green. 

The spotting of the black bear(s) is actually legit. No, I have not personally seen it but the local newspaper and pd have been posting about it or them. I imagine seeing a black bear just wondering around your neighborhood could be a bit scary.( I went to Gatlinburg TN. once and as my dad was driving us around cades cove we saw a couple from a distance though.) It was just a very strange question to be asked first thing Monday morning, "Have you seen the bear?" Umm... Can I get a glass of milk before I answer this question please. 

Wednesday or yesterday, maybe even today might have been my favorite day this week. My friends in the three year old classroom that I help out with had their first water play day of the summer on Wednesday. I got excused from kitchen duty during that time. I went outside and my friends were jumping and running through the sprinkler the teacher had set up. I was having a good time just watching the kids enjoy themselves but then I noticed one of the kids did not look very wet. So me being who I am decided to pick the little boy up and hold him over the sprinkler to get wet. He enjoyed it very much which was great except all the other kids started asking me to pick them up and do the same thing. Unfortunately for them I am only one person. I am not sure who's idea it was but somehow I managed to be the one holding the sprinkler up to the metal slide making a super slipping slide. It was great, the kids loved zooming down the slick slide and plopping down in the muddy puddle at the bottom. Lesson learned from this experience however is that from now on I will not be wearing bluejeans on Wednesdays. My legs got all chapped up from the wetness I had to deal with the rest of the day. 

Thursday, I again had the opportunity to take a break from kitchen work and play with the children outside. This time with the four year olds out for their free time we had basketball. If you remember being four at all you might recall the whole aspect of sharing and how you probably did not want to. Well that still stands true today. With five children in the class and only three basketballs it posed a bit of a problem but we worked it out. We played steal the ball and run away from Ms. Amanda. Pretty self explanatory so I won't go into much detail except to say I need to teach these guys how to dribble. It was fun just bouncing the ball with them and trying to help them make baskets.... Uhoh here comes the five year olds outside to play. I think I have become known around the cdl as the labor student who likes to play tag. As soon as they got outside the five year olds were wanting me to run around and chase them. I love it! It allows me to run around, roaring like a dinosaur and not be judged for it, added bonus the children love it as well. Once the five year olds got started playing the four year olds joined in as well. 

I find it very interesting, the differences in children just a year apart, how they are developing physically. The five year olds for the most part have more control of their running around not falling or tripping over their feet as much as the four year olds.

I would never admit this to the children but I was very thankful for them calling breaks so much, I needed to catch my breath just as much as they did. I think some of them might even have more stamina than I do. 

Bubbles, bubbles everywhere. Something I have grown to learn is that children love catching bubbles. The joy in a childs face when they catch a bubble is precious. The last two days during afternoon playtime I have got use the bubble wand and make bubbles for the children to chase. I highly recommend bubbles for everyone. They can ease your stress. 

Goodbyes. I don't know what to say about them except that I do not like them. Unfortunately this week I have had to say goodbye to many of my little friends. In the one year old classroom (my babies) I am losing five friends this summer. Two had their last days this week and one of my favourite little girls is not coming back in the fall. The others will be leaving to stay at home soon. It makes me sad when my little friends leave because it means I won't get to see their smiling faces, watch them grow, walk and babble. Or even play ball with them. One year olds especially love to play ball!

In other exciting news: My tomato plants are growing big and strong! They are just going to be little cherry tomatoes but still yummy. Also I went to Lexington with Sarah and Clare on Tuesday evening. It was good to hangout, eat some dinner, and go to Plato's Closet. Even though Plato's didn't have any long sleeve shirts or cargo pants it was still ok. To make the night more interesting, the three of us were just chilling at Starbucks, when Katherine just pops out of the pushes. It was good to see yet another friend around and just catch up with the group. Hopefully it won't be too long before I get to see Cathy and Megan again. 

Signing off for now.

Captain Fun Something