Just a Thought for the Weekend

"Clocks slay time...time is dead as long as it is being clicked off by little wheels;  only when the clock stops does time come to life." 

William Faulkner 

Thoughtless Thursday

An Ode to my Friends

Here's to my friends.  The furry ones, the four legged ones, and the ones who will follow me anywhere. 

Through briars, weeds, and thick trees, they are always with me. They are the chewers of blankets, chasers of skunks, and my fine friends forever. 

Ready for a dip in the creek at a moment's notice. 

Always ready for a drink from the old spring house. 

Ready to search for rabbits at the drop of a hat.  And....find a few that scare me to death. 

Always on the hunt. 

And, always, always, always........

my companions at the end of the day.  

Float That Boat

A couple of weeks ago, Secret Agent Man decided to build a new river boat....in a weekend.  

For real....

I received a few skeptical comments about the boat's ability to float, so I wanted to make sure to provide some proof of its buoyancy. 

It made its inaugural run this weekend.  Floating like a champ. 

A few fish were even caught. 

The Deerslayer caught the most. 

Maybe I need to change his nickname.....

Some Daily Bread

Ahhhh.....bread.....hard to live with it and really cannot live without it.  Such is the conundrum for the waistline.  I do love it, but I confess I am not much of a bread baker.  It's always something.  You know the deal....dough doesn't rise, bread turns out too tough, too soft, or just totally inedible.  

So, I found this recipe that had the word, "easy", on it.  My dream come true.  So let's get busy, shall we? 

Combine one cup of hot water, 1/4 cup + 2 tbs shortening, 1/4 cup sugar and 1 tsp salt.  Stir until shortening melts.  Cool mixture until lukewarm (105-115 degrees).

Dissolve one package of yeast in 2 tbs. warm water and add to shortening mixture.  Stir well.  Add one egg and 1 3/4 cups of all purpose flour.  Beat vigorously with a wooden spoon for one minute.  Stir in another 1 3/4 cups of all purpose flour. 

Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface.  

Roll out to approximately 1/4 inch thickness.  Cut out using a 2 1/2 inch biscuit cutter. 

Brush with melted butter and make a crease across each circle.  Fold over at the crease.  Place rolls on greased baking sheets and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour.  I ended up with about two dozen rolls.

During your wait you can clean up the mess you made in the kitchen. 

Bake at 425 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until golden.  Consume with real butter, honey, jam, and jelly. 

"Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul."  

John Muir

Thoughtless Thursday

Equal Day, Equal Night

Today is the Vernal Equinox, one of two dates on the calendar when the night and day have approximately equal length. 

Typically falling on March 20th and September 22nd, the equinox actually refers to the specific point in time during the day when the center of the sun can be seen vertically overhead.  

In contrast, equiluxes are the days when sunrise and sunset are precisely twelve hours apart. This day is usually close to the date of the equinox, but varies according to latitude.

Religions, all over the world, celebrate events centered around the equinox.  It heralds the end of winter and the birth of spring. 

This would also be the day of the year when an old wives' tale gets tested.  

Have you ever tried to stand up an egg on this day?  

Bow to the Bark

Yesterday I loaded up the chiclets and headed to the big city to check out the Kentucky Cluster Dog Show in Louisville.  As a dog lover, it is a favorite yearly experience of mine.  This year the show fell on St. Patrick's Day.  The Irish Wolf hounds were decked out in their best finery.  

There were dogs there of all types....including the German Shorthair Pointers all line up for action. 

There were the big dogs....

The small dogs....

The in-between dogs.....

And some really hyper dogs. 

We were able to watch the agility trials where some incredibly fast dogs demonstrated their skills. 

Some dogs were even in the stands watching the action themselves.

We even had access to the grooming loop, where clouds of dog hair floated in the air.  I mean that literally. 

This sweet dog was receiving a massage when I snapped this pic. 

I do think he was enjoying it. 

It Is My Duty

It is my duty, as a mother, to embarrass my kids.  I would hate for them to get out into the world and never had the experience of hiding their face while I stop and take pictures. 

And so,  I like to make random stops on the side of the road with my camera.  All while the kids are telling me that people can see me, we are going to be late, and my favorite....there is traffic.  

Trust me....there is no traffic. 

Every silo, peeking its top out from a field, deserves to have its portrait made.

And, last but certainly not least, this is my view as I leave for work each morning.  

Heaven in a cow pasture I think.

Thoughtless Thursday

Almost Here

You know when you have the feeling that you are on the verge of something great?  

We are on the verge of green.  The days of brown and gray are almost a memory.  

  Spring is gifting us early this year.  The tiniest of buds are on the trees. 

The springs are flowing freely without an icicle in sight. 

Miniscule bits of green are showing up here and there.

That long winter's nap is almost over.....wait, was that winter?

"Now spring has come, the birds rejoice, and chaunt the cheerful lay;  The farmer with exulting joys, prepares for April's day."  

The Farmer's Almanac

Busy Ways, Busy Days

I think spring may have arrived just a tad bit early here at the farmette, but I am not complaining.  We all spent most of our time outdoors this weekend, working on projects.  Friday I posted some pictures of Secret Agent Man measuring our old flat-bottomed river boat.  I thought he was going to rework it a bit.  But no!  He built an entirely new boat this weekend. 

I got to work painting my bee hive, getting it ready for the arrival of the girls in April. I decided that plain white just would not do.

One lucky fellow was able to lounge in the yard and soak up some rays.  

Life is good, the weather is warm and the laundry is all finished. 

Amen

Savin' That Time

Daylight saving time is upon us once again.  Most people either love it or hate it.  We all enjoy having the extra bit of light in the evening, but others refuse to move their clocks be it fall or spring. 

Daylight saving time was first mentioned by the infamous Ben Franklin in 1784.  However this idea wasn't implemented until the First World War. 

Daylight Saving time benefits activities that utilize sunlight after working hours, such as our own Secret Agent Man, who is working on our flat bottomed river boat during the early evening hours. 

"Far and away the best prize that life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing."  

Theodore Roosevelt