The cat who got the cream

Through a series of lovely occurrences, on Tuesday I was able to fulfill a long held ambition to milk a cow! I am volunteering at a nonprofit self sustaining farm which grows over 35,000 pounds of produce for a CSA as well as provide educational opportunities from school trips to teaching plowing using draft horses. Here is the link to the farm's website.http://www.turnerfarm.org/

When the  the volunteer coordinator and I spoke about volunteering, she asked if I would be willing to  milk a cow as one of the chores.  Would I be willing...you betcha!!!

On Tuesday morning, it was unseasonably warm at 28 degrees,  alternately misty and rainy.  I put on 19 layers and went to the farm.    

Meet Sally, a beautiful Guernsey weighing around 1200 pounds and sweet when she sees you holding the grain and hay. She came when called and walked right into the milking stall.  A metal bracket called a stanchion went around her neck to remind her to stay in place, but as she was busy eating, she was perfectly content.  

Melinda had brought a thermos of warm water and towel and we proceeded to clean the udders. 

I couldn't milk and take pictures at the same time.

HERE I AM, milking Sally enjoying myself immensely.  She does look a little demonic, but I promise that is the flash.   Melinda was 3 times as fast as I was and got 3 times the volume of milk, but I got several cups.  After milking, we mucked the stall , swept and  hosed everything down.
I went on to work in the vegetable garden covering some Winter crops(3 to 6 inches of snow expected tomorrow), dug some carrots and several other small jobs.  When I got back to the main building, look what was waiting for me!!! I had not expected any milk, but I was thrilled with  the gift!
Here it is strained and ready to use.  You can see a faint line near the top where the cream has separated from the milk.  I want to use the milk for queso blanco and the I am torn between butter or ice cream for the cream.  I will post those over the next couple of days! 

I guess I am not the only cat who got the cream this week:) Mo was suddenly my friend when she smelled the jar.  I promise I got her off the table immediately!

(The colander was made by B in her pottery class.  I have been using it to drain the pasta I am making, but it is too cool to put away where no one can see it)

And I wonder why it has been difficult to craft!?

Thankfully the needles are more fun than the ball of yarn.  I have no idea how long that will last.

As we are in Mentone, I had great plans to finish up the quilting  on this quilt so I could move on to Sunbonnet Sue.  Ros and Lil have their own plans...guess who is having more fun?

Happy 2011!

17!

B is 17 today! When I wonder where the time goes in early December, I am always surprised to remember that the girls have birthdays 6 days apart at the end of the school semester and 2 weeks before Christmas!  I knit the handwarmers and the hat.   She is holding the hat because we  wanted you to see the cute headband from SG ! The very cute on B shirt is from SG as well!

Happy Birthday B!

As I write this T is driving back from college having finished his first semester.  Celebratory dinner will have to be squeezed between SG's rehearsal for the Winter concert and B's horseback riding lesson after Rick gets home from being oncall. They are calling for 2 to 4 inches of snow as well tonight.  If dinner ends up being tomato soup, grilled cheese and key lime pie(B's request) at least  we will all be at the same table-I am thankful!

15!

SG is 15 today.  The sweater is from B.  You can guess who the hat and fingerless gloves are from...
                                                             Happy, Happy Birthday SG!

Henagar Drive In

The sign pointing the way in to the cornfield

      Last Saturday night, we took all the kids to the Henagar Drive In in Henagar, Alabama.  The huge screen rises up from a converted field and there is room for a hundred cars.  Open year round, they play new releases, have inexpensive snacks and my carload of kids(6 of 9kids) cost $15! Does it get any better?!

Decorated for the season at the admission booth

      We have been in all types of weather, but it was 40 degrees Saturday night.  At least, there would not be mosquitoes! Arranging to go, we packed all available blankets and the pads from the lawn furniture. Coats, hats, jackets and as many gloves as we could round up!

Everyone piled in the back of T's pickup for a picture and warmth.  The girls headed to the other car to watch the movie and to use the car as a windbreak!

     The drive in always plays a double feature, but with the cold, I was good for only one.  Tangled might not have been everyone's first choice, but  at least it was a fun way to watch the movie. As for the movie, Rapunzel is strong and independant, but I couldn't shake the anxiety I felt about the story.  It is a story of a missing and exploited child, even down to the annual candlelight vigil. Grimm's Fairy tales were always gruesome, and Disney handled the original story in a typical Disneyesque manner with songs and silliness. In the end, I decided to be thankful for the children in my life, the fun and even the cold...all in all a good way to spend Thanksgiving!
      

Georgia Ladies

Mrs. Rosalynn Carter

Mrs.Lillian Gordy Carter

We were back to the drawing board after discovering our new boys were girls! Until SG thought to look up famous Georgia ladies...  Rosalynn Carter, Lillian Carter, Scarlett O'Hara and Olive Ann Burns were all on the list.  Pet names in our house have to be literary or historical (very loose definition as the kittens were originally named after TV characters), but the names have to be easy to shorten as well.  Rick is adamant about this although he is the first to admit cats selectively respond to their names.  Here they are:

Formerly known as Luke Duke... Rosalynn Carter Barr
" Roz"

The former Bo Duke now known as Lillian Carter Barr
"Lil"

              I just hope their namesakes never went after each other like these two do all day long:-)!

Never believe what you read...

Remember yesterday when I said that we were able to determine the sex of the kittens by checking online? 

We did determine the sex, just not the right one for either of them! Dr. Applebaum, our new vet, took a look...both girls!  Thankfully, they are healthy, but we are back to the drawing board about names. He tried to make us feel better by pointing out that in his practice 9 out of 10 ginger cats are male, so it was really unusual to have two females.  The naming game has started all over again:-)