My current reading list

Homeschooling, apple-saucing, and reading....that's what I'm doing.

A friend recommended the top book.  She said it was one of her top 5 all time life-changing books...right up there with The Excellent Wife. 
Some of these other titles I saw on another blog.   

I'll let you know if they are every bit as good as they look.

How about you?  What's on your reading list?

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington - Guest Post by Matthew

Sometimes a film may be just as appropriate seventy years after its filming, as the day it was released to cinemas. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington is one such film.
 
While not pertaining to the upcoming Presidential election, it is still quite applicable with today's political scene.
 
The protagonist, Jefforson Smith, is a small town patriot, men such as Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, and George Washington are his role models. He is full of historic facts about his country, and a hero to the town boys. He believes in the country of his forefathers and a "goverment of the people, for the people and by the people". Jefferson Smith is elected to the office of Senator after the untimely death of the one of the two current senators.
 
On the polar opposite is a man named James Taylor. A man with enough money and power to own everything worth owning in Jeff's home state. A man who has enough influence and power to promise re-election to the state's govenor and senators, "If they play ball".

Both Sen. Joseph Harrison Paine and Gov. Hubert 'Happy' Hopper, along with Taylor are invloved in a land graft scheme. For the last few months they had been buying land under assumed names. They had created a bill to build a dam on a "Willet Creek", the same land they had been buying up. If the bill passed they would sell the land to the state, making a small fortune. When the other man involved in the scheme dies abruptly (The late senator), they are worried that the new senator might find out about their scheme, but the Govenor convinces both Paine and Taylor that Smith is just the man because of his popularity with the boys of the state and his limted knoweledge of "modern politics".

Smith hopes to start a boys camp, one that will get the boys off the streets and teach them about their country and nature.
 
"You see, boys forget what their country means by just reading,"the land of the free" in history books. Then they get to be men they forget even more. Liberty's too precious a thing to be buried in books... Men should hold it up in front of them every single day of their lives and say: I'm free to think and to speak. My ancestors couldn't, I can, and my children will. Boys ought to grow up remembering that."
 
  In an effort to keep Smith busy, Paine suggests that he should turn his idea into a bill. An idea Smith takes to heart. Paine is shocked to learn that the land Smith wants to build his camp on, is the same land where they wanted to build the the dam.
 
When Smith first discovers the scheme, Taylor tries to bribe him. During the conversation, Taylor tells Smith that even Paine has been playing his game for over twenty years. A statement Smith is reluctant to believe, because he has the highest regards for Paine. Smith confronts Paine and is shocked to hear that Paine really has lost his ideals.

When Jeff refuses the bribe and tries to expose the scheme, he is framed by his friend and role model - Paine.
 Fortunately, Smith is able to gain the senate floor before his expulsion from office, something he keeps for nigh twenty-four hours.
 
During that time, he speaks of the value of freedom,
 
"Just get up off the ground, that's all I ask. Get up there with that lady that's up on top of this Capitol dome, that lady that stands for liberty. Take a look at this country through her eyes if you really want to see something. And you won't just see scenery; you'll see the whole parade of what Man's carved out for himself, after centuries of fighting. Fighting for something better than just jungle law, fighting so's he can stand on his own two feet, free and decent, like he was created, no matter what his race, color, or creed. That's what you'd see. There's no place out there for graft, or greed, or lies, or compromise with human liberties. And, uh, if that's what the grownups have done with this world that was given to them, then we'd better get those boys' camps started fast and see what the kids can do. And it's not too late, because this country is bigger than the Taylors, or you, or me, or anything else. Great principles don't get lost once they come to light. They're right here; you just have to see them again!"
 
He speaks out against men like Taylor and Corporation such as the "Taylor Machine". People who would deny people's freedom, even going so far to kill to get a profit for themselves.
 
"Mr. President, I stand guilty as FRAMED! Because section 40 is graft! And I was ready to say so, I was ready to tell you that a certain man in my state, a Mr. James Taylor, wanted to put through this dam for his own profit. A man who controls a political machine! And controls everything else worth controlling in my state. Yes, and a man even powerful enough to control Congressmen - and I saw three of them in his room the day I went up to see him!
No, sir, I will not yield! And this same man, Mr. James Taylor, came down here and offered me a seat in this Senate for the next 20 years if I voted for a dam that he knew, and I knew, was a fraud. But if I dared to open my mouth against that dam, he promised to break me in two."
 
 "Now, you're not gonna have a country that can make these kind of rules work, if you haven't got men that have learned to tell human rights from a punch in the nose. It's a funny thing about men, you know. They all start life being boys. I wouldn't be a bit suprised if some of these Senators were boys once. And that's why it seemed like a pretty good idea for me to get boys out of crowded cities and stuffy basements for a couple of months out of the year. And build their bodies and minds for a man-sized job, because those boys are gonna be behind these desks some of these days. And it seemed like a pretty good idea, getting boys from all over the country, boys of all nationalities and ways of living. Getting them together. Let them find out what makes different people tick the way they do. Because I wouldn't give you two cents for all your fancy rules if, behind them, they didn't have a little bit of plain, ordinary, everyday kindness and a - a little lookin' out for the other fella, too...That's pretty important, all that. It's just the blood and bone and sinew of this democracy that some great men handed down to the human race, that's all. But of course, if you've got to build a dam where that boys camp ought to be, to get some graft to pay off some political army or something, well that's a different thing. Oh no! If you think I'm going back there and tell those boys in my state and say: 'Look. Now fellas. Forget about it. Forget all this stuff I've been tellin' you about this land you live in is a lot of hooey. This isn't your country. It belongs to a lot of James Taylors.' Oh no! Not me! And anybody here that thinks I'm gonna do that, they've got another thing comin'."
 
Even when he's been standing for twenty-three hours he still has the strength and the courage to face those who framed him.
 
"I guess this is just another lost cause, Mr. Paine. All you people don't know about the lost causes. Mr. Paine does. He said once they were the only causes worth fighting for. And he fought for them once, for the only reason that any man ever fights for them. Because of just one plain simple rule: 'Love thy neighbor.' And in this world today, full of hatred, a man who knows that one rule has a great trust. You know that rule, Mr. Paine. And I loved you for it, just as my father did. And you know that you fight for the lost causes harder than for any others. Yes, you even die for them. Like a man we both knew, Mr. Paine. You think I'm licked. You all think I'm licked. Well, I'm not licked. And I'm going to stay right here and fight for this lost cause. Even if the room gets filled with lies like these, and the Taylors and all their armies come marching into this place, somebody'll listen to me!" 
 
 
More and more it seems that "Taylors" have taken over our country. More and more it seems that men are not willing stand for their ideals.
 
We should all think like Smith. Liberty is too precious a thing to be buried in books... Men should hold it up in front of them every single day of their lives and say: I'm free to think and to speak. My ancestors couldn't, I can, and my children will."
 
Men have died to give and protect our freedom, the least we can do is preserve it!
 
So why am I writing this? Because it is our freedom, nay, our responiibilty, to vote. It is our responisiblity to keep the Goverment "Of, By, and For" the people!
 
Freedom is too valuable to lose. I quote Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address,
“We here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain, that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom; and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”
 
Am I saying corporations are bad? No! I only have problems with corporations that seek to deny American freedom! Men who see politics as a way to gain power, not to benifit their country. These things I dis-agree with.
 
I'll end with a quote from the Declaration of Independance.
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

Discipline is the price of freedom and there are no short cuts.

It starts with a decision

followed by a commitment of sacrifice and perseverance.

~Mark Hamby, Lamplighter Publishing

 

 

I thought this quote was amazing!  It applies to so many areas of one's life.

At first glance, it would appear that discipline and freedom are polar opposites, but really, if you think about it ~ discipline paves the way for freedom.

 

When discipline is applied, results follow.

 

 

Discipline is the act (or the art) of saying, "NO" to self.

 

 

I am so thankful for the women in my life who have discipled me throughout the years.  There is so much to accomplish in a day as a wife, mom, homekeeper, and homeschooler - really the to-do list can be daunting.  How does one accomplish it all? 

They taught me about priorities.

 

God

Husband

Children

Home

Extended Family

Church Family

 

It takes discipline.  One must purpose to keep priorities and make choices so that the priorities stay in this order.

 

The result....joy and freedom. 

 

:-)

 

Have a wonderful day!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Making the most of my chicken

Even though the weather is holding at a lovely sunny and 75, I'm starting to think about soup season again.   We love a good soup!  I thought I'd show you how easy it is to make a basic chicken stock. 

I do the bulk of my grocery shopping at Costco and Trader Joe's.  I try to buy organic when I can on the things that matter most like fruits, vegetables (see the dirty dozen list) meat, and eggs.  I haven't made the switch to milk yet.  I also use Azure Standard for things like bulk grains, raw honey, coconut oil, coconut milk, etc.

It has been so nice to find a good supply of organic items at Costco.  One of the regular things I buy there is the two-pack of organic whole chickens.

Eating well isn't cheap.  It's about $20ish for 2 whole chickens.  With that in mind...I don't want to waste a thing so this is what I do to make the most of it...

The next day, I use my Nesco 18 quart oven roaster to cook both chickens at the same time.  I remove all the innards, wash the birds and place them on the roasting rack.  I only season with salt and pepper so that I have versatility later.  I add about 2 cups of water, put the lid on and come back in about an hour. 

{Side note...I love this roaster because it fits as many as 3 chickens or a turkey!  It's a great way to cook your Thanksgiving turkey freeing up your oven for all your side dishes...about $65 if your shop around.}

I let them cool a bit so I can handle them.  I take the meat off the bones and put it into Ziploc bags labeled COOKED CHICKEN with the date, then I put it in the freezer.  Now I have cooked boneless, skinless chicken ready for the future.  I divide the meat up so as to go along with my menu plans.  Having boneless, cooked chicken ready is so great. 

I put all the bones from both chickens in a Ziploc bag labeled BONES with the date and put it in the freezer.  At a time that is convenient, I pour the bones into my large soup pot (sometimes I have as many as 3 bags full!) and cover with water.  Bring it to a boil and then simmer for a couple of hours.  Let that cool. 

 

I then use my large collander and my big Tupperware Thatsa Bowl.  I place the collander into the bowl and pour the broth into it.  The collander catches all the bones while letting the broth through to the bowl.  Depending on how much liquid you have, this might take a time or two to do.

Once I have the broth in the bowl, I use my canning funnel and a large (1/2 gallon) size canning jar. Pour the broth into the jar and cover with a Ball plastic cap.  I usually end up with several jars, depending on how many bags of bones I had. I label the jars with the date, using a Sharpie marker.  The Sharpie will wash off with the scrubbie side of a sponge. (If it doesn't want to come off easily - then use a little rubbing alcohol..it'll come right off.)

Homemade broth is THE BEST!!  It makes all the difference in your recipes and is so incredibly nutritious. Homemade broth is rich in calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and other trace minerals. The minerals in broth are easily absorbed by the body.   

After cooling, there will be a layer of fat on the top, just scoop it out and discard that before your use your gelantinous broth. 

 

This is perishable so be sure to have a plan to use it up within about 10 days...or you could freeze it!

 

Sure, it's a bit of work, but I have to say the biggest reward is when my husband or children say, "WOW, it smells amazing in here, Mom, what's for dinner?"

And the flavor is superb! 

King Tut

Now how cool is that...to see actual history from centuries ago from a far away land!  It will be the last time that this special traveling exhibit will be in America so I thought it would be a fun field trip. 
The ancient Egyptians had odd practices based on their very off theology.  That said, Eric decided to work from home that day and keep the little girls with him, while I took the older kids.  He was really ok with that since he does not like to go into Seattle. 

There are lots of families in our church who homeschool.  One family made all the arrangements for us to go as a group, enabling us to get discount tickets. (normally $28 - we paid only $8.50)

We started with an IMAX film - "The Mysteries of Egypt".  That was a good film to see before viewing the exhibit as it gave a lot of background to not only the Pharoahs, but Egypt itself and the importance of the Nile River to that area.  (The film is actually separate from the exhibit.)

Once inside the exhibit, you could view at your own pace.  It was not docent led, though for an extra cost you could purchase the audio tour.  We chose to not do that since we have studied ancient Egypt before. Once you are inside the exhibit there is no re-entry so it's nice that you can take your time to really look at everything.   There was a diverse sampling of artifacts on display.  There were amazing necklaces and earrings made from precious stones, gold, and other metals found in Egypt and the surrounding areas.  Lots of statues/busts of the different royal families and their members,  a few cartouches with hyroglyphics. 

Oddly, the exhibit is titled in big letters Tutankhamun: The Golden King and The Great Pharaohs.  On all of the signs and programs it has the golden face mask of King Tut.  Would you believe? 

THE MASK IS NOT ON EXHIBIT!!!!!!!  

 


We made our way through.  We got to the last room and there was the sign - EXIT, No re-entry.  I looked at Daniel and said, "Where's King Tut's mask?  Did I miss it?  How could I miss it?"  I grabbed his hand and went back through the whole thing (not an easy thing to go against the flow.)  Finally, I stopped and asked one of the attendants, "I am sorry, I must be so blind, but where is King Tut's mask?"  She replied in a very hushed voice, "No, you didn't miss it.  It's not on display." 

Neither were many other of the more famous objects that were found in his tomb.  Apparently the famous face mask was cracked when it was last on exhibit in North America in the '70s and Egypt is keeping it safe at home.

I can understand that, but it was such a big disappointment since you are led to believe you will see it.  It's the image on all the literature.  It is THE item that is associated with Egypt.  It's what you associate with King Tut!

So, yes, we had a fun day together.  Yes, we did enjoy the exhibit, but I wanted to write this post and warn anyone who might be wanting to go.....DON'T EXPECT TO SEE THE MASK!  I was so glad I didn't pay full price (times 5) because it was a disappointment.

Oh well, still had a fun day with fun people.

Just one pot

I made this the other night and it was so nice to have only 1 pot to clean.  It went together pretty easily with things I usually have on hand and everyone loved it.  (even the more picky discerning eaters.) 

I guess I would call it One Pot Chicken and Rice with Vegetables, because that's what it is.

I don't have a photo for you because, well I didn't think about while making it, and then it just got eaten too fast. 

2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut up (if you are meat eaters - then 8 thighs, if you are "condiment  meat eaters", then 2-4 thighs.)
4 celery stalks, cut into 1" pieces
4 large carrots, cut into 1" pieces
2 c. brown rice (uncooked)
3-1/2 c. water or chicken broth (preferably home made stock)
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste

• In a stock pot, saute onion, garlic and chicken in olive oil until the chicken is no longer pink.
• Add celery and carrots and cook for just 2 minutes.
• Add rice, water/broth, bay leaf and salt pepper.
• Bring to boil, lower flame to low and cover.  Cook covered until rice is cooked and most of the liquid is absorbed - about 45-60  minutes. 

Makes about 8 servings.  Delish with a side salad! 
It reminds me of  "comfort food" for gluten free and dairy free peeps. 

Give it a try and let me know what you think.

What we do with our kids {four footed}

I thought I'd share with you how we handle our kids on the farm.  For those of you considering keeping goats, it's always wise to know what is involved beforehand.  For those of you who already have goats, maybe there will be a little nugget of information here that you can use.  For those of you who have zero desire to ever have a goat....feel free to skip this post. :-)
 
The Kinder breed of goat (pronounced with a short i), which is what we have, is a very sweet natured and friendly goat.  Sure, they have their moments of being stubborn, but for the most part they are very agreeable.  The kids are curious and cuddly.  We handle them a lot. (That's easy with little children who want to go and see them every hour on the hour! :-) )
 
When they are three days old, we begin to separate the mom from her babes. That night when bedding them down in the barn, we move the mama in with the other adult goats, and put the kids in their own pen.  When we built our barn, we tried to plan for the different needs, so we created this "kid" pen.  It is the only pen that has plywood dividing it from the others.  The other three pens are divided by livestock panels.  It really helps lessen the stress of the mother/kid separation when she can not see her babies.
 
It's great when there are twins, triplets, or even quads because they snuggle together and keep each other warm and comforted.  This time around, our doe had triplets.
 
After being separated all night, the mother is quite full.  That morning is when we begin our twice/daily milking.  We put the milk into bottles to feed the babies.   
 

We use glass Perrier bottles - what else on a French farm ;-)
but, really, glass doesn't hold bacteria.  Rinse with cool water, then run them through the dishwasher.

We use this feeding schedule:
Birth through day 3 with mom
Day 4 - 4 bottles spaced throughout the day - with ONLY 1 oz of milk each feeding.


This is what 1 oz. looks like.  (just 2 Tablespoons!)  Doesn't look like much - and you might be tempted to give more, but don't...not yet.

 
   Day 5 - 4 bottles spaced throughout the day - increased to 2 oz of milk each feeding.
   Day 6 - 4 bottles spaced throughout the day - increased to 3 oz. of milk each feeding.
   Day 7 {1 week old} 3 bottles spaced througout the day - increased to 4 oz. of milk each feeding.
   Day 8 - 14 remain at 3 bottles - each day adding an ounce each day as we have been. 
By day 14 {2 weeks old}- the Perrier bottles we use are at capacity (11 oz.).  They suck down the full thing in short order! They are also now offered free choice water and hay.
 
It is ESSENTIAL, when bottle feeding kids to progress slowly with the quantity of milk.  If you observe a kid nurse, it will butt the udder, suckle a minute, and then bounce off to play.  It gets little bits frquently throughout the day.  By offering more bottles with small amounts, it mimicks that behavior and allows the little tummy time to adjust to increased volume.  If you feed larger amounts less often, you will run the risk of scours.  Scours in kids can be life threatening, so caution and careful feeding is advised.
 
From 4 - 8 weeks of age, they drop down to two full (11 oz) bottles of milk per day.  That usually coincides with our milking times.  Some children feed the kids while others are taking care of the adults and milking.  At this time, they are eating hay and foraging.  This is important for rumen development.
 
From 8-12 weeks they only receive 1 full bottle per day. 
At 12 weeks we stop the bottles.  They strictly forage or eat hay and drink water.  At this time, we also drop down to just 1 milking in the morning. 

The first month is the crazy-busy month.  It is a little challenging because you need to be home to tend to the middle of the day feedings.  Twice/day milking is challenging for the same reason.  The milkings ideally should be spaced 12 hours apart.  We try to work it to best fit with our family schedule.  This time around we decided on 6am and 6pm.
Once we hit the 12 week mark, it becomes so much easier.  The work can be daunting, but if you remember why you are doing it, you can enjoy and have joy in the process.  {Think self-sufficiency, think healthy, wholesome milk, think delicious goat milk lattes, fresh cheese, kiefer, etc.}

We have chosen to do it this way for a few reasons.
   1.  Handling and interacting with the kids frequently makes for friendly, docile adult goats.
   2.  Helps to keep the udder in uniform shape.  Kids often favor a side to nurse from.  Ideally, kidding with two offspring will keep her balanced, but our does often throw triplets and if not watched carefully can make for lopsidedness.
   3. The risk of CAE.  Even though our herd is tested annually and always negative.


And that's how we feed/handle the kids.

A happy September greeting

3 little babies arrived on September 1st.  Two little sisters and a brother.  They are so cute!

I am so thankful for:

• such great weather - mild temperatures and sunshine.
• all three arrived just as they should with no help needed from us.
• they arrived around 10:30 p.m. - not in the wee (2ish am) hours.
• Eric was home.  (I'm always happy when he is here for kidding...just in case.)
• mama and babies are doing well.

Thank you, God, for all the ways you provide for us and take care of our little family farm.

Pretty soon - we'll be enjoying fresh, raw goat's milk again!  This time I thought I would learn how to make cottage cheese and marinated feta cheese.  

 We are all looking forward to our fresh mozzarella and garlic/basil chevre!

As you know, we name our goats after beaches (so the sea always remains close!) Since Hannah learned to surf this summer and since she LOVES Ireland - we are searching for surfing beaches there.  Did you know there was great surfing in Ireland?  (Wouldn't that be a hoot?!...to say we surfed in Ireland.)

Fall is in the air.  I love this time of year.
Happy September, Everyone.