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maryjane

7072 Posts


Posted - Dec 03 2018 :  06:37:17 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Good morning! It's chilly here and supposed to snow sometime this week. I was looking at my calendar and realized I have to dry Maggie up in a couple of months because she's due April 7, so Feb. 7 dry off. But I'll still have Miss Daisy giving us milk, hopefully. I'll dry her up after my first calves come and I'm settled into a milking routine. Lizzy is due the day after Maggie and then four days later, Maybelle is due. It'll be the first time for Lizzy and Maybelle, so there will be some milking parlor training involved.

Janet, how's Nellie doing? You mentioned you might be getting the vet out for a wellness/pregnancy look-see.

I have some Christmas cheer to wrap and send out this week. May need a bit of holiday music to get me in the spirit.




MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~

NellieBelle

11214 Posts


Posted - Dec 03 2018 :  08:51:11 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Good morning MaryJane and all, starting this month of December! How the time flies. We've been digging out of snow and scooping paths to mailbox, driveways, barn, chicken house etc. It's so pretty, but makes for more work. Just finished putting mozzarella in the refrigerator and washing up my dishes. Noticed a new orchid blossom opening up. And the yellow hibiscus are blooming away. Mainly just taking care of farm animals in this winter weather. Doing some baking. You're going to be swimming in milk before you know it MaryJane. I'll have some training with Millie too, but she's so laid back, I don't see an issue. But things can change. We bred Nellie on Nov. 20th. which would make her 4th AI. So if she didn't take this time, I will have the vet come look her over. Waiting until Dec. 12-14th to see if there are signs of heat. So that's about all that's going on here. Attic work continues.

To laugh is human but to moo is bovine. Author Unknown
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maryjane

7072 Posts


Posted - Dec 03 2018 :  2:02:27 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
How much snow have you received, Janet? And how low the temps? Any idea when your attic will be done? So far, our winter has been very mild. I once thought I'd have more time in the winter for writing projects, etc. but it seems I trade gardening for shoveling. Your flowers are lovely. Such a bright spot in the middle of winter.

Meg's father spent the weekend here, bringing with him a gift to Meg, his mother's grandmother's quilt. Meg was wondering how to wash it (it could use cleaning), but I told her I wasn't sure. Any ideas? She wants to hang it on her living room wall in an area that doesn't get sunlight. I haven't always had good luck with dry cleaning. My suggestion is to wait until summer when it can drip-dry in the sun on a screen or something so as not to break the delicate old threads. Betty McCarthy and kin are from Iowa, where there's another quilter we know.



Janet, Meg followed your lead and cut all her hair off recently. Said she was tired of fussing with it. I really like it. It probably won't be long before both her girls do the same.

MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~
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NellieBelle

11214 Posts


Posted - Dec 03 2018 :  2:46:26 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
3-5" of snow. Road grader has cleared our road, and nothing so bad that we can't get where we need to go. Schools were two hour delay. No, I don't know when the attic will be done. Just whenever the carpenter is done I guess. Then the electrician will be back again. Insulation is going up now. Meg's hair is darling, but she would look cute as a button no matter what length of hair she has. Beautiful quilt. Looks like a "Jacob's Ladder" pattern? As long as a person is quite gentle and use a very mild soap. There are many sites online that discuss cleaning quilts. Some leave it to professionals. Most of my antique quilts haven't been laundered. https://www.historic-american.com/Cleaning%20a%20Quilt%20or%20a%20Coverlet.html. Have Cornish pasties in the oven for supper. As soon as they are finished it's out the door to feed animals.

To laugh is human but to moo is bovine. Author Unknown

Edited by - NellieBelle on Dec 03 2018 2:46:56 PM
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maryjane

7072 Posts


Posted - Dec 04 2018 :  07:12:01 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Hmmmm, I feel a magazine feature coming on as I contemplate how to help Meg wash her quilt. Thanks Janet. Yes, Jacob's Ladder. I'll do some reading up on that. When we laid it out on the floor, Mia instantly said, "Look, she made a mistake." The rest of us could hardly see it, but upon closer inspection, the maker has one of the squares going the wrong direction. That Mia is soooooo dang spacial/durn special.

MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~
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NellieBelle

11214 Posts


Posted - Dec 04 2018 :  07:21:38 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Good morning MaryJane. I've been told and read where some folks put mistakes in quilts, (Amish), for nothing is perfect. I've done that more than once, on purpose. There is so much history about quilts and the makers, the patterns, it's truly a great pastime learning about them. Heading out later for a hair trim. Only thing I dislike about short hair, always having to keep it trimmed. Oh well. Spitting hard, little snowballs. I took Joe to to work as I'm taking the truck, they've sanded the roads. Well, enjoy the day ahead!

To laugh is human but to moo is bovine. Author Unknown
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maryjane

7072 Posts


Posted - Dec 04 2018 :  07:23:04 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
At first blush ....



I loved the little bit of pink showing on the pasture where Ian is.


MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~
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maryjane

7072 Posts


Posted - Dec 04 2018 :  07:24:45 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Safe travels. Go slow! I will read up on intentional mistakes. Never heard of that before.

MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~
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NellieBelle

11214 Posts


Posted - Dec 04 2018 :  08:00:15 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
From what I've just read, it's a spoof. So I will have to look this up in some of the quilting history books. Have fun with the research. https://www.historic-american.com/Cleaning%20a%20Quilt%20or%20a%20Coverlet.html. And here is another. https://www.historic-american.com/Cleaning%20a%20Quilt%20or%20a%20Coverlet.html. One more, then it's out the door. http://www.womenfolk.com/historyofquilts/quiltmyth.htm

To laugh is human but to moo is bovine. Author Unknown

Edited by - NellieBelle on Dec 04 2018 08:33:21 AM
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maryjane

7072 Posts


Posted - Dec 05 2018 :  06:25:26 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
As always, thank you for links, Janet. I appreciate it.

Have I mentioned today how much I love having an almost endless supply of hot water in my milking parlor?

Here's Daisy yesterday morning all groomed, lathered, and rinsed up, stripped, dipped, and gel checked and ready to go inside to give me her precious milk.


MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~
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NellieBelle

11214 Posts


Posted - Dec 05 2018 :  08:19:35 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Hot water in the milking parlor, so nice. Another one of those things that make life easier and more pleasant. Miss Daisy looking and feeling refreshed. Nothing new here. Just put a peach whiskey pie in the oven. Sun is shining, 29 degrees. Looks to be a pleasant day.

To laugh is human but to moo is bovine. Author Unknown
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maryjane

7072 Posts


Posted - Dec 08 2018 :  07:07:18 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Never heard of a peach whiskey pie. It actually has whiskey in it?

Beautiful sky this morning as I head out to milk. I'm going to have to move my morning milking gradually up the next few days so I can be at the courthouse bright and early for jury duty.



Even though the sun was out yesterday, everything stayed frozen. Temps climbed to mid-20s is all. I noticed that my cows saliva froze on the bottom of their black plastic grain containers outside the parlor so I bring the containers in during the night. Wouldn't that be awful for a cow to loose a bit of tongue while taking their first few bites.

MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~
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NellieBelle

11214 Posts


Posted - Dec 08 2018 :  08:02:36 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Gorgeous sunrise. They never get old. Cold here too. The little steers haven't caught on to the BarBarA waterers, and so I'm filling two five gallon buckets morning and evening. I sometimes have to bring them in so they can thaw out so I can empty the frozen portion, but it's winter. That just goes with it. Hopefully they will get brave and investigate further and start drinking from them so I don't have to carry water. That was the whole idea of getting them. Jokes on me. Yes, actual whiskey in the pie. Only 2-3 tablespoons, but I liked the flavor. I used Fireball whiskey, as it has a cinnamon flavor anyway and I usually add cinnamon to my peach pies anyway. Nothing too exciting happening here. Need to go after more hay this weekend. Just the usual chores on the farm. Suppose to warm up this week which will be welcome.

To laugh is human but to moo is bovine. Author Unknown

Edited by - NellieBelle on Dec 08 2018 08:03:17 AM
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maryjane

7072 Posts


Posted - Dec 08 2018 :  10:09:59 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Peach pie sure does sound good. I know how much better a little bit of wine makes gravy taste or certain soups.

My boys have never caught on to the BarBarA easily. I stop giving them water and either put a girl in with them (so they can learn from her) or I go to the BarBarA and hold the paddle down with my fingers until the bowl is full of water. If they're good and thirsty they'll come over and start licking up the water. Once they've drank some, I push the paddle down again and again so they get used to the sound it makes and equate that with water. Sometimes I have to do that twice/day for severals days before they quit coming over to drink while I'm there, which means they've finally figured it out. In the cold you have to put on a pair of thin gloves covered in a pair of playtex gloves. It's easier than carrying water. But they have to get thirsty first because they're happy to let you carry water for them!

MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~
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NellieBelle

11214 Posts


Posted - Dec 08 2018 :  1:21:28 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I'll give that a try as soon as it's a little warmer. We're to get up into the 40's this next coming week and I can stand out there and see if they will catch on. Thanks MaryJane. I'll not give them water the night before and see if they get thirsty enough to be inquisitive.

To laugh is human but to moo is bovine. Author Unknown
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