tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82129931427801781972024-03-12T20:51:44.764-07:00Tiny House Homestead"A Tiny House Blog About Living Large While Living Small in a Tiny House on a Sustainable Homestead"Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger371125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212993142780178197.post-30623885947608391042018-04-19T20:38:00.001-07:002018-04-19T20:41:27.360-07:00Could You Identify a Child Being Abused or Neglected?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI0huaaOQYm8u_rkFW458be2A8_fjX6VGOalpY5PITLv0tcGB9ZlVJ1w0-7KFTha9zmtxazs4yeN4sqgsgYL2Zm9xzCkFveDx0rIoU-UsmnfDP3gJnjSgb3Dd9orswYBEqfx29GTGfaQ5J/s1600/childrens-eyes-1914519_1920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1600" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI0huaaOQYm8u_rkFW458be2A8_fjX6VGOalpY5PITLv0tcGB9ZlVJ1w0-7KFTha9zmtxazs4yeN4sqgsgYL2Zm9xzCkFveDx0rIoU-UsmnfDP3gJnjSgb3Dd9orswYBEqfx29GTGfaQ5J/s400/childrens-eyes-1914519_1920.jpg" width="400" /></a>If you didn't already know, I am a child abuse investigator. Family members, community members, teachers, medical professionals, and countless other people report via a hotline when they suspect a child is being abused or neglected. My job is to follow up on those reports, visit the children, the caregivers, other people familiar with the family, collect medical records, speak with teachers, and gather any other information which can help me determine if a child is a victim of abuse or neglect.<br />
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By far the most frequent form of child abuse is neglect. Dirty homes, lack of food, caregiver/parent substance abuse, failure to send the child to school (or effectively home school), and many other factors could be considered neglect. In most cases children are not removed from the home, but programs and services are put in place to help correct the conditions. Child Welfare's goal is to keep a family in tact, not to remove children from the home.<br />
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Abuse may be physical (Beating, hitting, slapping, confinement, etc), emotional (verbal abuse, isolation, etc.), and sexual abuse (molesting, touching, exposure to adult sexuality, etc.). Abuse is not always obvious, but you can be sure if one type of abuse is noticeable, there is most likely other types of abuse going on as well. Again, Child Welfare's goal is not to remove children from their home, but with physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, removal is not uncommon.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrwOQ6sgSQbuACvIZuTyi6zvx09M1A04fbgA86ew8EzxZaOXDnFi0f0d8C8Ukjn4xh_4HzpFUqLjlw__bgkEvEBN2Vk8gUA6uilKSynB2uPuMRd31mLmhlHKIRynTDDzwh9wWlXuOHVrYs/s1600/alcoholic-1939418_1280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="676" data-original-width="1280" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrwOQ6sgSQbuACvIZuTyi6zvx09M1A04fbgA86ew8EzxZaOXDnFi0f0d8C8Ukjn4xh_4HzpFUqLjlw__bgkEvEBN2Vk8gUA6uilKSynB2uPuMRd31mLmhlHKIRynTDDzwh9wWlXuOHVrYs/s400/alcoholic-1939418_1280.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
I often hear the same concerns from folks who are reluctant to disclose knowledge of abuse or neglect. Those concerns are the children aren't really being mistreated that badly, they don't believe the abuse or neglect to be significant enough to have to report, they fear becoming involved, or they don't trust government enough to involve them in protecting a child.<br />
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I want to help reassure those of you out there who have concerns about or knowledge of a child being abused or neglected you may remain anonymous. We do not disclose who makes the reports of abuse or neglect. I also want to reassure you we are highly trained in the identification of abuse or neglect. This is not the type of job where you get hired on Thursday and are out knocking on doors on the following Monday. I myself, in addition to college degrees and 17 years of teaching experience, have close to 300 hours of additional training in the identification of abuse and neglect.<br />
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So, that being said, here are some of the signs of abuse and neglect that should raise red flags for you:<br />
<ul>
<li>Marks or bruises from being struck. Bruises should NEVER been seen on a child who is immobile. Until a child starts to walk (holding onto objects while learning to walk counts), children should never have bruises. Children who are spanked for discipline do not get marks or bruises. Marks or bruises are left on children when they are spanked or struck out of anger. Spanking your children is not illegal, but a spanking should never leave an injury. Discipline should be reasonable and age appropriate. I have seen autopsy photos of a 5 week old baby who was spanked. 5 week old babies do nothing that would warrant a spanking.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Signs of neglect include dirty, malodorous children. Babies with dirt under their fingernails and around the creases in their neck. Severe diaper rash. Listless babies. Babies whose eyes are open, but appear vacant. Babies being fed whole milk instead of formula. Children who are not being fed (underweight, begging food, etc.) Young or small children outside unsupervised. Children who cry for extended periods of time for no apparent reason. Small children left home unsupervised. Children who are ill, but not being seen by medical professionals. </li>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlCek5yUKx5v6K-1BXrtRvyfPZ03w_LovfkTB2DVAt_A8baQ2R2iSq47EWXxCQQ9RGymjhcyRJmjCjygv85CQge7K_bucEOtAnOpRoGL6jJfomSKIsfsEqrBCWfMMrOW8KE5yWXxEovu16/s1600/child-2737064_1920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlCek5yUKx5v6K-1BXrtRvyfPZ03w_LovfkTB2DVAt_A8baQ2R2iSq47EWXxCQQ9RGymjhcyRJmjCjygv85CQge7K_bucEOtAnOpRoGL6jJfomSKIsfsEqrBCWfMMrOW8KE5yWXxEovu16/s320/child-2737064_1920.jpg" width="213" /></a>
<li>Significant injuries of unexplained origin or explanations that don't make sense/explain the injury. If you see a child with an injury and are offered an explanation that does not seem reasonable, ask more questions. Be especially concerned if the child is not yet verbal and/or the injuries are blamed on siblings who are not verbal as well. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Burns of any kind. </li>
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<ul>
<li>If a child appears fearful of a parent or caregiver, pay attention. One of the most common phrases we hear when responding to allegations of abuse or neglect is, "The child was being cared for by mother's boyfriend when the injury occurred." Also don't assume because Susie is a great person, she is above getting angry or frustrated enough to lash out on her child. Remember, child abuse knows no economic status. Rich people abuse children too. Just because a child lives in a nice home and the parent has a higher economic status does not mean they are immune to being abuse. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Target children are something child welfare workers encounter with terrible frequency. These "targets" are the children who are reported to always be in trouble, always be doing something wrong, and are often described in terms of behaviors that would be intentional (He cries on purpose and knows it makes me mad. He pees his pants just to irritate me. She wets the bed just to make more work for me. etc.) Often target children are the children from previous relationships. Siblings and others in the home will often participate in the abuse as well. Sadly all too often, if the target child is removed from the family unit or dies, the abuse will move on to one of the other children. </li>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_gYdPtYhGZv-SoM8QFiIqtzDi0q3dK5XIVGwyKZkYGlm8KOK7SMs81BlYmMm-fv3QhCvJl9eG7B8Ibq6ER2v359KoibH0sRKEmLkH1gHrLTIx1Qov_gFybVZm6mrgDPQmne3unZEofFvB/s1600/bullying-3089938_1920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="754" data-original-width="1600" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_gYdPtYhGZv-SoM8QFiIqtzDi0q3dK5XIVGwyKZkYGlm8KOK7SMs81BlYmMm-fv3QhCvJl9eG7B8Ibq6ER2v359KoibH0sRKEmLkH1gHrLTIx1Qov_gFybVZm6mrgDPQmne3unZEofFvB/s400/bullying-3089938_1920.jpg" width="400" /></a>There are many, many ways children are abused and neglected (too much to really go into here in this brief blog post), but the key to getting these children (and families) help is by reporting suspected abuse or neglect to your local child abuse hotline. It is important to remember most states have laws that state if you suspect abuse or neglect, it is a crime to fail to report it. Every state has a hotline and you can remain anonymous.<br />
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The hotline phone number for Oklahoma is 1-800-522-3511. If you are located in other states you can phone the National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child. If you are a parent or caregiver who needs help, reach out to your local Human Services for assistance or referrals for help.<br />
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Intervening in abuse or neglect is everyone's responsibility. You could help save a child's life.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212993142780178197.post-90277886376892217682018-04-18T21:05:00.000-07:002018-04-18T21:05:39.295-07:00Macbook Pro Mid 2012<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhttO1X8f9WNvADw7_h_R1pviBtVKRfd-iYz824EzjWt9XMuoeGoxA9oWb4jRhsl3lXUkUXkqXfHfKEU5G7xKMMp80II6geIMi4HrePQVbNKWg0zrQYpRZgMowx0FaSTbaWsSbadKBOo1nM/s1600/transparent-1911160_1280.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="880" data-original-width="1280" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhttO1X8f9WNvADw7_h_R1pviBtVKRfd-iYz824EzjWt9XMuoeGoxA9oWb4jRhsl3lXUkUXkqXfHfKEU5G7xKMMp80II6geIMi4HrePQVbNKWg0zrQYpRZgMowx0FaSTbaWsSbadKBOo1nM/s320/transparent-1911160_1280.png" width="320" /></a>It is no secret I have long coveted the MacBook Pro. Actually, pretty much any Apple product makes me salivate. However, when I checked the prices to buy myself one, I found the cost too prohibitive. Several of my friends and coworkers own a<br />
MacBook Pro which they have had since their college days, so I got a chance to play around on a couple to help me decide whether or not I thought the cost was worth the investment. I also did some research on the different models to see which one might best fit my needs.<br />
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Things I considered while doing my research:<br />
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<ul>
<li>I am planning on using the MacBook primarily to produce my podcast and update my blog (I am not a gamer)</li>
<li>I want something relatively lightweight and small enough to take on travels</li>
<li>I need a model that can easily be updated/have parts replaced as needed</li>
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What I discovered in my research was a dedicated cult following for the MacBook Pro Mid 2012 model. Why would anyone want a computer that is 6 years old in this day and age? Well let me tell you what I discovered:<br />
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<ul>
<li>The MacBook Pro Mid 2012 model (MD101LL/A) is still being sold today by Apple, it is just buried on their website </li>
<li>It has a CD drive for those of use who still like to watch old school CD's on their computer</li>
<li>It has two USB 3, an SD slot, and a Thunderbolt port</li>
<li>Bluetooth and 802.11n LAN</li>
<li>The battery, RAM, and hard drive can easily be updated/upgraded</li>
<li>This model can still be updated to the latest iOS x</li>
<li>While it does not have a retina screen, the resolution is still surprisingly good</li>
<li>Mac peripherals work with this model as well (iPad, Apple Watch, Magic Mouse 2, etc.)</li>
<li>A refurbished or used MacBook Pro can be purchased for $400 - $800 on Amazon</li>
</ul>
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Well, after much consideration I decided to buy one and picked one up on Amazon for just $379. I bought it from a company that sells refurbished computers and it came with 8 gb of RAM and a 500 gb hard drive. This is more than enough computer for my needs and I cannot express just how much I enjoy having the MacBook Pro.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw2xixk1Nb6WfDuU8tAc3AtN6_TBUESJPEeGaCHqLbNecaEClylaxj50NjUKVKixvUQDM2nIjy-zf0ORSBimujXiZZ05CKpi1VpEj75PGCRRCNtrrYZvJVCzyJrityEIqLBs-fwVAOiAjB/s1600/home-2626039_1920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="864" data-original-width="1600" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw2xixk1Nb6WfDuU8tAc3AtN6_TBUESJPEeGaCHqLbNecaEClylaxj50NjUKVKixvUQDM2nIjy-zf0ORSBimujXiZZ05CKpi1VpEj75PGCRRCNtrrYZvJVCzyJrityEIqLBs-fwVAOiAjB/s320/home-2626039_1920.jpg" width="320" /></a>I added a super clicky keyboard for when I am at home writing along with a Magic Mouse 2. Getting familiar with the operating system has been a challenge only because I am so used to Windows based machines. The Apple product is intuitive and it hasn't taken me long to begin using all the great features.<br />
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There are many fancy new models of the MacBook Pro, but for those (like me) on a budget, the Mid 2012 model just may be the answer. Remember, living on the homestead is about living well, but being practical. This laptop is a great compromise between desire and need. Who could ask for anything more?<br />
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Now to test out Garage Band to produce my next podcast.<br />
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Have a great week everyone!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212993142780178197.post-51387379634605600752018-03-27T11:50:00.000-07:002018-03-27T11:50:05.869-07:00Wordless Wednesday <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212993142780178197.post-21956836309084358902018-03-14T11:47:00.000-07:002018-03-14T11:47:10.629-07:00Wordless Wednesday <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span id="goog_1146321500"></span><span id="goog_1146321501"></span><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212993142780178197.post-757925260835758182018-03-12T13:31:00.000-07:002018-03-25T13:24:53.441-07:00Easy Sew Wreath<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZdQPH6oBGdFkkEMaCVb2aQ1MJY4mY-0ysmf8acJ4kx3fbkxrmrdhGzShwfO96G66h-QH3TL6Mr4q5G4ARq5TV72iAO7JNRZ_pDiPd7VTAxFUikqT2oNfqwSjX93LFptocP8XzYuvM2U41/s1600/IMG_0209.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZdQPH6oBGdFkkEMaCVb2aQ1MJY4mY-0ysmf8acJ4kx3fbkxrmrdhGzShwfO96G66h-QH3TL6Mr4q5G4ARq5TV72iAO7JNRZ_pDiPd7VTAxFUikqT2oNfqwSjX93LFptocP8XzYuvM2U41/s400/IMG_0209.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Last summer I went to visit my folks who reside in Arizona. Notice the word summer. Ugh, it was hot! Ok, that was to be expected. Anyway, knowing we would be indoors for most of my visit, my mother came up with this fun project to keep us occupied.<br />
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Her idea came from this pattern she found on Amazon:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://amzn.to/2FIsXxk" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt=" fold N Stitch Pattern" border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizH0YYB-H19ejgecspFrrZXbKU7xI8nkAIhIzMp4TOBw9WU3lobbfCsodXevTJMTp6X5369a462rcr53Z_rr1bqOkU2vNDECJsH8ILfxYlFSrk6nSOTXFSXTf0aJxvoltVUnAsBQgocuob/s640/61guoemORAL._SL1024_.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://amzn.to/2FIsXxk">Cut N Stitch Wreath Pattern </a></td></tr>
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She then found these easy, pre cut squares of foam. Sold in a pack of 12 6x6 inch squares, one side already had iron on interfacing which makes creating this wreath so easy: </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://amzn.to/2tFJHAD">Bosal In-R-Foam 6x6 One Sided Fusable Squares</a></td></tr>
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Now, she had only ordered two packs of these squares, one for her and one for me, but we got really into making these and decided to try to make our own by purchasing foam by the yard and iron on interfacing since the pre cut squares were not available at our local fabric and craft stores. It might sound like the way to go in a pinch, but I will explain further on why this didn't work as we expected. So, my advice is order the foam pre cut with the iron on interfacing on one side already.</div>
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The next step is to cut the fabric. For this project you can choose two or three fabrics based on your design idea. I chose to use three fabrics. I played around with them prior to cutting using the photo on the pattern. This helped me decide which fabrics would be the back, front, and middle square. Using the instructions I cut the squares of fabric. Two of the fabrics are cut to 6.5" and one of the fabric is cut to 5.5". </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid3SuThZhrmtE-q9qtngDB_lyKGiiMsGIL6N91YYqN8pB7VD3Pqa6f4eG6-4nL3kNonRnfTcGhyphenhyphenwEXCJyOlJYQ7vxM6lHW3iYmq-FKjtlu6VQ5425r_UQ38ThwRgRpqz_xI_MIsaMtNoUy/s1600/IMG_0190.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid3SuThZhrmtE-q9qtngDB_lyKGiiMsGIL6N91YYqN8pB7VD3Pqa6f4eG6-4nL3kNonRnfTcGhyphenhyphenwEXCJyOlJYQ7vxM6lHW3iYmq-FKjtlu6VQ5425r_UQ38ThwRgRpqz_xI_MIsaMtNoUy/s640/IMG_0190.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the fabric my mother chose for her wreath. Fall appropriate, no? <br />
She chose to go with two fabrics. </td></tr>
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Once you have all your fabrics cut, it is time to start sewing. Place the two of the 6.5" squares of fabric <i>right side together</i>. Center them on the side of the foam squares that have NO interfacing. Sew the seam around the foam square. Carefully cut an X in the center of ONE of the squares, the one not touching the foam. Now Carefully turn the square right sides out through the hole the X created. If you did this correctly, you will end up with the X side on the interfaced side and the foam sandwiched inside. </div>
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Next, layer on one of the 5.5" squares you cut and iron the square so the X is as closed as it can be and the smaller square conceals it. Using a decorative stitch, stitch down the edges of the 5.5" square. Voila! You have a square finished. Do this 11 more times.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiONHpTcICBwfO6ZlCzn9bqcaSfFuqvo26ILjcQFL-amOZBxzBhWruqEDrM8N8JJPmlLc33esFkjuBUl4oiNEW1PEoveUunpLKxHGh4CDDifvV9hhdNuAw4y4zULPWJFWZmSGhfn072MjAB/s1600/IMG_0196.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiONHpTcICBwfO6ZlCzn9bqcaSfFuqvo26ILjcQFL-amOZBxzBhWruqEDrM8N8JJPmlLc33esFkjuBUl4oiNEW1PEoveUunpLKxHGh4CDDifvV9hhdNuAw4y4zULPWJFWZmSGhfn072MjAB/s400/IMG_0196.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Using a hard piece of plastic or a piece of cardboard, make yourself a template of the stitching line pattern. I made mine out of a piece of stencil plastic. Mine looked like this: </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrwmGaOPkVmxHuSNk-aPoGNgvqwUT8xTlRCOokYfD7_t6WrQbB-J9GXNqEL8VuW4B65k5of2bJLJOQX7m0pcrd12z3UCRP_cbV0HeusS_HrbWPifDx_mRhelsojI2z8xPgofwxunSgsqxe/s1600/IMG_0198.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrwmGaOPkVmxHuSNk-aPoGNgvqwUT8xTlRCOokYfD7_t6WrQbB-J9GXNqEL8VuW4B65k5of2bJLJOQX7m0pcrd12z3UCRP_cbV0HeusS_HrbWPifDx_mRhelsojI2z8xPgofwxunSgsqxe/s640/IMG_0198.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stencil plastic was used to make my stitching guide. </td></tr>
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Side note: Have you tried those clips you can see in the picture above? OMG, my mother gave me a bag for Christmas and I don't think I will ever use pins again! They are super easy to use and hold tight without poking your fingers or getting lost in the carpet only to be found later when you have bare feet. They looks like this: </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="http://amzn.to/2FBCxiq"><img border="0" data-original-height="1305" data-original-width="1500" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfkxjj11B6VMYF1Z7iIOTFpRuusPIdMaeEJh84fnF4cMneU9iBfdE2-RjJY45tXhDSQzW-HQJ1c_V1tjE0FpcpR_5LUHzVv5edhSB8TE08ocJWiPTgrW7xDFlJFe2AgHuR7TJoFhVwasWj/s320/Clips.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://amzn.to/2FBCxiq">You can get a bag here.</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Ok, back to the sewing. Use the guide to determine where to sew your squares together. You must be consistent in order for the circle to be accurate and lay right.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWd-4h7dXZ_0zaWuL-EF-jc3SvDdNi9rWoL2qpDKISyxeXNTvx5PR9wA1ol6wVONRvK8qhGp0BD80jp7O3BxfkNdSg3ar1WA4umbAqk1W97NxahF5jD8Kc7DruLc5Q-gNcczn24mGGjPTG/s1600/IMG_0193.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWd-4h7dXZ_0zaWuL-EF-jc3SvDdNi9rWoL2qpDKISyxeXNTvx5PR9wA1ol6wVONRvK8qhGp0BD80jp7O3BxfkNdSg3ar1WA4umbAqk1W97NxahF5jD8Kc7DruLc5Q-gNcczn24mGGjPTG/s400/IMG_0193.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Here you can see how the squares are lined up and sewn together. This was my fun Halloween wreath. Once all the squares are sewn together you will find a circle has formed. It should look something like this: </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpD5czYgpuA50Xjj4aNCv1s9TgdGNLsgU0dVe2xurn-wQXxS0X0Y-VEf365JmCvLd4PxR0lH6tBoM7HmVl1gsIFRn8oQbSKibsjt-fbZIvhgvrKei55wTeaPB2sbKAdrpFw6e63qeoKOwC/s1600/IMG_0197.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpD5czYgpuA50Xjj4aNCv1s9TgdGNLsgU0dVe2xurn-wQXxS0X0Y-VEf365JmCvLd4PxR0lH6tBoM7HmVl1gsIFRn8oQbSKibsjt-fbZIvhgvrKei55wTeaPB2sbKAdrpFw6e63qeoKOwC/s640/IMG_0197.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wreath once squares are connected</td></tr>
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At this point, you begin sewing the points together. First you want to hand stitch them like this: </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEpojEomYYgxu82jjL_-OGI3Z60CEl9CEjIlKVUIW1iMbgGrQ0Q1xS-1vt2cubiyeaK5vKE6CclCIl7ZdoGbLuqPq0UjZRVggz2JZuNbnQjq3hFZ7ksrnBnXSnyw0S56sZ38HygyeTD-xw/s1600/IMG_0199.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEpojEomYYgxu82jjL_-OGI3Z60CEl9CEjIlKVUIW1iMbgGrQ0Q1xS-1vt2cubiyeaK5vKE6CclCIl7ZdoGbLuqPq0UjZRVggz2JZuNbnQjq3hFZ7ksrnBnXSnyw0S56sZ38HygyeTD-xw/s640/IMG_0199.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sew the points together. </td></tr>
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Next, I chose to add a little button as an embellishment. You don't have to, but I thought it turned out nicer, looking a little more finished. Don't you agree? </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdsh9QDgr3YxHN_Y6dxr5geNJtrb47KBfaO29c5whr5EX6tfP6VlL44hwpS0iGpWhnkaj0LBLxa_fpDG6BymHG1Ln1p79HL3XN7EUuHvU6zjAxb85WlpeYE6_cEiuAc48NtN6D7V_Nfqto/s1600/IMG_0200.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdsh9QDgr3YxHN_Y6dxr5geNJtrb47KBfaO29c5whr5EX6tfP6VlL44hwpS0iGpWhnkaj0LBLxa_fpDG6BymHG1Ln1p79HL3XN7EUuHvU6zjAxb85WlpeYE6_cEiuAc48NtN6D7V_Nfqto/s640/IMG_0200.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Adding a little embellishment for extra pizzazz.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Once you have them all sewn together you can add a hanger to the back to hang the wreath on a door, or, as I chose, make it a centerpiece for your table. The pattern shows additional bows and decorations for a door wreath. I put a candy bowl in the center of mine. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqn59z1qP8ksjmPUDL8bRnqziQr6S8F-QYQtcQEZ86eYrtYcZDijC5A7feQfSuTNwbfMvldG6HxD8cHqw6irRzmTxiuKHZW2w8PmzUuNloySjTonBz2i_5VucDT6rbDx93KJQXX1Qe-bdI/s1600/IMG_0202.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqn59z1qP8ksjmPUDL8bRnqziQr6S8F-QYQtcQEZ86eYrtYcZDijC5A7feQfSuTNwbfMvldG6HxD8cHqw6irRzmTxiuKHZW2w8PmzUuNloySjTonBz2i_5VucDT6rbDx93KJQXX1Qe-bdI/s640/IMG_0202.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finished Wreath</td></tr>
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So there you have it. Easy as pie for just about any skill level. </div>
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**Oh, remember how I said I would tell you the problem with cutting your own foam? Ya, well I cut mine a little smaller for the Halloween wreath without considering I would need more squares to make a circle that would lay flat. My Halloween wreath does not lay flat. As a result, I stuck a jar shaped like a pumpkin full of candy in the middle to hold it down, but in hindsight I should have cut more squares. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw2DZhyphenhyphenUsjwhIaGTnY9Cuw3A9gLV6q_7tjlGnFuh0WiPYqIwqHV7BcfIYiZZr6-WA7qxuOoZ-ASL-jOaeA6PhfeiN4AEaO8lj55YSmEITvahUp7hMLdjtAaTQd_eDm9U3vyo_m_X35Dmq7/s1600/IMG_0210.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw2DZhyphenhyphenUsjwhIaGTnY9Cuw3A9gLV6q_7tjlGnFuh0WiPYqIwqHV7BcfIYiZZr6-WA7qxuOoZ-ASL-jOaeA6PhfeiN4AEaO8lj55YSmEITvahUp7hMLdjtAaTQd_eDm9U3vyo_m_X35Dmq7/s400/IMG_0210.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Notice how this one does not lay flat? </td></tr>
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Happy sewing! If you give this fun project a try, be sure to post a picture in the comments below!</div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212993142780178197.post-60188735178906735942018-03-10T12:29:00.000-07:002018-03-10T12:31:53.145-07:00Why is it so Hard to Find Other Blogs?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg50LkRrIJhp49PuRBuC8ksT73Z7mxzRnhwgHZsTyCTm-gaCczzeXu_1yK2D5-SRFGFsq687jeqhjIWlE8vu0eXu4-6bQfz4Y2F2PxRDARrEsJ14BdqGp6KNp-ZLAbLoJcdlu2gb-hjwCfD/s1600/wood-3157395_1280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg50LkRrIJhp49PuRBuC8ksT73Z7mxzRnhwgHZsTyCTm-gaCczzeXu_1yK2D5-SRFGFsq687jeqhjIWlE8vu0eXu4-6bQfz4Y2F2PxRDARrEsJ14BdqGp6KNp-ZLAbLoJcdlu2gb-hjwCfD/s400/wood-3157395_1280.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Lately I have been taking a breather in the morning before I leave for work. Instead of rushing around, I sit with a cup of coffee and try to read a little, then I start my day. I really enjoy reading blogs of a wide variety written by folks who are living their experiences.<br />
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Something I have noticed it how difficult is is to just find new blogs to read. There is no real directory and most of the time I stumble upon them by accident. Keep in mind I am not talking about the popular blogs that are boosted by advertising on social media and email your inbox endlessly about offers and past posts. I am speaking of ones like mine, written by by everyday folks, not those who have an endless budget and a marketing team. You know what I mean?<br />
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Sure some small time bloggers have managed to parlay their blog into a good source of income, but most of the time those blogs turn into a great big advertisement, repeat the same information over and over, and really do not engage me long term. I read blogs almost as a voyeur; I get a chance to peek into the lives of others, seeing the good and the bad, the ups and the downs of their day to day lives. Those are the blogs I feel are genuine and interesting.<br />
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So, I thought I might do some of those smaller bloggers a solid and mention them with a link here in my blog. There are a wide variety of folks to follow in this list. Some are religious while some have quite the colorful vocabulary, some are on a budget, some are living in ways we may never considered. Here are five of my favorites:<br />
<a href="http://brokecostumer.blogspot.com/"><br /></a>
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<ul>
<li><a href="http://brokecostumer.blogspot.com/">The Broke Costumer</a>: This gal creates amazing costumes on amazingly small budgets. She really has a knack for recreating the past on a dime. I love how she can reuse parts from other costumes to stretch her budget. I also love that she details how she goes about saving and explains her inspiration for her creations. I also enjoy the history lessons tucked into each of her creations. She truly is an artist.</li>
</ul>
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<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.paratusfamilia.com/">The Paratus Familia Blog</a>: I stumbled on this blog years ago and have been a faithful reader. This family lived in a Shouse in a very rural area and embraced a semi-off-the-grid-life. I found the blog while researching cooking on wood stoves. This blog documents the ups and downs of their lives and Enola Gay (yes that is a pseudonym and you get 5 points if you make the connection) even produced a cookbook (you can find it <a href="http://amzn.to/2FteLsH">here</a>) on prepping along with cooking and baking on a wood stove. The family recently made a big move and opened a Butcher Shop to process meat for hunters.</li>
</ul>
<div>
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<ul>
<li><a href="http://canwehaveanewwitchoursmelted.blogspot.com/">Can We Have a New Witch? This One Melted</a>: An irreverent and explicit blog, I adore Leanna. A self-described Texas Housewife, Leanna has some significant health struggles and helps keep a positive spirit by blogging. Dirty jokes, political opinion, and lots of cussing keep this blog on my radar. I crack up reading all the memes she has skimmed and posted each week, as well as the stories she tells about her husband, David. If you like dirty humor and don't get offended easily, check her out. </li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.sadieseasongoods.com/">Sadie Seasongoods</a>: Sadie is truly an inspiration when it comes to upcycling and recycling goods. Sadie scours thrift shops and resale shops then turns what she finds into relevant, updated creations. I am amazed by her endless creativity. The bonus is she sells a lot of her creations in an Etsy shop. If you like a particular creation, you may just be able to purchase it! </li>
</ul>
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<br /></div>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.windtraveler.net/">WindTraveler</a>: The family this blog follows lives in the British Virgin Islands on Tortola. They live on a sailboat and run their own business of excursions on other sailboats. Together with their three children they live a "tiny life" on a boat. Well, they did, until Hurricane Irma destroyed Tortola and sank their boats. Thankfully the family was in the states visiting family when the storm hit. Life has not been the same for them since. They recently, after four months of being displaced, returned to Tortola. Their lives are an epic journey and now we can all follow along as they rebuild. </li>
</ul>
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<br />
How about you? What blogs do you follow? Please leave some links and info in the comments below.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212993142780178197.post-83475682954727257362018-02-25T20:10:00.002-07:002018-02-25T20:10:59.163-07:00Part II: Out to Sea - December 15th and Costa Maya, Mexico December 16th<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><b><i>Day at Sea December 15th</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The best part of cruising is the sleep. I know, ya'll are thinking
it is traveling and sight seeing, however as an insomniac, good sleep is worth
its weight in gold. I actually slept in until 9:30 am!! The motion of the ship
was gentle and the seas calm, so I felt absolutely no seasickness. Professor
and I discussed whether we wanted a cabin with a balcony, stateroom, or just an
inside cabin. I voted for an inside cabin because they are pitch black when the
lights are out. I also felt for the $200 difference a day, the balcony was not
really a worthwhile investment. With the quality of sleep I was getting, I was
glad we chose the inside cabin. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPR7qBmW6C0bS6OuRiO7i8wbCJZuxUslKBlAIkcjRMikdRp3GWzxPmWheIRSuXbLCnCW57NH_4Y5yRo3hOfuq4Vf2hRZzHWxi0Hn43ypiBMoo_tyxEjM8eCDFYVSsusYn2PhjqEAZgcP4s/s1600/IMG_0947.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPR7qBmW6C0bS6OuRiO7i8wbCJZuxUslKBlAIkcjRMikdRp3GWzxPmWheIRSuXbLCnCW57NH_4Y5yRo3hOfuq4Vf2hRZzHWxi0Hn43ypiBMoo_tyxEjM8eCDFYVSsusYn2PhjqEAZgcP4s/s400/IMG_0947.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cabin was cozy and comfortable. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">After getting up and moving, we
headed up to get breakfast. One thing that is not lacking on a cruise is food.
Oh my, the selection was incredible. I went with poached eggs and Canadian
bacon on an English muffin, bacon, a small waffle, and black coffee. </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">This first day in the Gulf of
Mexico was "at sea" meaning we would not hit a port until the
following day. Professor headed off to the Casino and I went to find the
library as I am not a gambler. I brought along my laptop with the plan to spend a good deal of time
writing, but when I got to the library I discovered I needed a 220 plug
converter as all the plugs in the library all required one. Of course I did not bring one. In fact, I couldn't even buy one on the ship. I was disappointed, but
used my laptop until it would run low, would take it to the cabin to charge,
and go find something else to do. That was how I discovered I am a lousy shuffleboard
player. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSs7Tk0W-7wgywwZMMT5eNE3cNZR7GV_9rUnpaPhVNgqklHD7ZACLs49Mm0J7EYzxBuGzkhGSj8Y5sko02tsrVc6xoq7Zy-enNS0yQlpncFDHXW7ZsE6torRyh6f2lNrX8gyRQGbVhCc4R/s1600/IMG_0965.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSs7Tk0W-7wgywwZMMT5eNE3cNZR7GV_9rUnpaPhVNgqklHD7ZACLs49Mm0J7EYzxBuGzkhGSj8Y5sko02tsrVc6xoq7Zy-enNS0yQlpncFDHXW7ZsE6torRyh6f2lNrX8gyRQGbVhCc4R/s400/IMG_0965.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The ship offered plenty
of entertainment. That evening we went to the Bliss Ultra Lounge which offered
Karaoke. Professor is an accomplished classical singer, so he belted out his
best tunes and ended with The Impossible Dream. It was a fun evening and there
were some folks who really sang very well. This gal, however, is not one of
them. Watching and listening was enough for me. </span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We called it a night around midnight and headed back to our tiny cabin. </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My first night of great sleep
was an anomaly. I couldn't sleep well, so I got up quietly, grabbed my laptop,
and headed to O'Sheehan's Pub, which was open 24 hours. I parked myself in a
booth with view of the ocean (which I really couldn't see because it was dark)
and set to writing. Sometime during the night the winds had picked up and I
could feel a gentle sway in the ship. </span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">As the sun rose in the east,
which just happened to be on the side of the ship I was sitting on, I could see
fat rain clouds in the sky. The affect of the suns rays passing through the
clouds was just gorgeous. I headed back to the cabin to try to get some rest
until it was time to head into port at Costa Maya. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 18px;"><b><i>December 16th Costa Maya, Mexico</i></b></span></div>
</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Costa Maya is a typical tourist
port. The assorted shops offered all the typical goods such as sugar skulls,
Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos) figurines, knock off purses, and
over-priced jewelry. I browsed through the shops while Professor tried to find
an internet connection to check his email. I luckily had free international on
my cell phone, so I was up to date at each port. I found him camped out at a
Starbucks with 25 - 30 other folks doing the same. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCzEi8JL96hiFaRYfHRz8QZjew6h_hTL-Ze1GGzy66-14s1-t4Y-NB0l9W1OwaLvewp961aoB_YLgXMe89XHJE2cJ9XIHmcngHJvaW8Fc_-ivSftZa4xZpml1wkD2TOef5DNSLOLu2C1DC/s1600/IMG_1045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCzEi8JL96hiFaRYfHRz8QZjew6h_hTL-Ze1GGzy66-14s1-t4Y-NB0l9W1OwaLvewp961aoB_YLgXMe89XHJE2cJ9XIHmcngHJvaW8Fc_-ivSftZa4xZpml1wkD2TOef5DNSLOLu2C1DC/s400/IMG_1045.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We chose not to participate in
an excursion at Costa Maya. The only real excursion of interest to us were the
Mayan ruins. The excursion would have taken the entire day. I really did not
want to be limited to one activity as I would prefer to people watch and enjoy
the beautiful climate. It was actually pretty warm this day and being out in
the sun for hours at a shot was not on my list of fun activities. </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeWj5yMatoqkh2Jn3wnBMwm9Tx2xKH_2qlN8VfB9ox16q6oshlxn9loa52s8j5kTNqL_apB5gPIOa_1lXsl5u021fgDO_7QkmLzsGLyoXkXRsFA9kkLfdiwXwvk3nBhwSb5OGdtNii4yio/s1600/IMG_1042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeWj5yMatoqkh2Jn3wnBMwm9Tx2xKH_2qlN8VfB9ox16q6oshlxn9loa52s8j5kTNqL_apB5gPIOa_1lXsl5u021fgDO_7QkmLzsGLyoXkXRsFA9kkLfdiwXwvk3nBhwSb5OGdtNii4yio/s400/IMG_1042.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A tender on its way to port.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">After browsing the shops we headed back to the
ship and ate a nice leisurely lunch while enjoying the views. Because so many
people were still in the port, we found the ship to be pleasantly under
populated. We finally pulled out of port around 4pm towards our next
destination, Grand Cayman. </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ8uXLG7_BlCkj7P8bj3H3Em2k2VC_93I-MgkSvBUkEMibQIgJeq34HrRRWIn7F3nAEVAwQTyVB4aGKKgdIMeOvOuUVTkXLo-_F_7CvT5yW8P4GIbgZK_D7CDkxBR_jkfMxk8ZD6-ThFH0/s1600/IMG_1041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ8uXLG7_BlCkj7P8bj3H3Em2k2VC_93I-MgkSvBUkEMibQIgJeq34HrRRWIn7F3nAEVAwQTyVB4aGKKgdIMeOvOuUVTkXLo-_F_7CvT5yW8P4GIbgZK_D7CDkxBR_jkfMxk8ZD6-ThFH0/s640/IMG_1041.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Costa Maya, Mexico as seen from the ship.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212993142780178197.post-16701902808187031792018-02-25T19:47:00.001-07:002018-02-25T20:11:46.215-07:00My Tiny Life on the High Seas - Part 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5EeD0RPIyM1SlulxG6-aDYOe7cE08vwRASvboMvoUL85PuoBGdD_aSe8npf0gqedzVS_PyQ3Zx3DnahwHKNJV6m2MZ5hLgVSZc8wIT9BMi2Nswl-pW2tQIuU_wFjb_9oOUrWnIsVh8KXh/s1600/IMG_1792.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1001" data-original-width="729" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5EeD0RPIyM1SlulxG6-aDYOe7cE08vwRASvboMvoUL85PuoBGdD_aSe8npf0gqedzVS_PyQ3Zx3DnahwHKNJV6m2MZ5hLgVSZc8wIT9BMi2Nswl-pW2tQIuU_wFjb_9oOUrWnIsVh8KXh/s200/IMG_1792.PNG" width="145" /></a>December presented me with an unprecedented opportunity - a 9 day Western Caribbean Cruise!!<br />
<br />
Let me fill you in since it has been a bit since I have updated the blog. I started dating a very nice man in the autumn of 2017. Of course the topic of Tiny House Homestead came up which inevitably led to the topic of my bucket list. Intrigued, my boyfriend who I shall call Professor to keep his identity private, asked what else was on my bucket list. Of course I rattled off a list a mile long, but on that list was travel to other countries which would require me to use a Passport, taking a cruise, and visiting New Orleans.<br />
<br />
Professor enjoys travel and travels frequently. He has traveled to many of the places I wished to travel and has yet to travel to some of the other places I wish to visit. Jumping into action, Professor booked us a cruise to the Western Caribbean which left from the Port of New Orleans. I was speechless. What an opportunity!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dySqo8sMPAABrqNOWjGzi07yYj0_vbDPpyHtO2HvsWHqIcUq_zoMsjU-yULVMvfK5auRQta8mg1Peam2GCCzw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
December 12th we flew to New Orleans and stayed the night in a LaQuinta Hotel close to the airport in Kenner, LA. It was a nice enough hotel, but it could have been a dive and we wouldn't have cared because we were so tired from traveling. Early the next morning we dodged the traffic and ran across the road to a small restaurant for breakfast. Fanny's was fantastic! The food was delicious and the waitress was delightful. If you get a chance, stop in for breakfast, you won't be disappointed.<br />
<br />
With our bellies full, we trotted back across the street to catch a shuttle to the Port of New Orleans. We shared the shuttle with another couple who were taking the same cruise. They were from Canada and cruising was their retirement lifestyle. That is certainly something to aspire to!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLdbDM4ykFJPwnB4600v0OFUhTQrFaRScFnUVb_Dm7dgHmGn2Z9JWxTdQwnnmIRfBDbznOwTqEofmk3x5zNUGKcRy3GcKw4Uq_BrtXl5wzmLzda_IvDzwXhjgWgxk81UbqodEfj8eR3may/s1600/Norwegian+Pearl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="487" data-original-width="1600" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLdbDM4ykFJPwnB4600v0OFUhTQrFaRScFnUVb_Dm7dgHmGn2Z9JWxTdQwnnmIRfBDbznOwTqEofmk3x5zNUGKcRy3GcKw4Uq_BrtXl5wzmLzda_IvDzwXhjgWgxk81UbqodEfj8eR3may/s640/Norwegian+Pearl.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
We were scheduled for a 2 - 2:30 pm embarkation, so we got drinks and sat outside people watching and observing all the luggage being loaded into the ship. Our cruise was with Norwegian Cruise Lines and our ship was the Pearl. Being next to such a behemoth of a ship really is incredible. I know there are bigger ships out there, but the experience was something else. I had to use panorama settings on my camera just to try to get the ship in one picture!<br />
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<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSOTJmLvLmdI1ugAGpcFRyeXuoK2BESnmL6X1sPKt4n6HxHXL602b2k2QZTDrGHIA8vsVfp5GYtbdjI-EcQWtitXNDnoVFdrcV1imTz-tYCc43IusC3aJ8ssGvR1yIpNtdXwSq0VMEaWdu/s1600/IMG_0947.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSOTJmLvLmdI1ugAGpcFRyeXuoK2BESnmL6X1sPKt4n6HxHXL602b2k2QZTDrGHIA8vsVfp5GYtbdjI-EcQWtitXNDnoVFdrcV1imTz-tYCc43IusC3aJ8ssGvR1yIpNtdXwSq0VMEaWdu/s200/IMG_0947.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgvR9rO18jQEeBDSWcvNtAZbKGhNiuogrhKjpgiST1Nz1_u8f63Ms3bYquGeqG6w83jw87fXEFSqdDh0FjVxjGCTKeAnV3rNONFbF7Pf3BeTBuOYtcjOo5PkcZ83AkbjUZGyvbLUX43fZb/s1600/Bloody+Mary.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgvR9rO18jQEeBDSWcvNtAZbKGhNiuogrhKjpgiST1Nz1_u8f63Ms3bYquGeqG6w83jw87fXEFSqdDh0FjVxjGCTKeAnV3rNONFbF7Pf3BeTBuOYtcjOo5PkcZ83AkbjUZGyvbLUX43fZb/s200/Bloody+Mary.jpg" width="150" /></a>Finally it was our time to go through customs and I pulled my passport out with pride. I was worried when I sent for my passport in November that I may not have had enough time for it to be processed before the cruise. I was elated when I found it in my mailbox just two weeks later. Now I was was finally able to cross off getting a passport AND using my passport off my bucket list.<br />
<br />
We boarded the ship and found our cabin. After living so long in a tiny house, the small cabin did not seem small at all. The cabinetry and storage was clearly well thought out. After dropping off our carry on items, we headed down to our safety drill.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1NsQDk8LsGB-XWnvy0jVnM4opT2LlsDU7yzY6jT9CL8t-88M5NUkG_pT5WOK2deA0aJoj_5C6rS75HSTJPvwTtDJbPOu1A9fhHKQGGkjTDIg5nINCiuNeBu2-EewdmjZBUu-07fKuzjFu/s1600/IMG_0948.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1NsQDk8LsGB-XWnvy0jVnM4opT2LlsDU7yzY6jT9CL8t-88M5NUkG_pT5WOK2deA0aJoj_5C6rS75HSTJPvwTtDJbPOu1A9fhHKQGGkjTDIg5nINCiuNeBu2-EewdmjZBUu-07fKuzjFu/s200/IMG_0948.JPG" width="200" /></a>Breaking in my unlimited drink pass, I stopped at a bar and ordered a Bloody Mary to enjoy as we pulled out of port. Professor and I headed off to the deck which would allow us to watch the ship cast off, however cast off was delayed and we got bored. Heading inside we found a buffet and seating located on the back of the ship. We watched the sunset as we pulled out of the Port of New Orleans and traveled down the mighty Mississippi River.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcbeaWeE9kZMQNypFrCNROWWQlQvcMWyZ6j83jPYpHxkuxgavWgF-cNP328jP_wzVosneC0rLPSWsnPTvZeIOAKhgmJwKVvmdjppgK04iFsz86XmoQkioa2cteLU7mDm0qp_OvqCQotlQm/s1600/Leaving+New+Orleans.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="869" data-original-width="1600" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcbeaWeE9kZMQNypFrCNROWWQlQvcMWyZ6j83jPYpHxkuxgavWgF-cNP328jP_wzVosneC0rLPSWsnPTvZeIOAKhgmJwKVvmdjppgK04iFsz86XmoQkioa2cteLU7mDm0qp_OvqCQotlQm/s640/Leaving+New+Orleans.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.tinyhousehomestead.com/2018/02/part-ii-out-to-sea-december-15th-and.html">Follow along on part 2</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212993142780178197.post-41692136309224661522018-02-19T19:23:00.001-07:002018-02-19T19:23:17.237-07:00Tiny House Homestead Episode #37<iframe style="border: none" src="//html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/6279204/height/75/width/200/theme/legacy/autonext/no/autoplay/no/thumbnail/no/preload/no/no_addthis/no/menu/no/direction/forward/tdest_id/145909/" height="75" width="200" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen></iframe><br /><p>Life continues to be A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!</p> <br /><p><a target="_blank" href="http://directory.libsyn.com/episode/index/id/6279204/tdest_id/145909">Check out this episode!</a></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212993142780178197.post-17947799061208107402017-10-08T10:54:00.000-07:002017-10-08T10:54:21.771-07:005 Ways I Welcome Fall <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggOzZNqy3Nwc4_BwXRiwQEJGy1sAIVK6YGbe6GXrdfw4goMppJVj9nkc0NUgU6FZDL9bvWfb8eDpbh3J-x-Iw1oRg4IN5ORik8lvfduAsoZP7BvBbpNqoW30aJV3s4ATVaRPBfzOXkAx5c/s1600/heart-1776746_1280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="892" data-original-width="1280" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggOzZNqy3Nwc4_BwXRiwQEJGy1sAIVK6YGbe6GXrdfw4goMppJVj9nkc0NUgU6FZDL9bvWfb8eDpbh3J-x-Iw1oRg4IN5ORik8lvfduAsoZP7BvBbpNqoW30aJV3s4ATVaRPBfzOXkAx5c/s320/heart-1776746_1280.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
It's the most wonderful time of the year. Well, for me at least. I adore Autumn. I love the sun setting earlier, the cool nights, the changing of the leaves, and most of all, as an Okie, I am grateful all the summer bugs die off or disappear. Here in Oklahoma we still have 80+ degree days, but the nights are cooler and temperature swings are common. For example, this upcoming week we are forecast to have a high of 88 degrees and a low of 47 degrees. It as if Mother Nature cannot make up her mind. But I still embrace the idea that soon I will not be hitting the wall of steamy humidity Summer offers up and can go back to wearing sweaters. Here are five ways I welcome fall.<br />
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1. I haul all my sweaters and jackets out of storage and get them cleaned. I locate all my gloves, scarfs, hats, earmuffs, etc. Now is the time I make any repairs or replacements. I also get my winter boots out. I put out my <a href="http://amzn.to/2gmnpKW">boot tray</a> on the porch (if you don't have one of these yet, you gotta get one). I like to think I am sending a message to the universe that I am ready to be done with the heat.<br />
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2. I hit the book store and find a couple of good books. This "me" time is something I always come back to in the Autumn. There is something about being inside a warm and snug home while the cold, and sometimes disagreeable. weather is outside. I pick one or two books for self improvement and one or two just for entertainment. When I read in the fall, I light some scented candles and make myself a nice cup of coffee or cocoa. I really enjoy spending time escaping into a book.<br />
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3. I make lists of unfinished projects which can be accomplished indoors when the weather outside turns bitter and cold. Autumn means more rainy days around here as well, so outdoor activities are more limited. Now is the time for me to nest and prepare for the long winter nights. This is the time of year I get painting and decorating jobs finished. It is also the time of year when I deep clean. Since I am going to be spending substantially more time indoors, I try to make the space as comfortable as I can. I consider it a form of nesting.<br />
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4. I cook crock pot meals more often. One of my standby recipes is my <a href="http://www.tinyhousehomestead.com/2016/03/3-packet-slow-cooker-pot-roast.html">3 Packet Roast</a>. I love coming home to the delicious smells of a hot meal I didn't have slave over. I don't know about you, but I don't always enjoy spending time making a meal after a long day at work. An added bonus to utilizing a slow cooker is I always have left overs for the next night or take with me for a hot lunch. Another great (and oh so easy) hot meal if I don't use the slow cooker is whipping up a <a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/crispy-grilled-cheese/">grilled cheese</a> with tomato soup. Cut the sandwich into four pieces so you can dunk the slices in the soup. Simple, quick, and delicious!<br />
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5. I prepare for bad weather. This is a process, but I normally start by making sure I have ice scrapers, ice melt, I locate my snow shovel (by now buried somewhere in the barn), and buy a few bags of cat litter to keep in my vehicle. I also make sure I have a blanket (or two) to keep in the car as well. I buy <a href="http://amzn.to/2xrkG8Y">Hot Hands</a> in bulk keeping some in the house, some in my purse, and some in the car. I keep a change of clothes, two extra pairs of socks, and some basic toiletries in case I cannot get home due to poor weather. I put these items in a storage container to keep them clean and ready to go. To prepare for cold weather at home, I begin buying extra cans of soup and non perishables in case the power goes out at my house during the winter. I buy some Kerosene for my space heaters and make sure the heaters are functioning properly. I try to replace wicks now, instead of when it is really cold and I am without power. You can read more about my winter preparedness on my post from last year<a href="http://www.tinyhousehomestead.com/2016/10/winter-preparedness-tiny-house-style.html"> here</a>.<br />
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In case you haven't figured it out, I adore this time of year and the anticipation it brings. I moved to Oklahoma because I wanted to see weather. This year it is predicted we will have a cold and wet winter. When it is 90 humid degrees outside it is hard to imagine the snow will come, but the cooling of the days and the chilly nights show signs of promise. Bring on Autumn!!!<br />
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What is your favorite time of the year? Are you as excited as I am by Autumn?<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212993142780178197.post-31313581789748833282017-09-18T21:54:00.000-07:002017-09-18T22:03:45.744-07:00Loss of a Tiny House on Water<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: right;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Property of Windtraveler.com </td></tr>
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Hurricane Irma was frightening for many of in the US because we all had someone we knew and loved who was impacted by her path. Fortunately, my granddaughter, who resides in Florida, was able to get out of the way of the destructive storm she calls a "Horrorcane." I am grateful she was minimally impacted. However, a fellow tiny house dweller and her family were not so lucky.<br />
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Scott and Brittany Meyers along with their twin girls Haven and Mira, and big sister Isla, all lived the life of cruisers on their boat the <i><b>Asante</b></i> and had built up a thriving business, friendships, and a life they loved. Fortunately they were stateside visiting family at the time the storm hit, however it is sad to learn the fate of their vessels. Brittany blogged on September 6th how their boat, and home, sank in the marina.<br />
The couple along with their children lived their wonderful life aboard their vessel in the British Virgin Islands. Their cruiser business was located in Tortola and catered to tourists.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Property of Windtraveler.com</td></tr>
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Brittany writes in her post, found <a href="http://fortunately%20they%20were%20visiting%20the%20us%20at%20the%20time%20the%20storm%20hit.%20brittany%20blogged%20today%20how%20their%20boat%2C%20and%20home%2C%20sank%20in%20the%20marina./">here</a> on her blog Windtraveler, of the loss of both homes and lives on the British Virgin Islands. Brittany has been told 90% of the island has been destroyed. Brittany blogged, <span style="font-family: inherit;">"<span style="background-color: white; color: #161616; letter-spacing: 0.91px; text-align: justify;">She (Irma) raked our island clean of all foliage. It looks like a nuclear bomb was dropped and friends on the ground are describing the scene as "post-apocalyptic." </span>The life they worked so hard to build has been lost to the sea. Their other vessels were tossed into a pile of boats, now beached, which had been moored to ride out the storm. Their loss is 100% property and at this point they are grateful to have their lives. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Currently Brittany reports they are trying to decide where to go from here. Thankfully they had insurance to cover their losses, but that doesn't ease the emotional pain of losing everything you have worked long and hard for. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Scott has flown to Puerto Rico where recovery efforts are underway to help those who were not so fortunate. A fund has been set up to help with those efforts. If you would like to consider helping please go to the</span><a href="https://www.youcaring.com/bviimmediaterelief-943806" style="font-family: inherit;"> BVI Relief Fund</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> and consider a donation. </span><br />
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Please keep Scott, Brittany, and their children in your thoughts. As my mother would say, "There, but for the grace of God, go I."<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212993142780178197.post-28719216096079264582017-08-06T20:02:00.001-07:002017-08-06T20:10:08.195-07:00Traveling on Amtrak I found a fantastic price on an airline ticket when I decided to go visit my folks. The only hitch in the giddy up was the departing airport was Dallas-Ft. Worth over 200 miles to my south. It can be expensive to fly out of Oklahoma City, but at less than $100 round trip, departing in Dallas Ft. Worth is well worth it! I could have driven the four hours to Dallas, fought the traffic, and paid to park my car for 8 days, but I decided to let someone else do the driving. I took the train to Dallas instead. If you live in big cities, traveling by subway or train is a convenient way to get from here to there, but in the more rural areas of the country it has become somewhat of a novelty.<br />
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The Amtrak Heartland Flyer leaves for Dallas out of Oklahoma City and several other stops along the way. I chose to leave my car at a friend's house and she dropped me at the little depot in Norman.<br />
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The depot was quaint and historic. Built in 1909 by the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway, today it welcomes the Heartland Flyer outbound in the morning and inbound in the evening. There is only one platform at this small depot, but it is clean and comfortable while you await your train. I definitely felt a nod back to a different period in time when folks only traveled by train on rare or special occasions to visit loved ones who live far off. However, I used my cell phone to produce my ticket, something unthinkable when train travel was common.<br />
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The Heartland Flyer is a two story train and I had a seat on the second level. Climbing the narrow staircase with luggage was a no go for me, but the Conductor helped me out. I soon situated myself in a very comfortable seat next to an enormous window. Soon the train pulled gently out of the depot and I was on my way.<br />
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As we made out way south toward Dallas we wound through the Arbuckle Mountains and scenery I would never have been able to enjoy from the interstate. We made stops at several small depots like Norman's. We picked up and let off passengers at each stop, only stopping briefly.<br />
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I enjoyed the comfort of the train. The seat has an adjustable leg support and there was a foot rest, essentially turning your seat into a recliner. I leaned my seat back slightly and just watched out the window. I rarely am that relaxed. There was even an electric plug to charge my electronics and a drop down tray/desk to set my laptop up on.<br />
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Each of the stations I was in were clean and had security present. Clean restrooms and vending machines were in each station. Ft. Worth even had a Subway restaurant inside.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwMZS2G--wiuAaduZFvecz2QbDpO1oUtz7mNpmbJUZ5iHmKXDZvOuy_Sd0Csc_pbMJJhB9ciZzmw4ogKpZNpg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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Traveling by train is relaxing and enjoyable, but there are some things you can do to help make your ride more pleasant:<br />
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<ol>
<li>Bring snacks and bottled water - food on the train is limited and expensive. Bring a variety of foods with you. </li>
<li>Bring some disinfecting wipes to wipe the train tray and armrests down - I don't know how often the train trays are wiped down, but I do this on airplanes as well. </li>
<li>Bring your electronics charger - some of the trains advertise they have on board wifi, but they don't. You electronics will need to be charged as they try to maintain their cellular connections. </li>
<li>Bring a light sweater, sweatshirt, or light blanket - while I liked the cool air, several others around me pulled out blankets and sweaters. </li>
</ol>
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One more thing to keep in mind - Amtrak trains share the tracks with cargo trains. It is not unusual to be running behind. My connection out of Dallas to Ft. Worth on the way home was delayed for more than an hour. Don't schedule connections via air too close or you may end up missing your flight.<br />
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I plan to take the train across the US at some point. How about you? Do you ever ride the train?<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212993142780178197.post-55666568076616630722017-08-06T17:55:00.001-07:002017-08-06T19:00:18.482-07:00Tiny House Homestead Podcast #36<iframe allowfullscreen="" height="75" mozallowfullscreen="" msallowfullscreen="" oallowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" src="//html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/5614836/height/75/width/200/theme/legacy/autonext/no/autoplay/no/thumbnail/no/preload/no/no_addthis/no/menu/no/direction/forward/tdest_id/145909/" style="border: none;" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="200"></iframe><br />
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<span style="font-family: "kg ten thousand reasons";">Podcast Title: Trials and Triumphs on the Farm</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "kg ten thousand reasons";">Podcast Episode 36 Show Notes<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "kg ten thousand reasons";">This episode covers….<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "kg ten thousand reasons"; font-size: 13.5pt;">Lots of happenings here on
the farm lately. Learn about Cytauxzoonosis and the devastating affect it can
have on your favorite feline. I battle it out with raccoons, and the latest
critter that has come to live on the farm. Welcome to Tiny House Homestead.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "kg ten thousand reasons";">Links </span></b><span style="font-family: "kg ten thousand reasons";">from this episode:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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http://www.merckvetmanual.com/circulatory-system/blood-parasites/cytauxzoonosis<br />
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http://veterinarymedicine.dvm360.com/what-you-should-know-about-cytauxzoonosis<br />
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cytauxzoonosis</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ2Qj-oRRo2n7d_H7QmyjbUef-mG3diW3H0XT41_7O-yB2MVas7xNgkfDh5e5w5quNc4uTpa7s8aZcwHor9cnbHg6toJGWHqmc9xWk74zgRLq5LXz4cxTNxuxBqowHHD0JxZkLvgvffET5/s1600/IMG_0263.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ2Qj-oRRo2n7d_H7QmyjbUef-mG3diW3H0XT41_7O-yB2MVas7xNgkfDh5e5w5quNc4uTpa7s8aZcwHor9cnbHg6toJGWHqmc9xWk74zgRLq5LXz4cxTNxuxBqowHHD0JxZkLvgvffET5/s320/IMG_0263.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Frankie<br /><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="http://directory.libsyn.com/episode/index/id/5614836/tdest_id/145909" target="_blank">Check out this episode!</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212993142780178197.post-32282632871349299652017-05-21T15:33:00.003-07:002017-05-21T15:48:24.076-07:00The Pioneer Woman Mercantile in Pawhuska, OKThree good friends and I went to Kansas this past weekend to pick up a cedar chest from Wichita (more on that in another post to come.) We decided on the way back to visit The Pioneer Woman Mercantile in Pawhuska, OK. Pawhuska, is the county seat of Osage County. Pawhuska was an oil town and ranch land. Like most small towns in Oklahoma, Pawhuska has a population that has slowly shrunk. In its heyday the town boasted a population greater than 6,000, but today just over 3,500 reside there. Ree Drummond, aka Pioneer Woman, is one of these folks.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ree_Drummond"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnwDeMU1nFZUXOMIpDqMBFSwxTsCpiKjwIKFuT62v6gZjvAf0oIVfIhZoDutd6Bg-YZRTfe9-ZvHXPF5wF7JetrZn5hYIPJsIejs3hX4XRK38isCBovp1Fg5XxdSegVmKJFrAa7vpJLVah/s400/Ree+Drummond.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ree_Drummond">Ree Drummond (courtesy of Wikipedia)</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Originally from Bartlesville, Oklahoma, Ree married the owner of the Drummond Ranch. Ree has a great blog, best selling cookbooks, and a television show shot on her working ranch in Pawhuska. Ree and her husband purchased a building in downtown Pawhuska, renovated the space, and preserved much of the character of the vintage building which once housed the original mercantile. Now the building sports a store, restaurant, bakery, and office space. Ree has a way with the recipes and her food is delicious. It is reported over 5,000 people a day visit Pawhuska now to see the Mercantile and as many as 12,000 passed through during the holiday season when they first opened.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo4Y-siG_vvWPo8O_JT0yNSM7JLUPA0JeXdQ8QCap4kQVLB_fQoVGX4nC4cdOjXAl9L8qgXjjjemyxw0wzAiwMNO3EDOOu2KWVrZi6OGPep2wyEvx1n7YavGwe6wHOYb8komBYJkM1ojQP/s1600/Pawhuska+Merchantile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo4Y-siG_vvWPo8O_JT0yNSM7JLUPA0JeXdQ8QCap4kQVLB_fQoVGX4nC4cdOjXAl9L8qgXjjjemyxw0wzAiwMNO3EDOOu2KWVrZi6OGPep2wyEvx1n7YavGwe6wHOYb8komBYJkM1ojQP/s400/Pawhuska+Merchantile.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The items found inside the mercantile are bright, cheery, and have a homey vintage quality. I was able to picture many of the items being used here on my homestead, but my budget didn't allow for many of the things that caught my eye. Prices here cater to the tourist crowd for sure, so save your pennies if you wish to shop. I was drawn to a set of salt and pepper shakers that depict Marie Antoinette. Her head is a salt shaker and her body the pepper. The head connects to the body via a magnet. Highly entertaining for the historian in me. However, the set was $18 and since I live in a tiny house I just enjoyed looking at them, but didn't bring a set home.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDw_rvsFN671OdrOl8s-z7cVchyphenhyphenrkIVWUe3pCuu91v-kTWtKh4iZPy-7LsS0rcptji8dKmHG6FMyPQIxPsiLmpRMW6jnEDpms8rUQte6dOhKqqcK0U7maMoZBNf5EEof9cnUNtVPWWV1n9/s1600/Marie+Antoinette.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDw_rvsFN671OdrOl8s-z7cVchyphenhyphenrkIVWUe3pCuu91v-kTWtKh4iZPy-7LsS0rcptji8dKmHG6FMyPQIxPsiLmpRMW6jnEDpms8rUQte6dOhKqqcK0U7maMoZBNf5EEof9cnUNtVPWWV1n9/s400/Marie+Antoinette.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marie Antoinette Salt and Pepper Shakers</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Another item I adored was a large pillow that is hand embroidered. The pillow depicts places and things in Oklahoma. I loved the look and understand them to be hand embroidered, however the $200 price tag made my breath catch. A girl can dream, but the price doesn't fit the budget so that bad boy cannot come live on the homestead.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="http://amzn.to/2q9UmfG"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMwcQOFBPbAsis6eiPjuuxSePQZUKCmQS8eL4Zx7D_GePiVrjmnKnSeOeSQ15AWPoXUv1-J0x5MSAURYFPAAuPgaHf-UO4hUv8TGY4U_YjWY5IK2IJhUte1Axv6Rh0OE4Cvg6CqRS-LPY2/s400/Oklahoma+Pillow+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://amzn.to/2q9UmfG">Oklahoma Pillow by Catstudio</a></td></tr>
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I settled on two kitchen towels that have a vintage style to tuck away in my granddaughter's hope chest. I thought they were very cute, and a just $6 each, they were budget friendly. I saved a copy of the menu which I fashioned an envolope out of to house the towels.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="http://amzn.to/2qJafho"><img border="0" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV09axoS76DnUGnMQuEsUWUxTpILfDkMG_BYZUhL6mKIg8J0HdA_zPD8YEy86EJ75xSS6_-AHl9lE9MkPlP5WmGqL1op4a9D9j8wRgSMBqoS72gXscsvEfOCKXoHbiQUPshJZWrdgLUnRQ/s400/Kitchen+Towels.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://amzn.to/2qJafho">Vintage Style Kitchen Towels</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The line to the restaurant was quite long, but the wait was well worth it. While waiting for our table, staff from the restaurant played some fun games with patrons to pass the time. One game had some plastic frogs and small cast iron frying pans. The goal was to get as many frogs into the pan as possible. It was quite windy this particular day and no frogs actually made it into the pan, but it was sure fun to watch.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnIoycW6cq4DCTP97iLmfSsR7tuq4j3mgTbMhEj3c1xPeGs3t0qH327gTCCmtI_jN-pn1fJExk9BiiIBohnBOyZ-TSPmFp2cXTiwHs32mJY-deXwBsk8V0rlZUawDCStDEqKmPH5noDsjL/s1600/Fun+with+Friends.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnIoycW6cq4DCTP97iLmfSsR7tuq4j3mgTbMhEj3c1xPeGs3t0qH327gTCCmtI_jN-pn1fJExk9BiiIBohnBOyZ-TSPmFp2cXTiwHs32mJY-deXwBsk8V0rlZUawDCStDEqKmPH5noDsjL/s400/Fun+with+Friends.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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Once inside we were seated at a table where two of the seats were part of a long couch along one wall. Assorted throw pillows supported our backs and frankly I could have sat there all day sipping lemonade and people-watching. Perusing the menu, I had a hard time deciding which of the delicious sounding dishes I was going to try. Prices were very reasonable. Eventually I settled on comfort food.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmYSaQB14aailjABTnetpqZBF0H844JAOPfnugIwNjDVg_5SaluzvvNB5_sf8y0RMpgnhJYo-vi4RPDE2BANKZTx3y2eMeu1CTEmvLH-PDPnZF5sKOhcZ7yT-IWsdzPSrvszYIG6fJKfo2/s1600/Fun+with+Friends+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmYSaQB14aailjABTnetpqZBF0H844JAOPfnugIwNjDVg_5SaluzvvNB5_sf8y0RMpgnhJYo-vi4RPDE2BANKZTx3y2eMeu1CTEmvLH-PDPnZF5sKOhcZ7yT-IWsdzPSrvszYIG6fJKfo2/s400/Fun+with+Friends+2.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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First I had the Caprese Salad. For those of you who haven't had a Caprese Salad, it consists of fresh basil leaves, mozzarella, and tomatoes drizzled with an amazing vinaigrette. It is a simple salad that is terrific for hot days. I cannot tell you how delicious it is, so I will just put some pictures up:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8qIZlOM3jE7hrkNoteA8ATdMIdsKMQGxLJn3BmhCdioRdySgzxxtGNQ5A8Er9ILp3_xCiwdmkeJ3FSI_JaRmyy6Fmwd7KS0jTcuoI0AOhJziFwA5zult1D6h1PsP8UmUUpYu8n8AoHpcU/s1600/Caprese+Salad+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8qIZlOM3jE7hrkNoteA8ATdMIdsKMQGxLJn3BmhCdioRdySgzxxtGNQ5A8Er9ILp3_xCiwdmkeJ3FSI_JaRmyy6Fmwd7KS0jTcuoI0AOhJziFwA5zult1D6h1PsP8UmUUpYu8n8AoHpcU/s400/Caprese+Salad+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKbZV6Qbv2d0CZzzNXhAysFfz1mKDorifo9o_mEXNMXi92XtTpbITqm3-mrwArlBIcIKUX6rDs5Itaf1Y4Sp7gVDDfEIa_1ipZ4dQ-ZiW9llf7PV3nm-NDXYZmsNfipFfDmb9k6UIVe0Af/s1600/Caprese+Salad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKbZV6Qbv2d0CZzzNXhAysFfz1mKDorifo9o_mEXNMXi92XtTpbITqm3-mrwArlBIcIKUX6rDs5Itaf1Y4Sp7gVDDfEIa_1ipZ4dQ-ZiW9llf7PV3nm-NDXYZmsNfipFfDmb9k6UIVe0Af/s400/Caprese+Salad.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Then for a main course I had the Grilled Cheese (not just any grilled cheese, but 3 types of cheese) and a thick and rich Tomato Soup. The sandwich was cut into strips for easy eating. The soup was delectably thick, I dunked my grilled cheese into the soup! There were actually more than two pieces of the grilled cheese, but I forgot to take a picture before I began devouring it! Oh my, words again cannot describe, so here are a couple more pictures to tempt you with:<br />
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The drive home from Pawhuska was lovely as we passed through many of the small towns along Highway 99 we had never seen. It was a nice way to end a long day. If you get the chance to visit The Pioneer Woman Mercantile be sure you wear comfortable shoes and brings some extra cash. I am pretty certain you will not be disappointed.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212993142780178197.post-9687290093201129332017-04-30T20:30:00.001-07:002017-04-30T20:30:07.342-07:00Tiny House Homestead Podcast 35<iframe style="border: none" src="//html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/5314356/height/75/width/200/theme/legacy/autonext/no/autoplay/no/thumbnail/no/preload/no/no_addthis/no/menu/no/direction/forward/tdest_id/145909/" height="75" width="200" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen></iframe><br /><p>To goat or not to goat, that was the question, a shift in thinking as well as Adventures and updates on Podcast 35. Join me on my journey! </p> <br /><p><a target="_blank" href="http://directory.libsyn.com/episode/index/id/5314356/tdest_id/145909">Check out this episode!</a></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212993142780178197.post-40646118417593226882017-04-24T21:11:00.000-07:002017-04-24T21:11:00.024-07:00Arbuckle Mountain Fried Pies Davis, OKIf you are traveling I35 and pass by Davis, OK (exit 51), you have got to stop and get yourself an Arbuckle Mountain Fried Pie. Located right by the exit (look for the dinosaur on the roof), fried pies are a tradition in this area of Oklahoma. Each pie is made to order with from scratch crust and fillings fried to a golden brown in peanut oil. I suggest going when you are nice and hungry because these delicious pies will fill you up and leave you bursting at the seams.<br />
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The history of the Arbuckle Mountain Fried Pies started back in 1893 when Nancy Fulton's grandmother fried pies as a way to supplement the diet of ranch hands during a particularly harsh winter. Nancy now owns the Arbuckle Mountain Fried Pie Company and maintains the homemade quality of her grandmother's pies. The traditional dough and fillings are still made from scratch on site. Standing in line you can watch as balls of freshly made dough are run through a machine to roll them out to just the right thickness. Then each circle of dough is slathered or filled with your choice of goodies. Pinched closed and fried in hot peanut oil for 4 minutes. Each pie is a delicious taste of Oklahoma history.<br />
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Don't be surprised to find a nice long line when you get there. They really keep the line moving, so the wait was not too bad. While standing on line you can choose what you want in your pie. You can have a breakfast pie filled with sausage, cheese, and egg or a portable pot pie style pie of chicken and vegetables. There are many more options to choose from.<br />
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I chose to have blackberry and cherry filling and I was not let down. The pie crust was delicious and the filling was piping hot. My friends chose to have a mini pizza style pie with pepperoni with cheese followed with their sweet treat of a peach filled pie. We were busting at the seams when we were finished.<br />
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The Arbuckle Moutain Fried Pie location in Davis offers gasoline, ice, soda, and ice cream too. The restrooms were also most welcome for our group since we had been on the road for a couple of hours by that point. If you are in a hurry or really hungry you can even call ahead to 580-369-7830 and order your pie so it will be ready when they get there.<br />
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So remember, if you are close to Davis, Oklahoma, you are close enough to enjoy an Arbuckle Mountain Fried Pie treat!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="450" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m14!1m8!1m3!1d13160.335940149957!2d-97.14165137042234!3d34.45001590301871!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x0%3A0x8e31463fa863ba82!2sArbuckle+Mountain+Fried+Pies!5e0!3m2!1sen!2sus!4v1492987717601" style="border: 0;" width="600"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212993142780178197.post-47472441803640032062017-04-23T12:40:00.002-07:002017-04-23T13:46:11.090-07:00The Magic of Magnetic Hill, Springer, OKA couple of cohorts in crime and I took a "girl trip" to southern Oklahoma this weekend. Driving along, Kelly said, "Hey, we should check out Magnetic Hill!" Not being from Oklahoma, I had never heard of Magnetic Hill. Kelly went on to explain that you drive to the bottom of the hill, put your car in neutral or turn off the engine, and some magical magnetic force will pull the car back up the hill. Heck yes, this is just the kind of adventure I am game to try out.<br />
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Magnetic Hill is actually Pioneer (Pitt) Road, near Springer, OK. Located just off Interstate 35 at exit 42 (Hwy 53). Head west on highway 53 and turn right (head north) on Pitt Road. South of the highway Pitt Road is labeled Pioneer Road. Drive north until just past the cattle gate on your right. You will be at the bottom of the hill. Check for traffic around you, put the car in neutral or kill the engine, and the car should begin being pulled back up the hill. Kristina clocked the car going in reverse on its own at greater than 5 miles per hour.<br />
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Of course we had to do it three times, just for entertainment. Then we turned the car around and tried it in the other direction, just for giggles. Sure enough, it worked that way too. I noticed the heard of cattle eating in the fields on either side of this stretch of road looked at us like they were quite used to these types of antics, which was also very entertaining.<br />
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Evidently there is all kinds of conjecture about what makes Magnetic Hill "magnetic" from aliens, to ghosts, to curses, to an optical illusion (being the well grounded sort, I vote optical illusion), however it was sure an odd feeling. Anyway, if you make it to southern Oklahoma and are looking for something diverting, check out Magnetic Hill. We sure had a fun time.
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212993142780178197.post-25970489696459722122017-03-05T15:47:00.000-07:002017-03-05T15:50:45.036-07:00Cookie Jar House Vacation<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQW-90rSjgQ3z9d0ecTNg5A_OYENkILbwUEnZ4yu2w7nuQnBl-ZFTSeD1UpwKAIJCsz_0pFRJA2MDr1XJL3QsR_I6srQskTliYUAfrBH_-hyXOH5gZjgsK7RUBFGN-snjX6-iGYH0d9rGU/s1600/Cookie+Jar+House.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQW-90rSjgQ3z9d0ecTNg5A_OYENkILbwUEnZ4yu2w7nuQnBl-ZFTSeD1UpwKAIJCsz_0pFRJA2MDr1XJL3QsR_I6srQskTliYUAfrBH_-hyXOH5gZjgsK7RUBFGN-snjX6-iGYH0d9rGU/s400/Cookie+Jar+House.jpg" width="300" /></a>I recently planned a vacation to go see my granddaughter for her 6th birthday, however she got to go to New York to visit her maternal grandfather instead, so I regrouped and chose to go to Philadelphia, my original home town. Being of a limited budget, I dialed up a relative and asked if I could couch surf. My cousin and his wife live in the <a href="https://www.blogger.com/(http://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/19338)">Cookie Jar house</a> , a unique house located in Glendora, New Jersey. Now if you are not from the east coast, you may not know that parts of south Jersey are like suburbs for Philadelphian's. The Cookie Jar house is a unique landmark and it is not uncommon to see folks driving by to snap a picture or two.<br />
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The house is deceiving from the outside, but is actually quite roomy. There are three levels and a spiral staircase runs up the inside. It was really cute. Out of respect for my cousins I did not take pictures of the inside, but I can tell you it is really cute inside too. However it would hardly would qualify as a "tiny house." I invited two friends, Sharon and Destiny, to go along on this adventure too. Neither friend had been to Philadelphia or New Jersey, so we really had a great time.<br />
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We drove from Oklahoma the first day and stopped in Tennessee for the night. We planned to spend the night at Destiny's sister's house on her couch. Destiny hadn't seen her sister in a long time, so they were super excited to catch up. We stopped in Memphis to visit <a href="https://www.blogger.com/(https://www.graceland.com/)">Graceland</a>. It was closed by the time we arrived, but in true fan style we stood outside the gate and took some pictures. I stared in wonder at the private airplane that is now parked across the street. How the heck did they move that monstrosity into place in the middle of congested Memphis? While we were in Memphis we also took a tour of the giant pyramid that is actually a <a href="http://www.memphistravel.com/trip-ideas/bass-pro-pyramid-memphis?gclid=CNfknOKvwNICFRa1wAod7wUKVg&gclsrc=aw.ds">Bass Pro Shop</a>. It was really cool inside with live fish in ponds and a restaurant on the top floor with an observation deck. We didn't have the time to go eat as there was quite a line, so we loaded back in the car and continued on our adventure.<br />
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We arrived at the Cookie Jar house around 3 am on Monday, February 20th. We immediately went to sleep and slept in until after 11 am! After finally getting up and about, our first day in Philadelphia we drove into the city and walked around. It was President's Day and a bunch of <strike>whiny ass bitches</strike> Trump protesters had the center city on lock down due to police presence. Police were everywhere. That meant we couldn't drive in to park close to City Hall, so we chose to park up by Elfreth's Alley and walk down to Market Street.<br />
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Side note, in case you did not know. <a href="http://www.elfrethsalley.org/">Elfreth's Alley</a> is the oldest continually owned block of houses in the United States. They were tiny row homes and every once in a while one or two will come up for sale. I used to dream of owning one someday. I just don't know if I could handle all the tourists trying to peak in my windows every day.<br />
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On Market Street we made a b-line for <a href="http://camposdeli.com/">Campo's</a>. Oh my goodness, Campo's makes the best hoagies!! A real Philadelphia Hoagie. And, just let me tell you, it was DELICIOUS! Located at 2nd and Market, you should definitely try them. Be sure to get cherry peppers on your hoagie too.<br />
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In addition to the hoagies, we ate delicious soft <a href="https://phillypretzelfactory.com/">Philly Pretzels </a>with dark, spicy mustard. There is no place in the world that makes a pretzel as good as Philadelphia. After some more site seeing the sun was setting so we headed back to the Cookie Jar.<br />
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Day two of our adventure,Tuesday the 21st, we discovered upon waking all the walking and the travel from the days prior had us quite bushed, so we hung around in New Jersey and hit a couple of Goodwill stores with my cousins. It is always fun to go to thrift stores in other states because the donated goods are often quite different. For example, I scored a whole set of Lenox spice jars ($20!!) and a diffuser shade needed for the vintage tole lamps I mentioned in a prior post. We also drove around and down to Riverton, NJ. There we saw the <a href="http://www.rivertonyachtclub.org/">Riverton Yacht Club</a> (first yacht club in the US ) and the century old mansions that line the Riverton River.<br />
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Day three, the 22nd, we drove out to <a href="https://www.nps.gov/gett/index.htm">Gettysburg National Military Park</a>. This was another full day of walking, but you could not beat the weather. It was a beautiful clear day with a gentle breeze and warm temperatures in the 60's. We walked the battlefield and read the displays. It was sobering to read how many fell during this battle and understandable why President Lincoln felt it so important to visit. Destiny and my cousin chose to go to the top of one of the memorials which was accessible by a tall staircase. That's her at the top with her arms out. Yes, she is kinda nuts. That was way too high up for my comfort and my knee told me climbing those stairs was not going to happen.<br />
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When we got back to town from Gettysburg we went to <a href="http://www.joescrabshack.com/">Joe's Crab Shack</a> to eat dinner. I had never been to one before. The food was good, but the drinks were divine. It was a fun evening, but my feet and knees hurt from all that walking and I was ready to go back to the Cookie Jar to hit the sack.<br />
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Thursday, the 23rd, we made our way back into the city via the train instead of driving. Sharon and Destiny had both taken public transportation in Germany, however they were interested to see what a Philly subway ride was like. I think both really enjoyed the ride. I was shocked at how little parking was available at the train station. We had to go all the way to the Lindenwald station to find parking. I guess most who work in the city are smart enough not to try to find parking or it is just too cost prohibitive. I know I wouldn't want that hassle.<br />
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Of course any time you are in Philadelphia you must visit the Liberty Bell. We had a great time taking pictures with this symbol of freedom. It is a shame you cannot touch it like you could when I was a kid, but you can still get up close and that is nice. We went and saw the first post office started by none other than Benjamin Franklin. We mailed postcards and letters home there because they still hand cancel at that Post Office. It is odd to consider it has been continuously operating since before our country became independent. You will notice no flag flies outside that office. It is the only Post Office in our country without a US flag flying in front.<br />
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We ate lunch across the street at the <a href="http://commonwealthphila.com/">Common Wealth Restaurant</a>. It was so good. I had a Smoked Turkey and Brie sandwich as well as Seared Scallops. I also had a really good local brew, but I cannot remember the name of it. All I can say is it was delicious.<br />
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After walking around seeing the sites, we headed to the <a href="http://readingterminalmarket.org/">Reading Terminal</a> to get Canoli and a Tiramisu for desert after dinner on Friday. My cousin had been planning to cook a dinner of Braciole and Pasta for us and of course we had to get the desert from my family bakery. We made our way back to the train and headed home. We were bushed, so along the way we picked up Cheese Steaks for dinner. Are you following the food theme? Ooh ya. This is what vacations are made of, lol.<br />
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Day 5, Friday the 24th, we were sad to find out Sharon's brother-in-law had passed away and we needed to wrap up our trip sooner than planned. We spent our final day running errands, doing wash, and preparing to go home. We made final stops at places Sharon and Destiny may never have a chance to see again. We ate at a diner so Sharon and Destiny could try Scrapple. There is nothing as good as breakfast at the <a href="http://www.pennqueendiner.com/">Penn Queen Dine</a>r on Route 130. We purchased foods we planned to bring home and foods we promised to bring back in order to get them in the freezer overnight. I bought Scrapple and Sharon and Destiny bought wonderful homemade chocolates from <a href="http://www.jamescandy.com/store-locations-bayards-cinnaminson">Bayards Chocolate House</a>. By the time we got back to the Cookie Jar, Ed and Nancy had cooked us dinner of Baked Rigatoni and Braciole and we gorged ourselves. It was sad to have to leave, but by 9pm we were packed, showered, and in bed to get enough rest to leave early in the morning.<br />
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We were up by 5am and putting all our things in the car. At 7 am we headed across the Walt Whitman Bridge one last time and drove through the quiet Saturday streets of south Philly. We had one last stop to make before heading back, the <a href="http://www.termini.com/">Termini Bakery </a>original location. Fresh Canoli and a cup of coffee were purchased and we were back on the road. We took a different route home so we could avoid tolls. We discovered tolls on the way to our trip had cost nearly $30. This time we knew we could skirt the toll booths and get to see West Virginia as well.<br />
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We passed through Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, and on into West Virginia. We decided to detour, get out and stretch our legs at Harper's Ferry, West Virginia. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harpers_Ferry,_West_Virginia">Harper's Ferry</a> is a neat little town for a couple of reasons. First off, you can see Three states from there: Virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland. Secondly, John Brown, a famous abolitionist, led a raid there. Thirdly, it is the home of the halfway point of the <a href="http://www.appalachiantrail.org/">Appalachian Trail</a>. I had dreamed of hiking the Appalachian Trail for many years prior to having broken my back in a car accident. It doesn't stop me from being green with envy for those that have completed the journey. We stopped in to see if Destiny could find some of her college pals who had made the journey and been photographed in the many volumes of hikers the Conservancy document each year. We explored Harper's Ferry a little bit, refueled, and were back on the road within an hour. I plan to go back at some point and really enjoy learning the history of the area more in depth.<br />
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Driving through some rain storms as we crossed Virginia, we made our way back to Tennessee and stayed the night once again with Destiny's sister. Reheating left overs of Braciole and Rigatoni, we ate and hit the sack. By 7 am the next morning we were back on the road. Tennessee, Arkansas, and finally Oklahoma zipped by quickly. We arrived back in Oklahoma before the sun set.<br />
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I was bummed for Sharon for the loss of her brother-in-law, and bummed our trip had to end, but I did manage to make some great memories and a couple of new charms for my bracelet.<br />
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Hmm, where to next?<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212993142780178197.post-15838243963603082222017-02-11T08:45:00.000-07:002017-02-11T08:59:42.667-07:00My Chicken Laid The Strangest Eggs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8sjHeHAwxv_SQ0em1zF9byrSIOZnI5q70ixNAui-KCXB7z8hUdKKDLgGs9UfYwyx2yLpZL5XM0o0RHgIjK9tylRgwu17yZJgdu-loRdXpcnjlFtO7MF1ZIi7Wxer8UIuYkOItQHEQl2c8/s1600/Wrinkled+Egg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8sjHeHAwxv_SQ0em1zF9byrSIOZnI5q70ixNAui-KCXB7z8hUdKKDLgGs9UfYwyx2yLpZL5XM0o0RHgIjK9tylRgwu17yZJgdu-loRdXpcnjlFtO7MF1ZIi7Wxer8UIuYkOItQHEQl2c8/s320/Wrinkled+Egg.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
Check out this very odd egg I found in my coop. Strange eh? Kinda looks like it is a little old man egg. My chickens recently began laying again after a sporadic December and January. It was both fascinating and alarming to find such an odd egg, so I immediately started researching what could possibly be going on with my hen. I had no idea, but turns out wrinkly eggs are a semi-common thing.<br />
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Wrinkly eggs have a couple of causes. The first can just be the age of the chicken. It is not uncommon to see an egg or two that is wrinkly. Most of the time the eggs that follow are normal. If your chicken is young, it is as though the chicken is working out the kinks in the reproductive machinery. On the other hand, as a chicken ages, the albumen will become more watery. When the albumen is watery, it is more difficult for the chicken to wrap the shell around it and the yolk. Wrinkled shells can be a result.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgqbImxvUDO6ta5jAf1r6GRFGUY1S5cPw6-tbeTUCmzQrgWqu5t_nKhwy5oN7-76hMy7sZW8GQ9IPz9r6oGvkGfn4EsOFN6n4aBs2PKJ65tNJjQDDXaRa-tIvP6Fjj6_0PlnyQo7VRM8zh/s1600/iman-1463262_1920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgqbImxvUDO6ta5jAf1r6GRFGUY1S5cPw6-tbeTUCmzQrgWqu5t_nKhwy5oN7-76hMy7sZW8GQ9IPz9r6oGvkGfn4EsOFN6n4aBs2PKJ65tNJjQDDXaRa-tIvP6Fjj6_0PlnyQo7VRM8zh/s320/iman-1463262_1920.jpg" width="182" /></a>Another frequent cause of wrinkly eggs is Infectious Bronchitis. Highly contagious, Coronavirus also called IB, is spread within the flock quickly. Chickens will cough, sneeze, rattle, and makes sounds like a baby with a bad cold. Chickens may even get watery eyes and seem droopy. IB damages respiratory, urinary, and gastrointestinal organs. The chickens will most likely recover from the virus, but will remain carriers of IB for the life. Wrinkled eggs may be all she lays from that point on.<br />
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Poor water quality can also contribute to wrinkled eggs. If you are feeding your chickens a healthy diet, including calcium and grit, are sure there was no IB in your flock, and still continue to get wrinkled eggs, look into water quality. Make sure to have plenty of fresh clean water available to your flock and plenty of shade during hot weather.<br />
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Oh, and no worries, while the wrinkled eggs may look odd, they remain safe to eat as long as there are no cracks in the shell. I wonder what they would look like dyed?<br />
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There are lots of causes of odd eggs.<br />
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<b><u>BONUS FREEBIE PRINTABLE</u></b>: <a href="https://www.alltech.com/">Alltech</a> (specialists in animal nutrition and health) created a very informative poster showing common eggshell issues and lists possible causes. You can download a copy to print for future reference <a href="https://www.alltech.com/sites/default/files/alltech-egg-shell-quality-poster.pdf">here</a>.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212993142780178197.post-44050255041587816792017-01-28T09:46:00.000-07:002017-02-04T17:06:29.894-07:00My Thrift Store Challenge<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWUsRh308PCFy29cGYfWLSGUHpneCvWeSuL-H89yv_3LpmyovoTw7kI51gsAH6ZaU5v93lKEzvry0O4WaPuU7x5Zv7CY6rqGt0tjZ-ZacGSsIZo47wVwzmKl9SsGbHr-f4wRGTiSgravDO/s1600/general-store-1933324_1280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWUsRh308PCFy29cGYfWLSGUHpneCvWeSuL-H89yv_3LpmyovoTw7kI51gsAH6ZaU5v93lKEzvry0O4WaPuU7x5Zv7CY6rqGt0tjZ-ZacGSsIZo47wVwzmKl9SsGbHr-f4wRGTiSgravDO/s320/general-store-1933324_1280.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Before I made my big move to live tiny in the country, I was a city/suburb person. I lived in big houses, bought the latest trendy crap, and dreamed of the "simple life." When I finally made the choice to jump in feet first and make my move, I started making lists. Lists of everything I thought I would ever need in a house. My lists were formed room by room. I mentally checked off everything at first, then I actually made paper lists. For example, a bedroom would need a bed, two dressers (long and tall), two night tables, two lamps, two changes of sheets, etc. You get the idea. I poured over catalogs, wandered in stores, visualized my particular style, and slowly began ticking things off the list as I purchased them. By the time I made my big move I had collected almost everything on the list.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiERlyxNPFF5t3LPmAGO0p0Ur2A9vYnKDzMHCf4997iaL62U1jp48PgRL4-5IK7oMNjX4B3OI-s6fy9Lyw-0mHLLPjcJzbc0-eCCq0KUYiSSP4m_L7DbhYyjMsE6_Sx4pvH_lJI8L2tFpMS/s1600/Lamps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiERlyxNPFF5t3LPmAGO0p0Ur2A9vYnKDzMHCf4997iaL62U1jp48PgRL4-5IK7oMNjX4B3OI-s6fy9Lyw-0mHLLPjcJzbc0-eCCq0KUYiSSP4m_L7DbhYyjMsE6_Sx4pvH_lJI8L2tFpMS/s320/Lamps.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two Lamps for $10.95. Score!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Over the years I had discovered I got great joy of finding an expensive item at a fraction of the cost on places like Craigslist, Goodwill, and thrift stores. I made a game out of it - a type of adult scavenger hunt, if you will. I got a rush and sense of personal victory never paying full cost for the things on my list. I made a commitment to buy the best, but never pay full price. I also like the idea of buying things secondhand because I feel it is more environmentally friendly.<br />
<br />
I went with a good friend thrift shopping on Saturday and scored two terrific vintage tole lamps for my new recording studio at just $10.95 for both. I also found some fantastic vintage oven pads someone's grandmother crocheted for just a dollar. But other than those two purchases, I didn't find anything I didn't already have or simply did not need.<br />
<br />
So here I am surrounded by the things I researched, coveted, and collected. But here's the weird thing: Now that I have all these things and the challenge has been met, I find myself kind of bored and miss "the thrill of the hunt." Shopping no longer seems fun. There are no pressing needs or personal missions with which to focus my nervous energies. I didn't realize how much I enjoyed those personal challenges. This got me thinking about setting up a new challenge for myself.<br />
<br />
I am setting up a "Self Sufficiency" or "Prepper" challenge for myself. I am going to scour Craigslist, Goodwill, thrift stores, etc. for items for the homestead that will allow more independence. Here are some of the items on my list:<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig6LNU7KjdMi5C-Q7O0s_jLV3pY3dZKrt6kPeIqEl-61nHmp8ebe_jkWFbzrRR94eXEMsDUdtnCEEW316s8-mBqn3YAxdFckxy3n0-Du3mpF1QTUw9NYc8ELVAqE0HruzjH6WBj0vGi6gI/s1600/grinder-710572_1920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig6LNU7KjdMi5C-Q7O0s_jLV3pY3dZKrt6kPeIqEl-61nHmp8ebe_jkWFbzrRR94eXEMsDUdtnCEEW316s8-mBqn3YAxdFckxy3n0-Du3mpF1QTUw9NYc8ELVAqE0HruzjH6WBj0vGi6gI/s320/grinder-710572_1920.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old School Meat Grinder</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<ul>
<li>Sausage/Meat Grinder</li>
<li>Grain Mill</li>
<li>Kitchen Aid Mixer Add On's</li>
<li>Cider Press</li>
<li>Cheese Press</li>
<li>Large Crocks </li>
<li><strike>Dehydrator</strike> 2/4/17 ($5 at thrift store)</li>
<li>Pasta Machine</li>
<li>Berkey Big Water Filter</li>
<li>Solar Cooker</li>
<li>Manual Crank Ice Cream Maker</li>
<li>Vintage Storage Baskets</li>
</ul>
<br />
I love an adult scavenger hunt. How about you? What are some of the things on your "want" list that you think you could find at substantial savings second-hand?<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212993142780178197.post-41604708461521941062017-01-21T18:48:00.005-07:002017-01-21T18:54:26.411-07:00Considering a Straw Bale Garden<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrkPkSvWQu9hzSazTdPkQIcMG_gXYKcgBHfafJ5uQotwhFJs46pAglIByS76fz48JGIMAkZNloIqMlv06fO5o589bk_1LDOrO2ScEQqyizU8Bdwjzy8Tm9cK8v3bTXgLkJC7OzVDOIc4JB/s1600/vegetables-752153_1920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrkPkSvWQu9hzSazTdPkQIcMG_gXYKcgBHfafJ5uQotwhFJs46pAglIByS76fz48JGIMAkZNloIqMlv06fO5o589bk_1LDOrO2ScEQqyizU8Bdwjzy8Tm9cK8v3bTXgLkJC7OzVDOIc4JB/s320/vegetables-752153_1920.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
It's that time of year again. The time when I pour over seed catalogs and dream of boundless harvests after an idyllic summer of warm sunshine and soft rainfall. I dream of a fantastic harvest of a wide variety of vegetables with visions of endless fresh veggies and plenty left over to preserve. If you are a homesteader or dream of being a homesteader, I bet you are doing this too.<br />
<br />
This year will be my 3rd summer in Oklahoma. On my homestead plan this is the year of the garden. I have a vision of how my garden will ultimately look, however my budget prevents me from buying the galvanized stock tanks ($70 each x 15) the plan calls for. I am not willing to give up my vision, so I decided to explore some other, less costly options until I then. <br />
<ol>
<li>I could grow my garden in bags. Yes, bags. This is a form of container gardening I have considered in the past, but dismiss because I don't like the look very much. </li>
<li>I could just slap together some wood and form some beds, but then I still have to fill them with soil (costly) and then when I am finished with them I will have to find a way to move all that soil. Not the way I want to spend my energy. Too much labor with too little reward.</li>
<li>Thirdly, I can use what I have on hand. I have lots of straw bales on hand. Bingo. </li>
</ol>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://amzn.to/2jCKFVD"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7utjIeTIIs8-XOK7P_iWvAhlGRiIPuStaO_XbpLiWqEYlbz8l1PEQVAGcfSepeXdvIDnLi9Xi3zDCqCCFu4IHDQW24dPmMKBnJGyWruNjb8Iu3mRp-2iJ6GWgivv-FSAgMtM0KGgDPUHj/s1600/51mZPk0UqZL._AC_UL320_SR250%252C320_.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://amzn.to/2jCKFVD">Straw Bale Gardens by Joel Karsten</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Straw bale gardening is a form of container gardening. You basically prepare your bales by fertilizing and watering, then when ready, just poke a hole into the straw, put some soil in the hole, plant your seed, and keep the bale watered and fertilized. The bale will decompose over time and the plants will flourish. Use good straw bales and you won't even have to weed! Mind you this is a very simplified explanation, but have no worries, I will explain the entire process with pictures when I begin. You, dear reader, can follow along on my adventure and we can see if it will work.<br />
<br />
Interested? Intrigued? Interested in trying straw bale gardening at your place?<br />
<br />
You can read a great article about straw bale gardening written by Mary Yee <a href="http://ahsgardening.org/uploads/pdfs/Straw_Bale_TAG_ND14.pdf">here</a> that gives a good overview of the process and has anecdotal information from the American Horticultural Society's attempt at a straw bale garden in Virginia.<br />
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You should also get a copy of Joel Karsten's book (he is the guy who wrote the book on this process <i>literally</i>) <a href="http://amzn.to/2jCKFVD">Straw Bale Gardens Complete: Breakthrough Vegetable Gardening Method</a>. This book is the straw bale garden bible!<br />
<br />
Currently I use my straw bales to insulate my tiny house against wicked cold winter winds, but soon winter will be over and I will drag the bales out to the open sunny spot where the garden is planned. I have 10 bales at this time and will pick up another 10. I figure 20 bales is a decent sized garden. By the way, 20 bales of straw is just $140. Fertilizer and a couple good size bags of garden soil is all I will need. How budget friendly is that?!!<br />
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Bring on Spring cause this gal is ready to grow stuff!<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212993142780178197.post-29264469061987066122017-01-08T11:41:00.001-07:002017-08-06T18:13:19.927-07:00Tiny House Homestead Podcast #34<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWQH5cwRyKbjDbr3Xk83E5kks3h0h1DOhCtCQZLsoYX5OM8yEroiZeh_24jjeqdIKfYPbPPZq6fGqVm7ImjtCPD1xme_DOmgXV5Rj7HYr_5T9BMkXDF31xGKFaFRcCF7aaz1Z6LtvTJYxj/s1600/Cat+Nap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWQH5cwRyKbjDbr3Xk83E5kks3h0h1DOhCtCQZLsoYX5OM8yEroiZeh_24jjeqdIKfYPbPPZq6fGqVm7ImjtCPD1xme_DOmgXV5Rj7HYr_5T9BMkXDF31xGKFaFRcCF7aaz1Z6LtvTJYxj/s320/Cat+Nap.jpg" width="240" /></a><iframe allowfullscreen="" height="75" mozallowfullscreen="" msallowfullscreen="" oallowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" src="//html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/4973127/height/75/width/200/theme/legacy/autonext/no/autoplay/no/thumbnail/no/preload/no/no_addthis/no/menu/no/direction/forward/tdest_id/145909/" style="border: none;" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="200"></iframe><br />
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<span style="font-family: "kg ten thousand reasons";">Podcast
Title: County Extension Service, Home Remedies for Ear Aches, and Farmer Barbie<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "kg ten thousand reasons";">Podcast
Episode 34 Show Notes<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "kg ten thousand reasons";">Welcome
to the New Year and the first podcast recorded in the new Tiny House Recording
Studio. Today we talk about home remedies for ear aches, the invaluable
resource of the County Extension Service, a great recipe for home made granola, and the oh so glamorous Farmer
Barbie. Welcome to Tiny House Homestead.<u><o:p></o:p></u></span></div>
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<a href="http://directory.libsyn.com/episode/index/id/4973127/tdest_id/145909" target="_blank">Check out this episode!</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212993142780178197.post-38786027436566034302017-01-05T22:20:00.001-07:002017-01-05T22:20:40.420-07:00Someone Shot My Dog<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRBh76m6NLMTIMKlzRJVNvILU-GHpcWyBrmMMz1rAzE02WZ1a8dxiWUuwIgXW3cskYtoVBP6mGckfdca0ndEhpgBR0CZI-Nd1-2C95JXjDoxTuTpDWQ-3bxUXHwqpfG_P2rs6IE-hO23Q3/s1600/IMG_1325.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRBh76m6NLMTIMKlzRJVNvILU-GHpcWyBrmMMz1rAzE02WZ1a8dxiWUuwIgXW3cskYtoVBP6mGckfdca0ndEhpgBR0CZI-Nd1-2C95JXjDoxTuTpDWQ-3bxUXHwqpfG_P2rs6IE-hO23Q3/s320/IMG_1325.JPG" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">His stature reflected his pain level.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I let my dog out at 7 am on Monday, January 2nd. I fed the goats and chickens and puttered around the homestead. Around 11 am I noticed Airies sitting off to the side of the house. Something just didn't look right. I called him over and noticed him favoring his front left leg. He cried and laid his head in my lap as I searched to see if something was stuck in his paw. That is when I noticed the puncture wound and a little blood on his left shoulder. I took him inside, cleaned up the injury and put some antibiotic ointment on the wound. It didn't look bad and wasn't even bleeding. <br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibuw1KS1Nq3DrNj6ODHfTmfGx0M2lmj3Cai4MQH3_-7DSX9QRWM6-6ElTiq8knjgYKMKAS1Yat9yreka7HQ-xRZdsE_iHPHdcCGuIeGfJ6ai-8-tRcO0YQFqjXt-Gfij9zWeZ6h8fDBsp6/s1600/IMG_1323.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibuw1KS1Nq3DrNj6ODHfTmfGx0M2lmj3Cai4MQH3_-7DSX9QRWM6-6ElTiq8knjgYKMKAS1Yat9yreka7HQ-xRZdsE_iHPHdcCGuIeGfJ6ai-8-tRcO0YQFqjXt-Gfij9zWeZ6h8fDBsp6/s320/IMG_1323.JPG" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">By the time we got to the vet <br />he was clearly not himself</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
He seemed to be doing ok at first, but as the day progressed I noticed he just seemed to lay around and wasn't his normal, spunky self. He looked so pathetic. He continued to favor his leg and cried out when he put pressure on it. I was getting very concerned. Even the way he would stand looked uncomfortable. Could he have gotten caught in a barb fence or maybe run into something hard enough to cause the puncture and maybe dislocate his shoulder? Getting annoyed with me fussing over him, Airies took himself to the lower pasture and just laid in the grass, continuing to look pathetic.<br />
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That night he cried out frequently and could not seem to get comfortable. After a very long, sleepless night, I called the vet and scheduled an appointment. Airies knew he was in for a visit to the vet because that is the only time he ever rides in the car. He looked torn between the pain in his shoulder and concern over the car ride.<br />
The vet took one look at the wound and said, "I think he got shot. Lets get an X-ray and take a look."<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Here is what the doc discovered: </div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIN_3nKJjEIQ-guOftLAKjVjObWRQJR3Iz847akhXF4Ub4-T64xJfzj1TeIg77pt5GJoGNrMLuJOzl7pm2QammHaXwwavaMwbr-vtlHhDGbeVADbbKckc-uwSNzvPbzNKqSmnbIw_g7oq4/s1600/IMG_1324.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIN_3nKJjEIQ-guOftLAKjVjObWRQJR3Iz847akhXF4Ub4-T64xJfzj1TeIg77pt5GJoGNrMLuJOzl7pm2QammHaXwwavaMwbr-vtlHhDGbeVADbbKckc-uwSNzvPbzNKqSmnbIw_g7oq4/s320/IMG_1324.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The X-ray revealed the bullet</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Can you believe it? I couldn't. Honestly, I was shocked. Yep, that is a 22 caliber bullet in his left shoulder. Thankfully the bullet did not hit bone. Thinking back over the morning, I didn't recall hearing any gunshots, however I live out in the country on a large tract of land. With a .22 I may not have heard it. but there are a couple of ways my dog could have met with the business end of a gun. </div>
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First, he could have been on someone else's property. Out here a strange dog on your property normally means your chickens or other livestock may be at risk. It is not uncommon for folks to shoot an animal threatening their livestock.<br />
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Second, it is hunting season here in Oklahoma. Because the bullet did not go further than through muscle tissue, it is possible it was a stray bullet. That thought is not very comforting either.<br />
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Finally, someone could just have been being mean and have shot him on purpose. I am certainly hoping this is not what really happened.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhakz10my2jyfJJ2GPh-n5Pa-bOxOiAlAxrXeCwdrKkT0Mn8J7JdOEx3FMBITf3dEV1UeljPvcmv-Q3M19K58yKExpk3azgYlKLwbB60AfFmupkHGXd09DhQnBjrSMZ6tzW4JFfB8sfgV2Q/s1600/IMG_1327.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhakz10my2jyfJJ2GPh-n5Pa-bOxOiAlAxrXeCwdrKkT0Mn8J7JdOEx3FMBITf3dEV1UeljPvcmv-Q3M19K58yKExpk3azgYlKLwbB60AfFmupkHGXd09DhQnBjrSMZ6tzW4JFfB8sfgV2Q/s320/IMG_1327.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Recovering at home</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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The vet said because the bullet is in soft tissue and did not damage any of the bone, the bullet will remain a souvenir of the time my dog got very lucky and dodged a bullet, so to speak. (Sorry, I could not resist.)<br />
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Three days of pain pills and a week of antibiotics combined with rest and Airies will be good as new. However, I have greatly curbed his freedom and now am securing him on a zip line when he is outside until I can afford to build him a dog run. Unless I can be sure he remains on the confines of my four acres, Airies will have to get used to the 70 feet of zipline he is allotted.<br />
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Airies has been spending a lot of time relaxing indoors as he heals. He even seems mildly irritated when I put hims on a leash to go outside. However, a good farm dog is invaluable and I don't want to see him come to harm. I consider my farm dog a member of my family.<br />
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Lesson learned ... the hard way.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212993142780178197.post-7664497728636572017-01-01T11:08:00.000-07:002017-01-01T11:08:03.947-07:00County Extension Offices: A Homesteader's Best Friend<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoP0Xz6DWD3z_hl-d64yqn_H5vV3LThyphenhyphenbP0jAg0Y-hOIIXH2NCkonHFwzTuDSXxH8y_z5ZQeDVWfDNkBEtYHzFLeIIvPZ-wpkhyphenhyphenPKxI1RhAcf_lTYf4oUpmdYRXJLbdRVUarAibTHsklsE/s1600/landgrantuniversitiesmap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoP0Xz6DWD3z_hl-d64yqn_H5vV3LThyphenhyphenbP0jAg0Y-hOIIXH2NCkonHFwzTuDSXxH8y_z5ZQeDVWfDNkBEtYHzFLeIIvPZ-wpkhyphenhyphenPKxI1RhAcf_lTYf4oUpmdYRXJLbdRVUarAibTHsklsE/s400/landgrantuniversitiesmap.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
For many of us former (or hoping to be former) city slickers, the purpose and role of the County Extension Office is somewhat of a mystery.<br />
Whether you live in the city, suburbs, or country, the County Extension system today is an invaluable resource available to everyone. <br />
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To understand the role of the Extension Service, you must travel back in time to the start of Land-Grant Colleges, commonly known as Land-Grant Universities today. Land-Grant Universities were identified by a state to receive the benefits of the Morrill mmActs of 1862 and 1890. The Morrill Acts granted Federally controlled land to the states to sell, raise funds, establish, and endow Land-Grant colleges.<br />
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In 1819, after the American Revolutionary War, the American Farmer encouraged farmers to report on achievements and their methods of solving problems. This forum was a popular way for farmers to exchange information on what worked and what didn't work. Being able to share useful, practical, and research based information made sense and caught on quickly.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3yR2Z3XXWkBc8OKYnSw_ZsKeA2cKO_4WMOxuuA__nRjZwF9yD9LGKItir11O7i5w6sQoVuiSGDkU_tqewE_iBzTriWA7izSXDXu9-Kjdnicmqeh-9acxnLZy-PbAdZlrOtXG7LNkeyieW/s1600/Girl+Canning.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3yR2Z3XXWkBc8OKYnSw_ZsKeA2cKO_4WMOxuuA__nRjZwF9yD9LGKItir11O7i5w6sQoVuiSGDkU_tqewE_iBzTriWA7izSXDXu9-Kjdnicmqeh-9acxnLZy-PbAdZlrOtXG7LNkeyieW/s320/Girl+Canning.jpeg" width="320" /></a>The mission of the Morrill Act of 1862 was to build Land-Grant institutions foucssing on teaching practical and useful agricultural, science, military science, and engineering skills to the population without excluding classical studies. This movement was in direct response to the Industrial Revolution and the evolution of the social classes. The first Morrill Act provided funds to allow educational institutions to study and develop scientifically proven methods for agriculture, science, engineering, and military science and then to share that knowledge with the public.<br />
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The Second Morrill Act of 1890 was aimed at the former Confederate States. The same principles and goals of the 1862 Act held, however new limits were imposed. The new limits stated the states benefiting from the Act could not consider race a criterion for admission or, if they did, a separate Land-Grant institution for people of color would need to be established. The states were granted cash instead of land for these new Land-Grant institutions.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS_NwNQyMMKA2_7syB-EbjUuanlWdDXsl-2XXAoSZuF9AeQIJCWMnO1YMfeCmS1Zpi-Y9Lp0IpoTqkoTvW0vJFXmdBGzDfWTnSoF2YkG1yvgnjdrUzS6lK4sLCZ85VJO0OA72HyCaw5TLp/s1600/Smith+Lever+Act.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS_NwNQyMMKA2_7syB-EbjUuanlWdDXsl-2XXAoSZuF9AeQIJCWMnO1YMfeCmS1Zpi-Y9Lp0IpoTqkoTvW0vJFXmdBGzDfWTnSoF2YkG1yvgnjdrUzS6lK4sLCZ85VJO0OA72HyCaw5TLp/s1600/Smith+Lever+Act.jpg" /></a></div>
Then in 1914 the Smith-Lever Act was a federal law establishing a system of cooperative extension offices connected with the Land-Grant universities which would be used to "inform on current developments in agriculture, home economics, public policy, government, leadership, 4-H, economic development, coastal issues, and other related subjects." This education would be in the form of "home instruction."<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBh885SVx09Bj2tDuTgNzhdEURwR4wxGQI7WZGkHB7l_WTtPHcewL9gRni0kkPqBldI8r9oK7u8Yr8_sFEHiax3OAN6EGoC3wVNAp1cy1MSmCQqcPw6a1s7b2V_0BTO197GzXMtQmJ4-l6/s1600/Women%2527s-Land-Army-1917.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBh885SVx09Bj2tDuTgNzhdEURwR4wxGQI7WZGkHB7l_WTtPHcewL9gRni0kkPqBldI8r9oK7u8Yr8_sFEHiax3OAN6EGoC3wVNAp1cy1MSmCQqcPw6a1s7b2V_0BTO197GzXMtQmJ4-l6/s320/Women%2527s-Land-Army-1917.jpg" width="209" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">By British government - Original publication: <br />
Poster in Britain in 1917-18*</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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There are 100 Land-Grant Universities. Some examples are Pennsylvania State University, University of Arizona, Oklahoma State University, University of Wisconsin, along with Rutgers (the oldest University to receive the Grant), and Iowa State (the first to receive the grant.) Every state has at least one Land-Grant University.<br />
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Extension offices really began to shine during WWI. During the Great War extension offices helped increase wheat production from 47 million acres in 1913 to 74 million acres in 1919. The Extension Service partnered with the USDA to teach canning, drying, and preserving of food. The Extension Service helped with war-time labor shortages by organizing the Women's Land Army and The Boy's Working Reserve.<br />
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Many, many programs have come from the Extension Service. One of the most well known is 4-H. 4-H is a youth development program that has served over 1 million of America's youth. Programs vary, but in my neck of the woods 4-H students raise livestock, grow crops, and learn public speaking. Extension Service can teach us to grow our garden, grow our lawns, manage our forests, control pests, learn to preserve foods safely, offer community gatherings, and much, much more. It is useful even if you reside in an urban or suburban environment.
Remember how you could just dial up your local librarian back in the day? How you could just dial up, ask a question, and get an answer? Your local extension office can do the same. The local extension office in your area will produce materials dealing with plants, pests, birds, game, basically anything in your area. They can help you identify that unknown mushroom growing on your tree, identify what pest is eating your prized tomatoes, and help you maximize the use of your land. If you are not utilizing their services, you don't know what you are missing. Get to know the folks in your county extension office. You won't be disappointed.<br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">*By British government - Original publication: Poster in Britain in 1917-18 Immediate source: http://www.rosiesworkwear.com/blog/?p=1327, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=48248817</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212993142780178197.post-37751518636140295542016-12-25T07:05:00.000-07:002016-12-25T07:05:29.903-07:00Brightest Blessings on You and Yours <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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