Memorial Weekend!

For us, Memorial Weekend is considered the official start to our summer.  Whether we are ready or not, whether it has been hot or cold, the community around us changes and begins three months of a seasonal way of life.  Summer residents return, docks and boats are back in the water, lawns are green and require mowing, restaurant hours lengthen, and the highways and roads become way too inefficient for handling the amount of traffic that is present.  It is unbelievable how many cars can be on the road at any given time.  At first as the summer begins, it can be an exciting time.  Then before long, we find ourselves avoiding being on the roads at all and by August we find ourselves impatiently waiting for Labor Day weekend to come when we get our community back again.  It is a great money making time for businesses but it is a trying time when trying to carry on with normal life.  I find myself avoiding going to town unless I can go early in the morning.  Nevertheless it is here and we are ready for summer to begin.

Memorial weekend, like some of the other holidays, brings a bit of uncertainty for me.  I remember Mom and Dad almost always planned a cookout or something that involved getting together with someone, whether it was family or friends.  To some degree, I feel like I should do the same.  I would love to have a cookout every time there is reason to do so but I don’t always have the time I’d like to have to prepare.  I feel some obligation to have a cookout because I assume Dad would still like to be part of it.  He and his wife are no longer of an age that they can easily entertain and I don’t blame them.  They are both in their mid 80’s!  This year, the weather forecast doesn’t look conducive to having a cookout so I’m not sure if we will be able to do it or not.  I’m not really looking for more to do since the days of planning the family wedding are flying by.  We will see though.  Maybe Sunday would be a better day to do something.

As I remember the men in my family that have served in the different branches of the military, I am extremely grateful for the freedom we have.  I am greatly saddened at those who are fighting to remove those freedoms.  They have absolutely no comprehension of the consequences they are facing if they continue to push for the very things that give up the freedom they are living in.  Just the fact that they have the freedom to speak up and say what they are pushing for, does not come from anything other than the fact that many gave their very lives for the freedom of speech.  They are free to “speak” their mind about the flag because someone died to give them that freedom!!  They freely “speak” of getting rid of the flag or anything else that represents their freedom to speak!!!  Am I making my point?  Are we stupid or what??  Oh, don’t let me get started;  I’m thinking those who don’t love this country and the freedom we have been given, should be required to live elsewhere as well as required to serve in the military, on the front lines, just to help them understand a little more about what it is exactly that they have and are wanting to give up.  Enough said for the moment.  I love what this country was founded on.  I love what this country stands for.  I don’t like the corruption that exists and I believe it should be corrected.  I pray always that the truth be known, that the truth will always set us free.

I hope your weekend is blessed.  I hope you are able to reflect on family and friends. I hope you are able to live in freedom.

Be back soon!

Desarae

Found It!

This is Quacker Jacks, our free duck, given to us a few weeks ago.  He/she was kept in the porch for a while until graduation day when we moved him to the chicken coop.  Since being in the coop, he is forever getting out and wandering around the barn, the barnyard, and the yard.  We have stopped putting him back in the coop now that he seems to be old enough to find whatever it is he’s looking for.  He finally found the pond!  I was just surprised he didn’t jump in.  I thought he’d be so excited to swim!  Maybe he thinks he’s a chicken?  I’m sure I’ll find him in the water before long.  I’m anxious to find out whether or not ducks eat Rose Chafers.  Since it is the one destructive insect we deal with and I struggle to find a solution aside from chemicals which I refuse to use.  I am hoping to find the duck feasting on them.  If so, it would be worth getting more.  It has been suggested that I get Guinea hens.  We had them at one time and they didn’t seem to want to stay in the yard.  I listened to a talk about Guineas at the Mother Earth News Fair and learned that they are a bird that prefers to be in a flock of at least 12-14.  That isn’t for me.  I guess they can be trained to stay around but it takes more time and effort than what I’m able to give.  So…….a duck wandering around is easier and the kids think it’s great.  If it likes Chafers, great.  If it doesn’t, the bags I used last year seemed to work very well and I will continue to use them either way.

Today was the bridal shower for my niece whose getting married in only three weeks!  Things are coming together for the wedding.  There is much that can’t be done until the last week before the wedding but it still needs to be planned and thought through so that decisions are made and we know what we are doing when the time comes.  I have a couple of things to finish on the dress and I will make her veil longer, saving her much as far as cost.  This week will be phone calls and collecting things that will be needed, maybe even a trip to the venue.  It is a very nice barn that has been converted to a party venue.  We are excited at how it is all coming together.

I have had a couple of people contact me, asking about being part of our herd share for milk this coming fall.  I’m looking forward to it.  I’m also amazed that this Jersey girl is giving a little more milk than she was a few weeks ago.  I think the green pasture is making her happy!

It has been a rainy day, all day but as the evening progressed, the rain stopped and the hills behind us looked like little mountains with the fog hanging over the trees.  It is beautiful no matter what the temperatures are, at least from a warm cozy chair!

Hope your weekend was calm.  Here comes the new week!  Be back soon.

Desarae

A Favorite!

I remember as a little girl, sheltered as I was, thinking I had to color pictures of flowers either pink or red or yellow.  Certainly not blue!  Even though blue was my favorite color, I had never seen a blue flower and as a child, figured there was no such thing.  Well, thankfully I grew up.  Thankfully my experiences were broadened and I found blue flowers to be beautiful.  These are one of my favorites; Lobelia.  There are a couple other color choices in it’s family which are also pretty.  I can’t say that there are many other “blue” flowers that I like but these are so dainty and bright.

We are so slow to warm up this spring.  In some ways I’m thankful.  It helps that I’m not under quite as much pressure to get things done outside with temps being cooler.  Until our niece’s wedding is over, the time spent outside will be minimal.  Last night we did another wedding gown “try on” to check the length and a couple other adjustments.  I will add another layer to the veil since that is what she really wanted but decided not to spend the money for.  I already have what I need to do it so it won’t take too much time (I hope, I hope).  No, it’s not my first time making a veil.  There’s really not much to them.

There’s not much else I will be actually making for the wedding but the rest of what will take place is so much mental planning and being ready to put things in place when it comes time.

Today was spent shopping for a few things, a little grocery shopping, and a couple of errands.  Daughter #1 made a quick decision to come for the afternoon.  It was good to be with her and all of her ladies.

Time to go to bed.  Another day is gone.  Too much to do tomorrow and this woman needs sleep.  Sorry the blog is a little bland today.  Maybe the next one will be better. Hope your day was productive and peaceful, filled with a calm joy.

Later,

Desarae

 

Strawberry Salad Dressing

So good and refreshing, this homemade dressing is, as well as good for you!  A while back I had purchased a couple bottles of salad dressings that sounded good.  I think one was a basil flavor and the other was a raspberry.  When I got home and put the groceries away, I noticed the oil on top of the dressings.  When I read the ingredients on the bottle, I couldn’t make myself put the bottles in the refrigerator.  Instead, I poured the oil off the dressing and replaced it with Avocado oil.  What a world of difference this makes in the nutrition of the dressing.  The other day, daughter #3 asked us all via text, if we had any ideas as to what she should do with the fresh strawberries she had been given.  In the course of our Four Sisters conversation giving recommendations, daughter #1 suggested this salad dressing recipe.  What an easy and tasty dressing!  It was so easy it only took five minutes to make and pour into the bottle.  Like always, I changed the recipe some to suit my own preferences.  Here’s what I did:          STRAWBERRY DRESSING                                                                                                  Eight med. to lrg. Strawberries cleaned, hulled and sliced                                                        4 Tbsp Maple Syrup (honey can be substituted)                                                                                                                        4 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar                                                                                                                     8 Tbsp Avocado Oil    (Olive oil works too)                                                                                                                         2 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar                                                                                                                     Salt & Pepper to taste

Blend all together until smooth.  You may add more syrup, oil, or vinegar to get the desired thickness.  Bottle and store in the refrigerator.

I hope to try making all of my own dressings from here on out.  I love salad and to me the dressing is what makes it a great salad.  I believe other fruit could be substituted for the strawberries such as peaches or raspberries.  I may even try a basil version!

I hope you try this and enjoy it!  Be back again.

Desarae

 

Cow Experiment #3

How frustrating to get this whole post written, only to discovered that the iPad didn’t save it when it came time to finish it and send it off.  😦

This is the third Cow Condition I wanted to share with you.  At different times during warmer months, our Jersey girl will develop this patch of black on the back side of her knees.  It is not a wound, an open sore, or a cut of any kind.  It does not drain fluid or infection.  It simply looks like this and again, I am left to investigate.  I have yet to find another person with cows to tell me that they have seen this before.  Again, I treat it with anything I can think of to get it to go away.  I have used antibiotic ointment, my homemade udder salve, and iodine spray, and my homemade parlor cleaner which is simply alcohol and essential oils diluted in water. The recipe is in the Cow Experiment #1 post.   I have found the spray cleaner and hand sanitizer to work as well or better than anything else I’ve tried.  I forgot to mention that the hand sanitizer worked well on the udder issue as well; Cow Experiment #1.  This coming season, if she develops this issue again, I will also try the Colloidal Silver on it.  It is expensive but it won’t hurt her and if it works, I will know it is a problem caused by bacteria, yeast, or a virus.  Either way, if it works, it’s worth the cost.  Once again, this is something that doesn’t seem to irritate her but I  am motivated to find the cause and the best treatment.

May the sun shine in on your day.  I shall return!

Desarae

Cow Care/Experiment #2

Good morning!  Since I don’t have a picture of Mastitis (I know you don’t mind), I share this photo of little Ella Roo (Ella Kaye), checking out the roses in the flower shop of the Grand Hotel.  Our little preemie is really growing.  She is walking all over, talking, climbing, and making us laugh.  Certainly a blessing after all she went through as the little one pound, 12 oz. preemie she was 20 months ago!

My second topic mentioned in my last post is Mastitis.  Mastitis is something quite common in cows.  If any of you ladies have nursed your babies and experienced it, you know it’s no fun.  One of the first signs of it in a cow is what appears to be tiny fibers in the milk strainer.  The milk can be off color as well but not always.  A more mature and serious case can have what looks more like milk clots or strings.  This is one of the reasons for always filtering the milk.  In fact, we filter the milk in the parlor as it is being poured into the jars for storage.   If this is not convenient, I would recommend using a strip cup to test the milk from each quarter before milking. This way you can see if there is any questionable milk before pouring it all together in containers.

When treating Mastitis, we try to avoid the use of medications when possible.  The conventional treatment for Mastitis is antibiotics just as it is for humans.  In fact you may be told that Mastitis cannot be cured without antibiotics.  This simply is not true in our experience both in cows and in humans!  We have treated Mastitis successfully without antibiotics.  If I were to find that a cow had a serious case of Mastitis where the cow was running a fever and had not been given any natural treatments, or had been given natural treatments but was getting worse, I would definitely call my vet and seek the proper antibiotic.  I’m not anti antibiotics; I believe there is a time they are needed.  If however, you are watching everyday and checking for any signs of Mastitis, you can catch it in time to have natural treatments work very well.  We have dealt with both mild and more severe cases.  When caught soon, we test the milk with the “California Mastitis Test Kit” which can be purchased on line.  There is also the option of sending a milk sample to a lab for testing.  To do this, I would talk to your veterinarian for a recommended lab.  If we see the first signs of Mastitis, we begin to give our Jersey girl granulated garlic.  Garlic?  Yes, garlic!  And she likes it!  We give her about 3-4 tablespoons mixed into her 2-3 cups of non-gmo chop which is a ground grain mix.  Cows don’t need grain and weren’t really created to eat much grain but we like to make coming in to be milked, a pleasant time of the day as well as it is a good way to give her such things as garlic.  If she weren’t wanting to eat her grain because of the garlic, I would add a little powdered molasses.  Garlic is a natural antibiotic.  I have also found it to be effective in my homemade udder salve.  Another helpful ingredient that can be put in an udder salve for treating Mastitis is Cayenne Pepper.  It stimulates blood flow which helps to speed healing.  This can be very helpful when dealing with Mastitis.  It is also important to keep the milk flowing in the affected quarter.  It may be necessary to milk the affected quarter three or four times a day if it is more serious or getting worse instead of better.   Another treatment that can be done along with garlic and udder salve is hot compresses and massaging the udder.  Another natural treatment I would do before using antibiotics is Colloidal Silver.  It is an antibiotic but because it is natural, it does not kill the necessary good bacteria in the gut.  I would give her an oral dose as well as insert a dose directly into the teat with a syringe made for this procedure.  I have not had to do this with our Jersey girl but I believe it would be the next step before using antibiotics.  We have known Colloidal Silver to be very effective on Mastitis in nursing moms.  As always the important thing is to purchase a high quality Colloidal Silver.

A quick salve can be made by putting a crushed garlic clove in 3 or 4 tablespoons of olive oil.  Allow this to steep for half an hour.  While the garlic is steeping, warm 1/4 cup coconut oil just enough to melt but do not overheat it.  Add 2 tsp Cayenne Pepper and a few drops of Tea Tee oil.  After removing the garlic clove from the olive oil, pour the two oils together and mix well.  Pour into a small plastic container.  (Plastic is best for our situation so we don’t end up with broken glass if dropped on the cement floor).

I hope this helps.  It can be scary when an animal has something wrong but it need not be.  I will be back with Cow Care/Experiment #3.  Have a sunny day!!

Desarae

 

Cow Care/Experiment 1

First, here is another Mackinac Island picture.

To many farmers or homesteaders (which I consider myself neither), our Jersey girl probably looks like she has no milk but she is still sharing her wonderful unadulterated nutrition with us after calving in October of 2017.  My people who have enjoyed getting milk from us are really missing it at this point as we are using up what she is producing, just within our family alone.   I have had no knowledge of cows prior to owning her.  I’ve learned much just by reading and listening to those with experience, before buying her.  Anything else has been learning by “hands on” day to day living.  This can be scary when something goes wrong but over time, I’ve also learned it’s usually not as bad as I may think it’s going to be.  We are fortunate that Jerseys are docile and that she was already accustomed to being a milk cow.  She was also a healthy cow that had been tested and cleared of some basic bovine diseases that are common.  Never the less, there are things that are common problems we’ve had to deal with, mainly the problem of the condition that happens to the udder when she first lactates after calving.  Another is Mastitis. There is also a condition we deal with that I know no name for and have not been able to find any information on, which I’ll talk about as well.  On any given issue we have dealt with, I am not wanting to sound like an expert.  I can only share our experiences and what we have found to work.  To keep this post from being too lengthy I will share about each condition individually, so this will be the first post.

The first condition is what happens after calving when her milk has come in.  It has happened each time now and I have yet to find a name for it in all of my reading.  It is caused I believe, from the udder swelling but from there I am not sure.  A dark scab-like patch will appear inbetween the front two quarters towards the front of the udder.  If not kept under control, it will spread and get larger.  The veterinarian once told me that it might be “Udder Rot”.  What??  That sounds awful!  I did my research and from what I gathered, it is not Udder Rot.  Needless to say, I was left to try finding a cure without knowing if it is a bacterial problem, a fungus, or whether it worsens with moisture vs. from being dry.  I tried as many home remedies as I could think of .  The first year she had it, I didn’t feel as though I had made any progress in treating it successfully.  Because it looked like a scab, I tried to keep it moist which I think allowed it to worsten.  I tried to keep it clean and as the scab would come off in pieces I would try to keep the new flesh clean and soft.   Some of the things I tried were: antibiotic ointment, iodine, my homemade coconut oil salve, and anything else I could think of.  Catching the start of it as soon as possible seems to be key in keeping it under control.  The second year she calved and it appeared, I tried some of the same things.  It didn’t get as bad but still I didn’t feel like I had found anything that really worked.  The third year she calved, it started again.  I decided to use the homemade spray cleaner that I make for wiping down the parlor work top.  It is simply 1 part water, 1 part rubbing alcohol, a dash of dish detergent and a few drops of Tea Tree oil.  Other oils could be used as well.  I don’t know if it is my imagination or if she just didn’t have as bad of a case but it seemed to really keep it under control.  I’m thinking that the cleaner actually had a drying affect as well as antibacterial.  This year if it happens again, I will probably make a stronger spray and include anti fungal properties.

Next post I will share our experiences with Mastitis.  Thanks for reading and hang in there; Spring is sure to brighten up eventually!

Desarae

A Beautiful View

Our weekend ended up surprisingly different than normal.  Hubby needed to go check on a job that happened to be on Mackinac Island!  Rather than describing the tourist destination, I will let you look it up on line and you can read much more about it than I can easily take the time to write.  It is a historic park and very interesting.  I grew up going to the island as a child because my grandfather drove carriages for the Grand Hotel as well as drove taxi and tour carriages.  It was a fun day when we went to see Grandpa.  He would meet us at the boat dock and if he were driving for the Grand Hotel, he would be all decked out in his uniform.  Grandpa was so handsome.  I remember his red coat, white shirt with a black bow tie,  white gloves, white pants, black riding boots, and a black top hat.  The horses were beautiful with their black harnesses trimmed in silver and a red feather plume on the top of their heads.  Grandpa loved his horses.  It was obvious even to me as a young child, that they were his pride and joy.  To go back to the island as an adult, I have such an appreciation for the memories.  There were a few years when for some reason, the carriage drivers didn’t wear uniforms and as someone who knew what the uniform used to be, it was very disappointing.  There was not the same respect present that a uniform commands.  Some of the pride I had always carried was gone.  Fortunately in the last years, the uniforms were brought back and today the respect has returned.  I remember at the end of the season, Grandpa would bring us horse shoes and the red feather plumes from the harnesses.  The horses used for pulling are work horses so the shoes are large, hard, heavy rubber to help the horses keep from slipping.

I remember going to the island with Grandma.  We stayed with a lady who had a cottage there.  I remember feeling as though I didn’t sleep at all because of the fog horn sounding off all night long.  When the fog horn wasn’t blowing, Grandma was snoring and it seemed like the longest sleepless night of my life.  It is amazing, the peace that comes over me when I hear the clopping of the hooves on the pavement, the blowing of the boat horns, and the silence that hangs in the air due to the lack of modern industry and traffic.  This time of year is even better since the shops are not open and the crowds of tourists have not yet arrived.

We stayed at the Grand Hotel which dates back to the 1800’s.  For the most part, the hotel decor is whimsical with much color.  Many antiques and historical artifacts are displayed throughout the main lobby.  The halls are lined with photographs from generations of people throughout the years who have visited.  The history of the hotel is fascinating.  I have a project to work on before the end of the summer.  The manager at the carriage house is interested in the pictures I have of Grandpa in his uniform, driving the carriages.  He would like any copies I am willing to make so they can be framed and hung in a collection for visitors to see.  I look forward to donating them and seeing them hang with the others.  I’m sure I will post about it when I get the project done.

That’s all for now.  I hope you read up on Mackinac Island.  I will return soon.  Thanks for reading!

Desarae