Piglets and Signs of Spring

Hello there,
Sorry for my hiatus, I kind of got a bit of writers block. And I had to talk Dad into letting me use his computer, since the laptop I was using is kind of really retarted, which gets a bit frustrating after awhile.

Anyway, enough of the excuses.

Well, we have been getting alot of "Spring-like" weather, which has been very nice, and has also made the peach trees bud, and the apricot tree blossom. Bad news is, we are supposed to get some freezing temperatures on Saturday night, so I hope that maybe that changes over the week, because that would kill our fruit blossoms. We also got some tomatoes in the ground yesterday, which don't stand up well to freezing weather, either.

We have been blessed with 2 litters of piglets recently! Sow #1, Bitty, had 13 piglets last weekend, and I was there with her when she delivered them, which was an exciting experience. And sow #2, Peggy, had seven piglets, with only 2 surviving males left. They are fat and sassy little boys, too, with all the surplus nursing time. Peggy has turned out to be not such a great Mama Pig, because she is super aggressive towards us and a bit careless toward the piglets. Bitty is Super Mom, though, she is friendly and gentle, and is a lot more careful around her little piggies. She also has a history of very large litters. I will be a bit sad when she gets to old to reproduce, because we have never had a breeding sow quite like her before. She really is a blessing.

I am down to one Californian rabbit. I sold the others to a lady in Brownwood. I am still looking for a Cinnamon breeder close by, but have only been able to find young 4H student who has them only sporadically throughout the showing season, and is a bit too far away for the trip to be worthwhile, especially if I can only get one or two at a time. So, still looking around and seeing if I can find a good deal somewhere.

Today is Orange Day, a day that all the community wears orange instead of Catholic green. We wear orange in support of our Protestant brothers in Ireland. Tonight we will have a little get together, and there will be orange cookies, carrots, oranges, and all other manner of orange snacks. We also call our own little holiday "Ain't Catholics Day". Because it is not Saint Patrick's Day. Of course, I got up this morning and just put on my work dress, and realized at the breakfast table that it was green! Oops! The children all laughed at me, something they love to do.

Kate, our milk cow, is getting closer to her calving time, and is following her instinct, and trying to kick me off her milk. She doesn't really understand why I am so persistent, and she steps around, and moos, and gives me this look that says "Go away!". But we still have a few more weeks before we have to dry her up. So until then I will continue to go out there and chase her down and tie her up and milk her. I hope she will calm down about it, because she doesn't have much choice.

I have learned to make sour cream, yougurt, and cream cheese, which have all passed Dad's taste testing. Next on the agenda is ice cream, per the children's request. Any tried and true recipes would be much appreciated!

Well, I must go and start on some laundry. Happy Orange Day,

Tracy