Surprise!

Thursday evening, March 20th, Pat and I were walking to the barn to do evening chores, when Pat says " Blackface has a baby!"  Sure enough the sheep we didn't know was pregnant as she was 10 years old and didn't have hers with the others, has a tiny little white lamb.  She was a 10 lb. 9 oz. little girl.  I named her Snow White.   Black Face was just talking like crazy to the little lamb and is extremely attentive to her!  It's sweet.  But as always Black Face only tolerated one day in the barn and then she kicks like a mule on the walls and gate of the lambing pen so we will let her out.  We hated to let her out as we had a cold spell arrive and the lamb hasn't developed a good fat layer yet but we had to.  I noticed that mama snuggles her little one up close when they lay down outside so the lamb can stay warm.  She is still very verbal and protective of her lamb.  I can't wait until it is really truly Spring and warm every day! 

The Meadowlarks Are Back

Yesterday, I knew it was Spring for sure now; because the meadowlarks are back!  It is so lovely to hear them sing.  I think it affected us more than we knew.  Pat plowed the garden and when he was done I slipped off my flip flops and walked in the dirt and it was really pretty warm.  The nights are still dipping quite a bit below freezing, however; so no planting quite yet unless I try peas.  I got the front flower bed raked and trimmed down.  Next I will need to do the back flower bed where the tulips are coming up thick. 

We are going to put a wood stove in the breakfast nook area to help heat the house this next winter.  so we had to move Pat's albino deer and case out to the shop for storage and we got that done yesterday, too.  Then, that evening we did the elastrator thing on all the little boy lambs.  Pat grabs them and I sit in a folding chair and hold them so Pat can put the elastrator band on their testicles, as all of them had dropped their testicles into their scrotums now.  They were all very good while I held them and it was amazing how big they had gotten since they had been born!  We must have done a good job as none of them laid down and acted in pain when we got done.  That always makes me feel better.  Because I hate to see my babies in pain! 

Now, it's Sabbath and I don't have any functions at church today; so, I am going to play hooky and let my sinuses drain and hack up the drainage when it makes me cough instead of taking cough suppressant and wishing I could curl up in the pew and sleep.  It seems to be Spring allergies already!  Now, for a little nap after breakfast!

Butternut Squash Rolls

Makes about 2 dozen.
375 degrees F. for 20-25 min.

1 pkg. dry yeast
1 cup warm milk and 1/4 c warm water (110-115)
3 T. softened butter
2 t. salt
1/2 c. sugar
1 c. mashed cooked butternut squash
5-5 1/2 c. flour, divided

In mixing bowl dissolve yeast in water and milk with sugar and let yeast work about 2 minutes, if yeast doesn't make foamy isles then throw away and get fresh yeast.  Now add rest of ingredients and 3 c. of flour.  Beat until smooth.  Add remaining flour as needed to make a soft dough.  Turn out on floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic.  Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top also.  Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.  Punch dough down and form into rolls on a greased pan and cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 min.  Then bake. 

These have a lovely color with the flecks of squash throughout.  So now you know what to do with extra butternut squash.  I package 1 c. of cooked squash and zip lock bag it in freezer and when I'm ready to make rolls, I nuke a bag until it is warm and then add it to the dough. 
 

First week of retirement over

Well, last week was my first week of retirement.  No other jobs than home, supposedly!  I was very good and assigned myself tasks for each day and marked them off as I did them.  Then Thursday I gave in and had a bit of fun learning how to make cool things with my newest toy, an envelope punch board.  Mine is from Stampin'Up (SU).  We Are Memory Keepers has one, too.  They work the same but WAMK has a blue punch button and scorer.  They not only make envelopes in whatever size you need but they make cute boxes and gift bags and other cutesy things.  I've been watching tutorials on You Tube and learning lots.  I wish I was getting commission on all the ones I've told people about who ordered them!  I've been with Close to My Heart (CTMH) for 6 1/2 years and I'm kind of wishing I was with SU.  Have been attending some classes for SU in Grand Junction with a friend and I really like the emphasis on tools that they are into.  I think CTMH is falling behind.  They, CTMH, is into the Cricut (an electronic cutting machine) but I really like the new thin metal dies to use with the BigShot.   This probably looks like Greek to someone who doesn't do all this stuff but you should learn, it is FUN!    Take classes, and if you don't like the teacher, find a new one.  Everybody has different ideas of what and how they are taught.  I've also found as a teacher that some students are not easy to teach and you may have to help them find someone else, put in a different class or teach them on a one to one basis or tell them goodbye.   As a student, I don't care as long as I get to learn new stuff.
 So, I have the grapes pruned, the asparagus bed cleaned and most of the weeds in garden in a big pile to burn.  I am once again re-arranging my craft room.  Will I ever figure out the right way to set it up so it will function at it's best?  I am trying to set up a beading area, plus a stamping, paper area to work with all my various tools and then there is polymer clay and good grief, I need a barn.  I have the counted cross stitch in the bedroom and the knitting and crochet in both the living room and bedroom.  Then there are the books and magazines I can't part with.  My obsession with cookbooks, is getting out of control, but I even like to read them, too, from cover to cover.
Today I had a class with a lady who is sweet and 82 but poor memory.  I'm relieved when it is over. 
Well, I'll bake buns tomorrow for hamburgers for supper.  Think I'll make the butternut squash ones.  Need to make cookies, too.