Goat Kids

Kidding season has also been keeping me busy.  As of this morning, our 2018 kid total is up to 51 with 4 more does due.  Thus far, we've had THREE sets of triplets, three singles and the remainder births have been twins  -  a very successful kidding season.

One set of our triples.  They are Nubian X Spanish. 

A GREAT story here.  As I was walking our heard and checking on babies, I saw this Spanish doe give birth to her second twin, the black one in the forefront.  The little brown Lamancha X Spanish on the right side was a triplet from another doe.  However, it was the runt and was having a difficult time keeping up with it's mom & siblings.  Also, it was not aggressive enough to push one of it's siblings away from mama's teat.  While this Spanish doe was cleaning her second twin, the little Lamancha X Spanish runt went over to her and began nursing.  This Spanish doe has officially ADOPTED the smallest Lamancha X Spanish triplet!  All three kids are growing and thriving.

I'm going out to count goats again ...

A Stainless Steel Counter Top

Two years ago we reconfigured the kitchen/laundry/dining area in our home.  After the reconfiguration I had two cabinets leftover.  I decided I wanted to turn one into a small mobile kitchen island.  Thus, I attached heavy duty locking casters and painted the backside with black chalk board paint, which has been terrific for our younger house guests.

When I converted this cabinet into an island, I knew I would never be able to match our black with silver specked granite counter tops.  But since our appliances are stainless steel, I decided a stainless steel counter top would be perfect.  Not only would it match the color scheme, it would also reflect light, especially during the darker winter months we experience up here on the Montana prairie.

Have any of you ever tried to find a company or person to make a stainless steel counter top?  If so, I hope you had more luck than I did.  I searched for over a year and finally accepted that I'd have to compromise with a white and gray veined marble or granite ... not my first stainless steel choice.  I procrastinated and procrastinated in ordering the alternative selection.

I can honestly say I think this is the first time in my life procrastination worked in my favor!  While at the cafe one morning I decided to look and see how the legs of our stainless steel work tables are attached.  Pleasantly I  found that they are not welded to the stainless steel tops.  An Ah Ha! moment occurred.  Upon my return home, I went on-line to a restaurant supply vendor, ordered a stainless steel work table that was the perfect size for my little island.  Done deal!  And, since we live on a working farm, I'm sure we will find a use for the table legs ...

Landscaping with Mrs.A

We moved to Montana seven years ago.  Yup, it's been that long, can you believe it?  I hardly can ... time simply goes by too fast.

When we bought our place, our yard had nice green grass, but not any landscaping.  I've wanted to add some nice low maintenance landscaping to our yard every since we moved here.  Mr.B doesn't care, of course.  As a matter of fact, he always asks, "Why are you always so worried about the appearance of our place.  We live in the middle of nowhere.  Neighbors are not judging our landscaping.  They can't even see it!"

He misses the point.  The landscaping is for MY enjoyment.  If I wanted to impress my neighbors, I'd live in a sub-division within 2 miles of a Wal-Mart; not 65 miles out in the middle of no man's land.

Well, after seven years of my own unsuccessful attempts, my amazing sister, who maintains the most eye catching landscape at her own home, designed a beautiful, low maintenance rock garden for the front of our home. This inspired me to carry the theme to the north side of our garage, which is what one sees upon exiting the house everyday.

DRUM ROLL ....

BEFORE:

Note:  I drug the leaky stock tank up to the house and set it in front of the windows, because I wanted Mrs.A to incorporate it into the design.

AFTER...TaDa!!  

We filled the stock tank with soil and planted sunflower seeds with the goal of the sunflowers growing up to provide shade to these south facing windows during the hottest months. Mrs.A also selected a Lilac bush, which grows very well in our zone 3 climate.  The lilac will also grow, fill out and provide shade to the corner east and south facing windows during summer.  I love that she also selected white marble rock to compliment the white trim on the house.  It also helps the native rock border stand out.

THE GARAGE

Only the water barrel containing the hostas' was sitting under the garage window.  But now, it is surrounded by its own rock garden.

The only purchases we made were the metal pheasant, seeds, lilac bush, a few flowers for the pots and the white marble rock. The "yard art" and planters were things we had already collected from our out buildings and such.   Beautiful, low maintenance and economical!

I no longer frown and wish I were more creative in the landscaping arena.  Instead, I now derive great joy in seeing the front of our home when returning from the barn or looking at the garage area when walking to our vehicles.

Thank you Sis!!

Hi, My Name is Mrs.B & I'll be Your Server Today ...

Hello all my blogging friends!  I hope you all have experienced many blessings during the past few months.  I know I have.

Blessings and Inspiration has been my motivation to create another Blog, "Standing in Front of Your Table" .

Whereas "Her Peculiar Life" focuses on my personal journey, "Standing in Front of Your Table" will focus on the various people I meet through my work at the cafe who inspire me.

I hope as I share, you will be blessed and inspired as well.

I encourage you to check out my new blog, "Standing in Front of Your Table" .  AND please tell your friends about it too.

"Where Oh! Where Has That Little Dog Gone?"

She's been abandoned and has no one to help her !!  Not really ... but throughout the past year our life in Eastern Montana has been rapidly changing.  So much so, I can hardly keep up.  As most of you know, Songbird has flown the coop and gone off to college.  This summer she decided not to come home but, instead, go to Billings for work.  Farmer Boy is headed off to military school in Dillon.  With those two gone, Mr.B and I are now solely responsible for all our farm work. Of course Mr.B still works out of town most of the time and I continue to work at the local café three days per week.  Talk about a busy life!

As busy as my life is (no time for boredom around here), I've still managed to squeeze in some fun and a few projects.  I'm not going to share about the projects today, but I am going to share about the FUN!

My darling sister, Mrs.A, is now an empty nester whose children, like ours,  are scattered across the U.S.  That's why she takes an annual Mother's Day trip.  AAAND because I'm her most favorite person in the world, she often squeezes in a few days at our home.  We had the most WONDERFUL visit.  I can not express how much I love having her with me.

What did we do? We went on a day hike in Theodore Roosevelt National Park!  We had so much fun and I, of course, never tire of the beautiful landscapes of the Western North Dakota & Eastern Montana badlands.  Making the trip even more enjoyable; Mr.A joined my sister on her trip this year & our Middle Child was also home for a visit.

I hope you enjoy the photos!



 

My BEAUTIFUL sister outfitted in her professional hiking gear.

 

Mr.B didn't want to "hike", so he accompanied us via horseback.

 

Down in the canyon looking up at the gorgeous striations in the rock formations.

 

Mr. & Mrs. A enjoying the unique scenery & cool temperatures.



 

Me in my paradise!

 

Yes, that's a buffalo ... No, they are NOT friendly.

 

My sister, the pro hiker ... me, the "let's just go do it" hiker.

 

Middle Child atop the vista!

Mrs.A, Mr.A & Middle Child overlooking the majestic Missouri River.

I'll be back soon with photos of the lovely landscaping project Mrs.A designed for our home.  Until next time ... 

He Showed Up After All ...

We enjoyed such a warm and extended autumn, that folks around here were beginning to wonder if Old Man Winter would show up at all this year.  Well, last week he did.

 Last week our snow storm brought us single digit and below zero temps.  Our high on Christmas Day was 2 below.  Yep!  Old Man Winter has shown up, taken his boots off, and it looks like he plans to stay a while.

"You can take a girl out of the south, but you can't take the south out of the girl."

Although I no longer live in the south, I continue to practice quite a bit of the unwritten southern hospitality etiquette.  One of the many unwritten southern rules pertains to hostess gifts.  Not only taking one when invited, but also giving one to departing guests.  In the south, the only thing more important when attending as a guest, or receiving guests, is the hand written, snail mailed thank you note.

I've mentioned numerous times that hostess gifts need not be expensive, it is genuinely the thoughtfulness that matters.  This year, I found a brand new, unopened package of 12 mini stockings at my favorite thrift store for only 50 cents!  I've filled them with a few candies and placed them in my sparkly blue bowl next to the mud room steps where they are handy to pass out to departing guests OR quickly grab as a little hostess gift when going to another home. 

Peanut Butter Cup Pie

If you'll remember back a couple months I announced that I've taken a part-time job at our local café.  Although I was hired as a waitress, our owner has been gracious enough to allow me to also bake pies and cook soup & the daily hot plate special on my scheduled work days.

The following peanut butter cup pie has quickly become a local favorite and I thought I'd share the easy recipe with you just in time for your Christmas celebrations with your families. 

If y'all try this, I hope y'all like it as much as our local towns folk do.  Merry Christmas!

Peanut Butter Cup Pie

Pie Crust:

30 chocolate sandwich cookies, ground into crumbs

3 Tbsp. melted butter

I use a food processor to grind up the cookies. After the cookies are ground into fine crumbs,  I then add the melted butter while the processor is still whirling.  Once mixed, pour the buttered crumbs into a GREASED pie plate.  I use the bottom of a dry measure cup to press the crumbs into the bottom and up the sides of the plate.  Bake crust at 350 degrees for 5-8 minutes until set.  Allow to cool completely before filling.

Filling:

1 c. smooth peanut butter

1 8oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened

1 1/4 c. powdered sugar

1 8oz. tub frozen whipped topping, thawed

Using a mixer, combine the peanut butter, cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth.  Mix in the whipped topping until combined very well.  Pour mixture into the cooled pie shell.  Smooth top.

Topping:

2 Tbsp. chocolate syrup

1 pkg. peanut butter cup candies, chopped

Drizzle the top of the filling with chocolate syrup.  Top with chopped peanut butter cup candies.  Chill for 2 hours before serving.

Makes 8 slices