Grubbing Firewood

Wow. Mom and Kim have bought this ranch called the Indian Creek Ranch. What an amazing, beautiful place it is. Teaming with plants and wildlife. Live water, venomous varmits, loads of firewood, mesquite that is, Hank would fit right in. We now have cattle, lots of them. Big, black, pregnant cows. One cow even had a little brown, bull calf, then she died. Seems like she may have been in labor during shipping and died from the stress, because she didn't want to have her calf on the trailer. So sad, and yet beautiful to watch an experienced mother die to bring her calf into this world, alive and healthy. He is precious. He takes 3, yes 3, bottles a day. He name is Bucky. Chase is attached.
The other cows have split up a little. Some have gone "down in the bottom" where the creek is. We think 2 of them may be close to having their babies, so they are looking for a safe spot. Some have congregated up near the house. They are having to figure out how to survive in the rough. A few leaders have emerged, #2 and #5, so we think these girls may have what it takes.

This last weekend also holds the record, first deer shot by Chase Steelman. It was a doe, 100-125 lbs.. The meat is put up in the freezer and the pelt is going to get processed as well as the skull. Chase will get a plaque in the den at the ranch house, with the skull. 5th deer shot at the Indian Creek Ranch, yeeeee haaaaaaaaawwwwww.

We are now talking about taking some faithful, elderly campers (RV's that is) out to the spot in the bush near where Chase shot the deer. Fixing them up and making an official Hunt Camp. No wildlife is safe in Hall County. Maybe, just maybe, I might post some pics.

Oh, and BTW, we grubbed a pick up bed load of firewood. The best we've ever seen, and Mama helped.

TTFN

My Poor Blog

So neglected. So ignored. So mistreated. Yet, every time I return, here you are. Waiting patiently for me to hit "new post" and babble on about something. I try, oh I really do try to have good blogging intentions. Someday, oh yes, someday I will be a consistent blogger. I guess until then, I will just continue to be random and sporadic.

Since my last post (last year) we have embarked on a couple of new adventures. One being, dirt bike racing. Yes, it is as dangerous as it sounds. I draw on the Lord for strength because I refuse to allow fear to cause me to stifle my child and what he is passionate about. We have tried all the team sports and nothing has invoked passion in him except for dirt bikes. So, be it.

So, today Chase had two very large, permanent teeth pulled. As we are just days away from top braces. He has to have two bottom teeth pulled as well. We decided to break it up so as not to be too painful and sore at one time. Pics to come when he is officially a "brace face." Chase, like many kiddos, is very excited about getting these braces on. Daddy and I know that the newness will wear off and he will despise them, just like the rest of us did. However, with the astronomical amount of money that the things cost, it is nice to have him excited about getting them on. There is just something about being a member of the middle class and taking care of my child's teeth. It is just part of it, which brings me to my next point........

Soooo, I get this from time to time. Compliments on my combination of cooking and tightwaddery, and yes, that is a word. Invented by me, Queen Tightwad. I will have you know that being a high maintenance tightwad is a lot of work. Anywho, back to business. With Chase having two gigantic teeth pulled this morning, I mean the roots were bigger than the teeth, YIKES, I (having had a bowl full of cooked chicken meat in the fridge) suggested homemade chicken soup. He, loving this soup so, quickly agreed that that would be great. This compels me to post my homemade (term used loosely) chicken soup recipe:
You will need 2 pots.
Boil 3 c. water in one pot, drop in 6 chicken broth cubes, a tbsp real butter, and 4 or 5 stems of thyme.Now, there is a trick to thyme, let me share. First of all, grow it. It is the easiest herb to grow. Snip a few sprigs off the plant with scissors. Once you've snipped off the stems, hold the stem by the little floret on the end. Press stem between pointer finger and thumb nail and pull it through, so as to strip the tiny little leaves off the stem. Flick the leaves into the soup.
In the other pot, prepare by package directions the pasta. I usually use rotini, but any shape will work, use whatever you have on hand. Once it is cooked, drain, return to pot and drizzle with olive oil.
Now, cut/chop cooked chicken and drop in soup.
Spoon a serving of pasta into a bowl and ladle soup over pasta. I keep the pasta and soup separate. It keeps the pasta from getting mooshy.
Since I buy the chicken cubes in bulk from Sam's, I can cook this meal in about 12 minutes for less than a dollar per person and my bunch loves it. We always have a green salad with it. Delish.
So there you go.