Grocery Store Podcast

When I was teaching Nutrition classes at Christ for the Nations in Dallas, Texas, I would schedule field trips with my students. We would tour the closest grocery and a local health food store. It was fun to walk up and down the isles carrying our note books and taking notes on what not to buy. We made store managers nervous.  I encouraged my students to ask questions and make comments to the store personal.  They were not always glad to see me coming in with a new batch of students.

In the next few weeks, I will begin a series of Podcasts that will be on our web site and on YouTube. The podcasts will be  a “talking tour” of an average grocery store. My plan is to pass on valuable information that will promote a healthy life style and save money on the food bill. There will not be any store managers to annoy, but I think it will be fun anyway!

March 12, 2010   Posted in: Kitchen  No Comments

The Mail Box Bomb

I have had some of the weirdest phone conversations lately.  They come from all over the states. Some are entertaining – others are just  strange.

I get calls about the Bosch Universal and Nutrimills and Berkey water purifiers that I sell on the country store page of the web site. It is fun to chat about bread making and share some “cooking info”.  Numerous calls come in about the puppies. We have been blessed raising the Great Pyrenees dogs and I love to talk about them.  Sometimes, people need someone just to listen to their problems.  At other times, I get to pray for serious issues facing my brothers and sisters in Christ. My sons call me and share the happenings in their lives. This always makes my day!

One of the calls that was really different was from a friend who shared some local news.  When I ask her about what was happening in her life,  she shared some interesting details.  Since we live in the country, we have the country type mail boxes out by the road. Sometimes, folks leave items in each others mail boxes, rather then drive in the drive way.  My friend shared with me her story of something left in her mail box. It was a summer sausage left as a gift from a neighbor. She thought it was a BOMB and called the Sheriff.

Nothing much ever happens around here, so this was a big event. My friends was laughing about it when she told me the story. At the time, she did not think it was funny. The sausage was bomb shaped and wrapped in black tape.

Go Figure!

March 11, 2010   Posted in: Contemplations, Uncategorized  No Comments

Seeds in the Dirt

I just finished watering my plants and seeds that are growing under special lights in the basement. The little tomato plants have four leaves and are standing about three inches tall. The marigold seeds have just started to sprout. Other seeds, like the pumpkin, squash, and cucumber seeds are still buried in the dirt. You would never know they were there unless I told you about them.

I watered the plants that are up and I watered the seeds in the dirt.  I moved the flats around so all of them could spend today under the bright grow lights.  When you look at the dirt, with nothing coming up, it takes a certain degree of faith to keep on watering that dirt. It takes belief that something will eventually happen to keep on moving them under the bright lights.

My prayers are like those seeds. Some of them have been answered and I can see the results. Others, remained buried. No one except the Lord and me, even know they are there.  Nevertheless, I will continue to believe that the answers will come. I will keep them watered with faith and the truth of the Scriptures.

It is written: “To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven.” Ecclesiastes 3:1

March 10, 2010   Posted in: Garden  One Comment

We Are Making Movies

Next Saturday, we will be making a new video for the Milk and Honey Farm web site and YouTube. Bob gets to be the director and chief camera man and I will talk. The real stars will be the puppies.

The story line will concern getting the Pyr pups ready to go to their new homes.  I have friends in the cities who like to come out to the farm for their “puppy fix”.  They love to wash, brush, cuddle, and play with them.  We will set up a washing station in the kitchen sink. There will be a blow drying station on the kitchen island. There will be several brushing areas. The pups will be passed from person to person and from station to station.  I will be the last station where I will give the pups their first series of puppy shots and worm them. All puppies need worming – they eat disgusting things.

Bob will take a still photo of each puppy. Getting them to pose for these pictures is a challenge.  The still pictures will be put up on our puppy gallery on the web site.

It is a huge help for me to have my friends come out and help. I am thankful for the extra hands.  This year, we decided to film the event. It is really fun to have a kitchen full of puppies and people who love them.

March 9, 2010   Posted in: Great Pyrs  No Comments

Dog Breeder Steals Pictures of My Pyrs

I went on line to look for other breeders of Great Pyrenees Dogs. What should I find, was a breeder in Texas who had stolen pictures of my dogs and put them on his web site. He has put up a pictures of Gracie as a puppy. She is now five years old. He also has a picture of Bella, who passed away over a year ago. He is misrepresenting his dogs by using my pictures.

My husband reported him to the web site publisher. I hope something will be done. This type of thing is illegal and annoying.  It is really sad!!

March 8, 2010   Posted in: Great Pyrs  One Comment

Hot Dogs in Minnesota

I just listened to the nightly news. I am disgusted, to put it mildly. The broadcast people spent a lot of time discussing how upset Minnesota was about the  changing shape of hot dogs at the ball games.  In great detail, they described  how unhappy Minnesota was about the new shape of a hot dog.  The new shape has caused all types of complaining, griping, e mails and phone calls.

The people who complain should spend some time in Haiti. I think that might get things in proper prospective.

March 8, 2010   Posted in: Contemplations  No Comments

Pups Getting Ready To Go Home

The Great Pyrenees puppies will be going to their new homes in about two weeks.  I have many puppy things to be done before then. The people on my puppy waiting list need to be called and appointments set up.  Some of these folks will be traveling from out of state, so they need time to schedule a “road trip”. The pups need to have their first series of puppy shots. Their AKC papers need to be filled out. Puppies eat disgusting things, so they will need to be wormed.  Their toe nails will be chipped  and each one will get a bath.

Each day, they are becoming more and more socialized. They like the barn cats and the other adult Pyrs who patrol the barn and pasture.  They love me, and come galloping out when I call them.  That is probably due to the fact that I always bring food.  Pups love to have their bellies scratched. Next to food, it is their favorite thing.

Bob will be taking puppy pictures in another week. The pictures will be posted on our puppy gallery on the web site.  It is interesting trying to get everyone to pose for the camera.  One year, I put Christmas bows on their heads and tried to get them to pose under the Christmas tree. It did not work so well. They ate the bows and knocked the tinsel off of the tree.

I will miss them.

March 5, 2010   Posted in: Great Pyrs  One Comment

Planting Flowers

There is snow covering the ground, icicles hanging from the roof, and I am planting flowers.  The vegetables that grow in my garden feed me, but the flowers feed my soul.  I have been planting flowers all morning. They will germinated quickly under the grow lights in the basement. The flats of flowers will be moved to the little green house in late March. They will be planted in the main garden in early May. I will plant them  in the herb and vegetable rows. It makes for a happy place to work.

I really like  hanging baskets of different kinds of flowers. The only problem, they are expensive. Several years ago, I decided to plant my own hanging baskets.  There are 12 baskets that hang along the side of the back porch. Each one will contain a variety of flowers and green things.  Last year, I planted parsley in with the flowers to fill in the spaces. They were so pretty, I will do it again this year.

The bees like my flowers too. It is amazing that I have never been stung. I do not wear gloves, and  handle the same plants where the bees are working. They seem to know that I won’t hurt them. Maybe they know that I am the one who planted the garden.

The snow is still on the ground. However, it is melting. The mud puddles are growing. Spring is close. My flowers will be ready to make the big garden beautiful.  Even thinking about them, makes me smile.

March 4, 2010   Posted in: Garden  No Comments

Speak Up America

The United States of America was founded by brave people who were not afraid to speak up and stand up for what they believed. Many of the issues that our country is having now, are caused because  good people are silent.  They are fearful of what others will think of them. It is called “fear of Man”.

I can’t do anything about those people.  What I can do is to speak and write about what I believe is truth.  I really don’t care what anyone thinks about me. I have lived too long to let it be a concern.

My husband, Bob, who does all the technical work on the web site, told me this morning that I have had 2,5oo people check in on my new Blog since January 1st.  This is really exciting !   I write about ordinary stuff  like our country life at Milk and Honey Farm. There are blogs about my garden and the puppies.  I write about  the government, the economy, our lambs and chickens, and good food.  I write about my faith in God.

With this in mind, there will be a scripture verse with each new Blog.  Loving the Word of God, and not being ashamed of it, is a free way to live. I am standing up and speaking up. Maybe it will catch on.

March 3, 2010   Posted in: Contemplations  No Comments

I Love Mud

Ice is a health hazard.  We have solid ice running from our back door, across the drive way, into the front pasture, and up to the barn door. To get to the barn kennel and feed the puppies, I have to navigate that mess.  In my right hand, I carry a ski pole to help keep me balanced on the ice. In my left hand, I carry a big basket containing three quarts of milk and various dog treats.  In the pocket of my jacket, I carry a cell phone. It has occurred to me, that if I fall, I may need help in getting up. That ice is hard.

The first few years after moving here from Texas, I used to fall a lot!  I would be walking along, minding my own business, and suddenly end up flat on my back, looking at the sky. It hurt. I am getting better at the slide, shuffle type of movement that helps keeps me from slipping.  The ski pole helps the balance.

The good news is that the ice has begun to melt. The three foot long icicles on the roof are dripping.  The big snow man is shrinking before my eyes. His head melted and fell off yesterday.  I can actually see the top six inches of my picnic table. It was completely covered and buried in snow.

The next interesting season in Minnesota is approaching. It is called the season of MUD!  The ground will thaw and spring rains will usher in  mud.  My big white Great Pyrenees dogs will turn brown. The drive way will be full of mud ruts made by the car tires. My “mud room” will extend into the  kitchen and down the basement.  Boots will be left outside, socks will be taken off in the hall way, and bare feet will leave footprints on the floor.  I will wear out another mop trying to keep the kitchen free of mud.

The mud will replace the ice.  I can safely make it to the barn, each step sinking  into six inches of mud. I will be able to say that I survived another winter of Minnesota ice. Never having  appreciated mud before moving to Minnesota,  it is now one of my favorite   things.  It announces the beginning of spring.

I love MUD!

March 2, 2010   Posted in: Contemplations  No Comments