I took these first pictures of Ms. Ping in February 2010.
Two years later, she is still so cute, and as friendly and curious as ever!
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| Ms. Ping all grown up! |
February 29, 2012
Ms. Ping
Two years later, she is still so cute, and as friendly and curious as ever!
February 28, 2012
What's the date?!
I keep looking at my daffodils. Today the first flowers were beginning to bloom! And it isn't even March yet! So strange and yet wonderful!
"Even the wilderness and desert will be glad in those days.
The wasteland will rejoice and blossom with spring crocuses.
Yes, there will be an abundance of flowers
and singing and joy!
The deserts will become as green as the mountains of Lebanon,
as lovely as Mount Carmel or the plain of Sharon.
There the LORD will display his glory,
the splendor of our God.
With this news, strengthen those who have tired hands,
and encourage those who have weak knees."
Isaiah 35:1-3
February 26, 2012
February 24, 2012
Winter grays
I feel like my posting lately has been few and far between. I think winter lulled me into a state of pathetic-ness. Although it hasn't been a very cold and dark winter here in PA, I still feel like winter has gotten to me.
I wonder if it is a psychological thing. We know it's winter, and even if it isn't all snow and cold, we still feel like blah (at least I do). Although, the two colds that I've had, haven't helped anything. They've just made me feel sleepy and in a daze. But hopefully I am over the worst of that now.
So this morning I felt like not being lazy and took my puppy for a walk, even though it is a gray, misty day. It has been way too long since I've enjoyed physical activity outside and taken any photos.
I wonder if it is a psychological thing. We know it's winter, and even if it isn't all snow and cold, we still feel like blah (at least I do). Although, the two colds that I've had, haven't helped anything. They've just made me feel sleepy and in a daze. But hopefully I am over the worst of that now.
So this morning I felt like not being lazy and took my puppy for a walk, even though it is a gray, misty day. It has been way too long since I've enjoyed physical activity outside and taken any photos.
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| Thank you DeLaval for the goofy hat with a hole for my pony-tail. |
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| Rye in the winter |
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| The daffodils are a little confused and very early! |
February 23, 2012
Happy Birthday Blog!
I put up my first post a year ago today!! I hope I can keep this up for many years to come!
February 19, 2012
February 17, 2012
Harmony
Psalm 133
1 How wonderful and pleasant it is
when brothers live together in harmony!
2 For harmony is as precious as the anointing oil
that was poured over Aaron’s head,
that ran down his beard
and onto the border of his robe.
3 Harmony is as refreshing as the dew from Mount Hermon
that falls on the mountains of Zion.
And there the LORD has pronounced his blessing,
even life everlasting
This is what I read this morning. I thought it was very fitting for the farm, but also for all of life. If we don't try to live in harmony/unity here, how will we ever succeed? Unity is a beautiful thing that God blesses!
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February 14, 2012
Valentine's Day
I'm going to be honest, Valentine's Day is probably my least favorite holiday and always has been. Maybe it's because I have memories of getting sick after eating too much candy that one time. I think I've been more careful since then when I eat candy.
1 John 4: 7-19 shows us what real love is:
1 John 4: 7-19 shows us what real love is:
7 Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. 8 But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
9 God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. 10 This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.
11 Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. 12 No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.
13 And God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us. 14Furthermore, we have seen with our own eyes and now testify that the Father sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 All who confess that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. 16 We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love.
God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. 17 And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world.
18 Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. 19 We love each other because he loved us first.
February 8, 2012
Yummy homemade yogurt
This is what we do to make yogurt.
What you will need:
Milk
Thermometer
Yogurt starter (plain or vanilla yogurt with active cultures)
We use our own milk that the cows make here on the farm. We like to make a lot at one time because we love it! So we fill 2 big kettles almost full of milk (but not too full or it may overflow once you add the yogurt starter).
Then you heat the milk on the stove top until it reaches 185 degrees F. Once it reaches that temperature, take it off the stove and immediately place the kettle in a cold water bath. We have a two compartment sink in the kitchen so we like to switch the water out once it gets warm. Cool the milk to 110 degrees F.
Take it out of the water bath and add 2 cups of yogurt starter, which is just plain yogurt with active cultures that be buy from the store or use from the last batch of yogurt that we made (other recipes don't use as much starter, but we think it might make the yogurt thicker. But that isn't always true, it's just what we like to do). Stir in the starter. Place the kettle in the oven with the lid on it, and turn the oven on to the "Warm" setting or 170 degrees F. When the oven is done preheating turn the heat off and let the yogurt sit for 6-8 hours. It has to be warm and dark for the cultures to turn the milk into yogurt so don't open the oven door too much and don't leave the oven light on. Reheat the oven every 2-3 hours (so 1-2 times), but do not leave the oven on for a long time or it can kill the cultures.
We find that it may take longer than 8 hours sometimes. Once when we made yogurt, we had it in the oven for about 20 hours (but that's because it should have been ready in the evening and it wasn't so we left it in overnight just because we didn't feel like cleaning everything up that night, but in the morning it had made yogurt!)
Once the yogurt is made, whisk it to make it smooth and stick it in the fridge to cool, and once cool, enjoy! You can add flavored gelatin, fruit, granola, jelly or jam, or make yogurt pancakes or muesli (I might get around to putting up a recipe for yogurt pancakes and muesli some time).
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| Yum! |
What you will need:
Milk
Thermometer
Yogurt starter (plain or vanilla yogurt with active cultures)
We use our own milk that the cows make here on the farm. We like to make a lot at one time because we love it! So we fill 2 big kettles almost full of milk (but not too full or it may overflow once you add the yogurt starter).
Then you heat the milk on the stove top until it reaches 185 degrees F. Once it reaches that temperature, take it off the stove and immediately place the kettle in a cold water bath. We have a two compartment sink in the kitchen so we like to switch the water out once it gets warm. Cool the milk to 110 degrees F.
Take it out of the water bath and add 2 cups of yogurt starter, which is just plain yogurt with active cultures that be buy from the store or use from the last batch of yogurt that we made (other recipes don't use as much starter, but we think it might make the yogurt thicker. But that isn't always true, it's just what we like to do). Stir in the starter. Place the kettle in the oven with the lid on it, and turn the oven on to the "Warm" setting or 170 degrees F. When the oven is done preheating turn the heat off and let the yogurt sit for 6-8 hours. It has to be warm and dark for the cultures to turn the milk into yogurt so don't open the oven door too much and don't leave the oven light on. Reheat the oven every 2-3 hours (so 1-2 times), but do not leave the oven on for a long time or it can kill the cultures.
We find that it may take longer than 8 hours sometimes. Once when we made yogurt, we had it in the oven for about 20 hours (but that's because it should have been ready in the evening and it wasn't so we left it in overnight just because we didn't feel like cleaning everything up that night, but in the morning it had made yogurt!)
Once the yogurt is made, whisk it to make it smooth and stick it in the fridge to cool, and once cool, enjoy! You can add flavored gelatin, fruit, granola, jelly or jam, or make yogurt pancakes or muesli (I might get around to putting up a recipe for yogurt pancakes and muesli some time).
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| Enjoy! |
February 2, 2012
Happy... Birthday, not Groundhog Day
Happy birthday to another member of the farm family, Grandpa! Last year in the 70's, turns 79 today!! And is still as active and energetic as ever!
February 1, 2012
Myth vs. Fact: Milk and Dairy cows
Check out this great post on some common misconceptions about the dairy industy put together by the "Dairy Goddess". Click on the link below.
Dairy, Milk and Cows: Myths and Facts
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