Hinds Feet on High Places

This seems to be the season for knocking heads, as Levi (18 months) gave himself a huge goose egg between the eyes a couple of weeks ago; then yesterday Reagan (3 yrs) ran around a corner and  slammed his forehead into a chair and split it open, sending rivers of blood down his face and hands and clothes....he's OK.  Today Levi decided to smack his head into the rail of the bunkbed while in his playpen, thus another huge puffy knot on his forehead and tiny little circles from the playpen netting.

I don't like it when that happens.  

Should I mention the boys are driving me crazy? They think of the most unexpected things to get into. It's hard to know how to keep them out of trouble. Only a mother of boys would understand what I am talking about. I added a link to my sister's blog...she has some prime examples in case you need further explanation. They can entertain themselves with anything  BUT toys. Why is that? Squares of siding make great frisbees, by the way. It's a cool way to entertain yourself for hours. Especially if you have a whole pile. You can toss them into the air, watch to see where they land, run to the pile for another one, and next thing you know, they are all over the yard. Oh, well. That was fun.  Reagan threw an entire two dozen eggs out the back door the other day...one at a time...I didn't notice until I went to get the eggs to boil and they were gone. I was wondering why it was so quiet...  They were nice jumbo brown eggs collected so carefully from our nice hens...I really wanted to use them.     They have so much more flavor, you know. Do I sound like I don't have much control over them? Because I feel like it. Is that a normal thing for a mother of five boys aged 7 and under? I don't think I felt that way when my oldest son (now 14) was little. They are so busy. They don't MEAN to get into trouble...it just happens.    I guess.      I don't get it.   How do you allow them to be boys and foster those masculine traits without losing your marbles? When they get older they find interests they can pursue. But what about now???  Ah, yes. That age old question. (I've decided it's just one of those things you have to go through and eventually they WILL find an outlet for all that energy and creativity.)

Our goats are all doing great and last evening I divided them into four groups for breeding. One group is actually four does that will need bucks from another line so I am waiting to borrow two from a friend. Our first doe to come into estrus will be due to kid on Valentine's Day...she'll be the first one next spring. This spring she was the last one to kid. We are milking five does right now, and let two dry off. There are fifteen does to breed, in all.

Neighbors have been bringing us tomatoes and I have 10 five-gallon buckets sitting on the porch waiting to be done up.   We were getting low, so I am grateful for them. Now if I can just get a day to can. It might have to wait till Monday. Tomorrow morning is the farmer's market where I have been selling goat milk soap and zucchini relish. We are expecting family to visit in the afternoon, and then there is Sunday. It is only supposed to be in the 50's tomorrow, so maybe they will not mind waiting too much.

Tonight I am waiting up for Shawn to get home as he went to his old high school  football game. (They won the last 5 state championships!) He writes reports for PA district IV football. Last week he did another radio broadcast too. (easternpafootball.com) Rachel goes along and takes stats for him. Maybe if we get a babysitter just the two of us could go- it would be like old times!

This is our favorite time of year. Hopefully we can get in some scenic drives and fall hikes before cold sets in. Archery season starts in two weeks...we could use some venison right about now. Shawn and I made up a couple batches of Hunter's Soap (Cover Scent -smells like dirt!) to sell in the local sporting goods shops. This is a very busy area during hunting season -which extends from late September into mid January- as a lot of hunters from downstate travel  to their camps here in the northcountry.

So there it is...hope you have a wonderful weekend!

~Annette