Update: From the Hen House...

Our hen that was laying the daily double yoked eggs, stopped giving us the enormous eggs a few weeks back. We had read that, when a hen is laying doubles, it just means their reproductive system is immature. We had kind of gotten use to not seeing the golly whoopers every day. The largest egg she had laid, before stopping, was 3 inches long, 6 inches around and weighed 86 grams.

Low and behold, she is at it again! Papaw came in from the hen house and announced our biggest egg yet. I never knew a hen could lay such extremely large eggs. This time this one measures 3  1/8 th inches long and 6  1/4 th inches around. It weighs in at 92 grams. It is truly enormous. The 92 gram one is the egg on the right. The one on the left is almost as big. I had to place something up next to it, to give you an idea of actual size. The apple is a good sized Jazz apple.

I will have between 9 and 10 dozen of eggs to share with the family at Doodlebug's birthday party on Sunday. Only a few will be extra large. The other eggs are about medium to large sized eggs.

We have been enjoying the onset of fall, the cooler temperatures  and the crisp blue skies. I have been spending some of my days reading. I have a stack of books, that I have been meaning to get around to and can't wait to read. I have enjoyed being able to relax.  Not having to be on the tractor as often, has given me more time to enjoy fall.

I just recently finished reading Here If You Need Me by Kate Braestrup.It is a very good book about life, the end of life and the changes that life brings. It was a fairly short read. I read it in my spare time in a day and a half.

Happy fall y'all.
Hope you have a blessed autumn!

Field Trip Tuesday

Yesterday we attended “Down on the Farm” day at the local fair with our co-op group.  We started our day off, having Mini Mouse pancakes at our favorite local restaurant. We got up earlier than Papaw was really ready for but we didn't want to miss a thing. Papaw did get a few minutes to nap, before meeting up with the group at the fair.

Doodles was so excited and raring to go!

It was such a wonderful program. Thanks to the University of TN and all the volunteers who helped to put on that program. Our kids had a blast but I do believe, the adults had tons of fun too. Also, thanks to Amber the gal that arranged it all for our group from our co-op. We have the most amazing folks in our co-op that really goes out of their way to coordinate our outings.  

Below are a few photos from the wonderful folks who entertained and educated our group during the "Down on the Farm" day at the fair.

The fellow who opened the show with juggling.

The bug guy was so funny. The kids loved him.

He really cracked us up when he stepped out with the hat on.

The bee keepers group was of interest to Papaw and I too.

The gal doing the "Wow, that Cow" table gave us a lot to thank the cow for.

The kids got to milk a mock version of a cow.

 

The highlight for Doodles was being able to pet all the animals but the horses were at the top of her favorites list. She loved getting to pet the pony too and talk to a gal there with the horses that was a teen. She really thought that was cool.

The kids learned so much about all the grains that the farm and farmer provide. We learned that there are grains and items from the farm, in almost every thing in our homes. 

The kids got to handle soy, wheat berries and dried corn. Doodles was excited to see soy beans. She loves to munch on roasted soy beans and adds them to her salads.

After the program was presented to our group, we were free to go and check out all the other exhibits at the fair. I do think we spent the most time in the poultry house checking out all of the different breeds of chickens, geese, ducks and foul. I can’t tell you how much fun it was to see the different breeds and study their personalities. We certainly know too now, why we really don’t want a rooster. Man those guys were so loud in there yesterday calling back and forth to one another. It was so neat to hear them.  I am just glad we don't hear them here daily on a regular basis.

I know we were never this interested in chickens and birds before we raised our own. After seeing the category of the Red Pullets, we do think we may have been able to enter one of our gals and walked away with a prize winning ribbon. Not that the gals that were entered were not beauties but, we do believe a few of our gals could have brought home a ribbon or two. Even in a couple of the egg categories, I am certain that a dozen of our daily double eggs could have walked away in the largest egg category.  We measured and weighed one of our largest eggs today and it weighed 81 grams. It was 3 inches long and exactly 6 inches around. That surpasses the Jumbo category by the US Standard. I will take a couple of photos of our Extra Jumbo sized eggs and post them in a couple of days. 

Modern Sizes (USA) Size Mass per egg Jumbo Greater than 2.5 oz. or 71g Very Large or Extra Large (XL) Greater than 2.25 oz. or 64g

I have so many photos from the fair that rather than post them all here, I am going to just toss them over on my photo stream. Click here to see more photos from the fair.

There was an abundance of produce. I was surprised to see a variety of red okra. I never knew there was a red okra. I have never tried it but, would love to.  I must give kudos to some of the local growers for growing some beautiful produce. I just hope one day, we are able to grow such a wonderful variety of veggies in our own garden.  I must get to one of the seed saver community meetings before long. I would love to grow our garden from all local seed.

After the morning and afternoon at the fair, we came home for a bit of a rest and some coffee, before heading back out to Wonder Works in Pigeon Forge.


We were so beat after the morning spent at the fair, I know we were all questioning if we could find the energy to continue on. This was also the week Wonder Works was sponsoring their homeschooler week with free and discounted admission for homeschool families. So, for our schedule, Tuesday was really the only day we could go. Doodles has wanted to go there for such a long time. It was a very neat place to go and I do want to return there sometime, when we can spend more time really enjoying each activity.  I do think that Papaw and Uncle Joe Joe really enjoyed the place too. They seem to have lots of fun just playing together there too. Those boys really play together so well. While they were playing, Doodles and I were in the “Dance, Dance, Dance” booth. They were planning late 70’s and early 80’s rock music and we both found a few new moves. The boys found us in there and they had a few moves to share too. I think when Papaw picked Doodles up to spin her in the air for a big finish, they about finished off Uncle Joe Joe with Doodle’s feet. Papaw whipped her around so fast, Uncle Joe Joe barley missed getting hit. To see more photos from Wonder Works click here.

Field trip Tuesday was a lot of fun. My feelings about getting out and enjoying the fall with a few field trips here and there, is a thing we must do. We will be home all winter long, without so many opportunities for field trips. We are just going to go for it and enjoy the fall as much as possible.

Doodlebug still had a full day of school work today. She had a math test, which she scored a 96 on and also, a math lesson that she only missed one question. She had a spelling quiz that she did very well on too. This afternoon, when she went for her piano lesson, she was very tired. Even her piano teacher noted that she seemed a bit more tired this afternoon. I wonder why?  I am sure she will rest well tonight, I know I will.

Many heartfelt blessing to you all!

Back to the Co-op

Today was our first day back to our homeschool co-op classes. Doodles was feeling a bit shy and apprehensive this morning before heading into classes. She is such an outgoing kid, most of the time but she still has a shy side to her personality. To anyone that knows her, it is so hard to believe but she has standoffish moments. 

We lightened the moment this morning before going inside, by examining all of the spiderwebs on the playground fence. I had forgotten how this time of the year, you can find spider webs covering acres of grassy fields and almost any structure, when the morning dew is heavy. Taking a few minutes to just stop and look, talk about the webs and look for the spiders that made them, seem to take the edge off her apprehensiveness.


Our co-op group is being held at a local church. This church has been so generous to open up their classrooms and buildings to a group of over 400 young people for classes. Our group is so blessed by such an amazing gift of generosity. The hosting church is amazing. There is a gym, an indoor walking track above the gym, a library and play areas for the little ones inside and out. There are quiet study rooms but, I have yet to discover where those are. The gym is open for little ones to play and folks to socialize and to get reacquainted after the summer break. Our family feels so blessed to be a part of this network of home school families. The kids that participate in this group are outstanding and so bright. They are also some of the most polite and well behaved children that I have come in contact with in such a long time. 


I do believe Doodlebug is really going to enjoy Monday Fun. This semester she is taking, Character Education, American History, Hands on Shakespeare and a science class called, “Let's Investigate”. I am looking forward to hearing about each of her classes, during our 30 minute lunch break and then, catch rest of the details on our 20 minute ride home.

 11:30 …It is lunch time. We put our name on the pizza list for a share in a pizza but, the pizza guy is running a bit late. We didn’t get our pizza until about 11:45. No big deal though, we were very hungry so, we gobbled it down and still made it to the next class with a few minutes to spare. Doodles really enjoyed getting to have pizza with her friends.


(This paragraph was started at 10:30 and finished at 12:16) I have concluded, that trying to use the 4 hours and 30 minutes here on Monday's, to write may not work out. The atmosphere is so busy and energetic, that my time may be better spent in a pair of walking shoes, listening to my mp3 player and walking on the track. God knows, I sure could use the exercise.

 It is 12:32 and I am sitting outside of the Hands on Shakespeare class. From the sounds coming from inside the classroom, these kids and the teacher are having so much fun. The teacher has these kids so engaged.  From the sounds of laughter, calling out answers, responses and lines, I would say, she must have everyone’s attention. Who knew Shakespeare could be so much fun to second graders? They are learning and reading Shakespeare's play, The Tempest. We had read it at home last week. Doodles listened to the play as I read it to her and she drew in her sketch book. She seemed to enjoy it but nothing like this. I do believe this may be her favorite class, we shall see.

It is now 1:00  I am on my door post for my service hour. I didn't know my service hour would be right outside the nursery. There are so many little ones in there today that are not happy. This is our last hour here. Doodlebug is in the “Let's Investigate” class now. She is having so much fun. I know she is not going to want to go home.

All I can say today is, Wow, what a day! It has been such a fun and blessed day. When we get home, Doodles still has to do two lessons in math, has to do a reading assignment and practice her piano for the day. I know, she and I both are going to welcome our pillows this evening.

Back at home this afternoon, we still finished up two lessons in math and Doodles wanted to continue exploring what she had learned in the "Let's Investigate" class. She collected up a number of items to see if they would float or not. She made her predictions and then tested her items to see. After she finished, she took off the the gym with Papaw. 


When she came home, she ate, practiced her piano lessons, read the play, "Henny Penny" with Papaw and I. She then, brushed her teeth and jumped into bed. I am headed that way myself, as soon as I finish up this blog and answer a couple of emails.

Tomorrow is “Field Trip Tuesday.” We are going to “Down on the Farm Day” at the fair, for half of the day. Then on “Wonder Works” for the second half of the day. It should be a fun but tiring day too.


Wednesday we will have a busy day with book work and getting ready for a couple of tests. Next week may be a bit more relaxed, we shall see.

I will try to do a weekend wrap up on Sunday and post a few more photos. We are going to attend the “Homestead Day” at Oconaluftee visitor’s center on Saturday. We have been looking forward to the homestead cay for weeks.
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Hope you all have a wonderful week. 

              Many blessings!

Fall, Football and Pretzels...

Our Little Vols Cheerleader from 2004

With the upcoming first game of the football season Saturday, I started thinking about fall, weekends wearing, orange and white, Go Vols! and all the things that make fall so special.  So, I decided to try out a homemade pretzel recipe. I have always wanted to learn to make pretzels and ran across a simple recipe and decided to give it a go this evening.

They turned out wonderful. I have 14 enormously large pretzels in individual bags in the freezer. Papaw and I each had to try one. The recipe made 16 but, if I had rolled them out much thinner than it called for, we would have had many more. Don't they look delicious? Well trust me, they are. Will be keeping those tucked away in that freezer until our son brings over a few buddies for an afternoon of hanging out cause, the Lord knows, we don't need them.

I topped a couple off with sea salt. Papaw suggested trying a sweet glaze topping, like that pretzel place in the mall has on some of theirs. I may try making a bit of a sweet glaze for him next month, when we thaw one out to share. I think we may need to wait a month before indulging and having another.

If you want to try making your own, here's a great recipe on the food network <--click there for their website. This is the recipe that I used.

Here's a warning, do not make these unless you have some serious company coming over, a big tailgate party your heading out to, or room in the freezer to put a few away for later. Next time I make them, I think I am going to try using a bit of whole wheat flour. It will be interesting to see how those would make up.

Until next time, blessing to you all and have a wonderful holiday weekend...    GO VOLS!!!