RIP Dishwasher

Yep, it has been pronounced dead. With an estimate of 300.00, I escorted the repair man to the door. No thanks. Okay, so buying a new dishwasher was not on my to do list for the weekend. Sigh. I will put it there though. I never realized how much I depended on that appliance until I spent a week of washing, drying and sterilizing. Milk pails, bread bowls, canning jars, oh my! I actually dumped the milk to the chickens on days I didn't desperately need it just not to have to wash the jars and milking pails. I am now a farm girl with dish pan hands. YUK!

Preparing For Surgery

Finally, surgery has been scheduled for 1 week from today. Of course there are a million and one things to do, strict instructions on feeding & milking routines and checking the animals and garden.
The good news is that I don't have to be at the hospital until 10:30, so I can milk and feed before I leave. I will have to be down next Thursday but my mom has stepped up to the plate and offered to milk.
So this coming weekend will be a flurry of activity. Checking eyes again, trimming hooves and rearranging critters to make it as easy as possible for the caretakers. It is Murphy's Law---if I don't do this, SOMETHING will happen! I will need to make sure there is enough feed for all the hungry mouths.
I plan get as much of the garden bounty processed as I can. Grapes are ready to be picked and the eggplant are abundant. The okra is starting to put on in great quantities as well. Thankfully other crops are at a lull and it looks like the butter peas are a couple of weeks out. So off I go to make lists, lists and more lists!!

Tuesday

Up early to bake, milk and feed before heading to work. It was a quiet morning. My fears for the cashmere doe were realized and she did not make the night. Instructions were left for my son on getting her buried, as I would not be home until late. Another casualty in the battle of the barberpole worm. My heart breaks with each loss.

The Other Half Of The day

Well, I didn't finish the herb bed. Nor the shower. I did get most of my kitchen chores finished. Due to the demented condition of my dishwasher and the fact that I couldn't get someone here until Friday to look at it, I froze tomatoes instead of canning them. Much less mess. The doe I have been nursing was perky this morning but the day brought temps near 100* and I fear it has taken it's toll. I tried to move her to the barn but the stress was too much and I don't think she will make the night. I have made her as comfortable as possible, hope for the best, but know the outcome is grim.

A Half Day

Today was a half day. I got half the herb bed weeded. I got half my kitchen chores done. I got half the shower scrubbed. I have no clue why it was such a struggle to stay on task!
I have been nursing one of my older cashmere does who has struggled with parasites this summer.She has consumed a lot of my time the last day or so. She is doing well, though and I am hopeful. I have been taking her Malabar spinach leaves, which she loves, and hauling water to her. She is also getting a daily dose of vitamins along with grain. So, several trips a day out across the pasture are taken. She is not willing to come to the barn yet, preferring the shade of the woods.
I have also been dealing with my demonic dishwasher that has suddenly become possessed and kicks the door open during the cycles.This a bad thing. I use it to sterilize all of my miking equipment, jars and canning supplies. We don't use paper plates either so when I say it gets run 2-3 times a day I am not exaggerating! The thought of washing all that stuff by hand makes me quake in my shoes.
Off to check the goat....

Homemade Feta Is So Much Betta!

An overabundance of milk this week lead me to make several batches of feta. It is such an easy cheese to make and freezes really well. Here are the directions: Heat 1 gallon of milk to 86*. Add 1/2 cup of buttermilk. Let ripen 1 hour. Add 1/2 tsp liquid rennet to 1/4 c cool water and stir into milk. Let sit another hour. Cut curds in small squares and let sit a few minutes. Keeping the cheese at 86* stir for about 15 minutes. Usually my pot stays at this temp because it is so heavy, but if not, set in a sink of warm water to maintain temp. Drain curds for several hours. Once drained slice into chunks and salt really well on all sides. Let sit in a covered container for 24 hours on the counter draining off any whey. Salt again and refrigerate. Let age 5 days or so. Use within 10 days or freeze.

Rain!

Finally it is raining. We were getting desperate. The garden once again was looking extremely sad. Between the heat and drought nothing is setting fruit right now. The butter peas are full of blooms, but no peas. The peppers have no blooms. The third planting of green beans have go by the wayside as well. This will be the year of no canned green beans- good thing I canned extra last year! Between the coons and mother nature there will be no late corn. And so it goes in the gardening world. Battles won and lost on a daily basis.
Today, I am enjoying the rumble of thunder and the lightning. The rain is like music on the rooftop. I have a few tomatoes to can and I am ordering fall seeds and garlic. These are the days that revive my soul and allow me to rejuvenate.