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2 new dogs - one puppy mountain cur/ husky mix named - Friday (we got her on good Friday) and an adult collie that was dropped off at the Viola Valley no kill center, we named her Ruby - she's a gem and has claimed Darrin as her on! We are planning on getting rid of our Golden Retriever- he can not resist our chickens and Guineas.

We also got a new kitten for Alexandra's 10th Birthday which isn't until April 6th and her name is Bella and such a tiny, tiny thing. I will be gone with Blake and the youth from CBC this week for their Spring Break retreat. Since I will miss her actual birthday I have arranged for gifts to arrive while I am gone. One showed up early in the mail today and she loved it - Horsez 2 for Wii. I thing the two of us are having a hard time with the realization that I am gonna be gone for one and I am gonna miss her actual birthday.

Crazy, beautiful life and I haven't had time to blog properly but you can read most of my life on facebook but I will get back to this eventually.....

Home schooling perks....

There are countless things I would miss out on if my kids were not home with me, each one a treasured blessing.

Being home allows me to teach them about life as we go along-not only from a book, but by actually experiencing it.

Being home together allows families to make the decisions that uniquely benefit them for that season of their lives.

A wonderful perk of home schooling is the privilege of being able to adjust our schedules according to the circumstances of our life.

I also appreciate the opportunity to interact with my children as issues arise. When something happens in our lives we talk about it on the spot, taking advantage of the timing. I believe this makes a strong impact on their hearts and minds.

Flexibility is another of our unique advantages.

I am grateful for the chance to develop my children's talents. As they grow we are able to work on their weaknesses, and more importantly, emphasize their strong points. They come up with ways of thinking things out that are mind boggling to me. Sometimes I wonder who is teaching whom!

The chance for learning extends beyond what we plan each day, and I don't want to miss a single moment of it!

Facebook | Melissa Drewer Jenkins

"The snow sure was pretty but it didn't stick around. No HS co-op so after we got school done, Darrin and I took my Mom and stepdad to lunch. Darrin also bought two more beef cows (hereford, I think.) I will post some picture when we get them here. I'm glad I fixed dinner early so when I got home from Alexandra's Horse 4H club I got to go straight to bed for my quite time and FB."

Facebook | Melissa Drewer Jenkins

Facebook | Melissa Drewer Jenkins: "Had fun meeting the ladies at Rutledge Falls and seeing a few military folks."

Facebook | Melissa Drewer Jenkins

Facebook | Melissa Drewer Jenkins: "Neither Alex nor I was feeling to well a couple of hours into the Creation Caving lecture so we left early. We stopped at the store to get some fresh veggies; Darrin and the kids waited and the car. When I returned I found that Alex had thrown up....poor baby (and poor guys in the car with her)."

Blue Milk Cow

A gentleman we met at the Farmer's Market this summer called us a couple of weeks ago and ask if we would be inerested in milking his cow after she gave birth and said she would give 7 -8 gallons daily. In return he would like 5 gallon a week and we could do as we please with the rest. We figured we would get some bottle calves and feed them the milk since we get all we need from our Jersey. Long story short(er) He shows us with Mommy and baby (bull) cow. Baby is bronze and Mom is a color of black referred to as blue and she is huge about twice the size of our Jersey. We decided to buy the bull to raise since he up for sale. Of course at first she is stand off-ish but they have finally gotten her to come into the milking parlor but she doesn't let down her milk- the most we have gotten is about 12 ounces. She eats like a pig (several pigs). I'm frustrated that these boys are having to work so hard for so little from this big blue cow that about ready to send her home, but Darrin says a few more weeks so this is to be con't.

Quick change homeschooling

Quick change homeschooling today - Darrin finally felt well enough to go and pick up hay today, so we made a field trip of it. We read about German culture, food, and geography and a little history of East and West Germany on the way and after picking up hay we went to eat at the German Rest. in Manchester. Delish!

We ordered a family sampler that contained every entree and side dish on the menu. We all liked everyone of them but my favorite was Schweinebraten - German Style Roast Pork with bread and potato dumplins. Oh yeah - Real homemade lemonade.

Lecker= delicious, tasty, yummy, scrumptious ------köstlich =delicious,--------- schmackhaft-=delicious, tasty, -------- der Leckerbissen= delicacy, tidbit

Alexandra finally got a horse!

"Class" our first horse on the farm.

Alexandra calls our newest heifer "Red Alert".

Cali and the new kitty Butterscotch.
Thanks Emily!

Happy 14th Birthday Blake!

Today is Blake's Birthday. ( Happy Birthday Son! ) He is 14! We are having family over for lunch - Homemade Lasagna made with homemade ricotta and mozzarella (the other cheeses were store bought) and salad from the garden.

Fiesty calf gave us a run for our money

We went to buy some Red Angus Heifers this morning and turns out one had a calf. We had to search the fellow's property for the calf. It was hidden on a hill under blackberry bushes. He took off like a dart around a pond across the field through an electric fence across the road into another pasture and in a brush area which we later found out was known to be the home of some copperhead snakes. What a workout. Ended up bringing only one cow home and gotta go back for 2 more cows and the calf.

After we got home we fertilized the gardens ate some lunch and napped then Darrin, Dalton and Blake did some fence work.

We have busy gardening (weeding) and putting up fence for some more cows.

Milk production down, baby chicks flying and yogurt making a success

We are wondering why we went from getting a gallon of milk from Lola Belle to about a glass today. Could baby calf (May Belle) be going through a growth spurt and drinking more?

Darrin is in a rush to finish the chicken coup because the baby chicks are starting to fly out of the big wooden box.

Yogurt making with the Yolife yogurt making was so easy yesterday I plan to make more as soon as milk production comes back up.






Now I am looking for cheese making supplies.

Grandma and Grandpa Jenkins visited this week from Lincoln, NE

Had a wonderful week with Darrin's parents visiting. Lloyd brought his overalls and didn't miss a milking session all week. They helped us break-in the new rockers on the front porch and learned to play a new dice game. We were thankful for the rain on Friday, used it as an excuse to play dice and cards all day.

Now time to get back to school, routine, etc.

Lola Belle is giving us about a gallon a day plus she is still nursing May Belle. I need to find cheese making equipment so when May Belle quits nursing I'll be able to use all the milk. Darrin received his milking machine this week and his thumbs are very thankful. Some days Lola is waiting at the barn for him, some days he just has to shake the feed pan and she comes but other days, like this morning, he has to walk out in the pasture and lead her in.

May Belle is a joy to watch prance about in the pasture. We have watched her race the neighbors dog up the fence line and one afternoon she appeared to be barrel racing around the trees.

We can almost watch the sweet green peas grow, they are coming up so fast. We have lots of other veggies breaking ground also.

The rose garden is beautiful....I still would like to find several other roses to plant.....seven sisters, Jacob's coat, and Pope John Paul II or another pretty white.

The chickens have been moved to the chicken coup. We replaced the 3 Sex links that died and once again have 26(A through Z)....20 Sex links, 3 Rhode Island Reds, and 3 Barred Plymouth Rocks.

We have added a kitten to the barn residency. He is the only male animal on the farm (with the exception of Darrin, Dalton and Blake.) He is misty gray with darker strips and his tummy is white. Alexandra has named him Mr. Whiskers. Choosing a name was a long process for her.....she decided to put all of our choices on paper and draw one out to choose a name but didn't like the results (she drew out Burt Reynolds.) She then went to the barn and called each name until the kitten responded and the winner was Mr.Whiskers.

Livin' the dream!

Our first post....and the two of us (Darrin and Melissa) draw a blank. Maybe we are just too tired tonight. This afternoon we planted two knockout rose trees (yes trees), a Henry Fonda (yellow) rose bush, a Queen Elizabeth (pink) rose bush and then mulched the rose garden. This was after went to 8 greenhouses/nurseries in 3 different counties looking for the roses we wanted (still looking for some.) Earlier this morning Darrin spread rock to widen the circle drive, moved dirt to rose garden, planted a magnolia, and 3 hydrangeas and mulched around them and the 24 herb plants that I put out before I went to get another load of mulch.



The Boys (Dalton and Blake) did the milking this morning for the first time by theirself and was so disappointed that Lola Belle kicked over the milk bucket just as they finished. We also managed to keep the 26 chickens alive for another day.






Alex entertained and tended to Jessie (the dog) and had her own gardening rake, hoe and shovel out to help with the mulching and planting. We still have some more planting to do in the vegtable gardens but we may wait until after Darrin's parent visit next week.





We sure are mighty tired some nights but we are livin' our dream and lovin' every ache!