Hi All, beautiful morning here in NY. I've had to dig out the sweats for my early am paper delivering. I love this weather for sleeping, and I'm happy to be able to do some baking again, too. I'm not sure what's on the agenda today, maybe a cake or applesauce bread.

I think I'm over the shingles. I still feel tired, but definetly better than a few days ago. I'm juicing and sleeping, and really making an effort to not let things get to me as much.

The garden is about done. Still have tomatoes and peppers. Today I'll pull the basil for drying, and make pesto one more time. I dehydrated whole bananas yesterday, and they came out great. Someone gave me an Excaliber a while back, and lately I've been playing with it. It's a lot of fun. I canned some carrots and greenbeans yesterday, but the carrots look nasty, kinda brownish?

I found a kitten yesterday, or he found me is more like it. I took one look and started crying, he looked so pitiful. Both eyes all goopy, nose all plugged up, and loaded with fleas. Just noticed he's got a hernia, too. Any suggestions for a name? I was thinking maybe "Booger". (smile) Any extra $$ I thought I'd have this week will be going to the vet, I guess. Oh well, what are you up to?

-- Cathy in NY (hrnofplnty@yahoo.com), September 03, 2001

Answers

I'd personnally call him Lucky.....in that kind of shape he sure is lucky you found him! I had some friends come over and we had a painting party this weekend. I've got most everything kilnzed now so all I need to do it put a couple of coats of color on. Just painting with the kilnz has made a difference in the look of this place. I'm gonna install my upper cabinets this week. I was doing some rewiring in the kitchen and discovered there is paneling behind the crummy sheetrock that was put up......so I am tearing that off too. Hehe everyone says if I don't quit tearing out stuff I'm not gonna have a house to remodel soon. Also gonna lay a ceramic tile floor in the kitchen this week. The little fawns I've been seeing in the yard have just about lost their spots but they are still stayin close to mama deer. Been seeing bucks without any velvet on so the rut must be coming here pretty soon. I have some neighbors down the road that have elk....they have some magnificent racks this year and the males are beginning to posture. I finally got some chickens.....8 so far..huge cornish crosses. I'm already gettin eggs too :o). It is really beginning to cool off in the evenings now....fall must be right around the corner. I can't wait! Nowhere is prettier in the fall than the ozark mountains.

-- Amanda in Mo (mrsgunsmyth@hotmail.com), September 03, 2001.

hi, Cathy, glad to hear you're getting over the shingles. Nothing like starting to feel good again after being down. I agree with Amanda, that cat is lucky to have found you! I'm a sucker for pathetic cats myself. One time took in a pathetically mangie thing, bathed him regularly for awhile with some stuff the vet gave me. He grew up to be the most gorgeous thing. I agree with you, Amanda, about a coat of paint making a wonderful difference in a place. Boy, it sure spruced my house up in Belton, helped it to sell fast, I think... We are having two families from church over for barbecue this evening, really looking forward to it. They are both "homestead" minded like us, and are great new friends. Speaking of which, better get back to house cleaning!!

-- mary (marylgarcia@aol.com), September 03, 2001.

Cathy , save on the vet .Get some antibiotics from quality farm and fleet .Keep the eyes washed and clean.If you have any antibiotic eye ointment use it .As for a hernia , unless its big leave it alone.You can band him when he is a little older .Any pet shops do vaccination clinics ? Or start looking for low cost spay and neuter programs.Good luck.

-- Patty {NY State} (fodfarms@slic.com), September 03, 2001.

Well there is another storm coming in. This one seems like it will be a doozy. We have a massive front coming from the west and a large front from the south. I am really happy because everything has greened up again! I guess that 9" of rain in one week will do that!

Today I sent off the young bucks to their new home. Luckily the lady has a daughter in law close by that is a horse breeder and has cattle so she will help her with any medical things she might have arise. She's really happy about getting the boys and I am happy that they are going to a good home. Can't ask for more than that!

Well I have to get off as it's starting to lightening pretty well now.

I like Booger....or maybe Bugger? Glad you are feeling beter, Cathy!

-- Doreen (bisquit@here.com), September 03, 2001.

Here in NE Alabama the number one song is "rain rain go away"! Monsoon-like rains for three days..I thought we'd have to put life jackets on the chickens and the dogs this morning..Felt so sorry for one of our neighbors who cut hay on Thursday,and tried so hard to get it bundled up and moved before the rain, but didn't make it. I saw him through the downpour this morning hauling soggy bales up the road. We haven't been able to get the roof on our new building because the wood is too wet, hopefully by the end of this week it'll be done and then we can open our little country store! Youngest son will be here tomorrow for a week's visit from college and we are so excited!!!! He's a junior on a co-op program in Philly, so he just finished finals and starts his co-op semester in two weeks.I did manage to can a slew of peach jam, pickles and peppers last week, and will can some stew this week now that I will have an extra pair of hands in the house! Thinking of planting a Fall garden...I guess we will have to wait for the monsoon season to end! Husband says perhaps we should plant rice LOL!!!!!! God bless.

-- lesley (martchas@bellsouth.net), September 03, 2001.

I finally went in to see why I hurt so much and can't lift my left arm. I had 3 dislocated ribs and scapula. How did I do that and why did I wait 10 days!?!??! It must've been wrestling with the kids, the big bullies! So I haven't been able to use my left arm at all and I'm left handed.

The horse poop is piling up and needs to be moved to the garden, the fall garden just is not going to happen. The grazing fence needs to be moved so the horses can graze without supervision. I should be liming and seeding 4 acres for pasture. The only thing I can do is walk around and fret at how behind I am on everything.

Oh, and Dear Spouse had his vacation revoked and is working double shifts on his days off....less work than staying home.

Homeschool officially started this week. The 11 year old is starting in remedial college texts and the 6 year old in kindergarten. The 16 year old is in public school by her choice and does not understand that if she wants to go to college, she needs to take college prep classes

-- (LadybugWrangler@hotmail.com), September 05, 2001.

Hi Cathy from another Kathy!!! Have been reading about your shingles and I'm glad for you that you're starting to feel better! When I read that you are naming the kitten Booger it made me smile- that was what my parents named the boxer I gave them out of a litter i had 9 yrs ago. He was an underdog too. Had trouble eating right from the start, never knew exactly what it was even though they racked up huge vet bills over the yrs. We got a call from mom one morning a few months ago, crying, would my hubby come and take him to the vet- he'd collapsed. Had to be put to sleep but for 9 yrs he sure did live up to that name-Booger. Hope your Booger gives you as much as ours gave us...love and devotion. Sorry for the sad post, it was just hearing that name.

-- Kathy (kack@countrylife.net), September 07, 2001.