Busy Busy Busy

What have we been doing besides school work?  Lisa is back home, the grand kids came for a visit, setting up appointments for check ups; hubby has three weeks on second shift, on and on.....


Have ya'll started 'window shopping' for the Christmas holiday yet?  I have been looking about trying to figure out just what theme I would like to get for the boys and Lisa.  Hubby and I don't exchange gifts because if there is something we want and need; we get it as necessary.  No tokens are needed.


This year, I am leaning heavily towards educational gear with a slant to hunting, camping, or anything outdoors.  Saenz and Zephyr are really into sports like paintball and airsoft target shooting.  I am kinda leery, I don't want my hens bothered by two big game hunters.  Since, I have spotted quiet a few 'fox' tracks out behind the hen houses; this may not be a bad sport for them to pick up. 


Did you know how to tell the difference in animal tracks?  The canine variety usually have nail prints included whereas, feline have usually have no nail prints and larger front paws. I take the time when the boys are with me to explain the difference so, they too may learn what comes before them in the night.  I also think the next time we have rain, I will teach them how to make moulds of the prints left behind which is super easy with feral hogs since, their prints are usually easy to find and distinctive.

http://icwdm.org/Inspection/tracks.asp
http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_circulars/circ561.html
http://www.nwf.org/Kids.aspx
http://www.ehow.com/identify-animal-tracks/

I hope we will be finding more animal scat to see what is visiting us as well -- so far we have found rabbit, hog, canine, and chicken.  I would like to find eventually -- predatory bird pellets since, there are always Caracara and hawks buzzing about.  Finding things to keep my boys interested in nature is pretty easy around here, we put out acorns we gathered on the ground next to the porch steps.  The next night, a racoon the size of a medium dog was eating those acorns.  It's just too bad the boys were in bed. 

Since, we live here in South Texas; we planted our first winter garden.  I know what you may be thinking; garden????
Yes, most of our days are spent well above freezing even at night.  So far, our broccoli and cabbage are spreading out nicely.  The tomatoes and peppers are hanging in so, I am thinking our next foray will be into carrots, pole beans, potatos, asparagus, squash. 

Eventually I would like to can all our foods like Mrs. Melissa; you should check out her blog -- she will be my primary canning school teacher.

 Yesterday, I happened to find on eBay a set of 60 glass bottles that are about 2 inches in height.  Now, you are probably wondering just what is she going to do with all those.  We have been harvesting chili petins which grow wild on our property.  If you follow this link http://www.alcoholian.com/?p=22#more-22 this author has excellent info on these little treasures.  I would like to eventually grow a few bushes next to my house.   I plan on pickling all that I find for sale along with our  offering our eggs.  


Have your hens slacked off on laying?  We are not getting as many eggs as our normal daily amount. I have calculated the cost of each egg though at .09 cents due to supplementing their diets with scratch grains since the insect population has died down. 


So other than that; nothing going on but, our lives here.  Hope ya'll are having a wonderful day in your slice of heaven.