The Commute...To Where?

People will often ask what "we" do out "thar in the yonder" for income...our answer is "YES"...in other words, when you live out yonder, you do whatever comes your way. So, when I mention commute again, it could be to any where. Since living out in yonder land, I have sold fruit at a fruit stand, picked the fruit to sell at the fruit stand, drove the fruit picked and not sold at the fruit stand to places even yonder than where I live; I've cleaned houses (heaven forbid not my own!), have house-sat, pet-sat, garden-sat, etc. My husband, who is a carpenter by trade and still continues in that realm, has helped with the fruit stuff, fought wildland forest fires, etc. etc. I still continue in my substitute teaching, which in my former life, I was a REAL teacher. I have had some interesting "assignments", one which is most memorable was my stint as a Spanish teacher. Now, that may seem innocuous at first...but I don't speak espanol. Well, at least I didn't. Oh, I remembered some from high school and college...and I grew up in the southwest... and it didn't hurt me any working at the fruit place because there were always the Mexican immigrant workers, but, I did not have the formal training for such a position. I ended up filling in for the position for almost 2 months. Thankfully, for the last month, the school had the kids take the course on-line, but that first month was "interesting-o". Actually, as with most things in life that has occurred out here, one becomes rather resourceful. When I am not commuting, I am here on the ole homestead, where life has it's own resourceful-ingratiating situations to deal with...anything from delivering a "stuck" goat, to climbing down into your water storage tank to "unstick" a dead squirrel who fell in the drain by accident...maybe more on that later!
At any rate, life is never dull...whether behind the wheel to just another adventure, or staying home...the wheel just keeps on spinning. (Hey, wasn't there a song like that back in the '70's???)

The "Commute"

I know it is not proper blogism to not create posts on a regular basis...but, if the bacon isn't at home, you have to go make it...if you know what I mean. I actually used to have a REAL job, with a REAL paycheck. I was even considered a "professional" WHOO WHOO. Life has changed. I have NO paycheck...and that professional stuff...the chickens could care less, just bring on the scratch lady, we're hungry. Any way. When you venture out and try to create that pie-in-sky lifestyle, you end up with a lot of it on your face. Truly, I am not complaining, just speaking reality. I wouldn't, couldn't "go back" to that other life. Just take my commute for example. The other morning I was driving into one of my many "day" jobs...that of substitute teaching. I wish I was eloquent with words. The sun was shining just right to glisten off the snow...it looked as though I was driving over diamonds. It was breath-taking. I do not believe I was ever blinded by snowflakes in the big city...traffic lights, and headlites, but not snow-lites. I have had other commute to work experiences not like ANY of those in the big city. I was delayed one time by a moose who just continued to jog in front of my car as I was attempting to get down the road. This time of year, it is not unusual to see a great big TOM turkey, strutting his stuff with his girls...all puffed out, and all those big feathers. I mean, this turkey really looks like the ones you see on pictures and stuff...the real deal. But to see the blue head, the red-gobbly thing, etc. in real life...I always HOPE to get in one of those traffic jams. Once I was delayed by a momma bobcat. I couldn't figure out why she wouldn't run off, until I realized her cubs were on the other side of the road. I just waited patiently until the babies were reunited with their mom...that was cool...something to really "rubber-neck" at. I always swear I'm going to remember to take the camera with me...oh well, it's kind of like trying to keep up with this blogging thing...good intentions, just have to make it happen. If you read this blog, please be patient and check back often....I'll try to have the bacon in the pan more often!

Home Food Storage

Living "out" sometimes poses a problem...it's not like you can just jump into your "rig" (as I now refer to my SUV) and drive down to the nearest store. That is, unless you have a couple of hours to spare, which is a rarity around our place. One must learn to become "resourceful" to say the least. You would be surprised what one can do...or do without when things aren't so convenient! I love a quote from the late Carla Emery...she said the best thing about shopping is that you don't know what you are missing! How true. A couple of years ago, we took a trip back to the big city. I went into one of those stores that's a one-stop deal...I truly forgot there could be so many colors of plastic spoons to stir things with....and when did they come up with "pink" frying pans????? Oh, the towel section...lovely, puffy, fluffy, CLEAN, gorgeous, stacks and stacks of bath towels! Since my towels, you name it...bath, kitchen, etc. have been reduced to dull, brownishy-blotchy vessels, my senses were overwhelmed. Good thing we've become self-sufficient...I just administered CPR to myself and careened back out of the store to my RIG! It was easy to find....it was the dirty one, parked WAY at the end of the lot due to it's "non-economy" size. Hey, I think it was clean once...and dried off by one of my towels....such is life in the country.
Anyway, getting back to being resourceful...it would behoove most to have their own food storage plan. To get started, I invite you to read an article I wrote. Please click link below, type in the key words home food storage program to and you will find the article!

Roosters in the Morning and Other Glorious Animal Sounds

Myth: In the country, the rooster crows at sunrise to greet the weary homesteaders to another glorious day in the country...NOT!

First of all, roosters crow whenever they darn well feel like it! Ours past, and very present, roosters have decided that 3 a.m. is an excellent time to start exercising their vocal cords--hey...if no one else is awake...NO COMPETITION, right? And EVERY ONE will be able to admire the unique, high-pitched yodeling for miles around....Oh, and hey, if you're lucky enough to have 2+ roosters, as we do, you might be able to experience your own dueling banjo symphony for hours at a time...what a deal!!!!
In one of our "brighter" (or desperate) moments of our family odyssey, a "friend" offered to give us some "extra" roosters she had procured at a county fair. Thinking about all that fried-chicken-in-waiting made us greedy and vulnerable...so, we enthusiastically agreed! By the time we unloaded our "unbelievable" good luck in the form of a feathered treasure, we discovered we had us 72 (that is not a misprint) clucking 3 month old roosters. OK...roosters start to test out their cockadoodles anywhere from 5 months to 7 months. Early cockadoodles sounds more like a chicken caught by surprise by a slamming barn door...and they are caught in it. In a nutshell, it's not aesthetically pleasing! Well, to say the least, to have 72 potential alarm clocks was a bit alarming, no horrifying, no terrifying...
I have to be honest, maybe it's something like post-traumatic syndrome...I can't really recall all the details when our "boys" hit prime maturation. Maybe it can also be attributed to sleep deprivation...I'm not sure.
So, just FYI--all those movies with the rooster bursting into song at the break of day...it's a bunch of hooey....but, the fried chicken... delicious!