Friday, February 11, 2011

Day 22 of 365 days of life on our small family farm

Had a lovely day with birthday bear Elisha, who is 4 today.  We will do his cake this week end and let him pick out a gift from the store tomorrow. 
Our hot water is still out, so is our neighbors, so Michael will go down there tomorrow and see if he can help them, they are kind old people and our friends.  Ours will thaw out in the morning, G-d willing, but his might be a mess.  Better to be safe than sorry.  Michael had to go down there anyway as they are giving use an axel for our little blue trailer.  

Started to study for my test this week and looked over my other school work as well.  I helped the bigger kids with their math and we spent a part of the day getting the house in order, getting ready for the spring move of the kitchen and having a living room for the kids.  Today Michael and I made a plan for what to do about the newly added kitchen, but realized after talking that we will have to get the part for the box truck and get it empty, so we can load it up with bad dry wall and insulation.  I fell in a way like I am fighting him on this, because I want to go in and get it all torn out, and he wants to do it himself.  I want to spray bare boards down with mold killer, before I put the new insulation in (recycled blue jean type, very cool, very high R factor).  I want to get the dry wall done, while it is still on the cool side, but before I can put the insulation in I have to have Michael put all the new wiring in, and decide where I want outlet and lights as well as the tank less water heater and appliances.  So that part I have to give more thought, I have a basic lay out drawn on the current walls, but I am not sure if I like the way I have it laid out.  I have not bought a new stove yet, or even made a choice of one and I am still debating on a stove top and double wall oven, which really seems like a great idea.  I could have six burners and it would be so much easier to cook meals that way.  Plus I would not be subject to the heat off of the oven if it is a wall one.  I need a marble top table to work bread and candy on; I think I have one here somewhere, but where, hmmmmm.   I have furniture to go in the kitchen, now that I have been refinishing it; I am not sure where I am going to put it.  I need a long counter on one wall, but where is the question (I plan to put a bank of six outlets on two breakers on this wall).  I still have not really picked out a sink, I am looking for an old cast-iron one with white porcelain finish, a deep two sided one would be nice, and it would be great if it had the drain board built in.  I saw a beautiful reproduction faucet for one, really tall faucet, so I could put a pot under it and fill it, instead of going out the side door to the hand pump outside….lol  Making the kitchen of one’s dreams is a ton off work.  I have the floor picked out and will order it as soon as the walls are in place and painted.  I am painting the walls Tardis this sort of yellowish gold; it’s really quite fetching and trimming with Tardis blue.  The rest of everything is still up in the air, I have not chosen new dishes or anything else yet or even really a true theme other than perhaps eclectic.   So if anyone out there has some ideas to aid me in my quest feel free to let me know, but please keep in mind for the most part, most items will be reclaimed items, I have no desire to destroy the plant on a whim of needing new stuff.  The floor will be new, but a 30 year floor, so it will be around for a long time and is made from recycled materials.  I will need help in deciding which fridge I should put in there, the International harvester, the 1938 GE or the new junky one.  I am toying with the IH and repainting it.  If not maybe I will cruise the back roads for a 50’s model with a freezer, those turquoise blue models where really nice, with that frost freezer and all.  That would be nice too.   Ok I will have to dream about this, as I think I am teetering on work here and it is the Day of rest and I should be resting.  
I made steak from our cow for dinner and French bread and green been and potatoes for dinner and it was great.  I will try and post the recipe and the photos tomorrow.

Ok now News from the boss…



News From The Doghouse and The Happy Birthday Party For Elisha

It was cold and frozen this morning, a good day to sleep in again, trying to keep it all afloat at the same time. Did all the chores without hitch, just started later than usual, letting it thaw out to make the inevitable work easier.

Our birthday party is actually on hold, because we are stuck on the mountain because of the ice and melting snow on top of the ice. Its 40F outside, yet the hot water is still frozen, so that means its thermal cold from ice water or something is in the pipe, like ice or dirt perhaps. The air is damp cold because of the radiant cooling/heating scenario, versus the dry air where the animals require a lot of water, today they need very little, except the ducks, they drink all of their water all the time regardless of circumstances.

Parsha for this shabbat is: Tetzaveh reading Exodus 27:20-30:10 & Ezekiel 43:10-27

My rebbe is on:



Rachael’s post

This morning started colt but good. We had no trouble with the milking machine and finished milking Moo cow very quickly. Then I went over to the side of the barn to check on the horses. El-Shadi was lying down, Samson was sleeping while guarding the gate and Dreamer was over eating at the hay bale. I went inside the horse pasture and laid down beside El-Shadi, he nudged me and then we both laid there and relaxed. I started to stroke his ears and neck and he was so relaxed he was falling asleep. You never know how much an animal trust you until you can lay in the pasture with them and they feel so safe with you that they can fall asleep. Since the second day of El-Shadi’s life I have been playing with him, training him, and loving him. His father passed away last year before he was born. I was wishing that when he was born that he would be like his father. The warrior spirit, loving calm temper, and attachment to me that his father had. And so far everything came true. It brings so much fun and joy to train El-Shadi with him wanting to play every step of the way and learning new things is a game to him. After El-Shadi stood up I went over to go see Sampson and groomed him and then Dreamer. Dreamer later on today got a chunk of ice jammed in her hoof but after a few minutes we had it out. Before I had come back from the tack room with the hoof pick she had already knocked it out of her hoof while running. There was not much more outside going on today but inside was busy. Mom was making homemade French bread which will take a few hours to rise and then bake. Mom and I also went out to the freezer to shop for dinner.lol. We decided to have cow steaks from Israel our calf. 

I would like to thank everyone for reading our blog
*~Rachael~*
 Be blessed dear friends, family and well wishers, may you days be long and your water sweet.
Shekhinah, Michael, the kids and critters of Mahanaim Farm

2 comments:

  1. Eclectic is good, that is what we might have.
    Look at cooking shows to see their kitchen lay outs. I decided not to go with an wall oven by watching these shows at my ladies homes,because they look very award getting food in and out of them. Go look @ wall ovens and see if that is what you want. We are looking on line @ used restaurant_equipment kitchen supplies eg: http://www.acitydiscount.com. Go with energy star products, like you had mentioned.

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  2. Hope you get your water pipes thawed out

    I love hearing about your horses.

    I really enjoy all of your blogs, thank you dear family. hugs and kisses

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