Black Bean Burgers

 It was a fine afternoon 

and

I

was hungry.

We were all hungry.

but

the BBQ lights me on fire.

So BBQ burgers were out.

I decided I would actually try my hand at the whole cooking business

it has been a while.

So I looked in my pantry

I looked in my fridge

Nothing.

I had a bunch of veggie that needed using

beans in my cupboard

and hamburger buns.

This is not a recipe.

I didn't measure anything.

This was ravenous dumping.

I grabbed:

1) my food processor

2) black beans (1 can)

3) cooked oatmeal (1 cup)

4) half a thing of mushrooms

5) carrots (about 1 cup shredded)

6) Onion (half of one)

and then I processed

Oh and then I dumped in

7) a drained can of diced tomatoes

and then I decided I better add some 

8) dry oatmeal

until it got less liquidy

Then I put in the spices.

garlic powder

seasoning salt

onion powder

pepper

Cayenne pepper

Then I plopped (cause that is the sound) them

on parchment paper

and baked them in the oven

for 25 minutes 

on 425

(because that is my favourite temp because I am impatient)

(especially at lunch)

(particularly when I am hungry)

and they actually weren't too bad.

I put some tomato and lettuce and mayo and BBQ sauce on

and 

it was almost enjoyable

Dusty even admitted they were tolerable...

Tips for positive Blogging

My top tips for Positive blogging

5) preplan what you are going to say

4) have pictures

3) take a Valium

2) blog first thing in the morning

and the number 1 tip for positive blogging....

don't have kids around.

Kidding...

sorta.

Penny peeled her paint off her wall at some point today.

I haven't been able to pin point as of when 

BUT

Now as you can see 

there is a lovely blue spot on her wall.

It's just paint.

it's just paint.

it's just paint.

and 

maybe 

tomorrow

I will heed my own advice

and blog

in

the

freaking

morning!

Like a Jaybird.....

We actually got a sheep shearer out.

My sheep weren't happy

they'll thank me later...

 Fleece being removed

Almost done

Running far far away

(ps brianna this will give you a good idea of size)

They come up to your knee.

Bella thought she would be funny

and stick her tongue out at me

little doesn't she know

that I usually get the last laugh.

So now my sheep are naked.

and apparently Rams think like men...

Teddy has been chasing poor Bella around all afternoon.

she might be wishing for her clothes back

the good stuff!

I can't wait to process it!

Good thing for books and google!

Soul Searching

This is my 400th post!

I will try not to dwell on that fact.

I was driving in the car 

on the way into town 

and one of the radio announcers asked the other

 if she had ever been on a soul searching quest...

She said that she hadn't but that she wished she had after high school.

She wished she had gone and travelled to find herself

they guy said it was never too late 

and then asked

Where did she think she would find her soul?

She said something like a beach in Barbados....

I was listening to this conversation peripherally

but 

I immediately knew my answer.

It surprised me that it was so quick.

I found my soul at home.

I didn't need to go on any grandiose adventure to find me.

(although I think the adventure of going would be neat)

I am

(what I now believe to be one of the few)

who has found my "soul" or "me"

at home.

At home in the prairies

at home with my children

at home on the back of {my} horse.

These things let me breathe

bring me back in

let me focus

I feel so blessed

that I could find me here.

and that I can go on vacation 

and not be searching

but 

just be content to see everything

knowing that I get to come home to

the best part of life.

Ba Ba white sheep

We finally got our sheep.

All of us are thrilled.

Even Dusty...

who was skeptical.

They are called Old English Southdown Babydoll sheep.

It's a mouthful.

most people just call them babydolls.

They are adorably small and cute

and rare.

Their wool is fantastic for spinning.

Which is why they are here.

and 

they are also small.

Which means less intimidating for children.

aka Ellie.

So without further adu....

Meet Teddy.

He is our ram.

He is playful

and he wags his tag when you play with him.

He follows you around the pen.

He even licks the dogs.

 Teddy checking things out.

 Meet Bella.

She is timid.

It probably doesn't help that she had a bad case of wool eye...

Dusty and I got her fixed up till the shearing guy comes.

Bella and Buttons....

Buttons is the baby.

Not their baby

but she is tiny.

and friendly

when Teddy gives her a chance to be.

He's a bit of an attention hog.

I am sure you'll be hearing more of our upcoming sheep adventures.....

The good and bad of it

Starting out 

most days seem 

pretty much the same.

get out of bed

make lunches 

(or at least boss my children around to make their lunches)

make breakfast

brush hair

tell children to brush teeth

read

and

go out the door.

It is what happens post morning routine

that determines whether is is a 

good day or bad...

Today 

I went and visited a friend

Got a little prettier

then came home

made a healthy lunch

(I really would of been much more satisfied 

with the pizza the kids were eating 

but I am going to try hard not to dwell on that..... 

okay dwelling a little....)

cuddled Penny

(that was a necessity since she was very grumpy)

then finally got out to do chores.

with Lucy

who was actually of great assistance

because

The ponies got their gate open

the chicken house was soaked

and the baby chicks needed to be moved outside.

So I got the hen house scooped out

the baby chicks moved

the ponies back where they were supposed to be

the geese fed (which is dangerous right now)

and just as I was finishing...

our yearling filly 

was on the wrong side of the fence

 charging around.

Yikes.

So I grab a hammer

forget the staples

have a halter rope

but 

by the time I get there she is back threw the fence

with not too many scratches

(thank heavens)

and then I hear the bus pull in the yard

and Ellie yelling about piano

OOPS

Pound a few staples and run

(completely out of breath)

to the car and drive to piano

and then come home for 20 minutes

and drive back again

I am so so so so ready for bed.

Cleaner House

One of the many benefits of beautiful weather is

that children generally are outside.

Which means

my house stays cleaner

kinda

at least cleaner from toys.

there tends to be more dried grass on my floor

the bathrooms get sprinkled with dirt from the inside of bathing suits

but I'll take it.

Women

It's been a week

 (and one day- but who's counting)

since this blog has seen any action...

I was busy.

I had to write a talk for church.

It's all i could really think about

or talk about...

my poor poor friends...

and children.

They were neglected.

they will get over it

they always do.

Until they are teenagers...

then they won't.

I spoke about mothers...

really a shocker...

since it's mothers day and all.

I won't make you endure my entire talk.

I have inflicted enough pain for one day.

but I will leave you with a quote.

When we understand the magnitude of motherhood, it becomes clear why prophets have been so protective of woman’s most sacred role. While we tend to equate motherhood solely with maternity, in the Lord’s language, the word mother has layers of meaning. Of all the words they could have chosen to define her role and her essence, both God the Father and Adam called Eve “the mother of all living”—and they did so before she ever bore a child. Like Eve, our motherhood began before we were born. Just as worthy men were foreordained to hold the priesthood in mortality, righteous women were endowed pre-mortally with the privilege of motherhood. Motherhood is more than bearing children, though it is certainly that. It is the essence of who we are as women. It defines our very identity, our divine stature and nature, and the unique traits our Father gave us.

--Sheri Dew

Happy Mothers day to all those Women out there who spend their time nurturing anyone in their care!

Men

Have you ever tried to back up a trailer with a man?

It usually doesn't end well.

Sometimes if that man is say....

your father or 

perhaps a very patient man

or a new boyfriend

they might bite their tongues

they might take a deep breath

but

usually

they still will be frustrated that you aren't doing it right.

I don't help with trailers.

I only help when help is absolutely required.

Even then

I mostly try to stay out of the way

I try (with great difficulty)

to be intuitive to what I am "supposed" to do.

Lately,

we have had lots of help

or have helped lots of people...

I don't want to seem lazy or unwilling

so I try to help.

As I watched two men work together

it was as if they could read each others minds.

They were moving things 

heavy things

there was no communication on HOW the process was to go

they just lifted it and turned and maneuvered in unison.

HOW?

Today I am watching Dusty work with a friend

They are fencing 

and again

ZERO communication

they just go to work and get it done

No yelling

No misunderstandings

No one standing around awkwardly 

I am positive that there is a secret language that 

I never got the code to...

Old Roads

Last night I was driving home from my parents 

and as the silhouette of the little hamlet came into view 

I took a deep breath in.

I have seen that same silhouette hundreds of times.

There is something about the rolling prairie

A town not even really big enough to be a town.

There is an old catholic church there

It seems to be the tallest building now

The elevators are gone.

The watering hole burnt down years ago.

I rounded the corner.

I am so grateful my parents made the decision

to move us to the middle of nowhere.

City kids on an acreage

in the midst of large farms

that had been there for generations.

I am sure that my parents would of preferred a school with a few more opportunities

or a larger population of students to find friends in

but

I found things out about myself that I am pretty sure 

I wouldn't of figured out anywhere else.

There is song by Miranda Lambert

It is called, "The House that Built Me".
The song was my background music
while my brain twirled with all
these images and thoughts.

One day,

my parents small acreage will be sold.

I won't have a reason to make that drive.

I am sure that I will long 

for that oiled road,

that silhouette,

our trees that we spent hours playing in,

the house

where I used to rock out in my bedroom 

 where we got ready for dances

where I spent countless hours dreaming of being grown up

The yard

where I learned to ride

where we rode sheep

butchered pigs

got chased by chickens.

I am sure

that there will always be pieces of me there

 I hit the highway

and headed for home

I hope that this house will be as good to my children

as my house was to me