Attention Wichita and surrounding area readers

If you are interested in a Special Neophyte Food Tasting, and a Super Natural Craft show, please email me this week.

I will send you an invite.

Be great to meet some of you in person.

It is normal to give away a little of one's life,

in order not to lose it all.
~Albert Camus

I started reading Camus when I was 12.
I got my first piercings before it was cool.
I wear combat boots and I am not in the military
I was a goth kid before they had a name.
I listen to opera and death metal. And depending on the band, at the same time.
I butcher my own livestock
I milk my own cows.

Now, I can see where you are starting to wonder where I am going with all of this. No it isn't a meme, don't fret. No one is going to get tagged. These are just a list of some of the things in my life that I find normal. However I also know that the general population doesn't think it is.

I play RPG's, ones not on a TV or PC screen.
I make chain maille.
I listen to Cradle of Filth while canning
I watch reruns of Little House, dressed in Motorcycle paraphernalia, while shucking corn.

We all have our little idiosyncrasies. I have been called not normal or someone has said to me, that's just not normal, on a pretty regular basis. Even here on my blog, people have some to watch the side show freak. I'm rather use to it, because I have always been a little out there most of my life. I remember walking into a McNasty's back in the day, and a mom pulled here child away from me, whispering "don't stare."

But now I want you to stare!

This Sunday a new blog called Women Not Dabbling in Normal will have its coming out party. Old school style, people. With the fancy gowns and father escorting the ladies down the large mansion stairs. It's got a rather hard core line up of ladies.

Kathie, from Two Frog Home is the mastermind behind this. She brought together 5 other women to make this blog happen. Gina, from Cauldron Ridge, Robbyn from The Back Forty, Jessica from Practical Nourishment, Kristine from Dancing in a Field of Tansy, and myself. Starting Sunday, the women will post a little about themselves on their regular posting day. Friday's are reader question days (go see Kathie for how to get your questions answered) and then, we start behaving abnormally. This should be an interesting resource for those of you interested in homesteading.

ok, my stupid was showing yesterday. Funder kindly pointed that one out. Palomino is not a breed, it is a color. This is what happens when a stupid horse owner gives a neophyte horse owner information.

A shady business never yields a Sunny life

B. C. Forbes

Sunny is a pleasant old chap to have around. We learned a few more things about him, besides just being a retired Barrel Racer. He is half Quarter Horse and half Palomino. He is eager to please, and response to commands easily. But he has already began to back talk me. Oh, as if that should surprise you!

Last night I was out talking with my neighbors that train horses. They asked me to bring Sunny up to the fence, so they could get a better look at him. I told them what I know of Sunny, his age and retirement status is about all. And the last time he saw a farrier, or had his teeth dealt with.

They neighbors are very impressed with his demeanor and how well his legs are built. I was informed that he is about 100 lbs under weight, and with a little time and care, he will build back up and that sway in his back will not be so pronounced. I can get his hooves tended for $25 and his teeth done for another $25. I thought it would be more then that, so am relieved.

The neighbor showed me the only command I really need to know, her words. The emergency stop. Which Sunny responded to easily. Then they looked at his teeth, declaring that they weren't horrible and that he is no way he is 20 years old. But the vet who will be dealing with his teeth can tell me his real age.

Suddenly I was invited to a Weeny cleaning party by the neighbors wife. I must have dropped my jaw, because she was giggling up a storm. She informed me that she was serious, and that they do indeed have a weeny cleaning party. I told her that it was my son's horse so I guess he'll get to do that.

Now I am speechless. No one told me this! I have to clean his, um, sheath!?! What!?! So after we were done talking I ran into the house to inform my husband. I should know better to mention anything like this to a bunch of men. We had some buddies over and even if technically they are of a mature age, they still have the minds of 12 year old boys. They all wanted to be invited to this party, and asking how much it would cost. Blah blah blah. ~sigh~ boys. I ran straight to my homesteading books, none of which mention this particular type of party. So I looked online. Looks like it is a common practice, but not one that seems to be a necessity.

Luckily for me, many of my female readers have the minds of 12 year old boys, your writer here is one. So I will attend this party, take pictures, and make you all suffer through this with me. Oh, don't even gasp and tell me you are not in the least curious about this weeny party. I know better.

Mint Ice Cream and Peach Butter

Our peach tree finally put out. She has been teasing us these past two years. It's been hard to stay faithful, and not touch the forbidden fruit of another fruit tree, but finally! My patience has paid off by a whopping 13 peaches! Almost 2 full pounds of fruit people.

We could have behaved like normal people and ate those 13 peaches, but I have a 4 year old. Those of you that don't have 4 years olds don't get it, those that do, I know I don't have to say anything more for you to figure out what has happened. He stuck a pencil into the peaches, all of them. And I didn't see it until the next day. So it is or was a mad dash to cut out the bad parts and save the rest. Luckily there was more good then bad, and I made peach butter.

You will need

Peaches, pitted and bad spot removed, leave on the skin

honey

sugar

patience and time

Now, puree you peaches, and the squeeze through a cheese cloth so you don't get any unwanted chunks, into a small or large (depending on how many peaches you are using) saucepan over a super low flame. (your dial should say super low) Add honey to almost the sweetness you desire. then a tad bit of sugar to reach the sweetness level of your choice. (too much sugar will cause the butter to be too sweet, hurting your teeth when you bite into your bread) now go make something else and check on your butter one and awhile, stirring to keep it from burning. Once it has reduced in volume, which could take all day, and is of a thick spreadable consistency, pour into your hot sterile 1/2 pint jars. Process in a hot water bath with the water covering the jars by 2 inches, for 10 minutes.

While I was doing that, I preserved some of my milk by making 4 quarts of Mint Chocolate chip Ice cream.

Let us start with those of you growing your own. Peppermint plants that is.

Peppermint Extract

1/2 cup fresh chopped peppermint leaves

1/2 cup vodka Directions

Combine the ingredients in a 1/2-pint Mason jar and set aside to steep for 10 days. Good vodka and good peppermint leaves are a must to get a good strong flavor. Strain into a large wide mouth jar, cover with cheese cloth, and allow the alcohol to evaporate. Extract will be good for a year, and don't open near any open flames!

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

2 1/2 cups milk

2 1/2 cups sugar

1 tsp salt

2 1/2 cups half and half

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

6 cups whipping cream

2 tsp peppermint extract

green food coloring

12 oz grated semi sweet chocolate ( or more to taste)

Scald milk just until bubbles form on the edges. Remove from heat and add sugar, salt, blend until dissolved. Stir in remaining ingredients, except chocolate chips, and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. Follow your ice cream maker directions. Add chips after removing the dasher. Freeze for 5 hours.

Any questions?

Sunny Days, Keeping the Clouds Away. . .

Meet Sunny

Sunny is the latest member of the Neophyte Homestead. He officially belongs to my middle son.

Sunny is 21 years old. He is undernourished, needs a farrier, and some teeth work done. As you know this isn't our first time with an older animal or one that is in need of extra love.

Our middle son has been begging for a horse for well over a year now. He has been learning how to care for horses at a neighbors house. We received a phone call about Sunny, and he was given to us for free. My middle on knows the most about horses around here, so it was decided to go ahead and take the horse and allow our son to be his keeper. With help from us and the neighbor, of course.

Our son is thrilled! He goes out with me every morning, and while I milk the cows he tends his horse. He goes out in the late afternoon with me as well.

Sunny is an old Barrel Race horse, and there are some things we have to be careful of because of those years of racing. One would be flying towards a fence and abruptly stopping. It will be a little while before our son will be able to ride solo. He (Sunny) might be old, but he still has a great deal of spirit, and when I lead him to the barn, he wants to run. ( not as in run away, but move faster then I am walking)

Sunny should be a great learning experience for us all, especially our 6 year old.

Wisdom Smarts

Ditch Dentistry is an interesting topic. Even though it is old school, it is something that you might think about looking into if you choose to live out in the middle of no where. Well, more likely if the world collapses and you aren't married to a dentist. I am bringing this subject up as a reminder to myself, not just fodder for a blog. I was drunk from 1030 am to 5 pm yesterday. Wait! Please allow me to explain.

Sundays in Kansas there are liqueur stores open, but no dentists. I woke up around 500 am, little earlier then usual, with a dull ache in my ear. I have a broken wisdom tooth that I tend to forget about when it doesn't hurt. I did a few indoor morning chores and took some pain meds. The pain increased, and the over the counter meds couldn't touch it. I hoped into a shower and howled as the pain moved into my eye and lower jaw. I couldn't stand it any more, and went crying to my husband. Soon I flopped myself down on my bed and begged for some whiskey. My husband pulled a selfish act and wouldn't allow me to have a shot of his whisky, instead he gave me my bottle of Most Wanted, a locally made vodka that is wonderful. I took three shots, ok gulps straight out of the bottle, and waited until the warm sensation moved through my jaw. Then went to sleep. I would wake up, hurting, more vodka to remedy that. I drank half the bottle before the pain had subsided to a level that the over the counter meds could touch. Needless to say, not much was done on the homestead yesterday.

Now I am not saying that getting drunk will fix your teeth, nor am I saying don't go to a dentist, but looking into ditch dentistry, might be something to look into, just in case.

Of course this post will not get me in good with all the naysayers out there. Oh you know who you are. The ones that think my way of life is ridiculous. But, unless I wanted to spend a bunch of money that I don't have by sitting around an emergency room for 12 hours, just to get a shot of something that would have done the same thing as the vodka, well, I'll stick with the vodka and go see a dentist when they are open.