Farm Life · Farmtastic Stories

Just Say No to Snakes

My Farmtastic Life1 Comment

We love 99.9% of things about country living.  In fact, neither Cowboy nor I  want to trade in the work, peace, or beauty of the country to go back to the ‘burbs.  However, if there is one thing that can make me shriek and consider condo living, it is the S word.  That’s right, S-N-A-K-E. Those squirmy, sneaky, legless slitherers are NOT my friends.

We’ve been pretty blessed at the farm.  We’ve found just two snakes in five years, and one we only found after we ran over it with the tractor.  Bonus! But with this year’s spring rains they seem to have discovered the farm, and we found three on the porch in 36 hours.  Let me correct that, I found three.

Snake number one slithered onto the porch just as I was about to let the pups out.  Unfortunately, Cowboy wasn’t home at the time and couldn’t get here immediately. (Of course!) Panic mode fully in place, because I was not going to go toe-to-toe or rather toe-to-slither with a snake, I picked up the phone and called my dad.   Dads fix everything, right?

My good natured dad  listened, as I screeched, “Dad, there is a snake on the porch.  Come now.  Right now.”

In his slow drawl, he said, “Awe, you’ve got a snake, huh?”

My anxiety building, I squeaked, “Stop. Talking. Just. Come. Right.  Now.”

We hung up and I stayed glued to the window making sure I knew exactly where that snake was.  I couldn’t risk a get-away, or I may never step foot on the porch again.  Five minutes later, my mom  called me back.

“Your dad is on the way. He’s got his BB gun and shovel.  You cracked him up. He’s grinning from ear to ear,” she said. “He should be there in a few minutes.”

Not so happy to be comic relief, I breathed a sigh of relief as the calvary was on its way. I grabbed my pink rubber boots and stood at the ready.  What an utter goofball I looked like.  You’d think I was going to do battle with the garden rather than snakes.  Whatever works, right? And then I saw Dad round the driveway, that lovely Dodge truck was a white horse.

My Farmtastic Life - Just Say No to Snakes
Dad saved the day, and by day I mean my sanity. Sorry Mr. Snake. You are not welcome on the porch!

Dad saved the day, and was an excellent shot.  Dad did feel bad, as he said it was a “good” snake, i.e. not poisonous.  However, while my brain knows this, my nervous system does not.  In fact, that night I dreamed about being chased by snakes.  Let’s just say, I’m not a fan.

Snake number two and three came when Cowboy was around.  (Lucky, Cowboy!) Snake number two still came with an assist from Dad, as he was stuck up in the porch roof rafters, and unfortunately ate a nest of baby black birds.  Sad about the birds, and this also came with a new realization that I had to look not only down but up for snakes.  Holy cats, are you kidding me?

Snake number three showed up on our side porch wrapping itself around a door handle.  For the love of pete I hope this stops.  By snake number three, Cowboy has this routine down, sadly. Routine starts with a call of, “Cowboy! Snake! Now!” To which I hear him laughing and boots come stomping.  Shovels collected.  Snake in sight.  Snake dead.

The big lesson? Screened in porch just moved up the priority list of projects.  Hardware store here we come!

 

P.S. – Yes, snakes were harmed in the making of this blog.  We’re sorry.  They simply FREAK us, i.e. me, out.  I know it’s not the right thing to do, but I’d like to keep breathing at a normal pace. All were a minimum of four feet. This farmgirl is just over five feet. You do the math.

P.P.S. – Ironically, snake number three came in the middle of writing this blog.  Guess he needed to make an appearance.

P.P.P.S. – I refuse to categorize this as a critter story.  Critters require legs. So you’ll find this under farm life.  Just saying.

 

Critter Stories · Farmtastic Stories

Go Fish

My Farmtastic Life3 Comments

Back in the fall I was chatting it up in our local coffee shop, when one of my friends mentioned that she keeps goldfish in her horse troughs to eat algae and mosquito larvae.  I nearly spit out my chai tea latte, when I asked, “Seriously?” (And yes, country folks drink tea lattes, at least this farmgirl does and I adore them. And double yes, if you walk into our local coffee shop you will hear talk of horses, farms, and the town goings-on, all with a dose of southern hospitality.)

My Farmtastic Life - Go Fish, Critter Stories
Our first little goldfish swimming laps in their olympic sized pool, a.k.a. the horse trough.

So I bee bopped home and told Cowboy of my newfound knowledge.  And if you could have seen the look on his face.  Let’s just pull a line out of his favorite TV show, and say, “Well, possum on a gum bush.”  So we started asking around, and sure enough it’s a REAL thing.

We went about purchasing goldfish at a whopping 32 cents a piece and gave it a try.  Admittedly, fall into winter was probably not our smartest time to try, but we gave it a good go. Sure enough, it worked.  Well, kind of.

Enter Lips.  In our last batch of fish, we got one little fella who was all gold with the exception of bright white lips.  So while I had avoiding naming the fish, this one was special.  And you guessed it, his name is Lips.

After a couple of weeks in the trough, he wasn’t doing so well.  He was barely moving and only using his fins on one side.  Cowboy sent me a text one afternoon that said, “Lips is dying.”  Yes, I know Lips is a 32-cent goldfish, but I went into action.  How does one save a fish?  I mean I couldn’t exactly give him CPR or bandage a fin.  (Although, Cowboy wouldn’t put it past me. Some other time I’ll have to share the warnings I get about this and that creature finding their way inside.)

I’d read that sometimes goldfish don’t always do well in galvanized tanks, so I thought maybe this was his problem. I scooped him out and put him in a sassy purple horse bucket, fed him, and watched.  On a daily basis, I would tell Cowboy, “I think he’s dead.”  To which Cowboy would come look, disturb the water, and sure enough, off Lips would swim.  (Maybe I’ll start calling Cowboy the fish whisperer.  I’m sure he’d love that.) Within a couple of days Lips was swimming around again.  So now what’s a farmgirl to do?

My Farmtastic Life - Go Fish, Critter Stories
One fish + one tea pitcher = one very happy Lips the goldfish.
My Farmtastic Life - Go Fish, Critter Stories
A close up of dear sweet Lips, in his tea pitcher house.

If you know me, you can most likely guess.  He came inside, of course.  But while I have kennels a plenty and horse halters galore, an aquarium is not standard farm paraphernalia.  So digging through the cupboards I finally found it – my giant tea pitcher.  And so with a few seashells from our travels dropped in for good measure, Lips was in his new home.  And I prayed that the cats would not turn on the spout and drain out the water before Lips could have a real home.  In addition, a girl can only give up her sweet tea pitcher for so long, fish or no fish.

So long story short, Lips now has a home nestled in a lovely, proper aquarium, complete with air pump, colorful gravel, and decor.  I mean the fish has to have style. So if you are doing the math, this 32-cent goldfish now is a $50 investment, which leaves Cowboy scratching his head, but me able to sleep at night. And where is this aquarium, you ask?  On my hutch, directly beneath my treasured cookbooks, where there will be no discussion of cooking fish.

My Farmtastic Life - Go Fish, Critter Stories
Lips enjoying his new digs. Luxury penthouse in the sky. (Stache is in the front, and Lips is in the back left.)

P.S.  We originally got Lips a friend, who we named Stache, short for Mustache, as he had a black ring around has lips.  But unfortunately, Stache didn’t last too long.  Rest in peace Stache.  We hope you enjoyed your time on the farm.  Lips will remain an only fish for now.

P.P.S.  Goldfish don’t always do well in the troughs.  So we continue to experiment and find the the right balance.  We do enjoy having them and they are big help. If you give it a go, we’d love to hear your successes. 

 

 

Farmtastic Recipes

Farmtastic Recipe – Veggie Pizza

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With fresh veggies coming into season, we like to find yummy ways to use them up, whether they come from our garden, a farmer’s market, or our local grocer.  I originally got this fun recipe from my sweet mother-in-law, and the truth is you can really use any veggies that you love to munch on.  Make it up as an appetizer for summer get-togethers, as a snack to share, or for a quick lunch time bite.  Best of all it keeps for a couple of days.  My favorite part – the crunch of the veggies combined with the tart creamy sauce.

Give it a whirl and let us know what you like on your pizza.

The Recipe: Veggie Pizza

The Source: Cowboy’s Mama 

Ingredients:

  • 2 tubes of original Pillsbury Crescent Rolls, 8 count each

    Farmtastic Recipe - Veggie Pizza
    Gathering veggies and accoutrement to put together a scrumptious snack.
  • 8 ounces of cream cheese, softened
  • 8 ounces of sour cream
  • 1 packet of ranch dressing mix
  • 1 green bell pepper, diced
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 1/2 cups carrots, chopped
  • 1 medium head of broccoli florets, chopped
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar or Mexican cheese

 

 

Directions:

  1. Preheat your oven per direction on the crescent rolls.  Take your favorite cookie sheet, grease lightly.  My favorite way is to put a dab of olive oil on a clean paper towel and wipe down my cookie sheet.
  2. Roll out the crescent roll dough in a flat layer.  Pinching together the seams. Bake according to directions.  I generally go with the least amount of time on the range provided.  Crust will turn golden brown and puff up slightly. Remove from oven and cool completely.

    Farmtastic Recipe - Veggie Pizza
    If only making dough from scratch was this easy. Simply roll out your crescent rolls and go.
  3. Combine all of your chopped veggies in a large bowl and toss until they are completely mixed.

    Farmtastic Recipe - Veggie Pizza
    Delicious bowl of fresh veggies all chopped up. If you have one, visit your local farmer’s market and pick out your faves.
  4. In a medium bowl, use hand mixer to blend cream cheese and ranch dressing mix.  Blend in sour cream until mixture is smooth.
  5. Once crust has cooled, spread your cream cheese mixture onto the crust.  This is your pizza sauce.

    Farmtastic Recipe - Adding the sauce for veggie pizza.
    Spread your sauce on your pizza. I use an icing spreader.
  6. Sprinkle on the cheese, top with the veggies.
  7. Slice and enjoy immediately.  Keep leftovers refrigerated.

    Farmtastic Recipe - Veggie Pizza
    Time to take this perfect snack to the porch. Let us know what you like on your veggie pizza.

Farmtastic Notes:

  • If you want to make this ahead for a party, prepare crust, sauce, and veggies separately.  Store all ingredients in fridge separately.  Assemble right before party.
  • Will keep in the fridge for two to three days.  I usually leave it on the cookie sheet and just cover with tin foil.
  • Sometimes I use Neufchatel cheese instead of cream cheese.  I think the taste is the same, it is just a lower fat option.

I’d love to hear what you think of this recipe, so give it a try and share your thoughts.

Critter Stories · Farmtastic Stories

Easter Donkey

My Farmtastic Life3 Comments

A couple of years ago, I was asked if I would teach children’s Sunday school. An admitted struggler with the word “no,” I reluctantly agreed to teach once a month. You see, while this farm mama has a gift with the four-legged children, I fear I have no such gift with the two-legged variety.

After a couple of Sundays, I quickly learned that a room full of antsy middle schoolers, mostly boys, positively scares the beejeebers out of me. However, my favorite Sunday of all to teach was Palm Sunday. It was when my love of the four-legged got to have a part in my lesson, at least through pictures.

I had heard about the legend of the cross and donkey, and given the beautiful crosses that Sweetie Pie and Mama Rose both wear on there backs, I wanted to know more. So I spent a little time to look it up and research it for the kiddos.

The story goes like this (in a farmgirl’s words) … when Jesus was heralded on Palm Sunday He rode in on the back of a sweet donkey. At that time, the donkey did not have a cross. The little donkey loved Jesus and was so proud to carry his Lord and Savior through the town. A week later, when Jesus was crucified, the donkey was heart broken. He stood in the back of the crowd and watched as his Jesus died, tears falling from his gentle eyes. The donkey could not bear to leave Jesus, so he stayed until the shadow of the cross fell across his back. From that moment on, the donkey carried the cross of Jesus to show his love for his Savior and King. On the third day, when Jesus rose from the dead, the donkey rejoiced and passed his beautiful cross markings on to all those that came after him.

Donkey Photo - Sweetie Pie shoes off her cross markings
Sweetie Pie and Mama Rose are Jesus donkeys. On this Easter weekend they proudly display their crosses.

John 12:12-15 (NIV)

(12) The next day the great crowd that had come for the Feast heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem.  (13) They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” “Blessed is the king of Israel!” (14) Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it, as it is written,  (15) Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion; see, your king is coming seated on a donkey’s colt.”

So on this Easter Sunday, we think about our donkeys and the symbols of Jesus that they carry all year through. We wish you and your family a blessed celebration of the ultimate sacrifice and gift that is Jesus.

P.S. That was my last Sunday to teach and I think it ended on a perfect note.  Teachers, you have my respect and thanks for all you do.  You are truly special, and I don’t know how you do it, but I’m honored for the experience and I hope those kiddos will always remember the donkey and Jesus.

P.PS. Another great story source http://www.mdresort.com/legend-christian-donkey/.

Farm Life · Farmtastic Stories

A Love Letter to Northern Farmgirls (and Boys)

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Farm Photo - Snow covered porch
Not quite primetime for porch sitting, but so pretty before it’s covered in paw prints.

Texans are tough, and boy are we a proud bunch, but I have to give it up to my Northern farmgirls (and boys). How do you do it all winter long through snow and ice and wind?

As predicted, February pulled old man winter from its bag of tricks this week and sent us plunging to below freezing temperatures. (Yes, from all Texans we are deeply sorry for all of our tweets, Facebook posts, and other musings about how it is 70 degrees this winter and we are sitting on the porch while you are bundled from head to toe.)

Before I was a farmgirl, the cold was just an irritant, but thanks to the modern invention of central heat and air, totally doable. However, while heat is a requirement on the farm, it’s not enough to just sit inside and drink hot chocolate. Those critters need fed.

One of my hearty Midwest friends asked me, “Do you even have clothes for this?” Kind of. Layers of flannel pajamas, jeans, hoodies, coats, scarves, and gloves are all piled on until we wobble out to the great white winter to do chores. Hey, we weeble, we wobble, but we sure hope we don’t fall down. (You kids from the ‘70s and ‘80s know what I mean, and if not, here’s a refresher.) I’m sure we are a site.

Horse Photo - Ranger in the snow
Ranger was stirring up trouble today. He loves the cold and chasing his fellow buds. (But look at that mane!! If you look closely, you can even see his mustang brand.)

Even more exciting, our critters become like toddlers in the snow. They love it. We’ve got horses chasing each other through the pasture, and dogs (a.k.a Maybelle) running crazy laps around the yard. It’s all fun and games for 15 minutes at a time, because this farm mamma starts to shiver after that. Pathetic, I know.

On top of it, if you are a Northerner and you watch any of our local TV channels you will probably truly find yourself rolling on the floor laughing (or crying, it’s that silly). We’ve got reporters bundled like the Michelin Man out on freeways and parking lots scrapping up a half an inch of ice and labeling it delightful things like “icemageddon.” Seriously, people?

If you must know the truth, even us locals cringe a little when we watch the media spectacle, especially when the national news comes on and we see folks in Boston. Holy cats – that is some serious snow and winter. And with that realization, we will say thank you for our little touch of winter. Our two days where we are homebound and schools are closed. The knowledge that we’ll be above freezing before the week’s end, and likely by next week we’ll be back out on the porch.

So to my Northern farmgirls (and boys), my hats off to you. I see you digging out, resilient and determined to push forward. You are feeding, watering, and mucking your herds with valor. Making it work for good no matter what. I’ve seen horse rescues and folks going out of their way to make sure all critters great and small are taken care of. You guys are tough! From our farmtastic life to yours, we raise a glass of sweet tea and say you go, girl (and guy). You are amazing. We pray your spring flowers will be there soon, and you too can sit a spell on your porches.

River – my love bug. He’s by far the hardest to photograph as he heads straight to me for petting and scratches.
Ranger and Smokey noshing their hay.
Smokey says, “Hi, Mom! Look how dirty I am from rolling in the snow and mud!”

P.S. – Just one request. You might be sending this letter back to me in August when it’s sweltering.  We are Texan tough when it comes to summertime.

Farmtastic Recipes

Farmtastic Recipe – Sunday Banana Bread

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Around the farm on the weekends, we usually have some extra time away from our chores to relax and do the little things that we enjoy.  For me, I love to cook and to bake.  While I often try to bake the things that Cowboy loves most, sometimes I just have to indulge in a just-for-me recipe, and one of my favorite comfort foods is banana bread.

Cowboy is not a lover of bananas.  Not sure if he had some pre-school trauma, but the man cannot stand the smell of them.  However, I buy bananas almost weekly and without fail have a couple that have seen their best days as cereal toppers and snacks.  So I have two options – freeze them for a smoothie or bake them into something scrumptious.

And since it is Sunday, I thought I’d pull out my go-to recipe from a church cookbook.  (P.S. – If you are a lover of comfort food, look no further than a good church cookbook.  They are full of family favorites and are sure to please. I always pick them up at garage sales for just pennies and add them to my cookbook collection.)  

I think the cinnamon and cloves make this banana bread extra special.  Give it a try and let me know what you think.

The Recipe: Sunday Banana Bread

The Source: Harvest Gifts  church cookbook from Saint Ann Catholic Parish in Coppell, Texas (NOTE: The original was called cinnamon-banana bread.) 

Ingredients:

Recipe Photo - Banana Bread Ingredients
Collecting the ingredients to put together this scrumptious treat.
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup shortening
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
  • 1 1/4 cups bananas, smashed

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter a loaf pan and dust with flour.  Set aside.
  2. Cream together sugar and shortening.  Add eggs.
  3. Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and ground cloves.  Add to wet mixture and mix until well incorporated.

    Recipe Photo - Banana Bread batter coming together
    Adding in my dry ingredients. Truth be told, my KitchenAid mixer makes baking oodles easier. (This one is pistachio green, and I also use vintage pyrex bowls for mixing.)
  4. Add in vanilla and bananas.  Mix until incorporated.  Add in walnuts.
  5. Pour into prepared and bake for 50 minutes to an hour, until golden brown and when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Let cool slightly.  Turn out of pan and slice.  Serve immediately or store in airtight container.

Farmtastic Notes:

  • When baking, I always make sure to crack my eggs into a glass and then add them to the mixture. I learned my lesson the hard way when I dropped shells into a mixer in motion.  Not fun, not fun at all.
  • Cloves are a strong flavor. I often do a little less than 1/4 tsp.  Now if it is full on fall and I’m in the mood, then I’ll add the whole 1/4 tsp.

I’d love to hear what you think of this recipe, so give it a try and share your thoughts.

Adventures Away From the Farm · Critter Stories · Farmtastic Stories

Where Did January Go?

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Somehow we’ve lost track of time here at the farm, and it’s already February. We can hardly believe it’s been since early December that we took the time to stop, sit down, and actually write a blog. Yikes! The critters are definitely scolding me for not sharing all of their delightful antics with their adoring fans. So what has been going on with farm life since the holidays?  Here are a few of our latest adventures.

Farm Photo - Busted gate
River knocks the gate off the hinges. Nightmare investigates.

The great escape – River the mustang got crafty and busted out of his stall one night.  While he used force to knock his gate off the hinges, he used is agile lips to unlock the stalls of his two brothers.  Who needs opposable thumbs?  We awoke to a gelding party at the hay, while poor Suzy Q watched on.  Clearly this was a boys adventure.  And just in case fun was not enough, in his great escape River managed to finagle a minor injury to his eye, and so we helped the vet to have a merry Christmas.  He’s healed.  Gates are fixed.  And new gate locks installed, thumbs required.

Cat Photo - Chip
The tough but lovable little Chip. Happily using his box again and dining like a king.

Litter box bingo – Chip the kitty ended up with a bladder blockage.  How did we know?  Poor cat was howling and licking like he had lost his mind or was desperate to find a girlfriend.  Freaked this farm mama out!  And yes, in case you were wondering, these things happen in the middle of the night. How else is a cat to gain his person’s attention?  The result was 48 hours in the kitty hospital and a new food.  Since feeding seven cats separately is not an option (remember the EDS commercial where cowboys herded cats), the $60-per-bag cat food has turned dinner time from kibble to ooo-la-la delicious for all the farm felines.

 

 

Adventures Away From the Farm - NYC
Cowboy and I visit the big city at Christmas.

 

Country mice visit the city – December also offered Cowboy and me the opportunity to get away for a couple of days, so we headed to New York City (just imagine the voice of the Pace Picante guy saying that.)  It’s been on my bucket list for years to see the city all lit up for Christmas.  And let me tell you, it was definitely spectacular.  Cowboy must have looked like a trustworthy southerner, as he was often asked to take folks’ pictures and even for directions on the subway.  I guess they don’t think a cowboy will run off with their phone and will actually take the time to stop to help them figure out how to navigate the maze.  He did not disappoint!

We had a fabulous time, but these two country mice were more than happy to wave farewell to the big city and settle back into Texas.  Cowboy’s face lit up as we landed back in the lone star state and drove back home to the farm, population 2 humans and 16 critters.

So we welcome in the New Year (although a little late), and hope you’ll stick with us through 2015 as we continue to share stories that inspire us and make us laugh, and occasionally offer a tip or two for country living.

Wishing you a blessed 2015 from our farm to yours.

Critter Stories · Farmtastic Stories

Twas the Night Before Christmas – Farm Style

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This Christmas season has been a busy one at the farm with critter antics and adventures galore.  Stories are coming, but we wanted to wish all of our farm fans a very merry Christmas with our version of Twas the Night Before Christmas, farm style of course.  We hope you enjoy.  God bless!

Twas the Night Before Christmas – Farm Style

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the farm,
Every creature was stirring, making one noisy barn.
While stockings were hung on the horse stalls with care,
Ranger hoped they’d be filled with carrots to share.

The dogs, they were dancing all over our bed,
Wiping visions of sleep right out of our heads.
Cowboy in his boots, and I in my coat,
Decided rest was not coming. Nope. Nope. Nope.

When out in the barn there arose such a clatter,
We dashed in to see what could be the matter.
Nightmare the cat had cornered a mouse.
Oh dear me, not another. When will we build a house?

The moon shone above all our crazy below,
Water troughs glistened like new fallen snow.
When, what to our wondering eyes should appear,
Jack rabbits, turkeys, and all sizes of deer.

My eyes, they lit up with the critters anew,
Cowboy chimed in, “No ma’am, not one more for you.
These critters are guests, and they’re just passing through.
There’s no room at the inn, all the bills have come due.”

I smiled and I nodded, a wink in my eye.
I realize he’s right, I cannot tell a lie.
But I love all our critters, odd quirks and all,
Even when dogs chew shoes and horses bust stalls.

“Now Dixie! Now Goober! Now Maybelle and Shadow!
Oh Willie! Oh Grizzly! Oh Chip, Bear, and Rhino.
We must get a grip if we want to see Christmas.”
Nighttime is ending, please Santa don’t miss us.

We called to the fur-kids to gather around,
We begged and we pleaded, “For once settle down.
Christmas is coming, and Santa is near.
Let’s make sure there’re snacks for all the reindeer.”

Suzy and Smokey, River and Ranger,
Set out their buckets, while we found the manger.
Mama and Sweetie shared their best hay,
As we looked to the sky, soon it would be Christmas day.

Sleep fell over the farm as we finished our chores,
Peace and rest came in the sound of sweet snores.
When out on the porch I heard the chimes blowing,
I peeked out the window to find it was snowing.

Just at the moment, I saw old Saint Nick.
He was chubby, and jolly and ever so quick.
I jostled poor Cowboy so he wouldn’t miss it.
Rubbing his eyes, he said, “Is it Christmas?”

Tears filled our eyes as we watched what came next,
Santa bent down, his hat to his chest.
He was saying a prayer by the manger so sweet,
Asking the Lord to meet all of our needs.

I watched as the critters all gathered around,
They joined dear old Santa, with heads all bowed down.
The scene on the farm this Christmas morn,
Reminded us why our Christ was born.

He came down to Earth to set our hearts free,
To love every person, even Cowboy and me.
We remember at Christmas and all the year through,
Jesus has blessed us with our own little zoo.

So from our farm to yours, we offer this wish.
From people to donkeys, to dogs, even fish.
We pray this New Year will bring blessings to all.
Merry Christmas, happy holidays, and a Texas yeehaw!

Merry Christmas from MyFarmtasticLife

Critter Stories · Farmtastic Stories

Toilet Cat

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Cat Photo - Bear the cat
Bear, aka the toilet cat. Looks like he owns the joint, doesn’t it?

Yes, you heard me correctly. I said toilet cat.  Meet Bear, a.k.a. toilet cat.  And now for the story of  Bear and his love affair with the water closet …

Bear is one of Shadow’s fur-kids and was born here on the farm.  (Read more about how we ended up with a clowder of cats.)  The skinniest of all the kiddos, for the longest time he was also the shyest.  Darting from one end of the barndiminium to the other, you’d find him hiding in closets and laundry baskets.

I was never really sure why he was so shy; he had been petted and loved on since he was just a few hours old.  But nevertheless, that was the situation for the first three years of his little life, which is when he developed his penchant for bathrooms.

For whatever reason, when Bear would hear you enter the bathroom he’d come running.  Until just recently, it was the one time he wanted your attention.  During the morning-getting-ready time, he’d fly into the bathroom, weaving between your legs and dancing across sinks and cabinets, and yes even the toilet.

It was the strangest phenomenon to us.  He loved you in the bathroom, but not so much anywhere else. Most of all he loved it when you were captive, if you catch my drift.  In fact, at nighttime we would put Shadow and her kitties up in their kitty condo so we could all get a good night’s rest.  But first, we’d have to wrangle them.  For Shadow and her other kids, food bowls and dinner time did the trick. Not so much for Bear.

Cowboy would sigh and say, “Go get your cat.” (And realize around here, “your cat” is generally not nearly descriptive enough.)  Anyway, I would dutifully pad to the bathroom fully clothed in my pajamas and just sit on a closed-lid toilet as if I was having a seat in the living room rocking chair.  And sure enough, within seconds Bear would shoot around the corner and land at my feet.  We did this night in and night out.

Cat Photo - Bear on the bathroom counter
Bear hanging out on the bathroom counter – waiting to advise on eye shadow colors.

Six months ago, something finally shook up his little brain, and he has decided that he would like to be friends outside of the porceline throne room.  Go figure.  However, admittedly it’s still his favorite room.  He’s now ventured on to playing hide-and-seek with Shadow using the tub and the shower curtain.  Fur-kid problems, I tell you!

But never fear, his favorite time to be a pest, er um a delight, is still morning-getting-ready time.  I now even have to apply makeup standing away from the countertop, as he thinks he’s my makeup artist du jour.  Ever try putting on eyeliner with a cat at your elbow?  I don’t recommend it.  I guess it’s a good thing, this farmgirl limits the makeup to going out and special occasions.

Why not just push him off the counter, you ask?  Because the cat has springs for feet and that becomes and even bigger game.  Bear is nothing if not persistent, and bless his little persistent and consistent heart, he will always be our toilet cat.

Farmtastic Recipes

Farmtastic Recipe – Trude’s Stuffin’ Muffins

My Farmtastic Life4 Comments

In honor of my Gram’s birthday this week and with Thanksgiving on the horizon, I thought I’d share one of her recipes, which is probably our family’s absolute favorite.  When it comes to stuffing, we all know the debate of in or out of the turkey, well Gram solved  the debate in the best way possible – stuffing muffins.  She whips up her famous stuffing and then bakes them in individual muffin cups.  Why is this so amazing?  Because it gets crunchy on the outside while staying fluffy and perfect on the inside.  Who doesn’t love that?

Gram has now passed the torch of stuffin’ muffins over to me, and Cowboy and I are expected to show up at the holidays pans in hands.  Even Cowboy’s sister is a convert.

The Recipe: Trude’s Stuffin Muffins (makes 12)

The Source: My Farmtastic Life

Ingredients:

  • 1 loaf of white bread
  • 1/3 to 1/2 cup green bell pepper, diced
  • 1/3 to 1/2 cup celery, diced
  • 1/3 to 1/2 cup white onion, diced
  • 6 to 8 Tbsp. butter, melted
  • 2 to 4 Tbsp. water
  • Salt and pepper to taste
Recipe Photo - Ingredients for stuffin' muffins
Ingredients for the perfect Thanksgiving side dish.

Directions:

  1. The night before, lay bread out on cookie sheets for it to get stale and crusty over night.  (If you have cats who aren’t supposed to get on the counter, but let’s be honest we all know the truth, cover the cookie sheets with clean dish towels. No judgement here!)

    Recipe Photo - Bread prepping
    Bread all laid out and getting its crunch on.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  3. Cut bread into half-inch cubes.  Place into a large bowl for mixing.  I use a large pot.

    Recipe Photo - Bread cut into cubes
    Cut bread into cubes. This is when that bread knife comes in super handy!
  4. Add in bell pepper, celery, onion, salt and pepper.  Gently toss together.  This is where the fluctuations in measurements start to come in, as it really is by feel and what you like.
  5. Add about half of the butter and water.  You won’t want to add it all just yet.  Using your hands start blending it together, like your are working dough.  Keep working it and add the remaining butter and water if needed, until the mixture can be formed into muffin sized balls that will hold together.

    Recipe Photo - Butter pouring over stuff in' muffin ingredients
    Pouring in the butter. Who doesn’t love butter? And for the holidays, we’re sure it’s calorie free.
  6. Place stuffin’ muffins into a muffin pan.  You should have 12 muffins, perfect for one pan.  You won’t need to grease the pan, due to the butter in the muffins.
  7. Cover with tinfoil.  Bake for 30 minutes.  Uncover and bake for 5 to 10 more minutes until golden brown.  Let cool for five minutes.  Spoon each muffin out of the pan and serve with your favorite gravy.

Farmtastic Notes:

  • We usually double this recipe for family gatherings.  We plan on at least 2 muffin per guests.  Of course you can always make more as they are great as leftovers.
  • If you have leftovers, wrap muffins in a damp paper towel and microwave for 30 to 45 seconds.

I’d love to hear what you think of this recipe, so give it a try and share your thoughts.