Thursday, February 4, 2010

storm, eggs, Scrabble, Concord, PunkinPatch

We're having a rough winter. Although Mike and I do go out to work each day, and we are walking up and down the long driveway to get our pickup trucks parked near the highway, we're spending much our home-time sitting around inside and eating; which allows for very little calorie burning. The other day Mike laughed and said we looked all grained up and ready for market.

We have another storm arriving tonight and the local weatherman writes - I wish I could tell you that we'll enjoy a nice break after Sunday, but that would not be true. Almost as soon as one winter storm is gone, the next El Nino inspired system will be rolling in. And just in case you are wondering, there's no end in sight to the parade of storms from the west.
****************************************************
The hens are laying so I've been using eggs. Oh and about eggs, everyone has their own thoughts about storing them. My fresh eggs stay in a basket on my kitchen counter, I don't refrigerate them and when baking, you don't want to use chilled eggs. We try to keep the nests clean but when the weather is poor its difficult for the girls to keep their feet clean. If I need to wash an egg because of mud or poop, I'll use a Baby Wipe. I don't wash the bloom off of the eggs unless they are dirty looking, and when I do, I use those washed eggs fairly quickly.


I've been trying to perfect my Eggs in the Nests dish

The other day, Demetre, one of our nephews said that he saw a recipe in a catalog which called for 4 Wilcox eggs. Hmm, I typed in 4 Wilcox eggs, and found this sustainable-farm website, they're located out west. http://www.wilcoxfarms.com/consumer/egg_veggie_frittata.html the recipe looks good.
*******************************************************
I've been playing SCRABBLE on my new computer, wow, the software comes with the entire Official Scrabble Dictionary, it won't allow "imaginary words" and features realistic and challenging computer opponents, you can set the level of competition that you desire.

******************************************************
I designed a goat motel to slide on back of our utility trailer, and hoping nephew, Jeremy, and Mike will erect it. Stay tuned to see if I can make it happen.

*****************************************************
Unless I'm iced in, I'm to depart for Concord, NC on Sunday afternoon, for a 2-day DRUG and AlCOHOL Compliance Conference. I've been to a dozen of 'em in the past and they are snoring b-o-r-i-n-g. The Federal Transit Administration manadates all sorts of drug and alcohol testing for CDL-licensed drivers, they audit us, etc, and yours truly is in charge of the mountains of paperwork all the mandating requires. And yes, every once in a awhile, a driver will test positive for drugs or alcohol although we are constantly drilling in to them that they will be frequently tested.

I see that Concord has a 3D IMAX theatre and is showing AVATAR, so I may venture out one evening and take myself out for a date.
****************************************************
Over at the Punkin's Patch, I got very lucky and won a give-a-way. It is her artwork, her farm, her animals, on these cards, just amazing, I've been a big fan of Punkin's Patch for awhile now. These cards are so precious, if and when I use a card, you can bet it will be for someone very special, a real animal lover like Punkin's Patch. Brushy, her orange tabby cat that just passed away, is included in most of the cards. Thank you honey, I will treasure these.

The sketch is on the rear.

19 comments:

Spring Lake Farm said...

What a "purdy" bowl of eggs!

Yes, go see Avatar. I think you'll really like it.

Sandy

Louise said...

Ugg, compliance meetings. One of my duties, when I worked, was managing the "hazardous materials for shipment" paperwork. That involved a training session, mandated for every three years, but actually needed every couple of years. There was always some new thing that you had to be aware of, but most of it was the same old, same old.

It's got to be much more fun going out to the hen house to see what pretty gifts the girls have left you.

Christine said...

I don't was my dirty eggs until I'm ready to use them. Mainly because I'm just lazy. lol

I'll be right behind you in the line up to go to market. Ready for Spring.

Alison said...

So, what's the deal with not washing eggs? Does it open them up to contamination or something?

Concord? You know that's pretty close to Charlotte. I think our Sunday's pretty booked up, but do you have any free time in your schedule?

BTW, do you realize that your sketch of your goat motel has your phone # on it? Dunno if you want that posted on the internet...just thought I'd point that out.

You have very nice handwriting, though!

I know what you mean about loading on the calories. I feel like I'm wearing a fatsuit; I don't know whose body this is! Time for some self-discipline--ugh! Don't want to find myself shipped off to market, lol.

Joanna@BooneDocksWilcox said...

To Flart,

Eggs - not washing away the freshness.

Concord - I was thinking it was close to Charlotte but I'm meeting two gals, our Drug & Alcohol 3rd-Party Administrators, at the motel, they may go to the IMAX with me (although one asked what AVATAR was).

Melodie said...

Gosh it seems like you all can't catch a break with winter! It seems like you all are stuck in a snowy time warp! Love those eggs,yours look like mine,we have some of the same chickens! Those cards are darling!

Kelly said...

Beautiful eggs! What the heck? I think you are getting the snow we need here. Send it up north to Maine. Go see Avatar. You need to see it. Really, really need to see it. I want to know how you liked it.
Kelly (sitting here wishing for snow)

Jennifer said...

When I complain about winter I think about you guys and how you have to walk down your driveway to your place when it snows much. I am so spoiled but I am still ready for spring!

IsobelleGoLightly said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
IsobelleGoLightly said...

I spelled something wrong so I took out my post...hee hee...It's hard to type with hooooooves! I wrote that my lady would now like to have some chickens that lay those lovely dark eggs! uh oh. I still think that I would like to lay eggs...wouldn't that be interesting? hee hee

Anonymous said...

Hello Joanna, I did some reseach on the eggs questions awhile back and learned that an egg does come out of the same hole called the vent as the poop so the chicken's egg is covered with an enzyme to keep the egg from growing bacteria which then can be absorbed into the egg. If I wash an egg because it is dirty then use quickly or store in fridge. Otherwise it can stay on the counter up to 3 weeks. Just thought I would explain what I learned in case anyone was wondering exactly how it works.

Chicken Boys said...

Sorry about all the snow and ice. We got a few flakes this morning, but it's just a miserable, cold rain here in Greenville. Our riveres here are flooding and the ground is saturated here in flat land. We don't need any more wet stuff for a while. See Avatar in 3D if you can. It's fantastic.
~Randy

AJ-OAKS said...

Those eggs are just beautiful. I love the colors.

Try not to get too bored with the meetings. Oh, wait, hard not to get bored when the meetings are awfully boring!

The egg in a nest looks downright scrumptious. Gonna have to try it.

Tammy said...

The quiche looks wonderful. I'll be glad when my old girls kick up production. I'm getting about three or four eggs a week, which helps, and is appreciated, but still having to buy and occasional dozen of the store boughts. I love all the rich colors of the eggs. What breed of chicken is laying the really dark ones? Weather is bad here too---in fact just came back home after attempting to get in to work. Almost bought the farm, so to speak when my spinning truck came three foot from plunging into a ravine. End up doing a complete 360 and almost bashing into the other side of the hill...two inches from the ditch. Whew. Thank God is all I can say. Had call the Hwy Patrol and a two truck--very steep hill and I was blocking half the road.
You'd think that walking up and down the hill would offset the being cooped up in side... It SHOULD---you ought to get some benefit from all that mess.
Tammy

thecrazysheeplady said...

Aw, you are too sweet. Thanks! You brightened an otherwise rainy day :-).

Love your goat motel!

Mom L said...

Definitely see Avatar! I thought it was fantastic, and I had to see it in the old 2D at my rural theater. I'd love a chance to see it in 3D, especially at an IMAX theater, but not going to drive 45-50 miles for it!

All the egg info is fascinating - I hope I can eventually find a place to buy farm eggs around here.

Nancy in Iowa

Anonymous said...

Eggs are sooo beautiful, don't you agree?

Di
The Blue Ridge Gal

Laughing Orca Ranch said...

Beautiful eggs. I don't wash my eggs either. My stepmom was here for Christmas and she thought it was disgusting not to wash them and refused to eat any of them.
Funny that she would prefer the store bought factory farm eggs instead. She felt they were safer than farm fresh eggs. Who knows how old those factory farm eggs are? Weeks for sure. Oh well.

So why do you need a goat motel?


~Lisa

Laughing Orca Ranch said...

Oh. And you know how to test to make sure your eggs are fresh and safe to eat, right?

Place them in a bowl of water. If they sink, they're good. If they float, throw them away.

The gas in the eggs builds up when they become old and makes them float.


~Lisa