New Chicks - Australorps and Aracanas

So yesterday we received a call at 6am from the post office saying our chicks had arrived. We had ordered 25 of each Australorps and Aracanas. So off we set. It was about freezing give or take ten degrees on the wind chill.

Eva's (John's mum) dog Molly (a pampered Corgi) came with us. We had set up the chicks new home with heat lamps, water and chick feed. They appear to be quite healthy and happy. We have been checking on them every couple of hours and they are all doing well. If I can ever make the computer accept the camera program I will up load them.

I intend on baking an apple pie, banana cake and a coffee cake today along with making gnocchi. Will need to go talk to the adult chickens to get a couple more eggs.

Yesterday I made chocolate bliss cookies from the back of the pack of Baker's Semi sweet baking chocolate squares. You are meant to use two pacs and I had one so I substituted choc chips and butterscotch chips for the extra choc required. John and his dad went ga-ga. Also made more no bake cookies or as John also calls them boiled cookies. I have added my own twist shredded (NOT dessicated)coconut and again butterscotch chips for a hint of different flavour.

It messes with John's head a little because he likes it even though he vows and declares coconut is AWFUL.

I also made my best ever roast pork. It was delicious, juicy and tender. I used a recipe from Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest Publications - 5 Ingredient Meals - Cranberry-Glazed Pork Roast. I served it with my favourite roast vegies Butternut Pumpkin/Squash and Parsnip. With peas, corn, mashed potato and oreo cheesecake for dessert John nearly had to roll to bed.

And finally almost all the walls and doors and cupboards in the kitchen are finished. The entire kitchen is a shade lighter in colour. Its still that scarey green colour but at least it is clean.

Well I had better get back to it. Will need to blog about Monday as well.

Taking hogs to the butcher.

So today was my first foray into the world of farmers with John and his dad Joe. The morning started with me trying to back the truck exactly right for John so he could hitch the trailer to load the hogs. (And in case you were wondering it is all about the size of the animal that takes it from pig to hog. Or so I was informed)

Now the fun news is over the last two days there has been a lot of thaw so the snow has melted. In other words it is warmer but instead of snow we have been getting rain instead so we were getting soaked in the rain doing this. My job was then to hold the door will John and Joe herded the hogs in. I felt soo pretty by the end.

I can't help it at the end of the day I am still a girl. I will wear sunglasses and carry a bag. But will compromise with duck boots, jeans and one of John's work jackets. So after 3 hours we had driven there dropped off the hogs, left cutting instructions stopped at "Porky's" (think truck stop) on the way home, with me doing the girl thing and sitting in the middle and made it home again.

Still all in one piece we made it home. Then we went to pick up John's chainsaw and bought a new little one for me. We match now. This means wood cutting tomorrow yay. I really enjoy cutting wood.

Also made chilli today. My own variation based on about 15 recipes.
Basically 6oz smoked ham, 2lbs beef (used round steak and sirloin), a can of tomatoes, 6 tbsp instant masa, 1 lg onion, 4 cloves of garlic, 3 beef bouillion cubes, cumin, 2 tbsp white vinegar, paprika, chili powder and light red kidney beans.

We will see what John thinks.