The Simple Woman's DayBook

FOR TODAY

Outside my window... It feels much cooler, probably because it rained during the night.

Currently 72' and 100% humidity.

I am thinking... That I need to hit the shower and get my day moving!

I am thankful... For another day God has given me to spend with my loved ones.

From the learning rooms...More fair work.

Kids have been working on getting their binders in order and filling out project record sheets.

Been working with the goats.

They have been thinking about or working on their photography projects.

In the kitchen... It is a mess this morning!
Coffee is ready and I am enjoying my first cup.

Bug didn't get her dishes done last night as we went to see baby Chloe instead. :)

I am thinking about making Pasta and Peas for dinner.

A friend told me last night about Clara on Youtube. 

Watched just this one video yesterday and thought it'd be fun to try.

I am wearing... P.j's

I am creating... Still working on fair lists of what needs to be finished, picked up, assisting with displays, etc.

I am going... To work in my room today.
Clothes need put away, floor needs vaccumed, and fan needs dusting.

I am wondering...Why God is leaving us stuck here instead of moving us to the country?

I am reading...Shadowed Memories by AL Lacey

I am hoping... God provides Good Ole Boy with a better job.

I am looking forward to...Hmmm? I'm not sure.
Quiet days?
A pain free mouth?
Fair?
Tubing?
Going North?
A date night?

I am hearing... Just computer noises this morning.

Around the house...Einstein has left for the ranch but the girls are still sleeping.
The garden is growing BIG!
My flowers REALLY need water! I wonder if the rain last night helped them?
I really need to have the truck one day and get the pile of stuff for Good Will loaded and dropped off.
I want to do more weeding out around here.

I am pondering... The start of school and how I can tweak our schedule.

One of my favorite things...The smell of a newborn baby.

A few plans for the rest of the week: Work, Older kids have a camp out at the ranch, Church, lots of fair work!

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

Bug and her fair wether Wiz  

http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/ 

COUNTRY GIRL

How to make a goat halter

So once I accomplished the goat harness,

I decided to try to make a halter for Chip.

Again, these directions came from the 4H harness goat project packet that the extension office provided for me.

(Inside it's marked with the logos from Michigan State University, Ohio State University and Cornell University.)

 

I modified as needed 

~Supplies~

Nylon Webbing - $1.50 

I used a ratchet strap from the dollar store 

 

 Metal Rings (3) - $1.77

Easy to find at our local hardware store

Buckle - $0

Used the one off Emmetts old collar

 

Eyelets - again I temporarily used one of my scrapbooking eyes, but I was able to borrow a tool and eyelets from a friend and hopefully these will be much stronger! :)

Cost - $3.27

Remember that I recycled the buckle and haven't paid anything for the eyelets yet. 

I thought the sizing would be off since Chip has a small head,

so the measurements for around his muzzle I cut in half,

but the straps to go around his head I left the same.

I cut two pieces of 6 inch webbing.

(double for a larger goat as directions called for 12 inch pieces)

On one of them I sewed a ring at each end.

The other piece, I attached one side to a ring, 

and then slipped a loose ring onto it before attaching to the other ring.

Then I cut 11 inches of the webbing,

and sewed one end to one of the rings and the other end I attached the buckle.

Next cut a 22 inch piece of webbing. 

Sew it to the other end ring and at the other end put your eyelets.

 

These two straps go around the back of the head to buckle.

You can see the buckle straps are a bit long on him, but we just looped them around.

(yep, we have scurs to tackle before fair too!)

All that is left really is to attach reins.

 

 

Now Good Ole Boy and Bug need to hustle up on that cart! 

COUNTRY GIRL

Photo Challenge - Summer Treats

What's your favorite ice cream flavor or summer drink?

I had a time debating this one.

I'm trying to drink more water.

But that's kinda boring to post! lol.

Then I thought about ice cream, 

but I'm trying to avoid that too! 

So, I finally just decided to be honest.

Here is my favorite summer drink.

(even though I'm trying not to indulge often!)

Sweet tea! 

What's YOUR favorite treat?

Come join up with us at 

Creative 2X Mom 

for this summer photo challenge.

COUNTRY GIRL

Our pets

My mom teases that our house is like Noah's Ark.

Hmmmm, sometimes I wish! lol.

I guess compared to most we do have a lot of animals around here.

Here is a glimpse of some of our critters.

Taken by Hunny, this is her bunny LittleFoot.

 Lady, snoozing on daddy's work stuff.

 Sis and Lucky, one of our outdoor kitties, she's had him since she was 5!

Rebel

Garfield

 Mystic

 Frisky

 Riddick.

He was Good Ole Boy's bunny.

He just passed away yesterday :( very suddenly, he'd been out playing and happy the day before.

I'm so glad I'd just taken pics of him! 

Chip

Emmett, taken by one of the kids.

So there you go, a small glimpse of the pets we love.

COUNTRY GIRL

Obesity and the government

There has been alot of talk about this lately.

The government removing obese kids from homes.

Where will government stop?

Oh wait, I don't think it will.

I have issue with this.

I have struggled with my weight since I was at least 11 years old.

I remember joining Weight Watchers at 11 so I must have had the problem prior to that age.

I remember feeling mortified that in 6th grade I weighed what the 'cute' boys did - 140 lbs.

Was this my parents fault?

I don't think so.

My mom has a weight problem and both sets of grandparents were (or had been) heavy.

Because of my moms weight issues, she was very conscious of food.

Many weight watcher recipes.

Fresh fruit and veggies.

We had a garden, and she canned from the garden.

We ate alot of wild game and fish caught by us.

Snacks were limited.

We (my brother and I) ASKED before we got into food.

We were told NO sometimes.

Outdoor play was encouraged.

Riding bikes, climbing trees, going for walks, just playing outside.

My dad and brother were always thin.

My mom and I were always not.

Why?

I think of my childhood and how awful I would've felt had the government taken me away because of my weight.

I've always struggled with self worth.

Boy that would have thrown me over the edge! 

Talk about feeling worthless! 

I would have been devastated! 

While yes, I think sometimes obesity could be parents giving food instead of love, I also think that in many more instances it is not.

It just happens.

Genetics can't be controlled. 

I think the government is overstepping it's bounds.

 

Just my thoughts today,

COUNTRY GIRL

Garden Check In

How's your garden coming along?

Thought I'd share how mine is growing.

I've been able to harvest some lettuce and turnip greens so far.
At least it's a start. :) 
Love the green! 

COUNTRY GIRL

The Simple Woman's DayBook

FOR TODAY

Outside my window...It's a warm sunny day.

90% humidity so we have a feels like temp of 97'.

Two youngest and I sat in the sprinkler most of the afternoon.

The sprinkler is now on the garden and all is quiet outside.

I am thinking... Of what needs to be done tonight for our trip tomorrow.

I am thankful... That we made it home today without running out of gas. :) 

Miscalculated what was in the tank and how far we needed to go - gas light came on and we weren't even half way home yet! Whoops! (and of course NONE of us had any cash on us, lol)

From the learning rooms... Lots of animal science this week! :) lol.

Fair prep.

In the kitchen...Beef Stew is in the crockpot, 

cornbread in the oven 

and Einstein is doing dishes.
Sis already swept, 

mopped 

and cleaned the kitchen box.

I am wearing...Black shorts and coral colored tank top (both still wet!).

I am creating... Just working on fair lists.

What needs to be purchased, photos needing printed, invitations needing mailed.

Mostly things being told TO me rather than me coming up with.

I am going...To dread getting up at 4 am!

I am wondering...About getting chickens.

Thoughts?

I'd LOVE them (as would Bug) 

but Good Ole Boy wonders if it's really a savings over buying eggs?

We pay $2 - $2.50 for a dozen for the better eggs 

(free range, etc depending on what store I'm at)
We could easily go through 2 or 3 dozen a week.

I am reading... Dogwood by Chris Fabry

I am hoping...That God provides Good Ole Boy with a better job.

I am looking forward to...More great summer days.

I am hearing... Hunny is watching Little House on the Prairie.

Around the house...Been working on laundry,

garden, goats, rabbits.

Alot of the other inside stuff has kinda been pushed for being outdoors.

I am pondering... WHERE did my bag of flour go?!

One of my favorite things...My kids laughter.

A few plans for the rest of the week: Trip tomorrow to University for Einstein, Work, Basket class, Horse lessons, Small Animal Clinic, Church, Fair Royalty Announcement, Working with goats.

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/ 

COUNTRY GIRL

How to make a goat harness

Have a goat?

Need a harness?

Make one.

I am NOT a seamstress. 

I can only handle buttons and small rips.

If *I* can do this, anyone can! 

These directions came from the 4H harness goat project packet that our extension office was finally able to scrounge up for us.
(Inside it's marked with the logos from Michigan State University, Ohio State University and Cornell University.)

I modified as needed.

~Supplies~

*buckle $0

- I used the one from Chips old collar he'd just broke (it was 1 inch)

* 2 rings with one flat side $0

- again, I used the one from Chip and Emmetts old collars (both 1 inch).

*nylon webbing $3

- I bought ratchet straps from the dollar store and used 2 ($1.50 ea).

*fabric for padding $0

- I used an old flannel sheet.

The directions also call for eyelets (for the buckle).
Right now I only have eyelets for scrapbooking so that is what I am using temporarily.
(I'm sure they won't last long since they were made for paper, but I use what I have and substitute where I can)

And snaps. Which I honestly haven't figured that part out yet! lol. :)

Cost as of right now = $3.00

But that was recycling the buckle and rings and not adding the snaps yet.

The sizes given were for a large Nubian.

Chip is Boer/LaMancha, BUT he's only a year old.

I made it according to the Nubian sizes and tacked it to fit in hopes that it'll still fit him next year.

Start by making the heart girth strap. This fits behind the front legs and goes up over the back. 

Cut 86 inches of webbing, fold in half so it's 43 inches long. Cut a piece of fabric 43 inches long. I cut mine wide enough to double for extra padding but you could cut to width of your webbing if you wanted. I used lots of safety pins to hold it all together while I sewed. I used a larger needle and fishing line

for my thread. The fabric will be next to the goats skin. 

Attach the buckle to one end and make holes in the other.

When that is made put it on your goat and mark the point of shoulders and the top of the withers. I used safety pins to mark these spots.

Next make the breast strap. This will go from the heart girth strap around the chest of the goat. Cut 60 inches of webbing and fold in half to 30 inches. Cut fabric 30 inches long and again, width either to fit or double whatever you prefer. Sew these together. The breast strap attaches to the heart girth strap at the point of shoulders.

Now cut 36 inches of webbing and this will be attached to the heart girth strap. This is the cart strap. Center this new piece over the top of the withers mark and attach it there. Sew the two straps together for 10 inches in the center (so 5 inches down each side). Add the flat edged rings at the end of where you sewed. *The snaps are then called for at the end of the cart straps.

The next part confused me for the longest time but I think I've figured it out! 

Cut 8 inches of webbing, place on top of the cart strap, centered and attach it just at the ends. The reins will go through the loop and up to the halter.

Now cut a 16 inch strap and a 26 inch strap of webbing. Sew 3 inch loops at the ends of the 26 inch piece. In the center, sew one end of the 16 inch webbing. The other end attaches to the heart girth strap (opposite the breast strap side).

Finally, cut 72 inches of webbing. Sew one end on the heart girth strap opposite the breast strap. Put it through the two loops you'd made from that 26 inch piece above, make sure it's flat and not twisted! :) Then attach to the other side of the heart girth. I've seen this called various names, like rump strap, breech strap or simply breeching.

Voila! Try it on your goat.

If you need to take it in simply fold and sew it in an X.

Looking for more reading?
Check out the Homestead Barn Hop 

COUNTRY GIRL

Driveway Safety Tip

Good Ole Boy is a mechanic.

He works on most anything that has a motor.

Today, I want to share a tip that he came up with 

that I thought was creative and useful. :)

Jacks scare me.

We have kids, 

we have critters,

and well, 

accidents happen.

I don't want Good Ole Boy,

any of the kids,

or any of the critters to get hurt or killed 

by a vehicle falling on them.

So Good Ole Boy has a clutch job to do.

Here's what I walked out and saw...

I love it! 

He had jacked the car up, 

and then slid two old tires under it (on both sides) 

and then he could take the jack out. 

There is no way the car could fall by being bumped 

or a cat jumping on it! 

It is so sturdy.

And really, how simple was that? 

COUNTRY GIRL