Catching up!

For the past few weeks I've been on an internet-free vacation. It got to the point that I finally had to cut the internet off, at least social networking and checking anything but the news, just so I could get things done. It's amazing how much time can be wasted on the internet just checking blogs or the news and most especially on facebook. Though I don't think I've gotten many projects done, I have been able to focus more on my kids which has been huge. The quadruplets are now rolling over and wanting more play-time, which means less sleepytime and more work for me! Add a 2 year old to the mix who is getting VERY jealous because her rival nemesis' are taking up more of mommy's precious attention.... and pretty much every hour of my day until they are all in bed is swamped. My husband is very literally amazed that I can keep my sanity. So am I!

As an update:

The cow is now completely feeling better. Cow patties abound. She kicks up her heels frequently and annoys the crap out of the sheep. She is pretty hilarious. Most of the day she spends out in the pasture either chewing her cud or eating the tall grass and conspicuously spying on the neighbors. Another thing I never knew before owning a cow - they are NOSY. Holy cow. Like nosy old lady who watches everyone out her front window kind of nosy. If ANYTHING and I mean ANYTHING is going on, she's got one eyeball trained on it. She's observant, surprisingly so actually. Whenever anyone goes out to the corral or barn she is the first one there hoping for A) grain or B) A scratch on the head - in that order. One of our neighbors came over and helped us fix the busted irrigation sprinklers so we can irrigate our pasture to lengthen the amount of time before we need to start digging into our new hay stores. Turns out he is a retired landscaper, so he has all the equipment for sprinklers, etc.! Score!

The pickled garlic was a huge success! For the first few days it bubbled like sauerkraut and had to be 'burped'. I basically sacrificed a canning lid and just poked a hole in it so I wouldn't have overflow onto the counter if I forgot to 'burp' it. The garlic is surprisingly good. Very mildy garlicky and salty/tangy at the same time. It'd be great in a vinaigrette  or put over a salad. I may make more. We still have a whole jar of it - a whole jar goes a long, LONG way. So be forewarned.

And finally...I am so ready for the fall. This hot weather is really kicking my trash. And I think the sheep and cow and chickens and dogs are all ready for it to be cooler too. If anything it'll cut way back on the fly and wasp population (I have a new found hatred for both of these annoying little wastes of carbon-based life), and allow more out-of-shelter time until the rain and snow come in. I say, bring it on!