Cabbage Patch

As most of you know, I love ALL things gardening! I'm still learning all the time and trying to figure things out as I go. The garden we put in at the barn turned out to be a tremendous success this past year. So once all of the summer crops were gone, we decided to plant some fall and winter crops. Kale and Cabbage galore!!!

The cabbage is incredibly resilient and self sufficient. I highly recommend planting it for a fall crop. So very easy. And it is actually quite beautiful.

We love cooking the cabbage and eating it. I also wanted to store some for the winter. I have such a love for canning. Its another area that I'm still learning about all the time. I decided to make Sauerkraut. I found a few recipes and could not believe how easy it was! Decided to share the recipe with everyone: Ingredients: 8-10 c shredded cabbage (loosely packed) 1 tsp yellow mustard seeds 1-2 tsp un-iodized/pickling salt 1 c filtered water mixed with 1 tsp un-iodized salt Boil and sterilize jars, rims and lids. Dry on a clean dishcloth. In a clean, non metallic bowl mix cabbage, mustard seeds and salt. Stir cabbage to release juices. Let rest half an hour and stir again. Pack in sterilized jars pushing down with wooden mallet. Add salty water (1 tsp salt per cup of water) to rim of jar.

Cap loosely with sterilized lid and rim. Place jar on a tray to catch overflowing juices. Keep jar between 65-72 degrees for 2-3 weeks. After bubbling stops, check container and top off with salty water if level falls below rim. Skim any (harmless) white spots or film from top, close jar tightly, wipe off outside and store in refrigerator. You don't need to put in a canner because the heat will actually kill all the good stuff in there that is creating the fermentation.

Taaa Dah!!! And it was so easy, I even had time to make a 'pony pie' with apples!!! Too cute!

Good Boy

I have been out of control busy lately. Whether its painting commissions, wedding planning or whatever else. Being busy makes it so easy to run to the barn twice a day, feed the horses, check them over quickly and head out to complete my to-do list for the day. Yesterday I decided to work a bit with Draggo. We have been through SO much with him and his soundness issues. Long story, but the Cliffs Notes version goes something like this: bar shoes with pads, glue-on acrylic shoes, specialists from NC State and Georgia, x-rays, radiographs, wooden clogs (yes, you read that correctly...they check in at $850 a pair...uh huh....let that one sink in...) and finally no turnout for 3 months. God bless this sweet horse. He is now out of the wooden clogs (which were truly amazing) and in just a simple shoe. He goes out all day and all night as long as the weather is nice. He gets a very expensive hoof supplement and gets Keratex painted on his hooves 3 times a week. I list all of these things like I am sacrificing a lot for him. In a way, I guess I am. But I just love him. Even with all the tears I shed, the pain he was in and the absolute distress my checkbook has been in Draggo has never once given up. When they were drilling screws into his feet for the wooden shoes, he stood quietly and didnt bat an eye. I was a wreck, true to overbearing motherly form. Even when we had to keep him in for 3 months, he was so great. A bit frisky on our handwalks, but geez, hes a baby OTTB! When I list all of these things in my head, I can lie to myself and say that I am giving Baby D all the things he needs. But really, other than health, all he wants from me is attention and love. So, yesterday I spent about 3 hours working with him. Ground work, natural horsemanship and a grooming session that lasted over an hour. By the end of the day, he was following me around with my shirt hem in his lips. He truly is a remarkable fellow. Goofy, silly, handsome and hilarious...but yes, remarkable. Horses in general are just amazing animals. They are a lot smarter than most people give them credit for. And unusually good natured when you look at the cards that they are dealt throughout their lives. How lucky I am to be around them every day of my life. To have Draggo in our lives is a true blessing. I know after reading everything I posted about his feet, that may seem like a silly statement. But truly, he is a blessing. I love him very much and have high hopes for our future together. As someone very very special said recently (referring to Baby D) "...you're going to need to take it very slow with the new black horse. He tries his hardest and is a good boy. Give him all you can for about 2 years, and then he's going to give you everything you've ever wanted." He already gives me everything right now. Good boy, Draggo. Good boy.

Here I Go Again.....

I'm not sure why updating this blog has taken such a long time....I feel like its a bit silly to update much on here since everyone that reads this blog also reads my facebook page (which is updated daily). But I have also had many people mention that they would like for me to update and keep up with this blog more often. So, I will hopefully do a better job of it in 2013. Can't believe how quickly 2012 went by. Sometimes I can feel myself just wishing time would slow down. Other times I am hoping it will fly in anticipation of things to come. I guess the best way to solve that problem is to just try to enjoy things as they come along. 2012 was a year with many wonderful new beginnings for our furry family....Boo and I are finally engaged. It only took the boy 5 years to ask me. I guess he just wanted to be really sure. We added sweet baby Draggo to our herd. Who knew we could learn to love another horse so quickly. But we sure do. He makes me laugh everytime I see him at the barn with his wild antics and funny personality. Chloe showed up and decided she'd been here all along. What a blessing she has been to us (especially Nicholas). Its as if she knew we needed her even more than she needed us. She sure is a mess, but I can't get enough of that little yellow dog.

2012 also brought a bit of heartache for us. Saying goodbye to Sally was one of the saddest days of my life. I love her to pieces and always will. She stuck by me from the moment I brought her home. I know many people would find it cliche but I don't care. I'll say it anyhow. God sent that dog to this earth with me in mind. A hole in my heart will always be there for her. I'm so thankful to have had 11 incredible years with her. I know that shes keeping Truman company and I know I will see them both again one day.

I am looking forward to all of the wonderful things that 2013 has in store for our silly 'little' family. Its easy to get caught up in the day to day crap and forget how lucky we truly are. I don't like to make new year's resolutions. I never really keep them and just end up feeling like I failed. But I do enjoy having new year's 'hopes'. My hopes for this year are that I remember how lucky I am each and every day to have such a special family and to be surrounded by so much love in such a beautiful place. The world is really quite lovely out there, isn't it?