I can't get enough sleep. This is supposed to happen in the first trimester, not the second. We keep finding squash bugs in the house this winter, and I don't know where they are coming from. They are relatively easy to catch. I've been putting them in jars and letting them die. They are scary looking things, but pretty harmless. They look a little like a Mexican bed bug, but without the side wings.
The 16-yr-old son has been unhappy this winter. I am beginning to think he has seasonal depressive disorder, as this happened last year. But then, he has a considerably heavy academic load, with just one less high school class than his classmates, but a full 5-hr college course each quarter at the University branch. All of his high school classes are advanced to boot. He complains he has no social life, but he has enough of one on the weekends to procrastinate doing his homework until about 8:00 Sunday night - things like 3 page research papers, complicated vocab lists to memorize and math problems I've long forgotten how to do. I end up staying up trying to help him get them done. Now he wants to do volunteer work because that was one of the two things that kept him from making the National Honor Society this year. The other thing was the teacher "didn't know his character well enough," since he just transferred. His grades were great. So, today, he is going to help with a Red Cross blood drive for the first time. I don't know for sure what kind of work they put 16-yr-olds to do, but we will find out. When it comes down to it, I'm very proud of him...just frustrated with the day-to-day struggle of procrastination, hour long showers and missing the bus despite getting up 1 1/2 hrs before his younger sister (who has yet to miss the bus this year).
The two kittens born in July are getting fixed today. I have to pick them up after dropping my son off at the blood drive. Then I'm taking my son's computer to the repair shop. Somehow, he smoldered his hard drive. I told him he was working it too hard playing games; but he says, "No, mom. That wouldn't do that." We will see what the repair guy says.
I got my last W-2 form today. I was hoping it would never come. But it did, and now I have to get to work figuring out my taxes. If I quit the investment club and quit the farm, I could do the EZ form maybe. But it is out of the question. It is a yearly necessary evil the government imposes upon me, that I resent immensely. I am all for doing away with income taxes and imposing a flat sales tax. That would clear up our landfills a little, maybe. People would go back to being a little more self sufficient and stop collecting so much junk. Maybe.
There is too much to do. And I am tired.
Monday, January 30, 2006
Sunday, January 29, 2006
Swords of Righteousness
This is the name of the group that kidnapped the CPT members. Numerous news sources connect them loosely with the Iraqi Army, but the connection is vague. The only websites that might shed some light on the connection are for some reason not accessible. I can't even get into Eastern Mennonite University's website, not to mention the particular articles on "Swords of Righteousness."
The blogs I can access repeatedly talk as if the CPT members should "expect" such things as kidnapping when they walk in harms way. Duh. Where have these people been the past 200 years??? Do they think peace workers do not know this?
I am sure the U.S. govt. is going to want a rescue, if any, be made by the U.S. government, so they can look good. The so-called bigots will rescue the misled dopes, so to speak. Some of us will have a hard time being convinced the rescuers weren't somehow involved in the kidnapping to begin with, as some of our direct news sources have been shut off, so to speak. But in the end, after the hype, the truth WILL come out. Whether I am right or wrong, it will. And someday, I will find out who the Swords of Truth really are.
On a lighter note, it is raining today, and I need to get ready for work. It is Sunday.
The blogs I can access repeatedly talk as if the CPT members should "expect" such things as kidnapping when they walk in harms way. Duh. Where have these people been the past 200 years??? Do they think peace workers do not know this?
I am sure the U.S. govt. is going to want a rescue, if any, be made by the U.S. government, so they can look good. The so-called bigots will rescue the misled dopes, so to speak. Some of us will have a hard time being convinced the rescuers weren't somehow involved in the kidnapping to begin with, as some of our direct news sources have been shut off, so to speak. But in the end, after the hype, the truth WILL come out. Whether I am right or wrong, it will. And someday, I will find out who the Swords of Truth really are.
On a lighter note, it is raining today, and I need to get ready for work. It is Sunday.
Sunday, January 22, 2006
Cleaning Up
It has been a little over a week since my last post. I wish I had included the entity that was holding the CPT members because the name of it has been removed from all the websites that initially had that information, and changed to phrases like, "Those who are holding our loved ones." I can only guess at why this was done. It is certainly convenient for those wanting to distance themselves from the act, but I'm sure there is some reason.
Here at home I have accomplished much. I cleaned 7 medium kitchen garbage bags full of clothes out of my bedroom - clothes I have not worn for at least a year; some for 10-20 years. I gave it all to someone who is involved in a church in the poor part of a nearby small city. Now we almost have room in our bedroom for a crib, with a little rearranging. We need a crib because we are having a baby - at 41 and 53. I have been very, very tired in between working, so cleaning is doubly a process.
And yet, I have a strong desire to rid my house of a lot of clutter. So I joined 3 Freecycle groups. My daughter helped me clean out cupboards last week, but I still haven't gotten the jars into boxes, so the kitchen is rather cluttered. It is a good preoccupation to be getting rid of junk.
Here at home I have accomplished much. I cleaned 7 medium kitchen garbage bags full of clothes out of my bedroom - clothes I have not worn for at least a year; some for 10-20 years. I gave it all to someone who is involved in a church in the poor part of a nearby small city. Now we almost have room in our bedroom for a crib, with a little rearranging. We need a crib because we are having a baby - at 41 and 53. I have been very, very tired in between working, so cleaning is doubly a process.
And yet, I have a strong desire to rid my house of a lot of clutter. So I joined 3 Freecycle groups. My daughter helped me clean out cupboards last week, but I still haven't gotten the jars into boxes, so the kitchen is rather cluttered. It is a good preoccupation to be getting rid of junk.
Saturday, January 14, 2006
We've Only Got These Times
The first time I met someone on a Christian Peacemaker Team was the year after my divorce. I was sent by my Quaker Meeting as a representative to a conference of an organization comprised of the 3 historic peace churches, called New Call to Peacemaking. (The 3 churches being the Brethren, Mennonites and Friends/Quakers) We were discussing "The Jubilee," 40 years since the invention of the atomic bomb, and how it had affected our culture, war and peace.
Sitting crosslegged in a student lounge in the dormitory at Earlham College in Richmond, Indiana, some of us women were sharing our backgrounds and how we'd gotten involved. It had been after an evening meal. My parents had long been involved in FWCC - Friends World Committee for Consultation. FWCC is an organization of all Quaker groups - they get together and decide issues or parts of issues they agree on as a whole. And they sponsor some activities and events. One such event is the Quaker Youth Pilgrimage - a yearly international trek to Quaker historical sites for highschool aged youth. Another entity they sponser is Christian Peacemaker Teams. I've heard people from CPT's come back with reports on helping clear fields for farming for both Palestinians and Isrealis. I'd thought that someday I'd like to work with the CPT - it was not so contraversial as some other peace organizations.
In 2005, around Thanksgiving, 4 CPT workers in Iraq disappeared. They were doing something contraversial. They were documenting specific cases, and following up on what happened to people being detained in Iraq, whom they had gotten to know by working with them, doing what CPT always do - rebuilding communities with all sides working together. They were detained by the Iraqi government - the current, U.S. backed government. This hits close to home for me, too close to home.
It is widely known that the U.S. has been running secret prisons, and torture and abuse have been discovered in some of them. Now the CIA is being investigated by a European human rights watch group. CPT teams were documenting what was going on in Iraq before it even became public, because they are supposed to keep record of what they do and its outcome. They have people to report back to. When people they knew (who were not terrorists) had their homes raided, family members killed, and some taken away and later released, they wrote that down too. It is often the way atrocities are found out - by chance, not going looking for them. Now 4 CPT members have disappeared. Only this time, it is not terrorists who have them. And it is not terrorists whom are being detained. There is something else going on, and it is very, very dark. It is called suppression of the Truth. It is by a government who have long been believed to be "the Good Guys." Only, that government is quickly changing.
Sitting crosslegged in a student lounge in the dormitory at Earlham College in Richmond, Indiana, some of us women were sharing our backgrounds and how we'd gotten involved. It had been after an evening meal. My parents had long been involved in FWCC - Friends World Committee for Consultation. FWCC is an organization of all Quaker groups - they get together and decide issues or parts of issues they agree on as a whole. And they sponsor some activities and events. One such event is the Quaker Youth Pilgrimage - a yearly international trek to Quaker historical sites for highschool aged youth. Another entity they sponser is Christian Peacemaker Teams. I've heard people from CPT's come back with reports on helping clear fields for farming for both Palestinians and Isrealis. I'd thought that someday I'd like to work with the CPT - it was not so contraversial as some other peace organizations.
In 2005, around Thanksgiving, 4 CPT workers in Iraq disappeared. They were doing something contraversial. They were documenting specific cases, and following up on what happened to people being detained in Iraq, whom they had gotten to know by working with them, doing what CPT always do - rebuilding communities with all sides working together. They were detained by the Iraqi government - the current, U.S. backed government. This hits close to home for me, too close to home.
It is widely known that the U.S. has been running secret prisons, and torture and abuse have been discovered in some of them. Now the CIA is being investigated by a European human rights watch group. CPT teams were documenting what was going on in Iraq before it even became public, because they are supposed to keep record of what they do and its outcome. They have people to report back to. When people they knew (who were not terrorists) had their homes raided, family members killed, and some taken away and later released, they wrote that down too. It is often the way atrocities are found out - by chance, not going looking for them. Now 4 CPT members have disappeared. Only this time, it is not terrorists who have them. And it is not terrorists whom are being detained. There is something else going on, and it is very, very dark. It is called suppression of the Truth. It is by a government who have long been believed to be "the Good Guys." Only, that government is quickly changing.
Thursday, January 12, 2006
Animal Facts
Reading back through old posts, I realized that there are a couple of things needing updated. Sabrina, the llama was never pregnant. I was very disappointed, but glad I hadn't paid $80 or more to have a test, just to find out she wasn't. She is an excellent guard llama and you aren't supposed to breed guard llama's anyway. But it would've been nice.
Pete, the dog, has long passed his acting-abused stage. He's killed more poultry, and we can't let him run loose now, except on short occaisions where he follows us to the barn to do chores and has eyes-on supervision at all times. He comes when called now, and is a happy, loveable adolescent. He knows several commands thoroughly. He will never make a herding dog, however. I'm trying to find him a new home, but am kind of settled with the fact I probably won't. We may make him a house dog after we get him fixed and he's a year or so old. He's still a little too destructive right now - but is far from the most destructive dog I've ever had. He will make a nice pet when he's a little older.
The 2 kittens are 6 months old, and I have an appointment to have them fixed. At $70/cat, that's $140 just to have 2 fixed cats. But I don't want any more cats. We have 5. Stephanie, the teenage girl 2 of them belong to, as it turns out, is only taking back one, and it isn't Zoe, the female. Good thing I got her spayed. Butterscotch is going to be a huge Tom (albeit a fixed one), and Frosty has lost her frost. She's all black except for her toes. However, the name suits her personality for a female cat quite well. She is not a lap kitty - lets just put it that way. I expect she will be a good huntress though.
So there you have it. Animals are not cheap, and they require a lot of attention. I am sure Pete's neutering and shots will cost a good bit too. I told my husband last night that we are going to keep 10 ewes and a ram, and sell the rest. I don't mind the goats. Shearing sheep is harder than putting up hay. The animals are halfway through the hay, and we don't have room in the barn for much more. My brother plans to build another boat in the other hay loft, and wants that space. So 25 animals will be our limit. They won't clear the pasture overnight like 100 would, but they will still clear it, slowly, over the next 5 or so years.
Pete, the dog, has long passed his acting-abused stage. He's killed more poultry, and we can't let him run loose now, except on short occaisions where he follows us to the barn to do chores and has eyes-on supervision at all times. He comes when called now, and is a happy, loveable adolescent. He knows several commands thoroughly. He will never make a herding dog, however. I'm trying to find him a new home, but am kind of settled with the fact I probably won't. We may make him a house dog after we get him fixed and he's a year or so old. He's still a little too destructive right now - but is far from the most destructive dog I've ever had. He will make a nice pet when he's a little older.
The 2 kittens are 6 months old, and I have an appointment to have them fixed. At $70/cat, that's $140 just to have 2 fixed cats. But I don't want any more cats. We have 5. Stephanie, the teenage girl 2 of them belong to, as it turns out, is only taking back one, and it isn't Zoe, the female. Good thing I got her spayed. Butterscotch is going to be a huge Tom (albeit a fixed one), and Frosty has lost her frost. She's all black except for her toes. However, the name suits her personality for a female cat quite well. She is not a lap kitty - lets just put it that way. I expect she will be a good huntress though.
So there you have it. Animals are not cheap, and they require a lot of attention. I am sure Pete's neutering and shots will cost a good bit too. I told my husband last night that we are going to keep 10 ewes and a ram, and sell the rest. I don't mind the goats. Shearing sheep is harder than putting up hay. The animals are halfway through the hay, and we don't have room in the barn for much more. My brother plans to build another boat in the other hay loft, and wants that space. So 25 animals will be our limit. They won't clear the pasture overnight like 100 would, but they will still clear it, slowly, over the next 5 or so years.
Unearthed, Debrambled Treasure
Yesterday I went for a walk in the pasture. I took a bucket full of pasture mix grass seed with me to scatter where the goats have eaten down the multiflora roses. WELL, the goats and sheep see a bucket, and they think FOOOD!!! (Well, it would be eventually). So they followed me all the way out into the pasture, 25 animals crowding around me, nipping on my pant legs to give them some. I felt like a real shepherd. I tried showing them it was grass seed - even let them nibble a little of it. They sputtered and looked confused that it wasn't grain. Goats and sheep are really dumb sometimes. Bucket means FOOD, even if it has grass seed. They gave up when I got into the brambles and went back to the barn.
In the brambles, I found some nice 10 ft locust logs someone had cut years ago, buried under multiflora rose bushes that were wasting away from goats eating them. The logs were thus recently exposed again to daylight. There are enough to finish my grape harbor! Now, today, I want to go out and clip a path through the rose bushes that are left, so the tractor can get through to pull the logs out. They are NICE logs, and still in very good shape.
I remember when they were cut. Back when the pasture was still somewhat clear of brambles, my dad was letting one of the neigbor farmers take them out. The neighbor brought his farm hand with him to help cut, stack and split the logs. His helper and I got to know each other a little too well after that...but back to the main topic. The black locust was so tough that they couldn't split the logs for fence posts, and they gave up and left them there. They've been sitting there for about 25 years.
My husband thinks he might have a go at it. He has split a lot of logs, even black locust. Some of them don't even need split. But are they ever heavy.
Now a lot of people would wonder at this being called a "treasure."
But I just spent over $70 on 6 treated posts for a grape harbor. That was $11.60 per post at the farm co-op for a 5" round by 8ft treated pine post. (I wanted 10 ft so the harbor would be a comfortable 8ft off the ground after the posts were set, but they didn't have them.) I need at least 4 more, and there are a good 6-10 right out there in the pasture, and 10 ft long! Pine posts have to be treated, or they will rot in a year or three, and all the work building a grape harbor will have to be redone. Black locust does not have to be treated - it will outlast a treated pine post. There are two grape harbors that need raised up to keep from the goats. And a chicken house to be built. I am very happy.
In the brambles, I found some nice 10 ft locust logs someone had cut years ago, buried under multiflora rose bushes that were wasting away from goats eating them. The logs were thus recently exposed again to daylight. There are enough to finish my grape harbor! Now, today, I want to go out and clip a path through the rose bushes that are left, so the tractor can get through to pull the logs out. They are NICE logs, and still in very good shape.
I remember when they were cut. Back when the pasture was still somewhat clear of brambles, my dad was letting one of the neigbor farmers take them out. The neighbor brought his farm hand with him to help cut, stack and split the logs. His helper and I got to know each other a little too well after that...but back to the main topic. The black locust was so tough that they couldn't split the logs for fence posts, and they gave up and left them there. They've been sitting there for about 25 years.
My husband thinks he might have a go at it. He has split a lot of logs, even black locust. Some of them don't even need split. But are they ever heavy.
Now a lot of people would wonder at this being called a "treasure."
But I just spent over $70 on 6 treated posts for a grape harbor. That was $11.60 per post at the farm co-op for a 5" round by 8ft treated pine post. (I wanted 10 ft so the harbor would be a comfortable 8ft off the ground after the posts were set, but they didn't have them.) I need at least 4 more, and there are a good 6-10 right out there in the pasture, and 10 ft long! Pine posts have to be treated, or they will rot in a year or three, and all the work building a grape harbor will have to be redone. Black locust does not have to be treated - it will outlast a treated pine post. There are two grape harbors that need raised up to keep from the goats. And a chicken house to be built. I am very happy.
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
Grape Vine Rescue
5 months gone by without posting... but what a busy 5 months.
Today we went to the feed co-op and got 500 lbs "Saddle-up" horse feed for the goats, sheep and llama. They've been thriving well this past year on it, and it is a lot cheaper than goat, sheep or llama feed.
We have Concord seeded grape vines that are over 100 years old. My g-grandmother used to sell grapes in town from them. Last year the goats almost killed them. The wire harbors are still viable, but I have decided to raise the harbor to a walk-under kind. My husband wanted to cut locust trees to make posts for me, but he was doing that for the chickens too. The chickens will be a year old in April, and we don't have a chicken house started yet. So I decided not to wait for posts for my grape harbors, and purchased 6 treated 5"x8' posts at the co-op when we picked up feed.
We are going to set them, and nail up a ceiling grid for them to climb over, where the goats can't reach them. The goats stay in the pasture most of the time, but they jump out to eat my grape vines.
We also bought syringes to give the baby goats shots. We had a set of triplets and a single just before Christmas from two boer cross does I bought last summer. My Alpine/Toggenburg cross buck bred them both, it appears, as soon as they jumped off the truck. The babies look distinctively Alpine. 2 boys and 2 girls. One of my brother's friends is going to fix one of my cars for me, and he wants to know if he can have 2 goats instead of money. I LIKE that idea.
So much to do...so little time...
Today we went to the feed co-op and got 500 lbs "Saddle-up" horse feed for the goats, sheep and llama. They've been thriving well this past year on it, and it is a lot cheaper than goat, sheep or llama feed.
We have Concord seeded grape vines that are over 100 years old. My g-grandmother used to sell grapes in town from them. Last year the goats almost killed them. The wire harbors are still viable, but I have decided to raise the harbor to a walk-under kind. My husband wanted to cut locust trees to make posts for me, but he was doing that for the chickens too. The chickens will be a year old in April, and we don't have a chicken house started yet. So I decided not to wait for posts for my grape harbors, and purchased 6 treated 5"x8' posts at the co-op when we picked up feed.
We are going to set them, and nail up a ceiling grid for them to climb over, where the goats can't reach them. The goats stay in the pasture most of the time, but they jump out to eat my grape vines.
We also bought syringes to give the baby goats shots. We had a set of triplets and a single just before Christmas from two boer cross does I bought last summer. My Alpine/Toggenburg cross buck bred them both, it appears, as soon as they jumped off the truck. The babies look distinctively Alpine. 2 boys and 2 girls. One of my brother's friends is going to fix one of my cars for me, and he wants to know if he can have 2 goats instead of money. I LIKE that idea.
So much to do...so little time...
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