Hope Rains

For the first time in two years, Sunday morning  we saw water standing in the pastures, running down the road and bringing ponds to overflowing levels after receiving just a little more than two inches of rain during the night. It seemed like magic--I wondered if it happened in that magical  Daylight Savings Time hour when the clock springs forward.

After this year's drought, we are looking forward to spring and the hope that our pastures and ponds will be revived by adequate moisture and good growing conditions. We have alot of work ahead of us in restoring drought damaged fields and pastures but....

 

the rain does give us hope for the possibility for our farm's sustainability.

 

 After losing my hour of sleep to meet the Daylight Savings Time schedule, receiving rain was the perfect attitude adjuster for me. I didn't even mind putting on my rain suit and rubber boots to face the wind and rain to feed calves!

Mother-Daughter Arkansas Adventure

 

After attending the Arkansas Farm Bureau Women's Conference in Little Rock this weekend, Mother and I headed west for a little mother-daughter Arkansas  adventure. For the past couple of years, we had talked about going to see the daffodils at Wye Mountain. It  seemed the perfect opportunity for this pre-spring adventure   to see the daffodils in bloom.

 

 

 

Although Wye Mountain is only twenty-six miles from Little Rock, you quickly enjoy the rural flavor of this Arkansas  community when driving up to the small  Wye United Methodist Church surrounded by the seven acres of yellow daffodils.

 

 

We were astounded by the number of people that had come to enjoy these yellow beauties.

People were everywhere--blankets spread on the ground,children in their Easter outfits having pictures made, and couples just strolling around enjoying the day.

 

 Although there is no charge to visit the field, you can make a donation or spend a little money at the craft barn full of Arkansas handmade items  or purchase your favorite  food at the  concession stand. I made a contribution by purchasing a 'What's Cooking at Wye'  cookbook sold by the women of the Wye United Methodist Church.

 

From the cookbook I learned that the Wye Mountain Daffodil Field was created in 1948 by the generosity of  Austin and Bessie Harmon from a half bushel of leftover daffodil bulbs that were given to them by the owner of Hackett Feed Store in Little Rock in 1927. Sixty five bushels of bulbs were seperated and transplanted on the seven acres surrounding the Wye United Methodist Church  from that half bushel of bulbs planted in 1927.

 

 

Our visit to Wye Mountain was a memorable experience and

it was definintely  a perfect mother-daughter Arkansas adventure!

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

Today was "test"day on our dairy farm.

Once a month, Greg comes to "test" our milk. Actually,  he takes  a sample of milk from every cow that is in the milking herd and sends it to the MidSouth Dairy Record's  lab to be analyzed. The information from this test helps us to monitor and manage the production and health of  our dairy herd.  I'm thankful for people ,like Greg, who are part of our dairy farm family helping us to produce high-quality milk from healthy cows.

My Type Recipe

Long before it was common to see men helping with housework or child care, my Daddy was  self sufficient in the kitchen. As I was trying to figure out what to fix for lunch, I found the full page   collection of family recipes that my Dad typed on his old Remington typewriter and  gave me soon after I married. These were recipes that he and his favorite wife (#3) loved to prepare for family dinners.

This typed sheet is my Dad's signature--his handwriting was so eligible, he always typed letters or notes if he wanted me to get the message. Those typed letters were always special because I knew  he was sending love with each tap of the keys.    Hamburger Casserole is just one of those typed  recipes that will always bring alot of sweet memories for me  and smiles from my family!


Hamburger Casserole

1 pound lean ground beef
1 medium onion,diced (or none)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of celery soup
1 package potato tots
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4-1/2 cup shredded pepper jack cheese

Lightly grease 13 x 9 in. baking dish; press hamburger loosely in bottom of dish. Spread onions over hamburger. Cover with potato tots. In a small bowl, blend soups together.  Pour blended soup over mixture in dish. Cover and bake at 350 degrees fifty minutes. Uncover,sprinkle with shredded cheddar and pepper jack cheese and bake for another 10 minutes to brown.

I'm Just the Marrying Kind!

I was asking myself if I was  really the marrying kind and why in the world would I perform a marriage ceremony as I left the farm and drove to the beautiful Crystal Bridges Museum in Bentonville to perform my first  ceremony that had been quickly arranged by telephone last week.

Arkansas law allows an elected Justice of the Peace the right to perform a marriage ceremony. Although I can decline this privilege of the office, I decided that when possible, I will perform the ceremony as a service to citizens in my county.



Larry and Vanessa were ready and waiting when I arrived and had found a great spot outside in the sunshine on the Museum grounds. The ceremony was short and sweet, all the proper papers were signed and I departed almost as quickly as I arrived. I think I was more nervous than the bride and groom--no--I'm sure I was!

After this first wedding ceremony adventure, I can easily say, "I'm just the marrying kind"!

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

 

From feeding calves,

 

 

to fixing fence,

 

 

I'm thankful for these two 4th generation dairy farmers!

Snow Day Comfort Food

While we were feeding calves this morning, the snow was flying fast and furious. Although we're doing the same chores whether it's snowing or not--milking,feeding cows and caring for calves--, filling up on some good old hot bubbly baked  macaroni and cheese seemed to be the perfect snow day  comfort food.

Three Cheese Macaroni

Ingredients:
12 ounces dried elbow macaroni (2 2/3 cups)
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup butter,melted
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper (black pepper works,too)
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 ounces American cheese,cut into 1/2 inch cubes
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese,shredded (2 cups)
2 ounces mozzarella cheese,shredded (1/2 cup)
20 rich round crackers,crushed

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large pot cook macaroni according to package directions;drain. Return to pot.
Add milk,melted butter,pepper, and salt.Stir in cheeses. Transfer to a greased 2 quart casserole.
Bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Carefully stir mixture. Sprinkle with crushed crackers. Bake 5 minutes more or until crackers are browned and mixture is just heated through. (don't overheat or mixture will curdle). Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

 

Farmers love snow day comfort food!

How about you?