Hot baths....
Ahhh. Nice. We have a water heater! Someone or someones heard of our plight via the internet and a sum of money was deposited into my pay pal through a third party. I am praising God...taking hot baths...and..well absolutely blessed.

Old bessie was a 90 gallon tank and this is a 50 but so far it is holding up to our massive ht water needs.
The plumber had tot ake the doorframe off..it seems the pO had put the heater in and then created to space for it. But...all's well that ends well..and there is is. Now I just need to get a blanket for it.
We turned the heat on for hte first time today. It has been 45 and 50 in the house but we were trying ot hold out iwth judt the fireplace as long as possible..we have company coming today so the heat went on..sigh. I know it had to happen but I was wanting to hold out a bit..AH well...this is texas..it will be 78 degrees by friday.
We are getting 6 eggs a day now, so things are picking up..they are still the small eggs but look like the hens are getting the idea.
:)

I absolutely cannot believe it has been more than a week since I posted. I think I am starting to run out of words.
Our chickens finally started laying eggs. I think it was the fact that every time I would walk by them I would snarl things like "pot pie", and "dumplings". Not sure...First it was one every other day then two every other day and now it is picking up although they are still small. SOrry for the raw image..I dont have time to edit it and make it look cool.
I am taking Marc to the VA today...have several things I hope we get to talk aout and pray about and some decsions to make...Other than that life seems pretty quiet...We need to clean the upstairs ebcause the upstairs Christmas decorations will go up this week...the downstairs enxt week and the outside the week after.
Wish we would have a snowy year this year.

What's mainly wrong with society today is that too many Dirt Roads have been paved.
There's not a problem in America today, crime, drugs, education, divorce, delinquency that wouldn't be remedied, if we just had more Dirt Roads, because Dirt Roads give character.

People that live at the end of Dirt Roads learn early on that life is a bumpy ride.
That it can jar you right down to your teeth sometimes, but it's worth it, if at the end is home...a loving spouse, happy kids and a dog.

We wouldn't have near the trouble with our educational system if our kids got their exercise walking a Dirt Road with other kids, from whom they learn how to get along.
There was less crime in our streets before they were paved.

Criminals didn't walk two dusty miles to rob or rape, if they knew they'd be welcomed by 5 barking dogs and a double barrel shotgun.
And there were no drive by shootings.
Our values were better when our roads were worse!

People did not worship their cars more than their kids, and motorists were more courteous, they didn't tailgate by riding the bumper of the guy in front would choke you with dust & bust your windshield with rocks.
Dirt Roads taught patience.

Dirt Roads were environmentally friendly, you didn't hop in your car for a quart of milk you walked to the barn for your milk.
For your mail, you walked to the mail box.

What if it rained and the Dirt Road got washed out? That was the best part, then you stayed home and had some family time, roasted marshmallows and popped popcorn and pony rode on Daddy's shoulders and learned how to make prettier quilts than anybody.
At the end of Dirt Roads, you soon learned that bad words tasted like soap.

Most paved roads lead to trouble, Dirt Roads more likely lead to a fishing creek or a swimming hole.
At the end of a Dirt Road, the only time we even locked our car was in August, because if we didn't some neighbor would fill it with too much zucchini.

At the end of a Dirt Road, there was always extra springtime income, from when city dudes would get stuck, you'd have to hitch up a team and pull them out.
Usually you got a dollar...always you got a new friend...at the end of a Dirt Road!
~by Paul Harvey~

The North American Union

The North American Union is a plan to unify Canada, Mexico and the United States. First, through super-highways like The Trans-Texas Corridor followed by the NAFTA super highway which will reach into the very heart of the United States. The NAU is the natural next step from The Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America. As much as we would like to believe it is an urban legend, as much as we want to think it would not could not happen..it would, it could and it is. Meet your orwellian future, welcome to 1984 a few years late. Amazing what the government will do while we are busy trying to make a living, isn't it? Now I am starting to think that taxes are only a way to keep us preoccupied so we don;t research the truth. Last time I checked we still could vote people in and out of office...

read more | digg story

Trans Texas Corridor

Trans Texas Corridor is touted by TxDot as an economic boost, a way to increase trade, and a cure for hemorrhoids. Is it, really? How does it affect Texans, and ultimately, the United States as a whole? I am concerned because, for one thing, the stupid road is going in not that far from me. We moved here to be close enough to the city that Marc could make money..but far enough in the country that we could live as we wanted to some extent. WHat a joke! I cannot understand how a governor can completely ignore the people and choose to, over and over again veto legislation that protects them. You can bet that I will be writing more about this later.

read more | digg story

We sold the last buckling from this year! YAY!
It is harder than you think because these goats are small, and they don't make much of a bbq. I really struggled with whether or not to *fix* this little guy because he was not going anywhere but I decided not to because he has blue eyes. Anyway, someone saw him on the website and wants him..YAY!
That leaves me with 3 goats, 2 does and the herdsire. I don;t know where all of htis is going, if we will sell out this year or not...but it is certainly changing.
Big happy moment, our gas bill was only 14 dollars this month. And I htinkw ehave almost enough for a hot water heater! YAY.
Plan on writing osmethign a bit meatier later, but wanted to get the happy news in...

I am really interested in environmental issues. They are a big part of my life and have been for most if it. My parents both were adults in the depression, and I grew up in the 60's. Recycling, environmental issues were all just a given.
I grew up eating fresh garden tomatoes in the summer and pickled beets in the winter and I love that cycle of living with the seasons. That is what I am trying ot do here...fix the place up and then run it as a farm, or as close as I can get.
Anyway...I had to stop painting several years ago. I HATE watercolors but I love the color and intensity of oil paints. I developed an allergy to turpentine however and had to lay it aside..I hope to try again soon but we'll see.
ANyway there are graffiti artists that are creating graffiti with MOSS!
Check this out...Living Graffiti
I just thought it was cool.

Our chickens are not layin eggs yet. I am not sure if they are waiting for something special, more money? Better working conditions? Sigh.
We seem to have sold the last buckling from this year! YAY! Not a moment too soon. It looks like, because of some sales, the rising prices of gold (it is way up ofver 100.00 an oz, and marrc just took some to the pawn shop..we'll see what we end up with), some wonderful angel on the internet, and a few blessings from the hand of God we will be getting a water heater, and possible (dare I say it?) meet our bills this month.

But can they make a John Deere?
Check out this cake I wrote about on Baking Delights
It solves so many problems...global warming, PMS cravings...WHat to get a 16 year old for his birthday.....

MAybe you have noticed I changed the header..yeah..I like that one.it is so much more honest. So much more real. SO much more gritty. So much more....
Lets just stop pretending shall we. The truth is that this house is a money laundering operation. I am not sure what we are laundering, it certainly isn't the clothes in the back room, but hey, just don't expect to read about all the wonderful remodeling i have done either.
I have been tossed off the old house blog roll for illegally amking money wiht my blog. HA! I have NOTHING to lose now.
Seriously. Don't expect to read proper grammar, or perfect spelling that is for my homeschool blogs.....no..this is homesteading on the edge, the gritty truth. Don;t expect Donna Reed, that is my Baking Delights, and Apronstrings Blogs..DOn;t even expect spirituality..that is butterfly warriors...
No, when you come here..expect dirt. grime. gritty reality. extreme homesteading. Because...I...am....coming...out...of...the ...homesteading ...closet.
ANd I will write what ever the heck I please.
so , for my first post, let me just say......