There may, or there may not, be any Wednesday Words of Wisdom today. The reason is the Goatmother is going to clean the barn today. I might be so tired, after watching her do all that work, I may not have the energy left to think of anything wise to say - let alone type it.
"If God gives you a watch, are you honoring Him more by asking Him what time it is or by simply consulting the watch? - A.W. Tozer
If you need me, I'll be spending the day honoring the Goatmother.
Life goes on amidst change. Finding the laughter one day at a time...
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Saturday, November 26, 2011
'Tis the Season
Thanksgiving is over and you know what that means - Christmas! So, to start things off right, just in case you haven't already seen it, be sure to check out the Goat Carol of the Bells, here, over at Biology of the Goat. I have to say they have the Nubians down pat, popping up and too stupid to realize they have snow on their heads. And, of course the Alpines are right in the center. Figures. Oy. The only thing missing is the Peanuts. Where, oh where are the Peanuts????
*Addendum - Be sure to note that something new has been added this year and the Fainting goat (which is over on the left side toward the top - the spotty one with horns) actually faints at the end. You see his feet stick up after his body goes down. Keep watching. I had to watch it twice before I caught it. Oy.
*Addendum - Be sure to note that something new has been added this year and the Fainting goat (which is over on the left side toward the top - the spotty one with horns) actually faints at the end. You see his feet stick up after his body goes down. Keep watching. I had to watch it twice before I caught it. Oy.
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Reasons To Be Cheerful
Hallooo! Guess what? It is Thursday and that means Reasons To Be Cheerful day! It also happens to be Thanksgiving here, so that is a reason to be doubly cheerful, don't you think? Anyway, be sure to go over to Planet Penny, here, and check out why others are cheerful this week.
Marigold's Reasons To Be Cheerful:
The neighbor-wiener! (Look, Higgins! A paramour!)
Living in a place of such beauty!
I am very thankful the stick people do NOT like me. (We will not even discuss the mud.)
And last, but certainly not least, I am just SO thankful and happy that I am faster than Boo!
Happy Thanksgiving! May your week be an ever so cheerful one!
Marigold's Reasons To Be Cheerful:
The neighbor-wiener! (Look, Higgins! A paramour!)
Living in a place of such beauty!
I am very thankful the stick people do NOT like me. (We will not even discuss the mud.)
And last, but certainly not least, I am just SO thankful and happy that I am faster than Boo!
Happy Thanksgiving! May your week be an ever so cheerful one!
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Wednesday Words of Wisdom
My goodness! Here it is Wednesday. Again. How does that keep happening? Oh, well. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, so I've been thinking about what I have to be thankful about. Really there is quite a lot, I think. It has been raining non-stop here, and last night, during yet another downpour, I was thinking how thankful I am that we have a nice warm barn with plenty of hay. So many animals don't have anyone to love them. I'm really a very lucky goat.
Of course, all the while I was thinking about this, Ella was pushing everyone around to get the best bits of hay for herself. I can't really say I'm thankful for Ella. On the other hand, when she gets into one of her picky snits, where she turns up her nose at the Peanuts, I have to say that I might have to reconsider. For you see, when Ella gets into one of her picky snits, it makes the Goatmother mad, and the end result is that I get more. You will not find me sticking my nose up at any Peanut, and the Goatmother really seems to appreciate my enthusiasm. So I guess I'd have to say I am also very thankful for Ella's picky snits.
Now then, I am also quite thankful for Watson. He has to be one of the very best crime collaborators a goat could ask for. He is always willing to help in any way he can. Besides, he isn't picky, and he isn't greedy like some Alpines I know. I do wish, however, he could learn to master that annoying fainting thing. Oh, well, everyone has their cross to bear, I suppose. Myself, I am quite thankful I don't faint.
Ultimately, though, the thing I am the very most thankful for is, well, Peanuts. What? You thought I was going to say the Goatmother? Oy. No. It is the humble Peanut. The Peanut, who grows in darkness with one thought only - to some day become the object of utmost adoration. (Excluding, of course, from those subject to the picky snit.) To be cherished and savored with gustatory delight. To be honored above all other forms of ingestibles. Who gives its life selflessly for the greater good of goatdom. To ...
Marigold! Stop. Everyone knows you like Peanuts. Get on with the Wednesday Words of Wisdom already. Sheesh.
Well, goat grief. I was coming to that. Wednesday's Words of Wisdom? They are this: Be thankful for the small things in life, (That means be grateful for the one-to-a-shellers as well as the three-to-a-shellers. Heck. Be grateful for the shells!) because if you don't, you may just miss the best part. Happy Thanksgiving! May you have no one suffering from the picky snit at your table this year. Please pass the Peanuts.
Of course, all the while I was thinking about this, Ella was pushing everyone around to get the best bits of hay for herself. I can't really say I'm thankful for Ella. On the other hand, when she gets into one of her picky snits, where she turns up her nose at the Peanuts, I have to say that I might have to reconsider. For you see, when Ella gets into one of her picky snits, it makes the Goatmother mad, and the end result is that I get more. You will not find me sticking my nose up at any Peanut, and the Goatmother really seems to appreciate my enthusiasm. So I guess I'd have to say I am also very thankful for Ella's picky snits.
Now then, I am also quite thankful for Watson. He has to be one of the very best crime collaborators a goat could ask for. He is always willing to help in any way he can. Besides, he isn't picky, and he isn't greedy like some Alpines I know. I do wish, however, he could learn to master that annoying fainting thing. Oh, well, everyone has their cross to bear, I suppose. Myself, I am quite thankful I don't faint.
Ultimately, though, the thing I am the very most thankful for is, well, Peanuts. What? You thought I was going to say the Goatmother? Oy. No. It is the humble Peanut. The Peanut, who grows in darkness with one thought only - to some day become the object of utmost adoration. (Excluding, of course, from those subject to the picky snit.) To be cherished and savored with gustatory delight. To be honored above all other forms of ingestibles. Who gives its life selflessly for the greater good of goatdom. To ...
Marigold! Stop. Everyone knows you like Peanuts. Get on with the Wednesday Words of Wisdom already. Sheesh.
Well, goat grief. I was coming to that. Wednesday's Words of Wisdom? They are this: Be thankful for the small things in life, (That means be grateful for the one-to-a-shellers as well as the three-to-a-shellers. Heck. Be grateful for the shells!) because if you don't, you may just miss the best part. Happy Thanksgiving! May you have no one suffering from the picky snit at your table this year. Please pass the Peanuts.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Reasons To Be Cheerful
It is Thursday, and that means time to link to Planet Penny with our Reasons To Be Cheerful for this week! Be sure to pop on over to Planet Penny (here) to see the worlds cutest felt mice, the ever-handsome Higgins, and see what others who have linked to her site are cheerful about this week!!!
Reason to be cheerful No. 1 -
The lovely Trumpeter Swans have returned for the winter. (Or is it Tundra Swans? I can never remember.)
Reason To be cheerful No. 2 -
The first snow of the season.
Reason to be cheerful No. 3 -
Yet another of the most beautiful sunsets!
Reason to be cheerful No. 4 - (Oooo. Four reasons this week!)
Frou frou farm dogs whose fantastic groomers put purple feather extensions in their hair. Can you see them on either ear? How about now?
Reason to be cheerful No. 1 -
The lovely Trumpeter Swans have returned for the winter. (Or is it Tundra Swans? I can never remember.)
Reason To be cheerful No. 2 -
The first snow of the season.
Reason to be cheerful No. 3 -
Yet another of the most beautiful sunsets!
Reason to be cheerful No. 4 - (Oooo. Four reasons this week!)
Frou frou farm dogs whose fantastic groomers put purple feather extensions in their hair. Can you see them on either ear? How about now?
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Wednesday Words of Wisdom
Well, since we haven't had any new critters show up since the bat, it's been kind of dull around here. Unless, I guess, you count the small winter wren that has been flitting about cleaning up all the summer spiders. So here it is Wednesday and nothing new to report really. In light of that, the Goatmother thought I ought to post a recipe. Naturally, I wanted one with Peanuts, but she said that no one would be interested in a recipe with Peanuts. Imagine that. Nah, the Goatmother has to be wrong about that. At any rate, here's what we came up with.
This recipe is for Macaroni and Cheese, but it isn't just any old Mac 'N' Cheese. Nope. This one has some kick to it. Just the right kind of thing to wake one up from any kind of slump they've been harboring. The Goatmother and the Goatfather took two recipes and came up with their own version. So without further adieu:
Marigold's Mac 'N' Cheese
(Okay. It is my blog. I had to get in the act somewhere.)
8 oz. Cavatappi, Macaroni or other tube-shaped pasta.( The Cavatappi looks cool, in my opinion. Kind of like adding little pig tails. I'm just sayin' ....)
1/2 tsp. coarse salt, plus more for cooking the pasta (Yum. If you are cooking for your goats, they will probably just eat the pasta without salt. Probably without even cooking.)
8 oz. of assorted mushrooms, sliced and sauteed in 1 or 2 Tbsp. olive oil (Mushrooms. Oy. I ate one once and it was not a good thing. Still the Goatmother and the Goatfather seem to like them. Maybe I had one of those psycho-relic ones.)
3 1/2 Tbsp. butter (Look out, Paula Dean!)
1/2 C. finely chopped shallots
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 1/4 C. dry white wine (Do try to put at least some of it in the mac 'n' cheese. Wine. It's not just for breakfast. I wonder if there is a Peanut-flavored wine out there?)
2/3 C. heavy whipping cream (If you do not like the sound of your arteries hardening, turn up the CD player.)
7 oz. Gruyere, grated (It isn't goat cheese, but it's pretty good nonetheless)
3 oz. aged Gouda, grated (I'm not sure where this one comes from. I've never seen a Gouda, have you?)
2 Tbsp. minced fresh Chives (or Alfalfa if you prefer. Just kidding.)
1 Chipotle in Adobo sauce, chopped (~ 1 Tbsp. with Chipotle and sauce) (Oyle, y'all! This is what really makes this different!)
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard (This is mustard that has received a 'Di' Jon' letter and is obviously very sad, but still tastes good.)
1/8 tsp. freshly ground Nutmeg (Please do note that though this says it is a nut, it sure doesn't taste like a nut. I'm just sayin' ... )
1/2 C. bread crumbs or Panko (Do not let those stupid ducks near this or you won't have any for the recipe.)
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cook the pasta according to package directions in a large pot of boiling, salted water until tender to the bite. (Hopefully it won't bite back.) This will take approximately 7 to 12 minutes (So you will have time to hand a few Peanuts to any nearby goats.) Drain the pasta, but don't rinse. (This sounds kind of unhygienic to me, but it makes stuff stick to the pasta better,. It must be like dirt and soap if you don't rinse off after you bathe.)
2. In a large frying pan, over medium-high heat, melt 2 Tbsp. of butter (or you can use Olive oil if you are being health-conscious. Me, I'd use Peanut oil.) Add the shallots and mushrooms and cook until the shallots are light golden in color and the mushrooms are soft. Sprinkle the shallot-mushroom mixture with flour, and cook, stirring often, around 1 minute. Add wine and stir, picking up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the cream and stir well. Sprinkle in the cheeses, one large handful at a time, stirring until each handful is mostly melted before adding the next. Stir in 2 Tbsp. chives, the Chipotle in Adobo, mustard, 1/4 tsp. salt (Okay. this salt is optional, just in case you are not a saltaholic), and nutmeg. Stir cooked pasta into cheese mixture, then pour all into a 2 qt. baking dish. (You can grease the baking dish before hand, or spray it with a little cooking spray, unless, of course, you like to do dishes and are breathlessly waiting for the moment it is all gone and you can scrub to your heart's content.)
3. Sprinkle bread crumbs or Panko over the casserole, dry, ( if you are boycotting calories), or sprinkle and dot with the remaining 1 1/2 Tbsp. of butter. (I can hear Paula cheering now!). Bake until the top is browned and the cheese is bubbling. This will be approximately 15 to 20 minutes. (Oh. Now you really have time to hand out some Peanuts).
By now you are probably asking yourself, 'Marigold, what in the hay happened to the Words of Wisdom? Well, my friends, I have not forgotten. Wednesday's Words of Wisdom are this: If you don't have anything to say, talk about food. Everyone pays attention to food. Hay! It's food for thought, huh?
This recipe is for Macaroni and Cheese, but it isn't just any old Mac 'N' Cheese. Nope. This one has some kick to it. Just the right kind of thing to wake one up from any kind of slump they've been harboring. The Goatmother and the Goatfather took two recipes and came up with their own version. So without further adieu:
Marigold's Mac 'N' Cheese
(Okay. It is my blog. I had to get in the act somewhere.)
8 oz. Cavatappi, Macaroni or other tube-shaped pasta.( The Cavatappi looks cool, in my opinion. Kind of like adding little pig tails. I'm just sayin' ....)
1/2 tsp. coarse salt, plus more for cooking the pasta (Yum. If you are cooking for your goats, they will probably just eat the pasta without salt. Probably without even cooking.)
8 oz. of assorted mushrooms, sliced and sauteed in 1 or 2 Tbsp. olive oil (Mushrooms. Oy. I ate one once and it was not a good thing. Still the Goatmother and the Goatfather seem to like them. Maybe I had one of those psycho-relic ones.)
3 1/2 Tbsp. butter (Look out, Paula Dean!)
1/2 C. finely chopped shallots
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 1/4 C. dry white wine (Do try to put at least some of it in the mac 'n' cheese. Wine. It's not just for breakfast. I wonder if there is a Peanut-flavored wine out there?)
2/3 C. heavy whipping cream (If you do not like the sound of your arteries hardening, turn up the CD player.)
7 oz. Gruyere, grated (It isn't goat cheese, but it's pretty good nonetheless)
3 oz. aged Gouda, grated (I'm not sure where this one comes from. I've never seen a Gouda, have you?)
2 Tbsp. minced fresh Chives (or Alfalfa if you prefer. Just kidding.)
1 Chipotle in Adobo sauce, chopped (~ 1 Tbsp. with Chipotle and sauce) (Oyle, y'all! This is what really makes this different!)
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard (This is mustard that has received a 'Di' Jon' letter and is obviously very sad, but still tastes good.)
1/8 tsp. freshly ground Nutmeg (Please do note that though this says it is a nut, it sure doesn't taste like a nut. I'm just sayin' ... )
1/2 C. bread crumbs or Panko (Do not let those stupid ducks near this or you won't have any for the recipe.)
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cook the pasta according to package directions in a large pot of boiling, salted water until tender to the bite. (Hopefully it won't bite back.) This will take approximately 7 to 12 minutes (So you will have time to hand a few Peanuts to any nearby goats.) Drain the pasta, but don't rinse. (This sounds kind of unhygienic to me, but it makes stuff stick to the pasta better,. It must be like dirt and soap if you don't rinse off after you bathe.)
2. In a large frying pan, over medium-high heat, melt 2 Tbsp. of butter (or you can use Olive oil if you are being health-conscious. Me, I'd use Peanut oil.) Add the shallots and mushrooms and cook until the shallots are light golden in color and the mushrooms are soft. Sprinkle the shallot-mushroom mixture with flour, and cook, stirring often, around 1 minute. Add wine and stir, picking up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the cream and stir well. Sprinkle in the cheeses, one large handful at a time, stirring until each handful is mostly melted before adding the next. Stir in 2 Tbsp. chives, the Chipotle in Adobo, mustard, 1/4 tsp. salt (Okay. this salt is optional, just in case you are not a saltaholic), and nutmeg. Stir cooked pasta into cheese mixture, then pour all into a 2 qt. baking dish. (You can grease the baking dish before hand, or spray it with a little cooking spray, unless, of course, you like to do dishes and are breathlessly waiting for the moment it is all gone and you can scrub to your heart's content.)
3. Sprinkle bread crumbs or Panko over the casserole, dry, ( if you are boycotting calories), or sprinkle and dot with the remaining 1 1/2 Tbsp. of butter. (I can hear Paula cheering now!). Bake until the top is browned and the cheese is bubbling. This will be approximately 15 to 20 minutes. (Oh. Now you really have time to hand out some Peanuts).
By now you are probably asking yourself, 'Marigold, what in the hay happened to the Words of Wisdom? Well, my friends, I have not forgotten. Wednesday's Words of Wisdom are this: If you don't have anything to say, talk about food. Everyone pays attention to food. Hay! It's food for thought, huh?
Saturday, November 12, 2011
The Invasion of the Booty Snatchers
Oy. What is going on here? First it was the Bob-o-Lynx and I had to watch my body as well as my Peanuts. Then it was the rodent population in the barn, and those Peanuts had to be put under lock and key. Then it was the deer and the big ole' b'ar. So I've got those Peanuts hidden, I can tell you. By now you are probably wondering what the hay I'm babbling about. I can only tell you there is no babbling involved. Not even a little. All of sudden, for reasons beknownst only to those trespassers having appeared, we are absolutely overrun with strange critters. It can only be an invasion and they can only be after my Peanuts.
Anyway, this morning the Goatmother bopped out to the barn. Wait a minute. I forgot. It was morning and the Goatmother is morally opposed to bopping at that hour. Nonetheless, she came out to the barn, opened the outer door and peered in at the live trap to see if the Goatfather had any new cab fares. The trap was empty and even unsprung. Will wonders never cease? So the Goatmother walked across the barn to the door of the Holy Grail of Goatdom, the grain room. Guess what? When she opened the door something plopped onto the floor. In retrospect, I have to say at least it didn't hit her on the head this time. If you want to read about that debacle, you can go here. So what was it?
It was a little brown bat. Now you may not know that bats can not take off from the ground, and if you went back and read about the time the bat fell on the Goatmother's head, you might also have read that, at that time, the Goatmother and the Goatfather tried to launch the little fellow. Since they knew better this time, the Goatmother got the bat onto the launch pad ...
... but had the Goatfather take him straight away to the top shelf in the old chicken coop. I don't think he woke up the whole trip. Well, perhaps he was knocked out. Who can tell with a bat? At any rate, when it gets dark, he'll wake up and be able to take off by dropping from the shelf. No doubt going on about his batly business - which, I sincerely hope, does NOT involve my Peanuts.
Anyway, I'm just wondering. Do bats like Peanuts? The other thing I'm wondering is why, with all the lovely nooks and crannies in the barn, do these guys pick the door to the grain room to roost? Surely anyone with any sense knows that the Goatmother, being the single-minded sort, rarely looks up when she is on a mission. I suppose we'll just have to chalk it up to bat stupidity.
With all these strange critter appearances, though, it makes me wonder if it is some sort of omen. Does this mean we are going to have a lot of snow this year so everybody is stocking up? I mean, already flurries are predicted for the end of next week, and already there have been significant accumulations at higher elevations. Oy. I better ask the Goatmother to go to Costco and stock up on Peanuts. Why not follow the crowd. Just this once.
Anyway, this morning the Goatmother bopped out to the barn. Wait a minute. I forgot. It was morning and the Goatmother is morally opposed to bopping at that hour. Nonetheless, she came out to the barn, opened the outer door and peered in at the live trap to see if the Goatfather had any new cab fares. The trap was empty and even unsprung. Will wonders never cease? So the Goatmother walked across the barn to the door of the Holy Grail of Goatdom, the grain room. Guess what? When she opened the door something plopped onto the floor. In retrospect, I have to say at least it didn't hit her on the head this time. If you want to read about that debacle, you can go here. So what was it?
It was a little brown bat. Now you may not know that bats can not take off from the ground, and if you went back and read about the time the bat fell on the Goatmother's head, you might also have read that, at that time, the Goatmother and the Goatfather tried to launch the little fellow. Since they knew better this time, the Goatmother got the bat onto the launch pad ...
... but had the Goatfather take him straight away to the top shelf in the old chicken coop. I don't think he woke up the whole trip. Well, perhaps he was knocked out. Who can tell with a bat? At any rate, when it gets dark, he'll wake up and be able to take off by dropping from the shelf. No doubt going on about his batly business - which, I sincerely hope, does NOT involve my Peanuts.
Anyway, I'm just wondering. Do bats like Peanuts? The other thing I'm wondering is why, with all the lovely nooks and crannies in the barn, do these guys pick the door to the grain room to roost? Surely anyone with any sense knows that the Goatmother, being the single-minded sort, rarely looks up when she is on a mission. I suppose we'll just have to chalk it up to bat stupidity.
With all these strange critter appearances, though, it makes me wonder if it is some sort of omen. Does this mean we are going to have a lot of snow this year so everybody is stocking up? I mean, already flurries are predicted for the end of next week, and already there have been significant accumulations at higher elevations. Oy. I better ask the Goatmother to go to Costco and stock up on Peanuts. Why not follow the crowd. Just this once.
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