In lieu of anything more interesting or topical this morning, let's have a list, shall we?
1) Yesterday, while stacking wood, I smacked my shin really hard against one huge log and kicked another one that was frozen to the ground. This resulted in a very attractive bruise, which no one will ever see because my legs will not be bared for many months yet, and further injury to the big toe on my right foot that is already not in top condition. Small injuries like this are very common when you do a lot of manual labor, but still. I would like some sympathy for my boo-boos, please.
2) I can't seem to keep the little webby parts between my fingers from drying out and flaking. I spend all day washing my hands and putting on lotion, and I rub 100% shea butter into my hands at night, but still--dry and flaky between my fingers. Boo. But this does make me thankful for modern hand creams, because it would be gross to try to moisturize my hands with bear tallow or something.
3) The chickens were all excited about going outside the coop when it got warm (34 degrees--break out the bathing suits!) and played about happily. That lasted about two days. Now it's cold again, they're stuck in their coop again, and they're starting to get cranky. I can tell when chickens are getting cranky. Who is this person I've become?
4) Speaking of chickens, we had a roasted chicken for dinner last night (not one of ours--a stranger). It's really funny how chicken has become a big treat for us. We have so much beef, lamb, and venison, we hardly ever have chicken any more. So whenever the MiL brings home a chicken, we all react like we're getting prime rib for dinner, when in fact, prime rib is a much more likely meal for us than a chicken. This is weird, I know.
5) There is still (STILL) a purple cabbage from the garden hanging in a net bag in the cellar. I should really cook that pretty soon.
6) We're down to two and a half boxes of potatoes. This seems like a small amount to me, despite the fact that we're still talking about a hundred pounds of potatoes. My potato perspective has changed dramatically.
7) I'm tired of writing this list now, and I imagine you're tired of reading it, so I'm done.
"bear tallow" SNORT! I love this list and love hearing how you've become so well ensconced in the country lifestyle. How do you tell if a chicken is cranky? I think you should have a blogosphere contest to see who provides the best answer to this Blackrock joke.
ReplyDeleteI have the same problem with the webby parts of my fingers. I've been using raw shea butter with some olive oil at night as well. Seems to be working.
ReplyDeleteI'm just curious . . . no pork? (It's the other white meat you know!) We eat more pork than chicken -- I guess because it's so cheap and versatile.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, it would be totally cool to have a cellar full of potatoes that last all winter. We have to keep buying them and in our (relatively) hot kitchen, they sprout before we use them.
P.S. Yes, Yes! Corn beef and cabbage!
Only when you have a freezer full of beef and pork can you here this phrase "Oh no steak again, can't you buy a box of chicken nuggets next time you go to the store Mom, please".
ReplyDeleteTry coating your hands in Vaseline at night, you might have to wear some sort of gloves to keep the sheets clean. Actually gloves in your bedroom, probably not a bad idea most nights!
Not only do those damn chickens get cranky, but they act like you, their keeper, is directly responsible for the change in climate - you have stolen their sun and they want it back.
Not only do I look forward to reading your blog in the morning, but your reader's comments as well...you have very witty readers. :) I'm sorry your shin & toe & the webs of your fingers hurt.
ReplyDeleteDo the chickens snarl and bare their fangs when they get cranky? Sorry about the boo boo's!
ReplyDeleteM.M.: I very occasionally will get some pork chops at the butcher. When I go to the butcher shop. I don't really like to buy meat at the grocery store, because A) the thought of the conditions those animals were raised in skeeves me out, and B) it's inferior in every way to the meat we have. We bought a pig for slaughter in October of '07. We'll be doing that again this coming fall. Until then, not much pork, no. I miss pork, too.
ReplyDeleteMelissa (a.k.a bigskygirls): I know, right? The comments are usually the best part of the posts. Even my own mother says she always waits to read until a bunch of people have commented, because she likes the comments so much.
Julie: No, but I do. The chickens actually get more aggressive and crazed, running around and flapping a lot. We're all getting a little bit of cabin fever, I think.
Try using Lansinoh cream on your finger webs, and go to bed with medical gloves on (oh, fun) to let it really soak in. Lansinoh is in the ... well, baby section... as it's made for well... cracked nipples... but it's the bomb for everything, especially lips. And it comes from sheep! So wait, shoot. Maybe it is just sheep tallow. Is that any better than bear tallow? Owwwwww on your owies - heal quickly!
ReplyDeleteMidwife: I bet that stuff is made from lanolin. Lanolin is the oil sheep produce in their wool. It basically makes them waterproof, and it is, indeed, a fantastic moisturizer. I should just go out every day and run my hands through the sheep's wool. Except that would be gross, because they're really dirty.
ReplyDeleteI love the list! We got a couple more inches of snow last night, so you're probably getting it today. That should send the chickens right over the edge.
ReplyDeleteKristin, or, when you shear your sheep, you could boil some wool, and then extract the umm, sterile, lanolin. But that's kind of gross too. Try the nipple stuff! And seriously, even if you stick w/ your present moisturizing routine, sleep with them gloves on occasion - the difference is hugs. And, wow: so sexy too. ;)
ReplyDeleteWell, the sexy medical gloves may lead to hugs, but I meant the difference is _huge_
ReplyDeleteIsn't roast chicken great! I agree with the glove comments - though I've found that clean cotton gardening gloves are far better than latex medical ones. My hands feel like they are suffocating in the latex. Cotton gloves can then be washed when they get nappy and re-used. I'm about to go put some on right now. This weather is making my hands crack and bleed. Ugh.
ReplyDeletePrime rib is the norm? You poor thing. :)
ReplyDeleteAnd here was me, complaining all the while yesterday that the EVIL onions from the grocery store (I bought 8lbs and ended up tossing at least 3) and missing my farmers market.
ReplyDeleteOh no! Oh your poor booboos! Awwwwww, that sucks POOR YOU.
ReplyDelete*sniff sniff*
I hope you feel better really soon. Big toe=heal quick! Toot sweet!