City Rant = Country Appreciation

I swear every single time I have to venture into the city, I find more things to hate. My parents live  right in town, in Latrobe, and since most of the property at my house  is wooded, I still board my horse at a great barn near my parents' house. The problem is, that I must venture through the city to get to my horse. Booo. 


I have a  large break in between my classes at UPG, so I usually use my time wisely, and spend it riding after a quick change into my britches and boots at my parents'. It just so happens that school children are being let out right before my break, and the city feels it necessary to appoint a crossing guard at the intersection down the street from my parents' house, even though it is nowhere near the school. It just so happens that this crossing guard is a total control freak.


She stands on the corner with her hands on her hips, and feels the need to direct traffic even when there is no one standing at the crosswalk! This infuriates me, and I despise this woman. I've been driving for over six years, I know what a damn stop sign is. She also glares at every single car that drives by her, and I glare back. I don't even know who the hell is responsible for hiring her, or why she is necessary, but I have made a vow to find out. 


In the country, our only crossing guards are the occasional squirrel or goose, and they never glare at me.

Jackson Eating

Boy, having a bottle baby goat is sure a chore! When we just got him I was worried because he wasn't eating too well, but now he goes crazy as soon as he sees his bottle. I guess I got my mini-pig after all! 

Rest in Peace, Amy Tryon

The eventing community lost a beloved member today, and I am very saddened by this news. Amy Tryon was an amazing horsewoman and rider, and represented our country in many international competitions, including the Pan Ams and the Olympics. To read more about her death, go to this link. She was only 42. 

Tripod Truck Spotting

Look at what I found sitting in the parking lot of Tractor Supply! It's a tripod truck! I love pickup trucks, and I must have examined this thing for at least 15 minutes (most of which were spent battling my smartphone to get a good picture). It looks like something from the Jetsons. I wonder what its towing capacity is? Probably couldn't haul my horse trailer, so I think I'll stick with the four wheel variety. Has anyone ever seen anything like this?

Jackson In a Photo Shoot!

Our little Jackson was featured in a photo shoot last Saturday! My friend Jayna is a photographer, and used him and our peeps as Easter props to take pictures of her niece. The pictures turned out soo cute. 

Isn't Jayna an amazing photographer? (and isn't Jackson ADORABLE?)


Here's a link to her website, Costello Imaging.

The Buzz on Burt's Bees

 I had a wonderful day working in the garden and spending some much needed time outdoors in the sunshine.  There is nothing like the feel of a shovel in your hands, working the earth and you muscles, breathing fresh air, and feeling alive! However, all that hard work is prone to leave your hands and skin feeling a little rough. That's why I use Burt's Bees hand salve when I come in from the garden. It is wonderful, and will make even the driest skin soft again. For those of you not familiar with Burt's Bees, listen up. They have tons of all-natural skin, hair, dental, and make-up products that are made primarily of beeswax. You can check out their entire product line at Burtsbees.com. 

Take a Peek at the Peeps

April, May, June, Henrietta, Thelma, and Louise (she's hiding)!

Warning: Too Cute

 Here he is; I finally got a picture of Jackson! It was such a lovely day, we decided to let the peeps outside to get some fresh air and green grass. They would not leave our side, and Jackson couldn't get enough of them. Ahhh how I love country life!

The Truth About Nipples

No, no..get your collective mind out of the gutter! I'm talking about rubber nipples for feeding our new baby goat, Jackson! 


Last night I surprised Kevin with a goat for his birthday, and since the little guy is only two weeks  old, he requires bottle feeding three times a day.


After some experimenting with a few varieties of rubber nipples found at Tractor Supply, I have had great luck with the Pritchard Nipple, shown below.

Every baby is different, and it really comes down to their personal preference, but I highly recommend trying this nipple first, if you ever have to bottle feed a goat or lamb. 


Jackson is sleeping at my feet on the front porch as I type this, he follows me everywhere!


I'd better feed him once more before class, everyone take care! 


Have you ever had to bottle feed a baby animal? If so, what kind, and do you have any hints?

Check Me Out on Twitter

Despite my hatred of social medial, I gave in and started a Twitter account for this blog. Check out my tweets, here.  I'd rather peep than tweet though. :)

Hangin' With My Peeps

I AM SO EXCITED! I mean really,over-bearingly, borderline annoying, excited; like a little kid who gets a chocolate bunny AND money-filled easter eggs in her basket. Why, you ask?


Yesterday, we finally bought our peeps!


I have never been happier than when I carried my six, tiny, precious, fuzzy, warm and cuddly peeps out of Tractor Supply, in a little cardboard barn-shaped box. 


Yes, I played with them all day, and even almost fell asleep on the straw by their heat lamp, after singing them lullabies and giving them treats of lettuce.  Who couldn't love a peep?


I found this great web-site, where you can read up on peep-care, if you too, wish to have your own little bundles of chirping joy. 


I'll get pictures ASAP

Outlaw Country

If you guys want to check out some awesome music and videos, visit Sirius XM Outlaw Country's Facebook page. WARNING: It's chock full of goodies, and you will probably waste hours of your life looking at this page. It is seriously one of the only radio stations I listen too, and you should give it a try. It has everything from Lucinda Williams to Johnny Cash to Bob Dylan. The best part is that none of these singers wear sequined jeans and do a hip-hop routine on stage, singing about gettin' drunk in a truck bed. It's REAL country / folk ;)

Life Saver!

Last night was absolutely CRAZY; Definitely not something you'd  expect to happen in the country.


Kevin was super busy at work and didn't leave until around 9:30 P.M. I was waiting up for him, reading The Gravedigger's Daughter, by Joyce Carol Oates (I cannot put it down!), when I looked out and saw an ambulance coming down our usually deserted road. I became very scared, thinking Kevin had gotten tired and run off the road.


His response when I called him was not what I expected.


"I'm performing CPR, I'm o.k. I'l be home when the ambulance gets here."


I got the full story when he got home, and after hearing it, I really want to learn C.P.R.


He was driving home, down the forlorn, wooded road that leads to our house, when he saw a BMW parked in the middle of the road. He slowed down, thinking it was just broken down, and prepared to drive around it. However, he noticed the driver's door was open. Then, he looked down and saw a young man laying on the ground, having a seizure.


The driver had a friend with him, who was standing near him, but had not yet called 911. Kevin, who is a certified CPR instructor through his work, immediately dialed for an ambulance, and gave his phone to the friend.


He then ran over the the seizing man, and found only a faint pulse. The man was not breathing.


Kevin started compressions, and administered CPR to the man, who went into three fits of shallow breaths and seizures before regaining normal breathing. During this time, another man pulled over, and Kevin had him feel for the downed man's pulse.


After about ten minutes, two ambulances arrived, and took over. The EMT told Kevin the young man would have probably went into a coma if CPR had not been administered.


Kevin was really shaken up when he got home, and said he operated on full adrenaline. Prior to this, he had never actually administered CPR to a real patient, so it was a damn good thing he remembered what to do in this emergency. He probably saved this young man's life, it's just amazing he was there at exactly the right time and place.


Only in the boonies...

Gotta Getta Goat!

Kevin's birthday is coming up, and I want to surprise him with a baby goat! He had goats when he was little, and I think he's going to be so excited when he wakes up and finds the little guy waiting in his truck, with a big bow tied around his neck. (He better not eat it!) I found a bottle baby that was born on St. Patty's Day, and I am going to pick him up after class on April 2nd. I'll be sure to get pictures for y'all!

Best Banana Bread EVER (cream -cheese lovers must look!)

The other day my dad gifted me with a bunch of brown bananas, and I could not have been more delighted. I love baking, and made the mistake of bringing a few of my creations to work to share with my dad. Now, I can't walk in the door without hearing,

"What did you bring today?"

I've created a monster! 

I knew the gift was really a hint that he wanted banana bread, so I looked for the best recipe I could find. I thought cream-cheese would be a delicious addition, and luckily there was a recipe that incorporated this delicacy. (I'm obsessed)

You can find the recipe, here, at AllRecipes.com.

I did make a few changes, listed below:

1.) No nuts...instead of putting crushed nuts on top, which I am not a huge fan of, I sprinkled on brown sugar and cinnamon

2.) Replace half of the butter with 1/4 cup of yogurt. I used Stonyfield's organic french vanilla, which not only cut calories, but added a tad of vanilla flavor. (Use banana yogurt for more banana flavor!)

3.) Replace about 1/4 c of white sugar with brown sugar. I just prefer the taste of brown sugar, so I decided to do this. I'd really like to replace all the sugar with honey, but I didn't have enough, and didn't feel like running to the store at 11:30 at night, when the baking urge hit.

I made two loaves, one for Kevin and me, and one for my parents, and I don't think either lasted 30 minutes. I've always had trouble keeping banana bread moist, since I don't like to cook with oils or shortening. The cream cheese was the perfect ingredient, and the result was  moist, not too sweet, and absolutely delicious. 

Hope y'all try it!

Country Wisdom and Know-How

Howdy, y'all! I have something new for you...a book review! This is the greatest collection of country-living information that I have ever seen, and is a must-read for anyone who is even vaguely interested in country life. It has DIY instructions on everything from gardening, to building chicken coops, to canning, to raising livestock and orphaned wildlife. Seriously, it is like a survival guide for living in the boonies. Y'all should run on down to your local Tractor Supply store and buy it right now! Or, it can be found at Amazon right here.
Go buy yourself a copy, brew up a big ol' pitcher of ice-tea, find a cozy spot of sunshine, and start reading! 

Redneck Beverage Holder

Yahhhh buddy! The ultimate gardening accessory

It's Time to Garden!

Thanks to the fantastic weather, we were able to get the garden all plowed, and (almost) fertilized, yesterday. Boy am I sore, but soo excited for some fresh veggies. 

Happiness = Sunshine + Dirt 

Happy Friday :)

Whatcha Lookin' At?

Rabies Alert

I pride myself in being a pretty brave person, but I have one phobia...rabies. When I was little, I would get panic attacks if I even heard the word. I still get the chills, but have learned to curb my fears a little. This is a weird phobia, since I love animals so much, and have never had contact with a rabid animal. (I am pounding my fist on wood right now!)


This is why I was terrified when I read that Western Pa. has been issued a rabies alert! In the past couple weeks, two people have been attacked by a rabid fox, a rabid raccoon made its way into a fenced-in yard, and a rabid skunk caused a herd of goats to be quarantined for six months. Even though most of my readers don't live in the woods like me, where we see these animals on an almost daily basis, town folk must still be very cautious. You can read about these recent cases at TribLive.


Here are some ways to protect you and your pets:


-NEVER approach a wild or feral mammal. If you see one who is injured or needs help, contact a professional such as the game commission or humane society. (I don't follow this rule, but do as I say, not as I do! )


-Know the signs of rabies: excessive salivation, inability to swallow, fear of water, staggering gait, eating dirt,wood, or other non food items, fear of light, aggressiveness, seizures, wild animal acting tame, nocturnal animals who are active during the day, severe agitation (these are most of them)


-If you see an animal exhibiting any of these behaviors, call your local police department, game commission, or animal control office. DO NOT approach the animal. If you kill the animal, do not shoot it in its head, since the brain will need to be sent to a lab to verify that the animal was rabid. 


-It is state law that all dogs and cats be vaccinated for rabies! I am not a fan of over-vaccinating, due to an increased cancer risk, however I do not mess around with rabies shots. They are crucial. If your pet is bitten by a wild animal, and you cannot show proof s/he was vaccinated, s/he must either be killed or quarantined for six months. Even house pets must be vaccinated, since a rabid animal such as a bat could enter your house without you even being aware. Rabies vaccines are good for either 1 or 3 years, so keep careful records. Usually pets being vaccinated for the first time are the only ones to receive the 1-year shot.


-If you are bitten by a wild or strange animal, immediately wash out the wound with soap and water, and go to the hospital ASAP. Call your local game commission or animal control warden, and report the case. Post-exposure vaccinations need to be started the same day a person was bitten for them to be effective. This is not something to mess around with. Rabies is always fatal once symptoms appear.




Ok, I am approaching a panic attack from writing that, but I'm sacrificing my sanity to warn you guys! Please take it to heart.
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