Late, As Usual | Chickens in the Road

Aug
20

From the files of the miraculous, I have finally packed up the books from last month’s giveaway and they were mailed out yesterday. I only received 17 envelopes. If you don’t receive your book within the next few days or a week at the most (depending on where you live), that means your envelope got lost! (Or you didn’t send it….)

I had the best time reading your wonderful notes, and there were even a few surprises in there. Look at the beautiful hand-knitted dish cloth and pot holder from Cheryl. See how the dish cloth has a little chick in a raised pattern in the center? (It’s hard to see in a photo, but it’s adorable!) I know somebody who ought to have their own Etsy shop……

Speaking of handmade, Kelleh opened a topic thread in the forum for people who visit here to list their favorite online handmade shops–if you have a website or an Etsy shop where you sell your handmade goods, please go to the thread. Post your link and tell us about it!

Also, Lora (Lora Mahaffey) sent me her debut jazz CD, At Last, which is absolutely beautiful! You guys are all so cool!!!! (Update to ask: Lora–where can people buy your CD? Let us know in the comments!)

Oh–and one more note about the forum, I’ve also got a topic thread going for those of you who have country living, cooking, or homesteading blogs. Tell us about it and post your link here.

As for me, I’m still working on that milkin’ thing……

Thank you for all the great suggestions yesterday! I’m implementing….and will be reporting in on the results!

You know that classic book, The Egg and I, by Betty MacDonald? (If you haven’t heard of it, it’s an autobiographical book, first published in 1945, about a woman who married and moved to a chicken farm in the boonies. It was made into a movie with Claudette Colbert and Fred MacMurray.)

I’m gonna write one called The Udder and I.

Just kidding.

I think.

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32 Responses
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8-20
6:53
am

You’ll get the hang of that milking thing. Milking goats is so different from cows. We never used anything to hold the cow in place. Just fed them and they stood still. Happy to get rid of that baggage, I guess.

The only time our cows ever balked was when Daddy did the milking. His hands were always rough and in the winter cold.

I have made dishrags like the one with the chick on it(sans the chick), but not the potholder. I’ve never seen one like it. How nice of her to send it to you.

Shirley - Reply
8-20
7:06
am

BwaHahahahahaaaa! I’d buy it! You know there is a demand for how to books with a sense of humor. Look at how many people read your blog. And some many people are trying to become more self reliant. hmmmmmm…….
:flying:

wkf - Reply
8-20
7:09
am

veryyy punny … just kidding ….. How udderly appropriate :clap:

M

M - Reply
8-20
7:09
am

Love those handmade things. Some homemade things are better than what you get at a store. I know I love my oven mitts. Congratulations on getting your giveaway prizes out. Hang in there with the milking, all those milking experiences can go into your book, The Udder and I! tee hee

Beckynsc - Reply
8-20
7:24
am

The handmade pot holder and dish cloth are beautiful and so clever with the chick on it…wonderful gift to include.

I agree with everyone on doing a book with all your experiences. I think it would be very exciting and quite interesting.

Shari C - Reply
8-20
7:32
am

Suzanne,

Your blog is an amazing thing. There are a whole passel of people in my little town who follow it daily. Of course they may be too shy to post a comment…for now.

I agree “The Egg and I” is great reading. Our local library’s copy had gone missing when I wanted to re-read, so I bought a paperback of it off Amazon. For anyone who remembers Ma and Pa Kettle movies, this is where the Kettles got their start! Hilarious!

Magdalena

Magdalena Scott - Reply
8-20
7:52
am

oh, that knitted dishcloth is so cute!! Good luck with that milking thing.

Kacey - Reply
8-20
7:52
am

Betty MacDonald is one of my favorite “read again and again” authors. Her books are so very good. Did you know there is a B&B where she used to live? It’s in Vashon, Washington.

That is a lot of milk! Good for you! Ah, it is back to work after a summer break for me today. Best get moving. Have a lovely!

Kathryn - Reply
8-20
7:52
am

You’ve got the hang of the milking thing, now its just a matter of getting HER used to the milking thing on a daily basis
:-)

Blaze - Reply
8-20
8:13
am

You’re doing great with your milking. Now, Clover just needs to get on the same (YOUR) page. It’ll come to you both…. :clap: Coco is gorgeous – no matter where she’s napping.

Gizmo - Reply
8-20
8:32
am

I’d love for you to write a book about your farm experience! And look more milk…lots more! Definitely a daily improvement going on here. Lisa

Lisa L. - Reply
8-20
9:08
am

The Egg and I is one of my all-time favorite books. When I started reading your blog, I felt right away you should do something of a modern-day version. You totally should!!!!

My parents were clearly Ma and Pa Kettle. And I saw myself as Claudette Colbert! I guess it was a question of art imitating life for me. Love that movie. Maybe I should look for it on DVD.

Suzette - Reply
8-20
9:14
am

You know Suzanne, with the popularity of your blog and your ever increasing celebrity status, you really should write a book. It would be a best seller for sure! I love this blog, and it really makes my day to come by and visit and get farm information and humor, and watch your daily farm life unfold! The continuing saga of the farm animal adventures is so entertaining, and you have “conquered the great udder”. So proud of you!

Gail L. - Reply
8-20
9:30
am

I LOVE your life!! Please tell me where I can get Lora Mahaffeys’ CD. I love good jazz and will gladly pay for it!! Thank you for brightening up my day!!

jane

Jane Smith - Reply
8-20
10:21
am

Yeah, sorry about that, I just found the envelope I was supposed to put in the mail. It was in my van yesterday!

Bonny - Reply
8-20
10:44
am

That Coco! I had to laugh when you said “or draped over Clover” because I LOVE that picture!! Coco is the PUP!

The new topics on the forum sound interesting!

I love the raised chick on the potholder – that is so cute.

Donna - Reply
8-20
10:55
am

I sure do remember the Egg and I, and all her other books as well. She also wrote the delightful children’s books, the Mrs Piggle Wiggle series.

The movie, the Egg and I, was filmed not too far from where I live on the Olympic Peninsula, and I know members of the family who inspired the tale of Ma and Pa Kettle, the Bishops. There’s even an Egg and I Road, on which the original “Kettle” homestead stood.

Jennifer Robin - Reply
8-20
10:56
am

I love the dishcloth and the potholder is fantastic. I’ve never seen anything like it. She does need to be on Etsy. I’ve got the Egg and I on my list for Amazon, I’ve heard great things about it.

Hey you are really turning into a milking machine!!! Good for you. I know you mentioned cheese, have you ever made cheese before? I make butter but I’ve never tried cheese. We could all do it together, like a “Chickens in the Road Community Project”.

- Suzanne, the Farmer’s Wife
(the other Suzanne)

Suzanne, the Farmer's Wife - Reply
8-20
11:01
am

From now on when I don’t want to finish a difficult task I will think of Suzanne and the Udder and know that I can do it.

Maureen - Reply
8-20
12:08
pm

Love the potholder and dish cloth-I’d buy one.

And yes, I’d buy a book about your experiences. How about “Udder Madness” “No Udder Life for Me”, “Udder Delight-My Life as a Farmer” or simply…..”Chickens In the Road”

I love reading your blog-didn’t know there were forums too! :typing: More to check out!

Debbie - Reply
8-20
12:56
pm

Or Chickens in the Road: Live in Udder Splendor.

Fabulours dishcloth and pot holder.

Thanks for all the Egg & I trivia. I love the movie, will order the book.

Katharina - Reply
8-20
1:43
pm

That seems like a lot of milk to me considering how you got it :mrgreen:

catslady - Reply
8-20
2:30
pm

Hi, We just realized that we have a wooden goat stand in the barn where we just moved. So that step is taken care of for now. Keep milking – progress has been made – look howuch more you got. Blessings

Abiga/karen - Reply
8-20
3:51
pm

:biggrin: Can’t wait to see the milking progress unfold with Clover. One question I had because our neighbor has goats behind us – he put rubberbands around their horn nubs to prevent them from growing. does this actually work???

Shelley - Reply
8-20
4:00
pm

The pot holder and dishrag are very cute.
One of these days Clover will let you milk her with no hassle.

Estella - Reply
8-20
5:17
pm

Congrats on getting the giveaways done and on the milk! Love the handmade things, and I also love jazz. Can’t wait to hear where we can get the CD. I’d forgotten all about the Egg and I book. I loved the Ma and Pa Kettle movies when I was a kid. My Dad and I would watch them on Sunday afternoons. I hope you are secretly writing a farm book, and if not, then get a moooove on!!

Patty - Reply
8-20
5:31
pm

The pot holder and dish holder are so pretty! Etsy is one of my favorite places to drool over the lovely knitted items. *g*
I’d read the story of an udderly cute goat. *G*

Brandy - Reply
8-20
6:02
pm

Udderly hilarious! I love that book by Betty MacDonald and I think I have watched that movie dozens of times. Love, love, love it. Oh Etsy can become an addiction. I love hand made things.

Egghead - Reply
8-20
8:20
pm

You’ve got some lovely gifts there…how sweet. And that udder just looks painful. I never nursed my babies but my stuff hurts just looking at Clover

Joanne - Reply
8-20
9:47
pm

Thanks for all the lovely compliments, everyone.

WV – here is a link to the directions for the hot pad:

http://www.freecraftunlimited.com/flower-hot-pad.html

It was embarrassingly easy to crochet – the tricky part (for me) was folding the petals over. Once I made one, I got the hang of it, though & have made a few more for my mom and me.

Cheryl S. - Reply
8-21
1:05
am

Was watching Dirty Jobs last night and they were milking…. goats! I thought of you and know you’ll soon get EVEN MORE milk from Clover.

Amy - Reply
8-21
10:11
pm

My darling sister Lora’s CD can be found at CDBaby.com – search “Lora Mahaffey” or simply click this link: http://cdbaby.com/cd/loramahaffey

She’s the cat’s meow, and does a killer version of “Black Coffee”.

Susan K from Ohio today, Maryland tomorrow!

Susan K from Ohio - Reply