This is how I feel

This coming week is National Mental Health Care week.You can do your part by remembering to contact at least one unstable person to show you care.
Well . . . my job is done. Your turn!

A Brand New Chicken Chaser

Yesterday we had my wife's grandniece Bailey over for the afternoon. She had wanted to come and see our new bunnies and the rest of the animals. For something to do, I taught her how to shoot a BB gun and she took to it like a natural. I have instructed many boys, their fathers, and some girls too, gun safety and how to shoot as a Boy Scout and as a Scout Leader. But I find that teaching girls is much easier and that they become great marksmen faster.

I taught my wife to shoot a .22 when we were dating, and by the end of our first session, I knew that I NEVER wanted to make her mad at me when their was a gun around. She has become a good shot with everything from a BB gun up to and including High powered rifles and a 12 ga. double barrelled shotgun, (her favorite next to a .22 caliber rifle). And my daughters are as proficient as their mother. My son turned out to be a natural wing shooter with a shotgun and is now better at it than I am, and I am damn good. ( I have shamed many an expensive trap and skeet gun with my old hand-me-down Stevens 310 12 ga. side-by-side with store bought shells no less). And he can probably out shoot me with a .22 also.

Anyway, enough self praise, back to Bailey. While I was teaching her to shoot, she would get distracted and nervous by our chickens who would gather around us out of curiosity. So I handed her a flag that we use to shoo the chickens into their pen and she went to town.

HEY! No fair!! Get out of the tree!!!

I am not sure what she found more fun, shooting the BB guns or chasing the chickens!!!

I was using small air inflated water balloons for her targets and when she popped one she would celebrate by chasing the chickens, sometimes while riding my Amigo.

I hope she had as much fun as me and Lynn did watching her.

Critters & Food

My wife and I were standing on the front porch this morning planning our day and spotted this guy flying from across the road.

It prompted me to grab the camera. We don't see many Praying Mantis' around here, but I know they are around.

I think that this is what attracted him because he flew by our morning glorey encrusted sunflower.

The chickens came around the front porch too. One of our Barred Rock Roos and a couple of Rhode Island Red hens and a Grey Leghorn hen.

And Mr. Americanna too.

Gracie was taking a nap under a Hollyhock.

And Abbey was napping on the porch.

Harley and Bear were sleeping inside, while Smeagol the Beagle was off for her morning walk.

Ethel our male cockatiel (we named him too young and we were told it was a female by the store owner) was bouncing around (or maybe it was me).

Yesterday we made a large roaster full of stuffed cabbage. Yum Yum!

Earlier for lunch, I made an old family favorite, Yellow Wax Bean Soup.

I don't know if it is a true Hungarian recipe because I am sure the recipe has been modernized somewhat, but my mother's family made it for generations. A little bit of Heaven in a bowl.

YELLOW WAX BEAN SOUP

2 lbs of fresh yellow wax beans, cut up
4 stalks of fresh dill, (or more to taste)
1 can evaporated milk
1 stick of margerine
2 tablespoons flour

Put the beans and dill in a large pot with enough water to cover. Boil until tender crisp. remove from heat and allow to cool a bit.

Add the evaporated milk. Stir well, and bring soup back to a boil.
In a saucepan, melt the margerine and stir in the flour, cook for 2-3 minutes until thickened. then add to beans.
Add more water if too thick.

Serve and season to taste with salt and pepper, and if you are really traditional a little vinegar.

I usually omit all seasonings and enjoy just the light flavors of the beans and dill. To those who usually heavely season foods, this will be a very bland dish.