Storm Damage, Dove Update, and Carrots

Nothing like cramming a bunch into one post, right?  We finally got some much needed rain Wednesday evening!  Unfortunately it came with high winds that caused a few minor spots of damage.  We lost 2 chickens in the storm....a meat bird and also one of my favorites...one that was raised free ranging in the woods and he'd lived long enough to be independent of his mama hen. 

The other damage just pointed us to projects that we needed to get to.  It rolled up the tin roof on the backside of the brooder house that acts as a lean-to for the small buck pen.  We've already sketched the plans and started gathering materials to re-do the brooder house, buck loafing area, and hen house.  The storm just reminded us that it has to be done SOON.  Money is tight, days are over 100º for the 64th day in a row, and now Bob is working very long hours....excuses, excuses...

The henhouse now has a skylight....

Our big Bois D' Arc (pronounced bow-dark) tree....already dead from the drought....lost it's top...

The good news is.....when the top fell....it did not hit an animal, a building, or a fence!  The top was blown about 30 feet over...onto the top of our Mulberry tree, breaking the top off of it....Bummer since I love that tree, the bucks love the leaves and fruit (it's in the big buck pen)...but thank God it did not fall on the new buck barn or any of the fences.

The little lost Ringnecked dove survived the storm, and is still our daily visitor.  He will even get on your finger if you are patient with him.  He flies off into the trees in the evenings, but usually makes his appearance around 5 or 6 in the mornings and sticks close most of the day.  His feathers are smoothing out, so I am assuming his wound is healing. 

Nearly every time I go to the grocery store I try to pick up a bag of carrots.  I feed them to the rabbits, goats, and even to the pigs as treats.  Cleaning out my barn fridge and the crisper in our kitchen fridge I discovered that I had 7 opened bags of carrots....and something needed to be done with them before they spoiled. 

In the past I have always canned carrots in quart jars, since that's what we needed for a big family.  Since most of the time it's just the 2 of us at supper nowadays....I decided to do them in pints.  First I sorted, rinsed, and peeled them...and held them in cool water until I had them all done.

I like using my crinkle cutter on carrots that I'm canning.  Not everything looks pretty in a jar once it's canned....but I think crinkle cut carrots make very pretty jars....besides, it doesn't really take any longer to do than just cutting them with a knife.

To fill the jars, I add 1/2 teaspoon of salt to each jar (9 pints in this case), add the carrots...and top them with boiling water....

I capped the jars and put them in the canner.  While it was heating up my kitchen doing it's thing.....


I went out and gave MissPiggy her daily shower and told her of the carrot tops and peels that were coming her way for supper tonight..

After all, ya gotta keep the bacon happy!