PB

I have been cooped up in the house for about 10 days.

Snow, Ice, Frigid Temperatures, No School.

P1170399

It is awesome!

That’s Oreo, the dog, and THE Mustache Cat! The wind chill here hit -30 degrees, so they have been gazing outside rather than playing outside.

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  1. Donna Turner says:

    Sharing your love of boiled peanuts, and the explicit description re: their consumption was such a trip down memory lane for me; i just had to send my thanks! To say i anticipate/enjoy your posts is, well, an understatement. I applaud your ‘grit, grace, and glam’!!! A fan of yours…truly!

  2. Jan Sturgill says:

    Thank you for my morning chuckle! I always wanted to try boiled peanuts! Reminds me of my childhood memory of picking wild asparagus along the irrigation ditch in our field. I ate and ate and boy, was I ILL…I still eat asparagus, though.
    I think that it is so special that The Moustache Cat gets along with Oreo so well! What a great match…
    Note to self: Don’t fool around with ice unless you’re on the edge of said creek. 😉

  3. Frances says:

    What about adding some chocolate chips

  4. Janice Slater says:

    I can’t imagine living in the country, as I have always lived in the city. Farmlife fascinates me as my Mom was raised on a farm and had many fun and interesting stories to tell.
    I live on the west coast and the weather has been extremely mild this year. Looking at your pictures of so much snow and cold does not seem very appealing, but I am amazed at your fortitude and apparent enjoyment of where you live. I guess it’s all in what you are used to.
    Our daffodils, tulips, azaleas and flowering cherry trees are almost a month early this year. Wonderful to see them coming up and out, but worry about finally getting a frost that will wipe them out. No worries, the frost came and they are weathering the change.
    Love reading posts about living on a farm.

  5. Frances says:

    What about adding some chocolate chips?

  6. bonnie ellis says:

    What a post. I’m really sorry you had to get “our” winter weather. Minnesota is like what you describe what you are having. But we are prepared. We too eat pb here. I like it with tomatoes and some eat it with bananas. But back to your problem. Frozen water. Up north we have heaters that go into the water and when the power is out we use generators. I truly hope your tough weather ends soon. At least it is staying light longer, a sure sign spring will definitely come. Your farm is beautiful.

  7. Mary Rauch says:

    I am in rapture of that pic of Mustache and Oreo! May be the sweetest pic of that type I’ve ever seen. When you think of how far Mustache has come, it is unbelievable. And to see him sitting alongside Oreo, INSIDE your house…awesome!

  8. pamm says:

    Loved your post!

    My son-in-law has a special fondness for boiled peanuts…last summer we took a family vacation to beautiful Beaufort SC and it just so happened that the boiled peanut festival was happening the day we were leaving. Haha…they stayed for two extra days just to partake!!!

    As for PB I love it with just a bit of honey and I am a smooth gal. My sons could eat their weight in crunchy…funny how everyone has a different way to enjoy the deliciousness.

    I am shivering just thinking about landing in the frozen creek!! Glad your buddy was there to help.

  9. Teri Schneider says:

    Love, love, love PB! When I was in junior high years (and years!) ago, I woke up one morning and remembered I was supposed to have a sack lunch for a field trip our class was going on. Well, my mother decided to make a PB sandwich for me and added a little extra “surprise” to it. When I opened my lunch on the bus that day, I found the deliciousness of PB and bacon on my sandwich. Yes, bacon. It was awesome and I’ve loved it ever since!

  10. Brenda Towsley says:

    Hi Rebekah! You must not have electricity running to your hen house. My father in law ran some out to mine so I can run a heat lamp and a heating base for a waterer. I only have to tote water out once a day from the house since we have to shut off the faucets outside during the winter. Creamy Peanut Butter, Jiff, with butter on both pieces of bread before spreading the peanut butter, and only on soft white bread. Jeff eats his with mayo, yuck. My mothers, foster father was a farmer and after really long days outside he would come in and make toast, spread peanut butter between the two pieces and lay on a plate and pour maple syrup over the top, ate it like french toast. You must spread the peanut butter while the toast is hot and eat right away, do not wait for anyone else to start eating. I still make it for myself every couple of years just to remember. We have been having 20 below temps here also and the grandsons that live with us just went back to school after a few days off. It was around 5 degrees this morning before I left for work and now it is snowing and blowing. I am ready for spring. Ladybug is ready for spring. My poor shut in hens are ready for spring. I think I will try your peanut butter oatmeal asap! Love kitty, he is looking content.

  11. Patti Dmytras says:

    Rebekah, I love to read your blog. I live in Janesville, WI and we have a lot of snow and cold weather here too. I just wanted to let you know that George Washington Carver invented peanut butter and over 200 uses for peanuts. He is my favorite chemist of all. He was a black man who was born to a slave woman in the south, was torn away from her and went to live with a white couple who recognized his intelligence and helped him to continue his education the best that was possible during the time that he lived in the south. He became a teacher and took his students to the dump to find tin pie pans, cans and old tools and utencils to work in a laboratory since no provision for tools was given to black students. He was an honorable man, a wonderful kind hearted Christian, and a gift to all who love peanut butter.

  12. Rachelle says:

    Love your story! What a cute kitty! I put water in empty water bottles (sparkle or ozarka kind) with a lid. Then I use my sons little red wagon to haul it if needed. Just an idea. however, i don’t have to haul it through deep snow. I’m in south Texas 🙂

  13. Marcie says:

    Hi Rebekah,
    I have to agree – boiled peanuts is a ‘southern’ thing. I too, was raised in the south and I think we had roasted and boiled peanuts every summer. I believe some folks use Cajun seasoning in their boiling water now, but I can pass on that. I have to admit I have not had any kind of peanuts in years, except peanut butter. And speaking of PB – we live in the Smokies now and we have had a lot of snow lately and we finally dug our way out and got to town to replenish the staples and PB was high on that list … Jif creamy PB and Jonagold apples. I love peanut butter with apple slices. I’m with Merlin … enough of this snow and ice …let’s get on with spring.

    About those chickens – we got a heated water dish for chickens from Tractor Supply and it works great and other than just making sure the girls have plenty of food, treats and a toasty place to sleep, they’re in good shape during these cold days.

    Love your mustached cat … I think his twin is the cat that comes by our house for a daily meal and then heads back to the woods. A beautiful little black and white cat showed up a while back and it has a mustache and after a few months, I finally got it to come to our deck for a can of wet food and now it shows up everyday for it’s food, but it is still a bit wild.

    Take care and stay warm and make soup!

  14. Marcie says:

    Also wanted to add that my grandfather, whom we called ‘Papa’, was a farmer down in south MS and ate peanut butter everyday of his adult life and he lived to be 95 years.

  15. Denise Ross says:

    Oh whoa, that icy water, brrr it would’ve been a shock to your system when you fell in. :). I’m glad you’re loving the snow. Your photos are great. I love the footprints in the snow. So true that it beings thoughts to mind of those who’ve walked the paths before us. I love history and I think often about ancient cobbled streets where generations before us have walked doing life and those streets are still functioning well and our current generations are walking them now too. Just amazing.
    I’ve never tried boiled peanuts before, but I think I saw them in bags in out local supermarket the other day. I’m sure that they will taste different to the real thing, like what you’ve described here.
    I love peanut butter too. It’s amazing in popcorn crackers too, warm toast, I don’t add in the extra butter. Some thing else that’s wonderful with bananas chopped on top is Nutella. I especially love it with popcorn crackers, spread nicely on top of a cracker, then slice up bananas on top. Ooh so yummy. You get the crunch from the cracker then the smooth chocolate and then the creamy banana. Just such a fabulous combination. I haven’t tried it with oh, but I think I will now.
    Have a wonderful day
    Hugs from Australia
    Denise

  16. susana says:

    Ya sound like me….love peanut butter, but… learned to stop at two tablespoons…..I lick it slow, sort of, or I will eat some dark chocolate with it,,,,it helps to savor the PB.

    /We have a candy cookie recie that has oatmeal, chocolate with peanut butter…. you take 3 cups of quick oats and put it off to the side, then you make the fudge in the pot, the cope for that is n the back of the powdered Hersheys cocoa box. It has the makings for how o ake the fudge-chocolate, butter ( I think)then to the fudge you add three tablespoons to a 1/2 cup of peanut butter and a teaspoon of vanilla. Then add the peanut butter and let it melts thoroughly n medium hwpeat til it comes yo the grudge stage, then pour the fudge mix into the oatmeal, mix well, then spoon the cookies by tablespoon onto
    a dish ( makes it easier to get them off when cooled). Talking
    about it, I want to make some! Just love baking in the
    wintertime.
    Enjoy. Susana

  17. Alexandra Wilson says:

    Hey Rebekah,

    I didn’t read all of the comments but had to reply to a question in your post, so sorry if it was answered already. George Washington Carver is usually credited as the inventor of peanut butter. This is a good thing to know during black history month! Although, I’ve heard that he wasn’t the true “inventor”…it was probably the ancient Aztecs or Incas or other indigenous peoples that grew peanuts. We can grind our own at our grocery store and it is the BEST peanut butter I’ve had. Just enough crunch! I love peanut butter and honey toast…YUM.

    Hope your snow continues to be awesome! Alex, the Rural Farmgirl

  18. Joan says:

    Your whole report is just wonderful!! especially when you talk of the boiled p-nuts – well maybe that part isn’t wonderful – I AM NOW SO LONESOME for some boiled p-nuts. I am from the west/midwest but have spent many a time in the south and well – love them p-nuts. So did enjoy all of your writing – going to try the PBO tomorrow, we are to get 6-8″s in the next couple days, on top of the last 12″s we got by Sat. So on we go with winter. God bless.

  19. Jill says:

    Rebekah, your love of peanut butter made me laugh! I, too, love peanut butter (creamy Jif, thank you very much) and have probably eaten close to a million peanut butter crackers in my lifetime- saltine, ritz, graham, triscuit, doesn’t much matter–it’s just salty, yummy, pb goodness!!! I have never, however, appreciated peanut butter as much as I did when I was pregnant. Having horrible morning sickness (that lasted all day, all 9 months) I realized quite by accident one day that just the SMELL of peanut butter made me feel better. I can’t explain why– all I know is it worked!! To this day, if I don’t feel well, I just open the jar of Jif and breathe deep– better instantly!!! Thank you for a good chuckle this evening!!

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19 Random Things

Random 1. Maybe we should finally name our farm.

We have been here two and a half years. It is time.

Everyone said, “A name will come to you.”

It hasn’t.

My husband and I were like that when we had a baby too.

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  1. susana says:

    Rebekah `Riches! Random Smiles! I could think of a lot of titles for your ranch sign! I love your beautiful horse…he’s beautifully named…. Merlin the magician with your heart strings! He reminds me of my Candy….who was a palomino, that coloring of yours with spots! Why not call it…Merlin’s Mansion….because hes got your soul! Horses do that to you.

    I was always mystified by my horse who would con me for
    carrots every day, and if I didnt give him one, he would steal
    my candy in my coat pocket or from my overalls ( its how he
    got his name….stealing the candy from my pocket) . He had a
    sweet tooth.

    I think your photos are so beautiful….love the rainbow and the
    clouds, so picturesque.you stood really think f a name.,..hope I helped you decide….I love Soul Stowaway! You stoled my heart!

    As for your Banjo….he looks part goat! He must be hilarious. If you ask me…you should call your ranch … Soul Stowaway as you stowed my heart away …..your farm is so beautifully displayed with the rolling hills and all the funny characters on it….I would love to be a stowawy there on your farm, its so welcoming with all the different personalities of your animals….or should i say family members! You stold my heart , as I miss my farm days as a child.

  2. susana says:

    P.s…..love the milkweed… I would grow an acre of it if I had the space…. milkweed attracts the Monarch Butterflies….how about Milkweed miles! I could just see the butterflies hanging out on your farm….its so peaceful…. Peaceful Pastures! Or even Monarch Miracles! Or just…Random Paradise! Love it! Good luck naming your place a name that emulates its beauty!

  3. Sharon says:

    Hi Rebekah:

    Just wanted you to know how much your blog means to me – always makes me smile – your pure honesty and thoughts are so uplifting – thank you for sharing your home and life with all of us!

    Give Merlin a big hug for me!

    Sharon (from South Carolina)!

  4. Dori Troutman says:

    Dear Rebekah, farm names are so hard. We named ours sort of in a hurry because we needed a name in order to register our farm under the green belt tax stuff, etc.. We had all of a few days to stew over it. Probably could’ve delayed it another season but my husband never lets the grass grow under his feet. So, it became Southern Greens Angus Farm and I guess it’s okay. Anyway… I’m happy that you can take your time! It’ll come to you! I LOVE the tobacco basket. I’ve been wanting one for years. They are terribly expensive here in Tennessee. It looks great on your wall. Oh, and I also love the mis-matched chairs! And Merlin. Glad you have such a sweet story for him and such a special bond. And the good thing is? You don’t ever have to ride him if you don’t want to… you can groom him, walk him, hug him and baby him! Happy February! – Dori, the Ranch Farmgirl –

  5. Cathy says:

    How about Clarity Acres because you took a situation you weren’t really experienced in and have made sense of it all. That’s more than most people can boast. Love your posts! They make me dream.

  6. Adrienne says:

    Well, I have two suggestions on a name for your farm based on what I’ve read over the years. You already have a magician, Merlin, in residence so that makes it a Magic Farm. The other suggestion is combining the acreage with the name as in FortyAcres Farm (or whatever acreage you have).

  7. Bonnie Ellis says:

    random love for all things alive, especially my husband, kids, chickens, cows, pigs and horses; in that order. Random farm is a wonderful name. You wouldn’t have come up with it unless you were struggling with naming. Your farm is beautiful and you are a delight to hear about. Happy Valentine’s day (should be called love day).

  8. Marcie says:

    What an inspiration you are, Rebekah. I was feeling down in the dumps when I started reading your story and the more I read the better I felt and when I read the part about how connected you are to Merlin, I was high. You’ve written about this before and each time I always think, ‘how great is that’? The link and bond that you share with this beautiful creature is magnificent. He knows who he can trust and I’m sure he appreciates it every time he runs wild and free across the pastures of your farm. Maybe your spirit is running with him. You don’t EVER have to explain or apologize to anyone about your feelings for giving Merlin a ‘home’ or any of your other little furry or feathered ones. I love it.

    Have you checked Lola for bumblefoot? It is a chicken thing that you can read about online. A couple of times one or two of our chickens just bruised a leg or foot but soon healed, but I always had to look at the bottom of their feet just to make sure they did not have an injury.

    The only random thing we are doing right now is waiting for spring … got lots of chores to do and we need warmer weather to do them, but each day is a day closer to spring.

    thank you for the positive notes – I needed that. I feel great now!

  9. Cindy says:

    Ok! Once again your hilarious ! I too. Am having a hard time naming our farm! We built our farmhouse 1and a half years ago on our 26 acres! I love love wizard of oz! I wanted to name our farm Over the Rainbow farm! My husband thought it was gay! Ha! No offense to anyone! So we think we have settled on Flew the Coop! I thought you would love it! Oh! And he wants to name the road to our farmhouse,dairyair lane! Get it! I told him we need some jersey or Holstein cows out front for show! He said if we get one will eat it! Yikes! Can’t eat Bessie! Well! I am finally getting my horse dream this year! Oh my wanted a horse my whole life too! Where to go? How to know if it’s the right one? Oh my! Got my work cut out for me! I think I want a paint! Well ! The goats,cat,dogs,husband and my dear old Dad are all fed! Whew! Time for a nap! Ha ! Soon to be chicks too! Take care! Cindy

  10. Mary Rauch says:

    I came to this site to offer you a farm name …and unbelievable as it seems…Adrienne has offered the same name! How UNCANNY. Let me offer a quote from “Sleepless In Seattle” that could apply to the Farm and to Merlin. Here goes: “It was a million tiny little things that, when you added them all up, they meant we were supposed to be together…and I knew it. I knew it the very first time I touched her. It was like coming home…only to no home I’d ever known.
    I was just taking her hand to help her out of a car and I knew. It was like…
    Magic.”
    So, Magic Farm should cover all the love and the meant-to-bes and all the magic this has brought to you and your family.

  11. Kristy says:

    James Hilton wrote a book called Random Harvest. It was made into a movie with Greer Garson. I kinda like that name for the farm. It doesn’t lock you into anything, like a certain crop or endeavor, and yet it almost summarizes your experiences of the last few years. It seems to me that this whole thing has been one of the most enriching parts of your life.

  12. Nancy Couden says:

    As for a name–I know the right one will come to you one day. But, you always talk about Merlin your horse. I always think of the movie “Excalibur”–one of our favorites. And after that I always think of Merlin in the movie saying he is a dream to some and a nightmare to others. So name for thought “Excalibur” and/or “Dreamland”.

    • Illoura says:

      My life is in transition now and not as wonderful as when it felt and seemed so similar to yours.
      Thanks so much for sharing what’s wonderful in your world, and how the magic of it touches you. It touches us too!

      I did want to alert you to one aspect of naming your farm. That is, maybe do a google search on it first. Not that you can’t have the same name or title as another- but sometimes there can be an association you may not want.

      For instance, there’s a popular radio show (also podcasted on youtube) hosted by Whitely Streiber, called “Dreamland”. It’s about aliens and related stuff. Just thought you would want to know that.
      From Wiki: The United States Air Force facility commonly known as Area 51 is a remote detachment of Edwards Air Force Base, within the Nevada Test and Training Range. According to the Central Intelligence Agency, the name Area 51 was used in a CIA document from the Vietnam War.
      Other names used for the facility include Dreamland, and Paradise Ranch (among others). So, Area 51 = same as Dreamland.
      *I named our last place Paradise Ranch… had a sign at the entrance and everything, but it was far from an original – I found that it’s a very popular name (and no one associates it w/ Area 51).

      Good luck to you in finding that perfect name!

  13. WendyLynn says:

    LOVE your “random” column! Keep up the blogging & the lovely photos!

  14. katie barbarossa says:

    aside from the Asparagus Patch you mentioned in your post, the name “Soulace” (a variation of solace) came to mind.

  15. Susan Abernethy says:

    Soulful Farm….It has filled your soul with an abudant love.

  16. Karen(old cowgirl) Montoya says:

    Hi Rebekah,
    I am not going to give you any names or advice. That is my theme for this year and what ever years I have left. “Do not give advice or poke my nose in where it is never welcome”. That is my theme. You know what you are doing. Thank you for rescuing a beautiful horse.
    Have a nice healthy life,
    Kay

  17. Pam deMarrais says:

    Rebekah, I love your random post! The tiny doll just cracks me up. You have so many wonderful, random things in your life. And you are so great at telling about them!
    Here’s one of the random things at my farmette:
    I have a funky little country house with some really low ceilings and tiny doors….fit for a hobbit. I have a cistern below the kitchen that used to be accessed by a hole in the floor. My husband always tells people that if he disappears that someone should make sure that I didn’t put him in the cistern. Would I do that? Hmmmm.

  18. Marji McDonald says:

    Well, I have to put my two cents in. “Avalon Hills Farm” to house all your magic and magical creatures that you invited to live there.

  19. Pat says:

    Hi Rebekah!
    I love reading about your farm. My grandparents from generations back have all been farmers and I loved….loved spending time there. I would live on a farm in a “city-heart-beat” but I married such a city-boy. : )
    I can see why you fell in love with Merlin. The little “pony” would steal my heart away. But I wouldn’t like any mouse in the house!
    I love the pictures of the farm, especially the one with the “buttermilk” sky over the farm. Just transports me out of the heart of the city here and puts me right where I would like to be living open and free under God’s own sky.
    I’m so happy that you are able to be living YOUR dream!
    More power to you Farm Girl.
    And I hope your little Chicky’s foot is better now.
    Happy Heart Day…

  20. Beverly says:

    Thank you, as always, Rebekah for your wonderful posts about your life on the farm!! I especially want to thank you for mentioning the plight of the monarch butterflies who’s population has decreased 95% in the past twenty years. I’m trying to enlist any gardener who is interested to plant milkweed seeds(I have even purchased them to distribute to my friends). It is a cause near and dear to my heart. I love your beloved Seddy. He looks like he’s been loved and cherished for a long time :-). I know the perfect name for your beloved farm will come…it took me awhile to name mine 🙂

  21. Donna says:

    Good Morning ,
    Merlin was a great wizard , soul mates can be in any form yours is a horse . your name shall come , It needs to come from all of you, your husband your daughter your horses your chickens , it is good you can reach the souls of all your animals not all people can do that. take your time with this.

  22. Sharon says:

    Merlin’s Meadow Farm? Anyway, loved the pictures. My favorite was the wasp and baby. Very odd combo. Guess that says a lot about me!

  23. Linda says:

    Too many comments to check, but did anyone suggest Dream Maker Farm? It would certainly fulfill my dreams! I had my soul horse at one time, and another that was “just a horse”…so I entirely know what you mean. A famous trainer once said not to let anyone tell you what to do with your horse. So if you never ride, just have them to enjoy in the pasture (pasture ornaments) that is wonderful. I would love to have my horse again; she has passed on but is still in my dreams.

  24. Linda says:

    Oh, a p.s. about the chicken…had a hen one time who got stepped on by the horse and broke her leg above the foot. I “splinted” it with sticks and tape (popsicle sticks?) and although she had a small bump, I don’t remember that she even had a limp!!

  25. Rebecca says:

    Your farm is a blessing! I have no advice on names since I’ve never been good at that. I’m too indecisive. I love what you are doing with your Soul horse, though. All creatures, whether two legged or four, need that freedom at some point in their lives.

  26. You can always float test your eggs! My hens were always hiding them and I would stumble upon stashes of 40 or more eggs at a time. Floaters are bad. Sinkers are good. Google it! Especially during the winter.. I bet they are all good!

  27. Brenda Fish says:

    Nice collection of your thoughts. Thanks for sharing, you made my day.

  28. Diane Van Horn says:

    I randomly love your posts!

  29. Christiane Berry says:

    Love your posts, I understand the Soul mate horse natural free spirit thing going on. I also see the sparkle in the animals you have rescued or taken under your wings, and let them be free souls and self-minded spirits. Suggestion to farm name
    should relate to all this…FREE SPIRIT FARM or SPARKLED SOUL FARM…yes let your spirit and soul run free and eventually you and Merlin will connect, horses do sense the true spirit of humans, that’s why they’re so special loving creatures.

    Keep on blogging.
    Christiane Berry

  30. susana says:

    I’m wondering if you named your farm yet….how about… Heavens Haven?I hope you let us know what you name your farm and get a ranch style sign to hang at your front of your farm. Susana

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