My Chickens.......and some Really Good Bread Recipes!

I didn't say I would share...........but the chickens thought different!

Good morning.........from my FARM......... sweet ladies,

You see that really beautiful wreath that is in my header? Well I have been having it hang on the milk barn during the snow.......thought it looked so pretty. Well I found my wreath on the ground in the milk barn buried in straw and alllllll the berries eaten off it. Those naughty chickens. It must have blown off the door on to the floor and wasn't noticed by my Farmer Honey...........awww....... so sad for me. It was one of my favorite wreaths. I looked for another on the internet.......couldn't find one. Not always sure how to find things. If you see something like this on your "goings abouts" please let me know. If you know of a place on the internet or in a store........please send me the info. I would be so happy! Thank you!

Mr. Cuckoo Maran

and Mrs. Cuckoo Maran said,

"they don't know anything about the wreath!"

I hope it doesn't make the chickens sick........just plain naughty is all I can say!

Picture from Wikipedia

My Cuckoo Marans have not laid any eggs yet.......but when they do.....

this is what they will look like...........I can't wait!!!!!!!!!

Last week in the kitchen we baked Banana Streusel Bread.....it is now a favorite!! It is so moist and a good way to use up those old brown bananas you have on your counter. For the topping we did it a little different then the recipe. We didn't have the Wether's Original Chewy Caramels available so we used a made up a carmel recipe that was found in an old Mary Jane Farm Magazine. They are the nummiest. Tressa makes them for CHRISTmas. We didn't bring the caramel to a full 245 degrees. Go about 200 degrees and drizzle over the top of the Banana Streusel Bread. You can bring the remainder carmel to 245 degrees and make the remainder into caramels. It really is a pretty bread! Give as a valentine gift........they will feel loved. Slip bread into a cellophane bag.....tie up with a ribbon.......and a valentine tag...........fast simple gift from you kitchen! I bet....... you could use the fully cooked caramels for the inside of the bread. We will have to try it.

Holiday Caramels

1 cup cream

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup corn syrup

1/2 cup butter

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

1. Line an 8" square pan with 2 sheets of crisscrossed parchment paper.

2. Combine cream, sugar, corn syrup, and butter in a heavy 3 to 4 quart saucepan. Bring to boil over medium heat and cook , stirring, until the mixture reaches 245 degrees on a candy thermometer.

3. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla and nuts (optional). Immediately pour into prepared pan, and allow to cool at least 2 hours or overnight.

4. After carmel has cooled, remove from pan and cut into 4 equal lengths; then cut each length into 10 equal pieces.

5. Wrap each piece in a 4" square of waxed paper, or store between pieces of waxed paper in an airtight container. (from and old Mary Jane Farm magazine)

This is a very very moist bread. You can find the recipe here for the Lemon Blueberry Bread! The first piece........ when it is still is a little warm.............will be the best piece. I put it in a round bundt kind of pan. It had a flat bottom.......kind of like an angel food pan. It looked so pretty on a pretty plate. Decorate with slices of lemon and fresh blueberries.

This morning I have been listening to Daily Audio Bible ............at the end there are prayer requests........I was so overwhelmed with the hurt that sin brings into the lives of believers families. Whether you want the pain or not........ if others choose to sin and you are close to them........you have to go through the tough times "of their decisions". I am not saying you need to sin yourself(!)......I am just saying you my hurt......... because of it. There seems to be a lot of suffering out there ladies........probably in your life and I know in mine as well. Keep lifting one another up in prayer.....please. It is the key to get through the tough times. I am praying for you.......even though you may never leave me a comment.........I know by the numbers on my meter reader that ladies are reading. God knows you.........by name..........and I am asking HIM to meet your needs. It matters to Him when we come and talk to Him......even when we don't feel like it............it truly matters. He is a precious Father!

Please keep praying for God's will for Vitaliy's life...........I miss him.........glad I can talk to the Lord about him.........I am........ consciously thanking God for the sweet times and the memories we had..........as some of you have encouraged me. Sometimes I can get bogged down on the "what if's" for the future and I forget to be thankful for what He has done for me in my past. I am working on it as I grow in this time of loss! It is a part of my walk with Jesus.......dying to self.....and learning to trust my God...... in a whole new way........not always a pain free process.......... but so necessary. Thank you for your prayers! I truly want to be there for you also. If you want me to pray......I will........... just email me!

P.S. When I was working on this post this morning...... just about ready to put it up.....I received a phone call from a very precious blogger friend. She has walked heartache that I have never known............she called.........and she blessed me.......in my sadness this morning. A gift wrapped in a beautiful bow...........sent straight from my heavenly Father! Reminds me of how Real He IS! It really was a precious thing ....it helped my day and gave it some JOY!! Thank you sweet friend!

Enjoy your Sat.........I will be stitching and cleaning..............in my HOME........all day long! I would love to hear from you! If you are working on something special on your blog.......let me know........... I will come over!

Hugs from my farm to your HOME!

Linda