Homeward Bound

 

I'm showered up - full of pulled pork - sitting on my cousin's couch and blogging.

We are keeping an eye on the weather - chance of some severe storms coming through the area.

It's been a great two weeks - as many of you know - I get all wistful when I start to leave Missouri.

 

The BBQ we had tonight was at the BBQ Station, in Cassville, Missouri.

It was the best BBQ I've had in a very, very long time!

If you are ever in the area - go!

 

 

 

 

 

 

I didn't plan on staying this long - but man alive - my cousin is swamped, and I happen to be able to help (or at least I like to think I am) and I'm more than happy to do so. 

Y'all know how I need to be needed.

 

 I'm seriously in love with woodworking at the moment.

 

 

If you looked at pictures of me at the age of three or four, you'd be hard pressed to find one that doesn't have me holding a stick. I was a bit obsessed with sticks and bits of lumber at that age.  Most little girls liked dolls, I liked sticks.  My mom told me she'd give me a hammer and a nail and let me at chunks of two by fours.  True story.  I have to laugh now in this day and age of child proofing everything - to think of me let loose with nails and a hammer at age four.

 

 

Sure, I'm excited to get home and get some shenanigans started - but this is the closest thing I've got to 'going home'. 

 My parents and my favorite aunt are buried right around the corner from here. and there's something about it that just feels right. 

 My cousin is my best bud.

 

It's bittersweet fer sure.

 

 

 Your goat comments were both educational and entertaining! 

 This I know for sure:

 

My life will not be complete until I have a goat in a hat and a scarf, in my car at the DQ drive thru.

 

 

In fact, I may just have to delve deeper into my fantasy world and pretend to be this woman - Tasha Tudor.  I seriously want to roam around my yard, hanging laundry, tending the chickens and goats - dressed like this, barefoot of course.

 

With that being said, I don't think goats will happen this year.  I've been thinking that I need to concentrate on my birds and my bees.  As you may know, my bees are in low income housing and are in desperate need of an upgrade.  I really would love to build a shed and make a honey house out of it, a place to store all my beekeeping equipment, do the extracting, etc.

 

I also have some chicken arranging to do, as well as establish Ye Big Olde Vegetable Garden.

 

If I could get one goat, chain a bowling ball to it's leg and just keep it wherever I was at the moment, I could do it now - but alas, I'm not sure that would work or be very humane.  I could fashion up a goat diaper I bet and let it stay in the house.  You know - the sad thing is, I think I would!  Ha!  I can only imagine if I were single - I'd have a houseful of cats, chickens and a few goats!

 

 

So what now brown cow?

 

I drive 600 miles home tomorrow with all the sawdust and wood shavings that the Heep will hold, dreaming of my new no till veggie garden plot.

I hopefully cobble up some type of wood shop at home and start building beehives, hopefully something like these:

 

 

My bees will be singing the theme song from 'The Jeffersons' if they move in these!

 

I'll be getting my baby birds from McMurray Hatchery and we'll be in full swing soon!

 

photo from backyardchickens.com

 

 

My cousin Jim whipped up some awesome clothesline poles for me from some lumber he was going to throw out!  They are so awesome.  Why does laundry excite me so!?

 

 

 I bought myself a pair of really sweet gloves at Lowes.

They would be perfect for goat wrangling.

 

 

 

 

 

I have loved every minute of helping my cousin Jim make cabinets!  It's so cool to see them go from planks of oak into these lovely cabinets.  I had no idea how much work was involved, and the sanding - dear God the sanding.

 

If you are in SW Missouri and need custom cabinets...give him a call, or email me.  : -)

 

Give me a couple of days to get home and get settled - I'll be mailing out the coffee to the winners, and announcing the winner of the gift basket, K?