New Things...

 

We bought 2 new front tires for our tractor which cost me almost $200 but tractor tires last nearly forever or 20yrs. whichever comes first! Haha! So, it’s a worthwhile investment. We also put on new wheel bearings while we were at it. Kelly is  busy leveling ground where his shop will go...then on to work on the arena!

We also bought a garden cart and a red wagon for kids who visit the ranch to play on…all on sale at Harbor Freight! Got a great deal! Cheaper than used on craigslist and its brand new! We already have a tire swing and hope to put up another one soon. We have a toddler slide and will get a few more things for toddlers to play with.

We want to make your experience out on the ranch something you will always remember as we try to give everyone the blessings of the simpler times your grandparents and great grandparents knew. Back when Ma & her sisters or other ladies would sit on a porch and snap beans or shuck corn by hand and tell stories. Kids would be churning milk or ice cream and playing with the simple things they had around a farm or ranch. The menfolk would be working and cutting up (telling jokes) which made it all seem more like fun than work! A day when barn raising was common place, neighbor helped neighbor and even the most persnickety in a community got along…because they all had to. They all depended on each other. Much was forgiven and overlooked. Society would be a much better place by hanging on to those values of a simpler time.

Parker, Colorado Remodel

I was just about to post the remodel of the Texas home when I realized…I never posted pics of our last Colorado home remodel so all could see what we’ve already done! I sure miss my 3,000 sq.ft. Ranch Home in Colorado…but we’ll just keep working on this one here in Texas and see if we can’t get it lookin’ just as pretty!

 

Some history, the house in Parker was built in the 1960’s by a man, Mr. Calahan, who was a pilot and originally from California. The house was a familiar style for me…built much like the house on the Bonanza series which most California Ranch homes were, it was very open and spacious with Redwood beams brought in from California
2 inch knotty pine tongue in groove ceiling and rock walls through out the house. The rock was quarried right off the property!

 
 





Our entry way had a rock floor and an entry closet. As you enter looking straight ahead you see the sitting area near the fireplace.

 








The floors were concrete and we put in Birch Hardwood flooring. The little door on the left of the fireplace had originally been a wood box for the original fireplace.







 

To the left of the entry way was the kitchen that had a double oven stove, 11ft. counter with cabinets underneath, overhead pot rack and seating at the counter. We had mountain well water which was sweet and delicious. We put in added lighting features that made working in it a pleasure.    

There had been a cabinet over the counter which made the area dark and cramped. We put in the pot rack with lights and it opened up the space.

 

Over the dining room table we had tube lighting put in. Before it was a dark corner but now it was lit up all day! It was large enough for our dining table which had seating for 8! We could bump that up to 10 with a couple of extra chairs. The top cabinets  were the ones taken from over the counter in the kitchen and mounted against that wall keeping that cabinet space.
 

 

This is the hallway that leads to the bedrooms and baths. As you can see, it is solid rock...and therefore where we went during tornadoes! You can see the redwood beams throughout.







This was the first time I had tiled a counter!

 The two oval sinks made it difficult, but I was surprised that it was easier to do than what I had thought it would be! Got a great deal on the mirror from Hobby Lobby at half price off and the pattern in the tile and the mirror frame matched! Amazing find!

 We put in Saltillo Spanish Tile through a good portion of the house. This shows the transition from tile to the hardwood we put in.

This is the living room, looking straight ahead from the entry door. The view was gorgeous! Pikes Peak was to the left of the sliding glass door.

 

The living room from 2 angles. We put in a new energy efficient natural gas heating system, took out the skylights that were damaged, added a new roof, electric upgrades and tube lights (tubes that shoot light from outside in but don't leak like skylights can).

 

 

 

 

 

Spring Barn Cleaning

We’ve been here nearly 2yrs. and it’s the first time we’ve ever REALLY cleaned the barn! We are knocking down cobwebs & wasp nests…many have probably been there for 20yrs. by the looks of things. As you can see in this pic, we use metal cans to hold grain for the chickens. The "henhouse" where our hens lay their eggs and we collect them, is actually inside the barn. Daniel took off old metal garage door brackets & will take it to the scrap yard to get some money from it. He’s been picking up a lot of things around the property and taking it to scrap yards. This property had been used for more of a junk yard by previous owner so it’s taken a lot of work to get it cleaned up and looking like a ranch. Although, that is the reason we got such a great price on it…so really can’t complain!

I used an old broom and swept down the cobwebs from the walls of the barn, clearing the way to see the old wasp nests. Jessie knocked them down and broke them up. Some were just old ones but a few had larvae in them so we were glad to get that done before they grew!

Jessie then organized old cages in the corner & we hope to do a few repairs to the barn in the future. We’ve had some young men come out to the ranch and give us a hand from time to time. They helped last fall to put up a few pieces of tin that had blown off the roof of the barn in a storm before we had bought the property.

We plan on replacing some old wood, sealing up some nail holes in the tin, which you can see in this pic and putting in a few windows to let some light and air into the barn. We don't have electric out to here, so that's made it a bit difficult to keep egg production up in the winter. But, that is also a plan for the future, along with water "pumps" closer to our stables.  To the right of this pic, is the door that leads into the hen house.

 

 

Currently, there is a small back door in this corner, but we hope to put in a double door in the middle of the back of the barn. Above you can see part of a rafter, which will make a good storage area in the future for square bales. Right now we have the 2 huge round bales of coastal hay stored in the barn.

Building Rabbit Hutches & Rabbit Info

This is the finished product, but as you read on down, you will see it being built. Jessie has been breeding and raising rabbits for 14yrs. everything from meat, fur to pets that she’s sold.

As you can see...we built this inside the house because the weather was still too cold to build it outside...although wood was cut outside, thankfully to this ranch woman's delight! Ranch people are known for bringing their work into their house...even a new born calf when necessary!

We designed this hutch for convenience of breeding. We are building it for 2 does (one on each side) and 1 buck in the center. The does will be introduced into the buck’s area one at a time. Staying for 1-2 days to mate. It is done this way because if the buck was put into the doe’s cage…he may half the time have his mind on mating and the other half on smelling where she has been all throughout her area. We

want business to get done so we make sure they are in his area instead.

Rabbits are by nature solitary, getting together only briefly to breed. The only time rabbits stay together in nature for any length of time is when a mother rabbit is raising her young. And even then, she only goes to them to feed them.

Click here for a good reference on this subject from a reputable source.

If you put them together, a doe will fight another doe and a buck will fight another buck. Sometimes even a buck and a doe will not get along and will fight if she is not “willing” or she is too young.

Depending on the disposition of the rabbit, most will socialize well with humans and we socialize with our rabbits regularly to keep them easy to handle and willing to be moved and touched. Some can become very nasty and can bite or scratch. Jessie had one she called “Grumpy Gus” as he had not been handled much when she got him. But he warmed up to her and became very sociable after she worked with him for quite a while. It was very difficult when she came home one day and found a neighbor dog had gotten in and been biting at his cage, scaring him which killed him with a heart attack.

Rabbits in the wild have a variety they choose from, but their mainstay are grasses. Therefore in captivity it is best to feed them grass hay and a little alfalfa.

 Here is a good list to go by when feeding things other than hay to rabbits. Hay or grasses make up 75% of their diet (about 1 packed cup per 2 lbs. of body weight per day).

 

*****Be aware that fruit & lettuce are things you only want to feed them occasionally…not daily…feed a rabbit a slice of apple or banana…but it can cause diabetes so it’s not something you want to do regularly. Lettuce can cause diarrhea and dehydration because it’s a diuretic and eventually will affect their kidneys and liver. Rabbits are susceptible to diarrhea…so if it happens…check what you are feeding them. *****

 

 LEAFY GREENS

These should be no more than about 15 % of the diet (About 1 tablespoon per 2 lbs. of body weight per day). Therefore a VERY small quantity is allowed in their diet.

 

Leafy Greens I (need to be rotated due to oxalic acid content and only 1 out of three varieties of greens a day should be from this list)

• Parsley
• Spinach
• Mustard greens
• Beet greens
• Swiss chard
• Radish tops
• Sprouts (from 1 to 6 days after sprouting, sprouts have higher levels of alkaloids)

Leafy Greens II (low in oxalic acid)

• Arugula
• Carrot tops
• Cucumber leaves
• Endive
• Ecarole
• Kale (all types)
• Spring greens
• Turnip greens
• Dandelion greens
• Mint (any variety)
• Basil (any variety)
• Watercress
• Wheatgrass
• Chicory
• Raspberry leaves
• Cilantro
• Radicchio
• Bok Choy
• Fennel (the leafy tops as well as the base)
• Borage leaves
• Dill leaves

 

NON-LEAFY VEGETABLES

These should be no more than 10% of the diet (about 1 teaspoon per 2 lbs of body weight per day).VERY minute amount per day.

• Carrots
• Broccoli (leaves and stems)
• Edible flowers (roses, nasturtiums, pansies, hibiscus)
• Celery
• Chinese pea pods (the flat kind without large peas)
• Brussel sprouts
• Cabbage (any type)
• Broccolini
• Summer squash
• Zucchini squash

 

 

Hey...Hay!

So...we just got 2 HUGE round bales of hay the other day. You can see they are over the top of my head and the largest we've gotten in awhile. They were going for $85 a bale. If anyone is wondering where some of Jessie's Riding Lesson money goes it would be to horse feed! Most hay is barn stored right now, it's getting hard to get and prices are rising...ours is local but many are coming in from Kansas, Arkansas and Arizona! We have a few months before there will be hay cut and most don't want the first cut because it is stemmy but the second or third cut is much better quality. It sure is interesting how the whole hay brokering thing goes. We typically buy from our friends the Milsap's but they are completely out! Hoping we can get some rain so we can pasture them until the 2nd cutting is ready!

Ranching Women Part 1

     

   

 

Ranch/farm women throughout history have had to be strong, resilient women. There is no need for feminism as a ranch woman is all woman and yet, can do a man’s work if necessary. She doesn’t feel threatened by a man no matter how big a fella he may be, she knows there is always an equalizer! Sometimes that comes in the form of her good cooking, a 2x4 or her shot gun if necessary! Ha ha! She typically works alongside of the men if she’s not the one rustling up some grub! She is a respected partner and respected in her gender as well. A gentleman will help a lady and she will accept that help but at the same time, she’ll pick up the other end of that log or board if it is needed and has no qualms and neither does the man as he realizes the strength and resilience she has in her own right.

I truly believe feminism comes from city folk as country folk have always done what they needed to do without any pretenses from either gender. Many a man cooked on the trail and often were known as "Cooksey".

Skirts or pants? Well…ranch ladies love their skirts that’s for sure because they are all woman, but they also NEED their britches at times. I’ve been on the Colorado plains with winds whipping at 70mph and my skirt going up over my head…it was not the most modest of things to deal with. Then, if you couple that with livestock…an unruly heifer or even worse, a bull…you quickly learn pants may be safer and even a more modest option. Back in the day there were no women’s pants/jeans…but ranch women improvised when necessary. They typically would put on their husband’s or sons pants, tie them up with a cord, roll up the legs and go out and do the work if their menfolk were laid up, gone to take care of other business, or up and left them altogether. Life was tough for the pioneer woman…she did whatever she had to do to survive. If she knew that ole bull in that pen could get a hold of her skirt and kill her…well, she had no pretenses about it, she’d just put on a man’s britches and have at it with the work load. Now…she also didn’t feel she had to be a man if one was around and able. She would just as readily put on a dress and act like a proper lady. Hence…women didn’t need the tag of “Feminism” to be their mantra. They did it all and were all that on their own. No moniker necessary, thank you!

She’s a gal who may be up all night with a new calf and still be up at dawn to feed & care for her livestock. If she has enough menfolk…she’s a lucky gal as they can give her a bit of rest as she also maintains the home life. Cooking, cleaning and general maintenance may fall on her shoulders as well. They all work together and pull the load. Most ranch women typically earn the respect of menfolk and frankly, wouldn’t want it any other way. Men have to earn respect from other men so she figures she’s no different!

 

 

 

Come to the Barrel Races! It's FREE!

Hey, y'all! All of us from the Silver Spur Ranch will be setting barrels for the barrel race and helping out down at the Sheriff's Posse Arena in Cleburne tomorrow, Sunday March 9th. So, if you're looking for something to do Sunday afternoon come on out to watch! And of course...say hey to us! Check the attachment for details. This event is FREE to the general public. Only contestants pay a fee.

Please, if you have little ones who are sick...keep them away from "Mama" Bates due to my chemo! I'll be in the least crowded place due to doctors orders.



Happy Trails!
Elvira

Lenten Layering

Not talking about a Lenten dish or even clothes! Haha!

Talking about how to “test” oneself. Everyone has already decided on their Lenten sacrifice by now. But, what is Lent all about? It’s about our relationship with God…that’s why it’s a private thing and we shouldn’t tell others what our sacrifices are. It’s okay to talk about different ways to sacrifice. This is helpful to others and does not jeopardize what you’ve done privately.

 

So, I’d like to talk about how one can extend their Lenten sacrifices beyond what we’ve decided to do. We can always do better and give ourselves more to work on.

Mortification…what does it mean, really? Once we understand that flesh and soul are in constant opposition of one another, then we know we must keep the flesh under control, even subdued. St. Paul tells us: “If you live after the flesh", says the apostle, "you shall die, but if through the spirit you mortify the deeds of the flesh, you shall live" (Romans 8:13; cf. also Colossians 3:5, and Galatians 5:24).

We are creatures of comfort, to feel good about ourselves, we may tend to injure others. Calumny or slander cause character assassination. To eat, we may over eat which is gluttony. To sleep or rest, we may become lazy, slothful. If you cover the 7 Deadly Sins…you see they are all connected to our body in some way. But, God gives us the virtues to combat them.

For now…let us work on what I like to call “layering” because we don’t have to limit ourselves to one specific sacrifice during Lent…or any time for that matter. We have temptations every day and there are a million and one ways to combat them. I like the idea of “practicing” mortification willingly and we don’t have to beat ourselves to do it. We only beat our will in to submission and that is a win win proposition for those of us who are positive people. Do you want to hear God? Talk to him…don’t ramble…speak to God in a way that says, “I’m trying to be a good and obedient child because I love you as I see all the beauty you offer in life and therefore, how much you have loved me first. Me, who is mostly unworthy in so many ways to be loved like you love me. Teach me to love like you do.”

 So…let’s practice denial in many ways. Say you did not give up sweets for Lent…that is fine…but when you want a piece of cake and you know you REALLY want that piece of cake…stop…don’t take it! A moment of victory over the “want” of the body. Say you DID give up sweets…how about denying yourself that cup of coffee that you really need this morning? Will you be grumpy without that coffee? Well…if you are going to kick the dog or scream at your family maybe that isn’t the best option for you. OR…you can offer it up and not be grumpy! Maybe you just want to sit on the computer instead of playing with your kids or offering a neighbor help with theirs? Little things that can be layered can give us great control over ourselves far beyond even the big ones as we are “in the moment”.

Why wait to be tested by patience? Why not SEEK out something to be impatient about and practice patience instead? If you hate long lines…go into the longest line you can find. Tell yourself you are doing this to learn patience. Smile…that will help! If you hate talking to people, stand there and talk to someone. If you hate the idea of a checker being grumpy…think of something nice to say to brighten their day.

There are soo many opportunities in a day and we just don’t even recognize them sometimes.

 So…go on and have some fun with Lenten Layering…you might surprise yourself because it is all a test…between you and God…and no one else. Talk to Him about it before you start, while you are doing it…whisper… “I do this for you because I love you and because you have loved me so deeply. I want to be with you in eternity someday.” And don’t be all sack cloth and ashes. Understand that Jesus went through His time of suffering and His time of rejoicing. Do this with a positive attitude as, just like Jesus knew the outcome of His suffering…joy and redemption…we too, know that we can then enjoy the good God gives us here on earth and strive for heaven. He has given us beautiful sunsets, rivers, mountains, birds, morning dew…the list goes on and on. Realize you also will rejoice with him after Lent! You will have triumphed over the sinful nature of the body and once learning a bit of control…God also wants us to enjoy the beauty He created!

May you have a blessed Lent!

This is Elvira up at the Bunkhouse on the Silver Spur Ranch…

 

 

Mexican Frittata (meatless)

3Tbls. Butter      

5-10 Eggs  

1 Red Onion                        

4 Cups Hash Browns

 

4 Cups Mexican 4 Cheese Blend shredded Cheese

1 Cup Salsa

Melt butter in large (14-15 inch) oven proof skillet over high heat, butter sides of pan to prevent frittata from sticking. Add potatoes to skillet; cook 3 min. Reduce heat to medium. Beat eggs, stir in salsa. Stir in 3 Cups Cheese. Dice red onion and add into egg mixture.

 

 

Add egg mixture to skillet & stir slowly to combine. Cook for 6 min. (without stirring) or until eggs are set around edges. (Center will be wet) Sprinkle remaining 2 cups of cheese evenly over frittata. Cook in oven at approx. 350 degrees until cheese is melted and eggs are cooked in center. Cut into wedges, serve with garnishes of choice. Makes approx. 6-10 servings.

Variations: You can use zucchini in place of the hash browns. Tips: Brookshire's Brand hash browns has no additives (salt or chemicals) just potatoes!

Meatless Lasagna

Most of my recipes won’t be measured amounts because I like them to be able to adjust to what you have on hand and for the amount of people you need to serve. Typically, up at the Bunkhouse, I serve a lot of folks!

 

2 boxes of lasagna pasta

5 small to medium zucchini’s

3 lbs. of Ricotta

5 eggs

2 large jars of spaghetti sauce

3 lbs. of shredded mozzarella

Olive Oil

This makes two, 11x15 glass baking dishes.

Use a very large pot and boil water…place lasagna strips in the boiling water and cook until almost done but not quite as it will cook more in the oven. When ready, remove hot water and put cold water into pot until it cools the pasta down so you can handle it.

While pasta is boiling…

Cover bottom of 11x15 inch glass baking dishes with olive oil. Slice zucchini very thin. Take 3 lbs. of ricotta and beat in 5 eggs until mixture is creamy.

 

Once pasta has cooled, pick up strips with one hand while draining water off with the other. Place 1 layer of pasta in the dish. Add spaghetti sauce by tablespoons and spread over pasta.

 

 

 

Put a layer of zucchini and sprinkle shredded mozzarella. Make another layer with pasta strips,

 

 

spread ricotta mixture on top. Next, another layer of pasta, zucchini and mozzarella. With sauce on top.

 

Heat oven at 350 degrees. Put foil over dishes and cook for 45 mins. Remove foil, sprinkle more mozzarella on top and cook for another 20 mins.

 

Variations: You can use 6 lbs. of ricotta and 10 eggs, omitting the zucchini. You can use Eggplant to replace the zucchini. You can even use Eggplant in place of the pasta for those who don’t want grains or use a gluten free, or veggie pasta.

The Lenten Season on the Ranch

 

As a Catholic Cowboy family who also includes our Christian Cowboy neighbors who observe the Lenten Season, we invite you to enjoy our posts during this season.

I hope to get some meatless recipes up, tips, ideas and thoughts to make this season fulfilling as we try to live through the examples Jesus gave us and become one with the suffering He endured for us. Tying all things to His cross brings us closer to Him. So that, on Easter Sunday, we can rejoice with all He has done for us and understand in a deeper way, the sacrifices he endured for us!

 

As Catholics we observe what is called Ash Wednesday, where we “Remember that thou art dust, and to dust thou shalt return.”

—Genesis 3:19

 

As we contemplate our mortal lives, we think of our immortal souls and how we can best keep from sin. Therefore, today is a day of contemplation, abstinence and fasting.

 

It’s been known over the years that many give up chocolate…especially as children. Remember that it is best to keep your sacrifice to yourself as then, it becomes truly between you and God.

 

There is a very good sermon on how we can put into practice in our daily lives the virtues of patience and temperance. Instead of waiting for a moment to hit when we are unprepared and then we end up acting in the heat of the moment in a way that we wished we had more self-control, why don’t we practice daily so that we will act in the correct way when that moment hits us? I think this is a splendid idea and many will be able to go on to think of more ways of daily practice! Click here and listen to a wonderful talk on this subject.